Abstract
The Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS), one of nine instruments on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), is designed to provide high-resolution measurements of the isotopic composition of energetic nuclei from He to Zn (Z = 2 to 30) over the energy range from ∼ 10 to ∼ 100 MeV nucl-1. During large solar events SIS will measure the isotopic abundances of solar energetic particles to determine directly the composition of the solar corona and to study particle acceleration processes. During solar quiet times SIS will measure the isotopes of low-energy cosmic rays from the Galaxy and isotopes of the anomalous cosmic-ray component, which originates in the nearby interstellar medium. SIS has two telescopes composed of silicon solid-state detectors that provide measurements of the nuclear charge, mass, and kinetic energy of incident nuclei. Within each telescope, particle trajectories are measured with a pair of two-dimensional silicon-strip detectors instrumented with custom, very large-scale integrated (VLSI) electronics to provide both position and energy-loss measurements. SIS was especially designed to achieve excellent mass resolution under the extreme, high flux conditions encountered in large solar particle events. It provides a geometry factor of ∼ 40 cm2 sr, significantly greater than earlier solar particle isotope spectrometers. A microprocessor controls the instrument operation, sorts events into prioritized buffers on the basis of their charge, range, angle of incidence, and quality of trajectory determination, and formats data for readout by the spacecraft. This paper describes the design and operation of SIS and the scientific objectives that the instrument will address.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Anders, E. and Ebihara, M: 1982, ‘Solar-System Abundances of the Elements’, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 46, 2363–2380.
Anders, E. and Grevesse, N.: 1989, ‘Abundances of the Elements: Meteoritic and Solar’, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 53, 197–214.
Audouze, J.: 1983, in A. Maeder and A. Renzini (eds), ‘Observational Tests of Stellar Evolution Theory’, IAU Symp. 105, 541.
Breneman, H. H. and Stone, E. C.: 1985, ‘Solar Photospheric and Coronal Abundances from Solar Energetic Particle Measurements’, Astrophys. J. 199, L57–L61.
Cassé, M. and Paul, J. A.: 1982, ‘On the Stellar Origin of the Ne-22 Excess in Cosmic-Rays’, Astrophys. J. 258, 860–863.
Connell, J. J. and Simpson, J. A.: 1993, ‘The Ulysses Cosmic Ray Isotope Experiment II: Source Abundances of Ne, Mg and Si Derived from High Resolution Measurements’, Proc. 23rd Int. Cosmic Ray Conf., Calgary 1, 559–562.
Cook, W. R., Cummings, A. C., Cummings, J. R., Garrard, T. L., Kecman, B., Mewaldt, R. A., Selesnick, R. S., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1993a, ‘MAST: A Mass Spectrometer Telescope for Studies of the Isotopic Composition of Solar, Anomalous, and Galactic Cosmic Ray Nuclei’, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 31, 557–564.
Cook, W. R., Cummings, A. C., Kecman, B., Mewaldt, R. A., Aalami, D., Kleinfelder, S. A., and Marshall, J. H.: 1993b, ‘Custom Analog VLSI for the Advanced Composition Explorer’, Small Instruments Workshop Proc., Pasadena, CA.
Cummings, A. C., Stone, E. C., and Webber, W. R.: 1991, ‘The Isotopic Composition of Anomalous Cosmic-Ray Neon’, Proc. 22nd Int. Cosmic Ray Conf., Dublin 3, 362–365.
Dietrich, W. F. and Simpson, J. A.: 1979, ‘The Isotopic and Elemental Abundances of Neon Nuclei Accelerated in Solar Flares’, Astrophys. J. Lett. 231, L91–L94.
Dougherty, B. L., Christian, E. R., Cummings, A. C., Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Milliken, B. D., von Rosenvinge, T. T., and Wiedenbeck, M. E.: 1996, ‘Characterization of Large-Area Silicon Ionization Detectors for the ACE Mission’, SPIE Conf. Proc. 2806, 188–198.
Fisk, L. A., Kozlovsky, B. and Ramaty, R.: 1974, ‘An Interpretation of the Observed Oxygen and Nitrogen Enhancements in Low-Energy Cosmic Rays’, Astrophys. J. Lett. 190, L35–L38.
Garrard, T. L. and Stone, E. C.: 1993, ‘New SEP-Based Solar Abundances’, Proc. 23rd Int. Cosmic Ray Conf, Calgary 3, 384–387.
Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., and von Steiger, R.: 1996, ‘Origin of C+ Ions in the Heliosphere’, Space Sci. Rev. 78, 43–52.
Geiss, J. F., Buehler, H., Cerutti, H., Eberhardt, P., and Filleux, Ch.: 1972, ‘Solar Wind Composition Experiment’, Apollo-16 Prelim. Sci. Report, NASA SP-315 231, 1–14.
Hubert, F., Bimbot, R., and Gauvin, H.: 1990, ‘Range and Stopping-Power Tables for 2.5–500 MeV/Nucleon Heavy Ions In Solids’, Atom. Dat. Nucl. Dat. Tables 46, 1–213.
Kahler, S. W.: 1992, ‘Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections’, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 30, 113–141.
Klecker, B.: 1995, ‘The Anomalous Component of Cosmic Rays in the 3-D Heliosphere’, Space Sci. Rev. 72, 419–430.
Klecker, B., McNab, M. C., Blake, J. B., Hamilton, D. C., Hovestadt, D., Kästle, H., Looper, M. D., Mason, G. M., Mazur, J. E., and Scholer, M.: 1995, ‘Charge State of Anomalous Cosmic-Ray Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Neon: SAMPEX Observations’, Astrophys. J. 442, L69–L72.
Klecker, B., Oetliker, M., Blake, J. B., Hovestadt, D., Mason, G. M., Mazur, J. E. and McNab, M. C.: 1997, ‘Multiply Charged Anomalous Cosmic Ray N, O, and Ne: Observations With HILT/SAMPEX’, Proc. 25th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf, Durban 2, 273–276.
Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Cummings, A. C., Cummings, J. R., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1996a, ‘The Isotopic Composition of Anomalous Cosmic Rays from SAMPEX’, Space Sci. Rev. 78, 149–154.
Leske, R. A., Cummings, J. R., Mewaldt, R. A., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1996b, ‘Measurements of the Ionic Charge States of Solar Energetic Particles at 15–70 MeV/nucleon Using the Geomagnetic Field’, AIP Conf. Proc. 374, 86–95.
Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Cummings, A. C., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1997, ‘Updated Measurements of the Isotopic Composition of Interplanetary and Geomagnetically Trapped Anomalous Cosmic Rays’, Proc. 25th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf., Durban 2, 321–324.
Luhn, A., Klecker, B., Hovestadt, D. and Möbius, E.: 1987, ‘The Mean Ionic Charge State of Silicon in 3He-rich Flares’, Astrophys. J. 317, 951–955.
Lukasiak, A., Ferrando, P., McDonald, F. B., and Webber, W. R.: 1994, ‘Cosmic-Ray Isotopic Composition of C., N, O, Ne, Mg, Si Nuclei in the Energy Range 50–200 MeV per Nucleon Measured by the Voyager Spacecraft During the Solar Minimum Period’, Astrophys. J. 426, 366–372.
Mason, G. M., Mazur, J. E. and Hamilton, D. C.: 1994, ‘Heavy-Ion Isotopic Anomalies in 3He-Rich Solar Particle Events’, Astrophys. J. 425, 843–848.
Mewaldt, R. A. and Stone, E. C.: 1989, ‘Isotope Abundances of Solar Coronal Material Derived from Solar Energetic Particle Measurements’, Astrophys. J. 337, 959–963.
Mewaldt, R. A., Selesnick, R. S., Cummings, J. R., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1996, ‘Evidence for Multiply-Charged Anomalous Cosmic Rays’, Astrophys. J. 466, L43–L46.
Mewaldt, R. A., Spalding, J. D., and Stone, E. C.: 1984a, ‘A High-Resolution Study of the Isotopes of Solar Flare Nuclei’, Astrophys. J. 280, 892–901.
Mewaldt, R. A., Spalding, J. D., and Stone, E. C.: 1984b, ‘The Isotopic Composition of the Anomalous Low-Energy Cosmic Rays’, Astrophys. J. 283, 450–456.
Meyer, J. P.: 1985, ‘Solar-Stellar Outer Atmospheres and Energetic Particles, and Galactic Cosmic Rays’, Astrophys. J. Suppl. 57, 173–204.
Milliken, B., Leske, R. A., and Wiedenbeck, M. E.: 1995, ‘Silicon Detector Studies with an Interferometric Thickness Mapper’, Proc. 24th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf., Rome 4, 1283–1286.
Pesses, M. E., Jokipii, J. R., and Eichler, D.: 1981, ‘Cosmic Ray Drift, Shock Wave Acceleration, and the Anomalous Component of Cosmic Rays’, Astrophys. J. 246, L85–L89.
Podosek, F.: 1978, ‘Isotopic Structures in Solar System Materials’, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 16, 293–334.
Prantzos, N., Arnould, M., and Arcoragi, J. P.: 1987, ‘Neutron-Capture Nucleosynthesis During Core Helium Burning in Massive Stars’, Astrophys. J. 315, 209–228.
Reames, D. V.: 1993, ‘Mean Element Abundances in Energetic Particles from Impulsive Flares’, Proc. 23rd Int. Cosmic Ray Conf, Calgary 3, 388–391.
Reames, D. V.: 1995, ‘Solar Energetic Particles — A Paradigm Shift’, Rev. Geophys. Suppl. 33, 585–589.
Reames, D. V., Barbier, L. M., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1997, ‘Wind/EPACT Observations of Anomalous Cosmic Rays’, Adv. Space Res. 19, 809–812.
Reames, D. V., Cane, H. V., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1990, ‘Energetic Particle Abundances in Solar Electron Events’, Astrophys. J. 357, 259–270.
Selesnick, R. S., Cummings, A. C., Cummings, J. R., Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1993, ‘Coronal Abundances of Neon and Magnesium Isotopes from Solar Energetic Particles’, Astrophys. J. 418, L45–L48.
Simpson, J. A.: 1995, ‘The Anomalous Nuclear Component in the Three-Dimensional Heliosphere’, Adv. Space Res. 16(9), 135–149.
Simpson, J. A., Wefel, J. P., and Zamow, R.: 1983, ‘Isotopic and Elemental Composition of Solar Energetic Particles’, Proc. 18th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf, Bangalore 10, 322–325.
Stone, E. C.: 1973, ‘Cosmic Ray Isotopes’, Proc. 13th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf, Denver 5, 3615–3626.
Stone, E. C. and Cummings, A. C.: 1997, ‘Evidence for Anomalous Cosmic Ray S, Si, and Fe in the Outer Heliosphere and for a Non-ACR Source of S at 1 AU’, Proc. 25th Int. Cosmic Ray Conf., Durban 2, 289–292.
Stone, E. C., Burlaga, L. F., Cummings, A. C., Feldman, W. C., Frain, W. E., Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., Gold, R., Hovestadt, D., Krimigis, S. M., Mason, G. M., McComas, D., Mewaldt, R. A., Simpson, J. A., von Rosenvinge, T. T., and Wiedenbeck, M. E.: 1989, ‘The Advanced Composition Explorer’, AIP Conf. Proc. 203, 48–58.
Stone, E. C., Frandsen, A. M., Mewaldt, R. A., Christian, E. R., Margolies, D., Ormes, J. F., and Snow, R: 1998a, ‘The Advanced Composition Explorer’, Space Sci. Rev. 86, 1.
Stone, E. C., Cohen, C. M. S., Cook, W. R., Cummings, A. C., Gauld, B., Kecman, B., Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Thayer, M. R., Dougherty, B. L., Grumm, R. L., Milliken, B. D., Radocinski, R. G., Wiedenbeck, M. E., Christian, E. R., Shuman, S., Trexel, H., von Rosenvinge, T. T., Binns, W. R., Crary, D. J., W. R., Dowkontt, P., Epstein, J., Hink, P. L., Klarmann, J., Lijowski, M., and Olevitch, M. A.: 1998b, ‘The Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer for the Advanced Composition Explorer’, Space Sci. Rev. 86, 285.
Takashima, T., Doke, T., Hayashi, T., Kobayashi, M., Shirai, H., Takehana, N., Ehara, M., Yamada, Y., Yanagita, S., Hasebe, N., Kashiwagi, T., Kato, C., Munakata, K., Kohno, T., Kondoh, K., Murakami, H., Nakamoto, A., Yanagimachi, T., Reames, D. V., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1997, ‘The Pirst Observation of Sulfur in Anomalous Cosmic Rays by the Geotail and the Wind Spacecrafts’, Astrophys. J. 477, L111–L113.
Tosi, M.: 1982, ‘CNO Isotopes and Galactic Chemical Evolution’, Astrophys. J. 254, 699–707.
Wiedenbeck, M. E., Christian, E. R., Cook, W. R., Cummings, A. C., Dougherty, B. L., Leske, R. A., Mewaldt, R. A., Stone, E. C., and von Rosenvinge, T. T.: 1996, ‘Two-Dimensional Position-Sensitive Silicon Detectors for the ACE Solar Isotope Spectrometer’, SPIE Conf. Proc. 2806, 176–187.
Wilson, T. L. and Rood, R. T.: 1994, ‘Abundances in the Interstellar Medium’, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 32, 191–226.
Zwickl, R. D., Sahm, S., Barrett, B., Grubb, R., Detman, T., Raben, V., Smith, C. W, Riley, P., Gold, R., Mewaldt, R. A., and Maruyama, T.: 1998, ‘The NOAA Real-Time-Solar-Wind (RTSW) System Using ACE Data’, Space Sci. Rev. 86, 635.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stone, E.C. et al. (1998). The Solar Isotope Spectrometer for the Advanced Composition Explorer. In: Russell, C.T., Mewaldt, R.A., Von Rosenvinge, T.T. (eds) The Advanced Composition Explorer Mission. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4762-0_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4762-0_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6001-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4762-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive