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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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Multiple chip custom block, MIC construction is used to fabricate an ultracompact, low-power astable multivibrator. The design provides a multivibrator that free runs, eliminating lockup, is triggerable, pulling into synchronization with an external signal source, and permits design flexibility for controlling the frequency variations with temperature.
Organic dye laser frequency variation with temperature, noting absorption and fluorescence spectra
Communications system maintains phase lock of weak telemetry signals with a minimal expenditure of power and bandwidth. An estimate of the frequency variation as a function of time is used to achieve coherent phase demodulation.
Spectral response measurements of man-made targets and surfaces for frequency variation analysis of electromagnetic backscatter
Wavelike disturbances were observed in the ionosphere following several nuclear explosions in early 1960's. Supersonic shock waves within the atmosphere generated by large rockets can cause ionospheric electron density perturbations. A CW phase path Doppler array in the New York area was operated during the Saturn-Apollo 12 and 13 launches and recorded Doppler frequency fluctuations due to rocket launchings. Cross correlation and power spectral analyses of the phase path-path Doppler frequency variation records showed that the phase velocities of the signal arrivals were from south of the array with 700 - 800 m/sec corresponding to periods in the range of 2 to 4 minutes. Ionograms taken every 60 seconds from Wallops Islands showed clearly ionospheric disturbances due to rockets. The group velocities were estimated to be of the order of 450 m/sec 1 obtained from the earliest visible disturbances seen on CW phase path Doppler records and ionograms together with the rocket trajectory data.
Frequency comparisons were made among five NASA hydrogen masers in 1969 and again in 1972 to a precision of one part in 10 to the 13th power. Frequency comparisons were also made between these masers and the cesium-beam ensembles of several international standards laboratories. The hydrogen maser frequency stabilities as related to IAT were comparable to the frequency stabilities of individual time scales with respect to IAT. The relative frequency variations among the NASA masers, measured after the three-year interval, were 2 + or - 2 parts in 10 to the 13th power. Thus time scales based on hydrogen masers would have excellent long-term stability and uniformity.
Centaurus X-3 was the first discovered X-ray source whose intensity is pulsed and eclipsed. Though the X-ray properties of the Cen X-3 system have been intensively studied, the optical properties remained unstudied until Krzeminski's identification of the optical counterpart of Cen X-3. Observations of the X-ray eclipse duration, pulsation frequency variation, and pulse arrival time variation have been used to place limits on the nature of the system and to predict the nature of the optical companion and X-ray sources. An observational determination is presented of the several system parameters based on a preliminary interpretation of the light curve of Krzeminski's star.
Frequency comparisons were made among five NASA hydrogen masers to a precision of one part in 10 to the 13th power. Frequency comparisons were also made between these masers and the cesium-beam ensembles of several international standards laboratories. The hydrogen maser frequency stabilities as related to the international time scale (IAT) were comparable to the frequency stabilities of individual time scales with respect to IAT. The relative frequency variations among the NASA masers were 2 plus or minus 2 parts in 10 to the 13th power after a three year interval. Charts are developed to show the results of the accuracy tests.
The design, operation, and configuration of the receiver backend for a wideband infrared tracking receiver are described. A squaring loop is incorporated into the receiver design to enable it to track the Doppler shifted carrier which is Phase Shift Keyed modulated. The receiver has a 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth and tracks signals whose carrier frequency at the backend input is between 200 and 900 MHz with frequency variation rates greater than 20 MHz/second. The output data is compatible with MECL 3 logic.
The development of a push-pull frequency-modulated oscillator employing field-effect transistors is described. The advantages of field-effect transistors for use in a frequency-stable oscillator are presented. Linearization of the frequency deviation was accomplished by utilizing the square-law characteristic of an FET used as a modulating amplifier. The push-pull oscillator model produced a linear frequency deviation of more than 10 MHz at a center frequency of approximately 100 MHz. Output power is within 0.6 db of a nominal +8.5 dBm over the desired frequency range, and the modulation bandwidth is dc to 10 MHz. Frequency variation with temperature after compensation with a negative-temperature-coefficient capacitor is within + or - 0.05% from 0 to 60 C.
Projections of the growth of earth-sensing systems for the latter half of the 1980's show a data-transmission requirement of 300 Mbit/s and above. The most efficient technique to return the data from a sensing satellite to a ground station is through a geosynchronous data relay satellite. A laser system is most attractive for the space-to-space link. A five-year program was conducted which has shown the basic technical feasibility of accomplishing this link with a CO2 laser system operating at a wavelength near 10 microns. The system uses a mercury-cadmium-telluride infrared mixer cooled to approximately 100 K by a radiative cooler. The laser local oscillator and coupling-modulated laser transmitter use conductively cooled beryllium oxide construction. The optical antenna for transmission and reception has a gain of nominally 92 dB with a 3-dB beamwidth of 80 microrad. Tracking jitter is less than ten microrad, and signal acquisition occurs in less than 1 min. The receiver subsystem has a sensitivity of 10 to the -19th power W/Hz, accommodates a 300-Mbit/s data rate, and can track Doppler frequency variations over a + or - 700-MHz range.
Aperture illumination is synthesized through the use of overlapping subarrays with independently controlled excitations. Detailed analysis and design criteria are provided for a specific limited-scan antenna configuration scanning in one plane. The number of phase shifts is the theoretical minimum corresponding to specified aperture size and field of view. Beam pointing and width are approximately constant for moderate frequency variation, and ultralow sidelobes outside the field of view can be produced at the cost of a slight loss of illumination efficiency. Accurate aperture illumination control makes for excellent independently specified sum and difference patterns in beamforming.
Calculated and experimental design and operating characteristics of a 108-120 GHz superheterodyne radiometer with intermediate frequency modulation and a second harmonic frequency converter are presented and discussed. With a 1 sec time constant, the radiometer fluctuation sensitivity threshold is 1 K, without degradation in 2 hours of operation. Graphs of frequency variations, calibration, conversion loss, rectified current, fixed bias voltage, and contact needle impedance are included.
When high precision is required for range measurement on Earth space paths, it is necessary to correct as accurately as possible for excess range delays due to the dry air, water vapor, and liquid water content of the atmosphere. Calculations based on representative values of atmospheric parameters are useful for illustrating the order of magnitude of the expected delays. Range delay, time delay, and phase delay are simply and directly related. Doppler frequency variations or noise are proportional to the time rate of change of excess range delay. Tropospheric effects were examined as part of an overall consideration of the capability of precision two way ranging and Doppler systems.
The dielectric properties of polluted waters are measured with a reflection-type resonant cavity at 1.43 GHz. Very small water samples in quartz tubes of known volume are placed in the center of the maximum electric field. Measurement of the resonance-frequency variation and a change of the cavity's quality factor are used to determine the dielectric properties. The microwave emissivity of the polluted water is then calculated via the Fresnel equation and applied to data reductions of microwave radiometer measurements.
Solar wind magnetosphere energy coupling functions are analyzed using linear prediction filtering with 2.5 minute data. The relationship of auroral zone geomagnetic activity to solar wind power input functions are examined, and a least squares prediction filter, or impulse response function is designed from the data. Computed impulse response functions are observed to have characteristics of a low pass filter with time delay. The AL index is found well related to solar wind energy functions, although the AU index shows a poor relationship. High frequency variations of auroral indices and substorm expansions are not predictable with solar wind information alone, suggesting influence by internal magnetospheric processes. Finally, the epsilon parameter shows a poorer relationship with auroral geomagnetic activity than a power parameter, having a VBs solar wind dependency.
At present, space-borne sensors cannot give accurate measurements of net longwave radiation and sensible heat flux at ocean surface. The variability of ocean surface net insolation was successfully estimated from observations using geostationary satellites. Global coverages of the low frequency variation of major atmosphere-ocean exchanges, momentum, latent heat, and insolation are within reach. Data from research and defense satellites should be made available in useful form to the user community. High quality in-situ measurements are required to calibrate space-borne sensors and numerical models are needed to integrate satellite and in-situ data as well as interpolate both in space and time. Techniques that can resolve boundary layer parameters should be developed.
The numerical results of statistical analysis of the test data of Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure fuel turbopump second-stage turbine blades, including some with cracks are presented. Several statistical methods use the test data to determine the application of differences in frequency variations between the uncracked and cracked blades.