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At least 91 records · Page 5

The NASA F-15 Intelligent Flight Control Systems: Generation II

The Second Generation (Gen II) control system for the F-15 Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) program implements direct adaptive neural networks to demonstrate robust tolerance to faults and failures. The direct adaptive tracking controller integrates learning neural networks (NNs) with a dynamic inversion control law. The term direct adaptive is used because the error between the reference model and the aircraft response is being compensated or directly adapted to minimize error without regard to knowing the cause of the error. No parameter estimation is needed for this direct adaptive control system. In the Gen II design, the feedback errors are regulated with a proportional-plus-integral (PI) compensator. This basic compensator is augmented with an online NN that changes the system gains via an error-based adaptation law to improve aircraft performance at all times, including normal flight, system failures, mispredicted behavior, or changes in behavior resulting from damage.

Buschbacher, Mark↗

The effect of mismatched components on microwave noise-temperature calibrations

Analysis of errors on microwave noise-temperature measurements is important due to development of very low-noise antenna receiving systems and in the absolute accuracies to which the noise temperatures of these systems can be calibrated. Scattering parameters describe properties of the microwave network connected between noise source and receiver.

Otoshi, T. Y.↗

Design Aspects of the VLBI2010 System - Progress Report of the IVS VLBI2010 Committee

This report summarizes the progress made in developing the next generation VLBI system, dubbed the VLBI2010 system. The VLBI2010 Committee of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) worked on the design aspects of the new system. The report covers Monte Carlo simulations showing the impact of the new operating modes on the final products. A section on system considerations describes the implications for the VLBI2010 system parameters by considering the new modes and system-related issues such as sensitivity, antenna slew rate, delay measurement error. RF1, frequency requirements, antenna deformation, and source structure corrections_ This is followed by a description of all major subsystems and recommendations for the network, station. and antenna. Then aspects of the feed, polarization processing. calibration, digital back end, and correlator subsystems are covered. A section is dedicated to the NASA. proof-of-concept demonstration. Finally, sections tm operational considerations, on risks and fallback options, and on the next steps complete the report.

Petrachenko, Bill↗

Large Contribution of Meteorological Factors to Inter-Decadal Changes in Regional Aerosol Optical Depth

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) has become a crucial metric for assessing global climate change. Although global and regional AOD trends have been studied extensively, it remains unclear what factors are driving the inter-decadal variations in regional AOD and how to quantify the relative contribution of each dominant factor. This study used a long-term (1980–2016) aerosol dataset from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis, along with two satellite-based AOD datasets (MODIS/Terra and MISR) from 2001 to 2016, to investigate the long-term trends in global and regional aerosol loading. Statistical models based on emission factors and meteorological parameters were developed to identify the main factors driving the inter-decadal changes of regional AOD and to quantify their contribution. Evaluation of the MERRA-2 AOD with the ground-based measurements of AERONET indicated significant spatial agreement on the global scale (r= 0.85, root-mean-square error = 0.12, mean fractional error = 38.7 %, fractional gross error = 9.86 % and index of agreement = 0.94). However, when AOD observations from the China Aerosol Remote Sensing Network (CARSNET) were employed for independent verification, the results showed that MERRA-2 AODs generally underestimated CARSNET AODs in China (relative mean bias = 0.72 and fractional gross error =−34.3 %). In general, MERRA-2 was able to quantitatively reproduce the annual and seasonal AOD trends on both regional and global scales, as observed by MODIS/Terra, although some differences were found when compared to MISR. Over the 37-year period in this study, significant decreasing trends were observed over Europe and the eastern United States. In contrast, eastern China and southern Asia showed AOD increases, but the increasing trend of the former reversed sharply in the most recent decade. The statistical analyses suggested that the meteorological parameters explained a larger proportion of the AOD variability (20.4 %–72.8 %) over almost all regions of interest (ROIs) during 1980–2014 when compared with emission factors (0 %–56 %). Further analysis also showed that SO2 was the dominant emission factor, explaining 12.7 %–32.6 % of the variation in AOD over anthropogenic-aerosol-dominant regions, while black carbon or organic carbon was the leading factor over the biomass-burning-dominant (BBD) regions, contributing 24.0 %–27.7 % of the variation. Additionally, wind speed was found to be the leading meteorological parameter, explaining 11.8 %–30.3 % of the variance over the mineral-dust-dominant regions, while ambient humidity (including soil moisture and relative humidity) was the top meteorological parameter over the BBD regions, accounting for 11.7 %–35.5 % of the variation. The results of this study indicate that the variation in meteorological parameters is a key factor in determining the inter-decadal change in regional AOD.

Huizheng Che↗

Machine Learning for the Prediction of Local Asteroid Damages

Risk assessment studies of local asteroid hazards traditionally simulate the physics of meteors with engineering models tailored to analyze tens-of-millions of scenarios. However, these simplified approaches still need to solve time-dependent ODEs to model the entry process and the resulting ground damage. With a computational cost of O(0.01 CPU.s) per scenario, simulating these large numbers of potential entry conditions in risk assessment studies can take several days on local computers. To improve computational efficiency, we propose in this paper an orthogonal approach based on machine learning models to predict the size of damaged areas given a list of entry parameters. We train 5 machine learning methods and compare the predictions to the outputs of the PAIR model, first only with primitive entry condition variables, and then with more advanced features. We find that complex models like neural networks are well-suited to estimate blast hazards, while simpler linear models can accurately assess thermal damage. For both types of hazards, the radii of damaged areas can be predicted with around 10% average errors and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.99. The CPU time is decreased by a factor O(10 3 ) compared to the PAIR model, which enables the simulation of millions of scenarios in minutes, on a local computer. We then use the same machine learning approaches for a classification task where the models are trained to predict if an asteroid will produce a given level of damage. Results show that complex models like the gradient boosting classifier and the neural network can perform this task with 98% accuracy. Beyond surrogate models, we finally incorporate the machine learning algorithms to the state-of-the-art Shapley sensitivity analysis and present a ranking of the entry parameters based on their contributions to ground damages.

SMD↗

MAGSAT data processing: A report for investigators

The in-flight attitude and vector magnetometer data bias recovery techniques and results are described. The attitude bias recoveries are based on comparisons with a magnetic field model and are thought to be accurate to 20 arcsec. The vector magnetometer bias recoveries are based on comparisons with the scalar magnetometer data and are thought to be accurate to 3 nT or better. The MAGSAT position accuracy goals of 60 m radially and 300 m horizontally were achieved for all but the last 3 weeks of Magsat lifetime. This claim is supported by ephemeris overlap statistics and by comparisons with ephemerides computed with an independent orbit program using data from an independent tracking network. MAGSAT time determination accuracy is estimated at 1 ms. Several errors in prelaunch assumptions regarding data time tags, which escaped detection in prelaunch data tests, and were discovered and corrected postlaunch are described. Data formats and products, especially the Investigator-B tapes, which contain auxiliary parameters in addition to the basic magnetometer and ephemeris data, are described.

Langel, R. A.↗

Documentation for the token ring network simulation system

A manual is presented which describes the language features of the Token Ring Network Simulation System. The simulation system is a powerful simulation tool for token ring networks which allows the specification of various Medium Access Control (MAC) layer protocols as well as the specification of various features of upper layer ISO protocols. In addition to these features, it also allows the user to specify message and station classes virtually to any degree of detail desired. The choice of a language instead of an interactive system to specify network parameters was dictated by both flexibility and time considerations. The language was developed specifically for the simulation system, and is very simple. It is also user friendly in that language elements which do not apply to the case at hand are ignored rather than treated as errors.

Peden, Jeffery H.↗

Statistical structure of convective periods derived from satellite ground based data

The documentation of characteristics of Vertical Atmospheric Soundings (VAS) through the use of statistical structure and correlation functions is presented. A measure of random error is also provided. Rawinsonde data from various periods is analyzed. Structure and correlation functions are used to compare VAS retrievals obtained using a physical algorithm with those from a regression technique. Results from both procedures are evaluated against those from a mesoscale network of rawinsonde stations. The parameters documented include temperature, mixing ratio, geopotential height, thickness, and precipitable water. Calculation are performed at several layers in the lower and upper troposphere.

Meyer, P. J.↗

An Optimal-Estimation-Based Aerosol Retrieval Algorithm Using OMI Near-UV Observations

An optimal-estimation(OE)-based aerosol retrieval algorithm using the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) near-ultraviolet observation was developed in this study. The OE-based algorithm has the merit of providing useful estimates of errors simultaneously with the inversion products. Furthermore, instead of using the traditional lookup tables for inversion, it performs online radiative transfer calculations with the VLIDORT (linearized pseudo-spherical vector discrete ordinate radiative transfer code) to eliminate interpolation errors and improve stability. The measurements and inversion products of the Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Network campaign in northeast Asia (DRAGON NE-Asia 2012) were used to validate the retrieved aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and single scattering albedo (SSA). The retrieved AOT and SSA at 388 nm have a correlation with the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) products that is comparable to or better than the correlation with the operational product during the campaign. The OEbased estimated error represented the variance of actual biases of AOT at 388 nm between the retrieval and AERONET measurements better than the operational error estimates. The forward model parameter errors were analyzed separately for both AOT and SSA retrievals. The surface reflectance at 388 nm, the imaginary part of the refractive index at 354 nm, and the number fine-mode fraction (FMF) were found to be the most important parameters affecting the retrieval accuracy of AOT, while FMF was the most important parameter for the SSA retrieval. The additional information provided with the retrievals, including the estimated error and degrees of freedom, is expected to be valuable for relevant studies. Detailed advantages of using the OE method were described and discussed in this paper.

Air Pollution↗

Monitoring global geodynamical parameter variations with GPS and low earth satellites

A low earth satellite enhances global geodynamical parameters determination with GPS in two ways. First, it improves the GPS orbits, which in turn improve the estimates of other parameters. Secondly, a low earth satellite completes an orbit cycle in far shorter time (90 to 120 minutes) than do GPS satellites (12 hours); it observes more GPS satellites than a ground receiver does in shorter time and increases the correlation between GPS orbit errors. This reduces the error in the determination of nonrotational coordinate parameters, i.e., geocentric offset of ground tracking sites. Covariance results with the global geodynamical parameters modeled as constants, and as random-walk parameters to closer reflect the actual variations, are compared. The effects of using different GPS data quality and different ground tracking network are studied. The case of using two earth satellites in orthogonal orbital planes is also investigated.

Wu, S. C.↗

The Prospect for Remote Sensing of Cirrus Clouds with a Submillimeter-Wave Spectrometer

Given the substantial radiative effects of cirrus clouds and the need to validate cirrus cloud mass in climate models, it is important to measure the global distribution of cirrus properties with satellite remote sensing. Existing cirrus remote sensing techniques, such as solar reflectance methods, measure cirrus ice water path (IWP) rather indirectly and with limited accuracy. Submillimeter/wave radiometry is an independent method of cirrus remote sensing based on ice particles scattering the upwelling radiance emitted by the lower atmosphere. A new aircraft instrument, the Far Infrared Sensor for Cirrus (FIRSC), is described. The FIRSC employs a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS). which measures the upwelling radiance across the whole submillimeter region (0.1 1.0-mm wavelength). This wide spectral coverage gives high sensitivity to most cirrus particle sizes and allows accurate determination of the characteristic particle size. Radiative transfer modeling is performed to analyze the capabilities of the submillimeter FTS technique. A linear inversion analysis is done to show that cirrus IWP, particle size, and upper-tropospheric temperature and water vapor may be accurately measured, A nonlinear statistical algorithm is developed using a database of 20000 spectra simulated by randomly varying most relevant cirrus and atmospheric parameters. An empirical orthogonal function analysis reduces the 500-point spectrum (20 - 70/cm) to 15 "pseudo-channels" that are then input to a neural network to retrieve cirrus IWP and median particle diameter. A Monte Carlo accuracy study is performed with simulated spectra having realistic noise. The retrieval errors are low for IWP (rms less than a factor of 1.5) and for particle sizes (rins less than 30%) for IWP greater than 5 g/sq m and a wide range of median particle sizes. This detailed modeling indicates that there is good potential to accurately measure cirrus properties with a submillimeter FTS.

Evans, K. Franklin↗

UAV Trajectory Modeling Using Neural Networks

Massive small unmanned aerial vehicles are envisioned to operate in the near future. While there are lots of research problems need to be addressed before dense operations can happen, trajectory modeling remains as one of the keys to understand and develop policies, regulations, and requirements for safe and efficient unmanned aerial vehicle operations. The fidelity requirement of a small unmanned vehicle trajectory model is high because these vehicles are sensitive to winds due to their small size and low operational altitude. Both vehicle control systems and dynamic models are needed for trajectory modeling, which makes the modeling a great challenge, especially considering the fact that manufactures are not willing to share their control systems. This work proposed to use a neural network approach for modelling small unmanned vehicle's trajectory without knowing its control system and bypassing exhaustive efforts for aerodynamic parameter identification. As a proof of concept, instead of collecting data from flight tests, this work used the trajectory data generated by a mathematical vehicle model for training and testing the neural network. The results showed great promise because the trained neural network can predict 4D trajectories accurately, and prediction errors were less than 2:0 meters in both temporal and spatial dimensions.

Neural Networks↗

The Ground Flash Fraction Retrieval Algorithm Employing Differential Evolution: Simulations and Applications

The ability to estimate the fraction of ground flashes in a set of flashes observed by a satellite lightning imager, such as the future GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), would likely improve operational and scientific applications (e.g., severe weather warnings, lightning nitrogen oxides studies, and global electric circuit analyses). A Bayesian inversion method, called the Ground Flash Fraction Retrieval Algorithm (GoFFRA), was recently developed for estimating the ground flash fraction. The method uses a constrained mixed exponential distribution model to describe a particular lightning optical measurement called the Maximum Group Area (MGA). To obtain the optimum model parameters (one of which is the desired ground flash fraction), a scalar function must be minimized. This minimization is difficult because of two problems: (1) Label Switching (LS), and (2) Parameter Identity Theft (PIT). The LS problem is well known in the literature on mixed exponential distributions, and the PIT problem was discovered in this study. Each problem occurs when one allows the numerical minimizer to freely roam through the parameter search space; this allows certain solution parameters to interchange roles which leads to fundamental ambiguities, and solution error. A major accomplishment of this study is that we have employed a state-of-the-art genetic-based global optimization algorithm called Differential Evolution (DE) that constrains the parameter search in such a way as to remove both the LS and PIT problems. To test the performance of the GoFFRA when DE is employed, we applied it to analyze simulated MGA datasets that we generated from known mixed exponential distributions. Moreover, we evaluated the GoFFRA/DE method by applying it to analyze actual MGAs derived from low-Earth orbiting lightning imaging sensor data; the actual MGA data were classified as either ground or cloud flash MGAs using National Lightning Detection Network[TM] (NLDN) data. Solution error plots are provided for both the simulations and actual data analyses.

Koshak, William↗

Radial basis function network learns ceramic processing and predicts related strength and density

Radial basis function (RBF) neural networks were trained using the data from 273 Si3N4 modulus of rupture (MOR) bars which were tested at room temperature and 135 MOR bars which were tested at 1370 C. Milling time, sintering time, and sintering gas pressure were the processing parameters used as the input features. Flexural strength and density were the outputs by which the RBF networks were assessed. The 'nodes-at-data-points' method was used to set the hidden layer centers and output layer training used the gradient descent method. The RBF network predicted strength with an average error of less than 12 percent and density with an average error of less than 2 percent. Further, the RBF network demonstrated a potential for optimizing and accelerating the development and processing of ceramic materials.

Cios, Krzysztof J.↗

Real-Time Minimization of Tracking Error for Aircraft Systems

This technology presents a novel, stable, discrete-time adaptive law for flight control in a Direct adaptive control (DAC) framework. Where errors are not present, the original control design has been tuned for optimal performance. Adaptive control works towards achieving nominal performance whenever the design has modeling uncertainties/errors or when the vehicle suffers substantial flight configuration change. The baseline controller uses dynamic inversion with proportional-integral augmentation. On-line adaptation of this control law is achieved by providing a parameterized augmentation signal to a dynamic inversion block. The parameters of this augmentation signal are updated to achieve the nominal desired error dynamics. If the system senses that at least one aircraft component is experiencing an excursion and the return of this component value toward its reference value is not proceeding according to the expected controller characteristics, then the neural network (NN) modeling of aircraft operation may be changed.

Garud, Sumedha↗

Learning fuzzy logic control system

The performance of the Learning Fuzzy Logic Control System (LFLCS), developed in this thesis, has been evaluated. The Learning Fuzzy Logic Controller (LFLC) learns to control the motor by learning the set of teaching values that are generated by a classical PI controller. It is assumed that the classical PI controller is tuned to minimize the error of a position control system of the D.C. motor. The Learning Fuzzy Logic Controller developed in this thesis is a multi-input single-output network. Training of the Learning Fuzzy Logic Controller is implemented off-line. Upon completion of the training process (using Supervised Learning, and Unsupervised Learning), the LFLC replaces the classical PI controller. In this thesis, a closed loop position control system of a D.C. motor using the LFLC is implemented. The primary focus is on the learning capabilities of the Learning Fuzzy Logic Controller. The learning includes symbolic representation of the Input Linguistic Nodes set and Output Linguistic Notes set. In addition, we investigate the knowledge-based representation for the network. As part of the design process, we implement a digital computer simulation of the LFLCS. The computer simulation program is written in 'C' computer language, and it is implemented in DOS platform. The LFLCS, designed in this thesis, has been developed on a IBM compatible 486-DX2 66 computer. First, the performance of the Learning Fuzzy Logic Controller is evaluated by comparing the angular shaft position of the D.C. motor controlled by a conventional PI controller and that controlled by the LFLC. Second, the symbolic representation of the LFLC and the knowledge-based representation for the network are investigated by observing the parameters of the Fuzzy Logic membership functions and the links at each layer of the LFLC. While there are some limitations of application with this approach, the result of the simulation shows that the LFLC is able to control the angular shaft position of the D.C. motor. Furthermore, the LFLC has better performance in rise time, settling time and steady state error than to the conventional PI controller. This abstract accurately represents the content of the candidate's thesis. I recommend its publication.

Lung, Leung Kam↗

Error control techniques for satellite and space communications

The unequal error protection capabilities of convolutional and trellis codes are studied. In certain environments, a discrepancy in the amount of error protection placed on different information bits is desirable. Examples of environments which have data of varying importance are a number of speech coding algorithms, packet switched networks, multi-user systems, embedded coding systems, and high definition television. Encoders which provide more than one level of error protection to information bits are called unequal error protection (UEP) codes. In this work, the effective free distance vector, d, is defined as an alternative to the free distance as a primary performance parameter for UEP convolutional and trellis encoders. For a given (n, k), convolutional encoder, G, the effective free distance vector is defined as the k-dimensional vector d = (d(sub 0), d(sub 1), ..., d(sub k-1)), where d(sub j), the j(exp th) effective free distance, is the lowest Hamming weight among all code sequences that are generated by input sequences with at least one '1' in the j(exp th) position. It is shown that, although the free distance for a code is unique to the code and independent of the encoder realization, the effective distance vector is dependent on the encoder realization.

Costello, Daniel J., Jr.↗

Estimating Surface Soil Moisture from SMAP Observations Using a Neural Network Technique

A Neural Network (NN) algorithm was developed to estimate global surface soil moisture for April 2015 to March 2017 with a 2-3 day repeat frequency using passive microwave observations from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, surface soil temperatures from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model version 5 (GEOS-5) land modeling system, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-based vegetation water content. The NN was trained on GEOS-5 soil moisture target data, making the NN estimates consistent with the GEOS-5 climatology, such that they may ultimately be assimilated into this model without further bias correction. Evaluated against in situ soil moisture measurements, the average unbiased root mean square error (ubRMSE), correlation and anomaly correlation of the NN retrievals were 0.037 m(exp. 3)m(exp. -3), 0.70 and 0.66, respectively, against SMAP core validation site measurements and 0.026 m(exp. 3)m(exp. -3), 0.58 and 0.48, respectively, against International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) measurements. At the core validation sites, the NN retrievals have a significantly higher skill than the GEOS-5 model estimates and a slightly lower correlation skill than the SMAP Level-2 Passive (L2P) product. The feasibility of the NN method was reflected by a lower ubRMSE compared to the L2P retrievals as well as a higher skill when ancillary parameters in physically-based retrievals were uncertain. Against ISMN measurements, the skill of the two retrieval products was more comparable. A triple collocation analysis against Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) soil moisture retrievals showed that the NN and L2P retrieval errors have a similar spatial distribution, but the NN retrieval errors are generally lower in densely vegetated regions and transition zones.

Soil Moisture Remote Sensing↗