Families of halo orbits in the elliptic restricted three-body problem for a solar sail with reflectivity control devices

Solar sail halo orbits designed in the Sun-Earth circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP) provide inefficient reference orbits for station-keeping since the disturbance due to the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit has to be compensated for. This paper presents a strategy to compute families of halo orbits around the collinear artificial equilibrium points in the Sun-Earth elliptic restricted three-body problem (ER3BP) for a solar sail with reflectivity control devices (RCDs). In this non-autonomous model, periodic halo orbits only exist when their periods are equal to integer multiples of one year. Here multi-revolution halo orbits with periods equal to integer multiples of one year are constructed in the CR3BP and then used as seeds to numerically continue the halo orbits in the ER3BP. The linear stability of the orbits is analyzed which shows that the in-plane motion is unstable while the out-of-plane motion is neutrally stable and a bifurcation is identified. Finally, station-keeping is performed which shows that a reference orbit designed in the ER3BP is significantly more efficient than that designed in the CR3BP, while the addition of RCDs improve station-keeping performance and robustness to uncertainty in the sail lightness number.     

A simple control law for reducing the effective characteristic acceleration of a solar sail

The direction and magnitude of a solar sail acceleration are strongly related. For this reason, once the characteristic acceleration has been fixed, it is not possible to modulate the acceleration in a particular direction. In this work, a semi-analytical switching control law is derived, enabling a solar sail to emulate a smaller effective characteristic acceleration (without changes in geometry or optical properties); by periodically changing the pitch (cone) angle of the sail, in average over time, the acceleration produced by the sail matches exactly (in both direction and magnitude) that of a “smaller” sail. The range in which this is possible is determined, and the limitations on this range due to the size difference is computed. The method is validated on optimal Earth-Mars trajectories.     

Hexapod多自由度微激励系统的振动时域波形控制

摘要： Hexapod多自由度微激励系统常用于航天器有效载荷在轨微振动环境的模拟，但采用现有控制方法无法精确稳定跟踪低频正弦加速度，这是由于系统耦合度高、非线性在低频段较强，被控对象相位滞后过大造成的.针对此问题，基于传统离线迭代控制方法，提出一种复合超前校正、多倍频陷波滤波器的改进离线迭代控制方法.其中，离线迭代进行补偿控制，超前校正进一步补偿系统相位，多倍频陷波滤波器去除非线性干扰.跟踪低频定频正弦加速度的实验结果表明，对比传统离线迭代控制方法，改进方法收敛快、控制精度高；对比现有自适应正弦振动控制方法，改进方法将符合精度要求的加速度控制频带下限由14.5 Hz扩宽至8 Hz.实验结果验证了所提方法的有效性.     

On the station keeping of a solar sail in the elliptic Sun–Earth system

In this work we focus on the dynamics of a solar sail in the Sun–Earth Elliptic Restricted Three-Body Problem with solar radiation pressure. The considered situation is the motion of a sail close to the L₁ point, but displacing the equilibrium point with the sail so that it is possible to have continuous communication with the Earth. In previous works we derived a station keeping strategy for this situation but using the Circular RTBP as a model.     

Results of solar observations by the CORONAS-F payload

The CORONAS-F mission experiments and results have been reviewed. The observations with the DIFOS multi-channel photometer in a broad spectral range from 350 to 1500 nm have revealed the dependence of the relative amplitudes of p-modes of the global solar oscillations on the wavelength that agrees perfectly well with the earlier data obtained in a narrower spectral ranges. The SPIRIT EUV observations have enabled the study of various manifestations of solar activity and high-temperature events on the Sun. The data from the X-ray spectrometer RESIK, gamma spectrometer HELICON, flare spectrometer IRIS, amplitude–temporal spectrometer AVS-F, and X-ray spectrometer RPS-1 have been used to analyze the X- and gamma-ray emission from solar flares and for diagnostics of the flaring plasma. The absolute and relative content of various elements (such as potassium, argon, and sulfur) of solar plasma in flares has been determined for the first time with the X-ray spectrometer RESIK. The Solar Cosmic Ray Complex monitored the solar flare effects in the Earth’s environment. The UV emission variations recorded during solar flares in the vicinity of the 120-nm wavelength have been analyzed and the amplitude of relative variations has been determined.     

高超声速圆锥边界层失稳条纹结构实验研究

边界层转捩的准确预测是高超声速飞行面临的关键气动问题之一。为研究高超声速边界层失稳和转捩机理,以前缘半径1.6mm、半锥角7°的圆锥模型为研究对象,在FD-07高超声速风洞中采用红外热图技术开展边界层转捩实验测量。通过与工程计算结果对比,确认模型表面边界层流态。实验结果表明:有迎角条件下,模型表面中后段出现条纹结构,条纹结构的起始位置随着周向角的增加而向上游移动;随着迎角的增加,条纹起始位置向上游移动,条纹强度差异和条纹与模型中心线的夹角越来越大。实验获得的条纹结构与不同频率扰动波相互作用直接数值模拟获得的条纹结构现象一致。通过对比分析,认为边界层内不同频率扰动波相互作用是产生条纹结构的一种机制。     

Electric potential structures of auroral acceleration region border from multi-spacecraft Cluster data

This paper studies an auroral event using data from three spacecraft of the Cluster mission, one inside and two at the poleward edge of the bottom of the Auroral Acceleration Region (AAR). The study reveals the three-dimensional profile of the region’s poleward boundary, showing spatial segmentation of the electric potential structures and their decay in time. It also depicts localized magnetic field variations and field-aligned currents that appear to have remained stable for at least 80?s. Such observations became possible due to the fortuitous motion of the three spacecraft nearly parallel to each other and tangential to the AAR edge, so that the differences and variations can be seen when the spacecraft enter and exit the segmentations, hence revealing their position with respect to the AAR.     

Effects on winter circulation of short and long term solar wind changes

Indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation show correlations on the day-to-day timescale with the solar wind speed (SWS). Minima in the indices were found on days of SWS minima during years of high stratospheric aerosol loading. The spatial distribution of surface pressure changes during 1963–2011 with day-to-day changes in SWS shows a pattern resembling the NAO. Such a pattern was noted for year-to-year variations by Boberg and Lundstedt (2002), who compared NAO variations with the geo-effective solar wind electric field (the monthly average SWS multiplied by the average southward component, i.e., negative Bz component, of the interplanetary magnetic field). The spatial distribution of the correlations of geopotential height changes in the troposphere and stratosphere with the SWS; the geo-effective electric field (SWS∗Bz); and the solar 10.7 cm flux suggests that solar wind inputs connected to the troposphere via the global electric circuit, together with solar ultraviolet irradiance acting on the stratosphere, affect regional atmospheric dynamics.     

Sunspot cycle 23 descent to an unusual minimum and forecasts for cycle 24 activity

The decay phase of the sunspot cycle 23 exhibited two unusual features. First, it lasted too long. Second, the interplanetary magnetic field intensity at earth orbit reached the lowest value since in situ measurements in space began in October 1963. These physical anomalies significantly altered the early forecasts for the sunspot activity parameters for cycle 24, made by several colleagues. We note that there was a significant change in the solar behavior during cycle 22. We discuss the observed trends and their effect on our empirical solar activity forecast technique, leading to our prediction for cycle 24 parameters; cycle 24 will be only half as active as cycle 23, reaching its peak in May 2013. We speculate on the possible implications of this outcome on future earth climate change and the ensuing socio-economic consequences.     

基于等 Weber 数的结冰外形修正

由于设备条件的限制,在进行结冰风洞试验时,试验 Weber 数与目标 Weber 数往往存在差异,为了获得与目标 Weber 数对应的冰形,需要对试验结果进行修正。本文分析了进行 Weber 数修正的原因,提出了根据几何特征量进行结冰外形修正的方法,并以某超临界翼型为对象,对不同 Weber 条件下的结冰外形进行了仿真,研究了Weber 数变化对结冰的影响规律,在此基础上开展了基于等 Weber 数的结冰外形修正。研究发现：(1)Weber 数主要影响冰角特征,对水滴收集特性、结冰极限及驻点冰厚度影响较小;(2)存在一个敏感 Weber 数,低于敏感值时, Weber 数变化对结冰影响不大,当 Weber 数高于敏感值时,Weber 数变化对结冰有明显影响;(3)采用本文提出的冰形修正方法,能保证冰形的宏观轮廓与目标冰形一致,修正后的冰形能适量消除由于 Weber 数误差导致的冰形差异,提高试验的精度。