BackForwardInstrument:  ECT/MagEIS 

Instrument details
Acronym ECT/MagEIS
Full name ECT Magnetic Electron and Ion Spectrometer
Purpose To observe energetic electrons and ions along the satellite path across the magnetosphere
Short description Spectrometer utilising magnetic focusing and pulse height to measure electrons in the energy range of 0.03-4 MeV and ions (Z from 1 to 8) in the range 0.02-1 MeV/n. Four MagEIS Instruments are carried aboard each of the two VAP spacecraft, each covering a particular part of the energy spectrum and a large range of pitch angles
Background Part of the VAP (Van Allen Probe) instrument package ECT (Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma Suite), in association with HOPE (Helium, Oxygen, Proton, Electron) and REPT (Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope)
Scanning Technique 2 satellites moving to different positions into the Magnetosphere in a low-inclination HEO
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Large fraction of magnetosphere and ionosphere
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2012-10-28 to 2019-10-18
Last update: 2021-10-02
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Energetic particle spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Electron sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
  • Proton sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
  • Alpha-particle sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
  • Heavy ion sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Alpha particles differential directional flux
  • Electron differential directional flux
  • Heavy ion angular flux energy and mass spectrum
  • Heavy ion flux energy and mass spectrum
  • Proton differential directional flux
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Tentative Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Electron differential directional flux1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cluster flown through the magnetosphere, high energy (over 400 keV)
Proton differential directional flux1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cluster flown through the magnetosphere, low and medium energy (up to 1000 keV)
Alpha particles differential directional flux3 - highNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)
Heavy ion flux energy and mass spectrum1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)
Heavy ion angular flux energy and mass spectrum1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)