Investigating Periodic Density Structures in the Solar Wind's Elemental and Ionic Composition

Mesoscale periodic density structures observed in the solar wind plasma serve as an important diagnostic tool for constraining the processes that govern the formation and release of the solar wind. The aim of this thesis is to investigate periodic density structures in the solar wind's elemental composition and charge states in order to understand how solar wind properties measured in situ can be linked to their source regions on the Sun and to the mechanisms that produced them. Previously, periodic density structures have been primarily observed in situ and in remote data as fluctuations in proton and electron density. Only two events of this type have been reported for the elemental and charge state composition (Viall et al., 2009a; Kepko et al., 2016). Composition measurements are particularly important in gaining an understanding of the origin of the solar wind, as the composition is frozen into the plasma in the Sun's atmosphere and does not evolve during advection. This work investigates the detailed evolution of four events containing periodic structures and presents the results of the first statistical study analyzing the periodic structures detected in the solar wind heavy ion abundances and charge states over the course of 14 years. We use a spectral analysis method specifically designed to extract periodic signals from astrophysical time series and apply it to the Advanced Composition Explorer's Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (ACE/SWICS) 12-minute native resolution data set, which is an extended data product that is at the temporal resolution limits of the instrument. Additionally, this work presents the results of characterizing preliminary data coming from the Solar Orbiter Heavy Ion Sensor (SO-HIS), a new in situ ion mass spectrometer, just coming online, that will measure heavy ions in the solar wind plasma at an unprecedented temporal resolution, and for the first time, observe the solar wind plasma within the inner heliosphere, at distances as close as 0.28 AU to the Sun. We find that periodic structures are present at statistically significant levels and that some periodicities occur more often than others, thus demonstrating the presence of a characteristic scale. The techniques presented here are relevant to future, higher-resolution studies of SO-HIS data throughout the instrument's primary and extended mission.PHDPhysicsUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/174348/1/igershko_1.pd

The DESI fiber positioner system

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is under construction to measure the expansion history of the Universe using the baryon acoustic oscillation technique. A new prime focus corrector for the KPNO Mayall telescope will deliver light to 5,000 fiber optic positioners feeding ten broad-band spectrographs. The positioners have eccentric axis kinematics. Actuation is provided by two 4 mm diameter DC brushless gear-motors. An attached electronics board accepts a DC voltage for power and CAN messages for communications and drives the two motors. The positioner accepts the ferrulized and polished fiber and provides a mechanically safe path through its internal mechanism. Positioning is rapid and accurate with typical RMS errors of less than 5 mu m

The Robotic Multi-Object Focal Plane System of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)

A system of 5,020 robotic fiber positioners was installed in 2019 on the Mayall Telescope, at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The robots automatically re-target their optical fibers every 10 - 20 minutes, each to a precision of several microns, with a reconfiguration time less than 2 minutes. Over the next five years, they will enable the newly-constructed Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to measure the spectra of 35 million galaxies and quasars. DESI will produce the largest 3D map of the universe to date and measure the expansion history of the cosmos. In addition to the 5,020 robotic positioners and optical fibers, DESI's Focal Plane System includes 6 guide cameras, 4 wavefront cameras, 123 fiducial point sources, and a metrology camera mounted at the primary mirror. The system also includes associated structural, thermal, and electrical systems. In all, it contains over 675,000 individual parts. We discuss the design, construction, quality control, and integration of all these components. We include a summary of the key requirements, the review and acceptance process, on-sky validations of requirements, and lessons learned for future multi-object, fiber-fed spectrographs

The Robotic Multi-Object Focal Plane System of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)

A system of 5,020 robotic fiber positioners was installed in 2019 on the Mayall Telescope, at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The robots automatically re-target their optical fibers every 10 - 20 minutes, each to a precision of several microns, with a reconfiguration time less than 2 minutes. Over the next five years, they will enable the newly-constructed Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to measure the spectra of 35 million galaxies and quasars. DESI will produce the largest 3D map of the universe to date and measure the expansion history of the cosmos. In addition to the 5,020 robotic positioners and optical fibers, DESI's Focal Plane System includes 6 guide cameras, 4 wavefront cameras, 123 fiducial point sources, and a metrology camera mounted at the primary mirror. The system also includes associated structural, thermal, and electrical systems. In all, it contains over 675,000 individual parts. We discuss the design, construction, quality control, and integration of all these components. We include a summary of the key requirements, the review and acceptance process, on-sky validations of requirements, and lessons learned for future multi-object, fiber-fed spectrographs

The Robotic Multi-Object Focal Plane System of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)

International audienceA system of 5,020 robotic fiber positioners was installed in 2019 on the Mayall Telescope, at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The robots automatically re-target their optical fibers every 10 - 20 minutes, each to a precision of several microns, with a reconfiguration time less than 2 minutes. Over the next five years, they will enable the newly-constructed Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to measure the spectra of 35 million galaxies and quasars. DESI will produce the largest 3D map of the universe to date and measure the expansion history of the cosmos. In addition to the 5,020 robotic positioners and optical fibers, DESI's Focal Plane System includes 6 guide cameras, 4 wavefront cameras, 123 fiducial point sources, and a metrology camera mounted at the primary mirror. The system also includes associated structural, thermal, and electrical systems. In all, it contains over 675,000 individual parts. We discuss the design, construction, quality control, and integration of all these components. We include a summary of the key requirements, the review and acceptance process, on-sky validations of requirements, and lessons learned for future multi-object, fiber-fed spectrographs

The Robotic Multiobject Focal Plane System of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)

A system of 5,020 robotic fiber positioners was installed in 2019 on the Mayall Telescope, at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The robots automatically re-target their optical fibers every 10 - 20 minutes, each to a precision of several microns, with a reconfiguration time less than 2 minutes. Over the next five years, they will enable the newly-constructed Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to measure the spectra of 35 million galaxies and quasars. DESI will produce the largest 3D map of the universe to date and measure the expansion history of the cosmos. In addition to the 5,020 robotic positioners and optical fibers, DESI's Focal Plane System includes 6 guide cameras, 4 wavefront cameras, 123 fiducial point sources, and a metrology camera mounted at the primary mirror. The system also includes associated structural, thermal, and electrical systems. In all, it contains over 675,000 individual parts. We discuss the design, construction, quality control, and integration of all these components. We include a summary of the key requirements, the review and acceptance process, on-sky validations of requirements, and lessons learned for future multi-object, fiber-fed spectrographs

The DESI Experiment Part II: Instrument Design

DESI (Dark Energy Spectropic Instrument) is a Stage IV ground-based dark energy experiment that will study baryon acoustic oscillations and the growth of structure through redshift-space distortions with a wide-area galaxy and quasar redshift survey. The DESI instrument is a robotically-actuated, fiber-fed spectrograph capable of taking up to 5,000 simultaneous spectra over a wavelength range from 360 nm to 980 nm. The fibers feed ten three-arm spectrographs with resolution $R= \lambda/\Delta\lambda$ between 2000 and 5500, depending on wavelength. The DESI instrument will be used to conduct a five-year survey designed to cover 14,000 deg$^2$. This powerful instrument will be installed at prime focus on the 4-m Mayall telescope in Kitt Peak, Arizona, along with a new optical corrector, which will provide a three-degree diameter field of view. The DESI collaboration will also deliver a spectroscopic pipeline and data management system to reduce and archive all data for eventual public use

The DESI Experiment Part II: Instrument Design

DESI (Dark Energy Spectropic Instrument) is a Stage IV ground-based dark energy experiment that will study baryon acoustic oscillations and the growth of structure through redshift-space distortions with a wide-area galaxy and quasar redshift survey. The DESI instrument is a robotically-actuated, fiber-fed spectrograph capable of taking up to 5,000 simultaneous spectra over a wavelength range from 360 nm to 980 nm. The fibers feed ten three-arm spectrographs with resolution $R= \lambda/\Delta\lambda$ between 2000 and 5500, depending on wavelength. The DESI instrument will be used to conduct a five-year survey designed to cover 14,000 deg$^2$. This powerful instrument will be installed at prime focus on the 4-m Mayall telescope in Kitt Peak, Arizona, along with a new optical corrector, which will provide a three-degree diameter field of view. The DESI collaboration will also deliver a spectroscopic pipeline and data management system to reduce and archive all data for eventual public use