arXiv subjects

S. Maestre

Publications and source records attributed to S. Maestre.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

ECLAIRs: the SVOM high-energy transient trigger camera

The core instrument of the SVOM Gamma-ray burst mission launched in June 2024 is the 4-150 keV 2-D coded mask camera ECLAIRs responsible for the autonomous trigger and localization of transient events within its field of view. The flight model of ECLAIRs has been built by several French labs (IRAP, CEA, APC) under the supervision of the French Space Agency (CNES), while APC, LUPM and IAP built a suite of data reduction and analysis software. This paper outlines the main science goals of ECLAIRs and describes the different instrument sub-systems and their main characteristics. The paper then discusses the instrument configuration and operation as well as the main in-flight measured performances. Finally, the paper summarizes the science performance of ECLAIRs up to March 31, 2025.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

SVOM/ECLAIRs detection plane: main features and performance

The detection plane of the high-energy transient camera ECLAIRs onboard SVOM is made of 200 XRDPIX detection modules, each consisting of a matrix of $8\times 4$ Schottky-type CdTe detectors hybridized with the low-noise and low-consumption ASIC IDeF-X. The 6400 detectors are operated at -20°C and reverse biased at -300 V, reaching a low energy threshold of 4 keV. The 20 us time resolution readout electronics works in photon counting mode classifying detected events as single or multiple events and measuring the deposited energy in real time. In this paper, we present the detection plane sub-systems and their main features. We also discuss its overall performances as measured both on ground and in-flight, showing compliance with the ECLAIRs science requirements.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2019

PILOT balloon-borne experiment in-flight performance

The Polarized Instrument for Long-wavelength Observation of the Tenuous interstellar medium (PILOT) is a balloon-borne experiment aiming at measuring the polarized emission of thermal dust at a wavelength of 240 mm (1.2 THz). A first PILOT flight (flight#1) of the experiment took place from Timmins, Ontario, Canada, in September 2015 and a second flight (flight#2) took place from Alice Springs, Australia in april 2017. In this paper, we present the inflight performance of the instrument during these two flights. We concentrate on performances during flight#2, but allude to flight#1 performances if significantly different. We first present a short description of the instrument and the flights. We determine the time constants of our detectors combining inflight information from the signal decay following high energy particle impacts (glitches) and of our internal calibration source. We use these time constants to deconvolve the data timelines and analyse the optical quality of the instrument as measured on planets. We then analyse the structure and polarization of the instrumental background. We measure the detector response flat field and its time variations using the signal from the residual atmosphere and of our internal calibration source. Finally, we analyze the detector noise spectral and temporal properties. The in-flight performances are found to be satisfactory and globally in line with expectations from ground calibrations. We conclude by assessing the expected in-flight sensitivity of the instrument in light of the above in-flight performances.

astro-ph.IM↗