Variation of rain drop size distribution with rain rate at a few coastal and high altitude stations in southern peninsular India

Rain drop size distribution (DSD) was measured at four places in Southern India {Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Munnar and Sriharikota (SHAR)} using a Joss–Waldvogel (JW) impact type disdrometer. The data for each minute were corrected for dead time errors and rain rate was computed from the corrected data. The data for a whole month were then sorted according to rain rate (R) into several classes ranging from 0.1 to >100 mm/h. The average DSD in each class was computed, and the lognormal distribution function was fitted to the average. In all the cases, the function fitted the data very well. The fit parameters were found to have dependence on rain rate. The total number of drops (N_T), the geometric mean diameter (D_g) and the standard geometric deviation (σ) were also computed from the fit parameters. The standard geometric deviation (σ) was found to be more or less constant with rain rate at all the sites and in all months. The other two parameters (N_T and D_g) were found to vary exponentially with rain rate except in Munnar, a high altitude station. At Thiruvananthapuram, in most of the months, N_T increased exponentially with rain rate up to some value of R, which was different in different months, and then remained more or less constant or decrease slightly. In all cases, the variation of N_T and D_g was such that N_TD_g³ increased linearly with rain rate.     

Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector for the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The design of the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) experiment is presented, which was optimized to address several of the primary measurement requirements of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO): high spatial resolution hydrogen mapping of the Moon’s upper-most surface, identification of putative deposits of appreciable near-surface water ice in the Moon’s polar cold traps, and characterization of the human-relevant space radiation environment in lunar orbit. A comprehensive program of LEND instrument physical calibrations is discussed and the baseline scenario of LEND observations from the primary LRO lunar orbit is presented. LEND data products will be useful for determining the next stages of the emerging global lunar exploration program, and they will facilitate the study of the physics of hydrogen implantation and diffusion in the regolith, test the presence of water ice deposits in lunar cold polar traps, and investigate the role of neutrons within the radiation environment of the shallow lunar surface.     

Geomagnetic Core Field Secular Variation Models

We analyse models describing time changes of the Earth’s core magnetic field (secular variation) covering the historical period (several centuries) and the more recent satellite era (previous decade), and we illustrate how both the information contained in the data and the a priori information (regularisation) affect the result of the ill-posed geomagnetic inverse problem. We show how data quality, frequency and selection procedures govern part of the temporal changes in the secular variation norms and spectra, which are sometimes difficult to dissociate from true changes of the core state. We highlight the difficulty of resolving the time variability of the high degree secular variation coefficients (i.e. the secular acceleration), arising for instance from the challenge to properly separate sources of internal and of external origin. In addition, the regularisation process may also result in artificial changes in the model norms and spectra. Model users should keep in mind that such features can be mis-interpreted as the signature of physical mechanisms (e.g. diffusion). Finally, we present perspectives concerning core field modelling: imposing dynamical constraints (e.g. by means of data assimilation) reduces the non-uniqueness of the geomagnetic inverse problem.     

Application of an expert system to predict the efficiency of flight vehicle modification

Problems of improving the efficiency of design works in the process of space-rocket complex (SRC) updating are considered. The methodical foundation for the expert system application to form promising technical solutions in studying the flight vehicle (FV) modification is presented.     

Mathematical model of balancing for a vertical takeoff and landing disk-wing aircraft

Basic principles of a mathematical model for disk-wing aircraft balancing and evaluation of power expenditure for flight as compared with a helicopter are presented.     

Methodology of construction and models of informative signals for a stationary miltichannel flow aerometric receiver of the helicopter air data system

Methodology of constructing a stationary multichannel flow aerometric receiver using the effects of deceleration and throttling of an incoming airflow and their circular transformation in the yaw plane is considered. The mathematical models and algorithms for processing primary informative signals entering along the channels of speed, altitude, angles of attack and slip of the helicopter air data system constructed on the basis of the aerometric receiver being proposed are obtained.     

An approximated method of calculating the cellular insert influence in the carrying capacity of the direct-flow labyrinth seal

A method for calculating the flowrate of the gas flowing through the cellular insert cells over the labyrinth seal strip is proposed. The gas density is taken to be average with respect to the decisive section. It is assumed that jets flowing out of cells disrupt the direct flow of the labyrinth seal. A practical implementation of the method is confirmed by the known experimental data.     

Numerical modeling of large elastoplastic strains in terms of principal stretches. I. Kinematics of elastoplastic strains

A technique for numerical finite element analysis of large elastoplastic strains is proposed. A problem is formulated in terms of principal stretches and their logarithms in the current basis of the left distortion tensor. It is shown that the “classical” multiplicative decomposition of the total strain gradient into the product of elastic and plastic strain gradients is equivalent to the presentation of total stretches as a product of elastic and plastic stretches.     

Ion-marking aerodynamic angle and airspeed sensor with logometric informative signals and interpolation processing scheme

We reveal a functional diagram, design features of a receiver electrode system, a principle of forming primary informative signals, a technique for synthesizing angular characteristics and estimating indicated errors, channel realization and algorithms of forming output signals of an ionmarking aerodynamic angle and airspeed sensor with logometric informative signals and interpolation processing scheme.     

Modeling of cooling processes in the variable section channel of a gas conduit

Using the results of numerical modeling of nonstationary gas hydrodynamic working processes in the gas conduit variable section channel when removing and cooling hot gases of different purpose technical plants, an engineering technique has been developed to provide the gas conduit operation under limitations on the flow temperature in the outlet plant section. A multiparametric area of permissible gas conduit operation connecting the characteristics of technical plants, gas conduit and water feeding system is presented.