ComPair-2: A Next Generation Medium Energy Gamma-ray Telescope Prototype

TL;DR

ComPair-2 is a next-generation gamma-ray telescope prototype designed to surpass current observatories in sensitivity and transient detection, utilizing advanced silicon sensors and electronics to enable future space missions.

Contribution

It introduces upgraded technologies like AstroPix sensors and dual-gain photomultipliers, advancing the development of a more sensitive gamma-ray telescope prototype.

Findings

Prototype design completed and tested

Enhanced sensitivity and low-energy capabilities demonstrated

Technology integration plans established

Abstract

Many questions posed in the Astro2020 Decadal survey in both the New Messengers and New Physics and the Cosmic Ecosystems science themes require a gamma-ray mission with capabilities exceeding those of existing (e.g. Fermi, Swift) and planned (e.g. COSI) observatories. ComPair, the Compton Pair telescope, is a prototype of such a next-generation gamma-ray mission. It had its inaugural balloon flight from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico in August 2023. To continue the goals of the ComPair project to develop technologies that will enable a future gamma-ray mission, the next generation of ComPair (ComPair-2) will be upgraded to increase the sensitivity and low-energy transient capabilities of the instrument. These advancements are enabled by AstroPix, a silicon monolithic active pixel sensor, in the tracker and custom dual-gain silicon photomultipliers and front-end electronics in the calorimeter. This effort builds on design work for the All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory eXplorer (AMEGO-X) concept that was submitted the 2021 MIDEX Announcement of Opportunity. Here we describe the ComPair-2 prototype design and integration and testing plans to advance the readiness level of these novel technologies.