[FPSPACE] Meteoroid and space debris impacts in grazing-incidence telescopes

[LARRY KLAES]

Meteoroid and space debris impacts in grazing-incidence telescopes

Authors: J. D. Carpenter, A. Wells, A. F. Abbey, R. M. Ambrosi

(Submitted on 13 Mar 2008)

Abstract: Micrometeoroid or space debris impacts have been observed in the 
focal planes of the XMM-Newton and Swift-XRT X-ray observatories. These 
impacts have resulted in damage to, and in one case the failure of, 
focal-plane Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) detectors.

We present a simple model for the propagation of micrometeoroids and space 
debris particles into telescopes with grazing incidence X-ray optics. The 
risks of future focal-plane impact events in three present (Swift-XRT, 
XMM-Newton, and Chandra) and two future (SIMBOL-X and XEUS) X-ray 
observatories are then estimated.

The probabilities of at least one impact occurring in the Swift-XRT, 
XMM-Newton, and Chandra focal planes, in a one year period from the time of 
writing in November 2007 are calculated to be ~5% and ~50% and ~3%. 
First-order predictions of the impact rates expected for the future SIMBOL-X 
and XEUS X-ray observatories yield probabilities for at least one 
focal-plane impact, during nominal 5-year missions, of more than 94% and 
99%, respectively.

Future X-ray observatories, with large collecting areas and long focal 
lengths, may experience much higher impact rates on their focal-plane 
detectors than those currently in operation. This should be considered in 
the design and planning of future missions.

Comments:  Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics, February 2008

Subjects:  Astrophysics (astro-ph)

Cite as:  arXiv:0803.1983v1 [astro-ph]

Submission history

From: James Carpenter [view email]

[v1] Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:57:21 GMT (627kb)

http://arxiv.org/abs/0803.1983