Mass-, time-, and energy-characteristics of the interstellar flights during the long proper time of astronauts

The existence of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) and extraterrestrial scientific-technical civilization (STC) is of principal importance for CETI (communication with extraterrestrial intelligence) and SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence). According to Kardashev and Bracewell, the Earth-like STC in their farther development can expand to the nearby planetary systems of the Galaxy, creating galactic community (Bracewell's galactic club).In a previous paper the possibilities of the one-step relativistic rocket interstellar flight during the proper time of life of one-two generations of astronauts were analysed. The realization of such interstellar flights is very improbable, even to the nearest stars. These results could be true for the case of the comparatively short proper time of astronauts, i.e. large acceleration. But flights to the nearest stars could be realized with small and very small accelerations. In the present paper are calculated the proper times t in the reference systems connected with the astronauts (S₂), as well as the times T in the reference systems (S₁)-inertial, velocities v in S₁, mass ratios, powers and energies for various flights, exhaust velocities u and accelerations a. Results are critically discussed.     

Operation and performance of a second generation, solid state, star tracker, the ASC

The Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC) is a second generation star tracker, consisting of a CCD camera and its associated microcomputer. The ASC operates by matching the star images acquired by the camera with its internal star catalogs. An initial attitude acquisition (solving the lost in space problem) is performed, and successively, the attitude of the camera is calculated in celestial coordinates by averaging the position of a large number of star observations for each image. Key parameters of the ASC for the Ørsted satellite and Astrid II satellite versions are: mass as low as 900 g, power consumption as low as 5.5W, relative attitude angle errors less than 1.4 arcseconds in declination, and 13 arcseconds in roll, RMS, as measured at the Mauna Kea, HI observatories of the University of Hawaii in June 1996.     

Rainbows, polarization, and the search for habitable planets

Current proposals for the characterization of extrasolar terrestrial planets rest primarily on the use of spectroscopic techniques. While spectroscopy is effective in detecting the gaseous components of a planet's atmosphere, it provides no way of detecting the presence of liquid water, the defining characteristic of a habitable planet. In this paper, I investigate the potential of an alternative technique for characterizing the atmosphere of a planet using polarization. By looking for a polarization peak at the "primary rainbow" scattering angle, it is possible to detect the presence of liquid droplets in a planet's atmosphere and constrain the nature of the liquid through its refractive index. Single scattering calculations are presented to show that a well-defined rainbow scattering peak is present over the full range of likely cloud droplet sizes and clearly distinguishes the presence of liquid droplets from solid particles such as ice or dust. Rainbow scattering has been used in the past to determine the nature of the cloud droplets in the Venus atmosphere and by the POLarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances (POLDER) instrument to distinguish between liquid and ice clouds in the Earth atmosphere. While the presence of liquid water clouds does not guarantee the presence of water at the surface, this technique could complement spectroscopic techniques for characterizing the atmospheres of potential habitable planets. The disk-integrated rainbow peak for Earth is estimated to be at a degree of polarization of 12.7% or 15.5% for two different cloud cover scenarios. The observation of this rainbow peak is shown to be feasible with the proposed Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronograph mission in similar total integration times to those required for spectroscopic characterization.     

Physiology, medicine, long-duration space flight and the NSBRI

The hazards of long-duration space flight are real and unacceptable. In order for humans to participate effectively in long-duration orbital missions or continue the exploration of space, we must first secure the health of the astronaut and the success of such missions by assessing in detail the biomedical risks of space flight and developing countermeasures to these hazards. Acquiring the understanding necessary for building a sound foundation for countermeasure development requires an integrated approach to research in physiology and medicine and a level of cooperative action uncommon in the biomedical sciences. The research program of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) was designed to accomplish just such an integrated research goal, ameliorating or eliminating the biomedical risks of long-duration space flight and enabling safe and productive exploration of space. The fruits of these labors are not limited to the space program. We can also use the gained understanding of the effects and mechanisms of the physiological changes engendered in space and the applied preventive and rehabilitative methods developed to combat these changes to the benefit of those on Earth who are facing similar physiological and psychological difficulties. This paper will discuss the innovative approach the NSBRI has taken to integrated research management and will present some of the successes of this approach.     

Venus Express: Scientific goals, instrumentation, and scenario of the mission

The first European mission to Venus (Venus Express) is described. It is based on a repeated use of the Mars Express design with minor modifications dictated in the main by more severe thermal environment at Venus. The main scientific task of the mission is global exploration of the Venusian atmosphere, circumplanetary plasma, and the planet surface from an orbiting spacecraft. The Venus Express payload includes seven instruments, five of which are inherited from the missions Mars Express and Rosetta. Two instruments were specially designed for Venus Express. The advantages of Venus Express in comparison with previous missions are in using advanced instrumentation and methods of remote sounding, as well as a spacecraft with a broad spectrum of capabilities of orbital observations.     

认清形势 精心编辑 提高空管杂志质量——在2007年度《空中交通管理》杂志办刊工作会议上的讲话

同志们:《空中交通管理》杂志2007年度办刊工作会议今天在南京召开。我首先代表民航总局空管局、杂志理事会对所有与会代表表示热烈欢迎!空管杂志办刊会议是民航空管     

Italy's contribution, from a medical standpoint, to the space safety of payload scientists, and perspectives for the future

In Italy, the selection of the Italian payload scientists has been performed according to the Spacelab Program of ESA. Twenty-four subjects underwent a screening performed by the Health Service of Italian Air Force. They were requested to pass an exercise test on treadmill and another ten-minute test on centrifuge, subject to the effect of +3 Gz. The authors briefly describe the results of the test. Noteworthy is the determination of Central Flicker Fusion Frequency. This parameter makes it possible to assess the endurance level of the subject, much earlier than other techniques (e.g. EKG). The importance of an accurate preliminary screening is emphasized as well as of successive training periods. Future studies will be undertaken to compare evoked cortical potentials with behaviour parameters of space safety, with a view to setting up a subtle tool of evaluation for both future candidates and payload scientists.     

Comparison of the roles of nucleotide synthesis, polymerization, and recombination in the origin of autocatalytic sets of RNAs

Ribozymes that act as polymerases and nucleotide synthases are known experimentally, even though no fully self-replicating system has yet been found. If the RNA World hypothesis is true, ribozymes must have arisen initially from within a random abiotic polymerization system. To investigate the origin of the RNA world, we studied a mathematical model of a chemical reaction system describing RNA polymerization. It is supposed that, in absence of ribozymes, polymerization occurs at a small spontaneous rate, and that in the presence of polymerase ribozymes, polymerization occurs at a faster rate that is proportional to the ribozyme concentration. Chains must be longer than a minimum threshold length in order to have the possibility of acting as ribozymes. The reaction system has two stable states that we term dead and living. The dead state is controlled by the small spontaneous rate and has negligible concentration of ribozymes. The living state has high concentration of ribozymes, and the reaction rates are determined by the ribozymes; thus, the system is autocatalytic. Concentration fluctuations in a finite volume can cause a transition to occur from the dead to the living state, that is, an origin of life occurs within this model. We also consider ribozymes that catalyze nucleotide synthesis. We show that living and dead states arise in the presence of synthase ribozymes in the same way as for polymerases. It has been proposed that recombination reactions are a way of generating long RNA chains in the early stages of life. We show that if the possibility of random reversible recombination reactions is added to our model, this does not lead to an increase in long polymer concentration. Thus, if recombination is fully reversible, there is no autocatalytic state controlled by recombination. Nevertheless, recombination can play an important role in ribozyme synthesis if there is an additional process that keeps the recombination reactions out of equilibrium. We modeled a case studied experimentally in which building block strands of moderate length associate due to RNA secondary structure formation. A recombination reaction then occurs between these strands to form a longer sequence that catalyzes its own formation via the recombination reaction. This system has an autocatalytic state, and it is possible for it to arise within our random polymerization system. If complexes formed by associations of shorter strands can act as catalysts without the requirement that the strands be covalently linked, this would alleviate the need for synthesis of very long strands; hence, it makes the emergence of an autocatalytic system from an abiotic random polymerization system much more likely.     

解析管制工作中的“错、忘、漏”问题

众所周知，“错、忘、漏”一直是我国民航管制工作中一个最为棘手的问题，历年来因“错、忘、漏”导致的空管不安全事件占有很大的比重。自从2004年空管局提出专项整治‘错、忘、漏”问题以来，情况得到了一定的改善，2005-2007年分别是45％、43％和29％，呈逐年下降趋势。然而2008年先后在几个兄弟管制单位发生的4起不安全事件均为管制“错、忘、漏”直接导致，由此看来，     

Venus, Mars, and the ices on Mercury and the moon: astrobiological implications and proposed mission designs

Venus and Mars likely had liquid water bodies on their surface early in the Solar System history. The surfaces of Venus and Mars are presently not a suitable habitat for life, but reservoirs of liquid water remain in the atmosphere of Venus and the subsurface of Mars, and with it also the possibility of microbial life. Microbial organisms may have adapted to live in these ecological niches by the evolutionary force of directional selection. Missions to our neighboring planets should therefore be planned to explore these potentially life-containing refuges and return samples for analysis. Sample return missions should also include ice samples from Mercury and the Moon, which may contain information about the biogenic material that catalyzed the early evolution of life on Earth (or elsewhere). To obtain such information, science-driven exploration is necessary through varying degrees of mission operation autonomy. A hierarchical mission design is envisioned that includes spaceborne (orbital), atmosphere (airborne), surface (mobile such as rover and stationary such as lander or sensor), and subsurface (e.g., ground-penetrating radar, drilling, etc.) agents working in concert to allow for sufficient mission safety and redundancy, to perform extensive and challenging reconnaissance, and to lead to a thorough search for evidence of life and habitability.     

完善上报体系,保证航行情报资料及时、准确、完整

前言 中国民航航行情报行业经过了几十年的发展,尤其是近十年来的数字化发展,在航行情报资料计算机管理,数据产品电子化方面都取得了飞速的发展。航行情报动态信息处理系统、航行情报发布系统、电子版AIP、NAIP等的应用,对提高航行情报资料的发布效率,保证飞行安全起到了积极的作用。与此同时航行情报原始资料的上报体系也在逐步形成。但与多种的服务产品相比,原始资料的收集方式就显得较为单一,     

强化规章制度落实 预防“错、忘、漏”

近年来,管制工作的压力越来越重,一方面我国民航事业的快速发展,管制员的工作负荷不断增加：另一方面管制工作中出现的“错、忘、漏”导致不安全事件时有发生,无形中给管制员带来一定的心理压力。通过对近年来管制工作中出现‘错、忘、漏”情况的分析和了解,我们不难发现很多问题是由于操作人员没有按照相应的安全规章制度处理造成的。那么,为什么会出现不按照制度去执行的情况？显然,根本的原因是制度还没有真正地深入人心,没有真正地扎根在一线员工的脑海中。此外,在紧急情况出现之后,一些管制员容易慌乱,     

NASA and the phenomenology of discovery: Vigilance,work conditions,and a renewed space policy

As NASA works to redefine the meaning of its mission, two social scientists apply tools from phenomenology to explore how an agency, on the cusp of new thought, is tasked with discovery. Sources for the analysis include interviews, observations, case files and documents before and after a site visit to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Findings suggest that NASA should consider creating an internal office of phenomenological inquiry designed to recognize phenomenology at work as a fundamental approach for discovery. A special note of appreciation is extended to NASA for fostering and encouraging access to their organization to observe operations at the side of astronauts in training, engineers and scientists at work, and managers overseeing a Space Shuttle mission.     

错忘漏问题简析

在人为因素分析过程中，常见的错误做法是把错忘漏行为认定为不安全事件发生的唯一原因并作为末端因素直接来采取措施，这就很容易造成措施内容缺乏合理性和有效性。客观来讲，一项工作只要有人参与，就一定会有错忘漏现象的发生，从一线的实际工作情况来看，错忘漏行为的发生频率也是很高的，只不过有的被及时补救，有的没能被补救却没有造成不良后果，被当事人有意或无意地忽略。本文尝试用人为因素的研究手段对这个问题进行简要探讨。     

Discovery of a new chert-permineralized microbiota in the Proterozoic Buxa Formation of the Ranjit window, Sikkim, northeast India, and its astrobiological implications

For the foreseeable future, the search for evidence of past life in rocks acquired from other planets will be constrained by the amount of sample available and by the fidelity of preservation of any fossils present. What amount of rock is needed to establish the existence of past life? To address this question, we studied a minute amount of rock collected from cherty dolomites of the Proterozoic Buxa Formation in the metamorphically altered tectonically active northeastern Himalaya. In particular, we investigated 2 small petrographic thin sections-one from each of 2 bedded chert horizons exposed in the Ranjit River stratigraphic section northwest of Rishi, Sikkim, India-that together comprise an area of approximately 5 cm(2) (about the size of a US postage stamp) and have a total rock weight of approximately 0.1 g. Optical microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy and imagery demonstrate that each of the thin sections contains a rich assemblage of 3-dimensionally permineralized organic-walled microfossils. This study, the first report of Proterozoic microfossils in units of the Ranjit tectonic window, demonstrates that firm evidence of early life can be adduced from even a minuscule amount of fossil-bearing ancient rock.     

从侦干探通一体化角度初探飞行平台的射频资源管控

射频资源优化管理与实时控制是飞行器平台遂行侦/干/探/通一体化的关键技术之一.分析了飞行平台射频资源管控的设计原则,提出了一种基于模块化飞行平台射频资源闭环管控模型,并分析了实施控制流程,为飞行平台更好地遂行侦/干/探/通提供技术支撑.     

Information theory,animal communication,and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence

We present ongoing research in the application of information theory to animal communication systems with the goal of developing additional detectors and estimators for possible extraterrestrial intelligent signals. Regardless of the species, for intelligence (i.e., complex knowledge) to be transmitted certain rules of information theory must still be obeyed. We demonstrate some preliminary results of applying information theory to socially complex marine mammal species (bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales) as well as arboreal squirrel monkeys, because they almost exclusively rely on vocal signals for their communications, producing signals which can be readily characterized by signal analysis. Metrics such as Zipf's Law and higher-order information-entropic structure are emerging as indicators of the communicative complexity characteristic of an “intelligent message” content within these animals’ signals, perhaps not surprising given these species’ social complexity. In addition to human languages, for comparison we also apply these metrics to pulsar signals—perhaps (arguably) the most “organized” of stellar systems—as an example of astrophysical systems that would have to be distinguished from an extraterrestrial intelligence message by such information theoretic filters. We also look at a message transmitted from Earth (Arecibo Observatory) that contains a lot of meaning but little information in the mathematical sense we define it here. We conclude that the study of non-human communication systems on our own planet can make a valuable contribution to the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence by providing quantitative general measures of communicative complexity. Studying the complex communication systems of other intelligent species on our own planet may also be one of the best ways to deprovincialize our thinking about extraterrestrial communication systems in general.     

睁眼、坐姿瞌睡状态下的脑电波结果分析

目的：研究人在睁眼、坐姿条件下，从清醒进入瞌睡状态时的脑电波特征。方法：对健康的志愿者进行了动态脑电波监测，志愿者自天正常工作，晚上看书，瞌睡时尽量坚持不睡，以捕捉瞌睡时的脑电波特征。纠果：清醒时，F3-C3导联和Fg-C4导联中由眨眼所引起的方向向下的8波，在瞌睡时变成了向上的8波；瞌睡时，T3-01导联、T4-02导联出现了清醒状态时所没有的α波，且α波串的长度随人瞌睡程度的加深而变长。轻微的上肢活动或调整坐姿不会将上述两个瞌睡的脑电波特征淹没掉。