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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

3DBFSVBF (3D BatFinder Smart Video BioFilter and Multi-class BatFinder Smart Video BioFilter) [SWR-22-88]

Bats are notoriously difficult to study, therefore, identifying specific behavioral trends and the precise environmental conditions at the time of collision requires a monitoring solution that can reliably collect relevant data. To date, thermal infrared video surveillance has been extensively applied to study bats and has proven to be a powerful yet cumbersome tool. Current analytical approaches are time consuming because data processing data has not been fully automated. In the past, steps have been taken to record avian and bat activity in conjunction with complicated image processing techniques that separate species from other moving objects within the field of view (i.e. clouds and portions of the wind turbine). Once the videos are collected, the post-processing does not allow real time monitoring and identification, leading to a delay in both studying the behavior of these species and determining the effectiveness of any impact reduction strategy being studied. Moreover, object identification capability is lacking, thus limiting the usefulness of video data. To resolve these issues, we are using open source 3D computer vision and machine learning techniques allowing for automatic detection of objects in real-time with the ability to correlate these objects with environmental variables and recording the flight paths of each object. The machine learning has been trained on 3D data and allows for automated real-time data collection, identification and tracking, thereby eliminating the need for long and tedious post-analysis processing of the videos. This machine learning model is an added feature to the previous BatFinder Smart Video BioFilter and increases the accuracy of that systems classification by increasing the accuracy of identifying bats (90% accuracy) and insects (69% accuracy) to a 97% accuracy. There are two object classifier machine learning models, Binary and multi-classification. Binary object classifier labeled BatFinder_Smart_Video_BioFilter.h5 distinguishes between biological objects and non-biological objects. The main goal of this object classifier is to ignore the turbine blades while detecting biological object flying withing the rotor swept area of the turbine. Non-biological objects have a probability of 0 and biological objects have a probability of 1. Multi-classifier labeled Multiclass_BatFinder_Smart_Video_BioFilter.h5 distinguishes between bats, birds, insects and non-biological.

Yarbrough, John↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the determination and investigation of the terrestrial ionospheric refractive indices using GEOS-3/ATS-6 satellite-to-satellite tracking data

When the radio link between two satellites (GEOS-3/ATS-6) is intercepted by the earth's ionosphere and neutral atmosphere, a change in the Doppler frequency results. Travel through the atmosphere causes the Doppler phase to be advanced in the ionosphere's portion and retarded in the neutral portion of the atmosphere. Analysis of the shortening and lengthening of the phase of the Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking (SST) data that passed within 40-700 km above the earth's surface during its ATS-6 to GEOS-3 to ATS-6 path, caused by the atmosphere, results in refractivity versus height profiles. The SST Doppler data were used directly to adjust the GEOS-3 orbit. Perturbation from the Moon, Sun and a 15th order/degree earth gravity field were included in the orbit solution. This orbit was continued through the occultation period and a model ionosphere was estimated by a least-square adjustment of the Chapman ionosphere parameters from the SST data residuals. The refractivity profile obtained by this model ionosphere was compared to a refractivity profile obtained by a direct integral inversion of the SST data residuals. Systematic differences between the 2 methods were caused by orbital errors, which propagated into the solution. The SST data yielded refractive index profiles in a novel economical manner because no additional or special on-board equipment were required.

Liu, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Topographic slope from the SAR interferometric phase gradient

A new algorithm for the direct calculation of topographic slope maps from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferograms is presented. The algorithm derives slope maps without first requiring the creation of a digital elevational model (DEM) from the interferogram, thus obviating the need for high SNR in the interferogram and altitude calibration points for the scene. SAR data useful for interferometry has been collected by the Active Microwave Imager on board the ERS-1 satellite, when it was in a short period repeat orbit. Two passes of the radar sensor form a cross-track interferometric baseline. For a point target at some position (x,y,h), the interferometric phase difference phi is proportional to the difference in path lengths for the two sensor positions to the scatterer. Given the phase difference as measured in the complex interferogram and an accurate baseline geometry, the position of the scatterer, most significantly the height h, can be determined through triangulation. The interferometric phase measurement however is known only modulo 2-pi, and hence it is necessary to determine the correct multiple of 2-pi to add to the phase at each point to obtain an estimate of the actual phase with respect to an absolute datum. This phase unwrapping process is required for creating DEM's, and is difficult or impossible for regions of low SNR or SAR image layover. The new algorithm described here derives slope maps without requiring phase unwrapping.

Werner, Charles L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A Cloud Hydrology and Albedo Synthesis Mission (CHASM)

This slide presentation reviews the Cloud Hydrology and Albedo Synthesis Mission (CHASM). The interaction of clouds with radiation and the hydrological cycle represents a huge uncertainty in our understanding of climate science and the modeling of climate system feedbacks. Despite the recognized need for a unified treatment of cloud processes, the present global average values of remotely sensed cloud liquid water and theoretically accepted values used for cloud physics and precipitation modeling differ by an order of magnitude. This is due in part to sampling and saturation effects, as well as to threedimensional cloud structure effects. In recent work with the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) on Terra, we have gained new insights as to how the remote sensing approach could be significantly improved using a new instrument that combines passive optical (visible and near infrared) and microwave measurements, both as pushbroom scanners with multiple viewing angles, to the degree that measurements of liquid water path over deep convective clouds over land also become possible. This instrument would also have the ability of measuring height-resolved cloud-tracked winds using a hyper stereo retrieval technique. Deployment into a precessing low earth orbit would be optimal for measuring diurnal cloud activity. We have explored an instrument design concept for this that looks promising if we can establish partnerships that provide launch and bus capabilities.

hydrology↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Vertical Lunar Regolith Conveying as a Flight Experiment in Simulated Lunar-Gravity

Regolith conveying will be an essential task for supplying regolith feedstock to In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) reactor systems for regolith processing on the Moon and Mars. The Vertical Lunar Regolith Conveyor (VLRC) is a technology being developed at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as a regolith transport task for the GCD ISRU FLEET project led by NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Single test loop versions of the VLRC are being developed at NASA KSC as a technology demonstration for a flight experiment. The NASA Flight Opportunities program selected the VLRC for a technology demonstration opportunity on a future Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle to study regolith transport physics in a relevant environment in a vacuum chamber under simulated lunar gravity conditions in order to advance its technology readiness level (TRL) for future space applications. The VLRC system includes four primary subsystems to achieve the objectives of the lunar gravity (Lunar-G) flight experiment. (1) An eccentric vibratory conveyor stack to convey regolith particles consisting of three single-loop helical surface conveyors with each actuated by two vibratory motors that vibrate in unison. One of the three single-loops contains a 0.8°-3.1° inclined helical path and the other two contain a 1.6°-6.2° incline. (2) A stick-slip conveyor stack to convey regolith particles consisting of three single-loop helical surface conveyors with each actuated by the same motor to move in unison in a stick-slip motion. One of the three single-loops contains a 0.8°-3.1° inclined helical path and the other two contain a 1.6°-6.2° incline. (3) A regolith containment system to contain the regolith in each single-loop track during launch before the start of the experiment using containment caps that will be lifted in unison at the start of Lunar-G. (4) COTS cameras will record the motion of regolith and tracer particles. Post-flight analysis of the videos will be used to determine convey speeds and flow rates. The VLRC experiment will use the well-known technique of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) image analysis to determine the velocity of tracer particles entrained in the regolith flow. This velocity will be used to calculate the mass flow rate of the regolith being conveyed.

ISRU↗
NASA NTRS2012

An Analysis of Operational Total Lightning Data During Long-Track Tornadoes

The 27 April 2011 tornado outbreak brought three distinct waves of tornadic thunderstorms to portions of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia, striking the Tennessee Valley of north Alabama and southern Tennessee particularly hard. A total of 42 tornado paths were surveyed across the fourteen county area covered by the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Huntsville, Alabama. Ten of these tornadoes were on the ground for at least 20 miles, two had total path lengths over 130 miles, and six tornadoes were classified as violent (EF-4 or EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale). Many of these tornadoes occurred within the domain of the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (NALMA), a ground-based total lightning detection network owned and operated by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Since 2003, the NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center has supplied data from NALMA in real time to NWS forecast offices in Huntsville, Knoxville/Tri-Cities, Birmingham, and Nashville. Previous research has documented the utility of total lightning information in predicting tornadogenesis, particularly when combined with other remote sensing tools. Basic warning decision-making during events such as 27 April is not the most difficult part of the process; instead, the focus of warning meteorologists shifts to looking for changes in intensity or possible particularly dangerous situations, since doppler radar velocity data often cannot distinguish between weak and strong tornadoes. To that end, this research attempts to determine if any correlation exists between flash densities of the longest-tracked tornadoes over time, and the surveyed wind speeds of the tornadoes. The long-track EF-5 tornado which struck the Hackleburg, Phil Campbell, and Tanner communities in north Alabama was the primary focus of this research due to its intensity and extended life cycle. However, not all tornadoes were available for total lightning analysis due to widespread power outages which negatively affected the detection efficiency and operation of the NALMA. Therefore, additional storms from 2008-2010 with tracks of at least 20 miles were analyzed for comparison purposes.

Carcione, Brian C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Meteorological data along the Vega 1, 2 float paths

The Vega balloons transmitted in situ measurements of pressure, temperature, vertical wind velocity relative to the balloon craft, cloud-particle backscatter coefficient, and ambient light level in the Venus middle cloud layer. Doppler tracking has yielded estimates for the velocities of atmospheric motion.

Sagdeev, R. Z.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Path following using visual odometry for Mars Rover in high-slip environments.

An architecture for autonomous operation of Mars rovers in high slip environments has been designed, implemented, and tested. This architecture is composed of several key technologies that enable the rover to accurately follow a designated path, compensate for slippage, and reach intended goals independent of the terrain over which it is traversing (within the mechanical constraints of the mobility system). These technologies include: visual odometry, full vehicle kinematics, a Kalman filter, and a slop compensation/path follower. Visual odometry tracks distinctive scene features in stereo imagery to estimate rover motion between successively acquired stereo image pairs using a maximum likelihood motion estimation algorithm. The full vehicle kinematics for a rocker-bogie suspension system estimates motion, with a no-slip assumption, by measuring wheel, rates, and rocker, bogie, and steering angles. The Kalman filter merges data from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and visual odometry. This merged estimate is then compared to the kinematic estimate to determining (tracking into account estimate uncertainties) if and how much slippage has occurred then a slip vector is calculated by differencing the current Kalman filter estimate from the kinematic estimate. This slip vector is then used, in conjunction with the inverse kinematics, to determine the necessary wheel velocities and steering angles to compensate for slip and follow the desired path.

Roumeliotis, Stergios I.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Automated Inspection of Criticality Control Overpacks for Surplus Plutonium Disposition: Qualification Update – 25313

In an effort to reduce the amount of nuclear waste in South Carolina, the Department of Energy (DOE) tasked the Savannah River Site (SRS) with diluting and disposing of the amount of plutonium in the state. This process involves the movement and shipment of over 100,000 criticality control overpacks (CCOs) throughout the project lifespan, lending itself to the use of automation to reduce worker radiation exposure and more efficiently utilize human capital. Due to the large scope, this overarching process was broken down into several different “automation projects” to be developed. The first opportunity pursued was the receipt and inspection of empty CCO drums coming into SRS, identified as Automation Project 1 (AP1), and is the focus of this paper. AP1 was developed to unpack incoming CCOs and inspect them for unwanted foreign objects and any damage to the drum or its contents. This process is accomplished by the combination of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) that delivers CCOs to a robotic arm which uses a suite of custom tools to disassemble a CCO, inspect the inside and outside of the CCO and its inner criticality control container (CCC), reassemble the CCC and CCO, and apply a tamper indicating device (TID) to the inspected drum. In past years, the robotic work cell had been developed in a small-scale testing facility for proof-of-concept. This year, major improvements were made to the robotic work cell to perform the process, including integration into the final facility where CCOs will be inspected. Other technical improvements include the implementation of sensor feedback and safety relays into the control system to allow the state of the work cell to be better tracked, and additional development of the TID application process to complete the robotic inspection. Further enhancements were made to the robotic vision processes and robot pathing, as well as development on a computer vision inspection process to detect inspection criteria anomalies in CCOs. In addition to developmental improvements, the work cell underwent a six-month testing period to ensure the project requirements were met. Results of this testing period demonstrate the work cell’s capability to meet project throughput goals at an acceptable level, successfully document the status of each CCO inspected, and reduce the toll on technical operations’ human power by two thirds. At the time of this paper, the work cell is capable of autonomously handling up to eight CCOs with an AGV, delivering CCOs to and from the robot work cell, and having a robotic arm perform a full receipt and inspection procedure on each CCO. Moving forward, repeatability will be improved so that these CCOs can be run back-to-back seamlessly, as well as improving the system to handle more significant edge cases and failure modes.

Spivey, Nicholas↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exact signed distance fields using parallel Fast Sweeping Method

Signed distance fields are often used in multiphysics simulations to track material interfaces. We present a simple methodology based on the fast sweeping method to generate the exact signed distance from triangular meshes and linear paths on Cartesian grids. The methodology propagates the closest primitive to the boundary to the rest of the domain following the characteristics. A local upwind criterion is used to decide between the new and existing closest primitive at each grid point while capturing the correct sign of the global function. The methodology has optimal computational complexity and runs efficiently in distributed-memory architectures. We include 2D and 3D test cases along with a resolution study up to 0.512 trillion zones and 1,000 computer cores. The solution strategy can also be applied to other types of meshes or collections of primitives.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1975

Studies of uncontrolled air traffic patterns, phase 1

The general aviation air traffic flow patterns at uncontrolled airports are investigated and analyzed and traffic pattern concepts are developed to minimize the midair collision hazard in uncontrolled airspace. An analytical approach to evaluate midair collision hazard probability as a function of traffic densities is established which is basically independent of path structure. Two methods of generating space-time interrelationships between terminal area aircraft are presented; one is a deterministic model to generate pseudorandom aircraft tracks, the other is a statistical model in preliminary form. Some hazard measures are presented for selected traffic densities. It is concluded that the probability of encountering a hazard should be minimized independently of any other considerations and that the number of encounters involving visible-avoidable aircraft should be maximized at the expense of encounters in other categories.

Baxa, E. G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Measurement of ocean surface currents by synthetic aperture radar

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a coherent imaging device which uses the Doppler-induced phase changes of the received signals to locate scatterers in the along-track direction. In principle, the recorded data can be analyzed to obtain the radial velocity of moving objects in the scene relative to the flight path of the SAR platform. The application of this concept for measuring ocean surface currents has been evaluated using data from SAR systems mounted in aircraft and spacecraft platforms. This paper describes the results of these experiments and summarizes the limitations of the technique using existing SAR systems. Considerations involved in the design of optimum systems for this application are also discussed.

Lyzenga, D. R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessment of HAB Particulate Tracing in EMU Helmet in Support of Eva 80

After water was reported in the EMU helmet during ISS US EVA-80, mitigation strategies were created to attempt to arrest the motion of any droplets that enter the helmet for future Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). This included adding absorbent materials into the interior of the helmet. But before a mitigation strategy can be implemented, it must first be proven to be safe. Towards this aim, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was done tracing the paths of particulates potentially generated by the absorbent material. The objective was to characterize the risk these particulates pose for inspiration and eye irritation by tracking what percentage of particulates contact the suit-wearer’s face, eyes, or mouth. The model consisted of a human mannikin head and torso inside the EMU suit and helmet. The software used was ANSYS Fluent, with discrete phase modeling enabled to generate and track the particulates within the ventilation flow of the helmet.

Abigail Rose Baukus↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessment of HAB Particulate Tracing in EMU Helmet in Support of Eva 80

After water was reported in the EMU helmet during ISS US EVA-80, mitigation strategies were created to attempt to arrest the motion of any droplets that enter the helmet for future Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). This included adding absorbent materials into the interior of the helmet. But before a mitigation strategy can be implemented, it must first be proven to be safe. Towards this aim, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was done tracing the paths of particulates potentially generated by the absorbent material. The objective was to characterize the risk these particulates pose for inspiration and eye irritation by tracking what percentage of particulates contact the suit-wearer’s face, eyes, or mouth. The model consisted of a human mannikin head and torso inside the EMU suit and helmet. The software used was ANSYS Fluent, with discrete phase modeling enabled to generate and track the particulates within the ventilation flow of the helmet.

Abigail Baukus↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessment of HAB Particulate Tracing in EMU Helmet in Support of Eva 80

After water was reported in the EMU helmet during ISS US EVA-80, mitigation strategies were created to attempt to arrest the motion of any droplets that enter the helmet for future Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). This included adding absorbent materials into the interior of the helmet. But before a mitigation strategy can be implemented, it must first be proven to be safe. Towards this aim, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was done tracing the paths of particulates potentially generated by the absorbent material. The objective was to characterize the risk these particulates pose for inspiration and eye irritation by tracking what percentage of particulates contact the suit-wearer’s face, eyes, or mouth. The model consisted of a human mannikin head and torso inside the EMU suit and helmet. The software used was ANSYS Fluent, with discrete phase modeling enabled to generate and track the particulates within the ventilation flow of the helmet.

Abigail Baukus↗
DOE OSTI2021

How Many Trip Requests Could We Support? An Activity-Travel Based Vehicle Scheduling Approach

In a world of ever-changing travel behavior and ever-increasing modal options, is vital to have integrated models that could capture the interactions between supply and demand layers of travel. Addressing this need, we propose three different versions of network representation and mathematical models for the activity-based vehicle routing problem to connect activity-travel graphs of passengers (demand layer) to spatio-temporal networks of vehicles (supply layer). Versions I and II are arc-based, while version III is path-based. In version I, we introduce the concept of activity-travel graphs for passengers. For vehicles, we construct space–time networks and add a new dimension, called “under-service state”, to track the execution status of trip requests at any location and time. In version II, we reduce the complexity of the network structure by eliminating the state dimension and some other modifications in the structure of the passengers’ and vehicles’ network. Although both versions can capture various behavioral constraints of the activity-based vehicle routing problem (e.g., mandatory and optimal activities, duration of activities, chain of activities, preferred starting and ending times of activities), due to the high level of complexity of the network structure, both versions can only solve small-sized problems. To tackle the computational complexity, we propose a path-based network representation in version III, and to make a balance between the disutility of passengers and vehicles, we present a tolled user equilibrium problem. Mathematical models are coded in C and GAMS and implemented on real-world Phoenix regional transportation network with more than 39 million trip requests, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution for the original and restricted master problems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Void coalescence and ductile failure in IN718 investigated via high-energy synchrotron X-ray tomography and diffraction

Ductile failure through the growth and coalescence of voids is of particular relevance for many engineering materials. Yet, the lack of experimental measurements of the mechanical state of the material at an appropriate length scale has limited further understanding of the regime of ductile failure. In this study, local grain-scale experimental measurements are used to determine their relevance for describing and predicting ductile failure. Additive manufactured materials, due to the presence of inherent porosity, as well as the ability to tailor internal porosity, provides a promising avenue to study ductile failure. Selective laser melting is used to manufacture a specially designed specimen with two large, internal voids, in addition to the natural porosity, which is characteristic to the production process. The initial porosity and its evolution upon tensile loading are characterized via micro tomography. Several locations of void coalescence are captured in the sample, revealing activity of multiple modes of failure. Finite element simulations, with a simplified J2 plasticity model, instantiated with the initial void structure, is deployed, in which geometric localizations of stress concentration corresponded with experimentally observed sites of coalescence but was inadequate in capturing the appropriate failure mechanism. Furthermore, from the experimental results of the far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy, the heterogeneous micromechanical state is identified and tracked around voids due to the local grain interactions. These experiments determine narrow bands of low stress triaxiality, at the onset of failure, which highlight the path of coalescence through intervoid shearing. Diffraction spot spreading analysis aided characterization of intragranular plasticity and strain heterogeneity, which can be coupled with high triaxiality to form the conditions inducive for coalescence through intervoid necking. In this study, the experimentally determined grain-scale description of the micromechanical state provides a physical basis that can accurately capture both the sites and the mechanism of void coalescence at the onset of ductile failure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

First 𝛽-Delayed Two-Neutron Spectroscopy of the 𝑟-Process Nucleus 134 In and Observation of the 𝑖 13/2 Single-Particle Neutron State in 133 Sn

This manuscript reports on the direct observation of a 𝛽-delayed two-neutron emission in a study of 134 In at the ISOLDE Decay Station using neutron spectroscopy. We also report on the first measurement in 𝛽 − decay of the long-sought 13/2 + excited state in 133 Sn, attributed to be the neutron single-particle 𝑖 13/2 orbital. The observation of sequential neutron emission is used to extract the relative population of the 𝑖 13/2 state, which was found to be much smaller than the predictions of the statistical model. The experiment was possible because of the innovative use of a neutron array with neutron discrimination and interaction tracking capabilities. This is the first study of the details of the two-neutron emission for a nucleus, which belongs to the 𝑟-process path. Understanding 𝛽-delayed two-neutron emission probabilities is essential to validate models used in astrophysical 𝑟-process nucleosynthesis calculations. Observing two-neutron emissions in 𝛽 − decay paves the way for new experiments to study energy and angular correlations for 𝛽-delayed multineutron emitters.

Beta decay↗