The Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer

The Cassini-Huygens Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) is intended to provide direct observations of dust grains with masses between 10⁻¹⁹ and 10⁻⁹ kg in interplanetary space and in the jovian and saturnian systems, to investigate their physical, chemical and dynamical properties as functions of the distances to the Sun, to Jupiter and to Saturn and its satellites and rings, to study their interaction with the saturnian rings, satellites and magnetosphere. Chemical composition of interplanetary meteoroids will be compared with asteroidal and cometary dust, as well as with Saturn dust, ejecta from rings and satellites. Ring and satellites phenomena which might be effects of meteoroid impacts will be compared with the interplanetary dust environment. Electrical charges of particulate matter in the magnetosphere and its consequences will be studied, e.g. the effects of the ambient plasma and the magnetic field on the trajectories of dust particles as well as fragmentation of particles due to electrostatic disruption.The investigation will be performed with an instrument that measures the mass, composition, electric charge, speed, and flight direction of individual dust particles. It is a highly reliable and versatile instrument with a mass sensitivity 10⁶ times higher than that of the Pioneer 10 and 11 dust detectors which measured dust in the saturnian system. The Cosmic Dust Analyzer has significant inheritance from former space instrumentation developed for the VEGA, Giotto, Galileo, and Ulysses missions. It will reliably measure impacts from as low as 1 impact per month up to 10⁴ impacts per second. The instrument weighs 17 kg and consumes 12 W, the integrated time-of-flight mass spectrometer has a mass resolution of up to 50. The nominal data transmission rate is 524 bits/s and varies between 50 and 4192 bps.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

计算模拟月壤颗粒吸收及散射特性的一种球叠加模型

针对模拟月壤复杂的外形特征以及多相非均质的微观结构,提出了一种计算模拟月壤颗粒吸收及散射特性的球叠加模型。根据模拟月壤颗粒的形状指数和分形特征识别结果,归纳了4种主要的模拟月壤颗粒类型,并采用蒙特卡罗光线跟踪法研究了这4种颗粒在单色平行光照射下的吸收及散射特性。与已有的非球形颗粒辐射特性的算法比较显示,该模型具有良好的计算准确性。在数值计算的基础上,分析了颗粒尺度参数及光学常数对其自身辐射特性的影响,并通过改变平行光照下的光线入射角度,分析了非球形颗粒的朝向对其自身辐射特性的影响。由计算结果推断,该模型不仅可以应用于计算模拟月壤颗粒的辐射特性,还可以满足其他适用于几何光学近似的非球形粒子。     

“嫦娥三号”探测器月尘环境分析及试验要求

"嫦娥三号"是我国首个成功实施地外天体表面就位探测的航天器,在其研制过程中充分考虑了月面环境对探测器的影响,开展了针对性设计及地面验证工作。文章综述了探测器针对月尘环境方面的设计因素,总结了月面月尘激扬的因素及其相关数值分析工作,对月尘验证试验的设计及条件制定进行了说明。相关结果或工作思路可为后续月面探测器及火星表面探测器的研制提供参考。     

月尘对热控系统的退化影响

月尘对热控系统的退化影响直接威胁到探测器在月面的生存,是探测器热控系统设计时所必须考虑的技术重点和难点之一。随着我国探月工程的深入,急需开展月尘对热控系统影响程度的研究,文章在调研的基础上,阐述了目前国内外在月尘的特性、危害性和防护方面的研究现状,并探讨了针对月面探测器设计上的一些可行的防尘措施。     

开发月球车用的月表环境的地面模拟方法研究

当前中国正在进行自己的探月工程,预计将会发射月球车登陆月球表面.在研制月球探测器过程中,为了在地面验证月球车的可靠性和各项功能(如着陆冲击、自主巡航和遥控),必须建立相应的地面试验中心.根据目前对月球表面环境的认识和现有的仿真技术,文章提出了实现月表综合环境模拟的试验设施的设想.由于月球表面环境非常恶劣并且月表的地形也非常复杂,文章提出了一种组合式月表环境模拟器的设想.主要部分是模拟各种月貌特征(如陨石坑、斜坡、沟壑等)的可移动单元.每个单元是一个用模拟月壤制作的小沙盘,其化学成分、组成颗粒分布和力学性能和已经获取的真实月壤样品相似.根据不同的试验要求,选择相应的单元按照一定的规律组合成为试验场.这样在有限的场地面积内可以按需实现对月表不同地域的地貌特征模拟.同时,可以选择少量单元的组合构成更小规模的试验场,以方便与其它环境模拟器(如落塔,热/真空容器等)联合,实现模拟月表的综合环境.     

The Cool Interstellar Medium

Infrared spectroscopy and photometry with ISO covering most of the emission range of the interstellar medium has led to important progress in the understanding of the physics and chemistry of the gas, the nature and evolution of the dust grains and also the coupling between the gas and the grains. We review here the ISO results on the cool and low-excitation regions of the interstellar medium, where T _gas≲ 500 K, n _H∼ 100–10⁵ cm⁻³ and the electron density is a few 10⁻⁴. JEL codes: D24, L60, 047 Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom), and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.     

An ISO View on Interstellar and Cometary Ice Chemistry

The ISO-SWS instrument offering a large wavelength coverage and a resolution well adapted to the solid phase has changed our knowledge of the physical-chemical properties of ices in space. The discovery of many new ice features was reported and the comparison with dedicated laboratory experiments allowed the determination of more accurate abundances of major ice components. The presence of CO₂ ice has recently been confirmed with the SWS (Short Wavelength Spectrometer) as a dominant ice component of interstellar grain mantles. The bending mode of CO₂ ice shows a particular triple-peak structure which provides first evidence for extensive ice segregation in the line-of-sight toward massive protostars. A comparison of interstellar and cometary ices using recent ISO data and ground-based measurements has revealed important similarities but also indicated that comets contain, beside pristine interstellar material, admixtures of processed material. The investigation of molecules in interstellar clouds is essential to reveal the link between dust in the interstellar medium and in the Solar System. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interplanetary medium – A dusty plasma

The average mass of dust per volume in space equals that of the solar wind so that the interplanetary medium should provide an obvious region to study dust plasma interactions. While dust collective behavior is typically not observed in the interplanetary medium, the dust component rather consists of isolated grains screened by and interacting with the plasma. Space measurements have revealed several phenomena possibly resulting from dust plasma interactions, but most of the dust plasma interactions are at present not quantified. Examples are the production of neutrals and pick-up ions from the dust, dust impact generated field variations at spacecraft and magnetic field variations possibly caused by solar wind interacting with dust trails. Since dust particles carry a surface charge, they are exposed to the Lorentz force in the interplanetary magnetic field and for grains of sub-micrometer sizes acceleration can be substantial.     

韧性材料的冲蚀损伤数值仿真综述

砂尘造成韧性材料的冲蚀损伤现象和损伤演化规律是冲蚀机理研究的重要内容，基于相应冲蚀试验和数值仿真的分析 方法是揭示冲蚀机理的重要手段。回顾了砂尘冲蚀损伤研究的缘起和发展经历，在介绍砂尘冲蚀损伤机理的基础上，总结了当前 数值仿真研究的3种主流方法：有限元方法、无网格方法和计算流体动力学方法。从数值仿真角度针对砂尘对韧性材料造成的破 坏模式、砂尘冲击姿态、砂尘冲击速度和形状、砂尘破碎对材料去除机制的影响等4个方面综述了影响冲蚀损伤机理的主要因素 和当前研究进展。砂尘对韧性材料造成的破坏模式通常分为材料凹陷、滑动、犁削、切削等4种不同机制；砂尘的冲击姿态决定了 材料的损伤模式；砂尘的冲击速度和砂尘的形状决定了材料的损伤严重程度；砂尘破碎现象对材料的去除机制有一定影响。     

The Coma of Comet 9P/Tempel 1

As comet 9P/Tempel 1 approaches the Sun in 2004–2005, a temporary atmosphere, or “coma,” will form, composed of molecules and dust expelled from the nucleus as its component icy volatiles sublimate. Driven mainly by water ice sublimation at surface temperatures T > 200 K, this coma is a gravitationally unbound atmosphere in free adiabatic expansion. Near the nucleus (≤ 10² km), it is in collisional equilibrium, at larger distances (≥10⁴ km) it is in free molecular flow. Ultimately the coma components are swept into the comet’s plasma and dust tails or simply dissipate into interplanetary space. Clues to the nature of the cometary nucleus are contained in the chemistry and physics of the coma, as well as with its variability with time, orbital position, and heliocentric distance. The DI instrument payload includes CCD cameras with broadband filters covering the optical spectrum, allowing for sensitive measurement of dust in the comet’s coma, and a number of narrowband filters for studying the spatial distribution of several gas species. DI also carries the first near-infrared spectrometer to a comet flyby since the VEGA mission to Halley in 1986. This spectrograph will allow detection of gas emission lines from the coma in unprecedented detail. Here we discuss the current state of understanding of the 9P/Tempel 1 coma, our expectations for the measurements DI will obtain, and the predicted hazards that the coma presents for the spacecraft. An erratum to this article is available at .