Models of P/Borrelly: Activity and dust mantle formation

Comet 19P/Borrelly was observed by Deep Space One spacecraft on September 22, 2001 (Soderblom et al., 2002).The DS1 images show a very dark and elongate nucleus with a complex topography; the IR spectra show a strong red-ward slope consistent with a very hot and dry surface (345K to 300K). During DS1 encounter the comet coma was dominated by a prominent jet but most of the comet was inactive, confirming the Earth-based observations that <10% of the surface is actively sublimating. We have developed a thermal evolution model of comet PBorrelly, using a numerical code that is able to solve the heat conduction and gas diffusion equations at the same time across an idealized spherical nucleus ( De Sanctis et al., 1999, 2000; Capria et al., 2000; Coradini et al., 1997a,b). The comet nucleus is composed by water, volatiles ices and dust in different proportions. The refractory component is made by grains that are embedded in the icy matrix. The code is able to account for the dust release, contributing to the dust flux, and the formation of dust mantles on the comet surface. The model was applied to a cometary nucleus with the estimated physical and dynamical characteristics of P/Borrelly in order to infer the status and activity level of a body on such an orbit during the DS1 observation. The comet gas flux, differentiation and thermal behavior were simulated and reproduced. The model results are in good agreement with the DS1 flyby results and the ground based observations, in terms of activity, dust coverage and temperatures of the surface.     

The radiation environment in the ISS-USLab measured by ALTEA: Spectra and relative nuclear abundances in the polar,equatorial and SAA regions

We present here the energy spectra relative to different geomagnetic regions as measured by the ALTEA (Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts) detector in the International Space Station – USLab from August 2006 to July 2007.     

Countermeasure Against Regenerative and Forced Chatter of Flexible Workpieces in Milling Processs Using Bi-directional Excitation

A novel extended methodology for chatter suppression in milling process by applying external forced vibrations to the workpiece in two orthogonal directions which are the feed and cross-feed directions.Both the regenerative and forced chatter suppression during the milling process of flexible workpieces are investigated.Here,the workpiece is subject to a sinusoidal periodic force in the feed direction to disrupt the regenerative effect.Additionally,to minimize the forced chatter,the workpiece is subject to the periodic excitation force in cross-feed direction.This force is proportional to the magnitude of the estimated cutting force in cross-feed direction and has a phase opposite to the cutting force to minimize the vibration amplitudes.The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated numerically and experimentally,for the spindle speed located in both the local minima and local maxima of the stability lobe diagram.The numerical simulations indicate significant suppression effect in terms of vibration amplitudes,resulting in suppression of both the regenerative chatter and the forced chatter.Experiments were conducted by using a workpiece-mounted active stage composed of flexure hinges and driven by piezoelectric actuators.The experimental results agree qualitatively with the numerical simulations.The proposed method indicates a remarkable vibration reduction effect for both regenerative and forced chatters.     

Potential Effects of Surface Temperature Variations and Disturbances and Thermal Convection on the Mars InSight HP<Superscript>3</Superscript> Heat-Flow Determination

The HP³ instrument on the InSight lander mission will measure subsurface temperatures and thermal conductivities from which heat flow in the upper few meters of the regolith at the landing site will be calculated. The parameter to be determined is steady-state conductive heat flow, but temperatures may have transient perturbations resulting from surface temperature changes and there could be a component of thermal convection associated with heat transport by vertical flow of atmospheric gases over the depth interval of measurement. The experiment is designed so that it should penetrate to a depth below which surface temperature perturbations are smaller than the required measurement precision by the time the measurements are made. However, if the measurements are delayed after landing, and/or the probe does not penetrate to the desired depth, corrections may be necessary for the transient perturbations. Thermal convection is calculated to be negligible, but these calculations are based on unknown physical properties of the Mars regolith. The effects of thermal convection should be apparent at shallow depths where transient thermal perturbations would be observed to deviate from conductive theory. These calculations were required during proposal review and their probability of predicting a successful measurement a prerequisite for mission approval. However, their uncertainties lies in unmeasured physical parameters of the Mars regolith.     

天基监视雷达的距离游走和距离重叠补偿研究

为了实现天基雷达杂波消除、高分辨率的角度估计和广域监视功能,采用三通道相位中心偏置天线（DPCA）/monopulse（单脉冲）信号处理系统。天基雷达的运动和地球自转,使得地球上每一点的杂波都产生了附加的多普勒成分——距离游走效应。距离游走与距离重叠效应相结合,显著地降低DPCA处理算法的杂波抑制性能。针对距离游走效应在相干处理阶段进行反向补偿、在非相干积累阶段采用线性内插的方法进行校正,针对距离重叠效应采用基于普罗米修斯结构的波形分集技术进行校正。实验结果显示,提出的距离游走和距离重叠综合补偿方案显著提高杂波抑制效果。
     

Deorbiting with electrodynamic tethers: comparison between different tether configurations

Electrodynamic tethers have been recently proposed for satellite and rocket upper stage deorbiting to mitigate the debris problem at Low Earth Orbits (LEOs). The deorbiting performance of several electrodynamic tethers, where the electron collection from the ionosphere is obtained with either simple bare wires or bare wires terminated with conducting spherical collectors, was analyzed and compared. Our results indicate that the use of the spherical collectors at the positive termination of the system significantly enhances the deorbiting capabilities of the electrodynamic bare tethers.     

高焓风洞中钝体近尾流红外辐射测试技术

介绍在JF-10氢氧爆轰驱动高焓激波风洞中开展再人流场红外辐射测量的实验技术。风洞试验状态的驻室总压为19．6MPa，驻室总温为7920K。实验以球头钝锥体为试验模型，测量其近尾流红外辐射能量通量的横向分布。测量采用插入式锑化铟多元红外成像系统，波段范围为2．27-6．0μm。试验数据呈现明显的规律性。试验结果表明：利用这一测量技术能够提供高焓条件下有较高空间分辨率的、较为准确的红外实验数据。     

重根特征向量导数计算的特殊迭代法

在重根特征向量导数计算方法的发展中，为了从无限个特解中确定出唯一的通解，提出过不同定解条件，但正确定解条件是唯一的。员后公认的定解条件为Z^TMZ Z^TMZ=-Z^TMZ,这里认为Z^TMZ≠Z^TMZ，由此便引出物理短阵(刚度阵和质量阵)的二阶导数。为了避免物理阵二阶导数的计算，本文在满足前述定解条件的前提下，利用一种特殊的迭代格式回避了物理阵二阶导数的引入。同时该迭代过程可直接获得通解，不同于目前流行的做法：先由一个不定支配方程求其特解，然后才由定解条件确定通解。另外，数值表明，动柔度迭代式的精度可与直接迭代式相匹敌，可是动柔度迭代式用于许多特征向量导数计算时，却省时得多。     

Stochastic modelling considering ionospheric scintillation effects on GNSS relative and point positioning

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), in particular the Global Positioning System (GPS), have been widely used for high accuracy geodetic positioning. The Least Squares functional models related to the GNSS observables have been more extensively studied than the corresponding stochastic models, given that the development of the latter is significantly more complex. As a result, a simplified stochastic model is often used in GNSS positioning, which assumes that all the GNSS observables are statistically independent and of the same quality, i.e. a similar variance is assigned indiscriminately to all of the measurements. However, the definition of the stochastic model may be approached from a more detailed perspective, considering specific effects affecting each observable individually, as for example the effects of ionospheric scintillation. These effects relate to phase and amplitude fluctuations in the satellites signals that occur due to diffraction on electron density irregularities in the ionosphere and are particularly relevant at equatorial and high latitude regions, especially during periods of high solar activity. As a consequence, degraded measurement quality and poorer positioning accuracy may result.     

Volatile Trapping in Martian Clathrates

Thermodynamic conditions suggest that clathrates might exist on Mars. Despite observations which show that the dominant condensed phases on the surface of Mars are solid carbon dioxide and water ice, clathrates have been repeatedly proposed to play an important role in the distribution and total inventory of the planet’s volatiles. Here we review the potential consequences of the presence of clathrates on Mars. We investigate how clathrates could be a potential source for the claimed existence of atmospheric methane. In this context, plausible clathrate formation processes, either in the close subsurface or at the base of the cryosphere, are reviewed. Mechanisms that would allow for methane release into the atmosphere from an existing clathrate layer are addressed as well. We also discuss the proposed relationship between clathrate formation/dissociation cycles and how potential seasonal variations influence the atmospheric abundances of argon, krypton and xenon. Moreover, we examine several Martian geomorphologic features that could have been generated by the dissociation of extended subsurface clathrate layers. Finally we investigate the future in situ measurements, as well as the theoretical and experimental improvements that will be needed to better understand the influence of clathrates on the evolution of Mars and its atmosphere.