Carbon dioxide dynamics of combined crops of wheat,cowpea, pinto beans in the Laboratory Biosphere closed ecological system

A mixed crop consisting of cowpeas, pinto beans and Apogee ultra-dwarf wheat was grown in the Laboratory Biosphere, a 40 m³ closed life system equipped with 12,000 W of high pressure sodium lamps over planting beds with 5.37 m² of soil. Similar to earlier reported experiments, the concentration of carbon dioxide initially increased to 7860 ppm at 10 days after planting due to soil respiration plus CO₂ contributed from researchers breathing while in the chamber for brief periods before plant growth became substantial. Carbon dioxide concentrations then fell rapidly as plant growth increased up to 29 days after planting and subsequently was maintained mostly in the range of about 200–3000 ppm (with a few excursions) by CO₂ injections to feed plant growth. Numerous analyses of rate of change of CO₂ concentration at many different concentrations and at many different days after planting reveal a strong dependence of fixation rates on CO₂ concentration. In the middle period of growth (days 31–61), fixation rates doubled for CO₂ at 450 ppm compared to 270 ppm, doubled again at 1000 ppm and increased a further 50% at 2000 ppm. High productivity from these crops and the increase of fixation rates with elevated CO₂ concentration supports the concept that enhanced CO₂ can be a useful strategy for remote life support systems. The data suggests avenues of investigation to understand the response of plant communities to increasing CO₂ concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere. Carbon balance accounting and evapotranspiration rates are included.     

Doppler observations of infrasonic waves of meteorological origin at ionospheric heights

Ionospheric effects of meteorological origin observed by the continuous HF Doppler sounder over the Czech Republic are reported in this paper. We focused on detection of waves of periods 1–10 min. We discuss the influence of dynamics and intensity of active weather systems on the occurrence of short period waves and dependence of the observed ionospheric effects on the height of reflection of the sounding radio wave. We observed 3–5 min waves during a severe weather event in summer and 2.5–4 min waves during a severe weather event in winter. We excluded possible geomagnetic origin of these oscillations by the analysis of fluctuations of the local geomagnetic field. In eight cases of 10, wave activity in the analysed period range was not significantly increased comparing to quiet days. The intensity of weather systems as well as the location of potential sources of waves towards the points of HF Doppler shift observation influence significantly the occurrence of infrasonic waves in the ionosphere. The results in Central Europe differ considerably from those previously obtained in North America. As a possible reason, we discuss different intensity and dynamics of weather systems in both regions.     

Optimization of transfers under constraints on the thrust direction: II

This paper completes the study of optimal transfers with constraints imposed on the thrust vector direction that was opened by paper [1]. The linear inhomogeneous and homogeneous constraints on the thrust direction are considered (specified either by equalities or inequalities), as well as mixed constraints. Some examples of the constraints are presented. A modified method of the transporting trajectory is applied in order to find the optimal transfer under the linear constraints on the thrust direction. This method also gives the necessary condition for a transfer possibility at a given constraint on the thrust direction. A numerical example is considered, in which the propellant consumption is analyzed for the cases of transfers with and without constraints.     

A method for representing the thermodynamic and thermophysical functions in simulation of powerplant processes

A method for representing thermodynamic and thermophysical functions is presented; the functions make it possible to simulate thermal and gasodynamic processes in powerplants that use different individual substances or their mixtures as a working fluid. The method also involves consideration of real gas properties.     

Characterization of an acoustic liner by means of Laser Doppler Velocimetry in a subsonic flow

This paper describes a new experimental approach to acoustic liner characterization in the presence of a grazing flow. The traditional methods of measurement use microphones to determine liner impedance. The in situ method in particular requires the simultaneous use of two microphones. The first is mounted flush with the surface of the liner grazed by the flow and the second is flush-mounted to the rear face of the liner. However, this method is invasive and assumes the reaction of the liner to be independent of the incidence of the waves (locally-reacting liner). The approach suggested here is radically different since Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) is used to measure the acoustic perturbation of velocity, or acoustic velocity. This latter allows us to determine the acoustic displacement, which is the key parameter in Galbrun's linear theory for assessing the perturbation of pressure and the field of active intensity. The wall impedance and the propagation paths of acoustic energy in the presence of the liner may be deduced without any assumption and non-invasively. This approach was applied for characterizing a resistive liner in a test bench specially designed for aeroacoustic measurements, with a 2D LDV system. The flow was turbulent and the measured nominal Mach number was 0.13. The impedance and field of active intensity were then obtained. A comparison was carried out between the new approach and the in situ method using microphones. According to previous theoretical works in the literature and the presented test results, one has to be cautious about the definition of the impedance when performing in-flow acoustic measurements.     

Aerosols and clouds in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere region detected by GOMOS and ACE: Intercomparison and analysis of the years 2004 and 2005

Satellite-based limb occultation measurements are well suited for the detection and mapping of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and cirrus clouds. PSCs are of fundamental importance for the formation of the Antarctic ozone hole that occurs every year since the early 1980s in Southern Hemisphere spring. Despite progress in the observation, modeling and understanding of PSCs in recent years, there are still important questions which remain to be resolved, e.g. PSC microphysics, composition, formation mechanisms and long-term changes in occurrence. In addition, it has recently become clear that cirrus clouds significantly affect the global energy balance and climate, due to their influence on atmospheric thermal structure.     

Which solar EUV indices are best for reconstructing the solar EUV irradiance?

The solar EUV irradiance is of key importance for space weather. Most of the time, however, surrogate quantities such as EUV indices have to be used by lack of continuous and spectrally resolved measurements of the irradiance. The ability of such proxies to reproduce the irradiance from different solar atmospheric layers is usually investigated by comparing patterns of temporal correlations. We consider instead a statistical approach. The TIMED/SEE experiment, which has been continuously operating since February 2002, allows for the first time to compare in a statistical manner the EUV spectral irradiance to five EUV proxies: the sunspot number, the f10.7, Ca K, and Mg II indices, and the He I equivalent width.