Electron/positron measurements obtained with the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector on the surface of Mars

Köhler, J. and Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F. and Appel, J. and Ehresmann, B. and Zeitlin, C. and Hassler, D. M. and Reitz, G. and Brinza, D. E. and Böttcher, S. and Böhm, E. and Burmeister, S. and Guo, J. and Harri, A.-M. and Kahanpää, H. and Krauss, J. and Lohf, H. and Martin, C. and Matthiä, D. and Posner, A. and Rafkin, S. (2016) Electron/positron measurements obtained with the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector on the surface of Mars. Annales Geophysicae, 34 (1), pp. 133-141. Copernicus Publications. doi: 10.5194/angeo-34-133-2016. ISSN 0992-7689.

PDF
1MB

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-133-2016

Abstract

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD), on board the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity, measures the energetic charged and neutral particles and the radiation dose rate on the surface of Mars. Although charged and neutral particle spectra have been investigated in detail, the electron and positron spectra have not been investigated yet. The reason for that is that they are difficult to separate from each other and because of the technical challenges involved in extracting energy spectra from the raw data. We use GEANT4 to model the behavior of the RAD instrument for electron/positron measurements.We compare Planetocosmics predictions for different atmospheric pressures and different modulation parameters 8 with the obtained RAD electron/positron measurements.We find that the RAD electron/positron measurements agree well with the spectra predicted by Planetocosmics. Both RAD measurements and Planetocosmics simulation show a dependence of the electron/ positron fluxes on both atmospheric pressure and solar modulation potential.

Item URL in elib:

https://elib.dlr.de/103871/

Document Type:

Article

Title:

Electron/positron measurements obtained with the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector on the surface of Mars

Authors:

Authors	Institution or Email of Authors	Author's ORCID iD	ORCID Put Code
Köhler, J.	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Appel, J.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Ehresmann, B.	Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, CO, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Zeitlin, C.	Southwest Research Institute, Earth, Oceans & Space Department, Durham, NH, USA; now at: Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions, Houston, TX, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Hassler, D. M.	Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, CO, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Reitz, G.	Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Brinza, D. E.	Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Böttcher, S.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Böhm, E.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Burmeister, S.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Guo, J.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Harri, A.-M.	Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Kahanpää, H.	Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland and Aalto University, Espoo, Finland	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Krauss, J.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Lohf, H.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Martin, C.	Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Matthiä, D.	Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Posner, A.	NASA Headquarters, Science Mission Directorate, Washington DC, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Rafkin, S.	Southwest Research Institute, Space Science and Engineering Division, Boulder, CO, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED

Date:

2016

Journal or Publication Title:

Annales Geophysicae

Refereed publication:

Yes

Open Access:

Yes

Gold Open Access:

Yes

In SCOPUS:

Yes

In ISI Web of Science:

Yes

Volume:

DOI:

10.5194/angeo-34-133-2016

Page Range:

pp. 133-141

Publisher:

Copernicus Publications

ISSN:

0992-7689

Status:

Published

Keywords:

Interplanetary physics (cosmic rays; energetic particles; instruments and techniques)

HGF - Research field:

Aeronautics, Space and Transport

HGF - Program:

Space

HGF - Program Themes:

Space Exploration

DLR - Research area:

Raumfahrt

DLR - Program:

R EW - Space Exploration

DLR - Research theme (Project):

R - Vorhaben MSL-Radiation (old)

Location:

Köln-Porz

Institutes and Institutions:

Institute of Aerospace Medicine > Radiation Biology

Deposited By:

Kopp, Kerstin

Deposited On:

19 Apr 2016 09:31

Last Modified:

08 Mar 2018 18:47

Repository Staff Only: item control page