Self-perspiration garment for extravehicular activity improves skin cooling effects without raising humidity

Introduction

The current U.S. extravehicular activity (EVA) suit in space includes liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) to control thermal condition. Tubes knitted in LCVG for flowing water interrupt evaporation of perspiration, and astronauts feel discomfort. In the present study, we hypothesized that a self-perspiration garment would effectively lower the skin temperature without raising humidity in the garment. Thus, we developed and examined the effects of the garment.

Methods

Eight healthy subjects were studied with a cyclic ergometer of 30, 60 90 and 120 W loading for 3 min each. Skin temperature and humidity on the back were measured continuously. Subjects wore and tested three types of garments i.e., a spandex wear without any cooling device (Normal), a simulated LCVG (s-LCVG) or the spandex wear knitted a vinyl tube for flowing water, and the spandex wear with a tube, which flows water and self-perspiration with oozing water for evaporative cooling (SPEC).

Results

All measurements were reached to steady state 2–3 min after the setting. The s-LCVG decreased skin temperature 0.39±0.14 °C during 12 min of cooling. With SPEC, skin temperature did not decrease significantly until 6–9 min after starting the cooling. However, the temperature decreased rapidly and significantly after that, and finally decreased 1.59±0.32 °C. Humidity in the SPEC was significantly lower than that in s-LCVG.

Discussion

SPEC was effective for lowering skin temperature without raising humidity in the garment. The concept is expected to use as a better cooling system during EVA.     

Influence of lunar topography on simulated surface temperature

The surface temperature of the Moon is one of the essential parameters for the lunar exploration, especially to evaluate the Moon thermophysical features. The distribution of the temperature is heavily influenced by the Moon topography, which, however, is rarely studied in the state-of-art surface temperature models. Therefore, this paper takes the Moon topography into account to improve the surface temperature model, Racca model. The main parameters, such as slopes along the longitude and latitude directions, are estimated with the topography data from Chang’E-1 satellite and the Horn algorithm. Then the effective solar illumination model is then constructed with the slopes and the relative position to the subsolar point. Finally, the temperature distribution over the Moon surface is obtained with the effective illumination model and the improved Racca model. The results indicate that the distribution of the temperature is very sensitive to the fluctuation of the Moon surface. The change of the surface temperature is up to 150 K in some places compared to the result without considering the topography. In addition, the variation of the surface temperature increases with the distance from the subsolar point and the elevation, along both latitude and longitude directions. Furthermore, the simulated surface temperature coincides well with the brightness temperature in 37 GHz observed by the microwave sounder onboard Chang’E-2 satellite. The corresponded emissivity map not only eliminates the influence of the topography, but also hints the inherent properties of the lunar regolith just below the surface. Last but not the least, the distribution of the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) in the lunar pole area is also evaluated with the simulated surface temperature result.     

应用计算几何的月面太阳辐照度仿真模型

月面太阳辐照度对月面环境分析、月面巡视器设计具有重要意义。文章提出了一种应用计算几何的月面任意位置太阳辐照度仿真模型。首先,计算太阳、地球等天体相对月面点的位置;然后,将各天体投影至以月面点为球心的天球球面,并通过裁剪运算和二维布尔运算得到太阳未被遮挡的形状;最后,利用太阳可见面积对理想太阳辐照度模型进行修正,得到通用的模型。为验证提出模型的有效性,将仿真结果与STK软件进行比较。结果表明,文章中的模型综合考虑了地球、月面等多种因素对太阳辐射的耦合影响,其与STK软件获得的结果相比,更符合真实的太阳光照状态。     

太阳帆日心定点悬浮转移轨道设计

研究了太阳帆航天器日心定点悬浮轨道(HFDO)的转移轨道设计问题,以球坐标形式建立了太阳帆的动力学模型,基于该模型给出在日心悬浮轨道基础上实现定点悬浮的条件,提出了一种实现日心定点悬浮的转移轨道设计方法。首先,确定定点悬浮的位置;然后,设计经过该位置的绕日极轨轨道;最后,实施轨道减速实现定点悬浮,并给出了解析形式的轨道控制律。结合太阳极地观测任务,设计了定点悬浮在太阳北极1AU处的太阳帆转移轨道。仿真结果表明:该轨道转移方案总耗时3.5年,太阳帆定点到黄北极距日心1AU处,此后只要保持太阳光垂直照射帆面,即可维持稳定的悬浮状态。     

Strong geomagnetic activity forecast by neural networks under dominant southern orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field

The paper deals with the relation of the southern orientation of the north–south component _Bz$B_z$ of the interplanetary magnetic field to geomagnetic activity (GA) and subsequently a method is suggested of using the found facts to forecast potentially dangerous high GA. We have found that on a day with very high GA hourly averages of _Bz$B_z$ with a negative sign occur at least 16 times in typical cases. Since it is very difficult to estimate the orientation of _Bz$B_z$ in the immediate vicinity of the Earth one day or even a few days in advance, we have suggested using a neural-network model, which assumes the worse of the possibilities to forecast the danger of high GA – the dominant southern orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field. The input quantities of the proposed model were information about X-ray flares, type II and IV radio bursts as well as information about coronal mass ejections (CME). In comparing the GA forecasts with observations, we obtain values of the Hanssen–Kuiper skill score ranging from 0.463 to 0.727, which are usual values for similar forecasts of space weather. The proposed model provides forecasts of potentially dangerous high geomagnetic activity should the interplanetary CME (ICME), the originator of geomagnetic storms, hit the Earth under the most unfavorable configuration of cosmic magnetic fields. We cannot know in advance whether the unfavorable configuration is going to occur or not; we just know that it will occur with the probability of 31%.     

A comparative sporadic-E layer study between two mid-latitude ionospheric stations

Hourly systematic measurements of the highest frequency reflected by the sporadic-E layer (foEs) recorded from January 1976 to June 2009 at the ionospheric stations of Rome (Italy, 41.8°N, 12.5°E) and Gibilmanna (Italy, 37.9°N, 14.0°E) were considered to carry out a comparative study between the sporadic E layer (Es) over Rome and Gibilmanna. Different statistical analysis were performed taking into account foEs observations near the periods of minimum and maximum solar activity. The results reveal that: (1) independently from the solar activity, Es develops concurrently over extended regions in space, instead of being a spatially limited layer which is transported horizontally by neutral winds over a larger area; especially during summer months, when an Es layer is present at Rome, there is a high probability that an Es layer is also present over Gibilmanna, and vice versa; (2) Es layer lifetimes of 1–5 h were found; in particular, Es layers with lifetimes of 5 h both over Gibilmanna and Rome are observed with highest percentages of occurrence in summer ranging between 80% and 90%, independently from the solar activity; (3) latitudinal effects on Es layer occurrence emerge mostly for low solar activity during winter, equinoctial, and summer months, when Es layers are detected more frequently over Gibilmanna rather than Rome; (4) when the presence of an Es layer over Rome and Gibilmanna is not simultaneous, Es layer appearance both over Rome and Gibilmanna confirms to be a locally confined event, because drifting phenomena from Rome to Gibilmanna or vice versa have not been emphasized.     

Study of Solar Corona in China

Considerable progress for the study of solar corona physics has been achieved by China's space physics community. It involves the theoretical study of coronal process of solar active phenomena, solar wind origin, acceleration of solar wind and coronal mass ejections, observational and numerical study of these problems and prediction methods of solar eruptive activities (such as flares/CMEs). Here is a brief summary of the progress in this area. Main progress is put upon the following three topics: corona and solar wind, numerical method, prediction method.     

厦门机场低空风切变产生的地理成因分析

厦门机场航班飞行遭遇低空风切变的频次较高,危及飞行安全。产生风切变的原因主要有两大类,一是大气运动本身的变化,一是地理、环境因素。本文着重分析因厦门机场地理环境及环境变化导致风切变产生的原因。     

基于保障活动流程的装备群保障规模预测模型

为解决研制阶段装备群保障规模预测的问题,建立了基于保障活动流程的装备群保障规模预测模型.模型从装备群的使用任务入手,以研制阶段保障性分析和保障系统建模数据为输入,通过分析资源在保障活动中被占用或被消耗的定量关系,从占用型资源和消耗型资源两方面分别提供了由功能分析框图中各层保障活动的流程汇总保障活动资源需求的方法,对保障资源数量进行计算,进而依据这些资源的重量与体积参数预测装备群的保障规模.给出了某型机群保障规模预测的算例,验证了模型的合理性与工程适用性,能够为研制阶段装备保障的改进、系统部署性分析提供理论指导与技术支持.      

用于热控涂层性能原位测试的辐射计设计

针对空间环境中热控涂层性能退化的问题,提出一种模拟空间环境中利用测热法实现热控涂层太阳吸收率原位测试的辐射计设计方案.结合模拟空间环境的测试要求,进行辐射计的原理设计与理论研究;对辐射计进行结构热分析,建立辐射计测试过程中各项换热的计算式,从而得到辐射计的瞬态计算模型.恒温测试环境下利用辐射计对SR107热控涂层进行了测试.实验结果表明:辐射计测试的SR107热控涂层太阳吸收率值与该涂层的标定值之间的相对误差在2%以内,测试的不确定度为6.3%,实验结果验证了该测试方法的有效性.