ACE/SWICS & ACE/SWIMS

The Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) and the Solar Wind
Ions Mass Spectrometer (SWIMS) instruments on ACE are optimized for
measurements of the chemical and isotopic composition of solar and
interstellar matter. Both instruments are time-of-flight mass
spectrometers with electrostatic analyzers, though each is optimized
for different measurements. SWICS determines the chemical and ionic
charge state composition of the solar wind and resolves H and He
isotopes of both solar and interstellar sources. SWICS also measures
the distribution functions of both the interstellar cloud and dust
cloud pickup ions up to energies of 100 keV/e. SWIMS measures the
chemical and isotopic composition of the solar wind for every element
between He and Ni, up to 10 keV/e.

ACE was successfully launched from a Delta II rocket in August
1997. It went to an orbit around the L1 point which allows the SWICS
and SWIMS instruments to record the solar wind composition without any
satellite trajectory related interruptions.

News

Unusually Cold Material Found Inside Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections

26 Aug 2009 -- Survey of ACE SWICS data from 1998 - 2008 reveals much more cold material in the solar wind associated with ICMEs than previously known. These recent exciting research results from the SHRG's work on the ACE SWICS data are highlighted in the latest ACE News Item.