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Immel TJ, England SL, Mende SB, Heelis RA, Englert CR, Edelstein J, Frey HU, Korpela EJ, Taylor ER, Craig WW, Harris SE, Bester M, Bust GS, Crowley G, Forbes JM, Gérard JC, Harlander JM, Huba JD, Hubert B, Kamalabadi F, Makela JJ, Maute AI, Meier RR, Raftery C, Rochus P, Siegmund OHW, Stephan AW, Swenson GR, Frey S, Hysell DL, Saito A, Rider KA, Sirk MM. The Ionospheric Connection Explorer Mission: Mission Goals and Design. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2017; 214:13. [PMID: 33758433 PMCID: PMC7983873 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-017-0449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, is a new NASA Explorer mission that will explore the boundary between Earth and space to understand the physical connection between our world and our space environment. This connection is made in the ionosphere, which has long been known to exhibit variability associated with the sun and solar wind. However, it has been recognized in the 21st century that equally significant changes in ionospheric conditions are apparently associated with energy and momentum propagating upward from our own atmosphere. ICON's goal is to weigh the competing impacts of these two drivers as they influence our space environment. Here we describe the specific science objectives that address this goal, as well as the means by which they will be achieved. The instruments selected, the overall performance requirements of the science payload and the operational requirements are also described. ICON's development began in 2013 and the mission is on track for launch in 2017. ICON is developed and managed by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, with key contributions from several partner institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Immel
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - S L England
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - S B Mende
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - R A Heelis
- University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, USA
| | - C R Englert
- Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - H U Frey
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | | | - W W Craig
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - M Bester
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - G S Bust
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | | | - J M Forbes
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | | | - J D Huba
- Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - B Hubert
- University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - J J Makela
- University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, USA
| | - A I Maute
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R R Meier
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - C Raftery
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
- National Solar Observatory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - P Rochus
- University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - A W Stephan
- Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - G R Swenson
- University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, USA
| | - S Frey
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - A Saito
- Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - K A Rider
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - M M Sirk
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
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Heelis RA, Stoneback RA, Perdue MD, Depew MD, Morgan WA, Mankey MW, Lippincott CR, Harmon LL, Holt BJ. Ion Velocity Measurements for the Ionospheric Connections Explorer. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2017; 212:615-629. [PMID: 30197455 PMCID: PMC6121705 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-017-0383-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The Ionospheric Connections Explorer (ICON) payload includes an Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) to provide measurements of the ion drift motions, density, temperature and major ion composition at the satellite altitude near 575 km. The primary measurement goal for the IVM is to provide the meridional ion drift perpendicular to the magnetic meridian with an accuracy of 7.5 ms-1 for all daytime conditions encountered by the spacecraft within 15° of the magnetic equator. The IVM will derive this parameter utilizing two sensors, a retarding potential analyzer (RPA) and an ion drift meter (IDM) that have a robust and successful flight heritage. The IVM described here incorporates improvements in the design and operation to produce the most sensitive device that has been fielded to date. It will specify the ion drift vector, from which the component perpendicular to the magnetic field will be derived. In addition it will specify the total ion density, the ion temperature and the fractional ion composition. These data will be used in conjunction with measurements from the other ICON instruments to uncover the important connections between the dynamics of the neutral atmosphere and the ionosphere through the generation of dynamo currents perpendicular to the magnetic field and collisional forces parallel to the magnetic field. Here the configuration and operation of the IVM instrument are described as well as the procedures by which the ion drift velocity is determined. A description of the subsystem characteristics, which allow a determination of the expected uncertainties in the derived parameters, is also given.
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