Experiment Groza
(Thunderstorm)
Complex
investigation of the atmospheric, ionospheric and radiation phenomena above the
African continent connected with thunderstorm activity and seismic processes.
Purpose of experiment
Complex
study of the atmospheric phenomena above the African continent on-board the ISS
RS.
Tasks
- Registration
of optical radiations connected with thunderstorm and seismic activity in
region of Southern Africa (equatorial and middle latitudes);
- Statistical
data collection about distribution of thunderstorm activity on middle
latitudes;
- Registration
of the bright located short-term flashes of a luminescence of atmosphere;
- Improvement
of thunderstorm
activity monitoring methods, optical emissions of atmosphere and ionosphere
of the Earth;
- Realization
of magnetic and radiation measurements;
- Measurement
of charged partyсles
spectra;
- Study
of the thunderstorm
phenomena connection with streams of partyсles.
Equipment to be used
Hardware
"Scorpios", "Molniya - VFS" (or/and "LSO"),
radiometer Р-16, still camera, video camera, onboard computer, dictophone, spent
materials.
Composition of the
equipment.
Equipment
"Scorpios":
- Electronics
control unit;
- Power
supply unit;
- Neutron
block;
- Magnetometric
module;
- Wave
module.
Assignment of the
equipment
- Registration
of electromagnetic radiation spectrum in frequency band of 0,1 Hz - 1,0 kHz;
- Registration
streams of neutrons with energies from 0,01 eV up to 1,0 MeV with efficiency
about 85 %;
- Registration
streams of protons with energy > 50 MeV, and electrons > 3 MeV;
- Registration
streams of quanta
with energy > 2 MeV, > 50 keV, > 300 keV;
Equipment "Molniya-VFS":
- Monoblock
(optical module; electronics module);
- Bracket
К-03
Assignment of the
equipment
- Registration
of optical radiations in optical ranges: 650-750, 390-430, 390-900 nm;
- Registration
of the bright located short-term flashes of a luminescence of atmosphere at
altitudes from 40 up to 90 km (red sprites) and at altitudes from 20
up to 40 km (blue jets).
Principles of the
equipment operation.
Weak (on
intensity) digital images of short-term atmospheric luminescence amplify by the
optical-electronic circuit and are recorded on the magnetooptical disk.
Main characteristics of
the equipment:
Equipment "
Molniya-VFS"
- Optical
module - 2 lenses with fields of sight till 21°,
weight 4,3 kg, dimensions of 180х180х410
mm, power consumption 15 W;
- Electronics
module - weight 4,2 kg, dimensions of 155х165х390
mm, power consumption 30 W;
- The
bracket -03 - rotates in a plane of the basis on ±180,
and in a plane of the perpendicular to basis - on ±35;
weight 2,5 kg and dimensions of 290х350х345 mm.
Work of crew with the
equipment.
The
"Scorpios" equipment is installed on place of experiment realization
and is connected to the onboard socket. Information recording is performed
automatically to the recorder. After returning to the Earth the decoding of
information and mapping of events is implemented.
The
“Molniya-VFS” equipment is installed with the help of special rotary bracket
К-03 on an
illuminator no. 1 (or no. 2) of Service module.
During processing of
data obtained the simultaneous registration of events and phenomena (time
recording) is necessary.
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