The extreme ultraviolet explorer

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) Mission is described. The purpose of this mission is to search the celestial sphere for astronomical sources of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation (100–1000Å). The search will be accomplished with the use of three EUV telescopes, each sensitive to different bands within the EUV band. A fourth telescope will perform a high sensitivity search of a limited sample of the sky in a single EUV band. In six months, the entire sky will be scanned at a sensitivity level comparable to existing surveys in other more traditional astronomical bandpasses. A substantial number of EUV sources such as hot white dwarfs and stellar coronae are certain to be discovered given our current knowledge. More uncertain is what entirely new classes of objects will be discovered as EUV sources. A moderate resolution (～ 5Å) spectroscopy option is being considered which would cover the band from 80 to 600Å. This instrument would be capable of providing spectra of at least the 100 brightest EUV sources and would be utilized entirely on a Guest Investigator basis.     

Initial results from the extreme ultraviolet explorer

Data obtained during the first five months of calibration and science operation of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) are presented. Spectra of an extragalactic object were obtained; the object is detectable to wavelengths longer than 100 Å, demonstrating that extragalactic EUV astronomy is possible. Spectra of a hot white dwarf, and a late-type star in quiescence and flaring are shown as examples of the type of spectrographic data obtainable with EUVE. Other objects for which broad band photometric mode data have been obtained and analyzed include an RS CVn star and several late-type stars. The backgrounds in the EUVE detectors are quite low and the character of the diffuse astronomical EUV background has been investigated using these very low rates. Evidence is presented showing that, contrary to previously published reports, EUVE is about three times more sensitive than the English Wide Field Camera in the short wavelength bandpass covered by both instruments. Only limited information has been extracted from the longer bandpasses covered only by EUVE. Nonetheless, the brightest EUV source in the sky, a B star, has been discovered and is detected only in these longer bandpasses.     

Solar EUV flux variation and flare brightenings

On 2010 February 8, the Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) flux variation in 195 Å and flare brightening has been examined in different sizes of active regions by using SOHO/EIT, MDI and Hα$\alpha$ observational data. These three active regions represent a large active region with a sunspot group, a moderate active region without a sunspot and a small region with weak plage in Hα$\alpha$ band respectively. Our study shows that the main full disk EUV flux comes from active regions, especially from large active regions. The sudden increases of EUV flux are corresponding to the EUV flare brightenings. For the large active region, the local EUV 195 Å flux peaks are well correlated to that of the GOES X-ray flux. The EUV 195 Å flux peaking time of M-class flares delay GOES X-ray flux a few minutes. For the moderate active region, the local EUV 195 Å flux is not well correlated to GOES X-ray flux. The EUV 195 Å flare brightenings in the moderate active region appeared in the duration of sudden increase of its own local EUV flux. For the small active region, the local EUV 195  Å flux varied almost independently of the GOES X-ray flux. Our study suggests that for an active region its local EUV 195 Å flux is more closely correlated to the EUV flare brightening than the full disk GOES X-ray flux.     

Distinct EUV minimum of the solar irradiance (16–40 nm) observed by SolACES spectrometers onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in August/September 2009

In the field of terrestrial climatology the continuous monitoring of the solar irradiance with highest possible accuracy is an important goal. SolACES as a part of the ESA mission SOLAR on the ISS is measuring the short-wavelength solar EUV irradiance from 16–150 nm. This data will be made available to the scientific community to investigate the impact of the solar irradiance variability on the Earth’s climate as well as the thermospheric/ionospheric interactions that are pursued in the TIGER program. Since the successful launch with the shuttle mission STS-122 on February 7th, 2008, SolACES initially recorded the low EUV irradiance during the extended solar activity minimum. Thereafter it has been observing the EUV irradiance during the increasing solar activity with enhanced intensity and changing spectral composition. SolACES consists of three grazing incidence planar grating spectrometers. In addition there are two three-signal ionisation chambers, each with exchangeable band-pass filters to determine the absolute EUV fluxes repeatedly during the mission. One important problem of space-borne instrumentation recording the solar EUV irradiance is the degradation of the spectrometer sensitivity. The two double ionisation chambers of SolACES, which could be re-filled with three different gases for each recording, allow the recalibration of the efficiencies of the three SolACES spectrometers from time to time.     

EUV emission from normal galaxies

Using data from the Wide Field Camera EUV all-sky survey, we have established upper limits to the EUV flux from a sample of 30 bright, nearby, non-active spiral galaxies. These galaxies were chosen to be those most likely to be detected in the EUV on the basis of (i) low interstellar absorption within our own galaxy, (ii) brightness in other wavebands, (iii) high star formation activity, and (iv) proximity. The derived EUV upper limits are restrictive, and establish for the first time that the EUV flux escaping from galaxies does not constitute a major component of their bolometric luminosity, and in particular that it cannot be the sink for the energy injected into the interstellar medium by supernova explosions, as had been suggested following the failure to detect this power in the X-ray band.     

一种NRLMSISE-00模型太阳辐射校正方法

根据空间天气的状态,调整大气模型的相关输入参数能够减小模型的计算误差.通过对比CHAMP卫星在轨大气密度探测数据与NRLMSISE-00模式的计算结果发现,通过调整F_10.7的输入,使轨道大气密度积分的模式计算结果与探测结果之间的误差达到最小,此时的F_10.7被称为理想F_10.7输入（F*）.进一步的分析发现,F*与太阳紫外辐射MgII指数存在很好的相关性,因此可以选择其他的太阳紫外辐射代理参数取代F_10.7,从而减小模型计算误差.本文采用神经网络技术,建立新的太阳紫外辐射代理参量F_euv与MgII,F_10.7等的对应模型,能够根据当日参数值计算F_euv.研究结果表明,新的代理参数能够有效减小NRLMSISE-00的计算误差.      

A new inversion method of plasma density distribution of plasmasphere in the geomagnetic equatorial plane from IMAGE data

The plasma density distribution of plasmasphere in the geomagnetic equatorial plane can help us study the magnetosphere like plasmasphere, ionosphere and their kinetics. In this paper, we introduce a new inversion method, GE-ART, to calculate the plasma density distribution in the geomagnetic equatorial plane from the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) data of IMAGE satellite under the assumption that the plasma density is constant along each geomagnetic field line. The new GE-ART algorithm was derived from the traditional Algebraic Reconstruction Techniques (ART) in Computed Tomography (CT) which was different from the several existing methods. In this new method, each value of the EUV image data was back-projected evenly to the geomagnetic field lines intersected by this EUV sight. A 3-D inversion matrix was produced by the contributions of all the voxels contained in the plasmasphere covered by the EUV sensor. That is, we considered that each value of the EUV image data was relative to the plasma densities of all the voxels passed through by the corresponding EUV radiation, which is the biggest difference to all the existing inversion methods. Finally, the GE-ART algorithm was evaluated by the real EUV data from the IMAGE satellite.     

多谱段全日面极紫外成像仪

在极紫外波段对太阳进行成像观测是研究太阳活动、日冕中等离子体物理特性的重要手段.传统极紫外成像仪或光谱仪无法同时实现高光谱分辨率和大视场的太阳成像.本文设计了一种新型太阳极紫外多谱段成像系统,采用无狭缝光栅分光方式实现了高光谱分辨率和空间分辨率的全日面成像,成像视场可达47',光谱分辨率每像素2×10-3 nm,空间分辨率每像素1.4',全日面时间分辨率优于60s.通过分析谱线的全日面成像图和系统响应,表明成像仪能大范围的观测太阳活动形态演化,为太阳物理研究和空间天气预报提供更完整的观测数据.      

Which solar EUV indices are best for reconstructing the solar EUV irradiance?

The solar EUV irradiance is of key importance for space weather. Most of the time, however, surrogate quantities such as EUV indices have to be used by lack of continuous and spectrally resolved measurements of the irradiance. The ability of such proxies to reproduce the irradiance from different solar atmospheric layers is usually investigated by comparing patterns of temporal correlations. We consider instead a statistical approach. The TIMED/SEE experiment, which has been continuously operating since February 2002, allows for the first time to compare in a statistical manner the EUV spectral irradiance to five EUV proxies: the sunspot number, the f10.7, Ca K, and Mg II indices, and the He I equivalent width.     

2009年2月13日EUV波现象数值研究

结合STEREO卫星的观测和三维磁流体力学数值模拟方法, 采用WSO (Wilcox Solar Observatory)磁场数据和势场源表面模型建立日冕初始磁场, 并在日面活动区加上时变的压强扰动, 对2009年2月13日05:35UT爆发的CME-EUV波(Coronal Mass Ejections-Extreme Ultraviolet wave, 日冕物质抛射-远紫外波)事件进行研究. 从COR1/STEREO-A图像判断, 此次CME前沿速度约340km·s-1, 角宽度约60°; 分析EUVI/STEREO-B 195 ?的差分图像, 可以看到, 环形亮环波前从活动区向四周传播, 亮环波前后面是日冕暗化区, 取四个方向的波前位置进行线性拟合可知, 该EUV波速度为247km·s-1, 数值模拟得到的EUV波速度为245km·s-1, 将计算结果采用IDL可视化后可以看到明显的亮环和暗区结构, 数值模拟结果与卫星观测相一致, 表明该EUV波现象是快磁声波.      

Representations of solar EUV fluxes for aeronomical applications

The development of significantly improved representations of solar EUV inputs for computer-aided investigations of the terrestrial thermosphere and ionosphere has become attractive particularly for the present solar cycle which has been covered by reasonably complete and continuous EUV observations from the AE-E Satellite. These representations try to satisfy some rather incongruous $\text{requirements of spectral detail}$, regarding (a) the strong wavelength-dependence in the $\text{terrestrial}$ atmospheric cross sections of the various types of EUV photon interactions, (b) the great differences in the relative amplitudes of the various types of variations in the full-disk fluxes of $\text{solar}$ emissions at different wavelengths, and (c) the persisting desire to use only a $\text{small number of daily indices}$ as actual input variables for computational models supposed to cover the entire EUV wavelength range (remembering the great success of empirical thermospheric models using only two indices). These general physical and specific aeronomical demands indeed outline a very difficult task. The present study, based mainly on AE-E satellite observations during 1976–1979, represents an exploratory step, only clarifying some important developmental aspects, without recommending any specific formulations for immediately practicable adoption in aeronomical modelling at this time.     

Solar EUV and decimetric indices and thermospheric models

Data bases and limits of applicability of existing empirical thermospheric models are reviewed by using these models together with solar EUV irradiance data in studying the solar activity effect on composition, density and temperature. For two rather short aeronomy missions of the AEROS A and B satellites solar EUV indices as proposed by Schmidtke are used in comparison with the 10.7 cm solar flux F in determining the solar activity effect in in-situ composition measurements sampled by the same satellites at 250, 310 and 380 km altitude. No advantage of solar EUV indices over F could be determined.     

太阳极紫外辐射对热层大气密度的影响

对2001-2021年SOHO卫星的极紫外辐射测量数据,以及CHAMP,GRACE-A和SWARM-C卫星资料推导出的高分辨率大气密度数据进行统计分析,发现大气密度与极紫外测量值的相关系数大于密度与F10.7指数的相关系数,证实极紫外辐射在不同地方时的影响程度存在显著差异,从而驱动大气密度的周日变化。利用三颗卫星的高度差异揭示极紫外辐射对大气密度的加热效应在350～500 km范围随着高度增加而减弱。统计得到极紫外辐射影响在地方时和纬度上的空间差异：对夏季半球的影响大于冬季半球;在白天,对中纬度地区的影响高于赤道和高纬度地区;在夜间,密度对辐射的斜率在夏季半球高纬度地区存在峰值,在冬季半球中纬度存在谷值,模型DTM2000和NRLMSISE00未能准确刻画。为了改进经验模型,提出基于球谐函数的拟合方法,优于主流模型周日效应采用的表达式,对周日效应建模和修正提供有益借鉴。利用昼夜间能量传输和热层大气经向环流机制探讨了统计结果的物理机制。     

太阳活动对EUV辐射在大气中吸收过程的影响

本文利用A-E卫星在太阳活动21周峰年间观测到的EUV辐射资料,高层大气成分的吸收截面,以及MSIS-86热层大气模式,研究了EUV辐射在大气中的吸收过程;在透射比为1/e和0.1/100时分别计算了透射高度随波长及太阳活动的变化。在波长范围50—1050内对37个波段分别求出了透射高度随太阳天顶角的变化。结果表明,当太阳活动增强时各波段的透射高度均升高,而且透射比越大则透射高度随太阳活动的变化也越剧烈。当透射比为一定时,太阳天顶角越大则透射高度随太阳活动的变化也越大。除此之外还存在一个相反效应,即太阳活动会使Chapman函数变小,这反过来又促使透射高度降低。这两种效应的综合作用结果可较好地解释某些电离层观测中的日没效应。     

双通道辐射量计算太阳极紫外辐射E10.7指数方法初探

从太阳极紫外辐射研究的重要性出发, 介绍了太阳极紫外辐射E_10.7指 数及其作用, 详细阐述了利用两个能道的太阳辐射观测值计算极紫外辐射E_10.7指数的计算方法. 利用该方法对实测太阳辐射数据进行处理, 计算获得了2000-2005年的每日E_10.7指数, 并将计算结果 与Solar2000模式的输出结果进行对比分析, 验证了该计算方法的可行性, 对比结果表明, 最大相对误差在20%以内, 平均相对误差均在10%以内.      

基于坐标系转换与QTM编码的天球面探测覆盖栅格化分析方法研究

提出一种基于坐标系转换与QTM编码的天球面探测覆盖栅格化分析方法,并对其计算精度和效率进行了实验分析,相比传统算法和经纬网格编码方法,该方法具有明显的效率和精度优势,能够满足以天球面为探测目标的空间科学卫星有效载荷探测覆盖分析和任务规划的需要.      

Photoelectron flux variations observed from the FAST satellite

This paper examines high resolution (ΔE/E = 0.15) photoelectron energy spectra from 10 eV to 1 keV, created by solar irradiances between 1.2 and 120 nm. The observations were made from the FAST satellite at ∼3000 km, equatorward of the auroral oval for the July–August, 2002 solar rotation. These data are compared with the solar irradiance observed by the Solar EUV Experiment (SEE) on the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite and fluxes calculated using the Field Line Interhemispheric Plasma (FLIP) code. The 41 eV photoelectron flux, which corresponds to solar EUV fluxes near 20 nm, shows a clear solar rotation variation in very good agreement with the EUV flux measurements. This offers the possibility that the 41 eV photoelectron flux could be used as a check on measured solar EUV fluxes near 20 nm. Because of unexpected noise, the solar rotation signal is not evident in the integral photoelectron flux between 156 and 1000 eV corresponding to EUV wavelengths between 0.1 and 7 nm measured by the SEE instrument. Examination of daily averaged photoelectron fluxes at energies between 25 and 500 eV show significant changes in the photoelectron spectra in response X and M class flares. The intensity of photoelectrons produced in this energy region is primarily due to two very narrow EUV wavelength regions at 2.3 and 3 nm driving Auger photoionization in O at 500 eV and N₂ at ∼360 eV. Comparison of calculated and daily averaged electron fluxes shows that the HEUVAC model solar spectrum used in the FLIP code does not reproduce the observed variations in photoelectron intensity. In principle, the 21 discrete photoelectron energy channels could be used to improve the reliability of the solar EUV fluxes at 2.3 and 3 nm inferred from broad band observations. In practice, orbital biases in the way the data were accumulated and/or noise signals arising from natural and anthropogenic longitudinally restricted sources of ionization complicate the application of this technique.     

Numerical Simulation for the 16 August 1999 EUV Brightenings

The 16 August 1999 EUV brightenings are numerically simulated by a third-order upwind compact scheme, basing on the TRACE observation. The present simulation can give a possible explanation to its formation and evolution. The numerical results show that the initial reconnection jets at around X-point are responsible for the occurrence of EUV brightening. The strong and superposed ejections caused by the first and second coalescence of magnetic islands are possibly related to the lifted material which initially appeared as absorption features and Later EUV-emitting structures respectively. The bi-directional reconnection jets may correspond to the lifted material that either continued to move upward along the apparently open field lines or fell down to the surface.      

EUV-TEC proxy to describe ionospheric variability using satellite-borne solar EUV measurements: First results

Primary photoionisation of major ionospheric constituents is calculated from satellite-borne solar EUV measurements. Number densities of the background atmosphere are taken from the NRLMSISE-00 climatology. From the calculated ionisation rates, a proxy termed EUV-TEC, which is based on the global total ionisation is calculated, and describes the ionospheric response to solar EUV and its variability. The proxy is compared against the global mean ionospheric total electron content (TEC) derived from GPS data. Results show that the EUV-TEC proxy provides a better overall representation of global TEC than conventional solar indices like F10.7 do. The EUV-TEC proxy may be used for scientific research, and to describe the ionospheric effects on radio communication and navigation systems.     

Optical performance of PHEBUS/EUV detector onboard BepiColombo

BepiColombo, a mission of ESA (European Space Agency) in cooperation with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), will explore Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. BepiColombo will launch in 2014 on a journey lasting up to six and a half years; the data gathering phase should occupy a one year nominal mission, with a possible extension of another year. The data which will be brought back from the orbiters will tell us about the Hermean surface, atmospheric composition, and magnetospheric dynamics; it will also contribute to understanding the history and formation of terrestrial planets. The PHEBUS (Probing of Hermean Exosphere by Ultraviolet Spectroscopy) instrument will be flown on MPO: Mercury Planetary Orbiter, one of the two BepiColombo orbiters. The main purpose of the instrument is to reveal the composition and the distribution of the exosphere of Mercury through EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet: 55–155 nm) and FUV (Far Ultraviolet: 145–315 nm) measurements. A consortium composed of four main countries has been formed to build it. Japan provides the two detectors (EUV and FUV), Russia implements the scanning system, and France and Italy take charge of the overall design, assembly, test, integration, and also provide two small NUV (Near Ultraviolet) detectors (for the light from calcium and potassium molecules). An optical prototype of the EUV detector which is identical to the flight configuration has been manufactured and evaluated. In this paper, we show the first spectra results observed by the EUV channel optical prototype. We also describe the design of PHEBUS and discuss the possibility of detecting noble gases in Mercury’s exosphere taking the experimental results so far into account.