Delay-optimal multi-satellite collaborative computation offloading supported by OISL in LEO satellite network

By deploying the ubiquitous and reliable coverage of low Earth orbit(LEO)satellite networks using optical inter satel-lite link(OISL),computation offloading services can be provided for any users without proximal servers,while the resource limita-tion of both computation and storage on satellites is the impor-tant factor affecting the maximum task completion time.In this paper,we study a delay-optimal multi-satellite collaborative computation offloading scheme that allows satellites to actively migrate tasks among themselves by employing the high-speed OISLs,such that tasks with long queuing delay will be served as quickly as possible by utilizing idle computation resources in the neighborhood.To satisfy the delay requirement of delay-sensi-tive task,we first propose a deadline-aware task scheduling scheme in which a priority model is constructed to sort the order of tasks being served based on its deadline,and then a delay-optimal collaborative offloading scheme is derived such that the tasks which cannot be completed locally can be migrated to other idle satellites.Simulation results demonstrate the effective-ness of our multi-satellite collaborative computation offloading strategy in reducing task complement time and improving resource utilization of the LEO satellite network.

MULTI-CLASS TRAFFIC QOS ROUTING FOR LEO SATELLITE NETWORKS

Due to the diversified demands of quality of service（QoS） in volume multimedia application, QoS routings for multiservice are becoming a research hotspot in low earth orbit（LEO） satellite networks. A novel QoS satellite routing algorithm for multi-class traffic is proposed. The goal of the routing algorithm is to provide the distinct QoS for different traffic classes and improve the utilization of network resources. Traffic is classified into three classes and allocated priorities based on their QoS requirements, respectively. A priority queuing mechanism guarantees the algorithm to work better for high-priority classes. In order to control the congestion, a blocking probability analysis model is built up based on the Markov process theory. Finally, according to the classification link-cost metrics, routings for different classes are calculated with the distinct QoS requirments and the status of network resource. Simulations verify the performance of the routing algorithm at different time and in different regions, and results demonstrate that the algorithm has great advantages in terms of the average delay and the blocking probability. Meanwhile, the robustness issue is also discussed.

Jointly Optimized Request Dispatching and Service Placement for MEC in LEO Network

Integrating Multi-access Edge Computing(MEC) in Low Earth Orbit(LEO) network is an important way to provide globally seamless low-delay service. In this paper, we consider the scenario that MEC platforms with computation and storage resource are deployed on LEO satellites, which is called "LEO-MEC". Service request dispatching decision is very important for resource utilization of the whole LEO-MEC system and Qo E of MEC users. Another important problem is service placement that is closely coupled with request dispatching. This paper models the joint service request dispatching and service placement problem as an optimization problem, which is a Mixed Integer Linear Programming(MILP). Our proposed mechanism solves this problem and uses the solved decision variables to dispatch requests and place services. Simulation results show that our proposed mechanism can achieve better performance in terms of ratio of served users and average hop count compared with baseline mechanism.

A DISTRIBUTED QOS ROUTING BASED ON ANT ALGORITHM FOR LEO SATELLITE NETWORK

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites provide short round-trip delays and are becoming in- creasingly important. One of the challenges in LEO satellite networks is the development of specialized and efficient routing algorithms. To satisfy the QoS requirements of multimedia applications, satellite routing protocols should consider handovers and minimize their effect on the active connections. A distributed QoS routing scheme based on heuristic ant algorithm is proposed for satisfying delay bound and avoiding link congestion. Simulation results show that the call blocking probabilities of this al- gorithm are less than that of Shortest Path First (SPF) with different delay bound.

China's Observation Network For Earth's Crust Movement Now Operational

An observation network focusing on earthquakes wascompleted one year aheadof schedule and put into operationrecently. According to scientists, this135-million-yuan (U.S.$16.3million) project could also be usedfor geodetic surveying, ionosphereand sea-level observations,

A Handover Strategy in the LEO Satellite-Based Constellation Networks with ISLs

A new handover strategy named minimal-hops handover(MHH) strategy for the lowearth orbit(LEO) satellite constellations networks equipped with inter-satellite links(ISLs) is proposed.MHH strategy,which is based on the hops of the end-to-end connection paths and makes good use of theregularity of the constellation network topology,can appropriately combine the handover procedure withrouting and efficiently solve the inter-satellite handover issue.Moreover,MHH strategy can providequality of services(QoS) guarantees to some extent.The system performances of the MHH strategy,suchas time propagation delay and handover frequency,are evaluated and compared with that of otherprevious strategies.The simulation results show that MHH strategy performs better than other previoushandover strategies.

The challenges of a Big Data Earth

The potential of big data fused with the vision of a digital Earth offers powerful opportunities to deepen understanding of the whole Earth system and the management of a sustainable planet.It is important to stand back from often confusing detail to clarify what those opportunities are and how they might be seized.The essential scientific potential of data,big or small,is to reveal patterns,which have often been the fundamental first step in stimulating inquiry,leading to new questions,new perspectives and potentially to new answers.The digital revolution has created a“digital microscope”that permits us to see patterns that have not been seen before,and when coupled with machine learning technologies to analyse them in creating statistical predictions of the behaviour of both human and non-human systems.These potentials converge with the imperative to represent an Earth system with interacting non-human and human components,as a vital contribution to the understanding and actions required in working towards planetary sustainability.But a digital Earth is also capable of being represented mathematically as a digitally networked phenomenon,analogous to an analogue computer,and should be an important target for a Big Earth Data Journal.We should also return to Al Gore’s vision of an accessible digital Earth with wide usability.Pre-determining the separate functions of parallel digital Earths risks losing one of the great potentials of big data and learning algorithms,the identification and analysis of unanticipated relationships and processes.

A novel approach for synthesis of hierarchical mesoporous Nd2O3 nanomaterials

A novel route to the fabrication of hierarchical mesoporous Nd_2O_3 nanostructures including nanospheres and nanoporous network was described. Their structure and morphology evolution of the as-synthesized materials were determined by various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transforminfrared spectra, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, and a formation mechanism was proposed. The results revealed that the Nd_2O_3 nanospheres had the diameter of 300 nm, which were composed of small primary nanoparticles（NPs） with the size of 10 nm. The nanoporous structure also formed the NPs of ca. 10 nm which were connected with each other to form a three-dimensional（3D） texture. This simple and mild approach to fabricate hierarchical mesoporous Nd_2O_3 nanostructures could be easily scaled up and potentially extended to synthesize other oxide hierarchical structures.

Temperature stability of magnetic field for periodic permanent-magnet focusing system

In this study, finite element analysis based on an Ansoft Maxwell software was used to reveal the temperature stability of a magnet ring and the equivalent structural periodic permanent-magnet（PPM） focusing system. It is found that with the temperature increasing, the decrease rate of magnetic induction peak（Bz）maxof single magnet ring is greater than that of remanence Brof magnet in the range from room temperature to 200 °C, however,the PPM focusing system do have the same temperature characteristics of permanent-magnet materials. It indicates that the magnetic temperature properties of the PPM system can be effectively controlled by adjusting the temperature properties of the magnets. Moreover, the higher permeability of the magnets indicates the less Hcb, giving rise to lower magnetic induction peak （Bz）′max： Finally, it should be noted that the magnetic orientation deviation angle θ（／15°） of permanent magnets has little effect on the focusing magnetic field of the PPM system at different temperatures and the temperature stability. The obtained results are beneficial to the design and selection of permanent magnets for PPM focusing system.