S³ Solid State Proton Experiment. Part II: Mean energy of a finite energy passband

We present general expressions derived for the differential energy passbands of solid state detector experiments carried as instrumentation on spacecraft. Although this class of detector has its passbands determined electronically, it is well represented mathematically by the cumulative distribution function of the familiar gaussian curve. Expressions for the detector response, response ratio, and mean energy are developed for any particle passband of arbitrary but finite width and have been numerically evaluated by assuming an exponential form for the particle differential energy spectrum. The derived general relationships have been applied to the low and high energy passbands of the Solid State Proton Experiment on board Explorer U5 (S3), and the results are presented in graphical and tabular form.