Bearing detection in the presence of two sources of varying coherence using the complex cepstrum

The effect of the presence of two acoustic sources (one, the primary, whose location is to be detected) of varying coherence on a cepstral bearing finding procedure is experimentally studied. The coherence between the acoustic sources was altered by adding random noise of various SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) to the input signal of the primary source; the same base signal being fed to both sources. The results demonstrate that, when block liftering is used, the primary source bearing is reliably estimated for coherences as low as gamma sup 2 greater than or approx equal to 0.5. The results also imply that background noise (unreflected) of SNR greater than or approx equal to 10 dB will not markedly affect the accuracy of the bearing estimation algorithm

The Langley Research Center CSI phase-0 evolutionary model testbed-design and experimental results

A testbed for the development of Controls Structures Interaction (CSI) technology is described. The design philosophy, capabilities, and early experimental results are presented to introduce some of the ongoing CSI research at NASA-Langley. The testbed, referred to as the Phase 0 version of the CSI Evolutionary model (CEM), is the first stage of model complexity designed to show the benefits of CSI technology and to identify weaknesses in current capabilities. Early closed loop test results have shown non-model based controllers can provide an order of magnitude increase in damping in the first few flexible vibration modes. Model based controllers for higher performance will need to be robust to model uncertainty as verified by System ID tests. Data are presented that show finite element model predictions of frequency differ from those obtained from tests. Plans are also presented for evolution of the CEM to study integrated controller and structure design as well as multiple payload dynamics

Carbohydrate intake and ketosis in self-sufficient multi-stage ultramarathon runners

Ultra-endurance athletes accumulate an energy deficit throughout their events and those competing in self-sufficient multi-stage races are particularly vulnerable due to load carriage considerations. Whilst urinary ketones have previously been noted in ultra-endurance exercise and attributed to insufficient carbohydrate (CHO) availability, not all studies have reported concomitant CHO intake. Our aim was to determine changes in blood glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations over five days (240 km) of a self-sufficient multi-stage ultramarathon in combination with quantification of energy and macronutrient intakes, estimated energy expenditure and evaluation of energy balance. Thirteen runners (8 male, 5 female, mean age 40 ± 8 years) participated in the study. Glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate were measured every day immediately post-running, and food diaries completed daily. CHO intakes of 301 ± 106 g·day−1 (4.3 ± 1.8 g·kg−1·day−1) were not sufficient to avoid ketosis (5-day mean β-hydroxybutyrate: 1.1 ± 0.6 mmol.L−1). Furthermore, ketosis was not attenuated even when CHO intake was high (9 g·kg−1·day−1). This suggests that competing in a state of ketosis may be inevitable during multi-stage events where load reduction is prioritised over energy provisions. Attenuating negative impacts associated with such a metabolic shift in athletes unaccustomed to CHO and energy restriction requires further exploration

Regularities with random interactions in energy centroids defined by group symmetries

Regular structures generated by random interactions in energy centroids defined over irreducible representations (irreps) of some of the group symmetries of the interacting boson models $sd$IBM, $sdg$IBM, $sd$IBM-$T$ and $sd$IBM-$ST$ are studied by deriving trace propagations equations for the centroids. It is found that, with random interactions, the lowest and highest group irreps in general carry most of the probability for the corresponding centroids to be lowest in energy. This generalizes the result known earlier, via numerical diagonalization, for the more complicated fixed spin ($J$) centroids where simple trace propagation is not possible.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure

Compound nuclear decay and the liquid to vapor phase transition: a physical picture

Analyses of multifragmentation in terms of the Fisher droplet model (FDM) and the associated construction of a nuclear phase diagram bring forth the problem of the actual existence of the nuclear vapor phase and the meaning of its associated pressure. We present here a physical picture of fragment production from excited nuclei that solves this problem and establishes the relationship between the FDM and the standard compound nucleus decay rate for rare particles emitted in first-chance decay. The compound thermal emission picture is formally equivalent to a FDM-like equilibrium description and avoids the problem of the vapor while also explaining the observation of Boltzmann-like distribution of emission times. In this picture a simple Fermi gas thermometric relation is naturally justified and verified in the fragment yields and time scales. Low energy compound nucleus fragment yields scale according to the FDM and lead to an estimate of the infinite symmetric nuclear matter critical temperature between 18 and 27 MeV depending on the choice of the surface energy coefficient of nuclear matter.Comment: Five page two column pages, four figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

INTERNAL ROTATION OF THE UPPER ARM: THE MISSING LINK IN THE KINEMATIC CHAIN

Many situations in sport demand that maximum speed be produced at the end of the most distal segment. An essential aspect in speed generation is that movement of each segment is exploited in order that maximum speed be generated from the "kinematic chain". A review by Putnam (1993) in discussing the sequencing of motion, while generally supporting the proximal-to-distal order of movement, also stated that internal rotation of the upper arm (UAIR) did not follow this timing pattern. Recent developments in computer software (Feltner and Dapena, 1989; Sprigings et al., 1994; Sakurai et al, 1993) have permitted the role of segment rotations about all their degrees of freedom to be calculated. Data collected by EIliott and colleagues c1early show the importance of UAIR in speed generation of the racket in a number if hitting sports. In the tennis serve approximately 54% of the forward racket velocity at impact can be attributed to this movement. In the forehand drive in tennis and squash approximately 30% of the forward racket velocity at impact could be accounted for through UAIR. These data also clearly show that UAIR is one of the last rotations to occur prior to impact, the majority of action occurring in the period 30 ms before and then after impact. This timing was generally corroborated by data from Rash and Shapiro (1995) on the quarter-back throw in American football and Feltner (1995) in the penalty throw in water polo. UAIR made a significant contribution to a number of hitting and throwing movement patterns, while also occurring very late in the temporal cycle where high end point velocities were desirable. As a link in the kinematic chain it must therefore be considered if three-dimensional movements involving the upper limb are to be understood. REFERENCES FELTNER, M. (1996). Three-dimensional kinematics of the throwing arm during the penalty throw in water polo, personal communication. FELTNER, M.E. & DAPENA, J. (1989). Three-dimensional interactions in a twosegment kinetic chain. Part I: General model, Int. J. Sport Biomech. 5: 403-419. PUTNAM, C. (1993). Sequential motions of body segments in striking and throwing skil/s : descriptions and explanations, J. Biomech. 26 (Suppl 1) : 125-135. RASH, G. & SHAPIRO, R. (1995). Athreedimensional dynamic analysis of the quarterbacks throwing motion in American football, J. of Appl. Biomech. 11 : 443-459. SAKURAI, S.1. KEGAMI, Y, OKAMOTO,A., YABE, K. & TOYOSHIMA, S. (1993). A three-dimensional cinematographic analysis of upper limb movement during fastball and curveball baseball analysis of upper limb movement during fastball and curveball baseball pitches, J ofAppl. Biomech. 9 (1): 47-65. SPRIGINGS, E., MARSHALL, R., ELLIOTT, B. & JENNINGS, l. (1994). A 3-D kinematic method for determining the effectiveness of arm segment rotations in producing racquet-head speed, J. Biomech. 27: 245-254