Database of satellite polarimetry

We present the electronic database (EAR-SA-COMPIL-3-SATPOL-V1.0, NASA Planetary Data System), involving 2355 published and 105 unpublished results in planetary satellite polarimetry. The database contains 2460 measurements of linear polarization of planetary satellites, including fifteen measurements of polarization for the Martian satellites (Phobos and Deimos), 2318 measurements for five Jovian satellites (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, and Himalia), 127 measurements for two Saturnian satellites (Titan and Iapetus). Broad-band measurements within the spectral region 233-850 nm are presented. The range of phase angles is 0.1°-154° . The geometric conditions of observations (phase angle, planetographic longitude and latitude of the target disk centre seen by the observer, and position angle of the scattering plane) are calculated for given moments of time according to the JPL Horizons ephemeris system. We have compiled nineteen references to the published papers and some unpublished sources. The data are provided in a tabular ASCII format. The database can be used as the observational basis for detailed theoretical modelling, interpretation of the phase-angle and spectral dependence of polarization, and for selecting future space-mission targets

Polarimetry of Saturnian satellite Enceladus

We present results of polarimetric observations of Saturn's moon Enceladus carried out from April 14, 2010 to April 13, 2013 in WR spectral band (550-750 nm). We used 2.6-m telescope equipped with a one-channel photoelectric photometer-polarimeter (Crimean Astrophysical Observatory). The measurements were performed at phase angles ranging from 1.65° to 5.71°. The phase-angle dependence of linear polarization of Enceladus was obtained using the results of our observations. Results obtained are discussed in terms of existing models of light scattering by regolith surfaces

Polarimetric observations of the Galilean satellites near opposition in 2011

We present results of the new polarimetric observations of the Galilean satellites Io, Ganymede, Europe, and Callisto carried out on October 21 - November 1, 2011. We used 1.25m telescope equipped with the UBVRI double image chopping photoelectric polarimeter, 2.6m Shain telescope equipped with a one-channel photoelectric photometer-polarimeter, 1m RCC telescope equipped with a one-channel photoelectric photometer-polarimeter (Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, Ukraine), and 0.7m telescope equipped with a one-channel photoelectric photometer-polarimeter (Chuguev Observational Station of Astronomical Institute of Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine). The measurements were performed at phase angles ranging from 0.34° to 2.12°. Our new observations fully confirmed the presence of the polarization opposition effect for high-albedo satellites Io, Europa, and Ganymede at phase angles less than 2° . Within the accuracy of the measurements we did not detect the polarization opposition effect for moderate-albedo satellite Callisto

On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM