Going to Alpha Centauri B and setting up a Radio Bridge

How to exploit the Sun as a gravitational lens has been studied extensively during the last 20 years, especially by this author (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). In essence, a spacecraft dubbed FOCAL (an acronym for “Fast Outgoing Cyclopean Astronomical Lens”) should be launched in the direction of the sky opposite to the area of the sky we wish to see highly magnified both at radio and other frequencies. After FOCAL reached the minimal focal distance of 550 AU from the Sun, highly magnified radio images of celestial objects located on the opposite side of the Sun will automatically be produced. In this paper we apply the FOCAL mission concept to the goal of exploring the neighborhood of the Alpha Centauri B star, where the nearest exoplanet to the Solar system was recently discovered. We suggest that:     

Validation of B0 and B1 in the IRI 2001 model at low solar activity for Ilorin an equatorial station

A new set of data obtained at low solar activity from Ilorin, Nigeria (geog. latitude 8.5°N, geog longitude, 4.6°E, dip 4.1°S) is used to validate the IRI 2001 model at low solar activity. The results show in general a good agreement between model and observed B0 at night but an over estimation during daytime. The overestimation is greatest during the morning period (0600LT–1000LT). The model prediction for B1 is fairly good at night and during the day. A dependence of B0 on solar zenith angle χ is observed during the daytime. A formulation of the form B0 = A[cos(χ)ⁿ] is therefore proposed. Values of the constants n and A were determined for the period of low solar activity for this station.     

Two freedom linear parameter varying μ synthesis control for flight environment testbed

To solve the problem of robust servo performance of Flight Environment Testbed(FET)of Altitude Ground Test Facilities(AGTF) over the whole operational envelope, a two-degree-offreedom μ synthesis method based on Linear Parameter Varying(LPV) schematic is proposed, and meanwhile a new structure frame of μ synthesis control on two degrees of freedom with double integral and weighting functions is presented, which constitutes a core support part of the paper. Aimed at the problem of reference command's rapid change, one freedom feed forward is adopted, while another freedom output feedback is used to meet good servo tracking as well as disturbance and noise rejection; furthermore, to overcome the overshoot problem and acquire dynamic tuning,the integral is introduced in inner loop, and another integral controller is used in outer loop in order to guarantee steady errors; additionally, two performance weighting functions are designed to achieve robust specialty and control energy limit considering the uncertainties in system. As the schedule parameters change over large flight envelope, the stability of closed-loop LPV system is proved using Lyapunov inequalities. The simulation results show that the relative tracking errors of temperature and pressure are less than 0.5% with LPV μ synthesis controller. Meanwhile, compared with non-LPV μ synthesis controller in large uncertainty range, the proposed approach in this research can ensure robust servo performance of FET over the whole operational envelope.     

Calibration of robotic drilling systems with a moving rail

Industrial robots are widely used in aircraft assembly systems such as robotic drilling systems. It is necessary to expand a robot＇s working range with a moving rail. A method for improving the position accuracy of an automated assembly system with an industrial robot mounted on a moving rail is proposed. A multi-station method is used to control the robot in this study. The robot only works at stations which are certain positions defined on the moving rail. The calibration of the robot system is composed by the calibration of the robot and the calibration of the stations.The calibration of the robot is based on error similarity and inverse distance weighted interpolation.The calibration of the stations is based on a magnetic strip and a magnetic sensor. Validation tests were performed in this study, which showed that the accuracy of the robot system gained significant improvement using the proposed method. The absolute position errors were reduced by about 85%to less than 0.3 mm compared with the maximum nearly 2 mm before calibration.     

运载火箭发射场无人值守加注发射技术研究

针对我国火箭在发射场射前操作项目多、保障人员多的问题，分析了国内外火箭发射场无人值守加注发射的现状。结合火箭射前状态，从火箭系统、地面测发控系统和发射场系统等方面提出了无人值守加注发射总体方案，通过火箭状态远程监测及故障处理技术、连接器零秒脱落技术、箭地接口组合连接技术、连接器自动对接技术和火工品自动短路保护与解保技术等关键技术研究，可提高人员和产品的安全性，为后续我国火箭实现无人值守加注发射提供参考。     

Relativistic jets from black hole binaries

Relativistic jets are now believed to be a fairly ubiquitous property of accreting compact objects, and are intimately coupled with the accretion history. Associated with rapid changes in the accretion states of the binary systems, ejections of relativistic plasma can be observed at radio frequencies on timescale of weeks before becoming undetectable. However, recent observations point to long term effects of these ejecta on the interstellar medium with the formation of large scale relativistic jets around binary systems.     

Be stars in young clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

A substantial fraction (typically 10%) of Galactic B stars consists of Be stars. While Galactic Be stars have been fairly well investigated, very little is known about the Be star content of the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). We present a refined method of Be star identification by CCD photometry and apply it to four young clusters and associations in the MCs. We find NGC 330 in the SMC to be exceptionally rich in Be stars, while the fraction is clearly lower in the similarly aged LMC clusters NGC 2004 and NGC 1818. NGC 2044, a very young region in the LMC, contains almost no Be stars. Among very early-type B stars in the investigated MC clusters we find the largest number of Be stars, while in the Milky Way this is shifted to somewhat later types. In the LMC, there may be a second frequency peak around B6.Based on observations obtained at the 2.2m MPIA telescope at ESO, La Silla, Chile, partly on time granted by the MPIA, Heidelberg.     

Transient outburst mechanisms in Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients

The recent discovery of a new class of recurrent and fast X-ray transient sources, the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients, poses interesting questions on the possible mechanisms responsible for their transient X-ray emission. The association with blue supergiants, the spectral properties similar to those of accreting pulsars and the detection, in a few cases, of X-ray pulsations, confirm that these transients are High Mass X-ray Binaries. I review the different mechanisms proposed to explain their transient outbursts and the link to persistent wind accretors. I discuss the different models in light of the new observational results coming from an on-going monitoring campaign of four Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients with Swift.     

数控铣削加工的工艺分析

从选择并确定数控加工部位及工序等方面对数控铣削加工工艺进行了分析,并提出了所要解决的主要问题及措施,对做好数控铣削加工编程工作有着一定的参考作用。     

Plant mineral nutrition,gas exchange and photosynthesis in space: A review

Successful growth and development of higher plants in space rely on adequate availability and uptake of water and nutrients, and efficient energy distribution through photosynthesis and gas exchange. In the present review, literature has been reviewed to assemble the relevant knowledge within space plant research for future planetary missions. Focus has been on fractional gravity, space radiation, magnetic fields and ultimately a combined effect of these factors on gas exchange, photosynthesis and transport of water and solutes.