CROCODILE: an automated apparatus for organic crystal growth from solution

CROCODILE (CROissance de Cristaux Organiques par DIffusion Liquide dans l'Espace) is a space instrument dedicated to crystal growth from solution. The selected material N (4 nitrophenyl) (L) prolinol (NPP) is the result of studies on organic crystal in the frame of an extended program initiated by CNES for many years. The apparatus was flown aboard PHOTON, an automatic satellite, in April 1990, for a flight duration of more than 15 days. This paper describes the instrument design, with emphasis on specific and original technology well adapted to crystal growth from solution, and extendable to any space experiment on fluids. Preliminary details of the flight campaign will also be discussed.     

高空飞行相关知识：飞行的环境

中国民航《公共航空运输承运人运行合格审定规则》(121部)中第121.419条d项规定:“在7600米(25000英尺)以上高度的飞行中服务的机组成员,应当接受下列内容的教育:(1)呼吸原理;(2)生理组织缺氧;(3)高空不供氧情况下的有知觉持续时间;(4)气体膨胀; (5)气泡的形成; (6)减压的物理现象和事件。” 拥有一万小时喷气机经历、曾任奖状(Citation)飞机的教员以及飞安国际(FlightSafety International)的计划经理的Linda D. Pendleton,于1999年撰写了《飞行员应该了解的高空生理学、缺氧现象和快速释压方面的相关知识》一文,被认为是关于高空生理学和释压方面最为权威的论文。该文写于当年一架载有高尔夫球手Payne Stewart及其他五位乘客的Lear 35型飞机因不明原因的飞行员失能而失事之后,试图从高空飞行的相关因素的角度,分析可能的事故原因。供职于南航珠海有限公司飞安部的李炜晟把该文翻译成中文,本刊将陆续刊发这篇文章的内容,向读者介绍这方面的知识。     

Ground-based simulations of cosmic ray heavy ion interactions in spacecraft and planetary habitat shielding materials

This paper surveys some recent accelerator-based measurements of the nuclear fragmentation of high energy nuclei in shielding and tissue-equivalent materials. These data are needed to make accurate predictions of the radiation field produced at depth in spacecraft and planetary habitat shielding materials and in the human body by heavy charged particles in the galactic cosmic radiation. Projectile-target combinations include 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe incident on aluminum and graphite and 600 MeV/nucleon 56Fe and 290 MeV/nucleon 12C on polyethylene. We present examples of the dependence of fragmentation on material type and thickness, of a comparison between data and a fragmentation model, and of multiple fragments produced along the beam axis.     

Analysis of the pre-flight and post-flight calibration procedures performed on the Liulin space radiation dosimeter

Liulin, a dosimetry-radiometry system, was developed to satisfy the requirements for active flux and dose rate measurements for the flight of the second Bulgarian cosmonaut in 1988. The system consists of a compact battery-operated silicon solid state detector unit and a read/write microcomputer and telemetry unit. We describe the pre-flight calibrations with charged particles, using radioactive sources and accelerated 170 MeV/nucleon proton and alpha particles at the Dubna, Russia cyclotron. We discuss comparisons with data obtained on Mir with the French-built tissue equivalent LET spectrometer NAUSICAA. Lastly, we describe post-flight calibrations performed with 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe ions at the Brookhaven National Laboratory AGS accelerator, where the instrument was mounted in tandem with several thin position-sensitive silicon detectors behind a stopping target. The silicon detectors provided an energy spectrum for the surviving charged nuclear fragments for which the flux and absorbed dose were recorded by Liulin.     

Novel laboratory approaches to multi-purpose aquatic bioregenerative closed-loop food production systems

Based on the construction principle of the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) two novel combined animal-plant production systems were developed in laboratory scale the first of which is dedicated to mid-term operation in closed state up to two years. In principle both consist of the "classic" C.E.B.A.S. subcomponents: animal tank (Zoological Component), plant cultivators (Botanical Component), ammonia converting bacteria filter (Microbial Component) and data acquisition/control unit (Electronical Component). The innovative approach in the first system is the utilization of minimally three aquatic plant cultivators for different species. In this one the animal tank has a volume of about 160 liters and is constructed as an "endless-way system" surrounding a central unit containing the heat exchanger and the bacteria filter with volumes of about 1.5 liters each. A suspension plant cultivator (1 liter) for the edible duckweed Wolffia arrhiza is externally connected. The second plant cultivator is a meandric microalgal bioreactor for filamentous green algae. The third plant growth facility is a chamber with about 2.5 liters volume for cultivation of the "traditional" C.E.B.A.S. plant species, the rootless buoyant Ceratophyllum demersum. Both latter units are illuminated with 9 W fluorescent lamps. In the current experiment the animal tank contains the live-bearing teleost fish Xiphophorus helleri and the small pulmonate water snail Biomphalaria glabrata because their physiological adaptation to the closed system conditions is well known from many previous C.E.B.A.S. experiments. The water temperature is maintained at 25 degrees C and the oxygen level is regulated between 4 and 7 mg/l by switching on and off the plant cultivator illuminations according to a suitable pattern thus utilizing solely the oxygen produced by photosynthesis. The animals and the microorganisms of filter and biofilm provide the plants with a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide. Oxygen concentration, pH value, temperature and redox potential are on-line recorded. Ion concentrations and numbers of living germs in the system water are determined twice monthly in the laboratory from samples taken from a special "sample removal module"; the sample volume is automatically replaced from an reservoir container. A rotatory pump produces a water flow of about 38 l/min. For a similar smaller test system with approx. 10 l volume developed from the C.E.B.A.S.-MINI-MODULE a novel indirect solar energy supply is tested which has a buffer capacity to maintain the system for 7 days in darkness under central European climate conditions also in winter. It contains only a single plant cultivator which is operated with Wollfia arrhiza. This lemnacean plant is able to produce large amounts of plant biomass in a short time by vegetative reproduction via daughter fronds. This easy-to-handle apparatus is dedicated to be operative more than 4 month. The experimental animals and microorganisms are the same as in the large system. The paper provides detailed information on the system construction principles and the biological, physical and chemical data of the initial phase of the test runs of both systems with the main focus on the large one.     

Bone loss during long term space flight is prevented by the application of a short term impulsive mechanical stimulus

In long term space flight, the mechanical forces applied to the skeleton are substantially reduced and are altered in character. This reduced skeletal loading results in a reduction in bone mass. Exercise techniques currently used in space can maintain muscle mass but the mechanical stimulus provided by this exercise does not prevent bone loss. By applying an external impulsive load for a short period each day, which is intended to mimic the heel strike transient, to the lower limb of an astronaut during a long term space flight (5 months), this study tests the hypothesis that the bone cells can be activated by an appropriate external mechanical stimulus to maintain bone mass throughout prolonged periods of weightlessness. A mechanical loading device was developed to produce a loading of the os-calcis similar to that observed during the heel strike transient. The device is activated by the astronaut to provide a transient load to the heel of one leg whilst providing an equivalent exercising load to the other leg. During the EUROMIR95 mission on the MIR space station, an astronaut used this device for a short period daily throughout the duration of the mission. Pre- and post-flight measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) of the os-calcis and femoral neck of the astronaut were made to determine the efficacy of the device in preventing loss of bone mineral during the mission. On the os-calcis which received the mechanical stimulus, BMD was maintained throughout the period of the flight, while it was reduced by up to 7% on the os-calcis which received no stimulus. Post-flight, BMD in both the stimulated and non-stimulated os-calcis reduces, the extent of this reduction however is less in the stimulated os-calcis. For the femoral neck, the mechanical stimulation does not produce a positive effect.     

振荡器的计算机辅助设计与组装

本文综述了贝尔实验室在应用计算机方面的经验,包括模拟和设计、数据采集、数据分析、元件选择和其它各种各样的工作。过去,石英晶体振荡器可以很容易地应用线性电路模型来模拟。虽然存在非线性模型(例如,Spicc.Capitol等),但它们不能被用来对晶体振荡器进行闭环分析,因为其中包括有高Q参数。然而最近Waterloo大学研究的WATAND程序已变得很有效并可适用于石英晶体振荡器的闭环非线性分析。在贝尔实验室,线性和非线性两种分析程序正用于评价新设计,同时特别注意元件变化对工艺的影响。计算机完成原始数据采集任务的方法是对温度补偿晶体振荡器进行频率温度测量。附加的应用是对振荡器进行最后的室温检验,以便确定波形特征、功率损耗、电源灵敏性和频率牵引范围(对于压控晶体振荡器)。应用实时元件选择的方法有助于把电阻组合选择来与根据温度试验数据的分析所确定的数值相适应。在压控晶体振荡器和温度补偿压控晶体振荡器中,用实时元件选择的方法来调整变容二极管的工作点,使频率一电压牵引特性最佳。其他应用包括:对性能数据进行统计分析,以便于计划产量;使用模-数和数-模变换器模拟数字补偿流程图来与以微处理器为基础的计算机相对接,以及模拟双转角晶体切型的温度特性。     

静磁波振荡器的现状

当前在增加带宽和提高工作频率方面,要求不断提高现代雷达相通讯系统的性能,这就需要研究关于模拟信号处理的新技术和新工艺。实际上,用于上述目的的声表面波(SAW)器件,已经得到广泛应用,成效显著;但是对于要求中心频率高于1GHz的雷达和通讯系统,声表面波器件在制造上已经接近实际工艺的物理极限。本文介绍一种新工艺,能得到更高频率。这种工艺是以在外延铁淦氧膜(类似钇铁柘榴石[YIG])中传播的静磁波(MSW)为基础的。静磁波用于器件,使它能在0.5到30GHz微波中心频率上提供高达2.2GHz瞬时带宽。这种静磁波信号处理工艺,是在声表面波采用的横向滤波概念的基础上建立的,已经广泛研究了十年之久。本文首先研究静磁波的物理性质和极限,讨论它与声表面波的异同点。其次,讨论静磁波谐振器,并介绍静磁波振荡器的理论及现状。     

一种自动化高精度相位测量系统

一种采用了多种已有技术、具有多种特点的全自动测量系统已研制成功。这个系统为双混频时差技术的扩展而保持了它的重要特点:间歇时间为零,能进行相位差绝对测量,精度很高,能测量频率相同的振荡器并根据使用人选择的时间进行测量。对某一套设计参数来说,理论分辨度为0。2ps,测量噪声为2ps(有效值)并可在所选时间的0.1s内进行测量。由于增加了定标器以消除过去实验中发生的周期模糊(CyCle ambiguify),双混频时差技术得到了发展。在这方面,系统的功能相当于一个分频器加上钟,对设备中被测的每一个器件的恒定相位延迟进行贮存。自动化是以ANSI/IEEE—583(CAMAC)接口标准为基础的。每个测量通道包括一个混频器,过零检波器、定标器和时间间隔计数器。一个两倍宽度的标准卡马克(CAMAC)组件中安装有四个通道。这个组件安装在一个标准的CAMAC箱内,备有控制器以便与多种计算机以及与任何IEEE—488兼容的装置相对接。现有两个系统已工作数月,一个系统每天工作24小时,从NBS时标的15个钟取得数据,另一个系统在实验室的短期实验中使用。     

磁增强氢气电离器的研制

在对影响射频氢气电离器效率的工艺问题进行研究的基础上,研制了一种将直流磁场加到射频等离子体的电离器,然后测定磁场对等离子体的影响。人们发现,采用这种结构型式,电离器的功耗明显降低。利用直流磁场,还可以使效率保持在固定水平上,同时降低氢气压力。根据这些研究结果,对研制一种耗氢量低、射频功耗小的电离器进行某些探讨。