Imaging the solar corona in the EUV

The SOHO (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory) satellite was launched on December 2nd 1995. After arriving at the Earth-Sun (L1) Lagrangian point on February 14th 1996, it began to continuously observe the Sun. As one of the instruments onboard SOHO, the EIT (Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) images the Sun's corona in 4 EUV wavelengths. The He II filter at 304 Å images the chromosphere and the base of the transition region at a temperature of 5 − 8 × 10⁴ K; the Fe IX–X filter at 171 Å images the corona at a temperature of 1.3 × 10⁶ K; the Fe XII filter at 195 Å images the quiet corona outside coronal holes at a temperature of 1.6 × 10⁶ K; and the Fe XV filter at 284 Å images active regions with a temperature of 2.0 × 10⁶ K. About 5000 images have been obtained up to the present. In this paper, we describe also some aspects of the telescope and the detector performance for application in the observations. Images and movies of all the wavelengths allow a look at different phenomena present in the Sun's corona, and in particular, magnetic field reconnection.     

Star recognition algorithm for APS star tracker: oriented triangles

An efficient star pattern recognition algorithm is presented. The purpose of this algorithm is to make sure of the compatibility of the software and the imaging sensor noise level. The new CMOS APS sensors have not currently reached the same accuracy as the former CCD sensors in position as well as in magnitude determination, especially in the dynamic stages. This algorithm allows the system to recognize the star pattern 20% faster than with reference algorithms. No false recognition has been noticed. Used databases have a size 5 to 10 times smaller, depending on other reference algorithms. Oriented triangles are used to compare the measured star pattern with the catalogue stars. The triangle's characterization criteria propose several solutions in a first time. A unique solution is selected by means of identification and validation methods in a second time. First results, presented hereinafter, are very encouraging, and this algorithm may be used in the future APS star trackers. APS star tracker robustness is significantly enhanced by this method during the critical navigation phases     

Locally optimal and suboptimal signal detection in transformationnoise

The efficacy of the optimal detector of a known vanishingly small signal in additive nonwhite transformation noise is compared with that of some eleven structurally simpler suboptimal detectors. Simulation is done under various signal choices, marginal densities, and correlation functions. The block g_lo and the block combination g followed by R_v^-1 in the optimal detector structure are found to be important for good performance in constant and oscillating signals, respectively. Two suboptimal detectors with these block structures, D₈ and D₁₀, are found to perform well consistently in all situations considered. A structurally simple suboptimal detector D₂ is found to be good in the cases with less correlated noise     

Evaluation of Image Response Signal Power Resulting from I-Q Channel Imbalance

A simple relationship is obtained that gives the ratio of the image to the desired signal in terms of the amplitude and phase imbalance between the I and Q channels in a quadrature transmission and signal reconstruction processor.     

Performance and characteristics of large lithium ion cells with lowtemperature electrolyte

The US Army and Saft have developed a large lithium ion battery to replace the BE-622 silver zinc battery for application for the ITAS System. The Army discovered that using the 1M LiPF6 1EC:1EMC:1DMC electrolyte can meet ITAS low temperature requirements at -40°C and still provide 71% of the room temperature capacity. This is about 40% better than silver zinc at low temperature