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A neutral‐atmosphere composition experiment for the Atmosphere Explorer‐C, ‐D, and ‐E
Author(s) -
Pelz David T.,
Reber Carl A.,
Hedin Alan E.,
Carignan George R.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs008i004p00277
Subject(s) - thermosphere , atmosphere (unit) , quadrupole mass analyzer , helium , ion , spectrometer , gas composition , mass spectrometry , argon , instrumentation (computer programming) , gas analyzer , physics , spectrum analyzer , atomic physics , materials science , optics , chemistry , ionosphere , meteorology , astronomy , quantum mechanics , computer science , environmental chemistry , thermodynamics , operating system
The neutral‐atmosphere composition experiment instrumentation is designed to obtain in‐situ measurements of neutral thermosphere composition from Atmosphere Explorer‐C, ‐D, and ‐E. The system is based on previously flown OGO‐6 and San Marco‐3 composition instruments. The mass‐spectrometer sensor includes a gold‐plated thermalizing chamber and ion source, a hyperbolic rod quadrupole analyzer, and an off‐axis electron multiplier. Automatic ion‐source sensitivity control and pulse‐counting techniques provide density measurement capability from approximately 125 to 1000 km altitude. The normal operating mode includes measurement at all masses in the range 1 to 44 amu with emphasis on hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and argon. Additional operational modes are optimized for minor constituent studies of any individual gas in this mass range.