On-Line Computer for Transient Turbine Cascade Instrumentation

A 32-channel computer based data acquisition and processing system em has been developed for use with the new type of transient cascade facility at Oxford. This is used for testing turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes at full-scale engine Reynolds and Mach numbers ers with correct wallto-flow temperature ratios. A novel technique for processing transient heat transfer data from thin film surface resistance thermometers has been developed. Measurements of surface ace pressure around blades, and of the upstream turbulence level have been made. The cascade and instrumentation are shown to have advantages both in cost and effectiveness over continuous running cascades.     

9. The venus ionosphere and solar wind interaction

The current state of knowledge of the chemistry, dynamics and energetics of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Venus is reviewed together with the nature of the solar wind-Venus interaction. Because of the weak, though perhaps not negligible, intrinsic magnetic field of Venus, the mutual effects between these regions are probably strong and unique in the solar system. The ability of the Pioneer Venus Bus and Orbiter experiments to provide the required data to answer the questions outstanding is discussed in detail.     

Multipath-adaptive GPS/INS receiver

Multipath interference is one of the contributing sources of errors in precise global positioning system (GPS) position determination. This paper identifies key parameters of a multipath signal, focusing on estimating them accurately in order to mitigate multipath effects. Multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) techniques are applied to an inertial navigation system (INS)-coupled GPS receiver, based on a federated (distributed) Kalman filter design, to estimate the desired multipath parameters. The system configuration is one in which a GPS receiver and an INS are integrated together at the level of the in-phase and quadrature phase (I and Q) signals, rather than at the level of pseudo-range signals or navigation solutions. The system model of the MMAE is presented and the elemental Kalman filter design is examined. Different parameter search spaces are examined for accurate multipath parameter identification. The resulting GPS/INS receiver designs are validated through computer simulation of a user receiving signals from GPS satellites with multipath signal interference present The designed adaptive receiver provides pseudo-range estimates that are corrected for the effects of multipath interference, resulting in an integrated system that performs well with or without multipath interference present.     

Hydra — A 3-dimensional electron and ion hot plasma instrument for the POLAR spacecraft of the GGS mission

HYDRA is an experimental hot plasma investigation for the POLAR spacecraft of the GGS program. A consortium of institutions has designed a suite of particle analyzers that sample the velocity space of electron and ions between 2 keV/q – 35 keV/q in three dimensions, with a routine time resolution of 0.5 s. Routine coverage of velocity space will be accomplished with an angular homogeneity assumption of 16°, appropriate for subsonic plasmas, but with special 1.5° resolution for electrons with energies between 100 eV and 10 keV along and opposed to the local magnetic field. This instrument produces 4.9 kilobits s^–1 to the telemetry, consumes on average 14 W and requires 18.7 kg for deployment including its internal shielding. The scientific objectives for the polar magnetosphere fall into four broad categories: (1) those to define the ambient kinetic regimes of ions and electrons; (2) those to elucidate the magnetohydrodynamic responses in these regimes; (3) those to assess the particle populations with high time resolution; and (4) those to determine the global topology of the magnetic field. In thefirst group are issues of identifying the origins of particles at high magnetic latitudes, their energization, the altitude dependence of the forces, including parallel electric fields they have traversed. In thesecond group are the physics of the fluid flows, regimes of current, and plasma depletion zones during quiescent and disturbed magnetic conditions. In thethird group is the exploration of the processes that accompany the rapid time variations known to occur in the auroral zone, cusp and entry layers as they affect the flow of mass, momentum and energy in the auroral region. In thefourth class of objectives are studies in conjunction with the SWE measurements of the Strahl in the solar wind that exploit the small gyroradius of thermal electrons to detect those magnetic field lines that penetrate the auroral region that are directly open to interplanetary space where, for example, the Polar Rain is observed.     

Ground Testing of Inertial Navigators to Improve Dynamic Performance

A ground testing method has been devised to evaluate the dynamic errors of an inertial navigation system. A trimmed stationary inertial system in the navigation mode can be subjected to programmed platform orm drift rates, and generate position outputs which are compared with those of a perfect navigator. The linearized error equations for this testing mode are derived and the resulting position error propagation is analyzed using Kalman filtering in order to identify the error sources. A simulated platform with a fixed set of error sources is analyzed to evaluate this testing concept. An example is presented to show that the gyro and accelerometer scale factor and misalignment error coefficients can be estimated.     

An exact expression for resolution cell area in special case ofbistatic radar systems

An exact expression for the bistatic resolution-cell area (A _B) is developed for the special case in which either the transmit or receive antenna has a broad azimuth beamwidth or is omnidirectional. Quantitative examples are presented to illustrate the variation of A_B with location. A comparison is made with the performance of a commonly used approximation formula     

Improved Switching Converter Model Using Discrete and Averaging Techniques

The nonlinear modeling and analysis of dc-dc converters has been done by averaging and discrete-sampling techniques. The averaging technique is simple, but inaccurate, as the modulation frequencies approach the theoretical limit of one-half the switching frequency. The discrete technique is accurate even at high frequencies, but is very complex and cumbersome. An improved model is developed by combining the aforementioned techniques. This new model is easy to implement in circuit and state variable forms and is accurate to the theoretical limit.     

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.