Extreme ultraviolet observations of the solar corona: First results from the coronal diagnostic spectrometer on SOHO

We present first results from the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) aboard the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). CDS is a double spectrometer operating in the 151–785 Å range. This region of the solar spectrum is rich in emission lines from trace elements in the solar atmosphere, which can be used to derive diagnostic information on coronal and transition region plasmas. Early spectra are presented and well identified lines are listed. In addition, examples of images in selected wavelength ranges are shown, for a prominence, a loop system and a bright point, demonstrating well the power of such extreme ultraviolet observations.     

X-Ray images of the supernova remnant puppis A

Space Science Reviews -     

Ionospheric electron heating by a rocket borne electron accelerator

A “mother-daughter” rocket code-named “Electron 2” was launched from And?ya, Northern Norway in November, 1978. The “daughter”, carrying a 10 keV electron accelerator, was separated from the “mother” payload with a speed of 0.4 m/s. A series of plasma diagnostic instruments were included on the “mother” to study effects produced by the interaction between the electron beam and the ionospheric plasma. Results obtained by two different plasma probes are presented. It was found that pronounced changes in the ambient electron population took place in regions penetrated by the electron beam. Estimates of the dimensions of the disturbed region are presented.     

Dust optical properties: A comparison between cometary and interplanetary grains

A better understanding of cometary dust optical properties has been derived from extensive observations of comet Halley, complemented by other cometary observations at large phase angles and/or in the infrared. Also, further analysis of IRAS observations and improvements in inversion techniques for zodiacal light have led to some progress in our knowledge of interplanetary dust.

Synthetic curves for phase angle dependence of intensity and polarization are presented, together with typical albedo values. The results obtained for interplanetary dust are quite reminiscent of those found for comets. However, the heterogeneity of the interplanetary dust cloud is demonstrated by the radial dependence of its local polarization and albedo; these parameters are also found to vary with inclination of the dust grains' orbits with respect to the ecliptic. Such results suggest drastic alterations with temperature in the texture of cometary dust, and would favor an important asteroidal component in the zodiacal cloud.     

Determination of Failure Thresholds in Hybrid Navigation

A systematic approach for the determination of failure thresholds for hybrid navigation systems is described. Cost functions which reflect the importance assigned to the consequences of false and missed alarms are minimized. The false alarm probability is obtained as a function of the threshold magnitude by observing the statistical behavior of the instrument outputs in the normal operating mode. The missed alarm probability is obtained by determining the sensitivity of navigation error performance to instrument error sources. Two cost functions are considered. To illustrate this method, failure detection and identification (FDI) thresholds are determined for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Test flight.     

MAP estimation of target manoeuvre sequence with theexpectation-maximization algorithm

Two algorithms are derived for the problem of tracking a manoeuvring target based on a sequence of noisy measurements of the state. Manoeuvres are modeled as unknown input (acceleration) terms entering linearly into the state equation and chosen from a discrete set. The expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is first applied, resulting in a multi-pass estimator of the MAP sequence of inputs. The expectation step for each pass involves computation of state estimates in a bank of Kalman smoothers tuned to the possible manoeuvre sequences. The maximization computation is efficiently implemented using the Viterbi algorithm. A second, recursive estimator is then derived using a modified EM-type cost function. To obtain a dynamic programming recursion, the target state is assumed to satisfy a Markov property with respect to the manoeuvre sequence. This results in a recursive but suboptimal estimator implementable on a Viterbi trellis. The transition costs of the latter algorithm, which depend on filtered estimates of the state, are compared with the costs arising in a Viterbi-based manoeuvre estimator due to Averbuch, et al. (1991). It is shown that the two criteria differ only in the weighting matrix of the quadratic part of the cost function. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the performance of both the batch and recursive estimators compared with Averbuch's method and the interacting multiple model filter     

Six-month space greenhouse experiments--a step to creation of future biological life support systems

SVET Space Greenhouse (SG)--the first automated facility for growing of higher plants in microgravity was designed in the eighty years to be used for the future BLSS. The first successful experiment with vegetables was carried out in 1990 on the MIR Space Station (SS). The experiments in SVET SG were resumed in 1995, when an American Gas Exchange Measurement System (GEMS) was added. A three-month wheat experiment was carried out as part of MIR-SHUTTLE'95 program. SVET-2 SG Bulgarian equipment of a new generation with optimised characteristics was developed (financed by NASA). The new SVET-GEMS equipment was launched on board the MIR SS and a successful six-month experiments for growing up of two crops of wheat were conducted in 1996 - 97 as part of MIR-NASA-3 program. The first of these "Greenhouse" experiments (123 days) with the goal to grow wheat through a complete life cycle is described. Nearly 300 heads developed but no seeds were produced. A second crop of wheat was planted and after 42 days the plants were frozen for biochemical investigations. The main environmental parameters during the six-month experiments in SVET (substrate moisture and lighting period) are given. The results and the contribution to BLSS are discussed.     

Thermodynamic properties of gases at combustion of heavy distillate fuels

Based on the data on composition and calorific power of diesel fuel and solar oil, the conditional expressions of fuels and values of their enthalpies are considered. The data on thermodynamic properties of combustion products are obtained and generalized by calculating the process of air-fuel mixture combustion in a wide range of parameter variations.     

Trajectories for missions of low-thrust spacecraft aimed at delivery of soil samples from main belt asteroids and Phobos

Trajectories of spacecraft with electro-jet low-thrust engines are studied for missions planning to deliver samples of matter from small bodies of the Solar System: asteroids Vesta and Fortuna, and Martian moon Phobos. Flight trajectories are analyzed for the mission to Phobos, the limits of optimization of payload spacecraft mass delivered to it are determined, and an estimate is given to losses in the payload mass when a low-thrust engine with constant outflow velocity is used. The model of an engine with ideally regulated low thrust is demonstrated to be convenient for calculations and analysis of flight trajectories of a low-thrust spacecraft.