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More than three dozen submillisecond events of ELVES type ("elves"), which are the result of the interaction of the front of an electromagnetic pulse from a lightning discharge and the lower layer of the ionosphere, have been identified in the data of a UV Atmosphere orbital multichannel detector (Mini-EUSO). Each event has a characteristic annular glow pattern and occupies a significant part of the detector's field of view, and the signal in a separate channel has an asymmetric profile with a pronounced peak. The distribution of peak times contains information about both the localization of the discharge and the altitude of the glow. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian (probabilistic) model for reconstructing ELVES events, implemented using probabilistic programming methods in PyMC-5. The capabilities of the model for determining the position of the discharge are shown using the example of several events. Methods for modifying the model to restore the discharge orientation and refine the glow height are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Observations of meteors in the Earth's atmosphere offer a unique tool for determining the flux of meteoroids that are too small to be detected by direct telescopic observations. Although these objects are routinely observed from ground-based facilities, such as meteor and fireball networks, space-based instruments come with notable advantages and have the potential to achieve a broad and uniform exposure. Aims. In this paper, we describe the first observations of meteor events with Mini-EUSO, a very wide field-of-view telescope launched in August 2019 from the Baikonur cosmodrome and installed on board the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station. Mini-EUSO can map the night-time Earth in the near-UV range (290-130 nm) with a field of view equal to 44° × 44° and a spatial resolution of about 4.7 km at an altitude of 100 km from the ground. The detector saves triggered transient phenomena with a sampling frequency of 2.5 µs and 320 µs, as well as a continuous acquisition at 40.96 ms scale that is suitable for meteor observations. Methods. We designed two dedicated and complementary trigger methods, together with an analysis pipeline able to estimate the main physical parameters of the observed population of meteors, such as the duration, horizontal speed, azimuth, and absolute magnitude. To compute the absolute flux of meteors from Mini-EUSO observations, we implemented a simulation framework able to estimate the detection efficiency as a function of the meteor magnitude and the background illumination conditions. Results. The instrument detected 24 thousand meteors within the first 40 data-taking sessions from November 2019 to August 2021, for a total observation time of approximately 6 days with a limiting absolute magnitude of +6. Our estimation of the absolute flux density of meteoroids in the range of mass between 10−5 kg to 10−1 kg was found to be comparable to other results available in the literature. Conclusions. The results of this work prove the potential for space-based observations to increase the statistics of meteor observations achievable with instruments operating on the ground. The slope of the mass distribution of meteoroids sampled with Mini-EUSO suggests a mass index of either s = 2.09 ± 0.02 or s = 2.31 ± 0.03, according to two different methodologies for the computation of the pre-atmospheric mass starting from the luminosity of each event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mini-EUSO telescope was launched for the International Space Station on August 22 nd , 2019 to observe from the ISS orbit (∼ 400 km altitude) various phenomena occurring in the Earth's atmosphere through a UV-transparent window located in the Russian Zvezda Module. Mini-EUSO is based on a set of two Fresnel lenses of 25 cm diameter each and a focal plane of 48 × 48 pixels, for a total field of view of 44 °. Until July 2021, Mini-EUSO performed a total of 41 data acquisition sessions, obtaining UV images of the Earth in the 290 nm – 430 nm band with temporal and spatial resolution on ground of 2.5 μs and 6.3 × 6.3 km2, respectively. The data acquisition was performed with a 2.5 μs sampling rate, using a dedicated trigger looking for signals with a typical duration of tens of μs. In the present paper the analysis of the performance of the 2.5 μs trigger logic is presented, with a focus on the method used for the analysis and the categories of triggered events. The expected functioning of the trigger logic has been confirmed, with the trigger rate on spurious events that remains within the requirements in nominal background conditions. The trigger logic detected several different phenomena, including lightning strikes, elves, ground-based flashers and events with EAS-like characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mini-EUSO is part of the JEM-EUSO program and operates on board the International Space Station (ISS). It is a UV-telescope with single-photon counting capability looking at nighttime downwards to the Earth through a nadir-facing UV-transparent window. As part of the pre-flight tests, the Mini-EUSO engineering model, a telescope with 1/9 of the original focal surface and a lens of 2.5 cm diameter, has been built and tested. Tests of the Mini-EUSO engineering model have been made in laboratory and in open-sky conditions. Laboratory tests have been performed at the TurLab facility, located at the Physics Department of the University of Turin, equipped with a rotating tank containing different types of materials and light sources. In this way, the configuration for the observation of the Earth from space was emulated, including the Mini-EUSO trigger schemes. In addition to the qualification and calibration tests, the Mini-EUSO engineering model has also been used to evaluate the possibility of using a JEM-EUSO-type detector for applications such as observation of space debris. Furthermore, observations in open-sky conditions allowed the studies of natural light sources such as stars, meteors, planets, and artificial light sources such as airplanes, satellites reflecting the sunlight, and city lights. Most of these targets could be detected also with Mini-EUSO. In this paper, the tests in laboratory and in open-sky conditions are reported, as well as the obtained results. In addition, the contribution that such tests provided to foresee and improve the performance of Mini-EUSO on board the ISS is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mini-EUSO (Multiwavelength Imaging New Instrument for the Extreme Universe Space Observatory) is a telescope observing the Earth from the International Space Station since 2019. The instrument employs a Fresnel-lens optical system and a focal surface composed of 36 Multi-Anode Photomultiplier tubes, 64 channels each, for a total of 2304 channels with single photon counting sensitivity. Mini-EUSO also contains two ancillary cameras to complement measurements in the near infrared and visible ranges. The scientific objectives of the mission range from the search for Extensive Air Showers (EAS) generated by Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) with energies above 10 21 eV , the search for nuclearites and Strange Quark Matter (SQM), up to the study of atmospheric phenomena such as Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), meteors and meteoroids. Mini-EUSO can map the night-time Earth in the near UV range (predominantly between 290–430 nm) with a spatial resolution of about 6.3 km (full field of view equal to 44°) and a maximum temporal resolution of 2. 5 μ s , observing our planet through a nadir-facing UV-transparent window in the Russian Zvezda module. The detector saves triggered transient phenomena with a sampling rate of 2. 5 μ s and 320 μ s , as well as continuous acquisition at 40.96 ms scale. In this paper we discuss the detector response and the flat-fielding and calibration procedures. Using the 40.96 ms data, we present ≃ 6. 3 km resolution night-time Earth maps in the UV band, and report on various emissions of anthropogenic and natural origin. We measure ionospheric airglow emissions of dark moonless nights over the sea and ground, studying the effect of clouds, moonlight, and artificial (towns, boats) lights. In addition to paving the way forward for the study of long-term variations of light of natural and artificial origin, we also estimate the observation live-time of future UHECR detectors. • ISS-based telescope in UV band with 2.5 microsecond sampling and 6.3 km resolution. • 25 cm Fresnel lenses, single photon counting. • Observation of night-time Earth: from atmospheric phenomena to anthropogenic lights. • Method for boot-strapped flat-fielding of the telescope. • Determination of exposure for future Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trigger Logic (TL) of the Tracking Ultraviolet Setup (TUS) and Multiwavelength Imaging New Instrument for the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (Mini-EUSO) space-based projects of the Joint Experiment Missions-EUSO (JEM-EUSO) program is summarized. The performance results on the search for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]