EPIC Scientific Objectives

Scientific Objectives

The Energetic Particle and Ion Composition Instrument (EPIC) scientific objectives are summarized briefly below in both general and specific categories:

General
- Measure the composition and charge state of 10 keV/q to >3 MeV/nucleon ions through the distant geomagnetic tail
- Determine the role of the goemagnetic tail in geospace dynamics
- Study and determine the dynamics of the plasma processes and interactions occurring in the distant geotmagnetic tail.
Specific
- Distant Magnetotail
  - Determine source(s) of ambient particles and their relative strenghts as function of time and position in tail.
  - Determine source(s) of particles in large scale structures (plasmoids).
  - Evaluate importance of distand magnetotail as a determinant of or result of magnetosphereic dynamics.
- Boundary Layers
  - Study the formation and dynamics of magnetospheric boundary layers (e.g., Magnetopause, low latitude boundary layer, plasma sheet boundary layer, and neutral sheet) and their influence on magnetospheric behavior.
- Sources, Losses, and Transport
  - Evaluate relative strengths of ionospheric (including plasmasphere) and solar wind sources.
  - Evaluate the importance of charge exchange, pitch angle diffusion, energy diffusion, single particle motion, and drifts as loss processes.
  - Evaluate the importance of single particle motion, collective motion, convection, and magnetic driven drifts as transport mechanisms.
- Energization
  - Identify and study various acceleration processes (e.g., electrostatic E field, induced E field (dB/dt), betatron and Fermi processes, and instabilities) operating in the geomagnetic tail.