Statistical description of the radiation field in a homogeneous medium of finite optical thickness

The problem of finding statistical averages which characterize the radiation field in a semi-infinite atmosphere has been discussed by the author in a series of papers. In this paper some of the results obtained there are generalized to media of finite optical thickness. The average number of scattering events undergone by a photon during its random walk in an atmosphere and the average time required for this are determined. Three different types of averages are considered, depending on the photon characteristics over which the averages are taken. Special attention is devoted to the asymptotic behavior of these quantities for media with large optical depths taking the influence of continuum absorption into account. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 263–275 (May 2006).     

The HNCO ring in the Sgr B2 region

The large-scale structure associated with the 2′N HNCO peak in Sgr B2 [Minh, Y.C., Haikala, L., Hjalmarson, Å., Irvine, W.M., 1998. ApJ 498, 261 (Paper I)] has been investigated. A ring-like morphology of the HNCO emission has been found; this structure may be colliding with the Principal Cloud of Sgr B2. This “HNCO Ring” appears to be centered at (l,b) = (0.7°,−0.07°), with a radius of 5 pc and a total mass of 1.0 × 10⁵ to 1.6 × 10⁶ M. The expansion velocity of the Ring is estimated to be 30–40 km s⁻¹, which gives an expansion time scale of 1.5 × 10⁵ year. The morphology suggests that collision between the Ring and the Principal Cloud may be triggering the massive star formation in the Sgr B2 cloud sequentially, with the latest star formation taking place at the 2′N position. The chemistry related to HNCO is not certain yet, but if it forms mainly via reaction with the evaporated OCN⁻ from icy grain mantles, the observed enhancement of the HNCO abundance can be understood as resulting from shocks associated with the collision between the Principal Cloud and the expanding HNCO Ring.     

Effect of signal contamination in matched-filter detection of the signal on a cluttered background

To derive a matched filter for detecting a weak target signal in a hyperspectral image, an estimate of the band-to-band covariance of the target-free background scene is required. We investigate the effects of including some of the target signal in the background scene. Although the covariance is contaminated by the presence of a target signal (there is increased variance in the direction of the target signature), we find that the matched filter is not necessarily affected. In fact, if the variation in plume strength is strictly uncorrelated with the variation in background spectra, the matched filter and its signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) performance will not be impaired. While there is little a priori reason to expect significant correlation between the plume and the background, there usually is some residual correlation, and this correlation leads to a suppressing effect that limits the SCR obtainable even for strong plumes. These effects are described and quantified analytically, and the crucial role of this correlation is illustrated with some numerical examples using simulated plumes superimposed on real hyperspectral imagery. In one example, we observe an order-of-magnitude loss in SCR for a matched filter based on the contaminated covariance.     

Radiation exposure and Mission Strategies for Interplanetary Manned Missions (REMSIM)

Cosmic radiation is an important problem for human interplanetary missions. The “Radiation Exposure and Mission Strategies for Interplanetary Manned Missions–REMSIM” study is summarised here. They are related to current strategies and countermeasures to ensure the protection of astronauts from radiation during interplanetary missions, with specific reference to: radiation environment and its variability; radiation effects on the crew; transfer trajectories and associated fluences; vehicle and surface habitat concepts; passive and active shielding concepts; space weather monitoring and warning systems.     

MASS FLUX OF ASTEROIDAL ORIGIN METEOROIDS ON PERIODIC COMET NUCLEI

We examine the potential contamination of cometary nuclei through impacts from asteroidal origin meteoroids. The paper uses a simple model and has the goal of determining whether asteroidal contamination is potentially significant. We assume a meteoroid power law mass distribution with index values in the range from s=1.83 to s=2.09. We used maximum and minimum models which we believe will bracket the true meteoroid mass distribution. We identify those comets which are expected to be most significantly contaminated, and find values of up to 3.6 kg of asteroidal meteoroid impact per square meter of the cometary surface per orbital revolution. This is less than the expected mass loss per perihelion passage for most comets. Therefore any remnant effects of the contamination will depend on the penetration depth of the meteoroids in the cometary nucleus, and possibly on the distribution of active and inactive areas on cometary nuclei. We present a simple model which suggests that even small meteoroids will embed relatively deeply into a cometary nucleus.