The BOSS and BIOMEX space experiments on the EXPOSE-R2 mission: Endurance of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis under simulated space vacuum,Martian atmosphere,UVC radiation and temperature extremes.

The proposed space experiments BOSS (Biofilm Organisms Surfing Space) and BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars experiment) will take place on the space exposure facility EXPOSE-R2 on the International Space Station (ISS), which is set to be launched in 2014. In BOSS the hypothesis to be tested is that microorganisms grown as biofilms, hence embedded in self-produced extracellular polymeric substances, are more tolerant to space and Martian conditions compared to their planktonic counterparts. Various microbial biofilms have been developed including those obtained from the cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis isolated from hot and cold deserts. The prime objective of BIOMEX is to evaluate to what extent biomolecules are resistant to, and can maintain their stability under, space and Mars-like conditions; therefore a variety of pigments and cell components are under investigation to establish a biosignature data base; e.g. a Raman spectral library to be used for extraterrestrial life biosignatures. The secondary objective of BIOMEX is to investigate the endurance of extremophiles, focusing on their interactions with Lunar and Martian mineral analogues. Ground-based studies are currently being carried out in the framework of EVTs (Experiment Verification Tests) by exposing selected organisms to space and Martian simulations. Results on a desert strain of Chroococcidiopsis obtained from the first set of EVT, e.g. space vacuum, Mars atmosphere, UVC radiation, temperature cycles and extremes, suggested that dried biofilms exhibited an enhanced survival compared to planktonic lifestyle. Moreover the protection provided by a Martian mineral analogue (S-MRS) to the sub-cellular integrities of Chroococcidiopsis against UVC radiation supports the endurance of this cyanobacterium under extraterrestrial conditions and its relevance in the development of life detection strategies.     

A Class of TVD Type Combined Numerical Scheme for MHD Equations With a Survey About Numerical Methods in Solar Wind Simulations

It has been believed that three-dimensional, numerical, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modelling must play a crucial role in a seamless forecasting system. This system refers to space weather originating on the sun; propagation of disturbances through the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and thence, transmission into the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere. This role comes as no surprise to numerical modelers that participate in the numerical modelling of atmospheric environments as well as the meteorological conditions at Earth. Space scientists have paid great attention to operational numerical space weather prediction models. To this purpose practical progress has been made in the past years. Here first is reviewed the progress of the numerical methods in solar wind modelling. Then, based on our discussion, a new numerical scheme of total variation diminishing (TVD) type for magnetohydrodynamic equations in spherical coordinates is proposed by taking into account convergence, stability and resolution. This new MHD model is established by solving the fluid equations of MHD system with a modified Lax-Friedrichs scheme and the magnetic induction equations with MacCormack II scheme for the purpose of developing a combined scheme of quick convergence as well as of TVD property. To verify the validation of the scheme, the propagation of one-dimensional MHD fast and slow shock problem is discussed with the numerical results conforming to the existing results obtained by the piece-wise parabolic method (PPM). Finally, some conclusions are made. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

单级大小叶片轴流压气机流动分析

采用三维数值模拟手段,对低速大小叶片轴流压气机内的流动进行了分析。结果表明压气机内存在强烈的非定常流动;小叶片将大叶片通道分成的两个通道具有不同的流量和负荷,通道之间的负荷分配对于流动的非定常性会产生较大影响;小叶片的存在重新建立了大叶片通道内的压力平衡,起到了控制大叶片表面的流动和压力分布的效果。      

Closed-loop distance-keeping for long-term satellite cluster flight

Cluster flight is a term used for describing multiple satellites that are being held within pre-defined minimum and maximum distances for long time intervals, possibly the entire mission. This technology is required for a myriad of space architectures and missions, including disaggregated space architectures. Whereas the literature is abundant with works on control laws for satellite formation flying, there are only a handful of works on control of cluster flight. The purpose of the current work is to develop a cluster flight control algorithm, which is able to keep the satellites of the cluster within pre-specified minimum and maximum distances, while utilizing small amounts of propellant. The newly developed algorithm relies on the natural inter-satellite distance dynamics. The algorithm incorporates realistic mission constraints, such as constant-magnitude thrust, and is implemented in feedback form, steering the mean elements to judiciously selected reference values. Simulations indicate that a few tens of grams of propellent are sufficient for operating a cluster flight mission in excess of 1 year, using low specific-impulse thrusters.     

有剪切速度的Sweet-Parker薄电流片在非线性阶段的不稳定性研究

以Harris Sheet作为初始条件, 使用数值模拟的方法, 研究了二级磁岛不稳定重联的一些性质. 在模拟中随着初始扰动的加入, Harris Sheet将演化到非线性阶段, 形成更薄的有剪切速度的电流片, 并伴有一级磁岛产生. 当Lundquist数大于或等于105时, 非均匀剪切速度的Sweet-Parker电流片开始不稳定, 并有二级磁岛出现. 不稳定Sweet-Parker电流片对应的临界长宽比为65. Lundquist数越大, 演化形成的Sweet-Parker电流片越薄, 更多的二级磁岛将出现, 且沿电流片两边向外喷出, 随时间变大, 相互合并. 二级磁岛的出现使重联率增大, 并与Lundquist数之间不再满足S-1/2的关系, 而似乎对它的依赖关系不明显.      

流体控制矢量喷管启动过程的瞬态响应

采用三维非定常数值模拟方法对流体矢量喷管启动的瞬态响应过程进行了研究,给出了流场的演化特性及性能参数的响应时间.根据不同时刻的流场和壁面压力分布,分析后得到了注气附近射流扰动波系及漩涡的演化过程,并与上壁面压力分布相互印证.由性能参数(包括流量,推力系数,矢量角)的时间响应曲线发现:流量和推力系数在响应初始阶段存在剧烈波动,而矢量角是平稳变化,三者的响应时间在毫秒量级.      

进口导叶可调的涡轴发动机性能寻优控制模式

根据变比热容原理建立了进口导叶可调的涡轴发动机部件级全包线数学模型;仿真研究了涡轴发动机的最大功率、最低油耗、最低涡轮前温度控制模式.仿真结果表明:建立的涡轴发动机数学模型具有较高的准确度;采用最大功率控制模式在整个包线范围内显著提高了涡轴发动机的功率;采用最低油耗控制模式保证功率基本不变,而耗油率明显降低;采用最低涡轮前温度控制模式,能够保证功率基本不变,动力涡轮前温度显著降低.      

内外流耦合对分布式涵道风扇影响的机理

内外流耦合效应对分布式涵道风扇的气动性能有显著影响。为了进一步揭示分布式涵道风扇部件在爬升、巡航过程中内外流耦合效应对气动性能和流动机理的影响规律,通过三维RANS(Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes)数值、试验方法对该问题进行详细探讨。结果表明:不同飞行状态中转子叶片和唇口壁面对风扇推力影响显著。随着无量纲质量流量率的提高,转子进气方向由负迎角往正迎角改变,推力系数增加。爬升时存在最佳进气迎角,气动效率最高。巡航状态的唇口摩擦阻力最小,推进效率最高。过大或过小的无量纲质量流量率会使得唇口的摩擦阻力和压差阻力增大,从而降低推进效率。      

PHITS simulations of the Protective curtain experiment onboard the Service module of ISS: Comparison with absorbed doses measured with TLDs

“Protective curtain” was the physical experiment onboard the International Space Station (ISS) aimed on radiation measurement of the dose – reducing effect of the additional shielding made of hygienic water-soaked wipes and towels placed on the wall in the crew cabin of the Service module Zvezda. The measurements were performed with 12 detector packages composed of thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) and plastic nuclear track detectors (PNTDs) placed at the Protective curtain, so that they created pairs of shielded and unshielded detectors.     

Normalized ionization yield function for various nuclei obtained with full Monte Carlo simulations

Several recent results important for production of ion pairs in the Earth atmosphere by various primary cosmic ray nuclei are presented. The direct ionization by various primary cosmic ray nuclei is explicitly obtained. The longitudinal profile of atmospheric cascades is sensitive to the energy and mass (charge) of the primary particle. In this study different cosmic ray nuclei are considered as primaries, namely Helium, Oxygen and Iron nuclei. The cosmic ray induced ionization is obtained on the basis of CORSIKA 6.52 code simulations using FLUKA 2006 and QGSJET II hadronic interaction models. The energy of the primary particles is normalized to GeV per nucleon. In addition, the ionization yield function Y is normalized as ion pair production per nucleon. The obtained ionization yield functions Y for various primaries are compared. The presented results and their application are discussed.