Integral usa la Tierra para investigar la radiación de fondo de alta energía


Using Earth as a shield
 
ESA's Integral gamma-ray observatory has been observing Earth during a period spanning from 24 January to 9 February 2006. The main purpose of the observations has been to study the high-energy diffuse background radiation known as 'cosmic X-ray background' (CXB), by analysis of the decrease of its isotropic flux (not varying with distance or direction) while Earth passes in front of Integral's field of view. High-energy emission from the atmosphere, due to reflections of the CXB, interaction with cosmic rays and aurorae, have also been observed.


 
This preliminary gamma-ray image has been taken by the SPI spectrometer on board Integral, during the Earth observation campaign (January-February 2006). The dark central part represents the Earth disc (about 5-7 degrees in diameter) transiting in the instrument's field of view (2.5 deg), that explains the blurred Earth rim in the image. The cosmic X-ray background radiation in the vicinity of Earth is characterised by a strong emission of high-energy (hard) X-rays.

Meses de deliberaciones en ESAC
 
ISOC Team
 
From left to right: Peter Kretschmar, Deputy Project Scientist; Rees Williams, Archive & Operations Scientist; Lars Hansson, Science Operations Manager (or ISOC Manager); Larry O'Rourke, Science Operations Engineer; Celia Sanchez, Operations Scientist; Marnix Bindels, Software Engineer; Paul Balm, Software Engineer; Jean Mantagne, Webmaster; Erik Kuulkers, Operations Scientist



Release date: 20 febrero 2006