Towards better calibration of space instrumentation for measurements of energetic neutral atoms
BORIS DOI
Abstract
Pre-flight instrument calibration is a key step in the development process of new instruments for the observation of Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENA) at low energies in space. This is important in regard of the IMAP-Lo instrument on the upcoming Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission, which is currently under development.
The objective of this work was to improve the laboratory calibration capability for low-energy ENA instruments by obtaining more accurate knowledge of the calibration neutral beam fluxes and neutral energy at the instrument calibration. In order to achieve this goal, a laboratory device was developed and tested to measure the neutral atoms flux from a neutral-beam source at low beam energies in an absolute manner, independent of the detection efficiency. By application of the newly developed Absolute Beam Monitor (ABM), the low-energy neutral atom beam source of a calibration facility for space instruments was calibrated in preparation for the calibration campaign of IMAP-Lo at the University of Bern.
To support the IMAP-Lo instrument development, charge-state conversion surfaces were characterized experimentally in a dedicated particle-scattering test facility.
The objective of this work was to improve the laboratory calibration capability for low-energy ENA instruments by obtaining more accurate knowledge of the calibration neutral beam fluxes and neutral energy at the instrument calibration. In order to achieve this goal, a laboratory device was developed and tested to measure the neutral atoms flux from a neutral-beam source at low beam energies in an absolute manner, independent of the detection efficiency. By application of the newly developed Absolute Beam Monitor (ABM), the low-energy neutral atom beam source of a calibration facility for space instruments was calibrated in preparation for the calibration campaign of IMAP-Lo at the University of Bern.
To support the IMAP-Lo instrument development, charge-state conversion surfaces were characterized experimentally in a dedicated particle-scattering test facility.
Date of Publication
2023
Year of graduation
2023
Theses Type
dissertation
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Faculty/Graduate School
Institute
Access(Rights)
open.access
Primary OA Publication
true