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The retarding‐potential analyzer on Atmosphere Explorer
Author(s) -
Hanson W. B.,
Zuccaro D. R.,
Lippincott C. R.,
Sanatani S.
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/rs008i004p00333
Subject(s) - ion , spectrum analyzer , atmosphere (unit) , spectral line , physics , eclipse , atomic physics , electron , environmental science , computational physics , materials science , optics , meteorology , astrophysics , astronomy , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
A planar retarding‐potential analyzer will be included in each of the Atmosphere Explorer (AE) payloads. The primary functions of the instrument are to supply ion‐temperature and ion‐concentration data, which it will do at least once every 40 km of flight path in the region of interest with an expected accuracy of better than 2%. In addition, the instrument will determine ion‐drift velocities and energy spectra of both the thermal and suprathermal electrons. During eclipse, negative‐ion concentrations greater than 0.3 cm −3 can be detected, though the normal positive‐ion sensitivity is approximately 1.5 ions cm −3 . Changes in the ion concentration along the flight path greater than 0.1% can be monitored with a spatial resolution of less than 40 m.