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At least 397 records · Page 22

Minimal order observers for linear functions of the state vector

The problem of estimating linear functions of a state vector in a multi-input/output system is considered. A simple lower bound on the observer order with arbitrary eigenvalues is established. Algorithms to construct minimal-order stable (or arbitrary dynamics) observers are also outlined.

Srinathkumar, S.↗

Stress intensity factors for bonded orthotropic strips with cracks

The elastostatic problem for a nonhomogeneous plane which consists of two sets of periodically arranged dissimilar orthotropic strips is considered. It is assumed that the plane contains a series of collinear cracks perpendicular to the interfaces and is loaded in tension away from and perpendicular to the cracks. Cracks fully imbedded into the homogenous strips were analyzed as well as the singular behavior of the stresses for two special crack geometries. The analysis of cracks crossing interfaces indicates that, for certain orthotropic material combinations, the stress state at the point of intersection of a crack and an interface may be bounded. A number of numerical examples are worked out in order to separate the primary material parameters influencing the stress intensity factors and the powers of stress singularity, and to determine the trends regarding the influence of the secondary parameters.

Delale, F.↗

Bonded orthotropic strips with cracks

The elastostatic problem for a nonhomogeneous plane which consists of two sets of periodically arranged dissimilar orthotropic strips is considered. It is assumed that the plane contains a series of collinear cracks perpendicular to the interfaces and is loaded in tension away from and perpendicular to the cracks. The problem of cracks fully imbedded into the homogeneous strips is considered. The singular behavior of the stresses for two special crack geometries is studied. The first is the case of a broken laminate in which the crack tips touch the interfaces. The second is the case of cracks crossing the interfaces. An interesting result found from the analysis of the latter is that for certain orthotropic material combinations the stress state at the point of intersection of a crack and an interface may be bounded whereas in isotropic materials at this point stresses are always singular. A number of numerical examples are worked out to separate the primary material parameters influencing the stress intensity factors and the powers of stress singularity, and to determine the trends regarding the influence of the secondary parameters. Some numerical results are given for the stress intensity factors in certain basic crack geometries and for typical material combinations.

Delale, F.↗

Multibeam Phased Array Antennas

In this study, a new architecture for Ka-band multi-beam arrays was developed and demonstrated experimentally. The goal of the investigation was to demonstrate a new architecture that has the potential of reducing the cost as compared to standard expensive phased array technology. The goals of this specific part of the project, as stated in the yearly statement of work in the original proposal are: 1. Investigate bounds on performance of multi-beam lens arrays in terms of beamwidths, volume (size), isolation between beams, number of simultaneous beams, etc. 2. Design a small-scale array to demonstrate the principle. The array will be designed for operation around 3OGHz (Ka-band), with two 10-degree beamwidth beams. 3. Investigate most appropriate way to accomplish fine-tuning of the beam pointing within 5 degrees around the main beam pointing angle.

Popovic, Zoya↗

Feeding Ten Billion People Is Possible Within Four Terrestrial Planetary Boundaries

Global agriculture puts heavy pressure on planetary boundaries, posing the challenge to achieve future food security without compromising Earth system resilience. On the basis of process-detailed, spatially explicit representation of four interlinked planetary boundaries (biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater use, nitrogen flows) and agricultural systems in an internally consistent model framework, we here show that almost half of current global food production depends on planetary boundary transgressions. Hotspot regions, mainly in Asia, even face simultaneous transgression of multiple underlying local boundaries. If these boundaries were strictly respected, the present food system could provide a balanced diet (2,355 kcal per capita per day) for 3.4 billion people only. However, as we also demonstrate, transformation towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns could support 10.2 billion people within the planetary boundaries analysed. Key prerequisites are spatially redistributed cropland, improved water–nutrient management, food waste reduction and dietary changes. Adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by all nations in 2015 is the first ever commitment to a world development path that safeguards the stability of the Earth system as a prerequisite for meeting universal human standards1. The longstanding challenge of achieving food security through sustainable agriculture is particularly acute in this context as world agriculture is a leading cause for the current transgressions of multiple planetary boundaries (PBs) globally and regionally2–5. The PB framework is a comprehensive scientific attempt to synoptically define our planet’s biogeophysical limits to anthropogenic interference. It suggests bounds to nine interacting processes that together delineate a Holocene-like Earth system state. The Holocene is chosen as the reference state as it is the only period known to provide a safe operating space for a world population of several billion people, and according to a precautionary principle, the PBs are set in sufficient distance from processes that may critically undermine Earth system resilience and global sustainability. A challenging question, thus, is whether human development goals such as food security can be met while maintaining multiple PBs along with their subglobal manifestations. Further PB transgressions could jeopardize the chances of providing sufficient food for a world population projected to be wealthier and reach >9 billion by 2050. This conundrum portrays a tradeoff between Earth’s biophysical carrying capacity and humankind’s rising food demand, calling in response for radical rethinking of food production and consumption patterns6–9. Yield gap closures, avoidance of excessive input use, shifts towards less resource-demanding diets, food waste reductions and efficient international trade are crucial options for sustainably increasing the food supply10–15. For example, enhancing water-use efficiency on irrigated and rain-fed farms can triple or quadruple crop yields in low-performing systems, suggesting possible global gains of >20% (ref. 16). Even higher gains appear feasible through globally optimized configurations of the land-use pattern17, and cutting food losses by half could generate food for another billion people18. Thus, collective large-scale implementation of such options could sustain food for a further growing world population19. Yet achieving this within a safe operating space as defined by PBs requires not only a halt to but actually a reversal of existing PB transgressions. Previous studies suggest that such a reconciliation might be possible, but these were based on aggregate representations of PBs (not accounting for the spatial patterns of limits, transgressions and interactions) or considered only one boundary in isolation17,20–23. Here, we systematically quantify to what extent current food production depends on local to global transgressions of the PBs for biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater use and nitrogen (N) flows, along with the potential of a range of solutions to avoid these transgressions and still increase food supply (Table 1). To this end, we configured an internally consistent process-based model of the terrestrial biosphere including agriculture (LPJmL) with multiple spatially distributed PBs and their interactions. LPJmL is among the longest-established and best-evaluated biosphere models, showing robust performance regarding simulation of, for example, carbon, water and crop yield dynamics (Supplementary Figs. 1 and 2 and Supplementary Table 1; see ref. 24 for a comprehensive benchmarking and Supplementary Methods for more detail on model evaluations). In principle following established definitions4, we refine the computation of some PBs with respect to their regional patterns and interactions (Methods), providing globally gridded precautionary limits to human interference with the Earth system at a level of great detail. In particular, we account for the evidence that many PBs need to be represented spatially explicitly4 to cover their

Gerten, Dieter↗

A comparison of the bounded derivative and the normal-mode initialization methods using real data

Application of the bounded-derivative and normal-mode methods to a simple linear barotropic model at a typical middle latitude shows that the two methods lead to identical constraints up to a certain degree of approximation. Beyond this accuracy the two methods may differ from each other. When applied to a global nonlinear barotropic model using real data, again the two methods lead to similar balanced initial states. The gravity oscillations in the unbalanced height field, which have amplitudes of up to 60 m with a dominant periodicity of about 5 to 6 h, are practically eliminated by both initialization methods. The rotational wind component is smooth even for the unbalanced initial state. The small-scale spatial features of the irrotational wind component are drastically reduced by initialization. Both the nonlinear normal-mode and the bounded-derivative initialization methods yield similar divergence fields centered around the areas of highest orography. The comparison shows that there is no significant loss of information in the mass and momentum fields, despite the fact that the bounded-derivative method employs only the original, rotational wind component to construct a balanced initial state compared to the normal-mode method, which, in addition, makes use of the unbalanced divergent wind and height fields.

Semazzi, F. H. M.↗

A robust model predictive control algorithm for uncertain nonlinear systems that guarantees resolvability

A robustly stabilizing MPC (model predictive control) algorithm for uncertain nonlinear systems is developed that guarantees resolvability. With resolvability, initial feasibility of the finite-horizon optimal control problem implies future feasibility in a receding-horizon framework. The control consists of two components; (i) feed-forward, and (ii) feedback part. Feed-forward control is obtained by online solution of a finite-horizon optimal control problem for the nominal system dynamics. The feedback control policy is designed off-line based on a bound on the uncertainty in the system model. The entire controller is shown to be robustly stabilizing with a region of attraction composed of initial states for which the finite-horizon optimal control problem is feasible. The controller design for this algorithm is demonstrated on a class of systems with uncertain nonlinear terms that have norm-bounded derivatives and derivatives in polytopes. An illustrative numerical example is also provided.

feed - forward↗

Small Body GN&C Research Report: A Robust Model Predictive Control Algorithm with Guaranteed Resolvability

A robustly stabilizing MPC (model predictive control) algorithm for uncertain nonlinear systems is developed that guarantees the resolvability of the associated finite-horizon optimal control problem in a receding-horizon implementation. The control consists of two components; (i) feedforward, and (ii) feedback part. Feed-forward control is obtained by online solution of a finite-horizon optimal control problem for the nominal system dynamics. The feedback control policy is designed off-line based on a bound on the uncertainty in the system model. The entire controller is shown to be robustly stabilizing with a region of attraction composed of initial states for which the finite-horizon optimal control problem is feasible. The controller design for this algorithm is demonstrated on a class of systems with uncertain nonlinear terms that have norm-bounded derivatives, and derivatives in polytopes. An illustrative numerical example is also provided.

model predictive control algorithm (MPC)↗

A Direct Adaptive Control Approach in the Presence of Model Mismatch

This paper considers the problem of direct model reference adaptive control when the plant-model matching conditions are violated due to abnormal changes in the plant or incorrect knowledge of the plant's mathematical structure. The approach consists of direct adaptation of state feedback gains for state tracking, and simultaneous estimation of the plant-model mismatch. Because of the mismatch, the plant can no longer track the state of the original reference model, but may be able to track a new reference model that still provides satisfactory performance. The reference model is updated if the estimated plant-model mismatch exceeds a bound that is determined via robust stability and/or performance criteria. The resulting controller is a hybrid direct-indirect adaptive controller that offers asymptotic state tracking in the presence of plant-model mismatch as well as parameter deviations.

Joshi, Suresh M.↗

Perturbation guidance for aerocruise with bounded control

A perturbation guidance algorithm is developed for the constant-altitude portion of the orbital-plane change maneuver, called aerocruise. It is obtained by solving a linear-quadratic regulator problem in terms of the perturbed state and control variables. The regulator problem with hard control-variable constraints is then studied. For the two-control-variable case, the simulation results show that the bounded-control algorithm gives better performance than that obtained using a limiter for the case where control variables exceed the bounds.

Hull, David G.↗

Optimum impulsive midcourse guidance with control dependent errors.

The problem of determining the optimum guidance policy for an interplanetary spacecraft is treated as a stochastic optimal control problem. An algorithm for computing the optimum velocity correction and the optimum execution time (with allowance for correction-dependent errors) is derived in the case of a single midcourse correction. The performance index was chosen to be an upper bound for the probability that the mission fails, and it is defined as a function of the maximum allowable velocity correction and the maximum allowable deviation of the terminal state. Numerical results obtained for a Jupiter fly-by mission indicate that the execution errors have a significant influence on the performance index, but an acceptably small upper bound on the probability of mission failure can be obtained for sufficiently small execution errors.

Tapley, B. D.↗

The equilibrium and stability of the gaseous component of the galaxy, 2

A time-independent, linear, plane and axially-symmetric stability analysis was performed on a self-gravitating, plane-parallel, isothermal layer of nonmagnetic, nonrotating gas. The gas layer was immersed in a plane-stratified field isothermal layer of stars which supply a self-consistent gravitational field. Only the gaseous component was perturbed. Expressions were derived for the perturbed gas potential and perturbed gas density that satisfied both the Poisson and hydrostatic equilibrium equations. The equation governing the size of the perturbations in the mid-plane was found to be analogous to the one-dimensional time-independent Schrodinger equation for a particle bound by a potential well, and with similar boundary conditions. The radius of the neutral state was computed numerically and compared with the Jeans' and Ledoux radius. The inclusion of a rigid stellar component increased the Ledoux radius, though only slightly. Isodensity contours of the neutrual or marginally unstable state were constructed.

Kellman, S. A.↗

Time delay occultation data of the Helios spacecraft for probing the electron density distribution in the solar corona

S-band time delay measurements were collected from the spacecraft Helios A and B during three solar occultations in 1975/76 within heliocentric distances of about 3 and 215 earth radius in terms of range, Doppler frequency shift, and electron content. Characteristic features of measurement and data processing are described. Typical data sets are discussed to probe the electron density distribution near the sun (west and east limb as well) including the outer and extended corona. Steady-state and dynamical aspects of the solar corona are presented and compared with earth-bound-K-coronagraph measurements. Using a weighted least squares estimation, parameters of an average coronal electron density profile are derived in a preliminary analysis to yield electron densities at r = 3, 65, 215 earth radius. Transient phenomena are discussed and a velocity of propagation v is nearly equal to 900 km/s is determined for plasma ejecta from a solar flare observed during an extraordinary set of Helios B electron content measurements.

Edenhofer, P.↗

Time delay occultation data of the Helios spacecrafts and preliminary analysis for probing the solar corona

S-band time delay measurements were collected from the spacecrafts Helios A and B during three solar occultations in 1975/76 within heliocentric distances of about 3 and 215 solar radii in terms of range, Doppler frequency shift, and electron content. A description is given concerning some characteristic features of the methods of measurement and data processing. Typical data sets are discussed to probe the electron density distribution near the sun (west and east limb as well) including the outer and extended corona. Steady-state and dynamical aspects of the solar corona are presented and compared with earth-bound K-coronagraph measurements. Using a weighted least squares estimation 3 parameters of an average coronal electron density profile are derived in a preliminary analysis to yield electron densities of about 130 billion; 100 million; 7 million/cu m at r?3; 65; 215 solar radii. Transient phenomena are discussed and a velocity of propagation v approximately 900 km/s for plasma ejecta from a solar flare is determined from an extraordinary set of Helios B electron content measurements on April 30/May 1, 1976.

Edenhofer, P.↗

On the origin of corotating energetic particle events

The paper examines energetic corotating particle events produced by acceleration at the forward and reverse shock pair which bounds a corotating interaction region by the process of successive multiple reflections. In the steady state, the energetic particle intensity at the shock depends only on the intensity of shock particles, and measurements of energetic particles show systematic variations between intensities at the forward and reverse shocks. It is concluded that the solar wind is the original particle population that is accelerated in the stationary shocks up to several MeV.

Scholer, M.↗

Sequential decision making and stochastic networks

To solve the problems inherent in working with sequential decision processes, it is proposed to (1) utilize concepts of dominance through bounding in the decision processes (DP) formalism to reduce the amount of computing required. This advocates the marrying of DP recursion and Branch-and-Bound methodology; and (2) relax the requirement of strict optimality in the search over the state space, and be content with a tolerable error.

Elmaghraby, S.↗