Microscopic approach to analyze solar-sail space-environment effects

Near-sun space-environment effects on metallic thin films solar sails as well as hollow-body sails with inflation fill gas are considered. Analysis of the interaction of the solar radiation with the solar-sail materials is presented. This analysis evaluates worst-case solar radiation effects during solar-radiation-pressure acceleration. The dependence of the thickness of solar sail on temperature and on wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum of solar radiation is investigated. Physical processes of the interactions of photons, electrons, protons and α-particles with sail material atoms and nuclei, and inflation fill gas molecules are analyzed. Calculations utilized conservative assumptions with the highest values for the available cross sections for interactions of solar photons, electrons and protons with atoms, nuclei and hydrogen molecules. It is shown that for high-energy photons, electrons and protons the beryllium sail is mostly transparent. Sail material will be partially ionized by solar UV and low-energy solar electrons. For a hollow-body photon sail effects including hydrogen diffusion through the solar-sail walls, and electrostatic pressure is considered. Electrostatic pressure caused by the electrically charged sail’s electric field may require mitigation since sail material tensile strength decreases with elevated temperature. It also can substitute inflation-gas pressure loss due to gas diffusion and perforation by micrometeoroids impact to keep the sail inflated.     

Evidence of the radio-quiet hard X-ray precursor of the 13 December 2006 solar flare

We report multi-wavelength investigation of the pre-impulsive phase of the 13 December 2006 X-class solar flare. We use hard X-ray data from the anticoincidence system of spectrometer onboard INTEGRAL (ACS) jointly with soft X-ray data from the GOES-12 and Hinode satellites. Radio data are from Nobeyama and Learmonth solar observatories and from the Culgoora Solar Radio Spectrograph. The main finding of our analysis is a spiky increase of the ACS count rate accompanied by surprisingly gradual and weak growth of microwave emission and without detectable radio emission at meter and decimeter wavelengths about 10 min prior to the impulsive phase of the solar flare. At the time of this pre-flare hard X-ray burst the onset of the GOES soft X-ray event has been reported, positive derivative of the GOES soft X-ray flux started to rise and a bright spot has appeared in the images of the Hinode X-ray telescope (XRT) between the flare ribbons near the magnetic inversion line close to the sources of thermal and non-thermal hard X-ray emission observed by Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) during the flare. These facts we consider as evidences of solar origin of the increased pre-flare ACS count rate. We briefly discuss a possible cause of the pre-flare emission peculiarities.     

R3D-B2 – Measurement of ionizing and solar radiation in open space in the BIOPAN 5 facility outside the FOTON M2 satellite

Solar and space radiation have been monitored using the R3D-B2 radiation risks radiometer-dosimeter on board a recent space flight on the Russian satellite Foton M2 within the ESA Biopan 5 facility mounted on the outside of the satellite exposed to space conditions. The solar radiation has been assayed in four wavelength bands (UV-C, 170–280 nm, UV-B, 280–315 nm), UV-A (315–400 nm) and PAR (photosynthetic active radiation, 400–700 nm). The data show an increasing tumbling rotation of the satellite during the mission. The photodiodes do not show a cosine response to the incident light which has been corrected. After calibration of the signals using the extraterrestrial spectrum, doses have been calculated for each orbit, for each day and for the total mission as basic data for the biological material which has been exposed in parallel in the Biopan facility. Cosmic ionizing radiation has been monitored and separated in 256 deposited energy spectra, which were further used for determination of the absorbed dose rate and flux. Basic data tables were prepared to be used by other Biopan 5 experiments. The paper summarizes the results for the Earth radiation environment at the altitude (262–304 km) of the Foton M2 spacecraft. Comparisons with the predictions of NASA Earth radiation environment experimental models AE-8 and AP-8, and the PSB97 model are also presented, which calculate the fluxes of ionizing radiation from a simulation. AP-8 is a model for trapped radiation.     

CME–flare association during the 23rd solar cycle

The relation between coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares are statistically studied. More than 10,000 CME events observed by SOHO/LASCO during the period 1996–2005 have been analyzed. The soft X-ray flux measurements provided by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), recorded more than 20,000 flares in the same time period. The data is filtered under certain temporal and spatial conditions to select the CME–flare associated events. The results show that CME–flare associated events are triggered with a lift-off time within the range 0.4–1.0 h. We list a set of 41 CME–flare associated events satisfying the temporal and spatial conditions. The listed events show a good correlation between the CME energy and the X-ray flux of the CME–flare associated events with correlation coefficient of 0.76.     

风洞模型位移光学测量技术应用综述

风洞试验中,模型姿态的测量是影响数据精准度的一个重要因素,而测量上的一个微小变化,常常对实际应用价值造成巨大影响.当代测量技术发展的一个新领域是应用光学技术.概述了国外主要的风洞模型位移光学测量系统,包括测量依据、应用风洞、模型要求、数据后处理以及精度情况.这些测量系统应用于静态试验和动态试验中,用于模型位移、姿态角和弯曲变形的测量.从应用现状、应用环节、操作步骤、发展趋势等方面进行了描述,并给出了结论.比较这些模型位移光学测量技术可知它们各有优缺点,应用条件不一样.     

空间TDICCD相机动态信噪比计算方法研究

信噪比是空间光学相机系统的主要设计指标之一,可用于表征相机的辐射性能。文章通过建立遥感卫星轨道模型,分析计算一年中任意时刻用太阳高度角和卫星观测角描述太阳、卫星、地面目标点之间的相对位置关系,并将计算得到的卫星观测角和太阳高度角等参数导入大气传输软件MODTRAN,输出在相机入瞳处的地面目标光谱辐亮度,再根据信噪比的计算方法,最后完成TDICCD相机动态的信噪比计算值。通过该方法,可以计算任一时刻任一观测目标的信噪比,这将有利于判断在某一时刻的能量是否满足观测要求,以随时改变TDICCD的探测器级数,使得成像像质达到最佳。     

直角棱镜用作自准直反光镜的光学特性

针对光学准直系统中用作反射镜的直角棱镜的特点,使用三维空间解析几何方法,对入射光线与反射光线的空间位置进行分析,推导出了直角棱镜的棱线水平度（或铅垂度）对斜瞄时测量结果影响的计算公式,并进行了实验验证。     

测向交叉定位系统中的最优交会角研究

研究了测向交叉定位系统中的最优交会角问题。在目标到两部被动传感器基线之间的垂直距离不同的情况下和最小圆概率误差（CEP）准则下,得出了一些有意义的结论。研究表明,最优交会角跟目标到两部传感器基线的垂直距离与基线长度的比值l有关。当l≥√3/6时,只存在一个最优交会角且此时目标与两部被动传感器呈等腰三角形,并在此情况下分析了l的变化对圆概率误差的影响。当l＜√3/6时,存在两个相等的最优交会角。得出的结论在多个被动传感器的优化配置进而提高目标定位精度方面具有一定的理论和实际意义。     

风洞模型位移光学测量技术应用综述

风洞试验中,模型姿态的测量是影响数据精准度的一个重要因素,而测量上的一个微小变化,常常对实际应用价值造成巨大影响。当代测量技术发展的一个新领域是应用光学技术。概述了国外主要的风洞模型位移光学测量系统,包括测量依据、应用风洞、模型要求、数据后处理以及精度情况。这些测量系统应用于静态试验和动态试验中,用于模型位移、姿态角和弯曲变形的测量。从应用现状、应用环节、操作步骤、发展趋势等方面进行了描述,并给出了结论。比较这些模型位移光学测量技术可知它们各有优缺点,应用条件不一样。     

AVS-F observations of γ-ray emission during January 20, 2005 solar flare up to 140 MeV

The solar flare of January 20, 2005 (X7.1, 06:36–07:26 UT, maximum at 07:01 UT by the GOES soft X-ray data) was the most powerful one in January 2005 series. The AVS-F apparatus onboard CORONAS-F registered γ-emission during soft X-ray rising phase of this flare in two energy ranges of 0.1–20 MeV and 2–140 MeV. The highest γ-ray energy registered during this flare was ∼140 MeV. Six spectral features were registered in energy spectrum of this solar flare: annihilation + αα (0.4–0.6 MeV), ²⁴Mg + ²⁰Ne + ²⁸Si + neutron capture (1.7–2.3 MeV), ²¹Ne + ²²Ne + ¹⁶O + ¹²С (3.2–5.0 MeV), ¹⁶O (5.3–6.9 MeV), one from neutral pions decay (25–110 MeV) and one in energy band 15–21 MeV. Four of them contain typical for solar flares lines – annihilation, nuclear de-excitation and neutron capture at ¹H. Spectral feature caused by neutral pions decay was registered during several flares too. Some spectral peculiarities in the region of 15–21 MeV were first observed in solar flare energy spectrum.