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At least 271 records · Page 15

Relative Effects of Trajectory Prediction Errors on the AAC Autoresolver

Trajectory prediction is fundamental to automated separation assurance. Every missed alert, false alert and loss of separation can be traced to one or more errors in trajectory prediction. These errors are a product of many different sources including wind prediction errors, inferred pilot intent errors, surveillance errors, navigation errors and aircraft weight estimation errors. This study analyzes the impact of six different types of errors on the performance of an automated separation assurance system composed of a geometric conflict detection algorithm and the Advanced Airspace Concept Autoresolver resolution algorithm. Results show that, of the error sources considered in this study, top-of-descent errors were the leading contributor to missed alerts and failed resolution maneuvers. Descent-speed errors were another significant contributor, as were cruise-speed errors in certain situations. The results further suggest that increasing horizontal detection and resolution standards are not effective strategies for mitigating these types of error sources.

Lauderdale, Todd↗

Analyses in Support of Risk-Informed Natural Gas Vehicle Maintenance Facility Codes and Standards: Phase II

Safety standards development for maintenance facilities of liquid and compressed natural gas fueled vehicles is required to ensure proper facility design and operating procedures. Standard development organizations are utilizing risk-informed concepts to develop natural gas vehicle (NGV) codes and standards so that maintenance facilities meet acceptable risk levels. The present report summarizes Phase II work for existing NGV repair facility code requirements and highlights inconsistencies that need quantitative analysis into their effectiveness. A Hazardous and Operability study was performed to identify key scenarios of interest using risk ranking. Detailed simulations and modeling were performed to estimate the location and behavior of natural gas releases based on these scenarios. Specific code conflicts were identified, and ineffective code requirements were highlighted and resolutions proposed. These include ventilation rate basis on area or volume, as well as a ceiling offset which seems ineffective at protecting against flammable gas concentrations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors gratefully acknowledge Bill Houf (SNL -- Retired) for his assistance with the set-up and post-processing of the numerical simulations. The authors also acknowledge Doug Horne (retired) for his helpful discussions. We would also like to acknowledge the support from the Clean Cities program of DOE's Vehicle Technology Office.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

An ultrahigh rate digital tape recorder for spacecraft applications

Spaceborne digital recorders must satisfy the conflicting requirements of maximum data storage of high-rate data (particularly for high-resolution sensor data) and a long life with high reliability (meaning rugged design and moderate head-to-tape speeds). The multitrack longitudinal (fixed head) recorder can successfully resolve this conflict and satisfy both requirements. An evolutionary machine is described which was originally designed to store and reproduce 30 minutes of 39.9-Mb/sec sensor data, for mission lives on the order of one year; newer designs have surpassed these parameters by significant amounts.

Thompson, C. R.↗

Dark matter and the age of globular clusters

The ability of weakly interacting particles called cosmions to suppress convection in the cores of horizontal-branch stars is investigated numerically. It is found that such convection-breaking in horizontal-branch stars by cosmions or by any other novel mode of energy transfer induces thermal relaxation oscillations with a period of about 500,000 yr, corresponding to the core Kelvin-Helmholtz time scale. These thermal pulses can be understood analytically in terms of a simple two-zone model. Observationally, the brightness and brightness dispersion of horizontal-branch stars increases, the periods of RR Lyrae stars change over a pulsation time scale, and the duration of central helium burning slightly decreases. None of these effects is in conflict with observations but, on the contrary, point to a speculative resolution of the age problem for globular clusters and to an alternative explanation of the period fluctuations of RR Lyrae stars.

Dearborn, David↗

LandScan HD: a high-resolution gridded ambient population methodology for the world

Unwarned population distributions accounting for routine human activities are needed to address many global human security challenges, including disasters, conflict, and infrastructure demand. LandScan High Definition (LSHD) supports this need through gridded ambient population estimates that measure average human presence between daytime and nighttime at a high spatial resolution of 3 arcseconds (approximately 90 m). Although LSHD has traditionally been produced on a country-specific basis, advances in global foundational data and computational resources now enable scaling its methodology to the world. Combining aspects of top-down and bottom-up gridded population methods, LSHD allocates subnational population totals from authoritative statistics to built-up areas based on occupancy estimates for multiple facility types (e.g., residential, commercial) and then reaggregates these estimates to a global population grid. We scale this approach by organizing the LSHD data stack into a 1° resolution tileset of vector analytic features, enabling an efficient and repeatable workflow for all countries worldwide. Examining the Philippines as an output of the global LSHD baseline dataset, we contrast unwarned and residential (WorldPop) population distributions by (1) exploring a practical application of flood risk assessment and (2) evaluating their congruence with outcomes of collective human activities (subnational CO 2 emissions). Finally, we discuss plans to address current LSHD limitations through data/modeling and uncertainty quantification improvements and provide outlook for workflow automation and extending the model to social, demographic and economic population characteristics.

Building morphology↗

High-Efficiency High-Resolution Global Model Developments at the NASA Goddard Data Assimilation Office

The Data Assimilation Office (DAO) has been developing a new generation of ultra-high resolution General Circulation Model (GCM) that is suitable for 4-D data assimilation, numerical weather predictions, and climate simulations. These three applications have conflicting requirements. For 4-D data assimilation and weather predictions, it is highly desirable to run the model at the highest possible spatial resolution (e.g., 55 km or finer) so as to be able to resolve and predict socially and economically important weather phenomena such as tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and severe winter storms. For climate change applications, the model simulations need to be carried out for decades, if not centuries. To reduce uncertainty in climate change assessments, the next generation model would also need to be run at a fine enough spatial resolution that can at least marginally simulate the effects of intense tropical cyclones. Scientific problems (e.g., parameterization of subgrid scale moist processes) aside, all three areas of application require the model's computational performance to be dramatically improved as compared to the previous generation. In this talk, I will present the current and future developments of the "finite-volume dynamical core" at the Data Assimilation Office. This dynamical core applies modem monotonicity preserving algorithms and is genuinely conservative by construction, not by an ad hoc fixer. The "discretization" of the conservation laws is purely local, which is clearly advantageous for resolving sharp gradient flow features. In addition, the local nature of the finite-volume discretization also has a significant advantage on distributed memory parallel computers. Together with a unique vertically Lagrangian control volume discretization that essentially reduces the dimension of the computational problem from three to two, the finite-volume dynamical core is very efficient, particularly at high resolutions. I will also present the computational design of the dynamical core using a hybrid distributed-shared memory programming paradigm that is portable to virtually any of today's high-end parallel super-computing clusters.

Lin, Shian-Jiann↗

High-Efficiency High-Resolution Global Model Developments at the NASA Goddard Data Assimilation Office

The Data Assimilation Office (DAO) has been developing a new generation of ultra-high resolution General Circulation Model (GCM) that is suitable for 4-D data assimilation, numerical weather predictions, and climate simulations. These three applications have conflicting requirements. For 4-D data assimilation and weather predictions, it is highly desirable to run the model at the highest possible spatial resolution (e.g., 55 kin or finer) so as to be able to resolve and predict socially and economically important weather phenomena such as tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and severe winter storms. For climate change applications, the model simulations need to be carried out for decades, if not centuries. To reduce uncertainty in climate change assessments, the next generation model would also need to be run at a fine enough spatial resolution that can at least marginally simulate the effects of intense tropical cyclones. Scientific problems (e.g., parameterization of subgrid scale moist processes) aside, all three areas of application require the model's computational performance to be dramatically improved as compared to the previous generation. In this talk, I will present the current and future developments of the "finite-volume dynamical core" at the Data Assimilation Office. This dynamical core applies modem monotonicity preserving algorithms and is genuinely conservative by construction, not by an ad hoc fixer. The "discretization" of the conservation laws is purely local, which is clearly advantageous for resolving sharp gradient flow features. In addition, the local nature of the finite-volume discretization also has a significant advantage on distributed memory parallel computers. Together with a unique vertically Lagrangian control volume discretization that essentially reduces the dimension of the computational problem from three to two, the finite-volume dynamical core is very efficient, particularly at high resolutions. I will also present the computational design of the dynamical core using a hybrid distributed- shared memory programming paradigm that is portable to virtually any of today's high-end parallel super-computing clusters.

Lin, Shian-Jiann↗

Functional Allocation for Ground-Based Automated Separation Assurance in NextGen

As part of an ongoing research effort into functional allocation in a NextGen environment, a controller-in-the-loop study on ground-based automated separation assurance was conducted at NASA Ames' Airspace Operations Laboratory in February 2010. Participants included six FAA front line managers, who are currently certified professional controllers and four recently retired controllers. Traffic scenarios were 15 and 30 minutes long where controllers interacted with advanced technologies for ground-based separation assurance, weather avoidance, and arrival metering. The automation managed the separation by resolving conflicts automatically and involved controllers only by exception, e.g., when the automated resolution would have been outside preset limits. Results from data analyses show that workload was low despite high levels of traffic, Operational Errors did occur but were closely tied to local complexity, and safety acceptability ratings varied with traffic levels. Positive feedback was elicited for the overall concept with discussion on the proper allocation of functions and trust in automation.

Prevot, Thomas↗

Regaining Lost Separation in a Piloted Simulation of Autonomous Aircraft Operations

NASA is currently investigating a new concept of operations for the National Airspace System, designed to improve capacity while maintaining or improving current levels of safety. This concept, known as Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM), allows appropriately equipped autonomous aircraft to maneuver freely for flight optimization while resolving conflicts with other traffic and staying out of special use airspace and hazardous weather. While Airborne Separation Assurance System (ASAS) tools would normally allow pilots to resolve conflicts before they become hazardous, evaluation of system performance in sudden, near-term conflicts is needed in order to determine concept feasibility. If an acceptable safety level can be demonstrated in these situations, then operations may be conducted with lower separation minimums. An experiment was conducted in NASA Langley s Air Traffic Operations Lab to address issues associated with resolving near-term conflicts and the potential use of lower separation minimums. Sixteen commercial airline pilots flew a total of 32 traffic scenarios that required them to use prototype ASAS tools to resolve close range pop-up conflicts. Required separation standards were set at either 3 or 5 NM lateral spacing, with 1000 ft vertical separation being used for both cases. Reducing the lateral separation from 5 to 3 NM did not appear to increase operational risk, as indicated by the proximity to the intruder aircraft. Pilots performed better when they followed tactical guidance cues provided by ASAS than when they didn't follow the guidance. As air-air separation concepts are evolved, further studies will consider integration issues between ASAS and existing Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS).These types of non-normal events will require the ASAS to provide effective alerts and resolutions prior to the time that an Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) would give a Resolution Advisory (RA). When an RA is issued, a pilot must take immediate action in order to avoid a potential near miss. The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) II currently functions as an ACAS aboard commercial aircraft. Depending on the own aircraft s altitude, TCAS only issues RA s 15-35 seconds prior to the Closest Point of Approach (CPA). Prior to an RA, DAG-TM pilots operating autonomous aircraft must rely solely on ASAS for resolution guidance. An additional area of DAG-TM concept feasibility relates to a potential reduction in separation standards. Lower separation standards are likely needed in order to improve NAS efficiency and capacity. Current separation minimums are based in large part on the capabilities of older radar systems. Safety assessments are needed to determine the feasibility of reduced separation minimums. They will give strong consideration to surveillance system performance, including accuracy, integrity, and availability. Candidate surveillance systems include Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and multi-lateration systems. Considering studies done for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) operations, it is likely that flight technical errors will also be considered. In addition to a thorough evaluation of surveillance system performance, a potential decision to lower the separation standards should also take operational considerations into account. An ASAS Safety Assessment study identified improper maneuvering in response to a conflict (due to ambiguous or improper resolution commands or a pilot s failure to comply with the resolution) as a potential safety risk. If near-term conflicts with lower separation minimums were determined to be more challenging for pilots, the severity of these risks could be even greater.

Barhydt, Richard↗

Coordination Logic for Repulsive Resolution Maneuvers

This paper presents an algorithm for determining the direction an aircraft should maneuver in the event of a potential conflict with another aircraft. The algorithm is implicitly coordinated, meaning that with perfectly reliable computations and information, it will in- dependently provide directional information that is guaranteed to be coordinated without any additional information exchange or direct communication. The logic is inspired by the logic of TCAS II, the airborne system designed to reduce the risk of mid-air collisions between aircraft. TCAS II provides pilots with only vertical resolution advice, while the proposed algorithm, using a similar logic, provides implicitly coordinated vertical and horizontal directional advice.

Narkawicz, Anthony J.↗

X-Ray Optics for the 2020s

Three factors characterize an X-ray optics technology: angular resolution, effective area per unit mass, and production cost per unit effective area. In general, these three factors are always in conflict with one another. Every telescope that has flown so far represents an astronomically useful compromise of these factors. Of three operating X-ray telescopes, Chandra has been optimized for angular resolution (0.5); Suzaku for effective area per unit mass; and both were optimized in its own way to minimize production cost. Optics for the decade of2020 requires a combination of Chandra's angular resolution and Suzaku's effective area per unit mass. In this talk I will briefly review X -ray optics fabrication techniques that have been used in the past three decades and then present my expectations for the 2020s. In particular I will propose a couple of new techniques that should be investigated for making lightweight and high resolution X-ray optics.

Zhang, William↗

Fibre Channel Development Final Report CRADA No. TC-0340-92-D

The Fibre Channel (FC) Development project was designed to enhance U.S. industrial competitiveness by accelerating the standardization and subsequent industrial acceptance of the American National Standards Institute’s (AIW) Fibre Channel Standard (now X3T1 1). It was also intended to give the principal U.S. participants a one- to two-year lead in developing heterogeneous high-speed computer networks, dktibuted computing through clustering, scientific visualization techniques, and high speed channels. The project was proposed to benefit U.S. industry as these high performance computing methods became generally available. In 1992-93, during the initial project phases, Fibre Channel PC) was emerging as a new ANSI standard. It was envisioned as becoming the mechanism for data transfer between the next generation of computers, and between these computers and their peripherals. Using this channel standard, U.S. computer vendors were expecting to be able to provide high-speed interoperability between heterogeneous computers and their storage devices, with data transfer rates greater than a GBit/sec. Our project was composed of key principal players in the FC standardization effort from both U.S. industry and the Department of Energy’s (DOES) Lawrence Liverrnore National Laboratory (LLNL). The industial participants were developing individual FC interfaces to operate with their platform products. LLNL’s role was to be a neutral testing site and a facilitator for helping to resolve conflicting interpretations of the embryonic Fibre Channel specification. LLNL anticipated that conflicts in the interpretation of such a standard would arise and require neutral resolution and that such resolutions would best be achieved in cooperation with the ANSI FC Working Group. Project plans included transferring to U.S. industry any resilient FC testing capabilities at the project conclusion.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Fibre Channel Development Final Report CRADA No. TC-0340-92-C

The Fibre Channel (FC) Development project was designed to enhance U.S. industrial competitiveness by accelerating the standardization and subsequent industrial acceptance of the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Fibre Channel Standard (now X3T1 1). It was also intended to give the principal U.S. participants a one-to two-year lead in developing heterogeneous high-speed computer networks, distributed computing through clustering, scientific visualization techniques, and high speed channels. The project was proposed to benefit U.S. industry as these high performance computing methods became generally available. In 1992-93, during the initial project phases, Fibre Channel (FC) was emerging as a new ANSI standard. It was envisioned as becoming the mechanism for data transfer between the next generation of computers, and between these computers and their peripherals. Using this channel standard, U.S. computer vendors were expecting to be able to provide high-speed interoperatillity between heterogeneous computers and their storage devices, with data transfer rates greater than a GBit/sec. Our project was composed of key principal players in the FC standardization effort from both U.S. industry and the Department of Energy’s@OEs) Lawrence Liverrnore National Laboratory (LLNL). The industrial participants were developing individual FC interfaces to operate with their platform products. LLNL’s.role was to be a neutral testing site and a facilitator for helping to resolve conflicting interpretations of the embryonic Fibre Channel specification. LLNL anticipated that conflicts in the interpretation of such a standard would arise and require neutral resolution and that such resolutions would best be achieved in cooperation with the ANSI FC Working Group. Project plans included transferring to U.S. industry any resilient FC testing capabilities at the project conclusion.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

High resolution crystal structure of the FAK FERM domain reveals new insights on the Druggability of tyrosine 397 and the Src SH3 binding site

Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is a major cancer drug target that is involved in numerous aspects of tumor progression and survival. While multiple research groups have developed ATP-competitive small molecule inhibitors that target the kinase enzyme, recent attention has been focused on the FAK FERM (Band 4.1, Ezrin, Radixin, Moesin) domain that contains key residue Y397 and contributes to many protein-protein interactions. Previous x-ray crystal structures of the FAK FERM domain gave conflicting results on the structure of the Y397 region and therefore the overall druggability. Here, we report the identification of a higher resolution crystal structure of the avian FAK FERM domain that shows conformational differences in Y397 and surrounding residues in the F1 lobe. In addition, we resolve the residues of the Src SH3 binding site, an area of the FERM domain that has previously shown limited electron density. These crystallographic data suggest that the Y397 region is highly dynamic and question the druggability of a putative pocket on the F1 lobe. In addition, new electron density data around the Src SH3 binding site provide structural insight on the FAK-Src activation cascade through a putative auto-inhibitory conformation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Design tradeoffs for a Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) instrument

The heart of the multispectral linear array (MLA) design problem is to develop an instrument concept which concurrently provides a wide field-of-view with high resolution, spectral separation with precise band-to band registration, and excellent radiometric accuracy. Often, these requirements have conflicting design implications which can only be resolved by careful tradeoffs that consider performance, cost, fabrication feasibility and development risk. The key design tradeoffs for an MLA instrument are addressed, and elements of a baseline instrument concept are presented.

Mika, A. M.↗