Recent advances in the synthesis and energetic properties of potassium-based potential green primary explosives

Primary explosives are utilized as a reliable initiator for secondary explosives in an extensive range of military and civilian operations. Heavy–metal–based primary explosives are moderate performing, more sensitive, and environmentally hazardous, posing a direct and indirect threat to health and safety. Therefore, heavy–metal–based primaries have been replaced by environment-friendly metal-based primary explosives, such as potassium complexes. This review presents not only a summary of the current progress of new-generation potassium-based primary explosives and their methods of preparation, energetic properties, and applications, but also a further comparison with traditional primary explosives. In addition, this work discusses the necessity of heavy metal–free primary explosives and the major challenges faced in replacing traditional primary explosives.     

New Evidence on the Original Setup of the ‘Tilbury Group’, Formerly in the Tower of London

Abstract

An argument is presented that Valentine Green’s mezzotint engraving ‘Queen Elizabeth at the Head of her Army at Tilbury-Fort, A.D. 1588’ (1792) was inspired by the late 18th-century life-sized group of three figures representing the same subject that was formerly on show at the Tower of London. The mezzotint presented in Acta Historica Reginarum Angliae is the only known image of the original pre-1828 setup of the display, showing the figure of the queen in a skirt-like piece of armour that has since been re-identified as King Henry VIII’s tonlet armour.     

压电材料中的共线非等长多裂纹问题

建立了横观各向同性压电材料中的共线非等长多裂纹模型。将裂纹模拟为连续分布的广义位错,推导了单点广义位错的格林函数,并基于此得到了共线非等长多裂纹的奇异积分方程组,最后由数值计算给出了裂纹尖端的能量释放率。对奇异积分方程组的退化分析和对称条件下的数值结果的讨论,验证了本文结果的正确性。研究表明:当共线裂纹间距小于裂纹长度时,裂纹尖端场存在显著的干涉效应;裂纹越长,干涉效应越显著;电载荷系数越大,能量释放率也越大;相对于外侧尖端而言,共线裂纹内侧尖端对电载荷系数更为敏感。     

无航速具有自由液面的三维脉动源Green函数的数值积分方法

提出了一种计算无航速具有自由液面的三维脉动源Green函数的方法.采用零阶Bessel函数的Laplace变换,将无航速具有自由液面的三维脉动源Green函数变形为易于截断处理的形式,实现无穷积分向有限积分的转变.采用样条插值技术和自适应方法解决了高振荡函数的数值积分的速度和精度问题.对半球浮体进行了数值计算,结果令人满意,表明了该方法的有效性和实用性.     

General Dostum and the Mazar i Sharif Campaign: new light on the role of Northern Alliance warlords in Operation Enduring Freedom

This report sheds new light on the CIA and US Special Forces' covert campaign alongside Afghan Northern Alliance leader General Dostum's horse-mounted Uzbeks during 2001's Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2003 and 2005 the author traveled over the Hindu Kush Mountains to the plains of Northern Afghanistan and lived with the legendary Northern Alliance opposition leader General Dostum. His aim was to recreate Dostum's campaign alongside the CIA and Special Forces to seize the holy city of Mazar i Sharif from the Taliban in November 2001. Based on interviews with Dostum and his Uzbek commanders, this article recreates this proxy offensive that saw the Northern Alliance opposition break out of the mountains, seize this shrine town and bring the Taliban house of cards falling down in a matter of weeks. Up until now the indigenous Afghan Uzbeks, who played a crucial role as a ‘boots on the ground’ fighting force for Centcom, have been cast as a mere backdrop for American heroics. Now their side of the story and their links to the mysterious shrine of Mazar i Sharif are for the first time revealed.     

舰船水下静态电场深度换算的格林函数法

为从有限深度、有限范围内的舰船水下静态电场数据获知实际舰船更大深度上的场分布特征,在对深海环境中舰船静态电场满足的拉普拉斯方程进行求解的基础上,提出静态电场深度换算的格林函数法,推导出了换算公式的边界积分表达式,给出了实际应用中换算公式的近似计算方法。以舰船静态电场的基本模拟体——单个水平电偶极子的场为例,采用数值仿真的方法对换算公式进行了验证,并对近似计算方法进行了讨论。研究结果表明:该方法可直接通过对测量平面上离散场量进行二重求和来实现静态电场的各类深度换算;与文献中已有的换算方法相比,其换算过程更为快捷。     

A comprehensive review on material selection for polymer matrix composites subjected to impact load

Polymer matrix composites (PMC) are extensively been used in many engineering applications. Various natural fibers have emerged as potential replacements to synthetic fibers as reinforcing materials composites owing to their fairly better mechanical properties, low cost, environment friendliness and biodegradability. Selection of appropriate constituents of composites for a particular application is a tedious task for a designer/engineer. Impact loading has emerged as the serious threat for the composites used in structural or secondary structural application and demands the usage of appropriate fiber and matrix combination to enhance the energy absorption and mitigate the failure. The objective of the present review is to explore the composite with various fiber and matrix combination used for impact applications, identify the gap in the literature and suggest the potential naturally available fiber and matrix combination of composites for future work in the field of impact loading. The novelty of the present study lies in exploring the combination of naturally available fiber and matrix combination which can help in better energy absorption and mitigate the failure when subjected to impact loading. In addition, the application of multi attributes decision making (MADM) tools is demonstrated for selection of fiber and matrix materials which can serve as a benchmark study for the researchers in future.     

带任意泛函约束的多项式再生核的计算

讨论多项式再生核的构造与计算,指出了带任意泛函约束的多项式再生核可由带初值约束的再生核取两次投影余项而得到,并建立了具体的计算方法.     

一类二阶椭圆型边值问题正解的唯一性

文中讨论了一类二阶椭圆型边值问题正解的唯一性。削弱了文献[1]中主要定理的条件,并将其推广到一般光滑区域,所用方法主要是对格林函数的精细估计。     

有限水深Kelvin源格林函数及其导数的快速计算

应用线性船舶水动力学理论,将有限水深Kelvin移动兴波源格林函数分解成3部分:简单Rankine源集合、局部扰动项和波函数项。对各部分在亚临界和超临界航速时的快速计算分别作了讨论,其中对计算费时的局部扰动项采用了复数中的最陡下降积分法,加快了计算速度,进而引出各部分偏导数的计算。最后,比较了格林函数的差分值与偏导数值,计算了薄船兴波阻力与表面兴波,讨论了不同面元网格划分的收敛性,证实了亚临界、超临界航速兴波分别以横波、散波为主。