Correlation between oxygen excess density and critical transition temperature in superconducting Bi-2201, Bi-2212 and Bi-2223

It is suggested that oxygen excess in undoped material of the high temperature superconducting bismuth family creates periodic two-dimensional Cu³⁺-ion patches in the copper–oxygen planes. These nanostructures have a size of square and show a strong linear relationship to their critical transition temperatures T_c.     

ICMEs at High Latitudes and in the Outer Heliosphere

Interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) propagate into the outer heliosphere, where they can have a significant effect on the structure, evolution, and morphology of the solar wind, particularly during times of high solar activity. They are known to play an important role in cosmic ray modulation and the acceleration of energetic particles. ICMEs are also believed to be associated with the large global transient events that swept through the heliosphere during the declining phases of solar cycles 21 and 22. But until recently, little was known about the actual behavior of ICMEs at large heliographic latitudes and large distances from the Sun. Over the past decade, the Ulysses spacecraft has provided in situ observations of ICMEs at moderate heliographic distances over a broad range of heliographic latitudes. More recently, observations of alpha particle enhancements, proton temperature depressions, and magnetic clouds at the Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft have begun to provide comparable information regarding the behavior of ICMEs at extremely large heliocentric distances. At the same time, advances in modeling have provided new insights into the dynamics and evolution of ICMEs and their effects on cosmic rays and energetic particles.     

India''s space policy : A developing country in the ‘Space Club’

Athough a poor nation with limited resources, India has spent large amounts of money on sophisticated space programme. It is pursuing a policy of using high technology to solve the country's social and economic problems, and at the same time to strengthen its international position. Satellite-aided communications, educational programmes, meteorology and resources survey and management are thus priority areas. This article examines the history and achievements of India's space programme, and considers the constraints faced and budget and staffing plans. Foreign policy and national security aspects are covered in detail, including the question of whether India's peaceful space policy can be put to military use.     

Automated payload and instruments for astrobiology research developed and studied by German medium-sized space industry in cooperation with European academia

For more than a decade Kayser-Threde, a medium-sized enterprise of the German space industry, has been involved in astrobiology research in partnership with a variety of scientific institutes from all over Europe. Previous projects include exobiology research platforms in low Earth orbit on retrievable carriers and onboard the Space Station. More recently, exobiology payloads for in situ experimentation on Mars have been studied by Kayser-Threde under ESA contracts, specifically the ExoMars Pasteur Payload. These studies included work on a sample preparation and distribution systems for Martian rock/regolith samples, instrument concepts such as Raman spectroscopy and a Life Marker Chip, advanced microscope systems as well as robotic tools for astrobiology missions. The status of the funded technical studies and major results are presented. The reported industrial work was funded by ESA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).     

STEREO IMPACT Investigation Goals, Measurements, and Data Products Overview

The IMPACT (In situ Measurements of Particles And CME Transients) investigation on the STEREO mission was designed and developed to provide multipoint solar wind and suprathermal electron, interplanetary magnetic field, and solar energetic particle information required to unravel the nature of coronal mass ejections and their heliospheric consequences. IMPACT consists of seven individual sensors which are packaged into a boom suite, and a SEP suite. This review summarizes the science objectives of IMPACT, the instruments that comprise the IMPACT investigation, the accommodation of IMPACT on the STEREO twin spacecraft, and the overall data products that will flow from the IMPACT measurements. Accompanying papers in this volume of Space Science Reviews highlight the individual sensor technical details and capabilities, STEREO project plans for the use of IMPACT data, and modeling activities for IMPACT (and other STEREO) data interpretation.     

The Origin of Primary Cosmic Rays: Constraints from ACE Elemental and Isotopic Composition Observations

Cosmic-ray isotope observations from NASAs Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) mission have been used to investigate the composition of cosmic-ray source material. Source abundances relative to ⁵⁶Fe are reported for eleven isotopes of Ca, Fe, Co, and Ni, including the very rare isotopes ⁴⁸Ca and ⁶⁴Ni. Although the source abundances range over a factor 10⁴, most of the ratios to ⁵⁶Fe are consistent with solar-system values to within 20%. However, there are some notable differences, the most significant being an excess of (70±30)% relative to the solar system for the cosmic-ray source ratio ⁵⁸Fe/⁵⁶Fe. The possible association of such an excess with a contribution to the cosmic-ray source from Wolf–Rayet star ejecta is discussed.     

An Update on Ultra-Heavy Elements in Solar Energetic Particles above 10 MeV/Nucleon

Measurements below several MeV/nucleon from Wind/LEMT and ACE/ULEIS show that elements heavier than Zn (Z=30) can be enhanced by factors of ∼100 to 1000, depending on species, in ³He-rich solar energetic particle (SEP) events. Using the Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS) on ACE we find that even large SEP (LSEP) shock-accelerated events at energies from ∼10 to >100 MeV/nucleon are often very iron rich and might contain admixtures of flare seed material. Studies of ultra-heavy (UH) SEPs (with Z>30) above 10 MeV/nucleon can be used to test models of acceleration and abundance enhancements in both LSEP and ³He-rich events. We find that the long-term average composition for elements from Z=30 to 40 is similar to standard solar system values, but there is considerable event-to-event variability. Although most of the UH fluence arrives during LSEP events, UH abundances are relatively more enhanced in ³He-rich events, with the (34<Z<40)/O ratio on average more than 50 times higher in ³He-rich events than in LSEP events. At energies >10 MeV/nucleon, the most extreme event in terms of UH composition detected so far took place on 23 July 2004 and had a (34<Z<40)/O enhancement of ∼250–300 times the standard solar value.