Aerodynamic measuring device Patent

Pressure probe for sensing ambient static air pressure

Multistatic human micro-Doppler classification of armed/unarmed personnel

Classification of different human activities using multistatic micro-Doppler data and features is considered in this paper, focusing on the distinction between unarmed and potentially armed personnel. A database of real radar data with more than 550 recordings from 7 different human subjects has been collected in a series of experiments in the field with a multistatic radar system. Four key features were extracted from the micro-Doppler signature after Short Time Fourier Transform analysis. The resulting feature vectors were then used as individual, pairs, triplets, and all together before inputting to different types of classifiers based on the discriminant analysis method. The performance of different classifiers and different feature combinations is discussed aiming at identifying the most appropriate features for the unarmed vs armed personnel classification, as well as the benefit of combining multistatic data rather than using monostatic data only

Personnel recognition based on multistatic micro-Doppler and singular value decomposition features

The use of micro-Doppler signatures experimentally collected by a multistatic radar system to recognise and classify different people walking is discussed. A suitable feature based on singular value decomposition of the spectrograms is proposed and tested with different types of classifiers. It is shown that high accuracy of between 97 and 99% can be achieved when multistatic data are used to perform the classification

Automatic generation of robot and manual assembly plans using octrees

This paper aims to investigate automatic assembly planning for robot and manual assembly. The octree decomposition technique is applied to approximate CAD models with an octree representation which are then used to generate robot and manual assembly plans. An assembly planning system able to generate assembly plans was developed to build these prototype models. Octree decomposition is an effective assembly planning tool. Assembly plans can automatically be generated for robot and manual assembly using octree models. Research limitations/implications - One disadvantage of the octree decomposition technique is that it approximates a part model with cubes instead of using the actual model. This limits its use and applications when complex assemblies must be planned, but in the context of prototyping can allow a rough component to be formed which can later be finished by hand. Assembly plans can be generated using octree decomposition, however, new algorithms must be developed to overcome its limitations

Experimental analysis of multistatic multiband radar signatures of wind turbines

This study presents the analysis of recent experimental data acquired using two radar systems at S-band and X-band to measure simultaneous monostatic and bistatic signatures of operational wind turbines near Shrivenham, UK. Bistatic and multistatic radars are a potential approach to mitigate the adverse effects of wind farm clutter on the performance of radar systems, which is a well-known problem for air traffic control and air defence radar. This analysis compares the simultaneous monostatic and bistatic micro-Doppler signatures of two operational turbines and investigates the key differences at bistatic angles up to 23°. The variations of the signature with different polarisations, namely vertical transmitted and vertical received and horizontal transmitted and horizontal received, are also discussed

Landau Ginzburg Theory and Nuclear Matter at Finite Temperature

Based on recent studies of the temperature dependence of the energy and specific heat of liquid nuclear matter, a phase transition is suggested at a temperature $\sim .8$ MeV. We apply Landau Ginzburg theory to this transition and determine the behaviour of the energy and specific heat close to the critical temperature in the condensed phase.Comment: 10 pages, Revte

Impacts of boundary layer turbulence and land surface process parameterizations on simulated sea breeze characteristics

This paper investigates the sensitivity of sea breeze (SB) simulations to combinations of boundary-layer turbulence and land-surface process parameterizations implemented in the MM5 mesoscale meteorological mode for an observed SB case over the Swedish west coast. Various combinations from four different planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes [Blackadar, Gayno-Seaman (GS), Eta, MRF], and two land surface model (LSM) schemes (SLAB, Noah) with different complexity are designed to simulate a typical SB case over the Swedish west coast. The simulations are conducted using two-way interactively nested grids. Simulated 10-m winds are compared against observed near-surface wind data from the GÖTE2001 campaign to examine the diurnal cycle of wind direction and speed for SB timing. The SB (vertical) circulation is also compared in the different experiments. The results show that the different combinations of PBL and LSM parameterization schemes result in different SB timing and vertical circulation characteristics. All experiments predict a delayed SB. The vertical component of the SB circulation varies in the experiments, among which the GS PBL scheme produces the strongest SB circulation. Evident differences between the SLAB and Noah LSMs are also found, especially in maximum of updraft and downdraft velocities of the SB vertical circulation. The results have significant implications for convective initiation, air quality studies and other environmental problems in coastal areas

On the Interaction of Charged Particles with Plasma

The last several years have seen great activity in the study of the properties of the free electron gas or plasma, An electronic plasma is understood to mean an assembly of electrons which may be regarded as nearly free in their response to a disturbance. The assembly is assumed to be electrically neutral on the whole, due to a stationary positive charge background which will be assumed uniform in density. These electrons interact with each other via the longrange coulomb potential. Due to the nature of this interaction, the system exhibits a very interesting collective behavior which evinces itself in the existence of plasma oscillations

Practical Work in the Ordinary National Certificate in Chemistry

This thesis is concerned with an investigation of the situation in practical work within the Ordinary National Certificate in Chemistry as presently offered within the Colleges of Further Education in Scotland. It is one of the very few investigations which have been carried out within this particular sector of Scottish education. The initial chapters consider the overall situation as it exists at the present time and reference is made to the philosophy and organisation of the Ordinary National Certificate course in general and to the practical aspects of the course in particular. The course is seen to be concerned with a pure rather than an applied chemistry approach. The students who pursue the Ordinary Rational Certificate course are in full time employment in industry and attend a college on a day release basis. While the course was not designed to meet specific industrial needs it appeared relevant to consult industry with respect to their view of the content of the Ordinary Rational Certificate course. This was done and the results are included in the text of the thesis. The investigation developed from an initial overall survey of the lecturer's and the students' views of the benefits which both parties considered were to be gained from the exercises carried out in the laboratory. From this point the educational value of a random set of experiments is looked at in more detail in terms of attainment or objectives identified by the students who were given no specific objectives for the experiments concerned. This approach is then developed in relation to the role of prior knowledge of the objectives in relation to the attitude of the students and the sense of purpose which they derive from practical chemistry. As is indicated in the text this part of the investigation was less successful than was hoped. However, in spite of apparent shortcomings in the practical area it is suggested that there is evidence that the students are deriving some benefit from their laboratory work. In conclusion it is suggested that the presentation of practical work could be improved to the educational benefit of the students and possible ways of effecting this improvement are proposed