Time-Delay Integration Imaging with ICON’s Far-Ultraviolet Imager

A Time-Delay Integration (TDI) image acquisition and processing system has been developed to capture ICON’s Far Ultraviolet (FUV) Spectrographic Imager data. The TDI system is designed to provide variable-range motion-compensated imaging of Earth’s nightside ionospheric limb and sub-limb scenes viewed from Low Earth Orbit in the 135.6 nm emission of oxygen with an integration time of 12 seconds. As a pre-requisite of the motion compensation the TDI system is also designed to provide corrections for optical distortions generated by the FUV Imager’s optical assembly. On the dayside the TDI system is used to process 135.6 nm and 157.0 nm wavelength altitude profiles simultaneously. We present the TDI system’s design methodology and implementation as an FPGA module with an emphasis on minimization of on-board data throughput and telemetry. We also present the methods and results of testing the TDI system in simulation and with Engineering Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) to validate its performance.

     

Seismic Coupling of Short-Period Wind Noise Through Mars’ Regolith for NASA’s InSight Lander

NASA’s InSight lander will deploy a tripod-mounted seismometer package onto the surface of Mars in late 2018. Mars is expected to have lower seismic activity than the Earth, so minimisation of environmental seismic noise will be critical for maximising observations of seismicity and scientific return from the mission. Therefore, the seismometers will be protected by a Wind and Thermal Shield (WTS), also mounted on a tripod. Nevertheless, wind impinging on the WTS will cause vibration noise, which will be transmitted to the seismometers through the regolith (soil). Here we use a 1:1-scale model of the seismometer and WTS, combined with field testing at two analogue sites in Iceland, to determine the transfer coefficient between the two tripods and quantify the proportion of WTS vibration noise transmitted through the regolith to the seismometers. The analogue sites had median grain sizes in the range 0.3–1.0 mm, surface densities of \(1.3\mbox{--}1.8~\mbox{g}\,\mbox{cm}^{-3}\), and an effective regolith Young’s modulus of \(2.5^{+1.9}_{-1.4}~\mbox{MPa}\). At a seismic frequency of 5 Hz the measured transfer coefficients had values of 0.02–0.04 for the vertical component and 0.01–0.02 for the horizontal component. These values are 3–6 times lower than predicted by elastic theory and imply that at short periods the regolith displays significant anelastic behaviour. This will result in reduced short-period wind noise and increased signal-to-noise. We predict the noise induced by turbulent aerodynamic lift on the WTS at 5 Hz to be \(\sim2\times10^{-10}~\mbox{ms}^{-2}\,\mbox{Hz}^{-1/2}\) with a factor of 10 uncertainty. This is at least an order of magnitude lower than the InSight short-period seismometer noise floor of \(10^{-8}~\mbox{ms}^{-2}\,\mbox{Hz}^{-1/2}\).     

The Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT) Instrument on Board the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Spacecraft: Characterization of Earth’s Radiation Belt High-Energy Particle Populations

Particle acceleration and loss in the million electron Volt (MeV) energy range (and above) is the least understood aspect of radiation belt science. In order to measure cleanly and separately both the energetic electron and energetic proton components, there is a need for a carefully designed detector system. The Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT) on board the Radiation Belt Storm Probe (RBSP) pair of spacecraft consists of a stack of high-performance silicon solid-state detectors in a telescope configuration, a collimation aperture, and a thick case surrounding the detector stack to shield the sensors from penetrating radiation and bremsstrahlung. The instrument points perpendicular to the spin axis of the spacecraft and measures high-energy electrons (up to ～20 MeV) with excellent sensitivity and also measures magnetospheric and solar protons to energies well above E=100 MeV. The instrument has a large geometric factor (g=0.2 cm²?sr) to get reasonable count rates (above background) at the higher energies and yet will not saturate at the lower energy ranges. There must be fast enough electronics to avert undue dead-time limitations and chance coincidence effects. The key goal for the REPT design is to measure the directional electron intensities (in the range 10^?2–10⁶ particles/cm²?s?sr?MeV) and energy spectra (ΔE/E～25 %) throughout the slot and outer radiation belt region. Present simulations and detailed laboratory calibrations show that an excellent design has been attained for the RBSP needs. We describe the engineering design, operational approaches, science objectives, and planned data products for REPT.     

含缺口[0/90]_(4s)碳/环氧复合材料层板的损伤扩展分析

本文采用渗透剂增强的x射线照像法和非线性有限元法分析了含缺口[0/90]_4,碳/环氧复合材料层板中的损伤累积过程和损伤区的扩展。着重讨论了材料最终破坏以前的过程。理论分析和实验结果的比较表明:在宏观的范围内研究复合材料的损伤,合理地建立材料损伤发生后的应力-应变关系是十分重要的。     

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