Interrelation between KOSI experiments and comet nucleus sampling

In situ observations of comet Halley yielded information on the nucleus and its environment. These measurements are related to properties of and processes at the nucleus by theoretical modelling and by simulation experiments in the laboratory. The objective of the KOSI (Kometensimulation) experiments is to study in detail processes which occur near the surface of ice-dust mixtures under irradiation by light, like heat transport into the sample, chemical fractionation of sample material, emission of gases, and others. The KOSI experiments are carried out at the large space simulation chamber in Köln. By providing an in-depth understanding of potential cometary processes the results from the KOSI experiments are relevant to any comet nucleus sample return mission.     

Development of a 1m-normal-incidence-EUV telescope

Astrophysical plasmas at temperatures in the range (0.5–5)×10⁵ K that occur e.g. in interstellar space, in the extended atmospheres around stars of essentially all spectral types, including the numerous late-type stars with low photospheric temperatures, and in the atmospheres of highly evolved stars, can best be studied at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths where they release the bulk of their energy. We report here the current development status of a 1m-normal-incidence-EUV-telescope that will be flown on an ARIES rocket to observe the spectra of nearby stars in the 350 – 700 mm range.     

Hard X-ray balloon observations of compact galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources

A balloon program in hard X-ray astronomy (20–200 keV) is jointly pursued by the Astronomisches Institut der Universität Tübingen (AIT) and the Max Planck-Institute für Extraterrestrische Physik in Garching (MPE). Since 1973 nine successful balloon flights have been performed from Texas and Australia. Here results on Centaurus A and on several galactic binary X-ray sources are summarized. In particular the high energy photon spectrum of Hercules X-1 and the evidence for the cyclotron line feature which was discovered by us in 1976 is reviewed.     

异构同步协作系统的集成框架

为了解决异构同步协作系统之间的通信问题,基于集合论提出了一种新的同步协作系统数学模型,并定义了集成过程中使用的关键运算,对异构同步协作系统的集成进行分析,提出实现该框架的2个关键机制.代理机制屏蔽异构系统之间的资源差异和所在网络的差异,并且协调各个系统之间的交互.多点传输机制用于在一次会晤中连接多个异构协作系统.在此基础上定义了一个能够集成各种异构同步协作系统的集成框架.根据该框架,运用Web Services技术开发了集成系统.此系统实现了3种用户群较多的、典型的协作系统的集成,分别是基于H.323标准集的协作系统,基于SIP(Session Initiation Protocol)协议的协作系统和基于IP组播的协作系统.这些异构系统的用户相互之间能够实现通信和同步协同工作.     

Simulating clefts in pumpkin balloons

The geometry of a large axisymmetric balloon with positive differential pressure, such as a sphere, leads to very high film stresses. These stresses can be significantly reduced by using a tendon re-enforced lobed pumpkin-like shape. A number of schemes have been proposed to achieve a cyclically symmetric pumpkin shape, including the constant bulge angle (CBA) design, the constant bulge radius (CBR) design, CBA/CBR hybrids, and NASA’s recent constant stress (CS) design. Utilizing a hybrid CBA/CBR pumpkin design, Flight 555-NT in June 2006 formed an S-cleft and was unable to fully deploy. In order to better understand the S-cleft phenomenon, a series of inflation tests involving four 27-m diameter 200-gore pumpkin balloons were conducted in 2007. One of the test vehicles was a 1/3-scale mockup of the Flight 555-NT balloon. Using an inflation procedure intended to mimic ascent, the 1/3-scale mockup developed an S-cleft feature strikingly similar to the one observed in Flight 555-NT. Our analysis of the 1/3-scale mockup found it to be unstable. We compute asymmetric equilibrium configurations of this balloon, including shapes with an S-cleft feature.     

Towards a Global Unified Model of Europa’s Tenuous Atmosphere

Despite the numerous modeling efforts of the past, our knowledge on the radiation-induced physical and chemical processes in Europa’s tenuous atmosphere and on the exchange of material between the moon’s surface and Jupiter’s magnetosphere remains limited. In lack of an adequate number of in situ observations, the existence of a wide variety of models based on different scenarios and considerations has resulted in a fragmentary understanding of the interactions of the magnetospheric ion population with both the moon’s icy surface and neutral gas envelope. Models show large discrepancy in the source and loss rates of the different constituents as well as in the determination of the spatial distribution of the atmosphere and its variation with time. The existence of several models based on very different approaches highlights the need of a detailed comparison among them with the final goal of developing a unified model of Europa’s tenuous atmosphere. The availability to the science community of such a model could be of particular interest in view of the planning of the future mission observations (e.g., ESA’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission, and NASA’s Europa Clipper mission). We review the existing models of Europa’s tenuous atmosphere and discuss each of their derived characteristics of the neutral environment. We also discuss discrepancies among different models and the assumptions of the plasma environment in the vicinity of Europa. A summary of the existing observations of both the neutral and the plasma environments at Europa is also presented. The characteristics of a global unified model of the tenuous atmosphere are, then, discussed. Finally, we identify needed future experimental work in laboratories and propose some suitable observation strategies for upcoming missions.     

Columbia: what went wrong?

The results of the Gehman board's exhaustive investigation of the Columbia accident (STS-107) will have far-reaching effects on the U.S. space program.     

Interstellar-Terrestrial Relations: Variable Cosmic Environments, The Dynamic Heliosphere, and Their Imprints on Terrestrial Archives and Climate

In recent years the variability of the cosmic ray flux has become one of the main issues interpreting cosmogenic elements and especially their connection with climate. In this review, an interdisciplinary team of scientists brings together our knowledge of the evolution and modulation of the cosmic ray flux from its origin in the Milky Way, during its propagation through the heliosphere, up to its interaction with the Earth’s magnetosphere, resulting, finally, in the production of cosmogenic isotopes in the Earth’ atmosphere. The interpretation of the cosmogenic isotopes and the cosmic ray – cloud connection are also intensively discussed. Finally, we discuss some open questions.     

Bump masses and radii of BL Herculis variables

Bump masses and radii are derived for 18 BL Her stars from the observed bump phase and the accurately known fundamental period. The mean mass M/M = 0.60 ± 0.09 agrees precisely with predictions from standard stellar evolution theory and gives a new test of the theoretical models. The derived radius of V553 Centauri is in good agreement with the radius recently determined by an independent modified Baade-Wesselink method by Balona. Finally, a preliminary discussion of possible continuations of the BL Her bump progression is given.