23,005 research outputs found
Automated mixed traffic transit vehicle microprocessor controller
An improved Automated Mixed Traffic Vehicle (AMTV) speed control system employing a microprocessor and transistor chopper motor current controller is described and its performance is presented in terms of velocity versus time curves. The on board computer hardware and software systems are described as is the software development system. All of the programming used in this controller was implemented using FORTRAN. This microprocessor controller made possible a number of safety features and improved the comfort associated with starting and shopping. In addition, most of the vehicle's performance characteristics can be altered by simple program parameter changes. A failure analysis of the microprocessor controller was generated and the results are included. Flow diagrams for the speed control algorithms and complete FORTRAN code listings are also included
Decorating Random Quadrangulations
On various regular lattices (simple cubic, body centred cubic..) decorating
an edge with an Ising spin coupled by bonds of strength L to the original
vertex spins and competing with a direct anti-ferromagnetic bond of strength
alpha L can give rise to three transition temperatures for suitable alpha. The
system passes through ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, anti-ferromagnetic and
paramagnetic phases respectively as the temperature is increased.
For the square lattice on the other hand multiple decoration is required to
see this effect. We note here that a single decoration suffices for the Ising
model on planar random quadrangulations (coupled to 2D quantum gravity). Other
random bipartite lattices such as the Penrose tiling are more akin to the
regular square lattice and require multiple decoration to have any affect.Comment: 6 pages + 5 figure
Automated mixed traffic vehicle design AMTV 2
The design of an improved and enclosed Automated Mixed Traffic Transit (AMTT) vehicle is described. AMTT is an innovative concept for low-speed tram-type transit in which suitable vehicles are equipped with sensors and controls to permit them to operate in an automated mode on existing road or walkway surfaces. The vehicle chassis and body design are presented in terms of sketches and photographs. The functional design of the sensing and control system is presented, and modifications which could be made to the baseline design for improved performance, in particular to incorporate a 20-mph capability, are also discussed. The vehicle system is described at the block-diagram-level of detail. Specifications and parameter values are given where available
Potts Models with (17) Invisible States on Thin Graphs
The order of a phase transition is usually determined by the nature of the
symmetry breaking at the phase transition point and the dimension of the model
under consideration. For instance, q-state Potts models in two dimensions
display a second order, continuous transition for q = 2,3,4 and first order for
higher q.
Tamura et al recently introduced Potts models with "invisible" states which
contribute to the entropy but not the internal energy and noted that adding
such invisible states could transmute continuous transitions into first order
transitions. This was observed both in a Bragg-Williams type mean-field
calculation and 2D Monte-Carlo simulations. It was suggested that the invisible
state mechanism for transmuting the order of a transition might play a role
where transition orders inconsistent with the usual scheme had been observed.
In this paper we note that an alternative mean-field approach employing
3-regular random ("thin") graphs also displays this change in the order of the
transition as the number of invisible states is varied, although the number of
states required to effect the transmutation, 17 invisible states when there are
2 visible states, is much higher than in the Bragg-Williams case. The
calculation proceeds by using the equivalence of the Potts model with 2 visible
and r invisible states to the Blume-Emery-Griffiths (BEG) model, so a
by-product is the solution of the BEG model on thin random graphs.Comment: (2) Minor typos corrected, references update
AMTV headway sensor and safety design
A headway sensing system for an automated mixed traffic vehicle (AMTV) employing an array of optical proximity sensor elements is described, and its performance is presented in terms of object detection profiles. The problem of sensing in turns is explored experimentally and requirements for future turn sensors are discussed. A recommended headway sensor configuration, employing multiple source elements in the focal plane of one lens operating together with a similar detector unit, is described. Alternative concepts including laser radar, ultrasonic sensing, imaging techniques, and radar are compared to the present proximity sensor approach. Design concepts for an AMTV body which will minimize the probability of injury to pedestrians or passengers in the event of a collision are presented
Power system applications of fiber optic sensors
This document is a progress report of work done in 1985 on the Communications and Control for Electric Power Systems Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These topics are covered: Electric Field Measurement, Fiber Optic Temperature Sensing, and Optical Power transfer. Work was done on the measurement of ac and dc electric fields. A prototype sensor for measuring alternating fields was made using a very simple electroscope approach. An electronic field mill sensor for dc fields was made using a fiber optic readout, so that the entire probe could be operated isolated from ground. There are several instances in which more precise knowledge of the temperature of electrical power apparatus would be useful. This report describes a number of methods whereby the distributed temperature profile can be obtained using a fiber optic sensor. The ability to energize electronics by means of an optical fiber has the advantage that electrical isolation is maintained at low cost. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to convert the light energy into electrical form by means of photovoltaic cells. JPL has developed an array of PV cells in gallium arsenide specifically for this purpose. This work is described
Metallization of Fluid Hydrogen
The electrical resistivity of liquid hydrogen has been measured at the high
dynamic pressures, densities and temperatures that can be achieved with a
reverberating shock wave. The resulting data are most naturally interpreted in
terms of a continuous transition from a semiconducting to a metallic, largely
diatomic fluid, the latter at 140 GPa, (ninefold compression) and 3000 K. While
the fluid at these conditions resembles common liquid metals by the scale of
its resistivity of 500 micro-ohm-cm, it differs by retaining a strong pairing
character, and the precise mechanism by which a metallic state might be
attained is still a matter of debate. Some evident possibilities include (i)
physics of a largely one-body character, such as a band-overlap transition,
(ii) physics of a strong-coupling or many-body character,such as a Mott-Hubbard
transition, and (iii) processes in which structural changes are paramount.Comment: 12 pages, RevTeX format. Figures available on request; send mail to:
[email protected] To appear: Philosophical Transaction of the Royal
Society
Optical Turbulence Measurements and Models for Mount John University Observatory
Site measurements were collected at Mount John University Observatory in 2005
and 2007 using a purpose-built scintillation detection and ranging system.
profiling indicates a weak layer located at 12 - 14 km above sea
level and strong low altitude turbulence extending up to 5 km. During calm
weather conditions, an additional layer was detected at 6 - 8 km above sea
level. profiling suggests that tropopause layer velocities are nominally
12 - 30 m/s, and near-ground velocities range between 2 -- 20 m/s, dependent on
weather. Little seasonal variation was detected in either and
profiles. The average coherence length, , was found to be cm for
the full profile at a wavelength of 589 nm. The average isoplanatic angle,
, was arcsec. The mean turbulence altitude,
, was found to be km above sea level. No average in the
Greenwood frequency, , could be established due to the gaps present in the
\vw\s profiles obtained. A modified Hufnagel-Valley model was developed to
describe the profiles at Mount John, which estimates at 6 cm
and at 0.9 arcsec. A series of models were developed, based
on the Greenwood wind model with an additional peak located at low altitudes.
Using the model and the suggested model for moderate ground
wind speeds, is estimated at 79 Hz.Comment: 14 pages; accepted for publication in PAS
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