Engineering-Physics Space Plasma Seminar - Ashley Greeley, GSFC
Title: "Solid State Detectors and the radiation belts: Hardware, science, and everything in between"
Location
Wilder 202 and Zoom
Sponsored by
Physics & Astronomy Department
Audience
Public
Abstract: Solid State Detectors (SSDs) have been utilized in satellite technology for decades. So why do we still use them? Are they still useful in modern satellites? We will take a look at semiconductors, how they work, and a few Cubesat missions that are built with SSDs. One popular type of instrument uses a dE/dx technique, which measures pulse heights/widths in each detector and determines species and energy with the aid of Monte Carlo simulations. A new method of space measurements uses pulse shape discrimination to quickly measure and differentiate a wide range of ion species.
Of course, hardware is important for the information and science that the community can glean from them. Parts of this talk will focus on a scientific analysis using Solid State Detector instruments (namely, the twin Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope (REPT) probes on the Van Allen Probes). The spinning spacecraft allow for a full pitch angle distribution analysis of electrons in the outer radiation belts. One of the characteristic shapes of pitch angle distributions is called a ‘pancake’ distribution, which can be well fit with J0sinnq. This fit allows for a qualitative analysis of pitch angle distributions across a wide range of energies. Using this technique, we find persistent and narrow peaks in the pitch angle distributions and determine their potential cause.
Hosted by Mykhaylo Shumko
Join Zoom Meeting
https://dartmouth.zoom.us/j/92751420885?pwd=QnIwN0RiSGkzMUtjQVZxRlZLMkcwQT09
Meeting ID: 927 5142 0885
Passcode: Plasma
Location
Wilder 202 and Zoom
Sponsored by
Physics & Astronomy Department
Audience
Public
