Relationship between the fluxes of relativistic electrons at geosynchronous orbit and the level of ULF activity on the Earth’s surface and in the solar wind during the 23rd solar activity cycle

We present the results of a cross-correlation analysis made on the basis of Spearman’s rank correlation method. The quantities to correlate are daily values of the fluence of energetic electrons at a geosynchronous orbit, intensities of ground and interplanetary ultra-low-frequency (ULF) oscillations in the Pc5 range, and parameters of the solar wind. The period under analysis is the 23rd cycle of solar activity, 1996–2006. Daily (from 6 h to 18 h of LT) magnetic data at two diametrically opposite observatories of the Intermagnet network are taken as ground-based measurements. The fluxes of electrons with energies higher than 2 MeV were measured by the geosynchronous GOES satellites. The data of magnetometers and plasma instruments installed on ACE and WIND spacecraft were used for analysis of the solar wind parameters and of the oscillations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Some results elucidating the role played by interplanetary ULF waves in the processes of generation of magneospheric oscillations and acceleration of energetic electrons are obtained. Among them are (i) high and stable correlation of ground ULF oscillations with waves in the solar wind; (ii) closer link of mean daily amplitudes of both interplanetary and ground oscillations with ‘tomorrow’ values of the solar wind velocity than with current values; and (iii) correlation of the intensity of ULF waves in the solar wind, normalized to the IMF magnitude, with fluxes of relativistic electrons in the magnetosphere.     

Study of the peptide prebiotic synthesis in context of exobiological investigations on earth orbit.

Dry films of amino acids mixtures glycine+ tryptophan and tryptophan were exposed on the surface of "Mir" station. Similar films were irradiated by vacuum ultra violet (145 nm) and ultra violet (254 nm) in the laboratory experiments. Gly-Gly, Trp-Gly, Gly-Trp, Tpr-Trp and Trp-Trp-Trp were the main reaction products for the experimental mixture glycine + tryptophan and Tpr-Trp and Trp-Trp-Trp for tryptophan. The presence of Lunar soil both in flight and in laboratory experiments increases the reaction yield by 1.5-2.0 times. Therefore, the hypothesis concerning the possibility of safe delivery of peptides and amino acids required for the emergence of life and associated with mineral have got yet another approval.     

Operating characteristics of a high radius pre-swirl cooling system

An experimental investigation into pre-swirl effectiveness and receiver hole discharge coefficient characteristics for a high radius injection pre-swirl cooling systems was carried out on a physically representative experimental rig with a 450 mm diameter rotor.The receiver holes and pre-swirl nozzle were located at a radius of 181 mm and 180 mm respectively.The experimental work was mainly conducted at 5 000～12 000 r/min,4 bar absolute pressure and 1.132 kg/s air supply.The maximum air supply temperature was 190 ℃.Pressure and temperature distributions in the pre-swirl system were examined with an emphasis on the velocity effectiveness of the pre-swirl system as a whole and on the discharge coefficients of the rotating 'receiver holes' in the rotor.The results showed that the velocity effectiveness increased with increasing swirl ratio resulting in reduced blade cooling flow temperature.Different seal flow configurations caused very different effectiveness at different speeds,but outflow through the inner and outer seals always gave the highest effectiveness compared other configurations.Increasing the seal flow rate reduced the effectiveness.For the coefficient of discharge,except for the low speed range,it increased with increase in swirl ratio for most speeds.      

On the Organic Refractory Component of Cometary Dust

Cometary nuclei consist of ices intermixed with dust grains and are thought to be the least modified solar system bodies remaining from the time of planetary formation. Flyby missions to Comet P/Halley in 1986 showed that cometary dust is extremely rich in organics (∼50% by mass). However, this proportion appears to be variable among different comets. In comparison with the CI-chondritic abundances, the volatile elements H, C, and N are enriched in cometary dust indicating that cometary solid material is more primitive than CI-chondrites. Relative to dust in dense molecular clouds, bulk cometary dust preserves the abundances of C and N, but exhibits depletions in O and H. In most cases, the carbonaceous component of cometary particles can be characterized as a multi-component mixture of carbon phases and organic compounds. Cluster analysis identified a few basic types of compounds, such as elemental carbon, hydrocarbons, polymers of carbon suboxide and of cyanopolyynes. In smaller amounts, polymers of formaldehyde, of hydrogen cyanide and various unsaturated nitriles also are present. These compositionally simple types, probably, are essential "building blocks", which in various combinations give rise to the variety of involatile cometary organics. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Water and Volatiles in the Outer Solar System

Space Science Reviews - Space exploration and ground-based observations have provided outstanding evidence of the diversity and the complexity of the outer solar system. This work presents our...     

Deep Impact: Working Properties for the Target Nucleus – Comet 9P/Tempel 1

In 1998, Comet 9P/Tempel 1 was chosen as the target of the Deep Impact mission (A’Hearn, M. F., Belton, M. J. S., and Delamere, A., Space Sci. Rev., 2005) even though very little was known about its physical properties. Efforts were immediately begun to improve this situation by the Deep Impact Science Team leading to the founding of a worldwide observing campaign (Meech et al., Space Sci. Rev., 2005a). This campaign has already produced a great deal of information on the global properties of the comet’s nucleus (summarized in Table I) that is vital to the planning and the assessment of the chances of success at the impact and encounter. Since the mission was begun the successful encounters of the Deep Space 1 spacecraft at Comet 19P/Borrelly and the Stardust spacecraft at Comet 81P/Wild 2 have occurred yielding new information on the state of the nuclei of these two comets. This information, together with earlier results on the nucleus of comet 1P/Halley from the European Space Agency’s Giotto, the Soviet Vega mission, and various ground-based observational and theoretical studies, is used as a basis for conjectures on the morphological, geological, mechanical, and compositional properties of the surface and subsurface that Deep Impact may find at 9P/Tempel 1. We adopt the following working values (circa December 2004) for the nucleus parameters of prime importance to Deep Impact as follows: mean effective radius = 3.25± 0.2 km, shape – irregular triaxial ellipsoid with a/b = 3.2± 0.4 and overall dimensions of ∼14.4 × 4.4 × 4.4 km, principal axis rotation with period = 41.85± 0.1 hr, pole directions (RA, Dec, J2000) = 46± 10, 73± 10 deg (Pole 1) or 287± 14, 16.5± 10 deg (Pole 2) (the two poles are photometrically, but not geometrically, equivalent), Kron-Cousins (V-R) color = 0.56± 0.02, V-band geometric albedo = 0.04± 0.01, R-band geometric albedo = 0.05± 0.01, R-band H(1,1,0) = 14.441± 0.067, and mass ∼7×10¹³ kg assuming a bulk density of 500 kg m⁻³. As these are working values, {i.e.}, based on preliminary analyses, it is expected that adjustments to their values may be made before encounter as improved estimates become available through further analysis of the large database being made available by the Deep Impact observing campaign. Given the parameters listed above the impact will occur in an environment where the local gravity is estimated at 0.027–0.04 cm s⁻² and the escape velocity between 1.4 and 2 m s⁻¹. For both of the rotation poles found here, the Deep Impact spacecraft on approach to encounter will find the rotation axis close to the plane of the sky (aspect angles 82.2 and 69.7 deg. for pole 1 and 2, respectively). However, until the rotation period estimate is substantially improved, it will remain uncertain whether the impactor will collide with the broadside or the ends of the nucleus.     

Coronal Observations of CMEs

CMEs have been observed for over 30 years with a wide variety of instruments. It is now possible to derive detailed and quantitative information on CME morphology, velocity, acceleration and mass. Flares associated with CMEs are observed in X-rays, and several different radio signatures are also seen. Optical and UV spectra of CMEs both on the disk and at the limb provide velocities along the line of sight and diagnostics for temperature, density and composition. From the vast quantity of data we attempt to synthesize the current state of knowledge of the properties of CMEs, along with some specific observed characteristics that illuminate the physical processes occurring during CME eruption. These include the common three-part structures of CMEs, which is generally attributed to compressed material at the leading edge, a low-density magnetic bubble and dense prominence gas. Signatures of shock waves are seen, but the location of these shocks relative to the other structures and the occurrence rate at the heights where Solar Energetic Particles are produced remains controversial. The relationships among CMEs, Moreton waves, EIT waves, and EUV dimming are also cloudy. The close connection between CMEs and flares suggests that magnetic reconnection plays an important role in CME eruption and evolution. We discuss the evidence for reconnection in current sheets from white-light, X-ray, radio and UV observations. Finally, we summarize the requirements for future instrumentation that might answer the outstanding questions and the opportunities that new space-based and ground-based observatories will provide in the future.     

Optimimal control of CNC machine operating regimes

In this paper, a mathematical model of labor-intensity and a method of searching for optimal control of operating conditions in machining arbitrarily configurated parts with the use of CNC machines are considered. Also given is an example of the process optimization..     

Comparative analysis of mixing chambers for two multiphase flows of oppositely charged particles

In this paper, we formulated the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of mixing chambers, needed in obtaining polymeric materials with reproducible properties. The results of comparative analysis of organizing the methods for mixing two multiphase flows of oppositely charged particles are presented. This analysis, carried out using CFD programs, shows that the mixing chamber construction in which the flows being mixed are directed at an angle to each other, and additional gas flow inlets are provided in the lateral wall, is the most efficient.     

Effect of bacterial population density on germination wheat seeds and dynamics of simple artificial ecosystems.

Effect of the size of rhizospheric bacterial populations on germination of seeds and development of simple terrestrial "wheat plants--rhizospheric microorganisms--artificial soil" and "wheat plants-artificial soil" systems has been studied. Experiments demonstrated that within specify ranges in the inoculate, the rhizospheric bacteria are capable of increasing the yield of germinated seeds and stimulate the growth of plantlets. Germination of seeds inoculated with bacteria was either stimulated, or inhibited or remained at control levels depending on the amount of bacteria. Plant biomass growth and total photoassimilation has been found to depend on the amount of bacteria on the plant roots: the higher the amount of bacteria on plant roots, the smaller is the biomass of plants but the total photoassimilation is, higher. Thus, depending on the amount of bacteria on the roots of plants the system either increases the biomass of plants or increases the total photoassimilation, i.e. "pumps" carbon through itself involving bacteria. Grant numbers: N99-04-96017, N15.