The Argus Experiment. Calibration of Explorer IV Prototype

Detailed calibration curves were determined for a prototype Explorer IV radiation-measuring satellite in accordance with a prior mathematical analysis. This analysis had demonstrated the necessity for calibration of the complete package in a well-prescribed manner if the maximum amount of information was to be obtained from the transmitted data. Previous data analysis had been limited to consideration of average count rates because of limited information about the angular response of the detectors. Since it was of primary interest to obtain mirror point distributions of the trapped electrons in the earth's magnetic field, emphasis was placed on the determination of the directional characteristics of the detectors. The package was calibrated with gamma rays, X-rays, and electrons over both azimuthal and inclination angles.