BackForwardInstrument:  MEA 

Instrument details
Acronym MEA
Full name Magnetic Electron Spectrometer
Purpose Measurement of electrons in the interplanetary space
Short description Electron spectrometer by momentum analysis in a solenoidal magnetic field. Energy range: 0.1-2 MeV spread in 17 energy channels
Background Consolidated technique
Scanning Technique Interplanetary viewing from the Highly-elliptical Earth Orbit
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Interplanetary space in a range of latitudes close to ecliptic plane (orbital inclination 18°). Sampling at 0.512 s intervals
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 1990 to 1991
Last update: 2017-06-28
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 1
  • In-situ plasma probes, and energetic particle spectrometers and magnetometers at GEO and LEO, and magnetic field at GEO
  • Electron sensor at LEO
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Electron differential directional flux
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
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Electron differential directional flux*3 - highNo specific limitation.Interplanetary space, medium and high energy (over 40 to over 400 keV)