An Energetic Particle Detector for a Synchronous Satellite

Abstract
The Energetic Particle Detector (EP) on the DSP satellites consists of four units designed to measure the electron, proton and alpha particle populations at synchronous altitude. The Lo E and Hi E units are sensitive to electrons in the 30-300 keV and 0.2-2 MeV energy ranges respectively; the Lo P and Hi P units to protons between 100-500 keV and 0.5-150 MeV respectively. Five Lo E sensors are arranged at angles of 0°, ± 30°, and ± 60° with respect to the spacecraft equator in order to measure the three-dimensional angular distribution of the low energy electrons as the satellite spins. All detectors are silicon semiconductors with well collimated fields of view. The Hi P unit is a telescope of three detector elements which can also measure alpha particles in the energy range 1.2 to 600 MeV upon command.

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