Contributions of the French Institut Géographique National (IGN) to the International DORIS Service

DORIS is one of the four geodetic space techniques participating to the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Since the early development of this system, the Institut Géographique National played a specific and active role. Within, the International DORIS Service (IDS), IGN is in a particular position. While it is responsible for the installation and the maintenance of the DORIS ground tracking stations, it also handles one of the two IDS data center delivering DORIS data and products and has been an IDS Analysis Center for years, providing all possible IDS products, in particular the latest ignwd08 time series in preparation of ITRF2008. This paper explains the different aspects of the IGN contribution to IDS from an historical point of view, presents current activities and scientific results and provides a perspective for future activities. Recent DORIS results show a 10 mm precision or better when more than four DORIS satellites are available. Comparisons between recent DORIS solutions (ign07d02 and ign09d02) and past ITRF realizations show that errors are shared between the DORIS and the ITRF realizations. Some problems related to DORIS data processing are also discussed and possible ways to solve them in the future are discussed. In particular, we can now reject the tropospheric origin of the problem detected in the Envisat data after the software upload of October 12, 2004. A few applications in geodesy (terrestrial reference frame, Earth’s polar motion) and geophysics are also discussed as a natural extension of these service-type activities.     

A flat panel display upgrade solution replaces military CRTtechnology

Successful technology insertion programs must satisfy many system constraints in order to incorporate new capabilities into aging avionics systems while meeting program cost requirements. Such constraints frequently include form, fit, and functional replacement specifications, as well as power and electrical performance restrictions. This paper describes a technology insertion program undertaken with the goal of replacing the 30-year-old azimuth indicator display of a radar warning receiver system. This necessitated the use of electroluminescent (EL) display technology to replace the analog cathode ray tube display currently used in the system. Because of the prohibitively high cost of aircraft wiring modifications, the replacement display was required to be completely form, fit, and functionally equivalent to its replacement. The form, fit, and functional equivalency requirement imposed the following system constraints: (1) power consumption of less than 10 Watts; (2) the need to maintain the same stroke-deflection current electrical interface; and (3) the need to meet the maintenance and repair budget of the existing display unit. Additional requirements included night-vision compatibility and full sunlight readability. The display was also required to be MIL-STD-1553 Remote Terminal communication capable. All requirements posed a challenging technology insertion problem to program personnel. The case study described in this paper illustrates the approach to meeting the particular requirements of this technology insertion program     

基于虚拟现实的血管内介入手术三维导丝运动模拟

导管和导丝在血管中的运动模拟在介入手术训练、计划及术中辅助治疗中具有重要意义。本文提出了一种快速有效的碰撞消除方法,开发了实时三维介入手术模拟系统,以模拟导管或导丝在实际血管中的运动行为。采用OpenGL图形库检测导管或导丝与血管壁之间的碰撞,通过几何分析和旋转角传播方法消除碰撞,最后对导管或导丝模型施加松弛过程,使其状态与实际状态更加吻合。实验结果表明,导管或导丝模型的运动状态与给定的材料参数密切相关,松弛过程使其状态更加自然,模拟可满足实时要求,方法可靠有效。     

Impact analysis of the transponder time delay on radio-tracking observables

Accurate tracking of probes is one of the key points of space exploration. Range and Doppler techniques are the most commonly used. In this paper we analyze the impact of the transponder delay, $i.e$. the processing time between reception and re-emission of a two-way tracking link at the satellite, on tracking observables and on spacecraft orbits. We show that this term, only partially accounted for in the standard formulation of computed space observables, can actually be relevant for future missions with high nominal tracking accuracies or for the re-processing of old missions. We present several applications of our formulation to Earth flybys, the NASA GRAIL and the ESA BepiColombo missions.