An electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) array includes a plurality of ion mirrors and a plurality of elongated charge detection cylinders each defining an axial passageway centrally therethrough, the ion mirrors and the charge detection cylinders arranged relative to one another such that each charge detection cylinder is positioned between a different respective pair of the ion mirrors with the respective axial passageways of each coaxial with one another, wherein the axial passageways of the ELITs are not coaxial with one another, means for selectively directing at least one ion into each of the plurality of ELITs, and means for controlling each of the ion mirrors in a manner which causes the at least one ion in at least two of the ELITs to become trapped therein and to simultaneously oscillate back and forth between the respective ion mirrors each time passing through the respective charge detection cylinder.