LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station

George W. Fraser; Adam N. Brunton; Nigel P. Bannister; James F. Pearson; Martin Ward; Tim J. Stevenson; D. J. Watson; Bob Warwick; S. Whitehead; Paul O'Brian; Nicholas White; Keith Jahoda; Kevin Black; Stanley D. Hunter; Phil Deines-Jones; William C. Priedhorsky; Steven P. Brumby; Konstantin N. Borozdin; T. Vestrand; A. C. Fabian; Keith A. Nugent; Andrew G. Peele; Thomas H. Irving; Steve Price; Steve Eckersley; Ian Renouf; Mark Smith; Arvind N. Parmar; I. M. McHardy; P. Uttley; A. Lawrence

doi:10.1117/12.454217

LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station

George W. Fraser, Adam N. Brunton, Nigel P. Bannister, James F. Pearson, Martin Ward, Tim J. Stevenson, D. J. Watson, Bob Warwick, S. Whitehead, Paul O'Brian, Nicholas White, Keith Jahoda, Kevin Black, Stanley D. Hunter, Phil Deines-Jones, William C. Priedhorsky, Steven P. Brumby, Konstantin N. Borozdin, T. Vestrand, A. C. FabianKeith A. Nugent, Andrew G. Peele, Thomas H. Irving, Steve Price, Steve Eckersley, Ian Renouf, Mark Smith, Arvind N. Parmar, I. M. McHardy, P. Uttley, A. Lawrence

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Abstract

We describe the design of Lobster-ISS, an X-ray imaging all-sky monitor (ASM) to be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station. Lobster-ISS is the subject of an ESA Phase-A study which will begin in December 2001. With an instantaneous field of view 162 x 22.5 degrees, Lobster-ISS will map almost the complete sky every 90 minute ISS orbit, generating a confusion-limited catalogue of ~250,000 sources every 2 months. Lobster-ISS will use focusing microchannel plate optics and imaging gas proportional micro-well detectors; work is currently underway to improve the MCP optics and to develop proportional counter windows with enhanced transmission and negligible rates of gas leakage, thus improving instrument throughput and reducing mass. Lobster-ISS provides an order of magnitude improvement in the sensitivity of X-ray ASMs, and will, for the first time, provide continuous monitoring of the sky in the soft X-ray region (0.1-3.5 keV). Lobster-ISS provides long term monitoring of all classes of variable X-ray source, and an essential alert facility, with rapid detection of transient X-ray sources such as Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows being relayed to contemporary pointed X-ray observatories. The mission, with a nominal lifetime of 3 years, is scheduled for launch on the Shuttle c.2009.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497
Subtitle of host publication	X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XII
Pages	115-126
Volume	4497
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454217
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2002

Access to Document

10.1117/12.454217

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002SPIE.4497..115F

Cite this

Fraser, G. W., Brunton, A. N., Bannister, N. P., Pearson, J. F., Ward, M., Stevenson, T. J., Watson, D. J., Warwick, B., Whitehead, S., O'Brian, P., White, N., Jahoda, K., Black, K., Hunter, S. D., Deines-Jones, P., Priedhorsky, W. C., Brumby, S. P., Borozdin, K. N., Vestrand, T., ... Lawrence, A. (2002). LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station. In Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497 : X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XII (Vol. 4497, pp. 115-126) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454217

@inbook{597bef0e1ee24b4ba27ed90699a65671,

title = "LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station",

abstract = "We describe the design of Lobster-ISS, an X-ray imaging all-sky monitor (ASM) to be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station. Lobster-ISS is the subject of an ESA Phase-A study which will begin in December 2001. With an instantaneous field of view 162 x 22.5 degrees, Lobster-ISS will map almost the complete sky every 90 minute ISS orbit, generating a confusion-limited catalogue of ~250,000 sources every 2 months. Lobster-ISS will use focusing microchannel plate optics and imaging gas proportional micro-well detectors; work is currently underway to improve the MCP optics and to develop proportional counter windows with enhanced transmission and negligible rates of gas leakage, thus improving instrument throughput and reducing mass. Lobster-ISS provides an order of magnitude improvement in the sensitivity of X-ray ASMs, and will, for the first time, provide continuous monitoring of the sky in the soft X-ray region (0.1-3.5 keV). Lobster-ISS provides long term monitoring of all classes of variable X-ray source, and an essential alert facility, with rapid detection of transient X-ray sources such as Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows being relayed to contemporary pointed X-ray observatories. The mission, with a nominal lifetime of 3 years, is scheduled for launch on the Shuttle c.2009.",

author = "Fraser, {George W.} and Brunton, {Adam N.} and Bannister, {Nigel P.} and Pearson, {James F.} and Martin Ward and Stevenson, {Tim J.} and Watson, {D. J.} and Bob Warwick and S. Whitehead and Paul O'Brian and Nicholas White and Keith Jahoda and Kevin Black and Hunter, {Stanley D.} and Phil Deines-Jones and Priedhorsky, {William C.} and Brumby, {Steven P.} and Borozdin, {Konstantin N.} and T. Vestrand and Fabian, {A. C.} and Nugent, {Keith A.} and Peele, {Andrew G.} and Irving, {Thomas H.} and Steve Price and Steve Eckersley and Ian Renouf and Mark Smith and Parmar, {Arvind N.} and McHardy, {I. M.} and P. Uttley and A. Lawrence",

year = "2002",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1117/12.454217",

language = "English",

isbn = "9780819442116 ",

volume = "4497",

pages = "115--126",

booktitle = "Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497",

}

Fraser, GW, Brunton, AN, Bannister, NP, Pearson, JF, Ward, M, Stevenson, TJ, Watson, DJ, Warwick, B, Whitehead, S, O'Brian, P, White, N, Jahoda, K, Black, K, Hunter, SD, Deines-Jones, P, Priedhorsky, WC, Brumby, SP, Borozdin, KN, Vestrand, T, Fabian, AC, Nugent, KA, Peele, AG, Irving, TH, Price, S, Eckersley, S, Renouf, I, Smith, M, Parmar, AN, McHardy, IM, Uttley, P & Lawrence, A 2002, LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station. in Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497 : X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XII. vol. 4497, pp. 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454217

LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station. / Fraser, George W.; Brunton, Adam N.; Bannister, Nigel P. et al.
Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497 : X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XII. Vol. 4497 2002. p. 115-126.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station

AU - Fraser, George W.

AU - Brunton, Adam N.

AU - Bannister, Nigel P.

AU - Pearson, James F.

AU - Ward, Martin

AU - Stevenson, Tim J.

AU - Watson, D. J.

AU - Warwick, Bob

AU - Whitehead, S.

AU - O'Brian, Paul

AU - White, Nicholas

AU - Jahoda, Keith

AU - Black, Kevin

AU - Hunter, Stanley D.

AU - Deines-Jones, Phil

AU - Priedhorsky, William C.

AU - Brumby, Steven P.

AU - Borozdin, Konstantin N.

AU - Vestrand, T.

AU - Fabian, A. C.

AU - Nugent, Keith A.

AU - Peele, Andrew G.

AU - Irving, Thomas H.

AU - Price, Steve

AU - Eckersley, Steve

AU - Renouf, Ian

AU - Smith, Mark

AU - Parmar, Arvind N.

AU - McHardy, I. M.

AU - Uttley, P.

AU - Lawrence, A.

PY - 2002/1/1

Y1 - 2002/1/1

N2 - We describe the design of Lobster-ISS, an X-ray imaging all-sky monitor (ASM) to be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station. Lobster-ISS is the subject of an ESA Phase-A study which will begin in December 2001. With an instantaneous field of view 162 x 22.5 degrees, Lobster-ISS will map almost the complete sky every 90 minute ISS orbit, generating a confusion-limited catalogue of ~250,000 sources every 2 months. Lobster-ISS will use focusing microchannel plate optics and imaging gas proportional micro-well detectors; work is currently underway to improve the MCP optics and to develop proportional counter windows with enhanced transmission and negligible rates of gas leakage, thus improving instrument throughput and reducing mass. Lobster-ISS provides an order of magnitude improvement in the sensitivity of X-ray ASMs, and will, for the first time, provide continuous monitoring of the sky in the soft X-ray region (0.1-3.5 keV). Lobster-ISS provides long term monitoring of all classes of variable X-ray source, and an essential alert facility, with rapid detection of transient X-ray sources such as Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows being relayed to contemporary pointed X-ray observatories. The mission, with a nominal lifetime of 3 years, is scheduled for launch on the Shuttle c.2009.

AB - We describe the design of Lobster-ISS, an X-ray imaging all-sky monitor (ASM) to be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station. Lobster-ISS is the subject of an ESA Phase-A study which will begin in December 2001. With an instantaneous field of view 162 x 22.5 degrees, Lobster-ISS will map almost the complete sky every 90 minute ISS orbit, generating a confusion-limited catalogue of ~250,000 sources every 2 months. Lobster-ISS will use focusing microchannel plate optics and imaging gas proportional micro-well detectors; work is currently underway to improve the MCP optics and to develop proportional counter windows with enhanced transmission and negligible rates of gas leakage, thus improving instrument throughput and reducing mass. Lobster-ISS provides an order of magnitude improvement in the sensitivity of X-ray ASMs, and will, for the first time, provide continuous monitoring of the sky in the soft X-ray region (0.1-3.5 keV). Lobster-ISS provides long term monitoring of all classes of variable X-ray source, and an essential alert facility, with rapid detection of transient X-ray sources such as Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows being relayed to contemporary pointed X-ray observatories. The mission, with a nominal lifetime of 3 years, is scheduled for launch on the Shuttle c.2009.

U2 - 10.1117/12.454217

DO - 10.1117/12.454217

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9780819442116

VL - 4497

SP - 115

EP - 126

BT - Proceedings of SPIE Volume 4497

ER -

LOBSTER-ISS: an imaging x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this