Origin, Injection, and Acceleration of CIR Particles: Observations Report of Working Group 6

This report emphasizes new observational aspects of CIR ions revealed by advanced instruments launched on the Ulysses, WIND, SOHO, and ACE spacecraft, and by the unique vantage point of Ulysses which carried out the first survey of Corotating Interaction Region (CIR) properties over a very wide range of heliolatitudes. With this more complete observational picture established, this review is the basis to consider the status of theoretical models on origin, injection, and acceleration of CIR particles reported by Scholer, Mann et al. (1999) in this volume. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Transition Between Fast and Slow Solar Wind from Composition Data

The transition between coronal hole associated fast solar wind and slow solar wind is studied using data from the high resolution mass spectrometer SWICS on ACE. We discuss the data in the framework of a recent theory about the global heliospheric magnetic field and conclude that the data are consistent with magnetic connections between field-lines in the fast and in the slow wind. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cu对铝热法制备的Fe3Al-10％Ni块体纳米晶材料组织和性能影响

通过铝热法制备了Cu含量为2％,4％,6％(质量分数,下同)的Fe3Al-10％ Ni块体纳米晶材料,用光学显微镜(OM),电子探针(EPMA),X-射线衍射仪(XRD)和透射电镜(TEM)表征了材料的微观结构,并测定了材料的维氏硬度和室温压缩性能.结果表明:Cu含量低(2％)时,合金保持无序bcc结构,晶粒尺寸显著下...     

The Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer Instrument on the MESSENGER Spacecraft

The Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) package on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission to Mercury is composed of two sensors, the Energetic Particle Spectrometer (EPS) and the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS). EPS measures the energy, angular, and compositional distributions of the high-energy components of the in situ electrons (>20 keV) and ions (>5 keV/nucleon), while FIPS measures the energy, angular, and compositional distributions of the low-energy components of the ion distributions (<50 eV/charge to 20 keV/charge). Both EPS and FIPS have very small footprints, and their combined mass (∼3 kg) is significantly lower than that of comparable instruments.     

The solar WIND and suprathermal ion composition investigation on the WIND spacecraft

The Solar Wind and Suprathermal Ion Composition Experiment (SMS) on WIND is designed to determine uniquely the elemental, isotopic, and ionic-charge composition of the solar wind, the temperatures and mean speeds of all major solar-wind ions, from H through Fe, at solar wind speeds ranging from 175 kms^–1 (protons) to 1280 kms^–1 (Fe⁺⁸), and the composition, charge states as well as the 3-dimensional distribution functions of suprathermal ions, including interstellar pick-up He⁺, of energies up to 230 keV/e. The experiment consists of three instruments with a common Data Processing Unit. Each of the three instruments uses electrostatic analysis followed by a time-of-flight and, as required, an energy measurement. The observations made by SMS will make valuable contributions to the ISTP objectives by providing information regarding the composition and energy distribution of matter entering the magnetosphere. In addition SMS results will have an impact on many areas of solar and heliospheric physics, in particular providing important and unique information on: (i) conditions and processes in the region of the corona where the solar wind is accelerated; (ii) the location of the source regions of the solar wind in the corona; (iii) coronal heating processes; (iv) the extent and causes of variations in the composition of the solar atmosphere; (v) plasma processes in the solar wind; (vi) the acceleration of particles in the solar wind; and (vii) the physics of the pick-up process of interstellar He as well as lunar particles in the solar wind, and the isotopic composition of interstellar helium.     

Laser Ranging Capability as Affected by System Pointing Error

This paper discusses the interrelationships among the ranging capability of a laser ranging system, the beamwidth of the transmitter, and the system pointing error. Since, in general, the system pointing error is statistical, the probability of successful ranging can be determined by means of these interrelationships, as is illustrated in a detailed analysis of a laser ranging system in which a gimbaled mirror is employed as an optical relay.     

Investigation of the composition of solar and interstellar matter using solar wind and pickup ion measurements with SWICS and SWIMS on the ACE spacecraft

The Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) and the Solar Wind Ions Mass Spectrometer (SWIMS) on ACE are instruments optimized for measurements of the chemical and isotopic composition of solar and interstellar matter. SWICS determines uniquely the chemical and ionic-charge composition of the solar wind, the thermal and mean speeds of all major solar wind ions from H through Fe at all solar wind speeds above 300 km s−1 (protons) and 170 km s−1 (Fe+16), and resolves H and He isotopes of both solar and interstellar sources. SWICS will measure the distribution functions of both the interstellar cloud and dust cloud pickup ions up to energies of 100 keV e−1. SWIMS will measure the chemical, isotopic and charge state composition of the solar wind for every element between He and Ni. Each of the two instruments uses electrostatic analysis followed by a time-of-flight and, as required, an energy measurement. The observations made with SWICS and SWIMS will make valuable contributions to the ISTP objectives by providing information regarding the composition and energy distribution of matter entering the magnetosphere. In addition, SWICS and SWIMS results will have an impact on many areas of solar and heliospheric physics, in particular providing important and unique information on: (i) conditions and processes in the region of the corona where the solar wind is accelerated; (ii) the location of the source regions of the solar wind in the corona; (iii) coronal heating processes; (iv) the extent and causes of variations in the composition of the solar atmosphere; (v) plasma processes in the solar wind; (vi) the acceleration of particles in the solar wind; (vii) the physics of the pickup process of interstellar He in the solar wind; and (viii) the spatial distribution and characteristics of sources of neutral matter in the inner heliosphere. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.