Proton Events and X-ray Flares in the Last Three Solar Cycles

A database joining the available information about proton enhancements near the Earth and their possible solar sources is organized on the basis of proton measurements of the GOES and IMP-8 satellites, the data of neutron monitors, and GOES X-ray measurements. One thousand one hundred and forty-four proton events with energy > 10 MeV have been selected in the period from 1975 to 2003. More than a half of these events can be reliably related to X-ray solar flares. A statistical analysis shows the probability of observing solar protons near the Earth and their maximum flux value to be strongly dependent on the importance of a flare and its heliolongitude. Proton events are recorded after all suitably located (western) flares with X-ray importance > X5. The heliolongitude of a flare predetermines the character of the time profile of proton events in many respects. The relationship of proton events with the other characteristics of flares is established. The flares associated with proton enhancements are characterized by longer duration, slower rise to the X-ray maximum, smaller temperature, and larger length of the X-ray loops.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 171–185.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Belov, Garcia, Kurt, Mavromichalaki.     

Infrared sensor for hot spot recognition for a small satellite mission

High temperature events strongly influence the environmental processes. Therefore, their observation is an important constituent of the global monitoring network. Unfortunately the current remote sensing systems are not able to deliver the necessary information about the world wide burn out of vegetation and its consequences. For global observations a dedicated system of small satellites is required. The main components of the corresponding instrumentation are the infrared channels. The proposed HSRS (HOT SPOT RECOGNITION SENSOR) has to demonstrate the possibilities of an such instrumentation and its feasibility for small satellites. The main drawbacks of the HSRS design are the handling of the hot spot recognition in the subpixel area and of the saturation in the case of larger hot areas by a suitable signal processing hardware.     

Stabilization of a Reentry Vehicle by a Partial Spin-up during Uncontrolled Descent

Stabilization of a reentry vehicle (RV) by a partial spin-up of it is considered for the case of uncontrolled descent into the atmosphere. In this case, the vehicle is a composite construction consisting of two rigid bodies, a return capsule and a stabilizing block, which is put in rotation. A model is developed for the spatial motion of the reentry vehicle considered as a system of coaxial rigid bodies rotating about a common axis of symmetry. The free motion is studied, and the stability of steady-state regimes is analyzed. The spatial motion of the system is considered for the case of a small asymmetry due to displacement of the axes of dynamic symmetry of the bodies with respect to the spin axis, and approximate solutions for the motion parameters of the free system are found.     

Statistical Relationships between Solar,Interplanetary, and Geomagnetic Disturbances, 1976–2000: 3

In this paper we continue the analysis of the influence of solar and interplanetary events on magnetic storms of the Earth that was started in [9, 10]. Different experimental results on solar-terrestrial physics are analyzed in the study and the effects are determined that arise due to differences in the methods used to analyze the data. The classifications of magnetic storms by the K _p and D _st indices, the solar flare classifications by optical and X-ray observations, and the classifications of different geoeffective interplanetary events are compared and discussed. It is demonstrated that quantitative estimations of the relationships between two types of events often depend on the direction in which the events are compared. In particular, it was demonstrated that the geoeffectiveness of halo CMEs (that is, the percentage of Earth-directed coronal mass ejections that result in geomagnetic storms) is 40–50%. Higher values given in some papers were obtained by another method, in which they were defined as the probability of finding candidates for a source of geomagnetic storms among CMEs, and, strictly speaking, these values are not true estimates of the geoeffectiveness. The latter results are also in contrast with the results of the two-stage tracing of the events: first a storm—an interplanetary disturbance, and then an interplanetary disturbance—a CME.     

Inductive interaction of electroconductive bodies with ionospheric and interplanetary plasma

The hypersonic hyperalfvèn plasma flow around electroconductive bodies is considered and electromagnetic inductive plasma-body interaction is analyzed. The possible applications of results obtained in this analysis to body motion in ionosphere and interplanetary plasma are discussed.     

Study of water-salt metabolism and renal function in cosmonauts

In manned space flights the renal function and water-salt metabolism undergo substantial changes. With the reserve capabilities of kidneys in mind, their function and regulation of the water-salt balance were investigated in cosmonauts postflight and in Earth-bound simulation experiments with the aid of water loading, hormonal injections (pituitrin, engiotensin, DOCA, ACTH); water- and ion-release were also studied during LBNP and physical exercises. The cosmonauts who performed space flights of 2 to 5 days showed water retention and increased urine excretion of salts during the first postflight days in response to a water load. After the 18-day flight water excretion remained unchanged whereas salt excretion increased. The capacity for osmotic concentration and urine dilution did not alter. The study of the hormonal effect in simulation experiments of different duration demonstrated a normal renal response to the hormonal excretion. After the LBNP tests and physical exercises the water- and salt-excretion declined; a correlation between the level of water- and salt-excretion and the level of these loads was established. The data on the blood- and urine-ionic composition, excretion of nitrogen metabolites, and hormones postflight as well as the results of load and functional tests suggest that changes in the renal function of cosmonauts in weightlessness are associated with regulatory effects on the kidney rather than disturbances in the function of nephron cells.     

Ethical problems of interaction between ground-based personnel and orbital station crewmembers.

Manned missions onboard orbital stations Salyut-6 and Salyut-7 have led us to the conclusion that a long-term space mission can be viewed as a complex socio-man-machine system whose effectiveness largely depends on the quality of interaction between its subsystems. When analyzing and assessing the reliability of this system, it is important to consider ethical aspects, because they concern human relations, permeating its very component and in the long run determining its efficiency. Psychological and medical examinations before, during and after manned missions have helped us to identify the major points of interaction of the subsystems which require adequate monitoring and optimization using socio-psychological and organization-technical approaches: arrangement and evaluation of the quality of work, arrangement of proper leisure, psychological comfort in the interpersonality and intergroup relations during prolonged space missions. This paper also discusses adaptive changes in the mental and physical state due to prolonged exposure to space flight factors such as microgravity and confinement.     

Pathophysiology of motor functions in prolonged manned space flights.

The influence of weightlessness on different parts of the motor system have been studied in crew members of 140 and 175 days space flights. It has been shown that weightlessness affects all parts of the motor system including (i) the leg and trunk muscles, in which severe atonia, a decrease of strength and an increase of electromyographic cost of contraction have been observed, (ii) the proprioceptive elements and the spinal reflex mechanisms in which decreased thresholds accompanied by decreases of maximal amplitude of reflexes and disturbances in cross reflex mechanisms have been found. and (iii) the central mechanisms that control characteristics of postural and locomotor activities. The intensities and durations of disturbances of different parts of the motor system did not correlate to each other, but did correlate with prophylactic activity during space flight. The data suggest a different nature of disturbances caused by weightlessness in different parts of the motor system.     

Disaster assessment and satellite communication: on the threshold of a new era

Disaster events have always been with us. Success or failure of a disaster response is often determined by timely access to communication and the exchange of reliable information. Especially, crucial is information acquired by on-site first responders responsible for initial disaster assessment. The rapid progress in satellite communication development is laying a foundation for a future where lack of communications will no longer be a limiting or paralyzing factor in disaster response. This paper discusses emerging satellite communications tools that can enhance on site assessment and change the way disaster management is viewed and carried out in the next century.