spase://SMWG/Instrument/GOES/5/EPS

EnergeticParticleInstrument

Energetic Particle Monitor on GOES 5

From http://goes.ngdc.noaa.gov/data/avg/readme.txt: Energetic Particle Sensor (EPS) Solid-state detectors with pulse-height discrimination measure proton, ?- particle, and electron fluxes. E1 and I1 channels are responding primarily to trapped outer-zone particles. The I2 channel may occasionally respond to trapped particles during magnetically disturbed conditions. The remaining proton integrals measure fluxes originating outside the magnetosphere -- from the Sun or the heart of the Galaxy. Users of GOES particle data should be aware that significant secondary responses may exist in the particle data, i.e. responses from other particles and energies and from directions outside the nominal detector entrance aperture. The integrated protons displayed in these plots have been partially corrected for these effects. Ion Data Quality Users of GOES particle data should be aware that significant secondary responses may exist in the particle data, i.e. responses from other particles and energies and from directions outside the nominal detector entrance aperture. A description of the algorithm that partially corrects for these effects is described below. Electron Data Quality The Electron detector responds significantly to protons above 32 MeV; therefore, electron data are contaminated when a proton event is in progress. Beginning with GOES-8 the electron data have had a preliminary correction applied, however, even these data are not to be considered research quality at this time. The GOES-5 electron channel is noisy from 1986 onwards and readings are a possible factor of 2 high. One component of the GOES-6 particle detector system has had radiation damage since 1986 that reduced its counting efficiency progressively. At present the E1 and P4 channels derived from this component record at only a few percent of their proper rates. In 1991 the telescope component of the GOES-7 energetic particle detector system experienced episodes of malfunction (noise). The first period began at 0330 UT, October 18, 1991 and extended to November 5, 1991. The detector was commanded off for 12 hours. At turn-on the detector appeared to have recovered, but failed again on November 11, with a rerecovery on November 12 after a second turn-off of three hours. The detector has since operated normally. The noise periods may be identified by unusually high rates being shown by the P1 channel and the derived > 1 MeV integral channel. Currently, the GOES-7 Energetic Particle Sensor is left turned off for 4 hours after eclipse to minimize bad data.