Simulations of Hard X-ray Imaging Spectroscopy with the HESSI Rotating Modulation Collimators

Session 2 - Everything Else.
Display session, Friday, June 27
Ballroom C, Chair: Richard Canfield

[2.14] Simulations of Hard X-ray Imaging Spectroscopy with the HESSI Rotating Modulation Collimators

E. J. Schmahl (UMd/Astr. Dept.), B. R. Dennis (NASA/GSFC)

We have developed a Maximum Entropy deconvolution technique for Rotation Modulation Collimator (RMC) data, with specific application to flare observations using the proposed High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI). Applying our analysis method to simulated count rates computed from synthetic flare images and spectra, we demonstrate the superiority of RMCs over fixed-grid systems for deconvolving source characteristics in both the spatial and spectral domains. Our deconvolution algorithm is based on the image reconstruction method derived by T. Sakao (PhD thesis, 1994, University of Tokyo) and applied by the HXT team to Yohkoh/HXT data.

We will show synthetic images and spectra computed from a variety of realistic flare models for simulated HXT and HESSI systems. These model deconvolutions will demonstrate the dynamic ranges, spectral/spatial resolutions, time resolutions, and degree of reconstruction faithfulness for both systems at the extremes of low and high photon-counting rates. We emphasize the HESSI capabilities for extended-source mapping of loop-like and albedo features, accurate photometry of intermingled weak and strong sources, and detailed spectroscopy of every significant substructure within the flaring region.

If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/hesi_page.html. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the the Web space for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back button on your browser.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: ed@astro.umd.edu

Program listing for Friday