RPC-IES: The Ion and Electron Sensor of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium
Winningham, J. D.; Young, D. T.; Goldstein, R.; Cravens, T. E.; Burch, J. L.; Pollock, C. J.; Lundin, R. N.; Gibson, W. C.
United States, Sweden
Abstract
The ion and electron sensor (IES) is part of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC). The IES consists of two electrostatic plasma analyzers, one each for ions and electrons, which share a common entrance aperture. Each analyzer covers an energy/charge range from 1 eV/e to 22 keV/e with a resolution of 4%. Electrostatic deflection is used at the entrance aperture to achieve a field of view of 90°× 360° (2.8π sr). Angular resolution is 5°× 22.5° for electrons and 5°× 45° for ions with the sector containing the solar wind being further segmented to 5°× 5°. The three-dimensional plasma distributions obtained by IES will be used to investigate the interaction of the solar wind with asteroids Steins and Lutetia and the coma and nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (CG). In addition, photoelectron spectra obtained at these bodies will help determine their composition.