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At least 487 records · Page 27

Formulation and implementation of a practical algorithm for parameter estimation with process and measurement noise

A new formulation is proposed for the problem of parameter estimation of dynamic systems with both process and measurement noise. The formulation gives estimates that are maximum likelihood asymptotically in time. The means used to overcome the difficulties encountered by previous formulations are discussed. It is then shown how the proposed formulation can be efficiently implemented in a computer program. A computer program using the proposed formulation is available in a form suitable for routine application. Examples with simulated and real data are given to illustrate that the program works well.

Maine, R. E.↗

Subsonic stability and control flight test results of the Space Shuttle /tail cone off/

The subsonic stability and control testing of the Space Shuttle Orbiter in its two test flights in the tailcone-off configuration is discussed, and test results are presented. Flight test maneuvers were designed to maximize the quality and quantity of stability and control data in the minimal time allotted using the Space Shuttle Functional Simulator and the Modified Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MMLE) programs, and coefficients were determined from standard sensor data sets using the MMLE, despite problems encountered in timing due to the different measurement systems used. Results are included for lateral directional and longitudinal maneuvers as well as the Space Shuttle aerodynamic data base obtained using the results of wind tunnel tests. The flight test data are found to permit greater confidence in the data base since the differences found are well within control system capability. It is suggested that the areas of major differences, including lateral directional data with open speedbrake, roll due to rudder and normal force due to elevon, be investigated in any further subsonic flight testing. Improvements in sensor data and data handling techniques for future orbital test flights are indicated.

Cooke, D. R.↗

Cycles till failure of silver-zinc cells with competing failure modes - Preliminary data analysis

The data analysis of cycles to failure of silver-zinc electrochemical cells with competing failure modes is presented. The test ran 129 cells through charge-discharge cycles until failure; preliminary data analysis consisted of response surface estimate of life. Batteries fail through low voltage condition and an internal shorting condition; a competing failure modes analysis was made using maximum likelihood estimation for the extreme value life distribution. Extensive residual plotting and probability plotting were used to verify data quality and selection of model.

Sidik, S. M.↗

Proportion estimation using prior cluster purities

The prior distribution of CLASSY component purities is studied, and this information incorporated into maximum likelihood crop proportion estimators. The method is tested on Transition Year spring small grain segments.

Terrell, G. R.↗

F-8C adaptive control law refinement and software development

An explicit adaptive control algorithm based on maximum likelihood estimation of parameters was designed. To avoid iterative calculations, the algorithm uses parallel channels of Kalman filters operating at fixed locations in parameter space. This algorithm was implemented in NASA/DFRC's Remotely Augmented Vehicle (RAV) facility. Real-time sensor outputs (rate gyro, accelerometer, surface position) are telemetered to a ground computer which sends new gain values to an on-board system. Ground test data and flight records were used to establish design values of noise statistics and to verify the ground-based adaptive software.

Hartmann, G. L.↗

SCI Identification (SCIDNT) program user's guide

The computer program Linear SCIDNT which evaluates rotorcraft stability and control coefficients from flight or wind tunnel test data is described. It implements the maximum likelihood method to maximize the likelihood function of the parameters based on measured input/output time histories. Linear SCIDNT may be applied to systems modeled by linear constant-coefficient differential equations. This restriction in scope allows the application of several analytical results which simplify the computation and improve its efficiency over the general nonlinear case.

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NLSCIDNT user's guide maximum likehood parameter identification computer program with nonlinear rotorcraft model

A nonlinear, maximum likelihood, parameter identification computer program (NLSCIDNT) is described which evaluates rotorcraft stability and control coefficients from flight test data. The optimal estimates of the parameters (stability and control coefficients) are determined (identified) by minimizing the negative log likelihood cost function. The minimization technique is the Levenberg-Marquardt method, which behaves like the steepest descent method when it is far from the minimum and behaves like the modified Newton-Raphson method when it is nearer the minimum. Twenty-one states and 40 measurement variables are modeled, and any subset may be selected. States which are not integrated may be fixed at an input value, or time history data may be substituted for the state in the equations of motion. Any aerodynamic coefficient may be expressed as a nonlinear polynomial function of selected 'expansion variables'.

Source record↗

The effect of noisy carrier reference on telemetry with baseband arraying

Imperfect carrier reference causes a degradation in detection performance in coherent communication systems. A measure of this degradation is the radio loss, which is the amount of increase in data signal to noise ratio (SNR) per bit required to achieve the same bit error rate when carrier reference is perfect. Performance analysis and numerical results are obtained for the Voyager high rate telemetry link with maximum likelihood convolutional decoding. The arraying of antennas provides not only improved performance due to an increase in effective antenna aperture, but also a decrease in radio loss with respect to a single antenna. This telemetry link performance improvement is a function of the carrier loop SNR and data bit error rate. When the carrier loop SNR's are low, it provides a significant improvement in the telemetry link performance since the decrease in radio loss with respect to a single station is substantial.

Divsalar, D.↗

The Theory and Practice of Estimating the Accuracy of Dynamic Flight-Determined Coefficients

Means of assessing the accuracy of maximum likelihood parameter estimates obtained from dynamic flight data are discussed. The most commonly used analytical predictors of accuracy are derived and compared from both statistical and simplified geometrics standpoints. The accuracy predictions are evaluated with real and simulated data, with an emphasis on practical considerations, such as modeling error. Improved computations of the Cramer-Rao bound to correct large discrepancies due to colored noise and modeling error are presented. The corrected Cramer-Rao bound is shown to be the best available analytical predictor of accuracy, and several practical examples of the use of the Cramer-Rao bound are given. Engineering judgement, aided by such analytical tools, is the final arbiter of accuracy estimation.

Maine, R. E.↗

Development of advanced acreage estimation methods

The use of the AMOEBA clustering/classification algorithm was investigated as a basis for both a color display generation technique and maximum likelihood proportion estimation procedure. An approach to analyzing large data reduction systems was formulated and an exploratory empirical study of spatial correlation in LANDSAT data was also carried out. Topics addressed include: (1) development of multiimage color images; (2) spectral spatial classification algorithm development; (3) spatial correlation studies; and (4) evaluation of data systems.

Guseman, L. F., Jr.↗

Estimation of proportions in mixed pixels through their region characterization

A region of mixed pixels can be characterized through the probability density function of proportions of classes in the pixels. Using information from the spectral vectors of a given set of pixels from the mixed pixel region, expressions are developed for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of probability density functions of proportions. The proportions of classes in the mixed pixels can then be estimated. If the mixed pixels contain objects of two classes, the computation can be reduced by transforming the spectral vectors using a transformation matrix that simultaneously diagonalizes the covariance matrices of the two classes. If the proportions of the classes of a set of mixed pixels from the region are given, then expressions are developed for obtaining the estmates of the parameters of the probability density function of the proportions of mixed pixels. Development of these expressions is based on the criterion of the minimum sum of squares of errors. Experimental results from the processing of remotely sensed agricultural multispectral imagery data are presented.

Chittineni, C. B.↗

Statistics of some atmospheric turbulence records relevant to aircraft response calculations

Methods for characterizing atmospheric turbulence are described. The methods illustrated include maximum likelihood estimation of the integral scale and intensity of records obeying the von Karman transverse power spectral form, constrained least-squares estimation of the parameters of a parametric representation of autocorrelation functions, estimation of the power spectra density of the instantaneous variance of a record with temporally fluctuating variance, and estimation of the probability density functions of various turbulence components. Descriptions of the computer programs used in the computations are given, and a full listing of these programs is included.

Mark, W. D.↗

Parameter identification of linear discrete stochastic systems with time delays

An identification algorithm that uses the maximum likelihood technique to identify the unknown time delays, plant parameters, and noise covariances of linear discrete stochastic systems is presented. Cases of additive white noise and colored measurement noises are considered. The likelihood function is evaluated using either a minimum-variance (Kalman) filter or a minimal-order observer. The Kalman filter is used in the identification algorithm to provide minimum-variance estimates. The minimal-order observer is a lower-dimensional and computationally simpler filter, and is advantageous especially for systems with long delays. It provides a less optimal solution to the minimum-mean-square state estimation problem. The colored-noise observer algorithm has the disadvantage of having to compute an extra error covariance matrix of lower order.

Wong, E. C.↗

The luminosity functions of the 1969 Perseid and Orionid meteor showers

Observations of the 1969 Perseid and Orionid meteor showers are presented and used to derive luminosity functions for the 288 Perseids and 56 Orionids detected. Visual counts were performed under very good to excellent seeing conditions at the times of peak activities, and the brightnesses of the meteors were estimated to the nearest magnitude by comparison with the magnitudes of known objects. Maximum likelihood estimates of the power law index of the luminosity function of 1.56 + or - 0.06 for the Perseids and of 1.85 + or - 0.1 for the Orionids are obtained which are lower than the values found by other investigators. Under the assumption that the luminosity of visual meteors is proportional to their mass, the luminosity function power law may also be used to characterize the mass function.

Krisciunas, K.↗

Sources of variation in Landsat autocorrelation

Analysis of sixty-four scan lines representing diverse conditions across satellites, channels, scanners, locations and cloud cover confirms that Landsat data are autocorrelated and consistently follow an Arima (1,0,1) pattern. The AR parameter varies significantly with location and the MA coefficient with cloud cover. Maximum likelihood classification functions are considerably in error unless this autocorrelation is compensated for in sampling.

Craig, R. G.↗

The isotopic composition of solar flare accelerated magnesium

Measurements of the abundances of three isotopes of magnesium in solar energetic particles are reported. Data were obtained from the Heavy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope on board the ISEE 3 spacecraft during a large solar particle event following the 2B solar flare of September 23, 1978. A two-dimensional maximum likelihood analysis of the mass determinations for each event, which were taken with a resolution of 0.23 amu, indicates a Mg-25/Mg-24 ratio of 0.14 (+0.05, -0.02) and a Mg-26/Mg-24 ratio of 0.15 (+0.04, -0.03) in the energy interval 12-36 MeV/n. The results are consistent with terrestrial magnesium isotope abundances.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗

Pulsations in total columnar electron content

Radio signals from the ATS 6 beacon received at Boulder reveal small-amplitude, quasi-sinusoidal fluctuations with periods in the range of 10 to 50 s. Visual comparisons of these data (116 events for October 1974 to April 1975) shows a good correspondence with simultaneous geomagnetic pulsations at Boulder in two thirds of the cases for which Boulder magnetograms were available, but they do not necessarily correspond with magnetic pulsations on ATS 6. Spectral analyses, by the method of maximum entropy, were made on sample records. The principal results are the following: (1) The occurrence of the pulsations is higher on magnetically disturbed days. (2) The maximum likelihood of occurrence is around 2100 UT (1400 LT). (3) The dominant spectrum peaks of the radio fluctuations and geomagnetic field on the ground generally coincide. Cases are found also in which temporal characteristics of the spectra are similar. These results indicate a close association of the radio fluctuations with the Pc 3-4 type pulsations of the geomagnetic field on the ground. It is suggested that the radio fluctuations originate mainly in the F region of the ionosphere, while some of them could be due to plasmapause effects.

Okuzawa, T.↗

Resolving the percentage of component terrains within single resolution elements

An approximate maximum likelihood technique employing a widely available discriminant analysis program is discussed that has been developed for resolving the percentage of component terrains within single resolution elements. The method uses all four channels of Landsat data simultaneously and does not require prior knowledge of the percentage of components in mixed pixels. It was tested in five cases that were chosen to represent mixtures of outcrop, soil and vegetation which would typically be encountered in geologic studies with Landsat data. For all five cases, the method proved to be superior to single band weighted average and linear regression techniques and permitted an estimate of the total area occupied by component terrains to within plus or minus 6% of the true area covered. Its major drawback is a consistent overestimation of the pixel component percent of the darker materials (vegetation) and an underestimation of the pixel component percent of the brighter materials (sand).

Marsh, S. E.↗