On locating low altitude moving targets using a planar acoustic sensor array

It is of engineering importance to locate low altitude moving targets with acoustic methods due to the blindness of the traditional radar detecting. In this paper, an algorithm for locating low altitude moving targets is put forward based on a five-element planar acoustic sensor array. The method is realized through estimations of the sensor-to-sensor time delays of the source signal generated by the low altitude moving target. The angle and range estimation performance of the proposed method are analyzed, respectively, both in theoretical and numerical sense.     

Searching for new conditions for fermion N-representability

New elements of the dual cone of the set of fermion N-representable 2-density operators are proposed. So far, the explicit form of the corresponding necessary conditions for N-representability is obtained for N = 3. In this case the new condition is stronger than the known B- and C-conditions for 3-representability. The results provide evidence that in the spectral decomposition of the N-representable 2-density operator there exists an intrinsic relation between the eigenvalue and the corresponding eigenfunction.     

Analysis of the characteristics of a two-fiber sensor for monitorship of a turbid medium

Summary Certain characteristics of a two-fiber sensor device, of the type proposed by Papaet al. for sea water turbidity monitorship, are examined. The extension of medium from which most of the received backscattered power originates is investigated, together with possible effects of multiple scattering on the received power. Laboratory measurements testing the results of the analysis are reported.

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Riassunto Sono esaminate alcune caratteristiche di un sensore a due fibre, del tipo di quello proposto da Papaet al. per il monitoraggio della torbidità dell'acqua di mare. è stata studiata l'estensione della zona del mezzo da cui proviene la maggior parte della radiazione retrodiffusa ricevuta. Sono stati considerati effetti di diffusione multipla. I risultati dell'analisi sono stati controllati con misure in laboratorio.

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Резюме Исследуются некоторые характеристики дву-qh-нитевого датчика, предложенного Папа и др. для мониторирования мутности морской воды. Исследуется расширение зоны в среде, из которой формируется основная часть рассеянного назад излучения. Также рассматриваются эффекты многократного рассеяния. На основе лабораторных измерений проводится проверка результатов анализа.

     

A method for determining optical constants, dimensions, and concentrations of “soft” absorbing particles in the brightening band region

We investigate the possibilities of creating a method for estimating the optical constants, dimensions, and concentrations of “soft” absorbing particles by applying a theoretical analysis of the angular dependence of the intergrated indicatrix, overall characteristics of light scattering, and absorption on the phase shift and diffraction parameter of particles in the brightening band region. We show that using the investigated optical characteristics, it is possible to determine the unknown parameters of a suspension from experimental data. Institute of Biophysics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 6, pp. 807–812, November–December, 1997.     

Helmholtz potentiality conditions for systems of difference-differential equations

For operators corresponding to systems ofμth-order difference-differential equations of neutral type, necessary and sufficient conditions for potentiality with respect to the classical bilinear form are obtained. These results are applied to first-order quasilinear systems. Translated fromMatematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 437–442, September, 1998. The author wishes to express his thanks to V. M. Savchin for fruitful discussions and useful remarks.     

Approximate controllability for trajectories of semilinear control systems

We treat an abstract semilinear control system and study the controllability problem for its trajectories. Assuming a range condition of the control action operator and an inequality condition on the system parameters, we can show that the reachable trajectory set of the semilinear system is equivalent to that of its corresponding linear system.The author wishes to express his deep appreciation to Prof. T. I. Seidman for his many helpful suggestions and to Prof. W. Takahashi for many stimulating conversations.     

Experimental investigation of the aquatic propulsion caused by localised flexural wave propagation in immersed wedges and plates

This paper describes the results of the experimental verification of the idea of wave-like aquatic propulsion of autonomous and man-inhabited vessels first published about 10 years ago by one of the present authors (V.V.K.). The idea is based on employing the unique type of localised flexural elastic waves propagating along edges of wedge-like structures immersed in water (wedge elastic waves). Such wedge-like structures supporting localised elastic waves can be attached like fish fins to a body of a small ship or a submarine and used for their propulsion. The proposed principle of employing localised flexural waves as a source of aquatic propulsion has been biologically inspired by the specific swimming mode used in nature by stingrays. To verify the idea experimentally, the first working prototype of a small catamaran using the above-mentioned wave-like propulsion via the attached rubber keel has been build and tested in Loughborough University. The tests have been carried out in two phases, in a water tank and then in open water. The test results have shown that the catamaran was propelled very efficiently and could achieve the speed of 36 cm/s, i.e., about one vehicle length per second, thus demonstrating that the idea of wave-like propulsion of small man-inhabited craft is viable. The reported proof of the viability of this idea may open new opportunities for marine craft propulsion, which can have far reaching implications.     

Multiparametric Evaluation of Dysphonic Severity

SUMMARY: In recent years, the multiparametric approach for evaluating perceptual rating of voice quality has been advocated. This study evaluates the accuracy of predicting perceived overall severity of voice quality with a minimal set of aerodynamic, voice range profile (phonetogram), and acoustic perturbation measures. One hundred and twelve dysphonic persons (93 women and 19 men) with laryngeal pathologies and 41 normal controls (35 women and six men) with normal voices participated in this study. Perceptual severity judgement was carried out by four listeners rating the G (overall grade) parameter of the GRBAS scale. The minimal set of instrumental measures was selected based on the ability of the measure to discriminate between dysphonic and normal voices, and to attain at least a moderate correlation with perceived overall severity. Results indicated that perceived overall severity was best described by maximum phonation time of sustained /a/, peak intraoral pressure of the consonant-vowel /pi/ strings production, voice range profile area, and acoustic jitter. Direct-entry discriminant function analysis revealed that these four voice measures in combination correctly predicted 67.3% of perceived overall severity levels.     

Vowel Intelligibility in Classical Singing

Vowel intelligibility during singing is an important aspect of communication during performance. The intelligibility of isolated vowels sung by Western classically trained singers has been found to be relatively low, in fact, decreasing as pitch rises, and it is lower for women than for men. The lack of contextual cues significantly deteriorates vowel intelligibility. It was postulated in this study that the reduced intelligibility of isolated sung vowels may be partly from the vowels used by the singers in their daily vocalises. More specifically, if classically trained singers sang only a few American English vowels during their vocalises, their intelligibility for American English vowels would be less than for those classically trained singers who usually vocalize on most American English vowels. In this study, there were 21 subjects (15 women, 6 men), all Western classically trained performers as well as teachers of classical singing. They sang 11 words containing 11 different American English vowels, singing on two pitches a musical fifth apart. Subjects were divided into two groups, those who normally vocalize on 4, 5, or 6 vowels, and those who sing all 11 vowels during their daily vocalises. The sung words were cropped to isolate the vowels, and listening tapes were created. Two listening groups, four singing teachers and five speech-language pathologists, were asked to identify the vowels intended by the singers. Results suggest that singing fewer vowels during daily vocalises does not decrease intelligibility compared with singing the 11 American English vowels. Also, in general, vowel intelligibility was lower with the higher pitch, and vowels sung by the women were less intelligible than those sung by the men. Identification accuracy was about the same for the singing teacher listeners and the speech-language pathologist listeners except for the lower pitch, where the singing teachers were more accurate.