Features of the Artificial Injection of Energetic Electrons from the Earth’s Radiation Belt into the Midlatitude Ionosphere and Their Dependence on Geophysical Conditions

Cosmic Research - This paper presents the results of studies of the features of the injection of energetic electrons from the Earth’s radiation belt into the midlatitude ionosphere when the...     

The Electric Potential of a Spacecraft Injecting an Electron Beam into the Earth's Ionosphere

The problem of the electric potential value for the spacecraft injecting an electron beam into the Earth's ionosphere is considered. The formulas defining the spacecraft's electric potential in the equilibrium state as a function of experimental parameters are derived. It is shown that the presented theoretical results are in a good agreement with both the results of numerical modeling and experimental data. A comparison of different models of spacecraft charge neutralization is performed. An explanation is given for the facts related to the difficulties of interpretation of the mechanisms of spacecraft charge neutralization within a period less than the time of ionization of neutral particles and plasma heating by the injected beam.     

Observations of the Auroral Kilometric Radiation onboard the Interball-1 satellite in 1995–1997

Results of two-year (August 1995–July 1997) continuous observations of the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) in the AKR-X experiment on board the high-apogee Interball-1 satellite are presented. Observations were carried out in the minimum of solar activity in a frequency range of 100–1500 kHz. The most effective detections of AKR occurred near the maximum of its spectrum at a frequency of 252 kHz and also at a frequency of 500 kHz. The data obtained made it possible to study in more detail the character of AKR global directivity, its frequency dependence, and some other parameters of the emission. These data are interpreted qualitatively in the context of the emission mechanism caused by cyclotron maser instability.     

Radiative Electrification of Spacecraft Construction Elements: Physical Modeling of Charge Accumulation and Neutralization

The basic principles of physical modeling of spacecraft radiative electrification in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere are formulated. It is shown that recorded cyclograms and current pulses of discharges provide complete information on the electrophysical properties of materials. The efficiency of plasma neutralization of electro-radiative effects depends on the density of low temperature plasma and the structure of the irradiated surface.     

高频电磁波调制电离层产生ELF／VLF辐射的研究进展

回顾了利用大功率的高频电磁波调制电离层自然电流产生ELF/VLF电磁辐射的发展情况.介绍了典型加热设备的系统参数配置情况以及地面和卫星上检测ELF/VLF信号的实验结果.总结了提高ELF/VLF产生效率等问题的进展情况,尤其是波束扫描技术的理论研究和应用发展.提出了该技术下一步需要研究及解决的问题.     

基于碰撞检测的空间超大规模航天器拼接曲面优化

针对模块航天器在轨拼接曲面优化、曲率极值问题,提出了一种基于模块间隙约束的“球冠-平面”辅助映射法,该方法不仅可以规划模块航天器如何构成目标曲面,还可以获得该曲面的极值。该方法以正六棱柱模块航天器为单位模块,将模块按由“球冠-平面”映射的圈层排列张成目标球面,构建了拼接曲面的数学模型。鉴于工程上对机构调整有限导致的相邻模块间隙限制问题,在算法中引入了碰撞检测(DC)约束参数;通过遗传算法寻优,获得目标曲面布局的最优解。最后仿真表明:该算法可以有效获得曲面布局的最优解。     

Physical and Mathematical Simulation of Electric Polarization of Low-Orbit Spacecraft under the Conditions of Hypersonic Flow by a Stream of Plasma of the Earth's Upper Ionosphere

The charging processes in the vicinity of a low-orbital spacecraft moving in the midlatitude ionosphere are considered. It is shown that the main feature of charging of such an object is its polarization. The calculation results are analyzed in the context of general theoretical concepts.     

A Study of the Destruction of Spacecraft Surfaces at Contact Interactions with Microparticles of the Space Environment

The results of studying the high-velocity impact interactions of a particle flux of space’s meteoric background with satellites have been presented. The effects that arises during the microparticle motion in the material have been described; the models of solid particle interactions with spacecraft’s onboard hardware protection have been presented. The experimental and analytical dependences have been given. The basic factors have been revealed, and their effect on the erosion wear of satellite’s surface has been estimated. The dependences for calculating the rectilinear (horizontal, inclined and vertical) sections of satellite’s surface have been given. The presented dependences represent the results of experimental and analytical studies.     

Disturbance of the Electric Field in the Ionosphere by Sea Storms and Typhoons

The results of detecting quasi-stationary electric fields onboard the Kosmos-1809 satellite and observing sea storms and typhoons are analyzed jointly. We have detected an amplification of the electric field in the low-latitude ionosphere that is related to the preparatory stage and development of tropical storms and typhoons. In this case, the electric field strength can reach 20 mV/m, an anomalously high value for the low-latitude and near-equatorial ionosphere. High-accuracy estimates of the electric field strength are made on the basis of a model of its origination as a result of the generation of an extraneous electric current in the disturbed region of the lower atmosphere and the impact of these currents on the global atmosphere–ionosphere system of currents.     

Radiotomographical Detection of Ionosphere Disturbances Caused by Ground Explosions

Long-lived local disturbances of the ionospheric density over the site of ground industrial explosions were detected by the ionosphere radiotomography method. It is assumed that the density anomalies arise because of the initiation of vortex motion in a neutral component after acoustic impulse passage.     

Electromagnetic Pulse in the Magnetosphere Generated by Impulsive Current near the Lower Boundary of the Ionosphere

A solution to the problem of current spreading is constructed in the case of relaxation of electric charges, which have arisen in the mesosphere for one reason or other. These currents penetrate into the conductive region with anisotropic conductivity of the D- and E-layers of the ionosphere, being transformed to a MHD-wave that propagates into the magnetosphere. Based on this solution, the form and spectrum of the generated MHD signal are calculated for Alfvenic and magnetosonic modes coming out to the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Electric charges and currents can arise, for example, in the space between a thunderstorm cloud and the ionosphere, or between the shock wave from a ground explosion and the ionosphere. Some signal parameters accepted in the model are close to those expected for high-altitude electric discharges of the Red Sprite type. The conditions are determined under which the Alfven impulse with an amplitude of up to 100 nT propagates in the magnetosphere above high-altitude discharge of this type. Such an impulse was recorded by the AUREOL-3 satellite after the ground explosion MASSA-1. Recently, this impulse was hypothesized to originate as a result of a high-altitude electric discharge. The hypothesis on a similar MHD pulse allows one to explain in a semiquantitative way the short burst of electron field-aligned acceleration observed by the DE-2 satellite over the Debbie hurricane. The high-altitude atmospheric discharge of this type can be a powerful, though short-time and local, source of electrons with kiloelectronvolt energies at low and middle latitudes. One could expect that such an effect causes a modified character of the so-called Trimpi-effect (a short-term disturbance of propagation of VLF waves in the ionosphere), and thus, it can be observable.     

Auroral kilometric radio emission in the period of quiet sun in 1996

The auroral kilometric radio emission (AKR) is the most powerful sporadic radio emission of the terrestrial magnetosphere. It was discovered in 1965 by Soviet scientists in the experiment onboard the Electron-2 satellite [1]. The AKR still continues to stay an object of a large interest and detailed study (see, for example, a review by Gurnett [2]). The mechanism of cyclotron maser instability proposed by Wu and Lee [3] is a commonly accepted mechanism of AKR generation. We have demonstrated the presence of powerful AKR simultaneously in both hemispheres of the Earth in the period from August 1995 to August 1997, including summer-winter periods, on particular examples of registration of this emission in [4] where the directivity and mechanism of the emission were studied. Since in that period AKR was observed in the vicinity of perigees of the satellite orbit in both hemispheres almost at every orbit (3.8 days), we have a possibility to trace in more detail the changes in the emission power from one orbit to another in 1996 during a deep minimum of solar activity.     

星载标准接口业务在航天器中的应用方法

对空间数据系统咨询委员会(CCSDS)星载标准接口业务(SOIS)的产生历史、研究现状以及体系结构进行了分析。针对中国航天器中星载接口协议不统一、设备和软件通用性差等问题,探讨了在中国航天器中如何应用SOIS标准。文章从星内节点协议配置、SOIS业务选择、与空间链路协议配合等方面,探讨了SOIS标准在中国航天器上的应用方法。应用SOIS标准,将有助于实现星载接口及协议的标准化,以及航天器上设备和软件的通用化。     

基于电动力绳系的航天器离轨方式初步研究

为寻找适合近地轨道上使用的航天器离轨技术,文章对目前各种离轨策略的基本原理及优缺点作了分析与对比,重点对电动力绳系离轨装置进行了深入研究,建立了数学模型,推导出离轨时间预估公式,对离轨的过程进行了数学仿真,结果证实电动力阻力能使近地轨道上航天器的轨道高度迅速降低,电动力绳系离轨策略具有很高的工程实用性。     

Structure of the Large-Scale Vortex Motions in the Ionosphere E Region

It is shown that the dissipative-centrifugal instability (DCI) revealed earlier for large-scale two-dimension vortex motions of the neutral gas in a fast-rotating atmosphere is also possible for similar motions of a weakly ionized gas in the magnetic field when one takes into account electrodynamics forces (the induction deceleration and gyroscopic force caused by the Hall current) in the absence of dissipation. In the case of a conductive atmosphere, strictly anticyclone motion at a DCI of the neutral atmosphere could be impossible or (depending on the Hall conductivity value) it could even change to a cyclone motion. Experimental results that can be considered as a confirmation of the theoretical conclusions are presented.     

Sources of Plasma Troughs in the Midlatitude and Subauroral Topside Ionosphere

The data of observations of plasma density in the large-scale ionospheric trough by the ion trap onboard the Kosmos-900 satellite on April 15, 1977, are presented. They enable one to understand both the general configuration and the fine details of the trough. There are sharp gradients of density (especially, in the subtroughs) superimposed on the less prominent variations of density in the main trough, which are characteristic of the average pattern of the trough. It was demonstrated that one of the possible mechanisms of forming the troughs(i.e., plasma cavities) is the electrostatic instability of plasma in the topside ionosphere.     

A Method to Measure Absorptivity and Emissivity of Temperature-Controlling Coatings of Spacecraft Using Radiation Flux of Variable Intensity

A new method of determining the absorptivity and emissivity of surfaces with the use of a radiation flux of variable intensity is described. It is expedient to use this method in order to control the variations of integral optical coefficients of temperature-controlling coatings in the course of a long-term spacecraft flight. The method is developed on the basis of solving the inverse problem for a mathematical model of thermal balance for a thin metal plate. The stability of the algorithm of processing the results of measurements is analyzed for various levels of random errors. Some recommendations concerning the technical implementation of the method in the laboratory and space conditions are given. The method suggested has a number of advantages in comparison with methods used before, especially if it is used in space conditions. The main advantage is the possibility of varying the radiation flux incident on the surface of a specimen under study from an external source according to any smooth law.     

Precipitating Protons and Their Role in Ionization of the Polar Ionosphere

Spatial distributions of the electron density in the latitude range 60°–90° N were calculated on the basis of a physical model of the E and lower Fregions of the high-latitude ionosphere using statistical models of auroral proton and electron precipitation. It is shown that precipitating protons can play the key role in the ionization of the Eregion in the dusk and midnight sectors of the auroral oval. However, quantitative estimates of the contribution of protons to the ionization depend on the used statistical models of electron precipitation. Comparison of the electron density profiles calculated for two incoherent scatter radars, EISCAT (Tromsö) and ESR (Svalbard), for simultaneous precipitation of electrons and protons and for electron precipitation only show that the influence of protons is the most significant in the dusk sector over the EISCAT radar and in the midnight sector over the ESR radar. The results presented indicate the need to take protons into account when radar data are used to derive precipitating electron spectra.     

航天器多学科设计优化研究综述

多学科设计优化方法是实现航天器"快、好、省"设计的有效手段.介绍了MDO方法的内涵及航天器多学科设计优化问题的系统表述;总结了航天器多学科设计优化研究在MDO系统建模、集成设计框架开发和MDO应用三方面的国内外进展情况,阐述了航天器多学科设计优化研究存在的困难,并指出多场耦合、分解协调策略以及MDO方法与设计流程的融合等问题是航天器多学科设计优化面临的主要难点;最后,讨论了航天器多学科设计优化理论研究与应用的发展趋势.