Payload Instrument (Institution) | Measurement Quantity | Innovation |
High Energy Particle Telescope (HEPT; UofA) | Space Radiation: medium energy electrons and solar energetic particles | Unique EPP-related atmospheric energy input, with essential pitch angle resolution |
X-ray Imager (XRI; UofC) | X-rays: emitted from medium energy electrons hitting the atmosphere | Unique imaging of EPP; define area over which precipitation occurs |
Fluxgate Magnetometer (FGM; UofA) | DC magnetic field: Direction and ultra-low frequency plasma waves | Define pitch angle; assess physical role in radiation scattering into the atmosphere |
Search Coil Magnetometer (SCM; UofA) | AC Magnetic Field: Higher frequency plasma waves | Assess physical role in radiation scattering into the atmosphere. |
HEPT will be comprised of 2 sets of 3 detector subassemblies connected to a central electronic box:
- 2 HEPT-HE High Energy Particle Detectors (HE1 & HE2)
- 2 HEPT-LO Low Energy Particle Detectors (LE1 & LE2)
- 2 HEPT-MB Fast Microburst Detectors (MB1 & MB2)
The Ideal geometry for HEPT would be for it to be mounted such that the apertures of HEPT-HE and HEPT-LO are pointing in opposite direction (ie. 180° apart).
The RADHEPT-MB is a Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) / Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) based Scintillation detector which is designed to identify the occurrence of electron microburst precipitation events in the 0.2 to 1 MeV range. It will be used to trigger changes to sampling rates and data aggregation parameters for the particle telescopes during microburst events.
Magnetometer Instrument | Measurement |
Fluxgate FGM | Earth’s B field -> pitch angle |
Search Coil SCM | ELF/VLF waves (~300 Hz – 10 kHz) |
- Energetic electrons that hit the atmosphere generate X-rays as they slow down
- XRI will image these hard X-rays (20-600 keV) to:
- Map the spatial distribution of precipitating particles
- Map the energy spectrum of precipitating particles
- 2 imagers on opposite sides of the SC
- Field of View (FOV): 90ox90o each
- As the spacecraft spins, the FOV sweeps across the ground track underneath
XRI: A-side
- “Based on AXIS imager on the AEPEX CubeSat mission
- Solid-state detectors, coded aperture imaging
- Very good TRL
- Good spatial resolution
- Moderate background rejection
- Limited energy range
- RADICALS modification: fewer detector modules (2U instead of 3U), software modifications
XRI: B-side
- Simple design
- Collimated scintillators
- Very good background rejection
- Good energy range
- Moderate spatial resolution
- Low TRL
- Sensor and electronics proof-of-concept is on the lab bench and working as expected.
