Analytical, circle-to-circle low-thrust transfer trajectories with plane change

Orbit averaging techniques are used to develop analytical approximations of circle-to-circle low-thrust trajectory transfers with plane-change about the Sun. Separate expressions are developed for constant acceleration, or thrust, electric propulsion, solar sail propulsion and combined, or hybrid electric (constant acceleration or thrust) / solar sail propulsion. The analytical expressions uniquely allow the structure of circle-to-circle low-thrust trajectory transfers with plane-change about the Sun to be understood, and the optimal trajectory structure is analytically derived for each propulsion system considered. It is found that the optimal fixed thrust electric propulsion transfer reduces the orbit radius with no plane change and then performs the plane-change, while the optimal solar sail and hybrid transfers combine the reduction of orbit radius with some plane change, before then completing the plane change. The optimal level of plane change during the reduction of orbit radius is derived and it is found the analytically-derived minimum time solar sail transfer is within 1% of the numerically-derived optimal transfer. It is also found that, under the conditions considered, a sail characteristic acceleration of less than 0.5 mm/s2 can, in 5-years, attain a solar orbit that maintains the observer-to-solar pole zenith angle below 40 degrees for 25 days; the approximate sidereal rotation period of the Sun. However, a sail characteristic acceleration of more than 0.5 mm/s2 is required to attain an observer-to-solar pole zenith angle below 30 degrees for 25 days within 5-years of launch. Finally, it was found that the hybridization of electric propulsion and solar sail propulsion was, typically, of more benefit when the system was thrust constrained than when it was mass constrained

2D Continuous Wavelet Transform of potential fields due to extended source distributions

AbstractWe analyse the real Continuous Wavelet Transform 2D (CWT2D) of potential fields for the investigation of potential field singularities. We focus our attention to extended geological sources, in order to verify the reliability of this method with realistic fields. 3D space-scale representation (3D Scalogram) related to synthetic models were generated, showing the Wavelet Transform Modulus Maxima (WTMM) at each scale. The WTMM are related to the shape of the source, so defining some sort of source boundary analysis through the CWT. Wavelets of different order may help to gain resolution and define source features. Selecting a range of scales where the sources behave as if they are approximately isolated, the depth to the source may be estimated basing on the property that the lines joining the modulus maxima of the wavelet coefficients at different scales (WTMML) intersect each other at the edges of the causative body. Therefore, it is possible to manage the information contained in the wavelet transform of fields related to extended sources. In the real case of the anomaly gravity map of the Vesuvius area (Italy), we estimated the depth of the Mesozoic carbonate basement in the Pompei Basin. We showed also how the WTMML information can be integrated to that of another multiscale method, the Depth from Extreme Points (DEXP) transformation, which is also related to the source density distribution of a given region

A multi-disciplinary approach combining geological, geomorphological and geophysical data for mapping the susceptibility to sinkholes

The Salento region of southern Italy has a great number of active sinkholes, related to both natural and anthropogenic cavities. The presence of sinkholes is at the origin of several problems to the built-up environment, due to the increasing population growth and development pressures. In such a context, the detection of cavities, and therefore the assessment of the sinkhole hazard presents numerous difficulties. Multidisciplinary – approach, comprising geological, geomorphological and geophysical analyses, is therefore necessary to obtain comprehensive knowledge of the complex phenomena in karstic areas. Geophysical methods can also be of great help to identify and map the areas at higher risk of collapse. In this case it is important to identify the features related to the underground voids, likely evolving to sinkholes, by contrasts in physical properties such as density, electrical resistivity, and so on, with the surrounding sediments. At the same time, identification of the presence of sinkholes by geophysical methods has to adapt to the different geological conditions, so that there is not the possibility to use the same techniques everywhere. At this aim, the present paper illustrates the advantages of integrating geological and geomorphological surveys with surface geophysical techniques such as seismic, geoelectrical and ground penetrating radar methods for the identification of sinkhole-prone areas. The present work illustrates the results concerning a sinkhole system at Nociglia (inland Salento, southeastern Italy) where the shallow phreatic speleogenesis operates close to the water table level with formation of karst conduits and proto-caves whose evolution occurs through successive roof collapse, formation of wide caverns and sinkhole development at the surface. All of this creates serious problems to the nearby infrastructures, including a province road that has often been threatened by the sinkhole development. Geological and geomorphological analyses provided the basic data necessary to constitute a framework to understand the mechanism of sinkholes formation and at the same time to guide the choice of the most suitable geophysical techniques, and the interpretation of the measurements as well. The different geophysical methods are eventually discussed in order to point out their ability to locate the main karst conduits and caves

Application of 3D visualization techniques in the analysis of GPR data for archaeology

In this work, some results of a GPR survey carried out in a 10000 m2 large archaeological site, located in Lecce (Italy) near to a necropolis dating from the Messapian to the Roman imperial age, are reported. After a preliminary survey, performed on the entire area along parallel 1 m spaced profiles using a 200 MHz and a 500 MHz antenna in single-fold continuous mode, some smaller areas were selected, where the survey was repeated decreasing the profile spacing down to 0.50 m for the lower frequency antenna and to 0.25 m for the higher one. For two selected zones (D and B) the processed data were visualized in 3D space not only by the standard time slice technique, but also by two recently proposed approaches, namely by iso-amplitude surfaces of the complex trace amplitude and by 3D projection of energy and envelope stacks. The immediacy in revealing the spatial positioning of highly reflecting bodies, such as the anomaly interpreted as an old refilled cistern in zone D, makes 3D visualization techniques very attractive in archaeological applications of GPR. Their sensitivity to the signal/noise ratio is, on the other hand, highlighted by the quite poor performance in zone B, where the only reliable result provided by all the techniques was the soil/bedrock reflection, whereas none of them could effectively enhance the visibility of weak dipping reflections noted on 2D sections and probably related to fractures or bedding planes in the calcarenitic basement. The performance of the various techniques in these two different situations allowed insights into their main advantages and drawbacks to be gained

An earth pole-sitter using hybrid propulsion

In this paper we investigate optimal pole-sitter orbits using hybrid solar sail and solar electric propulsion (SEP). A pole-sitter is a spacecraft that is constantly above one of the Earth's poles, by means of a continuous thrust. Optimal orbits, that minimize propellant mass consumption, are found both through a shape-based approach, and solving an optimal control problem, using a direct method based on pseudo-spectral techniques. Both the pure SEP case and the hybrid case are investigated and compared. It is found that the hybrid spacecraft allows consistent savings on propellant mass fraction. Finally, is it shown that for sufficiently long missions (more than 8 years), a hybrid spacecraft, based on mid-term technology, enables a consistent reduction in the launch mass for a given payload, with respect to a pure SEP spacecraft

Nedd4-2 haploinsufficiency causes hyperactivity and increased sensitivity to inflammatory stimuli

Nedd4-2 (NEDD4L in humans) is a ubiquitin protein ligase best known for its role in regulating ion channel internalization and turnover. Nedd4-2 deletion in mice causes perinatal lethality associated with increased epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) expression in lung and kidney. Abundant data suggest that Nedd4-2 plays a role in neuronal functions and may be linked to epilepsy and dyslexia in humans. We used a mouse model of Nedd4-2 haploinsufficiency to investigate whether an alteration in Nedd4-2 levels of expression affects general nervous system functions. We found that Nedd4-2 heterozygous mice are hyperactive, have increased basal synaptic transmission and have enhanced sensitivity to inflammatory pain. Thus, Nedd4-2 heterozygous mice provide a new genetic model to study inflammatory pain. These data also suggest that in human, SNPs affecting NEDD4L levels may be involved in the development of neuropsychological deficits and peripheral neuropathies and may help unveil the genetic basis of comorbidities

Malignant Hyperthermia and Heat Stroke in Calsequestrin-1 Knockout Mice

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Application of 3D visualization techniques in the analysis of GPR data for archaeology

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How do morphological alterations caused by chronic pain distribute across the brain? A meta-analytic co-alteration study

It was recently suggested that in brain disorders neuronal alterations does not occur randomly, but tend to form patterns that resemble those of cerebral connectivity. Following this hypothesis, we studied the network formed by co-altered brain regions in patients with chronic pain. We used a meta-analytical network approach in order to: i) find out whether the neuronal alterations distribute randomly across the brain; ii) find out (in the case of a non-random pattern of distribution) whether a disease-specific pattern of brain co-alterations can be identified and characterized in terms of altered areas (nodes) and propagation links between them (edges); iii) verify whether the co-alteration pattern overlaps with the pattern of functional connectivity; iv) describe the topological properties of the co-alteration network and identify the highly connected nodes that are supposed to have a pre-eminent role in the diffusion timing of neuronal alterations across the brain. Our results indicate that: i) gray matter (GM) alterations do not occur randomly; ii) a symptom-related pattern of structural co-alterations can be identified for chronic pain; iii) this co-alteration pattern resembles the pattern of brain functional connectivity; iv) within the co-alteration network a set of highly connected nodes can be identified.This study provides further support to the hypothesis that neuronal alterations may spread according to the logic of a network-like diffusion suggesting that this type of distribution may also apply to chronic pain. Keywords: Chronic pain, Neuronal alterations, Pathoconnectomics, Co-alteration network, Network analysis, Voxel-based morphometr