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At least 181 records · Page 10

Time Variable Gravity from Local Mascon Analysis of GRACE Data

We have analyzed GRACE Level 1-B data in 2003 and assessed a new approach for extracting time variable gravity that isolates the gravity signal in both time and space. The Level-1B satellite-to-satellite range rate (KBRR) data and accelerometry are processed in daily arcs using the precise orbit products produced by the GRACE team from GPS to calibrate both the accelerometer and KBRR data. We then adjusted select components of the intersatellite baseline vector for each data segment isolated to the region of interest. Herein, we solved for mass anomalies in 45 deg x 45 deg blocks over the Amazon and the nearby Atlantic Ocean and estimate mass flux in units of cm of water over each block. We show with this approach that we can recover mass anomalies on a submonthly basis with 10 to 15 day temporal resolution. We discuss the important issues related to this solution, including the size of the mascon blocks, the weight given to the temporal and spatial constraint used to stabalize the solutions, as well as the optimal correlation in time and distance. We compare the the mascon results with solutions obtained from the more standard approach using spherical harmonics and with independent hydrology models and lake data. This technique demonstrates that sub-monthly medium wavelength mass flux phenomena are well sensed by the hyper-precise line of sight velocity data produced from GRACE.

Lemoine, Frank G.↗

Functional Data Analysis of Spaceflight-Induced Changes in Coordination and Phase in Head Pitch Acceleration During Treadmill Walking

Astronauts returning from spaceflight experience neurovestibular disturbances during head movements and attempt to mitigate them by limiting head motion. Analyses to date of the head movements made during walking have concentrated on amplitude and variability measures extracted from ensemble averages of individual gait cycles. Phase shifts within each gait cycle can be determined by functional data analysis through the computation of time-warping functions. Large, localized variations in the timing of peaks in head kinematics may indicate changes in coordination. The purpose of this study was to determine timing changes in head pitch acceleration of astronauts during treadmill walking before and after flight. Six astronauts (5M/1F; age = 43.5+/-6.4yr) participated in the study. Subjects walked at 1.8 m/sec (4 mph) on a motorized treadmill while reading optotypes displayed on a computer screen 4 m in front of their eyes. Three-dimensional motion of the subject s head was recorded with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) device. Data were recorded twice before flight and four times after landing. The head pitch acceleration was calculated by taking the time derivative of the pitch velocity data from the IMU. Data for each session with each subject were time-normalized into gait cycles, then registered to align significant features and create a mean curve. The mean curves of each postflight session for each subject were re-registered based on their preflight mean curve to create time-warping functions. The root mean squares (RMS) of these warping functions were calculated to assess the deviation of head pitch acceleration mean curves in each postflight session from the preflight mean curve. After landing, most crewmembers exhibited localized shifts within their head pitch acceleration regimes, with the greatest deviations in RMS occurring on landing day or 1 day after landing. These results show that the alteration of head pitch coordination due to spaceflight may be assessed using an analysis of time-warping functions.

Miller, Christopher↗

Data Mining for Vortices on the Earth's Magnetosphere - Algorithm Application for Detection and Analysis

Unsteady processes in the solar wind– magnetosphere interaction, such as vortices developed at the magnetopause boundary by the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, may contribute to the process of mass, momentum and energy transfer into the Earth’s magnetosphere. The research described in this paper validates an algorithm to automatically detect and characterize vortices based on velocity data from simulations. The vortex identification algorithm (VIA) systematically searches the 3-D velocity fields to identify critical points where the magnitude of the velocity vector vanishes. The velocity gradient tensor is computed and its invariants are used to assess vortex structure in the flow field. We use the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) Runs on Request capability to create a series of model runs initialized from the conditions observed by the Cluster mission in the Hwang et al. (2011) analysis of Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices observed during southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. We analyze further the properties of the vortices found in the runs, including the velocity changes within their motion across the magnetosheath. We also demonstrate the potential of our tool to identify and characterize other transient features (e.g., flux transfer events, FTEs) with vortical internal structures. We find that the vortices are associated with flows on the magnetosheath side of the magnetopause that reach speeds greater than the solar wind speed at the bow shock.

Collado-Vega, Yaireska M.↗

Measurements and modeling of flow structure in the wake of a low profile wishbone vortex generator

The results of an experimental examination of the vortex structures shed from a low profile 'wishbone' generator are presented. The vortex generator height relative to the turbulent boundary layer was varied by testing two differently sized models. Measurements of the mean three-dimensional velocity field were conducted in cross-stream planes downstream of the vortex generators. In all cases, a counter-rotating vortex pair was observed. Individual vortices were characterized by three descriptors derived from the velocity data; circulation, peak vorticity, and cross-stream location of peak vorticity. Measurements in the cross plane at two axial locations behind the smaller wishbone characterize the downstream development of the vortex pairs. A single region of stream wise velocity deficit is shared by both vortex cores. This is in contrast to conventional generators, where each core coincides with a region of velocity deficit. The measured cross-stream velocities for each case are compared to an Oseen model with matching descriptors. The best comparison occurs with the data from the larger wishbone.

Wendt, B. J.↗

Structural Evolution of the Hogback Monocline and Its Tectonic Significance in the San Juan Basin

The San Juan Basin is recognized as a Laramide foreland basin. It is located within the Colorado Plateau, a broad tectonic province characterized by a thick sedimentary sequence that was segmented into smaller sub basins during the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene Laramide orogeny. The Hogback Monocline lies along the northwestern margin of the San Juan Basin and is considered a Laramide-age structure formed in response to compressional stress. In this study, we interpret surface and subsurface datasets to construct a structural geological model and evaluate its tectonic significance. Through seismic data, we identify key fault and fold geometries at depth. The seismic dataset used in this study was reprocessed in depth and constrained with well log velocity data to enhance seismic imaging quality. Additionally, we performed well log correlations to identify formation tops and assess variations in basin infill and thickness geometry. A series of structural cross-sections, constructed using seismic data and a high density of boreholes, are presented to evaluate geometric variations along the structure and its evolution during basin development. Furthermore, kinematic restoration and forward modeling analyses were conducted to validate our structural interpretation. This work suggests that the Hogback Monocline formed through fault-propagation folding and flexural slip affecting the pre-Laramide sedimentary sequence under compressional stresses associated with the Laramide orogeny. This structure is interpreted as a high-angle reverse fault that influenced the geometry of the late basin infill. Additionally, monocline bending along the structure may have been controlled by fault relay systems and, in some cases, influenced by strike-slip faulting.

Reyes, Martin [New Mexico Bureau o fGeology and Mi↗

Fragment Size Distribution for Ice Particle Impacts on a Glass Plate

This work presents the results of an experimental study of ice particle impacts on a flat glass plate. The experiment was conducted at the Ballistics Impact Laboratory of NASA Glenn Research Center. The main objective of the experiment was to gain understanding about the modifications needed to the experimental configuration for a future parametric study at a larger range of values for particle diameters and other parameters. This was achieved by studying the effect of the velocity of an impacting ice particle on the post-impact fragment size and distribution for a reduced range of impacting particle diameters. Pre-impact particle diameter and velocity data were captured with a high-speed side camera. Post-impact fragment data were captured in a single frame with a 29-megapixel camera located above and normal to the target. Repeat runs were conducted for ice particles with diameters ranging from 1.7 to 2.9 millimeters, impacting at velocities between 39 and 98 meters per second. The fragment areas were measured, and the corresponding equivalent diameters and histogram distributions were calculated. Analysis of the data showed that the average equivalent diameter for the fragments in a run was an order of magnitude smaller than the diameter of the impacting ice particle. The histograms for equivalent diameter distribution were nonnormal with long tails, with most of the fragments having equivalent diameters concentrated toward the minimum value of the fragment size that could be resolved. Factors affecting the accuracy of the data during the digital imaging analysis were identified. Needed modifications to the setup to handle small size ice particles and other testing conditions were also identified.

engine icing↗

Sample interchange of MST radar data from the Urbana radar

As a first step in interchange of data from the Urbana mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar, a sample tape has been prepared in 9-track 1600-bpi IBM format. It includes all Urbana data for April 1978 (the first month of operation of the radar). The 300-ft tape contains 260 h of typical mesospheric power and line-of-sight velocity data.

Bowhill, S. A.↗

Temporal filters for isolating steady photospheric flows

A variety of temporal filters are tested on artificial data with 60 and 75 s sampling intervals to determine their accuracy in separating the nearly-steady photospheric flows from the p-mode oscillations in Doppler velocity data. Longer temporal averages are better at reducing the residual signal due to p-modes but they introduce additional errors from the rotation of the supergranule pattern across the solar disk. Unweighted filters (boxcar averages) leave residual rms errors of about 6 m/s from the p-modes after 60 min of averaging. Weighted filters, with nearly Gaussian shapes, leave similar residual errors after only 20 min of averaging and introduce smaller errors from the rotation of the supergranule pattern. The best filters found are weighted filters that use data separated by 150 or 120 s so that the p-modes are sampled at opposite phases.

Hathaway, David H.↗

Radial velocity study of four southern RS CVn candidates and related field stars

Radial velocity variations are demonstrated for four southern RS CVn candidates: HD 39937, 101379, 155555, and 174429. The period of HD 155555 appears to have decreased by about one part in 100,000 over the past 18 yr. In addition, high-resolution observations of the Ca II H and K profiles and the Mg II 2800-A emission doublet are presented. These enhance the likelihood of these being RS CVn objects. Radial velocity data for 15 other late-type bright field stars are presented. Some of these were observed by Copernicus and may exhibit unusual chromospheres, while the rest lack radial velocity information as tabulated in the Bright Star Catalog. All velocity measures have been corrected to the IAU heliocentric system.

Stacy, J. G.↗

High-Speed and High-Quality Field Welding Repair Based on Advanced Non-Destructive Evaluation and Numerical Modeling

Creep strength-enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels such as Grade 91 (9Cr-1Mo-V) and Grade 92 (Fe-9Cr-2W-0.5Mo) steels are widely used in the fossil-fuel-fired and nuclear power plants. The weld integrity of these steels is crucial for power plants' safe and reliable operations. Due to harsh service conditions, the steel weld can become susceptible to environmental degradation. Field welding repair is used to restore the degraded weld’s performance where a controlled temper-bead welding technique is commonly used to temper the freshly formed martensite during welding. However, knowledge of weld repairability is limited and experimental trial and error optimization to achieve desired microstructure and joint properties is expensive and time-consuming. Many existing computational models, e.g., finite element models, are limited to solving heat conduction equation and ignoring convective heat transfer due to molten metal flow. These models can result in over-prediction of peak temperatures of weld pool and heat-affected zone (HAZ), which in turn can affect the accuracy of tempering prediction. Moreover, these finite element models require an input of the deposit profiles in advance and thus limits the usability of these models. Here, a molten pool-based, multi-pass multi-layer model has been developed based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method. The model calculates the bead formation, thereby eliminating the need for pre-determined bead profiles required by finite element models. For computational efficiency, a coordinate system attached to the moving heat source is utilized. A subroutine is developed to convert the temperature profiles in the reference frame stationary to the heat source to that stationary to the workpiece. The converted thermal cycles are then imported into a microstructure model to compute the tempering kinetics and resultant hardness using a Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK), and modified Grange-Baughman parameter. The modeling approach is first developed and validated on single- and multi-pass deposition of stainless steel filler metal onto a SA-533 high strength steel substrate. The models are then applied to a multi-pass V-groove repair weld of Grade 91 steel plate as well as directed energy deposition of Grade 92 steel. Non-destructive characterization of microstructures was performed on Grade 91 and 92 steel welds. Two welding processes, cold metal transfer (CMT) and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), were investigated for the Grade 91 steel weld samples. For the Grade 92 weld samples, three different heat inputs (low, medium, and high) of gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) were utilized to replicate traditional field welding processes. The non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method used for this research was immersion ultrasonic testing (UT) using a micro-resolution ultrasonic imaging methodology specifically designed to operate in the through-transmission configuration operating at 20 MHz of frequency. The system used a focused ultrasonic beam spot size diameter between 250-300 μm, and a 6 μm laser vibrometer spot size for detection, to produce highly defined images with longitudinal and mode-converted shear waves. From the micro-resolution ultrasonic C-scan images, three microstructural regions, i.e., weld metal (WM), HAZ, and base metal (BM), were clearly identifiable. Various levels of ultrasonic amplitudes distributed over the three regions were correlated with electron beam backscattered diffraction (EBSD) images using grain size, grain boundaries, and dislocation densities. The results showed that areas with relatively higher ultrasonic amplitude levels were associated with smaller grains and higher dislocation densities, while areas with lower amplitude levels were associated with larger grains and lower dislocation densities. In addition, ultrasonic velocity data obtained across the three different weld microstructural regions of Grade 91 test samples were correlated with optical metallographic images and hardness measurements. The results showed distinctive decreases in ultrasonic velocity and hardness over the HAZ region, where weld failures often occur during service.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Three-dimensional gas turbulence measurement with a laser-Doppler velocimeter system

Laser-Doppler system records gas-velocity data over wide dynamic range in three-dimensional space without physical probe. System detects shift in laser beam scattered by flowing particles and uses this frequency to calculate particle velocities. Technique is based on principle that laser beam scattered by flowing particles is shifted in frequency by amount proportional to laser frequency.

Fuller, C. E.↗

Highly ionized interstellar gas located in the Galactic disk and halo

High-resolution IUE absorption line spectra have been obtained for 40 distant stars in order to study the distribution of interstellar H I, Si IV, C IV, and N V in the Galactic disk and lower halo. Respective midplane densities of 2 x 10 to the -9th, 7 x 10 to the -9th, and 3 x 10 to the -9th are found for Si IV, C IV, and Ni V. Both column density and velocity data indicate that the highly ionized gas (HIG) is considerably more extended in directions away from the Galactic plane than is H I or Si II. The absorption-line velocities for the halo HIG are consistent with the notion that halo gas in the inner Galaxy rotates more slowly than gas in the underlying disk. The derived column densities suggest an exponential scale height for the HIG of about 3 kpc; however, a simple exponential distribution is a poor representation of the distribution of the gas. It is concluded that a full explanation of the origin of the halo HIG will probably require a blending of ideas from the Galactic fountain and the photoionized halo models.

Savage, Blair D.↗

Error analysis for reducing noisy wide-gap concentric cylinder rheometric data for nonlinear fluids - Theory and applications

This work discusses the propagation of errors for the recovery of the shear rate from wide-gap concentric cylinder viscometric measurements of non-Newtonian fluids. A least-square regression of stress on angular velocity data to a system of arbitrary functions is used to propagate the errors for the series solution to the viscometric flow developed by Krieger and Elrod (1953) and Pawlowski (1953) ('power-law' approximation) and for the first term of the series developed by Krieger (1968). A numerical experiment shows that, for measurements affected by significant errors, the first term of the Krieger-Elrod-Pawlowski series ('infinite radius' approximation) and the power-law approximation may recover the shear rate with equal accuracy as the full Krieger-Elrod-Pawlowski solution. An experiment on a clay slurry indicates that the clay has a larger yield stress at rest than during shearing, and that, for the range of shear rates investigated, a four-parameter constitutive equation approximates reasonably well its rheology. The error analysis presented is useful for studying the rheology of fluids such as particle suspensions, slurries, foams, and magma.

Borgia, Andrea↗

Ion temperature troughs and interhemispheric transport observed in the equatorial ionosphere

Ion temperature and ion drift velocity data from Atmosphere Explorer D have verified the existence of interhemispheric plasma transport and ion temperature troughs in the topside equatorial ionosphere. The data were taken during solar minimum conditions at night where the exospheric temperature was typically 700 K and the O(+)-H(+) transition height was 520 km. Large field-aligned ion velocities were observed above about 700 km, where the H(+)/O(+) number density ratio was about 3. Model calculations have shown that the ion temperature decrease is produced by quasi-adiabatic expansion of the plasma, but the expansion cooling mechanism is less efficient at solar minimum than at solar maximum owing to the lower O(+)-H(+) transition height. Ion temperature troughs greater than 400 K were not observed even when the field-aligned ion velocity was greater than 700 m/s. Most of the expansion occurs below the transition height, and during sunspot minimum, thermal coupling to the neutral atmosphere is much more effective in quenching the cooling which the field-aligned transport tends to produce.

Heelis, R. A.↗

EdgeAI: Machine learning via direct attached accelerator for streaming data processing at high shot rate x-ray free-electron lasers

We present a case for low batch-size inference with the potential for adaptive training of a lean encoder model. We do so in the context of a paradigmatic example of machine learning as applied in data acquisition at high data velocity scientific user facilities such as the Linac Coherent Light Source-II x-ray Free-Electron Laser. We discuss how a low-latency inference model operating at the data acquisition edge can capitalize on the naturally stochastic nature of such sources. We simulate the method of attosecond angular streaking to produce representative results whereby simulated input data reproduce high-resolution ground truth probability distributions. By minimizing the mean-squared error between the decoded output of the latent representation and the ground truth distributions, we ensure that the encoding layers and resulting latent representation maintains full fidelity for any downstream task, be it classification or regression. We present throughput results for data-parallel inference of various batch sizes, some with throughput exceeding 100 k images per second. We also show in situ training below 10 s per epoch for the full encoder–decoder model as would be relevant for streaming and adaptive real-time data production at our nation’s scientific light sources.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Estimating Thruster Impulses From IMU and Doppler Data

A computer program implements a thrust impulse measurement (TIM) filter, which processes data on changes in velocity and attitude of a spacecraft to estimate the small impulsive forces and torques exerted by the thrusters of the spacecraft reaction control system (RCS). The velocity-change data are obtained from line-of-sight-velocity data from Doppler measurements made from the Earth. The attitude-change data are the telemetered from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) aboard the spacecraft. The TIM filter estimates the threeaxis thrust vector for each RCS thruster, thereby enabling reduction of cumulative navigation error attributable to inaccurate prediction of thrust vectors. The filter has been augmented with a simple mathematical model to compensate for large temperature fluctuations in the spacecraft thruster catalyst bed in order to estimate thrust more accurately at deadbanding cold-firing levels. Also, rigorous consider-covariance estimation is applied in the TIM to account for the expected uncertainty in the moment of inertia and the location of the center of gravity of the spacecraft. The TIM filter was built with, and depends upon, a sigma-point consider-filter algorithm implemented in a Python-language computer program.

Lisano, Michael E.↗

Doppler Lidar Sensor for Precision Navigation in GPS-Deprived Environment

Landing mission concepts that are being developed for exploration of solar system bodies are increasingly ambitious in their implementations and objectives. Most of these missions require accurate position and velocity data during their descent phase in order to ensure safe, soft landing at the pre-designated sites. Data from the vehicle's Inertial Measurement Unit will not be sufficient due to significant drift error after extended travel time in space. Therefore, an onboard sensor is required to provide the necessary data for landing in the GPS-deprived environment of space. For this reason, NASA Langley Research Center has been developing an advanced Doppler lidar sensor capable of providing accurate and reliable data suitable for operation in the highly constrained environment of space. The Doppler lidar transmits three laser beams in different directions toward the ground. The signal from each beam provides the platform velocity and range to the ground along the laser line-of-sight (LOS). The six LOS measurements are then combined in order to determine the three components of the vehicle velocity vector, and to accurately measure altitude and attitude angles relative to the local ground. These measurements are used by an autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control system to accurately navigate the vehicle from a few kilometers above the ground to the designated location and to execute a gentle touchdown. A prototype version of our lidar sensor has been completed for a closed-loop demonstration onboard a rocket-powered terrestrial free-flyer vehicle.

Amzajerdian, F.↗

Assimilation of SeaWinds Scatterometer Data in the GEOS Data Assimilation System

The first SeaWinds scatterometer was launched in to space aboard the Quikscat satellite on June 19, 1999 at 7:15 p.m. PDT. Flying in a near polar orbit 800 km above the earth's surface, SeaWinds uses an advanced scatterometer design to measure surface wind velocity over 90 percent of the ice free oceans ever 24 hours. This first SeaWinds mission is designed to replace the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) which ceased providing wind velocity data when the ADEOS I satellite failed. A second SeaWinds is scheduled to be launched late in 2000 aboard ADEOS II. Previous scatterometer assimilation experiments conducted by the NASA Data Assimilation Office, using both ERS and NSCAT wind observations, have demonstrated considerable potential for this type of data to improve both atmospheric analyses and forecasts, however much of the smaller scale information content of the scatterometer data could not be taken into account in the early coarse resolution versions of the Goddard (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS) or in operational data assimilation systems. In this paper, we will describe data assimilation experiments in which the new higher resolution versions of the GOES DAS are used to assimilate SeaWinds scatterometer winds. Following a brief discussion of the SeaWinds design and the methodology used to assimilate scatterometer data in the GOES DAS, the quality of the SeaWinds data and the impact of SeaWinds on GOES analyses and forecasts at different resolutions will be presented.

Atlas, Robert↗