A Revisit of the Phobos Events

The magnetic field disturbances detected by the Phobos-2 spacecraft in 1989 have been suggested to be caused by a ring of dust and/or gas emitted from the Martian moon, Phobos. The physical nature of these ``Phobos events' is examined using results from related investigations over the last twenty years. It is concluded that there is no clear evidence at present to support the association of magnetic field disturbances in the solar wind with Phobos. The situation will be further clarified taking advantage of the multi-spacecraft observations of the Yinghuo-1(YH-1), Mars Express and MAVEN missions beginning in 2012. It is expected that many novel features of solar wind interaction with Phobos (and possibly also Deimos) itself will also be revealed.     

“火卫1”轨道预报与动力学分析

使用数值积分的方法对"火卫1"(Phobos)轨道进行预报计算,介绍了计算"火卫1"轨道时考虑的动力模型与数值积分方法,分析了不同动力模型及参量对轨道计算结果的影响,并确定最终选择的模型。最后将计算结果与不同机构发布的最新历表进行比较,计算位置和轨道根数的差异。得到的结果与各星历之间差异的量级相同,进而验证了相关模型和算法的精度和可靠性。该轨道预报算法模型与分析结果将对"火卫1"探测任务提供参考。     

Integrated method for crater detection from topography and optical images and the new PH9224GT catalogue of Phobos impact craters

In a large majority of lunar and planetary surface images, impact craters are the most abundant geological features. Therefore, it is not surprising that crater detection algorithms (CDAs) are one of the most studied subjects of image processing and analysis in lunar and planetary science. In this work we are proposing an Integrated CDA, consisting of: (1) utilization of DEM (digital elevation map)-based CDA; (2) utilization of an optical-based CDA; (3) re-projection of used datasets and crater coordinates from normal to rotated view and back; (4) correction of the brightness and contrast of a used optical image; and (5) tile generation for the optical-based CDA and an assembling of results with an elimination of multiple detections, in combination with a pyramid approach down to the resolution of the available DEM image; and (6) a final integration of the results of DEM-based and optical-based CDAs, including a removal of duplicates. The proposed CDA is applied to one specific asteroid-like body, the small Martian moon Phobos. The experimental evaluation of the proposed CDA is done by a manual verification of crater-candidates and a search for uncatalogued craters. The evaluation has shown that the proposed CDA was used successfully for cataloging Phobos craters. The major result of this paper is the PH9224GT – currently the most complete global catalogue of the 9224 Phobos craters. The possible applications of the new catalogue are: (1) age estimations for any selected location; and (2) comparison/evaluation of the different chronology and production functions for Phobos. This confirms the practical applicability of the new Integrated CDA – an additional result of this paper, which can be used in order to considerably extend the current crater catalogues.     

Gas permeability and flow characterization of simulated lunar regolith

Recent discoveries of water ice trapped within lunar topsoil (regolith) have placed a new emphasis on the recovery and utilization of water for future space exploration. Upon heating the lunar ice to sublimation, the resulting water vapor could theoretically transmit through the lunar regolith, to be captured on the surface. As the permeability of lunar regolith is essential to this process, this paper seeks to experimentally determine the permeability and flow characteristics of various gas species through simulated lunar regolith (SLR). Two different types of SLR were compacted and placed into the permeability setup to measure the flow-rate of transmitted gas through the sample. Darcy’s permeability constant was calculated for each sample and gas combination, and flow characteristics were determined from the results. The results show that Darcy’s permeability constant varies with SLR compaction density, and identified no major difference in permeable flow between the several tested gas species. Between the two tested SLR types, JSC-1A was shown to be more permeable than NU-LHT under similar conditions. In addition, a transition zone was identified in the flow when the gas pressure differential across the sample was less than ∼40 kPa.     

Detection of regolith buried water stream channels on Mars with the help of synthetic aperture radar

A major theme in the study of Mars is the search for evidence that water was present in the past or is present today, either at or below the surface. Biological life is connected to water. Hence much research is focused on the detection of water stream channels, which in the past flowed on Mars. In these areas, the petrified remains of the former life on Mars may be found. These channels may be under the regolith layer; however, the radio wave penetrating ability allows for the detection of these channels under the regolith.     

Effects of lunar and mars dust simulants on HaCaT keratinocytes and CHO-K1 fibroblasts

Exposure to lunar dust during Apollo missions resulted in occasional reports of ocular, respiratory and dermal irritations which showed that lunar dust has a risk potential for human health. This is caused by its high reactivity as well as its small size, leading to a wide distribution also inside habitats. Hence, detailed information regarding effects of extraterrestrial lunar dusts on human health is required to best support future missions to moon, mars or other destinations. In this study, we used several methods to assess the specific effects of extraterrestrial dusts onto mammalian skin by exposing HaCaT keratinocytes and CHO-K1 fibroblasts to dusts simulating lunar or mars soils. These particular cell types were chosen because the skin protects the human body from potentially harmful substances and because a well orchestrated program ensures proper wound healing. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts were exposed to the dusts for different durations of time and their effects on morphology and viability of the cells were determined. Cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay and by monitoring culture impedance, while phalloidin staining of the actin cytoskeleton was performed to address structural integrity of the cells which was also investigated by propidium iodide intake. It was found that the effects of the two types of dust simulants on the different features of both cell lines varied to a considerable extent. Moreover, proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes, as analyzed by Ki67 labeling, was suppressed in sub-confluent cultures exposed to lunar dust simulant. Furthermore, experimental evidence is provided for a delay in regeneration of keratinocyte monolayers from scratch-wounding when exposed to lunar dust simulant. The obtained results will facilitate further investigations of dust exposure during wound healing and will ease risk assessment studies e.g., for lunar lander approaches. The investigations will help to determine safety measures to be taken during extraterrestrial expeditions in order to minimize risks to human health associated with exposure of human skin to dust contaminants.     

美国2020火星车着陆区遴选进展及对2020中国火星任务着陆探测部分的一些思考

总结了近20年来火星探测的重要发现以及生命、气候和地质3个方面尚未解决的关键科学问题;介绍了美国国家航空航天局(NASA)2020火星探测任务的科学目标、科学载荷和着陆区选择的工程条件限制,并重点分析了经过3次着陆区选择研讨会,上百位行星科学家投票选取的排名前3的预选着陆区的地质情况。在此基础上,提出了对我国2020年火星任务的着陆探测部分的一些思考,并根据不同的任务目标(聚焦生命、气候和地质问题;支持载人火星探测的资源勘察;工程技术验证)提出了3个候选着陆区。     

The first new application of the Mathematical Theory of Stochastic Processes to lunar and planetary science: Topography-Profile Diagrams of Mars

The Mathematical Statistics Theory (MST) and the Mathematical Theory of Stochastic Processes (MTSP) are different branches of the more general Mathematical Probability Theory (MPT) that can be used to investigate physical processes through mathematics. Each model of a stochastic process, according to MTSP, can provide one or more interpretations in the MST domain. A large body of work on impact crater statistics according to MST exists, showing cumulative crater frequency (N km⁻²) as a function of age (years) for some particular crater diameter. However, this is only one possible representation in the MST domain of the bombardment of the planetary surface modeled as a stochastic process according to MTSP. The idea that other representations are possible in the MST domain of the same stochastic process from MTSP has been recently presented. The importance of the approach is that each such mathematical-based interpretation can provide a large amount of new information. Coupled with MOLA data, Topography-Profile Diagrams (TPD) are one of the many examples that can provide a large amount of new information regarding the history of Mars. TPD consists of: (1) Topography-Profile Curve (TPC), which is a representation of the planet’s topography, (2) Density-of-Craters Curve (DCC), which represents density of craters, (3) Filtered-DCC (FDCC), which represents DCC filtered by a low-pass filter, included with the purpose of reducing the noise, and (4) Level-of-Substance-Over-Time Curve (LSOTC), which represents interpretation of the influence on the distribution of craters shown by FDCC. TPC uniquely corresponds to the computation of TPD, whereas DCC depends on algorithms for computing the elevation of each crater according to the topography, center coordinates, and radius of impact crater, and FDCC relies on the architecture of the custom designed low-pass filter for filtering DCC. However, all variations of DCC and FDCC, which includes the various impact crater data sets, showed a correlation among the density of craters and elevation over 70–80% of the planet surface. Additionally, if we assume that the ocean primarily caused the noted correlation, LSOTC offers a mathematical approach for estimating topographic change of the ocean’s extent over time. Accordingly, TPD is the first new practical application of MTSP to lunar and planetary sciences, showing correlation of topography to a physical process.     

火星无人探测与行星保护

行星保护是每一个开展深空探测的国家都要面对的问题,火星是太阳系里最可能存在地外生命的星球之一,也是行星保护的重点关注对象,在我国火星探测即将正式启动之际,对标国际上行星保护的政策、标准、技术和管理措施,对我国未来在火星探测中满足国际上行星保护的要求至关重要。主要回顾了行星保护的历史,国外在火星探测历史上行星保护正向防护所采取的措施,以及现代科学技术发展对行星保护正向防护相关技术的影响,并对我国未来火星及深空探测活动中应该采取的行星保护正向污染防护技术提出了建议。     

Comparison study of ductile iron produced with Martian regolith harvested iron from ionic liquids and Bosch byproduct carbon for in-situ resource utilization versus commercially available 65-45-12 ductile iron

As researchers continue to study methods to facilitate long-term missions beyond low-Earth orbit, the ability to manufacture high-quality mechanical and structural components on the Lunar and Martian surfaces remains a crucial piece to the puzzle for a sustained presence. Due to the immense cost of sending supplies to extraterrestrial bodies, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) methods are critical for the success and feasibility of these habitation missions. Ionic liquids (ILs) are currently being studied at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to harvest elemental metals from meteorites and regolith minerals. Additionally, the Bosch process is being explored as a life support system at MSFC for oxygen (O₂) regeneration, rendering a byproduct of elemental carbon (C). In this investigation, the viability of casting ductile iron (DI) using IL-sourced iron (IL-Fe) and Bosch C was studied given the range of applications and performance of DI as an as-cast alloy. Ingots were produced using commercial elements to simulate the use of IL-Fe with C sourced from the byproduct C of the Bosch process. Samples were cast and compared to commercially available 65–45-12 DI with phase transformation diagrams, microstructures, and hardness. Results showed that IL-sourced elements are a viable source of elemental alloying materials for a range of DI alloys, with some limitations.     

行星着陆自主导航与制导控制研究现状与趋势

行星着陆自主导航与制导控制技术是行星着陆过程的核心技术之一,关系到行星着陆任务的成败。本文基于未来火星和小天体着陆对自主导航与制导控制技术的发展需求,阐述了进一步开展自主导航与制导控制研究的必要性,围绕行星着陆过程环境特点,分析了自主导航与制导控制技术所遇到的挑战,随后概括了行星着陆自主导航与制导控制所涉及的关键技术,并综述了关键技术的研究现状。最后对我国未来行星着陆探测自主导航与制导控制技术的发展方向进行了展望。     

Applying the mathematical theory of stochastic processes to lunar and planetary science: the ancient oceans on Mars case

The Mathematical Statistics Theory (MST) and the Mathematical Theory of Stochastic Processes (MTSP) are different branches of the more general Mathematical Probability Theory (MPT) that represents different aspects of some physical processes we can analyze using mathematics. Each model of a stochastic process according to the MTSP can provide one or more interpretations in the MST domain. The importance of MTSP is that each such interpretation can provide large amount of new information. While large body of work on the impact crater statistics according to MST has already been done, it is yet to be investigated as to how we can model a stochastic process according to MTSP; for example, bombardment of the planetary surface or something else in a Lunar and Planetary Science (LPS) domain. In order to show possible achievements, the possible existence of a Martian ocean was chosen as a query that could be addressed through computations using presumptions according to MTSP, including probability of existence as well as lateral and vertical extent and duration of time. While the presumptions for this particular case will also be addressed in certain degree, this will be done primarily to show complexities of some physical process that can be modeled, rather than to prove correctness of the concrete values computed here. While this in itself can be the objective in some future work toward the formal proof of the probability, extent, and timing of oceans on Mars, the basic idea here is to show the basic principles of MTSP, and its potential for addressing LPS-related phenomena. Here, I attempt to show how this approach can: (1) provide large amounts of previously unknown information about physical processes on the surface of the planet, (2) lead to a better understanding of the processes that have shaped the surface of the planet, and/or (3) help constrain the amount of resurfacing. Coupled with other current methodologies, MTSP can result in a better understanding of the history of Mars, as well as other lunar and planetary bodies.     

萤火一号火星探测器轨道设计与科学探测事件分析

针对萤火一号火星探测器在2011年发射窗口的轨道进行初步设计.在此基础上,分析了萤火一号火星探测器绕火星飞行的轨道特性,预报其穿越火星弓激波和磁堆积区域、CCD相机拍照时刻,其与深空站进行星-地掩星试验和与俄罗斯Phobos-Grunt火星探测器进行星-星掩星试验的时刻.结果表明,萤火一号火星探测器在与俄罗斯Phobos-Grunt分离后一年的环火飞行时间里,存在大量的科学探测机会.     

1-D dusty photo-ionization models of WR planetary nebulae NGC 2452 and IC 2003

We report dusty photo-ionization models for two Planetary Nebulae NGC 2452 and IC 2003, which have [WR] type central stars, using 1D photo-ionization code Cloudy17.02. We used the medium resolution optical spectra and archival IRAS photometry to constrain our models. The physical size of the ionized nebula derived using accurate distance measurements and absolute H$\beta$ flux available in the literature were used as additional constrains. We examine the importance of photo-electric heating and found that models with and without considering photo-electric heating do not make significant difference for both PNe for the MRN grain size distribution considered in this study. We derive the nebular elemental abundances of these PNe by the empirical method as well as by making dusty photo-ionization models. The values of N/O ratios for both PNe obtained from our models are lower than their respective values arrived using empirical methods. The central stars are assumed to be black bodies and the photospheric temperatures derived respectively for NGC 2452 and IC 2003 from their best fit models are 182 kK and 155 kK and their respective luminosities are 630$L_{\odot }$ and 1015$L_{\odot }$. We propose that both the PNe were resulted from low-mass progenitors of mass $?$2.8 M_⊙.     

萤火一号探测器的关键技术与设计特点

对中国第一颗火星探测器的功能与组成以及超远距离通信技术, 深空探测自主姿态确定与控制技术, 火星探测器热控制技术, 火星探测器超低温适应等关键技术进行了分析, 并提出了关键技术的解决途径, 结合工程阶段的技术状态, 论述了中国火星探测器的设计特点, 对该探测器的研制以及后续相关型号任务的研制和生产具有良好的参考价值.     

Survival and death of the haloarchaeon Natronorubrum strain HG-1 in a simulated martian environment

Halophilic archaea are of interest to astrobiology due to their survival capabilities in desiccated and high salt environments. The detection of remnants of salty pools on Mars stimulated investigations into the response of haloarchaea to martian conditions. Natronorubrum sp. strain HG-1 is an extremely halophilic archaeon with unusual metabolic pathways, growing on acetate and stimulated by tetrathionate. We exposed Natronorubrum strain HG-1 to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, similar to levels currently prevalent on Mars. In addition, the effects of low temperature (4, −20, and −80 °C), desiccation, and exposure to a Mars soil analogue from the Atacama desert on the viability of Natronorubrum strain HG-1 cultures were investigated. The results show that Natronorubrum strain HG-1 cannot survive for more than several hours when exposed to UV radiation equivalent to that at the martian equator. Even when protected from UV radiation, viability is impaired by a combination of desiccation and low temperature. Desiccating Natronorubrum strain HG-1 cells when mixed with a Mars soil analogue impaired growth of the culture to below the detection limit. Overall, we conclude that Natronorubrum strain HG-1 cannot survive the environment currently present on Mars. Since other halophilic microorganisms were reported to survive simulated martian conditions, our results imply that survival capabilities are not necessarily shared between phylogenetically related species.     

天问一号火星软着陆制导、导航与控制系统

天问一号火星探测器成功实现了我国首次火星表面软着陆,进入舱制导导航与控制系统(GNC系统)负责在火星进入下降着陆过程实施进入舱的姿态与轨道控制,确保进入舱安全着陆火星表面.介绍了执行天问一号火星EDL任务的GNC系统飞行阶段划分、系统组成、方案架构,以及针对火星EDL任务的特色设计,最后介绍了GNC系统在轨飞行结果.     

Cancer risk above 1 Gy and the impact for space radiation protection

Analyses of the epidemiological data on the Japanese A-bomb survivors, who were exposed to γ-rays and neutrons, provide most current information on the dose–response of radiation-induced cancer. Since the dose span of main interest is usually between 0 and 1 Gy, for radiation protection purposes, the analysis of the A-bomb survivors is often focused on this range. However, estimates of cancer risk for doses larger than 1 Gy are becoming more important for long-term manned space missions. Therefore in this work, emphasis is placed on doses larger than 1 Gy with respect to radiation-induced solid cancer and leukemia mortality. The present analysis of the A-bomb survivors data was extended by including two extra high-dose categories and applying organ-averaged dose instead of the colon-weighted dose. In addition, since there are some recent indications for a high neutron dose contribution, the data were fitted separately for three different values for the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of the neutrons (10, 35 and 100) and a variable RBE as a function of dose. The data were fitted using a linear and a linear-exponential dose–response relationship using a dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) of both one and two. The work presented here implies that the use of organ-averaged dose, a dose-dependent neutron RBE and the bending-over of the dose–response relationship for radiation-induced cancer could result in a reduction of radiation risk by around 50% above 1 Gy. This could impact radiation risk estimates for space crews on long-term mission above 500 days who might be exposed to doses above 1 Gy. The consequence of using a DDREF of one instead of two increases cancer risk by about 40% and would therefore balance the risk decrease described above.     

天问一号火星进入舱热控系统设计与验证

天问一号火星进入舱携带祝融号火星车实施进入、下降、着陆过程,其热控系统设计主要面临地火转移外热流大幅变化、进入火星舱壁气动烧蚀长时高温、着陆发动机点火局部超高温等技术挑战。为此,综合采用隔热设计、等温化设计、主动控温设计等热控手段,针对外热流大幅变化应用了新型SAL-2热控涂层,为解决局部超高温问题研制了新型气凝胶热防护装置,完整构建了进入舱的高效可靠热控系统。飞行遥测数据表明,全飞行过程设备温度和热控功耗均优于指标要求,进入、下降、着陆过程工作设备温度范围5.0~40.3℃,整舱平均控温功耗不超过43W,验证了进入舱热控系统设计的有效性。     

抗磁性物质磁悬浮方法在空间生物学与生物技术中的应用

失重是特定空间运动条件下的重要环境物理特征之一, 一般以微重力环境来表示. 几十年来人类利用空间失重环境进行了多学科领域的科学研究与探索. 由于真实空间失重环境下科学实验机会稀少, 人类为研究空间失重环境或效应, 开发了多种地基的空间模拟实验技术方法. 然而, 对于空间生物学和空间生物技术研究而言, 已有的各种模拟实验技术手段在原理上和应用上均存在一定的局限性. 本文介绍了抗磁性物质在大梯度强磁场中的悬浮现象, 及将其用于模拟空间失重环境的方法与原理;简述了近年来利用抗磁性物质悬浮方法进行生物大分子晶体生长、分子细胞生物学及整体生物学等方面研究与应用的进展.