Mass Spectrometers
Mass spectrometers are analytical instruments that measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. In space and astronautical engineering, mass spectrometers are used to analyze the composition of planetary atmospheres, study the properties of plasmas, and monitor the quality of spacecraft materials. Mass spectrometers work by ionizing a sample, separating the resulting ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and detecting the ions to generate a mass spectrum. Different types of mass spectrometers include time-of-flight, quadrupole, and magnetic sector instruments. Mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for space exploration because it can provide information about the chemical and isotopic composition of samples with high sensitivity and specificity.
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