Work

Cross‐Calibration of Energetic Electron Flux Measurements From the Cluster and THEMIS Missions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Energetic electrons in Earth's magnetosphere play a critical role in space weather processes and pose risks to spacecraft electronics. Combining measurements from multiple missions, such as Cluster and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS), enhances our understanding of these populations but requires cross‐calibration due to instrumental differences. This study presents a statistical comparison of 40–400 keV electron flux measurements from Cluster/Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detector (RAPID)/Imaging Electron Spectrometer (IES) and THEMIS/Solid State Telescope (SST) over 2007–2018. By analyzing the statistical distance between local flux distributions, we quantify discrepancies between the data sets and derive cross‐calibration factors, covering radial distances up to 16 . Our results show that SST fluxes consistently exceed IES observations, with the difference increasing with energy. The derived correction factors enable the joint use of the Cluster and THEMIS energetic electron data for multipoint space weather studies.

Source: Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics

Authors: Dmitrii Gurev, Elena A. Kronberg, Andrei Runov, Yuri Shprits

Institutions: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Potsdam, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

Language: English

Topic: Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,070

Funders: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Awards: Energiereiche Ionen im Weltraum, G54188565, G5953495884, LinuxRechencluster für die geowissenschaftliche Kapazitätssimulation, FOR 5405: Magnetosphäre, Ionosphäre, Plasmasphäre und Thermosphäre als gekoppeltes System (MIPT)