Invited Article: First flight in space of a wide-field-of-view soft x-ray imager using lobster-eye optics: Instrument description and initial flight results.

We describe the development, launch into space, and initial results from a prototype wide field-of-view soft X-ray imager that employs lobster-eye optics and targets heliophysics, planetary, and astrophysics science. The sheath transport observer for the redistribution of mass is the first instrument using this type of optics launched into space and provides proof-of-concept for future flight instruments capable of imaging structures such as the terrestrial cusp, the entire dayside magnetosheath from outside the magnetosphere, comets, the Moon, and the solar wind interaction with planetary bodies like Venus and Mars [Kuntz et al., Astrophys. J. (in press)].

An x-ray photoemission electron microscopy study of the formation of Ti-Al phases in 4 mol% TiCl3 catalyzed NaAlH4 during high energy ball milling.

This study reports reaction pathways to form TiAlx metallic complexes during the high energy ball milling of 4 mol% TiCl3 with NaAlH4 powders determined using local structure analysis of Tix+ and Alx+ species. Using x-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD), the oxidation state of Alx+ and Tix+ and the crystalline compounds existing in equilibrium with NaAlH4 were tracked for samples milled for times of 0 (i.e. mixing), 5, and 25 min. XPEEM analysis of the Al K edge after 5 min of milling reveals that Al remains in the 3+ oxidation state (i.e. in NaAlH4) around Ti0-rich regions of the sample. After 25 min of high energy milling, Ti0 has reacted with Al3+ (in nearby NaAlH4) to form TiAlx complexes. This study reports the pathway for TiAlx complex formation during milling of 4 mol% TiCl3catalyzed NaAlH4 to be as follows: (1) Ti3+ reduces to Ti0 (with Al3+ near Ti0 regions) and (2) Ti0 reacts with Al3+ in NaAlH4 to form TiAlx complexes.