Heating of the solar corona by Alfvén wave envelopes

Alfvén waves are investigated including dissipation and dispersion (Hall effect). The latter leads to a modulational instability and to a soliton envelope so that the temperature may increase by an order of magnitude. Applications are the heating of the solar corona, a possible triggering of flares and maybe tokamak heating.     

The glow of the night ionosphere due to energetic ion beams

This paper discusses photometric measurements made of the ionospheric excitation of the line $\text{λ = 5577}\text{A}\text{?}$ at the time of electron beam injection from a rocket into the Earth's ionosphere. The gradual increase of the glow intensity per impulse occurs due to accumulation of the energy of excited states of N₂(A³Σ⁺_u) and O(′S) during their lifetimes. The large disturbed zone in the near-rocket environment (size >500 m) is connected via the interaction of ions accelerated in the rocket potential field with ionospheric components. The glow intensity modulation is observed at a height of ～98 km during the electron beam injection simultaneously with the ignition of the beam-plasma discharge (BPD). The intensity minima are explained by a decrease of the energy of accelerated ions due to effective neutralization of the rocket body by the BPD plasma. The height profile of the glow intensity revealed two maxima at heights of ～103 km and ～115 km. The second maximum (at ～115 km) indicates that, at these heights, both collision and collision-free mechanisms of accelerated ion energy transport to ionospheric components exist.     

Assessment of Space Station design and operation through Bioastronautics.

The paper reviews the main elements and major issues affecting human productivity and discusses some selected factors which might not be sufficiently identified and/or considered from the Bioastronautics point of view at the present stage of planning Space Station design and operation.     

The chromosphere-corona transition zone above an active region

Intensities and profiles of ion emission lines between 1170 A and 1700 A from an active region on the Sun are measured from spectra obtained with the Naval Research Laboratory's High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph - HRTS. The measurements provide simultaneous determination of line intensities, wavelength shifts and Doppler widths at 50 separate positions in the active region, with spatial resolution of 1 arc second and spectral resolution 0.07 A. Fine structure variation of intensities and gas flow velocities in the temperature range 20,000–200,000 K are determined. The density sensitive line pair I(1486 N IV)/I(1548 C IV) has been used to measure electron pressures. Derived emission measures imply filling factors of 0.05–0.1 to balance the divergence of conductive flux width radiative losses above 60,000 K.     

Sporadic emission of ultra high energy gamma rays from crab pulsar

In a further study of sporadic emission from pulsars we find evidence for short lived intense emission from the Crab pulsar.     

Combination probe for hi-frequency unsteady aerodynamicmeasurements

A combination probe for time-resolved measurements of unsteady compressible flows in transonic wind tunnels is described. The probe measures stagnation (total) temperature and pressure, static pressure, and flow angles in two planes. From these, the fluctuating mass flux, Mach number, and velocity, as well as their components in three directions, can be deduced. The combination probe consists of a dual hot-wire aspirating temperature and pressure probe mounted piggyback with a high-frequency angle probe. The angle probe has four surface-mounted silicon pressure sensors. A scheme for retrieving from the four pressure signals the stagnation and static pressures. Mach number, and flow angles in two planes, is described. The calibrations forming the base for this procedure, obtained from steady-state tests, are given. Typical data obtained in the Karman vortex street shed from a cylinder and at the exit of a Mach 0.4 air jet are presented     

Airborne hyperspectral sensor systems

This paper presents brief profiles of 19 airborne hyperspectral sensor systems currently or nearly available for data acquisition. These systems represent various design concepts and innovations in hyperspectral information collection technology. A number of companies now have the ability to acquire data from these systems. As the scientific and commercial communities become aware of hyperspectral imaging data acquisition opportunities, more applications for this type of data will be investigated and implemented     

Progress in the study of homologous flares on the sun — Part II

Studies of groups of homologous flares in active regions in 1980 have been made using a variety of space and ground based instruments. Detailed properties of three of these groups have been studied, and are combined to form a possible sequence of events.     

The Huygens Probe and mission design

The mission of the Huygens Probe is to enter into the Titan atmosphere and to descend in a controlled manner to the surface such that scientific measurements can be taken and transmitted to earth via the Orbiter. The entry is the most challenging phase of the mission. The deceleration is achieved by an aeroshell. Thermal protection against entry heat fluxes is achieved by an ablator rejecting heat mainly by radiation. The descent profile in terms of descent velocity, spin rate and attitude stability is designed to allow imaging, sampling and measurements at the various atmospheric layers within the overall time and energy constraints. The Huygens system has to operate in an autonomous and fault tolerant manner, as no ground control and failure recovery during the descent phase is feasible. This autonomy and fault tolerance is the main driver for the chosen architecture of the on-board system.