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The Solar Probe ANalyzer -Ions on Parker Solar Probe
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  • Roberto Livi,
  • Davin E Larson,
  • Justin C Kasper,
  • Robert Abiad,
  • Anthony W Case,
  • Kristopher G Klein,
  • David W Curtis,
  • Gregory Dalton,
  • Michael Stevens,
  • Kelly E Korreck,
  • George Ho,
  • Miles Robinson,
  • Chris Tiu,
  • Phyllis L Whittlesey,
  • J L Verniero,
  • Jasper Halekas,
  • James Mcfadden,
  • Mario Marckwordt,
  • Amanda Slagle,
  • Mamuda Abatcha,
  • Ali Rahmati
Roberto Livi
University of California

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Davin E Larson
University of California
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Justin C Kasper
University of Michigan
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Robert Abiad
University of California
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Anthony W Case
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
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Kristopher G Klein
University of Michigan
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David W Curtis
University of California
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Gregory Dalton
University of California
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Michael Stevens
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
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Kelly E Korreck
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
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George Ho
Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
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Miles Robinson
University of California
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Chris Tiu
NASA
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Phyllis L Whittlesey
University of California
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J L Verniero
University of California
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Jasper Halekas
University of Iowa
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James Mcfadden
University of California
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Mario Marckwordt
University of California
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Amanda Slagle
University of California
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Mamuda Abatcha
University of California
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Ali Rahmati
University of California
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Abstract

The Solar Probe ANalyzer for Ions (SPAN-I) onboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft is an electrostatic analyzer with time-of-flight capabilities that measures the ion composition and three dimensional distribution function of the thermal corona and solar wind plasma. SPAN-I measures the energy per charge of ions in the solar wind from 2 eV to 30 keV with a field-of-view of 247.5 • x 120 • while simultaneously separating H + from He ++ to develop 3D distribution functions of individual ion species. These observations, combined with reduced distribution functions measured by the Sun-pointed Solar Probe Cup (SPC), will help us further our understanding of the solar wind acceleration and formation, the heating of the corona, and the acceleration of particles in the inner heliosphere. This paper describes the instrument hardware, including several innovative improvements over previous time-of-flight (TOF) sensors, the data products generated by the experiment, and the ground calibrations of the sensor.