Integrated laboratory and electro-optical observational meteor studies

综合实验室和光电观测流星研究

• 批准号: 4992-2008
• 负责人: Hawkes, Robert
• 金额: $ 1.72万
• 依托单位: Mount Allison University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2010-01-01 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=449760
• 关键词: Integrated; laboratory; electro; optical; observational

The research will combine laboratory based measurements and observations using 'night vision' (image intensifiers) and charge coupled device (CCD) digital cameras to study how meteors ablate and produce light in the Earth's atmosphere. The laboratory based research will employ a pulsed laser to vaporize small regions of meteorites. The short duration light produced following ablation will be studied using synchronized digital cameras, digital spectroscopes and photometers. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) will be used to precisely measure the mass of meteorite material vaporized. By relating this mass to the light and laser energies, we will obtain an estimate of the luminous efficiency factor. The luminous efficiency factor is the ratio of the light produced to the kinetic energy of impinging atmospheric molecules. Since most meteoroid masses are estimated by integrating the light produced by the meteor and assuming a value for the luminous efficiency value, mass flux estimates, and the associated space risk, depends critically on this value. We will use energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to measure the abundance of elements before and after laser ablation. We will determine if meteors ablate in a chemically differential manner, that is do more volatile elements such as sodium or carbon ablate first. Meteoroids from comets are believed to have been little altered since the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Most meteoroids are dustballs, collections of thousands of individual dust grains held together by a more volatile 'glue'. Our differential ablation work will test the premise that carbon may be this 'glue'. We will use telescopic optics with the CCD cameras and spectrometers to search for evidence of dustball fragmentation. We will continue to explore this question of contamination of cometary nuclei by deep impact of high velocity meteoroids. We will use dual telescopes and CCD detectors and spectrometers in order to search for meteoroid impacts on the moon, and develop models for the risk of secondary ejecta to space operations on the surface of the moon.

这项研究将结合基于实验室的测量和使用夜视(图像增强器)和电荷耦合器件(CCD)数码相机的观测，研究流星如何在地球大气中烧蚀和产生光。这项以实验室为基础的研究将使用脉冲激光来蒸发小范围的陨石。消融后产生的短时光将使用同步数码相机、数码分光镜和测光仪进行研究。将使用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)精确测量蒸发的陨石物质的质量。通过将这一质量与光和激光能量联系起来，我们将得到发光效率因子的估计值。发光效率系数是产生的光与撞击大气分子的动能之比。由于大多数流星体质量是通过对流星产生的光进行积分并假设发光效率值来估计的，因此质量通量估计和相关的空间风险严重依赖于这个值。我们将使用能量色散X射线能谱(EDS)来测量激光消融前后元素的丰度。我们将确定流星是否以化学差异的方式烧蚀，也就是说，首先是更易挥发的元素，如钠或碳的烧蚀。据信，自46亿年前太阳系形成以来，彗星形成的流星体几乎没有变化。大多数流星体是尘球，是由数千个单独的尘埃颗粒组成的集合体，由一种更易挥发的“胶水”聚集在一起。我们的差异化消融工作将测试碳可能是这种“粘合剂”的前提。我们将使用望远镜和ccd相机和光谱仪来寻找尘球碎裂的证据。我们将继续探讨高速流星体的深度撞击对彗核的污染问题。我们将使用双筒望远镜、电荷耦合器件探测器和光谱仪来搜索流星体对月球的影响，并开发月球表面二次抛射对空间作业的风险模型。