Computer Science – Performance
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsa11a1574f&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SA11A-1574
Computer Science
Performance
[0355] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Thermosphere: Composition And Chemistry, [0394] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Instruments And Techniques, [3369] Atmospheric Processes / Thermospheric Dynamics, [7969] Space Weather / Satellite Drag
Scientific paper
The Wind and Temperature Spectrometer (WATS) is a novel neutral particle sensor capable of simultaneously measuring neutral winds, temperature, composition, and density in the upper atmosphere. This compact, low-power instrument is ideally suited for in situ thermospheric measurements on small-satellite platforms. Building on work previously performed, we detail here endeavors to more fully characterize the effects of proposed instrument modifications, leading to a greater understanding of their impact on overall sensor performance. Additionally, laboratory testing of the WATS seeks to confirm theoretical data previously gathered. WATS utilizes electron impact ionization, a crossed Small Deflection Energy Analyzer (SDEA) pair, and a microchannel plate (MCP) detector with linear spatial readout to measure the full 3-D velocity distribution of an incoming neutral stream. A minor weakness in the original WATS design was that a large ion beam divergence at the SDEA entrance led to degraded energy resolution. To address this problem, a simple focusing lens system with a large acceptance angle range, dubbed the Tapered Quad Deflector (TQD), was designed and previously presented. Here, the results of ion trajectory calculations (Simion 3D) and Monte Carlo simulations (Matlab) are used to explore various aspects of the TQD’s functionality. With no modifications to the instrument aside from the addition of the TQD, simulations show an increase in the energy resolution by a factor of two. Further simulations reveal that reducing the width of the instrument’s collimator slit decreases the beam divergence (with a corresponding increase in instrument energy resolution) for both the original and modified WATS. However, this effect is markedly more pronounced in the latter, meaning that the TQD could enable a significant reduction in beam divergence while minimizing the loss of signal that would result from narrowing the collimator slit. Also presented are the results of experimental performance testing and calibration of both the original and modified WATS configurations. These data are compared to simulation results and theoretical predictions of sensor performance. Laboratory testing is facilitated by mounting the instrument on a multi-axis motion manipulator in a UHV chamber, which allows the angle-dependent properties of WATS to be measured using a fixed, monoenergetic, tunable ion beam. Full 2-D imaging ion detection, using an MCP detector with cross-delay line (XDL) readout, allows complete experimental characterization of WATS ion trajectories and comparison to theory.
Fenn Dan
Herrero F.
Syrstad E. A.
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