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Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE)
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The TIDE/PSI investigation is designed to obtain mass-resolved observations of the velocity distribution of low energy or core plasmas of the magnetosphere, especially the polar regions. This includes the partial pressure, wind velocity and temperature of the principal ion species whose source lies in the terrestrial atmosphere and ionosphere, i.e. Hydrogen, Helium, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and molecules of these species and their compounds. Features of interest include the heating and outflow of terrestrial plasma into the magnetosphere, the circulation of this plasma within the magnetosphere, its acceleration by space storm processes, and the escape of terrestrial plasma out of the magnetosphere into the passing solar wind. Launch aboard the Global Geospace Science POLAR spacecraft is anticipated in late 1995.
TIDE views the plasma environment through seven independent energy analyzers that combine large collection area electrostatic mirrors with conventional retarding potential analyzers. The seven apertures are arranged in a fan to resolve polar angle relative to the spacecraft spin axis, while the spin of the spacecraft sweeps them through azimuth angle, providing nearly a full view of the sky. This permits the measurement of winds up to 300 km/s (750,000 mph) in arbitrary directions and temperature up to several million K (300 electron Volts). After energy analysis, plasma ions are fed to a time-of-flight mass analyzer that clocks the speed of each ion detected, at known energy, and sorts ions accordingly.
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The Thermal Ion DynamicsExperiment,
with TOF analyzer cover removed to
expose the detector systems.
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The Thermal Ion Dynamics
Experiment
as mounted on the
POLAR spacecraft. Note that the
outer portion of the spacecraft is removed.
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The POLAR spacecraft inside the vacuum chamber for thermal vacuum testing. TIDE is mounted at the upper right of the spacecraft and is wrapped for protection.
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