Open Systems: a process for achieving affordability

A major factor that will drive the definition and design of future avionics systems is affordability. Affordability is being addressed on numerous fronts such as hardware re-use, software re-use, COTS leveraging, and reduced cycle times. Each of these thrusts provide potential cost saving along with unique challenges. What is needed is a process that integrates these initiatives while ensuring the overall system objectives are achieved. An Open Systems-based process is key to integrating these initiatives and balancing affordability and system performance goals. Although Open Systems are being widely recognized as a key to affordability, most interpret Open Systems as a set of system attributes that need to be achieved. There are numerous claims of vendors saying they have an Open Systems architecture; or how their system will evolve to an Open Systems architecture. This emphasis is not on increasing affordability, but on attaching a politically-correct label to their product. In this paper, we focus on the Open Systems process as the key to affordability. An Open Systems process is based on Open Systems principles. This paper discusses the Open Systems principles and process in detail and shows how this process integrates numerous affordability initiatives     

Neural control of smart electromagnetic structures [patch antennas]

Smart electromagnetic structures (SEMS) are capable of interacting with the surrounding electromagnetic field and responding to it. A system is “smart” when it integrates sensing, processing, and control elements (e.g. antennas, neural networks, diodes) in an autonomous manner. A SEMS capable of tuning frequency autonomously is described. Data are presented showing that the system can extend the useable bandwidth of a microstrip patch antenna in a frequency hop environment to more than twice the static value     

Bistatic RCS of Complex Objects near Forward Scatter

A technique is presented for predicting the bistatic radar cross section (RCS) of an opaque, arbitrarily shaped object at angles near forward scatter. Babinet's principle is employed to approximate the object's scattering pattern as the two-dimensional Fourier transform of its silhouette. Calculations for spheres and right-circular cylinders are shown to agree with predictions based on exact Mie theory, method of moments, and physical optics. Restrictions on the applicability of the method are presented.     

Comet Halley: Nucleus and jets (results of the VEGA mission)

The VEGA-1 and VEGA-2 spacecraft made their closest approach to Comet Halley on 6 and 9 March, respectively. In this paper those results of the onboard imaging experiment which were obtained around closest approach are discussed. The nucleus of the comet was clearly identifiable as an irregularly shaped object, with overall dimensions of (16±1)×(8±1)×(8±1) km. The nucleus rotates in the prograde sense about an axis nearly perpendicular to the orbital plane with a period of 53±2 hours. Its albedo is only $\text{0.04±}\text{0.02}\text{0.01}$ Many of the jet features observed during the second fly-by have been spatially reconstructed. Their sources form a quasi-linear structure on the surface. The dust above the surface is shown to be generally optically thin with the exception of certain specific dust jets. Brightness features on the surface are clearly seen. Correlating our data with other measurements, we conclude that the dirty snow-ball model will probably need to be revised.     

Reduction of aliasing ambiguities through phase relations

A method for digital determination of a single frequency from a sine wave sampled at less than the Nyquist rate is discussed. The method makes use of phase shift information to eliminate the aliasing ambiguity. Multiple sampled data are required to eliminate ambiguity completely. Computer modeling using simulated data corrupted by uncorrelated Gaussian noise was used to verify the approach. The results demonstrate that the frequency of an input sine wave can be correctly identified. This approach can be applied to electronic warfare (EW) receivers to increase their input bandwidth     

Low-harmonic three-phase inverters with nonpulsating terminalcurrents

A basic class of three-phase inverters with nonpulsating terminal currents, namely, the four-topology four-inductor four-capacitor class is derived and studied. The expressions of duty-ratios required for low-harmonic dc-to-three-phase-ac conversion, ranges of output voltage variation, and component stresses for given specifications of inverters are derived. The characteristics of inverters include low-harmonic power conversion, low component stresses, variable-frequency variable-amplitude output voltages of values both below and above the dc input value, and the use of minimum number of inductors to achieve nonpulsating terminal currents     

The role of test in total quality management

The quality of a delivered product or system is ultimately limited by the quality of its design and manufacturing process. Defects that escape the design, manufacturing, and test processes are delivered to customers. Process Potential Index (Cp) and Process Capability Index (Cpk) are now widely used to express design and manufacturing quality. Design quality may be estimated from product models, if they exist, or measured using parameter test data. The difficulty in using test data is not so much in the calculations, but in the recording, storing, and selection of the data to be used in the calculations. This paper defines the metrics of quality estimation and describes an implementation of a system for estimating defect levels and process capabilities. The implementation includes the definition of a standardized parametric data exchange language for test data and an analytical system to standardize product quality measurement     

The improvement of IRI profiles of O2+, NO+ and O+ by means of airglow measurements

Methods were suggested in /1,2,3/ to find the maximum electron density N_mF (or N_mF2) and the) corresponding height h_mF (h_mF2) in the ionosphere through a combination of measurements on two airglow lines: the UV oxygen line at λ135.6 nm and the red oxygen line near λ630 nm.