Peter M. Thompson, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist

B.S. Electrical Engineering and B.S. Applied Math, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 1977

S.M. Electrical Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1979

Ph.D. Electrical Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1982

Dr. Thompson has an eclectic mix of theoretical and practical experience with control theory, dynamic modeling, control system design, human operator modeling, software development, and neural network applications. Aerospace project experience includes integrating flight control with high fidelity aero and structural models, applying wavelet transforms for on-line detection of loss of control, developing methods used to measure the effectiveness of neural networks used for control, designing and critiquing autopilots for aircraft and rotorcraft, and predicting ship motion to decrease touchdown dispersion on aircraft carriers.

Dr. Thompson has experience with using biomathematical models used to detect fatigue and performance, including the correlation of model predictions with biobehavioral measurements. Dr. Thompson has worked as a contractor in support of control system development. He is currently involved in the Thirty Meter Telescope project, working with a team to design the mount control system and the main mirror support system (projected first light 2019, Mauna Kea, HI).  His prior experience with telescopes has been the Az/El control system for the Keck 10-meter telescope. He was part of a design team for a new draw works control system and automatic driller for a Varco and Helmerich & Payne land-based oil rig, which made use of aerospace technology to increase the level of automation and reduce the driller workload. Dr. Thompson is the principal developer of Program CC, a computer aided control system design package.

Honors and Awards

• Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu honor societies.

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. G. MacMynowski, M. W. Regehr, M. M. Colavita, and M. J. Sirota, “Servo design and analysis for the Thirty Meter Telescope primary mirror actuators,” presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation San Diego, CA, 27 June – 2 July 2010. (SPIE 7733-84,STI-P-747)

M. W. Regehr, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., M. M. Colavita, J. D. Moore, M. J. Sirota, and E. C. Williams, “Dynamic Characterization of a Prototype of the Thirty Meter Telescope Primary Segment Assembly ” presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation San Diego, CA, 27 June – 2 July 2010. (SPIE 7733-85, STI-P-748)

D. H. Klyde, P. C. Schulze, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and C.-Y. Liang, Ph.D., “Use of Wavelet Scalograms to Characterize Rotorcraft Pilot-Vehicle System Interactions,” presented at American Helicopter Society 66th Annual Forum, Phoenix, AZ, May 11, 2010. (STI-P-742)

B. P. Danowsky, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and S. Kukreja, Ph.D., “Using Describing Functions for Limit-Cycle-Oscillation Analysis Applied to Aeroservoelastic Models with Free-Play,” presented at 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Orlando, FL, January 4-7, 2010. (AIAA 2010-492, STI-P-736)

B. P. Danowsky, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., C. Farhat, Ph.D., T. Lieu, Ph.D., C. Harris, and J. Lechniak, “Incorporation of Feedback Control into a High-Fidelity Aeroservoelastic Fighter Aircraft Model,” Journal of Aircraft, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 1274-1282, 2010. (AIAA 2009-5708, STI-P-735)

B. P. Danowsky, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. J. Alvarez, C. Farhat, Ph.D., T. Lieu, Ph.D., and M. J. Brenner, “Optimal Input and Output Blending for Adaptive Suppression of Adverse Aeroservoelastic Dynamics,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Toronto, Canada, August 3-5, 2010. (AIAA 2010-7500, STI-P-751)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. G. MacMynowski, and M. J. Sirota, “Analysis of the TMT Mount Control System,” presented at Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II Marseille, France June 23, 2008. (SPIE 7012-60, STI-P-719)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. G. MacMynowski, and M. J. Sirota, “Control Analysis of the TMT Primary Segment Assembly,” presented at Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II, Marseille, France June 23 2008. (SPIE 7012-58,  STI-P-718)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “Using Matlab to Derive and Implement Aircraft Equations of Motion,” presented at 5th Annual AIAA Southern California Aerospace Technology and Systems Conference, Santa Ana, CA, May 3, 2008. (STI-P-707)

K. Szeto, S. Roberts, M. Gedig, G. Austin, C. Lagally, S. Patrick, D. Tsang, D. G. MacMynowski, M. J. Sirota, L. M. Stepp, and P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “TMT telescope structure system: design and development progress report,” presented at Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II, Marseille, France June 23 2008. (SPIE 7012-88, STI-P-721)

D. G. MacMynowski, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and M. J. Sirota, “Analysis of TMT Primary Mirror Control-Structure Interaction,” presented at Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy III, Marseille, France June 26 2008. (SPIE 7017-41, STI-P-720)

B. P. Danowsky, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., C. Farhat, Ph.D., and C. Harris, Ph.D., “Residualization of an Aircraft Linear Aeroelastic Reduced Order Model to Obtain Static Stability Derivatives,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, Hawaii, 18 - 21 August 2008. (AIAA 2008-6370, STI-P-711)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. H. Klyde, C. Farhat, Ph.D., and C. Harris, Ph.D., “Aeroservoelastic Predictive Analysis Capability,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Hilton Head, SC, 20-23 August 2007. (AIAA 2007-6716, STI-P-697)

D. H. Klyde, E. N. Bachelder, Ph.D., P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and C. Harris, Ph.D., “Flying Qualities Parameter Identification using Short Duration Flight Test Inputs,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Hilton Head, SC, 20-23 August 2007. (AIAA 2007-6385, STI-P-696)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., C.-Y. Liang, Ph.D., D. H. Klyde, and R. W. Allen, “Combined Terrain, Vehicle, and Digital Human Models Used for Human Operator Performance Analysis,” presented at SAE Digital Human Modeling for Design and Engineering Symposium, Rochester, MI, June 15-17, 2004. (SAE 2004-01-2152, STI-P-629)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. H. Klyde, E. N. Bachelder, Ph.D., T. J. Rosenthal, and M. J. Brenner, “Development of Wavelet-Based Techniques for Detecting Loss of Control,” presented at Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004. (AIAA 2004-5064, STI-P-634)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., E. N. Bachelder, Ph.D., D. H. Klyde, C. Harris, and M. J. Brenner, “Wavelet-Based Techniques for Improved On-Line Systems Identification,” presented at USAF Developmental Test and Evaluation Summit, Woodland Hills, CA, November 16-18, 2004. (AIAA 2004-6838, STI-P-642)

D. H. Klyde, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., E. N. Bachelder, Ph.D., and T. J. Rosenthal, “Evaluation of Wavelet-Based Techniques for Detecting Loss of Control,” presented at Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004. (AIAA 2004-4702, STI-P-633)

E. N. Bachelder, Ph.D. , D. H. Klyde, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and C. Harris, “System Identification Methods for Improving Flutter Flight Test Techniques,” presented at Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004. (AIAA 2004-5065, STI-P-638)

G. Boyadjieff, D. Murray, A. Orr, M. Porche, and P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “Design Considerations and Field Performance of an Advanced Automatic Driller,” presented at SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, February 19-21 2003.

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. and D. H. Klyde, “Exploration of the Properties of Analytic Wavelets for Systems Analysis,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Monterey, CA, August 2002. (AIAA 2002-4707, STI-P-594)
P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., D. H. Klyde, and M. J. Brenner, “Wavelet-Based Time-Varying Human Operator Models,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Montreal, Canada, August 6-9, 2001. (AIAA 2001-4009, STI-P-579)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. and F. G. Anderson, “Rotational Rate Estimation Using Multiple Accelerometers,” presented at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Denver, CO, August 14-17, 2000.
V. Sahasrabudhe, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and D. H. Klyde, “Impending Flutter Detection Using Wavelet-Based Time-Varying Transfer Functions,” Reno, NV, January 2000. (AIAA 2000-4100)

V. Sahasrabudhe, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., B. L. Aponso, and P. C. Chen, “Smart Rotor Active Control,” presented at American Helicopter Society 54th Annual Forum, Washington, D.C., May 20-22, 1998. (STI-P-543)

V. Sahasrabudhe, P. C. Chen, P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., and B. L. Aponso, “Integrated Design of Smart Rotor and Robust Control System,” presented at SPIE 5th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, San Diego, CA, 1-5 March 1998. (STI-P-542)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. and K. J. Owens, “Assessment if Feedforward Neuro-Controllers Using Describing Functions,” presented at AIAA Guidance, Navigation, & Control Conference, New Orleans, LA, August 11-13, 1997.

P. M. Thompson, T. T. Myers, and C. Suchomel, “Conventional Longitudinal Axis Autopilot Design for a Hypersonic Vehicle,” presented at AIAA 33rd Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, Reno, NV, January 9-12 1995. (SAE 95-0556)

P. M. Thompson, “Classical/H2 Solution for a Robust Control Design Benchmark Problem,” J. of Guidance & Control & Dynamics, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 160-169, 1995.

M. J. Sirota, P. M. Thompson, and H. R. Jex, “Azimuth/Elevation Servo Performance of the W.M. Keck Telescope,” presented at SPIRE’s 1994 Symposium on Astronomical Telescopes & Instrumentation for the 21st Century, Kona, Hawaii,  1994.

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. and R. Y. Chiang, “Hoo Robust Control Synthesis for a Fighter Performing a Coordinated Bank Turn,” presented at 29th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Honolulu, HI, Dec. 5-7, 1990. (STI-P-459)

D. T. McRuer, T. T. Myers, and P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. , “Literal Singular-Value-Based Flight Control System Design Techniques,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 913-919, 1989. (AIAA 86-2712, STI-P-418)

R. W. Allen, D. T. McRuer, and P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “Dynamic Systems Analysis Programs with Classical and Optimal Control Applications of Human Performance Models,” in Applications of Human Performance Models to System Design, G. McMillan, D. Beevis, and E. Salas, Eds.: Plenum Press, NY, , 1989, pp. 169-184. (STI-P-421)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D. and D. T. McRuer, “Comparison of the Human Optimal Control and Crossover Models,” in Proceedings of AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, vol. 2. Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1988, pp. 1083-1090. (AIAA 88-4183, STI-P-428)

M. J. Sirota and P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “Azimuth/Elevation Servo Design of the W.M. Keck Telescope,” SPIE Acquisition, Tracking, & Pointing II, vol. 887, no., pp. 168-175, 1988. (STI-P-446)

P. M. Thompson, Ph.D., “Program CC’s Implementation of the Human Optimal Control,” presented at AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, Monterey, CA, August 17-19, 1987. (AIAA 87-2519, STI-P-411)