Concentration of ions in the topside ionosphere as measured onboard the <Emphasis Type="Italic">DEMETER</Emphasis> satellite: Morphology and dependence on solar and geomagnetic activity

Variations in concentration of ions H⁺, He⁺, and O⁺ are studied at a height of about 700 km using the data of continuous observations onboard the DEMETER satellite at the decline and in the minimum of solar activity from 2004 to 2008. Latitudinal distributions, seasonal behavior, and irregular variations in ion concentrations and their dependence on solar and geomagnetic activity are considered. Within this altitude range, for the first time an analysis is performed of the dataset of many-year continuous observations in both hemispheres from the equatorial to subauroral latitudes. This made it possible to describe the seasonal and irregular variations of the concentrations of main ion species with better time and spatial resolution than in the available empirical models. The dependence of concentrations of three types of ions on solar and geomagnetic activity is studied at time scales from several days to several years, and it is shown that the anti-phase change in concentrations of O⁺ and light ions known from publications is partly a result of mutual dependence of solar and geomagnetic activity and is observed only at time scales beginning from several months. At time scales from several days to several weeks, variations in the concentration of O⁺ and light ions are governed mainly by solar and geomagnetic activity, respectively.     

Diffusion coefficients of multicomponent combustion product mixture

The behavior of generalized diffusion coefficients and diffusion flows of individual substances in the multicomponent gas mixture is investigated. The combustion products of liquid rocket propellants being used are considered.     

Solar Isotopic Composition as Determined Using Solar Energetic Particles

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) provide a sample of the Sun from which solar composition may be determined. Using high-resolution measurements from the Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS) onboard NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft, we have studied the isotopic composition of SEPs at energies ≥20 MeV/nucleon in large SEP events. We present SEP isotope measurements of C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni made in 49 large events from late 1997 to the present. The isotopic composition is highly variable from one SEP event to another due to variations in seed particle composition or due to mass fractionation that occurs during the acceleration and/or transport of these particles. We show that various isotopic and elemental enhancements are correlated with each other, discuss the empirical corrections used to account for the compositional variability, and obtain estimated solar isotopic abundances. We compare the solar values and their uncertainties inferred from SEPs with solar wind and other solar system abundances and find generally good agreement.     

On improvement of materials separation accuracy by superimposition of electric fields

In this paper, the existing techniques of electrochemical dimensional machining are considered. The use of an additional current-conducting template makes it possible to improve the accuracy of materials separation with the aid of the electric field superimposed.     

A technique for calculating large deflections of nonshallow elastoplastic shells of revolution under nonaxisymmetric loading

A technique for calculating the geometrically and physically nonlinear stress strain state of nonshallow shells of revolution under the nonaxisymmetric wind-like loading is proposed. The calculation results for a semispherical shell with the central hole and rigidly fixed edges depending on the loading nonaxisymmetry, material characteristics and thickness are presented. We demonstrate not only quantitative but also qualitative influence of taking into account the factor of joint nonlinearity on the process of shell deformation.     

Fractal assessment of microaccelerations at weak damping of natural oscillation in spacecraft elastic elements. II

Making use of the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot fractal function, some problems connected with the adequate assessment of microaccelerations aboard a spacecraft are considered. The ranges of values for the function parameters that make it possible to simulate the quasi-static component of microaccelerations are also determined.     

Ballistics of a nonfragmenting meteor body with allowance made for mass outflow in the non-isothermal atmosphere. I

The paper is devoted to studying the motion of meteor bodies with mass outflow in a planet’s atmosphere, taking into account the non-isothermal character of the latter. Analytical solutions are obtained at the constant parameter of mass outflow in the model of a nonfragmenting meteoroid. A theoretical analysis of the derived regularities of the ballistics of such bodies is presented.     

Theoretical fundamentals for constructing an integrated safety system of airborne ergatic complex operation

The initial statements are formulated and a technique is considered to solve a problem of providing trouble-free airborne ergatic complex (AEC) operation under the action of external disturbances, equipment failure, pilot’s errors and other unfavorable factors.     

Spatial structure of Pc5 waves in the outer magnetosphere according to observations onboard the THEMIS satellites

We have analyzed oscillations in the Pc5 range recorded in the outer region of the evening magnetosphere onboard 5 THEMIS satellites when all vehicles were moving with a small distance along one and the same orbit. Gradients of the spatial structure of oscillations and fluxes of energetic protons are determined. The observed phase shifts of the oscillation field between the satellites are presumably caused by their sunward (westward) propagation with azimuthal wave numbers m ～ 30–60. According the data of particle detectors, non-equilibrium character of the distribution of protons is found: their non-monotonous distribution in energy and sharp spatial heterogeneity. The calculated parameters of plasma and oscillations are not consistent with the assumption on drift-mirror instability as a source of the oscillations. A complete theory of these waves should include effects of the finite Larmor radius and simultaneous existence of two types of nonequilibrium plasma.