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At least 127 records · Page 7

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Ground Validation: Plans and Preparations

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) program is an international partnership led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). GPM will improve climate, weather, and hydro-meteorological forecasts through more frequent and more accurate measurement of precipitation across the globe. This paper describes the concept, the planning, and the preparations for Ground Validation within the GPM program. Ground Validation (GV) plays an important role in the program by investigating and quantitatively assessing the errors within the satellite retrievals. These quantitative estimates of retrieval errors will assist the scientific community by bounding the errors within their research products. The two fundamental requirements of the GPM Ground Validation program are: (1) error characterization of the precipitation retrievals and (2) continual improvement of the satellite retrieval algorithms. These two driving requirements determine the measurements, instrumentation, and location for ground observations. This paper outlines GV plans for estimating the systematic and random components of retrieval error and for characterizing the spatial p d temporal structure of the error and plans for algorithm improvement in which error models are developed and experimentally explored to uncover the physical causes of errors within the retrievals. This paper discusses NASA locations for GV measurements as well as anticipated locations from international GPM partners. NASA's primary locations for validation measurements are an oceanic site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and a continental site in north-central Oklahoma at the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program site.

Schwaller, M.↗

Design of LQG controllers with reduced parameter sensitivity

A method is presented for improving the tolerance of LQG controllers to parameter errors. The improvement is achieved by introducing terms reflecting the structure of the errors into the LQR cost function and the process and measurement noise models. Adjusting the sizes of these additional terms permits a tradeoff between robustness and nominal performance.

Lin, J. Y.↗

Integrated Modeling Activities for the James Webb Space Telescope: Optical Jitter Analysis

This is a continuation of a series of papers on the integrated modeling activities for the James Webb Space Telescope(JWST). Starting with the linear optical model discussed in part one, and using the optical sensitivities developed in part two, we now assess the optical image motion and wavefront errors from the structural dynamics. This is often referred to as "jitter: analysis. The optical model is combined with the structural model and the control models to create a linear structural/optical/control model. The largest jitter is due to spacecraft reaction wheel assembly disturbances which are harmonic in nature and will excite spacecraft and telescope structural. The structural/optic response causes image quality degradation due to image motion (centroid error) as well as dynamic wavefront error. Jitter analysis results are used to predict imaging performance, improve the structural design, and evaluate the operational impact of the disturbance sources.

Hyde, T. Tupper↗

The effect of sensor and actuator errors on static shape control for large space structures

An analytical study was performed to predict and assess the effect of actuator and sensor errors on the performance of a shape control procedure for flexible space structures using applied temperatures. Approximate formulas were derived for the expected value and variance of the rms distortion ratio (ratio of rms distortions with and without corrections) based on the assumption of zero-mean normally distributed random errors in measured distortions and actuator output temperatures. Studies were carried out for a 55-meter radiometer antenna reflector distorted from its ideal parabolic shape by nonuniform orbital heating. The first study consisted of varying the sensor and actuator errors for the case of 12 actuators and computing the distortion ratio. In the second study, sensor and actuator errors were prescribed and the effect of increasing the number of actuators was evaluated.

Haftka, R. T.↗

Effect of sensor and actuator errors on static shape control for large space structures

An analytical study was performed to predict and assess the effect of actuator and sensor errors on the performance of a shape control procedure for flexible space structures using applied temperatures. Approximate formulas were derived for the expected value and variance of the rms distortion ratio (ratio of rms distortions with and without corrections) based on the assumption of zero-mean normally distributed random errors in measured distortions and actuator output temperatures. Studies were carried out for a 55-meter radiometer antenna reflector distorted from its ideal parabolic shape by nonuniform orbital heating. The first study consisted of varying the sensor and actuator errors for the case of 12 actuators and computing the distortion ratio. In the second study, sensor and actuator errors were prescribed and the effect of increasing the number of actuators was evaluated.

Haftka, Raphael T.↗

A structure for digital notch filters

Narrow-band digital notch filters have their poles near the unit circle. As the sampling rate is increased, the poles move towards Z = +1. Implementing such filters requires long registers to overcome the sensitivity and roundoff errors. A filter structure based on digital incremental computers is proposed which has low sensitivity and round-off errors, and simple hardware implementation. The filter structure can be directly used on differentially pulse-code modulated signals. Hardware multipliers are not required as the poles approach z = +1, and excellent results can be obtained using multipliers with very short word lengths, or with small size read-only memories.

Abu-El-haija, A. I.↗

Miniature pressure transducer for stressed member application

Miniature pressure transducer responds to static or dynamic pressures acting against a structural surface without introducing errors caused by stresses in the structural surface. This is accomplished by a thin stainless steel pressure sensing diaphragm with an attached foil strain gage.

Walker, R. R.↗

Estimation of parameters in linear structural relationships: Sensitivity to the choice of the ratio of error variances

Maximum likelihood estimation of parameters in linear structural relationships under normality assumptions requires knowledge of one or more of the model parameters if no replication is available. The most common assumption added to the model definition is that the ratio of the error variances of the response and predictor variates is known. The use of asymptotic formulae for variances and mean squared errors as a function of sample size and the assumed value for the error variance ratio is investigated.

Lakshminarayanan, M. Y.↗

Estimation of parameters in linear structural relationships Sensitivity to the choice of the ratio of error variances

Maximum likelihood estimation of parameters in linear structural relationships under normality assumptions requires knowledge of one or more of the model parameters if no replication is available. The most common assumption added to the model definition is that the ratio of the error variances of the response and predictor variates is known. This paper investigates the use of asymptotic formulae for variances and mean squared errors as a function of sample size and the assumed value for the error variance ratio.

Lakshminarayanan, M. Y.↗

Influence of fabrication tolerances on the surface accuracy of large antenna structures

One of the sources of error in radio frequency antennas is the lack of dimensional precision of the surface. This paper presents an approach for estimating the amount of error caused by random dimensional imperfections of the many structural elements which make up a truss-type antenna. A principle of equivalence between the analyses of statistical errors and of the natural vibration frequencies of the structure is developed. Examples are presented to show the application of this equivalence principle to the determination of average surface errors of several types and proportions of antenna structures.

Hedgepeth, J. M.↗

Reducing distortion and internal forces in truss structures by member exchanges

Manufacturing errors in the length of members or joint diameters of large truss reflector backup structures may result in unacceptable large distortion errors or member forces. However, it may be possible to accurately measure these length or diameter errors. The present work suggests that a member and joint placement strategy may be used to reduce distortion errors and internal member forces. A member and joint exchange algorithm is used to demonstrate the potential of this approach on several 102-member and 660-member truss reflector structures. It is shown that it is possible to simultaneously reduce the rms of the surface error and the rms of member forces by two orders of magnitude by member and joint exchanges.

Greene, William H.↗

Reducing distortion and internal forces in truss structures by member exchanges

Manufacturing errors in the length of members or joint diameters of large truss reflector backup structures may result in unacceptable large distortion errors or member forces. However, it may be possible to accurately measure these length or diameter errors. The present work suggests that a member and joint placement strategy may be used to reduce distortion errors and internal member forces. A member and joint exchange algorithm is used to demonstrate the potential of this approach on several 102-member and 660-member truss reflector structures. It is shown that it is possible to simultaneously reduce the rms of the surface error and the rms of member forces by two orders of magnitude by member and joint exchanges.

Greene, William H.↗

An improved pi/4-QPSK with nonredundant error correction for satellite mobile broadcasting

An improved pi/4-quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) receiver that incorporates a simple nonredundant error correction (NEC) structure is proposed for satellite and land-mobile digital broadcasting. The bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the pi/4-QPSK with NEC is analyzed and evaluated in a fast Rician fading and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) environment using computer simulation. It is demonstrated that with simple electronics the performance of a noncoherently detected pi/4-QPSK signal in both AWGN and fast Rician fading can be improved. When the K-factor (a ratio of average power of multipath signal to direct path power) of the Rician channel decreases, the improvement increases. An improvement of 1.2 dB could be obtained at a BER of 0.0001 in the AWGN channel. This performance gain is achieved without requiring any signal redundancy and additional bandwidth. Three types of noncoherent detection schemes of pi/4-QPSK with NEC structure, such as IF band differential detection, baseband differential detection, and FM discriminator, are discussed. It is concluded that the pi/4-QPSK with NEC is an attractive scheme for power-limited satellite land-mobile broadcasting systems.

Feher, Kamilo↗

Alternative approach to multisensor navigation

An alternative to the Kalman filtering technique, based on logical rather than numerical techniques, is presented. It can be implemented on one or more microprocessors (with a fixed communications protocol between the individual microprocessors); requires only limited preprocessing of the input data; can have its constituent subsystem changed without major revision to the combiner as new or better navigation techniques, such as the global positioning system (GPS) or Loran-C, become available; and tolerates a wide variety of sensor, hardware, and software errors. The basic structure of the method and results of simulations of its performance in the presence of errors common to low-cost sensors (such as VOR or basic Omega) are presented, along with a discussion of possible extensions.

Cannon, M. J.↗

Analyzing the test process using structural coverage

A large, commercially developed FORTRAN program was modified to produce structural coverage metrics. The modified program was executed on a set of functionally generated acceptance tests and a large sample of operational usage cases. The resulting structural coverage metrics are combined with fault and error data to evaluate structural coverage. It was shown that in the software environment the functionally generated tests seem to be a good approximation of operational use. The relative proportions of the exercised statement subclasses change as the structural coverage of the program increases. A method was also proposed for evaluating if two sets of input data exercise a program in a similar manner. Evidence was provided that implies that in this environment, faults revealed in a procedure are independent of the number of times the procedure is executed and that it may be reasonable to use procedure coverage in software models that use statement coverage. Finally, the evidence suggests that it may be possible to use structural coverage to aid in the management of the acceptance test processed.

Ramsey, James↗

System for Configuring Modular Telemetry Transponders

A system for configuring telemetry transponder cards uses a database of error checking protocol data structures, each containing data to implement at least one CCSDS protocol algorithm. Using a user interface, a user selects at least one telemetry specific error checking protocol from the database. A compiler configures an FPGA with the data from the data structures to implement the error checking protocol.

Varnavas, Kosta A.↗

Considerations in the design of large space structures

Several analytical studies of topics relevant to the design of large space structures are presented. Topics covered are: the types and quantitative evaluation of the disturbances to which large Earth-oriented microwave reflectors would be subjected and the resulting attitude errors of such spacecraft; the influence of errors in the structural geometry of the performance of radiofrequency antennas; the effect of creasing on the flatness of tensioned reflector membrane surface; and an analysis of the statistics of damage to truss-type structures due to meteoroids.

Hedgepeth, J. M.↗