Design and calibration of the GOES-8 particle sensors: the EPS and HEPAD

The energetic particle sensor (EPS) and the high energy proton and alpha detector (HEPAD) measure protons, alpha particles and electrons in several energy ranges. The latest version of the EPS for GOES-8 and succeeding GOES spacecraft detects protons in 7 energy ranges from 0.8 to 500 MeV, alpha particles in 6 energy ranges from 350 to greater than 700 MeV, and alpha particles in 2 energy ranges from 2560 to greater than 3400 MeV. Most of the particle channel responses of the EPS and HEPAD have been calibrated directly at available accelerators. The GOES particle data are used to monitor the ambient, trapped, particle radiation, which is predominately MeV electrons, and the proton and alpha particle fluxes from solar particle events. The data are used for various types of warnings and are archived by the NOAA space environment center.