在温莎,有着被世界公认的最著名的学校——伊顿公学

英国温莎和上海完全是天壤之别的。温莎是一个传统的英式小镇,坐落在泰晤士河畔,离伦敦东部20英里,小卵石铺就的街道两旁坐落着小商店和餐馆,而上海是一个生机勃勃的现代化大都市,到处都是马路,商店和人。那么是什么使温莎变得特别呢?首先她是英国女王的主要住所温莎城堡的所在地,而且她有着被世界公认的最著名的学校——伊顿公学。     

精英教育的时空对话——面对未来:伊顿与上海

英国伊顿公学被外界誉为制造精英的"流水线",风靡一时的哈利波特黑色礼服和神秘古堡,让人不得不相信"魔力"依存的伊顿,迄今已有19名英国首相从那座"古堡"中走了出来。伦敦以西20多英里的温莎小镇,浸润着英王室数百年的"恩泽"。567个年头的漫漫岁月,侵蚀了伊顿古旧的砖墙,让伊顿显得有些老气横秋,但是,伊顿依然坚守着传统的价值,锤炼着过去,现在和未来恒久的伊顿教育的"哲学"。伊顿的教育不只在于成功,而是在于孩子们一个完整的人生,为此,成绩和专业仅仅只是他们的一个基本点。     

Gas exchange rates of potato stands for bioregenerative life support

Plants can provide a means for removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) while generating oxygen (O₂) and clean water for life support systems in space. To study this, 20 m² stands of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants were grown in a large (113 m³ vol.), atmospherically closed chamber. Photosynthetic uptake of CO₂ by the stands was detected about 10 DAP (days after planting), after which photosynthetic rates rose rapidly as stand ground cover and total light interception increased. Photosynthetic rates peaked ca. 50 DAP near 45 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ under 865 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF (average photosynthetic photon flux), and near 35 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ under 655 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF. Short term changes in PPF caused a linear response in stand photosynthetic rates up to 1100 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF, with a light compensation point of 185 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF. Comparisons of stand photosynthetic rates at different CO₂ concentrations showed a classic C₃ response, with saturation occurring near 1200 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂ and compensation near 100 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂. In one study, the photoperiod was changed from 12 h light/12 h dark to continuous light at 58 DAP. This caused a decrease in net photosynthetic rates within 48 h and eventual damage (scorching) of upper canopy leaves, suggesting the abrupt change stressed the plants and/or caused feedback effects on photosynthesis. Dark period (night) respiration rates increased during early growth as standing biomass increased and peaked near 9 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ ca. 50 DAP, after which rates declined gradually with age. Stand transpiration showed a rapid rise with canopy ground cover and peaked ca. 50 DAP near 8.9 L m⁻² d⁻¹ under 860 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF and near 6.3 L m⁻² d⁻¹ under 650 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPF. Based on the best photosynthetic rates from these studies, approximately 25 m² of potato plants under continuous cultivation would be required to support the CO₂ removal and O₂ requirements for one person.     

Effect of Multi-wall System Composition on Survivability for Spacecraft Impacted by Orbital Debris

Long-duration spacecraft in low earth orbit such as the International Space Station (ISS) are highly susceptible to high-speed impacts by pieces of debris from past earth-orbiting missions. Among the hazards that accompany the penetration of a pressurized manned spacecraft are critical crack propagation in the module wall, crew hypoxia, and uncontrolled thrust due to air rushing out of the module wall hole. A Monte Carlo simulation tool was used to determine the effect of spacecraft wall construction on the survivability of ISS modules and crew following an orbital debris penetration. The simulation results indicate that enhanced shield wall designs (i.e., multi-wall systems with heavier inner bumpers) always lead to higher overall survivability of the station and crew due to an overwhelming decrease in likelihood of module penetration. The results of the simulations also indicate that changes in crew operations, equipment locations, and operation procedures can significantly reduce the likelihood of crew or station loss following an orbital debris penetration.     

Flowgraph Techniques for Closed Systems

A two-port with both generator and load constitutes a closed system; it can be defined as a system with only interdependent variables or as a system containing no independent variables. The flowgraph describes the relationships between variables in a closed system as determined by the topology of its components. The corresponding closed flowgraph represents a zero-port network from which N-port networks can be generated as subsets by truncation of the closed system. A constraint governing any closed system expressing the properties of its cut-sets and tie-sets is referred to as the topology equation. The topology equation can be computed from the sum of loops in the closed flowgraph, and forms the key for the derivation of properties of closed systems and derived N-port subsets. Oscillators analyzed as zero-ports are discussed in detail to illustrate the rationale for the flowgraph approach to closed systems. To exploit the closed system model conceptually and computationally for N-ports, an approach is suggested and illustrated for N = 1 by an analysis of transfer functions and for N = 2 by a sensitivity analysis of stochastic networks.     

The YORP effect on the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites: A case study

The Yarkovsky-O’Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect is a proposed explanation for the observed rotation behavior of inactive satellites in Earth orbit. This paper further explores the YORP effect for highly asymmetric inactive satellites. Satellite models are developed to represent the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites, both of which are currently inactive in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). A simple satellite model for the GOES 8 satellite is used to analyze the short period variations of the angular velocity and obliquity as a result of the YORP effect. A more complex model for the rotational dynamics of the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites are developed to probe their sensitivity and to match observed spin periods and states of these satellites. The simulated rotation periods are compared to observations for both satellites. The comparison between YORP theory and observed rotation rates for both satellites show that the YORP effect could be the cause for the observed rotational behavior. The YORP model also predicts a novel state for the GOES 8 satellite, namely that it could periodically fall into a tumbling rotation state. Recent observations of this satellite are consistent with this prediction.