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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 343 records · Page 19

An Orbital Meteoroid Stream Survey Using the Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar (SAAMER) Based on a Wavelet Approach

Over a million individually measured meteoroid orbits were collected with the Southern Argentina Agile MEteor Radar (SAAMER) between 2012-2015. This provides a robust statistical database to perform an initial orbital survey of meteor showers in the Southern Hemisphere via the application of a 3D wavelet transform. The method results in a composite year from all 4 years of data, enabling us to obtain an undisturbed year of meteor activity with more than one thousand meteors per day. Our automated meteor shower search methodology identified 58 showers. Of these showers, 24 were associated with previously reported showers from the IAU catalogue while 34 showers are new and not listed in the catalogue. Our searching method combined with our large data sample provides unprecedented accuracy in measuring meteor shower activity and description of shower characteristics in the Southern Hemisphere. Using simple modeling and clustering methods we also propose potential parent bodies for the newly discovered showers.

Meteor showers↗

Software for Sharing and Management of Information

DIAMS is a set of computer programs that implements a system of collaborative agents that serve multiple, geographically distributed users communicating via the Internet. DIAMS provides a user interface as a Java applet that runs on each user s computer and that works within the context of the user s Internet-browser software. DIAMS helps all its users to manage, gain access to, share, and exchange information in databases that they maintain on their computers. One of the DIAMS agents is a personal agent that helps its owner find information most relevant to current needs. It provides software tools and utilities for users to manage their information repositories with dynamic organization and virtual views. Capabilities for generating flexible hierarchical displays are integrated with capabilities for indexed- query searching to support effective access to information. Automatic indexing methods are employed to support users queries and communication between agents. The catalog of a repository is kept in object-oriented storage to facilitate sharing of information. Collaboration between users is aided by matchmaker agents and by automated exchange of information. The matchmaker agents are designed to establish connections between users who have similar interests and expertise.

Chen, James R.↗

Expert system validation in prolog

An overview of the Expert System Validation Assistant (EVA) is being implemented in Prolog at the Lockheed AI Center. Prolog was chosen to facilitate rapid prototyping of the structure and logic checkers and since February 1987, we have implemented code to check for irrelevance, subsumption, duplication, deadends, unreachability, and cycles. The architecture chosen is extremely flexible and expansible, yet concise and complementary with the normal interactive style of Prolog. The foundation of the system is in the connection graph representation. Rules and facts are modeled as nodes in the graph and arcs indicate common patterns between rules. The basic activity of the validation system is then a traversal of the connection graph, searching for various patterns the system recognizes as erroneous. To aid in specifying these patterns, a metalanguage is developed, providing the user with the basic facilities required to reason about the expert system. Using the metalanguage, the user can, for example, give the Prolog inference engine the goal of finding inconsistent conclusions among the rules, and Prolog will search the graph intantiations which can match the definition of inconsistency. Examples of code for some of the checkers are provided and the algorithms explained. Technical highlights include automatic construction of a connection graph, demonstration of the use of metalanguage, the A* algorithm modified to detect all unique cycles, general-purpose stacks in Prolog, and a general-purpose database browser with pattern completion.

Stock, Todd↗

Flight Test Hazard Planning Near the Speed of Light

A viewgraph presentation describing flight test safety near the speed of light is shown. The topics include: 1) Concept; 2) Portal Content; 3) Activity to Date; 4) FTS Database Updatd FAA Program; 5) FAA Flight Test Risk Management; 6) CFR 14 Part 21.35 Current and proposed changes; 7) An Online Resource for Flight Test Safety Planning; 8) Data Gathering; 9) NTPS Role; 10) Example Maturation; 11) Many Varied Inputs; 12) Matured Stall Hazards; 13) Loss of Control Mitigations; 14) FAA Access; 15) NASA PBMA Website Link; 16) FAR Reference Search; 17) Record Field Search; 18) Keyword Search; and 19) Results of FAR Reference Search.

Henwood, Bart↗

Virtual Assistant for First Responders Using Natural Language Understanding and Optical Character Recognition

Commercial deep learning capabilities are available for many applications such as computer vision processing and intelligent chat bots. The Google Cloud Platform product Google Dialogflow provides lifelike conversational artificial intelligence (AI) using machine learning (ML) to generate natural conversations between computers and humans. This ML utilizes natural language understanding (NLU) to recognize a user’s intent and extracts key information into a form of entities. We have developed a user-friendly application through understanding the hazardous material database, first aid safety guidelines and observing the process of first responders who access this information in the field. We created the Trusted and Explainable Artificial Intelligence for Saving Lives (TruePAL) virtual assistant using Dialogflow1 and TensorFlow2 paired with EasyOCR.3 The chatbot supports first responders by providing voice interaction which helps limit additional steps such as browsing through multiple categories when searching for information. Using feedback from our field interviews, the voice interface has been developed to enable the first responder to focus on the immediate emergency. With less distractions, the first responder is able to engage the incident more effectively. The partial hands-free TruePAL chatbot assistant improves the accessibility to the correct guidance by an average of 1.9 seconds compared to the widely used application, NIH WISER, which requires full attention to operate. We combined this intelligent chatbot with a separate visual processing capability to produce hazardous signage analysis and generate the proper guidance for first responders. With the evolving functionality of AI tools, the use of virtual assistants in first responder technology will be an advancement, benefiting the safety of both first responders and civilians.

Chow, Edward↗

Thermal Conductivity Database of Various Structural Carbon-Carbon Composite Materials

Advanced thermal protection materials envisioned for use on future hypersonic vehicles will likely be subjected to temperatures in excess of 1811 K (2800 F) and, therefore, will require the rapid conduction of heat away from the stagnation regions of wing leading edges, the nose cap area, and from engine inlet and exhaust areas. Carbon-carbon composite materials are candidates for use in advanced thermal protection systems. For design purposes, high temperature thermophysical property data are required, but a search of the literature found little thermal conductivity data for carbon-carbon materials above 1255 K (1800 F). Because a need was recognized for in-plane and through-the-thickness thermal conductivity data for carbon-carbon composite materials over a wide temperature range, Langley Research Center (LaRC) embarked on an effort to compile a consistent set of thermal conductivity values from room temperature to 1922 K (3000 F) for carbon-carbon composite materials on hand at LaRC for which the precursor materials and thermal processing history were known. This report documents the thermal conductivity data generated for these materials. In-plane thermal conductivity values range from 10 to 233 W/m-K, whereas through-the-thickness values range from 2 to 21 W/m-K.

Ohlhorst, Craig W.↗

Searching for 'Unknown Unknowns'

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was established to improve safety through engineering excellence within NASA programs and projects. As part of this goal, methods are being investigated to enable the NESC to become proactive in identifying areas that may be precursors to future problems. The goal is to find unknown indicators of future problems, not to duplicate the program-specific trending efforts. The data that is critical for detecting these indicators exist in a plethora of dissimilar non-conformance and other databases (without a common format or taxonomy). In fact, much of the data is unstructured text. However, one common database is not required if the right standards and electronic tools are employed. Electronic data mining is a particularly promising tool for this effort into unsupervised learning of common factors. This work in progress began with a systematic evaluation of available data mining software packages, based on documented decision techniques using weighted criteria. The four packages, which were perceived to have the most promise for NASA applications, are being benchmarked and evaluated by independent contractors. Preliminary recommendations for "best practices" in data mining and trending are provided. Final results and recommendations should be available in the Fall 2005. This critical first step in identifying "unknown unknowns" before they become problems is applicable to any set of engineering or programmatic data.

Parsons, Vickie S.↗

Robust Informatics Infrastructure Required For ICME: Combining Virtual and Experimental Data

With the increased emphasis on reducing the cost and time to market of new materials, the need for robust automated materials information management system(s) enabling sophisticated data mining tools is increasing, as evidenced by the emphasis on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) and the recent establishment of the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI). This need is also fueled by the demands for higher efficiency in material testing; consistency, quality and traceability of data; product design; engineering analysis; as well as control of access to proprietary or sensitive information. Further, the use of increasingly sophisticated nonlinear, anisotropic and or multi-scale models requires both the processing of large volumes of test data and complex materials data necessary to establish processing-microstructure-property-performance relationships. Fortunately, material information management systems have kept pace with the growing user demands and evolved to enable: (i) the capture of both point wise data and full spectra of raw data curves, (ii) data management functions such as access, version, and quality controls;(iii) a wide range of data import, export and analysis capabilities; (iv) data pedigree traceability mechanisms; (v) data searching, reporting and viewing tools; and (vi) access to the information via a wide range of interfaces. This paper discusses key principles for the development of a robust materials information management system to enable the connections at various length scales to be made between experimental data and corresponding multiscale modeling toolsets to enable ICME. In particular, NASA Glenn's efforts towards establishing such a database for capturing constitutive modeling behavior for both monolithic and composites materials

Mutli-scale models↗

A Spitzer Survey for Dust in Type IIn Supernovae

Recent observations suggest that Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) may exhibit late-time (greater than 100 days) infrared (IR) emission from warm dust more than other types of core-collapse SNe. Mid-IR observations, which span the peak of the thermal spectral energy distribution, provide useful constraints on the properties of the dust and, ultimately, the circumstellar environment, explosion mechanism, and progenitor system. Due to the low SN IIn rate (less than 10% of all core-collapse SNe), few IR observations exist for this subclass. The handful of isolated studies, however, show late-time IR emission from warm dust that, in some cases, extends for five or six years post-discovery. While previous Spitzer/IRAC surveys have searched for dust in SNe, none have targeted the Type IIn subclass. This article presents results from a warm Spitzer/IRAC survey of the positions of all 68 known SNe IIn within a distance of 250 Mpc between 1999 and 2008 that have remained unobserved by Spitzer more than 100 days postdiscovery. The detection of late-time emission from ten targets (approximately 15%) nearly doubles the database of existing mid-IR observations of SNe IIn. Although optical spectra show evidence for new dust formation in some cases, the data show that in most cases the likely origin of the mid-IR emission is pre-existing dust, which is continuously heated by optical emission generated by ongoing circumstellar interaction between the forward shock and circumstellar medium. Furthermore, an emerging trend suggests that these SNe decline at approximately 1000-2000 days post-discovery once the forward shock overruns the dust shell. The mass-loss rates associated with these dust shells are consistent with luminous blue variable (LBV) progenitors.

Fox, Ori D.↗

Observational Search for Cometary Aging Processes

The scientific objectives of this study were (i) to search for physical differences in the behavior of the dynamically new comets (those which are entering the solar system for the first time from the Oort cloud) and the periodic comets, and (ii) to interpret these differences, if any, in terms of the physical and chemical nature of the comets and the evolutionary histories of the two comet groups. Because outer solar system comets may be direct remnants of the planetary formation processes, it is clear that the understanding of both the physical characteristics of these bodies at the edge of the planet forming zone and of their activity at large heliocentric distances, r, will ultimately provide constraints on the planetary formation process both in our Solar System and in extra-solar planetary systems. A combination of new solar system models which suggest that the protoplanetary disk was relatively massive and as a consequence comets could form at large distances from the sun (e.g. from the Uranus-Neptune region to the vicinity of the Kuiper belt), observations of activity in comets at large r, and laboratory experiments on low temperature volatile condensation, are dramatically changing our understanding of the chemical'and physical conditions in the early solar nebula. In order to understand the physical processes driving the apparent large r activity, and to address the question of possible physical and chemical differences between periodic, non-periodic and Oort comets, the PI has been undertaking a long-term study of the behavior of a significant sample of these comets (approximately 50) over a wide range of r to watch the development, disappearance and changing morphology of the dust coma. The ultimate goal is to search for systematic physical differences between the comet classes by modelling the coma growth in terms of volatile-driven activity. The systematic observations for this have been ongoing since 1986, and have been obtained over the course of approximately 300 nights using the telescopes on Mauna Kea, Kitt Peak, Cerro Tololo, the European Southern Observatory, and several other large aperture facilities. A greater than 2 TB database of broad band comet images has been obtained which follows the systematic development and fading of the cometary coma for the comets in the database. The results to date, indicate that there is a substantial difference in the brightness and the amount of dust as a function of r between the two comet classes. In addition to this major finding, the program has been responsible for several exciting discoveries, including: the P/Halley outburst at r = 14.3 AU, the discovery of Chiron's coma and modelling and observations of the gravitationally bound component, observational evidence that activity continues out beyond r = 17 AU for many dynamically new comets

Meech, Karen J.↗

A new generation of intelligent trainable tools for analyzing large scientific image databases

The focus of this paper is on the detection of natural, as opposed to human-made, objects. The distinction is important because, in the context of image analysis, natural objects tend to possess much greater variability in appearance than human-made objects. Hence, we shall focus primarily on the use of algorithms that 'learn by example' as the basis for image exploration. The 'learn by example' approach is potentially more generally applicable compared to model-based vision methods since domain scientists find it relatively easier to provide examples of what they are searching for versus describing a model.

Fayyad, Usama M.↗

BATSE Solar Flare Spectroscopy

This final report describes the progress originally proposed: (1) the continued improvement of a software and database environment capable of supporting all users of BATSE solar data as well as providing scientific expertise and effort to the BATSE solar community; (2) the continued participation with the PI team and other guest investigators in the detailed analysis of the BATSE detectors' response at low energies; (3) using spectroscopic techniques to fully exploit the potential of electron time-of-flight studies; and, (4) a full search for flare gamma-ray line emission at 2.2 MeV from all GOES X-class flares observed with BATSE.

Schwartz, R. A.↗

A Spitzer Survey for Dust in Type IIn Supernovae

Recent observations suggest that Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) may exhibit late-time (>100 days) infrared (IR) emission from warm dust more than other types of core-collapse SNe. Mid-IR observations, which span the peak of the thermal spectral energy distribution, provide useful constraints on the properties of the dust and, ultimately, the circumstellar environment, explosion mechanism, and progenitor system. Due to the low Type IIn rate (<10% of all core-collapse SNe), few IR observations exist for this subclass. The handful of isolated studies, however, show late-time IR emission from warm dust that, in some cases, extends for five or six years post-discovery. vVhile previous Spitzer/IRAC surveys have searched for dust in SNe, none have targeted the Type IIn subclass. This article presents results from a warm Spitzer/IRAC survey of the positions of all 68 known SNe IIn within a distance of 250 Mpc between 1999 and 2008 that have remained unobserved by Spitzer more than 100 days post-discovery. The detection of late-time emission from ten targets (approx. 15 %) nearly doubles the database of existing mid-IR observations of SNe IIn. Although optical spectra show evidence for new dust formation in some cases, the data show that in most cases the likely origin of the mid-IR emission is pre-existing dust, which is continuously heated by optical emission generated by ongoing circumstellar interaction between the forward shock and circumstellar medium. Furthermore, an emerging trend suggests these SNe "turn off" at " approx. 1000-2000 days post-discovery once the forward shock overruns the dust shell. The mass-loss rates associated with these dust shells are consistent with luminous blue variable (LBV) progenitors having similar mass-loss histories.

Fox, Ori D.↗

Lunar Navigation Determination System - LaNDS

A portable comprehensive navigational system has been developed that both robotic and human explorers can use to determine their location, attitude, and heading anywhere on the lunar surface independent of external infrastructure (needs no Lunar satellite network, line of sight to the Sun or Earth, etc.). The system combines robust processing power with an extensive topographical database to create a real-time atlas (GIS Geospatial Information System) that is able to autonomously control and monitor both single unmanned rovers and fleets of rovers, as well as science payload stations. The system includes provisions for teleoperation and tele-presence. The system accepts (but does not require) inputs from a wide range of sensors. A means was needed to establish a location when the search is taken deep in a crater (looking for water ice) and out of view of Earth or any other references. A star camera can be employed to determine the user's attitude in menial space and stellar map in body space. A local nadir reference (e.g., an accelerometer that orients the nadir vector in body space) can be used in conjunction with a digital ephemeris and gravity model of the Moon to isolate the latitude, longitude, and azimuth of the user on the surface. That information can be used in conjunction with a Lunar GIS and advanced navigation planning algorithms to aid astronauts (or other assets) to navigate on the Lunar surface.

Quinn, David↗

Rocket Propulsion Test Design and Analysis

As the small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) market grows and NASA continues to prepare for upcoming missions in the Artemis program, John C. Stennis Space Center’s (SSC) testing facilities must adapt to the increasing demand in liquid rocket engine testing. The Rocket Propulsion Test Design and Analysis Project for this rotation focused in both of this areas through two separate subprojects, the creation of a Private Rocket Engine Database and the automatization of the A1-Set Point Prediction Model. To identify the testing requirements of future Stennis Space Center (SSC) costumers, an excel spread sheet was commissioned as a database to collect technical and non-technical features of over one hundred privately developed liquid and hybrid rocket engine. Similarly, The A-1 Set Point Sheet Model is used to satisfy Aerojet Rocketdyne’s testing requirements of Net Positive Suction Pressure (NPSP) for the RS-25 staged combustion cycle engine. To expand the capabilities of this prediction model, a feed back loop was programmed to automate the search of setpoints using Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

John Paul Ortiz↗

(abstract) Deep Space Network Radiometric Remote Sensing Program

Planetary spacecraft are viewed through a troposphere that absorbs and delays radio signals propagating through it. Tropospheric water, in the form of vapor, cloud liquid,and precipitation , emits radio noise which limits satellite telemetry communication link performance. Even at X-band, rain storms have severely affected several satellite experiments including a planetary encounter. The problem will worsen with DSN implementation of Ka-band becausecommunication link budgets will be dominated by tropospheric conditions. Troposphere-induced propagation delays currently limit VLBI accuracy and are significant sources of error for Doppler tracking. Additionally, the success of radio science programs such as satellite gravity wave experiments and atmospheric occultation experiments depends on minimizing the effect of watervapor-induced prop agation delays. In order to overcome limitations imposed by the troposphere, the Deep Space Network has supported a program of radiometric remote sensing. Currently, water vapor radiometers (WVRs) and microwave temperature profilers (MTPs) support many aspects of the Deep Space Network operations and research and development programs. Their capability to sense atmospheric water, microwave sky brightness, and atmospheric temperature is critical to development of Ka-band telemetry systems, communication link models, VLBI, satellite gravity waveexperiments, and r adio science missions. During 1993, WVRs provided data for propagation mode development, supp orted planetary missions, and demonstrated advanced tracking capability. Collection of atmospheric statistics is necessary to model and predict performance of Ka-band telemetry links, antenna arrays, and radio science experiments. Since the spectrum of weather variations has power at very long time scales, atmospheric measurements have been requested for periods ranging from one year to a decade at each DSN site. The resulting database would provide reliable statistics on daily, monthly, and seasonal variations. Only long-term monitoring will prevent biases from being introduced by an exceptionally wet or dry year. Support for planetary missions included tropospheric calibration for the recent Mars Observer gravity wave experiments and Ka-band link experiment (KaBLE). Additionally, several proposed radio science experiments such as profiling planetary atmospheres using satellite occultations and Ka-band gravitational wave searches require advanced radiometer technology development. Finally, there has been a consistent advanced technology program to advance satellite navigational and tracking capabilities. This year that included an experiment with radiometer based tropospheric calibration for a series of VLBI catalog measurements.

microwave propagation Ka-band weather variations r↗

Deep Space Network Radiometric Remote Sensing Program

Planetary spacecraft are viewed through a troposphere that absorbs and delays radio signals propagating through it. Tropospheric water, in the form of vapor, cloud liquid, and precipitation, emits radio noise which limits satellite telemetry communication link performance. Even at X-band, rain storms have severely affected several satellite experiments including a planetary encounter. The problem will worsen with DSN implementation of Ka-band because communication link budgets will be dominated by tropospheric conditions. Troposphere-induced propagation delays currently limit VLBI accuracy and are significant sources of error for Doppler tracking. Additionally, the success of radio science programs such as satellite gravity wave experiments and atmospheric occultation experiments depends on minimizing the effect of water vapor-induced propagation delays. In order to overcome limitations imposed by the troposphere, the Deep Space Network has supported a program of radiometric remote sensing. Currently, water vapor radiometers (WVRs) and microwave temperature profilers (MTPs) support many aspects of the Deep Space Network operations and research and development programs. Their capability to sense atmospheric water, microwave sky brightness, and atmospheric temperature is critical to development of Ka-band telemetry systems, communication link models, VLBI, satellite gravity wave experiments, and radio science missions. During 1993, WVRs provided data for propagation model development, supported planetary missions, and demonstrated advanced tracking capability. Collection of atmospheric statistics is necessary to model and predict performance of Ka-band telemetry links, antenna arrays, and radio science experiments. Since the spectrum of weather variations has power at very long time scales, atmospheric measurements have been requested for periods ranging from one year to a decade at each DSN site. The resulting database would provide reliable statistics on daily, monthly, and seasonal variations. Only long-term monitoring will prevent biases from being introduced by an exceptionally wet or dry year. Support for planetary missions included tropospheric calibration for the recent Mars Observer gravity wave experiments and Ka-band link experiment (KaBLE). Additionally, several proposed radio science experiments such as profiling planetary atmospheres using satellite occultations and Ka-band gravitational wave searches require advanced radiometer technology development. Finally, there has been a consistent advanced technology program to advance satellite navigational and tracking capabilities. This year that included an experiment with radiometer based tropospheric calibration for a series of VLBI catalog measurements.

tropospheric calibration atmospheric water radio s↗

Usage-Based Discovery of Earth Observations

Most providers of Earth Observation data enable search via dataset characteristics, (e.g., quantity being measured, instrument, location, and time). However, the Earth Science Information Partners Federation (ESIP) is attempting to improve dataset discovery by capturing information on how datasets are used. At a usage-based discovery hackfest at the July 2020 ESIP Summer Meeting, participants pooled their collective skills to implement a prototype based on the connections between datasets and data usage, which can reveal unanticipated patterns in dataset connectivity that are not apparent through traditional approaches. A survey of natural hazards websites, focusing on hydrology-related hazards such as floods and hydrology datasets such as rainfall, illustrated the difficulty of gleaning which dataset was actually used and how it was accessed. This difficulty highlights the need for greater transparency on dataset usage in website design. An application wireframe for a usage-based discovery database was conceptualized as a tool to help applications data specialists rapidly assemble a fit-for-purpose website as part of a disaster response, where customer feedback was integral to the manner in which the website would be developed and delivered. Capturing connections among datasets and instances of usage, either for research or applications, could help users identify datasets with a proven track record of utility or those that have been supplanted by more accurate and(or) precise representations. It may also help Earth Observation providers maximize returns on investments in data services. Social discovery, i.e, following discovery paths laid down by previous users of the data, could be a critical tool for improving the timeliness and applicability of dataset delivery at times and in circumstances where practitioners don’t have the capacity to evaluate the deluge of datasets that are returned by today’s search tools.

search↗