Arctic — Antarctic night airglow comparisons

Airglow observations from Eureka, Canada (80° N) and South Pole (90° S) observatories have been made through the winters during the past 1/2 solar cycle. Seasonal and solar activity changes are evident. The intensities also show temporal variations due to wave activity, with periods from 6 hours to 15 days, particularly in the Arctic OI and Na emissions. Comparisons are made of the OH intensities measured at Eureka and South Pole during their respective winters.     

The structure of Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices with super-sonic flow

We have done two-dimensional simulations of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) with super-sonic flow using the CIP method. The linear analyses of a simple uniform density case show that the KHI cannot grow vigorously when the velocity jump is more than twice the sound speed (when the flow speed relative to the vortex is super-sonic). In this study, by situating a high density contrast across the shear layer, we set the flow in only one of the sides to be super-sonic and then show that the KHI does grow and rolls up a vortex. The formation of a shock is essential for the KHI vigorous growth and the structure of the vortex is strongly influenced by the shock geometry. The results should have substantial implications to velocity shear layer dynamics involving large density jump, such as planetary magnetospheric boundary layers.     

Scientific objectives and specification of the SELENE Multiband Imager

The Lunar Imager/SpectroMeter (LISM) is an instrument being developed for onboarding the SELENE satellite that will be launched in 2007. The LISM consists of the three subsystems: Terrain Camera (TC), Multiband Imager (MI), and Spectral Profiler (SP).     

Potential Plasma Instabilities For Substorm Expansion Onsets

Space plasmas present intriguing and challenging puzzles to the space community. Energy accessible to excite instabilities exists in a variety of forms, particularly for the magnetospheric environment prior to substorm expansion onsets. A general consensus of the pre-expansion magnetosphere is the development of a thin current sheet in the near-Earth magnetosphere. This review starts with a short account of the two major substorm paradigms. Highlights of some observations pertaining to the consideration of potential plasma instabilities for substorm expansion are given. Since a common thread of these paradigms is the development of a thin current sheet, several efforts to model analytically a thin current sheet configuration are described. This leads to a review on the instability analyses of several prominent candidates for the physical process responsible for substorm expansion onset. The potential instabilities expounded in this review include the cross-field current, lower-hybrid-drift, drift kink/sausage, current driven Alfvénic, Kelvin-Helmholtz, tearing, and entropy anti-diffusion instabilities. Some recent results from plasma simulations relevant to the investigation of these plasma instabilities are shown. Although some of these instabilities are generally conceived to be excited in spatially localized regions in the magnetosphere, their potentials in yielding global consequences are also explored.     

恒幅及飞行模拟载荷下厚度对裂纹增长的影响

不同厚度试样的疲劳裂纹扩展试验及断口微观分析表明,恒幅加载低应力比飞行模拟载荷条件下具有明显的厚度影响。考查了模型对厚度影响的预测能力。Newman的模型具有预测厚度影响的潜力,广义改进的wellenborg模型不含有厚度影响的考虑,即使通过调整约束系数α的方法也不能计及厚度的影响。厚度对裂纹增长影响的物理原因及模型化有待于进一步研究。     

Determining the Absolute Abundances of Natural Radioactive Elements on the Lunar Surface by the Kaguya Gamma-ray Spectrometer

The Kaguya gamma-ray spectrometer (KGRS) has great potential to precisely determine the absolute abundances of natural radioactive elements K, Th and U on the lunar surface because of its excellent spectroscopic performance. In order to achieve the best performance of the KGRS, it is important to know the spatial response function (SRF) that describes the directional sensitivity of the KGRS. The SRF is derived by a series of Monte Carlo simulations of gamma-ray transport in the sensor of the KGRS using the full-fledged simulation model of the KGRS, and is studied in detail. In this paper, the method for deriving absolute abundance of natural radioactive elements based on the SRF is described for the analysis of KGRS data, which is also applicable to any gamma-ray remote sensings. In the preliminary analysis of KGRS data, we determined the absolute abundances of K and Th on the lunar surface without using any previous knowledge of chemical information gained from Apollo samples, lunar meteorites and/or previous lunar remote sensings. The results are compared with the previous measurements and the difference and the correspondence are discussed. Future detailed analysis of KGRS data will provide new and more precise maps of K, Th and U on the lunar surface.     

Distributed weather radar using X-band active arrays

Dense networks of short-range radars capable of mapping storms and detecting atmospheric and airborne hazards are described. Comprised of physically small, low-power antennas, these networks defeat the Earth curvature blockage that limits today's long-range radar networks and enable high resolution views that extend from the lower-troposphere to the tops of storms. The networks are comprised of 1-meter antennas that transmit 10's of W peak power and are capable of high-speed electronic beam-steering. A system architecture is described that maximizes the value accrued to users of radar data through utility functions that specify dynamic, optimal allocation of resources in response to the needs of multiple end-users and associated information retrieval algorithms.     

Coherent matter wave inertial sensors for precision measurements in space

We analyze the advantages of using ultra-cold coherent sources of atoms for matter-wave interferometry in space. We present a proof-of-principle experiment that is based on an analysis of the results previously published in Richard et al. (2003) from which we extract the ratio h/m for ⁸⁷Rb. This measurement shows that a limitation in accuracy arises due to atomic interactions within the Bose–Einstein condensate. Finally we discuss the promising role of coherent-matter-wave sensors, in particular inertial sensors, in future fundamental physics missions in space.     

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute's education and public outreach program: Working toward a global 21st century space exploration society

Space Exploration educators worldwide are confronting challenges and embracing opportunities to prepare students for the global 21st century workforce. The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), established in 1997 through a NASA competition, is a 12-university consortium dedicated to space life science research and education. NSBRI's Education and Public Outreach Program (EPOP) is advancing the Institute's mission by responding to global educational challenges through activities that: provide teacher professional development; develop curricula that teach students to communicate with their peers across the globe; provide women and minority US populations with greater access to, and awareness of science careers; and promote international science education partnerships.A recent National Research Council (NRC) Space Studies Board Report, America's Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Program with National Needs, acknowledges that “a capable workforce for the 21st century is a key strategic objective for the US space program… (and that) US problems requiring best efforts to understand and resolve…are global in nature and must be addressed through mutual worldwide action”. [1] This sentiment has gained new momentum through a recent National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) report, which recommends that the life of the International Space Station be extended beyond the planned 2016 termination. [2] The two principles of globalization and ISS utility have elevated NSBRI EPOP efforts to design and disseminate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational materials that prepare students for full participation in a globalized, high technology society; promote and provide teacher professional development; create research opportunities for women and underserved populations; and build international educational partnerships.This paper describes select EPOP projects and makes the case for using innovative, emerging information technologies to transfer space exploration knowledge to students, engage educators from across the globe in discourse about science curricula, and foster multimedia collaborations that inform citizens about the benefits of space exploration for life on Earth. Special references are made to educational activities conducted at professional meetings in Austria, Canada, France, China, Greece, Italy, Russia, Scotland and Spain.     

Inhibitory effect of simulated microgravity on differentiating preosteoblasts

The bone loss induced by microgravity is partly due to the decrease of mature osteoblasts. In the present study, we employed the random positioning machine (RPM) to simulate microgravity and investigated the acute effects of simulated microgravity on the differentiation of 2T3 preosteoblasts. Following 7 days’ culture under normal (1 g) condition, cells were exposed to simulated microgravity for 24 h. The results showed that 24 h treatment of simulated microgravity significantly decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity without changing the cell morphology. In addition, the mRNA expressions of osteogenic genes, including runt-related gene 2 (Runx2), osterix, osteocalcin (OC), type I collagen (Col I) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), were dramatically downregulated. Moreover, western blot analysis of total extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and phosphorylated Erk (p-Erk) indicated that p-Erk level, which represents the Erk activation status, was increased. Taken together, our results suggested that acute exposure to simulated microgravity inhibited osteoblast differentiation through modulating the expression of osteogenic genes and the Erk activity. These findings provide new insight for bone loss due to microgravity and unloading.