Adaptive Interpolated Time-Delay Estimation

An adaptive delay-estimation (ADE) algorithm is proposed for the continuous tracking of time-delay. The method uses an adaptive delay line which is interpolated by a first-order filter. Two delay-line interpolating filters are considered, each having a single coefficient which is estimated in real time. The first implements linear interpolation, and the second interpolates using a first-order allpass filter. Since the ADE algorithm is derived from recursive Gauss-Newton optimization, it can be viewed as a recursive maximum likelihood (RML) algorithm for time-delay estimation.     

Voyager imaging experiment

The overall objective of this experiment is exploratory reconnaissance of Jupiter, Saturn, their satellites, and Saturn's rings. Such reconnaissance, at resolutions and phase angles unobtainable from Earth, can be expected to provide much new data relevant to the atmospheric and/or surface properties of these bodies. The experiment also has the following specific objectives:Observe and characterize the global circulation of the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn;Determine the horizontal and vertical structure of the visible clouds and establish their relationship to the belted appearance and dynamical properties of the planetary atmospheres;Determine the vertical structure of high, optically-thin, scattering layers on Jupiter and Saturn;Determine the nature of anomalous features such as the Great Red Spot, South Equatorial Belt disturbances, etc.;Characterize the nature of the colored material in the clouds of Jupiter and Saturn, and identify the nature and sources of chromophores on Io and Titan;Perform comparative geologic studies of many satellites at less than 15-km resolution;Map and characterize the geologic structure of several satellites at high resolution (1 km);Investigate the existence and nature of atmospheres on the satellites;Determine the mass, size, and shape of many of the satellites by direct measurement;Determine the direction of the spin axes and periods of rotation of several satellites, and establish coordinate systems for the larger satellites;Map the radial distribution of material in Saturn's rings at high resolution;Determine the optical scattering properties of the primaries, rings, and satellites at several wavelengths and phase angles;Search for novel physical phenomena, e.g., phenomena associated with the Io flux tube, meteors, aurorae, lightning, or satellite shadows.Team leader.Deputy team leader.     

Modeling of brushless DC generating systems using diakoptics

The mathematical modeling of a brushless DC generator is described, as an illustration of the application of diakoptic techniques to the analysis of small-scale electrical power supply systems. Modeling of the generator and its output rectifier is accomplished using an established matrix technique that accounts for the continuously changing conduction pattern of the diode bridge network. The advantages of using diakoptics are discussed together with the main generator linked to its exciter and to the automatic voltage regulator and permanent magnet generator which are often included in a complete unit. A solution algorithm is presented for this overall arrangement and a comparison is made between theoretical and practical results for a typical 3-stage, 4000-rev/min, 10.3-kW, 28-V unit     

Validation test of 125 Ah advanced design IPV nickel-hydrogenflight cells

An update of validation test results confirming the advanced design nickel-hydrogen cell is presented. An advanced 125 Ah individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel-hydrogen cell was designed for storing and delivering energy for long-term, low-earth-orbit (LEO) spacecraft missions. The new features of this design are: the use of 26% rather than 31% potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte; a patented catalyzed wall wick; serrated-edge separators to facilitate gaseous oxygen and hydrogen flow within the cell, while maintaining physical contact with the wall wick for electrolyte management; and a floating rather than a fixed stack to accommodate nickel electrode expansion. The resulting improvements include extended cycle life and enhanced thermal, electrolyte, and oxygen management; and accommodation of nickel electrode expansion. Six 125-Ah flight cells based on this design are in the process of being evaluated in a LEO cycle life test     

Generalized model of brushless DC generator

A generalized model is described for a brushless DC machine consisting of a multiphase synchronous machine with a full-wave bridge rectifier connected to its output terminals. The state-variable equations for the machine are suitable for numerical integration on a digital computer, and are assembled in a form which permits investigations to be made on the effects of different numbers of armature phase windings and different winding connections. The model has been used in both steady-state and transient studies on a number of generating units, with the detailed information which is provided being beneficial to design engineers. Comparisons presented between predicted and measured results illustrate the validity of the model and the mathematical techniques adopted, and confirm that accurate information on the performance of a brushless generator may be obtained prior to manufacture     

Fields and plasmas in the outer solar system

The most significant information about fields and plasmas in the outer solar system, based on observations by Pioneer 10 and 11 investigations, is reviewed. The characteristic evolution of solar wind streams beyond 1 AU has been observed. The region within which the velocity increases continuously near 1 AU is replaced at larger distances by a thick interaction region with abrupt jumps in the solar wind speed at the leading and trailing edges. These abrupt increases, accompanied by corresponding jumps in the field magnitude and in the solar wind density and temperature, consist typically of a forward and a reverse shock. The existence of two distinct corotating regions, separated by sharp boundaries, is a characteristic feature of the interplanetary medium in the outer solar system. Within the interaction regions, compression effects are dominant and the field strength, plasma density, plasma temperature and the level of fluctuations are enhanced. Within the intervening quiet regions, rarefaction effects dominate and the field magnitude, solar wind density and fluctuation level are very low. These changes in the structure of interplanetary space have significant consequences for the many energetic particles propagating through the medium. The interaction regions control the access to the inner solar system of relativistic electrons from Jupiter's magnetosphere. The interaction regions and shocks appear to be associated with an acceleration of solar protons to MeV energies. Flare-generated shocks are observed to be propagating through the outer solar system with constant speed, implying that the previously recognized deceleration of flare shocks takes place principally near the Sun. Radial gradients in the solar wind and interplanetary field parameters have been determined. The solar wind speed is nearly constant between 1 and 5 AU with only a slight deceleration of 30 km s⁺¹ on the average. The proton flux follows an r ⁺² dependence reasonably well, however, the proton density shows a larger departure from this dependence. The proton temperature decreases steadily from 1 to 5 AU and the solar wind protons are slightly hotter than anticipated for an adiabatic expansion. The radial component of the interplanetary field falls off like r ⁺² and, on the average, the magnitude and spiral angle also agree reasonably well with theory. However, there is evidence, principally within quiet regions, of a significant departure of the azimuthal field component and the field magnitude from simple theoretical models. Pioneer 11 has obtained information up to heliographic latitudes of 16°. Observations of the interplanetary sector structure show that the polarity of the field becomes gradually more positive, corresponding to outward-directed fields at the Sun, and at the highest latitudes the sector structure disappears. These results confirm a prior suspicion that magnetic sectors are associated with an interplanetary current sheet surrounding the Sun which is inclined slightly to the solar equator.Proceedings of the Symposium on Solar Terrestrial Physics held in Innsbruck, May–June 1978.     

The Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Laser Altimeter

In 1999 after a 3-year transit, the Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will enter a low-altitude orbit around the asteroid, 433 Eros. Onboard the spacecraft, five facility instruments will operate continuously during the planned one-year orbit at Eros. One of these instruments, the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR), will provide sufficiently high resolution and accurate topographical profiles that when combined with gravity estimates will result with quantitative insight into the internal structure, rotational dynamics, and evolution of Eros. Developed at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), the NLR instrument is a direct-detection laser radar using a bistatic arrangement. The transmitter is a gallium arsenide (GaAs) diode-pumped Cr:Nd:YAG (1.064-µm) laser and the separate receiver uses an extended infrared performance avalanche-photodiode (APD) detector with 7.62-cm clear aperture Dall–Kirkham telescope. The lithium-niobate (LiNbO3) Q-switched transmitter emits 15-ns pulses at 15.3 mJ pulse^-1, permitting reliable NLR operation beyond the required 50-km altitude. With orbital velocity of 5 m s^-1 and a sampling rate of 1 Hz, the NLR spot size provides high spatial sampling of Eros along the orbital direction. Cross-track sampling, determined by the specific orbital geometry with Eros, defines the resolution of the global topographic model; this spacing is expected to be <500 m on the asteroid's surface. Combining the various sources of range errors results with an overall range accuracy of 6 m with respect to Eros' center-of-mass. The NLR instrument design, perfomance, and validation testing is decribed. In addition, data derived from the NLR are discussed. Using altimetry data from the NLR, we expect to estimate the volume of 433 Eros to 0.01% and its mass to 0.0001% accuracies; significantly greater accuracies than ever possible before NEAR.     

The Far Infrared Explorer (FIRE)

We describe the Far IR Explorer, a MIDEX-class orbital mission designed to survey the entire sky at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths. The primary science goal of FIRE is to map the Cosmic Microwave Background with 20 resolution and 1 ppm precision. In addition, FIRE will measure diffuse radio and infrared emission from the Galaxy with unprecedented sensitivity, and will uniformly survey the entire sky to a limiting flux density of <100 mJy (3 ).