On the spatial and temporal resolution of ion temperature measurements based on neutral beam scattering: Comment on ‘‘Design of an ion temperature diagnostic based on neutral beam scattering’’ [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 57, 1792 (1986)]

Small‐angle neutral beam scattering is a promising technique to measure the local ion temperature in a hot plasma. We will show that in general a 10% accuracy in the temperature measurement can be obtained with a temporal resolution in the order of 1 ms and a spatial resolution of 10 cm. These values are less favorable than previous claims by Van Heesch e t a l.