The Measurement of the Solar Spectral Irradiance Variability during the Solar Cycle 24 using SOLAR/SOLSPEC on ISS

International audienceSince April 2008, SOLAR/SOLSPEC measures the Solar Spectral Irradiance (SSI) from 166 nm to 3088 nm. The instrument is a part of the Solar Monitoring Observatory (SOLAR) payload, externally mounted on the Columbus module of the International Space Station. As the SSI is a key input for the validation of solar physics models, together with playing a role in the climate system and photochemistry of the Earth atmosphere, SOLAR/SOLSPEC spectral measurements becomes important. In this study, the in-flight operations and performances of the instru- ment -including the engineering corrections- will be presented for seven years of the SOLAR mission. Following an accurate absolute calibration, the SSI variability in the UV as measured by SOLAR/SOLSPEC in the course of the solar cycle 24 will be presented and compared to other instruments. The accuracy of these measurements will be also discussed here

Patients contemporains 2

La notion de « patient contemporain », introduite dans le numéro 8, implique-t-elle un revirement dans la manière de considérer l’usager du système de soins ? Quels sont les effets attendus et imprévus des politiques de santé participatives sur les prises de décision, les relations de soins et plus largement sur le système de santé ? Ce dossier prolonge la réflexion entamée dans le numéro 8 avec quatre nouveaux articles illustrant les ambiguïtés, les contradictions et les difficultés de la « démocratie sanitaire ». Y sont examinés la prise en compte par les soignants de la subjectivité des patients, la place du patient contemporain en milieu carcéral, le statut des patients experts dans le cadre des programmes sida au Cameroun, et la notion d'autonomie en médecine. Deux articles hors thème complètent ce numéro

SOLAR-ISS: A new reference spectrum based on SOLAR/SOLSPEC observations

International audienceContext. Since April 5, 2008 and up to February 15, 2017, the SOLar SPECtrometer (SOLSPEC) instrument of the SOLAR payload on board the International Space Station (ISS) has performed accurate measurements of solar spectral irradiance (SSI) from the middle ultraviolet to the infrared (165 to 3088 nm). These measurements are of primary importance for a better understanding of solar physics and the impact of solar variability on climate. In particular, a new reference solar spectrum (SOLAR-ISS) is established in April 2008 during the solar minima of cycles 23–24 thanks to revised engineering corrections, improved calibrations, and advanced procedures to account for thermal and aging corrections of the SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrument.Aims. The main objective of this article is to present a new high-resolution solar spectrum with a mean absolute uncertainty of 1.26% at 1σ from 165 to 3000 nm. This solar spectrum is based on solar observations of the SOLAR/SOLSPEC space-based instrument.Methods. The SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrument consists of three separate double monochromators that use concave holographic gratings to cover the middle ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), and infrared (IR) domains. Our best ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectra are merged into a single absolute solar spectrum covering the 165–3000 nm domain. The resulting solar spectrum has a spectral resolution varying between 0.6 and 9.5 nm in the 165–3000 nm wavelength range. We build a new solar reference spectrum (SOLAR-ISS) by constraining existing high-resolution spectra to SOLAR/SOLSPEC observed spectrum. For that purpose, we account for the difference of resolution between the two spectra using the SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrumental slit functions.Results. Using SOLAR/SOLSPEC data, a new solar spectrum covering the 165–3000 nm wavelength range is built and is representative of the 2008 solar minimum. It has a resolution better than 0.1 nm below 1000 nm and 1 nm in the 1000–3000 nm wavelength range. The new solar spectrum (SOLAR-ISS) highlights significant differences with previous solar reference spectra and with solar spectra based on models. The integral of the SOLAR-ISS solar spectrum yields a total solar irradiance of 1372.3 ± 16.9 Wm−2 at 1σ, that is yet 11 Wm−2 over the value recommended by the International Astronomical Union in 2015