The calibration of the Cassini-Huygens CAPS Electron Spectrometer

• We present the two-stage method used to calibrate the electron spectrometer (ELS), part of the plasma spectrometer (CAPS) on board the Cassini spacecraft currently in orbit around Saturn. The CAPS-ELS is a top-hat electrostatic analyser designed to measure electron fluxes between 0 5 eV and 26 keV The on-ground calibration method described here includes the production of photoelectrons, which are energised and passed into the CAPS-ELS in a purpose designed calibration facility. Knowledge of the intensity of these incident electrons and the subsequent instrument output provides an on-ground calibrated geometric factor. Comparative studies of physical quantities such as plasma density and electron differential flux calculated using on-ground calibration factor with the quantities deduced from the wave experiment and high energy electron detector provide in-flight calibration. The results of this are presented together with a comparison of the experimentally calibrated values with simulated calibration values.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cassini

Electron

Spectrometer

Calibration

Physics

Fysik

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