Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations

Abstract Upcoming imaging missions—NASA's LEXI and ESA/CAS's SMILE—will target solar wind charge exchange X‐ray (SWCX) emission from Earth's magnetosheath. This emission is generated by highly charged ions colliding with neutrals in Earth's exosphere. Accurate SWCX models require...

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Main Authors: D. Koutroumpa, K. D. Kuntz, J. A. Carter, J. Raines, S. T. Lepri, L. Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114374
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author D. Koutroumpa
K. D. Kuntz
J. A. Carter
J. Raines
S. T. Lepri
L. Zhao
author_facet D. Koutroumpa
K. D. Kuntz
J. A. Carter
J. Raines
S. T. Lepri
L. Zhao
author_sort D. Koutroumpa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Upcoming imaging missions—NASA's LEXI and ESA/CAS's SMILE—will target solar wind charge exchange X‐ray (SWCX) emission from Earth's magnetosheath. This emission is generated by highly charged ions colliding with neutrals in Earth's exosphere. Accurate SWCX models require data on exospheric neutral densities, as well as solar wind flux and composition. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) Solar Wind Ionic Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) provided the needed solar wind composition data from 1998 until an instrument anomaly in 2011 limited its outputs. To address this, we developed empirical functions using ion ratios (O7+/O6+,O8+/O6+,C6+/C5+) still available from ACE, partially compensating for missing composition data. The results underscore the need for a new mission to measure solar wind composition and support future SWCX analysis efforts.
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spelling doaj-art-448bae98ad4f4e1582d9dbf262346e082025-08-20T03:39:04ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01528n/an/a10.1029/2024GL114374Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data LimitationsD. Koutroumpa0K. D. Kuntz1J. A. Carter2J. Raines3S. T. Lepri4L. Zhao5LATMOS‐IPSL CNRS UVSQ Paris Saclay Sorbonne Université Guyancourt FranceNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USASchool of Physics and Astronomy University of Leicester Leicester UKDepartment of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USADepartment of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USADepartment of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USAAbstract Upcoming imaging missions—NASA's LEXI and ESA/CAS's SMILE—will target solar wind charge exchange X‐ray (SWCX) emission from Earth's magnetosheath. This emission is generated by highly charged ions colliding with neutrals in Earth's exosphere. Accurate SWCX models require data on exospheric neutral densities, as well as solar wind flux and composition. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) Solar Wind Ionic Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) provided the needed solar wind composition data from 1998 until an instrument anomaly in 2011 limited its outputs. To address this, we developed empirical functions using ion ratios (O7+/O6+,O8+/O6+,C6+/C5+) still available from ACE, partially compensating for missing composition data. The results underscore the need for a new mission to measure solar wind composition and support future SWCX analysis efforts.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114374
spellingShingle D. Koutroumpa
K. D. Kuntz
J. A. Carter
J. Raines
S. T. Lepri
L. Zhao
Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
Geophysical Research Letters
title Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
title_full Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
title_fullStr Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
title_full_unstemmed Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
title_short Empirical Functions for Highly Charged Ion Abundances in Solar Wind Charge Exchange Models: Addressing Post‐2011 ACE Data Limitations
title_sort empirical functions for highly charged ion abundances in solar wind charge exchange models addressing post 2011 ace data limitations
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114374
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