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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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Distributed-Memory Parallel JointNMF
Joint Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (JointNMF) is a hybrid method for mining information from datasets that contain both feature and connection information. We propose distributed-memory parallelizations of three algorithms for solving the JointNMF problem based on Alternating Nonnegative Least Squares, Projected Gradient Descent, and Projected Gauss-Newton. We extend well-known communication-avoiding algorithms using a single processor grid case to our coupled case on two processor grids. We demonstrate the scalability of the algorithms on up to 960 cores (40 nodes) with 60% parallel efficiency. The more sophisticated Alternating Nonnegative Least Squares (ANLS) and Gauss-Newton variants outperform the first-order gradient descent method in reducing the objective on large-scale problems. We perform a topic modelling task on a large corpus of academic papers that consists of over 37 million paper abstracts and nearly a billion citation relationships, demonstrating the utility and scalability of the methods.
Hydrothermal alteration of CM carbonaceous chondrites: Implications of the identification of tochilinite as one type of meteoritic PCP
Poorly characterized phases (PCP's) constitute up to 30 volume percent of some CM carbonaceous chondrites, and are therefore an important key to an understanding of the physico-chemical conditions attending matrix evolution. An iron rich form of the terrestrial phase tochilinite was recently identified as a common type of PCP. Tochilinite has the general formula 6Fe(0.9)S.5(Mg,Fe)(OH)2 and consists of alternating machinawite (FeS) and brucite ((Mg,Fe)(OH)2) sheets, with iron vacancies in the sulfide sheets. In iron rich tochilinite, ferrous hydroxide, called amakinite, replaces brucite. If CM carbonaceous kchondrites have underdone hydrothermal alteration, iron rich tochilinite, at least, probably grew from aqueous solutions characterized by low FO2, high FS2, pH 10 to 12, and at a temperature at or below 170 C.
Use of unbalanced laminates as a screening method for microcracking
State-of-the-art, high temperature polyimide matrix composites, reinforced with continuous graphite fibers are known to be susceptible to intraply cracking when thermally cycled over their useful service temperature range. It is believed that the transply cracking, in part, results from residual stresses caused by differences in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the polymer matrix and the reinforcement. Thermal cycling tests to investigate this phenomenon involve expensive time and energy consuming programs which are not economically feasible for use as a part of a materials screening process. As an alternative to thermal cycling studies, a study of unbalanced crossply graphite fiber reinforcement composites was conducted to assess the effect of the composite ply layup and surface condition on the residual stresses that remain after the processing of these materials. The residual stresses were assessed by measuring the radii of curvature of the types of laminates that were studied. The temperature at which stress-free conditions existed were determined and a dye penetrant method was used to observe surface damage resulting from excessive residual stress buildup. These results are compared with some published results of thermal cycling tests that were previously conducted on balanced polyimide composites.
Use of unbalanced laminates as a screening method for microcracking
State-of-the-art, high temperature polyimide matrix composites, reinforced with continuous graphite fibers are known to be susceptible to intraply cracking when thermally cycled over their useful service temperature range. It is believed that the transply cracking, in part, results from residual stresses caused by differences in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the polymer matrix and the reinforcement. Thermal cycling tests to investigate this phenomenon involve expensive time and energy consuming programs which are not economically feasible for use as a part of a materials screening process. As an alternative to thermal cycling studies, a study of unbalanced crossply graphite fiber reinforcement composites was conducted to assess the effect of the composite ply layup and surface condition on the residual stresses that remain after the processing of these materials. The residual stresses were assessed by measuring the radii of curvature of the types of laminates that were studied. The temperature at which stress-free conditions existed were determined and a dye penetrant method was used to observe surface damage resulting from excessive residual stress buildup. These results are compared with some published results of thermal cycling tests that were previously conducted on balanced polyimide composites.
Single-phase power distribution system power flow and fault analysis
Alternative methods for power flow and fault analysis of single-phase distribution systems are presented. The algorithms for both power flow and fault analysis utilize a generalized approach to network modeling. The generalized admittance matrix, formed using elements of linear graph theory, is an accurate network model for all possible single-phase network configurations. Unlike the standard nodal admittance matrix formulation algorithms, the generalized approach uses generalized component models for the transmission line and transformer. The standard assumption of a common node voltage reference point is not required to construct the generalized admittance matrix. Therefore, truly accurate simulation results can be obtained for networks that cannot be modeled using traditional techniques.
Layout optimization with algebraic multigrid methods
Finding the optimal position for the individual cells (also called functional modules) on the chip surface is an important and difficult step in the design of integrated circuits. This paper deals with the problem of relative placement, that is the minimization of a quadratic functional with a large, sparse, positive definite system matrix. The basic optimization problem must be augmented by constraints to inhibit solutions where cells overlap. Besides classical iterative methods, based on conjugate gradients (CG), we show that algebraic multigrid methods (AMG) provide an interesting alternative. For moderately sized examples with about 10000 cells, AMG is already competitive with CG and is expected to be superior for larger problems. Besides the classical 'multiplicative' AMG algorithm where the levels are visited sequentially, we propose an 'additive' variant of AMG where levels may be treated in parallel and that is suitable as a preconditioner in the CG algorithm.
Terrain classification using circular polarimetric features
Conventional representations of polarization response are referred to a horizontally and vertically polarized basis. Recent studies by Freeman and Durden, van Zyl, and others suggest that alternative polarimetric features which more easily resolve the contributions of simple scattering mechanisms such as odd-bounce, even-bounce, and diffuse scattering could offer several advantages in terrain classification. The circular polarization covariance matrix is a potential source of such features. In this paper, we derive its relationship to the Stokes matrix, describe some of its properties, and compare the utility of linear and circular polarimetric features in classifying an AIRSAR scene containing urban, park, and ocean terrain.
Ultrasonic Assessment of Impact-Induced Damage and Microcracking in Polymer Matrix Composites
The main objective of this NASA FAR project is to conduct ultrasonic assessment of impact-induced damage and microcracking in polymer matrix composites at various temperatures. It is believed that the proposed study of impact damage assessment on polymer matrix composites will benefit several NASA missions and current interests, such as ballistic impact testing of composite fan containment and high strain rate deformation modeling of polymer matrix composites. Impact-induced damage mechanisms in GLARE and ARALL fiber-metal laminates subject to instrumented drop-weight impacts at various temperatures were studied. GLARE and ARALL are hybrid composites made of alternating layers of aluminum and glass (for GLARE) and aramid- (for ARALL) fiber-reinforced epoxy. Damage in pure aluminum panels impacted by foreign objects was mainly characterized by large plastic deformation surrounding a deep penetration dent. On the other hand, plastic deformation in fiber-metal laminates was often not as severe although the penetration dent was still produced. The more stiff fiber-reinforced epoxy layers provided better bending rigidity; thus, enhancing impact damage tolerance. Severe cracking, however, occurred due to the use of these more brittle fiber-reinforced epoxy layers. Fracture patterns, e.g., crack length and delamination size, were greatly affected by the lay-up configuration rather than by the number of layers, which implies that thickness effect was not significant for the panels tested in this study. Immersion ultrasound techniques were then used to assess damages generated by instrumented drop-weight impacts onto these fiber-metal laminate panels as well as 6061-T6 aluminum/cast acrylic sandwich plates adhered by epoxy. Depending on several parameters, such as impact velocity, mass, temperature, laminate configuration, sandwich construction, etc., various types of impact damage were observed, including plastic deformation, radiating cracks emanating from the impact site, ring cracks surrounding the impact site, partial and full delamination, and combinations of these damages.
Ultrasonic Assessment of Impact-Induced Damage and Microcracking in Polymer Matrix Composites
The main objective of this NASA Faculty Awards for Research (FAR) project is to conduct ultrasonic assessment of impact-induced damage and microcracking in fiber-metal laminated (FML) composites at various temperatures. It is believed that the proposed study of impact damage assessment on FML composites will benefit several NASA's missions and current interests, such as ballistic impact testing of composite fan containment and high strain rate deformation modeling of polymer matrix composites. Impact-induced damage mechanisms in GLARE and ARALL fiber-metal laminates subject to instrumented drop-weight impacts at various temperatures were studied. GLARE and ARALL are hybrid composites made of alternating layers of aluminum and glass- (for GLARE) and aramid- (for ARALL) fiber reinforced epoxy. Damage in pure aluminum panels impacted by foreign objects was mainly characterized by large plastic deformation surrounding a deep penetration dent. On the other hand, plastic deformation in fiber-metal laminates was often not as severe although the penetration dent was still produced. The more stiff fiber-reinforced epoxy layers provided better bending rigidity; thus, enhancing impact damage tolerance. Severe cracking, however, occurred due to the use of these more brittle fiber-reinforced epoxy layers. Fracture patterns, e.g., crack length and delamination size, were greatly affected by the lay-up configuration rather than by the number of layers, which implies that thickness effect was not significant for the panels tested in this study. Immersion ultrasound techniques were then used to assess damages generated by instrumented drop-weight impacts onto these fiber-metal laminate panels as well as 2024-T3 aluminum/cast acrylic sandwich plates adhered by epoxy. Depending on several parameters, such as impact velocity, mass, temperature, laminate configuration, sandwich construction, etc., various types of impact damage were observed, including plastic deformation, radiating cracks emanating from the impact site, ring cracks surrounding the impact site, partial and full delamination, and combinations of these damages.
Stabilization of pH in solid-matrix hydroponic systems
2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid (MES) buffer or Amberlite DP-1 (cation-exchange resin beads) were used to stabilize substrate pH of passive-wicking, solid-matrix hydroponic systems in which small canopies of Brassica napus L. (CrGC 5-2, genome : ACaacc) were grown to maturity. Two concentrations of MES (5 or 10 mM) were included in Hoagland 1 nutrient solution. Alternatively, resin beads were incorporated into the 2 vermiculite : 1 perlite (v/v) growth medium at 6% or 12% of total substrate volume. Both strategies stabilized pH without toxic side effects on plants. Average seed yield rates for all four pH stabilization treatments (13.3 to 16.9 g m-2 day-1) were about double that of the control (8.2 g m-2 day-1), for which there was no attempt to buffer substrate pH. Both the highest canopy seed yield rate (16.9 g m-2 day-1) and the highest shoot harvest index (19.5%) occurred with the 6% resin bead treatment, even though the 10 mM MES and 12% bead treatments maintained pH within the narrowest limits. The pH stabilization methods tested did not significantly affect seed oil and protein contents.
NASA Tech Briefs, November 2009
Topics covered include: Cryogenic Chamber for Servo-Hydraulic Materials Testing; Apparatus Measures Thermal Conductance Through a Thin Sample from Cryogenic to Room Temperature; Rover Attitude and Pointing System Simulation Testbed; Desktop Application Program to Simulate Cargo-Air-Drop Tests; Multimodal Friction Ignition Tester; Small-Bolt Torque-Tension Tester; Integrated Spacesuit Audio System Enhances Speech Quality and Reduces Noise; Hardware Implementation of a Bilateral Subtraction Filter; Simple Optoelectronic Feedback in Microwave Oscillators; Small X-Band Oscillator Antennas; Free-Space Optical Interconnect Employing VCSEL Diodes; Discrete Fourier Transform Analysis in a Complex Vector Space; Miniature Scroll Pumps Fabricated by LIGA; Self-Assembling, Flexible, Pre-Ceramic Composite Preforms; Flight-speed Integral Image Analysis Toolkit; Work Coordination Engine; Multi-Mission Automated Task Invocation Subsystem; Autonomously Calibrating a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer; Determining Spacecraft Reaction Wheel Friction Parameters; Composite Silica Aerogels Opacified with Titania; Multiplexed Colorimetric Solid-Phase Extraction; Detecting Airborne Mercury by Use of Polymer/Carbon Films; Lattice-Matched Semiconductor Layers on Single Crystalline Sapphire Substrate; Pressure-Energized Seal Rings to Better Withstand Flows; Rollerjaw Rock Crusher; Microwave Sterilization and Depyrogenation System; Quantifying Therapeutic and Diagnostic Efficacy in 2D Microvascular Images; NiF2/NaF:CaF2/Ca Solid-State High-Temperature Battery Cells; Critical Coupling Between Optical Fibers and WGM Resonators; Microwave Temperature Profiler Mounted in a Standard Airborne Research Canister; Alternative Determination of Density of the Titan Atmosphere; Solar Rejection Filter for Large Telescopes; Automated CFD for Generation of Airfoil Performance Tables; Progressive Classification Using Support Vector Machines; Active Learning with Irrelevant Examples; A Data Matrix Method for Improving the Quantification of Element Percentages of SEM/EDX Analysis; Deployable Shroud for the International X-Ray Observatory; Improved Model of a Mercury Ring Damper; Optoelectronic pH Meter: Further Details; X-38 Advanced Sublimator; and Solar Simulator Represents the Mars Surface Solar Environment.
Identification of the optimal carbon fiber shape for cost-specific compressive performance
We report carbon fiber composites offer superior mechanical performance compared to nearly all other useful materials for the design of structures. However, for cost-driven industries, such as with the wind energy and vehicle industries, the cost of commercial carbon fiber materials is often prohibitive for their usage compared to alternatives. This paper develops an approach to optimize fiber geometries for use in carbon fiber reinforced polymers to increase the compressive strength per unit cost. Compressive strength is a composite property that depends on the fiber, matrix, and interface, and an exact analytic expression does not exist that can accurately represent these complicated relationships. The approach taken instead is to use a weighted summation between the fiber cross-sectional area moment of inertia and perimeter as a proxy for compressive strength, with different weightings explored within the paper. Analyses are performed to identify optimal fiber geometries that increase the cost-specific compressive strength based on various assumptions and desired fiber volume fraction. Robust optimal shapes are identified which outperform circular fibers due to increases in area moment of inertia and perimeter, as well as decreases in carbon fiber processing costs.
An economical semi-analytical orbit theory for micro-computer applications
An economical algorithm is presented for predicting the position of a satellite perturbed by drag and zonal harmonics J2 through J4. Simplicity being of the essence, drag is modeled as a secular decay rate in the semimajor axis (retarded motion) with the zonal perturbations modeled from a modified version of Brouwers formulas. The algorithm is developed as an alternative on-board orbit predictor; a back up propagator requiring low energy consumption; or a ground based propagator for microcomputer applications (e.g., at the foot of an antenna). An O(J2) secular retarded state partial matrix (matrizant) is also given to employ with state estimation. The theory has been implemented in BASIC on an inexpensive microcomputer, the program occupying under 8K bytes of memory. Simulated trajectory data and real tracking data are employed to illustrate the theory's ability to accurately accommodate oblateness and drag effects.
Thermal Cyclic Behavior of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings Investigated Under High-Heat-Flux Conditions
Environmental barrier coatings (EBC's) have been developed to protect silicon-carbide- (SiC) based ceramic components in gas turbine engines from high-temperature environmental attack. With continuously increasing demands for significantly higher engine operating temperature, future EBC systems must be designed for both thermal and environmental protection of the engine components in combustion gases. In particular, the thermal barrier functions of EBC's become a necessity for reducing the engine-component thermal loads and chemical reaction rates, thus maintaining the required mechanical properties and durability of these components. Advances in the development of thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TBC's and EBC's, respectively) will directly impact the successful use of ceramic components in advanced engines. To develop high-performance coating systems, researchers must establish advanced test approaches. In this study, a laser high-heat-flux technique was employed to investigate the thermal cyclic behavior of TBC's and EBC's on SiC-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composite substrates (SiC/SiC) under high thermal gradient and thermal cycling conditions. Because the laser heat flux test approach can monitor the coating's real-time thermal conductivity variations at high temperature, the coating thermal insulation performance, sintering, and delamination can all be obtained during thermal cycling tests. Plasma-sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia (ZrO2-8 wt% Y2O3) thermal barrier and barium strontium aluminosilicate-based environmental barrier coatings (BSAS/BSAS+mullite/Si) on SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites were investigated in this study. These coatings were laser tested in air under thermal gradients (the surface and interface temperatures were approximately 1482 and 1300 C, respectively). Some coating specimens were also subject to alternating furnace cycling (in a 90-percent water vapor environment at 1300 C) and laser thermal gradient cycling tests (in air), to investigate the water vapor effect. All cyclic tests were conducted using a 60-min hot-time temperature.
Stepwise Regression Analysis of MDOE Balance Calibration Data Acquired at DNW
This paper reports a comparison of two experiment design methods applied in the calibration of a strain-gage balance. One features a 734-point test matrix in which loads are varied systematically according to a method commonly applied in aerospace research and known in the literature of experiment design as One Factor At a Time (OFAT) testing. Two variations of an alternative experiment design were also executed on the same balance, each with different features of an MDOE experiment design. The Modern Design of Experiments (MDOE) is an integrated process of experiment design, execution, and analysis applied at NASA's Langley Research Center to achieve significant reductions in cycle time, direct operating cost, and experimental uncertainty in aerospace research generally and in balance calibration experiments specifically. Personnel in the Instrumentation and Controls Department of the German Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) have applied MDOE methods to evaluate them in the calibration of a balance using an automated calibration machine. The data have been sent to Langley Research Center for analysis and comparison. This paper reports key findings from this analysis. The chief result is that a 100-point calibration exploiting MDOE principles delivered quality comparable to a 700+ point OFAT calibration with significantly reduced cycle time and attendant savings in direct and indirect costs. While the DNW test matrices implemented key MDOE principles and produced excellent results, additional MDOE concepts implemented in balance calibrations at Langley Research Center are also identified and described.
Detector Modeling and CMB Polarimetry Technology Development at GSFC
Pixel size limits the resolution in the focal plane. This should be accounted for in optical design. Alternatively, this reduces the effective number of independent detectors. Polarization and scattering are intrinsically related, and both are more severe at low pnambda. Future work: Quantification of the pixel cross-coupling- calculate a theoretical covariance matrix to predict performance of future detector arrays.
Evaluating Crystallinity in Thermoplastic Composites for Aerospace Applications
Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) offer many benefits for the aerospace industry due to their potential for weight reduction when compared to metal or ceramic based materials. Most PMCs currently in flight use thermoset matrices, however, thermoplastic resins are being explored as alternatives due to their ability to be remelted, which is of particular interest due to the potential for in-situ repair and faster production. Most thermoplastic resins are semicrystalline polymers. The properties of semicrystalline thermoplastics are directly influenced by their crystallinity, which can vary due to many factors including thermal treatments, environmental conditions, and mechanical deformation. Within thermoplastic PMC parts, crystallinity gradients can arise due to variations in part geometry, across part thicknesses, and along bonded joints. Monitoring the crystallinity of thermoplastic composites is key to ensuring these materials meet the high demands required for aerospace. Several different analytical techniques exist that can be used to characterize the bulk crystallinity of thermoplastic materials. However, many existing methods lack the specificity required to identify the subtle variations in crystallinity that may play a significant role in the performance and durability of PMC parts. Because of this, a significant amount of work is still required to fully characterize and understand the crystallinity profiles of thermoplastic PMCs and the resulting impact to material properties. This talk discusses the use of multiple techniques such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Polarized Light Optical Microscopy, and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to characterize the crystallinity in carbon fiber/thermoplastic composites. Samples of different crystallinity profiles were manufactured using various cooling procedures. This work aims to provide the fundamental data necessary to understand the effects of crystallinity on thermoplastic PMCs, which is key to advancing their use in aerospace applications.