The Crab pulsar seen with AquEYE at Asiago Cima Ekar observatory

We are developing fast photon-counter instruments to study the rapid variability of astrophysical sources by time tagging photon arrival times with unprecedented accuracy, making use of a Rubidium clock and GPS receiver. The first realization of such optical photon-counters, dubbed AquEYE (the Asiago Quantum Eye), was mounted in 2008 at the 182 cm Copernicus Observatory in Asiago. AquEYE observed the Crab pulsar several times and collected data of extraordinary quality that allowed us to perform accurate optical timing of the Crab pulsar and to study the pulse shape stability on a timescale from days to years with an excellent definition. Our results reinforce the evidence for decadal stability of the inclination angle between the spin and magnetic axis of the Crab pulsar. Future realizations of our instrument will make use of the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time signal.     

Interplanetary scintillations of the radio source ensemble at the maximum of cycle 24 of solar activity

The results of the interplanetary scintillation observations performed in the period of the maximum of solar activity from April 2013 to April 2014 on the BSA LPI radio telescope at the frequency 111MHz are presented. Fluctuations of the radio emission flux were recorded round the clock for all sources with a scintillating flux of more than 0.2 Jy falling in a strip of sky with a width of 50° over declinations corresponding to a 96-beam directional pattern of the radio telescope. The total number of sources observed during the day reaches 5000. The processing of the observational data was carried out on the assumption that a set of scintillating sources represents a homogeneous statistical ensemble. Daily two-dimensional maps of the distribution of the level of scintillations, whose analysis shows the strong nonstationarity and large-scale irregularity of the spatial distribution of solar wind parameters, were constructed. According to maps of the distribution of the level of scintillations averaged over monthly intervals, the global structure of the distribution of the solar wind was investigated in the period of the maximum of solar activity, which was found to be on the average close to spherically symmetric. The data show that on a spherically symmetric background an east–west asymmetry is observed, which indicates the presence of a large-scale structure of a spiral type in the solar wind.     

Soil moisture estimation by using multipolarization SAR image

In the past studies, different soil moisture estimation models were developed for bare soil areas by using remotely-sensed data. However, there are few models that can be used to estimate soil moisture in vegetated areas. Water Cloud Model (WCM) model is a widely used soil moisture estimation model has been developed for vegetated areas. In this study, the WCM model was extended to take soil roughness parameter into consideration. The modeling and its accuracy assessment were done by using multi-polarization Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) images and ground data collected during field Soil Moisture Experiments.     

Atmospheric reentry hemisphere prediction for prograde orbits using logical disjunction

A unique logic-based algorithm for atmospheric reentry hemisphere prediction is presented for spacecraft in low-eccentricity, prograde low Earth orbits at altitudes of 300 km and lower. Using two-line element (TLE) data for initial orbit conditions, coupled with coarse estimates for spacecraft aerodynamic characteristics, the algorithm relies on logical disjunction operations based on a dual analysis of histogram and two-weighted Gaussian probability density function (PDF) fits of predicted reentry latitude data. The algorithm requires the execution of a series of parametric simulations to determine the reentry hemisphere for variations in spacecraft aerodynamic coefficients and drag reference area. When implemented, the algorithm yields accurate hemisphere predictions on average 15 days from reentry as demonstrated by historical reentry cases from 1979 to 2018. All reentry cases were selected to demonstrate the algorithm’s ability to deliver accurate reentry hemisphere predictions for spacecraft with varying physical size and mass, and reentering during different periods of solar cycle activity.     

Contamination of short GRBs by giant magnetar flares: Significance of downward revision in distance to SGR 1806–20

We highlight how the downward revision in the distance to the star cluster associated with SGR 1806–20 by Bibby et al. (2008) reconciles the apparent low contamination of BATSE short GRBs by intense flares from extragalactic magnetars without recourse to modifying the frequency of one such flare per 30 years per Milky Way galaxy. We also discuss the variety in progenitor initial masses of magnetars based upon cluster ages, ranging from ∼50 M_⊙ for SGR 1806–20 and AXP CXOU J164710.2–455216 in Westerlund 1 to ∼17 M_⊙ for SGR 1900+14 according to Davies et al. (2009) and presumably also 1E 1841–045 if it originated from one of the massive RSG clusters #2 or #3.     

基于变刚度特性的轴流压气机叶型重构方法研究

为能准确预估轴流压气机叶片在工作状态下的形状，基于流固耦合迭代策略，考虑离心力和气动力对叶片变形的作用，发展了一种适用于轴流压气机的叶型重构方法。在构型转化过程中，计入了叶片受力载荷随叶型变化的非线性效应以及叶片的变刚度特性。采用叶片变形后状态的受力载荷与刚度矩阵计算叶片节点位移，反复迭代修正热态叶片形状，最终获得满足精度要求的热态叶型数据。利用所提出的方法，对Stage 37的转子叶片进行了叶型重构，经20步迭代计算可获得最大残差小于10-4mm量级的热态叶型，通过与试验数据的对比分析，验证了重构算法的可靠性和工程实用性。     

Water and Volatiles in the Outer Solar System

Space Science Reviews - Space exploration and ground-based observations have provided outstanding evidence of the diversity and the complexity of the outer solar system. This work presents our...     

Thermally excited vibrations of aircraft structural elements

This paper considers the axisymmetric transverse vibrations of aircraft nonuniform structural elements that are introduced by a thermal shock. Analytical solutions have been obtained and their numerical analysis has been performed.     

Results of solar observations by the CORONAS-F payload

The CORONAS-F mission experiments and results have been reviewed. The observations with the DIFOS multi-channel photometer in a broad spectral range from 350 to 1500 nm have revealed the dependence of the relative amplitudes of p-modes of the global solar oscillations on the wavelength that agrees perfectly well with the earlier data obtained in a narrower spectral ranges. The SPIRIT EUV observations have enabled the study of various manifestations of solar activity and high-temperature events on the Sun. The data from the X-ray spectrometer RESIK, gamma spectrometer HELICON, flare spectrometer IRIS, amplitude–temporal spectrometer AVS-F, and X-ray spectrometer RPS-1 have been used to analyze the X- and gamma-ray emission from solar flares and for diagnostics of the flaring plasma. The absolute and relative content of various elements (such as potassium, argon, and sulfur) of solar plasma in flares has been determined for the first time with the X-ray spectrometer RESIK. The Solar Cosmic Ray Complex monitored the solar flare effects in the Earth’s environment. The UV emission variations recorded during solar flares in the vicinity of the 120-nm wavelength have been analyzed and the amplitude of relative variations has been determined.