Characterization and ground calibration of the Electric Field Detector aboard the CSES-02/LIMADOU mission

TL;DR

This paper details the characterization and calibration of the Electric Field Detector on the CSES-02 mission, emphasizing its design, testing, and calibration processes to ensure scientific accuracy in space-based seismic precursor monitoring.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive description of the EFD-02 instrument, including innovations, testing procedures, and calibration methods specific to the CSES-02 mission.

Findings

Successful calibration with a signal generator and plasma source

Instrument performance characterized under various environmental conditions

Calibration variability analyzed for mission accuracy

Abstract

This thesis is organized into four chapters: Chapter 1 provides an overview of previous missions focused on monitoring earthquake precursors from space and highlights popular theories connecting space-measured seismic precursors to earthquakes. It also briefly reviews key theoretical concepts related to sensors in plasma. Chapter 2 offers a detailed description of the CSES mission, including CSES-01 and CSES-02, and emphasizes the essential components of EFD-02, noting any innovations compared to previous experiments with similar objectives. Chapter 3 covers functionality tests ensuring the instrument's correct electronic operation under different environmental conditions and discusses various performance tests, highlighting the instrument's characteristics. Chapter 4 reports results from calibration using a signal generator in a dedicated laboratory and instrument characterization with a plasma source. This chapter also analyzes the calibration factor's variability and underscores the significance of these tests and measurements for the CSES-02 mission, both operationally and scientifically.