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Large Area X-Ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) Instrument on AstroSat and Some Preliminary Results from its Performance in the Orbit

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Abstract

Large area X-ray propositional counter (LAXPC) instrument on AstroSat is aimed at providing high time resolution X-ray observations in 3–80 keV energy band with moderate energy resolution. To achieve large collecting area, a cluster of three co-aligned identical LAXPC detectors, is used to realize an effective area in access of \({\sim }6000\,\hbox {cm}^{2}\) at 15 keV. The large detection volume of the LAXPC detectors, filled with xenon gas at \({\sim }\)2 atmosphere pressure, results in detection efficiency greater than 50%, above 30 keV. In this article, we present salient features of the LAXPC detectors, their testing and characterization in the laboratory prior to launch and calibration in the orbit. Some preliminary results on timing and spectral characteristics of a few X-ray binaries and other type of sources, are briefly discussed to demonstrate that the LAXPC instrument is performing as planned in the orbit.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support from Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in various aspects of instrument building, testing, software development and mission operation during the payload verification phase. They acknowledge support of the scientific and technical staff of the LAXPC instrument team as well as the staff of the TIFR Workshop in the development and testing of the LAXPC instrument. They also thank the referees for their comments and suggestions which helped improved the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UM-DAE Center of Excellence for Basic Sciences, University of Mumbai Campus at Vidhyanagar, Kalina, Mumbai, 400 098, India

    P. C. Agrawal & Jayashree Roy

  2. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai, 400 005, India

    J. S. Yadav, H. M. Antia, Dhiraj Dedhia, P. Shah, Jai Verdhan Chauhan, V. R. Chitnis, V. M. Gujar, Tilak Katoch, V. N. Kurhade, P. Madhwani, T. K. Manojkumar, V. A. Nikam, A. S. Pandya, J. V. Parmar & D. M. Pawar

  3. University of Mumbai, Kalina, Mumbai, 400 098, India

    R. K. Manchanda

  4. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, 560 080, India

    B. Paul

  5. Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411 007, India

    Mayukh Pahari & Ranjeev Misra

  6. ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Vattiyoorkavu, Trivandrum, 695 013, India

    M. H. Ravichandran, K. Anilkumar & C. C. Joseph

  7. ISRO Satellite Center, HAL Airport Raod, Bengaluru, 560 017, India

    K. H. Navalgund, R. Pandiyan, K. S. Sarma & K. Subbarao

Authors
  1. P. C. Agrawal
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  2. J. S. Yadav
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  3. H. M. Antia
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  4. Dhiraj Dedhia
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  6. Jai Verdhan Chauhan
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  7. R. K. Manchanda
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  8. V. R. Chitnis
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  9. V. M. Gujar
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  10. Tilak Katoch
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  11. V. N. Kurhade
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  12. P. Madhwani
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  13. T. K. Manojkumar
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  14. V. A. Nikam
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  15. A. S. Pandya
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  16. J. V. Parmar
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  17. D. M. Pawar
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  18. Jayashree Roy
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  19. B. Paul
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  20. Mayukh Pahari
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  21. Ranjeev Misra
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  22. M. H. Ravichandran
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  23. K. Anilkumar
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  24. C. C. Joseph
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  25. K. H. Navalgund
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  26. R. Pandiyan
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  27. K. S. Sarma
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  28. K. Subbarao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. S. Yadav.

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Agrawal, P.C., Yadav, J.S., Antia, H.M. et al. Large Area X-Ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) Instrument on AstroSat and Some Preliminary Results from its Performance in the Orbit. J Astrophys Astron 38, 30 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-017-9451-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-017-9451-z

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