Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor Explained

Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) is a project led by the European Space Agency to place cameras and X-ray/γ-ray detectors on the International Space Station to observe the upper atmosphere in order to study sprites, jets and elves and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes in connection with thunderstorms.^[1] It is hoped that measurements of these phenomena from space will contribute to the understanding of Earth's upper atmosphere.^[2]

The ASIM components, originally planned to be completed in 2014, were launched on 2 April 2018 and mounted on the Columbus External Payload Facility on 13 April 2018.^[3] Danish tech company Terma A/S is running the technical part of the project for ESA^{[4] [5]} and DTU Space (National Space Institute) from the Technical University of Denmark provides the scientific leadership of the project.^[6] Mission operations will be performed by the Belgian User Support and Operations Centre (B.USOC) in Uccle, Belgium.^[7]

First results from the measurements revealed that gamma ray bursts form when powerful electric fields course through the atmosphere, just before a lightning bolt travels along the same path. These results were published in July 2019.^[8]

Instruments

The ASIM payload has a mass of 314kg (692lb) and consists of sub-systems CEPA and DHPU, and two scientific instruments called MXGS and MMIA:^{[3] [9]}

• The Columbus External Payload Adapter (CEPA) and Data Handling and Power Unit (DHPU) form the structural and electrical connections, respectively, to the Columbus module.
• The Modular X and Gamma Ray Instrument (MXGS) is a pair of terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF) detectors. The low-energy detector is sensitive from 15 keV to 400 keV, and the high-energy detector is sensitive from 200 keV to 40 MeV.
• The Modular Multi-Imaging Assembly (MMIA) is an optical imaging system capable of observing 12 frames per second continuously in the 777.4 nm and 337 nm bands at 5 nm wide intervals.

See also

• European contribution to the International Space Station
• Scientific research on the International Space Station
• Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor

External links

• ASIM.dk
• ASIM webpage at the European Space Agency's Human Spaceflight Research portal
• ASIM webpage by Terma A/S
• ASIM webpage at NASA's Space Station Research & Technology portal

Notes and References

1. Web site: ISS Utilization: ASIM (Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor) . eoPortal . European Space Agency . 8 April 2018.
2. The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) for the International Space Station . International Living With a Star Workshop. 19-24 February 2006. Goa, India. . T. . Neubert . I. . Kuvvetli . C. . Budtz-Jørgensen . N. . Østgaard . V. . Reglero . N. . Arnold . 1 . 2006 . 2006ilws.conf..448N.
3. News: Hunting mystery giant lightning from space . BBC News . Mary . Halton . 7 April 2018 . 7 April 2018.
4. News: Terma to Head ASIM Observatory for ISS . Space Travel . 27 August 2010 . 7 April 2018.
5. Web site: Largest Space Project for Terma . . 26 September 2016 . 7 April 2018 . 26 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326202326/https://www.terma.com/press/news-2016/asim/ . dead .
6. Web site: ASIM: Climate and giant lightning discharges to be studied from the International Space Station . . Torsten . Neubert . 2 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151024135208/http://www.space.dtu.dk/english/Research/Projects/ASIM . 24 October 2015 . dead.
7. Web site: B.USOC role in the ASIM operations on the ISS . Belgian User Support and Operations Centre . 30 June 2014 . 7 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044321/http://www.busoc.be/news/17/ . 9 April 2018 . dead .
8. Space station re-entry, Moon tapes and Ebola emergency . Nature . 24 July 2019 . 571 . 7766 . 452–453 . 10.1038/d41586-019-02240-0 . 31341316 . 2019Natur.571..452. . free .
9. Web site: ASIM Payload . ASIM.dk . 7 April 2018.