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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 73 records · Page 4

Optical detection of alcohols with a Cu($\tiny{I}$)HETPHEN complex by reversible aldehyde to hemiacetal conversion

A heteroleptic copper(I) bis(phenanthroline) complex with aldehyde groups at the 4,7 positions of the phenanthroline ligand was synthesized. Here, the complex is responsive to alcohol, resulting in a distinct colour change caused by the facile reaction of the aldehyde group with alcohol, forming a hemiacetal product. The aldehyde species can be regenerated after heating the intermediate at 80 °C for 10 minutes, demonstrating the reusability of the complex for alcohol detection. This work presents a new strategy for applying transition metal complexes in small molecule sensing by installing functional groups in the secondary coordination sphere which reversibly react with analytes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Optical Detection of Crack Separation in Si PV Modules

Studying the mechanical behavior of silicon cell fractures is critical for understanding changes in PV module performance. Traditional methods of detecting cell cracks, e.g., electroluminescence (EL) imaging, utilize electrical changes and defects associated with cell fracture. Therefore, these methods reveal crack locations, but do not operate at the time or length scales required to accurately measure other physical properties of cracks, such as separation width and behavior under dynamic loads.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Airborne optical detection of oil on water.

Airborne measurements were made over controlled oil-spill test sites to evaluate various techniques, utilizing reflected sunlight, for detecting oil on water. The results of these measurements show that (1) maximum contrast between oil and water is in the UV and red portions of the spectrum; (2) minimum contrast is in the blue-green; (3) differential polarization appears to be a very promising technique; (4) no characteristic absorption bands, which would permit one oil to be distinguished from another, were discovered in the spectral regions measured; (5) sky conditions greatly influence the contrast between oil and water; and (6) highest contrast was achieved under overcast sky conditions.

Millard, J. P.↗

Optical detection of oil on water

Three radiometric techniques utilizing sunlight reflected and backscattered from water bodies have potential application for remote sensing of oil spills. Oil on water can be detected by viewing perpendicular polarization component of reflected light or difference between polarization components. Best detection is performed in ultraviolet or far-red portions of spectrum and in azimuth directions toward or opposite sun.

Millard, J. P.↗

Optical properties of materials at low temperature and their application to optical detection

A lumped model to represent the photodielectric effect is developed. An analog simulation for a sample in a microwave cavity with a static magnetic field is developed. A system to measure continuously the PDE is analyzed. A performance factor to compared PD detectors versus ac photoconductors is computed. The operating conditions are defined for the appropriate noise conditions. The detectivity of the detector is found to be limited by the semiconductor sample noise.

Hartwig, W. H.↗

Optical detection of local interstellar particles during an out-of-ecliptic mission

A proposed NASA/ESA 'out of ecliptic' mission for placing limits on the brightness of the interstellar (IS) relative to the interplanetary (IP) component of zodiacal light is discussed. The brightness integral used to estimate the monochromatic is introduced, and it is explained that, although the interstellar contribution is below the limit of detectability for earth-based measurements, sunwards viewing from a spacecraft located at a distance of 1 AU would be able to detect the IS component. The color difference between the IS and IP components is considered in an analysis of the upper limit of IS component detectability.

Greenberg, J. M.↗

Capacity of a multimode direct detection optical communication channel

The capacity is derived under both peak and average signal power constraints and without a signal bandwidth constraint. A random telegraph wave type signalling scheme of Kabanov is known to achieve capacity provided enough signalling bandwidth is available. In the absence of received background noise, an optimally coded PPM system is shown to achieve capacity with greatly reduced bandwidth as compared to Kabanov signals.

Tan, H. H.↗

Optical detection of pulsed surface particle displacements

The detection of acoustic surface wave pulses by a wideband differential interferometric laser technique which is insensitive to low frequency noise is described. System bandwidth is determined by the relationship between acoustic wavelength and the variable spacing between two laser probe beams focused on the solid surface which supports the waves. Theoretical sensitivity to surface displacement amplitude is equal to, or better than, that of other electrooptical techniques. Response to an ideal step function displacement is analyzed and experimental measurements of gated 2.5 MHz pulses generated on an aluminized pyrex plate are discussed. Potential application in the characterization of acoustic emission in composites is described.

Zerwekh, P. S.↗

Optical detection of pulsed surface particle displacements

The detection of acoustic surface wave pulses by a wideband differential interferometric laser technique which is insensitive to low frequency noise is described. System bandwidth is determined by the relationship between acoustic wavelength and the variable spacing between two laser probe beams focused on the solid surface which supports the waves. Response to an ideal step function displacement is analyzed and experimental measurements of gated 2.5 MHz pulses generated on an aluminized pyrex plate are discussed.

Zewekh, P. S.↗

Phase locked loop synchronization for direct detection optical PPM communication systems

Receiver timing synchronization of an optical pulse position modulation (PPM) communication system can be achieved using a phase locked loop (PLL) if the photodetector output is properly processed. The synchronization performance is shown to improve with increasing signal power and decreasing loop bandwidth. Bit error rate (BER) of the PLL synchronized PPM system is analyzed and compared to that for the perfectly synchronized system. It is shown that the increase in signal power needed to compensate for the imperfect synchronization is small (less than 0.1 dB) for loop bandwidths less than 0.1% of the slot frequency.

Chen, C. C.↗

Optical detection of large meteoroids in space

CCD sensors placed across the focal plane of large Schmidt telescopes have great potential for detecting and measuring the very low flux in space of meteoroids with diameters larger than 1 meter. With the Palomar 'Big Schmidt', a detection rate of 1.4 per hour is obtained for meteoroids between 0.6 and 200 meters in diameter. For the Baker-Nunn 'Satellite Tracking Camera', the corresponding rate is about 0.8 per hour. The key to obtaining such high detection rates derives from approximately setting the sensor integration time equal to the time it takes a meteoroid to cross a pixel field of view. This minimizes signal to noise problems and is accomplished, in practice, by multiple summing of short integration time data records to obtain data records of longer effective integration times.

Zook, H. A.↗

Phase error statistics of a phase-locked loop synchronized direct detection optical PPM communication system

Receiver timing synchronization of an optical Pulse-Position Modulation (PPM) communication system can be achieved using a phased-locked loop (PLL), provided the photodetector output is suitably processed. The magnitude of the PLL phase error is a good indicator of the timing error at the receiver decoder. The statistics of the phase error are investigated while varying several key system parameters such as PPM order, signal and background strengths, and PPL bandwidth. A practical optical communication system utilizing a laser diode transmitter and an avalanche photodiode in the receiver is described, and the sampled phase error data are presented. A linear regression analysis is applied to the data to obtain estimates of the relational constants involving the phase error variance and incident signal power.

Natarajan, Suresh↗

Optical Detection Of Cryogenic Leaks

Conceptual system identifies leakage without requiring shutdown for testing. Proposed device detects and indicates leaks of cryogenic liquids automatically. Detector makes it unnecessary to shut equipment down so it can be checked for leakage by soap-bubble or helium-detection methods. Not necessary to mix special gases or other materials with cryogenic liquid flowing through equipment.

Wyett, Lynn M.↗

Optical Detection Of Ice On A Helicopter Rotor

Ice forming on helicopter rotor blades under adverse weather conditions detected via effect on polarization of reflected light, according to proposal. Ice-detection system based on this principal alerts helicopter pilot to need for corrective action, and/or turns on deicing equipment automatically.

Cornwell, Donald M., Jr.↗