The instrument IKS and its calibration

The IKS infrared spectro-photometer will fly on board the VEGA platforms. It is designed to characterize the size, temperature and emissivity of the Comet Halley nucleus, to identify the major gaseous components of the inner coma and to detect the emission of the cometary grains. This paper presents the “calibration” experiments required to reduce the raw data: (i) absolute wavelength calibration of the filter wheels; (ii) modeling of the internal signal, as a function of the temperature of the different sub-systems; (iii) absolute and spectral responsivities of each of the spectrometric and photometric channels, as a function of the wavelength and position of the source in the field of view. Finally, we shall indicate the expected S/N ratios.     

An approximation of the height of the O+ - H+ transition level for use in IRI

A set of data including over 1400 transition level (TL) encounters of the OGO-6 satellite is used to construct analytical presentations of this altitude upon dip-latitude and longitude. The formula represents the TL variation between ± 50° dip-latitude and 20 h and 04 h local time interval. The data were obtained in the high solar activity period in 1969 and 1970.     

Satellite observations of upper atmosphere O3 and HNO3 from the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment on Nimbus 7

The Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment is a limb scanning infrared sounder designed to measure vertical temperature profiles and the concentrations of key chemical compounds which are important in the stratospheric ozone-nitrogen photochemistry. This paper describes results from the O₃ and HNO₃ channels with emphasis on validation of the data. Similar discussions of results from the other channels are presented in two companion papers published in these proceedings.     

The microlesion concept in HZE particle dosimetry.

High energy, high-Z (HZE) particles are present in high-altitude and high-inclination satellite orbits. Most of the HZE dose above LET = 200 keV/micrometer is due to Fe nuclei. Individual HZE particles can damage several cells adjacent to one another along the particle track in tissue. The outcome has been described as a "microlesion" by D. Grahn. The present study attempts to define conditions for microlesions in specific tissues, to seek biological evidence that microlesions are produced, and to evaluate the microlesion as a potentially useful unit of dose in assessing hazards to spaceworkers. Microlesions in individuals cells and hair follicles have been described. Microbial studies have provided some evidence for independent secondary electron action. Whether or not a few hundred microlesions would be damaging to the whole organism depends upon the nature of damage to critical tissues. For example, cancer may occur if microlesions kill several cells in a straight line and mutate other cells alongside the particle track. Fe particle irradiation of the mouse Harderian gland (Fry et al., this issue) produces tumors efficiently. Microlesions in the lens, cornea, and retina need to be considered. Further dialogue is required before a final decision can be made concerning the most appropriate way to assess the HZE hazard.     

Growth and development of plants flown on the STS-3 Space Shuttle mission

Pre-germinated pine seedlings and germinating oat and mung bean seeds were flown on the STS-3 Space Shuttle mission. Overall, the seedlings grew and developed well in space. Some oat and mung bean roots, however, grew upward. Lignin content was slightly lower in flight tissues and protein content was higher.     

Cygnus X-1 revisited

We review the X- and gamma-ray observations of Cygnus X-1 and their theoretical interpretations, with emphasis on new developments since the mid-1970's. The overall data base at present is most consistent with the inverse Compton model by hot thermal electrons of T _e 10⁹ K, for the hard X-ray luminosity (10–200 keV). However, the origin of the soft X-rays ( 10 keV) in high states and gamma rays (> 200 keV) remain unsettled.Operated under DOE Contract W-7405-Eng-48.Partially supported by NASA Grant NGR 05-020-668.NRC/NRL Research Associate.     

What you thought you knew about motion sickness isn't necessarily so

Motion sickness symptoms, stimuli, and drug therapy are discussed. Autogenic feedback training (AFT) methods of preventing motion sickness are explained. Research with AFT indicates that participants who had AFT could withstand longer periods of Coriolis acceleration, participants with high or low susceptibility to motion sickness could control their symptoms with AFT, AFT for Coriolis acceleration is transferable to other motion sickness stimuli, and most people can learn AFT, though with varying rates of learning.     

Systolic time intervals after a seven-day orbital flight.

Heart rate, systolic time intervals (pre-ejection period, left ventricular ejection time , ejection friction, stroke volume and QT interval of two cosmonauts (Leonid Popov--L.P. and Dumitru Prunariu--D.P.) were studied before, during, and after an ergometric bicycle exercise test performed before and after the seven-day Soviet-Romanian orbital flight on the Soyuz 40-Salyut 6 Complex in May 1981. For this purpose one precordial electrocardiogram (ecg) and the ear photodensitopram (den) were recorded stimulaneously. The method used permitted recording even during exercise, Ecg and den signals were stored on magnetic tape, processed in an analogue device and in a digital computer. The data obtained after landing suggest a slight cardiac deconditioning in L.P., demonstrated especially by augmentation of the pre-ejection period, which was unchanged in D.P. corresponding to a sympathoadrenergic hypertonia. The seven-day orbital flight has not produced important cardiovascular changes.     

FIGARO: An experiment for pulsar and variable source studies in the MeV range

We present a large area, balloon borne, NaI(Tl) detector for low-energy gamma rays with temporal signature : FIGARO.The main detector is a mosaic of 12 NaI(Tl) tiles 22.5 × 15 × 5 cm, for a total geometric area of 4050 cm².In the energy band 140 keV - 6 MeV, the expected background counting rate at float altitude is in the range of two to three thousands counts per second.For pulsar analysis the expected 3δ sensitivity for 5 hours exposition time is 2.5 10^?4 ph/cm².s.MeV (150–500 keV) 1.5 10^?4 ph/cm².s.MeV (1–6 MeV). This performance, together with the large effective area and the relatively short duration of a balloon flight, make FIGARO particularly suitable for the identification of sources by means of temporal analysis.For objectives in the Northern sky, including the Crab pulsar, a transmediterranean flight is planned for the summer of 1982 ; a Southern mission is scheduled in Brazil for the fall of 1983 (Vela, PSR 1822-09).     

Measurements of solar total irradiance and its variability

The development of electrically self calibrated cavity pyrheliometric instrumentation that occurred in the early 20th century provided the technological base for experiments to detect variability of the solar total irradiance. Experiments from ground based observatories, aircraft and balloons during the 1st half of the 20th century were unable to achieve sufficient accuracy or long term precision to unambiguously detect irradiance variations of solar origin. Refinements in pyrheliometric technology during the 1960's and 1970's and the accessibility of extended experimental opportunities above the Earth's atmosphere in recent years have provided the first direct observations of solar total irradiance variability and provided the cornerstone observations of a long term database on solar irradiance. A program of solar irradiance monitoring has evolved to sustain the database over at least 22 years, corresponding to a single cycle of solar magnetic activity, and the shortest well identified cycle of climate variation. Direct links between total irradiance variations, solar magnetic activity and the solar global 5 min oscillation phenomena have been derived from recent space flight observations by the SMM/ACRIM I experiment.