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Potential use of tiltrotor aircraft in Canadian aviation

The aviation system in Canada is described as it relates to the potential applicability of tiltrotor technology. Commuter service in two corridors, the Vancouver-Victoria route on the west coast and the heavily traveled Montreal-Toronto corridor in eastern Canada, are examined. The operation of air service from the near-downtown Toronto STOLport and from the Vancouver-Victoria downtown heliport facilities is described. The emergency medical services, search and rescue, and natural resources development sectors are described with regard to the needs that tiltrotor technology could uniquely meet in these areas. The airport construction program in isolated communities of northern Quebec and possible tiltrotor service in northern regions are reviewed. The Federal and provincial governments' financial support policy regarding the aeronautical industry is to encourage the establishment and expansion of businesses in the field of aeronautics and to make possible the acquisition of new technology. This policy has implications for the tiltrotor program.

Gazdag, Denyse↗

Quadratic squeezing: An overview

The amplitude of the electric field of a mode of the electromagnetic field is not a fixed quantity: there are always quantum mechanical fluctuations. The amplitude, having both a magnitude and a phase, is a complex number and is described by the mode annihilation operator a. It is also possible to characterize the amplitude by its real and imaginary parts which correspond to the Hermitian and anti-Hermitian parts of a, X sub 1 = 1/2(a(sup +) + a) and X sub 2 = i/2(a(sup +) - a), respectively. These operators do not commute and, as a result, obey the uncertainty relation (h = 1) delta X sub 1(delta X sub 2) greater than or = 1/4. From this relation we see that the amplitude fluctuates within an 'error box' in the complex plane whose area is at least 1/4. Coherent states, among them the vacuum state, are minimum uncertainty states with delta X sub 1 = delta X sub 2 = 1/2. A squeezed state, squeezed in the X sub 1 direction, has the property that delta X sub 1 is less than 1/2. A squeezed state need not be a minimum uncertainty state, but those that are can be obtained by applying the squeeze operator.

Hillery, M.↗

Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Incident Data Associated with the Technical Challenges of the System-Wide Safety and Assurance Technologies Project

The Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) System-Wide Safety and Assurance Technologies (SSAT) Project asked the AvSP Systems and Portfolio Analysis Team to identify SSAT-related trends. SSAT had four technical challenges: advance safety assurance to enable deployment of NextGen systems; automated discovery of precursors to aviation safety incidents; increasing safety of human-automation interaction by incorporating human performance, and prognostic algorithm design for safety assurance. This report reviews incident data from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for system-component-failure- or-malfunction- (SCFM-) related and human-factor-related incidents for commercial or cargo air carriers (Part 121), commuter airlines (Part 135), and general aviation (Part 91). The data was analyzed by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) part, phase of flight, SCFM category, human factor category, and a variety of anomalies and results. There were 38 894 SCFM-related incidents and 83 478 human-factorrelated incidents analyzed between January 1993 and April 2011.

Withrow, Colleen A.↗

Advanced technology for future regional transport aircraft

In connection with a request for a report coming from a U.S. Senate committee, NASA formed a Small Transport Aircraft Technology (STAT) team in 1978. STAT was to obtain information concerning the technical improvements in commuter aircraft that would likely increase their public acceptance. Another area of study was related to questions regarding the help which could be provided by NASA's aeronautical research and development program to commuter aircraft manufacturers with respect to the solution of technical problems. Attention is given to commuter airline growth, current commuter/region aircraft and new aircraft in development, prospects for advanced technology commuter/regional transports, and potential benefits of advanced technology. A list is provided of a number of particular advances appropriate to small transport aircraft, taking into account small gas turbine engine component technology, propeller technology, three-dimensional wing-design technology, airframe aerodynamics/propulsion integration, and composite structure materials.

Williams, L. J.↗

Linear Actuator Has Long Stroke and High Resolution

The term precision linear actuator, direct drive ( PLADD ) refers to a robust linear actuator designed to be capable of repeatedly performing, over a lifetime of the order of 5 to 10 years, positioning maneuvers that include, variously, submicron increments or slews of the order of a centimeter. The PLADD is capable of both long stroke (120 mm) and high resolution (repeatable increments of 20 nm). Unlike precise linear actuators of prior design, the PLADD contains no gears, levers, or hydraulic converters. The PLADD, now at the prototype stage of development, is intended for original use as a coarse-positioning actuator in a spaceborne interferometer. The PLADD could also be adapted to terrestrial applications in which there are requirements for long stroke and high resolution: potential applications include medical imaging and fabrication of semiconductor devices. The PLADD (see figure) includes a commercially available ball-screw actuator driven directly by a commercially available three-phase brushless DC motor. The ball-screw actuator comprises a spring-preloaded ball nut on a ball screw that is restrained against rotation as described below. The motor is coupled directly (that is, without an intervening gear train) to a drive link that, in turn, is coupled to the ball nut. By eliminating the gear train, the direct-drive design eliminates the complexity, backlash, and potential for misalignment associated with a gear train. To prevent inadvertent movement, there is a brake that includes flexured levers compressed against the drive link by preload springs. This is a power-off brake: There are also piezoelectric stacks that can be activated to oppose the springs and push the levers away from the drive link. Hence, power must be applied to the piezoelectric stacks to release the drive link from braking. To help ensure long operational life, all of the mechanical drive components are immersed in an oil bath within hermetically sealed bellows. The outer end of the bellows holds the outer end of the ball screw, thereby preventing rotation of the ball screw. Positioning is controlled by an electronic control system that includes digital and analog subsystems that interact with the motor and brake and with two sensor/encoder units: a Hall-effect-sensor rotation encoder and a linear glass-scale encoder. This system implements a proportional + integral + derivative control algorithm that results in variation of voltage commands to each of the three pairs of windings of the brushless DC motor. In one of two alternative control modes, the voltages are applied to the windings in a trapezoidal commutation scheme on the basis of timing signals obtained from the Hall-effect sensors; this scheme yields relatively coarse positioning - 24 steps per motor revolution. The second control mode involves a sinusoidal commutation scheme in which the output of the linear glass-scale encoder is transposed to rotational increments to yield much finer position feedback - more than 400,000 steps per revolution.

Cook, Brant T.↗

Urban relatives ameliorate survival disparities for genitourinary cancer in rural patients

Patients living in rural areas have worse cancer-specific outcomes. This study examines the effect of family-based social capital on genitourinary cancer survival. We hypothesized that rural patients with urban relatives have improved survival relative to rural patients without urban family. We examined rural and urban based Utah individuals diagnosed with genitourinary cancers between 1968 and 2018. Familial networks were determined using the Utah Population Database. Patients and relatives were classified as rural or urban based on 2010 rural–urban commuting area codes. Overall survival was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. We identified 24,746 patients with genitourinary cancer with a median follow-up of 8.72 years. Rural cancer patients without an urban relative had the worst outcomes with cancer-specific survival hazard ratios (HRs) at 5 and 10 years of 1.33 (95% CI 1.10–1.62) and 1.46 (95% CI 1.24–1.73), respectively relative to urban patients. Rural patients with urban first-degree relatives had improved survival with 5- and 10-year survival HRs of 1.21 (95% CI 1.06–1.40) and 1.16 (95% CI 1.03–1.31), respectively. Our findings suggest rural patients who have been diagnosed with a genitourinary cancer have improved survival when having relatives in urban centers relative to rural patients without urban relatives. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms through which having an urban family member contributes to improved cancer outcomes for rural patients. Better characterization of this affect may help inform policies to reduce urban–rural cancer disparities.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

A data-driven mobility–energy typology framework for New York State

Exploring multidimensional aspects of differences in technology adoption, travel, and vehicle ownership across settlement types can help inform energy-efficient and affordable mobility system goals. Concurrently, mapping key enablers, barriers, and risks for successfully meeting ambitious goals and targets (e.g. by geography, age, income, education, population density) offer important explanatory power as to context-specific challenges and opportunities. This paper explores how a highly geographically resolved understanding of social, economic, techno-infrastructural, environmental, and governance (SET EG) factors shape variations in technology adoption and associated mobility and energy outcomes in diverse communities of New York State, in terms of electric vehicle adoption rates, alternative commute mode choices, vehicles per household, and vehicle fuel economy. Results indicate the range of two to three times higher adoption rates for electric vehicles by more highly educated, wealthier, “Core Urban” populations relative to the other identified typologies, given the labels “Rural”, “Suburban”, and “Urban” populations. Additionally, commute mode choice is closely linked with population and employment density—more than 89% of Core Urbanites use transit or active modes, compared with just 26% and 18% of Suburban and Rural residents, respectively. Household vehicle ownership varies from approximately 1.9 vehicles per household in Rural areas to only 0.6 in Core Urban settings. Findings on differences among the four settlement types, which go beyond simply rural to urban contexts, suggest an important need to explore how best to manage and anticipate very different types of services that may be supportive in achieving energy-efficient and affordable mobility systems statewide.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Orthogonality broadcasting and quantum position verification

The no-cloning theorem leads to information-theoretic security in various quantum cryptographic protocols. However, this security typically derives from a possibly weaker property that classical information encoded in certain quantum states cannot be broadcast. To formally capture this property, we introduce the study of ‘orthogonality broadcasting.’ When attempting to broadcast the orthogonality of two different qubit bases, we establish that the power of classical and quantum communication is equivalent. However, quantum communication is shown to be strictly more powerful for broadcasting orthogonality in higher dimensions. We then relate orthogonality broadcasting to quantum position verification and provide a new method for establishing error bounds in the no pre-shared entanglement model that can address protocols previous methods could not. Our key technical contribution is an uncertainty relation that uses the geometric relation of the states that undergo broadcasting rather than the non-commutative aspect of the final measurements.

quantum cryptography↗

Supersymmetric lattice theories on curved space

We show how to construct Hamiltonian lattice theories with one exact supersymmetry on arbitrary triangulations of curved space in any number of dimensions. Both bosons and fermions satisfy discrete Kähler-Dirac equations. The quantization of the fermions proceeds by imposing conventional anticommutation relations while the bosons require a modification of the usual canonical commutator. On regular lattices we construct parity, time reversal and translation-by-one (shift) symmetries. We argue that the latter are generically noninvertible symmetries. We also show how to couple these degrees of freedom to background gauge fields which leads to a theory with enhanced supersymmetry.

Anomalies↗

Robust Exploration and Commercial Missions to the Moon Using NTR LANTR Propulsion and Lunar-Derived Propellants

The nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) has frequently been identified as a key space asset required for the human exploration of Mars. This proven technology can also provide the affordable access through cislunar space necessary for commercial development and sustained human presence on the Moon. In his post-Apollo Integrated Space Program Plan (1970-1990), Wernher von Braun, proposed a reusable nuclear thermal propulsion stage (NTPS) to deliver cargo and crew to the Moon to establish a lunar base before undertaking human missions to Mars. The NTR option was selected by von Braun because it was a demonstrated technology capable of generating both high thrust and high specific impulse (Isp 900 s) twice that of todays best chemical rockets. In NASAs Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 study, the crewed Mars transfer vehicle used three 25 klbf Pewee engines the smallest and highest performing engine tested in the Rover program along with graphite composite fuel. Smaller, lunar transfer vehicles consisting of a NTPS using three approximately 16.5 klbf Small Nuclear Rocket Engines (SNREs), an in-line propellant tank, plus the payload can enable a variety of reusable lunar missions. These include cargo delivery and crewed lunar landing missions. Even weeklong tourism missions carrying passengers into lunar orbit for a day of sightseeing and picture taking are possible. The NTR can play an important role in the next phase of lunar exploration and development by providing an affordable in-space lunar transportation system (LTS) that can allow initial outposts to evolve into settlements supported by a variety of commercial activities such as in-situ propellant production used to supply strategically located propellant depots and transportation nodes. The utilization of iron-rich volcanic glass or lunar polar ice (LPI) deposits (each estimated at billions of metric tons) for propellant production can significantly reduce the launch mass requirements from Earth and can enable reusable, surface-based lunar landing vehicles (LLVs) using liquid oxygen/hydrogen (LOX/LH2) chemical rocket engines. Afterwards, LOX/LH2 propellant depots can be established in lunar equatorial and polar orbits to supply the LTS. At this point a modified version of the conventional NTR called the LOX-augmented NTR, or LANTR would be introduced into the LTS allowing bipropellant operation and leveraging the mission benefits of refueling with lunar-derived propellants for Earth return. The bipropellant LANTR engine utilizes the large divergent section of its nozzle as an afterburner into which oxygen is injected and supersonically combusted with nuclear preheated hydrogen emerging from the engines choked sonic throat essentially scramjet propulsion in reverse. By varying the oxygen-to-hydrogen mixture ratio, LANTR engines can operate over a range of thrust and Isp values while the reactor core power level remains relatively constant. Eventually, a LANTR-based LTS can enable a rapid commuter shuttle with one-way trip times to and from the Moon ranging from 36 to 24 hours. Even if only 1 of the extracted propellant from identified volcanic glass and polar ice deposits were available for use in lunar orbit, such a supply could support daily commuter flights to the Moon for many thousands of years! An evolutionary mission architecture is outlined and a variety of lunar missions and transfer vehicle designs are examined, along with the increasing demands on propellant production as mission complexity increases. A comparison of vehicle features and engine operating characteristics, for both NTR and LANTR engines, is also provided along with a brief discussion on the propellant production issues associated with using volcanic glass and LPI as source material.

Spacecraft design↗

Dispersion formulas in QFTs, CFTs and holography

We study momentum space dispersion formulas in general QFTs and their applications for CFT correlation functions. We show, using two independent methods, that QFT dispersion formulas can be written in terms of causal commutators. The first derivation uses analyticity properties of retarded correlators in momentum space. The second derivation uses the largest time equation and the defining properties of the time-ordered product. At four points we show that the momentum space QFT dispersion formula depends on the same causal double-commutators as the CFT dispersion formula. At n -points, the QFT dispersion formula depends on a sum of nested advanced commutators. For CFT four-point functions, we show that the momentum space dispersion formula is equivalent to the CFT dispersion formula, up to possible semi-local terms. We also show that the Polyakov-Regge expansions associated to the momentum space and CFT dispersion formulas are related by a Fourier transform. In the process, we prove that the momentum space conformal blocks of the causal double-commutator are equal to cut Witten diagrams. Finally, by combining the momentum space dispersion formulas with the AdS Cutkosky rules, we find a complete, bulk unitarity method for AdS/CFT correlators in momentum space.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Monotonic multi-state quantum f -divergences

We use the Tomita–Takesaki modular theory and the Kubo–Ando operator mean to write down a large class of multi-state quantum f-divergences and prove that they satisfy the data processing inequality. For two states, this class includes the (α, z)-Rényi divergences, the f-divergences of Petz, and the Rényi Belavkin-Staszewski relative entropy as special cases. The method used is the interpolation theory of non-commutative Lωp spaces, and the result applies to general von Neumann algebras, including the local algebra of quantum field theory. We conjecture that these multi-state Rényi divergences have operational interpretations in terms of the optimal error probabilities in asymmetric multi-state quantum state discrimination.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Analysis of general-aviation accidents using ATC radar records

It is pointed out that general aviation aircraft usually do not carry flight recorders, and in accident investigations the only available data may come from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) records. A description is presented of a technique for deriving time-histories of aircraft motions from ATC radar records. The employed procedure involves a smoothing of the raw radar data. The smoothed results, in combination with other available information (meteorological data and aircraft aerodynamic data) are used to derive the expanded set of motion time-histories. Applications of the considered analytical methods are related to different types of aircraft, such as light piston-props, executive jets, and commuter turboprops, as well as different accident situations, such as takeoff, climb-out, icing, and deep stall.

Wingrove, R. C.↗

Small Engine Component Technology (SECT)

A study of small gas turbine engines was conducted to identify high payoff technologies for year-2000 engines and to define companion technology plans. The study addressed engines in the 186 to 746 KW (250 to 1000 shp) or equivalent thrust range for rotorcraft, commuter (turboprop), cruise missile (turbojet), and APU applications. The results show that aggressive advancement of high payoff technologies can produce significant benefits, including reduced SFC, weight, and cost for year-2000 engines. Mission studies for these engines show potential fuel burn reductions of 22 to 71 percent. These engine benefits translate into reductions in rotorcraft and commuter aircraft direct operating costs (DOC) of 7 to 11 percent, and in APU-related DOCs of 37 to 47 percent. The study further shows that cruise missile range can be increased by as much as 200 percent (320 percent with slurry fuels) for a year-2000 missile-turbojet system compared to a current rocket-powered system. The high payoff technologies were identified and the benefits quantified. Based on this, technology plans were defined for each of the four engine applications as recommended guidelines for further NASA research and technology efforts to establish technological readiness for the year 2000.

Early, M.↗

Construction and verification of a model of passenger response to STOL aircraft characteristics

A technique for evaluating passenger acceptance of a transportation system's environment has been developed. This includes a model of passenger reaction to the vehicle, as well as the relative satisfaction compared to other system attributes. The technique is applied to two commercial airline operations - a U.S. commuter, and the Canadian Airtransit STOL system. It is demonstrated that system convenience and aircraft interior seating can play a large role in satisfying the passenger.

Jacobson, I. D.↗

The spectral effects of subsolidus reduction of olivine and pyroxene

The surfaces of atmosphereless bodies are subjected to a variety of chemical, thermal, accretionary, and shock processes related to their regolith environment. These processes are responsible for a number of alterations that occur in regoliths. Alterations include particle size commutation, implantation of solar wind gases, formation of agglutinates, spectral darkening, and, in the lunar case, the development of the very strong red continuum slope in the visible and near infrared spectra. A great deal of work has pointed to the role of agglutinates as the principal agent for darkening and reddening the lunar soil. The measures of regolith maturity are strongly linked to the accumulation of agglutinates. Recent work has suggested that the finest fractions of agglutinitic glass are major source of the spectral red slope. In particular, the red slope is most strongly associated with the agglutinitic glasses that are rich in blebs of sub-micron sized metal particles. It is thought that these metal particles, because of their size and scattering efficiently relative to the wavelength of light, are responsible for the red continuum slope. This fine fraction of metal particles is produced primarily by reduction of Fe(+2) from silicates. One mechanism for the reduction process is the reaction of solar implanted wind protons with the regolith soil during impact events. In this case the presence of hydrogen creates a reducing environment and the thermal pulse from the impact greatly speeds the reaction kinetics. To explore other reducing and thermal environments a series of experiments were done using samples in evacuated capsules buffered by Tantalum and heated to subsolidus temperatures.

Britt, D. T.↗

Electric Vehicle and Infrastructure Systems Modeling in Washington D.C. and Baltimore

This report documents the Argonne-Exelon effort to develop and utilize an agent-based model (ATEAM) of charging demand and infrastructure expansion applicable to the Washington, DC–Baltimore, MD consolidated metropolitan area. This study extends the ATEAM model time horizon to 10 years (from 2020 to 2030), expands agent behavior modeling capabilities, incorporates more granular and extensive empirical data on charging behavior, and analyzes charging needs for a much larger population of PEVs, in keeping with regional goals for significant adoption of ZEVs. With given targets for annual BEV adoption, five scenarios were developed to examine public infrastructure needs and resulting charging load, considering different home charging availabilities, as well as different PEV consumer profiles and public charging infrastructure deployment strategies. Scenario results show that if new chargers (both L2 and DCFC) are spread more widely (as with ubiquitous deployment strategies), there will be less variation in the number of chargers added to each census tract in the study area. More importantly, widespread public charging infrastructure with ubiquitous deployment strategies reduces unmet charging demand and improves charging success, even with heavy reliance on public charging. About 80 percent of BEV drivers can charge on their first attempt in scenarios with ubiquitous deployment strategies. Moreover, widespread public charging infrastructure better meets the demand for more charging, and in return, increases BEV adoption. Low home charging availability produces higher charging loads in public locations, especially during the early morning (around 8:00 a.m.) and late afternoon (around 6:00 p.m.). The evening peak load indicates that drivers are taking advantage of public charging before heading home. Study results also indicate that even with 20 percent home charging availability in 2030, just 20 percent of drivers attempt to charge on a given day. With their relatively high electric range (200+ miles), the BEVs expected to be on the road in 2030 can handle daily commutes without re-charging for a couple of days.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Robust Exploration and Commercial Missions to the Moon Using LANTR Propulsion and Lunar Liquid Oxygen Derived from FeO-Rich Pyroclastic Deposits

The nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) has frequently been identified as a key space asset required for the human exploration of Mars. This proven technology can also provide the affordable access through cislunar space necessary for commercial development and sustained human presence on the Moon. It is a demonstrated technology capable of generating both high thrust and high specific impulse (Isp approx.900 s) twice that of todays best chemical rockets. Nuclear lunar transfer vehicles consisting of a propulsion stage using three approx.16.5 klbf Small Nuclear Rocket Engines (SNREs), an in-line propellant tank, plus the payload can enable a variety of reusable lunar missions. These include cargo delivery and crewed lunar landing missions. Even weeklong tourism missions carrying passengers into lunar orbit for a day of sightseeing and picture taking are possible. The NTR can play an important role in the next phase of lunar exploration and development by providing a robust in-space lunar transportation system (LTS) that can allow initial outposts to evolve into settlements supported by a variety of commercial activities such as in-situ propellant production used to supply strategically located propellant depots and transportation nodes. The use of lunar liquid oxygen (LLO2) derived from iron oxide (FeO)-rich volcanic glass beads, found in numerous pyroclastic deposits on the Moon, can significantly reduce the launch mass requirements from Earth by enabling reusable, surface-based lunar landing vehicles (LLVs) using liquid oxygen/hydrogen (LO2/H2) chemical rocket engines. Afterwards, a LO2/H2 propellant depot can be established in lunar equatorial orbit to supply the LTS. At this point a modified version of the conventional NTR called the LOX-augmented NTR, or LANTR is introduced into the LTS allowing bipropellant operation and leveraging the mission benefits of refueling with lunar-derived propellants for Earth return. The bipropellant LANTR engine utilizes the large divergent section of its nozzle as an afterburner into which oxygen is injected and supersonically combusted with nuclear preheated hydrogen emerging from the engines choked sonic throat - essentially scramjet propulsion in reverse. By varying the oxygen-to-hydrogen mixture ratio, LANTR engines can operate over a range of thrust and Isp values while the reactor core power level remains relatively constant. A LANTR-based LTS offers unique mission capabilities including short transit time crewed cargo transports. Even a commuter shuttle service may be possible allowing one-way trip times to and from the Moon on the order of 36 hours or less. If only 1 of the extracted LLO2 propellant from identified resource sites were available for use in lunar orbit, such a supply could support daily commuter flights to the Moon for many thousands of years! The proposed paper outlines an evolutionary architecture and examines a variety of mission types and transfer vehicle designs, along with the increasing demands on LLO2 production as mission complexity and (Delta)V requirements increase. A comparison of vehicle features and engine operating characteristics, for both NTR and LANTR engines, is also provided along with a discussion of the propellant production and mining requirements associated with using FeO-rich volcanic glass as source material.

Nuclear rocket engines↗