The flight of the GAPS prototype experiment
P. von Doetinchem, T. Aramaki, N. Bando, S.E. Boggs, H. Fuke, F.H., Gahbauer, C.J. Hailey, J.E. Koglin, S.A.I. Mognet, N. Madden, S. Okazaki,, R.A. Ong, K.M. Perez, T. Yoshida, J. Zweerink

TL;DR
The GAPS prototype flight demonstrated the performance of its subsystems and background measurement capabilities, validating the detector concept for future dark matter searches using low-energy cosmic ray antideuterons.
Contribution
This work provides the first successful prototype flight of the GAPS detector, testing its subsystems, calibration methods, and background measurements for future dark matter detection missions.
Findings
Successful demonstration of GAPS detector subsystems in flight
Calibration of tracker modules and timing subsystem achieved
Background levels of atmospheric and cosmic X-rays measured
Abstract
The General AntiParticle Spectrometer experiment (GAPS) is foreseen to carry out a dark matter search using low-energy cosmic ray antideuterons at stratospheric altitudes with a novel detection approach. A prototype flight from Taiki, Japan was carried out in June 2012 to prove the performance of the GAPS instrument subsystems (Lithium-drifted Silicon tracker and time-of-flight) and the thermal cooling concept as well as to measure background levels. The flight was a success and the stable flight operation of the GAPS detector concept was proven. During the flight about charged particle triggers were recorded, extensive X-ray calibrations of the individual tracker modules were performed by using an onboard X-ray tube, and the background level of atmospheric and cosmic X-rays was measured. The behavior of the tracker performance as a function of temperature was investigated. The…
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