Magnetic energy storage and conversion in the solar atmosphere

A review of the theoretical problems associated with preflare magnetic energy storage and conversion is presented. The review consists of three parts; preflare magnetic energy storage, magnetic energy conversion mechanisms, and preflare triggers. In Section 2, the relationship between magnetic energy storage and the electrodynamic coupling of the solar atmosphere is developed. By accounting for the electrodynamic coupling of the solar atmosphere, we are able to examine the fundamental problems associated with the concept of in situ versus remote magnetic-energy storage. Furthermore, this approach permits us to distinguish between the roles of local and global parameters in the storage process.Section 3 is focused on the conversion mechanisms that can explain, in principle, the rapid energy release of a flare. In addition, we discuss how electrodynamic coupling eventually dictates which mechanism(s) is responsible for releasing the stored magnetic energy, and how the global coupling dictates the final evolution of the relevant mechanism. Section 4 examines preflare triggers and Section 5, we examine the most promising directions for future research into the problem of magnetic-energy storage and conversion of the Sun.     

Radar Identification of Naval Vessels

A scheme is presented for the identification of naval vessels via active multiple-frequency radar interrogation. A major virtue of the described method is the use of a response waveform synthesized using amplitude data only. A prediction correlation using natural resonances associated with substructures on the vessels is applied to synthetically generated matched-filter response waveforms. The identification scheme is tested using measured model data for 8 vessels on a simulated sea surface. A correct identification probability of roughly 77 percent is obtained.     

Hard Limiter Performance as a Polarity Detector for Extremely Polluted Signals

A hard limiter is a simple, yet highly efficient, RF signal sensor for VLF and LF navigation receivers. The observation reliability is used as the single quality criterion for the hard limiter if applied as a singlebit analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The effects of noise (Gaussian and atmospheric), nonsynchronous and synchronous interference, and dc offset on the observation reliability are described extensively. The single parameter determination Pobs is adequate for characterizing the polarity detector. This facilitates rank ordering of influences disturbing the signal and is a useful tool in optimizing digital tracking loops. The ?built-in? noise-censoring properties of the hard limiter in the presence of atmospheric noise are excellent. Therefore, three different atmospheric noise models are used in the determination of the observation reliability Pobs. Some ways for coping with other disturbances that potentially threaten the good performance of the hard limiter are suggested.     

Asymptotic Reproducibility in Nonlinear Systems and Attitude Control of Gyrostat

A control law is presented for asymptotic function reproducibility in a class of nonlinear-systems such that the output of the system asympotically tends to a given function. The controller consists of a prefilter and a servocompensator. Based on this result, a nonlinear feedback control law for the attitude control of a satellite containing symmetric rotors, in a circular orbit, is derived. In the closed-loop system, given trajectories of pitch, yaw, and roll angles are asymptotically followed, and set point control of attitude is accomplished. Digital simulation results are presented to show the capability of the nonlinear controller.     

Advanced Aircraft Electric System

The topics, advanced aircraft electric system and all-electric airplane, inspire a broad range of concepts from the evolutionary to the revolutionary. The revolutionary developments are exciting to the research and development community but find little encouragement or acceptance from airframe developers whose objective is to build an advanced technology airplane using only-off-the-shelf, proven equipment. Their anthem rings "We know how bad the ___________ is, but we have learned to live with it. We have only your vision of how good an advanced system will be and fear to chance it. "However, the cost of living with these known systems combined with the escalating cost of fuel and the military need to address advanced mission capability demands more than a patch called improved reliability and maintainability. The time is at hand to demonstrate an evolutionary approach to achieve a revolutionary improvement. This paper describes an advanced electric system, the life cycle cost improvement anticipated, and the evolutionary means to implementation.     

Electromechanical Actuation Technology for the All-Electric Aircraft

Electromechanical actuation is a critical element that must be developed and verified to make the all-electric aircraft a viable concept. For several years the Flight Control Division of the Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories has sponsored activities to demonstrate the credibility of electromechanical actuation systems (EMAS) for primary flight control actuation functions. The foundation for these EMAS activities and several electromechanical actuation development programs are described here. One involves the design, fabrication, and laboratory test of a rotary, hingeline electromechanical actuator. Another involves the development and flight test demonstration of a linear electromechanical actuator for controlling an aileron of a C-141 aircraft. A third involves the design and development of a linear electromechanical actuator for missiles having severe performance, temperature, and volumetric requirements. In addition, a brief summary of the results from two aircraft actuation trade studies compare the baseline (conventional) hydraulic flight control system with an all-electric airplane concept including quantitative comparisons of weight, reliability and maintainability, and life cycle costs.     

Extensions of the Discrete-Average Models for Converter Power Stages

An improved power converter model is developed by combining the average and discrete modeling techniques. The parameter determination of the proposed discrete-average model is shown to be dependent on the type of duty cycle control law and the nature of the error processor used in the feedback loop. Furthermore, the paper pinpoints deficiencies of the conventional loop gain measurement technique which is widely used in industries.     

State Estimation and Divergence Analysis

A growing memory discrete dynamic model for performing temporal extrapolations along a predetermined path in a random field is presented. This dynamic model is used to drive a linear system that is itself driven by discrete white noise. The coupled system is used to derive a state estimation scheme that recursively processes noisy measurements of the system. In addition, using the aforementioned dynamic model as a reference (truth) model, the authors develop a covariance analysis to measure the estimation errors that occur when the dynamics along the path through the field are modeled as a Markov linear model and state estimation is performed using discrete Kalman filtering. The performance evaluation of an inertial navigation system influenced by the Earth's gravity field aboard a maneuvering ship is provided as a specific illustrative example.     

Initial observations of low energy charged particles near the Earth's bow shock on ISEE-1

We report initial measurements from the ULECA sensor of the Max-Planck-Institut/University of Maryland experiment on ISEE-1. ULECA is an electrostatic deflection — total energy sensor consisting of a collimator, deflection analyzer and an array of solid state detectors. The position of a given detector, which determines the energy per charge of an incident particle, together with the measured energy determine the particle's charge state. We find that a rich variety of phenomena are operative in the transthermal energy regime (10 keV/Q to 100 keV/Q) covered by ULECA. Specifically, we present observations of locally accelerated protons, alpha particles, and heavier ions in the magnetosheath and upstream of the Earth's bow shock. Preliminary analysis indicates that the behavior of these locally accelerated particles is most similar at the same energy per charge.     

Initial results from the ISEE-1 and -2 plasma wave investigation

In this paper we present an initial survey of results from the plasma wave experiments on the ISEE-1 and -2 spacecraft which are in nearly identical orbits passing through the Earth's magnetosphere at radial distances out to about 22.5R_e. Essentially every crossing of the Earth's bow shock can be associated with an intense burst of electrostatic and whistler-mode turbulence at the shock, with substantial wave intensities in both the upstream and downstream regions. Usually the electric and magnetic field spectrum at the shock are quite similar for both spacecraft, although small differences in the detailed structure are sometimes apparent upstream and downstream of the shock, probably due to changes in the motion of the shock or propagation effects. Upstream of the shock emissions are often observed at both the fundamental, f_-^p, and second harmonic, 2f_p^-, of the electron plasma frequency. In the magnetosphere high resolution spectrograms of the electric field show an extremely complex distribution of plasma and radio emissions, with numerous resonance and cutoff effects. Electron density profiles can be obtained from emissions near the local electron plasma frequency. Comparisons of high resolution spectrograms of whistler-mode emissions such as chorus detected by the two spacecraft usually show a good overall similarity but marked differences in detailed structure on time scales less than one minute. Other types of locally generated waves, such as the (n+1/2)f_-^gelectron cyclotron waves, show a better correspondence between the two spacecraft. High resolution spectrograms of kilometric radio emissions are also presented which show an extremely complex frequency-time structure with many closely spaced narrow-band emissions.