A New Atmospheric Neutral Analyzer Instrument for Thermospheric Composition, Density and Wind Velocity Measurements on the ISWEAT Micro-Satellite
Abstract
We present the concept of a new atmospheric neutral analyzer (ANA) instrument and its unique capability to measure thermospheric composition, density and wind velocity, and the proposed Ionospheric Space Weather Effects in the Auroral Thermosphere (ISWEAT) micro-satellite. Using the 'Quicksat' micro-satellite bus, the ISWEAT will carry ANA as well as a dual-frequency GPS receiver (DGR) and a fluxgate magnetometer (FMG) to study the effects of magnetic storms and substorms on the thermosphere. ANA will combine the techniques of radio-frequency ion mass spectrometry and CCD-based low-energy ion velocity imaging, respectively, to measure mass- resolved 2-dimensional velocity distribution functions of atmospheric neutral species, including their 'non-thermal' components ('high-energy tails'). The DGR will measure the satellite position and velocity to cm and cm/s precision, respectively, as well as the large-scale ionospheric total electron contents (TEC), while FMG will measure magnetic field perturbations due to field-aligned current structures. The primary objective of ISWEAT is to use these measurements to study the effects of thermospheric expansion and associated ionospheric changes on 'anomalous' satellite drags at auroral latitudes during magnetic storms and substorms. Results of our mission concept study will be presented.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008AGUFMSA23A..08Y
- Keywords:
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- 0355 Thermosphere: composition and chemistry;
- 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335);
- 2494 Instruments and techniques