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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2015

State-of-the-Art Instrumentation Package to Support Model Organism Research in Space

Hardware was developed for the Ames student Fruit-Fly Experiment (AFEx) to support fly growth and analysis during spaceflight. The hardware consists of a 1.5U vented aluminum box that houses an acrylic habitat, video camera, LED lighting, and environmental sensors. Power is provided via two USB connectors, one of which also supports data downlink. While the hardware was designed for use with fruit flies, it will house plants on an upcoming mission and could be adapted for use with other systems.

Fruit-Fly Experiment↗
NASA NTRS1984

Adapting iterative algorithms for solving large sparse linear systems for efficient use on the CDC CYBER 205

Adapting and designing mathematical software to achieve optimum performance on the CYBER 205 is discussed. Comments and observations are made in light of recent work done on modifying the ITPACK software package and on writing new software for vector supercomputers. The goal was to develop very efficient vector algorithms and software for solving large sparse linear systems using iterative methods.

Kincaid, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

CME Flux Rope and Shock Identifications and Locations: Comparison of White Light Data, Graduated Cylindrical Shell Model, and MHD Simulations

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are major transient phenomena in the solar corona that are observed with ground-based and spacecraft-based coronagraphs in white light or with in situ measurements by spacecraft. CMEs transport mass and momentum and often drive shocks. In order to derive the CME and shock trajectories with high precision, we apply the graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) model to fit a flux rope to the CME directed toward STEREO A after about 19:00 UT on 29 November 2013 and check the quality of the heliocentric distance-time evaluations by carrying out a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of the same CME with the Block Adaptive Tree Solar-Wind Roe Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) code. Heliocentric distances of the CME and shock leading edges are determined from the simulated white light images and magnetic field strength data. We find very good agreement between the predicted and observed heliocentric distances, showing that the GCS model and the BATS-R-US simulation approach work very well and are consistent. In order to assess the validity of CME and shock identification criteria in coronagraph images, we also compute synthetic white light images of the CME and shock. We find that the outer edge of a cloud-like illuminated area in the observed and predicted images in fact coincides with the leading edge of the CME flux rope and that the outer edge of a faint illuminated band in front of the CME leading edge coincides with the CME-driven shock front.

Schmidt, J. M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rapid and efficient ambient temperature X-ray crystal structure determination at Turkish Light Source

High-resolution biomacromolecular structure determination is essential to better understand protein function and dynamics. Serial crystallography is an emerging structural biology technique which has fundamental limitations due to either sample volume requirements or immediate access to the competitive X-ray beamtime. Obtaining a high volume of well-diffracting, sufficient-size crystals while mitigating radiation damage remains a critical bottleneck of serial crystallography. As an alternative, we introduce the plate-reader module adapted for using a 72-well Terasaki plate for biomacromolecule structure determination at a convenience of a home X-ray source. We also present the first ambient temperature lysozyme structure determined at the Turkish light source (Turkish DeLight). The complete dataset was collected in 18.5 min with resolution extending to 2.39 Å and 100% completeness. Combined with our previous cryogenic structure (PDB ID: 7Y6A), the ambient temperature structure provides invaluable information about the structural dynamics of the lysozyme. Turkish DeLight provides robust and rapid ambient temperature biomacromolecular structure determination with limited radiation damage.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2007

Active Correction of Aberrations of Low-Quality Telescope Optics

A system of active optics that includes a wavefront sensor and a deformable mirror has been demonstrated to be an effective means of partly correcting wavefront aberrations introduced by fixed optics (lenses and mirrors) in telescopes. It is envisioned that after further development, active optics would be used to reduce wavefront aberrations of about one wave or less in telescopes having aperture diameters of the order of meters or tens of meters. Although this remaining amount of aberration would be considered excessive in scientific applications in which diffraction-limited performance is required, it would be acceptable for free-space optical- communication applications at wavelengths of the order of 1 m. To prevent misunderstanding, it is important to state the following: The technological discipline of active optics, in which the primary or secondary mirror of a telescope is directly and dynamically tilted, distorted, and/or otherwise varied to reduce wavefront aberrations, has existed for decades. The term active optics does not necessarily mean the same thing as does adaptive optics, even though active optics and adaptive optics are related. The term "adaptive optics" is often used to refer to wavefront correction at speeds characterized by frequencies ranging up to between hundreds of hertz and several kilohertz high enough to enable mitigation of adverse effects of fluctuations in atmospheric refraction upon propagation of light beams. The term active optics usually appears in reference to wavefront correction at significantly lower speeds, characterized by times ranging from about 1 second to as long as minutes. Hence, the novelty of the present development lies, not in the basic concept of active or adaptive optics, but in the envisioned application of active optics in conjunction with a deformable mirror to achieve acceptably small wavefront errors in free-space optical communication systems that include multi-meter-diameter telescope mirrors that are relatively inexpensive because their surface figures are characterized by errors as large as about 10 waves. Figure 1 schematically depicts the apparatus used in an experiment to demonstrate such an application on a reduced scale involving a 30-cm-diameter aperture.

Hemmati, Hamid↗
NASA NTRS1994

Regulation of assimilate partitioning by daylength and spectral quality

The effects of daylength and spectral quality on assimilate partitioning and leaf carbohydrate content should be considered when conducting controlled environment experiments or comparing results between studies obtained under different lighting conditions. Changes in partitioning may indicate alterations to photoregulatory processes within the source leaf rather than disruptions in sink strength. Moreover, it may be possible to use photoregulatory responses of assimilate partitioning to probe mechanisms of growth and development involving translocation of carbon or adaptation to environmental factors such as elevated CO2. It may also be possible to steer assimilate partitioning for the benefit of controlled environment agriculture using energy-efficient manipulations such as daylength extensions with dim irradiances, end-of-day alterations in light quality, or shifting plants between different spectral qualities as a part of phasic control of growth and development. Note that high starch levels measured on a one-time basis provide little information, since it is the proportion of photosynthate stored as starch that is meaningful. Large differences in starch content can result from small changes in partitioning integrated over several days. Rate information is required.

Britz, Steve J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Modulated Source Interferometry with Combined Amplitude and Frequency Modulation

An improved interferometer is produced by modifying a conventional interferometer to include amplitude and/or frequency modulation of a coherent light source at radio or higher frequencies. The phase of the modulation signal can be detected in an interfering beam from an interferometer and can be used to determine the actual optical phase of the beam. As such, this improvement can be adapted to virtually any two-beam interferometer, including: Michelson, Mach-Zehnder, and Sagnac interferometers. The use of an amplitude modulated coherent tight source results in an interferometer that combines the wide range advantages of coherent interferometry with the precise distance measurement advantages of white light interferometry.

Gutierrez, Roman C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Transparent Conductive Encapsulants for Photoelectrochemical Applications

Utilizing sunlight to directly perform photoelectrochemical reactions is a promising route to renewable, net carbon-neutral fuels. However, a common problem with solar fuel production is semiconductor degradation in aqueous environments. An ideal protection layer should (1) prevent solution from reaching the semiconductor, (2) maintain charge transfer to and from solution, and (3) be transparent to light above the semiconductor band gap. While there have been substantial advances toward layers that meet these requirements, they are not easily adapted to new surfaces or new reactions, which can make protection difficult for newly developed photoabsorbers and (photo)electrochemical reaction pairings. In this work, we demonstrate the use of transparent conductive encapsulants (TCEs) to meet these requirements while also allowing for photoelectrode- and reaction-agnostic adaptability. TCEs are composed of an ethyl-vinyl acetate matrix with embedded conductive metal-coated microspheres that can be laminated to semiconductors. First, the electrochemical behavior of TCE-coated electrodes for the reduction of methyl viologen is characterized, demonstrating through-TCE electrical conduction. Then, photoelectrochemical measurements on TCE-protected semiconductors demonstrate the flexibility of this protection scheme. Finally, long-term photoelectrochemical measurements probe the efficacy of TCEs as protection layers. These findings demonstrate the potential of TCEs as adaptable protection layers in various photoelectrochemical applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1973

Design and fabrication of an experimental image forming light modulator

Image forming light modulator transforms electrical signal representation of two dimensional image into optical transparency. All major assemblies are easily demounted for convenience in adapting modulator to other operating modes with different modulation-media. High-speed vacuum pump is incorporated into modulator housing to help reach required operating pressure.

Shackelford, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Telescience from NASA planetary spacecraft

Techniques reasonably classified as 'telescience' in NASA missions are discussed. The first interplanetary probe, Mariner 2, was launched towards Venus nearly 30 years ago. Since that time, NASA has successfully completed missions to Mercury (Mariner 10), Venus (Mariners 5 and 10, Pioneers 12 and 13, Galileo, and Magellan), Mars (Mariners 4, 6, 7, and 9, and Vikings 1 and 2), Jupiter (Pioneers 10 and 11, Voyagers 1 and 2, and the approaching Galileo), Saturn (Pioneer 11, Voyagers 1 and 2, and the planned Cassini), Uranus (Voyager 2), and Neptune (Voyager 2). Missions to asteroids (Galileo, CRAF, and Cassini), and to a comet (CRAF) are presently being prepared or underway. Procedures have to be adapted to permit the latest possible updating of the planned observational sequences, to counteract the effects of a 492 minute round trip light time, and to provide automatic fault sensing and correction. Special emphasis is placed on those used for the Voyager encounter with Neptune in Aug. 1989.

Miner, Ellis D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Semiconductor sensors

A semiconductor sensor adapted to detect with a high degree of sensitivity small magnitudes of a mechanical force, presence of traces of a gas or light. The sensor includes a high energy gap (i.e., .about. 1.0 electron volts) semiconductor wafer. Mechanical force is measured by employing a non-centrosymmetric material for the semiconductor. Distortion of the semiconductor by the force creates a contact potential difference (cpd) at the semiconductor surface, and this cpd is determined to give a measure of the force. When such a semiconductor is subjected to illumination with an energy less than the energy gap of the semiconductors, such illumination also creates a cpd at the surface. Detection of this cpd is employed to sense the illumination itself or, in a variation of the system, to detect a gas. When either a gas or light is to be detected and a crystal of a non-centrosymmetric material is employed, the presence of gas or light, in appropriate circumstances, results in a strain within the crystal which distorts the same and the distortion provides a mechanism for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the gas or the light, as the case may be.

Gatos, Harry C.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optimizing Signal Timing Control for Large Urban Traffic Networks Using an Adaptive Linear Quadratic Regulator Control Strategy

We discuss how traffic signal control is important for intersection safety and efficiency. However, most traffic signal control methods are designed for individual intersections or corridors. Although some adaptive control systems have been developed, the methods used are often proprietary and not published, making it difficult to evaluate their effectiveness. This study proposes an adaptive multi-input and multi-output traffic signal control method that not only can improve network-wide traffic operations in terms of reduced traffic delay and energy consumption, but also is more computationally feasible than existing centralized signal control methods. Considering intersection interactions, a linear dynamic traffic system model was built and adaptively updated to reflect how the signal control input of each intersection affects network-wide vehicle travel delay. Based on the system model, an adaptive linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) was designed to minimize both traffic delay and incremental changes in the control input. The proposed control method was evaluated in a microscopic traffic simulation environment with a 35-intersection network of Bellevue City, Washington. Simulation results show that the proposed method had shorter average traffic delays in the network when compared with the traffic delays controlled by the state-of-the-art max-pressure, self-organizing traffic lights, and independent deep Q network methods.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An At-Home Evaluation of a Light Intervention to Mitigate Sleep Inertia Symptoms

Introduction: Sleep inertia symptoms typically occur after waking from nocturnal sleep. Under laboratory settings, light exposure upon waking has been shown to improve alertness, mood, and vigilant attention. We investigated whether a field-deployable light-emitting device would help to improve alertness and working memory in a real-world setting. Methods: Thirty-five participants (18 female; 26.4 ± 6.0 y) completed an at-home, within-subject, randomized crossover study. Participants wore actiwatches during their normal sleep-wake schedule for five nights ahead of the adaptation and experimental nights. On the experimental night, participants performed baseline testing before their self-selected bedtime. Forty-five minutes after bedtime, participants received a phone call and were instructed to perform test bouts while wearing light-emitting glasses with the light either on (light condition) or off (control). A 3-minute descending subtraction task (DST) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) were performed at +7, +17, +27, and +37 minutes after the call. Participants were then instructed to go back to sleep and were called 45 minutes after lights out to repeat the test bouts in the opposite condition. A series of mixed-effects models were performed with fixed effects of condition, test bout, and their interaction, and a random effect of participant. Condition order, sex, and baseline were included as covariates. Results: There was a significant effect of test bout for DST total responses (χ2 [3] = 17.42; p < .001) and total correct (χ2 [3] = 21.29; p < .001) with improved performance at +27 and +37 minutes compared to +7 minutes. Sex was a significant predictor for KSS (F1,30 = 10.26; p = .003), with females (8.20 ± 0.23) rating higher sleepiness than males (7.10 ± 0.25). There were no other significant effects for DST or KSS outcomes (p > .05). Conclusion: These results suggest that the intervention was not able to improve working memory or alertness under naturalistic at-home settings. Further analysis is needed to determine whether these results are applicable to other cognitive performance domains.

light↗
NASA NTRS2013

Radar Range Sidelobe Reduction Using Adaptive Pulse Compression Technique

Pulse compression has been widely used in radars so that low-power, long RF pulses can be transmitted, rather than a highpower short pulse. Pulse compression radars offer a number of advantages over high-power short pulsed radars, such as no need of high-power RF circuitry, no need of high-voltage electronics, compact size and light weight, better range resolution, and better reliability. However, range sidelobe associated with pulse compression has prevented the use of this technique on spaceborne radars since surface returns detected by range sidelobes may mask the returns from a nearby weak cloud or precipitation particles. Research on adaptive pulse compression was carried out utilizing a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) waveform generation board and a radar transceiver simulator. The results have shown significant improvements in pulse compression sidelobe performance. Microwave and millimeter-wave radars present many technological challenges for Earth and planetary science applications. The traditional tube-based radars use high-voltage power supply/modulators and high-power RF transmitters; therefore, these radars usually have large size, heavy weight, and reliability issues for space and airborne platforms. Pulse compression technology has provided a path toward meeting many of these radar challenges. Recent advances in digital waveform generation, digital receivers, and solid-state power amplifiers have opened a new era for applying pulse compression to the development of compact and high-performance airborne and spaceborne remote sensing radars. The primary objective of this innovative effort is to develop and test a new pulse compression technique to achieve ultrarange sidelobes so that this technique can be applied to spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based remote sensing radars to meet future science requirements. By using digital waveform generation, digital receiver, and solid-state power amplifier technologies, this improved pulse compression technique could bring significant impact on future radar development. The novel feature of this innovation is the non-linear FM (NLFM) waveform design. The traditional linear FM has the limit (-20 log BT -3 dB) for achieving ultra-low-range sidelobe in pulse compression. For this study, a different combination of 20- or 40-microsecond chirp pulse width and 2- or 4-MHz chirp bandwidth was used. These are typical operational parameters for airborne or spaceborne weather radars. The NLFM waveform design was then implemented on a FPGA board to generate a real chirp signal, which was then sent to the radar transceiver simulator. The final results have shown significant improvement on sidelobe performance compared to that obtained using a traditional linear FM chirp.

Li, Lihua↗
NASA NTRS1979

Fastener for easy installation and removal of tiles

Mating strips, one with metal hooks and one with metal loops, allow convenient mounting and removal on many kinds of modules. Principle is adaptable to applications where shear-resistant, compliants, removable fastening is needed in hard-to-reach places, especially when attached part is lightly loaded or fragile.

Maletz, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Feasibility study of the solar scientific instruments for Spacelab/Orbiter

The feasibility and economics of mounting and operating a set of solar scientific instruments in the backup Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) hardware was evaluated. The instruments used as the study test payload and integrated into the ATM were: the Solar EUV Telescope/Spectrometer; the Solar Active Region Observing Telescope; and the Lyman Alpha White Light Coronagraph. The backup ATM hardware consists of a central cruciform structure, called the "SPAR', a "Sun End Canister' and a "Multiple Docking Adapter End Canister'. Basically, the ATM hardware and software provides a structural interface for the instruments; a closely controlled thermal environment; and a very accurate attitude and pointing control capability. The hardware is an identical set to the hardware that flow on Skylab.

Leritz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1929

Buckling tests of light-metal tubes

I will attempt to determine mathematically the buckling-strength curves of various centrally loaded light-metal tubes which exhibit conspicuous differences of behavior under compressive loads. For this purpose I will employ Von Karman's method, after adapting it to special conditions.

TUBING - BUCKLING↗
NASA NTRS1994

Solar Photovoltaic Array With Mini-Dome Fresnel Lenses

Mini-dome Fresnel lenses concentrate sunlight onto individual photovoltaic cells. Facets of Fresnel lens designed to refract incident light at angle of minimum deviation to minimize reflective losses. Prismatic cover on surface of each cell reduces losses by redirecting incident light away from metal contacts toward bulk of semiconductor, where it is usefully absorbed. Simple design of mini-dome concentrator array easily adaptable to automated manufacturing techniques currently used by semiconductor industry. Attractive option for variety of future space missions.

Piszczor, Michael F., Jr.↗