Modeling the sodium potassium droplet interactions with the low earth orbit space debris environment

The NASA/JSC sodium potassium (NaK) RORSAT coolant source and propagation model has been extended to 1 mm in diameter via a size distribution, which is an inverse power law fit that has been modified to damp out in the large size regime. This function matches the observed Haystack NaK population down to diameters of about 6 mm. The extrapolated function takes the population to arbitrarily small sizes all the while retaining the mass dominance of the 1–3 cm droplets that is observed in the Haystack data. This result is physically satisfying since the mechanism of NaK ejection appears to be a nonviolent release at low relative velocities. We propose that any NaK particles smaller than about 1 mm that exist would not be due to that mechanism. Instead, we show that such a population could be the result of subsequent collisions of NaK droplets with larger resident space objects and the micrometeoroid population. Our preliminary analysis shows that collisions between these populations are likely in the time period of 1980 through present-day. Though the result of such collisions is generally unknown it is probable that some ejecta of NaK enter the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment as a result. It is these secondary NaK droplets/particles that we contend are the likely impactors noted on returned surfaces.     

Enhancement and Validation of the IDES Orbital Debris Environment Model

Orbital debris environment models are essential in predicting the characteristics of the entire debris environment, especially for altitude and size regimes where measurement data is sparse. Most models are also used to assess mission collision risk. The IDES (Integrated Debris Evolution Suite) simulation model has recently been upgraded by including a new sodium–potassium liquid coolant droplet source model and a new historical launch database. These and other features of IDES are described in detail. The accuracy of the IDES model is evaluated over a wide range of debris sizes by comparing model predictions to three major types of debris measurement data in low Earth orbit. For the large-size debris population, the model is compared with the spatial density distribution of the United States (US) Space Command Catalog. A radar simulation model is employed to predict the detection rates of mid-size debris in the field of view of the US Haystack radar. Finally, the small-size impact flux relative to a surface of the retrieved Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) spacecraft is predicted. At sub-millimetre sizes, the model currently under-predicts the debris environment encountered at low altitudes by approximately an order of magnitude. This is because other small-size debris sources, such as paint flakes have not yet been characterised. Due to the model enhancements, IDES exhibits good accuracy when predicting the debris environment at decimetre and centimetre sizes. Therefore, the validated initial conditions and the high fidelity future traffic model enables IDES to make long-term debris environment projections with more confidence.     

Deployment history and design considerations for space reactor power systems

The history of the deployment of nuclear reactors in Earth orbits is reviewed with emphases on lessons learned and the operation and safety experiences. The former Soviet Union's “BUK” power systems, with SiGe thermoelectric conversion and fast neutron energy spectrum reactors, powered a total of 31 Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites (RORSATs) from 1970 to 1988 in 260 km orbit. Two of the former Soviet Union's TOPAZ reactors, with in-core thermionic conversion and epithermal neutron energy spectrum, powered two Cosmos missions launched in 1987 in ～800 km orbit. The US’ SNAP-10A system, with SiGe energy conversion and a thermal neutron energy spectrum reactor, was launched in 1965 in 1300 km orbit. The three reactor systems used liquid NaK-78 coolant, stainless steel structure and highly enriched uranium fuel (90–96 wt%) and operated at a reactor exit temperature of 833–973 K. The BUK reactors used U-Mo fuel rods, TOPAZ used UO₂ fuel rods and four ZrH moderator disks, and the SNAP-10A used moderated U-ZrH fuel rods. These low power space reactor systems were designed for short missions (～0.5 kW_e and ～1 year for SNAP-10A, <3.0 kW_e and <6 months for BUK, and ～5.5 kW_e and up to 1 year for TOPAZ). The deactivated BUK reactors at the end of mission, which varied in duration from a few hours to ～4.5 months, were boosted into ～800 km storage orbit with a decay life of more than 600 year. The ejection of the last 16 BUK reactor fuel cores caused significant contamination of Earth orbits with NaK droplets that varied in sizes from a few microns to 5 cm. Power systems to enhance or enable future interplanetary exploration, in-situ resources utilization on Mars and the Moon, and civilian missions in 1000–3000 km orbits would generate significantly more power of 10's to 100's kW_e for 5–10 years, or even longer. A number of design options to enhance the operation reliability and safety of these high power space reactor power systems are presented and discussed.     

Ignition of fuel sprays by shock wave mathematical modeling and numerical simulation

The paper presents the results of developing of physical and mathematical model making it possible to take into account the effect of droplets non-uniformity in space and size distribution on ignition conditions for fuel sprays. The influence of condensed phase volume fraction on ignition and combustion of sprays was studied, physical and mathematical models for multi-phase flows, mixture formation and combustion of liquid fuels based on solving Navier–Stokes equations for gas phase accounting for thermal and mechanical interaction with poly-dispersed droplets array. The problems of particulate phase dynamics are regarded accounting for the interaction with gas phase atomization, evaporation and combustion.It was shown that depending on droplet size distribution and aerosol cloud density different flow scenarios were possible.Several ignition zones could be formed behind incident shock wave depending on mixture properties and initiation parameters. The possibility of numerical simulation permitting variation of definite parameters only made it possible to explain this fact.     

寻的导弹寄生天线罩耦合回路有效导航比设计

基于比例导引(PN)制导律和实际惯性稳定框架式导引头回路,针对导引头回路两种校正网络,建立了用于设计有效导航比的两种寻的导弹寄生天线罩耦合回路模型,给出了PN寻的制导系统的控制弹道实际有效导航比的计算公式及设计准则。算例结果表明,该方法正确有效,所得脱靶量较小。     

Whipple防护结构弹道极限方程的多指标修正

为获得适用于国内情况的Whipple防护结构超高速弹道极限方程,研究了指标寻优方法,对国外的Christiansen改进型方程,以国内实验数据为依据进行多指标修正。结果发现：以预测概率型指标（包括总体预测率、安全预测率）和预测误差型指标（如：预测误差平方和）联合进行方程系数的逐级修正,可获得预测效果更好的修正方程。通过对低速段和高速段方程的整体系数进行修正,最终得到的新方程在国内107个实验数据上的总体预测率达到了89.7%,安全预测率则高达100%,分别较修正前的相应指标提高了10.3%和2.8%。     

频率源对雷达测速精度影响分析

针对高稳频率源如何影响雷达测速精度问题，构建基于频率源分析雷达测速精度的理论模型，利用同步校频和互备双锁相环(PLL)改进方案实现了高稳高可靠频率源，然后通过静态模拟试验和动目标跟踪试验，分析频率源幅度、准确度、稳定度及同步校频、锁相环等模块对多普勒和测速精度的影响。结果表明，锁相环能够提升频率源短稳，降低雷达测速随机误差，同步校频能够减小本地铷钟与外部基准的频差，减小雷达测速系统误差，通过双源和双锁相环的设计，频率源切换或锁相环路切换时，也能够保证测速雷达系统正常工作。     

Numerical validation and parametric investigation on the cold flow field of a typical cavity-based scramjet combustor

The three-dimensional coupled implicit Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and the two equation standard k–ε turbulence model has been employed to numerically simulate the cold flow field in a typical cavity-based scramjet combustor. The numerical results show reasonable agreement with the schlieren photograph and the pressure distribution available in the open literature. The pressure distribution after the first pressure rise is under-predicted. There are five shock waves existing in the cold flow field of the referenced combustor. The first and second pressure rises on the upper wall of the combustor are predicted accurately with the medium grid. The other three shock waves occur in the core flow of the combustor. The location of the pressure rise due to these three shock waves could not be predicted accurately due to the presence of recirculation zone downstream of the small step. Further, the effect of length-to-depth ratio of the cavity and the back pressure on the wave structure in the combustor has been investigated. The obtained results show that there is an optimal length-to-depth ratio for the cavity to restrict the movement of the shock wave train in the flow field of the scramjet combustor. The low velocity region in the cavity affects the downstream flow field for low back pressure. The intensity of the shock wave generated at the exit of the isolator depends on the back pressure at the exit of the combustor and this in turn affects the pressure distribution on the upper wall of the combustor.     

压制干扰下组网雷达目标检测与跟踪技术

针对压制干扰下组网雷达目标检测与跟踪,提出了一种基于压制干扰下雷达量测模型的跟踪技术。该跟踪技术包括压制干扰下量测模型和组网雷达序贯滤波跟踪两部分。压制干扰下量测模型根据雷达采取抗干扰措施前后接收机输入端的信干比分别计算检测概率,进而模拟传感器在压制干扰下对目标的检测情况。组网雷达序贯滤波中,首先对压制干扰下各雷达的量测数据进行串行合并和点迹合成,而后采用基于交互多模型(IMM)的序贯滤波方法对压缩后的数据进行跟踪。该检测与跟踪技术可模拟出雷达在压制干扰下由于检测概率下降造成的目标暂消现象,提高组网雷达跟踪航迹的连续性和稳定性。仿真结果表明了该技术的可行性和有效性。     

Remnant magnetic fields of Mars and their interaction with the solar wind

This work presents a review of studies of the Martian magnetic fields during the early Soviet missions to Mars in 1971–1974, which never approached Mars by closer than 1000 km before the experiment with the Magnetometer/Electronic Reflectometer (MAG/ER) on board the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, which could descend to altitudes of 80–100 km. At present, the experiment with the magnetometer (MAG) onboard the American MAVEN spacecraft adds new data, but the map of distribution of remnant magnetic fields of Mars and the picture of their interaction with the solar wind are already formed and, at its core, obviously, will not be revised. Thus, it would be very instructive to consider the following in detail: (a) what is already known regarding the features and distribution of remnant magnetic fields on Mars; (b) how they control the interaction of solar wind with a weakly magnetized planet (Mars); and (c) what is its distinction from another nonmagnetized planet (Venus).     

基于模糊推理的液体火箭发动机推力室减损控制研究

在建立液体火箭发动机动力学模型、推力室冷却夹套隔片结构模型和材料损伤模型的基础上,利用模糊逻辑推理知识设计了模糊推理机,构建了模糊减损控制系统这一有机整体。通过仿真计算,在火箭发动机工作100s期间,推力室喷管冷却夹套隔片有一定变形的情况下,研究了其损伤演化过程及损伤分布。     

基于VRT的气象粒子群时域回波仿真研究

随着雷达使用频段提升,降雨、云雾等气象因素对雷达探测的影响逐渐不可忽视。为研究气象粒子群对雷达探测工作产生的影响,文章总结了电磁波在不同类型气象粒子群下的谱分布与衰减特性;再根据粒子谱方程给出气象粒子群的模型信息;最后基于矢量辐射传输方法,提出了一种改进的气象粒子群时域回波快速仿真的方法,包括分区加速、传播路径判断的优化,在大体量粒子群回波建模中的优化效果可达到普通方法的20倍左右。结果表明,雨粒子群对雷达探测工作会造成较大的杂波,其杂波幅值约为发射功率的10-4倍;云粒子群的时域结果存在较强的随机性;雾粒子群时域结果均匀且幅值较低。文章针对不同类型气象粒子群时域回波的仿真结果与分析,对雷达的精准探测研究具有一定参考价值。     

某缩尺推力室燃烧和传热特性研究

为了研究冷却剂的流动方向和推进剂的质量流量对推力室燃烧和传热过程带来的影响,以某型氢氧火箭发动机的推力室缩比试验件为研究对象,对推力室的燃烧和传热过程进行了数值仿真。改变冷却剂的流动方向,最高壁面温度相差1.04%,最高壁面热流密度相差0.544%,冷却剂温升相差0.233%,出口压力相差3.803%,分析发现,改变冷却剂的流动方向,对推力室内部的燃烧过程和壁面传热效率影响很小,冷却剂的流动方向会影响壁面温度分布。推进剂质量流量提升22.29%,室压提升22.17%,燃烧效率降低0.55%,最高壁温提升9.16%,最高热流密度提升17.48%,冷却剂温升提高13.05%,分析发现,提升推进剂质量流量会导致推力室壁面温度和冷却剂温升的提高,由于缩比发动机反应空间小燃烧不够充分,提升推进剂质量流量会使燃烧效率有所下降。     

海面舰船复合场景电磁散射模型与应用研究

开展海上舰船目标复合场景电磁散射机理和模型研究对于海洋环境中的船只监测以及分类识别有着重要的指导意义。面向高分辨雷达对海探测需求,介绍了研究团队近年来针对海洋环境提出的一系列电磁散射模型,具体包括：1）针对海面电磁散射提出的毛细波修正面元散射模型,面元化的简化小斜率近似模型以及针对高海情海面提出的考虑破碎波影响的面元化散射模型;2）针对电大尺寸目标提出的几何光学/物理光学混合算法及其硬件加速实现方案;3）针对船海复合场景提出的面元散射模型与几何光学/物理光学混合方法。最后给出了电磁散射模型在海杂波特性仿真分析、电大尺寸目标雷达特性分析、目标及船海复合场景高分辨合成孔径雷达图像仿真与目标探测等中的应用。     

Solar flare with a surge: Scenario,energy budget,and forecast

Based on the analysis of solar events on August 18, 1995 (SN/C1.9 limb event) and September 23, 1998 (3B/M6.9 disk event) we suggest a new scenario of a solar flare with a surge in which the return motion of a surge is a cause of additional energy release and formation of a second system of solar flare ribbons. Observations in H_α line and data on X-ray emission fluxes in the range 1–8 Å and 0.5–4 Å are supplemented for the second case by the data in line 1550 Å. The scenario specifies two stages of development. During the first one the energy release proceeds in the current layer, which makes provisions both for acceleration of eruption upward from the solar surface and for the flare itself, including flare region heating, and radiation and thermal conductance losses. The second stage of the flare is supplied with energy due to a fall of the surge substance onto the chromosphere. The second pair of flare ribbons observed at this stage is suggested as a chromospheric criterion of realization of this scenario for disk flares. The energy released during the first stage of the flare on September 23, 1998 was equal to ～3 · 10³¹ erg. Its part consumed on flare processes is about ～0.5 · 10³¹ erg. The remaining part representing the eruption energy is consistent in order of magnitude with a calculated value of the flare energy on the second stage, which does not contradict the suggested scenario. Early recognition of such a scenario for flares on the disk can be used for prompt space weather forecast. In particular, a flare with a surge allows one to predict the absence of a bright core in a coronal mass ejection.     

含微裂纹的固体导弹弹射筒的可靠性研究

为了对含微裂纹的固体导弹弹射筒进行可靠性评估，从断裂力学的角度，对随机载荷作用下的钢制弹射筒裂纹累积损伤进行了分析和研究，建立了裂纹累积损伤失效物理模型。在此基础上应用蒙特－卡罗方法对算例进行仿真计算，并分析了影响弹射筒可靠性的因素。结果表明，初始裂纹的大小是影响弹射筒可靠性的主要因素，这与实际结果较符合。     

雷达干扰效果评估的粗糙集方法

针对雷达干扰效果评估这一电子战作战运用中的核心问题,建立了基于粗糙集方法的评估模型。首先,构建了雷达干扰效果评估的连续值型信息系统。在计算属性约简集的基础上,建立了雷达干扰空间的偏序关系矩阵。最后,通过计算雷达干扰空间的综合优势程度,获取雷达干扰效果评估值。实例证明了该方法的有效性。     

Transient analysis of counterflowing jet over highly blunt cone in hypersonic flow

Understanding the characteristics of various Counterflowing jets exiting from a nose cone is crucial for determining heat load reduction and usage of this device in various conditions. Such jets can undergo several flow regimes during venting, from initial supersonic flow, to transonic, to subsonic flow regimes as the pressure of jet decreases. A bow shock wave is a characteristic flow structure during the initial stage of the jet development, and this paper focuses on the development of the bow shock wave and the jet structure behind it. The transient behavior of a sonic counterflow jet is investigated using unsteady, axisymmetric Navier–Stokes solved with SST turbulence model at free stream Mach number of 5.75. The coolant gas (Carbon Dioxide and Helium) is chosen to inject into the hypersonic air flow at the nose of the model. The gases are considered to be ideal, and the computational domain is axisymmetric. The jet structure, including the shock wave and flow separation due to an adverse pressure gradient at the nose is investigated with a focus on the differences between high diffusivity coolant jet (Helium) and low diffusivity coolant jet (CO₂) flow scenarios.     

充有弹性介质多层复合材料圆筒壳稳定性

本文分析了充有弹性介质的多层复合材料圆筒壳在轴压、侧压与水压作用下的稳定性。所采用的方法是用Galerkin—差分法求介改型的Donnell方程,再根据稳定准则确定临界值。若干算例已在文中列出。计算结果表明:内部介质材料性能和壳体的边界条件对临界载荷有较大影响。本文采用的分析方法和结论可供固体火箭发动机壳体设计工作者参考。