Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the fine particulate matter concentration levels: Results from Bengaluru megacity,India

Leveraging the COVID-19 India-wide lockdown situation, the present study attempts to quantify the reduction in the ambient fine particulate matter concentrations during the lockdown (compared with that of the pre-lockdown period), owing to the highly reduced specific anthropogenic activities and thereby pollutant emissions. The study was conducted over Bengaluru (India), using PM_2.5 (mass concentration of particulate matter having size less than or equal to 2.5 µm) and Black Carbon mass concentration (BC) data. Open-access datasets from pollution control board (PCB) were also utilised to understand the spatial variability and region-specific reduction in PM_2.5 across the city. The highest percentage reduction was observed in BC_ff (black carbon attributable to fossil fuel combustion), followed by total BC and PM_2.5. No decrease in BC_bb (black carbon attributable to wood/biomass burning) was observed, suggesting unaltered wood-based cooking activities and biomass-burning (local/regional) throughout the study period. Results support the general understanding of multi-source (natural and anthropogenic) nature of PM_2.5 in contrast to limited-source (combustion based) nature of BC. The diurnal amplitudes in BC and BC_ff were reduced, while they remained almost the same for PM_2.5 and BC_bb. Analysis of PCB data reveal the highest reduction in PM_2.5 in an industrial cluster area. The current lockdown situation acted as a natural model to understand the role of a few major anthropogenic activities (viz., traffic, construction, industries related to non-essential goods, etc.) in enhancing the background fine particulate matter levels. Contemporary studies reporting reduction in surface fine particulate matter and satellite retrieved columnar Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) during COVID-19 lockdown period are discussed.     

Exploration life support technology challenges for the Crew Exploration Vehicle and future human missions

As NASA implements the U.S. Space Exploration Policy, life support systems must be provided for an expanding sequence of exploration missions. NASA has implemented effective life support for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station (ISS) and continues to develop advanced systems. This paper provides an overview of life support requirements, previously implemented systems, and new technologies being developed by the Exploration Life Support Project for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and Lunar Outpost and future Mars missions. The two contrasting practical approaches to providing space life support are (1) open loop direct supply of atmosphere, water, and food, and (2) physicochemical regeneration of air and water with direct supply of food. Open loop direct supply of air and water is cost effective for short missions, but recycling oxygen and water saves costly launch mass on longer missions. Because of the short CEV mission durations, the CEV life support system will be open loop as in Apollo and Space Shuttle. New life support technologies for CEV that address identified shortcomings of existing systems are discussed. Because both ISS and Lunar Outpost have a planned 10-year operational life, the Lunar Outpost life support system should be regenerative like that for ISS and it could utilize technologies similar to ISS. The Lunar Outpost life support system, however, should be extensively redesigned to reduce mass, power, and volume, to improve reliability and incorporate lessons learned, and to take advantage of technology advances over the last 20 years. The Lunar Outpost design could also take advantage of partial gravity and lunar resources.     

带有SiC涂层的C/C复合材料的氧化行为

采用包埋法在C/C复合材料表面制备了SiC高温防氧化涂层。利用SEM和XRD等方法对涂层的微观形貌和晶相组成进行了观察与分析,并对带涂层试样在室温~1 500℃范围内的氧化行为进行了研究。结果表明,涂层主要由β-SiC和少量的游离Si组成,涂层表面有裂纹存在,涂层与C/C复合材料基体结合良好,呈现犬牙状结合。在室温~1 500℃之间,带SiC涂层C/C复合材料的氧化行为可分为4个阶段,涂层在高温区具有较好的防氧化性能。     

一种全光纤激光干涉测速仪的研究

应用全光纤激光干涉测速原理,搭建了一套由单模光纤和光纤耦合器组成的全光纤测速仪。通过与激光测振仪的比对实验得到了相对偏差小于1.4%的测速结果,实验利用Hopkinson杆冲击产生标准速度源,提供20.86 m/s瞬时标准参考速度时,实测速度为20.57 m/s。验证了全光纤激光干涉测速仪的可行性。     

小波滤波在光纤陀螺捷联惯导系统初始对准中的应用研究

针对光纤陀螺车载捷联惯导系统在晃动基座下传感器测量噪声增大,导致对准精度降低、对准时间长的问题,本文对小波滤波方法在光纤陀螺捷联惯导系统初始对准中的预滤波处理进行了研究,确定了合适的小波尺度分解级数及小波基,并进行实验验证。实验结果表明：此方法有效降低了光纤陀螺的测量噪声,提高了航向角的对准精度并缩短对准时间,在工程上具有一定的参考价值。     

基于空中对准过程的在线标定及优化设计

光纤陀螺惯组输出误差影响武器系统导航精度,为了弥补地面标定的不足,利用机载制导武器发射前空中对准过程进行光纤捷联系统在线标定.介绍了光纤捷联系统空中对准/在线标定系统模型,基于此设计卡尔曼滤波器;针对某机载航空制导炸弹工作过程进行了对准过程中误差激发与对导航精度影响的仿真分析,并基于此进行了滤波器优化设计;最后进行了优化设计前后导航精度仿真比较,仿真结果显示:完成空中对准/在线标定优化设计后,光纤捷联系统纯惯性导航精度得到提高.      

人工制备冰雹的力学性能试验研究

人工制备的冰雹可用于多种航空附件冰撞测试。本文以ASTM F320—2010标准为基础,设计制作了多种冰雹,对冰雹的力学性能及影响冰雹力学性能的因素开展了研究。采用低温万能试验机对冰雹进行准静态试验,使用高速摄影技术深入分析冰雹破碎过程及特征,对比分析不同棉纤维种类、棉纤维特性和棉纤维含量下冰雹的力学性能。研究结果表明,含棉冰雹失效过程可分为3个阶段：线性增长阶段、屈服阶段和破碎阶段,失效过程中最大抗压强度出现在线性增长阶段末端。棉纤维的强度和弹性越好,冰雹破碎所需的加载力越大;棉纤维上附着的冰量越少,冰雹破碎所需的加载力越小。棉纤维含量增加可以加强棉纤维的连接作用,使含棉冰雹强度增加;但棉纤维含量到达15%时,继续增加棉纤维含量,冰雹抗压强度不会发生太大变化。亲水棉制成的冰雹抗压强度明显高于疏水棉制成的冰雹。研究结果可为中国民用大飞机适航符合性验证提供参考。     

单模光纤耦合器的传输光谱温度特性

在温变条件下,对光纤光源发出光波经单模光纤耦合器传输后的输出光谱进行了测试.借助测试结果,仿真计算了耦合器的透射光波和耦合光波分别进入Sagnac干涉仪后干涉仪输出信号的误差随温度的变化情况.结果表明:当环境温度发生变化时,耦合器透射光波和耦合光波的平均波长和功率都会发生变化,且透射光波的平均波长和功率的温度稳定性远远高于耦合光波的稳定性;当透射光波作为干涉仪输入光波时,由温变引起的干涉仪输出误差比耦合光波作为输入光波时的误差小一个数量级.     

机载制氮系统中空纤维膜分离特性

采用微元方法建立了机载制氮系统中空纤维膜数学模型,并使用龙格-库塔法对其进行了数值计算,与实验数据进行对比后显示,误差不超过10%.然后分析了单位膜面积进料量、膜丝(membrane fiber)内外压比和氧氮渗透比其对产品气氧体积分数和制氮效率的影响.结果表明:增加单位膜面积进料量虽然可提高制氮效率的增加,但是会显著降低产品气中氮的体积分数,因此需要采用合适的流程设计以克服此缺点.压比和氧气渗透系数的增加均会使氧体积分数与制氮效率减小,但是提高渗透比对制氮效率影响不大,因此对于气体分离过程是有利的.通过计算模型及实验数据,分析了中空纤维膜分离理想度随压比和温度的变化关系,结果显示压力对理想度影响较大,随着压力增加,实际分离过程与理论值偏差趋大,而温度对理想度影响较小.      

Compressive properties of homemade carbon fiber composite laminates with delamination defect

Large numbers of aircraft composite structures were researched, and the distribution of delamination sizes and though thickness positions in the composite laminates were investigated. An experiment was conducted to probe into the effect of delamination sizes and through thickness positions on the compressive strengths of laminates with single embedded circular delamination with the most dangerous delamination sizes and positions defined from the distribution. A shell model was established for compressive strength prediction, and the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) was employed for the strain energy release rate calculation. The finite element (FE) prediction was in good agreement with the experimental measurements, for the predicted compressive strengths stood within 10% error of experimental results. It was observed that the compressive strength was highly effected by the delamination size, while the though thickness position of delamination did not have significant effect on the compressive strength.