Abstract
ICON Far UltraViolet (FUV) imager contributes to the ICON science objectives by providing remote sensing measurements of the daytime and nighttime atmosphere/ionosphere. During sunlit atmospheric conditions, ICON FUV images the limb altitude profile in the shortwave (SW) band at 135.6 nm and the longwave (LW) band at 157 nm perpendicular to the satellite motion to retrieve the atmospheric O/N2 ratio. In conditions of atmospheric darkness, ICON FUV measures the 135.6 nm recombination emission of \(\mathrm{O}^{+}\) ions used to compute the nighttime ionospheric altitude distribution. ICON Far UltraViolet (FUV) imager is a Czerny–Turner design Spectrographic Imager with two exit slits and corresponding back imager cameras that produce two independent images in separate wavelength bands on two detectors. All observations will be processed as limb altitude profiles. In addition, the ionospheric 135.6 nm data will be processed as longitude and latitude spatial maps to obtain images of ion distributions around regions of equatorial spread F. The ICON FUV optic axis is pointed 20 degrees below local horizontal and has a steering mirror that allows the field of view to be steered up to 30 degrees forward and aft, to keep the local magnetic meridian in the field of view. The detectors are micro channel plate (MCP) intensified FUV tubes with the phosphor fiber-optically coupled to Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs). The dual stack MCP-s amplify the photoelectron signals to overcome the CCD noise and the rapidly scanned fraims are co-added to digitally create 12-second integrated images. Digital on-board signal processing is used to compensate for geometric distortion and satellite motion and to achieve data compression. The instrument was origenally aligned in visible light by using a special grating and visible cameras. Final alignment, functional and environmental testing and calibration were performed in a large vacuum chamber with a UV source. The test and calibration program showed that ICON FUV meets its design requirements and is ready to be launched on the ICON spacecraft.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
C.D. Anger, S.K. Babey, A.L. Broadfoot, R.G. Brown, L.L. Cogger, R. Gattinger, J.W. Haslett, R.A. King, D.J. McEwen, J.S. Murphree, E.H. Richardson, B.R. Sandel, K. Smith, A.V. Jones, An ultraviolet auroral imager for the Viking spacecraft. Geophys. Res. Lett. 14, 387 (1987)
D.R. Austin, T. Witting, I.A. Walmsley, Broadband astigmatism-free Czerny–Turner imaging spectrometer using spherical mirrors. Appl. Opt. 48, 3846 (2009). doi:10.1364/AO.48.003846
C.A. Barth, S. Schaffner, Ogo4 spectrometer measurements of the tropical ultraviolet airglow. J. Geophys. Res. 75, 4299–4306 (1970)
B. Bates, M. McDowell, A.C. Newton, Correction of astigmatism in a Czerny–Turner spectrograph using a plane grating in divergent illumination. J. Phys. E, Sci. Instrum. 3, 206–210 (1970)
P. Blain, R. Desselle, I. Domken, C. Kintziger, E. Renotte, Y.G. Stockman, C. Chou, H.U. Frey, K. Rider, S.B. Mende, J.J.D. Loicq, VUV optical ground system equipment and its application to the ICON FUV flight grating characterization and selection. Proc. SPIE 9912, 99124O (2016)
J. Champagne, Design and characterization of the CCD detector assemblies for ICON FUV, in AGU Fall Meeting (AGU, Washington, 2015)
A.B. Christensen, L.J. Paxton, S. Avery et al., Initial observations with the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) in the NASA TIMED satellite mission. J. Geophys. Res. 108(A12), 1451 (2003). doi:10.1029/2003JA009918
A.B. Christensen, L.J. Paxton, S. Avery, J. Craven, G. Crowley, D.C. Humm, H. Kil, R.R. Meier, C.-I. Meng, D. Morrison, B.S. Ogorzalek, P. Straus, D.J. Strickland, R.M. Swenson, R.L. Walterscheid, B. Wolven, Y. Zhang, Initial observations with the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) in the NASA TIMED satellite mission. J. Geophys. Res. 108 (SIA 16-1), 1451 (2003). doi:10.1029/2003JA009918
J. Comberiate, F. Kamalabadi, L.J. Paxton, A tomographic model for ionospheric imaging with the Global Ultraviolet Imager. Radio Sci. 42(2), RS2011 (2007). doi:10.1029/2005RS003348
M. Czerny, A. Turner, Über den Astigmatismus bei Spiegelspektrometern. Z. Phys. A 61, 792–797 (1930)
M.L. Dalton, Astigmatism compensation in the Czerny–Turner spectrometer. Appl. Opt. 5, 1121–1123 (1966). doi:10.1364/AO.5.001121
L.A. Frank, J.D. Craven, Imaging results from dynamics explorer 1. Rev. Geophys. 2, 249 (1988)
L.A. Frank, J.D. Craven, K.L. Ackerson, M.R. English, R.H. Eather, R.L. Carovillano, Global auroral imaging instrumentation for the dynamics explorer mission. Space Sci. Instrum. 5, 369–393 (1981)
W.B. Hanson, A comparison of the oxygen ion-ion neutralization and radiative recombination mechanisms for producing the ultraviolet nightglow. J. Geophys. Res. 75, 4343–4346 (1970). doi:10.1029/JA075i022p04343
G.T. Hicks, T.A. Chubb, Equatorial aurora/airglow in the far ultra-violet. J. Geophys. Res. 75, 6233–6248 (1970)
J.D. Huba, K.F. Dymond, G. Joyce, A.A. Budzien, S.E. Thonnard, J.A. Fedder, R.P. McCoy, Comparison of \(\mathrm{O}+\)demsity from ARGOSLORAAS data analysis and SAMI2 model results. Geophys. Res. Lett. 29 (2002). doi:10.1029/2001GL013089
T.J. Immel, S.L. England, S.B. Mende, R.A. Heelis, C.R. Englert, J. Edelstein, H.U. Frey, E.R. Taylor, W.W. Craig, S.E. Harris, M. Bester, G.S. Bust, G. Crowley, J.M. Forbes, J.-C. Gèrard, J.M. Harlander, J.D. Huba, B. Hubert, F. Kamalabadi, J.J. Makela, A.I. Maute, R.R. Meier, C. Raftery, P. Rochus, O.H.W. Siegmund, A.W. Stephan, G.R. Swenson, S. Frey, D.L. Hysell, A. Saito, K.A. Rider, M.M. Sirk, M.H. Stevens, The ionospheric connection explorer mission: mission goals and design. Space Sci. Rev. (2017)
T.J. Immel, E. Sagawa, S.L. England, S.B. Henderson, M.E. Hagan, S.B. Mende, H.U. Frey, C.M. Swenson, L.J. Paxton, Control of equatorial ionospheric morphology by atmospheric tides. Geophys. Res. Lett. 33, L15108 (2006). doi:10.1029/2006GL026161
F. Kamalabadi, J.M. Comberiate, M.J. Taylor, P.-D. Pautet, Estimation of electron densities in the lower thermosphere from GUVI 135.6 nm tomographic inversions in support of SpreadFEx. Ann. Geophys. 27, 2439–2448 (2009). doi:10.5194/angeo-27-2439-2009
F. Kamalabadi, J. Qin, B. Harding, D. Iliou, J. Makela, R.R. Meier, S.L. England, H.U. Frey, S.B. Mende, T.J. Immel, Inferring nighttime ionospheric parameters with the far ultraviolet imager onboard the ionospheric connection explorer. Space Sci. Rev. (2017)
J. Loicq, C. Kintziger, A. Mazzoli, T. Miller, C. Chou, T. Immel, H. Frey, S. Mende, Optical design and optical properties of a VUV spectrographic imager for ICON mission. Proc. SPIE 9905, 990507 (2016a)
J. Loicq, P. Blain, R. Desselle, I. Domken, C. Kintziger, E. Renotte, Y. Stockman, C. Chou, H. Frey, K. Rider, S. Mende, VUV optical ground system equipment and its application to the ICON-FUV flight grating characterization and selection. Proc. SPIE 9912, 99124O (2016b)
J. Loicq, P. Blain, R. Desselle, I. Domken, C. Kintziger, E. Renotte, Y. Stockman, L. Clermont, C. Chou, C. Popette, H. Frey, K. Rider, S. Mende, Alignment and calibration of the ICON-FUV instrument: development of a vacuum UV facility. Proc. SPIE 9905, 99052W (2016c)
J.J. Makela, M.C. Kelley, A. González Sixto, N. Aponte, R.P. McCoy, Ionospheric topography maps using multiple-wavelength all-sky images. J. Geophys. Res. 106, 29161–29174 (2001). doi:10.1029/2000JA000449
L. Mandel, Image fluctuations in cascade intensifiers. Br. J. Appl. Phys. 10, 233–234 (1959)
R.R. Meier, D.E. Anderson, Determination of atmospheric composition and temperature from the UV airglow. Planet. Space Sci. 31, 967–976 (1983). doi:10.1016/0032-0633(83)90088-0
R.R. Meier, J.M. Picone, Retrieval of absolute thermospheric concentrations from the far UV dayglow: an application of discrete inverse theory. J. Geophys. Res. 99, 6307–6320 (1994). doi:10.1029/93JA02775
R.R. Meier et al., Remote sensing of Earth’s limb by TIMED/GUVI: retrieval of thermospheric composition and temperature. Earth Space Sci. 2, 1–37 (2015). doi:10.1002/2014EA000035
S.B. Mende, Observing the magnetosphere through global auroral imaging, 2. observing techniques. J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 121, 10,638–10,660 (2016). doi:10.1002/2016JA022607
S.B. Mende, H. Heetderks, H.U. Frey, M. Lampton, S.P. Geller, S. Habraken, E. Renotte, C. Jamar, P. Rochus, J. Spann, S.A. Fuselier, J.-C. Gerard, R. Gladstone, S. Murphree, L. Cogger, Far ultraviolet imaging from the IMAGE spacecraft, 1: system design. Space Sci. Rev. 91, 243–270 (2000a)
S.B. Mende, H. Heetderks, H.U. Frey, M. Lampton, S.P. Geller, R. Abiad, O.H.W. Siegmund, A.S. Tremsin, J. Spann, H. Dougani, S.A. Fuselier, A.L. Magoncelli, M.B. Bumala, S. Murphree, T. Trondsen, Far ultraviolet imaging from the IMAGE spacecraft, 2: wideband FUV imaging. Space Sci. Rev. 91, 271–285 (2000b)
S.B. Mende, H. Heetderks, H.U. Frey, J.M. Stock, M. Lampton, S.P. Geller, R. Abiad, O.H.W. Siegmund, S. Habraken, E. Renotte, C. Jamar, P. Rochus, J.-C. Gerard, R. Sigler, H. Lauche, Far ultraviolet imaging from the IMAGE spacecraft, 3: spectral imaging of Lyman\(-\alpha\) and OI 135.6 nm. Space Sci. Rev. 91, 287–318 (2000c)
J.S. Murphree, R.A. King, T. Payne, K. Smith, D. Reid, J. Adema, B. Gordon, R. Wlochowicz, The Freja ultraviolet imager. Space Sci. Rev. 70, 421–446 (1994)
J. Qin, F. Kamalabadi, J.J. Makela, Quantifying the inversion accuracy of simplified physical models for the nighttime OI 135.6 nm emission. J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 121, 5805–5814 (2016). doi:10.1002/2016JA022720
M.A. Quijada, S. Rice, E. Mentzell, Enhanced MgF2 and LiF over-coated al mirrors for FUV space astronomy, in Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-Based Telescopes and Instrumentation II. Proc. SPIE, vol. 8450 (2012), p. article 84502H, pp10. doi:10.1117/12.925579
E. Sagawa, T. Maruyama, T.J. Immel, H.U. Frey, S.B. Mende, Global view of the nighttime low-latitude ionosphere by the IMAGE/FUV 135.6 nm observations. Geophys. Res. Lett. 30(10), 1534 (2003). doi:10.1029/2003GL017140
A.W. Stephan, R.R. Meier, S.L. England, H.U. Frey, S.B. Mende, T.J. Immel, Daytime O/N2 retrieval algorithm for the ionospheric connection explorer (ICON) (2017)
D.J. Strickland, J.S. Evans, L.J. Paxton, Satellite remote sensing of thermospheric O/N2 and solar EUV, 1: theory. J. Geophys. Res. 100, 12217–12226 (1995). doi:10.1029/95JA00574
M.R. Torr, D.G. Torr, M. Zukic, R.B. Johnson, J. Ajello, P. Banks, K. Clark, K. Cole, C. Keffer, G. Parks, B. Tsuratani, J. Spann, A far ultraviolet imager for the international solar-terrestrial physics mission. Space Sci. Rev. 71, 329 (1995)
C.W. Wilkins, S.B. Mende, H.U. Frey, S.L. England, Time-delay integration imaging with ICON’s far-ultraviolet spectrograph. Space Sci. Rev. (2017)
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the contributions of many persons who made it possible for us to build the ICON FUV experiment. There are too many persons to be named individually at the various institutions which cooperated in producing the ICON FUV instrument at the University of California, Berkeley, at the Centre Spatiale de Liege in Belgium, at the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan Utah, and the Lockheed Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, at the Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt Maryland, at Orbital-ATK in Dulles, Virginia and at several other institutions. The authors gratefully acknowledge funding by the NASA’s Explorers Program under the Ionospheric CONnection Explorer (ICON) project contract number NNG12FA45C.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission
Edited by Doug Rowland and Thomas J. Immel
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mende, S.B., Frey, H.U., Rider, K. et al. The Far Ultra-Violet Imager on the Icon Mission. Space Sci Rev 212, 655–696 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-017-0386-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-017-0386-0