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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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Sandia Toolkit Manual (V.5.21.1)

This report provides documentation for the Sandia Toolkit (STK) modules. STK modules are intended to provide infrastructure that assists the development of computational engineering software such as finite-element analysis applications. STK includes modules for unstructured-mesh data structures, reading/writing mesh files, geometric proximity search, transfers, MPMD coupling support, and various other utilities. This document contains a chapter for each module, and each chapter contains overview descriptions and usage examples. Usage examples are primarily code listings which are generated from working test programs that are included in the STK code-base. A goal of this approach is to ensure that the usage examples will not fall out of date.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Sandia Toolkit Manual Version 5.15.6

This report provides documentation for the Sandia Toolkit (STK) modules. STK modules are intended to provide infrastructure that assists the development of computational engineering software such as finite-element analysis applications. STK includes modules for unstructured-mesh data structures, reading/writing mesh files, geometric proximity search, and various utilities. This document contains a chapter for each module, and each chapter contains overview descriptions and usage examples. Usage examples are primarily code listings which are generated from working test programs that are included in the STK code-base. A goal of this approach is to ensure that the usage examples will not fall out of date.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

An investigation of using an RQP based method to calculate parameter sensitivity derivatives

Estimation of the sensitivity of problem functions with respect to problem variables forms the basis for many of our modern day algorithms for engineering optimization. The most common application of problem sensitivities has been in the calculation of objective function and constraint partial derivatives for determining search directions and optimality conditions. A second form of sensitivity analysis, parameter sensitivity, has also become an important topic in recent years. By parameter sensitivity, researchers refer to the estimation of changes in the modeling functions and current design point due to small changes in the fixed parameters of the formulation. Methods for calculating these derivatives have been proposed by several authors (Armacost and Fiacco 1974, Sobieski et al 1981, Schmit and Chang 1984, and Vanderplaats and Yoshida 1985). Two drawbacks to estimating parameter sensitivities by current methods have been: (1) the need for second order information about the Lagrangian at the current point, and (2) the estimates assume no change in the active set of constraints. The first of these two problems is addressed here and a new algorithm is proposed that does not require explicit calculation of second order information.

Beltracchi, Todd J.↗

Vortex Generators in a Streamline-Traced, External-Compression Supersonic Inlet

Vortex generators within a streamline-traced, external-compression supersonic inlet for Mach 1.66 were investigated to determine their ability to increase total pressure recovery and reduce total pressure distortion. The vortex generators studied were rectangular vanes arranged in counter-rotating and co-rotating arrays. The vane geometric factors of interest included height, length, spacing, angle-of-incidence, and positions upstream and downstream of the inlet terminal shock. The flow through the inlet was simulated numerically through the solution of the steady-state, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations on multi-block, structured grids using the Wind-US flow solver. The vanes were simulated using a vortex generator model. The inlet performance was characterized by the inlet total pressure recovery and the radial and circumferential total pressure distortion indices at the engine face. Design of experiments and statistical analysis methods were applied to quantify the effect of the geometric factors of the vanes and search for optimal vane arrays. Co-rotating vane arrays with negative angles-of-incidence positioned on the supersonic diffuser were effective in sweeping low-momentum flow from the top toward the sides of the subsonic diffuser. This distributed the low-momentum flow more evenly about the circumference of the subsonic diffuser and reduced distortion. Co-rotating vane arrays with negative angles-of-incidence or counter-rotating vane arrays positioned downstream of the terminal shock were effective in mixing higher-momentum flow with lower-momentum flow to increase recovery and decrease distortion. A strategy of combining a co-rotating vane array on the supersonic diffuser with a counter-rotating vane array on the subsonic diffuser was effective in increasing recovery and reducing distortion.

computational fluid dynamics↗

Impact of Emerging Computing Architectures and Opportunities for Process Systems Engineering Applications

Moore’s “law” was the observation that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubled approximately every two years. This trend has distinctly failed to hold in recent years. The death of Moore’s law has left researchers and practitioners in the computational sciences searching for technologies to provide the speedups formerly supported by Moore’s law. Previously overlooked chip architectures and other computing technologies are now receiving more development resources. Critically, these technologies are gaining more mature software support, opening their adoption by researchers in algorithms and applications. In this article, we review some of these computing technologies, their relationship with various algorithms and applications, and their potential benefits (or pitfalls). We close with recommendations for future work by the process systems engineering community specifically.

Emerging hardware↗

The Enceladus Orbilander Mission Concept: Balancing Return and Resources in the Search for Life

Enceladus’s long-lived plume of ice grains and water vapor makes accessing oceanic material readily achievable from orbit (around Saturn or Enceladus) and from the moon’s surface. In preparation for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine 2023–2032 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey, we investigated four architectures capable of collecting and analyzing plume material from orbit and/or on the surface to address the most pressing questions at Enceladus: Is the subsurface ocean inhabited? Why, or why not? Trades specific to these four architectures were studied to allow an evaluation of the science return with respect to investment. The team found that Orbilander, a mission concept that would first orbit and then land on Enceladus, represented the best balance. Orbilander was thus studied at a higher fidelity, including a more detailed science operations plan during both orbital and landed phases, landing site characterization and selection analyses, and landing procedures. The Orbilander mission concept demonstrates that scientifically compelling but resource-conscious Flagship-class missions can be executed in the next decade to search for life at Enceladus.

Shannon M. MacKenzie↗

Solving Large‐Scale Linear Systems of Equations by a Quantum Hybrid Algorithm

Abstract Today's intermediate‐scale quantum computers, although imperfect, already perform computational tasks that are manifestly beyond the capabilities of modern classical supercomputers. However, so far, quantum‐enabled large‐scale solutions have been realized only for limited set of problems. Here a hybrid algorithm based on phase estimation and classical optimization of the circuit width and depth is employed for solving a specific class of large linear systems of equations ubiquitous to many areas of science and engineering. A classification of linear systems based on the entanglement properties of the associated phase‐estimation unitary operation is introduced, enabling a highly efficient search for solutions that is facilitated by a straightforward matrix‐to‐circuit map. A 2 17 ‐dimensional problem is implemented on several IBM quantum computer superconducting quantum processors, a record‐breaking result for a linear system solved by a quantum computer. Demonstrated realisation sets a clear benchmark in the quest for the future quantum speedup in the linear systems of equations solution.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Crystallographic characterization of a tri-Asp metal-binding site at the three-fold symmetry axis of LarE

Detailed crystallographic characterization of a tri-aspartate metal-binding site previously identified on the three-fold symmetry axis of a hexameric enzyme, LarE from Lactobacillus plantarum, was conducted. By screening an array of monovalent, divalent, and trivalent metal ions, we demonstrated that this metal binding site stoichiometrically binds Ca 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Cd 2+ , but not monovalent metal ions, Cr 3+ , Mg 2+ , Y 3+ , Sr 2+ or Ba 2+ . Extensive database searches resulted in only 13 similar metal binding sites in other proteins, indicative of the rareness of tri-aspartate architectures, which allows for engineering such a selective multivalent metal ion binding site into target macromolecules for structural and biophysical characterization.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Covariance Shaping Over Riemannian Manifolds for Massive MIMO Communication

Acquiring accurate instantaneous channel state information (CSI) is a challenging aspect of massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) communication. Utilizing statistical information, such as channel covariance matrix, to design statistical beamforming vectors is robust when compared to instantaneous CSI. In this paper, we propose a novel MIMO covariance shaping scheme over Riemannian manifolds. It serves as an effective statistical beamforming solution to a number of close proximity user equipment (UE) that are undergoing substantial channel correlation. Proposed algorithm exploits the Hermitian positive definite nature of covariance matrices lying over Riemannian manifold. We introduce Wasserstein distance function as a Riemannian metric to measure distances between channel covariance matrices. Furthermore, K-means clustering technique is utilized to effectively identify the optimal shape of effective optimal covariance matrices. Our findings suggest that maximizing the geodesic distance between covariance matrices ultimately leads to a corresponding increase in the network throughput, as determined by the beamforming vector used to shape the covariance matrices. Simulation results validate that the proposed solution converges faster than Euclidean-based state-of-the-art, while maintaining the same computational complexity. Finally, the sum rate performance asymptotically achieves full capacity for two-UE case and more than 96% of the upper bound exhaustive search benchmark for multi-UE scenario.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Experimental High Energy Physics at the University of Illinois

This research effort funded by the Office of High Energy Physics in the U.S. Department of Energy is aimed at exploring our universe at its most basic level. The goal of our effort is to learn more about how and why nature behaves the way it does. Within this effort, we are studying the smallest particles and the largest distances we can possibly observe. Our work in particular focuses on the search for new interactions that will help us understand how the universe came into being. Through this work, we collaborate with other scientists and engineers to develop new technologies that can be utilized throughout society. Benefits from our research include advances in medical technology, electronics, transportation, sustainability, information and computing as well as the advanced training of undergraduate and graduate students in science and engineering.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Mariner Mars 1971 attitude control subsystem

The Mariner Mars 1971 attitude control subsystem (ACS) is discussed. It is comprised of a sun sensor set, a Canopus tracker, an inertial reference unit, two cold gas reaction control assemblies, two rocket engine gimbal actuators, and an attitude control electronics unit. The subsystem has the following eight operating modes: (1) launch, (2) sun acquisition, (3) roll search, (4) celestial cruise, (5) all-axes inertial, (6) roll inertial, (7) commanded turn, and (8) thrust vector control. In the celestial cruise mode, the position control is held to plus or minus 0.25 deg. Commanded turn rates are plus or minus 0.18 deg/s. The attitude control logic in conjunction with command inputs from other spacecraft subsystems establishes the ACS operating mode. The logic utilizes Sun and Canopus acquisition signals generated within the ACS to perform automatic mode switching so that dependence of ground control is minimized when operating in the sun acquisition, roll search, and celestial cruise modes. The total ACS weight is 65.7 lb, and includes 5.4 lb of nitrogen gas. Total power requirements vary from 9 W for the celestial cruise mode to 54 W for the commanded turn mode.

Edmunds, R. S.↗

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

This publication, one of a series formerly titled The Deep Space Network (DSN) Progress Report, documents DSN progress in flight project support, tracking and data acquisition research and technology, network engineering, hardware and software implementation, and operations. In addition, developments in Earth-based radio technology as applied to geodynamics, astrophysics, and the radio search for extraterrestrial intelligence are reported.

Posner, E. C.↗

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

This publication, one of a series formerly titled The Deep Space Network Progress Report, documents DSN progress in flight project support, tracking and data acquisition research and technology, network engineering, hardware and software implementation, and operations. In addition, developments in Earth-based radio technology as applied to geodynamics, astrophysics and the radio search for extraterrestrial intelligence are reported.

Posner, E. C.↗

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

This publication, one of a series formerly titled The Deep Space Network Progress Report, documents DSN progress in flight project support, tracking and data acquisition research and technology, network engineering, hardware and software implementation, and operations. In addition, developments in earth-based radio technology as applied to geodynamics, astrophysics, and the radio search for extraterrestrial intelligence are reported.

Posner, E. C.↗

Knowledge-based reusable software synthesis system

The Eli system, a knowledge-based reusable software synthesis system, is being developed for NASA Langley under a Phase 2 SBIR contract. Named after Eli Whitney, the inventor of interchangeable parts, Eli assists engineers of large-scale software systems in reusing components while they are composing their software specifications or designs. Eli will identify reuse potential, search for components, select component variants, and synthesize components into the developer's specifications. The Eli project began as a Phase 1 SBIR to define a reusable software synthesis methodology that integrates reusabilityinto the top-down development process and to develop an approach for an expert system to promote and accomplish reuse. The objectives of the Eli Phase 2 work are to integrate advanced technologies to automate the development of reusable components within the context of large system developments, to integrate with user development methodologies without significant changes in method or learning of special languages, and to make reuse the easiest operation to perform. Eli will try to address a number of reuse problems including developing software with reusable components, managing reusable components, identifying reusable components, and transitioning reuse technology. Eli is both a library facility for classifying, storing, and retrieving reusable components and a design environment that emphasizes, encourages, and supports reuse.

Donaldson, Cammie↗

Parallel processing for scientific computations

The main contribution of the effort in the last two years is the introduction of the MOPPS system. After doing extensive literature search, we introduced the system which is described next. MOPPS employs a new solution to the problem of managing programs which solve scientific and engineering applications on a distributed processing environment. Autonomous computers cooperate efficiently in solving large scientific problems with this solution. MOPPS has the advantage of not assuming the presence of any particular network topology or configuration, computer architecture, or operating system. It imposes little overhead on network and processor resources while efficiently managing programs concurrently. The core of MOPPS is an intelligent program manager that builds a knowledge base of the execution performance of the parallel programs it is managing under various conditions. The manager applies this knowledge to improve the performance of future runs. The program manager learns from experience.

Alkhatib, Hasan S.↗

TRENDS: A flight test relational database user's guide and reference manual

This report is designed to be a user's guide and reference manual for users intending to access rotocraft test data via TRENDS, the relational database system which was developed as a tool for the aeronautical engineer with no programming background. This report has been written to assist novice and experienced TRENDS users. TRENDS is a complete system for retrieving, searching, and analyzing both numerical and narrative data, and for displaying time history and statistical data in graphical and numerical formats. This manual provides a 'guided tour' and a 'user's guide' for the new and intermediate-skilled users. Examples for the use of each menu item within TRENDS is provided in the Menu Reference section of the manual, including full coverage for TIMEHIST, one of the key tools. This manual is written around the XV-15 Tilt Rotor database, but does include an appendix on the UH-60 Blackhawk database. This user's guide and reference manual establishes a referrable source for the research community and augments NASA TM-101025, TRENDS: The Aeronautical Post-Test, Database Management System, Jan. 1990, written by the same authors.

Bondi, M. J.↗

Pattern Recognition for a Flight Dynamics Monte Carlo Simulation

The design, analysis, and verification and validation of a spacecraft relies heavily on Monte Carlo simulations. Modern computational techniques are able to generate large amounts of Monte Carlo data but flight dynamics engineers lack the time and resources to analyze it all. The growing amounts of data combined with the diminished available time of engineers motivates the need to automate the analysis process. Pattern recognition algorithms are an innovative way of analyzing flight dynamics data efficiently. They can search large data sets for specific patterns and highlight critical variables so analysts can focus their analysis efforts. This work combines a few tractable pattern recognition algorithms with basic flight dynamics concepts to build a practical analysis tool for Monte Carlo simulations. Current results show that this tool can quickly and automatically identify individual design parameters, and most importantly, specific combinations of parameters that should be avoided in order to prevent specific system failures. The current version uses a kernel density estimation algorithm and a sequential feature selection algorithm combined with a k-nearest neighbor classifier to find and rank important design parameters. This provides an increased level of confidence in the analysis and saves a significant amount of time.

Restrepo, Carolina↗