Hyperspectral Proton Imager

高光谱质子成像仪

• 批准号: 488368-2015
• 负责人: Connors, Martin
• 金额: $ 1.76万
• 依托单位: Athabasca University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=586225
• 关键词: Hyperspectral; Proton; Imager

At Earth's surface, we are protected from many dangerous phenomena in space by its magnetic field and atmosphere. However, many aspects of modern society depend on placing humans or sensitive equipment in space where they may be exposed to damaging levels of radiation. It has been realized since the 1950s that the magnetic field itself results in the storage of energetic particles in the Van Allen radiation belts. Some of these particles slowly leak into the upper atmosphere to cause a very faint type of blue aurora called "proton aurora". Despite these phenomena being known of for a long time, they remain poorly understood, and are still the target of major research efforts such as the recent NASA Van Allen Storm Probes mission. To study aurora from the ground, and in particular the very faint proton aurora, cutting edge optical instrumentation is needed. Keo Scientific has been at the leading edge of developing such instrumentation and has established a niche for Canada in this high-tech design area, as well as viable markets for high-end imaging products. Past generations of instruments have been limited by the high cost of sensitive, cooled, charge-coupled devices (CCDs: similar to the detectors in mass market cameras but of high quality and specialized characteristics). They have usually had one CCD and an array of filters to be mechanically moved in front of it in order to measure the various wavelengths of auroal light. The prototype Keo Sentry Quad imager instead produces four images simultaneously, allowing faster operation and true hyperspectral (multiple colour) sensing. There is demand in the research marketplace for imaging of proton auroras, which Keo Quad should do well. Athabasca University Geospace Observatory, under very dark skies where the proton auroras peak, is the ideal place to do final development of the Keo Quad. Our tests during the dark winter nights of 2015-2106 should upgrade the Keo Quad prototype to be the best option for a wide range of imaging applications for potential Keo customers.

在地球表面，我们受到磁场的保护，免受太空中许多危险现象的影响， 气氛然而，现代社会的许多方面都依赖于将人类或敏感设备放置在 他们可能暴露在有害辐射水平的空间。自20世纪50年代以来，人们已经认识到， 磁场本身导致高能粒子储存在货车艾伦辐射带中。其中一些 粒子会慢慢渗入高层大气，形成一种非常微弱的蓝色极光，称为"质子极光。 尽管这些现象已经知道很长一段时间了，但人们对它们的了解仍然很少， 主要研究工作的目标，如最近的美国宇航局货车艾伦风暴探测器使命。去研究极光 从地面，特别是非常微弱的质子极光，需要尖端的光学仪器。 Keo Scientific一直处于开发此类仪器的前沿，并已建立了一个利基市场， 加拿大在这一高科技设计领域，以及高端成像产品的可行市场。过去几代 的仪器受到高成本的敏感、冷却、电荷耦合器件（CCD：类似 到大众市场相机中的检测器，但具有高质量和专业特性）。他们通常 有一个CCD和一个滤光片阵列，它们在它前面机械移动，以测量各种不同的 极光的波长。原型Keo Sentry Quad成像器生成四个图像 同时，允许更快的操作和真正的高光谱（多色）传感。有需求 质子极光成像的研究市场，Keo Quad应该做得很好。阿萨巴斯卡大学 地球空间天文台，在非常黑暗的天空下，质子极光的高峰，是做最后的理想场所 开发Keo Quad。我们在2015 - 2106年黑暗冬夜的测试应该会升级Keo Quad原型是潜在Keo客户广泛成像应用的最佳选择。