A dimensionless parameter characterizing electron emission s-curves
S-curves of electron emission for absorbates, substrates, and arrival rates from partially covered cesium metal surface
METAL SURFACE↗
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Wide band phase distortion equalization technical memorandum no. 41
Wideband distortion lattice equalizer with phase vs frequency characteristic in S-curve
WIDEBAND COMMUNICATION↗
Subcarrier phase recovery performance in bent-pipe mode of Shuttle data transmission
The subcarrier phase recovery is analyzed for the bent-pipe mode of Space Shuttle detached-payload data transmission on the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Ku-band return link. The high-power component of the subcarrier modulation is unrestored payload data, either at baseband or modulating another subcarrier. At the receiver a Costas loop recovers the subcarrier phase. To analyze its performance in the baseband case, we obtain the loop S-curve, the power spectral density of the equivalent noise process, and the loop phase error variance.
Mckenzie, T. M.↗
Alias lock behavior of sampled-data Costas loops
The potential false-lock problem associated with the sampled data type of Costas loop implementation is addressed in this paper. The term 'alias lock' is used here to differentiate this type of false lock behavior from the data sideband false lock behavior of analog Costas loops. It is shown that the sampled-data version of the conventional Costas loop, sampled at a rate 1/T(s), can alias lock at frequencies that are multiples of 1/2T(s) away from the carrier frequency. It is also shown that the alias lock problem of the sampled data version of the Costas loop with hard-limited in-phase channel is further compounded by the potential occurrence of false lock frequencies at rational multiples of 1/2T(s) away from the carrier. The false lock S-curves of I-Q loops and decision-directed I-Q loops are investigated in detail, with and without additive noise. Close agreement between theory and earlier experimental results is also demonstrated.
Simon, M. K.↗
Carrier phase recovery performance for PN-spread TDRSS link with radio-frequency interference
The carrier-phase recovery performance of a Costas loop for a nonlinear satellite channel with uplink and downlink noise is analyzed, and the extension of these results to the case where uplink radio-frequency interference (RFI) is present is considered. The signal format here is binary phase-shift-keyed (BPSK) or unbalanced quaternary phase-shift-keyed (UQPSK), the signals being either the non-return-to-zero (NRZ) or biphase (Manchester) type. With UQPSK, at least one data stream must be PN-spread. The channel comprises additive white Gaussian noise (WGN), a wideband filter, a bandpass nonlinearity and more additive WGN. The RFI being considered is pulsed continuous-wave, pulsed WGN, or a combination of the two. It is noted that the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) will be subjected to RFI from certain locations, especially in the S-band of frequencies. The characteristics of this link are generalized to form the assumptions underlying this analysis. The analytical results given include the S-curve of the equivalent loop and the phase-error variance of the linearized loop.
Mckenzie, T. M.↗
Heat and mass transfer in combustion - Fundamental concepts and analytical techniques
Fundamental combustion phenomena and the associated flame structures in laminar gaseous flows are discussed on physical bases within the framework of the three nondimensional parameters of interest to heat and mass transfer in chemically-reacting flows, namely the Damkoehler number, the Lewis number, and the Arrhenius number which is the ratio of the reaction activation energy to the characteristic thermal energy. The model problems selected for illustration are droplet combustion, boundary layer combustion, and the propagation, flammability, and stability of premixed flames. Fundamental concepts discussed include the flame structures for large activation energy reactions, S-curve interpretation of the ignition and extinctin states, reaction-induced local-similarity and non-similarity in boundary layer flows, the origin and removal of the cold boundary difficulty in modeling flame propagation, and effects of flame stretch and preferential diffusion on flame extinction and stability. Analytical techniques introduced include the Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, the local Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, flame-sheet approximation and the associated jump formulation, and large activation energy matched asymptotic analysis. Potentially promising research areas are suggested.
Law, C. K.↗
I/Q reversal phenomena in 4-phase modified Costas Loops
A method for predicting the occurrence of I/Q reversals in unbalanced QPSK 4-phase modified Costas Loops is discussed. Potential causes for the reversal of in-phase and quadrature outputs of the unbalanced QPSK demodulator during acquisition and tracking are studied. The design of the unbalance QPSK demodulator and loop characteristics are described. The effect of an anomalous condition during a transient interval or demod/remod operation on data source output is examined. Filtering and hard-limiting effects, and the demodulator loop S-curve stability during tracking are evaluated.
Weinberg, A.↗
Electromagnetic propagation in PEC and absorbing curved S-ducts
A finite-element Galerkin formulation has been developed to study transverse magnetic (TM) wave propagation in 2-D S-curved ducts with both perfectly conducting and absorbing walls. The reflection and transmission at the entrances and the exits of the curved ducts are determined by coupling the finite-element solutions in the curved ducts to the eigenfunctions of an infinite, uniform, perfectly conducting duct. Example solutions are presented for a double mitred and S-ducts of various lengths. The length of the S-duct is found to significantly effect the reflective characteristics of the duct. Also, the effect of curvature on an absorbing duct is illustrated.
Baumeister, Kenneth J.↗
Acoustic propagation in curved ducts with extended reacting wall treatment
A finite-element Galerkin formulation was employed to study the attenuation of acoustic waves propagating in two-dimensional S-curved ducts with absorbing walls without a mean flow. The reflection and transmission at the entrance and the exit of a curved duct were determined by coupling the finite-element solutions in the curved duct to the eigenfunctions of an infinite, uniform, hard wall duct. In the frequency range where the duct height and acoustic wave length are nearly equal, the effects of duct length, curvature (duct offset) and absorber thickness were examined. For a given offset in the curved duct, the length of the S-duct was found to significantly affect both the absorptive and reflective characteristics of the duct. A means of reducing the number of elements in the absorber region was also presented. In addition, for a curved duct, power attenuation contours were examined to determine conditions for maximum acoustic power absorption. Again, wall curvature was found to significantly effect the optimization process.
Baumeister, Kenneth J.↗
Parametric study of electromagnetic waves propagating in absorbing curved S ducts
A finite-element Galerkin formulation has been developed to study attenuation of transverse magnetic (TM) waves propagating in two-dimensional S-curved ducts with absorbing walls. In the frequency range where the duct diameter and electromagnetic wave length are nearly equal, the effect of duct length, curvature (duct offset), and absorber wall thickness was examined. For a given offset in the curved duct, the length of the S-duct was found to significantly affect both the absorptive and reflective characteristics of the duct. For a straight and a curved duct with perfect electric conductor terminations, power attenuation contours were examined to determine electromagnetic wall properties associated with maximum input signal absorption. Offset of the S-duct was found to significantly affect the value of the wall permittivity associated with the optimal attenuation of the incident electromagnetic wave.
Baumeister, Kenneth J.↗
Optimizing the fine lock performance of the Hubble Space Telescope fine guidance sensors
This paper summarizes the on-orbit performance to date of the three Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS's) in Fine Lock mode, with respect to acquisition success rate, ability to maintain lock, and star brightness range. The process of optimizing Fine Lock performance, including the reasoning underlying the adjustment of uplink parameters, and the effects of optimization are described. The Fine Lock optimization process has combined theoretical and experimental approaches. Computer models of the FGS have improved understanding of the effects of uplink parameters and fine error averaging on the ability of the FGS to acquire stars and maintain lock. Empirical data have determined the variation of the interferometric error characteristics (so-called 's-curves') between FGS's and over each FGS field of view, identified binary stars, and quantified the systematic error in Coarse Track (the mode preceding Fine Lock). On the basis of these empirical data, the values of the uplink parameters can be selected more precisely. Since launch, optimization efforts have improved FGS Fine Lock performance, particularly acquisition, which now enjoys a nearly 100 percent success rate. More recent work has been directed towards improving FGS tolerance of two conditions that exceed its original design requirements. First, large amplitude spacecraft jitter is induced by solar panel vibrations following day/night transitions. This jitter is generally much greater than the FGS's were designed to track, and while the tracking ability of the FGS's has been shown to exceed design requirements, losses of Fine Lock after day/night transitions are frequent. Computer simulations have demonstrated a potential improvement in Fine Lock tracking of vehicle jitter near terminator crossings. Second, telescope spherical aberration degrades the interferometric error signal in Fine Lock, but use of the FGS two-thirds aperture stop restores the transfer function with a corresponding loss of throughput. This loss requires the minimum brightness of acquired stars to be about one magnitude brighter than originally planned.
Eaton, David J.↗
Edge-Flames in Von Karman Swirling Flows
Classical understanding of diffusion flames dictates that they, unlike the premixed flames, do not possess a characteristic propagation velocity and are constrained by stoichiometric requirements at the flame surface. However, it has been commonly observed that when local extinction occurs within a diffusion flame sheet, the edges that are formed propagate with distinct speeds. In general, the propagation speed of these edges depend on their geometrical shape (concave, convex, or straight) among other factors. Recently, Buckmaster investigated the dynamics of straight diffusion flame edges separating burning and quenched regions using simplified one-dimensional models. He showed that these flame edges can have positive, negative, or zero velocity depending on the Damkoehler number of the equilibrium diffusion flame that support them. It was also shown that this unsteady flame-edge behavior is intrinsically linked to S-curve behavior of the diffusion flame with varying Damkoehler number. When the system Damkoehler number lies between the extinction and ignition limits, flame edges can propagate as an "ignition wave" or as a "failure wave," and for a critical Damkoehler number remain as a stationary flame-edge. We have extend Buckmaster's 1-d model to more general edge-flame configurations where the edges appear as "flame holes" or as "flame disks". These two configurations along with the straight-edge case cover the entire range of possible edge-flame geometry observable in planar diffusion-flame sheets. A generalized map of edge-flame propagation velocities as a function of the system Damkoehler number and the edge-flame radius is presented. Experimentally we show that edge flames can be created using diffusion flames embedded in von Karman boundary layers. In a von Karman boundary layer, the flow is generated by spinning a solid (fuel) disk in a quiescent ambient gas. Under normal gravity we were able to produce "flame disks" over a range of fuel-disk rotational velocities varying from 0 to 20 revolutions per second, by orienting the burning surface of the fuel disk facing downward.
Nayagam, Vedha↗
Projecting Power Converter Specific Power Through 2050 for Aerospace Applications
In order to analyze the potential fuel burn benefit from the electrification of aircraft powertrains, it is important to quantify the amount of weight that will be added to the aircraft for each additional component of the electric powertrain. This paper provides a projection of the specific power and efficiency of power converters, (AC-DC, DC-AC, or DC-DC), through the year 2050. Data was first collected on state of the art power converters in multiple application areas, creating a power converter database. Relevant specific powers were added to a set of historical data from 1976-2020, and then three different logistic curves were fit through the historical data to represent S-curve shaped growth through the year 2050. The three curves were differentiated by conservative, nominal, and aggressive assumptions for the year in which the logistic curve begins to bend down towards slower growth. With a 30% knockdown factor accounting for the additional weight required for a high altitude converter, projections range from the aggressive specific power projection of 52.9 kW/kg in 2050 to a much more conservative specific power of 12 kW/kg in which growth is limited due to certifiability concerns. Little historical data was found on converter efficiencies to project efficiency based on historical trends. Projections are based on expert opinion on yearly decreases in converter losses. 2050 projections range from 0.987 to 0.997.
fuel burn↗
Tracking Performance of the Soft Digital Data Transition Tracking Loop
This paper evaluates the steady-state tracking performance of the soft DTTL symbol Synchronizer which is a low SNR approximation of the Hyperbolic tangent non-linearity in the in-phase channel.
synchronization satellite space communications hyp↗