The Thermal Infrared Sensor onboard NASA's Mars 2020 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, G.; Perez-Izquierdo, J.; Sebastian, E.; Ramos, M.; Bravo, A.; Mazo, M.; Rodriguez-Manfredi, J. A.

2017-12-01

NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission is scheduled for launch in July/August 2020 and will address key questions about the potential for life on Mars. The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) is one of the seven instruments onboard the rover [1] and has been designed to assess the environmental conditions across the rover traverse. MEDA will extend the current record of in-situ meteorological measurements at the surface [2] to other locations on Mars. The Thermal InfraRed Sensor (TIRS) [3] is one of the six sensors comprising MEDA. TIRS will use three downward-looking channels to measure (1) the surface skin temperature (with high heritage from the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station onboard the Mars Science Laboratory mission [4]), (2) the upwelling thermal infrared radiation from the surface and (3) the reflected solar radiation at the surface, and two upward-looking channels to measure the (4) downwelling thermal infrared radiation at the surface and (5) the atmospheric temperature. In combination with other MEDA's sensors, TIRS will allow the quantification of the surface energy budget [5] and the determination of key geophysical properties of the terrain such as the albedo and thermal inertia with an unprecedented spatial resolution. Here we present a general description of the TIRS, with focus on its scientific requirements and results from field campaigns showing the performance of the different channels. References:[1] Rodríguez-Manfredi, J. A. et al. (2014), MEDA: An environmental and meteorological package for Mars 2020, LPSC, 45, 2837. [2] Martínez, G.M. et al. (2017), The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity, Space Science Reviews, 1-44. [3] Pérez-Izquierdo, J. et al. (2017), The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) of the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) Instrument onboard Mars 2020, IEEE. [4] Sebastián, E. et al. (2010), The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground

The TESIS experiment on the CORONAS-PHOTON spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzin, S. V.; Zhitnik, I. A.; Shestov, S. V.; Bogachev, S. A.; Bugaenko, O. I.; Ignat'ev, A. P.; Pertsov, A. A.; Ulyanov, A. S.; Reva, A. A.; Slemzin, V. A.; Sukhodrev, N. K.; Ivanov, Yu. S.; Goncharov, L. A.; Mitrofanov, A. V.; Popov, S. G.; Shergina, T. A.; Solov'ev, V. A.; Oparin, S. N.; Zykov, A. M.

2011-04-01

On February 26, 2009, the first data was obtained in the TESIS experiment on the research of the solar corona using imaging spectroscopy. The TESIS is a part of the scientific equipment of the CORONAS-PHO-TON spacecraft and is designed for imaging the solar corona in soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet regions of the spectrum with high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions at altitudes from the transition region to three solar radii. The article describes the main characteristics of the instrumentation, management features, and operation modes.

Onboard Autonomy and Ground Operations Automation for the Intelligent Payload Experiment (IPEX) CubeSat Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Steve; Doubleday, Joshua; Ortega, Kevin; Tran, Daniel; Bellardo, John; Williams, Austin; Piug-Suari, Jordi; Crum, Gary; Flatley, Thomas

2012-01-01

The Intelligent Payload Experiment (IPEX) is a cubesat manifested for launch in October 2013 that will flight validate autonomous operations for onboard instrument processing and product generation for the Intelligent Payload Module (IPM) of the Hyperspectral Infra-red Imager (HyspIRI) mission concept. We first describe the ground and flight operations concept for HyspIRI IPM operations. We then describe the ground and flight operations concept for the IPEX mission and how that will validate HyspIRI IPM operations. We then detail the current status of the mission and outline the schedule for future development.

L-shell bifurcation of electron outer belt at the recovery phase of geomagnetic storm as observed by STEP-F and SphinX instruments onboard the CORONAS-Photon satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Dudnik, Oleksiy; Sylwester, Janusz; Kowalinski, Miroslaw; Podgorski, Piotr

2016-07-01

Radiation belts and sporadically arising volumes comprising enhanced charged particle fluxes in the Earth's magnetosphere are typically studied by space-borne telescopes, semiconductor, scintillation, gaseous and other types of detectors. Ambient and internal electron bremsstrahlung in hard X-ray arises as a result of interaction of precipitating particles with the atmosphere (balloon experiments) and with the satellite's housings and instrument boxes (orbital experiments). Theses emissions provide a number of new information on the physics of radiation belts. The energies of primary electrons and their spectra responsible for measured X-ray emissions remain usually unknown. Combined measurements of particle fluxes, and their bremsstrahlung by individual satellite instruments placed next to each other provide insight to respective processes. The satellite telescope of electrons and protons STEP-F and the solar X-ray spectrophotometer SphinX were placed in close proximity to each other aboard CORONAS-Photon, the low, circular and highly inclined orbit satellite. Based on joint analysis of the data we detected new features in the high energy particle distributions of the Earth's magnetosphere during deep minimum of solar activity [1-3]. In this research the bifurcation of Van Allen outer electron radiation belt during the weak geomagnetic storm and during passage of interplanetary shock are discussed. Outer belt bifurcation and growth of electron fluxes in a wide energy range were recorded by both instruments during the recovery phase of May 8, 2009 substorm. STEP-F recorded also barely perceptible outer belt splitting on August 5, 2009, after arrival of interplanetary shock to the Earth's magnetosphere bowshock. The STEP-F and SphinX data are compared with the space weather indexes, and with relativistic electron fluxes observed at geostationary orbit. We discuss possible mechanism of the phenomena consisting in the splitting of drift shells because of Earth

Nano-FTIR Spectroscopy to Investigate the Silicate Mineralogy of Mercury Analogues: Supporting MERTIS Onboard BepiColombo Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Varatharajan, I.; Maturilli, A.; Helbert, J.; Ulrich, G.; Born, K.; Namur, O.; Kästner, B.; Hecht, L.; Charlier, B.; Hiesinger, H.

2018-05-01

Nano-FTIR Spectroscopy is used to investigate the silicate mineralogy of synthetic Mercury analogues produced under reduced conditions representing different Mercury terrains. The study will support MERTIS payload onboard BepiColombo mission.

The on-board data handling system of the AFIS-P mission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaisbauer, Dominic; Greenwald, Daniel; Hahn, Alexander; Hauptmann, Philipp; Konorov, Igor; Meng, Lingxin; Paul, Stephan; Poeschl, Thomas [Physics Department E18, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany); Losekamm, Martin [Physics Department E18, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany); Institute of Astronautics, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany); Renker, Dieter [Physics Department E17, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany)

2014-07-01

The Antiproton Flux in Space experiment (AFIS) is a novel particle detector comprised of silicon photomultipliers and scintillating plastic fibers. Its purpose is to measure the trapped antiproton flux in low Earth orbit. To test the detector and the data acquisition system, a prototype detector will be flown aboard a high altitude research balloon as part of the REXUS/BEXUS program by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). This talk presents the on-board data handling system and the ground support equipment of AFIS-P. It will also highlight the data handling algorithms developed and used for the mission.

Space Station Engineering and Technology Development. Proceedings of the Panel on Program Performance and Onboard Mission Control

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

An ad-hoc committee was asked to review the following questions relevant to the space station program: (1) onboard maintainability and repair; (2) in-space research and technology program and facility plans; (3) solar thermodynamic research and technology development program planning; (4) program performance (cost estimating, management, and cost avoidance); (5) onboard versus ground-based mission control; and (6) technology development road maps from IOC to the growth station. The objective of these new assignments is to provide NASA with advice on ways and means for improving the content, performance, and/or effectiveness of these elements of the space station program.

Fuel Effective Photonic Propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Rajalakshmi, N.; Srivarshini, S.

2017-09-01

With the entry of miniaturization in electronics and ultra-small light-weight materials, energy efficient propulsion techniques for space travel can soon be possible. We need to go for such high speeds so that the generation’s time long interstellar missions can be done in incredibly short time. Also renewable energy like sunlight, nuclear energy can be used for propulsion instead of fuel. These propulsion techniques are being worked on currently. The recently proposed photon propulsion concepts are reviewed, that utilize momentum of photons generated by sunlight or onboard photon generators, such as blackbody radiation or lasers, powered by nuclear or solar power. With the understanding of nuclear photonic propulsion, in this paper, a rough estimate of nuclear fuel required to achieve the escape velocity of Earth is done. An overview of the IKAROS space mission for interplanetary travel by JAXA, that was successful in demonstrating that photonic propulsion works and also generated additional solar power on board, is provided; which can be used as a case study. An extension of this idea for interstellar travel, termed as ‘Star Shot’, aims to send a nanocraft to an exoplanet in the nearest star system, which could be potentially habitable. A brief overview of the idea is presented.

Science objectives of the magnetic field experiment onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Vipin K.; Srivastava, Nandita; Ghosh, S. S.; Srikar, P. T.; Subhalakshmi, Krishnamoorthy

2018-01-01

The Aditya-L1 is first Indian solar mission scheduled to be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1) of Sun-Earth system in the year 2018-19. The approved scientific payloads onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft includes a Fluxgate Digital Magnetometer (FGM) to measure the local magnetic field which is necessary to supplement the outcome of other scientific experiments onboard. The in-situ vector magnetic field data at L1 is essential for better understanding of the data provided by the particle and plasma analysis experiments, onboard Aditya-L1 mission. Also, the dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can be better understood with the help of in-situ magnetic field data at the L1 point region. This data will also serve as crucial input for the short lead-time space weather forecasting models. The proposed FGM is a dual range magnetic sensor on a 6 m long boom mounted on the Sun viewing panel deck and configured to deploy along the negative roll direction of the spacecraft. Two sets of sensors (tri-axial each) are proposed to be mounted, one at the tip of boom (6 m from the spacecraft) and other, midway (3 m from the spacecraft). The main science objective of this experiment is to measure the magnitude and nature of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) locally and to study the disturbed magnetic conditions and extreme solar events by detecting the CME from Sun as a transient event. The proposed secondary science objectives are to study the impact of interplanetary structures and shock solar wind interaction on geo-space environment and to detect low frequency plasma waves emanating from the solar corona at L1 point. This will provide a better understanding on how the Sun affects interplanetary space. In this paper, we shall give the main scientific objectives of the magnetic field experiment and brief technical details of the FGM onboard Aditya-1 spacecraft.

Verification of ICESat-2/ATLAS Science Receiver Algorithm Onboard Databases

Science.gov (United States)

Carabajal, C. C.; Saba, J. L.; Leigh, H. W.; Magruder, L. A.; Urban, T. J.; Mcgarry, J.; Schutz, B. E.

2013-12-01

NASA's ICESat-2 mission will fly the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimetry System (ATLAS) instrument on a 3-year mission scheduled to launch in 2016. ATLAS is a single-photon detection system transmitting at 532nm with a laser repetition rate of 10 kHz, and a 6 spot pattern on the Earth's surface. A set of onboard Receiver Algorithms will perform signal processing to reduce the data rate and data volume to acceptable levels. These Algorithms distinguish surface echoes from the background noise, limit the daily data volume, and allow the instrument to telemeter only a small vertical region about the signal. For this purpose, three onboard databases are used: a Surface Reference Map (SRM), a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and a Digital Relief Maps (DRMs). The DEM provides minimum and maximum heights that limit the signal search region of the onboard algorithms, including a margin for errors in the source databases, and onboard geolocation. Since the surface echoes will be correlated while noise will be randomly distributed, the signal location is found by histogramming the received event times and identifying the histogram bins with statistically significant counts. Once the signal location has been established, the onboard Digital Relief Maps (DRMs) will be used to determine the vertical width of the telemetry band about the signal. University of Texas-Center for Space Research (UT-CSR) is developing the ICESat-2 onboard databases, which are currently being tested using preliminary versions and equivalent representations of elevation ranges and relief more recently developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Global and regional elevation models have been assessed in terms of their accuracy using ICESat geodetic control, and have been used to develop equivalent representations of the onboard databases for testing against the UT-CSR databases, with special emphasis on the ice sheet regions. A series of verification checks have been implemented, including

The EUV-observatory TESIS on board Coronas-Photon: scientific goals and initial plan of observations

Science.gov (United States)

Bogachev, Sergey

The TESIS a EUV-observatory for solar research from space will be launched in 2008 September on board the satellite Coronas-Photon from cosmodrome Plesetsk. TESIS is a project of Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Science with contribution from Space Research Center of Polish Academy of Science (the spectrometer SphinX). The experiment will focus on quasi-monochromatic imaging of the Sun and XUV spectroscopy of solar plasma. The scientific payload of TESIS contains five instruments: (1) Bragg crystal spectroheliometer for Sun monochromatic imaging in the line MgXII 8.42 A, (2) the normal-incidence Herschelian EUV telescopes with a resolution of 1.7 arc sec operated in lines FeXXII 133 A, FeIX 171 A and HeII 304 A, (3) the EUV imaging spectrometer, (4) the wide-field Ritchey-Chretien coronograph and (5) the X-ray spectrometer SphinX. The TESIS will focus on coordinated study of solar activity from the transition region to the outer corona up to 4 solar radii in wide temperature range from 5*104 to 2*107 K. We describe the scientific goals of the TESIS and its initial plan of observations.

Parker Solar Probe: A NASA Mission to Touch the Sun: Mission Status Update

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, N. J.

2017-12-01

The newly renamed, Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission will be the first mission to fly into the low solar corona, revealing how the corona is heated and the solar wind and energetic particles are accelerated, solving fundamental mysteries that have been top priority science goals since such a mission was first proposed in 1958. The scale and concept of such a mission has been revised at intervals since that time, yet the core has always been a close encounter with the Sun. The primary science goal of the Parker Solar Probe mission is to determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun's coronal magnetic field, understand how the solar corona and wind are heated and accelerated, and determine what mechanisms accelerate and transport energetic particles. PSP uses an innovative mission design, significant technology development and a risk-reducing engineering development to meet the science objectives. In this presentation, we provide an update on the progress of the Parker Solar Probe mission as we prepare for the July 2018 launch.

Solar Probe Plus: A NASA Mission to Touch the SunMission Status Update

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, N. J.

2016-12-01

Solar Probe Plus (SPP), currently in Phase D, will be the first mission to fly into the low solar corona, revealing how the corona is heated and the solar wind and energetic particles are accelerated, solving fundamental mysteries that have been top priority science goals since such a mission was first proposed in 1958. The scale and concept of such a mission has been revised at intervals since that time, yet the core has always been a close encounter with the Sun. The primary science goal of the Solar Probe Plus mission is to determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun's coronal magnetic field, understand how the solar corona and wind are heated and accelerated, and determine what mechanisms accelerate and transport energetic particles. SPP uses an innovative mission design, significant technology development and a risk-reducing engineering development to meet the SPP science objectives. In this presentation, we provide an update on the progress of the Solar Probe Plus mission as we prepare for the July 2018 launch.

An improved version of the Shadow Position Sensor readout electronics on-board the ESA PROBA-3 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Noce, V.; Focardi, M.; Buckley, S.; Bemporad, A.; Fineschi, S.; Pancrazzi, M.; Landini, F.; Baccani, C.; Capobianco, G.; Loreggia, D.; Casti, M.; Romoli, M.; Accatino, L.; Thizy, C.; Denis, F.; Ledent, P.

2017-08-01

PROBA-3 [1] [2] is a Mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) composed by two satellites flying in formation and aimed at achieving unprecedented performance in terms of relative positioning. The mission purpose is, in first place, technological: the repeated formation break and acquisition during each orbit (every about twenty hours) will be useful to demonstrate the efficacy of the closed-loop control system in keeping the formation-flying (FF) and attitude (i.e. the alignment with respect to the Sun) of the system. From the scientific side, instead, the two spacecraft will create a giant instrument about 150 m long: an externally occulted coronagraph named ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun) dedicated to the study of the inner part of the visible solar corona. The two satellites composing the mission are: the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC), hosting the Coronagraph Instrument (CI), and the disk-shaped (1.4 m diameter) Occulter Spacecraft (OSC). The PROBA-3 GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) system will employ several metrological subsystems to keep and retain the desired relative position and the absolute attitude (i.e. with respect to the Sun) of the aligned spacecraft, when in observational mode. The SPS subsystem [5] is one of these metrological instruments. It is composed of eight silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), sensors operated in photovoltaic mode [6] that will sense the penumbra light around the Instrument's pupil so to detect any FF displacement from the nominal position. In proximity of the CDR (Critical Design Review) phase, we describe in the present paper the changes occurred to design in the last year in consequence of the tests performed on the SPS Breadboard (Evaluation Board, EB) and the SPS Development Model (DM) and that will finally lead to the realization of the flight version of the SPS system.

Are All Flare Ribbons Simply Connected to the Corona?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Judge, Philip G. [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 (United States); Paraschiv, Alin; Lacatus, Daniela; Donea, Alina [Monash Center for Astrophysics, School of Mathematical Science, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Lindsey, Charlie, E-mail: judge@ucar.edu, E-mail: alina.donea@monash.edu, E-mail: alin.paraschiv@monash.edu, E-mail: daniela.lacatus@monash.edu, E-mail: indsey@cora.nwra.com [Northwest Research Associates, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2017-04-01

We consider the observational basis for the belief that flare ribbons in the chromosphere result from energy transport from the overlying corona. We study ribbons of small flares using magnetic and intensity data from the Hinode , Solar Dynamics Observatory , and IRIS missions. While most ribbons appear connected to the corona and overlie regions of significant vertical magnetic field, we examine one ribbon with no clear evidence for such connections. Evolving horizontal magnetic fields seen with Hinode suggest that reconnection with preexisting fields below the corona can explain the data. The identification of just one, albeit small, ribbon, with no apparent connection to the corona, leads us to conclude that at least two mechanisms are responsible for the heating that leads to flare ribbon emission.

A Space Weather mission concept: Observatories of the Solar Corona and Active Regions (OSCAR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strugarek, Antoine; Janitzek, Nils; Lee, Arrow

2015-01-01

advancements in the field of solar physics, improvements of the current CME prediction models, and provide data for reliable space weather forecasting. These objectives are achieved by utilising two spacecraft with identical instrumentation, located at a heliocentric orbital distance of 1 AU from the Sun......Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) are major sources of magnetic storms on Earth and are therefore considered to be the most dangerous space weather events. The Observatories of Solar Corona and Active Regions (OSCAR) mission is designed to identify the 3D...... structure of coronal loops and to study the trigger mechanisms of CMEs in solar Active Regions (ARs) as well as their evolution and propagation processes in the inner heliosphere. It also aims to provide monitoring and forecasting of geo-effective CMEs and CIRs. OSCAR would contribute to significant...

Onboard radiation shielding estimates for interplanetary manned missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Totemeier, A.; Jevremovic, T.; Hounshel, D.

2004-01-01

The main focus of space related shielding design is to protect operating systems, personnel and key structural components from outer space and onboard radiation. This paper summarizes the feasibility of a lightweight neutron radiation shield design for a nuclear powered, manned space vehicle. The Monte Carlo code MCNP5 is used to determine radiation transport characteristics of the different materials and find the optimized shield configuration. A phantom torso encased in air is used to determine a dose rate for a crew member on the ship. Calculation results indicate that onboard shield against neutron radiation coming from nuclear engine can be achieved with very little addition of weight to the space vehicle. The selection of materials and neutron transport analysis as presented in this paper are useful starting data to design shield against neutrons generated when high-energy particles from outer space interact with matter on the space vehicle. (authors)

Design of a mission network system using SpaceWire for scientific payloads onboard the Arase spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Takashima, Takeshi; Ogawa, Emiko; Asamura, Kazushi; Hikishima, Mitsuru

2018-05-01

Arase is a small scientific satellite program conducted by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which is dedicated to the detailed study of the radiation belts around Earth through in situ observations. In particular, the goal is to directly observe the interaction between plasma waves and particles, which cause the generation of high-energy electrons. To observe the waves and particles in detail, we must record large volumes of burst data with high transmission rates through onboard mission network systems. For this purpose, we developed a high-speed and highly reliable mission network based on SpaceWire, as well as a new and large memory data recorder equipped with a data search function based on observation time (the time index, TI, is the satellite time starting from when the spacecraft is powered on.) with respect to the orbital data generated in large quantities. By adopting a new transaction concept of a ring topology network with SpaceWire, we could secure a redundant mission network system without using large routers and having to suppress the increase in cable weight. We confirmed that their orbit performs as designed.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Rapid Onboard Trajectory Design for Autonomous Spacecraft in Multibody Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Trumbauer, Eric Michael

This research develops automated, on-board trajectory planning algorithms in order to support current and new mission concepts. These include orbiter missions to Phobos or Deimos, Outer Planet Moon orbiters, and robotic and crewed missions to small bodies. The challenges stem from the limited on-board computing resources which restrict full trajectory optimization with guaranteed convergence in complex dynamical environments. The approach taken consists of leveraging pre-mission computations to create a large database of pre-computed orbits and arcs. Such a database is used to generate a discrete representation of the dynamics in the form of a directed graph, which acts to index these arcs. This allows the use of graph search algorithms on-board in order to provide good approximate solutions to the path planning problem. Coupled with robust differential correction and optimization techniques, this enables the determination of an efficient path between any boundary conditions with very little time and computing effort. Furthermore, the optimization methods developed here based on sequential convex programming are shown to have provable convergence properties, as well as generating feasible major iterates in case of a system interrupt -- a key requirement for on-board application. The outcome of this project is thus the development of an algorithmic framework which allows the deployment of this approach in a variety of specific mission contexts. Test cases related to missions of interest to NASA and JPL such as a Phobos orbiter and a Near Earth Asteroid interceptor are demonstrated, including the results of an implementation on the RAD750 flight processor. This method fills a gap in the toolbox being developed to create fully autonomous space exploration systems.

Evaluation of Crew-Centric Onboard Mission Operations Planning and Execution Tool: Year 2

Science.gov (United States)

Hillenius, S.; Marquez, J.; Korth, D.; Rosenbaum, M.; Deliz, Ivy; Kanefsky, Bob; Zheng, Jimin

2018-01-01

Currently, mission planning for the International Space Station (ISS) is largely affected by ground operators in mission control. The task of creating a week-long mission plan for ISS crew takes dozens of people multiple days to complete, and is often created far in advance of its execution. As such, re-planning or adapting to changing real-time constraints or emergent issues is similarly taxing. As we design for future mission operations concepts to other planets or areas with limited connectivity to Earth, more of these ground-based tasks will need to be handled autonomously by the crew onboard.There is a need for a highly usable (including low training time) tool that enables efficient self-scheduling and execution within a single package. The ISS Program has identified Playbook as a potential option. It already has high crew acceptance as a plan viewer from previous analogs and can now support a crew self-scheduling assessment on ISS or on another mission. The goals of this work, a collaboration between the Human Research Program and the ISS Program, are to inform the design of systems for more autonomous crew operations and provide a platform for research on crew autonomy for future deep space missions. Our second year of the research effort have included new insights on the crew self-scheduling sessions performed by the crew through use on the HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) and NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) analogs. Use on the NEEMO analog involved two self-scheduling strategies where the crew planned and executed two days of EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activities). On HERA year two represented the first HERA campaign where we were able to perform research tasks. This involved selected flexible activities that the crew could schedule, mock timelines where the crew completed more complex planning exercises, usability evaluation of the crew self-scheduling features, and more insights into the limit of plan complexity that the crew

Block Copolymer Micelles for Photonic Fluids and Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Poutanen, Mikko; Guidetti, Giulia; Gröschel, Tina I; Borisov, Oleg V; Vignolini, Silvia; Ikkala, Olli; Gröschel, Andre H

2018-03-15

Block copolymer micelles (BCMs) are self-assembled nanoparticles in solution with a collapsed core and a brush-like stabilizing corona typically in the size range of tens of nanometers. Despite being widely studied in various fields of science and technology, their ability to form structural colors at visible wavelength has not received attention, mainly due to the stringent length requirements of photonic lattices. Here, we describe the precision assembly of BCMs with superstretched corona, yet with narrow size distribution to qualify as building blocks for tunable and reversible micellar photonic fluids (MPFs) and micellar photonic crystals (MPCs). The BCMs form free-flowing MPFs with an average interparticle distance of 150-300 nm as defined by electrosteric repulsion arising from the highly charged and stretched corona. Under quiescent conditions, millimeter-sized MPCs with classical FCC lattice grow within the photonic fluid-medium upon refinement of the positional order of the BCMs. We discuss the generic properties of MPCs with special emphasis on surprisingly narrow reflected wavelengths with full width at half-maximum (fwhm) as small as 1 nm. We expect this concept to open a generic and facile way for self-assembled tunable micellar photonic structures.

NEOCE: a new external occulting coronagraph experiment for ultimate observations of the chromosphere, corona and interface

Science.gov (United States)

Damé, Luc; Fineschi, Silvano; Kuzin, Sergey; Von Fay-Siebenburgen, Erdélyi Robert

Several ground facilities and space missions are currently dedicated to the study of the Sun at high resolution and of the solar corona in particular. However, and despite significant progress with the advent of space missions and UV, EUV and XUV direct observations of the hot chromosphere and million-degrees coronal plasma, much is yet to be achieved in the understanding of these high temperatures, fine dynamic dissipative structures and of the coronal heating in general. Recent missions have shown the definite role of a wide range of waves and of the magnetic field deep in the inner corona, at the chromosphere-corona interface, where dramatic and physically fundamental changes occur. The dynamics of the chromosphere and corona is controlled and governed by the emerging magnetic field. Accordingly, the direct measurement of the chromospheric and coronal magnetic fields is of prime importance. The solar corona consists of many localised loop-like structures or threads with the plasmas brightening and fading independently. The plasma evolution in each thread is believed to be related to the formation of filaments, each one being dynamic, in a non-equilibrium state. The mechanism sustaining this dynamics, oscillations or waves (Alfvén or other magneto-plasma waves), requires both very high-cadence, multi-spectral observations, and high resolution and coronal magnetometry. This is foreseen in the future Space Mission NEOCE (New External Occulting Coronagraph Experiment), the ultimate new generation high-resolution coronagraphic heliospheric mission, to be proposed for ESA M4. NEOCE, an evolution of the HiRISE mission, is ideally placed at the L5 Lagrangian point (for a better follow-up of CMEs), and provides FUV imaging and spectro-imaging, EUV and XUV imaging and spectroscopy, and ultimate coronagraphy by a remote external occulter (two satellites in formation flying 375 m apart minimizing scattered light) allowing to characterize temperature, densities and

Using Onboard Telemetry for MAVEN Orbit Determination

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Try; Trawny, Nikolas; Lee, Clifford

2013-01-01

Determination of the spacecraft state has been traditional done using radiometric tracking data before and after the atmosphere drag pass. This paper describes our approach and results to include onboard telemetry measurements in addition to radiometric observables to refine the reconstructed trajectory estimate for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN). Uncertainties in the Mars atmosphere models, combined with non-continuous tracking degrade navigation accuracy, making MAVEN a key candidate for using onboard telemetry data to help complement its orbit determination process.

THE STRUCTURE AND SPECTRAL FEATURES OF A THIN DISK AND EVAPORATION-FED CORONA IN HIGH-LUMINOSITY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, J. Y.; Liu, B. F.; Qiao, E. L.; Mineshige, S.

2012-01-01

We investigate the accretion process in high-luminosity active galactic nuclei (HLAGNs) in the scenario of the disk evaporation model. Based on this model, the thin disk can extend down to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) at accretion rates higher than 0.02 M-dot Edd while the corona is weak since part of the coronal gas is cooled by strong inverse Compton scattering of the disk photons. This implies that the corona cannot produce as strong X-ray radiation as observed in HLAGNs with large Eddington ratio. In addition to the viscous heating, other heating to the corona is necessary to interpret HLAGN. In this paper, we assume that a part of accretion energy released in the disk is transported into the corona, heating up the electrons, and is thereby radiated away. For the first time, we compute the corona structure with additional heating, fully taking into account the mass supply to the corona, and find that the corona could indeed survive at higher accretion rates and that its radiation power increases. The spectra composed of bremsstrahlung and Compton radiation are also calculated. Our calculations show that the Compton-dominated spectrum becomes harder with the increase of energy fraction (f) liberating in the corona, and the photon index for hard X-ray (2-10 keV) is 2.2 bol /L 2-10keV ) increases with increasing accretion rate for f < 8/35, which is roughly consistent with the observational results.

Onboard software of Plasma Wave Experiment aboard Arase: instrument management and signal processing of Waveform Capture/Onboard Frequency Analyzer

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Shoya; Kasahara, Yoshiya; Kojima, Hirotsugu; Kasaba, Yasumasa; Yagitani, Satoshi; Ozaki, Mitsunori; Imachi, Tomohiko; Ishisaka, Keigo; Kumamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Ota, Mamoru; Kurita, Satoshi; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Hikishima, Mitsuru; Matsuoka, Ayako; Shinohara, Iku

2018-05-01

We developed the onboard processing software for the Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) onboard the Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace, Arase satellite. The PWE instrument has three receivers: Electric Field Detector, Waveform Capture/Onboard Frequency Analyzer (WFC/OFA), and the High-Frequency Analyzer. We designed a pseudo-parallel processing scheme with a time-sharing system and achieved simultaneous signal processing for each receiver. Since electric and magnetic field signals are processed by the different CPUs, we developed a synchronized observation system by using shared packets on the mission network. The OFA continuously measures the power spectra, spectral matrices, and complex spectra. The OFA obtains not only the entire ELF/VLF plasma waves' activity but also the detailed properties (e.g., propagation direction and polarization) of the observed plasma waves. We performed simultaneous observation of electric and magnetic field data and successfully obtained clear wave properties of whistler-mode chorus waves using these data. In order to measure raw waveforms, we developed two modes for the WFC, `chorus burst mode' (65,536 samples/s) and `EMIC burst mode' (1024 samples/s), for the purpose of the measurement of the whistler-mode chorus waves (typically in a frequency range from several hundred Hz to several kHz) and the EMIC waves (typically in a frequency range from a few Hz to several hundred Hz), respectively. We successfully obtained the waveforms of electric and magnetic fields of whistler-mode chorus waves and ion cyclotron mode waves along the Arase's orbit. We also designed the software-type wave-particle interaction analyzer mode. In this mode, we measure electric and magnetic field waveforms continuously and transfer them to the mission data recorder onboard the Arase satellite. We also installed an onboard signal calibration function (onboard SoftWare CALibration; SWCAL). We performed onboard electric circuit diagnostics and

STS-59 crewmembers in training for onboard Earth observations

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

The six astronauts in training for the STS-59 mission are shown onboard Earth observations tips by Justin Wilkinson (standing, foreground) of the Space Shuttle Earth Observations Project (SSEOP) group. Astronaut Sidney M. Gutierrez, mission commander, is at center on the left side of the table. Others, left to right, are Astronauts Kevin P. Chilton, pilot; Jerome (Jay) Apt and Michael R.U. (Rich) Clifford, both mission specialists; Linda M. Godwin, payload commander; and Thomas D. Jones, mission specialist.

Solar Probe Plus: A NASA Mission to Touch the Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, N. J.; Velli, M. M. C.; Kasper, J. C.; McComas, D. J.; Howard, R.; Bale, S. D.; Decker, R. B.

2014-12-01

Solar Probe Plus (SPP), currently in Phase C, will be the first mission to fly into the low solar corona, revealing how the corona is heated and the solar wind and energetic particles are accelerated, solving fundamental mysteries that have been top priority science goals since such a mission was first proposed in 1958. The scale and concept of such a mission has been revised at intervals since that time, yet the core has always been a close encounter with the Sun. The primary science goal of the Solar Probe Plus mission is to determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun's coronal magnetic field, understand how the solar corona and wind are heated and accelerated, and determine what mechanisms accelerate and transport energetic particles. The SPP mission will achieve this by identifying and quantifying the basic plasma physical processes at the heart of the Heliosphere. SPP uses an innovative mission design, significant technology development and a risk-reducing engineering development to meet the SPP science objectives: 1) Trace the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind; 2) Determine the structure and dynamics of the plasma and magnetic fields at the sources of the solar wind; and 3) Explore mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles. In this presentation, we present Solar Probe Plus and examine how the mission will address the science questions that have remained unanswered for over 5 decades.

Hot Coronae in Local AGN: Present Status and Future Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Marinucci

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The nuclear X-ray emission in radio-quiet Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN is commonly believed to be due to inverse Compton scattering of soft UV photons in a hot corona. The radiation is expected to be polarized, the polarization degree depending mainly on the geometry and optical depth of the corona. Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR observations are providing for the first time high quality measurements of the coronal physical parameters—temperature and optical depth. We hereby review the NuSTAR results on the coronal physical parameters (temperature and optical depth and discuss their implications for future X-ray polarimetric studies.

Web Design for Space Operations: An Overview of the Challenges and New Technologies Used in Developing and Operating Web-Based Applications in Real-Time Operational Support Onboard the International Space Station, in Astronaut Mission Planning and Mission Control Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Ahmed

2010-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Operations Planning Team, Mission Control Centre and Mission Automation Support Network (MAS) have all evolved over the years to use commercial web-based technologies to create a configurable electronic infrastructure to manage the complex network of real-time planning, crew scheduling, resource and activity management as well as onboard document and procedure management required to co-ordinate ISS assembly, daily operations and mission support. While these Web technologies are classified as non-critical in nature, their use is part of an essential backbone of daily operations on the ISS and allows the crew to operate the ISS as a functioning science laboratory. The rapid evolution of the internet from 1998 (when ISS assembly began) to today, along with the nature of continuous manned operations in space, have presented a unique challenge in terms of software engineering and system development. In addition, the use of a wide array of competing internet technologies (including commercial technologies such as .NET and JAVA ) and the special requirements of having to support this network, both nationally among various control centres for International Partners (IPs), as well as onboard the station itself, have created special challenges for the MCC Web Tools Development Team, software engineers and flight controllers, who implement and maintain this system. This paper presents an overview of some of these operational challenges, and the evolving nature of the solutions and the future use of COTS based rich internet technologies in manned space flight operations. In particular this paper will focus on the use of Microsoft.s .NET API to develop Web-Based Operational tools, the use of XML based service oriented architectures (SOA) that needed to be customized to support Mission operations, the maintenance of a Microsoft IIS web server onboard the ISS, The OpsLan, functional-oriented Web Design with AJAX

Optical design of visible emission line coronagraph on Indian space solar mission Aditya-L1

Science.gov (United States)

Raj Kumar, N.; Raghavendra Prasad, B.; Singh, Jagdev; Venkata, Suresh

2018-03-01

The ground based observations of the coronal emission lines using a coronagraph are affected by the short duration of clear sky and varying sky transparency. These conditions do not permit to study small amplitude variations in the coronal emission reliably necessary to investigate the process or processes involved in heating the coronal plasma and dynamics of solar corona. The proposed Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) over comes these limitations and will provide continuous observation 24 h a day needed for detailed studies of solar corona and drivers for space weather predictions. VELC payload onboard India's Aditya-L1 space mission is an internally occulted solar coronagraph for studying the temperature, velocity, density and heating of solar corona. To achieve the proposed science goals, an instrument which is capable of carrying out simultaneous imaging, spectroscopy and spectro-polarimetric observations of the solar corona close to the solar limb is required. VELC is designed with salient features of (a) Imaging solar corona at 500 nm with an angular resolution of 5 arcsec over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 3Ro (Ro:Solar radius) (b) Simultaneous multi-slit spectroscopy at 530.3 nm [Fe XIV],789.2 nm [Fe XI] and 1074.7 nm [Fe XIII] with spectral dispersion of 28mÅ, 31mÅ and 202mÅ per pixel respectively, over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 1.5Ro. (c) Multi-slit dual beam spectro-polarimetry at 1074.7 nm. All the components of instrument have been optimized in view of the scientific objectives and requirements of space payloads. In this paper we present the details of optical configuration and the expected performance of the payload.

Optical design of visible emission line coronagraph on Indian space solar mission Aditya-L1

Science.gov (United States)

Raj Kumar, N.; Raghavendra Prasad, B.; Singh, Jagdev; Venkata, Suresh

2018-04-01

The ground based observations of the coronal emission lines using a coronagraph are affected by the short duration of clear sky and varying sky transparency. These conditions do not permit to study small amplitude variations in the coronal emission reliably necessary to investigate the process or processes involved in heating the coronal plasma and dynamics of solar corona. The proposed Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) over comes these limitations and will provide continuous observation 24 h a day needed for detailed studies of solar corona and drivers for space weather predictions. VELC payload onboard India's Aditya-L1 space mission is an internally occulted solar coronagraph for studying the temperature, velocity, density and heating of solar corona. To achieve the proposed science goals, an instrument which is capable of carrying out simultaneous imaging, spectroscopy and spectro-polarimetric observations of the solar corona close to the solar limb is required. VELC is designed with salient features of (a) Imaging solar corona at 500 nm with an angular resolution of 5 arcsec over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 3Ro (Ro:Solar radius) (b) Simultaneous multi-slit spectroscopy at 530.3 nm [Fe XIV],789.2 nm [Fe XI] and 1074.7 nm [Fe XIII] with spectral dispersion of 28mÅ, 31mÅ and 202mÅ per pixel respectively, over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 1.5Ro. (c) Multi-slit dual beam spectro-polarimetry at 1074.7 nm. All the components of instrument have been optimized in view of the scientific objectives and requirements of space payloads. In this paper we present the details of optical configuration and the expected performance of the payload.

High-Speed On-Board Data Processing for Science Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Ng, Tak-Kwong; Lin, Bing; Hu, Yongxiang; Harrison, Wallace

2014-01-01

A new development of on-board data processing platform has been in progress at NASA Langley Research Center since April, 2012, and the overall review of such work is presented in this paper. The project is called High-Speed On-Board Data Processing for Science Instruments (HOPS) and focuses on a high-speed scalable data processing platform for three particular National Research Council's Decadal Survey missions such as Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS), Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystems (ACE), and Doppler Aerosol Wind Lidar (DAWN) 3-D Winds. HOPS utilizes advanced general purpose computing with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based algorithm implementation techniques. The significance of HOPS is to enable high speed on-board data processing for current and future science missions with its reconfigurable and scalable data processing platform. A single HOPS processing board is expected to provide approximately 66 times faster data processing speed for ASCENDS, more than 70% reduction in both power and weight, and about two orders of cost reduction compared to the state-of-the-art (SOA) on-board data processing system. Such benchmark predictions are based on the data when HOPS was originally proposed in August, 2011. The details of these improvement measures are also presented. The two facets of HOPS development are identifying the most computationally intensive algorithm segments of each mission and implementing them in a FPGA-based data processing board. A general introduction of such facets is also the purpose of this paper.

Dust Measurements Onboard the Deep Space Gateway

Science.gov (United States)

Horanyi, M.; Kempf, S.; Malaspina, D.; Poppe, A.; Srama, R.; Sternovsky, Z.; Szalay, J.

2018-02-01

A dust instrument onboard the Deep Space Gateway will revolutionize our understanding of the dust environment at 1 AU, help our understanding of the evolution of the solar system, and improve dust hazard models for the safety of crewed and robotic missions.

Multiwavelength analysis of a well observed flare from SMM. [Solar Maximum Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Macneice, P.; Pallavicini, R.; Mason, H. E.; Simnett, G. M.; Antonucci, E.; Shine, R. A.; Dennis, B. R.

1985-01-01

Observations of an M 1.4 flare which began at 17:00 UT on November 12, 1980, are presented and analyzed. Ground based H-alpha and magnetogram data have been combined with EUV, soft and hard X-ray observations made with instruments on-board the Solar Maximum Mission satellite. The preflare phase was marked by a gradual brightening of the flare site in O v and the disappearance of an H-alpha filament. Filament ejecta were seen in O v moving southward at a speed of about 60 km/s, before the impulsive phase. The flare loop footpoints brightened in H-alpha and the Ca XIX resonance line broadened dramatically 2 min before the impulsive phase. Nonthermal hard X-ray emission was detected from the loop footpoints during the impulsive phase, while during the same period blue-shifts corresponding to upflows of 200-250 km/s were seen in Ca XIX. Evidence was found for energy deposition in both the chromosphere and corona at a number of stages during the flare. Two widely studied mechanisms for the production of the high temperature soft X-ray flare plasma in the corona are considered, i.e. chromospheric evaporation, and a model in which the heating and transfer of material occurs between flux tubes during reconnection.

Validation of the Earth atmosphere models using the EUV solar occultation data from the CORONAS and PROBA 2 instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Slemzin, Vladimir; Kuzin, Sergey; Berghmans, David; Pertsov, Andrey; Dominique, Marie; Ulyanov, Artyom; Gaikovich, Konstantin

Absorption in the atmosphere below 500 km results in attenuation of the solar EUV flux, variation of its spectra and distortion of solar images acquired by solar EUV instruments operating on LEO satellites even on solar synchronous orbits. Occultation measurements are important for planning of solar observations from these satellites, and can be used for monitoring the upper atmosphere as well as for studying its response to the solar activity. We present the results of the occultation measurements of the solar EUV radiation obtained by the CORONAS-F/SPIRIT telescope at high solar activity (2002), by the CORONAS-Photon/TESIS telescope at low activity (2009), and by the SWAP telescope and LYRA radiometer onboard the PROBA 2 satellite at moderate activity (2010). The measured attenuation profiles and the retrieved linear extinction coefficients at the heights 200-500 km are compared with simulations by the NRLMSIS-00 and DTM2013 atmospheric models. It was shown that the results of simulations by the DTM2013 model are well agreed with the data of measurements at all stages of solar activity and in presence of the geomagnetic storm, whereas the results of the NRLMSISE-00 model significantly diverge from the measurements, in particular, at high and low activity. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement “eHeroes” (project No.284461, www.eheroes.eu).

Two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence of atomic oxygen in the afterglow of pulsed positive corona discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Ryo; Takezawa, Kei; Oda, Tetsuji

2009-08-01

Atomic oxygen is measured in the afterglow of pulsed positive corona discharge using time-resolved two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence. The discharge occurs in a 14 mm point-to-plane gap in dry air. After the discharge pulse, the atomic oxygen density decreases at a rate of 5×104 s-1. Simultaneously, ozone density increases at almost the same rate, where the ozone density is measured using laser absorption method. This agreement between the increasing rate of atomic oxygen and decreasing rate of ozone proves that ozone is mainly produced by the well-known three-body reaction, O+O2+M→O3+M. No other process for ozone production such as O2(v)+O2→O3+O is observed. The spatial distribution of atomic oxygen density is in agreement with that of the secondary streamer luminous intensity. This agreement indicates that atomic oxygen is mainly produced in the secondary streamer channels, not in the primary streamer channels.

On-Board Rendezvous Targeting for Orion

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, Michael W.; DSouza, Christopher N.

2010-01-01

The Orion On-board GNC system is among the most complex ever developed for a space mission. It is designed to operate autonomously (independent of the ground). The rendezvous system in particular was designed to operate on the far side of the moon, and in the case of loss-of-communications with the ground. The vehicle GNC system is designed to retarget the rendezvous maneuvers, given a mission plan. As such, all the maneuvers which will be performed by Orion, have been designed and are being incorporated into the flight code.

Characteristics of a corona discharge with a hot corona electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulumbaev, E. B.; Lelevkin, V. M.; Niyazaliev, I. A.; Tokarev, A. V.

2011-01-01

The effect of the temperature of the corona electrode on the electrical characteristics of a corona discharge was studied experimentally. A modified Townsend formula for the current-voltage characteristic of a one-dimensional corona is proposed. Gasdynamic and thermal characteristics of a positive corona discharge in a coaxial electrode system are calculated. The calculated results are compared with the experimental data.

Single photon laser altimeter simulator and statistical signal processing

Science.gov (United States)

Vacek, Michael; Prochazka, Ivan

2013-05-01

Spaceborne altimeters are common instruments onboard the deep space rendezvous spacecrafts. They provide range and topographic measurements critical in spacecraft navigation. Simultaneously, the receiver part may be utilized for Earth-to-satellite link, one way time transfer, and precise optical radiometry. The main advantage of single photon counting approach is the ability of processing signals with very low signal-to-noise ratio eliminating the need of large telescopes and high power laser source. Extremely small, rugged and compact microchip lasers can be employed. The major limiting factor, on the other hand, is the acquisition time needed to gather sufficient volume of data in repetitive measurements in order to process and evaluate the data appropriately. Statistical signal processing is adopted to detect signals with average strength much lower than one photon per measurement. A comprehensive simulator design and range signal processing algorithm are presented to identify a mission specific altimeter configuration. Typical mission scenarios (celestial body surface landing and topographical mapping) are simulated and evaluated. The high interest and promising single photon altimeter applications are low-orbit (˜10 km) and low-radial velocity (several m/s) topographical mapping (asteroids, Phobos and Deimos) and landing altimetry (˜10 km) where range evaluation repetition rates of ˜100 Hz and 0.1 m precision may be achieved. Moon landing and asteroid Itokawa topographical mapping scenario simulations are discussed in more detail.

Advanced Hybrid On-Board Data Processor - SpaceCube 2.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Develop advanced on-board processing to meet the requirements of the Decadal Survey missions: advanced instruments (hyper-spectral, SAR, etc) require advanced...

SWAP OBSERVATIONS OF THE LONG-TERM, LARGE-SCALE EVOLUTION OF THE EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET SOLAR CORONA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seaton, Daniel B.; De Groof, Anik; Berghmans, David; Nicula, Bogdan [Royal Observatory of Belgium-SIDC, Avenue Circulaire 3, B-1180 Brussels (Belgium); Shearer, Paul [Department of Mathematics, 2074 East Hall, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043 (United States)

2013-11-01

The Sun Watcher with Active Pixels and Image Processing (SWAP) EUV solar telescope on board the Project for On-Board Autonomy 2 spacecraft has been regularly observing the solar corona in a bandpass near 17.4 nm since 2010 February. With a field of view of 54 × 54 arcmin, SWAP provides the widest-field images of the EUV corona available from the perspective of the Earth. By carefully processing and combining multiple SWAP images, it is possible to produce low-noise composites that reveal the structure of the EUV corona to relatively large heights. A particularly important step in this processing was to remove instrumental stray light from the images by determining and deconvolving SWAP's point-spread function from the observations. In this paper, we use the resulting images to conduct the first-ever study of the evolution of the large-scale structure of the corona observed in the EUV over a three year period that includes the complete rise phase of solar cycle 24. Of particular note is the persistence over many solar rotations of bright, diffuse features composed of open magnetic fields that overlie polar crown filaments and extend to large heights above the solar surface. These features appear to be related to coronal fans, which have previously been observed in white-light coronagraph images and, at low heights, in the EUV. We also discuss the evolution of the corona at different heights above the solar surface and the evolution of the corona over the course of the solar cycle by hemisphere.

Training Concept for Long Duration Space Mission

Science.gov (United States)

O'Keefe, William

2008-01-01

There has been papers about maintenance and psychological training for Long Duration Space Mission (LDSM). There are papers on the technology needed for LDSMs. Few are looking at how groundbased pre-mission training and on-board in-transit training must be melded into one training concept that leverages this technology. Even more importantly, fewer are looking at how we can certify crews pre-mission. This certification must ensure, before the crew launches, that they can handle any problem using on-board assets without a large ground support team.

Solar Probe Plus: A mission to touch the sun

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnison, J.; Lockwood, M. K.; Fox, N.; Conde, R.; Driesman, A.

Solar Probe Plus (SPP), currently in Phase B, will be the first mission to fly into the low solar corona, revealing how the corona is heated and the solar wind is accelerated, solving two fundamental mysteries that have been top priority science goals since such a mission was first proposed in 1958. The scale and concept of such a mission has been revised at intervals since that time, yet the core has always been a close encounter with the Sun. SPP uses an innovative mission design, significant technology development and a risk-reducing engineering development to meet the SPP science objectives: 1) determine the structure and dynamics of the magnetic fields at the sources of the fast and slow solar wind, 2) trace the flow of energy that heats the corona and accelerates the solar wind. and 3) determine what mechanisms accelerate and transport energetic particles. In this paper, we present the Solar Probe Plus mission along with a brief comparison with some previous concepts for such a mission, and discuss the trade studies that led to the SPP implementation. We present a summary of the challenges associated with operation in the solar encounter environment and discuss the technology development and engineering trade studies to compose a mission that will not only survive this environment, but will provide the data needed to answer the science questions that have remained unanswered to date.

Onboard Blackbody Calibrator Component Development for IR Remote Sensing Instrumentation

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The objective of this study is to apply and to provide a reliable, stable durable onboard blackbody calibrator to future Earth Science missions by infusing the new...

Electrons in the solar corona. Pt. 3. Coronal streamers analysis from balloon-borne coronagraph

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dollfus, A; Mouradian, Z [Observatoire de Paris, Section de Meudon, 92 (France)

1981-03-01

During a balloon flight in France on September 13, 1971, at altitude 32 000 m, the solar corona was cinematographed from 2 to 5 Rsub(sun) during 5 hr, with an externally occulted coronagraph. Motions in coronal features, when they occur, exhibit deformations of structures with velocities not exceeding a few 10 km s/sup -1/; several streamers were often involved simultaneously; these variations are compatible with magnetic changes or sudden reorganizations of lines of forces. Intensity and polarization measurements give the electron density with height in the quiet corona above the equator. Electron density gradient for one of the streamers gives a temperature of 1.6 x 10/sup 6/ K and comparisons with the on-board Apollo 16 coronal observation of 31 July, 1971 are compatible with the extension of this temperature up to 25 Rsub(sun). Three-dimensional structures and localizations of the streamers are deduced from combined photometry, polarimetry and ground-based K coronametry. Three of the four coronal streamers analysed have their axis bent with height towards the direction of the solar rotation, as if the upper corona has a rotation slightly faster than the chromosphere.

Chang?E-5T Orbit Determination Using Onboard GPS Observations

OpenAIRE

Su, Xing; Geng, Tao; Li, Wenwen; Zhao, Qile; Xie, Xin

2017-01-01

In recent years, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has played an important role in Space Service Volume, the region enclosing the altitudes above 3000 km up to 36,000 km. As an in-flight test for the feasibility as well as for the performance of GNSS-based satellite orbit determination (OD), the Chinese experimental lunar mission Chang?E-5T had been equipped with an onboard high-sensitivity GNSS receiver with GPS and GLONASS tracking capability. In this contribution, the 2-h onboard G...

Integrated payload and mission planning, phase 3. Volume 3: Ground real-time mission operations

Science.gov (United States)

White, W. J.

1977-01-01

The payloads tentatively planned to fly on the first two Spacelab missions were analyzed to examine the cost relationships of providing mission operations support from onboard vs the ground-based Payload Operations Control Center (POCC). The quantitative results indicate that use of a POCC, with data processing capability, to support real-time mission operations is the most cost effective case.

Event processing in X-IFU detector onboard Athena.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceballos, M. T.; Cobos, B.; van der Kuurs, J.; Fraga-Encinas, R.

2015-05-01

The X-ray Observatory ATHENA was proposed in April 2014 as the mission to implement the science theme "The Hot and Energetic Universe" selected by ESA for L2 (the second Large-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision science programme). One of the two X-ray detectors designed to be onboard ATHENA is X-IFU, a cryogenic microcalorimeter based on Transition Edge Sensor (TES) technology that will provide spatially resolved high-resolution spectroscopy. X-IFU will be developed by a consortium of European research institutions currently from France (leadership), Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Germany and Spain. From Spain, IFCA (CSIC-UC) is involved in the Digital Readout Electronics (DRE) unit of the X-IFU detector, in particular in the Event Processor Subsytem. We at IFCA are in charge of the development and implementation in the DRE unit of the Event Processing algorithms, designed to recognize, from a noisy signal, the intensity pulses generated by the absorption of the X-ray photons, and lately extract their main parameters (coordinates, energy, arrival time, grade, etc.) Here we will present the design and performance of the algorithms developed for the event recognition (adjusted derivative), and pulse grading/qualification as well as the progress in the algorithms designed to extract the energy content of the pulses (pulse optimal filtering). IFCA will finally have the responsibility of the implementation on board in the (TBD) FPGAs or micro-processors of the DRE unit, where this Event Processing part will take place, to fit into the limited telemetry of the instrument.

Spacelab Life Science-1 Mission Onboard Photograph

Science.gov (United States)

1995-01-01

Spacelab Life Science -1 (SLS-1) was the first Spacelab mission dedicated solely to life sciences. The main purpose of the SLS-1 mission was to study the mechanisms, magnitudes, and time courses of certain physiological changes that occur during space flight, to investigate the consequences of the body's adaptation to microgravity and readjustment to Earth's gravity, and bring the benefits back home to Earth. The mission was designed to explore the responses of the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, and hormone-secreting glands to microgravity and related body fluid shifts; examine the causes of space motion sickness; and study changes in the muscles, bones, and cells. This photograph shows astronaut Rhea Seddon conducting an inflight study of the Cardiovascular Deconditioning experiment by breathing into the cardiovascular rebreathing unit. This experiment focused on the deconditioning of the heart and lungs and changes in cardiopulmonary function that occur upon return to Earth. By using noninvasive techniques of prolonged expiration and rebreathing, investigators can determine the amount of blood pumped out of the heart (cardiac output), the ease with which blood flows through all the vessels (total peripheral resistance), oxygen used and carbon dioxide released by the body, and lung function and volume changes. SLS-1 was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-40) on June 5, 1995.

On-board image compression for the RAE lunar mission

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, W. H.; Lynch, T. J.

1976-01-01

The requirements, design, implementation, and flight performance of an on-board image compression system for the lunar orbiting Radio Astronomy Explorer-2 (RAE-2) spacecraft are described. The image to be compressed is a panoramic camera view of the long radio astronomy antenna booms used for gravity-gradient stabilization of the spacecraft. A compression ratio of 32 to 1 is obtained by a combination of scan line skipping and adaptive run-length coding. The compressed imagery data are convolutionally encoded for error protection. This image compression system occupies about 1000 cu cm and consumes 0.4 W.

Onboard Autonomous Corrections for Accurate IRF Pointing.

Science.gov (United States)

Jorgensen, J. L.; Betto, M.; Denver, T.

2002-05-01

Over the past decade, the Noise Equivalent Angle (NEA) of onboard attitude reference instruments, has decreased from tens-of-arcseconds to the sub-arcsecond level. This improved performance is partly due to improved sensor-technology with enhanced signal to noise ratios, partly due to improved processing electronics which allows for more sophisticated and faster signal processing. However, the main reason for the increased precision, is the application of onboard autonomy, which apart from simple outlier rejection also allows for removal of "false positive" answers, and other "unexpected" noise sources, that otherwise would degrade the quality of the measurements (e.g. discrimination between signals caused by starlight and ionizing radiation). The utilization of autonomous signal processing has also provided the means for another onboard processing step, namely the autonomous recovery from lost in space, where the attitude instrument without a priori knowledge derive the absolute attitude, i.e. in IRF coordinates, within fractions of a second. Combined with precise orbital state or position data, the absolute attitude information opens for multiple ways to improve the mission performance, either by reducing operations costs, by increasing pointing accuracy, by reducing mission expendables, or by providing backup decision information in case of anomalies. The Advanced Stellar Compass's (ASC) is a miniature, high accuracy, attitude instrument which features fully autonomous operations. The autonomy encompass all direct steps from automatic health checkout at power-on, over fully automatic SEU and SEL handling and proton induced sparkle removal, to recovery from "lost in space", and optical disturbance detection and handling. But apart from these more obvious autonomy functions, the ASC also features functions to handle and remove the aforementioned residuals. These functions encompass diverse operators such as a full orbital state vector model with automatic cloud

SE83-9 'Chix in Space' student experimenter monitors STS-29 onboard activity

Science.gov (United States)

1989-01-01

Student experimenter John C. Vellinger watches monitor in the JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Customer Support Room (CSR) during the STS-29 mission. Crewmembers are working with his Student Experiment (SE) 83-9 Chicken Embryo Development in Space or 'Chix in Space' onboard Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The student's sponsor is Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

Production mechanism of atomic nitrogen in atmospheric pressure pulsed corona discharge measured using two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teramoto, Yoshiyuki; Ono, Ryo; Oda, Tetsuji

2012-01-01

To study the production mechanism of atomic nitrogen, the temporal profile and spatial distribution of atomic nitrogen are measured in atmospheric pressure pulsed positive corona discharge using two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence. The absolute atomic nitrogen density in the streamer filaments is estimated from decay rate of atomic nitrogen in N 2 discharge. The results indicate that the absolute atomic nitrogen density is approximately constant against discharge energy. When the discharge voltage is 21.5 kV, production yield of atomic nitrogen produced by an N 2 discharge pulse is estimated to be 2.9 - 9.8 × 10 13 atoms and the energy efficiency of atomic nitrogen production is estimated to be about 1.8 - 6.1 × 10 16 atoms/J. The energy efficiency of atomic nitrogen production in N 2 discharge is constant against the discharge energy, while that in N 2 /O 2 discharge increases with discharge energy. In the N 2 /O 2 discharge, two-step process of N 2 dissociation plays significant role for atomic nitrogen production.

Near Earth Asteroid Scout: NASA's Solar Sail Mission to a NEA

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Les; Lockett, Tiffany

2017-01-01

NASA is developing a solar sail propulsion system for use on the Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout reconnaissance mission and laying the groundwork for their use in future deep space science and exploration missions. Solar sails use sunlight to propel vehicles through space by reflecting solar photons from a large, mirror-like sail made of a lightweight, highly reflective material. This continuous photon pressure provides propellantless thrust, allowing for very high Delta V maneuvers on long-duration, deep space exploration. Since reflected light produces thrust, solar sails require no onboard propellant. The Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout mission, funded by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program and managed by NASA MSFC, will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image Asteroid 1991VG and, potentially, other NEA's of interest for possible future human exploration. NEA Scout uses a 6U cubesat (to be provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory), an 86 m(exp. 2) solar sail and will weigh less than 12 kilograms. NEA Scout will be launched on the first flight of the Space Launch System in 2018. The solar sail for NEA Scout will be based on the technology developed and flown by the NASA NanoSail-D and The Planetary Society's Lightsail-A. Four approximately 7 m stainless steel booms wrapped on two spools (two overlapping booms per spool) will be motor deployed and pull the sail from its stowed volume. The sail material is an aluminized polyimide approximately 2.5 microns thick. As the technology matures, solar sails will increasingly be used to enable science and exploration missions that are currently impossible or prohibitively expensive using traditional chemical and electric propulsion systems. This paper will summarize the status of the NEA Scout mission and solar sail technology in general.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Advancement of the MSPI On-Board Processing Platform for the ACE Decadal Survey Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Pingree, Paula J.; Werne, Thomas A.; Bekker, Dmitriy L.; Wilson, Thor O.

2011-01-01

The Xilinx Virtex-5QV is a new Single-event Immune Reconfigurable FPGA (SIRF) device that is targeted as the spaceborne processor for the NASA Decadal Survey Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystem (ACE) mission's Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (MSPI) instrument, currently under development at JPL. A key technology needed for MSPI is on-board processing (OBP) to calculate polarimetry data as imaged by each of the 9 cameras forming the instrument. With funding from NASA's ESTO1 AIST2 Program, JPL is demonstrating how signal data at 95 Mbytes/sec over 16 channels for each of the 9 multi-angle cameras can be reduced to 0.45 Mbytes/sec, thereby substantially reducing the image data volume for spacecraft downlink without loss of science information. This is done via a least-squares fitting algorithm implemented on the Virtex-5 FPGA operating in real-time on the raw video data stream.

Expected Navigation Flight Performance for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Corwin; Wright, Cinnamon; Long, Anne

2012-01-01

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission consists of four formation-flying spacecraft placed in highly eccentric elliptical orbits about the Earth. The primary scientific mission objective is to study magnetic reconnection within the Earth s magnetosphere. The baseline navigation concept is the independent estimation of each spacecraft state using GPS pseudorange measurements (referenced to an onboard Ultra Stable Oscillator) and accelerometer measurements during maneuvers. State estimation for the MMS spacecraft is performed onboard each vehicle using the Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System, which is embedded in the Navigator GPS receiver. This paper describes the latest efforts to characterize expected navigation flight performance using upgraded simulation models derived from recent analyses.

Corona SDK hotshot

CERN Document Server

Flanagan, Nevin

2013-01-01

Using a project based approach you will learn the coolest aspects of Corona SDK development. Each project contains step bystep explanations, diagrams, screenshots, and downloadable materials.This book is for users who already have completed at least one simple app using Corona and are familiar with mobile development using another platform and have done Lua programming in another context. Knowledge of the basic functions of Corona routines, as well as an understanding of the Lua programming language's syntax and common libraries, is assumed throughout.

Gas monitoring onboard ISS using FTIR spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Gisi, Michael; Stettner, Armin; Seurig, Roland; Honne, Atle; Witt, Johannes; Rebeyre, Pierre

2017-06-01

In the confined, enclosed environment of a spacecraft, the air quality must be monitored continuously in order to safeguard the crew's health. For this reason, OHB builds the ANITA2 (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) technology demonstrator for trace gas monitoring onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The measurement principle of ANITA2 is based on the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology with dedicated gas analysis software from the Norwegian partner SINTEF. This combination proved to provide high sensitivity, accuracy and precision for parallel measurements of 33 trace gases simultaneously onboard ISS by the precursor instrument ANITA1. The paper gives a technical overview about the opto-mechanical components of ANITA2, such as the interferometer, the reference Laser, the infrared source and the gas cell design and a quick overview about the gas analysis. ANITA2 is very well suited for measuring gas concentrations specifically but not limited to usage onboard spacecraft, as no consumables are required and measurements are performed autonomously. ANITA2 is a programme under the contract of the European Space Agency, and the air quality monitoring system is a stepping stone into the future, as a precursor system for manned exploration missions.

Corona helps curb losses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laasonen, M.; Lahtinen, M.; Lustre, L.

1996-11-01

The greatest power losses in electricity transmission arise through a phenomenon called load losses. Corona losses caused by the surface discharge of electricity also constitute a considerable cost item. IVS, the nationwide network company, is investigating corona- induced losses, and has also commissioned similar research from IVO International, the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and from Tampere University of Technology. The research work strives to gain more in-depth knowledge on the phenomenon of frosting and its impact on corona losses. The correct prediction of frost helps reduce corona losses, while also cutting costs considerably. (orig.)

Signature of open magnetic field lines in the extended solar corona and of solar wind acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Antonucci, E.; Giordano, S.; Benna, C.; Kohl, J. L.; Noci, G.; Michels, J.; Fineschi, S.

1997-01-01

The observations carried out with the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are discussed. The purpose of the observations was to determine the line of sight and radial velocity fields in coronal regions with different magnetic topology. The results showed that the regions where the high speed solar wind flows along open field lines are characterized by O VI 1032 and HI Lyman alpha 1216 lines. The global coronal maps of the line of sight velocity were reconstructed. The corona height, where the solar wind reaches 100 km/s, was determined.

Disease specific protein corona

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, M.; Mahmoudi, M.

2015-03-01

It is now well accepted that upon their entrance into the biological environments, the surface of nanomaterials would be covered by various biomacromolecules (e.g., proteins and lipids). The absorption of these biomolecules, so called `protein corona', onto the surface of (nano)biomaterials confers them a new `biological identity'. Although the formation of protein coronas on the surface of nanoparticles has been widely investigated, there are few reports on the effect of various diseases on the biological identity of nanoparticles. As the type of diseases may tremendously changes the composition of the protein source (e.g., human plasma/serum), one can expect that amount and composition of associated proteins in the corona composition may be varied, in disease type manner. Here, we show that corona coated silica and polystyrene nanoparticles (after interaction with in the plasma of the healthy individuals) could induce unfolding of fibrinogen, which promotes release of the inflammatory cytokines. However, no considerable releases of inflammatory cytokines were observed for corona coated graphene sheets. In contrast, the obtained corona coated silica and polystyrene nanoparticles from the hypofibrinogenemia patients could not induce inflammatory cytokine release where graphene sheets do. Therefore, one can expect that disease-specific protein coronas can provide a novel approach for applying nanomedicine to personalized medicine, improving diagnosis and treatment of different diseases tailored to the specific conditions and circumstances.

Empirical models of the Solar Wind : Extrapolations from the Helios & Ulysses observations back to the corona

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimovic, M.; Zaslavsky, A.

2017-12-01

We will present extrapolation of the HELIOS & Ulysses proton density, temperature & bulk velocities back to the corona. Using simple mass flux conservations we show a very good agreement between these extrapolations and the current state knowledge of these parameters in the corona, based on SOHO mesurements. These simple extrapolations could potentially be very useful for the science planning of both the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions. Finally will also present some modelling considerations, based on simple energy balance equations which arise from these empirical observationnal models.

The Solar Probe Plus Mission: Humanity's First Visit to Our Star

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, N. J.; Velli, M. C.; Bale, S. D.; Decker, R.; Driesman, A.; Howard, R. A.; Kasper, J. C.; Kinnison, J.; Kusterer, M.; Lario, D.;

Measurement and analysis of time-domain characteristics of corona-generated radio interference from a single positive corona source

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuebao; Li, Dayong; Chen, Bo; Cui, Xiang; Lu, Tiebing; Li, Yinfei

2018-04-01

The corona-generated electromagnetic interference commonly known as radio interference (RI) has become a limiting factor for the design of high voltage direct current transmission lines. In this paper, a time-domain measurement system is developed to measure the time-domain characteristics of corona-generated RI from a single corona source under a positive corona source. In the experiments, the corona current pulses are synchronously measured through coupling capacitors. The one-to-one relationship between the corona current pulse and measured RI voltage pulse is observed. The statistical characteristics of pulse parameters are analyzed, and the correlations between the corona current pulse and RI voltage pulse in the time-domain and frequency-domain are analyzed. Depending on the measured corona current pulses, the time-domain waveform of corona-generated RI is calculated on the basis of the propagation model of corona current on the conductor, the dipolar model for electric field calculation, and the antenna model for inducing voltage calculation. The well matched results between measured and simulated waveforms of RI voltage can show the validity of the measurement and calculation method presented in this paper, which also further show the close correlation between corona current and corona-generated RI.

Signatures of Lithospheric Flexure and Elevated Heat Flow in Stereo Topography at Coronae on Venus

Science.gov (United States)

O'Rourke, Joseph G.; Smrekar, Suzanne E.

2018-02-01

Signatures of lithospheric flexure were previously identified at a dozen or more large coronae on Venus. Thin plate models fit to topographic profiles return elastic parameters, allowing derivation of mechanical thickness and surface heat flows given an assumed yield strength envelope. However, the low resolution of altimetry data from the NASA Magellan mission has hindered studying the vast majority of coronae, particularly those less than a few hundred kilometers in diameter. Here we search for flexural signatures around 99 coronae over ˜20% of the surface in Magellan altimetry data and stereo-derived topography that was recently assembled from synthetic aperture radar images. We derive elastic thicknesses of ˜2 to 30 km (mostly ˜5 to 15 km) with Cartesian and axisymmetric models at 19 coronae. We discuss the implications of low values that were also noted in earlier gravity studies. Most mechanical thicknesses are estimated as 24 K km-1. Implied surface heat flows >95 mW m-2—twice the global average in many thermal evolution models—imply that coronae are major contributors to the total heat budget or Venus is cooling faster than expected. Binomial statistics show that "Type 2" coronae with incomplete fracture annuli are significantly less likely to host flexural signatures than "Type 1" coronae with largely complete annuli. Stress calculations predict extensional faulting where nearly all profiles intersect concentric fractures. We failed to identify systematic variations in flexural parameters based on type, geologic setting, or morphologic class. Obtaining quality, high-resolution topography from a planetwide survey is vital to verifying our conclusions.

The pre-flight calibration setup of the instrument SIMBIO-SYS onboard the mission BepiColombo

Science.gov (United States)

Poulet, F.; Rodriguez-Ferreira, J.; Arondel, A.; Dassas, K.; Eng, P.; Lami, P.; Langevin, Y.; Longval, Y.; Pradel, P.; Dami, M.

2015-11-01

BepiColombo, an European Space Agency (ESA) mission being conducted in cooperation with the Japan space agency, will explore Mercury with a set of eleven instruments onboard the spacecraft Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO). Among them, SIMBIO-SYS (Spectrometers and Imagers for MPO BepiColombo Integrated Observatory SYStem) is a complex instrument that will provide images and spectra in the 400-2000 nm wavelength range of the entire surface of Mercury. Pre-flight calibration of the SYMBIO-SYS instrument is mandatory for reliable scientific interpretation of images and spectra returned from the planet Mercury. This paper presents the calibration device designed and implemented for the specific requirements of this instrument. It mainly consists of a thermal vacuum chamber simulating the space environment, an optical bench collecting calibration sources and optical elements that simulate the conditions of Mercury observations, mechanical interfaces used for positioning the three channels inside the vacuum chamber, thermal interfaces to explore the operating temperatures, computer interfaces that allow to communicate with both the instrument and the calibration elements and synchronize the calibrations sequences with the status of the calibration device. As the major goal is the characterization of the radiometric performances of the three channels of SIMBIO-SYS, radiometric performances of the test setup evaluated by simulations and measurements are emphasized.

On-Board Mining in the Sensor Web

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, S.; Conover, H.; Graves, S.; Ramachandran, R.; Rushing, J.

2004-12-01

On-board data mining can contribute to many research and engineering applications, including natural hazard detection and prediction, intelligent sensor control, and the generation of customized data products for direct distribution to users. The ability to mine sensor data in real time can also be a critical component of autonomous operations, supporting deep space missions, unmanned aerial and ground-based vehicles (UAVs, UGVs), and a wide range of sensor meshes, webs and grids. On-board processing is expected to play a significant role in the next generation of NASA, Homeland Security, Department of Defense and civilian programs, providing for greater flexibility and versatility in measurements of physical systems. In addition, the use of UAV and UGV systems is increasing in military, emergency response and industrial applications. As research into the autonomy of these vehicles progresses, especially in fleet or web configurations, the applicability of on-board data mining is expected to increase significantly. Data mining in real time on board sensor platforms presents unique challenges. Most notably, the data to be mined is a continuous stream, rather than a fixed store such as a database. This means that the data mining algorithms must be modified to make only a single pass through the data. In addition, the on-board environment requires real time processing with limited computing resources, thus the algorithms must use fixed and relatively small amounts of processing time and memory. The University of Alabama in Huntsville is developing an innovative processing framework for the on-board data and information environment. The Environment for On-Board Processing (EVE) and the Adaptive On-board Data Processing (AODP) projects serve as proofs-of-concept of advanced information systems for remote sensing platforms. The EVE real-time processing infrastructure will upload, schedule and control the execution of processing plans on board remote sensors. These plans

Synchronized observations of bright points from the solar photosphere to the corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tavabi, Ehsan

2018-05-01

One of the most important features in the solar atmosphere is the magnetic network and its relationship to the transition region (TR) and coronal brightness. It is important to understand how energy is transported into the corona and how it travels along the magnetic field lines between the deep photosphere and chromosphere through the TR and corona. An excellent proxy for transportation is the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) raster scans and imaging observations in near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) emission channels, which have high time, spectral and spatial resolutions. In this study, we focus on the quiet Sun as observed with IRIS. The data with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the Si IV, C II and Mg II k lines and with strong emission intensities show a high correlation with TR bright network points. The results of the IRIS intensity maps and dopplergrams are compared with those of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instruments onboard the Solar Dynamical Observatory (SDO). The average network intensity profiles show a strong correlation with AIA coronal channels. Furthermore, we applied simultaneous observations of the magnetic network from HMI and found a strong relationship between the network bright points in all levels of the solar atmosphere. These features in the network elements exhibited regions of high Doppler velocity and strong magnetic signatures. Plenty of corona bright points emission, accompanied by the magnetic origins in the photosphere, suggest that magnetic field concentrations in the network rosettes could help to couple the inner and outer solar atmosphere.

Onboard functional and molecular imaging: A design investigation for robotic multipinhole SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowsher, James; Giles, William; Yin, Fang-Fang; Yan, Susu; Roper, Justin

2014-01-01

Purpose: Onboard imaging—currently performed primarily by x-ray transmission modalities—is essential in modern radiation therapy. As radiation therapy moves toward personalized medicine, molecular imaging, which views individual gene expression, may also be important onboard. Nuclear medicine methods, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), are premier modalities for molecular imaging. The purpose of this study is to investigate a robotic multipinhole approach to onboard SPECT. Methods: Computer-aided design (CAD) studies were performed to assess the feasibility of maneuvering a robotic SPECT system about a patient in position for radiation therapy. In order to obtain fast, high-quality SPECT images, a 49-pinhole SPECT camera was designed which provides high sensitivity to photons emitted from an imaging region of interest. This multipinhole system was investigated by computer-simulation studies. Seventeen hot spots 10 and 7 mm in diameter were placed in the breast region of a supine female phantom. Hot spot activity concentration was six times that of background. For the 49-pinhole camera and a reference, more conventional, broad field-of-view (FOV) SPECT system, projection data were computer simulated for 4-min scans and SPECT images were reconstructed. Hot-spot localization was evaluated using a nonprewhitening forced-choice numerical observer. Results: The CAD simulation studies found that robots could maneuver SPECT cameras about patients in position for radiation therapy. In the imaging studies, most hot spots were apparent in the 49-pinhole images. Average localization errors for 10-mm- and 7-mm-diameter hot spots were 0.4 and 1.7 mm, respectively, for the 49-pinhole system, and 3.1 and 5.7 mm, respectively, for the reference broad-FOV system. Conclusions: A robot could maneuver a multipinhole SPECT system about a patient in position for radiation therapy. The system could provide onboard functional and molecular imaging with 4-min

Onboard functional and molecular imaging: A design investigation for robotic multipinhole SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowsher, James, E-mail: james.bowsher@duke.edu; Giles, William; Yin, Fang-Fang [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710 (United States); Yan, Susu [Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710 (United States); Roper, Justin [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 (United States)

2014-01-15

Purpose: Onboard imaging—currently performed primarily by x-ray transmission modalities—is essential in modern radiation therapy. As radiation therapy moves toward personalized medicine, molecular imaging, which views individual gene expression, may also be important onboard. Nuclear medicine methods, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), are premier modalities for molecular imaging. The purpose of this study is to investigate a robotic multipinhole approach to onboard SPECT. Methods: Computer-aided design (CAD) studies were performed to assess the feasibility of maneuvering a robotic SPECT system about a patient in position for radiation therapy. In order to obtain fast, high-quality SPECT images, a 49-pinhole SPECT camera was designed which provides high sensitivity to photons emitted from an imaging region of interest. This multipinhole system was investigated by computer-simulation studies. Seventeen hot spots 10 and 7 mm in diameter were placed in the breast region of a supine female phantom. Hot spot activity concentration was six times that of background. For the 49-pinhole camera and a reference, more conventional, broad field-of-view (FOV) SPECT system, projection data were computer simulated for 4-min scans and SPECT images were reconstructed. Hot-spot localization was evaluated using a nonprewhitening forced-choice numerical observer. Results: The CAD simulation studies found that robots could maneuver SPECT cameras about patients in position for radiation therapy. In the imaging studies, most hot spots were apparent in the 49-pinhole images. Average localization errors for 10-mm- and 7-mm-diameter hot spots were 0.4 and 1.7 mm, respectively, for the 49-pinhole system, and 3.1 and 5.7 mm, respectively, for the reference broad-FOV system. Conclusions: A robot could maneuver a multipinhole SPECT system about a patient in position for radiation therapy. The system could provide onboard functional and molecular imaging with 4-min

Space evaluation of optical modulators for microwave photonic on-board applications

Science.gov (United States)

Le Kernec, A.; Sotom, M.; Bénazet, B.; Barbero, J.; Peñate, L.; Maignan, M.; Esquivias, I.; Lopez, F.; Karafolas, N.

2017-11-01

Since several years, perspectives and assets offered by photonic technologies compared with their traditional RF counterparts (mass and volume reduction, transparency to RF frequency, RF isolation), make them particularly attractive for space applications [1] and, in particular, telecommunication satellites [2]. However, the development of photonic payload concepts have concurrently risen and made the problem of the ability of optoelectronic components to withstand space environment more and more pressing. Indeed, photonic components used in such photonic payloads architectures come from terrestrial networks applications in order to benefit from research and development in this field. This paper presents some results obtained in the frame of an ESA-funded project, carried out by Thales Alenia Space France, as prime contractor, and Alter Technology Group Spain (ATG) and Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM), as subcontractors, one objective of which was to assess commercial high frequency optical intensity modulators for space use through a functional and environmental test campaign. Their potential applications in microwave photonic sub-systems of telecom satellite payloads are identified and related requirements are presented. Optical modulator technologies are reviewed and compared through, but not limited to, a specific figure of merit, taking into account two key features of these components : optical insertion loss and RF half-wave voltage. Some conclusions on these different technologies are given, on the basis of the test results, and their suitability for the targeted applications and environment is highlighted.

On-board Payload Data Processing from Earth to Space Segment

Science.gov (United States)

Tragni, M.; Abbattista, C.; Amoruso, L.; Cinquepalmi, L.; Bgongiari, F.; Errico, W.

2013-09-01

Matching the users application requirements with the more and more huge data streaming of the satellite missions is becoming very complex. But we need both of them. To face both the data management (memory availability) and their transmission (band availability) many recent R&D activities are studying the right way to move the data processing from the ground segment to the space segment by the development of the so-called On-board Payload Data Processing (OPDP). The space designer are trying to find new strategies to increase the on board computation capacity and its viability to overcome such limitations, memory and band, focusing the transmission of remote sensing information (not only data) towards their final use. Some typical applications which can benefit of the on board payload data processing include the automatic control of a satellites constellation which can modify its scheduled acquisitions directly on-board and according to the information extracted from the just acquired data, increasing, for example, the capability of monitoring a specific objective (such as oil spills, illegal traffic) with a greater versatility than a traditional ground segment workflow. The authors and their companies can count on a sound experience in design and development of open, modular and compact on-board processing systems. Actually they are involved in a program, the Space Payload Data Processing (SpacePDP) whose main objective is to develop an hardware and a software framework able to perform both the space mission standard tasks (sensors control, mass storage devices management, uplink and downlink) and the specific tasks required by each mission. SpacePDP is an Open and modular Payload Data Processing system, composed of Hardware and Software modules included a SDK. The whole system is characterised by flexible and customizable building blocks that form the system architectures and by a very easy way to be integrated in the missions by the SDK (a development

The UV Sensor Onboard the Mars Science Laboratory Mission: Correction and Generation of UV Fluxes

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente-Retortillo, Á.; Martinez, G.; Renno, N. O.; Lemmon, M. T.; Gomez-Elvira, J.

2017-12-01

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station UV sensor (UVS) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory mission has completed more than 1750 sols of measurements, providing an unprecedented coverage ranging from diurnal to interannual times scales [1,2]. The UVS is comprised of six photodiodes to measure the UV flux in the ranges 200-380, 320-380, 280-320, 200-280, 230-290 and 300-350 nm [3]. UV fluxes in units of W/m2 can be found in the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS). However, dust deposition on the UVS and a non-physical discontinuity in the calibration functions when the solar zenith angle is above 30º cause errors in these fluxes that increase with time. We have developed a technique to correct UV fluxes from the effects of dust degradation and inconsistencies in the angular response of the UVS. The photodiode output currents (available in the PDS as lower-level TELRDR products), ancillary data records (available in the PDS as ADR products) and dust opacity values derived from Mastcam observations are used for performing the corrections. The corrections have been applied to the UVA band (320-380 nm) for the first 1000 sols of the mission, providing excellent results [4]. We plan to correct the UV fluxes on each of the six UVS bands and to make these results available in the PDS. Data products generated by this study will allow comparisons of the UV radiation environment at Gale crater with that at the locations of the future missions ExoMars 2020 and Mars 2020, as well as the assessment of the potential survivability of biological contaminants brought to Mars from Earth. References: [1] Smith, M. D., et al. (2016), Aerosol optical depth as observed by the Mars Science Laboratory REMS UV photodiodes, Icarus, 280, 234-248. [2] Vicente-Retortillo, Á., et al. (2017), Determination of dust aerosol particle size at Gale Crater using REMS UVS and Mastcam measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 3502-3508. [3] Gómez-Elvira, J., et al. (2012), REMS: The environmental sensor

Mission Concepts for High-Resolution Solar Imaging with a Photon Sieve

Science.gov (United States)

Rabin, Douglas M.; Davila, Joseph; Daw, Adrian N.; Denis, Kevin L.; Novo-Gradac, Anne-Marie; Shah, Neerav; Widmyer, Thomas R.

2017-08-01

The best EUV coronal imagers are unable to probe the expected energy dissipation scales of the solar corona (rocket, a single spacecraft with a deployed boom, and two spacecraft flying in precise formation.

gPhoton: THE GALEX PHOTON DATA ARCHIVE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Million, Chase [Million Concepts LLC, P.O. Box 119, 141 Mary Street, Lemont, PA 16851 (United States); Fleming, Scott W.; Shiao, Bernie; Smith, Myron; Thompson, Randy; White, Richard L. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Seibert, Mark [The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Loyd, Parke [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, Colorado, 80309 (United States); Tucker, Michael [Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608 (United States)

2016-12-20

gPhoton is a new database product and software package that enables analysis of GALEX ultraviolet data at the photon level. The project’s stand-alone, pure-Python calibration pipeline reproduces the functionality of the original mission pipeline to reduce raw spacecraft data to lists of time-tagged, sky-projected photons, which are then hosted in a publicly available database by the Mikulski Archive at Space Telescope. This database contains approximately 130 terabytes of data describing approximately 1.1 trillion sky-projected events with a timestamp resolution of five milliseconds. A handful of Python and command-line modules serve as a front end to interact with the database and to generate calibrated light curves and images from the photon-level data at user-defined temporal and spatial scales. The gPhoton software and source code are in active development and publicly available under a permissive license. We describe the motivation, design, and implementation of the calibration pipeline, database, and tools, with emphasis on divergence from prior work, as well as challenges created by the large data volume. We summarize the astrometric and photometric performance of gPhoton relative to the original mission pipeline. For a brief example of short time-domain science capabilities enabled by gPhoton, we show new flares from the known M-dwarf flare star CR Draconis. The gPhoton software has permanent object identifiers with the ASCL (ascl:1603.004) and DOI (doi:10.17909/T9CC7G). This paper describes the software as of version v1.27.2.

Extra Dose Due to Extravehicular Activity During the NASA4 Mission, Measured by an On-Board TLD System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deme, S.; Apathy, I.; Hejja, I.; Lang, E.; Feher, I. [Budapest (Hungary)

1999-07-01

A microprocessor-controlled on-board TLD system, 'Pille'96', was used during the NASA4 (1997) mission to monitor the cosmic radiation dose inside the Mir Space Station and to measure the extra dose to two astronauts in the course of their extravehicular activity (EVA). For the EVA dose measurements, CaSO{sub 4}:Dy bulb dosemeters were located in specially designed pockets of the ORLAN spacesuits. During an EVA lasting 6 h, the dose ratio inside and outside Mir was measured. During the EVA, Mir crossed the South Atlantic Anomaly three times. Taking into account the influence of these three crossings the mean EVA/internal dose rate ratio was 3.2. Internal dose mapping using CaSO{sub 4}:Dy dosemeters gave mean dose rates ranging from 9.3 to 18.3 {mu}Gy.h{sup -1} at locations where the shielding effect was not the same. Evaluation results of the high temperature region of LiF dosemeters are given to estimate the mean LET. (author)

MASC: Magnetic Activity of the Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Auchere, Frederic; Fineschi, Silvano; Gan, Weiqun; Peter, Hardi; Vial, Jean-Claude; Zhukov, Andrei; Parenti, Susanna; Li, Hui; Romoli, Marco

We present MASC, an innovative payload designed to explore the magnetic activity of the solar corona. It is composed of three complementary instruments: a Hard-X-ray spectrometer, a UV / EUV imager, and a Visible Light / UV polarimetric coronagraph able to measure the coronal magnetic field. The solar corona is structured in magnetically closed and open structures from which slow and fast solar winds are respectively released. In spite of much progress brought by two decades of almost uninterrupted observations from several space missions, the sources and acceleration mechanisms of both types are still not understood. This continuous expansion of the solar atmosphere is disturbed by sporadic but frequent and violent events. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale massive eruptions of magnetic structures out of the corona, while solar flares trace the sudden heating of coronal plasma and the acceleration of electrons and ions to high, sometimes relativistic, energies. Both phenomena are most probably driven by instabilities of the magnetic field in the corona. The relations between flares and CMEs are still not understood in terms of initiation and energy partition between large-scale motions, small-scale heating and particle acceleration. The initiation is probably related to magnetic reconnection which itself results magnetic topological changes due to e.g. flux emergence, footpoints motions, etc. Acceleration and heating are also strongly coupled since the atmospheric heating is thought to result from the impact of accelerated particles. The measurement of both physical processes and their outputs is consequently of major importance. However, despite its fundamental importance as a driver for the physics of the Sun and of the heliosphere, the magnetic field of our star’s outer atmosphere remains poorly understood. This is due in large part to the fact that the magnetic field is a very difficult quantity to measure. Our knowledge of its strength and

Accretion Disks and Coronae in the X-Ray Flashlight

Science.gov (United States)

Degenaar, Nathalie; Ballantyne, David R.; Belloni, Tomaso; Chakraborty, Manoneeta; Chen, Yu-Peng; Ji, Long; Kretschmar, Peter; Kuulkers, Erik; Li, Jian; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Malzac, Julien; Zhang, Shu; Zhang, Shuang-Nan

2018-02-01

Plasma accreted onto the surface of a neutron star can ignite due to unstable thermonuclear burning and produce a bright flash of X-ray emission called a Type-I X-ray burst. Such events are very common; thousands have been observed to date from over a hundred accreting neutron stars. The intense, often Eddington-limited, radiation generated in these thermonuclear explosions can have a discernible effect on the surrounding accretion flow that consists of an accretion disk and a hot electron corona. Type-I X-ray bursts can therefore serve as direct, repeating probes of the internal dynamics of the accretion process. In this work we review and interpret the observational evidence for the impact that Type-I X-ray bursts have on accretion disks and coronae. We also provide an outlook of how to make further progress in this research field with prospective experiments and analysis techniques, and by exploiting the technical capabilities of the new and concept X-ray missions ASTROSAT, NICER, Insight-HXMT, eXTP, and STROBE-X.

Statistical characteristic in time-domain of direct current corona-generated audible noise from conductor in corona cage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xuebao, E-mail: lxb08357x@ncepu.edu.cn; Cui, Xiang, E-mail: x.cui@ncepu.edu.cn; Ma, Wenzuo; Bian, Xingming; Wang, Donglai [State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Lu, Tiebing, E-mail: tiebinglu@ncepu.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory of High Voltage and EMC, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Hiziroglu, Huseyin [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kettering University, Flint, Michigan 48504 (United States)

2016-03-15

The corona-generated audible noise (AN) has become one of decisive factors in the design of high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines. The AN from transmission lines can be attributed to sound pressure pulses which are generated by the multiple corona sources formed on the conductor, i.e., transmission lines. In this paper, a detailed time-domain characteristics of the sound pressure pulses, which are generated by the DC corona discharges formed over the surfaces of a stranded conductors, are investigated systematically in a laboratory settings using a corona cage structure. The amplitude of sound pressure pulse and its time intervals are extracted by observing a direct correlation between corona current pulses and corona-generated sound pressure pulses. Based on the statistical characteristics, a stochastic model is presented for simulating the sound pressure pulses due to DC corona discharges occurring on conductors. The proposed stochastic model is validated by comparing the calculated and measured A-weighted sound pressure level (SPL). The proposed model is then used to analyze the influence of the pulse amplitudes and pulse rate on the SPL. Furthermore, a mathematical relationship is found between the SPL and conductor diameter, electric field, and radial distance.

Statistical characteristic in time-domain of direct current corona-generated audible noise from conductor in corona cage

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuebao; Cui, Xiang; Lu, Tiebing; Ma, Wenzuo; Bian, Xingming; Wang, Donglai; Hiziroglu, Huseyin

2016-03-01

The corona-generated audible noise (AN) has become one of decisive factors in the design of high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines. The AN from transmission lines can be attributed to sound pressure pulses which are generated by the multiple corona sources formed on the conductor, i.e., transmission lines. In this paper, a detailed time-domain characteristics of the sound pressure pulses, which are generated by the DC corona discharges formed over the surfaces of a stranded conductors, are investigated systematically in a laboratory settings using a corona cage structure. The amplitude of sound pressure pulse and its time intervals are extracted by observing a direct correlation between corona current pulses and corona-generated sound pressure pulses. Based on the statistical characteristics, a stochastic model is presented for simulating the sound pressure pulses due to DC corona discharges occurring on conductors. The proposed stochastic model is validated by comparing the calculated and measured A-weighted sound pressure level (SPL). The proposed model is then used to analyze the influence of the pulse amplitudes and pulse rate on the SPL. Furthermore, a mathematical relationship is found between the SPL and conductor diameter, electric field, and radial distance.

Deployment of the MARSIS Radar Antennas On-Board Mars Express

Science.gov (United States)

Denis, Michel; Moorhouse, A.; Smith, A.; McKay, Mike; Fischer, J.; Jayaraman, P.; Mounzer, Z.; Schmidt, R.; Reddy, J.; Ecale, E.;

X-ray emitting hot plasma in solar active regions observed by the SphinX spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Miceli, M.; Reale, F.; Gburek, S.; Terzo, S.; Barbera, M.; Collura, A.; Sylwester, J.; Kowalinski, M.; Podgorski, P.; Gryciuk, M.

2012-08-01

Aims: The detection of very hot plasma in the quiescent corona is important for diagnosing heating mechanisms. The presence and the amount of such hot plasma is currently debated. The SphinX instrument on-board the CORONAS-PHOTON mission is sensitive to X-ray emission of energies well above 1 keV and provides the opportunity to detect the hot plasma component. Methods: We analysed the X-ray spectra of the solar corona collected by the SphinX spectrometer in May 2009 (when two active regions were present). We modelled the spectrum extracted from the whole Sun over a time window of 17 days in the 1.34-7 keV energy band by adopting the latest release of the APED database. Results: The SphinX broadband spectrum cannot be modelled by a single isothermal component of optically thin plasma and two components are necessary. In particular, the high statistical significance of the count rates and the accurate calibration of the spectrometer allowed us to detect a very hot component at ~7 million K with an emission measure of ~2.7 × 1044 cm-3. The X-ray emission from the hot plasma dominates the solar X-ray spectrum above 4 keV. We checked that this hot component is invariably present in both the high and low emission regimes, i.e. even excluding resolvable microflares. We also present and discuss the possibility of a non-thermal origin (which would be compatible with a weak contribution from thick-target bremsstrahlung) for this hard emission component. Conclusions: Our results support the nanoflare scenario and might confirm that a minor flaring activity is ever-present in the quiescent corona, as also inferred for the coronae of other stars.

Variability in fluence and spectrum of high-energy photon bursts produced by lightning leaders

OpenAIRE

Celestin , Sebastien; Xu , Wei; Pasko , Victor P.

2015-01-01

International audience; In this paper, we model the production and acceleration of thermal runaway electrons during negative corona flash stages of stepping lightning leaders and the corresponding terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) or negative cloud-to-ground (−CG) lightning-produced X-ray bursts in a unified fashion. We show how the source photon spectrum and fluence depend on the potential drop formed in the lightning leader tip region during corona flash and how the X-ray burst spectrum ...

Nanosatellite missions - the future

Science.gov (United States)

Koudelka, O.; Kuschnig, R.; Wenger, M.; Romano, P.

2017-09-01

In the beginning, nanosatellite projects were focused on educational aspects. In the meantime, the technology matured and now allows to test, demonstrate and validate new systems, operational procedures and services in space at low cost and within much shorter timescales than traditional space endeavors. The number of spacecraft developed and launched has been increasing exponentially in the last years. The constellation of BRITE nanosatellites is demonstrating impressively that demanding scientific requirements can be met with small, low-cost satellites. Industry and space agencies are now embracing small satellite technology. Particularly in the USA, companies have been established to provide commercial services based on CubeSats. The approach is in general different from traditional space projects with their strict product/quality assurance and documentation requirements. The paper gives an overview of nanosatellite missions in different areas of application. Based on lessons learnt from the BRITE mission and recent developments at TU Graz (in particular the implementation of the OPS-SAT nanosatellite for ESA), enhanced technical possibilities for a future astronomy mission after BRITE will be discussed. Powerful on-board computers will allow on-board data pre-processing. A state-of-the-art telemetry system with high data rates would facilitate interference-free operations and increase science data return.

The EGSE science software of the IBIS instrument on-board INTEGRAL satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Rosa, Giovanni; Fazio, Giacomo; Segreto, Alberto; Gianotti, Fulvio; Stephen, John; Trifoglio, Massimo

2000-01-01

IBIS (Imager on Board INTEGRAL Satellite) is one of the key instrument on-board the INTEGRAL satellite, the follow up mission of the high energy missions CGRO and Granat. The EGSE of IBIS is composed by a Satellite Interface Simulator, a Control Station and a Science Station. Here are described the solutions adopted for the architectural design of the software running on the Science Station. Some preliminary results are used to show the science functionality, that allowed to understand the instrument behavior, all along the test and calibration campaigns of the Engineering Model of IBIS

Urinary albumin in space missions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cirillo, Massimo; De Santo, Natale G; Heer, Martina

2002-01-01

Proteinuria was hypothesized for space mission but research data are missing. Urinary albumin, as index of proteinuria, was analyzed in frozen urine samples collected by astronauts during space missions onboard MIR station and on ground (control). Urinary albumin was measured by a double antibody...... radioimmunoassay. On average, 24h urinary albumin was 27.4% lower in space than on ground; the difference was statistically significant. Low urinary albumin excretion could be another effect of exposure to weightlessness (microgravity)....

On-board data management study for EOPAP

Science.gov (United States)

Davisson, L. D.

1975-01-01

The requirements, implementation techniques, and mission analysis associated with on-board data management for EOPAP were studied. SEASAT-A was used as a baseline, and the storage requirements, data rates, and information extraction requirements were investigated for each of the following proposed SEASAT sensors: a short pulse 13.9 GHz radar, a long pulse 13.9 GHz radar, a synthetic aperture radar, a multispectral passive microwave radiometer facility, and an infrared/visible very high resolution radiometer (VHRR). Rate distortion theory was applied to determine theoretical minimum data rates and compared with the rates required by practical techniques. It was concluded that practical techniques can be used which approach the theoretically optimum based upon an empirically determined source random process model. The results of the preceding investigations were used to recommend an on-board data management system for (1) data compression through information extraction, optimal noiseless coding, source coding with distortion, data buffering, and data selection under command or as a function of data activity, (2) for command handling, (3) for spacecraft operation and control, and (4) for experiment operation and monitoring.

The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) onboard the Europa Clipper Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Westlake, Joseph H.; McNutt, Ralph L.; Kasper, Justin C.; Rymer, Abigail; Case, Anthony; Battista, Corina; Cochrane, Corey; Coren, David; Crew, Alexander; Grey, Matthew; Jia, Xianzhe; Khurana, Krishan; Kim, Cindy; Kivelson, Margaret G.; Korth, Haje; Krupp, Norbert; Paty, Carol; Roussos, Elias; Stevens, Michael; Slavin, James A.; Smith, Howard T.; Saur, Joachim

2017-10-01

Europa is embedded in a complex Jovian magnetospheric plasma, which rotates with the tilted planetary field and interacts dynamically with Europa’s ionosphere affecting the magnetic induction signal. Plasma from Io’s temporally varying torus diffuses outward and mixes with the charged particles in Europa’s own torus producing highly variable plasma conditions. Onboard the Europa Clipper spacecraft the Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) works in conjunction with the Interior Characterization of Europa using Magnetometry (ICEMAG) investigation to probe Europa’s subsurface ocean. This investigation exploits currents induced in Europa’s interior by the moon’s exposure to variable magnetic fields in the Jovian system to infer properties of Europa’s subsurface ocean such as its depth, thickness, and conductivity. This technique was successfully applied to Galileo observations and demonstrated that Europa indeed has a subsurface ocean. While these Galileo observations contributed to the renewed interest in Europa, due to limitations in the observations the results raised major questions that remain unanswered. PIMS will greatly refine our understanding of Europa’s global liquid ocean by accounting for contributions to the magnetic field from plasma currents.The Europa Clipper mission is equipped with a sophisticated suite of 9 instruments to study Europa's interior and ocean, geology, chemistry, and habitability from a Jupiter orbiting spacecraft. PIMS on Europa Clipper is a Faraday Cup based plasma instrument whose heritage dates back to the Voyager spacecraft. PIMS will measure the plasma that populates Jupiter’s magnetosphere and Europa’s ionosphere. The science goals of PIMS are to: 1) estimate the ocean salinity and thickness by determining Europa’s magnetic induction response, corrected for plasma contributions; 2) assess mechanisms responsible for weathering and releasing material from Europa’s surface into the atmosphere and

The LYRA Instrument Onboard PROBA2: Description and In-Flight Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Dominique, M.; Hochedez, J.-F.; Schmutz, W.; Dammasch, I. E.; Shapiro, A. I.; Kretzschmar, M.; Zhukov, A. N.; Gillotay, D.; Stockman, Y.; BenMoussa, A.

2013-08-01

The Large Yield Radiometer (LYRA) is an XUV-EUV-MUV (soft X-ray to mid-ultraviolet) solar radiometer onboard the European Space Agency Project for On-Board Autonomy 2 (PROBA2) mission, which was launched in November 2009. LYRA acquires solar-irradiance measurements at a high cadence (nominally 20 Hz) in four broad spectral channels, from soft X-ray to MUV, which have been chosen for their relevance to solar physics, space weather, and aeronomy. We briefly review the design of the instrument, give an overview of the data products distributed through the instrument website, and describe how the data are calibrated. We also briefly present a summary of the main fields of research currently under investigation by the LYRA consortium.

UFFO/ Lomonosov: The Payload for the Observation of Early Photons from Gamma Ray Bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Park, I. H.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Reglero, V.; Chen, P.; Castro-Tirado, A. J.; Jeong, S.; Bogomolov, V.; Brandt, S.; Budtz-Jørgensen, C.; Chang, S.-H.; Chang, Y. Y.; Chen, C.-R.; Chen, C.-W.; Choi, H. S.; Connell, P.; Eyles, C.; Gaikov, G.; Garipov, G.; Huang, J.-J.; Huang, M.-H. A.; Jeong, H. M.; Kim, J. E.; Kim, M. B.; Kim, S.-W.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, J.; Lim, H.; Lin, C.-Y.; Liu, T.-C.; Nam, J. W.; Petrov, V.; Ripa, J.; Rodrigo, J. M.; Svertilov, S.; Wang, M.-Z.; Yashin, I.

2018-02-01

The payload of the UFFO (Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory)-pathfinder now onboard the Lomonosov spacecraft (hereafter UFFO/ Lomonosov) is a dedicated instrument for the observation of GRBs. Its primary aim is to capture the rise phase of the optical light curve, one of the least known aspects of GRBs. Fast response measurements of the optical emission of GRB will be made by a Slewing Mirror Telescope (SMT), a key instrument of the payload, which will open a new frontier in transient studies by probing the early optical rise of GRBs with a response time in seconds for the first time. The SMT employs a rapidly slewing mirror to redirect the optical axis of the telescope to a GRB position prior determined by the UFFO Burst Alert Telescope (UBAT), the other onboard instrument, for the observation and imaging of X-rays. UFFO/Lomonosov was launched successfully from Vostochny, Russia on April 28, 2016, and will begin GRB observations after completion of functional checks of the Lomonosov spacecraft. The concept of early GRB photon measurements with UFFO was reported in 2012. In this article, we will report in detail the first mission, UFFO/Lomonosov, for the rapid response to GRB observations.

Onboard Processing on PWE OFA/WFC (Onboard Frequency Analyzer/Waveform Capture) aboard the ERG (ARASE) Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, S.; Kasahara, Y.; Kojima, H.; Kasaba, Y.; Yagitani, S.; Ozaki, M.; Imachi, T.; Ishisaka, K.; Kurita, S.; Ota, M.; Kumamoto, A.; Tsuchiya, F.; Yoshizumi, M.; Matsuoka, A.; Teramoto, M.; Shinohara, I.

2017-12-01

Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) is a mission for understanding particle acceleration, loss mechanisms, and the dynamic evolution of space storms in the context of cross-energy and cross-regional coupling [Miyoshi et al., 2012]. The ERG (ARASE) satellite was launched on December 20, 2016, and successfully inserted into an orbit. The Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) is one of the science instruments on board the ERG satellite to measure electric field and magnetic field in the inner magnetosphere. PWE consists of three sub-components, EFD (Electric Field Detector), OFA/WFC (Onboard Frequency Analyzer and Waveform Capture), and HFA (High Frequency Analyzer). Especially, OFA/WFC measures electric and magnetic field spectrum and waveform from a few Hz to 20 kHz. OFA/WFC processes signals detected by a couple of dipole wire-probe antenna (WPT) and tri-axis magnetic search coils (MSC) installed onboard the satellite. The PWE-OFA subsystem calculates and produces three kind of data; OFA-SPEC (power spectrum), OFA-MATRIX (spectrum matrix), and OFA-COMPLEX (complex spectrum). They are continuously processed 24 hours per day and all data are sent to the ground. OFA-MATRIX and OFA-COMPLEX are used for polarization analyses and direction finding of the plasma waves. The PWE-WFC subsystem measures raw (64 kHz sampled) and down-sampled (1 kHz sampled) burst waveform detected by the WPT and the MSC sensors. It activates by a command, automatic triggering, and scheduling. The initial check-out process of the PWE successfully completed, and initial data has been obtained. In this presentation, we introduce onboard processing technique on PWE OFA/WFC and its initial results.

Exoplanet Searches by Future Deep Space Missions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maccone C.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The search for exoplanets could benefit from gravitational lensing if we could get to 550 AU from the Sun and beyond. This is because the gravitational lens of the Sun would highly intensify there any weak electromagnetic wave reaching the solar system from distant planets in the Galaxy (see Maccone 2009. The gravitational lens of the Sun, however, has a drawback: the solar Corona. Electrons in the Corona make electromagnetic waves diverge and this pushes the focus out to distances higher than 550 AU. Jupiter is the second larger mass in the solar system after the Sun, but in this focal game not only the mass matters: rather, what really matters is the ratio between the radius of the body squared and the mass of the body. In this regard, Jupiter qualifies as the second best choice for a space mission, requiring the spacecraft to reach 6,077 AU. In this paper, we study the benefit of exoplanet searches by deep space missions.

Functional Requirements for Onboard Management of Space Shuttle Consumables. Volume 2

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, P. J.; Herwig, H. A.; Neel, L. W.

1973-01-01

This report documents the results of the study "Functional Requirements for Onboard Management of Space Shuttle Consumables." The study was conducted for the Mission Planning and Analysis Division of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, between 3 July 1972 and 16 November 1973. The overall study program objective was two-fold. The first objective was to define a generalized consumable management concept which is applicable to advanced spacecraft. The second objective was to develop a specific consumables management concept for the Space Shuttle vehicle and to generate the functional requirements for the onboard portion of that concept. Consumables management is the process of controlling or influencing the usage of expendable materials involved in vehicle subsystem operation. The report consists of two volumes. Volume I presents a description of the study activities related to general approaches for developing consumable management, concepts for advanced spacecraft applications, and functional requirements for a Shuttle consumables management concept. Volume II presents a detailed description of the onboard consumables management concept proposed for use on the Space Shuttle.

Large-scale volcanism associated with coronae on Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, K. Magee; Head, James W.

1993-01-01

The formation and evolution of coronae on Venus are thought to be the result of mantle upwellings against the crust and lithosphere and subsequent gravitational relaxation. A variety of other features on Venus have been linked to processes associated with mantle upwelling, including shield volcanoes on large regional rises such as Beta, Atla and Western Eistla Regiones and extensive flow fields such as Mylitta and Kaiwan Fluctus near the Lada Terra/Lavinia Planitia boundary. Of these features, coronae appear to possess the smallest amounts of associated volcanism, although volcanism associated with coronae has only been qualitatively examined. An initial survey of coronae based on recent Magellan data indicated that only 9 percent of all coronae are associated with substantial amounts of volcanism, including interior calderas or edifices greater than 50 km in diameter and extensive, exterior radial flow fields. Sixty-eight percent of all coronae were found to have lesser amounts of volcanism, including interior flooding and associated volcanic domes and small shields; the remaining coronae were considered deficient in associated volcanism. It is possible that coronae are related to mantle plumes or diapirs that are lower in volume or in partial melt than those associated with the large shields or flow fields. Regional tectonics or variations in local crustal and thermal structure may also be significant in determining the amount of volcanism produced from an upwelling. It is also possible that flow fields associated with some coronae are sheet-like in nature and may not be readily identified. If coronae are associated with volcanic flow fields, then they may be a significant contributor to plains formation on Venus, as they number over 300 and are widely distributed across the planet. As a continuation of our analysis of large-scale volcanism on Venus, we have reexamined the known population of coronae and assessed quantitatively the scale of volcanism associated

Radiation dosimetry onboard the International Space Station ISS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, Thomas

2008-01-01

Besides the effects of the microgravity environment, and the psychological and psychosocial problems encountered in confined spaces, radiation is the main health detriment for long duration human space missions. The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature front that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones encountered on earth for occupational radiation workers. Therefore the determination and the control of the radiation load on astronauts is a moral obligation of the space faring nations. The requirements for radiation detectors in space are very different to that on earth. Limitations in mass, power consumption and the complex nature of the space radiation environment define and limit the overall construction of radiation detectors. Radiation dosimetry onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is accomplished to one part as ''operational'' dosimetry aiming for area monitoring of the radiation environment as well as astronaut surveillance. Another part focuses on ''scientific'' dosimetry aiming for a better understanding of the radiation environment and its constitutes. Various research activities for a more detailed quantification of the radiation environment as well as its distribution in and outside the space station have been accomplished in the last years onboard the ISS. The paper will focus on the current radiation detectors onboard the ISS, their results, as well as on future planned activities. (orig.)

NuSTAR reveals the Comptonizing corona of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 382

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ballantyne, D. R.; Bollenbacher, J. M. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Brenneman, L. W. [Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 60 Garden Street MS-67, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Madsen, K. K.; Baloković, M.; Harrison, F. A.; Walton, D. J. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Boggs, S. E. [Space Science Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W. [DTU SpaceNational Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Gandhi, P. [Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Hailey, C. J. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Lohfink, A. M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States); Marinucci, A. [Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, via della Vasca Navale 84, I-00146 Roma (Italy); Markwardt, C. B.; Zhang, W. W. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Stern, D., E-mail: david.ballantyne@physics.gatech.edu [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2014-10-10

Broad-line radio galaxies (BLRGs) are active galactic nuclei that produce powerful, large-scale radio jets, but appear as Seyfert 1 galaxies in their optical spectra. In the X-ray band, BLRGs also appear like Seyfert galaxies, but with flatter spectra and weaker reflection features. One explanation for these properties is that the X-ray continuum is diluted by emission from the jet. Here, we present two NuSTAR observations of the BLRG 3C 382 that show clear evidence that the continuum of this source is dominated by thermal Comptonization, as in Seyfert 1 galaxies. The two observations were separated by over a year and found 3C 382 in different states separated by a factor of 1.7 in flux. The lower flux spectrum has a photon-index of Γ=1.68{sub −0.02}{sup +0.03}, while the photon-index of the higher flux spectrum is Γ=1.78{sub −0.03}{sup +0.02}. Thermal and anisotropic Comptonization models provide an excellent fit to both spectra and show that the coronal plasma cooled from kT{sub e} = 330 ± 30 keV in the low flux data to 231{sub −88}{sup +50} keV in the high flux observation. This cooling behavior is typical of Comptonizing corona in Seyfert galaxies and is distinct from the variations observed in jet-dominated sources. In the high flux observation, simultaneous Swift data are leveraged to obtain a broadband spectral energy distribution and indicates that the corona intercepts ∼10% of the optical and ultraviolet emitting accretion disk. 3C 382 exhibits very weak reflection features, with no detectable relativistic Fe Kα line, that may be best explained by an outflowing corona combined with an ionized inner accretion disk.

Advancing Lidar Sensors Technologies for Next Generation Landing Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Hines, Glenn D.; Roback, Vincent E.; Petway, Larry B.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Brewster, Paul F.; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Bulyshev, Alexander

2015-01-01

Missions to solar systems bodies must meet increasingly ambitious objectives requiring highly reliable "precision landing", and "hazard avoidance" capabilities. Robotic missions to the Moon and Mars demand landing at pre-designated sites of high scientific value near hazardous terrain features, such as escarpments, craters, slopes, and rocks. Missions aimed at paving the path for colonization of the Moon and human landing on Mars need to execute onboard hazard detection and precision maneuvering to ensure safe landing near previously deployed assets. Asteroid missions require precision rendezvous, identification of the landing or sampling site location, and navigation to the highly dynamic object that may be tumbling at a fast rate. To meet these needs, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a set of advanced lidar sensors under the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project. These lidar sensors can provide precision measurement of vehicle relative proximity, velocity, and orientation, and high resolution elevation maps of the surface during the descent to the targeted body. Recent flights onboard Morpheus free-flyer vehicle have demonstrated the viability of ALHAT lidar sensors for future landing missions to solar system bodies.

Using New Technologies in Support of Future Space Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Hooke, Adrian J.; Welch, David C.

1997-01-01

This paper forms a perspective of how new technologies such as onboard autonomy and internet-like protocols will change the look and feel of operations. It analyzes the concept of a lights-out mission operations control center and it's role in future mission support and it describes likely scenarios for evolving from current concepts.

Signatures of Slow Solar Wind Streams from Active Regions in the Inner Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Slemzin, V.; Harra, L.; Urnov, A.; Kuzin, S.; Goryaev, F.; Berghmans, D.

2013-08-01

The identification of solar-wind sources is an important question in solar physics. The existing solar-wind models ( e.g., the Wang-Sheeley-Arge model) provide the approximate locations of the solar wind sources based on magnetic field extrapolations. It has been suggested recently that plasma outflows observed at the edges of active regions may be a source of the slow solar wind. To explore this we analyze an isolated active region (AR) adjacent to small coronal hole (CH) in July/August 2009. On 1 August, Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer observations showed two compact outflow regions in the corona. Coronal rays were observed above the active-region coronal hole (ARCH) region on the eastern limb on 31 July by STEREO-A/EUVI and at the western limb on 7 August by CORONAS- Photon/TESIS telescopes. In both cases the coronal rays were co-aligned with open magnetic-field lines given by the potential field source surface model, which expanded into the streamer. The solar-wind parameters measured by STEREO-B, ACE, Wind, and STEREO-A confirmed the identification of the ARCH as a source region of the slow solar wind. The results of the study support the suggestion that coronal rays can represent signatures of outflows from ARs propagating in the inner corona along open field lines into the heliosphere.

Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Tim; LeBlanc, Troy; Ulman, Brian; McDonald, Aaron; Gramm, Paul; Chang, Li-Min; Keerthi, Suman; Kivlovitz, Dov; Hadlock, Jason

2011-01-01

Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer (OSTPV) is a computer program for electronic display of mission plans and timelines, both aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and in ISS ground control stations located in several countries. OSTPV was specifically designed both (1) for use within the limited ISS computing environment and (2) to be compatible with computers used in ground control stations. OSTPV supplants a prior system in which, aboard the ISS, timelines were printed on paper and incorporated into files that also contained other paper documents. Hence, the introduction of OSTPV has both reduced the consumption of resources and saved time in updating plans and timelines. OSTPV accepts, as input, the mission timeline output of a legacy, print-oriented, UNIX-based program called "Consolidated Planning System" and converts the timeline information for display in an interactive, dynamic, Windows Web-based graphical user interface that is used by both the ISS crew and ground control teams in real time. OSTPV enables the ISS crew to electronically indicate execution of timeline steps, launch electronic procedures, and efficiently report to ground control teams on the statuses of ISS activities, all by use of laptop computers aboard the ISS.

Rapid Diagnostics of Onboard Sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Starbird, Thomas W.; Morris, John R.; Shams, Khawaja S.; Maimone, Mark W.

2012-01-01

Keeping track of sequences onboard a spacecraft is challenging. When reviewing Event Verification Records (EVRs) of sequence executions on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER), operators often found themselves wondering which version of a named sequence the EVR corresponded to. The lack of this information drastically impacts the operators diagnostic capabilities as well as their situational awareness with respect to the commands the spacecraft has executed, since the EVRs do not provide argument values or explanatory comments. Having this information immediately available can be instrumental in diagnosing critical events and can significantly enhance the overall safety of the spacecraft. This software provides auditing capability that can eliminate that uncertainty while diagnosing critical conditions. Furthermore, the Restful interface provides a simple way for sequencing tools to automatically retrieve binary compiled sequence SCMFs (Space Command Message Files) on demand. It also enables developers to change the underlying database, while maintaining the same interface to the existing applications. The logging capabilities are also beneficial to operators when they are trying to recall how they solved a similar problem many days ago: this software enables automatic recovery of SCMF and RML (Robot Markup Language) sequence files directly from the command EVRs, eliminating the need for people to find and validate the corresponding sequences. To address the lack of auditing capability for sequences onboard a spacecraft during earlier missions, extensive logging support was added on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) sequencing server. This server is responsible for generating all MSL binary SCMFs from RML input sequences. The sequencing server logs every SCMF it generates into a MySQL database, as well as the high-level RML file and dictionary name inputs used to create the SCMF. The SCMF is then indexed by a hash value that is automatically included in all command

Optimization of Planck-LFI on-board data handling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maris, M; Galeotta, S; Frailis, M; Zacchei, A; Fogliani, S; Gasparo, F [INAF-OATs, Via G.B. Tiepolo 11, 34131 Trieste (Italy); Tomasi, M; Bersanelli, M [Universita di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica, Via G. Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy); Miccolis, M [Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A., S.S. Padana Superiore 290, 20090 Vimodrone (Italy); Hildebrandt, S; Chulani, H; Gomez, F [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), C/o Via Lactea, s/n E38205 - La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Rohlfs, R; Morisset, N; Binko, P [ISDC Data Centre for Astrophysics, University of Geneva, ch. d' Ecogia 16, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Burigana, C; Butler, R C; Cuttaia, F; Franceschi, E [INAF-IASF Bologna, Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna (Italy); D' Arcangelo, O, E-mail: maris@oats.inaf.i [IFP-CNR, via Cozzi 53, 20125 Milano (Italy)

2009-12-15

To asses stability against 1/f noise, the Low Frequency Instrument (LFI) on-board the Planck mission will acquire data at a rate much higher than the data rate allowed by the science telemetry bandwith of 35.5 Kbps. The data are processed by an on-board pipeline, followed on-ground by a decoding and reconstruction step, to reduce the volume of data to a level compatible with the bandwidth while minimizing the loss of information. This paper illustrates the on-board processing of the scientific data used by Planck/LFI to fit the allowed data-rate, an intrinsecally lossy process which distorts the signal in a manner which depends on a set of five free parameters (N{sub aver}, r{sub 1}, r{sub 2}, q, O) for each of the 44 LFI detectors. The paper quantifies the level of distortion introduced by the on-board processing as a function of these parameters. It describes the method of tuning the on-board processing chain to cope with the limited bandwidth while keeping to a minimum the signal distortion. Tuning is sensitive to the statistics of the signal and has to be constantly adapted during flight. The tuning procedure is based on a optimization algorithm applied to unprocessed and uncompressed raw data provided either by simulations, pre-launch tests or data taken in flight from LFI operating in a special diagnostic acquisition mode. All the needed optimization steps are performed by an automated tool, OCA2, which simulates the on-board processing, explores the space of possible combinations of parameters, and produces a set of statistical indicators, among them: the compression rate C{sub r} and the processing noise epsilon{sub Q}. For Planck/LFI it is required that C{sub r} = 2.4 while, as for other systematics, epsilon{sub Q} would have to be less than 10% of rms of the instrumental white noise. An analytical model is developed that is able to extract most of the relevant information on the processing errors and the compression rate as a function of the signal

Joint Soviet-French studies of the solar corona. II - Photometry of the solar corona on June 30, 1973

Science.gov (United States)

Vsekhsvyatsky, S. K.; Dzyubenko, N. I.; Ivanchuk, V. I.; Popov, O. S.; Rubo, G. A.; Koutchmy, S.; Koutchmy, O.; Shtelmacher, G.

1981-04-01

Results are presented of a study of negatives obtained on June 30, 1973 during the total solar eclipse in Africa; the study was part of a joint Soviet-French experiment on white corona dynamics, carried out by expeditions of Kiev University (Atar, Mauritania) and the Paris Astrophysical Institute (Moussoro, Chad). The distribution of total corona brightness up to 4.5 solar radii and its K and F corona components for east and north directions were found on the basis of novel methods of photometry and colorimetry using star images up to 8.5m as the photometry standards. Neither the color effect nor flattening is found in the inner part (less than 2.5 solar radii) of the F corona. Integral corona brightness in the standard zone of 1.03-6.00 solar radii was found to be 0.64 x 10 to the -6th solar-E.

Ions mobilities in corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakhtaev, Sh. A.; Bochkareva, G. V.; Sydykova, G. K.

2000-01-01

Ion mobility in unipolar corona at small inter-electron distances (up to 0.01 m) when as coroning element serves micro-wire is consider. Experimental data of ion mobility in corona discharge external zone in atmospheric air are obtained and its comparative analysis with known data is worked out. (author)

Chaotic characteristics of corona discharges in atmospheric air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Xiangyu; Zhang Qiaogen; Wang Xiuhuan; Sun Fu; Zha Wei; Jia Zhijie

2008-01-01

A point-plane electrode system in atmospheric air is established to investigate the mechanism of the corona discharge. By using this system, the current pulses of the corona discharges under the 50 Hz ac voltage are measured using partial discharge (PD) measurement instrument and constitute the point-plane voltage-current (V-I) characteristic equation together with the voltage. Then, this paper constructs the nonlinear circuit model and differential equations of the system in an attempt to give the underlying dynamic mechanism based on the nonlinear V-I characteristics of the point-plane corona discharges. The results show that the chaotic phenomenon is found in the corona circuit by the experimental study and nonlinear dynamic analysis. The basic dynamic characteristics, including the Lyapunov exponent, the existence of the strange attractors, and the equilibrium points, are also found and analyzed in the development process of the corona circuit. Moreover, the time series of the corona current pulses obtained in the experiment is used to demonstrate the chaotic characteristics of the corona current based on the nonlinear dynamic circuit theory and the experimental basis. It is pointed out that the corona phenomenon is not a purely stochastic phenomenon but a short term deterministic chaotic activity

Characteristics of pulse corona discharge over water surface

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Tomio; Arao, Yasushi; Rea, Massimo

2008-12-01

Production of ozone and OH radical is required to advance the plasma chemical reactions in the NOx removal processes for combustion gas treatment. The corona discharge to the water surface is expected to induce the good conditions for the proceeding of the NO oxidation and the NO2 dissolution removal into water. In order to get the fundamental data of the corona discharge over the water surface, the positive and negative V-I characteristics and the ozone production were measured with the multi needle and the saw-edge type of the discharge electrodes. The pulse corona characteristics were also measured with some different waveforms of the applied pulse voltage. The experiments were carried out under the atmospheric pressure and room temperature. Both the DC and the pulse corona to the water surface showed a stable and almost the same V-I characteristics as to plate electrodes though the surface of water was waved by corona wind. The positive streamer corona showed more ozone production than the negative one both in the DC and in the pulse corona.

Characteristics of pulse corona discharge over water surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, Tomio; Arao, Yasushi; Rea, Massimo

2008-01-01

Production of ozone and OH radical is required to advance the plasma chemical reactions in the NOx removal processes for combustion gas treatment. The corona discharge to the water surface is expected to induce the good conditions for the proceeding of the NO oxidation and the NO 2 dissolution removal into water. In order to get the fundamental data of the corona discharge over the water surface, the positive and negative V-I characteristics and the ozone production were measured with the multi needle and the saw-edge type of the discharge electrodes. The pulse corona characteristics were also measured with some different waveforms of the applied pulse voltage. The experiments were carried out under the atmospheric pressure and room temperature. Both the DC and the pulse corona to the water surface showed a stable and almost the same V-I characteristics as to plate electrodes though the surface of water was waved by corona wind. The positive streamer corona showed more ozone production than the negative one both in the DC and in the pulse corona.

Radiation dosimetry onboard the International Space Station ISS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berger, Thomas [German Aerospace Center - DLR, Inst. of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology, Cologne (Germany)

2008-07-01

Besides the effects of the microgravity environment, and the psychological and psychosocial problems encountered in confined spaces, radiation is the main health detriment for long duration human space missions. The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature front that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones encountered on earth for occupational radiation workers. Therefore the determination and the control of the radiation load on astronauts is a moral obligation of the space faring nations. The requirements for radiation detectors in space are very different to that on earth. Limitations in mass, power consumption and the complex nature of the space radiation environment define and limit the overall construction of radiation detectors. Radiation dosimetry onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is accomplished to one part as 'operational' dosimetry aiming for area monitoring of the radiation environment as well as astronaut surveillance. Another part focuses on 'scientific' dosimetry aiming for a better understanding of the radiation environment and its constitutes. Various research activities for a more detailed quantification of the radiation environment as well as its distribution in and outside the space station have been accomplished in the last years onboard the ISS. The paper will focus on the current radiation detectors onboard the ISS, their results, as well as on future planned activities. (orig.)

Wide-Field Gamma-Spectrometer BDRG: GRB Monitor On-Board the Lomonosov Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Svertilov, S. I.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Bogomolov, V. V.; Amelushkin, A. M.; Barinova, V. O.; Galkin, V. I.; Iyudin, A. F.; Kuznetsova, E. A.; Prokhorov, A. V.; Petrov, V. L.; Rozhkov, G. V.; Yashin, I. V.; Gorbovskoy, E. S.; Lipunov, V. M.; Park, I. H.; Jeong, S.; Kim, M. B.

2018-02-01

The study of GRB prompt emissions (PE) is one of the main goals of the Lomonosov space mission. The payloads of the GRB monitor (BDRG) with the wide-field optical cameras (SHOK) and the ultra-fast flash observatory (UFFO) onboard the Lomonosov satellite are intended for the observation of GRBs, and in particular, their prompt emissions. The BDRG gamma-ray spectrometer is designed to obtain the temporal and spectral information of GRBs in the energy range of 10-3000 keV as well as to provide GRB triggers on several time scales (10 ms, 1 s and 20 s) for ground and space telescopes, including the UFFO and SHOK. The BDRG instrument consists of three identical detector boxes with axes shifted by 90° from each other. This configuration allows us to localize a GRB source in the sky with an accuracy of ˜ 2°. Each BDRG box contains a phoswich NaI(Tl)/CsI(Tl) scintillator detector. A thick CsI(Tl) crystal in size of \\varnothing 130 × 17 mm is placed underneath the NaI(Tl) as an active shield in the soft energy range and as the main detector in the hard energy range. The ratio of the CsI(Tl) to NaI(Tl) event rates at varying energies can be employed as an independent metric to distinguish legitimate GRB signals from false positives originating from electrons in near-Earth vicinities. The data from three detectors are collected in a BA BDRG information unit, which generates a GRB trigger and a set of data frames in output format. The scientific data output is ˜ 500 Mb per day, including ˜ 180 Mb of continuous data for events with durations in excess of 100 ms for 16 channels in each detector, detailed energy spectra, and sets of frames with ˜ 5 Mb of detailed information for each burst-like event. A number of pre-flight tests including those for the trigger algorithm and calibration were carried out to confirm the reliability of the BDRG for operation in space.

STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF THE 2010 JULY 11 ECLIPSE WHITE-LIGHT CORONA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasachoff, J. M.; Rusin, V.; Saniga, M.

2011-01-01

The white-light corona (WLC) during the total solar eclipse on 2010 July 11 was observed by several teams in the Moon's shadow stretching across the Pacific Ocean and a number of isolated islands. We present a comparison of the WLC as observed by eclipse teams located on the Tatakoto Atoll in French Polynesia and on Easter Island, 83 minutes later, combined with near-simultaneous space observations. The eclipse was observed at the beginning of the solar cycle, not long after solar minimum. Nevertheless, the solar corona shows a plethora of different features (coronal holes, helmet streamers, polar rays, very faint loops and radial-oriented thin streamers, a coronal mass ejection, and a puzzling 'curtain-like' object above the north pole). Comparing the observations from the two sites enables us to detect some dynamic phenomena. The eclipse observations are further compared with a hairy-ball model of the magnetic field and near-simultaneous images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager on NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory, the Sun Watcher, using Active Pixel System Detector and Image Processing on ESA's PRoject for Onboard Autonomy, and the Naval Research Laboratory's Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph on ESA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. The Ludendorff flattening coefficient is 0.156, matching the expected ellipticity of coronal isophotes at 2 Rs un , for this rising phase of the solar-activity cycle.

Onboard Data Processors for Planetary Ice-Penetrating Sounding Radars

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, I. L.; Friesenhahn, R.; Gim, Y.; Wu, X.; Jordan, R.; Wang, C.; Clark, D.; Le, M.; Hand, K. P.; Plaut, J. J.

2011-12-01

Among the many concerns faced by outer planetary missions, science data storage and transmission hold special significance. Such missions must contend with limited onboard storage, brief data downlink windows, and low downlink bandwidths. A potential solution to these issues lies in employing onboard data processors (OBPs) to convert raw data into products that are smaller and closely capture relevant scientific phenomena. In this paper, we present the implementation of two OBP architectures for ice-penetrating sounding radars tasked with exploring Europa and Ganymede. Our first architecture utilizes an unfocused processing algorithm extended from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS, Jordan et. al. 2009). Compared to downlinking raw data, we are able to reduce data volume by approximately 100 times through OBP usage. To ensure the viability of our approach, we have implemented, simulated, and synthesized this architecture using both VHDL and Matlab models (with fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic) in conjunction with Modelsim. Creation of a VHDL model of our processor is the principle step in transitioning to actual digital hardware, whether in a FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), and successful simulation and synthesis strongly indicate feasibility. In addition, we examined the tradeoffs faced in the OBP between fixed-point accuracy, resource consumption, and data product fidelity. Our second architecture is based upon a focused fast back projection (FBP) algorithm that requires a modest amount of computing power and on-board memory while yielding high along-track resolution and improved slope detection capability. We present an overview of the algorithm and details of our implementation, also in VHDL. With the appropriate tradeoffs, the use of OBPs can significantly reduce data downlink requirements without sacrificing data product fidelity. Through the development

Dose characteristics and LET spectra on and inside the spherical phantom onboard of ISS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jadrnickova, I.; Brabcova, K.; Mrazova, Z.; Spurny, F.; Shurshakov, V.A.; Kartsev, I.S.; Tolochek, R.V.

2010-01-01

To estimate the radiation risk of spacecraft crew during the mission, it is necessary to measure dose distribution at various compartments, on and inside the human body that can be simulated using various phantoms. Due to some convenient characteristics (especially small weight and dimensions), passive detectors are used to measure dosimetric quantities onboard spacecraft. This contribution deals with the measurement of dosimetric characteristics and spectra of linear energy transfer (LET) onboard the International Space Station (ISS) during two experiments with tissue-equivalent spherical Russian phantom MATROSHKA-R realized in years 2006 and 2008. To obtain LET spectra, total absorbed doses, and dose equivalents, we used combination of plastic nuclear track detectors and thermoluminescence detectors. The detectors were placed at various locations on the surface of the MATROSHKA-R phantom; some detectors were also inserted inside this phantom. The variation of dosimetric quantities obtained during both missions is discussed. The dose characteristics vary with the position of the detectors on or inside the phantom; the absorbed dose and dose equivalent can differ almost twice.

The MAXIM Pathfinder Mission: X-Ray Imaging at 100 Micro-Arcseconds

Science.gov (United States)

Cash, Webster; White, Nick; Joy, Marshall

2000-01-01

We present the results of a study to show how it is possible to build a super high resolution x-ray imaging mission based on the principles of x-ray interferometry. The mission concept uses today's technology to specify a 1.4 meter baseline interferometer that will resolve features as fine as 100 micro-arcsecond imaging at 1keV. This resolution is sufficient to produce high quality images of the coronae of other stars.

The nanoparticle biomolecule corona: lessons learned - challenge accepted?

Science.gov (United States)

Docter, D; Westmeier, D; Markiewicz, M; Stolte, S; Knauer, S K; Stauber, R H

2015-10-07

Besides the wide use of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) in technical products, their applications are not only increasing in biotechnology and biomedicine, but also in the environmental field. While the physico-chemical properties and behaviour of NMs can be characterized accurately under idealized conditions, this is no longer the case in complex physiological or natural environments. Herein, proteins and other biomolecules rapidly bind to NMs, forming a protein/biomolecule corona that critically affects the NMs' (patho)biological and technical identities. As the corona impacts the in vitro and/or in vivo NM applications in humans and ecosystems, a mechanistic understanding of its relevance and of the biophysical forces regulating corona formation is mandatory. Based on recent insights, we here critically review and present an updated concept of corona formation and evolution. We comment on how corona signatures may be linked to effects at the nano-bio interface in physiological and environmental systems. In order to comprehensively analyse corona profiles and to mechanistically understand the coronas' biological/ecological impact, we present a tiered multidisciplinary approach. To stimulate progress in this field, we introduce the potential impact of the corona for NM-microbiome-(human)host interactions and the novel concept of 'nanologicals', i.e., the nanomaterial-specific targeting of molecular machines. We conclude by discussing the relevant challenges that still need to be resolved in this field.

X-ray spectrophotometer SphinX and particle spectrometer STEP-F of the satellite experiment CORONAS-PHOTON. Preliminary results of the joint data analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Dudnik, O. V.; Podgorski, P.; Sylwester, J.; Gburek, S.; Kowalinski, M.; Siarkowski, M.; Plocieniak, S.; Bakala, J.

2012-04-01

A joint analysis is carried out of data obtained with the help of the solar X-ray SphinX spectrophotometer and the electron and proton satellite telescope STEP-F in May 2009 in the course of the scientific space experiment CORONAS-PHOTON. In order to determine the energies and particle types, in the analysis of spectrophotometer records data are used on the intensities of electrons, protons, and secondary γ-radiation, obtained by the STEP-F telescope, which was located in close proximity to the SphinX spectrophotometer. The identical reaction of both instruments is noted at the intersection of regions of the Brazilian magnetic anomaly and the Earth's radiation belts. It is shown that large area photodiodes, serving as sensors of the X-ray spectrometer, reliably record electron fluxes of low and intermediate energies, as well as fluxes of the secondary gamma radiation from construction materials of detector modules, the TESIS instrument complex, and the spacecraft itself. The dynamics of electron fluxes, recorded by the SphinX spectrophotometer in the vicinity of a weak geomagnetic storm, supplements the information about the processes of radial diffusion of electrons, which was studied using the STEP-F telescope.

Digibaro pressure instrument onboard the Phoenix Lander

Science.gov (United States)

Harri, A.-M.; Polkko, J.; Kahanpää, H. H.; Schmidt, W.; Genzer, M. M.; Haukka, H.; Savijarv1, H.; Kauhanen, J.

2009-04-01

The Phoenix Lander landed successfully on the Martian northern polar region. The mission is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Scout program. Pressure observations onboard the Phoenix lander were performed by an FMI (Finnish Meteorological Institute) instrument, based on a silicon diaphragm sensor head manufactured by Vaisala Inc., combined with MDA data processing electronics. The pressure instrument performed successfully throughout the Phoenix mission. The pressure instrument had 3 pressure sensor heads. One of these was the primary sensor head and the other two were used for monitoring the condition of the primary sensor head during the mission. During the mission the primary sensor was read with a sampling interval of 2 s and the other two were read less frequently as a check of instrument health. The pressure sensor system had a real-time data-processing and calibration algorithm that allowed the removal of temperature dependent calibration effects. In the same manner as the temperature sensor, a total of 256 data records (8.53 min) were buffered and they could either be stored at full resolution, or processed to provide mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values for storage on the Phoenix Lander's Meteorological (MET) unit.The time constant was approximately 3s due to locational constraints and dust filtering requirements. Using algorithms compensating for the time constant effect the temporal resolution was good enough to detect pressure drops associated with the passage of nearby dust devils.

The JEM-EUSO mission to explore the extreme Universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajino, Fumiyoshi

2010-01-01

Accommodated on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) of the International Space Station (ISS), the Extreme Universe Space Observatory JEM-EUSO will utilize the Earth's atmosphere as a giant detector of the extreme energy cosmic rays; the most energetic particles coming from the Universe. Looking downward the Earth from Space, JEM-EUSO will detect such particles by observing the fluorescence and Cherenkov photons produced during their pass in the atmosphere. The main objective of JEM-EUSO is doing astronomy and astrophysics through the particle channel with extreme energies above several times 10 19 eV with a significant statistics beyond the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cut-off. Moreover, JEM-EUSO could observe extremely high energy neutrinos. JEM-EUSO has been designed to operate for more than 3 years onboard the ISS orbiting around the Earth every 90 min at an altitude of about 400 km. JAXA has selected JEM-EUSO as one of the mission candidates of the second phase utilization of JEM/EF for the launch in mid 2010s.

A guide to the solar corona

CERN Document Server

Billings, Donald E

1966-01-01

A Guide to the Solar Corona is specifically directed to the space scientist or engineer who is not a specialist in solar physics, but whose work requires a fairly detailed knowledge of the corona. It is hoped that the material may prove useful to most graduate students in astrophysics, while solar physicists may find some topics of interest and value to them. The book contains 12 chapters and begins with three descriptive chapters that provide the casual reader with a concept of the corona as it is evident through more or less direct observation. Topics covered include the development of coron

Detection of Organics at Mars: How Wet Chemistry Onboard SAM Helps

Science.gov (United States)

Buch, A.; Freissinet, Caroline; Szopa, C.; Glavin, D.; Coll, P.; Cabane, M.; Eigenbrode, J.; Navarro-Gonzalez, R.; Coscia, D.; Teinturier, S.;

Modeling of Trichel pulses in negative corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napartovich, A.P.; Akishev, Yu. S.; Deryugin, A.A.; Kochetov, I.V.; Pan'kin, M.V.; Trushkin, N.I.

1998-01-01

Results are reported of detailed numerical studies of Trichel pulse formation for dry air in short-gap coronas. Continuity equations for electrons, positive and negative ions, and the Poisson equation averaged over the current cross section were solved numerically with appropriate boundary conditions. The results of numerical simulation make it possible to analyze in detail the trailing edge of the Trichel pulse and the inter-pulse pause determining the period between pulses. In particular, the variations of the total number of negative ions in the corona spacing occurring under typical conditions of a pulsating corona, proved to be quite insignificant. A comparison with experiments demonstrated a reasonable agreement both for the shape of the pulse and for the average characteristics of the negative corona. (J.U.)

Pulsed Corona Discharge Generated By Marx Generator

Science.gov (United States)

Sretenovic, G. B.; Obradovic, B. M.; Kovacevic, V. V.; Kuraica, M. M.; Puric J.

2010-07-01

The pulsed plasma has a significant role in new environmental protection technologies. As a part of a pulsed corona system for pollution control applications, Marx type repetitive pulse generator was constructed and tested in arrangement with wire-plate corona reactor. We performed electrical measurements, and obtained voltage and current signals, and also power and energy delivered per pulse. Ozone formation by streamer plasma in air was chosen to monitor chemical activity of the pulsed corona discharge.

Corona Associations and Their Implications for Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, M.G.; Zimbelman, J.R.

1998-01-01

Geologic mapping principles were applied to determine genetic relations between coronae and surrounding geomorphologic features within two study areas in order to better understand venusian coronae. The study areas contain coronae in a cluster versus a contrasting chain and are (1) directly west of Phoebe Regio (quadrangle V-40; centered at latitude 15??S, longitude 250??) and (2) west of Asteria and Beta Regiones (between latitude 23??N, longitude 239?? and latitude 43??N, longitude 275??). Results of this research indicate two groups of coronae on Venus: (1) those that are older and nearly coeval with regional plains, and occur globally; and (2) those that are younger and occur between Beta, Atla, and Themis Regiones or along extensional rifts elsewhere, sometimes showing systematic age progressions. Mapping relations and Earth analogs suggest that older plains coronae may be related to a near-global resurfacing event perhaps initiated by a mantle superplume or plumes. Younger coronae of this study that show age progression may be related to (1) a tectonic junction of connecting rifts resulting from local mantle upwelling and spread of a quasi-stationary hotspot plume, and (2) localized spread of post-plains volcanism. We postulate that on Venus most of the young, post-resurfacing coronal plumes may be concentrated within an area defined by the bounds of Beta, Atla, and Themis Regiones. ?? 1998 Academic Press.

Characterization of CZT detectors for the ASIM mission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Budtz-Jørgensen, Carl; Kuvvetli, Irfan; Skogseide, Y

2008-01-01

The National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark is responsible for the selection and characterization of the CZT detector crystals for the X and gamma -ray instrument MXGS onboard ESA’s Atmospheric Space Interaction Monitor (ASIM) mission. The Modular X- and Gamma ray Sensor (MXGS) ...

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Venus

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

The session "Venus" included the following reports:Preliminary Study of Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for a Venus Mission; Venus Surface Investigation Using VIRTIS Onboard the ESA/Venus Express Mission; Use of Magellan Images for Venus Landing Safety Assessment; Volatile Element Geochemistry in the Lower Atmosphere of Venus; Resurfacing Styles and Rates on Venus: Assessment of 18 Venusian Quadrangles; Stereo Imaging of Impact Craters in the Beta-Atla-Themis (BAT) Region, Venus; Depths of Extended Crater-related Deposits on Venus ; Potential Pyroclastic Deposit in the Nemesis Tessera (V14) Quadrangle of Venus; Relationship Between Coronae, Regional Plains and Rift Zones on Venus, Preliminary Results; Coronae of Parga Chasma, Venus; The Evolution of Four Volcano/Corona Hybrids on Venus; Calderas on Venus and Earth: Comparison and Models of Formation; Venus Festoon Deposits: Analysis of Characteristics and Modes of Emplacement; Topographic and Structural Analysis of Devana Chasma, Venus: A Propagating Rift System; Anomalous Radial Structures at Irnini Mons, Venus: A Parametric Study of Stresses on a Pressurized Hole; Analysis of Gravity and Topography Signals in Atalanta-Vinmara and Lavinia Planitiae Canali are Lava, Not River, Channels; and Formation of Venusian Channels in a Shield Paint Substrate.

Mission Level Autonomy for USSV

Science.gov (United States)

Huntsberger, Terry; Stirb, Robert C.; Brizzolara, Robert

2011-01-01

On-water demonstration of a wide range of mission-proven, advanced technologies at TRL 5+ that provide a total integrated, modular approach to effectively address the majority of the key needs for full mission-level autonomous, cross-platform control of USV s. Wide baseline stereo system mounted on the ONR USSV was shown to be an effective sensing modality for tracking of dynamic contacts as a first step to automated retrieval operations. CASPER onboard planner/replanner successfully demonstrated realtime, on-water resource-based analysis for mission-level goal achievement and on-the-fly opportunistic replanning. Full mixed mode autonomy was demonstrated on-water with a seamless transition between operator over-ride and return to current mission plan. Autonomous cooperative operations for fixed asset protection and High Value Unit escort using 2 USVs (AMN1 & 14m RHIB) were demonstrated during Trident Warrior 2010 in JUN 2010

Terrestrial cometary tail and lunar corona induced by small comets: Predictions for Galileo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dessler, A.J.; Sandel, B.R.; Vasyliunas, V.M.

1990-01-01

A search for small comets near 1 AU is an objective of the Galileo mission. If small comets are as numerous and behave as has been proposed, two near-Earth signatures of small comets should be observable by the UVS experiment on the Earth flybys of Galileo; (1) a comet-like tail of Earth created by small comets that come close to Earth, break up and vaporize, but just miss the atmosphere and proceed back into interplanetary space, and (2) a corona surrounding the Moon induced by lunar impact of small comets

Pulsed corona demonstrator for semi-industrial scale air purification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beckers, F.J.C.M.; Hoeben, W.F.L.M.; Huiskamp, T.; Pemen, A.J.M.; Heesch, van E.J.M.

2013-01-01

Although pulsed corona technology for air purification is widely investigated by the lab experiments, large-scale application has yet to be proven. Industrial systems require large flow handling and thus, high corona power. An autonomous semi-industrial scale pilot wire-cylinder type corona reactor

Habitability during long-duration space missions - Key issues associated with a mission to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Stuster, Jack

1989-01-01

Isolation and confinement conditions similar to those of a long-duration mission to Mars are examined, focusing on 14 behavioral issues with design implications. Consideration is given to sleep, clothing, exercise, medical support, personal hygiene, food preparation, group interaction, habitat aesthetics, outside communications, recreational opportunities, privacy, waste disposal, onboard training, and the microgravity environment. The results are used to develop operational requirements and habitability design guidelines for interplanetary spacecraft.

Centralized mission planning and scheduling system for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Kavelaars, Alicia; Barnoy, Assaf M.; Gregory, Shawna; Garcia, Gonzalo; Talon, Cesar; Greer, Gregory; Williams, Jason; Dulski, Vicki

2014-01-01

Satellites in Low Earth Orbit provide missions with closer range for studying aspects such as geography and topography, but often require efficient utilization of space and ground assets. Optimizing schedules for these satellites amounts to a complex planning puzzle since it requires operators to face issues such as discontinuous ground contacts, limited onboard memory storage, constrained downlink margin, and shared ground antenna resources. To solve this issue for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM, Landsat 8), all the scheduling exchanges for science data request, ground/space station contact, and spacecraft maintenance and control will be coordinated through a centralized Mission Planning and Scheduling (MPS) engine, based upon GMV’s scheduling system flexplan9 . The synchronization between all operational functions must be strictly maintained to ensure efficient mission utilization of ground and spacecraft activities while working within the bounds of the space and ground resources, such as Solid State Recorder (SSR) and available antennas. This paper outlines the functionalities that the centralized planning and scheduling system has in its operational control and management of the Landsat 8 spacecraft.

Off-limb EUV observations of the solar corona and transients with the CORONAS-F/SPIRIT telescope-coronagraph

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Slemzin

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The SPIRIT telescope aboard the CORONAS-F satellite (in orbit from 26 July 2001 to 5 December 2005, observed the off-limb solar corona in the 175 Å (Fe IX, X and XI lines and 304 Å (He II and Si XI lines bands. In the coronagraphic mode the mirror was tilted to image the corona at the distance of 1.1...5 R_sun from the solar center, the outer occulter blocked the disk radiation and the detector sensitivity was enhanced. This intermediate region between the fields of view of ordinary extreme-ultraviolet (EUV telescopes and most of the white-light (WL coronagraphs is responsible for forming the streamer belt, acceleration of ejected matter and emergence of slow and fast solar wind. We present here the results of continuous coronagraphic EUV observations of the solar corona carried out during two weeks in June and December 2002. The images showed a "diffuse" (unresolved component of the corona seen in both bands, and non-radial, ray-like structures seen only in the 175 Å band, which can be associated with a streamer base. The correlations between latitudinal distributions of the EUV brightness in the corona and at the limb were found to be high in 304 Å at all distances and in 175 Å only below 1.5 R_sun. The temporal correlation of the coronal brightness along the west radial line, with the brightness at the underlying limb region was significant in both bands, independent of the distance. On 2 February 2003 SPIRIT observed an expansion of a transient associated with a prominence eruption seen only in the 304 Å band. The SPIRIT data have been compared with the corresponding data of the SOHO LASCO, EIT and UVCS instruments.

The solar probe mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldman, W.C.; Anderson, J.; Bohlin, J.D.; Burlaga, L.F.; Farquhar, R.; Gloeckler, G.; Goldstein, B.E.; Harvey, J.W.; Holzer, T.E.; Jones, W.V.; Kellogg, P.J.; Krimigis, S.M.; Kundu, M.R.; Lazarus, A.J.; Mellott, M.M.; Parker, E.N.; Rosner, R.; Rottman, G.J.; Slavin, J.A.; Suess, S.T.; Tsurutani, B.T.; Woo, R.T.; Zwickl, R.D.

1990-01-01

The Solar Probe will deliver a 133.5 kg science payload into a 4 R s perihelion solar polar orbit (with the first perihelion passage in 2004) to explore in situ one of the last frontiers in the solar system---the solar corona. This mission is both affordable and technologically feasible. Using a payload of 12 (predominantly particles and fields) scientific experiments, it will be possible to answer many long-standing, fundamental problems concerning the structure and dynamics of the outer solar atmosphere, including the acceleration, storage, and transport of energetic particles near the Sun and in the inner ( s ) heliosphere

Admittance Survey of Type 1 Coronae on Venus: Implications for Elastic Thickness

Science.gov (United States)

Hoogenboom, T.; Smrekar, S. E.; Anderson, F. S.; Houseman, G.

2003-01-01

Coronae are volcano-tectonic features on Venus which range from 60km to 2600km and are defined by their nearly circular patterns of fractures. Type 1 (regular) coronae are classified as having >50% complete fracture annuli. Previous work has examined the factors controlling the morphology, size, and fracture pattern of coronae, using lithospheric properties, loading signature and geologic characteristics. However, these studies have been limited to Type 2 (topographic) coronae (e.g. coronaes with <50% fracture annuli), and the factors controlling the formation of Type 1 coronae remain poorly understood. In this study, we apply the methodology of to survey the admittance signature for Type 1 coronae to determine the controlling parameters which govern Type 1 coronae formation.

The Science Payload of the LOFT Mission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feroci, Marco; den Herder, J.; van der Klis, M.

The scientific payload onboard the Large Observatory For x-ray Timing mission (LOFT, see presentation by P. Ray et al. at this meeting) is composed of two instruments, the Large Area Detector (LAD, 10 m2 effective area in the primary energy range 2-30 keV, 1-deg collimated field of view) and the ...

Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS) Mission – Low Energy Payload ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS)' mission, which was launched onboard GSAT-2 Indian spacecraft on 08 May 2003 by GSLV-D2 rocket to study the solar flares. The SOXS Low Energy Detector (SLD) payload was designed, developed and ...

Double streamer phenomena in atmospheric pressure low frequency corona plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dan Bee; Jung, H.; Gweon, B.; Choe, Wonho

2010-01-01

Time-resolved images of an atmospheric pressure corona discharge, generated at 50 kHz in a single pin electrode source, show unique positive and negative corona discharge features: a streamer for the positive period and a glow for the negative period. However, unlike in previous reports of dc pulse and low frequency corona discharges, multistreamers were observed at the initial time stage of the positive corona. A possible physical mechanism for the multistreamers is suggested.

Acoustic waves in M dwarfs: Maintaining a corona

Science.gov (United States)

Mullan, D. J.; Cheng, Q. Q.

1994-01-01

We use a time-dependent hydrodynamics code to follow the propagation of acoustic waves into the corona of an M dwarf star. An important qualitative difference between M dwarfs and stars such as the Sun is that the acoustic spectrum in M dwarfs is expected to peak at periods close to the acoustic cutoff P(sub A): this allows more effective penetration of waves into the corona. In our code, radiative losses in the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona are computed using Rosseland mean opacities, Mg II kappa and Ly alpha emission, and optically thin emissivities respectively. We find that acoustic heating can maintain a corona with a temperature of order 0.7-1 x 10(exp 6) K and a surface X-ray flux as large as 10(exp 5)ergs/sq cm/s. In a recent survey of X-rays from M dwarfs, some (20%-30%) of the stars lie at or below this limiting X-ray flux: we suggest that such stars may be candidates for acoustically maintained coronae.

The end-to-end testbed of the optical metrology system on-board LISA Pathfinder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steier, F; Cervantes, F Guzman; Marin, A F GarcIa; Heinzel, G; Danzmann, K [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut) and Universitaet Hannover (Germany); Gerardi, D, E-mail: frank.steier@aei.mpg.d [EADS Astrium Satellites GmbH, Friedrichshafen (Germany)

2009-05-07

LISA Pathfinder is a technology demonstration mission for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The main experiment on-board LISA Pathfinder is the so-called LISA Technology Package (LTP) which has the aim to measure the differential acceleration between two free-falling test masses with an accuracy of 3 x 10{sup -14} ms{sup -2} Hz{sup -1/2} between 1 mHz and 30 mHz. This measurement is performed interferometrically by the optical metrology system (OMS) on-board LISA Pathfinder. In this paper, we present the development of an experimental end-to-end testbed of the entire OMS. It includes the interferometer and its sub-units, the interferometer backend which is a phasemeter and the processing of the phasemeter output data. Furthermore, three-axes piezo-actuated mirrors are used instead of the free-falling test masses for the characterization of the dynamic behaviour of the system and some parts of the drag-free and attitude control system (DFACS) which controls the test masses and the satellite. The end-to-end testbed includes all parts of the LTP that can reasonably be tested on earth without free-falling test masses. At its present status it consists mainly of breadboard components. Some of those have already been replaced by engineering models of the LTP experiment. In the next steps, further engineering and flight models will also be inserted in this testbed and tested against well-characterized breadboard components. The presented testbed is an important reference for the unit tests and can also be used for validation of the on-board experiment during the mission.

Cascade de photons dans les boîtes quantiques uniques

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, I.; Moreau, E.; Gérard, J. M.; Abram, I.

2002-06-01

Nous présentons l'observation expérimentale de l'émission squentielle de photons par une boîte quantique unique sous pompage optique continu ou pulsé. Cette cascade radiative produit des paires de photons corrélés qui sont émis suivant un ordre bien défini. En effet, la fonction de corrélation croisée entre les deux photons formant la paire présente une allure asymétrique, de type groupement ou dégroupement de photons, suivant l'ordre temporel de détection des deux photons. Prédit théoriquement en physique atomique, ce comportement asymétrique de la fonction de corrélation de second ordre est la signature de l'émission successive de photons.

Properties of minimum-flux coronae in dwarfs and giants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullan, D.J.

1976-01-01

Using a method due to Hearn, we examine the properties of minimum-flux coronae in dwarfs and giants. If the fraction phi of the total stellar luminosity which is used to heat the corona is equal to the solar value phi/sub s/, then red dwarfs must have coronae that are cooler than the solar corona: in UV Ceti, for example, the coronal temperature is a factor 3 less than in the Sun. This is consistent with an independent estimate of coronal temperature in a flare star. If phi=phi/sub s/, main-sequence stars hotter than the Sun have coronae which are hotter than the solar corona. Soft X-rays from Sirius suggest that the coronal temperature in Sirius is indeed hotter than the Sun by a factor of about 40 percent. Giants show an even more marked decrease in coronal temperature at later spectral type than do the dwarfs. We suggest that the reason for the presence of O V emission in β Gem and O VI emission in α Aur, and the absence of O V emission in α Boo and α Tau, is that the coronae in the latter two stars are cooler (rather than hotter, as McClintock et al. have suggested) than in the former two. Our results explain why it is more likely that mass loss has been detected in α Aur and α Boo, but not in α Tau or β Gem. Using a simple flare model, we show that flares in both a dwarf star (UV Ceti) and a giant (α Aur) were initiated not in the corona, but in the transition region

The comet rendezvous asteroid flyby mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, D.; Neugebauer, M.; Weissman, P.R.

1989-01-01

The Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission is designed to answer the many questions raised by the Halley missions by exploring a cometary nucleus in detail, following it around its orbit and studying its changing activity as it moves closer to and then away from the Sun. In addition, on its way to rendezvous with the comet, CRAF will fly by a large, primitive class main belt asteroid and will return valuable data for comparison with the comet results. The selected asteroid is 449 Hamburga with a diameter of 88 km and a surface composition of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. The expected flyby date is January, 1998. The CRAF spacecraft will continue to make measurements in orbit around the cometary nucleus as they both move closer to the Sun, until the dust and gas hazard becomes unsafe. At that point the spacecraft will move in and out between 50 and 2,500 kilometers to study the inner coma and the cometary ionosphere, and to collect dust and gas samples for onboard analysis. Following perihelion, the spacecraft will make a 50,000 km excursion down the comet's tail, further investigating the solar wind interaction with the cometary atmosphere. The spacecraft will return to the vicinity of the nucleus about four months after perihelion to observe the changes that have taken place. If the spacecraft remains healthy and adequate fuel is still onboard, an extended mission to follow the comet nucleus out to aphelion is anticipated

Equitable Colorings Of Corona Multiproducts Of Graphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Furmánczyk Hanna

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A graph is equitably k-colorable if its vertices can be partitioned into k independent sets in such a way that the numbers of vertices in any two sets differ by at most one. The smallest k for which such a coloring exists is known as the equitable chromatic number of G and denoted by =(G. It is known that the problem of computation of =(G is NP-hard in general and remains so for corona graphs. In this paper we consider the same model of coloring in the case of corona multiproducts of graphs. In particular, we obtain some results regarding the equitable chromatic number for the l-corona product G ◦l H, where G is an equitably 3- or 4-colorable graph and H is an r-partite graph, a cycle or a complete graph. Our proofs are mostly constructive in that they lead to polynomial algorithms for equitable coloring of such graph products provided that there is given an equitable coloring of G. Moreover, we confirm the Equitable Coloring Conjecture for corona products of such graphs. This paper extends the results from [H. Furmánczyk, K. Kaliraj, M. Kubale and V.J. Vivin, Equitable coloring of corona products of graphs, Adv. Appl. Discrete Math. 11 (2013 103–120].

Bright point study. [of solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, F.; Harvey, K.; Bruner, M.; Kent, B.; Antonucci, E.

1982-01-01

Transition region and coronal observations of bright points by instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission and high resolution photospheric magnetograph observations on September 11, 1980 are presented. A total of 31 bipolar ephemeral regions were found in the photosphere from birth in 9.3 hours of combined magnetograph observations from three observatories. Two of the three ephemeral regions present in the field of view of the Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Polarimeter were observed in the C IV 1548 line. The unobserved ephemeral region was determined to be the shortest-lived (2.5 hr) and lowest in magnetic flux density (13G) of the three regions. The Flat Crystal Spectrometer observed only low level signals in the O VIII 18.969 A line, which were not statistically significant to be positively identified with any of the 16 ephemeral regions detected in the photosphere. In addition, the data indicate that at any given time there lacked a one-to-one correspondence between observable bright points and photospheric ephemeral regions, while more ephemeral regions were observed than their counterparts in the transition region and the corona.

Soviet-France cooperative study of the solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vsekhvsyatskij, S.K.; Dzyubenko, N.I.; Ivanchuk, V.I.; Popov, O.S.; Rubo, G.A.; Kuchmij, S.; Kuchmij, O.; Shtel'makher, G.

1981-01-01

The study continues the investigations on the solar corona performed according to the program of the Soviet-France experiment ''The white corona dynamics'' during total solar eclipses on July 10 1972 and June 30, 1973 by the expeditions of Kiev University and Paris Astrophysical Institute. The results of the study of eclipse negatives obtained on June 30 1973 in Africa are given. On the basis of new methods of photometry and colorimetry using star images up to 8.5sup(m) as the photometry standards it has been found with high accuracy the distribution of the total corona brightness up to r approximately equal to 4.5 Rsub(S) and its K- and F-corona components for E and N directions. Neither color effect nor flattening is found in the dust component (r -6 Esub(S)

Safe Onboard Guidance and Control Under Probabilistic Uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmore, Lars James

2011-01-01

An algorithm was developed that determines the fuel-optimal spacecraft guidance trajectory that takes into account uncertainty, in order to guarantee that mission safety constraints are satisfied with the required probability. The algorithm uses convex optimization to solve for the optimal trajectory. Convex optimization is amenable to onboard solution due to its excellent convergence properties. The algorithm is novel because, unlike prior approaches, it does not require time-consuming evaluation of multivariate probability densities. Instead, it uses a new mathematical bounding approach to ensure that probability constraints are satisfied, and it is shown that the resulting optimization is convex. Empirical results show that the approach is many orders of magnitude less conservative than existing set conversion techniques, for a small penalty in computation time.

CORONA project -contribution to VVER nuclear education and training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilieva, M.; Miteva, R.; Takov, T.

2016-01-01

CORONA Project is established to stimulate the transnational mobility and lifelong learning amongst VVER end users. The project aims to provide a special purpose structure for training of specialists and to maintain the nuclear expertise by gathering the existing and generating new knowledge in the VVER area. CORONA Project consists of two parts: CORONA I (2011-2014) ''Establishment of a regional center of competence for VVER technology and Nuclear Applications'', co-financed by the Framework Program 7 of the European Union (EU) and CORONA II (2015-2018) ''Enhancement of training capabilities in VVER technology through establishment of VVER training academy'', co-financed by HORIZON 2020, EURATOM 2014-2015. The selected form of the CORONA Academy, together with the online availability of the training opportunities will allow trainees from different locations to access the needed knowledge on demand. The project will target also new-comers in VVER community like Vietnam, Turkey, Belarus, etc. (authors)

Pulsed corona generation using a diode-based pulsed power generator

Science.gov (United States)

Pemen, A. J. M.; Grekhov, I. V.; van Heesch, E. J. M.; Yan, K.; Nair, S. A.; Korotkov, S. V.

2003-10-01

Pulsed plasma techniques serve a wide range of unconventional processes, such as gas and water processing, hydrogen production, and nanotechnology. Extending research on promising applications, such as pulsed corona processing, depends to a great extent on the availability of reliable, efficient and repetitive high-voltage pulsed power technology. Heavy-duty opening switches are the most critical components in high-voltage pulsed power systems with inductive energy storage. At the Ioffe Institute, an unconventional switching mechanism has been found, based on the fast recovery process in a diode. This article discusses the application of such a "drift-step-recovery-diode" for pulsed corona plasma generation. The principle of the diode-based nanosecond high-voltage generator will be discussed. The generator will be coupled to a corona reactor via a transmission-line transformer. The advantages of this concept, such as easy voltage transformation, load matching, switch protection and easy coupling with a dc bias voltage, will be discussed. The developed circuit is tested at both a resistive load and various corona reactors. Methods to optimize the energy transfer to a corona reactor have been evaluated. The impedance matching between the pulse generator and corona reactor can be significantly improved by using a dc bias voltage. At good matching, the corona energy increases and less energy reflects back to the generator. Matching can also be slightly improved by increasing the temperature in the corona reactor. More effective is to reduce the reactor pressure.

Application of CdTe for the NeXT mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Tadayuki; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Watanabe, Shin; Sato, Goro; Mitani, Takefumi; Tanaka, Takaaki; Oonuki, Kousuke; Tamura, Ken'ichi; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Kamae, Tuneyoshi; Madejski, Greg; Nomachi, Masaharu; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Makishima, Kazuo; Kokubun, Motohide; Terada, Yukikatsu; Kataoka, Jun; Tashiro, Makoto

2005-01-01

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) have been regarded as promising semiconductor materials for hard X-ray and γ-ray detection. The high-atomic number of the materials (Z Cd =48,Z Te =52) gives a high quantum efficiency in comparison with Si. The large band-gap energy (E g =1.5eV) allows to operate the detector at room temperature. Based on recent achievements in high-resolution CdTe detectors, in the technology of ASICs and in bump-bonding, we have proposed the novel hard X-ray and γ-ray detectors for the NeXT mission in Japan. The high-energy response of the super mirror onboard NeXT will enable us to perform the first sensitive imaging observations up to 80keV. The focal plane detector, which combines a fully depleted X-ray CCD and a pixellated CdTe detector, will provide spectra and images in the wide energy range from 0.5 to 80keV. In the soft γ-ray band up to ∼ 1MeV, a narrow field-of-view Compton γ-ray telescope utilizing several tens of layers of thin Si or CdTe detector will provide precise spectra with much higher sensitivity than present instruments. The continuum sensitivity will reach several x10 -8 photons -1 keV -1 cm -2 in the hard X-ray region and a few x10 -7 photons -1 keV -1 cm -2 in the soft γ-ray region

Calculation of single phase AC and monopolar DC hybrid corona effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, T.; Sebo, S.A.; Kasten, D.G.

1996-01-01

Operating a hybrid HVac and HVdc line is an option for increasing the efficiency of power transmission and overcoming the difficulties in obtaining a new right-of-way. This paper proposes a new calculation method for the study of hybrid line corona. The proposed method can be used to calculate dc corona losses and corona currents in dc or ac conductors for single phase ac and monopolar dc hybrid lines. Profiles of electric field strength and ion current density at ground level can be estimated. The effects of the presence of an energized ac conductor on dc conductor corona and dc voltage on ac conductor corona are included in the method. Full-scale and reduced-scale experiments were utilized to investigate the hybrid line corona effects. Verification of the proposed calculation method is given

GPS Navigation Above 76,000 km for the MMS Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Winternitz, Luke; Bamford, Bill; Price, Samuel; Long, Anne; Farahmand, Mitra; Carpenter, Russell

2016-01-01

NASA's MMS mission, launched in March of 2015,consists of a controlled formation of four spin-stabilized spacecraft in similar highly elliptic orbits reaching apogee at radial distances of 12and 25 Earth radii in the first and second phases of the mission. Navigation for MMS is achieved independently onboard each spacecraft by processing GPS observables using NASA GSFC's Navigator GPS receiver and the Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS) extended Kalman filter software. To our knowledge, MMS constitutes, by far, the highest-altitude operational use of GPS to date and represents the culmination of over a decade of high-altitude GPS navigation research and development at NASA GSFC. In this paper we will briefly describe past and ongoing high-altitude GPS research efforts at NASA GSFC and elsewhere, provide details on the design of the MMS GPS navigation system, and present on-orbit performance data. We extrapolate these results to predict performance in the Phase 2b mission orbit, and conclude with a discussion of the implications of the MMS results for future high-altitude GPS navigation, which we believe to be broad and far-reaching.

Surveillance mission planning for UAVs in GPS-denied urban environment

Science.gov (United States)

Pengfei, Wang

In this thesis, the issues involved in the mission planning of UAVs for city surveillance have been studied. In this thesis, the research includes two major parts. Firstly, a mission planning system is developed that generates mission plans for a group of fixed-wing UAVs with on-board gimballed cameras to provide continuous surveillance over an urban area. Secondly, the problem of perching location selection (as part of perch-and-stare surveillance mission) for rotary-wing UAVs in a GPS-denied environment is studied. In this kind of mission, a UAV is dispatched to perch on a roof of a building to keep surveillance on a given target. The proposed algorithms to UAV surveillance mission planning (fixed-wing and rotary-wing) have been implemented and tested. It represents an important step towards achieving autonomous planning in UAV surveillance missions.

Corona development and floral nectaries of Asclepiadeae (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Maciel Monteiro

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Flowers of Asclepiadoideae are notable for possessing numerous nectaries and elaborate coronas, where nectar can accumulate but is not necessarily produced. Given the complexity and importance of these structures for reproduction, this study aimed to analyze the ontogeny of the corona, the structure and position of nectaries and the histochemistry of the nectar of species of Asclepiadeae. Two types of coronas were observed: androecial [C(is] and corolline (Ca. The development of the C(is-type of corona initiates opposite the stamens in all species examined with the exception of Matelea in which it begins to develop as a ring around the filament tube. Despite their morphological variation, coronas typically originate from the androecium. A notable difference among the studied species was the location of the nectaries. Primarily, they are located in the stigmatic chamber, where nectar composed of carbohydrates and lipids is produced. A secondary location of nectaries found in species of Peplonia and Matelea is within the corona, where nectar is produced and stored, composed of carbohydrates and lipids in Peplonia and only carbohydrates in Matelea. The functional role of nectar is related to the location of its production since it is a resource for pollinators and inducers of pollen germination.

Direct observation of a single nanoparticle-ubiquitin corona formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Feng; Radic, Slaven; Chen, Ran; Chen, Pengyu; Geitner, Nicholas K.; Brown, Jared M.; Ke, Pu Chun

2013-09-01

The advancement of nanomedicine and the increasing applications of nanoparticles in consumer products have led to administered biological exposure and unintentional environmental accumulation of nanoparticles, causing concerns over the biocompatibility and sustainability of nanotechnology. Upon entering physiological environments, nanoparticles readily assume the form of a nanoparticle-protein corona that dictates their biological identity. Consequently, understanding the structure and dynamics of a nanoparticle-protein corona is essential for predicting the fate, transport, and toxicity of nanomaterials in living systems and for enabling the vast applications of nanomedicine. Here we combined multiscale molecular dynamics simulations and complementary experiments to characterize the silver nanoparticle-ubiquitin corona formation. Notably, ubiquitins competed with citrates for the nanoparticle surface, governed by specific electrostatic interactions. Under a high protein/nanoparticle stoichiometry, ubiquitins formed a multi-layer corona on the particle surface. The binding exhibited an unusual stretched-exponential behavior, suggesting a rich binding kinetics. Furthermore, the binding destabilized the α-helices while increasing the β-sheet content of the proteins. This study revealed the atomic and molecular details of the structural and dynamic characteristics of nanoparticle-protein corona formation.The advancement of nanomedicine and the increasing applications of nanoparticles in consumer products have led to administered biological exposure and unintentional environmental accumulation of nanoparticles, causing concerns over the biocompatibility and sustainability of nanotechnology. Upon entering physiological environments, nanoparticles readily assume the form of a nanoparticle-protein corona that dictates their biological identity. Consequently, understanding the structure and dynamics of a nanoparticle-protein corona is essential for predicting the fate

Biological quarantine on international waters: an initiative for onboard protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Takano, Yoshinori; Yano, Hajime; Funase, Ryu; Sekine, Yasuhito; Takai, Ken

2012-07-01

The research vessel Chikyu is expanding new frontiers in science, technology, and international collaboration through deep-sea expedition. The Chikyu (length: 210 m, gross tonnage: 56752 tons) has advanced and comprehensive scientific research facilities. One of the scientific purposes of the vessel is to investigate into unexplored biosphere (i.e., undescribed extremophiles) on the Earth. Therefore, "the onboard laboratory" provides us systematic microbiological protocols with a physical containment situation. In parallel, the onboard equipments provide sufficient space for fifty scientists and technical support staff. The helicopter deck also supports various logistics through transporting by a large scale helicopter (See, http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/eng/). Since the establishment of Panel on Planetary Protection (PPP) in Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), we have an international consensus about the development and promulgation of planetary protection knowledge, policy, and plans to prevent the harmful effects of biological contamination on the Earth (e.g., Rummel, 2002). However, the matter to select a candidate location of initial quarantine at BSL4 level is often problematic. To answer the key issue, we suggest that international waters can be a meaningful option with several advantages to conduct initial onboard-biological quarantine investigation. Hence, the research vessel Chikyu is promising for further PPP requirements (e.g., Enceladus sample return project: Tsou et al., 2012). Rummel, J., Seeking an international consensus in planetary protection: COSPAR's planetary protection panel. Advances in Space Research, 30, 1573-1575 (2002). Tsou, P. et al. LIFE: Life Investigation For Enceladus - A Sample Return Mission Concept in Search for Evidence of Life. Astrobiology, in press.

The LOFT Burst Alert System and its Burst On-board Trigger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schanne, Stephane; Götz, Diego; Provost, Herve Le

2014-01-01

The ESA M3 candidate mission LOFT (Large Observatory For x-ray Timing) has been designed to study strong gravitational fields by observing compact objects, such as black-hole binaries or neutron-star systems and supermassive black-holes, based on the temporal analysis of photons collected...

Elastic Thickness Estimates for Coronae Associated with Chasmata on Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Hoogenboom, T.; Martin, P.; Housean, G. A.

2005-01-01

Coronae are large-scale circular tectonic features surrounded by annular ridges. They are generally considered unique to Venus and may offer insights into the differences in lithospheric structure or mantle convective pattern between Venus and Earth. 68% of all coronae are associated with chasmata or fracture belts. The remaining 32% are located at volcanic rises or in the plains. Chasmata are linear to arcuate troughs, with trough parallel fractures and faults which extend for 1000 s of kilometers. Estimates of the elastic thickness of the lithosphere (T(sub e)) have been calculated in a number of gravity/topography studies of Venus and for coronae specifically. None of these studies, however, have explored the dependence of T(sub e) on the tectonic history of the region, as implied from the interpretation of relative timing relationships between coronae and surrounding features. We examine the relationship between the local T(sub e) and the relative ages of coronae and chasmata with the aim of further constraining the origin and evolution of coronae and chasmata systems.

Spatial Mapping and Quantification of Soft and Hard Protein Coronas at Silver Nanocubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miclaus, Teodora; Bochenkov, Vladimir; Ogaki, Ryosuke

2014-01-01

kinetics of the corona-formation at cube edges/corners versus facets at short incubation times, where the polymer stabilization agent delayed corona hardening. The soft corona contained more protein than the hard corona at all time-points (8-fold difference with 10% serum conditions).......Protein coronas around silver nanocubes were quantified in serum-containing media using localized surface plasmon resonances. Both soft and hard coronas showed exposure-time and concentration-dependent changes in protein surface density with time-dependent hardening. We observed spatially dependent...

Corona Borealis

Science.gov (United States)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

(the Northern Crown; abbrev. CrB, gen. Coronae Borealis; area 179 sq. deg.) A northern constellation which lies between Boötes and Hercules, and culminates at midnight in mid-May. It represents the crown that in Greek mythology was made by Hephaestus, god of fire, and worn by Princess Ariadne of Crete. Its brightest stars were cataloged by Ptolemy (c. AD 100-175) in the Almagest....

Core-Shell-Corona Micelles with a Responsive Shell.

Science.gov (United States)

Gohy, Jean-François; Willet, Nicolas; Varshney, Sunil; Zhang, Jian-Xin; Jérôme, Robert

2001-09-03

A reactor for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles is one of the uses of a poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer (PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO) which forms core-shell-corona micelles in water. Very low polydispersity spherical micelles are observed that consist of a PS core surrounded by a pH-sensitive P2VP shell and a corona of PEO chains end-capped by a hydroxyl group. The corona can act as a site for attaching responsive or sensing molecules. © 2001 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Fed. Rep. of Germany.

The Faraday rotation experiment. [solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Volland, H.; Levy, G. S.; Bird, M. K.; Stelzried, C. T.; Seidel, B. L.

1984-01-01

The magnetized plasma of the solar corona was remotely sounded using the Faraday rotation effect. The solar magnetic field together with the electrons of the coronal plasma cause a measurable Faraday rotation effect, since the radio waves of Helios are linearly polarized. The measurement is performed at the ground stations. Alfven waves traveling from the Sun's surface through the corona into interplanetary space are observed. Helios 2 signals penetrating through a region where coronal mass is ejected show wavelike structures.

Fine-Scale Fluctuations in the Corona Observed with Hi-C

Science.gov (United States)

Winebarger, Amy; Schuler, Timothy

2013-01-01

The High Resolution Coronal Imager(HiC) flew aboard a NASA sounding rocket on 2012 July11 and captured roughly 345 s of high spatial and temporal resolution images of the solar corona in a narrowband 193 Angstrom channel. We have analyzed the fluctuations in intensity of Active Region11520.We selected events based on a lifetime greater than 11s (twoHiC frames)and intensities greater than a threshold determined from the average background intensity in a pixel and the photon and electronic noise. We find fluctuations occurring down to the smallest timescale(11s).Typical intensity fluctuations are 20% background intensity, while some events peaka t100%the background intensity.Generally the fluctuations are clustered in solar structures, particularly the moss.We interpret the fluctuations in the moss as indicative of heating events. We use the observed events to model the active region core.

On-board event processing algorithms for a CCD-based space borne X-ray spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, H.J.; Bowles, J.A.; Branduardi-Raymont, G.; Gowen, R.A.

1996-01-01

This paper describes two alternative algorithms which are applied to reduce the telemetry requirements for a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based, space-borne, X-ray spectrometer by on-board reconstruction of the X-ray events split over two or more adjacent pixels. The algorithms have been developed for the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) on the X-ray multi-mirror (XMM) mission, the second cornerstone project in the European Space Agency's Horizon 2000 programme. The overall instrument and some criteria which provide the background of the development of the algorithms, implemented in Tartan ADA on an MA31750 microprocessor, are described. The on-board processing constraints and requirements are discussed, and the performances of the algorithms are compared. Test results are presented which show that the recursive implementation is faster and has a smaller executable file although it uses more memory because of its stack requirements. (orig.)

Galactic absorption line coronae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bregman, J.N.

1981-01-01

We have investigated whether gaseous coronae around galaxies rise to the absorption systems seen in quasar spectra. In our model, gas originally located in the disk is heated to the million degree range and rises to surround the galaxy; the gas remains bound to the galaxy. Optically thin radiative cooling drives a thermal instability in the hot gas which causes cool clouds (T 4 K) to condense out of the corona. These clouds, which follow ballistic trajectories back to the disk, are the absorption sites. A two-dimensional hydrodynamic code with radiative cooling was used to study the dynamics and thermodynamics of the corona as well as the position rate at which clouds form. Coupled to the code is a galaxy with two mass components, a disk (approx.10 11 M/sub sun/) and a dark halo (approx.10 12 M/sub sun/). In a model where the temperature at the base of the corona (in the disk) is 3 x 10 6 K, absorbing gas of column density NL> or approx. =10 18 cm 2 extends radially to 100 kpc (face-on orientation) and vertically to 60 Kpc (edge-on orientation). The total mass of gas required here (coronal plus cloud gas) is 1.4 x 10 10 M/sub sun/, while the minimum supernova heating rate is one supernova per 27 years. In two other models (base coronal temperatures of 0.50 x 10 6 K and 1 x 10 6 K), coronal gas rises from an extended gaseous disk (in the previous model, the gas comes from a typical gaseous disk approximately 15 kpc in extent). Here, column densities of 10 19 cm -2 out to a radius of 70 kpc (face-on orientation) are achieved with a total gas mass of 1.7 x 10 9 M/sub direct-product/ and 2.0 x 10 9 M/sub sun/ and minimum heating rates of approximately one supernova per 170 years and one supernova per 60 years

Ra: The Sun for Science and Humanity

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

. It seems that no international long-term strategy has yet been adopted. For these plans the number of necessary future missions can be reduced and the onboard instrumentation can be optimized by performing a comparative analysis. The study of the corona must be done from different observing locations, orbits closer to the Sun, and by different means. The Cluster mission replacement is in progress; however, if the replacement is not implemented, the ISTP programme will fade after 1998. Furthermore, the physics of the Sun's interior should be emphasized more in the Mid- and Far-Term programmes. Finally, more emphasis should be placed on monitoring space weather and forecasting Sun/Earth interactions.

The Van Allen Probes mission

CERN Document Server

Burch, James

2014-01-01

This collection of articles provides broad and detailed information about NASA’s Van Allen Probes (formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes) twin-spacecraft Earth-orbiting mission. The mission has the objective of achieving predictive understanding of the dynamic, intense, energetic, dangerous, and presently unpredictable belts of energetic particles that are magnetically trapped in Earth’s space environment above the atmosphere. It documents the science of the radiation belts and the societal benefits of achieving predictive understanding. Detailed information is provided about the Van Allen Probes mission design, the spacecraft, the science investigations, and the onboard instrumentation that must all work together to make unprecedented measurements within a most unforgiving environment, the core of Earth’s most intense radiation regions.
 This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers active in space science, solar-terrestrial interactions and studies of the up...

Pulsed Corona for Sustainable Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heesch, E.J.M. van; Pemen, A.J.M.; Yan, K.; Blom, P.P.M.; Huijbrechts, P.A.H.J.; Der Laan, P.C.T. van

2000-01-01

Highly active coronas with a peak power of up to 25 MW p/m corona wire and kJ/liter energy densities in the streamer channels can be produced by pulsed power. Since the voltage pulses are short, full breakdown does not occur even though the discharge currents are hundreds of Amperes. A matched pulsed power source can deposit up to 80% of its electrical energy into such a controlled discharge. Reliable and efficient sources characterized by 100 kV,150 ns wide pulses at 1000 Hz have passed 400 hours of operation. The area of applications is growing: VOC control, hot gas cleanup, water and air purification and sterilization. (author)

Numerical modelling of ozone production in a wire-cylinder corona discharge and comparison with a wire-plate corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Pengxiang; Chen Junhong

2009-01-01

The effect of electrode configuration on ozone production in the direct-current corona discharge of dry and humid air is studied by a numerical model that combines the electron distribution in the corona plasma, plasma chemistry and transport phenomena. Two electrode configurations are considered: wire-cylinder discharge with air flowing along the wire axis and wire-plate discharge with air flowing transverse to the wire. The ozone distributions in both types of discharges are compared. For both electrode configurations, the ozone production rate is higher in the negative corona than in the positive corona and it decreases with an increase in relative humidity. More importantly, the detailed ozone distribution in the neighbourhood of the discharge wire, together with the ozone kinetics, reveals the possible difference in the ozone production from the two discharges. With the same operating conditions and sufficiently short flow residence time, the ozone production rate is nearly the same for both electrode configurations. When the flow residence time is longer than the characteristic time for homogeneous ozone destruction, the net ozone production is higher in the wire-cylinder discharge than in the wire-plate discharge due to relatively less ozone destruction.

Numerical modelling of ozone production in a wire-cylinder corona discharge and comparison with a wire-plate corona discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pengxiang; Chen, Junhong

2009-02-01

The effect of electrode configuration on ozone production in the direct-current corona discharge of dry and humid air is studied by a numerical model that combines the electron distribution in the corona plasma, plasma chemistry and transport phenomena. Two electrode configurations are considered: wire-cylinder discharge with air flowing along the wire axis and wire-plate discharge with air flowing transverse to the wire. The ozone distributions in both types of discharges are compared. For both electrode configurations, the ozone production rate is higher in the negative corona than in the positive corona and it decreases with an increase in relative humidity. More importantly, the detailed ozone distribution in the neighbourhood of the discharge wire, together with the ozone kinetics, reveals the possible difference in the ozone production from the two discharges. With the same operating conditions and sufficiently short flow residence time, the ozone production rate is nearly the same for both electrode configurations. When the flow residence time is longer than the characteristic time for homogeneous ozone destruction, the net ozone production is higher in the wire-cylinder discharge than in the wire-plate discharge due to relatively less ozone destruction.

Determination of the Corona model parameters with artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmet, Nayir; Bekir, Karlik; Arif, Hashimov

2005-01-01

Full text : The aim of this study is to calculate new model parameters taking into account the corona of electrical transmission line wires. For this purpose, a neural network modeling proposed for the corona frequent characteristics modeling. Then this model was compared with the other model developed at the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Petersburg. The results of development of the specified corona model for calculation of its influence on the wave processes in multi-wires line and determination of its parameters are submitted. Results of obtained calculation equations are brought for electrical transmission line with allowance for superficial effect in the ground and wires with reference to developed corona model

Nanoparticles-cell association predicted by protein corona fingerprints

Science.gov (United States)

Palchetti, S.; Digiacomo, L.; Pozzi, D.; Peruzzi, G.; Micarelli, E.; Mahmoudi, M.; Caracciolo, G.

2016-06-01

In a physiological environment (e.g., blood and interstitial fluids) nanoparticles (NPs) will bind proteins shaping a ``protein corona'' layer. The long-lived protein layer tightly bound to the NP surface is referred to as the hard corona (HC) and encodes information that controls NP bioactivity (e.g. cellular association, cellular signaling pathways, biodistribution, and toxicity). Decrypting this complex code has become a priority to predict the NP biological outcomes. Here, we use a library of 16 lipid NPs of varying size (Ø ~ 100-250 nm) and surface chemistry (unmodified and PEGylated) to investigate the relationships between NP physicochemical properties (nanoparticle size, aggregation state and surface charge), protein corona fingerprints (PCFs), and NP-cell association. We found out that none of the NPs' physicochemical properties alone was exclusively able to account for association with human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). For the entire library of NPs, a total of 436 distinct serum proteins were detected. We developed a predictive-validation modeling that provides a means of assessing the relative significance of the identified corona proteins. Interestingly, a minor fraction of the HC, which consists of only 8 PCFs were identified as main promoters of NP association with HeLa cells. Remarkably, identified PCFs have several receptors with high level of expression on the plasma membrane of HeLa cells.In a physiological environment (e.g., blood and interstitial fluids) nanoparticles (NPs) will bind proteins shaping a ``protein corona'' layer. The long-lived protein layer tightly bound to the NP surface is referred to as the hard corona (HC) and encodes information that controls NP bioactivity (e.g. cellular association, cellular signaling pathways, biodistribution, and toxicity). Decrypting this complex code has become a priority to predict the NP biological outcomes. Here, we use a library of 16 lipid NPs of varying size (Ø ~ 100-250 nm) and surface

Neutral Hydrogen and Its Emission Lines in the Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Vial, Jean-Claude; Chane-Yook, Martine

2016-12-01

Since the Lyman-α rocket observations of Gabriel ( Solar Phys. 21, 392, 1971), it has been realized that the hydrogen (H) lines could be observed in the corona and that they offer an interesting diagnostic for the temperature, density, and radial velocity of the coronal plasma. Moreover, various space missions have been proposed to measure the coronal magnetic and velocity fields through polarimetry in H lines. A necessary condition for such measurements is to benefit from a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio. The aim of this article is to evaluate the emission in three representative lines of H for three different coronal structures. The computations have been performed with a full non-local thermodynamic-equilibrium (non-LTE) code and its simplified version without radiative transfer. Since all collisional and radiative quantities (including incident ionizing and exciting radiation) are taken into account, the ionization is treated exactly. Profiles are presented at two heights (1.05 and 1.9 solar radii, from Sun center) in the corona, and the integrated intensities are computed at heights up to five solar radii. We compare our results with previous computations and observations ( e.g. Lα from Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer) and find a rough (model-dependent) agreement. Since the Hα line is a possible candidate for ground-based polarimetry, we show that in order to detect its emission in various coronal structures, it is necessary to use a very narrow (less than 2 Å wide) bandpass filter.

Short rendezvous missions for advanced Russian human spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Murtazin, Rafail F.; Budylov, Sergey G.

2010-10-01

The two-day stay of crew in a limited inhabited volume of the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft till docking to ISS is one of the most stressful parts of space flight. In this paper a number of possible ways to reduce the duration of the free flight phase are considered. The duration is defined by phasing strategy that is necessary for reduction of the phase angle between the chaser and target spacecraft. Some short phasing strategies could be developed. The use of such strategies creates more comfortable flight conditions for crew thanks to short duration and additionally it allows saving spacecraft's life support resources. The transition from the methods of direct spacecraft rendezvous using one orbit phasing (first flights of " Vostok" and " Soyuz" vehicles) to the currently used methods of two-day rendezvous mission can be observed in the history of Soviet manned space program. For an advanced Russian human rated spacecraft the short phasing strategy is recommended, which can be considered as a combination between the direct and two-day rendezvous missions. The following state of the art technologies are assumed available: onboard accurate navigation; onboard computations of phasing maneuvers; launch vehicle with high accuracy injection orbit, etc. Some operational requirements and constraints for the strategies are briefly discussed. In order to provide acceptable phase angles for possible launch dates the experience of the ISS altitude profile control can be used. As examples of the short phasing strategies, the following rendezvous missions are considered: direct ascent, short mission with the phasing during 3-7 orbits depending on the launch date (nominal or backup). For each option statistical modeling of the rendezvous mission is fulfilled, as well as an admissible phase angle range, accuracy of target state vector and addition fuel consumption coming out of emergency is defined. In this paper an estimation of pros and cons of all options is conducted.

Soviet Union-France cooperative study of the solar corona. 1. The structure singularities and photometry of the corona on July 10, 1972

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vsekhsvyatskij, S.K.; Dzyubenko, N.I.; Nesmyanovich, A.T.; Popov, O.S.; Kuchmij, S.; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75 - Paris

1975-01-01

The results of the study of the eclipse negatives obtained by the expedition of the astronomy division of the Kiev University on 10 July 1972 in accordance with the program of the Soviet-France experiment ''Thynamics of white corona'' are given. New formations - ''voids'' and sharp boundary are obtained side by side with the usual coronal structure details: -polar ray systems, large coronal beams; arch systems. A great number of extended thin streamers in the south-west square and a helical beam over bright condensation are registered. Photometry of one of the negatives exibited a considerable heterogeneity of the corona. Mean values of the K-corona brightness are in agreement with the brightness of a maximum corona according to Van de Hulst model within the range of p < 2R. The coronal gifts are registered near the N-pole and in the south-west region are registered

High-tension corona controlled ozone generator for environment protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vijayan, T; Patil, Jagadish G

2010-01-01

Engineering details of a high voltage driven corona-plasma ozone generator are described. The plasma diode of generator has coaxial cylindrical geometry with cathode located inside anode. Cathode is made of a large number of radial gas nozzles arranged on central tubular mast which admits oxygen gas. The sharp endings of the nozzles along with a set of corona rings create the high electric field at the cathode required for formation of dense corona plume responsible for O 3 evolution. A model of coronal plasma generation and ozone production is presented. The plasma formation is strongly dependent on the electric field and temperature in side diode where a high electron density in a low temperature negative corona is suited for high ozone yields. These are established by suitable regulation of A-K gap, voltage, oxygen pressure, and cathode-nozzle population.

Ion-impact secondary emission in negative corona with photoionization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. X. Lu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A corona discharge measurement system and simulation model are presented to investigate the effects of photoionization and ion-impact secondary emission process in negative corona discharge. The simulation results obtained is shown good agreement with experimental observations. Distribution of electron density along the symmetry axis at three critical moments is shown and the role of photoionization in negative corona discharge is clearly explained. Moreover, the current pulses are also presented under different secondary emission coefficients and the effect of the secondary emission coefficient is discussed.

Calibration of the SphinX experiment at the XACT facility in Palermo

Science.gov (United States)

Collura, A.; Barbera, M.; Varisco, S.; Calderone, G.; Reale, F.; Gburek, S.; Kowalinski, M.; Sylwester, J.; Siarkowski, M.; Bakala, J.; Podgorski, P.; Trzebinski, W.; Plocieniak, S.; Kordylewski, Z.

2008-07-01

Three of the four detectors of the SphinX experiment to be flown on the Russian mission Coronas-Photon have been measured at the XACT Facility of the Palermo Observatory at several wavelengths in the soft X-ray band. We describe the instrumental set-up and report some measurements. The analysis work to obtain the final calibration is still in progress.

Low urinary albumin excretion in astronauts during space missions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cirillo, Massimo; De Santo, Natale G; Heer, Martina

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: Physiological changes occur in man during space missions also at the renal level. Proteinuria was hypothesized for space missions but research data are missing. METHODS: Urinary albumin, as an index of proteinuria, and other variables were analyzed in 4 astronauts during space missions...... onboard the MIR station and on the ground (control). Mission duration before first urine collection in the four astronauts was 4, 26, 26, and 106 days, respectively. On the ground, data were collected 2 months before mission in two astronauts, 6 months after in the other astronauts. A total of twenty......-two 24-hour urine collections were obtained in space (n per astronaut = 1-14) and on the ground (n per astronaut = 2-12). Urinary albumin was measured by radioimmunoassay. For each astronaut, mean of data in space and on the ground was defined as individual average. RESULTS: The individual averages of 24...

GEROS-ISS: GNSS REflectometry, Radio Occultation and Scatterometry onboard the International Space Station

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wickert, Jens; Cardellach, Estel; Bandeiras, Jorge

2016-01-01

GEROS-ISS stands for GNSS REflectometry, radio occultation, and scatterometry onboard the International Space Station (ISS). It is a scientific experiment, successfully proposed to the European Space Agency in 2011. The experiment as the name indicates will be conducted on the ISS. The main focus...... of GEROS-ISS is the dedicated use of signals from the currently available Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in L-band for remote sensing of the Earth with a focus to study climate change. Prime mission objectives are the determination of the altimetric sea surface height of the oceans...

Skylab investigations of solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krivsky, L.

1976-01-01

The findings are reported obtained by the observation of the Sun and its corona from Skylab. The most important findings include the discovery of explosive loop structures induced by eruptive phenomena below the corona, in the chromosphere. The front edge of the explosive loop structure was observed at a distance of 1,700,000 to 2,800,000 km from the Sun. The rate of prominence was around 500 km/s. The loop structure disturbed the original shape of the corona above the solar disk edge. A graph was plotted of the variation of the release of the expanding loop structure from the solar surface in millions of kilometers with time. The graph aided in refuting the erroneous assumption that the prominence was not associated with radio bursts similar to those induced by plasma shock waves. It was also shown that a prominent shock wave is present in the vicinity of the expanding structure front which, at lower levels, got released from the eruptive flare above the solar ''surface''. The knowledge obtained does not involve the Sun alone but is also valuable from the point of view of the prognosis of consequent magnetic anomalies in the interstellar space and geomagnetic disturbances on the Earth. (Z.S.)

Personalized disease-specific protein corona influences the therapeutic impact of graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Hajipour, Mohammad Javad; Raheb, Jamshid; Akhavan, Omid; Arjmand, Sareh; Mashinchian, Omid; Rahman, Masoud; Abdolahad, Mohammad; Serpooshan, Vahid; Laurent, Sophie; Mahmoudi, Morteza

2015-05-01

The hard corona, the protein shell that is strongly attached to the surface of nano-objects in biological fluids, is recognized as the first layer that interacts with biological objects (e.g., cells and tissues). The decoration of the hard corona (i.e., the type, amount, and conformation of the attached proteins) can define the biological fate of the nanomaterial. Recent developments have revealed that corona decoration strongly depends on the type of disease in human patients from which the plasma is obtained as a protein source for corona formation (referred to as the `personalized protein corona'). In this study, we demonstrate that graphene oxide (GO) sheets can trigger different biological responses in the presence of coronas obtained from various types of diseases. GO sheets were incubated with plasma from human subjects with different diseases/conditions, including hypofibrinogenemia, blood cancer, thalassemia major, thalassemia minor, rheumatism, fauvism, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and pregnancy. Identical sheets coated with varying protein corona decorations exhibited significantly different cellular toxicity, apoptosis, and uptake, reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation and nitrogen oxide levels. The results of this report will help researchers design efficient and safe, patient-specific nano biomaterials in a disease type-specific manner for clinical and biological applications.The hard corona, the protein shell that is strongly attached to the surface of nano-objects in biological fluids, is recognized as the first layer that interacts with biological objects (e.g., cells and tissues). The decoration of the hard corona (i.e., the type, amount, and conformation of the attached proteins) can define the biological fate of the nanomaterial. Recent developments have revealed that corona decoration strongly depends on the type of disease in human patients from which the plasma is obtained as a protein source for corona formation (referred

Nanoparticles formation and deposition in the trichel pulse corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amirov, R H; Samoylov, I S; Petrov, A A

2013-01-01

Cathode erosion in the negative corona discharge has been studied in the point-to-plane electrode configuration with Cu cathodes in the Trichel pulse regime. Redeposition of erosion products has been found on the cathode surface in form of agglomerates of 10-nm nanoparticles. Nanocraters and nanoparticles formation in the negative corona discharge has been considered in frames of electro-explosive mechanism of cathode erosion. According to this mechanism the cathode erosion is performed as a consequence of elementary erosion events each of which is caused by a Trichel pulse. A 1-dimentional model of corona-produced nanoparticles dynamics in the gap was elaborated. According to results of the simulation, the redeposition is explained by charging of the nanoparticles due to positive ions adsorption and thermionic emission. The size, temperature and initial velocity of the aerosol nanoparticles have the decisive action on redeposition in the negative corona discharge.

Automation, robotics, and inflight training for manned Mars missions

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Alan C.

1986-01-01

The automation, robotics, and inflight training requirements of manned Mars missions will be supported by similar capabilities developed for the space station program. Evolutionary space station onboard training facilities will allow the crewmembers to minimize the amount of training received on the ground by providing extensive onboard access to system and experiment malfunction procedures, maintenance procedures, repair procedures, and associated video sequences. Considerable on-the-job training will also be conducted for space station management, mobile remote manipulator operations, proximity operations with the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (and later the Orbit Transfer Vehicle), and telerobotics and mobile robots. A similar approach could be used for manned Mars mission training with significant additions such as high fidelity image generation and simulation systems such as holographic projection systems for Mars landing, ascent, and rendezvous training. In addition, a substantial increase in the use of automation and robotics for hazardous and tedious tasks would be expected for Mars mission. Mobile robots may be used to assist in the assembly, test and checkout of the Mars spacecraft, in the handling of nuclear components and hazardous chemical propellent transfer operations, in major spacecraft repair tasks which might be needed (repair of a micrometeroid penetration, for example), in the construction of a Mars base, and for routine maintenance of the base when unmanned.

CORONA DISCHARGE IGNITION FOR ADVANCED STATIONARY NATURAL GAS ENGINES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Paul D. Ronney

2003-09-12

An ignition source was constructed that is capable of producing a pulsed corona discharge for the purpose of igniting mixtures in a test chamber. This corona generator is adaptable for use as the ignition source for one cylinder on a test engine. The first tests were performed in a cylindrical shaped chamber to study the characteristics of the corona and analyze various electrode geometries. Next a test chamber was constructed that closely represented the dimensions of the combustion chamber of the test engine at USC. Combustion tests were performed in this chamber and various electrode diameters and geometries were tested. The data acquisition and control system hardware for the USC engine lab was updated with new equipment. New software was also developed to perform the engine control and data acquisition functions. Work is underway to design a corona electrode that will fit in the new test engine and be capable igniting the mixture in one cylinder at first and eventually in all four cylinders. A test engine was purchased for the project that has two spark plug ports per cylinder. With this configuration it will be possible to switch between corona ignition and conventional spark plug ignition without making any mechanical modifications.

Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS) Mission – Low Energy Payload

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-01-27

Jan 27, 2016 ... We present the first results from the 'Low Energy Detector' payload of 'Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS)' mission, which was launched onboard GSAT-2 Indian spacecraft on 08 May 2003 by GSLV-D2 rocket to study the solar flares. The SOXS Low Energy Detector (SLD) payload was designed, developed ...

Expert systems and advanced automation for space missions operations

Science.gov (United States)

Durrani, Sajjad H.; Perkins, Dorothy C.; Carlton, P. Douglas

1990-01-01

Increased complexity of space missions during the 1980s led to the introduction of expert systems and advanced automation techniques in mission operations. This paper describes several technologies in operational use or under development at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center. Several expert systems are described that diagnose faults, analyze spacecraft operations and onboard subsystem performance (in conjunction with neural networks), and perform data quality and data accounting functions. The design of customized user interfaces is discussed, with examples of their application to space missions. Displays, which allow mission operators to see the spacecraft position, orientation, and configuration under a variety of operating conditions, are described. Automated systems for scheduling are discussed, and a testbed that allows tests and demonstrations of the associated architectures, interface protocols, and operations concepts is described. Lessons learned are summarized.

Influence of corona charging in cellular polyethylene film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega Brana, Gustavo; Magraner, Francisco; Quijano, Alfredo; Llovera Segovia, Pedro

2011-01-01

Cellular polymers have recently attracted attention for their property of exhibiting a piezoelectric constant when they are electrically charged. The electrostatic charge generated in the voids by the internal discharges creates and internal macrodipole which is responsible for the piezoelectric effect. Charging by corona discharge is the most used method for cellular polymers. Many works has been published on polypropylene and polyethylene films mainly focused on the required expansion process or on the results obtained for raw cellular materials electrically activated. Our work is based on commercial polyethylene cellular films which have been physically characterized and electrically activated. The effect of thermal treatment, physical uniaxial or biaxial stretching and corona charging was investigated. The new method of corona charging improved the piezoelectric constant under other activation conditions.

Influence of corona charging in cellular polyethylene film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortega Brana, Gustavo; Magraner, Francisco; Quijano, Alfredo [Instituto Tecnologico de la Energia (ITE), Av. Juan de la Cierva 24, Parque Tecnologico de Valencia, 46980 Paterna-Valencia (Spain); Llovera Segovia, Pedro, E-mail: gustavo.ortega@ite.es [Instituto de TecnologIa Electrica - Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n 46022-Valencia (Spain)

2011-06-23

Cellular polymers have recently attracted attention for their property of exhibiting a piezoelectric constant when they are electrically charged. The electrostatic charge generated in the voids by the internal discharges creates and internal macrodipole which is responsible for the piezoelectric effect. Charging by corona discharge is the most used method for cellular polymers. Many works has been published on polypropylene and polyethylene films mainly focused on the required expansion process or on the results obtained for raw cellular materials electrically activated. Our work is based on commercial polyethylene cellular films which have been physically characterized and electrically activated. The effect of thermal treatment, physical uniaxial or biaxial stretching and corona charging was investigated. The new method of corona charging improved the piezoelectric constant under other activation conditions.

The heating of the solar corona. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWhirter, R.W.P.; Thonemann, P.C.; Wilson, R.

1975-01-01

The density and temperature distribution of the solar corona is calculated assuming an energy balance between thermal conduction and radiated power loss with the primary heating of the corona by the dissipation of sound-waves propagated upwards from below the sun's surface. A sharp transition region is found and the calculated results are compared with observations. A detailed model atmosphere for the transition region and corona is derived using the Harvard Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere (for the chromosphere) as starting point. Hydrostatic equilibrium is assumed in the calculations but it is also shown that a pressure arises because of the sound-waves which is of comparable magnitude to hydrostatic pressure. The inclusion of this pressure introduces difficulties that are discussed. (orig.) [de

Protein Corona Analysis of Silver Nanoparticles Links to Their Cellular Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Juling, Sabine; Niedzwiecka, Alicia; Böhmert, Linda; Lichtenstein, Dajana; Selve, Sören; Braeuning, Albert; Thünemann, Andreas F; Krause, Eberhard; Lampen, Alfonso

2017-11-03

The breadth of applications of nanoparticles and the access to food-associated consumer products containing nanosized materials lead to oral human exposure to such particles. In biological fluids nanoparticles dynamically interact with biomolecules and form a protein corona. Knowledge about the protein corona is of great interest for understanding the molecular effects of particles as well as their fate inside the human body. We used a mass spectrometry-based toxicoproteomics approach to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity of silver nanoparticles and to comprehensively characterize the protein corona formed around silver nanoparticles in Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells. Results were compared with respect to the cellular function of proteins either affected by exposure to nanoparticles or present in the protein corona. A transcriptomic data set was included in the analyses in order to obtain a combined multiomics view of nanoparticle-affected cellular processes. A relationship between corona proteins and the proteomic or transcriptomic responses was revealed, showing that differentially regulated proteins or transcripts were engaged in the same cellular signaling pathways. Protein corona analyses of nanoparticles in cells might therefore help in obtaining information about the molecular consequences of nanoparticle treatment.

Compensating Faraday Depolarization by Magnetic Helicity in the Solar Corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandenburg, Axel; Ashurova, Mohira B. [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Jabbari, Sarah, E-mail: brandenb@nordita.org [School of Mathematical Sciences and Monash Centre for Astrophysics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800 (Australia)

2017-08-20

A turbulent dynamo in spherical geometry with an outer corona is simulated to study the sign of magnetic helicity in the outer parts. In agreement with earlier studies, the sign in the outer corona is found to be opposite to that inside the dynamo. Line-of-sight observations of polarized emission are synthesized to explore the feasibility of using the local reduction of Faraday depolarization to infer the sign of helicity of magnetic fields in the solar corona. This approach was previously identified as an observational diagnostic in the context of galactic magnetic fields. Based on our simulations, we show that this method can be successful in the solar context if sufficient statistics are gathered by using averages over ring segments in the corona separately for the regions north and south of the solar equator.

Meteoric ions in the corona and solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemaire, J.

1990-01-01

The total mass of refractory material of interplanetary origin penetrating and evaporated in the meltosphere surrounding the sun has been inferred from observations of meteoroids and fireballs falling in earth's atmosphere. The amount of iron atoms deposited this way in the solar corona is of the order of 3000 t/s or larger. The measured flux of outflowing solar wind iron ions is equal to 2200 t/s. The close agreement of both fluxes is evidence that a significant fraction of iron ions observed in the solar wind and in the corona must be of meteoric origin. A similar accord is also obtained for silicon ions. The mean velocity of meteoroid ions formed in the solar corona is equal to the free-fall velocity: i.e., independent of their atomic mass as the thermal speed of heavy ion measured in low-density solar wind streams at 1 AU. Furthermore, the heavy ions of meteoric origin escape out of the corona with a larger bulk velocity than the protons which are mainly of solar origin. These differences of heavy ion and proton bulk velocities are also observed in the solar wind. 52 refs

Effects of corona discharge treatment on some properties of wool ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yomi

2011-12-21

Dec 21, 2011 ... Corona discharge after operation worsted water absorption property increased and the ... finally conditioned with atmospheric air (20°C, relative humidity ... For corona treatment, a glow discharge generator was used with a.

Multi-sensor Array for High Altitude Balloon Missions to the Stratosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Tim; McClurg, Bryce; Sohl, John

2008-10-01

We have designed and built a microprocessor controlled and expandable multi-sensor array for data collection on near space missions. Weber State University has started a high altitude research balloon program called HARBOR. This array has been designed to data log a base set of measurements for every flight and has room for six guest instruments. The base measurements are absolute pressure, on-board temperature, 3-axis accelerometer for attitude measurement, and 2-axis compensated magnetic compass. The system also contains a real time clock and circuitry for logging data directly to a USB memory stick. In typical operation the measurements will be cycled through in sequence and saved to the memory stick along with the clock's time stamp. The microprocessor can be reprogrammed to adapt to guest experiments with either analog or digital interfacing. This system will fly with every mission and will provide backup data collection for other instrumentation for which the primary task is measuring atmospheric pressure and temperature. The attitude data will be used to determine the orientation of the onboard camera systems to aid in identifying features in the images. This will make these images easier to use for any future GIS (geographic information system) remote sensing missions.

The energy and pressure balance in the corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWhirter, R.W.P.; Wilson, R.

1976-01-01

This paper reviews theoretical models for the solar corona based on energy and pressure calculations. Processes included in these calculations are: (a) heating of the outer corona by mechanical waves; (b) convective out-flow of gas giving rise to the solar wind; (c) thermal conductions; (d) radiated power loss. Possible observations to help answer some of the outstanding questions about the energy balance are suggested. (author)

Lunar Landing Trajectory Design for Onboard Hazard Detection and Avoidance

Science.gov (United States)

Paschall, Steve; Brady, Tye; Sostaric, Ron

2009-01-01

The Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project is developing the software and hardware technology needed to support a safe and precise landing for the next generation of lunar missions. ALHAT provides this capability through terrain-relative navigation measurements to enhance global-scale precision, an onboard hazard detection system to select safe landing locations, and an Autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control (AGNC) capability to process these measurements and safely direct the vehicle to a landing location. This paper focuses on the key trajectory design issues relevant to providing an onboard Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA) capability for the lander. Hazard detection can be accomplished by the crew visually scanning the terrain through a window, a sensor system imaging the terrain, or some combination of both. For ALHAT, this hazard detection activity is provided by a sensor system, which either augments the crew s perception or entirely replaces the crew in the case of a robotic landing. Detecting hazards influences the trajectory design by requiring the proper perspective, range to the landing site, and sufficient time to view the terrain. Following this, the trajectory design must provide additional time to process this information and make a decision about where to safely land. During the final part of the HDA process, the trajectory design must provide sufficient margin to enable a hazard avoidance maneuver. In order to demonstrate the effects of these constraints on the landing trajectory, a tradespace of trajectory designs was created for the initial ALHAT Design Analysis Cycle (ALDAC-1) and each case evaluated with these HDA constraints active. The ALHAT analysis process, described in this paper, narrows down this tradespace and subsequently better defines the trajectory design needed to support onboard HDA. Future ALDACs will enhance this trajectory design by balancing these issues and others in an overall system

Evaluación estética de seis tipos de coronas para dientes primarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Héctor Alejandro Ramírez Peña

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar las preferencias estéticas en relación con el color y la forma de coronas primarias utilizadas para dientes incisivos superiores primarios, mediante la realización de una encuesta a miembros de la Academia Mexicana de Odontología Pediatrica (AMOP. Material y Métodos: Se establecieron seis grupos de estudio con seis coronas diferentes: grupo 1, coronas de zirconia EZ-Pedo; grupo 2, coronas de zirconia NuSmile Zr; grupo 3, coronas estéticas hechas en el consultorio; grupo 4, coronas de fundas de celuloide; grupo 5, coronas estéticas prefabricadas NuSmile signature; y grupo 6, coronas estéticas fenestradas. Se llevaron a cabo encuestas con la finalidad de conocer las preferencias estéticas de estas diferentes coronas, con la finalidad de conocer cuál es la mejor opción para su uso en el consultorio dental. Resultados: Noventa miembros de la AMOP realizaron una encuesta válida, y se determinó que el grupo 4 fue el mejor evaluado, seguido de los grupos 2, 5, 1, 6 y 3. Se identificaron diferencias significativas entre los diferentes grupos. Conclusiones: Las coronas de fundas de celuloide fueron seleccionadas como mejor alternativa de uso en los dientes primarios anteriores, por parte de los miembros de la AMOP; asimismo, se consideró a las coronas de zirconia como una buena opción terapéutica. Es recomendable que se implemente el tratamiento estético en dientes primarios, para realizar un tratamiento integral.

The scientific objectives of the International Solar Polar Mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wenzel, K.-P.

1980-01-01

The International Solar Polar Mission (I.S.P.M.), originally known as the Out-of-Ecliptic Mission, will be the first spacecraft mission to explore the third dimension of the heliosphere within a few astronomical units of the Sun and to view the Sun over the full range of heliographic latitudes. Its main objectives are to investigate, as a function of solar latitude, the properties of the interplanetary medium and the solar corona. The I.S.P.M. is a two spacecraft venture jointly conducted by E.S.A. and N.A.S.A. The two spacecraft will be injected into elliptical heliocentric orbits approximately at right angles to the ecliptic plane, by using the Jupiter gravity assist method, one northwards and the other southwards. After passing nearly above the poles of the Sun, each spacecraft crosses the ecliptic plane and passes over the other solar pole. The complete mission time from launch, foreseen for February 1983, to the second polar passage is approximately 42/3 years. This paper summarizes the main scientific objectives of the instruments to be carried on this exploratory mission. It concludes with an outline of the payload, the spacecraft, the trajectory and the mission schedule. (author)

SpaceCubeX: A Hybrid Multi-core CPU/FPGA/DSP Flight Architecture for Next Generation Earth Science Missions

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This proposal addresses NASAs Earth Science missions and climate architecture plan and its underlying needs for high performance, modular, and scalable on-board...

MERTIS: the thermal infrared imaging spectrometer onboard of the Mercury Planetary Orbiter

Science.gov (United States)

Zeh, T.; Peter, G.; Walter, I.; Kopp, E.; Knollenberg, J.; Helbert, J.; Gebhardt, A.; Weber, I.; Hiesinger, Harry

2017-11-01

The MERTIS instrument is a thermal infrared imaging spectrometer onboard of ESA's cornerstone mission BepiColombo to Mercury. MERTIS has four goals: the study of Mercury's surface composition, identification of rock-forming minerals, mapping of the surface mineralogy, and the study of the surface temperature variations and thermal inertia. MERTIS will provide detailed information about the mineralogical composition of Mercury's surface layer by measuring the spectral emittance in the spectral range from 7-14 μm at high spatial and spectral resolution. Furthermore MERTIS will obtain radiometric measurements in the spectral range from 7-40 μm to study the thermo-physical properties of the surface material. The MERTIS detector is based on an uncooled micro-bolometer array providing spectral separation and spatial resolution according to its 2-dimensional shape. The operation principle is characterized by intermediate scanning of the planet surface and three different calibration targets - free space view and two on-board black body sources. In the current project phase, the MERTIS Qualification Model (QM) is under a rigorous testing program. Besides a general overview of the instrument principles, the papers addresses major aspects of the instrument design, manufacturing and verification.

Results of Spectral Corona Observations in Solar Activity Cycles 17-24

Science.gov (United States)

Aliev, A. Kh.; Guseva, S. A.; Tlatov, A. G.

2017-12-01

The results of the work of the global observation network are considered, and a comparative analysis of the data of various coronal observatories is performed. The coronal activity index has been reconstructed for the period 1939-2016 based on the data of various observatories in Kislovodsk system. For this purpose, the corona daily intensity maps from the Sacramento Peak and Lomnický Štít observatories according to the Solar-Geophysical Data journal have been digitized; they supplement the data of other observatories. The homogeneity and continuity of the corona observations at the Kislovodsk station, including activity cycle 24, is confirmed. Unfortunately, the only observatory at present that continues observation of the spectral corona in Fe XIV 5303 Å and Fe XIV 6374 Å lines is the Kislovodsk astronomical station Mountain Astronomical Station (MAS) of the Central Astronomical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences (Pulkovo). The data on the combined corona in 5303 Å line are analyzed. It is shown that there is a high correlation of the intensity index of green corona with solar radiation measurements in the vacuum UV region. Data on the beginning of the new 25th activity cycle in the corona at high latitudes are presented.

Time Synchronization Strategy Between On-Board Computer and FIMS on STSAT-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seong Woo Kwak

2004-06-01

Full Text Available STSAT-1 was launched on sep. 2003 with the main payload of Far Ultra-violet Imaging Spectrograph(FIMS. The mission of FIMS is to observe universe and aurora. In this paper, we suggest a simple and reliable strategy adopted in STSAT-1 to synchronize time between On-board Computer(OBC and FIMS. For the characteristics of STSAT-1, this strategy is devised to maintain reliability of satellite system and to reduce implementation cost by using minimized electronic circuits. We suggested two methods with different synchronization resolutions to cope with unexpected faults in space. The backup method with low resolution can be activated when the main has some problems.

Preliminary protein corona formation stabilizes gold nanoparticles and improves deposition efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Luby, Alexandra O.; Breitner, Emily K.; Comfort, Kristen K.

2016-08-01

Due to their advantageous characteristics, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are being increasingly utilized in a vast array of biomedical applications. However, the efficacy of these procedures are highly dependent upon strong interactions between AuNPs and the surrounding environment. While the field of nanotechnology has grown exponentially, there is still much to be discovered with regards to the complex interactions between NPs and biological systems. One area of particular interest is the generation of a protein corona, which instantaneously forms when NPs encounter a protein-rich environment. Currently, the corona is viewed as an obstacle and has been identified as the cause for loss of application efficiency in physiological systems. To date, however, no study has explored if the protein corona could be designed and advantageously utilized to improve both NP behavior and application efficacy. Therefore, we sought to identify if the formation of a preliminary protein corona could modify both AuNP characteristics and association with the HaCaT cell model. In this study, a corona comprised solely of epidermal growth factor (EGF) was successfully formed around 10-nm AuNPs. These EGF-AuNPs demonstrated augmented particle stability, a modified corona composition, and increased deposition over stock AuNPs, while remaining biocompatible. Analysis of AuNP dosimetry was repeated under dynamic conditions, with lateral flow significantly disrupting deposition and the nano-cellular interface. Taken together, this study demonstrated the plausibility and potential of utilizing the protein corona as a means to influence NP behavior; however, fluid dynamics remains a major challenge to progressing NP dosimetry.

Sensitivity of Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) Mission Navigation Accuracy to Major Error Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Corwin; Long, Anne; Car[emter. Russell

2011-01-01

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission consists of four satellites flying in formation in highly elliptical orbits about the Earth, with a primary objective of studying magnetic reconnection. The baseline navigation concept is independent estimation of each spacecraft state using GPS pseudorange measurements referenced to an Ultra Stable Oscillator (USO) with accelerometer measurements included during maneuvers. MMS state estimation is performed onboard each spacecraft using the Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS), which is embedded in the Navigator GPS receiver. This paper describes the sensitivity of MMS navigation performance to two major error sources: USO clock errors and thrust acceleration knowledge errors.

Sensitivity of Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) Mission Naviation Accuracy to Major Error Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Corwin; Long, Anne; Carpenter, J. Russell

2011-01-01

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission consists of four satellites flying in formation in highly elliptical orbits about the Earth, with a primary objective of studying magnetic reconnection. The baseline navigation concept is independent estimation of each spacecraft state using GPS pseudorange measurements referenced to an Ultra Stable Oscillator (USO) with accelerometer measurements included during maneuvers. MMS state estimation is performed onboard each spacecraft using the Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS), which is embedded in the Navigator GPS receiver. This paper describes the sensitivity of MMS navigation performance to two major error sources: USO clock errors and thrust acceleration knowledge errors.

Semi-analytical modelling of positive corona discharge in air

Science.gov (United States)

Pontiga, Francisco; Yanallah, Khelifa; Chen, Junhong

2013-09-01

Semianalytical approximate solutions of the spatial distribution of electric field and electron and ion densities have been obtained by solving Poisson's equations and the continuity equations for the charged species along the Laplacian field lines. The need to iterate for the correct value of space charge on the corona electrode has been eliminated by using the corona current distribution over the grounded plane derived by Deutsch, which predicts a cos m θ law similar to Warburg's law. Based on the results of the approximated model, a parametric study of the influence of gas pressure, the corona wire radius, and the inter-electrode wire-plate separation has been carried out. Also, the approximate solutions of the electron number density has been combined with a simplified plasma chemistry model in order to compute the ozone density generated by the corona discharge in the presence of a gas flow. This work was supported by the Consejeria de Innovacion, Ciencia y Empresa (Junta de Andalucia) and by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain, within the European Regional Development Fund contracts FQM-4983 and FIS2011-25161.

Reactive Goal Decomposition Hierarchies for On-Board Autonomy

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, L.

2002-01-01

to state and environment and in general can terminate the execution of a decomposition and attempt a new decomposition at any level in the hierarchy. This goal decomposition system is suitable for workstation, microprocessor and fpga implementation and thus is able to support the full range of prototyping activities, from mission design in the laboratory to development of the fpga firmware for the flight system. This approach is based on previous artificial intelligence work including (1) Brooks' subsumption architecture for robot control, (2) Firby's Reactive Action Package System (RAPS) for mediating between high level automated planning and low level execution and (3) hierarchical task networks for automated planning. Reactive goal decomposition hierarchies can be used for a wide variety of on-board autonomy applications including automating low level operation sequences (such as scheduling prerequisite operations, e.g., heaters, warm-up periods, monitoring power constraints), coordinating multiple spacecraft as in formation flying and constellations, robot manipulator operations, rendez-vous, docking, servicing, assembly, on-orbit maintenance, planetary rover operations, solar system and interstellar probes, intelligent science data gathering and disaster early warning. Goal decomposition hierarchies can support high level fault tolerance. Given models of on-board resources and goals to accomplish, the decomposition hierarchy could allocate resources to goals taking into account existing faults and in real-time reallocating resources as new faults arise. Resources to be modeled include memory (e.g., ROM, FPGA configuration memory, processor memory, payload instrument memory), processors, on-board and interspacecraft network nodes and links, sensors, actuators (e.g., attitude determination and control, guidance and navigation) and payload instruments. A goal decomposition hierarchy could be defined to map mission goals and tasks to available on-board resources. As

On the control of magnetic perturbing field onboard landers: the Magnetometer Protection program for the ESA ExoMars/Humboldt MSMO magnetometer experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Menvielle, M.; Primdahl, Fritz; Brauer, Peter

to planetary research. The major difficulty in implementing a magnetometer experiment onboard a lander is to achieve at acceptable costs a good Magnetometer Protection, namely to control the perturbing magnetic field generated by the lander during operations at the planetary surfa ce, so as to achieve...... scientific payload in the frame of the ESA ExoMars mission. Experience from previous missions constitutes the background for the MSMO Magnetometer Protection strategy. DC and AC lander generated magnetic perturbations are discussed, with particular attention to those related to solar generators. Emphasis...... and very resource consuming....

Portable Diagnostics Technology Assessment for Space Missions. Part 2; Market Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Emily S.; Chait, Arnon

2010-01-01

A mission to Mars of several years duration requires more demanding standards for all onboard instruments than a 6-month mission to the Moon or the International Space Station. In Part 1, we evaluated generic technologies and suitability to NASA needs. This prior work considered crew safety, device maturity and flightworthiness, resource consumption, and medical value. In Part 2, we continue the study by assessing the current marketplace for reliable Point-of-Care diagnostics. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a set of objective analytical tools to suggest efficient strategies for reaching specific medical targets for any given space mission as program needs, technological development, and scientific understanding evolve.

Dynamic characteristics of corona discharge generated under rainfall condition on AC charged conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Pengfei; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Zezhong; Chen, Shuiming; He, Jinliang

2017-12-01

By synchronous measurement of corona current and the water droplet deformation process on a conductor surface, different types of corona discharge are visualized when AC voltage is applied on a line-ground electrode system. The corona characteristics are closely related to the applied voltage and water supply rate. With the increase of AC voltage, the positive Taylor cone discharge firstly appears and then disappears, replaced by the dripping and crashing discharge. Furthermore, the number of pulses in each pulse train increases with the increase of applied voltage. The mechanism of the transfer from the positive Taylor cone discharge to the dripping and crashing discharge is found to be related to the oscillation process of the water droplet. The water supply rate also has a great influence on the characteristics of corona currents. The number of positive pulse trains increases linearly when the water supply rate gets larger, leading to a higher audible noise and radio interference level from the AC corona, which is quite different from that of the DC corona. The difference between the AC and DC coronas under rainfall conditions is analyzed finally.

The X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Tashiro, M.; Kelley, R.

2017-10-01

On 25 March 2016, the Japanese 6th X-ray astronomical satellite ASTRO-H (Hitomi), launched on February 17, lost communication after a series of mishap in its attitude control system. In response to the mishap the X-ray astronomy community and JAXA analyzed the direct and root cause of the mishap and investigated possibility of a recovery mission with the international collaborator NASA and ESA. Thanks to great effort of scientists, agencies, and governments, the X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (XARM) are proposed. The recovery mission is planned to resume high resolution X-ray spectroscopy with imaging realized by Hitomi under the international collaboration in the shortest time possible, simply by focusing one of the main science goals of Hitomi Resolving astrophysical problems by precise high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy'. XARM will carry a 6 x 6 pixelized X-ray micro-calorimeter on the focal plane of an X-ray mirror assembly, and an aligned X-ray CCD camera covering the same energy band and wider field of view, but no hard X-ray or soft gamma-ray instruments are onboard. In this paper, we introduce the science objectives, mission concept, and schedule of XARM.

LAT Onboard Science: Gamma-Ray Burst Identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehn, Frederick; Hughes, Richard; Smith, Patrick; Winer, Brian; Bonnell, Jerry; Norris, Jay; Ritz, Steven; Russell, James

2007-01-01

The main goal of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard science program is to provide quick identification and localization of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) onboard the LAT for follow-up observations by other observatories. The GRB identification and localization algorithm will provide celestial coordinates with an error region that will be distributed via the Gamma ray burst Coordinate Network (GCN). We present results that show our sensitivity to bursts as characterized using Monte Carlo simulations of the GLAST observatory. We describe and characterize the method of onboard track determination and the GRB identification and localization algorithm. Onboard track determination is considerably different than in the on-ground case, resulting in a substantially altered point spread function. The algorithm contains tunable parameters which may be adjusted after launch when real bursts characteristics at very high energies have been identified

Multiscale simulation of DC corona discharge and ozone generation from nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pengxiang

Atmospheric direct current (dc) corona discharge from micro-sized objects has been widely used as an ion source in many devices, such as photocopiers, laser printers, and electronic air cleaners. Shrinking the size of the discharge electrode to the nanometer range (e.g., through the use of carbon nanotubes or CNTs) is expected to lead to a significant reduction in power consumption and detrimental ozone production in these devices. The objectives of this study are to unveil the fundamental physics of the nanoscale corona discharge and to evaluate its performance and ozone production through numerical models. The extremely small size of CNTs presents considerable complexity and challenges in modeling CNT corona discharges. A hybrid multiscale model, which combines a kinetic particle-in-cell plus Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) model and a continuum model, is developed to simulate the corona discharge from nanostructures. The multiscale model is developed in several steps. First, a pure PIC-MCC model is developed and PIC-MCC simulations of corona plasma from micro-sized electrode with same boundary conditions as prior model are performed to validate the PIC-MCC scheme. The agreement between the PIC-MCC model and the prior continuum model indicates the validity of the PIC-MCC scheme. The validated PIC-MCC scheme is then coupled with a continuum model to simulate the corona discharge from a micro-sized electrode. Unlike the prior continuum model which only predicts the corona plasma region, the hybrid model successfully predicts the self-consistent discharge process in the entire corona discharge gap that includes both corona plasma region and unipolar ion region. The voltage-current density curves obtained by the hybrid model agree well with analytical prediction and experimental results. The hybrid modeling approach, which combines the accuracy of a kinetic model and the efficiency of a continuum model, is thus validated for modeling dc corona discharges. For

The effects of corona on current surges induced on conducting lines by EMP: A comparison of experiment data with results of analytic corona models

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, J. P.; Tesche, F. M.; McConnell, B. W.

1987-09-01

An experiment to determine the interaction of an intense electromagnetic pulse (EMP), such as that produced by a nuclear detonation above the Earth's atmosphere, was performed in March, 1986 at Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The results of that experiment have been published without analysis. Following an introduction of the corona phenomenon, the reason for interest in it, and a review of the experiment, this paper discusses five different analytic corona models that may model corona formation on a conducting line subjected to EMP. The results predicted by these models are compared with measured data acquired during the experiment to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each model.

Analysis of counter flow of corona wind for heat transfer enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Dong Ho; Baek, Soo Hong; Ko, Han Seo

2018-03-01

A heat sink for cooling devices using the counter flow of a corona wind was developed in this study. Detailed information about the numerical investigations of forced convection using the corona wind was presented. The fins of the heat sink using the counter flow of a corona wind were also investigated. The corona wind generator with a wire-to-plate electrode arrangement was used for generating the counter flow to the fin. The compact and simple geometric characteristics of the corona wind generator facilitate the application of the heat sink using the counter flow, demonstrating the heat sink is effective for cooling electronic devices. Parametric studies were performed to analyze the effect of the counter flow on the fins. Also, the velocity and temperature were measured experimentally for the test mock-up of the heat sink with the corona wind generator to verify the numerical results. From a numerical study, the type of fin and its optimal height, length, and pitch were suggested for various heat fluxes. In addition, the correlations to calculate the mass of the developed heat sink and its cooling performance in terms of the heat transfer coefficient were derived. Finally, the cooling efficiencies corresponding to the mass, applied power, total size, and noise of the devices were compared with the existing commercial central processing unit (CPU) cooling devices with rotor fans. As a result, it was confirmed that the heat sink using the counter flow of the corona wind showed appropriate efficiencies for cooling electronic devices, and is a suitable replacement for the existing cooling device for high power electronics.

Micro Corona Ionizer as an Ozone Source for Bacterial Cell Lysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Eun-Hee; Lim, Hyun Jeong; Chua, Beelee; Son, Ahjeong

2015-04-01

DNA extraction is a critical process of DNA assays including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarrays, molecular cloning, and DNA hybridization which has been well established and can be implemented by commercial kits. DNA extraction involves cell lysis, precipitation, and purification through the combination of physical and chemical processes. Cell lysis is essential to high DNA recovery yield which can be achieved via a variety of physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. However, these methods were originally developed for bioassays that were labor intensive, time consuming, and vulnerable to contamination and inhibition. Here, we proposed to employ a micro corona ionizer as an ozone source to lyse bacterial cells. Ozone has been well known and used as a disinfectant which allows cell lysis and DNA extraction. Previously, we have shown that a micro corona ionizer is capable of generating a significant amount of ozone. In this study, we employed the micro corona ionizer for the bacterial cell lysis which consists of a 50 μm diameter cantilever wire as the discharge cathode and a 50 μm thick copper foil as anode. Applied voltages varied from 1900 to 2200 V with corresponding corona currents from 16 to 28 μA. The resultant ozone (concentration > 0.14 ppm) generated from the micro corona ionizer was bubbled into the sample via a miniature pump. We demonstrated the cell lysis of Pseudomonas putida as the target bacterium using the micro corona ionizer. At a flow rate of 38 ml/min and applied corona voltage of 2000 V, 98.5 ± 0.2% lysis (normalized to sonication result) was achieved after 10 min. In comparison, untreated and air-treated samples showed normalized % lysis of 11.9 ± 2.4 and 36.1 ± 1.7%, respectively. We also showed that the cell lysis efficiency could be significantly increased by increasing the flow rate and the applied corona voltage. By comparing the experimental results for continuous and pulsed treatment, we verified that the percentage of

Co-existence of two plasma phases in solar and AGN coronas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kubičela A.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Here we have juxtaposed two distant cosmic locations of the Sun and AGN where neutral hydrogen appears in a close connection with hot coronas. Besides the solar photosphere, chromosphere and prominences where the presence of neutral hydrogen is well established, its emission quite high in hot solar corona is still puzzling. Some of earlier observations where Hα emission in solar corona was detected in eclipse and in daily coronagraphic observations are reviewed. A proper theoretical explanation of this cold chromospheric-type emission in the hot corona does not exist yet. On the other side, a similar emission of hydrogen lines is present in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs. Much research work is currently being done in this field. We outline some of the concepts of the AGN structure prevailing in the astrophysics today.

Why the negative corona current in air decreases?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlik, M.; Skalny, J.D.; Strelle, D.

1996-01-01

The time dependence of negative corona current I, called by Gagarin like 'relaxing of CV-characteristics', is a observed phenomena. The observed phenomena was explained by two theoretical models considering the ion-molecule and chemical reactions in the negative corona discharges in air, especially the ozone production. In the presented paper the discrepancies of above mentioned models, re-examination the earlier experimental data and presumptions used in models in a light the latest experimentally confirmed facts are discussed

Are X-ray emitting coronae around supermassive black holes outflowing?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Teng; Wang, Jun-Xian; Yang, Huan; Zhu, Fei-Fan; Zhou, You-Yuan, E-mail: liuteng@ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: jxw@ustc.edu.cn [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)

2014-03-10

Hard X-ray emission in radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is believed to be produced via inverse Compton scattering by hot and compact coronae near the supermassive black hole. However, the origin and physical properties of the coronae, including geometry, kinematics, and dynamics, remain poorly known. In this work, taking [O IV] 25.89 μm emission line as an isotropic indicator of AGNs' intrinsic luminosity, we compare the intrinsic corona X-ray emission between Seyfert 1 and Compton-thin Seyfert 2 galaxies, which are viewed at different inclinations according to the unification scheme. We compile a sample of 130 Compton-thin Seyfert galaxies with both [O IV] 25.89 μm line luminosities measured with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer and X-ray spectra observed by XMM-Newton, Chandra, Suzaku, or Swift. Known radio-loud sources are excluded. We fit the X-ray spectra to obtain the absorption-corrected 2-10 keV continuum luminosities. We find that Seyfert 1 galaxies are intrinsically brighter in intrinsic 2-10 keV emission by a factor of 2.8{sub −0.4}{sup +0.5} (2.2{sub −0.3}{sup +0.9} in Swift Burst Alert Telescope 14-195 keV emission), compared with Compton-thin Seyfert 2 galaxies. The Seyfert 1 and Compton-thin Seyfert 2 galaxies follow a statistically identical correlation between the absorption-corrected 2-10 keV luminosity and the 14-195 keV luminosity, indicating that our absorption correction to the 2-10 keV flux is sufficient. The difference in X-ray emission between the two populations is thus unlikely to be due to X-ray absorption, and instead implies an intrinsic anisotropy in the corona X-ray emission. This striking anisotropy of X-ray emission can be explained by a bipolar outflowing corona with a bulk velocity of ∼0.3-0.5c. This would provide a natural link between the so-called coronae and weak jets in these systems. Other consequences of outflowing coronae are also discussed.

The Rosetta Mission - Where no Spacecraft has gone before

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2015-01-01

This Talk will provide an overview on the Scientific Highlights of the Rosetta Mission. After travelling through the Solar System for nearly 10 years Rosetta arrived at its main target, Comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko, in August 2014. Following an initial characterisation of the Comet, the lander unit Philae touched down on the partly active Nucleus on November 12 of the same year. The data acquired from the numerous instruments onboard the Spacecraft provides a unique insight into the properties of the Comets. While most of the measurements and processing of the data are still ongoing, the results from the Mission provide continuous surprises to the scientific community. While the Lander has been reactivated with some difficulties after a few months of inactivity due to low insolation levels, the Orbiter is pursuing its main mission objectives until the end of its extended Mission in Autumn 2016. During the long journey, the Spacecraft had encountered Earth, Mars and two Asteroids ( 2867 Šteins and 21 Lu...

Propagation characteristics of audible noise generated by single corona source under positive DC voltage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuebao Li

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The directivity and lateral profile of corona-generated audible noise (AN from a single corona source are measured through experiments carried out in the semi-anechoic laboratory. The experimental results show that the waveform of corona-generated AN consists of a series of random sound pressure pulses whose pulse amplitudes decrease with the increase of measurement distance. A single corona source can be regarded as a non-directional AN source, and the A-weighted SPL (sound pressure level decreases 6 dB(A as doubling the measurement distance. Then, qualitative explanations for the rationality of treating the single corona source as a point source are given on the basis of the Ingard’s theory for sound generation in corona discharge. Furthermore, we take into consideration of the ground reflection and the air attenuation to reconstruct the propagation features of AN from the single corona source. The calculated results agree with the measurement well, which validates the propagation model. Finally, the influence of the ground reflection on the SPL is presented in the paper.

The effect of atmospheric corona treatment on AA1050 aluminium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jariyaboon, Manthana; Møller, Per; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.

2010-01-01

The effect of atmospheric corona discharge on AM 050 aluminium surface was investigated using electrochemical polarization, SEM-EDX, FIB-SEM. and XPS. The corona treatment was performed with varying time (1, 5, and 15 min) in atmospheric air. A 200 nm oxide layer was generated on AA1050 after...

On-board aircrew dosimetry using a semiconductor spectrometer

CERN Document Server

Spurny, F

2002-01-01

Radiation fields on board aircraft contain particles with energies up to a few hundred MeV. Many instruments have been tested to characterise these fields. This paper presents the results of studies on the use of an Si diode spectrometer to characterise these fields. The spectrometer has been in use since spring 2000 on more than 130 return flights to monitor and characterise the on-board field. During a Czech Airlines flight from Prague to New York it was possible to register the effects of an intense solar flare, (ground level event, GLE 60), which occurred on 15 April 2001. It was found that the number of deposition events registered was increased by about 70% and the dose in Si by a factor of 2.0 when compared with the presence of galactic cosmic rays alone. Directly measured data are interpreted with respect to on-earth reference field calibration (photons, CERN high-energy particles); it was found that this approach leads to encouraging results and should be followed up. (7 refs).

Inception behaviour of pulsed positive corona in several gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veldhuizen, E M van; Rutgers, W R

2003-01-01

The inception probability and the streamer length of pulsed positive corona discharges is determined in argon, nitrogen, oxygen and air. This study is performed in a 25 mm point-plane gap at a pressure of 1 bar. The lowest voltage at which a discharge in argon starts is 3 kV but only with an inception probability of 1%. At 5 kV the corona discharge in argon transforms into a spark with a probability close to 100%. The inception probability of corona discharges in all molecular gases used here as a function of the voltage is identical, starting with 1% at 4 kV and going up to 100% at 9 kV. The streamer lengths are quite different for these gases, nitrogen requiring the lowest voltage for streamers to cross the gap and oxygen the highest. This is probably due to electron attachment in oxygen. A remarkable result is that in air streamers bridge the gap at 8 kV, but spark breakdown occurs only above 26 kV. This property makes it relatively easy to obtain powerful pulsed corona discharges in air

Inception behaviour of pulsed positive corona in several gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veldhuizen, E M van; Rutgers, W R [Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2003-11-07

The inception probability and the streamer length of pulsed positive corona discharges is determined in argon, nitrogen, oxygen and air. This study is performed in a 25 mm point-plane gap at a pressure of 1 bar. The lowest voltage at which a discharge in argon starts is 3 kV but only with an inception probability of 1%. At 5 kV the corona discharge in argon transforms into a spark with a probability close to 100%. The inception probability of corona discharges in all molecular gases used here as a function of the voltage is identical, starting with 1% at 4 kV and going up to 100% at 9 kV. The streamer lengths are quite different for these gases, nitrogen requiring the lowest voltage for streamers to cross the gap and oxygen the highest. This is probably due to electron attachment in oxygen. A remarkable result is that in air streamers bridge the gap at 8 kV, but spark breakdown occurs only above 26 kV. This property makes it relatively easy to obtain powerful pulsed corona discharges in air.

Energy Input Flux in the Global Quiet-Sun Corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mac Cormack, Cecilia; Vásquez, Alberto M.; López Fuentes, Marcelo; Nuevo, Federico A. [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE), CONICET-UBA, CC 67—Suc 28, (C1428ZAA) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Landi, Enrico; Frazin, Richard A. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (CLaSP), University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 (United States)

2017-07-01

We present first results of a novel technique that provides, for the first time, constraints on the energy input flux at the coronal base ( r ∼ 1.025 R {sub ⊙}) of the quiet Sun at a global scale. By combining differential emission measure tomography of EUV images, with global models of the coronal magnetic field, we estimate the energy input flux at the coronal base that is required to maintain thermodynamically stable structures. The technique is described in detail and first applied to data provided by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument, on board the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory mission, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, for two solar rotations with different levels of activity. Our analysis indicates that the typical energy input flux at the coronal base of magnetic loops in the quiet Sun is in the range ∼0.5–2.0 × 10{sup 5} (erg s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}), depending on the structure size and level of activity. A large fraction of this energy input, or even its totality, could be accounted for by Alfvén waves, as shown by recent independent observational estimates derived from determinations of the non-thermal broadening of spectral lines in the coronal base of quiet-Sun regions. This new tomography product will be useful for the validation of coronal heating models in magnetohydrodinamic simulations of the global corona.

Thermochemolysis and the Search for Organic Material on Mars Onboard the MOMA Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Morisson, Marietta; Buch, Arnaud; Szopa, Cyril; Glavin, Daniel; Freissinet, Carolinette; Pinnick, Veronica; Goetz, Walter; Stambouli, Moncef; Belmahdi, Imene; Coll, Patrice; Stalport, Fabien; Grand, Noël; Brinckerhoff, William; Goesmann, Fred; Raulin, François; Mahaffy, Paul

2016-04-01

Following the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) experiment onboard the Curiosity rover, the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) experiment onboard the future ExoMars 2018 mission will continue to investigate the organic composition of the martian subsurface. MOMA will have the advantage of extracting the sample from as deep as 2 meters below the martian surface where the deleterious effects of radiation and oxidation on organic matter are minimized. To analyse the wide range of organic compounds (volatile and non-volatile compounds) potentially present in the martian soil, MOMA includes two operational modes: UV laser desorption / ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (LDI-ITMS) and pyrolysis gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry (pyr-GC-ITMS). In order to analyse refractory organic compounds and chirality, samples which undergo GC-ITMS analysis may be derivatized beforhands, consisting in the reaction of the sample components with specific chemical reagents (MTBSTFA [1], DMF-DMA [2] or TMAH [3]). To prove the feasibility of the derivatization within the MOMA conditions we have adapated our laboratory procedure for the space conditions (temperature, time, pressure and size). Goal is optimize our detection limits and increase the range of the organic compounds that MOMA will be able to detect. Results of this study, show that Thermochemolysis is one of the most promising technique onboard MOMA to detect organic material. References : [1] Buch, A. et al. (2009) J Chrom. A, 43, 143-151. [2] Freissinet, C. et al. (2013) J Chrom. A, 1306, 731-740. [3] Geffroy-Rodier, C. et al. (2009) JAAP, 85, 454-459.

Biomedical program of the ALTAIR french russian flight onboard the MIR station.

Science.gov (United States)

Andre-Deshays, C; Haignere, J P; Guell, A; Marsal, O; Suchet, L; Kotovskaya, A; Gratchev, V; Noskin, A; Grigoriev, A

1995-01-01

One year after the achievement of the 2 weeks ANTARES french-russian mission in the MIR station in July 1992, a 22 days ALTAIR mission with a french cosmonaut has been performed in July 1993, making use of the scientific payload remaining on board. Taking benefit of the analysis of the previous mission, the experimental protocols were adapted to refine scientific objectives and gave to the scientists the opportunity to enhance quantitatively and qualitatively their results. The french biomedical program, conducted in close scientific cooperation with IMBP and associated laboratories, was composed of 8 experiments out of which 2 were new with regards to the ANTARES program. In the field of cardio-vascular physiology and fluid regulation, the experiments: ORTHOSTATISME, DIURESE have been renewed and complemented by the TISSU experiment (proposed by a german scientist) and a real-time tele-assistance program using US echography technic and ground support from the french CADMOS support control center located in Toulouse. With respect to neurosciences objectives, to the experiments VIMINAL (cognitive processes) and ILLUSIONS (study of proprioceptives cues), was added the SYNERGIES experiment to analyse the postural adjustments during movement. The IMMUNOLOGIE experiment carried on and the radiobiological experiment BIODOSE ended. Adding the results of the 2 missions ANTARES and ALTAIR, and the data obtained in between onboard with russian cosmonauts, the scientists have received a wealth of physiological data and gained reproducibility and confidence in their results.

Software design for the VIS instrument onboard the Euclid mission: a multilayer approach

Science.gov (United States)

Galli, E.; Di Giorgio, A. M.; Pezzuto, S.; Liu, S. J.; Giusi, G.; Li Causi, G.; Farina, M.; Cropper, M.; Denniston, J.; Niemi, S.

2014-07-01

The Euclid mission scientific payload is composed of two instruments: a VISible Imaging Instrument (VIS) and a Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer instrument (NISP). Each instrument has its own control unit. The Instrument Command and Data Processing Unit (VI-CDPU) is the control unit of the VIS instrument. The VI-CDPU is connected directly to the spacecraft by means of a MIL-STD-1553B bus and to the satellite Mass Memory Unit via a SpaceWire link. All the internal interfaces are implemented via SpaceWire links and include 12 high speed lines for the data provided by the 36 focal plane CCDs readout electronics (ROEs) and one link to the Power and Mechanisms Control Unit (VI-PMCU). VI-CDPU is in charge of distributing commands to the instrument sub-systems, collecting their housekeeping parameters and monitoring their health status. Moreover, the unit has the task of acquiring, reordering, compressing and transferring the science data to the satellite Mass Memory. This last feature is probably the most challenging one for the VI-CDPU, since stringent constraints about the minimum lossless compression ratio, the maximum time for the compression execution and the maximum power consumption have to be satisfied. Therefore, an accurate performance analysis at hardware layer is necessary, which could delay too much the design and development of software. In order to mitigate this risk, in the multilayered design of software we decided to design a middleware layer that provides a set of APIs with the aim of hiding the implementation of the HW connected layer to the application one. The middleware is built on top of the Operating System layer (which includes the Real-Time OS that will be adopted) and the onboard Computer Hardware. The middleware itself has a multi-layer architecture composed of 4 layers: the Abstract RTOS Adapter Layer (AOSAL), the Speci_c RTOS Adapter Layer (SOSAL), the Common Patterns Layer (CPL), the Service Layer composed of two subgroups which

Impedance-stabilized positive corona discharge and its decontamination properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horak, P; Khun, J, E-mail: pavel.horak@vscht.c [Department of Physics and Measurements, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Technicka 5, 166 28 Praha 6 (Czech Republic)

2010-04-01

The point-to-plane DC corona discharge in air at atmospheric pressure was stabilized by a serially connected ballast impedance. The ballast impedance was implemented by a resistor-capacitor group connected in parallel. In the case of connecting the serial impedance into the electric circuit of a negative corona, the transition into a spark takes place at parameters similar to those of a non-stabilized discharge. In contrast, in the case of a positive corona, the discharge does not undergo a transition into a spark, but rather into a mode of periodic streamers. We measured the bactericidal effect of the stabilized discharge. The experiments showed that after a 2-minute exposure the quantity of surviving bacteria decreased from 95% for a non-stabilized discharge down to 5% for a stabilized one.

Impedance-stabilized positive corona discharge and its decontamination properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horak, P; Khun, J

2010-01-01

The point-to-plane DC corona discharge in air at atmospheric pressure was stabilized by a serially connected ballast impedance. The ballast impedance was implemented by a resistor-capacitor group connected in parallel. In the case of connecting the serial impedance into the electric circuit of a negative corona, the transition into a spark takes place at parameters similar to those of a non-stabilized discharge. In contrast, in the case of a positive corona, the discharge does not undergo a transition into a spark, but rather into a mode of periodic streamers. We measured the bactericidal effect of the stabilized discharge. The experiments showed that after a 2-minute exposure the quantity of surviving bacteria decreased from 95% for a non-stabilized discharge down to 5% for a stabilized one.

Triggering Excimer Lasers by Photoionization from Corona Discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Zhongmin; Duffey, Thomas; Brown, Daniel; Kushner, Mark

2009-10-01

High repetition rate ArF (192 nm) excimer lasers are used for photolithography sources in microelectronics fabrication. In highly attaching gas mixtures, preionization is critical to obtaining stable, reproducible glow discharges. Photoionization from a separate corona discharge is one technique for preionization which triggers the subsequent electron avalanche between the main electrodes. Photoionization triggering of an ArF excimer laser sustained in multi-atmosphere Ne/Ar/F2/Xe gas mixtures has been investigated using a 2-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model including radiation transport. Continuity equations for charged and neutral species, and Poisson's equation are solved coincident with the electron temperature with transport coefficients obtained from solutions of Boltzmann's equation. Photoionizing radiation is produced by a surface discharge which propagates along a corona-bar located adjacent to the discharge electrodes. The consequences of pulse power waveform, corona bar location, capacitance and gas mixture on uniformity, symmetry and gain of the avalanche discharge will be discussed.

An integrated development framework for rapid development of platform-independent and reusable satellite on-board software

Science.gov (United States)

Ziemke, Claas; Kuwahara, Toshinori; Kossev, Ivan

2011-09-01

Even in the field of small satellites, the on-board data handling subsystem has become complex and powerful. With the introduction of powerful CPUs and the availability of considerable amounts of memory on-board a small satellite it has become possible to utilize the flexibility and power of contemporary platform-independent real-time operating systems. Especially the non-commercial sector such like university institutes and community projects such as AMSAT or SSETI are characterized by the inherent lack of financial as well as manpower resources. The opportunity to utilize such real-time operating systems will contribute significantly to achieve a successful mission. Nevertheless the on-board software of a satellite is much more than just an operating system. It has to fulfill a multitude of functional requirements such as: Telecommand interpretation and execution, execution of control loops, generation of telemetry data and frames, failure detection isolation and recovery, the communication with peripherals and so on. Most of the aforementioned tasks are of generic nature and have to be conducted on any satellite with only minor modifications. A general set of functional requirements as well as a protocol for communication is defined in the SA ECSS-E-70-41A standard "Telemetry and telecommand packet utilization". This standard not only defines the communication protocol of the satellite-ground link but also defines a set of so called services which have to be available on-board of every compliant satellite and which are of generic nature. In this paper, a platform-independent and reusable framework is described which is implementing not only the ECSS-E-70-41A standard but also functionalities for interprocess communication, scheduling and a multitude of tasks commonly performed on-board of a satellite. By making use of the capabilities of the high-level programming language C/C++, the powerful open source library BOOST, the real-time operating system RTEMS and

The SOLAR-C Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Suematsu, Y.

2015-12-01

The Solar-C is a Japan-led international solar mission planned to be launched in mid2020. It is designed to investigate the magnetic activities of the Sun, focusing on the study in heating and dynamical phenomena of the chromosphere and corona, and also to develop an algorithm for predicting short and long term solar evolution. Since it has been revealed that the different parts of the magnetized solar atmosphere are essentially coupled, the SOLAR-C should tackle the spatial scales and temperature regimes that need to be observed in order to achieve a comprehensive physical understanding of this coupling. The science of Solar-C will greatly advance our understanding of the Sun, of basic physical processes operating throughout the universe. To dramatically improve the situation, SOLAR-C will carry three dedicated instruments; the Solar UV-Vis-IR Telescope (SUVIT), the EUV Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST) and the High Resolution Coronal Imager (HCI), to jointly observe the entire visible solar atmosphere with essentially the same high spatial resolution (0.1-0.3 arcsec), performing high resolution spectroscopic measurements over all atmospheric regions and spectro-polarimetric measurements from the photosphere through the upper chromosphere. In addition, Solar-C will contribute to our understanding on the influence of the Sun-Earth environments with synergetic wide-field observations from ground-based and other space missions. Some leading science objectives and the mission concept, including designs of the three instruments aboard SOLAR-C will be presented.

Joint Soviet--French investigations of the solar corona. 2. Photometry of solar corona of June 30, 1973

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vsekhsvyatskii, S.; Dzyubenko, N.; Ivanchuk, V.; Popov, O.; Rubo, G.; Koutchmy, S.; Koutchmy, O.; Stellmacher, G.

1981-01-01

The results are presented on a study of eclipse negative obtained on June 30, 1973, in Africa in the program of the Soviet--French experiment ''Dynamics of the White Corona'' by expeditions of Kiev University (Atar, Mauritania) and the Paris Astropysical Institute (Moussoro, Chad). The distributions of the total brightness of the corona out to rapprox. =4.5 R/sub sun/ and of its K and F components for the E and N directions are found with high accuracy on the basis of a new method of photometry and colorimetry using the images of stars down to 8.5/sup m/ as photometric standards. Neither reddening nor flattening of the dusty F component were detected at r -6 E/sub sun/

Development and Flight Results of a PC104/QNX-Based On-Board Computer and Software for the YES2 Tether Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Spiliotopoulos, I.; Mirmont, M.; Kruijff, M.

2008-08-01

This paper highlights the flight preparation and mission performance of a PC104-based On-Board Computer for ESA's second Young Engineer's Satellite (YES2), with additional attention to the flight software design and experience of QNX as multi-process real-time operating system. This combination of Commercial-Of-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies is an accessible option for small satellites with high computational demands.

Equilibrium plasma corona surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ensley, D.L.

1979-07-01

The distribution of charge of one sign when the opposite charge density is given is determined. Poisson's equation is solved in plane geometry for a simple specified ion density. This automatically gives the inverse solution for a given electron density, by reversing the sign of the potential. Some solutions can approximate a microwave confined corona, for very over dense cases

Radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the formation of hot accretion disk coronae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Yan-Fei [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Stone, James M. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Davis, Shane W. [Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics. Toronto, ON M5S3H4 (Canada)

2014-04-01

A new mechanism to form a magnetic pressure supported, high temperature corona above the photosphere of an accretion disk is explored using three dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The thermal properties of the disk are calculated self-consistently by balancing radiative cooling through the surfaces of the disk with heating due to dissipation of turbulence driven by magneto-rotational instability (MRI). As has been noted in previous work, we find the dissipation rate per unit mass increases dramatically with height above the mid-plane, in stark contrast to the α-disk model which assumes this quantity is a constant. Thus, we find that in simulations with a low surface density (and therefore a shallow photosphere), the fraction of energy dissipated above the photosphere is significant (about 3.4% in our lowest surface density model), and this fraction increases as surface density decreases. When a significant fraction of the accretion energy is dissipated in the optically thin photosphere, the gas temperature increases substantially and a high temperature, magnetic pressure supported corona is formed. The volume-averaged temperature in the disk corona is more than 10 times larger than at the disk mid-plane. Moreover, gas temperature in the corona is strongly anti-correlated with gas density, which implies the corona formed by MRI turbulence is patchy. This mechanism to form an accretion disk corona may help explain the observed relation between the spectral index and luminosity from active galactic nucleus (AGNs), and the soft X-ray excess from some AGNs. It may also be relevant to spectral state changes in X-ray binaries.

MASCOT—The Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout Onboard the Hayabusa2 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Tra-Mi; Baturkin, Volodymyr; Grimm, Christian; Grundmann, Jan Thimo; Hobbie, Catherin; Ksenik, Eugen; Lange, Caroline; Sasaki, Kaname; Schlotterer, Markus; Talapina, Maria; Termtanasombat, Nawarat; Wejmo, Elisabet; Witte, Lars; Wrasmann, Michael; Wübbels, Guido; Rößler, Johannes; Ziach, Christian; Findlay, Ross; Biele, Jens; Krause, Christian; Ulamec, Stephan; Lange, Michael; Mierheim, Olaf; Lichtenheldt, Roy; Maier, Maximilian; Reill, Josef; Sedlmayr, Hans-Jürgen; Bousquet, Pierre; Bellion, Anthony; Bompis, Olivier; Cenac-Morthe, Celine; Deleuze, Muriel; Fredon, Stephane; Jurado, Eric; Canalias, Elisabet; Jaumann, Ralf; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; Glassmeier, Karl Heinz; Hercik, David; Grott, Matthias; Celotti, Luca; Cordero, Federico; Hendrikse, Jeffrey; Okada, Tatsuaki

2017-07-01

On December 3rd, 2014, the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) launched successfully the Hayabusa2 (HY2) spacecraft to its journey to Near Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu. Aboard this spacecraft is a compact landing package, MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid surface SCOuT), which was developed by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in collaboration with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Similar to the famous predecessor mission Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, will also study an asteroid and return samples to Earth. This time, however, the target is a C-type asteroid which is considered to be more primitive than (25143) Itokawa and provide insight into an even earlier stage of our Solar System.

Loeb's and streamer-based mechanism for negative corona current pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vagnerova, L.; Skalny, J.D.; Cermak, M.

1998-01-01

The negative point-to-plane corona discharge in electronegative gaseous mixtures is studied experimentally and the basic mechanisms controlling the corona phenomena are discussed. The typical shapes of the current pulse waveforms observed in experiments with the nitrogen-freon mixtures are explained in terms of the theory by Loeb and of the positive-streamer-based model. (J.U.)

Prominence-corona interface compared with the chromosphere-corona transition region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orrall, F Q; Schmahl, E J [Harvard Coll. Observatory, Cambridge, Mass. (USA)

1976-11-01

The intensities of 52 EUV emission lines from each of 9 hedgerow prominences observed at the limb with the Harvard experiment on ATM-Skylab have been compared with intensities from the interior of network cells at the center of the disk, in order to compare the prominence-corona (P-C) interface with the chromosphere-corona (C-C) transition region. The intensity ratio Isub(cell)/Isub(prominence) for each line varies systematically (in all of the prominences observed), with the temperature of formation of the line as approximately Tsup(-0.6). The density sensitive C III (formed at T approximately 9x10/sup 4/ K) line ratio Isub(lambda1175)/Isub(lambda977) implies an average density 1.3x10/sup 9/ electrons cm/sup -3/ in the P-C interface and approximately 4 times this value in the C-C transition of the cells. The total optical thickness at the head of the Lyman continuum is < approximately 10 in most of the prominences studied; in two of the prominences, however, the possibility that tau/sub 0/ is large cannot be rejected. Methods of analysis of these EUV data are developed assuming both a resolved and an unresolved internal prominence structure. Although the systematic differences between the P-C interface and the C-C transition are stressed, the similarities are probably more remarkable and may be a result of fine structure in the C-C transition.

DC negative corona discharge in atmospheric pressure helium: transition from the corona to the ‘normal’ glow regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, Nusair; Farouk, Bakhtier; Antao, Dion S

2014-01-01

Direct current (dc) negative corona discharges in atmospheric pressure helium are simulated via detailed numerical modeling. Simulations are conducted to characterize the discharges in atmospheric helium for a pin plate electrode configuration. A self-consistent two-dimensional hybrid model is developed to simulate the discharges and the model predictions are validated with experimental measurements. The discharge model considered consists of momentum and energy conservation equations for a multi-component (electrons, ions, excited species and neutrals) gas mixture, conservation equations for each component of the mixture and state relations. A drift–diffusion approximation for the electron and the ion fluxes is used. A model for the external circuit driving the discharge is also considered and solved along with the discharge model. Many of the key features of a negative corona discharge, namely non-linear current–voltage characteristics, spatially flat cathode current density and glow-like discharge in the high current regime are displayed in the predictions. A transition to the ‘normal’ glow discharge from the corona discharge regime is also observed. The transition is identified from the calculated current–voltage characteristic curve and is characterized by the radial growth of the negative glow and the engulfment of the cathode wire. (paper)

Nanoparticle-protein corona in invertebrate in vitro testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hayashi, Yuya; Miclaus, Teodora; Scavenius, Carsten

2013-01-01

, and the primary cells were thus exposed to silver nanoparticles with pre-formed corona of serum albumin (a major serum protein). Here we have profiled proteins forming the hard corona around silver nanoparticles (OECD reference materials, 15 nm and 75 nm) using gel electrophoresis techniques to identify proteins...... that strongly interact with the nanoparticles. This study was accompanied by multi-parametric flow-cytometry analysis of the cellular responses, in particular nanoparticle accumulation and cytotoxicity. The formation of and differential cellular responses to nanoparticle-protein complexes underscore the need...

Fabrication of corona-free nanoparticles with tunable hydrophobicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyano, Daniel F; Saha, Krishnendu; Prakash, Gyan; Yan, Bo; Kong, Hao; Yazdani, Mahdieh; Rotello, Vincent M

2014-07-22

A protein corona is formed at the surface of nanoparticles in the presence of biological fluids, masking the surface properties of the particle and complicating the relationship between chemical functionality and biological effects. We present here a series of zwitterionic NPs of variable hydrophobicity that do not adsorb proteins at moderate levels of serum protein and do not form hard coronas at physiological serum concentrations. These particles provide platforms to evaluate nanobiological behavior such as cell uptake and hemolysis dictated directly by chemical motifs at the nanoparticle surface.

FY 2006 Infrared Photonics Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anheier, Norman C.; Allen, Paul J.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Ho, Nicolas; Krishnaswami, Kannan; Qiao, Hong (Amy); Schultz, John F.

2006-12-28

Research done by the Infrared Photonics team at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is focused on developing miniaturized integrated optics and optical fiber processing methods for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensing applications by exploiting the unique optical and material properties of chalcogenide glass. PNNL has developed thin-film deposition capabilities, direct laser writing techniques, infrared photonic device demonstration, holographic optical element design and fabrication, photonic device modeling, and advanced optical metrology—all specific to chalcogenide glass. Chalcogenide infrared photonics provides a pathway to quantum cascade laser (QCL) transmitter miniaturization. The high output power, small size, and superb stability and modulation characteristics of QCLs make them amenable for integration as transmitters into ultra-sensitive, ultra-selective point sampling and remote short-range chemical sensors that are particularly useful for nuclear nonproliferation missions.

ON-BOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR KITSAT-1 AND 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. S. Kim

1996-06-01

Full Text Available KITSAT-1 and 2 are microsatellites weighting 50kg and all the on-board data are processed by the on-board computer system. Hence, these on-board computers require to be highly reliable and be designed with tight power consumption, mass and size constraints. On-board computer(OBC systems for KITSAT-1 and 2 are also designed with a simple flexible hardware for reliability and software takes more responsibility than hardware. KITSAT-1 and 2 on-board computer system consist of OBC 186 as the primary OBC and OBC80 as its backup. OBC186 runs spacecraft operating system (SCOS which has real-time multi-tasking capability. Since their launch, OBC186 and OBC80 have been operating successfully until today. In this paper, we describe the development of OBC186 hardware and software and analyze its in-orbit operation performance.

Human and Robotic Space Mission Use Cases for High-Performance Spaceflight Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Some, Raphael; Doyle, Richard; Bergman, Larry; Whitaker, William; Powell, Wesley; Johnson, Michael; Goforth, Montgomery; Lowry, Michael

2013-01-01

Spaceflight computing is a key resource in NASA space missions and a core determining factor of spacecraft capability, with ripple effects throughout the spacecraft, end-to-end system, and mission. Onboard computing can be aptly viewed as a "technology multiplier" in that advances provide direct dramatic improvements in flight functions and capabilities across the NASA mission classes, and enable new flight capabilities and mission scenarios, increasing science and exploration return. Space-qualified computing technology, however, has not advanced significantly in well over ten years and the current state of the practice fails to meet the near- to mid-term needs of NASA missions. Recognizing this gap, the NASA Game Changing Development Program (GCDP), under the auspices of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, commissioned a study on space-based computing needs, looking out 15-20 years. The study resulted in a recommendation to pursue high-performance spaceflight computing (HPSC) for next-generation missions, and a decision to partner with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in this development.

Generic procedure for designing and implementing plan management systems for space science missions operations

Science.gov (United States)

Chaizy, P. A.; Dimbylow, T. G.; Allan, P. M.; Hapgood, M. A.

2011-09-01

will be relevant only for some specific mission requirements. In other words, each mission that shares the same type of requirements that lead to a list of specific catalogued scenarii can use this latter list of scenarii (regardless of whether the mission is a plasma, planetary, astronomy, etc. mission). The main advantages of such a catalogue are that it speeds-up the execution of the procedure and makes the latter more reliable. Ultimately, the information associated to each relevant scenario (from the catalogue or freshly generated by the procedure) will then be used by mission designers to make informed decisions, including the modification of the mission requirements, for any missions. In addition, to illustrate the use of such a procedure, the latter is applied to a case study, i.e. the Cross-Scale mission. One of the outcomes of this study is an initial set of generic functional scenarii. Finally, although border line with the above purpose of this paper, we also discuss multi-spacecraft specific issues and issues related to the on-board execution of the plan update system (PUS). In particular, we show that the operation planning cost of N spacecraft is not equal to N times the cost of 1 spacecraft and that on-board non-synchronised operation will not require inter-spacecraft communication. We also believe that on-board PUS should be made possible for all missions as a standard.

The concept of bio-corona in modulating the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westmeier, Dana; Stauber, Roland H.; Docter, Dominic

2016-01-01

Besides the wide use of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) in technical products, their application spectrum in biotechnology and biomedicine is steadily increasing. In complex physiological environments the physico-chemical properties and the behavior of nanoparticles (NPs) are challenging to characterize. Biomolecules rapidly adsorb to the nanomaterial, leading to the formation of the protein/biomolecule corona, which critically affects the nanomaterials' (patho)biological and technical identities. This formation can trigger an immune response and affect nanoparticles' toxicity and targeting capabilities. In this review, we provide a survey of recent findings on the (protein)corona-nanoparticle interaction and discuss how the corona modulates both cytotoxicity and the immune response as well as to improve the efficacy of targeted delivery of nanocarriers. - Highlights: • “Nanotoxicology” has emerged an autonomous field with an explosive growth. • Nanomaterials adsorb (bio)molecules forming the so-called (bio)molecule corona. • (Fine-)tune of the corona composition could enable new possibilities in nanomedicine.

Modeling the time evolution of the nanoparticle-protein corona in a body fluid.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Dell'Orco

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Nanoparticles in contact with biological fluids interact with proteins and other biomolecules, thus forming a dynamic corona whose composition varies over time due to continuous protein association and dissociation events. Eventually equilibrium is reached, at which point the continued exchange will not affect the composition of the corona. RESULTS: We developed a simple and effective dynamic model of the nanoparticle protein corona in a body fluid, namely human plasma. The model predicts the time evolution and equilibrium composition of the corona based on affinities, stoichiometries and rate constants. An application to the interaction of human serum albumin, high density lipoprotein (HDL and fibrinogen with 70 nm N-iso-propylacrylamide/N-tert-butylacrylamide copolymer nanoparticles is presented, including novel experimental data for HDL. CONCLUSIONS: The simple model presented here can easily be modified to mimic the interaction of the nanoparticle protein corona with a novel biological fluid or compartment once new data will be available, thus opening novel applications in nanotoxicity and nanomedicine.

The concept of bio-corona in modulating the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westmeier, Dana; Stauber, Roland H.; Docter, Dominic, E-mail: docter@uni-mainz.de

2016-05-15

Besides the wide use of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) in technical products, their application spectrum in biotechnology and biomedicine is steadily increasing. In complex physiological environments the physico-chemical properties and the behavior of nanoparticles (NPs) are challenging to characterize. Biomolecules rapidly adsorb to the nanomaterial, leading to the formation of the protein/biomolecule corona, which critically affects the nanomaterials' (patho)biological and technical identities. This formation can trigger an immune response and affect nanoparticles' toxicity and targeting capabilities. In this review, we provide a survey of recent findings on the (protein)corona-nanoparticle interaction and discuss how the corona modulates both cytotoxicity and the immune response as well as to improve the efficacy of targeted delivery of nanocarriers. - Highlights: • “Nanotoxicology” has emerged an autonomous field with an explosive growth. • Nanomaterials adsorb (bio)molecules forming the so-called (bio)molecule corona. • (Fine-)tune of the corona composition could enable new possibilities in nanomedicine.

On-board processing of video image sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jakob Dahl; Chanrion, Olivier Arnaud; Forchhammer, Søren

2008-01-01

and evaluated. On-board there are six video cameras each capturing images of 1024times1024 pixels of 12 bpp at a frame rate of 15 fps, thus totalling 1080 Mbits/s. In comparison the average downlink data rate for these images is projected to be 50 kbit/s. This calls for efficient on-board processing to select...

Orienting and Onboarding Clinical Nurse Specialists: A Process Improvement Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Mayra G; Watt, Jennifer L; Falder-Saeed, Karie; Lewis, Brennan; Patton, Lindsey

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) have a unique advanced practice role. This article describes a process useful in establishing a comprehensive orientation and onboarding program for a newly hired CNS. The project team used the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists core competencies as a guide to construct a process for effectively onboarding and orienting newly hired CNSs. Standardized documents were created for the orientation process including a competency checklist, needs assessment template, and professional evaluation goals. In addition, other documents were revised to streamline the orientation process. Standardizing the onboarding and orientation process has demonstrated favorable results. As of 2016, 3 CNSs have successfully been oriented and onboarded using the new process. Unique healthcare roles require special focus when onboarding and orienting into a healthcare system. The use of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists core competencies guided the project in establishing a successful orientation and onboarding process for newly hired CNSs.

Models of the plasma corona formation and stratification of exploding micro-wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, N.B.; Sarkisov, G.S.; Struve, K.W.; McDaniel, D.H.

2005-01-01

There are proposed the models pf plasma corona formation and stratification of a gas-plasma core of exploding micro-wire. The opportunity of use for the description of physical processes in a formed plasma corona of an electronic magnetohydrodynamics is generalized in view of change of particle number as a result of evaporation, ionization and a leaving of electrons on a wire surface. Necessity of the account of influence of a hot plasma corona on stratification of a gas-plasma core was grounded [ru

Electrostatic Precipitation of Dust in the Martian Atmosphere: Implications for the Utilization of Resources During Future Manned Exploration Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Carlos I.; Clements, Judson S.; Thompson, Samuel M.; Cox, Nathan D.; Hogue, Michael D.; Johansen, Michael R.; Williams, Blakeley S.

2011-01-01

Future human missions to Mars will require the utilization of local resources for oxygen, fuel. and water. The In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project is an active research endeavor at NASA to develop technologies that can enable cost effective ways to live off the land. The extraction of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. composed primarily of carbon dioxide, is one of the most important goals of the Mars ISRU project. The main obstacle is the relatively large amount of dust present in the Martian atmosphere. This dust must be efficiently removed from atmospheric gas intakes for ISRU processing chambers. A common technique to achieve this removal on earth is by electrostatic precipitation, where large electrostatic fields are established in a localized region to precipitate and collect previously charged dust particles. This technique is difficult to adapt to the Martian environment, with an atmospheric pressure of about one-hundredth of the terrestrial atmosphere. At these low pressures. the corona discharges required to implant an electrostatic charge to the particles to be collected is extremely difficult to sustain and the corona easily becomes biopolar. which is unsuitable for particle charging. In this paper, we report on our successful efforts to establish a stable corona under Martian simulated conditions. We also present results on dust collecting efficiencies with an electrostatic precipitator prototype that could be effectively used on a future mission to the red planet

Biomedical program of the ALTAÏR french russian flight onboard the MIR station

Science.gov (United States)

André-Deshays, C.; Haigneré, J. P.; Guell, A.; Marsal, O.; Suchet, L.; Kotovskaya, A.; Gratchev, V.; Noskin, A.; Grigoriev, A.

One year after the achievemant of the 2 weeks ANTARES french-russian mission in the MIR station in July 1992, a 22 days ALTAÏR mission with a french cosmonaut has been performed in July 1993, making use of the scientific payload remaining on board. Taking benefit of the analysis of the previous mission, the experimental protocols were adapted to refine scientific objectives and gave to the scientists the opportunity to enhance quantitatively and qualitatively their results. The french biomedical program, conducted in close scientific cooperation with IMBP and associated laboratories, was composed of 8 experiments out of which 2 were new with regards to the ANTARES program. In the field of cardio-vascular physiology and fluid regulation, the experiments: ORTHOSTATISME, DIURESE have been renewed and complemented by the TISSU experiment (proposed by a german scientist) and a real-time tele-assistance program using US echography technic and ground support from the french CADMOS support control center located in Toulouse. With respect to neurosciences objectives, to the experiments VIMINAL (cognitive processes) and ILLUSIONS (study of proprioceptives cues), was added the SYNERGIES experiment to analyse the postural adjustements during movement. The IMMUNOLOGIE experiment carried on and the radiobiological experiment BIODOSE ended. Adding the results of the 2 missions ANTARES and ALTAÏR, and the data obtained in between onboard with russian cosmonauts, the scientists have received a wealth of physiological data and gained reproducibility and confidence in their results.

Comments on the 'minimum flux corona' concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antiochos, S.K.; Underwood, J.H.

1978-01-01

Hearn's (1975) models of the energy balance and mass loss of stellar coronae, based on a 'minimum flux corona' concept, are critically examined. First, it is shown that the neglect of the relevant length scales for coronal temperature variation leads to an inconsistent computation of the total energy flux F. The stability arguments upon which the minimum flux concept is based are shown to be fallacious. Errors in the computation of the stellar wind contribution to the energy budget are identified. Finally we criticize Hearn's (1977) suggestion that the model, with a value of the thermal conductivity modified by the magnetic field, can explain the difference between solar coronal holes and quiet coronal regions. (orig.) 891 WL [de

Comparison of toluene removal in air at atmospheric conditions by different corona discharges.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiorlin, Milko; Marotta, Ester; Rea, Massimo; Paradisi, Cristina

2009-12-15

Different types of corona discharges, produced by DC of either polarity (+/-DC) and positive pulsed (+pulsed) high voltages, were applied to the removal of toluene via oxidation in air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Mechanistic insight was obtained through comparison of the three different corona regimes with regard to process efficiency, products, response to the presence of humidity and, for DC coronas, current/voltage characteristics coupled with ion analysis. Process efficiency increases in the order +DC toluene conversion and product selectivity were achieved, CO(2) and CO accounting for about 90% of all reacted carbon. Ion analysis, performed by APCI-MS (Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization-Mass Spectrometry), provides a powerful rationale for interpreting current/voltage characteristics of DC coronas. All experimental findings are consistent with the proposal that in the case of +DC corona toluene oxidation is initiated by reactions with ions (O(2)(+*), H(3)O(+) and their hydrates, NO(+)) both in dry as well as in humid air. In contrast, with -DC no evidence is found for any significant reaction of toluene with negative ions. It is also concluded that in humid air OH radicals are involved in the initial stage of toluene oxidation induced both by -DC and +pulsed corona.

Core–corona PSt/P(BA–AA) composite particles by two-stage emulsion polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Delong; Ren, Xiaolin; Zhang, Xinya, E-mail: cexyzh@scut.edu.cn; Liao, Shijun [South China University of Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China)

2016-03-15

Raspberry-shaped composite particles with polystyrene (PSt) as core and poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) (P(BA–AA)) as corona were synthesized via emulsion polymerization. The random copolymer, P(BA–AA), was pre-prepared and used as a polymeric surfactant, its emulsifying properties adjusted by changing the mass ratio of BA and AA. The morphology of the resulting core–corona composite particles, P(St/P(BA–AA)), could be regulated and controlled by varying the concentrations of P(BA–AA) or the mass ratio of BA:AA in P(BA–AA). The experimental results indicate that 3.0–6.0 wt% of P(BA–AA) is required to obtain stable composite emulsions, and P(BA–AA) with a mass ratio of BA:AA = 1:2 is able to generate distinct core–corona structures. A mechanism of composite particle formation is proposed based on the high affinity between the PSt core and the hydrophobic segments of P(BA–A). The regular morphology of the colloidal film is expected to facilitate potential application of core–corona particles in the field of light scattering. Furthermore, the diversity of core–corona particles can be expanded by replacing P(BA–AA) corona particles with other amphiphilic particles.

Automated Miniaturized Instrument for Space Biology Applications and the Monitoring of the Astronauts Health Onboard the ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Karouia, Fathi; Peyvan, Kia; Danley, David; Ricco, Antonio J.; Santos, Orlando; Pohorille, Andrew

2011-01-01

Human space travelers experience a unique environment that affects homeostasis and physiologic adaptation. The spacecraft environment subjects the traveler to noise, chemical and microbiological contaminants, increased radiation, and variable gravity forces. As humans prepare for long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and beyond, effective measures must be developed, verified and implemented to ensure mission success. Limited biomedical quantitative capabilities are currently available onboard the ISS. Therefore, the development of versatile instruments to perform space biological analysis and to monitor astronauts' health is needed. We are developing a fully automated, miniaturized system for measuring gene expression on small spacecraft in order to better understand the influence of the space environment on biological systems. This low-cost, low-power, multi-purpose instrument represents a major scientific and technological advancement by providing data on cellular metabolism and regulation. The current system will support growth of microorganisms, extract and purify the RNA, hybridize it to the array, read the expression levels of a large number of genes by microarray analysis, and transmit the measurements to Earth. The system will help discover how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and how pathogenic bacteria sometimes increase their virulence in space, facilitating the development of adequate countermeasures to decrease risks associated with human spaceflight. The current stand-alone technology could be used as an integrated platform onboard the ISS to perform similar genetic analyses on any biological systems from the tree of life. Additionally, with some modification the system could be implemented to perform real-time in-situ microbial monitoring of the ISS environment (air, surface and water samples) and the astronaut's microbiome using 16SrRNA microarray technology. Furthermore, the current system can be enhanced

The Bering small vehicle asteroid mission concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michelsen, Rene; Andersen, Anja; Haack, Henning

2004-01-01

targets. The dilemma obviously being the resolution versus distance and the statistics versus DeltaV requirements. Using advanced instrumentation and onboard autonomy, we have developed a space mission concept whose goal is to map the flux, size, and taxonomy distributions of asteroids. The main focus....... Although the telescope based research offers precise orbital information, it is limited to the brighter, larger objects, and taxonomy as well as morphology resolution is limited. Conversely, dedicated missions offer detailed surface mapping in radar, visual, and prompt gamma, but only for a few selected......The study of asteroids is traditionally performed by means of large Earth based telescopes, by means of which orbital elements and spectral properties are acquired. Space borne research, has so far been limited to a few occasional flybys and a couple of dedicated flights to a single selected target...

System Engineering of Photonic Systems for Space Application

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Michael D.; Pryor, Jonathan E.

2014-01-01

The application of photonics in space systems requires tight integration with the spacecraft systems to ensure accurate operation. This requires some detailed and specific system engineering to properly incorporate the photonics into the spacecraft architecture and to guide the spacecraft architecture in supporting the photonics devices. Recent research in product focused, elegant system engineering has led to a system approach which provides a robust approach to this integration. Focusing on the mission application and the integration of the spacecraft system physics incorporation of the photonics can be efficiently and effectively accomplished. This requires a clear understanding of the driving physics properties of the photonics device to ensure proper integration with no unintended consequences. The driving physics considerations in terms of optical performance will be identified for their use in system integration. Keywords: System Engineering, Optical Transfer Function, Optical Physics, Photonics, Image Jitter, Launch Vehicle, System Integration, Organizational Interaction

The SOLAR-C Mission: Science Objectives and Current Status

Science.gov (United States)

Suematsu, Y.; Solar-C Working Group

2016-04-01

The SOLAR-C is a Japan-led international solar mission for mid-2020s designed to investigate the magnetic activities of the Sun, focusing on the study in heating and dynamical phenomena of the chromosphere and corona, and to advance algorithms for predicting short and long term solar magnetic activities. For these purposes, SOLAR-C will carry three dedicated instruments; the Solar UV-Vis-IR Telescope (SUVIT), the EUV Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST) and the High Resolution Coronal Imager (HCI), to jointly observe the entire visible solar atmosphere with essentially the same high spatial resolution (0.1"-0.3"), performing high resolution spectroscopic measurements over all atmospheric regions and spectro-polarimetric measurements from the photosphere through the upper chromosphere. SOLAR-C will also contribute to understand the solar influence on the Sun-Earth environments with synergetic wide-field observations from ground-based and other space missions.

Breakdown of methylene blue and methyl orange by pulsed corona discharge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grabowski, L.R.; Veldhuizen, van E.M.; Pemen, A.J.M.; Rutgers, W.R.

2007-01-01

The recently developed corona above water technique is applied to water containing 10 mg l-1 methylene blue (MB) or methyl orange (MO). The corona discharge pulses are created with a spark gap switched capacitor followed by a transmission line transformer. The pulse amplitude is 40 kV; its duration

Corona ignition system for highly efficient gasoline engines; Corona-Zuendsystem fuer hocheffiziente Ottomotoren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burrows, John [Federal-Mogul Limited, Manchester (United Kingdom); Lykowski, Jim; Mixell, Kristapher [Federal-Mogul, Plymouth, MI (United States)

2013-06-01

Many future gasoline engines will require higher air/fuel ratios and higher mean effective pressures to further improve fuel efficiency. Federal-Mogul has taken up this challenge and has developed the Advanced Corona Ignition System (ACIS) as a new solution to reliably ignite a mix with high AFR/EGR and high MEP. During engine tests ACIS enabled a direct fuel economy improvement of up to 10 %. (orig.)

Ground-based observation of emission lines from the corona of a red-dwarf star.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, J H; Wichmann, R

2001-08-02

All 'solar-like' stars are surrounded by coronae, which contain magnetically confined plasma at temperatures above 106 K. (Until now, only the Sun's corona could be observed in the optical-as a shimmering envelope during a total solar eclipse.) As the underlying stellar 'surfaces'-the photospheres-are much cooler, some non-radiative process must be responsible for heating the coronae. The heating mechanism is generally thought to be magnetic in origin, but is not yet understood even for the case of the Sun. Ultraviolet emission lines first led to the discovery of the enormous temperature of the Sun's corona, but thermal emission from the coronae of other stars has hitherto been detectable only from space, at X-ray wavelengths. Here we report the detection of emission from highly ionized iron (Fe XIII at 3,388.1 A) in the corona of the red-dwarf star CN Leonis, using a ground-based telescope. The X-ray flux inferred from our data is consistent with previously measured X-ray fluxes, and the non-thermal line width of 18.4 km s-1 indicates great similarities between solar and stellar coronal heating mechanisms. The accessibility and spectral resolution (45,000) of the ground-based instrument are much better than those of X-ray satellites, so a new window to the study of stellar coronae has been opened.

Identifying Onboarding Heuristics for Free-to-Play Mobile Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Line Ebdrup; Weigert Petersen, Falko; Drachen, Anders

2016-01-01

a set of heuristics for the design of onboarding phases in mobile games is presented. The heuristics are identified by a lab-based mixed-methods experiment, utilizing lightweight psycho-physiological measures together with self-reported player responses, across three titles that cross the genres...... of puzzle games, base builders and arcade games, and utilize different onboarding phase design approaches. Results showcase how heuristics can be used to design engaging onboarding phases in mobile games....

FY 2004 Infrared Photonics Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anheier, Norman C.; Allen, Paul J.; Keller, Paul E.; Bennett, Wendy D.; Martin, Peter M.; Johnson, Bradley R.; Sundaram, S. K.; Riley, Brian J.; Martinez, James E.; Qiao, Hong (Amy); Schultz, John F.

2004-10-01

Research done by the Infrared Photonics team at PNNL is focused on developing miniaturized integrated optics for the MWIR and LWIR by exploiting the unique optical and material properties of chalcogenide glass. PNNL has developed thin film deposition capabilities, direct-laser writing techniques, IR photonic device demonstration, holographic optical element design and fabrication, photonic device modeling, and advanced optical metrology - all specific to chalcogenide glass. Chalcogenide infrared photonics provides a pathway to Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) transmitter miniaturization. QCLs provide a viable infrared laser source for a new class of laser transmitters capable of meeting the performance requirements for a variety of national security sensing applications. The high output power, small size, and superb stability and modulation characteristics of QCLs make them amenable for integration as transmitters into ultra-sensitive, ultra-selective point sampling and remote short-range chemical sensors that are particularly useful for nuclear nonproliferation missions.

Subsurface Scattered Photons: Friend or Foe? Improving visible light laser altimeter elevation estimates, and measuring surface properties using subsurface scattered photons

Science.gov (United States)

Greeley, A.; Kurtz, N. T.; Neumann, T.; Cook, W. B.; Markus, T.

2016-12-01

Photon counting laser altimeters such as MABEL (Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar) - a single photon counting simulator for ATLAS (Advanced Topographical Laser Altimeter System) - use individual photons with visible wavelengths to measure their range to target surfaces. ATLAS, the sole instrument on NASA's upcoming ICESat-2 mission, will provide scientists a view of Earth's ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice with unprecedented detail. Precise calibration of these instruments is needed to understand rapidly changing parameters such as sea ice freeboard, and to measure optical properties of surfaces like snow covered ice sheets using subsurface scattered photons. Photons that travel through snow, ice, or water before scattering back to an altimeter receiving system travel farther than photons taking the shortest path between the observatory and the target of interest. These delayed photons produce a negative elevation bias relative to photons scattered directly off these surfaces. We use laboratory measurements of snow surfaces using a flight-tested laser altimeter (MABEL), and Monte Carlo simulations of backscattered photons from snow to estimate elevation biases from subsurface scattered photons. We also use these techniques to demonstrate the ability to retrieve snow surface properties like snow grain size.

Human Assisted Robotic Vehicle Studies - A conceptual end-to-end mission architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Lehner, B. A. E.; Mazzotta, D. G.; Teeney, L.; Spina, F.; Filosa, A.; Pou, A. Canals; Schlechten, J.; Campbell, S.; Soriano, P. López

2017-11-01

With current space exploration roadmaps indicating the Moon as a proving ground on the way to human exploration of Mars, it is clear that human-robotic partnerships will play a key role for successful future human space missions. This paper details a conceptual end-to-end architecture for an exploration mission in cis-lunar space with a focus on human-robot interactions, called Human Assisted Robotic Vehicle Studies (HARVeSt). HARVeSt will build on knowledge of plant growth in space gained from experiments on-board the ISS and test the first growth of plants on the Moon. A planned deep space habitat will be utilised as the base of operations for human-robotic elements of the mission. The mission will serve as a technology demonstrator not only for autonomous tele-operations in cis-lunar space but also for key enabling technologies for future human surface missions. The successful approach of the ISS will be built on in this mission with international cooperation. Mission assets such as a modular rover will allow for an extendable mission and to scout and prepare the area for the start of an international Moon Village.

The detailed characteristics of positive corona current pulses in the line-to-plane electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Xuebao, LI; Dayong, LI; Qian, ZHANG; Yinfei, LI; Xiang, CUI; Tiebing, LU

2018-05-01

The corona current pulses generated by corona discharge are the sources of the radio interference from transmission lines and the detailed characteristics of the corona current pulses from conductor should be investigated in order to reveal their generation mechanism. In this paper, the line-to-plane electrodes are designed to measure and analyze the characteristics of corona current pulses from positive corona discharges. The influences of inter-electrode gap and line diameters on the detail characteristics of corona current pulses, such as pulse amplitude, rise time, duration time and repetition frequency, are carefully analyzed. The obtained results show that the pulse amplitude and the repetition frequency increase with the diameter of line electrode when the electric fields on the surface of line electrodes are same. With the increase of inter-electrode gap, the pulse amplitude and the repetition frequency first decrease and then turn to be stable, while the rise time first increases and finally turns to be stable. The distributions of electric field and space charges under the line electrodes are calculated, and the influences of inter-electrode gap and line electrode diameter on the experimental results are qualitatively explained.

Defense Threat Reduction Agency > Careers > Onboarding > Special Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Development Work/Life Programs Onboarding Onboarding Overview Before You Report Sponsor Program Getting Here , programs, and practices to help our employees and Service members balance work and family responsibilities . We have put in place family-friendly Work/Life programs and policies designed to create a more

A systematic study of the condensation of the corona and the application for Γ 2-10 keV-Lbol/LEdd correlation in luminous active galactic nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Erlin; Liu, B. F.

2018-06-01

In this paper, we explained the observed Γ _2-10 keV-L_bol/L_Edd correlation in luminous active galactic nuclei within the framework of the condensation of the corona around a supermassive black hole (Liu et al.; Qiao & Liu). Specifically, we systemically test the effects of black hole mass M, the viscosity parameter α, and the magnetic parameter β (with magnetic pressure p_m=B^2/{8π }=(1-β )p_tot, ptot = pgas + pm) on the structure of the accretion disc and the corona, as well as the corresponding emergent spectra. It is found that the hard X-ray photon index Γ _2-10 keV nearly does not change with changing black hole mass M, or changing magnetic parameter β. Meanwhile, it is found that the geometry of the accretion flow, i.e. the relative configuration of the disc and corona, as well as the emergent spectra can be strongly affected by changing the value of α. By comparing with a sample composed of 29 luminous active galactic nuclei with well constrained X-ray spectra and Eddington ratios, it is found that the observed Γ _2-10 keV-L_bol/L_Edd correlation can be well matched with a relatively bigger value of α, i.e. α ˜ 1, as previously also suggested by Narayan for luminous accreting black holes.

The perfect boring situation-Addressing the experience of monotony during crewed deep space missions through habitability design

Science.gov (United States)

Peldszus, Regina; Dalke, Hilary; Pretlove, Stephen; Welch, Chris

2014-01-01

In contemporary orbital missions, workloads are so high and varied that crew may rarely experience stretches of monotony. However, in historical long duration missions, occurrences of monotony were, indeed, reported anecdotally by crew. Of the effective countermeasures that appear to be at hand, many rely on visual or logistical proximity to the Earth, and are not feasible in the remote context of an extended deep space mission scenario. There, particularly in- and outbound cruising stages would be characterised by longer, comparably uneventful periods of low workload, coupled with confinement and unchanging vehicle surroundings. While the challenge of monotony has been pointed out as an exploration-related research area, it has received less explicit attention from a habitation design perspective than other human behaviour and performance issues. The paper addresses this gap through a literature review of the theory and application of design-based mitigation strategies. It outlines models of emergence of monotony, situates the phenomenon in a remote mission context as a problem of sensory, social and spatio-temporal isolation, and discusses proposed countermeasures related to habitability. The scope of the literature is extended to primary sources in the form of a qualitative review of six onboard diaries from orbital and simulator missions, highlighting a range of habitat-related design themes. These are translated into the autonomous deep space setting with the overall rationale of integrating affordances into onboard habitation systems and placing emphasis on reinforcing positive situational characteristics.

The corona problem connections between operator theory, function theory, and geometry

CERN Document Server

Krantz, Steven; Sawyer, Eric; Treil, Sergei; Wick, Brett

2014-01-01

The purpose of the corona workshop was to consider the corona problem in both one and several complex variables, both in the context of function theory and harmonic analysis as well as the context of operator theory and functional analysis. It was held in June 2012 at the Fields Institute in Toronto, and attended by about fifty mathematicians. This volume validates and commemorates the workshop, and records some of the ideas that were developed within. The corona problem dates back to 1941. It has exerted a powerful influence over mathematical analysis for nearly 75 years. There is material to help bring people up to speed in the latest ideas of the subject, as well as historical material to provide background. Particularly noteworthy is a history of the corona problem, authored by the five organizers, that provides a unique glimpse at how the problem and its many different solutions have developed. There has never been a meeting of this kind, and there has never been a volume of this kind. Mathematicians—...

Research on the correlation between corona current spectrum and audible noise spectrum of HVDC transmission line

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yingyi; Zhou, Lijuan; Liu, Yuanqing; Yuan, Haiwen; Ji, Liang

2017-11-01

Audible noise is closely related to corona current on a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line. In this paper, we measured a large amount of audible noise and corona current waveforms simultaneously based on the largest outdoor HVDC corona cage all over the world. By analyzing the experimental data, the related statistical regularities between a corona current spectrum and an audible noise spectrum were obtained. Furthermore, the generation mechanism of audible noise was analyzed theoretically, and the related mathematical expression between the audible noise spectrum and the corona current spectrum, which is suitable for all of these measuring points in the space, has been established based on the electro-acoustic conversion theory. Finally, combined with the obtained mathematical relation, the internal reasons for these statistical regularities appearing in measured corona current and audible noise data were explained. The results of this paper not only present the statistical association regularities between the corona current spectrum and the audible noise spectrum on a HVDC transmission line, but also reveal the inherent reasons of these associated rules.

FTIR study of decomposition of carbon dioxide in dc corona discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, G; Skalny, J D; Mason, N J

2008-01-01

The decomposition rate of carbon dioxide and the generation of ozone and carbon monoxide in coaxial corona discharges fed by pure CO 2 has been investigated in a dc corona discharge operated in both positive and negative polarities using FTIR spectroscopy. The degree of CO 2 decomposition is found to be dependent on the voltage, U, with a maximum CO 2 decomposition of nearly 10% found in a negative corona discharge for U = 7.5 kV. In all cases the amount of CO 2 decomposition was lower in positive polarity discharges than in negative polarity discharges operated under same conditions. CO and ozone were found to be the main products observed in the discharges.

FTIR study of decomposition of carbon dioxide in dc corona discharges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horvath, G; Skalny, J D [Department of Experimental Physics, Comenius University, Mlynska dolina F-2, 842 48, Bratislava (Slovakia); Mason, N J [Open University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom)

2008-11-21

The decomposition rate of carbon dioxide and the generation of ozone and carbon monoxide in coaxial corona discharges fed by pure CO{sub 2} has been investigated in a dc corona discharge operated in both positive and negative polarities using FTIR spectroscopy. The degree of CO{sub 2} decomposition is found to be dependent on the voltage, U, with a maximum CO{sub 2} decomposition of nearly 10% found in a negative corona discharge for U = 7.5 kV. In all cases the amount of CO{sub 2} decomposition was lower in positive polarity discharges than in negative polarity discharges operated under same conditions. CO and ozone were found to be the main products observed in the discharges.

Viking solar corona experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyler, G.L.; Brenkle, J.P.; Komarek, T.A.; Zygielbaum, A.I.

1977-01-01

The 1976 Mars solar conjunction resulted in complete occulations of the Viking spacecraft by the sun at solar minimum. During the conjunction period, coherent 3.5- and 13-cm wavelength radio waves from the orbiters passed through the solar corona and were received with the 64-m antennas of the NASA Deep Space Network. Data were obtained within at least 0.3 and 0.8 R/sub s/ of the photosphere at the 3.5- and 13-cm wavelengths, respectively. The data can be used to determine the plasma density integrated along the radio path, the velocity of density irregularities in the coronal plasma, and the spectrum of the density fluctuations in the plasma. Observations of integrated plasma density near the south pole of the sun generally agree with a model of the corona which has an 8:1 decrease in plasma density from the equator to the pole. Power spectra of the 3.5- and 13-cm signals at a heliocentric radial distance of about 2 R/sub s/ have a 1/2-power width of several hundred hertz and vary sharply with proximate geometric miss distance. Spectral broadening indicates a marked progressive increase in plasma irregularities with decreasing ray altitude at scales between about 1 and 100 km

IBIS: the imager on-board integral

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ubertini, P.; Bazzano, A.; Lebrun, F.; Goldwurm, A.; Laurent, P.; Mirabel, I.F.; Vigroux, L.; Di Cocco, G.; Labanti, C.; Bird, A.J.; Broenstad, K.; La Rosa, G.; Sacco, B.; Quadrini, E.M.; Ramsey, B.; Weisskopf, M.C.; Reglero, V.; Sabau, L.; Staubert, R.; Zdziarski, A.A.

2003-01-01

The IBIS telescope is the high angular resolution gamma-ray imager on-board the INTEGRAL Observatory, successfully launched from Baikonur (Kazakhstan) on October 2002. This medium size ESA project, planned for a 2 year mission with possible extension to 5, is devoted to the observation of the gamma-ray sky in the energy range from 3 keV to 10 MeV (Winkler 2001). The IBIS imaging system is based on two independent solid state detector arrays optimised for low (15-1000 keV) and high (0.175-10.0 MeV) energies surrounded by an active VETO System. This high efficiency shield is essential to minimise the background induced by high energy particles in the highly ex-centric out of van Allen belt orbit. A Tungsten Coded Aperture Mask, 16 mm thick and ∼ 1 squared meter in dimension is the imaging device. The IBIS telescope will serve the scientific community at large providing a unique combination of unprecedented high energy wide field imaging capability coupled with broad band spectroscopy and high resolution timing over the energy range from X to gamma rays. To date the IBIS telescope is working nominally in orbit since more than 9 month. (authors)

High-Speed On-Board Data Processing for Science Instruments: HOPS

Science.gov (United States)

Beyon, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

The project called High-Speed On-Board Data Processing for Science Instruments (HOPS) has been funded by NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) program during April, 2012 â€" April, 2015. HOPS is an enabler for science missions with extremely high data processing rates. In this three-year effort of HOPS, Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) and 3-D Winds were of interest in particular. As for ASCENDS, HOPS replaces time domain data processing with frequency domain processing while making the real-time on-board data processing possible. As for 3-D Winds, HOPS offers real-time high-resolution wind profiling with 4,096-point fast Fourier transform (FFT). HOPS is adaptable with quick turn-around time. Since HOPS offers reusable user-friendly computational elements, its FPGA IP Core can be modified for a shorter development period if the algorithm changes. The FPGA and memory bandwidth of HOPS is 20 GB/sec while the typical maximum processor-to-SDRAM bandwidth of the commercial radiation tolerant high-end processors is about 130-150 MB/sec. The inter-board communication bandwidth of HOPS is 4 GB/sec while the effective processor-to-cPCI bandwidth of commercial radiation tolerant high-end boards is about 50-75 MB/sec. Also, HOPS offers VHDL cores for the easy and efficient implementation of ASCENDS and 3-D Winds, and other similar algorithms. A general overview of the 3-year development of HOPS is the goal of this presentation.

The SUVIT Instrument on the Solar-C Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Tarbell, Theodore D.; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi

2014-06-01

Solar-C is a new space mission being proposed to JAXA, with significant contributions anticipated from NASA, ESA, and EU countries. The main scientific objectives are to: reveal the mechanisms for heating and dynamics of the chromosphere and corona and acceleration of the solar wind; determine the physical origin of the large-scale explosions and eruptions that drive short-term solar, heliospheric, and geospace variability; use the solar atmosphere as a laboratory for understanding fundamental physical processes; make unprecedented observations of the polar magnetic fields. The unique approaches of Solar-C to achieve these goals are to: determine the properties and evolution of the 3-dimensional magnetic field, especially on small spatial scales, and for the first time observed in the crucial low beta plasma region; observe all the temperature regimes of the atmosphere seamlessly at the highest spatial resolution ever achieved; observe at high cadence the prevailing dynamics in all regions of the atmosphere; determine physical properties from high resolution spectroscopic measurements throughout the atmosphere and into the solar wind. The powerful suite of instruments onboard Solar-C will be sensitive to temperatures from the photosphere 5500 K) to solar flares 20 MK) with no temperature gap, with spatial resolution at all temperatures of 0.3″ or less (0.1″ in the lower atmosphere) and at high cadence. The purpose of the Solar UV-Visible-IR Telescope (SUVIT) is to obtain chromospheric velocity, temperature, density and magnetic field diagnostics over as wide arange of heights as possible, through high cadence spectral line profiles and vector spectro-polarimetry. SUVIT is a meter-class telescope currently under study at 1.4m in order to obtain sufficientresolution and S/N. SUVIT has two complementary focal plane packages, the Filtergraph that makes high cadence imaging observations with the highest spatial resolution and the Spectro-polarimeter that makes

INDUCED SCATTERING LIMITS ON FAST RADIO BURSTS FROM STELLAR CORONAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyubarsky, Yuri [Physics Department, Ben-Gurion University, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel); Ostrovska, Sofiya [Department of Mathematics, Atilim University, Incek 06836, Ankara (Turkey)

2016-02-10

The origin of fast radio bursts remains a puzzle. Suggestions have been made that they are produced within the Earth’s atmosphere, in stellar coronae, in other galaxies, or at cosmological distances. If they are extraterrestrial, the implied brightness temperature is very high, and therefore the induced scattering places constraints on possible models. In this paper, constraints are obtained on flares from coronae of nearby stars. It is shown that the radio pulses with the observed power could not be generated if the plasma density within and in the nearest vicinity of the source is as high as is necessary to provide the observed dispersion measure. However, one cannot exclude the possibility that the pulses are generated within a bubble with a very low density and pass through the dense plasma only in the outer corona.

Reconfigurable Computing As an Enabling Technology for Single-Photon-Counting Laser Altimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Wesley; Hicks, Edward; Pinchinat, Maxime; Dabney, Philip; McGarry, Jan; Murray, Paul

2003-01-01

Single-photon-counting laser altimetry is a new measurement technique offering significant advantages in vertical resolution, reducing instrument size, mass, and power, and reducing laser complexity as compared to analog or threshold detection laser altimetry techniques. However, these improvements come at the cost of a dramatically increased requirement for onboard real-time data processing. Reconfigurable computing has been shown to offer considerable performance advantages in performing this processing. These advantages have been demonstrated on the Multi-KiloHertz Micro-Laser Altimeter (MMLA), an aircraft based single-photon-counting laser altimeter developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with several potential spaceflight applications. This paper describes how reconfigurable computing technology was employed to perform MMLA data processing in real-time under realistic operating constraints, along with the results observed. This paper also expands on these prior results to identify concepts for using reconfigurable computing to enable spaceflight single-photon-counting laser altimeter instruments.

Aerial Logistics Management for Carrier Onboard Delivery

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS AERIAL LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT FOR CARRIER ONBOARD DELIVERY by Samuel L. Chen September 2016...AND SUBTITLE AERIAL LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT FOR CARRIER ONBOARD DELIVERY 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Samuel L. Chen 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S...delivery (COD) is the use of aircraft to transport people and cargo from a forward logistics site (FLS) to a carrier strike group (CSG). The goal of

Silver nanoparticle-human hemoglobin interface: time evolution of the corona formation and interaction phenomenon

Science.gov (United States)

Bhunia, A. K.; Kamilya, T.; Saha, S.

2017-10-01

In this paper, we have used spectroscopic and electron microscopic analysis to monitor the time evolution of the silver nanoparticles (Ag NP)-human hemoglobin (Hb) corona formation and to characterize the interaction of the Ag NPs with Hb. The time constants for surface plasmon resonance binding and reorganization are found to be 9.51 and 118.48 min, respectively. The drop of surface charge and the increase of the hydrodynamic diameter indicated the corona of Hb on the Ag NP surface. The auto correlation function is found to broaden with the increasing time of the corona formation. Surface zeta potential revealed that positively charged Hb interact electrostatically with negatively charged Ag NP surfaces. The change in α helix and β sheet depends on the corona formation time. The visualization of the Hb corona from HRTEM showed large number of Hb domains aggregate containing essentially Ag NPs and without Ag NPs. Emission study showed the tertiary deformation, energy transfer, nature of interaction and quenching under three different temperatures.

Onboard autonomous mineral detectors for Mars rovers

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmore, M. S.; Bornstein, B.; Castano, R.; Merrill, M.; Greenwood, J.

2005-12-01

Mars rovers and orbiters currently collect far more data than can be downlinked to Earth, which reduces mission science return; this problem will be exacerbated by future rovers of enhanced capabilities and lifetimes. We are developing onboard intelligence sufficient to extract geologically meaningful data from spectrometer measurements of soil and rock samples, and thus to guide the selection, measurement and return of these data from significant targets at Mars. Here we report on techniques to construct mineral detectors capable of running on current and future rover and orbital hardware. We focus on carbonate and sulfate minerals which are of particular geologic importance because they can signal the presence of water and possibly life. Sulfates have also been discovered at the Eagle and Endurance craters in Meridiani Planum by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity and at other regions on Mars by the OMEGA instrument aboard Mars Express. We have developed highly accurate artificial neural network (ANN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) based detectors capable of identifying calcite (CaCO3) and jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6) in the visible/NIR (350-2500 nm) spectra of both laboratory specimens and rocks in Mars analogue field environments. To train the detectors, we used a generative model to create 1000s of linear mixtures of library end-member spectra in geologically realistic percentages. We have also augmented the model to include nonlinear mixing based on Hapke's models of bidirectional reflectance spectroscopy. Both detectors perform well on the spectra of real rocks that contain intimate mixtures of minerals, rocks in natural field environments, calcite covered by Mars analogue dust, and AVIRIS hyperspectral cubes. We will discuss the comparison of ANN and SVM classifiers for this task, technical challenges (weathering rinds, atmospheric compositions, and computational complexity), and plans for integration of these detectors into both the Coupled Layer

Future space missions and ground observatory for measurements of coronal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Fineschi, Silvano; Gibson, Sarah; Bemporad, Alessandro; Zhukov, Andrei; Damé, Luc; Susino, Roberto; Larruquert, Juan

2016-07-01

This presentation gives an overview of the near-future perspectives for probing coronal magnetism from space missions (i.e., SCORE and ASPIICS) and ground-based observatory (ESCAPE). Spectro-polarimetric imaging of coronal emission-lines in the visible-light wavelength-band provides an important diagnostics tool of the coronal magnetism. The interpretation in terms of Hanle and Zeeman effect of the line-polarization in forbidden emission-lines yields information on the direction and strength of the coronal magnetic field. As study case, this presentation will describe the Torino Coronal Magnetograph (CorMag) for the spectro-polarimetric observation of the FeXIV, 530.3 nm, forbidden emission-line. CorMag - consisting of a Liquid Crystal (LC) Lyot filter and a LC linear polarimeter. The CorMag filter is part of the ESCAPE experiment to be based at the French-Italian Concordia base in Antarctica. The linear polarization by resonance scattering of coronal permitted line-emission in the ultraviolet (UV)can be modified by magnetic fields through the Hanle effect. Space-based UV spectro-polarimeters would provide an additional tool for the disgnostics of coronal magnetism. As a case study of space-borne UV spectro-polarimeters, this presentation will describe the future upgrade of the Sounding-rocket Coronagraphic Experiment (SCORE) to include new generation, high-efficiency UV polarizer with the capability of imaging polarimetry of the HI Lyman-α, 121.6 nm. SCORE is a multi-wavelength imager for the emission-lines, HeII 30.4 nm and HI 121.6 nm, and visible-light broad-band emission of the polarized K-corona. SCORE has flown successfully in 2009. The second lauch is scheduled in 2016. Proba-3 is the other future solar mission that would provide the opportunity of diagnosing the coronal magnetic field. Proba-3 is the first precision formation-flying mission to launched in 2019). A pair of satellites will fly together maintaining a fixed configuration as a 'large rigid

The Substructure of the Solar Corona Observed in the Hi-C Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Winebarger, A.; Cirtain, J.; Golub, L.; DeLuca, E.; Savage, S.; Alexander, C.; Schuler, T.

2014-01-01

In the summer of 2012, the High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) flew aboard a NASA sounding rocket and collected the highest spatial resolution images ever obtained of the solar corona. One of the goals of the Hi-C flight was to characterize the substructure of the solar corona. We therefore calculate how the intensity scales from a low-resolution (AIA) pixels to high-resolution (Hi-C) pixels for both the dynamic events and "background" emission (meaning, the steady emission over the 5 minutes of data acquisition time). We find there is no evidence of substructure in the background corona; the intensity scales smoothly from low-resolution to high-resolution Hi-C pixels. In transient events, however, the intensity observed with Hi-C is, on average, 2.6 times larger than observed with AIA. This increase in intensity suggests that AIA is not resolving these events. This result suggests a finely structured dynamic corona embedded in a smoothly varying background.

Low-energy CZT detector array for the ASIM mission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cenkeramaddi, Linga Reddy; Genov, Georgi; Kohfeldt, Anja

2012-01-01

In this article we introduce the low-energy CZT (CdZnTe) 16 384-pixel detector array on-board the Atmosphere Space Interaction Monitor (ASIM), funded by the European Space Agency. This detector is a part of the larger Modular X-and Gamma-ray sensor (MXGS). The CZT detector array is sensitive...... to photons with energies between 15 keV and 400 keV. The principal objective of the MXGS instrument is to detect Terrestrial Gamma ray Flashes (TGFs), which are related to thunderstorm activity. The concept of the detector array is presented, together with brief descriptions of its mechanical structure...

Evaluation of COTS Electronic Parts for Extreme Temperature Use in NASA Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad; Elbuluk, Malik

2008-01-01

Electronic systems capable of extreme temperature operation are required for many future NASA space exploration missions where it is desirable to have smaller, lighter, and less expensive spacecraft and probes. Presently, spacecraft on-board electronics are maintained at about room temperature by use of thermal control systems. An Extreme Temperature Electronics Program at the NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on development of electronics suitable for space exploration missions. The effects of exposure to extreme temperatures and thermal cycling are being investigated for commercial-off-the-shelf components as well as for components specially developed for harsh environments. An overview of this program along with selected data is presented.

Summary of the results from the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment (LADEE) Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Horanyi, Mihaly

2016-07-01

The Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission (9/2013 - 4/2014) discovered a permanently present dust cloud engulfing the Moon. The size, velocity, and density distributions of the dust particles are consistent with ejecta clouds generated from the continual bombardment of the lunar surface by sporadic interplanetary dust particles. Intermittent density enhancements were observed during several of the annual meteoroid streams, especially during the Geminids. LDEX found no evidence of the expected density enhancements over the terminators where electrostatic processes were predicted to efficiently loft small grains. LDEX is an impact ionization dust detector, it captures coincident signals and full waveforms to reliably identify dust impacts. LDEX recorded average impact rates of approximately 1 and 0.1 hits/minute of particles with impact charges of q > 0.5 and q > 5 fC, corresponding to particles with radii of a > 0.3 and a> 0.7~μm, respectively. Several of the yearly meteor showers generated sustained elevated levels of impact rates, especially if their radiant direction intersected the lunar surface near the equatorial plane, greatly enhancing the probability of crossing their ejecta plumes. The characteristic velocities of dust particles in the cloud are on the order of ~100 m/s which we neglect compared to the typical spacecraft speeds of 1.6 km/s. Hence, with the knowledge of the spacecraft orbit and attitude, impact rates can be directly turned into particle densities as functions of time and position. LDEX observations are the first to identify the ejecta clouds around the Moon sustained by the continual bombardment of interplanetary dust particles. Most of the dust particles generated in impacts have insufficient energy to escape and follow ballistic orbits, returning to the surface, 'gardening' the regolith. Similar ejecta clouds are expected to engulf all airless planetary objects, including

Process for Upgrading Cognitive Assessment Capabilities Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Picano, J. J.; Seaton, K. A.; Holland, A. W.

2016-01-01

MOTIVATION: Spaceflight poses varied and unique risks to the brain and cognitive functioning including radiation exposure, sleep disturbance, fatigue, fluid shifts (increased intracranial pressure), toxin exposure, elevated carbon dioxide, and traumatic brain injury, among others. These potential threats to cognitive functioning are capable of degrading performance and compromising mission success. Furthermore, the threats may increase in severity, and new types of threats may emerge for longer duration exploration missions. This presentation will describe the process used to identify gaps in our current approach, evaluate best practices in cognitive assessment, and transition new cognitive assessment tools to operational use. OVERVIEW: Risks to brain health and performance posed by spaceflight missions require sensitive tools to assess cognitive functioning of astronauts in flight. The Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) is the automated cognitive assessment tool currently deployed onboard the International Space Station (ISS). WinSCAT provides astronauts and flight surgeons with objective data to monitor neurocognitive functioning. WinSCAT assesses 5 discrete cognitive domains, is sensitive to changes in cognitive functioning, and was designed to be completed in less than 15 minutes. However, WinSCAT does not probe other areas of cognitive functioning that might be important to mission success. Researchers recently have developed batteries that may expand current capabilities, such as increased sensitivity to subtle fluctuations in cognitive functioning. Therefore, we engaged in a systematic process review in order to improve upon our current capabilities and incorporate new advances in cognitive assessment. This process included a literature review on newer measures of neurocognitive assessment, surveys of operational flight surgeons at NASA regarding needs and gaps in our capabilities, and expert panel review of candidate cognitive

Effect of dc and pulsed corona discharge on DNA and proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvedchikov, A.P.; Polyakova, A.V.; Belousova, E.V.; Ponizovskii, A.Z.; Goncharov, V.A.

1993-01-01

The authors have investigated the effect of a d.c. and pulsed corona discharge in air and nitrogen on DNA and albumin films in the temperature range 77-298 K. The authors have shown that upon exposure to a corona discharge and O 3 , the biopolymers are degraded. With a reduction in temperature, the extent of degradation of DNA drops

A semi-analytical study of positive corona discharge in wire–plane electrode configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanallah, K; Pontiga, F; Chen, J H

2013-01-01

Wire-to-plane positive corona discharge in air has been studied using an analytical model of two species (electrons and positive ions). The spatial distributions of electric field and charged species are obtained by integrating Gauss's law and the continuity equations of species along the Laplacian field lines. The experimental values of corona current intensity and applied voltage, together with Warburg's law, have been used to formulate the boundary condition for the electron density on the corona wire. To test the accuracy of the model, the approximate electric field distribution has been compared with the exact numerical solution obtained from a finite element analysis. A parametrical study of wire-to-plane corona discharge has then been undertaken using the approximate semi-analytical solutions. Thus, the spatial distributions of electric field and charged particles have been computed for different values of the gas pressure, wire radius and electrode separation. Also, the two dimensional distribution of ozone density has been obtained using a simplified plasma chemistry model. The approximate semi-analytical solutions can be evaluated in a negligible computational time, yet provide precise estimates of corona discharge variables. (paper)

A semi-analytical study of positive corona discharge in wire-plane electrode configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Yanallah, K.; Pontiga, F.; Chen, J. H.

2013-08-01

Wire-to-plane positive corona discharge in air has been studied using an analytical model of two species (electrons and positive ions). The spatial distributions of electric field and charged species are obtained by integrating Gauss's law and the continuity equations of species along the Laplacian field lines. The experimental values of corona current intensity and applied voltage, together with Warburg's law, have been used to formulate the boundary condition for the electron density on the corona wire. To test the accuracy of the model, the approximate electric field distribution has been compared with the exact numerical solution obtained from a finite element analysis. A parametrical study of wire-to-plane corona discharge has then been undertaken using the approximate semi-analytical solutions. Thus, the spatial distributions of electric field and charged particles have been computed for different values of the gas pressure, wire radius and electrode separation. Also, the two dimensional distribution of ozone density has been obtained using a simplified plasma chemistry model. The approximate semi-analytical solutions can be evaluated in a negligible computational time, yet provide precise estimates of corona discharge variables.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) electrotransfer in electric field generated by corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zu-wu; Guo, Jia; Zeng, Han-cai; Ge, Chun-liang; Yu, Jiang

2007-01-01

The mechanism of the forming SO 2 negative ions and their electrotransfer in the corona discharge electric field was investigated in this paper. The experimental results showed that SO 2 electrotransfer occurred in the electric field with corona discharge, which had potential applications in removal of SO 2 of the flue gas from coal-fired power plants by electrotransfer. SO 2 electrotransfer was enhanced by higher electric-field intensity or a larger discharging area. Assistant uniform electric field after the corona discharge electric field would improve SO 2 electrotransfer. The increment of the desulphurization efficiency by SO 2 electrotransfer might reach as high as 50%. (author)

AMO EXPRESS: A Command and Control Experiment for Crew Autonomy Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Stetson, Howard K.; Haddock, Angie T.; Frank, Jeremy; Cornelius, Randy; Wang, Lui; Garner, Larry

2015-01-01

NASA is investigating a range of future human spaceflight missions, including both Mars-distance and Near Earth Object (NEO) targets. Of significant importance for these missions is the balance between crew autonomy and vehicle automation. As distance from Earth results in increasing communication delays, future crews need both the capability and authority to independently make decisions. However, small crews cannot take on all functions performed by ground today, and so vehicles must be more automated to reduce the crew workload for such missions. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program funded Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) project conducted an autonomous command and control experiment on-board the International Space Station that demonstrated single action intelligent procedures for crew command and control. The target problem was to enable crew initialization of a facility class rack with power and thermal interfaces, and involving core and payload command and telemetry processing, without support from ground controllers. This autonomous operations capability is enabling in scenarios such as initialization of a medical facility to respond to a crew medical emergency, and representative of other spacecraft autonomy challenges. The experiment was conducted using the Expedite the Processing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 7, which was located in the Port 2 location within the U.S Laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Activation and deactivation of this facility is time consuming and operationally intensive, requiring coordination of three flight control positions, 47 nominal steps, 57 commands, 276 telemetry checks, and coordination of multiple ISS systems (both core and payload). Utilization of Draper Laboratory's Timeliner software, deployed on-board the ISS within the Command and Control (C&C) computers and the Payload computers, allowed development of the automated procedures specific to ISS without having to certify

Corona SDK application design

CERN Document Server

Williams, Daniel

2013-01-01

A step by step tutorial that focuses on everything from setup to deployment of basic apps.Have you ever wanted to create your own app? Then this book is for you. You will learn how to create apps using Corona SDK and how to publish your app so others can get a glimpse of your creation. This book is aimed at both Android and iOS app developers. The reader must have basic knowledge of app development.

''Relaxing phenomena'' in negative corona discharge in air: new aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strelle, D.; Pavlik, M.; Skalny, J.D.

1998-01-01

Several conspicuous differences between the positive and the negative corona discharges in air observed in small discharge gaps have been explained by two recent theoretical models considering the ion-molecule and chemical reactions in the negative corona discharge in air. In the present paper the discrepancies of these models are discussed, and the earlier experimental data and the presumptions used in the models are re-examined in the light of the latest experimentally confirmed facts. (J.U.)

Low-level NOx removal in ambient air by pulsed corona technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckers, F J C M; Hoeben, W F L M; Pemen, A J M; Van Heesch, E J M

2013-01-01

Although removal of NO x by (pulsed) corona discharges has been thoroughly investigated for high concentrations of NO x in flue gas, removal of low levels in ambient air proves to be a difficult task. (Sub) ppm NO x levels exist in traffic tunnels due to accumulation of exhaust gases. The application of pulsed corona technology for purification of traffic tunnel air is studied during a series of lab and field experiments. An industrial pilot scale wire-cylinder type corona reactor has been utilized. Lab tests have been carried out using a diesel generator as NO x source. NO x conversion levels have been determined by applying two Recordum Airpointers (chemiluminescence-based detection). The detector appeared to be cross-sensitive for HNO 3 and high levels of O 3 . NO x removal rates of 60–80% were obtained for inlet levels of 2–10 ppm. The SIE value of 10 ppm NO x removal is 7 J l −1 . The corona discharges produce ppm level NO x at high energy densities. This intrinsic NO x production limits removal of inlet levels due to equilibrium between production and oxidation. (paper)

HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION OBSERVATIONS OF LOOPS IN THE SOLAR CORONA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooks, David H.; Ugarte-Urra, Ignacio [College of Science, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States); Warren, Harry P. [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Winebarger, Amy R. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ZP 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States)

2013-08-01

Understanding how the solar corona is structured is of fundamental importance to determine how the Sun's upper atmosphere is heated to high temperatures. Recent spectroscopic studies have suggested that an instrument with a spatial resolution of 200 km or better is necessary to resolve coronal loops. The High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) achieved this performance on a rocket flight in 2012 July. We use Hi-C data to measure the Gaussian widths of 91 loops observed in the solar corona and find a distribution that peaks at about 270 km. We also use Atmospheric Imaging Assembly data for a subset of these loops and find temperature distributions that are generally very narrow. These observations provide further evidence that loops in the solar corona are often structured at a scale of several hundred kilometers, well above the spatial scale of many proposed physical mechanisms.

Simulation of the AC corona phenomenon with experimental validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, Andrea; Barbieri, Luca; Marco, Gondola; Malgesini, Roberto; Leon-Garzon, Andres R

2017-01-01

The corona effect, and in particular the Trichel phenomenon, is an important aspect of plasma physics with many technical applications, such as pollution reduction, surface and medical treatments. This phenomenon is also associated with components used in the power industry where it is, in many cases, the source of electro-magnetic disturbance, noise and production of undesired chemically active species. Despite the power industry to date using mainly alternating current (AC) transmission, most of the studies related to the corona effect have been carried out with direct current (DC) sources. Therefore, there is technical interest in validating numerical codes capable of simulating the AC phenomenon. In this work we describe a set of partial differential equations that are comprehensive enough to reproduce the distinctive features of the corona in an AC regime. The model embeds some selectable chemical databases, comprising tens of chemical species and hundreds of reactions, the thermal dynamics of neutral species and photoionization. A large set of parameters—deduced from experiments and numerical estimations—are compared, to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach. (paper)

Automation of On-Board Flightpath Management

Science.gov (United States)

Erzberger, H.

1981-01-01

The status of concepts and techniques for the design of onboard flight path management systems is reviewed. Such systems are designed to increase flight efficiency and safety by automating the optimization of flight procedures onboard aircraft. After a brief review of the origins and functions of such systems, two complementary methods are described for attacking the key design problem, namely, the synthesis of efficient trajectories. One method optimizes en route, the other optimizes terminal area flight; both methods are rooted in optimal control theory. Simulation and flight test results are reviewed to illustrate the potential of these systems for fuel and cost savings.

Corona initiated from grounded objects under thunderstorm conditions and its influence on lightning attachment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazelyan, E M; Raizer, Yu P; Aleksandrov, N L

2008-01-01

Lightning attachment to grounded structures due to the initiation of an upward connecting leader from them is considered taking into account the effect of corona space charge near the structures. It is shown that the corona space charge strongly affects the initiation and development of the connecting leader. Specific features of a non-stationary corona are analysed analytically and numerically for one-dimensional electrode geometries and for a grounded rod coronating in a slowly varying thundercloud electric field that can be enhanced by the charge of an approaching downward lightning leader. Initiation and development of an upward connecting leader or upward lightning from high ground objects are investigated. Prospects of using the effect of coronae to control downward lightning discharges are discussed.

Comparison of reconnection in magnetosphere and solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Imada, Shinsuke; Hirai, Mariko; Isobe, Hiroaki; Oka, Mitsuo; Watanabe, Kyoko; Minoshima, Takashi

One of the most famous rapid energy conversion mechanisms in space is a magnetic reconnec-tion. The general concept of a magnetic reconnection is that the rapid energy conversion from magnetic field energy to thermal energy, kinetic energy or non-thermal particle energy. The understanding of rapid energy conversion rates from magnetic field energy to other energy is the fundamental and essential problem in the space physics. One of the important goals for studying magnetic reconnection is to answer what plasma condition/parameter controls the energy conversion rates. Earth's magnetotail has been paid much attention to discuss a mag-netic reconnection, because we can discuss magnetic reconnection characteristics in detail with direct in-situ observation. Recently, solar atmosphere has been focused as a space laboratory for magnetic reconnection because of its variety in plasma condition. So far considerable effort has been devoted toward understanding the energy conversion rates of magnetic reconnection, and various typical features associated with magnetic reconnection have been observed in the Earth's magnetotail and the solar corona. In this talk, we first introduce the variety of plasma condition/parameter in solar corona and Earth's magnetotail. Later, we discuss what plasma condition/parameter controls the energy conversion from magnetic field to especially non-thermal particle. To compare non-thermal electron and ion acceleration in magnetic reconnection, we used Hard X-ray (electron) /Neu-tron monitor (ion) for solar corona and Geotail in-situ measurement (electron and ion) for magnetoatil. We found both of electron and ion accelerations are roughly controlled by re-connection electric field (reconnection rate). However, some detail points are different in ion and electron acceleration. Further, we will discuss what is the major difference between solar corona and Earth's magnetotail for particle acceleration.

Threaded-Field-Line Model for the Transition Region and Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Sokolov, I.; van der Holst, B.; Gombosi, T. I.

2014-12-01

In numerical simulations of the solar corona, both for the ambient state and especially for dynamical processes the most computational resources are spent for maintaining the numerical solution in the Low Solar Corona and in the transition region, where the temperature gradients are very sharp and the magnetic field has a complicated topology. The degraded computational efficiency is caused by the need in a highest resolution as well as the use of the fully three-dimensional implicit solver for electron heat conduction. On the other hand, the physical nature of the processes involved is rather simple (which still does not facilitate the numerical methods) as long as the heat fluxes as well as slow plasma motional velocities are aligned with the magnetic field. The Alfven wave turbulence, which is often believed to be the main driver of the solar wind and the main source of the coronal heating, is characterized by the Poynting flux of the waves, which is also aligned with the magnetic field. Therefore, the plasma state in any point of the three-dimensional grid in the Low Solar Corona can be found by solving a set of one-dimensional equations for the magnetic field line ("thread"), which passes through this point and connects it to the chromosphere and to the global Solar Corona. In the present paper we describe an innovative computational technology based upon the use of the magnetic-field-line-threads to forlmulate the boundary condition for the global solar corona model which traces the connection of each boundary point to the cromosphere along the threads.

Onboard Decision Making For a New Class of AUV Science

Science.gov (United States)

Rajan, K.; McGann, C.; Py, F.; Thomas, H.; Henthorn, R.; McEwen, R.

2007-12-01

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are an increasingly important tool for oceanographic research. They routinely and cost effectively sample the water column at depths far beyond what humans are capable of visiting. However, control of these platforms has relied on fixed sequences for execution of pre-planned actions limiting their effectiveness for measuring dynamic and episodic ocean phenomenon. At the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), we are developing an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) based control system to enable our AUV's to dynamically adapt to the environment by deliberating in-situ about mission plans while tracking onboard resource consumption, dealing with plan failures by allowing dynamic re-planning and being cognizant of vehicle health and safety in the course of executing science plans. Existing behavior-based approaches require an operator to script plans a priori while anticipating where and how the vehicle will transect the water column. While adequate for current needs to do routine pre-defined transects, it has limited flexibility in dealing with opportunistic science needs, is unable to deal with uncertainty in the oceanic environment and puts undue burden on the mission operators to manage complex interactions between behaviors. Our approach, informed by a decades worth of experience in intelligent control of NASA spacecraft, uses a constraint-based representation to manage mission goals, react to exogenous or endogenous failure conditions, respond to sensory feedback by using AI-based search techniques to sort thru a space of likely responses and picking one which is satisfies the completion of mission goals. The system encapsulates the long-standing notion of a sense-deliberate-act cycle at the heart of a control loop and reflects the goal-oriented nature of control allowing operators to specify abstract mission goals rather than detailed command sequences. To date we have tested T- REX (the Teleo

Block copolymer micelle coronas as quasi-two-dimensional dilute or semidilute polymer solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svaneborg, C.; Pedersen, J.S.

2001-01-01

Chain-chain interactions in a corona of polymers tethered to a spherical core under good solvent conditions are studied using Monte Carlo simulations. The total scattering function of the corona as well as different partial contributions are sampled. By combining the different contributions...

On ion-cyclotron-resonance heating of the corona and solar wind

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Marsch

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This paper concisely summarizes and critically reviews recent work by the authors on models of the heating of the solar corona by resonance of ions with high-frequency waves (up to the proton cyclotron frequency. The quasi-linear theory of pitch angle diffusion is presented in connection with relevant solar wind proton observations. Hybrid fluid-kinetic model equations, which include wave-particle interactions and collisions, are derived. Numerical solutions are discussed, representative of the inner corona and near-Sun solar wind. A semi-kinetic model for reduced velocity distributions is presented, yielding kinetic results for heavy ions in the solar corona. It is concluded that a self-consistent treatment of particle distributions and wave spectra is required, in order to adequately describe coronal physics and to obtain agreement with observations.

Radio and television interference caused by corona discharges from high-voltage transmission lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarmadi, M.

1996-01-01

Increase in power utility loads in industrialized countries, as well as developing countries, demands a higher level of transmission line voltage. Radio interference (RI) problems have been determined to be a limiting factor in selecting the size of transmission line conductors. Transmission line noise is primarily caused by corona discharges in the immediate vicinity of the conductor. It has been observed that discharges occur during both half-cycles of the applied voltage, but positive corona is usually predominant at AM radio frequencies range with practical high-voltage and extra high-voltage transmission lines. The corona radio noise effect is highly dependent upon the presence of particles on the surface of the conductor and the increase of the electrical gradient beyond the breakdown value of the air. Therefore, corona radio noise varies significantly with the weather and atmospheric conditions and generally increases by 10 to 30 dB in foul weather

Advanced Russian Mission Laplace-P to Study the Planetary System of Jupiter: Scientific Goals, Objectives, Special Features and Mission Profile

Science.gov (United States)

Martynov, M. B.; Merkulov, P. V.; Lomakin, I. V.; Vyatlev, P. A.; Simonov, A. V.; Leun, E. V.; Barabanov, A. A.; Nasyrov, A. F.

2017-12-01

The advanced Russian project Laplace-P is aimed at developing and launching two scientific spacecraft (SC)— Laplace-P1 ( LP1 SC) and Laplace-P2 ( LP2 SC)—designed for remote and in-situ studies of the system of Jupiter and its moon Ganymede. The LP1 and LP2 spacecraft carry an orbiter and a lander onboard, respectively. One of the orbiter's objectives is to map the surface of Ganymede from the artificial satellite's orbit and to acquire the data for the landing site selection. The main objective of the lander is to carry out in-situ investigations of Ganymede's surface. The paper describes the scientific goals and objectives of the mission, its special features, and the LP1 and LP2 mission profiles during all of the phases—from the launch to the landing on the surface of Ganymede.

IBM ThinkPad radiation testing and recovery during EUROMIR missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martignano, M.; Harboe-Sorensen, R.

1995-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experiment, conducted on-board the Russian MIR Space Station during a joint Russian and European mission, EUROMIR '94. A commercially available IBM ThinkPad 750C was evaluated by running a software system which monitored the notebook's behavior and counted the number of single event upsets. The used software system and ground verification tests are also presented. Finally, another software system, able to ruggedize normal personal computers for usage in space, is described

Transformation of soybean Gy3 gene into Artemisaarenaria mediated by corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chao, Lu-meng; Na, Ri; Xue, Dan; Xu, Yongze; Liu, Teng

2013-01-01

In order to improve the protein content of desert plant, a method of genetic transformation mediated by corona discharge was established. Artemisia seeds were processed in corona electric field for 120 min at 12 kV, and then soaked in 0.1 SSC media that contained Soybean Gy3 gene DNA to incubate for 12 h at 26 °C. Finally the seeds were inoculated on the differentiation medium. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) detection showed that the Soybean Gy3 gene had been successfully introduced into genomic DNA of the regenerated plants of Artemisaarenaria. The study provided a new way for corona discharge in plant genetic modification.

Preliminary optical design of the coronagraph for the ASPIICS formation flying mission

Science.gov (United States)

Vivès, S.; Lamy, P.; Saisse, M.; Boit, J.-L.; Koutchmy, S.

2017-11-01

Formation flyers open new perspectives and allow to conceive giant, externally-occulted coronagraphs using a two-component space system with the external occulter on one spacecraft and the optical instrument on the other spacecraft at approximately 100-150 m from the first one. ASPIICS (Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interfromtrie de la Couronne Solaire) is a mission proposed to ESA in the framework of the PROBA-3 program of formation flying which is presently in phase A to exploit this technique for coronal observations. ASPIICS is composed of a single coronagraph which performs high spatial resolution imaging of the corona as well as 2-dimensional spectroscopy of several emission lines from the coronal base out to 3 R. The selected lines allow to address different coronal regions: the forbidden line of Fe XIV at 530.285 nm (coronal matter), Fe IX/X at 637.4 nm (coronal holes), HeI at 587.6 nm (cold matter). An additional broad spectral channel will image the white light corona so as to derive electron densities. The classical design of an externally occulted coronagraph is adapted to the detection of the very inner corona as close as 1.01 R and the addition of a Fabry-Perot interferometer using a so-called "etalon". This paper is dedicated to the description of the optical design and its critical components: the entrance optics and the FabryPerot interferometer.

Application of Ni-63 photo and corona discharge ionization for the analysis of chemical warfare agents and toxic wastes

Science.gov (United States)

Stach, J.; Adler, J.; Brodacki, M.; Doring, H.-R.

1995-01-01

Over the past decade, advances in instrumental design and refinements in the understanding of ion molecule reactions at atmospheric pressure enabled the application of Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) as a simple inexpensive and sensitive analytical method for the detection of organic trace compounds. Positive and negative gas-phase ions for ion mobility spectrometry have been produced by a variety of methods, including photo-ionization, laser multi photon ionization, surface ionization, corona discharge ionization. The most common ion source used in ion mobility spectrometry is a radioactive Ni-63 foil which is favored due to simplicity, stability, convenience, and high selectivity. If reactant ions like (H2O(n)H)(+) or (H2O(n)O2)(-) dominate in the reaction region, nearly all kinds of compounds with a given proton or electron affinity; are ionized. However, the radioactivity of the Ni-63 foil is one disadvantage of this ion source that stimulates the development and application of other ionization techniques. In this paper, we report analyses of old chemical warfare agents and toxic wastes using Bruker RAID ion mobility spectrometers. Due to the modular construction of the measuring cell, the spectrometers can be equipped with different ion sources. The combined use of Ni-63, photo- and corona discharge ionization allows the identification of different classes of chemical compounds and yields in most cases comparable results.

Automation of Hubble Space Telescope Mission Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Burley, Richard; Goulet, Gregory; Slater, Mark; Huey, William; Bassford, Lynn; Dunham, Larry

2012-01-01

On June 13, 2011, after more than 21 years, 115 thousand orbits, and nearly 1 million exposures taken, the operation of the Hubble Space Telescope successfully transitioned from 24x7x365 staffing to 815 staffing. This required the automation of routine mission operations including telemetry and forward link acquisition, data dumping and solid-state recorder management, stored command loading, and health and safety monitoring of both the observatory and the HST Ground System. These changes were driven by budget reductions, and required ground system and onboard spacecraft enhancements across the entire operations spectrum, from planning and scheduling systems to payload flight software. Changes in personnel and staffing were required in order to adapt to the new roles and responsibilities required in the new automated operations era. This paper will provide a high level overview of the obstacles to automating nominal HST mission operations, both technical and cultural, and how those obstacles were overcome.

Hi-C Observations of an Active Region Corona, and Investigation of the Underlying Magnetic Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, S. K.; Alexander, C. E.; Winebarger, A.; Moore, R. L.

2014-01-01

The solar corona is much hotter (>=10(exp 6) K) than its surface (approx 6000 K), puzzling astrophysicists for several decades. Active region (AR) corona is again hotter than the quiet Sun (QS) corona by a factor of 4-10. The most widely accepted mechanism that could heat the active region corona is the energy release by current dissipation via reconnection of braided magnetic field structure, first proposed by E. N. Parker three decades ago. The first observational evidence for this mechanism has only recently been presented by Cirtain et al. by using High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) observations of an AR corona at a spatial resolution of 0.2 arcsec, which is required to resolve the coronal loops, and was not available before the rocket flight of Hi-C in July 2012. The Hi-C project is led by NASA/MSFC. In the case of the QS, work done by convection/granulation on the inter-granular feet of the coronal field lines translates into the heat observed in the corona. In the case of the AR, as here, there could be flux emergence, cancellation/submergence, or shear flows generating large stress and tension in coronal field loops which is released as heat in the corona. We are currently investigating the changes taking place in photospheric feet of the magnetic field involved with brightenings in the Hi-C AR corona. For this purpose, we are also using SDO/AIA data of +/- 2 hours around the 5 minutes Hi-C flight. In the present talk, I will first summarize some of the results of the Hi-C observations and then present some results from our recent analysis on what photospheric processes feed the magnetic energy that dissipates into heat in coronal loops.

Preparing technicians for photonics industries and organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Souders, John; Hull, Dan

2012-10-01

U.S. photonics organizations need about 800 new photonics technicians each year. Thirty-one community and technical colleges have approximately 700 students enrolled in photonics related programs; about 275 of them complete their coursework and enter the workforce each year. A disparity exists between the demand and supply of qualified photonics technicians in the U.S. OP-TEC, the National Center for Optics and Photonics Education is a consortium of seven colleges, under the leadership of the University of Central Florida, and sponsored by NSF. OP-TEC's mission is to increase the quantity and quality of photonics technicians prepared at two-year colleges. OP-TEC maintains the National Photonics Skill Standards for Technicians, provides curriculum models, teaching materials, faculty training/professional development and planning services to strengthen existing college photonics programs and to attract and support new ones. OP-TEC is converting its text materials to E-Books to support students in technical programs. Through OP-TEC's recruitment efforts 84 additional colleges are interested in initiating new photonics programs. The OP-TEC Photonics College Network (OPCN) consists of 28 colleges that are currently providing photonics education. This fall OPCN will lead an additional national effort to further educate employed photonics technicians through on-line courses, complemented by lab experiences at nearby colleges. OP-TEC is expanding its outreach to photonics employers and colleges by regionalizing its approach to offering its services. OP-TEC is also planning to develop new curricula and instructional materials for AAS programs to prepare Precision Optics Technicians. This paper will detail OP-TEC's work with particular emphases on its materials and services.

ITMO Photonics: center of excellence

Science.gov (United States)

Voznesenskaya, Anna; Bougrov, Vladislav; Kozlov, Sergey; Vasilev, Vladimir

2016-09-01

ITMO University, the leading Russian center in photonics research and education, has the mission to train highlyqualified competitive professionals able to act in conditions of fast-changing world. This paradigm is implemented through creation of a strategic academic unit ITMO Photonics, the center of excellence concentrating organizational, scientific, educational, financial, laboratory and human resources. This Center has the following features: dissemination of breakthrough scientific results in photonics such as advanced photonic materials, ultrafast optical and quantum information, laser physics, engineering and technologies, into undergraduate and graduate educational programs through including special modules into the curricula and considerable student's research and internships; transformation of the educational process in accordance with the best international educational practices, presence in the global education market in the form of joint educational programs with leading universities, i.e. those being included in the network programs of international scientific cooperation, and international accreditation of educational programs; development of mechanisms for the commercialization of innovative products - results of scientific research; securing financial sustainability of research in the field of photonics of informationcommunication systems via funding increase and the diversification of funding sources. Along with focusing on the research promotion, the Center is involved in science popularization through such projects as career guidance for high school students; interaction between student's chapters of international optical societies; invited lectures of World-famous experts in photonics; short educational programs in optics, photonics and light engineering for international students; contests, Olympics and grants for talented young researchers; social events; interactive demonstrations.

49 CFR 395.15 - Automatic on-board recording devices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... information concerning on-board system sensor failures and identification of edited data. Such support systems... driving today; (iv) Total hours on duty for the 7 consecutive day period, including today; (v) Total hours...-driver operation; (7) The on-board recording device/system identifies sensor failures and edited data...

Plasma-chemical simulation of negative corona near the inception voltage

Science.gov (United States)

Pontiga, Francisco; Duran-Olivencia, Francisco J.; Castellanos, Antonio

2013-09-01

The spatiotemporal development of Trichel pulses in oxygen between a spherical electrode and a grounded plane has been simulated using a fluid approximation that incorporates the plasma chemistry of the electrical discharge. Elementary plasma processes, such as ionization, electron attachment, electron detachment, recombination between ions and chemical reactions between neutral species, are all included in a chemical model consisting of 55 reactions between 8 different species (electrons, O2+,O2-,O3-,O-, O2, O, O3). Secondary emission at the cathode by the impact of positive ions and photons is also considered. The spatial distribution of species is computed in three dimensions (2D-axysimmetrical) by solving Poisson's equation for the electric field and the continuity equations for the species, with the inclusion of the chemical gain/loss rate due to the particle interaction. The results of the simulation reveal the interplay between the different negative ions during the development of every Trichel pulse, and the rate of production of atomic oxygen and ozone by the corona discharge. This work was supported by the Consejeria de Innovacion, Ciencia y Empresa (Junta de Andalucia) and by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain, within the European Regional Development Fund contracts FQM-4983 and FIS2011-25161.

Performance evaluation of lunar penetrating radar onboard the rover of CE-3 probe based on results from ground experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hong-Bo; Zheng, Lei; Su, Yan; Fang, Guang-You; Zhou, Bin; Feng, Jian-Qing; Xing, Shu-Guo; Dai, Shun; Li, Jun-Duo; Ji, Yi-Cai; Gao, Yun-Ze; Xiao, Yuan; Li, Chun-Lai

2014-12-01

Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) onboard the rover that is part of the Chang'e-3 (CE-3) mission was firstly utilized to obtain in situ measurements about geological structure on the lunar surface and the thickness of the lunar regolith, which are key elements for studying the evolutional history of lunar crust. Because penetration depth and resolution of LPR are related to the scientific objectives of this mission, a series of ground-based experiments using LPR was carried out, and results of the experimental data were obtained in a glacial area located in the northwest region of China. The results show that the penetration depth of the first channel antenna used for LPR is over 79 m with a resolution of 2.8 m, and that for the second channel antenna is over 50.8 m with a resolution of 17.1 cm.

Catastrophic cooling and cessation of heating in the solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Peter, H.; Bingert, S.; Kamio, S.

2012-01-01

Context. Condensations in the more than 106 K hot corona of the Sun are commonly observed in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV). While their contribution to the total solar EUV radiation is still a matter of debate, these condensations certainly provide a valuable tool for studying the dynamic response of the corona to the heating processes. Aims: We investigate different distributions of energy input in time and space to investigate which process is most relevant for understanding these coronal condensations. Methods: For a comparison to observations we synthesize EUV emission from a time-dependent, one-dimensional model for coronal loops, where we employ two heating scenarios: simply shutting down the heating and a model where the heating is very concentrated at the loop footpoints, while keeping the total heat input constant. Results: The heating off/on model does not lead to significant EUV count rates that one observes with SDO/AIA. In contrast, the concentration of the heating near the footpoints leads to thermal non-equilibrium near the loop top resulting in the well-known catastrophic cooling. This process gives a good match to observations of coronal condensations. Conclusions: This shows that the corona needs a steady supply of energy to support the coronal plasma, even during coronal condensations. Otherwise the corona would drain very fast, too fast to even form a condensation. Movies are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Matthew G.; Wolford, David S.; Prokop, Norman F.; Krasowski, Michael J.; Parker, David S.; Cassidy, Justin C.; Davies , William E.; Vorreiter, Janelle O.; Piszczor, Michael F.; Mcnatt, Jeremiah S.;

Depolarization current relaxation process of insulating dielectrics after corona poling under different charging conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. W. Zhang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available As an insulating dielectric, polyimide is favorable for the application of optoelectronics, electrical insulation system in electric power industry, insulating, and packaging materials in space aircraft, due to its excellent thermal, mechanical and electrical insulating stability. The charge storage profile of such insulating dielectric is utmost important to its application, when it is exposed to electron irradiation, high voltage corona discharge or other treatments. These treatments could induce changes in physical and chemical properties of treated samples. To investigate the charge storage mechanism of the insulating dielectrics after high-voltage corona discharge, the relaxation processes responsible for corona charged polyimide films under different poling conditions were analyzed by the Thermally Stimulated Discharge Currents method (TSDC. In the results of thermal relaxation process, the appearance of various peaks in TSDC spectra provided a deep insight into the molecular status in the dielectric material and reflected stored space charge relaxation process in the insulating polymers after corona discharge treatments. Furthermore, the different space charge distribution status under various poling temperature and different discharge voltage level were also investigated, which could partly reflect the influence of the ambiance condition on the functional dielectrics after corona poling.

Depolarization current relaxation process of insulating dielectrics after corona poling under different charging conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J. W.; Zhou, T. C.; Wang, J. X.; Yang, X. F.; Zhu, F.; Tian, L. M.; Liu, R. T.

2017-10-01

As an insulating dielectric, polyimide is favorable for the application of optoelectronics, electrical insulation system in electric power industry, insulating, and packaging materials in space aircraft, due to its excellent thermal, mechanical and electrical insulating stability. The charge storage profile of such insulating dielectric is utmost important to its application, when it is exposed to electron irradiation, high voltage corona discharge or other treatments. These treatments could induce changes in physical and chemical properties of treated samples. To investigate the charge storage mechanism of the insulating dielectrics after high-voltage corona discharge, the relaxation processes responsible for corona charged polyimide films under different poling conditions were analyzed by the Thermally Stimulated Discharge Currents method (TSDC). In the results of thermal relaxation process, the appearance of various peaks in TSDC spectra provided a deep insight into the molecular status in the dielectric material and reflected stored space charge relaxation process in the insulating polymers after corona discharge treatments. Furthermore, the different space charge distribution status under various poling temperature and different discharge voltage level were also investigated, which could partly reflect the influence of the ambiance condition on the functional dielectrics after corona poling.

Possibilities of reduction of the on-board energy for an innovative subway

OpenAIRE

Allègre, A-L.; Barrade, P.; Delarue, P.; Bouscayrol, A.; Chattot, E.; El-Fassi, S.

2009-01-01

An innovative subway has been proposed using supercapacitors as energy source. In this paper, are presented different possibilities to reduce on-board stored energy in order to downsize the on-board energy storage subsystem. Special attention is paid to the influence of a feeding rail extension or a downward slope at the beginning of the interstation on the on-board stored energy. A map is built to facilitate the selection of the solution which leads to reduce the on-board energy.

SunRISE Mission Concept Step 2 Study Status

Science.gov (United States)

Alibay, F.; Kasper, J. C.; Lazio, J.; Neilsen, T. L.

2017-12-01

We present an update on the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission concept, which was selected for a Step 2 study as part of the Small Explorer (SMEX) Mission of Opportunity (MoO) call. SunRISE is space-based sparse array, composed of six 6U CubeSats, designed to localize the radio emission associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. Radio emission from CMEs is a direct tracer of the particle acceleration in the inner heliosphere and potential magnetic connections from the lower solar corona to the larger heliosphere. Furthermore, CME radio emission is quite strong such that only a relatively small number of antennas is required, and a small mission would make a fundamental advancement. Indeed, the state-of-the-art for tracking CME radio emission is defined by single antennas (Wind/WAVES, Stereo/SWAVES) in which the tracking is accomplished by assuming a frequency-to-density mapping. This type of Heliophysics mission would be inherently cost prohibitive in a traditional spacecraft paradigm. However, the use of CubeSats, accompanied by the miniaturization of subsystem components, enables the development of this concept at lower cost than ever before. We present the most recent updates on this mission concept, starting from the concept's performance as compared to the required science and driving technical requirements. We then focus on the SunRISE mission concept of operations, which consists of six 6U CubeSats placed in a GEO graveyard orbit for 6 months to achieve the aforementioned science goals. The spacecraft fly in a passive formation, which allows them to form an interferometer while minimizing the impact on operations complexity. We also present details of the engineering design and the key trades being performed as part of the Step 2 concept study.

Dielectric fluid directional spreading under the action of corona discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shangru; Liu, Jie; Hu, Qun; Jiang, Teng; Yang, Jinchu; Liu, Sheng; Zheng, Huai

2018-01-01

Liquid spreading is a very common nature phenomenon and of significant importance for a broad range of applications. In this study, a dielectric fluid directional spreading phenomenon is presented. Under the action of corona discharge, a dielectric fluid, here a typical silicone directionally spreads along conductive patterns on conductive/nonconductive substrates. Directional spreading behaviors of silicone were experimentally observed on different conductive patterns in detail. Spreading speeds were analyzed at different driving voltages, which induced the corona discharge. The presented phenomenon may be useful to inspire several techniques of manipulating liquid transportation and fabricating micropatterns.

Create 2D mobile games with Corona SDK for iOS and Android

CERN Document Server

Mekersa, David

2015-01-01

Corona SDK is one of the most powerful tools used to create games and apps for mobile devices.The market requires speed; new developers need to operate quickly and efficiently. Create 2D Mobile Games with Corona SDK gives you the tools needed to master Corona - even within the framework of professional constraints. A must-read guide, this book gives you fast, accurate tips to learn the programming language necessary to create games. Read it sequentially or as an FAQ and you will have the tools you need to create any base game before moving on to advanced topics. The tutorial-based format:Conta

Dynamic development of the protein corona on silica nanoparticles: composition and role in toxicity

Science.gov (United States)

Mortensen, Ninell P.; Hurst, Gregory B.; Wang, Wei; Foster, Carmen M.; Nallathamby, Prakash D.; Retterer, Scott T.

2013-06-01

The formation and composition of the protein corona on silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (NP) with different surface chemistries was evaluated over time. Native SiO2, amine (-NH2) and carboxy (-COO-) modified NP were examined following incubation in mammalian growth media containing fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 1, 4, 24 and 48 hours. The protein corona transition from its early dynamic state to the later more stable corona was evaluated using mass spectrometry. The NP diameter was 22.4 +/- 2.2 nm measured by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Changes in hydrodynamic diameter and agglomeration kinetics were studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The initial surface chemistry of the NP played an important role in the development and final composition of the protein corona, impacting agglomeration kinetics and NP toxicity. Particle toxicity, indicated by changes in membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity, was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and tetrazolium reduction (MTT), respectively, in mouse alveolar macrophages (RAW264.7) and mouse lung epithelial cells (C10). SiO2-COO- NP had a slower agglomeration rate, formed smaller aggregates, and exhibited lower cytotoxicity compared to SiO2 and SiO2-NH2. Composition of the protein corona for each of the three NP was unique, indicating a strong dependence of corona development on NP surface chemistry. This work underscores the need to understand all aspects of NP toxicity, particularly the influence of agglomeration on effective dose and particle size. Furthermore, the interplay between materials and local biological environment is emphasized and highlights the need to conduct toxicity profiling under physiologically relevant conditions that provide an appropriate estimation of material modifications that occur during exposure in natural environments.The formation and composition of the protein corona on silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (NP) with different surface chemistries was evaluated

Effect of the protein corona on nanoparticles for modulating cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee YK

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Yeon Kyung Lee,1,* Eun-Ju Choi,2,* Thomas J Webster,3 Sang-Hyun Kim,4 Dongwoo Khang1 1Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea; 2Division of Sport Science, College of Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Chungju, South Korea; 3Department of Chemical Engineering and Program in Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 4Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Although the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles (NPs is greatly influenced by their interactions with blood proteins, toxic effects resulting from blood interactions are often ignored in the development and use of nanostructured biomaterials for in vivo applications. Protein coronas created during the initial reaction with NPs can determine the subsequent immunological cascade, and protein coronas formed on NPs can either stimulate or mitigate the immune response. Along these lines, the understanding of NP-protein corona formation in terms of physiochemical surface properties of the NPs and NP interactions with the immune system components in blood is an essential step for evaluating NP toxicity for in vivo therapeutics. This article reviews the most recent developments in NP-based protein coronas through the modification of NP surface properties and discusses the associated immune responses. Keywords: nanostructured biomaterials, blood response, cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, protein corona

Photon technology. Hard photon technology; Photon technology. Hard photon gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Research results of hard photon technology have been summarized as a part of novel technology development highly utilizing the quantum nature of photon. Hard photon technology refers to photon beam technologies which use photon in the 0.1 to 200 nm wavelength region. Hard photon has not been used in industry due to the lack of suitable photon sources and optical devices. However, hard photon in this wavelength region is expected to bring about innovations in such areas as ultrafine processing and material synthesis due to its atom selective reaction, inner shell excitation reaction, and spatially high resolution. Then, technological themes and possibility have been surveyed. Although there are principle proposes and their verification of individual technologies for the technologies of hard photon generation, regulation and utilization, they are still far from the practical applications. For the photon source technology, the laser diode pumped driver laser technology, laser plasma photon source technology, synchrotron radiation photon source technology, and vacuum ultraviolet photon source technology are presented. For the optical device technology, the multi-layer film technology for beam mirrors and the non-spherical lens processing technology are introduced. Also are described the reduction lithography technology, hard photon excitation process, and methods of analysis and measurement. 430 refs., 165 figs., 23 tabs.

The Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Model of the Sun and the Solar Atmosphere II. Continuous Emission and Condensed Matter Within the Corona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The K-corona, a significant portion of the solar atmosphere, displays a continuous spectrum which closely parallels photospheric emission, though without the presence of overlying Fraunhofer lines. The E-corona exists in the same region and is characterized by weak emission lines from highly ionized atoms. For instance, the famous green emission line from coronium (FeXIV is part of the E-corona. The F-corona exists beyond the K/E-corona and, like the photospheric spectrum, is characterized by Fraunhofer lines. The F-corona represents photospheric light scattered by dust particles in the interplanetary medium. Within the gaseous models of the Sun, the K-corona is viewed as photospheric radiation which has been scattered by relativistic electrons. This scattering is thought to broaden the Fraunhofer lines of the solar spectrum such that they can no longer be detected in the K-corona. Thus, the gaseous models of the Sun account for the appearance of the K-corona by distorting photospheric light, since they are unable to have recourse to condensed matter to directly produce such radiation. Conversely, it is now advanced that the continuous emission of the K-corona and associated emission lines from the E-corona must be interpreted as manifestations of the same phenomenon: condensed matter exists in the corona. It is well-known that the Sun expels large amounts of material from its surface in the form of flares and coronal mass ejections. Given a liquid metallic hydrogen model of the Sun, it is logical to assume that such matter, which exists in the condensed state on the solar surface, continues to manifest its nature once expelled into the corona. Therefore, the continuous spectrum of the K-corona provides the twenty-seventh line of evidence that the Sun is composed of condensed matter.

Experimental Investigation of the Corona Discharge in Electrical Transmission due to AC/DC Electric Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fuangpian Phanupong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, using of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC transmission to maximize the transmission efficiency, bulk power transmission, connection of renewable power source from wind farm to the grid is of prime concern for the utility. However, due to the high electric field stress from Direct Current (DC line, the corona discharge can easily be occurred at the conductor surface leading to transmission loss. Therefore, the polarity effect of DC lines on corona inception and breakdown voltage should be investigated. In this work, the effect of DC polarity and Alternating Current (AC field stress on corona inception voltage and corona discharge is investigated on various test objects, such as High Voltage (HV needle, needle at ground plane, internal defect, surface discharge, underground cable without cable termination, cable termination with simulated defect and bare overhead conductor. The corona discharge is measured by partial discharge measurement device with high-frequency current transformer. Finally, the relationship between supply voltage and discharge intensity on each DC polarity and AC field stress can be successfully determined.

The Growth Potential of Corona Discharges from Aircraft Flying in Precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

1987-11-12

required for corona onset. However, it turns out that the fields required to generate corona from ’ce and water particles of the anticipated size are...still significantly larger than those commonly encountered in a thundercloud. The exception here is the long water filament drawn out when water drop...trial and error had 300 cone-angle, with a tip of radius -20Im (measured with a travelling microscope). It was necessary to electrolyse the tip in

An Enhanced MWR-Based Wet Tropospheric Correction for Sentinel-3: Inheritance from Past ESA Altimetry Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaro, Clara; Fernandes, Joanna M.

2015-12-01

The GNSS-derived Path Delay (GPD) and the Data Combination (DComb) algorithms were developed by University of Porto (U.Porto), in the scope of different projects funded by ESA, to compute a continuous and improved wet tropospheric correction (WTC) for use in satellite altimetry. Both algorithms are mission independent and are based on a linear space-time objective analysis procedure that combines various wet path delay data sources. A new algorithm that gets the best of each aforementioned algorithm (GNSS-derived Path Delay Plus, GPD+) has been developed at U.Porto in the scope of SL_cci project, where the use of consistent and stable in time datasets is of major importance. The algorithm has been applied to the main eight altimetric missions (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2, ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat and CryoSat-2 and SARAL). Upcoming Sentinel-3 possesses a two-channel on-board radiometer similar to those that were deployed in ERS-1/2 and Envisat. Consequently, the fine-tuning of the GPD+ algorithm to these missions datasets shall enrich it, by increasing its capability to quickly deal with Sentinel-3 data. Foreseeing that the computation of an improved MWR-based WTC for use with Sentinel-3 data will be required, this study focuses on the results obtained for ERS-1/2 and Envisat missions, which are expected to give insight into the computation of this correction for the upcoming ESA altimetric mission. The various WTC corrections available for each mission (in general, the original correction derived from the on-board MWR, the model correction and the one derived from GPD+) are inter-compared either directly or using various sea level anomaly variance statistical analyses. Results show that the GPD+ algorithm is efficient in generating global and continuous datasets, corrected for land and ice contamination and spurious measurements of instrumental origin, with significant impacts on all ESA missions.

Transfer of electrical space charge from corona between ground and thundercloud: Measurements and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Soula, Serge

1994-01-01

The evolution of the vertical electric field profile deduced from simultaneous field measurements at several levels below a thundercloud shows the development of a space charge layer at least up to 600 m. The average charge density in the whole layer from 0 m to 600 m can reach about 1 nC m(exp -3). The ions are generated at the ground by corona effect and the production rate is evaluated with a new method from the comparison of field evolutions at the ground and at altitude after a lightning flash. The modeling of the relevant processes shows tht ground corona accounts for the observed field evolutions and that the aerosol particles concentration has a very large effect on the evolution of corona ions. However, with a realistic value for this concentration a large amount of ground corona ions reach the level of 600 m.

River water remediation using pulsed corona, pulsed spark or ozonation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izdebski, T.; Dors, M. [Polish Academy of Sciences, Szewalski Inst. of Fluid Flow Machiney, Fiszera (Poland). Centre for Plasma and Laser Engineering; Mizeraczyk, J. [Polish Academy of Sciences, Szewalski Inst. of Fluid Flow Machiney, Fiszera (Poland). Centre for Plasma and Laser Engineering; Gdynia Maritime Univ., Morska (Poland). Dept. of Marine Electronics

2010-07-01

The most common reason for epidemic formation is the pollution of surface and drinking water by wastewater bacteria. Pathogenic microorganisms that form the largest part of this are fecal bacteria, such as escherichia coli (E. coli). Wastewater treatment plants reduce the amount of the fecal bacteria by 1-3 orders of magnitude, depending on the initial number of bacteria. There is a lack of data on waste and drinking water purification by the electrohydraulic discharges method, which causes the destruction and inactivation of viruses, yeast, and bacteria. This paper investigated river water cleaning from microorganisms using pulsed corona, spark discharge and ozonization. The paper discussed the experimental setup and results. It was concluded that ozonization is the most efficient method of water disinfection as compared with pulsed spark and pulsed corona discharges. The pulsed spark discharge in water was capable of killing all microorganism similarly to ozonization, but with much lower energy efficiency. The pulsed corona discharge was found to be the less effective method of water disinfection. 21 refs., 4 figs.

CE-4 Mission and Future Journey to Lunar

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yongliao; Wang, Qin; Liu, Xiaoqun

2016-07-01

Chang'E-4 mission, being undertaken by phase two of China Lunar Exploration Program, represents China's first attempt to explore farside of lunar surface. Its probe includes a lander, a rover and a telecommunication relay which is scheduled to launch in around 2018. The scientific objectives of CE-4 mission will be implemented to investigate the lunar regional geological characteristics of landing and roving area, and also will make the first radio-astronomy measurements from the most radio-quiet region of near-earth space. The rover will opreate for at least 3 months, the lander for half a year, and the relay for no less than 3 years. Its scinetific instruments includes Cameras, infrared imaging spectrometer, Penetrating Radar onboard the rover in which is the same as the paylads on board the CE-3 rover, and a Dust-analyzer, a Temperature-instrument and a Wide Band Low Frequency Digital Radio Astronomical Station will be installed on board the lander. Our scientific goals of the future lunar exploration will aim at the lunar geology, resources and surface environments. A series of exploraion missions such as robotic exploration and non-manned lunar scientific station is proposed in this paper.

Diagnostics of the solar corona from comparison between Faraday rotation measurements and magnetohydrodynamic simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Chat, G.; Cohen, O.; Kasper, J. C.; Spangler, S. R.

2014-01-01

Polarized natural radio sources passing behind the Sun experience Faraday rotation as a consequence of the electron density and magnetic field strength in coronal plasma. Since Faraday rotation is proportional to the product of the density and the component of the magnetic field along the line of sight of the observer, a model is required to interpret the observations and infer coronal structures. Faraday rotation observations have been compared with relatively ad hoc models of the corona. Here for the first time we compare these observations with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models of the solar corona driven by measurements of the photospheric magnetic field. We use observations made with the NRAO Very Large Array of 34 polarized radio sources occulted by the solar corona between 5 and 14 solar radii. The measurements were made during 1997 May, and 2005 March and April. We compare the observed Faraday rotation values with values extracted from MHD steady-state simulations of the solar corona. We find that (1) using a synoptic map of the solar magnetic field just one Carrington rotation off produces poorer agreements, meaning that the outer corona changes in the course of one month, even in solar minimum; (2) global MHD models of the solar corona driven by photospheric magnetic field measurements are generally able to reproduce Faraday rotation observations; and (3) some sources show significant disagreement between the model and the observations, which appears to be a function of the proximity of the line of sight to the large-scale heliospheric current sheet.

Current Sheets in the Corona and the Complexity of Slow Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, Spiro

2010-01-01

The origin of the slow solar wind has long been one of the most important problems in solar/heliospheric physics. Two observational constraints make this problem especially challenging. First, the slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, unlike the fast wind that originates on open field lines. Second, the slow wind has substantial angular extent, of order 30 degrees, which is much larger than the widths observed for streamer stalks or the widths expected theoretically for a dynamic heliospheric current sheet. We propose that the slow wind originates from an intricate network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that emanate from the polar coronal hole regions. Using topological arguments, we show that these corridors must be ubiquitous in the solar corona. The total solar eclipse in August 2008, near the lowest point of cycle 23 affords an ideal opportunity to test this theory by using the ultra-high resolution Predictive Science's (PSI) eclipse model for the corona and wind. Analysis of the PSI eclipse model demonstrates that the extent and scales of the open-field corridors can account for both the angular width of the slow wind and its closed-field composition. We discuss the implications of our slow wind theory for the structure of the corona and heliosphere at solar minimum and describe further observational and theoretical tests.

The colour of the solar corona and dust grains in it

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajmanov, A.K.; Nikolsky, G.M.

1980-01-01

The photometry of coronal negatives is carried out. The films were obtained at the March 7, 1970 and July 10, 1972 eclipses. A distribution of the coronal brightness in the red (635 mm), green (545 nm), and blue (455 nm) wavelength intervals up to distances of (6-7)Rsub(sun) is deduced (Figure 1). Colour indexes of the corona (the emission ratio red/blue-Csub(rb) and green/blue-Csub(gb)) have been obtained. We assume Csub(rb) = Csub(gb) = 1 in the inner corona ( = 1 μm. RED brightness is evaluated to be 4 x 10 -10 anti Bsub(sun). There is 1 grain of dust in the elementary volume with cross section of 1 cm 2 along the line of sight. The intensity of dust emission in wavelength interval 10 μm deduced by the authors is approximately 1 μ W cm -2 sm -1 . That is in agreement with Mankin et al. (1974) and Lena et al. (1974) observations. The whole dust mass of RED is -11 cm -3 . Determination of the colour of the solar corona have been made by a number of scientists (Tikhov, 1940, 1957; Allen, 1946; Blackwell, 1952; Michard, 1956; Sharonov, 1958; Nay et al. 1961). The corona colour was found to be somewhat redder than the Sun's. However this question is not finally settled to date. (orig.)

Profundidad del surco gingival en dientes primarios restaurados con coronas de acero cromo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubén Muñoz Delgado

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar la relación entre el ajuste marginal y la profundidad del surco gingival en dientes primarios restaurados con coronas de acero cromo. Métodos: Se midió la profundidad del surco gingival de 114 dientes primarios restaurados con coronas de acero cromo en 67 niños, ambos sexos, de 3 a 6 años de edad de la clínica de Estomatología Pediátrica de la UATx, México. La población en estudio fue dividida en tres grupos: a experimental (n=30, b control (n=8, y c control negativo (n=29. Previo consentimiento informado se tomaron los índices de placa (LöeSilness 1967 e índice gingival en seis superficies; se midió el surco gingival con sonda periodontal y las coronas de acero cromo fueron evaluadas clínica y radiográficamente según su ajuste marginal y longitud cervical. Resultados: Los índices de placa y gingival no mostraron diferencias significativas para los grupos experimental y control negativo. El 34% de las coronas mostraron buen ajuste marginal, 33% un mal ajuste, 10.5% cortas, 7.9% largas y el 14% otro tipo de mal ajuste. La profundidad del surco gingival fue estadísticamente significativa para el primer y segundo molar inferior derechos y en los caninos inferiores (p >0.05; la superficie disto-vestibular presentó la mayor profundidad del surco gingival (2.34 mm, siendo estadísticamente significativa (p>0.05. Conclusiones: La profundidad del surco gingival fue mayor en los dientes rehabilitados con coronas de acero cromo mal ajustadas y sobre contorneadas (largas. La presencia de placa bacteriana y gingivitis estuvo relacionada con las coronas de acero cromo mal ajustadas.

A semi-analytical stationary model of a point-to-plane corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanallah, K; Pontiga, F

2012-01-01

A semi-analytical model of a dc corona discharge is formulated to determine the spatial distribution of charged particles (electrons, negative ions and positive ions) and the electric field in pure oxygen using a point-to-plane electrode system. A key point in the modeling is the integration of Gauss' law and the continuity equation of charged species along the electric field lines, and the use of Warburg's law and the corona current–voltage characteristics as input data in the boundary conditions. The electric field distribution predicted by the model is compared with the numerical solution obtained using a finite-element technique. The semi-analytical solutions are obtained at a negligible computational cost, and provide useful information to characterize and control the corona discharge in different technological applications. (paper)

Relativistic algorithm for time transfer in Mars missions under IAU Resolutions: an analytic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Jun-Yang; Xie Yi

2015-01-01

With tremendous advances in modern techniques, Einstein's general relativity has become an inevitable part of deep space missions. We investigate the relativistic algorithm for time transfer between the proper time τ of the onboard clock and the Geocentric Coordinate Time, which extends some previous works by including the effects of propagation of electromagnetic signals. In order to evaluate the implicit algebraic equations and integrals in the model, we take an analytic approach to work out their approximate values. This analytic model might be used in an onboard computer because of its limited capability to perform calculations. Taking an orbiter like Yinghuo-1 as an example, we find that the contributions of the Sun, the ground station and the spacecraft dominate the outcomes of the relativistic corrections to the model. (research papers)

AGILE: A gamma-ray mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavani, M.; Caraveo, P.; Mereghetti, S.; Perotti, F.; Vercellone, S.; Barbiellini, G.; Budini, G.; Longo, F.; Prest, M.; Vallazza, E.; Cocco, V.; Morselli, A.; Picozza, P.; Pittori, C.; Costa, E.; Feroci, M.; Lapshov, I.; Morelli, E.; Rubini, A.; Soffitta, P.

2000-01-01

AGILE is an innovative, cost-effective gamma-ray mission selected by the Italian Space Agency for a Program of Small Scientific Missions. The AGILE gamma-ray imaging detector (GRID, made of a Silicon tracker and CsI Mini-Calorimeter) is designed to detect and image photons in the 30 MeV-50 GeV energy band with good sensitivity and very large field of view (FOV ∼3 sr). The X-ray detector, Super-AGILE, sensitive in the 10-40 keV band and integrated on top of the GRID gamma-ray tracker will provide imaging (1-3 arcmin) and moderate spectroscopy. For selected sky areas, AGILE might achieve a flux sensitivity (above 100 MeV) better than 5x10 -8 ph cm 2 s -1 at the completion of its scientific program. AGILE will operate as an Observatory open to the international community and is planned to be operational during the year 2002 for a nominal 2-year mission. It will be an ideal 'bridge' between EGRET and GLAST, and the only mission entirely dedicated to high-energy astrophysics above 30 MeV during that period

Novel modulator topology for corona plasma generation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ariaans, T.H.P.; Pemen, A.J.M.; Winands, G.J.J.; Liu, Z.; Heesch, van E.J.M.

2009-01-01

Gas cleaning using plasma technology is slowly introduced into industry nowadays. Several challenges still have to be overcome: increasing the scale, safety, life time and reducing costs. In 2006 we demonstrated a 20 kW nanosecond pulsed corona system. The electrical efficiency was > 90%. O-radical

CEO Sites Mission Management System (SMMS)

Science.gov (United States)

Trenchard, Mike

2014-01-01

uses the SMMS for three general functions - database queries of content and status, individual site creation and updates, and mission planning. The CEO administrator of the science site database is able to create or modify the content of sites and activate or deactivate them based on the requirements of the sponsors. The administrator supports and implements ISS mission planning by assembling, reporting, and activating mission-specific site selections for management; deactivating sites as requirements are met; and creating new sites, such as International Charter sites for disasters, as circumstances warrant. In addition to the above CEO internal uses, when site planning for a specific ISS mission is complete and approved, the SMMS can produce and export those essential site database elements for the mission into XML format for use by onboard Earth-location systems, such as Worldmap. The design, development, and implementation of the SMMS resulted in a superior database management system for CEO science sites by focusing on the functions and applications of the database alone instead of integrating the database with the multipurpose configuration of the AMPS. Unlike the AMPS, it can function and be modified within the existing Windows 7 environment. The functions and applications of the SMMS were expanded to accommodate more database elements, report products, and a streamlined interface for data entry and review. A particularly elegant enhancement in data entry was the integration of the Google Earth application for the visual display and definition of site coordinates for site areas defined by multiple coordinates. Transfer between the SMMS and Google Earth is accomplished with a Keyhole Markup Language (KML) expression of geographic data (see figures 3 and 4). Site coordinates may be entered into the SMMS panel directly for display in Google Earth, or the coordinates may be defined on the Google Earth display as a mouse-controlled polygonal definition and

The ACES mission: scientific objectives and present status

Science.gov (United States)

Cacciapuoti, L.; Dimarcq, N.; Salomon, C.

2017-11-01

"Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space" (ACES) is a mission in fundamental physics that will operate a new generation of atomic clocks in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS). The ACES clock signal will combine the medium term frequency stability of a space hydrogen maser (SHM) and the long term stability and accuracy of a frequency standard based on cold cesium atoms (PHARAO). Fractional frequency stability and accuracy of few parts in 1016 will be achieved. The on-board time base distributed on Earth via a microwave link (MWL) will be used to test fundamental laws of physics (Einstein's theories of Special and General Relativity, Standard Model Extension, string theories…) and to develop applications in time and frequency metrology, universal time scales, global positioning and navigation, geodesy and gravimetry. After a general overview on the mission concept and its scientific objectives, the present status of ACES instruments and sub-systems will be discussed.

Schedule Optimization of Imaging Missions for Multiple Satellites and Ground Stations Using Genetic Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Junghyun; Kim, Heewon; Chung, Hyun; Kim, Haedong; Choi, Sujin; Jung, Okchul; Chung, Daewon; Ko, Kwanghee

2018-04-01

In this paper, we propose a method that uses a genetic algorithm for the dynamic schedule optimization of imaging missions for multiple satellites and ground systems. In particular, the visibility conflicts of communication and mission operation using satellite resources (electric power and onboard memory) are integrated in sequence. Resource consumption and restoration are considered in the optimization process. Image acquisition is an essential part of satellite missions and is performed via a series of subtasks such as command uplink, image capturing, image storing, and image downlink. An objective function for optimization is designed to maximize the usability by considering the following components: user-assigned priority, resource consumption, and image-acquisition time. For the simulation, a series of hypothetical imaging missions are allocated to a multi-satellite control system comprising five satellites and three ground stations having S- and X-band antennas. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed method, simulations are performed via three operation modes: general, commercial, and tactical.

Kinetic Physics of the Solar Corona and Solar Wind

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marsch Eckart

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Kinetic plasma physics of the solar corona and solar wind are reviewed with emphasis on the theoretical understanding of the in situ measurements of solar wind particles and waves, as well as on the remote-sensing observations of the solar corona made by means of ultraviolet spectroscopy and imaging. In order to explain coronal and interplanetary heating, the microphysics of the dissipation of various forms of mechanical, electric and magnetic energy at small scales (e.g., contained in plasma waves, turbulences or non-uniform flows must be addressed. We therefore scrutinise the basic assumptions underlying the classical transport theory and the related collisional heating rates, and also describe alternatives associated with wave-particle interactions. We elucidate the kinetic aspects of heating the solar corona and interplanetary plasma through Landau- and cyclotron-resonant damping of plasma waves, and analyse in detail wave absorption and micro instabilities. Important aspects (virtues and limitations of fluid models, either single- and multi-species or magnetohydrodynamic and multi-moment models, for coronal heating and solar wind acceleration are critically discussed. Also, kinetic model results which were recently obtained by numerically solving the Vlasov–Boltzmann equation in a coronal funnel and hole are presented. Promising areas and perspectives for future research are outlined finally.

The Mechanism for Energy Buildup in the Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, Spiro; Knizhnik, Kalman; DeVore, Richard

2017-10-01

Magnetic reconnection and helicity conservation are two of the most important basic processes determining the structure and dynamics of laboratory and space plasmas. The most energetic dynamics in the solar system are the giant CMEs/flares that produce the most dangerous space weather at Earth, yet may also have been essential for the origin of life. The origin of these explosions is that the lowest-lying magnetic flux in the Sun's corona undergoes the continual buildup of stress and free energy that can be released only through explosive ejection. We perform MHD simulations of a coronal volume driven by quasi-random boundary flows designed to model the processes by which the solar interior drives the corona. Our simulations are uniquely accurate in preserving magnetic helicity. We show that even though small-scale stress is injected randomly throughout the corona, the net result of magnetic reconnection is a coherent stressing of the lowest-lying field lines. This highly counter-intuitive result - magnetic stress builds up locally rather than spreading out to a minimum energy state - is the fundamental mechanism responsible for the Sun's magnetic explosions. It is likely to be a mechanism that is ubiquitous throughout laboratory and space plasmas. This work was supported by the NASA LWS and SR Programs.

Enabling the First Interstellar Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Lubin, P.

2017-12-01

All propulsion systems that leave the Earth are based on chemical reactions. Chemical reactions, at best, have an efficiency compared to rest mass of 10-10 (or about 1eV per bond). All the mass in the universe converted to chemical reactions would not propel even a single proton to relativistic speeds. While chemistry will get us to Mars it will not allow interstellar capability in any reasonable mission time. Barring new physics we are left with few realistic solutions. None of our current propulsion systems, including nuclear, are capable of the relativistic speeds needed for exploring the many nearby stellar systems and exo-planets. However recent advances in photonics and directed energy systems now allow us to realize what was only a decade ago, simply science fiction, namely the ability to seriously conceive of and plan for relativistic flight. From fully-functional gram-level wafer-scale spacecraft capable of speeds greater than c/4 that could reach the nearest star in 20 years to spacecraft for large missions capable of supporting human life with masses more than 105 kg (100 tons) for rapid interplanetary transit that could reach speeds of greater than 1000 km/s can be realized. With this technology spacecraft can be propelled to speeds currently unimaginable. Photonics, like electronics, and unlike chemical propulsion is an exponential technology with a current double time of about 20 months. This is the key. The cost of such a system is amortized over the essentially unlimited number of launches. In addition, the same photon driver can be used for many other purposes including beamed energy to power high Isp ion engines, remote asteroid composition analysis and planetary defense. This would be a profound change in human capability with enormous implications. Known as Starlight we are now in a NASA Phase II study. The FY 2017 congressional appropriations request directs NASA to study the feasibility of an interstellar mission to coincide with the 100th

Identifying Onboarding Heuristics for Free-to-Play Mobile Games: A Mixed Methods Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Line Ebdrup; Weigert Petersen, Falko; Mirza-Babaei, Pejman

2016-01-01

The onboarding phase of Free-to-Play mobile games, covering the first few minutes of play, typically sees a substantial retention rate amongst players. It is therefore crucial to the success of these games that the onboarding phase promotes engagement to the widest degree possible. In this paper ...... of puzzle games, base builders and arcade games, and utilize different onboarding phase design approaches. Results showcase how heuristics can be used to design engaging onboarding phases in mobile games....

Performance evaluation of lunar penetrating radar onboard the rover of CE-3 probe based on results from ground experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hong-Bo; Zheng Lei; Su Yan; Feng Jian-Qing; Xing Shu-Guo; Dai Shun; Li Jun-Duo; Xiao Yuan; Li Chun-Lai; Fang Guang-You; Zhou Bin; Ji Yi-Cai; Gao Yun-Ze

2014-01-01

Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) onboard the rover that is part of the Chang'e-3 (CE-3) mission was firstly utilized to obtain in situ measurements about geological structure on the lunar surface and the thickness of the lunar regolith, which are key elements for studying the evolutional history of lunar crust. Because penetration depth and resolution of LPR are related to the scientific objectives of this mission, a series of ground-based experiments using LPR was carried out, and results of the experimental data were obtained in a glacial area located in the northwest region of China. The results show that the penetration depth of the first channel antenna used for LPR is over 79 m with a resolution of 2.8 m, and that for the second channel antenna is over 50.8 m with a resolution of 17.1 cm

Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) space to ground mission data architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Jack L.; Ames, J.A.; Williams, J.; Patschke, R.; Mott, C.; Joseph, J.; Garon, H.; Mah, G.

2012-01-01

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is a scientific endeavor to extend the longest continuous multi-spectral imaging record of Earth's land surface. The observatory consists of a spacecraft bus integrated with two imaging instruments; the Operational Land Imager (OLI), built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado, and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), an in-house instrument built at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Both instruments are integrated aboard a fine-pointing, fully redundant, spacecraft bus built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, Gilbert, Arizona. The mission is scheduled for launch in January 2013. This paper will describe the innovative end-to-end approach for efficiently managing high volumes of simultaneous realtime and playback of image and ancillary data from the instruments to the reception at the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Landsat Ground Network (LGN) and International Cooperator (IC) ground stations. The core enabling capability lies within the spacecraft Command and Data Handling (C&DH) system and Radio Frequency (RF) communications system implementation. Each of these systems uniquely contribute to the efficient processing of high speed image data (up to 265Mbps) from each instrument, and provide virtually error free data delivery to the ground. Onboard methods include a combination of lossless data compression, Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) data formatting, a file-based/managed Solid State Recorder (SSR), and Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) forward error correction. The 440 Mbps wideband X-Band downlink uses Class 1 CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP), and an earth coverage antenna to deliver an average of 400 scenes per day to a combination of LGN and IC ground stations. This paper will also describe the integrated capabilities and processes at the LGN ground stations for data reception using adaptive filtering, and the mission operations approach fro- the LDCM

Water purification by corona-above-water treatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pemen, A.J.M.; Heesch, van E.J.M.; Hoeben, W.F.L.M.

2012-01-01

Advanced oxidation technologies (AOT), such as non-thermal plasmas, are considered to be very promising for the purpose of water treatment. The goal of this study is to test the feasibility of "Corona-above-water" technology for the treatment of drinking water. Experiments have been performed on the

Nanoflare heating model for collisionless solar corona

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Magnetic reconnection plays a significant role in heating the solar corona. When two oppositely directed magnetic fields come closer to form a current sheet, the current density of the plasma increases due to which magnetic reconnection and conversion of magnetic energy into thermal energy takes place. The present ...

Internet Technology for Future Space Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Hennessy, Joseph F. (Technical Monitor); Rash, James; Casasanta, Ralph; Hogie, Keith

2002-01-01

Ongoing work at National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC), seeks to apply standard Internet applications and protocols to meet the technology challenge of future satellite missions. Internet protocols and technologies are under study as a future means to provide seamless dynamic communication among heterogeneous instruments, spacecraft, ground stations, constellations of spacecraft, and science investigators. The primary objective is to design and demonstrate in the laboratory the automated end-to-end transport of files in a simulated dynamic space environment using off-the-shelf, low-cost, commodity-level standard applications and protocols. The demonstrated functions and capabilities will become increasingly significant in the years to come as both earth and space science missions fly more sensors and the present labor-intensive, mission-specific techniques for processing and routing data become prohibitively. This paper describes how an IP-based communication architecture can support all existing operations concepts and how it will enable some new and complex communication and science concepts. The authors identify specific end-to-end data flows from the instruments to the control centers and scientists, and then describe how each data flow can be supported using standard Internet protocols and applications. The scenarios include normal data downlink and command uplink as well as recovery scenarios for both onboard and ground failures. The scenarios are based on an Earth orbiting spacecraft with downlink data rates from 300 Kbps to 4 Mbps. Included examples are based on designs currently being investigated for potential use by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission.

Performance evaluation of oxygen adsorbents using negative corona discharge–ion mobility spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azadkish, Kamal; Jafari, Mohammad T., E-mail: jafari@cc.iut.ac.ir; Ghaziaskar, Hassan S.

2017-02-08

Trace amounts of oxygen was determined using negative corona discharge as an ionization source for ion mobility spectrometry. A point-in-cylinder geometry with novel design was used to establish the corona discharge without interferences of negative ions such as NO{sub X}{sup −}. The desirable background spectrum shows only electrons peak, providing the instrument capable of trace analysis of oxygen in gaseous samples. The limit of detection and linear dynamic range with high coefficient of determination (r{sup 2} = 0.9997), were obtained for oxygen as 8.5 and 28–14204 ppm, respectively. The relative standard deviations of the method for intraday and interday were obtained 4 and 11%, respectively. The satisfactory results revealed the ability of the negative corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry for investigating the performance of synthesized oxygen adsorbents in nitrogen streams. Two oxygen scavengers of MnO and Cu powder were prepared and the optimum temperature of the reactor containing MnO and Cu powder were obtained as 180 and 230 °C, respectively. Due to higher lifetime of copper powder, it was selected as the oxygen scavenger and some parameters such as: the type of adsorbent support, the size of adsorbent particles, and the amount of copper were studied for preparation of more efficient oxygen adsorbent. - Highlights: • Analysis of oxygen using negative corona discharge-ion mobility spectrometry was investigated for the first time. • Novel designed point-in-cylinder geometry was used to establish the corona discharge without interferences of negative ions. • The method was utilized to evaluate the performance of some synthesized oxygen scavengers.

Accessing Information on the Mars Exploration Rovers Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, J. D.; Schreiner, J. A.

2005-12-01

In January 2004, the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission successfully deployed two robotic geologists - Spirit and Opportunity - to opposite sides of the red planet. Onboard each rover is an array of cameras and scientific instruments that send data back to Earth, where ground-based systems process and store the information. During the height of the mission, a team of about 250 scientists and engineers worked around the clock to analyze the collected data, determine a strategy and activities for the next day and then carefully compose the command sequences that would instruct the rovers in how to perform their tasks. The scientists and engineers had to work closely together to balance the science objectives with the engineering constraints so that the mission achieved its goals safely and quickly. To accomplish this coordinated effort, they adhered to a tightly orchestrated schedule of meetings and processes. To keep on time, it was critical that all team members were aware of what was happening, knew how much time they had to complete their tasks, and could easily access the information they need to do their jobs. Computer scientists and software engineers at NASA Ames Research Center worked closely with the mission managers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to create applications that support the mission. One such application, the Collaborative Information Portal (CIP), helps mission personnel perform their daily tasks, whether they work inside mission control or the science areas at JPL, or in their homes, schools, or offices. With a three-tiered, service-oriented architecture (SOA) - client, middleware, and data repository - built using Java and commercial software, CIP provides secure access to mission schedules and to data and images transmitted from the Mars rovers. This services-based approach proved highly effective for building distributed, flexible applications, and is forming the basis for the design of future mission software systems. Almost two

Characterization and selection of CZT detector modules for HEX experiment onboard Chandrayaan-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vadawale, S.V.; Purohit, S.; Shanmugam, M.; Acharya, Y.B.; Goswami, J.N.; Sudhakar, M.; Sreekumar, P.

2009-01-01

We present the results of characterization of a large sample of Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector modules planned to be used for the HEX (High Energy X-ray spectrometer) experiment onboard India's first mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1. We procured forty modules from Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd. and carried out a detailed characterization of each module at various temperatures and selected final nine detector modules for the flight model of HEX. Here we present the results of the characterization of all modules and the selection procedure for the HEX flight detector modules. These modules show 5-6% energy resolution (at 122 keV, for best 90% of pixels) at room temperature which is improved to ∼4% when these modules are cooled to sub-0 deg. C temperature. The gain and energy resolution were stable during the long duration tests.

Core/corona modeling of diode-imploded annular loads

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, R. E.; Guillory, J. U.

1980-11-01

The effects of a tenuous exterior plasma corona with anomalous resistivity on the compression and heating of a hollow, collisional aluminum z-pinch plasma are predicted by a one-dimensional code. As the interior ("core") plasma is imploded by its axial current, the energy exchange between core and corona determines the current partition. Under the conditions of rapid core heating and compression, the increase in coronal current provides a trade-off between radial acceleration and compression, which reduces the implosion forces and softens the pitch. Combined with a heuristic account of energy and momentum transport in the strongly coupled core plasma and an approximate radiative loss calculation including Al line, recombination and Bremsstrahlung emission, the current model can provide a reasonably accurate description of imploding annular plasma loads that remain azimuthally symmetric. The implications for optimization of generator load coupling are examined.

NASA's Planetary Science Missions and Participations

Science.gov (United States)

Daou, Doris; Green, James L.

2017-04-01

NASA's Planetary Science Division (PSD) and space agencies around the world are collaborating on an extensive array of missions exploring our solar system. Planetary science missions are conducted by some of the most sophisticated robots ever built. International collaboration is an essential part of what we do. NASA has always encouraged international participation on our missions both strategic (ie: Mars 2020) and competitive (ie: Discovery and New Frontiers) and other Space Agencies have reciprocated and invited NASA investigators to participate in their missions. NASA PSD has partnerships with virtually every major space agency. For example, NASA has had a long and very fruitful collaboration with ESA. ESA has been involved in the Cassini mission and, currently, NASA funded scientists are involved in the Rosetta mission (3 full instruments, part of another), BepiColombo mission (1 instrument in the Italian Space Agency's instrument suite), and the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer mission (1 instrument and parts of two others). In concert with ESA's Mars missions NASA has an instrument on the Mars Express mission, the orbit-ground communications package on the Trace Gas Orbiter (launched in March 2016) and part of the DLR/Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instruments going onboard the ExoMars Rover (to be launched in 2018). NASA's Planetary Science Division has continuously provided its U.S. planetary science community with opportunities to include international participation on NASA missions too. For example, NASA's Discovery and New Frontiers Programs provide U.S. scientists the opportunity to assemble international teams and design exciting, focused planetary science investigations that would deepen the knowledge of our Solar System. The PSD put out an international call for instruments on the Mars 2020 mission. This procurement led to the selection of Spain and Norway scientist leading two instruments and French scientists providing a significant portion of another

Magnetorelaxometry in the Presence of a DC Bias Field of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles Bearing a Viscoelastic Corona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Rusakov

2018-05-01

Full Text Available With allowance for orientational Brownian motion, the magnetorelaxometry (MRX signal, i.e., the decay of magnetization generated by an ensemble of ferromagnet nanoparticles, each of which bears a macromolecular corona (a loose layer of polymer gel is studied. The rheology of corona is modelled by the Jeffreys scheme. The latter, although comprising only three phenomenological parameters, enables one to describe a wide spectrum of viscoelastic media: from linearly viscous liquids to weakly-fluent gels. The “transverse” configuration of MRX is considered where the system is subjected to a DC (constant bias field, whereas the probing field is applied perpendicularly to the bias one. The analysis shows that the rate of magnetization decay strongly depends on the state of corona and slows down with enhancement of the corona elasticity. In addition, for the case of “transverse” MRX, we consider the integral time, i.e., the characteristic that is applicable to relaxation processes with an arbitrary number of decay modes. Expressions for the dependence of the integral time on the corona elasticity parameter and temperature are derived.

The European project Hippo high-power photonics for satellite laser communications and on-board optical processing

Science.gov (United States)

Kehayas, E.; Stampoulidis, L.; Henderson, P.; Robertson, Andrew; Van Dijk, F.; Achouche, M.; Le Kernec, A.; Sotom, M.; Schuberts, F.; Brabant, T.

2017-11-01

Photonics is progressively transforming from a highly- focused technology applicable to digital communication networks into a pervasive "enabling" technology with diverse non-telecom applications. However, the centre of mass on the R&D level is still mostly driven by, and invested in, by stakeholders active in the telecoms domain. This is due to the high level of investments necessary that in turn require a large and established market for reaching break-even and generation of revenues. Photonics technology and more specifically, fibre-optic technology is moving into non-telecom business areas with great success in terms of markets captured and penetration rates. One example that cannot be overlooked is the application of fibre-optics to industrial applications, where double-digit growth rates are recorded with fibre lasers and amplifiers constantly gaining momentum. In this example, several years of R&D efforts in creating high-power amplification solutions and fibre-laser sources by the telecom sector, were piggy-backed into industrial applications and laser cutting/welding equipment that is now a strong R&D sector on its own and commercially now displacing some conventional free space laser cutting/welding.

Corona discharge induced snow formation in a cloud chamber.

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Jingjing; Wang, Tie-Jun; Li, Ruxin; Du, Shengzhe; Sun, Haiyi; Liu, Yonghong; Tian, Ye; Bai, Yafeng; Liu, Yaoxiang; Chen, Na; Wang, Jingwei; Wang, Cheng; Liu, Jiansheng; Chin, S L; Xu, Zhizhan

2017-09-18

Artificial rainmaking is in strong demand especially in arid regions. Traditional methods of seeding various Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) into the clouds are costly and not environment friendly. Possible solutions based on ionization were proposed more than 100 years ago but there is still a lack of convincing verification or evidence. In this report, we demonstrated for the first time the condensation and precipitation (or snowfall) induced by a corona discharge inside a cloud chamber. Ionic wind was found to have played a more significant role than ions as extra CCN. In comparison with another newly emerging femtosecond laser filamentation ionization method, the snow precipitation induced by the corona discharge has about 4 orders of magnitude higher wall-plug efficiency under similar conditions.

A Covert Disruptive Technology: Test and Development of the Corona Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Peebles, Curtis

2008-01-01

The launching by the Soviet Union of the Sputnik satellite in 19457 was an impetuous to the United States. The Intercontinental ballistic Missile (ICBM) that launched the Earth's first satellite, could have been armed with a nuclear warhead, that could destroy an American city. The primary intelligence requirement that the US had was to determine the actual size of the Soviet missile program. To this end, a covert, high-risk photoreconnaissance satellite was developed. The code name of this program was "Corona." This article describes the trials and eventual successes of the Corona program.

Physical Characteristics of AR 11024 Plasma Based on SPHINX and XRT Data

Science.gov (United States)

Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Siarkowski, M.; Engell, A. J.; Kuzin, S. V.

We have studied the evolution of basic physical properties of plasma within the coronal part of the isolated, new cycle region (AR 11024) during its crossing over the solar disc in July 2009. Our analysis is based on the high temporal and spectral resolution measurements performed by the Polish X-ray spectrometer SphinX onboard the CORONAS-Photon satellite. Hinode XRT images provide information on spatial extension of the emission within this active region. It is found that the average temperature of the plasma within the analysed region is the highest (˜6 MK) when the region is young and gradually declines to ˜2 MK when the emission measure is the highest. An average density during this first part of the evolution is estimated to be ˜2 x 10^9 cm^{-3}.

The hard x-ray imager onboard IXO

Science.gov (United States)

Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Limousin, Olivier; Kokubun, Motohide; Watanabe, Shin; Laurent, Philippe; Arnaud, Monique; Tajima, Hiroyasu

2010-07-01

The Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) is one of the instruments onboard International X-ray Observatory (IXO), to be launched into orbit in 2020s. It covers the energy band of 10-40 keV, providing imaging-spectroscopy with a field of view of 8 x 8 arcmin2. The HXI is attached beneath the Wide Field Imager (WFI) covering 0.1-15 keV. Combined with the super-mirror coating on the mirror assembly, this configuration provides observation of X-ray source in wide energy band (0.1-40.0 keV) simultaneously, which is especially important for varying sources. The HXI sensor part consists of the semiconductor imaging spectrometer, using Si in the medium energy detector and CdTe in the high energy detector as its material, and an active shield covering its back to reduce background in orbit. The HXI technology is based on those of the Japanese-lead new generation X-ray observatory ASTRO-H, and partly from those developed for Simbol-X. Therefore, the technological development is in good progress. In the IXO mission, HXI will provide a major assets to identify the nature of the object by penetrating into thick absorbing materials and determined the inherent spectral shape in the energy band well above the structure around Fe-K lines and edges.

A Demonstration to Assess Effectiveness, Suitability, and Survivability With the Missions and Means Framework

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

SoS) affected accomplishment of mission tasks. † We also developed a number of purpose-built pre- and postprocessors (in C, C++, AWK, and Java ...sensor range and an angular coverage. The result was a circular wedge (piece of pie)-shaped region of coverage (except in the case where the angular ...this vignette) 200. 200. 2.0 81 // # of sensors onboard used for surveillance 3 // name of sensor lras // angular coverage in degrees, max range

Electrical and optical analysis of fast transient discharges in a pulsed corona pilot unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blom, P.P.M.; Smulders, H.W.M.; Heesch, van E.J.M.; Laan, van der P.C.T.

1997-01-01

We give a detailed analysis of intense pulsed corona dis charges. CCD movies and current, voltage and energy in put measurements are the basis of the description. The discharges are generated in a 1.5 kW pilot unit, which cre ates pulsed corona discharges energized by 100 kV pulses of 200 us width,

SuperAGILE onboard electronics and ground test instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacciani, Luigi; Morelli, Ennio; Rubini, Alda; Mastropietro, Marcello; Porrovecchio, Geiland; Costa, Enrico; Del Monte, Ettore; Donnarumma, Immacolata; Evangelista, Yuri; Feroci, Marco; Lazzarotto, Francesco; Rapisarda, Massimo; Soffitta, Paolo

2007-01-01

In this paper we describe the electronics of the SuperAGILE X-ray imager on-board AGILE satellite and the instrumentation developed to test and improve the Front-End and digital electronics of the flight model of the imager. Although the working principle of the instrument is very well established, and the conceptual scheme simple, the budget and mechanical constraints of the AGILE small mission made necessary the introduction of new elements in SuperAGILE, regarding both the mechanics and the electronics. In fact the instrument is contained in a ∼44x44x16cm 3 volume, but the required performance is quite ambitious, leading us to equip a sensitive area of ∼1350cm 2 with 6144 Silicon μstrips detectors with a pitch of 121μm and a total length of ∼18.2cm. The result is a very light and power-cheap imager with a good sensitivity (∼15mCrab in 1 day in 15-45keV), high angular resolution (6arcmin) and gross spectral resolution. The test-equipment is versatile, and can be easily modified to test FEE based on self-triggered, data-driven and sparse-readout ASICs such as XA family chips

La Corona: un acercamiento a las políticas del reino Kaan desde un centro secundario del noroeste del Petén La Corona: an approach to politics in the kingdom of Kaan from a secondary center in Norwest Petén

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcello A. Canuto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El Proyecto Regional Arqueológico La Corona estudia la región del noroeste de Petén, Guatemala, donde se localiza la antigua ciudad maya de La Corona, que recientemente fue identificada como el Sitio Q. La investigación ha incluido las excavaciones de arquitectura monumental, asentamientos, la elaboración de mapas, el uso de sensores remotos y la realización de estudios paleoclimatológicos y ecológicos. Desde el punto de vista de los modelos de la organización política, las investigaciones en La Corona presentan una oportunidad para estudiar la naturaleza y las relaciones políticas de los sitios secundarios. Los datos epigráficos relatan una afiliación directa entre La Corona y la dinastía gobernante en Calakmul, por lo que el primer centro seguramente fungió como punto clave para las estrategias de expansión de Calakmul por las Tierras Bajas Mayas durante los siglos VI y VII d.C. Aquí se presentan algunos resultados obtenidos en las investigaciones llevadas al cabo entre 2005 y 2009.The La Corona Regional Archaeological Project is studying the northwestern Peten region (Guatemala, where the ancient Maya city of La Corona is located. This site has been recently identified as the unknown Site Q. The research at La Corona has included excavations of monumental and settlement architecture, mapping, use of remote sensing and ecological and paleo-climate studies. Viewed from the political organization models, investigations at La Corona present an opportunity to study the nature and political relations of secondary sites. Epigraphic data show a direct affiliation between La Corona and the ruling dynasty of Calakmul, suggesting that La Corona could have been a key center for the expansionistic strategies of Calakmul during the sixth and seventh centuries A.D. In this paper we present some of the results obtained in the investigations carried out between 2005 and 2009.

Pulsed power corona discharges for air pollution control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smulders, H.W.M.; Heesch, van E.J.M.; Paasen, van S.V.B.

1998-01-01

Successful introduction of pulsed corona for industrial purposes very much depends on the reliability of high-voltage and pulsed power technology and on the efficiency of energy transfer. In addition, it is of the utmost importance that adequate electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is achieved

Tomographic Validation of the AWSoM Model of the Inner Corona During Solar Minima

Science.gov (United States)

Manchester, W.; Vásquez, A. M.; Lloveras, D. G.; Mac Cormack, C.; Nuevo, F.; Lopez-Fuentes, M.; Frazin, R. A.; van der Holst, B.; Landi, E.; Gombosi, T. I.

2017-12-01

Continuous improvement of MHD three-dimensional (3D) models of the global solar corona, such as the Alfven Wave Solar Model (AWSoM) of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF), requires testing their ability to reproduce observational constraints at a global scale. To that end, solar rotational tomography based on EUV image time-series can be used to reconstruct the 3D distribution of the electron density and temperature in the inner solar corona (r used to validate steady-state 3D MHD simulations of the inner corona using the latest version of the AWSoM model. We perform the study for selected rotations representative of solar minimum conditions, when the global structure of the corona is more axisymmetric. We analyse in particular the ability of the MHD simulation to match the tomographic results across the boundary region between the equatorial streamer belt and the surrounding coronal holes. The region is of particular interest as the plasma flow from that zone is thought to be related to the origin of the slow component of the solar wind.

The Intracellular Destiny of the Protein Corona: A Study on its Cellular Internalization and Evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertoli, Filippo; Garry, David; Monopoli, Marco P; Salvati, Anna; Dawson, Kenneth A

2016-11-22

It has been well established that the early stages of nanoparticle-cell interactions are governed, at least in part, by the layer of proteins and other biomolecules adsorbed and slowly exchanged with the surrounding biological media (biomolecular corona). Subsequent to membrane interactions, nanoparticles are typically internalized into the cell and trafficked along defined pathways such as, in many cases, the endolysosomal pathway. Indeed, if the original corona is partially retained on the nanoparticle surface, the biomolecules in this layer may play an important role in determining subsequent cellular processing. In this work, using a combination of organelle separation and fluorescence labeling of the initial extracellular corona, we clarify its intracellular evolution as nanoparticles travel within the cell. We show that specific proteins present in the original protein corona are retained on the nanoparticles until they accumulate in lysosomes, and, once there, they are degraded. We also report on how different bare surfaces (amino and carboxyl modified) affect the details of this evolution. One overarching discovery is that the same serum proteins can exhibit different intracellular processing when carried inside cells by nanoparticles, as components of their corona, compared to what is observed when they are transported freely from the extracellular medium.

Tuning complement activation and pathway through controlled molecular architecture of dextran chains in nanoparticle corona.

Science.gov (United States)

Coty, Jean-Baptiste; Eleamen Oliveira, Elquio; Vauthier, Christine

2017-11-05

The understanding of complement activation by nanomaterials is a key to a rational design of safe and efficient nanomedicines. This work proposed a systematic study investigating how molecular design of nanoparticle coronas made of dextran impacts on mechanisms that trigger complement activation. The nanoparticles used for this work consisted of dextran-coated poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) (PIBCA) nanoparticles have already been thoroughly characterized. Their different capacity to trigger complement activation established on the cleavage of the protein C3 was also already described making these nanoparticles good models to investigate the relation between the molecular feature of their corona and the mechanism by which they triggered complement activation. Results of this new study show that complement activation pathways can be selected by distinct architectures formed by dextran chains composing the nanoparticle corona. Assumptions that explain the relation between complement activation mechanisms triggered by the nanoparticles and the nanoparticle corona molecular feature were proposed. These results are of interest to better understand how the design of dextran-coated nanomaterials will impact interactions with the complement system. It can open perspectives with regard to the selection of a preferential complement activation pathway or prevent the nanoparticles to activate the complement system, based on a rational choice of the corona configuration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of pulsed corona discharges and ozonation on decolourization of methylene blue in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, Muhammad Arif; Ubaid-ur-Rehman; Ghaffar, Abdul; Ahmed, Kurshid

2002-01-01

The effect of O 2 and O 3 bubbling on decolourization of methylene blue by pulsed corona discharges in water was studied. The pulsed corona discharges were produced by charging an 80 pF capacitor with a 40 kV DC source, through a 100 MΩ resistor, and discharging it into a needle-plate type reactor at 60 Hz through a rotating spark gap switch. A 20 ml sample of 13.25 mg l -1 methylene blue in distilled water was decolourized in 120 min. Bubbling O 2 at 10 ml min -1 through the discharge region reduced the decolourization time to 25 min. Bubbling O 2 containing 1500 μmol O 3 l -1 at 10 ml min -1 reduced the decolourization time to 8 min. The O 3 was produced by fractionating input energy between a water treatment reactor and a O 3 generator, i.e. no additional energy was consumed for O 3 production. Under the same experimental conditions methylene blue solution in tap water was decolourized in >210 min by corona discharge in solution, in 30 min by corona discharge with O 2 bubbling, and in 11 min by corona discharge with bubbling of O 2 containing 1500 μmol O 3 l -1

Improving BDS Autonomous Orbit Determination Performance Using Onboard Accelerometers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

QIAO Jing

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Autonomous orbit determination is a crucial step for GNSS development to improve GNSS vulnerability, integrity, reliability and robustness. The newly launched BeiDou (BD satellites are capable of conducting satellite to satellite tracking (SST, which can be used for autonomous orbit determination. However, using SST data only, the BD satellite system (BDS will have whole constellation rotation in the absence of absolute constraints from ground or other celestial body over time, due to various force perturbations. The perturbations can be categorized into conservative forces and non-conservative forces. The conservative forces, such as the Earth non-spherical perturbations, tidal perturbation, the solar, lunar and other third-body perturbations, can be precisely modeled with latest force models. The non-conservative forces (i.e. Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP, on the other hand, are difficult to be modeled precisely, which are the main factors affecting satellite orbit determination accuracy. In recent years, accelerometers onboard satellites have been used to directly measure the non-conservative forces for gravity recovery and atmosphere study, such as GRACE, CHAMP, and GOCE missions. This study investigates the feasibility to use accelerometers onboard BD satellites to improve BD autonomous orbit determination accuracy and service span. Using simulated BD orbit and SST data, together with the error models of existing space-borne accelerometers, the orbit determination accuracy for BD constellation is evaluated using either SST data only or SST data with accelerometers. An empirical SRP model is used to extract non-conservative forces. The simulation results show that the orbit determination accuracy using SST with accelerometers is significantly better than that with SST data only. Assuming 0.33 m random noises and decimeter level signal transponder system biases in SST data, IGSO and MEO satellites decimeter level orbit accuracy can be

Editorial: Serving the Optics and Photonics Community for 40 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xi-Cheng

2017-06-01

Editor-in-Chief Xi-Cheng Zhang celebrates Optics Letters' 40th anniversary by discussing the Journal's success and clarifying an editorial policy that balances the Journal's high standards with the fulfillment of its mission to support the greater optics and photonics community.

Spicular downflows in late-type giant coronae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallenhorst, S.G.

1980-01-01

Models of the coronae of late-type stars are considered, under the assumption that the dominant coronal energy loss is not conduction, as is usually assumed, but rather the losses due to hot spicular material falling back onto the chromosphere. This assumption is used to estimated the increase in stellar mass-loss rate which should occur when stars evolve across the so-called Supersonic Transition Locus (STL). For a constant downward number flux, this increase is estimate to be about one order of magnitude. Energy-balance models are then considered for spicule-dominated coronae, under the additional assumption that the energy input flux to the corona is constant over a star's post-main sequence evolution; this assumption is found to be consistent with observed red giant mass-loss rates. A sequence of models is constructed which enables the various coronal parameters to be estimated for different masses and radii. The models yield results similar to those of the minimum flux coronal theory of A.G. Hearn; these similarities, along with the validity of the minimum flux technique, are discussed. It is shown that several criticisms of the minimum flux method, due to Antiochos and Underwood (1978) and Van Tend (1979), are valid for minimum flux models in which spicular downflow is neglected, but are satisfied by the models considered below. Solutions which precisely satisfy the constant-flux assumption are not found to exist for solar mass stars. Under the assumption that the minimum flux theory is correct, and using a downflow number flux derived from the energy-balance model, the jump in mass-loss rate at the STL is reevaluated. In this more rigorous case, the jump is found to be only about a factor of three. It is concluded that large increases in mass-loss rate are not to be expected as stars evolve across this transition locus

Modeling and characterization of field-enhanced corona discharge in ozone-generator diode

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Jagadish G.; Vijayan, T.

2010-02-01

Electric field enhanced corona plasma discharge in ozone generator diode of axial symmetry has been investigated and characterized in theory. The cathode K of diode is made of a large number of sharpened nozzles arranged on various radial planes on the axial mast and pervaded in oxygen gas inside the anode cup A, produces high fields over MV/m and aids in the formation of a corona plume of dense ozone cloud over the cathode surface. An r-z finite difference scheme has been devised and employed to numerically determine the potential and electric field distributions inside the diode. The analyses of cathode emissions revealed a field emission domain conformed to modified Child-Langmuir diode-current. Passage of higher currents (over μA) in shorter A-K gaps d gave rise to cathode heated plasma extending from the corona to Saha regimes depending on local temperature. Plasma densities of order 102-106 m-3 are predicted in these. For larger d however, currents are smaller and heating negligible and a negative corona favoring ozone formation is attained. High ozone yields about 20 per cent of oxygen input is predicted in this domain. The generator so developed will be applied to various important applications such as, purification of ambient air /drinking water, ozone therapy, and so on.

Modeling and characterization of field-enhanced corona discharge in ozone-generator diode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patil, Jagadish G; Vijayan, T, E-mail: jagdishlove@gmail.co [Mahatma Education Society' s ' Pillai' s Institute of Information Technology, Engineering, Media Studies and Research' Dr. K M Vasudevan Pillai' s Campus, Sector 16, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai - 410 206 (India)

2010-02-01

Electric field enhanced corona plasma discharge in ozone generator diode of axial symmetry has been investigated and characterized in theory. The cathode K of diode is made of a large number of sharpened nozzles arranged on various radial planes on the axial mast and pervaded in oxygen gas inside the anode cup A, produces high fields over MV/m and aids in the formation of a corona plume of dense ozone cloud over the cathode surface. An r-z finite difference scheme has been devised and employed to numerically determine the potential and electric field distributions inside the diode. The analyses of cathode emissions revealed a field emission domain conformed to modified Child-Langmuir diode-current. Passage of higher currents (over {mu}A) in shorter A-K gaps d gave rise to cathode heated plasma extending from the corona to Saha regimes depending on local temperature. Plasma densities of order 10{sup 2}-10{sup 6} m{sup -3} are predicted in these. For larger d however, currents are smaller and heating negligible and a negative corona favoring ozone formation is attained. High ozone yields about 20 per cent of oxygen input is predicted in this domain. The generator so developed will be applied to various important applications such as, purification of ambient air /drinking water, ozone therapy, and so on.

Modeling and characterization of field-enhanced corona discharge in ozone-generator diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, Jagadish G; Vijayan, T

2010-01-01

Electric field enhanced corona plasma discharge in ozone generator diode of axial symmetry has been investigated and characterized in theory. The cathode K of diode is made of a large number of sharpened nozzles arranged on various radial planes on the axial mast and pervaded in oxygen gas inside the anode cup A, produces high fields over MV/m and aids in the formation of a corona plume of dense ozone cloud over the cathode surface. An r-z finite difference scheme has been devised and employed to numerically determine the potential and electric field distributions inside the diode. The analyses of cathode emissions revealed a field emission domain conformed to modified Child-Langmuir diode-current. Passage of higher currents (over μA) in shorter A-K gaps d gave rise to cathode heated plasma extending from the corona to Saha regimes depending on local temperature. Plasma densities of order 10 2 -10 6 m -3 are predicted in these. For larger d however, currents are smaller and heating negligible and a negative corona favoring ozone formation is attained. High ozone yields about 20 per cent of oxygen input is predicted in this domain. The generator so developed will be applied to various important applications such as, purification of ambient air /drinking water, ozone therapy, and so on.

Combined corona discharge and UV photoionization source for ion mobility spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahrami, Hamed; Tabrizchi, Mahmoud

2012-08-15

An ion mobility spectrometer is described which is equipped with two non-radioactive ion sources, namely an atmospheric pressure photoionization and a corona discharge ionization source. The two sources cannot only run individually but are additionally capable of operating simultaneously. For photoionization, a UV lamp was mounted parallel to the axis of the ion mobility cell. The corona discharge electrode was mounted perpendicular to the UV radiation. The total ion current from the photoionization source was verified as a function of lamp current, sample flow rate, and drift field. Simultaneous operation of the two ionization sources was investigated by recording ion mobility spectra of selected samples. The design allows one to observe peaks from either the corona discharge or photoionization individually or simultaneously. This makes it possible to accurately compare peaks in the ion mobility spectra from each individual source. Finally, the instrument's capability for discriminating two peaks appearing in approximately identical drift times using each individual ionization source is demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alkali ion migration between stacked glass plates by corona discharge treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawaguchi, Keiga [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, N20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020 (Japan); Suzuki, Toshio [Research Center, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., 1150 Hazawa-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 221-8755 (Japan); Ikeda, Hiroshi [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Sakai, Daisuke [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology, 165 Koen-cho, Kitami, Hokkaido 090-8507 (Japan); Funatsu, Shiro; Uraji, Keiichiro [Production Technology Center, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., 1-1 Suehiro-cyo, Tsurumiku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045 (Japan); Yamamoto, Kiyoshi [Research Center, Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., 1150 Hazawa-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 221-8755 (Japan); Harada, Kenji [Department of Computer Science, Kitami Institute of Technology, 165 Koen-cho, Kitami, Hokkaido 090-8507 (Japan); Nishii, Junji, E-mail: nishii@es.hokudai.ac.jp [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, N20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020 (Japan)

2015-05-30

Highlights: • Two stacked glass plates with a 1 mm gap were treated by corona discharge. • Spatial migration of alkali ion over the gap was demonstrated. • Hydrogen gas was necessary for uniform migration. • Surface modification was done with this process without high temperature or vacuum. - Abstract: Corona discharge reflects the spatial migration of alkali ions over a gap between two glass plates. This study examined stacked glass plates containing different alkali ions treated with the corona discharge plasma generated by applied voltage of 4.5 kV at 200 °C. Protons generated at the anode electrode penetrate into the potassium-ion-containing upper glass plate, which is located 5 mm below the anode electrode. Potassium ions intruded into the lower glass plate containing sodium ions placed on the cathode electrode, even over a 1 mm gap separating the plates. Finally, the sodium ion discharged on the cathode electrode. The hydrogen atmosphere was effective at inhibiting the potassium ion reaction with ambient gases during the spatial migration between the two glass plates.

CORONA ACADEMY, Opportunities for Enhancement of Training Capabilities in VVER Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilieva, M.; Dieguez Porras, P.; Klepakova, A.

2016-01-01

Full text: The general objective of the project CORONA II is to enhance the safety of nuclear installations through further improvement of the training capabilities for providing the necessary personnel competencies in VVER area. More specific objective of the project is to continue the development of a state-of-the-art regional training network for VVER competence called CORONA Academia. The project aims at continuation of the European cooperation and support in this area for preservation and further development of expertise in the nuclear field by improvement of higher education and training. The consortium is focusing its effort on using the most advanced ways of providing training to the trainees, saving cost and time–distance learning and e-learning approaches which will be tested in CORONA II Project. The knowledge management portal will integrate the information on VVER web into a single communication system and develop and implement a semantic web structure to achieve mutual recognition of authentication information with other databases. That will enable the partners to share the materials available in each specific training center. (author

Formulation of consumables management models: Mission planning processor payload interface definition

Science.gov (United States)

Torian, J. G.

1977-01-01

Consumables models required for the mission planning and scheduling function are formulated. The relation of the models to prelaunch, onboard, ground support, and postmission functions for the space transportation systems is established. Analytical models consisting of an orbiter planning processor with consumables data base is developed. A method of recognizing potential constraint violations in both the planning and flight operations functions, and a flight data file storage/retrieval of information over an extended period which interfaces with a flight operations processor for monitoring of the actual flights is presented.

Digital tomosynthesis with an on-board kilovoltage imaging device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godfrey, Devon J.; Yin, F.-F.; Oldham, Mark; Yoo, Sua; Willett, Christopher

2006-01-01

Purpose: To generate on-board digital tomosynthesis (DTS) and reference DTS images for three-dimensional image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) as an alternative to conventional portal imaging or on-board cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods and Materials: Three clinical cases (prostate, head-and-neck, and liver) were selected to illustrate the capabilities of on-board DTS for IGRT. Corresponding reference DTS images were reconstructed from digitally reconstructed radiographs computed from planning CT image sets. The effect of scan angle on DTS slice thickness was examined by computing the mutual information between coincident CBCT and DTS images, as the DTS scan angle was varied from 0 o to 165 o . A breath-hold DTS acquisition strategy was implemented to remove respiratory motion artifacts. Results: Digital tomosynthesis slices appeared similar to coincident CBCT planes and yielded substantially more anatomic information than either kilovoltage or megavoltage radiographs. Breath-hold DTS acquisition improved soft-tissue visibility by suppressing respiratory motion. Conclusions: Improved bony and soft-tissue visibility in DTS images is likely to improve target localization compared with radiographic verification techniques and might allow for daily localization of a soft-tissue target. Breath-hold DTS is a potential alternative to on-board CBCT for sites prone to respiratory motion

Tests of shielding effectiveness of Kevlar and Nextel onboard the International Space Station and the Foton-M3 capsule.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugliese, M; Bengin, V; Casolino, M; Roca, V; Zanini, A; Durante, M

2010-08-01

Radiation assessment and protection in space is the first step in planning future missions to the Moon and Mars, where mission and number of space travelers will increase and the protection of the geomagnetic shielding against the cosmic radiation will be absent. In this framework, the shielding effectiveness of two flexible materials, Kevlar and Nextel, were tested, which are largely used in the construction of spacecrafts. Accelerator-based tests clearly demonstrated that Kevlar is an excellent shield for heavy ions, close to polyethylene, whereas Nextel shows poor shielding characteristics. Measurements on flight performed onboard of the International Space Station and of the Foton-M3 capsule have been carried out with special attention to the neutron component; shielded and unshielded detectors (thermoluminescence dosemeters, bubble detectors) were exposed to a real radiation environment to test the shielding properties of the materials under study. The results indicate no significant effects of shielding, suggesting that thin shields in low-Earth Orbit have little effect on absorbed dose.

Greener corona discharge for enhanced wind generation with a simple dip-coated carbon nanotube decoration

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yishan; Li, Jun; Ye, Jianchun; Chen, Xiaohong; Li, Huili; Huang, Sumei; Zhao, Ran; Ou-Yang, Wei

2017-10-01

Corona discharge-induced wind (CDIW) has been widely utilized in production lines in the food and semiconductor industries and in indoor devices such as electrostatic precipitators. Some ozone is inevitably emitted, posing serious health risks to respiratory system and lung function of a human being. In this work, a greener corona discharge with enhanced wind generation for a needle-to-cylinder discharge structure is demonstrated using a simple dip-coating method to attach carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the discharge electrode of a stainless steel needle. Compared with a conventional discharge electrode without CNT decoration, the velocity of the CDIW is greatly enhanced, the onset voltage is lowered, the energy conversion efficiency is greatly improved and the concentration of generated ozone is much reduced, making this easy method of CNT decoration a promising candidate for greener corona discharge systems. In addition, several impact factors for improved performance are discussed mathematically and phenomenologically, providing an insight into the corona discharge and wind generation.

Greener corona discharge for enhanced wind generation with a simple dip-coated carbon nanotube decoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yishan; Ye, Jianchun; Chen, Xiaohong; Li, Huili; Huang, Sumei; Zhao, Ran; Ou-Yang, Wei; Li, Jun

2017-01-01

Corona discharge-induced wind (CDIW) has been widely utilized in production lines in the food and semiconductor industries and in indoor devices such as electrostatic precipitators. Some ozone is inevitably emitted, posing serious health risks to respiratory system and lung function of a human being. In this work, a greener corona discharge with enhanced wind generation for a needle-to-cylinder discharge structure is demonstrated using a simple dip-coating method to attach carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the discharge electrode of a stainless steel needle. Compared with a conventional discharge electrode without CNT decoration, the velocity of the CDIW is greatly enhanced, the onset voltage is lowered, the energy conversion efficiency is greatly improved and the concentration of generated ozone is much reduced, making this easy method of CNT decoration a promising candidate for greener corona discharge systems. In addition, several impact factors for improved performance are discussed mathematically and phenomenologically, providing an insight into the corona discharge and wind generation. (paper)

Fast imaging of intermittent electrospraying of water with positive corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pongrác, B; Janda, M; Martišovitš, V; Machala, Z; Kim, H H

2014-01-01

The effect of the electrospraying of water in combination with a positive direct current (dc) streamer corona discharge generated in air was investigated in this paper. We employed high-speed camera visualizations and oscilloscopic discharge current measurements in combination with an intensified charge-coupled device camera for fast time-resolved imaging. The repetitive process of Taylor cone formation and droplet formation from the mass fragments of water during the electrospray was visualized. Depending on the applied voltage, the following intermittent modes of electrospraying typical for water were observed: dripping mode, spindle mode, and oscillating-spindle mode. The observed electrospraying modes were repetitive with a frequency of a few hundreds of Hz, as measured from the fast image sequences. This frequency agreed well with the frequency of the measured streamer current pulses. The presence of filamentary streamer discharges at relatively low voltages probably prevented the establishment of a continuous electrospray in the cone–jet mode. After each streamer, a positive glow corona discharge was established on the water filament tip, and it propagated from the stressed electrode along with the water filament elongation. The results show a reciprocal character of intermittent electrospraying of water, and the presence of corona discharge, where both the electrospray and the discharge affect each other. The generation of a corona discharge from the water cone depended on the repetitive process of the cone formation. Also, the propagation and curvature of the water filament were influenced by the discharge and its resultant space charge. Furthermore, these phenomena were partially influenced by the water conductivity. (paper)

Intermittent heating of the solar corona by MHD turbulence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

É. Buchlin

2007-10-01

Full Text Available As the dissipation mechanisms considered for the heating of the solar corona would be sufficiently efficient only in the presence of small scales, turbulence is thought to be a key player in the coronal heating processes: it allows indeed to transfer energy from the large scales to these small scales. While Direct numerical simulations which have been performed to investigate the properties of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the corona have provided interesting results, they are limited to small Reynolds numbers. We present here a model of coronal loop turbulence involving shell-models and Alfvén waves propagation, allowing the much faster computation of spectra and turbulence statistics at higher Reynolds numbers. We also present first results of the forward-modelling of spectroscopic observables in the UV.

Two-zone model of coronal hole structure in the high corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Z.; Kundu, M.R.; Yoshimura, H.

1988-01-01

The two-zone coronal hole structure model presently proposed for the high corona at 1.5-1.7 solar radii emerges from a comparison of computation results for the potential magnetic fields of the corona and meter-decameter radio observations. The two zones of a coronal hole are defined by the configuration of magnetic field lines around a coronal hole: (1) the central hole of an open diverging magnetic field line system; and (2) the boundary zone between the central zone of the open field line system and the closed field line system or systems surrounding the open field line system. 19 references

Physical conditions in the corona for a bipolar magnetic region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vorpahl, J.A.

1978-01-01

The S-056 X-ray data from Skylab has been used to determine quantitative values for the coronal conditions characterizing a new bipolar magnetic region (BMR). In particular, the author includes (a) the time variation of the total soft X-ray flux from the BMR as a function of time; (b) the temporal and spatial variation of the temperature and emission measure; (c) the variation with time of thermal energy density; (d) the (calculated) magnetic field configuration and magnetic flux density in the corona; and (e) the temporal variation of the magnetic field energy in the corona. Detailed comparisons are made between the configuration of X-ray features and the magnetic field topology. (Auth.)

The JEM-EUSO mission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bisconti, Francesca [Institut fuer Kernphysik (IKP), Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT) (Germany); Collaboration: JEM-EUSO-Collaboration

2016-07-01

The JEM-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory onboard the Japanese Experiment Module) Collaboration aims to investigate ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), with a detector sensitive to the UV fluorescence emission of extensive air showers in the Earth's atmosphere, looking down from the International Space Station. This will result in a large field of view and about tenfold better statistics for UHECRs than with ground-based observatories. The basic component of the detector's focal surface (about 2 m diameter) is the photo detector module (PDM, about 16 cm side), composed of 36 Multi-Anode Photomultiplier Tubes from Hamamatsu, with 64 pixels each. In front of the focal surface, Fresnel lenses focus photons on it. Some telescope prototypes with one PDM focal surface are already active or under development, in order to validate the design and the potentiality of such a space based telescope. Moreover, silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs) are under consideration for the realization of a PDM. Motivation, detection principle and features of the space-based telescope, as well as those of its prototypes will be described.

CLASP: A UV Spectropolarimeter on a Sounding Rocket for Probing theChromosphere-Corona Transition Regio

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Ryohko; Kano, Ryouhei; Winebarger, Amy; Auchere, Frederic; Trujillo Bueno, Javier; Bando, Takamasa; Narukage, Noriyuki; Kobayashi, Ken; Katsukawa, Yukio; Kubo, Masahito; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; Giono, Gabriel; Tsuneta, Saku; Hara, Hirohisa; Suematsu, Yoshinori; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Sakao, Taro; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi; Cirtain, Jonathan; De Pontieu, Bart; Casini, Roberto; Manso Sainz, Rafael; Asensio Ramos, Andres; Stepan, Jiri; Belluzzi, Luca

2015-08-01

The wish to understand the energetic phenomena of the outer solar atmosphere makes it increasingly important to achieve quantitative information on the magnetic field in the chromosphere-corona transition region. To this end, we need to measure and model the linear polarization produced by scattering processes and the Hanle effect in strong UV resonance lines, such as the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line. A team consisting of Japan, USA, Spain, France, and Norway has been developing a sounding rocket experiment called the Chromospheric Lyman-alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP). The aim is to detect the scattering polarization produced by anisotropic radiation pumping in the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line (121.6 nm), and via the Hanle effect to try to constrain the magnetic field vector in the upper chromosphere and transition region. In this talk, we will present an overview of our CLASP mission, its scientific objectives, ground tests made, and the latest information on the launch planned for the Summer of 2015.

The DOSIS -Experiment onboard the Columbus Laboratory of the International Space Station -Overview and first mission results

Science.gov (United States)

Reitz, Guenther; Berger, Thomas; Kürner, Christine; Burmeister, Sünke; Hajek, Michael; Bilski, Pawel; Horwacik, Tomasz; Vanhavere, Filip; Spurny, Frantisek; Jadrnickova, Iva; Pálfalvi, József K.; O'Sullivan, Denis; Yasuda, Nakahiro; Uchihori, Yukio; Kitamura, Hisashi; Kodaira, Satoshi; Yukihara, Eduardo; Benton, Eric; Zapp, Neal; Gaza, Ramona; Zhou, Dazhuang; Semones, Edward; Roed, Yvonne; Boehme, Matthias; Haumann, Lutz

Besides the effects of the microgravity environment, and the psychological and psychosocial problems encountered in confined spaces, radiation is the main health detriment for long dura-tion human space missions. The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature from that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones encountered on earth for occupational radiation workers. Accurate knowledge of the physical characteristics of the space radiation field in dependence on the solar activity, the orbital parameters and the different shielding configurations of the International Space Station ISS is therefore needed. The DOSIS (Dose Distribution inside the ISS) experiment, under the project and science lead of DLR, aims for the spatial and tempo-ral measurement of the radiation field parameters inside the European Columbus laboratory onboard the International Space Station. This goal is achieved by applying a combination of passive (Thermo-and Optical luminescence detectors and Nuclear track etch detectors) and active (silicon telescope) radiation detectors. The passive radiation detectors -so called pas-sive detector packages (PDP) are mounted at eleven positions within the Columbus laboratory -aiming for a spatial dose distribution measurement of the absorbed dose, the linear energy transfer spectra and the dose equivalent with an average exposure time of six months. Two active silicon telescopes -so called Dosimetry Telescopes (DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2) together with a Data and Power Unit (DDPU) are mounted within the DOSIS Main Box at a fixed loca-tion beneath the European Physiology Module (EPM) rack. The DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2 detectors are positioned at a 90 angle to each other for a precise measurement of the temporal and spatial variation of the radiation field, especially during crossing of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). The DOSIS hardware was launched with the

THE JEM-EUSO MISSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Bertaina

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The JEM-EUSO mission explores the origin of the extreme energy cosmic rays (EECRs above 50EeV and explores the limits of the fundamental physics, through the observations of their arrival directions and energies. It is designed to open a new particle astronomy channel. This superwide-field (60 degrees telescope with a diameter of about 2.5m looks down from space onto the night sky to detect near UV photons (330 ÷ 400nm, both fluorescent and Cherenkov photons emitted from the giant air showers produced by EECRs. The arrival direction map with more than five hundred events will tell us the origin of the EECRs and allow us to identify the nearest EECR sources with known astronomical objects. It will allow them to be examined in other astronomical channels. This is likely to lead to an  nderstanding of the acceleration mechanisms perhaps producing discoveries in astrophysics and/or fundamental physics. The comparison of the energy spectra among the spatially resolved individual sources will help to clarify the acceleration/emission mechanism, and also finally confirm the Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuz’min process for the validation of Lorentz invariance up to γ ~ 1011. Neutral components (neutrinos and gamma rays can also be detected as well, if their fluxes are high enough. The JEM-EUSO mission is planned to be launched by a H2B rocket about 2017 and transferred to ISS by H2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV. It will be attached to the Exposed Facility external experiment platform of “KIBO”.

Absolute photometry of the corona of July 10, 1972 total solar eclipse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khetsuriani, Ts.S.; Tetruashvili, Eh.I.

1985-01-01

The observations were carried out by the Abastumani astrophysical observatory expedition at July 10.1972 total solar eclipse from a site of the Chukotka Peninsula. The photometry of the corona images is performed by the equidensity method having expressed the intensities in absolute units. The F and K components of the corona are separated on the basis of photometric and polarisation data. The variations of the electron concentration with the distance from the centre of the Sun and tempeatures at various distances are calculated.

Photon-photon colliders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sessler, A.M.

1995-04-01

Since the seminal work by Ginsburg, et at., the subject of giving the Next Linear Collider photon-photon capability, as well as electron-positron capability, has drawn much attention. A 1990 article by V.I. Teinov describes the situation at that time. In March 1994, the first workshop on this subject was held. This report briefly reviews the physics that can be achieved through the photon-photon channel and then focuses on the means of achieving such a collider. Also reviewed is the spectrum of backscattered Compton photons -- the best way of obtaining photons. We emphasize the spectrum actually obtained in a collider with both polarized electrons and photons (peaked at high energy and very different from a Compton spectrum). Luminosity is estimated for the presently considered colliders, and interaction and conversion-point geometries are described. Also specified are laser requirements (such as wavelength, peak power, and average power) and the lasers that might be employed. These include conventional and free-electron lasers. Finally, we describe the R ampersand D necessary to make either of these approaches viable and explore the use of the SLC as a test bed for a photon-photon collider of very high energy

Oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen oxides by pulse corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amirov, R.H.; Desiaterik, Yu.N.; Filimonova, E.A.; Zhelezniak, M.B.; Chae, J.O.

1996-01-01

The NO x and SO 2 removal efficiency of the corona reactor has been measured both with and without ammonia addition to the gas stream. Experimental conditions are described. The dependence of NO and SO 2 removal efficiency from flow rate and initial pollutant concentrations were measured. One test with fixed amount of the inputted energy per the unit of SO 2 but with different initial concentration have been made. It is found that increasing of the initial concentration from 200 ppm to 700 ppm can enlarge the removal efficiency by factor 2.5. Some tests were carried out with both pollutant gases SO 2 and NO simultaneously. An efficiency on the SO 2 removal of 96% and on the NO removal 70% in pulse corona have been achieved with ammonia addition when SO 2 initial concentration was 480 ppm and the NO initial concentration was 230 ppm. A numerical model for NO and SO 2 oxidation in homogeneous gas flow has been developed. The flow contains cold (T = 300-400 K) background components N 2 , CO 2 , H 2 O, O 2 and impurities SO 2 , NO x , CO. A source of chemically active species is an electrical streamer discharge of corona type. (authors)

Assessment of environmental impact of HVDC power lines in terms of corona currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tikhodeev, N.N.

1997-01-01

Corona loss measurements were made on a HVDC power transmission line to evaluate current density. Ion currents were obtained from unipolar and bipolar 400 to 1000 kV DC test lines. A numerical solution was proposed for assessing the maximum current density of unipolar corona currents near the lines. A larger ground clearance of line conductors was proposed as being the most effective way of lowering the current density. 11 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

Synergistic effect of pulsed corona discharges and ozonation on decolourization of methylene blue in water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malik, Muhammad Arif [Applied Chemistry Division, PINSTECH, PO Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan); Ubaid-ur-Rehman [Applied Chemistry Division, PINSTECH, PO Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan); Ghaffar, Abdul; Ahmed, Kurshid [Electronics Division, PINSTECH, PO Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan)

2002-08-01

The effect of O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} bubbling on decolourization of methylene blue by pulsed corona discharges in water was studied. The pulsed corona discharges were produced by charging an 80 pF capacitor with a 40 kV DC source, through a 100 M{omega} resistor, and discharging it into a needle-plate type reactor at 60 Hz through a rotating spark gap switch. A 20 ml sample of 13.25 mg l{sup -1} methylene blue in distilled water was decolourized in 120 min. Bubbling O{sub 2} at 10 ml min{sup -1} through the discharge region reduced the decolourization time to 25 min. Bubbling O{sub 2} containing 1500 {mu}mol O{sub 3} l{sup -1} at 10 ml min{sup -1} reduced the decolourization time to 8 min. The O{sub 3} was produced by fractionating input energy between a water treatment reactor and a O{sub 3} generator, i.e. no additional energy was consumed for O{sub 3} production. Under the same experimental conditions methylene blue solution in tap water was decolourized in >210 min by corona discharge in solution, in 30 min by corona discharge with O{sub 2} bubbling, and in 11 min by corona discharge with bubbling of O{sub 2} containing 1500 {mu}mol O{sub 3} l{sup -1}.

Nanophotonics: The link between nanotechnology and photonics

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Sinha Ray, S

2012-10-01

Full Text Available and importance ? CSIR 2012 www.csir.co.za/nano Slide 2 ? Birth and definition of nanotechnology ? Benefits of nanotechnology ? The link between nanotechnology and photonics: Nanophotonics ? Importance and future of nanophotonics... ? Conclusions ? Our on-going research on nanophotonics ? CSIR 2006 www.csir.co.zaSlide 3 MISSION: The DST/CSIR NATIONAL CENTRE FOR NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS coordinates, facilitates, disseminates new knowledge, and expedites...

Design of the corona current measurement sensor with wide bandwidth under dc ultra-high-voltage environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yingyi; Yuan, Haiwen; Yang, Qinghua; Cui, Yong

2011-01-01

The research in the field of corona discharge, which is one of the key technologies, can help us to realize ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission. This paper proposes a new sampling resistance sensor to measure the dc UHV corona current in a wide band. By designing the structural and distributed parameters of the sensor, the UHV dielectric breakdown performance and the wide-band measuring characteristics of the sensor are satisfied. A high-voltage discharge test shows that the designed sensor can work under a 1200 kV dc environment without the occurrence of corona discharge. A frequency characteristic test shows that the measuring bandwidth of the sensor can be improved from the current 4.5 to 20 MHz. The test results in an actual dc UHV transmission line demonstrate that the sensor can accurately measure the corona current under the dc UHV environment

A novel technique to measure intensity fluctuations in EUV images and to detect coronal sound waves nearby active regions

Science.gov (United States)

Stenborg, G.; Marsch, E.; Vourlidas, A.; Howard, R.; Baldwin, K.

2011-02-01

Context. In the past years, evidence for the existence of outward-moving (Doppler blue-shifted) plasma and slow-mode magneto-acoustic propagating waves in various magnetic field structures (loops in particular) in the solar corona has been found in ultraviolet images and spectra. Yet their origin and possible connection to and importance for the mass and energy supply to the corona and solar wind is still unclear. There has been increasing interest in this problem thanks to the high-resolution observations available from the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imagers on the Solar TErrestrial RElationships Observatory (STEREO) and the EUV spectrometer on the Hinode mission. Aims: Flows and waves exist in the corona, and their signatures appear in EUV imaging observations but are extremely difficult to analyse quantitatively because of their weak intensity. Hence, such information is currently available mostly from spectroscopic observations that are restricted in their spatial and temporal coverage. To understand the nature and origin of these fluctuations, imaging observations are essential. Here, we present measurements of the speed of intensity fluctuations observed along apparently open field lines with the Extreme UltraViolet Imagers (EUVI) onboard the STEREO mission. One aim of our paper is to demonstrate that we can make reliable kinematic measurements from these EUV images, thereby complementing and extending the spectroscopic measurements and opening up the full corona for such an analysis. Another aim is to examine the assumptions that lead to flow versus wave interpretation for these fluctuations. Methods: We have developed a novel image-processing method by fusing well established techniques for the kinematic analysis of coronal mass ejections (CME) with standard wavelet analysis. The power of our method lies with its ability to recover weak intensity fluctuations along individual magnetic structures at any orientation , anywhere within the full solar disk , and

Structure of the solar transition region and inner corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariska, J.T.

1977-01-01

Emission gradient curves for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resonance lines of lithium-like ions were constructed from spectroheliograms of quiet limb regions and a north polar coronal hole observed with the Harvard experiment on Skylab. The observations are interpreted with simple coronal models. Comparison of the theoretical and observed emission gradients for quiet regions indicates that for these areas the temperature rises throughout the inner corona (1.03 less than or equal to r less than or equal to 1.20 R/sub mass/). In the coronal hole the temperature rises in a manner consistent with a constant conductive flux to an isothermal corona at a temperature of 1.1 x 10 6 K at 1.08/sub mass/. The geometry of the coronal hole boundary is also determined. The boundary geometry and density distribution are combined with typical solar wind parameters at the north to determine an outflow velocity of 15 km s -1 at 1.08 R/sub mass/. The energy balance implications of the models are examined. It was found that in the transition region both conduction and radiation are important in determining the energy balance in network regions in both quiet areas and coronal holes. Additional energy sources are required in the network in coronal holes. In the corona it is found that, to within the errors of the determination, the energy losses, and hence the requirements for mechanical heating, are the same in quiet regions and coronal holes

Multi-gigabit optical interconnects for next-generation on-board digital equipment

Science.gov (United States)

Venet, Norbert; Favaro, Henri; Sotom, Michel; Maignan, Michel; Berthon, Jacques

2017-11-01

Parallel optical interconnects are experimentally assessed as a technology that may offer the high-throughput data communication capabilities required to the next-generation on-board digital processing units. An optical backplane interconnect was breadboarded, on the basis of a digital transparent processor that provides flexible connectivity and variable bandwidth in telecom missions with multi-beam antenna coverage. The unit selected for the demonstration required that more than tens of Gbit/s be supported by the backplane. The demonstration made use of commercial parallel optical link modules at 850 nm wavelength, with 12 channels running at up to 2.5 Gbit/s. A flexible optical fibre circuit was developed so as to route board-to-board connections. It was plugged to the optical transmitter and receiver modules through 12-fibre MPO connectors. BER below 10-14 and optical link budgets in excess of 12 dB were measured, which would enable to integrate broadcasting. Integration of the optical backplane interconnect was successfully demonstrated by validating the overall digital processor functionality.

Reticulated Vitreous Carbon Electrodes for Gas Phase Pulsed Corona Reactors

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Locke, B

1998-01-01

A new design for gas phase pulsed corona reactors incorporating reticulated vitreous carbon electrodes is demonstrated to be effective for the removal of nitrogen oxides from synthetic air mixtures...

Reticulated Vitreous Carbon Electrodes for Gas Phase Pulsed Corona Reactors

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

LOCKE, B

1999-01-01

A new design for gas phase pulsed corona reactors incorporating reticulated vitreous carbon electrodes is demonstrated to be effective for the removal of nitrogen oxides from synthetic air mixtures...

Protein corona: a new approach for nanomedicine design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen VH

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Van Hong Nguyen, Beom-Jin Lee Department of Pharmacy, Bioavailability Control Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea Abstract: After administration of nanoparticle (NP into biological fluids, an NP–protein complex is formed, which represents the “true identity” of NP in our body. Hence, protein–NP interaction should be carefully investigated to predict and control the fate of NPs or drug-loaded NPs, including systemic circulation, biodistribution, and bioavailability. In this review, we mainly focus on the formation of protein corona and its potential applications in pharmaceutical sciences such as prediction modeling based on NP-adsorbed proteins, usage of active proteins for modifying NP to achieve toxicity reduction, circulation time enhancement, and targeting effect. Validated correlative models for NP biological responses mainly based on protein corona fingerprints of NPs are more highly accurate than the models solely set up from NP properties. Based on these models, effectiveness as well as the toxicity of NPs can be predicted without in vivo tests, while novel cell receptors could be identified from prominent proteins which play important key roles in the models. The ungoverned protein adsorption onto NPs may have generally negative effects such as rapid clearance from the bloodstream, hindrance of targeting capacity, and induction of toxicity. In contrast, controlling protein adsorption by modifying NPs with diverse functional proteins or tailoring appropriate NPs which favor selective endogenous peptides and proteins will bring promising therapeutic benefits in drug delivery and targeted cancer treatment. Keywords: protein-nanoparticle interaction, protein corona, exchange of adsorbed protein, toxicity reduction, predictive modeling, targeting drug delivery

Photometric intensity and polarization measurements of the solar corona.

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdougal, D. S.

1971-01-01

Use of a satellite photometric observatory (SPO) to measure the solar corona from Miahuatlan, Mexico during the Mar. 7, 1970, total eclipse of the sun. The SPO is equipped with a 24-in. Cassegrainian telescope, a four-channel photoelectric photometer, a Wollaston prism, and a rotating half-wave plate. Simultaneous measurements were made of the two orthogonal components of coronal light in the B and R bands of the UBVRI system. A 1-minute arc aperture was scanned from the lunar disk center out to five solar radii in a series of spirals of gradually increasing radius. For the first time, simultaneous multicolor intensity, degree, and angle of polarization profiles are computed from photoelectric measurements. Comparison of the variations of the measurements for each spiral scan yield a detailed picture of the intensity and polarization features in the K corona.

Fresh water generators onboard a floating platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tewari, P.K.; Verma, R.K.; Misra, B.M.; Sadhulkan, H.K.

1997-01-01

A dependable supply of fresh water is essential for any ocean going vessel. The operating and maintenance personnel on offshore platforms and marine structures also require a constant and regular supply of fresh water to meet their essential daily needs. A seawater thermal desalination unit onboard delivers good quality fresh water from seawater. The desalination units developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) suitable for ocean going vessels and offshore platforms have been discussed. Design considerations of such units with reference to floating platforms and corrosive environments have been presented. The feasibility of coupling a low temperature vacuum evaporation (LTVE) desalination plant suitable for an onboard floating platform to a PHWR nuclear power plant has also been discussed. (author). 1 ref., 3 figs, 2 tabs

STEREO OBSERVATIONS OF FAST MAGNETOSONIC WAVES IN THE EXTENDED SOLAR CORONA ASSOCIATED WITH EIT/EUV WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Ryun-Young; Ofman, Leon; Kramar, Maxim; Olmedo, Oscar; Davila, Joseph M.; Thompson, Barbara J.; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2013-01-01

We report white-light observations of a fast magnetosonic wave associated with a coronal mass ejection observed by STEREO/SECCHI/COR1 inner coronagraphs on 2011 August 4. The wave front is observed in the form of density compression passing through various coronal regions such as quiet/active corona, coronal holes, and streamers. Together with measured electron densities determined with STEREO COR1 and Extreme UltraViolet Imager (EUVI) data, we use our kinematic measurements of the wave front to calculate coronal magnetic fields and find that the measured speeds are consistent with characteristic fast magnetosonic speeds in the corona. In addition, the wave front turns out to be the upper coronal counterpart of the EIT wave observed by STEREO EUVI traveling against the solar coronal disk; moreover, stationary fronts of the EIT wave are found to be located at the footpoints of deflected streamers and boundaries of coronal holes, after the wave front in the upper solar corona passes through open magnetic field lines in the streamers. Our findings suggest that the observed EIT wave should be in fact a fast magnetosonic shock/wave traveling in the inhomogeneous solar corona, as part of the fast magnetosonic wave propagating in the extended solar corona.

Are coronae of late type stars made of solar-like structures? The Fx-HR diagram and the pressure-temperature correlation

OpenAIRE

Peres, G.; Orlando, S.; Reale, F.

2004-01-01

We show that stellar coronae can be composed of X-ray emitting structures like those in the solar corona, using a large set of ROSAT/PSPC observations of late-type-stars, and a large set of solar X-ray data collected with Yohkoh/SXT. We have considered data on the solar corona at various phases of the cycle and various kinds of X-ray coronal structures, from flares to the background corona. The surface flux (F_x) vs. spectral hardness ratio (HR) diagram is a fundamental tool for our study. We...

Photon technology. Hard photon technology; Photon technology. Hard photon gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

For the application of photon to industrial technologies, in particular, a hard photon technology was surveyed which uses photon beams of 0.1-200nm in wavelength. Its features such as selective atom reaction, dense inner shell excitation and spacial high resolution by quantum energy are expected to provide innovative techniques for various field such as fine machining, material synthesis and advanced inspection technology. This wavelength region has been hardly utilized for industrial fields because of poor development of suitable photon sources and optical devices. The developmental meaning, usable time and issue of a hard photon reduction lithography were surveyed as lithography in ultra-fine region below 0.1{mu}m. On hard photon analysis/evaluation technology, the industrial use of analysis, measurement and evaluation technologies by micro-beam was viewed, and optimum photon sources and optical systems were surveyed. Prediction of surface and surface layer modification by inner shell excitation, the future trend of this process and development of a vacuum ultraviolet light source were also surveyed. 383 refs., 153 figs., 17 tabs.

Fiber optical sensing on-board communication satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Hurni, A.; Lemke, N. M. K.; Roner, M.; Obermaier, J.; Putzer, P.; Kuhenuri Chami, N.

2017-11-01

Striving constantly to reduce mass, AIT effort and overall cost of the classical point-to-point wired temperature sensor harness on-board telecommunication satellites, OHB System (formerly Kayser-Threde) has introduced the Hybrid Sensor Bus (HSB) system. As a future spacecraft platform element, HSB relies on electrical remote sensor units as well as fiber-optical sensors, both of which can serially be connected in a bus architecture. HSB is a modular measurement system with many applications, also thanks to the opportunities posed by the digital I²C bus. The emphasis, however, is on the introduction of fiber optics and especially fiber-Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensors as disruptive innovation for the company's satellite platforms. The light weight FBG sensors are directly inscribed in mechanically robust and radiation tolerant fibers, reducing the need for optical fiber connectors and splices to a minimum. Wherever an FBG sensor shall be used, the fiber is glued together with a corresponding temperature transducer to the satellites structure or to a subsystem. The transducer is necessary to provide decoupling of mechanical stress, but simultaneously ensure a high thermal conductivity. HSB has been developed in the frame of an ESA-ARTES program with European and German co-funding and will be verified as flight demonstrator on-board the German Heinrich Hertz satellite (H2Sat). In this paper the Engineering Model development of HSB is presented and a Fiber-optical Sensor Multiplexer for a more flexible sensor bus architecture is introduced. The HSB system aims at telecommunication satellite platforms with an operational life time beyond 15 years in geostationary orbit. It claims a high compatibility in terms of performance and interfaces with existing platforms while it was designed with future applications with increased radiation exposure already in mind. In its basic configuration HSB consists of four modules which are the Power Supply Unit, the HSB

Hipparcos: mission accomplished

Science.gov (United States)

1993-08-01

During the last few months of its life, as the high radiation environment to which the satellite was exposed took its toll on the on-board system, Hipparcos was operated with only two of the three gyroscopes normally required for such a satellite, following an ambitious redesign of the on-board and on-ground systems. Plans were in hand to operate the satellite without gyroscopes at all, and the first such "gyro- less" data had been acquired, when communication failure with the on-board computers on 24 June 1993 put an end to the relentless flow of 24000 bits of data that have been sent down from the satellite each second, since launch. Further attempts to continue operations proved unsuccessful, and after a short series of sub-systems tests, operations were terminated four years and a week after launch. An enormous wealth of scientific data was gathered by Hipparcos. Even though data analysis by the scientific teams involved in the programme is not yet completed, it is clear that the mission has been an overwhelming success. "The ESA advisory bodies took a calculated risk in selecting this complex but fundamental programme" said Dr. Roger Bonnet, ESA's Director of Science, "and we are delighted to have been able to bring it to a highly successful conclusion, and to have contributed unique information that will take a prominent place in the history and development of astrophysics". Extremely accurate positions of more than one hundred thousand stars, precise distance measurements (in most cases for the first time), and accurate determinations of the stars' velocity through space have been derived. The resulting HIPPARCOS Star Catalogue, expected to be completed in 1996, will be of unprecedented accuracy, achieving results some 10-100 times more accurate than those routinely determined from ground-based astronomical observatories. A further star catalogue, the Thyco Star Catalogue of more than a million stars, is being compiled from additional data accumulated by the

NO removal characteristics of a corona radical shower system under DC and AC/DC superimposed operations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yan, K.; Yamamoto, T.; Kanazawa, S.; Ohkubo, T.; Nomoto, Y.; Chang, Jen-Shih

2001-01-01

In this paper, the effects of the applied voltage modes on the positive corona discharge morphology and NO removal characteristics from air streams are experimentally investigated. By using a DC superimposed high frequency AC power supply (10-60 kHz), a uniform streamer corona can be generated,

FLEX (Fluorescence Explorer mission: Observation fluorescence as a new remote sensing technique to study the global terrestrial vegetation state

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Moreno

2014-06-01

Full Text Available FLEX (Fluorescence EXplorer is a candidate for the 8th ESA’s Earth Explorer mission. Is the first space mission specifically designed for the estimation of vegetation fluorescence on a global scale. The mission is proposed to fly in tandem with the future ESA´s Sentinel-3 satellite. It is foreseen that the information obtained by Sentinel-3 will be supplemented with that provided by FLORIS (Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer onboard FLEX. FLORIS will measure the radiance between 500 and 800 nm with a bandwidth between 0.1 nm and 2 nm, providing images with a 150 km swath and 300 m pixel size. This information will allow a detailed monitoring of vegetation dynamics, by improving the methods for the estimation of classical biophysical parameters, and by introducing a new one: fluorescence. This paper presents the current status of FLEX mission in A/B1 phase and the different ongoing studies, campaigns and projects carried out in support of the FLEX mission.

Reconstructing Historical Land Cover Type and Complexity by Synergistic Use of Landsat Multispectral Scanner and CORONA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Reza Shahtahmassebi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Survey data describing land cover information such as type and diversity over several decades are scarce. Therefore, our capacity to reconstruct historical land cover using field data and archived remotely sensed data over large areas and long periods of time is somewhat limited. This study explores the relationship between CORONA texture—a surrogate for actual land cover type and complexity—with spectral vegetation indices and texture variables derived from Landsat MSS under the Spectral Variation Hypothesis (SVH such as to reconstruct historical continuous land cover type and complexity. Image texture of CORONA was calculated using a mean occurrence measure while image textures of Landsat MSS were calculated by occurrence and co-occurrence measures. The relationship between these variables was evaluated using correlation and regression techniques. The reconstruction procedure was undertaken through regression kriging. The results showed that, as expected, texture based on the visible bands and corresponding indices indicated larger correlation with CORONA texture, a surrogate of land cover (correlation >0.65. In terms of prediction, the combination of the first-order mean of band green, second-order measure of tasseled cap brightness, second-order mean of Normalized Visible Index (NVI and second-order entropy of NIR yielded the best model with respect to Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC, r-square, and variance inflation factors (VIF. The regression model was then used in regression kriging to map historical continuous land cover. The resultant maps indicated the type and degree of complexity in land cover. Moreover, the proposed methodology minimized the impacts of topographic shadow in the region. The performance of this approach was compared with two conventional classification methods: hard classifiers and continuous classifiers. In contrast to conventional techniques, the technique could clearly quantify land cover complexity and

Proton irradiation experiment for x-ray charge-coupled devices of the monitor of all-sky x-ray image mission onboard the international space station. 2. Degradation of dark current and identification of electron trap level

CERN Document Server

Miyata, E; Kamiyama, D

2003-01-01

We have investigated the radiation damage effects on a charge-coupled device (CCD) to be used for the Japanese X-ray mission, the monitor of all-sky X-ray image (MAXI), onboard the international space station (ISS). A temperature dependence of the dark current as a function of incremental dose is studied. We found that the protons having energy of >292 keV seriously increased the dark current of the devices. In order to improve the radiation tolerance of the devices, we have developed various device architectures to minimize the radiation damage in orbit. Among them, nitride oxide enables us to reduce the dark current significantly and therefore we adopted nitride oxide for the flight devices. We also compared the dark current of a device in operation and that out of operation during the proton irradiation. The dark current of the device in operation became twofold that out of operation, and we thus determined that devices would be turned off during the passage of the radiation belt. The temperature dependenc...

Applied Questions of Onboard Laser Radar Equipment Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. I. Starovoitov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available During development of the spacecraft laser radar systems (LRS it is a problem to make a choice of laser sources and photo-detectors both because of their using specifics in onboard equipment and because of the limited number of domestic and foreign manufacturers.Previous publications did not consider in detail the accuracy versus laser pulse repetition frequency, the impact of photo-detector sensitivity and dynamic range on the LRS characteristics, and the power signal-protected photo-detector against overload.The objective of this work is to analyze how the range, accuracy, and reliability of onboard LRS depend on different types of laser sources and photo-detectors, and on availability of electromechanical optical attenuator.The paper describes design solutions that are used to compensate for a decreased sensitivity of photo-detector and an impact of these changes on the LRS characteristics.It is shown that due to the high pulse repetition frequency a fiber laser is the preferred type of a laser source in onboard LRS, which can be used at ranges less than 500 m for two purposes: determining the orientation of the passive spacecraft with the accuracy of 0.3 and measuring the range rate during the rendezvous of spacecrafts with an accuracy of 0.003... 0.006 m/s.The work identifies the attenuation level of the optical attenuator versus measured range. In close proximity to a diffusely reflecting passive spacecraft and a corner reflector this attenuator protects photo-detector. It is found that the optical attenuator is advisable to apply when using the photo-detector based on an avalanche photodiode. There is no need in optical attenuator (if a geometric factor is available in the case of sounding corner reflector when a photo-detector based on pin-photodiode is used. Exclusion of electromechanical optical attenuator can increase the reliability function of LRS from Р (t = 0.9991 to Р (t = 0.9993.The results obtained in this work can be used

The effect of polycarboxylate shell of magnetite nanoparticles on protein corona formation in blood plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szekeres, Márta, E-mail: szekeres@chem.u-szeged.hu [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary); Tóth, Ildikó Y. [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary); Turcu, R. [National Institute R& D for Isotopic and Molecular Technology, Cluj-Napoca 400293 (Romania); Tombácz, Etelka [Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary, 1 Aradi vt, 6720 Szeged (Hungary)

2017-04-01

The development of protein corona around nanoparticles upon administration to the human body is responsible in a large part for their biodistribution, cell-internalization and toxicity or biocompatibility. We studied the influence of the chemical composition of polyelectrolyte shells (citric acid (CA) and poly(acrylic-co-maleic acid) (PAM)) of core-shell magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) on the evolution of protein corona in human plasma (HP). The aggregation state and zeta potential of the particles were measured in the range of HP concentration between 1 and 80 (v/v)% 3 min and 20 h after dispersing the particles in HP diluted with Tris buffered saline. Naked MNPs aggregated in HP solution, but the carboxylated MNPs became stabilized colloidally at higher plasma concentrations. Significant differences were observed at low plasma concentration. CA@MNPs aggregated instantly while the hydrodynamic diameter of PAM@MNP increased only slightly at 1–3 v/v % HP concentrations. The observed differences in protein corona formation can be explained by the differences in the steric effects of the polycarboxylate shells. It is interesting that relatively small but systematic changes in zeta potential alter the aggregation state significantly. - Highlights: • Human plasma protein corona cannot stabilize naked and citrate-coated magnetite nanoparticles. • Polycarboxylic acid (PAM) coated MNPs are well stabilized with HP protein corona. • Stability pattern of naked, CA and PAM-coated MNPs is not predicted by zeta potential.

Corona Onset Characteristics of Bundle Conductors in UHV AC Power Lines at 2200 m Altitude

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shilong Huang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The corona onset characteristic of bundle conductors is an important limiting factor for the design of UHV AC power lines in high-altitude areas. An experimental study on the corona characteristics of 8 × LGJ630, 6 × LGJ720, 8 × LGJ720 and 10 × LGJ720 bundle conductors commonly used in UHV power lines under dry and wet conductor conditions, as well as artificial moderate and heavy rain conditions, was conducted in Ping’an County, Xining City (elevation 2200 m. By using the tangent line method, the corona onset voltages and onset electric field of four types of conductors at high altitudes are obtained for the first time. In addition, the calculation model of corona onset voltage considering the outer strands’ effect on the electric field and the geometric factor in the corona cage in high altitude areas is established. The comparison of the calculation results and experimental results under dry conditions verifies the model’s correctness. Based on the results, an optimal selection scheme for high altitudes is proposed. The roughness coefficient was also calculated and analysed: the roughness coefficient of bundled conductors was between 0.59 and 0.77, and the roughness coefficient of the wet conductor was between the dry and rainy conditions. Both the experimental data and the calculation model can provide a reference for conductor selection for UHV AC power lines for use in high-altitude areas.

Removal of iodomethane from air using a plot-scale corona discharge scrubber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickson, L.W.; Toft-Hall, A.; Torgerson, D.F.

1985-12-01

This report presents the results of a study of the removal of iodomethane from air using a pilot-scale corona discharge scrubber. The removal was measured in the following parameter ranges: bulk air flow, 30 to 350 m 3 /h; initial CH 3 I concentration, 6 to 230 μmol/m 3 ; and discharge current, 0 to 75 mA DC (negative polarity). Approximately five to ten moles of iodomethane are removed per mole of electrons added to the air stream at a discharge voltage of ∼ 10 kV. This removal efficiency suggests that both ion-molecule and radical-molecule reactions may be important in the removal of iodomethane from air in a corona discharge. The results of this pilot-scale demonstration indicate that a corona discharge scrubber would be suitable for removing iodine species from air as part of the emergency filtered-air discharge system of a nuclear reactor. The application of this technology to the control of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide emissions is being investigated. 15 refs

Method for measuring the stochastic properties of corona and partial-discharge pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Brunt, R.J.; Kulkarni, S.V.

1989-01-01

A new method is described for measuring the stochastic behavior of corona and partial-discharge pulses which utilizes a pulse selection and sorting circuit in conjunction with a computer-controlled multichannel analyzer to directly measure various conditional and unconditional pulse-height and pulse-time-separation distributions. From these measured distributions it is possible to determine the degree of correlation between successive discharge pulses. Examples are given of results obtained from measurements on negative, point-to-plane (Trichel-type) corona pulses in a N 2 /O 2 gas mixture which clearly demonstrate that the phenomenon is inherently stochastic in the sense that development of a discharge pulse is significantly affected by the amplitude of and time separation from the preceding pulse. It is found, for example, that corona discharge pulse amplitude and time separation from an earlier pulse are not independent random variables. Discussions are given about the limitations of the method, sources of error, and data analysis procedures required to determine self-consistency of the various measured distributions

A morphological study of the changes in the ultrastructure of a bacterial biofilm disrupted by an ac corona discharge in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepanova, Olga; Astafiev, Alexander; Kudryavtsev, Anatoly; Rybalchenko, Oksana; Orlova, Olga; Kapustina, Valentina

2016-01-01

The morphology of bacterial cells and biofilms subjected to a low frequency (∼10"5 Hz) ac (∼10"−"1 A) corona discharge was investigated using electron microscopy. A low-frequency ac corona discharge in air is shown to have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect on Escherichia coli M17 culture at both the cellular and population levels. Corona exposure inhibits the formation of a microbial community and results in the destruction of formed biofilms. This paper presents data on changes in the ultrastructure of cells and biofilms after corona treatment. Our results suggest that the E. coli M17 cells inside biofilms are affected with results similar to sub-lethal and lethal thermal exposure. Some of the biological aspects of colony and biofilm cells death are evaluated. Morphological changes in the ultrastructure of the biofilms under corona treatment are described. Our results indicate that the heating effect is the main factor responsible for the corona-induced inactivation of bacteria.

A morphological study of the changes in the ultrastructure of a bacterial biofilm disrupted by an ac corona discharge in air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stepanova, Olga, E-mail: o.m.stepanova@spbu.ru; Astafiev, Alexander; Kudryavtsev, Anatoly [Physical Faculty, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Rybalchenko, Oksana; Orlova, Olga; Kapustina, Valentina [Faculty of Medicine, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2016-08-14

The morphology of bacterial cells and biofilms subjected to a low frequency (∼10{sup 5} Hz) ac (∼10{sup −1} A) corona discharge was investigated using electron microscopy. A low-frequency ac corona discharge in air is shown to have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect on Escherichia coli M17 culture at both the cellular and population levels. Corona exposure inhibits the formation of a microbial community and results in the destruction of formed biofilms. This paper presents data on changes in the ultrastructure of cells and biofilms after corona treatment. Our results suggest that the E. coli M17 cells inside biofilms are affected with results similar to sub-lethal and lethal thermal exposure. Some of the biological aspects of colony and biofilm cells death are evaluated. Morphological changes in the ultrastructure of the biofilms under corona treatment are described. Our results indicate that the heating effect is the main factor responsible for the corona-induced inactivation of bacteria.

ASPIICS: a giant, white light and emission line coronagraph for the ESA proba-3 formation flight mission

Science.gov (United States)

Lamy, P. L.; Vivès, S.; Curdt, W.; Damé, L.; Davila, J.; Defise, J.-M.; Fineschi, S.; Heinzel, P.; Howard, Russel; Kuzin, S.; Schmutz, W.; Tsinganos, K.; Zhukov, A.

2017-11-01

Classical externally-occulted coronagraphs are presently limited in their performances by the distance between the external occulter and the front objective. The diffraction fringe from the occulter and the vignetted pupil which degrades the spatial resolution prevent useful observations of the white light corona inside typically 2-2.5 solar radii (Rsun). Formation flying offers and elegant solution to these limitations and allows conceiving giant, externally-occulted coronagraphs using a two-component space system with the external occulter on one spacecraft and the optical instrument on the other spacecraft at a distance of hundred meters [1, 2]. Such an instrument ASPIICS (Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interférométrie de la Couronne Solaire) has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to fly on its PROBA-3 mission of formation flying demonstration which is presently in phase B (Fig. 1). The classical design of an externally-occulted coronagraph is adapted to the formation flying configuration allowing the detection of the very inner corona as close as 0.04 solar radii from the solar limb. By tuning the position of the occulter spacecraft, it may even be possible to reach the chromosphere and the upper part of the spicules [3]. ASPIICS will perform (i) high spatial resolution imaging of the continuum K+F corona in photometric and polarimetric modes, (ii) high spatial resolution imaging of the E-corona in two coronal emission lines (CEL): Fe XIV and He I D3, and (iii) two-dimensional spectrophotometry of the Fe XIV emission line. ASPIICS will address the question of the coronal heating and the role of waves by characterizing propagating fluctuations (waves and turbulence) in the solar wind acceleration region and by looking for oscillations in the intensity and Doppler shift of spectral lines. The combined imaging and spectral diagnostics capabilities available with ASPIICS will allow mapping the velocity field of the corona both in the

Defense Threat Reduction Agency > Careers > Onboarding > Onboarding

Science.gov (United States)

includes developing professional networks, identifying additional training and development opportunities , and celebrating accomplishments. Mission Personalization Networking Learning Career Development Basic and Applied Science Research Funding Opportunities Science of WMD Sensing and Recognition Network

Spacecube: A Family of Reconfigurable Hybrid On-Board Science Data Processors

Science.gov (United States)

Flatley, Thomas P.

2015-01-01

SpaceCube is a family of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based on-board science data processing systems developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The goal of the SpaceCube program is to provide 10x to 100x improvements in on-board computing power while lowering relative power consumption and cost. SpaceCube is based on the Xilinx Virtex family of FPGAs, which include processor, FPGA logic and digital signal processing (DSP) resources. These processing elements are leveraged to produce a hybrid science data processing platform that accelerates the execution of algorithms by distributing computational functions to the most suitable elements. This approach enables the implementation of complex on-board functions that were previously limited to ground based systems, such as on-board product generation, data reduction, calibration, classification, eventfeature detection, data mining and real-time autonomous operations. The system is fully reconfigurable in flight, including data parameters, software and FPGA logic, through either ground commanding or autonomously in response to detected eventsfeatures in the instrument data stream.

Adaptación de una corona metal cerámica como pilar de una prótesis parcial removible preexistente

OpenAIRE

Torres Herbozo, Melissa; Quintana del Solar, Martin; Castillo Andamayo, Diana

2016-01-01

El presente artículo muestra el reporte de un caso clínico donde se confeccionó una corona metal cerámica que fue adaptada a una prótesis parcial removible pre existente. Por lo general el tratamiento para estos casos es la confección de una nueva prótesis parcial removible adaptada a la nueva corona, lo cual implica mayor tiempo de trabajo y costo para el paciente. Diversos materiales y técnicas pueden ser utilizados para la realización de la corona como por ejemplo coronas de aleaciones met...

Micro-Inspector Spacecraft for Space Exploration Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Juergen; Alkalai, Leon; Lewis, Carol

2005-01-01

NASA is seeking to embark on a new set of human and robotic exploration missions back to the Moon, to Mars, and destinations beyond. Key strategic technical challenges will need to be addressed to realize this new vision for space exploration, including improvements in safety and reliability to improve robustness of space operations. Under sponsorship by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), together with its partners in government (NASA Johnson Space Center) and industry (Boeing, Vacco Industries, Ashwin-Ushas Inc.) is developing an ultra-low mass (missions. The micro-inspector will provide remote vehicle inspections to ensure safety and reliability, or to provide monitoring of in-space assembly. The micro-inspector spacecraft represents an inherently modular system addition that can improve safety and support multiple host vehicles in multiple applications. On human missions, it may help extend the reach of human explorers, decreasing human EVA time to reduce mission cost and risk. The micro-inspector development is the continuation of an effort begun under NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology Enabling Concepts and Technology (ECT) program. The micro-inspector uses miniaturized celestial sensors; relies on a combination of solar power and batteries (allowing for unlimited operation in the sun and up to 4 hours in the shade); utilizes a low-pressure, low-leakage liquid butane propellant system for added safety; and includes multi-functional structure for high system-level integration and miniaturization. Versions of this system to be designed and developed under the H&RT program will include additional capabilities for on-board, vision-based navigation, spacecraft inspection, and collision avoidance, and will be demonstrated in a ground-based, space-related environment. These features make the micro-inspector design unique in its ability to serve crewed as well as robotic spacecraft, well beyond Earth-orbit and into arenas such

Corona discharge secondary ionization of laser desorbed neutral molecules from a liquid matrix at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turney, Kevin [Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States); Harrison, W.W. [Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States)]. E-mail: harrison@chem.ufl.edu

2006-06-15

Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is studied at atmospheric pressure using liquid sampling methods. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer couples to an open sample stage accessed by a UV laser for desorption and ionization. Also coupled to the sampling state is a corona discharge for auxiliary ionization of desorbed neutral molecules. The interaction of the laser desorption and corona ionization is studied for a range of desorption conditions, showing enhanced analyte ionization, but the effect is analytically advantageous only at low desorption rates. The effect of corona discharge voltage was also explored. The decoupling of neutral molecule formation and subsequent ionization provides an opportunity to study each process separately.

Corona discharge secondary ionization of laser desorbed neutral molecules from a liquid matrix at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turney, Kevin; Harrison, W.W.

2006-01-01

Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is studied at atmospheric pressure using liquid sampling methods. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer couples to an open sample stage accessed by a UV laser for desorption and ionization. Also coupled to the sampling state is a corona discharge for auxiliary ionization of desorbed neutral molecules. The interaction of the laser desorption and corona ionization is studied for a range of desorption conditions, showing enhanced analyte ionization, but the effect is analytically advantageous only at low desorption rates. The effect of corona discharge voltage was also explored. The decoupling of neutral molecule formation and subsequent ionization provides an opportunity to study each process separately

Inclusive hard processes in photon-photon and photon-proton interactions

OpenAIRE

Glasman, Claudia

1999-01-01

Measurements of jet, prompt photon, high-pT hadron and heavy quark production in photon-induced processes provide tests of QCD and are sensitive to the photon parton densities. A review of the latest experimental results in photon-photon and photon-proton interactions is presented. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations for these measurements are discussed.

New control method of on-board ATP system of Shinkansen trains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukuda, N.; Watanabe, T. [Railway Technical Research Inst. (Japan)

2000-07-01

We studied a new control method of the on-board automatic train protection (ATP) system for Shinkansen trains to shorten the operation time and not to degrade ride comfort at changes in deceleration of the train, while maintaining the safety and reliability of the present ATP signal system. We propose a new on-board pattern brake control system based on the present ATP data without changing the wayside equipment. By simulating the ATP braking of the proposed control method, we succeeded in shortening the operation time by 48 seconds per one station in comparison with the present ATP brake control system. This paper reports the concept of the system and simulation results of the on-board pattern. (orig.)

Protein corona as a proteome fingerprint: The example of hidden biomarkers for cow mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Miotto, Giovanni; Magro, Massimiliano; Terzo, Milo; Zaccarin, Mattia; Da Dalt, Laura; Bonaiuto, Emanuela; Baratella, Davide; Gabai, Gianfranco; Vianello, Fabio

2016-04-01

Proteome modifications in a biological fluid can potentially indicate the occurrence of pathologies, even if the identification of a proteome fingerprint correlated to a specific disease represents a very difficult task. When a nanomaterial is introduced into a biological fluid, macromolecules compete to form a protein corona on the nanoparticle surface, and depending on the specific proteome, different patterns of proteins will form the final protein corona shell depending on their affinity for the nanoparticle surface. Novel surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs) display a remarkable selectivity toward protein corona formation, and they are able to concentrate proteins and peptides presenting high affinities for their surface even if they are present in very low amounts. Thus, SAMNs may confer visibility to hidden biomarkers correlated to the occurrence of a pathology. In the present report, SAMNs were introduced into milk samples from healthy cows and from animals affected by mastitis, and the selectively bound protein corona shell was easily analyzed and quantified by gel electrophoresis and characterized by mass spectrometry. Upon incubation in mastitic milk, SAMNs were able to selectively bind αs2-casein fragments containing the FALPQYLK sequence, as part of the larger casocidin-1 peptide with strong antibacterial activity, which were not present in healthy samples. Thus, SAMNs can be used as a future candidate for the rapid diagnosis of mastitis in bovine milk. The present report proposes protein competition for SAMN protein corona formation as a means of mirroring proteome modifications. Thus, the selected protein shell on the nanoparticles results in a fingerprint of the specific pathology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Air trichloroethylene oxidation in a corona plasma-catalytic reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Masoomi-Godarzi, S.; Ranji-Burachaloo, H.; Khodadadi, A. A.; Vesali-Naseh, M.; Mortazavi, Y.

2014-08-01

The oxidative decomposition of trichloroethylene (TCE; 300 ppm) by non-thermal corona plasma was investigated in dry air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, both in the absence and presence of catalysts including MnOx, CoOx. The catalysts were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The morphology and structure of the catalysts were characterized by BET surface area measurement and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) methods. Decomposition of TCE and distribution of products were evaluated by a gas chromatograph (GC) and an FTIR. In the absence of the catalyst, TCE removal is increased with increases in the applied voltage and current intensity. Higher TCE removal and CO2 selectivity is observed in presence of the corona and catalysts, as compared to those with the plasma alone. The results show that MnOx and CoOx catalysts can dissociate the in-plasma produced ozone to oxygen radicals, which enhances the TCE decomposition.

Navigating the MESSENGER Spacecraft through End of Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, C. G.; Williams, B. G.; Williams, K. E.; Taylor, A. H.; Carranza, E.; Page, B. R.; Stanbridge, D. R.; Mazarico, E.; Neumann, G. A.; O'Shaughnessy, D. J.; McAdams, J. V.; Calloway, A. B.

2015-12-01

The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft orbited the planet Mercury from March 2011 until the end of April 2015, when it impacted the planetary surface after propellant reserves used to maintain the orbit were depleted. This highly successful mission was led by the principal investigator, Sean C. Solomon, of Columbia University. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) designed and assembled the spacecraft and served as the home for spacecraft operations. Spacecraft navigation for the entirety of the mission was provided by the Space Navigation and Flight Dynamics Practice (SNAFD) of KinetX Aerospace. Orbit determination (OD) solutions were generated through processing of radiometric tracking data provided by NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) using the MIRAGE suite of orbital analysis tools. The MESSENGER orbit was highly eccentric, with periapsis at a high northern latitude and periapsis altitude in the range 200-500 km for most of the orbital mission phase. In a low-altitude "hover campaign" during the final two months of the mission, periapsis altitudes were maintained within a narrow range between about 35 km and 5 km. Navigating a spacecraft so near a planetary surface presented special challenges. Tasks required to meet those challenges included the modeling and estimation of Mercury's gravity field and of solar and planetary radiation pressure, and the design of frequent orbit-correction maneuvers. Superior solar conjunction also presented observational modeling issues. One key to the overall success of the low-altitude hover campaign was a strategy to utilize data from an onboard laser altimeter as a cross-check on the navigation team's reconstructed and predicted estimates of periapsis altitude. Data obtained from the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) on a daily basis provided near-real-time feedback that proved invaluable in evaluating alternative orbit estimation strategies, and

The ENVISAT Atmospheric Chemistry mission (GOMOS, MIPAS and SCIAMACHY) -Instrument status and mission evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Dehn, Angelika

The ENVISAT ESA's satellite was launched on a polar orbit on March 2002. It carries on-board three atmospheric chemistry instruments: GOMOS, MIPAS and SCIAMACHY [1]. At the present time, although the mission expected lifetime of 5 years has been already exceeded, all the payload modules are in good to excellent status. The only limiting factor is the available fuel that is used for orbit control manoeuvre. A new strategy was proposed [2] that will allow to save fuel and to extend the mission up to 2013. Following this strategy, the altitude of the orbit will be lowered by 17 km starting from end of 2010 and the inclination will be allowed to drift. The new orbit scenario will result in a new repeating cycle with a variation of the Mean Local Solar Time (MLST). This will have an impact on both the in-flight operations, on the science data and on the mission. The simulations carried out for the atmospheric chemistry instruments show that the new orbit strategy will neither have a significant impact in the instrument operations nor on the quality of the science data. Therefore we expect that the atmospheric mission will continue nominally until the end of the platform life time, providing to the scientist a unique dataset of the most important geophysical parameters (e.g., trace gases, clouds, and aerosol) spanning a time interval of about 11 years. The aim of this paper is to review the overall ENVISAT atmospheric mission status for the past, present and future. The evolution of the instrument performances since launch will be analyzed with focus on the life-limited items monitoring. The tuning of the instrument in-flight operations decided to cope with instrument degradation or scientific needs will be described. The lessons learned on how to operate and monitor the instruments will be highlighted. Finally the expected evolution of the instrument performances until the ENVISAT end-of-life will be discussed. [1] H. Nett, J. Frerick, T. Paulsen, and G. Levrini, "The

Stellar winds and coronae of low-mass Population II/III stars

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Takeru K.

2018-06-01

We investigated stellar winds from zero-/low-metallicity low-mass stars by magnetohydrodynamical simulations for stellar winds driven by Alfvén waves from stars with mass M = (0.6-0.8) M⊙ and metallicity Z = (0-1) Z⊙, where M⊙ and Z⊙ are the solar mass and metallicity, respectively. Alfvénic waves, which are excited by the surface convection, travel upward from the photosphere and heat up the corona by their dissipation. For lower Z, denser gas can be heated up to the coronal temperature because of the inefficient radiation cooling. The coronal density of Population II/III stars with Z ≤ 0.01 Z⊙ is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of a solar-metallicity star with the same mass, and as a result, the mass loss rate, \\dot{M}, is 4.5-20 times larger. This indicates that metal accretion on low-mass Pop. III stars is negligible. The soft X-ray flux of the Pop. II/III stars is also expected to be ˜1-30 times larger than that of a solar-metallicity counterpart owing to the larger coronal density, even though the radiation cooling efficiency is smaller. A larger fraction of the input Alfvénic wave energy is transmitted to the corona in low-Z stars because they avoid severe reflection owing to the smaller density difference between the photosphere and the corona. Therefore, a larger fraction is converted to the thermal energy of the corona and the kinetic energy of the stellar wind. From this energetics argument, we finally derived a scaling of \\dot{M} as \\dot{M}∝ L R_{\\star }^{11/9} M_{\\star }^{-10/9} T_eff^{11/2}[\\max (Z/Z_{⊙},0.01)]^{-1/5}, where L, R⋆, and Teff are the stellar luminosity, radius, and effective temperature, respectively.

Stellar winds and coronae of low-mass Population II/III stars

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Takeru K.

2018-04-01

We investigated stellar winds from zero-/low-metallicity low-mass stars by magnetohydrodynamical simulations for stellar winds driven by Alfvén waves from stars with mass M = (0.6-0.8) M⊙ and metallicity Z = (0-1) Z⊙, where M⊙ and Z⊙ are the solar mass and metallicity, respectively. Alfvénic waves, which are excited by the surface convection, travel upward from the photosphere and heat up the corona by their dissipation. For lower Z, denser gas can be heated up to the coronal temperature because of the inefficient radiation cooling. The coronal density of Population II/III stars with Z ≤ 0.01 Z⊙ is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of a solar-metallicity star with the same mass, and as a result, the mass loss rate, \\dot{M}, is 4.5-20 times larger. This indicates that metal accretion on low-mass Pop. III stars is negligible. The soft X-ray flux of the Pop. II/III stars is also expected to be ˜1-30 times larger than that of a solar-metallicity counterpart owing to the larger coronal density, even though the radiation cooling efficiency is smaller. A larger fraction of the input Alfvénic wave energy is transmitted to the corona in low-Z stars because they avoid severe reflection owing to the smaller density difference between the photosphere and the corona. Therefore, a larger fraction is converted to the thermal energy of the corona and the kinetic energy of the stellar wind. From this energetics argument, we finally derived a scaling of \\dot{M} as \\dot{M}∝ L R_{\\star }^{11/9} M_{\\star }^{-10/9} T_eff^{11/2}[\\max (Z/Z_{⊙},0.01)]^{-1/5}, where L, R⋆, and Teff are the stellar luminosity, radius, and effective temperature, respectively.

Photon-photon interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilman, F.J.

1980-01-01

A brief summary of the present status of photon-photon interactions is presented. Stress is placed on the use of two-photon collisions to test present ideas on the quark constituents of hadrons and on the theory of strong interactions

A Comprehensive Onboarding and Orientation Plan for Neurocritical Care Advanced Practice Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Langley, Tamra M; Dority, Jeremy; Fraser, Justin F; Hatton, Kevin W

2018-06-01

As the role of advanced practice providers (APPs) expands to include increasingly complex patient care within the intensive care unit, the educational needs of these providers must also be expanded. An onboarding process was designed for APPs in the neurocritical care service line. Onboarding for new APPs revolved around 5 specific areas: candidate selection, proctor assignment, 3-phased orientation process, remediation, and mentorship. To ensure effective training for APPs, using the most time-conscious approach, the backbone of the process is a structured curriculum. This was developed and integrated within the standard orientation and onboarding process. The curriculum design incorporated measurable learning goals, objective assessments of phased goal achievements, and opportunities for remediation. The neurocritical care service implemented an onboarding process in 2014. Four APPs (3 nurse practitioners and 1 physician assistant) were employed by the department before the implementation of the orientation program. The length of employment ranged from 1 to 4 years. Lack of clinical knowledge and/or sufficient training was cited as reasons for departure from the position in 2 of the 4 APPs, as either self-expression or peer evaluation. Since implementation of this program, 12 APPs have completed the program, of which 10 remain within the division, creating an 83% retention rate. The onboarding process, including a 3-phased, structured orientation plan for neurocritical care, has increased APP retention since its implementation. The educational model, along with proctoring and mentorship, has improved clinical knowledge and increased nurse practitioner retention. A larger-scale study would help to support the validity of this onboarding process.

On-boarding the Middle Manager.

Science.gov (United States)

OʼConnor, Mary

The trend of promoting clinical experts into management roles continues. New middle managers need a transitional plan that includes support, mentoring, and direction from senior leaders, including the chief nursing officer (CNO). This case study demonstrates how the CNO of one organization collaborated with a faculty member colleague to develop and implement a yearlong personalized on-boarding program for a group of new nurse middle managers.

The Effect of a Corona Discharge on a Lightning Attachment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksandrov, N.L.; Bazelyan, E.M.; Raizer, Yu.P.

2005-01-01

The interaction between the lightning leader and the space charge accumulated near the top of a ground object in the atmospheric electric field is considered using analytical and numerical models developed earlier to describe spark discharges in long laboratory gaps. The specific features of a nonstationary corona discharge that develops in the electric field of a thundercloud and a downward lightning leader are analyzed. Conditions for the development of an upward lightning discharge from a ground object and for the propagation of an upward-connecting leader from the object toward a downward lightning leader (the process determining the point of strike to the ground) are investigated. Possible mechanisms for the interaction of the corona space charge with an upward leader and prospects of using it to control downward lightning discharges are analyzed

AC/DC/pulsed-power modulator for corona-plasma generation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ariaans, T.H.P.; Pemen, A.J.M.; Winands, G.J.J.; Heesch, van E.J.M.; Liu, Z.

2009-01-01

Gas-cleaning techniques using nonthermal plasma are slowly introduced into industry nowadays. In this paper, we present a novel power modulator for the efficient generation of large-volume corona plasma. No expensive high-voltage components are required. Switching is done at an intermediate voltage

Corona-induced graft polymerization for surface modification of porous polyethersulfone membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Liping; Zhu Baoku; Xu Li; Feng Yongxiang; Liu Fu; Xu Youyi

2007-01-01

Graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) onto porous polyethersulfone (PES) membrane surfaces was developed using corona discharge in atmospheric ambience as an activation process followed by polymerization of AA in aqueous solution. The effects of the corona parameters and graft polymerization conditions on grafting yield (GY) of AA were investigated. The grafting of AA on the PES membranes was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Porosimetry measurements indicate the average pore diameters and porosities of the modified membranes decrease with the increase of the GY. The hydrophilicity and surface wetting properties of the original and modified membranes were evaluated by observing the dynamic changes of water contact angles. It is found that the grafting of AA occurs not only on the membrane surfaces, but also on the pore walls of the cells inside the membrane. The permeability experiments of protein solution reveal that the grafting of PAA endows the modified membranes with enhanced fluxes and anti-fouling properties. The optimized GY of AA is in the range of 150-200 μg/cm 2 . In addition, the tensile experiments show the corona discharge treatment with the power lower than 150 W yields little damage to the mechanical strength of the membranes

Degradation of methylparaben in water by corona plasma coupled with ozonation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrin, D; Magureanu, M; Bradu, C; Mandache, N B; Ionita, P; Parvulescu, V I

2014-11-01

The degradation of methylparaben (MeP) in water was investigated using a pulsed corona discharge generated in oxygen, above the liquid. A comparison was made between results obtained in semi-batch corona (SBC) configuration (stationary solution, continuous gas flow) and results obtained in a semi-batch corona with recirculation combined with ozonation (SBCR + O3), where the liquid is continuously circulated between a solution reservoir and the plasma reactor and the effluent gas containing ozone is bubbled through the solution in the reservoir. It was found that MeP was completely degraded after 10-15 min of treatment in both configurations. Oxidation by ozone alone, in the absence of plasma, was a slower process. The energy efficiency for MeP removal (Y MeP) and for mineralization (Y TOC) was significantly higher in the SBCR + O3 configuration (Y MeP = 7.1 g/kWh at 90 % MeP removal and Y TOC = 0.41 g/kWh at 50 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal) than in the SBC configuration (Y MeP = 0.6 g/kWh at 90 % MeP removal and Y TOC = 0.11 g/kWh at 50 % TOC removal).

Magnetic Untwisting in Solar Jets that Go into the Outer Corona in Polar Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Falconer, David A.

2014-01-01

We present results from 14 exceptionally high-reaching large solar jets observed in the polar coronal holes. EUV movies from SDO/AIA show that each jet is similar to many other similar-size and smaller jets that erupt in coronal holes, but each is exceptional in that it goes higher than most other jets, so high that it is observed in the outer corona beyond 2.2 R(sub Sun) in images from the SOHO/LASCO/C2 coronagraph. For these high-reaching jets, we find: (1) the front of the jet transits the corona below 2.2 R(sub Sun) at a speed typically several times the sound speed; (2) each jet displays an exceptionally large amount of spin as it erupts; (3) in the outer corona, most jets display oscillatory swaying having an amplitude of a few degrees and a period of order 1 hour. We conclude that these jets are magnetically driven, propose that the driver is a magnetic-untwisting wave that is grossly a large-amplitude (i.e., nonlinear) torsional Alfven wave that is put into the reconnected open magnetic field in the jet by interchange reconnection as the jet erupts, and estimate from the measured spinning and swaying that the magnetic-untwisting wave loses most of its energy in the inner corona below 2.2 R(sub Sun). From these results for these big jets, we reason that the torsional magnetic waves observed in Type-II spicules should dissipate in the corona in the same way and could thereby power much of the coronal heating in coronal holes.

Discovery of Finely Structured Dynamic Solar Corona Observed in the Hi-C Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Winebarger, A.; Cirtain, J.; Golub, L.; DeLuca, E.; Savage, S.; Alexander, C.; Schuler, T.

2014-01-01

In the summer of 2012, the High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) flew aboard a NASA sounding rocket and collected the highest spatial resolution images ever obtained of the solar corona. One of the goals of the Hi-C flight was to characterize the substructure of the solar corona. We therefore examine how the intensity scales from AIA resolution to Hi-C resolution. For each low-resolution pixel, we calculate the standard deviation in the contributing high-resolution pixel intensities and compare that to the expected standard deviation calculated from the noise. If these numbers are approximately equal, the corona can be assumed to be smoothly varying, i.e. have no evidence of substructure in the Hi-C image to within Hi-C's ability to measure it given its throughput and readout noise. A standard deviation much larger than the noise value indicates the presence of substructure. We calculate these values for each low-resolution pixel for each frame of the Hi-C data. On average, 70 percent of the pixels in each Hi-C image show no evidence of substructure. The locations where substructure is prevalent is in the moss regions and in regions of sheared magnetic field. We also find that the level of substructure varies significantly over the roughly 160 s of the Hi-C data analyzed here. This result indicates that the finely structured corona is concentrated in regions of heating and is highly time dependent.

DISCOVERY OF FINELY STRUCTURED DYNAMIC SOLAR CORONA OBSERVED IN THE Hi-C TELESCOPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winebarger, Amy R.; Cirtain, Jonathan; Savage, Sabrina; Alexander, Caroline [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ZP 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Golub, Leon; DeLuca, Edward [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Schuler, Timothy, E-mail: amy.r.winebarger@nasa.gov [State University of New York College at Buffalo, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222 (United States)

2014-05-20

In the Summer of 2012, the High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) flew on board a NASA sounding rocket and collected the highest spatial resolution images ever obtained of the solar corona. One of the goals of the Hi-C flight was to characterize the substructure of the solar corona. We therefore examine how the intensity scales from AIA resolution to Hi-C resolution. For each low-resolution pixel, we calculate the standard deviation in the contributing high-resolution pixel intensities and compare that to the expected standard deviation calculated from the noise. If these numbers are approximately equal, the corona can be assumed to be smoothly varying, i.e., have no evidence of substructure in the Hi-C image to within Hi-C's ability to measure it given its throughput and readout noise. A standard deviation much larger than the noise value indicates the presence of substructure. We calculate these values for each low-resolution pixel for each frame of the Hi-C data. On average, 70% of the pixels in each Hi-C image show no evidence of substructure. The locations where substructure is prevalent is in the moss regions and in regions of sheared magnetic field. We also find that the level of substructure varies significantly over the roughly 160 s of the Hi-C data analyzed here. This result indicates that the finely structured corona is concentrated in regions of heating and is highly time dependent.

DISCOVERY OF FINELY STRUCTURED DYNAMIC SOLAR CORONA OBSERVED IN THE Hi-C TELESCOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winebarger, Amy R.; Cirtain, Jonathan; Savage, Sabrina; Alexander, Caroline; Golub, Leon; DeLuca, Edward; Schuler, Timothy

2014-01-01

In the Summer of 2012, the High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) flew on board a NASA sounding rocket and collected the highest spatial resolution images ever obtained of the solar corona. One of the goals of the Hi-C flight was to characterize the substructure of the solar corona. We therefore examine how the intensity scales from AIA resolution to Hi-C resolution. For each low-resolution pixel, we calculate the standard deviation in the contributing high-resolution pixel intensities and compare that to the expected standard deviation calculated from the noise. If these numbers are approximately equal, the corona can be assumed to be smoothly varying, i.e., have no evidence of substructure in the Hi-C image to within Hi-C's ability to measure it given its throughput and readout noise. A standard deviation much larger than the noise value indicates the presence of substructure. We calculate these values for each low-resolution pixel for each frame of the Hi-C data. On average, 70% of the pixels in each Hi-C image show no evidence of substructure. The locations where substructure is prevalent is in the moss regions and in regions of sheared magnetic field. We also find that the level of substructure varies significantly over the roughly 160 s of the Hi-C data analyzed here. This result indicates that the finely structured corona is concentrated in regions of heating and is highly time dependent

Ozone generation by negative direct current corona discharges in dry air fed coaxial wire-cylinder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yehia, Ashraf; Mizuno, Akira

2013-01-01

An analytical study was made in this paper for calculating the ozone generation by negative dc corona discharges. The corona discharges were formed in a coaxial wire-cylinder reactor. The reactor was fed by dry air flowing with constant rates at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, and stressed by a negative dc voltage. The current-voltage characteristics of the negative dc corona discharges formed inside the reactor were measured in parallel with concentration of the generated ozone under different operating conditions. An empirical equation was derived from the experimental results for calculating the ozone concentration generated inside the reactor. The results, that have been recalculated by using the derived equation, have agreed with the experimental results over the whole range of the investigated parameters, except in the saturation range for the ozone concentration. Therefore, the derived equation represents a suitable criterion for expecting the ozone concentration generated by negative dc corona discharges in dry air fed coaxial wire-cylinder reactors under any operating conditions in range of the investigated parameters.

An Onboard ISS Virtual Reality Trainer

Science.gov (United States)

Miralles, Evelyn

2013-01-01

Prior to the retirement of the Space Shuttle, many exterior repairs on the International Space Station (ISS) were carried out by shuttle astronauts, trained on the ground and flown to the Station to perform these specific repairs. With the retirement of the shuttle, this is no longer an available option. As such, the need for ISS crew members to review scenarios while on flight, either for tasks they already trained for on the ground or for contingency operations has become a very critical issue. NASA astronauts prepare for Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) or Spacewalks through numerous training media, such as: self-study, part task training, underwater training in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), hands-on hardware reviews and training at the Virtual Reality Laboratory (VRLab). In many situations, the time between the last session of a training and an EVA task might be 6 to 8 months. EVA tasks are critical for a mission and as time passes the crew members may lose proficiency on previously trained tasks and their options to refresh or learn a new skill while on flight are limited to reading training materials and watching videos. In addition, there is an increased need for unplanned contingency repairs to fix problems arising as the Station ages. In order to help the ISS crew members maintain EVA proficiency or train for contingency repairs during their mission, the Johnson Space Center's VRLab designed an immersive ISS Virtual Reality Trainer (VRT). The VRT incorporates a unique optical system that makes use of the already successful Dynamic On-board Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) software to assist crew members with procedure reviews and contingency EVAs while on board the Station. The need to train and re-train crew members for EVAs and contingency scenarios is crucial and extremely demanding. ISS crew members are now asked to perform EVA tasks for which they have not been trained and potentially have never seen before. The Virtual Reality Trainer (VRT

Second harmonic generation from corona-poled polymer thin films ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-02-09

Feb 9, 2014 ... We characterize thermal stability of second harmonic generation (SHG) properties of four different Y-type polymers poled using corona poling method. These polymers are based on donor–acceptor–donor-type repeating unit with different aromatic moieties acting as donors and dicyanomethylene acting as ...

On-board landmark navigation and attitude reference parallel processor system

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, L. E.; Mahajan, D. T.

1978-01-01

An approach to autonomous navigation and attitude reference for earth observing spacecraft is described along with the landmark identification technique based on a sequential similarity detection algorithm (SSDA). Laboratory experiments undertaken to determine if better than one pixel accuracy in registration can be achieved consistent with onboard processor timing and capacity constraints are included. The SSDA is implemented using a multi-microprocessor system including synchronization logic and chip library. The data is processed in parallel stages, effectively reducing the time to match the small known image within a larger image as seen by the onboard image system. Shared memory is incorporated in the system to help communicate intermediate results among microprocessors. The functions include finding mean values and summation of absolute differences over the image search area. The hardware is a low power, compact unit suitable to onboard application with the flexibility to provide for different parameters depending upon the environment.

CONFERENCE: Photon-photon collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

Despite being difficult to observe, photon-photon collisions have opened up a range of physics difficult, or even impossible, to access by other methods. The progress which has been made in this field was evident at the fifth international workshop on photon-photon collisions, held in Aachen from 13-16 April and attended by some 120 physicists

Validation of double Langmuir probe in-orbit performance onboard a nano-satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Tejumola, Taiwo Raphael; Zarate Segura, Guillermo Wenceslao; Kim, Sangkyun; Khan, Arifur; Cho, Mengu

2018-03-01

Many plasma measurement systems have been proposed and used onboard different satellites to characterize space plasma. Most of these systems employed the technique of Langmuir probes either using the single or double probes methods. Recent growth of lean satellites has positioned it on advantage to be used for space science missions using Langmuir probes because of its simplicity and convenience. However, single Langmuir probes are not appropriate to be used on lean satellites because of their limited conducting area which leads to spacecraft charging and drift of the instrument's electrical ground during measurement. Double Langmuir probes technique can overcome this limitation, as a measurement reference in relation to the spacecraft is not required. A double Langmuir probe measurement system was designed and developed at Kyushu Institute of Technology for HORYU-IV satellite, which is a 10 kg, 30 cm cubic class lean satellite launched into Low Earth Orbit on 17th February 2016. This paper presents the on-orbit performance and validation of the double Langmuir probe measurement using actual on-orbit measured data and computer simulations.

Air trichloroethylene oxidation in a corona plasma-catalytic reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoomi-Godarzi, S.; Ranji-Burachaloo, H.; Khodadadi, A.A.; Vesali-Naseh, M.; Mortazavi, Y.

2014-01-01

The oxidative decomposition of trichloroethylene (TCE; 300 ppm) by non-thermal corona plasma was investigated in dry air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, both in the absence and presence of catalysts including MnO x , CoO x . The catalysts were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The morphology and structure of the catalysts were characterized by BET surface area measurement and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) methods. Decomposition of TCE and distribution of products were evaluated by a gas chromatograph (GC) and an FTIR. In the absence of the catalyst, TCE removal is increased with increases in the applied voltage and current intensity. Higher TCE removal and CO 2 selectivity is observed in presence of the corona and catalysts, as compared to those with the plasma alone. The results show that MnO x and CoO x catalysts can dissociate the in-plasma produced ozone to oxygen radicals, which enhances the TCE decomposition. (author)

Negative corona discharges modelling. Application to the electrostatic precipitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaychet, S.

2010-01-01

Electrostatic precipitation presents many advantages from the nuclear wastes treatment's point of view. Indeed, this kind of process can capture submicron particles without producing secondary wastes (no filter media) and without pressure looses in the exhaust circuit. The work presented in this thesis concerns the study of negative corona discharges in air at atmospheric pressure occurring in an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) developed by the CEA (Atomic Energy Committee). The aim of this study is to determine how the electrostatic precipitation dedicated phenomena, especially the specific high voltage generator, the gas temperature and the fact that particles are flowing through the gap then collapsing on the electrodes, modify the discharge to improve the efficiency of ESPs. This work is based on a fundamental experimental study of the negative corona discharge and on numerical simulations of this discharge under conditions close to those of the lab scale ESP developed by the CEA. (author) [fr

The protein corona protects against size- and dose-dependent toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominic Docter

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Besides the lung and skin, the gastrointestinal (GI tract is one of the main targets for accidental exposure or biomedical applications of nanoparticles (NP. Biological responses to NP, including nanotoxicology, are caused by the interaction of the NP with cellular membranes and/or cellular entry. Here, the physico-chemical characteristics of NP are widely discussed as critical determinants, albeit the exact mechanisms remain to be resolved. Moreover, proteins associate with NP in physiological fluids, forming the protein corona potentially transforming the biological identity of the particle and thus, adding an additional level of complexity for the bio–nano responses.Here, we employed amorphous silica nanoparticles (ASP and epithelial GI tract Caco-2 cells as a model to study the biological impact of particle size as well as of the protein corona. Caco-2 or mucus-producing HT-29 cells were exposed to thoroughly characterized, negatively charged ASP of different size in the absence or presence of proteins. Comprehensive experimental approaches, such as quantifying cellular metabolic activity, microscopic observation of cell morphology, and high-throughput cell analysis revealed a dose- and time-dependent toxicity primarily upon exposure with ASP30 (Ø = 30 nm. Albeit smaller (ASP20, Ø = 20 nm or larger particles (ASP100; Ø = 100 nm showed a similar zeta potential, they both displayed only low toxicity. Importantly, the adverse effects triggered by ASP30/ASP30L were significantly ameliorated upon formation of the protein corona, which we found was efficiently established on all ASP studied. As a potential explanation, corona formation reduced ASP30 cellular uptake, which was however not significantly affected by ASP surface charge in our model. Collectively, our study uncovers an impact of ASP size as well as of the protein corona on cellular toxicity, which might be relevant for processes at the nano–bio interface in general.

Influence of the airflow speed along transmission lines on the DC corona discharge loss, using finite element approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shemshadi, A.; Akbari, A. [Electric Department, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Niayesh, K. [Electric Engineering Department, Tehran University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-07-15

Corona discharge is of great interest from the physical point of view and due to its numerous practical applications in industry and especially one of the most important sources of loss in the high voltage transmission lines. This paper provides guidelines for the amount of electric loss caused by corona phenomenon occurred around a DC high voltage wire placed between two flat plates and influence of wind speed rate on the amount of corona loss using COMSOL Multiphysics. So electric potential distribution patterns and charge density diffusion around the wire are studied in this article.

On-Board, Real-Time Preprocessing System for Optical Remote-Sensing Imagery.