Quick Ultra-VIolet Kilonova surveyor (QUVIK)

We present a near-UV space telescope on a ~70kg micro-satellite with a moderately fast repointing capability and a near real-time alert communication system that has been proposed in response to a call for an ambitious Czech national mission. The mission, which has recently been approved for Phase 0, A, and B1 study shall measure the brightness evolution of kilonovae, resulting from mergers of neutron stars in the near-UV band and thus it shall distinguish between different explosion scenarios. Between the observations of transient sources, the satellite shall perform observations of other targets of interest, a large part of which will be chosen in open competition.Comment: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentatio

Noise suppression in curved glass shells using macro-fiber-composite actuators studied by the means of digital holography and acoustic measurements

The paper presents methods and experimental results of the semi-active control of noise transmission in a curved glass shell with attached piezoelectric macro fiber composite (MFC) actuators. The semi-active noise control is achieved via active elasticity control of piezoelectric actuators by connecting them to an active electric shunt circuit that has a negative effective capacitance. Using this approach, it is possible to suppress the vibration of the glass shell in the normal direction with respect to its surface and to increase the acoustic transmission loss of the piezoelectric MFC-glass composite structure. The effect of the MFC actuators connected to the negative capacitance shunt circuit on the surface distribution of the normal vibration amplitude is studied using frequency-shifted digital holography (FSDH). The principle of the used FSDH method is described in the paper. The frequency dependence of the acoustic transmission loss through the piezoelectric MFC-glass composite structure is estimated using measurements of the specific acoustic impedance of the curved glass shell. The specific acoustic impedance is measured using two microphones and a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). The results from the LDV measurements are compared with the FSDH data. The results of the experiments show that using this approach, the acoustic transmission loss in a glass shell can be increased by 36 dB in the frequency range around 247 Hz and by 25 dB in the frequency range around 258 Hz. The experiments indicate that FSDH measurements provide an efficient tool that can be used for fast and accurate measurements of the acoustic transmission loss in large planar structures

Measurement of fluid motion and temperature changes in the real model of the heat exchanger using pLIF

The aim of this project is a qualitative and quantitative experimental description of a development of the fluid flow inside the real model of a stratification tank of the heat exchanger. The experimental research deals with the Particle Image Velocimetry method and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence Method. The results of this project provide the worthy information about the fluid behaviour, boundary condition and risen fluid flow inside the tank model. This final outcome is necessary for the verification and validity of the analysis models and simulations

High Frequency Modulation Method for Measuring of Birefringence

A method of optical birefringence measurement is presented. It uses an el ectro-optic modulator for the high frequency modulation of polarization of the laser beam. The developed optical apparatus exhibits high sensitivity. It is able to measure very small birefringence of samples down to 10-3 rad. The accuracy and sensitivity of the method was checked by measurement of calibrated Sol eil – Babi net compensator. Method can be also used for online and accurate measurement of an optical components birefringence. This application was developed with the aim to measure Cotton-Mouton effect in air and nitrogen