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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Zoom-climb altitude maximization of the F-4C and F-15 aircraft for stratospheric sampling missions

Some predictions indicate that byproducts of aerosol containers may lead to a modification of the ultraviolet-radiation shielding properties of the upper atmosphere. NASA currently monitors atmospheric properties to 70,000 feet using U-2 aircraft. Testing is needed at about 100,000 feet for adequate monitoring of possible aerosol contaminants during the next decade. To study this problem the F-4C and F-15 aircraft were analyzed to determine their maximum altitude ability in zoom-climb maneuvers. These trajectories must satisfy realistic dynamic pressure and Mach number constraints. Maximum altitudes obtained for the F4-C are above 90,000 feet, and for the F-15 above 100,000 feet. Sensitivities of the zoom-climb altitudes were found with respect to several variables including vehicle thrust, initial weight, stratospheric winds and the constraints. A final decision on aircraft selection must be based on mission modification costs and operational considerations balanced against their respective zoom altitude performance capabilities.

Hague, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Active controls technology to maximize structural efficiency

The implication of the dependence on active controls technology during the design phase of transport structures is considered. Critical loading conditions are discussed along with probable ways of alleviating these loads. Why fatigue requirements may be critical and can only be partially alleviated is explained. The significance of certain flutter suppression system criteria is examined.

Hoy, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The 34-meter antenna-subreflector translations to maximize RF gain

The extension of the 26 meter antenna to 34 meter diameter decreased the F/D ratio. This F/D change resulted in unacceptable gain losses due to the hyperboloid's lateral deflections. A three direction translating mounting device was added to the hyperboloid. This device was controlled by a microprocessor to minimize the offsets of the phase centers in the cassegrain RF system and also compensated for boresight directions. The use of the radiation program to predict the gain losses from displacements computed by a structural computing program using an analytical model of the 34 meter reflector structure is discussed. Field test results showed accurate predictions for the Y and Z hyperboloid translations. In the X direction, the prediction value was low. However, the computed gain losses vs primary foci offsets by the radiation program were verified by field tests.

Katow, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Selection of fluorescence lidar operating parameters for SNR maximization

Fluorescence lidar when applicable offers one of the most sensitive methods for measuring the concentration of trace constituents of the atmosphere. In the conduct of a fluorescence lidar experiment, a number of parameters which can be used to optimize the SNR can be controlled. In this paper the optimum division of laser pulses centered on and off the fluorescence excitation wavelength is calculated as a function of the ratio of the fluorescence signal strength to the strength of fluorescence from interfering species. For strong interference signals the time should be divided equally on and off the line. For strong fluorescence signals the time on line is proportional to the square root of the on-line off-line signal ratio. The optimization of the integration time for varying values of signal-to-background and signal-to-interference ratios, atmospheric attenuation, laser energy variations, background measurement time, and on-line off-line time division is also considered.

Heaps, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Maximizing the quantum efficiency of microchannel plate detectors - The collection of photoelectrons from the interchannel web using an electric field

High quantum efficiency and two-dimensional imaging capabilities make the microchannel plate (MCP) a suitable detector for a sky survey instrument. The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite, to be launched in 1987, will use MCP detectors. A feature which limits MCP efficiency is related to the walls of individual channels. The walls are of finite thickness and thus form an interchannel web. Under normal circumstances, this web does not contribute to the detector's quantum efficiency. Panitz and Foesch (1976) have found that in the case of a bombardment with ions, electrons were ejected from the electrode material coating the web. By applying a small electric field, the electrons were returned to the MCP surface where they were detected. The present investigation is concerned with the enhancement of quantum efficiencies in the case of extreme UV wavelengths. Attention is given to a model and a computer simulation which quantitatively reproduce the experimental results.

Taylor, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Mathematical algorithms to maximize performance in numerical weather prediction

Numerical weather prediction models, which involve the solution of non-linear partial differential equations at points on an extensive three dimensional grid, are ideally suited for processing on vector machines. It was logical therefore that the new global forecast model to be implemented at the Meteorological Office should be written in vector code for the CYBER 205. In order to achieve full efficiency and to reduce storage requirements the model used 32-bit arithmetic which was found to provide high enough precision. Unfortunately, however, the trigonometrical and logarithmic functions provided by CDC could only handle 64-bit vectors and, although written in efficient scalar code, did not take advantage of the special facilities of a vector processor. It was therefore necessary to rewrite the functions in vector code to handle both 32 and 64-bit vectors. There was also no half-precision compiler available for the Cyber 205 at that time and so the functions, like the model, had to make extensive use of the special call syntax. This made the code more difficult to write but it allowed much greater flexibility in that it became possible to access the exponent of a floating-point number independently of its coefficient. A description is given of the technique and the results which were achieved are summarized.

Foreman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Maximization of Growth Rates During Czochralski Pulling

It was suggested from theory(1-4) that silicon can be grown from the melt at rates far exceeding the current state of the art. Previous theoretical and experimental investigations which predict maximum rates of pulling during Czochralski growth are reviewed. Several experimental methods are proposed to modify the temperature distribution in a growing crystal to achieve higher rates of pulling. A physical model of a Czochralski crystal of germanium in contact with its melt was used to quantitatively determine, by direct measurement of the axial temperature distribution in the solid, the increase in axial temperature gradients effected by an inverted conical heat reflector located above the melt and coaxially about the physical model. Preliminary results indicate that this is an effective method of increasing the thermal resistance between the hot melt and crucible wall and a growing crystal. Under these conditions the enhancement of the interfacial temperature gradients permit a commensurate increase in the rate of crystal pulling.

Wargo, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Cardiovascular responses during orthostasis - Effect of an increase in maximal O2 uptake

A study is described which tests the hypothesis that changes in aerobic activity (increases in maximum oxygen uptake) will reduce the effectiveness of cardiovascular reflexes to regulate blood pressure during orthostasis. The hypothesis was tested by measuring heart rate, blood pressure and blood volume responses in eight healthy male subjects before and after an eight-day endurance regimen. The results of the study suggest that the physiologic responses to orthostasis are dependent upon the rate of plasma volume loss and pooling, and are associated with training-induced hypervolemia. It is indicated that endurance type exercise training enhances cardiovascular adjustments during tilt. The implications of these results for the use of exercise training as a countermeasure and/or therapeutic method for the prevention of cardiovascular instability during orthostatic stress are discussed.

Convertino, V. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Application of modern tools and techniques to maximize engineering productivity in the development of orbital operations plans for the space station progrm

The Space Station Program will incorporate analysis of operations constraints and considerations in the early design phases to avoid the need for later modifications to the Space Station for operations. The application of modern tools and administrative techniques to minimize the cost of performing effective orbital operations planning and design analysis in the preliminary design phase of the Space Station Program is discussed. Tools and techniques discussed include: approach for rigorous analysis of operations functions, use of the resources of a large computer network, and providing for efficient research and access to information.

Manford, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Feedback maximization

Consideration is given to synthesis methods for feedback systems with nonlinear dynamic compensation, which permits increased feedback while preserving robustness, global stability, good transient responses, and stability of the output processes. Material needed for the realization of design goals from the areas of linear systems, nonlinear oscillation, and stability of nonlinear systems is covered. The three main parts of the book are: (1) linear feedback systems, (2) nonlinear feedback system analysis, and (3) synthesis methods for globally stable Nyquist-stable feedback systems with increased feedback.

Lurie, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Anytime synthetic projection: Maximizing the probability of goal satisfaction

A projection algorithm is presented for incremental control rule synthesis. The algorithm synthesizes an initial set of goal achieving control rules using a combination of situation probability and estimated remaining work as a search heuristic. This set of control rules has a certain probability of satisfying the given goal. The probability is incrementally increased by synthesizing additional control rules to handle 'error' situations the execution system is likely to encounter when following the initial control rules. By using situation probabilities, the algorithm achieves a computationally effective balance between the limited robustness of triangle tables and the absolute robustness of universal plans.

Drummond, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1992

Maximal codeword lengths in Huffman codes

The following question about Huffman coding, which is an important technique for compressing data from a discrete source, is considered. If p is the smallest source probability, how long, in terms of p, can the longest Huffman codeword be? It is shown that if p is in the range 0 less than p less than or equal to 1/2, and if K is the unique index such that 1/F(sub K+3) less than p less than or equal to 1/F(sub K+2), where F(sub K) denotes the Kth Fibonacci number, then the longest Huffman codeword for a source whose least probability is p is at most K, and no better bound is possible. Asymptotically, this implies the surprising fact that for small values of p, a Huffman code's longest codeword can be as much as 44 percent larger than that of the corresponding Shannon code.

Abu-Mostafa, Y. S.↗