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The Advanced Small Analyzer for Neutrals (ASAN) on the Chang’E-4 Rover Yutu-2

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Abstract

The Advanced Small Analyzer for Neutrals (ASAN) is a compact mass resolving energetic neutral atom analyzer flown on the Yutu-2 rover of the Chinese Chang’E-4 mission to the Moon. ASAN measures energetic neutral atoms in the energy range from 10 eV to 10 keV with typically 30% energy resolution. The field-of-view is a single angular pixel of 37° × 30° pointing at lunar surface. Energetic neutral atoms enter the instrument through a charge particle deflection system and are then ionized on a diamond-like carbon conversion surface. Positive ions from the conversion surface are energy analyzed using an electrostatic analyzer and their velocity is subsequently determined in a time-of-flight section using ceramic channel electron multipliers as detectors. The obtained mass resolution m/\(\Delta\)m is about 2, comfortably separating neutral hydrogen, helium, and the oxygen-group (≥16 amu). A full energy spectrum for energetic neutral atoms is obtained in 3 seconds. Switching the charged particle deflection system off, ASAN also directly measures positive ions with similar performance as for energetic neutral atoms. Including electronics the instrument weighs 970 g and consumes 3.4 W.

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Acknowledgements

The Advanced Small Analyzer for Neutrals (ASAN) instrument was developed by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) in Kiruna, Sweden, and the National Space Science Center (NSSC) in Bei**g, China, as a joint project. It is supported by the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA) under grants 95/11 and 122/18, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under grant 41941001, and the Bei**g Municipal Science and Technology Commission under grant 181100002918003. The data describing the geometric factor of the instrument is freely available at: https://data.irf.se/wieser2020ssr/. Reuse of this data should be credited to the ASAN instrument team at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) in Kiruna, Sweden, and the National Space Science Center (NSSC) in Bei**g, China. ASAN science data are provided through the China National Space Administration and the National Astronomical Observatories of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, 98128, Kiruna, Sweden

    M. Wieser, S. Barabash & X.-D. Wang

  2. Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, 9, avenue du Colonel Roche, BP 44346-31028, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

    A. Grigoriev

  3. National Space Science Center (NSSC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), No. 1 Nanertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian district, Bei**g, 100190, China

    A. Zhang, C. Wang & W. Wang

  4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19(A) Yuquan Road, Shi**gshan district, Bei**g, 100049, China

    A. Zhang & C. Wang

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  1. M. Wieser
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Wieser, M., Barabash, S., Wang, XD. et al. The Advanced Small Analyzer for Neutrals (ASAN) on the Chang’E-4 Rover Yutu-2. Space Sci Rev 216, 73 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-020-00691-w

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