Laboratory demonstration of space experiment for spectrometry of planetary gamma-rays with tags of Galactic Cosmic Rays producing them

The laboratory demonstration of a space experiment implementing spectrometry of planetary gamma-rays with tags of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) was conducted at Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. The main objective of these efforts was to study the capability of this method to search for heterogeneities in the analog of planetary soil and to compare it with capability of the standard gamma-ray spectroscopy. It was experimentally shown that the method of spectroscopy of gamma-rays with tags demonstrates much higher confidence to search variations of amounts of the most widespread metals, like Al, Fe and Ti, in the planetary regoliths. The numerical simulation of the laboratory experiment shows a very good agreement with observations. It is proved that gamma-ray spectrometry with tags is a perspective method for future space missions to explore the Moon, Mars and another celestial bodies with thin atmosphere or without it.