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At least 145 records · Page 8

Singular perturbations and time scales in the design of digital flight control systems

The results are presented of application of the methodology of Singular Perturbations and Time Scales (SPATS) to the control of digital flight systems. A block diagonalization method is described to decouple a full order, two time (slow and fast) scale, discrete control system into reduced order slow and fast subsystems. Basic properties and numerical aspects of the method are discussed. A composite, closed-loop, suboptimal control system is constructed as the sum of the slow and fast optimal feedback controls. The application of this technique to an aircraft model shows close agreement between the exact solutions and the decoupled (or composite) solutions. The main advantage of the method is the considerable reduction in the overall computational requirements for the evaluation of optimal guidance and control laws. The significance of the results is that it can be used for real time, onboard simulation. A brief survey is also presented of digital flight systems.

Naidu, Desineni S.↗

Time scale analysis of a closed-loop discrete optimal control system

A two-time scale discrete control system is considered. The closed-loop optimal linear quadratic (LQ) regulator for the system requires the solution of a full-order algebraic matrix Riccati equation. Alternatively, the original system is decomposed into reduced-order slow and fast subsystems. The closed-loop optimal control of the subsystems requires the solution of two algebraic matrix Riccati equations of order lower than that required for the full-order system. A composite, closed-loop suboptimal control is created from the sum of the slow and fast feedback optimal controls. Numerical results obtained for an aircraft model show a very close agreement between the exact (optimal) solutions and computationally simpler composite (suboptimal) solutions. The main advantage of the method is the considerable reduction in the overall computational requirements for the closed-loop optimal control of digital flight systems.

Naidu, D. S.↗

Identifying dominant environmental predictors of freshwater wetland methane fluxes across diurnal to seasonal time scales

While wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH 4 ) to the atmosphere, they represent a large source of uncertainty in the global CH 4 budget due to the complex biogeochemical controls on CH 4 dynamics. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first multi-site synthesis of how predictors of CH 4 fluxes (FCH4) in freshwater wetlands vary across wetland types at diel, multiday (synoptic), and seasonal time scales. In this work we used several statistical approaches (correlation analysis, generalized additive modeling, mutual information, and random forests) in a wavelet-based multi-resolution framework to assess the importance of environmental predictors, nonlinearities and lags on FCH4 across 23 eddy covariance sites. Seasonally, soil and air temperature were dominant predictors of FCH4 at sites with smaller seasonal variation in water table depth (WTD). In contrast, WTD was the dominant predictor for wetlands with smaller variations in temperature (e.g., seasonal tropical/subtropical wetlands). Changes in seasonal FCH4 lagged fluctuations in WTD by ~17 ± 11 days, and lagged air and soil temperature by median values of 8 ± 16 and 5 ± 15 days, respectively. Temperature and WTD were also dominant predictors at the multiday scale. Atmospheric pressure (PA) was another important multiday scale predictor for peat-dominated sites, with drops in PA coinciding with synchronous releases of CH 4 . At the diel scale, synchronous relationships with latent heat flux and vapor pressure deficit suggest that physical processes controlling evaporation and boundary layer mixing exert similar controls on CH 4 volatilization, and suggest the influence of pressurized ventilation in aerenchymatous vegetation. In addition, 1- to 4-h lagged relationships with ecosystem photosynthesis indicate recent carbon substrates, such as root exudates, may also control FCH4. By addressing issues of scale, asynchrony, and nonlinearity, this work improves understanding of the predictors and timing of wetland FCH4 that can inform future studies and models, and help constrain wetland CH 4 emissions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Two reference time scales for studying the dynamic cavitation of liquid films

Two formulas, one for the characteristic time of filling a void with the vapor of the surrounding liquid, and one of filling the void by diffusion of the dissolved gas in the liquid, are derived. By comparing these time scales with that of the dynamic operation of oil film bearings, it is concluded that the evaporation process is usually fast enough to fill the cavitation bubble with oil vapor; whereas the diffusion process is much too slow for the dissolved air to liberate itself and enter the cavitation bubble. These results imply that the formation of a two phase fluid in dynamically loaded bearings, as often reported in the literature, is caused by air entrainment. They further indicate a way to simplify the treatment of the dynamic problem of bubble evolution.

Sun, D. C.↗

Low Reynolds number multiple-time-scale turbulence model and calculations of steady and pulsating shear layers

A low Reynolds number multiple-time-scale turbulence model (LMS) and its application to fully developed turbulent channel flows and pulsating pipe flows are presented. The LMS can describe the inequilibrium turbulence phenomena down to the viscous sublayer. The calculated fluid flow and turbulence fields for the channel flows are in better agreement with the direct numerical simulation (DNS) results than those obtained using a Reynolds stress turbulence model, and the calculated near-wall dissipation rates are in qualitatively correct agreement with the DNS results. The LMS also successfully predicts the rapidly varying phase-lead of the wall shearing stress that occurs in a narrow range of the dimensionless frequency omega (+) = (omega x nu)/(upsilon x tau(exp2)) for the pulsating pipe flows while various other turbulence models fail to predict this phenomenon, and the LMS yields significantly improved numerical results for a wide range of the dimensionless frequency compared with those obtained using a rapid distortion theory (RDT).

Kim, Sang-Wook↗

Two time scale design of output feedback systems

Singular perturbation techniques are used in this paper to develop a two time scale procedure for designing static gain output feedback controllers. It is shown that, if certain control spillover conditions are satisfied, control designs based on reduced-order models will stabilize the corrgsponding full system. Optimal output feedback control theory is used to derive the necessary conditions for the stabilizing gain matrix. The problem of stabilizing a model for a large space structure is used to illustrate the practicality of the approach.

Calise, A. J.↗

A multiple-time-scale turbulence model based on variable partitioning of turbulent kinetic energy spectrum

The paper presents a multiple-time-scale turbulence model of a single point closure and a simplified split-spectrum method. Consideration is given to a class of turbulent boundary layer flows and of separated and/or swirling elliptic turbulent flows. For the separated and/or swirling turbulent flows, the present turbulence model yielded significantly improved computational results over those obtained with the standard k-epsilon turbulence model.

Kim, S.-W.↗

Measuring Activation and Luminescence Time Scales of Upconverting NaYF 4 :Yb,Er Nanocrystals

Accurate determination of upconversion and luminescence lifetimes requires kinetic modeling of the complete time-resolved response for upconversion luminescence of NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocrystals. Prior investigations typically perform exponential fitting of the tail in the time profile or employ complex systems of differential equations to extract lifetimes. To simplify analysis while fitting the entire time-resolved response, this work introduces a set of simplified models that model the response as a convolution of upconversion and fluorescence processes. Models for two- and three-photon upconversion processes are developed and tested for NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocrystals excited by a 980 nm laser. The results are presented for the transitions 2 H 11/2 , 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 (530 nm, green emission), 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 (650 nm, red emission), and 2 H 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 (400 nm, blue emission). Even with the same number of fitting parameters, the two- and three-photon models resulted in better fitting than the simpler models of single and two convolved exponentials for 30 nm, 400 nm, and silica-coated 30 nm nanoparticles. We provide evidence that the longest time scales (0.5–4 ms) are due to the luminescence of the final state, that the energy transfer waiting times leading to upconversion are shorter (<0.1 ms), and that more than two waiting times are required to explain the entire time response. The long-time response deviates from single-exponential behavior more strongly in uncoated and silica-coated 30 nm particles than for 400 nm particles. This deviation may result from heterogeneity of the local environment of ions within the 30 nm particles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Precipitation Analysis at Fine Time Scales using TRMM and Other Satellites: Realtime and Research Products and Applications

Quasi-global precipitation analyses at fine time scales (3-hr) are described. TRMM observations (radar and passive microwave) are used to calibrate polar-orbit microwave observations from SSM/I (and other satellites instruments, including AMSR and AMSU) and geosynchronous IR observations. The individual data sets are then merged using a priority order based on quality to form the TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA). Raingauge information is used to help constrain the satellite-based estimates over land. The TRMM standard research product (Version 6 3B-42 of the TRMM products) will be available for the entire TRMM period (January 1998-present) by the end of 2004. The real-time version of this merged product has been produced over the past two years and is available on the U.S. TRMM web site (trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov) at 0.25 deg latitude-longitude resolution over the latitude range from 50 deg N-50 deg S. Validation of daily totals indicates good results, with limitations noted in mid-latitude winter over land and regions of shallow, orographic precipitation. Various applications of these estimates are described, including: 1) detecting potential floods in near real-time; 2) analyzing Indian Ocean precipitation variations related to the initiation of El Nino; 3) determining characteristics of the African monsoon; and 4) analysis of diurnal variations.

Adler, Robert↗

Influence of non steady gravity on natural convection during micro-gravity solidification of semiconductors. I - Time scale analysis. II - Implications for crystal growth experiments

Consideration is given to the influence of temporal variations in the magnitude of gravity on natural convection during unidirectional solidification of semiconductors. It is shown that the response time to step changes in g at low Rayleigh numbers is controlled by the momentum diffusive time scale. At higher Rayleigh numbers, the response time to increases in g is reduced because of inertial effects. The degree of perturbation of flow fields by transients in the gravitational acceleration on the Space Shuttle and the Space Station is determined. The analysis is used to derive the requirements for crystal growth experiments conducted on low duration low-g vehicles. Also, the effectiveness of sounding rockets and KC-135 aircraft for microgravity experiments is examined.

Griffin, P. R.↗

A persistent adjoint method with dynamic time-scaling and an application to mass action kinetics

In this article, we consider an optimization problem where the objective function is evaluated at the fixed-point of a contraction mapping parameterized by a control variable, and optimization takes place over this control variable. Since the derivative of the fixed-point with respect to the parameter can usually not be evaluated exactly, an adjoint dynamical system can be used to estimate gradients. Using this estimation procedure, the optimization algorithm alternates between derivative estimation and an approximate gradient descent step. We analyze a variant of this approach involving dynamic time-scaling, where after each parameter update the adjoint system is iterated until a convergence threshold is passed. Here, we prove that, under certain conditions, the algorithm can find approximate stationary points of the objective function. We demonstrate the approach in the settings of an inverse problem in chemical kinetics, and learning in attractor networks.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Electric discharge initiation in water with gas bubbles: A time scale approach

High voltage nanosecond pulse driven electric discharges in de-ionized water with an argon bubble suspended between two electrodes were experimentally investigated. Two electrode configurations were used to temporally resolve the time scales of the discharge from the applied voltage rise time (7 ns), through the end of the first pulse (∼30 ns), and longer (>50 ns). We found that, in positive and negative applied voltage polarities, discharge initiates in the water at the tip of the anode. The discharge in the water rapidly extends (∼104 m/s) to the apex of the bubble and light emitted from inside the bubble begins to form. The steep rate of rise of the applied voltage (dV/dt<4 kV/ns) and the short time for the development of discharge in the water suggest that cavitation is a likely mechanism for discharge initiation and propagation in water. In addition, the short duration of the applied voltage pulse results in only a partial Townsend discharge inside the bubble.

Sponsel, Nicholas L. (ORCID:0000000181729378)↗

Nonlinear bubble nucleation and growth following filament and white-light continuum generation induced by a single-shot femtosecond laser pulse into dielectrics based on consideration of the time scale

Bubble nucleation and growth following plasma channeling (filament) and white-light continuum in liquid irradiated by a single-shot fs-pulse were experimentally investigated with close observation of the time scale. Making full use of a new confocal system and time-resolved visualization techniques, we obtained evidence suggestive of a major/minor role of the non-linear/thermal effects during the fs-pulse-induced bubble's fountainhead (10{sup −13} s) and growth (10{sup −7} s), which was never observed with the use of the ns-pulse (i.e., optic cavitation). In this context, the fs-pulse-induced bubble is not an ordinary optic cavitation but rather is nonlinear-optic cavitation. We present the intrinsic differences in the dominant-time domain of the fs-pulse and ns-pulse excitation, and intriguingly, a mere hundred femtoseconds' excitation predetermines the size of the bubble appearing several microseconds after irradiation. That is, the nucleation happens temporally beyond a six-order-of-magnitude difference.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Millisecond time scale atmospheric light pulses associated with solar and magnetospheric activity.

By using a wide-angle photomultiplier system a class of millisecond time scale diffuse atmospheric light emission of terrestrial origin has been discovered. These fast atmospheric pulsation events also show damped oscillations around 10-kHz frequency, which distinguishes them from ordinary lightning-type events. Evidence is presented for the enhancement in the rate of these events induced by solar flare activity.

Ogelman, H.↗

The Statistical Spread of Transmission Outages on a Fast Protection Time Scale Based on Utility Data

When there is a fault, the protection system automatically removes one or more transmission lines on a fast time scale of less than one minute. The outaged lines form a pattern in the transmission network. We extract these patterns from utility outage data, determine some key statistics of these patterns, and then show how to generate new patterns consistent with these statistics. The generated patterns provide a new and easily feasible way to model the overall effect of the protection system at the scale of a large transmission system. This new data-driven generative modeling of protection is expected to contribute to simulations of disturbances in large grids so that they can better quantify the risk of blackouts. Analysis of the pattern sizes suggests an index that describes how much outages spread in the transmission network at the fast timescale.

Transmission↗