Helium in the terrestrial atmosphere

After a brief historical review of the discovery of helium in the terrestrial atmosphere, the production mechanisms of the isotopes He⁴ and He³ are discussed. Although the radioactive production of He⁴ in the Earth is well understood, some uncertainty still exists for the degassing process leading to an atmospheric influx of (2.5 ±1.5) × 10⁶ atoms cm^–2 s^–1. Different production mechanisms are possible for He³ leading to an influx of (7.5±2.5) atoms cm^–2 s^–1. Observations of helium in the thermosphere show a great variability of this constituent. The different mechanisms proposed to explain the presence of the winter helium bulge are discussed. Since helium ions are present in the topside ionosphere and in the magnetosphere, ionization mechanisms are analyzed. Owing to possible variations and uncertainties in the solar UV flux, the photoionization coefficient is (8±4) × 10^–8 s^–1. Finally, the helium balance between production in the earth and loss into the interplanetary space is discussed with respect to the different processes which can play an effective role.     

Wave generation in the terrestrial magnetosphere

The Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer aboard the SMM detected gigantic arches in the corona which are formed or, if preexisting, become excited after major two-ribbon flares. They are seen in 3.5–8 keV X-rays and extend along the H _∥ = 0 line to altitudes between 10⁵ and 2 × 10⁵ km. These arches are stationary and form the base of a stationary type I radio noise storm initiated by the flare. They are visible in X-rays for ten hours or more and may be revived, in temperature, density, and brightness, if another two-ribbon flare appears below them. We suggest that they are built-up through reconnection process during the flare from the upper reconnected loops in the Kopp and Pneuman model. These loops become interconnected along the H _∥ = 0 line in consequence of great shear of the reconnecting loops. Obviously, the coronal transient associated with such flares must be either accomplished prior to the formation of the arch, or it must be formed through a process different from the Anzer-Kopp-Pneuman mechanism. Striking brightness variations occur quasi-periodically in the corona below and above the arch a few hours after the flare. These variations are seen at about the same time in soft X-rays, hard X-rays, and on centimeter microwaves in the low corona, as well as at metric waves in the type I noise-storm region. In spite of their flare-like intensity, however, the variations have little response in the transition layer (O v line) and no response at all in the chromosphere (Hα). We suggest that these semi-periodic brightenings are due to repetitive acceleration processes in plasmoids that encircle the arch perpendicular to the H _∥ = 0 line from the low corona through the noise storm region, being completely detached from the lower atmospheric layers.     

Coronal disturbances and their terrestrial effects

Coronal disturbances lead to geomagnetic storms, proton showers, auroras and a wide variety of other phenomena at Earth. Yet, attempts to link interplanetary and terrestrial phenomena to specific varieties of coronal disturbances have achieved only limited success. Here, several recent approaches to prediction of interplanetary consequences of coronal disturbances are reviewed. The relationships of shocks and energetic particles to coronal transients, of proton events to γ-ray bursts, of proton events to microwave bursts, of geomagnetic storms to filament eruptions and of solar wind speed increases to the flare site magnetic field direction are explored. A new phenomenon, transient coronal holes, is discussed. These voids in the corona appear astride the long decay enhancements (LDE's) of 2–50 Å X-ray emission that follow Hα filament eruptions. The transient holes are similar to long-lived coronal holes, which are the sources of high speed solar wind streams. There is some evidence that transient coronal holes are associated with transient solar wind speed increases.     

Energetics of terrestrial and Jovian magnetospheres

Energy supply rates to magnetospheres of Earth and Jupiter are estimated on the basis of most recent information on controlling parameters, and these are compared with energy consumption rates inside respective magnetospheres. Dominant role played by the reconnection process is suggested, but the high ejection rate of energetic electrons from the Jovian magnetosphere reported by Conlon (1978) might suggest the importance of the planetary rotation as the energy source.Proceedings of the Symposium on Solar Terrestrial Physics held in Innsbruck, May–June 1978.     

样本量为2的极小样本相容性检验方法

在航空航天领域由于成本、时间周期等原因进行疲劳寿命及可靠性评估时样本量通常极少（m=1或2）,利用相容性检验方法可对样本量进行扩充。常规的Wilcoxon秩和检验和K-S（Kolmogorov-Smirnov）检验适用于小样本情形,而极小样本相容性检验方面研究较少,且缺乏对方法合理性的详细说明和对不同方法检验功效优劣的比较。航空航天产品疲劳寿命多服从正态分布,因此本文主要以正态分布作为研究对象。利用Monte Carlo仿真发现从某一正态分布N（μ,σ²）中随机抽取两个样本x₁、x₂计算均值μ₁和标准差σ₁后构建新正态分布N（μ₁,σ₁²）,其±σ₁、±2σ₁和±3σ₁范围内的点落在原正态分布N（μ,σ²）±3σ范围内的概率依次为99.80%、98.13%和97.37%。在此基础上针对现场试验数据样本量为2的情况,本文提出利用3σ原则对先验信息数据进行相容性检验从而扩充样本量的方法。将该方法与两种文献方法对比后发现其误差率明显更低并呈现出检验性能随先验数据增加而不断提高的优势。     

The interplanetary magnetic field. Solar origin and terrestrial effects

Many observations related to the large-scale structure of the interplanetary magnetic field, its solar origin and terrestrial effects are discussed. During the period observed by spacecraft the interplanetary field was dominated by a sector structure corotating with the sun in which the field is predominantly away from the sun (on the average in the Archimedes spiral direction) for several days (as observed near the earth), and then toward the sun for several days, etc. The average sector appears to be a coherent entity with internal structure such that its preceding portion is more active than its following portion. Cosmic rays corotate with the interplanetary field, and there are differential flows associated with the sector pattern. Profound effects on geomagnetic activity and the radiation belts are produced as the sector pattern rotates past the earth. The solar origin of the sector pattern is discussed. The solar source may be associated with the large-scale weak background photospheric fields observed with the solar magnetograph. It is suggested that there may be a rather continual relation between this solar structure and terrestrial responses, of which the recurring M-Region geomagnetic storms are just the most prominent example.     

高密度烃与航空煤油燃烧特性对比试验

采用本生灯方法并结合数字图像处理方法分别对高密度烃和航空煤油的燃烧特性进行了试验研究,分析了不同燃油流量下当量比、预混燃气温度对层流火焰传播速度与贫油点火、熄火极限的影响,从而确定了高密度烃的层流火焰传播特性。实验研究表明:当量比为1.1时,高密度烃层流火焰传播速度达到最大值,而航空煤油在当量比为1时达到最大值,且在相同工况下高密度烃的层流火焰传播速度的最大值较小;层流火焰传播速度随混合气温度的增加而变大;燃油流量的改变对层流火焰传播速度的影响不大;相同工况下高密度烃的贫油点火、熄火极限比航空煤油的要大,且燃油流量在小于35ml/h区域内,贫油点火极限、熄火极限的当量比,都随燃油流量的变化都存在一定的波动。     

Navigating towards the future: transitioning from terrestrial radio navigation to satellite navigation and airborne surveillance

This paper presents a proposal for transitioning from terrestrial-based navigation aids to implementing satellite and airborne surveillance as the primary navigation means. The transition occurs through several steps. First, the installation and use of modern navigation and surveillance equipment is mandated by the regulatory organizations. The installations should take place in a sequenced fashion to allow time for companies to absorb the initial cost. Next, the existing network of terrestrial navigation aids is down-sized leaving only the areas of heaviest use in service. At this point, the global positioning system (GPS) will be deemed the primary method of terrestrial and oceanic travel. Finally, terrestrial navigation stations will be available around airports and the remaining stations will be put in a standby condition for use in the event of a national emergency. This paper will discuss the security benefits and examples of cost savings through implementation of these steps.     

Comments on the analysis of returned comet samples

It is first argued that, when comet sampled are returned, they should be distributed to individual laboratories for analysis in the way that lunar samples, meteorites, and interplanetary dust particles have been studied in the past. The intellectual ferment engendered by recent discoveries should ensure the viability of groups working in extraterrestrial material research into the indefinite future. Many of the recent discoveries have resulted from application of increasingly sophisticated methods of microanalysis. #the interplay between technological developments and scientific work is underscored and it is argued that increased technical support for extraterrestrial material research should lead to instrumental developments that could have widespread practical applications.A brief review of certain potentially relevant technical developments in other fields is given and it is suggested that microanalytic measurements of extraterrestrial samples at the atom-counting limit appear promising for the future. The special problems raised by the necessity for cryogenic examination of comet samples are briefly discussed and it is concluded that the lack of expertise in this area is a current weakness in the ability of the extraterrestrial material community to handle comet samples. Computer tomography scan images of a dirty snowball are presented to illustrate the importance of developing new methods for comet sample analysis.     

Estimating the number of signals using reference noise samples

Criteria for estimating the number of signals in the case of small-sample populations are considered. The criteria introduced by M. Wax and T. Kailath (1985) do not work well in this case. Two new criteria based on information theoretic and eigenmode composition-based criteria are proposed, assuming a known noise covariance. Simulation results show a significant improvement in the performance of estimating the number of signals in the small-sample case, by the use of the new criteria combined with an estimate of the noise covariance obtained from reference noise samples     

Estimation of the covariance matrix for dependent signal samples:polarization diversity systems

The problem of the estimation of covariance matrices in multichannel radar system when signal samples are statistically dependent is addressed. An optimal maximum likelihood (ML) estimate is derived. Probability characteristics and sensitivity to signal models of the estimate are evaluated for a polarization diversity system     

小样本无失效寿命试验数据的轴承可靠性评估

针对小样本无失效寿命试验数据可靠性问题提出了评估模型。模型采用Bayes理论构造服从原始样本的抽样函数,结合Bootstrap法生成大量服从抽样函数的随机数作为增广样本,再通过最佳线性不变估计法分析原始样本及增广样本得到Weibull分布双参数估计值作为可靠性评估结果。通过Monte-Carlo法仿真生成服从Weibull分布的随机数,分别采用该模型、配分布曲线法及现有Bayes理论对此随机数做评估,对比发现:该模型得到的参数估计较现有Bayes理论和配分布曲线法更接近Weibull双参数真值,且形状参数和尺度参数估计值的相对误差均低于10%,验证了模型分析小样本无失效数据进行可靠性评估的可行性。借助文献实例对模型进行分析,对比得出模型能得到较现有Bayes理论和配分布曲线法更符合工程实际的评估结果;模型在小样本情况下的双侧可靠度置信区间长度低于现有Bayes理论和配分布曲线法,有效提高了小样本无失效数据可靠性评估精度。      

退化量有缺失的无失效小样本轴承可靠性评估

针对有试验性能退化量参数记录、且(或)有部分数据缺失情况的小样本无失效轴承试验问题,通过由Taylor和Thompson提出的数据模拟法实现补全样本退化量,结合Bootstrap自助法扩大样本量,再根据基于性能退化轨迹的补充信息方法来进行其可靠性评估。选取7组受试轴承的振动退化量,对比在完整数据和带有缺失数据情况下的分析结果,发现可合理利用原舍弃不合规试验的部分有效信息,使之增加可靠性评估的样本数,从而得到较不用这些数据更为准确的结果,且所得结果较用完整数据结果绝对值相差在01以内。对比由极大似然估计法和加权E-Bayes法分析试验寿命数据的结果,发现该方法所得评估结果更优,与试验实际相比误差在10%以内,对于提高评估精度及降低试验成本有积极的实际意义。     

Concepts for the curation,primary examination,and allocation of comet nucleus samples by a comet sample receiving laboratory

The Comet Nucleus Sample Return Mission ROSETTA, a cornerstone mission of ESA jointly planned with NASA, requires the implementation of a highly sophisticated curatorial facility for the returned samples. A concept for the instrumentation and the mode of operation of a Comet Sample Receiving Laboratory (CSRL) is proposed. The main elements of the facility are: (1) cryogenic evacuated cabinets with robotic manipulators, (2) devices for sample dissection, aliquotisation, phase separation, and thin section preparation, and (3) instrumentation for non-destructive chemical and physical analyses and facilities for destructive mineralogical, textural, and (micro)chemical analyses. It is recommended that a very detailed Primary Sample Examination and Analysis be performed on a small representative fraction of the samples at the P-T-conditions of the parent comet nucleus before sample aliquots are released to Principal Investigators. The CSRL should be staffed with top rank personnel and supervised by an international peer review panel which may also be responsible for the selection of investigators and the allocation of samples.     

Solar variability and minor constituents in the lower thermosphere and in the mesosphere

Space Science Reviews - The variation in the solar irradiance related for example to the 11-year cycle leads to changes in the photodissociation and photo-ionization of the upper and middle...