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Smith, J. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Smith, J. C..

At least 19 records

Kepler: A Search for Terrestrial Planets - Kepler Data Characterization Handbook

The Kepler Data Characteristics Handbook (KDCH) provides a description of all phenomena identified in the Kepler data throughout the mission, and an explanation for how these characteristics are handled by the final version of the Kepler Data Processing Pipeline (SOC 9.3).The KDCH complements the Kepler Data Release Notes (KDRNs), which document phenomena and processing unique to a data release. The original motivation for this separation into static, explanatory text and a more journalistic set of figures and tables in the KDRN was for the user to become familiar with the Data Characteristics Handbook, then peruse the short Notes for a new quarter, referring back to the Handbook when necessary. With the completion of the Kepler mission and the final Data Release 25, both the KDCH and the DRN encompass the entire Kepler mission, so the distinction between them is in the level of exposition, not the extent of the time interval discussed.

Kepler↗

Exact thermal density functional theory for a model system: Correlation components and accuracy of the zero-temperature exchange-correlation approximation

Thermal density functional theory calculations often use the Mermin-Kohn-Sham scheme, but employ ground-state approximations to the exchange-correlation (XC) free energy. In the simplest solvable nontrivial model, an asymmetric Hubbard dimer, we calculate the exact many-body energies and the exact Mermin-Kohn-Sham functionals for this system and extract the exact XC free energy. For moderate temperatures and weak correlation, we find this approximation to be excellent. Here we extract various exact free-energy correlation components and the exact adiabatic connection formula.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Exact conditions on the temperature dependence of density functionals

Universal exact conditions guided the construction of most ground-state density functional approximations in use today. Here, we derive the relation between the entropy and Mermin free energy density functionals for thermal density functional theory. Both the entropy and sum of kinetic and electron-electron repulsion functionals are shown to be monotonically increasing with temperature, while the Mermin functional is concave downwards. Analogous relations are found for both exchange and correlation. The importance of these conditions is illustrated in two extremes: the Hubbard dimer and the uniform gas.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The Hubbard dimer: a density functional case study of a many-body problem

This review explains the relationship between density functional theory and strongly correlated models using the simplest possible example, the two-site Hubbard model. The relationship to traditional quantum chemistry is included. Even in this elementary example, where the exact ground-state energy and site occupations can be found analytically, there is much to be explained in terms of the underlying logic and aims of density functional theory. Although the usual solution is analytic, the density functional is given only implicitly. We overcome this difficulty using the Levy–Lieb construction to create a parametrization of the exact function with negligible errors. The symmetric case is most commonly studied, but we find a rich variation in behavior by including asymmetry, as strong correlation physics vies with charge-transfer effects. We explore the behavior of the gap and the many-body Green's function, demonstrating the 'failure' of the Kohn–Sham (KS) method to reproduce the fundamental gap. We perform benchmark calculations of the occupation and components of the KS potentials, the correlation kinetic energies, and the adiabatic connection. We test several approximate functionals (restricted and unrestricted Hartree–Fock and Bethe ansatz local density approximation) to show their successes and limitations. Here, we also discuss and illustrate the concept of the derivative discontinuity. Useful appendices include analytic expressions for density functional energy components, several limits of the exact functional (weak- and strong-coupling, symmetric and asymmetric), various adiabatic connection results, proofs of exact conditions for this model, and the origin of the Hubbard model from a minimal basis model for stretched H 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Recommended Practices for Wind Integration Studies

Many wind integration studies have been performed in recent years, with evolving methodologies. Since power systems and data availability vary significantly, the results and methodologies used in these studies have varied accordingly. This paper presents the main findings from the IEA WIND Recommended Practices for Wind Integration studies. An overview of a complete wind integration study is presented as a flow chart. The main simulation steps are presented with recommendations on methodologies: an increase in reserve requirements, estimating impacts on other generation and balancing, capacity value of wind power and transmission expansion due to wind power. The study set-up and the main assumptions are outlined, as they can have a critical impact on the results. The recommendations are applicable for other variable renewable sources, including photovoltaics.

load flow↗

Dawn Maneuver Design Performance at Vesta

The Dawn spacecraft orbited the asteroid Vesta from July 16, 2011 to September 5, 2012, successfully accomplishing the four planned science orbits and two planned rotational characterization orbits. The lowest-altitude science orbit lasted four months, with 20 planned orbit maintenance maneuvers. Navigation results from Vesta demonstrate that the navigation plan was sufficient to achieve orbit delivery accuracy requirements. This paper compares the flown Dawn trajectory against the planned trajectory and expected maneuver dispersions. Understanding the effectiveness of the Vesta maneuver design plan is a key component of planning for operations at Ceres, the next destination for the Dawn mission.

Ion Propulsion↗

2001 Mars Odyssey aerobraking

The Mars Odyssey spacecraft was inserted into a highly elliptical capture orbit about Mars on October 24, 2001. This paper details the strategy, implementation, and results of the aerobraking phase of the mission.

Mars Odyssey aerobraking mission design navigation↗

Cassini Trajectory Design Description

The Cassini spaecraft will be the first one to visit the Saturnian system in more than two decades after the unprecedented flybys of the Voyager spacecraft in 1980 and 1981.

Cassini↗

Precision orbit determination for the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission

Precise ephemerides have been determined for the U.S. Navy Geosat Exact Repeat Mission (ERM) using an improved gravity-field model, PTGF-4A (Shum et al. 1989). The Geosat orbits were computed in a terrestrial reference system which is tied to the reference system defined by satellite laser ranging (SLR) to Lageos through a survey between the Tranet Doppler receiver and the SLR system located at Wettzell, FRG. The remaining Doppler tracking station coordinates were estimated simultaneously with the geopotential in the PTGF-4A solution. In this analysis, three continuous 17-day Geosat orbits, which were computed using the 46-station Tranet data and global altimeter crossover data, have a crossover residual rms of 20 cm, indicating that the Geosat radial orbit error is of the order of 20 cm. The orbits computed based on data collected by a 7-station OPNET tracking network and crossover data have the same level of accuracy.

Shum, C. K.↗

Feedback-Controlled Regulation of Gas Pressure

Internal pressure maintained over wide range of external pressures and exhaust rates. Gaseous pressure in liquid-nitrogen Dewar regulated by movable tapered plug, positioned automatically in response to signals generated by piezoelectric pressure transducer. Designed specifically to maintain airborne infrared detectors at constant temperature in evaporating liquid nitrogen, system modified to regulate pressure in other enclosed systems.

Smith, J. C.↗

Interactive analysis of a large aperture Earth observations satellite

A system level design and analysis has been conducted on an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) system using the Interactive Design and Evaluation of Advanced Spacecraft (IDEAS) computer-aided design and analysis program. The IDEAS program consists of about 40 user-friendly technical modules and an interactive graphics display. The reflector support system and feed mast of the EOS spacecraft are constructed with box-truss structural concept, a lattice configuration which can be packaged for delivery in a single Shuttle flight and deployed in orbit. The deployed spacecraft consists of a 120-m by 60-m parabolic focal axis. The spacecraft was modeled for structural, thermal, and control systems analysis and structural elements were designed. On-orbit dynamic and thermal loading analyses were conducted; spacecraft weights and developmental and first unit costs were determined.

Wright, R. L.↗

Interactive analysis of a large aperture Earth Observations Satellite

A system level design and analysis has been conducted on an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) system using the Interactive Design and Evaluation of Advanced Spacecraft (IDEAS) computer-aided design and analysis program. The IDEAS program consists of about 40 user-friendly technical modules and an interactive graphics display. The reflector support system and feed mast of the EOS spacecraft are constructed with a box-truss structural concept, a lattice configuration which can be packaged for delivery in a single Shuttle flight and deployed in orbit. The deployed spacecraft consists of a 120-m by 60-m parabolic reflector, a 120-m-long support structure, and a 30-m feed arc beam on the focal axis. The spacecraft was modeled for structural, thermal, and control systems analysis and structural elements were designed. On-orbit dynamic and thermal loading analyses were conducted and spacecraft weights were determined.

Wright, R. L.↗

Airborne multispectral linear array instruments at Goddard Space Flight Center

The fabrication of airborne instruments is contributing to the development of multispectral linear array technology at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The linear array pushbroom radiometer (LAPR-I), was built to demonstrate capabilities for acquiring digital image data using linear arrays. The LAPR-I employed three arrays of 512 silicon photodiodes each to simultaneously acquire three channels of data for spectral bands within the visible and near-infrared portions of the spectrum. A second instrument, LAPR-II, uses four arrays each consisting of 512 silicon detectors. A filter wheel containing six spectral filters is used in conjunction with each array to allow filter changes in flight. This capability will facilitate studies into the utility of various bands within the visible and near infrared portions of the spectrum. The LAPR-II's aircraft mounting will allow off-nadir pointing (plus-or-minus 50 deg fore-and-aft and side-to-side) which will enable investigations of the radiometric and geometric effects of off-nadir viewing. A short wave infrared radiometer is also described.

Irons, J. R.↗

A plan for the characterization, calibration, and evaluation of LAPR-2

A new airborne Linear Array Pushbroom Radiometer (LAPR-II) was built. LAPR-II will use linear arrays of silicon detectors to acquire four channels of digital image data for spectral bands within the visible and near infrared portions of the spectrum (0.4 - 1.0 micrometers). The data will be quantized to 10 bits, and spectral filters for each channel will be changeable in flight. The instrument will initially be flown aboard a NASA/Wallops' aircraft, and off nadir pointing of LAPR-II will be possible. Together, the instrument and its platform will provide a flexible readily available source of digital image data for scientific experiments. If LAPR-II is to serve as a precise scientific instrument, the instrument's characteristics must be quantitatively described and the data must be calibrated with respect to absolute radiometric units. The LAPR-II is described and the work required to characterize the instrument's spectral response, radiometric response, and spatial resolution and to calibrate the response from the many detectors per array is outlined.

Ilrons, J. R.↗

Gravity field of Venus - A preliminary analysis

The gravitational field of Venus obtained by tracking the Pioneer Venus Orbiter is examined. For each spacecraft orbit, two hours of Doppler data centered around periapsis were used to estimate spacecraft position and velocity and the velocity residuals obtained were spline fit and differentiated to produce line of sight gravitational accelerations. Consistent variations in line of sight accelerations from orbit to orbit reveal the presence of gravitational anomalies. A simulation of isostatic compensation for an elevated region on the surface of Venus indicates that the mean depth of compensation is no greater than about 100 km. Gravitational spectra obtained from a Fourier analysis of line of sight accelerations from selected Venus orbits are compared to the earth's gravitational spectrum and spherical harmonic gravitational potential power spectra of the earth, the moon and Mars. The Venus power spectrum is found to be remarkably similar to that of the earth, however systematic variations in the harmonics suggest differences in dynamic processes or lithospheric behavior.

Phillips, R. J.↗

Visual and infrared photometry of asteroids

Results are reported for a survey of asteroids at 0.56, 1.6, and 2.2 microns. The observations of 30 asteroids are reduced to relative reflectances at 1.6 and 2.2 microns (such that the relative reflectance at 0.56 micron is scaled to unity). These relative reflectances have important implications for the classification of asteroids. Low-albedo asteroids show a significant range in their infrared relative reflectances, but carbonaceous chondritic-type material remains a good candidate for their surface composition. Many S-type asteroids are found to have significantly brighter infrared relative reflectances than M-type asteroids. Lunarlike dark glass on the surfaces of these objects is probably ruled out. A metallic phase is the most plausible candidate, which implies a multiple-component surface composition perhaps similar to certain stony-iron meteorites. The data suggest that such a metallic phase may be common in the inner asteroid belt.

Veeder, G. J.↗