Space experiments

There is a longstanding tradition in joint space experiments. In 1995 the most important space experiments were realized within the frame of the complex project: a main satellite INTERBALL-tail and subsatellite Magion-4. The studies were mainly carried out in co-operation with Russia, Czech Republic and Greece.
     Measurements of energy spectra, angular distribution and temporal variations of energetic electrons and ions have started after the launch on August 3, 1995. The region of measurements: the outer magnetosphere within the magnetosheath and upstream from the Earth's bow shock. On board of the tail probe, there was a long-wave radioemission spectrometer AKR-X constructed at the Department of Radiophysics of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Comenius University (Grigorjeva, Kurilchik, Fischer, Tirpák, Mironov & Jaroševie 1995), too.

IEPSAS participates in space experiments within the frame of international spacecraft programs. The devices DOK-2 (main satellite INTERBALL-1) and DOK-2 (subsatellite Magion-4) designed, constructed and tested in IEPSAS have shown to be in a proper function to measure energetic electrons and ions in the energy range 20 – 1 000 keV. The measurements are likely to distinguish space and time variations of the distribution functions of electrons and ions in the vicinity of magnetospheric boundaries (bow shock, magnetopause).
     The data analysis is also in progress using the measurements of the auroral satellite INTERBALL-2 (launched in August 1996: inclination 62.8° , apogeum 200 000 km.) and new information on energetic particles was reported (Kudela et al. 1996a; Kudela et al. 1996b; Kudela et al. 1997 and Lutsenko et al. 1998).
     The apparatus EPD (Energetic Particle Detector) is now preparing for the CESAR satellite within the frame of the Central European Initiative.

The scientific activities within the Department of Nuclear Physics in the Faculty of Mathematics & Physics at Comenius University are partially devoted to the development of computer numerical codes for simulation of the cosmogenic nuclide and gamma ray production and their application in order to get information not only about extraterrestrial bodies but also about geomagnetic field and solar activity variations in the far past (Dep et al. 1994; Masarik & Reedy 1995). The experience, gained in long-range measurements of radioactive isotope C14 activity and in deciphering of experimental data obtained from the measurements of ice cores from the Antarctic and Greenland, has been used within the space expedition to Mars through the J. Masarik's participation in realization teams in Max-Planck Institute for chemistry (Mainz, Germany) and in State Laboratories (Los Alamos, USA).
     Within the Slovak astronaut mission (February 1999) the space experiments Dosimetry I and Dosimetry II were prepared and realized on the MIR station. Those are important for evaluation of radiation situation and especially radiation risk. The apparatus SPRUT VI realized within the co-operation of IEPSAS and Moscow State University monitors electron and proton fluxes of energies above 50 keV. There is a perspective to continue such measurements at the ISS (International Space Station). The space experiments mentioned intend the data exchange with other space missions and probes (e.g. WIND, GEOTAIL etc.) which is widely realized. More information on space experiments including CORONAS-I and COMPASS projects can be found in National Report to COSPAR (1996, 1998).