The TRACERS instrumentation suite of five primary instruments was chosen specifically to meet science objectives. The instruments have heritage on flown magnetospheric missions. The measurement requirements are well within existing capabilities, with no new technology needed.
EFI – Electric Field Instrument is a two axis electric field experiment to measure electric fields orthogonal to the Earth’s background magnetic field at both low frequencies (0-1000 Hz) to determine the convection electric field and at high frequency (0.3-5 MHz)to measure upper hybrid emissions that allow determination of the background plasma density
MSC - Magnetic Search Coil is a three-axis magnetic search coil to measure AC magnetic field from 2 Hz up to 1 kHz for determination of low frequency wave mode in the cusp.
MAG – DC Magnetometer is a fluxgate magnetometer that provides measurements of the background magnetic field up to 5 Hz.
ACE – Analyzer for Cusp Electrons is an electrostatic analyzer to measure cusp electrons from 40 eV to 10 keV, with a temporal resolution less than 100 ms, over a 210 degree plane of electron directions. ACE is designed to measure precipitating electrons, which are a sensitive tracer of the topology of the magnetic field lines in the cusp that connect the Earth to the space environment.
ACI - Analyzer for Cusp Ions is an electrostatic analyzer to measure cusp ions from 50 eV to 10 keV with a temporal resolution less than 500 ms over a 180 degree plane of ion directions in order to characterize the precipitation cusp ions which are the signature of magnetic reconnection combined with convection.