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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 469 records · Page 26

National Space Transportation Systems Program mission report

The 515-41B National Space Transportation Systems Program Mission Report contains a summary of the major activities and accomplishments of the sixth operational Shuttle flight and fourth flight of the OV-099 vehicle, Challenger. Since this flight was the first to land at Kennedy Space Center, the vehicle was towed directly to the OPF (Orbiter Processing Facility) where preparations for flight STS-41C, scheduled for early April 1984, began immediately. The significant problems that occurred during STS-41B are summarized and a problem tracking list that is a complete list of all problems that occurred during the flight is given. None of the problems will affect the STS 41C flight. The major objectives of flight STS-41B were to successfully deploy the Westar satellite and the Indonesian Communications Satellite-B2 (PALAPA-B2); to evaluate the MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) support for EVA (Extravehicular Activities); to exercise the MFR (Manipulator Foot Restraint); to demonstrate a closed loop rendezvous; and to operate the M.R (Monodisperse Latex Reactor), the ACES (Acoustic Containerless Experiment System) and the IEF (Isoelectric Focusing) in cabin experiments; and to obtain photographs with the Cinema 360 Cameras.

Collins, M. A., Jr.↗

Control-nonlinear-nonstationary structural response and radiation near a supersonic jet

This paper is on the control of nonlinear-nonstationary vibration of a frame-stringer structure resulting from high levels of excitation from a nearby supersonic jet exhaust. The structure exhibits periodic, chaotic, or random behaviors when forced by high-intensity sound from a supersonic jet exhaust with 'shock' loading superimposed on a broadband response. The time history of the pressure, showing the rotation and flapping of the shock structure in the jet column due to large-scale instabilities, indicates that the response is not only nonlinear but also nonstationary. The acoustic pressure radiated by the structure also contains shocks and the formation of harmonics with distance. Control of the structural response is achieved by actively forcing the structure with an actuator at the shock oscillation frequency whose amplitude is locked into a self-control cycle. Results show that the peak power level is reduced by a factor of 63, or 18 dB. As a result, new broadband components emerge with at least four harmonics. At accelerating and decelerating supersonic speeds, the exhaust from the jet induces higher transient loading on the nearby flexible structure due to the occurrence of multiple shock from the jet.

TRT-EXPERIMENTAL↗

Control-nonlinear-nonstationary structural response and radiation near a supersonic jet

This paper is on the control of nonlinear-nonstationary vibration of a frame-stringer structure resulting from high levels of excitaation from a nearby supersonic jet exhaust. The structure exhibits periodic, chaotic, or random behaviors when forced by high-intensity sound from a supersonic jet exhaust with shock loading superimposed on the broadband response. The time history of the pressure, showing the rotation and flapping of the shock structure in the jet column due to large-scale instabilities, indicates that the response is not only nonlinear but also nonstationary. The acoustic pressure radiated by the structure also contains shocks and the formation of harmonics with distance. Control of the structural response is achieved by actively forcing the structure with an actuator at the shock oscillation frequency whose amplitude is locked into a self-control cycle. Results show that the peak power level is reduced by a factor of 63, or 18 dB. As a result, new broadband components emerge with at least four harmonics. At accelerating and decelerating supersonic speeds, the exhaust from the jet induces higher transient loading on the nearby flexible structure due to the occurence of multiple shocks from the jet.

Maestrello, Lucio↗

Seismic Forecasting of Solar Activity

We have developed and improved helioseismic imaging techniques of the far-side of the Sun as part of a synoptic monitor of solar activity. In collaboration with the MIDI team at Stanford University we are routinely applying our analysis to images within 24 hours of their acquisition by SOHO. For the first time, real-time seismic maps of large active regions on the Sun's far surface are publicly available. The synoptic images show examples of active regions persisting for one or more solar rotations, as well as those initially detected forming on the solar far side. Until recently, imaging the far surface of the Sun has been essentially blind to active regions more than about 50 degrees from the antipode of disk center. In a paper recently accepted for publication, we have demonstrated how acoustic travel-time perturbations may be mapped over the entire hemisphere of the Sun facing away from the Earth, including the polar regions. In addition to offering significant improvements to ongoing space weather forecasting efforts, the procedure offers the possibility of local seismic monitoring of both the temporal and spatial variations in the acoustic properties of the Sun over the entire far surface.

Braun, Douglas↗

Neural activation during response competition

The flanker task, introduced by Eriksen and Eriksen [Eriksen, B. A., & Eriksen, C. W. (1974). Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task. Perception & Psychophysics, 16, 143--149], provides a means to selectively manipulate the presence or absence of response competition while keeping other task demands constant. We measured brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of the flanker task. In accordance with previous behavioral studies, trials in which the flanking stimuli indicated a different response than the central stimulus were performed significantly more slowly than trials in which all the stimuli indicated the same response. This reaction time effect was accompanied by increases in activity in four regions: the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, the supplementary motor area, the left superior parietal lobe, and the left anterior parietal cortex. The increases were not due to changes in stimulus complexity or the need to overcome previously learned associations between stimuli and responses. Correspondences between this study and other experiments manipulating response interference suggest that the frontal foci may be related to response inhibition processes whereas the posterior foci may be related to the activation of representations of the inappropriate responses.

Brain Mapping/methods↗

Combustion Dynamics and Control for Ultra Low Emissions in Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines

Future aircraft engines must provide ultra-low emissions and high efficiency at low cost while maintaining the reliability and operability of present day engines. The demands for increased performance and decreased emissions have resulted in advanced combustor designs that are critically dependent on efficient fuel/air mixing and lean operation. However, all combustors, but most notably lean-burning low-emissions combustors, are susceptible to combustion instabilities. These instabilities are typically caused by the interaction of the fluctuating heat release of the combustion process with naturally occurring acoustic resonances. These interactions can produce large pressure oscillations within the combustor and can reduce component life and potentially lead to premature mechanical failures. Active Combustion Control which consists of feedback-based control of the fuel-air mixing process can provide an approach to achieving acceptable combustor dynamic behavior while minimizing emissions, and thus can provide flexibility during the combustor design process. The NASA Glenn Active Combustion Control Technology activity aims to demonstrate active control in a realistic environment relevant to aircraft engines by providing experiments tied to aircraft gas turbine combustors. The intent is to allow the technology maturity of active combustion control to advance to eventual demonstration in an engine environment. Work at NASA Glenn has shown that active combustion control, utilizing advanced algorithms working through high frequency fuel actuation, can effectively suppress instabilities in a combustor which emulates the instabilities found in an aircraft gas turbine engine. Current efforts are aimed at extending these active control technologies to advanced ultra-low-emissions combustors such as those employing multi-point lean direct injection.

DeLaat, John C.↗

Status - International Space Station (ISS) Crewmembers' Noise Exposures

Environmental noise in space vehicles, caused by onboard equipment and crew activities, has generated concerns for crew health and safety since early U.S. space missions. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique environment where acoustic conditions can be monitored while crewmembers from the U.S. and their international partners work and live for as long as 6 to 12 consecutive months. This review of acoustic dosimetry data collected to date reveals that the noise exposure limits of NASA’s stringent noise constraint flight rule have been exceeded in 41% of these dosimetry measurements since ISS Increment 17 (2008), with undefined impacts to crew. These measurements do not take into account the effects of hearing protection devices worn by the crew. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on ISS noise exposure monitoring approaches and hearing conservation strategies that include acoustic dosimetry data collected since the ISS Increment 55 mission (April 2018). Future directions and recommendations for the ISS noise exposure monitoring program will also be presented, including research initiatives aimed at better defining the impact of ISS noise on crew health and performance.

Jose G Limardo↗

Status - International Space Station (ISS) Crewmembers' Noise Exposures

Environmental noise in space vehicles caused by onboard equipment and noisy activities has generated concerns for crew health and safety since early U.S. space missions. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique environment where acoustic conditions can be monitored while crewmembers from the U.S. and their international partners work and live for as long as 6 to 12 consecutive months. This review of acoustic dosimetry data collected to date reveals that the noise exposure limits of NASA’s stringent noise constraint flight rule have been exceeded in 41% of these dosimetry measurements since ISS Increment 17 (2008), with undefined impacts to crew. These measurements do not take into account the effects of hearing protection devices worn by the crew. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on ISS noise exposure monitoring approaches and hearing conservation strategies that include acoustic dosimetry data collected since the ISS Increment 55 mission (April 2018). Future directions and recommendations for the ISS noise exposure monitoring program will also be presented, including research initiatives aimed at better defining the impact of ISS noise on crew health and performance.

Jose G Limardo↗

A call to standardize metrics for monitoring baleen whales near marine construction activities

Effective monitoring is necessary to protect marine mammal species during the construction of offshore infrastructure. The tools for detecting or monitoring marine mammals span traditional (e.g., visual observers, optical cameras), to newer (e.g., passive acoustic monitoring, infrared cameras, tags), and emerging (e.g., satellite imagery, environmental DNA, dimethyl sulfide concentration) technologies. Some are better suited for use during offshore development; however, peer-reviewed literature does not typically evaluate and report on the performance of these various technologies. We define a minimum set of metrics related to efficacy (i.e., confusion matrix, precision and recall, probability of missed mitigation), detection range (i.e., maximum and reliable detection range, spatial resolution), and data delivery (i.e., detection latency, system reliability, temporal resolution) that we recommend are needed to assess the utility of monitoring technologies for this purpose. Following a literature review of relevant studies, we highlight which publications reported these metrics and used multiple technologies to compare relative performance. We also emphasize the benefits of multi-modal approaches and recommend performance assessments through modeling or large-scale collaborative field testing. These metrics will standardize data collection, reporting, and analysis; promote consistent and comparable results; and foster collaboration among developers, regulatory agencies, and scientists. This may lead to the co-development of technology that achieves multiple goals, has greater application, and can answer research questions while collecting data to fulfill permitting requirements. These metrics may also inform decisions on what systems regulatory agencies might consider using and reduce monitoring costs, which is critical to support the marine sector's rapid growth alongside marine mammal conservation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Three-dimensional seismic characterization and imaging of the Soda Lake geothermal field

Accurate characterization of subsurface geophysical properties and detection of the fault system are essential for geothermal energy exploration and production. The Soda Lake geothermal field is in western Nevada with a complex fault system. Previous seismic characterization only produced a low-resolution, smooth velocity model along with a simple, conceptual fault model. Using optimized correlation-based full-waveform inversion, wavefield-separation-based reverse-time migration, and automatic fault detection techniques, we present 3D seismic characterization for the Soda Lake geothermal field using 3D surface seismic data acquired with Vibroseis sources. Here, we obtain 3D high-resolution velocity, density, and acoustic impedance models, 3D seismic images with different grid spacings, and a high-resolution fault system. Consistency check between the constructed faults and currently active injection and production geothermal wells verifies that our seismic inversion and imaging results and detected faults are reliable. These results can provide valuable information for optimizing well placement and geothermal energy production at the Soda Lake geothermal field.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Sensitivity of thermodynamic profiles retrieved from ground-based microwave and infrared observations to additional input data from active remote sensing instruments and numerical weather prediction models

Accurate and continuous estimates of the thermodynamic structure of the lower atmosphere are highly beneficial to meteorological process understanding and its applications, such as weather forecasting. In this study, the Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation (TROPoe) physical retrieval is used to retrieve temperature and humidity profiles from various combinations of input data collected by passive and active remote sensing instruments, in situ surface platforms, and numerical weather prediction models. Among the employed instruments are microwave radiometers (MWRs), infrared spectrometers (IRSs), radio acoustic sounding systems (RASSs), ceilometers, and surface sensors. TROPoe uses brightness temperatures and/or radiances from MWRs and IRSs, as well as other observational inputs (virtual temperature from the RASS, cloud-base height from the ceilometer, pressure, temperature, and humidity from the surface sensors) in a physical iterative retrieval approach. This starts from a climatologically reasonable profile of temperature and water vapor, with the radiative transfer model iteratively adjusting the assumed temperature and humidity profiles until the derived brightness temperatures and radiances match those observed by the MWR and/or IRS instruments within a specified uncertainty, as well as within the uncertainties of the other observations, if used as input. In this study, due to the uniqueness of the dataset that includes all the above-mentioned sensors, TROPoe is tested with different observational input combinations, some of which also include information higher than 4 km above ground level (a.g.l.) from the operational Rapid Refresh numerical weather prediction model. These temperature and humidity retrievals are assessed against independent collocated radiosonde profiles under non-cloudy conditions to assess the sensitivity of the TROPoe retrievals to different input combinations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Acoustic emission characterization using AE (parameter) delay

The acoustic emission (AE) parameter delay concept is defined as that particular measured value of a parameter at which a specified baseline level of cumulative AE activity is reached. The parameter can be from any of a broad range of elastic, plastic, viscoelastic, and fracture mechanics parameters, as well as their combinations. Such parameters include stress, load, strain, displacement, time, temperature, loading cycle, unloading stress, stress intensity factor, strain energy release rate, and crack tip plasticity zone size, while the AE activity may be AE event counts, ringdown counts, energy, event duration, etc., as well as their combinations. Attention is given to examples for the AE parameter delay concept, together with various correlations.

Williams, J. H., Jr.↗

Active control of sound transmission/radiation from elastic plates by vibration inputs. I - Analysis

Active control of sound radiation from vibrating plates by oscillating forces applied directly to the structure is analytically studied. The model consists of a plane acoustic wave incident on a clamped elastic circular thin plate. Control is achieved by point forces, and quadratic optimization is used to calculate the optimal control gains necessary to minimize a cost function proportional to the radiated acoustic power (the transmitted field). The results show that global attenuation of broadband radiated sound levels for low to mid-range frequencies can be achieved with one or two control forces, irrespective of whether the system is on or off resonance. The efficiency of the control strategy is demonstrated to be related to the nature of the coupling between the plate modes of response and the radiated field.

Fuller, C. R.↗

Teletype Tester

In the United States, more than 12,000 homes of deaf people are equipped with a system that enables the deaf to communicate by telephone. It consists of a teletype machine hooked up to an "acoustic coupler." The deaf person taps out a message on the teletype keyboard and the acoustic coupler converts teletype pulses into audio signals that can be sent over phone lines. At the other end, another coupler reconverts the signals to activate the teletype's printer and provide a readable message. Though a boon to the deaf, the system presents a problem when something goes wrong. It is difficult to pinpoint the trouble because of the multiple units involved-the teletype's keyboard or its printer, the coupler's sending circuit or its receiving circuit. Finding the trouble is time-consuming and it usually involves removing the equipment from service, leaving the deaf person temporarily without communication. Seeking an answer to this difficulty, NASA's Biomedical Applications Team at Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina, circulated a problem statement to NASA field centers. Langley Research Center responded by developing a compactly-packaged portable Teletype Test Unit.

Source record↗

Controller Design for Propeller Phase Synchronization with Aeroacoustic Performance Metrics

Active noise reduction using phase control takes advantage of the propellers used in a distributed electric air vehicle by treating each propeller as an independent acoustic source. These acoustic sources can destructively interfere if the propellers are synchronized. With this method, the radiated sound power around the vehicle can be reduced. The purpose of this paper is to design a controller that regulates propeller positions to reduce the radiated sound power through destructive interference and to demonstrate the performance of the controller through acoustic testing. There are two control requirements for reducing the sound pressure level considered in this paper. The first is accurately regulating the difference between the propeller azimuthal blade positions (phase) relative to their neighbors. By changing the phase at the source, we can control the phase of the sound wave at an arrival position to create destructive interference. The second consideration is maintaining high coherence between the two propeller sources. To achieve significant attenuation, the controller needs to regulate phase error and suppress sources of incoherence. Performance is demonstrated through sound recordings performed in the NASA Langley Structural Acoustic Loads and Transmission (SALT) anechoic chamber. We show that the controller is capable of reducing sound pressure level at a given observer location by 17 dB at the blade passage frequency and that this method can reduce the radiated sound power by 6 dB at the blade passage frequency.

Andrew Patterson↗

Method for producing nanoparticles and the nanoparticles produced therefrom

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, γ-Fe and magnesium nickel.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Method for producing nanoparticles and the nanoparticles produced therefrom

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, γ-Fe and magnesium nitride.

Manuel, Michele Viola↗

Method for producing nanoparticles and the nanoparticles produced therefrom

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, γ-Fe and magnesium nitride.

Manuel, Michele Viola↗