Josua Florczak - DR project
Radiation effect analysis and mitigation methods optimization for imaging based sensor electronics in nanosatellites
Doctoral Researcher: Josua Florczak
Topic: Measurement Systems
Research Field: Earth and Environment
Motivation
In view of current global challenges, such as climate change and a growing world population, an important goal of Forschungszentrum Jülich (research centre) is to understand the complex processes of the greenhouse effect and to improve climate forecasts. For this purpose, nanosatellites (e.g. cubesats) are increasingly used to measure climate-relevant data, whereby the miniaturization of electronics and sensor technology is an essential requirement for performing scientific experiments.
Within the framework of cooperation the research team at ZEA-2 develops miniaturized, modular measurement platforms for these small satellites [1]. Our focus is on imaging sensors in combination with integrated System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions. In order to be able to use the latest technology and minimize costs, we use commercially available components (COTS) in combination with custom mitigation techniques for stable use of the systems under the harsh conditions in space.
Phd thesis description
Remote sensing instruments are one part of observation units typically launched in low earth orbits (LEO) to provide global coverage. Longer mission durations in the range of several years are increasingly targeted e.g., to observe long-term climate processes. The mission lifetime and instrument reliability will be influenced by radiation effects and will be a challenge in a commercial off the shelf (COTS) based design. While the cumulative radiation effects lead to progressive degradation of components, single event effects (SEEs) cause problems such as bit flips, functional interruptions, or even destruction of components inside the sensor electronics.
In this PhD project a software-based radiation monitor that can be integrated with existing CMOS imaging instruments should be addressed. The knowledge about the radiation environment helps to respond to unexpected events such as geomagnetic storms, inhomogeneous or anisotropic radiation environments. This leads to increase mission lifetime and instrument reliability, with tailored software and hardware mitigation measures and needs to be integrated during the design phase in respect to their power consumption, mass and budget. The aim in this work, is a fully integrated approach which will be predestined for nanosatellites because it does not claim the need for additional hardware, interfaces, cabling, and space on the satellite platform. By means of suitable image processing routines, radiation-specific artefacts have to be evaluated on board, based on the acquired images [2]. Sharing image processing chain resources means that only a fraction of the power consumption and processing capacity needs to be requested. This will enable detection of the real radiation environment within the payload without uncertainties due to unknown shielding effects from other payloads or satellite structures. As a result, enhanced mitigation measures based on these radiation data are being targeted to provide better protection for satellite electronics in highly radiated regions such as the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA).
For this purpose, measurement data from the highly miniaturized limb sounder (AtmoSHINE) developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich utilizes a monolithic spectrometer for atmospheric temperature measurements [3,4] will be used in this project.
Partners/Institutions
Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Juelich, Germany
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Research, University of Wuppertal, Gauss-Str.20, 42097 Wuppertal, Germany
References
[1] Neubert, T., Rongen, H., Froehlich, D., Schardt, G., Dick, M., Nysten, T., Zimmermann, E., Kaufmann, M., Olschewski, F., van Wasen, S. (2019), System-on-module-based long-life electronics for remote sensing imaging with CubeSats in low-earth-orbits, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 13(3), 032507, https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JRS.13.032507.
[2] Floarczak, J., Neubert, T., El Maghawry, K., Zimmermann, E., Rongen, H.,Kaufmann, M., Olschewski, F., van Waasen, S. (2021), Radiation Monitor Extension for CMOS Imaging Instruments in Nanosatellites, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, preprint under review.
[3] Kaufmann, M., Olschewski, F., Mantel, K., Solheim, B., Shepherd, G., Deiml, M., Liu, J., Song, R., Chen, Q., Wroblowski, O., Wei, D., Zhu, Y., Wagner, F., Loosen, F., Froehlich, D., Neubert, T., Rongen, H., Knieling, P., Toumpas, P., Shan, J., Tang, G., Koppmann, R., and Riese, M. (2018), A highly miniaturized satellite payload based on a spatial heterodyne spectrometer for atmospheric temperature measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 3861-3870, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-3861-2018.
[4] Olschewski, F., Kaufmann, M., Mantel, K., Neubert, T., Rongen, H., Riese, M., Koppmann, R., AtmoCube A1: airglow measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere by spatial heterodyne interferometry, J. Appl. Remote Sens. 3(2), 024501 (2019), https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JRS.13.024501