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At least 1,369 records · Page 76

Current possibilities and future opportunities for erasure coded computations

The key capability established through the research funded by this award are erasure coded computations for linear systems, in serial and in parallel. This capability enables powerful efficient and scalable alternatives to existing linear system solvers in fault-prone computational systems.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Analysis of Magnet Quench Antenna Data

Quenching poses a serious problem for superconducting magnets operating at high current. To understand and mitigate quenching, Fermilab’s magnet department is developing and testing superconducting magnet quench antenna arrays. The project investigates anomaly events during magnet trainings before quenches by analyzing the collected data. An unsupervised event autodetection algorithm is developed and the performance is assessed. The spatial and temporal distribution of events is studied in relation to the quench location.

Peng, Danming↗

Gaussian Mixture Model Solvers for the Boltzmann Equation

This report documents our experience constructing a numerical method for the collisional Boltzmann equation that is capable of accurately capturing the collisionless through strongly collisional limits. We explore three different functional representations and present a detailed account of a numerical method based on a spatially dependent Gaussian mixture model (GMM). The Kullback-Leibler divergence is used as a closeness measure and various expectation maximization (EM) solution algorithms are implemented to find a compact representation in velocity space for distribution functions that exhibit significant non-Maxwellian character. We discuss issues that appear with this representation over a range of Knudsen numbers for a prototypical test problem and demonstrate that the strongly collisional limit recovers a solution to Euler's equations. Looking forward, this approach is broadly applicable to the non-relativistic and relativistic collisional Vlasov equations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

FIRED (Fire Events Delineation): An Open, Flexible Algorithm and Database of US Fire Events Derived from the MODIS Burned Area Product (2001–2019)

Harnessing the fire data revolution, i.e., the abundance of information from satellites, government records, social media, and human health sources, now requires complex and challenging data integration approaches. Defining fire events is key to that effort. In order to understand the spatial and temporal characteristics of fire, or the classic fire regime concept, we need to critically define fire events from remote sensing data. Events, fundamentally a geographic concept with delineated spatial and temporal boundaries around a specific phenomenon that is homogenous in some property, are key to understanding fire regimes and more importantly how they are changing. Here, we describe Fire Events Delineation (FIRED), an event-delineation algorithm, that has been used to derive fire events (N = 51,871) from the MODIS MCD64 burned area product for the coterminous US (CONUS) from January 2001 to May 2019. The optimized spatial and temporal parameters to cluster burned area pixels into events were an 11-day window and a 5-pixel (2315 m) distance, when optimized against 13,741 wildfire perimeters in the CONUS from the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity record. The linear relationship between the size of individual FIRED and Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) events for the CONUS was strong (R2 = 0.92 for all events). Importantly, this algorithm is open-source and flexible, allowing the end user to modify the spatio-temporal threshold or even the underlying algorithm approach as they see fit. We expect the optimized criteria to vary across regions, based on regional distributions of fire event size and rate of spread. We describe the derived metrics provided in a new national database and how they can be used to better understand US fire regimes. The open, flexible FIRED algorithm could be utilized to derive events in any satellite product. We hope that this open science effort will help catalyze a community-driven, data-integration effort (termed OneFire) to build a more complete picture of fire.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

COMOC: Thermal analysis variant. User's manual

The Thermal Analysis Variant of the COMOC (computational continuum mechanics) computer system solves problems involving transient heat conduction and convection in stationary continua spanning arbitrarily irregular two-dimensional and axisymmetric solution domains. COMOC is based upon a finite element solution algorithm for the energy equation, and solves for the transient nodal temperature distribution using a highly stable and automatic explicit integration procedure. COMOC is extensively user-oriented, requires minimal input, and no a priori knowledge concerning the stability character of the differential equation system. It can readily output computed data in user-specified format fields, that geometrically resemble the solution domain discretization (for rapid engineering evaluation). Complete information is provided for applying COMOC to a specific problem.

Bauer, A. M.↗

Digital computer programs for generating oblique orthographic projections and contour plots

User and programer documentation is presented for two programs for automatic plotting of digital data. One of the programs generates oblique orthographic projections of three-dimensional numerical models and the other program generates contour plots of data distributed in an arbitrary planar region. A general description of the computational algorithms, user instructions, and complete listings of the programs is given. Several plots are included to illustrate various program options, and a single example is described to facilitate learning the use of the programs.

Giles, G. L.↗

Modeling the weather with a data flow supercomputer

A static concept of data flow architecture is considered for a supercomputer for weather modeling. The machine level instructions are loaded into specific memory locations before computation is initiated, with only one instruction active at a time. The machine would have processing element, functional unit, array memory, memory routing and distribution routing network elements all contained on microprocessors. A value-oriented algorithmic language (VAL) would be employed and would have, as basic operations, simple functions deriving results from operand values. Details of the machine language format, computations with an array and file processing procedures are outlined. A global weather model is discussed in terms of a static architecture and the potential computation rate is analyzed. The results indicate that detailed design studies are warranted to quantify costs and parts fabrication requirements.

Dennis, J. B.↗

Viscous compressible flow direct and inverse computation and illustrations

An algorithm for laminar and turbulent viscous compressible two dimensional flows is presented. For the application of precise boundary conditions over an arbitrary body surface, a body-fitted coordinate system is used in the physical plane. A thin-layer approximation of tne Navier-Stokes equations is introduced to keep the viscous terms relatively simple. The flow field computation is performed in the transformed plane. A factorized, implicit scheme is used to facilitate the computation. Sample calculations, for Couette flow, developing pipe flow, an isolated airflow, two dimensional compressor cascade flow, and segmental compressor blade design are presented. To a certain extent, the effective use of the direct solver depends on the user's skill in setting up the gridwork, the time step size and the choice of the artificial viscosity. The design feature of the algorithm, an iterative scheme to correct geometry for a specified surface pressure distribution, works well for subsonic flows. A more elaborate correction scheme is required in treating transonic flows where local shock waves may be involved.

Yang, T. T.↗

Engineering description of the ascent/descent bet product

The Ascent/Descent output product is produced in the OPIP routine from three files which constitute its input. One of these, OPIP.IN, contains mission specific parameters. Meteorological data, such as atmospheric wind velocities, temperatures, and density, are obtained from the second file, the Corrected Meteorological Data File (METDATA). The third file is the TRJATTDATA file which contains the time-tagged state vectors that combine trajectory information from the Best Estimate of Trajectory (BET) filter, LBRET5, and Best Estimate of Attitude (BEA) derived from IMU telemetry. Each term in the two output data files (BETDATA and the Navigation Block, or NAVBLK) are defined. The description of the BETDATA file includes an outline of the algorithm used to calculate each term. To facilitate describing the algorithms, a nomenclature is defined. The description of the nomenclature includes a definition of the coordinate systems used. The NAVBLK file contains navigation input parameters. Each term in NAVBLK is defined and its source is listed. The production of NAVBLK requires only two computational algorithms. These two algorithms, which compute the terms DELTA and RSUBO, are described. Finally, the distribution of data in the NAVBLK records is listed.

Seacord, A. W., II↗

The Land Analysis System (LAS) - A general purpose system for multispectral image processing

The present, general-purpose Land Analysis System (LAS) for image processing furnishes a comprehensive set of functions for the manipulation of MSS data; the initial version has more than 240 functions and utilities ranging from pixel manipulation to complex classification. A LAS user's guide describes each such function in terms of purpose, input parameters, illustrative examples, algorithms, error messages, and user codes. The LAS source code is so distributed as to simplify system maintenance; the Transportable Application Executive is employed as the user interface, thereby accommodating both expert and novice users by means of menus and tutored prompting.

Wharton, Stephen W.↗

Adaptive independent joint control of manipulators - Theory and experiment

The author presents a simple decentralized adaptive control scheme for multijoint robot manipulators based on the independent joint control concept. The proposed control scheme for each joint consists of a PID (proportional integral and differential) feedback controller and a position-velocity-acceleration feedforward controller, both with adjustable gains. The static and dynamic couplings that exist between the joint motions are compensated by the adaptive independent joint controllers while ensuring trajectory tracking. The proposed scheme is implemented on a MicroVAX II computer for motion control of the first three joints of a PUMA 560 arm. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that trajectory tracking is achieved despite strongly coupled, highly nonlinear joint dynamics. The results confirm that the proposed decentralized adaptive control of manipulators is feasible, in spite of strong interactions between joint motions. The control scheme presented is computationally very fast and is amenable to parallel processing implementation within a distributed computing architecture, where each joint is controlled independently by a simple algorithm on a dedicated microprocessor.

Seraji, H.↗

Stochastic Petri net analysis of a replicated file system

A stochastic Petri-net model of a replicated file system is presented for a distributed environment where replicated files reside on different hosts and a voting algorithm is used to maintain consistency. Witnesses, which simply record the status of the file but contain no data, can be used in addition to or in place of files to reduce overhead. A model sufficiently detailed to include file status (current or out-of-date), as well as failure and repair of hosts where copies or witnesses reside, is presented. The number of copies and witnesses is a parameter of the model. Two different majority protocols are examined, one where a majority of all copies and witnesses is necessary to form a quorum, and the other where only a majority of the copies and witnesses on operational hosts is needed. The latter, known as adaptive voting, is shown to increase file availability in most cases.

Bechta Dugan, Joanne↗

An airfoil design method for viscous flows

An airfoil design procedure is described that has been incorporated into an existing two-dimensional Navier-Stokes airfoil analysis method. The resulting design method, an iterative procedure based on a residual-correction algorithm, permits the automated design of airfoil sections with prescribed surface pressure distributions. This paper describes the inverse design method and the technique used to specify target pressure distributions. An example airfoil design problem is described to demonstrate application of the inverse design procedure. It shows that this inverse design method develops useful airfoil configurations with a reasonable expenditure of computer resources.

Malone, J. B.↗

Airfoil design method using the Navier-Stokes equations

An airfoil design procedure is described that was incorporated into an existing 2-D Navier-Stokes airfoil analysis method. The resulting design method, an iterative procedure based on a residual-correction algorithm, permits the automated design of airfoil sections with prescribed surface pressure distributions. The inverse design method and the technique used to specify target pressure distributions are described. It presents several example problems to demonstrate application of the design procedure. It shows that this inverse design method develops useful airfoil configurations with a reasonable expenditure of computer resources.

Malone, J. B.↗

Analysis and design of transonic airfoils using streamwise coordinates

A new approach is developed for analysis and design of transonic airfoils. A set of full potential equivalent equations in von Mises coordinates is formulated from the Euler equations under the irrotationality and isentropic assumptions. This set is composed of a main equation for the main variable, y, and a secondary equations for the secondary variable, R. The main equation is solved by type dependent differencing combined with a shock point operator. The secondary equation is solved by marching from a non-characteristic boundary. Sample computations on NACA 0012 and biconvex airfoils show that, for the analysis problem, the present approach achieves good agreement with experimental C sub p distributions. For the design problem, the approach leads to a simple numerical algorithm in which the airfoil contour is calculated as part of the flow field solution.

Barron, R. M.↗

Laser power beams obtained by the dynamic selection of emitting elements in an array

A method for partially correcting the spatial coherence of an array of laser beams is discussed. The method trades far-field intensity for simplistic implementation and array lifetime extension, resulting in a quasi-coherent array with features of adaptive optics. An algorithm for implementing the method is described and feasible options for improvement are presented. A computer experiment used the algorithm and fast Fourier transforms to calculate typical far-field intensity distributions of such arrays. The far-field distributions illustrate beam power concentration, beam steering, and (indirectly) extended lifetime of the array.

Williams, M. D.↗

An advancing front Delaunay triangulation algorithm designed for robustness

A new algorithm is described for generating an unstructured mesh about an arbitrary two-dimensional configuration. Mesh points are generated automatically by the algorithm in a manner which ensures a smooth variation of elements, and the resulting triangulation constitutes the Delaunay triangulation of these points. The algorithm combines the mathematical elegance and efficiency of Delaunay triangulation algorithms with the desirable point placement features, boundary integrity, and robustness traditionally associated with advancing-front-type mesh generation strategies. The method offers increased robustness over previous algorithms in that it cannot fail regardless of the initial boundary point distribution and the prescribed cell size distribution throughout the flow-field.

Mavriplis, D. J.↗