Altitude Excursions Research Articles

Atlas of birds in the Province of Ancona

In the years 2005-2006 the monitoring of breeding birds populations in the province of Ancona, on 66 quadrants of land measuring about 36 square kilometers was carried out. 126 nesting species were detected, of which 120 confirmed and 6 probable. 17% of the species is included in Birds Directive Annex I. The progressive increase in species richness with increasing altitude excursion, and the considerable expansion of the species linked to wetlands is highlighted.

Venus atmospheric platform options revisited

Various balloon systems intended as scientific platforms to float in the atmosphere of Venus at altitudes between about 35 and 65 km are briefly reviewed. Previous predictions of the altitude oscillations of balloons filled with helium gas and water vapor are largely confirmed through numerical simulation and analysis. The need for refined thermal modelling is emphasised. Several novel technical concepts are introduced. It is concluded that phase change balloons would be more suitable than non-condensing super pressure gas balloons when repeated altitude excursions are a mission requirement.

The Orthoptera of the Trentino: ecological and biogeographic considerations

Biogeographia vol. XXVI - 2005 (Pubblicato il 30 Dicembre 2005) Biogeografia delle A/pi e Prealpi centro-orienta/i The Orthoptera of the Trentino: ecological and biogeographic considerations BARBARA AGABITI*, PAOLO FONTAN ** ”‘I5tz'tuto Agmrio S. Mic/aele alli/Idzge via 5. Pietro 3, I—38100 Trento e—maz'[: bazr17arzz.zzgzzbz'tz' @z'zLcmzz. it q‘*Dz;vzzrzimento Agronomizz Ambietale e Produzioni Vegetali Ag7'z;zgolz's vizz dell ’U71iz/ersitiz I 6, 1135020 Legnaro, Padowz e-mail: pzzo[o.fnoi it Key words: Insecta, Orthoptera, Trentino, Ecology, Red List, Biogeography. SUMMARY The Authors have researched into Otthoptera (Insecta, Orthoptera) of Trentino, based on data in literature and also on several collections carried out by the authors themselves in the past years; Furthermore the collections of the Museums ofTrento, Verona and Berlin have been examined. The Orthoptera Fauna up to today counts 104 species and its numerical substance has been compared to the one of the bordering areas (Bolzano, Sondrio, Bergamo, Verona, Vicenza, Belluno and Treviso), basing the comparison also on the territorial extension and altitude excursion. The same provinces have also been compared applying the Sorensen’s indexes, From which similarity matrixes of the difl’-erent provinces have been obtained, elaborated afterwards by the statistics program R-win and by the CAN OCO 4.0 software, in order to obtain cluster dendograms illustrating the distances between the various elements examined. This analysis has pointed out that Trentino is border area between west and east Orthoptera Fauna. The same statistical analysis has been done on the altitude zones. The following species are particularly interesting in biogeography: Bzzrbitiste: uicetinm, flnanconotus itzz/azztlxtrirzczzs, Pteudaprunzmz I711/demis, Podirmrz pee/ertris zmdigi, G{}pta/Jot/Jrm rt/ticolzz, /lntzzxius z/zflbnrzis, Saga pea/a, Ep/Jippiger vic/Jeri e C/aort/Japadtlmm cabellii. From the data thus obtained it was also possible to single out the rare or threatened species and to write down a first red list for Trentino, also acknowledging the environments most sensitive to environmental modifications. The most threatened or vulnerable species in Trentino are therefore: Rmpa/in m'tia'u/(1, Xip/Jidion disco/or, Tettiganizz cruzmns, Tetrigonia mudzztrz, Pteranemabzm /J. /Jqyz/etzii, Szzgrt pedo, C11/lipmnm: i. itzzlicm, /lmzcri:/izmz rtegyptizmz, Lomsm m1'gmtari/1 ciizermceilx, P50}?/J!!55t7‘I't[Il[1l$, 06:/a/em a'ecaru5, Oedipoc/rt gernmniaz, Sp/Jingorzatm c. mam/am, /lioloput 5. xtrepens, Stet/yap/Jynm grosrmrz, Parapleurm allizzcem, Arzgpterafizsca. INTRODUCTION The study of the Orthoptera fauna of the Trentino region is particularly interesting, given its geographical position, intermediate between the Alpine

Ultra high altitude balloons for medium-to-large payloads

Abstract The expanding use of scientific balloons as a cost-effective alternative to orbital and suborbital space flight has driven the development of ultra-high altitude balloon (UHAB) vehicles. Of particular interest is the ability to fly payloads approaching 900–1000 kg to altitudes in excess of 45 km using traditional zero-pressure designs. A zero-pressure balloon of nearly 1.7 million cubic meters (60 million cubic feet) volume was developed for NASA and launched in Summer 2002. This was the largest balloon ever successfully flown, reaching an altitude of 49 km. Presented in this paper is an overview of the design and material challenges involved in developing large ultra-high altitude balloons, as well as a summary of the Summer 2002 test flight. In addition to providing unprecedented altitudes from which to make scientific observations, the UHAB also opens new avenues for long duration ballooning at mid-latitudes. With altitude excursions of 10–12 km, these balloons will be able to execute long duration flights without the need for large quantities of ballast. If augmented by a small superpressure anchor balloon, the altitude excursions could be kept to a minimum. While not as capable as the ultra long duration balloon (ULDB) in carrying large payloads, the UHAB would add another capability for scientists with relatively light payloads who desire to maximize mission time and altitude.

A balloon trajectory prediction system

Safety requirements and the increase in balloon flight duration make a computerized balloon control system essential. Starting with a global thermodynamic model of a stratospheric balloon (NASA-SINBAD) and 48-h wind forecast data, a flexible system can be built to predict its trajectory. In order to increase the trajectory forecast accuracy, the thermodynamic model of SINBAD, related to infrared radiation and albedo, has been improved. The model and the methodology have been evaluated by comparing the altitude excursion of some already flown zero-pressure balloons, with the altitude excursion computed by SINBAD; meteorological and satellite data (METEOSAT) and meteorological forecast data have been used as input. This system, connected during the mission to the balloon's managing unit, will continuously update the forecast trajectory and will enable real and simulated data to be compared. In this way it will also be possible to simulate the balloon flight trajectory in case of any failures. This paper explains the solution adopted for this system and the application that was carried out for the Italian Space Agency's 2002 summer balloon campaign.

A balloon trajectory prediction system

Safety requirements and the increase in balloon flight duration make a computerized balloon control system essential. Starting with a global thermodynamic model of a stratospheric balloon (NASA-SINBAD) and 48-h wind forecast data, a flexible system can be built to predict its trajectory. In order to increase the trajectory forecast accuracy, the thermodynamic model of SINBAD, related to infrared radiation and albedo, has been improved. The model and the methodology have been evaluated by comparing the altitude excursion of some already flown zero-pressure balloons, with the altitude excursion computed by SINBAD; meteorological and satellite data (METEOSAT) and meteorological forecast data have been used as input. This system, connected during the mission to the balloon's managing unit, will continuously update the forecast trajectory and will enable real and simulated data to be compared. In this way it will also be possible to simulate the balloon flight trajectory in case of any failures. This paper explains the solution adopted for this system and the application that was carried out for the Italian Space Agency's 2002 summer balloon campaign.

Ultra high altitude balloons for medium-to-large payloads

The expanding use of scientific balloons as a cost-effective alternative to orbital and suborbital space flight has driven the development of ultra-high altitude balloon (UHAB) vehicles. Of particular interest is the ability to fly payloads approaching 900–1000 kg to altitudes in excess of 45 km using traditional zero-pressure designs. A zero-pressure balloon of nearly 1.7 million cubic meters (60 million cubic feet) volume was developed for NASA and launched in Summer 2002. This was the largest balloon ever successfully flown, reaching an altitude of 49 km. Presented in this paper is an overview of the design and material challenges involved in developing large ultra-high altitude balloons, as well as a summary of the Summer 2002 test flight. In addition to providing unprecedented altitudes from which to make scientific observations, the UHAB also opens new avenues for long duration ballooning at mid-latitudes. With altitude excursions of 10–12 km, these balloons will be able to execute long duration flights without the need for large quantities of ballast. If augmented by a small superpressure anchor balloon, the altitude excursions could be kept to a minimum. While not as capable as the ultra long duration balloon (ULDB) in carrying large payloads, the UHAB would add another capability for scientists with relatively light payloads who desire to maximize mission time and altitude.

Long duration balloons

Long duration flight in the middle stratosphere is a well established need of the science community. Many balloon systems have been developed to satisfy this need, with varying degrees of success. This paper will review the requirements and those systems that have been suggested to achieve various mission goals and objectives. Each system has limitations of one sort or another. It is intended to place these various limitations into perspective so that the scientist may choose an appropriate existing system or recommend the development of an advanced system that meets his mission requirements. The status of current ballasted zero pressure balloon technology will be reviewed as a baseline from which other systems may be compared. Superpressure balloon programs will be reviewed as well as the hybrid systems that combine both types of balloons. Other systems such as the Radiation Controlled Balloon and the Montgolfier Infrared system have long duration capability with some altitude excursions. Each has a place in filling the needs of science today.

A diagnostic model for equatorial spread F 2. The effect of magnetic activity

By using a numerical model we have studied electric field effects on the generation of equatorial spread F (ESF) in the postmidnight hours. Equatorial electric fields are zonally westward during late evening and postmidnight hours on normal days, while they sometimes reverse to eastward in magnetically disturbed days. The quiet time westward configuration and typical low altitude of the layer results in stable bottomside gradient or at most one with a very low generalized Rayleigh‐Taylor growth rate. The model calculation shows that the growth rate becomes significant when the electric field reverses to eastward and may remain so even when the electric field disturbance weakens due to the upward altitude excursion of the layer. These results account for the correlation of ESF occurrence and high Kp values in the postmidnight hours when taken in conjunction with the characteristics of the penetration of magnetospheric electric fields during such magnetic activity. The results also show the crucial role of layer height in the physics. We have calculated the growth rates for specific nights in which perturbation of electric fields and plumes were observed at Jicamarca. These case studies suggest that a quantitative requirement for the generation of plumes is that about 10 e‐folding times of the linear instability growth occur. We also suggest that a statistical study using ionosonde data could be very valuable in a testing whether a local version of this quantitative measure of event intensity could be useful in predicting plume activity.

Four-dimensional fuel-optimal guidance in the presence of winds

The generation of optimal trajectories from cruise altitude to 10,000 ft for a typical commercial jet transport shows that the optimal absorption of delay in arrival time requires speed reduction in conjunction with altitude excursion (the latter not attempted before). Multiple regression methods are used to develop drag and fuel flow models which are smoother and more compact than those of any previous investigation. The concept of optimal cruise descent is introduced and optimal results are compared with suboptimal strategies of constant Mach number/Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) descent and constant flight path angle descent. Finally, wind effects are analyzed, and the cost of delay as a function of wind condition is presented, followed by the effects of wind on the constant flight path angle descent.