The Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) Investigation and the Energetic Ion Spectrometer (EIS) for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission

Academic Article

Abstract

  • The Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) Investigation is one of 5 fields-and-particles investigations on the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. MMS comprises 4 spacecraft flying in close formation in highly elliptical, near-Earth-equatorial orbits targeting understanding of the fundamental physics of the important physical process called magnetic reconnection using Earth's magnetosphere as a plasma laboratory. EPD comprises two sensor types, the Energetic Ion Spectrometer (EIS) with one instrument on each of the 4 spacecraft, and the Fly's Eye Energetic Particle Spectrometer (FEEPS) with 2 instruments on each of the 4 spacecraft. EIS measures energetic ion energy, angle and elemental compositional distributions from a required low energy limit of 20 keV for protons and 45 keV for oxygen ions, up to >0.5 MeV (with capabilities to measure up to >1 MeV). FEEPS measures instantaneous all sky images of energetic electrons from 25 keV to >0.5 MeV, and also measures total ion energy distributions from 45 keV to >0.5 MeV to be used in conjunction with EIS to measure all sky ion distributions. In this report we describe the EPD investigation and the details of the EIS sensor. Specifically we describe EPD-level science objectives, the science and measurement requirements, and the challenges that the EPD team had in meeting these requirements. Here we also describe the design and operation of the EIS instruments, their calibrated performances, and the EIS in-flight and ground operations. Blake et al. (The Flys Eye Energetic Particle Spectrometer (FEEPS) contribution to the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) investigation of the Magnetospheric Magnetoscale (MMS) Mission, this issue) describe the design and operation of the FEEPS instruments, their calibrated performances, and the FEEPS in-flight and ground operations. The MMS spacecraft will launch in early 2015, and over its 2-year mission will provide comprehensive measurements of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause during the 18 months that comprise orbital phase 1, and magnetic reconnection within Earth's magnetotail during the about 6 months that comprise orbital phase 2.

    • Authors

  • Mauk, BH
  • Blake, JB
  • Baker, DN
  • Clemmons, JH
  • Reeves, GD
  • Spence, HE
  • Jaskulek, SE
  • Schlemm, CE
  • Brown, LE
  • Cooper, SA
  • Craft, JV
  • Fennell, JF
  • Gurnee, RS
  • Hammock, CM
  • Hayes, JR
  • Hill, PA
  • Ho, GC
  • Hutcheson, JC
  • Jacques, AD
  • Kerem, S
  • Mitchell, DG
  • Nelson, KS
  • Paschalidis, NP
  • Rossano, E
  • Stokes, MR
  • Westlake, JH

    • Status

    Publication Date

  • March 2016

    • Has Subject Area

    Published In

    Keywords

  • Magnetic reconnection
  • Magnetosphere
  • Magnetospheric multiscale
  • NASA mission
  • Particle acceleration
  • Space plasma

    • Digital Object Identifier (doi)

    Start Page

  • 471

    • End Page

  • 514

    • Volume

  • 199

    • Issue

  • 1-4