Power anomaly effects and costs in low-voltage mobile power systems

Electric power anomalies or disturbances can disrupt the normal operation of equipment, accelerate aging, or even cause outright failures thus resulting in increased costs of maintenance and reduced system reliability. Past research on the effects caused by power anomalies has been mostly focused on industrial, commercial, or residential systems, or on power distribution equipment. A literature survey reveals that there is no comprehensive review related to low-voltage (LV) power systems and utilization equipment applicable to military combat vehicles, such as aircraft and ships. This paper summarizes the results of a new literature survey that focused on the causes, effects, and mitigation methods for power anomalies typical of LV mobile power systems. Electric power anomaly cost data collected from the literature are also presented, from which the costs of anomalies to the national defense are estimated using some simple rationales.     

Moving target imaging algorithm for SAR data

A digital processing algorithm for fine-resolution imaging of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) moving targets is described. The targets may have any translational and rotational motion components relative to the data collection platform. The algorithm requires the presence of up to three prominent points in the image of the target; the signals from these points provide estimates of the unknown target motion parameters. Phase compensation and data formatting based on these estimates eliminate motion-induced phase errors. This algorithm has been implemented on a VAX computer and used to process both simulated and real SAR data of moving targets. Results obtained using the simulated data are presented     

Reconstruction of space weather physical parameters on 400-year scale

The main goal of this paper is to get physically informative comprehensive data about dynamics of the solar magnetic field, geomagnetic field, and interplanetary magnetic field over large time scales. The total sunspot magnetic flux, aa and IDV indices of geomagnetic activity, the IMF strength, the dipole-octopole index of the large-scale magnetic field of the Sun, and the open magnetic flux are reconstructed for 400 years. The reconstruction of the π index of the large-scale polar magnetic field of the Sun is performed for 150 years.     

Correction to: Determining the Relative Cratering Ages of Regions of Psyche’s Surface

Space Science Reviews - Analysis of Homestake, Gallex and GNO measurements reveals evidence of variability of presumed solar-neutrino-flux measurements. Analysis of Super-Kamiokande neutrino...     

Design of Interplanetary Transfers with Passive Gravity Assists and Deep Space Maneuvers

In the paper, the problem of designing interplanetary trajectories with several swing-bys and deep-space maneuvers is solved using the method of virtual trajectories developed by the authors. The algorithms for the calculation of both heliocentric and planetocentric trajectory arcs are presented, including the case of resonant trajectories. The results of applying the method of virtual trajectories to the problem of designing an interplanetary transfer to Jupiter are given and compared with the baseline trajectories for the Juno, Europa Clipper, and Laplace missions.     

The OSIRIS-REx Radio Science Experiment at Bennu

The OSIRIS-REx mission will conduct a Radio Science investigation of the asteroid Bennu with a primary goal of estimating the mass and gravity field of the asteroid. The spacecraft will conduct proximity operations around Bennu for over 1 year, during which time radiometric tracking data, optical landmark tracking images, and altimetry data will be obtained that can be used to make these estimates. Most significantly, the main Radio Science experiment will be a 9-day arc of quiescent operations in a 1-km nominally circular terminator orbit. The pristine data from this arc will allow the Radio Science team to determine the significant components of the gravity field up to the fourth spherical harmonic degree. The Radio Science team will also be responsible for estimating the surface accelerations, surface slopes, constraints on the internal density distribution of Bennu, the rotational state of Bennu to confirm YORP estimates, and the ephemeris of Bennu that incorporates a detailed model of the Yarkovsky effect.     

A Study of the Reflection of Radio Waves from the Plasma Region on the Track behind an Axisymmetric Body Moving in the Earth’s Atmosphere

The results of numerical calculation of the dependences of the electron density, the eigenfrequency and the dielectric plasma permeability on the geometric parameters and the altitude of body motion in the near and far wake behind a thin conical body with a spherical nose blunting have been presented. The electron density maximum has been shown to be located in the region of the neck of the near wake behind the body, which determines the type of this region (supercritical or subcritical). This in turn affects the propagation of radio waves through this plasma region. A comparative analysis was performed for two different bodies with the same ballistic coefficient values. No characteristic distinctions were revealed in the values of electron density or the plasma eigenfrequency in the near and far wake behind these bodies. However, it has been shown that there are differences in the values of the distance from the bottom cross section to the neck of the near wake behind these bodies.     

Solar wind corotating stream interaction regions out of the ecliptic plane: Ulysses

Ulysses plasma observations reveal that the forward shocks that commonly bound the leading edges of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) beyond 2 AU from the Sun at low heliographic latitudes nearly disappeared at a latitude of S26°. On the other hand, the reverse shocks that commonly bound the trailing edges of the CIRs were observed regularly up to S41.5°, but became weaker with increasing latitude. Only three CIR shocks have been observed poleward of S41.5°; all of these were weak reverse shocks. The above effects are a result of the forward waves propagating to lower heliographic latitudes and the reverse waves to higher latitudes with increasing heliocentric distance. These observational results are in excellent agreement with the predictions of a global model of solar wind flows that originate in a simple tilted-dipole geometry back at the Sun.     

On the possibility of Earth-type habitable planets in the 55 Cancri system

We discuss the possibility of Earth-type planets in the planetary system of 55 Cancri, a nearby G8 V star, which is host to two, possibly three, giant planets. We argue that Earth-type planets around 55 Cancri are in principle possible. Several conditions are necessary. First, Earth-type planets must have formed despite the existence of the close-in giant planet(s). In addition, they must be orbitally stable in the region of habitability considering that the stellar habitable zone is relatively close to the star compared to the Sun because of 55 Cancri's low luminosity and may therefore be affected by the close-in giant planet(s). We estimate the likelihood of Earth-type planets around 55 Cancri based on the integrated system approach previously considered, which provides a way of assessing the long-term possibility of photosynthetic biomass production under geodynamic conditions.