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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 595 records · Page 33

Software environment for implementing engineering applications on MIMD computers

In this paper the concept for a software environment for developing engineering application systems for multiprocessor hardware (MIMD) is presented. The philosophy employed is to solve the largest problems possible in a reasonable amount of time, rather than solve existing problems faster. In the proposed environment most of the problems concerning parallel computation and handling of large distributed data spaces are hidden from the application program developer, thereby facilitating the development of large-scale software applications. Applications developed under the environment can be executed on a variety of MIMD hardware; it protects the application software from the effects of a rapidly changing MIMD hardware technology.

Lopez, L. A.↗

Radar Altimetry For Topographical Mapping

Two altimeter concepts based on spaceborne synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) proposed to gather global, uniformly sampled, high-resolution, topographical data on land and ice. Wide swath and high pulse rate of SAR makes possible to acquire spatially contiguous data over large areas in reasonable amount of time, and time needed for altimetric processing of SAR data considerably less than that needed to generate topographical maps from stereoscopic photographs. Radar less vulnerable to cloud cover and other weather conditions than optical techniques.

Im, Eastwood↗

Large Impact Basins on Mercury: Global Distribution, Characteristics, and Modification History from MESSENGER Orbital Data

The formation of large impact basins (diameter D greater than or equal to 300 km) was an important process in the early evolution of Mercury and influenced the planet's topography, stratigraphy, and crustal structure. We catalog and characterize this basin population on Mercury from global observations by the MESSENGER spacecraft, and we use the new data to evaluate basins suggested on the basis of the Mariner 10 flybys. Forty-two certain or probable impact basins are recognized a few additional basins that may have been degraded to the point of ambiguity are plausible on the basis of new data but are classified as uncertain. The spatial density of large basins (D greater than or equal to 500 km) on Mercury is lower than that on the Moon. Morphological characteristics of basins on Mercury suggest that on average they are more degraded than lunar basins. These observations are consistent with more efficient modification, degradation, and obliteration of the largest basins on Mercury than on the Moon. This distinction may be a result of differences in the basin formation process (producing fewer rings), greater relaxation of topography after basin formation (subduing relief), and/or higher rates of volcanism during the period of heavy bombardment on Mercury compared to the Moon (burying basin rings and interiors).

Fassett, Caleb I.↗

Systems aspects of COBE science data compression

A general approach to compression of diverse data from large scientific projects has been developed and this paper addresses the appropriate system and scientific constraints together with the algorithm development and test strategy. This framework has been implemented for the COsmic Background Explorer spacecraft (COBE) by retrofitting the existing VAS-based data management system with high-performance compression software permitting random access to the data. Algorithms which incorporate scientific knowledge and consume relatively few system resources are preferred over ad hoc methods. COBE exceeded its planned storage by a large and growing factor and the retrieval of data significantly affects the processing, delaying the availability of data for scientific usage and software test. Embedded compression software is planned to make the project tractable by reducing the data storage volume to an acceptable level during normal processing.

Freedman, I.↗

Application-Controlled Demand Paging for Out-of-Core Visualization

In the area of scientific visualization, input data sets are often very large. In visualization of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in particular, input data sets today can surpass 100 Gbytes, and are expected to scale with the ability of supercomputers to generate them. Some visualization tools already partition large data sets into segments, and load appropriate segments as they are needed. However, this does not remove the problem for two reasons: 1) there are data sets for which even the individual segments are too large for the largest graphics workstations, 2) many practitioners do not have access to workstations with the memory capacity required to load even a segment, especially since the state-of-the-art visualization tools tend to be developed by researchers with much more powerful machines. When the size of the data that must be accessed is larger than the size of memory, some form of virtual memory is simply required. This may be by segmentation, paging, or by paged segments. In this paper we demonstrate that complete reliance on operating system virtual memory for out-of-core visualization leads to poor performance. We then describe a paged segment system that we have implemented, and explore the principles of memory management that can be employed by the application for out-of-core visualization. We show that application control over some of these can significantly improve performance. We show that sparse traversal can be exploited by loading only those data actually required. We show also that application control over data loading can be exploited by 1) loading data from alternative storage format (in particular 3-dimensional data stored in sub-cubes), 2) controlling the page size. Both of these techniques effectively reduce the total memory required by visualization at run-time. We also describe experiments we have done on remote out-of-core visualization (when pages are read by demand from remote disk) whose results are promising.

Cox, Michael↗

X-ray digital imaging petrography of lunar mare soils: modal analyses of minerals and glasses

It is essential that accurate modal (i.e., volume) percentages of the various mineral and glass phases in lunar soils be used for addressing and resolving the effects of space weathering upon reflectance spectra, as well as for their calibration such data are also required for evaluating the resource potential of lunar minerals for use at a lunar base. However, these data are largely lacking. Particle-counting information for lunar soils, originally obtained to study formational processes, does not provide these necessary data, including the percentages of minerals locked in multi-phase lithic fragments and fused-soil particles, such as agglutinates. We have developed a technique for modal analyses, sensu stricto, of lunar soils, using digital imaging of X-ray maps obtained with an energy-dispersive spectrometer mounted on an electron microprobe. A suite of nine soils (90 to 150 micrometers size fraction) from the Apollo 11, 12, 15, and 17 mare sites was used for this study. This is the first collection of such modal data on soils from all Apollo mare sites. The abundances of free-mineral fragments in the mare soils are greater for immature and submature soils than for mature soils, largely because of the formation of agglutinitic glass as maturity progresses. In considerations of resource utilization at a lunar base, the best lunar soils to use for mineral beneficiation (i.e., most free-mineral fragments) have maturities near the immature/submature boundary (Is/FeO approximately or = 30), not the mature soils with their complications due to extensive agglutination. The particle data obtained from the nine mare soils confirm the generalizations for lunar soils predicted by L.A. Taylor and D.S. McKay (1992, Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. 23rd, pp. 1411-1412 [Abstract]).

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Effects of compression and random noise on multispectral data.

Two problem areas are often encountered in the use of multispectral scanner data: (1) large quantities of man and machine time are required to analyze and store the volumes of data gathered and (2) the quality of the data is usually reduced by the introduction of unwanted random noise. This paper will present some effects of data compression and random noise on multispectral data, particularly as they apply to pattern recognition and picture quality.

Ready, P. J.↗

Automated Analysis of a Large-Scale Sky Survey: The SKICAT System

We describe the application of decision tree based classification techniques to the development of an automated tool for the reduction of a large scientific data set. The primary benefits of the SKICAT approach are increased data reduction throughput, repeatability, and consistency of classification.

data analysis image databases↗

Physical Science Informatics: Providing Open Science Access to Microheater Array Boiling Experiment Data

The Physical Science Informatics (PSI) system is the next step in this an effort to make NASA sponsored flight data available to the scientific and engineering community, along with the general public. The experimental data, from six overall disciplines, Combustion Science, Fluid Physics, Complex Fluids, Fundamental Physics, and Materials Science, will present some unique challenges. Besides data in textual or numerical format, large portions of both the raw and analyzed data for many of these experiments are digital images and video, requiring large data storage requirements. In addition, the accessible data will include experiment design and engineering data (including applicable drawings), any analytical or numerical models, publications, reports, and patents, and any commercial products developed as a result of the research. This objective of paper includes the following: Present the preliminary layout (Figure 2) of MABE data within the PSI database. Obtain feedback on the layout. Present the procedure to obtain access to this database.

nucleate boiling↗

Massively parallel processor computer

An apparatus for processing multidimensional data with strong spatial characteristics, such as raw image data, characterized by a large number of parallel data streams in an ordered array is described. It comprises a large number (e.g., 16,384 in a 128 x 128 array) of parallel processing elements operating simultaneously and independently on single bit slices of a corresponding array of incoming data streams under control of a single set of instructions. Each of the processing elements comprises a bidirectional data bus in communication with a register for storing single bit slices together with a random access memory unit and associated circuitry, including a binary counter/shift register device, for performing logical and arithmetical computations on the bit slices, and an I/O unit for interfacing the bidirectional data bus with the data stream source. The massively parallel processor architecture enables very high speed processing of large amounts of ordered parallel data, including spatial translation by shifting or sliding of bits vertically or horizontally to neighboring processing elements.

Fung, L. W.↗

High-speed data duplication/data distribution: An adjunct to the mass storage equation

The term 'mass storage' invokes the image of large on-site disk and tape farms which contain huge quantities of low- to medium-access data. Although the cost of such bulk storage is recognized, the cost of the bulk distribution of this data rarely is given much attention. Mass data distribution becomes an even more acute problem if the bulk data is part of a national or international system. If the bulk data distribution is to travel from one large data center to another large data center then fiber-optic cables or the use of satellite channels is feasible. However, if the distribution must be disseminated from a central site to a number of much smaller, and, perhaps varying sites, then cost prohibits the use of fiber-optic cable or satellite communication. Given these cost constraints much of the bulk distribution of data will continue to be disseminated via inexpensive magnetic tape using the various next day postal service options. For non-transmitted bulk data, our working hypotheses are that the desired duplication efficiency of the total bulk data should be established before selecting any particular data duplication system; and, that the data duplication algorithm should be determined before any bulk data duplication method is selected.

Howard, Kevin↗

The scaling relationship between telescope cost and aperture size for very large telescopes

Cost data for ground-based telescopes of the last century are analyzed for trends in the relationship between aperture size and cost. We find that for apertures built prior to 1980, costs scaled as aperture size to the 2.8 power, which is consistent with the precious finding of Meinel (1978). After 1980, 'traditional' monolithic mirror telescope costs have scaled as aperture to the 2.5 power. The large multiple mirror telescopes built or in construction during this time period (Keck, LBT, GTC) appear to deviate from this relationship with significant cost savings as a result, although it is unclear what power law such structures follow. We discuss the implications of the current cost-aperture size data on the proposed large telescope projects of the next ten to twenty years. Structures that naturally tend towards the 2.0 power in the cost-aperture relationship will be the favorable choice for future extremely large apertures; out expectation is that space-based structures will ultimately gain economic advantage over ground-based ones.

telescope costs↗

Influence of large-scale motion on turbulent transport for confined coaxial jets. Volume 2: Navier-Stokes calculations of swirling and nonswirling confined coaxial jets

The existence of large scale coherent structures in turbulent shear flows has been well documented. Discrepancies between experimental and computational data suggest a necessity to understand the roles they play in mass and momentum transport. Using conditional sampling and averaging on coincident two-component velocity and concentration velocity experimental data for swirling and nonswirling coaxial jets, triggers for identifying the structures were examined. Concentration fluctuation was found to be an adequate trigger or indicator for the concentration-velocity data, but no suitable detector was located for the two-component velocity data. The large scale structures are found in the region where the largest discrepancies exist between model and experiment. The traditional gradient transport model does not fit in this region as a result of these structures. The large scale motion was found to be responsible for a large percentage of the axial mass transport. The large scale structures were found to convect downstream at approximately the mean velocity of the overall flow in the axial direction. The radial mean velocity of the structures was found to be substantially greater than that of the overall flow.

Weinberg, B. C.↗

Geopotential models of the Earth from satellite tracking, altimeter and surface gravity observations: GEM-T3 and GEM-T3S

Improved models of the Earth's gravitational field have been developed from conventional tracking data and from a combination of satellite tracking, satellite altimeter and surface gravimetric data. This combination model represents a significant improvement in the modeling of the gravity field at half-wavelengths of 300 km and longer. Both models are complete to degree and order 50. The Goddard Earth Model-T3 (GEM-T3) provides more accurate computation of satellite orbital effects as well as giving superior geoidal representation from that achieved in any previous GEM. A description of the models, their development and an assessment of their accuracy is presented. The GEM-T3 model used altimeter data from previous satellite missions in estimating the orbits, geoid, and dynamic height fields. Other satellite tracking data are largely the same as was used to develop GEM-T2, but contain certain important improvements in data treatment and expanded laser tracking coverage. Over 1300 arcs of tracking data from 31 different satellites have been used in the solution. Reliable estimates of the model uncertainties via error calibration and optimal data weighting techniques are discussed.

Lerch, F. J.↗

Lithologic discrimination and alteration mapping from AVIRIS Data, Socorro, New Mexico

Geologic maps are, by their very nature, interpretive documents. In contrasts, images prepared from AVIRIS data can be used as uninterpreted, and thus unbiased, geologic maps. We are having significant success applying AVIRIS data in this non-quantitative manner to geologic problems. Much of our success has come from the power of the Linked Windows Interactive Data System. LinkWinds is a visual data analysis and exploration system under development at JPL which is designed to rapidly and interactively investigate large multivariate data sets. In this paper, we present information on the analysis technique, and preliminary results from research on potassium metasomatism, a distinctive and structurally significant type of alteration associated with crustal extension.

Beratan, K. K.↗

An Estimate of Solar Wind Velocity Profiles in a Coronal Hole and a Coronal Streamer Area (6-40 R(radius symbol)

Total electron content data obtained from the Ulysses Solar Corona Experiment (SCE) in 1991 were used to select two data sets, one associated with a coronal hole and the other with coronal streamer crossings. (This is largely equatorial data shortly after solar maximum.) The solar wind velocity profile is estimated for these areas.

solar corona solar wind coronal streamer Ulysses↗

Lithologic Discrimination and Alteration Mapping from AVIRIS Data, Socorro, New Mexico

Geologic maps are, by their very nature, interpretive documents. In contrast, images prepared from AVIRIS data can be used as uninterpreted, and thus unbiased, geologic maps. We are having significant success applying AVIRIS data in this non-quantitative manner to geologic problems. Much of our success has come from the power of the Linked Windows Interactive Data System. LinkWinds is a visual data analysis and exploration system under development at JPL which is designed to rapidly and interactively investigate large multivariate data sets. In this paper, we present information on the analysis technique, and preliminary results from research on potassium metasomatism, a distinctive and structurally significant type of alteration associated with crustal extension.

Chapin, C. E.↗

Automated screening of propulsion system test data by neural networks, phase 1

The evaluation of propulsion system test and flight performance data involves reviewing an extremely large volume of sensor data generated by each test. An automated system that screens large volumes of data and identifies propulsion system parameters which appear unusual or anomalous will increase the productivity of data analysis. Data analysts may then focus on a smaller subset of anomalous data for further evaluation of propulsion system tests. Such an automated data screening system would give NASA the benefit of a reduction in the manpower and time required to complete a propulsion system data evaluation. A phase 1 effort to develop a prototype data screening system is reported. Neural networks will detect anomalies based on nominal propulsion system data only. It appears that a reasonable goal for an operational system would be to screen out 95 pct. of the nominal data, leaving less than 5 pct. needing further analysis by human experts.

Hoyt, W. Andes↗