AGILE (Astro-rivelatore Gamma a Immagini LEggero)
Description
AGILE is an Italian satellite that was launched by a PSLV-C8 rocket from Sriharikota in southern India at 10:00 UT on 23 April 2007. The 325 kg satellite carries X-ray and gamma ray spectrometers to study astronomical objects in the Galaxy. (NASA - National Space Science Data Center) Science Goals Active Galactic Nuclei (1) Wide field-of-view survey (2) Deep exposure by repeated pointings (3) Quick reaction to transients (4) Super-AGILE monitoring in the hard X-rays band (5) Correlative observations in the radio, optical, X-ray, TeV ranges Gamma-Ray Bursts (1) Expected detection rate above 50 MeV: 5-10 events/year (2) Study of the initial impulsive phase (GRID deadtime <» 200 Ås) (3) Broad-band spectral information (»10 keV –30 GeV) (4) Super-AGILE imaging (» 10 ¡ 20 for intense GRBs) (5) Super-AGILE study of gamma-ray vs. hard X-ray emission (6) Search for sub-millisecond GRB pulses (7) Rapid communication of GRB coordinates and quicklook results Pulsars (1) High-resolution timing of known gamma-ray pulsars (2) Period Searches for Galactic unidentified sources (3) Millisecond pulsars Unidentified Sources (1) Deep exposure, variability studies (2) Refined positions, search for counterparts, e.g., 2CG 135+01 (3) Long-term study of variable sources near the Galactic plane (4) Search for new transients and quicklook alert (5) Super-AGILE imaging of new transients Supernova Remnants (1) Search and precise imaging with deep exposures (2) Monitoring of plerions (Crab, Vela, etc.) in SNRs (3) Gamma-ray/TeV studies Binary Systems (1) Neutron star binaries (2) Black hole systems: microquasars (3) Interacting binaries, study of stellar winds (4) Binary plerions (e.g., PSR 1259-63) (5) Super-AGILE monitoring and simultaneous detection Diffuse emission (1) Deep exposure and precise mapping of Galactic emission (2) Study of cosmic ray origin and propagation Galaxies (1) Deep pointings at the SMC and LMC (2) Testing dark matter models by deep exposures of Andromeda (3) Super-AGILE search for transients from Andromeda (4) Deep exposures of clusters of galaxies Solar flares (1) Si-Tracker ratemeter transient detection (>100 keV) (2) Mini-Calorimeter detection in the range 0.3 – 200 MeV Fundamental Physics (1) Quantum Gravity tests for sub-ms GRB pulses (2) High-precision pulsar timing and Quantum Gravity effects (3) MACHO emission from our and nearby galaxies Source: http://agile.rm.iasf.cnr.it/doc/a-science-27.pdf |
Links
http://agile.rm.iasf.cnr.it Facts Spectrum Studied: Gamma Ray, X-ray Launch Date: 2007-04-23 Status: Still Operational Orbital Location: Earth Orbit (524 to 553 km) Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C8 Launch Site: Sriharikota, India Mass: 325 kg Funding Agency Italian Space Agency (ASI) |