Background Measurements and Simulations of the ComPair Balloon Flight

Kavli Affiliate: Sven Herrmann

| First 5 Authors: Zachary Metzler, Nicholas Kirschner, Lucas Smith, Nicholas Cannady, Makoto Sasaki

| Summary:

ComPair, a prototype of the All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory
(AMEGO), completed a short-duration high-altitude balloon campaign on August
27, 2023 from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, USA. The goal of the balloon flight was
the demonstration of ComPair as both a Compton and Pair telescope in flight,
rejection of the charged particle background, and measurement of the background
$gamma$-ray spectrum. This analysis compares measurements from the balloon
flight with Monte Carlo simulations to benchmark the instrument. The comparison
finds good agreement between the measurements and simulations and supports the
conclusion that ComPair accomplished its goals for the balloon campaign.
Additionally, two charged particle background rejection schemes are discussed:
a soft ACD veto that records a higher charged particle event rate but with less
risk of event loss, and a hard ACD veto that limits the charged particle event
rate on board. There was little difference in the measured spectra from the
soft and hard ACD veto schemes, indicating that the hard ACD veto could be used
for future flights. The successes of ComPair’s engineering flight will inform
the development of the next generation of ComPair with upgraded detector
technology and larger active area.

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