Small perturbation propagation in the viscoelastic fluid enclosed in a multilayer viscoelastic tube

A pulsating flow of the incompressible viscoelastic fluid enclosed in the multilayer viscoelastic tube of a variable circular section is investigated. The problem stated leads to the singular Sturm-Liouville boundary value problem which in its turn is reduced to the equivalent integral equation of the Volterra type that is solved by the successive approximation method. The influence of fluid relaxation and retardation time on the wave system characteristics is revealed.     

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.     

An analysis of magnetic protection of spacecraft against penetrating radiation

Negative effect of cosmic ray particles is a serious danger for astronauts and onboard equipment. When planning interplanetary flights it becomes one of the main obstacles. The aim of this work is to analyze currently available methods of protecting spacecraft against cosmic rays using magnetic fields and to choose the most effective method. Three variants of protection systems were considered, two of which had been described in scientific literature: with azimuth and axial magnetic filed. The third, more general method (with helical magnetic field) is suggested here for the first time. The first two variants are extreme special cases of the third one. The exact solution is obtained for the problem of motion of a charged relativistic particle in the helical magnetic field, and a criterion of particle reflection is determined. A comparative analysis of reflection characteristics of the chosen systems has been performed, and the conclusion about the optimal configuration of the magnetic protection is drawn.     

A Problem of choosing an optimal number of information unmanned aerial vehicles

Using formalism of the queueing theory, we propose two-objective models for optimizing the number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) designed for remote monitoring (reconnaissance) of certain regions. A model that takes into account the UAV failure in performing a flight mission is considered. The numerical method and examples of solving problems stated are presented.     

Thermodynamic features of aircraft diagonal gas turbines

An effect of the Coriolis forces on the process of gas expansion in the turbine stage is considered. Expressions for efficiency with regard for the radial flow passage are derived. The calculation results and statistical data on the geometric parameters of diagonal stages are presented.     

The brief history of experimental research of cosmic ray variations in Yakutia

Some unknown historical facts of cosmic ray studies in the north-east of the former Soviet Union related to the Yakutsk scientific group are reported for the benefit of the international scientific community. It focuses on the founders of Yu.G. Shafer Institute of Cosmophysical Research and Aeronomy of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences. A chronology of measurements of cosmic ray intensity variations since 1949 in Yakutia (Sakha Republic; NE Siberia) is given. In particular, for the first time the data of the first solar cosmic ray event registered at Yakutsk (GLE04), with a small ionization chamber S-2 (volume: 20 L) are presented. Moreover, the data of the large ionization chamber ASK-1 (volume: 950 L) for the 1953–2003 period useful for specialists in the field of cosmic ray variations are also shown.     

Mid-latitude amplitude scintillation of GPS signals and GPS performance slips

Degradation of transionospheric radio signals and operation failures during ionospheric disturbances constitute a crucial factor of space weather influence on radio engineering satellite systems performance. We found that during the main phase of strong magnetic storms in 2000–2003 when the auroral oval expands into mid-latitudes, its southern boundary develops a region with intense small-scale electron density irregularities. Such irregularities may cause strong amplitude scintillations of GPS signals at both GPS operating frequencies. The another consequence of it was significant random GPS signal phase fluctuations, breaking-down of signal tracking, and sharp increasing of GPS positioning errors as a result.     

Gravitropism and phototropism in protonemata of the moss Pohlia nutans (Hedw.) Lindb.

The gravitropism of protonemata of Pohlia nutans is described and compared with that of other mosses. In darkness, protonemata showed negative gravitropism. Under uniform illumination they grew radially over the substrate surface, whereas unilateral illumination induced positive phototropic growth. Gravitropism was coupled with starch synthesis and amyloplast formation. Protonematal gravitropic growth is more variable than the strict negative gravitropism of Ceratodon chloronema.     

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.     

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.