Study of the solar Slow Sonic,Alfvén and Fast Magnetosonic transition surfaces

In this paper we study the shape, extend and time variations of the solar wind transition surfaces using the Lima and Priest (1993) hydrodynamic model adequately adapted for the case of the solar wind flow. The transition surfaces, namely the Slow (Sonic), the Alfvén, and the Fast Magnetosonic surface, are important boundaries around the Sun and play a crucial role in the development of the solar wind and the structure of the inner heliosphere. We determine the shape and dimension of these surfaces as a function of heliographic latitude using measurements from Ulysses spacecraft, and we also study their temporal variation using data from spacecrafts at 1 AU (OMNI database). Furthermore, we establish their dependence with the solar activity, demonstrating their shape and location for the last two solar cycles. From this we noticed that the temporal variation of all transition surfaces follows the 11-year solar cycle. Finally, from the OMNI database, we have studied the temporal variation over the past 40 years of the plasma β parameter, the kinetic to magnetic and the kinetic to thermal energy ratios, at a distance of 1 AU from the Sun.     

Community metabolism of aquatic Closed Ecological Systems: Effects of nitrogen sources

To investigate the effect of nitrogen sources on Closed Ecological Systems (CESs), three nitrogen sources (NaNO₃, sodium nitrate; NH₄Cl, ammonium chloride; and NH₄NO₃, ammonium nitrate) were each tested in freshwater CESs consisting of a chemically defined medium, three species of green algae (Ankistrodesmus, Scenedesmus, and Selenastrum), the grazer Daphnia magna, and associated microbes, under 12 h light/12 h dark cycles. It had been hypothesized that the development of high pH in earlier CESs was the result of nitrate utilization, and that ammonium might result in acid conditions, while ammonium nitrate might result in more moderate pH. The three nitrogen sources supported similar densities of algae (estimated by in vivo fluorescence) and similar Daphnia populations. The experiments showed that pH levels rapidly increased when grazers were absent or at low abundances irrespective of the nitrogen source. Consequently, it is hypothesized that carbon cycles, rather than nitrogen sources, are responsible for the pH dynamics. Oxygen diurnal (light:dark) cycles tended to come into balance more quickly than pH. It may be more feasible to convert O₂ data to energy units (using “oxycalorific” values) than CO₂ data since CO₂ dynamics may include other chemical reactions than just photosynthesis and respiration. The feasibility of sustaining grazer populations for at least several weeks in small, simple CESs was demonstrated, along with the ability to monitor algae-grazer dynamics, and the recording of O₂ and pH measurements.     

Validation of University of New Brunswick Ionospheric Modeling Technique with ionosonde TEC estimation over South Africa

For more than a decade, ionospheric research over South Africa has been carried out using data from ionosondes geographically located at Madimbo (28.38°S, 30.88°E), Grahamstown (33.32°S, 26.50°E), and Louisvale (28.51°S, 21.24°E). The objective has been modelling the bottomside ionospheric characteristics using neural networks. The use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data is described as a new technique to monitor the dynamics and variations of the ionosphere over South Africa, with possible future application in high frequency radio communication. For this task, the University of New Brunswick Ionospheric Modelling Technique (UNB-IMT) was applied to compute midday (10:00 UT) GNSS-derived total electron content (GTEC). GTEC values were computed using GNSS data for stations located near ionosondes for the years 2002 and 2005 near solar maximum and minimum, respectively. The GTEC was compared with the midday ionosonde-derived TEC (ITEC) measurements to validate the UNB-IMT results. It was found that the variation trends of GTEC and ITEC over all stations are in good agreement and show a pronounced seasonal variation for the period near solar maximum, with maximum values (∼80 TECU) around autumn and spring equinoxes, and minimum values (∼22 TECU) around winter and summer. Furthermore, the residual ΔTEC = GTEC − ITEC was computed. It was evident that ΔTEC, which is believed to correspond to plasmaspheric electron content, showed a pronounced seasonal variation with maximum values (∼20 TECU) around equinoxes and minimum (∼5 TECU) around winter near solar maximum. The equivalent ionospheric and total slab thicknesses were also computed and comprehensively discussed. The results verified the use of UNB-IMT as one of the tools for future ionospheric TEC research over South Africa.     

低周疲劳寿命的试验研究

用GH33A钢制成圆柱形棒、鼓形平板和带中心孔平板3种试件进行拉-拉低循环试验。试验测定的疲劳寿命与采用局部应力-应变法预测的寿命结果符合较好。随着应力集中系数的增加,试验寿命与预测寿命之比有所增大。实验中,一次超载造成较大的寿命降低。由于较厚板缺口处存在双向应力-应变状态,较厚试件的疲劳寿命比较薄平板的寿命长。     

全流量补燃循环液氧/甲烷发动机系统分析

对全流量补燃循环液氧,甲烷发动机系统进行了分析研究。确定了初步的发动机系统方案,对发动机的系统参数、结构质量进行了分析计算。     

基于分段FOX方法的民航LTO黑碳质量排放清单计算分析

根据民用航空发动机压比提出分段FOX(formation and oxidation)方法,估算民用航空发动机LTO(landing and takeoff)循环黑碳(BC)颗粒质量排放指数,结合航空发动机机场实际运行时间和燃油流量修正,编制了2018年国内某国际机场某周国内民航航班黑碳颗粒质量排放清单。结果表明:考虑燃油流量修正的分段FOX方法对民用航空发动机慢车、进近等低工况的黑碳颗粒质量估算精度较FOX方法提高1~2倍,爬升、起飞等高工况估算值更接近实验值。考虑民航实际运行时间和燃油流量后,2018年此国际机场国内民航进出港LTO循环黑碳颗粒质量周排放量约300 kg,其中B737、A320等中型机离港(起飞和爬升阶段为主)阶段排放贡献超70%。      

涡轮盘多轴低循环疲劳寿命预测及试验验证

应用单轴及多轴疲劳寿命预测的Von Mises等效应变模型和临界平面模型对某两级涡轮盘传动臂销钉孔的疲劳寿命进行预测.组装和调试了全尺寸两级涡轮盘联合试验件,在旋转试验器上完成了低循环疲劳试验,得到两级涡轮盘传动臂销钉孔试验失效寿命.预测寿命与试验寿命对比分析显示单轴和Von Mises等效应变模型预测误差较大;临界平面模型误差较小,尤其是拉伸型失效SWT(Smith-Watson-Topper)模型误差为9.26%.      

高速压气机涡轮转子结构轴系非线性 振动性能试验

基于气动轴承与轴系耦合调频技术,对高速压气机涡轮转子结构的空气循环制冷机轴系进行非线性振动性能的试验研究,进一步分析了柔性轴系存在转子运动、轴承失稳及碰摩故障的一些非线性特征.研究结果表明:在保证转速设计裕度的前提下,工作转速由40000r/m提高到了60000r/m.      

Impact of rogue active regions on hemispheric asymmetry

The solar dipole moment at activity minimum is a good predictor of the strength of the subsequent solar cycle. Through a systematic analysis using a state-of-the-art $2\times 2$D solar dynamo model, we found that bipolar magnetic regions (BMR) with atypical characteristics can modify the strength of the next cycle via their impact on the buildup of the dipole moment as a sunspot cycle unfolds. In addition to summarizing these results, we present further effects of such “rogue” BMRs. These have the ability to generate hemispheric asymmetry in the subsequent sunspot cycle, since they modify the polar cap flux asymmetry of the ongoing cycle. We found strong correlation between the polar cap flux asymmetry of cycle i and the total pseudo sunspot number asymmetry of cycle $i+1$. Good correlation also appears in the case of the time lag of the hemispheres of cycle $i+1$.     

Characterization of GPS-TEC over African equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) region during 2009–2016

This study characterizes total electron content (TEC) measured by Global Positioning System (GPS) over African equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) region for 2009–2016 period during both quiet geomagnetic conditions (Kp?≤?1) and normal conditions (1?>?Kp?≤?4). GPS-TEC data from four equatorial/low-latitude stations, namely, Addis Ababa (ADIS: 9.04°N, 38.77°E, mag. lat: 0.2°N) [Ethiopia]; Yamoussoukro (YKRO: 6.87°N, 5.24°W, mag. lat: 2.6°S) [Ivory Coast]; Malindi (MAL2; 3.00°S, 40.19°E, mag. lat: 12.4°S) [Kenya] and Libreville (NKLG; 0.35°N, 9.67°W, mag. lat: 13.5°S) [Gabon] were used for this study. Interesting features like noontime TEC bite-out, winter anomaly during the ascending and maximum phases of solar cycle 24, diurnal and seasonal variations with solar activity have been observed and investigated in this study. The day-to-day variations exhibited ionospheric TEC asymmetry on an annual scale. TEC observed at equatorial stations (EIA-trough) and EIA-crest reach maximum values between ～1300–1600 LT and ～1300–1600 LT, respectively. About 76% of the high TEC values were recorded in equinoctial months while the June solstice predominantly exhibited low TEC values. Yearly, the estimated TEC values increases or decreases with solar activity, with 2014 having the highest TEC value. Solar activity dependence of TEC within the EIA zone reveals that both F10.7?cm index and EUV flux (24–36?nm) gives a stronger correlation with TEC than Sunspot Number (SSN). A slightly higher degree of dependence is on EUV flux with the mean highest correlation coefficient (R) value of 0.70, 0.83, 0.82 and 0.88 for quiet geomagnetic conditions (Kp?≤?1) at stations ADIS, MAL2, NKLG, and YKRO, respectively. The correlation results for the entire period consequently reveals that SSN and solar flux F10.7?cm index might not be an ideal index as a proxy for EUV flux as well as to measure the variability of TEC strength within the EIA zone. The estimated TEC along the EIA crest (MAL2 and NKLG) exhibited double-hump maximum, as well as post-sunset peaks (night time enhancement of TEC) between ～2100 and 2300 LT. EIA formation was prominent during evening/post-noon hours.