Composition and structure of the atmosphere of Venus

Although in recent years much has been learned about the atmospheric composition and structure of Venus, there are many key questions which remain unanswered. The Pioneer Venus set of experiments is designed to provide information both individually and collectively to help understand and explain first of all the present state of the atmosphere (the composition and distribution in both the lower and upper parts, the state property profiles, the cloud compositions, the role of phase in the thermal structure, the planet's surface and interior composition, the high surface temperature, the stability of CO₂, the ionosphere — its chemistry and thermal structure, the existence of superrotation, the response of the upper atmosphere to changes in solar EUV and the solar wind) and secondly the origin and evolution of the atmosphere. This paper discusses these questions and the degree to which the Pioneer Venus instruments will respond to them.     

冲击风作用下大跨屋盖多模态随机风致响应研究

雷暴冲击风是一种近地面短时产生的瞬态强风,它与传统的边界层风场特征具有明显的差别,冲击风将会引起屋盖的强烈振动,甚至发生破坏.本文根据混合随机模型,详细研究了冲击风风场的数值模拟方法.应用Wood竖直风剖面方程与Holmes经验模型模拟平均风场,使用稳态高斯随机过程模拟脉动风场,模拟的风场与实际的雷暴冲击风较为一致.结合多阶模态加速度法和等效风荷载原理,详细推导了大跨屋盖随机风致响应的计算方法.结合边界层风洞试验,比较冲击风产生的表面风压特性,计算得到屋盖冲击风致动力响应时程,并研究了冲击风作用下大跨屋盖荷载风效应系数和位移风效应系数的分布特点.研究结果可作为评估大跨屋盖冲击风致响应的一种参考.     

Oxygen Isotopes and Sampling of the Solar System

The atmospheres of the four giant planets of our Solar System share a common and well-observed characteristic: they each display patterns of planetary banding, with regions of different temperatures, composition, aerosol properties and dynamics separated by strong meridional and vertical gradients in the zonal (i.e., east-west) winds. Remote sensing observations, from both visiting spacecraft and Earth-based astronomical facilities, have revealed the significant variation in environmental conditions from one band to the next. On Jupiter, the reflective white bands of low temperatures, elevated aerosol opacities, and enhancements of quasi-conserved chemical tracers are referred to as ‘zones.’ Conversely, the darker bands of warmer temperatures, depleted aerosols, and reductions of chemical tracers are known as ‘belts.’ On Saturn, we define cyclonic belts and anticyclonic zones via their temperature and wind characteristics, although their relation to Saturn’s albedo is not as clear as on Jupiter. On distant Uranus and Neptune, the exact relationships between the banded albedo contrasts and the environmental properties is a topic of active study. This review is an attempt to reconcile the observed properties of belts and zones with (i) the meridional overturning inferred from the convergence of eddy angular momentum into the eastward zonal jets at the cloud level on Jupiter and Saturn and the prevalence of moist convective activity in belts; and (ii) the opposing meridional motions inferred from the upper tropospheric temperature structure, which implies decay and dissipation of the zonal jets with altitude above the clouds. These two scenarios suggest meridional circulations in opposing directions, the former suggesting upwelling in belts, the latter suggesting upwelling in zones. Numerical simulations successfully reproduce the former, whereas there is a wealth of observational evidence in support of the latter. This presents an unresolved paradox for our current understanding of the banded structure of giant planet atmospheres, that could be addressed via a multi-tiered vertical structure of “stacked circulation cells,” with a natural transition from zonal jet pumping to dissipation as we move from the convectively-unstable mid-troposphere into the stably-stratified upper troposphere.

     

Composition of the Martian atmosphere

Data on the composition of the Martian atmosphere obtained by instruments aboard the Viking spacecraft are not of sufficient accuracy to address important questions regarding the composition and history of Mars. Laboratory analyses of gases trapped in glassy phases of shergottite meteorite EETA 79001 yield precise data, but it remains to be ascertained that these gases constitute unfractionated Martian atmosphere. Return from Mars of a gas sample for laboratory analysis appears preferable to another in situ measurement, especially if rocks of documented origin will become available for gas analysis as well.     

Modelling and analysis of initial icing roughness with fixed-grid enthalpy method based on DPM-VOF algorithm

Ice particles could form under the continuous impingement of incoming supercooled droplets in icing conditions, which will change the surface roughness to enhance the further heat and mass transfer during icing process. A fixed-grid porous enthalpy method based on the improved Discrete Phase Model(DPM) and Volume of Fluid(VOF) integrated algorithm is developed to solve the multiphase heat transfer problem to give more detailed demonstration of the formation of initial ice roughness. The algorith...     

The Atmosphere of Mars as Constrained by Remote Sensing

In addition to the Viking in-situ mass spectrometry measurements, our knowledge of the Martian atmosphere comes from remote sensing spectroscopy from the ground and from space. In particular, infrared measurements from the Mariner 9, Viking, Phobos and MGS orbiters have provided information upon the thermal profile, the chemical composition, the stratospheric winds, some isotopic ratios, and the properties of suspended dust. However, further remote sensing monitoring is still needed for a better understanding of the water cycle, a more accurate knowledge of the minor species and the aerosol composition, an improved measurement of the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic ratios, and for a full mapping of the middle altitude winds. Some of these information will be provided with the Mars Express mission.     

Towards a Unified View of Inhomogeneous Stellar Winds in Isolated Supergiant Stars and Supergiant High Mass X-Ray Binaries

Massive stars, at least \(\sim10\) times more massive than the Sun, have two key properties that make them the main drivers of evolution of star clusters, galaxies, and the Universe as a whole. On the one hand, the outer layers of massive stars are so hot that they produce most of the ionizing ultraviolet radiation of galaxies; in fact, the first massive stars helped to re-ionize the Universe after its Dark Ages. Another important property of massive stars are the strong stellar winds and outflows they produce. This mass loss, and finally the explosion of a massive star as a supernova or a gamma-ray burst, provide a significant input of mechanical and radiative energy into the interstellar space. These two properties together make massive stars one of the most important cosmic engines: they trigger the star formation and enrich the interstellar medium with heavy elements, that ultimately leads to formation of Earth-like rocky planets and the development of complex life. The study of massive star winds is thus a truly multidisciplinary field and has a wide impact on different areas of astronomy.In recent years observational and theoretical evidences have been growing that these winds are not smooth and homogeneous as previously assumed, but rather populated by dense “clumps”. The presence of these structures dramatically affects the mass loss rates derived from the study of stellar winds. Clump properties in isolated stars are nowadays inferred mostly through indirect methods (i.e., spectroscopic observations of line profiles in various wavelength regimes, and their analysis based on tailored, inhomogeneous wind models). The limited characterization of the clump physical properties (mass, size) obtained so far have led to large uncertainties in the mass loss rates from massive stars. Such uncertainties limit our understanding of the role of massive star winds in galactic and cosmic evolution.Supergiant high mass X-ray binaries (SgXBs) are among the brightest X-ray sources in the sky. A large number of them consist of a neutron star accreting from the wind of a massive companion and producing a powerful X-ray source. The characteristics of the stellar wind together with the complex interactions between the compact object and the donor star determine the observed X-ray output from all these systems. Consequently, the use of SgXBs for studies of massive stars is only possible when the physics of the stellar winds, the compact objects, and accretion mechanisms are combined together and confronted with observations.This detailed review summarises the current knowledge on the theory and observations of winds from massive stars, as well as on observations and accretion processes in wind-fed high mass X-ray binaries. The aim is to combine in the near future all available theoretical diagnostics and observational measurements to achieve a unified picture of massive star winds in isolated objects and in binary systems.     

直升机旋翼防/除冰系统适航审定方法研究

介绍了直升机旋翼防/除冰系统适航审定的程序和主要验证方法,重点研究了美国和欧洲民用直升机防/除冰系统的鉴定方法和特点,提出了一些针对国产直升机旋翼防/除冰系统适航审定方法的建议。     

Particle Acceleration and Nonthermal Phenomena in Superbubbles

Models of nonthermal particle acceleration in the vicinity of active star forming regions are reviewed. We discuss a collective effect of both stellar winds of massive stars and core collapsed supernovae as particle acceleration agents. Collective supernova explosions with great energy release in the form of multiple interacting shock waves inside the superbubbles are argued as a favourable site of nonthermal particle acceleration. The acceleration mechanism provides efficient creation of a nonthermal nuclei population with a hard low-energy spectrum, containing a substantial part of the kinetic energy released by the winds of young massive stars and supernovae. We discuss a model of temporal evolution of particle distribution function accounting for the nonlinear effect of the reaction of the accelerated particles on the shock turbulence inside the superbubble. The model illustrates that both the low-energy metal-rich nonthermal component and the standard galactic cosmic rays could be efficiently produced by superbubbles at different evolution stages.     

Evaluating the Wind-Induced Mechanical Noise on the InSight Seismometers

The SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structures) instrument onboard the InSight mission to Mars is the critical instrument for determining the interior structure of Mars, the current level of tectonic activity and the meteorite flux. Meeting the performance requirements of the SEIS instrument is vital to successfully achieve these mission objectives. Here we analyse in-situ wind measurements from previous Mars space missions to understand the wind environment that we are likely to encounter on Mars, and then we use an elastic ground deformation model to evaluate the mechanical noise contributions on the SEIS instrument due to the interaction between the Martian winds and the InSight lander. Lander mechanical noise maps that will be used to select the best deployment site for SEIS once the InSight lander arrives on Mars are also presented. We find the lander mechanical noise may be a detectable signal on the InSight seismometers. However, for the baseline SEIS deployment position, the noise is expected to be below the total noise requirement \(>97~\%\) of the time and is, therefore, not expected to endanger the InSight mission objectives.     

{MC COMMENT: PA CORRECTION}Theoretical study of ullage washing with mixed inert gas in a non-equilibrium state

The Mixed Inert Gas (MIG) produced by the novel Green OnBoard Inerting Gas Generation System (GOBIGGS) mainly consists of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen. Because of the large solubility of carbon dioxide in jet fuel compared with nitrogen, the no gas release or equilibrium model could not be employed any more. In this paper, first, a mathematical model of the ullage washing was set up to predict the variation of the oxygen concentration on ullage and in the fuel, and the gas evolution and dissolution rate were calculated by Fick’s second law. Then, an experimental apparatus was constructed to verify the accuracy of the model. Finally, the numerical comparisons of ullage washing using Nitrogen Enriched Air (NEA) and MIG are presented under various flow rates and fuel loads, and the result reveals that the variation of the oxygen concentration on ullage is nearly identical whatever the inert gas is NEA or MIG. However, the variation of the oxygen concentration in the fuel is disparate, and the oxygen concentration decreases rapidly if the inert gas is MIG, especially when the fuel load is low or the flow rate of the inert gas is high. Besides, MIG could suppress the rising trend of the oxygen concentration on ullage when the aircraft ascends if the fuel tank is fully washed into an equilibrium state on ground.     

Self-consistent Simulations of Alfv��n Wave Driven Winds from the Sun and Stars

We review our recent results of Alfvén wave-driven winds. First, we present the result of self-consistent 1D MHD simulations for solar winds from the photosphere to interplanetary region. Here, we emphasize the importance of the reflection of Alfvén waves in the density stratified corona and solar winds. We also introduce the recent Hinode observation that might detect the reflection signature of transverse (Alfvénic) waves by Fujimura and Tsuneta (Astrophys. J. 702:1443, 2009). Then, we show the results of Alfvén wave-driven winds from red giant stars. As a star evolves to the red giant branch, the properties of stellar winds drastically change from steady coronal winds to intermittent chromospheric winds. We also discuss how the stellar evolution affects the wave reflection in the stellar atmosphere and similarities and differences of accretion disk winds by MHD turbulence.     

Experimental comparison between aircraft fuel tank inerting processes using NEA and MIG

Fuel tank inerting technologies are able to reduce the fire risk by injection of inert gas into the ullage or fuel, the former called ullage washing and the latter fuel scrubbing. The Green On-Board Inert Gas Generation System (GOBIGGS) is a novel technology based on flameless catalytic combustion, and owning to its simple structure and high inerting efficiency, it has received a lot of attentions. The inert gas in the GOBIGGS is mainly comprised of CO₂, N₂, and O₂ (hereinafter, Mixed Inert Gas (MIG)), while that in the On-Board Inert Gas Generation System (OBIGGS), which is one of the most widely used fuel tank inerting technologies, is Nitrogen-Enriched Air (NEA). The solubility of CO₂ is nearly 20 times higher than that of N₂ in jet fuels, so the inerting capability and performance are definitely disparate if the inert gas is selected as NEA or MIG. An inerting test bench was constructed to compare the inerting capabilities between NEA and MIG. Experimental results reveal that, if ullage washing is adopted, the variations of oxygen concentrations on the ullage and in the fuel are nearly identical no matter the inert gas is NEA or MIG. However, the ullage and dissolved oxygen concentrations of MIG scrubbing are always higher than those of NEA scrubbing.     

Are There Chemical Gradients in the Inner Solar System?

The solar system is apparently stratified with regard to the contents of volatile constituents, as judged from the rocky, volatile-poor inner solar system planets and meteorites and the huge volatile-rich outer planets. However, beyond this gross structure there is no evidence for a systematic increase of the volatiles' abundances with distance from the Sun. Although meteorites show comparatively large differences in volatile element contents they also differ in many other respects, such as Mg/Si-ratios, bulk Fe and refractory element contents. These variations reflect variations in the nebular environment from which meteorites formed. The various conditions of meteorite formation cannot, however, be related in a simple way to heliocentric distances. There are also no systematic variations in the chemistry of the inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, and including the fourth largest asteroid Vesta, that could be interpreted as a relationship between volatility and composition. Although Mars (as judged from the composition of Martian meteorites) is more oxidized and contains more volatile elements than Earth, this trend cannot be extrapolated to the dry volatile poor Vesta (sampled by HED meteorites) in the asteroid belt. If the Earth-Mars trend reflects global inner solar system gradients then Vesta must have formed inside Earth's orbit and moved out later to its present location. The quality of Mercury and Venus composition data is not sufficient to allow reliable extrapolation to distances closer to the Sun. Recent nebula models predict small temperature gradients in the inner solar system supporting the view that no large variations in volatile element contents of inner solar system materials are expected. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

JF-16膨胀管流场分析及升级改造

膨胀管（风洞）是少数几种具备超高速流动模拟能力的地面试验设备之一,针对中国科学院力学研究所高温气体动力学国家重点实验室的爆轰驱动膨胀管JF-16,通过高焓流动数值模拟方法辅助诊断JF-16的流场特性可以发现,高温真实气体效应可以显著增加激波对气体的压缩能力并影响强激波结构,加速段内试验气流静温及化学成分较真实飞行条件有所偏离。为此对JF-16进行升级改造,通过在加速段末端加装锥形喷管,利用喷管的定常膨胀过程进一步调整试验气流的静温,进而提高试验气流品质,同时可以扩大试验区尺度。数值模拟结果表明8°锥角为最优选择,此时试验区尺度可扩大至140 mm。     

The internal constitutions of the inner planets and the moon

The internal structures of the moon, Mars, Venus, and Mercury are examined in the light of what is known about the constitution of the earth. The gravitational figure of the earth as obtained from orbits of artificial satellites is used to estimate the possible deviations from hydrostatic equilibrium on other planets. Observations of the orbital and rotational motion of the moon are consistent with the hypothesis that the interior of the moon supports density inhomogeneities of the same order as those supported by the earth. The available data on the moon are insufficient to determine whether or not the moon is differentiated. The orbits of Phobos and Deimos yield an adequate value for the moment of inertia of Mars. The moment of inertia and the mass are consistent with a metallic core containing about 10 per cent of the mass of Mars. The observations of the possible magnetic field of Mars would be of importance both to the understanding of planetary magnetic fields and elucidating the internal structure of that planet. Seismic investigations on the earth yield an equation of state for silicates to pressures of about 1 × 10⁶ bars. This equation of state is used in determining density variation within Mars.The surface heat flow for the earth is consistent with the hypothesis that the concentration of radioactive elements is the same as that in chondritic meteorites. The observed ratio of potassium to uranium in surface and near-surface rocks is not consonant with the chondritic hypothesis. The moon can be of chondritic composition only if it is differentiated with the radioactivity concentrated in the upper few hundred kilometers. A chondritic composition for Mars would require a differentiation in excess of that consistent with its mass and moment of inertia. It is concluded that a chondritic composition is not a satisfactory chemical model for the inner planets.     

Evolution of the Protosolar Nebula and Formation of the Giant Planets

The formation of planetary systems is intimately tied to the question of the evolution of the gas and solid material in the early nebula. Current models of evolution of circumstellar disks are reviewed here with emphasis on the so-called “alpha models” in which angular momentum is transported outward by turbulent viscosity, parameterized by an dimensionless parameter α. A simple 1D model of protoplanetary disks that includes gas and embedded particles is used to introduce key questions on planetesimal formation. This model includes the aerodynamic properties of solid ice and rock grains to calculate their migration and growth. We show that the evolution of the nebula and migration and growth of its solids proceed on timescales that are generally not much longer than the timescale necessary to fully form the star-disk system from the molecular cloud. Contrary to a widely used approach, planet formation therefore can neither be studied in a static nebula nor in a nebula evolving from an arbitrary initial condition. We propose a simple approach to both account for sedimentation from the molecular cloud onto the disk, disk evolution and migration of solids. Giant planets have key roles in the history of the forming Solar System: they formed relatively early, when a significant amount of hydrogen and helium were still present in the nebula, and have a mass that is a sizable fraction of the disk mass at any given time. Their composition is also of interest because when compared to the solar composition, their enrichment in elements other than hydrogen and helium is a witness of sorting processes that occured in the protosolar nebula. We review likely scenarios capable of explaining both the presence of central dense cores in Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and their global composition. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

局地热源上大气边界层及其与自由大气相互作用的理论研究

本文利用二维高阶矩湍流闭合的中尺度数值模式,模拟了局地加热源上大气边界层的湍流结构,讨论了大气边界层与自由大气之间的相互作用,并由此亦使人们在海风消失时常常观测到的“风通（ｂｏｒｅ）”现象得到解释。     

Composition Aspects of the Upper Solar Atmosphere Rapporteur Paper III

This rapporteur paper discusses the solar corona and the solar wind in the context of their chemical composition. The abundances of elements, both obtained by optical and by in situ observations, are used to infer the sources of the slow solar wind and of the fast streams. The first ionisation potential (FIP) fractionation effect is also discussed, in particular the agreed basics and the open questions. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.