Multimodal characteristics of a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate element impacted with iron particles having velocities above 20 km/s

The responses of a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) element to hypervelocity collisions were experimentally studied. In this study, the particles of masses ranging from 0.3 to 10 fg were made to collide with PZT at velocities between 20 and 96 km/s. The amplitude and the corresponding rise time of the single-pulse output signals that were produced in the piezoelectric PZT element were measured to determine the possible collision states. The results revealed an apparently multimodal output; three classes were assumed to be involved in the pulse formation mechanism. The amplitude and rise time were sensitive to the collision velocity. The multimodal behavior implied that the PZT-based cosmic dust detectors should be calibrated according to the class they belong to.     

AMF phasing—A precise control of the ignition timing of AKM for reduction of the injection error

This paper deals with a new concept, named “AMF Phasing”, which intends to minimize the effect of injection error that would result during apogee motor firing (AMF) of the spinning spacecraft. The characteristic of velocity increment error is derived analytically, based on the disturbed spinning motion during AMF. In order to precisely estimate the amount of fuel required for post-AMF orbital correction maneuvers, a probability model is proposed which estimates the total injection error probability combining the dominant error factors, i.e. pre-AMF attitude determination error and velocity increment error during AMF.It is shown that a substantial saving in fuel normally consumed for post-AMF can be expected, when the resultant velocity increment error contribution, which otherwise would be randomly directed in inertial space, is controlled so that it appears in the direction of local right ascension by igniting AKM at the proper instant (AMF Phasing). The procedure for AMF phasing, using a Sun pulse as a reference signal for the ignition timing is described in this paper. It was actually applied for GMS-2, Japan's second Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (HIMAWARI-II). The HIMAWARI-II post-AMF orbit determination shows that AMF Phasing worked successfully and it is concluded that a substantial fuel saving was achieved.     

The South Pole-Aitken basin region,Moon: GIS-based geologic investigation using Kaguya elemental information

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we performed comparative analysis among stratigraphic information and the Kaguya (SELENE) GRS data of the ∼2500-km-diameter South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin and its surroundings. Results indicate that the surface rock materials (including ancient crater materials, mare basalts, and possible SPA impact melt) are average to slightly elevated in K and Th with respect to the rest of the Moon. Also, this study demonstrates that K and Th have not significantly changed since the formation of SPA. The elemental signatures of the impact basin of Fe, Ti, Si, O through time include evidence for resurfacing by ejecta materials and late-stage volcanism. The oldest surfaces of SPA are found to be oxygen-depleted during the heavy bombardment period relative to later stages of geologic development, followed by both an increase in silicon and oxygen, possibly due to ejecta sourced from outside of SPA, and subsequent modification due to mare basaltic volcanism, which increased iron and titanium within SPA. The influence of the distinct geologic history of SPA and surroundings on the mineralogic and elemental abundances is evident as shown in our investigation.     

复合材料界面模态混合度研究

综述了消除复合材料界面裂纹应力奇异性及求解界面模态混合度的主要方法,分析讨论了各个方法的优缺点.通过分析讨论发现:模态混合度表征界面力学性能可以准确地描述界面裂纹尖端处各应变能释放率分量的振荡特性;求解与裂纹扩展长度无关的各应变能释放率分量及模态混合度是研究复合材料界面裂纹问题的难点;采用混合模态界面力学性能试验方法验证基于正则化长度等求解模态混合度方法的有效性,进而准确预测复合材料分层的发生及扩展是今后研究复合材料界面力学问题的发展方向.     

Analytical expression for distant retrograde orbits around a small natural satellite

An analytical expression for distant retrograde orbits (DROs) is obtained in this study. Owing to the fact that a planar DRO is a closed orbit and can be expressed as an approximately elliptical orbit, respective geometries and periods of DROs are analytically calculated. A switching point, where various properties of planar DROs change abruptly with an increase in the orbital radius, is determined. The Mars–Deimos system is taken as a case study in this work. The proposed method can be applied to cases where the Hill’s approximation of the restricted three-body problem is valid. Numerical calculations are performed to validate the proposed method.     

Influence of curved thin-film device on deformation of a solar sail

A spinning solar sail IKAROS’s membrane is estimated to unexpectedly deform into an inverted pyramid shape due to thin-film devices with curvature, such as thin-film solar cells and steering devices on the membrane. It is important to investigate the deformation caused by the curved thin-film devices and predict the sail shape because the out-of-plane deformation greatly affects solar radiation pressure (SRP) and SRP torque. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between the global shape and orientation and position of curved thin-film devices and to evaluate SRP torque on the global shape using finite element analysis. The global shape is evaluated based on the out-of-plane displacement and the SRP torque. When the curved thin-film devices make the membrane shrink in the circumferential, diagonal, and radial direction, the sail deforms into a pyramid shape, an inverted pyramid one, and a saddle one, respectively. The saddle shape is more desirable for solar sails than the inverted pyramid shape and the pyramid one from the viewpoint of shape stability to SRP and control of SRP torque in the normal direction of the sail (windmill torque). The position of the thin-film device tends to increase the absolute value of windmill torque when it is biased circumferentially from the petal central axis. The suggested design principles for the arrangement of thin-film devices is that the curved thin-film devices should be directed so that the sail shrinks in the radial direction in order to deform the sail into a saddle shape with high shape stability, and the position of the thin-film devices should be biased in the circumferential direction paying attention to the absolute value of windmill torque to determine the direction of windmill torque.     

Mercury Dust Monitor (MDM) Onboard the Mio Orbiter of the BepiColombo Mission

Space Science Reviews - In this chapter, we review the contribution of space missions to the determination of the elemental and isotopic composition of Earth, Moon and the terrestrial planets, with...     

A real-time GNSS-R system based on software-defined radio and graphics processing units

Reflected signals of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) from the sea or land surface can be utilized to deduce and monitor physical and geophysical parameters of the reflecting area. Unlike most other remote sensing techniques, GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) operates as a passive radar that takes advantage from the increasing number of navigation satellites that broadcast their L-band signals. Thereby, most of the GNSS-R receiver architectures are based on dedicated hardware solutions. Software-defined radio (SDR) technology has advanced in the recent years and enabled signal processing in real-time, which makes it an ideal candidate for the realization of a flexible GNSS-R system. Additionally, modern commodity graphic cards, which offer massive parallel computing performances, allow to handle the whole signal processing chain without interfering with the PC’s CPU. Thus, this paper describes a GNSS-R system which has been developed on the principles of software-defined radio supported by General Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPUs), and presents results from initial field tests which confirm the anticipated capability of the system.     

复合材料界面裂纹尖端应变能释放率及模态混合度计算

为了准确预测复合材料层合板分层扩展及疲劳损伤,应用改进的虚裂纹闭合技术计算复合材料分层尖端处应变能释放率及模态混合度.首先介绍了改进的虚裂纹闭合技术,然后将其应用到重合网格法中,求得了分层尖端处总应变能释放率,并提取了各模态下的应变能释放率分量.最后利用某界面裂纹模型验证了该方法计算应变能释放率、模态混合度及提取应变能释放率分量的有效性.     

重合网格法在复合材料分层问题中的应用

使用重合网格法(S-FEM)分析了混合模态下CFRP层合板分层问题。首先将虚裂纹闭合技术集成到S-FEM程序中,求解了复合材料分层尖端处的应变能释放率。然后把重合网格法数值结果与基于梁理论的计算结果及实验数据进行了比较。结果表明,对于单方向及多方向CFRP复合材料层合板,重合网格法都能够得到更精确的数值,是一种有效的计算复合材料裂纹尖端应变能释放率的方法。