Every spacecraft immersed in space plasma environments significantly distorts the local conditions making measurements of the unperturbed plasma properties very difficult. Electron measurements are mostly affected by the spacecraft charging and by emissions of secondary electron populations. The main objective of the present project is to study the plasma interactions with the Solar Orbiter spacecraft and their effects on 3D electron velocity distribution functions (eVDFs) acquired by the SWA/EAS plasma detectors. We will study the local spacecraft environment by means of numerical PIC simulations and model the changes in the eVDFs as seen by the EAS sensors with respect to unperturbed ambient conditions. By comparison of the simulation results with real SWA/EAS measurements we will aim to distinguish true electron perturbations naturally caused by local kinetic plasma processes from those of the spacecraft origin. Finally, in cooperation with the instrument team, we will develop enhanced data calibration techniques and implement them to public SWA/EAS scientific data products.
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