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At least 217 records · Page 12

Kalman filter modeling

The formulation of appropriate state-space models for Kalman filtering applications is studied. The so-called model is completely specified by four matrix parameters and the initial conditions of the recursive equations. Once these are determined, the die is cast, and the way in which the measurements are weighted is determined foreverafter. Thus, finding a model that fits the physical situation at hand is all important. Also, it is often the most difficult aspect of designing a Kalman filter. Formulation of discrete state models from the spectral density and ARMA random process descriptions is discussed. Finally, it is pointed out that many common processes encountered in applied work (such as band-limited white noise) simply do not lend themselves very well to Kalman filter modeling.

Brown, R. G.↗

Observation of arrival times of EAS with energies or = 6 x 10 (14) eV

The Earth's atmosphere is continually being bombarded by primary cosmic ray particles which are generally believed to be high-energy nuclei. The fact that the majority of cosmic ray primaries are charged particles and that space is permeated with random magnetic fields, means that the particles do not travel in straight lines. The arrival time distribution of EAS may also transfer some information about the primary particles. Actually, if the particles come to our Earth in a completely random process, the arrival time distribution of pairs of successive particles should fit an exponential law. The work reported here was arried out at Sydney University from May 1982 to January 1983. All the data are used to plot the arrival-time distribution of the events, that is, the distribution of time-separation between consecutive events on a 1 minute bin size. During this period more than 2300 showers were recorded. The results are discussed and compared with that of some other experiments.

Sun, L.↗

Nonlinear response - A time domain approach

The present paper reviews the basic concepts of nonlinear response of panels to surface flow and acoustic pressures, simulation of random processes, time domain solutions and the Monte Carlo Method. Applications of this procedure to the orbit-on-demand space vehicles, acoustic fatigue and composite materials are discussed. Numerical examples are included for a variety of nonlinear problems to illustrate the applicability of this method.

Vaicaitis, R.↗

Noise transmission into enclosures

This paper describes analytical and experimental studies of noise transmission into rectangular and cylindrical enclosures. The solutions of the governing acoustic-structural equations are developed by modal decomposition of structural vibrations and the interior acoustic field. Particular attention is directed toward the low frequencies, that is, frequencies up through the first few structural and cavity resonant modes. The structural vibrations are driven by the external acoustic and/or mechanical point loads which are taken to be Gaussian stationary random processes. The structural models include rectangular panels and cylindrical shells.

Vaicaitis, R.↗

Acoustic fatigue - A Monte Carlo approach

The present paper reviews the basic concepts of nonlinear structural response to surface flow and acoustic pressure inputs. A time domain solution and the Monte Carlo method are utilized to estimate the required statistics of the nonlinear response. Simulation procedures of multi-dimensional and multi-variate random processes are discussed. Application of these procedures to acoustic fatigue of flight structures are considered. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the applicability of this method for the solution of nonlinear problems.

Vaicaitis, R.↗

Irregular and diurnal variability in asynoptic measurements of stratospheric trace species

The consequences of irregular and diurnal variability on the interpretation of asynoptic measurements of stratospheric trace species are explored. In particular, the fidelity with which the continuous behavior may be recovered from discrete asynoptic measurements is examined. Dynamically created tracer variability in the form of an advected space-time random process is discussed. Diagnostics such as power spectra and time-mean fields are derived asynoptically and compared with the true behavior. Diurnal variations of a photochemically active species are considered, describing variability in terms of a solar waveform which propagates through a latitudinal envelope. Several diagnostics of the behavior are derived asynoptically and compared with the true variability.

Salby, Murry L.↗

Karhunen-Loeve expansion of Burgers' model of turbulence

The properties of the Karhunen-Loeve expansion of a strongly inhomogeneous random process are examined with emphasis on applications to turbulent flow fields. The ability of the KL expansion to represent functions that have both slow and rapid variations in a relatively small number of expansion terms is tested on a one-dimensional model based on the forced Burgers' equation. The rate of the convergence of the expansion is evaluated, and its dependence on the Reynolds number is determined. It is shown that the KL eigenfunctions possess wall boundary layers attached to outer structures that are independent of the Reynolds number (at high Reynolds numbers). It is also shown that the spectrum of eigenvalues is broad at large Reynolds numbers, requiring many terms to represent higher-order derivatives of the function.

Chambers, D. H.↗

Modelling the SIR-B image response to partially coherent seas

A mathematical model of transient seas modulated by coherent swells is developed as a Rayleigh-Poisson random process subject to deterministic correlations of scattering sites, as they appear in a time window defined by a SAR's range-Doppler measurements of the surface coordinates. This model of SAR response to sea surface dynamics is discussed as a Fourier domain predictor/corrector of a dynamic motion blur.

Tilley, D. G.↗

Recent activities within the Aeroservoelasticity Branch at the NASA Langley Research Center

The objective of research in aeroservoelasticity at the NASA Langley Research Center is to enhance the modeling, analysis, and multidisciplinary design methodologies for obtaining multifunction digital control systems for application to flexible flight vehicles. Recent accomplishments are discussed, and a status report on current activities within the Aeroservoelasticity Branch is presented. In the area of modeling, improvements to the Minimum-State Method of approximating unsteady aerodynamics are shown to provide precise, low-order aeroservoelastic models for design and simulation activities. Analytical methods based on Matched Filter Theory and Random Process Theory to provide efficient and direct predictions of the critical gust profile and the time-correlated gust loads for linear structural design considerations are also discussed. Two research projects leading towards improved design methodology are summarized. The first program is developing an integrated structure/control design capability based on hierarchical problem decomposition, multilevel optimization and analytical sensitivities. The second program provides procedures for obtaining low-order, robust digital control laws for aeroelastic applications. In terms of methodology validation and application the current activities associated with the Active Flexible Wing project are reviewed.

Noll, Thomas E.↗

Sampling inhomogeneous turbulent fields

The reconstruction of an inhomogeneous random process from a finite number of discrete samples can be performed in terms of the Karhunen-Loeve (KL) expansion for that process. The n(th) eigenfunction has n - 1 zero crossings which are the sampling points for the inhomogeneous process. The rapid variation of the KL eigenfunctions makes it unnecessary to have a high density of sampling (or grid points) near the wall. However, this result should not be construed to indicate that with spectral simulations significantly fewer grid points are required with the KL expansion as compared to other orthogonal expansions. Moin and Moser (1989) have shown that the advantage of the KL expansion over Chebychev expansion rapidly diminishes when high percentage (say 90 percent) energy recovery is demanded.

Adrian, R. J.↗

Aeroservoelasticity

Accomplishments and current research projects along four main thrusts in aeroservoelasticity at the NASA Langley Research Center are described. One activity focuses on enhancing the modelling and the analysis procedures to accurately predict aeroservoelastic interactions. In the area of modelling, improvements to the minimum-state method of approximating unsteady aerodynamics are shown to provide precise, low-order models for design and simulation tasks. Recent extensions in aerodynamic correction factor methodology are also described. With respect to analysis procedures, the paper reviews novel enhancements to Matched Filter Theory and Random Process Theory for predicting the critical gust profile and the associated time-correlated gust loads for structural design considerations. In another activity, two research projects leading towards improved design capability are summarized. The first program involves the development of an integrated structure/control design capability; the second provides procedures for obtaining low-order, robust digital control laws for aeroelastic applications. Experimental validation of new theoretical developments is the third activity. As such, a short description of the Active Flexible Wing Project is presented, and recent wind-tunnel test accomplishments are summarized. Finally within the area of application, a study performed to assess the state-of-the-art of aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic analysis and design technology with respect to hot, hypersonic flight vehicles is reviewed.

Noll, Thomas E.↗

Aeroservoelasticity

The paper describes recent accomplishments and current research projects along four main thrusts in aeroservoelasticity at NASA Langley. One activity focuses on enhancing the modeling and analysis procedures to accurately predict aeroservoelastic interactions. Improvements to the minimum-state method of approximating unsteady aerodynamics are shown to provide precise low-order models for design and simulation tasks. Recent extensions in aerodynamic correction-factor methodology are also described. With respect to analysis procedures, the paper reviews novel enhancements to matched filter theory and random process theory for predicting the critical gust profile and the associated time-correlated gust loads for structural design considerations. Two research projects leading towards improved design capability are also summarized: (1) an integrated structure/control design capability and (2) procedures for obtaining low-order robust digital control laws for aeroelastic applications.

Noll, Thomas E.↗

Stationary and nonstationary random vibrations of laminated composite plates via a higher order theory

Higher order shear deformation theory is utilized to study he weakly stationary and nonstationary random vibrations of cross-ply laminated plates. Normal mode method, in conjunction with the biorthogonality condition, for the nonsymmetric differential equations is applied. Detailed derivation is given for the governing equations, biorthogonality condition, the generalized mass and the generalized forces. Results are listed for a plate which is simply supported at all the edges, and subjected to a point load which is either timewise stationary or nonstationary random process.

Elishakoff, Isaac↗

Recent activities within the aeroservoelasticity branch at the NASA Langley Research Center

The objective of research in aeroservoelasticity at the NASA Langley Research Center is to enhance the modeling, analysis, and multidisciplinary design methodologies for obtaining multifunction digital control systems for application to flexible flight vehicles. Recent accomplishments are discussed, and a status report on current activities within the Aeroservoelasticity Branch is presented. In the area of modeling, improvements to the Minimum-State Method of approximating unsteady aerodynamics are shown to provide precise, low-order aeroservoelastic models for design and simulation activities. Analytical methods based on Matched Filter Theory and Random Process Theory to provide efficient and direct predictions of the critical gust profile and the time-correlated gust loads for linear structural design considerations are also discussed. Two research projects leading towards improved design methodology are summarized. The first program is developing an integrated structure/control design capability based on hierarchical problem decomposition, multilevel optimization and analytical sensitivities. The second program provides procedures for obtaining low-order, robust digital control laws for aeroelastic applications. In terms of methodology validation and application the current activities associated with the Active Flexible Wing project are reviewed.

Noll, Thomas↗

Noise power spectral density of the Sundstrand QA-2000 accelerometer

There are no good data on low frequency (less than 0.1 Hz) power spectral density (PSD) for the Q-Flex accelerometer. However, some preliminary stability measurements were made over periods of 12 to 24 hours and demonstrated stability less than 0.5 micro-g over greater than 12 hours. The test data appear to contain significant contributions from temperature variations at that level, so the true sensor contribution may be less than that. If what was seen could be construed as a true random process, it would correspond to about 0.1 micro-g rms over a bandwidth from 10(exp -5) Hz to about 1 Hz. Other studies of low frequency PSD in flexure accelerometers have indicated that material aging effects tend to approximate a first order Markhov process. If we combine such a model with the spectrum obtained at higher frequencies, it suggests the spectrum shown here as a conservative estimate of Q-Flex noise performance.

Peters, Rex↗

Digital test signal generation: An accurate SNR calibration approach for the DSN

A new method of generating analog test signals with accurate signal to noise ratios (SNRs) is described. High accuracy will be obtained by simultaneous generation of digital noise and signal spectra at a given baseband or bandpass limited bandwidth. The digital synthesis will provide a test signal embedded in noise with the statistical properties of a stationary random process. Accuracy will only be dependent on test integration time with a limit imposed by the system quantization noise (expected to be 0.02 dB). Setability will be approximately 0.1 dB. The first digital SNR generator to provide baseband test signals is being built and will be available in early 1991.

Gutierrez-Luaces, B. O.↗

Limits on the isolation of stochastic vibration for microgravity space experiments

The limitations on the isolation of stochastic vibrations for microgravity space experiments are explored. These limitations result from the restricted interior space available for vibration isolation. A one-degree-of-freedom representation of the experiment-spacecraft system is used, and an ideal vibration actuator is assumed. A kinematic representation results, and the problem becomes one of finding the minimum acceleration trajectory within a pair of stochastic walls. The wall motion is characterized by an ergodic, stationary, zero-mean, Gaussian random process with known power spectral density. The geometry of the wall trajectories is defined in terms of their significant extrema and zero crossings. This geomemtry is used in defining a composite trajectory that has a mean square acceleratiaon lower than that on the optimal path satisfying the stochastic wall inequality constraints. The optimal control problem is solved on a return path yielding the mean square acceleration in terms of the distributions of significant maxima and first-passage time of the wall process. The methodology is applied to a microgravity isolation problem to find the lower bounds on root-mean-square acceleration given the disturbance power spectral density.

Knospe, C. R.↗

Accounting for crustal magnetization in models of the core magnetic field

The problem of determining the magnetic field originating in the earth's core in the presence of remanent and induced magnetization is considered. The effect of remanent magnetization in the crust on satellite measurements of the core magnetic field is investigated. The crust as a zero-mean stationary Gaussian random process is modelled using an idea proposed by Parker (1988). It is shown that the matrix of second-order statistics is proportional to the Gram matrix, which depends only on the inner-products of the appropriate Green's functions, and that at a typical satellite altitude of 400 km the data are correlated out to an angular separation of approximately 15 deg. Accurate and efficient means of calculating the matrix elements are given. It is shown that the variance of measurements of the radial component of a magnetic field due to the crust is expected to be approximately twice that in horizontal components.

Jackson, Andrew↗