Solar wind electron temperature and density measurements on the Solar Orbiter with thermal noise spectroscopy

Abstract

The measurement of the solar wind electron temperature in the unexplored region between 1 and 45 R s is of prime importance for understanding the solar wind acceleration. Solar Orbiter’s location, combined with the fact that the spacecraft will nearly co-rotate with the sun on some portions of its orbit, will furnish observations placing constraints on solar wind models. We discuss the implementation of the plasma thermal noise analysis for the Solar Orbiter, in order to get accurate measurements of the total electron density and electron temperature and to correct the spacecraft charging effects which affect the electron analyzers.