MSSL PRD Case for Support: Solar Wind Plasma Analyser/Electron Analyser System for Solar Orbiter
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Abstract
One of the key measurement goals for the ESA Solar Orbiter mission is to characterise the particle populations found in the solar wind, particularly in the unexplored 'inner heliosphere' region close to the Sun. In doing so, we will be able to obtain clues to both the physical processes that occur between plasmas and magnetic fields in the solar wind, to examine the effect of solar wind structures, such as coronal mass ejections, as they propagate away from the Sun, and also to make the important link between the solar wind and the activity in the Solar atmosphere in order to understand how the solar wind and the structures within it are formed. UCl/MSSL is part of an international consortium which will propose to build the instruments that will measure the charged particle populations in the solar wind. In particular, MSSL will provide the 2 sensors that are required to make a complete measurement of the electron populations within the solar wind. Since the Solar Orbiter mission will go closer to the Sun than any previous mission, there are a number of technical challenges that must be overcome in order to achieve the required measurements and gain the required science return. We have built a prototype sensor which is under test within the MSSL thermal vacuum chambers. Further testing and design work is required to tune the sensors to maximise their effectiveness in the inner heliospheric environment. In addition MSSL is required to collaborate with ESA in order to ensure that the interfaces between our sensors and the spacecraft are well defined and appropriate. The purpose of the tasks proposed here are to carry out these design and trade-off studies in order to maximise the chances of scientific success once the instrument is built and the mission launched.
Organisations
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Research Council (Collaboration)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Collaboration)
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) (Collaboration)
- University of New Hampshire (Collaboration)
- Charles University (Collaboration)
- Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (Collaboration)
- University of Michigan (Collaboration)
- Laboratory of Plasma Physics (LPP) (Collaboration)
Publications
Abraham J
(2022)
Radial Evolution of Thermal and Suprathermal Electron Populations in the Slow Solar Wind from 0.13 to 0.5 au: Parker Solar Probe Observations
in The Astrophysical Journal
Adhikari L
(2023)
Slow solar wind modeling of the Metis/Solar Orbiter - Parker Solar Probe quadrature
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Adhikari L
(2022)
MHD Turbulent Power Anisotropy in the Inner Heliosphere
in The Astrophysical Journal
Adhikari L
(2022)
2D and Slab Turbulent Cascade Rates in the Inner Heliosphere
in The Astrophysical Journal
Adhikari L
(2022)
Modeling of Joint Parker Solar Probe-Metis/Solar Orbiter Observations
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Agudelo Rueda J
(2020)
Identifying and Quantifying the Role of Magnetic Reconnection in Space Plasma Turbulence
Agudelo Rueda J
(2022)
Agyrotropy patterns in 3D small-scall turbulent reconnection
Aizawa S
(2022)
LatHyS global hybrid simulation of the BepiColombo second Venus flyby
in Planetary and Space Science
Alterman B
(2021)
Solar Wind Helium Abundance Heralds Solar Cycle Onset
in Solar Physics
AuchĂšre F
(2020)
Coordination within the remote sensing payload on the Solar Orbiter mission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bendt A
(2024)
The Relative Prevalence of Wave Packets and Coherent Structures in the Inertial and Kinetic Ranges of Turbulence as Seen by Solar Orbiter
in The Astrophysical Journal
Berriot E
(2024)
Identification of a single plasma parcel during a radial alignment of the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bisi M
(2010)
From the Sun to the Earth: The 13 May 2005 Coronal Mass Ejection
in Solar Physics
BoldĂș J
(2024)
Ion-Acoustic Waves Associated With Interplanetary Shocks
in Geophysical Research Letters
Borovsky J
(2022)
Heliospheric Structure Analyzer (HSA): A Simple 1-AU Mission Concept Focusing on Large-Geometric-Factor Measurements
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Borovsky J
(2021)
Exploring the Properties of the Electron Strahl at 1 AU as an Indicator of the Quality of the Magnetic Connection Between the Earth and the Sun
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Brooks D
(2022)
Plasma Composition Measurements in an Active Region from Solar Orbiter/SPICE and Hinode/EIS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bruno R
(2024)
Comparative Study of the Kinetic Properties of Proton and Alpha Beams in the Alfvénic Wind Observed by SWA-PAS On Board Solar Orbiter
in The Astrophysical Journal
BucĂk R
(2021)
The long period of 3 He-rich solar energetic particles measured by Solar Orbiter 2020 November 17-23
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cappuccio P
(2024)
Probing solar wind velocity from simultaneous superior solar conjunction radio science experiments of BepiColombo and Akatsuki missions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carbone F
(2021)
Statistical study of electron density turbulence and ion-cyclotron waves in the inner heliosphere: Solar Orbiter observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Carpenter D
(2024)
The solar wind heavy ion composition in the ascending phases of the solar cycles 23 and 25
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Chitta L
(2025)
Coronal hole picoflare jets are progenitors of both fast and Alfvénic slow solar wind
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chust T
(2021)
Observations of whistler mode waves by Solar Orbiter's RPW Low Frequency Receiver (LFR): In-flight performance and first results
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Coburn J
(2024)
The Regulation of the Solar Wind Electron Heat Flux by Wave-Particle Interactions
in The Astrophysical Journal
Collinson G
(2012)
Publisher's Note: "The geometric factor of electrostatic plasma analyzers: A case study from the Fast Plasma Investigation for the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission" [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 033303 (2012)]
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Collinson GA
(2012)
The geometric factor of electrostatic plasma analyzers: a case study from the Fast Plasma Investigation for the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Colomban L
(2024)
Quantifying the diffusion of suprathermal electrons by whistler waves between 0.2 and 1 AU with Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Criton B
(2020)
Design and Optimization of a High-Time-Resolution Magnetic Plasma Analyzer (MPA)
in Applied Sciences
D'Amicis R
(2025)
On Alfvénic turbulence of solar wind streams observed by Solar Orbiter during March 2022 perihelion and their source regions
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Da Silva D
(2021)
Three Solar Irradiance Proxies for Aperture Photoelectron Detections in Top-Hat ESAs Coated With Ebonol-C
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
David L
(2022)
In Situ Measurement of the Energy Fraction in Suprathermal and Energetic Particles at ACE, Wind, and PSP Interplanetary Shocks
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies E
(2024)
Flux Rope Modeling of the 2022 September 5 Coronal Mass Ejection Observed by Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter from 0.07 to 0.69 au
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies E
(2021)
In situ multi-spacecraft and remote imaging observations of the first CME detected by Solar Orbiter and BepiColombo
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dimmock A
(2022)
Mirror mode storms observed by Solar Orbiter
Dimmock A
(2022)
Analysis of multiscale structures at the quasi-perpendicular Venus bow shock Results from Solar Orbiter's first Venus flyby
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ding Z
(2024)
Modelling two energetic storm particle events observed by Solar Orbiter using the combined EUHFORIA and iPATH models
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ervin T
(2024)
Compositional Metrics of Fast and Slow Alfvénic Solar Wind Emerging from Coronal Holes and Their Boundaries
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ervin T
(2024)
Near Subsonic Solar Wind Outflow from an Active Region
in The Astrophysical Journal
Farooki H
(2024)
Axial Flux Evolution of Small-scale Magnetic Flux Ropes from 0.06 to 10 au
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Fludra A
(2021)
First observations from the SPICE EUV spectrometer on Solar Orbiter
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Foullon C
(2009)
The Apparent Layered Structure of the Heliospheric Current Sheet: Multi-Spacecraft Observations
in Solar Physics
Foullon C
(2009)
The Apparent Layered Structure of the Heliospheric Current Sheet: Multi-Spacecraft Observations
in Solar Physics
Freiherr Von Forstner J
(2021)
Radial evolution of the April 2020 stealth coronal mass ejection between 0.8 and 1 AU Comparison of Forbush decreases at Solar Orbiter and near the Earth
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Friedrich J
(2024)
Nonlocal contributions to the turbulent cascade in magnetohydrodynamic plasmas.
in Physical review. E
GarcĂa Marirrodriga C
(2021)
Solar Orbiter: Mission and spacecraft design
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Gruchola S
(2021)
Future Venus missions and flybys: A collection of possible measurements with mass spectrometers and plasma instruments
in Advances in Space Research
| Description | This grant funded the assessment of the design for the UCL/MSSL prototype for the electron sensor for the Solar Orbiter SWA suite of sensors. This work led to the confirmation of the mission and the instruments by ESA. |
| Exploitation Route | This work has fed into the development work for the instrument which will be included in the scientific payload for Solar Orbiter and launched in 2017. Development of certain subsystems (e.g. miniature high-voltage generators) can be used for further space and ground based applications. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Electronics |
| Description | Findings have been fed into the design and ongoing construction of the SWA electron sensor for Solar Orbiter, following confirmation of the mission in 2011. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | Charles University |
| Department | Faculty of Mathematics and Physics |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | Laboratory of Plasma Physics (LPP) |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
| Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | National Research Council |
| Department | Institute of Interplanetary Space Physics |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) |
| Department | Space Research |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Michigan |
| Department | Space Research Building (SRB) |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | SWA Consortium |
| Organisation | University of New Hampshire |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We (UCL/MSSL) are the Principle Investigator Institution for the Solar Orbiter SWA (Solar Wind Analyser) suite of instruments, with responsibility for leading and managing the whole of the international consortium. As well as scientific and technical leadership of the entire suite, UCL/MSSL is responsible for the specific design and build of the the Electron Analyser System (EAS). |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are directly collaborating with LPP on the provision of an electron analyser system (EAS) for Solar Orbiter. We will contribute an FPGA to the Proton-Alpha Sensor (PAS), the design and build of which is the responsibility of the French IRAP team. the czech group will also contribute to PAS. IRAP will collaborate with the US groups on the design and build of the Heavy ion sensor (HIS). |
| Impact | We are now in the build phase of the project. This collection of grants has supported the study, assessment and definition phases of the project as well as providing support for developing the original proposal and securing the leadership of the consortium. The consortium successfully passed its European Space Agency Preliminary Design Review in Summer 2012. The Critical Design Review will be held in Oct/Nov 2013. The structural and thermal models of the instruments are also nearing completion for delivery in summer 2013. Many hundreds of consortium documents have been generated over this time. |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Title | SWA/EAS Prototype |
| Description | Development culminated in 2012 after many years work supported by a number of Solar Orbiter-related grants. The new analyser for Solar Orbiter incorporates novel features: i) Aperture deflection system ii) Variable Geometric Factor iii) Miniaturised HV and other electronic systems Charged particle detectors |
| Type Of Technology | Detection Devices |
| Year Produced | 2012 |
| Impact | Prototype meets challenging mass and power restrictions for the mission while maintaining, indeed improving, scientific performance. Potential applications for Space Weather related activities. Subsystems (e.g. mini-HV supplies) of potential in a wide ra |