Observations of Magnetospheric Waves and their Relation to Precipitation

Magnetospheric wave observations are discussed from the viewpoint of their potential importance for precipitation of charged particles into the auroral zones. While wave processes are a fundamental part of magnetospheric plasma physics, occurring most of the time in most of the magnetospheric regions, their direct role in and relative importance for auroral precipitation are not easy to assess. The role of the waves varies from one spatial region to another and is very different for electrons and ions. Furthermore, the distinction between wave processes and other precipitation mechanisms is not at all straightforward. This review focuses on four main topics: The problem of diffuse electron precipitation, the recent surprise on the detailed structure of broad-banded electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet boundary layer, ion precipitation through electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, and the role of low-altitude waves in precipitation. It is concluded that, while the observational status of high-altitude ion cyclotron waves is reasonably good, in most areas more thorough studies of existing data as well as refined observations are very much needed. Successful observational studies are to be carried out jointly with theoretical work as well as with studies on the large-scale context of the often localized wave processes. This is especially important when interests are moving toward more nonlinear phenomena, such as shocks, double layers, or strong quasi-static gradients, where a strict adherence to classical wave concepts is becoming more and more diffuse and less motivated.     

Avionics cost of ownership

The cost of ownership of avionics includes not only the development and acquisition cost, but also the yearly operating and support (O and S) (maintenance) cost of hardware, software, and support equipment. This paper presents an avionics cost of ownership methodology developed for USAF, its data sources, and business metrics computed for USAF decision makers as we move toward operating avionics as a business. The business model is used to determine which existing avionics are candidates for replacement with new technology and to prioritize the replacements. These avionics are often used on multiple aircraft types which necessitates analysis of the causes of the high cost of ownership on each type. Databases are used to document the processing functions, data flow, and constraints of the item being analyzed. These constraints include physical, environmental, electrical, and data interfaces. Databases containing alternatives are evaluated against standard mission scenarios for aircraft utilizing these high cost avionics to determine their impact on performance, O and S costs, and mission effectiveness. The results of the foregoing analyses steps are then used in life cycle cost analyses which consider different retrofit scenarios for each alternative for each aircraft type against the avionics being analyzed for replacement. The alternatives are prioritized and a risk analysis performed considering technical, schedule, and cost growth risks. The avionics cost of ownership methodology described in this paper processes data from USAF maintenance organizations. This has revealed the very large expenditures being made to support highly unreliable avionics. These methods can be applied to all military and commercial aircraft systems to determine not only the cost of ownership of existing systems, but also the cost of ownership of new systems when they are retrofit     

GNSS receiver for GLONASS signal reception

This paper deals with the latest version of Experimental GNSS receiver built at the Czech Technical University and describes integration of GLONASS signal processing to the receiver. The new FPGA platform Virtex-D Pro by Xilinx is used and enables integration of whole digital signal processing of GNSS receiver into the single chip. The RE unit of the receiver is capable of processing all GLONASS frequency of the Li and L2 bands in two independent RE channels; each channel can process one band. The frequency selection of the appropriate satellite is accomplished in a digital correlator. The development flow of the GLONASS correlator is discussed herein. The complexity of the GLONASS correlator with complexity of GPS correlator is compared. The developed GLONASS correlator was tested in Simuelink tool during development. The next test was carried out using GLONASS simulator and real GLONASS satellite signal.     

Radiation biodosimetry: applications for spaceflight.

The multiparametric dosimetry system that we are developing for medical radiological defense applications could be adapted for spaceflight environments. The system complements the internationally accepted personnel dosimeters and cytogenetic analysis of chromosome aberrations, considered the best means of documenting radiation doses for health records. Our system consists of a portable hematology analyzer, molecular biodosimetry using nucleic acid and antigen-based diagnostic equipment, and a dose assessment management software application. A dry-capillary tube reagent-based centrifuge blood cell counter (QBC Autoread Plus, Becton [correction of Beckon] Dickinson Bioscience) measures peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes, which could determine radiation dose based on the kinetics of blood cell depletion. Molecular biomarkers for ionizing radiation exposure (gene expression changes, blood proteins) can be measured in real time using such diagnostic detection technologies as miniaturized nucleic acid sequences and antigen-based biosensors, but they require validation of dose-dependent targets and development of optimized protocols and analysis systems. The Biodosimetry Assessment Tool, a software application, calculates radiation dose based on a patient's physical signs and symptoms and blood cell count analysis. It also annotates location of personnel dosimeters, displays a summary of a patient's dosimetric information to healthcare professionals, and archives the data for further use. These radiation assessment diagnostic technologies can have dual-use applications supporting general medical-related care.     

Ultracapacitors + DC-DC converters in regenerative braking system

An ultracapacitor system for an electric vehicle has been implemented. The device allows higher accelerations and decelerations of the vehicle with minimal loss of energy and minimal degradation of the main battery pack. The system uses a DC-DC power converter, which is connected between the ultracapacitor and the main battery pack. The design has been optimized in weight and size, by using water-cooled heat sinks for the power converter, and an aluminum coil with air core for the smoothing inductance. The ratings of the ultracapacitor are: nominal voltage: 300 Vdc; nominal current: 200 Adc; capacitance: 20 Farads. The amount of energy stored allows us to have 40 kW of power during 20 seconds, which is enough to accelerate the vehicle without the help of the traction batteries. The vehicle uses a brushless DC motor with a nominal power of 32 kW and a peak power of 53 kW. A control system based on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) manipulates all the aforementioned variables and controls the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) switching pattern of the converter transistors. The car used for the implementation of this system is a Chevrolet LUV truck.     

Development of a Digital Array Radar (DAR)

Twenty-first century littoral and open-sea missions present US Navy (USN) shipboard-radar systems with the challenge of detecting small targets in severe clutter and against multiple sources of interference. In Fiscal Year 2000 (FY00), the Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored a program to develop an active array radar that includes a digital beamforming (DBF) architecture. The DBF radar system has the potential for improved time-energy management, improved signal-to-clutter (S/C) ratios, improved reliability and reduced life-cycle costs. This paper summarizes the latest developments of the program during FY00     

Competition of the natural and manmade biotic cycles in the closed aquatic system.

This study addresses competition between the Paramecium bursaria and zoochlorella-endosymbiosis and the infusoria Paramecium caudatum in a closed aquatic system. The system is a natural model of a simple biotic cycle. P. bursaria consumes glucose and oxygen released by its zoochlorella and releases nitrogenous compounds and carbon dioxide necessary for algal photosynthesis. P. caudatum was fed on bacteria. It was shown that the infusoria P. bursaria united in one cycle with Chlorella had a higher competitive ability than P. caudatum. With any initial percentage of the infusoria in the mixed culture, the end portion of P. bursaria reached 90-99%, which was significantly higher than the end potion of the P. caudatum population. It is assumed that the sustenance expenditures of P. caudatum were greater than those of the endosymbiotic paramecium, i.e. the closing of the components into a biotic cycle leads to a decrease in sustenance expenditures.     

Coronal heating by reconnection

The outermost atmosphere of the Sun, called the corona, is some 200 times hotter than the surface of the Sun. The main source of energy for heating the corona is believed to be the magnetic field which dominates the corona. Magnetic reconnection is probably the most important mechanism for releasing magnetic energy and may, therefore, be important for coronal heating or micro-flaring. The best observational examples of reconnection in the corona are thought to be X-ray bright points, which are small-scale brightenings seen randomly throughout the whole corona. Theoretical models can not only explain the key observations relating to bright points, but they can also explain the complex three-dimensional structures often seen in bright points. In these models magnetic neutral points play a significant role as the centres for reconnection both in two and three dimensions.     

Population dynamics of transgenic microorganisms in the different microecosystem conditions.

The role of key environmental factors in adaptation of spore-forming and non-spore-forming transgenic microorganisms (TM) have been studied in model ecosystems. Model TM Escherichia coli Z905 (bearing plasmid genes of bacterial luminescence Ap (r) Lux+) has been found to have a higher adaptation potential than TM Bacillus subtilis 2335/105 (bearing genes of human alpha 2-interferon Km (r) Inf+), planned for employment as a living vaccine under varying environmental conditions. Effects of abiotic factors on migration of natural and recombinant plasmids between microorganisms under model ecosystem conditions has been estimated. The transgenic microorganisms with low copy number survived better under introduction conditions in the microcosms studied. This trend has been shown to be independent of the microcosm type and its complexity. Grant numbers: 99-04-96017, 25, 00-07-9011.     

Moving target imaging algorithm for SAR data

A digital processing algorithm for fine-resolution imaging of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) moving targets is described. The targets may have any translational and rotational motion components relative to the data collection platform. The algorithm requires the presence of up to three prominent points in the image of the target; the signals from these points provide estimates of the unknown target motion parameters. Phase compensation and data formatting based on these estimates eliminate motion-induced phase errors. This algorithm has been implemented on a VAX computer and used to process both simulated and real SAR data of moving targets. Results obtained using the simulated data are presented