AMBRE: A Compact Instrument to Measure Thermal Ions, Electrons and Electrostatic Charging Onboard Spacecraft

Abstract

The Active Monitor Box of Electrostatic Risks (AMBER) is a double-head thermal electron and ion electrostatic analyzer (energy range 0–30 keV) that was launched onboard the Jason-3 spacecraft in 2016. The next generation AMBER instrument, for which a first prototype was developed and then calibrated at the end of 2017, constitutes a significant evolution that is based on a single head to measure both species alternatively. The instrument developments focused on several new sub-systems (front-end electronics, highvoltage electronics, mechanical design) that permit to reduce instrument resources down to ∼ 1 kg and 1.5 W. AMBER is designed as a generic radiation monitor with a twofold purpose: (1) measure magnetospheric thermal ion and electron populations in the range 0–35 keV, with significant scientific potential (e.g., plasmasphere, ring current, plasma sheet), and (2) monitor spacecraft electrostatic charging and the plasma populations responsible for it, for electromagnetic cleanliness and operational purposes.