Overview

RAPID is an energetic particle spectrometer on board Cluster with an advanced particle detector for the analysis of suprathermal plasma distributions in the energy range from 20--400 keV for electrons, 40 keV--1500 keV for hydrogen, and 10 keV/nucleon--1500 keV for heavier ions. Ion determination is carried out via a time-of-flight method plus deposited energy in a solid state detector. The output data are sorted into 8 energy bins over the observed ranges.

RAPID software was designed by the RAPID Archive Team Stefan Muhlbachler and Patrick W. Daly and provides a tool for the visualization of data of the RAPID ion and electron measurements. These tools are:

Quicklook Plots -- consist of four panels which display omnidirectional fluxes or count rates as energy spectra versus time; the bottom panels show the spacecraft and instrument settings. Data products which can be chosen are:
- ESPCT - electrons counts (8 energy channel, 1 per spin, generated from E3DD).
- HSPCT - protons counts (8 energy channel, 1 per spin).
- ISPCT (Helium) - He counts (8 energy channel, 1 per 4 spins).
- ISPCT (CNO) - CNO counts (8 energy channel, 1 per 4 spins).
This type of plots also requires instrument setting (Inst_Set) data and auxilary data for orbit information.
Channel Plots -- display omnidirectional fluxes ot count rates per spacecraft and channel as energy versus time. Required data products depending are either of:
- ESPCT
- HSPCT
- ISPCT (Helium)
- ISPCT (CNO)
3-D Angle-Angle Plots -- display count rates or fluxes in 3-D resolution in GSE or SC coordinates and as rectangular or bispherical plots. Input data files depending on the user input are:
- E3DD - electron counts sorted by energy and direction (9x16 directions for 8 electron energies, 1 per spin, BM only).
- L3DD - electron counts sorted by energy and direction.
- I3DD_H - 12x16 directions for H ions (8 energies)
- I3DD_He - 12x16 directions for He ions (8 energies)
- I3DD_CNO - 12x16 directions for CNO ions (8 energies)
- EPADEX - expanded EPAD (EPAD - electrons in 2 (wide) energy bins, 3 polar directions, 16 sectors).
- IPADEX - expanded IPAD (IPAD - protons in 2 (wide) energy bins, 3 polar directions, 16 sectors).
Also requires rotational matrix EFLOW for rotation from GSE to SC coordinates and spin resolution FGM magnetic field vector (if magnetic field configuration will be plotted).
Pitch Angle Distribution (PAD) Plots -- show the omnidirectional energy spectrum of selected species on top of its pitch angle distribution in a defined time range. Required data files depending on the user input are:
- E3DD
- L3DD
- I3DD_H
- I3DD_He
- I3DD_CNO
- EPADEX
- IPADEX
- EPITCH or IPITCH - already calculated pitchangles using onboard magnetic field measurements.
- EFLOW or IFLOW + Spin resolution FGM magnetic field vector for the calculation of pitchangles if no EPITCH or IPITCH is selected.
Also requires auxilary data for orbit information.
8 Panel User Defined Plots -- offer the possibility to compose up to 8 panels showing omnidirectional energy spectra, channel plots and pitch angle distributions with respect to the users requirements. Required data products depend on the individual panel settings.

NOTE: data files as count rates are indicated by the suffix _R.
A more detailed information about RAPID data products can be found in the RAPID Interface Control Document (ICD), also available from the CAA website.

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How To Start

Setting up RAPID:
1. create a directory where rapid software will be run.
2. copy files rapid and rap_soft_cfg.txt from /soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/ on MSSLAB or from /usr/local/plasma/rap_vis_sw/ on self-administered Linux machines using the plasma software from msslWM into the above directory.
3. create a directory for storing plots produced by rapid.
4. file rap_soft_cfg.txt sets up paths to different data files. On msslab:
```
main_path =  '/soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/'
rap_path  =  '/disk/peace11/other_data/cluster/RAPID/nobackup/'
bat_path  =  '/soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/'
plot_path =  'xxx'
fgm_path  =  '/disk/peace1/other_data/cluster/csds_pp/FGM/'
aux_path  =  '/disk/peace1/other_data/cluster/csds_sp/AUX/'
fontname  =  ''
fontsize  =  '10'
  
```
  On self-administered Linux machines using the plasma software from msslWM:
```
main_path =  '/usr/local/plasma/rap_vis_sw/'
rap_path  =  '/disk/peace11/other_data/cluster/RAPID/nobackup/'
bat_path  =  '/soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/'
plot_path =  'xxx'
fgm_path  =  '/disk/peace1/other_data/cluster/csds_pp/FGM/'
aux_path  =  '/disk/peace1/other_data/cluster/csds_sp/AUX/'
fontname  =  ''
fontsize  =  '10'
  
```
  The user needs to edit plot_path and possibly rap_path:
  rap_path - directory holding rapid data in CAA *.cef, ISTP *.cdf or .SCI formats. Default path is given above, but this can be changed if the user wishes to use own data. To use own RAPID data:
  1. create a directory (in user's home directory) to store RAPID data.
  2. obtain required RAPID data (contact Andrew Fazakerley for advice).
  3. change rap_path in rap_soft_cfg.txt to point to required RAPID data.
  plot_path - directory for storing plots produced by rapid. Needs to be set by the user.
  Other paths are (no need to edit):
  main_path - directory holding rapid software;
  fgm_path - directory holding FGM data;
  aux_path - directory holding AUX data.
5. save rap_soft_cfg.txt and close.
To run:
1. type ./rapid from the command line. This will compile the software and will open up a GUI interface.
  NOTE: the software is compiled twice on linux/unix; ignore any compilation errors at the first stage of compilation.
2. to change the screen size, click Set screen size, make Y-size smaller (~924) and click OK. This will open up a resized GUI interface.
Software Guide is in /soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/Software_guide/.

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GUI Interface

First GUI interface is:
or full size image
1. Select one of the plots:
  - Overview Plot
  - Line Plot
  - Angle-Angle Plot
  - Pitch Angle Distribution
  - 8 Panel Composition
  See Software Guide in /soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/Software_guide/ for overview of different types of plots.
2. Select required Data Format (CDF, CEF or SCI).
3. Click OK to confirm the selection or Cancel to cancel it. This will open up a GUI interface for the selected type of plot.
GUI interface for the selected type of plot.
Example: Cluster RAPID Summary Plots:
or full size image
1. set Start-Date, Starttime and Timespan (interval).
2. put a cursor into the Timespan input box (after numbers) and hit Enter to activate remaining input boxes.
3. set Stop-Date and Stop-Time.
4. set Plot Panels and Spacecraft. Available products are:
  - ESPCT
  - HSPCT
  - ISPCT (Helium)
  - ISPCT (CNO)
5. set Data Type from the list:
  - Differential Flux
  - Counts/s
  - Int. Flux
  - Raw Counts
6. select required Time Resolution from the drop down list:
  - best
  - 1 min
  - 5 min
  - 1 hour
7. click Summary Plot to plot data. Progress will be displayed in the widget window.
8. if a quicklook plot is produced two additional buttons appears:
  - Plot Channels -- allows to plot several channels of one science product as a time series plot.
  - Pitch Angle Distribution -- allows to calculate and display the pitch angle distribution of a selected science product
  NOTE: see Software Guide in /soft/soft3/plasma-Linux/rap_vis_sw/Software_guide/ for more information.

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GUI Interface Menus

Each GUI interface has two menus: File and Options.

File:
1. Save as *.jpg -- saves plot in a .jpg file format.
2. Save as *.eps -- saves plot in a .eps (encapsulated postscript) file format.
3. Save as *.pdf -- saves plot in a .pdf (acrobat reader) file format.
4. Exit -- exit GUI.
Options:
1. Start Over -- closes current GUI and opens 'Select Plot Type' GUI where the user can select a different plot type and data type.
2. Set charthick -- sets thickness of the characters on the plot.
3. Set charsize -- sets a size of the characters on the plot.
4. Set screen size -- sets a screen size.

MSSL Only

RAPID SOFTWARE USER GUIDE

Index

Overview
How To Start
GUI Interface
GUI Interface Menus
Current Limitations
Problems Report

Overview

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How To Start

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GUI Interface

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GUI Interface Menus

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Current Limitations

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Problems Report

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URL: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/missions/plasma_science/RAPID_high_res.php