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  • © 2014

The Van Allen Probes Mission

  • Documents the science, the mission, the spacecraft and the instrumentation on a unique NASA mission to study the Earth’s dynamic, dangerous and fascinating Van Allen radiation belts

  • Describes new techniques for measuring plasmas, energetic particles, electric fields, magnetic fields and waves

  • Provides the necessary scientific background and mission description to prepare researchers and students for analyzing data from the mission

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Table of contents (19 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
  2. Preface

    • N. J. Fox, J. L. Burch
    Pages 1-2
  3. Science Objectives and Rationale for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • B. H. Mauk, N. J. Fox, S. G. Kanekal, R. L. Kessel, D. G. Sibeck, A. Ukhorskiy
    Pages 3-27
  4. Mission Overview for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • J. M. Stratton, R. J. Harvey, G. A. Heyler
    Pages 29-57
  5. Radiation Belt Storm Probes—Observatory and Environments

    • Karen Kirby, David Artis, Stewart Bushman, Michael Butler, Rich Conde, Stan Cooper et al.
    Pages 59-125
  6. The Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) on RBSP

    • C. A. Kletzing, W. S. Kurth, M. Acuna, R. J. MacDowall, R. B. Torbert, T. Averkamp et al.
    Pages 127-181
  7. The Electric Field and Waves Instruments on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • J. R. Wygant, J. W. Bonnell, K. Goetz, R. E. Ergun, F. S. Mozer, S. D. Bale et al.
    Pages 183-220
  8. The Relativistic Proton Spectrometer (RPS) for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • J. Mazur, L. Friesen, A. Lin, D. Mabry, N. Katz, Y. Dotan et al.
    Pages 221-261
  9. Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE)

    • D. G. Mitchell, L. J. Lanzerotti, C. K. Kim, M. Stokes, G. Ho, S. Cooper et al.
    Pages 263-308
  10. Erratum to: Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE)

    • D. G. Mitchell, L. J. Lanzerotti, C. K. Kim, M. Stokes, G. Ho, S. Cooper et al.
    Pages 309-309
  11. The Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS) Instruments Aboard the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Spacecraft

    • J. B. Blake, P. A. Carranza, S. G. Claudepierre, J. H. Clemmons, W. R. Crain Jr., Y. Dotan et al.
    Pages 383-421
  12. Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) Mass Spectrometer for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • H. O. Funsten, R. M. Skoug, A. A. Guthrie, E. A. MacDonald, J. R. Baldonado, R. W. Harper et al.
    Pages 423-484
  13. The Engineering Radiation Monitor for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

    • J. O. Goldsten, R. H. Maurer, P. N. Peplowski, A. G. Holmes-Siedle, C. C. Herrmann, B. H. Mauk
    Pages 485-502
  14. The Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL)

    • R. M. Millan, M. P. McCarthy, J. G. Sample, D. M. Smith, L. D. Thompson, D. G. McGaw et al.
    Pages 503-530
  15. The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) and Space Weather

    • R. L. Kessel, N. J. Fox, M. Weiss
    Pages 531-543
  16. Dynamics of Radiation Belt Particles

    • A. Y. Ukhorskiy, M. I. Sitnov
    Pages 545-578
  17. AE9, AP9 and SPM: New Models for Specifying the Trapped Energetic Particle and Space Plasma Environment

    • G. P. Ginet, T. P. O’Brien, S. L. Huston, W. R. Johnston, T. B. Guild, R. Friedel et al.
    Pages 579-615
  18. Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Education and Public Outreach Program

    • D. Turney, A. Matiella Novak, K. Beisser, N. Fox
    Pages 617-646

About this book

Documents the science, the mission, the spacecraft and the instrumentation on a unique NASA mission to study the Earth’s dynamic, dangerous and fascinating Van Allen radiation belts that surround the planet

This collection of articles provides broad and detailed information about NASA’s Van Allen Probes (formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes) twin-spacecraft Earth-orbiting mission. The mission has the objective of achieving predictive understanding of the dynamic, intense, energetic, dangerous, and presently unpredictable belts of energetic particles that are magnetically trapped in Earth’s space environment above the atmosphere. It documents the science of the radiation belts and the societal benefits of achieving predictive understanding. Detailed information is provided about the Van Allen Probes mission design, the spacecraft, the science investigations, and the onboard instrumentation that must all work together to make unprecedented measurements within a most unforgiving environment, the core of Earth’s most intense radiation regions.

This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers active in space science, solar-terrestrial interactions and studies of the upper atmosphere.

Originally published in Space Science Reviews, Vol. 179/1-4, 2013.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, USA

    Nicola Fox

  • Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, USA

    James L. Burch

About the editors

Dr. Nicola J. Fox is Assistant Group Supervisor of the Space Physics Group at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.  She is Project Scientist for NASA’s Solar Probe Plus mission to be launched toward the Sun in 2018, and Deputy Project Scientist for NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission, launched in August of 2012 and the subject of this volume. In the past she has been Operations Scientist for NASA Polar Mission, and as a part of that mission was an early implementer of “cradle to grave,” multiple asset analyses that have become central to understanding what is termed “space weather.”  Dr.  Fox has also long been and continues to be a sought-after interpreter of space weather issues as a part of NASA’s Education and Public Outreach activities.

Dr. James L. Burch is Vice President, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Space Science and Engineering Division. He was Principal Investigator for the NASA IMAGE global magnetospheric imaging mission and is now PI for the Instrument Suite Science Team of the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission (to be launched in 2014). Dr. Burch is a Fellow of the AGU and received the AGU Fleming Medal in recognition of his work in the field of space physics. He has served as editor-in-chief of Geophysical Research Letters and as President of the Space Physics and Aeronomy Section of the AGU.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Van Allen Probes Mission

  • Editors: Nicola Fox, James L. Burch

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7433-4

  • Publisher: Springer New York, NY

  • eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4899-7432-7Published: 11 January 2014

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4899-7870-7Published: 24 September 2016

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4899-7433-4Published: 10 January 2014

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VII, 647

  • Number of Illustrations: 70 b/w illustrations, 8 illustrations in colour

  • Additional Information: Originally published in Space Science Reviews, Vol. 179/1-4, 2013

  • Topics: Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics), Plasma Physics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access