RAPID - Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detectors
The RAPID spectrometer for the Cluster mission is an advanced particle detector for the analysis of suprathermal plasma distributions in the energy range from 20-400 keV for electrons, 40-1500 keV (4000 keV) for hydrogen, and 10 keV/nuc - 1500 keV (4000 keV) for heavier ions. Novel detector concepts in combination with pin-hole acceptance allow the measurement of angular distributions over a range of 180° in polar angle for either species. The detection principle for the ionic component is based on a two-dimensional analysis of the particle's velocity and energy. Electrons are identified by the well known energy-range relationship.
Characteristic Parameters of the RAPID Instrument
| IIMS | IES | |
| Energy range (keV) | ||
| Hydrogen | 28 - 4007 | |
| Helium | 137 - 3800 | |
| CNO | 274 - 4046 (Oxygen) | |
| Electrons | 309 - 406 | |
| Mass Classes (amu) | 1, 4, 12 - 16, 28 - 56 | |
| Mass Resolution (A/dA) | 4 (Oxygen) | |
| Field-of-View | ±3° ×180° | ±17.5° ×180° |
| Angular Coverage | ||
| Polar (Range/Intervals) | 180°/12 | 180°/9 |
| Azimuthal (Range/Sectors) | 360°/16 | 360°/16 or 8 |
| Range/ Steps | 0 - 10 / 16 | |
| Geometric Factor (cm2.sr) | ||
| Total (180°)/per pixel | 2.7 × 10-2 / 2.2 × 10-3 | 2.0 × 10-2/2.2 × 10-3 |
Further Information:
