There is a source of neutral particles near the Sun, resulting in so-called “inner source pickup ions”. Pickup ions from this inner sour have to date been treated very similarly to those from interstellar space. In particular, the assumption has been made that they are effectively motionless when picked up, and thus in the solar wind frame have a velocity of -Vsw which then isotropizes into ring or hemispheric distributions. We suggest that there are other motions or effective motions of these neutral particles in the near-solar environment that need to be considered. Many, if not most, of the neutral particles arise from dust grains spiraling into the Sun in Keplerian orbits, and thus these neutrals have a large azimuthal velocity perpendicular to the solar wind and the average heliospheric magnetic field. In addition, many of these ions should be picked up where the solar wind is sub-Alfvenic. As such, the Alfven wave velocity needs to be taken into account when finding the effective frame in which ions are picked up, and their thermal velocity should isotropize around a value dependent upon major speed contributions. This value, much larger than that of the currently accepted stationary pickup, strongly affects the cooling of pickup ions in the inner heliosphere, and hence the interpretation of inner source pickup ion measurements done to date. The student talk that goes with the poster |
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Neutral-atom physics in the heliosphere is still a relatively unexplored topic since we lack adequate in-situ data with which to form theories. In particular, the formation of pick-up ions in near-solar regions depends on significant neutral populations that we so far have not detected except through optical means. Unfortunately, current neutral atom detectors are generally large and heavy. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies allow for the creation of detectors of similar or greater sensitivity for far smaller mass, volume, and energy costs, ideal for spacecraft with tightly constrained design budgets. We present here a Coke-can sized neutral-atom instrument design for Solar Probe that uses MEMS devices massing only a few grams. |
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Ionizing radiation can cause significant false data points in a myriad of space-based sensors. In particular, the Hydrogen Lyman-alpha band at 121.6 nanometers creates false counts in microchannel plates, solid state detectors, and other sensors intended to monitor solar wind particle densities and properties. Current sensors use bulky geometric means to filter the photons out of the charged particle stream, but freestanding conductive gratings have been demonstrated to serve the same function with far smaller mass and volume. This poster focuses around a new means of creating these fine-grain gratings using a femtosecond laser etch. |
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The WIMS ERC seeks to open the technology pipeline from research institutions to high schools. A substantial part of that effort is a mentoring program connecting senior level electrical engineering students in the 425 Design and Fabrication Class and K-12 schools, particularly traditionally underrepresented minorities and females. Through this inter-level connectivity it is felt that students will feel more relevance to their math, science and technology classes and that significantly more serious consideration of a career in engineering would result. |
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