3,911 research outputs found
Aircrew-aircraft integration: A summary of US Army research programs and plans
A review of selected programs which illustrate the research efforts of the U.S. Army Aeromechanics Laboratory in the area of aircrew-aircraft integration is presented. Plans for research programs to support the development of future military rotorcraft are also described. The crew of a combat helicopter must, in general, perform two major functions during the conduct of a particular mission: flightpath control and mission management. Accordingly, the research programs described are being conducted in the same two major categories: (1) flightpath control, which encompasses the areas of handling qualities, stability and control, and displays for the pilot's control of the rotorcraft's flightpath, and (2) mission management, which includes human factors and cockpit integration research topics related to performance of navigation, communication, and aircraft systems management tasks
Helicopter simulation validation using flight data
A joint NASA/Army effort to perform a systematic ground-based piloted simulation validation assessment is described. The best available mathematical model for the subject helicopter (UH-60A Black Hawk) was programmed for real-time operation. Flight data were obtained to validate the math model, and to develop models for the pilot control strategy while performing mission-type tasks. The validated math model is to be combined with motion and visual systems to perform ground based simulation. Comparisons of the control strategy obtained in flight with that obtained on the simulator are to be used as the basis for assessing the fidelity of the results obtained in the simulator
Fast-ignition design transport studies: realistic electron source, integrated PIC-hydrodynamics, imposed magnetic fields
Transport modeling of idealized, cone-guided fast ignition targets indicates
the severe challenge posed by fast-electron source divergence. The hybrid
particle-in-cell [PIC] code Zuma is run in tandem with the
radiation-hydrodynamics code Hydra to model fast-electron propagation, fuel
heating, and thermonuclear burn. The fast electron source is based on a 3D
explicit-PIC laser-plasma simulation with the PSC code. This shows a quasi
two-temperature energy spectrum, and a divergent angle spectrum (average
velocity-space polar angle of 52 degrees). Transport simulations with the
PIC-based divergence do not ignite for > 1 MJ of fast-electron energy, for a
modest 70 micron standoff distance from fast-electron injection to the dense
fuel. However, artificially collimating the source gives an ignition energy of
132 kJ. To mitigate the divergence, we consider imposed axial magnetic fields.
Uniform fields ~50 MG are sufficient to recover the artificially collimated
ignition energy. Experiments at the Omega laser facility have generated fields
of this magnitude by imploding a capsule in seed fields of 50-100 kG. Such
imploded fields are however more compressed in the transport region than in the
laser absorption region. When fast electrons encounter increasing field
strength, magnetic mirroring can reflect a substantial fraction of them and
reduce coupling to the fuel. A hollow magnetic pipe, which peaks at a finite
radius, is presented as one field configuration which circumvents mirroring.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Phys. Plasma
Wave function recombination instability in cold atom interferometers
Cold atom interferometers use guiding potentials that split the wave function
of the Bose-Einstein condensate and then recombine it. We present theoretical
analysis of the wave function recombination instability that is due to the weak
nonlinearity of the condensate. It is most pronounced when the accumulated
phase difference between the arms of the interferometer is close to an odd
multiple of PI and consists in exponential amplification of the weak ground
state mode by the strong first excited mode. The instability exists for both
trapped-atom and beam interferometers.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Propagation of Bose-Einstein condensates in a magnetic waveguide
Gaseous Bose-Einstein condensates of 2-3 million atoms were loaded into a
microfabricated magnetic trap using optical tweezers. Subsequently, the
condensates were released into a magnetic waveguide and propagated 12 mm.
Single-mode propagation was observed along homogeneous segments of the
waveguide. Inhomogeneities in the guiding potential arose from geometric
deformations of the microfabricated wires and caused strong transverse
excitations. Such deformations may restrict the waveguide physics that can be
explored with propagating condensates.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
A Storage Ring for Neutral Atoms
We have demonstrated a storage ring for ultra-cold neutral atoms. Atoms with
mean velocities of 1 m/s corresponding to kinetic energies of ~100 neV are
confined to a 2 cm diameter ring by magnetic forces produced by two
current-carrying wires. Up to 10^6 atoms are loaded at a time in the ring, and
7 revolutions are clearly observed. Additionally, we have demonstrated multiple
loading of the ring and deterministic manipulation of the longitudinal velocity
distribution of the atoms using applied laser pulses. Applications of this ring
include large area atom interferometers and cw monochromatic atomic beam
generation.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Measurement of one-particle correlations and momentum distributions for trapped 1D gases
van Hove's theory of scattering of probe particles by a macroscopic target is
generalized so as to relate the differential cross section for atomic ejection
via stimulated Raman transitions to one-particle momentum-time correlations and
momentum distributions of 1D trapped gases. This method is well suited to
probing the longitudinal momentum distributions of 1D gases in situ, and
examples are given for bosonic and fermionic atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 2 .eps figure
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