The ion-optical prototype of the low energy neutral atom sensor of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer Mission (IBEX)

M Wieser; P Wurz; E Moebius; S A Fuselier; E Hertzberg; D J McComas

doi:10.1063/1.2821235

The ion-optical prototype of the low energy neutral atom sensor of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer Mission (IBEX)

Rev Sci Instrum. 2007 Dec;78(12):124502. doi: 10.1063/1.2821235.

Authors

M Wieser¹, P Wurz, E Moebius, S A Fuselier, E Hertzberg, D J McComas

Affiliation

¹ Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.

PMID: 18163739
DOI: 10.1063/1.2821235

Abstract

The direct measurement of the energetic neutral atoms originating from the heliospheric termination shock and beyond as well as neutral interstellar gas penetrating into the heliosphere requires a very sensitive neutral particle imaging instrument in the energy range of 10-1000 eV. We present the development of the prototype of the low energy sensor for the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission: IBEX-Lo is a neutral particle mass spectrometer dedicated to the measurement of energetic neutral atoms in this energy range. The response of the sensor to incident neutral hydrogen, helium, and oxygen atoms is discussed as well as the properties of the sensor's ion optics, the neutral-to-negative conversion surfaces, and other instrumental parameters.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Ions
Linear Energy Transfer*
Miniaturization
Radiation Dosage
Radiometry / instrumentation*
Reproducibility of Results
Sensitivity and Specificity
Spacecraft / instrumentation*

Substances

Ions