Priorities in Space Science Enabled by Nuclear Power and Propulsion (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: The Interstellar Observatory
Appendix B: The Interstellar Observatory
Pages 115-123
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From page 115... ...
SCIENCE OBJECTIVES The Interstellar Observatory concept is designed to address scientific issues in the following general areas: · Space physics and the heliosphere; · Zodiacal dust and the Kuiper Belt; · The edge of the solar system; · Cosmic infrared background radiation; · Search for organic molecules; · Composition and ionization state of interstellar matter; · Cosmic rays and modulation by the solar magnetic field; and · Cosmic rays and the energy density of the galaxy. Each of these topics is discussed in detail below.
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From page 116... ...
116 PRIORITIES IN SPACE SCIENCE ENABLED BY NUCLEAR POWER AND PROPULSION TABLE B.1 Instruments for the Interstellar Observatory Instrument Measurement or Objective In Situ Package Magnetometer Magnetic fields of heliosphere and interstellar medium Plasma and radio wave detector Interaction of solar wind and interstellar medium Solar-wind plasma ion and electron detector Thermal ion composition and charge state; ion and electron distribution functions Interstellar medium plasma ion and electron detector Thermal ion composition and charge state; ion and electron distribution functions Pickup and interstellar ion mass spectrometer - Interstellar neutral atom mass spectrometer Density, composition of neutral species in the interstellar medium Suprathermal ion mass spectrometer - Anomalous and galactic cosmic ray element/isotope - spectrometer Molecular analyzer for organic material Organic material in outer heliosphere and interstellar medium Dust composition analyzer - Suprathermal ion charge states detector - Gamma-ray burst detector Complement long-baseline grid to locate gamma-ray bursters accurately Imaging Package Infrared spectrometer -- scans via spin Structure of solar system dust disk; cosmic infrared background radiation Energetic neutral atom imager Structure and dynamics of heliosphere Ultraviolet spectrometer (Lyman alpha) Backscatter from neutrals in the interstellar medium; heliospheric structure Space Physics and the Heliosphere The heliosphere is a large and complicated structure whose dimensions are not definitively known.
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From page 117... ...
APPENDIX B 117 FIGURE B.1 A sketch of the heliosphere and its major features indicating the location of the planets of the solar system and the trajectories of Voyagers 1 and 2. and pickup ions produced by charge exchange between interstellar neutral atoms and solar wind ions.
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From page 118... ...
118 PRIORITIES IN SPACE SCIENCE ENABLED BY NUCLEAR POWER AND PROPULSION FIGURE B.2 A simulation of the heliosphere showing interactions between the solar wind and the interstellar medium. Simulation courtesy of Gary Zank, University of California, Riverside.
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From page 119... ...
APPENDIX B 119 FIGURE B.3 Simulation of the relative intensity of energetic neutral atoms seen across the entire sky at 1 AU produced at the termination shock. The intensities and patterns differ depending on the shock strength.
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From page 120... ...
120 PRIORITIES IN SPACE SCIENCE ENABLED BY NUCLEAR POWER AND PROPULSION FIGURE B.4 Submillimeter-wavelength radio observations of a dust debris disk around Epsilon Eridani; the structure of the disk is thought to be evidence of a planet in orbit around this star. The dust, particles, waves, and magnetic fields in the little-explored region of the outer heliosphere provide interaction sites for energetic particles, the sources of energetic neutral atoms, and pickup ions.
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From page 121... ...
APPENDIX B 121 · When did stars and galaxies form? · Did stars form before galaxies?
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From page 122... ...
122 PRIORITIES IN SPACE SCIENCE ENABLED BY NUCLEAR POWER AND PROPULSION ys Ra Cosmic MeV Galactic ~100 at Incident of action Fr Approximate Distance from Bow Shock (AU) FIGURE B.6 A schematic showing the reduction of galactic cosmic rays reaching the inner heliosphere due to filtering provided by the interaction of the heliosphere and the local interstellar medium.
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From page 123... ...
REFERENCE 1. National Research Council, Exploration of the Outer Heliosphere and the Local Interstellar Medium, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2004.
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