Low-energy Orbitals Research Articles

Global stabilization of high-energy response of a nonlinear wideband electromagnetic energy harvester

This paper presents a resonance-type vibration energy harvester with a Duffing-type nonlinear oscillator which is designed to perform effectively in a wide frequency band. For the conventional linear vibration energy harvester, the maximum performance of the power generation and its bandwidth are in a relation of trade-off. Introducing a Duffing-type nonlinearity can expand the resonance frequency band and enable the harvester to generate larger electric power in a wider frequency range. However, since such nonlinear oscillator may have coexisting multiple steady-state solutions in the resonance band, it is difficult for the nonlinear harvester to maintain the high performance of the power generation constantly. The principle of self-excitation and entrainment has been utilized to give global stability to the high-energy orbit by destabilizing other unexpected low-energy orbits by introducing a switching circuit of the load resistance between positive and the negative values depending on the response amplitude of the oscillator. In this paper, an improved control law that switches the load resistance according to a frequency-dependent threshold is proposed to ensure the oscillator to respond in the high-energy orbit without ineffective power consumption. Numerical study shows that the steady-state responses of the harvester with the proposed control low are successfully kept on the high-energy orbit without repeating activation of the excitationmode.

Non-resonant energy harvesting via an adaptive bistable potential

Narrow bandwidth and easy detuning, inefficiency in broadband and non-stationary excitations, and difficulties in matching a linear harvester’s resonance frequency to low-frequency excitations at small scales, have convinced researchers to investigate nonlinear, and in particular bistable, energy harvesters in recent years. However, bistable harvesters suffer from co-existing low and high energy orbits, and sensitivity to initial conditions, and have recently been proven inefficient when subjected to many real-world random and non-stationary excitations. Here, we propose a novel non-resonant buy-low-sell-high strategy that can significantly improve the harvester’s effectiveness at low frequencies in a much more robust fashion. This strategy could be realized by a passive adaptive bistable system. Simulation results confirm the high effectiveness of the adaptive bistable system following a buy-low-sell-high logic when subjected to harmonic and random non-stationary walking excitations compared to its conventional bistable and linear counterparts.

Design and optimization of low-energy transfer orbit to Mars with multi-body environment

This paper discusses the problem of design and optimization of low-energy transfer orbit with multi-body environment. A new integrative method is proposed to effectively solve the problem, in which the parameterized patched manifolds in CR3BP (circular restricted three-body problems), the shape-based method with multi-body environment, the homotopic method with multi-body environment, and the low-thrust capturing and descending algorithm with multi-body environment are all included. Firstly, the parameters describing the patched manifolds in CR3BP are optimized until the least total absolute velocity increment has been got, including the employment of the shape-based method with multi-body environment. Secondly, the low-thrust control laws of the transfer orbit are optimized employing the homotopic method with multi-body environment that transfers the fuel optimization problem to an easier energy optimization problem. Thirdly, the low-thrust descending orbit around Mars is computed using the laws proposed in this paper. As a typical example, the Earth-Mars transfer orbit design is discussed. The results showed that the parameters describing the patched manifolds could be optimized by the DE (differential evolution) algorithm effectively; the homotopic method with multi-body environment could get the optimal value that meets the first order optimality conditions; and the low-thrust descending orbit could effectively be captured by Mars and finally become a circular parking orbit around it by the hypothesis control laws proposed in this paper. It shows that the final fuel cost is much less than the optimal transfer in the patched two-body problems. In conclusion, the method proposed in this paper could effectively solve the low-energy low-thrust optimal control problem in multi-body environment for the future deep space explorations.

Stabilisation of the high-energy orbit for a non-linear energy harvester with variable damping

The non-linearity of a hardening-type oscillator provides a wider bandwidth and a higher energy harvesting capability under harmonic excitations. Also, both low- and high-energy responses can coexist for the same parameter combinations at relatively high excitation levels. However, if the oscillator’s response happens to coincide with the low-energy orbit then the improved performance achieved by the non-linear oscillator over that of its linear counterpart, could be impaired. This is therefore the main motivation for stabilisation of the high-energy orbit. In the present work, a schematic harvester design is considered consisting of a mass supported by two linear springs connected in series, each with a parallel damper, and a third-order non-linear spring. The equivalent linear stiffness and damping coefficients of the oscillator are derived through variation of the damper element. From this adjustment the variation of the equivalent stiffness generates a corresponding shift in the frequency–amplitude response curve, and this triggers a jump from the low-energy orbit to stabilise the high-energy orbit. This approach has been seen to require little additional energy supply for the adjustment and stabilisation, compared with that needed for direct stiffness tuning by mechanical means. Overall energy saving is of particular importance for energy harvesting applications. Subsequent results from simulation and experimentation confirm that the proposed method can be used to trigger a jump to the desirable state, thereby introducing a beneficial addition to the performance of the non-linear hardening-type energy harvester that improves overall efficiency and broadens the bandwidth.

Chaotic Dynamics in a Low-Energy Transfer Strategy to the Equilateral Equilibrium Points in the Earth–Moon System

In the frame of the equilateral equilibrium points exploration, numerous future space missions will require maximization of payload mass, simultaneously achieving reasonable transfer times. To fulfill this request, low-energy non-Keplerian orbits could be used to reach L4 and L5 in the Earth–Moon system instead of high energetic transfers. Previous studies have shown that chaos in physical systems like the restricted three-body Earth–Moon-particle problem can be used to direct a chaotic trajectory to a target that has been previously considered. In this work, we propose to transfer a spacecraft from a circular Earth Orbit in the chaotic region to the equilateral equilibrium points L4 and L5 in the Earth–Moon system, exploiting the chaotic region that connects the Earth with the Moon and changing the trajectory of the spacecraft (relative to the Earth) by using a gravity assist maneuver with the Moon. Choosing a sequence of small perturbations, the time of flight is reduced and the spacecraft is guided to a proper trajectory so that it uses the Moon's gravitational force to finally arrive at a desired target. In this study, the desired target will be an orbit about the Lagrangian equilibrium points L4 or L5. This strategy is not only more efficient with respect to thrust requirement, but also its time transfer is comparable to other known transfer techniques based on time optimization.

Investigations of a Stiffness Tunable Nonlinear Vibrational Energy Harvester

The recent potential benefit of nonlinearity has been applying in order to improve the effectiveness of energy harvesting devices. For instance, at relatively high excitation levels, both low and high-energy responses can coexist for the same parameter combinations in a hardening type Duffing oscillator, and this provides a wider bandwidth and a higher energy harvesting effectiveness under periodic excitations. However, frequency or amplitude sweeps of the excitation must be used in order to reach a desirable high-energy orbit, and this gives a limitation on practical implementation. This paper presents a stiffness tunable nonlinear vibrational energy harvester which contains a moving magnetic end mass attached to a cantilever beam, whose nonlinearity emerges from the interaction forces with two neighboring permanent magnets facing with opposing poles. The motivating hypothesis has been that the jump from the low-energy orbit to the high-energy orbit can be triggered by tuning the stiffness of the system without changing the frequency or the amplitude of the excitation. Theoretical investigations show a methodology for tuning stiffness, and experimental tests have validated that the proposed method can be used to trigger a jump to the desirable state, and hereby this can broaden the bandwidth of the energy harvester.

Tour of Jupiter Galilean moons: Winning solution of GTOC6

The paper presents the trajectory designed by the Italian joint team Politecnico di Torino & Sapienza Università di Roma (Team5), winner of the 6th edition of the Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC6). In the short time available in these competitions, Team5 resorted to basic knowledge, simple tools and a powerful indirect optimization procedure. The mission concerns a 4-year tour of the Jupiter Galilean moons. The paper explains the strategy that was preliminarily devised and eventually implemented by looking for a viable trajectory. The first phase is a capture that moves the spacecraft from the arrival hyperbola to a low-energy orbit around Jupiter. Six series of flybys follow; in each one the spacecraft orbits Jupiter in resonance with a single moon; criteria to construct efficient chains of resonant flybys are presented. Transfer legs move the spacecraft from resonance with a moon to another one; precise phasing of the relevant moons is required; mission opportunities in a 11-year launch window are found by assuming ballistic trajectories and coplanar circular orbits for the Jovian satellites. The actual trajectory is found by using an indirect technique.

2A23 Stiffness tunable nonlinear vibrational energy harvester with damping control(The 12th International Conference on Motion and Vibration Control)

The recent potential benefit of nonlinearity has been to apply in order to improve the effectiveness of energy harvesting devices. For instance, at relatively high excitation levels, both low and high-energy responses can coexist for the same parameter combinations in a hardening type Duffing oscillator, and this provides a wider bandwidth and a higher energy harvesting effectiveness under periodic excitations. However, frequency or amplitude sweeps of the excitation must be used in order to reach a desirable high-energy orbit, and this gives a limitation on practical implementation. The motivating hypothesis has been that the frequency response curve can be shifted by tuning the stiffness of the system, and the jump from the low-energy orbit to the high-energy orbit can be triggered without changing the frequency or the amplitude of the excitation. This paper presents a stiffness tunable nonlinear vibrational energy harvester, whose equivalent linear stiffness can be tuned using variable damping control with an advantage that there is no need to consume extra energy. Theoretical investigations show the methodology for tuning stiffness, and simulation results have validated that the proposed method can be used to trigger a jump to the desirable state, and hereby this can improve the efficiency and broaden the bandwidth of the energy harvester.

Low-energy lunar transfers using spatial transit orbits

This paper is concerned with natural and artificial low-energy lunar transfers in three-dimensional space. The main contribution of this paper is that the limitations of the planar manifold assumption, which is adopted in previous low-energy orbit design methods, are avoided by describing the transfer orbits with more realistic spatial transit and non-transit orbits. To start, the limitations of the previous design methods for the low-energy trajectories are highlighted, and the boundaries of the spatial transit orbits, which can enter into or escape from the potential well near the Moon through the L1 or L2 bottleneck regions of the zero velocity surface, are defined on a Poincaré section by using the necessary and sufficient condition of transition. Next, by considering the dominant gravity bodies in different orbit segments the motion near the Moon is analyzed in the Earth–Moon circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP). For natural celestial bodies, the statistical characteristics of the lunar collision trajectories are studied. For the artificial celestial bodies, the investigation is focused on the achievable range of inclination and height of the low lunar orbit (LLO). Then, the motion between the Earth and the Moon is studied in the Earth–Moon based Sun-perturbed bicircular four-body problem (B4BP). For natural and artificial celestial bodies, the Earth-origin trajectories and the trajectories from the low Earth orbits are analyzed. Compared to the current planar manifold based design methods, the technique introduced in this paper can evaluate the lunar transfer orbits more accurately. Also, some lunar transfer trajectories which do not exist in the manifold based models can be found, and the heights and inclinations of the parking orbits around the Earth and the Moon can also be analyzed.

A study of low-energy transfer orbits to the Moon: towards an operational optimization technique

In the Earth-Moon system, low-energy orbits are transfer trajectories from the earth to a circumlunar orbit that require less propellant consumption when compared to the traditional methods. In this work we use a Monte Carlo approach to study a great number of such transfer orbits over a wide range of initial conditions. We make statistical and operational considerations on the resulting data, leading to the description of a reliable way of finding "optimal" mission orbits with the tools of multi-objective optimization.

Applicability and dynamical characterization of the associated sets of the algorithmic weak stability boundary in the lunar sphere of influence

The present contribution investigates the applicability of the associated initial condition sets generated by the algorithmic definition of the weak stability boundary in the lunar sphere of influence in the context of Earth-to-Moon low-energy capture transfers. First, we test the applicability of the initial condition sets in view of two mission strategies, namely, direct inner transfers in the Planar Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem and external transfers based in the Patched Three-Body approach. Then, we check the consistency of the stability classification regarding the selection of captured solutions, identifying the stable subsets which provide temporary capture solutions. Additionally, we show the diversity of behaviors classified as stable by the current stability criteria of the algorithmic definition, which indicates that the algorithmic criteria must be reviewed in order to guarantee that the stable solutions correspond solely to low-energy capture orbits. The combination of our analyses allows the detection of the subsets of stable initial conditions that provide feasible Earth-to-Moon transfer solutions. Specifically, we show an external low-energy Earth- to-Moon transfer with zero midcourse correction at the patching section.

PSEUDO-NEWTONIAN POTENTIALS FOR NEARLY PARABOLIC ORBITS

We describe a pseudo-Newtonian potential which, to within 1% error at all angular momenta, reproduces the precession due to general relativity of particles whose specific orbital energy is small compared to c^2 in the Schwarzschild metric. For bound orbits the constraint of low energy is equivalent to requiring the apoapsis of a particle to be large compared to the Schwarzschild radius. Such low energy orbits are ubiquitous close to supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei, but the potential is relevant in any context containing particles on low energy orbits. Like the more complex post-Newtonian expressions, the potential correctly reproduces the precession in the far-field, but also correctly reproduces the position and magnitude of the logarithmic divergence in precession for low angular momentum orbits. An additional advantage lies in its simplicity, both in computation and implementation. We also provide two simpler, but less accurate potentials, for cases where orbits always remain at large angular momenta, or when the extra accuracy is not needed. In all of the presented cases the accuracy in precession in low energy orbits exceeds that of the well known potential of Paczynski & Wiita (1980), which has ~30% error in the precession at all angular momenta.

Test of Zero-point Energy Emission from Gases Flowing Through Casimir Cavities

Abstract A recently issued patent [1] describes a method by which vacuum energy is extracted from gas flowing through a Casimir cavity. According to stochastic electrodynamics, the electronic orbitals in atoms are supported by the ambient zero-point (ZP) field. When the gas atoms are pumped into a Casimir cavity, where long-wavelength ZP field modes are excluded, the electrons spin down into lower energy orbitals and release energy in the process. This energy is collected in a local absorber. When the electrons exit the Casimir cavity they are re-energized to their original orbitals by the ambient ZP fields. The process is repeated to produce continuous power. In this way, the device functions like a heat pump for ZP energy, extracting it globally from the electromagnetic quantum vacuum and collecting it in a local absorber. This energy can be used for heating, or converted to electric power. We carried out a series of experiments to test whether energy is, in fact, radiated from Casimir cavities when the appropriate gas flows through them. The Casimir cavity devices we tested were nanopore polycarbonate membranes with submicron pores having a density of 3x10 8 pores/cm 2 . Gas was pumped through the membranes in a stainless steel vacuum system, and emitted energy was measured using a broadband pyroelectric detector and lock-in amplifier. Emission in the infrared was clearly observed. We analyzed the emission from different gases and cavities to determine its origin. None of the conventional thermodynamic models we applied to our data fully explain it, leaving open the possibility that it is due to Casimir-cavity-induced emission from ZP fields.

Capturing near earth objects

Recently, Near Earth Objects (NEOs) have been attracting great attention, and thousands of NEOs have been found to date. This paper examines the NEOs' orbital dynamics using the framework of an accurate solar system model and a Sun-Earth-NEO three-body system when the NEOs are close to Earth to search for NEOs with low-energy orbits. It is possible for such an NEO to be temporarily captured by Earth; its orbit would thereby be changed and it would become an Earth-orbiting object after a small increase in its velocity. From the point of view of the Sun-Earth-NEO restricted three-body system, it is possible for an NEO whose Jacobian constant is slightly lower than C1 but higher than C3 to be temporarily captured by Earth. When such an NEO approaches Earth, it is possible to change its orbital energy to nearly the zero velocity surface of the three-body system at point L1 and make the NEO become a small satellite of the Earth. Some such NEOs were found; the best example only required a 410 m s−1 increase in velocity.

Ghost transmission: How large basis sets can make electron transport calculations worse

The Landauer approach has proven to be an invaluable tool for calculating the electron transport properties of single molecules, especially when combined with a nonequilibrium Green's function approach and Kohn-Sham density functional theory. However, when using large nonorthogonal atom-centered basis sets, such as those common in quantum chemistry, one can find erroneous results if the Landauer approach is applied blindly. In fact, basis sets of triple-zeta quality or higher sometimes result in an artificially high transmission and possibly even qualitatively wrong conclusions regarding chemical trends. In these cases, transport persists when molecular atoms are replaced by basis functions alone ("ghost atoms"). The occurrence of such ghost transmission is correlated with low-energy virtual molecular orbitals of the central subsystem and may be interpreted as a biased and thus inaccurate description of vacuum transmission. An approximate practical correction scheme is to calculate the ghost transmission and subtract it from the full transmission. As a further consequence of this study, it is recommended that sensitive molecules be used for parameter studies, in particular those whose transmission functions show antiresonance features such as benzene-based systems connected to the electrodes in meta positions and other low-conducting systems such as alkanes and silanes.

Photonic Binding in Silicon-Colloid Microcavities

Photonic binding between two identical silicon-colloid-based microcavities is studied by using a generalized multipolar expansion. In contrast with previous works, we focus on low-order cavity modes that resemble low-energy electronic orbitals. For conservative light intensities, the interaction between cavity modes with moderate Q factors produces extremely large particle acceleration values. Optical forces dominate over van der Waals, gravity, and Brownian motion, and they show a binding-antibinding behavior in analogy to electronic binding. As these photonic forces are associated with relatively broad Mie mode resonances and they are not strongly influenced by sample absorption, our study opens a plausible avenue towards manipulation of high-refractive-index colloidal assemblies.

Electronic and conformational features of a series of N-protonated benzomorphan molecules: N-substituent effects on relative binding at the agonist and antagonist states of the opioid receptor

The fsgo molecular fragment technique has been used to perform ab initio scf-mo calculations on a series of N-protonated benzomorphan congeners. Characteristics of high-energy occupied and low-energy unoccupied molecular orbitals (homos and lumos) are discussed in this report together with correlations between orbitals from different molecules. An investigation of the N-substituent conformation has been carried out for each molecule by means of an empirical molecular mechanics procedure. Based upon geometric and electronic comparisons, a model has been developed to rationalize the relative affinities of the drugs for the agonist and antagonist states of the morphine receptor. Two features of the N-substituents are considered to govern the antagonist/agonist ratio: (1) the availability of a suitable localized lumo to serve as an electron acceptor in charge-transfer interactions, and (2) a steric factor represented by a cis configuration in the moiety N—CH2—CC—CH3.

Models for the enzymatically active state of cytochrome p-450

Ab initio and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations are made for a heme-containing model of the biologically active state of cytochrome P-450 and for two chemical models of the enzyme, chromyl chloride (CrO2Cl2) and peroxytrifluoroacetic acid (CF3COOOH), known to yield similar oxidation products. The heme model for the transient activated state of P-450 is made by analogy to a more stable active complex (compound I) formed by another heme enzyme, horse radish peroxidase with peroxides. The main aim of these studies is to characterize the active state, and in particular the electrophilic oxygen transferred to substrates by these enzymes. All models for the active state of P-450 have negatively charged oxygen atoms and low-energy virtual or half-filled orbitals with substantial oxygen character. These combined results suggest that the electrophilic activity of the oxygen in all these compounds is related to overlap rather than charge-controlled interactions with nucleophilic substrates. Calculations for a model of compound I itself yield a π cation porphyrin radical with two unpaired electrons in highly covalent nearly degenerate (dπ–Oπ) iron-oxygen orbitals. Electric field gradients and quadrupole splittings calculated for both compound I and its reduced form (compound II) are in good agreement with experiment.

Sequence Dependent Electron Transport in Wet DNA:Ab initioand Molecular Dynamics Studies

We combine molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory to analyze the electrical structure and transmission probability in four different DNA sequences under physiological conditions. The conductance in these sequences is primarily controlled by interstrand and intrastrand coupling between low-energy guanine orbitals. Insertion of adenine-thymine base pairs between the guanine-cytosine rich domains acts as a tunneling barrier. Our theory explains recent length dependent conductance data for individual DNA molecules in water.

Space Velocities of Southern Globular Clusters. V. A Low Galactic Latitude Sample

We have measured the absolute proper motions of globular clusters NGC 2808, 3201, 4372, 4833, 5927, and 5986. The proper motions are on the Hipparcos system, and they are the first determinations ever made for these low Galactic latitude clusters. The proper-motion uncertainties range from 0.3 to 0.5 mas yr-1. The inferred orbits indicate that (1) the single metal-rich cluster in our sample, NGC 5927, dynamically belongs to the thick disk; (2) the remaining metal-poor clusters have rather low-energy orbits of high eccentricity, and among these there appear to be two pairs of dynamically associated clusters; (3) the most energetic cluster in our sample, NGC 3201, is on a highly retrograde orbit?which had already been surmised from radial velocity alone?with an apocentric distance of 22 kpc; and (4) none of the metal-poor clusters appear to be associated with the recently detected SDSS streams or with the Monoceros structure. These are the first results of the Southern Proper Motion program where the second-epoch observations are taken with the recent CCD camera system installed on the double astrograph at El Leoncito, Argentina.