土卫六生命之谜情未了

1973年4月5日,先驱者11号探测器破天荒地飞过土星。随后,旅行者1号于1980年11月,旅行者2号于1981年8月相继飞过土星。它们对土星的探测,大大增加了人类的土星知识,尤其是土卫六的生命之谜极大地吸引了科学家。为了揭开土卫六的生命之谜,法国巴黎天文台的丹尼尔·戈捷博士、德国马克斯·普朗克天文研究所的温·伊普博士,建议由欧空局和美国航宇局联合对土卫六进行一次探测。经过6年研究,欧空局宣布,将于1996年由美国发射一个名为卡西尼号的土星探测器,2002年10月绕土星飞行,然后向土卫六施放一个由欧空局制造的惠更斯号着陆器,对土卫六进行探…     

土卫六探测大事记

1655年,荷兰天文学家克里斯蒂安·惠更斯用他自制的新望远镜对准土星,准备研究土星环,但让他惊讶的是,在土星的旁边赫然有一颗巨大的卫星,这就是土卫六——泰坦。1907年,西班牙天文学家何塞·科马斯·索拉从望远镜中观测到土卫六的圆面边界有阴影,指出这是存在大气的象征。1944年,荷兰裔美国天文学家杰拉德·柯伊伯用光谱分析仪观测,发现土卫六上存在甲烷气体。1979年9月1日,先驱者11号从距土星20800千米处掠过土星,拍摄到土星巨大的卫星土卫六的照片。并初步判断土卫六上的温度极低,生命几乎无法生存。1980年11月12日,旅行者1号从距土星124…     

深空探测史上的不朽丰碑

<正>为了避免污染有可能存在原始生命的土卫二或土卫六,美国决定让即将耗尽推进剂的卡西尼号探测器在2017年9月15日主动陨落在土星上,为这次伟大的探测任务画上一个圆满的句号。卡西尼号是继先驱者十一号、旅行者二号和旅行者一号之后,第四个     

天王星探测结果

美国在1977年8月和9月用大力神-人马座火箭发射了“旅行者2号”和“1号”两个探测器。原计划它们仅是探测木星和土星。“旅行者1号”于1980年11月探测土星后,在土星引力场作用下,它向“上”飞出了黄道平面。一时,美航宇局因其它任务,放弃了继续跟踪“旅行者2号”。幸运的是,仍有一些头脑清醒者发现,“旅行者2号”在土星引力场作用下,能飞向天王星和海王星,他们说服了航宇局人士,继续跟踪“旅行者2号”,并收集它发回的资料。今年1月24日,“旅行者2号”在距天王星81,500公里     

大宇宙 土星的绚美星环

这幅图像由一组土星照片拼接而成，是“卡西尼”号在飞越土卫六时拍摄的，拍摄时距土星大约120万千米。“卡西尼”号采用了一项名为“PiTransfer”的导航技术，可以利用土卫六的引力改变轨道，从更多角度拍摄土星环。     

美丽的土星

从望远镜里看去,土星像戴着一顶漂亮的大草帽,是1颗非常美丽的天体。在太阳系9大行星中,其大小仅次于木星,排行老二。 太阳系第二大行星 截止到目前,人类共向土星发射过3个航天器对其进行了探测。这就是先驱者11号、旅行者1号和旅行者2号。它们都是先探测了木星再飞临土星的。先驱者11号从1979年8月16日到9月7日历时3周对土星进行了探测。由于它本来就是以探     

土卫六浮现神秘“魔幻岛”

<正>据美国趣味科学网站6月22日报道,随着土星最大的卫星土卫六迎来夏至,该星球变暖,神秘"魔幻岛"浮现。这是科学家2013年通过"卡西尼"号探测器的雷达图像做出的新发现,刊登在22日出版的《自然-地学》杂志上。鉴于土卫六是太阳系中可能孕育生命的天体之一,因而人们对其新的发现较为关注。"惠更斯"号着陆探测土卫六在已知的62颗土星卫星中,土卫六是最早被发现的,也是体积最大的。这颗亦称"泰坦"的卫星距土星122万千米、直径5150千米,在太阳系众     

旅行者二号探测土星的新发现

继去年美旅行者一号探测土星之后,今年八月下旬,旅行者二号又一次飞过土星,传回了大量的具有重要价值的土星照片和科学探测数据。此次土星探测,除了旅行者二号在飞到土星背面不久发生星上扫描平台被卡住故障之外,几乎整个科学探测目标全部达到。从而使得科学家们对土星又有了更进一步的认识和更深刻的了解。奇异的土星旅行者二号的探测进一步说明,土星的大气十分错踪复杂。在土星北半球的照片上发现了一个9600×4800公里的、带有棕褐色的斑点,这一斑点与木星的某些地方上的斑点极为相似。但是,没发现土     

飞向土星

美国航空航天局的“旅行者l”号宇宙飞船1980年访问了土星系统，这是其行星际大旅行的最后一站。“旅行者1”号是1977年9月5日离开地球的，它于1979年与木星神奇地相会。对土星系统的观测始于1980年8月22日，其时这艘飞船与土星尚相距1亿多千米。11月12日，“旅行者1”号在与土星相距126000千米以内的地方经过，在此期间，它与土星的联系大大加强，前后持续约一个月之久。　　土星系统到太阳的距离差不多是地球到太阳距离的10倍：它与我们这颗覆盖着水的行星及其惟一的卫星(即月亮)迥然不同，它与太阳系内圈的其他行星——水星、金星或火星…     

广角镜

木星光环之谜 众所周知,土星腰部缠绕着绚丽多姿的光环,不知大家清楚不,木星也有光环！木星的光环是由“旅行者”号飞船在1979年飞越木星附     

Learning in an immersive digital theater

The Houston Museum of Natural Science, in collaboration with Rice University has an outreach program taking portable digital theaters to schools and community sites for over five years and has conducted research on student learning in this immersive environment. By using an external independent evaluator, the effectiveness of NASA-funded Education and Public Outreach (EPO) projects can be assessed. This paper documents interactive techniques and learning strategies in full-dome digital theaters. The presentation is divided into Evaluation Strategies and Results and Interactivity Strategies and Results. All learners from grades 3–12 showed statistically significant short-term increase in knowledge of basic Earth science concepts after a single 22-min show. Improvements were more significant on items that were taught using more than one modality of instruction: hearing, seeing, discussion, and immersion. Thus immersive theater can be an effective as well as engaging teaching method for Earth and Space science concepts, particularly those that are intrinsically three-dimensional and thus most effectively taught in an immersive environment. The portable system allows taking the educational experience to rural and tribal sites where the underserved students could not afford the time or expense to travel to museums.     

Scaling analysis and model estimation of solar corona index

A monthly average solar green coronal index time series for the period from January 1939 to December 2008 collected from NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has been analysed in this paper in perspective of scaling analysis and modelling. Smoothed and de-noising have been done using suitable mother wavelet as a pre-requisite. The Finite Variance Scaling Method (FVSM), Higuchi method, rescaled range (R/S) and a generalized method have been applied to calculate the scaling exponents and fractal dimensions of the time series. Autocorrelation function (ACF) is used to find autoregressive (AR) process and Partial autocorrelation function (PACF) has been used to get the order of AR model. Finally a best fit model has been proposed using Yule-Walker Method with supporting results of goodness of fit and wavelet spectrum. The results reveal an anti-persistent, Short Range Dependent (SRD), self-similar property with signatures of non-causality, non-stationarity and nonlinearity in the data series. The model shows the best fit to the data under observation.     

Stochastic particle acceleration by the forced interaction of relativistic current sheets

We address the problem of interacting relativistic current sheets in self-consistent kinetic plasma simulations within the framework of the Particle-In-Cell model. The interaction is enforced in head-on collisions of up to 10 current sheets at relativistic bulk speeds. The simulations are motivated by the general problem of Poynting flux dissipation in ‘striped wind’ configurations presumably governing the relativistic outflows pervasive in pulsar winds and gamma-ray bursts. We identify the generation of non-thermal particles and formation of a stable power-law shape in the particle energy distributions f(γ) dγ ∝ γ^−s dγ. In 1D, a spectral index s ∼ 2 is observed and attributed to a stochastic Fermi-type acceleration mechanism. In 2D, the generic index of s ∼ 3–4 is retained as in previous simulations of individual current sheets. Whereas in 2D the high energy cut-off is constrained by the limited dissipation of magnetic energy, in 1D the process converts the bulk motion of current sheets towards directed particle momentum of an exclusive class of non-thermal particles.     

Development of a gas chromatography compatible Sample Processing System (SPS) for the in-situ analysis of refractory organic matter in martian soil: preliminary results

In the frame of the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission a new sample preparation system (SPS) compatible with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has been developed for the in situ analysis of complex organic molecules in the Martian soil. The goal is to detect, if they exist, some of the key compounds that play an important role in life on Earth including carboxylic acids, amino acids and nucleobases.     

基于LuGre模型的电液加载系统摩擦补偿

为了提高电液加载系统控制精度,针对摩擦问题提出了基于LuGre摩擦模型的前馈补偿方法.建立了用于摩擦仿真分析和补偿器设计的电液加载系统数学模型;通过实验获取并分析了相关的摩擦数据;基于实验数据进行LuGre模型参数辨识,把LuGre模型和辨识结果引入电液加载系统数学模型,并进行仿真结果与实际摩擦数据的对照,证明了LuGre摩擦模型的准确性.设计前馈补偿器,进行了实验对比,实验结果表明前馈补偿器可将摩擦产生的控制误差有效地降至未补偿时的30%左右.      

CoRoT and Kepler results: Solar-like oscillators

The space-borne observatories CoRoT (Convection Rotation and planetary Transits) and Kepler have provided photometric time series data of unprecedented precision for large numbers of stars. These data have revolutionized the fields of transiting exoplanets and asteroseismology. In this review some important asteroseismic results obtained using data from the CoRoT and Kepler space missions concerning stars that show solar-like oscillations are discussed. These results comprise, among others, measurements of the location of the base of the convection zone and helium second-ionization zone in main-sequence stars, the presence (or not) of core-helium burning in red-giant stars, as well as differential rotation in these stars.     

Return to Europa: Overview of the Jupiter Europa orbiter mission

Missions to explore Europa have been imagined ever since the Voyager mission first suggested that Europa was geologically very young. Subsequently, the Galileo spacecraft supplied fascinating new insights into this satellite of Jupiter. Now, an international team is proposing a return to the Jupiter system and Europa with the Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM). Currently, NASA and ESA are designing two orbiters that would explore the Jovian system and then each would settle into orbit around one of Jupiter’s icy satellites, Europa and Ganymede. In addition, the Japanese Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is considering a Jupiter magnetospheric orbiter and the Russian Space Agency is investigating a Europa lander.     

Radioactivity of the Moon and planets

In this report the main results of the study of radioactivity of the solar sistem bodies are considered. The radioactivity of the Moon and planets was measured by means of vehicles in situ. The radioactivity of the lunar samples, brought to the Earth was studied with laboratory equipment.     

基于最小值原理的冗余度机器人动力学控制

为了解冗余度机器人全局法优化中数值求解的困难,本文讨论了动力学方程的建立,无约束和有约束最优控制问题之间的内在联系,重点分析了求解最优控制问题的数值方法,文中提出了双向异步积分迭代的求解正则方程组的直接迭代法,较好解决了状态方程和协态方程稳定相逆给求解两点这值问题带来的困难。     

基于GPS载波相位的微卫星姿态算法研究

GPS姿态系统是利用GPS载波相位测量来确定载体的航向和姿态角。本文对微卫星的GPS姿态系统进行了研究。重点解决短基线的GPS状态算法，讨论了姿态价格函数的了小化方法。测试结果表明，所提的算法对小于1m的基线是有效的。