Estimation of electron fluxes in the Earth's geostationary orbit with Tikhonov regularization during a magnetically quiet period

Electron energy fluxes in the Earth's outer radiation belt are estimated using an inverse theory of the Tikhonov regularization based upon observations in geostationary orbits. Particle Detector (PD) experiment aboard a geostationary satellite GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A) at a geographic longitude of 128.2 degrees E provided observations of electrons within a 150-2,400 keV energy range with an unprecedented energy resolution of Delta E/E in the range of 5-25%. Instrument response functions, calculated with Monte-Carlo simulations, are deconvoluted with electron observations. Using regularization parameters determined from Generalized Cross Validation (GCV), the Tikhonov method was applied to observations made during a geomagnetically quiet period. This Tikhonov regularization method, now possible for observations in the Earth's radiation belt for the first time, allows direct inference of electron fluxes without resorting to predetermined functional forms. Comparisons of our results with those from conventional methods indicate differences among the results as large as similar to 200%.