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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

A stochastic-dynamic model for global atmospheric mass field statistics

A model that yields the spatial correlation structure of atmospheric mass field forecast errors was developed. The model is governed by the potential vorticity equation forced by random noise. Expansion in spherical harmonics and correlation function was computed analytically using the expansion coefficients. The finite difference equivalent was solved using a fast Poisson solver and the correlation function was computed using stratified sampling of the individual realization of F(omega) and hence of phi(omega). A higher order equation for gamma was derived and solved directly in finite differences by two successive applications of the fast Poisson solver. The methods were compared for accuracy and efficiency and the third method was chosen as clearly superior. The results agree well with the latitude dependence of observed atmospheric correlation data. The value of the parameter c sub o which gives the best fit to the data is close to the value expected from dynamical considerations.

Ghil, M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

High temperature strain measurement with a resistance strain gage

A PdCr based electrical resistance strain gage was demonstrated in the laboratory to be a viable sensor candidate for static strain measurement at high temperatures. However, difficulties were encountered while transferring the sensor to field applications. This paper is therefore prepared for recognition and resolution of the problems likely to be encountered with PdCr strain gages in field applications. Errors caused by the measurement system, installation technique and lead wire attachment are discussed. The limitations and some considerations related to the temperature compensation technique used for this gage are also addressed.

Lei, Jih-Fen↗
NASA NTRS1997

Solar and Magnetic Attitude Determination for Small Spacecraft

During the Phase B development of the NASA New Millennium Program (NMP) Earth Orbiter-1 (EO-1) spacecraft, detailed analyses were performed for on-board attitude determination using the Sun and the Earth's magnetic field. This work utilized the TRMM 'Contingency Mode' as a starting point but concentrated on implementation for a small spacecraft without a high performance mechanical gyro package. The analyses and simulations performed demonstrate a geographic dependence due to diurnal variations in the Earth magnetic field with respect to the Sun synchronous, nearly polar orbit. Sensitivity to uncompensated residual magnetic fields of the spacecraft and field modeling errors is shown to be the most significant obstacle for maximizing performance. Performance has been evaluated with a number of inertial reference units and various mounting orientations for the two-axis Fine Sun Sensors. Attitude determination accuracy using the six state Kalman Filter executing at 2 Hz is approximately 0.2 deg, 3-sigma, per axis. Although EO-1 was subsequently driven to a stellar-based attitude determination system as a result of tighter pointing requirements, solar/magnetic attitude determination is demonstrated to be applicable to a range of small spacecraft with medium precision pointing requirements.

Woodham, Kurt↗
NASA NTRS1999

Modifying the Human-Machine Interface Based on Quantitative Measurements of the Level of Awareness

This project got underway without funding approved during the summer of 1998. The initial project steps were to identify previously published work in the fields of error classification systems, physiological measurements of awareness, and related topics. This agenda was modified at the request of NASA Ames in August, 1998 to include supporting the new Cargo Air Association (CAA) evaluation of the Human Factors related to the ADS-B technology. Additional funding was promised to fully support both efforts. Work on library research ended in the late Fall, 1998 when the SJSU project directors were informed that NASA would not be adding to the initial funding of the research project as had been initially committed. However, NASA did provide additional funding for the CAA project activity. NASA elected to leave the research grant in place to provide a pathway for the CAA project funding to SJSU (San Jose State University) to support Dr. Freund's work on the CAA tasks. Dr. Knapp essentially terminated his involvement with the project at this time.

Freund, Louis E.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Optical Modeling Activities for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): Wavefront Aberrations due to Alignment and Figure Compensation - 3

This is part three of a series describing the ongoing optical modeling activities for James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The first two discussed modeling JWST on-orbit performance using wavefront sensitivities to predict line of sight motion induced blur, and stability during thermal transients. The work here investigates the aberrations resulting from alignment and figure compensation of the controllable degrees of freedom (primary and secondary mirrors), which may be encountered during ground alignment and on-orbit commissioning of the observatory. The optical design of the telescope is a three-mirror anastigmat, with an active fold mirror at the exit pupil for fine guiding. The primary mirror is over 6.5 meters in diameter, and is composed of 18 hexagonal segments that can individually positioned on hexapods, as well as compensated for radius of curvature. This effectively gives both alignment and figure control of the primary mirror. The secondary mirror can be moved in rigid body only, giving alignment control of the telescope. The tertiary mirror is fixed, however, as well as the location of the science instrumentation. Simulations are performed of various combinations of active alignment corrections of component figure errors, and of primary mirror figure corrections of alignment errors. Single field point and moderate field knowledge is assumed in the corrections. Aberrations over the field are reported for the varying cases, and examples presented.

Howard, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1980

Magnetic field directional discontinuities. I - Minimum variance errors

The paper deals with a statistical analysis of the errors associated with a minimum variance analysis of directional discontinuities by use of an idealized model of these discontinuities and various simulations, and also by an examination of actual Mariner 10 interplanetary magnetic field data. An empirical expression is derived for the magnitude of the error in an estimated discontinuity normal component, relative to the total field across the directional discontinuity. The analysis was performed primarily to aid in differentiating between interplanetary tangential and rotational discontinuities observed by Mariner 10.

Lepping, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space charge enhanced plasma gradient effects on satellite electric field measurements

It has been recognized that plasma gradients can cause error in magnetospheric electric field measurements made by double probes. Space charge enhanced Plasma Gradient Induced Error (PGIE) is discussed in general terms, presenting the results of a laboratory experiment designed to demonstrate this error, and deriving a simple expression that quantifies this error. Experimental conditions were not identical to magnetospheric conditions, although efforts were made to insure the relevant physics applied to both cases. The experimental data demonstrate some of the possible errors in electric field measurements made by strongly emitting probes due to space charge effects in the presence of plasma gradients. Probe errors in space and laboratory conditions are discussed, as well as experimental error. In the final section, theoretical aspects are examined and an expression is derived for the maximum steady state space charge enhanced PGIE taken by two identical current biased probes.

Diebold, Dan↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of a large field-of-view KD potassium di-deuterium phosphate modulator: Center Director's Discretionary Fund

Magnetographs, which measure polarized light, allow solar astronomers to infer the magnetic field intensity on the Sun. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Vector Magnetograph is such an imaging instrument. The instrument requires rapid modulation between polarization states to minimize seeing effects. The accuracy of those polarization measurements is dependent on stable modulators with small field-of-view errors. Although these devices are very important in ground-based telescopes, extending the field of view of electro-optical crystals such as KD*Ps (potassium di-deuterium phosphate) could encourage the development of these devices for other imaging applications. The work that was done at MSFC as part of the Center Director's Discretionary Fund (CDDF) to reduce the field-of-view errors of instruments that use KD*P modulators in their polarimeters is described.

West, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Magnetic field directional discontinuities. 1: Minimum variance errors

Errors associated with the minimum variance analysis of directional discontinuity normal components were investigated using both computer simulation of discontinuities with controlled properties and the examination of current sheets observed by the Mariner 10 spacecraft. The simulated discontinuities were created by adding fluctuations, represented by isotropic noise, to exactly known but varying (in a plane) magnetic field components. An empirical expression for the magnitude of the error in an estimated discontinuity normal component, relative to the total field across the discontinuity, was derived, as well as other relevant statistical properties. Use of the empirical relation in the analysis of 644 discontinuities observed by Mariner 10 provides a more precise, but probably conservative, estimate of an upper bound on the relative normal component value for tangential discontinuities that can be used to separate rotational from tangential discontinuities in studies using only magnetic field data from a single spacecraft, at least for the interplanetary region of space considered.

Lepping, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Geographically correlated orbit error

The dominant error source in estimating the orbital position of a satellite from ground based tracking data is the modeling of the Earth's gravity field. The resulting orbit error due to gravity field model errors are predominantly long wavelength in nature. This results in an orbit error signature that is strongly correlated over distances on the size of ocean basins. Anderle and Hoskin (1977) have shown that the orbit error along a given ground track also is correlated to some degree with the orbit error along adjacent ground tracks. This cross track correlation is verified here and is found to be significant out to nearly 1000 kilometers in the case of TOPEX/POSEIDON when using the GEM-T1 gravity model. Finally, it was determined that even the orbit error at points where ascending and descending ground traces cross is somewhat correlated. The implication of these various correlations is that the orbit error due to gravity error is geographically correlated. Such correlations have direct implications when using altimetry to recover oceanographic signals.

Rosborough, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The GEOS Ozone Data Assimilation System: Specification of Error Statistics

A global three-dimensional ozone data assimilation system has been developed at the Data Assimilation Office of the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) total ozone and the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) or (SBUV/2) partial ozone profile observations are assimilated. The assimilation, into an off-line ozone transport model, is done using the global Physical-space Statistical Analysis Scheme (PSAS). This system became operational in December 1999. A detailed description of the statistical analysis scheme, and in particular, the forecast and observation error covariance models is given. A new global anisotropic horizontal forecast error correlation model accounts for a varying distribution of observations with latitude. Correlations are largest in the zonal direction in the tropics where data is sparse. Forecast error variance model is proportional to the ozone field. The forecast error covariance parameters were determined by maximum likelihood estimation. The error covariance models are validated using x squared statistics. The analyzed ozone fields in the winter 1992 are validated against independent observations from ozone sondes and HALOE. There is better than 10% agreement between mean Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and analysis fields between 70 and 0.2 hPa. The global root-mean-square (RMS) difference between TOMS observed and forecast values is less than 4%. The global RMS difference between SBUV observed and analyzed ozone between 50 and 3 hPa is less than 15%.

Stajner, Ivanka↗
NASA NTRS1973

Identification of interplanetary tangential and rotational discontinuities.

Discontinuities in the interplanetary magnetic field detected by the Mariner 5 magnetometer have been analyzed to distinguish tangential and rotational discontinuities. The method used was based on finding the field component normal to the plane of the discontinuities that vanishes for tangential discontinuities and is nonzero for rotational discontinuities. Slightly less than one half of the 118 discontinuities analyzed could not be classified because neither the normal component nor the changes in field magnitude were statistically significant owing to errors in the field measurements and in finding the normal direction. The 44 rotational discontinuities that were finally identified did not exhibit changes in field magnitude in excess of 20%.-

Smith, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Error Estimation and h-Adaptivity for Optimal Finite Element Analysis

The objective of adaptive meshing and automatic error control in finite element analysis is to eliminate the need for the application engineer from re-meshing and re-running design simulations to verify numerical accuracy. The user should only need to enter the component geometry and a coarse finite element mesh. The software will then autonomously and adaptively refine this mesh where needed, reducing the error in the fields to a user prescribed value. The ideal end result of the simulation is a measurable quantity (e.g. scattered field, input impedance), calculated to a prescribed error, in less time and less machine memory than if the user applied typical uniform mesh refinement by hand. It would also allow for the simulation of larger objects since an optimal mesh is created.

Cwik, Tom↗
NASA NTRS1981

Spherical harmonic representation of the main geomagnetic field for world charting and investigations of some fundamental problems of physics and geophysics

Quiet-day data from MAGSAT were examined for effects which might test the validity of Maxwell's equations. Both external and toroidal fields which might represent a violation of the equations appear to exist, well within the associated errors. The external field might be associated with the ring current, and varies of a time-scale of one day or less. Its orientation is parallel to the geomagnetic dipole. The toriodal field can be confused with an orientation in error (in yaw). It the toroidal field really exists, its can be related to either ionospheric currents, or to toroidal fields in the Earth's core in accordance with Einstein's unified field theory, or to both.

Barraclough, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Accurate Magnetometer/Gyroscope Attitudes Using a Filter with Correlated Sensor Noise

Magnetometers and gyroscopes have been shown to provide very accurate attitudes for a variety of spacecraft. These results have been obtained, however, using a batch-least-squares algorithm and long periods of data. For use in onboard applications, attitudes are best determined using sequential estimators such as the Kalman filter. When a filter is used to determine attitudes using magnetometer and gyroscope data for input, the resulting accuracy is limited by both the sensor accuracies and errors inherent in the Earth magnetic field model. The Kalman filter accounts for the random component by modeling the magnetometer and gyroscope errors as white noise processes. However, even when these tuning parameters are physically realistic, the rate biases (included in the state vector) have been found to show systematic oscillations. These are attributed to the field model errors. If the gyroscope noise is sufficiently small, the tuned filter 'memory' will be long compared to the orbital period. In this case, the variations in the rate bias induced by field model errors are substantially reduced. Mistuning the filter to have a short memory time leads to strongly oscillating rate biases and increased attitude errors. To reduce the effect of the magnetic field model errors, these errors are estimated within the filter and used to correct the reference model. An exponentially-correlated noise model is used to represent the filter estimate of the systematic error. Results from several test cases using in-flight data from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory are presented. These tests emphasize magnetometer errors, but the method is generally applicable to any sensor subject to a combination of random and systematic noise.

Sedlak, J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Global precipitation estimates based on a technique for combining satellite-based estimates, rain gauge analysis, and NWP model precipitation information

The 'satellite-gauge model' (SGM) technique is described for combining precipitation estimates from microwave satellite data, infrared satellite data, rain gauge analyses, and numerical weather prediction models into improved estimates of global precipitation. Throughout, monthly estimates on a 2.5 degrees x 2.5 degrees lat-long grid are employed. First, a multisatellite product is developed using a combination of low-orbit microwave and geosynchronous-orbit infrared data in the latitude range 40 degrees N - 40 degrees S (the adjusted geosynchronous precipitation index) and low-orbit microwave data alone at higher latitudes. Then the rain gauge analysis is brougth in, weighting each field by its inverse relative error variance to produce a nearly global, observationally based precipitation estimate. To produce a complete global estimate, the numerical model results are used to fill data voids in the combined satellite-gauge estimate. Our sequential approach to combining estimates allows a user to select the multisatellite estimate, the satellite-gauge estimate, or the full SGM estimate (observationally based estimates plus the model information). The primary limitation in the method is imperfections in the estimation of relative error for the individual fields. The SGM results for one year of data (July 1987 to June 1988) show important differences from the individual estimates, including model estimates as well as climatological estimates. In general, the SGM results are drier in the subtropics than the model and climatological results, reflecting the relatively dry microwave estimates that dominate the SGM in oceanic regions.

Huffman, George J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

On the Calculation of Uncertainty Statistics with Error Bounds for CFD Calculations Containing Random Parameters and Fields

This chapter discusses the ongoing development of combined uncertainty and error bound estimates for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations subject to imposed random parameters and random fields. An objective of this work is the construction of computable error bound formulas for output uncertainty statistics that guide CFD practitioners in systematically determining how accurately CFD realizations should be approximated and how accurately uncertainty statistics should be approximated for output quantities of interest. Formal error bounds formulas for moment statistics that properly account for the presence of numerical errors in CFD calculations and numerical quadrature errors in the calculation of moment statistics have been previously presented in [8]. In this past work, hierarchical node-nested dense and sparse tensor product quadratures are used to calculate moment statistics integrals. In the present work, a framework has been developed that exploits the hierarchical structure of these quadratures in order to simplify the calculation of an estimate of the quadrature error needed in error bound formulas. When signed estimates of realization error are available, this signed error may also be used to estimate output quantity of interest probability densities as a means to assess the impact of realization error on these density estimates. Numerical results are presented for CFD problems with uncertainty to demonstrate the capabilities of this framework.

Uncertainty↗
NASA NTRS2005

Large Field-of-View KD*P Modulator for Solar Polarization Measurements

This paper will describe the evolution of the Marshall Space Flight Center electro-optical polarimeter with emphasis on the field of view characteristics of the its KD*P modulator. Understanding the field of view characteristics was essential to the success of the MSFC vector magnetograph. The paper will show how the field of view errors of KD*P look similar to the polarization patterns seen in simple sunspots and why the placement of the KD*P in a collimated beam was essential in separating the instrumental polarization from the solar signal. Finally, this paper will describe a modulator design which minimizes those field-of-view errors.

West, E. A.↗