Towards the space operation and the flight of the first Israeli astronaut
Alex Doron, Maariv
In preparation for the space operation and the flight of the first Israeli astronaut, NASA and the University prepared a special note to look into the heart of the dust storm from the Sahara Tel Aviv
25/3/2001
In preparation for the space operation and the flight of the first Israeli astronaut, NASA prepared
and a university
Peek into the heart of the dust storm from the Sahara Tel-Aviv special note
If there is no further change in the schedule - which has already undergone several changes
for technical reasons
And others - the flight of the first Israeli astronaut in space, Col
Air Force Ilan Ramon, April 2002. He will be found in the space shuttle
"Columbia", on flight no. STS107 and will perform a first experiment of its kind during it
To measure the emerging desert dust over the Mediterranean Sea. The cipher experiment: an operation
.MEIDEX
Ramon will also photograph the phenomenon of the "sprites" - electrical discharges, flashes
Red light in motion, reaching distances of 90-35 km. the "sprites"
appear at the "peaks" of lightning storms. So far there is no phenomenon
Electromagnetic is an explanation. It was first discovered only 11 years ago
And scientists don't even have answers to quite basic questions: how it is formed
And what is its exact life time.
Prof. Zeev Levin from the Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences at the University
Tel Aviv, who will conduct the research in space (together with Prof. Yehoyachin Yosef
and Prof. Yori Meckler, Dr. Adam Dvir and Dr. Yoav Yair), said that storms
The giant dust that will be studied originates from the Sahara desert - and every such storm has its own
Influence on the general weather in the world. One storm can cover all
Europe. The length of the plume of dust rising from the Sahara, in the "storm".
Quite average", may reach up to 600 km.
More than 55 percent of the tiny particles, the aerosols, that make up the
The air is present
Regularly in the Earth's lower atmosphere, they are actually dust particles
hovering Their proportion is greater than that of the particles originating from industrial emissions.
In the autumn months, the frequency of dust storms is greater in the western Mediterranean
And in the spring - in the east
(And this is why at this time of the year, we are expecting a lot of fog
in our area).
The dust affects the amount of rain in different parts of the world. Also size
the particles But the researchers claim that the particles also contribute to warming
Earth, and if it is possible in the future to "control" them, it may be possible
To bring about a relative cooling of the atmosphere and to stop its warming, due to multiplication
"Greenhouse gases".
The main experiment that Col. Ramon will perform on board "Columbia" will focus on
in motion tracking
The aerosols from the Sahara desert towards the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Today, the aerosols are monitored using sensors located on
Two NASA research satellites. Ramon will take pictures from space, during the 16 days of his stay
On the shuttle, the dust storms with special cameras at two wavelengths - and thus
will provide scientists with another angle of view of the phenomenon.
The ferry will pass over the Mediterranean Sea 3-2 times a day, during daylight hours. On
The exact location of the dust clouds will receive a report from observation networks,
A mathematical model for forecasting storms developed at Tel Aviv University and informs
NASA research satellites. All data will be streamed to the space center
"Goddard" in the state of Maryland and from there - to the ferry. All the photographs he will take
Ramon-Yucalto.
At the same time as its activity in space, a light plane, equipped with systems, will also operate
additional measurement and photography,
Near the Sicily area during a dust storm. The plane will even try to penetrate
To the "eye of the storm" - to obtain data on the properties and concentrations of the particles, and to collect their samples.
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