Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Nov 1997
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997aps..dppkwp221b&link_type=abstract
American Physical Society, Division of Plasma Physics Meeting, November 17-21, 1997, abstract #kWeaP221.
Physics
Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Low energy neutral atoms (LENAs) in the Earth's magnetosphere are created by charge exchange between the cold, neutral geocorona and the energetic magnetospheric plasma. Just as in fusion plasmas, the energy spectrum and source distribution of the resultant energetic neutrals can be used as a probe of the neutral and plasma ion populations. A space based neutral particle analyzer is challenging in that it must be lightweight, low power, and reject an ultraviolet (UV) background ten orders of magnitude greater than the neutral particle flux. Construction has begun on a neutral atom imager that uses sub-micron period (200 nm), free-standing, gold gratings to block UV light while permitting the direct passage of neutral atoms. With respect to 121.6 nm light, the primary source of background, the gratings function as waveguides above cutoff - thereby rejecting light at the 10E-6 level while permitting the passage of atoms at the 10E-1 level. A novel, atmospheric pressure, intense, monochromatic, 121.6 nm light source has been developed at West Virginia University for testing of the gratings. Measurements of the UV and particle transmission properties of the gratings at 121.6 nm, the design of the UV light source, and the design of the neutral atom imager will be presented. Work supported by NASA.
Balkey Matthew M.
Funsten Herbert O.
Gruntman Mike
McComas David John
Pollock Craig
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