Trapped antiprotons produced by cosmic rays in the Earth's magnetosphere.

The existence of significant fluxes of antiparticles in the Earth magnetosphere has been predicted on theoretical considerations in this article. These antiparticles (positrons or antiprotons) at several hundred kilometers of altitudes, we believe are not of direct extraterrestrial origin, but are the natural products of nuclear reactions of the high energy primary cosmic rays (CR) and trapped protons (TP) confined in the terrestrial radiation belt, with the constituents of terrestrial atmosphere. Extraterrestrial positrons and antiprotons born in nuclear reactions of the same CR particles passing through only 5-7 g/cm2 of interstellar matter, exhibit lower fluxes compared to the antiprotons born at hundreds of g/cm2 in the atmosphere, which when confined in the magnetic field of the Earth (in any other planet), get accumulated. We present the results of the computations of the antiproton fluxes at 10 MeV to several GeV energies due to CR particle interactions with the matter in the interstellar space, and also with the residual atmosphere at altitudes of approximately 1000 km over the Earth's surface. The estimates show that the magnetospheric antiproton fluxes are greater by two orders of magnitude compared to the extraterrestrial fluxes measured at energies <1-2 GeV.     

飞机进气道锤击波载荷评估方法研究

进气道锤击波载荷是由航空发动机喘振超压引起的,其峰值压力可达到自由来流总压的2倍量级,为进气道结构设计的最大载荷。为了给新研飞机进气道设计提供最大载荷依据、降低结构质量,对增压比等影响发动机喘振超压的因素进行归纳总结,并进行了实测和评估分析,认为锤击波压比值的上限是由稳态压力畸变引起的喘振确定的,最大锤击波载荷基本上随发动机压比的增大呈线性增大;分析了锤击波载荷的特征和评估曲线,认为通过积累新研发动机地面试验数据和CFD手段可有效解决飞机设计的载荷输入,应用概率统计方法可有效降低复合材料结构的大"S"弯进气管道结构质量。     

直扩测控系统抗多址能力分析与验证

为了防止多址干扰造成接收机出现误捕和假锁,改善直接序列扩频测控系统抗多址干扰性能,在Gold码特性和扩频接收机性能分析的基础上,结合最大似然原理,对采用扩频体制测控系统的抗干扰能力进行了分析。为契合工程应用,采用仿真遍历结合理论分析的方式,对Gold码的互相关抑制能力理论值进行了工程修正。在分析捕获阶段的抗干扰捕获门限后,还分析了载噪比估计结果在正常锁定和假锁两种状态下的差异,给出了接收机对假锁状态的判决方法和门限。根据分析和仿真的结果,给出了系统设计约束条件和优化的接收机设计流程,作为测控系统和接收机设计的参考。     

民用飞机不同商载配置对机身着陆载荷的影响分析

重量分布和重心位置是影响起落架和机体地面载荷的重要因素,其中商载是影响全机重心、惯量的最活跃因素。飞机实际运营中,有无穷多种商载分布及装载方案。为了确保机身载荷分析时,不遗漏严重设计情况,同时能大大减少载荷人员的工作量,本文对不同商载配置下的机身着陆载荷进行了研究分析,分析结果表明最大商载情况将构成机身垂直剪力和垂直弯矩的严重情况。因此,在进行机身载荷分析时,必须考虑最大商载情况,而最大燃油情况可以不必考虑。这一结论为今后有针对性的开展民机机身载荷分析提供了数据支持。     

并行工程在商用飞机研发项目中的益处及其实施方法

使用较少经费和较短时间研发出质量优越的商用飞机是各飞机研发团队的共同目标。阐述了通过使用科学的方法和管理技术,例如并行工程,是商用飞机研发项目达成上述目标的途径之一,介绍了一种具备可操作性的实施并行工程的方法。     

Detection of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos by radio method using artificial lunar satellites

An estimate of the feasibility of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and neutrino detection using a lunar satellite-borne radio receiver is presented. The data obtained in the proposed experiment will make resolving the current contradictions in the ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray spectra measured with the major ground-based instruments possible. Moreover, they will enable us to considerably extend the accessible energy range and to check predictions of various models of the origin of the highest-energy particles in the Universe. At the same time the lunar radio detector provides a means of searching for ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with a high sensitivity combined with a very large target effective mass.     

Instrumentation for plant health and growth.

Comprehensive spectroscopic monitoring of plant health and growth in bioregenerative life support system environments is possible using a variety of spectrometric technologies. Absorption spectrometry and atomic emission spectrometry in combination allow for direct, on-line, reagentless monitoring of plant nutrients from nitrate and potassium to micronutrients such as copper and zinc. Fluorometric spectrometry is ideal for the on-line detection, identification and quantification of bacteria and fungi. Liquid Atomic Emission Spectrometry (LAES) is a new form of spectrometry that allows for direct measurement of atomic emission spectra in liquids. An electric arc is generated by a pair of electrodes in the liquid to provide the energy necessary to break molecular bonds and reduce the substance to atomic form. With a fiber probe attached to the electrodes, spectral light can be transmitted to a photodiode array spectrometer for light dispersion and analysis. Ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectrometry is a long-established technology, but applications typically have required specific reagents to produce an analyte-specific absorption. Nitrate and iron nutrients have native UV absorption spectra that have been used to accurately determine nutrient concentrations at the +/- 5% level. Fluorescence detection and characterization of microbes is based upon the native fluorescent signatures of most microbiological species. Spectral and time-resolved fluorometers operating with remote fiber-optic probes will be used for on-line microbial monitoring in plant nutrient streams.     

Carbon dioxide exchange of lettuce plants under hypobaric conditions.

Growth of plants in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) may involve the use of hypobaric pressures enabling lower mass requirements for atmospheres and possible enhancement of crop productivity. A controlled environment plant growth chamber with hypobaric capability designed and built at Ames Research Center was used to determine if reduced pressures influence the rates of photosynthesis (Ps) and dark respiration (DR) of hydroponically grown lettuce plants. The chamber, referred to as a plant volatiles chamber (PVC), has a growing area of about 0.2 m2, a total gas volume of about 0.7 m3, and a leak rate at 50 kPa of <0.1%/day. When the pressure in the chamber was reduced from ambient to 51 kPa, the rate of net Ps increased by 25% and the rate of DR decreased by 40%. The rate of Ps increased linearly with decreasing pressure. There was a greater effect of reduced pressure at 41 Pa CO2 than at 81 Pa CO2. This is consistent with reports showing greater inhibition of photorespiration (Pr) in reduced O2 at low CO2 concentrations. When the partial pressure of O2 was held constant but the total pressure was varied between 51 and 101 kPa, the rate of CO2 uptake was nearly constant, suggesting that low pressure enhancement of Ps may be mainly attributable to lowered partial pressure of O2 and the accompanying reduction in Pr. The effects of lowered partial pressure of O2 on Ps and DR could result in substantial increases in the rates of biomass production, enabling rapid throughput of crops or allowing flexibility in the use of mass and energy resources for a CELSS.     

ERA-experiment "Space Biochemistry".

The general goal of the experiment was to study the response of anhydrobiotic (metabolically dormant) microorganisms (spores of Bacillus subtilis, cells of Deinococcus radiodurans, conidia of Aspergillus species) and cellular constituents (plasmid DNA, proteins, purple membranes, amino acids, urea) to the extremely dehydrating conditions of open space, in some cases in combination with irradiation by solar UV-light. Methods of investigation included viability tests, analysis of DNA damages (strand breaks, DNA-protein cross-links) and analysis of chemical effects by spectroscopic, electrophoretic and chromatographic methods. The decrease in viability of the microorganisms was as expected from simulation experiments in the laboratory. Accordingly, it could be correlated with the increase in DNA damages. The purple membranes, amino acids and urea were not measurably effected by the dehydrating condition of open space (in the dark). Plasmid DNA, however, suffered a significant amount of strand breaks under these conditions. The response of these biomolecules to high fluences of short wavelength solar UV-light is very complex. Only a brief survey can be given in this paper. The data on the relatively good survival of some of the microorganisms call for strict observance of COSPAR Planetary Protection Regulations during interplanetary space missions.