X-ray emission from Be star/X-ray binaries

Observations of X-ray emission from Be star/X-ray binaries are reviewed. Some optical characteristics of these binaries are also presented. Theoretical aspects pertaining to the X-ray emissions are given.     

Nondestructive Characterization of RBSOA of High-Power Bipolar Transistors

Reverse-bias safe operating area (RBSOA) of high-power Darlington transistors is characterized using a 120 A/1000 V nondestructive reverse-bias second breakdown tester designed and fabricated at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Elaborate RBSOA characteristics are generated with different forward/reverse base drives and collector current levels. The effects of elevated case temperature and second-base drive on RBSOA of four-terminal Darlington devices are also discussed.     

Radar Target Detection and Map-Matching Algorithm Studies

Results of a study of adaptive threshold target detection and map-matching algorithms are presented. Log threshold processing is shown to be preferred over linear threshold processing when the clutter data surrounding the target cell is contaminated by other targets, decoy corner reflectors, or bright clutter cells. Whereas previous studies have resorted to extensive Monte-Carlo simulations of log threshold algorithms, the results were obtained using a novel analytical approach based upon Parseval's theorem.     

Theories of tail structures

The present theories of tail structures are reviewed. It is shown that any satisfactory model for the quiet tail has to include at least two space dimensions. Several approaches to two-dimensional structures and some recent results of a study that includes the third dimension are reviewed. It is demonstrated that the observed gross structural properties of the quiet magnetotail can be reasonably well understood from these theories. A brief discussion of selected aspects of tail dynamics is added.Proceedings of the Symposium on Solar Terrestrial Physics held in Innsbruck, May–June 1978.     

Automated Tracking for Aircraft Surveillance Radar Systems

An improved moving target detector (MTD) (a digital signal processor) has been designed, constructed, and tested which successfully rejects all forms of radar clutter while providing reliable detection of all aircraft within the coverage of the radar. The MTD is being tested on both terminal and enroute surveillance radars for the FAA. This processor has been integrated with automatic tracking algorithms to give complete rejection of ground clutter, heavy precipitation, and angels (birds).     

A study of some interplanetary shock wave tendencies

The configuration, and the structure of shock waves from isolated solar flares and from a series of flares are discussed and classified.An invited paper presented at STIP Workshop on Shock Waves in the Solar Corona and Interplanetary Space, 15–19 June, 1980, Smolenice, Czechoslovakia.     

Comments with reply, on `A new look at nonseparable syntheticaperture radar processing' by A. Di Cenzo

The commenters point out that the idea using a two-dimensional digital correlation technique to perform synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) processing, presented as new in the above-titled paper (see ibid., vol.24, p.218-23, May 1988), was described by them as early as 1978 and has since been described by other authors. They discuss some of these earlier studies. The author replies that he was unaware of the earlier work, and that he did not intend to convey the impression that the nonseparable transform domain processor that he presented was the first     

Comparison of half-bridge off-line, ZCS-QRC and ZVS-MRC

The performance of the half-bridge (HB) zero-current-switched (ZCS) quasi-resonant converter (QRC) and zero-voltage-switched (ZVS) multiresonant converter (MRC) is compared with respect to their efficiency, input voltage range, semiconductor stresses, power density, and reliability. The efficiency of the HB ZVS-MRC at a given nominal input is shown to be highly dependent on the range of the input voltage, and it suffers when the converter has to be designed to cover a wide range. However, this is not the case for the HB ZCS-QRC. Experimental versions of the HB ZCS-QRC and HB ZVS-MRC were designed for the input voltage range from 150 to 350 V and a maximum output power of 100 W, under the same constraints, to facilitate their comparison