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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Measuring Cyclic Error in Laser Heterodyne Interferometers

An improved method and apparatus have been devised for measuring cyclic errors in the readouts of laser heterodyne interferometers that are configured and operated as displacement gauges. The cyclic errors arise as a consequence of mixing of spurious optical and electrical signals in beam launchers that are subsystems of such interferometers. The conventional approach to measurement of cyclic error involves phase measurements and yields values precise to within about 10 pm over air optical paths at laser wavelengths in the visible and near infrared. The present approach, which involves amplitude measurements instead of phase measurements, yields values precise to about .0.1 microns . about 100 times the precision of the conventional approach. In a displacement gauge of the type of interest here, the laser heterodyne interferometer is used to measure any change in distance along an optical axis between two corner-cube retroreflectors. One of the corner-cube retroreflectors is mounted on a piezoelectric transducer (see figure), which is used to introduce a low-frequency periodic displacement that can be measured by the gauges. The transducer is excited at a frequency of 9 Hz by a triangular waveform to generate a 9-Hz triangular-wave displacement having an amplitude of 25 microns. The displacement gives rise to both amplitude and phase modulation of the heterodyne signals in the gauges. The modulation includes cyclic error components, and the magnitude of the cyclic-error component of the phase modulation is what one needs to measure in order to determine the magnitude of the cyclic displacement error. The precision attainable in the conventional (phase measurement) approach to measuring cyclic error is limited because the phase measurements are af-

Ryan, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2009

Digital Beamforming Scatterometer

This paper discusses scatterometer measurements collected with multi-mode Digital Beamforming Synthetic Aperture Radar (DBSAR) during the SMAP-VEX 2008 campaign. The 2008 SMAP Validation Experiment was conducted to address a number of specific questions related to the soil moisture retrieval algorithms. SMAP-VEX 2008 consisted on a series of aircraft-based.flights conducted on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware in the fall of 2008. Several other instruments participated in the campaign including the Passive Active L-Band System (PALS), the Marshall Airborne Polarimetric Imaging Radiometer (MAPIR), and the Global Positioning System Reflectometer (GPSR). This campaign was the first SMAP Validation Experiment. DBSAR is a multimode radar system developed at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center that combines state-of-the-art radar technologies, on-board processing, and advances in signal processing techniques in order to enable new remote sensing capabilities applicable to Earth science and planetary applications [l]. The instrument can be configured to operate in scatterometer, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), or altimeter mode. The system builds upon the L-band Imaging Scatterometer (LIS) developed as part of the RadSTAR program. The radar is a phased array system designed to fly on the NASA P3 aircraft. The instrument consists of a programmable waveform generator, eight transmit/receive (T/R) channels, a microstrip antenna, and a reconfigurable data acquisition and processor system. Each transmit channel incorporates a digital attenuator, and digital phase shifter that enables amplitude and phase modulation on transmit. The attenuators, phase shifters, and calibration switches are digitally controlled by the radar control card (RCC) on a pulse by pulse basis. The antenna is a corporate fed microstrip patch-array centered at 1.26 GHz with a 20 MHz bandwidth. Although only one feed is used with the present configuration, a provision was made for separate corporate feeds for vertical and horizontal polarization. System upgrades to dual polarization are currently under way. The DBSAR processor is a reconfigurable data acquisition and processor system capable of real-time, high-speed data processing. DBSAR uses an FPGA-based architecture to implement digitally down-conversion, in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) demodulation, and subsequent radar specific algorithms. The core of the processor board consists of an analog-to-digital (AID) section, three Altera Stratix field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), an ARM microcontroller, several memory devices, and an Ethernet interface. The processor also interfaces with a navigation board consisting of a GPS and a MEMS gyro. The processor has been configured to operate in scatterometer, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and altimeter modes. All the modes are based on digital beamforming which is a digital process that generates the far-field beam patterns at various scan angles from voltages sampled in the antenna array. This technique allows steering the received beam and controlling its beam-width and side-lobe. Several beamforming techniques can be implemented each characterized by unique strengths and weaknesses, and each applicable to different measurement scenarios. In Scatterometer mode, the radar is capable to.generate a wide beam or scan a narrow beam on transmit, and to steer the received beam on processing while controlling its beamwidth and side-lobe level. Table I lists some important radar characteristics

Rincon, Rafael F.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Modulation of vergence by off-vertical yaw axis rotation in the monkey: normal characteristics and effects of space flight

Horizontal movements of both eyes were recorded simultaneously using scleral search coils in 2 rhesus monkeys before and after the COSMOS 2229 space-flight of 1992-1993. Another 9 monkeys were tested at comparable time intervals and served as controls. Ocular vergence, defined as the difference in horizontal position between the left and right eyes, was measured during off-vertical yaw axis rotation (OVAR) in darkness. Vergence was modulated sinusoidally as a function of head position with regard to gravity during OVAR. The amplitude of peak-to-peak modulation increased with increments in tilt of the angle of the rotational axis (OVAR tilt angle) that ranged from 15 degrees to 90 degrees. Of the 11 monkeys tested, 1 had no measurable modulation in vergence. In the other 10, the mean amplitude of the peak to peak modulation was 5.5 degrees +/- 1.3 degrees at 90 degrees tilt. Each of these monkeys had maximal vergence when its nose was pointed close to upward (gravity back; mean phase: -0.9 degree +/- 26 degrees). After space flight, the modulation in vergence was reduced by over 50% for the two flight monkeys, but the phase of vergence modulation was not altered. The reduction in vergence modulation was sustained for the 11-day postflight testing period. We conclude that changes in vergence are induced in monkeys by the sinusoidal component of gravity acting along the naso-occipital axis during yaw axis OVAR, and that the modulation of the vergence reflex is significantly less sensitive to linear acceleration after space flight.

Flight Experiment↗
NASA NTRS1992

Cosmic ray modulation near the onset and maximum phases of solar activity cycle 22

Using data obtained with neutron monitors we study the cosmic-ray modulation of the five-year developmental phase of solar activity cycle (SAC) 22. The main characteristics of the observed modulation are compared with those of cycle 19. The similarities and differences between the two cycles are noted. The data indicate that the amplitude of the observed modulation is larger at higher and lower primary rigidities than that for cycle 19, which still remains the most active cycle. The lowest ever monthly-mean counting rates were obtained in June 1991. Even so, based upon our prior experience, we expect the recovery of the cosmic ray intensity in SAC 22 to follow the pattern observed for cycles 20 and 18, rather than that for cycle 19.

Ahluwalia, H. S.↗
DOE OSTI2026

High-precision phase control of an optical lattice with up to 50 dB noise suppression

An optical lattice is a periodic light crystal constructed from the standing-wave interference patterns of laser beams. It can be used to store and manipulate quantum degenerate atoms and is an ideal platform for the quantum simulation of many-body physics. A principal feature is that optical lattices are flexible and possess a variety of multidimensional geometries with modifiable band structure. An even richer landscape emerges when control functions can be applied to the lattice by modulation of the position or amplitude with Floquet driving. However, the desire of realizing high-modulation bandwidths while preserving extreme lattice stability has been difficult to achieve. In this paper, we demonstrate an effective solution that consists of overlapping two counterpropagating lattice beams and controlling the phase and intensity of each with independent acousto-optic modulators. Our phase controller mixes sampled light from both lattice beams with a common optical reference. This dual heterodyne locking method allows exquisite determination of the lattice position, while also removing parasitic phase noise accrued as the beams travel along separate paths. Here, we report up to 50 dB suppression in lattice phase noise in the 0.1–1 Hz band, along with significant suppression spanning more than 4 decades of frequency. The absolute phase diffusion of the lattice position is only 10 Å when integrated over 10 s. This method permits precise, high-bandwidth modulation (greater than 50 kHz) of the optical lattice intensity and phase. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach by executing intricate time-varying phase profiles for atom interferometry.

Atom interferometry↗
NASA NTRS1974

The design of a device for hearer and feeler differentiation, part A

A speech modulated white noise device is reported that gives the rhythmic characteristics of a speech signal for intelligible reception by deaf persons. The signal is composed of random amplitudes and frequencies as modulated by the speech envelope characteristics of rhythm and stress. Time intensity parameters of speech are conveyed through the vibro-tactile sensation stimuli.

Creecy, R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

On the Effects of a Spacecraft Subcarrier Unbalanced Modulator

This paper presents mathematical models with associated analysis of the deleterious effects which a spacecraft's subcarrier unbalanced modulator has on the performance of a phase-modulated residual carrier communications link. The undesired spectral components produced by the phase and amplitude imbalances in the subcarrier modulator can cause (1) potential interference to the carrier tracking and (2) degradation in the telemetry bit signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A suitable model for the unbalanced modulator is developed and the threshold levels of undesired components that fall into the carrier tracking loop are determined. The distribution of the carrier phase error caused by the additive White Gaussian noise (AWGN) and undesired component at the residual RF carrier is derived for the limiting cases. Further, this paper analyses the telemetry bit signal-to-noise ratio degradations due to undesirable spectral components as well as the carrier tracking phase error induced by phase and amplitude imbalances. Numerical results which indicate the sensitivity of the carrier tracking loop and the telemetry symbol-error rate (SER) to various parameters of the models are also provided as a tool in the design of the subcarrier balanced modulator.

Nguyen, Tien Manh↗
NASA NTRS1993

Performance results of a 300-degree linear phase modulator for spaceborne communications applications

A phase modulator capable of large linear phase deviation, low loss, and wide band operation with good thermal stability was developed for deep space spacecraft transponder (DST) applications at X-band (8.415 GHz) and Ka-band (32 GHz) downlinks. The design uses a two-stage circulator-coupled reflection phase shifter with constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit to obtain a phase deviation of +/-2.5 rad with better than 8 percent linearity. The measured insertion loss is 6.6 dB +/- 0.35 dB at 8415 MHz. Measured carrier and relative sideband amplitudes resulting from phase modulation by sine wave and square modulating functions agree well with the predicted results.

Mysoor, N. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Performance results of a 300-deg linear phase modulator for spaceborne communications applications

A phase modulator capable of large linear phase deviation, low loss, and wide band operation with good thermal stability was developed for deep space spacecraft transponder (DST) applications at X-band (8.415 GHz) and Ka-band (32 GHz) downlinks. The design uses a two-stage circulator-coupled reflection phase shifter with constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit to obtain a phase deviation of +/- 2.5 rad with better than 8 percent linearity. The measured insertion loss is 6.6 dB +/- 0.35 dB at 8415 MHz. Measured carrier and relative sideband amplitudes resulting from phase modulation by sine wave and square modulating functions agree well with the predicted results.

Mysoor, Narayan R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Evaluation of ERTS-1 image sensor spatial resolution in photographic form

The author has identified the following significant results. A coherent optical system was used to display the spatial frequency content of the amplitude image of one area of the ground as obtained in the four wavelength bands of the multispectral scanner. This enabled a rapid comparison to be made between the four bands, from which it was clear that bands 5 and 7 were preferred to the others in terms of image definition, and thus mapping and acreage estimation, for the particular agricultural area imaged. With suitable scaling it was also possible to compare the modulation, as a function of spatial frequency, of MSS bands 4 and 5 with the green (BB) and red (DD) bands of the same area from the Apollo 9, SO65 experiment. A significant result is that the modulation in the MSS amplitude imagery is 65%-90% of that in the Apollo 9 amplitude imagery. In addition, the ratio of spatial frequencies for the ERTS-1 and Apollo imagery, at which the same modulation occurs, lies between 0.55 and 0.75 for the red band. This ratio is closely related to the ratio of resolutions for the two sensors. These values corroborate statements that the resolution of the MSS imagery is better than anticipated by pre-flight predictions.

Slater, P. N.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Solar-Driven Neutral Density Waves

Interstellar neutral hydrogen atoms flowing into the solar system are attracted by the solar gravitational force, repelled by solar hydrogen Ly-alpha radiation pressure, and are ionized, primarily, through charge exchange with the solar wind protons. The solar cycle variation of the radiation pressure causes the net central solar force to fluctuate between attraction and repulsion resulting in the modulation of the neutral hydrogen density about the usual time independent model. The calculation presented here shows that the time dependent downstream density is strongly modulated by a large number of travelling neutral density waves. The waves possess a continuous range of wavelengths as is to be expected for a Maxwellian gas subjected to several eleven year cycle variations during its journey through the solar system. The amplitudes of the density modulation were found to be quite large. The backscattered glow was found to depend on the position of the detector and the phase of the solar cycle. At the most favorable condition a deviation of the order of 25% from the time dependent glow might be observed.

Blum, P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

EXOSAT results on V426 Ophiuchi - Indications of a DQ Herculis system

EXOSAT LE and ME data reveal a sinusoidal l hr modulation during the 6 hr binary orbit of the cataclysmic variable V426 Oph. The amplitude and shape of this modulation, the X-ray fluxes and spectrum, as well as the time scales involved argue for a DQ Her interpretation. In this case, the white dwarf in V426 Oph has the longest rotation period among the known DQ Her systems with orbital periods greater than 3 hr.

Szkody, P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Equatorial Dynamics Observed by Rocket, Radar, and Satellite During the CADRE/MALTED Campaign: Programmatics and small-scale fluctuations - 1

In August 1994, the Mesospheric and Lower Thermospheric Equatorial Dynamics (MALTED) Program was conducted from the Alcantara rocket site in northeastern Brazil as part of the International Guard Rocket Campaign to study equatorial dynamics, irregularities, and instabilities in the ionosphere. This site was selected because of its proximity to the geographic (2.3 deg S) and magnetic (approx. 0.5 deg S) equators. MALTED was concerned with planetary wave modulation of the diurnal tidal amplitude, which exhibits considerable amplitude variability at equatorial and subtropical latitudes. Our goals were to study this global modulation of the tidal motions where tidal influences on the thermal structure are maximum, to study the interaction of these tidal structures with gravity waves and turbulence at mesopause altitudes, and to gain a better understanding of dynamic influences and variability on the equatorial middle atmosphere. Four (two daytime and two nighttime) identical Nike-Orion payloads designed to investigate small-scale turbulence and irregularities were coordinated with 20 meteorological falling-sphere rockets designed to measure temperature and wind fields during a 10-day period. These in situ measurements were coordinated with observations of global-scale mesospheric motions that were provided by various ground based radars and the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) through the Coupling and Dynamics of Regions Equatorial (CADRE) campaign. The ground-based observatories included the Jicamarca radar observatory near Lima, Peru, and medium frequency (MF) radars in Hawaii, Christmas Island, and Adelaide. Since all four Nike-Orion flights penetrated and overflew the electrojet with apogees near 125 km, these flights provided additional information about the electrodynamics and irregularities in the equatorial ionospheric E region and may provide information on wave coupling between the mesosphere and the electrojet. Simultaneous with these flights, the CUPRI 50-MHz radar (Cornell University) provided local sounding of the electrojet region. A description of the campaign logistics and the measurements performed with the Nike-Orion instrumentation and their implications for turbulence due to gravity waves and tidal instability in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) are presented here. From a study of electron density fluctuations measured by rocket probes, we have found evidence for equatorial mesospheric neutral-atmospheric turbulence between 85 and 90 km. Furthermore, falling-sphere data imply that gravity wave breaking was a source for this turbulence. Mean motions and the various planetary, tidal, and gravity wave structures and their coherence and variability are the subjects of a companion paper.

Goldberg, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The G1 restriction point as critical regulator of neocortical neuronogenesis

Neuronogenesis in the pseudostratified ventricular epithelium is the initial process in a succession of histogenetic events which give rise to the laminate neocortex. Here we review experimental findings in mouse which support the thesis that the restriction point of the G1 phase of the cell cycle is the critical point of regulation of the overall neuronogenetic process. The neuronogenetic interval in mouse spans 6 days. In the course of these 6 days the founder population and its progeny execute 11 cell cycles. With each successive cycle there is an increase in the fraction of postmitotic cells which leaves the cycle (the Q fraction) and also an increase in the length of the cell cycle due to an increase in the length of the G1 phase of the cycle. Q corresponds to the probability that postmitotic cells will exit the cycle at the restriction point of the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Q increases non-linearly, but the rate of change of Q with cycle (i.e., the first derivative) over the course of the neuronogenetic interval is a constant, k, which appears to be set principally by cell internal mechanisms which are species specific. Q also seems to be modulated, but at low amplitude, by a balance of mitogenic and antimitogenic influences acting from without the cell. We suggest that intracellular signal transduction systems control a general advance of Q during development and thereby determine the general developmental plan (i.e., cell number and laminar composition) of the neocortex and that external mitogens and anti-mitogens modulate this advance regionally and temporally and thereby produce regional modifications of the general plan.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗
NASA NTRS1979

Evaluation of the JPL X-band 32 element active array

Tests performed on an X-band 32-element active array are described. Antenna pattern characteristics of the array were tested in its standard operating mode as well as several degraded performance modes, including failures of 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 16, and 31 elements. Additionally, the array was characterized with the addition of a metallic shroud, and also characterized versus rf drive level and at a single off-axis electronic beamsteered position. Characterization was performed on several of the 3/4-watt, three-stage, X-band solid-state power amplifier modules. The characterization included swept amplitude response, amplitude and phase versus temperature from -20 to +60 C, and intermodulation distortion of selected modules. The array is described and conclusions and recommendations based upon the experience and results achieved are included.

Boreham, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Nulling device for detection of trace gases by NDIR absorption

A nondispersive gas analyzing apparatus is described having a first chamber for containing a first gas, the density of which is determined. A source of radiant energy is provided for passing radiant energy through the first chamber. Modulation means are provided for modulating the radiant energy passing through the first chamber by modulating the volume of the chamber at the acoustic resonance frequency of the first gas and the chamber. Signal generating means, including a second chamber for containing a gas which is heated by radiant energy emerging from the first chamber and a microphonic means responsive to the resulting pressurization in the second chamber, is provided for generating a signal, having a frequency and amplitude corresponding to the modulation of the radiant energy in the first chamber.

Dimeff, J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

A Study of the 20 Day Superorbital Modulation in the High-Mass X-Ray Binary IGR J16493-4348

We report on Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory(Swift) X-ray Telescope (XRT), and Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) observations of IGR J16493-4348, a wind-fed supergiant X-ray binary showing significant superorbital variability. From a discrete Fourier transform of the BAT light curve,we refine its superorbital period to be 20.058±0.007 days. The BAT dynamic power spectrum and a fractional root mean square analysis both show strong variations in the amplitude of the superorbital modulation, but no observed changes in the period are found. The superorbital modulation is significantly weaker between MJD 55,700 and MJD 56,300. The joint NuSTAR and XRT observations, which were performed near the minimum and maximum of one cycle of the 20 day superorbital modulation, show that the flux increases by more than a factor of two between superorbital minimum and maximum. We find no significant changes in the 3-50 keV pulse profiles between superorbital minimum and maximum, which suggests a similar accretion regime. Modeling the pulse-phase-averaged spectra we find a possible Fe Kα emission line at 6.4 keV at superorbital maximum. This feature is not significant at superorbital minimum. While we do not observe any significant differences between the pulse-phase-averaged spectral continua apart from the overall flux change, we find that the hardness ratio near the broad main peak of the pulse profile increases from superorbital minimum to maximum. This suggests the spectral shape hardens with increasing luminosity. We discuss different mechanisms that might drive the observed superorbital modulation.

Coley, Joel B.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the impact-parameter dependent azimuthal anisotropy in coherent $ρ$ 0 photoproduction in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

This Letter presents the first measurement of the impact-parameter dependent angular anisotropy in the decay of coherently photoproduced $ρ$ 0 mesons. The $ρ$ 0 mesons are reconstructed through their decay into pion pairs. The measured anisotropy corresponds to the amplitude of the cos(2φ) modulation, where φ is the angle between the two vectors formed by the sum and the difference of the transverse momenta of the pions, respectively. The measurement was performed by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC using data from ultraperipheral Pb–Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair. Different impact-parameter regions are selected by classifying the events in nuclear-breakup classes. The amplitude of the cos(2φ) modulation is found to increase by about one order of magnitude from large to small impact parameters. Theoretical calculations describe the measured cos(2φ) anisotropy and its impact-parameter dependence as the result of a quantum interference effect at the femtometer scale, arising from the ambiguity regarding which of the nuclei is the photon source in the interaction.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗