UCL/MSSL involvement in studies for Cross-Scale (Cosmic Visions)

跨尺度是一个使命概念，研究电子、离子和流体尺度过程的非线性耦合，这些过程控制着激波、重联和湍流等关键等离子体现象。该使命将由多达12个航天器组成，在地球轨道上编队飞行，间隔从数十公里到超过地球半径。跨尺度是国际空间等离子体界未来的最高优先事项，并已被选为欧空局宇宙愿景方案中第一个M级使命的竞争者。该使命由联合王国领导，联合王国在使命的界定和提议阶段都大力参与。UCL/MSSL有兴趣参与Cross-Scale热粒子分析仪。有许多不同的配置，这些配置可能会围绕我们的高遗产设计概念进行部署，以测量例如电子、离子和/或电子和离子。我们提出的仪器将基于改进的等离子体分析仪（IPA）的原型开发在MSSL下的滚动赠款和建议的概念，为美国宇航局的MMS使命。然而，这些传感器需要调整其性能以满足每个规模的要求。因此，需要进行一些研究，以使IPA适应跨尺度使命的要求，并验证其对使命的适用性。完整的工作方案详见相关提案（STFC参考文件ST/G 001332/1）。在过渡期间，我们将启动所有的工作包，以便英国和UCL/MSSL能够保持技术主动性，并领导国际财团的发展，准备在2010年对任何ESA AO进行跨尺度响应。

Cross-Scale is a mission concept to study the non-linear coupling of electron, ion and fluid scale processes which control the key plasma phenomena of shocks, reconnection and turbulence. The mission would comprise up to 12 spacecraft flying in formation in Earth orbit, with separations from 10's of km to more than an Earth radius. Cross-Scale is the international space plasma community's top priority for the future, and has been selected as a contender for the first M-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme. The mission is UK-led and has had strong UK involvement during the mission definition and proposal stages. UCL/MSSL is interested in participating in the thermal particle analysers on Cross-Scale. There are a number of different configurations which potentially could be deployed around our high-heritage design concept to measure, for example, electrons, ions and/or electrons and ions. Our proposed instruments will be based on the prototype Improved Plasma Analyser (IPA) developed at MSSL under the rolling grant and on concepts proposed for NASA's MMS mission. However, these sensors need to have their performance tuned to address requirements on each scale. Thus, a number of studies are required to adapt the IPA to meet the requirements of the Cross-Scale mission and validate its suitability for the mission. The full programme of work was detailed in the associated proposal (STFC Reference ST/G001332/1). During the bridging period we will kick-off all of the work packages in order that the UK and UCL/MSSL can maintain the technical initiative and lead the development of the international consortia preparing to respond to any ESA AO for Cross Scale in 2010.