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NASA NTRS2005

Three-Dimensional Application of DAMAS Methodology for Aeroacoustic Noise Source Definition

At the 2004 AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustic Conference, a breakthrough in acoustic microphone array technology was reported by the authors. A Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) was developed which decouples the array design and processing influence from the noise being measured, using a simple and robust algorithm. For several prior airframe noise studies, it was shown to permit an unambiguous and accurate determination of acoustic source position and strength. As a follow-on effort, this paper examines the technique for three-dimensional (3D) applications. First, the beamforming ability for arrays, of different size and design, to focus longitudinally and laterally is examined for a range of source positions and frequency. Advantage is found for larger array designs with higher density microphone distributions towards the center. After defining a 3D grid generalized with respect to the array s beamforming characteristics, DAMAS is employed in simulated and experimental noise test cases. It is found that spatial resolution is much less sharp in the longitudinal direction in front of the array compared to side-to-side lateral resolution. 3D DAMAS becomes useful for sufficiently large arrays at sufficiently high frequency. But, such can be a challenge to computational capabilities, with regard to the required expanse and number of grid points. Also, larger arrays can strain basic physical modeling assumptions that DAMAS and all traditional array methodologies use. An important experimental result is that turbulent shear layers can negatively impact attainable beamforming resolution. Still, the usefulness of 3D DAMAS is demonstrated by the measurement of landing gear noise source distributions in a difficult hard-wall wind tunnel environment.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Evaluating the Acoustic Effect of Over-the-Rotor Foam-Metal Liner Installed on a Low Speed Fan Using Virtual Rotating Microphone Imaging

An in-duct beamforming technique for imaging rotating broadband fan sources has been used to evaluate the acoustic characteristics of a Foam-Metal Liner installed over-the-rotor of a low-speed fan. The NASA Glenn Research Center s Advanced Noise Control Fan was used as a test bed. A duct wall-mounted phased array consisting of several rings of microphones was employed. The data are mathematically resampled in the fan rotating reference frame and subsequently used in a conventional beamforming technique. The steering vectors for the beamforming technique are derived from annular duct modes, so that effects of reflections from the duct walls are reduced.

Sutliff, Daniel L.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Multiband Photonic Phased-Array Antenna

A multiband phased-array antenna (PAA) can reduce the number of antennas on shipboard platforms while offering significantly improved performance. Crystal Research, Inc., has developed a multiband photonic antenna that is based on a high-speed, optical, true-time-delay beamformer. It is capable of simultaneously steering multiple independent radio frequency (RF) beams in less than 1,000 nanoseconds. This high steering speed is 3 orders of magnitude faster than any existing optical beamformer. Unlike other approaches, this technology uses a single controlling device per operation band, eliminating the need for massive optical switches, laser diodes, and fiber Bragg gratings. More importantly, only one beamformer is needed for all antenna elements.

Tang, Suning↗

NASA NTRS2016

First Image Products from EcoSAR - Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Designed especially for forest ecosystem studies, EcoSAR employs state-of-the-art digital beamforming technology to generate wide-swath, high-resolution imagery. EcoSARs dual antenna single-pass imaging capability eliminates temporal decorrelation from polarimetric and interferometric analysis, increasing the signal strength and simplifying models used to invert forest structure parameters. Antennae are physically separated by 25 meters providing single pass interferometry. In this mode the radar is most sensitive to topography. With 32 active transmit and receive channels, EcoSARs digital beamforming is an order of magnitude more versatile than the digital beamforming employed on the upcoming NISAR mission. EcoSARs long wavelength (P-band, 435 MHz, 69 cm) measurements can be used to simulate data products for ESAs future BIOMASS mission, allowing scientists to develop algorithms before the launch of the satellite. EcoSAR can also be deployed to collect much needed data where BIOMASS satellite wont be allowed to collect data (North America, Europe and Arctic), filling in the gaps to keep a watchful eye on the global carbon cycle. EcoSAR can play a vital role in monitoring, reporting and verification schemes of internationals programs such as UN-REDD (United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) benefiting global society. EcoSAR was developed and flown with support from NASA Earth Sciences Technology Offices Instrument Incubator Program.

InSAR↗

NASA NTRS2016

Next Generation P-Band Planetary Synthetic Aperture Radar

The Space Exploration Synthetic Aperture Radar (SESAR) is an advanced P-band beamforming radar instrument concept to enable a new class of observations suitable to meet Decadal Survey science goals for planetary exploration. The radar operates at full polarimetry and fine (meter scale) resolution, and achieves beam agility through programmable waveform generation and digital beamforming. The radar architecture employs a novel low power, lightweight design approach to meet stringent planetary instrument requirements. This instrument concept has the potential to provide unprecedented surface and near- subsurface measurements applicable to multiple DecadalSurvey Science Goals.

Wide band↗

NASA NTRS2017

Next Generation P-Band Planetary Synthetic Aperture Radar

P-band↗

NASA NTRS1987

Optical technology for spacecraft antennas

The issues involved in the design and implementation of high-speed fiberoptic distribution networks for spacecraft antennas are examined. The phased array antennas and antenna remoting are considered. The system requirements for these two generic system types are summarized, and their architectures are described. Optical beamforming of phased arrays is discussed, including beam control at the T/R module level, optical beam control on the fiber optic distribution network, and optical beamforming in free space.

Herczfeld, P. R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Effects of atmospheric variations on acoustic system performance

Acoustic propagation over medium to long ranges in the atmosphere is subject to many complex, interacting effects. Of particular interest at this point is modeling low frequency (less than 500 Hz) propagation for the purpose of predicting ranges and bearing accuracies at which acoustic sources can be detected. A simple means of estimating how much of the received signal power propagated directly from the source to the receiver and how much was received by turbulent scattering was developed. The correlations between the propagation mechanism and detection thresholds, beamformer bearing estimation accuracies, and beamformer processing gain of passive acoustic signal detection systems were explored.

Nation, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2002

Design of an Airborne L-Band Cross-Track Scanning Scatterometer

In this report, we describe the design of an airborne L-band cross-track scanning scatterometer suitable for airborne operation aboard the NASA P-3 aircraft. The scatterometer is being designed for joint operation with existing L-band radiometers developed by NASA for soil moisture and ocean salinity remote sensing. In addition, design tradeoffs for a space-based radar system have been considered, with particular attention given to antenna architectures suitable for sharing the antenna between the radar and radiometer. During this study, we investigated a number of imaging techniques, including the use of real and synthetic aperture processing in both the along track and cross-track dimensions. The architecture selected will permit a variety of beamforming algorithms to be implemented, although real aperture processing, with hardware beamforming, provides better sidelobe suppression than synthetic array processing and superior signal-to-noise performance. In our discussions with the staff of NASA GSFC, we arrived at an architecture that employs complete transmit/receive modules for each subarray. Amplitude and phase control at each of the transmit modules will allow a low-sidelobe transmit pattern to be generated over scan angles of +/- 50 degrees. Each receiver module will include all electronics necessary to downconvert the received signal to an IF offset of 30 MHz where it will be digitized for further processing.

Hilliard, Lawrence M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

A Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) Determined from Phased Microphone Arrays

Current processing of acoustic array data is burdened with considerable uncertainty. This study reports an original methodology that serves to demystify array results, reduce misinterpretation, and accurately quantify position and strength of acoustic sources. Traditional array results represent noise sources that are convolved with array beamform response functions, which depend on array geometry, size (with respect to source position and distributions), and frequency. The Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) method removes beamforming characteristics from output presentations. A unique linear system of equations accounts for reciprocal influence at different locations over the array survey region. It makes no assumption beyond the traditional processing assumption of statistically independent noise sources. The full rank equations are solved with a new robust iterative method. DAMAS is quantitatively validated using archival data from a variety of prior high-lift airframe component noise studies, including flap edge/cove, trailing edge, leading edge, slat, and calibration sources. Presentations are explicit and straightforward, as the noise radiated from a region of interest is determined by simply summing the mean-squared values over that region. DAMAS can fully replace existing array processing and presentations methodology in most applications. It appears to dramatically increase the value of arrays to the field of experimental acoustics.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Extension of DAMAS Phased Array Processing for Spatial Coherence Determination (DAMAS-C)

The present study reports a new development of the DAMAS microphone phased array processing methodology that allows the determination and separation of coherent and incoherent noise source distributions. In 2004, a Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) was developed which decoupled the array design and processing influence from the noise being measured, using a simple and robust algorithm. In 2005, three-dimensional applications of DAMAS were examined. DAMAS has been shown to render an unambiguous quantitative determination of acoustic source position and strength. However, an underlying premise of DAMAS, as well as that of classical array beamforming methodology, is that the noise regions under study are distributions of statistically independent sources. The present development, called DAMAS-C, extends the basic approach to include coherence definition between noise sources. The solutions incorporate cross-beamforming array measurements over the survey region. While the resulting inverse problem can be large and the iteration solution computationally demanding, it solves problems no other technique can approach. DAMAS-C is validated using noise source simulations and is applied to airframe flap noise test results.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Applications of Time-Reversal Processing for Planetary Surface Communications

Due to the power constraints imposed on wireless sensor and communication networks deployed on a planetary surface during exploration, energy efficient transfer of data becomes a critical issue. In situations where groups of nodes within a network are located in relatively close proximity, cooperative communication techniques can be utilized to improve the range, data rate, power efficiency, and lifetime of the network. In particular, if the point-to-point communication channels on the network are well modeled as frequency non-selective, distributed or cooperative beamforming can employed. For frequency-selective channels, beamforming itself is not generally appropriate, but a natural generalization of it, time-reversal communication (TRC), can still be effective. Time-reversal processing has been proposed and studied previously for other applications, including acoustical imaging, electromagnetic imaging, underwater acoustic communication, and wireless communication channels. In this paper, we study both the theoretical advantages and the experimental performance of cooperative TRC for wireless communication on planetary surfaces. We give a brief introduction to TRC and present several scenarios where TRC could be profitably employed during planetary exploration. We also present simulation results illustrating the performance of cooperative TRC employed in a complex multipath environment and discuss the optimality of cooperative TRC for data aggregation in wireless sensor networks

Barton, Richard J.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Airframe Noise Results from the QTD II Flight Test Program

With continued growth in air travel, sensitivity to community noise intensifies and materializes in the form of increased monitoring, regulations, and restrictions. Accordingly, realization of quieter aircraft is imperative, albeit only achievable with reduction of both engine and airframe components of total aircraft noise. Model-scale airframe noise testing has aided in this pursuit; however, the results are somewhat limited due to lack of fidelity of model hardware, particularly in simulating full-scale landing gear. Moreover, simulation of true in-flight conditions is non-trivial if not infeasible. This paper reports on an investigation of full-scale landing gear noise measured as part of the 2005 Quiet Technology Demonstrator 2 (QTD2) flight test program. Conventional Boeing 777-300ER main landing gear were tested, along with two noise reduction concepts, namely a toboggan fairing and gear alignment with the local flow, both of which were down-selected from various other noise reduction devices evaluated in model-scale testing at Virginia Tech. The full-scale toboggan fairings were designed by Goodrich Aerostructures as add-on devices allowing for complete retraction of the main gear. The baseline-conventional gear, faired gear, and aligned gear were all evaluated with the high-lift system in the retracted position and deployed at various flap settings, all at engine idle power setting. Measurements were taken with flyover community noise microphones and a large aperture acoustic phased array, yielding far-field spectra, and localized sources (beamform maps). The results were utilized to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the merit of each noise reduction concept. Complete similarity between model-scale and full-scale noise reduction levels was not found and requires further investigation. Far-field spectra exhibited no noise reduction for both concepts across all angles and frequencies. Phased array beamform maps show inconclusive evidence of noise reduction at selective frequencies (1500 to 3000 Hz) but are otherwise in general agreement with the far-field spectra results (within measurement uncertainty).

Elkoby, Ronen↗

NASA NTRS2007

RadSTAR L-Band Imaging Scatterometer: Performance Assessment

RadSTAR is an instrument development program aimed at combining a radiometer and a scatterometer system into a highly compact configuration that uses a single, electronically scanned antenna to provide co-located and simultaneous measurements of emission and backscatter for airborne and spaceborne applications [I]. The program was designed to map soil moisture and ocean salinity, both important components of the water cycle, and to map sea ice density and thickness, an important factor in ocean-atmosphere heat exchange in Polar Regions. The accuracy in estimation of these and a number of other Earth science parameters can be greatly enhanced by providing the co-aligned radar/radiometer microwave measurements. For instance, radiometer estimates of soil moisture from soil emission are affected by emission from vegetation, and from the roughness of the surface. Complementary measurements using the scatterometer can be used to evaluate the vegetation and surface roughness effects. Hence, the combined observations can provide an improved estimate. As with soil moisture, the ocean salinity is a function of the microwave emission from the sea surface temperature (SST) and sea roughness. There, the addition of radar backscatter measurements of sea roughness enables the correction of the emissivity and provide more accurate estimates of ocean salinity. Similar arguments can be made for other important Earth science parameters. This paper discusses the RadSTAR program, the radar system design, calibration, and digital beamforming techniques, and presents preliminary analysis of the data collected during the test flights. The data sets obtained during the flights and during the radar calibration in the anechoic chamber are also employed to asses the performance of the radar. The paper also discusses the Digital Beamforming Synthetic Aperture Radar (DBSAR) processor, a real-time processor recently developed for the LIS instrument which enables beam synthesis, fine resolutions, and large swaths.

Rincon, Rafael↗

NASA NTRS2006

A Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources (DAMAS) Determined from Phased Microphone Arrays

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Deconvolution methods and systems for the mapping of acoustic sources from phased microphone arrays

A method and system for mapping acoustic sources determined from a phased microphone array. A plurality of microphones are arranged in an optimized grid pattern including a plurality of grid locations thereof. A linear configuration of N equations and N unknowns can be formed by accounting for a reciprocal influence of one or more beamforming characteristics thereof at varying grid locations among the plurality of grid locations. A full-rank equation derived from the linear configuration of N equations and N unknowns can then be iteratively determined. A full-rank can be attained by the solution requirement of the positivity constraint equivalent to the physical assumption of statically independent noise sources at each N location. An optimized noise source distribution is then generated over an identified aeroacoustic source region associated with the phased microphone array in order to compile an output presentation thereof, thereby removing the beamforming characteristics from the resulting output presentation.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Locating and Quantifying Broadband Fan Sources Using In-Duct Microphones

In-duct beamforming techniques have been developed for locating broadband noise sources on a low-speed fan and quantifying the acoustic power in the inlet and aft fan ducts. The NASA Glenn Research Center's Advanced Noise Control Fan was used as a test bed. Several of the blades were modified to provide a broadband source to evaluate the efficacy of the in-duct beamforming technique. Phased arrays consisting of rings and line arrays of microphones were employed. For the imaging, the data were mathematically resampled in the frame of reference of the rotating fan. For both the imaging and power measurement steps, array steering vectors were computed using annular duct modal expansions, selected subsets of the cross spectral matrix elements were used, and the DAMAS and CLEAN-SC deconvolution algorithms were applied.

Dougherty, Robert P.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Deconvolution Methods and Systems for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources from Phased Microphone Arrays

Mapping coherent/incoherent acoustic sources as determined from a phased microphone array. A linear configuration of equations and unknowns are formed by accounting for a reciprocal influence of one or more cross-beamforming characteristics thereof at varying grid locations among the plurality of grid locations. An equation derived from the linear configuration of equations and unknowns can then be iteratively determined. The equation can be attained by the solution requirement of a constraint equivalent to the physical assumption that the coherent sources have only in phase coherence. The size of the problem may then be reduced using zoning methods. An optimized noise source distribution is then generated over an identified aeroacoustic source region associated with a phased microphone array (microphones arranged in an optimized grid pattern including a plurality of grid locations) in order to compile an output presentation thereof, thereby removing beamforming characteristics from the resulting output presentation.

Brooks, Thomas F.↗