The Double Star Plasma Electron and Current Experiment

A. N. Fazakerley; P. J. Carter; P. J. Carter; G. Watson; A. Spencer; Y. Q. Sun; J. Coker; P. Coker; D. O. Kataria; D. Fontaine; Z. X. Liu; L. Gilbert; L. He; L. He; A. D. Lahiff; B. Mihalčič; S. Szita; M. G. G. T. Taylor; M. G. G. T. Taylor; R. J. Wilson; M. Dedieu; S. J. Schwartz

doi:10.5194/angeo-23-2733-2005

Annales Geophysicae (Nov 2005)

Affiliations

A. N. Fazakerley: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
P. J. Carter: now at: UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK
P. J. Carter: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
G. Watson: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
A. Spencer: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
Y. Q. Sun: Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 8701, 100080 Beijing, China
J. Coker: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
P. Coker: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
D. O. Kataria: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
D. Fontaine: Centre d’Etude des Environnements Terrestre et Planétaires, IPSL, 10–12 Av. de l’Europe, 78 140 Vélizy, France
Z. X. Liu: Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 8701, 100080 Beijing, China
L. Gilbert: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
L. He: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
L. He: now at: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2J1, Canada
A. D. Lahiff: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
B. Mihalčič: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
S. Szita: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
M. G. G. T. Taylor: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
M. G. G. T. Taylor: now at: Research and Scientific Support Department, ESA/ESTEC/SCI-SH, Keperlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk ZH, Thehina Netherlands
R. J. Wilson: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
M. Dedieu: Centre d’Etude des Environnements Terrestre et Planétaires, IPSL, 10–12 Av. de l’Europe, 78 140 Vélizy, France
S. J. Schwartz: Space and Atmospheric Physics Group, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BW, UK

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-23-2733-2005
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 23
pp. 2733 – 2756

Abstract

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The Double Star Project is a collaboration between Chinese and European space agencies, in which two Chinese magnetospheric research spacecraft, carrying Chinese and European instruments, have been launched into equatorial (on 29 December 2003) and polar (on 25 July 2004) orbits designed to enable complementary studies with the Cluster spacecraft. The two Double Star spacecraft TC-1 and TC-2 each carry a Double Star Plasma Electron and Current Experiment (PEACE) instrument. These two instruments were based on Cluster Flight Spare equipment, but differ from Cluster instruments in two important respects. Firstly, a Double Star PEACE instrument has only a single sensor, which must be operated in a manner not originally envisaged in the Cluster context in order to sample the full range of energies. Secondly, the DPU hardware was modified and major changes of onboard software were implemented, most notably a completely different approach to data compression has been adopted for Double Star, which allows high resolution 3-dimensional distributions to be transmitted almost every spin, a significant improvement over Cluster. This paper describes these instruments, and includes examples of data collected in various magnetospheric regions encountered by the spacecraft which have been chosen to illustrate the power of combined Double Star and Cluster measurements.

Published in Annales Geophysicae

ISSN: 0992-7689 (Print); 1432-0576 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Physics: Geophysics. Cosmic physics
Website: http://www.annales-geophysicae.net

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