On the stereoselective aminoacylation of RNA

Aminoacylation of the “internal” 2′-hydroxyl groups of poly(A) with the imidazolide of racemic DL-leucine resulted in the formation of an enantiomeric excess of the D-ester, whereas aminoacylation with the imidazolide of racemic N-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl-DL-leucine gave an enantiomeric excess of the L-ester. Comparison of these results with those obtained earlier for alanine shows that the larger side chain tends to favor the formation of the D-ester. High resolution proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed on the D- and L-alanyl “internal” 2′-esters of 3′,5′-ApA. The resonance of the side chain methyl group of the D-ester is upfield from that of the L-ester, and the separation of the peaks increases with a decrease in temperature.     

Nonlinear analysis of hydrodynamic instability in laminar flames—II. Numerical experiments

We consider a nonstationary nonlinear integrodifferential equation describing the evolution of a disturbed plane flame front. The following two-dimensional problems are solved numerically: (i) The formation of a wrinkled noncellular laminar flame front under conditions of spontaneous hydrodynamic instability. (ii) The formation of a turbulent cellular flame front under conditions of spontaneous diffusional-thermal instability. (iii) The formation of a turbulent wrinkled-cellular flame front under conditions of spontaneous hydrodynamic and diffusional-thermal instability. We compute the flame front velocity in laminar and turbulent propagation.     

On the quasi-biennial oscillation in equatorial stratospheric temperatures and total ozone

The results of a cross-spectral analysis between monthly mean temperatures at 100 mb, 50 mb and 30 mb over the equator and the corresponding monthly mean BUV total ozone at different latitude zones are presented for the period 1970–1977. Significant squared coherences between total ozone and 50 mb equatorial temperatures at 26 months are only found between 5 degrees on each side of the equator, between 45 deg N and 55 deg N and at 45 deg S. At latitudes were the QBO in stratospheric temperature diminishes so does the QBO in total ozone (i.e. close to 35 deg N and 15 deg S). Over subtropical latitudes there is a tendency towards a more biennial oscillation in total ozone (not correlated with the equatorial QBO in stratospheric temperatures) and at 65 deg N and 65 deg S total ozone oscillates at periods greater than the equatorial QBO.     

Lightweight (AlGaAs)GaAs/CuInSe2 tandem junction solarcells for space applications

Mechanically stacked tandem cells consisting of GaAs thin-film upper cells and CuInSe₂ thin-film lower cells have been developed to meet the increasing power needs projected for future spacecraft. The authors report the fabrication of the first highly efficient lightweight GaAs/CuInSe₂ tandem cell on a 2-mil thick substrate, update recent performance improvements in thin-film GaAs/CuInSe₂ tandem cells, and discuss their application to space power systems. The efficiency of 4-cm² cells has improved to 21.6% AM0, the highest ever reported for a thin-film photovoltaic cell. Lightweight 4-cm² tandem cells have been successfully fabricated with efficiencies as high as 20.8%. These cells weighed about 180 mg without optimized substrate trimming. Radiation and operating temperature effects on GaAs/CuInSe₂ tandem cells are also discussed, and an interconnect scheme to form a voltage-matched string is described     

An algorithm for detection of moving optical targets

An algorithm is described for detecting moving optical targets against spatially nonstationary Poisson background and noise. The algorithm has applications in optical detection of objects such as meteors, asteroids, and satellites against a stellar background. A maximum-likelihood approach is used which results in reducing interference from stars. It is shown that by choosing a detection threshold to provide a constant false alarm rate, the resulting algorithm is independent of the signal strength of the target. An analysis of this algorithm is presented, showing the probability of detection for several false-alarm rates     

Electrical power distribution on space based radar satellites

The radar payload on a space-based radar (SBR) satellite could require tens of kilowatts of power distributed to many small loads over a large area. This poses special problems for the power distribution and control system (PDCS). A study that examined the power requirements of an SBR spacecraft is reported. A baseline prime power system, generating about 30 kW, was derived. The proposed distribution network would transmit 240 V at 20 kHz. The voltage would be downconverted in one converter for about 100 transmit/receive modules. The design considerations are discussed, and the baseline PDCS is described     

PAVE PACE: system avionics for the 21st century

The PAVE PACE Initiative has been established to validate system avionics concepts for advanced military aircraft. The author presents the rationale of why the advanced architecture established by the PAVE PILLAR program should be continued under PAVE PACE to achieve: practical and affordable airborne versions of modular parallel processing network architectures for many applications currently beyond real-time implementation, readily available avionics for use in all avionics and, greatly improved techniques to reduce the cost of software development and support. An approach to the overall design structure for future avionics is also presented that entails: the use of CAD (computer-aided design) tools to assist in the development of system, hardware and software requirements, the use of replicated hardware modules (some at the wafer level), the use of reuseable software modules and the use of CAD tools to tailor hardware/software modules for specific application requirements. Continued use of the PAVE PILLAR high-speed data bus and operating system is recommended as the means to integrate and control the data input and output of physically and functionally separate parallel networks     

Radar auroral observations and ionospheric electric fields

The ground-based systems STARE and SABRE utilize radar auroral phenomena to estimate ionospheric electric fields. Some of the assumptions underlying these systems have been tested and general agreement with expectations have been found. However, as the results have been analysed in detail, it has become clear that the error in the irregularity drift velocity can at times amount to 100 ms^?1. Direct comparisons with other E-field measurements, as well as assessments of the results of applications of the Stare data clearly demonstrate that the electric field, calculated on the basis of the irregularity drift velocity, is a useful estimate of the actual horizontal electric field in the ionosphere and is sufficiently accurate for a great variety of geophysical studies.     

Frequency Domain Interpolation

A formula is derived for interpolation between output samples of a fast Fourier transform (FFT), i.e., in the frequency domain. Such a formula is useful for obtaining greater frequency resolution when two coarse FFT outputs are available. Consideration is also given to the effect of such interpolation on a weighted FFT.