Dust Environment Modelling of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Dust is an important constituent of cometary emission; its analysis is one of the major objectives of ESA’s Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (C–G). Several instruments aboard Rosetta are dedicated to studying various aspects of dust in the cometary coma, all of which require a certain level of exposure to dust to achieve their goals. At the same time, impacts of dust particles can constitute a hazard to the spacecraft. To conciliate the demands of dust collection instruments and spacecraft safety, it is desirable to assess the dust environment in the coma even before the arrival of Rosetta. We describe the present status of modelling the dust coma of 67P/C–G and predict the speed and flux of dust in the coma, the dust fluence on a spacecraft along sample trajectories, and the radiation environment in the coma. The model will need to be refined when more details of the coma are revealed by observations. An overview of astronomical observations of 67P/C–G is given, because model parameters are derived from this data if possible. For quantities not yet measured for 67P/C–G, we use values obtained for other comets, e.g. concerning the optical and compositional properties of the dust grains. One of the most important and most controversial parameters is the dust mass distribution. We summarise the mass distribution functions derived from the in-situ measurements at comet 1P/Halley in 1986. For 67P/C–G, constraining the mass distribution is currently only possible by the analysis of astronomical images. We find that both the dust mass distribution and the time dependence of the dust production rate of 67P/C–G are those of a fairly typical comet.     

Pickup Ions and Cosmic Rays from Dust in the Heliosphere

The combination of recent observational and theoretical work has completed the catalog of the sources of heliospheric Pickup Ions (PUIs). These PUIs are the seed population for Anomalous Cosmic Rays (ACRs), which are accelerated to high energies at or beyond the Termination Shock (TS). For elements with high First Ionization Potentials (high-FIP atoms: e.g., H, He, Ne, etc.), the dominant source of PUIs and ACRs is from neutral atoms that drift into the heliosphere from the Local Interstellar Medium (LISM) and, prior to ionization, are influenced primarily by solar gravitation and radiation pressure (for H). After ionization, these interstellar ions are pickup up by the solar wind, swept out, and are either accelerated near the TS or beyond it. Elements with low first ionization potentials (low-FIP atoms: e.g., C, Si, Mg, Fe, etc.) are also observed as PUIs by Ulysses and as ACRs by Wind and Voyager. But the low-FIP composition of this additional component reveals a very different origin. Low-FIP interstellar atoms are predominantly ionized in the LISM and therefore excluded from the heliosphere by the solar wind. Remarkably, a low-FIP component of PUIs was hypothesized by Banks (J. Geophys. Res. 76, 4341, 1971) over twenty years prior to its direct detection by Ulysses/SWICS (Geiss et al., J. Geophys. Res. 100(23), 373, 1995) The leading concept for the generation of Inner Source PUIs involves an effective recycling of solar wind on grains near the Sun, as originally suggested by Banks. Voyager and Wind also observe low-FIP ACRs, and a grain-related source appears likely and necessary. Two concepts have been proposed to explain these low-FIP ACRs: the first concept involves the acceleration of the Inner Source of PUIs, and the second involves a so-called Outer Source of PUIs generated from solar wind interaction with the large population of grains in the Kuiper Belt. We review here the observational and theoretical work over the last decade that shows how solar wind and heliospheric grains interact to produce pickup ions, and, in turn, anomalous cosmic rays. The inner and outer sources of pickup ions and anomalous cosmic rays exemplify dusty plasma interactions that are fundamental throughout the cosmos for the production of energetic particles and the formation of stellar systems.     

Effects of lunar and mars dust simulants on HaCaT keratinocytes and CHO-K1 fibroblasts

Exposure to lunar dust during Apollo missions resulted in occasional reports of ocular, respiratory and dermal irritations which showed that lunar dust has a risk potential for human health. This is caused by its high reactivity as well as its small size, leading to a wide distribution also inside habitats. Hence, detailed information regarding effects of extraterrestrial lunar dusts on human health is required to best support future missions to moon, mars or other destinations. In this study, we used several methods to assess the specific effects of extraterrestrial dusts onto mammalian skin by exposing HaCaT keratinocytes and CHO-K1 fibroblasts to dusts simulating lunar or mars soils. These particular cell types were chosen because the skin protects the human body from potentially harmful substances and because a well orchestrated program ensures proper wound healing. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts were exposed to the dusts for different durations of time and their effects on morphology and viability of the cells were determined. Cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay and by monitoring culture impedance, while phalloidin staining of the actin cytoskeleton was performed to address structural integrity of the cells which was also investigated by propidium iodide intake. It was found that the effects of the two types of dust simulants on the different features of both cell lines varied to a considerable extent. Moreover, proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes, as analyzed by Ki67 labeling, was suppressed in sub-confluent cultures exposed to lunar dust simulant. Furthermore, experimental evidence is provided for a delay in regeneration of keratinocyte monolayers from scratch-wounding when exposed to lunar dust simulant. The obtained results will facilitate further investigations of dust exposure during wound healing and will ease risk assessment studies e.g., for lunar lander approaches. The investigations will help to determine safety measures to be taken during extraterrestrial expeditions in order to minimize risks to human health associated with exposure of human skin to dust contaminants.     

Electrostatic particle collection in vacuum

Lunar grains accumulate charges due to solar-based ionizing radiations, and the repelling action of like-charged particles causes the levitation of lunar dust. The lunar dust deposit on sensitive and costly surfaces of investigative equipment is a serious concern in lunar explorations. Inspired by electrostatic precipitators (ESPs), the Electrostatic Lunar Dust Collector (ELDC) was proposed for collecting already charged lunar dust particles to prevent the lunar dust threat. As the conditions for terrestrial counterparts are not valid in the lunar environment, equations developed for terrestrial devices yield incorrect predictions in lunar application. Hence, a mathematical model was developed for the ELDC operating in vacuum to determine its collection efficiency. The ratios of electrical energy over potential energy, kinetic energy over potential energy and the ratio of ELDC dimensions were identified to be the key dimensionless parameters. Sensitivity analyses of the relevant parameters showed that depending on ELDC orientation, smaller particles would be collected more easily at vertical orientation, whereas larger particles were easier to collect in a horizontal ELDC configuration. In the worst case scenario, the electrostatic field needed to be 10 times stronger in the vertical mode in order to adequately collect larger particles. The collection efficiency was very sensitive to surface potential of lunar dust and it reached the maximum when surface potential was between 30 and 120 V.     

三重混合范数的L型嵌套阵列二维角度估计

针对L型嵌套阵列二维角度估计问题,提出一种三重混合范数块稀疏重构算法。首先,建立一种俯仰角和方位角可分离的二维稀疏测向模型,将两个维度采样点分块,分别计算联合协方差矩阵,二维角度估计问题被转化为联合协方差矩阵稀疏优化问题;为减小计算复杂度,建立三重混合范数块稀疏重构模型,利用交叉迭代的方法得到稀疏解,实现了二维角度估计,并且可以自动配对。仿真试验表明,三重混合范数稀疏重构算法能够有效估计多个辐射源的二维角度,分辨率较高,并且具有一定的鲁棒性。与传统算法相比,在低信噪比和小快拍数的条件下,均优于传统二维角度估计算法。     

防风网对煤堆遮风效果的风洞实验研究

为了考察防风网对堆场煤堆的遮风效果,进行了防风网与煤堆之间区域的流场可视化实验。使用风洞模拟大气边界层条件,并将开孔率为38．5％的防风网模型布置在煤堆模型前方。实验中采用粒子成像测速（PIV）系统测量了防风网和堆场区域的平均风速分布,并且获得了煤堆表面的摩擦风速分布,进一步估算煤堆起尘量的变化情况。实验发现,防风网可有效降低煤堆表面迎风区域的摩擦风速,而对背风面的流场分布影响较小。研究结果可为防风网的遮护作用提供一定的实验支持。     

赤泥堆起尘风洞实验研究

通过对不同粒径、不同湿度的赤泥起尘风速及起尘强度的风洞实验发现,对各种湿度的赤泥,都存在一临界粒径。当赤泥粒径小于该值时,起尘风速随粒径的减小而增大,而当粒径大于该值时,起尘风速随粒径的增大而增大。临界粒径大约为0.2mm,随湿度略有变化。临界粒径对应的起尘风速最小,它随湿度的增大而升高,其变化范围为2.5～3.0m/5,对应的起动摩擦速度介于0.17～0.20m/s。此外,当粒径小于0.1mm时,起尘风速随湿度的增大而减小,而当粒径大于0.2mm 以后,起尘风速随湿度的增大而增大。起尘强度实验表明,风速一定且大于4.7m/s,湿度小于15%时,起尘强度随湿度增大而减小,湿度大于15%时,起尘强度随湿度变化甚微。风速小于4.7m/s时,起尘强度基本不随湿度而变。湿度一定时,起尘强度随风速的增大而增大。文章还讨论了模拟实验的相似准则和定量换算问题。     

“祝融号”火星车反射面天线设计

针对“天问一号”火星探测器“祝融号”火星车的探测通信任务需求,提出了一种X频段轻小型宽频圆极化反射面天线。该反射面天线采用了新型一体化紧凑馈源技术,实现馈源长度和口径减小20%的同时提高了反射面天线的口径效率,抵挡了火星的尘埃影响。经过对馈源进行的仿真优化,最终实测结果表明,该天线在7.1～8.4GHz内口径效率可达62.3%,在深空探测的工作频带范围内具有较好的增益、驻波和圆极化特性,该天线已成功应用于“天问一号”火星探测器“祝融号”火星车。     

不锈钢纤维滤袋式电除尘器的实验研究

对一种新型的不锈钢纤维滤袋式电除尘器(简称袋式电除尘器)进行了理论分析和实验研究。研究结果表明,该滤袋式电除尘器比管式电除尘器和现在使用的袋式除尘器都具有更高的除尘效率,而且对细微粉尘具有更强的捕集能力。从效率与过滤风速、电场电压及粉尘浓度的关系曲线中,也显示出这些基本参数对滤袋式电除尘器除尘效率的影响规律。因此,可广泛应用于炼钢电炉和工业炉窑的除尘设备。作者的工作有助于研究电除尘器,对设计高效率和寿命长的电除尘装置具有指导作用。     

空间粉尘高速撞击对光学玻璃透过率影响的研究

航天器在轨服役期间会遭受到大量的微陨石及空间微小碎片撞击作用。这些微陨石和空间微小碎片可能吸附在航天器光学玻璃表面,也可能与光学玻璃表面碰撞产生陷坑等缺陷。文章采用爆炸式粉尘加速器加速微米级铝粉末撞击K8光学玻璃,在玻璃表面产生大量碰撞陷坑形成砂蚀磨损现象,利用CΦ-46型分光计测量光学玻璃的透过率。结果表明,光学玻璃磨损区域的透过率明显下降。透过率下降程度与陷坑数量成比例。通过对单个陷坑的计算,当陷坑深度大于或等于一个粒子直径时,光线衰减程度达到最大。