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At least 1,747 records · Page 97

Roll maneuver evaluation

The current roll maneuver to the flight azimuth following lift-off is achieved by commanding roll attitude using a linear profile with no roll rate command. The linearity of this command profile implies an infinite acceleration to a constant roll rate; the vehicle cannot instantaneously achieve this rate, so the actual roll attitude lags the command attitude throughout the maneuver. The roll attitude error which thus develops can be reduced by augmenting the attitude command with a rate command and utilizing finite slopes on the rate command to give the vehicle time to accelerate. Results obtained from commanding various roll attitude and rate combinations to perform the maneuver are presented.

Webb, W. W.↗

Error latency measurements in symbolic architectures

Error latency, the time that elapses between the occurrence of an error and its detection, has a significant effect on reliability. In computer systems, failure rates can be elevated during a burst of system activity due to increased detection of latent errors. A hybrid monitoring environment is developed to measure the error latency distribution of errors occurring in main memory. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology for gauging the dependability of individual data categories within a real-time application. The hybrid monitoring technique is novel in that it selects and categorizes a specific subset of the available blocks of memory to monitor. The precise times of reads and writes are collected, so no actual faults need be injected. Unlike previous monitoring studies that rely on a periodic sampling approach or on statistical approximation, this new approach permits continuous monitoring of referencing activity and precise measurement of error latency.

Young, L. T.↗

Input and Output Performance of M-MRAC in the Presence of Bounded Disturbances

This paper presents performance analysis of novel modified model reference adaptive control (M-MRAC) architecture in conjunction with different robust adaptive laws for the uncertain linear systems subject to unknown but bounded disturbances. It is shown that for any robust adaptive law the tracking error of the M-MRAC system can be arbitrarily decreased in transient and in the steady-state by increasing the adaptation rate, without generating high frequency oscillations in the control signal, which are unavoidable in conventional MRAC systems for large adaptation rates. Moreover, the generated adaptive control signal arbitrary closely tracks the ideal control signal when the error feedback gain is simultaneously increased with the adaptation rate, according to derived rule. The results are demonstrated via simulations.

Stepanyan, Vahram↗

Heat conduction errors and time lag in cryogenic thermometer installations

Installation practices are recommended that will increase rate of heat exchange between the thermometric sensing element and the cryogenic fluid and that will reduce the rate of undesired heat transfer to higher-temperature objects. Formulas and numerical data are given that help to estimate the magnitude of heat-conduction errors and of time lag in response.

Warshawsky, I.↗

Accelerated simulation of stochastic particle removal processes in particle-resolved aerosol models

Stochastic particle-resolved methods have proven useful for simulating multi-dimensional systems such as composition-resolved aerosol size distributions. While particle-resolved methods have substantial benefits for highly detailed simulations, these techniques suffer from high computational cost, motivating efforts to improve their algorithmic efficiency. Here we formulate an algorithm for accelerating particle removal processes by aggregating particles of similar size into bins. We present the Binned Algorithm for particle removal processes and analyze its performance with application to the atmospherically relevant process of aerosol dry deposition. We show that the Binned Algorithm can dramatically improve the efficiency of particle removals, particularly for low removal rates, and that computational cost is reduced without introducing additional error. In simulations of aerosol particle removal by dry deposition in atmospherically relevant conditions, we demonstrate about 50-times increase in algorithm efficiency.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Improved Regional and TeleseismicP-Wave Travel-Time Prediction and Event Location Using a Global 3D Velocity Model

A global validation dataset of 116 seismic events and 20,977 associated Pn and P arrivals is used to assess travel-time prediction and event location accuracy for the global-scale, 3D, P-wave velocity model called LLNL-G3Dv3 (Simmons et al., 2012). Strong regional trends that are observed for ak135 travel-time residuals are largely removed when LLNL-G3Dv3 is used for prediction. The 25th–75th quantile spread of travel-time residuals is reduced by 30%–40% at teleseismic distances, and the spread is reduced by ~60% at regional distances (<16°). Epicenter error decreases when more data are used to constrain event locations until more than ~40 arrivals times are used. At which point, epicenter error reduction tends to plateau. Median epicenter errors for the ak135 and LLNL-G3Dv3 models plateau at ~8:0 and ~5:5 km, respectively, for teleseismic P datasets. Median epicenter errors for the ak135 and LLNL-G3Dv3 models plateau at ~12:0 and ~4:0 km, respectively, for regional Pn datasets. We demonstrate that spatially correlated travel-time residual errors for the ak135 model lead to increasing epicenter error when ~40 to ~100 Pn arrivals are used to constrain the location. The effect of correlated error is mitigated by LLNL-G3Dv3, for which epicenter error steadily decreases to ~4 km when 100 Pn arrivals are used. The median area of 0.95 epicenter probability bounds for ak135 and LLNL-G3Dv3 are 1811 and 758 km 2 , respectively. The ak135 ellipses are inflated to achieve the desired rate of true events occurring inside the probability region, whereas LLNLG3Dv3 error ellipses based on empirical residual distributions cover the true location at the expected rate because location bias is minimal.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Manual control displays for a four-dimensional landing approach

Six instrument rated pilots flew a STOL fixed base simulator to study the effectiveness of three displays for a four dimensional approach. The three examined displays were a digital readout of forward position error, a digital speed command, and an analog display showing forward position error and error prediction. A flight director was used in all conditions. All test runs were for a typical four dimensional approach in moderate turbulence that included a change in commanded ground speed, a change in flight path angle, and two standard rate sixty degree turns. Use of the digital forward position error display resulted in large overshoot in the forward position error. Some type of lead (rate or prediction information) was shown to be needed. The best overall performance was obtained using the speed command display. It was demonstrated that curved approaches can be flown with relative ease.

Silverthorn, J. T.↗

GEOS-3 coherent C-band tracking data reduction and analysis

The availability of a coherent C-Band transponder on an orbiting vehicle has permitted the development of calibration techniques for C-Band radars. Prior coherent tracking was limited to test vehicles in powered flight or skin tracking of orbiting spacecraft. The pulse Doppler range rate data available concurrently and independently with normal range and angle data provides an extremely useful data set for assessing the internal consistency of the radars measurements, particularly when coupled with a trajectory well constrained by orbit dynamics. In order to further assess the precision of the range rate data, a technique was developed to numerically integrate the rate measurements into a pseudo-range data set showing extremely low noise and high sensitivity to systematic radar errors. Evaluation of integrated range data led to improvements in calibration of both the rate and conventional range data. In particular, proper evaluation of the very sensitive integrated ranges required the development of a processing correction for beacon delay variation with signal strength, a significant error in the conventional ranging data.

Krabill, W. B.↗

The modeling of the turbulent reaction rate under high-pressure conditions: A priori evaluation of the Conditional Source-term Estimation concept

With the goal of obtaining an accurate model of the turbulent reaction rate for Large Eddy Simulations (LESs), the modeling of turbulence-chemistry-thermodynamic interaction is addressed through an a priori study of a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) database representing high-pressure turbulent combustion. The DNS database consists of simulations of a temporal mixing layer in which a single-step chemical reaction occurs. The potential of the single-conditioned Conditional Source-term Estimation (CSE) approach to model the filtered turbulent reaction rate needed for conducting LES is examined. Evaluations conducted with the mixture fraction as a conditioning variable at two filter widths and with the probability density function (PDF) extracted from the DNS database that represents the mixture fraction, show that the deviation between the model and template is large and substantially increases with filter width. To address this deviation, the Double-conditioned CSE (DCSE) approach is explored with two different second conditioning variables, the first conditioning variable still being the mixture fraction; four filter widths are considered. The first choice of the second conditioning variable is a normalized progress variable based on the CO 2 mass fraction and the second choice of the second conditioning variable is a normalized temperature. With each second conditional variable, the DCSE results represent a substantial improvement over CSE, by as much as an order of magnitude when measured by the relative error from the DNS-extracted filtered reaction rate. A quantitative test based on a root mean square identifies the reason for the DCSE success compared to CSE: unlike in CSE, the DCSE is able to substantially reduce the fluctuations of the modeled reaction rate from the filtered reaction rate over the entire range of the filtered reaction rate values, and particularly at the larger reaction rate values for which the DCSE model has higher fidelity. The results are shown to be equally favorable for the two conditioning variables. Consideration of DNS realizations at higher free-stream pressure or larger Reynolds number shows that the results are essentially equally successful at other pressure or Reynolds number values.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Observation and Estimation of Evapotranspiration from an Irrigated Green Roof in a Rain-Scarce Environment

While the rain-driven evapotranspiration (ET) process has been well-studied in the humid climate, the mixed irrigation and rain-driven ET process is less understood for green roof implementations in dry regions, where empirical observations and model parameterizations are lacking. This paper presents an effort of monitoring and simulating the ET process for an irrigated green roof in a rain-scarce environment. Annual ET rates for three weighing lysimeter test units with non-vegetated, sedums, and grass covers were 2.01, 2.52, and 2.69 mm d -1 , respectively. Simulations based on the three Penman–Monteith equation-derived models achieved accuracy within the reported range of previous studies. Compared to the humid climate, the overestimation of high ET rates by existing models is expected to cause a larger error in dry environments, where the enhanced ET process caused by repeated irrigations overlapped with hot, dry conditions often occurs during summer. The studied sedum species did not show significantly lower ET rates than native species, and could not effectively take advantage of the deep moisture storage. Therefore, native species, instead of the shallow-rooted species commonly recommended in humid climates, might be a better choice for green roofs in rain-scarce environments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Improved Quality in Aerospace Testing Through the Modern Design of Experiments

This paper illustrates how, in the presence of systematic error, the quality of an experimental result can be influenced by the order in which the independent variables are set. It is suggested that in typical experimental circumstances in which systematic errors are significant, the common practice of organizing the set point order of independent variables to maximize data acquisition rate results in a test matrix that fails to produce the highest quality research result. With some care to match the volume of data required to satisfy inference error risk tolerances, it is possible to accept a lower rate of data acquisition and still produce results of higher technical quality (lower experimental error) with less cost and in less time than conventional test procedures, simply by optimizing the sequence in which independent variable levels are set.

DeLoach, R.↗

Stellar evolution and period changes in RR Lyrae stars

The observed secular period changes of RR Lyrae stars in five globular clusters have been compared with those predicted by synthetic models of the horizontal branch (HB). It is shown that most of the observed number distributions of the period change rate beta could be attributed to evolutionary effects, if the random observational error is of order + or - 0.07 days/Myr in beta as suggested by the observers. The model calculations indicate that the mean rate of period change in RR Lyrae stars in globular clusters depends sensitively on their HB type, as is the case for the period shift at a given effective temperature. The distinct bias toward positive period changes in M15 and Omega Cen is evidence that most HB stars in the Oosterhoff group II clusters pass through the instability strip from blue to red toward the end of their core helium burning phase. If confirmed by future observations, this is strong support for the Lee et al. (1990) explanation of the Sandage (1957) period-shift effect.

Lee, Young-Wook↗

Cirrus cloud retrieval using infrared sounding data: Multilevel cloud errors

In this study we perform an error analysis for cloud-top pressure retrieval using the High-Resolution Infrared Radiometric Sounder (HIRS/2) 15-microns CO2 channels for the two-layer case of transmissive cirrus overlying an overcast, opaque stratiform cloud. This analysis includes standard deviation and bias error due to instrument noise and the presence of two cloud layers, the lower of which is opaque. Instantaneous cloud pressure retrieval errors are determined for a range of cloud amounts (0.1-1.0) and cloud-top pressures (850-250 mb). Large cloud-top pressure retrieval errors are found to occur when a lower opaque layer is present underneath an upper transmissive cloud layer in the satellite field of view (FOV). Errors tend to increase with decreasing upper-cloud effective cloud amount and with decreasing cloud height (increasing pressure). Errors in retrieved upper-cloud pressure result in corresponding errors in derived effective cloud amount. For the case in which a HIRS FOV has two distinct cloud layers, the difference between the retrieved and actual cloud-top pressure is positive in all cases, meaning that the retrieved upper-cloud height is lower than the actual upper-cloud height. In addition, errors in retrieved cloud pressure are found to depend upon the lapse rate between the low-level cloud top and the surface. We examined which sounder channel combinations would minimize the total errors in derived cirrus cloud height caused by instrument noise and by the presence of a lower-level cloud. We find that while the sounding channels that peak between 700 and 1000 mb minimize random errors, the sounding channels that peak at 300-500 mb minimize bias errors. For a cloud climatology, the bias errors are most critical.

Baum, Bryan A.↗

Study on the dynamic holdup distribution of the pulsed extraction column

In the study, a CSTR cascade dynamic hydraulic model was developed to investigate the dynamic holdup distribution of the pulsed extraction column. It is assumed that the dynamic process of the dispersed phase holdup of pulsed extraction column has equal effects with the operational process of multiple cascade CSTRs. The process is consistent with the following assumptions: the holdups vary on different stages but maintain uniform on each stage; the changes of the hydraulic parameters have impact initially on the inlet of dispersed phase, and stability will be reached gradually through stage-by-stage blending. The model was tested and verified utilizing time domain response curves of the average holdup. Nearly 150 experiments were carried out with different capillary columns, various feed liquids, and diverse continuous phases and under different operation conditions. The regression curves developed by the model show a good consistency with the experimental results. After linking parameters of the model with operational conditions, the study further found that the parameters are only linearly correlated with pulse conditions and have nothing to do with flow rate for a specific pulsed extraction column. The accuracy of the model is measured by the average holdup, and the absolute error is ±0.01. The model can provide supports for the boundary studies on hydraulics and mass transfer by making simple and reliable prediction of the dynamic holdup distribution, with relatively less accessible hydraulic experimental data. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Mechanical Behavior of Lead at High Strain Rates

This paper presents a study on the material behaviors and constitutive models of lead at high strain rates. Quasi-static compressive tests and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests were conducted at room temperature. The results of the SHPB tests were verified by high-speed photography, and the error of strain is less than 3% at high strain rate (5000/s). Our results show that the yield stress and flow stress increase at high strain rates. This result indicates that lead is sensitive to the strain rate at high strain rates, but the dependence is not linear during 3000-5000/s. The strain-rate dependence of lead was fitted by a quadratic polynomial curve. To describe the nonlinear strain-rate relationship of lead, modified Johnson–Cook and Cowper–Symonds material models were used to fit the experimental stress–strain curves. The modified Cowper–Symonds model agrees better with the experimental results and can better describe the dynamic mechanical behavior of lead under high strain rates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electron Density and Two-Channel Neutron Emission Measurements in Steady-State Spherical Inertial-Electrostatically Confined Plasmas, with Review of the One-Dimensional Kinetic Model

Electron density measurements have been made in steady-state plasmas in a spherical inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) discharge using microwave interferometry. Plasma cores interior to two cathodes, having diameters of 15 and 23 cm, respectively, were probed over a transverse range of 10 cm with a spatial resolution of about 1.4 cm for buffer gas pressures from 0.2 to 6 Pa in argon and deuterium. The transverse profiles are generally flat, in some cases with eccentric symmetric minima, and give mean densities of from approx. = 0.4 to 7 x 10(exp 10)/cu cm, the density generally increasing with the neutral gas pressure. Numerical solutions of the one-dimensional Poisson equation for IEC plasmas are reviewed and energy distribution functions are identified which give flat transverse profiles. These functions are used with the plasma approximation to obtain solutions which also give densities consistent with the measurements, and a double potential well solution is obtained which has minima qualitatively similar to those observed. Explicit consideration is given to the compatibility of the solutions interior and exterior to the cathode, and to grid transparency. Deuterium fusion neutron emission rates were also measured and found to be isotropic, to within the measurement error, over two simultaneous directions. Anisotropy was observed in residual emissions during operation with nonfusing hydrogen- 1. The deuterium rates are consistent with predictions from the model.

Dobson, Chris C.↗

An Electrical-Type Indicating Fuel Flowmeter

An electrical-type meter has been developed for measuring mass rates of flow of gasoline or other nonconducting fluids. Its temperature dependence is small over a large range and it has no known vibrational or viscosity errors. The maximum temperature rise is less than 5 C. The rates of flow, measurable within 1% with the present instrument, are approximately 100 to 1,000 or more pounds of gasoline per hour when a potentiometer is used, or 100 to 300 pounds per hour when a deflection-type meter is used.

Tozier, Robert E.↗