Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer - Wikipedia#Proportional_Counter_Array_(PCA)
Proportional Counter Array (PCA)
The Proportional Counter Array (PCA) provides approximately 6,500 cm (1,010 sq in) of X-ray detector area, in the energy range 2 to 60 keV, for the study of temporal/spectral effects in the X-ray emission from galactic and extragalactic sources.1 The PCA was an array of five proportional counters with a total collecting area of 6,500 cm (1,010 sq in). The instrumental properties were:2
- Energy range: 2–60 keV;
- Energy resolution: <18% at 6 keV;
- Time resolution: 1 μs
- Spatial resolution: collimator with 1° (FWHM);
- Detectors: 5 proportional counters;
- Collecting area: 6,500 cm (1,010 sq in);
- Layers: 1 propane veto; 3 Xenon, each split into two; 1 Xenon veto layer;
- Sensitivity: 0.1-mCrab;
- Background: 90-mCrab.
The PCA is being built by the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics (LHEA) at Goddard Space Flight Center. The principal investigator was Jean Swank.2
Printed 2026-07-13.
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