Space radiation quality factor investigations with “NAUSICAA”-device on board the “MIR” space station

The estimation of radiation quality factor in space flights is a serious problem of space dosimetry. The solution of this problem is based on LET-spectra measurements. The “NAUSICAA”-device installed on the “MIR” station has a detector with a large geometric factor, that gives the possibility of measuring LET-spectra with sufficient statistic in relatively short time interval and hence the corresponding Q. LET-spectra are accumulated through 24 hour periods and equivalent dose (H), absorbed dose (D), quality factor and flux (F) are measured every 10 minutes. The obtained data permit the estimate of the diurnal Q and Q in South Atlantic Anomaly. These values vary in the range of 1.4 – 2.2. The analysis of these values including their comparison with the calculated results is given in this paper.     

Microorganisms and enzyme activity in permafrost after removal of long-term cold stress

Associations of immobilized microbial cells and organic-mineral complexes containing active enzymes are resistant to long-term (from tens of thousands to millions of years) effects of extremely low temperatures. This association enables the cells to restore their metabolic activity during permafrost thawing, because interactions with the heterogenous medium is made possible by the availability of active immobilized enzymes. The long-term effect of the cold probably favors an adaptational change of microbial metabolism that activates enzymes and cells during thawing.     

The interannual variability of the earth's radiation budget components as observed from space

Based on the 1974–78 NOAA data, characteristic features of the variability of the Earth's radiation budget and its components over the area of the Northern Atlantic have been analyzed. Calculations of the mean square deviation for the ERB and its components have let to the conclusions that anomalous regions of maximum variability may be considered as energy-active zones.     

Protein crystal growth aboard the U.S. space shuttle flights STS-31 and STS-32.

The first microgravity protein crystal growth experiments were performed on Spacelab I by Littke and John. These experiments indicated that the space grown crystals, which were obtained using a liquid-liquid diffusion system, were larger than crystals obtained by the same experimental system on earth. Subsequent experiments were performed by other investigators on a series of space shuttle missions from 1985 through 1990. The results from two of these shuttle flights (STS-26 and STS-29) have been described previously. The results from these missions indicated that the microgravity grown crystals for a number of different proteins were larger, displayed more uniform morphologies, and yielded diffraction data to significantly higher resolutions than the best crystals of these proteins grown on earth. This paper presents the results obtained from shuttle flight STS-32 (flown in January, 1990) and preliminary results from the most recent shuttle flight, STS-31 (flown in April, 1990).     

Thermal net flux measurements on the pioneer Venus entry probes

Corrected thermal net radiation measurements from the four Pioneer Venus entry probes at latitudes of 60°N, 31°S, 27°S, and 4°N are presented. Three main conclusions can be drawn from comparisons of the corrected fluxes with radiative transfer calculations: (1) sounder probe net fluxes are consistent with the number density of large cloud particles (mode 3) measured on the same probe, but the IR measurements as a whole are most consistent with a significantly reduced mode 3 contribution to the cloud opacity; (2) at all probe sites, the fluxes imply that the upper cloud contains a yet undetected source of IR opacity; and (3) beneath the clouds the fluxes at a given altitude increase with latitude, suggesting greater IR cooling below the clouds at high latitudes and water vapor mixing ratios of about 2–5×10^?5 near 60°, 2–5×10^?4 near 30°, and >5×10^?4 near the equator.     

高超声速飞行器表面气动热和粘性摩擦力计算

本文给出了高超声速飞行器表面摩阻和传热系数 (斯坦顿数 )的计算结果。采用两种方法平面切面法亦即二维边界层近似法和工程方法计算了飞行器高超声速绕流的粘性效应 ,并对两种方法的计算结果作了仔细的比较。由文可见 ,对于在稠密大气层内 ,沿轨道运行头速度恒定的高超声速有翼飞行器 ,能够用本文所采用的两种方法计算其表面摩阻和热载荷。此二法可成功地应用于绕复杂形状物体的流动参数计算。     

Energy utilization rates during shuttle extravehicular activities

The work rates or energy utilization rates during EVA are major factors in sizing of life support systems. These rates also provide a measure of ease of EVA and its cost in crew fatigue. From the first Shuttle EVA on the STS-6 mission in 1983, we have conducted 59 man-EVA and 341 man-hours of EVA. Energy utilization rates have been measured on each of these EVA. Metabolic rate was measured during each EVA using oxygen utilization corrected for suit leakage. From 1981–1987, these data were available for average data over the EVA or over large segments of the EVA. Since 1987, EVA oxygen utilization data were available at 2-minute intervals. The average metabolic rate on Shuttle EVA (194 kcal/hr.) has been significantly lower than metabolic rates during Apollo and Skylab missions. Peak rates have been below design levels, infrequent, and of short duration. The data suggest that the energy cost of tasks may be inversely related to the degree of training for the task. The data provide insight on the safety margins provided by life support designs and on the energy cost of Station construction EVA.     

New results for the space radiation environment of MIR space station obtained by Liulin dosimeter-radiometer. Comparison with LET spectrometer NAUSICAA

Since 1988 high sensitivity semiconductor dosimeter-radiometer “Liulin” worked on board of MIR space station. Device measured the absorbed dose rate and the flux of penetrating particles. The analysis of the data hows the following new results:

In October 1989 and after March 24, 1991, two additional stable maximums in flux channel were observed in the southern-eastern part of South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). These two maximums existed at least several months and seem to be due to trapped high energy electron and proton fluxes. In April 1991 additional maximums were localized in the following geographical coordinates regions: LATITUDE = (−35 °)–(−50 °) LONGITUDE = 332 ° − 16 ° and lat.(−46 °)–(−52 °) long. 360 ° − 60 °. Additional maximums diffusion occurs inside radiation belt. Appearance of these maximums seems to be closely connected with preceding powerful solar proton events and associated geomagnetic dynamics of new belt disturbances. After the series of solar proton events in June 1991 we observed significant enhancement of this new radiation belt formation. To achieve sufficient accuracy of dose rate predictions in low Earth orbits the structure and dynamics of new belt should be carefully analyzed to be included in a new environment model.

From the inter comparison of the data from “Liulin” and French developed tissue equivalent LET spectrometer NAUSICAA in the time period August–November 1992 we come to the following conclusions: Mainly there is good agreement between both data sets for absorbed dose in the region of SAA; Different situation of the instruments on the station can explain the cases when differences up to 2 times are observed; At high latitudes usually the tissue equivalent absorbed dose observations are 2 times larger than “Liulin” doses.     

Calculation of a safety factor of damaged composite main rotor blade according to limit equilibrium theory

Safety factors of the Ansat helicopter main rotor blade are determined in the root section at various flight modes with taking into account the possible damages.