Design and analysis of a microprocessor-controlledpeak-power-tracking system [for solar cell arrays]

Stability and dynamics of a series configuration peak-power tracking (PPT) system are analyzed. The operating modes of the system, as well as mode transitions, are investigated based on qualitative graphical representations of dc load lines at various interfaces of the system. Analysis of multiloop control in the PPT mode is discussed. This includes the design of the inner voltage loop and analysis of the closed-loop system stability around the peak-power point. For an optimum dynamic performance and stability, design parameters of the inner voltage loop and the outer PPT loop are identified. Experimental verifications, supported by simulation results, are performed     

Correlations between GPS and USNO Master Clock time

The U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock is used to steer the Global Positioning System (GPS) time. Time transfer data consisting of the difference between the Master Clock and GPS time has been acquired from all satellites in the GPS constellation covering a time period from 10 October 1995 to 12 December 1995. A Fourier analysis of the data shows a distinct peak in the Fourier spectrum corresponding to approximately a one day period. In order to determine this period more accurately, correlations are computed between successive days of the data, and an average of twenty five correlation functions shows that there exists a correlation equal to 0.52 at delay time 23 h 56 min, which corresponds to twice the average GPS satellite period. This correlation indicates that GPS time, as measured by the U.S. Naval Observatory, is periodic with respect to the Master Clock, with a period of 23 h and 56 min. An autocorrelation of a five day segment of data indicates that these correlations persist for four successive days     

Microorganisms metabolizing on clay grains in 3-km-deep Greenland basal ice

We have discovered > 10(8) microbial cells/cm3 attached to clay grains in the bottom 13 m of the GISP2 (Greenland Ice Sheet Project) ice core. Their concentration correlates with huge excesses of CO2 and CH4. We show that Fe-reducing bacteria produce most of the excess CO2 and methanogenic archaea produce the excess CH4. The number of attached cells per clay grain is proportional to grain perimeter rather than to area, which implies that nutrients are accessed at grain edges. We conclude that Fe-reducing microbes immobilized on clay surfaces metabolize via "shuttle" molecules that transport electrons to grain edges, where they reduce Fe(III) ions at edges to Fe(II) while organic acid ions are oxidized to CO2. Driven by the concentration gradient, electrons on Fe(II) ions at grain edges "hop" to Fe(III) ions inward in the same edges and oxidize them. The original Fe(III) ions can then attach new electrons from shuttle molecules at the edges. Our mechanism explains how Fe-reducers can reduce essentially all Fe(III) in clay minerals. We estimate that the Fe(III) in clay grains in the GISP2 silty ice can sustain Fe-reducing bacteria at the ambient temperature of -9 degrees C for approximately 10(6) years. F420 autofluorescence imaging shows that > 2.4% of the cells are methanogens, which account for the excess methane.     

Numerical investigation on the shock wave transition in a three-dimensional scramjet isolator

The scramjet isolator, which is used to prevent the hypersonic inlet from disturbances that arise from the pressure rise in the scramjet combustor due to the intense turbulent combustion, is one of the most critical components in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion systems. Any engineering error that is possible in the design and manufacturing procedure of the experimental model, and the intense heat release in the scramjet combustor, may cause the performance of the isolator to decrease, leading to its lack of capability in supporting the back pressure. The coupled implicit Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and the two-equation standard k?ε turbulent model have been employed to numerically simulate the flow fields in a three-dimensional scramjet isolator. The effects of the divergent angle and the back pressure on the shock wave transition and the location of the leading edge of the shock wave train have been estimated and discussed. The obtained results show that the present numerical results are in very good agreement with the available experimental shadow-pictures, and the numerical method is more suitable for capturing the shock wave train and predicting the location of the leading edge of the shock wave train in the scramjet isolator than the present two-dimensional numerical methods. This is due to the small width-to-height ratio of the isolator and the intense three-dimensional flow structures. On increasing the divergent angle of the scramjet isolator, the static pressure along the central symmetrical line of the isolator decreases sharply. This is due to the strong expansion wave generated at the entrance of the isolator, and when the divergent angle of the isolator is sufficiently large, namely 1.5°, a zone of negative pressure is formed just ahead of the leading edge of the shock wave train. At the same time, the shock wave train varies from being oblique to being normal, and then back to oblique. With an increase in the prescribed back pressure at the exit of the scramjet isolator, the leading edge of the shock wave train moves forward towards the entrance of the isolator, and when the back pressure is sufficiently large, unstart conditions in the hypersonic inlet can take place if the shock train reaches the inlet.     

Error Performance of Two-Channel Phase-Measurement Systems

The problem of measuring a constant phase difference between two sinusoids which have been corrupted by two additive noise processes is investigated. For the case in which both noise processes are Gaussian and the signal-to-noise ratio is high, the variance of the time-averaged phase-difference estimate is found as a single integral over the noise power spectral densities and cross spectral density. Arbitrary cross correlation is allowed between the two noise processes. Two cases of practical interest are considered: 1) the noise processes have identical, rectangular power spectral densities and are statistically independent; 2) an idealized radio direction finding situation in which two spatially separated sensors are immersed in an isotropic, planar noise field. For the statistically independent case, a universal curve is presented which permits determination of phase-estimate standard deviation for arbitrary signal-to-noise ratio and for a wide range of bandwidths and integration times.     

Temporal and Spatial Variation of the Ion Composition in the Ring Current

A global view of the ring current ions is presented using data acquired by the instrument MICS onboard the CRRES satellite during solar maximum. The variations of differential intensities, energy spectra, radial profile of the energetic particles and the origin of the magnetic local time (MLT) asymmetry of the ring current have been investigated in detail. O⁺ ions are an important contributor to the storm time ring current. Its abundance in terms of number density increases with increasing geomagnetic activity as well as its energy density. However, a saturation value for the energy density of O⁺ ions has been found. The low-energy H⁺ ions show a dramatic intensification and a rapid decay. However, its density ratio during the storm maximum is almost constant. On the other hand, high-energy H⁺ ions first exhibit a flux decrease followed by a delayed increase. Its density ratio shows an anti-correlation with the storm intensity. Both the positions of the maximum flux of O⁺ and He⁺ depend on storm activity: they move to lower altitudes in the early stage of a storm and move back to higher L-values during the recovery phase. Whereas the position of H⁺ and He⁺⁺ show almost no dependence on the Dst index. The energy density distributions in radial distance and magnetic local time show drastic differences for different ion species. It demonstrates that the ring current asymmetry mainly comes from oxygen and helium ions, but not from protons. The outward motion of O⁺ around local noon may have some implications for oxygen bursts in the magnetosheath during IMF Bz negative conditions as observed by GEOTAIL.