Phase coherence of MHD waves in the solar wind

Large amplitude MHD waves are commonly found in the solar wind. Nonlinear interactions between the MHD waves are likely to produce finite correlation among the wave phases. For discussions of various transport processes of energetic particles, it is fundamentally important to determine whether the wave phases are randomly distributed (as assumed in quasi-linear theories) or they have a finite coherence. Using a method based on a surrogate data technique and a fractal analysis, we analyzed Geotail magnetic field data (provided by S. Kokubun and T. Nagai through DARTS at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) to evaluate the phase coherence among the MHD waves in the earth's foreshock region. The correlation of wave phases does exist, indicating that the nonlinear interactions between the waves is in progress. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Planet-B mission to Mars - 1998

PLANET-B is the Japanese Mars orbiter program. The primary objective of the program is to study the Martian aeronomy, putting emphasis on the interaction of the Martian upper atmosphere with the solar wind. The launch of the spacecraft is scheduled for August, 1998. The periapsis altitude and the apoapsis are 150 km and 15 Mars radii, respectively. The dry weight of the orbiter is 186 kg including 14 science instruments. Advanced technologies are employed in the design of the spacecraft in order to overcome the weight limitation. This paper describes the scientific objectives of the PLANET-B program and outline of the spacecraft system.     

Formation of amino acid precursors in cometary ice environments by cosmic radiation.

Cometary ices are believed to contain water, carbon monoxide, methane and ammonia, and are possible sites for the formation and preservation of organic compounds relating to the origin of life. Cosmic rays, together with ultraviolet light, are among the most effective energy sources for the formation of organic compounds in space. In order to study the possibility of the formation of amino acids in comets or their precursory bodies (interstellar dust grains), several types of ice mixtures made in a cryostat at 10 K ("simulated cometary ices") were irradiated with high energy protons. After irradiation, the volatile products were analyzed with a quadrupole mass spectrometer, while temperature of the cryostat was raised to room temperature. The non-volatile products remaining in the cryostat at room temperature were collected with water. They were acid-hydrolyzed, and analyzed by ion-exchange chromatography. When an ice mixture of carbon monoxide (or methane), ammonia and water was irradiated, some hydrocarbons were formed, and amino acids such as glycine and alanine were detected in the hydrolyzate. These results suggest the possible formation of "amino acid precursors" (compounds yielding amino acids after hydrolysis) in interstellar dust grains by cosmic radiation. We previously reported that amino acid precursors were formed when simulated primitive planetary atmospheres were irradiated with cosmic ray particles. It will be of great interest to compare the amount of bioorganic compounds that were formed in the primitive earth and that brought by comets to the earth.     

风洞试验中风剖面的模拟及近流场特性分析

首先简单介绍了日本东京工艺大学风工程研究中心新建的开环流低速边界层风洞中风剖面模拟的试验情况.基于试验结果,采用被广泛应用的三角尖劈加上布置粗糙元的方法,成功地模拟出日本建筑学会定义的四类不同场地对应的风剖面.通过对试验数据的比较分析,就所采用的立方体粗糙元及三角尖劈对最终模拟得到的风剖面特性的影响进行了比较分析.其次,对风剖面模拟及特性判定中的几个重要问题,如三角尖劈的形状优化、风速功率谱的一致性、积分尺度的分析方法等进行了分析.最后,基于以上分析,对在边界层风洞中模拟预定的风剖面提出几点参考意见.     

环境激励条件建筑结构的试验建模研究

通过环境激励模态识别技术对一座中高层新结构大楼环境激励试验建模研究。首先介绍了试验模型设计 ,并在现场测量整栋大楼在环境激励下的振动响应。然后采用新发展的频率空间域方法 ( FSDD)进行模态识别 ,分别在 0～ 4.5 Hz和 0～ 6.5 Hz频率范围识别出 9阶弯曲和扭转模态频率和振型。采用频率空间域方法识别了结构的阻尼特性 ,并得到满意的结果。所得试验模型已成功应用于 CFT大楼的有限元动态模型修正。所研发的试验建模技术可望在结构响应预报 ,健康监测和振动控制中发挥重要作用     

Ground Compatibility Tests for Gravity Measurement of SELENE: Accuracies of Two- and Four-Way Doppler and Range Measurements

The Japanese lunar mission Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE) was launched in September 2007 and continued its mission until June 2009, when the main orbiter impacted with the surface of the Moon. SELENE consisted of three satellites: Main, Rstar, and Vstar. Rstar’s tasks were to forward up-link signals from the Usuada Deep Space Center (UDSC) to Main, and to down-link returning signals from Main to UDSC. We refer to this tracking sub-system as a four-way Doppler measurement. In contrast, conventional tracking systems between Rstar and UDSC as well as between Main and ground stations are referred to as two-way Doppler and range measurements. Using Main and Rstar, we successfully observed the gravity field over the farside of the Moon. Because four-way Doppler measurements via a relay sub-satellite were a fundamental experiment in space for Japanese space agencies, compatibility of radiometric instruments onboard Main and Rstar to UDSC were carefully examined at the UDSC using components manufactured for flight models. These tests not only proved the feasibility of the four-way Doppler measurements but also provided biases and variations of the four-way Doppler and two-way Doppler and range measurements that were later taken into account during the processing of tracking data and the analysis of the lunar global gravity field.     

Deriving the Absolute Reflectance of Lunar Surface Using SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager Data

The absolute reflectance of the Moon has long been debated because it has been suggested (Hillier et al. in Icarus 151:205–225, 1999) that there is a large discrepancy between the absolute reflectance of the Moon derived from Earth-based telescopic data and that derived from remote-sensing data which are calibrated using laboratory-measured reflectance spectra of Apollo 16 bulk soil 62231. Here we derive the absolute reflectance of the lunar surface using spectral data newly acquired by SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager and Spectral Profiler. The results indicate that the reflectance of the Apollo 16 standard site, which has been widely used as an optical standard in previous Earth-based telescopic and remote-sensing observations derived by Multiband Imager, is 47% at 415 nm and 67% to 76% at 750 to 1550 nm of the value for the Apollo 16 mature soil measured in an Earth-based laboratory. The data also suggest that roughly 60% of the difference is caused by the difference in soil composition and/or maturity between the 62231 sampling site and the Apollo 16 standard site and that the remaining 40% difference can be explained by the difference between the compaction states of the laboratory and the actual lunar surface. Consideration of the compaction states of the surface soil demonstrates its importance for understanding the spectral characteristics of the lunar surface. We also explain and evaluate data analysis procedures to derive reflectance from Multiband Imager data.     

Current status of X-ray spectrometer development in the SELENE project

The X-ray spectrometer (XRS) on the SELENE (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer) spacecraft, XRS, will observe fluorescent X-rays from the lunar surface. The energy of the fluorescent X-ray depends on the elements of which the lunar soil consists, therefore we can determine elemental composition of the upper most lunar surface. The XRS consists of three components: XRF-A, SOL-B, and SOL-C. XRF-A is the main sensor to observe X-rays from the lunar surface. SOL-B is direct monitor of Solar X-ray using Si-PIN photodiode. SOL-C is another Solar X-ray monitor but observes the X-rays from the standard sample attached on the base plate. This enables us to analyze by a comparative method similar to typical laboratory XRF methods. XRF-A and SOL-C adopt charge coupled device as an X-ray detector which depletion layer is deep enough to detect X-rays. The X-ray spectra were obtained by the flight model of XRS components, and all components has been worked well to analyze fluorescent X-rays. Currently, development of the hardware and software of the XRS has been finished and we are preparing for system integration test for the launch.