Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument (MIMI) on the Cassini Mission to Saturn/Titan

The magnetospheric imaging instrument (MIMI) is a neutral and charged particle detection system on the Cassini orbiter spacecraft designed to perform both global imaging and in-situ measurements to study the overall configuration and dynamics of Saturn’s magnetosphere and its interactions with the solar wind, Saturn’s atmosphere, Titan, and the icy satellites. The processes responsible for Saturn’s aurora will be investigated; a search will be performed for substorms at Saturn; and the origins of magnetospheric hot plasmas will be determined. Further, the Jovian magnetosphere and Io torus will be imaged during Jupiter flyby. The investigative approach is twofold. (1) Perform remote sensing of the magnetospheric energetic (E > 7 keV) ion plasmas by detecting and imaging charge-exchange neutrals, created when magnetospheric ions capture electrons from ambient neutral gas. Such escaping neutrals were detected by the Voyager l spacecraft outside Saturn’s magnetosphere and can be used like photons to form images of the emitting regions, as has been demonstrated at Earth. (2) Determine through in-situ measurements the 3-D particle distribution functions including ion composition and charge states (E > 3 keV/e). The combination of in-situ measurements with global images, together with analysis and interpretation techniques that include direct “forward modeling’’ and deconvolution by tomography, is expected to yield a global assessment of magnetospheric structure and dynamics, including (a) magnetospheric ring currents and hot plasma populations, (b) magnetic field distortions, (c) electric field configuration, (d) particle injection boundaries associated with magnetic storms and substorms, and (e) the connection of the magnetosphere to ionospheric altitudes. Titan and its torus will stand out in energetic neutral images throughout the Cassini orbit, and thus serve as a continuous remote probe of ion flux variations near 20R _S (e.g., magnetopause crossings and substorm plasma injections). The Titan exosphere and its cometary interaction with magnetospheric plasmas will be imaged in detail on each flyby. The three principal sensors of MIMI consists of an ion and neutral camera (INCA), a charge–energy–mass-spectrometer (CHEMS) essentially identical to our instrument flown on the ISTP/Geotail spacecraft, and the low energy magnetospheric measurements system (LEMMS), an advanced design of one of our sensors flown on the Galileo spacecraft. The INCA head is a large geometry factor (G ∼ 2.4 cm² sr) foil time-of-flight (TOF) camera that separately registers the incident direction of either energetic neutral atoms (ENA) or ion species (≥5^∘ full width half maximum) over the range 7 keV/nuc < E < 3 MeV/nuc. CHEMS uses electrostatic deflection, TOF, and energy measurement to determine ion energy, charge state, mass, and 3-D anisotropy in the range 3 ≤ E ≤ 220 keV/e with good (∼0.05 cm² sr) sensitivity. LEMMS is a two-ended telescope that measures ions in the range 0.03 ≤ E ≤ 18 MeV and electrons 0.015 ≤ E≤ 0.884 MeV in the forward direction (G ∼ 0.02 cm² sr), while high energy electrons (0.1–5 MeV) and ions (1.6–160 MeV) are measured from the back direction (G ∼ 0.4 cm² sr). The latter are relevant to inner magnetosphere studies of diffusion processes and satellite microsignatures as well as cosmic ray albedo neutron decay (CRAND). Our analyses of Voyager energetic neutral particle and Lyman-α measurements show that INCA will provide statistically significant global magnetospheric images from a distance of ∼60 R _S every 2–3 h (every ∼10 min from ∼20 R _S). Moreover, during Titan flybys, INCA will provide images of the interaction of the Titan exosphere with the Saturn magnetosphere every 1.5 min. Time resolution for charged particle measurements can be < 0.1 s, which is more than adequate for microsignature studies. Data obtained during Venus-2 flyby and Earth swingby in June and August 1999, respectively, and Jupiter flyby in December 2000 to January 2001 show that the instrument is performing well, has made important and heretofore unobtainable measurements in interplanetary space at Jupiter, and will likely obtain high-quality data throughout each orbit of the Cassini mission at Saturn. Sample data from each of the three sensors during the August 18 Earth swingby are shown, including the first ENA image of part of the ring current obtained by an instrument specifically designed for this purpose. Similarily, measurements in cis-Jovian space include the first detailed charge state determination of Iogenic ions and several ENA images of that planet’s magnetosphere.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

分层结构的雷达告警设备软件测试方法

雷达告警设备是现代作战飞机不可或缺的雷达对抗设备,主要用于对敌方雷达威胁信号的告警.分析了分层结构的雷达告警设备软件的特点,借鉴集成测试中自底向上增量式集成策略,提出了一种综合运用调试、插桩和仿真的配置项测试方法.测试结果表明,方法对此类以数据处理功能为核心、分层结构设计的嵌入式软件测试,有很好的借鉴作用.     

ASTROSAT

The ASTROSAT satellite is an Indian National Space Observatory under development in India. Due for launch in 2010, ASTROSAT will carry a complement of five scientific instruments enabling simultaneous observations from the optical through to the hard X-ray energy band. This capability will enable broad-band spectroscopy and high time-resolution monitoring of both galactic and extra-galactic targets, such as X-ray binaries and AGN. One of the instruments is being built in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and another in collaboration with the University of Leicester. ASTROSAT also carries a scanning sky monitor to observe the variable X-ray sky. After an initial period of science verification and guaranteed time, a certain fraction of ASTROSAT observing time will also be made available to the community via a call for proposals. Here I summarise the instrument complement and principle scientific objectives of the mission.     

Studies of Comets in the Ultraviolet: The Past and the Future

The remote sensing of comets in the ultraviolet bandpass has been a valuable tool for studying the structure, composition, variability, and physical processes at work in cometary comae. By extension, these studies of comae have revealed key insights into the composition of cometary nuclei. Here we briefly review the ultraviolet studies of comets, and then take a look toward the future of such work as anticipated by the advent of several key new instruments. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

夜气辉对天基光学碎片探测的影响分析

设计并完成了夜气辉背景下的天基碎片观测试验，获取了综合谱段的观测数据。基于观测数据进行夜气辉的辐射特性及其对天基碎片探测的影响分析。结果表明，夜气辉辐射随纬度和高度呈现一定的分布特点，这些特点均符合夜气辉的理论分布规律。在约90 km处辐射最强，亮度可达到单位积分时间每平方角秒近15星等，这对恒星及碎片提取概率影响较大，其中，13等星的提取概率仅为40.5%。     

天基强银河背景下的空间碎片探测试验及分析

本文设计并完成了银河背景下碎片探测试验，数据分析表明，强的银河背景会降低探测器对暗弱碎片的探测能力，但对碎片的天文定位精度影响不大。本文验证了采用基于探测概率的极限探测星等方法表征探测器极限探测能力的合理性，以及基于仿真的方法增加数据完备度的可行性。本文的工作将为后续天基探测器的设计及探测试验的开展提供依据。     

利用节流网扩大飞行台试验包线

本文提出了在被试发动机前安装节流网扩大发动机飞行台试验范围的一种方案,给出了相应的节流网设计、计算方法,得到了扩大的飞行试验包线。利用气流流过某型飞机进气道防尘网的总压损失数据,对节流网计算方法的准确性进行了论证。     

基于天通卫星系统的天基测控技术

针对卫星测控资源紧缺的现状,为满足未来大规模卫星用户对测控资源的使用便利性这一需求,研究利用天通卫星进行近地低轨卫星测控服务的能力。天通作为高轨移动通信卫星系统,具有传输实时方便、服务安全可靠和综合效费比高等多方面的特点。首先,分析了天通卫星对不同倾角、轨道高度卫星的测控覆盖时长,以及对载人航天任务空间站和火箭进行测控的服务能力。然后,基于天通民用系统现有的系统架构,详细介绍了天通系统支持低轨测控的系统改造方案以及工作流程。最后,结合目前的技术发展趋势和天通卫星能力现状,描述了天通卫星在天基测控和低速中继两种任务场景中的应用前景。     

基于天基光学探测图像初析南大西洋异常区影响

文章针对目前在轨运行的高灵敏度探测类可见光遥感器经过南大西洋异常区（SouthAtlanticAnomaly,SAA）时出现的探测能力降低、目标无法识别等现象,通过卫星在轨获取的SAA天基探测图像研究图像中出现的异常现象机理;提出了基于CCD探测器固有暗像元区的图像特征变化开展SAA影响评估的方法,根据在轨图像暗像元区的均值和标准差、图像区的热像素及活像元等特征参数的统计分析,判断经过SAA过程中连续获取的图像中出现显著影响时的拐点,通过曲线拟合估算出该轨道高度的SAA空间分布特征和边界,依此进一步提出利用在轨天基探测图像给出测量影响该轨道高度卫星SAA区域边界的简单方法;最后,基于SAA对天基探测器件的影响分析结果和认识,给出了高灵敏度探测类卫星避免或消除SAA影响的改进措施和建议。文章采用的数据分析和评估方法为提升SAA对天基探测影响的认识,以及下一步有效开展空间碎片探测工作提供参考。     

一种天基光学GEO目标定位方法及初轨算法观测几何评价

提出一种基于天基光学短弧观测数据对GEO区目标进行定位的方法,以GEO区目标半径、偏心率为几何约束,通过最小二乘法估计目标位置、速度,估计结果可作为初轨算法的输入,也可以为初值预测轨道,引导其它平台对目标观测。利用广义Laplace初轨算法对多平台多观测弧段处理,为表征观测几何对定轨性能的影响,将几何精度因子(GOP)扩展到多平台多观测弧段,并引入几何精度因子的误差灵敏度(ESGOP)表征测量误差对观测几何的影响,仿真结果表明:对GEO目标而言,当GOP不小于0.03、ESGOP不大于0.005时,对目标的初轨精度可控制在50km之内。