A novel ENA instrument for Space Weather monitoring: SWEATERS (SWEATERS-Space WEATher Ena Radiation Sensors) project

SWEATERS (Space WEATher Ena Radiation Sensors) project has the purpose to realize an innovative ENA sensor for Space Weather application and plasma monitoring.

ENA (Energetic Neutral Atoms) signal detection is a well proven technique able to provide information about Solar wind interaction with planetary environments providing plasma global imaging. 

SWEATERS sensor is a new ENA instrument concept based for the first time on gas detector technique. The challenge of the project is to apply advanced particle detection technologies developed in the HEP field to instruments for space application, e.g. ENAs in space.

The MicroMegas gas detector (MM) developed at CERN is the baseline for this new ENA sensor concept. The main advantage is to provide all the requested items of ENA detection (mass, energy, direction) in a unique and compact system.

Sensors installed on a cluster of platforms orbiting at low altitude around the Earth could provide new detailed information on the plasma populations generated in perturbation phenomena.