Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Statistical analysis”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 667 records · Page 37

Bayesian Analysis for Risk Assessment of Selected Medical Events in Support of the Integrated Medical Model Effort

The Exploration Medical Capability project is creating a catalog of risk assessments using the Integrated Medical Model (IMM). The IMM is a software-based system intended to assist mission planners in preparing for spaceflight missions by helping them to make informed decisions about medical preparations and supplies needed for combating and treating various medical events using Probabilistic Risk Assessment. The objective is to use statistical analyses to inform the IMM decision tool with estimated probabilities of medical events occurring during an exploration mission. Because data regarding astronaut health are limited, Bayesian statistical analysis is used. Bayesian inference combines prior knowledge, such as data from the general U.S. population, the U.S. Submarine Force, or the analog astronaut population located at the NASA Johnson Space Center, with observed data for the medical condition of interest. The posterior results reflect the best evidence for specific medical events occurring in flight. Bayes theorem provides a formal mechanism for combining available observed data with data from similar studies to support the quantification process. The IMM team performed Bayesian updates on the following medical events: angina, appendicitis, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, dental abscess, dental caries, dental periodontal disease, gallstone disease, herpes zoster, renal stones, seizure, and stroke.

Gilkey, Kelly M.↗

Design and control strategies for CELSS - Integrating mechanistic paradigms and biological complexities

Systems analysis and control theory consideration are given to simulations of both individual components and total systems, in order to develop a reliable control strategy for a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) which includes complex biological components. Because of the numerous nonlinearities and tight coupling within the biological component, classical control theory may be inadequate and the statistical analysis of factorial experiments more useful. The range in control characteristics of particular species may simplify the overall task by providing an appropriate balance of stability and controllability to match species function in the overall design. The ultimate goal of this research is the coordination of biological and mechanical subsystems in order to achieve a self-supporting environment.

Moore, B., III↗

Three Years of Atmospheric Characterization at Ka/Q-band with the NASA/POLIMI Alphasat Receiver in Milan, Italy

Since June of 2014, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) have jointly conducted a propagation campaign within the framework of the Alphasat propagation experiment through a propagation terminal at the POLIMI campus in Milan, Italy. The terminal utilizes the 20 GHz and 40 GHz beacons broadcast by the Aldo Paraboni Technology Demonstration Payload (TDP #5), and consists of dual coherent Ka- and Q-band beacon receivers. These provide a direct measurement of the signal attenuation and scintillation and are complemented by concurrent weather instrumentation that provides measurements of the atmospheric conditions at the receiver. The primary goal of these measurements is to improve model predictions of communication system performance at 40 GHz. Over three years of concurrent measurements have now been collected from the terminal, and herein we present a statistical analysis of the results thus far, as well as a summary of recent hardware upgrades to the receivers that were made in September 2017.

Radio Transmission↗

Machine learning insights into microstructural origins of transport and mechanical properties in porous microstructures

Multifunctional porous materials are increasingly needed across various fields, but their complex microstructures create significant challenges due to the intricate microstructure-property relationships. This complexity, combined with limitations of traditional analysis methods, hinders efforts to understand and optimize microstructure–property relationships. Here, to address this, we integrate physics-based mesoscale modeling with interpretable machine learning (ML) to uncover how microstructural features govern effective diffusivity and elastic modulus. At constant porosity, we show diffusivity varies by over 150 × and modulus by ∼50 ×, highlighting the power of microstructure engineering. Statistical analysis reveals bimodal behavior in diffusivity and unimodal in modulus. ML identifies connectivity as the dominant factor, while modulus is also sensitive to domain size and feature interactions. Controlled simulations further highlight domain shape as a critical feature for modulus. This framework enables efficient exploration of microstructure-property correlations, offering new insights to guide the design of advanced porous materials.

Bicontinuous microstructure↗

Monte–Carlo ray-tracing studies of multiplexed prismatic graphite analyzers for the cold-neutron triple-axis spectrometer at the High Flux Isotope Reactor

A modern cold triple-axis spectrometer to study quantum condensed matter systems is planned for the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Here, we describe the conceptual principles and design of a secondary spectrometer using a multiplexed, prismatic analyzer system relying on graphite crystals and inspired by the successful implementation of the Continuous Angle Multiple Energy Analysis (CAMEA) spectrometers at the Paul Scherrer Institute. This project is currently known as MANTA for Multi-Analyzer Neutron Triple-Axis. Here, we report Monte-Carlo ray-tracing simulations on a simple but realistic sample scattering kernel to further illustrate the prismatic analyzer concept’s workings, calibration, and performance. Then, we introduce a new statistical analysis approach based on the prismatic analyzer concept to improve the number of final energies measured on the spectrometer. We also study possible evolutions in the CAMEA design relevant for MANTA.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

An analysis of the Kalman filter in the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) onboard attitude determination subsystem

The Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) spacecraft needs a highly accurate attitude knowledge to achieve its mission objectives. Utilizing the fixed-head star trackers (FHSTs) for observations and gyroscopes for attitude propagation, the discrete Kalman Filter processes the attitude data to obtain an onboard accuracy of 86 arc seconds (3 sigma). A combination of linear analysis and simulations using the GRO Software Simulator (GROSS) are employed to investigate the Kalman filter for stability and the effects of corrupted observations (misalignment, noise), incomplete dynamic modeling, and nonlinear errors on Kalman filter. In the simulations, on-board attitude is compared with true attitude, the sensitivity of attitude error to model errors is graphed, and a statistical analysis is performed on the residuals of the Kalman Filter. In this paper, the modeling and sensor errors that degrade the Kalman filter solution beyond mission requirements are studied, and methods are offered to identify the source of these errors.

Snow, Frank↗

The Effects of Long-Term Feeding of Rodent Food Bars on Lipid Peroxidation And Antioxidant Enzyme Levels In Fisher Rats

A specialized rodent food bar diet has been developed and utilized successfully for short-duration shuttle missions. Recent tests conducted in preparation for experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) indicated that long-term food bar feeding for three months induced hyperlipidemia in rats. This study examined oxidative stress status in livers of these same animals. Spectrophotometric analysis of 79 Fischer rat livers (40 female and 39 male) for lipid peroxidation (LPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was conducted using Bioxytech LPO-587(TM) assay kit and SOD-525(Tm) assay kit, respectively. The treatment groups consisted of 20 male CHOW and 19 male FOOD BAR rats and 20 female CHOW and 20 female FOOD BAR rats. Statistical analysis to compare differences between groups was performed by standard analysis of variance procedures. The male FOOD BAR group LPO mean (3.6 +/- 0.2 mmol/g) was significantly (p less than or equal to 0.05) greater than that of the male CHOW group (2.1 +/-0.1 mmol/g). Moreover the female FOOD BAR group LPO mean (2.9 +/-0.1 mmol/g) was also significantly greater than the female CHOW group mean (2.2 +/-0.1 mmol/g). The mean values for SOD in both male and female groups showed no significant differences between CHOW and FOOD BAR groups. These results show that LPO levels were significantly higher in both the male and female FOOD BAR groups compared to CHOW groups and that there was no concomitant increase in SOD levels across the group. In addition, males showed a greater difference than females in terms of LPO levels. These findings suggest a need for further investigation into the use of the current food bar formulation for long-term experiments such as those planned for the ISS.

Ramirez, Joel↗

Ensembles of radial basis function networks for spectroscopic detection of cervical precancer

The mortality related to cervical cancer can be substantially reduced through early detection and treatment. However, current detection techniques, such as Pap smear and colposcopy, fail to achieve a concurrently high sensitivity and specificity. In vivo fluorescence spectroscopy is a technique which quickly, noninvasively and quantitatively probes the biochemical and morphological changes that occur in precancerous tissue. A multivariate statistical algorithm was used to extract clinically useful information from tissue spectra acquired from 361 cervical sites from 95 patients at 337-, 380-, and 460-nm excitation wavelengths. The multivariate statistical analysis was also employed to reduce the number of fluorescence excitation-emission wavelength pairs required to discriminate healthy tissue samples from precancerous tissue samples. The use of connectionist methods such as multilayered perceptrons, radial basis function (RBF) networks, and ensembles of such networks was investigated. RBF ensemble algorithms based on fluorescence spectra potentially provide automated and near real-time implementation of precancer detection in the hands of nonexperts. The results are more reliable, direct, and accurate than those achieved by either human experts or multivariate statistical algorithms.

Cervix Neoplasms/pathology↗

Search for correlation between geomagnetic disturbances and mortality

A search is conducted for a possible correlation between solar activity and myocardial infarction and stroke in the United States. A statistical analysis is performed using data on geomagnetic activity and the daily U.S. mortality due to coronary heart disease and stroke for the years 1962 through 1966. None of the results are found to yield any evidence of a correlation. It is concluded that correlations claimed by Soviet workers between geomagnetic activity and the incidence of various human diseases are probably not statistically significant or probably are not due to a causal relation between geomagnetic activity and disease.

Lipa, B. J.↗

Observation and analysis of abrupt changes in the interplanetary plasma velocity and magnetic field.

This paper presents a limited study of the physical nature of abrupt changes in the interplanetary plasma velocity and magnetic field based on 19 day's data from the Pioneer 6 spacecraft. The period was chosen to include a high-velocity solar wind stream and low-velocity wind. Abrupt events were accepted for study if the sum of the energy density in the magnetic field and velocity changes was above a specified minimum. A statistical analysis of the events in the high-velocity solar wind stream shows that Alfvenic changes predominate. This conclusion is independent of whether steady state requirements are imposed on conditions before and after the event. Alfvenic changes do not dominate in the lower-speed wind. This study extends the plasma field evidence for outwardly propagating Alfvenic changes to time scales as small as 1 min (scale lengths on the order of 20,000 km).

Martin, R. N.↗

Ground testing at MSFC

The large-scale field collection of acoustic data and their analysis are described in this review. The entire sound-field program has the purpose of solving complex problems of excessive noise propagation associated with the static test firing of large space-booster powerplants. The site of data collection has been Mississippi Test Facility (MTF), where far-field sound-propagation and correlated meteorological measurements were initiated in 1962. The statistical evaluation of sound-measurement data shows that the polar distribution of sound in the springtime (at MTF) is determined mainly by the temperature field of the atmosphere. Greater deformation of sound-intensity polar distribution occurs in the autumn as a result of the influence of the wind field. The data on sound attenuation as a function of distance from its source revealed attenuation in excess of the expected magnitude. The excess was mainly between 1 and 10 kilometers from the source, with maximum attenuation (17 to 18 decibels) near 6 kilometers. Excess sound attenuation was compared with calculated sound dispersion. For all sound frequencies in all seasons the deviation between reference and empirical attenuation values formed a bell-shaped distribution on a semilogarithmic plot. The physical causes for the sound- attenuation behavior are considered to be atmospheric diffraction and scattering effects. Statistical analysis of sod-intensity extremes indicated amplification of the sound signals by focusing which could be expected along selected azimuths. Empirical amplification values showed the maximum occurring in winter (50 decibels at 22 kilometers). For the analysis of correlation between empirical sound data and local atmospheric sound- propagation conditions, #e concept of analytical classification of sound-velocity profiles has been developed. Examination of over a quarter-million individual sound-velocity profiles indicates that 33 profile types for heights up to 3 kilometers constitute the empirical possibilities of sound-propagation conditions in southeastern United States. Since the focusing qualities of each sound- velocity profile can be determined as a class characteristic, the overall probabilities of focusing occurrence can he obtained. The severity of focusing, as based upon lateral spread of focusing areas, has been determined. The data for MTF indicate focusing is most severe in winter, with the direction toward east being most affected. Sound propagation is a fluctuating phenomenon because atmospheric conditions vary continuously. A measuring system for analyzing the nonstationary sound-propagation phenomena has been established. The analysis of the acoustic fluctuation data is sup- posed to provide "dynamic” perturbation functions of sound, which are to be superimposed on the related characteristic sound-velocity-profile type. The ultimate result of the program will be the establishment of reliable contingency tables showing the relationship between atmospheric parameters and far-field sound intensities. These data will be the basis for more accurate sound-propagation forecasting for static firing tests.

STATIC TESTING↗

A Computational Approach for Probabilistic Analysis of LS-DYNA Water Impact Simulations

NASA s development of new concepts for the Crew Exploration Vehicle Orion presents many similar challenges to those worked in the sixties during the Apollo program. However, with improved modeling capabilities, new challenges arise. For example, the use of the commercial code LS-DYNA, although widely used and accepted in the technical community, often involves high-dimensional, time consuming, and computationally intensive simulations. Because of the computational cost, these tools are often used to evaluate specific conditions and rarely used for statistical analysis. The challenge is to capture what is learned from a limited number of LS-DYNA simulations to develop models that allow users to conduct interpolation of solutions at a fraction of the computational time. For this problem, response surface models are used to predict the system time responses to a water landing as a function of capsule speed, direction, attitude, water speed, and water direction. Furthermore, these models can also be used to ascertain the adequacy of the design in terms of probability measures. This paper presents a description of the LS-DYNA model, a brief summary of the response surface techniques, the analysis of variance approach used in the sensitivity studies, equations used to estimate impact parameters, results showing conditions that might cause injuries, and concluding remarks.

Horta, Lucas G.↗

Non-Asbestos Insulation Testing Using a Plasma Torch

Insulation obsolescence issues are a major concern for the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). As old sources of raw materials disappear, new sources must be found and qualified. No simple, inexpensive test presently exists for predicting the erosion performance of a candidate insulation in the full-scale motor, Large motor tests cost million of dollars and therefore can only be used on a few very select candidates. There is a need for a simple, low cost method of screening insulation performance that can simulate some of the different erosion environments found in the RSRM. This paper describes a series of erosion tests on two different non-asbestos insulation formulations, a KEVLAR(registered) fiber-filled and a carbon fiber-filled insulation containing Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber as the binder. The test instrument was a plasma torch device. The two main variables investigated were heat flux and alumina particle impingement concentration. Statistical analysis revealed that the two different formulations had very different responses to the main variable. The results of this work indicate that there may be fundamental differences in how these insulation formulations perform in the motor operating environment. The plasma torch appears to offer a low-cost means of obtaining a fundamental understanding of insulation response to critical factors in a series of statistically designed experiments.

Morgan, R. E.↗

Physical and statistical modeling of Saturn's troposphere

We analyze the 5.2-pm spectra of Saturn by utilizing two independent methods: (a) physical models based on the relevant atmospheric parameters and (b) statistical analysis, based on principal components analysis (PCA), to determine the influence of the variation of phosphine and the opacity of clouds deep within Saturn's atmosphere to understand the dynamics in its atmosphere.

Saturn↗

Solar microwave millisecond spike at 2.84 GHz

Using the high time resolution of 1 ms, the data of solar microwave millisecond spike (MMS) event was recorded more than two hundred times at the frequency of 2.84 GHz at Beijing (Peking) Observatory since May 1981. A preliminary analysis was made. It can be seen from the data that the MMS-events have a variety of the fast activities such as the dispersed and isolated spikes, the clusters of the crowded spikes, the weak spikes superimposed on the noise background, and the phenomena of absorption. The marked differences from that observed with lower time resolution are presented. Using the data, a valuable statistical analysis was made. There are close correlations between MMS-events and hard X-ray bursts, and fast drifting bursts. The MMS events are highly dependent on the type of active regions and the magnetic field configuration. It seems to be crucial to find out the accurate positions on the active region where the MMS-events happen and to make co-operative observations at different bands during the special period when specific active regions appear on the solar disk.

Fu, Qi-Jun↗

XRONOS: A timing analysis software package. User's guide, version 3.00

XRONOS is a general purpose timing analysis package. Although it was designed mainly for x-ray astronomy, XRONOS is basically detector and wavelength independent. It has been used to analyze data from the Einstein Observatory, Exosat and Ginga, as well as optical photometry and helioseismology data. It includes programs for: light curve(s), hardness ratio and color-color plotting, epoch folding, power spectrum, autocorrelation, cross correlation, time skewness, and statistical analysis. An overview of XRONOS and walkthrough of a XRONOS session are presented. The QDP/PLT plotting and function fitting program used by XRONOS is outlined and the algorithm and features of XRONOS are detailed.

Stella, L.↗

Effects of Space Missions on the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analysis

Future spaceflight will require travelers to spend ever-increasing periods of time in microgravity. Optimal functioning of the immune system is of paramount importance for the health and performance of these travelers. A meta-analysis statistical procedure was used to analyze immune system data from crew members in United States and Soviet space missions from 8.5 to 140 days duration between 1968 and 1985. Ten immunological parameters (immunoglobulins A, G, M, D, white blood cell (WBC) count, number of lymphocytes, percent total lymphocytes, percent B lymphocytes, percent T lymphocytes, and lymphocyte reactivity to mitogen) were investigated using multifactorial, repeated measure analysis of variance. With the preflight level set at 100, WBC count increased to 154 +/- 14% (mean +/- SE; p less than or equal to 0.05) immediately after flight; there was a decrease in lymphocyte count (83 +/- 4%; p less than or equal to 0.05) and percent of total lymphocytes (69 +/- 1%; p less than or equal to 0.05) immediately after flight, with reduction in RNA synthesis to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) to 51 +/- 21% (p less than or equal to 0.05) and DNA synthesis to PHA to 61 +/- 8% (p less than or equal to 0.05) at the first postflight measurement. Thus, some cellular immunological functions are decreased significantly following spaceflight. More data are needed on astronauts' age, aerobic power output, and parameters of their exercise training program to determine if these immune system responses are due solely to microgravity exposure or perhaps to some other aspect of spaceflight.

Greenleaf, J. E.↗

Analysis of a discrete spectrum analyzer for the detection of radio frequency interference

As the radio frequency spectrum becomes increasingly overcrowded, interference with mission-critical DSN operations is rising at an alarming rate. To alleviate this problem the DSN is developing a wideband surveillance system for on-site detection and identification of potential sources of radio frequency interference (RFI), which will complement the existing frequency coordination activities. The RFI monitoring system is based on a wideband, multi-look discrete spectrum analyzer operating on fast Fourier transform principles. An extensive general statistical analysis is presented of such spectrum analyzers and derives threshold detection performance formulas for signals of interest. These results are then applied to the design of the RFI spectrum analyzer under development.

Levitt, B. K.↗