BackForwardInstrument:  CINDI 

Instrument details
Acronym CINDI
Full name Coupled Ion-Neutral Dynamics Investigation
Purpose To investigate the role of ion-neutral interactions in the generation of small and large-scale electric fields in the Earth's upper atmosphere.
Short description Suite of two instruments: IVM (Ion Velocity Meter) and NWM (Neutral Wind Meter), viewing in the direction of the spacecraft velocity vector.
Background Consolidated technology.
Scanning Technique Crossing the magnetosphere along a low-inclination elliptical orbit.
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Large fraction of magnetosphere and ionosphere
Mass 5.8 kg Power 15.5 W Data Rate 3.5 kbps

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2008 to 2015
Last update: 2022-07-25
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Field or radiowave sensor
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Magnetospheric energetic particles and magnetometers
  • Heavy ion sensor [cross magnetosphere]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Ionospheric plasma density
  • Ionospheric plasma velocity
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Electric Field4 - fairNo specific limitation.Earth's limb. Electric field
Ionospheric plasma density*4 - fairNo specific limitation.Earth's limb. Ionospheric plasma density
Ionospheric plasma velocity*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Eart's limb. Plasma velocity
Electron Density4 - fairNo specific limitation.Platform. Electron density
Ionospheric Scintillation2 - very highNo specific limitation.Earth's limb. Scintillations