Comparison of common climatology data

Abstract

Over the past few years, climatologies of precipitating electrons have been developed for several instruments on different satellite programs. Each climatology is uniquely formulated to cater to instrument particulars and satellite orbits. The climatologies have general characteristics in common. Dependence on solar activity (determined by F10.7), magnetic activity (determined by Dst), universal time of measurement and magnetic position (invariant latitude and magnetic local time) are common to each climatology. Climatologies for DMSP SSJ/4 instruments, the NOAA-12 Space Environment Monitor Total Energy Detector and Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector and the UARS Particle Environment Monitor Medium Energy Particle Spectrometer and High Energy Particle Spectrometer exist separately. Each climatology has strenghts and weaknesses in space and time. In order to combine these climatologies and produce representative particle spectra over a larger parameter space, they must be cross-calibrated. We have examined selected spectra from different locations of common climatology parameter space to compare and contrast the differences against UARS climatology since it covers all magnetic local times in the auroral zone. Overall, climatologies agree for DMSP to within statistical error at dawn and dusk where count statistics are the largest. DMSP climatologies deviate from the UARS climatology above 2 keV on the night side and below 1 keV on the dayside. The climatology from NOAA agrees with UARS below 4 keV. Between 30 keV and 100 keV in the southern hemisphere and greater than 30 keV in the northern hemisphere, NOAA and UARS climatologies differ. © 2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.