Relative equilibria in quasi-homogeneous planar three body problems

In this paper we find the families of relative equilibria for the three body problem in the plane, when the interaction between the bodies is given by a quasi-homogeneous potential. The number of the relative equilibria depends on the values of the masses and on the size of the system, measured by the moment of inertia.     

Performance analysis for DOA estimation algorithms: unification,simplification, and observations

Subspace based direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation has motivated many performance studies, but limitations such as the assumption of an infinite amount of data and analysis of individual algorithms generally exist in these performance studies. The authors have previously proposed a unified performance analysis based on a finite amount of data and achieved a tractable expression for the mean-squared DOA estimation error for the multiple signal classification (MUSIC). Min-Norm, estimation of signal parameters using rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT), and state-space realization algorithms. However, this expression uses the singular values and vectors of a data matrix, which are obtained by the highly nonlinear transformation of the singular value decomposition (SVD). Thus the effects of the original data parameters such as numbers of sensors and snapshots, source coherence and separations were not explicitly analyzed. The authors unify and simplify this previous result and derive a unified expression based on the original data parameters. They analytically observe the effects of these parameters on the estimation error     

System of maintaining the thermal regime of a space radio telescope

We present the results of developing a system of thermal regime maintenance for the onboard complex of scientific instruments of the space radio telescope installed on the Spektr-R spacecraft. The structure of the system of thermal regime maintenance is presented that includes a set of autonomous systems of constructive elements of the radio telescope. Basic schemes and composition of aggregates are presented, and main principles of operation of the autonomous systems supporting the thermal regime of the radio telescope are considered.     

Preliminary results of Cytos 2 experiment.

Cytos 2 experiment, carried out during the French-Soviet manned flight (July 1982), has studied the antibiotics sensitivity of bacteria cultivated in vitro during the orbital flight. The results show an increase of the antibiotics resistance and a larger thickness of the cellular envelope for the inflight cells. The increase of antibiotics resistance can be related to a stimulating effect of space on the cell growth rate or to changes of the cellular envelope structure.     

Changes in hyperspectral reflectance signatures of lettuce leaves in response to macronutrient deficiencies

The adaptation of specific remote sensing and hyperspectral analysis techniques for the determination of incipient nutrient stress in plants could allow early detection and precision supplementation for remediation, important considerations for minimizing mass of advanced life support systems on space station and long term missions. This experiment was conducted to determine if hyperspectral reflectance could be used to detect nutrient stress in Lactuca sativa L. cv. Black Seeded Simpson. Lettuce seedlings were grown for 90 days in a greenhouse or growth chamber in vermiculite containing modified Hoagland’s nutrient solution with key macronutrient elements removed in order to induce a range of nutrient stresses, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Leaf tissue nutrient concentrations were compared with corresponding spectral reflectances taken at the end of 90 days. Spectral reflectances varied with growing location, position on the leaf, and nutrient deficiency treatment. Spectral responses of lettuce leaves under macronutrient deficiency conditions showed an increase in reflectance in the red, near red, and infrared wavelength ranges. The data obtained suggest that spectral reflectance shows the potential as a diagnostic tool in predicting nutrient deficiencies in general. Overlapping of spectral signatures makes the use of wavelengths of narrow bandwidths or individual bands for the discrimination of specific nutrient stresses difficult without further data processing.