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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 55 records · Page 3

The phase of the ten-hour modulation in the Jovian magnetosphere /Pioneers 10 and 11/

The paper describes the study of the phase of the 10-hour modulation of energetic electrons seen by Pioneers 10 and 11 in the Jovian magnetosphere. Attention is given to the peaks rather than the valleys of each cycle because the peaks are where physically interesting features occur, such as particle acceleration, current sheets, etc. To identify the peaks, it is required that the instantaneous intensity be higher than the 5-hour running average and the 5-hour running average be greater than the 10-hour running average. These criteria select an interval rather than a point and it is determined that this interval is an appropriate estimate of the experimental uncertainty. When the phases of the peaks are plotted together, they create patterns which are discussed in terms of disk-like, clock-like, and rotating anomaly models of the magnetosphere. Each model fits some of the data, but no model explains all of the data convincingly. It is concluded that there is still no understanding of the configuration of the outer Jovian magnetosphere.

Fillius, W.↗

The Laser Ranging Experiment of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: Five Years of Operations and Data Analysis

We describe the results of the Laser Ranging (LR) experiment carried out from June 2009 to September 2014 in order to make one-way time-of-flight measurements of laser pulses between Earth-based laser ranging stations and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) orbiting the Moon. Over 4,000 hours of successful LR data are obtained from 10 international ground stations. The 20-30 centimeter precision of the full-rate LR data is further improved to 5-10 centimeter after conversion into normal points. The main purpose of LR is to utilize the high accuracy normal point data to improve the quality of the LRO orbits, which are nomi- nally determined by the radiometric S-band tracking data. When independently used in the LRO precision orbit determination process with the high-resolution GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) gravity model, LR data provide good orbit solutions, with an average difference of approximately 50 meters in total position, and approximately 20 centimeters in radial direction, compared to the definitive LRO trajectory. When used in combination with the S-band tracking data, LR data help to improve the orbit accuracy in the radial direction to approximately 15 centimeters. In order to obtain highly accurate LR range measurements for precise orbit determination results, it is critical to closely model the behavior of the clocks both at the ground stations and on the spacecraft. LR provides a unique data set to calibrate the spacecraft clock. The LRO spacecraft clock is characterized by the LR data to a timing knowledge of 0.015 milliseconds over the entire 5 years of LR operation. We here present both the engineering setup of the LR experiments and the detailed analysis results of the LR data.

Mao, Dandan↗

Mars 2020 Radiometric Data and Telemetry Processing, Attitude Estimation, and Thruster Calibration for Orbit Determination

The Mars 2020 spacecraft was spin-stabilized during cruise, just like its predecessor, the Mars Science Laboratory. This spinning motion imparts a signature in the radiometric tracking data that must be dealt with in order to properly model the motion of the spacecraft's center of mass. We discuss how the Orbit Determination team pre-processed the data for efficient computations while also providing other benefits such as high-fidelity attitude modeling and on-board clock verification. Finally, we discuss the analysis and results of the in-flight thruster calibration activity.

Seubert, Jill↗

Interim results from the characterization testing of the Engineering Development (EDM) rubidium clocks for satellite applications

Some interim results from the environmental testing program to evaluate the Engineering Design Model (EDM) of the EG and G Spaceborne Rubidium Clock are presented. This effort is in support of the Global Positioning System (GPS) BLOCK IIR program and is intended to characterize the performance of EG and G design for BLOCK IIR satellite applications. Two EG and G EDM units are currently under test at NRL's Clock Test Facility to measure the long-term frequency stability, drift, and frequency versus temperature characteristics.

Powers, Edward D., Jr.↗

Genomic clocks and evolutionary timescales

For decades, molecular clocks have helped to illuminate the evolutionary timescale of life, but now genomic data pose a challenge for time estimation methods. It is unclear how to integrate data from many genes, each potentially evolving under a different model of substitution and at a different rate. Current methods can be grouped by the way the data are handled (genes considered separately or combined into a 'supergene') and the way gene-specific rate models are applied (global versus local clock). There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these approaches, and the optimal method has not yet emerged. Fortunately, time estimates inferred using many genes or proteins have greater precision and appear to be robust to different approaches.

Evolution, Molecular↗

Stratospheric water vapor in the NCAR CCM2

Results are presented of the water vapor distribution in a 3D GCM with good vertical resolution, a state-of-the-art transport scheme, and a realistic water vapor source in the middle atmosphere. In addition to water vapor, the model transported methane and an idealized clock tracer, which provides transport times to and within the middle atmosphere. The water vapor and methane distributions are compared with Nimbus 7 SAMS and LIMS data and with in situ measurements. It is argued that the hygropause in the model is maintained not by 'freeze-drying' at the tops of tropical cumulonimbus, but by a balance between two sources and one sink. Since the southern winter dehydration is unrealistically intense, this balance most likely does not resemble the balance in the real atmosphere.

Mote, Philip W.↗

Relationship between Allan variances and Kalman Filter parameters

A relationship was constructed between the Allan variance parameters (H sub z, H sub 1, H sub 0, H sub -1 and H sub -2) and a Kalman Filter model that would be used to estimate and predict clock phase, frequency and frequency drift. To start with the meaning of those Allan Variance parameters and how they are arrived at for a given frequency source is reviewed. Although a subset of these parameters is arrived at by measuring phase as a function of time rather than as a spectral density, they all represent phase noise spectral density coefficients, though not necessarily that of a rational spectral density. The phase noise spectral density is then transformed into a time domain covariance model which can then be used to derive the Kalman Filter model parameters. Simulation results of that covariance model are presented and compared to clock uncertainties predicted by Allan variance parameters. A two state Kalman Filter model is then derived and the significance of each state is explained.

Vandierendonck, A. J.↗

Integrated Formal Analysis of Timed-Triggered Ethernet

We present new results related to the verification of the Timed-Triggered Ethernet (TTE) clock synchronization protocol. This work extends previous verification of TTE based on model checking. We identify a suboptimal design choice in a compression function used in clock synchronization, and propose an improvement. We compare the original design and the improved definition using the SAL model checker.

Dutertre, Bruno↗

Autonomous satellite orbit determination during the development phases of the global positioning system

An onboard navigation system was developed to aid the design and evaluation of algorithms used in autonomous satellite navigation with Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The performance of the algorithms designed for a GPS Receiver/Processor Assembly (R/PA) intended for LANDSAT-D was investigated during the development phases of the GPS (four to six satellites in the constellation). This evaluation emphasized the effects on the orbit determination accuracy of the expected user clock errors, GPS satellite visibility, force model approximations, and state and covariance propagation approximations. Results are presented giving the sensitivity of orbit determination accuracy to these constraints.

Dunham, J. B.↗

Formal Techniques for Synchronized Fault-Tolerant Systems

We present the formal verification of synchronizing aspects of the Reliable Computing Platform (RCP), a fault-tolerant computing system for digital flight control applications. The RCP uses NMR-style redundancy to mask faults and internal majority voting to purge the effects of transient faults. The system design has been formally specified and verified using the EHDM verification system. Our formalization is based on an extended state machine model incorporating snapshots of local processors clocks.

DiVito, Ben L.↗

A Unified Fault-Tolerance Protocol

Davies and Wakerly show that Byzantine fault tolerance can be achieved by a cascade of broadcasts and middle value select functions. We present an extension of the Davies and Wakerly protocol, the unified protocol, and its proof of correctness. We prove that it satisfies validity and agreement properties for communication of exact values. We then introduce bounded communication error into the model. Inexact communication is inherent for clock synchronization protocols. We prove that validity and agreement properties hold for inexact communication, and that exact communication is a special case. As a running example, we illustrate the unified protocol using the SPIDER family of fault-tolerant architectures. In particular we demonstrate that the SPIDER interactive consistency, distributed diagnosis, and clock synchronization protocols are instances of the unified protocol.

Miner, Paul↗

Mars Science Laboratory Orbit Determination Data Pre-Processing

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) was spin-stabilized during its cruise to Mars. We discuss the effects of spin on the radiometric data and how the orbit determination team dealt with them. Additionally, we will discuss the unplanned benefits of detailed spin modeling including attitude estimation and spacecraft clock correlation.

spin signature↗

Room-Temperature Operation of Index-Coupled Distributed-Feedback 4.75 Micron Quantum Cascade Lasers Fabricated Without Epitaxial Regrowth

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) was spin-stabilized during its cruise to Mars. We discuss the effects of spin on the radiometric data and how the orbit determination team dealt with them. Additionally, we will discuss the unplanned benefits of detailed spin modeling including attitude estimation and spacecraft clock correlation.

quantum cascade lasers↗

The effects of transmitter/receiver clock time base instability on coherent communication system performance

The purpose of this paper is to present a model and associated analysis of the deleterious effects which both transmitter and receiver data clock time-base instability have on bit error probability. The types of time-base instability modeled and analyzed include bit jitter (epoch jitter), bit jitter rate (time interval jitter) and data asymmetry. The bit error probability is determined as a function of the statistical characteristics of the time-base instability, the data transition density, the signal-to-noise ratio in the bit rate bandwidth and the mechanizations of both the data bit detector and bit synchronizer. Numerical results are provided.

Chie, C. M.↗

The effects of transmitter/receiver clock time-base instability on coherent communication system performance

The purpose of this paper is to present a model and associated analysis of the deleterious effects which both transmitter and receiver data clock time-base instability have on bit-error probability. The types of time-base instability modeled and analyzed include what is commonly referred to as bit jitter (epoch jitter), bit-jitter rate (time interval jitter), and data asymmetry. The bit-error probability is determined as a function of the statistical characteristics of the time-base instability, the data-transition density, the signal-to-noise ratio in the bit-rate bandwidth and the mechanizations of both the data-bit detector and bit synchronizer. The latter is manifested through the bit synchronizer's natural frequency and loop-damping parameters. Numerical results which indicate the sensitivity of the system bit-error rate to various parameters of the model are provided.

Chie, C. M.↗

Constraining the Evolution of ZZ Ceti

We report our analysis of the stability of pulsation periods in the DAV star (pulsating hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf) ZZ Ceti, also called R548. On the basis of observations that span 31 years, we conclude that the period 213.13 s observed in ZZ Ceti drifts at a rate dP/dt 5 (5.5 plus or minus 1.9) x 10(exp -15) ss(sup -1), after correcting for proper motion. Our results are consistent with previous P values for this mode and an improvement over them because of the larger time base. The characteristic stability timescale implied for the pulsation period is |P||P(raised dot)|greater than or equal to 1.2 Gyr, comparable to the theoretical cooling timescale for the star. Our current stability limit for the period 213.13 s is only slightly less than the present measurement for another DAV, G117-B15A, for the period 215.2 s, establishing this mode in ZZ Ceti as the second most stable optical clock known, comparable to atomic clocks and more stable than most pulsars. Constraining the cooling rate of ZZ Ceti aids theoretical evolutionary models and white dwarf cosmochronology. The drift rate of this clock is small enough that we can set interesting limits on reflex motion due to planetary companions.

Mukadam, Anjum S.↗

An experimental study of fault propagation in a jet-engine controller

An experimental analysis of the impact of transient faults on a microprocessor-based jet engine controller, used in the Boeing 747 and 757 aircrafts is described. A hierarchical simulation environment which allows the injection of transients during run-time and the tracing of their impact is described. Verification of the accuracy of this approach is also provided. A determination of the probability that a transient results in latch, pin or functional errors is made. Given a transient fault, there is approximately an 80 percent chance that there is no impact on the chip. An empirical model to depict the process of error exploration and degeneration in the target system is derived. The model shows that, if no latch errors occur within eight clock cycles, no significant damage is likely to happen. Thus, the overall impact of a transient is well contained. A state transition model is also derived from the measured data, to describe the error propagation characteristics within the chip, and to quantify the impact of transients on the external environment. The model is used to identify and isolate the critical fault propagation paths, the module most sensitive to fault propagation and the module with the highest potential of causing external pin errors.

Choi, Gwan Seung↗