Monitor for Detection and Analysis of Electrons and Ions in Geostationary Orbit Satellites

O. ANTICURA, G. BAGUR, J. DE PELLEGRIN, P.D. FAINSTEIN, O. GRIZZI,* G. LANTSCHNER, R. MAYER, E.A. SÁNCHEZ, E. SAURO, A. TARTAGLIONE

Kyoto

Congreso; 25th International Congress on Atomic Collisions in Solids; 2012

Commercial satellites in geostationary orbits are exposed to a strong environment (mainly electrons and protons) that generates a degradation of the satellite surfaces, materials, and electronic components, thus limiting the life of the satellite. In this context, monitoring the space weather to provide signals of warnings and to characterize the spectrum of both electrons and ions becomes a critical issue for the satellite itself, and can also be used to study the solar activity, particularly during solar flares. The requirements for such a monitor include 1) more than ten orders of magnitude in the variation of the fluence, 2) more than 5 orders of magnitude in the energy range of the particles to be detected, 3) expected life of more than 15 years unattended. In this report we present a design and preliminary tests of a simple instrument for monitoring the electrons and ions hitting the surface of an Argentinean commercial GEO satellite. First we present estimations of the space weather to be encountered by the monitor and of the expected effects (deep and surface charging, SEUs) on its components. The detector design based on a combination of collimators, filters and surface barrier detectors is then discussed. Calculations of stopping and ion ranges in solids are used to choose the best materials for shielding the detectors according to the energy thresholds of operation. Some considerations about the analog and digital electronics, and about the thermal behavior of the detectors are finally provided