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At least 109 records · Page 6

Soil moisture applications of the heat capacity mapping mission

Results are presented of ground, aircraft and satellite investigations conducted to evaluate the potential of the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM) to monitor soil moisture and the depth of shallow ground water. The investigations were carried out over eastern South Dakota to evaluate the relation between directly measured soil temperatures and water content at various stages of canopy development, aircraft thermal scanner measurements of apparent canopy temperature and the reliability of actual HCMM data. The results demonstrate the possibility of evaluating soil moisture on the basis of HCMM apparent canopy temperature and day-night soil temperature difference measurements. Limitations on the use of thermal data posed by environmental factors which influence energy balance interactions, including phase transformations, wind patterns, topographic variations and atmospheric constituents are pointed out.

Heilman, J. L.↗

Surface tension and contact angles: Molecular origins and associated microstructure

Gradient theory converts the molecular theory of inhomogeneous fluid into nonlinear boundary value problems for density and stress distributions in fluid interfaces, contact line regions, nuclei and microdroplets, and other fluid microstructures. The relationship between the basic patterns of fluid phase behavior and the occurrence and stability of fluid microstructures was clearly established by the theory. All the inputs of the theory have molecular expressions which are computable from simple models. On another level, the theory becomes a phenomenological framework in which the equation of state of homogeneous fluid and sets of influence parameters of inhomogeneous fluids are the inputs and the structures, stress tensions and contact angles of menisci are the outputs. These outputs, which find applications in the science and technology of drops and bubbles, are discussed.

Davis, H. T.↗

Magnetic fine structure of solar coronal loops

A numerical simulation of the effect of a random photospheric flow on the magnetic structure of a coronal loop is presented. An initially uniform field embedded in a perfectly conducting plasma is assumed, extending between two flat parallel plates representing the solar photosphere at both ends of the loop. The field is perturbed by a sequence of randomly phased, sinusoidal flow patterns applied at one of the boundary plates, and the corresponding sequence of force-free fields is determined. It is found that the electric currents generated by these flows develop a fine structure on a scale significantly smaller than the wavelength of the velocity patterns. This suggests that magnetic energy is transferred to smaller scale via a cascade process.

Van Ballegooijen, A. A.↗

Analysis of a high harmonic rectangular gyrotron using ribbon beams

Cylindrical cavity structures and electron orbits; a grooved gyrotron using a ribbon beam; construction details; radiation patterns; radiation distribution; phase distribution; energy curves; and advantages are outlined. This presentation is represented by viewgraphs and charts only.

Ferendeci, Altan M.↗

Instrumentation and robotic image processing using top-down model control

A top-down image processing scheme is described. A three-dimensional model of a robotic working environment, with robot manipulators, workpieces, cameras, and on-the-scene visual enhancements is employed to control and direct the image processing, so that rapid, robust algorithms act in an efficient manner to continually update the model. Only the model parameters are communicated, so that savings in bandwidth are achieved. This image compression by modeling is especially important for control of space telerobotics. The background for this scheme lies in an hypothesis of human vision put forward by the senior author and colleagues almost 20 years ago - the Scanpath Theory. Evidence was obtained that repetitive sequences of saccadic eye movements, the scanpath, acted as the checking phase of visual pattern recognition. Further evidence was obtained that the scanpaths were apparently generated by a cognitive model and not directly by the visual image. This top-down theory of human vision was generalized in some sense to the frame in artificial intelligence. Another source of the concept arose from bioengineering instrumentation for measuring the pupil and eye movements with infrared video cameras and special-purpose hardware.

Stark, Lawrence↗

Midfit dislocation generation mechanisms in InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures

An experimental investigation of misfit dislocation generation mechanisms at an InGaAs/GaAs heterointerface is reported. InGaAs epitaxial layers were grown by low-pressure oragnometallic vapor-phase epitaxy on patterned and unpatterned GaAs substrate having etch-pit densities (EPD) of 200, 1400, and 10,000 cm(exp -2). After epitaxial growth, the samples were annealed at temperatures between 650 and 750 C, and analyzed by optical and transmission electron microscopy. For the range of substrate EPD studied, it was found that the substrate EPD controls the onset of misfit dislocation generation for low-temperature epitaxy (less than 600 C) on unpatterned substrates. When epilayers were annealed at 750 C, the density of misfit dislocations was independent of the substrate EPD. These studies also show that the dominant misfit dislocation generation mechanism for films grown on patterned substrates is nucleation at the growth-mesa edge. The density of preexisting threading dislocations has little influence on misfit dislocation generation for films selectively deposited within 100 x 100 sq micrometer growth windows. For selective heteroepitaxy, misfit dislocation generation strongly depends on the crystallographic orientation of the growth-mesa edge.

Kui, J.↗

Mixing Characteristics of Coaxial Injectors at High Gas to Liquid Momentum Ratios

A study of the spray of a swirl coaxial gas-liquid injector operating at high gas to liquid momentum ratios is reported. Mixing and droplet size characteristics of the swirl injector are also compared to a shear coaxial injector, currently being used in the Space Shuttle Main Engine fuel preburner. The injectors were tested at elevated chamber pressures using water as a LOX simulant and nitrogen and helium as gaseous hydrogen simulants. The elevated chamber pressure allowed for matching of several of the preburner injector conditions including; gas to liquid momentum ratio, density ratio and Mach number. Diagnostic techniques used to characterize the spray included; strobe back-light imaging, laser sheet spray imaging, mechanical patternation, and a phase Doppler interferometry. Results thus far indicate that the radial spreading of the swirl coaxial spray is much less than was reported in previous studies of swirl injectors operating at atmospheric back-pressure. The swirl coaxial spray does, however, exhibit a smaller overall droplet size which may be interpreted as an increase in local mixing.

Strakey, P. A.↗

Late-glacial and Holocene Vegetation and Climate Variability, Including Major Droughts, in the Sky Lakes Region of Southeastern New York State

Sediment cores from Lakes Minnewaska and Mohonk in the Shawangunk Mountains of southeastern New York were analyzed for pollen, plantmacrofossils, macroscopic charcoal, organic carbon content, carbon isotopic composition, carbon/nitrogen ratio, and lithologic changes to determine the vegetation and landscape history of the greater Catskill Mountain region since deglaciation. Pollen stratigraphy generally matches the New England pollen zones identified by Deevey (1939) and Davis (1969), with boreal genera (Picea, Abies) present during the late Pleistocene yielding to a mixed Pinus, Quercus and Tsuga forest in the early Holocene. Lake Minnewaska sediments record the Younger Dryas and possibly the 8.2 cal kyr BP climatic events in pollen and sediment chemistry along with an ~1400 cal yr interval of wet conditions (increasing Tsuga and declining Quercus) centered about 6400 cal yr BP. BothMinnewaska andMohonk reveal a protracted drought interval in themiddle Holocene, ~5700-4100 cal yr BP, during which Pinus rigida colonized the watershed, lake levels fell, and frequent fires led to enhanced hillslope erosion. Together, the records show at least three wet-dry cycles throughout the Holocene and both similarities and differences to climate records in New England and central New York. Drought intervals raise concerns for water resources in the New York City metropolitan area and may reflect a combination of enhanced La Niña, negative phase NAO, and positive phase PNA climatic patterns and/or northward shifts of storm tracks.

Drought↗

Tropical Three-dimensional Cloud Climatology during El Niño Events with CALIPSO Level-3 Cloud Products

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a large-scale climatic phenomenon that originates in the tropical Pacific Ocean but affects global climate patterns. Its warm phase El Niño occurs irregularly every two to seven years and peaks in winter. A previous case study showed opposite cloud anomalies at high, middle and low altitude regions during a weak 2006/2007 El Niño and a moderate 2009/2010 El Niño, suggesting a non-linear response of tropical clouds to El Niño sea surface temperature (SST) forcing. To further understand the cloud response to SST, we examine the three-dimensional (3-D) cloud anomalies during all recent five El Niño events since 2006 using level-3 (L3) cloud products from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission. During its 17+ years operation, CALIPSO delivered near-global measurements of cloud and aerosol profiles at unprecedented high resolution and sensitivity. In this work, we provide a comprehensive picture of cloud anomalies during El Niño, with a particular focus on thin cirrus clouds at high altitudes, which are challenging for passive sensor detection algorithms. Specifically, the vertical cloud anomalies are calculated with the L3 3-D Cloud Occurrence Product, the horizontal cloud anomalies are from the L3 Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) product, and the ice cloud extinction profiles and ice water content are obtained from the L3 Ice Cloud product. These findings will improve current knowledge of ENSO from a new perspective.

El Nino↗

Optical Verification Laboratory Demonstration System for High Security Identification Cards

Document fraud including unauthorized duplication of identification cards and credit cards is a serious problem facing the government, banks, businesses, and consumers. In addition, counterfeit products such as computer chips, and compact discs, are arriving on our shores in great numbers. With the rapid advances in computers, CCD technology, image processing hardware and software, printers, scanners, and copiers, it is becoming increasingly easy to reproduce pictures, logos, symbols, paper currency, or patterns. These problems have stimulated an interest in research, development and publications in security technology. Some ID cards, credit cards and passports currently use holograms as a security measure to thwart copying. The holograms are inspected by the human eye. In theory, the hologram cannot be reproduced by an unauthorized person using commercially-available optical components; in practice, however, technology has advanced to the point where the holographic image can be acquired from a credit card-photographed or captured with by a CCD camera-and a new hologram synthesized using commercially-available optical components or hologram-producing equipment. Therefore, a pattern that can be read by a conventional light source and a CCD camera can be reproduced. An optical security and anti-copying device that provides significant security improvements over existing security technology was demonstrated. The system can be applied for security verification of credit cards, passports, and other IDs so that they cannot easily be reproduced. We have used a new scheme of complex phase/amplitude patterns that cannot be seen and cannot be copied by an intensity-sensitive detector such as a CCD camera. A random phase mask is bonded to a primary identification pattern which could also be phase encoded. The pattern could be a fingerprint, a picture of a face, or a signature. The proposed optical processing device is designed to identify both the random phase mask and the primary pattern [1-3]. We have demonstrated experimentally an optical processor for security verification of objects, products, and persons. This demonstration is very important to encourage industries to consider the proposed system for research and development.

Javidi, Bahram↗

Data pattern sensitivity in tracking performance of an AC coupled Costas loop with hard-limited in-phase channel

This paper is concerned with data pattern sensitivity in carrier tracking performance of an AC coupled Costas loop with a suppressed BPSK signal. The signal amplitude suppression factor is derived as a function of data 'asymmetry ratio' - the ratio of '1's to the total number of bits in a period of a periodic signal. For an asymmetric pattern, the effect of AC coupling is noticeable whereas there is almost no effect for symmetric square wave. The tracking performance with an asymmetric pattern is worse than that with a symmetric pattern. However, it is also shown that as expected, the tracking performance of a DC coupled loop with an asymmetric pattern is better than that with a symmetric pattern.

Park, Y. H.↗

Investigation of Anti-Phase Asymmetric Quiet Rotor Technology

The future of urban air mobility has a well-known tall pole challenge in the form of community acceptance which largely comes from the noise. This paper presents a proposed anti-phase rotor technology that could reduce noise sources such as blade vortex interaction noise. The anti-phase rotor technology includes a rotor design with various anti-phase alternating trailing edge patterns and a rotor design with an asymmetric blade tip. Four small-scale anti-phase rotors are fabricated by 3D printing for acoustic measurements conducted in a low-speed open-circuit wind tunnel to assess the effectiveness of the proposed anti-phase rotor technology. Preliminary test results appear to be promising and indicate that the anti-phase rotor designs could be a practical means of reducing blade vortex interactions and noise. The four tested anti-phase rotor designs have peak acoustic performance depending on the RPM and thrust which suggests improved performance through design optimization could be achieved for specific mission requirements.

Cramer, Nicholas B.↗

Elastic scattering of alpha particles and the phase of the nucleon-nucleon scattering amplitude

Glauber theory can describe elastic scattering of alpha particles by He-4, He-3, H-2, and H-1 at 7 GeV/c if the phase of the nucleon-nucleon elastic-scattering amplitude varies with momentum transfer. The phase variation leads to diffraction patterns differing markedly from those typical of constant-phase calculations and greatly affects the magnitudes of the intensities. These changes are mainly due to changes in the interference between amplitudes for different orders of multiple scattering and to a decrease in their moduli.

Franco, V.↗

Temporal gradients in shear stimulate osteoblastic proliferation via ERK1/2 and retinoblastoma protein

Bone cells are subject to interstitial fluid flow (IFF) driven by venous pressure and mechanical loading. Rapid dynamic changes in mechanical loading cause transient gradients in IFF. The effects of pulsatile flow (temporal gradients in fluid shear) on rat UMR106 cells and rat primary osteoblastic cells were studied. Pulsatile flow induced a 95% increase in S-phase UMR106 cells compared with static controls. In contrast, ramped steady flow stimulated only a 3% increase. Similar patterns of S-phase induction were also observed in rat primary osteoblastic cells. Pulsatile flow significantly increased relative UMR106 cell number by 37 and 62% at 1.5 and 24 h, respectively. Pulsatile flow also significantly increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation by 418%, whereas ramped steady flow reduced ERK1/2 activation to 17% of control. Correspondingly, retinoblastoma protein was significantly phosphorylated by pulsatile fluid flow. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein (MAP)/ERK kinase (MEK)1/2 by U0126 (a specific MEK1/2 inhibitor) reduced shear-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cell proliferation. These findings suggest that temporal gradients in fluid shear stress are potent stimuli of bone cell proliferation.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗

Multiphase Flow: The Gravity of the Situation

A brief survey is presented of flow patterns in two-phase, gas-liquid flows at normal and microgravity, the differences between them being explored. It seems that the flow patterns in zero gravity are in general much simpler than those in normal gravity with only three main regimes (namely bubbly, slug and annular flows) being observed. Each of these three regimes is then reviewed, with particular reference to identification of areas of study where investigation of flows at microgravity might not only be interesting in themselves, but also throw light on mechanisms at normal earth gravity. In bubbly flow, the main area of interest seems to be that of bubble coalescence. In slug flow, the extension of simple displacement experiments to the zero gravity case would appear to be a useful option, supplemented by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies. For annular flow, the most interesting area appears to be the study of the mechanisms of disturbance waves; it should be possible to extend the region of investigation of the onset and behavior of these waves to much low gas velocities where measurements are clearly much easier.

Hewitt, Geoffrey F.↗

Direct Measurement of Large, Diffuse, Optical Structures

Digital Speckle Pattern Interferometry (DSPI) is a well-established method for the measurement of diffuse objects in experimental mechanics. DSPIs are phase shifting interferometers. Three or four bucket temporal phase shifting algorithms are commonly used to provide phase shifting. These algorithms are sensitive to vibrations and can not be used to measure large optical structures far away from the interferometer. In this research a simultaneous phase shifted interferometer, PhaseCam product of 4D Technology Corporation in Tucson Arizona, is modified to be a Simultaneous phase shifted Digital Speckle Pattern Interferometer (SDSPI). Repeatability, dynamic range, and accuracy of the SDSPI are characterized by measuring a 5 cm x 5 cm carbon fiber coupon.

Saif, Babak N.↗

Teleconnections in the Southern Hemisphere

Monthly anomalies from climatology of sea level pressure and 500 mb geopotential height are used to study teleconnection patterns in the Southern Hemisphere. The data and method used are described, and correlations between zonally averaged anomalies are given. The zonal wavenumber three patterns and teleconnection patterns are given, and the results of eigenvector analysis with teleconnection patterns at 500 mb are reported. The zonally averaged anomalies display two patterns of variability; an out-of-phase relation between high and low latitudes and a pattern in which anomalies in midlatitudes vary out of phase with anomalies in low and high latitudes. In winter, midlatitudes are dominated by three centers of positive correlations over the oceans while the negative correlations are found at high and low latitudes. The teleconnection pattern in summer at 500 mb shows an out-of-phase relation between heights over the subtropical continents and heights in the midlatitude oceans.

Mo, K. C.↗

Phase Shift Interferometer and Growth Set Up to Step Pattern Formation During Growth From Solutions. Influence of the Oscillatory solution Flow on Stability

We have assembled an experimental setup based on Michelson interferometry with the growing crystal surface as one of the reflective surfaces. The crystallization part of the device allows optical monitoring of a face of a crystal growing at temperature stable within 0.05 C in a flow of solution of controlled direction and speed. The reference arm of the interferometer contains a liquid crystal element that allows controlled shifts of the phase of the interferograms. We employ an image-processing algorithm, which combines five images with a pi/2 phase difference between each pair of images. The images are transferred to a computer by a camera capable of capturing 60 frames per second. The device allows data collection on surface morphology and kinetics during the face layers growth over a relatively large area (approximately 4 sq. mm) in situ and in real time during growth. The estimated depth resolution of the phase shifting interferometry is approximately 50 Angstroms. The data will be analyzed in order to reveal and monitor step bunching during the growth process. The crystal chosen as a model for study in this work is KH2PO4 (KDP). This optically non-linear material is widely used in frequency doubling applications. There have been a number of studies of the kinetics of KDP crystallization that can serve as a benchmark for our investigations. However, so far, systematic quantitative characteristics of step interaction and bunching are missing. We intend to present our first quantitative results on the onset, initial stages and development of instabilities in moving step trains on vicinal crystal surfaces at varying supersaturation, flow rate, and flow direction. Behavior of a vicinal face growing from solution flowing normal to the steps and periodically changing its direction in time was considered theoretically. It was found that this oscillating flow reduces both stabilization and destabilization effects resulted from the unidirectional solution flow directed up the step stream and down the step stream. This reduction of stabilization and destabilization comes from effective mixing which entangles the phase shifts between the spatially periodic interface perturbation and the concentration wave induced by this perturbation. Numerical results and simplified mixing criterion will be discussed.

Chernov, Alex A.↗