Mission Period Research Articles

GOCO05c: A New Combined Gravity Field Model Based on Full Normal Equations and Regionally Varying Weighting

GOCO05c is a gravity field model computed as a combined solution of a satellite-only model and a global data set of gravity anomalies. It is resolved up to degree and order 720. It is the first model applying regionally varying weighting. Since this causes strong correlations among all gravity field parameters, the resulting full normal equation system with a size of 2 TB had to be solved rigorously by applying high-performance computing. GOCO05c is the first combined gravity field model independent of EGM2008 that contains GOCE data of the whole mission period. The performance of GOCO05c is externally validated by GNSS–levelling comparisons, orbit tests, and computation of the mean dynamic topography, achieving at least the quality of existing high-resolution models. Results show that the additional GOCE information is highly beneficial in insufficiently observed areas, and that due to the weighting scheme of individual data the spectral and spatial consistency of the model is significantly improved. Due to usage of fill-in data in specific regions, the model cannot be used for physical interpretations in these regions.

Aerial Images-Based Forest Fire Detection for Firefighting Using Optical Remote Sensing Techniques and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Due to their fast response capability, low cost and without danger to personnel safety since there is no human pilot on-board, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vision-based systems have great potential for monitoring and detecting forest fires. This paper proposes a novel forest fire detection method using both color and motion features for processing images captured from the camera mounted on a UAV which is moving during the whole mission period. First, a color-based fire detection algorithm with light computational demand is designed to extract fire-colored pixels as fire candidate regions by making use of chromatic feature of fire and obtaining fire candidate regions for further analysis. As the pose variations and low-frequency vibrations of UAV cause all objects and background in the images are moving, it is challenging to identify fires defending on a single motion based method. Two types of optical flow algorithms, a classical optical flow algorithm and an optimal mass transport optical flow algorithm, are then combined to compute motion vectors of the fire candidate regions. Fires are thereby expected to be distinguished from other fire analogues based on their motion features. Several groups of experiments are conducted to validate that the proposed method can effectively extract and track fire pixels in aerial video sequences. The good performance is anticipated to significantly improve the accuracy of forest fire detection and reduce false alarm rates without increasing much computation efforts.

On-Orbit Operations of A Power System For Japan’s Venus Explorer Akatsuki

This paper describes on-orbit operations of a power system for Japan’s Venus explorer Akatsuki. It was launched on May 20, 2010, and approached Venus on December 7, 2010, but orbit insertion failed because of a propulsion system malfunction. After the failure, the spacecraft stayed on an orbit nearer to the sun than Venus for 5 years before successfully entering an orbit around Venus in 2015. Telemetry data that show radiation degradation of the solar arrays, and here analytical results by the relative damage coefficients method are presented. The capacity loss of the batteries was successfully suppressed by lowering the state of charge and temperature. We plan to extend the mission period from 4.5 years to longer than 9 years to obtain more fruitful scientific results.

Multi-spacecraft studies of the auroral acceleration region: From cluster to nanosatellites

This paper discusses the utilization of multiple Cubesats in various formations for studies in the auroral acceleration region. The focus is on the quasi-static properties, spatio-temporal features, electric potential structures, field-aligned currents, and their relationships, all of which are fundamentally important for an understanding of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. It is argued that a multitude of nanosatellites can address some of the relevant outstanding questions in a broader range of spatial, temporal, and geometrical features, with higher redundancy and data consistency, potentially resulting in a shorter mission period and a higher chance of mission success. A number of mission concepts consisting of a cluster of 6–12 Cubesats with their specific onboard payloads are suggested for such missions over a period of as short as two months.

Long Term Global Surface Soil Moisture Fields Using an SMOS-Trained Neural Network Applied to AMSR-E Data

A method to retrieve soil moisture (SM) from Advanced Scanning Microwave Radiometer—Earth Observing System Sensor (AMSR-E) observations using Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Level 3 SM as a reference is discussed. The goal is to obtain longer time series of SM with no significant bias and with a similar dynamical range to that of the SMOS SM dataset. This method consists of training a neural network (NN) to obtain a global non-linear relationship linking AMSR-E brightness temperatures ( T b ) to the SMOS L3 SM dataset on the concurrent mission period of 1.5 years. Then, the NN model is used to derive soil moisture from past AMSR-E observations. It is shown that in spite of the different frequencies and sensing depths of AMSR-E and SMOS, it is possible to find such a global relationship. The sensitivity of AMSR-E T b ’s to soil temperature ( T s o i l ) was also evaluated using European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast Interim/Land re-analysis (ERA-Land) and Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications-Land (MERRA-Land) model data. The best combination of AMSR-E T b ’s to retrieve T s o i l is H polarization at 23 and 36 GHz plus V polarization at 36 GHz. Regarding SM, several combinations of input data show a similar performance in retrieving SM. One NN that uses C and X bands and T s o i l information was chosen to obtain SM in the 2003–2011 period. The new dataset shows a low bias (<0.02 m3/m3) and low standard deviation of the difference (<0.04 m3/m3) with respect to SMOS L3 SM over most of the globe’s surface. The new dataset was evaluated together with other AMSR-E SM datasets and the Climate Change Initiative (CCI) SM dataset against the MERRA-Land and ERA-Land models for the 2003–2011 period. All datasets show a significant bias with respect to models for boreal regions and high correlations over regions other than the tropical and boreal forest. All of the global SM datasets including AMSR-E NN were also evaluated against a large number of in situ measurements over four continents. Over Australia, all datasets show a strong level of agreement with in situ measurements. Models perform better over Europe and mountainous regions in North America. Remote sensing datasets (in particular NN and the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM)) perform as well as models for other North American sites and perform better than models over the Sahel region.

REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IN THE DISTRICTS OF UTTAR PRADESH, 2002-13.

This study examined the effect of reproductive and child health (RCH) services on fertility and child mortality in the districts of Uttar Pradesh. It specifically measured the effect of antenatal care, medical assistance at birth, child immunization and use of modern methods of contraception on Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under-five Morality Rate (U5MR) before and after the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) period. Data from the 2002-04 District Level Household Survey (DLHS-2), 2012-13 Annual Health Survey (AHS) and the 2001 and 2011 Censuses of India were used. The TFR and U5MR were estimated from the Census of India with district as the unit of analysis. Descriptive statistics, composite indices, random- and fixed-effects models and difference-in-difference models were used to understand the effect of RCH services on the reduction in TFR, IMR and the U5MR. The results suggest large inter-district variations in the coverage of RCH services in the state. During the post-NRHM period, improvement was highest in safe delivery followed by immunization coverage and antenatal care and least for contraceptive use in most districts. The relative ranking of districts has not changed much over time. In 2002-04, the RCH Index was highest in Lucknow (0.442) followed by Ballia and least in Kaushambi (0.115). By 2012-13, it was highest in Jhansi (0.741) and lowest in Shrawasti (0.241). The districts of Kaushambi, Unnao, Mahoba, Banda and Hardoi performed better in the RCH Index over time, while Ballia, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Kanpur Nagar, Pratapgarh and Sonbhadra remained poor. The RCH service coverage and demographic outcomes were poor in seven districts, particularly those in eastern and western Uttar Pradesh. The regression analyses suggest that the RCH Index exerts greater influence on the reduction in IMR and U5MR, while female literacy exerts greater influence on the reduction in TFR. The results of the hybrid model suggest that a 10% change in RCH Index would lead to a 3 point decline in IMR, and a 10% increase in female literacy would lead to a 0.2 point decline in TFR. The study suggests continuing investment in female education and RCH services with a greater focus on poor-performing districts to realize demographic and health targets.

Calibration method of wave polarization data obtained by KAGUYA/WFC

AbstractA calibration method for wave polarization data obtained by waveform capture (WFC) instrument on a lunar orbiter KAGUYA is introduced. In order to obtain correct polarizations of plasma waves observed by KAGUYA, it is necessary to remove the difference of onboard delays between two orthogonal channels of the receiver. For that purpose, we use observation data of natural waves instead of onboard calibration signals which were not available due to a technical problem during the mission period. KAGUYA often observed auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) from the Earth, which had polarizations. The phase differences are determined by using AKR data obtained under a specific condition. As a result, the polarization data are calibrated with a sufficient accuracy. The proposed calibration method is not specialized for the KAGUYA data but it can be applied to wave data obtained with similar types of receivers in future missions.

Maximizing target-temporal coverage of mission-driven camera sensor networks

In camera sensor networks (CSNs), the target coverage problem is of special importance since a sensor with different viewing directions captures distinct views for the same target. Furthermore, mission-driven monitoring applications in CSNs usually have special network lifetime requirements in which the limited battery lifetime of sensors probably can not sustain for full coverage. In this paper, based on effective-sensing model, we address three new coverage problems in mission-driven camera sensor networks, namely the target-temporal effective-sensing coverage with non-adjustable cameras (TEC-NC) problem, the target-temporal effective-sensing coverage with adjustable cameras (TEC-AC) problem, and the target-temporal effective-sensing coverage with fully-adjustable cameras (TEC-FAC) problem. Given a mission period, the common objective of the problems is to find a sleep-wakeup schedule such that the overall target-temporal coverage is maximized. For TEC-NC, we propose a 2-approximation algorithm and two new heuristics. We also design two greedy strategies, each of which can be combined with our solutions for TEC-NC to deal with TEC-AC and TEC-FAC, respectively. We finally conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms, whose results indicate the proposed algorithms outperform the existing alternatives as well as are close to the theoretical optimum on average under certain conditions.

Socio-Economic Differentials in Contraceptive Discontinuation in India

Fertility divergence amid declining in use of modern contraception in many states of India needs urgent research and programmatic attention. Although utilization of antenatal, natal, and post-natal care has shown spectacular increase in post National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) period, the contraceptive use had shown a declining trend. Using the calendar data from the National Family Health Survey–3, this article examines the reasons of contraceptive discontinuation among spacing method users by socio-economic groups in India. Bivariate and multivariate analyses and life table discontinuation rates are used in the analyses. Results suggest that about half of the pill users, two fifths of the condom users, one third of traditional method users, and one fifth of IUD users discontinue a method in first 12 months of use. However, the discontinuation of all three modern spacing methods declines in subsequent period (within 12-36 months). The probability of method failure was highest among traditional method users and higher among poor and less educated that may lead to unwanted/mistimed birth. Although discontinuation of condom declines with economic status, it does not show any large variation for pill users. The contraceptive discontinuation was significantly associated with duration of use, age, parity, contraceptive method, religion, and contraceptive intention. Based on these findings, it is suggested that follow-up services to modern spacing method users, increasing counseling for spacing method users, motivating the traditional method user to use modern spacing method, and improving the overall quality of family planning services can reduce the discontinuation of spacing method.

On efficient vaccine distribution strategy to suppress pandemic using social relation

In this paper, we investigate the problem of how to distribute vaccines, which will be supplied over time, so that the number of the infected can be minimized during a given mission period. The concept of temporal graph is adopted to abstract the constantly changing social relations over time. Then, we formally introduce the social-relation-based vaccine distribution planning problem (SVDP2) on the temporal graph. To solve the problem, we first introduce a new graph induction technique to combine the subgraphs in the temporal graph into a single directed acyclic graph. Then, we design a new technique based on a maximum flow algorithm to evaluate the quality of any feasible solution of the problem. Finally, we propose an enumeration algorithm which will search the solution space using the evaluation technique and find the best possible solution within polynomial time. Our simulation result shows the proposed algorithm is more efficient than a simple strategy which randomly distributes vaccines.

Decline and disparity in maternal mortality in pre- and post-national health mission period in India.

Country- and state-wise maternal mortality shows the highest disparity among health statistics. The erstwhile National Rural Health Mission. (NRHM) in India aimed reduction in maternal mortality ratio. (MMR) to <100 per lakh live births. Accordingly, many new initiatives were planned and started. This analysis was carried out using data from the Sample Registration System. The data from 1997 to 1998 are available which dates 8 years prior to the launching of NRHM. Hence, comparison period was considered as 8 years of implementation of NRHM. The overall decline in MMR prior to NRHM was 36% and after NRHM implementation 30%. The difference is not significant. The best states and lowest states had changed, but the disparity also has remained almost at the ratio of 1:5. The pace of decline has not increased after NRHM. As well disparity ratio has not reduced indicating the differentially better treatment to the vulnerable states was not adequate.

Yolngu Conversations with Faith: The “outward signs of conversion” to Christianity and Islam

Some unmistakable allusions to “Allah” in the folklore of north-east Arnhem Land suggest that before British colonization the Yolngu were engaging with Muslim life-worlds at a much deeper level than has been presumed, because many references to Macassans became unspoken until the Christian mission period was over. This article emerges from the hypothetical question what might have happened if the Muslim contacts had not been forbidden and replaced with Christian missions at the beginning of the twentieth century. To sound the depth of that prior engagement with Islam and probe whether perhaps a gradual process of religious conversion was underway, it examines the “outward signs” of religious conversion used by Christian missionaries. These “outward signs” are borrowed from Norman Etherington (2002), who observed in his study of Christian missions in Natal that since it is not possible to look into the soul, observable behaviours and material indicators served to signpost progress in the acceptance of Christian faith.

Artifacts and Archaeology from the Conquistador Hernando De Soto’s Potano Encampment and the Lost Franciscan Mission

The historical site identified by the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Archaeological Research as Smithsonian Trinomial 8AAMR03538 was the location of one of Hernando de Soto’s early camps during the 1539 <i>entrada</i> and was in later use during the sixteen and seventeenth century Spanish mission and ranching periods. This previously unknown First Spanish Cultural Period site named the White Ranch / De Soto site is located between Ocala and Gainesville, Florida on the wetlands associated with Orange Lake. Archaeological and documentary evidence confirms that this First Spanish mission period structure was a mission <i>visita</i> (mission without a resident priest) known as <i>Apula</i> and was understood to have been established in the late sixteenth century in the town of Potano known to have been visited by Hernando de Soto in 1539. The artifact assemblage from the mission period structure brings the conclusion that 8AAMR03538 was also a location of religious activities associated with the Franciscan mission of <i>San Buenaventura de Potano</i>, that was relocated a short distance along the lake shore. This investigation contains a systemic analysis of the artifacts from the White Ranch / De Soto site 8AAMR03538 recovered between 2005 and 2013. The goal of this study and results are to obtain information about the Aboriginal inhabitants and the following European occupations. Detailed field notes, ground truth studies performed with penetrating radar, magnetic detection and geographic information systems were used to record and analyze the excavation site and its geospatial relationships. This new information offers significant evidence and documentation confirming that the site is where Hernando de Soto came to the area of Potano on August 12^th 1539. His army began camping just to the south of this location from August 11^th to August 22^nd and then marched north through Potano to join him on the <i>entrada</i> at Aguacaleyquen. The ceramic and coin assemblages from the site strongly prove the visitation by De Soto and the later location for a Franciscan <i>visita</i> and ranch.

Single event effect hardness for the front-end ASICs in the DAMPE satellite BGO calorimeter**Supported by Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA04040202-4) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WK2030040048)

The Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) is a Chinese scientific satellite designed for cosmic ray studies with a primary scientific goal of indirect detection of dark matter particles. As a crucial sub-detector, the BGO calorimeter measures the energy spectrum of cosmic rays in the energy range from 5 GeV to 10 TeV. In order to implement high-density front-end electronics (FEE) with the ability to measure 1848 signals from 616 photomultiplier tubes on the strictly constrained satellite platform, two kinds of 32-channel front-end ASICs, VA160 and VATA160, are customized. However, a space mission period of more than 3 years makes single event effects (SEEs) become threats to reliability. In order to evaluate SEE sensitivities of these chips and verify the effectiveness of mitigation methods, a series of laser-induced and heavy ion-induced SEE tests were performed. Benefiting from the single event latch-up (SEL) protection circuit for power supply, the triple module redundancy (TMR) technology for the configuration registers and the optimized sequential design for the data acquisition process, 52 VA160 chips and 32 VATA160 chips have been applied in the flight model of the BGO calorimeter with radiation hardness assurance.

Improved stratospheric aerosol extinction profiles from SCIAMACHY: validation and sample results

Abstract. Stratospheric aerosol extinction profiles have been retrieved from SCIAMACHY/Envisat measurements of limb-scattered solar radiation. The retrieval is an improved version of an algorithm presented earlier. The retrieved aerosol extinction profiles are compared to co-located aerosol profile measurements from the SAGE II solar occultation instrument at a wavelength of 525 nm. Comparisons were carried out with two versions of the SAGE II data set (version 6.2 and the new version 7.0). In a global average sense the SCIAMACHY and the SAGE II version 7.0 extinction profiles agree to within about 10 % for altitudes above 15 km. Larger relative differences (up to 40 %) are observed at specific latitudes and altitudes. We also find differences between the two SAGE II data versions of up to 40 % for specific latitudes and altitudes, consistent with earlier reports. Sample results on the latitudinal and temporal variability of stratospheric aerosol extinction and optical depth during the SCIAMACHY mission period are presented. The results confirm earlier reports that a series of volcanic eruptions is responsible for the increase in stratospheric aerosol optical depth from 2002 to 2012. Above about an altitude of 28 km, volcanic eruptions are found to have negligible impact in the period 2002–2012.

Relationship between Electroencephalogram and Perceived Stress in Essential Hypertension Patients

To explore the relationship between electroencephalogram and perceived stress in Chinese essential hypertension (EH) patients. Totally 60 EH patients were enrolled as the case group,and 60 gender-and age-matched healthy subjects as the control group. Graded mental arithmetic was used as a psychological stressor. The physiological values of electroencephalogram (Theta,Alpha,sensorimotor rhythm,and Beta) were recorded at baseline and in mission period and recovery period. Subjects were instructed to complete the Perceived Stress Scale. The electroencephalogram Theta value was significantly different between the case group and the control group (t=4.01,P=0.048). In the case group,the fluctuating Theta value was correlated with the control dimension in the Perceived Stress Scale (r=-0.26,P=0.044). Also in the case group,with the score of "sense of control" as the dependent variable and the fluctuating value of Theta after stress as the independent variables,regression analysis was performed. The opt-in standard was≤0.05 and the culling standard was≥0.01. The Results shows that the fluctuating value of Theta after stress in the case group met the requirements to enter the equation and could explain 5.2% of "sense of control" dimension. The Theta values associated with the sleeping and creativity decrease under stressful situations in EH patients following the increaed sense of pressure due to failure in controlling the pressure events.

Detection of an Impact Flash Candidate on the Moon with an Educational Telescope System

At the suggestion of the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (NASA/MEO), which promotes lunar impact monitoring worldwide during NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission period (launched Sept. 2013), we set up a video observation system for lunar impact flashes using a 16-inch educational telescope at Chungnam National University. From Oct. 2013 through Apr. 2014, we recorded 80 hours of video observation of the unilluminated part of the crescent moon in the evening hours. We found a plausible candidate impact flash on Feb. 3, 2014 at selenographic longitude <TEX>$2.1^{\circ}$</TEX> and latitude <TEX>$25.4^{\circ}$</TEX>. The flash lasted for 0.2 s and the light curve was asymmetric with a slow decrease after a peak brightness of <TEX>$8.7{\pm}0.3mag$</TEX>. Based on a star-like distribution of pixel brightness and asymmetric light curve, we conclude that the observed flash was due to a meteoroid impact on the lunar surface. Since unequivocal detection of an impact flash requires simultaneous observation from at least two sites, we strongly recommend that other institutes and universities in Korea set up similar inexpensive monitoring systems involving educational or amateur telescopes, and that they collaborate in the near future.

Humanitarian Cleft Lip/Palate Surgeries in Buddhist Thailand and Neighboring Countries.

This study evaluates surgeries done on patients with cleft lip and/or palate in Thailand and its neighboring countries from 1988 to 2008. This 21-year-long volunteer surgical mission was sponsored by Duang-Kaew Foundation, a volunteer organization. Countries involved, besides Thailand, were Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, China, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and India. The same surgical method for primary and secondary repair of lip and/or palate was used throughout: Onizuka method by single surgeon, the second author mainly. We assessed, by way of the patients' medical records including their background, the results of surgeries. The healing rates and complication rates associated with patients for primary and secondary repair of lip and/or palate. The study consisted of a total of 6832 patients: 3120 with cleft lip (CL); 2190 with cleft palate (CP); and 1522 with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Their primary cases were 675 (CL), 799 (CP), and 301 (CLP). All CP operations were done under general anesthesia. Of the CL surgeries, 10% of adult cases were done under local anesthesia. Of all the patients, 78%, or 5329, had one surgery; and 22%, or 1503, had 2 or more surgeries. Good healing was seen in 73.3%, whereas wound infection was noted in 2.0% and healing by second intention was in 1.2% of all cases. It is important that the Onizuka method was the only method used in all the countries throughout the mission period. The method has an advantage over other methods in that its design is simple enough so that even a beginning plastic surgeon can easily master, and operative results are constantly good regardless of who did the operation. The Duang-Kaew Foundation's long-term surgical program helped reduce the number of untreated patients to manageable levels for local health care providers in Thailand and neighboring countries for as long as 21 years.

Making Friends and Converts

This article argues that cloth items played a crucial role in establishing friendships and creating Catholic converts between the sixteenth century and the end of the eighteenth century. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, cloth products served as touchstones of friendship between California Indians and Spanish mariners. As a result of these early meetings, Indians developed a taste for cloth. This taste for cloth allowed Spanish colonists in 1769 to reconnoiter Alta California without a great deal of violence because Indians saw their initial meetings as a continuation of their previous encounters. During the mission period, Franciscan missionaries could rely on cloth items to attract Indians to mission communities. After living with the Spanish, however, especially after observing the death toll of Spanish-introduced diseases and major changes in the land, California Indian people began to reject Spanish ways, and they communicated their political views by rejecting Spanish-introduced clothing.

Feeding family and ancestors: Persistence of traditional Native American lifeways during the Mission Period in coastal Southern California

This study examines the role of plant foods in domestic and ceremonial contexts at a Native American Gabrieliño/Tongva village occupied during the Spanish Mission Period in coastal southern California and highlights the remarkable persistence of traditional practices. Prior perspectives of the Mission Period have stressed that Native lifeways were quickly and profoundly disrupted in areas near newly established Spanish missions in California. This study reveals that despite the unprecedented changes associated with Spanish colonization, Native Americans within the Los Angeles Basin continued to emphasize native plant foods during mortuary events, mourning ceremonies, and feasting. Food, especially during ritual events, is a medium that cements the community together and reinforces social networks. By continuing the traditional emphasis on local wild plants, along with selective use of new introduced domesticated plants, food remained an important agency of cultural identity that helped the Gabrieliño/Tongva to maintain and reinforce social relationships during a period of dramatic culture change.