A reappraisal of the habitability of planets around M dwarf stars

Stable, hydrogen-burning, M dwarf stars make up about 75% of all stars in the Galaxy. They are extremely long-lived, and because they are much smaller in mass than the Sun (between 0.5 and 0.08 M(Sun)), their temperature and stellar luminosity are low and peaked in the red. We have re-examined what is known at present about the potential for a terrestrial planet forming within, or migrating into, the classic liquid-surface-water habitable zone close to an M dwarf star. Observations of protoplanetary disks suggest that planet-building materials are common around M dwarfs, but N-body simulations differ in their estimations of the likelihood of potentially habitable, wet planets that reside within their habitable zones, which are only about one-fifth to 1/50th of the width of that for a G star. Particularly in light of the claimed detection of the planets with masses as small as 5.5 and 7.5 M(Earth) orbiting M stars, there seems no reason to exclude the possibility of terrestrial planets. Tidally locked synchronous rotation within the narrow habitable zone does not necessarily lead to atmospheric collapse, and active stellar flaring may not be as much of an evolutionarily disadvantageous factor as has previously been supposed. We conclude that M dwarf stars may indeed be viable hosts for planets on which the origin and evolution of life can occur. A number of planetary processes such as cessation of geothermal activity or thermal and nonthermal atmospheric loss processes may limit the duration of planetary habitability to periods far shorter than the extreme lifetime of the M dwarf star. Nevertheless, it makes sense to include M dwarf stars in programs that seek to find habitable worlds and evidence of life. This paper presents the summary conclusions of an interdisciplinary workshop (http://mstars.seti.org) sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and convened at the SETI Institute.     

信号源特性和测量方法

本文是一篇关于频率稳定度测量技术和频率源噪声特性的评论性文章。首先,介绍频谱分析和时域测量的发展历史,然后对双采样(阿仑)方差而不是对传统的方差加以叙述。其次,交替使用不同方法对一整套测量步骤加以概述。还给出了测量结果的解释方法。特别是将讨论五种常用噪声模型(白色调相、闪变调相、白色调频、闪变调频和随机游动调频)及其产生原因和分类方法。讨论了不同量度的置信区间。此外,还指出了当数据点为一固定数时改善置信区间的方法。这些内容将从概念上详细地加以阐明,仅作少量(基本)的数学论述。虽然本文将对传统的概念加以详细叙述,但是在文中提出了两个新的题目:(1)数字分析和用计算机进行分析的精度极限;(2)从一组固定输入数据中选择最佳结果。最后部分将专门介绍通用频率标准中噪声的基本(物理)原因。还介绍了时域—频域的变换及其反变换。     

DAIS航空电子软件研制技术

软件研制技术的主要目的是产生正确的工作软件.把本文提供的技术应用于一个完整的软件工程研制计划时,可降低产品的价格和寿命期费用,同时保持了高可靠性。空军 DAIS 计划担负着降低军用航空电子系统的研制、维护和寿命期费用的任务.DAIS 系统提供了一种硬件配置,该配置便于硬件维修、更换和增长.高级软件(HOS)提供一种产生高可靠性软件的方法,此软件是建立在一种高级的设计和开发基础上的.HOS 原理应用于 DAIS 系统,产生了标准的航空电子软件设计和管理方法,该设计方法建立了一个与 DAIS 目标相一致的软件结构标准;该管理方法提供了一种严格受控的、安排很好的软件开发过程,该过程受配置管理方案、开发和验证方法及自动生成文件支持。这里没有给出另一些软件费用因素是:软件的获得过程、人力的安排和组织、航空电子系统方案和支援软件的可移植性。这些费用因素是重要的,因为处理得不合理时,有时会发挥不出好的开发技术的益处。本文假定这些因素不影响 DAIS 航空电子软件所使用的技术。     

高加速度,高性能固态加速度计的研制

本文介绍了由美陆军导弹司令部主管的，用在先进功能导弹（ＡｄＫＥＭ）开发项目上的高性能，高ｇ值的战术加速度计的研制进展情况，加速度计的设计目标就是在整个２０ｇ的软发射阶段、１２００ｇ的助推阶段及低ｇ值的巡航阶段提供捷联战术导航级的加速度信息。加速度计所提供的加速度测量精度必须满足５００ｍ距离内导航精度为０．５ｍ（ＣＥＰ），即加速度计具有以１ｍｉｌｌｉ－ｇ分辨率测量１２００ｇ加速度的能力。先进功能导弹     

Pc5 Oscillation Analysis by the Satellite and Ground-Based Data

Large amplitude Pc5 event was observed in the space and on ground on August 3, 2001, about three hours after contact of the strong discontinuity in the solar wind with the magnetosphere according to data from ACE and Wind satellites. The Pc5 amplitude was as high as 15 nT in the tail of magnetosphere and about 5 nT at the ground based stations. In the magnetosphere Pc5 waves were observed by Cluster and Polar satellites, which occupied positions in the morning part of the near tail at the close field lines but were parted by distance of 11.5 Re, mainly along the x-axis of the GSM coordinate system. Both compressional and transverse components of the Pc5 wave activity were observed in the space, with the transverse component having the larger amplitude. Time delay between the Cluster and Polar satellites was about 8 minutes, which could be interpreted as a wave propagation from the geomagnetic tail to the Earth with the 150 km/s group velocity. The ground-based Pc5 activity was analysed by using data from the Image magnetometer network. Doubtless demonstrations of a field line resonant structure were found in variations of amplitude and polarization with latitude. Finnish chain of search coil magnetometers observed modulated Pc1 emission simultaneously with the Pc5 wave train. A possibility of non-linear impact of Pc5 wave energy on the plasma and waves in the magnetosphere is discussed.     

Psychophysiological reactivity under Mir-simulation and real micro-G

A complex psychophysiological test battery (ECG, blood pressure, SCL, finger temperature e.t.c.) was applied on two subjects in space. It could be shown that the subjects react under space conditions differently than on earth. The data received could be classified into four types of regulation. The subjects changed this type of regulation during the flight and returned to their former pattern after the flight.