The IBIS/PICsIT LEGACY

PICsIT was the high-energy detector of the IBIS imager onboard the ESA INTEGRAL satellite, launched on October 17, 2002, and ended on February 28, 2025. Its nominal energy band was 0.17-10 MeV, although cosmic-ray induced events and telemetry restrictions, raised the low-energy threshold to 200-250 keV. At high-energy, above about a few MeV, the Compton scattering made it extremely difficult to provide some shielding, so that PICsIT became an almost all-sky monitor, useful to detect Gamma-Ray Bursts. PICsIT is today the most recent instrument in the MeV energy range and it provides a valuable legacy for forthcoming space missions in the same energy range. Therefore, I thought it would be useful to share the documentation I have on my experience. I worked in the PICsIT team from 2000 to 2009 mainly as a developer and then manager of the Instrument Specific Software (ISSW). In addition to the scientific articles published in journals, I also include internal reports and conference presentations, which are difficult to find. Please note that these are the works I contributed to. There are also other works published by other team members, and you should ask them. Despite its shortcomings, I believe that PICsIT has nevertheless contributed to the knowledge base in the MeV band, and leaves as a legacy for future missions.

Please note that publications are listed in inverse chronological order (newest on the top).

Papers

  1. V. Bianchin, et al.: 2011, "The first GRB survey of the IBIS/PICsIT archive", Astronomy & Astrophysics 536, A46 (Scixplorer).
  2. V. Bianchin, et al.: 2011, "The first GRB survey of the IBIS/PICsIT archive", Proceedings of The Extreme and Variable High Energy Sky. September 19-23, 2011. Chia Laguna (Cagliari) , Italy. Proceedings of Science 147, 66 (Scixplorer).
  3. V. Bianchin, et al.: 2009, "GRB observed by IBIS/PICsIT in the MeV energy range", Advances in Space Research 43, 1055 (Scixplorer).
  4. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2007, "IBIS/PICsIT Status", In: The Obscured Universe. Proceedings of the VI INTEGRAL Workshop. July 2-8, 2006, Moscow, Russian Federation. Editor: S. Grebenev, R. Sunyaev, C. Winkler. ESA SP-622, Noordwijk: ESA Publication Division, p. 619 (Scixplorer).
  5. T. Mineo, et al.: 2006, "INTEGRAL observation of the Crab pulsar", Astronomy & Astrophysics 450, 617 (Scixplorer).
  6. M. Cadolle Bel, et al.: 2006, "The broad-band spectrum of Cygnus X-1 measured by INTEGRAL", Astronomy & Astrophysics 446, 591 (Scixplorer).
  7. T. Mineo, et al.: 2006, "INTEGRAL observation of the Crab pulsar", Advances in Space Research 38, 1461 (PDF).
  8. V. Bianchin, et al.: 2006, "Investigating the high-energy emission from Centaurus A and XTE J1550-564", Proceedings of the VI Microquasar Workshop: Microquasars and Beyond. September 18-22, 2006, Como, Italy, id. 72.1 (Scixplorer)
  9. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2004, "PICsIT, the IBIS High-Energy Detection Plane: Instrument Status and Scientific Performance Results", In: The INTEGRAL Universe. Proceedings of the Fifth INTEGRAL Workshop. 16-20 February 2004, Munich, Germany. Editor: B. Battrick, Scientific Editors: V. Schoenfelder, G. Lichti, & C. Winkler. ESA SP-552, Noordwijk: ESA Publication Division, p. 769 (Scixplorer).
  10. L. Kuiper, et al.: 2003, "Absolute timing with IBIS, SPI and JEM-X aboard INTEGRAL. Crab main-pulse arrival times in radio, X-rays and high-energy gamma-rays", Astronomy & Astrophysics 411, L31 (Scixplorer).
  11. G. Malaguti, et al.: 2003, "GRB 021125: The first GRB imaged by INTEGRAL", Astronomy & Astrophysics 411, L307 (Scixplorer).
  12. G. Malaguti, et al.: 2003, "In-flight calibrations of IBIS/PICsIT", Astronomy & Astrophysics 411, L173 (Scixplorer).
  13. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2003, "IBIS/PICsIT in-flight performances", Astronomy & Astrophysics 411, L189 (Scixplorer).
  14. A. Goldwurm, et al.: 2003, "The INTEGRAL/IBIS scientific data analysis", Astronomy & Astrophysics 411, L223 (Scixplorer).

Internal reports, conference presentations

  1. V. Bianchin, et al.: 2009, "IBIS/PICsIT detector housekeeping and science performance monitoring user manual", Internal Report IASF/BO n. 525/2008 (PDF).
  2. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2008, "Monitoring picsit, the high-energy layer of the ibis imager onboard integral", 7th INTEGRAL Workshop. 8 - 11 September 2008 Copenhagen (poster, PDF).
  3. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2006, "IBIS/PICsIT detector layer: present performance status and possible outlook for the INTEGRAL mission extension", Internal Report IASF/BO n. 450/2006 (PDF).
  4. L. Foschini, et al.: 2006, "IBIS/PICsIT Status", International Working Group on Cross-Calibration and the Definition of X-ray Standards, June 14-16, 2006, Nesbud, Iceland (PDF).
  5. L. Foschini, et al.: 2006, "IBIS/PICsIT Instrument Specific Software Scientific Validation Report", v. 6.0, April 6, 2007 (PDF).
  6. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2005, "PICsIT gain and offset monitoring at pixel level", Internal Report IASF/BO n. 437/2005 (PDF).
  7. L. Foschini: 2005, "IBIS/PICsIT Instrument Specific Software Scientific Validation Report", v. 5.1, December 7, 2005 (PDF).
  8. L. Foschini, et al.: 2005, "MeV Observations of Compact Objects with IBIS/PICsIT", The Fourth National Conference on Astrophysics of Compact Objects (CNOC IV), held in Padova (Italy), November 23-25, 2005, id. 1 (PDF).
  9. L. Foschini: 2005, "IBIS/PICsIT Data Analysis", INTEGRAL Data Analysis Workshop, ISDC, Geneva, October 12-14, 2005 (PDF).
  10. L. Foschini: 2005, "Examples of IBIS/PICsIT data analysis", INTEGRAL Data Analysis Workshop, ISDC, Geneva, October 12-14, 2005 (PDF).
  11. L. Foschini: 2005, "IBIS/PICsIT Instrument Specific Software Scientific Validation Report", v. 5.0, July 29, 2005 (PDF).
  12. M. Cadolle Bel, et al.: 2005, "The broad-band spectrum of Cygnus X-1 as measured by INTEGRAL", Internal INTEGRAL Science Workshop, held at ESTEC from 18-21 January, 2005, id. 46 (Scixplorer).
  13. L. Foschini, et al.: 2005, "PICsIT data analysis", Internal INTEGRAL Science Workshop, held at ESTEC from 18-21 January, 2005, id. 10 (Scixplorer).
  14. L. Foschini: 2004, "IBIS/PICsIT Data Analysis", INTEGRAL Data Analysis Workshop, ISDC, Geneva, October 4-8, 2004 (PDF).
  15. L. Foschini: 2004, "IBIS/PICsIT Instrument Specific Software Scientific Validation Report", v. 4.0, July 8, 2004 (PDF).
  16. L. Foschini: 2004, "IBIS/PICsIT Instrument Specific Software Scientific Validation Report", v. 2.0, February 2, 2004 (PDF).
  17. L. Foschini: 2003, "Report on the scientific performance of the PICsIT ISSW", v. 1.2, October 27, 2003 (PDF).
  18. L. Foschini: 2003, "Report on the scientific performance of the PICsIT ISSW", v. 1.1, April 30, 2003 (PDF).
  19. L. Foschini: 2003, "Scientific performance report of the PICsIT instrument specific software", v. 1.0, February 28, 2003 (PDF).

Pre-launch Papers

  1. L. Foschini, et al.: 2003, "Data analysis software for the IBIS/PICsIT high-energy detector on INTEGRAL", X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Telescopes and Instruments for Astronomy. Edited by Joachim E. Truemper, Harvey D. Tananbaum. Proceedings of the SPIE 4851, p. 1252 (PDF).
  2. J.B. Stephen, et al.: 2002, "IBIS/PICsIT Data and Analysis", Proceedings of the 22nd Moriond Astrophysics Meeting - The Gamma-ray Universe. Edited by A. Goldwurm, D.N. Neumann, J. Tran Thanh Van, The Gioi Publishers, Vietnam, p. 441 (Scixplorer).
  3. G. Malaguti, et al.: 2002, "Scientific characterization of the PICsIT detector of the IBIS telescope", X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XII, eited by Kathryn A. Flanagan; Oswald H. Siegmund, Proceedings of SPIE 4497, p. 199 (PDF).
  4. J. B. Stephen, et al.: 2001, "Gamma-Ray Polarization Measurements with INTEGRAL/IBIS", Gamma 2001: Gamma-Ray Astrophysics, held 4-6 April, 2001 in Baltimore, MD. Edited by Steven Ritz, Neil Gehrels, and Chris R. Shrader. AIP Conference Proceedings 587, Melville, NY: American Institute of Physics, p.816 (PDF).
  5. A. Goldwurm, et al.: 2001, "Gamma-ray imaging with the coded mask IBIS telescope", In: Exploring the gamma-ray universe. Proceedings of the Fourth INTEGRAL Workshop, 4-8 September 2000, Alicante, Spain. Editor: B. Battrick, Scientific editors: A. Gimenez, V. Reglero & C. Winkler. ESA SP-459, Noordwijk: ESA Publications Division, 2001, p. 497 (Scixplorer).
  6. J. B. Stephen, L. Foschini: 2001, "PICsIM - the INTEGRAL/IBIS/PICsIT Observation Simulation Tool for Prototype Software Evaluation", Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems X, ASP Conference Proceedings 238, edited by F. R. Harnden, Jr., Francis A. Primini, and Harry E. Payne. San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, p.144 (Scixplorer).
  7. G. Di Cocco, et al.: 2000, "PICsIT - The high energy detector on-board the INTEGRAL gamma-ray satellite: Results from the qualification model test campaign". Proceedings of the 9th GIFCO Conference - What are the prospects for cosmic physics in Italy?, Eds: S. Aiello and A. Blanco. SIF Conference Proceedings 68, Bologna, p. 231 (PDF).
Last checked: March 26, 2026. If you find broken links, please drop me an email. Thank you!