The high pressure gas scintillation proportionalcounter on-board the BeppoSAX X-ray astronomy satellite

Abstract

In this paper we describe the High Pressure Gas Scintillation Proportion Counter, one of the Narrow Field Instrument of the X–ray astronomy satellite BeppoSAX. Sensitive in the 4-120 keV band, the HPGSPC will study all astrophysical sources emitting in the poorly studied hard X–ray band. The design and performances of the instrument are reported together with results of the on–ground calibration data analysis.