Periodic relative orbits of two spacecraft subject to differential gravity and electrostatic forcing

Coulomb forces between charged close-flying satellites can be used for formation control, and constant electric potentials enable static equilibria solutions. In this work, open-loop time-varying potential functions, which produce periodic, two-craft, Coulomb formation motions are demonstrated for the first time. This is done in the rotating Hill-Frame, with linearized gravity, and craft position components assumed in the form of simple harmonic oscillators. Substitution of the oscillatory functions into the dynamics, further constrains these functions, and yields necessary potential histories, to produce the periodic flow. The assumed position functions, however, are not arbitrary, since the dynamical model restricts what oscillatory trajectories are allowed. Specifically, a Hill-Frame integral of motion is derived, and this is used to show certain candidate periodic functions to be inadmissible. The system dynamics are then linearized to expose stability properties of the solutions, and it is established that asymptotic stability is impossible for all orbit families. Finally, the degree of instability in the assumed motions, over free parameter ranges, is determined numerically via the Floquet multipliers of the associated full-cycle state-transition matrices.     

A systematic approach to nonlinear rotorcraft model identification

The development of a powerful parameter estimation routine and its integration into the simulation environment HOST is described. With this tool approaches are being made towards new strategies of mathematical modeling, aimed at providing highly accurate and nevertheless run-time efficient simulation models. The identification routine is capable of optimizing parameterized models in both dynamic time domain simulation and static (e.g. trim state variation) conditions. Examples of both cases are presented to emphasize the improvement in the system response prediction and to demonstrate the abilities of the identification techniques in combination with the nonlinear simulation platform. This article reviews the activities and achievements accomplished by the DLR Institute of Flight Research and the ONERA Systems Control and Flight Dynamics Department during the last few years in the research on rotorcraft flight dynamics modeling and model identification. Future activities that require extensive high fidelity modeling are in the scope of the current and coming modeling activities that include the use of the presented methods and software technologies.     

Comparison of mesopause region meteor radar winds,medium frequency radar winds and low frequency drifts over Germany

During 2004 and 2005 measurements of mesospheric/lower thermospheric (80–100 km) winds have been carried out in Germany using three different ground-based systems, namely a meteor radar (36.2 MHz) at the Collm Observatory (51.3°N, 13°E), a MF radar (3.18 MHz) at Juliusruh (54.6°N, 13.4°E) and the LF D1 measurements using a transmitter (177 kHz) at Zehlendorf near Berlin and receivers at Collm with the reflection point at 52.1°N, 13.2°E. This provides the possibility of comparing the results of different radar systems in nearly the same measuring volume. Meteor radar winds are generally stronger than the winds observed by MF and especially by LF radars. This difference is small near 80 km but increases with height. The difference between meteor radar and medium frequency radar winds is larger during winter than during summer, which might indicate an indirect influence of gravity waves on spaced antenna measurements.     

Determination of an instantaneous Laplace plane for Mercury’s rotation

Mercury is the target of two space missions: MESSENGER, which carried out its first and second flybys of Mercury on January 14, 2008 and October 6, 2008, and the ESA/JAXA space mission BepiColombo, scheduled to arrive at Mercury in 2020. The preparation of these missions requires a good knowledge of the rotation of Mercury.     

中层大气受迫Rossby波包的非线性相互作用：Ⅱ.数值计算

本文对中层大气受迫Ｒｏｓｓｂｙ波包的非线性三波相互作用问题作了进一步的数值分析，结果表明，三个波包随时间演化达到的平衡态与文献［１］的理论结果完全一致，而且仅当系统中只有中等波长波包不受外源强迫时，系统运动有可能出现两个稳定平衡态，在一定外源强度范围内，平衡态会产生尖点突变，平衡态随外源的变化有滞后分岔的特征，系统运动最终达到的平衡态不仅与外源强度的变化方式有关，而且依赖于初始状态。     

某型卫星测试转台俯仰翻转丝杠动力学分析

以某型卫星测试转台俯仰机构为研究对象,在ADAMS中建立了虚拟样机,得到了在翻转过程中丝杠轴向力曲线,并将仿真结果与理论计算结果及试验结果进行比较,验证了虚拟样机建模的合理性;研究结果为同类物理样机设计中滚珠丝杠的选用校核,台体框架的设计校核以及机电联合仿真提供有利数据支撑。     

Dynamics and Composition of Rings

Planetary rings are found around all four giant planets of our solar system. These collisional and highly flattened disks exhibit a whole wealth of physical processes involving dust grains up to meter-sized boulders. These processes, together with ring composition, can help understand better the formation and evolution of proto-satellite and proto-planetary disks in the early solar system. The present chapter reviews some fundamental aspects of ring dynamics and composition. The forthcoming exploration of the Saturn system by the Cassini mission will bring both high resolution and time-dependent information on Saturn’s rings.     

PC-index fluctuations and intermittency of the magnetospheric dynamics

One minute resolution Polar Cap (PC) index was used for the analysis of magnetospheric dynamics. The 1995–2000 time series analysis revealed that the power spectrum of the PC-index fluctuations is a power law in a wide range of frequencies. However, the obtained exponents differ for low and high frequency regions. The probability distribution functions of the PC-index fluctuations show a strong non-gaussian shape, depending on the time of increment. This indicates that the PC-index exhibits intermittency, previously detected in solar wind and auroral electrojet index fluctuations. The PC-index probability distribution functions were fitted by the functional form proposed by Castaing et al. [Velocity probability density functions of high Reynolds number turbulence. Physica D. 46, 177–200, 1990] to describe intermittency phenomena in ordinary turbulent fluid flows. The agreement between the fitting parameters obtained for the PC index and those reported before for solar wind magnetic field fluctuations is within 30%; which is noticeably less than the difference between the same parameters of solar wind and the AE-index fluctuations. This fact indicates that the PC index reflects the solar wind influence on the high-latitude magnetosphere, especially during the summer.     

Modeling Multifractality of the Solar Wind

The question of multifractality is of great importance because it allows us to investigate interplanetary hydromagnetic turbulence. The multifractal spectrum has been investigated with Voyager (magnetic field) data in the outer heliosphere and with Helios (plasma) data in the inner heliosphere. We use the Grassberger and Procaccia method that allows calculation of the generalized dimensions of the solar wind attractor in the phase space directly from the cleaned experimental signal. We analyze time series of plasma parameters of the low-speed streams of the solar wind measured in situ by Helios in the inner heliosphere. The resulting spectrum of dimensions shows a multifractal structure of the solar wind attractor. In order to quantify that multifractality, we use a simple analytical model of the dynamical system. Namely, we consider the generalized self-similar baker’s map with two parameters describing uniform compression and natural invariant measure on the attractor of the system. The action of this map exhibits stretching and folding properties leading to sensitive dependence on initial conditions. The obtained solar wind singularity spectrum is consistent with that for the multifractal measure on the weighted baker’s map.