Quantum Communication Uplink to a 3U CubeSat: Feasibility & Design

Satellites are the efficient way to achieve global scale quantum communication (Q.Com) because unavoidable losses restrict fiber based Q.Com to a few hundred kilometers. We demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a Q.Com uplink with a tiny 3U CubeSat (measuring just 10X10X32 cm^3 ) using commercial off-the-shelf components, the majority of which have space heritage. We demonstrate how to leverage the latest advancements in nano-satellite body-pointing to show that our 4kg CubeSat can provide performance comparable to much larger 600kg satellite missions. A comprehensive link budget and simulation was performed to calculate the secure key rates. We discuss design choices and trade-offs to maximize the key rate while minimizing the cost and development needed. Our detailed design and feasibility study can be readily used as a template for global scale Q.Com.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables. Fixed tables and figure

Russisch ex-spionagevliegtuig meet atmosferisch water

Groningse onderzoekers hebben onlangs met een voor onderzoek aangepast Russisch spionagevliegtuig hoog boven Burkina Faso metingen verricht met een ingenieus nieuw instrument. Doel was inzicht verkrijgen in de mechanismen die zorgen voor de zeer lage waterconcentratie in de stratosfeer.

Towards high-precision isotopic analysis of CO2 from ice-core gas bubbles using quantum cascade laser spectroscopy

International audienceThe paleo-climate archive provided by gas stored in bubbles in the ice provides a powerful means to study the ~40% increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration between glacial and interglacial climates, in combination with numerical modeling studies, to elucidate the underlying physical mechanisms. Of particular interest is, considering the strong correlation between the carbon cycle and climate, and in light of the post-industrial revolution anthropogenic increase of the CO2 concentration. The source of the CO2 released into the atmosphere during previous deglaciations can be constrained from 13CO2 isotopic measurements on CO2 gas stored in bubbles in the ice-cores by the fact that the different CO2 reservoirs (terrestrial biosphere, oceans) and associated mechanisms (biological or physical) have different isotopic signatures. Unfortunately, conventional IRMS measurements on the small quantity of gas available are difficult, tedious, and time-consuming. We report here on the design of an alternative method based on Optical Feedback Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectrometry (OF-CEAS) using a quantum cascade laser operating near 4.36 μm. The aim of this instrument design is to achieve the measurement of the 13C/12C isotopic ratio (δ13C) with a precision better than 0.05 ‰ on small quantities of the trapped atmospheric CO2. We describe the instrument and show preliminary results