Solar particle events and the International Space Station

The high inclination orbit for the International Space Station poses a risk to astronauts on EVA during occasional periods of enhanced high energy particle flux from the sun known as Solar Particle Events. We are currently unable to predict these events within the few-hour lead time required for evasive action. Compounding the threat is the fact that station construction occurs during increasing solar activity and through the peak of the solar cycle. In this paper we present an overview of the risk, the current methods to provide forecasts of SPEs, and potential risk mitigation options.     

Mars Direct: Humans to the red planet by 1999

“Mars Direct”, is an approach to the space Exploration Initiative that allows for the rapid initiation of manned Mars exploration, possibly as early as 1999. The approach does not require any on-orbit assembly or refueling or any support from the Space Station or other orbital infrastructure. Furthermore, the Mars Direct plan is not merely a “flags and footprints” one-shot expedition, but puts into place immediately an economical method of Earth-Mars transportation, real surface exploratory mobility, and significant base capabilities that can evolve into a mostly self-sufficient Mars settlement. This paper presents both the initial and evolutionary phases of the Mars Direct plan. In the initial phase, only chemical propulsion is used, sendig 4 persons on conjunction class Mars exploratory missions. Two heavy lift booster launches are required to support each mission. The first launch delivers an unfueled Earth Return Vehicle (ERV) to the martian surface, where it fills itself with methane/oxygen bipropellant manufactured primarily out of indigenous resources. After propellant production is completed, a second launch delivers the crew to the prepared site, where they conduct regional exploration for 1.5 years and then return directly to Earth in the ERV. In the second phase of Mars Direct, nuclear thermal propulsion is used to cut crew transit times in half, increase cargo delivery capacity, and to create the potential for true global mobility through the use of CO₂ propelled ballistic hopping vehicles (“NIMFs”). In this paper we present both phases of the Mars Direct plan, including mission architecture, vehicle designs, and exploratory strategy leading to the establishment of a 48 person permanent Mars base. Some speculative thoughts on the possibility of actually colonizing Mars are also presented.     

Surface tension-driven flows in horizontal liquid metal layers

The problem of surface tension-driven flows in horizontal liquid layers has been studied experimentally, and theoretically by direct numerical simulation and small perturbation analysis. We focus our attention on situations in which the depth of the fluid (liquid tin; small Prandtl number, Pr=0.015) is small enough to ensure the predominance of the surface tension forces over those due to the buoyancy. The surface velocity has been experimentally obtained for liquid tin layer with various aspect ratio (length to height) in the range 5<A<83. The thermal gradients are ranged from 5 to 40°K/cm. In the numerical study, the Navier-Stokes and energy equations are solved by an efficient finite difference technique. The parameters governing the flow behaviour in the liquid are varied to determine their effects on thermocapillary convection: the Reynolds number 10<Re<210⁴ and the aspect ratio 2<A<25; with Pr kept constant at Pr=0.015. The linear eigenequation resulting from small spatial disturbances of the Couette flow solution is solved using an Tau-Chebyshev approximation. A notable feature of the theoretical study is the totally different end circulations. In the region near the cold wall a multicell structure is evident. This agrees with the eigensolution which is of complex type, indicating spatial periodicity. In the hot wall region the flow is accelerated to reach the velocity value for the fully-developed Couette flow which is reached under conditions such as Re/A<20. The transition from viscous to boundary layer regime occurs for a critical value (Re/A)_c of nearly about 200, as deduced from the numerical and experimental results.     

旋转环形截面弯管内流场结构及换热特性

环形截面弯管围绕其中心轴旋转时，同时受到科氏力和离心力作用，弯管内的对流换热更为复杂，本文对旋转环形截面弯管内的流动特性和温度分布进行了数值分析。结果表明：旋转环形截面弯管内的换热特性主要由Dn数，F数（科氏力和离心力之比),Pr数，和δ值（内外径之比）决定；文中给出并分析了在不同δ下流场结构与摩擦系数比随F数的变化特性和随Dn数的变化规律，并给出了在不同δ和Pr数情况下，温度场和管道Nu数随F数和Dn数的变化规律。     

发动机模糊控制器应用的实验研究

 研究了模糊控制器在航空发动机控制中的实验应用。给出了实验方案及有关部件的数学描述;提出了用模糊控制开关设计法设计模糊控制器的思路及相应的数学描述;对发动机转速数字控制系统进行了实验研究。结果表明 :模糊控制器设计简便,具有良好的非线性校正作用,控制性能指标优良。     

Combined Use of Altimetry and In Situ Gravity Data for Coastal Dynamics Studies

Accurate local geoids derived from in situ gravity data will be valuable in the validation of GOCE results. In addition it will be a challenge to use GOCE data in an optimal way, in combination with in situ gravity, to produce better local geoid solutions. This paper discusses the derivation of a new geoid over the NW European shelf, and its comparison with both tide gauge and altimetric sea level data, and with data from ocean models. It is hoped that over the next few years local geoid methods such as these can be extended to cover larger areas and to incorporate both in situ and satellite measured gravity data. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

组合压气机中导流叶片的尾迹抖动特性

为明确多排叶栅压气机中影响静叶尾迹抖动特性的因素及机理,探索调制静叶尾迹抖动周期和幅值的方法,采用数值方法对设计流量为1.12kg/s,转速为60000r/min的一级轴流和离心叶轮组成的组合压气机的非定常流场进行模拟.结果表明:静叶尾迹抖动除受几何因素影响外,还受上下游转子干涉影响,且上下游转子叶片通过频率的异同将影响静叶尾迹抖动的周期性.当上下游转子叶片同频通过时,改变动叶的时序位置可以调制静叶尾迹抖动幅值的大小.另外,静叶尾迹抖动幅值沿叶高方向并不相同,低叶高处静叶尾迹抖动幅值明显大于中、高叶高处静叶尾迹抖动幅值.      

空间目标轨道确定专家系统

空间目标轨道确定专家系统的面向空间监测需求开发的大型交互式应用软件。它的功能面向空间监测和信息分析中广泛的业务需求，基础是轨道计算软件，数据库支持和一些辅助支持软件。本文详细地介绍了空间目标轨道确定专家系统软件的设计方案。     

绕任意轴旋转的管道流动和换热特性研究

当管道绕任意轴旋转时，管道内的轴向速度分布发生改变，截面上产生二次流动，管道的对流换热特性将引起变化。本文对绕任意轴旋转的管道流动与换热进行了数值模拟，研究结果表明：绕任意轴旋转管道内的对流换热特性主要由Re（雷诺数），Ro(Rossby数），Pr（普朗特数）数，和α（旋转轴与管道轴线的夹角）四个参数决定。文中分析了在不同情况下流场结构与摩擦系数比以及温度场与管道Nu数比率随Re数和Ro数的变化规律，为工程实际应用提供了理论依据。