Many space plasmas (especially electrons generated in planetary ionospheres) exhibit fine-detailed structures that are challenging to fully resolve with the energy resolution of typical space plasma analyzers (10% → 20%). While analyzers with higher resolution have flown, generally this comes at the expense of sensitivity and temporal resolution. We present a new technique for measuring plasmas with extremely high energy resolution through the combination of a top-hat Electrostatic Analyzer (ESA) followed by an internally mounted Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA). When high resolutions are not required, the RPA is grounded, and the instrument may operate as a typical general-purpose plasma analyzer using its ESA alone. We also describe how such an instrument may use its RPA to remotely vary the geometric factor (sensitivity) of a top hat analyzer, as was performed on the New Horizons Solar Wind at Pluto and MAVEN SupraThermal and Thermal Ion Composition instruments. Finally, we present results from laboratory testing of our prototype, showing that this technique may be used to construct an instrument with 1.6% energy resolution, constant over all energies and angles.
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November 2018
Research Article|
November 20 2018
A hybrid electrostatic retarding potential analyzer for the measurement of plasmas at extremely high energy resolution
Glyn A. Collinson
;
Glyn A. Collinson
a)
1
Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
2
Institute for Astrophysics and Computational Sciences, The Catholic University of America
, Washington, District of Columbia 20064, USA
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Dennis J. Chornay;
Dennis J. Chornay
1
Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
3
University of Maryland College Park
, 7403 Hopkins Avenue, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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Alex Glocer;
Alex Glocer
1
Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
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Nick Paschalidis;
Nick Paschalidis
1
Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
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Eftyhia Zesta
Eftyhia Zesta
1
Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
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a)
Electronic mail: glyn.a.collinson@nasa.gov
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 89, 113306 (2018)
Article history
Received:
July 18 2018
Accepted:
October 25 2018
Citation
Glyn A. Collinson, Dennis J. Chornay, Alex Glocer, Nick Paschalidis, Eftyhia Zesta; A hybrid electrostatic retarding potential analyzer for the measurement of plasmas at extremely high energy resolution. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 November 2018; 89 (11): 113306. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5048926
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