Project "PAS"
The "solar sail ship" - a cosmic device with thin film "sails" of several hectares is being constructed In Russia, USA and Europe which is forced to motion by solar light pressure. This work has been stimulated development of the corresponding technique for launching in cosmos the large-square film constructions (PAS), which can serve as solid-state track detectors. The PAS potential seems to open the unique perspectives for astrophysical investigations.
A many-sided program of astrophysical investigations based on PAS technique was elaborated in Lebedev Physical Institute. The PAS resources themselves and long exposition in cosmos allow to provide an experimental base for large number of problems linked to the processes in the solar crone as well as in the inner and outer space of the Solar system. They are:
- study of the solar crone areas where the charged particles are accelerated;
- analysis of possible scenario of particle acceleration in the intergalaxy space;
- investigation of the solar bursts nature;
- study of the problem of low energy nuclei origin in the galaxy cosmic rays;
- search for super-heavy nuclei with Z>30 in cosmic radiation, and other questions of significant theoretical and practical interest.
After landing and making the films sore, they will be processed with PAVICOM - the only installation in Russia capable for processing materials of such a big size.