Analysis of large antenna systems

The research presented in this thesis has been conducted within the framework of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. SKA is a next generation radio telescope that will have a receiver sensitivity two orders of magnitude larger than the most sensitive radio telescope currently in operation. To meet the specifications, various low-cost low-noise actively beamformed receiving array antennas are being considered. A major problem in designing these systems is that the present-day commercially available electromagnetic solvers need an excessive amount of memory and simulation time to solve electrically large antenna problems. Moreover, it is essential to be able to analyze the receiver sensitivity of large antenna array systems to understand the sensitivity limiting factors. No dedicated commercial software tools exist that can analyze the receiver sensitivity of entire antenna systems specifically for radio astronomy. The thesis subject deals with two major challenges: (i) To accurately compute the impedance and radiation characteristics of realistically large and complex antenna arrays using only moderate computing power, particularly, of single and dual-polarized arrays of 100+ Tapered Slot Antenna (TSA) elements that are electrically interconnected. If the collection of these elements forms a subarray of a larger system, it is also of interest to analyze an array of disjoint subarrays. (ii) To characterize the system sensitivity of actively beamformed arrays of strongly coupled antenna elements. To address the above challenges, a conventional method-of-moments approach to solving an electric-field integral equation is enhanced using the Characteristic Basis Function Method (CBFM) to handle electrically large antenna problems. The generation of the associated reduced matrix equation is expedited by combining the CBFM with the Adaptive Cross Approximation (ACA) technique. Furthermore, because an overlapping domain decom270 Bibliography position technique is employed, Characteristic Basis Functions (CBFs) are generated that partially overlap to ensure the continuity of the current between adjacent subdomains that are electrically interconnected. While generating the CBFs, edge-singular currents are avoided by a post-windowing technique. Finally, a meshing strategy is proposed to optimally exploit the quasi-Toeplitz symmetry of the reduced moment matrix. The numerical accuracy and efficiency has been determined for numerous cases, among which a dual-polarized interconnected TSA array of 112 elements that has been fabricated and subsequently validated by measurements. The receiver system has been modeled by both a numerical and a semi-analytical method. The models account for a nonuniform brightness temperature distribution of the sky, mismatch effects, noise that emanates from amplifiers inputs and re-enters the system coherently through the mutually coupled antennas (noise coupling), beamformer weights, etc. Results are shown for a practical setup and design rules are derived which demonstrate that minimum receiver noise can be reached by noise matching the low-noise amplifiers to the active antenna reflection coefficient, rather than the passive one. Finally, it is demonstrated that the radiation efficiency of antennas is an important quantity that can degrade the system sensitivity severely. Nevertheless, a number of commercial software tools have shown to be inadequate as the computed efficiency exceeds 100%. A method is proposed which is numerically efficient and robust since it guarantees an efficiency below 100%

Aperiodic Array Synthesis for Multi-User MIMO Applications

This paper demonstrates the advantages of aperiodic arrays in multi-user multiple-input multiple-output systems for future mobile communication applications. We propose a novel aperiodic array synthesis method which account for the statistics of the propagation channel and the adaptive beamforming algorithm. Clear performance gains in line-of-sight dominated propagation environments are achieved in terms of the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, the sum rate capacity, as well as the spread of the amplifier output power as compared to their regular counterparts. We also show that the performance is not sacrificed in rich scattering environments. Hence, aperiodic array layouts can provide performance gains in millimeter-wave applications with a dominating line-of-sight component.Comment: Manuscript submitted to IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. on March 18, 2017; published and defended as part of the PhD dissertation Aperiodic Array Synthesis for Telecommunications on May 31, 2017, Goteborg, Sweden, candidate: Carlo Bencivenni, Chalmers University of Technology, faculty opponent: Andrea Massa, ELEDIA cente

Micron-sized forsterite grains in the pre-planetary nebula of IRAS 17150-3224 - Searching for clues on the mysterious evolution of massive AGB stars

We study the grain properties and location of the forsterite crystals in the circumstellar environment of the pre-planetary nebula (PPN) IRAS 17150-3224 in order to learn more about the as yet poorly understood evolutionary phase prior to the PPN. We use the best-fit model for IRAS 17150-3224 of Meixner et al. (2002) and add forsterite to this model. We investigate different spatial distributions and grain sizes of the forsterite crystals in the circumstellar environment. We compare the spectral bands of forsterite in the mid-infrared and at 69 micrometre in radiative transport models to those in ISO-SWS and Herschel/PACS observations. We can reproduce the non-detection of the mid-infrared bands and the detection of the 69 micrometre feature with models where the forsterite is distributed in the whole outflow, in the superwind region, or in the AGB-wind region emitted previous to the superwind, but we cannot discriminate between these three models. To reproduce the observed spectral bands with these three models, the forsterite crystals need to be dominated by a grain size population of 2 micrometre up to 6 micrometre. We hypothesise that the large forsterite crystals were formed after the superwind phase of IRAS 17150-3224, where the star developed an as yet unknown hyperwind with an extremely high mass-loss rate (10^-3 Msol/yr). The high densities of such a hyperwind could be responsible for the efficient grain growth of both amorphous and crystalline dust in the outflow. Several mechanisms are discussed that might explain the lower-limit of 2 micrometre found for the forsterite grains, but none are satisfactory. Among the mechanisms explored is a possible selection effect due to radiation pressure based on photon scattering on micron-sized grains.Comment: Accepted by A&

Equivalent circuit of a quadraxial feed for ultra-wide bandwidth quadruple-ridged flared horn antennas

Abstract-An equivalent circuit model of a quadraxial feed for ultra-wide bandwidth quadruple-ridged flared horn (QRFH) antennas is presented. The circuit is synthesised by only 3 unknowns and achieves an accurate input impedance for a wide range of dimensions. This model allows fast synthesis of optimal feeding designs that would ensure the excitation of the fundamental mode at the input of a QRFH

TRACKing or TRUSTing transfusion prediction:Validation of Red blood cell transfusion prediction models for low transfusion rate cardiac surgery and high transfusion rate post-cardiotomy veno-arterial extracorporeal life support

Abstract bodyPreoperative identification of patients at risk of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is necessary to prevent adverse outcomes. Several models can determine this risk. Models like TRACK, TRUST and ACTA-PORT differ in complexity and performance. Some models outperform TRACK, but their complexity limits clinical application. In 2009, the TRACK model was developed with criteria for everyday practice, simplicity and easy clinical implementation. Advances in hemodilution management in Europe has reduced transfusion rates in adult cardiac surgery, necessitating re-evaluation of the TRACK model in low transfusion rate populations.MethodsThe TRACK model was validated using 4053 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2015 and 2022. Subsequently, the database was divided at random into a derivation and validation data set. Original coefficients of the TRACK model were updated in the derivation data set and validated in a validation data set on accuracy and discriminative ability. Model calibration and discriminative ability were assessed as measures of model performance. Further, the TRACK model will be validated and updated in the same way for predicting blood transfusion in post-cardiotomy ECLS patients.ResultsAll variables but age remained significant in the external validation of the TRACK model. The odds ratio of female sex on blood transfusion increased from 1.42 to 2.42 (95% CI, 1.94 – 3.02). The original TRACK model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.74 – 0.78) while showing poor calibration indicating overoptimistic estimation of RBC transfusion risk (p &lt; 0.05). The updated TRACK model demonstrated a slightly higher AUC of 0.78 (95% CI,0.75 – 0.81) and showed good calibration over all risk strata (p = 0.19).ConclusionsRefining the TRACK coefficients improved preoperative at-risk identification. The updated TRACK model improves predicted accuracy and may help clinicians make better discissions, especially in low-transfusion adult cardiac surgery. This study demonstrates the feasibility of RBC transfusion prediction models for adult cardiac surgery. Our ongoing study is evaluating RBC transfusion prediction models for post-cardiotomy ECLS. These results will also be presented at the conference.<br/

Spatially resolving polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Herbig Ae disks with VISIR-NEAR at the VLT

We use the long-slit spectroscopy mode of the VISIR-NEAR experiment to perform diffraction-limited observations of eight nearby Herbig Ae protoplanetary disks. We extract spectra for various locations along the slit with a spectral resolution of R = 300 and perform a compositional fit at each spatial location using spectral templates of silicates and the four PAH bands. This yields the intensity vs. location profiles of each species. Results. We could obtain spatially-resolved intensity profiles of the PAH emission features in the N-band for five objects (AB Aurigae, HD 97048, HD 100546, HD 163296, and HD 169142). We observe two kinds of PAH emission geometry in our sample: centrally-peaked (HD 97048) and ring-like (AB Aurigae, HD 100546, HD 163296, and potentially HD 169142). Comparing the spatial PAH emission profiles with near-infrared scattered light images, we find a strong correlation in the disk sub-structure but a difference in radial intensity decay rate. The PAH emission shows a less steep decline with distance from the star. Finally, we find a correlation between the presence of (sub-) micron-sized silicate grains leading to the depletion of PAH emission within the inner regions of the disks. In this work, we find the following: (1) PAH emission traces the extent of Herbig Ae disks to a considerable radial distance. (2) The correlation between silicate emission within the inner regions of disks and the depletion of PAH emission can result from dust-mixing and PAH coagulation mechanisms and competition over UV photons. (3) For all objects in our sample, PAHs undergo stochastic heating across the entire spatial extent of the disk and are not saturated. (4) The difference in radial intensity decay rates between the PAHs and scattered-light profiles may be attributed to shadowing and dust-settling effects, which affect the scattering grains more than the PAHs

Use of dementia care mapping in the care for older people with intellectual disabilities: A mixed‐method study

Background The ageing of people with intellectual disabilities, with associated morbidity like dementia, calls for new types of care. Person‐centred methods may support care staff in providing this, an example being Dementia Care Mapping (DCM). DCM has been shown to be feasible in ID‐care. We examined the experiences of ID‐professionals in using DCM. Methods We performed a mixed‐methods study, using quantitative data from care staff (N = 136) and qualitative data (focus‐groups, individual interviews) from care staff, group home managers and DCM‐in‐intellectual disabilities mappers (N = 53). Results DCM provided new insights into the behaviours of clients, enabled professional reflection and gave new knowledge and skills regarding dementia and person‐centred care. Appreciation of DCM further increased after the second cycle of application. Conclusion DCM is perceived as valuable in ID‐care. Further assessment is needed of its effectiveness in ID‐care with respect to quality of care, staff‐client interactions and job performance