Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Dynamic parameter”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8

Relativistic electromagnetic waves in an electron-ion plasma

High power laser beams can drive plasma particles to relativistic energies. An accurate description of strong waves requires the inclusion of ion dynamics in the analysis. The equations governing the propagation of relativistic electromagnetic waves in a cold electron-ion plasma can be reduced to two equations expressing conservation of energy-momentum of the system. The two conservation constants are functions of the plasma stream velocity, the wave velocity, the wave amplitude, and the electron-ion mass ratio. The dynamic parameter, expressing electron-ion momentum conversation in the laboratory frame, can be regarded as an adjustable quantity, a suitable choice of which will yield self-consistent solutions when other plasma parameters were specified. Circularly polarized electromagnetic waves and electrostatic plasma waves are used as illustrations.

Chian, Abraham C.-L.↗

Adaptive control strategies for cooperative dual-arm manipulators

Three strategies for adaptive control of cooperative dual-arm robots are discussed. Implementation of these adaptive controllers does not require the use of complex mathematical models of the arm dynamics or knowledge of the arm dynamic parameters or load parameters. These strategies have simple structures, and are computationally fast for on-line implementation with high sampling rates. In all three cases, the coupling effects between the arms through the load are treated as disturbances which are rejected by the adaptive controllers while following desired commands in a common frame of reference. Simulation results demonstrate the usefulness of the controllers.

Seraji, H.↗

Sensitivity studies and a simple ozone perturbation experiment with a truncated two-dimensional model of the stratosphere

The 1-1/2-D model of Holton (1986), which is actually a highly truncated two-dimensional model, describes latitudinal variations of tracer mixing ratios in terms of their projections onto second-order Legendre polynomials. The present study extends the work of Holton by including tracers with photochemical production in the stratosphere (O3 and NOy). It also includes latitudinal variations in the photochemical sources and sinks, improving slightly the calculated global mean profiles for the long-lived tracers studied by Holton and improving substantially the latitudinal behavior of ozone. Sensitivity tests of the dynamical parameters in the model are performed, showing that the response of the model to changes in vertical residual meridional winds and horizontal diffusion coefficients is similar to that of a full two-dimensional model. A simple ozone perturbation experiment shows the model's ability to reproduce large-scale latitudinal variations in total ozone column depletions as well as ozone changes in the chemically controlled upper stratosphere.

Stordal, Frode↗

GUST86 - An analytical ephemeris of the Uranian satellites

The General Uranus Satellite Theory GUST (Laskar, 1986) is used for the construction of an analytical ephemeris for the Uranian satellites. The theory is fitted against earth-based observations from 1911 to 1986, and all radio and optical data obtained during Voyager encounter with Uranus. Earth-based observations alone allow the determination of masses which are within 15 percent of the values determined by the Uranus flyby. The analysis of all the observations confirm the values of the masses obtained during the encounter (Stone and Miner, 1986) and give a complete set of dynamical parameters for the analytical theory. An analytical ephemeris, GUST86, with an estimated precision of about 100 km with respect to Uranus is obtained.

Laskar, J.↗

Spectral evolution in black hole accretion powered AGN and the cosmic X-ray background

If AGN contain supermassive black holes of pregalactic origin, then the radiation emitted during their lifetime will undergo spectral evolution. For AGN black-hole-accretion disk dynamo power sources, the dynamic parameters relevant to spectral evolution are the electron crossing time in the dynamo, the electron radiative loss time, the compactness parameter, and the photon-photon pair production optical depth. It is suggested that both spectral and luminosity evolution may be required to explain the evolutionary properties of AGN.

Leiter, D.↗

Determination of GPS orbits to submeter accuracy

Orbits for satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) were determined with submeter accuracy. Tests used to assess orbital accuracy include orbit comparisons from independent data sets, orbit prediction, ground baseline determination, and formal errors. One satellite tracked 8 hours each day shows rms error below 1 m even when predicted more than 3 days outside of a 1-week data arc. Differential tracking of the GPS satellites in high Earth orbit provides a powerful relative positioning capability, even when a relatively small continental U.S. fiducial tracking network is used with less than one-third of the full GPS constellation. To demonstrate this capability, baselines of up to 2000 km in North America were also determined with the GPS orbits. The 2000 km baselines show rms daily repeatability of 0.3 to 2 parts in 10 to the 8th power and agree with very long base interferometry (VLBI) solutions at the level of 1.5 parts in 10 to the 8th power. This GPS demonstration provides an opportunity to test different techniques for high-accuracy orbit determination for high Earth orbiters. The best GPS orbit strategies included data arcs of at least 1 week, process noise models for tropospheric fluctuations, estimation of GPS solar pressure coefficients, and combine processing of GPS carrier phase and pseudorange data. For data arc of 2 weeks, constrained process noise models for GPS dynamic parameters significantly improved the situation.

Bertiger, W. I.↗

Adaptive control of dual-arm robots

Three strategies for adaptive control of cooperative dual-arm robots are described. In the position-position control strategy, the adaptive controllers ensure that the end-effector positions of both arms track desired trajectories in Cartesian space despite unknown time-varying interaction forces exerted through the load. In the position-hybrid control strategy, the adaptive controller of one arm controls end-effector motions in the free directions and applied forces in the constraint directions, while the adaptive controller of the other arm ensures that the end-effector tracks desired position trajectories. In the hybrid-hybrid control strategy, the adaptive controllers ensure that both end-effectors track reference position trajectories while simultaneously applying desired forces on the load. In all three control strategies, the cross-coupling effects between the arms are treated as disturbances which are rejected by the adaptive controllers while following desired commands in a common frame of reference. The adaptive controllers do not require the complex mathematical model of the arm dynamics or any knowledge of the arm dynamic parameters or the load parameters such as mass and stiffness. The controllers have simple structures and are computationally fast for on-line implementation with high sampling rates.

Seraji, H.↗

Detecting gravity waves from binary black holes

One of the most attractive possible sources of strong gravitational waves would be a binary system comprising massive black holes (BH). The gravitational radiation from a binary is an elliptically polarized, periodic wave which could be observed continuously - or at intervals whenever a detector was available. This continuity of the signal is certainly appealing compared to waiting for individual pulses from infrequent random events. It also has the advantage over pulses that continued observation can increase the signal-to-noise ratio almost indefinitely. Furthermore, this system is dynamically simple; the theory of the generation of the radiation is unambiguous; all characteristics of the signal can be precisely related to the dynamical parameters of the source. The current situation is that while there is no observational evidence as yet for the existence of massive binary BH, their formation is theoretically plausible, and within certain coupled constraints of mass and location, their existence cannot be observationally excluded. Detecting gravitational waves from these objects might be the first observational proof of their existence.

Wahlquist, Hugo D.↗

Seasonal and interannual changes in cirrus

Statistics on cirrus clouds using the multispectral data from the GOES/VAS satellite have been collected since 1985. The method used to diagnose cirrus clouds and a summary of the first two years of data was given in Wylie and Menzel (1989) and at the 1988 FIRE meeting in Vail, CO. This study was expanded to three years of data which allows a more detailed discussion of the geographical and seasonal changes in cloud cover. Interannual changes in cloud cover also were studied. GOES/VAS cloud retrievals also were compared to atmospheric dynamic parameters and to radiative attenuation data taken by a lidar. Some of the highlights of these studies are discussed.

Wylie, Donald P.↗

An improved adaptive control for repetitive motion of robots

An adaptive control algorithm is proposed for a class of nonlinear systems, such as robotic manipulators, which is capable of improving its performance in repetitive motions. When the task is repeated, the error between the desired trajectory and that of the system is guaranteed to decrease. The design is based on the combination of a direct adaptive control and a learning process. This method does not require any knowledge of the dynamic parameters of the system.

Pourboghrat, F.↗

Voyager 2 orbit determination at Neptune

In August 1989 the Voyager 2 spacecraft encountered Neptune and Triton. Precise knowledge of the trajectory of the spacecraft relative to the Neptunian system was essential to ensure successful observations during the flyby, and to perform trajectory control. Determination of the orbit of Voyager 2 with respect to the Neptunian system was accomplished by the use of radiometric Doppler, range, and VLBI observations of the spacecraft in combination with spacecraft-based optical observations of Neptune, Triton, Nereid, and the Voyager-discovered satellite 1989N1. These data types were used in a new version of the JPL Orbit Determination Program to determine the orbit of the spacecraft as well as Neptunian system ephemerides and dynamical parameters, resulting in accurate delivery of the spacecraft to targeted conditions at Neptune and Triton.

Lewis, G. D.↗

Dynamic Tester For Rotor Seals And Bearings

Simplified apparatus measures performance under vibration. Measures some of dynamic parameters of rotor seals and bearings. Tests damping seals, damping bearings, conventional seals, and conventional bearings. Used with variety of pumped liquids, from water to liquid oxygen or hydrogen. Designed to test bearings and seals of turbopumps, tester rotates shaft at high speed while liquid flows much as it would in real turbopump. Also measures deflections of components.

Von Pragenau, George L.↗

Triple galaxies and a hidden mass problem

The authors consider a homogeneous sample of 84 triple systems of galaxies with components brighter than m = 15.7, located in the northern sky and satisfying an isolation criterion with respect to neighboring galaxies in projection. The distributions of basic dynamical parameters for triplets have median values as follows: radial velocity dispersion 133 km/s, mean harmonic radius 63 kpc, absolute magnitude of galaxies M sub B equals -20.38, crossing time tau = 0.04 H(sup minus 1). For different ways of estimation the median mass-to-luminosity ratio is (20 - 30). A comparison of the last value with the ones for single and binary galaxies shows the presence of a virial mass excess for triplets by a factor 4. The mass-to-luminosity ratio is practically uncorrelated with linear size of triplets or with morphological types of their components. We note that a significant part of the virial excess may be explained by the presence of nonisolated triple configurations in the sample, which are produced by debris of more populous groups of galaxies.

Karachentsev, I. D.↗

Viral coefficient and hidden mass in the galaxy groups

The purpose is the verification of the virial mass estimations for small galaxy groups. The dynamical evolution of triple and quintuple galaxies was studied by the numerical simulations. The dependence of the virial coefficient k(t) versus time was derived. Initial k(O) = O. The function k(t) has some strong oscillations from 0.02 to 0.99. Generally, these oscillations are quasiperiodical ones. Such a behavior of k(t) is caused by formation in a system of close isolated temporary double subsystems. A strong correlation between the virial coefficient and the least mutual distance in the system is observed. Such wide oscillations may add into the estimation of virial mass of the galaxy groups an uncertainty of more than one order. An additional uncertainty is introduced by the projection effect. This uncertainty for the individual estimations of the masses approach three orders. Thus any individual estimation of the virial mass is impossible for small galaxy groups. Some possibility of statistical estimation (median or average) of the total mass, including a hidden mass, is shown for the homogeneous samples. The authors propose a method for these estimations based on a comparison of the medians of dynamical parameters (a mean size in projection and a dispersion of relative radial velocities) for the simulated and observed ensembles of the galaxy groups. This method has been applied to a sample of 46 probably physical triplets of galaxies. The probable median of the hidden mass in a volume of the triplet is about 4 M, where M is the total mass of visible matter.

Anosova, Joanna P.↗

More About Gravitational Bumps And Repeating Orbits

Improved algorithm reduces computation needed to estimate dynamics affecting trajectory of satellite in orbit around Earth with approximately repeating ground track. Underlying concepts presented in "Computing Gravitational Bumps From Repeating-Orbit Data", (NPO-17925). Satellite presumed to undergo same gravitational perturbation upon each near-repetition. Tracking data from multiple nearly repeating arcs collected into segments called "bins" and processed together to reduce effects of random errors, and thereby obtain more-accurate estimates of dynamical parameters. Bumps in gravitational field of Earth estimated with less computation.

Wu, Jiun-Tsong↗

Computer aided design of digital controller for radial active magnetic bearings

A five degree of freedom Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) system is developed which is controlled by digital controllers. The model of the radial AMB system is linearized and the state equation is derived. Based on the state variables feedback theory, digital controllers are designed. The performance of the controllers are evaluated according to experimental results. The Computer Aided Design (CAD) method is used to design controllers for magnetic bearings. The controllers are implemented with a digital signal processing (DSP) system. The control algorithms are realized with real-time programs. It is very easy to change the controller by changing or modifying the programs. In order to identify the dynamic parameters of the controlled magnetic system, a special experiment was carried out. Also, the online Recursive Least Squares (RLS) parameter identification method is studied. It can be realized with the digital controllers. Online parameter identification is essential for the realization of an adaptive controller.

Cai, Zhong↗

Subsonic static and dynamic stability characteristics of the test technique demonstrator NASP configuration

The paper describes the procedure used for and the results obtained of wind-tunnel tests of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) configuration, which were conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center High Speed Tunnel using a blended body NASP configuration designed by the research center. Static and dynamic stability characteristics were measured at Mach numbers 0.3, 0.6, and 0.8. In addition to tests of the baseline configuration, component buildup tests with a canard surface and with a body flap were carried out. Results demonstrated a positive static stability of the baseline configuration, except at the higher angles of attack at Mach 0.8. A good agreement was found between the inphase dynamic parameters and the corresponding static data.

Boyden, Richmond P.↗

Supersonic dynamic stability characteristics of the test technique demonstrator NASP configuration

Wind tunnel tests of a National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) configuration were conducted in both test sections of the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The model used is a Langley designed blended body NASP configuration. Dynamic stability characteristics were measured on this configuration at Mach numbers of 2.0, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. In addition to tests of the baseline configuration, component buildup tests were conducted. The test results show that the baseline configuration generally has positive damping about all three axes with only isolated exceptions. In addition, there was generally good agreement between the in-pulse dynamic parameters and the corresponding static data which were measured during another series of tests in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. Also included are comparisons of the experimental damping parameters with results from the engineering predictive code APAS (Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System). These comparisons show good agreement at low angles of attack; however, the comparisons are generally not as good at the higher angles of attack.

Dress, David A.↗