The finite element analysis of shells of revolution with a branching meridian

We present an algorithm for calculating the shells of revolution with the branching meridian using the triangular finite elements, the rigidity matrices of which are formed based on the vector method of displacement interpolation [1]. The correct kinematic and static conditions of shell conjugation on the line of their coupling have been developed. The shell structure consisting of a cylinder and adjacent shells is calculated under various conditions of support.     

James Webb Space Telescope: Project Overview

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) project at the NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is responsible for the development, launch, flight, and science operations for the telescope. The project is in phase B with its launch scheduled for no earlier than June 2013. The project is a partnership among NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The JWST mission team is fully in place, including major ESA and CSA subcontractors. This provides an overview of the planned JWST science, current architecture focusing on the instrumentation, and mission status, including technology developments, and risks.     

Analysis of shells of revolution under symmetrical loading using the quadrature method

The application of the quadrature method [1] to analyzing the shells of revolution under symmetrical loading relative to the zero meridian is considered. The method can be treated as a generalization of the method presented in [2] to solve the Volterra integral equation of the second kind.     

A method for constructing an airfoil using a specified chord velocity diagram

A problem of determining a shape of the airfoil being streamlined by a potential incompressible inviscid flow is solved by the successive approximation method using a specified chord velocity diagram. It is shown that a closed airfoil that possesses a specified chord velocity diagram can be constructed with a sufficient accuracy; if the chord diagram is unsuccessfully specified, the closed airfoil may prove to be not univalent, that is, physically unrealizable.     

Subspace array processing for the suppression of FM jamming in GPS receivers

The mitigation of FM interference in GPS receivers is considered. In difference to commonly assumed wideband and narrowband interferers, the FM interferers are wideband, but instantaneously narrowband, and as such, have clear time-frequency (TF) signatures that are distinct from the GPS coarse acquisition (C/A) spread spectrum code. In the proposed technique, the estimate of the FM interference instantaneous frequency (IF) and the interference spatial signature are used to construct the spatiotemporal interference subspace. The IF estimates can be provided using existing effective linear or bilinear TF methods. The undesired signal arrival is suppressed by projecting the input data on the interference orthogonal subspace. With a multisensor receiver, the distinctions in both the spatial and TF signatures of signal arrivals allow effective interference suppressions. The deterministic nature of the signal model is considered and the known underlying structure of the GPS C/A code is utilized. We derive the receiver signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) under exact and perturbed IF values. The effect of IF estimation errors on both pseudorange measurements and navigation data recovery is analyzed. Simulation results comparing the receiver performances under IF errors in single and multiantenna GPS receivers are provided.     

HMS SCOTT ring laser gyro navigator integration

HMS SCOTT is a United Kingdom ocean survey vessel that hosts a state-of-the-art deep ocean mapping system which was designed, developed, and is currently maintained and periodically updated by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, (SSC San Diego). A recent update of this system consisted of the replacement of an obsolete and very costly to maintain inertial navigation system. Another reason for updating the ship's inertial system was to provide higher accuracy attitude data, than was previously available with the old inertial system, to the high resolution multi-beam sonar system in order to produce improved bathymetric charts. After conducting a market survey of suitable inertial navigator systems, the Kearfott SEANAV ring laser gyro navigator (RLGN) system, using a monolithic T-24 gyro, was selected to replace the old inertial system. The selection of the SEANAV RLGN was based on its relatively low cost, high reliability, and, particularly, the roll and pitch data accuracies of typically less than 1-arc-minute. This attitude data accuracy was key to enable a significant improvement in the bathymetry data accuracy. Two SEANAV systems were integrated with GPS receivers, a system master time code generator, and electro magnetic (EM) log and Doppler sonar speed sensors to provide the navigation portion of the mapping data. Operational testing of this updated system aboard HMS SCOTT, in November, 2003, showed a marked improvement in the quality of the map product due, in part, to the improved attitude data provided by the SEANAV RLGN system.     

Performance evaluation for MAP state estimate fusion

This paper presents a quantitative performance evaluation method for the maximum a posteriori (MAP) state estimate fusion algorithm. Under ideal conditions where data association is assumed to be perfect, it has been shown that the MAP or best linear unbiased estimate (BLUE) fusion formula provides the best linear minimum mean squared estimate (LMMSE) given local estimates under the linear Gaussian assumption for a static system. However, for a dynamic system where fusion is recursively performed by the fusion center on local estimates generated from local measurements, it is not obvious how the MAP algorithm will perform. In the past, several performance evaluation methods have been proposed for various fusion algorithms, including simple convex combination, cross-covariance combination, information matrix, and MAP fusion. However, not much has been done to quantify the steady state behavior of these fusion methods for a dynamic system. The goal of this work is to present analytical fusion performance results for MAP state estimate fusion without extensive Monte Carlo simulations, using an approach developed for steady state performance evaluation for track fusion. Two different communication strategies are considered: fusion with and without feedback to the sensors. Analytic curves for the steady state performance of the fusion algorithm for various communication patterns are presented under different operating conditions.     

Microdosimetric measurements of heavy ion tracks.

The biological effectiveness of radiations depends on the spatial pattern of ionizations and excitations produced by the charged particle tracks involved. Ionizations produced by both the primary ion and by energetic delta rays may contribute to the production of biologically relevant damage and to the concentration of damage which may effect the probability of repair. Although average energy concentration (dose) can be calculated using homogeneous track models, the energy is actually concentrated in small volumes containing segments of the ion and delta ray tracks. These local concentrations are studied experimentally using low pressure proportional counters, and theoretically, using Monte Carlo methods. Small volumes near an ion track may be traversed by a delta ray. If they are, the energy deposited will be similar to that produced by a single electron track in a low-energy x-ray irradiation. The probability of a delta ray interaction occurring decreases with the square of the radial distance from the track. The average energy deposited is the product of this probability and the energy deposited in an interaction. Average energy deposited calculated from measured interaction probability is in good agreement with the results of homogeneous track models.     

Reduced-order multiple model adaptive controller for flexiblespacestructure

The robustness of a moving-bank multiple model adaptive estimator/controller to order reduction in the controller design model is examined. It is shown that the adaptive mechanism and bank-moving logic are not confounded by the effects of unmodeled higher order modes of a large flexible spacestructure. Control characteristics are achieved that are essentially equivalent to those of an artificially informed benchmark controller     

Design for validation

An approach is outlined for the development of ultrareliable avionics for civil air transports using a design-for-validation philosophy that includes rigorous application of formal methods. The basic concept of the methodology is introduced, and the role of formal methods is explored. The impact of the design-for-validation philosophy on the system design process is then demonstrated by two simple examples. More details about the design-for-validation methodology are then given