Entire Solar System Research Articles

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

Space exploration presents vast prospects for scientific, industrial, and economic progress. This paper introduces the MeSat mission as a pioneering approach to Mars exploration. The MeSat aims to deepen our understanding of Martian conditions and resources by employing an optimized Earth-to-Mars trajectory, enabling a comprehensive study of the Martian atmosphere and surface. The mission comprises a cargo microsatellite hosting three 6U CubeSats and two 3U CubeSats, deployed into four separate Mars orbits to form a constellation. Each CubeSat carries distinct payloads: a THz radiometer for Martian water vapor atmospheric observation, a high-resolution surface camera, a high-tech spectrometer, and a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for wind speed readings. This paper includes the majority of the key parameters; however, we focus our discussion more on two aspects of this pioneering mission: the first aspect contains the proposal of four distinct payloads for the study of Mars’ atmosphere and the second aspect proposes an optimal mission design algorithm that analyzes a fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectory from Earth to Mars. Regarding the payloads, the THz radiometer requires a specific design; hence, we explain this payload in more depth; the rest of the payloads, we suggest utilizing commercially available elements for the cost-effective manufacture of a whole system. For mission trajectory optimization, the study employs a dual-step hybrid optimization algorithm (PSO-homotopy) to analyze fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectories from Earth to Mars, incorporating the ephemeris dynamics model to account for gravitational perturbations in the entire Solar System. In practical mission design, crucial factors like hyperbolic excess velocity, diverse opportunities for Earth launch and Mars rendezvous, varied propulsion systems, and time of flight (TOF) play vital roles in trajectory optimization. In summary, for the MeSat mission, we propose a comprehensive Mars environmental mission design. We consider all aspects of the mission from trajectory design to engineering detail design, since we would like to inspire future Mars missions with a complete report.

SPASE metadata as a building block of a heliophysics science-enabling framework

Heliophysics and space weather research encompass the effects of solar output on practically the entire Solar System and are fundamentally cross-disciplinary. Cross-domain science investigations, such as in Sun-heliosphere interactions, solar wind-magnetosphere interactions, or magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, often require the use of data, models, and other digital resources pertaining to different heliophysical domains: the Sun, the solar wind, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, the thermosphere and the mesosphere. Due to differences in measurement platforms, techniques and instruments, heliophysics data obtained from different domains are diverse and complex, making the resource landscape difficult for untrained users to navigate. Without proper and adequate guidance from domain experts, it is often difficult for early-career scientists and non-domain experts to discover useful datasets and to know from where and how to obtain and understand the data they need to support their research. This paper describes the roles of metadata in providing the identification, location, access protocol, and detailed content description of a digital resource. More specifically, we point out that metadata written according to the Space Physics Archive Search and Extract (SPASE) metadata model are fully compatible with the FAIR principles so that digital resources described using the SPASE model can be uniformly Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. SPASE metadata can thus be the key element, the lingua franca so to speak, that enables unfettered information flow between data systems and services throughout the heliophysics data environment and lowers the understandability barrier of the resources to ensure their independent usability. After describing various components of the heliophysics data environment, their metadata requirements for effective operations, and some essential features of the SPASE metadata model, we then illustrate how metadata in SPASE can enable or facilitate the performance of different science tasks. The current status and future outlook of SPASE are also presented.

A theoretic analysis of magnetoactive GES-based turbulent solar plasma instability

ABSTRACT A recently reported gravito-electrostatic sheath (GES) model is procedurally applied to study the turbumagnetoactive helioseismic oscillation features in the entire bi-fluidic solar plasma system. The bounded solar interior plasma (SIP, internally self-gravitating), and the unbounded solar wind plasma (SWP, externally point-gravitating) are coupled through the interfacial diffused solar surface boundary (SSB) due to an exact gravito-electrostatic interplay. A numerical platform on the developed theoretic formalism reveals the evolution of both dispersive and non-dispersive features of the modified GES mode fluctuations in new parametric windows. Different colourspectral profiles exhibit important features of the GES-based SIP–SWP perturbations elaborately. It is illustratively shown that the thermostatistical GES stability depends mainly on the radial distance, magnetic field, equilibrium plasma density, and plasma temperature. We see that their dispersive features are more pertinently pronounced in the self-gravitational domains (SIP) than the electrostatic counterparts (SWP). Besides, different characteristic parameters with accelerating (or decelerating) and stabilizing (or destabilizing) effects influencing the entire solar plasma stability are illustratively portrayed. We speculate that, in the SIP, the long-wave (gravitational-like) helioseismic fluctuations become highly dispersive showing more propagatory nature than the shorter ones (acoustic-like). The short waves show more propagatory propensity than the longer ones in the SSB and SWP regime. The reliability of our proposed investigation is bolstered along with the tentative applicability and future scope in light of the current solar observational scenarios, such as SOHO, STEREO, SDO, PSP, and SolO.

Energy and Exergy Analysis of Solar Air Gap Membrane Distillation System for Seawater Desalination

Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) is a widely utilized technology for producing drinking water due to its low heat loss, high thermal efficiency, and compatibility with solar energy. The application of the first and second laws of thermodynamics in energy and exergy analyses provides a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of thermal processes. This study aims to examine numerically the energy and exergy performance indicators of a solar AGMD system used for seawater desalination. The simulation was carried out using MATLAB 9.7 software. The total thermal efficiency and overall efficiency of each element in the AGMD system were calculated for various solar field energy outputs, and moreover, a parametric study was conducted. The results indicate that the exergetic efficiency of the AGMD system components was the lowest in the solar field, with the concentrator having the lowest energy efficiency. Additionally, the thermal and exergetic efficiency of the entire solar AGMD system decreases along with the raise of ambient temperature. An additional investigation was conducted to better apprehend the sources of exergy destruction in the solar field. The obtained results from this study can be employed as a guide to reduce exergy destruction in the whole solar AGMD desalination system with recognition of the main sources of irreversibility.

Calculation of temperature data from an automatic solar heat supply system

<p><span lang="EN-US">This paper calculates the temperature in an automated solar heat supply system. The study used an automatic controller to monitor the temperature data of the entire system. The developed solar heat supply system has a flat solar collector, heat-insulating translucent glass, and double glazing with reduced pressure. The coolant is made of thin-walled corrugated stainless pipe. The heat from the solar flow heats the liquid removed from the collector, and cold water from the siphon enters its place. There is a constant circulation of heat, which increases heat transfer efficiency by eliminating additional partitions between the panel and thermal insulation. The controller has sensors that register using field-programmable gate array (FPGA) STM32, designed to monitor the entire solar system, and the actuators include power relays. During the experiment, it was found that temperature sensors save energy by 2% due to the use of power relays, which has a significant impact on the service life of the equipment.</span></p>

Experimental analysis of a solar water heater with a thermosiphone for domestic applications in the south-east of kazakhstan

In this study, a flat solar collector with a thermosyphon was tested in the laboratory of the Institute of Information and Computing Technologies of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, located in Almaty (77 degrees east longitude and 43 degrees north latitude). Experimental data were collected over several sunny and cloudy days. The dynamic response of the system to changes in solar insolation is studied and analyzed. It has been found that such systems can provide enough energy to meet the need for hot water, contrary to the erroneous opinion of local residents. The system operates using six sensors (temperature sensor, water flow sensor, pressure sensor, coolant temperature sensor in the heater tank, coolant temperature sensor in the heat exchanger and outdoor temperature sensor). Six sensors are controlled with a programmable logistics integrated circuit (FPGA) STM32 circuit designed to monitor the entire solar system, and the actuators include power relays. The temperature readings are sent to the ESP 32 module. The ESP 32 module is synchronized with six sensors connected to the STM32 FPGA, with six electrical wires programmed in C++, which after processing the temperature, date and time data received from the real-time clock. After the whole process, all sensor data is sent to the ESP 32 module, where data is sent to the database. During the experiment an electric energy consumption savings of about 1% was achieved due to the control signal in the controller which had a significant impact on the service time of the equipment.

Is the Growth of the Astronomical Unit Caused by the Allais Eclipse Effect?

In addition to the Pioneer anomaly and the Earth flyby anomaly for spacecraft, other unexplained anomalies disrupt the solar system dynamics, like the astronomical unit. We show in this paper that the Allais eclipse effect causes the major part of the growth of the length scale for the entire solar system. It is the rough disturbance on the barycenter Earth-Moon implying the Sun that was recorded in the movement of the paraconical pendulum. Earth and Moon revolve around their common center of gravity, which in turn orbits the Sun, and the perturbation of the eclipse hits this double, coupled Kepler’s movements. The thesis of the tidal friction supports that oceanic tidal friction transfers the angular momentum of the Earth to the Moon and slows down the rotation of the Earth while taking away the Moon. However, we think that there are not enough shallow seas to sanction this interpretation. The Earth-Moon tidal system might be inaccurate or unreliable in determining the Earth’s actual rotational spin-down rate. Our assertion is that the change in the Earth’s rotation is caused by a repulsive gravitational interaction during solar eclipse. The perturbation would submit to variations and distortions the region of the barycenter of the Earth-Moon system which revolves around the Sun, with the dual secular effects that the Moon spirals outwards and that the Earth-Moon system goes away from the Sun.

Jovian encounter manifolds

AbstractRecent numerical studies have shown that the entire solar system is permeated with arch-like structures originating from all planets. Particles placed on such arches experience planetary close encounters after only one or few orbital revolutions. In this work, we are interested how thece arches, which we associate to encounter manifolds of Jupiter, appear in three dimensions for higher inclinations.Our results show that about 0.5% of the observed domain [a, e, i] = [2 AU, 11.5 AU] × [0, 0.7] × [0°, 90°] is covered by the manifolds. For inclinations up to ∼5°, the arch-like structures are almost unchanged compared to those initially observed in the orbital plane of Jupiter. At higher inclinations, the number of encounter orbits rapidly decreases to narrow domains where the manifolds stretch up to inclinations of 90° (and above) in a very steep manner.

Improving the Efficiency of Environmental Temperature Control in Homes and Buildings

This research developed an effective environmental temperature control system for homes and buildings. The study used a photovoltaic panel (PV) and developed a solar installation with thermosiphon circulation, which has a flat solar collector and heat-insulating translucent glass with double glazing with reduced pressure. The coolant is made of thin-walled corrugated stainless pipe. The heat from the solar flux heats the liquid removed from the collector, and cold water from the siphon enters its place. There is a constant circulation of heat, which increases heat transfer efficiency by eliminating additional partitions between the panel and thermal insulation. We have also developed a solar system control controller, which includes an electronic unit with six sensors. The six sensors are controlled by the STM32 programmable Logistics Integrated circuit (FPGA), designed to monitor the entire solar system, and the drives include power relays. The performance of the photovoltaic panel and the room’s temperature change are calculated during both the simulation and testing of the controller. The standard error was 20% compared to other controllers. During the experiment, the consumption savings amounted to about 1% due to the control signal in the controller, which has a significant impact on the service life of the equipment.

Star angle/ double-differenced pulse time of arrival integrated navigation method for Jupiter exploration

Pulsar navigation is a promising autonomous navigation system for spacecraft, which is applicable to the entire solar system. However, the pulsar’s directional error and the onboard clock error are two types of systematic errors that seriously reduce navigation accuracy. To solve this problem, a star angle/double-differenced pulse time of arrival(SA/DDTOA) integrated navigation method is proposed. Since measurements obtained by observing different pulsars contain the same clock errors, the measurements can be differed to eliminate the common clock error. Then, the pulsar-differenced measurements at neighbor filtering time can be differed to suppress the effect of the pulsar’s directional error on navigation precision. Star angle is used to obtain absolute navigation information, which denotes the angles between the light of sight of Jupiter and that of its background stars. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can eliminate the influence of the onboard clock error and greatly weaken the effects of the pulsar’s directional error. The navigation accuracy is better than the traditional star angle/pulse time of arrival integrated navigation method and star angle/pulse time difference of arrival integrated navigation method. In addition, the navigation accuracy of the SA/DDTOA integrated navigation method is less affected by Jupiter’s ephemeris error. This work greatly reduces the influence of common systematic errors in pulsar navigation on navigation accuracy.

Investigation of a novel surface inlay composite nanoparticle based on local surface plasmon resonance-enhanced solar absorption

The absorption performance of a direct absorption solar collector (DASC), as the main method of solar thermal application, affects the performance of the entire solar thermal utilization system. The enhancement of the solar energy absorption performance of DASC has received extensive attention. In this study, in order to simultaneously utilize the two absorption peaks of spherical and cylindrical core-shell nanoparticles in the solar spectrum, a new type of surface inlay composite nanoparticle (SICN) is constructed. The enhancement effect of the inlay on the absorption properties of nanoparticles is proven by the finite element method. The SICN for Au@SiO2@Cu achieves an absorption increase of 10.29% and gains a local high heat flux of 8.83 × 105 W/m3. It can be seen that under the same material, SICN has achieved a significant breakthrough in terms of performance compared with core-shell nanoparticles. Then, it is determined that local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is the cause of the absorption enhancement. In addition, the coupling nanoparticles can adjust the absorption peak through the change in the size parameters, and when the inlay depth r = 5 nm, two absorption peaks are excited near 630 nm and 710 nm. Therefore, a better absorption performance will be obtained by reasonably adjusting the structural parameters of the SICN. The results are of great significance in promoting the thermal application of solar energy.

Prolonged early migration of dust from the inner Solar System to the comet-forming region

The most abundant group of meteorites currently falling to Earth, ordinary chondrites, originate from S-type (Si-rich) asteroids and are thought to have originated in the inner Solar System. These asteroids typically underwent only minor aqueous alteration but experienced varying degrees of thermal metamorphism that altered their primary compositions and textures. However, some rare members remain unaltered and retain the pristine compositions they obtained in the protoplanetary disk prior to accretion of their parent asteroids. In contrast, comets formed in the icy reaches of the outer Solar System. Here we report on silicate minerals in pristine ordinary chondrites that are compositionally distinct from those in all other known chondrites but show similarities to those found in comet samples returned from Comet Wild 2 by NASA's Stardust mission and those sourced from an unknown number of comets represented by interplanetary dusty particles. The identification of this material suggests that comets may have formed from diverse far-flung Solar System materials, including grains that migrated from the inner Solar System to the comet-forming region between ∼1 Myr and potentially ⪆3 Myr after the first Solar System solids formed. This finding suggests that migration from the inner to the outer Solar System lasted for millions of years and that comets are composed of residual materials from the entire early Solar System.

ВОПРОСЫ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ ПРЕПОДАВАНИЯ ТЕМЫ «СОЛНЕЧНАЯ СИСТЕМА» ПО УЧЕБНИКАМ АСТРОНОМИИ

The article deals with the issues of teaching the topic "Solar system" of the discipline "Astronomy". The old textbook "Astronomy" by E.P. Levina and new - B.A. Vorontsova–Velyaminova, E.K. Strout and V.M. Charugin - in which the material about the planetary system is borrowed from publications of the last century. At present, what is stated in the textbook by B.A. Vorontsova-Velyaminov and E.K. Strout, the historically established idea of the formation and structure of the solar system (from planets alone) contradicts new discoveries and the observed harmonious structure of the solar system. The erroneousness of assigning the status of "minor planet" to asteroids of the main belt and many objects of the Kuiper belt is substantiated. this leads students to the misconception that there are many planets in the solar system. To the textbook "Astronomy" V.M. Charugin, the author of this article prepared a textbook "The Solar System of the 21st Century", which provides a model of the structure of the entire Solar System and the cometary hypothesis of its origin. The textbook contains a table "Periodic system of celestial bodies of the entire solar system" for astronomy classrooms, similar in significance to the table "Periodic system of chemical elements of D.I. Mendeleev.

Sample return of primitive matter from the outer Solar System

The last thirty years of cosmochemistry and planetary science have shown that one major Solar System reservoir is vastly undersampled in the available suite of extra-terrestrial materials, namely small bodies that formed in the outer Solar System (>10 AU). Because various dynamical evolutionary processes have modified their initial orbits (e.g., giant planet migration, resonances), these objects can be found today across the entire Solar System as P/D near-Earth and main-belt asteroids, Jupiter and Neptune Trojans, comets, Centaurs, and small (diameter < 200 km) trans-Neptunian objects. This reservoir is of tremendous interest, as it is recognized as the least processed since the dawn of the Solar System and thus the closest to the starting materials from which the Solar System formed. Some of the next major breakthroughs in planetary science will come from studying outer Solar System samples (volatiles and refractory constituents) in the laboratory. Yet, this can only be achieved by an L-class mission that directly collects and returns to Earth materials from this reservoir. It is thus not surprising that two White Papers advocating a sample return mission of a primitive Solar System small body (ideally a comet) were submitted to ESA in response to its Voyage 2050 call for ideas for future L-class missions in the 2035-2050 time frame. One of these two White Papers is presented in this article.

A Global Thermal Conductivity Model for Lunar Regolith at Low Temperatures

AbstractAlthough some of the coldest surface temperatures in the entire Solar System are found near the poles of our own Moon, the thermophysical properties of lunar regolith at these ultracold temperatures (i.e., below ∼150 K) are not well understood. Standard lunar thermal models generally match the surface temperatures observed by global orbital remote sensing data but are inconsistent with infrared data collected from ultracold polar terrain. We build upon previous theoretical work on the low‐temperature physics of lunar regolith to introduce a global thermal conductivity model consistent with the temperature trends observed by the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (Diviner). This updated thermophysical model primarily affects nighttime surface temperatures, subsurface temperatures at high latitudes, and permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). An additional outcome of this thermophysical model is the ability to accommodate the surface temperature trends observed by Diviner both in warm low latitudes and cold high latitudes. Subsurface temperatures in near‐polar craters are ∼5–10 K warmer than previous thermal models, and cooler nighttime surface temperatures are observed globally. Model results of PSRs reveal larger surface temperature amplitudes (as observed by Diviner) and steeper geothermal gradients. A comprehensive understanding of lunar regolith's low‐temperature thermal behavior is an essential step in modeling the potential location and quantity of cold trapped volatiles in the lunar south pole. Here, we hope to provide theoretical support and motivation for more complete low‐temperature thermal conductivity laboratory measurements.

Simulation modeling and experimental validation of solar photovoltaic PMBLDC motor water pumping system

Solar energy is abundantly available on the earth and can be utilized in various applications by converting it in a suitable form. Water supply in remote places and rural areas is still critical due to the unavailability of the grid power. In a developing country like India, the grid construction cost is 6670 $/km because of which some remote areas are still waiting for electricity. There is a large scope to meet this need with the help of a standalone solar water pumping system. In this context, this work presents detailed simulation in MATLAB/Simulink and experimental validation of photovoltaic (PV) permanent magnet brushless DC (PMBLDC) motor water pumping system without energy storing. Simulation is a tool to get system behavior at the various input parameters immedi ately reflects a change in the output parameter. The simulation results are validated with the help of field trials on the experimental setup. A 0.5 hp photovoltaic permanent magnet brushless DC (PMBLDC) motor water pumping system was used for extensive field trials experimentation. After extensive field trials, the optimum irradiation observed for full water discharge 19.9 L/min was 330 W/m2 where voltage and current were 35.1 V and 3.1 A respectively. The Water flow – Irradiation characteristic curve and percentage variation in simulation and experimental results showed a good agreement with each other. The efficiency of the photovoltaic panel and the entire solar water pumping system observed was 12.76 ± 0.64 % and 9.07±0.45 % respectively. The 0.5 hp PMBLDC motor water pumping system is sufficient to lift 10000 L water every day. PMBLDC motor, shown added advantage of lesser running maintenance due to the absence of carbon brushes which need frequent replacement in case of brushed DC motor.

Life as the Only Reason for the Existence of N2–O2-Dominated Atmospheres

The Earth's N2-dominated atmosphere is a very special feature. Firstly, N2 as main gas is unique on the terrestrial planets in the inner solar system and gives a hint for tectonic activity. Studying the origins of atmospheric nitrogen and its stability provides insights into the uniqueness of the Earth's habitat. Secondly, the coexistence of N2 and O2 within an atmosphere is unequaled in the entire solar system. Such a combination is strongly linked to the existence of aerobic lifeforms. The availability of nitrogen on the surface, in the ocean, and within the atmosphere can enable or prevent the habitability of a terrestrial planet, since nitrogen is vitally required by all known lifeforms. In the present work, the different origins of atmospheric nitrogen, the stability of nitrogen dominated atmospheres, and the development of early Earth's atmospheric N2 are discussed. We show why N2-O2-atmospheres constitute a biomarker not only for any lifeforms but for aerobic lifeforms, which was the first major step that led to higher developed life on Earth.

New books &amp; media

New books &amp; media

Life-cycle-assessment based design of a standalone photovoltaic system: a case study using a theoretical and numerical approach

Greenhouse gas emission from conventional energy system and growing demand for energy result in the use of renewable energies such as solar energy. This study aims at designing life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a standalone photovoltaic (PV) system to meet the electricity demand of building in the diverse climate of India using a theoretical and numerical approach. The electricity demand is estimated on the daily basis considering all the power consumption equipments and their operational hours. Then, the suitable components of the PV system are selected based on their specification and available rooftop space. In the LCA analysis, environmental as well as financial analysis of the PV system is performed. For the environmental assessment, carbon credits are evaluated, whereas internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the payback period of the PV system are estimated for the financial evaluation with consideration of inflation rate and effective discount rate. The PV system is found to be economically feasible because the NPV of this project is positive. The entire solar PV system is also simulated using PVSyst software, and results such as economic feasibility, performance ratio, input/output diagram, incident energy and array output distribution are compared with the theoretical calculation. Moreover, losses at various stages, as well as the reliability of the PV system, are analyzed. The peak rating of the building came out to be 232.71 kWp. The energy payback time and LCOE for the PV system are 7.43 years and $0.076/kWh, respectively, with a life-cycle conversion efficiency of 0.069.

Newly Discovered Source of Turbulence and Heating in the Solar Chromosphere

Abstract Above the Sun’s luminous photosphere lies the solar chromosphere, where the temperature increases from below 4000 K to over 1 million K. Though physicists do not understand the origin of these increases, they know it powers the solar wind with enormous consequences for the entire solar system. This report describes a set of simulations and analytical theory showing that solar atmospheric flows originating in the photosphere will frequently drive a previously unidentified thermal plasma instability that rapidly develops into turbulence. Though this turbulence is small scale (centimeters to a few meters), it will modify the conductivity, temperatures, and energy flows through much of the chromosphere. Incorporating the effects of this turbulence, and other small-scale turbulence, into large-scale models of solar and stellar atmospheres will improve physicists’ ability to model energy flows with important consequences for the predicted temperatures and radiation patterns.