English

The Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on the Chandra X-ray Observatory: twenty-five years of on-orbit operation

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics 2024-06-27 v1

Abstract

As the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) on the Chandra X-ray Observatory completes a quarter century of on orbit operations, it continues to perform well and produce spectacular scientific results. The response of ACIS has evolved over the lifetime of the observatory due to radiation damage, molecular contamination, changing particle environment, and aging of the spacecraft in general. We present highlights from the instrument team's monitoring program and our expectations for the future of ACIS. Performance changes on ACIS continue to be manageable, and do not indicate any limitations on ACIS lifetime. We examine aspects of the design and operation of ACIS that have impacted its long lifetime with lessons learned for future instruments.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2406.18395,
  title  = {The Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on the Chandra X-ray Observatory: twenty-five years of on-orbit operation},
  author = {Catherine E. Grant and Marshall W. Bautz and Paul P. Plucinsky and Peter G. Ford},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2406.18395},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

15 pages, 10 figures, appearing in the proceedings of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, paper 13093-50