The Analyzer for Cusp Ions (ACI) on the TRACERS Mission

The Analyzers for Cusp Ions (ACIs) on the TRACERS mission measure ion velocity distribution functions in the magnetospheric cusp from two closely spaced spacecraft in low Earth orbit. The precipitating and upflowing ion measurements contribute to the overarching goal of the TRACERS mission and are key to all three science objectives of the mission. ACI is a toroidal top-hat electrostatic analyzer on a spinning platform that provides full angular coverage with instantaneous 22.5° × ∼6° angular resolution for a single energy step. ACI has an ion energy range from ∼8 eV/e to 20,000 eV/e covered in 47 logarithmic-spaced energy steps with fractional energy resolution of ∼10%. It provides reasonably high cadence (312 ms) measurements of the ion energy-pitch angle distribution with good sensitivity and energy resolution, enabling detection of cusp boundaries and characterization of cusp ion steps.