Regolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Aboard the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission

The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is the student collaboration experiment proposed and built by an MIT-Harvard team, launched aboard NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. REXIS complements the scientific investigations of other OSIRIS-REx instruments by determining the relative abundances of key elements present on the asteroid’s surface by measuring the X-ray fluorescence spectrum (stimulated by the natural solar X-ray flux) over the range of energies 0.5 to 7 keV. REXIS consists of two components: a main imaging spectrometer with a coded aperture mask and a separate solar X-ray monitor to account for the Sun’s variability. In addition to element abundance ratios (relative to Si) pinpointing the asteroid’s most likely meteorite association, REXIS also maps elemental abundance variability across the asteroid’s surface using the asteroid’s rotation as well as the spacecraft’s orbital motion. Image reconstruction at the highest resolution is facilitated by the coded aperture mask. Through this operation, REXIS will be the first application of X-ray coded aperture imaging to planetary surface mapping, making this student-built instrument a pathfinder toward future planetary exploration. To date, 60 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels have been involved with the REXIS project, with the hands-on experience translating to a dozen Master’s and Ph.D. theses and other student publications.     

Comparison of vertical E × B drift velocities and ground-based magnetometer observations of DELTA H in the low latitude under geomagnetically disturbed conditions

In the present work, we analyzed the daytime vertical E × B drift velocities obtained from Jicamarca Unattended Long-term Ionosphere Atmosphere (JULIA) radar and ΔH component of geomagnetic field measured as the difference between the magnitudes of the horizontal (H) components between two magnetometers deployed at two different locations Jicamarca, and Piura in Peru for 22 geomagnetically disturbed events in which either SC has occurred or Dst_max < ?50 nT during the period 2006–2011. The ΔH component of geomagnetic field is measured as the differences in the magnitudes of horizontal H component between magnetometer placed directly on the magnetic equator and one displaced 6–9° away. It will provide a direct measure of the daytime electrojet current, due to the eastward electric field. This will in turn gives the magnitude of vertical E × B drift velocity in the F region. A positive correlation exists between peak values of daytime vertical E × B drift velocity and peak value of ΔH for the three consecutive days of the events. It was observed that 45% of the events have daytime vertical E × B drift velocity peak in the magnitude range 10–20 m/s and 20–30 m/s and 20% have peak ΔH in the magnitude range 50–60 nT and 80–90 nT. It was observed that the time of occurrence of the peak value of both the vertical E × B drift velocity and the ΔH have a maximum (40%) probability in the same time range 11:00–13:00 LT. We also investigated the correlation between E × B drift velocity and D_st index and the correlation between delta H and D_st index. A strong positive correlation is found between E × B drift and D_st index as well as between delta H and D_st Index. Three different techniques of data analysis – linear, polynomial (order 2), and polynomial (order 3) regression analysis were considered. The regression parameters in all the three cases were calculated using the Least Square Method (LSM), using the daytime vertical E × B drift velocity and ΔH. A formula was developed which indicates the relationship between daytime vertical E × B drift velocity and ΔH, for the disturbed periods. The E × B drift velocity was then evaluated using the formulae thus found for the three regression analysis and validated for the ‘disturbed periods’ of 3 selected events. The E × B drift velocities estimated by the three regression analysis have a fairly good agreement with JULIA radar observed values under different seasons and solar activity conditions. Root Mean Square (RMS) errors calculated for each case suggest that polynomial (order 3) regression analysis provides a better agreement with the observations from among the three.     

一种基于卷积神经网络的地磁基准图构建方法

地磁匹配导航技术是一种重要的辅助导航制导方法，地磁基准图的构建精度对地磁匹配制导的精准度起着决定性作用。针对现有地磁基准图构建精度难以满足实际地磁匹配导航需求的问题，提出了一种基于卷积神经网络的地磁基准图构建方法。首先，利用卷积层提取低分辨率基准图中的特征图像块；然后，利用基于学习的阈值收缩算法（LISTA）实现图像块的稀疏表示；最后，利用三通道的地磁信息得到重建后的高分辨率基准图。实验结果表明:所提方法对地磁基准图具有更高的构建精度，同时对噪声有更好的鲁棒性，各种客观评价指标均高于现有的超分辨率重建方法。      

Simulation of a Rocket Engine Nozzle Discharge Coefficient

Multiparameter studies of the discharge coefficient dependence on the nozzle geometry and the presence of a condensed phase in combustion products were performed. The simulation results obtained satisfactorily agree with the well-known generalized data. The modern computational fluid dynamics methods were shown to be able to refine the generalized empirical relations.     

The Delivery of Water During Terrestrial Planet Formation

The planetary building blocks that formed in the terrestrial planet region were likely very dry, yet water is comparatively abundant on Earth. Here we review the various mechanisms proposed for the origin of water on the terrestrial planets. Various in-situ mechanisms have been suggested, which allow for the incorporation of water into the local planetesimals in the terrestrial planet region or into the planets themselves from local sources, although all of those mechanisms have difficulties. Comets have also been proposed as a source, although there may be problems fitting isotopic constraints, and the delivery efficiency is very low, such that it may be difficult to deliver even a single Earth ocean of water this way. The most promising route for water delivery is the accretion of material from beyond the snow line, similar to carbonaceous chondrites, that is scattered into the terrestrial planet region as the planets are growing. Two main scenarios are discussed in detail. First is the classical scenario in which the giant planets begin roughly in their final locations and the disk of planetesimals and embryos in the terrestrial planet region extends all the way into the outer asteroid belt region. Second is the Grand Tack scenario, where early inward and outward migration of the giant planets implants material from beyond the snow line into the asteroid belt and terrestrial planet region, where it can be accreted by the growing planets. Sufficient water is delivered to the terrestrial planets in both scenarios. While the Grand Tack scenario provides a better fit to most constraints, namely the small mass of Mars, planets may form too fast in the nominal case discussed here. This discrepancy may be reduced as a wider range of initial conditions is explored. Finally, we discuss several more recent models that may have important implications for water delivery to the terrestrial planets.     

全模颤振双索悬挂系统刚体模态频率研究

研究绳系结构和绳索预紧力对全模颤振双索悬挂系统刚体模态频率的影响。首先，基于绳索并联机构理论，对双索悬挂系统进行静力学建模，引入加权矩阵，推导了双索悬挂系统静刚度模型；其次，建立双索悬挂系统无阻尼振荡方程，分析双索悬挂系统刚体模态频率变化规律；进而，搭建了双索悬挂系统地面样机，开展系统模态频率测试试验，研究系统刚体模态频率的影响因素及其变化规律；最后，参考试验结果修正所建数学模型。结果表明，随着绳索预紧力的增加，系统刚体模态频率呈上升趋势，但各阶刚体模态的固有频率上升速率不同，平动模态的固有频率受绳索预紧力影响比转动模态小得多；在转动模态方面，滚转模态的固有频率最大且上升快；在平动模态方面，升沉模态的固有频率大于横侧滑模态的固有频率；双索经过的机身前后滑轮与飞机模型质心之间的相对位置变化会不同程度地影响支撑系统俯仰模态、偏航模态的固有频率，但几乎不影响其滚转模态的固有频率。研究发现，通过控制悬挂绳索预紧力的大小，合理设计机身上的滑轮安装位置，能够有效降低双索悬挂系统刚体模态频率。研究结果对于优化设计全模颤振双索悬挂系统具有指导意义。     

Predicting performance in manually controlled rendezvous and docking through spatial abilities

Manually controlled rendezvous and docking (manual RVD) is a challenging space task for astronauts. This study aims to identify spatial abilities that are critical for accomplishing manual RVD. Based on task analysis, spatial abilities were deduced to be critical for accomplishing manual RVD. 15 Male participants performed manual RVD task simulations and spatial ability tests (the object-manipulation spatial ability and spatial orientation ability). Participants’ performance in the test of visualization of viewpoints (which measures the spatial orientation ability) was found to be significantly correlated with their manual RVD performance, indicating that the spatial orientation ability in the sense of perspective taking is particularly important for accomplishing manual RVD.     

Sliding mode control design for oblique wing aircraft in wing skewing process

When the wing of Oblique Wing Aircraft (OWA) is skewed, the center of gravity, inertia and aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft all significantly change, causing an undesirable flight dynamic response, affecting the flying qualities, and even endangering the flight safety. In this study, the dynamic response of an OWA in the wing skewing process is simulated, showing that the three-axis movements of the OWA are highly coupled and present nonlinear characteristics during the wing skewing. As the roll control efficiency of the aileron decreases due to the shortened control arm in an oblique configuration, the all-moving horizontal tail is used for additional roll and the control allocation is performed based on minimum control energy. Given the properties of pitch-roll-yaw coupling and control input and state coupling, and the difficulty of establishing an accurate aerodynamic model in the wing skewing process due to unsteady aerodynamic force, a multi-loop sliding mode controller is formulated by the time-scale separation method. The closed-loop simulation results show that the asymmetric aerodynamics can be balanced and that the velocity and altitude of the aircraft maintain stable, which means that a smooth transition is obtained during the OWA’s wing skewing.     

Assessment study of ionosphere correction model using single- and multi-shell algorithms approach over sub-Saharan African region

It is a known fact that ionosphere is the largest and the least predictable among the sources of error limiting the reliability and accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and its regional augmentation systems like Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) in a safety-of-life application. The situation becomes worse in the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) region, where the daytime ionization distribution is modified by the fountain effect that develops a crest of electron density at around ±15° to ±20° of the magnetic equator and a trough at the magnetic equator during the local noon hours. Related to this phenomenon is the appearance of ionosphere irregularities and plasma bubbles after local sunset. These may degrade further the quality of service obtained from the GNSS/SBAS system of the said periods. Considering the present operational augmentation systems, the accuracy and integrity of the ionosphere corrections estimate decreases as the level of disturbances increases. In order to provide a correct ionosphere correction to the user of GNSS operating in African EIA region and meet the integrity requirements, a certified ionosphere correction model that accurately characterizes EIA gradient with the full capacity to over-bound the residual error will be needed. An irregularities detector and a decorrelation adaptor are essential in an algorithm usable for African sub-Saharan SBAS operation. The algorithm should be able to cater to the equatorial plasma vertical drifts, diurnal and seasonal variability of the ionosphere electron density and also should take into account the large spatial and temporal gradients in the region. This study presents the assessment of the ionosphere threat model with single and multi-layer algorithm, using modified planar fit and Kriging approaches.