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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 289 records · Page 16

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NASA NTRS1988

Flight simulation of a wide-body transport aircraft to evaluate MLS-RNAV procedures

In a collaborative effort between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) NASA and the U.S. Air Force, a piloted simulation was conducted to look at the issues involved with flying a large, wide-body aircraft in the airport terminal area using Microwave Landing System Area Navigation (MLS)-RNAV procedures. A variety of approach paths, departure paths, and holding patterns were evaluated during the course of the study for operational use, flight technical errors, and safety. In addition, several methods for driving the horizontal situation indicator and flight director instruments were investigated along with needle sensitivity. The ultimate goal of the simulation was to develop and verify candidate paths and procedures prior to flight tests conducted in 1986/87. Subject pilots for the simulation study were provided by the FAA, NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the airline industry.

Branstetter, James R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Use of the Space Shuttle for remote sensing experimentation during the 1980's

Planned and possible future experiments that may be conducted on Space Shuttle missions of the mid and later 1980s are discussed. Remote sensing experiments will be performed on Shuttle missions STS-7, STS-9, STS-11, and STS-17, and will conduct surveys using the Modular Optoelectronic Multispectral Scanner, a multispectral linear array imager; a high-resolution metric photographic camera; the Microwave Remote Sensing experiment, with capabilities for passive and active operation as an X-band radiometer, scatterometer or synthetic aperture radar; the Large Format Camera, a high-resolution photogrammetric camera with forward motion compensation; and the four experiments of the OSTA-3 payload: Shuttle Imaging Radar-B, the Measurement of Air Pollution from Space experiment, the Feature Identification and Location Experiment, and the Large Format Camera. Conceptual plans for experiments that may be conducted in the latter part of the decade include a high spectral resolution imaging sensor, multispectral radar surveys, and multispectral measurements in the thermal infrared.

Settle, M.↗

NASA NTRS1979

SPS phase control system performance via analytical simulation

A solar power satellite transmission system which incorporates automatic beam forming, steering, and phase control is discussed. The phase control concept centers around the notation of an active retrodirective phased array as a means of pointing the beam to the appropriate spot on Earth. The transmitting antenna (spacetenna) directs the high power beam so that it focuses on the ground-based receiving antenna (rectenna). A combination of analysis and computerized simulation was conducted to determine the far field performance of the reference distribution system, and the beam forming and microwave power generating systems.

Lindsey, W. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Process development

An overview is given of seven process development activities which were presented at this session. Pulsed excimer laser processing of photovoltaic cells was presented. A different pulsed excimer laser annealing was described using a 50 w laser. Diffusion barrier research focused on lowering the chemical reactivity of amorphous thin film on silicon. In another effort adherent and conductive films were successfully achieved. Other efforts were aimed at achieving a simultaneous front and back junction. Microwave enhanced plasma deposition experiments were performed. An updated version of the Solar Array Manufacturing Industry Costing Standards (SAMICS) was presented, along with a life cycle cost analysis of high efficiency cells. The last presentation was on the evaluation of the ethyl vinyl acetate encapsulating system.

Bickler, D. B.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The development of an advanced microwave precipitation radiometer for future airborne measurements

An account is given of the development and preliminary testing of the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR) for 10-85 GHz range precipitation retrieval and mesoscale storm-system studies conducted by ER-2 aircraft. AMPR exploits precipitation scattering signals to unambiguously retrieve precipitation and storm-structure intensity data. Attention is given to the AMPR's multifrequency feedhorn, which furnishes dual-polarization ports at 19.35, 37.0, and 85.5 GHz; the 10.7 GHz channel uses a separate horn/lens antenna with single polarization. The AMPR-equipped ER-2 will underfly the SSM/I space instrument to allow data comparisons of comparable spatial coverage.

Galliano, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Back Azimuth Guidance In Departures And Missed Approaches

Report describes studies conducted with pilots in flight simulator to examine use of front azimuth and back azimuth functions of microwave landing system (MLS) during precise departures immediately after takeoffs and during missed approaches. Studies provided data to determine optimum back azimuth signal sensitivity to establish operationally acceptable limits and procedures for use of back azimuth guidance, and to determine optimum technique for switching from front azimuth to back azimuth guidance.

Scott, Barry C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Upper tropospheric water vapor features observed in the 1980's using the 6.7 and 7.2 micron TOVS channels

The NOAA has been preprocessing the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) IR and microwave channels to correct for cloud amount, spot size, and viewing angle. An examination is now being conducted of the 6-7 micron water vapor band; a preliminary evaluation is here presented of the regional and global features of this large data base on daily, monthly, annual, and decadal time scales. The TOVS archives allow large-scale climatological features to be established.

Chesters, Dennis↗

NASA NTRS2006

Overview of the Field Phase of the NASA Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP)Experiment

The Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes experiment is sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to investigate characteristics of tropical cyclone genesis, rapid intensification and rainfall using a three-pronged approach that emphasizes satellite information, suborbital observations and numerical model simulations. Research goals include demonstration and assessment of new technology, improvements to numerical model parameterizations, and advancements in data assimilation techniques. The field phase of the experiment was based in Costa Rica during July 2005. A fully instrumented NASA ER-2 high altitude airplane was deployed with Doppler radar, passive microwave instrumentation, lightning and electric field sensors and an airborne simulator of visible and infrared satellite sensors. Other assets brought to TCSP were a low flying uninhabited aerial vehicle, and a surface-based radiosonde network. In partnership with the Intensity Forecasting Experiment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Research Division, two NOAA P-3 aircraft instrumented with radar, passive microwave, microphysical, and dropsonde instrumentation were also deployed to Costa Rica. The field phase of TCSP was conducted in Costa Rica to take advantage of the geographically compact tropical cyclone genesis region of the Eastern Pacific Ocean near Central America. However, the unusual 2005 hurricane season provided numerous opportunities to sample tropical cyclone development and intensification in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico as well. Development of Hurricane Dennis and Tropical Storm Gert were each investigated over several days in addition to Hurricane Emily as it was close to Saffir-Simpson Category 5 intensity. An overview of the characteristics of these storms along with the pregenesis environment of Tropical Storm Eugene in the Eastern Pacific will be presented.

Hood, Robbie E.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Comparison of active and passive microwave signatures of Arctic sea ice

In March 1988, overlapping active and passive microwave instrument data were acquired over Arctic sea ice using the NASA DC-8 aircraft equipped with multifrequency, variable polarization SAR and radiometer. Flights were conducted as a series of coordinated underflights of the DMSP SSM/I satellite radiometer in order to validate ice products derived from the SSM/I radiances. Subsequent flights by an NRL P-3 aircraft enabled overlapping high-resolution, single frequency image data to be acquired over the same regions using a Ka-band scanning microwave radiometer. In this paper, techniques are discussed for the accurate coregistration of the three aircraft datasets. Precise coregistration to an accuracy of 100 m plus or minus 25 m has, for the first time, enabled the detailed comparison of temporally and spatially coincident active and passive airborne microwave datasets. Preliminary results from the intercomparisons indicate that the SAR has highly frequency- and polarization-dependent signatures, which at 5.3 GHz (C-band) show an extremely high correlation with the 37 GHz radiometric temperatures.

Drinkwater, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Microwave Medical Treatment Apparatus and Method

Methods, simulations, and apparatus are provided that may be utilized for medical treatments which are especially suitable for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of separate microwave antennas are utilized to heat prostatic tissue to promote necrosing of the prostatic tissue that relieves the pressure of the prostatic tissue against the urethra as the body reabsorbs the necrosed or dead tissue. By utilizing constructive and destructive interference of the microwave transmission, the energy can be deposited on the tissues to be necrosed while protecting other tissues such as the urethra. Saline injections to alter the conductivity of the tissues may also be used to further focus the energy deposits. A computer simulation is Provided that can be used to Predict the resulting temperature profile produced in the prostatic tissue. By changing the various control features of one or more catheters and the methods of applying microwave energy, a temperature profile can be predicted and produced that is similar to the temperature profile desired for the particular patient.

Arndt, G. Dickey↗

NASA NTRS1989

Phase and amplitude characteristics of InP:Fe modified interdigitated gap photoconductive microwave switches

The transmission amplitude and phase characteristics of InP:Fe modified interdigitated gap photoconductive microwave switches are reported. Measurements in the 0.1-1 GHz frequency range show that the phase is shifted about 90 deg and that the corresponding change in amplitude ranges from 43 dB at 0.1 GHz to 23 dB at 1 GHz when the illumination-induced conductance is switched from a low OFF-state value (aboit 4 x 10 to the -8 S) to a high ON-state value (5 mS). The observed characteristics can be described by a phase-shifting region and an amplitude modulation region. In the phase-shifting region the phase strongly depends on the conductance, and the amplitude is almost constant. In the amplitude modulation region both the amplitude and the phase depend on the conductance but the effect on the amplitude is much more pronounced. A lumped-element model describing the device performance is presented. It is concluded that these optoelectronic microwave switching devices are suitable for high-speed amplitude modulation but are not promising as high-speed phase shifters.

Andersson, Ingmar L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Ocean wave detection and direction measurements with microwave radars

The application of synthetic aperture microwave radar imagery to the measurement of ocean wave direction and wavelength is discussed and an airborne experiment conducted in preparation for the SEASAT-A satellite mission is presented. Models for radar backscattering are examined and it is concluded that the Bragg-Rice model, which represents the ocean surface as a combination of periodic surfaces so that the dominant backscatter matches some portion of the wave spectrum, appears most useful. The experiment was conducted with airborne X-band and L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and data was compared with that obtained from a pitch-and-roll buoy and an instrument package mounted on a sea sled. SAR data was converted to wave spectra and it was found to match data from the buoy, while SAR data on wave direction agrees to within two degrees with the buoy and to within one degree with the sea sled sensors. Wave direction data taken by two real aperture radars is also presented and shown to agree with airborne photographs.

Teleki, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS1981

MLS: Airplane system modeling

Analysis, modeling, and simulations were conducted as part of a multiyear investigation of the more important airplane-system-related items of the microwave landing system (MLS). Particular emphasis was placed upon the airplane RF system, including the antenna radiation distribution, the cabling options from the antenna to the receiver, and the overall impact of the airborne system gains and losses upon the direct-path signal structure. In addition, effort was expended toward determining the impact of the MLS upon the airplane flight management system and developing the initial stages of a fast-time MLS automatic control system simulation model. Results ot these studies are presented.

Thompson, A. D.↗

NASA NTRS1981

A multi-frequency radiometric measurement of soil moisture content over bare and vegetated fields

A USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center site was used for an experiment in which soil moisture remote sensing over bare, grass, and alfalfa fields was conducted over a three-month period using 0.6 GHz, 1.4 GHz, and 10.6 GHz Dicke-type microwave radiometers mounted on mobile towers. Ground truth soil moisture content and ambient air and sil temperatures were obtained concurrently with the radiometric measurements. Biomass of the vegetation cover was sampled about once a week. Soil density for each of the three fields was measured several times during the course of the experiment. Results of the radiometric masurements confirm the frequency dependence of moisture sensing sensitivity reduction reported earlier. Observations over the bare, wet field show that the measured brightness temperature is lowest at 5.0 GHz and highest of 0.6 GHz frequency, a result contrary to expectation based on the estimated dielectric permittivity of soil water mixtures and current radiative transfer model in that frequency range.

Wang, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

B-737 flight test of curved-path and steep-angle approaches using MLS guidance

A series of flight tests were conducted to collect data for jet transport aircraft flying curved-path and steep-angle approaches using Microwave Landing System (MLS) guidance. During the test, 432 approaches comprising seven different curved-paths and four glidepath angles varying from 3 to 4 degrees were flown in NASA Langley's Boeing 737 aircraft (Transport Systems Research Vehicle) using an MLS ground station at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Subject pilots from Piedmont Airlines flew the approaches using conventional cockpit instrumentation (flight director and Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI). The data collected will be used by FAA procedures specialists to develop standards and criteria for designing MLS terminal approach procedures (TERPS). The use of flight simulation techniques greatly aided the preliminary stages of approach development work and saved a significant amount of costly flight time. This report is intended to complement a data report to be issued by the FAA Office of Aviation Standards which will contain all detailed data analysis and statistics.

Branstetter, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The NASA Ocean Data System at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Global change studies require satellite oceanographic observations archived in an active data center. This paper describes the activities of an experimental active oceanographic data archive center specializing in distribution of high-level oceanographic data products produced by research oceanographers from satellite altimeter, scatterometer, and microwave and infrared radiometer measurements. Methods to encourage data sharing practices were developed. Services initiated to help oceanographers conduct research more effectively included rapid delivery of data, reprocessing data sets, subsetting of large data sets, and distribution of multiple data sets on a single medium.

Halpern, David↗

NASA NTRS1992

TOPEX Microwave Radiometer - Thermal design verification test and analytical model validation

The testing of the TOPEX Microwave Radiometer (TMR) is described in terms of hardware development based on the modeling and thermal vacuum testing conducted. The TMR and the vacuum-test facility are described, and the thermal verification test includes a hot steady-state segment, a cold steady-state segment, and a cold survival mode segment totalling 65 hours. A graphic description is given of the test history which is related temperature tracking, and two multinode TMR test-chamber models are compared to the test results. Large discrepancies between the test data and the model predictions are attributed to contact conductance, effective emittance from the multilayer insulation, and heat leaks related to deviations from the flight configuration. The TMR thermal testing/modeling effort is shown to provide technical corrections for the procedure outlined, and the need for validating predictive models is underscored.

Lin, Edward I.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Air-sea interaction and remote sensing

The first part of the proposed research was a joint effort between our group and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), University of Washington. Our own research goal is to investigate the relation between the air-sea exchange processes and the sea state over the open ocean and to compare these findings with our previous results obtained over a small body of water namely, Lake Washington. The goals of the APL researchers are to study (1) the infrared sea surface temperature (SST) signature of breaking waves and surface slicks, and (2) microwave and acoustic scattering from water surface. The task of our group in this joint effort is to conduct measurements of surface fluxes (of momentum, sensible heat, and water vapor) and atmospheric radiation (longwave and shortwave) to achieve our research goal as well as to provide crucial complementary data for the APL studies. The progress of the project is summarized.

Katsaros, Kristina B.↗