As a part of the global plasma environment study of Mars and its response to the solar wind, we have analyzed a peculiar case
of the subsolar energetic neutral atom (ENA) jet observed on June 7, 2004 by the Neutral Particle Detector (NPD) on board
the Mars Express satellite. The “subsolar ENA jet” is generated by the interaction between the solar wind and the Martian
exosphere, and is one of the most intense sources of ENA flux observed in the vicinity of Mars. On June 7, 2004 (orbit 485
of Mars Express), the NPD observed a very intense subsolar ENA jet, which then abruptly decreased within ∼10 sec followed
by quasi-periodic (∼1 min) flux variations. Simultaneously, the plasma sensors detected a solar wind structure, which was
most likely an interplanetary shock surface. The abrupt decrease of the ENA flux and the quasi-periodic flux variations can
be understood in the framework of the global response of the Martian plasma obstacle to the interplanetary shock. The generation
region of the subsolar ENA jet was pushed towards the planet by the interplanetary shock; and therefore, Mars Express went
out of the ENA jet region. Associated global vibrations of the Martian plasma obstacle may have been the cause of the quasi-periodic
flux variations of the ENA flux at the spacecraft location. 相似文献
Energetic particle observations in the interplanetary medium provide fundamental information about the origin, development
and structure of coronal mass ejections. This paper reviews the status of our understanding of the ways in which particles
are energised at the Sun in association with CMEs. This understanding will remain incomplete until the relationship between
CMEs and flares is determined and we know the topology of the associated magnetic fields. The paper also discusses the characteristics
of interplanetary CMEs that may be probed using particle observations. 相似文献
Electrons with near-relativistic (E≳30 keV, NrR) and relativistic (E≳0.3 MeV) energies are often observed as discrete events in the inner heliosphere following solar transient activity. Several
acceleration mechanisms have been proposed for the production of those electrons. One candidate is acceleration at MHD shocks
driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with speeds ≳1000 km s−1. Many NrR electron events are temporally associated only with flares while others are associated with flares as well as with
CMEs or with radio type II shock waves. Since CME onsets and associated flares are roughly simultaneous, distinguishing the
sources of electron events is a serious challenge. On a phenomenological basis two classes of solar electron events were known
several decades ago, but recent observations have presented a more complex picture. We review early and recent observational
results to deduce different electron event classes and their viable acceleration mechanisms, defined broadly as shocks versus
flares. The NrR and relativistic electrons are treated separately. Topics covered are: solar electron injection delays from
flare impulsive phases; comparisons of electron intensities and spectra with flares, CMEs and accompanying solar energetic
proton (SEP) events; multiple spacecraft observations; two-phase electron events; coronal flares; shock-associated (SA) events;
electron spectral invariance; and solar electron intensity size distributions. This evidence suggests that CME-driven shocks
are statistically the dominant acceleration mechanism of relativistic events, but most NrR electron events result from flares.
Determining the solar origin of a given NrR or relativistic electron event remains a difficult proposition, and suggestions
for future work are given. 相似文献
Analysis of the Genesis samples is underway. Preliminary elemental abundances based on Genesis sample analyses are in good
agreement with in situ-measured elemental abundances made by ACE/SWICS during the Genesis collection period. Comparison of
these abundances with those of earlier solar cycles indicates that the solar wind composition is relatively stable between
cycles for a given type of flow. ACE/SWICS measurements for the Genesis collection period also show a continuum in compositional
variation as a function of velocity for the quasi-stationary flow that defies the simple binning of samples into their sources
of coronal hole (CH) and interstream (IS). 相似文献
The concentrator on Genesis provided samples of increased fluences of solar wind ions for precise determination of the oxygen
isotopic composition. The concentration process caused mass fractionation as a function of the radial target position. This
fractionation was measured using Ne released by UV laser ablation and compared with modelled Ne data, obtained from ion-trajectory
simulations. Measured data show that the concentrator performed as expected and indicate a radially symmetric concentration
process. Measured concentration factors are up to ∼30 at the target centre. The total range of isotopic fractionation along
the target radius is 3.8%/amu, with monotonically decreasing 20Ne/22Ne towards the centre, which differs from model predictions. We discuss potential reasons and propose future attempts to overcome
these disagreements. 相似文献
The Genesis mission returned samples of solar wind to Earth in September 2004 for ground-based analyses of solar-wind composition,
particularly for isotope ratios. Substrates, consisting mostly of high-purity semiconductor materials, were exposed to the
solar wind at L1 from December 2001 to April 2004. In addition to a bulk sample of the solar wind, separate samples of coronal
hole (CH), interstream (IS), and coronal mass ejection material were obtained. Although many substrates were broken upon landing
due to the failure to deploy the parachute, a number of results have been obtained, and most of the primary science objectives
will likely be met. These objectives include He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe isotope ratios in the bulk solar wind and in different
solar-wind regimes, and 15N/14N and 18O/17O/16O to high precision. The greatest successes to date have been with the noble gases. Light noble gases from bulk solar wind
and separate solar-wind regime samples have now been analyzed. Helium results show clear evidence of isotopic fractionation
between CH and IS samples, consistent with simplistic Coulomb drag theory predictions of fractionation between the photosphere
and different solar-wind regimes, though fractionation by wave heating is also a possible explanation. Neon results from closed
system stepped etching of bulk metallic glass have revealed the nature of isotopic fractionation as a function of depth, which
in lunar samples have for years deceptively suggested the presence of an additional, energetic component in solar wind trapped
in lunar grains and meteorites. Isotope ratios of the heavy noble gases, nitrogen, and oxygen are in the process of being
measured. 相似文献
CMEs have been observed for over 30 years with a wide variety of instruments. It is now possible to derive detailed and quantitative information on CME morphology, velocity, acceleration and mass. Flares associated with CMEs are observed in X-rays, and several different radio signatures are also seen. Optical and UV spectra of CMEs both on the disk and at the limb provide velocities along the line of sight and diagnostics for temperature, density and composition. From the vast quantity of data we attempt to synthesize the current state of knowledge of the properties of CMEs, along with some specific observed characteristics that illuminate the physical processes occurring during CME eruption. These include the common three-part structures of CMEs, which is generally attributed to compressed material at the leading edge, a low-density magnetic bubble and dense prominence gas. Signatures of shock waves are seen, but the location of these shocks relative to the other structures and the occurrence rate at the heights where Solar Energetic Particles are produced remains controversial. The relationships among CMEs, Moreton waves, EIT waves, and EUV dimming are also cloudy. The close connection between CMEs and flares suggests that magnetic reconnection plays an important role in CME eruption and evolution. We discuss the evidence for reconnection in current sheets from white-light, X-ray, radio and UV observations. Finally, we summarize the requirements for future instrumentation that might answer the outstanding questions and the opportunities that new space-based and ground-based observatories will provide in the future. 相似文献
In May of 2011, NASA selected the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) asteroid sample return mission as the third mission in the New Frontiers program. The other two New Frontiers missions are New Horizons, which explored Pluto during a flyby in July 2015 and is on its way for a flyby of Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 on January 1, 2019, and Juno, an orbiting mission that is studying the origin, evolution, and internal structure of Jupiter. The spacecraft departed for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu aboard an United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 evolved expendable launch vehicle at 7:05 p.m. EDT on September 8, 2016, on a seven-year journey to return samples from Bennu. The spacecraft is on an outbound-cruise trajectory that will result in a rendezvous with Bennu in November 2018. The science instruments on the spacecraft will survey Bennu to measure its physical, geological, and chemical properties, and the team will use these data to select a site on the surface to collect at least 60 g of asteroid regolith. The team will also analyze the remote-sensing data to perform a detailed study of the sample site for context, assess Bennu’s resource potential, refine estimates of its impact probability with Earth, and provide ground-truth data for the extensive astronomical data set collected on this asteroid. The spacecraft will leave Bennu in 2021 and return the sample to the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) on September 24, 2023.
A Time-Delay Integration (TDI) image acquisition and processing system has been developed to capture ICON’s Far Ultraviolet (FUV) Spectrographic Imager data. The TDI system is designed to provide variable-range motion-compensated imaging of Earth’s nightside ionospheric limb and sub-limb scenes viewed from Low Earth Orbit in the 135.6 nm emission of oxygen with an integration time of 12 seconds. As a pre-requisite of the motion compensation the TDI system is also designed to provide corrections for optical distortions generated by the FUV Imager’s optical assembly. On the dayside the TDI system is used to process 135.6 nm and 157.0 nm wavelength altitude profiles simultaneously. We present the TDI system’s design methodology and implementation as an FPGA module with an emphasis on minimization of on-board data throughput and telemetry. We also present the methods and results of testing the TDI system in simulation and with Engineering Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) to validate its performance.