Nonlinear Regression Methods for Estimation

Regression techniques are developed for batch estimation and applied to three specific areas, namely, ballistic trajectory launch point estimation, adaptive flight control, and radio-frequency target triangulation. Specifically, linear regression with an intercept is considered in detail. An augmentation formulation is developed. Extensions of theory are applied to nonlinear regression as well. The intercept parameter estimate within the linear regression is used to identify the effects of trim change that are associated with the occurrence of a control surface failure. These estimates are used to adjust the inner loop control gains via a feed-forward command, hence providing an automatic reconfigurable retrim of an aircraft. The regression algorithms are used to consider reduced information applications, such as initial position target determination from bearings-only measurement data. In total, this dissertation develops algorithms for batch processes that broaden the envelope of successful estimation within the three aforementioned application areas. Additionally, the developed batch algorithms do not adversely impact the estimation ability in cases that are already estimated successfully by conventional approaches

Influence of Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars on the Biocontrol Efficacy of Microbial Inoculants

ReportInconsistent performance of biological control strategies for turfgrass disease control has limited the adoption of this technology into IPM programs. A major factor contributing to this variable performance in agricultural systems is the cultivars to which biological control organisms are applied. In the proposed study, our goal was to determine whether biological control activity of introduced inoculants was affected by the creeping bentgrass cultivar to which they were applied. We reasoned that biological control performance should be enhanced on cultivars that are less susceptible to the disease in question as opposed to highly susceptible cultivars. The short-term applied goal of this research was to develop the understanding of how we might maximize the performance of microbial inoculants in turfgrass systems. The objectives of our research were to 1) determine the differential susceptibility of bentgrass cultivars to Pythium aphanidermatum and 2) determine the efficacy of known microbial inoculants in controlling Pythium damping-off on different bentgrass cultivars. The results of this study will ultimately be critical in making sound IPM recommendations for creeping bentgrass cultivars that will be most compatible with biological control strategies

Optimization of Application Timing and Frequency of Microbial Inoculants for Turfgrass Disease Control

NYS IPM Type: Project ReportConsiderable information is now available concerning the use of microbial inoculants for the control of turfgrass diseases. However, despite positive experimental results, few microbial inoculants have been highly effective in field studies or in commercial use on golf courses. A number of studies have shown that microbial agents perform most effectively when populations can be maintained at high levels, usually at populations exceeding 107 cells/g soil. However, applications made during the daytime hours may limit population development due to UV exposure or to desiccation. The limited number of success stories of biological control on golf courses have been from sites where applications of biological control organisms were applied during the overnight hours. Technology is now available for golf course superintendents to culture microbial inoculants on site at the golf course and apply inoculants directly through the irrigation system at any time of the day or night. It is now feasible for superintendents to make applications on a daily basis. This study was designed to evaluate the impacts of application scheduling on the disease control efficacy of introduced microbial inoculants

Carbon Dioxide Sorption in a Nanoporous Octahedral Molecular Sieve

We have performed first-principles density functional theory calculations, incorporated with van der Waals interactions, to study CO2 adsorption and diffusion in nanoporous solid – OMS-2 (Octahedral Molecular Sieve). We found the charge, type, and mobility of a cation, accommodated in a porous OMS-2 material for structural stability, can affect not only the OMS-2 structural features but also CO2 sorption performance. This paper targets K+, Na+, and Ba2+ cations. First-principles energetics and electronic structure calculations indicate that Ba2+ has the strongest interaction with the OMS-2 porous surface due to valence electrons donation to the OMS-2 and molecular orbital hybridization. However, the Ba-doped OMS-2 has the worst CO2 uptake capacity. We also found evidence of sorption hysteresis in the K- and Na-doped OMS-2 materials

An Empirically Derived Three-Dimensional Laplace Resonance in the Gliese 876 Planetary System

We report constraints on the three-dimensional orbital architecture for all four planets known to orbit the nearby M dwarf Gliese 876 based solely on Doppler measurements and demanding long-term orbital stability. Our dataset incorporates publicly available radial velocities taken with the ELODIE and CORALIE spectrographs, HARPS, and Keck HIRES as well as previously unpublished HIRES velocities. We first quantitatively assess the validity of the planets thought to orbit GJ 876 by computing the Bayes factors for a variety of different coplanar models using an importance sampling algorithm. We find that a four-planet model is preferred over a three-planet model. Next, we apply a Newtonian MCMC algorithm to perform a Bayesian analysis of the planet masses and orbits using an n-body model in three-dimensional space. Based on the radial velocities alone, we find that a 99% credible interval provides upper limits on the mutual inclinations for the three resonant planets ($\Phi_{cb}<6.20^\circ$ for the "c" and "b" pair and $\Phi_{be}<28.5^\circ$ for the "b" and "e" pair). Subsequent dynamical integrations of our posterior sample find that the GJ 876 planets must be roughly coplanar ($\Phi_{cb}<2.60^\circ$ and $\Phi_{be}<7.87^\circ$), suggesting the amount of planet-planet scattering in the system has been low. We investigate the distribution of the respective resonant arguments of each planet pair and find that at least one argument for each planet pair and the Laplace argument librate. The libration amplitudes in our three-dimensional orbital model supports the idea of the outer-three planets having undergone significant past disk migration.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 8 tables. Accepted to MNRAS. Posterior samples available at https://github.com/benelson/GJ87

The California Planet Survey IV: A Planet Orbiting the Giant Star HD 145934 and Updates to Seven Systems with Long-Period Planets

We present an update to seven stars with long-period planets or planetary candidates using new and archival radial velocities from Keck-HIRES and literature velocities from other telescopes. Our updated analysis better constrains orbital parameters for these planets, four of which are known multi-planet systems. HD 24040 b and HD 183263 c are super-Jupiters with circular orbits and periods longer than 8 yr. We present a previously unseen linear trend in the residuals of HD 66428 indicative on an additional planetary companion. We confirm that GJ 849 is a multi-planet system and find a good orbital solution for the c component: it is a $1 M_{\rm Jup}$ planet in a 15 yr orbit (the longest known for a planet orbiting an M dwarf). We update the HD 74156 double-planet system. We also announce the detection of HD 145934 b, a $2 M_{\rm Jup}$ planet in a 7.5 yr orbit around a giant star. Two of our stars, HD 187123 and HD 217107, at present host the only known examples of systems comprising a hot Jupiter and a planet with a well constrained period $> 5$ yr, and with no evidence of giant planets in between. Our enlargement and improvement of long-period planet parameters will aid future analysis of origins, diversity, and evolution of planetary systems.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap