Potential effects of cosmic dust and rocket exhaust particles on spacecraft charging

Attention is called to the importance of including the roles of cosmic dust particles and rocket exhaust particles in the detailed analysis of spacecraft charging effects, arcing and power drains due to leakage currents. Aspects of the problem pertaining to both low and high (geosynchronous) Earth orbit are discussed. Recommendations are made to assessing the long-term effects of hypervelocity impacts of these particles.     

Nonlinear Adaptive Control of a Synchronous Machine

A nonlinear adaptive controller for a load-commutated brushless dc machine that allows the machine to develop high torque over a wide range of operating conditions, while satisfying voltage and current constraints on both stator and field circuits, is presented. The approach taken is fundamentally different from past work in that a nonlinear control is formulated from the steady-state model of the synchronous machine. Adaptive algorithms are presented for both the unknown load and motor cases.     

Soft X-ray characteristics of white dwarfs observed by EXOSAT

EXOSAT has observed 19 hot white dwarfs with alleged strong soft X-ray emission. Positive detection of a large fraction of this sample was obtained, among these practically all hot DA dwarfs. High-resolution spectral data, acquired with the 500 1/mm grating spectrometer, indicates no traces of He in the atmosphere of HZ43, i.e. n(He)/n(H) ? 10^?5 at a photospheric temperature of 60000 K (log g = 8). In contrast, the hot DA1 dwarf Feige 24 shows the presence of an appreciable He-abundance (n(He)/n(H) ? 10^?3); however no simple homogeneously mixed H/He atmosphere can explain the observed spectral shape.     

Dynamics of a spacecraft and normalization around Lagrangian points in the Neptune–Triton system

The problem of a spacecraft orbiting the Neptune–Triton system is presented. The new ingredients in this restricted three body problem are the Neptune oblateness and the high inclined and retrograde motion of Triton. First we present some interesting simulations showing the role played by the oblateness on a Neptune’s satellite, disturbed by Triton. We also give an extensive numerical exploration in the case when the spacecraft orbits Triton, considering Sun, Neptune and its planetary oblateness as disturbers. In the plane a × I (a = semi-major axis, I = inclination), we give a plot of the stable regions where the massless body can survive for thousand of years. Retrograde and direct orbits were considered and as usual, the region of stability is much more significant for the case of direct orbit of the spacecraft (Triton’s orbit is retrograde). Next we explore the dynamics in a vicinity of the Lagrangian points. The Birkhoff normalization is constructed around L₂, followed by its reduction to the center manifold. In this reduced dynamics, a convenient Poincaré section shows the interplay of the Lyapunov and halo periodic orbits, Lissajous and quasi-halo tori as well as the stable and unstable manifolds of the planar Lyapunov orbit. To show the effect of the oblateness, the planar Lyapunov family emanating from the Lagrangian points and three-dimensional halo orbits are obtained by the numerical continuation method.     

On the planetary ionospheric vortex electric fields

The paper presents a physical mechanism of large-scale vortex electric field generation in the ionospheric E- and F-layers. It shows that the planetary-scale, synoptic short-period (from several second to several hours) and fast processes (with propagation velocity higher than 1 km/s) produce a planetary-scale internal vortex electric field. Its value may far exceed that of the dynamo-field generated in the same ionospheric layer by local wind motion. We found, that an ionospheric source of the vortex electric field is spatial inhomogeneity of the geomagnetic field.     

Electrical Effects on Atmospheric Chemistry

Electrical discharges in planetary atmospheres, and lightning in particular, can cause otherwise unexpected—but highly important—chemical species to be present. The synthesis of oxidants on Mars, nitrates on Earth and Early Mars, and of organic matter elsewhere can be driven by lightning and related electrical phenomena.     

Small-Scale Solar Magnetic Fields

As we resolve ever smaller structures in the solar atmosphere, it has become clear that magnetism is an important component of those small structures. Small-scale magnetism holds the key to many poorly understood facets of solar magnetism on all scales, such as the existence of a local dynamo, chromospheric heating, and flux emergence, to name a few. Here, we review our knowledge of small-scale photospheric fields, with particular emphasis on quiet-sun field, and discuss the implications of several results obtained recently using new instruments, as well as future prospects in this field of research.     

Antiparticle content in the magnetosphere

In the present work we assess the stable and transient antiparticle content of planetary magnetospheres, and subsequently we consider their capture and application to high delta-v space propulsion. We estimate the total antiparticle mass contained within the Earth’s magnetosphere to assess the expediency of such usage. Using Earth’s magnetic field region as an example, we have considered the various source mechanisms that are applicable to a planetary magnetosphere, the confinement duration versus transport processes, and the antiparticle loss mechanisms. We have estimated the content of the trapped population of antiparticles magnetically confined following production in the exosphere due to nuclear interactions between high energy cosmic rays (CR) and constituents of the residual planetary upper atmosphere.The galactic antiprotons that directly penetrate into the Earth’s magnetosphere are themselves secondary by its nature, i.e. produced in nuclear reactions of the cosmic rays passing through the interstellar matter. These antiproton fluxes are modified, dependent on energy, when penetrating into the heliosphere and subsequently into planetary magnetospheres. During its lifetime in the Galaxy, CR pass through the small grammage of the interstellar matter where they produce secondary antiprotons. In contrast to this, antiprotons generated by the same CR in magnetosphere are locally produced at a path length of several tens g/cm² of matter in the ambient planetary upper atmosphere. Due to the latter process, the resulting magnetically confined fluxes significantly exceed the fluxes of the galactic antiprotons in the Earth’s vicinity by up to two orders of magnitude at some energies.The radiation belt antiparticles can possibly be extracted with an electromagnetic-based “scoop” device. The antiparticles could be concentrated by and then stored within the superimposed magnetic field structure of such a device. In future developments, it is anticipated that the energy of the captured antiparticles (both rest energy and kinetic energy) can be adapted for use as a fuel for propelling spacecraft to high velocities for remote solar system missions.