Guidelines for Statistical Testing

This document provides an introduction to statistical testing. Statistical testing of software is here defined as testing in which the test cases are produced by a random process meant to produce different test cases with the same probabilities with which they would arise in actual use of the software. Statistical testing of software has these main advantages: for the purpose of reliability assessment and product acceptance, it supports directly estimates of reliability, and thus decisions on whether the software is ready for delivery or for use in a specific system. This feature is unique to statistical testing; for the purpose of improving the software, it tends to discover defects which would cause failures with the higher frequencies before those that would cause less frequent failures, thus focusing correction efforts in the most cost-effective way and delivering better software for a given debugging effort. Statistical testing has been reported to achieve dramatic improvements; from the point of view of costs, it facilitates the automation of the test process, thus allowing more testing at acceptable cost than manual testing would allow. This document explains the basic theory underlying statistical testing and provides guidance for its application. The material is organised to facilitate use both as an introduction for software engineers who are new to this approach to testing, and as a reference source during application. Statistical testing is applicable to practically all kinds of software, so this document is not markedly specialised for space applications, though the examples are mostly space-related and the discussion of the software lifecycle is meant to apply to common practice among ESA suppliers

Estimation and validation of receiver antenna codephase variations for multi GNSS signals

Besides antenna phase center corrections (PCC) for carrier phase measurements, which have to be considered for precise GNSS application, also codephase variations (CPV) exist. These are antenna dependent delays of the code which vary with azimuth and elevation. Such variations are not provided operationally in the antenna exchange format (ANTEX) at the moment. Previous studies in our working group show, that CPV should be taken into account when using code-carrier combination. Depending on the antenna type they can amount up to some dm. At Institut für Erdmessung (IfE), a concept to determine the CPV has been established. This procedure uses a robot that rotates and tilts the antenna under test precisely in the field. Real world modulated signals from the satellites are used, which is challenging in anechoic chamber procedures. Time differenced single differences are used to estimate PCC and CPV as spherical harmonics (8,8) in a post-processing approach. In this contribution we present the concept CPV of Galileo signals for several kinds of receiving antennas (mass market and high grade). In addition, we discuss the repeatability and stability of CPV for those antenna. Typical values of the CPV reaches up to 500 mm. The RMS of patterns resulting from multiple calibrations are 80 mm for Galileo C1X and 48 mm for GPS C1C

Determination of Phase Center Corrections for Galileo Signals

GNSS are widely used for positioning, navigation and timing (PVT). The quality of results depends on the antenna in use and the capability to take antenna specific effects into account. The most prominent corrections are the direction dependent phase center corrections (PCC), which include corrections for the phase center offset (PCO) and the phase center variations (PCV). These corrections range between a few up to several millimeters for carrierphase observations and up to some decimeters for code observations. In addition, the magnitude of the error depends on the used antenna type and can differ even for different antennas of the same type and manufacturer. The frequency-dependent PCC are either determined in an anechoic chamber or in the field using a robot (so-called absolute field calibration). Both methods have their advantages and drawbacks. In the Antenna Exchange Format (ANTEX) from the International GNSS Service (IGS), which is widely used, currently only PCC for L1- and L2 frequencies for GPS and GLONASS are officially published. Absolute field calibrations values for new signals like Galileo or GPS L5 are missing. Only some chamber calibration results are available in the European Permanent Network (EPN). The Institute für Erdmessung (IfE) is one of the the IGS accepted absolute field calibration institutions and provides PCC using the so-called Hannover-Concept. In this approach a robot is used to precisely rotate and tilt the antenna under test. This concepts has now been extended to an experimental approach. The PCC of new signals are estimated in post-processing as spherical harmonics using time differenced single differences. First results show both – a high repeatability of the estimated pattern and an improvement on the observation domain. In this contribution the theoretical background as well as the extended concept are described. Moreover, patterns for Galileo signals and GPS L5 will be shown and discussed. After a short introduction into the method and the extended Hannover-Concept the robot model and the adjustment concept will be presented. The contribution will show that the estimation of PCC for Galileo signals is feasible with the developed method. This can be described by the root mean square (RMS) of differential pattern (of different calibrations). This indicator for the repeatability show RMS values for the EL1X signal under 0.6 mm for the NOV703GGG antenna and under 0.4 mm for the LEIAR25.R3. The RMS for the EL5X signal is maximal 0.6 mm for the NOV703GGG or 0.65 mm for the LEIAR25.R3. Furthermore, the obtained patterns will be presented and discussed for several antennas typical to IGS stations. For instance the PCV of the LEIAR25.R3 show values in a range of -4 to 7 mm for the EL1X frequency, whereas the Up-component of the PCO is approximately 60 mm. If these PCC are taken into account, the RMS of the single differences (SD) of a short baseline, common clock experiment at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) can be improved

The primordial "f_NL" non-Gaussianity, and perturbations beyond the present horizon

We show a primordial non-linear "f_NL" term may produce unphysically large CMB anisotropy for a red-tilted primordial power spectrum (n<1), because of coupling to primordial fluctuation on the largest scale. We consider a primordial power spectrum models of a running spectral index, and a transition at very low wavenumbers. We find that only negative running spectral index models are allowed, provided that there is no transition at a low wavenumbers (i.e. k -184, at 1 sigma level, on the transition scale of sharp cut-off models, using recent CMB and SDSS data.Comment: v2: Journal information adde

Non-linear responsivity characterisation of a CMOS Active Pixel Sensor for high resolution imaging of the Jovian system

The Jovian system is the subject of study for the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE), an ESA mission which is planned to launch in 2022. The scientific payload is designed for both characterisation of the magnetosphere and radiation environment local to the spacecraft, as well as remote characterisation of Jupiter and its satellites. A key instrument on JUICE is the high resolution and wide angle camera, JANUS, whose main science goals include detailed characterisation and study phases of three of the Galilean satellites, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, as well as studies of other moons, the ring system, and irregular satellites. The CIS115 is a CMOS Active Pixel Sensor from e2v technologies selected for the JANUS camera. It is fabricated using 0.18 μm CMOS imaging sensor process, with an imaging area of 2000 × 1504 pixels, each 7 μm square. A 4T pixel architecture allows for efficient correlated double sampling, improving the readout noise to better than 8 electrons rms, whilst the sensor is operated in a rolling shutter mode, sampling at up to 10 Mpixel/s at each of the four parallel outputs.A primary parameter to characterise for an imaging device is the relationship that converts the sensor's voltage output back to the corresponding number of electrons that were detected in a pixel, known as the Charge to Voltage Factor (CVF). In modern CMOS sensors with small feature sizes, the CVF is known to be non-linear with signal level, therefore a signal-dependent measurement of the CIS115's CVF has been undertaken and is presented here. The CVF is well modelled as a quadratic function leading to a measurement of the maximum charge handling capacity of the CIS115 to be 3.4 × 104 electrons. If the CIS115's response is assumed linear, its CVF is 21.1 electrons per mV (1/47.5 μV per electron)

Rho-Isp Revisited and Basic Stage Mass Estimating for Launch Vehicle Conceptual Sizing Studies

The ideal rocket equation is manipulated to demonstrate the essential link between propellant density and specific impulse as the two primary stage performance drivers for a launch vehicle. This is illustrated by examining volume-limited stages such as first stages and boosters. This proves to be a good approximation for first-order or Phase A vehicle design studies for solid rocket motors and for liquid stages, except when comparing to hydrogen-fueled stages. A next-order mass model is developed that is able to model the mass differences between hydrogen-fueled and other stages. Propellants considered range in density from liquid methane to inhibited red fuming nitric acid. Calculated comparisons are shown for solid rocket boosters, liquid first stages, liquid upper stages, and a balloon-deployed single-stage-to-orbit concept. The derived relationships are ripe for inclusion in a multi-stage design space exploration and optimization algorithm, as well as for single-parameter comparisons such as those shown herein

Manufacturing of a metal component or a metal matrix composite component involving contactless induction of high - frequency vibrations

The present invention relates to a system for contactless induction of high -frequency vibrations in a volume of molten metal during the manufacturing of a metal component or a metal matrix composite component. The system includes a moveably arranged electromagnetic primary coil, adjustment means for adjusting the position of the primary coil, and a control unit for controlling the position of the primary coil to a predefined distance above, but not in contact with, an upper free surface of the molten metal. The molten metal may be contained in a foundry crucible during manufacturing. The system can be used as an additive manufacturing system, with the primary coil arranged above the melt pool. A secondary low -frequency electromagnetic coil may be arranged around and at a distance from the molten metal to induce flow and/or vibrations in the molten metal