Instrument aboard the Parker Solar Probe, to measure energetic particles from the Sun
Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun or IS☉IS, is an instrument aboard the Parker Solar Probe, a space probe designed to study the Sun. IS☉IS is focused on measuring energetic particles from the Sun, including
electrons,
protons, and
ions.[1] The parent spacecraft was launched in early August 2018, and with multiple flybys of Venus will study the
heliosphere of the Sun from less than 4 million kilometers or less than 9 solar radii.[2][3]
IS☉IS consists of two detectors, EPI-Lo and EPI-Hi, corresponding to detection of relatively lower and higher energy particles.[4] EPI-Lo is designed to detect from about 20 k
eV per nucleon up to 15 MeV (
megaelectronvolts) total energy, and for electrons from about 25 keV up to 1000 keV.[4] EPI-Hi is designed to measure charged particles from about 1– to 200 MeV per
nucleon and electrons from about 0.5 to 6 MeV, according to a paper about the device.[4]
The shortname includes a symbol for the Sun, a circle with a dot in it: ☉.[1] NASA suggests pronouncing the name as "ee-sis" in English.[5]
Operations
By September 2018, IS☉IS had been turned on and
first light data was returned.[6]
EPI-Lo includes 8 wedge detectors, fed by 80 separate entrances.[7] These entrances correspond to covering a field of view over almost a full hemisphere.[8]
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abcdMcComas, D. J.; Christian, E. R.; Wiedenbeck, M. E.; McNutt, R. L.; Cummings, A. C.; Desai, M. I.; Giacalone, J.; Hill, M. E.; Mewaldt, R. E.; Krimigis, S. M.; Livi, S. A.; Mitchell, D. G.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Roelof, E. C.; Schwadron, N. A.; Stone, E. C.; von Rosenvinge, T. T. (January 2011).
The Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS): Energetic Particle Measurements for the Solar Probe Plus Mission(PDF). 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference. Beijing, China.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 28 September 2022.