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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 91 records · Page 5

Analysis and Mitigation of Pulse-Pile-Up Artifacts in Plasma Pulse-Height X-ray Spectra

Pulse pile-up in pulse-height energy analyzers increases when the incident rate of pulses increases relative to the inverse of the dead time per pulse of the detection system. Changes in the observed energy distributions with incident rate and detector-electronics-formed pulse shape then occur. Here, we focus on weak high energy tails in X-ray spectra, important for measurements on partially ionized, warm (50–500 eV average electron energy), pure hydrogen plasma. A first-principles two-photon pulse-pile-up model is derived specific to trapezoidal-shaped pulses; quantitative agreement is found between the measurements and the model’s predictions. The model is then used to diagnose pulse-pile-up tail artifacts and mitigate them in relatively low count-rate spectra.

2-photon↗

Spherical artifacts on ferrograms

In the past, hollow spheres detected on ferrograms have been interpreted as being due to fretting, abrasion, cavitation erosion, and fatigue-related processes. Here it is reported that such spheres were found to result from the fact that a routine grinding operation on a steel plate was carried out about 20 feet away from the ferrograph. A similar grinding operation was performed on a piece of low carbon steel a few feet from the ferrograph, and after a few minutes of grinding, the resulting ferrogram contained thousands of particles of which more than 90% were spherical. Because of the widespread occurrence of ordinary grinding operations, it seems prudent that those utilizing the ferrograph be cognizant of this type of artifact.

Jones, W. R., Jr.↗

Interpolation algorithms and image data artifacts

Interpolation, or resampling coefficients, which are generated from low pass filter Fourier transforms yield more accurate resampled values than those obtained using cubic spline techniques. This is due to the utilization of six data points rather than four as currently used in cubic spline analysis. After resampling functions are applied to image data, artifacts which are similar to ringing may become pronounced. These effects are often present in the original data and the interpolation merely enhances them.

Forman, M. L.↗

Artifacts in digital images

Three kinds of artifacts unique to digital images are illustrated, namely aliasing caused by undersampling, interference phenomena caused by improper display of images, and harmonic overtones caused by quantization of amplitudes. Special attention is given to undersampling when the sample size and interval are the same. It is noted that this situation is important because it is typical of solid-state cameras. Quantization of image data of necessity introduces energy at harmonic overtones of the image spectrum. This energy is aliased if the frequency of the overtones is greater than 0.5 cycle/pixel. It cannot be selectively removed from the image through filtering, and the best way to suppress it is to maximize the amplification of the sensor before digital encoding.

Lorre, J. J.↗

Solar torsional oscillations - A net pattern with wavenumber 2 as artifact

A net solar torsional oscillation pattern is uncovered through a new analysis of Mount Wilson Doppler data. This pattern, found from zonal fits, without subtraction of a global fit, consists of a relative polar spin-up around solar maximum, alternating with a single traveling wave that runs from mid latitude to low latitude during the rest of the cycle. It is suggested that these are separate phenomena, and thus that the previously inferred pole-to-equator traveling pattern with wavenumber 2 per hemisphere may be a mathematical artifact. The new pattern retains aspects of the original pattern's relationship to magnetic activity, and agrees better with model predictions.

Snodgrass, H. B.↗

Fourier removal of stripe artifacts in IRAS images

By working in the Fourier plane, approximate removal of stripe artifacts in IRAS images can be effected. The image of interest is smoothed and subtracted from the original, giving the high-spatial-frequency part. This 'filtered' image is then clipped to remove point sources and then Fourier transformed. Subtracting the Fourier components contributing to the stripes in this image from the Fourier transform of the original and transforming back to the image plane yields substantial removal of the stripes.

Van Buren, Dave↗

HEAVENS system for software artifacts

The HEAVENS system is a workstation-based collection of software for analyzing, organizing, and viewing software artifacts. As a prototype, the system was used for visualizing source code structure, analyzing dependencies, and reconstructing to simplify maintenance. The system was also used in the early stages of software design to organize and relate design objects, maintain design documentation, and provide ready-made framework for later coding.

Matthews, Paul↗

Artifacts Of Spectral Analysis Of Instrument Readings

Report presents experimental and theoretical study of some of artifacts introduced by processing outputs of two nominally identical low-frequency-reading instruments; high-sensitivity servo-accelerometers mounted together and operating, in conjunction with signal-conditioning circuits, as seismometers. Processing involved analog-to-digital conversion with anti-aliasing filtering, followed by digital processing including frequency weighting and computation of different measures of power spectral density (PSD).

Wise, James H.↗

Artifacts Introduced in the Point Evaluation of Functions Expanded into a Degree 360 Spherical Harmonic Series

An expansion of a function initially given in 1deg cells was carried out to degree 360 by using 30'cells whose value was initially assigned to be the value of the 1deg cell in which it fell. The evaluation of point values of the function from the degree 360 expansion revealed spurious patterns attributed to the coefficients from degree 181 to 360. Expansion of the original function in 1deg cells to degree 180 showed no problems in the point evaluation. Mean 1deg values computed from both degree 180 to 360 expansions showed close agreement with the original function. The artifacts could be removed if the 30' values were interpolated by spline procedures from adjacent I' cells. These results led to an examination of the gravity anomalies and geoid undulations from EGM96 in areas where I' values were "split up" to form 30'cells. The area considered was 75degS to 85degS, 100degE to 120degE where the split up cells were basically south of 81 degS. A small, latitude related, and possibly spurious effect might be detectable in anomaly variations in the region. These results suggest that point values of a function computed from a high degree expansion may have spurious signals unless the cell size is compatible with the maximum degree of expansion. The spurious signals could be eliminated by using a spline interpolation procedure to obtain the 30'values from the 1deg values.

Rapp, R.↗

Automating Traceability for Generated Software Artifacts

Program synthesis automatically derives programs from specifications of their behavior. One advantage of program synthesis, as opposed to manual coding, is that there is a direct link between the specification and the derived program. This link is, however, not very fine-grained: it can be best characterized as Program is-derived- from Specification. When the generated program needs to be understood or modified, more $ne-grained linking is useful. In this paper, we present a novel technique for automatically deriving traceability relations between parts of a specification and parts of the synthesized program. The technique is very lightweight and works -- with varying degrees of success - for any process in which one artifact is automatically derived from another. We illustrate the generality of the technique by applying it to two kinds of automatic generation: synthesis of Kalman Filter programs from speci3cations using the Aut- oFilter program synthesis system, and generation of assembly language programs from C source code using the GCC C compilel: We evaluate the effectiveness of the technique in the latter application.

Richardson, Julian↗

Archaeal phylogeny: reexamination of the phylogenetic position of Archaeoglobus fulgidus in light of certain composition-induced artifacts

A major and too little recognized source of artifact in phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data is compositional difference among sequences. The problem becomes particularly acute when alignments contain ribosomal RNAs from both mesophilic and thermophilic species. Among prokaryotes the latter are considerably higher in G + C content than the former, which often results in artificial clustering of thermophilic lineages and their being placed artificially deep in phylogenetic trees. In this communication we review archaeal phylogeny in the light of this consideration, focusing in particular on the phylogenetic position of the sulfate reducing species Archaeoglobus fulgidus, using both 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA sequences. The analysis shows clearly that the previously reported deep branching of the A. fulgidus lineage (very near the base of the euryarchaeal side of the archaeal tree) is incorrect, and that the lineage actually groups with a previously recognized unit that comprises the Methanomicrobiales and extreme halophiles.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor

Testing of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.

LeCroy, Jerry E.↗

Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor

Testing of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.

LeCroy, Jerry E.↗

Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor

Testing Of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction, to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary ,of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.

LeCroy, Jerry E.↗

Methods of preparing polyimides and artifacts composed thereof

Methods of converting essentially unpolymerized precursors into polyimides in which the precursors are exposed to microwave radiation. Preheating, thermal post-curing, and other techniques may be employed to promote the development of optimum properties; and reinforcements can be employed to impart strength and rigidity to the final product. Also disclosed are processes for making various composite artifacts in which non-polymeric precursors are converted to polyimides by using the techniques described above.

Gagliani, John↗

Methods of preparing polyimides and artifacts composed thereof

Methods of converting essentially unpolymerized precursors into polyimides in which the precursors are exposed to microwave radiation. Preheating, thermal post-curing, and other techniques may be employed to promote the development of optimum properties; and reinforcements can be employed to impart strength and rigidity to the final product. Also disclosed are processes for making various composite artifacts in which non-polymeric precursors are converted to polyimides by using the techniques described above.

Gagliani, John↗

Methods of preparing polyimides and artifacts composed thereof

Methods of converting essentially unpolymerized precursors into polyimides in which the precursors are exposed to microwave radiation. Preheating, thermal post-curing, and other techniques may be employed to promote the development of optimum properties; and reinforcements can be employed to impart strength and rigidity to the final product. Also disclosed are processes for making various composite artifacts in which non-polymeric precursors are converted to polyimides by using the techniques described above.

Gagliani, John↗