118592254
The agile alert system for gamma-ray transients
In recent years, a new generation of space missions has offered great opportunities for discovery in high-energy astrophysics. In this article we focus on the scientific operations of the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) on board the AGILE space mission. AGILE-GRID, sensitive in the energy range of 30?MeV-30?GeV, has detected many ?-ray transients of both galactic and extragalactic origin. This work presents the AGILE innovative approach to fast ?-ray transient detection, which is a challenging task and a crucial part of the AGILE scientific program. The goals are to describe (1) the AGILE Gamma-Ray Alert System, (2) a new algorithm for blind search identification of transients within a short processing time, (3) the AGILE procedure for ?-ray transient alert management, and (4) the likelihood of ratio tests that are necessary to evaluate the post-trial statistical significance of the results. Special algorithms and an optimized sequence of tasks are necessary to reach our goal. Data are automatically analyzed at every orbital downlink by an alert pipeline operating on different timescales. As proper flux thresholds are exceeded, alerts are automatically generated and sent as SMS messages to cellular telephones, via e-mail, and via push notifications from an application for smartphones and tablets. These alerts are crosschecked with the results of two pipelines, and a manual analysis is performed. Being a small scientific-class mission, AGILE is characterized by optimization of both scientific analysis and ground-segment resources. The system is capable of generating alerts within two to three hours of a data downlink, an unprecedented reaction time in ?-ray astrophysics.
119196535
Evaluating the maximum likelihood method for detecting short-term variability of AGILE γ-ray sources
Context. The AGILE space mission (whose instrument is sensitive to the energy ranges 18–60 keV, and 30 MeV–50 GeV) has been operating since 2007. Assessing the statistical significance of the time variability of γ-ray sources above 100 MeV is a primary task of the AGILE data analysis. In particular, it is important to verify the instrument sensitivity in terms of Poisson modeling of the data background, and to determine the post-trial confidence of detections. Aims. The goals of this work are: (i) to evaluate the distributions of the likelihood ratio test for both “empty” fields and regions of the Galactic plane, and (ii) to calculate the probability of false detections over multiple time intervals. Methods. We describe in detail the techniques used to search for short-term variability in the AGILE γ-ray source database. We describe the binned maximum likelihood method used for the analysis of AGILE data, and the numerical simulations that support the characterization of the statistical analysis. We apply our method to both Galactic and extragalactic transients, and provide a few examples. Results. After checking the reliability of the statistical description tested with the real AGILE data, we obtain the distribution of p-values for blind and specific source searches. We apply our results to the determination of the post-trial statistical significance of detections of transient γ-ray sources in terms of pre-trial values. Conclusions. The results of our analysis allow a precise determination of the post-trial significance of γ-ray sources detected by AGILE.
109815200
Test campaign of the mini-calorimeter for the AGILE satellite
The AGILE Mini-Calorimeter (MCAL, with total on-axis radiation length 1.5 X0) comprises 2 orthogonal planes each consisting of 16 CsI(Tl) bars. Its primary purpose is the energy determination of gamma-rays detected by the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) Tracker (energy range 30 MeV–50 GeV). In addition, the MCAL is capable of independently triggering and detecting gamma-ray bursts and other impulsive events in the energy range 0.25–250 MeV. A MCAL prototype, comprising 8 CsI(Tl) detector elements, was tested both with laboratory sources and with charged particles (p=1 GeV/c) during an AGILE Beam Test carried out in November 2000 at the CERN T11 beamline (East Hall, CERN PS). The test setup included a prototype of the electronic chain. A prototype of the digital data acquisition chain, which will be the baseline of the payload Electronic Ground Support Equipment, was also built and tested. We present the preliminary results of this test campaign dedicated to characterizing the detector unit and electronics.
122049535
Search of GRB with AGILE Minicalorimeter
Abstract AGILE, the small scientific mission of the Italian Space Agency devoted to Hard-X and Gamma-ray astrophysics, was successfully launched on April 23, 2007. The AGILE payload is composed of a tungsten-silicon tracker (ST), operating in the gamma-ray energy range 30 MeV–50 GeV; Super-AGILE, an X-ray imager operating in the energy range 15–45 keV; the Minicalorimeter (MCAL) and an Anticoincidence shield. MCAL is a detector of about 1400 cm 2 sensitive in the range 0.3–200 MeV, that can be used both as a slave of the ST to contribute to the AGILE Gamma Ray imaging Detector (GRID operative mode) and autonomously for detection of transient events (BURST operative mode). MCAL is made of 30 CsI(Tl) bar-shaped scintillation detectors with photodiode readout at both ends, arranged in two orthogonal layers. Energy and position of interaction can be derived from a proper composition of the signals readout at the bar's ends, absolute time tagging can be achieved with a μ s resolution. The Burst logic deals with various rate-meters on different time scales, energy bands, and MCAL spatial zones. Different algorithms can be chosen for Burst triggering considering also the contribution of other detectors like Super AGILE. In this paper the various trigger logic will be reviewed as well as their on-ground test performed with a dedicated experimental setup.
107972078
The Test Equipment of the AGILE Minicalorimeter Prototype
AGILE is an ASI (Italian Space Agency) Small Space Mission for high energy astrophysics in the range 30 MeV – 50 GeV. The AGILE satellite is currently in the C phase and is planned to be launched in 2005. The Payload shall consist of a Tungsten‐Silicon Tracker, a CsI Minicalorimeter, an anticoincidence system and a X‐Ray detector sensitive in the 10–40 KeV range. The purpose of the Minicalorimeter (MCAL) is twofold. It shall work in conjunction with the Tracker in order to evaluate the energy of the interacting photons, and it shall operate autonomously in the energy range 250KeV–250 MeV for detection of transients and gamma ray burst events and for the measurement of gamma ray background fluctuations. We present the architecture of the Test Equipment we have designed and developed in order to test and verify the MCAL Simplified Electrical Model prototype which has been manufactured in order to validate the design of the MCAL Proto Flight Model.
121974449
The mini-calorimeter for the AGILE satellite
AGILE is a small space mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) devoted to observations for astrophysics in the gamma-ray energy range 30 MeV-50 GeV with a simultaneous window in the X-ray band 10 keV-40 keV. AGILE payload is made of a tungsten-silicon tracker, a CsI mini-calorimeter for the high energy band and a silicon based X-ray detector (SuperAgile); an anticoincidence system carries out background rejection. In the gamma-ray's band the satellite will have a field of view of about 1/5 of the sky, with angular resolution of a few arc-minutes and good timing resolution. For the high energy AGILE detection principle is based on the pair production process that arises from the interaction between photons and the tungsten layers above the silicon tracker. The silicon tracker is designed to determine the direction of the incoming radiation, while the mini-calorimeter evaluates the energy of the interacting photons and particles. For the detection of transients and gamma-ray burst events, the mini-calorimeter will also work as a stand-alone gamma-ray detector, with no imaging capabilities, covering the energy range 250 keV-250 MeV. The mini-calorimeter is made of an array of position sensitive CsI(Tl) scintillator bars with photodiode read-out. The characteristics of its detector elements and the front end electronics signal processing allow a moderate position reconstruction of the detected event. In this paper a description of the mini-calorimeter is reported as well as a summary of performances reached with the pre-flight instrument models already built and tested.
126272154
Tagging of low-pt electrons from b decays with the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter
124629008
Comparison of the ATLAS and CMS discovery potential for the H -> gamma gamma channel at the LHC
41625716
Physics in ATLAS at a possible upgraded LHC
The impact on the physics capabilities of the ATLAS detector of possible LHC upgrades is discussed. A doubling of the LHC energy or an increase in the luminosity by a factor of ten are considered. Both upgrades significantly enhance the physics capabilities of ATLAS. In general, the energy upgrade is more powerful since the pile-up of minimum bias events at higher luminosity impacts the physics performance of ATLAS in some areas.
118222129
Final Report of the Simulation Optimization Task Force
This is the final report of the ATLAS Simulation Optimization Task Force, establishedin June of 2007. This note justifies the selected Geant4 version, physics list, and range cuts to be used by the default ATLAS simulation for initial data taking and beyond. The current status of several projects, including detector description, simulation validation, studies of additional Geant4 parameters, and cavern background, are reported.
123721381
MINIMAL SUPERSYMMETRIC STANDARD MODEL HIGGS RATES AND BACKGROUNDS IN ATLAS
This study presents an overview of the potential of the ATLAS detector at LHC for the observation of the Higgs boson of the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The expected rates, backgrounds and significances are discussed channel by channel using realistic assumptions for the detector performance. As final results, the ranges of the MSSM parameter space projected on the (mA, tanβ) and (mh, tanβ) planes, for which the expected significances for the discovery of the different channels exceed a 5σ value, are shown for the ATLAS detector alone and for combined results from the ATLAS and CMS detectors. It is concluded that the combined potential of the two LHC detectors should fully cover the Higgs sector of the MSSM parameter space. The sensitivity of the results to the upper limit of the allowed mass for the lightest Higgs boson is extensively discussed. The direct impact of the SUSY particle sector on such searches is neglected in this paper.