High-Rate X-ray Spectrometer for Solar and Space Physics

We propose to develop a compact, low-resource, fast HXR detector that will enable new capabilities in solar and space physics. The emphasis for future applications of this technology is on high-energy solar flare investigations, but the instrument will also be capable of investigating problems in other areas of space physics. Traditionally, solar hard X-rays (HXRs) are one of the first indicators that a solar flare has commenced. They are emitted from flare-accelerated electrons and from the hottest flare plasma and are, thus, closely related to the magnetic energy release that powers the flare. In addition to offering unparalleled insight into particle acceleration and energy release, since HXRs appear near the start of the flare and contain temperature and non-thermal information, HXRs could be utilized for space weather purposes. For example, HXRs could be an indicator that a major flare has commenced, or allow us to classify flares in a more energetically meaningful way than the traditionally used GOES soft X-ray flux. However, measuring solar HXRs presents some difficulties. Most science-dedicated solar HXR instruments consist of relatively large and complex telescopes in order to perform imaging; this means there are very few of them and they cannot be relied on for full coverage of the Sun at all times. HXR flux during flares is also so high that fast pulse processing is required in order to eliminate spectral distortions due to pulse pileup. HXRs have to date been almost absent from space weather ventures, largely because the right instruments have not existed for this purpose. No past, current, or funded future instruments provide near-real-time HXR data. A HXR flare alert could be useful for space weather purposes (giving early warning for prompt solar energetic electron events) or as a flare trigger for a spaceborne scientific instrument. Furthermore, such an instrument can be used for scientific purposes, such as investigating particle acceleration in solar flares. We aim to develop a compact, agile hard X-ray spectrometer that can be utilized for multiple solar physics science purposes and can also be implemented as a versatile, low-resource space weather instrument. We will develop a prototype HXR detector based on scintillator crystals, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), a custom analog electronics chain, and a new, dedicated digital processing system that has the ability to measure overlapping pulses. The resulting instrument can serve as a flare alert/trigger, a flare classification system, and an instrument for investigations of flare energy release, all in one.

Support NASA's Heliophysics strategic science objectives to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather. This will be achieved by developing/demonstrating instrumentation technology necessary to address the following science goals: Explore the physical processes in the space environment from the Sun to the Earth and throughout the solar system; Advance our understanding of the connections that link the Sun, the Earth, planetary space environments, and the outer reaches of our solar system; Develop the knowledge and capability to detect and predict extreme conditions in space to protect life and society and to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond Earth.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.