Multicolor Polarimetry of the Twilight Sky: The Role of Multiple Light Scattering as a Function of Wavelength

This paper is devoted to the investigation of the role of multiply scattered light of different wavelengths in clear twilight, as well as to the influence of multiple scattering and scattering by atmospheric aerosol particles on the polarization of the twilight sky background during this period. The work is based on wide-angle polarimetric CCD-observations of the twilight sky near zenith in the U, B, V, and R bands, which were carried out in summer 2000 at the South Laboratory of the Moscow Shternberg Astronomical Institute. Based on the data obtained, we have determined the fraction of single-scattered light in clear twilight in the zenith for the U, B, and V bands and have estimated the lower limit of this value for the R band. The analysis of color and polarimetric evolution of the sky background was made taking into account single and multiple scattering properties. The characteristic height of the upper boundary of the tropospheric aerosol layer in the Earth's atmosphere was also obtained.     

Evidence for a shock wave in visible light and radio observations of the 1980 June 29 event

Shock waves, as evidenced by type II radio bursts, often accompany flares and coronal mass ejection transients. At present, the density enhancements observed by coronagraphs are believed by some to be ejected matter from the low corona, and by others to be the compressed material behind a shock front. If the former is correct, one would expect in some cases to see a density enhancement, associated with the compression region of the shock, some distance ahead of the transient ejecta. Such a density enhancement has not been previously reported.The coronal transient of 1980 June 29 (0233 UT) was observed with the High Altitude Observatory's Coronagraph/Polarimeter aboard SMM. This flare-associated coronal transient event was well observed with the Culgoora Radioheliograph, including a well-developed type II burst. Visible on the coronagraph images is a faint circular arc moving out well ahead of the transient loops. This arc is moving at more than 900 km s^?1 while the transient itself is moving at a speed of about 600 km s^?1. Both the arc and transient appear to have originated either prior to the X-ray flare or at some height above the flare at the time of the flare. The type II burst observed at Culgoora is associated with the transient loops, and no type II emission is identified with the faint arc.Due to its great speed, we interpret the faint arc as a manifestation of a shock wave, but also envision a separate shock wave associated with the transient loops as evidenced by the type II emission. Preliminary density measurements are consistent with this interpretation, and show the outer shock wave associated with the faint arc to have a Mach number M_A ≤ 1.7. At present we have no convincing explanation for the lack of a type II burst in association with the arc.This work was supported in part by NASA through grants NSG-7287 and NAGW-91 to the University of Colorado, Boulder, and S-55989 to the High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research. The National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR, is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Hydrodynamic Approach to Modeling the Thermal Plasma Distribution around a Moving Charged Satellite

The electric field distribution around a charged satellite in a rarefied magnetospheric plasma influences greatly the densities and trajectories of particles measured by onboard instruments. The simulation of macroparameters of thermal plasma near the moving charged satellite, which is necessary for correction of experimental measurements, encounters considerable computational difficulties. In this work, two three-dimensional models of the electric field distribution around the satellite are considered under the conditions when the Debye length is comparable to the geometrical size of the spacecraft. In the first model a system of hydrodynamic equations of continuity and motion was used, which was solved jointly with the Poisson equation. In the second model the hydrodynamic equation of motion was used for analyzing the motion of large particles by means of the method of particles in a cell. The numerical algorithms and the results of calculations of the potential near the satellite, as well as the distributions of densities of electrons and ions and of volume charge, are considered. The results of test calculations for some situations in the ambient plasma are presented, and the influence of the spatial electric field distribution on the thermal plasma measurements is considered.     

Arthropod model systems for studying complex biological processes in the space environment.

Three arthropod systems are discussed in relation to their complementary and potential use in Space Biology. In a next biosatellite flight, Drosophila melanogaster pre-adapted during several months to different g levels will be flown in an automatic device that separates parental from first and second generations. In the same flight, flies will be exposed to microgravity conditions in an automatic unit in which fly motility can be recorded. In the International Microgravity Laboratory-2, several groups of Drosophila embryos will be grown in Space and the motility of a male fly population will be video-recorded. In the Biopan, an ESA exobiology facility that can be flown attached to the exterior of a Russian biosatellite, Artemia dormant gastrulae will be exposed to the space environment in the exterior of the satellite under a normal atmosphere or in the void. Gastrulae will be separated in hit and non-hit populations. The developmental and aging response of these animals will be studied upon recovery. With these experiments we will be able to establish whether exposure to the space environment influences arthropod development and aging, and elaborate on some of the cellular mechanisms involved which should be tested in future experiments.     

The x-ray experiment on-board the “astron”

This paper describes the X-ray instrumentation, its capabilities and preliminary results which have been obtained for first two months operation.     

Parameter Estimation Based on Doppler Frequency Shifts

An acoustic source generates an amplitude-modulated tone, with Doppler variations due to the relative motion between source andreceiver. A method is presented for real-time estimation of tone restfrequency and minimal distance between source and receiver, usingdigital signal processing techniques. The algorithm presented herewas implemented using a Texas Instruments TMS32010 processor.     

The stretched lens array (SLA) [spacecraft solar power]

At IECEC 2001, this team presented a paper on the new stretched lens array (SLA), including its evolution from the successful SCARLET array on the NASA/JPL Deep Space 1 spacecraft. Since that conference, the SLA team has made significant advances in SLA technology, including component-level improvements, array-level optimization, space environment exposure testing, and prototype hardware fabrication and evaluation. This paper describes the evolved version of the SLA, highlighting recent improvements in the lens, solar cell, photovoltaic receiver, rigid panel structure, and complete solar array wing. In addition to excellent durability in the space environment, the near-term SLA will provide outstanding wing-level performance parameters: 180 W/kg specific power; 300 W/m/sup 2/ power density; 300 V operational voltage; 85% savings in cell area (cm/sup 2//W) and cell-related cost ($/W) compared to planar arrays; 9 kW/m/sup 3/ stowed power at launch.     

Naturally deducing estimate for the coefficient of CELSS closure.

The term Closed Ecological System (CES) is in wide use. However there is no generally accepted measure of the closure of ecological systems. In order to obtain reproducibility of experiments with natural and man-made CES (with respect to degree of closure) some universal estimate needs to be developed. Understanding ecological systems as a network and closure as the degree of matter recycling allows the use of matrix graphs. Graphs are very natural forms for the presentation of the network of matter flows in ecosystems. An estimate equal to the sum of products of weights of oriented edges that constitute contour is suggested as a measure of the degree of closure in ecosystems. It is shown that this estimate can be uniformly applied to ecosystems of arbitrary size and configuration of flows.     

Systems of Gyrodynes with an Additional Degree of Freedom

The systems of gyrodynes installed on a spacecraft body on the one-axis controlled platform are considered. An algorithm to determine the special states and the special surfaces corresponding to them in the region of variation of the total angular momentum is obtained, as well as an algorithm to study the permeability of special surfaces. The results of calculation of the special surfaces for two types of gyro systems are presented.     

Phase modulated DGPS transmitter implemented with a clamped-mode resonant converter

A clamped-mode resonant converter (CMRC) is proposed to be used as a transmitter which broadcasts correction signals in a differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The digital information of the DGPS modulates the carrier with different modulation methods minimum shift keying (MSK) (recommended for the marine radiobeacon band), stepped binary phase shift keying (S-BPSK) and BPSK. The first two methods allow keeping the converter's operation in soft switching mode. Extensive trials under impedance mismatch and modulation conditions confirm that the soft switching mode is preserved.