Sub-MeV spectroscopy with AstroSat-CZT Imager for Gamma Ray Bursts

TL;DR

This paper enhances AstroSat-CZT Imager's gamma-ray burst spectroscopy capabilities by extending energy range to sub-MeV, introducing new noise rejection, and enabling better GRB characterization beyond Fermi's detection.

Contribution

The study introduces a calibration and analysis method that extends CZTI's spectroscopic range to 600 keV and enables sub-MeV spectroscopy for GRBs.

Findings

Extended energy range to 600 keV for GRB spectroscopy.

Introduced a new noise rejection algorithm ('Compton noise').

Detected around 20 bright GRBs in five years.

Abstract

Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI) onboard AstroSat has been a prolific Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) monitor. While the 2-pixel Compton scattered events (100 - 300 keV) are used to extract sensitive spectroscopic information, the inclusion of the low-gain pixels (around 20% of the detector plane) after careful calibration extends the energy range of Compton energy spectra to 600 keV. The new feature also allows single-pixel spectroscopy of the GRBs to the sub-MeV range which is otherwise limited to 150 keV. We also introduced a new noise rejection algorithm in the analysis ('Compton noise'). These new additions not only enhances the spectroscopic sensitivity of CZTI, but the sub-MeV spectroscopy will also allow proper characterization of the GRBs not detected by Fermi. This article describes the methodology of single, Compton event and veto spectroscopy in 100 - 600 keV for the GRBs detected in the first year of operation. CZTI in last five years has detected around 20 bright GRBs. The new methodologies, when applied on the spectral analysis for this large sample of GRBs, has the potential to improve the results significantly and help in better understanding the prompt emission mechanism.