Elemental Abundances of the Bulk Solar Wind: Analyses from Genesis and ACE

Analysis of the Genesis samples is underway. Preliminary elemental abundances based on Genesis sample analyses are in good agreement with in situ-measured elemental abundances made by ACE/SWICS during the Genesis collection period. Comparison of these abundances with those of earlier solar cycles indicates that the solar wind composition is relatively stable between cycles for a given type of flow. ACE/SWICS measurements for the Genesis collection period also show a continuum in compositional variation as a function of velocity for the quasi-stationary flow that defies the simple binning of samples into their sources of coronal hole (CH) and interstream (IS).     

D/H and Nearby Interstellar Cloud Structures

Analysis of UV spectra obtained with the HST, FUSE and other satellites provides a new understanding of the deuterium abundance in the local region of the galactic disk. The wide range of gas-phase D/H measurements obtained outside of the Local Bubble can now be explained as due to different amounts of deuterium depletion on carbonaceous grains. The total D/H ratio including deuterium in the gas and dust phases is at least 23 parts per million of hydrogen, which is providing a challenge to models of galactic chemical evolution. Analysis of HST and ground-based spectra of many lines of sight to stars within the Local Bubble have identified interstellar velocity components that are consistent with more than 15 velocity vectors. We have identified the structures of 15 nearby warm interstellar clouds on the basis of these velocity vectors and common temperatures and depletions. We estimate the distances and masses of these clouds and compare their locations with cold interstellar clouds.     

Fe/O Ratios in Interplanetary Shock Accelerated Particles

It is widely accepted that diffusive shock acceleration is an important process in the heliosphere, in particular in producing the energetic particles associated with interplanetary shocks driven by coronal mass ejections. In its simplest formulation shock acceleration is expected to accelerate ions with higher mass to charge ratios less efficiently than those with lower mass to charge. Thus it is anticipated that the Fe/O ratio in shock-accelerated ion populations will decrease with increasing energy above some energy. We examine the circumstances of five interplanetary shocks that have been reported to have associated populations in which Fe/O increases with increasing energy. In each event, the situation is complex, with particle contributions from other sources in addition to the shock. Furthermore, we show that the Fe/O ratio in shock-accelerated ions can decrease even when the shock is traveling through an Fe-rich ambient ion population. Thus, although shock acceleration of an Fe-rich suprathermal population has been proposed to explain large Fe-rich solar particle events, we find no support for this proposal in these observations.     

Galactic Wind: Mass Fractionation and Cosmic Ray Acceleration

The dynamical and chemical effects of the Galactic Wind are discussed. This wind is primarily driven by the pressure gradient of the Cosmic Rays. Assuming the latter to be accelerated in the Supernova Remnants of the disk which at the same time produce the Hot Interstellar Medium, it is argued that the gas removed by the wind is enriched in the nucleosynthesis products of Supernova explosions. Therefore the moderate mass loss through this wind should still be able to remove a substantial amount of metals, opening the way for stars to produce more metals than observed in the disk, by e.g. assuming a Salpeter-type stellar initial mass function beyond a few Solar masses. The wind also allows a global, physically appealing interpretation of Cosmic Ray propagation and escape from the Galaxy. In addition the spiral structure of the disk induces periodic pressure waves in the expanding wind that become a sawtooth shock wave train at large distances which can re-accelerate “knee” particles coming from the disk sources. This new Galactic Cosmic Ray component can reach energies of a few×10¹⁸ eV and may contribute to the juncture between the particles of Galactic and extragalactic origin in the observed overall Cosmic Ray spectrum.     

Solar and Solar-Wind Composition Results from the Genesis Mission

The Genesis mission returned samples of solar wind to Earth in September 2004 for ground-based analyses of solar-wind composition, particularly for isotope ratios. Substrates, consisting mostly of high-purity semiconductor materials, were exposed to the solar wind at L1 from December 2001 to April 2004. In addition to a bulk sample of the solar wind, separate samples of coronal hole (CH), interstream (IS), and coronal mass ejection material were obtained. Although many substrates were broken upon landing due to the failure to deploy the parachute, a number of results have been obtained, and most of the primary science objectives will likely be met. These objectives include He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe isotope ratios in the bulk solar wind and in different solar-wind regimes, and ¹⁵N/¹⁴N and ¹⁸O/¹⁷O/¹⁶O to high precision. The greatest successes to date have been with the noble gases. Light noble gases from bulk solar wind and separate solar-wind regime samples have now been analyzed. Helium results show clear evidence of isotopic fractionation between CH and IS samples, consistent with simplistic Coulomb drag theory predictions of fractionation between the photosphere and different solar-wind regimes, though fractionation by wave heating is also a possible explanation. Neon results from closed system stepped etching of bulk metallic glass have revealed the nature of isotopic fractionation as a function of depth, which in lunar samples have for years deceptively suggested the presence of an additional, energetic component in solar wind trapped in lunar grains and meteorites. Isotope ratios of the heavy noble gases, nitrogen, and oxygen are in the process of being measured.     

The Origin of Mercury’s Internal Magnetic Field

Mariner 10 measurements proved the existence of a large-scale internal magnetic field on Mercury. The observed field amplitude, however, is too weak to be compatible with typical convective planetary dynamos. The Lorentz force based on an extrapolation of Mariner 10 data to the dynamo region is 10⁻⁴ times smaller than the Coriolis force. This is at odds with the idea that planetary dynamos are thought to work in the so-called magnetostrophic regime, where Coriolis force and Lorentz force should be of comparable magnitude. Recent convective dynamo simulations reviewed here seem to resolve this caveat. We show that the available convective power indeed suffices to drive a magnetostrophic dynamo even when the heat flow though Mercury’s core–mantle boundary is subadiabatic, as suggested by thermal evolution models. Two possible causes are analyzed that could explain why the observations do not reflect a stronger internal field. First, toroidal magnetic fields can be strong but are confined to the conductive core, and second, the observations do not resolve potentially strong small-scale contributions. We review different dynamo simulations that promote either or both effects by (1) strongly driving convection, (2) assuming a particularly small inner core, or (3) assuming a very large inner core. These models still fall somewhat short of explaining the low amplitude of Mariner 10 observations, but the incorporation of an additional effect helps to reach this goal: The subadiabatic heat flow through Mercury’s core–mantle boundary may cause the outer part of the core to be stably stratified, which would largely exclude convective motions in this region. The magnetic field, which is small scale, strong, and very time dependent in the lower convective part of the core, must diffuse through the stagnant layer. Here, the electromagnetic skin effect filters out the more rapidly varying high-order contributions and mainly leaves behind the weaker and slower varying dipole and quadrupole components (Christensen in Nature 444:1056–1058, 2006). Messenger and BepiColombo data will allow us to discriminate between the various models in terms of the magnetic fields spatial structure, its degree of axisymmetry, and its secular variation.     

Solar Sources of Heliospheric Energetic Electron Events—Shocks or Flares?

Electrons with near-relativistic (E≳30 keV, NrR) and relativistic (E≳0.3 MeV) energies are often observed as discrete events in the inner heliosphere following solar transient activity. Several acceleration mechanisms have been proposed for the production of those electrons. One candidate is acceleration at MHD shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with speeds ≳1000 km s⁻¹. Many NrR electron events are temporally associated only with flares while others are associated with flares as well as with CMEs or with radio type II shock waves. Since CME onsets and associated flares are roughly simultaneous, distinguishing the sources of electron events is a serious challenge. On a phenomenological basis two classes of solar electron events were known several decades ago, but recent observations have presented a more complex picture. We review early and recent observational results to deduce different electron event classes and their viable acceleration mechanisms, defined broadly as shocks versus flares. The NrR and relativistic electrons are treated separately. Topics covered are: solar electron injection delays from flare impulsive phases; comparisons of electron intensities and spectra with flares, CMEs and accompanying solar energetic proton (SEP) events; multiple spacecraft observations; two-phase electron events; coronal flares; shock-associated (SA) events; electron spectral invariance; and solar electron intensity size distributions. This evidence suggests that CME-driven shocks are statistically the dominant acceleration mechanism of relativistic events, but most NrR electron events result from flares. Determining the solar origin of a given NrR or relativistic electron event remains a difficult proposition, and suggestions for future work are given.     

CE/SE法模拟爆震波点火及传播过程

运用时空守恒元和解元(CE/SE)法模拟一维爆震波的形成及传播过程,分析产生爆震波的不同机理和DDT(爆燃-爆震转捩)过程的影响因素.采取激波点火和热点点火两种点火方式,分别对应SDT(激波-爆震转捩)和DDT过程,热点点火初始场采用线性温度分布和阶梯性温度分布,整个管道均为常压.用隐式梯形方法实现刚性源项积分.结果表明,SDT和DDT对应于不同的爆震波机理,并且DDT受点火区不同参数的影响,为研究爆震波点火和DDT过程提供了理论依据.     

超声速平板边界层旁路转捩直接数值模拟

采用具有七阶精度的有限差分格式和基于Euler方程组的特征边界条件,通过直接数值模拟研究了由固定相位周期性吹吸扰动诱导的、Ma∞=2.25、Re∞=2.5×107/m(635 000/inch)空间发展平板边界层的旁路转捩过程,并建立了相应的直接数值模拟数据库。数值结果表明:扰动相位的随机性并不是转捩发生的必要条件,固定相位周期性吹吸扰动即可诱发边界层的转捩;当采用固定相位时,随着吹吸频率的增加,转捩位置向下游移动;当扰动频率足够大时,周期性吹吸无法诱导出边界层的转捩。随后,在所得数据库中提取了速度及热力学变量的平均值,与已有的数据库和理论分析吻合良好;速度脉动均方根与公认的不可压缩平板边界层实验基本吻合;热力学变量脉动均方根和雷诺应力与已有数据库的统计结果及实验数据具有相同的分布特征。对比发现,不同转捩的诱导因素对平均转捩位置和热力学变量均方根、雷诺应力等高阶统计量的影响较大。     

高超声速飞行器机体/推进一体化设计的启示

机体/推进一体化设计是吸气式高超声速飞行器的关键技术。飞行器的前体和后体既是主要的气动型面,又是发动机进气道的外压缩型面和尾喷管的膨胀型面,一体化设计直接影响飞行器的气动与发动机性能。本文阐述了吸气式高超声速飞行器的主要特点,梳理了飞行器的推阻匹配、升阻比特性、操稳匹配等主要气动设计问题。通过对国外典型高超声速飞行器机体/推进一体化设计技术的综合分析,总结了前体/进气道、后体/尾喷管、边界层强制转捩装置等关键部件的气动设计方法,获得了有意义的启示,可为后续吸气式高超声速技术研究提供重要参考。