Development of a supra-thermal ion energy-mass spectrometer for planetary magnetospheric missions

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H03735
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Space and upper atmospheric physics
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace EXploration Agency
• Principal Investigator: Asamura Kazushi 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 助教 (50321568)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 粒子観測器 / 地球惑星磁気圏 / 機器開発

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A supra-thermal ion energy-mass spectrometer has been developed in order to measure ions with energies from 0.1eV to 100eV in a planetary magnetosphere in future. Shape and location of electrodes in an electrostatic energy analyzer were designed with numerical simulations. A time-of-flight (TOF) technique is used for mass analysis. As a result, a small instrument, but with high sensitivity has been obtained successfully. Testings with ion beam irradiations show that the sensor characteristics for energy, angular, and mass resolutions agree with the results of the numerical simulations. Also, a testing with ultraviolet photon irradiation show that the photon rejection capability of the sensor is enough.

Free Research Field

地球惑星磁気圏