Irfu
|
ECLAIRs
A telescope dedicated to the study of gamma ray bursts
A telescope dedicated to the study of gamma ray burstsThe ECLAIRs telescope is the key element of the SVOM mission (Space-based multi-band Variable Object Monitor), a Sino-French project dedicated to the study of multi-wavelengths from gamma ray bursts. Discovered nearly forty years ago, gamma ray bursts are a formidable tool for observing the Universe in very distant periods and for studying physics under extreme conditions. The fleeting nature of the phenomenon and the need to observe it simultaneously across a wide spectral band demand specialized equipments. With a range of space and ground telescopes that can pick up everything from gamma rays to infrared light, the SVOM mission meets this objective. This combination of instruments is unique and, by the start of the next decade, it will permit the detailed study of gamma ray bursts, from prompt emission to afterglow. 
Artist's impression of the satellite. 
Model of the emission from a gamma ray burst. The ECLAIRs telescope is a French collaboration backed by CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) as part of its work on minisatellites. Project management is provided by CEA/Dapnia, with the Astrophysics Division in overall control. The ECLAIRs collaboration brings together the Centre d'Etudes Spatiales des Rayonnements in Toulouse, Laboratoire APC, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The purpose of the ECLAIRs telescope is to give the precise position of nearly 100 gamma ray bursts per year, in quasi-real time. Gamma detectors and a telescope operating in the visible field make up the satellite's payload. Two robotized ground-based telescopes observing the visible and near infrared fields provide monitoring from the ground. The SVOM mission is part of a recent Sino-French collaboration between the Chinese Space Agency, the Chinese Academy of Science and CNES. Depending on the conclusions of phase A (feasibility) currently in progress, the launch of the satellite is planned for late 2012. last update : 10-26 00:00:00-2007 (2276)
|
