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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 1,351 records · Page 75
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Extended Lyapunov stability criterion using a nonlinear algebraic relation with application to adaptive control

A new nonlinear stability criterion is developed by use of a class of Lyapunov functionals for model-reference adaptive systems (MRAS). Results are compared with traditional results, and a comparative design technique is used to illustrate its function in improving the transient response of an MRAS controller. For a particular system structure and class of input signals, the new stability criterion is shown to include traditional sufficiency stability conditions as a special case. An example is cited to illustrate the use of the nonlinear criterion and its definite advantages in helping improve the adaptive error transient response of a system. Analysis of results is effected by use of a linearization technique on the resulting adaptive equations.

Colburn, B. K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of acoustic-Doppler current profiler and expendable bathythermograph measurements to the study of the velocity structure and transport of the Gulf Stream

The degree to which Acoustic-Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and expendable bathythermograph (XBT) data can provide quantitative measurements of the velocity structure and transport of the Gulf Stream is addressed. An algorithm is used to generate salinity from temperature and depth using an historical Temperature/Salinity relation for the NW Atlantic. Results have been simulated using CTD data and comparing real and pseudo salinity files. Errors are typically less than 2 dynamic cm for the upper 800 m out of a total signal of 80 cm (across the Gulf Stream). When combined with ADCP data for a near-surface reference velocity, transport errors in isopycnal layers are less than about 1 Sv (10 to the 6th power cu m/s), as is the difference in total transport for the upper 800 m between real and pseudo data. The method is capable of measuring the real variability of the Gulf Stream, and when combined with altimeter data, can provide estimates of the geoid slope with oceanic errors of a few parts in 10 to the 8th power over horizontal scales of 500 km.

Joyce, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Submillimeter horizontal position determination using very long baseline interferometry

An analysis of interferometric phase delays from 15 years of Mark I and Mark III very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiments carried out with two radio telescopes in Westford, Massachusetts, about 1.24 km apart, yields weighted root-mean-square (WRMS) scatters about the mean locally horizontal coordinates of 1.0 and 2.0 mm in the north and east directions, respectively. It is concluded that VLBI antennas of at least of the structural quality of the pair in Westford satisfy a necessary but not sufficient condition for being able to maintain a global reference system with submillimeter per year accuracy for intervals in excess of a decade. These data are also used to determine an error model for the VLBI group delay measurements, and, for this particular pair of telescopes, they indicate that the WRMS difference between group and phase delays is composed of a constant part (5.4 mm, for the most recent data) and a SNR term which is about 10 percent larger than that computed theoretically.

Herring, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

How to bet on the location of the termination shock - A summary overview of the Symposium

This paper loosely summarizes the Symposium in the context of estimating the distance to the solar wind termination shock. Thus the major constituents of the heliosphere are first reviewed including the solar wind and its shocks, magnetic structure and stream structure, the interstellar neutral gas and its daughters, the interstellar pickup ions and the cosmic ray anomalous component, and the galactic cosmic rays. Then a direct calculation of the distance to the termination shock is presented, which yields 80 AU but with large error bars. Finally information carried by messengers from the termination shock and heliosheath (the kHz radio bursts observed by Voyager, galactic cosmic rays, the cosmic ray anomalous component, and the interstellar neutral gas and backscattered photons) is assessed and interpreted. The paper concludes that 80 AU is the best bet.

Lee, Martin A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Optical Modeling Activities for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Project: Determining Image Motion and Wavefront Error Over an Extended Field of View with a Segmented Optical System - II

This is part two of a series on the optical modeling activities for JWST. Starting with the linear optical model discussed in part one, we develop centroid and wavefront error sensitivities for the special case of a segmented optical system such as JWST, where the primary mirror consists of 18 individual segments. Our approach extends standard sensitivity matrix methods used for systems consisting of monolithic optics, where the image motion is approximated by averaging ray coordinates at the image and residual wavefront error is determined with global tip/tilt removed. We develop an exact formulation using the linear optical model, and extend it to cover multiple field points for performance prediction at each instrument aboard JWST. This optical model is then driven by thermal and dynamic structural perturbations in an integrated modeling environment. Results are presented.

Howard, Joseph M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Five meter diameter conical furlable antenna

An investigation was made to demonstrate that a 5-meter-diameter, furlable, conical reflector antenna utilizing a line source feed can be fabricated utilizing composite materials and to prove that the antenna can function mechanically and electrically as prototype flight hardware. The design, analysis, and testing of the antenna are described. An RF efficiency of 55% at 8.5 GHz and a surface error of 0.64 mm rms were chosen as basic design requirements. Actual test measurements yielded an efficiency of 53% (49.77 dB gain) and a surface error of 0.61 mm rms. Atmospherically induced corrosion of the reflector mesh resulted in the RF performance degradation. An assessment of the antenna as compared to the current state of the art technology was made. This assessment included cost, surface accuracy and RF performance, structural and mechanical characteristics, and possible applications.

Fortenberry, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A method to estimate critical volumes

Methods for estimating the volume of the critical temperature used for the estimation of thermodynamic properties of substances are described. The possibility to estimate the critical temperature by using a combination of only eighteen atomic and structural contributions is shown. These contributions are listed and the critical temperature is given by a linear expression. By comparing the Vetere (1976) and Lydersen (1955) methods with the method discussed it is noted that while all three methods yield about the same average error (about 3%), the new method is superior in that it requires a smaller number of increments to fit data points.

Fedors, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT-D investigations in snow hydrology

Thematic mapper data for the southern Sierra Nevada area were registered to digital topographic data and compared to LANDSAT MSS and NOAA-7 AVHRR data of snow covered areas in order to determine the errors associated with using coarser resolution and to qualify the information lost when high resolution data are not available. Both the zenith and the azimuth variations in the radiative field are considered in an atmospheric radiative transfer model which deals with a plane parallel structured atmosphere composed of different layers, each assumed to be homogeneous in composition and to have a linear in tau temperature profile. Astronomical parameters for each layer are Earth-Sun distance and solar flux at the top of the atmosphere. Atmospheric parameters include pressure temperature, chemical composition of the air molecules, and the composition and size of the aerosol, water droplets, and ice crystals. Outputs of the model are the monochromatic radiance and irradiance at each level. The use of the model in atmospheric correction of remotely sensed data is discussed.

Dozier, J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Satellite measurements of the backscattered ultraviolet to determine ozone trends, volcanic SO2, and nitric oxide

Measurements of the atmospheric backscattered UV albedo have been used from satellites for more than 20 years to measure ozone. The longest continuous record has been from the Solar Backscattered Ultraviolet instrument (SBUV) and TOMS on the Nimbus 7 satellite, which have been in operation since November of 1978. Because of degradation in space of the diffuser plate used to measure extraterrestrial solar flux, it has been necessary to develop new techniques to maintain the calibration of these instruments. Calibration is maintained by requiring that ozone measured by different wavelength pairs be consistent, and by requiring that ozone measured at different solar zenith angles be consistent. This technique of using a geophysical quantity, ozone, as a transfer standard for wavelength calibration is very powerful. The recalibrated data have been used to measure total ozone trends to an accuracy of +/- 1.3 percent 2(sigma) error over ten years. No significant trends are found near the equator, but significant trends larger than predicted by homogeneous chemistry are found at middle to high latitudes in both hemispheres. In addition, UV albedo data have been used to measure SO2 using band structure in the 300-310 nm range, and to measure nitric oxide in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere using the (10) and (02) NO gamma band fluorescence features.

Mcpeters, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1994

System Measures Loads In Bolts

Improved technique for ultrasonic nondestructive measurement of loads in bolts involves use of pulsed phase-locked loop interferometer. Provides for correction of errors and for automatic readout of loads in bolts. Actual bolt load measured, using transducers rebonded after bolts tightened. Calibration block and thermometer added. Technique applicable to critical fasteners in aerospace applications, nuclear reactors, petroleum and other chemical processing plants, steel bridges, and other structures.

Allison, Sidney G.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Method of Bonding Optical Elements with Near-Zero Displacement

The International X-ray Project seeks to build an x-ray telescope using thousands of pieces of thin and flexible glass mirror segments. Each mirror segment must be bonded into a housing in nearly perfect optical alignment without distortion. Forces greater than 0.001 Newton, or displacements greater than 0.5 m of the glass, cause unacceptable optical distortion. All known epoxies shrink as they cure. Even the epoxies with the least amount of shrinkage (<0.01%) cause unacceptable optical distortion and misalignment by pulling the mirror segments towards the housing as it cures. A related problem is that the shrinkage is not consistent or predictable so that it cannot be accounted for in the setup (i.e., if all of the bonds shrunk an equal amount, there would be no problem). A method has been developed that allows two components to be joined with epoxy in such a way that reduces the displacement caused by epoxy shrinking as it cures to less than 200 nm. The method involves using ultraviolet-cured epoxy with a displacement sensor and a nanoactuator in a control loop. The epoxy is cured by short-duration exposures to UV light. In between each exposure, the nano-actuator zeroes out the displacement caused by epoxy shrinkage and thermal expansion. After a few exposures, the epoxy has cured sufficiently to prevent further displacement of the two components. Bonding of optical elements has been done for many years, but most optics are thick and rigid elements that resist micro-Newton-level forces without causing distortion. When bonding thin glass optics such as the 0.40-mm thick IXO X-ray mirrors, forces in the micro- and milli-Newton levels cause unacceptable optical figure error. This innovation can now repeatedly and reliably bond a thin glass mirror to a metal housing with less than 0.2 m of displacement (<200 nm). This is an enabling technology that allows the installation of virtually stress-free, undistorted thin optics onto structures. This innovation is applicable to the bonding of thin optical elements, or any thin/flexible structures, that must be attached in an undistorted, consistent, and aligned way.

Robinson, David↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Multiscale Mesh Adaptation for Transonic Aeroelastic Flutter Problems

This work applies multiscale mesh adaptation with refine to reduce spatial discretization error of aeroelastic computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Benchmark flutter models, such as the pitch and plunge NACA64A-010 airfoil and the benchmark supercritical wing, are studied with both a linearized frequency-domain solver and time-marching CFD coupled to a modal structural solver in FUN3D. The undeformed NASA Common Research Model (CRM), an aeroelastic jig shape variant of the CRM, is also studied with the linearized frequency-domain approach. For these cases, the adaptation process converges to comparable flutter predictions to hand-generated meshes but with smaller node counts. However the additional disciplines of the linearized frequency-domain analysis, the mesh deformation, and the unsteady finite-volume solver create robustness challenges that need to be addressed before it can be applied as a fully automated process for complex transonic aeroelastic problems. In particular, negative volumes are observed to be an issue for FUN3D’s linear elasticity mesh deformation solver when moving the adapted meshes.

Aeroelasticity↗
NASA NTRS1998

High Performance, Robust Control of Flexible Space Structures: MSFC Center Director's Discretionary Fund

Many spacecraft systems have ambitious objectives that place stringent requirements on control systems. Achievable performance is often limited because of difficulty of obtaining accurate models for flexible space structures. To achieve sufficiently high performance to accomplish mission objectives may require the ability to refine the control design model based on closed-loop test data and tune the controller based on the refined model. A control system design procedure is developed based on mixed H2/H(infinity) optimization to synthesize a set of controllers explicitly trading between nominal performance and robust stability. A homotopy algorithm is presented which generates a trajectory of gains that may be implemented to determine maximum achievable performance for a given model error bound. Examples show that a better balance between robustness and performance is obtained using the mixed H2/H(infinity) design method than either H2 or mu-synthesis control design. A second contribution is a new procedure for closed-loop system identification which refines parameters of a control design model in a canonical realization. Examples demonstrate convergence of the parameter estimation and improved performance realized by using the refined model for controller redesign. These developments result in an effective mechanism for achieving high-performance control of flexible space structures.

Whorton, M. S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Segmented Solid Surface Reflector Concentrically Stacked With Tubular Shape Memory Composite Hinges

A new architecture for solid surface reflector antennas scalable to sizes greater than 10 m is presented. The design uses compact, light, and simple advanced deployable structures to create sub-reflectors that can be assembled in space into larger units using a robotic arm. The seven-panel hexagonal sub-reflector is divided into hexagonal panels that stack concentrically and vertically. The central panel is connected to each side panel on the back side by a pair of tubular shape memory composite hinges that enable the required deployment kinematics with controlled dynamics. A secondary mechanism closes the interpanel gap. The focus of the paper is on the development of the sub-reflector elements, namely the tubular hinges that use embedded heaters and sensors for triggering and control, the actuation mechanisms, and the lightweight sandwich construction reflector panels. A parametric study using finite element analyses was conducted to assess how design features of the hinge affect its stowage and deployment dynamics. The preliminary component fabrication and testing results for the two-panel assembly breadboard model are outlined. Finally, the results of the test campaign with the brassboard reflector model are presented. A comparison of deployed reflector surface deviation between the measured surface after the stowage and deployment process and the pre-test scans and the nominal surface revealed root mean square errors of less than 1 mm, as required by X-band radiofrequency transmission.

gravity offloading↗
NASA NTRS1988

Confidence set inference with a prior quadratic bound

In the uniqueness part of a geophysical inverse problem, the observer wants to predict all likely values of P unknown numerical properties z = (z sub 1,...,z sub p) of the earth from measurement of D other numerical properties y(0)=(y sub 1(0),...,y sub D(0)) knowledge of the statistical distribution of the random errors in y(0). The data space Y containing y(0) is D-dimensional, so when the model space X is infinite-dimensional the linear uniqueness problem usually is insoluble without prior information about the correct earth model x. If that information is a quadratic bound on x (e.g., energy or dissipation rate), Bayesian inference (BI) and stochastic inversion (SI) inject spurious structure into x, implied by neither the data nor the quadratic bound. Confidence set inference (CSI) provides an alternative inversion technique free of this objection. CSI is illustrated in the problem of estimating the geomagnetic field B at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) from components of B measured on or above the earth's surface. Neither the heat flow nor the energy bound is strong enough to permit estimation of B(r) at single points on the CMB, but the heat flow bound permits estimation of uniform averages of B(r) over discs on the CMB, and both bounds permit weighted disc-averages with continous weighting kernels. Both bounds also permit estimation of low-degree Gauss coefficients at the CMB. The heat flow bound resolves them up to degree 8 if the crustal field at satellite altitudes must be treated as a systematic error, but can resolve to degree 11 under the most favorable statistical treatment of the crust. These two limits produce circles of confusion on the CMB with diameters of 25 deg and 19 deg respectively.

Backus, George E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An alternative to Guyan reduction of finite-element models

Structural modeling is a key part of structural system identification for large space structures. Finite-element structural models are commonly used in practice because of their general applicability and availability. The initial models generated by using a standard computer program such as NASTRAN, ANSYS, SUPERB, STARDYNE, STRUDL, etc., generally contain tens of thousands of degrees of freedom. The models must be reduced for purposes of identification. Not only does the magnitude of the identification effort grow exponentially as a function of the number of degrees of freedom, but numerical procedures may also break down because of accumulated round-off errors. Guyan reduction is usually applied after a static condensation. Misapplication of Guyan reduction can lead to serious modeling errors. It is quite unfortunate and disappointing, since the accuracy of the original detailed finite-element model one tries very hard to achieve is lost by the reduction. First, why and how Guyan reduction always causes loss of accuracy is examined. An alternative approach is then introduced. The alternative can be thought of as an improvement of Guyan reduction, the Rayleigh-Ritz method, and in particular the recent algorithm of Wilson, Yuan, and Dickens. Unlike Guyan reduction, the use of the alternative does not need any special insight, experience, or skill for partitioning the structural degrees of freedom. In addition to model condensation, this alternative approach can also be used for predicting analytically, quickly, and economically, what are those structural modes that are excitable by a force actuator at a given trial location. That is, in the excitation of the structural modes for identification, it can be used for guiding the placement of the force actuators.

Lin, Jiguan Gene↗
NASA NTRS1990

Practical Estimates of the Errors Associated with the Governing Shearography Equation

In a series of papers Hung pioneered the development of shearography, an optical NDE technique that detects gradients of surface displacements. Its utility for qualitative flaw characterization has been demonstrated, and while there is a need for using shearography in NDE for quantitative analysis, a large amount of the research has concentrated on the qualitative evaluation of structures and materials. The purpose of this paper is to begin building upon a foundation for the newly emerging quantitative shearography. We begin the analysis by considering the approximations leading to the governing shearography equation.

Fulton, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Research Relative to High Spatial Resolution Passive Microwave Sounding Systems

Methods to obtain high resolution passive microwave weather observations, and understanding of their probable impact on numerical weather prediction accuracy were investigated. The development of synthetic aperture concepts for geosynchronous passive microwave sounders were studied. The effects of clouds, precipitation, surface phenomena, and atmospheric thermal fine structure on a scale of several kilometers were examined. High resolution passive microwave sounders (e.g., AMSU) with an increased number of channels will produce initialization data for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models with both increased spatial resolution and coverage. The development of statistical models for error growth in high resolution primitive equation NWP models which permit the consequences of various observing system alternatives, including sensors and assimilation times and procedures is discussed. A high resolution three dimensional primitive equation NWP model to determine parameters in an error growth model similar to that formulated by Lorenz, but with more degrees of freedom is utilized.

Staelin, D. H.↗