Evaluation and improvement of coastal GNSS reflectometry sea level variations from existing GNSS stations in Taiwan

Global sea level rise due to an increasingly warmer climate has begun to induce hazards, adversely affecting the lives and properties of people residing in low-lying coastal regions and islands. Therefore, it is important to monitor and understand variations in coastal sea level covering offshore regions. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) have been successfully used to robustly derive sea level heights (SLHs). In Taiwan, there are a number of continuously operating GNSS stations, not originally installed for sea level monitoring. They were established in harbors or near coastal regions for monitoring land motion. This study utilizes existing SNR data from three GNSS stations (Kaohsiung, Suao, and TaiCOAST) in Taiwan to compute SLHs with two methods, namely, Lomb–Scargle Periodogram (LSP)-only, and LSP aided with tidal harmonic analysis developed in this study. The results of both methods are compared with co-located or nearby tide gauge records. Due to the poor quality of SNR data, the worst accuracy of SLHs derived from traditional LSP-only method exceeds 1?m at the TaiCOAST station. With our procedure, the standard deviations (STDs) of difference between GNSS-derived SLHs and tide gauge records in Kaohsiung and Suao stations decreased to 10?cm and the results show excellent agreement with tide gauge derived relative sea level records, with STD of differences of 7?cm and correlation coefficient of 0.96. In addition, the absolute GNSS-R sea level trend in Kaohsiung during 2006–2011 agrees well with that derived from satellite altimetry. We conclude that the coastal GNSS stations in Taiwan have the potential of monitoring absolute coastal sea level change accurately when our proposed methodology is used.     

OSIRIS-REx low-velocity particles during outbound cruise

We analyzed high-angular rate streaks first recorded by OSIRIS-REx’s MapCam during a 2017 search for Earth Trojan asteroids. We interpret them as water-ice particles that translated across the imager’s field of view, originating from the spacecraft itself. Their translation velocities approximated 0.1–1?m/s based on reasonable conclusions about their range. Pursuing several lines of investigation to seek a coherent hypothesis, we conclude that the episodic releases of the water ice particles are associated with spacecraft attitudes that resulted in solar illumination of previously shadowed regions. This correlation suggests that the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft itself possesses micro-climatic zones consisting of hot regions and cold traps that may temporarily potentially pass volatiles back and forth before losing most of them.     

Method of determining the maximum permissible values for diagnostic signs of helicopter transmission units operational status

A method of determining the maximum permissible values for diagnostic signs, being an integral part of health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) of the helicopter transmission units, has been developed based on a probabilistic approach.     

Diurnal and seasonal variations in long-term changes in the E-layer critical frequency

Long-term changes in the E-layer critical frequency, foE, at three stations of the European region (Juliusruh, Slough and Rome) and also at Moscow and Wakkanai stations are analyzed by the method developed by the authors and described in detail in the previous papers. It is found that Juliusruh and Slough stations demonstrate a well-pronounced change in foE (a trend) during two previous decades. At the same time, the same features of the behavior of the aforementioned trend k(foE) are obtained. The trend is positive and negative in the morning and evening hours, respectively. Similar diurnal behavior of k(foE) is found also for Moscow station but with lower absolute values of the trends. A well-pronounced seasonal behavior of k(foE) is detected at Juliusruh and Slough: the trend is minimal and maximal in the summer period and at the end of fall—beginning of winter, respectively. The maximal amplitude in the morning hours reaches +0.04?MHz per year, whereas the minimal amplitude in evening hours is ?0.06?MHz per year. No systematic changes exceeding by the magnitude 0.01?MHz per year are found for Rome and Wakkanai stations. It is assumed that the observed trends are related to changes (trends) in the meridional wind bringing NO molecules from the auroral oval to lower latitudes.     

On the stability of stationary motions of a system of coaxial bodies

We consider the stability of stationary motions of a model of a spacecraft as a system of coaxial bodies with small asymmetry caused by the shift of the axes of dynamic symmetry of bodies relative to the axis of rotation. We determine the stationary motions of the system; their stability is studied with respect to both the projections of angular velocity and the position of the axis of rotation. The sufficient conditions for the stability of these stationary motions are obtained by constructing a Lyapunov function, and the necessary conditions are obtained by analyzing the corresponding linearized equations of perturbed motion.     

Safety Analysis of Helicopter Autorotation Landing Execution on Conditions of Providing Skid Landing Gear Static Strength

The requirements for skid landing gear static strength ensuring are examined based on the comparative analysis of the Airworthiness Standards requirements. Probabilistic principle of determining the safety factor of the skid landing gear is presented. The analysis of the experimental data on bench and flight tests is performed for calculating the actual value of this factor.     

Genetic differentiation induced by spaceflight treatment of Cistanche deserticola and identification of inter-simple sequence repeat markers associated with its medicinal constituent contents

The dried, fleshy stems of Cistanche deserticola (Orobanchaceae) are popular tonics in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat the inability of kidney in expelling extra fluid in the body, causing fluid retention, and reform reproductive system. However, the wild plants of C. deserticola have become endangered due to habitat downsizing and over-harvesting for its medicinal usages. The present research was carried out for the following purposes: (1) promoting the space-breeding research; (2) providing molecular evidence for agricultural selective breeding; and (3) protecting this endangered herbal medicine and conserving its genetic resources.     

Water feed influence on nitric oxide emission under oxidation of near-stoichiometric air-methane mixtures

We considered the influence of temperature on the nitric oxide emission under combustion of the near-stoichiometric mixtures with and without water feed. We revealed the advantage of the method of fuel-water-air mixture combustion over that of the leaned mixture combustion.