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At least 595 records · Page 33

A survey of the state of the art and focused research in range systems, task 2

Many communication, control, and information processing subsystems are modeled by linear systems incorporating tapped delay lines (TDL). Such optimized subsystems result in full precision multiplications in the TDL. In order to reduce complexity and cost in a microprocessor implementation, these multiplications can be replaced by single-shift instructions which are equivalent to powers of two multiplications. Since, in general, the obvious operation of rounding the infinite precision TDL coefficients to the nearest powers of two usually yield quite poor system performance, the optimum powers of two coefficient solution was considered. Detailed explanations on the use of branch-and-bound algorithms for finding the optimum powers of two solutions are given. Specific demonstration of this methodology to the design of a linear data equalizer and its implementation in assembly language on a 8080 microprocessor with a 12 bit A/D converter are reported. This simple microprocessor implementation with optimized TDL coefficients achieves a system performance comparable to the optimum linear equalization with full precision multiplications for an input data rate of 300 baud. The philosophy demonstrated in this implementation is dully applicable to many other microprocessor controlled information processing systems.

Yao, K.↗

Simulations of the HDO and H2O-18 atmospheric cycles using the NASA GISS general circulation model - The seasonal cycle for present-day conditions

The cycles of the water isotopic species (HDO and H2O-18) have been incorporated into the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies atmospheric general circulation model (GCM). The results of a three-year simulation for present-day conditions are discussed, with special emphasis on the comparison between predicted and observed isotopic distributions for both the seasonal and annual time scales. The observed seasonal cycles are generally well simulated. For the annual scale the observed linear relationship between delta O-18 and the surface temperature at middle and high latitudes, as well as the absence of any correlation between these fields in tropical and equatorial regions, are properly obeyed by the GCM simulation. In the tropical and equatorial regions the delta O-18 patterns for both observations and the GCM are influenced by the amount of rainfall. There is excellent agreement between the simulated and observed delta D-delta O-18 relationship throughout the world.

Jouzel, J.↗

Controlled experiments in cosmological gravitational clustering

A systematic study is conducted of gravitational instability in 3D on the basis of power-law initial spectra with and without spectral cutoff, emphasizing nonlinear effects and measures of nonlinearity; effects due to short and long waves in the initial conditions are separated. The existence of second-general pancakes is confirmed, and it is noted that while these are inhomogeneous, they generate a visually strong signal of filamentarity. An explicit comparison of smoothed initial conditions with smoothed envelope models also reconfirms the need to smooth over a scale larger than any nonlinearity, in order to extrapolate directly by linear theory from Gaussian initial conditions.

Melott, Adrian L.↗

Overview of nuclear fragementation models and needs

It has been known for some time that adequate assessment of spacecraft requirements and concomitant estimates of astronaut radiation exposures from galactic cosmic radiation requires accurate, quantitative methods for characterizing these radiation fields as they pass through thick absorbers. The main nuclear interaction processes involved are nuclear elastic an inelastic collisions, and nuclear breakup (fragmentation) and electromagnetic dissociation (EMD). Nuclear fragmenation and EMD are important because they alter the elemental and isotopic composition of the transported radiation fields. At present, there is no suitable accurate theory for predicting nuclear fragmentation cross sections for all collision pairs and energies of interest in space radiation protection. Typical cross-section differences between theory and experiment range from about 25 percent to a factor of two. The resulting errors in transported flux, for high linear energy transfer (LET) particles, are compared to these cross-sections errors. In this overview, theoretical models of heavy ion fragmentation currently used to generate input data bases for cosmic-ray transport and shielding codes are reviewed. Their shortcomings are discussed. Further actions needed to improve their accuracy and generality are presented.

Townsend, L. W.↗

Flutter and Divergence Analysis using the Generalized Aeroelastic Analysis Method

The Generalized Aeroelastic Analysis Method (GAAM) is applied to the analysis of three well-studied checkcases: restrained and unrestrained airfoil models, and a wing model. An eigenvalue iteration procedure is used for converging upon roots of the complex stability matrix. For the airfoil models, exact root loci are given which clearly illustrate the nature of the flutter and divergence instabilities. The singularities involved are enumerated, including an additional pole at the origin for the unrestrained airfoil case and the emergence of an additional pole on the positive real axis at the divergence speed for the restrained airfoil case. Inconsistencies and differences among published aeroelastic root loci and the new, exact results are discussed and resolved. The generalization of a Doublet Lattice Method computer code is described and the code is applied to the calculation of root loci for the wing model for incompressible and for subsonic flow conditions. The error introduced in the reduction of the singular integral equation underlying the unsteady lifting surface theory to a linear algebraic equation is discussed. Acknowledging this inherent error, the solutions of the algebraic equation by GAAM are termed 'exact.' The singularities of the problem are discussed and exponential series approximations used in the evaluation of the kernel function shown to introduce a dense collection of poles and zeroes on the negative real axis. Again, inconsistencies and differences among published aeroelastic root loci and the new 'exact' results are discussed and resolved. In all cases, aeroelastic flutter and divergence speeds and frequencies are in good agreement with published results. The GAAM solution procedure allows complete control over Mach number, velocity, density, and complex frequency. Thus all points on the computed root loci can be matched-point, consistent solutions without recourse to complex mode tracking logic or dataset interpolation, as in the k and p-k solution methods.

Edwards, John W.↗

Exploring Airfoil Table Generation using XFOIL and OVERFLOW

The rotorcraft design process is a continuously evolving field of research that incorporates a number of software programs. An accurate airfoil table is critical in the design and testing process for rotorcraft. With multiple flow solvers available and flow conditions of multirotor UAM vehicles potentially covering a wide range of Reynolds and Mach numbers, a documented approach for developing airfoil tables is needed. Using benchmark data from legacy airfoil tables and wind tunnel tests for comparison, simulations for a comprehensive test matrix could guide rotorcraft design engineers in generating their own airfoil tables using the XFOIL and OVERFLOW solvers. The motivation for this study is to investigate flow solver features to develop a best practices document for airfoil table generation. The study uses the OVERFLOW and XFOIL flow solvers, coupled with the airfoil table generator AFTGen, to analyze three airfoils for a specific Reynolds numbers flow regime and provide details on how well each flow solver performs within a specific angle of attack range, Mach number range, Reynolds number range, and in different flow conditions, such as turbulent and transitional flow. OVERFLOW analyses in AFTGen for fully turbulent and transition flow are compared with XFOIL results and experimental test data for the section lift, section drag, and pressure coefficients. XFOIL ultimately yields results that are accurate within the linear angle of attack range and below a Mach number of 0.4 but tends to overpredict lift and underpredict drag unless the flow is in the compressible regime. XFOIL cannot accurately model stall and post-stall conditions due to the nature of the solver. This is evident in nearly every case run with XFOIL, where the linear range is usually predicted acceptably and the lift coefficient is overpredicted as the stall angle of attack is approached (with the exception being the generally poor correlation with most of the SSC-A09 cases). OVERFLOW is limited at low Mach numbers, and appears to perform best at Mach numbers of 0.4 and above. The exploration of airfoil table generation using XFOIL and OVERFLOW yielded moderately successful results for the NACA 0012 airfoil, reasonably good results for the RC(4)-10 airfoil, and less accurate results for the SSC-A09 airfoil.

Airfoil Table Generation↗

A mathematical study of a random process proposed as an atmospheric turbulence model

A random process is formed by the product of a local Gaussian process and a random amplitude process, and the sum of that product with an independent mean value process. The mathematical properties of the resulting process are developed, including the first and second order properties and the characteristic function of general order. An approximate method for the analysis of the response of linear dynamic systems to the process is developed. The transition properties of the process are also examined.

Sidwell, K.↗

Detection and Tracking of Aircraft in the Far-Field from Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

Onboard far-field aircraft detection is needed for safe non-cooperative traffic mitigation in autonomous small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) operations. Machine vision systems, based on standard optics and visible light detectors, possess the ideal size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements for sUAS. This work presents the design and analysis of a novel aircraft detection and tracking pipeline based on optical sensing alone. Key contributions of the work include a refined range inequality model based on sensing and detection with FAA well-clear separation assurance distances between aircraft in mind, a detector fusion method to maximize the benefit of two image detectors, and a comparative analysis of Linear Kalman-filtering and Extended Kalman-filtering to seek optimal tracking performance. The pipeline is evaluated offline against multiple intruder platforms, using two types of flight encounters: multirotor sUAS vs. fixed-wing sUAS and multirotor sUAS vs. general aviation(GA)plane. Analysis is restricted to the rate-limiting head-on and departing collision volume cases vertically separated for safety. Results indicate that it is feasible to use the proposed optical spatial-temporal tracking algorithm to provide adequate alerting time to prevent penetration of well-clear separation volumes for both sUAS and GA aircraft.

Unmanned Aerial System↗

Amplitude variations of whistler-mode signals caused by their interaction with energetic electrons of the magnetosphere

Whistler mode waves that propagate through the magnetosphere exchange energy with energetic electrons by wave-particle interaction mechanisms. Using linear theory, a detailed investigation is presented of the resulting amplitude variations of the wave as it propagates. Arbitrary wave frequency and direction of propagation are considered. A general class of electron distributions that are nonseparable in particle energy and pitch-angle is proposed. It is found that the proposed distribution model is consistent with available whistler and particle observations. This model yields insignificant amplitude variation over a large frequency band, a feature commonly observed in whistler data. This feature implies a certain equilibrium between waves and particles in the magnetosphere over a wide spread of particle energy, and is relevant to plasma injection experiments and to monitoring the distribution of energetic electrons in the magnetosphere.

Bernard, L. C.↗

Upwind second-order difference schemes and applications in unsteady aerodynamic flows

Explicit second-order upwind difference schemes in combination with spatially symmetric schemes can produce larger stability bounds and better numerical resolution than symmetric schemes alone. However, if conservation form is essential, a special operator is required for transition between schemes. An operational approach has been devised for deriving transition operators so that strict conservation and local consistency are maintained. Various aspects of hybrid schemes are studied numerically for model linear and nonlinear equations. To demonstrate the utility of combining two different algorithms, MacCormack's explicit, noncentered, second-order method is combined with a completely upwind version, and numerical solutions of the Euler equations are obtained for two-dimensional, transonic flows with embedded supersonic regions and shock waves. The general utility of the operational approach for combining schemes is emphasized by deriving a second-order conservative scheme for the steady transonic small-disturbance potential equation.

Warming, R. F.↗

Inverse methods for assessing ship-of-opportunity networks and estimating circulation and winds from tropical expendable bathythermograph data

Inverse methods for estimating the surface ciculation of the equatorial Pacific by combining a linear reduced-gravity shallow-water model with the Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere ship-of-opportunity expendable bathythermograph (TOGA SOP XBT) observing program are examined. It is demonstrated that a simple linear model of the upper circulation of the equatorial Pacific can be successfully used as a weak constraint when smoothing the TOGA SOP XBT data. A circulation is sought as the weighted least squares fit to the dynamics and the data. The solution method is an expansion in representer functions, and the generalized inverse problem is thereby reduced from a functional problem to an algebraic problem for the coefficients of the representer. A specific inverse calculation using synthetic forcing and data is presented.

Bennett, Andrew F.↗

Parameterization of eddy sensible heat transports in a zonally averaged dynamic model of the atmosphere

A Charney-Branscome based parameterization has been tested as a way of representing the eddy sensible heat transports missing in a zonally averaged dynamic model (ZADM) of the atmosphere. The ZADM used is a zonally averaged version of a general circulation model (GCM). The parameterized transports in the ZADM are gaged against the corresponding fluxes explicitly simulated in the GCM, using the same zonally averaged boundary conditions in both models. The Charney-Branscome approach neglects stationary eddies and transient barotropic disturbances and relies on a set of simplifying assumptions, including the linear appoximation, to describe growing transient baroclinic eddies. Nevertheless, fairly satisfactory results are obtained when the parameterization is performed interactively with the model. Compared with noninteractive tests, a very efficient restoring feedback effect between the modeled zonal-mean climate and the parameterized meridional eddy transport is identified.

Genthon, Christophe↗

Nonlinear Viscoelastic Mechanics of Cross-linked Rubbers

The paper develops a general theory for finite rubber viscoelasticity, and specifies it in the form, convenient for solving problems important for rubber, tire and space industries. Based on the quasi-linear approach of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, a general nonlinear theory has been developed for arbitrary nonisothermal deformations of viscoelastic solids. In this theory, the constitutive equations are presented as the sum of known equilibrium (rubber elastic) and non-equilibrium (liquid polymer viscoelastic) terms. These equations are then simplified using several modeling arguments. Stability constraints for the proposed constitutive equations are also discussed. It is shown that only strong ellipticity criteria are applicable for assessing stability of the equations governing viscoelastic solids.

Freed, Alan D.↗

The Impact of Soil Reflectance on the Quantification of the Green Vegetation Fraction from NDVI

The green vegetation fraction (Fg) is an important climate and hydrologic model parameter. A common method to calculate Fg is to create a simple linear mixing rnodeP between two NDVI endmembers: bare soil NDVI (NDVI(sub o)) and full vegetation NDVI (NDVI(sub infinity)). Usually it is assumed that NDVI(sub o), is close to zero (NDVI(sub o) approx.-0.05) and is generally chosen from the lowest observed NDVI values. However, the mean soil NDVI computed from 2906 samples is much larger (NDVI=0.2) and is highly variable (standard deviation=O. 1). We show that the underestimation of NDVI(sub o) yields overestimations of Fg. The largest errors occur in grassland and shrubland areas. Using parameters for NDVI(sub o) and NDVI(sub infinity) derived from global scenes yields overestimations of Fg ((Delta) Fg*) that are larger than 0.2 for the majority of U.S. land cover types when pixel NDVI values are 0.2<NDVI(sub pixel)<0.4. Figure 1 shows how the Fg overestimation varies for the most common land cover types in the conterminous U.S. for typical seasonal NDVI values. When using conterminous U.S. scenes to derive NDV(sub o) and NDVI(sub infinity), the overestimation is less (0.10-0.17 for 0.2<NDVI(sub pixel)<0.4). As a result, parts of the conterminous U.S. are affected at different times of the year depending on the local seasonal NDVI cycle. We propose using global databases of NDVI(sub o) along with information on historical NDVI(sub pixel) values to compute a statistically most-likely estimate of Fg (Fg*). Using in situ measurements made at the Sevilleta LTER, we show that this approach yields better estimates of Fg than using global invariant NDVI(sub o) values estimated from whole scenes (Figure 2). At the two studied sites, the Fg estimate was adjusted by 52% at the grassland and 86% at the shrubland. More significant advances will require information on spatial distribution of soil reflectance.

Montandon, L. M.↗

The Southern Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Response to Ozone Depletion: A Multi-Model Comparison

The effect of the Antarctic ozone hole extends downwards from the stratosphere, with clear signatures in surface weather patterns including a positive trend in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). Several recent studies have used coupled climate models to investigate the impact of these changes on Southern Ocean sea surface temperature (SST), notably motivated by the observed cooling from the late 1970s. Here we examine the robustness of these model results through comparison of both previously published and new simulations. We focus on the calculation of ‘climate response functions' (CRFs), transient responses to an instantaneous step-change in ozone concentrations. The CRF for most models consists of a rapid cooling of SST, followed by a slower warming trend. However, inter-model comparison reveals large uncertainties, such that even the sign of the impact of ozone depletion on historical SST, when reconstructed from the CRF, remains unconstrained. Comparison of these CRFs with SST responses to a hypothetical step-change in the SAM, inferred through lagged linear regression, shows broadly similar results. Causes of uncertainty are explored by examining relationships between model climatologies and their CRFs. The inter-model spread in CRFs can be reproduced by varying a single subgrid-scale mixing parameter within a single model. Antarctic sea-ice CRFs are also calculated: these do not generally exhibit the two-time-scale behavior of SST, suggesting a complex relationship between the two. Finally, by constraining model climatology-response relationships with observational values, we conclude that ozone depletion in unlikely to have been the primary driver of the observed SST cooling trend.

Climate response functions (CRF)↗

Importance of helicopter dynamics to the mathematical model of the helicopter

A mathematical model of the helicopter requires appropriate representation of the constituent elements of rotor dynamics. General-purpose programs that model a variety of configurations for a broad range of operating conditions result in varying and incompatible levels of sophistication. Analysis of specific dynamic problems facilitates the identification of configuration parameters which determine system behavior. For the present analysis, the nonlinear equations of a torsionally rigid hingeless rotor are linearized about an equilibrium condition to determine flap-lag stability characteristics in hover. A collocation method was used to obtain the coupled natural frequencies and modes. These modes allow exact treatment of the effect of elastic coupling which more than compensates for the destabilizing inertial coupling. The sensitivity of damping to the number of modes was found to be small, and reasonable accuracy was obtained the first flapwise and edgewise coupled modes. The range of destabilizing precone was found to be small.

White, W. F., Jr.↗

Finite state modeling of aeroelastic systems

A general theory of finite state modeling of aerodynamic loads on thin airfoils and lifting surfaces performing completely arbitrary, small, time-dependent motions in an airstream is developed and presented. The nature of the behavior of the unsteady airloads in the frequency domain is explained, using as raw materials any of the unsteady linearized theories that have been mechanized for simple harmonic oscillations. Each desired aerodynamic transfer function is approximated by means of an appropriate Pade approximant, that is, a rational function of finite degree polynomials in the Laplace transform variable. The modeling technique is applied to several two dimensional and three dimensional airfoils. Circular, elliptic, rectangular and tapered planforms are considered as examples. Identical functions are also obtained for control surfaces for two and three dimensional airfoils.

Vepa, R.↗

Development of a moderately sized finite element program for nonlinear structural analysis

AGGIE 1 is a computer program for predicting the linear and nonlinear, static and dynamic structural response of two- and three-dimensional continuum solids. The program is based on isoparametric finite elements and allows for 2-D plane stress, plane strain, and axisymmetric analyses and general 3-D analyses. Large strain kinematics is based on the total Lagrangian formulation. Materially nonlinear models include several elastic-plastic work-hardening models as well as an incompressible Mooney-Rivlin model. Included in this report is a brief description of the theoretical bases of the program, the material models used, the element library and the overall program organization. Instructions for data input preparation are given in detail. Several sample problems are given along with the required program input and program generated solutions.

Haisler, W. E.↗