Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “optical profiler”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Characterization of a Multilayered Dielectric Transmissive Phase Modulator

We describe a multilayered dielectric stack configuration designed specifically for use as a transmissive phase modulator for broadband optical signals. Applications for this device range from full aperture wavefront correction to nonmechanical beam steering arrays for free space optical communication links. Our implementation employs alternating GaAs and AlAs layers of varying thickness on a GaAs substrate to create a bandpass region of high average transmission centered about the one micrometer wavelength. Within this transmission bandpass, the phase component of the complex transmission coefficient varies in a near-linear fashion with respect to wavelength. The transmission bandpass is designed to have a bandwidth of 21.0 nm (or 6.3THz frequency bandwidth) and to have an edge-to-edge phase change of greater than 47T radians. Modification of the stack materials' optical properties causes the transmission profile to shift spectrally, resulting in a phase modulation for bands of transmitted frequencies. Our broadband phase modulator imparts up to a full-cycle of phase modulation with low loss and low group velocity dispersion. We identify several methods for implementing the requisite modulation, including refractive index modulation through free carrier injection and optical path length modulation through variation in angle of incidence. At least one sample comprising 91 alternating layers has been fabricated to exhibit the bandpass properties required for optical signal phase modulation. We experimentally characterize the sample using an interferometer and spectrometer to measure the transmitted signal spectrum and relative phase modulation. We compare the experimental data to computational predictions and discuss the results.

Keys, Andrew S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Adaptive control of interface by temperature and interface profile feedback in transparent multi-zone crystal growth furnace

The objective of this research is to control the dynamics of multizone programmable crystal growth furnaces. Due to the inevitable heat exchange among different heating zones and the transient nature of the process, the dynamics of multizone furnaces is time varying, distributed, and therefore complex in nature. Electrical power to heating zones and the translational speed of the ampoule are employed as inputs to control the dynamics. Structural properties of the crystal is the ultimate aim of this adaptive control system. These properties can be monitored in different ways. Following an order of complexity, these may include: (1) on line measurement of the material optical properties such as the refractive index of crystal; (2) on line x-ray imaging of the interface topology; (3) on line optical quantification of the interface profile such as the determination of concavity or convexity of the interface shape; and (4) on line temperature measurement at points closest to the material such as measurements of the ampoule's outside and inside surface temperatures. The research performed makes use of the temperature and optical measurements, specified in (3) and (4) as the outputs of furnace dynamics. However, if the instrumentation is available, the proposed control methodology can be extended to the measurements listed in (1) and (2).

Batur, Celal↗
NASA NTRS2006

Local Neutral Density and Plasma Parameter Measurements in a Hollow Cathode Plume

In order to understand the cathode and keeper wear observed during the Extended Life Test (ELT) of the DS1 flight spare NSTAR thruster and provide benchmarking data for a 2D cathode/cathode-plume model, a basic understanding of the plasma and neutral gas parameters in the cathode orifice and keeper region of the cathode plume must be obtained. The JPL cathode facility is instrumented with an array of Langmuir probe diagnostics along with an optical diagnostic to measure line intensity of xenon neutrals. In order to make direct comparisons with the present model, a flat plate anode arrangement was installed for these tests. Neutral density is deduced from the scanning probe data of the plasma parameters and the measured xenon line intensity in the optical regime. The Langmuir probes are scanned both axially, out to 7.0 cm downstream of the keeper, and radially to obtain 2D profile of the plasma parameters. The optical fiber is housed in a collimating stainless steel tube, and is scanned to view across the cathode plume along cuts in front of the keeper with a resolution of 1.5 mm. The radial intensities are unfolded using the Abel inversion technique that produces radial profiles of local neutral density. In this paper, detailed measurements of the plasma parameters and the local neutral densities will be presented in the cathode/keeper plume region for a 1.5 cm diameter NEXIS cathode at 25A of discharge current at several different strengths of applied magnetic field.

Plasma density↗
NASA NTRS1988

Nuclear emission-line intensities and profiles in NGC 3783

High-resolution optical spectrophotometry is presented for the nucleus of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3783. The data suggest that the broadest components of the forbidden lines have blueshifts relative to systemic velocity which are correlated primarily with ionization potential, and FWHMs which are correlated primarily with criticl density. Similar trends also exist in the line components responsible for the larger part of the line emission, but are not as strong as for the broadest line components. Comparison of the profiles of the Balmer lines indicates that the Balmer decrement measured from the H-beta/H-alpha ratio flattens in the line wings. However, the H-gamma and H-delta line profiles are more similar to the H-alpha line profile than to the H-beta line profile, suggesting that the H-beta profile may be anomalous.

Evans, I. N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The blueshifted Pa alpha broad line component and the origin of strong iron emission in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy IRAS 07598+6508

We present the Pa alpha emission profile of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULFIRG) IRAS 07598+6508 which is an unusually strong Fe II emitter in the optical. The Pa alpha emission line profile shows a blueshifted broad component (FWHM approximately equal to 3900 km/sec) together with a narrow core (FWHM less than or equal to 530 km/sec). The presence of the broad line component strongly suggests that IRAS 07598+6508 has an active galactic nucleus, supporting a scenario of merger-induced quasar formation proposed by Sanders et al. (1988), although we cannot rule out the possibility of a supernova-driven high speed wind. Possible detection of (Fe II) 1.893 micrometer emission is also reported. It is shown that strong Fe II emitters such as IRAS 07598+6508 have intermediate IRAS color properties between normal quasars and cold ultraluminous infrared galaxies. We thus suggest an evolutionary link from cold ULFIRG through warm ULFIRG and Fe II ULFIRG to quasars.

Taniguchi, Yoshiaki↗
NASA NTRS1990

Modeling of thermal lensing in side and end-pumped finite solid-state laser rods

An analytical expression for approximating the time-dependent thermal focal length in finite solid state laser rods was derived. The analysis is based on the temperature variation of the material refractive index caused by optical pumping of these rods. Several quantities were found to be relevant to this analysis. These quantities were the specific thermal profiles of the rods, type of optical pumping employed, type of cooling scheme employed (side and end-cooling parameters), and the specific material characteristics of the rods. The Thermal Lensing Model was formulated using the geometric ray tracing approach. The focal lengths are then approximated, by calculating the phase shift in the index of refraction, as the different rays of an incident plane wave are tracked through a lens-like crystal medium. The approach also applies in the case of Gaussian or parabolic pump beams. It is shown that the prediction of thermal focal length is in good quantitative agreement with experimentally obtained data.

Brackett, Vincent G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Cirrus Clouds Optical, Microphysical and Radiative Properties Observed During Crystal-Face Experiment: I. A Radar-Lidar Retrieval System

A method of retrieving cloud microphysical properties using combined observations from both cloud radar and lidar is introduced. This retrieval makes use of an improvement to the traditional optimal estimation retrieval method, whereby a series of corrections are applied to the state vector during the search for an iterative solution. This allows faster convergence to a solution and is less processor intensive. The method is first applied to a synthetic cloud t o demonstrate its validity, and it is shown that the retrieval reliably reproduces vertical profiles of ice water content. The retrieval method is then applied to radar and lidar observations from the CRYSTAL-FACE experiment, and vertical profiles of ice crystal diameter, number concentration, and ice water content are retrieved for a cirrus cloud layers observed one day of that experiment. The validity of the relationship between visible extinction coefficient and radar reflectivity was examined. While synthetic tests showed such a functional relationship, the measured data only partially supported such a conclusion. This is due to errors in the forward model (as explained above) as well as errors in the data sets, including possible mismatch between lidar and radar profiles or errors in the optical depth. Empirical relationships between number concentrations and mean particle diameter were also examined. The results indicate that a distinct and robust relationship exists between these retrieved quantities and it is argued that such a relationship is more than an artifact of the retrieval process offering insight into the nature of the microphysical processes taking place in cirrus.

Mitrescu, C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

X-ray observations of Abell 2218 and implications for the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

The Einstein Observatory was used to obtain a high-resolution X-ray image and an X-ray flux measurement of the galaxy cluster Abell 2218. The combined system of intracluster medium and galaxies is modeled as a gas in hydrostatic equilibrium in a common gravitational potential with an isothermal galaxy component. This model is then fitted in the least-squares sense to the X-ray surface brightness distribution and to the optically determined galaxy surface density profile to determine model parameters. The gas is found to be nominally isothermal, moderately dense, and very hot (10-30 keV); these conditions are consistent with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, i.e., the diminution in the cosmic microwave background radiation intensity in the direction of this cluster. It is noted that the considerable imprecision inherent in the method of distance measurement based on the combination of microwave measurements with X-ray and optical data makes it impossible to make a definitive statement about the distance to Abell 2218.

Boynton, P. E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of the Sub-mm Delay Plates for the IOTA Optical-Stochastic-Cooling Experiment

This note describes the methods used to measure the thickness profile of the glass plates used in the optical-delay line of the Optical Stochastic Cooling (OSC) experiment at the Fermilab’s IOTA ring. The plates have a nominal thickness of 250 μm and the measurement was performed to verify the nominal thickness and determine its variation over the entire plate surface. All the available plates were characterized and the impact of the thickness variation on the radiation wave front was found to be negligible using wave-optics simulation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Particulate and Dissolved Organic Matter in the Mississippi River Bight From Optical Measurements

The Mississippi River Bight is a highly dynamic region influenced by the seasonally variable outflow from the Mississippi River. In an effort to characterize the distribution of particulate and dissolved organic matter in the region, we conducted a two-year field program in the spring and fall (high and low flow river discharge) of 2000 and 2002. We collected a comprehensive set of bio-optical measurements consisting of vertical profiles (absorption, scattering, chlorophyll fluorescence and radiometry) and discrete measurements (pigment concentrations, particulate and CDOM absorption) that enabled us to obtain better insight into the seasonal and spatial variability of some important biogeochemical parameters. Our field measurements generally showed higher phytoplankton clorophyll concentrations in the plume waters (associated with lower surface salinities) and confirmed the high biological activity abserved in other studies. The seasonal flow of river discharge and advective currents due to wind forcing exerted a strong influence on the biological and optical properties of the region. An examination of absorption at 440 nm by the algal and non-algal fraction of the particulate pool and of CDOM revealed that at nearshore stations, contributions by the non-algal particles were high (about 40%) and decresed with increasing salinities. While CDOM absorption exhibited conservative mixing, its relative contribution to the total absorption was variable. Surface waters at most stations had lower salinities that generalliy increased with dept. Particulate matter and CDOM also decreased with depth as evidenced by absorption and scattering measurements. Good correlations in surface waters between concentrations of particulate and dissolved matter, the inherent optical properties of absorption and ackscattering and remote sensing reflectance values has allowed the development of robust empirical algorithms for phytoplankton chlorophyll and CDOM absorption.

DSa, E. J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Using 3D Measurements from MRI to Improve VVUQ

Magnetic resonance velocimetry (MRV) is a diagnostic that can measure 3D, three-component turbulent velocity fields in arbitrarily complex flow configurations. The approach uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is a system commonly available in radiology departments or medical research centers. MRV acquires signal from hydrogen protons in water channel flows. Despite the obvious utility of the measurements for investigating a variety of flows, comparisons with computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations largely retain traditional metrics, comparing velocity profiles and planes at discrete regions within the flow rather than using the 3D nature of the measured field. In this effort, MRV was conducted in a simple water channel with six spanwise-centered periodic obstacles roughly shaped as cubes. At a fully turbulent Reynolds number of 15,000, the channel includes two flows: a main streamwise flow and, in the wake of the second obstacle, an injected flow oriented perpendicular to the streamwise flow. The flow geometry includes partial obstacles on the side walls and is inherently 3D because of the interaction of the two streams and the wake features, making the flow challenging to completely measure with traditional optical techniques. Aside from line profiles and planar comparisons, two 3D metrics are used to compare the data with a steady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation result. A brief discussion about the comparison is provided, including comments about uncertainty.

Benson, Mike [ORNL] (ORCID:000000023210116X)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Orbital Inverse Faraday and Cotton-Mouton Effects in Hall Fluids

We report two light-induced orbital magnetization effects in quantum Hall (QH) fluids, stemming from their transverse response. The first is a purely transverse contribution to the inverse Faraday effect (IFE), where circularly polarized light induces a dc magnetization by stirring the charged fluid. This contribution dominates the IFE in the QH regime. The second is the orbital inverse Cotton-Mouton effect (ICME), in which linearly polarized light generates a dc magnetization. Since the applied field in the ICME does not break time-reversal symmetry, the induced magnetization directly probes the chiral orbital response of the fluid at the driving frequency. We estimate that the resulting magnetization lies in the range of 0.5–10 Bohr magnetons per charge carrier in materials such as graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in the QH regime. Finally, we show that the induced magnetization is accompanied by a local correction to the static particle density, enabling optical quantum printing of density profiles into the QH fluid.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS2018

Independent Component Analysis for Preprocessing Optical Signals in Support of Multi-User Communication

In an effort to construct an optical transceiver for supporting multi-point communication, researchers developed large field-of-view FSO transceivers with wide apertures for facilitating rapid acquisition and optical signal tracking. The design is constructed from fiber-bundle(s) intelligently arranged to provide multiple optical pathways within a single transceiver, with each pathway limited to a particular optical directionality. Because designs with wide apertures are susceptible to receiving several optical signals simultaneously from multiple transmitters, accurately decoding individual signals and achieving true multi-user communication can be difficult. The work detailed in this paper investigated the use of blind source separation techniques, mainly independent component analysis (ICA), to estimate transmitted signals from their observed, combined mixtures sans information. Effects of signal power, format, data rate, wavelength, and turbulence severity on signal separation, as well as signal demodulation accuracy was also analyzed using experimental optical signals and corresponding mixtures. Signal generators, laser sources, turbulence emulator, beam profiler, photodiodes, and oscilloscopes comprised the experiment setup. Optical signals with varying power, format, and wavelength were generated and propagated through turbulence with varying degree severity, and finally received by the fiber-bundle-based optical transceiver. Results demonstrate that an ICA technique can accurately process the combined signals into corresponding individual components. The investigation further identified signal characteristics (e.g., power levels, format, data rate) and turbulence severity under which ICA is unable to accurately perform signal separations.

Optics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Explore Information Content Efficiently from Current and Future Hyperspectral Satellite Missions using a Spectral Fingerprinting Method

Hyperspectral remote sensors from current and future missions provide measurements of the Top of Atmosphere (TOA) radiance or reflectance spectra with high information content. For example, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), together with the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) have provided more than 20 years radiance measurements with thousands of spectral channels. These measurements will be continued for the next two decades with the same or more advanced hyperspectral sensors. The upcoming missions such as NASA’s CLARREO Pathfinder (CPF) and ESA’s TRUTHS will provide unprecedented accurate TOA hyperspectral radiance measurements in solar spectral region. Traditional ways to derive Climate Data Records (CDRs) from these measurements are performing spatial and temporal averages of the retrieved Level-2 products. However, it is a time-consuming process to generate decades of Level-2 data from Level-1 data. Furthermore, the differences in Level-2 algorithms used for different satellite sensors will introduce errors in derived CDRs. In this presentation, we will describe a spectral fingerprinting method to generate high-quality CDRs directly from spatiotemporally averaged Level-1 data. By using consistent radiative kernels which contain the spectral information of various atmospheric and surface CDRs, we can reduce the errors due to algorithm inconsistency. Additionally, the spectral fingerprinting method reduces the time needed to generate CDRs by more than three orders of magnitude. This makes it easy to reprocess CDRs once the Level-1 data from different satellites have been improved via either re-calibrations or inter-satellite calibrations. We will present results of applying spectral fingerprinting method to 20-years of AIRS and CrIS data. The resulting CDRs include: 1) vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor, 2) cloud properties such as optical depth, effective size, and height, 3) vertical profiles or column amounts for atmospheric trace gases such as O3 and CO, and 4) surface emissivity spectra and skin temperatures. These CDRs will be publicly available at NASA GES DISC in late 2024. The same fingerprinting method is planned to be applied to future CPF and TRUTHS data for solar spectral region.

hyperspectral remote sensing↗
NASA NTRS2002

Raman Lidar Profiling of Aerosols Over the Central US; Diurnal Variability and Comparisons with the GOCART Model

We use profiles of aerosol extinction, water vapor mixing ratio, and relative humidity measured by the ARM SGP Raman lidar in northern Oklahoma to show how the vertical distributions of aerosol extinction and water vapor vary throughout the diurnal cycle. While significant (20-30%) variations in aerosol extinction occurred near the surface as well as aloft, smaller (approximately 10%) variations were observed in the diurnal variability of aerosol optical thickness (AOT). The diurnal variations in aerosol extinction profiles are well correlated with corresponding variations in the average relative humidity profiles. The water vapor mixing ratio profiles and integrated water vapor amounts generally show less diurnal variability. The Raman lidar profiles are also used to evaluate the aerosol optical thickness and aerosol extinction profiles simulated by the GOCART global aerosol model. Initial comparisons show that the AOT simulated by GOCART was in closer agreement with the AOT derived from the Raman lidar and Sun photometer measurements during November 2000 than during September 2000. For both months, the vertical variability in average aerosol extinction profiles simulated by GOCART is less than the variability in the corresponding Raman lidar profiles.

Ferrare, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Mapping H-band Scattered Light Emission in the Mysterious SR21Transitional Disk

We present the first near infrared (NIR) spatially resolved images of the circumstellar transitional disk around SR21. These images were obtained with the Subaru HiCIAO camera, adaptive optics, and the polarized differential imaging technique. We resolve the disk in scattered light at H-band for stellocentric 0.1 < or approx. r < or approx. 0.6 (12 < or approx. r < or approx. 75AU). We compare our results with previously published spatially resolved 880 micron continuum Submillimeter Array images that show an inner r < or approx. 36AU cavity in SR21. Radiative transfer models reveal that the large disk depletion factor invoked to explain SR21's sub-mm cavity cannot be "universal" for all grain sizes. Even significantly more moderate depletions (delta = 0.1, 0.01 relative to an undepleted disk) than those that reproduce the sub-mm cavity (delta approx. 10(exp −6) are inconsistent with our H-band images when they are assumed to carry over to small grains, suggesting that surface grains scattering in the NIR either survive or are generated by whatever mechanism is clearing the disk midplane. In fact, the radial polarized intensity profile of our H-band observations is smooth and steeply inwardly-increasing (r(sup −3), with no evidence of a break at the 36AU sub-mm cavity wall. We hypothesize that this profile is dominated by an optically thin disk envelope or atmosphere component.We also discuss the compatibility of our data with the previously postulated existence of a sub-stellar companion to SR21 at r approx. 10-20AU, and find that we can neither exclude nor verify this scenario. This study demonstrates the power of multiwavelength imaging of transitional disks to inform modeling efforts, including the debate over precisely what physical mechanism is responsible for clearing these disks of their large midplane grains.

SR21↗
DOE OSTI2020

Femtosecond exciton dynamics in WSe 2 optical waveguides

Van-der Waals (vdW) atomically layered crystals can act as optical waveguides over a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from Terahertz to visible. Unlike common Si-based waveguides, vdW semiconductors host strong excitonic resonances that may be controlled using non-thermal stimuli including electrostatic gating and photoexcitation. Here, we utilize waveguide modes to examine photo-induced changes of excitons in the prototypical vdW semiconductor, WSe 2 , prompted by femtosecond light pulses. Using time-resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy we visualize the electric field profiles of waveguide modes in real space and time and extract the temporal evolution of the optical constants following femtosecond photoexcitation. By monitoring the phase velocity of the waveguide modes, we detect incoherent A-exciton bleaching along with a coherent optical Stark shift in WSe 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗