Conveners
Future innovations in gamma-ray astronomy: Thursday block 1
- Chris Fryer (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
- Adriano Di Giovanni (Gran Sasso Science Institute and INFN-LNGS)
- Michelle Hui (NASA MSFC)
Future innovations in gamma-ray astronomy: Thursday block 2
- Adriano Di Giovanni (Gran Sasso Science Institute and INFN-LNGS)
- Chris Fryer (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
- Michelle Hui (NASA MSFC)
Description
This session will focus on identifying future science drivers, necessary capabilities, and priorities for the future of space-based gamma-ray astronomy. These topics include the priorities in gamma-ray science, identifying the science that can be only done with gamma-ray observations (and what will be done with upcoming missions), synergies of gamma-ray science with other observations, discussing new technology in gamma-ray science and investments needed for this technology and outlining the advances in fundamental physics, theory, modeling and analysis for this science.
Observation of cosmic gamma-rays in the MeV range have long been considered both promising and challenging. The challenges directly result from the physics of the photon-matter interaction at these energies, being dominated by incoherent Compton scattering, forming a global minimum in photon-matter cross-section without an option of building focusing optics. The non transparency of the...
As current space-based gamma-ray instruments such as Fermi begin to show their age, it is time to think about the next generation and the overall future of gamma-ray astronomy in space. To help start the process, NASA has commissioned the Future Innovations in Gamma-Rays (FIG) Science Activity Group (SAG) to collect information and publish a report identifying future gamma-ray science...
Crystal Eye represents an innovative space-based all-sky monitor designed to observe photons in the 30 keV to 50 MeV range. Utilizing a novel detection technique, this instrument features enhanced localization capabilities compared to current instruments, made possible by new materials and sensors. Its primary scientific objective is to detect electromagnetic signals from extreme phenomena in...
The Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) is a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) satellite mission planned to fly in 2027. It has the participation of institutions in the US, Europe and Asia and aims at the construction of a gamma ray telescope for observations in the 0.2-5 MeV energy range. It will cover the full sky with a 120$\times$120 degrees$^{2}$ field of view, excellent energy resolution,...
Exploring the mid-range $\gamma$-ray regime (0.1-50 MeV) remains a significant challenge in astrophysics due to the lack of sensitive instruments in this energy band. To address this gap, we propose the GammaTPC, a novel MeV $\gamma$-ray instrument concept utilizing a liquid argon (LAr) time projection chamber (TPC). This instrument aims to achieve an all-sky survey capability with a large...
