A sample collector for robotic sample return missions II: Radiation tests

Sample return from small solar system objects is playing an increasingly important part in solar system exploration. Critical to such missions is a robust, simple, and economic sample collector. We have developed a collector such as this for near-Earth asteroid sample return missions that we have termed the Touch-and-Go Impregnable Pad (TGIP). The collector utilizes a silicone substrate that is pushed into the dust and gravel surface layer of the asteroid. As part of a systematic evaluation of the TGIP, we have investigated the resilience of this substrate to ionizing radiations. Several miniature versions of the collector, containing typically ∼3 g of the collection substrate, were exposed to 0.564 MeV beta particles from a ⁹⁰Sr source and a 6 MeV electron beam in a linear accelerator to simulate the wide range of energies of solar and galactic ionizing radiation. Various radiation levels up to eight times greater than expected on a six-year asteroid mission (in the case of beta radiation) and 50 times greater than expected (in the case of the 6 MeV electron radiation) were administered to the substrate. After irradiation, the efficiency of the substrate in collecting samples of mock regolith was compared with that of collectors that had not been irradiated. No difference beyond experimental uncertainty was observed and we suggest that the operational TGIP will not be affected adversely by radiation doses expected during a typical six-year inner solar system mission.     

Space-radiation-induced photon luminescence of the Moon

We report on the results of a continuing study of the photon luminescence of the Moon induced by Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and space radiation from the Sun, using the Monte Carlo program FLUKA. Understanding the space radiation environment is critical to future exploration of the Moon, and this includes photons. The model of the lunar surface is taken to be the chemical composition of soils found at various landing sites during the Apollo and Luna programs, averaged over all such sites to define a generic regolith for the present analysis. This surface model then becomes the target that is bombarded by Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) or Solar Particle Events (SPEs) above 1 keV in FLUKA to determine the photon fluence albedo produced by the Moon’s surface when there is no sunlight and Earthshine. The result is to be distinguished from the gamma-ray spectrum produced by the radioactive decay of radiogenic constituents lying in the surface and interior of the Moon. From the photon fluence we derive the spectrum which can be utilized to examine existing lunar spectral data and to aid future orbiting instrumentation in the measurement of various components of the space-radiation-induced photon luminescence present on the Moon.     

Surface temperatures at the nearside of the Moon as a record of the radiation budget of Earth’s climate system

Understanding the balance between incoming radiation from the Sun and outgoing radiation from Earth is of critical importance in the study of climate change on Earth. As the only natural satellite of Earth, the Moon is a unique platform for the study of the disk-wide radiation budget of Earth. There are no complications from atmosphere, hydrosphere, or biosphere on the Moon. The nearside of the Moon allows for a focus on the solar radiation during its daytime, and on terrestrial radiation during its nighttime. Additionally, lunar regolith temperature is an amplifier of the terrestrial radiation signal because lunar temperature is proportional to the fourth square root of radiation as such is much more sensitive to the weak terrestrial radiation in nighttime than the strong solar radiation in daytime. Indeed, the long-term lunar surface temperature time series obtained inadvertently by the Heat Flow Experiment at the Apollo 15 landing site three decades ago may be the first important observation from deep space of both incoming and outgoing radiation of the terrestrial climate system. A revisit of the lunar surface temperature time series reveals distinct characteristics in lunar surface daytime and nighttime temperature variations, governed respectively by solar and terrestrial radiation.     

三层月壤模型的多通道微波辐射模拟与月壤厚度的反演

由月球表面数字高程试验性地构造了整个月球表面月壤厚度的分布.根据Clementine探月卫星的紫外-可见光光学数据,计算了整个月球表面月壤中FeO+TiO2含量分布,给出了整个月球表面月壤介电常数分布.由月球表层温度的观测结果以及月壤的导热特性,给出了月尘层与月壤层温度随纬度分布的经验公式.在这些条件的基础上,建立了月尘、月壤、月岩三层微波热辐射模型.由起伏逸散定理,模拟计算了该月球模型多通道辐射亮度温度.然后,以此辐射亮度温度模拟加随机噪声为理论观测值,按三层模型提出了月壤层厚度反演方法.由于高频通道穿透深度小,由高频通道的辐射亮度温度按照两层月尘-月壤微波热辐射模型反演月尘层与月壤层的物理温度,再由穿透深度较大的低频通道辐射亮度温度反演月壤层厚度.对于反演的相对误差也进行了讨论.      

Gas permeability and flow characterization of simulated lunar regolith

Recent discoveries of water ice trapped within lunar topsoil (regolith) have placed a new emphasis on the recovery and utilization of water for future space exploration. Upon heating the lunar ice to sublimation, the resulting water vapor could theoretically transmit through the lunar regolith, to be captured on the surface. As the permeability of lunar regolith is essential to this process, this paper seeks to experimentally determine the permeability and flow characteristics of various gas species through simulated lunar regolith (SLR). Two different types of SLR were compacted and placed into the permeability setup to measure the flow-rate of transmitted gas through the sample. Darcy’s permeability constant was calculated for each sample and gas combination, and flow characteristics were determined from the results. The results show that Darcy’s permeability constant varies with SLR compaction density, and identified no major difference in permeable flow between the several tested gas species. Between the two tested SLR types, JSC-1A was shown to be more permeable than NU-LHT under similar conditions. In addition, a transition zone was identified in the flow when the gas pressure differential across the sample was less than ∼40 kPa.     

Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) on-board Chandrayaan-2 orbiter

The remote X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is a powerful technique to investigate the elemental abundances in the atmosphere-less planetary bodies. The experiment involves measuring spectra of fluorescent X-rays from lunar surface using a low energy X-ray detector onboard an orbiting satellite. Since the flux of fluorescent X-ray lines critically depend on the flux and spectrum of the incident solar X-rays, it is essential to have simultaneous and accurate measurement of X-ray from both Moon and Sun. In the context of Moon, this technique has been employed since early days of space exploration to determine elemental composition of lunar surface. However, so far it has not been possible to exploit it to its full potential due to various reasons. Therefore it is planned to continue the remote X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy experiment on-board Chandrayaan-2 which includes both lunar X-ray observations and solar X-ray observations as two separate payloads. The lunar X-ray observations will be carried out by Chandra Large Area Soft x-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) experiment; whereas the solar X-ray observations will be carried out by a separate payload, Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM). Here we present the overall design of the XSM instrument, the present development status as well as preliminary results of the laboratory model testing. XSM instrument will have two packages namely – XSM sensor package and XSM electronics package. XSM will accurately measure spectrum of Solar X-rays in the energy range of 1–15 keV with energy resolution ∼200 eV @ 5.9 keV. This will be achieved by using state-of-the-art Silicon Drift Detector (SDD), which has a unique capability of maintaining high energy resolution at very high incident count rate expected from Solar X-rays. XSM onboard Chandrayaan-2 will be the first experiment to use such detector for Solar X-ray monitoring.     

Research on the evaluation method of lunar soil disturbance based on the fitting of Gaussian surface

It is crucial to maintain the layer sequence information on in situ lunar soil during the lunar soil sampling. In this paper, a discrete element model for direct push sampling of the lunar weathering layer is established, and the relationship between the perturbation rate of the lunar soil layer sequence information and the sampling depth is obtained. A quantitative evaluation method of the perturbation rate of the structural information on the lunar soil layer sequence based on the Gaussian curvature is proposed by reconstructing the center-of-mass point cloud model of the marked layer lunar soil particles in MATLAB. The proposed method can accurately describe the perturbation rate of lunar soil layer sequence information and can analyze the degree of lunar soil disturbance according to the displacement of the sampling tube and mechanical parameters in real-time inversion during the sampling process. When the sampling depth is 40 mm, the minimum and maximum perturbation rates of sampling along the penetration direction of the machine are 5.261 % and 27.649 %, respectively. The perturbation rate shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The method proposed in this study could effectively solve the problem that the disturbance of lunar soil bedding information was difficult to evaluate in the sampling process of lunar regolith.     

An in situ laser induced breakdown spectroscope (LIBS) for Chandrayaan-2 rover: Ablation kinetics and emissivity estimations

A miniaturized in situ laser induced breakdown spectroscope-LIBS is one of the two lunar rover payloads to be flown in India’s next lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, with an objective to carry-out a precise qualitative and quantitative elemental analyses of lunar regolith at the proximity of the landing region. As per the imposed mission constraints and the executed design optimization studies, a compact and light-weight LIBS prototype model is developed at our premises. This paper mainly concerns with the estimation of theoretical aspects; especially on evaluation of elemental ablation parameters and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculations for the designed instrument. Theoretical estimations and simulations yielded an incident laser power density of the order of 5 × 10¹⁰ W/cm² on the target surface at a defined lens-to-surface distance (LTSD) of 200 mm and revealed an SNR > 100 for most of the elements under consideration. This paper also addresses the impact of LTSD variation on detection capability. The estimation of plasma-temperatures was carried out utilizing the emission spectra obtained under high vacuum environments employing the LIBS laboratory model. Experimental investigations and the performed theoretical estimations asserted the successful operation of the configured LIBS instrument for in situ elemental analyses on lunar surface.     

CAS-1 lunar soil simulant

Lunar soil simulant is a geochemical reproduction of lunar regolith, and is needed for lunar science and engineering researches. This paper describes a new lunar soil simulant, CAS-1, prepared by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to support lunar orbiter, soft-landing mission and sample return missions of China’s Lunar Exploration Program, which is scheduled for 2004–2020. Such simulants should match the samples returned from the Moon, all collected from the lunar regolith rather than outcrops. The average mineral and chemical composition of lunar soil sample returned from the Apollo 14 mission, which landed on the Fra Mauro Formation, is chosen as the model for the CAS-1 simulant. Source material for this simulant was a low-Ti basaltic scoria dated at 1600 years from the late Quaternary volcanic area in the Changbai Mountains of northeast China. The main minerals of this rock are pyroxene, olivine, and minor plagioclase, and about 20–40% modal glass. The scoria was analyzed by XRF and found to be chemically similar to Apollo 14 lunar sample 14163. It was crushed in an impact mill with a resulting median particle size 85.9 μm, similar to Apollo soils. Bulk density, shear resistance, complex permittivity, and reflectance spectra were also similar to Apollo 14 soil. We conclude that CAS-1 is an ideal lunar soil simulant for science and engineering research of future lunar exploration program.     

Plasma electron temperature variability in lunar surface potential and in electric field under average solar wind conditions

The Moon is immersed in plasma environment. The most interesting challenge of the lunar plasma– field environment is that it is alternatively dominated by the extended but variable outer atmosphere of the Earth – the magnetosphere – and by the extended but highly variable solar atmosphere – the solar wind. Understanding the plasma environment and its interaction with the lunar surface will be beneficial to both manned and robotic surface exploration activities and to scientific investigations. Presented is a preliminary map of variations of lunar surface electric potential over the day side and night side using probe equations and a discussion on dust dynamics in this E-field structure using the data from Electron Reflectometer in Lunar Prospector spacecraft during 1998–1999. On the day side, potential is around 5 V and on the night side it reaches up to −82 V. On the night side region, only highly energetic electrons can overcome this large negative potential. The variation at electron temperature (T_e) strongly reflects in the surface potential. The potential reaches to a value of −82 V for T_e = 58 eV. Surface charging causes the electrostatic transport of charged dust grains. Dust grain size of 0.1 μm shows a levitation height of 4.92 m on lunar day side, 748 m on terminator region and 3.7 km on the night side. The radius of maximum sized grain to be lofted, R_max, peaks at the terminator region (R_max = 0.83 μm). At the transition region dust levitation is almost absent. This region is most suited for exploration activities as the region is free from hazards caused by lunar dust.     

Very low frequency interferometry for the Chang’E-2 project

Very low frequency interferometry among two astronomical experiments has been proposed and accepted for further study for the second phase of China’s lunar exploration programme (the Chang’E Programme), which is envisaged to operate a lander and a rover on the surface of the moon. This experiment is an interferometer experiment in the very low frequency (VLF, f < 15 MHz) regime of radio frequencies with at least degree-level angular resolution. The goals include observing solar storm activities, Coronal Mass Ejections, Auroral Kilometric Radiation, and planetary radiation in the solar system, studying the origin of Cosmic Rays, spectral properties of pulsars, surveying ionized hydrogen in the Galaxy, and exploring coherent radio emissions.     

Estimation of optical maturity parameter for lunar soil characterization using Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3)

Prolonged exposure of the microscopic outer layer of the lunar surface to the space environment leads to the maturation of the surface. Maturation can be quantified and it may be expressed in terms of optical maturity (OMAT). Optical maturity estimations are very much helpful in the identification and mapping of the major minerals present on the lunar regolith. Estimation of the maturation and mineral mapping using remote sensing techniques are achieved, by coupling spectral reflectance of the lunar surface with an optimized origin. The present work estimates the optical maturity and Ferrous oxide content of the Goldschmidt and Schrodinger craters, through the recalibration of the classical method of Lucey et al. (2000a) with an origin of (0.08, 1.18) and Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) data. The overall recalibration results assure that the craters are highly matured.     

考虑相互碰撞影响的月壤颗粒运动轨迹计算方法研究

针对登月着陆器下降过程扬起月壤颗粒的运动轨迹及空间分布问题, 提出了考虑月壤颗粒发生完全弹性碰撞和非完全弹性碰撞两种情况的月壤颗粒运动轨迹计算方法. 根据质量守恒和能量守恒定律确定月壤颗粒相互碰撞后的速度, 通过羽流场与月壤颗粒的流固耦合相互迭代计算方法, 获得被扬起的月壤颗粒在羽流场和相互碰撞共同作用下随时间的运动轨迹和空间分布. 基于美国Apollo 11登月过程实测数据, 采用数值模拟对该方法进行验证. 结果表明, 考虑月壤颗粒相互碰撞的影响后, 其运动规律出现较明显的扩散趋势. 进一步考虑月壤颗粒相互碰撞引起能量损失的影响后, 月壤颗粒的扩散趋势有所减弱, 并且扬起的高度随着恢复系数的减小而降低.      

Relation between galactic and solar cosmic radiation at aviation altitude

Cosmic radiation bombards us at high altitude with ionizing particles; the radiation has a galactic component, which is normally dominant, and a component of solar origin. Cosmic ray particles are the primary source of ionization in the atmosphere above 1 km; below 1 km radon is a dominant source of ionization in many areas.     

Energy requirements of a thermally processed ISRU radiation shield for a lunar habitat

The purpose of this study was to establish, on a first principles basis, the order of magnitude of energy requirements for a thermally processed, lunar regolith radiation shield constructed using an in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) approach. This was done by developing a reference scenario habitat and using thermodynamic relationships and specific heat capacity expressions to determine the energy required to bring such a regolith volume up to sintering temperatures (c. 1,375 K). Once the energy requirements were developed some power system architectures were outlined conceptually and a nuclear power plant of c. 400 kW was suggested as a means to supply the necessary energy. This is well beyond current space nuclear applications. The study concludes that it is likely that the most efficient near-term solution is chemical processing of regolith, from an energy requirements perspective. The technology is also more mature and likely to be delivered on near term projects as it does not require such scaled-up power system architectures. Alternatively, bringing storm shelters up with the habitat to provide a means of weathering major solar events, and adding additional radiation protection to habitat quarters, possibly through a water blanket or similar mechanism, could provide a non-ISRU solution with current technology. However, in the longer term, the development of MW-scale power system architectures (fission, solar etc.), may permit a very large volume of material to be processed thermally for construction material, making a large, permanent human presence on the Moon more easily realisable.     

Viewing radiation signatures of solar energetic particles in interplanetary space

A current serious limitation on the studies of solar energetic particle (SEP) events is that their properties in the inner heliosphere are studied only through in situ spacecraft observations. Our understanding of spatial distributions and temporal variations of SEP events has come through statistical studies of many such events over several solar cycles. In contrast, flare SEPs in the solar corona can be imaged through their radiative and collisional interactions with solar fields and particles. We suggest that the heliospheric SEPs may also interact with heliospheric particles and fields to produce signatures which can be remotely observed and imaged. A challenge with any such candidate signature is to separate it from that of flare SEPs. The optimum case for imaging high-energy (E > 100 MeV) heliospheric protons may be the emission of π⁰-decay γ-rays following proton collisions with solar wind (SW) ions. In the case of E > 1 MeV electrons, gyrosynchrotron radio emission may be the most readily detectible remote signal. In both cases we may already have observed one or two such events. Another radiative signature from nonthermal particles may be resonant transition radiation, which has likely already been observed from solar flare electrons. We discuss energetic neutrons as another possible remote signature, but we rule out γ-ray line and 0.511 MeV positron annihilation emission as observable signatures of heliospheric energetic ions. We are already acquiring global signatures of large inner-heliospheric SW density features and of heliosheath interactions between the SW and interstellar neutral ions. By finding an appropriate observable signature of remote heliospheric SEPs, we could supplement the in situ observations with global maps of energetic SEP events to provide a comprehensive view of SEP events.     

Mechanical behavior of the metal parts welded with extraterrestrial regolith simulant by the solar concentrator in ISRU & ISRF application

The use of in-situ resources plays an important role on future extraterrestrial human activities for the facility repair and habitat construction, especially in sustainable space exploration of Moon and Mars. A method of the metal welded with extraterrestrial regolith simulant using solar processing under ambient conditions is presented. Metal parts are made of Q235B ferroalloy and TA2 titanium alloy into standard tensile members according to the ASTM code. They are disconnected from the middle in advance, and then welded together with lunar and Martian regolith simulant under ambient conditions, respectively. The entire welding process and precautions are detailed. Additionally, the mechanical behavior of weldments is characterized regarding their tensile strength. Furthermore, the fusion zone of weldments is studied by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The results show that it is possible to weld metal parts together with extraterrestrial regolith simulant by the solar concentrator. The average ultimate tensile strength of ferroalloy specimens welded with lunar and Martian regolith simulant is 2.94 MPa and 1.66 MPa; The average ultimate tensile strength of titanium alloy specimens welded with lunar and Martian regolith simulant is 4.95 MPa and 2.59 MPa. Moreover, the failure mode of all weldments was brittle failure. The welding joints strength derives from the phases that the regolith as the solder fusing into ferroalloys in a homogeneous way and titanium alloys in an inhomogeneous way. The presented method may provide a new thought for astronaut assistance associating with repairing and fabricating in subsequent Moon and Mars missions.     

The Radio Observatory on the Lunar Surface for Solar studies

The Radio Observatory on the Lunar Surface for Solar studies (ROLSS) is a concept for a near-side low radio frequency imaging interferometric array designed to study particle acceleration at the Sun and in the inner heliosphere. The prime science mission is to image the radio emission generated by Type II and III solar radio burst processes with the aim of determining the sites at and mechanisms by which the radiating particles are accelerated. Specific questions to be addressed include the following: (1) Isolating the sites of electron acceleration responsible for Type II and III solar radio bursts during coronal mass ejections (CMEs); and (2) Determining if and the mechanism(s) by which multiple, successive CMEs produce unusually efficient particle acceleration and intense radio emission. Secondary science goals include constraining the density of the lunar ionosphere by searching for a low radio frequency cutoff to solar radio emission and constraining the low energy electron population in astrophysical sources. Key design requirements on ROLSS include the operational frequency and angular resolution. The electron densities in the solar corona and inner heliosphere are such that the relevant emission occurs at frequencies below 10 MHz. Second, resolving the potential sites of particle acceleration requires an instrument with an angular resolution of at least 2°, equivalent to a linear array size of approximately 1000 m. Operations would consist of data acquisition during the lunar day, with regular data downlinks. No operations would occur during lunar night.     

Solar particle precipitation into the polar atmosphere and their dependence on hemisphere and local time

The precipitation of solar energetic particles, protons as well as electrons, at high latitudes is commonly assumed to be homogeneous across both polar caps. Using Low-Earth Orbit POES (Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites) we determine particle penetration ratios into the polar atmosphere for protons ranging from about 0.1 MeV to 500 MeV and for electrons spanning about one order of magnitude in energy with a maximum of 0.3 MeV. Based on power law fits for the POES spectrum we show, that for energies interesting for middle and lower atmosphere chemistry, particle flux over the poles is comparable in magnitude to flux at the geostationary orbit or at L1 in interplanetary space. The time period under study are the solar energetic particle (SEP) event series of October/November 2003 and January 2005.     

Space observations of comets during solar flares: A possible explanation for comet brightness outbursts

Problems connected with mechanisms for comet brightness outbursts as well as for gamma-ray bursts remain open. Meantime, calculations show that irradiation of a certain class of comet nuclei, having high specific electric resistance, by intense fluxes of energetic protons and positively charged ions with kinetic energies more than 1 MeV/nucleon, ejected from the Sun during strong solar flares, can produce a macroscopic high-voltage electric double layer with positive charge in the subsurface zone of the nucleus, during irradiation times of the order of 10–100 h at heliocentric distances around 1–10 AU. The maximum electric energy accumulated in such layer will be restricted by the electric discharge potential of the layer material. For comet nuclei with typical radii of the order of 1–10 km the accumulated energy of such natural electric capacitor is comparable to the energy of large comet outbursts that are estimated on the basis of ground based optical observations. The impulse gamma and X-ray radiation together with optical burst from the comet nucleus during solar flares, anticipated due to high-voltage electric discharge, may serve as an indicator of realization of the processes above considered. Multi-wavelength observations of comets and pseudo-asteroids of cometary origin, having brightness correlation with solar activity, using ground based optical telescopes as well as space gamma and X-ray observatories, during strong solar flares, are very interesting for the physics of comets as well as for high energy astrophysics.