Survey report: ICT in the Research Workflow

An understanding of researcher requirements is vital for any institution that conducts and supports research. As part of Curtin University’s ongoing efforts to improve our understanding of how researchers use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in research, the CITS eResearch Support team recently surveyed Curtin’s research community. The survey was run in conjunction with Curtin University’s Office of Research and Development to maximise its reach. Over a quarter of active researchers completed the survey

Super-orbital re-entry in Australia - laboratory measurement, simulation and flight observation

There are large uncertainties in the aerothermodynamic modelling of super-orbital re-entry which impact the design of spacecraft thermal protection systems (TPS). Aspects of the thermal environment of super-orbital re-entry flows can be simulated in the laboratory using arc- and plasma jet facilities and these devices are regularly used for TPS certification work [5]. Another laboratory device which is capable of simulating certain critical features of both the aero and thermal environment of super-orbital re-entry is the expansion tube, and three such facilities have been operating at the University of Queensland in recent years[10]. Despite some success, wind tunnel tests do not achieve full simulation, however, a virtually complete physical simulation of particular re-entry conditions can be obtained from dedicated flight testing, and the Apollo era FIRE II flight experiment [2] is the premier example which still forms an important benchmark for modern simulations. Dedicated super-orbital flight testing is generally considered too expensive today, and there is a reluctance to incorporate substantial instrumentation for aerothermal diagnostics into existing missions since it may compromise primary mission objectives. An alternative approach to on-board flight measurements, with demonstrated success particularly in the ‘Stardust’ sample return mission, is remote observation of spectral emissions from the capsule and shock layer [8]. JAXA’s ‘Hayabusa’ sample return capsule provides a recent super-orbital reentry example through which we illustrate contributions in three areas: (1) physical simulation of super-orbital re-entry conditions in the laboratory; (2) computational simulation of such flows; and (3) remote acquisition of optical emissions from a super-orbital re entry event

Causes of death in Vanuatu

Background The population of the Pacific Melanesian country of Vanuatu was 234,000 at the 2009 census. Apart from subsistence activities, economic activity includes tourism and agriculture. Current completeness of vital registration is considered too low to be usable for national statistics; mortality and life expectancy (LE) are derived from indirect demographic estimates from censuses/surveys. Some cause of death (CoD) data are available to provide information on major causes of premature death. Methods Deaths 2001–2007 were coded for cause (ICDv10) for ages 0–59 years from: hospital separations (HS) (n = 636), hospital medical certificates (MC) of death (n = 1,169), and monthly reports from community health facilities (CHF) (n = 1,212). Ill-defined causes were 3 % for hospital deaths and 20 % from CHF. Proportional mortality was calculated by cause (excluding ill-defined) and age group (0–4, 5–14 years), and also by sex for 15–59 years. From total deaths by broad age group and sex from 1999 and 2009 census analyses, community deaths were estimated by deduction of hospital deaths MC. National proportional mortality by cause was estimated by a weighted average of MC and CHF deaths. Results National estimates indicate main causes of deaths <5 years were: perinatal disorders (45 %) and malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia (27 %). For 15–59 years, main causes of male deaths were: circulatory disease 27 %, neoplasms 13 %, injury 13 %, liver disease 10 %, infection 10 %, diabetes 7 %, and chronic respiratory disease 7 %; and for females: neoplasms 29 %, circulatory disease 15 %, diabetes 10 %, infection 9 %, and maternal deaths 8 %. Infection included tuberculosis, malaria, and viral hepatitis. Liver disease (including hepatitis and cancer) accounted for 18 % of deaths in adult males and 9 % in females. Non-communicable disease (NCD), including circulatory disease, diabetes, neoplasm, and chronic respiratory disease, accounted for 52 % of premature deaths in adult males and 60 % in females. Injuries accounted for 13 % in adult males and 6 % in females. Maternal deaths translate into an annual maternal mortality ratio of 130/100,000 for the period. Conclusion Vanuatu manifests a double burden of disease with significant proportional mortality from perinatal disorders and infection/pneumonia <5 years and maternal mortality, coupled with significant proportional mortality in adults (15–59 years) from cardiovascular disease (CVD), neoplasms, and diabetes

Application of photogrammetry at USQ hypersonic wind tunnel

This paper discusses an investigation into the use of photogrammetric techniques at the University of Southern Queensland's Ludwieg tunnel facility. The aim was to show that photogrammetric techniques and compact cameras could be used to achieve sub-millimetre precision in hypersonic speed tracking. The paper provides details on the setup of the imaging cameras, video capture, photogrammetric computation and the results of two aerodynamic experiments. A free-flying projectile constructed from a hollow metal cylinder with a round-nose and flat-tail was tracked using two low-cost Casio high-speed cameras. A set of retro-photogrammetric targets of known coordinates was used for camera relative orientation purposes. Corresponding frames were extracted from the video clips using VirtualDub software and a photogrammetric adjustment was applied to these frames to extract a set of 3D coordinates of the tracked targets. The results showed that the photogrammetric technique gave a 3D object-space measurement accuracy of 0.064 mm when the projectile was in a static position and a precision of 0.11 mm during its flight in a pressurized airflow

Development of a Ludwieg tube with free piston compression heating for scramjet inlet starting experiments

A Ludwieg tube facility with free piston compression heating has been developed at the University of Southern Queensland for scramjet inlet starting experiments. The Ludwieg tube facility generates a steady flow for about 200 ms which is sufficient for the inlet starting experiments, but the impulsive starting of the hypersonic flow generated by the Ludwieg tube facility can aid inlet starting. For definitive confirmation of inlet start-ability, we have established the essential hardware for pneumatically unstarting the inlet after a steady hypersonic flow is generated in the facility. The pneumatic flow blockage can then be removed to determine whether the inlet will restart under steady in-flow conditions. A Rectangular-to-Elliptical Shape Transition (REST) inlet design has been developed for Mach 8 flight. Preliminary experiments with the REST inlet positioned at the exit of the Mach 6 nozzle have therefore been performed. Pressure measurements and schlieren visualization are used to investigate the flow characteristics within the inlet. Results indicate that the inlet self-starts with the facility, but flow in the inlet changes during the nominally steady run period produced by the Ludwieg tube facility even without attempting to pneumatically unstart the inlet. These changes are attributed to an increase in the test section background pressure which drives compression waves into the Mach 6 free jet flow captured by the inlet. Future effort will be directed towards ensuring Mach 6 free jet compression effects do not affect the scramjet inlet flow

Impulse facilities for the simulation of hypersonic radiating flows

At high flight speeds, radiation becomes an important component of aerodynamic heat transfer, and its coupling with the flow field can significantly change macroscopic features of the flow. As radiating flight conditions are typically encountered in reentry trajectories, the associated flight regimes range from rarefied to continuum, and may have many levels of thermal, chemical and electronic non-equilibrium

The generation and measurement of high temperature radiating flows in a high enthalpy pulsed facility

The experimental capabilities of the X2 hypersonic facility at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia are described. The facility can be operated as an expansion tube and the radiation generated in a steady flow over a test model can be studied. Alternatively, the facility can be operated as a shock tube where conditions suitable for radiation studies are created behind a shock wave propagating through a test gas. The facility is instrumented with two intensified camera systems capable of recording spectral information about the flow as well as a high speed camera for time dependent studies and a holographic interferometry system that can measure the flow density and, where present, electron concentrations. The operating envelope of the facility is described and sample experimental results from expansion tube mode operation are presented

A simulation technique for radiating shock tube flows

We describe a numerical modelling technique used to simulate the gas flow in the complete X2 facility in non-reflected shock tube mode. The technique uses a one-dimensional model to simulate piston dynamics and diaphragm rupture and couples this to an axisymmetric simulation of the shock tube which captures viscous and finite-rate chemistry effects. This technique is used to simulate a nonequilibrium radiation condition relevant to a Titan atmospheric manoeuvre. The condition is a 7 km/s shock propagating into a N-2/CH4 Mixture at 80 Pa. The results show that the shock remains relatively planar at the exit of the shock tube such that there should be little difficulty for the optics. In terms of modelling, the finite-rate chemistry gas performs better than the equilibrium gas for these flows with regards to flow property estimates

Impulse facility simulation of hypervelocity radiating flows

We describe the X-series impulse facilities at The University of Queensland and show that they can produce useful high speed flows of relevance to the study of high temperature radiating flow flields characteristic of atmospheric entry. Two modes of operation are discussed: (a) the expansion tube mode which is useful for subscale aerodynamic testing of vehicles and (b) the non-reflected shock tube mode which can be used to emulate the nonequilibrium radiating region immediately following the bow shock of a flight vehicle