A Comparative Study of the Influence of the Active Young Sun on the Early Atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars

Because the solar radiation and particle environment plays a major role in all atmospheric processes such as ionization, dissociation, heating of the upper atmospheres, and thermal and non-thermal atmospheric loss processes, the long-time evolution of planetary atmospheres and their water inventories can only be understood within the context of the evolving Sun. We compare the effect of solar induced X-ray and EUV (XUV) heating on the upper atmospheres of Earth, Venus and Mars since the time when the Sun arrived at the Zero-Age-Main-Sequence (ZAMS) about 4.6 Gyr ago. We apply a diffusive-gravitational equilibrium and thermal balance model for studying heating of the early thermospheres by photodissociation and ionization processes, due to exothermic chemical reactions and cooling by IR-radiating molecules like CO₂, NO, OH, etc. Our model simulations result in extended thermospheres for early Earth, Venus and Mars. The exospheric temperatures obtained for all the three planets during this time period lead to diffusion-limited hydrodynamic escape of atomic hydrogen and high Jeans’ escape rates for heavier species like H₂, He, C, N, O, etc. The duration of this blow-off phase for atomic hydrogen depends essentially on the mixing ratios of CO₂, N₂ and H₂O in the atmospheres and could last from ∼100 to several hundred million years. Furthermore, we study the efficiency of various non-thermal atmospheric loss processes on Venus and Mars and investigate the possible protecting effect of the early martian magnetosphere against solar wind induced ion pick up erosion. We find that the early martian magnetic field could decrease the ion-related non-thermal escape rates by a great amount. It is possible that non-magnetized early Mars could have lost its whole atmosphere due to the combined effect of its extended upper atmosphere and a dense solar wind plasma flow of the young Sun during about 200 Myr after the Sun arrived at the ZAMS. Depending on the solar wind parameters, our model simulations for early Venus show that ion pick up by strong solar wind from a non-magnetized planet could erode up to an equivalent amount of ∼250 bar of O⁺ ions during the first several hundred million years. This accumulated loss corresponds to an equivalent mass of ∼1 terrestrial ocean (TO (1 TO ∼1.39×10²⁴ g or expressed as partial pressure, about 265 bar, which corresponds to ∼2900 m average depth)). Finally, we discuss and compare our findings with the results of preceding studies.     

Cosmic ray studies at Moussala – Past,present and future

We review the main activities carried out at Moussala peak (2925 m above sea level, 42°11′N, 23°35′E) station in Bulgaria, connected with cosmic ray investigations during the last five decades. Several important results obtained at the station are reported. The detector design and corresponding methodological studies of the presently operational devices are shown as well, precisely the Cherenkov light telescope, lead free neutron monitor and muon telescope. The scientific potential of the existing complex is discussed.     

Investigation on the MLT tidal variability during September 2019 minor sudden stratospheric warming

Tidal variability in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) during September 2019 Southern hemisphere minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is investigated utilizing ground-based meteor radar wind observations from the equatorial, extratropical, middle, and high latitude stations and global reanalysis dataset. The polar warming is found to move from the mesosphere to the stratosphere until the peak warming day (PWD) of the SSW. The diurnal and semidiurnal tides at individual observational sites do not exhibit any consistent response during the observational interval, but a notable and consistent variability in some specific zonal wavenumber components, i. e., DW1 (migrating diurnal tide), DE3 (nonmigrating eastward wavenumber 3 diurnal tide), and SW2 (migrating semidiurnal tide) is found in the global reanalysis dataset. Incidentally, the warming event occurs during Spring equinox when a dominant seasonal change in the tidal activities generally takes place and hence seasonal variability is also looked into while identifying the SSW impact during the observational interval. It is found that the seasonal broad changes in the DW1, DE3, and SW2 amplitudes can be explained by the variability in the tidal sources, i.e., water vapor, convective activity, ozone, etc during the observational period. However, the extracted short-term variability in the global tidal modes on removing seasonal trend reveals noticeable response in connection with the warming event. The deseasoned amplitude of the DW1 significantly enhances around the PWD at most of the present latitudes. The deseasoned DE3 amplitude responds significantly in the middle atmosphere at low latitudes during the warming phase. The deseasoned SW2 exhibit clear enhancement around the PWD at all the latitudes. However, the deseasoned tidal features do not seem to correlate well with that of the source species unlike the seasonal ones that imply involvement of complex processes during the warming event, seeking further future investigations in this regard.     

Aerothermodynamic and stability analyses of a deployable re-entry capsule

Recent research projects, in the field of atmospheric re-entry technology, are focused on the design of deployable, umbrella-like Thermal Protection Systems (TPSs). These TPSs are made of flexible high temperature resistant fabrics, folded at launch and deployed in space for de-orbit and re-entry operations. In the present paper two possible sphere–cone configurations for the TPS have been investigated from an aerodynamic point of view. The analyzed configurations are characterized by the same reentry mass and maximum diameter, but have different half-cone angles (45° and 60°). The analyses involve both the evaluation of thermal and aerodynamic loads and the assessment of the capsule longitudinal stability. The aerothermodynamic analysis has been performed for the completely deployed heat shield in transitional and continuum regimes, while the longitudinal stability has been analyzed in free molecular, transitional and continuum regimes, also taking into consideration the heat shield deployment sequence at high altitudes.     

地外人工光合成装置研制与试验

原位资源利用技术是地外生命保障体系构建、实现人类地外生存的有效途径,是载人深空探索的核心技术。基于微通道技术的人工光合成反应器,采用流动反应器设计,用于低微重力等特殊环境条件下模拟人工光合作用,实现CO₂向O₂和含碳燃料的转化。微通道芯片通过气液剪切作用力使气体反应产物快速脱离电极表面并随反应介质排出反应器,理论上可以克服微重力条件对反应过程的影响,尚需进行微重力试验进行验证。同时,微通道结构可以通过精确控制反应气液的压力、流速、流量比等反应条件,获得优化的反应条件。通过地面试验,验证了该反应器将CO₂还原为O₂和含碳化合物的功能可行性。以Au和Ir/C作为阴极和阳极材料,3 V电压条件下,O₂产率可达11.74 mL/h。此外,基于人工光合成反应器搭建了集反应模块、控制模块、流路驱动模块以及检测模块等于一体的地外人工光合成装置,形成原位反应、介质供给、精确控制、在线收集和检测等功能一体化的系统,并实现CO₂有效转换和O₂供给。为后续...     

参量型空气折射率传感系统

本系统分别利用传感器测出空气的温度、气压和湿度三个参量,把测量值用一个通用于不同机型的接口电路连接到微机进行数据处理并计算出空气折射率值。文中叙述了传感器及其检测电路的设计原理,给出了检测和接口电路框图、计算公式和程序流程图。整个系统已通过联机调试和初步的对比试验。