The astrobiology primer: an outline of general knowledge--version 1, 2006

The Astrobiology Primer has been created as a reference tool for those who are interested in the interdisciplinary field of astrobiology. The field incorporates many diverse research endeavors, but it is our hope that this slim volume will present the reader with all he or she needs to know to become involved and to understand, at least at a fundamental level, the state of the art. Each section includes a brief overview of a topic and a short list of readable and important literature for those interested in deeper knowledge. Because of the great diversity of material, each section was written by a different author with a different expertise. Contributors, authors, and editors are listed at the beginning, along with a list of those chapters and sections for which they were responsible. We are deeply indebted to the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), in particular to Estelle Dodson, David Morrison, Ed Goolish, Krisstina Wilmoth, and Rose Grymes for their continued enthusiasm and support. The Primer came about in large part because of NAI support for graduate student research, collaboration, and inclusion as well as direct funding. We have entitled the Primer version 1 in hope that it will be only the first in a series, whose future volumes will be produced every 3-5 years. This way we can insure that the Primer keeps up with the current state of research. We hope that it will be a great resource for anyone trying to stay abreast of an ever-changing field.     

Orientation of Sharp Fronts of the Solar Wind Plasma

Based on simultaneous observations performed by several spacecraft, we evaluate the orientation of sharp (with a duration of a few minutes) and large (tens and hundreds percent of the mean value) fronts of the solar wind plasma (changes in the ion flux and ram pressure). The orientation of the fronts is determined with respect to the Sun–Earth line and to two planes in space for several tens of the largest (in amplitude) changes of the ion flux. A considerable fraction of these fronts (about 50%) has an inclination to the plane perpendicular to the Sun–Earth line that exceeds 30°.     

A Search for Possible Mesolensing of Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts: II. Double and Triple Bursts in the BATSE Catalog

The paper is devoted to searching for a possible phenomenon of the gravitational lensing of cosmic gamma-ray bursts on celestial bodies of a globular cluster type (mesolensing). If this phenomenon takes place, gamma-ray bursts should have light curves with two or three similar components whose spectra are identical. These components are separated in time by a few seconds. Using a statistical method developed for comparing the components, we have found in the BATSE catalog 11 candidates of gamma-ray bursts with mesolensing for the entire time of operation of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (1991–2000). Two of these 11 gamma-ray bursts have light curves with three components. The possibility of gravitational mesolensing of these gamma-ray bursts on the King's type bodies is investigated.     

MHD Simulations of the Dynamics of Sharp Disturbances of the Interplanetary Medium and Comparison with Spacecraft Observations

One-dimensional MHD simulations of solitary sharp and strong disturbances (impulses) of the interplanetary magnetic field and plasma of the homogeneous solar wind were performed. The characteristics of a disturbance of this type, recorded onboard the WIND spacecraft (SC) rather far from the Earth, were taken as initial conditions. The results of numerical experiments simulating the evolution of this disturbance in the moving interplanetary plasma, whose parameters correspond to observations of the WIND and INTERBALL-1 SC, show the efficiency of the computer code developed with the special purpose of investigating low-frequency wave events in the space environment. The calculated characteristics of the impulse resulting from the evolution are in good agreement with parameters of the disturbance recorded by the INTERBALL-1 SC closer to the Earth. In particular, the impulse expands due to imbalance of thermal and magnetic pressures, but keeps its abrupt boundaries. It was demonstrated that stable plasma objects, corresponding to stationary MHD solutions, could really exist in the solar wind plasma for a long time.     

深空通信文件传输协议的交织技术研究

引入喷泉编码技术应用于深空通信,对CCSDS文件传输协议进行改进,提出了一种针对深空环境长时延、高误码率、丢包率大和链路易中断等特点的基于数据包交织的文件传输协议。根据深空通信文件传输的业务需要设计了两种不同的级别概率分布,接收端只需要接收到一定数量的数据包,就能够恢复出整个原始信息,无需或需要很少反馈确认信息。仿真验证交织技术能够简化传输协议,减少文件传输时延,增大系统的吞吐量并保证通信的有效性。
     

Conditions for exciting the maximal gas vibration amplitude in a combustion chamber of the Helmholtz resonator type

In this paper, we present the results of calculating conditions for gas vibration excitement, sound pressure frequency and level as a function of mixture composition, geometric burner parameters and the resonator throat with constant capacity. We estimate in quantity the parameters influencing a vibration combustion process in the Helmholtz resonator with the inlet multichannel burner which result in the maximum possible gas vibration amplitude value.     

Improvement of the real time total electron content based on the International Reference Ionosphere model

One of the methods to adapt the International Reference Ionosphere model to real time conditions is to use instantaneous values of the critical frequency of the ionosphere foF2. It is shown that there can be large discrepancies between model and experimental values of the total electron content TEC after this adaptation. Improvement can be provided by the use of an empirical model of the ionospheric slab thickness τ. This conclusion is based on analysis of contributions of various correction factors connected with foF2 and τ into discrepancies between model and experimental values of TEC.     

A study on radio-loud interacting/non-interacting CMEs-associated SEPs and solar flares

We have established a data set of 58 major hybrid SEP events associated with meter-to-decahectometer wavelength (m-to-DH) type II bursts, solar flares, and radio-load CMEs during the period of 1997–2014. The main focus of our study is to address the following two questions: Does the interaction of CMEs play a role in the enhancement of SEP intensity? Is there any difference in the seed population, and parent eruptions in the SEP events with and without CME interactions? Hence, the sample of 58 events is classified into two sets: (i) 35 non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events; (ii) 23 interacting-CME-associated SEP events. All the characteristics of SEPs, their associated CMEs/flares and the relationships between them are statistically analyzed and compared. Some of the basic attributes and relative elemental abundances (Fe/O ratios) of the both the sets are also compared. The results indicate that the seed particles in non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events are mostly from solar wind/coronal materials. But in the case of interacting-CME-associated SEP events, it may be associated with both flare material from preceding flares and coronal materials from solar wind/preceding CMEs. The correlation studies reveal that there are clear correlations between logarithmic peak intensity of SEP events and properties of CMEs (space speed: cc?=?0.56) and solar flares (peak intensity: cc?=?0.40; integrated flux: cc?=?0.52) for non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events. But these correlations are absent for the interacting-CME-associated events. In addition, the results suggest that interaction of primary CMEs with their preceding CMEs plays an important role in the enhancement of peak intensity of SEPs at least for a set of m-to-DH type II bursts associated SEP events.     

Polar caps and auroral zones under idealized axisymmetric magnetic fields

The geomagnetic field, modified by the solar wind, determines the shape, area and location of polar caps and auroral zones, among other magnetosphere and upper atmosphere characteristics. Since the field varies greatly with time it is of interest to analyze polar caps and auroral zones variations linked to magnetic field variations of intensity and pattern. Polar caps and auroral zones locations and areas for various single harmonic axial field configurations are obtained analytically assuming a simple magnetopause model. As the axial degree n increases, the polar caps and auroral zones total number, given by n + 1 and 2n respectively, also increase. However, their total areas decrease from a larger value in the case of an axial dipole to a minimum for an axial octupole (n = 3), and then increase for increasing degrees. The increasing rate is much higher in the auroral zones case to the point that it exceeds the dipolar value at n = 5 while in the polar caps case this occurs at n = 8. The absolute latitudes of the auroral zones and polar caps that reside around the geographical poles increase with axial degree. Our results represent an end-member case of the evolution of auroral zones and polar caps during polarity reversals if the transition involves axial dipole energy cascade to higher axial degrees. Evidence for such an energy transfer is found in the historical record of the geomagnetic secular variation.     

Vegetable production facility as a part of a closed life support system in a Russian Martian space flight scenario

A Manned Mars Mission scenario had been developed in frame of the Project 1172 supported International Science & Technology Center in Moscow. The Mars transit vehicle (MTV) supposed to have a crew of 4–6 with Pilot Laboratory compartment volume of 185 m³ and with inner diameter of 4.1 m. A vegetable production facility with power consumption up to 10 kW is being considered as a component of the life support system to supply crew members by fresh vegetables during the mission. Proposed design of conveyor-type plant growth facility (PGF) comprised of 4-modules. Each module has a cylindrical planting surface and spiral cylindrical LED assembly to provide a high specific productivity relative to utilized onboard resources. Each module has a growth chamber that will be from 0.7 m to 1.5 m in length, and a crop illuminated area from 1.7 m² to 4.0 m². Leafy crops (cabbage, lettuce, spinach, chard, etc.) have been selected for module 1, primarily because of the highest specific productivity per consumed resources. Dietitians have recommended also carrot crop for module 2, pepper for module 3 and tomato for module 4. The maximal total PGF light energy estimated as 1.16 kW and total power consumption as about 7 kW. The module 1 characteristics have been calculated using own experimental data, information from the best on ground plant growth experiments with artificial light were used to predict crop productivity and biomass composition in the another modules. 4-module PGF could produce nearly 0.32 kg per crew member per day of fresh edible biomass, which would be about 50% of recommended daily vegetable supplement. An average crop harvest index is estimated as 0.75. The MTV food system could be entirely closed in terms of vitamins C and A with help of the PGF. In addition the system could provide 10–25% of essential minerals and vitamins of group B, and about 20% of food fibers. The present state of plant growth technology allows formulating of requirements specification for the flight-qualified modules.