Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Feb 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010head...11.4003m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #11, #40.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.720
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
The Lunar Occultation Observer (LOCO) is a new gamma-ray astrophysics mission concept being developed to probe the nuclear regime (( 0.1-10 MeV). LOCO will perform an all-sky survey of the Cosmos at nuclear energies, and will the have capability to address multiple high-priority science goals. Placed into lunar orbit, LOCO will utilize the Moon's unique environment to maximize performance relative to terrestrial-orbit endeavors with similar science goals. Specifically, LOCO will use the Moon to occult astrophysical sources as they rise and set along the lunar limb. The encoded temporal modulation will then be used to image the sky thereby enabling spectroscopic, time-variability, point- & extended-source analyses. This Lunar Occultation Technique (LOT) enables the excellent flux sensitivity, position, and energy resolution required of the next-generation nuclear astrophysics mission. In addition, occultation imaging eliminates the need for complex, position sensitive detectors. The LOCO concept is cost-effective, competitive, and has a straightforward and scaleable implementation. I will review the top-level mission concept, simulations and performance estimates, detector development efforts, mission implementation strategies and tradeoffs, as well as the astrophysics and secondary lunar science goals. This work was supported in part by National Aeronautics and Space Administration grants NNG06GF74G and National Science Foundation grant ATM-0421267. One author (RSM) also acknowledges support of the National Space Science & Technology Center through cooperative agreement grants NCC8-200 and NNM05AA22A.
Bonamente Massimiliano
Ebbets Dennis
Freelove R.
Harwit Alex
Lawrence D. Jr. J.
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