Moderate geomagnetic storms of January 22–25, 2012 and their influences on the wave components in ionosphere and upper stratosphere-mesosphere regions

Moderate geomagnetic storms occurred during January 22–25, 2012 period. The geomagnetic storms are characterized by different indices and parameters. The SYM-H value on January 22 increased abruptly to 67 nT at sudden storm commencement (SSC), followed by a sharp decrease to −87 nT. A second SSC on January 24 followed by a shock on January 25 was also observed. These SSCs before the main storms and the short recovery periods imply the geomagnetic storms are CME  -driven. The sudden jump of solar wind dynamic pressure and IMF _Bz$B_z$ are also consistent with occurrence of CMEs. This is also reflected in the change in total electron content (TEC) during the storm relative to quiet days globally. The response of the ionospheric to geomagnetic storms can also be detected from wave components that account for the majority of TEC variance during the period. The dominant coherent modes of TEC variability are diurnal and semidiurnal signals which account upto 83% and 30% of the total TEC variance over fairly exclusive ionospheric regions respectively. Comparison of TEC anomalies attributed to diurnal (DW1) and semidiurnal (SW2) tides, as well as stationary planetary waves (SPW1) at 12 UTC shows enhancement in the positive anomalies following the storm. Moreover, the impact of the geomagnetic storms are distinctly marked in the daily time series of amplitudes of DW1, SW2 and SPW1. The abrupt changes in amplitudes of DW1 (5 TECU) and SW2 (2 TECU) are observed within 20°S–20°N latitude band and along 20°N respectively while that of SPW1 is about 3 TECU. Coherent oscillation with a period of 2.4 days between interplanetary magnetic field and TEC was detected during the storm. This oscillation is also detected in the amplitudes of DW1 over EIA regions in both hemispheres. Eventhough upward coupling of quasi two day wave (QTDWs) of the same periodicity, known to have caused such oscillation, are detected in both ionosphere and upper stratosphere, this one can likely be attributed to the geomagnetic storm as it happens after the storm commencement. Moreover, further analysis has indicated that QTDWs in the ionosphere are strengthened as a result of coherent oscillation of interplanetary magnetic field with the same frequency as QTDWs. On the otherhand, occurrences of minor SSW and geomagnetic storms in quick succession complicated clear demarcation of attribution of the respective events to variability of QTDWs amplitudes over upper stratosphere.     

Planetary protection issues of private endeavours in research,exploration, and human access to space: An environmental economics approach to forward contamination

In light of the rapidly growing New Space Economy, the landscape of space exploration and development activities will certainly become much more complicated year by year. Relevant commercial space actors have already emerged, pushing the boundaries of entrepreneurial space ventures beyond the Earth-oriented upstream and downstream market segments and opening up the path towards the novel segments of space exploration, space resources utilization, and space research. Planetary protection is usually defined as a set of guidelines concerning the avoidance of bidirectional biological material exchange between the Earth and other celestial bodies. Recent success stories of established and new-entrant NewSpace actors, although posing no realistic planetary protection threat at present, clearly indicate that serious work needs to be done in order for the relevant guidelines to keep up with the rapid advances of the technology development cycles that occur within NewSpace companies. This need may become even more urgent, as space entrepreneurs acquire and develop the resources and competencies to target the currently underserved market segments of space research, exploration, and utilization. As of now, these capabilities were maintained solely by public space agencies; thus, all planetary protection priorities, strategies, and responsibilities were discussed, agreed-upon, and delegated for implementation among national and international working groups of public stakeholders. Although top-down regulations can be effective in controlling the quality and conformity of the deliverables of private subcontractors to public contractors, international planetary protection frameworks might need to evolve even beyond such unmet public-private interaction and partnership models. For this reason, this study did not focus on the legal and political issues of mandating NewSpace actors to adhere to planetary protection guidelines; rather, drawing from the field of sustainable development on Earth, an environmental economics approach was followed, with the goal of viewing the relationship between planetary protection and private space exploration and development as another “tragedy of the commons” problem that must be settled accordingly. After the problem’s framing, i.e. the conceptual presentation and synthesis of four extraterrestrial non-excludable goods, the initial approach of their total economic value, and the negative externalities of their exploitation, a discussion of the forward contamination mitigation costs was conducted. Drawing from the literature and using examples from both the terrestrial and aerospace sectors, a pre-emptive move was suggested: the establishment of a global industry consortium for the pre-competitive collaboration in forward contamination mitigation technologies, centered on an international planetary protection analogue program and its respective testbed facility.     

切风模式风力发电飞行器的进展与挑战

风能是当今主流的可再生能源种类之一,目前传统风力发电机只能利用近地风能,而高空风能储量巨大且较为稳定,具有很大的开发价值及潜力。对于高空风能的利用,国际上已经制定出多种方案,部分已进行了飞行试验,而国内相关研究尚处于起步阶段。围绕高空风力发电系统(AWES)的种类和发展情况进行研究,分析了切风模式AWES的飞行原理,介绍了国外代表性的切风模式AWES项目案例,指出了切风模式AWES所包含的系留缆绳、精确控制、多功能基站以及综合优化等关键问题,为国内相关领域的后续研究提供参考。     

Venus atmospheric platform options revisited

Various balloon systems intended as scientific platforms to float in the atmosphere of Venus at altitudes between about 35 and 65 km are briefly reviewed. Previous predictions of the altitude oscillations of balloons filled with helium gas and water vapor are largely confirmed through numerical simulation and analysis. The need for refined thermal modelling is emphasised. Several novel technical concepts are introduced. It is concluded that phase change balloons would be more suitable than non-condensing super pressure gas balloons when repeated altitude excursions are a mission requirement.     

结合行星借力飞行技术的小推力转移轨道初始设计

针对结合行星借力和小推力技术的行星际转移轨道设计问题,提出一种基于形状逼近策略的初始设计方法。采用改进的逆六次多项式策略计算小推力弧段,通过引入B平面参数和推进器开关点时间系数实现行星借力和推滑混合轨道的拼接,将初始设计问题转化为求解混合整数非线性规划问题。为降低规划模型求解难度,通过参数变换对模型进行简化处理,并采用具有全局大范围搜索能力的改进微分进化算法求解最优设计参数。数值结果表明：相比正弦指数曲线设计方法,本文方法可以有效对交会型转移轨道进行设计,并且可以提供更少燃料消耗的探测机会。
     

微波统一测控系统的电子防护能力分析与对策建议

通过对微波统一测控系统的电子防护能力和安全威胁分析,给出了进一步提高电子防护能力的对策建议。     

Mars Sample Return: Do Australians trust NASA?

Mars Sample Return (MSR) represents an important scientific goal in space exploration. Any sample return mission will be extremely challenging from a scientific, economic and technical standpoint. But equally testing, will be communicating with a public that may have a very different perception of the mission. A MSR mission will generate international publicity and it is vital that NASA acknowledge the nature and extent of public concern about the mission risks and, perhaps equally importantly, the public’s confidence in NASA’s ability to prepare for and manage these risks. This study investigated the level of trust in NASA in an Australian population sample, and whether this trust was dependent on demographic variables. Participants completed an online survey that explored their attitudes towards NASA and a MSR mission. The results suggested that people believe NASA will complete the mission successfully but have doubts as to whether NASA will be honest when communicating with the public. The most significant finding to emerge from this study was that confidence in NASA was significantly (p < 0.05) related to the respondent’s level of knowledge regarding the risks and benefits of MSR. These results have important implications for risk management and communication.     

空间尘埃等离子体中尘粒电荷的相关涨落对尘埃磁声波的影响

本文运用自洽的三流体方程组, 考虑了尘埃的充电过程, 得到均匀磁化尘埃等离子体中垂直于磁场传播的尘埃磁声波的色散关系, 结合空间环境讨论了尘埃电荷的相关涨落对尘埃磁声波的影响.      

地形对低平流层突然增温的可能影响

本文用Nimbus7 SAM卫星观测的温度资料,分析了突然增温事例中地面地形不同的四个子午圈剖面内的温度分布及变化过程。结果表明,高山地区、平原和海面上空的行星波加热和低平流层突然增温有很大的差别。地形的影响是明显的。      

阻尼器-滑动轴承-转子系统的非谐调运动及突跳特性分析

挤压油膜阻尼器—滑动轴承—柔性转子系统是一类强的非线性动力系统,其中包含一些复杂的非线性现象,文中主要对系统的非谐调运动、突跳行为进行了理论分析。研究表明：系统存在二次Ｈｏｐｆ分岔,并导致准周期运动;存在重复的倍周期分岔,导致次谐运动;突跳是鞍—结分岔产生的结果。