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The Deflection Plate Analyzer: A Technique for Space Plasma Measurements Under Highly Disturbed ConditionsA technique has been developed to measure the characteristics of space plasmas under highly disturbed conditions; e.g., non-Maxwellian plasmas with strong drifting populations and plasmas contaminated by spacecraft outgassing. The present method is an extension of the capabilities of the Differential Ion Flux Probe (DIFP) to include a mass measurement that does not include either high voltage or contamination sensitive devices such as channeltron electron multipliers or microchannel plates. This reduces the complexity and expense of instrument fabrication, testing, and integration of flight hardware as compared to classical mass analyzers. The new instrument design is called the Deflection Plate Analyzer (DPA) and can deconvolve multiple ion streams and analyze each stream for ion flux intensity (density), velocity (including direction of motion), mass, and temperature (or energy distribution). The basic functionality of the DPA is discussed. The performance characteristics of a flight instrument as built for an electrodynamic tether mission, the Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS), and the instrument s role in measuring key experimental conditions are also discussed.
Document ID
20040000361
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.
(National Space Science and Technology Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Dutton, Ken
(Madison Research Corp. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Martinez, Nelson
(National Space Science and Technology Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Smith, Dennis
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Stone, Nobie H.
(SRS Technologies Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Meeting Information
Meeting: 8th Spacecraft Charging Technology Conference
Location: Huntsville, AL
Country: United States
Start Date: October 20, 2003
End Date: October 24, 2003
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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