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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Helicopter Airborne Laser Positioning System (HALPS)

The theory of operation, configuration, laboratory, and ground test results obtained with a helicopter airborne laser positioning system developed by Princeton University is presented. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, flight data could not be completed for presentation at this time. The system measures the relative position between two aircraft in three dimensions using two orthogonal fan-shaped laser beams sweeping across an array of four detectors. Specifically, the system calculates the relative range, elevation, and azimuth between an observation aircraft and a test helicopter with a high degree of accuracy. The detector array provides a wide field of view in the presence of solar interference due to compound parabolic concentrators and spectral filtering of the detector pulses. The detected pulses and their associated time delays are processed by the electronics and are sent as position errors to the helicopter pilot who repositions the aircraft as part of the closed loop system. Accuracies obtained in the laboratory at a range of 80 ft in the absence of sunlight were + or - 1 deg in elevation; +0.5 to -1.5 deg in azimuth; +0.5 to -1.0 ft in range; while elevation varied from 0 to +28 deg and the azimuth varied from 0 to + or - 45 deg. Accuracies in sunlight were approximately 40 deg (+ or - 20 deg) in direct sunlight.

Eppel, Joseph C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Helicopter Airborne Laser Positioning System (HALPS)

The theory of operation, configuration, laboratory, and ground test results obtained with an HALPS developed by Princeton University is presented. The HALPS measures the relative position between two aircraft in three dimensions using two orthogonal fan-shaped laser beams sweeping across an array of four detectors. Specifically, the HALPS calculates the relative range, elevation, and azimuth between an observation aircraft and a test helicopter with a high degree of accuracy. The detector array provides a wide field of view in the presence of solar interference due to compound parabolic concentrators and spectral filtering of the detector pulses. The detected pulses and their associated time delays are processed by the electronics and are sent as position errors to the helicopter pilot who repositions the aircraft as part of the closed loop system. Accuracies obtained in the laboratory at a range of 80 ft in the absence of sunlight were + or - 1 deg in elevation; +0.5 to -1.5 deg in azimuth; +0.5 to -1.0 ft in range; while elevation varied from 0 to +28 deg and the azimuth varied from 0 to + or - 45 deg. Accuracies in sunlight were approximately 40 deg (+ or - 20 deg) in direct sunlight.

Eppel, Joseph C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Convergence characteristics of the multiple input, multiple output LMS algorithm

The convergence characteristics of the multiple input, multiple output LMS algorithm, as applied to active noise and vibration control systems, are examined. The mean square error during the convergence process, as well as the final converged value, are examined analytically and in computer simulation. It is shown that the ratio of number of error sensors to number of control sources has a significant influence upon both the converging and converged value of the mean square error. Other active control system variables, such as the inherent time delays and structural/acoustic transfer functions, are also shown to have a significant influence upon the convergence process.

Snyder, Scott D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Plans to improve the experimental limit in the comparison of the east-west and west-east one-way light propagation times on the rotating earth

The preceding paper describes the results so far (interrupted in the Spring of 1989 because of lack of funds) of an experiment comparing the one-way light propagation times on the surface of the rotating Earth. For the 20 Km path length component in the East-West direction the predicted difference between the opposite sense propagation times would be 160 ps, if the approximately 360 Km/s surface speed of the Earth gives effective light speeds of 3 x 10(exp 8) m/s +/- 360 m/s. This could lead to a prediction of the difference between the clock transport and the light pulse synchronization methods described in the preceding paper: delta(T) = 0.5 (160) = 80 ps. The current upper bound of approximately 100 ps for delta(T) is limited by poorly understood systematic errors. The most important seems to be intensity-dependent time delays in the remote light pulse avalanche photo-diode detector. This will be replaced by a continuously operating circular scan streak camera having single photon sensitivity and a time resolution of approximately 5 ps. (This camera has recently been developed by the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics in the P.R.C.). Better isolation from shocks and vibration for the Sigma-Tau hydrogen maser during transport will be provided. It is hoped that delta(T) is less than 20 ps can be achieved.

Alley, C. O.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The First Experiment with VLBI-GPS Hybrid System

In this paper, we introduce our GPS-VLBI hybrid system and show the results of the first experiment which is now under way. In this hybrid system, GPS signals are captured by a normal GPS antenna, down-converted to IF signals, and then sampled by the VLBI sampler VSSP32 developed by NICT. The sampled GPS data are recorded and correlated in the same way as VLBI observation data. The correlator outputs are the group delay and the delay rate. Since the whole system uses the same frequency standard, many sources of systematic errors are common between the VLBI system and the GPS system. In this hybrid system, the GPS antenna can be regarded as an additional VLBI antenna having multiple beams towards GPS satellites. Therefore, we expect that this approach will provide enough data to improve zenith delay estimates and geodetic results.

Kwak, Younghee↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Single-Band Absolute Astrometry

The ionospheric contribution affects path delay. When simultaneous dual-band observations are used for absolute astrometry, the residual contribution of the ionosphere is at a level of several picoseconds. But there are two cases when we need to process single band group delays: a) some observations provided usable data only for one band; b) an entire experiment used only one band. I have developed a novel approach to utilize GNSS TEC maps to get the best solutions for these two cases and provide realistic estimates of residual errors. Applications of this technology is discussed. In particular, the impact of residual ionospheric path delays at K-band on estimates of source positions is quantitatively evaluated and conclusions about advantages and disadvantages of high frequency absolute astrometry are made.

Leonid Petrov↗
NASA NTRS2019

Accrued Delay Application in Trajectory-Based Operations

The air traffic management system lacks integration among its elements often due to using inconsistent information, models, and metrics about the traffic. Transitioning to trajectory-based operations, whereby flights are managed by full trajectories in space and time, will enable more integration, with the help of increased automation. Building on trajectory-based operations, an "accrued delay" metric is proposed, which continuously measures the amount of delay that a flight has accumulated up to the current time, including delays incurred during the current flight and inherited from previous flights through the turnaround process. Through a time-based metering and scheduling example, we show how using accrued delay as a metric can help integrate the decision-making across multiple decision horizons, leading to more efficient and balanced access to airspace services. We show that when prioritizing flights that have already accrued high delay because of a constrained runway resource, significant gains are achieved in terms of reducing total delay and its variance. We studied the sensitivity of these gains to numerous factors, such as time-based versus distance-based horizons, horizon size, and errors in conformance to scheduled times.

delay; trajectory-based operations; time-based flo↗
NASA NTRS1994

Large-scale structure effects on the gravitational lens image positions and time delay

We compute the fluctuations in gravitational lens image positions and time delay caused by large-scale structure correlations. We show that these fluctuations can be expressed as a simple integral over the density power spectrum. Using the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) normalization we find that positions of objects at cosmological distances are expected to deviate from their true positions by few arcminutes. These deflections are not directly observable. The positions of the images relative to one another fluctuate by a few percent of the relative separation, implying that one does not expect multiple images to be produced by large-scale structure. Nevertheless, the fluctuations are larger than the observational errors on the positions and affect reconstructions of the lens potential. The time delay fluctuations have a geometrical and a gravitational contribution. Both are much larger than the expected time delay from the primary lens, but partially cancel each other. We find that large-scale structure weakly affects the time delay and time delay measurements can be used as a probe of the distance scale in the universe.

Seljak, Uros↗
NASA NTRS1990

Goldstone intracomplex connected element interferometry

Interferometric observations of the radio source pair 3C 84 and OE 400 were made on the 21 km baseline between Deep Space Station (DSS) 13 and DSS 15 to explore the angular navigation potential of intracomplex connected element interferometry (CEI). The differential phase-delay observable formed from pairs of 3 minute scans exhibited a precision of 1 psec, while the actual scatter of the phase-delay residuals for eleven scans over the 90 minute observing session was about 10 psec, consistent with the expected few millimeter fluctuations in the wet tropospheric path delay. Fitting for the position of OE 400 relative to 3C 84 yielded an error ellipse with a semi-minor axis of 60 nrad. Given the short data arc in this experiment, the orthogonal direction in the plane of the sky is not well determined; however, a second baseline or a data arc spanning a larger fraction of the source mutual visibility window could provide simultaneous determination of both right ascension and declination. Examination of the phase-delay residuals supports the accuracy of the cycle ambiguity resolution. However, reliable phase ambiguity resolution will pose the most significant challenge to routine use of CEI for spacecraft tracking, particularly when the a priori spacecraft source position is not well known. Several approaches for ambiguity resolution are briefly outlined.

Edwards, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Mitigating Photon Jitter in Optical PPM Communication

A theoretical analysis of photon-arrival jitter in an optical pulse-position-modulation (PPM) communication channel has been performed, and now constitutes the basis of a methodology for designing receivers to compensate so that errors attributable to photon-arrival jitter would be minimized or nearly minimized. Photon-arrival jitter is an uncertainty in the estimated time of arrival of a photon relative to the boundaries of a PPM time slot. Photon-arrival jitter is attributable to two main causes: (1) receiver synchronization error [error in the receiver operation of partitioning time into PPM slots] and (2) random delay between the time of arrival of a photon at a detector and the generation, by the detector circuitry, of a pulse in response to the photon. For channels with sufficiently long time slots, photon-arrival jitter is negligible. However, as durations of PPM time slots are reduced in efforts to increase throughputs of optical PPM communication channels, photon-arrival jitter becomes a significant source of error, leading to significant degradation of performance if not taken into account in design. For the purpose of the analysis, a receiver was assumed to operate in a photon- starved regime, in which photon counts follow a Poisson distribution. The analysis included derivation of exact equations for symbol likelihoods in the presence of photon-arrival jitter. These equations describe what is well known in the art as a matched filter for a channel containing Gaussian noise. These equations would yield an optimum receiver if they could be implemented in practice. Because the exact equations may be too complex to implement in practice, approximations that would yield suboptimal receivers were also derived.

Moision, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS1983

Response of the mobile VLBI design to error sources

The response of Mobile VLBI design to error sources is addressed. The sensitivity of the hydrogen maser to variations in ambient temperature is discussed, with an example of drifts in the frequency system causing excursions in the time-delay observable exceeding + or - 200 cm. It is shown that baselines determined only from S-band data can contain errors in excess of 30 cm during periods of high ionospheric activity. The effect of the troposphere on baseline solutions is examined by comparing calibrations from the Water Vapor Radiometer (WVR) to those from a surface model. The apparent ability of the WVR to track relatively short-period fluctuations in water vapor is noted. Finally, consideration is given to the effects of source structure and the technique of monitoring closure of the time-delay observable around a closed figure of baselines.

Trask, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS2001

ATM QoS Experiments Using TCP Applications: Performance of TCP/IP Over ATM in a Variety of Errored Links

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Quality of Service (QoS) experiments using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) were performed for various link delays. The link delay was set to emulate a Wide Area Network (WAN) and a Satellite Link. The purpose of these experiments was to evaluate the ATM QoS requirements for applications that utilize advance TCP/IP protocols implemented with large windows and Selective ACKnowledgements (SACK). The effects of cell error, cell loss, and random bit errors on throughput were reported. The detailed test plan and test results are presented herein.

Frantz, Brian D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Effect of wet tropospheric path delays on estimation of geodetic baselines in the Gulf of California using the Global Positioning System

Surface Meteorological (SM) and Water Vapor Radiometer (WVR) measurements are used to provide an independent means of calibrating the GPS signal for the wet tropospheric path delay in a study of geodetic baseline measurements in the Gulf of California using GPS in which high tropospheric water vapor content yielded wet path delays in excess of 20 cm at zenith. Residual wet delays at zenith are estimated as constants and as first-order exponentially correlated stochastic processes. Calibration with WVR data is found to yield the best repeatabilities, with improved results possible if combined carrier phase and pseudorange data are used. Although SM measurements can introduce significant errors in baseline solutions if used with a simple atmospheric model and estimation of residual zenith delays as constants, SM calibration and stochastic estimation for residual zenith wet delays may be adequate for precise estimation of GPS baselines. For dry locations, WVRs may not be required to accurately model tropospheric effects on GPS baselines.

Tralli, David M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Analysis and improvement of contact dynamics simulation using the six degree of freedom motion system

The 6 DOF motion system was employed for closed loop simulation of the contact dynamics involved in the docking of two satellites. Under most initial conditions the system gives inaccurate results. It is well known that the presence of a time lag can generate instability in closed loop systems. In order to see if the time lag (about 200 ms.) in the 6 DOF system can can satisfactorily account for its errors, a simple computer model of the system incorporating this lag and other revelant parameters was implemented. The model in fact does predict all the observed rebound errors with reasonable precision. Also, since it is probable that the time delay can only be reduced but not eliminated, various compensation schemes were devised. Two give adequate correction for delays under 100 ms for a non preloaded probe. More powerful schemes may be adequate for the present 200 ms. environment and the presence of a preload.

Brown, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Variations of atmospheric density near 400 km with magnetic activity during the storm period of 28 September to 2 October 1969

Neutral density data were obtained near 400 km (1600 LT) from a microphone density gage on OGO-6 from 0 to 40 deg N geomagnetic latitude for 25 September through 3 October 1969. Several geomagnetic storms occurred during this period. Least squares fits were made to data points on density scatter diagrams. An equation representing the least squares fit was computed for each delay time. The equation of best fit (and the corresponding time delay between the density and the magnetic index which resulted in this best fit) was found by choosing the equation that gave the minimum standard error. The implications of the time differences associated with the best fits at various latitudes and longitudes are discussed with regard to the time delays involved in geomagnetic heating of the neutral upper atmosphere.

Anderson, A. D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Estimating Effects of Multipath Propagation on GPS Signals

Multipath Simulator Taking into Account Reflection and Diffraction (MUSTARD) is a computer program that simulates effects of multipath propagation on received Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. MUSTARD is a very efficient means of estimating multipath-induced position and phase errors as functions of time, given the positions and orientations of GPS satellites, the GPS receiver, and any structures near the receiver as functions of time. MUSTARD traces each signal from a GPS satellite to the receiver, accounting for all possible paths the signal can take, including all paths that include reflection and/or diffraction from surfaces of structures near the receiver and on the satellite. Reflection and diffraction are modeled by use of the geometrical theory of diffraction. The multipath signals are added to the direct signal after accounting for the gain of the receiving antenna. Then, in a simulation of a delay-lock tracking loop in the receiver, the multipath-induced range and phase errors as measured by the receiver are estimated. All of these computations are performed for both right circular polarization and left circular polarization of both the L1 (1.57542-GHz) and L2 (1.2276-GHz) GPS signals.

Byun, Sung↗
NASA NTRS1985

Land mobile satellite transmission measurements at 869 MHz. A comparison of error probabilities for various message block durations and fade margins as a function of vegetation shadowing

In order to give vehicles travelling in rural areas of the U.S. access to the telephone network, a Land Mobile Satellite System is being planned. Previously presented data by the author were analyzed for the probability that the received signal level dropped below a threshold during short time blocks of various signal durations and the conditional probability that such an event would reoccur after a given delay. If it assumed that a fade threshold crossing of even 1 msec would produce an error in the transmission, then the derived quantities can be considered error probabilities. Extensive tables and graphs are presented with the results from the analysis. They can be used to devise communication strategies which will provide improved link availability in the presence of vegetation shadowing.

Vogel, Wolfhard J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Errors in hybrid computers

Method is described for reduction of error components in numerical integration, sampling with zero hold order, and execution time delay.

Alford, C. O.↗