x-ray astronomy detectors are instruments that detect x-rays for use in the study of x-ray astronomy .

x-ray astronomy is an observational branch of astronomy which deals with the study of x-ray emission from celestial objects .

x-radiation is absorbed by the earth 's atmosphere , so instruments to detect x-rays must be taken to high altitude by balloons , sounding rockets , and satellites .

x-ray astronomy is part of space science .

x-ray astronomy detectors have been designed and configured primarily for energy and occasionally for wavelength detection using a variety of techniques usually limited to the technology of the time .

x - ray astronomy detector

overview of x - ray astronomy and x - ray sources : black holes to galaxy clusters .
large - absorber tes x - ray microcalorimeters and the micro - x detector array .
position - sensitive czt detectors for x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy j . matteson
development of arrays of transition edge sensors for application in x - ray astronomy .
a mercuric iodide detector system for x - ray astronomy : i . design considerations and predictions of background and sensitivity - sciencedirect
czt detectors for hard x - ray & gamma ray astronomy : current technologies . ann parson , gsfc
detector systems for the x - ray evolving universe spectroscopy mission ( xeus ) m . bavdaz et al
the operation of scintillation and solid state detectors for gamma - ray astronomy is the same as it is for x - ray astronomy . we ' ve described the basics of these types of detectors on the x - ray detector page . below we describe three types of detectors used uniquely for gamma - ray astronomy : compton scattering detectors , pair telescopes , and air cerenkov detectors .
development of x - ray microcalorimeters for future japanese x - . . | inis
what is x - ray astronomy and what can astronomers learn by studying the universe in x - rays ? visit our science pages to find out .
astro - h will feature an x - ray calorimeter as one of it ' s x - ray detectors .
11 pages , 8 figures , to appear in proc . spie 5898 , uv , x - ray , and gamma - ray space instrumentation for astronomy xiv
how do we measure the energy ( or wavelength ) of an x - ray photon ? we need the x - ray to give all its energy to a detector . that energy will change something in the detector and , by measuring the change , we can determine the energy of the incoming x - ray .
x - ray cameras & gamma - ray detectors ( 0 . 5 - 400 kev )
the quest of x - ray astronomy is to be able to detect a weak source against a fairly strong background . the relative weakness of x - ray sources has prevented detectors such as film from finding a place in cosmic x - ray astronomy . source detection is done on a photon - by - photon basis . in x - ray astronomy , a source that gives just one photon per centimeter per second ( in the 1 - 10 kev range ) at earth is considered a bright cosmic x - ray source .
euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy and atomic physics ; aug . 7 - 11 , 1989 ; san diego , ca ; united states
photo of the hard x - ray detector before it was installed on the suzaku satellite . ( credit : jaxa / isas and nasa )
the physics of x - ray conversion for phosphors is essentially the same as described for scintillators . also , the key functional elements of any phosphor - based detector are the same as for a scintillator . for astronomy , the similarities end there . while large area single crystals of nai and csi are valued for their stopping power in hard x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy , thin layers of phosphors are used to do high resolution , soft x - ray imaging .
first x - ray pictures of the sun . discovery of 40 extra - solar x - ray sources , including x - ray stars , the crab nebula pulsar , supernova remnants , and the galaxy m87 .
advanced x - ray ccd detectors for the constellation - x and maxim missions george r . ricker , mit
global astronomy : collaboration across cultures is based on the graphene theme by syahir hakim .
advanced x - ray ccd detectors for the constellation - x and maxim missions - george r . ricker , mit
tumay o . tumer , terrence j . o ' neill , kevin c . hurley , hakki ogelman , robert j . paulos , richard charles puetter , eric j . beuville , w . j . hamilton , r proctor ,
new high - resolution gamma - ray burst detector : all - sky x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy monitor ( axgam ) ,
proc . spie 3114 , euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy viii , ( 15 october 1997 ) ;
2001 w . tucker & k . tucker , revealing the universe : the making of the chandra x - ray observatory , harvard u . press 1998 j . trumper et al . , the invisible sky : rosat and the age of x - ray astronomy , copernicus books 1995 p . charles & f . seward , exploring the x - ray universe , cambridge univ . press 1985 w . tucker & r . giacconi , the x - ray universe , harvard u . press urltoken history of x - ray astronomy field guide einstein observatory historical archive
high resolution detector technologies for an advanced compton telescope . elena aprile , columbia univ .
detection and localization of gamma - ray bursts , and a possible new type of x - ray burst that may be related to gamma - ray bursts .
no matter which observational technique is used to view the x - ray sky , the final outcome of a measurement is determined by the properties of the electronic detector with which the collimated , focused , or diffracted x - ray photons eventually interact .
maxi continues to detect x - ray transient phenomena and rapidly inform the world of its position and brightness . the observation results about 1000 x - ray sources are provided in every day . maxi also provides the latest x - ray catalog .
superconducting transition - edge sensor x - ray microcalorimeters john m . martinis et al
volker dangendorf , amos breskin , rachel chechik , horst w . schmidt - boecking ,
x - ray imaging gas scintillation detector with csi - wire chamber uv - photon readout ,
proc . spie 1235 , instrumentation in astronomy vii , ( 1 july 1990 ) ;
tumay o . tumer , terrence j . o ' neill , kevin c . hurley , hakki ogelman , robert j . paulos , richard charles puetter , eric j . beuville , w . j . hamilton , r proctor ,
new high - resolution gamma - ray burst detector : all - sky x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy monitor ( axgam )
, proc . spie 3114 , euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy viii , ( 15 october 1997 ) ; doi : 10 . 1117 / 12 . 283786 ; urltoken
ubertini p . et al . ( 1995 ) integral x - ray monitor : a proposal for the hard x - ray imager on - board integral . in : bassani l . , di cocco g . ( eds ) imaging in high energy astronomy . springer , dordrecht
collaboration allows astronomers and engineers to pool resources and expertise to advance our understanding of the universe . nasa and isas have worked together for the past three decades on x - ray astronomy .
with seven different instruments onboard , granat was designed to observe the universe at energies ranging from x - ray to gamma - ray . specific instruments were meant to study gamma - ray bursts and other transient x - ray sources while others were intended to image x - ray sources near the galactic center . one instrument ( watch ) was designed to monitor the sky continuously and alert the other instruments to new or interesting x - ray sources .
x - ray photons have energies that are among the highest for light . when detector material absorbs the energy from an incoming photon , the material heats up just a little . the amount of the temperature difference gives a measure of the energy of the incoming x - ray .
x _ ray science . steven s . murray , harvard - smithsonian center for astrophysics .
gas proportional pixel detectors for x and gamma ray imaging p . deines - jones et al
ginga was the first x - ray astronomy collaboration between agencies in the u . s . and isas , which forged the way for future collaborations with nasa . it operated from 1987 until 1991 .
astrosat is a planned multiwavelength astronomy satellite , with four x - ray instruments and one uv / optical instrument on board . rri is involved in timing calibration and software development for the large area xenon proportional counters ( laxpc ) . rri also contributed significantly towards two other x - ray instruments of astrosat , namely the scanning x - ray sky monitor ( ssm ) and the cadmium - zinc - telluride detector array ( czt ) both of which use the coded aperture mask imaging technique .
we distinguish scintillators from phosphors , at least in x - ray astronomy , by defining bulk crystalline materials such as nai and csi as scintillators , and thin granular layers of rare earth oxysulphides as phosphors .
monitor of all - sky x - ray image ( maxi ) - 04 . 25 . 18
this is the first of two papers describing an extremely sensitive astronomical hard x - ray telescope design based on a mercuric iodide ( hgi 2 ) detector shielded by a bismuth germanate ( bi 4 ge 3 o 12 ) scintillator . in a version suitable for a spacelab mission , this shielded detector is located at the focus of a pyrolytic graphite or lithium fluoride concentrator ( the hard x - ray diffraction telescope , or hxdt ) . the background counting rate of the mercuric iodide detector at balloon altitudes is calculated using a monte carlo simulation of the detector assembly in the radiation environment at 40 km above sea level . in paper ii of this series , these predictions are compared to actual balloon flight measurements of a prototype detector assembly .
aleksander gorgolewski , jaromir barylak , marek stęślicki , żaneta szaforz , jarosław bąkała ,
solpex x - ray polarimeter detector luminescence background calculated using geant4 simulation software ,
proc . spie 10031 , photonics applications in astronomy , communications , industry , and high - energy physics experiments 2016 , 100313v ( 28 september 2016 ) ;
designing x - ray telescopes and detectors poses many challenges to engineers . visit our technology pages to see how x - rays are captured and observed .
position - sensitive czt detectors for x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy - j . matteson , w . heindl , e . kalemci , m . pelling , r . rothschild , t . skelton , ucsd , p . hink , k . slavis , wustl
volker dangendorf , amos breskin , rachel chechik , horst w . schmidt - boecking ,
x - ray imaging gas scintillation detector with csi - wire chamber uv - photon readout
, proc . spie 1235 , instrumentation in astronomy vii , ( 1 july 1990 ) ; doi : 10 . 1117 / 12 . 19153 ; urltoken
scintillators work by converting x - ray energy into visible light . the energy of the incoming x - ray is completely absorbed by the material , exciting a molecule of the detector material . when the molecule de - excites , it emits a pulse of light , this time in the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum . so , in this way , the incoming x - ray has been converted to optical light .
discovery that wide energy and angular control of x ray and neutron trajectories can be achieved with high efficiency by the use of shaped arrays of hollow capillaries has made possible important new applications in science , medicine , and industry . these include medical diagnostic imaging , medical therapy , analysis of the composition and structure of materials , x - ray microscopy , x - ray astronomy , industrial process and fault analysis , and x - ray lithography . the status and prospects for this remarkable range of possibilities is summarized in this report .
survey used large proportional counters that covered a wide range of x - ray energies . discovered the cygnus superbubble , and gathered detailed information on spectra of active galactic nuclei and the x - ray background .
discovery of scorpius x - 1 , the first cosmic x - ray source and x - ray background , a signal appearing to come from all directions , possibly a truly diffuse emission and possibly due to many sources , too faint to be resolved individually .
the first large x - ray telescope with mirrors . einstein made the first x - ray images of shock waves in supernova remnants , hot gas in galaxies and clusters of galaxies . einstein also located accurately over 7000 x - ray sources , including stellar coronas , x - ray binaries , galaxies and quasars . it made possible a new way to study the mysterious dark matter that is present in galaxies and clusters of galaxies and showed that most of the x - ray background is probably due to discrete sources .
the alkali halides nai and csi , activated by a small amount of either thallium or sodium impurity , have been the scintillators of choice so far in x - ray astronomy . this has been true because these materials can be made into large area crystals , have good x - ray stopping power , and are efficient light producers .
the baseline detector system is a high pressure imaging proportional counter placed behind a coded mask placed at 4 meters from the detector window . the instrument view angle is limited by a square passive collimator with a fov of 6 degrees fwhm .
illustration of a the basic operation of a compton scattering detector . ( credit : nasa ' s imagine the universe )
ezio caroli , giuseppe bertuccio , adriano cola , rui m . curado da silva , ariano donati , waldes dusi , gianni landini , paul siffert , marco sampietro , john buchan stephen ,
hard x - ray polarimetry with a thick cdte position sensitive spectrometer ,
proc . spie 4140 , x - ray and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy xi , ( 13 december 2000 ) ;
the 1991 - 2016 archive of the icso proceedings is a resource made freely available to serve the space optics and astronomy communities .
magnified image of an array of x - ray calorimeters . ( credit : nasa / goddard space flight center )
aleksander gorgolewski , jaromir barylak , marek stęślicki , żaneta szaforz , jarosław bąkała ,
solpex x - ray polarimeter detector luminescence background calculated using geant4 simulation software
, proc . spie 10031 , photonics applications in astronomy , communications , industry , and high - energy physics experiments 2016 , 100313v ( 28 september 2016 ) ; doi : 10 . 1117 / 12 . 2249349 ; urltoken
mihara t , kawai n , yoshida a , sakurai i , kamae t , matsuoka m , shirasaki y , sugizaki m , yuan w , tanaka i . performance of the gsc engineering - counter for maxi / iss . x - ray and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy xii ; 2002 january 31 173 - 186 .
ezio caroli , giuseppe bertuccio , adriano cola , rui m . curado da silva , ariano donati , waldes dusi , gianni landini , paul siffert , marco sampietro , john buchan stephen ,
hard x - ray polarimetry with a thick cdte position sensitive spectrometer
, proc . spie 4140 , x - ray and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy xi , ( 13 december 2000 ) ; doi : 10 . 1117 / 12 . 409157 ; urltoken
asca was launched in 1993 and made over 3000 observations of the x - ray sky in its 8 years of operations .
in 1962 , a team of scientists under the direction of riccardo giacconi at american science and engineering in cambridge , ma . , used a small x - ray detector aboard an aerobee rocket to discover scorpius x - 1 , the first source of x - rays outside our solar system . forty years later , over 100 , 000 x - ray sources have been detected , the most distant of which is 13 billion light years from earth . this extraordinary leap in sensitivity has been due , in large part , to the development of telescopes that can focus x - rays .
a large format array of transition - edge - sensor ( tes ) microcalorimeters is a promising detector for high - resolution spectroscopy in x - ray astronomy . we are developing such a detector for future japanese missions . in this paper , we present the recent progress in our work , particularly in the improvement of the energy resolution and the x - ray absorber fabrication . the energy resolution of our single pixel detector was improved to 25 ev ( fwhm ) at 5 . 9 kev . this is limited by pulse shape variation and excess noise . we describe the characteristics of these two limiting factors , and suggest several possible ways to improve the performance . as for attaching x - ray absorbers with a high coverage fraction , we are proposing an electrodeposition method involving a two - layer lift - off process . we describe the details of this method and show the results of the test sample fabricated on a silicon wafer . ( author )
perhaps the most intriguing advance in x - ray astronomy instrumentation in the past couple decades has been the development of single photon calorimeters , spearheaded by work at nasa ' s goddard space flight center . these devices detect x - rays by the temperature pulses they generate in a small absorber which is cooled to a fraction of a kelvin .
when an x - ray interacts with matter , it can can give all of its energy to an electron ( a process called photo - electric absorption ) , or it can give some of its energy ( a process called compton scattering ) , or it can scatter without losing any energy ( a process called rayleigh scattering ) . the probability associated with each of these kinds of scattering depends on the energy of the x - ray photon , the bound state the electron is in , and the scattering angle . for the x - ray energies of most interest to x - ray astronomy , photo - electric absorption is much more likely than either kind of scattering .
in : euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy and atomic physics ; proceedings of the meeting , san diego , ca , aug . 7 - 11 , 1989 ( a90 - 50251 23 - 35 ) . bellingham , wa , society of photo - optical instrumentation engineers , 1989 , p . 306 - 315 .
riken symposium on ' development and application of superconductor radiation detector ' . stj workshop ; wako , saitama ( japan ) ; 16 - 17 jan 2002
8 : 00 9 : 00am registration 9 : 00 9 : 30am gamma - ray science ' fiona harrison , cal tech 9 : 30 10 : 00am high resolution detector technologies for an advanced compton telescope ' elena aprile , columbia univ . 10 : 00 10 : 30am czt detectors for hard x - ray & gamma ray astronomy - current technologies - ann parson , gsfc 10 : 30 11 : 00am coffee break 11 : 00 11 : 30am detectors for gev gamma rays - bob hartman , gsfc 11 : 30 12 : 30pm contributed talks 12 : 30 2 : 00pm lunch 2 : 00 2 : 30pm x - ray science ' steven s . murray , harvard - smithsonian center for astrophysics 2 : 30 3 : 00pm x - ray ccds ' mark bautz , mit 3 : 00 3 : 30pm poster review highlights 3 : 30 4 : 00pm coffee break 4 : 00 4 : 30pm x - ray calorimeters ' caroline stahle , gsfc 4 : 30 5 : 30pm contributed talks
two additional science instruments provide detailed information about the x - ray energy , the letg and hetg spectrometers . these are grating arrays which can be flipped into the path of the x - rays just behind the mirrors , where they redirect ( diffract ) the x - rays according to their energy . the x - ray position is measured by hrc or acis , so that the exact energy can be determined . the science instruments have complementary capabilities to record and analyze x - ray images of celestial objects and probe their physical conditions with unprecedented accuracy .
optical thru x - ray single photon imaging spectrometer using superconducting tunnel junctions - d . e . prober et al ( download pdf format )
x - ray fiber optics are bundles of hollow tubes which transmit x rays by multiple grazing incidence reflections . they provide a means of shielding xuv and x - ray instruments used for plasma diagnostics of magnetic confinement devices from the adverse effects of energetic neutrons and neutron induced gamma radiation . we have designed and built x - ray transmitting fiber optic bundles for instruments covering the ranges 60 to 200 ev and 3 to 10 kev . we have measured the performance of such bundles in the laboratory at 280 ev and at 6 . 4 , 8 , an 10 kev and compared it with simple computer models of x - ray fiber transmission .
x - rays interact strongly with electrons . if you ' ve ever had a medical or dental x - ray , you were probably given a lead drape to protect you from the x - rays . lead is very good at blocking x - rays because each lead atom has 82 electrons and the atoms of lead are packed pretty close . lead , then , stops x - rays because it has a large electron density .
how does the xrs instrument measure x - rays ? watch dr . caroline kilbourne describe the instrument in this short clip from
building the coolest x - ray satellite .
( credit : nasa / suzaku )
the surface finishing of x - ray grazing incidence optics is the most demanding area of optical processing . both in terms of metrology and application of optical finishing techniques . this paper discusses the application of specialized metrology and finishing techniques in producing a low x - ray scatter grazing incidence telescope .
x - ray spectroscopy . since the grating spectrometers can measure energy to an accuracy of up to one part in a thousand , they are used in the study of detailed energy spectra , distinguishing individual x - ray lines . this enables the temperature , ionization and chemical composition to be explored .
usually , then , when an x - ray stops in a detector , it has given all of its energy to one electron . that electron can rattle around in the detector and give energy to other electrons . in some materials , these electrons will have enough energy to be freed of their host atoms . in that case , applying an electric field will allow those free electrons to be collected and counted . the number of electrons collected tells you the energy that was deposited .
chandra x - ray center , operated for nasa by the smithsonian astrophysical observatory this site was developed with funding from nasa under contract nas8 - 03060 .
t . r . fisher , j . w . hamilton , j . d . hawley , j . r . kilner , m . r . murphy , g . h . nakano ,
imaging germanium spectrometer with rotational modulation grid collimators ,
proc . spie 1159 , euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy and atomic physics , ( 27 november 1989 ) ;
intense photostimulated luminescence ( psl ) is observed , for the first time , in x - ray irradiated europium - doped potassium chloride ( kcl : eu ) single crystals . the intensity of psl with a peak at about 420 nm , which is emitted by stimulation with 560 nm light , is proportional to the optical density of the f centers , which are created by x - ray irradiation , over the wide range of the x - ray absorbed dose . this suggests that kcl : eu is one of the most attractive candidates for a two - dimensional x - ray imaging sensor utilizing the psl phenomenon .
a new type of x - ray real time still image detector named ` x ray to visible light prom ( xtv - prom ) ' has been developed . xtv - prom consists of a thin bi 12 sio 20 ( bso ) single crystal plate , transparent insulating layers , and two electrodes on both faces of the crystal plate . one electrode is transparent and the other refracts readout lights and lets in x rays . several tens of kev x rays generate electron - hole pairs in the crystal and an x - ray image is recorded as a charge pattern . a voltage pattern generated from the charge pattern causes the pockels effect and the recorded x - ray image is converted to the visible light image using the effect of the crystal . the recorded image can be erased and the device can be used repeatedly . the xtv - prom with a large active area ( 18 x 18 mm 2 ) and high resolution ( 25 micrometers ) has been made by a new process for polishing bso crystal thinly . the xtv - prom has a good response for bremsstrahlung x rays higher than 30 kev .
bepposax is the first x - ray mission with a scientific payload covering more than three decades of energy - from 0 . 1 to 300 kev , with moderate imaging capability . bepposax has proved to be especially useful for wide band spectra of active galactic nuclei , and for studying gamma - ray bursts by determining their positions with an unprecedented precision and monitoring their x - ray afterglow .
although rxte does not have focusing x - ray mirrors , it has the unique capability to study rapid time variability in the emission of cosmic x - ray sources over a wide band of x - ray energies , and has made valuable contributions to our understanding of the behavior of matter in the vicinity of neutron stars and black holes . extremely rapid variability observed by rxte may be evidence for the dragging of space by strong gravity in the vicinity of black holes .
monitor of all - sky x - ray image ( maxi ) is an x - ray all - sky monitor , to scan almost the entire sky once every 96 minutes for a mission life of more than two years . maxi on iss has been observing the x - ray sky from aug 2009 . the detection sensitivity will be about 20 mcrab ( 5 sigma level ) for one - orbit maxi operation , 2–3 mcrab for one day , and 1 mcrab for one week , reaching a source confusion limit of 0 . 2 mcrab in one - year observation . the systematic survey of the x - ray variabilities to study the nature of active celestial objects is an important objective of maxi . so far , maxi has detected many x - ray transient phenomena and rapidly informed the world of its sky positions and x - ray brightness . in principle . the astronomical data obtained with maxi is now available at the maxi web site .
detector systems for the x - ray evolving universe spectroscopy mission ( xeus ) - m . bavdaz , a . peacock , a . parmar , m . beijersbergen , j . schiemann , space science department of esa , estec , 2200ag noordwijk , netherlands . directorate of manned spaceflight and microgravity esa , estec , 2200ag noordwijk , netherlands
the asca x - ray observatory with low resolution mirrors , and the first large ccd detectors , was especially designed to study the detailed spectra of x - ray sources in supernova remnants , active galactic nuclei and galaxy clusters . found first evidence of the gravitational redshift due to the strong gravitational field around a black hole .
to measure the temperature increase in an absorber due to an x - ray , it is necessary to have a very sensitive thermometer  something that had a physical property that changed drastically for a small change in temperature . that detector should also have a small heat capacity , so its temperature would change a lot for a small change in energy . it ' s also best to have the detector and thermometer work at very low temperatures , because a small temperature change will be much more pronounced in a very cold system .
hard x - ray telescope for space flight use - upendra desai , larry orwig , code 682 gsfc / nasa , lawrence mertz , digiphase technology , palo alto , ca . , carl gaither , cna corporation , washington , dc , walter gibson , center for x - ray optics university at albany , n . y .
in september , 1949 , a team led by herbert friedman of the naval research laboratory detected weak x - ray emission from the solar corona , the hot outer layers of the sun ' s atmosphere . their experiment consisted of a collection of small geiger counters aboard a captured german v - 2 rocket . it took more than a decade before a greatly improved detector discovered x - rays coming from sources beyond the solar system .
the largest x - ray ccd ever build , with a sensitive area of 60 × 60 mm² . the ccd was developed for the xmm - newton satellite mission .
uhuru , the first satellite dedicated to the observation of cosmic x - ray sources , was equipped with a sensitive proportional counter attached to a viewing pipe to locate the sources . it expanded the number of known sources to more than 400 , showed that x - ray stars are neutron stars or black holes accreting matter from companions in binary star systems , and discovered x - rays from hot gas in galaxy clusters .
photos of detector towers for the large area telescope on fermi . on the left is a single tower , which is composed of a stack of interleaved planes of silicon strips and tungsten converters . on the right is a photo showing six towers installed on the detector housing . the lat has 16 of these towers in a 4x4 array . ( credit : nasa / fermi )
this animation shows how the large area telescope on the fermi gamma - ray telescope works . a gamma ray ( purple ) interacts with the detector , creating an electron - positron pair which cascade down the tower . using the paths that the electron and positron take through the telescope , the direction of the original gamma - ray can be determined ( shown in purple ) . ( credit : nasa ' s goddard space flight center conceptual image lab )
t . r . fisher , j . w . hamilton , j . d . hawley , j . r . kilner , m . r . murphy , g . h . nakano ,
imaging germanium spectrometer with rotational modulation grid collimators
, proc . spie 1159 , euv , x - ray , and gamma - ray instrumentation for astronomy and atomic physics , ( 27 november 1989 ) ; doi : 10 . 1117 / 12 . 962566 ; urltoken
the inclusion of a broad band hard x - ray imager is important to the success of the international gamma - ray astrophysics laboratory ( integral ) mission , the next esa blue box m2 mission , due to be launched during april , 2001 . the observatory payload comprises two main instruments , the imager and the spectrometer , and two monitors , the x - ray monitor ( xrm ) and the optical transient camera ( otc ) .
the science and an overview of the soft x - ray spectrometer onboard the stro - h mission are presented . the sxs consists of x - ray focusing mirrors and a microcalorimeter array and is developed by international collaboration lead by jaxa and nasa with european participation . the detector is a 6×6 format microcalorimeter array operated at a cryogenic temperature of 50 mk and covers a 3′×3′ field of view of the x - ray telescope of 5 . 6 m focal length . we expect an energy resolution better than 7 ev ( fwhm , requirement ) with a goal of 4 ev . the effective area of the instrument will be 225 cm 2 at 7 kev ; by a factor of about two larger than that of the x - ray microcalorimeter on board suzaku . one of the main scientific objectives of the sxs is to investigate turbulent and / or macroscopic motions of hot gas in clusters of galaxies .
fully depleted , 300 micron thick ccd image sensors with applications in the x - ray , uv , visible and near - ir regions , s . e . holland et al lbnl
a timing scintillation detector based on a plastic scintillator strip sized 35 × 5 × 1 cm 3 and sipm optical readout has been developed and characterized . for the best uniformity of the detector ' s response to particle hits across its area , a set of sipm optical sensors has been incorporated into the scintillator throughout its volume . time resolution better than 260 ps ( sigma ) has been achieved for each point of the device . uniformity of the detector ' s response is confirmed by amplitude measurements along the strip as well as measurements of the efficiency of scintillation detection , which , on average , is ~ 99 % .
this instrument , as a monitor , will provide fine imaging and simultaneous x - ray flux measurements . the spectral resolution and sensitivity will be optimised to make it a competitive spectroscopic instrument for medium to high energy x - rays . the scientific rational and the experiment configuration are discussed .
the soft x - ray solar polarimeter - spectrometer ( solpex ) experiment is planned to be placed in roscosmos’ multipurpose laboratory module “nauka” on international space station ( iss ) in 2019 . the experiment is design to detect polarization and x - ray spectra of solar flares . due to very high , few percent , linear polarization detection limit , accurate background estimation and modeling is crucial .
all x - ray proportional counters consist of a windowed gas cell , subdivided into a number of low - and high - electric field regions by some arrangement of electrodes . the signals induced on these electrodes by the motions of electrons and ions in the counting gas mixture contain information on the energies , arrival times , and interaction positions of the photons transmitted by the window . at energies less than 50 kev , x - rays interact with gas molecules via the photoelectric effect , with the immediate release of a primary photo - electron , followed by a cascade of auger electrons and / or fluorescent photons . to date , gas proportional counters have been the ' workhorses ' of x - ray astronomy .
rosat expanded the number of known x - ray sources to 125 , 000 and proved to be especially valuable for investigating the multi - million degree gas present in the upper atmospheres of many stars , made the first detection of radiation from the hot surface of a neutron star , and comets . it resolved 70 % of soft x - ray background , and made an extensive catalogue of galaxy clusters .
we present experimental results and designs of large - absorber transition - edge - sensor ( tes ) x - ray microcalorimeters . much of our effort has focused on developing close - packed arrays of 250 - 300 μm - sized pixels suitable for the x - ray microcalorimeter spectrometer ( xms ) on the international x - ray observatory . these efforts have produced devices with the requisite energy resolution of ≲ 2 . 5 ev ( fwhm ) at 6 kev . there are several upcoming applications , however , that require arrays composed of significantly larger pixels . in this contribution we present experimental results from 490 μm - sized pixels that have attained 3 . 5 ev energy resolution at 6 kev . these devices are precursors to the pixels that are being developed for the xms extended array . in addition , we briefly describe detector designs for the micro - x sounding rocket experiment , which also requires an array of large - area tes microcalorimeters .
n2 - we present experimental results and designs of large - absorber transition - edge - sensor ( tes ) x - ray microcalorimeters . much of our effort has focused on developing close - packed arrays of 250 - 300 μm - sized pixels suitable for the x - ray microcalorimeter spectrometer ( xms ) on the international x - ray observatory . these efforts have produced devices with the requisite energy resolution of ≲ 2 . 5 ev ( fwhm ) at 6 kev . there are several upcoming applications , however , that require arrays composed of significantly larger pixels . in this contribution we present experimental results from 490 μm - sized pixels that have attained 3 . 5 ev energy resolution at 6 kev . these devices are precursors to the pixels that are being developed for the xms extended array . in addition , we briefly describe detector designs for the micro - x sounding rocket experiment , which also requires an array of large - area tes microcalorimeters .
ab - we present experimental results and designs of large - absorber transition - edge - sensor ( tes ) x - ray microcalorimeters . much of our effort has focused on developing close - packed arrays of 250 - 300 μm - sized pixels suitable for the x - ray microcalorimeter spectrometer ( xms ) on the international x - ray observatory . these efforts have produced devices with the requisite energy resolution of ≲ 2 . 5 ev ( fwhm ) at 6 kev . there are several upcoming applications , however , that require arrays composed of significantly larger pixels . in this contribution we present experimental results from 490 μm - sized pixels that have attained 3 . 5 ev energy resolution at 6 kev . these devices are precursors to the pixels that are being developed for the xms extended array . in addition , we briefly describe detector designs for the micro - x sounding rocket experiment , which also requires an array of large - area tes microcalorimeters .
better than superman ? an x - ray monitor on the space station examined the entire sky for galactic transient phenomena and discovered new black hole candidates ; reported more than 20 binary x - ray pulsar outbursts ; detected x - ray flares from 12 stars in its first two years , providing a unified picture for star flaring ; and observed for the first time the instant that a massive black hole swallowed a star . the investigation released a catalog for high galactic - latitude sky sources and revealed the existence of a hypernova remnant estimated to be 3 million years old , believed to be the first in our galaxy .
when an x - ray photon heats a solid , it gives its energy to the whole solid . on average , each atom vibrates a little bit more than before the x - ray hit . temperature relates the total energy of a system to its state of disorder , or entropy . the
heat capacity
of a material gives a measure of how much the temperature rises for a given energy input .
gamma - ray detectors can be placed in two broad classes . the first class includes what would typically be called spectrometers or photometers in optical astronomy . these instruments are
light buckets
that focus on a region of the sky containing the target and collect as many photons as possible . these types of detectors typically use scintillators or solid - state detectors to transform the gamma - ray into optical or electronic signals , which are then recorded .
abstract =
we present experimental results and designs of large - absorber transition - edge - sensor ( tes ) x - ray microcalorimeters . much of our effort has focused on developing close - packed arrays of 250 - 300 μm - sized pixels suitable for the x - ray microcalorimeter spectrometer ( xms ) on the international x - ray observatory . these efforts have produced devices with the requisite energy resolution of ≲ 2 . 5 ev ( fwhm ) at 6 kev . there are several upcoming applications , however , that require arrays composed of significantly larger pixels . in this contribution we present experimental results from 490 μm - sized pixels that have attained 3 . 5 ev energy resolution at 6 kev . these devices are precursors to the pixels that are being developed for the xms extended array . in addition , we briefly describe detector designs for the micro - x sounding rocket experiment , which also requires an array of large - area tes microcalorimeters .
,
the x - ray camera of maxi must stop the observation during the sun is in the field of view or iss is in the dense cosmic - particle regions ( e . g . south atlantic anomaly ) . it is necessary to properly control the x - ray cameras . it is important to predict the attitude and position of iss precisely . the data broadcasted on iss is also utilized for the camera control .
and a maximum sensitivity field of view of ~ 5° x5° . the maximum angular resolution was 10 arcmin . its imaging capabilities were derived from the association of a coded mask and a position sensitive detector based on the anger camera principle .
ntd germanium - based microcalorimeters for x - ray and gamma - ray astronomy - eric silver a , simon bandler a , herbert schnopper a , stephen murray a , marco barbera c , norm madden b , don landis b , jeff beeman b , eugene haller b , greg tucker d . a harvard - smithsonian center for astrophysics , 60 garden street , cambridge , ma 02138 , b lawrence berkeley national laboratory , 1 cyclotron road , berkeley , ca 94720 , c osservatorio astronomico di palermo , palermo , italy , d brown university , providence , ri 02912
matsuoka m , kawasaki k , ueno s , tomida h , kohama m , ishikawa m , katayama h , suzuki m , miyakawa t , mihara t , isobe n , tsunemi h , miyata e , negoro h , nakajima m , kawai n , kataoka j , yoshida a , yamaoka k , morii m . an overview of maxi onboard jem - ef of the international space station . uv , x - ray , and gamma - ray space instrumentation for astronomy xv , san diego , ca ; 2007 august 26 668611 . 1 - 668611 . 9 .
the chandra x - ray observatory combines the mirrors with four science instruments to capture and probe the x - rays from astronomical sources . the incoming x - rays are focused by the mirrors to a tiny spot ( about half as wide as a human hair ) on the focal plane , about 30 feet away . the focal plane science instruments , acis and hrc , are well matched to capture the sharp images formed by the mirrors and to provide information about the incoming x - rays : their number , position , energy and time of arrival .
the long - term time variability and random transient events are difficult to study with pointing telescopes , and require dedicated all sky mission . to research exotic phenomena systematically , the latest x - ray astronomical catalog is needed .
pictured above is the monitor of all - sky x - ray image ( maxi ) that is mounted externally on the japanese experiment module ( jem ) onboard the international space station . ( image provided by jaxa . )
by reconstructing the tracks of the charged pair as it passes through the vertical series of trackers , the gamma - ray direction , and therefore its origin on the sky , are calculated . in addition , through the analysis of the scattering of the pair ( which is an energy - dependent phenomenon ) or through the absorption of the pair by a scintillator detector or a calorimeter after they exit the spark chamber , the total energy of the initial gamma - ray is determined .
while a typical gamma - ray detector must be flown with a balloon or on a satellite above the earth ' s atmosphere to avoid absorption of the gamma - ray photon , the air cerenkov telescope makes the atmosphere part of the detector . when gamma rays encounter earth ' s atmosphere , they create an
air shower .
this process involves the original photon undergoing a pair production interaction high up in the atmosphere , creating an electron and positron . these particles then interact , through bremsstrahlung and compton scattering , and give up some of their energy to create energetic photons . these in turn create more electrons , resulting in a cascade of electrons and photons that travel down through the atmosphere until the particles run out of energy .
the monitor of all - sky x - ray image ( maxi ) investigation is designed to continuously monitor , through a systematic survey , x - ray sources and variabilities as the international space station ( iss ) orbits earth . located at equipment exchange unit ( eer ) site 1 on the japanese experiment module - exposed facility ( jef ) , maxi is comprised of a couple highly sensitive x - ray detectors , the gas slit camera ( gsc ) and the solid - state slit camera ( ssc ) . besides the goal of performing a complete sky survey , this research helps to address fundamental astrophysics questions and allows researchers to better understand the current state and evolution of our universe .
another approach to x - ray detection is measuring the heat it deposits in a material . all those excited electrons would rather go back to their original energy , to return to what is called the ground state . through scattering with other electrons or with vibrations in the solid itself , they can lose that extra energy . that energy heats the solid , increasing its temperature . the temperature change gives a measure of the energy of the incoming x - ray .
calculating the background photoelectric effect , compton scattering and bremsstrahlung were taken into account . luminescence background from particles produced in solar flares was simulated using geant4 . additionally , theoretical spectra was modeled in order to simulate full solpex detector response for m5 and x1 solar flare classes .
the chandra advanced ccd imaging spectrometer ( acis ) is one of two focal plane instruments . as the name suggests , this instrument is an array of charged coupled devices ( ccd ' s ) , which are sophisticated versions of the crude ccd ' s used in camcorders . this instrument is especially useful because it can make x - ray images , and at the same time , measure the energy of each incoming x - ray . thus scientists can make pictures of objects using only x - rays produced by a single chemical element , and so compare ( for example ) the appearance of a supernova remnant in light produced by oxygen ions to that of neon or iron ions . it is the instrument of choice for studying temperature variations across x - ray sources such as vast clouds of hot gas in intergalactic space , or chemical variations across clouds left by supernova explosions .
squid multiplexers for large transition edge sensor ( tes ) detector arrays - s . nam , j . chervenak , e . grossman , k . irwin , j . martinis , national institute of standards and technology , h . moseley , r . shafer , goddard space flight center
analytical models are presented describing the x - ray - excited emission of ' ' no - loss ' ' photoelectrons and auger electrons and the energy distribution of emitted secondary electrons . the secondary electron energy distribution is given in terms of the electron kinetic energy e
m . i . t . and as & e collaborated in a joint development of a rocket experiment to measure the position of sco x - 1 with sufficient accuracy to enable identification of its optical counterpart . essential for the experiment was a “modulation collimator , ” which made possible precise position determinations before the advent of focusing x - ray telescopes . it was invented by minoru oda , a frequent visitor to m . i . t . from the university of tokyo . giacconi’s group carried out the experiment in collaboration with oda , hale bradt and others at mit . it located sco x - 1 to within an area of one - thousandth of a square degree . within that area the optical counterpart of sco x - 1 was found - a faint flickering blue star of the 13th magnitude . its x - ray luminosity is more than a thousand times the total luminosity of the sun in all wavelengths .
the explanation of sco x - 1 came from iosif shklovsky , a russian theoretician . he proposed that it is a binary system consisting of an ordinary star and a neutron star in an orbit so close that it draws matter from its companion in a process called accretion . neutron stars have the mass of a typical star like the sun , but crushed by gravitational collapse into a sphere about 10 kilometers in radius . when accreting matter falls onto the surface of a neutron star , the kinetic energy it gained in the fall is converted to heat at 100 million degrees and radiated as x - rays at a power level limited only by the rate of accretion . we know now that all the hundred or so bright x - ray stars in our milky way galaxy are
accretion - powered x - ray binaries
.
background rejection is critical in non - imaging x - ray proportional counters . in all gas counters , there are 3 distinct categories of background rejection techniques : energy selection ( rejecting all events which deposit energies outside the x - ray bandpass ) , rise - time discrimination , and anti - coincidence within a sub - divided gas cell ( a technique which completely replaced the early technique of surrounding the active gas cell with a shield of plastic scintillator ) . energy selection and the anti - coincidence method can , in practice , both reduce the raw background rates by a factor of 100 . a factor of 100 is what is usually required . the rise - time discrimination method becomes less effective as the x - ray energy increases . for 6 kev photons , background reduction factor of 30 has been achieved with this method .
electronic position encoding can be done either digitally or in an analog fashion . a digital encoder associates a preamplifier and counting circuit with each pixel , or resolution element , of the field . an analog system estimates event coordinates from the properties of voltage waveforms at different output electrodes . digital schemes are capable of handling higher count rates , but are more complex systems . in x - ray astronomy , where count rates are typically low and system simplicity is a good thing , the analog readout , in which it is the centroid of the induced charge distribution which is encoded , is more common .
the four instruments are co - aligned and will simultaneously observe the same sky region . the x - ray monitor will provide images with arcminute angular resolution in the 3–80 kev band , with minimum detectable flux of one millicrab at 80 kev for a typical 10 5 second observation .
superconducting transition - edge sensor x - ray microcalorimeters - john m . martinis , n . bergren , s . deiker , g . c . hilton , k . d . irwin , s . w . nam , d . a . rudman and d . a . wollman
the region from about 1 to 30 mev is a difficult part of the gamma - ray astronomy energy range to study , but it can be interesting . in this energy range , astronomers can study nuclear emission lines , some pulsars , active galaxies , solar flares and gamma - ray bursts . this is also the energy range where compton scattering is the dominant physical interaction between light and matter . compton scattering occurs when a photon hits an electron and some of the photon energy is transferred to the charged particle . the compton scatter telescope design uses this interaction as the basis of its detection scheme .
these gratings diffract the intercepted x - rays , changing their direction by amounts that depend sensitively on the x - ray energy , much like a prism separates light into its component colors . one of the focal plane cameras , either hrc or acis , detects the location of the diffracted x - ray , enabling a precise determination of its energy . ( a grating is able to diffract because it has a regularly spaced pattern . for example , music cds act as a type of grating : the grooves diffract , so that when light falls on the shiny side of the cd , a rainbow effect is seen . as the cd is tilted through different angles , different colors come into view . )
spie conferences bring together engineers and scientists to present their latest research and to network with peers . each year spie conferences result in approximately 350 proceedings volumes comprising 16 , 000 + papers and presentation recordings reporting on photonics - driven advancements in areas such as biomedicine , astronomy , defense and security , renewable energy , and more .


abingdon & witney college is a further education provider established in april 2001 after the merger of abingdon college and west oxfordshire college .

it has four campuses : abingdon , witney , avenue one skills centre ( witney ) , and common leys .

abingdon and witney college

* all courses - abingdon & witney college - abingdon , witney , common leys , banbury & oxford | oxme . info
abingdon and witney college is such a fantastic college to be at you are always given a chance and theres always a course for you no matter what your abilty is . abingdon and witney college has made me
oxfordshire county council has transferred all of its adult learning service to abingdon and witney college .
abingdon & witney college is an award - winning further education college in oxfordshire , with three m . . .
in april 2001 , abingdon college and west oxfordshire college merged to become abingdon and witney college . we now have four amazing campuses that offer our students and staff a range of courses and facilities .
in april 2001 , abingdon college and west oxfordshire college merged to become abingdon and witney college . we now have five amazing campuses that offer our students and staff a range of courses and facilities .
if you want to apply for courses , you will need to contact abingdon and witney college directly .
if you want to apply for this course , you will need to contact abingdon and witney college directly .
abingdon & witney college has received a prestigious teaching excellence framework silver award for its higher education programme , it’s been announced .
abingdon and witney college fantastic for even us adults . i enrolled in the adult learning course 1 . 5 years ago . i absolutely
and a recent accommodation partnership with ruskin college at their headington campus will also enable students to travel from further distances to study at abingdon and witney .
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abingdon and witney college ’s common leys farm campus runs specialised courses focusing on land based industries for students aged 16 - 18 , adults and those on higher education programmes .
our abingdon and witney campuses have both recently been refurbished . a new pathways hub houses the propeller project and macintyre abingdon partnership students . the college has also been awarded £4m from the oxfordshire local enterprise partnership and the funding will result in the building of the new advanced engineering and technology skills centre at our abingdon campus .
it looks like we don ' t have a specific address for abingdon & witney college witney campus , which makes giving directions tricky . this business might not have an official storefront , or it might move to multiple locations throughout the day .
by achieving a silver award , abingdon & witney college is deemed to have “high quality teaching , learning and outcomes for its students” , whilst consistently exceeding “rigorous national quality requirements for uk higher education . ”
the propeller project is a collaborative social enterprise project involving young people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities from abingdon & witney college , fitzwaryn school in wantage , kingfisher school in abingdon and springfield school in witney . please note : the propeller project’s website is currently being refurbished , so please check back soon for a link to see what we’ve done .
both our abingdon and witney campuses are currently being refurbished . recladding of the main building at abingdon is complete and work is taking place on other buildings around the campus . a new pathways hub will house the propeller project and macintyre abingdon partnership students and this is scheduled to be in use in september 2015 . the college has also been awarded £4m from the oxfordshire local enterprise partnership and the funding will result in the building of the new advanced engineering and technology skills centre at our abingdon campus .
the recent redevelopment of witney campus has provided students with brand new learning areas , specialist industry zones , and student social areas that enhance college life .
situated on the abingdon college campus , macintyre abingdon partnership college provides specialist college day placements for learners aged between 16 and 25 with complex learning difficulties and autism . our particular expertise lie in supporting students with autistic spectrum disorders , through the use of person centred approaches to learning , offering students an individualised programme designed to prepare them for greater independence in their future lives .
witney campus has specialisms in the following areas : equine care & management , floristry .
studying at abingdon & witney college goes much further than just your course though . there are an amazing range of trips , visits and other activities to get involved with , support for developing english and maths gcses and work experience opportunities to help guide you into the world of employment .
oxford brookes university validate a number of our undergraduate programmes and is a member of the associate college partnership network . the university works with the college to develop courses which match the skills requirements of the region and the college’s specialist skills .
taught at both our abingdon and witney campuses , the access to higher education diploma courses are designed to prepare students with few formal qualifications for higher education and provide them with that extra confidence to make the step up .
this video is one of a series from the abingdon and witney linked in project . jenny presents final project report for the link into your professional network project , a learning futures project commissioned and funded by the education and training foundation .
* all campuses include : abingdon , witney and common leys farm for any other requirements , for example hiring the whole campus , canteen or communal areas , talk to the campus manager about our special rates .
monday june 26 th – abingdon higher education fair at awc - 6 . 00 – 8 . 00 pm
from hnc / ds to honours degrees , access courses to professional qualifications ; you may be surprised to know that abingdon & witney college offer a wide variety of higher education choices in a number of subject areas . we have opportunities in animal care , business , nursing , accounting , leadership and management , health and social care , and much more .
gaining a great qualification and progressing up the career ladder might not cost as much as you think either , with degree courses costing less than at other institutions and with more flexible learning hours , abingdon & witney college could provide the perfect package for you ! to find out more about our higher education and professional courses click here or call 01235 555 585 .
two years prior to the sector wide introduction of study programmes in 2013 , abingdon and witney college developed , with employers , an innovative college - wide curriculum model called the futures programme . this programme has required all of the college’s 16 - 18 year old students , and their course leaders , to radically change their approach to full - time study . following significant resistance from across the board , the futures programme is now embedded fully throughout the college . full time 16 - 18 retention has improved from 87 % to 94 % , success from 83 % to 86 % and positive destinations from 87 % to 95 % .
at abingdon & witney college there is a wide range of high quality higher education opportunities that can help you improve your skills , qualifications and career options . whether your interests lie in business , art or engineering , we have a course that can boost your career . whether you are fresh to the industry or a veteran , it’s never too late to learn something new !
the college holds many open days and evenings throughout the year where you can find out more about the courses on offer .
avenue one in witney is our dedicated construction skills centre . the campus is the perfect setting to hone skills in brickwork , carpentry , painting and decorating .
in taking spanish lessons ? me and my friend are spanish and we are going to do our placement in abingdon from february to may and we would be able to help you . we are in our last
so much more confident and has helped me achieve so much . your voice is always heard at college and the future pathways programme is fantastic and so is the future pathways team : )
presentations and seminars for pupils about what the college can offer – for instance the courses we run , the additional support available , sports and activities , our facilities and the application process .
in addition , our schools liaison coordinator can attend careers fairs and other events to talk informally to students and parents to provide them with more information about the college and the courses on offer .
oxford tv ' s recording studio is nestled in the college . i ' m always impressed at how warm and friendly the reception staff are .
the futures programme was established , initially as a pilot , in september 2011 and , due to its success , was rolled out across all 16 - 18 year old students in the college . now some 1500 students are studying with the college on a futures programme .
taster days – either at college or at school . this gives pupils the opportunity to try out various subjects in interactive and practical sessions with our tutors
we have broadcast - quality media studios and a state of the art film production unit on the abingdon site with industry standard equipment that our students will find when they work in the industry .
we have broadcast - quality media studios and a state of the art film production unit on the witney site with industry standard equipment that our students will find when they work in the industry .
we are proud of our campuses , each of them vibrant , social and career focused places to be in . at our two largest campuses in abingdon and witney , our great facilities include open access student support areas , a newly refurbished refectory complete with a costa coffee shop and games tables , brand new e - learning zones and break out areas , high quality learning centres , a lecture theatre , industry standard hair and beauty salons , specialist vocational workshops and state - of - the - art film production and recording units .
neu launches project to help fe staff achieve sustainable workloads poll found seven in ten fe college staff have thought about leaving the sector .
we are proud of our campuses , each of them vibrant , social and career focused places to be in . at our two largest campuses in abingdon and witney , our great facilities include open access student support areas , a newly refurbished refectory complete with a costa coffee shop and games tables , brand new e - learning zones and break out areas , high quality learning centres , a lecture theatre , specialist vocational workshops , state - of - the - art film production and recording units , and , new for september 2016 , oxfordshire’s only
this is the web page for your college ' s official uniform supplier . you can purchase your uniform in confidence knowing that these items of uniform have been carefully selected by your college to ensure that you receive good quality and hardwearing uniform . the prices represent excellent value for money from a company you can trust .
our apprentices do real jobs , for real employers , so you earn while you learn . apprenticeships are the ultimate employment preparation . with a great combination of college - based and workplace training that you can put into practice in the workplace . you get a great support structure through your college tutor , assessor and your employer , achieve recognised qualifications and get the best possible start to a career .
we are the most successful college in oxfordshire and we are also in the top 10 % of colleges nationally . our student success stories truly reflect the hard work and dedication of the students as well as the encouragement and inspiration from our teaching staff .
our close partnership with oxford brookes university helps us to expertly deliver our honours and foundation degrees and give students the opportunity to study at the college and experience university life at the same time . this way , students are able to enrol on higher education course closer to home and still enjoy the benefits of independence and the social academic environment .
the abingdon campus has undergone a considerable amount of refurbishments over the last few years , which has resulted in improvements to teaching spaces and the internal and external fabric of the buildings , creating a state of the art campus . as part of the redevelopment , the engineering building has been renovated to house new industry standard machinery and equipment and includes workshops , welding bays , cad stations and robotics equipment .
aged 16 - 18 and not currently in education , employment or training ? get your future on track with a gateway programme . the gateway centres at college are places where we listen to what you’ve got to say , find out what you want out of life and then help you work out a route to get there . our centres have flexible start and finish times and we’ll offer you coaching , mentoring sessions and support to help you get a job , an apprenticeship or progress onto higher level courses at college .
our abingdon campus is our largest site and features our multi - purpose sports hall , lecture theatre , dance studio , and more . it has a manned reception and eat @ ox14 : a large canteen with a costa coffee and servery , as well as a pull - down screen and lectern – ideal for functions such as race nights , film clubs , and quizzes . the campus also has a large car park which is ideal for car boot sales .
are you aged between 14 and 16 years and want to study part time at college whilst still at school ? working in partnership with schools in west and south oxfordshire , we provide those aged 14 - 16 the chance to study a range of vocational courses alongside taking their gcses at school .
a forthcoming £4million advanced skills centre is scheduled to open in january in 2018 and will provide new resources and opportunities in the stem sector , a direct response to the lack of these crucial skills in the local community , increasing the college’s higher education offering even further .
at our witney campus , the courthouse building on welch way has been replaced by a new three storey building which houses the main reception , pathway one , classrooms , it suites and staff offices . a new construction skills centre has been built in the place of the weavers building , and offers new trades such as plumbing .
over 350 students study a higher education course at the college each year , working towards qualifications such as honours degrees , higher national certificates or diplomas , foundation degrees , and degree apprenticeships across a broad range of subjects and in state - of - the - art facilities .
at our witney campus , the courthouse building on welch way will be replaced by a new three storey building which will house the main reception , pathway one , classrooms , it suites and staff offices . a new construction skills centre will be built in the place of the weavers building , and will offer new trades such as plumbing .
2013 to 2014 education and training national success rates tables ( nsrt ) and supporting guidance .
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pathways is our life and work skills programme that ensures learners who have special educational needs and / or disabilities ( send ) can find a course that meets their individual needs . pathways can help you to become more independent , perhaps get ready to start work or move onto another course at college . the courses include exciting and interesting activities such as cookery , sports and craft . you will also have help with english and maths and work with other students on your course . it’s a great way to make friends and learn new skills .
the college is unique in the fact that it has an on - site thoroughbred stud , equine students are involved in the covering , foaling , weaning and selling of the foals which involves taking them to tattersall’s sales in newmarket . the centre runs unaffiliated dressage show jumping and showing classes throughout the year open to the public .
for animal care students the college provides a learning environment with purpose - built indoor and outdoor units for small animals , a dog grooming parlour , modern kennel spaces and a brand new canine hydrotherapy facility . the faculty has also introduced a family of meerkats to the farm and students also have access to some larger animals such as horses , sheep , goats and cattle . this area was graded “outstanding” by ofsted in january 2014 .
our witney campus is located just off the town centre and attracts passing footfall making it an ideal location to raise the profile of your event . the campus has free parking on - campus as well as in surrounding car parks . its state - of - the - art rooms are ideal to deliver courses / training to a national client base .
the college is also constructing new buildings on campus including the £4million advanced technology centre , which is being funded by the local enterprise partnership . the centre will focus on providing engineering technician skills , extending into engineering design , computing / it and laboratory skills . it will become an open - innovation , knowledge - sharing and problem - solving resource for stem employers . it will focus particularly on training at level 3 , 4 and 5 and will provide a range of short courses , full and part - time btec diplomas and hncs , hnds and foundation degrees in a variety of stem subjects .
our schools liaison co - ordinator and information advice and guidance staff are here to help young people get the advice and support they need to make informed choices .
universities and business schools race to offer bitcoin and blockchain lessons …due to the so - called ‘crypto boom’ .
you ' ll get full access to our website , print and digital editions , and the times higher education app for ios , android and kindle fire devices .
after nearly seven years , the decision has been made reluctantly to close the oxfordshire guardian and our sister titles the oxford paper and basingstoke observer and the associated websites .
please be aware that you may need specialist clothing depending on your course . refer to your joining letter or tutor re purchasing chainsaw trousers ; ear defenders ; boots ; helmet ; gloves and first aid kit – these items are to be purchased from a specialist supplier during a college trip at the start of your course .
the college recently achieved a silver award from the higher education funding council for england for the quality of our higher education provision – not the first prestigious recognition we have received at this level , having also achieved a queen’s award for our nationally - recognised equine programme .
the practical skills and industry knowledge that you develop at college are essential for entering the world of employment , or for going on to further study . our facilities replicate the working world so that you gain real hands - on experience , whether it is in our hairdressing salons , science laboratories , or in our engineering workshops .
we are ambitious for our students , working with them to achieve excellence . but that excellence is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution . we offer a broad range of courses and celebrate the success of students at all levels across the college . with such a wide range of options there is something that is right for everyone .
* * rates shown are for bookings during normal college hours . bookings outside normal hours will attract additional costs in respect of caretaking services which will be charged as incurred . specialised equipment may incur additional charges . all fees are subject to vat @ 20 % , except :
the service , which delivers courses to 12 , 600 learners each year , offers a wide range of educational opportunities including apprenticeships and workplace training as well as english and maths support and leisure and pleasure courses in more than 80 venues across oxfordshire .
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this qualification covers a wide variety of skills and techniques relevant to the construction industry including health and safety , building method s and construction technology , first - fix operations , second - fix operations , preparing and using power tools , maintenance operations and using circular saws . all units in the qualification have theory and practical elements . at interview you will be given additional information regarding the purchase of a basic tool kit , safety boots , polo shirt and a workbook .
it has been a pleasure to bring you the local news over this time and thank all our readers and advertisers for your support .
our full - time courses , designed specifically for 16 - 19 year - olds , are a vocational alternative to other forms of learning , such as a levels . they are suitable for anyone and students come from all sorts of backgrounds – some students may already hold qualifications , whilst others haven’t engaged with education at all yet . this is what makes college so accessible .
the animal unit also boasts a new canine hydrotherapy centre which contains a canine water treadmill and swimming pool used for canine therapy and rehabilitation .
equally , if you’re already in the career you want , but want to expand your knowledge of your chosen area , then we can help there too . alain babasiewicz was already working in hr and wanted to improve his skills whilst gaining a recognised qualification . he enrolled on the level 5 certificate in human resource practice and couldn’t be happier , “i chose the course due to a variety of factors . the college has a good reputation and i felt confident that the teaching and material would suit my needs . i really enjoyed the interaction with other students as we had a good mix of experience from a variety of companies and sectors , i found the whole experience very rewarding”
the course is primarily for people who are currently working or wish to work , in an it / computing related field and would like to gain a higher level qualification in recognition of their skills and knowledge . it is anticipated that a substantial portion of the course will be linked to work - based learning or to workplace simulations . the foundation degree in computing will equip you with the knowledge , understanding and skills required for success in current and future employment or for progression to an undergraduate honours degree . the college has strong links with companies that will provide you with a variety range of work placement opportunities .
the 60 - acre common leys campus offers the practical facilities for a range of land - based courses and provides purpose built areas and facilities .
the campus boasts a wide variety of farm animals and has focussed on trying to breed and increase the range of rare breeds : on site are oxford sandy and black pigs , whitebred shorthorn cattle and norfolk horn sheep . the unit is also home to a variety of reptiles , aquatics , avians , poultry , donkeys , alpacas , goats and meerkats to name a few !
this foundation degree is intended for those who are currently employed in a support capacity within a primary or secondary school and it has been designed to build on and acknowledge your existing professional skills . this course will improve the confidence and effectiveness which you bring to your work , and prepare the ground for progression onto career possibilities including teaching . it is a highly regarded qualification within the field and has been designed in consultation with employers and other education practitioners .
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apprenticeships available at two levels apprenticeship and advanced level ( entry qualifications for advanced ) . apply as soon as possible . also level 1 qualifications and foundation learning esol , gateway courses , future pathways and pathways 1 to pathways 5 programme .
2013 to 2014 apprenticeship national success rates tables ( nsrt ) and supporting guidance .
this school may have achievement and attainment tables on the department for education website .
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on saturday 6 june the common leys farm campus will host its annual countryside fair and open day . this is a fun day out for all the family and you will be able to watch demonstrations , meet the animals and see student displays .
students are also able to develop their estate skills , and undertake courses that include fencing , tree - planting , hedge maintenance , paddock maintenance , arboriculture skills , landscaping , establishing and maintaining plants , dry stone walling , hedge laying and green woodcrafts .
higher education courses in animal and equine are run in partnership with oxford brookes university .
try one of our courses in electrical installation , carpentry , joinery , and plumbing .
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our specialist vocational workshop areas provide a working and study environment for our students that reflects the industry . for example , our practical child care and health and care rooms are equipped with everything you would expect to find in a nursing home or nursery so that our students are familiar with the environment and tools they’ll use when they move onto employment . we also have vocational science and language laboratories , a dedicated motor vehicle centre and we’re currently developing our engineering facilities to ensure we are up - to - date with industry standard facilities .
madeleine atkins , chief executive of the higher education funding council for england , said : “students invest significant amounts of time and money in their higher education . they rightly expect a high - quality learning experience and outcomes that reflect their potential . the uk already has a high bar for quality and standards , which all universities and colleges must meet . but the tef judges excellence above and beyond this , clearly showing the highest levels across the sector .
it is often thought that the automatic progression from gcse is a levels , but for some that’s just not the right path . with so many alternatives designed to suit the learner as well as fitting in with industry requirements , it’s no wonder that more and more students are turning to vocational qualifications . our level 3 courses are perfect for students who have a strong inclination toward a particular vocational career and who want to go to university . although we do not offer traditional a level qualifications , our level 3 extended diploma courses are the equivalent to 3 a levels and are recognised by all universities . many of our level 3 students have gone on to complete degrees at highly prestigious universities including kings college london , university of bath , university of exeter and edinburgh university .
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newly refurbished , our restaurant offers a hot meal to students 5 days a week and has plenty of room to take a break from your studies and catch up with your friends .
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systems will be up and running by friday . we look forward to hearing from you .
our refurbished multi gym ( named globo gym by our students ) provides an opportunity for all students to get active during enrichment and an excellent facility for our sport and public service students .
professional courses in tree surgery , chainsaw use , dog grooming and canine hydrotherapy are also offered .
in order to be in the running for a tef rating , higher education providers have to meet demanding national quality requirements , including teaching quality , learning environment and resources , and student outcomes .
“the tef measures the things that students themselves say they care about : high - quality , engaged teaching and a supportive , stimulating learning environment which equips them with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their potential , and then to progress to a good job or further study . ”
10 july 2015 revised versions of : * apprenticeship nsrt overall institution * apprenticeship nsrt timely institution * education and training nsrt overall institution * education and training nsrt timely institution uploaded on 06 july 2015 .
bringing in more than £7 billion in the uk and growing , construction is big business . it’s challenging , and very fast moving , but also a fantastic place to be building a future career ! the sector is famed for its endless options to learn new trades and skills , making it an exciting and interesting working environment . as a construction worker opportunities to redirect into new areas of expertise are plentiful , as well as the prospect of progressing up the career ladder and even starting your own business .
if you’re just starting out in your career and are daunted by the prospect of university and all the options available , don’t fret ! there are so many different routes available to you and you don’t even have to move away from home if you don’t want to . you also don’t necessarily need to do the traditional three year degree to get to where you want to be . with other accredited courses in accounting , human resources and leadership and management as well as higher national certificates / diplomas and foundation degrees , there’s a whole other world of fantastic qualifications that can get you the future you want .
our vision is to provide the best training , education & teaching , transforming lives and securing futures .
the early years foundation degree is designed for practioners who are working in a variety of early years settings with families , pre - schools , schools and nurseries . this degree brings together a number of academic disciplines including psychology , health care , educational studies and sociology . it is structured to provide an interagency focus and integrates the methods and insights of the various disciplines which contribute to our understanding of childhood .
at times it has been really challenging ; it has helped me to grow and develop as a person , getting me ready to get the job i want .
l3 travel and tourism futures student
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learn your trade in a real life environment with equipment and surroundings equivalent to those in the workplace .
vocational courses are work - related qualifications with an emphasis on developing practical skills and knowledge in your chosen industry . you undertake work related projects and assessments rather than exams and get opportunities for fantastic work experience throughout . you will get the ultimate employment preparation as well as an ideal qualification for entrance to university .
the teaching excellence framework ( tef ) , introduced by the government and now managed by the higher education funding council for england ( hefce ) , recognises excellent teaching and learning across the uk’s higher education sector .
which boasts purpose built areas and facilities that house a range of land - based learning for subjects from animal care to horticulture . common leys campus also has a fully functioning equine stud yard and was recently awarded a
the facilities are furnished to a high specification , are i . t accessed and fully air - conditioned .
for more information and an application pack , please visit our website here urltoken visit urltoken for more information .
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the programmes include agriculture , forestry , countryside management , horticulture , floristry , animal management and horse management .
our aim is to support you , help achieve your goals and get you where you want to be .
the futures programme is an innovative approach to curriculum design and ensures that students not only graduate with a high quality vocational qualification but also develop the key transferable skills that employers and higher education institutions demand . all 16 - 18 students follow the futures programme where , amongst others , communication , team work , leadership , decision making and enterprise skills are integrated and promoted as a matter of course . level 3 learners also hone their project based learning skills through cross - curriculum projects . students work with peers from different faculties on employer led live brief projects where they have to meet and achieve key deadlines and deliverables just as they would in the workplace .
this includes a multi - purpose gym , large sports hall and outdoor playing fields for students on a sports programme ; high quality workshops with the latest equipment for engineering students ; a fully operating theatre and a dance studio for performing arts , and a 60 - acre working farm that hosts award - winning land - based courses .
professional futures helps you to develop the skills you need to become a contender for top jobs and higher education places . alongside your chosen course of study , you will work on collaborative projects which will enable you to develop the professional team building and negotiation skills you will need for the workplace . you will participate in extended and guaranteed work placements which will give you the chance to network with local businesses and get a feel for the real world .
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skills in construction trades are not something you can learn from a book . at avenue one , it’s about ‘hands on’ learning . fully equipped with all the latest equipment and materials and staffed by our expert industry professionals , there is no better place to start your career . your time training at the centre will be packed with intensive practical experience and maximum working time with the materials and tools of your chosen trade . it’s real life , on the job training , designed to make you capable and confident in meeting professional standards of work when you finish training .
our newly refurbished learning centre is crammed full of text books , computers , magazines and dvds that are designed to help you on your course and enrich your studies . with a dedicated quiet area for when you need to get your head down and banks of computers available , our learning centre provides a suitable working environment for all our students .
whether you’re a twenty - something interested in getting an accounting qualification or semi - retired and want to earn those gardening stripes , adults from all backgrounds and all ages come together on our courses in fun , sociable learning environments .
our salons are not only a fantastic learning environment , but are also open to the public for various treatments . our students are able to learn in an actual public facing salon and will learn how to portray themselves in a professional working environment . all treatments are carried out in our professionally assigned hair and beauty salons , supervised by our highly trained and experienced members of staff . our aim is to provide training for beauty therapists and hair stylists of the future .
to find out more about any of these courses – visit our course search page and look through our course details .
students are using the specialist equipment to conduct research and this will be run as a commercial venture in the future .
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the tef results and the evidence used in the assessment can be found at www . hefce . ac . uk .
great way to start a brighter and all the stuff are always around to give you the best u need . . .
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an independent panel of experts , including academics , students and employer representatives , then decide on the level of the award .
there are 6 broad vocational pathways that you can choose from including : public service and active sport , health and social care , specialising in childcare , creative ( art , media , design ) , service industries ( hair , beauty , retail , hospitality , fitness , travel and tourism ) , enterprise ( it , retail business , hospitality , hair , beauty ) . employability skills are also part of the programme and form the basis for block 1 , with vocational pathways introduced later in the programme .
there’s no need to book or register to come to any of our open and drop - in days ; just turn up and say hello ! they’re a great opportunity for you to meet the tutors , ask as many questions as you like and see what our courses are really about . if you’re unsure about what options you have , or you’re unsure what course you’d like to do , we have dedicated careers advisers at our open and drop - in days to help you make the right choice .
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the horticulture facilities provide a nursery area where plants can be propagated , including polytunnels , a large modern glasshouse and model gardens .
the early years foundation degree is designed for practitioners who are working in a variety of early years settings , with families or playgroups and in schools , nurseries and children ' s centres . the course provides opportunities to : develop your knowledge and practice ; enhance your career prospects ; gain access to further learning ; study while you work . employers have been directly involved in the design of the course , which will build upon the practical work you are already undertaking in the workplace to provide clear links between practice and theory .
our recently refurbished campuses offer a wide - range of facilities available to hire for lots of different purposes . our campuses offer free wifi on request , on all sites and in all areas . all sites have free car parking , subject to availability ( guaranteed car parking spaces are available for a small fee ) . all sites can provide refreshments and catering on request and at an additional fee .
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a dedicated space for students to go if they have any problem or query with confidential rooms , support staff and helpful information guides .
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we have many students who are returning to studying after a career break and are looking to boost their cvs with a qualification , whilst others have decided to completely change careers . whatever your motivation , these courses will provide you with a solid foundation in your chosen area of study and will help you to develop the study and research skills you will need to excel when you move onto higher education .
the new facilities include fully functioning tv and radio studios , multi editing suites , two beauty salons , two hairdressing salons , art and design studios , science laboratories , a library and new student social areas . the campuses tv studio is also home to , ‘that’s oxford’ , a local tv station . a new construction skills centre has been built on - site which coincides with the launch of brand new construction apprenticeships .
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students interested in countryside and conservation will find a wide range of modern facilities designed to train students in a variety of countryside management skills .
in order to continue improving the quality and variety of our higher education offer , a brand new , state - of - the - art advanced skills centre opened in january 2018 . over the coming years , this will be a hub for training students who are looking to enter the stem sectors ( science , technology , engineering and mathematics ) , opening up a whole new range of careers within oxfordshire and beyond .
newly refurbished , our restaurant offers a hot meal to students 5 days a week and has plenty of room to take a break from your studies and catch up with your friends . we’re also very lucky to serve costa coffee which is open to all students at a discounted price !
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we love talking to our customers and candidates on the phone . however today ( thursday 16th october ) we’ll be upgrading our telephone system to provide you with a better service , and you may experience some difficulty calling our office . so if you need assistance from the fe jobs team please contact us on
fast forward , aimed at school leavers , is a gradual approach to learning that enables you to bank achievements each term and reach personal goals at your own pace . it is a level 1 programme for those who are unsure of what subject area of vocational track to take . the programme allows you to pinpoint what you would like to do in either your future work or educational studies and gain the qualifications and skills needed to progress into work , an apprenticeship or traineeship .
we have rooms which can accommodate 1 – 250 people are available to hire by the hour or for a full day , weekdays , evenings , and weekends .
if the hire is purely room hire , no it equipment , refreshments or services of any other kind , then vat is exempt and should not be charged .
although we have a dedicated learning centre , we also have various break - out zones with computers where you can sit and do any extra work for your course .
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part - time courses with oxfordshire adult learning are designed to be as flexible as possible . we run over 800 courses all - year round , operate across 80 locations in oxfordshire , and offer support for anyone who is worried about costs ( see our ‘ fees ‘ page for more information on that and how to get in touch ) .
with a renewal rate of over 95 % , fejobs continues to drive and push forward on delivering a best in class recruitment service to all our clients . read more »
these are the standard undergraduate programme offered at universities and colleges throughout the uk . they are the most common form of higher education qualifications , with a substantial academic content .
our specialist vocational workshop areas provide a working and study environment for our students that reflects the industry . for example , our practical media rooms are equipped with everything you would expect to find in a radio station , tv studio or editing suite so that our students are familiar with the environment and tools they’ll use when they move onto employment . we also have vocational science laboratories , a dedicated hair & beauty salon and we’re currently developing our construction facilities to ensure we are up - to - date with industry standard facilities .
specialist fully equipped photography and art & design studios lead to inspirational work from our students that we display to the public on a regular basis in our purpose built art gallery .
we also know employers are increasingly looking to colleges to help solve skills shortages , which is why our courses are developed to meet the needs of local businesses and the future workplace . our teaching staff have outstanding experience in their chosen sector and keep their skills industry - sharp through their programme of professional development which includes time spent in industry each year .
exclusive bookings made for the sports hall for 10 or more bookings where vat is exempt . to qualify all 10 sessions must be booked , and paid for , at the same time .
hands on , practically challenging , fast moving and diverse . whilst no job within construction is ever the same you can be sure that it will be exciting with brilliant career and training options . with our dedicated , state of the art construction training centre in which to hone your professional skills , building a future in the construction industry is not as hard as you think .
the final phase of construction work is the replacement of the old court house building on welch way , which should be completed in october 2015 . this will result in a new reception area and 16 new classrooms . the ground floor will house new purpose built facilities for students with profound and multiple learning disabilities . a number of other buildings have also been refurbished on this campus .
with the new investment into stem to come , and an ongoing strong partnership with oxford brookes university , it really is an exciting time to be joining us for your higher education qualification . ”
whether you are looking to learn a new skill , take up a new hobby , or progress at work – our part - time courses may be what you are looking for . we offer over 240 part time courses designed to fit in with your lifestyle , from evening and saturday courses to fast track and modular courses , so that you can study in a way which suits you .
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along with flexible learning times and courses being more affordable than you might think , you don’t have to travel vast distances to get a top - class he qualification . see our range of courses below .