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At least 19 records

Frequency modulation television analysis: Distortion analysis

Computer simulation is used to calculate the time-domain waveform of standard T-pulse-and-bar test signal distorted in passing through an FM television system. The simulator includes flat or preemphasized systems and requires specification of the RF predetection filter characteristics. The predetection filters are modeled with frequency-symmetric Chebyshev (0.1-db ripple) and Butterworth filters. The computer was used to calculate distorted output signals for sixty-four different specified systems, and the output waveforms are plotted for all sixty-four. Comparison of the plotted graphs indicates that a Chebyshev predetection filter of four poles causes slightly more signal distortion than a corresponding Butterworth filter and the signal distortion increases as the number of poles increases. An increase in the peak deviation also increases signal distortion. Distortion also increases with the addition of preemphasis.

Hodge, W. H.

Equalization and detection for digital communication over nonlinear bandlimited satellite communication channels

This dissertation evaluates receiver-based methods for mitigating the effects due to nonlinear bandlimited signal distortion present in high data rate satellite channels. The effects of the nonlinear bandlimited distortion is illustrated for digitally modulated signals. A lucid development of the low-pass Volterra discrete time model for a nonlinear communication channel is presented. In addition, finite-state machine models are explicitly developed for a nonlinear bandlimited satellite channel. A nonlinear fixed equalizer based on Volterra series has previously been studied for compensation of noiseless signal distortion due to a nonlinear satellite channel. This dissertation studies adaptive Volterra equalizers on a downlink-limited nonlinear bandlimited satellite channel. We employ as figure of merits performance in the mean-square error and probability of error senses. In addition, a receiver consisting of a fractionally-spaced equalizer (FSE) followed by a Volterra equalizer (FSE-Volterra) is found to give improvement beyond that gained by the Volterra equalizer. Significant probability of error performance improvement is found for multilevel modulation schemes. Also, it is found that probability of error improvement is more significant for modulation schemes, constant amplitude and multilevel, which require higher signal to noise ratios (i.e., higher modulation orders) for reliable operation. The maximum likelihood sequence detection (MLSD) receiver for a nonlinear satellite channel, a bank of matched filters followed by a Viterbi detector, serves as a probability of error lower bound for the Volterra and FSE-Volterra equalizers. However, this receiver has not been evaluated for a specific satellite channel. In this work, an MLSD receiver is evaluated for a specific downlink-limited satellite channel. Because of the bank of matched filters, the MLSD receiver may be high in complexity. Consequently, the probability of error performance of a more practical suboptimal MLSD receiver, requiring only a single receive filter, is evaluated.

Gutierrez, Alberto, Jr.

Radiance profile enhancement for solar occultation measurements

It is pointed out that distortions in received signals in solar occultation measurements made from space derive from the systematic motion of the electrooptical sensor. In a wide range of cases, the motion-related signal distortions brought about by the instrument's full modulation transfer function are as important as those from the optics. It is shown through simulation that existing techniques in the field of digital-image processing can be applied directly to solar occultation experiments to correct for these distortions. The resulting enhanced radiation profile is found to be much closer to the true radiance profile than is the sampled output of the instrument.

Gomberg, R. I.

Generation of desired signals from acoustic drivers

A procedure to control transient signal generation is developed for the study of internal noise propagation from aircraft engines. A simple algorithm incorporating transform techniques is used to produce signals of any desired waveform from acoustic drivers. The accurate driver response is then calculated, and from this the limiting frequency characteristics are determined and the undesirable frequencies where the driver response is poor are eliminated from the analysis. A synthesized signal is then produced by convolving the inverse of the response function with the desired signal. Although the shape of the synthesized signal is in general quite awkward, the driver generates the desired signal when the distorted signal is fed into the driver. The results of operating the driver in two environments, in a free field and in a duct, are presented in order to show the impedance matching effect of the driver. In addition, results using a high frequency cut-off value as a parameter is presented in order to demonstrate the extent of the applicability of the synthesis procedure. It is concluded that the desired signals can be generated through the signal synthesis procedure.

Ramakrishnan, R.

On the dynamic response of pressure transmission lines in the research of helium-charged free piston Stirling engines

In free piston Stirling engine research the integrity of both amplitude and phase of the dynamic pressure measurements is critical to the characterization of cycle dynamics and thermodynamics. It is therefore necessary to appreciate all possible sources of signal distortion when designing pressure measurement systems for this type of research. The signal distortion inherent to pressure transmission lines is discussed. Based on results from classical analysis, guidelines are formulated to describe the dynamic response properties of a volume-terminated transmission tube for applications involving helium-charged free piston Stirling engines. The scope and limitations of the dynamic response analysis are considered.

Miller, Eric L.

Physics-guided dual implicit neural representations for source separation

Significant challenges exist in efficient data analysis of most advanced experimental and observational techniques because the collected signals often include unwanted contributions, such as background and signal distortions, that can obscure the physically relevant information of interest. To address this, we have developed a self-supervised machine-learning approach for source separation using a dual implicit neural representation framework that jointly trains two neural networks: one for approximating distortions of the physical signal of interest and the other for learning the effective background contribution. Our method learns directly from the raw data by minimizing a reconstruction-based loss function without requiring labeled data or pre-defined dictionaries. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework by considering a challenging case study involving large-scale simulated, as well as experimental, momentum-energy-dependent inelastic neutron scattering data in a four-dimensional parameter space, characterized by heterogeneous background contributions and unknown distortions to the target signal. The method is found to successfully separate physically meaningful signals from a complex or structured background even when the signal characteristics vary across all four dimensions of the parameter space. An analytical approach that informs the choice of the regularization parameter is presented. Our method offers a versatile framework for addressing source separation problems across diverse domains, ranging from superimposed signals in astronomical measurements to structural features in biomedical image reconstructions.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

Distortion Of Pressure Signals In Pneumatic Tubes

NASA technical memorandum describes experimental investigation of distorting effects of propagation of pressure signals along narrow pneumatic tubes from pressure-sensing orifices on surfaces of models or aircraft to pressure sensors distant from orifices. Pressure signals distorted principally by frictional damping along walls of tubes and by reflections at orifice and sensor ends.

Whitmore, Stephen A.

Noncoherent sampling technique for communications parameter estimations

This paper presents a method of noncoherent demodulation of the PSK signal for signal distortion analysis at the RF interface. The received RF signal is downconverted and noncoherently sampled for further off-line processing. Any mismatch in phase and frequency is then compensated for by the software using the estimation techniques to extract the baseband waveform, which is needed in measuring various signal parameters. In this way, various kinds of modulated signals can be treated uniformly, independent of modulation format, and additional distortions introduced by the receiver or the hardware measurement instruments can thus be eliminated. Quantization errors incurred by digital sampling and ensuing software manipulations are analyzed and related numerical results are presented also.

Su, Y. T.

An experimental investigation of compressor stall using an on-line distortion indicator and signal conditioner

The relation of the steady-state and dynamic distortions and the stall margin of a J85-13 turbojet engine was investigated. A distortion indicator capable of computing two distortion indices was used. A special purpose signal conditioner was also used as an interface between transducer signals and distortion indicator. A good correlation of steady-state distortion and stall margin was established. The prediction of stall by using the indices as instantaneous distortion indicators was not successful. A sensitivity factor that related the loss of stall margin to the turbulence level was found.

Costakis, W. G.

Estimating Fluctuating Pressures From Distorted Measurements

Two algorithms extract estimates of time-dependent input (upstream) pressures from outputs of pressure sensors located at downstream ends of pneumatic tubes. Effect deconvolutions that account for distoring effects of tube upon pressure signal. Distortion of pressure measurements by pneumatic tubes also discussed in "Distortion of Pressure Signals in Pneumatic Tubes," (ARC-12868). Varying input pressure estimated from measured time-varying output pressure by one of two deconvolution algorithms that take account of measurement noise. Algorithms based on minimum-covariance (Kalman filtering) theory.

Whitmore, Stephen A.

Intelligent information extraction from reflectance spectra Absorption band positions

A multiple high-order derivative analysis algorithm has been developed which can automatically extract absorption band positions from low-quality reflectance spectra with little degredation of accuracy. Overlapping bands with comparable widths and intensities can be resolved whose centers are as close as 0.3-0.5 W, with safer resolution limits of 0.6-1.0 W band center separations suggested for overlapping bands that are dissimilar. The segment length for smoothing is continually adjusted to about 0.5 W to minimize signal distortion, and a spectral pattern recognition algorithm predicts the signal spectrum and calculates approximate W across the spectrum using its second derivative. A single-pass cubic spline is applied to the smoothed data, and a sliding segment sixth-order polynomial is fit to the spectrum, with the length of the segment being continuously locally adjusted to 1.0 W across the spectrum. Good reliability and consistency of the algorithm is demonstrated with application to laboratory and earth-based telescope spectra.

Huguenin, R. L.

Advanced study of video signal processing in low signal to noise environments

Conventional analytical techniques used to determine and optimize phase-lock loop (PLL) characteristics are most often based on a model which is valid only if the intermediate frequency (IF) filter bandwidth is large compared to the PLL bandwidth and the phase error is small. An improved model (called the quasi-linear model) is developed which takes into account small IF filter bandwidths and nonlinear effects associated with large phase errors. By comparison of theoretical and experimental results it is demonstrated that the quasi-linear model accurately predicts PLL characteristics. This is true even for small IF filter bandwidths and large phase errors where the conventional model is invalid. The theoretical and experimental results are used to draw conclusions concerning threshold, multiplier output variance, phase error variance, output signal-to-noise ratio, and signal distortion. The relationship between these characteristics and IF filter bandwidth, modulating signal spectrum, and rms deviation is also determined.

Carden, F.

Strainmeters and tiltmeters in geophysics

Several types of sensitive strainmeters and tiltmeters have been developed, and it is now becoming clear which geophysical applications are most suitable for these instruments. In general, strainmeters and tiltmeters are used for observing ground deformation at periods of minutes to days. Small-scale lateral inhomogeneities at the instrument sites distort signals by a few percent, although the effects of large structures can be calculated. In earth tide work these lateral inhomogeneities and unknown ocean loading signals prevent accurate values of the regional tide from being obtained. This limits tidal investigations to looking for temporal variations, possibly associated with pre-earthquake dilatancy, and spatial variations caused by gross elasticity contrasts in the local geological structure. Strainmeters and tiltmeters are well suited for observing long-period seismic waves, seismic slip events on faults and volcano tumescence, where small site-induced distortions in the measured signals are seldom important.

Goulty, N. R.