Experimental discrimination of electrostatic and magnetic forces in particle–particle aggregation

The aggregates formed in low gravity are generally fractals. The fractal dimensions and the site growth probability measures of the resulting fractal structures strongly depend on the properties of the forces that cause the aggregation. Using some approximations, we solved the equation of motion and obtained the relation giving the particles separation as a function of time. The electric force between two charged particles and the magnetic force between two particles with a magnetic moment were considered. The two relations are different and it is shown that one can identify and separate these two interactions by analysing the recording of the aggregation. The apparatus used to record the aggregation has a resolution in the order of one micrometer per pixel and has the possibility of recording simultaneously two views at right angles. From a three dimensional recording of an aggregation, it will be possible to obtain the product of the two charges or magnetic moments causing the aggregation.     

Self-instructed condensation of amino acids into polymers

In contemporary cells biological information is largely stored in nucleic acids. Therefore, a prerequisite in many theories on the origin of cellular life is the pre-existance of self-replicating polynucleotides that had to be formed by abiotic processes on the prebiotic Earth. It is usually assumed that the spontaneous synthesis of a self-replicating polynucleotide could take place readily. However, serious stereochemical obstacles exist which make such a synthesis extremely improbable. Amino acids on the other hand, which are abundantly formed in prebiotic simulation experiments, are relatively easily polymerized to macromolecules (protoproteins) that share with modern proteins many properties: e.g., definable non-random structure, selected amino acid sequences, enzyme-like activities and self-assembly into supramolecular structures. Prebiotic polyamino acids are therefore regarded by some scientists, including the present author, as the first informational macromolecules. The origin of this information is the chemical reactivity of the various prebiotic amino acids and their chemical response to their environment. The first informational polynucleotides were likely formed by a polynucleotide polymerase activity of prebiotic protoproteins. A contemporary model for this process is seen, e.g., in the activity of template-free Qβ-replicase.     

Modelling of cometary nuclei: Planetary missions preparation

The planning of planetary missions requires the knowledge as much as possible accurate of the target. This knowledge, which cannot be obtained only by ground based observations, can be supported by theoretical modeling. This is particularly true in the case of Rosetta, a cornerstone ESA mission that will be launched in January 2003, and of its target, the comet 46P/Wirtanen. In this paper we show how, using a nucleus thermal evolution model, it is possible to foresee the temperature of the nucleus surface and the activity level along the orbit and define the range of possible values for these properties. Activity level close to the aphelion depends on the presence of CO. Surface temperatures depend on the physical properties attributed to the dust: temperatures reached by a crust mainly composed by silicatic grains differ from the temperatures reached by a crust mainly composed by organic grains.     

Technology of Modeling for Shape Memory Alloy Reinforced Composites

在对形状记忆合金增强复合材料层合板进行应力、应变和温度关系实验的基础上 ,建立了形状记忆合金增强复合材料四边形和三角形板单元模型 ,并推导了相应的有限元公式 .在此基础上编制了能够进行静态和动态分析的有限元程序 ,并利用该程序对形状记忆合金增强复合材料悬臂梁进行了分析 ,结果是令人满意的 .随着对形状记忆合金研究的进一步发展 ,这种材料必将在智能材料和结构设计中发挥越来越重要的作用 .     

NiTi形状记忆合金增强复合材料层合板 的建模技术

在对形状记忆合金增强复合材料层合板进行应力、应变和温度关系实验的基础上,建立了形状记忆合金增强复合材料四边形和三角形板单元模型,并推导了相应的有限元公式.在此基础上编制了能够进行静态和动态分析的有限元程序,并利用该程序对形状记忆合金增强复合材料悬臂梁进行了分析,结果是令人满意的.随着对形状记忆合金研究的进一步发展,这种材料必将在智能材料和结构设计中发挥越来越重要的作用.     

多层次多策略的分布式网络信息过滤系统模型

在分析现有网络信息过滤技术的基础上,描述了一种多层次、多策略、可扩展的分布式网络信息过滤系统模型框架.该模型框架包括网络信息数据分析、过滤及转发等功能,采用细粒度的内容过滤策略,在保证信息数据安全性的基础上,提高了数据转发的速度,缩短了数据传送的延时,并可以插件的形式灵活地挂载过滤程序,具有很好的开放性和可扩展性.该系统模型可以根据具体的需求,以模块的形式灵活地重组和配置各项功能,可在分布式环境下协同工作,提高了系统的性能.本系统的各种数据处理过程对用户是完全透明的,减少了对用户的影响.      

复杂分放性测量点优化布置方法研究

随着现代化工业的发展需求日益提升,对于中大型工业部件的加工精度检测也有了更高的要求。对某发动机进行测量检测时,被测物结构较为复杂,测量尺寸较大。由于工作环境特殊,需要尽量避免在非被测物上布设合作标志,而且由于无多余物需求,在待测物表面需要尽量少的布设测量合作标志。因此需要对此需求进行实际研究,对合作标志进行回光性测试,设计了多种复杂分放性测量点布设方式,经试验确定了通过增加测量辅助面的方式可以极大提高测量精度,而且减少一半被测物上测量点布设而不影响测量精度,最后也对测量辅助面与类柱状被测物的布设角度进行相应研究。     

Fine-scale structure of solar magnetic fields

Seeing limitations of the earth's atmosphere have prevented us from spatially resolving most of the basic magnetic flux elements on the sun, since their sizes are all well below one sec of arc (excluding sunspots). No space experiment to overcome this limitation has yet been performed, but the first step will be taken with Spacelab 2.Direct mapping of the circular polarization in spectral lines provides us with information on the morphology and evolution of the partially resolved magnetic structures. In reviewing recent results, special attention is payed to the question of flux disappearance, since it is fundamental for understanding the solar cycle, and depends on a knowledge of the fine-scale structures.The strong-field (kG) nature of the photospheric flux was revealed more than a decade ago using polarization recordings in pairs of spectral lines. A breakthrough in the use of spectral information to deduce the properties of the spatially unresolved magnetic fluxtubes has recently been achieved through the conversion of a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) into a polarimeter for Zeeman-effect recordings. We first use the FTS data to illustrate the diagnostic contents of the line-ratio technique, and then indicate how a statistical approach with 400 Fe I lines has recently been applied. In particular we discuss the implications of the observed Stokes V asymmetries for fluxtube dynamics.Finally the ongoing search for a small-scale “turbulent” magnetic field of mixed polarities is described. Observational limits derived from direct magnetograms, spectral line broadening, and the Hanle effect are illustrated.     

Stable carbon isotopes: possible clues to early life on Mars.

Organic and inorganic carbon in terrestrial near-surface environments are characterized by a marked difference in their 13C/12C ratios which can be traced back in the Earth's sedimentary record over almost 4 billion years. There is no doubt that the bias in favour of 12C displayed by biogenic matter derives, for the most part, from the isotope-selecting properties of the carbon-fixing enzyme (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase) that is operative in the principal photosynthetic pathway and promotes most of the carbon transfer from the non-living to the living realm. Postulating a universality of biological principles in analogy to the proven universality of the laws of physics and chemistry, we may expect enzymatic reactions in exobiological systems to be beset with B similar kinetic fractionation effects. Hence, the retrieval from the oldest Martian sediments of isotopic fractionations between reduced and oxidized (carbonate) carbon may substantially constrain current conjectures on the possible existence of former life on Mars.     

小天体动能撞击防御中动量传递因子敏感参数分析

动量传递因子β是评估动能撞击效果的重要参量。根据动能撞击过程中动量传递因子的理论模型,分析了撞击器特性参数和小天体结构特性参数对动量传递因子取值的影响,并对不同动能撞击方案以及不同材料特性小天体的成坑效应和动量传递因子进行分析。研究表明：标度律参数μ对β影响较大,μ是地面实验拟合得到的系数,与材料强度特性相关;当小天体为单体岩石结构时,撞击器速度及密度、小天体密度及表面强度对β影响较大,而撞击器半径和小天体引力对β影响较小;当小天体为碎石堆结构时,β对撞击器特性参数和小天体特性参数不敏感,且数值较小。对三种不同动能撞击方案的成坑效应与动量传递因子形成规律进行研究,发现撞击器初始动能对β影响较大。当小天体为单体岩石结构时,其对应的动量传递因子取值较大,而当小天体为碎石堆结构时,其对应的β取值较小且基本不变。对相同动能撞击方案下不同材料特性小天体（C型、S型和X型小行星）产生的撞击效应进行分析,发现在引力主导时,βC>βS>βX,而在强度主导时β取值较小且基本相同。     

The effects of HGMFs on the plant gravisensing system.

High Gradient Magnetic Fields (HGMFs) offer new opportunities for studying the gravitropic system of plants. However, it is necessary to analyze the influence that HGMF can have on cellular processes and structures that may not be related to amyloplasts displacement. This paper considers possible HGMF effects on plants, which may accompany HGMF stimulation of amyloplasts and contribute to the mechanisms of the HGMF-induced curvature.     

Reverberation time lags in the high luminosity quasar PG 1247+267

Virial estimates of the black hole mass in the center of AGNs, derived from single-epoch observations of luminosity and emission line widths, are now available for several thousands of objects at all redshifts and luminosities, so that studies of the cosmological evolution of the AGN mass function are becoming possible. These estimates are based on the empirical luminosity-size relation measured through reverberation mapping at low redshifts and luminosities. For this reason the spectrophotometric monitoring of 4 luminous quasars was started in 2003, with the 1.8 m telescope of the Asiago Observatory. To measure the reverberation time lag we adopt a method, recently introduced by Zu et al. (2011), which takes advantage of the available statistical information on variability autocorrelation and makes simple assumptions on the continuum-emission line transfer function. We present the estimate of the broad line region size for the quasar PG 1247+267, which is the most luminous object with reverberation measures to date. Virial products computed for C iv and C iii] emission lines provide consistent results. A possible flattening of the size-luminosity relation for C iv at high luminosity is suggested.     

On the initial perturbation of mesospheric dust associated irregularities by high powered radio waves

Important observational manifestations of subvisible mesospheric dust are Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSEs) which are produced by scattering from electron irregularities produced by dust charging. It has been observed that the PMSE strength can be artificially modified by using a ground-based ionospheric heating facility to perturb the electron irregularity source region that is believed to produce PMSE. Recently it has become evident that significant diagnostic information may be available about the dust layer from the temporal behavior of the electron irregularities during the heating process which modifies the background electron temperature. Particularly interesting and important periods of the temporal behavior are during the turn-on and turn-off of the radio wave heating. Most past theoretical models and experimental investigations have concentrated primarily on the later period. The objective here is to consider the temporal behavior and possibilities for diagnostic information available during the turn-on period of the radio wave. First, approximate analytical models are developed and compared to a more accurate full computational model as a reference. Then from the temporal behavior of the electron irregularities during the turn-on of the radio wave, the analytical models are used to obtain possible diagnostic information for various charged dust and background plasma quantities.     

Utilization of spot for mineral exploration,with special reference to Western Africa

The first SPOT 1 images show that data quality is in fairly good agreement with the SPOT simulations on which the geological community has worked in recent years. SPOT data are particularly useful in mineral exploration for the following reasons :- ground resolution (10 m and 20 m) proves to be very effective at scales such as 1/50,000. It considerably improves the identification of secondary structural features that may be significant for mineral exploration- stereoscopy makes it possible to quantify the dip of bedding, thickness of layers, fault displacement, etc.- acquisition flexibility is an additional advantage in the case of programs requiring multitemporal data.Two examples from Western Africa are described :- Poura, Burkina Faso : gold mining prospect- Bandiagara, Mali : reconnaissance study.SPOT makes it possible to bridge the gap between the regional information provided by Landsat data and that provided by ground of large scale aerial photographic surveys, with the advantage of multispectral images.     

Multiple Sun–Earth Saddle Point flybys for LISA Pathfinder

LISA Pathfinder is an ESA mission due to be launched in the next two years. The gravity gradiometer onboard has the sensitivity required to test predictions by gravitational theories proposed as alternatives to Dark Matter such as TeVeS. Within the Solar System measurable effects are predicted only in the vicinity of gravitational saddle points (SP). For this reason it has been proposed to fly LPF by the Earth–Sun SP, at some 259,000 km from Earth. This could be done in an extension to the nominal mission which uses a Lissajous orbit about the Earth–Sun L1 point. The responsibility for LPF mission design lies with ESA/ESOC, who have designed the transfer trajectories, orbits about L1, and station keeping strategies. This article describes an analysis performed by Astrium to support a suggestion for a possible mission extension to a saddle point crossing. With only very limited fuel availability, reaching the saddle point is a significant challenge. In this article, we present recent advances in the work on trajectory design. It is demonstrated that reaching the SP is feasible once the LPF mission is completed. Furthermore, in a significant enhancement, it is demonstrated that trajectories including more than one SP flyby are possible, thus improving the science return for this proposed mission extension.     

Einstein observatory results on active galactic nuclei

The Einstein Observatory, by virtue of its increased sensitivity and improved angular resolution, has increased substantially the number of known X-ray emitting active galactic nuclei. This has made possible the detailed study of the relation of X-ray flux to both the continuum flux in the optical and radio bands, and to the line emission properties of these objects. In addition, the Einstein imaging instruments have detected morphology in AGN X-ray emission, in particular from jetlike structures in Cen-A, M87, and 3C273.The improved energy resolution and sensitivity of the spectrometers onboard the Observatory has provided detailed information on the geometry and ionization structure of the region responsible for the broad optical emission lines in a few AGN's. Such information, combined with detailed theoretical modeling and IUE and optical observations, have allowed us to construct a moderately detailed picture of the broad line region in these objects.     

Modeling the time-intensity profile of solar flare generated particle fluxes in the inner heliosphere.

It is possible to model the time-intensity profile of solar particles expected in space after the occurrence of a significant solar flare on the sun. After the particles are accelerated in the flare process, if conditions are favorable, they may be released into the solar corona and then into space. The heliolongitudinal gradients observed in the inner heliosphere are extremely variable, reflecting the major magnetic structures in the solar corona which extend into space. These magnetic structures control the particle gradients in the inner heliosphere. The most extensive solar particle measurements are those observed by earth-orbiting spacecraft, and forecast and prediction procedures are best for the position of the earth. There is no consensus of how to extend the earth-based models to other locations in space. Local interplanetary conditions and structures exert considerable influence on the time-intensity profiles observed. The interplanetary shock may either reduce or enhance the particle intensity observed at a specific point in space and the observed effects are very dependent on energy.     

Supernova remnants

Optical observations of young supernova remnants can give information on the abundance structure of the supernova ejecta, from which properties of the supernova explosion can be deduced. Young remnants also act as laboratories for fast shock wave phenomena. Observations of X-ray and optical line emission show that while a collisionless shock wave does form, it is far from thermal equilibrium. Some young remnants are promising candidates for particle acceleration in shock waves, while in other remnants a central compact object is probably responsible for particle acceleration.     

Properties of the high area-to-mass ratio space debris population at high altitudes

In the framework of its space debris research activities ESA established an optical survey program to study the space debris environment at high altitudes, in particular in the geostationary ring and in the geostationary transfer orbit region. The Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) performs these surveys on behalf of ESA using ESA’s 1-m telescope in Tenerife. Regular observations were started in 1999 and are continued during about 120–140 nights per year. Results from these surveys revealed a substantial amount of space debris at high altitudes in the size range from 0.1 to 1 m. Several space debris populations with different dynamical properties were identified in the geostationary ring. During the searches for debris in the geostationary transfer orbit region a new population of objects in unexpected orbits, where no potential progenitors exist, was found. The orbital periods of these objects are clustered around one revolution per day; the eccentricities, however, are scattered between 0 and 0.6. By following-up some of these objects using the ESA telescope and AIUB’s 1-m telescope in Zimmerwald, Switzerland, it was possible to study the properties of this new population. One spectacular finding from monitoring the orbits over time spans of days to months is the fact that these objects must have extreme area-to-mass ratios, which are by several orders of magnitudes higher than for ‘normal-type’ debris. This in turn supports the hypothesis that the new population actually is debris generated in or near the geostationary ring and which is in orbits with periodically varying eccentricity and inclination due to perturbations by solar radiation pressure. In order to further study the nature of these debris, multi-color and temporal photometry (light curves) were acquired with the Zimmerwald telescope. The light curves show strong variations over short time intervals, including signals typical for specular reflections. Some objects exhibit distinct periodic variations with periods ranging from 10 to several 100 s. All this is indicative for objects with complicated shapes and some highly reflective surfaces.