An ion analyzer for the lunar surface with E-parallel–B |
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Authors: | A Collette S Robertson |
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Institution: | 1. Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, UCB 392, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;2. Physics Department, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 390, Boulder, CO 80309, USA |
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Abstract: | We present a novel instrument concept to measure the energy and mass spectra of ions incident on the lunar surface, based on the E-parallel–B or Thomson-parabola device used extensively as a diagnostic in the plasma fusion community. The Apollo-era Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE) was the first instrument package to perform in-situ measurements of ions incident on the lunar surface. The ions can originate from a variety of sources, including the solar wind, the Earth’s magnetotail, and photoionization of the thin lunar atmosphere. The species and energy distribution of ions arriving at the lunar surface depend in a complicated and poorly-understood fashion on the phase of the lunar day, the position of the Moon with respect to the Earth, and on the local plasma environment. |
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Keywords: | Moon Lunar atmosphere Ion analyzer Lunar ions |
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