Debris swarms seen by SMEI

The large 3° × 60° fields-of-view of the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) instruments are oriented on the stabilized Coriolis satellite to image most of the sky each Sun-synchronous orbit. Besides observing coronal mass ejections, the SMEI mission objective, SMEI also has detected a plethora of Earth-orbiting satellites (resident space objects or RSOs) brighter than ∼8th magnitude at a rate of about 1 per minute. Occasionally, SMEI sees an RSO swarm: a sudden onset of a large number of RSOs, many more than the nominal rate, upto dozens detected in a 4-s frame. These swarms usually last for a few minutes. A sample of six such RSO ensembles is analyzed in this paper in which the distance and the direction of the velocity vector for individual objects are estimated. We present the observational evidence indicating that the swarms must be near-field objects traveling in orbits near that of Coriolis, and that the relatively speeds between the objects and Coriolis are low. Further, analyses indicate that the RSOs are quite close (<20 m) and are generally moving radially away from the satellite. The predicted encounter geometries for Coriolis passing through or near a small debris cloud is, generally, quite inconsistent with the observations. The most likely explanation consistent with the observations is that SMEI is seeing debris being ejected from the Coriolis spacecraft itself. An analysis of distance and brightness for a subset of the RSOs indicates that the median diameter of the debris particles is ∼80 μm.     

A scalable bus-based attitude control system for Solar Sails

Recently, there has been a renewed interest in Solar Sails as an alternative means of space propulsion. Many different attitude control systems have been designed for Solar Sails taking advantage of the centre-of-mass (CM)/centre-of-pressure (CP) offset while utilising the main sail structure to position the actuators. However, by attaching actuators to the main sail, these systems increase the risks involved in the deployment subsystem.     

CCSDS空间网络互联协议发展及启示

空间互联网将是由各种区域网构成的复杂异构网络,为了使其能够逐步实现自动化运行,网络效益得到最大程度的发挥,须做好网络互联的顶层规划与设计,并开发具体的标准技术.根据近年CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems,空间数据系统咨询委员会)发布的建议书,以及相关工作组的项目规划情况,介绍了SSI(Solar System Internetwork,太阳系互联网)体系结构、IPoC(IP over CCSDS space links,在CCSDS空间链路之上承载IP),以及DTN(Delay Tolerant Networking,容延迟网络)等标准项目.从CCSDS空间网络互联技术的发展历程不难得出结论:我国未来空间网络互联应注重区域网之间互联的顶层设计;区域网内部各子网之间的互联技术应选择以航天任务需求牵引为主;DTN将在区域网之间互联以及区域网从简单到复杂发展中都发挥重要作用.     

Short-Lived Radionuclides in Meteorites: Constraints on Nebular Timescales for the Production of Solids

Variations in the abundances of short-lived radionuclides such as ²⁶Al (τ_1/2 ≈ 0.74 Ma) and ⁵³Mn (τ_1/2 ≈ 3.7 Ma) in meteoritic solids may be used to infer relative formation intervals of these solids in the nebula at precisions of less than 1 Ma. In a strict chronometric interpretation of the isotopic variations, whereby criteria such as spatial and temporal isotopic homogeneity and closed system isotopic evolution are met, solid formation occurred in the nebula for at least several million years. This is longer than some theoretical and astronomical estimates for the duration of the active nebula. The evidence for live ⁴¹Ca (τ_1/2 ≈ 0.10 Ma) in meteoritic inclusions further indicates that the onset of solid formation occurred quite early, perhaps within a few hundred thousand years after the onset of the collapse of the sun's parent molecular cloud. Failure of the chronometric interpretation may arise for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to, the late, inhomogeneous injection of material from a nearby stellar source or the local production of short-lived radionuclides by an energetic particle irradiation, e. g., from T Tauri (X-wind) or galactic cosmic ray sources. Although some isotopic evidence exists that the criteria required for a strict chronometric interpretation are not met by each of the short-lived chronometers, there is no compelling reason to shorten the interval of solid formation in the nebula to less than 1 Ma. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Solar, geomagnetic and cosmic ray intensity changes, preceding the cyclone appearances around Mexico

Recently it has been suggested that there exist specific changes in the cosmic ray intensity and some solar and geomagnetic parameters during the days, preceding the hurricane appearances over the North Atlantic Ocean. To understand better these phenomena, data for all hurricanes born not only over the Atlantic but also over the Pacific waters in the last 55 years that hit the Mexican borders were elaborated. As basic hurricane parameters the maximum rotational velocity and the estimated total energy were used. To avoid any interference all hurricanes, overlapping the preceding ones with more than 20 days were not included. Then the behavior of the cosmic ray (CR) intensity, the sunspot (SS) numbers, and the geomagnetic parameters (AP) and (KP) in 35 days prior and 20 days after the cyclone start were investigated. The CR, SS, AP and KP showed much more intensive disturbances in the periods preceding and following the hurricane appearance. For SS this disturbance gradually increase with the hurricane strength. A characteristic peak in the CR intensity appears before the hurricane start. But its place varies between 5 and 20 days before that start. Specific changes were observed in the SS. For major hurricanes they begins sometimes more than 20 days in advance. The AP and the KP show series of bursts, spread over the whole period of 30 preceding days. The obtained results from the performed correlational analysis are enough interesting to motivate a further statistical analysis with more precise techniques: in particular a common periodicity of 30 years found in the number of tropical storms landing into Mexico, the averaged rotational wind velocity and the ACE must be studied in connection with the solar Hale cycle. Using coherence wavelet spectral analysis we present a comparative study between one terrestrial and one cosmophysical phenomena that presumable influence hurricanes development: African dust outbreaks versus cosmic rays for all North Atlantic tropical cyclones. It is shown that the cosmophysical influence cannot be considered as a negligible effect.     

On bandwidth of solar subsecond bursts in cm-range

The goal is to study parameters of drifting type III bursts, and find out the emission mechanism of these bursts and understand what factors affect instantaneous spectral bandwidth of these bursts.     

Minimizing energy utilization for growing strawberries during long-duration space habitation

Strawberry is a candidate crop for space that is rich in protective antioxidants and could also have psychological benefits as a component of crew diets during long-duration space habitation. Energy for electric lighting is a major input to a controlled-environment crop-production system for space habitation. Day-neutral strawberry cultivars were evaluated at several different photoperiods to determine minimum lighting requirements without limiting yield or negatively impacting fruit quality. The cultivars ‘Tribute’, ‘Seascape’, and ‘Fern’ were grown at 14, 17, or 20 h of light per day, and fruit yield was evaluated over a 31-week production period. This amounted to a difference of 2418 kWh m⁻² in energy usage between the longest and shortest photoperiods. All cultivars produced similar total fresh weight of fruit regardless of photoperiod. Volunteer tasters rated organoleptic characteristics including sweetness, tartness, texture, and overall appeal as measures of fruit quality. Generally, organoleptic attributes were not affected by photoperiod, but these attributes were somewhat dependent upon cultivar and harvest time. Cultivars under different photoperiods varied in their production of fruit over time. ‘Seascape’ was the most consistent producer, typically with the largest, most palatable fruit. ‘Seascape’ plants subsequently were grown at 10-, 12-, or 14-h photoperiods over a treatment period of 33 weeks. Photoperiod again had no significant effect on total fruit weight, although there were periodic flushes of productivity. Fruit under all photoperiods had acceptable approval ratings. A large-fruited, day-neutral strawberry cultivar such as ‘Seascape’ remains productive under shortened photoperiods, allowing reductions in energy and crew labor while maintaining flexibility for mixed-cropping scenarios in space.     

Estimation of Galactic Cosmic Ray exposure inside and outside the Earth’s magnetosphere during the recent solar minimum between solar cycles 23 and 24

The evidently low solar activity observed between solar cycles 23 and 24 during the years 2008–2010 led to a substantial increase in the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) intensity in comparison with preceding solar minima. As the GCRs consist of highly-ionizing charged particles having the potential to cause biological damage, they are a subject of concern for manned missions to space. With the enhanced particle fluxes observed between 2008 and 2010, it is reasonable to assume that the radiation exposure from GCR must have also increased to unusually high levels. In this paper, the GCR exposure outside and inside the Earth’s magnetosphere is numerically calculated for time periods starting from 1970 to the end of 2011 in order to investigate the increase in dose levels during the years 2008–2010 in comparison with the last three solar minima. The dose rates were calculated in a water sphere, used as a surrogate for the human body, either unshielded or surrounded by aluminium shielding of 0.3, 10 or 40 g/cm².     

基于光敏树脂分析的3D打印加速度传感器设计

MEMS加速度传感器所采用的硅微机械加工技术存在个性化定制、小批量生产成本方面的不足，而3D打印技术的优势就在于无需模具的自由化定制、一机多用实现低成本产品生产，3D打印的发展趋势就是实现微纳尺度结构的制造。在此背景下，采用光固化立体成型技术设计了一种3D打印压阻式加速度传感器结构。传感器基底使用耐高温光敏树脂制作，并采用丝网印刷工艺在基底表面印制导电碳浆形成应变计结构。为此，首先对耐高温光敏树脂的相关热学与机械性能进行分析。通过测试，得到该光敏树脂固化后的起始分解温度等热力学参数。其次，通过控制光敏树脂紫外光固化时间，取得了较好杨氏模量和弯曲强度的树脂，且为该加速度传感器的结构仿真优化与制作工艺提供了必需数据与重要依据。除此之外，还对所设计的碳浆应变计结构进行了测试，得到了有效灵敏系数。通过以上工作，为最终实现3D打印加速度传感器的制作做好铺垫，助力3D打印技术与MEMS传感器技术相融合。     

基于拉曼散射的分布式光纤温度传感技术的研究

论述了基于拉曼散射的分布式光纤温度传感器的基本工作原理、结构、系统特点及信号处理方法。该结构及信号处理方法具有一定的空问分辨率，保证了系统的实用性。将分布式光纤传感器与传统的复用温度光纤传感器阵列进行了比较。通过使用分布式光纤温度传感器信号处理系统和信号处理软件相结合进行实验，得出结论。