Time Delay Measurements Research Articles

A robust lp‐norm localization of moving targets in distributed multiple‐input multiple‐output radar with measurement outliers

AbstractThe Gaussian noise model and estimators based on least squares (LS) are widely used in target localisation with distributed multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) radar because of their computational efficiency. However, the accuracy of existing LS‐based target localisation algorithms deteriorates sharply in the presence of outliers in the measurements. Thus, a robust solution is developed based on the ‐norm minimisation criterion and iteratively reweighted least squares (IRLS) for locating a moving target with impulse noise using the angle of arrival (AOA), time delay (TD), and Doppler shift (DS) measurements. First, the AOA, TD, and DS measurement noise models are developed based on the α‐stable distribution. Then, the localisation problem is transformed into an ‐norm minimisation problem by linearising the AOA, TD, and DS measurement equations. Finally, the ‐norm minimisation problem is solved using an IRLS method to obtain the target position and estimate the velocity. Moreover, the optimum of the norm order (p) and the Cramér–Rao lower bound for the target position and velocity estimation are derived under α‐stable distributed measurement noise. The simulation results demonstrate that the developed algorithm offers higher accurascy and robustness than the existing ones in the presence of measurement outliers.

Spray ignition of n-alkanes in diesel and jet fuels: Effects of temperature, pressure, and N2 and NO addition

This study investigates the effects of NO-addition and N2-dilution on the autoignition process of n-C10–n-C14 alkanes, which are important components of diesel and kerosene-based jet fuels. The study is motivated by the need for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and N2 on the fuel ignition process. This understanding is essential to enable the effective employment of advanced combustion engine technologies, such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and Rich-Quench-Lean (RQL) gas turbine combustors. Ignition delay time (IDT) measurements were performed under various combustion conditions relevant to practical engine operation and low-temperature oxidation chemistry in a constant-volume combustion spray chamber device. The experimental results show that N2-dilution consistently results in longer IDTs for the fuels tested. On the other hand, NO-addition has a temperature-dependent effect, shortening the IDTs for T > 692 K and vice versa. The magnitude of reactivity promotion or inhibition depends on NO concentration, temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio. Based on the tested NO-addition levels, the inhibition of reactivity is approximately ten times greater than the promotion of reactivity caused by NO. The study fills a gap in the literature by providing comprehensive fundamental combustion data for n-C10–n-C14 fuels. This data, along with the corresponding analysis, can be used by engine researchers in developing more efficient and cleaner combustion engine technologies.

Long-term multiwavelength monitoring and reverberation mapping of NGC 2617 during a changing-look event

ABSTRACT We present the results of photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaigns of the changing look AGN NGC 2617 carried out from 2016 until 2022 and covering the wavelength range from the X-ray to the near-IR. The facilities included the telescopes of the SAI MSU, MASTER Global Robotic Net, the 2.3-m WIRO telescope, Swift, and others. We found significant variability at all wavelengths and, specifically, in the intensities and profiles of the broad Balmer lines. We measured time delays of ∼6 d (∼8 d) in the responses of the Hβ (Hα) line to continuum variations. We found the X-ray variations to correlate well with the UV and optical (with a small time delay of a few days for longer wavelengths). The K-band lagged the B band by 14 ± 4 d during the last three seasons, which is significantly shorter than the delays reported previously by the 2016 and 2017–2019 campaigns. Near-IR variability arises from two different emission regions: the outer part of the accretion disc and a more distant dust component. The HK-band variability is governed primarily by dust. The Balmer decrement of the broad-line components is inversely correlated with the UV flux. The change of the object’s type from Sy1 to Sy1.8 was recorded over a period of ∼8 yr. We interpret these changes as a combination of two factors: changes in the accretion rate and dust recovery along the line of sight.

Semi-Analytical Modeling of Pyrolysis Front and Ignition Temperatures of Thermally Reactive Single Solid Particles

A semi-analytical approach is developed for predicting pyrolysis front temperature in a charring solid undergoing thermal decomposition. The pre-reaction heating stage is described using an analytical formulation and invoking the concept of thermal penetration depth. The solution for the solid conversion stage accounts for decomposition enthalpy, the convective flow of volatiles, and a reaction front characterized by a uniform temperature that progresses toward the inner layers. This method incorporates empirical relations into the analytical model. Two scenarios are considered. First, the solution of the pyrolysis model combined with the data of conversion time versus external heat flux leads to an algebraic expression that reveals the existence of a maximum pyrolysis-front temperature. Explicit relations are derived for both the extremum pyrolysis temperature and optimum applied heat flux. In the second case, an expression is derived for the ignition temperature of a solid fuel (e.g., wood) by incorporating ignition delay time measurements into the heating stage model. The newly derived expression allows the ignition temperature to be described as a function of the Biot number and external heat flux. The relation obtained for the ignition temperature explains the experimental trends reported in some previous studies where two local extremums were observed for the ignition temperature in the absence of volatile reactions.

Validation of a mathematical model of ultrasonic cross-correlation flow meters based on industrial experience

In 2020, Ton [1] published an article named “A mathematical model of Ultrasonic Cross-Correlation Flow Meters Based on Industrial Experience” from here on it will be referred as “the model”. The model provided detailed mathematical derivation for the entire process involved in ultrasonic cross-correlation flow measurement (USCCFM). As such, the inputs and output parameters involved in USCCFM are defined, so their relationships are also described. Based on these relationships, the output parameters behavior of the model can be predicted by the input parameters variations. These relationships are exploited to validate the model. The results of this article show the USCCFM output parameters behave exactly as the model predicted in lab and field measurement conditions. Simulated data produced by an emulator further validate the model. Furthermore, the measured time delay error (using emulator) is within 0.1 ms of the set points. This result assures that USCCFM can measure the time it takes the flow to carry the signature from upstream to downstream very accurately.

Development of a reduced combustion model for ammonia/hydrogen combustion

Ammonia/hydrogen receives increasing interest as a carbon-free fuel in novel combustion techniques. Simulation aided design often requires coupling of flow field and chemical kinetics, whose feasibility relies essentially on an affordable (reduced) reaction model. However, existing ammonia/hydrogen reduced models are scarce and cannot reasonably reproduce available experimental data over a comprehensive set of conditions. Hence, a reduced ammonia/hydrogen model was developed in the present work using a combined method: the directed relation graph with error propagation method was applied first followed by a contribution to species production/consumption screening method. The model reduction method substantially reduces the size of the model, from 37 species and 237 reactions to 25 species and 108 reactions. The reduced model was compared to available reduced models over a comprehensive set of experimental data, including ignition delay time measurements in shock-tube and rapid compression machine, laminar flame speed measurements and species profile data measured in jet stirred reactor and burner stabilized flame. The obtained model maintains comparable prediction accuracy compared to the detailed model and is superior to the other reduced models.

Effect of test conditions on the efficiency and hysteresis of Sn-Pb mixed perovskite solar cells

With the continuous improvement of the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the possible pollution of lead to the environment has become a significant. The appearance of tin–lead mixed PSCs reduces its toxicity. Still, tin-based perovskite materials are easy to oxidize and decompose in the air, which poses a challenge to evaluate its photoelectric performance in the test process correctly. Our work compared and analyzed the photoelectric performance of tin–lead mixed PSCs from the test environment and setting parameters. We discussed the effects of temperature, humidity, measurement delay time, measurement step, and bias voltage on the efficiency and hysteresis of tin–lead mixed PSCs. We summarized the standard test conditions applicable to tin–lead mixed PSCs. The reference of this test method will help to get accurate test results of tin–lead mixed PSCs and promote its further development.

Hundred-femtosecond-level concise optical time delay measurement system based on linear optical sampling

Fiber-delay measurement is one of the key fundamental technologies in numerous fields. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a high-precision and concise optical time delay measurement system based on the technique of linear optical sampling, reaching the precision better than 100 fs under averaging. The use of only two optical frequency combs without locking the carrier-envelope-offset frequency greatly simplifies the structure of the time-delay measurement system. We also experimentally investigate the current limitations on the precision of the system. The timing jitter noises of two sources are mainly non-common mode and are both restricted to the frequency sources. Our results indicate that the proposed device can measure fiber length fluctuations below 10 µm, paving the way for further analyses of the external disturbances on the fiber link.

Host group degeneracy in gravitational lensing time delay determination of H 0

Abstract Massive elliptical galaxies, that serve as lenses in gravitational lensing time delay measurements of the Hubble parameter H 0, often reside in a host group. We consider degeneracies in the modeling of the group halo. When the group effect on imaging can be summarized by its flexion (the next order term beyond shear in the tidal expansion), the posterior likelihood map can develop disjoint local minima, associated with an approximate discrete symmetry of a dominant flexion term. Monte-Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) algorithms that are not designed to explore a rich posterior landscape can miss some of the minima, introducing systematic bias. We study mock data and demonstrate that the bias in H 0 can exceed 10%, and pulls the inference value of H 0 above its truth value, for a reason that can be traced to the structure of a mismodeled flexion term. MCMC algorithms that are designed to cope with a rich posterior landscape can uncover the structure. If the group is X-ray bright enough, X-ray data may also help to resolve the degeneracy, by pinpointing the group's center of mass. Finally, we show that some implementations in the literature used an inaccurate kinematical prior, mis-modeling the group velocity dispersion by as much as 20%.

Strong lensed QSOs with variability detectable by LSST: How many are there?

ABSTRACT Strong lensed quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) are valuable probes of the Universe in numerous aspects. Two of these applications, reverberation mapping and measuring time delays for determining cosmological parameters, require the source QSOs to be variable with sufficient amplitude. In this paper, we forecast the number of strong lensed QSOs with sufficient variability to be detected by the Vera C. Rubin Telescope Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The damped random walk model is employed to model the variability amplitude of lensed QSOs taken from a mock catalogue by Oguri & Marshall (2010). We expect 30–40 per cent of the mock lensed QSO sample, which corresponds to ∼1000, to exhibit variability detectable with LSST. A smaller subsample of 250 lensed QSOs will show larger variability of >0.15 mag for bright lensed images with i < 21 mag, allowing for monitoring with smaller telescopes. We discuss systematic uncertainties in the prediction by considering alternative prescriptions for variability and mock lens catalogue with respect to our fiducial model. Our study shows that a large-scale survey of lensed QSOs can be conducted for reverberation mapping and time delay measurements following up on LSST.

Validation of octane hyperboosting phenomenon in prenol and structurally related olefinic alcohols

Hyperboosting is a recently discovered phenomenon in which the research octane number (RON) of a blend is higher than both the neat blendstock and the neat fuel it was blended into. RON is a measure of a fuel’s resistance to knock, and knock is a cause of engine inefficiency. Blends which exhibit hyperboosting are blends in which an overall improvement in engine efficiency may be expected. The first discovery of hyperboosting came from blending experiments in which prenol was blended into several different base fuels. Here, ignition delay time (IDT) measurements taken using a commercially available constant volume combustion chamber called the Advanced Fuel Ignition Delay Analyzer (AFIDA) are presented. The data show that some prenol blends have longer IDTs (lower reactivity) than either neat prenol or the base fuel, providing further evidence of hyperboosting. Additionally, more blending data is presented in which the base fuel is varied, which allows for a better understanding of hyperboosting sensitivity to chemical classes. The data indicate that aromatics may inhibit, and branched alkanes may enhance the magnitude of hyperboosting observed. Enthalpy of vaporization estimates are also given for several molecules which are blended into a 4-component surrogate. These estimates are derived from Equation of State simulations and reveal that there is no observable correlation between hyperboosting and enthalpy of vaporization. Blending data for molecules which share structural similarities with prenol are also presented. Structure property relationships are suggested, in which the double bond motif of prenol seems to play an important role in hyperboosting. This may help to understand hyperboosting and its underlying mechanism. Lastly, blending curves of surrogate blends with prenol experienced hyperboosting under lean (Homogeneous Charged Compression Ignition-HCCI) operating conditions, which validates that hyperboosting is not an artifact of the octane test methods, but inherent to the properties of prenol.

Remote Estimation of Blood Pressure Using Millimeter-Wave Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar.

This paper proposes to remotely estimate a human subject's blood pressure using a millimeter-wave radar system. High blood pressure is a critical health threat that can lead to diseases including heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and vision loss. The commonest method of measuring blood pressure is based on a cuff that is contact-based, non-continuous, and cumbersome to wear. Continuous remote monitoring of blood pressure can facilitate early detection and treatment of heart disease. This paper investigates the possibility of using millimeter-wave frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar to measure the heart blood pressure by means of pulse wave velocity (PWV). PWV is known to be highly correlated with blood pressure, which can be measured by pulse transit time. We measured PWV using a two-millimeter wave radar focused on the subject's chest and wrist. The measured time delay provided the PWV given the length from the chest to the wrist. In addition, we analyzed the measured radar signal from the wrist because the shape of the pulse wave purveyed information on blood pressure. We investigated the area under the curve (AUC) as a feature and found that AUC is strongly correlated with blood pressure. In the experiment, five human subjects were measured 50 times each after performing different activities intended to influence blood pressure. We used artificial neural networks to estimate systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (SBP) with both PWV and AUC as inputs. The resulting root mean square errors of estimated blood pressure were 3.33 mmHg for SBP and 3.14 mmHg for DBP.

Іnformation modeling of the processes of sensory perception of information and user identification

The article proposes a systematic approach to the analysis of psychological perception of information at the level of human intuitive perception. The most successful, according to the authors, methods and approaches of building information models of sensory perception of information are given. Such a systematic approach “from simple to complex and from it to generalization” made it possible to determine the features of each of the considered methods, to determine their advantages and disadvantages, and to indicate the directions of appropriate use. The authors proposed and implemented a method of identifying computer users based on the measurement of various time delays when entering information from the computer keyboard. In order to increase the accuracy of identification, it is recommended to use the relative values of pauses before and after pressing a key to the time it is held. This approach provides a 15%increase in recognition accuracy and reduces time and resource costs for identification. In order to automate the process of identification of a person working at a computer for a long time, adaptation of the developed product to changing the user’s keyboard handwriting by changing the handwriting sample is provided. Considerable attention is paid to clarifying the concepts of sign, image, meaning, meaning, which reflect the psychological aspects of information perception by a computer user.

Moving Object Localization in Distributed MIMO With Clock and Frequency Offsets

This paper investigates the localization problem of the moving target in distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where the transmitters are subject to clock and frequency offsets. The position and velocity of the moving target are jointly determined by applying time delay (TD) and Doppler shift (DS) measurements. For this purpose, two efficient solution approaches are proposed to estimate the unknowns of the moving target, as well as the clock and frequency offsets. Firstly, the nonconvex localization problem is first relaxed into a convex semidefinite programming (SDP) form. Additionally, a two-stage closed-form solution (TSCFS) approach is proposed to determine the unknowns. The performance of the proposed methods is examined by the mean squared error (MSE) analysis. The simulated results show that the performance of the proposed solutions are able to approach the Cramér-rao lower bound (CRLB) accuracy at low noise levels. In contrast, the SDP solution performs better than the TSCFS in the presence of high noise levels or a small number of receivers.

Expectations for time-delay measurements in active galactic nuclei with the Vera Rubin Observatory

Context. The Vera Rubin Observatory will provide an unprecedented set of time-dependent observations of the sky. The planned Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), operating for ten years, will provide dense light curves for thousands of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in deep drilling fields (DDFs) and less dense light curves for millions of AGN from the main survey (MS). Aims. We model the prospects for measuring the time delays for the AGN emission lines with respect to the continuum, using these data. Methods. We modeled the artificial light curves using the Timmer-König algorithm. We used the exemplary cadence to sample them (one for the MS and one for the DDF), we supplement light curves with the expected contamination by the strong emission lines (Hβ, Mg II, and CIV, as well as with Fe II pseudo-continuum and the starlight). We chose suitable photometric bands that are appropriate for the redshift and compared the assumed line time-delay with the recovered time delay for 100 statistical realizations of the light curves. Results. We show that time delays for emission lines can be well measured from the main survey for the bright tail of the quasar distribution (about 15% of all sources) with an accuracy within 1σ error. For the DDF, the results for fainter quasars are also reliable when the entire ten years of data are used. There are also some prospects to measure the time delays for the faintest quasars at the lowest redshifts from the first two years of data, and possibly even from the first season. The entire quasar population will allow us to obtain results of apparently high accuracy, but in our simulations, we see a systematic offset between the assumed and recovered time delay that depends on the redshift and source luminosity. This offset will not disappear even in the case of large statistics. This problem might affect the slope of the radius-luminosity relation and cosmological applications of quasars if no simulations are performed that correct for these effects.

Feedback error-state Kalman filter with time-delay compensation for hydroacoustic-aided inertial navigation of underwater vehicles

This article is intended as a tutorial to assist engineers who want to develop and implement low-cost underwater vehicle inertial navigation systems (INS) aided by time-delayed hydroacoustic position measurements. A discrete-time unit quaternion error-state Kalman filter (ESKF) is used for sensor fusion. The ESKF is implemented as a feedback algorithm with reset functionality. This is motivated by the need for long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Proprietary navigation systems do not allow users to add more measurement equations to the code if additional sensors are available. However, the open-source filter architecture presented in the article provides for this. The article also aims to make in-house development of strapdown INS accessible and affordable for vendors of low-cost AUV systems. Finally, a case study of an AUV with a standard sensor suite is included to demonstrate the performance of the ESKF aided by time-delayed position measurements.

TDCOSMO

Time-delay distance measurements of strongly lensed quasars have provided a powerful and independent probe of the current expansion rate of the Universe (H0). However, in light of the discrepancies between early- and late-time cosmological studies, current efforts revolve around the characterisation of systematic uncertainties in the methods. In this work we focus on the mass-sheet degeneracy (MSD), which is commonly considered a significant source of systematics in time-delay strong lensing studies, and aim to assess the constraining power provided by integral field unit (IFU) stellar kinematics. To this end, we approximated the MSD with a cored, two-parameter extension to the adopted lensing mass profiles (with core radius rc and mass-sheet parameter λint), which introduces a full degeneracy between λint and H0 from lensing data alone. In addition, we utilised spatially resolved mock IFU stellar kinematics of time-delay strong lenses, given the prospects of obtaining such high-quality data with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the near future. We constructed joint strong lensing and generalised two-integral axisymmetric Jeans models, where the time delays, mock imaging, and IFU observations are used as input to constrain the mass profile of lens galaxies at the individual galaxy level and consequently yield joint constraints on the time-delay distance (DΔt) and the angular diameter distance (Dd) to the lens. We find that mock JWST-like stellar kinematics constrain the amount of internal mass sheet that is physically associated with the lens galaxy and limit its contribution to the uncertainties of DΔt and Dd, each at the ≤4% level, without assumptions on the background cosmological model. Incorporating additional uncertainties due to external mass sheets associated with mass structures along the lens line of sight, these distance constraints would translate to a ≲4% precision measurement on H0 in flat Λ cold dark matter cosmology for a single lens. Our study shows that future IFU stellar kinematics of time-delay lenses will be key in lifting the MSD on a per lens basis, assuming reasonable and physically motivated core sizes. However, even in the limit of infinite rc, where DΔt is fully degenerate with λint and is thus not constrained, stellar kinematics of the deflector, time delays, and imaging data will provide powerful constraints on Dd, which becomes the dominant source of information in the cosmological inference.

Quantum process tomography of unitary maps from time-delayed measurements

Quantum process tomography conventionally uses a multitude of initial quantum states and then performs state tomography on the process output. Here we propose and study an alternative approach which requires only a single (or few) known initial states together with time-delayed measurements for reconstructing the unitary map and corresponding Hamiltonian of the time dynamics. The overarching mathematical framework and feasibility guarantee of our method is provided by the Takens embedding theorem. We explain in detail how the reconstruction of a single-qubit Hamiltonian works in this setting and provide numerical methods and experiments for general few-qubit and lattice systems with local interactions. In particular, the method allows to find the Hamiltonian of a two qubit system by observing only one of the qubits.

A novel calibration method for angular misalignment in independently controlled fast tool servo-based diamond turning

With significant technological progress in optics fields, such as VR and 3D sensing technologies, the demand for optical components with complex shapes (e.g., freeform surfaces) has expanded significantly in recent years. Ultra-precision diamond turning is one of the common manufacturing methods used for freeform optics. There are two tool-motion mechanisms for freeform diamond turning: slow tool servo (STS), which moves the entire tool rest, and fast tool servo (FTS), which only drives the diamond tool. In particular, high-frequency and long-stroke FTS units driven by a separate control system from the machine tool controller have recently been developed as a new trend in FTS-based diamond turning. However, this type of independent FTS control system causes a time delay between the machine tool instruction and the FTS tool motion. Even a millisecond-scale time delay can cause a considerable angular misalignment owing to the high rotation rate of the spindle, resulting in a micron-scale form error on the workpiece surface. In this paper, a novel method for precisely measuring the time delay from the machined workpiece surface and compensating for the misalignment based on the measured time delay was proposed. To measure the time delay, spherical dimples were machined on the workpiece surface by using STS and FTS. Subsequently, the angular misalignment and time delay were obtained by comparing the measured surface profiles at specific positions of the spherical dimples. Thus, the time delay can be measured with microsecond-scale accuracy. Based on the measured time delay, the shifted tool position along the spindle axis by the time delay was compensated to the ideal tool position by considering the cutting velocity. Consequently, the angular misalignment was completely eliminated, and submicron-level form accuracy was achieved. This calibration method of angular misalignment for an independent FTS unit is expected to significantly improve the accuracy of ultra-precision machining of freeform optics.

Experimental Kinetics Study on Diethyl Carbonate Oxidation

Diethyl carbonate (DEC) is a common component of the liquid electrolyte in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). As such, understanding DEC combustion chemistry is imperative to improving chemical kinetic modeling of LIB fires. To this end, a comprehensive experimental study was conducted to collect ignition delay times, CO time histories, and laminar flame speeds during DEC combustion. Ignition delay times were collected using a heated shock tube at real fuel–air conditions for three equivalence ratios (ϕ = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0) near atmospheric pressure and for temperatures between 1182 and 1406 K. Another shock tube was used to collect CO time histories using a laser absorption diagnostic. These experiments were conducted for the same equivalence ratios, but highly diluted in argon and helium (79.25% Ar + 20% He) at an average pressure of 1.27 atm and a temperature range of 1236–1669 K. Finally, a heated constant-volume vessel was used to collect laminar flame speeds of DEC at an initial temperature and pressure of 403 K and 1 atm, respectively, for equivalence ratios between 0.79 and 1.38. The results are compared with different mechanisms from the literature. Good agreement is seen for the ignition delay time and flame speed measurements. However, significant deviations are observed for the CO time histories. A detailed discussion of the chemical kinetics is presented to elucidate the important reactions and direct future modeling efforts.