ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 Fast Plasma Experiment and the ISEE-1 Solar Wind Experiment

Identical fast plasma experiment (FPE) systems were placed on the ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 spacecraft. The FPE consists of three high efficiency 90° spherical section electrostatic analyzers using large secondary emitters and discrete dynode multipliers to detect analyzed particles. Two of them, viewing in opposite directions, produce complete 2D velocity distribution measurements of both protons and electrons every spacecraft revolution. A third FPE analyzer with a divided emitter measures 3D distributions at a slower rate. ISEE-1 also carries a solar-wind experiment (SWE) to measure solar-wind ions with high resolution. The SWE is composed of two 150° spherical section analyzers using the same set of plates. The two acceptance fans are tilted with respect to each other so that 3D characteristics of the ion distributions can be derived.