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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

A performability solution method for degradable nonrepairable systems

The present performability model-solving algorithm identifies performance with 'reward', representing the state behavior of a system S by a finite-state stochastic process and determining reward by means of reward rates that are associated with the states of the base model. A general method is obtained for determining the probability distribution function of the performance (reward) variable, and therefore the performability, of the corresponding system. This is done for bounded utilization periods, and the result is an integral expression which is either analytically or numerically solvable.

Furchtgott, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Spatial estimation from remotely sensed data via empirical Bayes models

Multichannel satellite image data, available as LANDSAT imagery, are recorded as a multivariate time series (four channels, multiple passovers) in two spatial dimensions. The application of parametric empirical Bayes theory to classification of, and estimating the probability of, each crop type at each of a large number of pixels is considered. This theory involves both the probability distribution of imagery data, conditional on crop types, and the prior spatial distribution of crop types. For the latter Markov models indexed by estimable parameters are used. A broad outline of the general theory reveals several questions for further research. Some detailed results are given for the special case of two crop types when only a line transect is analyzed. Finally, the estimation of an underlying continuous process on the lattice is discussed which would be applicable to such quantities as crop yield.

Hill, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Starbursts in Galaxies: Implications of Molecular and Far-infrared Observations

Starburst galaxies are defined in several ways (colors, optical spectroscopic signatures, and excess radio flux), and observational evidence indicating that episodes of rapid star formation occur in many galaxies with active nuclei is presented. There is a good correlation of 100 micron luminosity with CO emission, and of both quantities with excess nonthermal radio flux. This fact requires some linkage between central and global star formation rates. In addition, the presence of starbusts distorts the appearance of the molecular gas in which they occur. Using far infrared color temperatures and comparisons of CO isotopes, it is shown that the strong (12)CO emission in these galaxies does not accurately trace the H2 distribution, probably because the starburst raises the avearage temperature of the cloud ensemble.

Rickard, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Monte Carlo lattice models for adsorbed polymer conformation

The adhesion between a polymer film and a metal surface is of great technological interest. However, the prediction of adhesion and wear properties of polymer coated metals is quite difficult because a fundamental understanding of the polymer surface interaction does not yet exist. A computer model for the conformation of a polymer molecule adsorbed on a surface is discussed. The chain conformation is assumed to be described by a partially directed random walk on a three dimensional simple cubic lattice. An attractive surface potential is incorporated into the model through the use of a random walk step probability distribution that is anisotropic in the direction normal to the attractive surface. The effects of variations in potential characteristics are qualitatively included by varying both the degree of anisotropy of the step distribution and the range of the anisotropy. Polymer conformation is characterized by the average end to end distance, average radius of gyration, and average number of chain segments adsorbed on the surface.

Good, B. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Areal coverage of storm precipitation

The probability distributions of the spatial distribution of precipitation from storms of different types were studied. The occurrence of wetted rainstorm area within a catchment was modeled as a Poisson arrival process in which each storm is composed of stationary, nonoverlapping, independent random cell clusters whose centers are Poisson-distributed as through fractals. The portion of a catchment covered by a stationary rainstorm was modeled by the common area of two overlapping circles. The first two moments of the distribution of the common area were derived from purely geometrical considerations. The spatial structure of the depth of rainfall from a stationary rainstorm was investigated using point process techniques. Total storm rainfall at the center of each cell is a random variable, and rainfall is distributed around the center specified by a spread function that may incorporate random parameters.

Eagleson, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

On the spatial correlations of Abell clusters

If rich clusters formed where the primordial density enhancement, when averaged over an appropriate volume, was unusually large, then they give a biased measure of the large-scale density correlation function determiend by the probability distribution of the density fluctuations on a rich cluster mass scale. If this distribution was Gaussian, the correlation function is amplified. The amplification for rich clusters is estimated to be eaual about ten and predicted trend of amplification with richness agrees qualitatively with that observed. Some implications of these results for the large-scale density correlations are discussed.

Kaiser, N.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Composite statistical method for modeling wind gusts for aircraft simulation

This paper discusses the application of three statistical methods in combination to model wind gusts for use in aircraft flight simulation. The approach combines principal components analysis, time series analysis and probability distribution model to analyze and simulate wind gust components. Comparisons are given between wind gust components generated by the model and components measured onboard an aircraft.

Schiess, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The atmospheric effect on the separability of field classes measured from satellites

The atmospheric effect on the upward radiance emerging from the atmosphere above a nonuniform surface results in a reduction of the separability between the surface classes by broadening the radiance probability distribution of each class, while narrowing the total radiance range. The atmospheric modulation transfer function (MTF) is used in Fourier transform analyses to simulate the atmospheric effect on the imagery of a nonuniform surface and to demonstrate the atmospheric effect on separability of field classes.

Kaufman, Y. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Digital Pseudonoise Generator

Architecture developed for noise generator based on pseudorandom number sequence. Concept involves no additions or multiplications; outputs of set of feedback shift registers combined, bit-by-bit, in accordance with desired probability distribution. Digital, pseudorandom number output fed to digital-to-analog converter to generate pseudonoise signal suitable for testing broadband amplifiers.

Knoebel, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Estimation of finite mixtures using the empirical characteristic function

A problem which occurs in analyzing LANDSAT scenes is the problem of separating the components of a finite mixture of several distinct probability distributions. A review of the literature indicates this is a problem which occurs in many disciplines, such as engineering, biology, physiology and economics. Many approaches to this problem have appeared in the literature; however, most are very restrictive in their assumptions or have met with only a limited degree of success when applied to realistic situations. A proceudre is investigated with combines the k-L procedure of (Feurverger and McDunnough, 1981) with the MAICE procedure of (Akaike, 1974). The feasibility of this approach is being investigated numerically via the development of a computer software package enabling a simulation study and comparison with other procedures.

Anderson, C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Optimal airframe synthesis for gust loads

An optimization capability for sizing airframe structures that are subjected to a combination of deterministic and random flight loads was established. The random vibration environment introduces the need for selecting a statistical process that best describes the random loads and permits computation of the dynamic response parameters of interest. Furthermore, it requires a formulation of design constraints that would minimize the conservativeness in the design and retain computational viability. The random loads are treated as a stationary, homogeneous process with a Gaussian probability distribution. The formulation of the analysis problem, the structure of the optimization programming system and a representative numerical example are discussed.

Hajela, P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A Monte Carlo study of Weibull reliability analysis for space shuttle main engine components

The incorporation of a number of additional capabilities into an existing Weibull analysis computer program and the results of Monte Carlo computer simulation study to evaluate the usefulness of the Weibull methods using samples with a very small number of failures and extensive censoring are discussed. Since the censoring mechanism inherent in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) data is hard to analyze, it was decided to use a random censoring model, generating censoring times from a uniform probability distribution. Some of the statistical techniques and computer programs that are used in the SSME Weibull analysis are described. The methods documented in were supplemented by adding computer calculations of approximate (using iteractive methods) confidence intervals for several parameters of interest. These calculations are based on a likelihood ratio statistic which is asymptotically a chisquared statistic with one degree of freedom. The assumptions built into the computer simulations are described. The simulation program and the techniques used in it are described there also. Simulation results are tabulated for various combinations of Weibull shape parameters and the numbers of failures in the samples.

Abernethy, K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Calculation of charge-state ratios for satellite Tor I

The diffusion of ions in a satellite plasma torus is presently modeled in terms of a one-dimensional random walk in which the particle source is at 0, the particle sink is at an N value that is an integer greater than 2, and the scale size of the diffusion cell is unity. The probability distribution function of the number of steps to exit for an ion is obtained and used in a model which incorporates ionization by electron impact to derive steady state expressions for the ratio of doubly to singly ionized ions, as well as the total number of ions in the torus. The results thus obtained are applied to the torus of the Jovian satellite Io, in order to predict mean residence times for sulfur and oxygen ions.

Summers, D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Boundary layer measurements on an airfoil in cascade using laser Doppler anemometry

Laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) was used to obtain detailed boundary layer data at 89.3 percent chord on the pressure surface of a double circular arc compressor blade in cascade. The measurements were taken at a chord Reynolds number of 5.0 x 10 to the 5th and a cascade angle of 53 degrees. The mean velocity, local turbulence intensity, skewness, and kurtosis were determined from the measured velocity probability distributions. The mean velocity profile and the local turbulence intensity profile had classical shapes. Also, the skewness and kurtosis had commonly observed shapes through out the boundary layer, reaching maximum values for Y/delta between 0.5 and 1.1 and Gaussian values for Y/delta greater than 1.1. A comparison was made between data taken with and without the Bragg cell and no significant differences were found.

Williams, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Reflector sidelobe degradation due to random surface errors

It is well known that the sidelobe structure of a reflector antenna is highly susceptible to random surface errors, and that in most applications it is not adequate to investigate only the average behavior of the antenna. In this study, an attempt is made to determine the probability distribution of the sidelobe level of a reflector antenna subject to some random surface errors. Specifically, the random pattern function is considered and its sidelobe level studied using the level-upcrossing theory. Both the degradation of the maximum sidelobe and the degradation of the sidelobe region with respect to an International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) sidelobe envelope are obtained. The theoretical results are found in excellent agreement with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, some useful tolerance charts are presented.

Ling, H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Structure of turbulence in the presence of uniform shear

The structure of the vorticity field in homogeneous turbulent shear flow is analyzed using a database generated by direct numerical solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations with up to 128x128x128 grid points. For two Reynolds numbers, the probability distribution of the inclination angle of the vorticity vectors, two-point correlations of the velocity and vorticity fields, and the instantaneous vorticity vectors and vortex lines in three-dimensional space were examined. It is shown that homogeneous turbulent shear flow contains a large number of horseshoe vortices. These vortices are most often found in planes inclined at 45 deg to the flow direction and are formed from the roll-up of sheets of transverse vorticity. These findings and similar results obtained in turbulent channel flow, lead to the conclusion that hairpin vortices are the characteristic vortical structures in all turbulent shear flows.

Moin, P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Statistical properties and correlation functions for drift waves

The dissipative one-field drift wave equation is solved using the pseudospectral method to generate steady-state fluctuations. The fluctuations are analyzed in terms of space-time correlation functions and modal probability distributions. Nearly Gaussian statistics and exponential decay of the two-time correlation functions occur in the presence of electron dissipation, while in the absence of electron dissipation long-lived vortical structures occur. Formulas from renormalized, Markovianized statistical turbulence theory are given in a local approximation to interpret the dissipative turbulence.

Horton, W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Sensitivity of an atmospheric photochemistry model to chlorine perturbations including consideration of uncertainty propagation

Models of stratospheric photochemistry are generally tested by comparing their predictions for the composition of the present atmosphere with measurements of species concentrations. These models are then used to make predictions of the atmospheric sensitivity to perturbations. Here the problem of the sensitivity of such a model to chlorine perturbations ranging from the present influx of chlorine-containing compounds to several times that influx is addressed. The effects of uncertainties in input parameters, including reaction rate coefficients, cross sections, solar fluxes, and boundary conditions, are evaluated using a Monte Carlo method in which the values of the input parameters are randomly selected. The results are probability distributions for present atmosheric concentrations and for calculated perturbations due to chlorine from fluorocarbons. For more than 300 Monte Carlo runs the calculated ozone perturbation for continued emission of fluorocarbons at today's rates had a mean value of -6.2 percent, with a 1-sigma width of 5.5 percent. Using the same runs but only allowing the cases in which the calculated present atmosphere values of NO, NO2, and ClO at 25 km altitude fell within the range of measurements yielded a mean ozone depletion of -3 percent, with a 1-sigma deviation of 2.2 percent. The model showed a nonlinear behavior as a function of added fluorocarbons. The mean of the Monte Carlo runs was less nonlinear than the model run using mean value of the input parameters.

Stolarski, R. S.↗