BackForwardInstrument:  EPIC (XMM) 

Instrument details
Acronym EPIC (XMM)
Full name European Photon Imaging Camera
Purpose X-ray measurement in the Interplanetary space
Short description Three CCD cameras to image the interplanetary space witin a Field of View of 30 arcmin. X-ray spectroscopy in the range 0.15-15 keV with moderate resolving power (E/ΔE ~ 20-50). Two out of the three cameras provide an image resolution of 1.1 arcsec; the third one 4.1 arcsec
Background EPIC is complementary to the other two XMM-Newton instruments: the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS), that measures X-rays with higher spectral resolution and lower spatial resolution than EPIC; and the Optical Monitor (OM), that provides complementary information on UV and VIS
Scanning Technique CCD viewing the interplanetary space in a 30 arcmin FOV addressing changing sectors as the satellite moves in the 40° inclination HEO. Sampling is at 2.6 s intervals for the two cameras with 1.1 arcsec resolution, 73 s for the camera with 4.1 arcsec resolution
Resolution 1,1 arcsec or 4.1 arcsec, depending on the CCD camera
Coverage / Cycle Large fraction of the interplanetary space each orbital period (48 h). Typical sampling intervals: 2.6 s or 73 s
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency ESA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2000 to 2026
Last update: 2024-01-22
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Space radiometer or spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 3
  • UV spectral imagery (e.g. GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO)
  • X-ray spectrometer [from GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • X-ray flux spectrum
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
X-ray flux spectrum*4 - fairNo specific limitation.Interplanetary space viewing, coarse spectral resolution
X-ray sky image1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Interplanetary space viewing, spectrometry with high spatial resolution
Heliospheric image3 - highNo specific limitation.Interplanetary space viewing in the X-ray band (0.001-10 nm)