Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding
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Science phase: ≥ 3 years
 Faraday cup sensors and instrument housings in two configurations. On the left is the final flight hardware, with insulating thermal blankets installed; on the right is a test configuration that protects sensitive hardware for transportation. | |
| Operator | NASA |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | JHU/APL |
| Function | Plasma Sensor |
| Mission duration | Cruise: 3-6 years Science phase: ≥ 3 years |
| Host spacecraft | |
| Spacecraft | Europa Clipper |
| Operator | NASA |
| Launch date | October 14, 2024, 16:06:00 UTC (12:06 p.m. EDT) |
| Rocket | SLS |
| Launch site | Kennedy Space Center |
The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) is a Faraday cup based instrument that will fly on board the Europa Clipper orbiter to explore Jupiter's moon Europa. PIMS will measure the plasma that populates Jupiter's magnetosphere and Europa's ionosphere.[1]
The principal investigator is Dr. Adrienn Luspay-Kuti, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).
The plasma in Jupiter's magnetosphere interacts with Europa's atmosphere. This interaction results in magnetic field perturbations. While understanding this plasma interaction is inherently interesting, it is also crucial for successful magnetic sounding Europa's subsurface ocean.[2] The interaction of the Jovian magnetic field with Europa's subsurface ocean produces a magnetic induction signature that is used to determine the ice shell thickness, ocean depth, and ocean salinity of Europa's subsurface ocean. Separating the sources of magnetic field perturbations produces a better understanding of the ocean's properties.
The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) is a Faraday cup-based instrument that will measure the plasma of Jupiter's magnetosphere and Europa's ionosphere.[3] Such devices on spacecraft date back to Explorer 10 in 1961 and were used by the Voyager 1 spacecraft to study Jupiter's magnetosphere in 1979.[3]
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