This clause provides an explanation of radiation-induced sensor backgrounds, identifies technologies and components susceptible to this phenomenon, and specifies the general approaches for assessing background rates in susceptible sensors.
Radiation-induced sensor backgrounds described in this clause refer to enhanced noise levels in detectors such as:
• IR, optical, UV, X-ray and g-ray photon detectors, including those comprising single detector elements, as well as imaging arrays;
• detectors for other particle radiations;
• gravity wave detectors;
as a result of the incident radiation environment other than those components of the environment the sensor is attempting to detect. As well as signal production in these sensors from direct ionisation by charged primary particles and secondaries, delayed effects can result such as from the build-up of radioactivity in materials of the spacecraft and instrument. The effects observed (and therefore the approach for calculating background rates) are highly dependent upon the instrument design and operating conditions.