A comparative and numerical study of effects of gravity waves in small miss-distance and miss-time GPS radio occultation temperature profiles

The Global Positioning System (GPS) Radio Occultation (RO) technique has global coverage and is capable of generating high vertical resolution temperature profiles of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere with sub-Kelvin accuracy and long-term stability, regardless of weather conditions. In this work, we take advantage of the anomalously high density of occultation events at the eastern side of the highest Andes Mountains during the initial mission months of COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate). This region is well-known for its high wave activity. We choose to study two pairs of GPS RO, both containing two occultations that occurred close in time and space. One pair shows significant differences between both temperature profiles. Numerical simulations with a mesoscale model were performed, in order to understand this discrepancy. It is attributed to the presence of a horizontal inhomogeneous structure caused by gravity waves.     

The origin of the prompt optical emission in GRB 060111B

The detection of a bright optical emission measured with good temporal resolution during the prompt phase makes GRB 060111B a rare event that is especially useful for constraining theories of the prompt optical emission. Comparing this burst with other GRBs with evidence of optical peaks, we find that the optical peak epoch (t_p) is anti-correlated with the high energy burst energetic assuming an isotropic energy release (E_iso) in agreement with Liang et al. (2009), and that the steeper is the post-peak afterglow decay, the less is the agreement with the correlation. GRB 060111B is among the latters and it does not match the correlation. The Cannonball scenario is also discussed and we find that this model cannot be excluded for GRB 060111B.     

The Crab pulsar seen with AquEYE at Asiago Cima Ekar observatory

We are developing fast photon-counter instruments to study the rapid variability of astrophysical sources by time tagging photon arrival times with unprecedented accuracy, making use of a Rubidium clock and GPS receiver. The first realization of such optical photon-counters, dubbed AquEYE (the Asiago Quantum Eye), was mounted in 2008 at the 182 cm Copernicus Observatory in Asiago. AquEYE observed the Crab pulsar several times and collected data of extraordinary quality that allowed us to perform accurate optical timing of the Crab pulsar and to study the pulse shape stability on a timescale from days to years with an excellent definition. Our results reinforce the evidence for decadal stability of the inclination angle between the spin and magnetic axis of the Crab pulsar. Future realizations of our instrument will make use of the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time signal.     

Statistical characterisation of spread F over South Africa

The occurrence of mid-latitude spread F (SF) over South Africa has not been extensively studied since the installation of the DPS-4 digisondes in 1996 and 2000 at Grahamstown (33.32 °S, 26.50 °E) and Madimbo (22.38 °S, 30.88 °E) respectively. This study is intended to quantify the probability of occurrence of F region disturbances associated with SF over South Africa. A study was conducted using data for 8 years (2001–2008) over Madimbo (with a time resolution of 30 min) and Grahamstown (with a variable time resolution of 15 and 30 min). In this study, SF has been classified into frequency SF (FSF), range SF (RSF) and mixed SF (MSF). The SF events were identified by manually identifying ionograms showing SF and tabulating them according to type for further statistical analysis. The results show that the diurnal pattern of SF peaks strongly between 01:00 and 02:00 local time, LT (LT = UT + 2 h), where UT is the universal time. This pattern is true for all seasons and types of SF at Madimbo and Grahamstown in 2001 and 2005, except for RSF which had peaks during autumn and spring in 2001 at Madimbo. The probability of both MSF and FSF tends to increase with decreasing solar activity, with a peak in 2005 (a moderate solar activity period). The seasonal peaks of MSF and FSF are more frequent during winter months at both Madimbo and Grahamstown. In this study, SF was evident in ∼0.03% and ∼0.06% of the available ionograms at Madimbo and Grahamstown respectively during the 8 years.     

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.     

Statistical Approach to the Evaluation of the Mean Correlation Length and the Propagation Velocity of Middle-Scale Plasma Structures in the Earth's Foreshock

Based on simultaneous measurements of ion fluxes made onboard the closely separated satellites Interball-1and Magion-4, the propagation velocity of middle-scale plasma structures in the Earth's foreshock relative to the solar wind flow is estimated. The derived value of this velocity allows these structures to be identified as a fast magnetosonic wave propagating upstream of the solar wind inflowing the Earth's bow shock. An evaluation is also made of the correlation length of these disturbances in the plane perpendicular to the Sun–Earth line. This length is approximately equal to 2R _E.     

INTESPACE试验中心为阿里安娜-V型火箭而进行的改造

文章介绍了法国宇航环境工程试验中心(INTESPACE)为满足阿里安娜-V的需要所准备进行的一系列改造.这些工作主要有:增建一个适合大型容器用的空气锁,保持厅内连续的10万级洁净度,建立一个紧凑试验区域,建造一面强效吸波墙,扩展振动设备能力以及改造原热真空设备.这些工作计划于2001年初全部完成.改造工作的完成将保证INTESPACE在独立的欧洲试验中心中继续处于领先地位.     

Airglow in the Visible and Infrared Spectral Ranges of the Disturbed Upper Atmosphere under Conditions of High-Velocity Plasma Jet Injection: I. Experimental data

The measurements of infrared emission from an artificial structure, which was generated during the Fluxus experiment with plasma jet injection into the atmosphere, are obtained and discussed for the first time. Additional experimental data on the airglow in the visible spectral band of the disturbed region of the atmosphere are presented. A generalized analysis of the data is given.     

Determination of the Microacceleration Quasisteady Component onboard the International Space Station

A comparison of two methods of determination of the microacceleration quasisteady component arising onboard the International Space Station was performed. In the first method the acceleration was calculated using the relative motion of the station reconstructed on the basis of telemetry data. The second method was a direct measurement of the microacceleration by a low-frequency accelerometer and a smoothing of the data obtained. The used measurements were made by the American accelerometer MAMS. The above comparison can theoretically be used to refine the position of the station center of mass relative to its body.     

Optimization of imperfect stiffened cylinders under destabilizing loads

A design procedure is outlined for optimizing stiffened, thin circular, cylindrical shells subject to a given set of destabilizing loads, in the presence of a specified initial geometric imperfection. The procedure incorporates two distinct steps (a) optimization based on linear buckling analyses and (b) imperfection sensitivity studies of the optimum design point from (a) as well as of the surrounding design space. A comparison of all these designs yield the true optimum in the presence of the specified geometric imperfection. The present methodology is fully demonstrated through two illustrative examples, one dealing with an axially loaded stiffened cylinder and one with a torsionally loaded one.