X-Ray Tomography In Micro-Gravity

We present an X-ray device for use under conditions of weightlessness to produce high-speed radiograms and tomograms. The device is equipped with two detectors of different resolutions, a high temporal resolution-small area detector (4 Mpix within 13 x 13 mm(2)) and a low temporal resolution-large area detector (3 Mpix within 145 x 115 mm(2)). Using the high temporal resolution detector, the device achieves a recording rate of up to 25 655 radiograms per second, while using a low temporal resolution detector, up to 86 radiograms can be recorded per second. For the first time, we could record complete X-ray tomograms in microgravity aboard a parabolic flight in 16 s using a laboratory microfocus X-ray source. We demonstrate the operation of the device by analyzing the three-dimensional packing of particles (tomograms) and structure formation in a granular gas under periodic excitation (radiograms). Published under license by AIP Publishing.