New Capabilities for Ionospheric Observations in the Upcoming Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) Mission

The CASSIOPE Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) is a Canadian small-satellite mission dedicated to the study of polar ion outflows and related magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes in the topside ionosphere. The mission will carry a total of 8 instruments, including imaging plasma and neutral particle sensors, magnetometers, dual-frequency GPS receivers, CCD cameras, a radio wave receiver and a beacon transmitter. We present the measurement capabilities of these instruments, with special emphasis on the new capabilities for observations of ionospheric responses to various drivers. These will include the capability to resolve sub-decameter plasma and field-aligned current structures using 2D imaging measurements of detailed low-energy ion and electron velocity distributions up to 100 distributions per second and magnetic field vector measurements exceeding 100 samples per second; the capability of measuring neutral mass composition and velocity in-situ; the capability of two-dimensional (altitude-latitude) tomography of ion outflow using the GPS receivers in conjunction with occulting GPS satellites above the horizon; the capability of continuous imaging of sub-km auroral structures using the CCD imagers in nadir or slew pointing mode; and the capability of trans-ionospheric radio propagation measurement using the radio receiver in conjunction with coordinated ground transmitters.