Degradation of thermal control materials under a simulated radiative space environment

A spacecraft with a passive thermal control system utilizes various thermal control materials to maintain temperatures within safe operating limits. Materials used for spacecraft applications are exposed to harsh space environments such as ultraviolet (UV) and particle (electron, proton) irradiation and atomic oxygen (AO), undergo physical damage and thermal degradation, which must be considered for spacecraft thermal design optimization and cost effectiveness. This paper describes the effect of synergistic radiation on some of the important thermal control materials to verify the assumptions of beginning-of-life (BOL) and end-of-life (EOL) properties. Studies on the degradation in the optical properties (solar absorptance and infrared emittance) of some important thermal control materials exposed to simulated radiative geostationary space environment are discussed. The current studies are purely related to the influence of radiation on the degradation of the materials; other environmental aspects (e.g., thermal cycling) are not discussed. The thermal control materials investigated herein include different kind of second-surface mirrors, white anodizing, white paints, black paints, multilayer insulation materials, varnish coated aluminized polyimide, germanium coated polyimide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and poly tetra fluoro ethylene (PTFE). For this purpose, a test in the constant vacuum was performed reproducing a three year radiative space environment exposure, including ultraviolet and charged particle effects on North/South panels of a geostationary three-axis stabilized spacecraft. Reflectance spectra were measured in situ in the solar range (250–2500 nm) and the corresponding solar absorptance values were calculated. The test methodology and the degradations of the materials are discussed. The most important degradations among the low solar absorptance materials were found in the white paints whereas the rigid optical solar reflectors remained quite stable. Among the high solar absorptance elements, as such the change in the solar absorptance was very low, in particular the germanium coated polyimide was found highly stable.     

短波长紫外辐射变化与臭氧含量涨落之间的关系

位于低纬地区的印度同时测量了短波紫外辐射与臭氧含量,表明臭氧含量下降3%,短波紫外辐射通量(290nm)上升35%.但这个数值大于以往理论预期的数值.本文给出一个简单公式,这个公式描述了臭氧含量的变化与相应的紫外辐射变化之间的关系,用此公式计算得出的结果与印度测得的结果相符,很好地解释了低纬地区的印度测量的臭氧涨落与其相应的短波长紫外辐射变化之间的关系.      

Lunar exosphere influence on lunar-based near-ultraviolet astronomical observations

The potential effect of the lunar exosphere on the near-ultraviolet sky background emission is predicted for Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT: a funded Chinese scientific payload for the Chang’e-III mission). Using the upper limit on the OH concentration inferred from the recent MIP CHACE results, our calculations show that the sky brightness due to the illuminated exosphere is <8.7 photons⁻¹ cm⁻² arcsec⁻² within the wavelength range 245–340 nm. By evaluating the signal-to-noise ratios of observations of an AB = 13 mag point source at a series of sky background levels, our analysis indicates that the detection performance of LUT can be moderately degraded by the lunar exosphere emission in most cases. An AB = 13 mag point source can still be detected by the telescope at a signal-to-noise ratio more than 8 when the OH concentration is less than 2 × 10⁸ molecules cm⁻³. However, the effect on the performance is considerable when the exosphere is as dense as suggested by CHACE.     

Patterns of variability in γ-ray blazars

Preliminary results of a systematic study on the simultaneous optical-to-X-rays variability in blazars are presented. Data from Swift observations of four bright γ-ray blazars (3C 279, ON +231, S5 0716+71, PKS 2155−304) have been analyzed, compared, and discussed. Specifically, 3C 279 shows a variable flattening in the low energy part of the X-ray spectrum that appears to be confined in a specific X-ray vs optical/UV fluxes region. Some implications are shortly analyzed.     

ASAP: A systematic approach to plasma spectral synthesis

ASAP (Analysis System for Astrophysical Plasmas), developed at the Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, is a package of procedures based on IDL. It is aimed at the detailed presentation of theoretical models of astrophysical plasmas and the accurate comparison with observational data, up to fittings of specific observations. It is also useful for the prediction of specific observations, and for the simulation of the expected performances of forthcoming instruments, for instance those on board SOHO.     

Ultraviolet 3D digital image correlation applied for deformation measurement in thermal testing with infrared quartz lamps

In thermal-structural testing of hypersonic materials and structures, deformation measurement on the front surface of an object directly heated by quartz lamps is highly necessary and very challenging. This work describes a novel front-surface high-temperature deformation measurement technique, which adopts ultraviolet 3D digital image correlation (UV 3D-DIC) to observe and measure the high-temperature deformation fields on front surfaces directly heated by quartz lamps. Compared with existing blue light DIC techniques, the established UV 3D-DIC, which combines UV CCD camera, active UV illumination and bandpass filter imaging, can effectively suppress the strong disturbing light emitted by the quartz lamps and the heated sample itself during heating process. Two experiments were carried out to verify the robustness and accuracy of the developed technique: (1) direct observation of front surfaces of a hypersonic thermal structure sample heated from room temperature to 1050 °C, and (2) front-surface thermal stain and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) measurement of an Inconel 718 sample up to 800 °C. The well matched strain and CTE results with literature data show that UV 3D-DIC system is an effective technique for front-surface deformation measurement and has great potential in characterizing deformation response of hypersonic materials and structures subjected to transient aerodynamic heating.     

紫外辐照影响硅橡胶出气污染模型及效应研究

基于有机材料出气污染过程分析,并结合辐射化学有关理论,建立材料在紫外辐照后的分子污染模型;在ASTM E1559标准测试方法的基础上,以硅橡胶材料为污染源开展试验,测试其经过不同紫外辐照时间后的出气污染沉积量,并对辐照后材料表面的微观特性进行测试分析。根据沉积量测试结果对模型待定参数进行拟合,并结合微观测试结果,分析得到紫外辐照导致硅橡胶分子链中Si-O键以及Si-C键断裂,且部分小分子物质提前挥发,从而使得出气成分中小分子污染物含量下降,大分子污染物含量上升,并最终导致总污染量在前期有所下降,在后期显著增加。     

准分子激光表面处理对CFRP胶接强度的影响

采用准分子激光表面处理技术用于碳纤维复合材料胶接面的预处理,通过对照试验、显微镜观察研究了表面处理方式、处理后清洗方式对胶接强度和离散系数的影响。结果表明:准分子激光表面预处理技术用于处理碳纤维复合材料胶接表面能明显提高其胶接强度,与砂纸打磨处理试片的胶接强度相当,但采用准分子激光处理的试片的胶接强度离散系数相对较小。     

防原子氧与抗辐射环境薄膜性能研究

金属氧化物薄膜具有良好的光学,电学特性,因此是卫星表面热控材料防静电积累的重要材料之一。实验研究发现这些金属氧化物薄膜还是具有优良的防原子氧和抗空间辐照环境的能力,而且这种能力与成膜方法及工艺过程直接相关。经模拟原子氧环境的氧等离子体作用后,溅射镀氧化锡样品的质损明显小于蒸镀氧化铟锡薄膜的质损,而氧化铟锡薄膜的质损又小于未镀薄膜试样质损。     

The role of ultraviolet imaging in studies of resolved and unresolved young stellar populations. M31 and M33

We discuss the relevance of UV data in the detection and characterization of hot massive stars and young stellar populations in galaxies. We show results from recent extensive surveys in M31 and M33 with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) multi-wavelength data including UV filters, which imaged several regions at a linear resolution (projected) of less than half a pc in these galaxies, and from GALEX far-UV and near-UV wide-field, low-resolution imaging of the entire galaxies. Both datasets allow us to study the hierarchical structure of star formation: the youngest stellar groups are the most compact, and are often arranged within broader, sparser structures. The derived recent star-formation rates are rather similar for the two galaxies, when scaled for the respective areas. We show how uncertainties in metallicity and type of selective extinction for the internal reddening may affect the results, and how an appropriate complement of UV filters could reduce such uncertainties, and significantly alleviate some parameter degeneracies.