Modeling the Modification of the Nighttime High-Latitude F-Region by Powerful HF Radiowaves

A mathematical model of the high-latitude F-region, taking the ionospheric plasma convection into account, is used for modeling a response of the auroral F-region to irradiation by powerful high-frequency (HF) radiowaves. The model enables us to calculate the time variations in the profiles of the electron concentration, the velocity of positive ions, and the ion and electron temperatures in the part of a magnetic-flux tube moving over an artificial ionospheric heater under the action of a convective electric field. The modeling was carried out for a part of the magnetic flux tube intersecting the F-layer irradiated by the Norwegian heater at Tromsö when it is located near the midnight magnetic meridian. The calculations were made for the equinox conditions under the high solar and low geomagnetic activity. The results of our modeling show that substantial variations in the profiles of the electron temperature, the velocity of positive ions, and the electron concentration can be produced in the nighttime high-latitude F-layer due to HF heating. The perturbation caused by a 20 s rectangular pulse should exist for about 20 min at the level of the F-layer maximum. The disturbed plasma volume can leave the region irradiated by the heater and move away for over 500 km within the above-mentioned time period.     

Distinguished Lecturers Program

One of the general trends of the MEMS sensors business is the utilization of the technology to satisfy harsh environment requirements (temperature, shock, vibration, environment security). The conjunction of material (standard Silicon, SiC or SOI), with complex micromachining techniques and advanced assembly techniques are the key to provide robust sensors with a miniimum concession on specification. The goal of this paper is to present progress on gun hard (> 20,000 g) and wide temperature range MEMS accelerometers (-120°C to +180°C). Concrete solutions and results (out of more than 500 tested products)) will be presented and discussed in detail.     

Progress in space weather predictions and applications

The methods of today’s predictions of space weather and effects are so much more advanced and yesterday’s statistical methods are now replaced by integrated knowledge-based neuro-computing models and MHD methods. Within the ESA Space Weather Programme Study a real-time forecast service has been developed for space weather and effects. This prototype is now being implemented for specific users. Today’s applications are not only so many more but also so much more advanced and user-oriented. A scientist needs real-time predictions of a global index as input for an MHD model calculating the radiation dose for EVAs. A power company system operator needs a prediction of the local value of a geomagnetically induced current. A science tourist needs to know whether or not aurora will occur. Soon we might even be able to predict the tropospheric climate changes and weather caused by the space weather.     

MMAE-Based Control with Space-Time Point Process Observations

A multiple model adaptive estimator (MMAE) has been formulated to estimate the state of a dynamic system modeled by a linear stochastic differential equation, from which measurements, described as a noise-corrupted space-time point process functionally related to that state, are extracted. Assumed certainty equivalence is used to combine such an estimator with the LQ full-state feedback controller to synthesize a practical, implementable controller. Performance of the estimator and resultant controller characteristics are investigated via simulation as a function of approximation method used to limit the full-scale estimator to finite dimensionality and also as a function of important parameters defining the dynamics and observation processes.     

Appearance of neutron stars in the state of subsonic propeller

The state of subsonic propeller is intermediate between the states of supersonic propeller and accretor in the evolutionary tracks of magnetized compact stars. The rotational rate of a star at this stage decelerates due to the interaction between its magnetosphere and the surrounding hot, quasi-static plasma envelope. The magnetospheric radius is smaller than the corotation radius and the boundary of the magnetosphere is stable with respect to interchange instabilities. The rate of the mass flux from the inner radius of the envelope to the stellar surface is limited by the rate of plasma diffusion into the magnetic field of the star. As a result, the subsonic propeller would appear as a low-luminosity accretion-powered pulsar with a soft X-ray spectrum.     

Generating requirements for complex embedded systems using State Analysis

It has become clear that spacecraft system complexity is reaching a threshold where customary methods of control are no longer affordable or sufficiently reliable. At the heart of this problem are the conventional approaches to systems and software engineering based on subsystem-level functional decomposition, which fail to scale in the tangled web of interactions typically encountered in complex spacecraft designs. Furthermore, there is a fundamental gap between the requirements on software specified by systems engineers and the implementation of these requirements by software engineers. Software engineers must perform the translation of requirements into software code, hoping to accurately capture the systems engineer's understanding of the system behavior, which is not always explicitly specified. This gap opens up the possibility for misinterpretation of the systems engineer's intent, potentially leading to software errors. This problem is addressed by a systems engineering methodology called State Analysis, which provides a process for capturing system and software requirements in the form of explicit models. This paper describes how requirements for complex aerospace systems can be developed using State Analysis, using representative spacecraft examples.     

从典型微机遥测站看遥测技术的发展

分析国外典型微机遥测站的技术特点后 ,认为微机遥测站的核心是利用微软公司的商品化软件 ,应全面考虑发展遥测系统软件。我国发展微机遥测技术时 ,应把注意力放在软件上。     

均布压力作用各向异性矩形薄板大挠度问题

基于冯·卡门模型，选择中心挠度为摄动参数，利用摄动方法将正交异性矩形薄板大挠问题的非线性偏微分方程组逐级线性化，导出了各级摄动对应的几个线性偏微分方程组，然后再借助变分法求解，得到了均布载荷作用下正交异性矩形薄板的载荷-挠度曲线。     

航天飞机再入大气层三维机动飞行的最大过载和热流峰值

本文研究了航天飞机再入大气层三维机动飞行时所产生的最大过载及驻点的热流峰值,提出了一种计算最大过载及热流峰值的解析方法。在一阶近似运动方程的基础上,建立了最大过载、热流峰值与航天飞机的升阻比、再入角、滚转角等参数之间的解析关系式,由之可简便地确定最大过载与热流峰值。文中分析了升阻比、再入角等参数对过载和热流的影响,并与再入三维轨道精确解的相应值作了对比,表明此种解法具有一定的精度,可供再入三维轨道特性的分析及航天飞机的初步设计阶段使用。