The Solar Isotope Spectrometer for the Advanced Composition Explorer

The Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS), one of nine instruments on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), is designed to provide high- resolution measurements of the isotopic composition of energetic nuclei from He to Zn (Z=2 to 30) over the energy range from ∼10 to ∼100 MeV nucl−1. During large solar events SIS will measure the isotopic abundances of solar energetic particles to determine directly the composition of the solar corona and to study particle acceleration processes. During solar quiet times SIS will measure the isotopes of low-energy cosmic rays from the Galaxy and isotopes of the anomalous cosmic-ray component, which originates in the nearby interstellar medium. SIS has two telescopes composed of silicon solid-state detectors that provide measurements of the nuclear charge, mass, and kinetic energy of incident nuclei. Within each telescope, particle trajectories are measured with a pair of two-dimensional silicon-strip detectors instrumented with custom, very large-scale integrated (VLSI) electronics to provide both position and energy-loss measurements. SIS was especially designed to achieve excellent mass resolution under the extreme, high flux conditions encountered in large solar particle events. It provides a geometry factor of ∼40 cm2 sr, significantly greater than earlier solar particle isotope spectrometers. A microprocessor controls the instrument operation, sorts events into prioritized buffers on the basis of their charge, range, angle of incidence, and quality of trajectory determination, and formats data for readout by the spacecraft. This paper describes the design and operation of SIS and the scientific objectives that the instrument will address. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Surface Composition of Ceres

Our understanding of the composition of Ceres is driven by remote sensing of its surface. We review spectral observations of Ceres over wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the radio, as well as non-spectral data such as thermal inertia, photometric properties, radar experiments, and surface variability. We also discuss the closest likely meteorite analogs to Ceres and consider the likelihood that material from Ceres could be delivered to Earth.     

The Cosmic-Ray Isotope Spectrometer for the Advanced Composition Explorer

The Cosmic-Ray Isotope Spectrometer is designed to cover the highest decade of the Advanced Composition Explorer's energy interval, from ∼50 to ∼500 MeV nucl−1, with isotopic resolution for elements from Z≃2 to Z≃30. The nuclei detected in this energy interval are predominantly cosmic rays originating in our Galaxy. This sample of galactic matter can be used to investigate the nucleosynthesis of the parent material, as well as fractionation, acceleration, and transport processes that these particles undergo in the Galaxy and in the interplanetary medium. Charge and mass identification with CRIS is based on multiple measurements of dE/dx and total energy in stacks of silicon detectors, and trajectory measurements in a scintillating optical fiber trajectory (SOFT) hodoscope. The instrument has a geometrical factor of ∼r250 cm2 sr for isotope measurements, and should accumulate ∼5×106 stopping heavy nuclei (Z>2) in two years of data collection under solar minimum conditions. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.