Voyager 2 Observations of Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in the Outer Heliosphere

We review observations from Voyager 2 of CIRs and merged CIRs in the outer heliosphere. The rather simple characteristics of the CIR-associated changes in plasma, magnetic field, and particles become more complex as observations are made at greater and greater distances. Pickup ions from charge exchange undoubtedly play an important role in the structure, but the full details are not yet understood. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

复合材料加筋壁板的两步优化法

通过采用辅助层压板和添加极小弹性模量材料的复合材料加筋壁板有限元建模方法,应用MSC．PAT－RAN／NASTRAN的参数化建模与遗传算法相结合的复合材料加筋壁板的两步优化方法,对复合材料T型加筋壁板进行了从2000 N／mm到6000 N／mm压缩载荷下的结构优化分析。提出的基于参数化模型和遗传算法的复合材料加筋壁板的两步优化法分为壁板级优化和层压板级优化两部分,在壁板级优化得到最优的结构尺寸参数,在层板级优化得到最优的层压板铺层顺序。     

Theory of Scalloping Amplitude Errors in Standard VOR Bearing Indications

A rigorous theory is developed for the course scalloping amplitudes observed in the bearing indications of an airborne standard VOR receiver in the presence of multipath signals. The VOR transmitting antenna pattern characteristics, the scattering properties of the multipath source, and the effects of ground reflection are all built into the theory so that their combined effects on the scalloping may be quantitatively investigated. The analysis assumes that the VOR receiver characteristics are ideal.     

Slope Coding of Coherent Pulse-Burst Waveforms

Useful new properties are obtained with a coherent pulse-burst waveform if the FM slopes are allowed to change from pulse to pulse. A design feature using such a "slope-coded" waveform is the ability to transfer, in a controllable manner, ambiguity volume from the range ambiguity peaks to regions located between the peaks (in the frequency direction). Slope coding thus provides a useful mechanism for matching the waveform to the environment; i. e., it permits the signal designer to make some compromise between range ambiguity-peak heights and low-velocity clutter rejection.     

Boresight Corection Using Unlocated Targets

Boresight correction on detected but unlocated targets may be made if a bearing (whose error is unknown) is repeated on two seeker headings and another bearing is repeated on two seeker headings, or if bearing is repeated on three seeker headings. The assumption is made that seeker position and heading are known. The procedure is effective either with the above or with the combination of restricted seeker travel and intermittent target detection.     

Unmanned scientific exploration throughout the solar system

Velocity requirements for scientific probe vehicles operating throughout the entire solar system are presented. Both direct flights and those using planetary swingby modes are considered. Launch-vehicle and payload sizes necessary to perform useful scientific missions are examined. Scientific investigation of the solar system is shown to be much less difficult than is commonly believed.     

Neutral points on the boundary of the closed magnetosphere

Theoretical studies of a field-free plasma incident upon a magnetic dipole lead to a closed magnetosphere with two neutral points in the noon magnetic meridian, at a latitude of ± 70°–75° and a geocentric distance of approximately 10 R_E. The position of the neutral points with respect to the dipole axis is not greatly affected by the angle of incidence of the solar wind. Although the field magnitude near the neutral points is only a fraction of the dipole field, the direction is seen to reverse on opposite sides of the neutral point. Near the boundary the field direction is parallel to the boundary and tends to point towards the neutral point in the Northern hemisphere.     

Checkout: A Changing Technology

On-board/in-flight checkout of future aerospace systems will necessitate a fundamental departure from today's design and checkout activities. The interrelationship of checkout, incorporated into prime vehicular functions, man as a subsystem, and standardization Of hardware/software must be considered as a functional and integral entity if the efforts of today's long-range planning are to become tomorrow's reality. This paper will describe future systems checkout, maintenance and support considerations, and actions and tentative measures necessary for implementation. The realization of the implementation of these concepts into functional elements will depend, accurately and economically, upon the degree of government perceptiveness and the extent of industrial support.     

On the Radar Echo from Aircraft

The nonstationarity of the low-frequency radar echo envelope observed from an aircraft is shown and a simple model of the echo is suggested. This model, devised specifically for simulation studies using computers, reproduces the characteristics of the observed envelope, demonstrating the correlation between the observed nonstationarity and aircraft motion relative to the receiver.     

Random Characteristics of the Type II Phase-Locked Loop

The results of a study of the characteristics of the second-order Type II phase-locked loop with a Gaussian noise input, and obtained by digital computer simulation, are presented. The digital simulation is described and the random state variables are defined such that their characteristics can be interpreted in terms of existing phase portraits of autonomous phase-locked loops. The statistics associated with the state variables, which are phase error and a measure of frequency error, and those associated with the number of cycles skipped and the mean time to unlock, are given.