Heliophysics

Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)

In-Situ Probe · Competed · Agency-led · Launched on August 25, 1997 · Extended Mission · LCC: $244M/$538M (2025 $)Life-cycle cost: NASA’s reported cost to build, launch, and operate a mission through its prime mission, plus documented partner contributions, in 2025 dollars. Extended missions are not included. Methods · Wikipedia

Scope Active Mission WindowActivePapers published from the first full month after science operations begin through two years after the mission ends. Citations are counted through the third calendar year after each paper appears. For ACE, papers published January 1, 1998 to January 1, 2024. Methods LifetimeLifetimeEvery tracked publication to date, with every citation to date. For ACE, papers published from 1998 to November 3, 2026. Methods
Tracked publicationsTracked publications: peer-reviewed papers we found that name the mission or its instruments in their titles, abstracts, or keywords. Papers that used the data without naming it are missed. Methods1,510
CitationsCitations: every citation these publications have drawn to date. Older missions have had longer to collect them. Methods54,373
Citation indices
h-indexh-index: the largest h such that h papers have at least h citations each. It only grows with time, so older missions score higher. Methods106
g-indexg-index: the largest g for which the g most-cited papers together hold at least g² citations. Like the h-index, but it lets the most-cited papers count for more. Methods169
m-indexm-index: a mission’s h-index divided by the years since its first peer-reviewed paper. It falls every 1 January even when nothing else changes; the figure shown is as of November 3, 2026. It also discounts the long operating life that larger missions paid for. Methods3.7
toritori (total research impact, from SciX): for every paper citing one of the mission’s papers, 1 divided by the citing paper’s reference count times the cited paper’s author count, summed, with self-citations removed. It favors citations from papers with short reference lists and from outside the mission’s own authors. Computed over the tracked citation graph, which can be slightly incomplete. Always over every tracked publication to date, whichever scope is chosen. Methods343
riqriq (research impact quotient): 1,000 times the square root of tori, divided by the years since the mission’s first paper. A rate, not a total, so it does not keep growing with age the way the h-index and tori do. Like tori, always over every tracked publication to date. Methods638

Publications and citations by year (lifetime)

Publications per yearCumulative citations

Institutional contributions (lifetime)The institutions SciX lists for each paper’s authors, as printed on the paper, located through the Research Organization Registry. A square counts a paper once, however many of its authors worked there. Methods

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Tracked publications over the lifetime (1,510)

All publications CSV · JSON

  1. Solar wind spatial scales in and comparisons of hourly Wind and ACE plasma and magnetic field data

    King, J. H., 2005, JGRA

    1,242 lifetime citations

  2. Solar Wind Electron Proton Alpha Monitor (SWEPAM) for the Advanced Composition Explorer

    McComas, D. J., 1998, SSRv

    1,066 lifetime citations

  3. The Advanced Composition Explorer

    Stone, E. C., 1998, SSRv

    1,000 lifetime citations

  4. The ACE Magnetic Fields Experiment

    Smith, C. W., 1998, SSRv

    985 lifetime citations

  5. Coronal Mass Ejections: Observations

    Webb, David F., 2012, LRSP

    736 lifetime citations

  6. Global dayside ionospheric uplift and enhancement associated with interplanetary electric fields

    Tsurutani, Bruce, 2004, JGRA

    451 lifetime citations

  7. Predicting the 1-AU arrival times of coronal mass ejections

    Gopalswamy, Nat, 2001, JGR

    399 lifetime citations

  8. Shock Geometry, Seed Populations, and the Origin of Variable Elemental Composition at High Energies in Large Gradual Solar Particle Events

    Tylka, A. J., 2005, ApJ

    390 lifetime citations

  9. Investigation of the composition of solar and interstellar matter using solar wind and pickup ion measurements with SWICS and SWIMS on the ACE spacecraft

    Gloeckler, G., 1998, SSRv

    366 lifetime citations

  10. The association of coronal mass ejections with their effects near the Earth

    Schwenn, R., 2005, AnGeo

    363 lifetime citations

  11. Direct evidence for magnetic reconnection in the solar wind near 1 AU

    Gosling, J. T., 2005, JGRA

    362 lifetime citations

  12. Properties of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections at One AU During 1995 2004

    Jian, L., 2006, SoPh

    351 lifetime citations

  13. Flux tube texture of the solar wind: Strands of the magnetic carpet at 1 AU?

    Borovsky, Joseph E., 2008, JGRA

    344 lifetime citations

  14. Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor on the Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft

    Gold, R. E., 1998, SSRv

    343 lifetime citations

  15. Dependence of the Dissipation Range Spectrum of Interplanetary Magnetic Fluctuationson the Rate of Energy Cascade

    Smith, Charles W., 2006, ApJ

    332 lifetime citations

  16. Properties of Stream Interactions at One AU During 1995 2004

    Jian, L., 2006, SoPh

    310 lifetime citations

  17. XMM-Newton Observation of Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission

    Snowden, S. L., 2004, ApJ

    259 lifetime citations

  18. Penetration of the solar wind electric field into the magnetosphere/ionosphere system

    Kelley, Michael C., 2003, GeoRL

    256 lifetime citations

  19. Statistical Analysis of Discontinuities in Solar Wind ACE Data and Comparison with Intermittent MHD Turbulence

    Greco, A., 2009, ApJ

    248 lifetime citations

  20. Energy partition in two solar flare/CME events

    Emslie, A. G., 2004, JGRA

    242 lifetime citations

How we found these papers

We searched NASA’s Science Explorer (SciX) for peer-reviewed articles naming ACE in the title, abstract or keywords; standard filters drop articles that are not peer-reviewed and magazine pieces.

((((=abs:"Advanced Composition Explorer" OR =abs:"Solar Wind Ion Mass Spectrometer" OR =abs:"Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer" OR =abs:"Ultra-Low Energy Isotope Spectrometer" OR =abs:"Solar Energetic Particle Ionic Charge Analyzer" OR =abs:"Solar Isotope Spectrometer" OR =abs:"Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer" OR =abs:"Solar Wind Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor" OR =abs:"Electron, Proton, and Alpha-Particle Monitor" OR (abs:"ACE" AND (abs:"solar" OR abs:"cosmic") AND (abs:"SWICS" OR abs:"SWIMS" OR abs:"ULEIS" OR abs:"SEPICA" OR abs:"CRIS" OR abs:"SWEPAM" OR abs:"EPAM")))) OR (abs:ACE AND (=abs:"solar wind" OR =abs:"cosmic ray" OR abs:interplanetary OR abs:heliospher* OR abs:geomagnet* OR abs:magnetospher* OR abs:SWICS OR abs:SWIMS OR abs:ULEIS OR abs:SEPICA OR abs:CRIS OR abs:SWEPAM OR abs:EPAM)) OR ((abs:SWEPAM OR abs:ULEIS OR abs:SEPICA OR abs:EPAM) AND (abs:solar OR abs:interplanetary OR =abs:"energetic particle")))) AND property:refereed AND doctype:article AND pubdate:[1998-01 TO 2040-01] AND NOT bibstem:("A&R" OR "ACPD" OR "AIASJ" OR "AMTD" OR "AeAm" OR "AirSp" OR "AsNow" OR "AsUAI" OR "AvWST" OR "BGD" OR "C&E" OR "C&T" OR "CAPJ" OR "CliPD" OR "E&S" OR "ENews" OR "ESDD" OR "ESSDD" OR "ESuDD" OR "GID" OR "GMDD" OR "GeCAS" OR "HESSD" OR "IrAJ" OR "JCos" OR "JRASC" OR "LAstr" OR "MNSSA" OR "Met" OR "NHESD" OR "NPGD" OR "NewSc" OR "OcScD" OR "Orion" OR "PhT" OR "PhTea" OR "PhuZ" OR "PhyOJ" OR "PhyW" OR "PlR" OR "SOILD" OR "SciAm" OR "SpFl" OR "TCD" OR "ZemVs")

Open in SciX

Removed after review (39)

  1. The theoretical basis of ACE, an Age Calculation Engine for cosmogenic nuclides Describes software named ACE for cosmogenic nuclide dating; not the spacecraft. Decision 🤖
  2. The helium isotopic ratio in the solar wind and ion fractionation in the corona by inefficient Coulomb drag Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  3. A model for pickup ion transport in the heliosphere in the limit of uniform hemispheric distributions Pickup ion model compared with Ulysses data; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  4. Measurement of the Abundance of Helium-3 in the Sun and in the Local Interstellar Cloud with SWICS on ULYSSES Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  5. O⁵⁺ in High Speed Solar Wind Streams: SWICS/Ulysses Results Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  6. Advanced Composition Explorer mission. Proceedings. Workshop, Pasadena, CA (USA), Jan 1997. Record for a workshop proceedings volume; not a research paper. Decision 🤖
  7. Interstellar and Inner Source Pickup Ions Observed with SWICS on ULYSSES Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  8. Identification of trailing edge solar wind stream interfaces: A comparison of Ulysses plasma and composition measurements Uses Ulysses plasma and composition data; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  9. Solar wind stream interfaces in corotating interaction regions: New SWICS/Ulysses results Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  10. Solar wind ionic charge states during the Ulysses pole-to-pole pass Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  11. Implications of Solar Wind Composition for Cometary X-Rays Uses solar wind composition from Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  12. Elemental composition of the inner source pickup ions Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  13. Inner source distributions: Theoretical interpretation, implications, and evidence for inner source protons Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  14. Composition of quasi-stationary solar wind flows from Ulysses/Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  15. Stationkeeping Techniques for Libration-Point Satellites General stationkeeping study for libration-point satellites; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  16. Ionization state and magnetic topology of coronal mass ejections Uses Ulysses instruments to study CMEs; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  17. Nature of the boundary between open and closed magnetic field line regions at the Sun revealed by composition data and numerical models Uses Ulysses composition data; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  18. The Sun at solar minimum: North - south asymmetry of the polar coronal holes Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  19. Temporal Evolution of a Streamer Complex: Coronal and in Situ Plasma Parameters Combines SOHO and Ulysses observations; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  20. Interplanetary and solar surface properties of coronal holes observed during solar maximum Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  21. Implications of the observed anticorrelation between solar wind speed and coronal electron temperature Solar wind composition study that does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  22. Dust Destruction and Ion Formation in the Inner Solar System Interprets pickup ions measured by Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  23. Polar Coronal Holes During Solar Cycles 22 and 23 Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  24. Interstellar He⁺ ring-beam distributions: Observations and implications Uses STEREO pickup ion data; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  25. Composition of inner-source heavy pickup ions at 1 AU: SOHO/CELIAS/CTOF observations. Implications for the production mechanisms Uses SOHO pickup ion data; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  26. HEPPA-II model─measurement intercomparison project: EPP indirect effects during the dynamically perturbed NH winter 2008─2009 Uses the ACE-FTS instrument on SCISAT; not the Advanced Composition Explorer. Decision 🤖
  27. Determination of Plasma, Pickup Ion, and Suprathermal Particle Spectrum in the Solar Wind Frame of Reference Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  28. Evaluating the Performance of a Plasma Analyzer for a Space Weather Monitor Mission Concept Design study of a plasma analyzer for a proposed space weather mission. Decision 🤖
  29. Bulk Properties of Pickup Ions Derived from the Ulysses Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer Data Uses the SWICS instrument on Ulysses; does not name ACE. Decision 🤖
  30. Space Weather Science to Enhance Forecasting with the NASA IMAP Active Link for Real-Time (I-ALiRT) System Describes IMAP's real-time data system; mentions ACE only as design heritage. Decision 🤖
  31. Do cosmic-ray-driven electron-induced reactions impact stratospheric ozone depletion and global climate change? Uses the ACE-FTS instrument on SCISAT; not the Advanced Composition Explorer. Decision 🤖
  32. Two- and three-dimensional structures of the descent of mesospheric trace constituents after the 2013 sudden stratospheric warming elevated stratopause event Refers to the ACE-FTS instrument on SCISAT; not the Advanced Composition Explorer. Decision 🤖
  33. A Sanitizable and Bilateral Access Control Scheme Based on Blockchain ACE here means access control encryption; unrelated to the spacecraft. Decision 🤖
  34. Proposed U.S. Space Weather Budget for Fiscal Year 2011 Would Fund Key Programs News item on the space weather budget; not a research paper. Decision 🤖
  35. The Low-Energy Telescope (LET) and SEP Central Electronics for the STEREO Mission Instrument description of the STEREO Low-Energy Telescope; a different mission. Decision 🤖
  36. The Plasma Ion and Electron Instruments for the Genesis Mission Instrument description of the Genesis plasma monitors; mentions ACE only as sensor heritage. Decision 🤖
  37. Solar Wind and Pickup Ion (SWAPI) Instrument on NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) Instrument description of the IMAP SWAPI instrument; a different mission. Decision 🤖
  38. Martian Radiation EnvIronment Experiment (MARIE) Instrument description of MARIE on Mars Odyssey; mentions ACE only for comparison. Decision 🤖
  39. The TRACERS Analyzer for Cusp Electrons Instrument description of a TRACERS electron analyzer; a different mission. Decision 🤖