A neutral gas mass spectrometer to measure the chemical composition of the stratosphere

The Polar Balloon Atmospheric Composition Experiment (P-BACE) is a new generation of neutral gas mass spectrometer based on the time-of-flight principle. P-BACE is the scientific experiment on the Mars Environment Analog Platform (MEAP) flown successfully on a balloon mission in summer 2008. The MEAP mission was flown with a 334,000 m³ helium balloon in the stratosphere on a semicircular trajectory from northern Sweden around the North Pole to Canada using the summer northern hemispheric wind current. The atmospheric conditions at an atmospheric altitude of 35–40 km are remarkably similar to those on the surface of Mars and thus the balloon mission was an ideal testbed for our mass spectrometer P-BACE. Originally this instrument was designed for in situ measurements of the chemical composition of the Martian atmosphere.P-BACE has a unique mass range from 0 to 1000 amu/q with a mass resolution m/Δm (FWHM) > 1000, and the dynamic range is at least six orders of magnitude. During this experiment, the acquisition of one mass spectrum is a sum of 65,535 single spectra, recorded in a time frame of 66 s.The balloon mission lasted 5 days and had successfully demonstrated the functionality of the P-BACE instrument during flight conditions. We had recorded more than 4500 mass spectra. With little modifications, P-BACE can be used on a planetary mission for Mars, but for example also for Venus or Mercury, if placed on a satellite.     

Energetic Hydrogen and Oxygen Atoms Observed on the Nightside of Mars

We present measurements of energetic hydrogen and oxygen atoms (ENAs) on the nightside of Mars detected by the neutral particle detector (NPD) of ASPERA-3 on Mars Express. We focus on the observations for which the field-of-view of NPD was directed at the nightside of Mars or at the region around the limb, thus monitoring the flow of ENAs towards the nightside of the planet. We derive energy spectra and total fluxes, and have compiled maps of hydrogen ENA outflow. The hydrogen ENA intensities reach 10⁵ cm⁻² sr⁻¹ s⁻¹, but no oxygen ENA signals above the detection threshold of 10⁴ cm⁻² sr⁻¹ s⁻¹ are observed. These intensities are considerably lower than most theoretical predictions. We explain the discrepancy as due to an overestimation of the charge-exchange processes in the models for which too high an exospheric density was assumed. Recent UV limb emission measurements (Galli et al., this issue) point to a hydrogen exobase density of 10¹⁰ m⁻³ and a very hot hydrogen component, whereas the models were based on a hydrogen exobase density of 10¹² m⁻³ and a temperature of 200 K predicted by Krasnopolsky and Gladstone (1996). Finally, we estimate the global atmospheric loss rate of hydrogen and oxygen due to the production of ENAs.     

Comparison of observed ionospheric vertical TEC over the sea in Indian region with IRI-2016 model

The vertical ionospheric TEC values obtained from GAGAN grid based ionospheric delay correction values over the sea in the Indian equatorial region have been compared with the corresponding values derived from the International Reference Ionosphere model, IRI-2016. The objective of this work is to study the deviation of the vertical TEC derived from the IRI model from ground truths over the sea for different conditions. This will serve the basic intention of assessing the candidature of the IRI model as an alternative ionospheric correction model in navigation receivers in terms of accuracy. We have chosen different solar activity periods, seasons, geomagnetic conditions, locations etc. for our comparison and analysis. The TEC values by the IRI-2016 were compared with the actual measured values for the given conditions and errors were obtained. The measured vertical TEC values at the ionospheric grid points were derived from the GAGAN broadcast ionospheric delay data and used as reference. The IRI model with standard internal functions was used in estimating the TEC at the same ionospheric grid points. The errors in the model derived values are statistically analysed. Broadly, the results show that, for the Indian sector over the sea, the IRI model performs better on quiet days in off equatorial regions, particularly in the northern region. The overall performance degrades for other conditions with the model generally underestimating the true TEC values and most severely in the equatorial region. The performance is worst in this region for the disturbed days of the equinoctial period. The comparison study is also done with the TEC data measured directly by dual frequency GPS receivers. The results were found to be in general agreement with those obtained by comparing the model with GAGAN broadcast data as reference. This study will be useful in considering the IRI-2016 model for real time estimates of TEC as an alternative to the current parametric model in a satellite navigation receiver in absence of other options.     

Study of the rheological properties of water and Martian soil simulant mixtures for engineering applications on the red planet

The rheological properties of mixtures of water and the Martian soil simulant JSC-Mars-1A are investigated by preparing and testing samples at various solids concentrations. The results indicate that the dispersion is viscoelastic and, at small timescales (～0.1?s), reacts to sudden strain as an elastic solid. At longer timescales the dispersion behaves like a Bingham fluid and exhibits a yield stress. Hysteresis loops show that rapid step-changes (2?s duration) of shear-rate result in thixotropic behaviour, but slower changes (>10?s duration) can result in rheopexy. These observations are explained with the breakdown and recovery of the packing structure under stress. The rheological information is used to generate practical tools, such as the system curve and the Moody chart that can be used for designing piping systems, and calculating pump sizes and pressure requirements.     

欧洲“火星快车”探测器自行底盘概念设计的启示

通过对月球车和火星车的跟踪调研,重点介绍了俄罗斯所承担的欧洲空间局“火星快车”项目中火星车自行底盘概念的设计思想和具体实施情况。结合火星表面的复杂环境,研制方探讨了几种底盘结构设计方案,通过对比分析确立了6×6×4+4ш方案为优化方案;根据该优化方案研制的比例模型样机通过行走试验验证,结果表明自行底盘概念设计思想正确,有助于提高行星车在复杂地形中的运动能力、稳定性和可靠性。最后针对我国深空探测项目实施的需求,提出了拟开展工作建议。     

海洋环境对吊放声纳作战使用影响研究

作战海域海洋环境对航空吊放声纳工作深度、探潜能力有重要影响。文中以声纳方程为基础,分析了作战海域海况、深度等海洋环境因素对吊放声纳作战使用及探测能力的影响,为合理使用吊放声纳提供了依据。     

Inversion of satellite gradiometry data using statistically modified integral formulas for local gravity field recovery

The satellite gravity gradiometric data can be used directly to recover the gravity anomaly at sea level using inversion of integral formulas. This approach suffers by the spatial truncation errors of the integrals, but these errors can be reduced by modifying the formulas. It allows us to consider smaller coverage of the satellite data over the region of recovery. In this study, we consider the second-order radial derivative (SORD) of disturbing potential (T_rr) and determine the gravity anomaly with a resolution of 1° × 1° at sea level by inverting the statistically modified version of SORD of extended Stokes’ formula. Also we investigate the effect of the spatial truncation error on the quality of inversion considering noise of T_rr. The numerical investigations show satisfactory results when the area of T_rr coverage is the same with that of the gravity anomaly and the integral formula is modified by the biased least-squares modification. The error of recovery will be about 6 mGal after removing the regularization bias in the presence of 1 mE noise in T_rr measured on the orbit.     

Return to Europa: Overview of the Jupiter Europa orbiter mission

Missions to explore Europa have been imagined ever since the Voyager mission first suggested that Europa was geologically very young. Subsequently, the Galileo spacecraft supplied fascinating new insights into this satellite of Jupiter. Now, an international team is proposing a return to the Jupiter system and Europa with the Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM). Currently, NASA and ESA are designing two orbiters that would explore the Jovian system and then each would settle into orbit around one of Jupiter’s icy satellites, Europa and Ganymede. In addition, the Japanese Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is considering a Jupiter magnetospheric orbiter and the Russian Space Agency is investigating a Europa lander.     

微等离子体转化二氧化碳发射光谱诊断

火星大气层的主要成分为二氧化碳,如果能够利用低温等离子体方法高效分解二氧化碳,使其转化为氧气和一氧化碳加以利用,可以大幅降低航天员生命保障相关载荷长途运输的成本,进一步提高生命保障能力.低温等离子体放电过程中会产生大量活性组分,可以在数百度温度下实现二氧化碳的高效解离,是具有很大潜力的二氧化碳解离与转化方式.设计了一种...     

The X-TRACK/ALES multi-mission processing system: New advances in altimetry towards the coast

In the context of the ESA Climate Change Initiative project, a new coastal sea level altimetry product has been developed in order to support advances in coastal sea level variability studies. Measurements from Jason-1,2&3 missions have been retracked with the Adaptive Leading Edge Subwaveform (ALES) Retracker and then ingested in the X-TRACK software with the best possible set of altimetry corrections. These two coastal altimetry processing approaches, previously successfully validated and applied to coastal sea level research, are combined here for the first time in order to derive a 16-year-long (June 2002 to May 2018), high-resolution (20-Hz), along-track sea level dataset in six regions: Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, West Africa, North Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and Australia. The study demonstrates that this new coastal sea level product called X-TRACK/ALES is able to extend the spatial coverage of sea level altimetry data ~3.5 km in the land direction, when compared to the X-TRACK 1-Hz dataset. We also observe a large improvement in coastal sea level data availability from Jason-1 to Jason-3, with data at 3.6 km, 1.9 km and 0.9 km to the coast on average, for Jason-1, Jason-2 and Jason-3, respectively. When combining measurements from Jason-1 to Jason-3, we reach a distance of 1.2–4 km to the coast. When compared to tide gauge data, the accuracy of the new altimetry near-shore sea level estimations also improves. In terms of correlations with a large set of independent tide gauge observations selected in the six regions, we obtain an average value of 0.77. We also show that it is now possible to derive from the X-TRACK/ALES product an estimation of the ocean current variability up to 5 km to the coast. This new altimetry dataset, freely available, will provide a valuable contribution of altimetry in coastal marine research community.