SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Sum frequency generation”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 73 records · Page 4

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2014

Driving an Active Vibration Balancer to Minimize Vibrations at the Fundamental and Harmonic Frequencies

Vibrations of a principal machine are reduced at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies by driving the drive motor of an active balancer with balancing signals at the fundamental and selected harmonics. Vibrations are sensed to provide a signal representing the mechanical vibrations. A balancing signal generator for the fundamental and for each selected harmonic processes the sensed vibration signal with adaptive filter algorithms of adaptive filters for each frequency to generate a balancing signal for each frequency. Reference inputs for each frequency are applied to the adaptive filter algorithms of each balancing signal generator at the frequency assigned to the generator. The harmonic balancing signals for all of the frequencies are summed and applied to drive the drive motor. The harmonic balancing signals drive the drive motor with a drive voltage component in opposition to the vibration at each frequency.

Holliday, Ezekiel S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Using Correlated Photons to Suppress Background Noise

A proposed method of suppressing the effect of background noise in an optical communication system would exploit the transmission and reception of correlated photons at the receiver. The method would not afford any advantage in a system in which performance is limited by shot noise. However, if the performance of the system is limited by background noise (e.g., sunlight in the case of a free-space optical communication system or incoherently scattered in-band photons in the case of a fiber-optic communication system), then the proposed method could offer an advantage: the proposed method would make it possible to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) significantly greater than that of an otherwise equivalent background- noise-limited optical communication system based on the classical transmission and reception of uncorrelated photons. The figure schematically depicts a classical optical-communication system and a system according to the proposed method. In the classical system, a modulated laser beam is transmitted along an optical path to a receiver, the optics of which include a narrow-band-pass filter that suppresses some of the background noise. A photodetector in the receiver detects the laser-beam and background photons, most or all of which are uncorrelated. In the proposed system, correlated photons would be generated at the transmitter by making a modulated laser beam pass through a nonlinear parametric down-conversion crystal. The sum of frequencies of the correlated photons in each pair would equal the frequency of the incident photon from which they were generated. As in the classical system, the correlated photons would travel along an optical path to a receiver, where they would be band-pass filtered and detected. Unlike in the classical system, the photodetector in the receiver in this system would be one that intrinsically favors the detection of pairs of correlated photons over the detection of uncorrelated photons. Even though there would be no way of knowing the precise location and time of creation of a given pair of correlated signal photons in the nonlinear down-conversion crystal, the fact that the photons are necessarily created at the same time and place makes it possible to utilize conventional geometrical imaging optics to reunite the photons in coincidence in the receiving photodetector. Because most or all of the signal photons would be correlated while most or all of the noise photons would be uncorrelated, the S/N would be correspondingly enhanced in the photodetector output. An additional advantage to be gained by use of a correlated-photon detector is that it could be capable of recovering the signal even in the presence of background light so bright that a classical uncorrelated-photon detector would be saturated. A blocked-impurity-band (BIB) photodetector that preferentially detects pairs of correlated photons over uncorrelated ones and that operates at a quantum efficiency of 88 percent is commercially available. This detector must be cooled to the temperature of liquid helium to obtain the desired low-noise performance. It is planned to use this detector in a proof-of-principle demonstration. In addition, it may be possible to develop GaN-based photodetectors that could offer the desired low-noise performance at room temperature.

Jackson, Deborah↗

NASA NTRS1988

Identification of visual evoked response parameters sensitive to pilot mental state

Systems analysis techniques were developed and demonstrated for modeling the electroencephalographic (EEG) steady state visual evoked response (ssVER), for use in EEG data compression and as an indicator of mental workload. The study focused on steady state frequency domain stimulation and response analysis, implemented with a sum-of-sines (SOS) stimulus generator and an off-line describing function response analyzer. Three major tasks were conducted: (1) VER related systems identification material was reviewed; (2) Software for experiment control and data analysis was developed and implemented; and (3) ssVER identification and modeling was demonstrated, via a mental loading experiment. It was found that a systems approach to ssVER functional modeling can serve as the basis for eventual development of a mental workload indicator. The review showed how transient visual evoked response (tVER) and ssVER research are related at the functional level, the software development showed how systems techniques can be used for ssVER characterization, and the pilot experiment showed how a simple model can be used to capture the basic dynamic response of the ssVER, under varying loads.

Zacharias, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Front end for GPS receivers

The front end in GPS receivers has the functions of amplifying, down-converting, filtering and sampling the received signals. In the preferred embodiment, only two operations, A/D conversion and a sum, bring the signal from RF to filtered quadrature baseband samples. After amplification and filtering at RF, the L1 and L2 signals are each sampled at RF at a high selected subharmonic rate. The subharmonic sample rates are approximately 900 MHz for L1 and 982 MHz for L2. With the selected subharmonic sampling, the A/D conversion effectively down-converts the signal from RF to quadrature components at baseband. The resulting sample streams for L1 and L2 are each reduced to a lower rate with a digital filter, which becomes a straight sum in the simplest embodiment. The frequency subsystem can be very simple, only requiring the generation of a single reference frequency (e.g. 20.46 MHz minus a small offset) and the simple multiplication of this reference up to the subharmonic sample rates for L1 and L2. The small offset in the reference frequency serves the dual purpose of providing an advantageous offset in the down-converted carrier frequency and in the final baseband sample rate.

Thomas, Jr., Jess Brooks↗

NASA NTRS1992

A Highly Digital Front End For GPS Receivers

In digital front end of GPS receiver, half-subharmonic sampling of incoming radio-frequency signal followed by summing operation produces desired baseband output in filtered and sampled form. Design generates baseband samples in guadrature with exactness in quadrature separation surpassing analog implementations. Advantages include compactness, lower cost, greater accuracy, and greater reliability.

Thomas, J. Brooks↗

NASA NTRS2002

Rectenna for high-voltage applications

An energy transfer system is disclosed. The system includes patch elements, shielding layers, and energy rectifying circuits. The patch elements receive and couple radio frequency energy. The shielding layer includes at least one opening that allows radio frequency energy to pass through. The openings are formed and positioned to receive the radio frequency energy and to minimize any re-radiating back toward the source of energy. The energy rectifying circuit includes a circuit for rectifying the radio frequency energy into dc energy. A plurality of energy rectifying circuits is arranged in an array to provide a sum of dc energy generated by the energy rectifying circuit.

Epp, Larry W.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Application of the Convolution Formalism to the Ocean Tide Potential: Results from the Gravity and Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)

A computationally efficient approach to reducing omission errors in ocean tide potential models is derived and evaluated using data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. Ocean tide height models are usually explicitly available at a few frequencies, and a smooth unit response is assumed to infer the response across the tidal spectrum. The convolution formalism of Munk and Cartwright (1966) models this response function with a Fourier series. This allows the total ocean tide height, and therefore the total ocean tide potential, to be modeled as a weighted sum of past, present, and future values of the tide-generating potential. Previous applications of the convolution formalism have usually been limited to tide height models, but we extend it to ocean tide potential models. We use luni-solar ephemerides to derive the required tide-generating potential so that the complete spectrum of the ocean tide potential is efficiently represented. In contrast, the traditionally adopted harmonic model of the ocean tide potential requires the explicit sum of the contributions from individual tidal frequencies. It is therefore subject to omission errors from neglected frequencies and is computationally more intensive. Intersatellite range rate data from the GRACE mission are used to compare convolution and harmonic models of the ocean tide potential. The monthly range rate residual variance is smaller by 4-5%, and the daily residual variance is smaller by as much as 15% when using the convolution model than when using a harmonic model that is defined by twice the number of parameters.

models↗

NASA NTRS1984

The VERRUN and VERNAL software systems for steady-state visual evoked response experimentation

Two digital computer programs were developed for use in experiments involving steady-state visual evoked response (VER): VERRUN, whose primary functions are to generate a sum-of-sines (SOS) stimulus and to digitize and store electro-cortical response; and VERNAL, which provides both time- and frequency-domain metrics of the evoked response. These programs were coded in FORTRAN for operation on the PDP-11/34, using the RSX-11 Operating System, and the PDP-11/23, using the RT-11 Operating System. Users' and programmers' guides to these programs are provided, and guidelines for model analysis of VER data are suggested.

Levison, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Single beam synthesis from thinned arrays

Radio astronomers have investigated spatial frequencies and their relationship to apertures with the objective to improve the resolution in radio observations. Welch (1965) has related Fourier transform theory developed for linear communications to aperture design problems, while Fakley (1959) has conducted a comparison between the performances of a time-averaged product array and an intraclass correlator. The present investigation is concerned with an approach which resembles very closely the intraclass correlator system considered by Fakley. A description is presented of a process whereby a thinned array of elements samples selected spatial frequencies from a uniform signal wave front incident on the array. The spatial frequencies are used to generate a set of synthetic spatial frequencies which behave as though they had been sampled by a fully filled array. Beam formation is obtained by summing the set of synthetic spatial frequencies.

Kaiser, J. A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Filtering technique based on high-frequency plant modeling for high-gain control

This invention was an improvement in aircraft control systems that utilized feedback motion sensors to generate a signal to control the aircraft. The improvement consisted essentially of a complementary filter comprising a simplified model of the aircraft, a high pass filter, a low pass filter and a summing amplifier. The control signal was applied to the simplified model of the aircraft which attempted to compute the vehicle response to the signal. This computed response was then fed into the high pass filter to eliminate long term errors in the calculated response, with the result that a good estimate of the high frequency content of the aircraft motion was obtained. In order to obtain a good estimate of the low frequency content of the motion, a rate gyro signal was fed through the low pass filter that eliminates all of the offending noise.

Niessen, F. R.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Digital single-sideband mixer.

Description of a simple single-sideband (SSB) mixer design that yields either a sum-frequency output with the difference-frequency output suppressed or vice-versa, and uses only 'digital' logic devices and no reactive or frequency-selective 'analog' (linear) circuit elements. A pair of outputs is generated in phase quadrature. It is shown that SSB frequency conversion can be accomplished for many applications much more efficiently with simple digital circuitry than in the usual way with complicated linear frequency selective filter and phasing circuits.

Counselman, C. C., III↗

NASA NTRS1993

Observations of nonlinear interactions in directionally spread shoaling surface gravity waves

Shoaling wave fields generated in laboratory experiments were analyzed to determine the sensitivity of nonlinear interactions to the directional distributions of incident waves. Peaks in the directional spectra observed in shallow water were consistent with near resonating, quadratic interactions between two primary waves transferring energy to a third wave with the sum frequency and vector sum wavenumber of the primary waves. Directionally colinear waves forced a higher-frequency wave propagating in the same direction as the primary waves, while directionally spread (i.e., noncolinear) primary waves forced a higher-frequency wave that propagated in a direction between those of the interacting primary waves. Deepwater wave fields with similar frequency spectra but different directional spectra evolved to different shallow-water directional spectra, yet their shallow-water frequency spectra were remarkably similar. This result suggests that the shape of the directional spectrum of the incident wave field has only a small effect on the magnitudes of nonlinear energy transfer during shoaling. The principal effect of directionality in the incident wave field is on the directions, not the amplitudes, of the nonlinearly generated waves. The laboratory data demonstrate clearly the importance of triad interactions between noncolinear and colinear shoaling waves.

Elgar, Steve↗

NASA NTRS2022

Electromagnetic signatures from supermassive binary black holes approaching merger

We present fully relativistic predictions for the electromagnetic emission produced by accretion disks surrounding spinning and nonspinning supermassive binary black holes on the verge of merging. We use the code Bothros to post-process data from 3D General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations via ray-tracing calculations. These simulations model the dynamics of a circumbinary disk and the mini-disks that form around two equal-mass black holes orbiting each other at an initial separation of 20 gravitational radii, and evolve the system for more than 10 orbits in the inspiral regime. We model the emission as the sum of thermal blackbody radiation emitted by an optically thick accretion disk and a power-law spectrum extending to hard X-rays emitted by a hot optically thin corona. We generate time-dependent spectra, images, and light curves at various frequencies to investigate intrinsic periodic signals in the emission, as well as the effects of the black hole spin. We find that prograde black hole spin makes mini-disks brighter since the smaller ISCO angular momentum demands more dissipation before matter plunges to the horizon. However, compared to mini-disks in larger separation binaries with spinning black holes, our mini-disks are less luminous: unlike those systems, their mass accretion rate is lower than in the circumbinary disk, and they radiate with lower efficiency because their inflow times are shorter. Compared to a single black hole system matched in mass and accretion rate, these binaries have spectra noticeably weaker and softer in the UV. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the potential observability of these systems.

Eduardo M. Gutiérrez↗

NASA NTRS1993

Performance of traffic-alert collision avoidance (TCAS) antennas in the presence of scatterers

The performance of two TCAS systems is studied in the presence of electromagnetic scatterers. TCAS is an aircraft mounted angle of arrival (AOA) system, which estimates the bearing of a signal transmitted from a mode-S transponder on another nearby aircraft (intruder). Two systems are studied: (1) Comparison of Relative Amplitude system (CRA), and (2) Spiral Phase Antenna (SPA). The CRA antenna receives the reply via four switched beams. The bearing is estimated by comparing the amplitudes of the received signal. The SPA is based on the phase interferometer, which utilizes the received phase via sum and difference beams. The AOA is computed by comparing the reply with similar values on a calibration table, which is generated by modeling the TCAS antenna on the bare fuselage of a Boeing 727-200. The antenna patterns for the TCAS are found via high frequency methods based on the Uniform Geometric theory of Diffraction (UTD). By minimizing the standard deviation of the bearing error in a specified angular sector, optimal locations for top and bottom mounted TCAS antennas are found on the Boeing 727-200, 737-300 and 747-200 airframes. It will be shown that the overall bearing errors of the amplitude system are consistently smaller than the spiral phase TCAS. The effect of two types of nearby scatterers--antennas, and engine inlets--is studied. The AT741 L-band blade, DMC60-1 VHF Communication antenna were chosen as being representative antenna interference examples. Models are derived for the blades via a moment method analysis followed by a least squares procedure to synthesize the scattering patterns. Studies were conducted to estimate the minimum separation between the two antennas for acceptable operation. It will be shown that the spiral phase TCAS is adversely affected by the presence of a blade antenna. The amplitude system does not suffer from this limitation, especially for the forward look angles which are of most interest here. A model to represent the inlet scattering is based on the multiple scattering method and UTD. The engine on top of the B727-200 fuselage is modeled by a terminated circular waveguide. Then, the effect of moving the antenna forward on the fuselage is studied. It is again shown that the performance of the amplitude system is superior.

Sampath, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Balancing Vibrations at Harmonic Frequencies by Injecting Harmonic Balancing Signals into the Armature of a Linear Motor/Alternator Coupled to a Stirling Machine

Vibrations at harmonic frequencies are reduced by injecting harmonic balancing signals into the armature of a linear motor/alternator coupled to a Stirling machine. The vibrations are sensed to provide a signal representing the mechanical vibrations. A harmonic balancing signal is generated for selected harmonics of the operating frequency by processing the sensed vibration signal with adaptive filter algorithms of adaptive filters for each harmonic. Reference inputs for each harmonic are applied to the adaptive filter algorithms at the frequency of the selected harmonic. The harmonic balancing signals for all of the harmonics are summed with a principal control signal. The harmonic balancing signals modify the principal electrical drive voltage and drive the motor/alternator with a drive voltage component in opposition to the vibration at each harmonic.

Holliday, Ezekiel S.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Maintaining Stability During a Conducted-Ripple EMC Test

An improved technique, and electronic circuitry to implement the technique, have been developed for a military-standard electromagnetic-compatibility (EMC) test in which one analyzes susceptibility to low-frequency ripple conducted into the equipment under test via a DC power line. In the traditional technique for performing the particular test, the ripple is coupled onto the DC power line via a transformer. Depending upon some design details of the equipment under test, the inductance of the transformer can contribute a degree of instability that results in an oscillation of amplitude large enough to destroy the equipment. It is usually possible to suppress the oscillation by connecting a damping resistor to the primary terminals of the ripple-injection transformer. However, it is important to emphasize the usually in the preceding sentence: sometimes, the resistive damping becomes insufficient to suppress destructive oscillation. In addition, undesirably, the resistor contributes to power dissipation and power demand, and thereby also necessitates the use of a larger ripple voltage amplifier. Yet another disadvantage of the transformer-coupling technique is that the transformer introduces low-frequency distortion of the injected ripple voltage. The improved technique makes it possible to inject ripple with very low distortion at low frequency, without inducing oscillation. In this technique, a transformer is not used: Instead, power is fed to the equipment under test via series power field-effect transistors (FETs) controlled by a summing operational amplifier. One of the inputs to the amplifier controls the DC component of the power-line voltage; the other input, generated by an external oscillator, controls the ripple component. The circuitry for implementing this technique includes panel displays, an internal power supply for the operational amplifier and panel displays, and amplitude controls for the DC and ripple powerline voltage components.

Vorperian, Vatche↗

NASA NTRS2007

Circuit and Method for Communication Over DC Power Line

A circuit and method for transmitting and receiving on-off-keyed (OOK) signals with fractional signal-to-noise ratios uses available high-temperature silicon- on-insulator (SOI) components to move computational, sensing, and actuation abilities closer to high-temperature or high-ionizing radiation environments such as vehicle engine compartments, deep-hole drilling environments, industrial control and monitoring of processes like smelting, and operations near nuclear reactors and in space. This device allows for the networking of multiple, like nodes to each other and to a central processor. It can do this with nothing more than the already in-situ power wiring of the system. The device s microprocessor allows it to make intelligent decisions within the vehicle operational loop and to effect control outputs to its associated actuators. The figure illustrates how each node converts digital serial data to OOK 18-kHz in transmit mode and vice-versa in receive mode; though operations at lower frequencies or up to a megahertz are within reason using this method and these parts. This innovation s technique modulates a DC power bus with millivolt-level signals through a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) and resistor by OOK. It receives and demodulates this signal from the DC power bus through capacitive coupling at high temperature and in high ionizing radiation environments. The demodulation of the OOK signal is accomplished by using an asynchronous quadrature detection technique realized by a quasi-discrete Fourier transform through use of the quadrature components (0 and 90 phases) of the carrier frequency as generated by the microcontroller and as a function of the selected crystal frequency driving its oscillator. The detected signal is rectified using an absolute-value circuit containing no diodes (diodes being non-operational at high temperatures), and only operational amplifiers. The absolute values of the two phases of the received signal are then summed and hard limited (digitized) by comparing them to a reference level and are then input into a microprocessor as a serial bit stream. The quasi-discrete Fourier transform is performed in high-temperature components (operational amplifiers, analog switches, resistors, and capacitors). The demodulated signal is a serial data stream that is input to the UART (universal asynchronous receiver transmitter) receiver pin of the microprocessor. The OOK of the carrier frequency uses the output of the UART pin as an enabling signal that drives the gate of the MOSFET. Logic low bits enable the carrier frequency (realized by using the 0 phase signal from the microcontroller, though either phase may be used) to be DC-coupled to the power supply bus through a current-limiting resistor mounted between the MOSFET drain and the supply rail. The presence of logic lows on the power supply rail is realized by carrier bursts while logic highs are realized by the absence of bursts.

Krasowski, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

An algorithm for generating an m-ary summation tree

An algorithm is presented for generating an m-ary summation tree. The algorithm is completely general and may be applied to any length input string. For an N length sequence summed in groups of m sub l at each level l a maximum of 3L - 2 storage is required. A special case of the general m-ary tree where all m sub l are equal is used to smooth data in a radio frequency interference experiment. The maximum storage required when m l sub l = m for all l reduces to the closed form 3 log m N - 2.

Sievers, M.↗