ETS-II Experiments Part III: Weather Radar System

The weather radar system used in conjunction with Earth-satellite propagation experiments for quantifying rainfall rate in a unit volume, determined by the beamwidth and the pulselength, is described. Firstly, methods for deriving rainfall rate per unit volume are stated in detail with special emphasis on calibration to determine unknown parameters associated with propagation losses in waveguides and the atmosphere. The calibration method is somewhat different from a conventional one but is useful for routine observation. Secondly, in addition to a simple explanation of the hardware of this radar system, the data modes, developed for measuring rainfall rate along the propagation path and radar reflectivity factor in the horizontal and vertical cross sections around the station are described. These data modes are effectively combined by the operational scanning modes for routine observation of propagation experiments, while each data mode can also be operated independently. Examples obtained by each data mode are also given.     

On the Derivation and Numerical Evaluation of the Weibull-Rician Distribution

The Weibull-Rician distribution and density functions are derived by a method based on conditional probability. The derivation is much simpler than the usual Rician approach, giving both the distribution and density as single integrals that are easy to evaluate numerically.     

高阶精度格式WCNS在三角翼大攻角模拟中的应用研究

采用5阶精度的加权紧致非线性格式(WCNS-E-5)数值模拟了65°三角翼的大攻角绕流流场,主要目的是考核高阶精度格式WCNS在大攻角旋涡流动方面以及跨声速流场的激波附面层干扰、涡破裂位置的模拟能力,重点研究不同网格规模和湍流模型对尖前缘三角翼涡系之间的相互作用的影响。通过求解任意坐标系下的雷诺平均N-S方程,采用5阶精度的加权紧致非线性格式(WCNS-E-5)和多块对接结构网格技术,两种湍流模型分别是一方程SA和两方程SST湍流模型,在与相应试验结果对比的基础上,详细研究了WCNS-E-5格式在跨声速大攻角旋涡流动中的表现,以及不同网格规模、两种湍流模型对主涡二次涡相互作用、涡破裂位置和表面压力分布的影响。本文的研究结果表明,高阶精度格式WCNS-E-5能成功应用于三角翼的跨声速大攻角流动,网格规模的增加进一步提高流场分辨率,SST湍流模型相对SA湍流模型在三角翼大攻角流动中具有更好的适用性。     

Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) Investigation

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) investigation will use a 2-megapixel color camera with a focusable macro lens aboard the rover, Curiosity, to investigate the stratigraphy and grain-scale texture, structure, mineralogy, and morphology of geologic materials in northwestern Gale crater. Of particular interest is the stratigraphic record of a ～5?km thick layered rock sequence exposed on the slopes of Aeolis Mons (also known as Mount Sharp). The instrument consists of three parts, a?camera head mounted on the turret at the end of a robotic arm, an electronics and data storage assembly located inside the rover body, and a calibration target mounted on the robotic arm shoulder azimuth actuator housing. MAHLI can acquire in-focus images at working distances from ～2.1?cm to infinity. At the minimum working distance, image pixel scale is ～14?μm per pixel and very coarse silt grains can be resolved. At the working distance of the Mars Exploration Rover Microscopic Imager cameras aboard Spirit and Opportunity, MAHLI’s resolution is comparable at ～30?μm per pixel. Onboard capabilities include autofocus, auto-exposure, sub-framing, video imaging, Bayer pattern color interpolation, lossy and lossless compression, focus merging of up to 8 focus stack images, white light and longwave ultraviolet (365 nm) illumination of nearby subjects, and 8 gigabytes of non-volatile memory data storage.     

ARTEMIS Science Objectives

NASA??s two spacecraft ARTEMIS mission will address both heliospheric and planetary research questions, first while in orbit about the Earth with the Moon and subsequently while in orbit about the Moon. Heliospheric topics include the structure of the Earth??s magnetotail; reconnection, particle acceleration, and turbulence in the Earth??s magnetosphere, at the bow shock, and in the solar wind; and the formation and structure of the lunar wake. Planetary topics include the lunar exosphere and its relationship to the composition of the lunar surface, the effects of electric fields on dust in the exosphere, internal structure of the Moon, and the lunar crustal magnetic field. This paper describes the expected contributions of ARTEMIS to these baseline scientific objectives.     

The Galactic Environment of the Sun: Interstellar Material Inside and Outside of the Heliosphere

Interstellar material (ISMa) is observed both inside and outside of the heliosphere. Relating these diverse sets of ISMa data provides a richer understanding of both the interstellar medium and the heliosphere. The galactic environment of the Sun is dominated by warm, low-density, partially ionized interstellar material consisting of atoms and dust grains. The properties of the heliosphere are dependent on the pressure, composition, radiation field, ionization, and magnetic field of ambient ISMa. The very low-density interior of the Local Bubble, combined with an expanding superbubble shell associated with star formation in the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, dominate the properties of the local interstellar medium (LISM). Once the heliosphere boundaries and interaction mechanisms are understood, interstellar gas, dust, pickup ions, and anomalous cosmic rays inside of the heliosphere can be directly compared to ISMa outside of the heliosphere. Our understanding of ISMa at the Sun is further enriched when the circumheliospheric interstellar material is compared to observations of other nearby ISMa and the overall context of our galactic environment. The IBEX mission will map the interaction region between the heliosphere and ISMa, and improve the accuracy of comparisons between ISMa inside and outside the heliosphere.     

Correction to: Mission to Planet Earth: The First Two Billion Years

Space Science Reviews - The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission makes measurements in near-Earth space that provide knowledge of the state of the ionosphere. From the vantage of...     

Rosina – Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis

The Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) will answer important questions posed by the mission’s main objectives. After Giotto, this will be the first time the volatile part of a comet will be analyzed in situ. This is a very important investigation, as comets, in contrast to meteorites, have maintained most of the volatiles of the solar nebula. To accomplish the very demanding objectives through all the different phases of the comet’s activity, ROSINA has unprecedented capabilities including very wide mass range (1 to >300 amu), very high mass resolution (m/Δ m > 3000, i.e. the ability to resolve CO from N₂ and ¹³C from ¹²CH), very wide dynamic range and high sensitivity, as well as the ability to determine cometary gas velocities, and temperature. ROSINA consists of two mass spectrometers for neutrals and primary ions with complementary capabilities and a pressure sensor. To ensure that absolute gas densities can be determined, each mass spectrometer carries a reservoir of a calibrated gas mixture allowing in-flight calibration. Furthermore, identical flight-spares of all three sensors will serve for detailed analysis of all relevant parameters, in particular the sensitivities for complex organic molecules and their fragmentation patterns in our electron bombardment ion sources.