Atmospheric Neutral Analyzer: velocity-imaging space environment sensor

我们建议通过设计、建造和测试其射频(RF)质量分析器子系统的原型来推动大气中性分析器(ANA)仪器的发展。ANA的科学目标是观测热层(高层大气)的组成和动力学。ANA将测量热层中中性物质的详细二维速度分布，从中可以得出单个大气物种的组成、密度、温度和漂移速度。ANA将结合电子碰撞电离、射频离子质量分析和基于电荷耦合器件(CCD)的粒子成像技术。它将由三个主要子系统组成：电子电离源、射频离子质量分析仪和基于CCD的离子探测器。我们计划设计和建造一个射频质量分析仪原型，并利用卡尔加里大学的高真空室和低能离子校准源测试其离子质量分析能力和性能。我们之前已经搭建并测试了一个电子电离源的原型，并成功地展示了它的性能特性，我们将把我们现有的基于CCD的粒子探测器的设计改装成基于CCD的离子探测器。拟议的发展将把ANA的发展推进到技术准备级别(TRL)5，并为使原型子系统适应空间环境研究卫星和最终行星大气探测器的飞行铺平道路。

We propose to advance the development of the Atmospheric Neutral Analyzer (ANA) instrument by designing, building and testing a prototype for its radio frequency (RF) mass analyzer subsystem. The scientific objective of ANA is to observe both the composition and the dynamics of the thermosphere (upper atmosphere). ANA will measure the detailed 2-dimensional velocity distributions of neutral species in the thermosphere from which one can derive the composition, density, temperature, and drift velocity of individual atmospheric species.The ANA will combine the techniques of electron collision ionization, RF ion mass analysis, and charge coupled device (CCD) based particle imaging. It will comprise of three major subsystems: an electron ionization source, a RF ion mass analyzer, and a CCD-based ion detector.We propose to design and build a prototype RF mass analyzer, and test its ion mass analysis capability and performance using the high-vacuum chamber and low-energy ion calibration source at University of Calgary. We had previously built and tested a prototype electron ionization source and successfully demonstrated its performance characteristics, and we will adapt our existing design for CCD-based particle detectors to the CCD-based ion detector. The proposed development will advance the development of ANA to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5, and pave the way for the adaptation of the prototype subsystems for flight on space environment research satellites and eventually planetary atmospheric probes.