Variation in lunar sodium exosphere measured from lunar orbiter SELENE (Kaguya)

Resonant scattering of the lunar sodium exosphere was measured from the lunar orbiter SELENE (Kaguya) from December 2008 to June 2009. Variations in line-of-sight integrated intensity measured on the night-side hemisphere of the Moon could be described as a spherical symmetric distribution of the sodium exosphere with a temperature of 2400-6000 K. Average surface density of sodium atoms in February is well above that in the other months by about 30%. A clear variation in surface density related to the Moon’s passage across the Earth’s magnetotail could not be seen, although sodium density gradually decreased (by 20±8%) during periods from the first through the last quarter of two lunar cycles. These results suggest that the supra-thermal components of the sodium exosphere are not mainly produced by classical sputtering of solar wind. The variation in sodium density (which depends on lunar-phase angle) is possibly explained by the presence of an inhomogeneous source distribution of photon-stimulated desorption (PSD) on the surface.     

新53阶次月球重力场及其精细结构

月球重力场是了解月球内部结构的重要信息之一.日本SELENE卫星首次获得月球背面卫星轨道的直接探测数据并建立了更高精度的全月球重力场模型.本文根据日本公布的采样间隔为60 s、轨道高度为100 km的SELENE卫星观测资料并利用作者移植的GEODYN-II微机版本软件求解出新53阶次月球球谐场模型LG-53.经过测试表明移植后的微机版本比原始工作站版本的计算效率提高了5到10倍.理论上表明60 s采样间隔、100 km高度的轨道数据能够计算出60阶次的月球球谐系数模型,但是作者在实际计算过程中发现:在接近理论阶次(60阶次)的一系列模型中出现了平行于经线的高频噪声,且模型越接近理论阶次其噪声越高.因此本文将53阶次月球球谐系数模型LG-53作为最后的解算结果并建立各种月球重力异常场,并将其与美国GLGM-2 (70阶次)模型和利用嫦娥1号数据解算出的CEGM-01(50阶次)模型对比,发现新53阶次重力场模型LG-53在高纬度和月球背面都显示出了更高分辨率的异常特征;与美国LP165P(165阶次)模型对比发现LG-53所建立的自由空气重力异常在月球背面不存在LP165P中所出现的高频噪声.与日本90阶次SGM90d模型对比后发现新模型的精度较日本模型还有所差距.主要是由于两者参与计算的数据采样率不同所致.53阶次的模型LG-53能够反映100 km尺度的重力异常,而日本90阶次模型则可以反映60 km尺度的异常.利用新53阶次模型计算的自由空气重力异常图并结合月球地形图探讨了四种类型的Mascon重力异常特征及其地形特征.     

由SGM100i质量分析看SELENE的贡献

月球重力场是研究月球演化和深部构造的基本物理量,也是低轨月球卫星精密定轨的关键。SELENE以高-低卫星跟踪卫星模式历史上首次获得了月球背面重力场直接观测数据。与GLGM-3相比,增加了SELENE跟踪数据的SGM100i在各方面表现出较高的精度:其位系数误差阶方差在15～30阶减小超过10倍,最大达到66倍(15阶);位系数与地形的相关性系数在50～70阶高达0.9,而GLGM-3只有0.6～0.7;基于SGM100i计算的重力异常和月球大地水准面起伏也更好地揭示了月球背面与环形地形相关的重力场特征,从而验证了SELENE 4程Doppler数据对于月球重力场解算的贡献。     

A Model of Relation between Fluctuation of Double Differential Total Ionospheric Electron Content and Angular Distance of the Two Satellites Observed by Same-beam VLBI

Time delay and phase fluctuation are produced when the signals of a spacecraft are transmitted through the ionosphere of the earth, which give rise to a great influence on the measurement precision of VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry). Using the 1-year same-beam VLBI data of 2 satellites (Rstar and Vstar) in the Japanese lunar exploration project SELENE, we obtained a model of the relation between the fluctuation of double differential total electron content in the ionosphere and the angular distance of the two satellites. For the 6 baselines, the root mean square r of fluctuation (in units of TECU) and the angular distance of the two satellites θ (in units of ^°) has a relation of r = 0.773θ + 0.562, and for the 4 VLBI stations, the relation is r = 0.554θ + 0.399 from the baselines inversion. The results can serve as a reference for the derivation of differential phase delay and for the occultation observation and study of planetary ionospheres.     

月陆地区次级撞击坑特征及年龄统计方法

通过撞击坑的大小频率计算月表的地质年龄是一种行之有效的方法,包括累积分布法和相对分布法。其中累计分布法在已知撞击坑直径范围的基础上,可分为3种年代函数计算月表的地层单元,分别是Melosh 和 Vickery 1989 (直径大于4 km 撞击坑), Neukum 1983(直径大于1 km撞击坑)和李坤等2012(直径小于1 km 撞击坑)。应用高分辨率影像SELENE TC(10m/pixel)数据,完成了Apollo 14及Apollo 16登月区域地层单元的解译,并应用撞击坑直径频率统计方法获取同一地层单元的形成年龄。通过与Apollo登月区域样品同位素年龄对照,得出Neukum 1983(直径大于1 km撞击坑)相对于其他几种方法更加准确,同时分析了撞击坑的退化、次级撞击坑影响等相关问题。     

SELENE project status

SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) project started as a joint mission of the former ISAS (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) and the former NASDA (National Space Development Agency: the two organizations were merged into JAXA in 2002) of Japan in 1998. The launch target is rescheduled for 2006 due to delay of completion of launch vehicle, H-IIA. The SELENE project is now under a sustained design phase. The flight model components were manufactured, and the interface tests between the bus-system and the mission instruments were completed by the end of March 2004. The functional checks and calibration for the flight model components are being carried out at present. From the beginning of 2005, the final assembly tests will start.