Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Composition Analysis Tool for the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) Instrument on New Horizons

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Space Science Reviews Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe the response of the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument (McComas et al. in Space Sci. Rev. 140:261, 2008) to 1–40 amu ions in order to assess whether it can be used to determine plasma composition. Our goal is to enhance the scientific return on the SWAP plasma measurements obtained during the New Horizons traversal down Jupiter’s magnetotail in 2007. We present calibration data for the SWAP flight instrument and another largely flight-like SWAP sensor, dubbed “SWAP-II”. SWAP’s mass-dependent response was characterized by analyzing the count ratios from its two channel electron multipliers (CEMs). We observe significant differences in the instrument response between light (mass ≤ He) and heavy (mass > He) ions, especially for energies below ∼4 keV. We attribute these differences to the mass-dependent electron emission yield from SWAP’s ultra-thin (∼1 μg/cm2) carbon foil. Using these results, we develop a plasma composition analysis technique to statistically distinguish between light and heavy plasma ions measured by the instrument.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • F. Allegrini, R.F. Wimmer-Schweingruber, P. Wurz, P. Bochsler, Nucl. Instr. Methods B 211, 487 (2003). doi:10.1016/SO168-583X(03)01705-1

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Allegrini, D.J. McComas, D.T. Young, J.-J. Berthelier, J. Covinhes, J.-M. Illiano, J.-F. Riou, H.O. Funsten, R.W. Harper, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 044501 (2006). doi:10.1063/1.2185490

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Allegrini, R.W. Ebert, J. Alquiza, T. Broiles, C. Dunn, D.J. McComas, I. Silva, P. Valek, J. Westlake, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79(9), 096701 (2008). doi:10.1063/1.2987691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Allegrini, M.I. Desai, S. Livi, R. Livi, D.J. McComas, B. Randol, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 80, 104502 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Alquiza, J. Goldstein, M. Gruntman, D.J. McComas, J. Redfern, P.W. Valek, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting, #SM11A-1555 (2009)

  • F. Bagenal, J. Atmos. Sol. Terr.-Phys. 69, 387 (2007). doi:10.1016/j.jastp/2006.08.012

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • K.H. Baines, A.A. Simon-Miller, G.S. Orten, H.A. Weaver, A. Lunsford, T.W. Momary, J. Spencer, A.F. Cheng, D.C. Reuter, D.E. Jennings, G.R. Gladstone, J. Moore, S.A. Stern, L.A. Young, H. Throop, P. Yanamandra-Fisher, B.M. Fisher, J. Hora, M.E. Ressler, Science 318, 226 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147393

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • R. Baragiola, Nucl. Instr. Methods B 78, 223–238 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Belcher, in Physics of the Jovian Magnetosphere, ed. by A.J. Dessler (1983), pp. 68–105

  • A. Bürgi, M. Oetliker, P. Bochsler, J. Geiss, M.A. Coplan, J. Appl. Phys. 68, 2547 (1990)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Delaunay, M. Fehringer, R. Geller, D. Hitz, P. Varga, H. Winter, Phys. Rev. B 35(9), 4232–4235 (1987)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G.H. Fountain, D.Y. Kusnierkiewicz, C.B. Hersman, T.S. Herder, T.B. Coughlin, W.C. Gibson, D.A. Clancy, C.C. Debov, T.A. Hill, J.D. Kinnison, D.S. Mehoke, G.K. Ottman, G.D. Rogers, S.A. Stern, J.M. Stratton, S.R. Vernon, S.P. Williams, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 23 (2008). doi:10.1007/s11214-008-9374-8

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Geiss, G. Gloeckler, H. Balsiger, L.A. Fisk, A.B. Galvin, F. Gliem, D.C. Hamilton, F.M. Ipavich, S. Livi, U. Mall, K.W. Ogilvie, R. von Steiger, B. Wilken, Science 257, 1535–1539 (1992). doi:10.1126/science.257.5076.1535

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G.R. Gladstone, S.A. Stern, D.C. Slater, M. Versteeg, M.W. Davis, K.D. Retherford, L.A. Young, A.J. Steffl, H. Throop, J.W. Parker, H.A. Weaver, A.F. Cheng, G.S. Orton, J.T. Clarke, J.D. Nichols, Science 318(5848), 229 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147613

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Guo, R.W. Farquhar, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 49–74 (2008). doi:10.1007/s11214-007-9242-y

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • P.H. Janzen, H.O. Funsten, R. Harper, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting, #SM13A-0345 (2006)

  • R. Kallenbach, M. Gonin, A. Bürgi, P. Bochsler, Nucl. Instr. Methods B 83, 68 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.J. McComas, F. Allegrini, C.J. Pollock, H.O. Funsten, S. Ritzau, G. Gloeckler, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 75(11), 4863 (2004). doi:10.1063/1.1809265

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.J. McComas, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, F. Crary, R.W. Ebert, H. Elliott, A. Stern, P. Valek, Science 318, 217 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147393

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.J. McComas, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, P. Casey, P. Delamere, D. Demkee, G. Dunn, H. Elliott, J. Hanley, K. Johnson, J. Langle, G. Miller, S. Pope, M. Reno, B. Rodriguez, N. Schwadron, P. Valek, S. Weidner, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 261 (2008). doi:10.1007/s11214-007-9205-3

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.J. McComas, F. Allegrini, J. Baldonado, B. Blake, J. Burch, J. Clemmons, W. Crain, R. DeMajistre, D. Everett, H. Fahr, L. Friesen, H. Funsten, J. Goldstein, M. Gruntman, R. Harbaugh, R. Harper, H. Henkel, C. Holmlund, G. Lay, D. Mabry, D. Mitchell, U. Nass, C. Pollock, S. Pope, M. Reno, S. Ritzau, E. Roelof, E. Scime, M. Svijee, R. Skoug, M. Thomsen, C. Urdiales, P. Valek, K. Viherkanto, S. Weidner, T. Vlikorpi, M. Young, J. Zoennchen, Space Sci. Rev. 142, 157 (2009). doi:10/1007/s11214-008-9467-4

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • R.J. McNutt Jr., D.K. Haggerty, M.E. Hill, S.M. Krimigis, S. Livi, G.C. Ho, R.S. Gurnee, B.H. Mauk, D.G. Mitchell, E.C. Roelof, D.J. McComas, F. Bagenal, H.A. Elliott, L.E. Brown, M. Kusterer, J. Vandergriff, S.A. Stern, H.A. Weaver, J.R. Spencer, J.M. Moore, Science 318, 220 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1148025

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • K.D. Retherford, J.R. Spencer, S.A. Stern, J. Saur, D.F. Strobel, A.J. Steffl, G.R. Gladstone, H.A. Weaver, A.F. Cheng, J.W. Parker, D.C. Slater, M.H. Versteeg, M.W. Davis, F. Bagenal, H.B. Throop, R.M.C. Lopez, D.C. Reuter, A. Lunsford, S.J. Conard, L.A. Young, J.M. Moore, Science 318, 237 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147594

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.C. Reuter, A.A. Simon-Miller, A. Lunsford, K.H. Baines, A.F. Cheng, D.E. Jennings, C.B. Olkin, J.R. Spencer, S.A. Stern, H.A. Weaver, L.A. Young, Science 318, 223 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147618

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.M. Ritzau, R.A. Baragiola, Phys. Rev. B 58, 2529 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J.R. Spencer, S.A. Stern, A.F. Cheng, H.A. Weaver, D.C. Reuter, K. Retherford, A. Lunsford, J.M. Moore, O. Abramov, R.M.C. Lopes, J.E. Perry, L. Kamp, M. Showalter, K.L. Jessup, F. Marchis, P.M. Schenk, C. Dumas, Science 318, 240 (2007). doi:10.1126/science.1147621

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.A. Stern, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 3 (2008). doi:10.1007/s11214-007-9295-y

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Sternglass, Phys. Rev. 108(1), 1–13 (1957)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • H.A. Weaver, H.A.W.C. Gibson, M.B. Tapley, L.A. Young, S.A. Stern, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 75 (2008). doi:10.1007/s11214-008-9376-6

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.T. Young, F.J. Crary, J.E. Nordholt, F. Bagenal, D. Boice, J.L. Burch, A. Eviatar, R. Goldstein, J.J. Hanley, D.J. Lawrence, D.J. McComas, R. Meier, D. Reisenfeld, K. Sauer, R.C. Wiens, Icarus 167, 80–88 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249-1644, USA

    R. W. Ebert, D. J. McComas & P. Valek

  2. Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78228-0510, USA

    R. W. Ebert, D. J. McComas, B. Rodriguez, P. Valek & S. Weidner

Authors
  1. R. W. Ebert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. J. McComas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Rodriguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. Valek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S. Weidner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. W. Ebert.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ebert, R.W., McComas, D.J., Rodriguez, B. et al. A Composition Analysis Tool for the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) Instrument on New Horizons. Space Sci Rev 156, 1–12 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9683-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9683-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation