ELMO: ELectron Microburst Observatory Mission to Study Microbursts

We describe the ELectron Microburst Observatory mission, ELMO which is proposed as a
CubeSat constellation mission to fully characterize microburst event spatial extent systematically
for the first time both in latitude and longitude. ELMO comprises 4 CubeSats two per orbit plane
in two orbit planes. ELMO will fly in a high inclination LEO at about 500 km in altitude. The
CubeSats will systematically separate both in latitude and longitude over the mission lifetime and
will carry MERIT, Miniaturized Electron and Proton Telescope as the the payload. MERIT has been
built,tested and delivered to fly on NASA's HERMES, Lunar Gateway mission. MERIT is a solid state
detector particle telescope with two identical sensor heads pointed zenith- and nadir-wards
enabling measurement of both downgpoing and upwelling electrons thereby accurately
estimating electron precipitation into the atmosphere. MERIT will measure electron and protons
over a wide energy range in multiple differential channels with a very time resolution of less than 4

ELMO will quantify for the first time the contribution of microbursts to radiation belt electron loss
using systematic coordinated multipoint measurements. Energetic electron precipitation affects
atmospheric chemistry and therefore climate change. ELMO measures
microbursts with unprecedented time and energy resolution. ELMO provides critical knowledge of
electron loss processes required for quantitative prediction of global electron fluxes.