| We examine Fe charge state distributions in the solar wind. The ionic composition of the solar wind directly reflects corona conditions within 4--5 solar radii. Charge state information can be used to determine coronal electron temperatures of source region plasma. Examination of the Fe charge states obtained by the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), shows a high correlation of the abundance ratio of Fe≥16+/FeTot > 10% with interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) observed at 1 A.U. We designate these as "hot ICMEs" due to their associated high charge states. We use the abundance ratio to develop a threshold average Fe charge state, <Q>threshold , applicable to charge state data from other spacecraft unable to determine charge state abundances. Applying the <Q>threshold to in-ecliptic data from ACE and data from Ulysses along its polar orbit, we identify hot ICMEs as a function of latitude. We find a factor of four fewer hot ICMEs at high latitude than in the ecliptic. After studying features on the Sun near the time of the ICME eruption, we determine that solar flares are likely the source of the observed high Fe charge states. This result has important implications in understanding the relationship between solar flares and CMEs. For years, a controversy has existed over the causal relationship between flares and CMEs. Now, through the work of this thesis, compositional data provides convincing evidence of an association of flares and CMEs.; In addition, we also characterize a new delta-doped charge-coupled device (CCD). The new delta-doped CCD has a dead layer that is ∼1/10 th the thickness of previous SSDs used in ACE/SWIGS. Using this detector, we are able to detect H+ and N+ ions with energies ranging from 1--10 keV in the laboratory. This is a remarkable increase in sensitivity for solid-state particle detectors which currently can only detect particles with energies >30 keV. Application of this detector in future space missions will reduce the previous need for heavy post-acceleration power supplies to accelerate particles above the ∼30 keV threshold and high voltage shielding. |
