The Genesis Solar Wind Concentrator Target: Mass Fractionation Characterised by Neon Isotopes

The concentrator on Genesis provided samples of increased fluences of solar wind ions for precise determination of the oxygen isotopic composition. The concentration process caused mass fractionation as a function of the radial target position. This fractionation was measured using Ne released by UV laser ablation and compared with modelled Ne data, obtained from ion-trajectory simulations. Measured data show that the concentrator performed as expected and indicate a radially symmetric concentration process. Measured concentration factors are up to ∼30 at the target centre. The total range of isotopic fractionation along the target radius is 3.8%/amu, with monotonically decreasing ²⁰Ne/²²Ne towards the centre, which differs from model predictions. We discuss potential reasons and propose future attempts to overcome these disagreements.     

Astrophysics in 2006

The fastest pulsar and the slowest nova; the oldest galaxies and the youngest stars; the weirdest life forms and the commonest dwarfs; the highest energy particles and the lowest energy photons. These were some of the extremes of Astrophysics 2006. We attempt also to bring you updates on things of which there is currently only one (habitable planets, the Sun, and the Universe) and others of which there are always many, like meteors and molecules, black holes and binaries.     

Operation algorithm synthesis for the information-control system of inspection and diagnostics of aircraft equipment state

The problem is formulated and a technique is revealed for synthesizing the optimal strategy of troubleshooting and constructing an operation algorithm for the information-control system of inspection and diagnostics of the aircraft equipment state.     

Optimal friction control on a circular cylinder taking into account the reverse effect of the boundary layer

We analyze the effect of injection both of uniformly distributed over the entire cylinder surface and of the optimal one on the velocity distribution at the outer border of the boundary layer and, as a result, on friction.     

Possibilities of parallel calculations in solving gas dynamics problems in the CFD environment of FLUENT software

The results of studying an incompressible gas flow field in a periodic element of the porous structure made up of the same radius spheres are presented; the studies were based on the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations using FLUENT software. The possibilities to accelerate the solution process with the use of parallel calculations are investigated and the calculation results under changes of pressure differential in the periodic element are given.     

A program package for solving problems of FV structure design

In this paper, a program package for solving problems in the field of thin-walled three-dimensional FV structure design is described.     

The Origin of Mercury

Mercury’s unusually high mean density has always been attributed to special circumstances that occurred during the formation of the planet or shortly thereafter, and due to the planet’s close proximity to the Sun. The nature of these special circumstances is still being debated and several scenarios, all proposed more than 20 years ago, have been suggested. In all scenarios, the high mean density is the result of severe fractionation occurring between silicates and iron. It is the origin of this fractionation that is at the centre of the debate: is it due to differences in condensation temperature and/or in material characteristics (e.g. density, strength)? Is it because of mantle evaporation due to the close proximity to the Sun? Or is it due to the blasting off of the mantle during a giant impact? In this paper we investigate, in some detail, the fractionation induced by a giant impact on a proto-Mercury having roughly chondritic elemental abundances. We have extended the previous work on this hypothesis in two significant directions. First, we have considerably increased the resolution of the simulation of the collision itself. Second, we have addressed the fate of the ejecta following the impact by computing the expected reaccretion timescale and comparing it to the removal timescale from gravitational interactions with other planets (essentially Venus) and the Poynting–Robertson effect. To compute the latter, we have determined the expected size distribution of the condensates formed during the cooling of the expanding vapor cloud generated by the impact. We find that, even though some ejected material will be reaccreted, the removal of the mantle of proto-Mercury following a giant impact can indeed lead to the required long-term fractionation between silicates and iron and therefore account for the anomalously high mean density of the planet. Detailed coupled dynamical–chemical modeling of this formation mechanism should be carried out in such a way as to allow explicit testing of the giant impact hypothesis by forthcoming space missions (e.g. MESSENGER and BepiColombo).     

Problems of application of face gasodynamic seals in aircraft engines

Problems arising in introduction of gasodynamic seals in aircraft engines are considered. The operation of a face gasodynamic seal as part of a natural gas pump is analyzed and its efficiency in the presence of oil is shown.     

A system for measuring the altitude-airspeed parameters of rotorcraft and very light flight vehicles

In this paper, a problem on measuring the altitude-airspeed parameters (AAPs) of rotorcraft and very light flight vehicles is considered. Some ways of improving systems used to measure the parameters of FV elements and units have been determined. Also suggested and substantiated are the principles and designs of the basic variants of these measuring systems as well as the algorithms of their operation.     

Unmanned aircraft navigation for shipboard landing using infrared vision

This paper addresses the problem of determining the relative position and orientation of an unmanned air vehicle with respect to a ship using three visible points of known separation. The, images of the points are obtained from an onboard infrared camera. The paper develops a numerical solution to this problem. Both simulation and flight test results are presented.