Schumann Resonances as a Means of Investigating the Electromagnetic Environment in the Solar System

The propagation of extremely low frequency (ELF, 3 Hz to 3 kHz) radio waves and resonant phenomena in the spherical Earth-ionosphere cavity has been studied for almost fifty years. When such a cavity is excited by naturally occurring broadband electromagnetic radiation, resonances can develop if the equatorial circumference is approximately equal to an integral number of wavelengths of the propagating electromagnetic waves; these are termed Schumann resonances. They provide information not only about thunderstorm and lightning activity on the Earth, and their relation to climate, but also on the properties of the low ionosphere. Similar investigations can be performed for any other planet or satellite, provided that it has an ionosphere. There are important differences between the Earth and other celestial bodies regarding, for example, the surface conductivity, the atmospheric conductivity profile, the geometry of the ionospheric cavity, and the sources of excitation. To a first approximation, the size of the cavity defines the fundamental resonant frequency, the atmospheric electron density profile controls the wave attenuation, the nature of the sources influences the electromagnetic field distribution in the cavity, and the body surface conductivity indicates to what extent the subsurface can be explored. The frequencies and attenuation rates of the principal eigenmodes depend upon the electrical properties of the cavity. Instruments that monitor the electromagnetic environment in the ELF range on the surface, on balloons, or on descent probes provide unique information on the cavity. In this paper, we present Schumann resonance models for selected inner planets, some gaseous giant planets and a few of their satellites. We review the crucial parameters of ELF electromagnetic waves in their atmospheric cavities, namely the electric and magnetic field spectra, their eigenfrequencies, and the associated Q-factors (damping factors). Then we present important information on theoretical developments, on a general model that uses the finite element method and on the parameterization of the cavity. Next we show the distinctiveness of each planetary environment, and discuss how ELF radio wave propagation can contribute to an assessment of the major characteristics of those planetary environments.     

Atmospheric Escape and Evolution of Terrestrial Planets and Satellites

The origin and evolution of Venus’, Earth’s, Mars’ and Titan’s atmospheres are discussed from the time when the active young Sun arrived at the Zero-Age-Main-Sequence. We show that the high EUV flux of the young Sun, depending on the thermospheric composition, the amount of IR-coolers and the mass and size of the planet, could have been responsible that hydrostatic equilibrium was not always maintained and hydrodynamic flow and expansion of the upper atmosphere resulting in adiabatic cooling of the exobase temperature could develop. Furthermore, thermal and various nonthermal atmospheric escape processes influenced the evolution and isotope fractionation of the atmospheres and water inventories of the terrestrial planets and Saturn’s large satellite Titan efficiently.     

Deep Impact and the Origin and Evolution of Cometary Nuclei

The Deep Impact mission revealed many properties of comet Tempel 1, a typical comet from the Jupiter family in so far as any comet can be considered typical. In addition to the properties revealed by the impact itself, numerous properties were also discovered from observations prior to the impact just because they were the types of observations that had never been made before. The impact showed that the cometary nucleus was very weak at scales from the impactor diameter (～1 m) to the crater diameter (～100 m) and suggested that the strength was low at much smaller scales as well. The impact also showed that the cometary nucleus is extremely porous and that the ice was close to the surface but below a devolatilized layer with thickness of order the impactor diameter. The ambient observations showed a huge range of topography, implying ubiquitous layering on many spatial scales, frequent (more than once a week) natural outbursts, many of them correlated with rotational phase, a nuclear surface with many features that are best interpreted as impact craters, and clear chemical heterogeneity in the outgassing from the nucleus.     

Measurement and assessment of wind tunnel flow quality

For decades, wind tunnel testing has been conducted in test section environments that have not been adequately or consistently documented. Since wind tunnel flow quality can adversely affect test results, accurate and consistent flow quality measurements are required, along with an understanding of the sources, characteristics, and management of flow turbulence. This paper will review turbulence measurement techniques and data obtained in subsonic, transonic, and supersonic test facilities as they relate to the determination and assessment of wind tunnel flow quality. The principles and practical application of instrumentation used in the measurement and characterization of wind tunnel turbulence will be described. Techniques used for the identification of the sources of wind tunnel disturbances, and the performance of turbulence suppression devices will be outlined. These test techniques will be illustrated with extensive measurements obtained in a number of test facilities. The measurements will provide comprehensive turbulence data that are vital to the assessment and management of flow quality. Procedures designed to assess the potential influence of adverse flow quality on wind tunnel model test performance will also be discussed.     

H2O-Activity of Comet Hale-Bopp

Due to the outstanding brightness of Comet Hale-Bopp measurements of water production rates were possible over a wide range of heliocentric distances (up to 5 AU). A variety of observing techniques have been used, including radio observations, IR- and UV-measurements. The H₂O-production of a comet is closely connected with the energy balance and the composition of its surface. By comparing measured and calculated rates it is possible to derive properties of the nucleus. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of seasonal effects and show that a low thermal conductivity enhances the water production rate. The observations can be matched with a relatively low, lunar-like thermal conductivity. A lower size limit for the nucleus of Hale-Bopp is derived. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Matched subspace CFAR detection of hovering helicopters

A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) strategy for detecting a Gaussian distributed random signal against correlated non-Gaussian clutter is developed. The proposed algorithm is based on Scharf's matched subspace detector (MSD) and has the CFAR property with respect to the clutter amplitude probability density function (apdf), provided that the clutter distribution belongs to the compound-Gaussian family and the clutter covariance matrix is known to within a scale factor. Analytical expressions of false alarm and detection probabilities are derived. An application to the problem of detecting hovering helicopters against vegetated ground clutter is reported     

一种授权质量管理的组织文化(英文)

随着东南亚国家的工业化,香港制造业面临的市场竞争日益激烈。香港的厂家若继续过分依赖中国的廉价生产成本优势,已不能维持其竞争力。只有把“全面性质量管理”（ＴＱＭ）作为企业策略,并不断改善产品质量,才能达到增长利润和改善竞争力等目的。在推行ＴＱＭ时,仅依靠质量改善的“硬件”,而忽略了机构品质文化的培养,产品质量的改善会收到一定限制。通过人力管理培养和质量的改善,可以为香港制造业培养出一种良好的机构品质文化,从而使香港制造业更加蓬勃发展。     

具有气体动力和物理化学非均匀性的超声速物体绕流(英文)

本文研究的问题是超声速气流流过物体时产生的气体动力和物理化学非均匀性及其对物体空气动力特性的影响。就有关流动非均匀性对温度剖面和密度的效应作了详细探讨,还仔细描述了激波与热层相互干扰时以及在激光辐射脉冲的作用下先行激波生成的情况。值得指出的是超声速气流中加入激光辐射能可能改变流动结构,在局部能量释放区域后面呈现的较高和较低压力,有助于控制飞行中物体的运动。可采取某些措施以改进飞行品质。     

X-ray spectroscopy and variability of AGN detected in the 2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North Survey

We investigate the nature of the faint X-ray source population through X-ray spectroscopy and variability analyses of 136 active galactic nuclei (AGN) detected in the 2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North Survey with >200 background-subtracted 0.5–8.0 keV counts [F_{0.5–8.0 keV} = (1.4−200) × 10⁻¹⁵ erg cm⁻² s⁻¹]. Our preliminary spectral analyses yield median spectral parameters of Γ = 1.61 and intrinsic N_H = 6.2 × 10²¹ cm⁻² (z = 1 assumed when no redshift available) when the AGN spectra are fitted with a simple absorbed power-law model. However, considerable spectral complexity is apparent (e.g., reflection, partial covering) and must be taken into account to model the data accurately. Moreover, the choice of spectral model (i.e., free vs. fixed photon index) has a pronounced effect on the derived JVH distribution and, to a lesser extent, the X-ray luminosity distribution. We also find that among the 136 AGN, 10 (≈7%) show significant Fe K emission-line features with equivalent widths in the range 0.1–1.3 keV. Two of these emission-line AGN could potentially be Compton thick (i.e., Γ < 1.0 and large Fe K equivalent width). Finally, we find that 81 (≈60%) of the 136 AGN show signs of variability, and that this fraction increases significantly (≈80–90%) when better photon statistics are available.     

Plasma Jet Motion Across the Geomagnetic Field in the “North Star” Active Geophysical Experiment

The active geophysical rocket experiment North Star was carried out in the auroral ionosphere on January 22, 1999, at the Poker Flat Research Range (Alaska, USA) using the American research rocket Black Brant XII with explosive plasma generators on board. Separable modules with scientific equipment were located at distances of from 170 to 1595 m from the plasma source. The experiment continued the series of the Russian–American joint experiments started by the Fluxus experiment in 1997. Two injections of aluminum plasma across the magnetic field were conducted in the North Star experiment. They were different, since in the first injection a neutral gas cloud was formed in order to increase the plasma ionization due to the interaction of neutrals of the jet and cloud. The first and second injections were conducted at heights of 360 and 280 km, respectively. The measurements have shown that the charged particle density was two orders of magnitude higher in the experiment with the gas release. The magnetic field in the first injection was completely expelled by the dense plasma of the jet. The displacement of the magnetic field in the second injection was negligible. The plasma jet velocity in both injections decreased gradually due to its interaction with the geomagnetic field. One of the most interesting results of the experiment was the conservation of high plasma density during the propagation of the divergent jet to considerable distances. This fact can be explained by the action of the critical ionization velocity mechanism.