A low cost steerable radio-telescope

We present the technical characteristics of a low-cost radio telescope for solar/non solar observations at decimetric (1200–1700 MHz) and centimetric (2700 and 5000 MHz) wavelengths known as Brazilian Decimetric Array (BDA). The technical specifications of the antenna, tracking system, log-periodic feed, preamplifier and the frequency-synthesised receiver with a Single Side Band (SSB) video output of 2.5 MHz are given.     

Nonlinear filtering methods application in INS alignment

The problem of course alignment of inertial navigation systems is considered. Error equations of nonlinear character have been obtained at a considerable level of a priori course uncertainty. The algorithm for solving the problem of optimal estimation of the state vector described by nonlinear equations from linear measurements has been developed for the analysis of a potential alignment accuracy with the piecewise-Gaussian approximation of a posteriori density used. The results of the study of efficiency of various suboptimal alignment algorithms obtained by the use of the software developed are presented and discussed.     

Baywatch practical automatic detection of intrusion over water

This paper describes one solution to the problem of providing Perimeter Intruder Detection, (PIDS), for sites whose boundary includes direct access from uncontrolled water. Two surveillance heads were proposed, each consisting of a TI camera and a Colour CCTV camera mounted on a pan and tilt unit     

Invariance of Charged Particle Time Profiles at Late Stages of SCR Events from the Data of Multisatellite Observations

Based on the data obtained in simultaneous measurements on the Helios-1 and Helios-2 spacecraft, the properties of the spatial and temporal invariance of spectra of protons with energies more than 4 MeV and electrons with energies more than 0.3 MeV are studied during the phase of intensity decay in events initiated by the following associations: a flare—coronal mass ejection—coronal and interplanetary shock waves. Emphasis is placed on research into the fluxes of electrons, whose possibility to be accelerated by shock waves is problematic. It is shown that the spectra and decay times of both protons and electrons are approximately invariant relative to the flare coordinates in a wide angular range. Depending on the western or eastern spacecraft position in relation to the front part of a shock wave, one observes a delay or advance of the onset of the invariant mode relative to the shock wave arrival, which increases with the growth of the corresponding angular distance.     

Blood and small intestine cell kinetics under radiation exposures: Mathematical modeling

Mathematical models which describe the dynamics of two vital body systems (hematopoiesis and small intestinal epithelium) in mammals exposed to acute and chronic radiation are developed. These models, based on conventional biological theories, are implemented as systems of nonlinear differential equations. Their variables and constant parameters have clear biological meaning, that provides successful identification and verification of the models in hand. It is shown that the predictions of the models qualitatively and quantitatively agree with the respective experimental data for small laboratory animals (mice, rats) exposed to acute/chronic irradiation in wide ranges of doses and dose rates. The explanation of a number of radiobiological effects, including those of the low-level long-term exposures, is proposed proceeding from the modeling results. All this bears witness to the validity of employment of the developed models, after a proper identification, in investigation and prediction of radiation effects on the hematopoietic and small intestinal epithelium systems in various mammalian species, including humans. In particular, the models can be used for estimating effects of irradiation on astronauts in the long-term space missions, such as Lunar colonies and Mars voyages.     

Blue Jets: Upward Lightning

Blue jets are beams of blue light propagating from the tops of active thunderclouds up to altitudes of ～50 km. They resemble tall trees with quasi-vertical trunk and filamentary branches. Their apparent speeds are in the range of 10 s to 100 s km/s. Other events, having essentially lower terminal altitudes (<26 km), are named blue starters. These phenomena represent the first documented class of upward electrical discharges in the stratosphere. Some of upward discharges, termed gigantic jets, propagate into the lower ionosphere at much higher speeds in the final phase. We describe salient features of the upward discharges in the atmosphere, give an assessment of the theories of their development, and discuss the consequences for the electrodynamics and chemistry of the stratosphere. We argue that this upward lightning phenomenon can be understood in terms of the bi-directional leader, emerging from the anvil.     

Use of the ASTER satellite images for evaluation of structural changes in the Popocatépetl volcano related to microseismicity

Mexico is one of the most volcanically active regions in North America. Volcanic activity in central Mexico is associated with the subduction of the Cocos and Rivera plates beneath the North American plate. Periods of enhanced microseismic activity, associated with the volcanic activity of the Popocatépetl volcano are compared with periods, during which the microseismic activity was low. We detected systematical changes in the number of lineaments, associated with the microseismic activity due to lineament analysis of a temporal sequence of high resolution satellite images of the Popocatépetl volcano, provided by the ASTER/VNIR instrument. The Lineament Extraction and Stripes Statistic Analysis (LESSA) software package was used for the lineament extraction. In the future it would allow develop a methodology for detection of possible elevation of pressure in volcano edifice.     

3-D position estimation of isolated target and optimal trajectory choice in parasitic synthetic aperture radar

Bistatic SAR (BSAR) systems have recently been the subject of several studies, but little attention has been given to the potential of the location of targets. In the paper, the performance of the estimation of 3-D position of a target (TPE) in parasitic SAR is obtained analytically and illustrated by computer simulation using ambiguity function analysis, and the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) approach. It was shown that by using a multi look parasitic BSAR all three coordinates of an isolated point target (IPT) could be evaluated. Analytical closed form equations that characterize the measurement accuracy were derived. In the final these equations will be used to demonstrate various cases of more practical, including optimal trajectories choice under any geometry configuration case, moreover, the conclusion is verified via Matlab.     

Propagation of non-linear ion-sound pulses in dusty plasma waveguides

There are a lot of objects in space associated with dusty plasma inclusions. Such inclusions may bear a prolonged shape and behave as waveguides for ion-sound waves. In the case of space plasmas, the dust particles can possess both negative charge, due to electron attachment, and positive one, due to photoionization. In this paper the propagation of linear and non-linear ion-sound wave pulses in the dusty plasma waveguides, possessing positive charge, is studied. It has been demonstrated that non-linear dynamics of baseband pulse propagation in plasma waveguide possesses essentially non-solitonic behavior. Namely, propagation of a long ion-sound pulse leads to an excitation of a shock-like wave but not a stable localized nonlinear pulse. Also, when a Korteveg–de Vries (KdV) soliton is incident onto the dusty plasma waveguide, some part of the soliton energy is captured by the waveguide and transformed into a multi-pulse structure. Additionally, an interaction of dusty plasma inclusions with KdV soliton can lead to the occurrence of transverse instabilities of the soliton and its eventual destruction.