Study of Galactic Cosmic-Ray Flux Modulation by Interplanetary Plasma Structures for the Evaluation of Space Instrument Performance and Space Weather Science Investigations

Grimani, C.; Telloni, Daniele; Benella, Simone; Cesarini, A.; Fabi, Michele; Villani, Mattia

doi:10.3390/atmos10120749

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…We verified the reliability of this approach for the LISA Pathfinder mission in 2016-2017, by comparing our cosmic-ray proton flux predictions to observations carried out above 450 MeV n −1 by the AMS-02 experiment during the same period on the Space Station (see Aguilar et al, 2018). Our predicted GCR integral proton flux at the LPF launch in December 2015 was found only 10% higher than the AMS-02 data (Grimani et al, 2019).…”

Section: Axissupporting

confidence: 58%

Interplanetarymedium monitoring with LISA: Lessons from LISA Pathfinder

Cesarini¹,

Grimani²,

Fabi³

et al. 2022

J. Space Weather Space Clim.

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The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be the first low-frequency gravitational-wave observatory orbiting the Sun at 1 AU. The LISA Pathfinder (LPF) mission, aiming at testing of the instruments to be located on board the LISA spacecraft (S/C), hosted, among the others, fluxgate magnetometers and a particle detector as parts of a diagnostics subsystem. These instruments allowed us for the estimate of the magnetic and Coulomb spurious forces acting on the test masses that constitute the mirrors of the interferometer. With these instruments we also had the possibility to study the galactic cosmic-ray short term-term variations as a function of the particle energy and the associated interplanetary disturbances. Platform magnetometers and particle detectors will be also placed on board each LISA S/C. This work reports about an empirical method that allowed us to disentangle the interplanetary and onboard-generated components of the magnetic field by using the LPF magnetometer measurements. Moreover, we estimate the number and fluence of solar energetic particle events expected to be observed with the ESA Next Generation Radiation Monitor during the mission lifetime. An additional cosmic-ray detector, similar to that designed for LPF, in combination with magnetometers, would permit to observe the evolution of recurrent and non-recurrent galactic cosmic-ray variations and associated increases of the interplanetary magnetic field at the transit of high-speed solar wind streams and interplanetary counterparts of coronal mass ejections.

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Section: Axissupporting

confidence: 58%

Interplanetarymedium monitoring with LISA: Lessons from LISA Pathfinder

Cesarini¹,

Grimani²,

Fabi³

et al. 2022

J. Space Weather Space Clim.

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“…This number of tracks is similar to the observations within statistical uncertainties. It is worthwhile pointing out that the statistical error is smaller than the combination of the uncertainties on input fluxes on the order of 10% on the basis of our previous experience with LISA Pathfinder (Grimani et al 2019) and the intrinsic Monte Carlo resolution also on the order of 10% (Lechner et al 2019). While the detector does not allow us to distinguish different particle species, the simulations indicate that for primary protons the particles traversing the sensitive part of the detector in particle numbers to the total number down to 1% in composition are: 80% protons, 17% electrons and positrons, and 3% pions.…”

Section: Comparison Of Simulations and Cosmic-ray Observations In The Metis Visible Light Imagesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…A similar approach was considered for the LISA Pathfinder mission orbiting around the first Lagrange point during the years 2016-2017 (Armano et al 2016(Armano et al , 2018b. It was shown in Villani et al (2020) that the integral proton flux predictions carried out with the G&A model for LISA Pathfinder differ by less than 10% from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment data (AMS Collaboration 2002; Aguilar et al 2018) gathered on the Space Station during the Bartels Rotation 2491 (Grimani et al 2019). For the present work, it is also possible to benefit of the proton and helium differential flux measurements of the EPD/HET instrument flying on board Solar Orbiter and gathering data in the energy range below 100 MeV in order to further reduce the uncertainty on the GCR flux predictions, while we await the publication of the AMS-02 data for the years after 2017, up to TeV energies.…”

Section: Galactic Cosmic-ray Energy Spectra In the Summer 2020 For Solar Orbitermentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmic-ray flux predictions and observations for and with Metis on board Solar Orbiter

Grimani

Andretta

Chioetto

et al. 2021

A&A

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Context. The Metis coronagraph is one of the remote sensing instruments hosted on board the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter mission. Metis is devoted to carry out the first simultaneous imaging of the solar corona in both visible light (VL) and ultraviolet (UV). High-energy particles can penetrate spacecraft materials and may limit the performance of the on-board instruments. A study of the galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) tracks observed in the first VL images gathered by Metis during the commissioning phase is presented here. A similar analysis is planned for the UV channel. Aims. We aim to formulate a prediction of the GCR flux up to hundreds of GeV for the first part of the Solar Orbiter mission to study the performance of the Metis coronagraph. Methods. The GCR model predictions are compared to observations gathered on board Solar Orbiter by the High-Energy Telescope in the range between 10 MeV and 100 MeV in the summer of 2020 as well as with the previous measurements. Estimated cosmic-ray fluxes above 70 MeV n−1 have been also parameterized and used for Monte Carlo simulations aimed at reproducing the cosmic-ray track observations in the Metis coronagraph VL images. The same parameterizations can also be used to study the performance of other detectors. Results. By comparing observations of cosmic-ray tracks in the Metis VL images with FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of cosmic-ray interactions in the VL detector, we find that cosmic rays fire only a fraction, on the order of 10−4, of the whole image pixel sample. We also find that the overall efficiency for cosmic-ray identification in the Metis VL images is approximately equal to the contribution of Z ≥ 2 GCR particles. A similar study will be carried out during the whole of the Solar Orbiter’s mission duration for the purposes of instrument diagnostics and to verify whether the Metis data and Monte Carlo simulations would allow for a long-term monitoring of the GCR proton flux.

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“…A similar approach was considered for the LISA Pathfinder mission orbiting around the first Lagrange point during the years 2016-2017 (Armano et al 2016(Armano et al , 2018b. It was shown in Villani et al (2020) that the integral proton flux predictions carried out with the G&A model for LISA Pathfinder differ by less than 10% from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment data (AMS Collaboration et al 2002;Aguilar et al 2018) gathered on the Space Station during the Bartels Rotation 2491 (Grimani et al 2019). For the present work, it is also possible to benefit of the proton and helium differential flux measurements of the EPD/HET instrument flying on board Solar Orbiter and gathering data in the energy range below 100 MeV to further reduce the uncertainty on the GCR flux predictions while waiting for the AMS-02 data to be published for the years after 2017 up to TeV energies.…”

Section: Galactic Cosmic-ray Energy Spectra In the Summer 2020 For So...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmic-ray flux predictions and observations for and with Metis on board Solar Orbiter

Grimani,

Andretta,

Chioetto

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Context. The Metis coronagraph is one of the remote sensing instruments hosted on board the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter mission. Metis is devoted to carry out the first simultaneous imaging of the solar corona in both visible light (VL) and ultraviolet (UV). Highenergy particles penetrate spacecraft materials and may limit the performance of on-board instruments. A study of galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) tracks observed in the first VL images gathered by Metis during the commissioning phase for a total of 60 seconds of exposure time is presented here. A similar analysis is planned for the UV channel. Aims. A prediction of the GCR flux up to hundreds of GeV is made here for the first part of the Solar Orbiter mission to study the Metis coronagraph performance. Methods. GCR model predictions are compared to observations gathered on board Solar Orbiter by the EPD/HET experiment in the range 10 MeV-100 MeV in the summer 2020 and with previous measurements. Estimated cosmic-ray fluxes above 70 MeV n −1 have been also parameterized and used for Monte Carlo simulations aiming at reproducing the cosmic-ray track observations in the Metis coronagraph VL images. Same parameterizations can also be used to study the performance of other detectors. Results. By comparing observations of cosmic-ray tracks in the Metis VL images with FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of cosmicray interactions in the VL detector, it is found that cosmic rays fire a fraction of the order of 10 −4 of the whole image pixel sample. Therefore, cosmic rays do not affect sensibly the quality of Metis VL images. It is also found that the overall efficiency for cosmic-ray identification in the Metis VL images is approximately equal to the contribution of Z>2 particles. As a result, the Metis coronagraph may play the role of a proton monitor for long-term GCR variations during the overall mission duration.

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Study of Galactic Cosmic-Ray Flux Modulation by Interplanetary Plasma Structures for the Evaluation of Space Instrument Performance and Space Weather Science Investigations

Cited by 9 publications

References 29 publications

Interplanetarymedium monitoring with LISA: Lessons from LISA Pathfinder

Interplanetarymedium monitoring with LISA: Lessons from LISA Pathfinder

Cosmic-ray flux predictions and observations for and with Metis on board Solar Orbiter

Cosmic-ray flux predictions and observations for and with Metis on board Solar Orbiter

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