Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “non-Gaussian noise”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

32 records · Page 2

Non-Gaussian microwave background fluctuations from nonlinear gravitational effects

Whether the statistics of primordial fluctuations for structure formation are Gaussian or otherwise may be determined if the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Satellite makes a detection of the cosmic microwave-background temperature anisotropy delta T(sub CMB)/T(sub CMB). Non-Gaussian fluctuations may be generated in the chaotic inflationary model if two scalar fields interact nonlinearly with gravity. Theoretical contour maps are calculated for the resulting Sachs-Wolfe temperature fluctuations at large angular scales (greater than 3 degrees). In the long-wavelength approximation, one can confidently determine the nonlinear evolution of quantum noise with gravity during the inflationary epoch because: (1) different spatial points are no longer in causal contact; and (2) quantum gravity corrections are typically small-- it is sufficient to model the system using classical random fields. If the potential for two scalar fields V(phi sub 1, phi sub 2) possesses a sharp feature, then non-Gaussian fluctuations may arise. An explicit model is given where cold spots in delta T(sub CMB)/T(sub CMB) maps are suppressed as compared to the Gaussian case. The fluctuations are essentially scale-invariant.

Salopek, D. S.↗

Non-Gaussian approach for parametric random vibration of non-linear structures

The dynamic response of a nonlinear, single degree of freedom structural system subjected to a physically white noise parametric excitation is investigated. The Ito stochastic calculus is employed to derive a general differential equation for the moments of the response coordinates. The differential equations of moments of any order are found to be coupled with higher order moments. A non-Gaussian closure scheme is developed to truncate the moment equations up to fourth order. The statistical of the stationary response are computed numerically and compared with analytical solutions predicted by a Gaussian closure scheme and the stochastic averaging method. It is found that the computed results exhibit the jump phenomenon which is typical of the characteristics of deterministic nonlinear systems. In addition, the numerical algorithm leads to multiple solutions all of which give positive mean squares. However, two of these solutions are found to violate the properties of high order moments. One solution preserves the moments properties and demonstrates that the system achieves a stationary response.

Ibrahim, R. A.↗

Topology of microwave background fluctuations - Theory

Topological measures are used to characterize the microwave background temperature fluctuations produced by 'standard' scenarios (Gaussian) and by cosmic strings (non-Gaussian). Three topological quantities: total area of the excursion regions, total length, and total curvature (genus) of the isotemperature contours, are studied for simulated Gaussian microwave background anisotropy maps and then compared with those of the non-Gaussian anisotropy pattern produced by cosmic strings. In general, the temperature gradient field shows the non-Gaussian behavior of the string map more distinctively than the temperature field for all topology measures. The total contour length and the genus are found to be more sensitive to the existence of a stringy pattern than the usual temperature histogram. Situations when instrumental noise is superposed on the map, are considered to find the critical signal-to-noise ratio for which strings can be detected.

Gott, J. Richard, III↗

Improving the performance of soft decision Viterbi decoding in a non-Gaussian environment through non-linear quantization

The performance of Viterbi decoding in a non-Gaussian environment is investigated using a nonlinear quantization strategy. The channel model consists of a convolutionally encoded BPSK signal transmitted to a satellite where it is corrupted with additive white Gaussian noise and pulsed radio frequency interference (RFI). The resultant signal is then passed through a satellite nonlinearity and transmitted to a ground station where it is coherently detected. Interleaving is assumed in order to make the channel memoryless. The presence of RFI makes the channel statistics non-Gaussian, leading to a nonlinear log-likelihood function. A near optimum quantization scheme is found by maximizing a channel parameter, or by matching the quantizer to the log-likelihood function in a mean square error sense. Bit error rate performance improvement is achieved by using such nonlinear quantization.

Mcgregor, D. N.↗

Desensitized Optimal Filtering and Sensor Fusion Toolkit

Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc., has developed a software toolkit that filters and processes navigational data from multiple sensor sources. A key component of the toolkit is a trajectory optimization technique that reduces the sensitivity of Kalman filters with respect to model parameter uncertainties. The sensor fusion toolkit also integrates recent advances in adaptive Kalman and sigma-point filters for non-Gaussian problems with error statistics. This Phase II effort provides new filtering and sensor fusion techniques in a convenient package that can be used as a stand-alone application for ground support and/or onboard use. Its modular architecture enables ready integration with existing tools. A suite of sensor models and noise distribution as well as Monte Carlo analysis capability are included to enable statistical performance evaluations.

Karlgaard, Christopher D.↗

Stochastic inflation lattice simulations - Ultra-large scale structure of the universe

Non-Gaussian fluctuations for structure formation may arise in inflation from the nonlinear interaction of long wavelength gravitational and scalar fields. Long wavelength fields have spatial gradients, a (exp -1), small compared to the Hubble radius, and they are described in terms of classical random fields that are fed by short wavelength quantum noise. Lattice Langevin calculations are given for a toy model with a scalar field interacting with an exponential potential where one can obtain exact analytic solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation. For single scalar field models that are consistent with current microwave background fluctuations, the fluctuations are Gaussian. However, for scales much larger than our observable Universe, one expects large metric fluctuations that are non-Gaussian. This example illuminates non-Gaussian models involving multiple scalar fields which are consistent with current microwave background limits.

Salopek, D. S.↗

Predictive Attitude Estimation Using Global Positioning System Signals

In this paper, a new algorithm is developed for attitude estimation using Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The new algorithm is based on a predictive filtering scheme designed for spacecraft without rate measuring devices. The major advantage of this new algorithm over traditional Kalman filter approaches is that the model error is not assumed to represented by an unbiased Gaussian noise process with known covariance, but instead is determined during the estimation process. This is achieved by simultaneously solving system optimality conditions and an output error constraint. This approach is well suited for GPS attitude estimation since some error sources that contribute to attitude inaccuracy, such as signal multipath, are known to be non-Gaussian processes. Also, the predictive filter scheme can use either GPS signals or vector observations or a combination of both for attitude estimation, so that performance characteristics can be maintained during periods of GPS attitude sensor outage. The performance of the new algorithm is tested using flight data from the REX-2 spacecraft. Results are shown using the predictive filter to estimate the attitude from both GPS signals and magnetometer measurements, and comparing that solution to a magnetometer-only based solution. Results using the new estimation algorithm indicate that GPS-based solutions are verified to within 2 degrees using the magnetometer cross-check for the REX-2 spacecraft. GPS attitude accuracy of better than 1 degree is expected per axis, but cannot be reliably proven due to inaccuracies in the magnetic field model.

Crassidis, John L.↗

The topology of large-scale structure. II - Nonlinear evolution of Gaussian models

The evolution of non-Gaussian behavior in the large-scale universe from Gaussian initial conditions is studied. Topology measures developed in previous papers are applied to the smoothed initial, final, and biased matter distributions of cold dark matter, white noise, and massive neutrino simulations. When the smoothing length is approximately twice the mass correlation length or larger, the evolved models look like the initial conditions, suggesting that random phase hypotheses in cosmology can be tested with adequate data sets. When a smaller smoothing length is used, nonlinear effects are recovered, so nonlinear effects on topology can be detected in redshift surveys after smoothing at the mean intergalaxy separation. Hot dark matter models develop manifestly non-Gaussian behavior attributable to phase correlations, with a topology reminiscent of bubble or sheet distributions. Cold dark matter models remain Gaussian, and biasing does not disguise this.

Melott, Adrian L.↗

Comments on the statistical analysis of excess variance in the COBE differential microwave radiometer maps

Cosmic anisotrophy produces an excess variance sq sigma(sub sky) in the Delta maps produced by the Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR) on cosmic background explorer (COBE) that is over and above the instrument noise. After smoothing to an effective resolution of 10 deg, this excess sigma(sub sky)(10 deg), provides an estimate for the amplitude of the primordial density perturbation power spectrum with a cosmic uncertainty of only 12%. We employ detailed Monte Carlo techniques to express the amplitude derived from this statistic in terms of the universal root mean square (rms) quadrupole amplitude, (Q sq/RMS)(exp 0.5). The effects of monopole and dipole subtraction and the non-Gaussian shape of the DMR beam cause the derived (Q sq/RMS)(exp 0.5) to be 5%-10% larger than would be derived using simplified analytic approximations. We also investigate the properties of two other map statistics: the actual quadrupole and the Boughn-Cottingham statistic. Both the sigma(sub sky)(10 deg) statistic and the Boughn-Cottingham statistic are consistent with the (Q sq/RMS)(exp 0.5) = 17 +/- 5 micro K reported by Smoot et al. (1992) and Wright et al. (1992).

Wright, E. L.↗

Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Component-separated maps of CMB temperature and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

Optimal analyses of many signals in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) require map-level extraction of individual components in the microwave sky, rather than measurements at the power spectrum level alone. To date, nearly all map-level component separation in CMB analyses has been performed exclusively using satellite data. In this paper, we implement a component separation method based on the internal linear combination (ILC) approach which we have designed to optimally account for the anisotropic noise (in the 2D Fourier domain) often found in ground-based CMB experiments. Using this method, we combine multi-frequency data from the Planck satellite and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarimeter (ACTPol) to construct the first wide area (≈2100 sq. deg.), arcminute-resolution component-separated maps of the CMB temperature anisotropy and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect sourced by the inverse-Compton scattering of CMB photons off hot, ionized gas. Our ILC pipeline allows for explicit deprojection of various contaminating signals, including a modified blackbody approximation of the cosmic infrared background (CIB) spectral energy distribution. The cleaned CMB maps will be a useful resource for CMB lensing reconstruction, kinematic SZ cross-correlations, and primordial non-Gaussianity studies. The tSZ maps will be used to study the pressure pro les of galaxies, groups, and clusters through cross-correlations with halo catalogs, with dust contamination controlled via CIB deprojection. The data products described in this paper are available on LAMBDA.

Mathew S. Madhavacheril↗

An efficient system for reliably transmitting image and video data over low bit rate noisy channels

This research project is intended to develop an efficient system for reliably transmitting image and video data over low bit rate noisy channels. The basic ideas behind the proposed approach are the following: employ statistical-based image modeling to facilitate pre- and post-processing and error detection, use spare redundancy that the source compression did not remove to add robustness, and implement coded modulation to improve bandwidth efficiency and noise rejection. Over the last six months, progress has been made on various aspects of the project. Through our studies of the integrated system, a list-based iterative Trellis decoder has been developed. The decoder accepts feedback from a post-processor which can detect channel errors in the reconstructed image. The error detection is based on the Huber Markov random field image model for the compressed image. The compression scheme used here is that of JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). Experiments were performed and the results are quite encouraging. The principal ideas here are extendable to other compression techniques. In addition, research was also performed on unequal error protection channel coding, subband vector quantization as a means of source coding, and post processing for reducing coding artifacts. Our studies on unequal error protection (UEP) coding for image transmission focused on examining the properties of the UEP capabilities of convolutional codes. The investigation of subband vector quantization employed a wavelet transform with special emphasis on exploiting interband redundancy. The outcome of this investigation included the development of three algorithms for subband vector quantization. The reduction of transform coding artifacts was studied with the aid of a non-Gaussian Markov random field model. This results in improved image decompression. These studies are summarized and the technical papers included in the appendices.

Costello, Daniel J., Jr.↗

Microwave background fluctuations due to the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects in pancakes

We calculate distortions in the microwave background radiation from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, produced by hot gas in large (approximately 100 Mpc) pancakes. The large-scale distribution of the pancakes is taken to be that of a Voronoi foam. Fluctuations for this scenario are estimated to be on the order of delta T/T is approximately 10(exp -5). Using computer simulations, we produce several 32 deg x 32 deg images with 0.25 deg resolution. These images show characteristic linear features produced when a pancake is viewed nearly edge-on. By calculating the two-point and the degenerate three-point correlation functions, we are able to statistically detect such non-Gaussian features even in the presence of a relatively large amount of Gaussian noise. The degenerate three-point correlation function is found to be particularly useful since it is insensitive to correlated Gaussian noise. We also smooth our data over a 7 deg Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) Gaussian window to simulate the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) observations. We find that under such low-resolution conditions, the features are highly suppressed.

Subbarao, M. U.↗

Plasma Diffusion in Self-Consistent Fluctuations

The problem of particle diffusion in position space, as a consequence ofeleclromagnetic fluctuations is addressed. Numerical results obtained with a self-consistent hybrid code are presented, and a method to calculate diffusion coefficient in the direction perpendicular to the mean magnetic field is proposed. The diffusion is estimated for two different types of fluctuations. The first type (resuiting from an agyrotropic in itiai setting)is stationary, wide band white noise, and associated to Gaussian probability distribution function for the magnetic fluctuations. The second type (result ing from a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability) is non-stationary, with a power-law spectrum, and a non-Gaussian probabi lity distribution function. The results of the study allow revisiting the question of loading particles of solar wind origin in the Earth magnetosphere.

Smets, R.↗

A Communication Channel Density Estimating Generative Adversarial Network

Autoencoder-based communication systems use neural network channel models to backwardly propagate message reconstruction error gradients across an approximation of the physical communication channel. In this work, we develop and test a new generative adversarial network (GAN) architecture for the purpose of training a stochastic channel approximating neural network. In previous research, investigators have focused on additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels and/or simplified Rayleigh fading channels, both of which are linear and have well defined analytic solutions. Given that training a neural network is computationally expensive, channel approximation networks— and more generally the autoencoder systems—should be evaluated in communication environments that are traditionally difficult. To that end, our investigation focuses on channels that contain a combination of non-linear amplifier distortion, pulse shape filtering, intersymbol interference, frequency-dependent group delay, multipath, and non-Gaussian statistics. Each of our models are trained without any prior knowledge of the channel. We show that the trained models have learned to generalize over an arbitrary amplifier drive level and constellation alphabet. We demonstrate the versatility of our GAN architecture by comparing the marginal probability density function of several channel simulations with that of their corresponding neural network approximations

Smith, Aaron↗