The Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO): A CubeSat for Measuring the MeV Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background
Abstract
The origin of Extragalactic Background (EGB) light in the 300 keV - 30 MeV energy range is an unsolved question that has persisted for more than 40 years. MAMBO (Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory) is a CubeSat mission concept motivated by the realization that an instrument purpose-built for measuring the MeV EGB from a CubeSat can provide quality measurements that exceed the best that are currently available. There are two key reasons for this: (1) the EGB is so bright at MeV energies that it only requires an instrument with a small effective area and (2) the best existing measurements are compromised by instrumental background, which scales with the mass of the spacecraft/instrument. Here, small is beautiful. We present a design for a gamma-ray spectrometer capable of both providing quality measurements of the spectrum and angular distribution of the MeV EGB and meeting the tight Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints imposed by deployment on a 6U CubeSat. During a two year baseline mission, MAMBO will be able to collect measurements of the MeV EGB background that are superior to the best currently available and place important constraints on MeV EGB origin.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1825428
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-19-26775
Journal ID: ISSN 1824-8039; TRN: US2215806
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- PoS - Proceedings of Science
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 358; Conference: 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2019), Madison, WI (United States), 24 Jul-1 Aug 2019; Journal ID: ISSN 1824-8039
- Publisher:
- SISSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Extragalactic Gamma-ray Background radiation
Citation Formats
Vestrand, W. Thomas, Bloser, Peter Forbes, Hoover, Andrew Scott, Parker, Lucas Philip, and Wren, James. The Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO): A CubeSat for Measuring the MeV Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.22323/1.358.0608.
Vestrand, W. Thomas, Bloser, Peter Forbes, Hoover, Andrew Scott, Parker, Lucas Philip, & Wren, James. The Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO): A CubeSat for Measuring the MeV Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background. United States. https://doi.org/10.22323/1.358.0608
Vestrand, W. Thomas, Bloser, Peter Forbes, Hoover, Andrew Scott, Parker, Lucas Philip, and Wren, James. Mon .
"The Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO): A CubeSat for Measuring the MeV Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background". United States. https://doi.org/10.22323/1.358.0608. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1825428.
@article{osti_1825428,
title = {The Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO): A CubeSat for Measuring the MeV Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background},
author = {Vestrand, W. Thomas and Bloser, Peter Forbes and Hoover, Andrew Scott and Parker, Lucas Philip and Wren, James},
abstractNote = {The origin of Extragalactic Background (EGB) light in the 300 keV - 30 MeV energy range is an unsolved question that has persisted for more than 40 years. MAMBO (Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory) is a CubeSat mission concept motivated by the realization that an instrument purpose-built for measuring the MeV EGB from a CubeSat can provide quality measurements that exceed the best that are currently available. There are two key reasons for this: (1) the EGB is so bright at MeV energies that it only requires an instrument with a small effective area and (2) the best existing measurements are compromised by instrumental background, which scales with the mass of the spacecraft/instrument. Here, small is beautiful. We present a design for a gamma-ray spectrometer capable of both providing quality measurements of the spectrum and angular distribution of the MeV EGB and meeting the tight Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints imposed by deployment on a 6U CubeSat. During a two year baseline mission, MAMBO will be able to collect measurements of the MeV EGB background that are superior to the best currently available and place important constraints on MeV EGB origin.},
doi = {10.22323/1.358.0608},
journal = {PoS - Proceedings of Science},
number = ,
volume = 358,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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