Dynamo Scaling Laws and Applications to the Planets

Scaling laws for planetary dynamos relate the characteristic magnetic field strength, characteristic flow velocity and other properties to primary quantities such as core size, rotation rate, electrical conductivity and heat flux. Many different scaling laws have been proposed, often relying on the assumption of a balance of Coriolis force and Lorentz force in the dynamo. Their theoretical foundation is reviewed. The advent of direct numerical simulations of planetary dynamos and the ability to perform them for a sufficiently wide range of control parameters allows to test the scaling laws. The results support a magnetic field scaling that is not based on a force balance, but on the energy flux available to balance ohmic dissipation. In its simplest form, it predicts a field strength that is independent of rotation rate and electrical conductivity and proportional to the cubic root of the available energy flux. However, rotation rate controls whether the magnetic field is dipolar or multipolar. Scaling laws for velocity, heat transfer and ohmic dissipation are also discussed. The predictions of the energy-based scaling law agree well with the observed field strength of Earth and Jupiter, but for other planets they are more difficult to test or special pleading is required to explain their field strength. The scaling law also explains the very high field strength of rapidly rotating low-mass stars, which supports its rather general validity.     

Earthshine Observation of Vegetation and Implication for Life Detection on Other Planets

The detection of exolife is one of the goals of very ambitious future space missions that aim to take direct images of Earth-like planets. While associations of simple molecules present in the planet’s atmosphere (O₂, O₃, CO₂, etc.) have been identified as possible global biomarkers, this paper reviews the detectability of a signature of life from the planet’s surface, i.e. the green vegetation. The vegetation reflectance has indeed a specific spectrum, with a sharp edge around 700 nm, known as the “Vegetation Red Edge” (VRE). Moreover, vegetation covers a large surface of emerged lands, from tropical evergreen forest to shrub tundra. Thus, considering vegetation as a potential global biomarker is relevant. Earthshine allows us to observe the Earth as a distant planet, i.e. without spatial resolution. Since 2001, Earthshine observations have been used by several authors to test and quantify the detectability of the VRE in the Earth spectrum. The vegetation spectral signature is detected as a small “positive shift” of a few percentage points above the continuum, starting at 700 nm. This signature appears in most spectra, and its strength is correlated with the Earth’s phase (visible land versus visible ocean). The observations show that detecting the VRE on Earth requires a photometric relative accuracy of 1% or better. Detecting something equivalent on an Earth-like planet will therefore remain challenging, especially considering the possibility of mineral artifacts and the question of “red edge” universality in the Universe.     

Planetary Magnetic Dynamo Effect on Atmospheric Protection of Early Earth and Mars

In light of assessing the habitability of Mars, we examine the impact of the magnetic field on the atmosphere. When there is a magnetic field, the atmosphere is protected from erosion by solar wind. The magnetic field ensures the maintenance of a dense atmosphere, necessary for liquid water to exist on the surface of Mars. We also examine the impact of the rotation of Mars on the magnetic field. When the magnetic field of Mars ceased to exist (about 4 Gyr ago), atmospheric escape induced by solar wind began. We consider scenarios which could ultimately lead to a decrease of atmospheric pressure to the presently observed value of 7 mbar: a much weaker early martian magnetic field, a late onset of the dynamo, and high erosion rates of a denser early atmosphere.     

Water in Extrasolar Planets and Implications for Habitability

Space Science Reviews - Exoplanet detection missions have found thousands of planets or planet candidates outside of the Solar System—some of which are in the habitable zone, where liquid...     

Future Space Missions to Search for Terrestrial Planets

Since the first exoplanet was discovered more than 10 years ago, this field has developed rapidly. Currently we know of more than 200 external systems of stars and planets, apart from our own, but what has become the ‘holy grail’ of exoplanetary research is still eluding us. Here we are, of course, referring to solar systems like our own, containing a number of terrestrial or ‘rocky’ planets orbiting within the so-called ‘habitable zone’, and with giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn—which mostly or totally consist of elements as H or He—at distance much further out from the central star. No such system have to date been discovered around anything resembling our Sun, albeit because of observational biases. Nevertheless, in order to develop the emerging science discipline of Comparative Planetology, we will have to utilize new techniques that will enable us to search for, and then study in detail such systems in an un-biased fashion. This paper describes the emerging techniques and space missions that will allow, finally, the investigation of planets capable of hosting life as we know it.     

Creating Habitable Zones, at all Scales, from Planets to Mud Micro-Habitats, on Earth and on Mars

The factors that create a habitable planet are considered at all scales, from planetary inventories to micro-habitats in soft sediments and intangibles such as habitat linkage. The possibility of habitability first comes about during accretion, as a product of the processes of impact and volatile inventory history. To create habitability water is essential, not only for life but to aid the continual tectonic reworking and erosion that supply key redox contrasts and biochemical substrates to sustain habitability. Mud or soft sediment may be a biochemical prerequisite, to provide accessible substrate and protection. Once life begins, the habitat is widened by the activity of life, both by its management of the greenhouse and by partitioning reductants (e.g. dead organic matter) and oxidants (including waste products). Potential Martian habitats are discussed: by comparison with Earth there are many potential environmental settings on Mars in which life may once have occurred, or may even continue to exist. The long-term evolution of habitability in the Solar System is considered.     

Observational and Theoretical Aspects of Processes Other Than Merging and Diffusion Governing Plasma Transport Across The Magnetopause

Space Science Reviews - The magnetopause and its inner contact region with the magnetosphere, the magnetosphere boundary layer, constitute the interface between the shocked solar wind plasma and...     

The Geology and Habitability of Terrestrial Planets: Fundamental Requirements for Life

The current approach to the study of the origin of life and to the search for life elsewhere is based on two assumptions. First, life is a purely physical phenomenon closely linked to specific environmental conditions. From this, we hypothesise that when these environmental conditions are met, life will arise and evolve. If these assumptions are valid, the search for life elsewhere should be a matter of mapping what we know about the range of environments in which life can exist, and then simply trying to find these environments elsewhere. Second, life can be clearly distinguished from the non-living world. While a single feature of a living organism left in the rock record is not always sufficient to determine unequivocally whether life was present, life often leaves multiple structural, mineralogical and chemical biomarkers that, in sum, support a conclusion that life was present. Our understanding of the habitats that can sustain or have sustained life has grown tremendously with the characterisation of extremophiles. In this chapter, we highlight the range of environments that are known to harbour life on Earth, describe the environments that existed during the period of time when life originated on Earth, and compare these habitats to the suitable environments that are found elsewhere in our solar system, where life could have arisen and evolved.     

Coupled Clouds and Chemistry of the Giant Planets— A Case for Multiprobes

In seeking to understand the formation of the giant planets and the origin of their atmospheres, the heavy element abundance in well-mixed atmosphere is key. However, clouds come in the way. Thus, composition and condensation are intimately intertwined with the mystery of planetary formation and atmospheric origin. Clouds also provide important clues to dynamical processes in the atmosphere. In this chapter we discuss the thermochemical processes that determine the composition, structure, and characteristics of the Jovian clouds. We also discuss the significance of clouds in the big picture of the formation of giant planets and their atmospheres. We recommend multiprobes at all four giant planets in order to break new ground.     

An Oxygen Isotope Mixing Model for the Accretion and Composition of Rocky Planets

The oxygen isotope systematics in planetary and nebular matter are used to constrain the types of nebular material accreted to form a planet. The basic assumption of this model is that the mean oxygen isotopic composition of a planet is determined by the weighted mean oxygen isotopic composition of nebular matter accreted by the planet. Chondrites are taken as representatives of nebular matter. The chemical composition (which determines core size, mantle oxidation state, density, moment of inertia) of a planet results from the weighted mean compositions of the accreted nebular material, once the mass fractions of the different types of accreting matter are known. Here some results for Earth, Moon, Mars, and Vesta are discussed. The model implies that loss of volatile elements, such as alkalis and halogens, occurs during accretion and early planetary differentiation (e. g., by catastrophic impacts). The possible depletion mechanisms of moderately volatile elements are discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Pointing and Stability Requirements for Earth Orbital Experiments

Experiments for manned and unmanned space facilities of the next decade will impose stringent requirements for accurately pointing and/or maintaining stability of the space platforms over extended periods. Potential experiment programs identified to date in various NASA-and contractor-sponsored studies have been reviewed in order to define critical values and ranges for the following pointing/stability parameters: 1) pointing accuracy, 2) line-of-sight stability, 3) angular rate, and/or 4) acceleration level. The most stringent requirements were found to be in the research categories of: stellar and solar astronomy, earth observations, space physics, communications and navigation, and space biology.     

A Program Plan for Earth Orbital Space Astronomy

Manned space flight offers the opportunity to couple the astronaut /scientist's ability to select and process data and to calibrate, modify, and repair instruments with the vantage point for astronomical observations provided by a platformlocated above the Earth's atmosphere. The role which manned space flight may play in the 1970-1990 time period in meeting astronomy research needs is examined. The instruments and facilities that appear feasible for that period are described.     

Artificial Site Shielding for Communications Satellite Earth Stations

A method of reducing the possibilities of interference between earth stations and microwave radio-relay stations by the use of pit shielding has been investigated. A pit was constructed containing a 32-foot diameter antenna. Measurements are reported which indicate a shielding advantage of at least 25 dB. A siting example under actual conditions is given.     

飞船自主应急返回控制参数确定方法及应用

当飞船在无地面测控支持的运行段飞行时,必须考虑故障情况下飞船自主返回应急着陆区的控制参数确定问题。本文根据飞船自主应急返回的主要特点和应急着陆区的选取原则,在分析飞船再入动力学过程和实际测量数据的基础上,确立了一种飞船自主应急返回的控制参数计算方法及流程,并简要介绍了该方法在“神舟4号”等飞船测控任务中的应用。     

Atmospheric Attenuation Models for Satellite-To-Earth Links

In an earlier paper by the authors1 it was mentioned that atmospheric attenuation effects could be included by assuming that the attenuation is directly proportional to number of air masses. While this assumption is valid for the optical region, it is not true in the microwave region (1 to 40 GHz). For a clear atmosphere, the two constituents which absorb microwaves are oxygen and water vapor. An analysis of the atmospheric attenuation data for the microwave region has been made and some rather simple expressions for computing the attenuation as a function of zenith angle are developed with an accuracy suitable for satellite antenna footprint calculations.     

收益管理系统中的几个关键模型

介绍了国内首例自主开发的收益管理系统中的部分运算模型，给出了需求预测、超售、座位优化控制中的一些核心算法。提出了基于C-均值聚类的航班预测模型、基于二项分布的超售计算模型、基于EMSR的多航段座位优化模型、基于期望边际收益的团体置换价模型等．并介绍了上述模型的运行效果。     

雷达舰船目标回波建模研究

阐述了根据电磁波几何绕射理论所建立的舰船目标雷达回波模型,利用该模型可产生多种假设目标的回波数据,用于弥补科研试验过程中所需的多种条件下的雷达目标回波数据,所建模型在实际试验中得到了较好的应用.