Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

1992

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1591 - 1620 of 52976

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Object Tracking Through Adaptive Correlation, Dennis A. Montera Dec 1992

Object Tracking Through Adaptive Correlation, Dennis A. Montera

Theses and Dissertations

This paper discusses the use of a correlation based system to track, an object through a series of images based on templates derived from previous image frames. The ability to track is extended to sequences which include multiple objects of interest within the field of view. This is accomplishes by comparing the height and shape of the template autocorrelation to the peaks in the correlation of the template with the next scene. The result is to identify the region in the next scene which best matches the designated target. In addition to correlation plane postprocessing, an adaptive window is used …


A Two-Dimensional Particle Simulation Of Parallel Plate Radio-Frequency (Rf) Glow Discharges, Eric J. Bennett Dec 1992

A Two-Dimensional Particle Simulation Of Parallel Plate Radio-Frequency (Rf) Glow Discharges, Eric J. Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

A two-dimensional model of parallel plate RF glow discharges was developed to study discharge phenomena important in plasma assisted processing of materials. The particle-in-cell method is used to calculate the trajectories of computer particles under the influence of both self and applied fields. Monte Carlo methods using the null collision technique are used to model collisions between charged particles and neutral gas atoms. Results of computer experiments are presented with special emphasis placed on ion motion in the sheath regions. Experimental results show some qualitative agreement with one-dimensional model results. Further work required to gain quantitative agreement is outlined.


Laser Phase Front Measurements Using A Phase Conjugate Twyman-Green Interferometer, William J. Mandeville Dec 1992

Laser Phase Front Measurements Using A Phase Conjugate Twyman-Green Interferometer, William J. Mandeville

Theses and Dissertations

This study demonstrated the use of a phase conjugate TwymanGreen interferometer for measuring the phase fronts of beams emitted by infrared diode lasers operating at 830 nm. This interferometer successfully measured the phase front of a single element diode laser, providing better resolution than its conventional counterpart. The phase conjugate mirror compensated for aberrations introduced by imperfect optics in the phase conjugating arm of the interferometer. This interferometer was unable to measure the phase front of a diode array due to the array's inability to create a phase conjugate return. The array's short coherence length is believed to be the …


Cation Production And Reactions Induced By Electron Impact On Tetraethoxysilane, Jeremy C. Holtgrave Dec 1992

Cation Production And Reactions Induced By Electron Impact On Tetraethoxysilane, Jeremy C. Holtgrave

Theses and Dissertations

The production of cations by electron impact on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) is studied with a Fourier Transform mass spectrometer (FTMS). The operating principles of FTMS are reviewed and the experimental approach to the mass calibration and cross-section measurement is discussed. The cross-sections for total and partial ionization of Si(OC2H5)4 from threshold to 50 eV are measured. Also, the ion chemistry resulting from interactions between ions and neutral TEOS is examined.


Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy Of Zinc Germanium Phosphide Zngep2, Michael R. Gregg Dec 1992

Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy Of Zinc Germanium Phosphide Zngep2, Michael R. Gregg

Theses and Dissertations

Zinc Germanium Phosphide (ZnGeP2) is a nonlinear semiconductor suitable for use as a laser tuning element over the two to six micron wavelength range. Although this crystal has been studied in the past, its luminescent properties are not yet well understood. In this present study, ZnGeP2 has been examined using cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (CL). Specifically, the spectral dependence of the CL was obtained as a function of electron beam energy, beam current and temperature. The resulting CL was found to be polarized with a peak structure that was dependent on the polarization. This peak structure observed by CL …


Rewet Performance Of A Rectangular Grooved Heat Pipe Wick After Gravitationally Induced Dryout, Lowell S. Hawthorne Dec 1992

Rewet Performance Of A Rectangular Grooved Heat Pipe Wick After Gravitationally Induced Dryout, Lowell S. Hawthorne

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of increased acceleration forces on the transient dryout and rewet performance of an axial groove heat pipe wick were experimentally studied using inclination to simulate increased acceleration forces. Two durations of increased acceleration were investigated, one being less than the time required for the groove to reach steady-state dryout conditions, the other being sufficient to ensure the groove had reached steady-state dryout conditions. The groove's extent of dryout was found to be greater at increased levels of acceleration. The period of time required for the groove to rewet after an acceleration induced dryout increased as acceleration increased. The …


Extended Lyapunov Exponents For Second Order Systems, Janice M. Horn Dec 1992

Extended Lyapunov Exponents For Second Order Systems, Janice M. Horn

Theses and Dissertations

It is shown that the concept of the Lyapunov exponent can be extended to include an imaginary part. A numerical technique used to calculate these extended Lyapunov exponents for second order systems is presented. There are two requirements to make this extension possible: the definition of a coordinate frame on the tangent space of the differential equation, and an extension of the classical limit, called the limit of the mean. An application of the technique to the van der Pol equation for the constant coefficient and periodic coefficient cases is given. The extended Lyapunov exponents found using this technique totally …


Effect Of Transverse Vibration On The Capillary Limit Of A Wrapped Screen Wick Copper/Water Heat Pipe, Mark C. Charlton Dec 1992

Effect Of Transverse Vibration On The Capillary Limit Of A Wrapped Screen Wick Copper/Water Heat Pipe, Mark C. Charlton

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of transverse vibration on the capillary limit of a copper/water heat pipe with a tightly wrapped screen wick was investigated. The capillary limit was measured over a range of operating temperatures under static conditions. A bench-top shaker was used to provide vibration normal to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and the capillary limit was measured at vibration frequencies of 30, 250, and 1000 Hz. At each of these frequencies, tests were run at vibration levels of 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 G. The pipe was maintained at a zero degree inclination angle and power throughput was increased until …


An Approximate Solution For The Linearized Spinup Dynamics Of A Dual-Spin Spacecraft, David L. Kinney Dec 1992

An Approximate Solution For The Linearized Spinup Dynamics Of A Dual-Spin Spacecraft, David L. Kinney

Theses and Dissertations

An approximate solution is obtained for the linearized equations of motion for the spinup dynamics of a dual-spin spacecraft. The approximation is obtained from the WKB (Wentzel, Kramers, and Brillouin) method, which usually generates a divergent series. Comparison between the WKB solution and the numerically integrated solution are used to study the effects of spinup torque magnitude and the number of WKB terms used on the accuracy of the approximation. The WKB method generates accurate approximations for small spinup torques using as few as two terms in the series when no singularities are present in the WKB terms during the …


Data Reduction With Least Squares Differential Correction Using Equinoctial Elements, Michael S. Wasson Dec 1992

Data Reduction With Least Squares Differential Correction Using Equinoctial Elements, Michael S. Wasson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates earth satellite orbit estimation on a track of range, azimuth, and elevation data from a single tracking station. The estimation routine is a least squares batch filter based solely on two-body orbital motion. Using equinoctial elements for the reference orbit avoids the numerical difficulties of the classical elements at eccentricities near zero and inclinations near zero or 90 degrees. Orbits for Mir, DMSP, Explorer, Cosmos, and GPS are investigated. The goal of this study is to reduce orbit information from observations (range, azimuth, and elevation) to an element set and a covariance matrix without considering perturbation effects. …


Investigation Of Fatigue Behavior In Notched Cross-Ply Titanium Metal Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Robert P. Baker Dec 1992

Investigation Of Fatigue Behavior In Notched Cross-Ply Titanium Metal Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Robert P. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to investigate the initiation and progression of damage which develops in notched (0/90)2S SCS-6/Ti-15-3 at elevated temperature. Testing consisted of a monotonic tensile test at 427°C followed by fatigue testing performed under load control with a stress ratio of 0.1 at a frequency of 10 Hz. A crack was defined to have initiated when it had attained a length greater than or equal to 0.124 mm. Crack initiation and progression was monitored by strain and modulus observations and visual inspection via telemicroscope. The cracks were recorded with edge and face replicas. Metallographic and …


Behavior Of A Titanium Matrix Composite Under Quasi-Static Tensile And Compressive Loading, Keith L. Bearden Dec 1992

Behavior Of A Titanium Matrix Composite Under Quasi-Static Tensile And Compressive Loading, Keith L. Bearden

Theses and Dissertations

Quasi-Static tensile and compressive testing was performed on a unidirectional titanium matrix composite. The specific material was SCS-9/β 21S. The initial tensile and compressive modulus for both laminates was the same. The ninety degree laminate had a tensile and compressive modulus of 115.89 GPa. The zero degree laminate had a tensile and compressive modulus of 197.51 GPa. The ninety degree laminate exhibited a three stage stress/strain response in tension. The first stage is completely linearly elastic, however, partial debonding of the fiber from the matrix was observed. This partial debased did not effect the stress/strain response. The second stage is …


Stratified Plate Model For Composite Plate Analysis, Richard A. Coveno Dec 1992

Stratified Plate Model For Composite Plate Analysis, Richard A. Coveno

Theses and Dissertations

This study continues the investigation of the stratified plate model for the analysis of composites plates. The strata theory models a composite plate as a stack of isotropic matrix and orthotropic, fiber dominated layers. Energy methods are used to derive a set of partial differential equations and boundary conditions as a function of the displacement. An assumed displacement field, of a polynomial in z and a Sine/Cosine function in x and y, generates a solution to a simply supported composite plate with cross plies. A cylindrical bending example is also solved with a polynomial in z and Sine/Cosine function in …


Power Analysis In Flexible Automation, Nathan A. Titus Dec 1992

Power Analysis In Flexible Automation, Nathan A. Titus

Theses and Dissertations

The performance of an automation or robotic device can be measured in terms of its power efficiency. Screw theory is used to mathematically define the task instantaneously with two screws. The task wrench defines the effect of the device on its environment, and the task twist describes the motion of the device. The tasks can be separated into three task types: kinetic, manipulative, and reactive. Efficiency metrics are developed for each task type. The output power is strictly a function of the task screws, while device input power is shown to be a function of the task, the device Jacobian, …


Effect Of Thickness And Ply Layup On The Collapse Characteristics Of Cylindrical Composite Shells With Large Cutouts, James C. Hatfield Dec 1992

Effect Of Thickness And Ply Layup On The Collapse Characteristics Of Cylindrical Composite Shells With Large Cutouts, James C. Hatfield

Theses and Dissertations

This study involved a numerical and experimental investigation of the geometric instability(collapse loads/displacements) of vertically unsupported graphite/epoxy cylindrical shell panels undergoing axial compression. Symmetric quasi-isotropic and cross-ply laminates, with and without 4 X4 centralized cutouts, were investigated for three thicknesses:8,16,and 24 plies. The experimental data was compared to results from SHELL, a geometrically nonlinear finite-element computer program which incorporates a parabolic transverse shear strain distribution through the thickness. Good correlation was obtained for shells with large cutouts between the SHELL numerical data and the experimental results. This research verified that the SHELL program will provide good predictions of the collapse …


Nozzle/Cowl Optimization For A Hypersonic Vehicle On A Typical Trajectory, Michael J. Bonaparte Dec 1992

Nozzle/Cowl Optimization For A Hypersonic Vehicle On A Typical Trajectory, Michael J. Bonaparte

Theses and Dissertations

An investigation of the effects of simultaneous variation of the nozzle attachment and cowl deflection angle on the performance of a two- dimensional nozzle used on a hypersonic vehicle such as the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) was performed using a two parameter optimization procedure. Total thrust optimization was accomplished using a Flux-Difference-Split (FDS) cods, a RAMJET Performance Analysis program, and an oblique shock wave solver program, at sixteen points on a 1000 psf dynamic pressure trajectory for Mach numbers from 10.0 to 25.0. A single parameter optimization of the total thrust using a variable nozzle attachment angle was accomplished first …


Development Of An Engine/Airframe Performance Matching Scheme For Jet Engine Retrofit, Alan Lach Dec 1992

Development Of An Engine/Airframe Performance Matching Scheme For Jet Engine Retrofit, Alan Lach

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation developed a procedure and new analysis tools for identifying retrofit engine designs for use in existing airframes. The goal was to find a replacement engine for the air-to-air fighter, AAF, developed in the textbook Aircraft Engine Design. This paper introduced the ideas of solution surfaces, constraint/thrust diagrams, quality measures and linear regression analysis for the engine design problem. It considered the application of the jet engine design software ACSYS, MISS, and ONX along with statistical analysis software, SAS. Modeling techniques and linear regression analysis were used to minimize iteration while searching a wide range of design variables. Improvements …


Optimal Control Of The Starfire Beam Director, Troy V. Lanier Dec 1992

Optimal Control Of The Starfire Beam Director, Troy V. Lanier

Theses and Dissertations

The Starfire Beam Director (SBD) is located at the Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The SBD capabilities include tracking celestial objects and active or passive tracking of artificial satellites to support the Phillips Laboratory Ground Based Laser Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing (GBL ATP) program. The pointing and tracking accuracy needed to support such experiments is micron rad to sub-grad level. To accomplish this goal requires precise pointing of the massive 6 ton 1 -meter clear aperture coelostat. The purpose of this thesis is to use optimal control design techniques to develop a controller …


The Effects Of Viscosity On A Conically Derived Waverider, James A. Mundy Dec 1992

The Effects Of Viscosity On A Conically Derived Waverider, James A. Mundy

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of the interaction between the viscous boundary layer and the shock wave produced by a Mach 10 inviscid optimized waverider. An implicit, Roe flux-splitting algorithm, developed by WL/FIMM, was used to solve the flow field. A validation for the inviscid version of the CFD algorithm was accomplished by comparing the numerical -data produced by the CFD code to the analytic results derived by Rasmussen, and by comparison to results of the explicit version of the same Roe flux-splitting code. The computational results compared favorably. The inviscid case studied using the implicit code produced results identical, …


Improvements To Lqgi/Ltr Methodology For Plants With Lightly Damped Or Low Frequency Poles, An-Chi Ju Dec 1992

Improvements To Lqgi/Ltr Methodology For Plants With Lightly Damped Or Low Frequency Poles, An-Chi Ju

Theses and Dissertations

LQG/LTR design has a tendency to invert the plant's dynamics, which is undesirable if there are plant poles near the imaginary axis. In this study, Static Output Feedback (SOF) is applied to reassign plant poles before LQG/LTR is applied. Alternatively, Robust Eigenstructure Assignment (REA) was used to design the target loop transfer function with an ideal eigenstructure to avoid the undesirable cancellations. Both methods were applied to several aircraft design problems. Results showed that the methods can be effectively used so that the LQG/LTR design has improved stability and performance; however, it was found that each method had strengths and …


Application Of The Program Profile For The Design Of Low-Speed, Low- Observable Configuration Airfoils, Gregory A. Sharp Dec 1992

Application Of The Program Profile For The Design Of Low-Speed, Low- Observable Configuration Airfoils, Gregory A. Sharp

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated-the use of the program PROFILE for the design of low-speed, low-observable configuration airfoils. For our purposes, low- observable configuration is defined as being characterized by a small leading- edge radius of less than 1.18 percent chord and a thickness-to-chord ratio of 2. 5 to 5.5 percent. A methodology was developed whereby the input parameters to prescribe the velocity distribution over the airfoil could be determined by a power law relationship. This relationship enables the designer to develop symmetric airfoils with the desired thickness-to-chord and leading-edge radius within the stated constraints. The resulting symmetric airfoils compared very well …


Behavior Of A Centrally Notched Cross-Ply And Unidirectional Ceramic Matrix Composite In Tension-Compression Fatigue, William A. Weidenaar Dec 1992

Behavior Of A Centrally Notched Cross-Ply And Unidirectional Ceramic Matrix Composite In Tension-Compression Fatigue, William A. Weidenaar

Theses and Dissertations

Centrally notched (hole), cross-ply, ((0/90)2)s, and unidirectional, (0)8 laminates of Silicon Carbide fiber-reinforced Aluminosilicate glass, SiC/1723, were fatigue tested under tension-compression loading with a load ratio of -1. Damage accumulated continuously for both lay- ups, leading to eventual failure and a reduced fatigue life. Critical damage in the cross-ply consisted of longitudinal cracks in the 90° plies growing and combining with transverse cracks to effectively eliminate the 90° plies' load carrying capability and allowing the specimen to buckle. Critical damage in the unidirectional lay-up consisted of longitudinal cracks which initiated at the shear stress concentration …


The Influence Of Structural Optimization On The Aeroelastic Properties Of A Vertical Tail, David G. Miller Dec 1992

The Influence Of Structural Optimization On The Aeroelastic Properties Of A Vertical Tail, David G. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the influence of structural optimization parameters on the structural and aeroelastic behavior of a vertical tail. The outside geometry of the tail is assumed fixed. The objective of the optimization is to reduce the structural member sizes so that the overall weight of the tail is minimized. The influence that design loads, design constraints, design variable linking has on the optimal design is observed examining several design cases. The static aeroelastic properties a flutter speeds of the various design cases are then compared. The doublet lattice method is used to calculate the …


An Interactive Life Cycle Cost Forecasting Tool, Nicolas M. Habash Dec 1992

An Interactive Life Cycle Cost Forecasting Tool, Nicolas M. Habash

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is about computing life cycle cost and culminates with a life cycle cost forecasting tool (software). The software is written in FORTRAN 77 and uses IMSL subroutine extensively for random number generation from various distributions. The algorithm can compute life cycle cost for the following types of cost elements: constant, stochastic, and cost estimating relationships (CERs). The use of a trapezoid approximation of payment allocation is allowed. Percent allocation of payments is also allowed and is recommended where the trapezoid fails to correctly represent the payment schedule. The CER algorithm handles cost data that was estimated in base …


Comparison Of Artificial Neural Networks With A Conventional Heuristic Technique For Optimization Problems, Jeffrey S. Gruner Dec 1992

Comparison Of Artificial Neural Networks With A Conventional Heuristic Technique For Optimization Problems, Jeffrey S. Gruner

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the utility of the Hopfield and Kohonen artificial neural networks to the traveling salesman optimization problem. A third, non-neural-network technique (the Christofides Algorithm - a competitive, bounded-solution operations research technique) is also investigated for comparison to the artificial neural network solutions. An eight and forty-two city distribution are chosen for comparison of the solutions.


Analysis Of Titan Iv Launch Responsiveness, Michael T. Dunn Dec 1992

Analysis Of Titan Iv Launch Responsiveness, Michael T. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the feasibility of developing responsive space systems through responsive launch operations with the Titan IV, the only expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle in the United States inventory. A definition for responsive launch has not been firmly established by Air Force Space Command for this launch vehicle. For benchmark purposes, this study uses the responsive launch definition contained in the proposal request for the Medium Launch Vehicle Ill: launch vehicle ignition within 60 days of mission need notification. Titan IV launch processing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida currently requires in excess of six months, rendering Titan …


Recurrent Neural Networks For Radar Target Identification, Eric T. Kouba Dec 1992

Recurrent Neural Networks For Radar Target Identification, Eric T. Kouba

Theses and Dissertations

A real-time recurrent learning algorithm was applied to a five class radar target identification problem. The wideband radar was assumed to measure both kinematic (tracking information expressed as estimated aspect angles) and high range resolution data from a single, isolated aircraft. The aspect angles (azimuth and elevation) of the aircraft relative to the radar were assumed to be constantly chancing. This created temporal sequences of high range resolution radar signatures that changed as the aspect angles changed. These sequences were used as input features to a recurrent neural network for three radar target identification test cases. The first test case …


A Toposcopic Investigation Of Brain Electrical Activity Induced By Motion Sickness, Dwight A. Roblyer Dec 1992

A Toposcopic Investigation Of Brain Electrical Activity Induced By Motion Sickness, Dwight A. Roblyer

Theses and Dissertations

A toposcope was constructed as a new tool to study signal frequency and phase relationships in electroencephalogram (EEG) records collected while subjects were experiencing motion sickness. This new tool, named TOPOS, is a software-based, multi-featured version of Grey Walter and Harold Shipton's device which they first produced in the late 1940s. The TOPOS graphical display permits the study of instantaneous frequency relationships between the input channels and a reference signal of fixed or varying frequency. TOPOS adds a correlation grid to aid observers in detecting channel-to-reference correlation levels. Users can also vary several display parameters via menus to optimize the …


Software Support Measurement And Estimating For Oracle Database Applications Using Mark Ii Function Points, Steven D. Radnov Dec 1992

Software Support Measurement And Estimating For Oracle Database Applications Using Mark Ii Function Points, Steven D. Radnov

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the results of measuring software support of Oracle database applications and estimating the effort and schedule required to provide support. Software measurement was accomplished with a variant of the function points metric, called Mark II function points, which is comprised of three weighted parameters, inputs, entities, and outputs. A technique for mapping Mark II function points to Oracle DBMS components was developed, and the size of the software support for each project, per team, was measured by tabulating and weighting the number of inputs, entities, and outputs that are added, changed, and/or deleted. Software support effort was …


Retinal Modeling: Segmenting Motion From Spatio-Temporal Inputs Using Neural Networks, David E. Swanson Dec 1992

Retinal Modeling: Segmenting Motion From Spatio-Temporal Inputs Using Neural Networks, David E. Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

We applied two first-order, linear, time-varying, differential equations to the task of segmenting motion from sequences of images. The equations are modified Grossberg formulas for long-term and short-term memory models characterizing the neurotransmitter and cell-activity levels of a synapse and neuron. We described how a two layered, sensory, neural network can be built using the equations to simulate the amacrine neurons of the retina. The model is defined using adaptive input nodes (adaptive model) and is compared to a similar model without these nodes (O and G model). By replicating the basic amacrine neuron model to form both one- and …