BackForwardInstrument:  RBSPICE 

Instrument details
Acronym RBSPICE
Full name Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment
Purpose To accurately measure the ring current pressure distribution, which is needed to understand how the inner magnetosphere changes during geomagnetic storms and how that storm environment supplies and supports the acceleration and loss processes involved in creating and sustaining hazardous radiation particle populations
Short description The relativistic electron motion is driven by the geomagnetic field via time-dependent gradient-curvature drift. The structural variations of the inner magnetospheric field due to storm-time ring current growth control transport and losses in the outer belt. Energy range: 25-1000 keV (electrons) and 20-1000 keV/n (ions with Z from 1 to 8)
Background Part of a package of instruments moving across the Van Allen belts in the Magnetosphere
Scanning Technique 2 satellites moving to different positions into the Magnetosphere in a low-inclination HEO
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Large fraction of magnetosphere and ionosphere
Mass 6.6 kg Power 7.1 W Data Rate 5.4 kbps

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Backed by strong heritage
Utilization Period: 2012 to 2019
Last update: 2021-10-02
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 2
  • Magnetospheric energetic particles and magnetometers
  • Electron sensor [cross magnetosphere]
  • Proton sensor [cross magnetosphere]
  • Alpha-particle sensor [cross magnetosphere]
  • Heavy ion sensor [cross magnetosphere]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Alpha particles differential directional flux
  • Electron differential directional flux
  • Heavy ion angular flux energy and mass spectrum
  • Heavy ion flux energy and mass spectrum
  • Proton 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*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cluster flown through the magnetosphere, low, medium and high energy (up to over 400 keV)
Proton differential directional flux*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cluster flown through the magnetosphere, low and medium energy (up to 1000 keV)
Alpha particles differential directional flux*3 - highNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)
Heavy ion flux energy and mass spectrum*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)
Heavy ion angular flux energy and mass spectrum*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cross-magnetosphere satellite cluster. Low-medium energy range (<10 up to 100 MeV/n)