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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Phase Length Optical Phase-Locked-Loop Sensor

The invention is a device that provides a high resolution measurement of the change in optical phase length from the device optical system source to an optical reflector. The invention consists of a optical phase locked loop that uses a laser beam as a carrier of an intensity modulated energy source. The novelty of the invention appears to lie in the overall combination of elements which provide high resolution without loss of wide dynamic range. The invention does not depend on coherent reflection from a target, and thus can measure targets that do not have special preparation or corner reflectors. The use of carrier modulation achieves high resolution without the problems of high speed pulse duration systems. Thus the invention has the advantages of simplicity, low cost, and small size without sacrificing resolution.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Source of the optical red-slope in iron-rich meteorites

The relationship between ordinary chondrites and S-type asteroids is an unresolved issue in meteorite science. S-type asteroids exhibit a positively red-sloped spectrum that is interpreted to indicate the presence of elemental iron on the surfaces. The characteristic red-sloped spectrum of iron-rich meteorites is produced by only the specular component of the reflectance. Complex metallic surfaces can be modeled as linear mixtures of specular and nonspecular components. It is the geometry of the metal on a surface and its interaction with surrounding material, rather than the absolute amount of metal, that determine the redness of resulting spectra. In order to distinguish between ordinary chondrite and differentiated parent bodies it is important to understand how regolith processes affect the nature and form of metal on asteroid surfaces.

Britt, Daniel T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Phase-Length Optical Phase-Locked-Loop Sensor (PLOPS)

PLOPS system designed to provide high-resolution measurement of change in optical length from optical-system source to any optical reflector, including diffuse reflector. Serves as adjustable optical ruler, providing high resolution in measurements of small and large changes in distance to target. Use is broad and includes most measurement situations requiring information on length, vibration, and their derivatives. Applications include building dynamics, remote sensing of vibrations in such systems as turbine-based machinery, monitoring of structural dynamics, noncontacting sensing of surface contours, measurement of large strains as in earthquake monitoring, measurement of atmospheric dynamics and turbulence, high-resolution sensing of humidity, detection of surface acoustic waves by optical microscopy, and related areas.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Self-irradiated cooling condensations - The source of the optical line emission from cooling flows

The optical filaments seen at the centers of clusters of galaxies, which cannot be explained by standard photoionization or shock models, can be straightforwardly interpreted as self-irradiated cooling condensations. Fully developed (about 10,000 K) condensations embedded in thermally unstable 10 million K gas will be bathed in a powerful EUV/soft X-ray flux emanating from the surrounding condensing regions. The present models of the condensation/irradiation process give line ratios and luminosities similar to those observed. Because it is assumed that the condensations arise from linear perturbations, which grow significantly only when the local cooling time is less than the free-fall time, condensing regions of the type modeled here should arise only in cooling flows of central pressure less than about 1 billion ergs/cu cm and should extend only over the inner regions of the cluster.

Voit, G. Mark↗
NASA NTRS1992

Accurate radio and optical positions for southern radio sources

Accurate radio positions with a precision of about 0.01 arcsec are reported for eight compact extragalactic radio sources south of -45-deg declination. The radio positions were determined using VLBI at 8.4 GHz on the 9589 km Tidbinbilla (Australia) to Hartebeesthoek (South Africa) baseline. The sources were selected from the Parkes Catalogue to be strong, flat-spectrum radio sources with bright optical QSO counterparts. Optical positions of the QSOs were also measured from the ESO B Sky Survey plates with respect to stars from the Perth 70 Catalogue, to an accuracy of about 0.19 arcsec rms. These radio and optical positions are as precise as any presently available in the far southern sky. A comparison of the radio and optical positions confirms the estimated optical position errors and shows that there is overall agreement at the 0.1-arcsec level between the radio and Perth 70 optical reference frames in the far south.

Harvey, Bruce R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

On three-dimensional reconstruction of optically thin solar emission sources

Calculations are given for constructing the three dimensional distribution of optically thin EUV emission sources associated with solar active regions, from two dimensional observations (projections) recorded by the spectroheliograph on the OSO 7 satellite. The relation of the method to other image reconstruction methods is briefly discussed as well as the special requirements imposed in the solar case such as a knowledge of the true solar rotation function. A useful correlation criterion for establishing the physical validity of solutions is given.

Kastner, S. O.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Optical linear algebra processors - Noise and error-source modeling

The modeling of system and component noise and error sources in optical linear algebra processors (OLAPs) are considered, with attention to the frequency-multiplexed OLAP. General expressions are obtained for the output produced as a function of various component errors and noise. A digital simulator for this model is discussed.

Casasent, D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Procedures for dealing with certain types of noise and systematic errors common to many Hadamard transform optical systems

Sources of noise and error correcting procedures characteristic of Hadamard transform optical systems were investigated. Reduction of spectral noise due to noise spikes in the data, the effect of random errors, the relative performance of Fourier and Hadamard transform spectrometers operated under identical detector-noise-limited conditions, and systematic means for dealing with mask defects are among the topics discussed. The distortion in Hadamard transform optical instruments caused by moving Masks, incorrect mask alignment, missing measurements, and diffraction is analyzed and techniques for reducing or eliminating this distortion are described.

Harwit, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

High-temperature optically activated GaAs power switching for aircraft digital electronic control

Gallium arsenide high-temperature devices were fabricated and assembled into an optically activated pulse-width-modulated power control for a torque motor typical of the kinds used in jet engine actuators. A bipolar heterojunction phototransistor with gallium aluminum arsenide emitter/window, a gallium arsenide junction field-effect power transistor and a gallium arsenide transient protection diode were designed and fabricated. A high-temperature fiber optic/phototransistor coupling scheme was implemented. The devices assembled into the demonstrator were successfully tested at 250 C, proving the feasibility of actuator-located switching of control power using optical signals transmitted by fibers. Assessments of the efficiency and technical merits were made for extension of this high-temperature technology to local conversion of optical power to electrical power and its control at levels useful for driving actuators. Optical power sources included in the comparisons were an infrared light-emitting diode, an injection laser diode, tungsten-halogen lamps and arc lamps. Optical-to-electrical power conversion was limited to photovoltaics located at the actuator. Impedance matching of the photovoltaic array to the load was considered over the full temperature range, -55 C to 260 C. Loss of photovoltaic efficiency at higher temperatures was taken into account. Serious losses in efficiency are: (1) in the optical source and the cooling which they may require in the assumed 125 C ambient, (2) in the decreased conversion efficiency of the gallium arsenide photovoltaic at 260 C, and (3) in impedance matching. Practical systems require improvements in these areas.

Berak, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Planets as background noise sources in free space optical communications

Background noise generated by planets is the dominant noise source in most deep space direct detection optical communications systems. Earlier approximate analyses of this problem are based on simplified blackbody calculations and can yield results that may be inaccurate by up to an order of magnitude. Various other factors that need to be taken into consideration, such as the phase angle and the actual spectral dependence of the planet albedo, in order to obtain a more accurate estimate of the noise magnitude are examined.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Study of optical properties of X-ray sources

A series of optical and X-ray observations of Sco X-1 and Cyg X-2 by UHURU satellite is reported. Results for Sco X-1 show a definite correlation between optical and X-ray intensity and thus indicate a common emitting region with the source being quiet and having no short term fluctuations bigger than 10%. Spectra reveal the presence of a high excitation complex at wavelength 4650 due to N III-C III. Spectra of a faint 15-mag red object NW of the radio position indicate that Cyg X-1 is associated with a bright B supergiant star. The flux from the edges of the Cygnus Loop in the coronal line at wavelength 5303 was measured to be less than five times ten to the minus nine power erg/sq cm/sterad/sec (0.017 R) in a 3-A band centered on the line. This indicates substantial broadening of the line profile by mass motion or that the temperature is somewhat higher than the present estimate from X-ray data.

Vandenbout, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Radio optical reference frame. 6: Additional source positions in the northern hemisphere

Radio and optical positions for northern hemisphere extragalactic sources are reported. Milliarcsecond (mas) accurate radio positions of 106 sources north of -2 deg declination are derived from Mark III Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations taken during ten experiments from 1990 January through 1990 October. The results presented supplement an ongoing project to define and maintain an all-sky radio/optical reference frame of 400 or more extragalactic sources with mas accurate radio and optical positions. Radio positions for 34 new sources are presented along with improved radio positions for 72 sources already in the reference frame catalog. An additional nine sources have been determined to be unsuitable reference frame objects. Radio observations of nine calibration sources tie the new positions to the existing catalogue. The radio positions of the new sources have formal mean errors of approximately 0.7 mas in right ascension and approximately 1.0 mas in declination. Sources for which we report improved radio positions now have formal mean errors of approximately 0.5 mas in both coordinates, an improvement in some cases by as much as 75%. Positions in the FK5 system have also been obtained for the optical counterparts of an additional five northern hemisphere radio sources using prime focus plates from the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 4 m telescope and a Ritchey-Chretien focus plate from the Calar Alto 2.2 m telescope. The optical positions have internal accuracies of about 0.03 sec and differ from the radio positions by about 0.07 sec on the average.

Fey, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Concentrator optical characterization using computer mathematical modelling and point source testing

The optical characteristics of a paraboloidal solar concentrator are analyzed using the intercept factor curve (a format for image data) to describe the results of a mathematical model and to represent reduced data from experimental testing. This procedure makes it possible not only to test an assembled concentrator, but also to evaluate single optical panels or to conduct non-solar tests of an assembled concentrator. The use of three-dimensional ray tracing computer programs to calculate the mathematical model is described. These ray tracing programs can include any type of optical configuration from simple paraboloids to array of spherical facets and can be adapted to microcomputers or larger computers, which can graphically display real-time comparison of calculated and measured data.

Dennison, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Measuring the Cryogenic Optical Alignment Between the Telescope Element and the Instruments Module of the James Webb Space Telescope

The alignment between the Aft Optical Subsystem (AOS) and the Integrated Science Instruments Module (ISIM) is non-adjustable in orbit, so the alignment must be carefully verified in a cryogenic vacuum environment prior to launch. Optical point source locations calibrated by optical metrology instruments are imaged through the AOS onto the Science Instruments to determine focal, lateral, and clock angle alignment. The pupil image of the AOS is overlaid onto the pupil image of the NIRCam to determine the tip and tilt alignment. In addition, an image from fiducial lights at the Primary Mirror checks the pupil alignment between the telescope entrance pupil, the telescope pupil mask, and the NIRCam aperture stop. The image positions are combined to determine the relative alignment between the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) and the ISIM in all six degrees of freedom with corresponding alignment uncertainties. Uncertainties in the position of focused images of the test sources and images from the pupils are derived from sensitivities of an optical model of the system and the Science Instrument sensing capability. Additional uncertainty in the pupil alignment measurement is due to uncertainty in the analytical removal of gravity effects that simulate the on-orbit alignment environment.

Whitman, Tony↗
NASA NTRS1991

Optical polarization of a complete sample of radio sources

The radio and optical properties of a complete 5 GHz sample of strong radio sources are studied. High polarization is strongly correlated with the fraction of the total 5 GHz flux density found in a milliarcsec core. The detection rate of radio galaxies containing optical cores with high polarization is consistent with the hypothesis that all radio sources contain optically polarized cores, with strength proportional to the core radio flux density. High optical polarization, optical power-law fraction, line-to-continuum ratio, emission lines of small equivalent widths, and large amplitude flux variability are all strongly correlated with the fraction of the 5 GHz radio flux density that is unresolved on VLBI scales. The distributions of these properties are well matched by a model where radio and optical radiation have the same beaming geometry and with Doppler boosting of a factor of 10-100 in the optical. A striking alignment of the position angle of the VLBI structure axis and the position angle of optical polarization in highly polarized sources is confirmed.

Impey, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS2016

First Search for an X-Ray-Optical Reverberation Signal in an Ultraluminous X-Ray Source

Using simultaneous optical (VLT/FORS2) and X-ray (XMM-Newton) data of NGC 5408, we present the first ever attempt to search for a reverberation signal in an ultraluminous X-ray source (NGC 5408 X-1). The idea is similar to active galactic nucleus broad line reverberation mapping where a lag measurement between the X-ray and the optical flux combined with a Keplerian velocity estimate should enable us to weigh the central compact object. We find that although NGC 5408 X-1ʼs X-rays are variable on a timescale of a few hundred seconds (rms of 9.0 +/- 0.5%), the optical emission does not show any statistically significant variations. We set a 3σ upper limit on the rms optical variability of 3.3%. The ratio of the X-ray to the optical variability is an indicator of X-ray reprocessing efficiency. In X-ray binaries, this ratio is roughly 5. Assuming a similar ratio for NGC 5408 X-1, the expected rms optical variability is approximately equal to 2%, which is still a factor of roughly two lower than what was possible with the VLT observations in this study. We find marginal evidence (3 sigma) for optical variability on an approximately 24 hr timescale. Our results demonstrate that such measurements can be made, but photometric conditions, low sky background levels, and longer simultaneous observations will be required to reach optical variability levels similar to those of X-ray binaries.

: accretion↗
NASA NTRS1976

Optical counterparts of AFCRL infrared sources

The paper presents results of a search for optical counterparts of confirmed AFCRL infrared sources using the Palomar Sky Survey and direct photography with the Carnegie image tube camera. Positions and identification charts for possible counterparts to 26 AFCRL sources are presented. A list of AFCRL sources for which no optical counterparts were found is given, and some arguments to explain why the results of this search were negative are presented.

Lebofsky, M. J.↗