PROJECT TITLE: Satellite detection of faint fluorescence phenomena — SADET

Coordinator: The Institute of Space Science (ISS)

Partners: –

Period: 19 November 2012 – 18 November 2014

Project director: PhD. Maria Haiduc

Project team: Maria HAIDUC – Ph.D., Eugeniu Mihnea POPESCU – Ph.D., Marius RUJOIU – Ph.D., Elena FIRU – Ph.D., Veta GHENESCU – Ph.D., Titi PREDA –  Ph.D, Alina NEAGU – Ph.D. student, Ionel STAN – Ph.D. student, Adrian Sevcenco – Ph.D. student, Andrei Radu Aurelian – Ph.D, Madalin Cherciu – PH.D.

Description: The SADET project proposes the development of new techniques for the extraction of time-limited faint UV/IR fluorescence signals from non-negligible background, noise and atmospheric effects in satellite experiments using pixelated detectors. The techniques will be applied explicitly to the study of the UV fluorescence yield of EAS produced by UHECR in the TUS experiment (collaboration with JINR-Dubna and MSU-Moscow), which is a precursor of the TUS-M/KLYPVE and JEM-EUSO experiments aboard the ISS, and will be developed with an eye towards other applications in ESA programs such as SSA/SWE and GMES (CO2  monitoring by the Sun-induced IR fluorescence of chlorophyll in the vegetation). 

Project objectives:

• analysis  of the atmospheric effects that affect the satellite detection of fluorescence and study of the atmospheric influences of EAS signal at space orbit
• simulation of the atmospheric effects by modeling time limited ground and atmospheric sources of fluorescence
• modeling the influence of atmospheric effects on the propagation and satellite detection of time limited fluorescence
• elaboration of special techniques for background subtraction in the satellite detection 
• triggering techniques in the satellite detection of faint fluorescence signals of faint fluorescence signals.

Activities:

• Phase 1: Atmospheric phenomena and satellite detection of fluorescent radiation
• Phase 2: Analysis/simulation of the atmospheric effects that affect the satellite detection of fluorescence
• Phase 3: Special techniques for the satellite detection of faint time limited fluorescence

Contributions to the STAR programme objectives:

• Gives us experience in using pixelated detectors for the detection of cosmic rays and cosmic particles
• Gives us a chance to collaborate to the technological development of experiments
• Gives us a foothold to enter the TUS-M/KLYPVE & JEM-EUSO experiments aboard the ISS
• Gives us access to other future experiments using the TUS technology e.g. TUNKA, the Russian (smaller) version of PAO @ the Baikal lake

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