Book Description

The DMSP/F7 satellite carries, in addition to weather monitoring devices, a number of instruments that measure the space environment for the purpose of scientific study. These are an auroral imaging device, precipitating electron and ion detectors, a thermal plasma analyzer, a fluxgate magnetometer, and a space radiation dosimeter. Together, these provide a strong tool for analyzing the high latitude, near-Earth, magnetospheric environment. This report has been prepared to facilitate the use of the data from one of these instruments, the space radiation dosimeter, and to show the data can be used to obtain both dose and flux measurements of high energy Relativtic electrons and protons at low altitudes. The report includes: a description of the DMSP/F7 orbit; a description of the space radiation dosimeter and the data it returns; the method by which dose is determined; the method by which flux is determined; and a discussion of the use of high threshold energy proton and ion induced star counts. Appendices A and B present the response of the dosimeter to electron bremsstrahlung and a list of the interactive routines available at AFGL for data analysis.