Disks, Extrasolar Planets and Migration

We review results about protoplanetary disk models, protoplanet migration and formation of giant planets with migrating cores. We first model the protoplanetary nebula as an α–accretion disk and present steady state calculations for different values of α and gas accretion rate through the disk. We then review the current theories of protoplanet migration in the context of these models, focusing on the gaseous disk–protoplanet tidal interaction. According to these theories, the migration timescale may be shorter than the planetary formation timescale. Therefore we investigate planet formation in the context of a migrating core, considering both the growth of the core and the build–up of the envelope in the course of the migration. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

由卫星的历表位置测定恒星位置

利用云南天文台1m望远镜上的1号CCD的SRT（分离读出技术）观测天王星卫星的资料,相对卫星的历表位置测定了暗恒星的位置,测定精度与目前国外天然卫星位置测定时的最好精度相当．     

Development of a thin section device for space exploration: Overview and system performance estimates

In this paper we present a conceptual design of a spaceborne instrument for the in situ production of rock thin sections on planetary surfaces. The in situ Automated Rock Thin Section Instrument (IS-ARTS) conceptual design demonstrates that the in situ production of thin sections on a planetary body is a plausible new instrument capability for future planetary exploration. Thin section analysis would reduce much ambiguity in the geological history of a sampled site that is present with instruments currently flown. The technical challenge of producing a thin section device compatible with the spacecraft environment is formidable and has been thought too technically difficult to be practical. Terrestrial thin section preparation requires a skilled petrographist, several preparation instruments that individually exceed typical spacecraft mass and power limits, and consumable materials that are not easily compatible with spaceflight. In two companion papers we present research and development work used to constrain the capabilities of IS-ARTS in the technical space compatible with the spacecraft environment. For the design configuration shown we conclude that a device can be constructed that is capable of 50 sample preparations over a 2 year lifespan with mass, power, and volume constraints compatible with current landed Mars mission configurations. The technical requirements of IS-ARTS (mass, power and number of samples produced) depend strongly on the sample mechanical properties, sample processing rate, the sample size and number of samples to be produced.     

Vapor hydrogen peroxide as alternative to dry heat microbial reduction

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in conjunction with the NASA Planetary Protection Officer, has selected vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VHP) sterilization process for continued development as a NASA approved sterilization technique for spacecraft subsystems and systems. The goal was to include this technique, with an appropriate specification, in NASA Procedural Requirements 8020.12 as a low-temperature complementary technique to the dry heat sterilization process.     

Development of a thin section device for space exploration: Rock cutting mechanism

We have developed a rock cutting mechanism for in situ planetary exploration based on abrasive diamond impregnated wire. Performance characteristics of the rock cutter, including cutting rate on several rock types, cutting surface lifetime, and cut rock surface finish are presented. The rock cutter was developed as part of a broader effort to develop an in situ automated rock thin section (IS-ARTS) instrument. The objective of IS-ARTS was to develop an instrument capable of producing petrographic rock thin sections on a planetary science spacecraft. The rock cutting mechanism may also be useful to other planetary science missions with in situ instruments in which sub-sampling and rock surface preparation are necessary.     

Finite-time asteroid hovering via multiple-overlapping-horizon multiple-model predictive control

This paper investigates the asteroid hovering problem using the Multiple-Overlapping-Horizon Multiple-Model Predictive Control method. The effectiveness of the predictive controllers in satisfying control constraints and minimizing the required control effort is making Model Predictive Control a desirable control method for asteroid exploration missions which consist of the asteroid hovering phase. However, the computational burden of Model Predictive Control is an obstacle to employing the asteroid’s complex gravitational field model. As an alternative option, the Multiple Horizon Multiple-Model Predictive Control method has been introduced previously, which could provide a solution with the less computational burden with respect to the nonlinear Model Predictive Control. It was shown that it is not necessary to deduce the exact dynamics model to predict the system’s behavior during a long period using this approach. However, the calculated control acceleration was not smooth enough because of the crisp borders of consecutive horizons, which may cause an image motion and degrades the geometric accuracy of high-resolution images in asteroid hovering missions. In this paper, the Multiple-Overlapping-Horizon Multiple-Model Predictive Control method is introduced instead to solve the problem of controlling acceleration fluctuations by overlapping consecutive horizons. Numerical simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control method, and its advantage is demonstrated accordingly for the asteroid hovering problem in achieving the hovering position and velocity.     

用全球原始方程半谱模式研究QBO对行星波传播的影响

本文建立了一个全球原始方程半谱模式,模拟了赤道上空风场准两年振荡(QBO)及其相应的副热带急流大小对冬季半球行星波向上传播及平流层突然增温的影响。结果表明,波数1的行星波在QBO东风相比西风相更易向上传播,平流层增温更快更强。波数2则相反。QBO对低纬对流层里的行星波上传的影响限制在低纬低平流层,对中高纬影响不大。     

大气温度剖面的行星波驻波结构

利用Ｎ８ｍｂｕｓ－７卫星上角度扫描红外辐射计（ＳＡＭＳ）的资料，分析出大气温度剖面具有行星波垂直结构的驻波结构；讨论了波长、振幅随高度的分布，驻波结构随经度、纬度的变化，以及可能的形成机制。     

基于候选点稠密匹配的三维场景重构方法

针对星球探测机器人在未知环境中三维场景重建存在的计算复杂度问题,提出基于网格候选点的三目立体匹配算法。在空间中建立代表深度信息的网格节点,并对深度方向的节点分布进行合理规划,确保候选点稠密匹配的准确性和高效性。候选点匹配解决了传统立体匹配算法中图像校正带来的实时性问题,同时采用三目视觉系统代替双目,通过另一组对应点的相似性测度对潜在歧义的少量候选点进行二次判决。实验证明,由于处理每组图像对不再需要进行极线校正,因此计算代价与传统的匹配算法相比有一定降低,而第三台摄像机有效消除了匹配歧义,计算量相对于双目系统也没有明显增加。

     

Low-altitude,near-polar and near-circular orbits around Europa

The dynamics of orbits around planetary satellites, taking into account the gravitational attraction of a third-body and the non-uniform distribution of mass of the planetary satellite, is studied. The Hamiltonian considered is explicitly time-dependent. Conditions for frozen orbits are presented. Low-altitude, near-polar orbits, very desirable for scientific missions to study planetary satellites such as the Jupiter’s moon Europa, are analyzed. Lifetimes for these orbits are computed through the single and double averaged method. Comparison between the results obtained by the single and double averaged method is presented. The single-averaged model is more realistic, since it does not eliminate the term due to the equatorial ellipticity of the planetary satellite as done by the double-averaged problem. Considering the single-averaged method, we found unstable frozen orbits where the satellite does not impact with the surface of Europa for at least 200 days. We present an approach using the unaveraged disturbing potential to analyze the effects of these terms in the amplitude of the eccentricity.