Detecting small debris using a ground-based photon counting detector
Cheng Ho, W. Priedhorsky, Baron, M. H. · University of North Texas Digital Library (University of North Texas) · 1993
We describe a sensitive technique for detecting small space debris that exploits a fast photon-counting imager. Microchannel plate detectors using crossed delay-line readout can achieve a resolution of 2048 [times] 2048 spatial pixels and a maximum count rate of about 10[sup 6] photons per second. A baseline debris-tracking system might couple this detector to a 16-cm aperture telescope. The detector yields x, y, and time information for each detected photon. When visualized in (x, y, t) space, photons from a fast-moving orbital object appear on a straight line. They can be distinguished from diffuse background photons, randomly scattered in the space, and star photons, which fall on a line with sidereal velocity. By searching for this unique signature, we can detect and track small debris objects. At dawn and dusk, a spherical object of 1.3 cm diameter at 400 km will reflect sunlight for an apparent magnitude of V [approx] 16. The baseline system would detect about 16 photons from this object as it crosses a 1 degree field of view in about 1 second. The Ene in (x, y, t) space will be significant in a diffuse background of [approximately] 10[sup 6] photons. We discuss the data processing scheme and line detection algorithm. The advantages of this technique are that one can (1) detect cm-size debris objects with a small telescope, and (2) detect debris moving with any direction and velocity. In this paper, we describe the progress in the development of detector and data acquisition system, the preparation for a field test for such a system, and the development and optimization of the data analysis algorithm. Detection sensitivity would currently be constrained by the capability of the data acquisition and the data processing systems, but further improvements could alleviate these bottlenecks.