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At least 271 records · Page 15

An extension to Schneider's general paradigm for fault-tolerant clock synchronization

In 1987, Schneider presented a general paradigm that provides a single proof of a number of fault tolerant clock synchronization algorithms. His proof was subsequently subjected to the rigor of mechanical verification by Shankar. However, both Schneider and Shankar assumed a condition Shankar refers to as a bounded delay. This condition states that the elapsed time between synchronization events (i.e., the time that the local process applies an adjustment to its logical clock) is bounded. This property is really a result of the algorithm and should not be assumed in a proof of correctness. This paper remedies this by providing a proof of this property in the context of the general paradigm proposed by Schneider. The argument given is a generalization of Welch and Lynch's proof of a related property for their algorithm.

Miner, Paul S.↗

Composition and Maturity of Apollo 16 Regolith Core 60013/14

Samples from every half-centimeter dissection interval of double drive tube 60013/14 (sections 60013 and 60014) were analyzed by magnetic techniques for Fe concentration and surface maturity parameter I(sub s)/ Fe(O), and by neutron activation for concentrations of 25 lithophile and siderophile elements. Core 60013/14 is one of three regolith cores taken in a triangular array 40-50 m apart on the Cayley plains during Apollo 16 mission to the Moon. The core can be divided into three zones based both on I(sub s)/FeO and composition. Unit A (0-44 cm depth) is compositionally similar to other soils from the surface of the central region of the site and is mature throughout, although maturity decreases with depth. Unit B (44-59 cm) is submature and compositionally more feldspathic than Unit A. Regions of lowest maturity in Unit B are characterized by lower Sm/Sc ratios than any soil obtained from the Cayley plains as a result of some unidentified lithologic component with low surface maturity. The component is probably some type of mafic anorthosite that does not occur in such high abundance in any of the other returned soils. Unit C (59-62 cm) is more mature than Unit B and compositionally equivalent to an 87: 13 mixture of soil such as that from Unit A and plagioclase such as found in ferroan anorthosite. Similar soils, but containing greater abundances of anorthosite (plagioclase), are found at depth in the other two cores of the array. These units of immature to submature soil enriched to varying degrees (compared to the mature surface soil) in ferroan anorthosite consisting of approx. 99% plagioclase are the only compositionally distinct subsurface similarities among the three cores. Each of the cores contains other units that are compositionally dissimilar to any soil unit in the other two cores. These compositionally distinct units probably derive from local subsurface blocks deposited by the event(s) that formed the Cayley plains. The ferroan anorthosite with approx. 99% plagioclase, however, must represent some subsurface lithology that is significant on the scale of tens of meters. The compositional uniformity of the surface soil (0-10 cm depth) over distances of kilometers reflects the large-scale uniformity of the plains deposits; the fine- structure reflects small-scale nonuniformity and the inefficiency of the impact-mixing process at depths as shallow as even one meter.

Korotev, Randy T.↗

Landscape Evolution, A Comparison of Form and Process

This project's goals were to collect, analyze and interpret 3-dimensional physiographic data for understanding the processes responsible for landscape modification. The primary landforms to be studied were Neogene cinder cones in Arizona (San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, Arizona). We also obtained and are still analyzing digital topographic data for the Long Valley-White Mountains area of California, which display Quaternary normal fault scarps, as well as extensive evidence of degradation. The work resulted in a large database of measured rates of downslope transport of slope debris. It was hypothesized that the work would increase our understanding of process-response models of hillslope degradation, and of the effects of climate change and other parameters on degradation rates. In greater detail, our primary goal was to compare evolutionary sequences of hillslopes, as exemplified by the topography of landforms of the same type but of different ages, with measurements of the surficial processes active on the landforms. Assuming that other parameters, such as hillslope materials and vegetation are held constant, and that the effects of changing climate are negligible, then the sediment transport rates measured today on the landforms should be the same as those calculated from the inversion of landform topography by use of a diffusion-type model. However, if the effects of changing climate or other factors are not negligible, then the observed transport rates would differ from those which must be invoked to explain the current topography. We hypothesized in fact that because degradation on the event scale is highly transient and localized, we would find a wide divergence between modern, measured transport rates, and rates calculated by global landform inversion or modeling. Because of the length of time involved in collection of sufficient data on current degradation rates, we are still continuing to analyse and interpret the data. Completion of the work will increase our understanding of the potential effects of anthropogenic climate and surficial change on the Earth's solid surface, and possibly allow us to constrain paths of hill-slope evolution following anthropogenic modifications, as well as compare the short-term with the long-term rates of hillslope degradation.

Bursik, Marcus I.↗

Comparing Evaporative Sources of Terrestrial Precipitation and Their Extremes in MERRA Using Relative Entropy

A quasi-isentropic back trajectory scheme is applied to output from the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications and a land-only replay with corrected precipitation to estimate surface evaporative sources of moisture supplying precipitation over every ice-free land location for the period 1979-2005. The evaporative source patterns for any location and time period are effectively two dimensional probability distributions. As such, the evaporative sources for extreme situations like droughts or wet intervals can be compared to the corresponding climatological distributions using the method of relative entropy. Significant differences are found to be common and widespread for droughts, but not wet periods, when monthly data are examined. At pentad temporal resolution, which is more able to isolate floods and situations of atmospheric rivers, values of relative entropy over North America are typically 50-400 larger than at monthly time scales. Significant differences suggest that moisture transport may be the key to precipitation extremes. Where evaporative sources do not change significantly, it implies other local causes may underlie the extreme events.

Climatological Distributions↗

Modeling from Local to Subsystem Level Effects in Analog and Digital Circuits Due to Space Induced Single Event Transients

Single Event Transients in analog and digital electronics from space generated high energetic nuclear particles can disrupt either temporarily and sometimes permanently the functionality and performance of electronics in space vehicles. This work first provides some insights into the modeling of SET in electronic circuits that can be used in SPICE-like simulators. The work is then directed to present methodologies, one of which was developed by this author, for the assessment of SET at different levels of integration in electronics, from the circuit level to the subsystem level.

State Transistion Model.↗

Medical Support for ISS Crewmember Training in Star City, Russia

Medical support of spaceflight training operations across international lines is a unique circumstance with potential applications to other aerospace medicine support scenarios. KBRwyle's Star City Medical Support Group (SCMSG) has fulfilled this role since the Mir-Shuttle era, with extensive experience and updates to share with the greater AsMA community. OVERVIEW: The current Soyuz training flow for assigned ISS crewmembers takes place in Star City, Russia. Soyuz training flow involves numerous activities that pose potential physical and occupational risks to crewmembers, including centrifuge runs and pressurized suit simulations at ambient and hypobaric pressures. In addition, Star City is a relatively remote location in a host nation with variable access to reliable, Western-standard medical care. For these reasons, NASA's Human Health & Performance contract allocates full-time physician support to assigned ISS crewmembers training in Star City. The Star City physician also treats minor injuries and illnesses as needed for both long- and short-term NASA support personnel traveling in the area, while working to develop and maintain relationships with local health care resources in the event of more serious medical issues that cannot be treated on-site. The specifics of this unique scope of practice will be discussed. SIGNIFICANCE: ISS crewmembers training in Star City are at potential physical and occupational risk of trauma or dysbarism during nominal Soyuz training flow, requiring medical support from an on-duty aerospace medicine specialist. This support maintains human health and performance by preserving crewmember safety and well-being for mission success; sharing information regarding this operational model may contribute to advances in other areas of international, military, and civilian operational aerospace medicine.

Chough, Natacha↗

Optimization of the Swift X-Ray Follow-Up of Advanced LIGO and Virgo Gravitational Wave Triggers in 2015-16

One of the most exciting near-term prospects in physics is the potential discovery of gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors. To maximize both the confidence of the detection and the science return, it is essential to identify an electromagnetic counterpart.This is not trivial, as the events are expected to be poorly localized, particularly in the near-term, with error regions covering hundreds or even thousands of square degrees. In this paper, we discuss the prospects for finding an X-ray counterpart to a gravitational wave trigger with the Swift X-ray Telescope, using the assumption that the trigger is caused by a binary neutron star merger which also produces a short gamma-ray burst. We show that it is beneficial to target galaxies within the GW error region, highlighting the need for substantially complete galaxy catalogues out to distances of 300 Mpc. We also show that nearby, on-axis short GRBs are either extremely rare, or are systematically less luminous than those detected to date. We consider the prospects for detecting afterglow emission from an off-axis GRB which triggered the GW facilities, finding that the detectability, and the best time to look,are strongly dependent on the characteristics of the burst such as circumburst density and our viewing angle.

gravitational waves – methods: observational –↗

Medical Support for ISS Crewmember Training in Star City, Russia

Medical support of spaceflight training operations across international lines is a unique circumstance with potential applications to other aerospace medicine support scenarios. KBRwyle's Star City Medical Support Group (SCMSG) has fulfilled this role since the Mir-Shuttle era, with extensive experience and updates to share with the greater AsMA community. OVERVIEW: The current Soyuz training flow for assigned ISS crewmembers takes place in Star City, Russia. Soyuz training flow involves numerous activities that pose potential physical and occupational risks to crewmembers, including centrifuge runs and pressurized suit simulations at ambient and hypobaric pressures. In addition, Star City is a relatively remote location in a host nation with variable access to reliable, Western-standard medical care. For these reasons, NASA's Human Health & Performance contract allocates full-time physician support to assigned ISS crewmembers training in Star City. The Star City physician also treats minor injuries and illnesses as needed for both long- and short-term NASA support personnel traveling in the area, while working to develop and maintain relationships with local health care resources in the event of more serious medical issues that cannot be treated on-site. The specifics of this unique scope of practice will be discussed. SIGNIFICANCE: ISS crewmembers training in Star City are at potential physical and occupational risk of trauma or dysbarism during nominal Soyuz training flow, requiring medical support from an on-duty aerospace medicine specialist. This support maintains human health and performance by preserving crewmember safety and well-being for mission success; sharing information regarding this operational model may contribute to advances in other areas of international, military, and civilian operational aerospace medicine.

Chough, Natacha↗

Searching the Gamma-Ray Sky for Counterparts to Gravitational Wave Sources Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor and Large Area Telescope Observations of LVT151012 and GW151226

We present the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations of the LIGO binary black hole merger event GW151226 and candidate LVT151012. At the time of the LIGO triggers on LVT151012 and GW151226, GBM was observing 68% and 83% of the localization regions, and LAT was observing 47% and 32%, respectively. No candidate electromagnetic counterparts were detected by either the GBM or LAT. We present a detailed analysis of the GBM and LAT data over a range of timescales from seconds to years, using automated pipelines and new techniques for characterizing the flux upper bounds across large areas of the sky. Due to the partial GBM and LAT coverage of the large LIGO localization regions at the trigger times for both events, differences in source distances and masses, as well as the uncertain degree to which emission from these sources could be beamed, these non-detections cannot be used to constrain the variety of theoretical models recently applied to explain the candidate GBM counterpart to GW150914.

gamma rays: general – gravitational waves – me↗

The Distribution of Methane in Titan's Stratosphere from Cassini/CIRS Observations

Cassini/CIRS spectra in the far- and mid-infrared region are used to determine the abundance of methanein Titans lower stratosphere and investigate its distribution with latitude. The CIRS spectra include emissionfrom both the CH4 v4 band at 7.7 micron and pure rotational lines longwards of 50 micron, which show differential sensitivities to thermal profile and methane mole fraction. We analyze nadir and limb data taken over the first part of the Cassini mission (August 2005 to June 2010), including a selection of 12 latitudes that provides a reasonably complete and regular sampling of both hemispheres. Unexpectedly, but in a consistent manner for limb and nadir geometries, large variations of the methane mole fraction near 15 mbar (approx. 85 km) are found, with values ranging from approx. 1.0% (at low latitudes and near +/-50-55 deg) to approx. 1.5% (at +/-30-35 deg and polar latitudes). Error bars on the retrieved methane mole fraction are 0.07-0.12% at low latitudes in the Southern hemisphere and 0.14-0.21% northward of 40 deg N. A 1.0% methanemole fraction at low latitudes permits us to reconcile the HASI-measured temperatures below 147 kmaltitude (2.7 mbar) with inferences from CIRS. The roughly hemispherically-symmetric distribution ofmethane gas is reminiscent of that observed or predicted for the tropospheric methane clouds, whichon a yearly-averaged basis, show preferential occurrences at tropical and polar latitudes. We speculatethat convective events at these latitudes result into local stratospheric methane enrichment, whichmay persist year-round due to dynamical mixing times in the lower stratosphere only moderately shorterthan a Titan year.

Methane↗

Plan Execution Interchange Language (PLEXIL) Software User's Manual

Plan Execution Interchange Language (PLEXIL) is a Core Flight System (or Core Flight Software) (cFS) based application, developed by the Autonomy Operating System project at NASA. cFS is open-source, reusable flight software, also developed by NASA and targeted to space missions. PLEXIL runs within the cFS framework, and is a wrapper integrating the open source PLEXIL Executive into the cFE (core Flight Executive) infrastructure. Software features include: Executes PLEXIL plans stored on local file system; Can be event-driven or clock-driven; and, Intended for "soft real time" discrete control.

Fry, Charles R.↗

A New Model of the Crustal Magnetic Field of Mars Using MGS and MAVEN

While devoid of an active magnetic dynamo field today, Mars possesses a remanent magnetic field that may reach several thousand nanoteslas locally. The exact origin and the events that have shaped the crustal magnetization remain largely enigmatic. Three magnetic field data sets from two spacecraft collected over 13 cumulative years have sampled the Martian magnetic field over a range of altitudes from 90 up to 6,000 km: (a) Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) magnetometer (1997–2006), (b) MGS Electron Reflectometer (1999–2006), and (c) Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) magnetometer (2014 to today). In this paper we combine these complementary data sets for the first time to build a new model of the Martian internal magnetic field. This new model improves upon previous ones in several aspects: comprehensive data coverage, refined data selection scheme, modified modeling scheme, discrete-to-continuous transformation of the model, and increased model resolution. The new model has a spatial resolution of ∼160 km at the surface, corresponding to spherical harmonic degree 134. It shows small scales and well-defined features, which can now be associated with geological signatures.

Magnetic↗

Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes and Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last 40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C. Taylor↗

The Importance of Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes on Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last >40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C Taylor↗

Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes and Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last >40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C. Taylor↗

Performance of Heterogeneous Sulfate Aerosol Formation Mechanisms Against Aircraft and Ground-Based Observations in Seoul, South Korea

Haze events are a common occurrence in East Asia, where local meteorology combines with anthropogenic emissions under certain conditions to create rapid increases in secondary aerosol. Often these events are driven by rapid production of secondary sulfate-nitrate-ammonium (SIA) aerosol. Models have typically included simple parameterizations of the production of sulfate during these events which vary widely in their magnitude. There are a range of different mechanistic descriptions of the chemical processes occurring during these events in large part due to poor constraints on aerosol pH and transition metal content, both of which are important to determining the key pathway(s) driving aerosol production. Here, we use the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to interpret detailed ground and aircraft observations from May and June 2016 during the Korea-United States Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) field study to evaluate the mechanistic pathways governing sulfate production during a haze event. We apply our model of sulfate production mechanisms to ground-based speciated aerosol measurements in winter, summer, and fall in Seoul.

Katherine R Travis↗

Micrometeorite dynamic pyrometamorphism: Observation of a thermal gradient in iron-nickel sulfide

Dynamic pyrometamorphism describes the mineralogical changes in a micrometeorite that occur in response to flash-heating during atmospheric entry. Mineral reactions during this event will be endothermic and act as local sinks for thermal energy which delays a uniform temperature distribution in decelerating micrometeorites. The most common pyrometamorphic reaction is formation of magnetite nanocrystal decorations on Mg,Fe-silicate grains and magnetite or (partial) maghemite rims. Constituent silicates also respond to this thermal event and show formation of olivine-maghemite symplectites and growth of garnet and partial laihunitisation. In continued effort to constrain dynamic pyrometamorphism of unmelted interplanetary dust particles (IDP's), I determined the mineralogical composition, and Fe,Ni-sulfide chemistry, in the sulfide-rich particles L2005C39, L2005E40, and L2006A28 using a JEOL 2000FX analytical electron microscope equipped with a TN5500 energy dispersive spectrometer for in situ microanalysis. Sulfide compositions in these three IDP's are distinctly different from those in silicate-rich particle L2005T13 which might suggest a delicate balance of the fO2/fS2 ratios during dynamic pyrometamorphism.

Rietmeijer, Frans J. M.↗

Swift Multiwavelength Follow-up of LVC S200224ca and the Implications for Binary Black Hole Mergers

On 2020 February 24, during their third observing run (“O3”), the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and Virgo Collaboration detected S200224ca: a candidate gravitational wave (GW) event produced by a binary black hole (BBH) merger. This event was one of the best-localized compact binary coalescences detected in O3 (with 50%/90% error regions of 13/72 deg2), and so the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory performed rapid near-UV/X-ray follow-up observations. Swift-XRT and UVOT covered approximately 79.2% and 62.4% (respectively) of the GW error region, making S200224ca the BBH event most thoroughly followed-up in near-UV (u-band) and X-ray to date. No likely EM counterparts to the GW event were found by the Swift BAT, XRT, or UVOT, nor by other observatories. Here, we report on the results of our searches for an EM counterpart, both in the BAT data near the time of the merger, and in follow-up UVOT/XRT observations. We also discuss the upper limits we can place on EM radiation from S200224ca, as well as the implications these limits have on the physics of BBH mergers. Namely, we place a shallow upper limit on the dimensionless BH charge, qˆ < 1.4 x 10-4, and an upper limit on the isotropic-equivalent energy of a blast wave E<4.1×1051 erg (assuming typical GRB parameters).

N J Klinger↗