Monitoring spatio-temporal variations in aerosols and aerosol–cloud interactions over Pakistan using MODIS data

Clouds are important elements in climatic processes and interactions between aerosols and clouds are therefore a hot topic for scientific research. Aerosols show both spatial and temporal variations, which can lead to variations in the microphysics of clouds. In this research, we have examined the spatial and temporal variations in aerosol particles over Pakistan and the impact of these variations on various optical properties of clouds, using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data from the Terra satellite. We used the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for trajectory analysis to reveal the origins of air masses, with the aim of understanding these spatial and temporal variabilities in aerosol concentrations. We also documented seasonal variations in patterns of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over Pakistan, for which the highest values occur during the monsoon season (June–August). We then analyzed the relationships between AOD and four other cloud parameters, namely water vapour (WV), cloud fraction (CF), cloud top temperature (CTT) and cloud top pressure (CTP). Regional correlation maps and time series plots for aerosol (AOD) and cloud parameters were produced to provide a better understanding of aerosol–cloud interaction. The analyses showed strong positive correlations between AOD and WV for all of the eight cities investigated. The correlation between AOD and CF was positive for those cities where the air masses were predominantly humid, but negative for those cities where the air masses were relatively dry and carried a low aerosol abundance. These correlations were clearly dependent on the meteorological conditions for all of the eight cities investigated. Because of the observed AOD–CF relationship, the co-variation of AOD with CTP and CTT may be attributable to large-scale meteorological variations: AOD showed a positive correlation with CTP and CTT in northern regions of Pakistan and a negative correlation in southern regions.     

Interaction of magnetoacoustic solitons in electron-positron plasmas

The interaction between two, four and six magnetoacoustic solitons in electron-positron plasmas are investigated. The extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo (PLK) perturbation method is employed to derived two KdV equations for magnetoacoustic solitons moving towards each other and studied the head-on collision between them and their phase shifts. The Hirota bilinear method is used to have multi-soliton solutions of already derived two KdV equations for right and left moving solitons. The four and six magnetoacoustic solitons solutions of the two KdV equations are obtained to discuss their interaction and phase shifts. It is found that only compressive magnetoacoustic solitons structures are formed in electron-positron plasma. The present study may be useful to understand the collective phenomena related to head-on and overtaking magnetoacoustic solitons interaction in electron-positron plasmas that may occur in a pulsar magnetosphere.     

角区三维分离流附着鞍点拓扑结构及其演化

实验研究角区层流边界层三维定常分离附着鞍点拓扑结构的存在性及其演化规律.二维粒子图像测速(PIV,Particle Image Velocimetry)激光片光源设置于给定平板和不同模型组成的角区对称面,采用微距镜头捕捉对称面奇点附近的局部流动拓扑结构.实验证实在一定流动参数条件下多种形状模型与平板形成的角区均存在有别于经典分离的附着鞍点拓扑结构;随着雷诺数增加或者随着模型钝度的变化,附着鞍点拓扑结构与经典分离鞍点拓扑结构之间存在着一定的演化规律;对附着鞍点拓扑结构与Lighthill经典三维分离模式的关系进行了分析,表明Lighthill经典三维分离模式也适用于分析附着鞍点拓扑结构.     

Comparison of Ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) over Sonmiani (Pakistan) with NeQuick-2 and IRI-2012 during July 2014 – June 2015

In this study, Total Electron Content (TEC) observations acquired by a GNSS receiver installed at Sonmiani (Geog. Coord. 25.19°N, 66.74°E, Geomag. Coord. 17.62°N, 141.5°E) are being reported for the first time. The data utilized is hourly instantaneous TEC values during 10 International Quiet Days (IQDs) per month from Jul-14 to Jun-15, totaling 120 observation days for monitoring nominal TEC. The findings confirm the semi-annual trend of TEC over Sonmiani, which lies at the northern crest of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) region. The TEC measurements are then compared with NeQuick-2 and International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2012) models. It was found that the TEC values derived from NeQuick-2 are in better agreement with GNSS measurements than those from IRI-2012. The TEC measurements also show seasonal variation which is largest during Equinox months. The TEC value in Dec solstice is higher than the Jun solstice, which confirms that the seasonal anomaly is playing a major role in this region during the course of study.     

On the selection of optimal global geopotential model for geoid modeling: A case study in Pakistan

A statistical comparison has been made between gravity field parameters derived from different global geopotential models (GGMs) and observed gravity anomalies, gravimetric geoid and GPS-Leveling data. The motivation behind this study is the selection of best possible global geopotential model that best matches statistically with the local observed data in Pakistan. This will facilitate in decreasing the load on observed data for the development of regional gravimetric geoid in remove-compute-restore technique when used in the Stokes’s integral for computation of the residual part. It is observed that combined geopotential models such as EGM96 and PGM200A, EIGEN-GL04C and EIGEN-CG03C reflect the better match in the total spectral range of gravity and GPS-Leveling data. Results of the precise local geoid model also indicate similar characteristics. A very-high-degree model “EGM2008” (degree/order 2160) exhibits relatively superior statistical fit with observed ground data in Pakistan region. For satellite-only models an increasing trend in the standard deviation can be seen with maximum of about ∼4 m in difference between GPS-Leveling and corresponding GGM’s geoid with increase in the order from 50 to 120 and then it decreases afterwards. However, for the EIGEN-CHAMP03SP, standard deviation saturates to a value of 3.4 m. This is an indication of contamination in the long to medium wavelength part, i.e. 50–100° for the satellite-only models. Moreover, the models DEOS-CHAMP-01C, GGM02C and then ITG-GRACE03 appear to have better fit for medium to long wavelength and can possibly be recommended for use as long wavelength part with the local observed data. While a hybrid geopotential model selection can be achieved through the selection from either of DEOS-CHAMP-01C, GGM02C, GGM02S, EIGEN-GRACE02S or ITG-GRACE03 in the long wavelength (to degree and order 40) and EGM96, PGM200A, EIGEN-GL04C, EIGEN-CG03C or even EGM2008 in medium to short wavelength, i.e. from degree 41 to maximum degree and order.     

A novel autonomous low-cost on-board data handling architecture for a pin-point planetary lander

There has been increased interest in the exploration of the Moon in recent years. Pin-point precision landing is highly desirable for future lunar missions. This paper is concerned with the design of the on-board data handling (OBDH) subsystem for the pin-point lunar lander of the Magnolia-1 project, funded by NASA. Four proposed on-board data handling architectures are outlined and compared in terms of power consumption, performance and reliability. Implementation results are presented, which are obtained from prototyping of the flight computer for the optimal OBDH architecture option on a Xilinx Virtex-5 Field Programmable Gate Array.     

Implications of day temperature variation for an aero-engine's HP turbine-blade's creep life-consumption

Some in-service deterioration in any mechanical device, such as an aero-engine, is inevitable. Also in a country like Pakistan, there is a significant variation of day temperature over the year. As a result of experiencing deterioration (of the engine as a whole or any of its components individually) and/or any alteration in the conditions (such as day temperature) of incoming air stream, an engine will seek a different steady operating point thereby resulting in a variation of the spool speeds and/or turbine-entry temperatures in order to provide the same thrust. Rises in the turbine entry-temperatures and spool speeds result in greater rates of creep and fatigue damage being incurred by the hot-end components and thereby higher engine's life cycle costs.Possessing a better knowledge of the impacts of day temperature variation upon the creep life-consumption of aero-engine's hot-end components, helps the users to take wiser management-decisions. For a military aircraft's mission-profile, using a bespoke computer simulation, the implications of day temperature variation for a turbofan aero-engine's high pressure turbine-blade's creep life-consumption have been predicted.     

Modeling the moisture effects of solid ingredients on composite propellant properties

Solid raw materials for AP composite propellants were dried at different conditions and moisture contents were measured. Propellant mechanical properties increase by decreasing the moisture in solid raw materials, particularly for ammonium oxalate. Propellant stress and modulus increase by decreasing the solid fillers moisture. Long time drying of solid raw materials has an adverse effect on propellant mechanical properties.     

Fuzzy Optimal Control Design for Ship Steering

This paper presents a method to design a control scheme for nonlinear systems using fuzzy optimal control.In the design process,the nonlinear system is first converted into local subsystems using sector non-linearity approach of Takagi-Sugeno(T-S) fuzzy modeling. For each local subsystem,an optimal control is designed. Then,the parameters of local controllers are defuzzified to construct a global optimal controller. To prove the effectiveness of this control scheme,simulations are performed using the mathematical model of Esso Osaka tanker ship for set-point regulation with and without disturbance and reference tracking. In addition,the simulation results are compared with that of a PID controller for further verification and validation. It has been shown that the proposed optimal controller can be used for the nonlinear ship steering with good rise time,zero steady state error and fast settling time.     

Structural optimization of elliptical-tip star propellant grain using sub-problem approximation

A method is presented here for structural optimization of elliptical-tip star grain.The grain structural integrity was improved by minimizing the most critical area of inner bore hoop strain during cool down.Optimization was done by sub-problem approximation method in conjunction with finite element analysis.Both radii of the ellipse were varied during optimization to find the optimal ellipse.The optimization resulted in grain geometry having minimum level of Inner bore hoop strain without violating the preset limits of burning perimeter.The von mises strain at grain inner bore was also reduced in resultant grain.