Systems and methods of ion population regulation in mass spectrometry

An apparatus for performing mass spectrometry, comprising:

• a mass analyzer configured to acquire, over time, a series of mass spectra of detected ions derived from components eluting from a chromatography column;
• and
• a computing device configured to:
• obtain, based on the series of mass spectra, an elution profile comprising a plurality of detection points representing intensity of the detected ions as a function of time;
• and
• determine, based on a set of detection points included in the plurality of detection points, a predicted next detection point of the elution profile to be obtained based on a next mass spectrum to be acquired by the mass analyzer subsequent to acquisition of the series of mass spectra.