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Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder for the International Space Station
The Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder for the International Space Station (TigerISS) is a NASA Pioneers program to answer key questions about the cycle of matter in our galaxy. It builds on prior work with the balloon-borne TIGER/SuperTIGER technology, with improvements in technology and adaptations to meet payload and integration requirements on the International Space Station. The team is led by Washington University (St. Louis), with contributing institutions including NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Wallops Flight Facility, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Maryland (Baltimore County), and Northern Kentucky University. TigerISS will study ultra-heavy Galactic cosmic rays (the shower of atomic fragments: protons, electrons, and atomic nuclei), determine the charge (Z) using silicon strip and Cherenkov detectors with established heritage, but better resolution, than prior instruments. It is particularly focused on the very rare high Z elements (Z > 26 (Iron) up to Z ∼82 (Lead)).
Mission Characteristics
| Lifetime | 2027– (five year mission anticipated) |
| Special Features |
|
- Study rare ultra-heavy elements, complimenting other missions with lighter element focus
- Very long exposure times (multiple years) in the space-based environment
Payload
| Instrument | Details |
|---|---|
| Cherenkov Detectors | TigerISS uses two different Cherenov detectors with different media. The acrylic detector has a higher refractive index and a lower energy threshold (n = 1.49; β ≥ 0.65; KE ≥ 325 MeV/amu); the aerogel detector has a lower refractive index and higher energy threshold (n = 1.05; β ≥ 0.95; KE ≥ 2.12 GeV/amu) to compliment the acrylic detector. In combination they allow velocity estimation and energy range discrimination while cross-calibrating charge measurements. The boxes contains these two media layers are placed on top of each other, sandwiched between pairs of orthogonally alternating layers of silicon strip detector |
| Silicon Detectors | The silicon strip detectors are arranged in either X or Y orientation, with a pair orthogonally oriented above the Cherenkov detector boxes and a second pair below. These strips are monitored by compact silicon photomultipliers to measure charge (Z) and trajectory determination. |
Cherenkov Detectors
Silicon Detectors
Science Goals
- Provide flight demonstration of new technologies, especially ultrafast readout megapixel sides hybrid CMOS detectors
- Measure elemental charge (Z) for rare ultra-heavy cosmic ray nuclei
- Determine energy per nucleon
- Confirm patterns with higher statistical precision for ultra-heavy galactic cosmic rays, confirming (or refuting) previous results from similar balloon missions that suggest galactic cosmic rays are linked to OB associations and massive stars and come from accelerated dust-rich material.