Ethics on reviewing research:

The following is an excerpt from my research review in which I exemplify the appropriate use of documentation of sources and therefore the avoidance of plagiarism in science writing. I have chosen this particular excerpt because it includes an example of how I also documented the graphics I used. Just as this excerpt shows, throughout my paper I documented most of the graphics I incorporated because the majority of them were taken from the sources I used. Attached is also the list of references for my paper.

1.1 Targeting the thermal effects of solar rays exposure

One of the major challenges Lunar Laser Ranging array stations face at present is the continual exposure to drastic thermal changes caused by solar rays. Data shows the excess energy from solar radiation is absorbed by the fused silica, the main constituent material of corner cube retroreflectors. This affects their performance to a small degree [3]. The absorbed solar energy in the fused silica creates a difference in temperature with respect to the CCR housing, which creates a flow of heat within the CCR. This flow of heat then affects the indices of refraction of the fused silica, which in turn result in the slight impairment in performance of the system [3,6].

This overheating issue has been addressed by several research studies [3,6]. These studies suggest that this problem is solved with the inclusion of specific modifications in the housing design of the current LLR array systems [3]. One of the most innovative modifications under investigation is the Lunar Laser Ranging retroreflector array system called the LLRRA-21. The LLRRA-21 design incorporates prominent modifications such as a solar blanket and a sun shade [3]. (See Figures 3 and 4 for a detailed view of the LLRRA-21 design, and then refer to Figure 5 for comparison with current LLR array system). Douglas Currie, Simone Dell’Agnello and Giovanni Delle Monache, the creators of the LLRRA-21, suggest the inclusion of such housing designs will significantly optimize the response to the adverse phenomena that affect the overall performance of the system [3]. This was further demonstrated after a series of thermal simulations in which the LLRRA-21 endured satisfactorily the effects of such phenomena [3].

References

[1] Battat, J. B. R., Murphy T. W., Adelberger, E. G., Gillespie B., et al. The Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation (APOLLO): Two Years of Millimeter-Precision Measurements of the Earth-Moon Range. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 2009. 121/875: 29-40. [2] Chapront, Jean, and François Mignard. The lunar laser ranging: operation and science. C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris. 2000. Volume IV:1233-1243. [3] Currie, Douglas, Dell’Agnello, S., Delle Monache, G., et al. A Lunar Laser Ranging Retroreflector Array for the 21st Century. Acta Astronautica. 2011. 68:667-680.[4] Dumin, Yu V. A new application of the lunar laser retroreflectors: searching for the “local” Hubble expansion. Advanced Space Research. 2003. 31/11: 2461-2466.[5] Murphy, T.W., Adelberger, E. G., Strasburg, J. D., Stubbs, C. W., Nordtvedt, K. et al. Testing Gravity via Next-Generation Lunar Laser-Ranging. Nuclear Physics B (Proceeding Supplements). 2004. 134: 155-162.[6] Otsubo, Toshimichi, Kunimori, H., Noda, H., Hanada H. et al. Simulation of optical response of retroreflectors for future lunar laser ranging. Advances in Space Research. 2010. 45:733-740.

Figure 3. Exploded view of the LLRRA-21 [3]. Figure 4. LLRRA-21 design with sun shade [3].