RPC

The RPC (Rosetta Plasma Consortium) is a combined groups of 5 instruments which share electrical and data processing resources. The instruments are designed to give complementary information regarding the physical properties of the nucleus and coma of comet 67P, allowing conclusions to be drawn regarding the electrical and magnetic properties of the surface, the development of the cometary tail, and the response of the comet to interactions with charged particles from the sun (the solar wind). The 5 instruments are:

• The Ion Composition Analyser (ICA)
• The Ion and Electron Sensor (IES)
• The Langmuir Probe (LAP)
• The Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG)
• The Mutual Impedance Probe (MIP)

These instruments are linked through the Plasma Interface Unit (PIU)