High energy cosmic-ray nuclei results on Ulysses: 2. Effects of a recurrent high-speed stream from the southern polar coronal hole

Since June 1992 the Kiel Electron Telescope on board ULYSSES measures 26-day variations of the order of 6% in the fluxes of high energy H and He. In May 1993 ULYSSES entered into the unipolar region of the southern polar coronal hole, but continued to observe similar effects: increases in the MeV proton channels due to acceleration near the shocks of the corotating interaction region and decreases in the intensity of galactic nuclei associated with the same region. Amplitude variations are presented for different magnetic rigidities and the effects are discussed in view of corotating shock development in a 3-dimensional heliospheric structure.     

Detection of iron lines in the persistent emission of some X-ray burst sources observed by EXOSAT

We have observed the X-ray burst sources 4U1728-33 and 4U1813-14 with the ME detectors aboard EXOSAT, and present here results of a spectral analysis of their persistent emissions. For both sources the data can be well fitted by a double blackbody continuum and a Gaussian emission line. The two spectral components can be interpreted in terms of a blackbody radiation from the neutron star, and emission from the inner part of an accretion disc. The line feature is consistent with the 6.7 keV iron emission line expected in the presence of a hot extended object (X-ray corona) around the neutron star.     

Cosmic-Ray Modulation in the Heliosphere A Phenomenological Study

The heliospheric cosmic-ray network–Pioneer 10/11, Voyager 1/2, Ulysses and IMP 8 have provided detailed observations of galactic and anomalous cosmic rays over a period of time that now exceeds 25 years and extends to heliocentric distances beyond 65 AU. These data, when compared over consecutive 11 year solar cycles, clearly establishes the existence of a 22-year cosmic ray modulation cycle that is dominated by the 11-year solar activity cycle but is strongly influenced by gradient and curvature drifts in association with the tilt of the heliospheric neutral current sheet as well as the mediation of the enhanced magnetic turbulence above the solar poles. Over successive solar minima these effects manifest themselves in the remarkable differences in the energetic particle time histories, in the magnitude and sign of the radial and latitudinal intensity gradients and in the changes in the energy spectra of anomalous cosmic rays as a function of heliocentric distance.From solar minimum to solar maximum the long term modulation is principally a combination of two solar related phenomena, the cumulative effect of long-lived global merged interaction regions (GMIRs) and gradient and curvature drifts in the interplanetary magnetic field. For the periods when positive ions flow in over the solar poles and out along the heliospheric current sheet, the modulation of ions is dominated by GMIRs. When this flow pattern is reversed it is found that drifts are an important but not dominant factor for cosmic ray modulation with the current sheet related drift effects decreasing with increasing rigidity R, heliolatitude and heliocentric distance. Over a single solar cycle these conclusions are confirmed at 1 AU by comparing the relative modulation of cosmic-ray helium nuclei and electrons.     

Cosmic Ray Induced Ion Production in the Atmosphere

An overview is presented of basic results and recent developments in the field of cosmic ray induced ionisation in the atmosphere, including a general introduction to the mechanism of cosmic ray induced ion production. We summarize the results of direct and indirect measurements of the atmospheric ionisation with special emphasis to long-term variations. Models describing the ion production in the atmosphere are also overviewed together with detailed results of the full Monte-Carlo simulation of a cosmic ray induced atmospheric cascade. Finally, conclusions are drawn on the present state and further perspectives of measuring and modeling cosmic ray induced ionisation in the terrestrial atmosphere.     

Mupus – A Thermal and Mechanical Properties Probe for the Rosetta Lander Philae

MUPUS, the multi purpose sensor package onboard the Rosetta lander Philae, will measure the energy balance and the physical parameters in the near-surface layers – up to about 30 cm depth- of the nucleus of Rosetta’s target comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Moreover it will monitor changes in these parameters over time as the comet approaches the sun. Among the parameters studied are the density, the porosity, cohesion, the thermal diffusivity and conductivity, and temperature. The data should increase our knowledge of how comets work, and how the coma gases form. The data may also be used to constrain the microstructure of the nucleus material. Changes with time of physical properties will reveal timescales and possibly the nature of processes that modify the material close to the surface. Thereby, the data will indicate how pristine cometary matter sampled and analysed by other experiments on Philae really is.     

Optimization of the tether-assisted return mission of a guided re-entry capsule

This paper presents the mission analysis of a tether-assisted payload retrieval from the International Space Station (ISS). The objective is to assess all relevant phases of such a mission in order to allow a comparison with a conventional mission employing a propulsive deorbitation. The controlled tether deployment procedure and the guided return flight of the released re-entry capsule are optimized. A preferable deployment strategy is identified that allows for favorable entry conditions and low flight loads. The optimal deployment trajectories serve as a basis for an optimal dynamic regulator. This approach is extended towards an adaptive concept, where artificial neural networks are applied to deployment control. For the guidance of the capsule a predictive concept is proposed that is based on the optimal re-entry trajectories identified previously. By applying these concepts, the attainable landing accuracy during return amounts to an average of 5 km, and the application of the tether system exhibits overall system mass advantages. This demonstrates that the tether-assisted return mission is a competitive alternative.     

Outflow Velocities at the Base of a Polar Coronal Hole During the 1998 Total Eclipse

Polar coronal holes represent the most convincing site from which the high-speed solar wind originates. Here we report high-accuracy Doppler shifts measured in the O VI (1037.6 Å) line obtained by SUMER on SOHO inside an interplume region within the south polar coronal hole. We infer limits on the outflow velocity and draw hints about the flow geometry.     

The Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Instrument Suite

The Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray Spectrometer is a suite of three different instruments, a gamma subsystem (GS), a neutron spectrometer, and a high-energy neutron detector, working together to collect data that will permit the mapping of elemental concentrations on the surface of Mars. The instruments are complimentary in that the neutron instruments have greater sensitivity to low amounts of hydrogen, but their signals saturate as the hydrogen content gets high. The hydrogen signal in the GS, on the other hand, does not saturate at high hydrogen contents and is sensitive to small differences in hydrogen content even when hydrogen is very abundant. The hydrogen signal in the neutron instruments and the GS have a different dependence on depth, and thus by combining both data sets we can infer not only the amount of hydrogen, but constrain its distribution with depth. In addition to hydrogen, the GS determines the abundances of several other elements. The instruments, the basis of the technique, and the data processing requirements are described as are some expected applications of the data to scientific problems.     

Outgassing History and Escape of the Martian Atmosphere and Water Inventory

The evolution and escape of the martian atmosphere and the planet’s water inventory can be separated into an early and late evolutionary epoch. The first epoch started from the planet’s origin and lasted ～500 Myr. Because of the high EUV flux of the young Sun and Mars’ low gravity it was accompanied by hydrodynamic blow-off of hydrogen and strong thermal escape rates of dragged heavier species such as O and C atoms. After the main part of the protoatmosphere was lost, impact-related volatiles and mantle outgassing may have resulted in accumulation of a secondary CO₂ atmosphere of a few tens to a few hundred mbar around ～4–4.3 Gyr ago. The evolution of the atmospheric surface pressure and water inventory of such a secondary atmosphere during the second epoch which lasted from the end of the Noachian until today was most likely determined by a complex interplay of various nonthermal atmospheric escape processes, impacts, carbonate precipitation, and serpentinization during the Hesperian and Amazonian epochs which led to the present day surface pressure.     

碳氢燃料流向涡掺混超燃模型燃烧室冷态流场数值研究

对一种超声速燃烧模型燃烧室的冷态流场进行了数值研究。为稳定超燃火焰并提高燃烧速率和效率,取少量的冲压空气进行稳定的亚燃预燃烧,并以之作为超燃室的一个稳定火炬,其高温燃气将吸热型碳氢燃料预先蒸发汽化并部分裂解为短链小分子,最后通过城墙波瓣掺混器形成的流向涡带入超声速主流,以期实现快速高效的超燃燃烧。计算结果表明:首先,城墙波瓣掺混器能够在较小总压损失下得到显著掺混效果;其次,本文从气动结构的角度专门探究了亚/超燃接力阶段较低的隔离段进口马赫数存在热堵塞的可能性,发现较难适宜超燃启动点火。