Summary of ISO Detector Workshop

Abstract

The Infrared Space Observatory successfully carried out a wide range of astronomical observations in the wavelength range 2.4 μm to nearly 200 μm. To cover this extremely broad range, a variety of detector technologies were used by the instruments teams. As such ISO also proved to be an important test bed for the operation of these detectors in a low-background space environment. Over the two year mission, all the detector types have proven to be quite stable, with only the Si:As IBC showing any long term degradation. Significant effort has been expended to cope with the behaviour of the detectors under the space conditions both operationally and in ground processing. The main undesirable effect can be classified as either transient response anomalies or radiation effects. Overall sensitivity of the ISO detectors was generally worse than predicted from ground-based measurements due to combinations of these two classes of phenomena. Splinter meetings were held to exchange specific strategies for dealing with glitches, radiation curing, and transient effects. Plans for future actions were initiated.