Comet Halley: Nucleus and jets (results of the VEGA mission)

The VEGA-1 and VEGA-2 spacecraft made their closest approach to Comet Halley on 6 and 9 March, respectively. In this paper those results of the onboard imaging experiment which were obtained around closest approach are discussed. The nucleus of the comet was clearly identifiable as an irregularly shaped object, with overall dimensions of (16±1)×(8±1)×(8±1) km. The nucleus rotates in the prograde sense about an axis nearly perpendicular to the orbital plane with a period of 53±2 hours. Its albedo is only $\text{0.04±}\text{0.02}\text{0.01}$ Many of the jet features observed during the second fly-by have been spatially reconstructed. Their sources form a quasi-linear structure on the surface. The dust above the surface is shown to be generally optically thin with the exception of certain specific dust jets. Brightness features on the surface are clearly seen. Correlating our data with other measurements, we conclude that the dirty snow-ball model will probably need to be revised.     

What is climate?

The present meaning of the word $\text{climate}$ evolved simultaneously with the formulation of research priorities which are regarded as necessary to explore the causes and, consequences of observed environmental changes. Climate can be understood in its widest sense as the totallity of influences to which the biosphere is exposed. Of primary interest are changes of these environmental conditions which are caused by the variability of the $\text{climate system}$. This expression is used in the sense of a physical system in which energy conversions take place, and which is forced, e.g. by the solar input, geologic events and man's activity. The climate system is composed of five major subsystems: atmosphere, hydrosphere, land surfaces, cryosphere and biosphere. These subsystems interact in a complex non-linear manner in different time scales. Major climate determining processes are outlined and the research priorities are discussed, which are regarded essential to investigate them and their interactions.     

Multimodule parallel series-loaded resonant converters

The design and implementation of a multimodule parallel series-loaded resonant (SLR) converter system is presented. The SLR converter to be paralleled is operated in the n=2 discontinuous mode (DCM). Its dc analysis and dynamic modeling are made. In parallel operation, an average control technique is proposed to compensate the mismatch in current control characteristics of each parallel converter. Good dynamic and static current sharing characteristics are obtained. In addition, to obtain good output voltage regulating control performance, a design procedure is presented to find the parameters of feedback voltage controller according to the prescribed specifications     

CFAR detection in clutter with unknown correlation properties

We develop a constant false-alarm rate (CFAR) approach for detecting a random N-dimensional complex vector in the presence of clutter or interference modeled as a zero mean complex Gaussian vector whose correlation properties are not known to the receiver. It is assumed that estimates of the correlation properties of the clutter/interference may be obtained independently by processing the received vectors from a set of reference cells. We characterize the detection performance of this algorithm when the signal to be detected is modeled as a zero-mean complex Gaussian random vector with unknown correlation matrix. Results show that for a prescribed false alarm probability and a given signal-to-clutter ratio (to be defined in the text), the detectability of Gaussian random signals depends on the eigenvalues of the matrix R_c^-1R_s. The nonsingular matrix R_c and the matrix R_s are the correlation matrices of clutter-plus-noise and signal vectors respectively. It is shown that the “effective” fluctuation statistics of the signal to be detected is determined completely by the eigenvalues of the matrix R_c^-1R_s. For example the signal to be detected has an effective Swerling II fluctuation statistics when all eigenvalues of the above matrix are equal. Swerling I fluctuation statistics results effectively when all eigenvalues except one are equal to zero. Eigenvalue distributions between these two limiting cases correspond to fluctuation statistics that lie between Swerling I and II models     

New atmospheric temperature results from the pioneer Venus entry probes

New Venus temperature profiles, derived from engineering measurements of the Small Probe Net Flux Radiometer (SNFR) instruments generally confirm to high accuracy the vertical structure and horizontal temperature contrast results of Seiff et al. /1/.     

Electric-vehicle batteries

Electric vehicles that can't reach trolley wires need batteries. In the early 1900's electric cars disappeared when owners found that replacing the car's worn-out lead-acid battery costs more than a new gasoline-powered car. Most of today's electric cars are still propelled by lead-acid batteries. General Motors in their prototype Impact, for example, used starting-lighting-ignition batteries, which deliver lots of power for demonstrations, but have a life of less than 100 deep discharges. Now promising alternative technology has challenged the world-wide lead miners, refiners, and battery makers into forming a consortium that sponsors research into making better lead-acid batteries. Horizon's new bipolar battery delivered 50 watt-hours per kg (Wh/kg), compared with 20 for ordinary transport-vehicle batteries. The alternatives are delivering from 80 Wh/kg (nickel-metal hydride) up to 200 Wh/kg (zinc-bromine). A Fiat Panda traveled 260 km on a single charge of its zinc-bromine battery. A German 3.5-ton postal truck traveled 300 km with a single charge in its 650-kg (146 Wh/kg) zinc-air battery. Its top speed was 110 km per hour     

Cospas-Sarsat: a quiet success story

This article will look at the origins of the Cospas-Sarsat International cooperative space program and its transition in the mid-1980s from a technical demonstration to an operational program. It will then attempt to identify some of the reasons for its success, with a view toward determining their applicability to other joint space applications projects.     

Non-conservative forces on LAGEOS I and II

The behavior of the empirically determined along-track accelerations from the LAGEOS satellites has been attributed to a variety of physical phenomena. Of these, the models for Yarkovsky thermal drag, anisotropic reflectivity and Yarkovsky-Schach drag are dependent on the spin axis orientation of the satellite. This investigation explores the utilization of these models in an attempt to recover the spin axis orientation history, particularly for the LAGEOS I satellite.     

The infra-red background generated by pregalactic stars and their remnants

We examine whether the IR background reported by Matsumoto (1983) could have been generated by stars or black holes in the pregalactic era, z=10100.