The main purposes of experiment “Obstanovka” (“Environment” in Russian) consisting of several instruments are to measure a set of electromagnetic and plasma phenomena characterizing the space weather conditions, and to evaluate how such a big and highly energy consuming body as the International Space Station disturbs the surrounding plasma, and how the station itself is charged due to the operation of so many instruments, solar batteries, life supporting devices, etc. Two identical Langmuir electrostatic probes are included in the experiment “Obstanovka”. In this paper the Langmuir probes for “Obstanovka” experiment are described, including the choice of geometry (spherical or cylindrical), a more reliable method for the sweep voltage generation, an adaptive algorithm for the probe’s operation. Special attention is paid to the possibility for remote upgrading of the instrument from the ground using the standard communication channels. 相似文献
Existing heliopause models are critically rediscussed under the new aspect of possible plasma mixing between the solar wind and the ambient ionized component of the local interstellar medium (LISM). Based on current kinetic plasma theories, effective diffusion rates across the heliopause are evaluated for several models with turbulence caused by electrostatic or electromagnetic interactions that could be envisaged in this context. Some specific cases that may lead to high diffusion rates are investigated, especially in regard to their LISM magnetic field dependence.For weak fields (less than 10–7 G), macroscopic hydrodynamic instabilities, such as of Rayleigh-Taylor or Kelvin-Helmholtz-types, can be excited. The resulting plasma mixing rates at the heliopause may amount to 20–30% of the impinging mass flow.Recently, an unconventional new approach to the problem for the case of tangential magnetic fields at the heliopause was published in which a continuous change of the plasma properties within an extended boundary layer is described by a complete set of two-fluid plasma equations including a hybrid MHD-formulation of wave-particle interaction effects. If a neutral sheet is assumed to exist within the boundary layer, the magnetic field direction is proven to be constant for a plane-parallel geometry. Considering the electric fields and currents in the layer, an interesting relationship between the field-reconnection probability and the electric conductivity can be derived, permitting a quantitative determination of either of these quantities.An actual value for the electrical conductivity is derived here on the basis of electron distribution functions given by a superposition of Maxwellians with different temperatures. Using two-stream instability theory and retaining only the most unstable modes, an exact solution for the density, velocity, and magnetic and electric fields can be obtained. The electrical conductivity is then shown to be six orders of magnitude lower than calculated by conventional formulas. Interestingly, this leads to an acceptable value of 0.1 for the reconnection coefficient.By analogy with the case of planetary magnetopauses, it is shown here for LISM magnetic fields of the order of 10–6 G or larger that field reconnection processes may also play an important role for the plasma mixing at the heliopause. The resulting plasma mixing rate is estimated to amount to an average value of 10% of the incident mass flow. It is suggested here that the dependence of the cosmic-ray penetration into the heliosphere on the distribution of reconnecting areas at the heliopause may provide a means of deriving the strength and orientation of the LISM field.A series of observational implications for the expected plasma mixing at the heliopause is discussed in the last part of the paper. In particular, consequences are discussed for the generation of radio noise at the heliopause, for the penetration of LISM neutrals into the heliosphere, for the propagation of cosmic rays towards the inner part of the solar system and for convective electric field mergings into the heliosphere during the course of the solar cycle, depending on the solar cycle variations. With concern to a recent detection of electrostatic plasma waves by plasma receivers on Voyagers 1 and 2, we come to an interesting alternate explanation: the heliopause, rather than the heliospheric shock front, could be responsible for the generation of these waves. 相似文献
A comparison is presented of four different estimation techniques applied to the problem of continuously estimating the rapidly varying parameters of a sinusoidal signal, observed in the presence of additive noise. Frequency estimates are emphasized, although phase and/or frequency rate are also estimated by some of the algorithms. These parameters are related to the velocity, position, and acceleration of the maneuvering receiver or transmitter. Estimated performance at low carrier-to-noise ratios and high dynamics is investigated for the purpose of determining the useful operating range of an approximate maximum likelihood estimator, an extended Kalman filter, a cross-product automatic frequency loop and a phase-locked loop. Numerical simulations are used to evaluate performance while tracking a common trajectory exhibiting high dynamics 相似文献
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
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
We have evaluated the Lyman-α limb emission from the exospheric hydrogen of Mars measured by the neutral particle detector of the ASPERA-3 instrument on Mars Express in 2004 at low solar activity (solar activity index = 42, F10.7=100). We derive estimates for the hydrogen exobase density, nH = 1010 m?3, and for the apparent temperature, T > 600 K. We conclude that the limb emission measurement is dominated by a hydrogen component that is considerably hotter than the bulk temperature at the exobase. The derived values for the exosphere density and temperature are compared with similar measurements done by the Mariner space probes in the 1969. The values found with Mars Express and Mariner data are brought in a broader context of exosphere models including the possibility of having two hydrogen components in the Martian exosphere. The present observation of the Martian hydrogen exosphere is the first one at high altitudes during low solar activity, and shows that for low solar activity exospheric densities are not higher than for high solar activity. 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.