Expanding global access to civilian and commercial remote sensing data: implications and policy issues

Current and planned developments in the field of civilian and commercial satellite imagery promise a major expansion in international accessibility to remote sensing data and technologies. This paper addresses the implications of the expanding global access to land remote sensing data and their derived products. While atmospheric, meteorological, and oceanographic data is also widely available at cost or free of charge, it is land remote sensing - specifically the unique systems with high-resolution and frequent revisit times - that are of primary concern for international and regional security issues. Military and intelligence satellites are not addressed in this discussion of expansion due to their inherently controlled access, unless such systems also provide commercially available imagery or products (as is the case with some Russian systems).     

Omnidirectional Instantaneous Direction Finding System

A system for providing near-instantaneous determination of the azimuthal angle of arrival of a received signal has been designed and fabricated at L band. Direction is determined by phase measurement of the outputs of a multimode antenna, which has no moving parts. Effects of multipath interference are reduced to a minimum through a combination of signal processing techniques. The position of the transmitting source is presented on a PPI display.     

The ionospheric response to high-intensity long duration continuous AE activity (HILDCAA) event (13–15 April 2005) over mid-latitude African region

The ionospheric responses to High-Intensity Long Duration Continuous Auroral Electrojet Activity (HILDCAA) event which happened following the CIR-driven storm were studied over the southern hemisphere mid-latitude in the African sector. The 13–15 April 2005 event was analysed to understand some of the mechanisms responsible for the ionospheric changes during HILDCAA event. The ionosonde critical frequency of F2 layer (foF2) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Total Electron Content (TEC) were used to analyse the ionospheric responses. The daytime increase in foF2 and TEC values were observed on 13 April 2005. The TEC and foF2 enhancement could be attributed to Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs), increase in thermospheric neutral composition changes, Prompt Penetration Electric Field (PPEF) and an expansion of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) to the mid-latitude.     

Oxidant enhancement in martian dust devils and storms: storm electric fields and electron dissociative attachment

Laboratory studies, numerical simulations, and desert field tests indicate that aeolian dust transport can generate atmospheric electricity via contact electrification or "triboelectricity." In convective structures such as dust devils and dust storms, grain stratification leads to macroscopic charge separations and gives rise to an overall electric dipole moment in the aeolian feature, similar in nature to the dipolar electric field generated in terrestrial thunderstorms. Previous numerical simulations indicate that these storm electric fields on Mars can approach the ambient breakdown field strength of approximately 25 kV/m. In terrestrial dust phenomena, potentials ranging from approximately 20 to 160 kV/m have been directly measured. The large electrostatic fields predicted in martian dust devils and storms can energize electrons in the low pressure martian atmosphere to values exceeding the electron dissociative attachment energy of both CO2 and H2O, which results in the formation of the new chemical products CO/O- and OH/H-, respectively. Using a collisional plasma physics model, we present calculations of the CO/O- and OH/H- reaction and production rates. We demonstrate that these rates vary geometrically with the ambient electric field, with substantial production of dissociative products when fields approach the breakdown value of approximately 25 kV/m. The dissociation of H2O into OH/H- provides a key ingredient for the generation of oxidants; thus electrically charged dust may significantly impact the habitability of Mars.     

Prediction of solar particle event proton doses using early dose rate measurements

A methodology for predicting solar particle event doses using Bayesian inference is being developed. As part of this development, we have tested criteria for categorization of new solar particle events (SPE) using calculated asymptotic doses and dose rates for the 22 SPEs that occurred in 2001. In 9 out of 22 events, our criteria for categorization would have over-predicted the range of asymptotic doses in which the tested events would have fallen. In two cases, our methodology under-predicted the dose range in which the event would have fallen. In order to better predict a new event's group category and thus, to better restrict the Bayesian inference predictive model parameter space, we have reexamined our dose rate criteria for categorization of new events. We report the updating of the grouping criteria using data from the 22 SPEs of 2001, as well as five additional SPEs. Using the revised grouping criteria, we present an analysis of group categorization prediction results for the first ten SPEs of 2002.     

The Phoenix signal detection system

The Phoenix system is based on that developed for the Targeted Search element of the former NASA High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS). The Phoenix system was used at the Parkes 64 m and Mopra 22 m antennas of the Australian Telescope National Facility in the first part of 1995. The system consists of: (1) an RF/IF subsystem providing 1–3 GHz coverage; (2) a search subsystem with a 20 MHz, dual-polarization search bandwidth; (3) a two-site, pseudo-interferometric follow-up subsystem that reobserves interesting signals found by the search subsystem; and (4) a control subsystem capable of automatic searching.     

Circumstellar habitable zones: an overview

We review aspects of circumstellar habitable zones based on results reported at the First International Conference on Circumstellar Habitable Zones (held in 1994 at NASA Ames Research Center). Recent advances in atmospheric radiative transfer modeling have shown that circumstellar habitable zones are wider than previously thought. New considerations may allow a much shorter time scale both for the origin as well as the evolution of biological forms. The most abundant M dwarf stars, contrary to previous views, appear to be able to support the necessary conditions for a habitable zone around them. New planet formation models indicate that at least one planet should form within the circumstellar habitable zone of single dwarf stars regardless of mass. Biogenic materials also appear to be widespread and delivery to terrestrial planets via cometary impacts may be a viable mechanism. Finally, biology will modify a planet and provide positive feedback, in general, to increase the habitability of a planet. Overall, new astronomical, planetary, and biological considerations each seem to indicate that habitable zones around other stars may be both more widespread and more stable than previous research had indicated.     

MArs Neutron Energy Spectrometer (MANES): an instrument for the Mars 2003 Lander

We describe the instrument design and detector development for MANES which has been selected to fly on the Mars 2003 Lander. Section 1 explains the need for the spectrometer in determining the increased risk of carcinogenesis for astronauts. Section 2 presents the instrument design including an outline drawing, a cross-sectional view and a detailed block diagram. Sections 3 and 4 describe the low and high energy detector components of the spectrometer and present responses to monoenergetic neutron beams. Sections 5 and 6 explain the design approaches to charged particle discrimination and instrument transfer function modeling.     

Earth's earliest biosphere-a proposal to develop a collection of curated archean geologic reference materials

The discovery of evidence indicative of life in a Martian meteorite has led to an increase in interest in astrobiology. As a result of this discovery, and the ensuing controversy, it has become apparent that our knowledge of the early development of life on Earth is limited. Archean stratigraphic successions containing evidence of Earth's early biosphere are well preserved in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia. The craton includes part of a protocontinent consisting of granitoid complexes that were emplaced into, and overlain by, a 3.51-2.94 Ga volcanigenic carapace - the Pilbara Supergroup. The craton is overlain by younger supracrustal basins that form a time series recording Earth history from approximately 2.8 Ga to approximately 1.9 Ga. It is proposed that a well-documented suite of these ancient rocks be collected as reference material for Archean and astrobiological research. All samples would be collected in a well-defined geological context in order to build a framework to test models for the early evolution of life on Earth and to develop protocols for the search for life on other planets.