Neutral Atmosphere Composition Spectrometer (NACS)

Description

The Neutral Atmosphere Composition Spectrometer (NACS) was designed to obtain in situ measurements of the neutral atmospheric composition and to study the variations of the neutral atmosphere in response to energy coupled into it from the magnetosphere. Because temperature enhancements, large-scale circulation cells, and wave propagation are produced by energy input (each of which posseses a specific signature in composition variation), the measurements permitted the study of the partition, flow, and deposition of energy from the magnetosphere. Specifically, the investigation objective was to characterize the composition of the neutral atmosphere with particular emphasis on variability in constituent densities driven by interactions in the atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere system. The quadrupole mass spectrometer used was nearly identical to those flown on the AE-C, -D, and -E missions. The electron-impact ion source was used in a closed mode. Atmospheric particles entered an antechamber through a knife-edged orifice, where they were thermalized to the instrument temperature. The ions with the selected charge-to-mass ratios had stable trajectories through the hyperbolic electric field, exited the analyzer, and entered the detection system. An off-axis beryllium-copper dynode multiplier operating at a gain of 2.E6 provided an output pulse of electrons for each ion arrival. The detector output had a pulse rate proportional to the neutral density in the ion source of the selected mass. The instrument also included two baffles that scanned across the input orifice for optional measurement of the zonal and vertical components of the neutral wind. The mass select system provided for 256 mass values between 0 and 51 atomic mass units (u) or each 0.2 u. It was possible to call any one of these mass numbers into each of eight 0.016-s intervals. This sequence was repeated each 0.128 s. More details are found in G. R. Carignan et al., Space Sci. Instrum., v. 5, n. 4, p. 429, 1981.