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Technique permits redundant computers, with one unit in control mode and one in MONITOR mode, to interrogate the same serial data source. Its use for program-controlled serial data transfer results in extremely simple hardware and software mechanization.
A method for calculating arbitrary-order diffraction efficiencies of thick, lossless transmission gratings with arbitrary periodic grating shapes has been developed. A Fourier-series representation of the grating is employed, along with a coupled-mode theory of diffraction. For illustration, numerical values of the diffraction efficiencies at the first three Bragg angles are calculated for sinusoidal, square-wave, triangular, and saw-tooth gratings. Numerical results for the same grating shapes with the same parameters are also calculated for comparison, by extending Burckhardt's numerical method for analyzing thick sinusoidal gratings. The comparison shows that the coupled-mode theory provides results with relative computational ease and results that are in agreement with calculations obtained by extending the more-rigorous Burckhardt theory to nonsinusoidal grating shapes and to higher-order Bragg angles.
The closely-related problems of designing reliable feedback stabilization strategy and coordinating decentralized feedbacks are considered. Two approaches are taken. A geometric characterization of the structure of control interaction (and its dual) was first attempted and a concept of structural homomorphism developed based on the idea of 'similarity' of interaction pattern. The idea of finding classes of individual feedback maps that do not 'interfere' with the stabilizing action of each other was developed by identifying the structural properties of nondestabilizing and LQ-optimal feedback maps. Some known stability properties of LQ-feedback were generalized and some partial solutions were provided to the reliable stabilization and decentralized feedback coordination problems. A concept of coordination parametrization was introduced, and a scheme for classifying different modes of decentralization (information, control law computation, on-line control implementation) in control systems was developed.
A computerized system for preliminary sizing and analysis of aircraft wing and fuselage structures was described. The system is based upon repeated application of analytical program modules, which are interactively interfaced and sequence-controlled during the iterative design process with the aid of design-oriented graphics software modules. The entire process is initiated and controlled via low-cost interactive graphics terminals driven by a remote computer in a time-sharing mode.
The mode 1 stress intensity factors were computed for round compact specimens by the boundary collocation method. Results are presented for ratios A sub T/R sub 0 in the range 0.3 to 0.8, where A sub t is the distance from the specimen center to the crack tip for a specimen of diameter 2R sub 0.
Implementation of the tridiagonal reduction method for real eigenvalue extraction in structural vibration and buckling problems is described. The basic concepts underlying the method are summarized and special features, such as the computation of error bounds and default modes of operation are discussed. In addition, the new user information and error messages and optional diagnostic output relating to the tridiagonal reduction method are presented. Some numerical results and initial experiences relating to usage in the NASTRAN environment are provided, including comparisons with other existing NASTRAN eigenvalue methods.
A combined thermochemical cycle analysis computer program was designed. Input to the combined program is the same as input to the thermochemical cycle analysis program except that the extent of the reactions need not be specified. The combined program is designed to be run interactively from a computer time-sharing terminal. This mode of operation allows correction or modification of the cycle to take place during cycle analysis. A group of 13 thermochemical cycles was used to test the combined program.
Methodical approaches to the design of inductors for use in LC filters and dc-to-dc converters using air gapped magnetic structures are presented. Methods for the analysis and design of full wave rectifier LC filter circuits operating with the inductor current in both the continuous conduction and the discontinuous conduction modes are also described. In the continuous conduction mode, linear circuit analysis techniques are employed, while in the case of the discontinuous mode, the method of analysis requires computer solutions of the piecewise linear differential equations which describe the filter in the time domain. Procedures for designing filter inductors using air gapped cores are presented. The first procedure requires digital computation to yield a design which is optimized in the sense of minimum core volume and minimum number of turns. The second procedure does not yield an optimized design as defined above, but the design can be obtained by hand calculations or with a small calculator. The third procedure is based on the use of specially prepared magnetic core data and provides an easy way to quickly reach a workable design.
Mode I stress intensity factors were computed for round compact specimens by the boundary collocation method. Results are presented for ratios At/R0 in the range 0.3 to 0.8, where At is the distance from the specimen center to the crack tip for a specimen of diameter 2R0.
The model is a combined, steady-state cardiovascular and thermal model. It was originally developed for interactive use, but was converted to batch mode simulation for the Sigma 3 computer. The model has the purpose to compute steady-state circulatory and thermal variables in response to exercise work loads and environmental factors. During a computer simulation run, several selected variables are printed at each time step. End conditions are also printed at the completion of the run.
The Timeline Resource Analysis Program (TRAP), developed for scheduling and timelining problems, is described. Given an activity network, TRAP generates timeline plots, resource histograms, and tabular summaries of the network, schedules, and resource levels. It is written in ANSI FORTRAN for the Honeywell SIGMA 5 computer and operates in the interactive mode using the TEKTRONIX 4014-1 graphics terminal. The input network file may be a standard SIGMA 5 file or one generated using the Interactive Graphics Design System. The timeline plots can be displayed in two orderings: according to the sequence in which the tasks were read on input, and a waterfall sequence in which the tasks are ordered by start time. The input order is especially meaningful when the network consists of several interacting subnetworks. The waterfall sequence is helpful in assessing the project status at any point in time.
The reduction of the O(cu epsilon) integro differential equations to ordinary differential equations using a set of orthogonal functions is described. Attention was focused on the hover flight condition. The set of Galerkin integrals that appear in the reduced equations was evaluated by making use of nonrotating beam modes. Although a large amount of computer time was needed to accomplish this task, the Galerkin integrals so evaluated were stored on tape on a permanent basis. Several of the coefficients were also obtained in closed form in order to check the accuracy of the numerical computations. The equilibrium solution to the set of 3n equations obtained was determined as the solution to a minimization problem.
A transformation of variables taken from singular perturbations may be applied to two-time-scale linear systems in state space form to reduce the system to block-diagonal form with slow and fast modes decoupled. The transformation is easily computed by applying the new Riccati iteration. The iteration yields a solution to the nonsymmetric algebraic Riccati equation obtained by partitioning the original system matrix A. The numerical procedure is initiated with the trivial iterate L(0) = 0, and is globally convergent to the desired unique time scale decoupling solution. After transformation, the decoupled system may be used in controller design to achieve exact closed loop pole placement in the slow subsystem without altering the poles of the fast subsystem. The decoupled form may also be used to reduce system order by wetting a small parameter to zero. Provided the fast subsystem is stable, the order reduction can be expected to yield a good approximation to the original system. These methods are demonstrated using the 16th order linear model of a turbofan engine.
Preliminary computations of the asymptotic p-mode frequency spacings, and their time derivatives, are presented for a grid of evolutionary models of the rapidly oscillating Ap ('roAp') stars. It is shown how the frequency spacings depend on stellar mass, metallicity, and evolutionary stage. The frequency spacings observed in two of the roAp stars indicate that they either are main-sequence objects or have evolved off of the main sequence, depending on how the pulsation spectrum is interpreted. A way to remove this ambiguity is suggested: secular evolutionary changes in the pulsation frequencies may be measurable if the roAp stars have evolved off of the main sequence. In principle, this determination may be made for the roAp star HR 1217 with existing data.
The application of a new efficient grid generation method in computational fluid dynamics is discussed. After 100 iterations, final grids were produced in about 110 seconds using a VAX 8650 computer in a time-shared mode. Using a SUN 3/50 workstation, a similar version of the program completed 100 iterations in about 15 minutes.
This paper presents a comparison of the measured and the computed spatial stability properties of an aspect ratio 2 supersonic shock free elliptic jet. The shock free nature of the elliptic jet provides an ideal test of validity of modeling the large scale coherent structures in the initial mixing region of noncircular supersonic jets with linear hydrodynamic stability theory. Both aerodynamic and acoustic data were measured. The data are used to compute the mean velocity profiles and to provide a description of the spatial composition of pressure waves in the elliptic jet. A hybrid numerical scheme is applied to solve the Rayleigh problem governing the inviscid linear spatial stability of the jet. The measured mean velocity profiles are used to provide a qualitative model for the cross sectional geometry and the smooth velocity profiles used in the stability analysis. Computational results are presented for several modes of instability at two jet cross sections. The acoustic measurements show that a varicose instability is the jet's perferred mode of motion. The stability analysis predicts that the Strouhal number varies linearly as a function of axial distance in the jet's initial mixing region, which is in good qualitative agreement with previous measurements.
The Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) project at the Goddard Space Flight Center is developing an advanced telerobotic system to assist in and reduce crew extravehicular activity (EVA) for Space Station Freedom (SSF). The FTS will provide a telerobotic capability in the early phases of the SSF program and will be employed for assembly, maintenance, and inspection applications. The current state of space technology and the general nature of the FTS tasks dictate that the FTS be designed with sophisticated teleoperational capabilities for its internal primary operating mode. However, technologies such as advanced computer vision and autonomous planning techniques would greatly enhance the FTS capabilities to perform autonomously in less structured work environments. Another objective of the FTS program is to accelerate technology transfer from research to U.S. industry.
The disturbance wave pattern produced by a harmonic point source in a compressible flat-plate boundary layer is computed using linear stability theory and direct numerical integration approach. Receptivity coefficients are computed for the spectrum of spanwise modes generated at the source. The effect of boundary layer growth on the development of linear waves is determined by using the method of multiple scales. Results are presented for Mach numbers of 0, 2, 4.5, and 7. It is found that disturbances spread in wedge-shaped regions behind the source and the wedge angle decreases with Mach number. The lateral spreading angle for the instability waves turns out to be quite close to the angle found experimentally for turbulence lateral contamination.