Monte Carlo Simulation of Angular Response of GRID Detectors for GRID Mission

TL;DR

This paper presents a Monte Carlo simulation framework to model the angular response of gamma-ray detectors on NanoSats for the GRID mission, aiding in the analysis of gamma-ray burst data.

Contribution

It introduces a dedicated simulation framework for GRID detectors, validated through calibration, to accurately determine their angular response for GRB data analysis.

Findings

Simulation framework accurately models detector responses.

Validated angular responses improve GRB data analysis.

Framework supports analysis of transient gamma-ray events.

Abstract

The Gamma-Ray Integrated Detectors (GRID) are a space science mission that employs compact gamma-ray detectors mounted on NanoSats in low Earth orbit (LEO) to monitor the transient gamma-ray sky. Owing to the unpredictability of the time and location of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), obtaining the photon responses of gamma-ray detectors at various incident angles is important for the scientific analysis of GRB data captured by GRID detectors. For this purpose, a dedicated Monte Carlo simulation framework has been developed for GRID detectors. By simulating each GRID detector and the NanoSat carrying it, the spectral energy response, detection efficiency, and other angular responses of each detector for photons with different incident angles and energies can be obtained within this framework. The accuracy of these simulations has been corroborated through on-ground calibration, and the derived angular responses have been successfully applied to the data analysis of recorded GRBs.