The Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons investigation is designed to make
counts of protons, helium ions, and electrons and measure their velocities,
densities, and temperatures. These measurements are to support the primary
science objectives to determine the structure and dynamics of the magnetic
fields at the sources of the fast and slow solar wind, trace the flow of energy
that heats the solar corona and accelerates the solar wind, and explore
mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles. The investigation
comprises three instruments: the Solar Probe Cup (SPC) and two Solar Probe
Analyzers (SPAN-A and SPAN-B). They are arranged to cover the entire sky.
The SPC is a Faraday Cup made of high purity tungsten, niobium, and molybdenum,
TZM, that is mounted on the edge of the solar shield and looks directly at the
Sun to measure ion and electron fluxes and flow angles. It measures fluxes and
flow angles as a function of energy from 50 eV/q to 8 keV/q for ions and 50 eV
to 2 keV for electrons. It has a full width field-of-view of 60 degrees. The SPC
consists of a disk-shaped modulator section comprising a ground grid, a
high-voltage modulator grid, and a limiting aperture ground grid. Behind this is
a smaller disk-shaped collector grid housing ground grids, a suppressor grid, 4
collector plates, and collector plate outputs.
SPAN-A is an ion and electron electrostatic analyzer mounted on the ram side of
the spacecraft that covers the entire sky in the direction of motion of the
spacecraft except for the part blocked by the solar shield. SPAN-A is based on a
top-hat hemispherical electrostatic analyzer design and uses microchannel plate
detectors. It measures ions as a function of direction and energy/charge from
several eV/q to 20 keV/q, and can measure time-of-flight to sort particles by
mass/charge ratio. It can also measure electrons from several eV to 20 keV.
Counts are read out every 0.5 milliseconds. SPAN-B is an electron electrostatic
analyzer mounted on the anti-ram side that looks in the opposite direction of
the spacecraft motion and covers that portion of the sky. It is almost identical
in design to the SPAN-A electron analyzer and can measure electrons from several
eV to 20 keV.
Version:2.3.0
The Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons investigation is designed to make
counts of protons, helium ions, and electrons and measure their velocities,
densities, and temperatures. These measurements are to support the primary
science objectives to determine the structure and dynamics of the magnetic
fields at the sources of the fast and slow solar wind, trace the flow of energy
that heats the solar corona and accelerates the solar wind, and explore
mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles. The investigation
comprises three instruments: the Solar Probe Cup (SPC) and two Solar Probe
Analyzers (SPAN-A and SPAN-B). They are arranged to cover the entire sky.
The SPC is a Faraday Cup made of high purity tungsten, niobium, and molybdenum,
TZM, that is mounted on the edge of the solar shield and looks directly at the
Sun to measure ion and electron fluxes and flow angles. It measures fluxes and
flow angles as a function of energy from 50 eV/q to 8 keV/q for ions and 50 eV
to 2 keV for electrons. It has a full width field-of-view of 60 degrees. The SPC
consists of a disk-shaped modulator section comprising a ground grid, a
high-voltage modulator grid, and a limiting aperture ground grid. Behind this is
a smaller disk-shaped collector grid housing ground grids, a suppressor grid, 4
collector plates, and collector plate outputs.
SPAN-A is an ion and electron electrostatic analyzer mounted on the ram side of
the spacecraft that covers the entire sky in the direction of motion of the
spacecraft except for the part blocked by the solar shield. SPAN-A is based on a
top-hat hemispherical electrostatic analyzer design and uses microchannel plate
detectors. It measures ions as a function of direction and energy/charge from
several eV/q to 20 keV/q, and can measure time-of-flight to sort particles by
mass/charge ratio. It can also measure electrons from several eV to 20 keV.
Counts are read out every 0.5 milliseconds. SPAN-B is an electron electrostatic
analyzer mounted on the anti-ram side that looks in the opposite direction of
the spacecraft motion and covers that portion of the sky. It is almost identical
in design to the SPAN-A electron analyzer and can measure electrons from several
eV to 20 keV.
| Role | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | PrincipalInvestigator | spase://SMWG/Person/Justin.C.Kasper |
| 2. | MetadataContact | spase://SMWG/Person/James.M.Weygand |
| 3. | MetadataContact | spase://SMWG/Person/Lee.Frost.Bargatze |
Parker Solar Probe Mission Instrument Web Page, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL
Additional information on the Parker Solar Probe Instruments
NSSDC Master Catalog Listing for the Parker Solar Probe Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons, SWEAP, Instrument Suite, NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 2018-065A-04
Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) Investigation: Design of the Solar Wind and Coronal Plasma Instrument Suite for Solar Probe Plus. Space Sci Rev, 204(1-4), 131-186, 2016.