关于固体推进剂燃烧不稳定性研究

本文介绍了英国火箭推进研究院进行固体推进剂燃烧不稳定性研究的工作计划。 文中讨论了数据采集和处理的技术,并例举了实用发动机燃烧的不稳定性。还描述了研究不稳定性的发动机和测量在振荡压力和速度条件下固体推进剂试样的燃烧速率系统。给出一些实测结果的例子。     

Gravity and perceptual stability during translational head movement on earth and in microgravity

We measured the amount of visual movement judged consistent with translational head movement under normal and microgravity conditions. Subjects wore a virtual reality helmet in which the ratio of the movement of the world to the movement of the head (visual gain) was variable. Using the method of adjustment under normal gravity 10 subjects adjusted the visual gain until the visual world appeared stable during head movements that were either parallel or orthogonal to gravity. Using the method of constant stimuli under normal gravity, seven subjects moved their heads and judged whether the virtual world appeared to move “with” or “against” their movement for several visual gains. One subject repeated the constant stimuli judgements in microgravity during parabolic flight. The accuracy of judgements appeared unaffected by the direction or absence of gravity. Only the variability appeared affected by the absence of gravity. These results are discussed in relation to discomfort during head movements in microgravity.     

Increased urinary excretion rates of serotonin and metabolites during bedrest

Astronauts are often on a voluntarily reduced energy intake during space missions, possibly caused by a metabolic or emotional stress response with involvement of the central serotonergic system (SES). We investigated 24 h urinary excretion (24 h-E) of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindol acidic acid as indicators of the SES in healthy males under two different normocaloric conditions: normal physical activity (NPA) and -6 degree head-down-tilt (HDT). HDT or NPA were randomly arranged with a recovery period of 6 months in between. 24 h-E of hormones varied widely among individuals. Values were higher in HDT compared to NPA. Assuming that the 24 h-E values are, beside being indicators for alterations in the number and metabolism of platelets. Also indicators of central SES, HDT condition seems to activate central SES in a higher degree compared to NPA. Therefore, changes in central SES might be involved in the mechanisms associated with space flight or microgravity, including possible maladaptations such as voluntary undernutrition.     

考古,寻找进化的雕塑——对话罗伯特·巴克（下）

斯：你不仅是知名的古生物学家，而且是一位有造诣的艺术家。你是怎样学习绘画的？ 巴：任何人都能作画。绘画的能力不在你的指尖，而在你的眼睛里。如果你能看见结构，如果你能看见形式，你就能把它记录下来。我上解剖学课，就把学生带到动物园，对他们说：“画那头美洲豹。”“我不会画。”他们说。“你们能看见那头美洲豹吗？”“能看见。”“肘部是直的还是弯的？“‘噢，弯的”“踝关节是弯的吗？”“是的。”“它比狗的踝关节还要弯吧？”“不错。”“把它画下来。”要是你懂得怎样看结构，能在你的头脑中大概画下一系列东西，你就能把它画到纸上。     

考古，寻找进化的雕塑——对话罗伯特·巴克（上）

达林·R．斯蒂尔（以下简称“斯”）：你刚上四年级的时候就决定研究恐龙。是受到什么影响吗？     

航空货运市场诱惑力不减

1998年世界许多地区出现的经济和金融动荡对近期世界民航业的旅客运输的前景罩上一层阴影。但是,多方面的发展资料显示出,在今后几年里,货运飞机的市场仍然强劲。其中最为显著的一点是,空中客车工业公司积极参与与波音和麦道的传统强项货机市场的角逐,并获得来自美国联合包裹运送公司的大笔订单。在90年代,为了满足不断增长的需求,每年全球西方制造的货运喷气飞机机队大约增加80架。在今后20年,每年该数字预计增加一倍。货运机队飞机达到1500架下页表是全球1470架西制货机队的构成情况。另外,俄罗斯／独联体的经营者还有大约600架…     

具有无源控制空腔时正激波/湍流附面层干扰的数值模拟

采用雷诺平均N-S方程和B/L代数湍流模型计算了具有无源控制空腔时正激波/湍流附面层干扰流场。计算与实验结果的比较表明,本文方法可较准确地预测激波结构、激波与附面层干扰区流动基本特征及波后流动分离状态、激波位置、波前马赫数等参数。      

Abundance and diversity of microbial inhabitants in European spacecraft-associated clean rooms

The determination of the microbial load of a spacecraft en route to interesting extraterrestrial environments is mandatory and currently based on the culturable, heat-shock-surviving portion of microbial contaminants. Our study compared these classical bioburden measurements as required by NASA's and ESA's guidelines for the microbial examination of flight hardware, with molecular analysis methods (16S rRNA gene cloning and quantitative PCR) to further develop our understanding of the diversity and abundance of the microbial communities of spacecraft-associated clean rooms. Three samplings of the Herschel Space Observatory and its surrounding clean rooms were performed in two different European facilities. Molecular analyses detected a broad diversity of microbes typically found in the human microbiome with three bacterial genera (Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, and Brevundimonas) common to all three locations. Bioburden measurements revealed a low, but heterogeneous, abundance of spore-forming and other heat-resistant microorganisms. Total cell numbers estimated by quantitative real-time PCR were typically 3 orders of magnitude greater than those determined by viable counts, which indicates a tendency for traditional methods to underestimate the extent of clean room bioburden. Furthermore, the molecular methods allowed the detection of a much broader diversity than traditional culture-based methods.     

The PROCESS experiment: an astrochemistry laboratory for solid and gaseous organic samples in low-earth orbit

The PROCESS (PRebiotic Organic ChEmistry on the Space Station) experiment was part of the EXPOSE-E payload outside the European Columbus module of the International Space Station from February 2008 to August 2009. During this interval, organic samples were exposed to space conditions to simulate their evolution in various astrophysical environments. The samples used represent organic species related to the evolution of organic matter on the small bodies of the Solar System (carbonaceous asteroids and comets), the photolysis of methane in the atmosphere of Titan, and the search for organic matter at the surface of Mars. This paper describes the hardware developed for this experiment as well as the results for the glycine solid-phase samples and the gas-phase samples that were used with regard to the atmosphere of Titan. Lessons learned from this experiment are also presented for future low-Earth orbit astrochemistry investigations.