Instrumentation for Ionized Space Environments: New High Time Resolution Instrumental Modes of Mutual Impedance Experiments

Mutual impedance experiments are in situ plasma diagnostic techniques for the identification of density and electron temperature. Different versions mutual instruments were included past present space missions (e.g., Rosetta, BepiColombo, JUICE Comet Interceptor). New currently being devised to fit strong mass, volume power constraints on nanosatellite platforms future multi-point missions. In this study, our goal is define validate two new instrumental modes (i.e., chirp multi-spectral modes) improve time resolution experiment with respect typical frequency sweep). Higher measurements expected simplify integration onboard by facilitating antenna sharing between different experiments. The investigation performed both (a) numerically, using a 1D-1V electrostatic full kinetic Vlasov-Poisson model and, (b) experimentally, laboratory tests vacuum chamber source. From point view, we find that provide identical (reference) sweep mode. an faster than but they require larger amounts computing resources consumption). Chirp measurements, instead, outperform terms measurement duration (20 times faster) processor usage (20% less).