In space, CDs play a new tune

The development of a prototype instrument for biological tests aboard the International Space Station is reviewed. The instrument will employ specially formatted glass and plastic compact disks to conduct tests on biological samples. Special dyes will indicate the presence of proteins, DNA, and other chemicals. One benefit will be the ability to increase the number of trials in an experiment, lending greater validity to the results.     

THE ELECTRIC FIELD AND WAVE EXPERIMENT FOR THE CLUSTER MISSION

The electric-field and wave experiment (EFW) on Cluster is designed to measure the electric-field and density fluctuations with sampling rates up to 36000 samples s^-1. Langmuir probe sweeps can also be made to determine the electron density and temperature. The instrument has several important capabilities. These include (1) measurements of quasi-static electric fields of amplitudes up to 700 mV m^-1 with high amplitude and time resolution, (2) measurements over short periods of time of up to five simualtaneous waveforms (two electric signals and three magnetic signals from the seach coil magnetometer sensors) of a bandwidth of 4 kHz with high time resolution, (3) measurements of density fluctuations in four points with high time resolution. Among the more interesting scientific objectives of the experiment are studies of nonlinear wave phenomena that result in acceleration of plasma as well as large- and small-scale interferometric measurements. By using four spacecraft for large-scale differential measurements and several Langmuir probes on one spacecraft for small-scale interferometry, it will be possible to study motion and shape of plasma structures on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. This paper describes the primary scientific objectives of the EFW experiment and the technical capabilities of the instrument.     

Arrangement of a spacecraft-borne scientific instrument container in the passing experiment

A solution of a problem on the attached mass arrangement aboard a flight vehicle as a scientific instrument container or a small satellite in the passing experiment is considered.     

用AM300型函数信号发生器建立相位测量标准装置

提出了一种建立相位测量标准装置的方法。该标准装置以AM300型函数信号发生器为主标准器,相位计、示波器、失真度测量仪、数字电压表为配套设备。对AM300型函数信号发生器的量值指标进行了测试和实验,包括：相位增量误差测试、相位绝对零度误差测试、60°幅相误差测试、测量的重复性实验和长期稳定性实验。结果表明：该标准装置测试结果准确,性能稳定可靠,具有造价低、实用性强的特点。     

JIRAM,the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper

JIRAM is an imager/spectrometer on board the Juno spacecraft bound for a polar orbit around Jupiter. JIRAM is composed of IR imager and spectrometer channels. Its scientific goals are to explore the Jovian aurorae and the planet’s atmospheric structure, dynamics and composition. This paper explains the characteristics and functionalities of the instrument and reports on the results of ground calibrations. It discusses the main subsystems to the extent needed to understand how the instrument is sequenced and used, the purpose of the calibrations necessary to determine instrument performance, the process for generating the commanding sequences, the main elements of the observational strategy, and the format of the scientific data that JIRAM will produce.     

VXI or PXI test system improvement using DSP

The results of a study into the use of distributed digital signal processing (DSP) at the instrument level in a VXI and PXI based test system and the effects on test time. One of the limiting factors in testing mixed signal or analog devices using standard bus based instruments is the transfer speed from the instrument to the controlling computer of large amounts of waveform data. This is important as these types of tests use non-deterministic, quantized signals that must be mathematically processed to extract test information. This processing can either be done at the instrument or at the central controller. If the processing is done at the instrument then only the results are transferred to the controller. If the controller does the processing then the raw data must be transferred to and from the instrument. Using two instruments, one in VXI and one in PXI, this paper measures the effects of typical tests contesting the measurements as done in the central processor as opposed to a distributed DSP processor in each instrument For each acquisition instrument, tests were implemented by capturing the data and moving it to the controlling computer where it was processed to extract test results, or by using the instruments on-board DSP so only the final test results were set to the controlling computer. The study results show that a significant improvement in test time can be made by selecting "smart" instruments for the test system when using PXI or VXI based instruments.     

THE WAVE EXPERIMENT CONSORTIUM (WEC)

In order to get the maximum scientific return from available resources, the wave experimenters on Cluster established the Wave Experiment Consortium (WEC). The WEC's scientific objectives are described, together with its capability to achieve them in the course of the mission. The five experiments and the interfaces between them are shown in a general block diagram (Figure 1). WEC has organised technical coordination for experiment pre-delivery tests and spacecraft integration, and has also established associated working groups for data analysis and operations in orbit. All science operations aspects of WEC have been worked out in meetings with wide participation of investigators from the five WEC teams.     

面向测试性虚拟验证的功能-故障-行为-测试-环境一体化模型

 由于测试性预计和测试性试验验证客观存在的困难及问题,测试性虚拟验证将在测试性工程领域发挥重要作用.根据测试性虚拟验证对模型的需求,针对传统测试性模型存在的定量特征少、导致测试性评估结果不准确等问题,提出一种功能-故障-行为-测试-环境一体化模型.首先,分析并指出该一体化模型由功能、故障、行为、测试、环境5大类要素构成.然后,在数学上对该一体化模型及其子模型进行定义和描述,分析并建立各子模型之间的关联关系.最后以某导弹及其测试系统为案例进行实验和应用研究.结果表明,在建模信息量充足的情况下,基于该一体化模型得到的测试性虚拟试验验证与评估结果较准确,能较好地支持装备测试性摸底、鉴定与验收等.     

分光计调节环节的补充及其应用

分光计是各高等院校在大学物理实验课教学中常用的一种仪器装置。分光计的调节对大学生基本实验技能的训练和培养有着十分重要的作用。本人在大学物理实验课全面开放式教学中,通过《分光计的使用》实验项目的教学实践、探索,提出了对分光计调节环节的补充建议,不仅使分光计调节环节的要求更加严谨,而且在实践教学的学生实验成绩评定考核方面,以及在实验指导教师对实验仪器装置精密度的检测方面都具有十分现实的应用意义。     

An Overview of the Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) Satellite

The FAST satellite is a highly sophisticated scientific satellite designed to carry out in situ measurements of acceleration physics and related plasma processes associated with the Earth's aurora. Initiated and conceptualized by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, this satellite is the second of NASA's Small Explorer Satellite program designed to carry out small, highly focused, scientific investigations. FAST was launched on August 21, 1996 into a high inclination (83°) elliptical orbit with apogee and perigee altitudes of 4175 km and 350 km, respectively. The spacecraft design was tailored to take high-resolution data samples (or `snapshots') only while it crosses the auroral zones, which are latitudinally narrow sectors that encircle the polar regions of the Earth. The scientific instruments include energetic electron and ion electrostatic analyzers, an energetic ion instrument that distinguishes ion mass, and vector DC and wave electric and magnetic field instruments. A state-of-the-art flight computer (or instrument data processing unit) includes programmable processors that trigger the burst data collection when interesting physical phenomena are encountered and stores these data in a 1 Gbit solid-state memory for telemetry to the Earth at later times. The spacecraft incorporates a light, efficient, and highly innovative design, which blends proven sub-system concepts with the overall scientific instrument and mission requirements. The result is a new breed of space physics mission that gathers unprecedented fields and particles observations that are continuous and uninterrupted by spin effects. In this and other ways, the FAST mission represents a dramatic advance over previous auroral satellites. This paper describes the overall FAST mission, including a discussion of the spacecraft design parameters and philosophy, the FAST orbit, instrument and data acquisition systems, and mission operations.     

新概念轮翼气动特性实验研究

研究一种关于小型飞行器的新型升力和推力系统——轮翼的气动特性。通过自行设计并搭建的基于虚拟仪器的实验平台,进行地面试验,试验主要研究了轮翼转速对系统气动特性的影响。结果表明：随着轮翼转速的增加,系统提供的升力及推力增大。由于轮翼系统消耗的能量绝大部分用来产生升力及推力,因此轮翼系统具有较高的工作效率,为进一步研制小型无人直升机探索新型动力模式。