SUNSTORM 1/X-ray Flux Monitor for CubeSats (XFM-CS) : Instrument characterization and first results

SUNSTORM 1 CubeSat was launched to Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit on August 17 2021. The primary purpose of the mission is an in-orbit demonstration of X-ray Flux Monitor (XFM) instrument. XFM is an innovative solar X-ray spectrometer for measuring and characterizing solar flares, which are known to be linked to a variety of space weather phenomena. XFM represents a next generation of solar X-ray flux monitors. It is based on silicon drift detector technology, which provides several notable performance improvements over its predecessors, which are based on Si PIN detectors. Transversal electric field and lower output capacitance allow operation at much faster pulse processing shaping times, allowing the system to achieve about 10 times higher throughput without saturation while also making it less sensitive to the increase of leakage current due to high temperature and/or radiation damage. Thus, XFM instruments can cover a very wide dynamic range of solar X-ray emission from the most quiescent conditions to the strongest X-class solar flares, while maintaining good spectral resolution (Peer reviewe

Solar Intensity X-Ray and Particle Spectrometer SIXS : Instrument Design and First Results

The Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer (SIXS) on the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter ("Bepi") measures the direct solar X-rays, energetic protons, and electrons that bombard, and interact with, the Hermean surface. The interactions result in X-ray fluorescence and scattering, and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), i.e. "glow" of the surface in X-rays. Simultaneous monitoring of the incident and emitted radiation enables derivation of the abundances of some chemical elements and scattering properties of the outermost surface layer of the planet, and it may reveal other sources of X-ray emission, due to, for example, weak aurora-like phenomena in Mercury's exosphere. Mapping of the Hermean X-ray emission is the main task of the MIXS instrument onboard BepiColombo. SIXS data will also be used for investigations of the solar X-ray corona and solar energetic particles (SEP), both in the cruise phase and the passes of the Earth, Venus and Mercury before the arrival at Mercury's orbit, and the final science phase at Mercury's orbit. These observations provide the first-ever opportunity for in-situ measurements of the propagation of SEPs, their interactions with the interplanetary magnetic field, and space weather phenomena in multiple locations throughout the inner solar system far away from the Earth, and more extensively at Mercury's orbit. In this paper we describe the scientific objectives, design and calibrations, operational principles, and scientific performance of the final SIXS instrument launched to the mission to planet Mercury onboard BepiColombo. We also provide the first analysis results of science observations with SIXS, that were made during the Near-Earth Commissioning Phase and early cruise phase operations in 2018-19, including the background X-ray sky observations and "first light" observations of the Sun with the SIXS X-ray detection system (SIXS-X), and in-situ energetic electron and proton observations with the SIXS Particle detection system (SIXS-P).Peer reviewe

Solar Intensity X-Ray and Particle Spectrometer SIXS: Instrument Design and First Results

The Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer (SIXS) on the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter ("Bepi") measures the direct solar X-rays, energetic protons, and electrons that bombard, and interact with, the Hermean surface. The interactions result in X-ray fluorescence and scattering, and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), i.e. "glow" of the surface in X-rays. Simultaneous monitoring of the incident and emitted radiation enables derivation of the abundances of some chemical elements and scattering properties of the outermost surface layer of the planet, and it may reveal other sources of X-ray emission, due to, for example, weak aurora-like phenomena in Mercury's exosphere. Mapping of the Hermean X-ray emission is the main task of the MIXS instrument onboard BepiColombo. SIXS data will also be used for investigations of the solar X-ray corona and solar energetic particles (SEP), both in the cruise phase and the passes of the Earth, Venus and Mercury before the arrival at Mercury's orbit, and the final science phase at Mercury's orbit. These observations provide the first-ever opportunity for in-situ measurements of the propagation of SEPs, their interactions with the interplanetary magnetic field, and space weather phenomena in multiple locations throughout the inner solar system far away from the Earth, and more extensively at Mercury's orbit. In this paper we describe the scientific objectives, design and calibrations, operational principles, and scientific performance of the final SIXS instrument launched to the mission to planet Mercury onboard BepiColombo. We also provide the first analysis results of science observations with SIXS, that were made during the Near-Earth Commissioning Phase and early cruise phase operations in 2018-19, including the background X-ray sky observations and "first light" observations of the Sun with the SIXS X-ray detection system (SIXS-X), and in-situ energetic electron and proton observations with the SIXS Particle detection system (SIXS-P)

Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer (SIXS)

The Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer (SIXS) on the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) will investigate the direct solar X-rays, and energetic protons and electrons which pass the Spacecraft on their way to the surface of Mercury. These measurements are vitally important for understanding quantitatively the processes that make Mercury's surface glow in X-rays, since all X-rays from Mercury are due to interactions of the surface with incoming highly energetic photons and space particles. The X-ray emission of Mercury's surface will be analysed to understand its structure and composition. SIXS data will also be utilised for studies of the solar X-ray corona, flares, solar energetic particles, and the magnetosphere of Mercury, and for providing information on solar eruptions to other BepiColombo instruments. SIXS consists of two detector subsystems. The X-ray detector system includes three identical GaAs PIN detectors which measure the solar spectrum at 1?20 keV energy range, and their combined field-of-view covers ?1/4 of the whole sky. The particle detector system consists of an assembly including a cubic central CsI(Tl) scintillator detector with five of its six surfaces covered by a thin Si detector, which together perform low-resolution particle spectroscopy with a rough angular resolution over a field-of-view covering ?1/4 of the whole sky. The energy range of detected particle spectra is 0.1?3 MeV for electrons and 1?30 MeV for protons. A major task for the SIXS instrument is the measurement of solar X-rays on the dayside of Mercury's surface to enable modeling of X-ray fluorescence and scattering on the planet's surface. Since highly energetic particles are expected to also induce a significant amount of X-ray emission via particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and bremsstrahlung when they are absorbed by the solid surface of the planet Mercury, SIXS performs measurements of fluxes and spectra of protons and electrons. SIXS performs particle measurement at all orbital phases of the MPO as the particle radiation can occur also on the night side of Mercury. The energy ranges, resolutions, and timings of X-ray and particle measurements by SIXS have been adjusted to match with the requirements for interpretation of data from Mercury's surface, to be performed by utilising the data of the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS), which will measure X-ray emission from the surface.Peer reviewe