Empirical model of the high-latitude boundary of the Earth’s outer radiation belt at altitudes of up to 1000 km

An empirical model of the high-latitude boundary of the outer Earth’s radiation belt (ERB) has been presented, which is based on the measurement data of electron fluxes on the polar low-orbit CORONAS-Photon, Meteor-M1, and Meteor-M2 satellites. The boundary was determined by a sharp decrease to the background level of the flux of trapped electrons with energies of 100 or 200 keV in the polar part of the profile of the outer radiation belt. A numerical algorithm has been implemented to determine the time moment, when the fastest flux changes are recorded. The primary search was carried out, first, on 30 s averaged data, then repeated on data with a higher resolution. A functional dependence was obtained in order to approximate the obtained set of intersections of the boundary by elliptical curve. The empirical model constructed using the CORONAS-Photon measurement data in the epoch of anomalously low geomagnetic activity reflects the longitude structure of the high-latitude boundary of the outer radiation belt associated with the internal Earth’s magnetic field (MF), as well as its dependence on the universal time. Based on the data of intersections of the high-latitude boundary of the outer ERB (OERB) in the epoch of 2014–2016, the latitudinal shift of the boundary to the equator dependent on geomagnetic activity has been determined, as well as the nightside shift of the boundary due to the diurnal rotation of the Earth.     

Study of radiation conditions onboard the International space station by means of the Liulin-5 dosimeter

For estimating radiation risk in space flights it is necessary to determine radiation dose obtained by critical organs of a human body. For this purpose the experiments with human body models are carried out onboard spacecraft. These models represent phantoms equipped with passive and active radiation detectors which measure dose distributions at places of location of critical organs. The dosimetric Liulin-5 telescope is manufactured with using three silicon detectors for studying radiation conditions in the spherical tissue-equivalent phantom on the Russian segment of the International space station (ISS). The purpose of the experiment with Liulin-5 instrument is to study dynamics of the dose rate and particle flux in the phantom, as well as variations of radiation conditions on the ISS over long time intervals depending on a phase of the solar activity cycle, orbital parameters, and presence of solar energetic particles. The Liulin-5 dosimeter measures simultaneously the dose rate and fluxes of charged particles at three depths in the radial channel of the phantom, as well as the linear energy transfer. The paper presents the results of measurements of dose rate and particle fluxes caused by various radiation field components on the ISS during the period from June 2007 till December 2009.     

Plasma irregularities in unstable outer ionosphere according to the Intercosmos-Bulgaria-1300 satellite data

The results of the satellite low-latitude and mid-latitude measurements of the disturbed plasma concentration, electron temperature, and quasi-stable electric field at heights of ～900 km after sunset are discussed. It is shown that the sharp fronts of changes in the electron temperature and plasma density observed in the experiment onboard the Intercosmos-Bulgaria-1300 satellite in the low-latitude (and equatorial) outer ionosphere can be related to damping of the oscillations of plasma electrons at local decreases of the plasma density (plasma “pits”) and formation of the vortex plasma structures at density and temperature gradients, which promotes conservation of ionosphere irregularities and makes the fronts of concentration variations steeper. Nonmonotonic variations in the plasma conductivity for the ionosphere currents in unstable plasma can be a cause of observed nonmonotonic disturbances of the vertical component of the “constant” electric field.     

On the Possibility of the Existence of Volatile Compounds in the Region of the Scott Crater on the Moon

In this paper, we analyze the illumination conditions, the thermal regime, and the possibility of deposits of volatile compounds existing in the vicinity region (NSR S5 region) near the southern pole of the Moon. It has been found that there are no permanently shadowed zones near the Scott crater and the NSR S5 region, though the temperature conditions allow the of compounds such as CH₃OH, SO₂, NH₃, CO₂, H₂S, C₂H₄, and water to remain stable relative to evaporation for a long time (≥1 Gyr). It has been also shown that compounds like CO and CH₄ cannot stably exist in these regions.     

Features of whistling electromagnetic wave propagation descending from above upon the night ionosphere

The results of numerical solution of the wave equations for the oblique incidence of whistling electromagnetic waves upon the night ionosphere from above have been obtained and analyzed. In the studied region of altitudes, within the wavelength scale, charged particle concentration varies drastically, and damping caused by collisions between the charged and neutral particles decreases considerably. Below, the sharp lower boundary of the ionosphere, the refractive index of the whistler wave approaches unity, and plasma turbulence transform into atmospheric electromagnetic waves. The dependences of the whistler reflection factor are found in terms of energy and horizontal magnetic component of the electromagnetic wave near the Earth’s surface on the frequency and the wave vector transverse component for the plain-layered medium model at two values of latitude. Strong dependences have been found on the wave angle of incidence and frequency. At rather small angles of incidence, the wave disturbances reach the Earth’s surface, and the module of reflection coefficient logarithm is in the range of 0.4–1. At large angles of incidence, the reflection coefficient module varies over a wide range depending on specific conditions. The obtained results explain the absence of oscillation modes of plasma magnetosphere maser in the night magnetosphere.     

Quasiperiodic oscillations of the sub-mHz band in near-sun plasma according to the coherent radio occultation data

In 2013 and 2015, investigations of the internal solar wind were carried out using the method of two-frequency radio sounding by signals from the Mars Express European spacecraft. The values of the S- and X-bands’ frequency and the differential frequency were registered with a sampling rate of 1s at the American and European networks of ground-based tracking stations. The spatial distribution of the frequency fluctuation’s level has been studied. It has been shown that the intensity of frequency fluctuation considerably decreases at high heliolatitudes. In some radio sounding sessions, quasiperiodic oscillations of sub-mHz band have been observed in the temporal spectra of frequency fluctuations; they are supposed to be associated with the density inhomogeneities, the sizes of which are close to the turbulence outer scale.     

Modes of uncontrolled rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Progress M-29M</Emphasis> spacecraft

We have reconstructed the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Progress M-29M transport cargo spacecraft in the single-axis solar orientation mode (the so-called sunward spin) and in the mode of the gravitational orientation of a rotating satellite. The modes were implemented on April 3–7, 2016 as a part of preparation for experiments with the DAKON convection sensor onboard the Progress spacecraft. The reconstruction was performed by integral statistical techniques using the measurements of the spacecraft’s angular velocity and electric current from its solar arrays. The measurement data obtained in a certain time interval have been jointly processed using the least-squares method by integrating the equations of the spacecraft’s motion relative to the center of mass. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the mathematical model have been estimated. The motion in the sunward spin mode is the rotation of the spacecraft with an angular velocity of 2.2 deg/s about the normal to the plane of solar arrays; the normal is oriented toward the Sun or forms a small angle with this direction. The duration of the mode is several orbit passes. The reconstruction has been performed over time intervals of up to 1 h. As a result, the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft relative to the Earth–Sun direction was obtained. In the gravitational orientation mode, the spacecraft was rotated about its longitudinal axis with an angular velocity of 0.1–0.2 deg/s; the longitudinal axis executed small oscillated relative to the local vertical. The reconstruction of motion relative to the orbital coordinate system was performed in time intervals of up to 7 h using only the angularvelocity measurements. The measurements of the electric current from solar arrays were used for verification.     

Control of the Onboard Microgravity Environment and Extension of the Service Life of the Long-Term Space Station

The problem of control of the on-board microgravity environment in order to extend the service life of the long-term space station has been discussed. Software developed for the ISS and the results of identifying dynamic models and external impacts based on telemetry data have been presented. Proposals for controlling the onboard microgravity environment for future long-term space stations have been formulated.