Dynamics of magnetospheric ion Composition as observed by the GEOS mass spectrometer

After one year of operation the GEOS-1 Ion Composition Experiment has surveyed plasma composition at all local times in the L range 3 8 and the energy per charge range from thermal to 16 keV/e. From measurements made in the keV range during eleven magnetic storms we find that the percentage of heavy (M/Q > 1) ions present in the outer magnetosphere increases by a factor of 3 to 10 during disturbances. We conclude that two independent sources (solar wind, characterized by ⁴He²⁺, and ionosphere, characterized by O⁺) give on the average comparable contributions to injected populations, although in a single event one or the other source may dominate. However, in magnetically quiet periods protons are the dominant species with a few percent of heavy ions. With the help of special satellite manoeuvres magnetic field aligned fluxes of 0.05-3 keV/e H⁺, He⁺, O⁺ with traces of O²⁺ have been observed which may be related to ion beams found previously at lower altitudes in the auroral zone. At still lower energies ( 1 eV/e) the thermal plasma population is found to be made up of six ion species, three of which, D⁺, He²⁺ and O²⁺, were unknown in the magnetosphere prior to the GEOS-1 measurements. We present here a study of the evolution of doubly charged ions and their parent populations over four consecutive days. Various production mechanisms for doubly charged ions are discussed. We argue that ionization of singly charged ions by UV and energetic electrons and protons is the dominant process for plasmasphere production. Furthermore, the observed high concentrations of O²⁺ at high altitudes are a result of production in the upper ionosphere and plasmasphere combined with upward transport by thermal diffusion. Throughout the 1 year lifetime of GEOS-1 the ICE functioned perfectly and, because of its novel design, a short review of technical performance is included here.     

Method of equivalent transformations to control an observation satellite by means of inertial drives under uncertainty

A system of differential equations for the angular motion of an observation satellite (OS) equipped with an inertial drive electromagnetic device (EMD) without a controlling flywheel engine is presented. Apart from lag, the calculated and uncertain limited external and parametric disturbances constantly acting on the OS control system are taken into account. It is proposed that the sliding conditions be used to obtain the high-precision OS control with the specified direct indices of the transient process quality in the angular motion. A problem of equivalent system transformation is solved to safely provide the invariance of the sliding conditions to all listed disturbances with respect to the Euler angles and their first and second derivatives.     

The flux of interstellar dust observed by Ulysses and Galileo

Interstellar dust detected by the dust sensor onboard Ulysses was first identified after the Jupiter flyby when the spacecraft's trajectory changed dramatically (Grün et al., 1994). Here we report on two years of Ulysses post-Jupiter data covering the range of ecliptic latitudes from 0° to –54° and distances from 5.4 to 3.2 AU. We find that, over this time period, the flux of interstellar dust particles with a mean mass of 3·10^–13 g stays nearly constant at about 1·10^–4, m^–2 s^–1 ( sr)^–1, with both ecliptic latitude and heliocentric distance.Also presented are 20 months of measurements from the identical dust sensor onboard the Galileo spacecraft which moved along an in-ecliptic orbit from 1.0 to 4.2 AU. From the impact direction and speeds of the measured dust particles we conclude that Galileo almost certainly sensed interstellar dust outside 2.8 AU; interstellar particles may also account for part of the flux seen between 1 and 2.8 AU.     

Signal-to-noise ratio and other characteristics of heterodyne radiation receivers

The theory of heterodyne radiation receivers for the infrared and far-infrared is reviewed. For simplicity, only systems based on photoemissive and photoconductive radiation mixers are considered. The signal-to-noise ratio is derived, and expressions for this quantity under various conditions are given. A brief comparison is made between heterodyne systems and high-resolution spectrometers using direct radiation detectors. It is concluded that for high spectral resolving powers and for relatively small astronomical sources, heterodyne systems are likely to offer a distinct advantage in signal-to-noise ratio, especially at long far-infrared wavelengths.     

RPC-ICA: The Ion Composition Analyzer of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium

The Ion Composition Analyzer (ICA) is part of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC). ICA is designed to measure the three-dimensional distribution function of positive ions in order to study the interaction between the solar wind and cometary particles. The instrument has a mass resolution high enough to resolve the major species such as protons, helium, oxygen, molecular ions, and heavy ions characteristic of dusty plasma regions. ICA consists of an electrostatic acceptance angle filter, an electrostatic energy filter, and a magnetic momentum filter. Particles are detected using large diameter (100 mm) microchannel plates and a two-dimensional anode system. ICA has its own processor for data reduction/compression and formatting. The energy range of the instrument is from 25 eV to 40 keV and an angular field-of-view of 360° × 90° is achieved through electrostatic deflection of incoming particles.     

开槽钝锥体及等离子体鞘套的RCS特性研究

采用时域有限差分（FDTD）方法研究了等离子体鞘套包覆目标的电磁散射特性,发展了超高速飞行器及其等离子体鞘套RCS特性并行计算软件。采用发展的软件完成了超高速开槽钝锥后向远区时域特性和0°入射角附近的电磁散射截面积（RCS）的计算分析,并在中国空气动力研究与发展中心的气动物理靶上进行了超高速开槽钝锥体的RCS验证试验。研究表明：在钝锥体表面开环槽并填充透波性能良好的介质材料相当于在钝锥体表面人为地增加了一个散射中心;在低频区和谐振区,开槽后钝锥体的RCS在原值周围变化,而在高频区,钝锥体的RCS在0°入射角附近很宽的范围内均显著增大。     

Diagnostics of the magnetosphere and interplanetary medium by means of pulsations

The possibility of diagnostics of the interplanetary magnetic field using the data of ground observations of Pc3, 4 pulsations is investigated. Both empirical and theoretical foundations of this method are discussed. In the shorter-period range (Pc1, Pi1, Ipdp) the methods of qualitative diagnostics of non-stationary processes in the quiet and disturbed magnetosphere are considered. In conclusion, we shall briefly consider the problems, arising when estimating the amplitude of the hydromagnetic waves in the regions of generation.     

CVD SiC纤维的组分与强度

采用射频ＣＶＤ法制备出连续ＳｉＣ（Ｗ）纤维，利用ＸＰＳ分析手段研究了纤维的元素组成及形态与强度的关系，结果表明，纤维中的杂质特别是自由Ｓｉ的存在对纤维抗拉强度有很大影响。     

The geostationary orbit and satellite communications: concepts older than commonly supposed

The first proposal for a radio-equipped, man-made satellite in geostationary orbit is customarily attributed to author Arthur Charles Clarke (1917-), however, he makes no claim to having originated the geostationary orbit. Clarke's now classic article, in the October 1945 issue of Wireless World described a system of worldwide broadcasting via three satellites in geostationary orbit. In the article, Clarke listed seven references, including two to previous significant works by Willy Ley (Rockets, first published in 1944) and Hermann Noordung (The Problems of Space Travel, published in 1929). Both these works make reference to the geostationary orbit but as Clarke (see IEEE Spectrum, vol. 31, no.3, p. 4 et seq., Mar. 1994) points out the concept predates these works. It goes back at least to the works of Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935), a Russian scientist now regarded as the father of space research. His book, ("Dreams of Earth and Sky"), published in 1895, was the first by a scientist on the subject.     

LMC X-4: 13.5 s pulsations and an X-ray flare observed by EXOSAT

EXOSAT observed LMC X-4 on November 17/19, 1983 for one 1.4 day binary period during the high state of the 30.5 day cycle. An eclipse with sharp ingress and slow egress was detected with an eclipse angle of 27.1±1.0 dgr. In the medium energy experiment the source showed a hard power law spectrum. Outside eclipse the source was remarkably constant and only one flare was detected on November 17 at 19 UT lasting for about 1 h. The energy spectrum of the source softens considerably during that time and shows an emission line of cold iron. 13.5 sec pulsations are strongly present during the flare and have also been detected during the quiescent period and during several 1 min flares in another EXOSAT LMC X-4 observation on November 22, 1983. A pulse delay time analysis results in the determination of the pulse period (13.5019±0.0002) s and of the semimajor axis of the orbit of the X-ray star (26.0±0.6) It-sec. These results, together with other available information on LMC X-4, allowed to improve the binary parameters. The mass of the neutron star is found to be 1.34 _±0.44 ^0.48 M_o (95% confidence errors).     

等离子体合成射流的理论模型与重频激励特性

等离子体合成射流(PSJ)具有激励强度大、响应速度快等优点,在超声速流动控制领域应用前景广阔。鉴于此,基于传热学和气体动力学的相关理论,建立了考虑喉道内部气流惯性、腔体内外热交换以及吸气恢复阶段的PSJ全周期理论模型,实现了射流速度峰值时刻、吸气过程和振荡过程等关键特性的预测。基于该模型,分析了等离子体合成射流激励器的重复频率工作特点,研究了能量沉积、激励频率和射流孔径对于重频激励特性的影响。重频条件下,激励器存在过渡和稳定两种典型状态。过渡状态下,腔内平均温度不断升高、射流速度峰值逐渐增大。稳定状态下,腔内气体参数呈周期性变化。随着能量沉积和激励频率的增加,激励器腔体内壁温度、射流速度峰值和时均冲力均增加。受腔体材料耐温极限的制约,激励器存在安全工作的参数区间(SOA)。随着孔径的增加,SOA增大,但稳定工作状态下的射流速度峰值和射流持续时间减小。     

The solar flare plasma: Observation and interpretation

In the past several years, X-ray observations of the Sun made from rockets and satellites have demonstrated the existence of high temperature (20 × 10⁶ – 100 × 10⁶ K), low density plasmas associated with solar flare phenomena. In the hard X-ray range ( < 1 ), spectra of the flaring plasma have been obtained using proportional and scintillation counter detectors. It is possible from these data to determine the evolution of the hard X-ray flare spectrum as the burst progresses; and by assuming either a non-thermal or thermal (Maxwellian) electron distribution function, characteristic plasma parameters such as emission measure and temperature (for a thermal interpretation) can be determined. Thermal interpretations of hard X-ray data require temperatures of 100 × 10⁶ K.In contrast, the soft X-ray flare spectrum (1 <<30 ) exhibits line emission from hydrogen-like and helium-like ions, e.g. Ne, Mg, Al, Si,... Fe, that indicates electron energies more characteristic of temperatures of 20 × 10⁶ K. Furthermore, line intensity ratios obtained during the course of an event show that the flare plasma can only be described satisfactorily by assuming a source composed of several different temperature regions; and that the emission measures and temperatures of these regions appear to change as the flare evolves. Temperatures are determined from line ratios of hydrogen-like to helium-like ions for a number of different elements, e.g., S, Si, and Mg, and from the slope of the X-ray continuum which is assumed to be due to free-free and free-bound emission. There is no obvious indication in soft X-ray flare spectra of non-thermal processes, although accurate continuum measurements are difficult with the data obtained to date because of higher order diffraction effects due to the use of crystal spectrometers.Soft X-ray flare spectra also show satellite lines of the hydrogen-like and helium-like ions, notably the 1s ²2s ² S-1s2s2p ² P transition of the lithium-like ion, and support the contention that in low density plasmas these lines are formed by dielectronic recombination to the helium-like ion. Also, series of allowed transitions of hydrogen-like and helium-like ions are strong, e.g., the Lyman series of S up to Lyman-, and ratios of the higher member lines to the Lyman- line can be compared with theoretical calculations of the relative line strengths obtained by assuming various processes of line formation.This review will discuss the X-ray spectrum of solar flares from 250 keV to 0.4 keV, but will be primarily concerned with the soft X-ray spectrum and the interpretation of emission lines and continuum features that lie in this spectral range.     

Solar Origin of Anisotropic Electron Events observed by ULYSSES and ACE

We investigate the solar origin of energetic collimated electron events observed in situ by the EPAM and/or HISCALE particle experiments aboard the ACE and ULYSSES spacecraft, respectively. This study has been performed for two months, September and October 1999 when Ulysses was magnetically connected to the solar disk at heliolongitudes visible at the Earth. The two spacecraft were separated by about 35° in latitude and up to 60° in longitude. In this paper, results are described for one period only, October 24–November 1, 1999. It is found that not all the anisotropic events are observed by both spacecrafts; there exists a strong dependence on the spacecraft's magnetic connection back to the Sun. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Composition of Cosmic Rays and the Mixing of the Interstellar Medium

The differences between the composition of Galactic cosmic rays and that of the interstellar medium are manifold, and they contain a wealth of information about the varying processes that created them. These differences reveal much about the initial mixing of freshly synthesized matter, the chemistry and differentiation of the interstellar medium, and the mechanisms and environment of ion injection and acceleration. Here we briefly explore these processes and show how they combine to create the peculiar, but potentially universal, composition of the cosmic rays and how measurements of the composition can provide a unique measure of the mixing ratio of the fresh supernova ejecta and the old interstellar medium in this initial phase of interstellar mixing. In particular, we show that the major abundance differences between the cosmic rays and the average interstellar medium can all result from cosmic ray ion injection by sputtering and scattering from fast refractory oxide grains in a mix of fresh supernova ejecta and old interstellar material. Since the bulk of the Galactic supernovae occur in the cores of superbubbles, the bulk of the cosmic rays are accelerated there out of such a mix. We show that the major abundance differences all imply a mixing ratio of the total masses of fresh supernova ejecta and old interstellar material in such cores is roughly 1 to 4. That means that the metallicity of ∼3 times solar, since the ejecta has a metallicity of ∼8 times that of the present interstellar medium.     

Wind in the Solar Corona: Dynamics and Composition

The dynamics of the solar corona as observed during solar minimum with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer, UVCS, on SOHO is discussed. The large quiescent coronal streamers existing during this phase of the solar cycle are very likely composed by sub-streamers, formed by closed loops and separated by open field lines that are channelling a slow plasma that flows close to the heliospheric current sheet. The polar coronal holes, with magnetic topology significantly varying from their core to their edges, emit fast wind in their central region and slow wind close to the streamer boundary. The transition from fast to slow wind then appears to be gradual in the corona, in contrast with the sharp transition between the two wind regimes observed in the heliosphere. It is suggested that speed, abundance and kinetic energy of the wind are modulated by the topology of the coronal magnetic field. Energy deposition occurs both in the slow and fast wind but its effect on the kinetic temperature and expansion rate is different for the slow and fast wind.     

WAVES: The radio and plasma wave investigation on the wind spacecraft

The WAVES investigation on the WIND spacecraft will provide comprehensive measurements of the radio and plasma wave phenomena which occur in Geospace. Analyses of these measurements, in coordination with the other onboard plasma, energetic particles, and field measurements will help us understand the kinetic processes that are important in the solar wind and in key boundary regions of the Geospace. These processes are then to be interpreted in conjunction with results from the other ISTP spacecraft in order to discern the measurements and parameters for mass, momentum, and energy flow throughout geospace. This investigation will also contribute to observations of radio waves emitted in regions where the solar wind is accelerated. The WAVES investigation comprises several innovations in this kind of instrumentation: among which the first use, to our knowledge, of neural networks in real-time on board a scientific spacecraft to analyze data and command observation modes, and the first use of a wavelet transform-like analysis in real time to perform a spectral analysis of a broad band signal.     

High-temperature oxidation behavior and analysis of impedance spectroscopy of 7YSZ thermal barrier coating prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition

Quasi-columnar structure 7YSZ(yttria stabilized zirconia) thermal barrier coatings(TBCs) are prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition(PS-PVD) onto pretreated and un-pretreated bond coating, respectively. An isothermal oxidation experiment of 7YSZ TBCs is carried out in the atmosphere of 950 °C in order to simulate the high-temperature oxidation process of engine blades. The isothermal oxidation process of 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings is investigated systematically by impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical physical model and equivalent circuit of columnar 7YSZ coatings are established. Results show that the isothermal oxidation kinetic curve of columnar 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings appears to follow the parabolic law. A pretreatment of bond coating can reduce the growth rate of the thermally grown oxide(TGO) layer, restraining the initiation and propagation of microcracks between YSZ and TGO layers. The oxidation rate constants of 7YSZ coatings with pretreated and un-pretreated bond coating are 0.101×10~(-12) cm~2·s~(-1) and 0.115 × 10~(-13) cm~2 ·s~(-1), respectively. Impedance analysis shows that the content of oxygen vacancies decreases and the density increases after the TGO layer is oxidized for 150 h. In addition, shrinkage microcracks formed by sintering during the oxidation process is the main reason for an increase of the capacitance and a decrease of the resistance in the grain boundary of YSZ.