Can Thomas Kuhn's paradigms help us understand software engineering

Peer reviewe

The impact of using pair programming on system evolution a simulation-based study

In this paper we investigate the impact of pair--programming on the long term evolution of software systems. We use system dynamics to build simulation models which predict the trend in system growth with and without pair programming. Initial results suggest that the extra effort needed for two people to code together may generate sufficient benefit to justify pair programming.Peer reviewe

The nonlinear interaction of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices in curved channel flows

It is known that a viscous fluid flow with curved streamlines can support both Tollmien-Schlichting and Taylor-Goertler instabilities. In a situation where both modes are possible on the basis of linear theory a nonlinear theory must be used to determine the effect of the interaction of the instabilities. The details of this interaction are of practical importance because of its possible catastrophic effects on mechanisms used for laminar flow control. This interaction is studied in the context of fully developed flows in curved channels. A part form technical differences associated with boundary layer growth the structures of the instabilities in this flow are very similar to those in the practically more important external boundary layer situation. The interaction is shown to have two distinct phases depending on the size of the disturbances. At very low amplitudes two oblique Tollmein-Schlichting waves interact with a Goertler vortex in such a manner that the amplitudes become infinite at a finite time. This type of interaction is described by ordinary differential amplitude equations with quadratic nonlinearities

Near-planar TS waves and longitudinal vortices in channel flow: Nonlinear interaction and focusing

The nonlinear interaction between planar or near-planar Tollmien-Schlichting waves and longitudinal vortices, induced or input, is considered theoretically for channel flows at high Reynolds numbers. Several kinds of nonlinear interaction, dependent on the input amplitudes and wavenumbers or on previously occurring interactions, are found and inter-related. The first, Type 1, is studied the most here and it usually produces spanwise focusing of both the wave and the vortex motion, within a finite scaled time, along with enhancement of both their amplitudes. This then points to the nonlinear interaction Type 2 where new interactive effects come into force to drive the wave and the vortex nonlinearly. Types 3, 4 correspond to still higher amplitudes, with 3 being related to 2, while 4 is connected with a larger-scale interaction 5 studied in an allied paper. Both 3, 4 are subsets of the full three-dimensional triple-deck-lie interaction, 6. The strongest nonlinear interactions are those of 4, 5, 6 since they alter the mean-flow profile substantially, i.e., by an 0(1) relative amount. All the types of nonlinear interaction however can result in the formation of focussed responses in the sense of spanwise concentrations and/or amplifications of vorticity and wave amplitude

Nonlinear Tollmien-Schlichting/vortex interaction in boundary layers

The nonlinear reaction between two oblique 3-D Tollmein-Schlichting (TS) waves and their induced streamwise-vortex flow is considered theoretically for an imcompressible boundary layer. The same theory applies to the destabilization of an incident vortex motion by subharmonic TS waves, followed by interaction. The scales and flow structure involved are addressed for high Reynolds numbers. The nonlionear interaction is powerful, starting at quite low amplitudes with a triple-deck structure for the TS waves but a large-scale structure for the induced vortex, after which strong nonlinear amplification occurs. This includes nonparallel-flow effects. The nonlinear interaction is governed by a partial differential system for the vortex flow coupled with an ordinary-differential one for the TS pressure. The solution properties found sometimes produce a breakup within a finite distance and sometimes further downstream, depending on the input amplitudes upstream and on the wave angles, and that then leads to the second stages of interaction associated with higher amplitudes, the main second stages giving either long-scale phenomena significantly affected by nonparallelism or shorter quasi-parallel ones governed by the full nonlinear triple-deck response

The strong nonlinear interaction of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices in curved channel flow

Viscous fluid flows with curved streamlines can support both centrifugal and viscous traveling wave instabilities. Here the interaction of these instabilities in the context of the fully developed flow in a curved channel is discussed. The viscous (Tollmein-Schlichting) instability is described asymptotically at high Reynolds numbers and it is found that it can induce a Taylor-Goertler flow even at extremely small amplitudes. In this interaction, the Tollmein-Schlichting wave can drive a vortex state with wavelength either comparable with the channel width or the wavelength of lower branch viscous modes. The nonlinear equations which describe these interactions are solved for nonlinear equilibrium states

Cost-effective aperture arrays for SKA Phase 1: single or dual-band?

An important design decision for the first phase of the Square Kilometre Array is whether the low frequency component (SKA1-low) should be implemented as a single or dual-band aperture array; that is, using one or two antenna element designs to observe the 70-450 MHz frequency band. This memo uses an elementary parametric analysis to make a quantitative, first-order cost comparison of representative implementations of a single and dual-band system, chosen for comparable performance characteristics. A direct comparison of the SKA1-low station costs reveals that those costs are similar, although the uncertainties are high. The cost impact on the broader telescope system varies: the deployment and site preparation costs are higher for the dual-band array, but the digital signal processing costs are higher for the single-band array. This parametric analysis also shows that a first stage of analogue tile beamforming, as opposed to only station-level, all-digital beamforming, has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of the SKA1-low stations. However, tile beamforming can limit flexibility and performance, principally in terms of reducing accessible field of view. We examine the cost impacts in the context of scientific performance, for which the spacing and intra-station layout of the antenna elements are important derived parameters. We discuss the implications of the many possible intra-station signal transport and processing architectures and consider areas where future work could improve the accuracy of SKA1-low costing.Comment: 64 pages, 23 figures, submitted to the SKA Memo serie

Advanced software techniques for data management systems. Volume 3: Programming language characteristics and comparison reference

A comparative evaluation was made of eight higher order languages of general interest in the aerospace field: PL/1; HAL; JOVIAL/J3; SPL/J6; CLASP; ALGOL 60; FORTRAN 4; and MAC360. A summary of the functional requirements for a language for general use in manned aerodynamic applications is presented. The evaluation supplies background material to be used in assessing the worth of each language for some particular application

Characteristics of Separated Flow Regions Within Altitude Compensating Nozzles Final Report

Characteristics of separated flow regions within altitude compensating nozzle

Effect of Magnetization Inhomogeneity on Magnetic Microtraps for Atoms

We report on the origin of fragmentation of ultracold atoms observed on a permanent magnetic film atom chip. A novel technique is used to characterize small spatial variations of the magnetic field near the film surface using radio frequency spectroscopy of the trapped atoms. Direct observations indicate the fragmentation is due to a corrugation of the magnetic potential caused by long range inhomogeneity in the film magnetization. A model which takes into account two-dimensional variations of the film magnetization is consistent with the observations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure