NEUTRAL IMAGING TECHNIQUES:
TRANSFORMATION INTO CHARGED PARTICLES FOR DETECTION AND DISCRIMINATION

SPUTTERING OF SECONDARY POSITIVE IONS:

• Demonstrated for He (Witte et al. 1994)
  • Dominant species only

SURFACE CONVERSION TO NEGATIVE IONS:

• In demonstration on IMAGE (e.g. Wurz et al. 1995)
  • Analysis of many ion species
• Neutral Imaging & Composition Instrument Concept:
  • Collimator for imaging
  • Surface Conversion of Neutrals into negative ions
  • Focusing and elimination of electrons in Ion Optics
  • Position and mass determination in TOF Spectrometer
• Range of Major Elements:

Two techniques complementary in the Inner Heliosphere!
Surface Conversion is sufficient on Interstellar Probe

See related figure: Simulation of Oxygen

On to Heritage

Back to Main Menu