Preparation of the Biochip experiment on the EXPOSE-R2 mission outside the International Space Station

Biochips might be suited for planetary exploration. Indeed, they present great potential for the search for biomarkers – molecules that are the sign of past or present life in space – thanks to their size (miniaturized devices) and sensitivity. Their detection principle is based on the recognition of a target molecule by affinity receptors fixed on a solid surface. Consequently, one of the main concerns when developing such a system is the behavior of the biological receptors in a space environment. In this paper, we describe the preparation of an experiment planned to be part of the EXPOSE-R2 mission, which will be conducted on the EXPOSE-R facility, outside the International Space Station (ISS), in order to study the resistance of biochip models to space constraints (especially cosmic radiation and thermal cycling). This experiment overcomes the limits of ground tests which do not reproduce exactly the space parameters. Indeed, contrary to ground experiments where constraints are applied individually and in a limited time, the biochip models on the ISS will be exposed to cumulated constraints during several months. Finally, this ISS experiment is a necessary step towards planetary exploration as it will help assessing whether a biochip can be used for future exploration missions.     

Solar rhythms in the characteristics of the Arctic frontal zone in the North Atlantic

Long-term changes of the Arctic frontal zone characteristics near the south-eastern coasts of Greenland were considered, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data being used. It was found that in the cold half of the year the temperature gradients in the layer 1000–500 hPa in the region under study reveal strong ∼10-yr and ∼22-yr periodicities that seem to be related to solar activity cycles. The results obtained suggest the influence of solar activity and cosmic ray variations on the structure of the temperature field of the troposphere resulting in the changes of the temperature contrasts in the Arctic frontal zone that, in turn, may affect the intensity of cyclogenesis at middle latitudes. The detected effects seem to indicate an important part of frontal zones in the mechanism of solar activity and cosmic ray variation influence on the development of extratropical baric systems. It is suggested that the variations of the temperature gradients revealed in the Arctic frontal zone are due to the radiative forcing of cloudiness changes which may be associated with geomagnetic activity and cosmic ray variations.     

利用高空科学气球收集宇宙尘粒

本文叙述了高空科学气球上一种自行研制的宇宙尘收集器以及气球吊篮系统。利用该系统进行了五次高空字宙尘粒的收集飞行,简述了对所收集的尘粒进行系统研究的结果。     

发射特性对线性各向异性散射介质内瞬态温度分布的影响

考虑各向异性散射介质内的辐射传递方向,本文考察了辐射能的重新分配过程。利用射线踪迹法结合Hottel和Sarofim区域法推导了辐射传递系数(RTCs)。考虑一维各向异性参与性半透明灰介质。两边界表面为镜反射,一个表面半透明,另一个表面不透明。辐射传递系数用于计算辐射热源项。瞬态能量方程由全隐式控制容积法求解。外界辐射加热与对流冷却同时作用于边界表面。考虑四个线性散射相函数。以各向同性散射情况比较,研究不透明边界两侧发射特性和线性散射相函数对瞬态温度分布的影响。结果表明,各向异性散射与各向同性散射介质间的相对温度差异与散射不对称参数近似成正比。     

太阳活动与全球气候变化

太阳不断向地球辐射电磁波和粒子, 太阳辐射是地球气候系统最主要的能量来源. 地球气候系统对太阳活动的响应是一个复杂的过程, 包括辐射过程、动力学过程以及微观物理过程等. 根据太阳辐射的卫星观测结果和重建结果, 例举了古气候、温度、大气环流和云量等方面太阳影响气候的观测证据, 论述了太阳影响气候的三种可能机制, 即太阳总辐射变化可以影响地表温度, 并通过海-气耦合改变大气环流; 太阳紫外辐射通过调制平流层的温度和风场影响下面的对流层; 太阳通过行星际磁场调制银河宇宙线, 而银河宇宙线通过电离大气影响云量, 进而改变地球的能量收支.     

Fast Probabilistic Particle Identification algorithm using silicon strip detectors

Active detectors used as radiation monitors in space are not usually able to perform Particle Identification (PID). Common techniques need energy loss spectra with high statistics to estimate ion abundances. The ALTEA-space detector system is a set of silicon strip particle telescopes monitoring the radiation environment on board the International Space Station since July 2006 with real-time telemetry capabilities. Its large geometrical factor due to the concurrent use of six detectors permits the acquisition of good energy loss spectra even in a short period of observation. In this paper we present a novel Fast Probabilistic Particle Identification (FPPI) algorithm developed for the ALTEA data analysis in order to perform nuclear identification with low statistics and, with some limitations, also in real time.     

Relation between galactic and solar cosmic radiation at aviation altitude

Cosmic radiation bombards us at high altitude with ionizing particles; the radiation has a galactic component, which is normally dominant, and a component of solar origin. Cosmic ray particles are the primary source of ionization in the atmosphere above 1 km; below 1 km radon is a dominant source of ionization in many areas.     

宇宙噪声的电离层闪烁与电离层不规则结构的结构参数

利用宇宙噪声是均匀的。各向同性的背景电磁辐射的假设,对电子密度涨落空间分布波数谱为负幂律函数的电离层不规则结构,用射线光学方法导出了闪烁功率谱的表示式。与射电星和轨道人造卫星信标的电离层闪烁相比,减少了因相对运动弓队的变量。用数值计算方法研究了电离层不规则结构的结构参量L_y、l_y、p、η对功率谱的影响。与实测资料比较,发现电离层吸收事件期间且Riometer记录的闪烁资料中,60%以上相应的不规则结构有L_y>103,η>η₀(0.2<η₀<0.5).