Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Performance Deviation”

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 685 records · Page 38

Long-term laser frequency stabilization using fiber interferometers

We report long-term laser frequency stabilization using only the target laser and a pair of 5 m fiber interferometers, one as a frequency reference and the second as a sensitive thermometer to stabilize the frequency reference. When used to stabilize a distributed feedback laser at 795 nm, the frequency Allan deviation at 1000 s drops from 5.6 × 10{sup −8} to 6.9 × 10{sup −10}. The performance equals that of an offset lock employing a second, atom-stabilized laser in the temperature control.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Reconstruction of elongated bubbles fusing the information from multiple optical probes through a Bayesian inference technique

In this communication, a novel optical technique has been proposed for the reconstruction of the shape of a Taylor bubble using measurements from multiple arrays of optical sensors. The deviation of an optical beam passing through the bubble depends on the contour of bubble surface. A theoretical model of the deviation of a beam during the traverse of a Taylor bubble through it has been developed. Using this model and the time history of the deviation captured by the sensor array, the bubble shape has been reconstructed. The reconstruction has been performed using an inverse algorithm based on Bayesian inference technique and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling algorithm. The reconstructed nose shape has been compared with the true shape, extracted through image processing of high speed images. Finally, an error analysis has been performed to pinpoint the sources of the errors.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

GLAD-M35: a joint P and S global tomographic model with uncertainty quantification

We present our third and final generation joint P and S global adjoint tomography (GLAD) model, GLAD-M35, and quantify its uncertainty based on a low-rank approximation of the inverse Hessian. Starting from our second-generation model, GLAD-M25, we added 680 new earthquakes to the database for a total of 2160 events. New P-wave categories are included to compensate for the imbalance between P- and S-wave measurements, and we enhanced the window selection algorithm to include more major-arc phases, providing better constraints on the structure of the deep mantle and more than doubling the number of measurement windows to 40 million. Two stages of a Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (BFGS) quasi-Newton inversion were performed, each comprising five iterations. With this BFGS update history, we determine the model’s standard deviation and resolution length through randomized singular value decomposition.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Uncertainty Aware Deep Learning for Fault Prediction Using Multivariate Time Series Signals

The superconducting radio-frequency cavities are a crucial component of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab. When a cavity faults, beam delivery to experimental end users is disrupted. Prediction of cavity faults prior to onset is essential to reduce operation and maintenance costs. In this work, a parallel long short-term memory (LSTM)-convolution neural network (CNN)-based deep learning (DL) model is proposed to predict impending faults using pre-fault signals. Further, we introduce an uncertainty quantification approach using Monte Carlo dropout with the LSTM-CNN model to ascertain confidence in the prediction. The model was tested using multivariate time series signals from stable cavity operations and before faults. Initial results show that on the test dataset, the model can identify impending faults before their onset with an average 10-fold cross validation accuracy of 97.39% and a standard deviation of 0.12% using a 100-ms time window. It is also observed that the model performs better as the prediction time moves closer to the fault onset. For additional context, we compare the performance of the model with three machine-learning-based (ML) fault prediction models. Our proposed parallel LSTM-CNN-based DL method shows better performance than the ML-based methods.

Rahman, Md Monibor↗

SU-F-T-564: 3 Year Experience of Treatment Plan QualityAssurance for Vero SBRT Patients

Purpose: To verify treatment plan monitor units from iPlan treatment planning system for Vero Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) treatment using both software-based and (homogeneous and heterogeneous) phantom-based approaches. Methods: Dynamic conformal arcs (DCA) were used for SBRT treatment of oligometastasis patients using Vero linear accelerator. For each plan, Monte Carlo calculated treatment plans MU (prescribed dose to water with 1% variance) is verified first by RadCalc software with 3% difference threshold. Beyond 3% differences, treatment plans were copied onto (homogeneous) Scanditronix phantom for non-lung patients and copied onto (heterogeneous) CIRS phantom for lung patients and the corresponding plan dose was measured using a cc01 ion chamber. The difference between the planed and measured dose was recorded. For the past 3 years, we have treated 180 patients with 315 targets. Out of these patients, 99 targets treatment plan RadCalc calculation exceeded 3% threshold and phantom based measurements were performed with 26 plans using Scanditronix phantom and 73 plans using CIRS phantom. Mean and standard deviation of the dose differences were obtained and presented. Results: For all patient RadCalc calculations, the mean dose difference is 0.76% with a standard deviation of 5.97%. For non-lung patient plan Scanditronix phantom measurements, the mean dose difference is 0.54% with standard deviation of 2.53%; for lung patient plan CIRS phantom measurements, the mean dose difference is −0.04% with a standard deviation of 1.09%; The maximum dose difference is 3.47% for Scanditronix phantom measurements and 3.08% for CIRS phantom measurements. Conclusion: Limitations in secondary MU check software lead to perceived large dose discrepancies for some of the lung patient SBRT treatment plans. Homogeneous and heterogeneous phantoms were used in plan quality assurance for non-lung patients and lung patients, respectively. Phantom based QA showed the relative good agreement between iPlan calculated dose and measured dose.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TH-CD-202-01: BEST IN PHYSICS (JOINT IMAGING-THERAPY): Evaluation of the Use of Direct Electron Density CT Images in Radiation Therapy

Purpose: The current standard for calculation of photon and electron dose requires conversion of Hounsfield Units (HU) to Electron Density (ED) by applying a calibration curve specifically constructed for the corresponding CT tube voltage. This practice limits the use of the CT scanner to a single tube voltage and hinders the freedom in the selection of optimal tube voltage for better image quality. The objective of this study is to report a prototype CT reconstruction algorithm that provides direct ED images from the raw CT data independently of tube voltages used during acquisition. Methods: A tissue substitute phantom was scanned for Stoichiometric CT calibrations at tube voltages of 70kV, 80kV, 100kV, 120kV and 140kV respectively. HU images and direct ED images were acquired sequentially on a thoracic anthropomorphic phantom at the same tube voltages. Electron densities converted from the HU images were compared to ED obtained from the direct ED images. A 7-field treatment plan was made on all HU and ED images. Gamma analysis was performed to demonstrate quantitatively dosimetric change from the two schemes in acquiring ED. Results: The average deviation of EDs obtained from the direct ED images was −1.5%±2.1% from the EDs from HU images with the corresponding CT calibration curves applied. Gamma analysis on dose calculated on the direct ED images and the HU images acquired at the same tube voltage indicated negligible difference with lowest passing rate at 99.9%. Conclusion: Direct ED images require no CT calibration while demonstrate equivalent dosimetry compared to that obtained from standard HU images. The ability of acquiring direct ED images simplifies the current practice at a safer level by eliminating CT calibration and HU conversion from commissioning and treatment planning respectively. Furthermore, it unlocks a wider range of tube voltages in CT scanner for better imaging quality while maintaining similar dosimetric accuracy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Beam Line Design and Beam Physics Study of Energy Recovery Linac Free Electron Laser at Peking University

Energy recovering linac (ERL) offers an attractive alternative for generating intense beams of charged particles by approaching the operational efficiency of a storage ring while maintaining the superior beam quality typical of a linear accelerator. In ERLs, the decelerated beam cancels the beam loading effects of the accelerated beam with high repetition rate. Therefore, ERLs can, in principle, accelerate very high average currents with only modest amounts of RF power. So the efficiency of RF power to beam is much higher. Furthermore, the energy of beam to dump is lower, so it will reduce dump radiation. With the successful experiments in large maximum-to-injection energy ratio up to 51:1 and high power FEL up to 14kW, the use of ERL, especially combining with superconducting RF technology, provides a potentially powerful new paradigm for generation of the charged particle beams used in MW FEL, synchrotron radiation sources, high-energy electron cooling devices and so on. The 3+1/2 DC-SC photo injector and two 9cell TESLA superconducting cavity for IR SASE FEL in PKU provides a good platform to achieve high average FEL with Energy Recovery. The work of this thesis is on Beam line design and Beam dynamics study of Energy Recovery Linac Free Electron Laser for Peking University. It is the upgrade of PKU facility, which is under construction. With ERL, this facility can work in CW mode, so it can operate high average beam current without RF power constraint in main linac and generate high average FEL power. Moreover, it provides a test facility to study the key technology in ERL. System parameters are optimized for PKU ERL-FEL. The oscillation FEL output power is studied with different bunch charge, transverse emittance, bunch length and energy spread. The theory of optimal RF power and Q{sub ext} with ERL and without ERL is analyzed and applied to PKU injector and linac including microphonic effect. pace charge effect in the injector and merger is studied for beam energy at ~5MeV. Simulation shows that in the 3+1/2 DC- C injector, there is a region the beam could be over focused by RF electromagnetic field and the transverse emittance in the transport line up to linac will increase instantly due to over focusing. In order to eliminate this effect on beam emittance, several solutions are investigated to avoid over focusing. This result is very important for beam loading experiment for low bunch charge operation. Meanwhile, different merger structures are compared in terms of error sensitivity and emittance increase with space charge effect. In recirculation beam line, a new symmetric 180{degree} arc structure is designed. It fulfills the achromatic condition and adjustable bunch compression. These two parameters are controlled by different Quads knob. With this novel structure, the recirculation lattice can achieve path length adjustment, bunch compression and decompression in a large range. With beamline error, the beam central orbit will deviate from the designed trajectory. An orbit correction system is optimized, which balances between cost and performance of orbit after correction at design level. Different methods are used to estimate its robustness. The BBU instability, especially multi-pass BBU imposed a potentially severe limitation to the average current that can be accelerated in an ERL. Simulation gives the harmful HOMs and predicts that the threshold average current in this machine is much higher than the possible operation current. This work is based on the existing facility in PKU, so it provides guidelines for the facility operation and upgrade in the future. The theoretical analysis of ERL requirement and FEL requirement on beam transport line and beam property paves the way for future ERL research.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Search for High-Mass Top Quark Pair Resonances with the CMS Experiment

I present a search for new massive particles decaying to a pair of top quarks with the CMS detector at the LHC, using 36 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded in 2016, at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. In the high mass ranges accessible by the LHC at these energies, the top quarks are produced with high transverse momenta: the products of hadronically decaying top quarks are reconstructed as a single jet. Specific reconstruction algorithms and selections are employed to address the identification of boosted top quark signatures. The search is performed by measuring the invariant mass distribution of the top-quark pair and testing for deviations from the expected Standard Model background. The results are presented in terms of expected upper limits on the production cross section of several models, including those of Randall-Sundrum Kaluza-Klein gluon and $Z\prime$ boson production. The results are then compared with those of previous searches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Rocket engine vibration accurately measured by photography

High speed instrumentation camera focused on a partially masked light bulb which is securely mounted to the test fixture permits measurement of engine performance parameters when usual electronic vibration instrumentation is unavailable. Vibration is recorded as a light trace deviating from the light rays photographed in the static hardware condition.

Craig, K. A.↗

Guidance technique for automated air traffic control.

A guidance technique has been developed for flying an aircraft automatically along curved trajectories. The technique consists of a set of algorithms for automatically synthesizing flight profiles, i.e., the horizontal trajectory, the altitude and speed profiles, and a time sequence of commands. The flyability of the synthesized profile under wind disturbances and initial conditions error is verified by closing the loop around the synthesized trajectory and flying it in a computer-simulated jet aircraft. A control law having longitudinal, lateral, and heading deviation from the synthesized profile in the feedback loops is used for the simulated flight. The performance of the system is excellent, errors that are initially zero never exceed 230 ft, and large initial errors are reduced rapidly. The system also behaves quite well under wind disturbance.

Lee, H. Q.↗

A model based technique for the design of flight directors

A new technique for designing flight directors is discussed. This technique uses the optimal-control pilot/vehicle model to determine the appropriate control strategy. The dynamics of this control strategy are then incorporated into the director control laws, thereby enabling the pilot to operate at a significantly lower workload. A preliminary design of a control director for maintaining a STOL vehicle on the approach path in the presence of random air turbulence is evaluated. By selecting model parameters in terms of allowable path deviations and pilot workload levels, a set of director laws is achieved which allows improved system performance at reduced workload levels. The pilot acts essentially as a proportional controller with regard to the director signals, and control motions are compatible with those appropriate to status-only displays.

Levison, W. H.↗

A dynamic case-based planning system for space station application

We are currently investigating the use of a case-based reasoning approach to develop a dynamic planning system. The dynamic planning system (DPS) is designed to perform resource management, i.e., to efficiently schedule tasks both with and without failed components. This approach deviates from related work on scheduling and on planning in AI in several aspects. In particular, an attempt is made to equip the planner with an ability to cope with a changing environment by dynamic replanning, to handle resource constraints and feedback, and to achieve some robustness and autonomy through plan learning by dynamic memory techniques. We briefly describe the proposed architecture of DPS and its four major components: the PLANNER, the plan EXECUTOR, the dynamic REPLANNER, and the plan EVALUATOR. The planner, which is implemented in Smalltalk, is being evaluated for use in connection with the Space Station Mobile Service System (MSS).

Oppacher, F.↗

Design and analysis of low-loss linear analog phase modulator for deep space spacecraft X-band transponder (DST) application

This paper summarizes the design concepts, analyses, and the development of an X-band transponder low-loss linear phase modulator for deep space spacecraft applications. A single section breadboard circulator-coupled reflection phase modulator has been analyzed, fabricated, and evaluated. Two- and three-cascaded sections have been modeled and simulations performed to provide an X-band DST phase modulator with +/- 2.5 radians of peak phase deviation to accommodate down-link signal modulation with composite telemetry data and ranging with a deviation linearity tolerance +/- 8 percent and insertion loss of less than 10 +/- 0.5 dB. A two-section phase modulator using constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit was breadboarded. The measured results satisfy the DST phase modulator requirements, and excellent agreement with the predicted results.

Mysoor, Narayan R.↗

GOPEX laser transmission and monitoring systems

The laser transmission and monitoring system for the Galileo Optical Experiment (GOPEX) at the Table Mountain Facility (TMF) in Wrightwood, California is described. The transmission system configuration and the data measurement techniques are described. The calibration procedure and the data analysis algorithm are also discussed. The mean and standard deviation of the laser energy transmitted each day of GOPEX show that the laser transmission system performed well and within the limit established in conjunction with the Galileo Project for experiment concurrence.

Okamoto, G.↗

Differential Deposition to Correct Surface Figure Deviations in Astronomical Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Optics

A coating technique is being developed to correct the surface figure deviations in reflective-grazing-incidence X-ray optics. These optics are typically designed to have precise conic profiles, and any deviation in this profile, as a result of fabrication, results in a degradation of the imaging performance. To correct the mirror profiles, physical vapor deposition has been utilized to selectively deposit a filler material inside the mirror shell. The technique, termed differential deposition, has been implemented as a proof of concept on miniature X-ray optics developed at MSFC for medical-imaging applications. The technique is now being transferred to larger grazing-incidence optics suitable for astronomy and progress to date is reported.

Kilaru, Kiranmayee↗

Calibration and Performance of Juno Radio Science Data

Juno Radio Science measures the frequency of X- and Ka-band radio links between the Juno spacecraft and the Earth-based observing stations of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) in order to determine the gravitational field of Jupiter. The received frequency contains information on the gravitational field and is also perturbed by the propagation environment, including Earth troposphere and ionosphere, electrons in the solar plasma, electrons in the Io Plasma Torus around Jupiter, and instrumental effects on both the spacecraft and the ground electronics. Each of these effects must be calibrated out of the data to ensure an accurate estimation of the Jupiter gravitational field. This work discusses the data processing, calibration, and performance of the frequency measurements. The precision of the frequency measurements average 1.1 mHz (1σ standard deviation at 60 second integration time), or 5.3 microns/sec in units of velocity. The remaining noise sources are primarily from residual troposphere and charged particles. Further improvement could be made in future radio science experiments with the addition of a cross-link and stiffer ground antennas.

Buccino, Dustin R↗

Calibration and Performance of Juno Radio Science Data

Juno Radio Science measures the frequency of X- and Ka-band radio links between the Juno spacecraft and the Earth-based observing stations of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) in order to determine the gravitational field of Jupiter. The received frequency contains information on the gravitational field and is also perturbed by the propagation environment, including Earth troposphere and ionosphere, electrons in the solar plasma, electrons in the Io Plasma Torus around Jupiter, and instrumental effects on both the spacecraft and the ground electronics. Each of these effects must be calibrated out of the data to ensure an accurate estimation of the Jupiter gravitational field. This work discusses the data processing, calibration, and performance of the frequency measurements. The precision of the frequency measurements average 1.1 mHz (1σ standard deviation at 60 second integration time), or 5.3 microns/sec in units of velocity. The remaining noise sources are primarily from residual troposphere and charged particles. Further improvement could be made in future radio science experiments with the addition of a cross-link and stiffer ground antennas.

Oudrhiri, Kamal↗

"Hierarchical Speed Planner for Automated Vehicles: A Framework for Lagrangian Variable Speed Limit in Mixed Autonomy Traffic"

This paper introduces a novel control framework for Lagrangian variable speed limits in hybrid traffic flow environments utilizing automated vehicles (AVs). The framework was validated using a fleet of 100 connected automated vehicles as part of the largest coordinated open-road test designed to smooth traffic flow. The framework includes two main components: a high-level controller deployed on the server side, named Speed Planner, and low-level controllers called vehicle controllers deployed on the vehicle side. The Speed Planner designs and updates target speeds for the vehicle controllers based on real-time Traffic State Estimation (TSE) [1]. The Speed Planner comprises two modules: a TSE enhancement module and a target speed design module. The TSE enhancement module is designed to minimize the effects of inherent latency in the received traffic information and to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of the input traffic data. The target speed design module generates target speed profiles with the goal of improving traffic flow. The vehicle controllers are designed to track the target speed meanwhile responding to the surrounding situation. The numerical simulation indicates the performance of the proposed method: the bottleneck throughput has increased by 5.01%, and the speed standard deviation has been reduced by a significant 34.36%. We further showcase an operational study with a description of how the controller was implemented on a field-test with 100 AVs and its comprehensive effects on the traffic flow.

Wang, Han↗