2003/01/21 by A. P. Reynolds, J. H. J. de Bruijne, M. A. C. Perryman +2 · 2 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Calibration and Measurement Techniques #Superconducting and THz Device Technology #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030042
published as Astron.Astrophys.400:1209,2003 · 9 pages, 9 figures (11 files); uses aa.cls; accepted for publication in A&A
arxiv created 2003/01/21 · openalex publication_date 2003/03/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
ESA's Superconducting Tunnel Junction (STJ) optical photon-counting camera (S-Cam2) incorporates an array of pixels with intrinsic energy sensitivity. Using the spectral fitting technique common in X-ray astronomy, we fit black bodies to nine stellar spectra, ranging from cool flare stars to hot white dwarfs. The measured temperatures are consistent with literature values at the expected level of accuracy based on the predicted gain stability of the instrument. Having also demonstrated that systematic effects due to count rate are likely to be small, we then proceed to apply the temperature determination method to four cataclysmic variable (CV) binary systems. In three cases we measure the temperature of the accretion stream, while in the fourth we measure the temperature of the white dwarf. The results are discussed in the context of existing CV results. We conclude by outlining the prospects for future versions of S-Cam.