Ground-Based and Space-Based Radio Observations of Planetary Lightning

We review radio detection of planetary lightning performed by Voyager, Galileo (including in-situ probe measurements), Cassini, and other spacecraft, and compare the information on the underlying physics derived from these observations—especially the discharge duration, at Jupiter and Saturn—with our knowledge of terrestrial lightning. The controversial evidence at Venus is discussed, as well as the prospects for lightning-like discharges in Martian dust-storms (and studies on terrestrial analogues). In addition, lightning sources provide radio beacons that allow us to probe planetary ionospheres. Ground-based observations of Saturn’s lightning have been attempted several times in the past and have been recently successful. They will be the subject of observations by the new generation of giant radio arrays. We review past results and future studies, focussing on the detection challenges and on the interest of ground-based radio monitoring, in conjunction with spacecraft observations or in standalone mode.     

Mars Global Surveyor Observations of Solar Wind Magnetic Field Draping Around Mars

We examine the magnetic field in the martian magnetosheath due to solar wind draping. Mars Global Surveyor provided 3-D vector magnetic field measurements at a large range of altitudes, local times, and solar zenith angles as the spacecraft orbit evolved. We choose orbits with very clean signatures of draping to establish the nominal morphology of the magnetic field lines at local times of near-subsolar and near-terminator. Next, using a compilation of data from Mars Global Surveyor, we determine the average magnetic field morphology in the martian magnetosheath due to the solar wind interaction. The topology of the field is as expected from previous observations and predictions. The magnetic field magnitude peaks at low altitude and noon magnetic local time and decreases away from that point. The magnetic field has an inclination from the local horizontal of 5.6° on average in the dayside magnetosheath and 12.5° on the nightside. The inclination angle is closest to zero at noon magnetic local time and low altitude. It increases both upward and to later local times. The magnetic field in the induced magnetotail flares out from the Mars—Sun direction by 21°. Finally, we compare the observations to gasdynamic model predictions and find that the shocked solar wind flow in the martian magnetosheath can be treated as a gasdynamic flow with the magnetic pileup boundary as the inner boundary to the flow.     

飞机雷电防护

雷电是一种危险现象,但是到目前为止还没有一种技术能够防止飞机遭受雷击。本文分析了雷电造成的危害,并论述了飞机结构设计应该为雷电流提供低阻抗的通路。对于对雷击放电敏感的部位和部件,必须根据其自身的重要性采取适当的雷电防护措施,以尽可能减少雷电对飞机的损害。最后介绍了为确保雷电防护措施的可靠性而进行的验证试验方法。     

Below One Earth: The Detection, Formation, and Properties of Subterrestrial Worlds

The Solar System includes two planets—Mercury and Mars—significantly less massive than Earth, and all evidence indicates that planets of similar size orbit many stars. In fact, one of the first exoplanets to be discovered is a lunar-mass planet around a millisecond pulsar. Novel classes of exoplanets have inspired new ideas about planet formation and evolution, and these “sub-Earths” should be no exception: they include planets with masses between Mars and Venus for which there are no Solar System analogs. Advances in astronomical instrumentation and recent space missions have opened the sub-Earth frontier for exploration: the Kepler mission has discovered dozens of confirmed or candidate sub-Earths transiting their host stars. It can detect Mars-size planets around its smallest stellar targets, as well as exomoons of comparable size. Although the application of the Doppler method is currently limited by instrument stability, future spectrographs may detect equivalent planets orbiting close to nearby bright stars. Future space-based microlensing missions should be able to probe the sub-Earth population on much wider orbits. A census of sub-Earths will complete the reconnaissance of the exoplanet mass spectrum and test predictions of planet formation models, including whether low-mass M dwarf stars preferentially host the smallest planets. The properties of sub-Earths may reflect their low gravity, diverse origins, and environment, but they will be elusive: Observations of eclipsing systems by the James Webb Space Telescope may give us our first clues to the properties of these small worlds.     

民用航空发动机短舱雷电防护设计及验证

为了有效降低短舱雷电防护设计和验证的难度,针对短舱的雷电防护设计和验证,提出一种导电路径仿真与关键连接结构仿真、试验迭代的研究方法。对整个短舱进行雷电流传导路径设计及简化建模,分别讨论不同传导路径方案对雷电直接效应和间接效应的影响。结果表明:优化的多路径传导可有效减小传导结构的雷电流分量和短舱内的脉冲电磁场;依据整体短舱电流分布仿真结果,可导出具体连接结构的电流分量作为其设计和验证的依据。所提出的方法可作为短舱雷电防护设计和验证的理论依据。     

Electrical Charging of Volcanic Plumes

Many explosive terrestrial volcanic eruptions are accompanied by lightning and other atmospheric electrical phenomena. The plumes produced generate large perturbations in the surface atmospheric electric potential gradient and high charge densities have been measured on falling volcanic ash particles. The complex nature of volcanic plumes (which contain gases, solid particles, and liquid drops) provides several possible charging mechanisms. For plumes rich in solid silicate particles, fractoemission (the ejection of ions and atomic particles during fracture events) is probably the dominant source of charge generation. In other plumes, such as those created when lava enters the sea, different mechanisms, such as boiling, may be important. Further charging mechanisms may also subsequently operate, downwind of the vent. Other solar system bodies also show evidence for volcanism, with activity ongoing on Io. Consequently, volcanic electrification under different planetary scenarios (on Venus, Mars, Io, Moon, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Triton) is also discussed.     

飞机雷电防护设计与鉴定试验

飞机遭受雷击后产生强大的雷电流,它严重的威胁飞行的安全.本文分析了雷电造成的危害,并论述了飞机结构设计应为雷电流提供低阻抗的通路.对雷击放电敏感的部位和部件,必须根据自身的重要性采取适当的雷电防护措施,以尽可能减少雷电对飞机的损害.最后介绍了为确保雷电防护措施的可靠性而进行的验证试验方法.     

Updated Review of Planetary Atmospheric Electricity

This paper reviews the progress achieved in planetary atmospheric electricity, with focus on lightning observations by present operational spacecraft, aiming to fill the hiatus from the latest review published by Desch et al. (Rep. Prog. Phys. 65:955–997, 2002). The information is organized according to solid surface bodies (Earth, Venus, Mars and Titan) and gaseous planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune), and each section presents the latest results from space-based and ground-based observations as well as laboratory experiments. Finally, we review planned future space missions to Earth and other planets that will address some of the existing gaps in our knowledge.     

Bow Shock and Upstream Phenomena at Mars

Mars Global Surveyor is the sixth spacecraft to return measurements of the Martian bow shock. The earlier missions were Mariner 4 (1964), Mars 2 and 3 (1972), Mars 5 (1975) and Phobos 2 (1989) (see reviews by Gringauz, 1981; Slavin and Holzer, 1982; Russell, 1985; Vaisberg, 1992a,b; Zakharov, 1992). Previous investigations of planetary bow shocks have established that their position, shape and jump conditions are functions of the upstream flow parameters and the nature of the solar wind — planet interaction (Spreiter and Stahara, 1980; Slavin et al., 1983; Russell, 1985). At Mars, however, the exact nature of the solar wind interaction was elusive due to the lack of low altitude plasma and magnetic field measurements (e.g., Axford, 1991). In fact our knowledge of the nature of the interaction of Mars with the solar wind was incomplete until the arrival of MGS and the acquisition of close-in magnetic field data (Acuña et al., 1998). As detailed by a series of review papers in this monograph, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission has now shown that the Mars environment is very complex with strong, highly structured crustal magnetic remnants in the southern hemisphere, while the northern hemisphere experiences the direct impingement of solar wind plasma. This review paper first presents a survey of the observations on the Martian bow shock and the upstream phenomena in the light of results from all the missions to date. It also discusses the kinetic properties of the Martian bow shock compared to the predictions of simulations studies. Then it examines the current status of understanding of these phenomena, including the possible sources of upstream low-frequency waves and the interpretations of localized disturbances in the upstream solar wind around Mars. Finally, it briefly discusses the open issues and questions that require further study.     

Solar cell selection for Mars

The surface of Mars is an environment significantly different from both the surface of the Earth and from orbit. Solar cell performance is the major constraint on the landing site latitude, on science operations, and on how long during each day and during which Mars seasons a spacecraft can operate. This article examines what we know about the environment of Mars and how it affects the selection of solar cells for Mars surface operation     

民用飞机燃油箱系统闪电防护分析方法研究

民机燃油箱系统的闪电防护是燃油箱安全的重要研究范畴,本文依据FAA的25-146号修正案和咨询通告AC25.954-1,介绍了民用飞机燃油箱系统闪电防护分析方法。在点火源防护分析思路的基础上,针对闪电引起的点火源,在明确飞机闪电分区后,可通过容错类设计或非容错类设计分别开展分析。针对容错类设计,可仅通过证明防护设计特征有效且可靠来表明符合性,无需进一步分析失效概率。针对非容错类设计,通过定性和定量分析法进行评估。在定性分析时,需评估非容错特征失效且引起点火源的概率小于1E-5。在定量分析中,可结合燃油箱可燃性、关键闪电和防护特征失效概率确保闪电引起燃油蒸气点燃的概率为极不可能。同时,根据闪电环境定义的电流振幅和波形对防护设计特征进行有效性验证。     

碳纤维复合材料电导率改性与抗雷击性能

传统碳纤维复合材料(CFRP)中的树脂基体电阻率大,在强电流下会产生大量阻性热从而造成损伤,增强其电导率能够有效提高CFRP的雷击防护性能。在树脂基体中添加银粉颗粒进行电导率改性,通过有限元仿真分析银粉含量对雷击防护性能影响,确定CFRP基体中的最佳银粉含量为38%。沿厚度方向电导率的改性效果最佳,提高了217.3倍。使用不同峰值的D波形雷电流对改性CFRP层压板进行模拟雷击实验,并对未改性以及表面铺设铜网的层压板进行相同能级的对照实验,通过目视损伤观察和透视超声扫描比较损伤特征和损伤面积,评估基体改性CFRP的抗雷击性能。结果表明:基体改性可以阻碍表面铺层被击穿,降低纤维断裂翘曲以及分层损伤;峰值电流20 kA、40 kA和60 kA下,铜网防护能使雷击透视损伤面积分别下降100%、86.61%和37.46%,基体改性整体防护能使雷击透视损伤面积分别下降84.02%、81.03%和40.91%。     

An Approach to Searching for Life on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus

Near-term missions may be able to access samples of organic material from Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. The challenge for astrobiology will be to determine if this material is the remains of dead microorganisms or merely abiotic organic material. The remains of life that shares a common origin with life on Earth will be straightforward to detect using sophisticated methods such as DNA amplification. These methods are extremely sensitive but specific to Earth-like life. Detecting the remains of alien life—that does not have a genetic or biochemical commonality with Earth life—will be much more difficult. There is a general property of life that can be used to determine if organic material is of biological origin. This general property is the repeated use of a few specific organic molecules for the construction of biopolymers. For example, Earth-like life uses 20 amino acids to construct proteins, 5 nucleotide bases to construct DNA and RNA, and a few sugars to construct polysaccharides. This selectivity will result in a statistically anomalous distribution of organic molecules distinct from organic material of non-biological origin. Such a distinctive pattern, different from the pattern of Earth-like life, will be persuasive evidence for a second genesis of life.     

Aeolian Processes and their Effects on Understanding the Chronology of Mars

Aeolian (wind) processes can transport particles over large distances on Mars, leading to the modification or removal of surface features, formation of new landforms, and mantling or burial of surfaces. Erosion of mantling deposits by wind deflation can exhume older surfaces. These processes and their effects on the surface must be taken into account in using impact crater statistics to derive chronologies on Mars. In addition, mapping the locations, relative ages, and orientations of aeolian features can provide insight into Martian weather, climate, and climate history.     

Micromission spacecraft: a low-cost, high-capability platform for space science missions

The Ball Micromission Spacecraft (MSC) is a multi-purpose platform capable of supporting science missions at distances from the Sun ranging from 0.7 to 1.7 AU. In the baseline scenario, MSC is launched as a secondary payload on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, to GTO using the Ariane 5 structure for auxiliary payloads (ASAP5). The maximum launch wet mass is 242 Kg and can include up to 45 Kg of payload depending on AV needs. The on-board propulsion system is used for maneuvering in the Earth-Moon system and injecting the spacecraft into its final orbit or trajectory. For Mars missions, MSC enables orbiting Mars for science payloads and/or communications and navigation assets, or for precision Mars fly-bys to drop up to six probes. The micromissions spacecraft bus can be used for science targets other than Mars, including the Moon, Earth, Venus, Earth-Sun Lagrange points, or other small bodies. This paper summarizes the current spacecraft concept and describes the multimission spacecraft bus implementation in more detail.     

Martian Radiation EnvIronment Experiment (MARIE)

Measurements of radiation levels at Mars including the contributions of protons, neutrons, and heavy ions, are pre-requisites for human exploration. The MARIE experiment on the Mars-01 Odyssey spacecraft consists of a spectrometer to make such measurements in Mars orbit. MARIE is measuring the galactic cosmic ray energy spectra during the maximum of the 24^th solar cycle, and studying the dynamics of solar particle events and their radial dependence in orbit of Mars. The MARIE spectrometer is designed to measure the energy spectrum from 15 to 500 MeV/n, and when combined other space based instruments, such as the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), would provide accurate GCR spectra. Similarly, observations of solar energetic particles can be combined with observations at different points in the inner heliosphere from, for example, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), to gain information on the propagation and radial dependence in the Earth-Mars space. Measurements can be compared with the best available radiation environment and transport models in order to improve these models for subsequent use, and to provide key inputs for the engineering of spacecraft to better protect the human crews exploring Mars.     

Geophysical Constraints on the Evolution of Mars

The evolution of Mars is discussed using results from the recent Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Pathfinder missions together with results from mantle convection and thermal history models and the chemistry of Martian meteorites. The new MGS topography and gravity data and the data on the rotation of Mars from Mars Pathfinder constrain models of the present interior structure and allow estimates of present crust thickness and thickness variations. The data also allow estimates of lithosphere thickness variation and heat flow assuming that the base of the lithosphere is an isotherm. Although the interpretation is not unambiguous, it can be concluded that Mars has a substantial crust. It may be about 50 km thick on average with thickness variations of another ±50 km. Alternatively, the crust may be substantially thicker with smaller thickness variations. The former estimate of crust thickness can be shown to be in agreement with estimates of volcanic production rates from geologic mapping using data from the camera on MGS and previous missions. According to these estimates most of the crust was produced in the Noachian, roughly the first Gyr of evolution. A substantial part of the lava generated during this time apparently poured onto the surface to produce the Tharsis bulge, the largest tectonic unit in the solar system and the major volcanic center of Mars. Models of crust growth that couple crust growth to mantle convection and thermal evolution are consistent with an early 1 Gyr long phase of vigorous volcanic activity. The simplest explanation for the remnant magnetization of crustal units of mostly the southern hemisphere calls for an active dynamo in the Noachian, again consistent with thermal history calculations that predict the core to become stably stratified after some hundred Myr of convective cooling and dynamo action. The isotope record of the Martian meteorites suggest that the core formed early and rapidly within a few tens of Myr. These data also suggest that the silicate rock component of the planet was partially molten during that time. The isotope data suggest that heterogeneity resulted from core formation and early differentiation and persisted to the recent past. This is often taken as evidence against vigorous mantle convection and early plate tectonics on Mars although the latter assumption can most easily explain the early magnetic field. The physics of mantle convection suggests that there may be a few hundred km thick stagnant, near surface layer in the mantle that would have formed rapidly and may have provided the reservoirs required to explain the isotope data. The relation between the planform of mantle convection and the tectonic features on the surface is difficult to entangle. Models call for long wavelength forms of flow and possibly a few strong plumes in the very early evolution. These plumes may have dissolved with time as the core cooled and may have died off by the end of the Noachian.     

含紧固件层合板雷击烧蚀损伤分析

为了研究含紧固件复合材料层合板在雷击电流作用下的烧蚀损伤规律,基于热电耦合建立含紧固件层合板的雷击有限元分析模型,并对雷击烧蚀损伤结果进行分析,与参考结果对比验证模型的合理性,并分析得到含紧固件层合板在不同峰值电流、紧固件尺寸、层合板宽度比条件下的烧蚀损伤结果,总结不同因素影响下烧蚀损伤面积的变化规律。结果表明:雷击峰值电流、紧固件的尺寸、层合板的宽度对含紧固件层合板烧蚀损伤面积具有极大的影响,相同的雷击电流波形,峰值150 kA雷击电流导致的烧蚀损伤面积是峰值50 kA的15.39倍;紧固件越小,烧蚀损伤面积越大,分层损伤面积越大,其中,当紧固件直径减小至1/2时,烧蚀损伤面积最大可增加4.97倍,分层损伤面积最大可增加1.91倍;层合板损伤面积随宽度的增加先增大后减小,最后趋于平稳,其中最大损伤面积与最小损伤面积的比值可达1.81倍,且比值随着紧固件直径的增加而增大。     

The Orbital Forcing of Climate Changes on Mars

Solar variability influences the climate of a planet by radiatively forcing changes over a certain timescale; orbital variations of a planet, which yield similar solar forcing modulations, can be studied within the same scientific context. It is known for Earth that obliquity changes have played a critical role in pacing glacial and interglacial eras. For Mars, such orbital changes have been far greater and have generated extreme variations in insolation. Signatures associated with the presence of water ice reservoirs at various positions across the surface of Mars during periods of different orbital configurations have been identified. For this reason, it has been proposed that Mars is currently evolving between ice ages. The advent of climate tools has given a theoretical frame to the study of orbitally-induced climate changes on Mars. These models have provided an explanation to many puzzling observations, which when put together have permitted reconstruction of almost the entire history of Mars in the last 10 million years. This paper proposes to give an overview of the scientific work dedicated to this topic.