Gamma-ray Astronomy at MPE
![Fermi](/6859605/original-1517424016.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2MDV9--4525e31a1e72269dc30fbcaa86e5ed6419245bcb)
![AGADE](/6859685/original-1517424017.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2ODV9--a1037d2942f6ac081ce3917622fd907825a225ec)
Research
Current research focuses on Gamma-ray line studies, diffuse galactic continuum emission and Gamma-ray bursts. Additional interests are in the areas of Gamma-ray pulsars, AGN and microquasars.
![Fermi-GBM](/6859695/original-1517424017.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2OTV9--c887a543bc7e0b55a498701fd41d887948177bfd)
![Swift](/6859615/original-1517424016.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2MTV9--019fe105ed0388dab7c2d906d3472daca8bb0bdc)
Prime resources are data obtained by ESA's INTEGRAL mission, operational since 2002, by the GROND optical/near-infrared camera, operating since April 2007 on the MPG/ESO 2.2 m telescope in Chile, for ground-based observations of Gamma-ray bursts, and NASA's FERMI mission with the GBM and LAT instruments, operating since June 2008, for Gamma-ray burst measurements and various high-energy Gamma-ray objects.
![OPTIMA](/6859705/original-1517424018.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk3MDV9--3b1058e9ffd59e118b009beea031e484dc1702a4)
![INTEGRAL](/6859625/original-1517424016.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2MjV9--b7530e1b685fcbfa1e2da1c77a2106ddfe8d42d0)
Also, analysis of the Swift mission data (since 2004), as well as COMPTEL and EGRET data taken during the 9-yr mission of the NASA Compton Gamma-ray Observatory (CGRO, 1991-2000) are still continuing.
Members of the MPE high-energy astrophysics group are also operating an optical high-time resolution camera (OPTIMA) on various ground-based telescopes, and are developing detectors for next-generation Gamma-ray instruments.
![GROND](/6859715/original-1517424018.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk3MTV9--a2db8399fcceae95d23b4bdc16722c04c855147d)
![CGRO](/6859665/original-1517424017.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2NjV9--9eccacdae41e93a5f206fe34e6e4f6389bc20a65)
History
Gamma-ray astronomy (or better gamma-ray astrophysics) is a research area that belongs to the roots of the institute. In 1966, five years after the foundation of the MPE, K. Pinkau became member and leader of the gamma-ray astronomy group of the institute. Successful balloon experiments and the famous COS-B satellite, that was built with strong MPE involvement, contributed to the leading role of MPE in this young research area. When K. Pinkau left MPE in 1981, the gamma-ray astronomy was perpetuated by V. Schönfelder. The strong experience in detector construction and gamma-ray science resulted in the contribution of two experiments (EGRET, COMPTEL) to the NASA Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) and until present the MPE is involved in (almost) all gamma-ray satellites.
![COMPTON Balloon](/6859725/original-1517424018.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk3MjV9--49bc2f31429cb9245d243ad55493781959d71988)
![COS-B](/6859675/original-1517424017.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTk2NzV9--f668d3def3d00250a18d67d347155bcf67f35bd9)
About 40 years after its start, the MPE gamma-ray group was merged with the MPE X-ray astronomy group to form the High-Energy Astrophysics Group at MPE.