BackForwardInstrument:  LENA 

Instrument details
Acronym LENA
Full name Low-Energy Neutral-Atom Imager
Purpose To detect Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENA) imaging the outflow of low-energy ions from the polar ionosphere.
Short description The instrument consists of a collimator, a conversion unit, an extraction lens, a dispersive energy analyzer, and time-of-flight mass analyzer with position-sensitive particle detection. It is specifically designed for looking at and in the direction of the sun. Energy range: 15-1250 eV. Mass range: 1-20 amu (from H+ to O+)
Background New development. Working in association with MENA for medium-energy and HENA for high-energy
Scanning Technique Volumetric exploration of the magnetosphere as the satellite moves along a polar Highly Eliptical Orbit. Sampling: 8º x 8º x 12 sectors per spin: 360º x 90º in 45 x 12 samples
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Magnetospheric volume
Mass 21.8 kg Power 13.1 W Data Rate 0.5 kbps

 

Providing Agency NASA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2000 to 2005
Last update: 2017-06-01
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
  • Energetic particle spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents No WIGOS subcomponents have been defined.
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA)
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
Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA)*3 - highNo specific limitation.Interplanetary space, low energy (over 10 up to 10000 eV)