The study of GRB prompt emissions (PE) is one of the main goals of the Lomonosov space mission. The payloads of the GRB monitor (BDRG) with the widefield optical cameras (SHOK) and the ultra-fast flash observatory (UFFO) onboard the Lomonosov satellite are intended for the observation of GRBs, and in particular, their prompt emissions. The BDRG gamma-ray spectrometer is designed to obtain the temporal and spectral information of GRBs in the energy range of 10-3000 keV as well as to provide GRB triggers on several time scales (10 ms, 1 s and 20 s) for ground and space telescopes, including the UFFO and SHOK. The BDRG instrument consists of three identical detector boxes with axes shifted by 90 • from each other. This configuration allows us to localize a GRB source in the sky with an accuracy of ∼ 2 • .Each BDRG box contains a phoswich NaI(Tl)/CsI(Tl) scintillator detector. A thick CsI(Tl) crystal in size of ∅130 × 17 mm is placed underneath the NaI(Tl) as an active shield in the soft energy range and as the main detector in the hard energy range. The ratio of the CsI(Tl) to NaI(Tl) event rates at varying energies can be employed as an independent metric to distinguish legitimate GRB signals from false positives originating from electrons in near-Earth vicinities.The data from three detectors are collected in a BA BDRG information unit, which generates a GRB trigger and a set of data frames in output format. The scientific data output is ∼ 500 Mb per day, including ∼ 180 Mb of continuous data for events with durations in excess of 100 ms for 16 channels in each detector, detailed energy spectra, and sets of frames with ∼ 5 Mb of detailed information for each burst-like event. A number of pre-flight tests including those for the trigger algorithm and calibration were carried out to confirm the reliability of the BDRG for operation in space.
[1] We present a new experiment on the detection of thunderstorm neutrons at orbital altitudes. The aims of the experiment called "Scafandr" are to establish the nature of the neutrons and to explore their properties. Also, the dosimetric measurement program is included in the experiment mission. For the neutron program, measurement of the thermal neutron fluxes from an altitude of 350 km down to 200 km is planned. We plan to obtain substantial statistics and resolution of neutron bursts. This will allow for mapping of the neutrons' distribution on the considered altitudes for their comparison with the thunderstorm activity maps and for comparison with the results of neutron burst numerical modeling. Previous experiments carried out are discussed, and their comparative analysis with the presented one is given.
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