A mass resolving neutral atom imager
- Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 (United States)
Neutral atom imaging of space plasmas, the measurement of neutral atom flux as a function of angle and energy, can provide qualitative information about the global dynamics of a space plasma. In addition, mass and energy resolved neutral atom images can be used to remotely measure convective electric fields in planetary magnetospheres. Direct detection of neutral atoms using ultraviolet-rejecting waveguides and microchannel plate sensors has been proposed as a method of imaging low-energy neutral atoms. We discuss a new type of direct detection neutral atom imager that is capable of producing mass and energy resolved images. The imager has a large geometric factor (G{approx}0.2 cm{sup 2}sreV/eV), an energy range of 1{endash}100 keV, and single coincidence noise suppression. The estimated mass of the imager is less than 1.5 kG. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 451702
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960543--
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 68; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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