PLoS One

The first objective of this study was to determine the GenoType NTM-DR assay performance for subspecies identification in Mycobacterium abscessus complex isolates. The second objective was to evaluate the GenoType NTM-DR assay ability to detect clarithromycin and amikacin resistance in M. abscessus complex isolates compared with drug susceptibility testing (DST) and PCR sequencing of the erm(41), rrl and rrs genes. The concordance between the GenoType NTM-DR and MLST results concerning subspecies identification was 100%. The wild type and mutated alleles of the rrl and rrs genes were detected by the GenoType NTM-DR assay and PCR sequencing with 100% (115/115) agreement. Similarly, 100% concordance between GenoType NTM-DR and DST was observed for clarithromycin and amikacin testing. Sensitivity for the detection of clarithromycin and amikacin resistance was 100%. The GenoType NTM-DR assay provides a robust and complementary tool to the gold standard methods (MLST and broth microdilution) for subspecies identification and drug resistance detection

A DISPOSABLE OPTICAL BIOSENSOR BASED ON TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION FLUORESCENCE

A novel disposable biosensor device is described, based on the generation of evanescent light waves at an optical interface. The sensor is injection moulded from high optical quality plastic and consists of two parts, the waveguide and a cuvette for containing the sample solution. Antigens are attached to the waveguide surface and the reaction with antibodies is monitored by exciting and collecting fluorescent light "back-tunneled" out of the waveguide. A model assay for human IgG is used to demonstrate that this biosensor can give rapid, sensitive results

First results from the SCM search-coil magnetometer onboard Parker Solar Probe

International audienceThe SCM search-coil magnetometer measures AC magnetic fields with three components from 10 Hz to 50 kHz, and one component from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. The instrument was designed to properly observe the turbulent cascade of the solar wind in the inertial range and at kinetic scales, whistler waves and their role in the evolution of the electron distribution function, transients generated by shocks, etc. Here we report on the science objectives, the performance of the instrument, its calibration, the challenges that await us and the data products that will come out of it

First results from the SCM search-coil magnetometer onboard Parker Solar Probe

International audienceThe SCM search-coil magnetometer measures AC magnetic fields with three components from 10 Hz to 50 kHz, and one component from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. The instrument was designed to properly observe the turbulent cascade of the solar wind in the inertial range and at kinetic scales, whistler waves and their role in the evolution of the electron distribution function, transients generated by shocks, etc. Here we report on the science objectives, the performance of the instrument, its calibration, the challenges that await us and the data products that will come out of it

First Results From the SCM Search‐Coil Magnetometer on Parker Solar Probe

International audienceParker Solar Probe is the first mission to probe in situ the innermost heliosphere, revealing an exceptionally dynamic and structured outer solar corona. Its payload includes a search-coil magnetometer (SCM) that measures up to three components of the fluctuating magnetic field between 3 Hz and 1 MHz. After more than 3 years of operation, the SCM has revealed a multitude of different wave phenomena in the solar wind. Here we present an overview of some of the discoveries made so far. These include oblique and sunward propagating whistler waves that are important for their interaction with energetic electrons, the first observation of the magnetic signature associated with escaping electrons during dust impacts, the first observation of the magnetic field component for slow extraordinary wave modes during type III radio burst events, and more. This study focuses on the major observations to date, including a description of the instrument and lessons learned

A Merged Search‐Coil and Fluxgate Magnetometer Data Product for Parker Solar Probe FIELDS

International audienceNASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission is currently investigating the local plasma environment of the inner heliosphere (<0.25 R ⊙) using both in situ and remote sensing instrumentation. Connecting signatures of microphysical particle heating and acceleration processes to macroscale heliospheric structure requires sensitive measurements of electromagnetic fields over a large range of physical scales. The FIELDS instrument, which provides PSP with in situ measurements of electromagnetic fields of the inner heliosphere and corona, includes a set of three vector magnetometers: two fluxgate magnetometers (MAGs) and a single inductively coupled search-coil magnetometer (SCM). Together, the three FIELDS magnetometers enable measurements of the local magnetic field with a bandwidth ranging from DC to 1 MHz. This manuscript reports on the development of a merged data set combining SCM and MAG (SCaM) measurements, enabling a high fidelity data product with an optimal signal-to-noise ratio. On-ground characterization tests of complex instrumental responses and noise floors are discussed as well as application to the in-flight calibration of FIELDS data. The algorithm used on PSP/FIELDS to merge waveform observations from multiple sensors with optimal signal-to-noise characteristics is presented. In-flight analysis of calibrations and merging algorithm performance demonstrates a timing accuracy to well within the survey rate sample period of ∼340 μs

The French contribution for the NASA HelioSwarm mission

International audienceThe HelioSwarm mission was selected as a MIDEX mission by NASA in February 2022 for launchin 2029 with a nominal duration of 15 months. Its main objectives are to reveal the 3D spatialstructure and dynamics of turbulence in a weakly collisional plasma and to investigate the mutualimpact of turbulence near boundaries (e. g., Earth’s bow shock and magnetopause) and large-scalestructures evolving in the solar wind (e. g., coronal mass ejection, corotating interaction region).The HelioSwarm mission will also contribute to the space weather science and to a betterunderstanding of the Sun-Earth relationship. It consists of a platform (Hub) and eight smallersatellites (nodes) evolving along an elliptical orbit with an apogee ~ 60 and a perigee ~15 Earthradii. These 9 satellites, three-axis stabilised, will provide 36 pair combinations and 126 tetrahedralconfigurations covering the scales from 50~km (subion scale) to 3000 km (MHD scale). It will bethe first mission able to investigate the physical processes related to cross-scale couplings betweenion and MHD scales by measuring, simultaneously at these two scales, the magnetic field, iondensity and velocity variations. Thus each satellite is equipped with the same instrument suite. Afluxgate magnetometer (MAG from Imperial College, UK) and a search-coil magnetometer (SCM)provide the 3D measurements of the magnetic field fluctuations whereas a Faraday cup (FC, SAO,USA) performs the ion density and velocity measurements. In addition, the ion distribution functionis measured at a single point onboard the Hub by the iESA instrument, allowing to investigate theion heating in particular. The SCM for HelioSwarm provided by LPP and LPC2E is stronglyinherited of the SCM designed for the ESA JUICE mission. It will be mounted at the tip of a 3mboom and will cover the frequency range associated with the ion and subion scales in the near-Earthenvironment [0.1-16Hz] with the following sensitivities [15pT/√Hz at 1 Hz and 1.5 pT/√Hz at 10Hz]. The iESA, developped by IRAP and LAB, is inherited from the PAS instrument operating onthe ESA Solar Orbiter mission. It will provide the ion distribution function at high time and angularresolutions, respectively 0.150 s and 3°. Furthermore the energy range will be ~200 eV to 20 keVwith 8% energy resolution. Status of the development of SCM and iESA prototypes will bepresented

Measurement of magnetic field fluctuations in the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions

International audienceThe search‐coil magnetometer (SCM) measures the magnetic signature of solar wind fluctuations with three components in the 3 Hz – 50 kHz range and one single component in the 1 kHz – 1 MHz range. This instrument is important for providing in situ observations of transients caused by interplanetary shocks and reconnection, for the identification of electromagnetic wave modes in plasmas and the determination of their characteristics (planarity, polarization, ellipticity and k‐vector) and for studying the turbulent cascade in the kinetic range. Two similar triaxial search‐coils have been built for the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions. Here we describe the science objectives of both missions which led to the SCM design and present the characteristics of the two instruments

The French contribution for the NASA HelioSwarm mission

International audienceThe HelioSwarm mission was selected as a MIDEX mission by NASA in February 2022 for launchin 2029 with a nominal duration of 15 months. Its main objectives are to reveal the 3D spatialstructure and dynamics of turbulence in a weakly collisional plasma and to investigate the mutualimpact of turbulence near boundaries (e. g., Earth’s bow shock and magnetopause) and large-scalestructures evolving in the solar wind (e. g., coronal mass ejection, corotating interaction region).The HelioSwarm mission will also contribute to the space weather science and to a betterunderstanding of the Sun-Earth relationship. It consists of a platform (Hub) and eight smallersatellites (nodes) evolving along an elliptical orbit with an apogee ~ 60 and a perigee ~15 Earthradii. These 9 satellites, three-axis stabilised, will provide 36 pair combinations and 126 tetrahedralconfigurations covering the scales from 50~km (subion scale) to 3000 km (MHD scale). It will bethe first mission able to investigate the physical processes related to cross-scale couplings betweenion and MHD scales by measuring, simultaneously at these two scales, the magnetic field, iondensity and velocity variations. Thus each satellite is equipped with the same instrument suite. Afluxgate magnetometer (MAG from Imperial College, UK) and a search-coil magnetometer (SCM)provide the 3D measurements of the magnetic field fluctuations whereas a Faraday cup (FC, SAO,USA) performs the ion density and velocity measurements. In addition, the ion distribution functionis measured at a single point onboard the Hub by the iESA instrument, allowing to investigate theion heating in particular. The SCM for HelioSwarm provided by LPP and LPC2E is stronglyinherited of the SCM designed for the ESA JUICE mission. It will be mounted at the tip of a 3mboom and will cover the frequency range associated with the ion and subion scales in the near-Earthenvironment [0.1-16Hz] with the following sensitivities [15pT/√Hz at 1 Hz and 1.5 pT/√Hz at 10Hz]. The iESA, developped by IRAP and LAB, is inherited from the PAS instrument operating onthe ESA Solar Orbiter mission. It will provide the ion distribution function at high time and angularresolutions, respectively 0.150 s and 3°. Furthermore the energy range will be ~200 eV to 20 keVwith 8% energy resolution. Status of the development of SCM and iESA prototypes will bepresented