An overview of the descent and landing of the Huygens probe on Titan

Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is the only Solar System planetary body other than Earth with a thick nitrogen atmosphere. The Voyager spacecraft confirmed that methane was the second-most abundant atmospheric constituent in Titan's atmosphere, and revealed a rich organic chemistry, but its cameras could not see through the thick organic haze. After a seven-year interplanetary journey on board the Cassini orbiter, the Huygens probe was released on 25 December 2004. It reached the upper layer of Titan's atmosphere on 14 January and landed softly after a parachute descent of almost 2.5 hours. Here we report an overview of the Huygens mission, which enabled studies of the atmosphere and surface, including in situ sampling of the organic chemistry, and revealed an Earth-like landscape. The probe descended over the boundary between a bright icy terrain eroded by fluvial activity--probably due to methane-and a darker area that looked like a river- or lake-bed. Post-landing images showed centimetre-sized surface details.     

Rain, winds and haze during the Huygens probe's descent to Titan's surface

The irreversible conversion of methane into higher hydrocarbons in Titan's stratosphere implies a surface or subsurface methane reservoir. Recent measurements from the cameras aboard the Cassini orbiter fail to see a global reservoir, but the methane and smog in Titan's atmosphere impedes the search for hydrocarbons on the surface. Here we report spectra and high-resolution images obtained by the Huygens Probe Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer instrument in Titan's atmosphere. Although these images do not show liquid hydrocarbon pools on the surface, they do reveal the traces of once flowing liquid. Surprisingly like Earth, the brighter highland regions show complex systems draining into flat, dark lowlands. Images taken after landing are of a dry riverbed. The infrared reflectance spectrum measured for the surface is unlike any other in the Solar System; there is a red slope in the optical range that is consistent with an organic material such as tholins, and absorption from water ice is seen. However, a blue slope in the near-infrared suggests another, unknown constituent. The number density of haze particles increases by a factor of just a few from an altitude of 150 km to the surface, with no clear space below the tropopause. The methane relative humidity near the surface is 50 per cent.     

The abundances of constituents of Titan's atmosphere from the GCMS instrument on the Huygens probe

Saturn's largest moon, Titan, remains an enigma, explored only by remote sensing from Earth, and by the Voyager and Cassini spacecraft. The most puzzling aspects include the origin of the molecular nitrogen and methane in its atmosphere, and the mechanism(s) by which methane is maintained in the face of rapid destruction by photolysis. The Huygens probe, launched from the Cassini spacecraft, has made the first direct observations of the satellite's surface and lower atmosphere. Here we report direct atmospheric measurements from the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS), including altitude profiles of the constituents, isotopic ratios and trace species (including organic compounds). The primary constituents were confirmed to be nitrogen and methane. Noble gases other than argon were not detected. The argon includes primordial 36Ar, and the radiogenic isotope 40Ar, providing an important constraint on the outgassing history of Titan. Trace organic species, including cyanogen and ethane, were found in surface measurements.     

Astrochemistry: Complex organic matter in Titan's aerosols?

On 14 January 2005, the Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of Titan after a seven-year interplanetary flight as part of the Cassini mission to Saturn. Huygens carried, among other instruments, an aerosol collection and pyrolysis (ACP) device. Its designers, Isra?l et al., now claim to have detected complex organic matter in two aerosol samples collected at different altitudes (130-35 km and 25-20 km, respectively), on the basis of their detection of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when the sample oven was heated to 600 degrees C. However, the authors' remarkable conclusions, which would have far-reaching consequences for our understanding of the chemical environment prevailing on Saturn's largest moon, are not supported by their limited data.     

湿滑状态下飞机轮胎与道面摩擦特性试验

湿滑道面会造成飞机制动性能下降,影响起降安全。本文通过搭建污染跑道摩擦特性测试装置,根据飞机在湿滑道面滑跑的实际情况,对飞机轮胎在不同水膜厚度、速度、载荷条件下运行的接触力、滑移距离进行研究,分析了湿滑条件下道面摩擦特性与影响因素间的关系。实验结果表明：水膜厚度对道面摩擦特性影响显著,水膜厚度为13mm时,轮胎与道面之间的接触应力变化明显,滑移距离大幅度增加。随着速度的增加,轮胎与道面之间的接触应力呈线性增加趋势,过高的速度会增加滑水风险。轮胎载荷的增加会减少湿滑道面上的滑移距离,在一定程度上提高飞机轮胎的载荷,能有效改善湿滑道面上的摩擦特性。     

Astrochemistry: Complex organic matter in Titan's aerosols?

On 14 January 2005, the Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of Titan after a seven-year interplanetary flight as part of the Cassini mission to Saturn. Huygens carried, among other instruments, an aerosol collection and pyrolysis (ACP) device. Its designers, Isra?l et al., now claim to have detected complex organic matter in two aerosol samples collected at different altitudes (130-35 km and 25-20 km, respectively), on the basis of their detection of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when the sample oven was heated to 600 degrees C. However, the authors' remarkable conclusions, which would have far-reaching consequences for our understanding of the chemical environment prevailing on Saturn's largest moon, are not supported by their limited data.     

电化学法快速测定铁水中的硅量

采用以ZrO_2(MgO)固体电解质,配以一新辅助电极SiO_2+CaF_2的方法,对Fe+C(sat)+Si体系进行了测量。结果表明:当硅测头插入铁水5s以后电动势值即可达到稳定值;电动势与硅量的关系符合理论公式;T=1694～1749K,电动势随温度的变很小。本研究所开发的硅测头具有响应迅速、准确,可望在现场得到应用推广。     

水下固体壁面湍流边界层流场测试方法

基于热线测速技术，研究了水下固体壁面湍流边界层流场的精确测试方法，并从稳定低速流实现、探针杆密封及探针测距等方面给出了提高测试水平的可行措施.搭建起一套重力式低速水槽系统，实现了0~1.0 m/s水速范围内连续可调的稳定流场，其中心湍流度低于2.5%；采用探针杆密封滑筒和双组密封套等部件，实现3 m水头下的动密封；基于光学经纬仪角度测量原理，总结出一种微距的精确测量方法，其测量误差小于0.3%；采用普朗特 尼库拉兹公式计算摩擦系数，替代了壁面摩擦系数的实验测量.测试结果表明，该套测试方法能准确测得水下湍流边界层的流场分布，具备用于水下固体壁面边界层流场测试的能力.
     

拉盖尔—高斯光束通过双透镜聚焦系统的传播

运用惠更斯－菲涅尔原理和取样理论,推导了拉盖尔－高斯光束通过可由ＡＢＣＤ转换矩阵描述的双透镜聚焦系统传播的循环求和公式．利用计算机编程计算了拉盖尔－高斯光束通过上述光学系统传播的衍射图案     

330MW低压汽轮机湿蒸汽二次水滴测量实验研究

研制了基于单帧单曝光图像法(SFSEI)的测量探针,并将其布置在330MW低压汽轮机末级后侧,有效捕获了湿蒸汽二次水滴图像,对其湿度、粒径和速度进行了测量.实验测量结果表明,二次水滴的粒径与湿度受汽轮机运行负荷影响较大.负荷较低时,汽轮机内湿度较大;负荷增加时,由于叶片表面温度上升的延迟,在工况开始变化的一段时间内,二次水滴的湿度会有一定的增加.末级叶片上的拉筋对二次水滴的形成有一定影响,当蒸汽流经拉筋后,其二次水滴的湿度明显增大.此外,二次水滴的速度受到汽轮机内主蒸汽流量和二次水滴粒径大小等因素的影响.     

火星探测器着陆过程中图像匹配的性能研究

以火星探测器着陆过程中通过图像匹配估计位置参数为背景,针对探测器拍摄的实时图旋转以及尺度变化等对图像匹配算法的影响做一系列研究,寻找适当的旋转角度以及尺度大小来获得较高的匹配精度.以SURF算法为研究对象,结合RANSAC算法对误匹配点进行剔除,提纯匹配点,综合定义了正确率的概念,方便对匹配结果进行判断.实验结果表明,实时图旋转角度以及尺度大小和匹配的正确率呈一定的规律在变化,在应用到火星探测器着陆过程中实时图的选取时,相对于参考图选取适当旋转角度和尺度的实时图能在一定程度上提高图像匹配的准确率.     

薄膜介质表面电荷密度测量中探头边缘效应影响的消除

本文提出了二维的探头特性函数的概念,完成了用实验方法测取探头特性函数的工作。提出了利用探头特性函数,从表面电位的分布测量值中消除边缘效应影响的理论和方法,以提高探头对电荷面分布测量的分辨能力。对实验数据经用实测的探头特性函数和消除边缘效应的方法处理后所得的结果是令人满意的。     

The vertical profile of winds on Titan

One of Titan's most intriguing attributes is its copious but featureless atmosphere. The Voyager 1 fly-by and occultation in 1980 provided the first radial survey of Titan's atmospheric pressure and temperature and evidence for the presence of strong zonal winds. It was realized that the motion of an atmospheric probe could be used to study the winds, which led to the inclusion of the Doppler Wind Experiment on the Huygens probe. Here we report a high resolution vertical profile of Titan's winds, with an estimated accuracy of better than 1 m s(-1). The zonal winds were prograde during most of the atmospheric descent, providing in situ confirmation of superrotation on Titan. A layer with surprisingly slow wind, where the velocity decreased to near zero, was detected at altitudes between 60 and 100 km. Generally weak winds (approximately 1 m s(-1)) were seen in the lowest 5 km of descent.     

民航运输飞机重着陆研究综述

飞行安全是民航运行的基础,飞机着陆时速度小、惯性大、运行环境复杂,是事故高发阶段。为了分析飞机重着陆研究现状,对国内外重着陆研究文献进行了评述。从仿真建模、机器学习等方法对重着陆智能诊断,利用定量分析法、定性分析法进行重着陆致因分析和风险评估,以及对重着陆的风险、数量和相关参数进行预测,对以上三个方面的现有研究的成果和不足进行了分析。由于飞行环境和人机交互过程中的复杂性、多变性、不确定性,民航飞机稳定控制系统和重着陆实时预测是未来的研究趋势。     

Detection of molecular interactions at membrane surfaces through colloid phase transitions

The molecular architecture of-and biochemical processes within--cell membranes play important roles in all living organisms, with many drugs and infectious disease agents targeting membranes. Experimental studies of biochemical reactions on membrane surfaces are challenging, as they require a membrane environment that is fluid (like cell membranes) but nevertheless allows for the efficient detection and characterization of molecular interactions. One approach uses lipid membranes supported on solid substrates such as silica or polymers: although the membrane is trapped near the solid interface, it retains natural fluidity and biological functionality and can be implanted with membrane proteins for functional studies. But the detection of molecular interactions involving membrane-bound species generally requires elaborate techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance or total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Here we demonstrate that colloidal phase transitions of membrane-coated silica beads provide a simple and label-free method for monitoring molecular interactions on lipid membrane surfaces. By adjusting the lipid membrane composition and hence the pair interaction potential between the membrane-supporting silica beads, we poise our system near a phase transition so that small perturbations on the membrane surface induce dramatic changes in the macroscopic organization of the colloid. We expect that this approach, used here to probe with high sensitivity protein binding events at membrane surfaces, can be applied to study a broad range of cell membrane processes.     

Response of global lightning activity to air temperature variation

It is an issue of great attention but yet not very clear whether lightning activities increase or decrease on a warmer world. Reeve et al. presented that lightning activities in global land and the Northern Hemisphere land have positive response to the increase of wet bulb temperature at 1000hPa. Is this positive response restricted only to wet bulb temperature or in land？ What is the response of global lightning activities （in both land and ocean） to the global surface air temperature variation like？ This paper, based on the 5-year or 8-year OTD/LIS satellite-based lightning detecting data and the NCEP reanalysis data, makes a reanalysis of the response of the global and regional lightning activities to temperature variations. The results show that on the interannual time scale the global total flash rate has positive response to the variation in global surface air temperature, with the sensitivity of 17±7% K^-l. Also, the seasonal mean flash rate of continents all over the world and that of continents in the Northern Hemisphere have sensitive positive response to increase of global surface air temperature and wet bulb temperature, with the sensitivity of about 13±5% K^-1, a bit lower than estimation of 40% K^-1 in Reeve et al. However, the Southern Hemisphere and other areas like the tropics show no significant correlation.     

基于双二体模型的载人登月着陆点选取分析与仿真

载人登月的着陆点选取研究,对于今后实施载人登月以及全月面到达的研究很有意义。而载人登月着陆点的选取又涉及到多种约束,只是选取燃料和驻留时间两个约束对相关着陆点进行建模分析和仿真。本文首先对月球相关几何关系进行研究,基于双二体模型对月面着陆点选取与停留时间关系进行研究;其次根据能量消耗和地月转移轨道倾角约束考虑了三种不同的着月和上升策略,对三种不同策略的着月点和停留时间进行数学建模;最后,通过仿真,总结得出载人登月月面着陆点选取与燃料和驻留时间的关系。     

相对渗透率调节剂的选择性堵水性能研究

针对一种阳离子聚合物型相对渗透率调节剂,研究了RPM 在不同润湿性砂子上的静态吸附以及选择性堵水
性能。实验结果表明：RPM 在油砂和石英砂上均发生单层吸附,且石英砂上的静态吸附量（1 110 μg/g）是其在油砂上
的吸附量的2 倍以上;吸附剂表面润湿性和聚合物链节的带电性是影响吸附量的两个重要因素;RPM 的吸附可以使
油湿石英表面（105°）转变为弱水湿（72°）;采用了岩芯驱替实验研究RPM 的选择性堵水能力：油、水相残余阻力系数
随着渗透率、温度以及矿化度的增加而下降,聚合物吸附层的膨胀/收缩是RPM 选择性堵水的合理解释。     

用光纤探头测定流化床中气泡的特性

使用以光导纤维联机的光纤探头在线检测系统,同时测得鼓泡气固流化床反应器内的气泡刺穿长度、气泡直径、气泡上升速度、气泡频率、气泡分率及气泡内固体含量等参数。并由此关联出粗颗粒系统的新的气泡直径关联式。     

月面自主精确软着陆的景象匹配方法研究

为提高月球探测器自主软着陆的落点精度,利用绕月飞行器和着陆探测器下落图像,提出一种基于尺度信息的多模板递阶景象匹配方法.在月面图像尺度空间上快速提取FAST角点,并确定特征点精确尺度、位置和方向.在特征点邻域建立图像块采样模式,通过图像块像素比较形成二进制串特征描述子,利用海明距离(Hamming distance)进行特征匹配.实验结果表明,目标在尺度缩放、旋转和光照变化等极端条件下,该算法能够实时完成月面着陆目标区域的准确识别和稳定跟踪,实现月球探测器的远距离、高精度自主导引着陆.