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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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NASA NTRS1991

Solidification processing superalloys in an electric field

The phase morphology of a given superalloy's microstructure is established during solidification. Solidification-processing in an applied electric field is a technique currently undergoing experimental characterization at NASA-Marshall. The method is predicated on the simplest model of a metallic solid, in which ions are arranged in basic space lattices that are permeated by an 'electron gas' whose valence electrons are free to move in the solid. When in a superheated liquid state, the metal is seen as a dense 'cold plasma' of electrons and ions. The application of an electric field during solidification establishes a steady, continuous current flow; the direction of propagation of the plasma waves coincides with the direction of the electric field. Such an alignment introduces an ordered arrangement of the electric vectors and introduces an additional degree of order in an already highly ordered alloy.

Ahmed, Shaffiq↗

NASA NTRS1992

SIMBAD quality-control

The astronomical database SIMBAD developed at the Centre de donnees astronomiques de Strasbourg presently contains 760,000 objects (stellar and non-stellar). It has the unique characteristic of being structured specifically for astronomical objects. All types of heterogeneous data (bibliographic references, measurements, and sets of identification) are connected with each object. The attributes that define quality of the database include the following. Reliability: cross-identification should not rely upon just exact values object coordinates. It also means that information attached to one simple object should be consistent. The existing data must be controlled in order to start with a reliable base and to cross-identify new data assuring the quality as data grows. Exhaustivity: delays between publication of new informations and their inclusion in the database should be as short as possible. The integrity of the database has to be maintained as data accumulates. Taking the amount of data into consideration and the rate of new data production, it is necessary to use automatic methods. One of the possibilities is to use multivariate data analysis. The factor-space is a n-dimensional relevancy space which is described by the n-axes representing a set of n subject matter headings; the words and phrases can be used to scale the axes and the documents are then a vector average of the terms within them. The application reported herein is based on the NASA-STI bibliographical database. The selected data concern astronomy, astrophysics, and space radiation (102,963 references from 1975 to 1991 included 8070 keywords). The F-space is built from this bibliographical data. By comparing the F-space position obtained from the NASA-STI keywords with the F-space position obtained from the SIMBAD references, the authors will be able to show whether it is possible to retrieve information with a restricted set of words only. If the comparison is valid, this will be a way to enter bibliographic information in the SIMBAD quality control process. Furthermore, it is possible to connect the physical measurements of stars from SIMBAD to literature concerning these stars from the NASA-STI abstracts. The physical properties of stars (e.g. UBV colors) are not randomly distributed. Stars are distributed among different clusters in a physical parameter space. The authors will show that there are some relations between this classification and the literature concerning these objects clusters in a factor space. They will investigate the nature of the relationship between the SIMBAD measurements and the bibliography. These would be new relationships that are not pre-established by an astronomer. In addition, the bibliography could be neutral information that can be used in combination with the measured parameters.

Lesteven, Soizick↗

NASA NTRS2007

Spaceborne Autonomous and Ground Based Relative Orbit Control for the TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X Formation

TerraSAR-X (TSX) and TanDEM-X (TDX) are two advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites flying in formation. SAR interferometry allows a high resolution imaging of the Earth by processing SAR images obtained from two slightly different orbits. TSX operates as a repeat-pass interferometer in the first phase of its lifetime and will be supplemented after two years by TDX in order to produce digital elevation models (DEM) with unprecedented accuracy. Such a flying formation makes indeed possible a simultaneous interferometric data acquisition characterized by highly flexible baselines with range of variations between a few hundreds meters and several kilometers [1]. TSX has been successfully launched on the 15th of June, 2007. TDX is expected to be launched on the 31st of May, 2009. A safe and robust maintenance of the formation is based on the concept of relative eccentricity/inclination (e/i) vector separation whose efficiency has already been demonstrated during the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) [2]. Here, the satellite relative motion is parameterized by mean of relative orbit elements and the key idea is to align the relative eccentricity and inclination vectors to minimize the hazard of a collision. Previous studies have already shown the pertinence of this concept and have described the way of controlling the formation using an impulsive deterministic control law [3]. Despite the completely different relative orbit control requirements, the same approach can be applied to the TSX/TDX formation. The task of TDX is to maintain the close formation configuration by actively controlling its relative motion with respect to TSX, the leader of the formation. TDX must replicate the absolute orbit keeping maneuvers executed by TSX and also compensate the natural deviation of the relative e/i vectors. In fact the relative orbital elements of the formation tend to drift because of the secular non-keplerian perturbations acting on both satellites. The goal of the ground segment is thus to regularly correct this configuration by performing small orbit correction maneuvers on TDX. The ground station contacts are limited due to the geographic position of the station and the costs for contact time. Only with a polar ground station a contact visibility is possible every orbit for LEO satellites. TSX and TDX use only the Weilheim ground station (in the southern part of Germany) during routine operations. This station allows two scheduled contact per day for the nominal orbit configuration, meaning that the satellite conditions can be checked with an interval of 12 hours. While this limitation is usually not critical for single satellite operations, the visibility constraints drive the achievable orbit control accuracy for a LEO formation if a ground based approach is chosen. Along-track position uncertainties and maneuver execution errors affect the relative motion and can be compensated only after a ground station contact.

Ardaens, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Small scales formation via Alfven wave propagation in compressible nonuniform media

In weakly dissipative media governed by the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations, any efficient mechanism of energy dissipation requires the formation of small scales. The possibility to produce small scales has been studied by Malara et al. in the case of MHD disturbances propagating in an incompressible and inhomogeneous medium, for a strictly 2D geometry. We extend the work of Malara et al. to include both compressibility and the third component for vector quantities. Using numerical simulations we show that, when an Alfven wave propagates in a compressible nonuniform medium, the two dynamical effects responsible for the small scales formation in the incompressible case are still at work: energy pinching and phase-mixing. Moreover, the interaction between the initial Alfven wave and the inhomogeneity gives rise to the formation of compressible perturbations (fast and slow waves or a static entropy wave). Some of these compressive fluctuations are subject to the steepening of the wave front and become shock waves, which are extremely efficient in dissipating their energy, their dissipation being independent of the Reynolds number. A rough estimate of the typical times which the various dynamical processes take to produce small scales and then to dissipate the energy show that these times are consistent with those required to dissipate inside the solar corona the energy of Alfven waves of photospheric origin.

Malara, F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Micro Navigator

Miniature high-performance low-mass space avionics systems are desired for planned future outer planetary exploration missions (i.e. Europa Orbiter/Lander, Pluto-Kuiper Express). The spacecraft fuel and mass requirements enabling orbit insertion is the driving requirement. The Micro Navigator is an integrated autonomous Guidance, Navigation & Control (GN&C)micro-system that would provide the critical avionics function for navigation, pointing, and precision landing. The Micro Navigator hardware and software allow fusion of data from multiple sensors to provide a single integrated vehicle state vector necessary for six degrees of freedom GN&C. The benefits of this MicroNavigator include: 1) The Micro Navigator employs MEMS devices that promise orders of magnitude reductions in mass power and volume of inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes), celestial sensing devices (startracker, sun sensor), and computing element; 2) The highly integrated nature of the unit will reduce the cost of flight missions. a) The advanced miniaturization technologies employed by the Micro Navigator lend themselves to mass production, and therefore will reduce production cost of spacecraft. b) The integral approach simplifies interface issues associated with discrete components and reduces cost associated with integration and test of multiple components; and 3) The integration of sensors and processing elements into a single unit will allow the Micro Navigator to encapsulate attitude information and determination functions into a single object. This is particularly beneficial for object-oriented software architectures that are used in advanced spacecraft. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Blaes, B. R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A genetic algorithms approach for altering the membership functions in fuzzy logic controllers

Through previous work, a fuzzy control system was developed to perform translational and rotational control of a space vehicle. This problem was then re-examined to determine the effectiveness of genetic algorithms on fine tuning the controller. This paper explains the problems associated with the design of this fuzzy controller and offers a technique for tuning fuzzy logic controllers. A fuzzy logic controller is a rule-based system that uses fuzzy linguistic variables to model human rule-of-thumb approaches to control actions within a given system. This 'fuzzy expert system' features rules that direct the decision process and membership functions that convert the linguistic variables into the precise numeric values used for system control. Defining the fuzzy membership functions is the most time consuming aspect of the controller design. One single change in the membership functions could significantly alter the performance of the controller. This membership function definition can be accomplished by using a trial and error technique to alter the membership functions creating a highly tuned controller. This approach can be time consuming and requires a great deal of knowledge from human experts. In order to shorten development time, an iterative procedure for altering the membership functions to create a tuned set that used a minimal amount of fuel for velocity vector approach and station-keep maneuvers was developed. Genetic algorithms, search techniques used for optimization, were utilized to solve this problem.

Shehadeh, Hana↗

NASA NTRS2018

Evaluation of X-Ray Reflectors by Optical Diffraction Patterns

Performance of X-ray reflectors affects that of X-ray mirrors. Modern X-ray mirrors have thousands of reflectors to gain large effective area. Evaluation of the reflectors is an important process in production of the mirrors. A diffraction pattern dominates reflector image when the parallel optical beam illuminates the reflector along its optical axis because the reflectors are used at grazing incident angles of around 1 deg and their effective width are 1–10 mm. A diffraction pattern from the entire reflector surface can be acquired at once with the aid of a lens. The diffraction pattern holds information of the surface profiles of the reflectors. To quantitatively evaluate the reflectors with the diffraction pattern, we created a diffraction pattern model by the wave optics with the ideal surface profile and fitted it to data. As a result, a correlation between fitting residual and the normal vector distribution of the surface profile was found. With our method, the reflectors can be evaluated and sorted out more efficiently.

Hayashi, Takayuki↗

NASA NTRS2020

Exploring Spatiotemporal Relations Between Soil Moisture, Precipitation, and Streamflow for a Large Set of Watersheds Using Google Earth Engine

An understanding of streamflow variability and its response to changes in climate conditions is essential for water resource planning and management practices that will help to mitigate the impacts of extreme events such as floods and droughts on agriculture and other human activities. This study investigated the relationship between precipitation, soil moisture, and streamflow over a wide range of watersheds across the United States using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The correlation analyses disclosed a strong association between precipitation, soil moisture, and streamflow, however, soil moisture was found to have a higher correlation with the streamflow relative to precipitation. Results indicated different strength of the association depends on the watershed classes and lag times assessments. The perennial watersheds showed higher coherence compared to intermittent watersheds. Previous month precipitation and soil moisture have a stronger influence on the current month streamflow, particularly in the snow-dominated watersheds. Monthly streamflow forecasting models were developed using an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and support vector machine (SVM). The results showed that the SVM model generally performed better than the ARIMA model. Overall streamflow forecasting model performance varied considerably among watershed classes, and perennial watersheds tend to exhibit better predictably compared to intermittent watersheds due to lower streamflow variability. The SVM models with precipitation and streamflow inputs performed better than those with streamflow input only. Results indicated that the inclusion of antecedent root-zone soil moisture improved the streamflow forecasting in most of the watersheds, and the largest improvements occurred in the intermittent watersheds. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that knowing the relationship between precipitation, soil moisture, and streamflow in different watershed classes will enhance the understanding of the hydrologic process and can be effectively utilized in improving streamflow forecasting for better satellite-based water resource management strategies.

Nazmus Sazib↗

NASA NTRS1992

Acoustic forcing of a liquid drop

The development of systems such as acoustic levitation chambers will allow for the positioning and manipulation of material samples (drops) in a microgravity environment. This provides the capability for fundamental studies in droplet dynamics as well as containerless processing work. Such systems use acoustic radiation pressure forces to position or to further manipulate (e.g., oscillate) the sample. The primary objective was to determine the effect of a viscous acoustic field/tangential radiation pressure forcing on drop oscillations. To this end, the viscous acoustic field is determined. Modified (forced) hydrodynamic field equations which result from a consistent perturbation expansion scheme are solved. This is done in the separate cases of an unmodulated and a modulated acoustic field. The effect of the tangential radiation stress on the hydrodynamic field (drop oscillations) is found to manifest as a correction to the velocity field in a sublayer region near the drop/host interface. Moreover, the forcing due to the radiation pressure vector at the interface is modified by inclusion of tangential stresses.

Lyell, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Automated Knowledge Discovery from Simulators

In this paper, we explore one aspect of knowledge discovery from simulators, the landscape characterization problem, where the aim is to identify regions in the input/ parameter/model space that lead to a particular output behavior. Large-scale numerical simulators are in widespread use by scientists and engineers across a range of government agencies, academia, and industry; in many cases, simulators provide the only means to examine processes that are infeasible or impossible to study otherwise. However, the cost of simulation studies can be quite high, both in terms of the time and computational resources required to conduct the trials and the manpower needed to sift through the resulting output. Thus, there is strong motivation to develop automated methods that enable more efficient knowledge extraction.

landscapes↗

NASA NTRS2000

Measurement and Modeling of Steep Ocean Wave Slopes

Our study emphasizes the importance of identifying and quantifying the distribution variance, skewness and kurtosis from optical and microwave scattering observations. Recent field measurements of the sea slope distribution for intermediate-to-long scale gravity waves will be presented. These data were collected using an airborne laser range system designed to estimate the surface slope vector at horizontal scales of 1-2 m. The observed slope distribution tail indicates that the occurrence of steep waves substantially exceeds a Gaussian prediction. This measured peakedness is present over the wide range of sea state and wind speed conditions encountered. Data are further evaluated within the context of Cox and Munk's well-known sea slope investigations. Based on a re-evaluation of the Cox and Munk's reported parameters, we find a consistent picture develops wherein data are shown to consistently indicate non-Gaussian statistics. One fundamental application of such a non-Gaussian slope observation is its place in modifying predicted wave breaking probability to help to better quantify gas transfer processes at the sea surface.

Chapron, B.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Experiments on Evolving Software Models of Analog Circuits

Analog circuits are of great importance in electronic system design since the world is fundamentally analog in nature. While the amount of digital design activity far outpaces that of analog design, most digital systems require analog modules for interfacing with the external world. It was recently estimated that approximately 60% of digital application- specific integrated circuit designs incorporated analog circuits. With challenging analog circuit design problems and few analog design engineers, there are economic reasons for automating the analog design process, especially time-to-market considerations. Techniques for analog circuit design automation began appearing about two decades ago. These methods incorporated heuristics [6], knowledge bases [1], simulated annealing [5], and other algorithms. Efforts using techniques from evolutionary computation began appearing over the last few years. These include the use of genetic algorithms to select electronic component values (for example, the resistance value of a resistor), to select circuit topologies, and to design amplifiers using a limited set of canned topologies [4]. A genetic programming-based analog circuit design system has been demonstrated in which the circuit sizes, component values, and the circuit topologies are determined automatically [3]. The genetic-algorithm systems typically represent circuit structures as vectors of parameters encoded in binary strings, while the genetic programming system manipulates tree data structures.

Lohn, Jason D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A case for submergence of magnetic flux in a solar active region

In NOAA Active Region 2372 (April 1980), 4 x 10 to the 20th maxwells of magnetic flux concentrated in an area 30 arcsec across disappeared overnight. Vector magnetograms show that all components of the magnetic field weakened together. If the field had weakened through diffusion or fluid flow, 90 percent of the original flux would still have been detected by the magnetograph within a suitably enlarged area. In fact there was a threefold decrease in detected flux. Evidently, magnetic field was removed from the photosphere. Since the disappearing flux was located in a region of low magnetic shear and low activity in H-alpha and Ly-alpha, it is unlikely that the field dissipated through reconnection. It is argued that the most likely possibility is that flux submerged. The observations suggest that even during the growth phase of active regions, submergence is a strong process comparable in magnitude to emergence.

Rabin, D.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Learning About Ares I from Monte Carlo Simulation

This paper addresses Monte Carlo simulation analyses that are being conducted to understand the behavior of the Ares I launch vehicle, and to assist with its design. After describing the simulation and modeling of Ares I, the paper addresses the process used to determine what simulations are necessary, and the parameters that are varied in order to understand how the Ares I vehicle will behave in flight. Outputs of these simulations furnish a significant group of design customers with data needed for the development of Ares I and of the Orion spacecraft that will ride atop Ares I. After listing the customers, examples of many of the outputs are described. Products discussed in this paper include those that support structural loads analysis, aerothermal analysis, flight control design, failure/abort analysis, determination of flight performance reserve, examination of orbit insertion accuracy, determination of the Upper Stage impact footprint, analysis of stage separation, analysis of launch probability, analysis of first stage recovery, thrust vector control and reaction control system design, liftoff drift analysis, communications analysis, umbilical release, acoustics, and design of jettison systems.

Hanson, John M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Studies of planetary scale waves and instabilities in support of the geophysical fluid flow cell experiment on USML-2

High resolution numerical simulations of thermal convection in a rapidly rotating channel with gravity perpendicular to the rotation vector are described. The convecting columns are subject to a beta-effect resulting from cross-channel topographic vortex stretching. The symmetries of the problem allow many invariant wavenumber sets, and this property is associated with the existence of stable multiple-equilibria at modest supercriticality. The transition to chaotic behavior involves the production of intermittent unstable orbits off a two-torus in energy space. At very high Rayleigh number (of order 10(exp 6) to 10(exp 7)) the motion can be turbulent, depending on the size of beta. However, the turbulence is usually characterized by an almost-periodic formation of patches of small scale convection that cause regular pulsations in the accompanying strong zonal jets. The processes maintaining these flows may be related to those responsible for the zonal currents on Jupiter and for cyclic variability on the Sun.

Hart, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Vehicle Management End-to-End Testing and Analysis Platform for Validation of Mission and Fault Management Algorithms to Reduce Risk for NASA's Space Launch System

The engineering development of the new Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle requires cross discipline teams with extensive knowledge of launch vehicle subsystems, information theory, and autonomous algorithms dealing with all operations from pre-launch through on orbit operations. The characteristics of these spacecraft systems must be matched with the autonomous algorithm monitoring and mitigation capabilities for accurate control and response to abnormal conditions throughout all vehicle mission flight phases, including precipitating safing actions and crew aborts. This presents a large and complex system engineering challenge, which is being addressed in part by focusing on the specific subsystems involved in the handling of off-nominal mission and fault tolerance with response management. Using traditional model based system and software engineering design principles from the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Systems Modeling Language (SysML), the Mission and Fault Management (M&FM) algorithms for the vehicle are crafted and vetted in specialized Integrated Development Teams (IDTs) composed of multiple development disciplines such as Systems Engineering (SE), Flight Software (FSW), Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) and the major subsystems and vehicle elements such as Main Propulsion Systems (MPS), boosters, avionics, Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), Thrust Vector Control (TVC), and liquid engines. These model based algorithms and their development lifecycle from inception through Flight Software certification are an important focus of this development effort to further insure reliable detection and response to off-nominal vehicle states during all phases of vehicle operation from pre-launch through end of flight. NASA formed a dedicated M&FM team for addressing fault management early in the development lifecycle for the SLS initiative. As part of the development of the M&FM capabilities, this team has developed a dedicated testbed that integrates specific M&FM algorithms, specialized nominal and off-nominal test cases, and vendor-supplied physics-based launch vehicle subsystem models. Additionally, the team has developed processes for implementing and validating these algorithms for concept validation and risk reduction for the SLS program. The flexibility of the Vehicle Management End-to-end Testbed (VMET) enables thorough testing of the M&FM algorithms by providing configurable suites of both nominal and off-nominal test cases to validate the developed algorithms utilizing actual subsystem models such as MPS. The intent of VMET is to validate the M&FM algorithms and substantiate them with performance baselines for each of the target vehicle subsystems in an independent platform exterior to the flight software development infrastructure and its related testing entities. In any software development process there is inherent risk in the interpretation and implementation of concepts into software through requirements and test cases into flight software compounded with potential human errors throughout the development lifecycle. Risk reduction is addressed by the M&FM analysis group working with other organizations such as S&MA, Structures and Environments, GNC, Orion, the Crew Office, Flight Operations, and Ground Operations by assessing performance of the M&FM algorithms in terms of their ability to reduce Loss of Mission and Loss of Crew probabilities. In addition, through state machine and diagnostic modeling, analysis efforts investigate a broader suite of failure effects and associated detection and responses that can be tested in VMET to ensure that failures can be detected, and confirm that responses do not create additional risks or cause undesired states through interactive dynamic effects with other algorithms and systems. VMET further contributes to risk reduction by prototyping and exercising the M&FM algorithms early in their implementation and without any inherent hindrances such as meeting FSW processor scheduling constraints due to their target platform - ARINC 653 partitioned OS, resource limitations, and other factors related to integration with other subsystems not directly involved with M&FM such as telemetry packing and processing. The baseline plan for use of VMET encompasses testing the original M&FM algorithms coded in the same C++ language and state machine architectural concepts as that used by Flight Software. This enables the development of performance standards and test cases to characterize the M&FM algorithms and sets a benchmark from which to measure the effectiveness of M&FM algorithms performance in the FSW development and test processes.

Trevino, Luis↗

NASA NTRS1996

Multilevel Algorithm for Atmospheric Data Assimilation

A multiscale algorithm for the problem of optimal statistical interpolation of observed data has been developed. This problem includes the calculation of the vector of the 'analyzed' (best estimated) atmosphere flow field w(sup a) by the formula: w(sup a) = w(sup f) + P(sup f) H(sup T) y, where the quantity y is defined by the equation (H P(sup f) H(sup T) + R)y = w(sup o) - H w(sup f), using the given model forecast first guess w(sup f) and the vector of observations w(sup o); H is an interpolation operator from the regular grid to the observation network, P(sup f) is the forecast error covariance matrix, and R is the observation error covariance matrix. At this initial stage the case of univariate analysis of single level radiosonde height data is considered. The matrix R is assumed to be diagonal, and the matrix P(sup f) is assumed to be given by the formula P(sub ij)(sup f) = sigma(sub i)(sup f) mu(sub ij) sigma(sub j)(sub f), where mu(sub ij) is a smooth, decreasing function of the distance between the i-th and the j-th points. In this paper we describe a multiscale iterative process based on a multiresolution, simultaneous displacement technique and a localized variational calculation of iteration parameters.

Brandt, Achi↗

NASA NTRS2002

A geometric deformable model for echocardiographic image segmentation

Gradient vector flow (GVF), an elegant external force for parametric deformable models, can capture object boundaries from both sides. A new geometric deformable model is proposed that combines GVF and the geodesic active contour model. The level set method is used as the numerical method of this model. The model is applied for echocardiographic image segmentation.

NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasur↗