Energetic neutral atom imaging of space plasmas

Experimental techniques and instrumentation for space plasma imaging in fluxes of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) are reviewed. ENAs are born in charge exchange collisions between space plasma energetic ions and background neutral gas. ENAs are ubiquitous in the space environment and their energies are in the range from a few eV up to > 1.00 keV. Contrary to charged particles, ENAs can travel large distances through space with minimal disturbance, and by recording ENA fluxes as a function of observational direction, one can reconstruct a global image of a planetary magnetosphere or the heliosphere. Plasma ion energy distribution and ion composition can be remotely established by measuring ENA energies and masses. ENA imaging opens a new window on various phenomena in space plasmas with a promise to qualitatively improve our understanding of global magnetospheric and heliospheric processes. At first vie review ENA fluxes in space and their properties, and present a brief history of ENA experimental studies and the evolution of experimental approaches. The concepts of ENA imaging and particle identification are considered and followed by comparison with corpuscular diagnostics of fusion plasmas. Basic ENA techniques and instrument components are then described in detail and critically evaluated; performance characteristics, limitations, and requirements to key instrumental elements are discussed. And finally, representative ENA instruments, are shown, and promising instrumental approaches are identified. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.