Microbial life in a liquid asphalt desert

Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago is a natural asphalt reservoir nourished by pitch seepage, a form of petroleum that consists of mostly asphaltines, from the surrounding oil-rich region. During upward seepage, pitch mixes with mud and gases under high pressure, and the lighter portion evaporates or is volatilized, which produces a liquid asphalt residue characterized by low water activity, recalcitrant carbon substrates, and noxious chemical compounds. An active microbial community of archaea and bacteria, many of them novel strains (particularly from the new Tar ARC groups), totaling a biomass of up to 10(7) cells per gram, was found to inhabit the liquid hydrocarbon matrix of Pitch Lake. Geochemical and molecular taxonomic approaches revealed diverse, novel, and deeply branching microbial lineages with the potential to mediate anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation processes in different parts of the asphalt column. In addition, we found markers for archaeal methane metabolism and specific gene sequences affiliated with facultative and obligate anaerobic sulfur- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. The microbial diversity at Pitch Lake was found to be unique when compared to microbial communities analyzed at other hydrocarbon-rich environments, which included Rancho Le Brea, a natural asphalt environment in California, USA, and an oil well and a mud volcano in Trinidad and Tobago, among other sites. These results open a window into the microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of recalcitrant hydrocarbon matrices and establish the site as a terrestrial analogue for modeling the biotic potential of hydrocarbon lakes such as those found on Saturn's largest moon Titan.     

Predicting the visibility of LEO satellites

We present a simple algorithm to determine the visibility-time function of a circular low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite at a terminal on the Earth's surface. The simplicity of the algorithm is based on approximating the ground trace of the satellite (which is not a great circle due to Earth's rotation) during a time interval of the order of in-view period, by a great-circle are. This enables us to use spherical geometry to compute the location and time epoch of the observation of the closest approach of the satellite's ground trace to the terminal. This is also the epoch of the observation of the maximum elevation angle from the terminal to the satellite. Applying a result derived relating the maximum elevation angle to the in-view period, we obtain the visibility-time function of the satellite at the terminal. Numerical results illustrate the accuracy of the algorithm for a wide range of LEO orbit altitudes     

基于仿射变换的机载凝视红外告警器图像配准

提出了一种用于机载凝视红外图像序列的配准算法.分析凝视红外图像的特点,建立二维仿射变换模型描述三维空间.以帧间均方差最小作为评价标准拟合4个最优配准参数,通过参数步长控制配准算法精度.通过实测空中红外小飞机图像序列,证明了该算法配准精度可达到象素级,并可有效屏蔽背景杂波干扰.     

Structural optimization of elliptical-tip star propellant grain using sub-problem approximation

A method is presented here for structural optimization of elliptical-tip star grain.The grain structural integrity was improved by minimizing the most critical area of inner bore hoop strain during cool down.Optimization was done by sub-problem approximation method in conjunction with finite element analysis.Both radii of the ellipse were varied during optimization to find the optimal ellipse.The optimization resulted in grain geometry having minimum level of Inner bore hoop strain without violating the preset limits of burning perimeter.The von mises strain at grain inner bore was also reduced in resultant grain.      

Preliminary design and optimization of slotted tube grain for solid rocket motor

In this paper,design and optimization technique of slotted tube grain for solid rocket motors has been discussed.In doing so,the design objectives and constraints have been set,geometric parameters identified,performance prediction parameters calculated,thereafter preliminary designs completed and finally optimal design reached.Geometric model for slotted tube grain configuration has been developed.Average thrust has been taken as the objective function with constraints of burning time,mass of propellant,fixed length and diameter of chamber case.Lumped parameter method has been used for calculating the performance prediction parameters.A set of preliminary designs has been completed and an analysis of these results conducted.Although all the preliminary results fulfill the design requirements in terms of objective function and constraints,however in order to attain the optimal design,Sequential quadratic programming optimization technique has been adopted.As the slotted tube grain geometry is totally dependent upon various independent variables and each of these variables has a bearing on explicit characteristic of grain designing,hence affects of the independent variables on performance parameters have been examined,thus variation laws have been developed.Basing on the variation laws and the analysis of preliminary design results,upper and lower limits have been defined for the independent geometric variables and an initial guess provided for conducting optimization.Results attained exhibits that an optimal result has been attained and the value of objective function has been maximized.All the design constraint limits have also been met while ensuring sound values of volumetric loading fraction,web fraction and neutrality.This methodology of design and optimization of slotted tube grain for solid rocket motors can be used by engineers as a reference guide for actual design and engineering purposes.      

Impact of reduced frequency on the time lag in pressure distribution over a supercritical airfoil in a pitch-pause-return motion

Effects of reduced frequency, stop angle, and pause duration have been studied on a thin supercritical airfoil undergoing a pitch-pause-return motion, which is one of the classic maneuvers introduced by the AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee. Experiments were conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel at both a constant mean angle of attack and an oscillation amplitude with a reduced frequency ranging from 0.01 to 0.12. The desired stop angles of the airfoil were set to occur during the upstroke motion. The unsteady pressure distribution on the airfoil was measured for below, near, and beyond static stall conditions. Results showed that the reduced frequency and stop angle were the dominant contributors to the time lag in the flowfield. For stop angles in both below- and post-stall regions, the time for the flowfield to reach its steady state conditions, known as the time lag, decreased as the reduced frequency was increased. However, in the static-stall region and for a certain value of reduced frequency, a resonance phenomenon was observed, and a minimum time lag was achieved. The pressure distribution in this condition was shown to be highly influenced by this phenomenon.     

Impacts of the PAH size and the radiation intensity on the IR features of illuminated dust within the reflection nebulae

Interstellar dust grains are illuminated in the reflection nebulae. Under conditions of the PAH size and the intensity of the interstellar radiation field, we follow their impact on the PAH aromatic infrared bands using the numerical DustEM code. For a dust model consisting of PAH, amorphous C and amorphous silicate, the PAH size varies in a range from 0.31 to 4.9 nm while the radiation intensity varies by a scale factor from 0.1 to 10⁴. Various trends of the results show the effect of varying both the PAH size and the radiation intensity on the strength of the aromatic mid-IR bands. Through small PAH sizes less than 0.7 nm, the grain temperature distribution of PAHs shows a small variation within 2–3 K at low radiation intensity while it increases to 15 and 8 K for PAH⁰ and PAH⁺, respectively, at higher radiation intensity. In final the variability in these results reveals the evolution of the dust grains under the physical space conditions of the reflection nebulae. In the mid-IR region, the contributions of PAH⁰ and PAH⁺ in the total SED intensity agree with the proportions of these PAHs observed in some reflection nebulae having higher radiation intensities.     

Geology and Physical Properties Investigations by the InSight Lander

Although not the prime focus of the InSight mission, the near-surface geology and physical properties investigations provide critical information for both placing the instruments (seismometer and heat flow probe with mole) on the surface and for understanding the nature of the shallow subsurface and its effect on recorded seismic waves. Two color cameras on the lander will obtain multiple stereo images of the surface and its interaction with the spacecraft. Images will be used to identify the geologic materials and features present, quantify their areal coverage, help determine the basic geologic evolution of the area, and provide ground truth for orbital remote sensing data. A radiometer will measure the hourly temperature of the surface in two spots, which will determine the thermal inertia of the surface materials present and their particle size and/or cohesion. Continuous measurements of wind speed and direction offer a unique opportunity to correlate dust devils and high winds with eolian changes imaged at the surface and to determine the threshold friction wind stress for grain motion on Mars. During the first two weeks after landing, these investigations will support the selection of instrument placement locations that are relatively smooth, flat, free of small rocks and load bearing. Soil mechanics parameters and elastic properties of near surface materials will be determined from mole penetration and thermal conductivity measurements from the surface to 3–5 m depth, the measurement of seismic waves during mole hammering, passive monitoring of seismic waves, and experiments with the arm and scoop of the lander (indentations, scraping and trenching). These investigations will determine and test the presence and mechanical properties of the expected 3–17 m thick fragmented regolith (and underlying fractured material) built up by impact and eolian processes on top of Hesperian lava flows and determine its seismic properties for the seismic investigation of Mars’ interior.     

Design and optimization of solid rocket motor Finocyl grain using simulated annealing

The research effort outlined the application of a computer aided design(CAD)-centric technique to the design and optimization of solid rocket motor Finocyl(fin in cylinder) grain using simulated annealing.The proper method for constructing the grain configuration model,ballistic performance and optimizer integration for analysis was presented.Finocyl is a complex grain configuration,requiring thirteen variables to define the geometry.The large number of variables not only complicates the geometrical construction but also optimization process.CAD representation encapsulates all of the geometric entities pertinent to the grain design in a parametric way,allowing manipulation of grain entity(web),performing regression and automating geometrical data calculations.Robustness to avoid local minima and efficient capacity to explore design space makes simulated annealing an attractive choice as optimizer.It is demonstrated with a constrained optimization of Finocyl grain geometry for homogeneous,isotropic propellant,uniform regression,and a quasi-steady,bulk mode internal ballistics model that maximizes average thrust for required deviations from neutrality.     

可靠性灵敏度分析的一种偏倚蒙特卡罗方法

根据可靠性灵敏度分析的需求和特点,选择似然比方法作为基础的导数/梯度估计方法.立足经典可靠性系统和基于元件的蒙特卡罗方法,推导了原始蒙特卡罗仿真环境下的似然比导数估计方法.为加速仿真,进一步提出了一种偏倚技巧,该技巧在系统结构函数的基础上定义一个应用重要抽样的无偏估计量,并通过最小化该估计量的方差来获得最优偏倚参数值.该估计量拥有的一个重要优势是其方差优化任务可以分解到单个元件的层次上进行,从而避免了高维优化的难题.通过一个可解析求解的简单实例验证了似然比导数估计方法应用于可靠性灵敏度分析的有效性,以及所提出的偏倚技巧对于降低导数估计方差的有效性.对于所考虑的实例系统,提出的偏倚蒙特卡罗方法对各个感兴趣的量都给出了很好的估计,与原始蒙特卡罗方法相比,各个估计量的方差均降低了至少6个数量级.