The Fly’s Eye Energetic Particle Spectrometer (FEEPS) Sensors for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission

Abstract

The Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) Investigation is one of five particles and fields investigations on the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. This mission consists of four satellites operating in close proximity in elliptical, low-inclination orbits, and is focused upon the fundamental physics of magnetic reconnection. The Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) investigation aboard the four MMS spacecraft consists of two instrument designs, the EIS (Energetic Ion Spectrometer) and the FEEPS (Fly’s Eye Electron Proton Spectrometer). This present paper describes FEEPS from an instrument physics and engineering point of view, and provides some test and calibration data to facilitate effective analysis and use of the flight data for scientific purposes. A FEEPS consists of six Heads, each composed of two Eyes. Each eye is a particle telescope with a single silicon detector; there are nine electron eyes and three ion eyes per FEEPS. The energy coverage is from 25 keV to 650 keV for electrons and 45 keV to 650 keV for ions. Each eye has sixteen energy channels, the spacing of which can be modified by command. The fields of view and pointing of each eye are designed to provide a broad, instantaneous field of view for the twelve eyes per FEEPS. There are two FEEPS per MMS spacecraft mounted such that the pair along with the single EIS provide more than (Formula presented.) -sr instantaneous solid-angle coverage and complete coverage in the equatorial region. A twenty-second spacecraft rotation period is divided into sixty-four sectors to provide detailed temporal and spatial sampling. Data are acquired in three modes: Burst Mode, the primary science mode; Fast Survey Mode; and Slow Survey Mode.