2.0.0 spase://SMWG/Instrument/AE-E/NATE Neutral Atmosphere Temperature (NATE) NATE 2019-05-05T12:34:56Z This experiment was designed to measure the kinetic temperature of the neutral atmosphere by determining the instantaneous density of molecular nitrogen in a spherical chamber coupled to the atmosphere through a knife-edged orifice. Analysis of the measured molecular nitrogen density variation over a spin cycle with a knowledge of the satellite's motion and orientation led to a determination of the ambient temperature, independent of scale height. Measurements of the ambient neutral composition were obtained when the instrument was commanded into the appropriate mode. Approximate values for the meridional wind were obtained from the measurement of the "stream" position relative to the satellite velocity. An alternate measurement of neutral temperature was also undertaken, using a baffle inserted in front of the orifice to intercept a portion of the gas particle stream entering the chamber. When the satellite was in the despun mode, the baffle was made to oscillate in a stepwise fashion in order to interrupt the particle stream seen by the orificed chamber. These chamber density variations were interpreted to yield the neutral gas kinetic temperature too. A dual-filament ion source sampled the thermalized molecular nitrogen in the chamber and produced an ion beam density proportional to the nitrogen chamber density. From the source, this ionized nitrogen beam was directed into a quadrupole analyzer, tuned to pass those particles with a mass-to-charge ratio of 28. The beam then struck an electron multiplier, and the output pulses were amplified and counted. The sensor was vacuum-sealed prior to launch and opened to the atmosphere after the spacecraft was in orbit. More experiment details can be found in N. W. Spencer et al., Radio Sci., v. 8, n. 4, p. 287, 1973. spase://SMWG/Person/Nelson.W.Spencer PrincipalInvestigator NSSDC's Master Catalog https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=1975-107A-09 Information about the Neutral Atmosphere Temperature (NATE) experiment on the AE-E mission. Radio Science Journal Article https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/RS008i004p00287 Detailed information about the Neutral Atmosphere Temperature experiment on the AE-E mission. Unspecified Neutral Atmosphere Temperature (NATE) on AE-E spase://SMWG/Observatory/AE-E