Results from the study of an M7.6 flare and its associated CME

An M7.6 flare was well observed on October 24, 2003 in active region 10486 by a few instruments and satellites, including GOES, TRACE, SOHO, RHESSI and NoRH. Multi-wavelength study shows that this flare underwent two episodes. During the first episode, only a looptop source of <40 keV was observed in reconstructed RHESSI images, which showed shrinkage with a velocity of 12–14 km s⁻¹ in a period of about 12 min. During the second process, in addition to the looptop source, two footpoint sources were observed in energy channel of as high as ∼200 keV. One of them showed fast propagation along one of the two TRACE 1600 Å flare ribbons and the 195 Å loop footpoints, which could be explained by successive magnetic reconnection. The associated CME showed a mass pickup process with decreasing center-of-mass velocity. The decrease of the CME kinetic energy and the increase of its potential energy lead to an almost constant total energy during the CME propagation. Our results reveal that the flare and its associated CME have comparable energy content, and the flare is of non-thermal property.     

A synchrotron-based facility for the in-situ location,chemical and mineralogical characterization of ∼10 μm particles captured in aerogel

NASA’s Stardust mission collected dust from the coma of Comet Wild-2 on January 2nd, 2004, by direct capture into aerogel cells that flew through the dust coma at ∼6 km/s. Stardust collected several hundred comet particles >10 μm in size. These comet samples were delivered to Earth on January 15th, 2006. We developed a facility at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Upton, NY, USA) for the in-situ characterization of ∼10 μm particles collected in aerogel. These analytical instruments allow us to perform extensive chemical, mineralogical, and size-frequency characterization of particles captured in aerogel. These analyses are conducted without any invasive extraction, minimizing the possibility of contamination or particle loss during preparation. This facility was used to determine the chemical composition, the oxidation state, the mineralogy and to provide an indication of the grain size of the Wild-2 particles before they were removed from the aerogel. This information provides a catalog of particle types, allowing a more reasoned allocation of the particles to subsequent investigators based on a relatively detailed knowledge of the chemical composition and mineralogy of each particle. These measurements allowed a comparison of the chemical and mineralogical properties of the Wild-2 particles with other types of extraterrestrial materials, including interplanetary dust particles and meteorites. The success of in-situ analysis for Wild 2 particles demonstrates that synchrotron-based facilities will be important for the analysis of particles collected in aerogel on future earth-orbiting satellites and spacecraft.     

基于X射线脉冲星和星间链路的导航星座自主导航仿真研究

主要对基于X射线脉冲星和对基于星间链路的导航星座自主导航方法进行了仿真研究.同时提出了基于2种导航方法相融合的新方法,仿真研究证明两者融合的导航方法有效提高了位置估计精度,为导航星座自主导航研究提供了一种新的思路和实现途径.     

一种基于石墨烯的脉冲星导航X射线探测器

针对脉冲星导航要求X射线探测器具有高能量分辨率和高时间分辨率的需求,研究基于石墨烯电场效应来实现X射线探测的可行性。通过蒙特卡罗方法模拟不同能量X射线和不同厚度探测器基底的相互作用过程,得到不同厚度探测器对X射线的探测效率。利用有限元方法分析X射线在探测器内电离产生载流子的输运过程,验证了X射线入射对石墨烯电学特性的影响。理论分析计算探测器的时间分辨率和能量分辨率等指标参数,结果表明：基于石墨烯电场效应的X射线探测器具有较高的能量分辨率和时间分辨率,是一种潜力巨大的X射线探测方式,可满足未来脉冲星导航的工程应用。     

微孔光学阵列长宽比对X射线聚焦性能的影响

微孔光学阵列聚焦镜头是实现X射线探测系统高探测效率、轻小型化的有效手段,近年来得到了深入研究。X射线探测系统通过测量脉冲星辐射的X射线光子的到达时间,重构脉冲轮廓来实现航天器导航。为了获得更精确的脉冲星信号,必须尽可能多地收集X射线光子,因此探测系统的聚焦性能是X射线探测系统的核心指标,也是微孔光学阵列主要的设计目标。文章根据脉冲星能谱的分布特点,分析了微孔光学阵列通道长宽比对X射线聚焦性能的影响,提出了针对不同脉冲星选取特定长宽比的方法,实现了不同的脉冲星能谱分布下最优的聚焦效率,为后续微孔光学阵列的研制和工程搭载提供了参考。基于这种方法,文章对Crab脉冲星的能谱分布进行了微孔光学阵列设计,设计结果显示,其聚焦性能得到明显提高。     

Theoretical modelling of X-ray fluorescence signals for different lunar compositions and dependence on solar activity

We present a forward modelling technique for calculating the surface X-ray spectra for a variety of lunar terrains. Our calculations considered variations in solar fluxes from solar quiescent condition to large flare activity (M1 flare), and expected elemental concentrations in the target, as well as yield, instrumental, and viewing geometry parameters for X-ray induced fluorescence from the lunar surface. Additionally, we present estimates of anticipated XRF signals from prominent K_α lines observable by a collimated 14 cm² X-ray detector from a 100 km lunar orbit with ∼20 km spatial resolution. Our results show that Mg, Al and Si characteristic K_α lines can be observed for all solar conditions. The Ca K_α lines line can be differentiated from a fixed background during more energetic solar conditions such as C1 and M1 flares, whereas Ti and Fe lines are identifiable only during C1 and M1 solar flare conditions for Apollo 12 site composition. Both the K_α X-ray intensity ratios of Mg/Si and Al/Si correlate well with concentration ratios of Mg/Si and Al/Si, respectively, for B1 and M1 solar conditions. The K_α X-ray intensity ratios of Fe/Si and Ca/Si correlates with concentration ratios of Fe/Si and Ca/Si, respectively, for M1 solar condition. In principle, the modelling technique outlined here can be used to determine absolute elemental abundances (Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti and Fe) from X-ray spectra measured during recent and future lunar missions.     

脉冲星导航的整周模糊度解算方法研究

脉冲相位是X射线脉冲星导航方法的基本观测量,在测量的脉冲相位与预报相位比对的过程中存在整周期模糊度问题．借鉴GPS载波相位模糊度的解算方法,提出了单差搜索法、最小二乘搜索法和模糊度函数法3种空间搜索方法用以解算脉冲星导航系统的整周模糊度,并针对地球卫星完全迷失的情况进行了搜索仿真验证．结果表明,这3种方法都能够准确地解算出整周模糊度,均可用于脉冲星导航系统的在轨解算．其中最小二乘搜索法的性能稳定,搜索速度快;模糊度函数法搜索速度慢,但适用于装配单X射线探测器的脉冲星导航系统．     

X射线脉冲星自主导航的光子到达时间转换

根据广义相对论的后牛顿近似时空理论, 在忽略太阳系天体自转和扁率的情况下, 详细推导出X射线脉冲星自主导航中, 光子到达观测航天器和太阳系质心的时间差值, 它是对现行公式的修正．导出了质心坐标时与航天器固有时的变换关系, 根据这一关系, 建议在脉冲星导航的工程设计中可以仿照GPS, 将航天器携带时钟作频率调整, 从而有利于工程计算.      

太阳硬X射线爆简单脉冲峰的理论模型

ＳＭＭ卫星上γ射线谱仪（ＧＲＳ）于１９８０年２月至１９８２年１２月间，观测到１０３个强硬Ｘ射线爆发。根据它们的时间轮廓图，发现其中的２４个事件含有变化幅度大，时间轮廓平滑的简单脉冲峰。２４个峰在５４－１００ｋｅＶ能道的统计结果显示，时间轮廓的上相斜率与下降相斜率具有较好的相关性，相关系数达０．８０，且上升相斜率略大于下降相斜率，平均值比值约为１．３７，为了定理比较，根据它们斜率的平均值构造成了一个