Geometric accuracy in airborne SAR images

Uncorrected across-track motions of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) platform can cause both a severe loss of azimuthal positioning accuracy in, and defocusing of, the resultant SAR image. It is shown how the results of an autofocus procedure can be incorporated in the azimuth processing to produce a fully focused image that is geometrically accurate in azimuth. Range positioning accuracy is also discussed, leading to a comprehensive treatment of all aspects of geometric accuracy. The system considered is an X-band SAR     

主动失谐叶盘振动特性及鲁棒性研究

由于随机失谐的存在,实际叶盘通常一定程度地偏离设计值,其动力学特性通常因此而发生较大改变。以某型航空压气机高保真叶盘模型为例,采用失谐叶盘减缩建模方法,对不同阶次激励下的随机失谐叶盘响应特性进行了统计分析。研究表明:叶盘最大响应随着随机失谐值的增大呈先急剧上升后下降并趋于稳定趋势,表现"阀值"效应。此外,将失谐作为设计参数,着重研究了常见的主动失谐叶盘的响应特性,可见主动失谐叶盘相较于同等失谐程度的随机失谐叶盘具有更小的响应幅值。最后,分析了主动失谐叶盘对随机失谐的鲁棒性。     

Computational modeling of interference between helicopter main and tail rotors based on nonlinear blade vortex model

The Mi-2 helicopter was taken as an example for modeling the main and tail rotors operation with account for the interference at low speed sliding flight. Aerodynamic characteristics were calculated. The form of nonlinear vortical wake was obtained.     

Theory and Modeling for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission will provide measurement capabilities, which will exceed those of earlier and even contemporary missions by orders of magnitude. MMS will, for the first time, be able to measure directly and with sufficient resolution key features of the magnetic reconnection process, down to the critical electron scales, which need to be resolved to understand how reconnection works. Owing to the complexity and extremely high spatial resolution required, no prior measurements exist, which could be employed to guide the definition of measurement requirements, and consequently set essential parameters for mission planning and execution. Insight into expected details of the reconnection process could hence only been obtained from theory and modern kinetic modeling. This situation was recognized early on by MMS leadership, which supported the formation of a fully integrated Theory and Modeling Team (TMT). The TMT participated in all aspects of mission planning, from the proposal stage to individual aspects of instrument performance characteristics. It provided and continues to provide to the mission the latest insights regarding the kinetic physics of magnetic reconnection, as well as associated particle acceleration and turbulence, assuring that, to the best of modern knowledge, the mission is prepared to resolve the inner workings of the magnetic reconnection process. The present paper provides a summary of key recent results or reconnection research by TMT members.     

Difficulties in the study of cosmic radio noise absorption at 30 MHz using riometer at low latitude station,Kolhapur (Lat-16.8°N,Long-74.25°E)

A dual dipole antenna has been installed at low latitude station Kolhapur (Geographic 16.8°N, 74.25°E), Maharashtra, India for the study of cosmic radio noise absorption using Solid State Riometer (which operates at 30 MHz) during pre phase of 24th solar maxima. The aim for this type of study over Kolhapur was to know the response of lower (D region) ionosphere over low latitude by cosmic radio noise absorption using riometer technique during quite period as well as sudden ionospheric disturbances (SID). The observations are being taken for 3 years. Two different sites (∼40 km away from each other) were used for the installation of riometer equipment assuming minimum local noise. It is found that solar noise to cosmic radio noise hence resulting in signal saturation. The night time signal is relatively free of interference but sometimes local noise is responsible for spike-like signatures. Hence it is concluded that Kolhapur (a low latitude station) is not suitable for the study of cosmic radio noise absorption on 30 MHz with riometer and dual dipole antenna. Proper choice for operating frequency of riometer and antenna gain is suggested for low latitude use of this technique for ionospheric deviative and nondeviative absorption studies.     

Quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of tropical total ozone under alternative QBO scenarios of equatorial stratospheric wind

Equatorial total column ozone variations with quasi-biennial periodicity are described by paying attention to their coupling with the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of zonal wind in equatorial stratosphere. Analysis is made for the 35-year time interval from 1978 to 2013 using the zonal mean total ozone (TOZ) data in latitude band from 5° S to 5° N derived from satellite measurements by means of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The study was performed using strong seasonal regularities of the wind QBO and the discrete variation of the QBO-period revealed earlier. The forecast of the wind QBO evolution made in Gabis (2012) is fully justified. The comparison between predicted and actually observed changes of the height wind structure shows the prominent accordance, which confirms the forecast validity. It is shown that variations of deseasonalized TOZ are in strong coupling with changes of equatorial wind QBO that coincides with the numerous previous researches. However our results contradict the assumption about quite complicated ozone response in the equatorial region due to continuously varying with time relationship between annual and quasi-biennial cycles and irregularly variable wind QBO-period. The total ozone changes actually observed clearly corresponds to the mean ozone variations calculated for different QBO scenarios and aligned according to the sequence of QBO scenarios already occurred in fact. This close association indicates the possibility of forecasting the equatorial total ozone QBO based on the predicted wind QBO.     

The ionosphere and the Latin America VLF Network Mexico (LAVNet-Mex) station

In order to detect and study the ionospheric response to solar flares (transient high energy solar radiation), we have constructed a radio receiver station at Mexico City, which is part of the “Latin American Very low frequency Network” (LAVNet-Mex). This station extends to the northern hemisphere the so called “South American VLF Network”.