How rare is complex life in the Milky Way?

An integrated Earth system model was applied to calculate the number of habitable Earth-analog planets that are likely to have developed primitive (unicellular) and complex (multicellular) life in extrasolar planetary systems. The model is based on the global carbon cycle mediated by life and driven by increasing stellar luminosity and plate tectonics. We assumed that the hypothetical primitive and complex life forms differed in their temperature limits and CO(2) tolerances. Though complex life would be more vulnerable to environmental stress, its presence would amplify weathering processes on a terrestrial planet. The model allowed us to calculate the average number of Earth-analog planets that may harbor such life by using the formation rate of Earth-like planets in the Milky Way as well as the size of a habitable zone that could support primitive and complex life forms. The number of planets predicted to bear complex life was found to be approximately 2 orders of magnitude lower than the number predicted for primitive life forms. Our model predicted a maximum abundance of such planets around 1.8 Ga ago and allowed us to calculate the average distance between potentially habitable planets in the Milky Way. If the model predictions are accurate, the future missions DARWIN (up to a probability of 65%) and TPF (up to 20%) are likely to detect at least one planet with a biosphere composed of complex life.     

连续变形带斜缠防热层技术研究

介绍了一种用连续变形带来斜缠制造防热层的新技术。通过对工艺和材料性能等多方面的对比试验,结果表明用连续变形带材料,斜缠防热层的制造工艺性得到了很大的改善,缠绕件较为密实,布层排列非常规整,防热层表面无布层扭曲和皱折等缺陷,非常有利于控制防热层的滚转特性,而且材料的力学等性能也有很大程度的提高。由于连续变形带本身具有很强的可设计性,因此本技术有着很大的发展潜力和应用前景。     

布鲁诺图诺尼航空展

布鲁诺（Brno)位于捷克南部邻近奥地利的位置,距离维也纳不到150公里,这是一个典型东欧城市,市内古迹众多、风景优美,在旅游旺季经常可以看到大批西方游客驻足街头,今年夏天的布鲁诺尤其热闹,美国空军的雷鸟(Thunderblrds)特技小组在欧洲巡回表演活动中造访了这个小城市,为今年的布鲁诺图谔尼航空展(Brno—Turany Airshow)大幅增加了观赏性。     

Genesis and preservation of a uranium-rich paleozoic epithermal system with a surface expression (Northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia): radiogenic heat driving regional hydrothermal circulation over geological timescales

The surface expressions of hydrothermal systems are prime targets for astrobiological exploration, and fossil systems on Earth provide an analogue to guide this endeavor. The Paleozoic Mt. Gee-Mt. Painter system (MGPS) in the Northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia is exceptionally well preserved and displays both a subsurface quartz sinter (boiling horizon) and remnants of aerial sinter pools that lie in near-original position. The energy source for the MGPS is not related to volcanism but to radiogenic heat produced by U-Th-K-rich host rocks. This radiogenic heat source drove hydrothermal circulation over a long period of time (hundreds of millions of years, from Permian to present), with peaks in hydrothermal activity during periods of uplift and high water supply. This process is reflected by ongoing hot spring activity along a nearby fault. The exceptional preservation of the MGPS resulted from the lack of proximal volcanism, coupled with tectonics driven by an oscillating far-field stress that resulted in episodic basement uplift. Hydrothermal activity caused the remobilization of U and rare earth elements (REE) in host rocks into (sub)economic concentrations. Radiogenic-heat-driven systems are attractive analogues for environments that can sustain life over geological times; the MGPS preserves evidence of episodic fluid flow for the past ～300 million years. During periods of reduced hydrothermal activity (e.g., limited water supply, quiet tectonics), radiolytic H(2) production has the potential to support an ecosystem indefinitely. Remote exploration for deposits similar to those at the MGPS systems can be achieved by combining hyperspectral and gamma-ray spectroscopy.     

纤维陶瓷复合材料强度和热稳定性的提高

最近研制了一代新型的刚性好重量轻的先进纤维陶瓷复合材料。这类材料在力学性能和热稳定性方面有很大提高。它的抗弯强度是当前能得到的氧化硅纤维绝热材料的2-3倍,而密度减小10％。该材料短时间的重复使用温度高于2600°F,而连续使用温度为2600°F。     

基于有源电扫描阵列的雷达系统的特性

ＧＥＣ ＴｈｏｍｏｓｏｎＤＡＳＡ机载雷达联合体正在按照与法国国防部的合同执行欧洲机载多功能固态有源阵列雷达计划，旨在验证基于有源电扫描阵列的机载雷达系统的能力。     

用于视景增强的新型区域成像雷达

近年来要求为现有机载雷达增加前视能力和呼声愈来愈高，而现有的雷达系统不能满足这种需求。本文提出了一种旨在覆盖飞行路线正前方扇形区域的新方法。这种新型的雷达系统被命名为SIREV（用于视景增强的区域成像雷达），目前正由DLR研制。由于系统具有全天候能力，并且在俯视（测绘模式）与前视条件下均可得到高质量的雷达图像，特别是适用于导航，自主进近着陆与地面滑行引导。本文着重研究这种新型系统的全方位分辨特性，还将计算方位带宽与分辨率，并讨论它们与照射扇区的关系。最后以上述研究为基础确定了系统参数，对这种新型雷达系统做出了概括描述。     

固体火箭推进剂配方性能最优化的直接搜索法

本文研究的数值计算方法,用以确定固体火箭推进剂系统的最佳配比,其比冲最高。根据对最优化理论的分析,本文采用直接搜索法结合计算机程序 CEC71(一种热力计算程序)[6],以获得固体推进剂在冻结流或平衡流条件下的最优配比。比较了计算结果和文献报导的数据,可看出直接搜索法用于确定固体推进剂系统的最优配比是有效的。     

航天飞机时频传递实验

一、引言 1.背景美国航空航天局(NASA)的空间和地面应用处正在考虑一项航天飞机实验,用来验证几种比对全球高精密时钟和原始频标的技术。该实验准备在航天飞机上装一台氢脉泽时钟,利用微波和激光脉冲信号比对航天飞机上的空间时钟与地面站上的时钟。提出该项实验的目的是验证几种时间传递技术,这些技术能以1毫微秒以上的精度比对时钟时间,以10~(-14)以上的精度比对时钟频率。能以10~(-14)的精度比对频率这种能力是本项实验的独到之处。目