Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) Measurements on IMAGE: A Technological Review

Craig J. Pollock, Donald G. Mitchell, and Thomas E. Moore


The IMAGE spacecraft was launched in March of 2000. IMAGE was the first US
mission dedicated to magnetospheric remote imaging. The scientific payload
includes ENA imagers for low (LENA) [1], medium (MENA) [2], and high (HENA) [3]
energy neutral atoms. The ENA observations acquired by IMAGE have revealed
global dynamic and thermal characteristics of the storm-time and quiet-time ring
current, the role of the plasma sheet in supplying ring current plasma, details
of the plasma pressure distributions that drive Region 2 field aligned currents,
and a fast neutral component in the solar wind flow. The three ENA imagers flown
on IMAGE represent three very different technological approaches to the
measurement tasks in the three energy ranges. We will provide a review of the
salient features of the three instruments, highlighting the challenges and the
most important lessons to take forward into future instrument generations.

References   
[1] Moore, T.E., et al., Sp. Sci. Rev., 91, 155-195, 2000.   
[2] Pollock, C.J., et al., Sp. Sci. Rev., 91, 113-154, 2000.   
[3] Mitchell, D.G., et al., Sp. Sci. Rev., 91, 67-112, 2000.   

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Presentation, 2nd Annual Asia Oceanic Geosciences Society Meeting, Singapore 
20-24 June 2005