80NSSC19K0648

Conduct a concept study of the initially proposed investigation and provide a report on this study by June 3, 2019.

Precipitation into the upper atmosphere is one of the primary sources of loss from the radiation belts. Numerous spacecraft have attempted to measure this energetic electron precipitation (EEP) from low-Earth orbit (LEO). However, current instrumentation is not able to resolve the loss cone angle nor measure the pitch angle distribution. As a result, the energy deposition in the atmosphere has a large uncertainty.

Furthermore, particle detectors on spacecraft provide in-situ detection only, and single-spacecraft missions cannot provide instantaneous spatial information about the precipitation patches.

The Regents Of The University Of Colorado

CONDUCT A CONCEPT STUDY OF THE INITIALLY PROPOSED INVESTIGATION AND PROVIDE A REPORT ON THIS STUDY BY JUNE 3 2019. PRECIPITATION INTO THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF LOSS FROM THE RADIATION BELTS. NUMEROUS SPACECRAFT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MEASURE THIS ENERGETIC ELECTRON PRECIPITATION (EEP) FROM LOW-EARTH ORBIT (LEO); HOWEVER CURRENT INSTRUMENTATION IS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE LOSS CONE ANGLE NOR MEASURE THE PITCH ANGLE DISTRIBUTION AND THUS THE ENERGY DEPOSITION IN THE ATMOSPHERE HAS A LARGE UNCERTAINTY. FURTHERMORE PARTICLE DETECTORS ON SPACECRAFT PROVIDE IN-SITU DETECTION ONLY AND SINGLE-SPACECRAFT MISSIONS CANNOT PROVIDE INSTANTANEOUS SPATIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRECIPITATION PATCHES.

43.001 - Science

Shared Services Center (NSSC) [NASA]

Boulder, Colorado 80309-0004 United States

Single Zip Code

NOT APPLICABLE

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/19/19 to 12/11/26 and the total obligations have increased 11283% from $39,922 to $4,544,281.