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Solar Energetic Particle (SEP)

Solar Energetic Particle (SEP)

The dual, double-ended MAVEN Solar Energetic Particle analyzers (flight models shown here) measures the impact of the solar wind on the upper atmosphere of Mars. (Courtesy UCB/SSL)
The dual, double-ended MAVEN Solar Energetic Particle analyzers (flight models shown here) measures the impact of the solar wind on the upper atmosphere of Mars. (Courtesy UCB/SSL)

The Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) instrument is part of the Particles and Fields (P & F) Package and determines the impact of SEPs on the upper atmosphere.

Goals:

  • Determine SEP input into the atmosphere as a function of altitude
  • Determine SEP heating, ionization, and sputtering of upper atmosphere
  • Detect the highest energy pickup ions (>30 to 100s of keV)

Observations:

  • Characterize solar particles in an energy range that affects upper atmosphere and ionospheric processes (~120 – 200 km)
  • Time resolution adequate to capture major SEP events (<1 hour)

Technical details and heritage:

  • Two dual double-ended telescopes
  • Four look directions per species, optimized for parallel and perpendicular Parker Spiral viewing
  • Protons and heavier ions from ~25 keV to 12 MeV
  • Electrons from ~25 keV to 1 MeV
  • Energy fluxes 10 to 106 eV/cm2-sec-ster-eV
  • Better than 50% energy resolution
  • Heritage from (nearly identical to) SST on THEMIS

Instrument publication:

Davin E. Larson—SEP Instrument Lead
Davin E. Larson—SEP Instrument Lead

Davin Larson (SSL) is the instrument lead for the SEP. For more about Larson, visit: http://bit.ly/dlarson.

 

 

 

 

 


MAVEN Science Community Workshop Presentation
(Dec. 2, 2012)

SEP presentation (3.7 MB PDF)
SEP presentation
(3.7 MB PDF)