Improvement of conventional combustion chamber structure in order to enhance GTE ecological indicators

The test results of a conventional combustion chamber with the improved structure are presented. The concentration of toxic substance emissions is reduced as compared with combustion chambers of the similar type.     

Limits of flanging process feasibility to create thin-wall conical shells

In this paper, a process of flanging to create thin-walled axisymmetrical shells with the shape of truncated cone is analyzed. Also presented are some dependences that make it possible to determine the relative depth of a formed piece at the given piece-blank thickness ratio.     

Simulation of helicopter motion in unsteady conditions

To calculate the unsteady helicopter motion, we propose a simplifying approach consisting in the fact that the numerical solution of equations of nonlinear nonstationary aerodynamics and flight dynamics are made successively in time intervals. As an example, the results of calculating the helicopter motion in descent are presented. The mathematical model and algorithm can be used for calculating the unsteady motion of different helicopters.     

The ‘soot line’: Destruction of presolar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the terrestrial planet-forming region of disks

Interstellar material is highly processed when subjected to the physical conditions that prevail in the inner regions of protoplanetary disks, the potential birthplace of habitable planets. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are abundant in the interstellar medium, and they have also been observed in the disks around young stars, with evidence for some modification in the latter. Using a chemical model developed for sooting flames, we have investigated the chemical evolution of PAHs in warm (1000–2000 K) and oxygen-rich (C/O < 1) conditions appropriate for the region where habitable planets may eventually form. Our study focuses on (1) delineating the conditions under which PAHs will react and (2) identifying the key reaction pathways and reaction products characterizing this chemical evolution. We find that reactions with H, OH and O are the main pathways for destroying PAHs over disk timescale at temperatures greater than about 1000 K. In the process, high abundances of C₂H₂ persist over long timescales due to the kinetic inhibition of reactions that eventually drive the carbon into CO, CO₂ and CH₄. The thermal destruction of PAHs may thus be the cause of the abundant C₂H₂ that has been observed in disks. We propose that protoplanetary disks have a ‘soot line’, within which PAHs are irreversibly destroyed via thermally-driven reactions. The soot line will play an important role, analogous to that of the ‘snow line’, in the bulk carbon content of meteorites and habitable planets.     

IDS contribution to ITRF2008

For the first time, the International DORIS Service (IDS) has produced a technique level combination based on the contributions of seven analysis centers (ACs), including the European Space Operations Center (ESOC), Geodetic Observatory Pecny (GOP), Geoscience Australia (GAU), the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Institut Géographique National (IGN), the Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences (INASAN, named as INA), and CNES/CLS (named as LCA). The ACs used five different software packages to process the DORIS data from 1992 to 2008, including NAPEOS (ESA), Bernese (GOP), GEODYN (GAU, GSC), GIPSY/OASIS (INA), and GINS (LCA). The data from seven DORIS satellites, TOPEX/Poseidon, SPOT-2, SPOT-3, SPOT-4, SPOT-5, Envisat and Jason-1 were processed and all the analysis centers produced weekly SINEX files in either variance–covariance or normal equation format. The processing by the analysis centers used the latest GRACE-derived gravity models, forward modelling of atmospheric gravity, updates to the radiation pressure modelling to improve the DORIS geocenter solutions, denser parameterization of empirically determined drag coefficients to improve station and EOP solutions, especially near the solar maximum in 2001–2002, updated troposphere mapping functions, and an ITRF2005-derived station set for orbit determination, DPOD2005. The CATREF software was used to process the weekly AC solutions, and produce three iterations of an IDS global weekly combination. Between the development of the initial solution IDS-1, and the final solution, IDS-3, the ACs improved their analysis strategies and submitted updated solutions to eliminate troposphere-derived biases in the solution scale, to reduce drag-related degradations in station positioning, and to refine the estimation strategy to improve the combination geocenter solution. An analysis of the frequency content of the individual AC geocenter and scale solutions was used as the basis to define the scale and geocenter of the IDS-3 combination. The final IDS-3 combination has an internal position consistency (WRMS) that is 15 to 20 mm before 2002 and 8 to 10 mm after 2002, when 4 or 5 satellites contribute to the weekly solutions. The final IDS-3 combination includes solutions for 130 DORIS stations on 67 different sites of which 35 have occupations over 16 years (1993.0–2009.0). The EOPs from the IDS-3 combination were compared with the IERS 05 C04 time series and the RMS agreement was 0.24 mas and 0.35 mas for the X and Y components of polar motion. The comparison to ITRF2005 in station position shows an agreement of 6 to 8 mm RMS in horizontal and 10.3 mm in height. The RMS comparison to ITRF2005 in station velocity is at 1.8 mm/year on the East component, to 1.2 mm/year in North component and 1.6 mm/year in height.     

DORIS geodesy: A dynamic determination of geocentre location

Geoscience Australia contributed a multi-satellite, multi-year weekly time series to the International DORIS Service combined submission for the construction of International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2008 (ITRF2008). This contributing solution was extended to a study of the capability of DORIS to dynamically estimate the variation in the geocentre location. Two solutions, comprising different constraint configurations of the tracking network, were undertaken. The respective DORIS satellite orbit solutions (SPOT-2, SPOT-4, SPOT-5 and Envisat) were verified and validated by comparison with those produced at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), DORIS Analysis Centre, for computational consistency and standards. In addition, in the case of Envisat, the trajectories from the GA determined SLR and DORIS orbits were compared. The results for weekly dynamic geocentre estimates from the two constraint configurations were benchmarked against the geometric geocentre estimates from the IDS-2 combined solution. This established that DORIS is capable of determining the dynamic geocentre variation by estimating the degree one spherical harmonic coefficients of the Earth’s gravity potential. It was established that constrained configurations produced similar results for the geocentre location and consequently similar annual amplitudes. For the minimally constrained configuration Greenbelt–Kitab, the mean of the uncertainties of the geocentre location were 2.3, 2.3 and 7.6 mm and RMS of the mean uncertainties were 1.9, 1.2 and 3.5 mm for the X, Y and Z components, respectively. For GA_IDS-2_Datum constrained configuration, the mean of the uncertainties of the geocentre location were 1.7, 1.7 and 6.2 mm and RMS of the mean uncertainties were 0.9, 0.7 and 2.9 mm for the X, Y and Z components, respectively. The mean of the differences of the two DORIS dynamic geocentre solutions with respect to the IDS-2 combination were 1.6, 4.0 and 5.1 mm with an RMS of the mean 21.2, 14.0 and 31.5 mm for the Greenbelt–Kitab configuration and 4.1, 3.9 and 4.3 mm with an RMS 8.1, 9.0 and 28.6 mm for the GA_IDS-2_Datum constraint configuration. The annual amplitudes for each component were estimated to be 5.3, 10.8 and 11.0 mm for the Greenbelt–Kitab configuration and 5.3, 9.3 and 9.4 mm for the GA_IDS-2_Datum constraint configuration. The two DORIS determined dynamic geocentre solutions were compared to the SLR determined dynamic solution (which was determined from the same process of the GA contribution to the ITRF2008 ILRS combination) gave mean differences of 3.3, −4.7 and 2.5 mm with an RMS of 20.7, 17.5 and 28.0 mm for the X, Y and Z components, respectively for the Greenbelt–Kitab configuration and 1.1, −5.4 and 4.4 mm with an RMS of 9.7, 13.3 and 24.9 mm for the GA_IDS-2_Datum configuration. The larger variability is reflected in the respective amplitudes. As a comparison, the annual amplitudes of the SLR determined dynamic geocentre are 0.9, 1.0 and 6.8 mm in the X, Y and Z components. The results from this study indicate that there is potential to achieve precise dynamically determined geocentre from DORIS.     

Intensification of heat exchange on the convex surface of an annular channel with continuous flow swirling

In this paper, the results of an experimental study concerning average heat transfer in an annular channel with flow swirling by an endless screw and spherical grooves on the convex surface are presented. Also analyzed is the heat and hydraulic efficiency of grooves application under conditions being considered.     

Biomedical problems of EVA support during manned space flight to Mars

Current projects of manned missions to Mars are aimed to their realization in the second-third decades of this century. The purpose of this paper is to determine and review the main biomedical problems, that require a first and foremost decision for safety support of extravehicular activity (EVA) carried out by crewmembers of the Mars expedition. To a number of such problems the authors of the paper attribute a creation of adequate EVA equipment intended, first, for assembly of interplanetary spacecraft on the Earth orbit, performance of maintenance operations and scientific researches on the external surface of spacecraft during interplanetary flight and, secondly, for work on the Mars surface. New generation of space suits with low weight, high mobility and acceptable risk of decompression sickness must be as a central component of EVA equipment. The program for preparation to a Mars expedition also has to include special investigations in order to design the means and methods for a reliable protection of crew against space radiation, to elaborate the approach to medical monitoring and primary medical care during autonomous space mission, to maintain good health condition of crewmembers during EVA under the Mars gravity (0.38 g) after super long-term flight in weightlessness.     

Experiments with a Low Polarization Error Loop Array Direction Finder

A previously reported HF loop antenna array for multipolarization direction finding consisting of two spaced loops is described. The method is compatible with twin channel Watson-Watt operation as an Adcock so that the direction finding process is independent of polarization characteristics of the element pattern. Experimentally measured direction finder (DF) bearings were compared with near simultaneous polarimeter data and conventional crossed loops bearings. A major reduction in polarization error was obtained at the expense of full 360° azimuth response. It is theoretically possible to cover 360° with two similar arrays of the type investigated or with crossed loops elements with quadrature phase shifters.     

High temperature alters the growth reaction of Pottia protonemata.

Under gravistimulation, dark-grown protonemata of Pottia intermedia revealed negative gravitropism with a growth rate of approximately 28 μm·h⁻¹ at room temperature (20 °C). In 7 days, the protonema formed a bundle of vertically oriented filaments. At an elevated temperature (30 °C), bundles of vertically growing filaments were also formed. However, both filament growth rate and amplitude of the gravicurvature were reduced. Red light (RL) irradiation induced a positive phototropism of most apical protonemal cells at 20 °C. In a following period of darkness, approximately two-thirds of such cells began to grow upward again, recovering their negative gravitropism. RL irradiation at the elevated temperature caused a partial increase in the number of protonemal cells with negative phototropism, but the protonemata did not exhibit negative gravitropism after transfer to darkness. The negative gravitropic reaction was renewed only when protonemata were placed at 20 °C. A dramatic decrease in starch amount in protonemal apical cells, which are sensitive to both gravity and light, occurred at the higher temperature. Such a decrease may be one of the reasons for the inhibition of the protonemal gravireaction at the higher temperature. The observation has a bearing on the starch-statolith theory.