Complex morphological variability in complex evaporitic systems: thermal spring snails from the Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico

Thermal springs in evaporitic environments provide a unique biological laboratory in which to study natural selection and evolutionary diversification. These isolated systems may be an analogue for conditions in early Earth or Mars history. One modern example of such a system can be found in the Chihuahuan Desert of north-central Mexico. The Cuatro Cienegas basin hosts a series of thermal springs that form a complex of aquatic ecosystems under a range of environmental conditions. Using landmark-based morphometric techniques, we have quantified an unusually high level of morphological variability in the endemic gastropod Mexipyrgus from Cuatro Cienegas. The differentiation is seen both within and between hydrological systems. Our results suggest that this type of environmental system is capable of producing and maintaining a high level of morphological diversity on small spatial scales, and thus should be a target for future astrobiological research.     

差分技术在双星快速定位通信系统中的应用

卫星定位通信系统是具有10米以内高精度的第二代卫星导航定位系统。达到高精度的关键是应用了伪随机码扩谱及差分定位技术。诸如星历误差、电离层时延变化和地球模型不准等误差,通过应用差分技术可以大部分消除。本文阐述了差分技术的应用和系统精度分析。     

Earth as an extrasolar planet: Earth model validation using EPOXI earth observations

The EPOXI Discovery Mission of Opportunity reused the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to obtain spatially and temporally resolved visible photometric and moderate resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of Earth. These remote observations provide a rigorous validation of whole-disk Earth model simulations used to better understand remotely detectable extrasolar planet characteristics. We have used these data to upgrade, correct, and validate the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory three-dimensional line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model. This comprehensive model now includes specular reflectance from the ocean and explicitly includes atmospheric effects such as Rayleigh scattering, gas absorption, and temperature structure. We have used this model to generate spatially and temporally resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth for the dates of EPOXI observation. Model parameters were varied to yield an optimum fit to the data. We found that a minimum spatial resolution of ～100 pixels on the visible disk, and four categories of water clouds, which were defined by using observed cloud positions and optical thicknesses, were needed to yield acceptable fits. The validated model provides a simultaneous fit to Earth's lightcurve, absolute brightness, and spectral data, with a root-mean-square (RMS) error of typically less than 3% for the multiwavelength lightcurves and residuals of ～10% for the absolute brightness throughout the visible and NIR spectral range. We have extended our validation into the mid-infrared by comparing the model to high spectral resolution observations of Earth from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, obtaining a fit with residuals of ～7% and brightness temperature errors of less than 1?K in the atmospheric window. For the purpose of understanding the observable characteristics of the distant Earth at arbitrary viewing geometry and observing cadence, our validated forward model can be used to simulate Earth's time-dependent brightness and spectral properties for wavelengths from the far ultraviolet to the far infrared. Key Words: Astrobiology-Extrasolar terrestrial planets-Habitability-Planetary science-Radiative transfer. Astrobiology 11, 393-408.     

柏林工学院航空航天研究所研制的卫星测距设备

本文介绍了柏林工学院航空航天研究所(ILR)研制的两种极高精确度的系统。这两种系统分别利用了侧音测距和伪噪声码测距的原理,都设计成通过宽带通信转发器来完成双向测距(地-空-地)。测距线路要求几兆赫的信道带宽,利用普通的通信所用的转发器通道就可以建立这种线路,而没有相互干扰。本系统的特点是硬件简单,所需射频辐射功率低。其分辨力可达10微微秒量级,长期漂移也在这一数量级上。总廷迟误差小于1毫微秒,系统精确度可望达到此值。基于已研制的伪噪声码测距系统,ILR 正在研制第三套设备,这是专为某一项任务而设计的。用于该系统的地面设施和星上装置亦将投产。下面,我们就来介绍此系统。     

弹道测量精度与误差传播系数的关系

本文讨论如何控制测量系统测量元素的随机误差对弹道状态参数的影响,其实质是控制误差传播系数的值。首先对误差传播系数进行定义,接着研究误差传播系数的各种性质,最后通过误差传播系数等值线的空间分布图阐明其在测量系统设计与使用中的应用。文中具体分析了二维,三维球面测量系统,同时也涉及二维、三维球面——双曲面测量系统,以便进行不同体制之间的比较。     

远站跟踪转换方程的推导

托诺帕试验靶场需要一种可以用小型计算机在很短时间完成跟踪数据精确视差修正的方法。本文推导了一种球面变换方程,用于地球表面上的一定范围内时,可以给出非常精确的结果。在16位小型计算机上,计算速度很快,因为它不需要浮点计算,并且几乎不需要双倍字长处理。结果表明,计算的目标位置与用地心变换公式计算的位置相比较,精确度在一荚尺以内。     

混凝土道（路）面中有效温差的研究

为了评价混凝土道（路）面中的温度翘曲应力，需要输入一个板块上、下部之间的温差、乃至温度场。然而，由于多种气候（诸如：气温、日照、云和雨等）因素的影响，一天内板块的温度是波动的。因此，一天内进行哪一项测量对翘曲分析最有意义这仍是有争议的问题。这次研究中为评价道面损坏而采用的应力模型是通过三维（3D）有限元分析得出的。为了计算因翘曲和轮荷载引起的复合应力，输入了一天内不同时间在美国14个测试现场测得的温度价值。利用疲劳假设，得出了一种计算“等效损坏”和“有效温差”的算法，并进一步把计算的有效温差和当地的气象数据相关。