The Experts below are selected from a list of 3615 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Kathy Zona - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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First Images of a Comet from a Stratospheric Balloon
2015Co-Authors: Kathy ZonaAbstract:Three images of Comet Siding Spring taken by the Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS) on September 26, 2014.
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NASA Conducts Successful Planetary Science Balloon Mission
2015Co-Authors: Kathy ZonaAbstract:The Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science experienced a successful launch just before 10:30 EDT on Thursday, September 25.
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NASA Prepares for Planetary Science Balloon Mission
2015Co-Authors: Kathy ZonaAbstract:The Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science is a Balloon mission to launch in September to study a number of objects in our solar system.
A Santangelo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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cyclotron lines in highly magnetized neutron stars
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: R. Staubert, Eckhard Kendziorra, Joachim Trümper, D Klochkov, K A Postnov, P Kretschmar, K Pottschmidt, F Haberl, R E Rothschild, A SantangeloAbstract:Cyclotron lines, also called cyclotron resonant scattering features (CRSF) are spectral features, generally appearing in absorption, in the X-ray spectra of objects containing highly magnetized neutron stars, allowing the direct measurement of the magnetic field strength in these objects. Cyclotron features are thought to be due to resonant scattering of photons by electrons in the strong magnetic fields. The main content of this contribution focusses on electron cyclotron lines as found in accreting X-ray binary pulsars (XRBP) with magnetic fields on the order of several 1012 Gauss. Also, possible proton cyclotron lines from single neutron stars with even stronger magnetic fields are briefly discussed.With regard to electron cyclotron lines, we present an updated list of XRBPs that show evidence of such absorption lines. The first such line was discovered in a 1976 Balloon Observation of the accreting binary pulsar Hercules X-1, it is considered to be the first direct measurement of the magnetic field of a neutron star. As of today (mid 2018), we list 36 XRBPs showing evidence of one ore more electron cyclotron absorption line(s). A few have been measured only once and must be confirmed (several more objects are listed as candidates). In addition to the Tables of objects, we summarize the evidence of variability of the cyclotron line as a function of various parameters (especially pulse phase, luminosity and time), and add a discussion of the different observed phenomena and associated attempts of theoretical modeling. We also discuss our understanding of the underlying physics of accretion onto highly magnetized neutron stars. For proton cyclotron lines, we present tables with seven neutron stars and discuss their nature and the physics in these objects.
Takayuki Nakamura - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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FUZZ-IEEE - Fuzzy control for kite-based tethered flying robot
2014 IEEE International Conference on Fuzzy Systems (FUZZ-IEEE), 2014Co-Authors: Tohru Ishii, Yasutake Takahashi, Yoichiro Maeda, Takayuki NakamuraAbstract:Information from the sky is important for rescue activity in large-scale disaster or dangerous areas. Observation system using a Balloon or an airplane has been studied as an information gathering system from the sky. A Balloon Observation system needs helium gas and relatively long time to be ready. An airplane Observation system can be prepared in a short time and its mobility is good. However, a long time flight is difficult because of limited amount of fuel. We have proposed and developed a kite-based Observation system that complements activities of Balloon and airplane Observation systems by short preparation time and long time flight[1]. This research aims at construction of the autonomous flight information gathering system using a tethered flying unit that consists of the kite and the ground tether line control unit with a winding machine. This paper proposes fuzzy controllers for the kite type tethered flying robot inspired by how to fly a kite by a human.
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Tethered Flying Robot for Information Gathering System
arXiv: Systems and Control, 2013Co-Authors: Tohru Ishii, Yasutake Takahashi, Yoichiro Maeda, Takayuki NakamuraAbstract:Information from the sky is important for rescue activity in large-scale disaster or dangerous areas. Observation system using a Balloon or an airplane has been studied as an information gathering system from the sky. A Balloon Observation system needs helium gas and relatively long time to be ready. An airplane Observation system can be prepared in a short time and its mobility is good. However, a long time flight is difficult because of limited amount of fuel. This paper proposes a kite-based Observation system that complements activities of Balloon and airplane Observation systems by short preparation time and long time flight. This research aims at construction of the autonomous flight information gathering system using a tethered flying unit that consists of the kite and the ground tether line control unit with a winding machine. This paper reports development of the kite type tethered flying robot and an autonomous flying control system inspired by how to fly a kite by a human.
Eliot F. Young - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Planetary Science with Balloon-Borne Telescopes
2015Co-Authors: Tibor Kremic, Karl Hibbitts, Andy Cheng, Eliot F. YoungAbstract:The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the planetary science community have recently been exploring the potential contributions of stratospheric Balloons to the planetary science field. A study that was recently concluded explored the roughly 200 or so science questions raised in the Planetary Decadal Survey report and found that about 45 of those questions are suited to stratospheric Balloon based Observations. In September of 2014, a stratospheric Balloon mission called BOPPS (which stands for Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science) was flown out of Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The mission had two main objectives, first, to observe a number of planetary targets including one or more Oort cloud comets and second, to demonstrate the applicability and performance of the platform, instruments, and subsystems for making scientific measurements in support planetary science objectives. BOPPS carried two science instruments, BIRC and UVVis. BIRC is a cryogenic infrared multispectral imager which can image in the.6-5 m range using an HgCdTe detector. Narrow band filters were used to allow detection of water and CO2 emission features of the observed targets. The UVVis is an imager with the science range of 300 to 600 nm. A main feature of the UVVis instrument is the incorporation of a guide camera and a Fine Steering Mirror (FSM) system to reduce image jitter to less than 100 milliarcseconds. The BIRC instrument was used to image targets including Oort cloud comets Siding Spring and Jacques, and the dwarf planet 1 Ceres. BOPPS achieved the first ever earth based CO2 Observation of a comet and the first images of water and CO2 of an Oort cloud comet (Jacques). It also made the first ever measurement of 1Ceres at 2.73 m to refine the shape of the infrared water absorption feature on that body. The UVVis instrument, mounted on its own optics bench, demonstrated the capability for image correction both from atmospheric disturbances as well as some of the residual motion from the gondola that was not addressed by the gondolas coarse pointing systems. The mission met its primary science and engineering objectives. The results of the BOPPS mission will feed into the body of science knowledge but also feed into future planning for more science from Balloon-borne platforms. A notional platform called Gondola for High-Altitude Planetary Science (GHAPS) has been explored and this concept platform can address a number of important decadal questions. This paper provides a summary of the assessment of potential Balloon borne Observations for planetary science purposes including where potential science contributions can be expected, the necessary performance characteristics of the platform, and other features required or desired. The BOPPS mission is summarized including descriptions of the main elements and key science and engineering results. The paper then briefly describes GHAPS, and the salient features that can make it a valuable tool for future planetary Observations.
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Stratospheric Balloons for planetary science and the Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS) mission summary
2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2015Co-Authors: Tibor Kremic, Andrew F. Cheng, Karl Hibbitts, Eliot F. Young, Rafat R. Ansari, Matthew D. Dolloff, Rob LandisAbstract:NASA and the planetary science community have been exploring the potential contributions of stratospheric Balloons to decadal class planetary science. Previous studies of the ∼200 questions raised in the Decadal Survey have identified about 45 topics that are potentially suitable for addressing by stratospheric Balloon platforms. A stratospheric Balloon mission was flown in the fall of 2014 called BOPPS, Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science. This mission observed a number of planetary targets including two Oort cloud comets. The optical system and instrumentation payload was able to provide unique measurements of the intended targets and increase our understanding of these primitive bodies and their implications for us here on Earth. This paper will discuss the mission, instrumentation and initial results and how these may contribute to the broader planetary science objectives of NASA and the scientific community. This paper will also identify how the instrument platform on BOPPS may be able to contribute to future Balloon-based science. Finally the paper will address potential future enhancements and the expected science impacts should those enhancements be implemented.
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Design and performance of the BOPPS UVVis fine pointing system
2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2015Co-Authors: Jed Diller, Kevin Dinkel, Zach Dischner, Eliot F. YoungAbstract:In September, 2013 the BRRISON mission suffered an anomaly resulting in a total loss of science data for the duration of flight. The Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS) mission is in essence a re-flight of the BRRISON mission. The BOPPS mission was designed to study multiple comets and other planetary bodies as well as demonstrate a fine pointing system. The performance of this fine pointing system (FPS), designed for science pointing on the 50 milliarscecond level, will be discussed along with the mission as a whole. Due to a telescope focusing issue that manifested in flight during the allocated FPS demonstration window, thorough FPS characterization could not be performed. However, a calibration dataset demonstrated stable pointing of 33 and 58 milliarcsecond (mas) RMS in instrument Azimuth and Elevation respectively. This performance is considered marginal given the conservative FPS settings it was acquired with.
Kan Huang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Vertical distribution and transport of air pollutants during a regional haze event in eastern China: A tethered mega-Balloon Observation study
Atmospheric Environment, 2020Co-Authors: Dongfang Wang, Yusen Duan, Juntao Huo, Kun Zhang, Aijun Ding, Fu Qingyan, Jiahui Luo, Dongnian Fei, Guangli Xiu, Kan HuangAbstract:Abstract One vertical Observation field campaign based on a tethered mega-Balloon (with onboard instruments over 200 kg) was conducted at a campus site in rural Shanghai in order to investigate the vertical distributions of key air pollutants (PM2.5, SO2, black carbon (BC) and O3) and regional transport characteristics during a severe air pollution episode in mid-December 2015. Vertical patterns of measured air pollutants show relatively even profiles within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) while declined sharply above PBL during the daytime. Specifically, high concentrations of SO2 were observed near the top of the boundary layer. Lagrangian particle dispersion modeling showed air pollutants within the boundary layer mainly derived from local sources (i.e. Shanghai) and regional transport within the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in the morning before the development of boundary layer. Aerosol chemical components measured at a ground site (about 60 km northwest of the Balloon site) showed that regional transport brought a large amount of aged sulfate and nitrate. This study provides new insights in the vertical distribution and transport of haze associated with the PBL development and long-range transport.
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tethered Balloon based black carbon profiles within the lower troposphere of shanghai in the 2013 east china smog
Atmospheric Environment, 2015Co-Authors: Juan Li, Qinggen Bian, Yusen Duan, Qingyan Fu, Yihua Zhang, Shenghsiang Wang, Dongfang Wang, Kan Huang, Wen Yang, Joshua S FuAbstract:Abstract A Tethered Balloon-based field campaign was launched for the vertical Observation of air pollutants within the lower troposphere of 1000 m for the first time over a Chinese megacity, Shanghai in December of 2013. A custom-designed instrumentation platform for tethered Balloon Observation and ground-based Observation synchronously operated for the measurement of same meteorological parameters and typical air pollutants. One episodic event (December 13) was selected with specific focus on particulate black carbon, a short-lived climate forcer with strong warming effect. Diurnal variation of the mixing layer height showed very shallow boundary of less than 300 m in early morning and night due to nocturnal inversion while extended boundary of more than 1000 m from noon to afternoon. Wind profiles showed relatively stagnant synoptic condition in the morning, frequent shifts between upward and downward motion at noon and in the afternoon, and dominant downward motion with sea breeze in the evening. Characteristics of black carbon vertical profiles during four different periods of a day were analyzed and compared. In the morning, surface BC concentration averaged as high as 20 μg/m 3 due to intense traffic emissions from the morning rush hours and unfavorable meteorological conditions. A strong gradient of BC concentrations with altitude was observed from the ground to the top of boundary layer at around 250–370 m. BC gradients turned much smaller above the boundary layer. BC profiles measured during noon and afternoon were the least dependent on heights. The largely extended boundary layer with strong vertical convection was responsible for a well mixing of BC particles in the whole measured column. BC profiles were similar between the early-evening and late-evening phases. The lower troposphere was divided into two stratified air layers with contrasted BC vertical distributions. Profiles at night showed strong gradients from the relatively high surface concentrations to low concentrations near the top of the boundary layer around 200 m. Above the boundary layer, BC increased with altitudes and reached a maximum at the top of 1000 m. Prevailing sea breeze within the boundary layer was mainly responsible for the quick cleanup of BC in the lower altitudes. In contrast, continental outflow via regional transport was the major cause of the enhanced BC aloft. This study provides a first insight of the black carbon vertical profiles over Eastern China, which will have significant implications for narrowing the gaps between the source emissions and Observations as well as improving estimations of BC radiative forcing and regional climate.
