Advanced charged particle beam ignited nuclear pulse propulsion

It is shown that the mass of the driver for nuclear microexplosion—Orion type—pulse propulsion can be substantially reduced with a special fusion–fast fission configuration, which permits to replace an inefficient laser beam driver with a much more efficient and less massive relativistic electron beam (or light ion beam) driver. The driver mass can be further reduced, and the propulsion efficiency increased, by surrounding the nuclear microexplosion assembly with a shell of conventional hydrogen-rich explosive, helping to ignite the nuclear reaction and dissipating the otherwise lost kinetic neutron energy in the shell which becomes part of the propellant.     

Shock–Acoustic Waves Generated during Rocket Launches and Earthquakes

Shock–acoustic waves generated during rocket launches and earthquakes are investigated by a method developed earlier for processing data from a global network of receivers of the GPS navigation system. Disturbances of the total electron content in the ionosphere accompanying the launches of the Proton, Soyuz, and Space Shuttle space vehicles from the Baikonur cosmodrome and Kennedy Space Center launch site in 1998–2000, as well as the earthquakes in Turkey on August 17 and November 12, 1999, were analyzed. It was shown that, regardless of the source type, the impulsive disturbance has the character of an N-wave with a period of 200–360 s and an amplitude exceeding background fluctuations under moderate geomagnetic conditions by a factor of 2–5 as a minimum. The elevation angle of the disturbance wave vector varies from 25° to 65°, and the phase velocity (900–1200 m/s) approaches the speed of sound at heights of the ionospheric F-region maximum. The source location corresponds to a segment of the booster trajectories at a distance of no less than 500–1000 km from the start position and to a flight altitude of no less than 100 km. In the case of earthquakes the source location approximately coincides with the epicenter.     

GEO地磁亚暴多能量电子带电评估方法研究

文章着眼于提高地球同步轨道(GEO)空间地磁亚暴带电效应模拟的真实度,对多能量电子模拟空间地磁亚暴带电的方法进行分析评估。首先采用单一能量电子束的地面试验对SENSIT工程软件进行了校准;然后参考地磁亚暴环境能谱,用该软件对Kapton样品在单一电子束、双电子束、全能谱电子辐照下的充放电特性进行了计算预示。研究表明：表面充电速率受控于电流密度;在12．5keV/32．5keV电子束组合时其效应模拟的结果最有代表性;在双电子束模拟中,较高能量电子源起关键作用。     

Super-ion-beams and advanced target concepts for thermonuclear microbomb rocket propulsion

Expected advances in the generation of ultraintense ion beams with currents above the Alfvén limit will make possible the ignition of neutron-poor advanced thermonuclear reactions suitable for thermonuclear microbomb propulsion. The superbeams can be produced by magnetically insulated multistage pulse accelerators. The high thermonuclear yields as they are desirable for an efficient propulsion system can be obtained by target staging and autocatalytic detonation. This will make possible the fast economical transportation of large payloads within the solar system.     

Electrostatic Noise Spectrum at the Electron Cyclotron Frequency and Electromagnetic Emission in the Inhomogeneous Plasma of the Topside Ionosphere

Measurements of the wave emission of the topside ionosphere made onboard the APEX satellite using the electric component of the wave field in the 0.1–10 MHz frequency band are presented. At middle latitudes a wave intensity decrease was observed in the broad-band spectrum of the electrostatic noise at the electron cyclotron frequency. It is shown that a break in the spectrum of electrostatic modes at the electron cyclotron frequency (the absence of the plasma eigen-frequencies) may be a cause of the observed effect. The increase of the intensity at the electron cyclotron frequency in the ionospheric trough and at latitudes above the trough region as compared to middle latitudes may be explained by the capture by plasma irregularities of the electromagnetic emission of the auroral electron fluxes.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 201–208.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Izhovkina, Prutensky, Pulinets, Kiraga, Klos, Rothkael.     

基于粒子云方法研究地磁场对运动电子束的时空分布影响

空间电荷效应是空间带电粒子分布直接产生的相关效应,对于理解空间辐射环境有着重要意义。为研究地球磁场对空间电荷效应的影响,文章通过数值求解Poisson方程和相对论粒子运动方程,建立粒子云（particle-in-cell, PIC）自洽模型,并构建地球偶极子磁场模型作为内磁层背景磁场（空间分布L值为3～7）。在模型基础上,给出内磁层典型电子束结构（能量0.1～100 keV）的两种初始分布（Uniform和Gaussian分布）,模拟电子束在地磁场影响下的动力学过程。结果表明:电子束结构受地磁场影响出现纵向的整体偏转,并由于自场效应产生了纵向的拉伸和横向的发散;电子束整体的偏转角主要受地磁场强弱以及电子束运动与磁场夹角影响,而拉伸和发散效应则主要受电子束能量等参数所影响。     

Spherical Probes for Measurements of Electric Fields on the INTERBALL-2 Satellite in the IESP-2M Instrument

The reliability and precision of satellite measurements of electric fields are significantly determined by the performance of probes used for these purposes. For measurements of the vector of the constant electric field and three components of the variable electric field in the frequency band from 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz on the INTERBALL-2 satellite, the method of a double probe and the scheme of three pairs of sensors are used. In manufacturing the sensitive units of the probes, an original Bulgarian technology for glass-carbon coating on their spherical surfaces was used. The results of measurements (by the Siesmann–Kelvin method) of variations of electron work function from the surface of the spherical probes with glass-carbon coating have shown mean statistical variations W < 0.006 eV. To minimize the errors in measuring electric fields, a construction of the probes as monoblocks with balancing and guarding electrodes was developed and used. The guarding electrodes are under a bias voltage in the limits from 0 to 12 V to decrease the influence of currents caused by photoelectrons emitted by different units of the satellite construction. The value of this bias was determined by choosing the working point of the voltage–current characteristic. The optimum value of the bias current for the auroral area was in the limits 70–100 nA. Output signals from the sensors of the IESP-2M instrument were used in measuring electric fields by the MEMO and NVK-ONCh instruments included in the wave complex.     

Theory of type III radio bursts in the interplanetary space. II. Study of instability of the electron beam-solar wind plasma system in a linear approximation

Frequency characteristics of disturbances of a one-dimensionally inhomogeneous electron beam-solar wind plasma system are studied in the geometrical optics approximation on the basis of the Maxwell equations closed by the material equation obtained earlier. The corresponding dispersion equation is derived and solved. It is found that resonance interaction of a wave with an electron beam can occur only at two spatial points. Perhaps, such a short-time (point-like) mechanism of the resonance clarifies one of the main problems of physics of electron beams generated by solar flares: their time of existence is much longer than the time following from the previous theoretical estimates of the beam energy loss rate due to radiation.     

Safety issues in SPS wireless power transmission

The use of wireless power transmission in Space Solar Power (SSP) activities creates significant policy issues regarding the beam right-of-way. There will not be a single beam, there may well be hundreds of beams for economical systems. Are some or all of these power beams to be afforded priorities of space for unobstructed power delivery, or must the beaming systems be designed to be capable of detecting any and all potential beam interceptions and appropriately responding? The repeated interruptions for guaranteed safety of transit for freely moving air and space traffic are of great consequence. The safety issues are critical, but the implications for equipment transient protection, energy storage system costs and the quality of power delivery service are also significant for wireless power transmission economics. A scenario of precursor wireless power transmission developments leading up to and including SSP applications will be used to frame and to discuss the beamed power technology implications and policy issues.     

Autocatalytic fission–fusion microexplosions for nuclear pulse propulsion

Autocatalytic fission–fusion microexplosions, mutually amplifying fission and fusion reactions, are proposed for propulsion. Autocatalytic fission–fusion microexplosions can be realized by imploding a shell of uranium 235 (or plutonium) onto a magnetized deuterium–tritium (DT) plasma. After having reached a high temperature, the DT plasma releases fusion neutrons making fission reactions in the fissile shell increasing the implosion velocity which in turn increases the fusion reaction rate until full ignition of the DT plasma. To implode the fissile shell a small amount of high explosive and to magnetize the DT plasma a small auxiliary electric discharge are required. In comparison to nuclear bomb pulse propulsion, the energy released per pulse is much smaller and the efficiency higher. And in comparison to laser- or particle-beam-ignited fusion microexplosions, there is no need for a massive fusion ignition driver.     

电子束横波器件原理及应用

几十年前,前苏联成功研制了一系列电子束横波器件,其主要优点是线性、高效率和自保护。这些器件已在微波输电、雷达和通信中获得应用。文章对它们的结构、工作原理和技术参数等进行简要介绍。     

Near-Equatorial Electrons as Measured onboard the MirSpace Station

Some results of studying the electrons with energies of tens to hundreds of keV at the low and near- equatorial geomagnetic latitudes by using the instruments Sprut-V and Ryabina-2 onboard the Mirspace station in 1991 are presented. It is found that at L< 1.2 the enhanced electron fluxes are sporadically detected, being localized within three longitudinal intervals, 180° W–0°–15° E, 90°– 120° E, and 160° E–180°–135° W. The most intense electron fluxes are observed at the lower edge of the near-equatorial boundary of the inner radiation belt on longitudes of the South Atlantic Anomaly between 14 and 20 h MLT. The occurrence of electron bursts does not depend on the geomagnetic disturbance level. A hardening of the electron spectra is observed near the geomagnetic equator. At L< 1.1, the more energetic particles are located closer to the geomagnetic equator. The results are compared with the data on the low-frequency waves and fields at low and near-equatorial latitudes obtained by the Ariel-4and San Marco Dsatellites, as well as by the spacecraft and ground-based observations of the thunderstorm global distribution. The thunderstorms are considered as a possible source of electron production near the geomagnetic equator.     

Searching for the magic bullet

A powerful statistical tool, paired-comparison, was tested as a method to determine the relative value American people place on two possibly competing paradigms in the United States Space Program: “Space as a Place to Explore” and “Civil and Commercial Uses of Space”. A limitation of the results, but not the methodology, is the participants were college students, not “voting” adults. Reliability and validity of items were developed and tested in two studies suggesting that the paired-comparison method is a reliable and powerful tool for measuring the relative value the public may place on programs within the US Space Program.     

Results of Measurements of Accelerations of Technological Devices onboard the FotonSpacecraft

This paper generalizes the results of measuring the residual accelerations arising when investigations in space materials science are carried out onboard the unmanned Fotonspacecraft. The levels of vibroaccelerations are analyzed in the frequency band of 1–500 Hz for the technological devices UZ01, UZ04, and POLIZON, developed by the Federal Unitary State Enterprise Barmin Design Bureau of General Machine Building (V.P. Barmin KBOM). The levels of accelerations are estimated in the frequency band of 0–1 Hz in the zone of technological operations of these facilities. The basic sources of vibroaccelerations acting upon the frames of devices are determined in the capsule zone, where technological processes of producing new materials take place. In the frequency band of 1–500 Hz the vibroaccelerations are shown to be generated by the operation of Fotonspacecraft units and a drive of capsule translation during the technological process. On the capsule frame they reach the values of (1–3) × 10^–3 g. The level of linear accelerations in the infralow-frequency band is determined by rotational motions of the Fotonspacecraft. It depends on the device location with respect to the spacecraft center of mass and does not exceed (1–7) × 10^–6 gin the steady-state regime in the zone of technological activity.     

满足电子枪电场与电子束参数优化的极板个数确定

为保证透射电子显微镜的电子枪输出电子束符合要求,研究极板个数对电子枪电场与电子束的影响.通过计算机建模和仿真分析,探究不同极板个数(N)下的电子加速效果、电场强度及电子束质量.结果表明,在N=6时,电场强度平均值高、均匀度好,电子在相同加速电压作用下具有最高速度,电子束聚焦性能较好.极板个数最佳值的确定,可为电子枪的具...     

INTERBALL-1 Observations of the Kilometric “Continuum” of the Earth's Magnetosphere

The electromagnetic radio-frequency emission of the inner region of the Earth's plasmasphere discovered recently by the GEOTAIL satellite [4] and referred to as the kilometric continuum was observed by the INTERBALL-1 satellite (1995–2000) in the 100–500 kHz band in the AKR-X experiment. During a period of low solar activity (1995–1997), this continuum was found leaving the inner plasmasphere at geocentric distances of 2–4R _E as isolated pencil-like (1°–6°) beams located in the magnetic equator plane. During a time of high solar activity (1999–2000), the occurrence of the emission was extremely rare (it was observed only at a considerable fall of this activity). If detected, at the same geocentric distances (2–4R _E) the continuum demonstrated a strongly variable and perturbed character, as well as a considerably larger extension of the beam over the geomagnetic latitude (10°–20° and more). In addition, quasi-periodic (QP) signals, similar to the observed QP emissions of Jupiter, were sometimes detected in this period. The probable nature of the observed features of the kilometric continuum is briefly discussed.     

Simultaneous Response of the Mid-Latitude Ionosphere to a Sudden Commencement of Strong Magnetic Storms

Using the new technology of global GPS detection of ionospheric disturbances (GLOBDET), it is found that a sharp increase of the time derivative of the magnetic field strength during magnetic storms is accompanied by a simultaneous decrease of the mid-latitude total electron content (TEC) over the entire dayside of the globe. The corresponding negative correlation coefficient is no less than 0.8, and the delay relative to the sudden commencement of magnetic storm is about 3–10 min. The effect is especially clearly pronounced for magnetic storms with sudden commencements (SSC). The analysis is carried out for a set of 90 to 300 GPS stations for 10 days (January 6 and April 23, 1998; April 6, June 8, July 13, 14, and 15, 2000; March 31, April 4 and 11, 2001) with various levels of geomagnetic activity (D _st and K _p varied from –6 to –295 nT and from 0 to 9, respectively). The amplitude of the response in the total electron content for the events considered was 0.1–0.4 × 10¹⁶ m^–2 (which is a deviation of 0.2–2.6% from the TEC background value). The velocity of the disturbance motion from the dayside to the nightside was about 10–20 km/s. The results obtained agree with the data of ionospheric parameter measurements conducted earlier by methods with high temporal resolution.     

Statistical Correlation of the Rate of Failures on Geosynchronous Satellites with Fluxes of Energetic Electrons and Protons

A statistical comparison of failures on geosynchronous satellites in the maximum and during the decline of the 22nd solar cycle (1989–1994) with space weather parameters is carried out. A positive correlation of the rate of failures with the flux of relativistic electrons on the geosynchronous orbit and with the proton flux measured before the bow shock front is revealed. The significant positive correlation of the electron flux with the rate of failures is observed during the entire considered interval. The correlation coefficient varies in the solar activity cycle in coordination with the electron flux, and the maxima of the correlation coefficient are observed on the phase of decline of the cycle. A statistically significant positive correlation between the flux of protons with energy of more than 1 MeV and the rate of failures is revealed in the maximum of the solar cycle.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 186–193.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Romanova, Pilipenko, Yagova, Belov.     

Potential of laser-induced ablation for future space applications

This paper surveys recent and current advancements of laser-induced ablation technology for space-based applications and discusses ways of bringing such applications to fruition. Laser ablation is achieved by illuminating a given material with a laser light source. The high surface power densities provided by the laser enable the illuminated material to sublimate and ablate. Possible applications include the deflection of Near Earth Objects – asteroids and comets – from an Earth-impacting event, the vaporisation of space structures and debris, the mineral and material extraction of asteroids and/or as an energy source for future propulsion systems. This paper will discuss each application and the technological advancements that are required to make laser-induced ablation a practical process for use within the space arena. Particular improvements include the efficiency of high power lasers, the collimation of the laser beam (including beam quality) and the power conversion process. These key technological improvements are seen as strategic and merit greater political and commercial support.