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Title: A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements

Abstract

We describe an automated computer algorithm designed to remove background contamination from the Van Allen Probes Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) electron flux measurements. We provide a detailed description of the algorithm with illustrative examples from on-orbit data. We find two primary sources of background contamination in the MagEIS electron data: inner zone protons and bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by energetic electrons interacting with the spacecraft material. Bremsstrahlung X-rays primarily produce contamination in the lower energy MagEIS electron channels (~30–500 keV) and in regions of geospace where multi-M eV electrons are present. Inner zone protons produce contamination in all MagEIS energy channels at roughly L < 2.5. The background-corrected MagEIS electron data produce a more accurate measurement of the electron radiation belts, as most earlier measurements suffer from unquantifiable and uncorrectable contamination in this harsh region of the near-Earth space environment. These background-corrected data will also be useful for spacecraft engineering purposes, providing ground truth for the near-Earth electron environment and informing the next generation of spacecraft design models (e.g., AE9).

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA (United States). Space Sciences Dept.
  2. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States). Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space.
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1212474
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1215742
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-14-29166
Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

Citation Formats

Claudepierre, S. G., O'Brien, T. P., Blake, J. B., Fennell, J. F., Roeder, J. L., Clemmons, J. H., Looper, M. D., Mazur, J. E., Mulligan, T. M., Spence, H. E., Reeves, G. D., Friedel, R. H. W., Henderson, M. G., and Larsen, B. A. A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1002/2015JA021171.
Claudepierre, S. G., O'Brien, T. P., Blake, J. B., Fennell, J. F., Roeder, J. L., Clemmons, J. H., Looper, M. D., Mazur, J. E., Mulligan, T. M., Spence, H. E., Reeves, G. D., Friedel, R. H. W., Henderson, M. G., & Larsen, B. A. A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021171
Claudepierre, S. G., O'Brien, T. P., Blake, J. B., Fennell, J. F., Roeder, J. L., Clemmons, J. H., Looper, M. D., Mazur, J. E., Mulligan, T. M., Spence, H. E., Reeves, G. D., Friedel, R. H. W., Henderson, M. G., and Larsen, B. A. 2015. "A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021171. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1212474.
@article{osti_1212474,
title = {A background correction algorithm for Van Allen Probes MagEIS electron flux measurements},
author = {Claudepierre, S. G. and O'Brien, T. P. and Blake, J. B. and Fennell, J. F. and Roeder, J. L. and Clemmons, J. H. and Looper, M. D. and Mazur, J. E. and Mulligan, T. M. and Spence, H. E. and Reeves, G. D. and Friedel, R. H. W. and Henderson, M. G. and Larsen, B. A.},
abstractNote = {We describe an automated computer algorithm designed to remove background contamination from the Van Allen Probes Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) electron flux measurements. We provide a detailed description of the algorithm with illustrative examples from on-orbit data. We find two primary sources of background contamination in the MagEIS electron data: inner zone protons and bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by energetic electrons interacting with the spacecraft material. Bremsstrahlung X-rays primarily produce contamination in the lower energy MagEIS electron channels (~30–500 keV) and in regions of geospace where multi-M eV electrons are present. Inner zone protons produce contamination in all MagEIS energy channels at roughly L < 2.5. The background-corrected MagEIS electron data produce a more accurate measurement of the electron radiation belts, as most earlier measurements suffer from unquantifiable and uncorrectable contamination in this harsh region of the near-Earth space environment. These background-corrected data will also be useful for spacecraft engineering purposes, providing ground truth for the near-Earth electron environment and informing the next generation of spacecraft design models (e.g., AE9).},
doi = {10.1002/2015JA021171},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1212474}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics},
issn = {2169-9380},
number = 7,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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