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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

A Comparison of Three Random Number Generators for Aircraft Dynamic Modeling Applications

Three random number generators, which produce Gaussian white noise sequences, were compared to assess their suitability in aircraft dynamic modeling applications. The first generator considered was the MATLAB (registered) implementation of the Mersenne-Twister algorithm. The second generator was a website called Random.org, which processes atmospheric noise measured using radios to create the random numbers. The third generator was based on synthesis of the Fourier series, where the random number sequences are constructed from prescribed amplitude and phase spectra. A total of 200 sequences, each having 601 random numbers, for each generator were collected and analyzed in terms of the mean, variance, normality, autocorrelation, and power spectral density. These sequences were then applied to two problems in aircraft dynamic modeling, namely estimating stability and control derivatives from simulated onboard sensor data, and simulating flight in atmospheric turbulence. In general, each random number generator had good performance and is well-suited for aircraft dynamic modeling applications. Specific strengths and weaknesses of each generator are discussed. For Monte Carlo simulation, the Fourier synthesis method is recommended because it most accurately and consistently approximated Gaussian white noise and can be implemented with reasonable computational effort.

Grauer, Jared A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Gaussian membership functions are most adequate in representing uncertainty in measurements

In rare situations, like fundamental physics, we perform experiments without knowing what their results will be. In the majority of real-life measurement situations, we more or less know beforehand what kind of results we will get. Of course, this is not the precise knowledge of the type 'the result will be between alpha - beta and alpha + beta,' because in this case, we would not need any measurements at all. This is usually a knowledge that is best represented in uncertain terms, like 'perhaps (or 'most likely', etc.) the measured value x is between alpha - beta and alpha + beta.' Traditional statistical methods neglect this additional knowledge and process only the measurement results. So it is desirable to be able to process this uncertain knowledge as well. A natural way to process it is by using fuzzy logic. But, there is a problem; we can use different membership functions to represent the same uncertain statements, and different functions lead to different results. What membership function do we choose? In the present paper, we show that under some reasonable assumptions, Gaussian functions mu(x) = exp(-beta(x(exp 2))) are the most adequate choice of the membership functions for representing uncertainty in measurements. This representation was efficiently used in testing jet engines to airplanes and spaceships.

Kreinovich, V.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reconfigurable unitary transformations of optical beam arrays

Spatial transformations of light are ubiquitous in optics, with examples ranging from simple imaging with a lens to quantum and classical information processing in waveguide meshes. Multi-plane light converter (MPLC) systems have emerged as a platform that promises completely general spatial transformations, i.e., a universal unitary. However, until now, MPLC systems have demonstrated transformations that are far from general, e.g., converting from a Gaussian to Laguerre-Gauss mode. Here, we demonstrate the promise of an MLPC, the ability to impose an arbitrary unitary transformation that can be reconfigured dynamically. Specifically, we consider transformations on superpositions of parallel free-space beams arranged in an array, which is a common information encoding in photonics. We experimentally test the full gamut of unitary transformations for a system of two parallel beams and make a map of their fidelity. We obtain an average transformation fidelity of 0.85 ± 0.03. This high-fidelity suggests that MPLCs are a useful tool for implementing the unitary transformations that comprise quantum and classical information processing.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1977

Geologic evolution of the terrestrial planets

The paper presents a geologic comparison of the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon and Mars, in the light of the recent photogeologic and other evidence gathered by satellites, and discusses the relationships between their regional terrain types, ages, and planetary evolution. The importance of the two fundamental processes, impact cratering and volcanism, which had formed these planets are stressed and the factors making the earth unique, such as high planetary evolution index (PEI), dynamic geological agents and the plate tectonics, are pointed out. The igneous processes which dominate earth and once existed on the others are outlined together with the planetary elevations of the earth which has a bimodal distribution, the moon which has a unimodal Gaussian distribution and Mars with a distribution intermediate between the earth and moon. Questions are raised concerning the existence of a minimum planetary mass below which mantle convection will not cause lithospheric rifting, and as to whether each planet follows a separate path of evolution depending on its physical properties and position within the solar system.

Head, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Robust contour decomposition using a constant curvature criterion

The problem of decomposing an extended boundary or contour into simple primitives is addressed with particular emphasis on Laplacian-of-Gaussian (LoG) zero-crossing contours. A technique is introduced for partitioning such contours into constant curvature segments. A nonlinear `blip' filter matched to the impairment signature of the curvature computation process, an overlapped voting scheme, and a sequential contiguous segment extraction mechanism are used. This technique is insensitive to reasonable changes in algorithm parameters and robust to noise and minor viewpoint-induced distortions in the contour shape, such as those encountered between stereo image pairs. The results vary smoothly with the data, and local perturbations induce only local changes in the result. Robustness and insensitivity are experimentally verified.

Wuescher, Daniel M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Is the Non-Dipole Magnetic Field Random?

Statistical modelling of the Earth's magnetic field B has a long history. In particular, the spherical harmonic coefficients of scalar fields derived from B can be treated as Gaussian random variables. In this paper, we give examples of highly organized fields whose spherical harmonic coefficients pass tests for independent Gaussian random variables. The fact that coefficients at some depth may be usefully summarized as independent samples from a normal distribution need not imply that there really is some physical, random process at that depth. In fact, the field can be extremely structured and still be regarded for some purposes as random. In this paper, we examined the radial magnetic field B(sub r) produced by the core, but the results apply to any scalar field on the core-mantle boundary (CMB) which determines B outside the CMB.

Walker, Andrew D.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Energy Measurement Studies for CO2 Measurement with a Coherent Doppler Lidar System

The accurate measurement of energy in the application of lidar system for CO2 measurement is critical. Different techniques of energy estimation in the online and offline pulses are investigated for post processing of lidar returns. The cornerstone of the techniques is the accurate estimation of the spectrum of lidar signal and background noise. Since the background noise is not the ideal white Gaussian noise, simple average level estimation of noise level is not well fit in the energy estimation of lidar signal and noise. A brief review of the methods is presented in this paper.

Beyon, Jeffrey Y.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Extended Line Spread Function of TES Microcalorimeters with Au/Bi Absorbers

Microcalorimeters have the potential to provide line shapes well-described by a single Gaussian broadening term of few-eV width. This attribute makes the detectors especially well suited for x-ray astrophysics observations; however, low-level non-Gaussian broadening terms are expected and must be characterized. These terms depend on the composition of the x-ray absorber, the detailed x-ray absorption physics, the device thermalization processes, and the incident x-ray energy. Here we present the first measurements targeted at understanding the extended line-spread function (LSF) of x-ray microcalorimeter pixels under development for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (XIFU) on the Athena X-ray Observatory. These pixels are comprised of Mo/Au transition-edge sensors (TESs) with overhanging electroplated Au/Bi absorbers. We measured the line shapes using monochromatic x-ray sources with < 1 eV width at several x-ray energies (0.85, 0.93, 1.25, 1.5, 5.4, and 8.0 keV) across the instrument bandpass (0.3-12 keV) and modeled the line profiles. These results are compared to the extended LSF of the Hitomi microcalorimeter pixels that used HgTe absorbers.

Superconducting devices↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of post-breakup Coulomb acceleration using a trajectory model

Intermediate mass fragments ejected during the deexcitation of excited projectilelike fragments may promptly decay following ejection; the daughter particles that are subsequently produced are subject to interactions with the residual nucleus that affect final-state observables, a process herein referred to as post-breakup Coulomb acceleration. A simple classical Coulomb interaction model was used to study modification of 8 Be (2 + ), 5 Li (3/2 – ), 7 Li (7/2 – ), 7 Be (7/2 – ), and states in 12 B emitted following heavy-ion collisions of 28 Si + 12 C at 35 MeV/nucleon. Here, in contrast to previous work studying 8 Be (2 + ), excellent agreement between simulation and experiment was obtained using only Coulomb forces when either a Lorentzian or R-matrix line shape was used to describe the initial relative energy rather than a Gaussian. In consideration of the obtained results, improvements to the model and evaluation of experimental data are discussed as future directions, but it was concluded that the effects observed in the present data can be accurately described using only elements of classical mechanics and that the process is largely understood for a wide range of state lifetimes and mass and charge (a)symmetries.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1991

Baseband pulse shaping techniques for nonlinearly amplified pi/4-QPSK and QAM systems

A new generation of multi-stage pi/4-shifted QPSK and of superposed quadrature-amplitude-modulated (SQAM) modulators-coherent demodulators (modems) and of continuous phase modulated (CPM)-gaussian premodulation filtered minimum-shift-keying (MGMSK) systems is proposed and studied. These modems will lead to bandwidth and power efficient satellite communications systems designs. As an illustrative application, a baseband processing technique pi/4-controlled transition PSK (pi/4-CTPSK) is described. To develop a cost and power efficient design strategy, we assume that nonlinear, fully saturated high power amplifiers (HPA) are utilized in the satellite earth station transmitter and in the satellite transponder. Modem structures which could lead to application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) satellite on-board processing universal modem applications are also considered. Multistate GMSK (i.e., MGMSK) signal generation methods by means of two or more RF combined nonlinearly amplified SQAM modems and by one multistate (in-phase and quadrature-baseband premodulation filtered-superposed) SQAM architecture and one RF nonlinear amplifier are studied. During the SQAM modem development phase we investigate the potential system advantages of the pi/4-shifted logic. The bandwidth efficiency of the proposed multistate GMSK and baseband filtered PAM-FM modulator (a new class in the CPM family) will be significantly higher than that of conventional G-MSK systems. To optimize the practical P(sub e) = f((E sub b)/(N sub o)) performance we consider improved coherent demodulation MGMSK structures such as deviated-frequency locking coherent demodulators. For relative low bit rate SATCOM applications, e.g., bit rates less than 300 kb/s, phase noise tracking cancellation (for fixed site earth station) and phase noise cancellation as well as Doppler compensation (for satellite to mobile earth station) applications may be required. We study digital channel sounding methods which could cancel the phase noise-caused degradations of CPM and GMSK modems.

Feher, Kamilo↗
DOE OSTI2025

Divide and conquer: separating the two probabilities in seismic phase picking

There are two fundamental probabilities in the seismic phase picking process—the probability of the existence of a seismic phase (detection probability) and the probability associated with the phase arrival time estimation (timing probability). The nearly ubiquitous approach in developing deep learning phase picking models is to use a kernel, such as a truncated Gaussian, to mask the labelled phase arrival time and train a segmentation model. Once a model is trained, the times of the peaks in the output are taken as phase arrival times (picks), and the height of the peaks are taken as ‘probability’ of the picks. Here, we show that this ‘probability’ represents neither the detection nor the timing probability because this approach forces the output to follow the shape of the kernel. We introduce an approach using two models to estimate these two distinct probabilities. We use a binary classifier with a calibrated confidence to address the detection probability and a multiclass classifier to obtain a probability mass function to address the timing probability. This new approach can make the deep learning-based phase picking process more interpretable and provide options to logically control seismic monitoring workflows.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2003

Photonic Interrogation and Control of Nano Processes

My research activities for the summer of 2003 consisted of two projects: One project was concerned with determining a method for predicting the static and dynamic assembly properties of nano-structures using laser tweezers. The other project was to investigate the generation of Laguerre-Gaussian modes using a spatial light modulator incorporated into an optical tweezers system. Concerning the first project, I initially pursued the approach suggested by my NASA colleague Dr. Art Decker. This approach involved mimicking the model of the structure of atomic nucleus for the assembly of 1 to 100 atoms using allowed quadruple transitions induced by orbital angular momentums of a Laguerre- Gaussian (Doughnut) laser mode. After realizing the inaptness of the nuclear model with the nanostructure model as far as the binding forces and transitions were concerned, I focused on using quantum dot modei. This model was not attuned also for the host lattice influences the electronic structure of the quantum dot. Thus one other option that I decided to pursue was the approach of molecular quantum mechanics. In this approach the nanostructure is treated as a large (10-100 nm) molecule constructed from single element or multi-elements. Subsequent to consultation with Dr. Fred Morales, a chemical engineer at NASA GRC, and Dr. David Ball, a computational chemist at Cleveland State University, I acquired a molecular-quantum computation software, Hyperchem 7.0. This software allows simulation of different molecular structures as far as their static and dynamic behaviors are concerned. The time that I spent on this project was about eight weeks. Once this suitable approach was identified, I realized the need to collaborate with a computational quantum chemist to pursue searching for stable nanostructures in the range of 10-100 nm that we can be assembled using laser tweezers. The second project was about generating laser tweezers that possess orbital angular momentum. As shown, we were able to generate laser tweezers modes of different orbital angular momentum using a spatial light modulator incorporated into a laser tweezers system. The motivation for investigating these types of modes stems from being able to spin particles at high speeds and also to orient two particles in separate traps and then join them together. Also, there has been recent intense interest on fundamental physics research on orbital angular momentum of light. The fact that circularly polarized light may have associated with it angular momentum that relates to the spin of individual photons (spin 0 for the plane polarized light, spin +1 for the right-circularly polarized light and spin -1 for the left-circularly polarized light) was first demonstrated by Beth in 1936. Orbital angular momentum is, however, distinct from spin in that the spin angular momentum of light is intrinsically linked to the behavior of the electric field in the light whereas orbital angular momentum is a consequence of inclined wavefronts. In 1992 L. Allen, et al showed that the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes could possess well-defined orbital angular momentum that can exceed 1 planck's constant, i.e. l plancks constant per photon, where l is the azimuthal index of the mode.

Jassemnejad, Baha↗
NASA NTRS1992

Linear-quadratic-Gaussian synthesis with reduced parameter sensitivity

We present a method for improving the tolerance of a conventional LQG controller to parameter errors in the plant model. The improvement is achieved by introducing additional terms reflecting the structure of the parameter errors into the LQR cost function, and also the process and measurement noise models. Adjusting the sizes of these additional terms permits a trade-off between robustness and nominal performance. Manipulation of some of the additional terms leads to high gain controllers while other terms lead to low gain controllers. Conditions are developed under which the high-gain approach asymptotically recovers the robustness of the corresponding full-state feedback design, and the low-gain approach makes the closed-loop poles asymptotically insensitive to parameter errors.

Lin, J. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1989

From primal sketches to the recovery of intensity and reflectance representations

A local change in intensity (edge) is a characteristic that is preserved when an image is filtered through a bandpass filter. Primal sketch representations of images, using the bandpass-filtered data, have become a common process since Marr proposed his model for early human vision. Here, researchers move beyond the primal sketch extraction to the recovery of intensity and reflectance representations using only the bandpass-filtered data. Assessing the response of an ideal step edge to the Laplacian of Gaussian (NAb/A squared G) filter, they found that the resulting filtered data preserves the original change of intensity that created the edge in addition to the edge location. Using the filtered data, they can construct the primal sketches and recover the original (relative) intensity levels between the boundaries. It was found that the result of filtering an ideal step edge with the Intensity-Dependent Spatial Summation (IDS) filter preserves the actual intensity on both sides of the edge, in addition to the edge location. The IDS filter also preserves the reflectance ratio at the edge location. Therefore, one can recover the intensity levels between the edge boundaries as well as the (relative) reflectance representation. The recovery of the reflectance representation is of special interest as it erases shadowing degradations and other dependencies on temporal illumination. This method offers a new approach to low-level vision processing as well as to high data-compression coding. High compression can be gained by transmitting only the information associated with the edge location (edge primitives) that is necessary for the recovery

Alter-Gartenberg, Rachel↗
DOE OSTI2025

Predicting Pulsed-Laser Deposition SrTiO 3 Homoepitaxy Growth Dynamics Using High-Speed Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction

Pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is a powerful technique for growing complex oxides with controlled stoichiometry. To understand growth dynamics therein, it is common to leverage in situ spectroscopies, such as reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), to monitor surface crystallinity. Most commercial systems rely on video-rate cameras operating at 60-120 Hz that lack sufficient temporal resolution to capture growth dynamics at practical deposition frequencies. Here, a high-speed platform to record in situ dynamics via RHEED at >500 Hz is implemented. An open-source analysis package is designed to fit diffraction spots to 2D Gaussians, allowing single-pulse surface reconstruction kinetics extraction. Using homoepitaxially deposited (001)-oriented SrTiO 3 as a model system, we demonstrate how high-speed RHEED can provide real-time insight into growth processes obscured by slower acquisition systems. By fitting the single-pulse intensity to a set of exponential functions, we observe changes in the characteristic decay time and mechanism correlated to the substrate step width and surface termination. We observe distinct surface effects, with diffraction intensity decaying on lower-energy TiO 2 -terminated surfaces and stabilizing on SrO- or mixed-terminated surfaces. Similarly, using an exponential model, the extracted characteristic time of adatom deposition decreases with increased density of bonding sites associated with mixed termination and narrower step widths. Ultimately, this work shows how increasing RHEED temporal resolution can uncover new insights into growth processes, with practical implications for the design and control of PLD processes. This experimental platform provides new capabilities to enable data-driven machine learning analysis and autonomous control systems to enhance the complexity and fecundity of PLD.

(SrO)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Stimulated emission tomography for efficient characterization of spatial entanglement

Stimulated-emission tomography (SET) is an excellent tool for characterizing the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC), which is commonly used to create pairs of entangled photons for use in quantum information protocols. The use of stimulated emission increases the average number of detected photons by several orders of magnitude compared to the spontaneous process. In a SET measurement, the parametric down conversion is seeded by an intense signal field prepared with specified mode properties rather than by broadband multimodal vacuum fluctuations, as is the case for the spontaneous process. The SET process generates an intense idler field in a mode that is the complex conjugate to the signal mode. In this work we use SET to estimate the joint spatial mode distribution (JSMD) in the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) basis of the two photons of an entangled photon pair. The pair is produced by parametric down conversion in a beta barium borate (BBO) crystal with type-II phase matching pumped at a wavelength of 405 nm along with a 780 nm seed signal beam prepared in a variety of LG modes to generate an 842 nm idler beam of which the spatial mode distribution is measured. We observe strong idler production and good agreement with the theoretical prediction of its spatial mode distribution. Our experimental procedure should enable the efficient determination of the photon-pair wavefunctions produced by low-brightness SPDC sources and the characterization of high-dimensional entangled-photon pairs. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Xu, Yang (ORCID:0009000954547320)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Resonant Slow Extraction Simulation using Bmad

Simulations of slow extraction and transport of charged particle beams from synchrotrons requires careful modeling and experimentation. In this paper, we outline how the Bmad modeling software was adapted and developed to run third-integer resonant extraction simulations of beams at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Booster synchrotron. Further, we show experimental comparisons of the slowly extracted beams transferred to the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) transport line. In this process, beam passes through a stripping foil element at the extraction point, which, along with stripping remaining electrons from the beam ions, acts as a scatterer to modify the phase space, moving to a more Gaussian-like distribution. This modification to the beam helps generate a uniform beam at the beam line’s target location; which is necessary for the variety of experiments performed at the facility. During this work, beam energy loss and multiple scattering by foil routines were built in conjunction with the Bmad code developers and are now integrated into the software.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1974

Noncoherent detection of periodic signals

The optimal Bayes detector for a general periodic waveform having uniform delay and additive white Gaussian noise is examined. It is shown that the detector is much more complex than that for the well known cases of pure sine waves (i.e. classical noncoherent detection) and narrowband signals. An interpretation of the optimal processing is presented, and several implementations are discussed. The results have application to the noncoherent detection of optical square waves.

Gagliardi, R. M.↗