Military computing — the last generation

This article examines the computing requirements of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Dr Din points to the massive software problems inherent in SDI programming requirements, and raises the crucial issue of the potential bypassing of human control in any actual outbreak of hostilities.     

Comparison of Antarctic riometer radio wave absorption and THEMIS mission energetic electron fluxes

Simultaneous observations of in situ plasma properties in the tail of the Earth’s magnetosphere and of ground based instruments, lying on the same geomagnetic field lines, have recently proved to yield significant new results. In most cases magnetosphere ionosphere interactions during the night-time northern hemisphere conditions are studied. Here, observations of energetic electrons in the tail of the Earth’s magnetosphere made by the THEMIS mission satellites are compared with auroral radio wave absorption determined by riometers in the Antarctic for sunlit conditions. Days for which satellites and riometers are connected by the same geomagnetic field line are selected using a geomagnetic field model. The six days analysed show clear associations between fluxes and absorptions in some cases. However, these do not necessarily correspond to conjugacy intervals. Hours of positive associations are 1.65 times those for negative associations, all hours and days considered (1.42–3.6 on five days and 0.58 on the other day). These computations are assumed appropriate since the footprints of the satellites used approximately follow corrected geomagnetic parallels for all six days studied. The use of a finer parameterization of geomagnetic models to determine conjugacy may be needed.     

The effect of the space flight environment on mucin production in the mouse uterine tube

Numerous studies have indicated that the microgravity environment of space has harmful effects on several tissues throughout the body. Although this phenomenon is well documented, research in this area is still in its relative infancy. This study investigates the effects of space flight on mucin production of the uterine tubes of mice. This study examined the epithelium of the uterine tubes from female mice that were flown on the space shuttle Endeavour for 13 days in August, 2007 and their concomitant controls. The tissue was qualitatively analyzed for the type of mucin produced, i.e., acidic, neutral, acidic/neutral mixture. Further, the tissue was quantitatively analyzed for the amounts of mucins produced by measuring the thickness of the mucin layer for each region of the uterine tube: isthmus, ampulla, and infundibulum. One way ANOVA tests were used to compare mucin thickness between all three sets of animals. Results indicate similar but not identical results between the three regions of the uterine tube. The Baseline tissue had the thickest mucin layer regardless of treatment group. In the ampulla the mucin layer was the thinnest in the Flight tissue, followed by the Ground Control, with the Baseline being the thickest. Analysis of the mucin layer of the infundibulum of the three treatment groups indicated no difference in its thickness between the three regions of the uterine tube. These results indicate a trend toward thinning of the mucin layer of the uterine tube in space flight, but also indicate an influence by the housing environment.     

Changing structure of the Soviet space programme

Political and economic changes in the USSR are having a dramatic impact on the nature and direction of the Soviet space programme. This article describes the main elements of what can now be seen as a sprawling and fractured bureaucracy. Some voices within the USSR are calling for the creation of some kind of national space agency, but the forces making for further fragmentation seem stronger. Whatever the eventual outcome, new opportunities for international commercial contact are likely to arise.     

Large Scale Flows in the Solar Convection Zone

We discuss the current theoretical understanding of the large scale flows observed in the solar convection zone, namely the differential rotation and meridional circulation. Based on multi-D numerical simulations we describe which physical processes are at the origin of these large scale flows, how they are maintained and what sets their unique profiles. We also discuss how dynamo generated magnetic field may influence such a delicate dynamical balance and lead to a temporal modulation of the amplitude and profiles of the solar large scale flows.     

意大利航空维修系统公司开启重振之旅

<正>在过去的一年中,意大利航空维修系统公司(AMS)可谓是披荆斩棘、格外艰辛,因为其主要客户意大利航空公司在2013年底遭受了严重的财务问题,一再缩减其发动机送修量。AMS位于罗马的维修厂房占地17000平方米,但其2013年的产能利用率却不足10%。在收入跌至谷底时,AMS不得不提出破产保护申请。直到AMS新任首席执行官Giorgio Danilo Pietra上任后,AMS才止步悬     

Scientists and arms control in outer space

Scientists have a special responsibility in helping to further the goal of arms control in outer space. Allan Din argues that it is incumbent upon them to study the development of weapons and the arms race, influence policy making at the national and international levels, and publicize the necessity of arms control. The author believes that a treaty controlling use of anti-satellite weapons is urgently required, while a long-term goal must be the formation of an international satellite monitoring agency to regulate use of intelligence-gathering indirect weapons.     

GANDER — a constellation of microsats designed to reduce risks at sea

If the community of users of satellite observations of the marine environment is to be widened to include those involved in daily commercial operations then special-purpose systems should be designed to meet their everyday requirements. For the last two decades the major customer for the observations from a succession of single satellite missions has been the community of marine scientists. A low-cost constellation of microsats that will allow information on sea state to be delivered to ships in real time is described.     

Flat-Panel Displays

Our window into the Information Age is increasingly an interactive electronic display rather than the printed page. From computer terminals to television, that display is usually a CRT, but recent advances have raised flat panels into contention with the CRT for new applications. New plasma display structures and improvements in electroluminescence, paced by gains in high-voltage ICs, have led to compact computers with these emissive flat panels. ``Supertwist' LCDs with greatly enhanced performance are reaching the portable computer market. Pocket TV sets with LCDs addressed by integral thin-film transistors presage the development of full-size color screens: wafer-scale integration in a non-standard semiconductor technology is being developed to challenge the CRT's monopoly on entertainment displays. The commercial success of all these displays will be strongly influenced by gains in VLSI, packaging and interconnection; conversely new markets for VLSI will be created by emerging flat-panel display capabilities.