Pre-earthquake ionospheric anomalies before three major earthquakes by GPS-TEC and GIM-TEC data during 2015–2017

The dual-frequency satellite-based measurements from Global Positioning System (GPS) may provide feasible ways of studying and potentially detecting of earthquake (EQ) related anomalies in the ionosphere. In this paper, GPS based Total Electron Content (TEC) data are studied for three major M?>?7.0 EQs in Nepal and Iran-Iraq border during 2015–2017 by implementing statistical procedures on temporal and spatial scale. Previous studies presented different time interval of pre-seismic ionospheric anomalies, however, this study showed that EQs ionospheric precursors may occur within 10?days. Furthermore, the ionospheric anomalies on the suspected day occurred during UT?=?08:00–12:00?h before the main shock. The Global Ionospheric Map TEC (GIM-TEC) data retrieved over the epicenter of M7.8 (Nepal EQ) showed a significant increase of 6 TECU on April 24, 2015 (one day before the main shock), which is recorded by the ground GPS station data of Islamabad (station lies within the EQ preparation zone). Furthermore, the spatial GIM-TEC result imply significant anomalies over the epicenter during the time interval between UT?=?08:00–12:00?h (LT?=?13:00–17:00). For M7.3 (Nepal EQ), the TEC anomalies were detected on May 10, 2015 (2?days before the event) in the temporal data. The spatial TEC data imply the huge clouds over the epicenter at about UT?=?08:00–12:00?h on May 10, 2015, that may be associated with this EQ in the quiet geomagnetic storm conditions. Similarly, temporal and spatial TEC showed anomaly on November 3, 2017, during UT?=?08:00–12:00 (9?days before the Iran-Iraq border EQ) after implementing the statistical method on it. Conversely, there exists a short-term but low magnitude TEC anomaly synchronized with a geomagnetic storm on November 7–8, 2017 (4 to 5?days prior to M7.3 Iran-Iraq border EQ). The diurnal and hourly GIM-TEC and VTEC data also imply the execution of ionospheric anomalies within 10?days prior to all events. All these positive anomalies in TEC may be due to the existence of a huge energy from the epicenter during the EQ preparation period.     

Intelligent Transportation Systems in Transitional and Developing Countries

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are state-of-the-art approaches based on information, communication and satellite technologies in mitigating traffic congestion, enhancing safety, and improving quality of environment. ITS are being used in many industrialized and emerging economies for the last two decades to facilitate traffic managers in tackling surface mobility problems. In the case of many developing countries, policy makers and practitioners have neglected this "non-conventional" approach on the pretext inter alia, "technological sophistication," cost and institutional ill-preparedness. This aims to underscore the importance and relevance of ITS for developing countries as a complementary tool in the 21^st century. In so doing, the intention is to bestow some fresh thinking into the transport debate that will serve as a catalyst for resolving mobility problems in developing countries still dwelling on conventional options.     

Parameter extraction for the extended cantilever model of magneticcomponent windings

The extended cantilever model (ECM) for transformer or inductor windings is convenient from the parameter extraction standpoint since, theoretically, each model parameter can be extracted from a single measurement of an open-circuit voltage or a short-circuit current. The impedance of the sensor used to measure a short-circuit current, however, makes the “short” less ideal, and it has been believed that each parameter in the ECM cannot be directly measured unless the impedance of the current sensor is negligible. It is shown that as long as the ECM parameters are reactive (inductive or capacitive) and the current sensor resistive, the current-sense resistance does not have to be restrictively small for the ECM parameters to be directly measurable. A linear, broadband formulation is also presented for extraction of the model admittances using current sensors with significant impedances     

Optimization of aerodynamic efficiency for twist morphing MAV wing

Twist morphing(TM) is a practical control technique in micro air vehicle(MAV) flight.However, TM wing has a lower aerodynamic efficiency(CL/CD) compared to membrane and rigid wing. This is due to massive drag penalty created on TM wing, which had overwhelmed the successive increase in its lift generation. Therefore, further CL/CDmaxoptimization on TM wing is needed to obtain the optimal condition for the morphing wing configuration. In this paper, two-way fluid–structure interaction(FSI) simulation and wind tunnel testing method are used to solve and study the basic wing aerodynamic performance over(non-optimal) TM, membrane and rigid wings. Then,a multifidelity data metamodel based design optimization(MBDO) process is adopted based on the Ansys-DesignXplorer frameworks. In the adaptive MBDO process, Kriging metamodel is used to construct the final multifidelity CL/CDresponses by utilizing 23 multi-fidelity sample points from the FSI simulation and experimental data. The optimization results show that the optimal TM wing configuration is able to produce better CL/CDmaxmagnitude by at least 2% than the non-optimal TM wings. The flow structure formation reveals that low TV strength on the optimal TM wing induces low CDgeneration which in turn improves its overall CL/CDmaxperformance.     

纳米材料在固体发动机上的应用

介绍了纳米材料在固体发动机上的应用情况及前景，重点论述了纳米材料在固体发动机壳体结构材料、外防护材料、喷管烧蚀材料以及大固体推进剂中应用的是新技术进展和潜力。