Design and performance of a vacuum-UV simulator for material testing under space conditions

This paper describes the construction and performance of a VUV-simulator that has been designed to study degradation of materials under space conditions. It is part of the Complex Irradiation Facility at DLR in Bremen, Germany, that has been built for testing of material under irradiation in the complete UV-range as well as under proton and electron irradiation. Presently available UV-sources used for material tests do not allow the irradiation with wavelengths smaller than about 115 nm where common Deuterium lamps show an intensity cut-off. The VUV-simulator generates radiation by excitation of a gas-flow with an electron beam. The intensity of the radiation can be varied by manipulating the gas-flow and/or the electron beam.     

Understanding Substorms in the Magnetotail: Early Development and Recent Progress

This is a concise review of physics of the substorm in the magnetotail. It consists of two parts. The first part summarizes historical developments in the early days of the space age (1960--1975) when the basic concepts such as magnetotail and reconnection were established and the leading model of the substorm was introduced. The second part is an overview of the research conducted in recent years (1995--2010) when very significant advances have been achieved in understanding the substorm physics by virtue of several major satellites missions that addressed the magnetotail physics intensively.      

基于多失效模式的扭簧可靠性优化分析

基于广义应力 广义强度分布干涉理论和单一失效模式下扭簧可靠性计算模型,建立了多失效模式下扭簧可靠度优化数学模型,采用规格化加权法进行各失效模式影响相同（等失效效应）和有差异（非等失效效应）两种情况下的扭簧可靠度计算。在给定扭簧结构和工况约束条件下,应用提出的计算模型和技术进行了失效模式影响相同和有差异的基于可靠度最大的扭簧结构优化,与非优化结构的扭簧可靠度的比较,以及这两种情况下的扭簧可靠度比较。结果表明,提出的可靠度优化模型和方法是可靠和有效的,对于航天工程中零部件的可靠性优化分析具有很好的借鉴作用。     

In situ analysis of Europa ices by short-range melting probes

A key aspect for understanding the astrobiological potential of planets and moons in the Solar system is the analysis of material embedded in or underneath icy layers on the surface. In particular in case of the icy crust of Jupiters moon Europa such investigation would be of greatest interest. For a Europa lander to be launched in the 2020–2030 timeframe, we propose to use a simplified instrumented melting probe which is able to access and sample depths of a few meters without the necessity of heavy and complicated drilling equipment.     

Spatial variation of the supersonic thermal plasma flow downstream of the termination shock

In this paper we start from the most recently observed fact that the solar wind plasma after passage over the termination shock is still supersonic with a Mach number of about 2. To explain this unexpected phenomenon and to predict the evolution of properties of the downstream plasma flow we here consider a two-fluid proton plasma with pick-up protons as a separate suprathermal, second proton fluid. We then formulate a self-consistent system of hydrodynamical conservation equations coupling the two fluids by dynamical and thermodynamical coupling terms and taking into account the effects of newly incorporated protons due to charge exchange with the H-atoms in the heliosheath. This then allows us to predict that in the most probable case the solar wind protons will become subsonic over a distance of about 30 AU downstream of the shock. As we can also show, it may, however, happen that the plasma mixture later again reconverts to a supersonic signature and has to undergo a second shock before meeting the heliopause.     

The photometric study of light scattering from the surface of alumina powder and interpretations by Hapke formula

A laboratory experiment helps to understand the light scattering property of regolith like samples with known compositions and other physical parameters. The laboratory data so obtained can be compared with the existing in situ data on celestial objects like asteroids. Further, it may be analyzed with the help of various theoretical models to understand the light scattering processes from regolith more clearly. In this work we have performed laboratory based photometry of the light scattered from the surfaces of powdered alumina (Al₂O₃) at various tilt angles of the sample and at large phase angles, with the particles having diameter 0.3 μm. The wavelength of observation was 632.8 nm. These data have been fitted by a surface scattering model originally suggested by Hapke. Instead of using empirical Henyey–Greenstein phase function to fix the values of albedo and phase function to be used within Hapke formula, we have used Mie theory for the same. This approach helped us to determine the single particle properties such as particle diameter and complex refractive index from surface scattering phase curve alone. Mie theory depends only on the size parameter X(=2π(radius/wavelength)) and complex refractive index (n, k) of the material. Since the absorption coefficient (k) for alumina is known to be very low but not exactly zero, the best fit to the experimental data was obtained by least square technique with k as a free parameter, as the other parameters are known. Finally, we compare our results with other published results and discuss the scope of application of the method we adopted.     

新型二维推力矢量喷管数值模拟

针对现有流体推力矢量控制方案的不足,提出利用喷流附壁效应的新型矢量喷管,借助于尾喷管射流对固壁延伸面的跟随作用控制尾喷流方向,实现推力转向.在此基础上采用限制流量的方法调节喷流的抽吸程度,产生不同的横向压力梯度,达到了矢量化控制推力转向的目的.运用这一概念设计了二维矢量喷管,用数值实验方式验证了喷管的推力转向效果,采用限制流量方法得到的最大矢量角度约13.3°,进一步结合射流控制可以使矢量偏角达到20°以上.通过对该喷管流场的数值计算研究,探讨了该矢量喷管内喷流转向形成的流动机理,从推力损失、转向效率上对喷管的性能特点进行了分析,为下一步开展实验研究奠定了基础.     

无人机复杂环境中跟踪运动目标的实时航路规划

在复杂地形环境中,无人机在跟踪运动目标时,现有的航路规划方法在实时性和可行性上存在一定缺陷.提出了一种新的滚动窗口启发方向计算方法,使其能够跟踪运动目标,同时在滚动窗口内采用流函数法进行避障.根据无人机约束,滚动窗口为三角形,并设计了基于行为的伸缩功能.在流函数中,利用水势能方法克服了陷阱地形并进行了航路平滑.仿真结果表明:这种混合算法对于复杂地形条件下跟踪运动目标的航路规划,能够减小规划算法的时间和空间复杂度,使规划出的航路适于无人机飞行.     

Occurrence of equatorial plasma bubbles over Kolhapur

This paper reports the nightglow observations of OI 630.0 nm emissions, made by using all sky imager operating at low latitude station Kolhapur (16.8°N, 74.2°E and dip lat. 10.6°N) during high sunspot number years of 24th solar cycle. The images are analyzed to study the nocturnal, seasonal and solar activity dependence occurrence of plasma bubbles. We observed EPBs in images regularly during a limited period 19:30 to 02:30 LT and reach maximum probability of occurrence at 22:30 LT. The observation pattern of EPBs shows nearly no occurrence during the month of May and it maximizes during the period October–April. The equinox and solstice seasonal variations in the occurrence of plasma bubbles show nearly equal and large differences, respectively, between years of 2010–11 and 2011–12.