Scientific goals achievable with radiation monitor measurements on board gravitational wave interferometers in space

Abstract

Cosmic rays and energetic solar particles constitute one of the most important sources of noise for future gravitational wave detectors in space. Radiation monitors were designed for the LISA Pathfinder (LISA-PF) mission. Similar devices were proposed to be placed on board LISA and ASTROD. These detectors are needed to monitor the flux of energetic particles penetrating mission spacecraft and inertial sensors. However, in addition to this primary use, radiation monitors on board space interferometers will carry out the first multipoint observation of solar energetic particles (SEPs) at small and large heliolongitude intervals and at very different distances from Earth with minor normalization errors. We illustrate the scientific goals that can be achieved in solar physics and space weather studies with these detectors. A comparison with present and future missions devoted to solar physics is presented.