Geospace Imaging from the Ionospheric Connection Explorer
Abstract
The Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, is a new NASA Explorer mission that will explore the boundary between Earth and space to understand the physical connection between our world and our space environment. This connection is made in the ionosphere, which has long been known to exhibit variability associated with the sun and solar wind. However, it has been recognized in the 21st century that equally significant changes in ionospheric conditions are apparently associated with energy and momentum propagating upward from our own atmosphere. ICON's goal is to weigh the competing impacts of these two drivers as they influence our space environment. We describe the specific science objectives that address this goal, as well as the means by which they will be achieved. The instruments selected and the overall performance of the science payload will be presented and discussed. The first evaluation of on-orbit instrument performance, if available, and the expectation for future scientific research, will also be discussed.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFMSA14A..02I
- Keywords:
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- 0355 Thermosphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 2437 Ionospheric dynamics;
- IONOSPHERE;
- 2494 Instruments and techniques;
- IONOSPHERE;
- 2794 Instruments and techniques;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS