MCPSim-Py: an open source python-based simulator of the performance of MCP photon-counting detectors

This contribution describes the open-source, python coded simulator MCP-PySim developed by our team to evaluate the performance of a given MCP architecture for a specific scientific purpose. The application is also designed to enable testing of user designed algorithms for event detection and centroiding for all types of sources and possible photon counting regimes. Unlike other tools, the MCP transfer function can be determined empirically from a set of images obtained from a real detector, ideally very similar to the one to be simulated. Also, it is feasible to characterize the MCP transfer function with a suit of parameters. Realistic simulations of the expected performance of space detectors can be carried in this manner to optimize the on-board software.