Compact high-sensitivity accelerometer-seismometer

Design of a three-axial accelerometer-seismometer, constructed on the basis of two-coordinate sensors (sensitive elements) of high and low accelerations, is considered in the paper. This instrument is applied for gravi-inertial measurements. Basic characteristics of the instrument are described, as well as the technique and results of its standardization.     

Mathematical modeling of cruciform parachute deployment

A problem of cruciform parachute deployment is considered. The process of deployment is simulated using the present-day numerical methods in the continuum mechanics, that is, the method of concentrated masses and the method of vortex frames. The calculation results are compared with the experimental data.     

Anthropogenic trigger of substorms and energetic particles precipitations

The high-frequency (HF) emission in near-Earth space from various powerful transmitters (radio communications, radars, broadcasting, universal time and navigation stations, etc.) form an integral part of the modern world that it cannot do without. In particular, special-purpose research facilities equipped with powerful HF transmitters are used successfully for plasma experiments and local modification of the ionosphere. In this work, we are using the results of a complex space-ground experiment to show that exposure of the subauroral region to HF emission can not only cause local changes in the ionosphere, but can also trigger processes in the magnetosphere–ionosphere system that result in intensive substorm activity (precipitations of high-energy particles, aurorae, significant variations in the ionospheric parameters and, as a consequence, in radio propagation conditions).     

Difficulties in the study of cosmic radio noise absorption at 30 MHz using riometer at low latitude station,Kolhapur (Lat-16.8°N,Long-74.25°E)

A dual dipole antenna has been installed at low latitude station Kolhapur (Geographic 16.8°N, 74.25°E), Maharashtra, India for the study of cosmic radio noise absorption using Solid State Riometer (which operates at 30 MHz) during pre phase of 24th solar maxima. The aim for this type of study over Kolhapur was to know the response of lower (D region) ionosphere over low latitude by cosmic radio noise absorption using riometer technique during quite period as well as sudden ionospheric disturbances (SID). The observations are being taken for 3 years. Two different sites (∼40 km away from each other) were used for the installation of riometer equipment assuming minimum local noise. It is found that solar noise to cosmic radio noise hence resulting in signal saturation. The night time signal is relatively free of interference but sometimes local noise is responsible for spike-like signatures. Hence it is concluded that Kolhapur (a low latitude station) is not suitable for the study of cosmic radio noise absorption on 30 MHz with riometer and dual dipole antenna. Proper choice for operating frequency of riometer and antenna gain is suggested for low latitude use of this technique for ionospheric deviative and nondeviative absorption studies.     

The beginning of cosmic ray astrophysics

A short history of the beginning of cosmic ray (CR) astrophysics is considered: from the hypothesis on CR origin as a result of Supernova explosions in the Metagalaxy, to a model of solar origin of CR, galactic origin based on the stochastic mechanism of charged particle acceleration in interstellar space, to extragalactic and hierarchical models of CR origin, as well as galactic CR origin taking into account radio-astronomical data. We consider also the first balloon results on the chemical contents of primary CR (especially of the contents Li, Be, B), important for any model of CR origin. Investigations of the injection problem, CR drift and diffusion acceleration by shock waves, and CR generation in Supernova remnants were also important steps in the beginning of CR astrophysics.     

Height-latitude structure of stationary planetary waves in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere

Daily UK Met Office stratospheric assimilated data for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, accumulated for the period from 2004 to 2012 and pressure range of 1000–0.1 hPa, are used in this paper. The paper presents and thoroughly discusses spatial–temporal distributions of stationary planetary wave (SPW) amplitudes and phases, calculated on the basis of geopotential height, temperature, zonal and meridional wind data for zonal wave numbers 1 and 2 (SPW1 and SPW2). The climatological planetary wave amplitudes and phases are calculated by extracting waves from three types of data: daily, monthly mean and climatological monthly mean. It has been established that magnitude of amplitudes and height-latitude distribution of amplitudes of SPW1 and SPW2 depend on data processing method for all parameters. It has also been established that height-latitude distribution amplitudes and phases significantly differ for geopotential height, temperature, zonal and meridional wind and depend on wave number and hemisphere. However, height-latitude distributions of phases are little different from each other for the used methods of data processing.     

Monthly mean foF2 model for an African low-latitude station and comparison with IRI

We have employed the hourly values of the ionospheric F-region critical frequency (foF2) obtained from Ouagadougou ionosonde, Burkina Faso (geographic coordinates 12° N, 1.8° W) during the interval of 1985–1995 (solar cycle 22) and solar radio flux of 10 cm wavelength (F10.7) to develop a local model (LM) for the African low-latitude station. The model was developed from regression analysis method, using the two-segmented regression analysis. We validated LM with foF2 data from Korhogo observatory, Cote d’Ivorie (geographical coordinates 9.3° N, 5.4° W). LM as well as the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) agrees well with observations. LM gave some improvement on the IRI-predicted foF2 values at the sunrise (06 LT) at all solar flux levels and in all seasons except June solstice. The performance of the models at the representing the salient features of the equatorial foF2 was presented. Considering daytime and nighttime performances, LM and IRI are comparable in low solar activity (LSA), LM performed better than IRI in moderate solar activity (MSA), while IRI performed better than LM in high solar activity (HSA). CCIR has a root mean square error (r.m.s.e), which is only 0.10 MHz lower than that of LM while LM has r.m.s.e, which is about 0.05 MHz lower than that of URSI. In general, our result shows that performance of IRI, especially the CCIR option of the IRI, is quite comparable with the LM. The improved performance of IRI is a reflection of the numerous contributions of ionospheric physicists in the African region, larger volume of data for the IRI and the diversity of data sources, as well as the successes of the IRI task force activities.     

Short-arc tracklet association for geostationary objects

Measurement association and initial orbit determination is a fundamental task when building up a database of space objects. This paper proposes an efficient and robust method to determine the orbit using the available information of two tracklets, i.e. their line-of-sights and their derivatives. The approach works with a boundary-value formulation to represent hypothesized orbital states and uses an optimization scheme to find the best fitting orbits. The method is assessed and compared to an initial-value formulation using a measurement set taken by the Zimmerwald Small Aperture Robotic Telescope of the Astronomical Institute at the University of Bern. False associations of closely spaced objects on similar orbits cannot be completely eliminated due to the short duration of the measurement arcs. However, the presented approach uses the available information optimally and the overall association performance and robustness is very promising. The boundary-value optimization takes only around 2% of computational time when compared to optimization approaches using an initial-value formulation. The full potential of the method in terms of run-time is additionally illustrated by comparing it to other published association methods.