Characteristics of a new dust coordinate sensor

A new in-beam dust coordinate sensor (DCS) at the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies (CCLDAS) dust accelerator facility has been constructed and is now in use. The dust sensor operates by measuring the image charges induced on two planes of wire electrodes by passing charged dust particles. Applications for the DCS include the quantitative evaluation and improvements of the focusing and steering elements of the accelerator, and the correlation of particle velocity and mass with impact sites using precision particle location. For focusing and steering improvements, particle positions to 0.25 mm are plotted in real-time. It is possible to determine a typical particle's position within the beamline to < 0.1 mm. The design, simulation and results of the DCS are further discussed.