A light‐weight, low‐power, plasma analyzer is described that can be used for measuring the plasma environments of spacecraft with constrained resources. A unique system using a single electrostatic analyzer coupled to a single array of channel electron multipliers allows measurement of the three‐dimensional energy per charge distributions of both ions and electrons over E/q ranges from ∼1 eV/q to ≳40 keV/q. Particles selected by the analyzer are post‐accelerated into the multipliers to maintain sensitivity for the lowest energy particles. An instrument using this concept called the magnetospheric plasma analyzer (MPA) is described. Presently, three MPAs are in geosynchronous orbits (GEO) aboard spacecraft with International Designators of 1989‐046, 1990‐095, and 1991‐080. The MPA and its response characteristics are described, and examples of on‐orbit data showing some of the MPA capabilities are presented.
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April 1993
Research Article|
April 01 1993
Magnetospheric plasma analyzer for spacecraft with constrained resources Available to Purchase
S. J. Bame;
S. J. Bame
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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D. J. McComas;
D. J. McComas
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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M. F. Thomsen;
M. F. Thomsen
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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B. L. Barraclough;
B. L. Barraclough
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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R. C. Elphic;
R. C. Elphic
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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J. P. Glore;
J. P. Glore
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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J. T. Gosling;
J. T. Gosling
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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J. C. Chavez;
J. C. Chavez
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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E. P. Evans;
E. P. Evans
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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F. J. Wymer
F. J. Wymer
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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S. J. Bame
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
D. J. McComas
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
M. F. Thomsen
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
B. L. Barraclough
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
R. C. Elphic
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
J. P. Glore
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
J. T. Gosling
MS D466, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
J. C. Chavez
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
E. P. Evans
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
F. J. Wymer
Box 5800, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 64, 1026–1033 (1993)
Article history
Received:
October 27 1992
Accepted:
November 09 1992
Citation
S. J. Bame, D. J. McComas, M. F. Thomsen, B. L. Barraclough, R. C. Elphic, J. P. Glore, J. T. Gosling, J. C. Chavez, E. P. Evans, F. J. Wymer; Magnetospheric plasma analyzer for spacecraft with constrained resources. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 April 1993; 64 (4): 1026–1033. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1144173
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