Observation of narrow energy spectrum electron flows on <Emphasis Type="Italic">the INTERBALL Tail Probe</Emphasis> and their possible relation with the spacecraft charging

The paper describes cases of observations of narrow energy spectrum electron flows up to 500 eV on the INTERBALL Tail Probe. About 30 events were registered in 1996 on the night side of the Earth predominantly in 03^h–06^h local time sector. Quasimonochromatic electrons (QME) were registered by all 8 spectrometer channels oriented along the spacecraft meridian with angles of the field of view centers relative to sunward direction from 11° to 169°. Quasimonochromatic electrons were observed simultaneously with large fluxes of high temperature magnetospheric electrons. The dependences of QME energy on both fluxes and energy of high-energy magnetospheric electrons were observed in every event. The ratio of full width at half height (FWHH) to mean energy of QME was ~20%. This electron component with quasimonochromatic energy probably was originated on the spacecraft surface. The registered energy of QME was apparently due to difference of potentials between spacecraft surface from which electron beam originated and the location of electron spectrometer.     

尾迹对卫星周围等离子体扰动特性分析

卫星充电和尾迹效应会对周围的等离子体造成扰动,进而影响星上电磁和等离子测量 载荷的测量精度。利用卫星与等离子体相互作用模拟软件SPIS,并采用DEMETER卫星的 一组在轨测试的等离子参数,采用粒子分室法模拟了低轨道卫星的尾迹效应特性。结果显示 ,卫星的表面充电电位为-0.72 V,负的充电电位一定程度上减小了尾迹效应的影响,尾 迹效应对等离子体的扰动在尾迹一侧约为2.5 m,离子撞击侧约为0.7 m,其余两个 侧面约为1.1 m,即等离子鞘层呈桃形分布,且在尾迹区存在离子浓度为零的空白区和 浓度较小的稀薄区,而在尾迹区也是电子浓度的稀薄区,但不存在电子浓度为零的空白区。
     

Modes of uncontrolled rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Progress M-29M</Emphasis> spacecraft

We have reconstructed the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Progress M-29M transport cargo spacecraft in the single-axis solar orientation mode (the so-called sunward spin) and in the mode of the gravitational orientation of a rotating satellite. The modes were implemented on April 3–7, 2016 as a part of preparation for experiments with the DAKON convection sensor onboard the Progress spacecraft. The reconstruction was performed by integral statistical techniques using the measurements of the spacecraft’s angular velocity and electric current from its solar arrays. The measurement data obtained in a certain time interval have been jointly processed using the least-squares method by integrating the equations of the spacecraft’s motion relative to the center of mass. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the mathematical model have been estimated. The motion in the sunward spin mode is the rotation of the spacecraft with an angular velocity of 2.2 deg/s about the normal to the plane of solar arrays; the normal is oriented toward the Sun or forms a small angle with this direction. The duration of the mode is several orbit passes. The reconstruction has been performed over time intervals of up to 1 h. As a result, the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft relative to the Earth–Sun direction was obtained. In the gravitational orientation mode, the spacecraft was rotated about its longitudinal axis with an angular velocity of 0.1–0.2 deg/s; the longitudinal axis executed small oscillated relative to the local vertical. The reconstruction of motion relative to the orbital coordinate system was performed in time intervals of up to 7 h using only the angularvelocity measurements. The measurements of the electric current from solar arrays were used for verification.     

Uncontrolled motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Foton M-2</Emphasis> satellite and quasistatic microaccelerations on its board

The results of determining the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Foton M-2 satellite (in orbit from May 31 to June 16, 2005) are presented. The determination was made using the data of onboard measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field strength. Segments 270 min long (three orbits) were selected from these data covering the first two thirds of the flight. On each such segment the data were processed jointly by the least squares method using integration of the equations of attitude motion of the satellite. In processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the used mathematical model were estimated. The thus obtained results gave a complete overview of the satellite motion. This motion, having started with a small angular velocity, gradually accelerated, and in two days became close to the regular Euler precession of an axisymmetric solid body. On June 09, 2005 (the last day of measurements) the angular velocity of the satellite relative to its lengthwise axis was about 1.1 deg/s, while the projection of the angular velocity onto a plane perpendicular to this axis had an absolute value of about 0.11 deg/s. Deviations of the lengthwise axis from a normal to the orbit plane did not exceed 60°. Based on the results of determination of the rotational motion of the satellite, calculations of quasi-static microaccelerations on its board are performed.     

Effect of reflected ions on the formation of the structure of interplanetary quasi-perpendicular shocks for Mach numbers lower than the first critical mach number

Based on the data of the BMSW instrument installed on the of SPEKTR-R spacecraft, as well as according to the data of instruments of the WIND spacecraft, etc., using two examples, the paper has studied the role of ions reflected from the front and associated structural features of quasi-perpendicular interplanetary shocks (IS) with the Alfvén Mach number М _A lower than the first critical Mach number М _c1 . It has been shown that BSs with the finite parameter 0.1 < β₁ < 1 contain a small fraction of reflected protons, which play a significant role in forming the front structure (β₁ is the ratio of gas-to-magnetic pressure before the shock front). In particular, in the case of a perpendicular shock recorded on August 24, 2013 (the angle between the magnetic field direction and the normal to the front θ_Bn ≈ 85°), an IS with a small Mach number (М_A ≈ 1.4) and small β₁ ≈ 0.2 is shown that the interactions of reflected ions with inflowing solar wind may result in the collisionless heating of ions in front of and behind it. The case of the oblique (θ_Bn = 63°) IS on April 19, 2014 with a small Mach number (М ^A ≈ 1.2) and small β₁ ≈ 0.5 has been investigated. It has been found that, before the front, there is a sequence of trains of magnetosonic waves, the amplitude of which decreases to zero upon increasing their distance from the front. The mechanism of their formation is associated with the development of instability caused by the ions reflected from the front.     

On the possibility of long-term maintenance of geostationary satellite attitude without using the external information sensors and inertial sensors

The problem of maintaining spacecraft attitude during the loss of information from attitude sensors and inertial sensors is considered. The problem is solved on the basis of the force gyro stabilization principle with producing an angular momentum in the plane of orbit. The redundant mode of attitude maintenance is developed for spacecraft of the Yamal series. The results of testing the mode during the in-flight tests of the Yamal-200 spacecraft are presented.     

Observations of corotating solar wind structures at radio sounding by signals of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosetta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mars Express</Emphasis> spacecraft

In the implementation of the space projects Rosetta and Mars Express, a large-scale series of experiments has been carried out on radio sounding circumsolar plasma by decimeter (S-band) and centimeter (X-band) signals of the Rosetta comet probe (from October 3 to October 31, 2010) and the Mars Express satellite of Mars (from December 25, 2010 to March 27, 2011). It was found that in the phase of ingress the spacecraft behind the Sun, the intensity of the frequency fluctuations increases in accordance with a power function whose argument is the solar offset distance of radio ray path, and when the spacecraft is removed from the Sun (the egress phase), frequency fluctuations are reduced. Periodic strong increases in the fluctuation level, exceeding by a factor of 3–12 the background values of this value determined by the regular radial dependences, are imposed on the regular dependences. It was found that increasing the fluctuations of radio waves alternates with the periodicity m × T or n × T, where m = 1/2, n = 1, аnd T is the synodic period of the Sun’s rotation (T ≈ 27 days). It was shown that the corotating structures associated with the interaction regions of different speed fluxes are formed in the area of solar wind acceleration and at distances of 6–20 solar radii already have a quasi-stationary character.     

Study of singular surfaces of systems of unsupported gyrodynes by the parameter continuation method

A system of two-degree-of-freedom force gyroscopes (gyrodynes) is considered to be used for spacecraft attitude control. Possible values of its total angular momentum form some finite region P in the frame of reference rigidly connected with the spacecraft. Near the boundary of this region and singular surfaces located inside it the control of the angular momentum is complicated or impossible. The program angular momentum of the gyrodynes, realizing the law of variation of the spacecraft orientation, should lie inside P and outside some singular surfaces, and due to this fact the boundary and internal singular surfaces should be studied. This work is dedicated to the numerical construction of region P and its internal singular surfaces by the method of parameter continuation. Using the results by E.N. Tokar’ we formalize sufficient conditions which in some cases allow one to determine the type of the singular surface. As an example, a system of six gyrodynes is considered, for which the regions of variations of the intrinsic angular momentum and singular surfaces are constructed. The possibilities of the system are demonstrated for the case when one gyrodyne fails.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Luna-5</Emphasis> (1965): Some Results of a Failed Mission to the Moon

Luna-5 was the second Soviet spacecraft to reach the Moon. During the first decade of space exploration of the Moon, the Luna probe series was the main part of the Soviet scientific program. The tasks of the Luna-5 probe launched to the Moon in May 1965 were to land softly on the lunar surface, take photos, and study the surface. Before the Luna-5 landing, the prospective coordinates of the landing site were telegraphed to observatories so that they would observe the event. However, during its descent, the braking engine failed and the probe crash landed at 22 h 13 min on May 12, 1965. Later, new supposed coordinates of the impact were reported. All the experiments were undoubtedly lost; nevertheless, successive television images of the failed landing made at the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory (AbAO) of the Georgian Academy of Sciences can be considered a specific scientific result of the mission. In the images, a changeable object was detected near the large Lansberg crater; for obscure secrecy reasons, almost nothing was reported to specialists about this object. It has been identified as a small, gradually spreading impact cloud. An analysis of the reprocessed images taken at the AbAO has revealed the exact coordinates of the Luna-5 impact for the first time to be 1.35° S, 25.48° W, which differ substantially the calculation data published earlier. Some properties of the regolith at the Luna-5 impact site are compared to the results of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) related to the region near the south pole of the Moon and reported in 2010.     

Large-scale irregularities of the winter polar topside ionosphere according to data from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Swarm</Emphasis> satellites

An analysis of the electron density measurements (Ne) along the flyby trajectories over the high-latitude region of the Northern Hemisphere under winter conditions in 2014 and 2016 has shown that the main large-scale structure observed by Swarm satellites is the tongue of ionization (TOI). At the maximum of the solar cycle (F_10.7 = 160), the average value of Ne in the TOI region at an altitude of 500 km was 8 × 10⁴ cm^–3. Two years later, at F_10.7 = 100, Ne ~ 5 × 10⁴ cm^–3 and Ne ~2.5 × 10⁴ cm^–3 were observed at altitudes of 470 and 530 km, respectively. During the dominance of the azimuthal component of the interplanetary magnetic field, the TOI has been observed mainly on the dawn or dusk side depending on the sign of B _y . Simultaneous observations of the convective plasma drift velocity in the polar cap show the transpolar flow drift to the dawn (B_y < 0) or dusk side (B _y < 0). Observations and numerical simulation of the Ne distribution have confirmed the significant role of the electric field of the magnetospheric convection in the generation of large-scale irregularities in the polar ionosphere.     

Features of coronal mass ejections of minimum size

The coronal mass ejections (CME) with small angular dimensions (d ≤ 10°) have the simplest form, much simpler than large CME. This fact simplifies the problem of analyzing the CME structure and studying their origin. On the basis of the analysis of the LASCO C2 (SOHO) data, we show in this paper that the motion of a CME having small dimensions proceeds within a magnetic tube (a ray with increased brightness) of the streamer belt and leads to an “explosion-like” increase in the angular dimensions (rapid expansion) of the tube. A hypothesis is put forward that a small CME represents a “plasmoid” (a plasma bunch bounded in space, with its own magnetic field) thrown into the base of the magnetic tube and moving along it away from the Sun.     

轨道参数对阿尔法磁谱仪太阳辐射热流的影响

为探明阿尔法磁谱仪（AMS）的温度变化规律,并为制定AMS的热控制方案提供指导和依据,推导了AMS重要区域（AMS前方、后方、顶部和左舷）的太阳辐射热流计算公式,分析了这些区域太阳辐射热流随轨道参数的变化,解释了AMS顶部的温度变化和太阳辐射热流变化规律在热控方案中的应用。分析表明在国际空间站（ISS）正常飞行姿态下,AMS前、后方和左舷的太阳辐射热流受太阳光与ISS轨道面的夹角（β角）、ISS与会日点的角距（θ角）和地球阴影区的影响,AMS顶部太阳辐射热流受β角和θ角的影响。得出结论：β角、θ角和地球阴影区均是影响AMS温度的主要因素,各区域的太阳辐射热流变化规律可以作为设计AMS温度控制方案的主要依据之一。     

Problems of control of a re-entry vehicle with a moderate lift-to-drag ratio during its entry into the atmosphere

We consider the problems of control of the angular and trajectory motion of the Kliper re-entry vehicle. This spacecraft with a moderate hypersonic lift-to-drag ratio is designed according to the load-carrying frame scheme. Gas-dynamic engines, a split balancing flap, and an air brake are used as mounting devices of control.     

Study of notches in the Earth’s plasmasphere based on data of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">MAGION-5</Emphasis> satellite

Depleted narrow (localized in longitude) regions (field tubes) in the plasmasphere, recently discovered in He⁺ radiation measurements on the IMAGE spacecraft, were first directly observed by the Magion-5 satellite. The low-density regions (notches) occupy <～ 10–30° in longitude and extend from L ～ 2–3 to the plasmasphere boundary in neighboring plasmasphere regions with larger densities. The Magion-5 data give evidence that in the low-density regions temperature is enhanced as compared to the neighboring denser plasmasphere regions. Formation of notches in the plasmasphere is, apparently, associated with AE intensification during weak magnetic storms, while strong magnetic storms usually result in the overall reduction of plasmasphere dimensions. However, even a strong magnetic storm on April 6–7, 2000 (max K _p = 9-and min D _st ～ ?290 nT), but accompanied by an isolated AE impulse, resulted in a density decrease only in the longitudinally limited post-midnight sector of the plasmasphere.     

A comparison of polarization jet characteristics at the greatly separated stations Yakutsk and Podkamennaya Tunguska

Characteristics of the polarization jet (PJ) are considered on the basis of measurements made in 1989–1992 at the ionospheric stations Yakutsk (L = 3.0, λ = 129.6°) and Podkamennaya Tunguska (L = 3.0, λ = 90.0°) separated in longitude. Using the data of these stations, the result obtained earlier (that the formation of PJ during disturbances in the near-midnight sector occurs at the expansion phase of a substorm) is confirmed. At isolated magnetic disturbances with AE > 500 nT in the 11:00–16:00 UT interval, the PJ band covers an MLT sector of 3 h between the Yakutsk and Podkamennaya Tunguska stations. The time of the PJ beginning at the Podkamennaya Tunguska station for the majority of events is 45–60 min behind the PJ beginning at the Yakutsk station. This corresponds to the westward motion of a PJ source with a velocity of ～3 MLT h per hour.     

Sporadic structures and small-scale irregularity in the nighttime polar ionosphere in the period of high solar activity according to the data of radio occultation measurements on satellite-to-satellite paths

Results of the analysis of 327 sessions of radio occultation on satellite-to-satellite paths are presented. The data are taken in the nighttime polar ionosphere in the regions with latitudes of 67°–88°, and in the period of high solar activity from October 26, 2003 to November 9, 2003. Typical ionospheric changes in the amplitude and phase of decimeter radio waves on paths GPS satellites-CHAMP satellite are presented. It is demonstrated that these data make it possible to determine characteristics of the sporadic E _s structures in the lower ionosphere at heights of 75–120 km. Histograms of distribution of the lower and upper boundaries, thickness, and intensity of the E _s structures are presented. Dispersion and spectra of amplitude fluctuations of decimeter radio waves caused by small-scale irregularity of the ionospheric plasma are analyzed. The relation of the polar E _s structures and intensity of small-scale plasma irregularity to various manifestations of solar activity is discussed. The efficiency of monitoring the ionospheric disturbances caused by shock waves of the solar wind by the radio occultation method on satellite-to-satellite paths is demonstrated.     

Identification of coronal sources of the solar wind from solar images in the EUV spectral range

Methods of localizing coronal sources of the solar wind (SW), such as coronal holes, quasi-stationary fluxes from active regions, and transient sources associated with small-scale active phenomena are considered based on vacuum-ultraviolet (EUV) images of the corona at low solar activity during the initial period of the 24th solar cycle (2010). It is shown that a SW velocity profile can be calculated from the relative areas of coronal holes (CH) at the central part of the disk based on the images in the ranges of 193 and 171 Å. The images in the 193 Å describe the geometry of large HCs that represent sources of fast SW well. The images in 171 Å are a better visualization of small CHs, based on which the profile of a slow SW component was calculated to a high accuracy (up to 65 km/s). According to Hinode/EIS data of October 15, 2010, using the Doppler spectroscopy method at the streamer base over the active region 11112, the source of the outgoing plasma flux with the mean velocity of 17 km/s was localized in the magnetic field region with an intensity of less than 200 Gauss. According to the estimate, the density of the plasma flux from this source is an order of magnitude greater than the value required for explaining the distinction between the calculated and measured profiles of a slow SW velocity. For finding the transient SW component based on small-scale flare activity, SW parameters were analyzed for the periods of flares accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and for the periods without flares, according to the data obtained in 2010 from the ACE and GOES satellites and by coronagraphs on the STEREO-A and -B spacecraft. The ion ratios C⁺⁶/C⁺⁵ and O⁺⁷/O⁺⁶ and the mean charge of Fe ions for periods with flares were shown to be shifted toward large values, suggesting the presence of a hot SW component associated with flare activity. A noticeable correlation between the maximum charge of Fe ions and the peak power of a flare, previously observed for flares of a higher class, was confirmed. The mean value of the SW flux density during the periods of flares was 30% higher than that in the periods without flares, which is possibly associated also with the growth of fluxes from other sources with an increasing solar activity level. Based on the example of a series of flares of October 13–14, 2010, it was supposed that transient SW fluxes from the weak flares at low solar activity can manifest themselves in the form of interplanetary ICME-transients.     

Estimating the accuracy of the technique of reconstructing the rotational motion of a satellite based on the measurements of its angular velocity and the magnetic field of the Earth

The paper has studied the accuracy of the technique that allows the rotational motion of the Earth artificial satellites (AES) to be reconstructed based on the data of onboard measurements of angular velocity vectors and the strength of the Earth magnetic field (EMF). The technique is based on kinematic equations of the rotational motion of a rigid body. Both types of measurement data collected over some time interval have been processed jointly. The angular velocity measurements have been approximated using convenient formulas, which are substituted into the kinematic differential equations for the quaternion that specifies the transition from the body-fixed coordinate system of a satellite to the inertial coordinate system. Thus obtained equations represent a kinematic model of the rotational motion of a satellite. The solution of these equations, which approximate real motion, has been found by the least-square method from the condition of best fitting between the data of measurements of the EMF strength vector and its calculated values. The accuracy of the technique has been estimated by processing the data obtained from the board of the service module of the International Space Station (ISS). The reconstruction of station motion using the aforementioned technique has been compared with the telemetry data on the actual motion of the station. The technique has allowed us to reconstruct the station motion in the orbital orientation mode with a maximum error less than 0.6° and the turns with a maximal error of less than 1.2°.     

A method of calculation of vertical cutoff rigidity in the geomagnetic field

On the basis of generalization of the results of extensive trajectory calculations for trial charged particles moving in the geomagnetic field the method of calculation of effective vertical cutoff rigidity, taking into account the values of K _p -index and local time, is developed. The IGRF and Tsyganenko-89 models are used for the geomagnetic field. A comparison of the results of model simulations with the experimental data on penetration of charged particles into near-Earth space is made, and penetration functions for typical spacecraft orbits are calculated.     

Dynamics of electron fluxes in the slot between radiation belts in November–December 2014 according to data of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vernov</Emphasis> satellite

The variations in the spatial structure and time in electron fluxes with E = 235–300 keV in the slot region (2 < L < 3) between the radiation belts in the period of November 1, 2014 through December 8, 2014 during weak and moderate geomagnetic disturbances (Kp < 4, Dst >–60 nT) are analyzed based on the data of the RELEC complex on board the Vernov satellite (the height and inclination of the orbit are from 640 to 830 km and 98.4°, respectively). Irregular increases in the fluxes of such electrons and formation of a local maximum at L ~ 2.2–3.0 were observed. It has been shown that the intensity of this maximum is inversely proportional to the L value and grows with an increase in the geomagnetic activity level. New features discovered for the first time in the dynamics of radiation belt electrons manifest in the variations in the local structure and dynamics of fluxes of subrelativistic electrons in the slot region.