Multisensor resource deployment using posterior Cramer-Rao bounds

The development of a general framework for the systematic management of multiple sensors in target tracking in the presence of clutter is described. The basis of the technique is to quantify, and subsequently control, the accuracy of target state estimation. The posterior Cramer-Rao lower bound (PCRLB) provides the means of achieving this aim by enabling us to determine a bound on the performance of all unbiased estimators of the unknown target state. The general approach is then to use optimization techniques to control the measurement process in order to achieve accurate target state estimation. We are concerned primarily with the deployment and utilization of limited sensor resources. We also allow for measurement origin uncertainty, with sensor measurements either target-generated or false alarms. An example in which the aim is to track a submarine by deploying a series of constant false-alarm rate passive sonobuoys is presented. We show that by making some standard assumptions, the effect of the measurement origin uncertainty can be expressed as a state-dependent information reduction factor which can be calculated off-line. This enables the Fisher information matrix (FIM) to be calculated quickly, allowing Cramer-Rao bounds to be utilized for real-time, dynamic sensor management. The sensor management framework is shown to determine deployment strategies that enable the target to be accurately localized, and at the same time efficiently utilize the limited sensor resources.     

Selected Problems in Collisionless-Shock Physics

The physics of collisionless shocks is a very broad topic, which has been well studied for many decades. However, there are a number of important issues which remain unresolved. Moreover, there have been new findings, which cast doubt on well-established ideas. The purpose of this review is to address a subset of unresolved problems in collisionless shock physics from a theoretical and/or numerical modeling point of view. The topics which are addressed are: the nonstationarity of the shock front, the heating and dynamics of electrons through the shock layer, particle diffusion in turbulent electric and magnetic fields, particle acceleration, and the interaction of pickup ions with collisionless shocks.     

The plasma Environment of Mars

Space Science Reviews -     

OB Associations, Wolf–Rayet Stars, and the Origin of Galactic Cosmic Rays

We have measured the isotopic abundances of neon and a number of other species in the galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) using the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) aboard the ACE spacecraft. Our data are compared to recent results from two-component (Wolf–Rayet material plus solar-like mixtures) Wolf–Rayet (WR) models. The three largest deviations of galactic cosmic ray isotope ratios from solar-system ratios predicted by these models, ¹²C/¹⁶O, ²²Ne/²⁰Ne, and ⁵⁸Fe/⁵⁶Fe, are very close to those observed. All of the isotopic ratios that we have measured are consistent with a GCR source consisting of ∼20% of WR material mixed with ∼80% material with solar-system composition. Since WR stars are evolutionary products of OB stars, and most OB stars exist in OB associations that form superbubbles, the good agreement of our data with WR models suggests that OB associations within superbubbles are the likely source of at least a substantial fraction of GCRs. In previous work it has been shown that the primary ⁵⁹Ni (which decays only by electron-capture) in GCRs has decayed, indicating a time interval between nucleosynthesis and acceleration of >10⁵ y. It has been suggested that in the OB association environment, ejecta from supernovae might be accelerated by the high velocity WR winds on a time scale that is short compared to the half-life of ⁵⁹Ni. Thus the ⁵⁹Ni might not have time to decay and this would cast doubt upon the OB association origin of cosmic rays. In this paper we suggest a scenario that should allow much of the ⁵⁹Ni to decay in the OB association environment and conclude that the hypothesis of the OB association origin of cosmic rays appears to be viable.     

Reduction in clamping force due to applied longitudinal load to aerospace structural bolted plates

The main purpose of the present work is to experimentally and numerically study why and how the magnitude of the bolt clamping force reduces in the aerospace structural bolted plates when they are subjected to a longitudinal tensile load. In the experimental method, a holed plate of aluminium alloy 7075-T6 was clamped using a single bolt fastener, and then tested under an increasing static longitudinal tensile load. The bolt clamping magnitude was determined by using the measured axial compressive strains of a steel bush placed between the nut and plate. Two clamped specimens with different initial clamping forces were studied. In each specimen the actual clamping forces were determined during the longitudinal loading on the plate. In the numerical method, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model was generated in order to simulate and quantify the bolt clamping force in the plate model loaded in tension. Both experimental and numerical results showed that the clamping force reduces considerably in the aluminium bolted plates under the longitudinal tensile loading. This is because of the transverse contraction of the plate material that causes the clamped material to release from the initial compression, and as a result, the clamping force to relax.     

Electrical Charging of Volcanic Plumes

Many explosive terrestrial volcanic eruptions are accompanied by lightning and other atmospheric electrical phenomena. The plumes produced generate large perturbations in the surface atmospheric electric potential gradient and high charge densities have been measured on falling volcanic ash particles. The complex nature of volcanic plumes (which contain gases, solid particles, and liquid drops) provides several possible charging mechanisms. For plumes rich in solid silicate particles, fractoemission (the ejection of ions and atomic particles during fracture events) is probably the dominant source of charge generation. In other plumes, such as those created when lava enters the sea, different mechanisms, such as boiling, may be important. Further charging mechanisms may also subsequently operate, downwind of the vent. Other solar system bodies also show evidence for volcanism, with activity ongoing on Io. Consequently, volcanic electrification under different planetary scenarios (on Venus, Mars, Io, Moon, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Triton) is also discussed.     

Magnetic holes in the solar wind and their relation to mirror-mode structures

Data obtained by the Ulysses magnetometer and solar wind analyzer have been combined to study the properties of magnetic holes in the solar wind between 1 and 5.4 AU and to 23° south latitude. Although the plasma surrounding the holes was generally stable against the mirror instability, there are indications that the holes may have been remnants of mirror mode structures created upstream of the points of observation. Those indications include: (1) For the few holes for which proton or alpha-particle pressure could be measured inside the hole, the ion thermal pressure was always greater than in the plasma adjacent to the holes. (2) The plasma surrounding many of the holes was marginally stable for the mirror mode, while the plasma environment of all the holes was significantly closer to mirror instability than was the average solar wind. (3) The plasma containing trains of closely spaced holes was closer to mirror instability than was the plasma containing isolated holes. (4) The near-hole plasma had much higher ion (ratio of thermal to magnetic pressure) than did the average solar wind.     

Infrared Imaging Surveyor: IRIS

Based on the experience of the IRTS, a new infrared satellite mission, Infrared Imaging Surveyor:IRIS is now being proposed to ISAS. The IRIS will be thrown into the sun synchronous orbit at 900km altitude by the MV rocket which is now under development in ISAS. With use of new cryogenic technologies, considerably light weight with large aperture telescope is designed. Owing to the large format states-of-art array detectors, the IRIS has an enormous capability for the survey observation, and will provide new discoveries on the formation and evolution of galaxies, brown dwarfs, protoplanetary disk, interstellar matter and so on.