High velocity impact characterization of Al alloys for oblique impacts

This paper describes the experimental and computational analyses of a high velocity aluminum projectile impact on an Al6061-T6 spacecraft inner wall at different oblique angles. Al2017-T4 spherical projectiles of 5.56 mm in diameter and 0.25 g in weight were chosen within the velocity range of 1000±200 m/s due to the limitation of the light gas gun. The energy absorbed was calculated by measuring the velocities before and after impact on the inner wall. The energy absorbed by the wall and the remaining energy carried by the projectile helped to estimate the severity of further damage to inner components. Afterwards, validation was done by using the commercially available software LS-DYNA with a dedicated SPH. On average, a 10% energy absorption difference between experimentation and simulation was found. By using C-SCAN, the damage area proportion of the total inner wall to impact penetration hole area was found to be on average 6%, 26% and 53% greater than the projectile cross sectional area for the oblique angle impacts of 30°, 45°, and 60°, respectively. These findings helped to understand the relationship between the oblique impact event and the damage area on a spacecraft inner wall along with space debris cloud propagation and comparison with experimental results using LS-DYNA.     

Analysis and pre-development of an imaging spectrometer for in-situ cometary soil analysis on-board the esa rosetta mission

The CIVA-M instrument, a highly integrated infrared/visible microscope for the Rosetta mission (ESA — 2003) is presented. It will enable scientists to study in great detail the composition of the Wirtanen Comet: minerals, organic compounds and ices. A monochromator will illuminate a cometary sample, drilled from the comet sub-surface (≈40cm). An infrared detector will give an image of the sample for each wavelength, from 1 to 4μm with a spectral resolution of 6nm and a spatial resolution of 50 μm. In order to analyze accurately spectra a signal to noise ratio of 50 is needed (for ALBEDO = 0.04). We will use a 128×128 elements photovoltaic mercury cadmium telluride bi-dimensional array working at intermediate temperature (110K to 150K), from the French company SOFRADIR. At such relatively high temperature the critical parameter is the dark current: it limits the exposure time, preventing a high signal to noise ratio. I am in charge of the electronic board, which is the interface between the detector and the on-board processor. Some preliminary results obtained with this board, on a test detector, are then discussed.     

Does the endolymph pass through the base of the cupula?

Whether the endolymph of the semicircular canal passes the cupular partition or not was examined using the lateral semicircular canal system of adult pigeons (Columba livia). By applying various pressures by means of injection of a dye solution through the membranous canal, it was found that the dye solution, was seen to pass the cupula even under very low pressures when the pressure was increased gradually. When pulled by a magnet, the ultrafine particles of the dextran magnetite contained in the injected fluid were found to pass through the subcupular space without evident increase of the ampullary pressure.     

Dosimetric mapping inside BIORACK

The experiment was flown in different locations inside BIORACK on the D1 mission. It contained different plastic detectors (cellulose nitrate, Lexan, and CR 39) and emulsions to measure the high LET components of the radiation environment. For low LET measurements thermoluminescence dosimeters (L iF) were used. The paper gives data about total dose, charge, energy, and LET spectra so far obtained. These data are compared with data of previous spaceflights.     

Embryogenesis and organogenesis of Carausius morosus under spaceflight conditions

The influence of cosmic radiation and/or microgravity on insect development was studied during the 7 day German Spacelab Mission D1. Eggs of Carausius morosus of five stages differing in sensitivity to radiation and in capacity to regeneration were allowed to continue their development in the BIORACK 22°C incubator, either at microgravity conditions or on the 1 g reference centrifuge. Using the Biostack concept - eggs in monolayers were sandwiched between visual track detectors - and the 1 g reference centrifuge, we were able to separate radiation effects from microgravity effects and also from combined effects of these two factors in space. After retrieval, hatching rates, growth kinetics and anomaly frequencies were determined in the different test samples. The early stages of development turned out to be highly sensitive to single hits of cosmic ray particles as well as to the temporary exposure to microgravity during their development. In some cases, the combined action of radiation and microgravity even amplified the effects exerted by the single parameters of space. Hits by single HZE particles caused early effects, such as body anomalies, as well as late effects, such as retarded growth after hatching. Microgravity exposure lead to a reduced hatching rate. A synergistic action of HZE particle hits and microgravity was established in the unexpectedly high frequency of anomal larvae. However, it cannot be excluded, that cosmic background radiation or low LET HZE particles are also causally involved in damage observed in the microgravity samples.     

Radiation protection problems for the space station and approaches to their mitigation.

With the advent of a permanent manned space station the longstanding problems of radiation protection in manned spaceflight have acquired an immediacy. This paper endeavors to emphasize the gaps of our knowledge which must be closed for effective radiation protection. The information that is required includes the accurate determination of the exposure inside the space station to the various components of tile ionizing radiation, the evaluation of the biological importance of the different radiation qualities and the depth dose distribution of the less penetrating component. There is also the possibility of an interaction with weightlessness. It is necessary to establish adequate radiation protection standards and a system of dosimetric surveillance. There is a need for studies of possible methods of hardening selective shielding of the space station. Spaceflight experiments, which might contribute to the solution of some of these problems are discussed.     

Have deoxyribonucleotides and DNA been among the earliest biomolecules?

Unlike ribose chemistry, the chemistry of 2-deoxyribose precludes its formation or at least its incorporation into nucleotides under accepted "primordial soup" conditions; therefore RNA and DNA could not develop in parallel during the evolution of protocells. However, deoxyribonucleotides might have been formed abiotically by direct reduction of ribonucleotides in a primitive version of the biochemical pathway. This sequence of events, in which DNA lagged behind RNA in the assembly of genetic information for an unknown--probably short--period of time is suggested by the primitive traits (i.e., nucleotide binding, thiol redox chemistry, and metal ion catalysis) of present-day enzyme systems of deoxyribonucleotide biosynthesis. The reaction should be amenable to experimental study.     

X-ray and gamma-ray observations of a white-light flare

HEAO-1 observed hard radiations (X- and gamma-rays) from a major solar flare on 11 July 1978. The observations showed gamma-ray line and continuum emission extending to the highest energy observed. The lines are identified with the 2.2 MeV line of deuterium formation and the 4.4 MeV line of inelastic scattering on ¹²C, both previously observed in the flares of August 1972 [1]. The 11 July flare was identified as a white-light flare by observations at Debrecen [2]. It thus provides the first opportunity for a detailed examination of white-light flare theories that depend upon proton heating of the photosphere. The line strength over a four-minute integration at 2.2 MeV was 1.00 ± 0.29 ph(cm² sec)⁻¹, and the gamma-ray emission (excluding the 2.2 MeV line which was appreciably delayed) lagged by less than 20 sec approximately after the hard X-ray and microwave fluxes. We conclude that the “second-stage” acceleration of high-energy solar particles must commence promptly after the impulsive phase.     

A search for chiral signatures on Mars

It is thought that the chiral molecules of living material can induce circular polarization in light at levels much higher than expected from abiotic processes. We therefore obtained high quality imaging circular polarimetry of the martian surface during the favorable opposition of 2003 to seek evidence of anomalous optical activity. We used two narrow-band filters covering 43% of the martian surface, 15% of it in-depth. With polarization noise levels <0.1% (4.3 upper limits 0.2-0.3%) and spatial resolution 210 km, we did not find any regions of circular polarization. When data were averaged over the observed face of the planet, we did see a small non-zero circular polarization 0.02%, which may be due to effects associated with the opposition configuration though it is at the limit of the instrumental capability. Our observations covered only a small fraction of parameter space, so although we obtained a null result, we cannot exclude the presence of optical activity at other wavelengths, in other locations, or at higher spatial resolution.     

Electrostatic Noise Spectrum at the Electron Cyclotron Frequency and Electromagnetic Emission in the Inhomogeneous Plasma of the Topside Ionosphere

Measurements of the wave emission of the topside ionosphere made onboard the APEX satellite using the electric component of the wave field in the 0.1–10 MHz frequency band are presented. At middle latitudes a wave intensity decrease was observed in the broad-band spectrum of the electrostatic noise at the electron cyclotron frequency. It is shown that a break in the spectrum of electrostatic modes at the electron cyclotron frequency (the absence of the plasma eigen-frequencies) may be a cause of the observed effect. The increase of the intensity at the electron cyclotron frequency in the ionospheric trough and at latitudes above the trough region as compared to middle latitudes may be explained by the capture by plasma irregularities of the electromagnetic emission of the auroral electron fluxes.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 201–208.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Izhovkina, Prutensky, Pulinets, Kiraga, Klos, Rothkael.