Is the presence of oxygen on an exoplanet a reliable biosignature?

We revisit the validity of the presence of O(2) or O(3) in the atmosphere of a rocky planet as being a biosignature. Up to now, the false positive that has been identified applies to a planet during a hot greenhouse runaway, which is restricted to planets outside the habitable zone (HZ) of the star that are closer to the star. In this paper, we explore a new possibility based on abiotic photogeneration of O(2) at the surface of a planet that could occur inside the HZ. The search for such a process is an active field of laboratory investigation that has resulted from an ongoing interest in finding efficient systems with the capacity to harvest solar energy on Earth. Although such a process is energetically viable, we find it to be a very unlikely explanation for the observation of O(2) or O(3) in the atmosphere of a telluric exoplanet in the HZ. It requires an efficient photocatalyst to be present and abundant under natural planetary conditions, which appears unlikely according to our discussion of known mineral photochemical processes. In contrast, a biological system that synthesizes its constituents from abundant raw materials and energy has the inherent adaptation advantage to become widespread and dominant (Darwinist argument). Thus, O(2) appears to continue to be a good biosignature.     

Plasmaspheric Density Structures and Dynamics: Properties Observed by the CLUSTER and IMAGE Missions

Plasmaspheric density structures have been studied since the discovery of the plasmasphere in the late 1950s. But the advent of the Cluster and Image missions in 2000 has added substantially to our knowledge of density structures, thanks to the new capabilities of those missions: global imaging with Image and four-point in situ measurements with Cluster. The study of plasma sources and losses has given new results on refilling rates and erosion processes. Two-dimensional density images of the plasmasphere have been obtained. The spatial gradient of plasmaspheric density has been computed. The ratios between H⁺, He⁺ and O⁺ have been deduced from different ion measurements. Plasmaspheric plumes have been studied in detail with new tools, which provide information on their morphology, dynamics and occurrence. Density structures at smaller scales have been revealed with those missions, structures that could not be clearly distinguished before the global images from Image and the four-point measurements by Cluster became available. New terms have been given to these structures, like “shoulders”, “channels”, “fingers” and “crenulations”. This paper reviews the most relevant new results about the plasmaspheric plasma obtained since the start of the Cluster and Image missions.     

基于源项辨识的飞机座舱污染浓度动态预测

随着大型民机飞行时间的延长,座舱空气污染事故发生概率也随之增大,快速准确的污染浓度预测对保证乘客生命安全具有重要意义.座舱各污染浓度的动态预测和污染源项强度辨识是实现座舱空气质量实时预测的关键技术.污染源项散发强度辨识,如采用最小二乘算法,参数估计是静态的,一般延迟较大;如采用单模卡尔曼滤波算法,虽能实现动态辨识,但不能同时兼顾稳态和过渡过程(突发污染)的参数估计性能,导致误差较大.为解决上述难题,本文提出基于源项辨识的飞机座舱污染浓度动态预测方法,同时完成污染源散发强度动态辨识和污染浓度状态实时预测.该算法由2个滤波器组成,分别用于匹配系统的稳态和突发过渡过程特征,提高浓度方程参数估计和状态预测性能,保证飞机座舱空气质量态势预测的快速性和准确性.仿真结果证实了该算法的有效性.     

基于证据理论的潜艇舱室综合环境质量评价

以我国核潜艇舱室环境为研究对象,开展综合环境质量评价研究.经分析确定与潜艇舱室环境质量相关的影响因素主要包括温度、湿度、空气污染物、颗粒状污染物、微生物及噪声.为克服上述多评价因素之间的多项性和不确定性,提出采用基于D-S(Dempster-Shafer)证据理论的潜艇舱室综合环境质量评价方法.该方法是在层次分析法的基础上,引入证据理论,利用D-S合成公式对不同权重的多个专家评价信息进行合成.该方法能够有效综合多个不同权威评价专家的不确定性评价意见,提高评价结果可信度.      

滑橇甲板助飞的力学机理分析

针对飞机在滑橇甲板上起飞的特点,基于力多边形的变化过程,以及甲板形状对飞机俯仰转动的作用,分析了飞机性能和品质与甲板参数的适配关系,说明了飞机在低速离舰初期迎角建立的力学机理.迎角的建立综合3个方面的效果:曲面甲板提供正向俯仰角速度,使迎角增加;前轮离舰释放载荷、后轮尚未离舰的过程中,甲板支反力提供低头力矩,使离舰初期俯仰角速度减小;离舰初期升力不能平衡重力,加速度指向前下方,轨迹向下弯曲,速度下偏使迎角增加.对航母/舰载机/起落架多体动力学系统进行数值仿真,结果表明分析合理.      

C/C复合材料与金属连接及接头力学性能测试

对C/C 复合材料与铜合金的真空钎焊方法进行了介绍,着重列出了近年来出现的活性钎料及相关的焊接工艺参数,并将VIB元素对C/C复合材料表面的改性效果作了对照;介绍了银基活性钎料连接 C/C复合材料与钛合金技术,对该过程钎料和母材相互扩散机理做了描述;概述了C/C复合材料和铝合金、镍和不锈钢金属的粘结及钎焊工艺,列出了 C/C 复合材料与金属接头的剪切强度、冲击热应力等的测试方法.     

环路热管地面实验平台的热设计

文章旨在建立环路热管的地面实验平台,模拟环路热管在太空轨道运行的热环境。首先建立了地面实验舱的物理模型,对其如何实现在地面模拟太空中该环路热管的热环境进行了热分析计算,其次确定了满足环路热管轨道运行最冷工况和最热工况下的实验舱的壁面温度,最后对实现该轨道环境所需要的壁面绝热材料、制冷剂、制冷设备进行了选择,初步完成了实验平台的热设计。计算结果表明,在同时考虑舱内对流和辐射换热的条件下,要实现空间热边界条件,实验舱内舱的壁温要保证在-62.1~-10.9℃之间变化。     

基于半分析式方法的全球导航星座设计

导航星座设计涉及诸多参数的优化组合,设计目标就是寻找一组参数组合,使其构成的星座在指定覆盖区域既能获得最优的星座性能,又节省系统建设成本和星座长期维持费用。首先,提出评价导航星座性能的技术指标、可用性算法以及半分析式星座设计方法;然后,详细论证设计参数对导航星座性能的影响,进而综合分析得到3种全球导航星座设计方案;最后,通过对比研究3种星座方案的性能指标和导航定位仿真结果,说明导航星座设计方法和设计方案的可行性。     

航天器空间交会过程综合变轨策略研究

文章研究了空间交会远程导引阶段综合变轨问题的变轨策略方法和实用理论模型。文章首先简要描述了综合变轨的技术条件和策略方法 ;然后重点建立了多脉冲综合变轨的轨道动力学模型 ,并给出了数值求解方法 ;最后用自行开发的仿真程序进行了远程导引多脉冲综合变轨的算例仿真。仿真结果表明 ,该模型和算法具有工程实用性     

A Quantitative Analysis of Sea Clutter Decorrelation with Frequency Agility

A brief statement of the sea clutter problem in surface-search radar operation illustrates the need for some form of signal-to-clutter enhancement. Post-detection integration used in the simpler radars is limited by the pulse-to-pulse correlation of the clutter. Analysis of the effect of changing frequency from pulse to pulse leads to an expression for the correlation between pulses in the sequence. Knowing this correlation, the reduction in the fluctuating clutter component produced by integration can be determined. This is described by an equivalent number of independent pulses, Nc. For the particular case of sinusoidal modulation of the transmitted frequency, N6 is computed. The critical dependecne of Nc upon the modulating frequency fm is illustrated by spectrum photographs. Choice of an optimum fm is discussed. The results of computations of N4 for optimum fm are presented as a family of normalized curves. These data permit the tradeoff of the radar parameters against their quantitative effect on radar performance.