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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 649 records · Page 36

Analysis of severe storm data

The Mesoscale Analysis and Space Sensor (MASS) Data Management and Analysis System developed by Atsuko Computing International (ACI) on the MASS HP-1000 Computer System within the Systems Dynamics Laboratory of the Marshall Space Flight Center is described. The MASS Data Management and Analysis System was successfully implemented and utilized daily by atmospheric scientists to graphically display and analyze large volumes of conventional and satellite derived meteorological data. The scientists can process interactively various atmospheric data (Sounding, Single Level, Gird, and Image) by utilizing the MASS (AVE80) share common data and user inputs, thereby reducing overhead, optimizing execution time, and thus enhancing user flexibility, useability, and understandability of the total system/software capabilities. In addition ACI installed eight APPLE III graphics/imaging computer terminals in individual scientist offices and integrated them into the MASS HP-1000 Computer System thus providing significant enhancement to the overall research environment.

Hickey, J. S.↗

Challenges in cybersecurity: Lessons from biological defense systems

Defending against novel, repeated, or unpredictable attacks, while avoiding attacks on the ‘self’, are the central problems of both mammalian immune systems and computer systems. Both systems have been studied in great detail, but with little exchange of information across the different disciplines. Here, we present a conceptual framework for structured comparisons across the fields of biological immunity and cybersecurity, by framing the context of defense, considering different (combinations of) defensive strategies, and evaluating defensive performance. Throughout this paper, we pose open questions for further exploration. In this work we hope to spark the interdisciplinary discovery of general principles of optimal defense, which can be understood and applied in biological immunity, cybersecurity, and other defensive realms.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Automated mesoscale winds derived from GOES multispectral imagery

An automated technique for extracting mesoscale winds from sequences of GOES VISSR image pairs was developed, tested and configured for quasi-real time/research applications on a computing system which gives mesoscale wind estimates at the highest spatial/temporal resolution possible from the VISSR imagery down to a wind vector separation of 10 km. Preprocessing of imagery using IR resampling, VIS edge preserving filtering, and reduced VIS resolution averaging improved height assignments and vector extraction for 10, 15, and 30 min imagery. An objective quality control system provides much greater than 99% accuracy in eliminating questionable wind estimates. Automated winds generally have better spatial coverage and density, and have random error estimates half as large as the manual winds. Dynamical analysis of cloud wind divergence revealed temporally consistent convergence centers on the meso beta scale that are highly correlated with on going and future developing convective storms. The entire system of computer codes was successfully vectorized for execution on an array processor resulting in job turnaround in less than one hour.

Wilson, G. S.↗

Computer simulation of environmental, hazard scenarios in space

The development of the Advanced Computer Graphics Laboratory at NASA/JSC will enable NASA engineers to utilize state-of-the-art computer systems to simulate and analyze current and planned space missions. These systems utilize computer graphics to animate automated satellite rendezvous and docking, satellite servicing, tether operations, as well as remote manipulator activities and assembly of large space structures including the space station. These computer simulations enhance the engineering evaluation of possible hazardous scenarios in space by allowing users to view from any point in space these activities and determine if any potential problem could occur.

Brown, R. H.↗

CONFIG: Integrated engineering of systems and their operation

This article discusses CONFIG 3, a prototype software tool that supports integrated conceptual design evaluation from early in the product life cycle, by supporting isolated or integrated modeling, simulation, and analysis of the function, structure, behavior, failures and operations of system designs. Integration and reuse of models is supported in an object-oriented environment providing capabilities for graph analysis and discrete event simulation. CONFIG supports integration among diverse modeling approaches (component view, configuration or flow path view, and procedure view) and diverse simulation and analysis approaches. CONFIG is designed to support integrated engineering in diverse design domains, including mechanical and electro-mechanical systems, distributed computer systems, and chemical processing and transport systems.

Malin, Jane T.↗

Development and Testing of an Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearing

The NASA Glenn Research Center has developed and tested a revolutionary Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearing. The objective of this work is to develop a viable non-contact magnetic thrust bearing utilizing Halbach arrays for all-electric flight, and many other applications. This concept will help to reduce harmful emissions, reduce the Nation s dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate many of the concerns and limitations encountered in conventional axial bearings such as bearing wear, leaks, seals and friction loss. The Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearing is inherently stable and requires no active feedback control system or superconductivity as required in many magnetic bearing designs. The Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearing is useful for very high speed applications including turbines, instrumentation, medical systems, computer memory systems, and space power systems such as flywheels. Magnetic fields suspend and support a rotor assembly within a stator. Advanced technologies developed for particle accelerators, and currently under development for maglev trains and rocket launchers, served as the basis for this application. Experimental hardware was successfully designed and developed to validate the basic principles and analyses. The report concludes that the implementation of Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearings can provide significant improvements in rotational system performance and reliability.

Eichenberg, Dennis J.↗

Methods and systems for providing reconfigurable and recoverable computing resources

A method for optimizing the use of digital computing resources to achieve reliability and availability of the computing resources is disclosed. The method comprises providing one or more processors with a recovery mechanism, the one or more processors executing one or more applications. A determination is made whether the one or more processors needs to be reconfigured. A rapid recovery is employed to reconfigure the one or more processors when needed. A computing system that provides reconfigurable and recoverable computing resources is also disclosed. The system comprises one or more processors with a recovery mechanism, with the one or more processors configured to execute a first application, and an additional processor configured to execute a second application different than the first application. The additional processor is reconfigurable with rapid recovery such that the additional processor can execute the first application when one of the one more processors fails.

Stange, Kent↗

Systems approach to software fault tolerance

Computing systems are employed for aerospace applications with high reliability requirements. In order to provide the needed reliability, it was necessary to make use of computing systems with fault-tolerance characteristics. Traditionally, fault tolerance is achieved through the use of hardware redundance. However, fault-tolerant techniques based on suitable software design considerations have also been developed. The present paper is concerned with the major issues arising in the context of an application of fault-tolerant software techniques to dynamic systems. Attention is given to fault-tolerant flight software, software component stability, system stability with fault-tolerant software, the preservation of functional performance, N-version vs. recovery blocks in flight software, systems-based software, static and dynamic models, static and dynamic consistency tests, and recovery block initialization.

Caglayan, A. K.↗

Isolated data processing modules

This disclosure relates to computer systems that isolate data processing modules and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment of a method, a computer system receives a first data processing request for a first data file. The computer system may determine that a first data type of the first data file is supported by an encapsulated data processing module and determine a first communication protocol from a set of communication protocols that can be used to receive the first data file. The computer system can then receive the first data file from the first storage location in accordance with the first communication protocol and the encapsulated data processing module may be executed to convert the first data file in the first data format into second data in a second data format.

Penton, Joshua Michael↗

Precision Description of Processes at Colliders in the SANC System

A review of the SANC computer system intended for theoretical support of experiments at colliders is presented. The system allows the precision predictions to be obtained semiautomatically for a wide class of particle interaction processes within the Standard Model. In this case, one considers total contributions of one-loop radiative corrections. Basic elements of the computer system are described, and examples of using the system for the high-precision description of certain processes of the Standard Model particle interactions are given. The MCSANC code developed using the Monte Carlo simulation is presented, which is used to calculate cross sections of a number of processes, investigated at the Large Hadron Collider. The prospects of research development in this field for theoretical support at future hadron and lepton colliders are discussed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Program manual for the Shuttle Electric Power System analysis computer program (SEPS), volume 1 of program documentation

The Shuttle Electric Power System (SEPS) computer program is considered in terms of the program manual, programmer guide, and program utilization. The main objective is to provide the information necessary to interpret and use the routines comprising the SEPS program. Subroutine descriptions including the name, purpose, method, variable definitions, and logic flow are presented.

Bains, R. W.↗

Systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for wide-field interferometry

Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for wide field imaging interferometry. The method includes for each point in a two dimensional detector array over a field of view of an image: gathering a first interferogram from a first detector and a second interferogram from a second detector, modulating a path-length for a signal from an image associated with the first interferogram in the first detector, overlaying first data from the modulated first detector and second data from the second detector, and tracking the modulating at every point in a two dimensional detector array comprising the first detector and the second detector over a field of view for the image. The method then generates a wide-field data cube based on the overlaid first data and second data for each point. The method can generate an image from the wide-field data cube.

Lyon, Richard G.↗

Parametric studies to determine the effect of compliant layers on metal matrix composite systems

Computational simulation studies are conducted to identify compliant layers to reduce matrix stresses which result from the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch and the large temperature range over which the current metal matrix composites will be used. The present study includes variations of compliant layers and their properties to determine their influence on unidirectional composite and constituent response. Two simulation methods are used for these studies. The first approach is based on a three-dimensional linear finite element analysis of a 9 fiber unidirectional composite system. The second approach is a micromechanics based nonlinear computer code developed to determine the behavior of metal matrix composite system for thermal and mechanical loads. The results show that an effective compliant layer for the SCS 6 (SiC)/Ti-24Al-11Nb (Ti3Al + Nb) and SCS 6 (SiC)/Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al (Ti-15-3) composite systems should have modulus 15 percent that of the matrix and a coefficient of thermal expansion of the compliant layer roughly equal to that of the composite system without the CL. The matrix stress in the longitudinal and the transverse tangent (loop) direction are tensile for the Ti3Al + Nb and Ti-15-3 composite systems upon cool down from fabrication. The fiber longitudinal stress is compressive from fabrication cool down. Addition of a recommended compliant layer will result in a reduction in the composite modulus.

Caruso, J. J.↗

Parametric studies to determine the effect of compliant layers on metal matrix composite systems

Computational simulation studies are conducted to identify compliant layers to reduce matrix stresses which result from the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch and the large temperature range over which the current metal matrix composites will be used. The present study includes variations of compliant layers and their properties to determine their influence on unidirectional composite and constituent response. Two simulation methods are used for these studies. The first approach is based on a three-dimensional linear finite element analysis of a 9 fiber unidirectional composite system. The second approach is a micromechanics based nonlinear computer code developed to determine the behavior of metal matrix composite system for thermal and mechanical loads. The results show that an effective compliant layer for the SCS 6 (SiC)/Ti-24Al-11Nb (Ti3Al + Nb) and SCS 6 (SiC)/Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al (Ti-15-3) composite systems should have modulus 15 percent that of the matrix and a coefficient of thermal expansion of the compliant layer roughly equal to that of the composite system without the CL. The matrix stress in the longitudinal and the transverse tangent (loop) direction are tensile for the Ti3Al + Nb and Ti-15-3 composite systems upon cool down from fabrication. The fiber longitudinal stress is compressive from fabrication cool down. Addition of a recommended compliant layer will result in a reduction in the composite modulus.

Caruso, J. J.↗