Physics
Scientific paper
May 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agusmsh31c..01c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2009, abstract #SH31C-01
Physics
2114 Energetic Particles (7514), 2126 Heliosphere/Interstellar Medium Interactions, 2144 Interstellar Gas, 2164 Solar Wind Plasma, 7894 Instruments And Techniques
Scientific paper
A key objective of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission is to compare the interstellar oxygen flow to the helium flow through the solar system. This comparison requires an accurate determination of the incoming energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) of the interstellar gas flow to the background stars. To obtain this type of pointing accuracy a star sensor was developed with a unique split "V" aperture and was co-aligned to the IBEX- lo collimator. Encased in the star sensor is a photomultiplier tube (PMT) that is sensitive to visual wavelengths. The magnitude range of stars that can be used for the direction determination is greatly affected by diffuse background sources including the Milky Way and the zodiacal light. Using detailed background models for subtraction increases the usable dynamic range. A preliminary background model of the sky was created assuming one color band, but analysis of Milky Way photometry maps show it is necessary to include all color bands to increase the angular resolution of the star sensor. We will present first IBEX star sensor observations in comparison with the preliminary and the improved background models. Flight data also reveal an unexpectedly strong presence of the geocorona as a background source. We will discuss these early findings and how a detailed modeling of diffuse backgrounds enhances the star sensor operation.
Bzowski Maciej
Clark Barry Gillespie
Fuselier Stephen
Granoff M.
Heirtzler D.
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