ABSTRACT
A review of the early observations of high-energy electromagnetic radiation is followed by a discussion of the physics, nature and type of sources of such radiation within the solar system. The physical principles of detectors, including proportional counters, scintillation detectors, microchannel plates, charge-coupled devices (CCDs), swept charge device (SCDs), high-purity germanium detectors, silicon strip, cadmium-zinc-telluride CZT and calorimeters are covered and illustrated by example instruments.
Methods of producing images are discussed in detail and again illustrated by examples. The approached covered include occultations, conventional telescope designs using multi-layer reflective coatings, glancing incidence designs (Wolter type-1, lobster-eye, micropore, silicon pore, polycapillary), pin-hole, coded mask and honeycomb collimators.
Approaches to the spectroscopy of high-energy photons are reviewed in detail and include diffraction grating–based systems and Bragg crystal diffraction-based systems. Examples of such instruments carried by spacecraft are discussed.
