Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p33c1581s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P33C-1581
Physics
Optics
[6015] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / Dust, [6022] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / Impact Phenomena, [6094] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / Instruments And Techniques, [6099] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / General Or Miscellaneous
Scientific paper
At the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Science (CCLDAS) we are in the process of assembling a 3MV macroscopic (~1um) dust particle accelerator. The acceleration unit is being made by the National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC). The accelerator consists of a pelletron generator and potential rings encased in an enclosure held at 6 atm of SF6. A pulsed dust source is used to inject particles into the accelerator. Here we describe advancements in dust accelerator technology at CCLDAS to allow more functionality and ease of use, focusing primarily on dust source control, and the capability to select a precise range in dust mass and velocity. Previously, the dust source was controlled by long plastic rods turning potentiometers inside the SF6 environment providing little to no feedback and repeatability. We describe a fiber optic control system that allows full control of the pulse characteristics being sent to the dust source using a LabVIEW control program to increase usability. An electrostatic Einzel lens is being designed using the ion-optics code SIMION to determine the properties of the electrodes needed for the optimum focusing of the dust beam. Our simulations studies indicate that the dust beam can be directed into a 0.5mm diameter spot. Our planned experiments require a high degree of control over particles size, speed, charge and other characteristics. In order to ensure that only particles of the desired characteristics are allowed to pass into the target chamber, two deflection plates are used to eliminate unwanted particles from the beam. Further simulations are being done to determine the possibility of bending the beamline to allow active selection of particles. The current design of the selection unit uses nuclear accelerator techniques to determine the velocity and charge of each particle and digital timing and logic to choose particles that will be allowed to pass. This requires a high signal to noise ratio due to the need for a well-defined edge to be used as a trigger. The fastest and smallest particles tend to have signals lost in the noise. A filtration technique using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) is being designed to allow real time triggering off of such pulses that would otherwise be lost in the noise. We describe the design and implementation of these improvements and future projects for the advancement of dust accelerator design.
Atmospheric Studies
Collette A.
Colorado Center for Lunar Dust
Drake K.
Gruen Eberhard
No associations
LandOfFree
The Dust Accelerator Facility at CCLDAS does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Dust Accelerator Facility at CCLDAS, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Dust Accelerator Facility at CCLDAS will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1496888