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Articles 1411 - 1440 of 5600
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Mitigating The Effects Of Boom Occlusion On Automated Aerial Refueling Through Shadow Volumes, Zachary C. Paulson
Mitigating The Effects Of Boom Occlusion On Automated Aerial Refueling Through Shadow Volumes, Zachary C. Paulson
Theses and Dissertations
In flight refueling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is critical to the United States Air Force (USAF). However, the large communication latency between a ground-based operator and his/her remote UAV makes docking with a refueling tanker unsafe. This latency may be mitigated by leveraging a tanker-centric stereo vision system. The vision system observes and computes an approaching receiver's relative position and orientation offering a low-latency, high frequency docking solution. Unfortunately, the boom -- an articulated refueling arm responsible for physically pumping fuel into the receiver -- occludes large portions of the receiver especially as the receiver approaches and docks with …
Predicting Global Disposition Of U.S. Military Personnel Via Open-Source, Unclassified Means, Matthew T. Small
Predicting Global Disposition Of U.S. Military Personnel Via Open-Source, Unclassified Means, Matthew T. Small
Theses and Dissertations
The Joint Distribution Processing Analysis Center (JDPAC) of the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) regularly forecasts the demand of USTRANSCOM assets required by geographic and combatant commanders. These demands are subject to fluctuations due to unforeseen circumstances such as war, conflict, natural disasters, and other calamities requiring the presence of military personnel. This study evaluates the use of exponential state space smoothing, ARIMA, and Regression with ARIMA errors models to forecast the number of military personnel expected in each country, for a test set of countries of interest to USTRANSCOM and which manifest a high degree of variability in the …
An Analysis Of Learning Curve Theory And The Flattening Effect At The End Of The Production Cycle, Evan R. Boone
An Analysis Of Learning Curve Theory And The Flattening Effect At The End Of The Production Cycle, Evan R. Boone
Theses and Dissertations
The premise of this research is to identify and model modifications to the prescribed learning curve model, provided by the Air Force Cost Analysis Handbook, such that the estimated learning rate is modeled as a decreasing learning rate function over time as opposed to the constant learning rate that is currently in use. The current learning curve model mathematically states that for every doubling of units there will be a constant gain in efficiency. The purpose of this thesis was to determine if a new learning curve model could be implemented to reduce the error in the cost estimates for …
The Impact Of Changing Requirements, James C. Ellis
The Impact Of Changing Requirements, James C. Ellis
Theses and Dissertations
The fundamental purpose of an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) is to change the requirements of a contract. To build in flexibility, the acquisition practice is to estimate a dollar value to hold in reserve after the contract is awarded. There appears to be no empirical-based method for estimating this ECP withhold in the literature. Using the Cost Assessment Data Enterprise (CADE) database, 533 contracts were randomly selected to build two regression models: one to predict the likelihood of a contract experiencing an ECP, and the other to determine the expected median percent increase in baseline contract cost if an ECP …
An Analysis Of The Estimate At Complete For Department Of Defense Contracts, Deborah B. Kim
An Analysis Of The Estimate At Complete For Department Of Defense Contracts, Deborah B. Kim
Theses and Dissertations
When contractors provide timely and reliable information on the status of a contract, both contractors and government program offices can provide an accurate estimate of a contract’s completion costs. This research shows that the cumulative cost performance indices provided by contractors and program offices are high and less accurate than those of previous years and/or that a significant amount of ACWP is being documented in the final portion of a contract. The high performance indices resulted in EACs that were low-balled during the majority of a contract’s life which shows a need to improve the use of EVM metrics for …
Pseudo Linear Hall Effect Thruster Characterization Through Potential, Magnetic, And Optical Measurements, Braeden A. Sheets
Pseudo Linear Hall Effect Thruster Characterization Through Potential, Magnetic, And Optical Measurements, Braeden A. Sheets
Theses and Dissertations
Electric propulsion systems are a more mass efficient method for providing a change in velocity, ΔV, to on-orbit spacecraft, than their chemical counterparts. In comparison, electric systems generally have a much higher specific impulse, Isp, than chemical systems. One option within the realm of electric propulsion is Hall Effect Thrusters, which have moderately high specific impulse values. From their advent in the 1960s, Hall Effect Thrusters have been used for orbit station keeping, attitude control, and orbit transfer. Although the discharge cavity is conventionally circular, pseudo-linear or racetrack shaped cavities have been developed. Even though Hall thrusters have decades of …
Parameter Study Of An Orbital Debris Defender Using Two Team, Three Player Differential Game Theory, David F. Spendel
Parameter Study Of An Orbital Debris Defender Using Two Team, Three Player Differential Game Theory, David F. Spendel
Theses and Dissertations
The United States Air Force and other national agencies rely on numerous space assets to project their doctrine. However, space is becoming an increasingly congested, contested, and competitive environment. A common risk mitigation strategy for the orbit debris problem is either performing evasive maneuvers, or placing additional shielding on the satellite before launch. Current risk mitigation strategies have significant consequences to satellite operators and may not produce sufficient risk mitigation. This research poses that an orbital debris defender, which would defend the primary satellite from orbital debris, may be a more effective risk mitigation strategy. By assuming the worst case …
Rss-Based Device-Free Passive Detection And Localization Using Home Automation Network Radio Frequencies, Tiffany M. Phan
Rss-Based Device-Free Passive Detection And Localization Using Home Automation Network Radio Frequencies, Tiffany M. Phan
Theses and Dissertations
This research provided a proof of concept for a device-free passive (DfP) system capable of detecting and localizing a target through exploitation of a home automation network’s radio frequency (RF) signals. The system was developed using Insteon devices with a 915 MHz center frequency. Without developer privileges, limitations of the Insteon technology like no intrinsic received signal strength (RSS) field and silent periods between messages were overcome by using software-defined radios to simulate Insteon devices capable of collecting and reporting RSS, and by creating a message generation script and implementing a calibrated filter threshold to reduce silent periods. Evaluation of …
Stereo Vision: A Comparison Of Synthetic Imagery Vs. Real World Imagery For The Automated Aerial Refueling Problem, Nicholas J. Seydel
Stereo Vision: A Comparison Of Synthetic Imagery Vs. Real World Imagery For The Automated Aerial Refueling Problem, Nicholas J. Seydel
Theses and Dissertations
Missions using unmanned aerial vehicles have increased in the past decade. Currently, there is no way to refuel these aircraft. Accomplishing automated aerial refueling can be made possible using the stereo vision system on a tanker. Real world experiments for the automated aerial refueling problem are expensive and time consuming. Currently, simulations performed in a virtual world have shown promising results using computer vision. It is possible to use the virtual world as a substitute environment for the real world. This research compares the performance of stereo vision algorithms on synthetic and real world imagery.
Integrity Monitoring For Automated Aerial Refueling: A Stereo Vision Approach, Thomas R. Stuart
Integrity Monitoring For Automated Aerial Refueling: A Stereo Vision Approach, Thomas R. Stuart
Theses and Dissertations
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increasingly require the capability to y autonomously in close formation including to facilitate automated aerial refueling (AAR). The availability of relative navigation measurements and navigation integrity are essential to autonomous relative navigation. Due to the potential non-availability of the global positioning system (GPS) during military operations, it is highly desirable that relative navigation can be accomplished without the use of GPS. This paper develops two algorithms designed to provide relative navigation measurements solely from a stereo image pair. These algorithms were developed and analyzed in the context of AAR using a stereo camera system modeling that …
Optimization Of Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Architectures Using Parallel Computation, Michael S. Felten
Optimization Of Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Architectures Using Parallel Computation, Michael S. Felten
Theses and Dissertations
Improving Space Situational Awareness (SSA) remains one of the DoD’s top priorities. Current research at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has shown that modeling and simulation of Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) SSA architectures can identify optimal combinations of ground and space-based sensors. This thesis extends previous research by expanding design boundaries and refining the methodology. A genetic algorithm examined this increased trade space containing 1022 possible architectures. Experimental trials that would have taken over 100 years on a desktop computer were completed in weeks using a high-performance computer containing over 125,000 cores. The results of the optimizer clearly …
Requirements For Air Force Cost Analysis, Chase M. Houser
Requirements For Air Force Cost Analysis, Chase M. Houser
Theses and Dissertations
This research effort intends on identifying the knowledge, skills, abilities necessary for cost analysts to be effective decision support members. The purpose of this research is to determine what levels of education, training, and knowledge are needed by cost analysts in the current career field and in the foreseeable future. It also assesses whether cost analysts associate the levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities as requirements in fulfilling cost analyst duties. From this analysis, a suggested undergraduate education, master’s degree program, and certifications were created for current and future cost analysts to strive to achieve. To accomplish this objective, personal …
Passive Radiolocation Of Ieee 802.11 Emitters Using Directional Antennae, Bradford E. Law
Passive Radiolocation Of Ieee 802.11 Emitters Using Directional Antennae, Bradford E. Law
Theses and Dissertations
Low-cost commodity hardware and cheaper, more capable consumer-grade drones make the threat of home-made, inexpensive drone-mounted wireless attack platforms (DWAPs) greater than ever. Fences and physical security do little to impede a drone from approaching private, commercial, or government wireless access points (WAPs) and conducting wireless attacks. At the same time, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) present a valuable tool for network defenders conducting site surveys and emulating threats. These platforms present near-term dangers and opportunities for corporations and governments. Despite the vast leaps in technology these capabilities represent, UAVs are noisy and consequently difficult to conceal as they approach a …
Quantifying Permafrost Extent, Condition, And Degradation Rates At Department Of Defense Installations In The Arctic, Christopher A. J. Edlund
Quantifying Permafrost Extent, Condition, And Degradation Rates At Department Of Defense Installations In The Arctic, Christopher A. J. Edlund
Theses and Dissertations
The DoD is planning over $500M in military construction on Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) within the next three years. This construction program will expand the footprint of facilities and change parts of the storm water management scheme, which may have second order effects on the underlying permafrost layer. These changes in permafrost will drive engineering decision making at local and regional levels, and help shape the overall strategy for military readiness in the Arctic. Little site-specific knowledge exists on the human caused effects to permafrost at this location. In 2016, the permafrost degradation rates at Eielson AFB were modeled …
Dual Source Excitation Rectangular Waveguide Design And Evaluation For The Measurement Of Electromagnetic Material Properties, Daniel K. Koch
Dual Source Excitation Rectangular Waveguide Design And Evaluation For The Measurement Of Electromagnetic Material Properties, Daniel K. Koch
Theses and Dissertations
Broadband material parameter measurements are essential in understanding how materials interact with electromagnetic waves. Traditional rectangular waveguide material measurement systems are bandwidth limited. This results in multiple rectangular waveguides of different sizes used to conduct broadband material parameter extraction. Efforts to produce a broadband rectangular waveguide have focused on the inclusion of different guiding structures in the waveguide body. These designs have the drawback of requiring precise machining and time-consuming sample preparation. This research proposes a new broadband rectangular waveguide design which uses a dual source excitation design. This is enabled by the fact that rectangular waveguides are linear time …
Improving Annual Fixed Wing Maintenance Cost Estimates Through Cost Estimating Relationships, Kirsten Bunecke
Improving Annual Fixed Wing Maintenance Cost Estimates Through Cost Estimating Relationships, Kirsten Bunecke
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Force executes its mission primarily through the use of fixed-wing aircrafts. Maintaining these aircrafts represents approximately one-third of annual Operating and Support costs; which in turn, make up the majority of Life Cycle Costs. The current approach to estimating aircraft maintenance costs does not take into consideration programmatic data available in the Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) database. The four maintenance cost subcategories researched in this thesis are Consumable Materials and Repair Parts, Depot Level Repairables (DLRs), Depot Maintenance, and Contractor Logistic Support. Each of these cost categories must first be standardized to be able to compare …
Radial Basis Function Generated Finite Differences For The Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation, Justin Ng
Radial Basis Function Generated Finite Differences For The Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation, Justin Ng
Theses and Dissertations
Solutions to the one-dimensional and two-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation are obtained numerically using methods based on radial basis functions (RBFs). Periodic boundary conditions are enforced with a non-periodic initial condition over varying domain sizes. The spatial structure of the solutions is represented using RBFs while several explicit and implicit iterative methods for solving ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are used in temporal discretization for the approximate solutions to the NLS equation. Splitting schemes, integration factors and hyperviscosity are used to stabilize the time-stepping schemes and are compared with one another in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy. This thesis shows …
Simulation And Modeling Of High Energy Laser-Induced Droplet Shattering In Clouds, Andrew P. Lawrence
Simulation And Modeling Of High Energy Laser-Induced Droplet Shattering In Clouds, Andrew P. Lawrence
Theses and Dissertations
The process of a megawatt laser passing through a cloud is modeled. Specifically, the potential for droplet shattering is explored as a method for clearing a path through a cloud through which a second laser may be sent unobstructed. The paraxial approximation, an approximation to Maxwell's equations, is used to model the beam propagation. The simplified cloud model has assumed a distribution of pure, timescale restricted, droplets evenly distributed with uniform radius and initial temperature. All of the radiative heating is assumed to heat the droplet, neglecting radius change and vaporization based upon characteristic time scales. A 1+1 dimensional model …
Shortest Path Across Stochastic Network With Correlated Random Arcs, Stephanie M. Boone
Shortest Path Across Stochastic Network With Correlated Random Arcs, Stephanie M. Boone
Theses and Dissertations
This paper introduces a new approach to identify the shortest path across a stochastic network with correlated random arcs utilizing nonparametric samples of arc lengths. This approach is applied to find optimal aircraft routes that minimize expected fuel consumption for a given airspeed utilizing predicted wind output from NWP ensemble models. Results from this new methodology are then compared to the current fuel minimization route planning method that utilizes deterministic NWP wind data for arc lengths. Comparisons are also made to other previously proposed alternative fuel minimization methodologies that utilize mean and median wind data calculated from NWP ensemble wind …
Characterization Of The Effects Of Heavy Charged Particle Exposure On The Radiation Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus Radiodurans, Todd A. Bryant
Characterization Of The Effects Of Heavy Charged Particle Exposure On The Radiation Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus Radiodurans, Todd A. Bryant
Theses and Dissertations
Although not an extremophile, Deinococcus radiodurans has proven to have exceptional resistance to ionizing radiation, specifically via gamma and X-ray photons. To date, no known experiments have bombarded the bacterium with charged particles larger than hydrogen. This study explored the effects on the organism’s ability to survive high linear energy transfer heavy-charged particle exposures of oxygen ions. It also investigated the effects of low linear energy transfer ultraviolet radiation on various mutants. Two uvrB mutants were created to ascertain the importance of the gene in single-strand break repair following gamma irradiation and two recF mutants were created to explore the …
Characterization Of Silicon Ion Exposure On Deinococcus Radiodurans, Richard F. Daughtry
Characterization Of Silicon Ion Exposure On Deinococcus Radiodurans, Richard F. Daughtry
Theses and Dissertations
Deinococcus radiodurans is a robust bacterium that is known for its extraordinary resistance to ionizing radiation. In general, many of the investigations of this bacterium's resistance have revolved around low linear energy transfer radiation, such as gamma and electron radiation. This study explored Deinococcus radiodurans's ability to survive high linear energy transfer radiation, specifically proton and neutron radiation. Deinococcus radiodurans was dehydrated to reduce the effects of low linear energy transfer radiation. The bacteria were exposed to both neutron and proton radiation of varying amounts and rehydrated. The resulting colonies were counted and compared to colonies of non-irradiated control samples …
Spatial Resolution And Contrast Of A Focused Diffractive Plenoptic Camera, Carlos D. Diaz
Spatial Resolution And Contrast Of A Focused Diffractive Plenoptic Camera, Carlos D. Diaz
Theses and Dissertations
The conventional Diffractive Plenoptic Camera (DPC) was developed as a system that would capture the spectral and spatial information of a scene in one snapshot. The conventional DPC couples a diffractive optic with plenoptic camera designs that provide snapshot spectral imaging capabilities but produce rendered images with low pixel count. A modified setup of the conventional DPC, the focused DPC, and a modified imaging algorithm, the refocused light field algorithm, were built and tested for the first time, and compared to the conventional DPC as methods that would increase the pixel count and improve rendered image quality. The focused DPC …
Two-Photon Excitation Of Cesium Alkali Metal Vapor 72D, 82D Kinetics And Spectroscopy, Ricardo C. Davila
Two-Photon Excitation Of Cesium Alkali Metal Vapor 72D, 82D Kinetics And Spectroscopy, Ricardo C. Davila
Theses and Dissertations
Pulsed excitation on the two-photon Cs 62S½ → 72D3/2,5/2 transition results in time-resolved fluorescence at 697 nm and 672 nm. The rates for fine structure mixing between the 72D3/2,5/2 states have been measured for helium and argon rare gas collision partners. The mixing rates are very fast, 1.26 ± 0.05 x 10-9 cm3/(atom sec) for He and 1.52 ± 0.05 x 10-10 cm3 /(atom sec) for Ar, driven by the small energy splitting and large radial distribution for the valence electron. …
A New Analysis Of The Gálvez-Davison Index For Convective Forecasts In Northern Africa, Gabriel D. Donndelinger
A New Analysis Of The Gálvez-Davison Index For Convective Forecasts In Northern Africa, Gabriel D. Donndelinger
Theses and Dissertations
Severe wind gusts and thunderstorms have been difficult to forecast in Africa. Traditional convective forecast tools (e.g. Total Totals Index, Lifted Index, K Index (KI) and Convective Available Potential Energy) do not accurately portray potential for thunderstorms in Africa. This research effort used the Gálvez-Davison Index (GDI), a convective index created for the tropics, and assess its applicability to northern Africa. GDI was produced for the Caribbean and Central America, and utilized temperature, moisture, mid-level stability, dry air entrainment and an elevation factor to calculate convective potential. In this research, GDI and KI were calculated using Global Forecast System (GFS) …
The Geographic Distribution Of Downburst Frequency Across Spaceport Florida, Tania M. Garza
The Geographic Distribution Of Downburst Frequency Across Spaceport Florida, Tania M. Garza
Theses and Dissertations
Strong winds from downbursts pose a significant hazard to personnel and launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The CCAFS/KSC complex has a robust mesonet from which an 18 year (1995-2012) warm-season convective wind climatology (WSCWC) was developed (Koermer 2017). While the frequency of downbursts in the area has been determined, the frequency at the individual tower locations has not. The 5-minute peak wind data from the WSCWC was analyzed to determine the geographic distribution of downburst frequency across Spaceport Florida. For this project a downburst was determined by the threshold of …
A Comparison Of High Frequency Angle Of Arrival And Ionosonde Data During A Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance, Kalen L. Knippling
A Comparison Of High Frequency Angle Of Arrival And Ionosonde Data During A Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance, Kalen L. Knippling
Theses and Dissertations
High Frequency (HF) geolocation techniques are commonly used to track the source of uncooperative HF emitters. A traveling ionospheric disturbance (TID) makes geolocation particularly difficult due to large perturbations in the local ionospheric electron density profile. Angle of Arrival (AoA) and ionosonde virtual height measurements collected at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in January 2014, are analyzed during a medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbance. TID characteristics are extracted from the measurements, and a comparison between the data sets is per- formed to provide a measure of correlation as a function of distance and time between the ionosonde and AoA …
Impacts Of Sub-Auroral Polarization Streams On High Frequency Operations As A Function Of Modeled Particle Energy Flux, Nathan D. Smith
Impacts Of Sub-Auroral Polarization Streams On High Frequency Operations As A Function Of Modeled Particle Energy Flux, Nathan D. Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Space weather events can cause irregularities within the ionosphere; in particular, this research examines sub-auroral polarization streams (SAPS), as their accompanying irregularities and effects can degrade high-frequency (HF) signal propagation. It is known that the strongest westerly current drifts delineating SAPS are associated with a deep ionospheric trough, which in turn contaminates HF data with clutter from the non-standard ionosphere. Having a methodology to track and identify these occurrences on current computational architecture would provide operators enhanced situational awareness in knowing to expect degradation in HF processes. This study has discovered a weak, yet significant, exponentially decaying correlation between maximum …
Pulse Height Spectra Analysis Of A Neutron Energy Tuning Assembly, Jason R. Stickney
Pulse Height Spectra Analysis Of A Neutron Energy Tuning Assembly, Jason R. Stickney
Theses and Dissertations
An energy tuning assembly (ETA) was previously designed and built for the purpose of irradiating samples with a combination of a thermonuclear and a prompt fission neutron spectrum. Initial research was performed to characterize the performance of the ETA at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron using 33 MeV deuteron breakup on tantalum as the neutron source. This research analyzes detector responses collected from three EJ-309 detectors used to characterize the ETA generated neutron field. A signal processing chain was developed to reduce the full waveform data into a pulse height spectrum. The primary goal was to develop a …
Methodology To Analyze Tropical Cyclone Intensity From Microwave Imagery, Matthew W. Perkins
Methodology To Analyze Tropical Cyclone Intensity From Microwave Imagery, Matthew W. Perkins
Theses and Dissertations
Satellites with microwave remote sensing capabilities can be utilized to study atmospheric phenomena through high-level cloud cover (particularly cirrus), an advantage over visible and infrared bands, which only sense cloud tops. This unique capability makes microwave imagery ideal for studying the cloud structures of tropical cyclones (TCs) in detail, and relating these features to TC intensity. Techniques to estimate the intensity of TCs using infrared imagery, such as the Dvorak technique, have been used in TC forecasting for 40 years. However, due to the inherent temporal limitations of microwave imagery, no such similar technique exists for the microwave spectrum. This …
Evaluation Of High Velocity Wear, Armando Deleon
Evaluation Of High Velocity Wear, Armando Deleon
Theses and Dissertations
The HHSTT located at Holloman Air Force Base conducts hypersonic testing in a unique way. Rather than perform cost prohibitive flight testing or hypersonic wind tunnel testing, a rocket-powered sled propels test articles down a track. This test setup has been used to test at speeds up to 2885 m/s (~Mach 8.6). The sled is kept on the rails by utilizing slippers, fabricated to wrap around the rail [1]. This slipper design keeps the sled from separating from the rail during a test due to the airflow producing lift, in a designed effort to minimize the wear that occurs during …