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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 145 records · Page 8

Planet Formation Imager (PFI): Science Vision and Key Requirements

The Planet Formation Imager (PFI) project aims to provide a strong scientific vision for ground-based optical astronomy beyond the upcoming generation of Extremely Large Telescopes. We make the case that a breakthrough in angular resolution imaging capabilities is required in order to unravel the processes involved in planet formation. PFI will be optimised to provide a complete census of the protoplanet population at all stellocentric radii and over the age range from 0.1 to ~ 100 Myr. Within this age period, planetary systems undergo dramatic changes and the final architecture of planetary systems is determined. Our goal is to study the planetary birth on the natural spatial scale where the material is assembled, which is the “Hill Sphere” of the forming planet, and to characterise the protoplanetary cores by measuring their masses and physical properties. Our science working group has investigated the observational characteristics of these young protoplanets as well as the migration mechanisms that might alter the system architecture. We simulated the imprints that the planets leave in the disk and study how PFI could revolutionise areas ranging from exoplanet to extragalactic science. In this contribution we outline the key science drivers of PFI and discuss the requirements that will guide the technology choices, the site selection, and potential science/technology tradeoffs.

Planet formation↗

Planet Formation Imager (PFI): Science Vision and Key Requirements

The Planet Formation Imager (PFI) project aims to provide a strong scientific vision for ground-based opticalastronomy beyond the upcoming generation of Extremely Large Telescopes. We make the case that a break-through in angular resolution imaging capabilities is required in order tounravel the processes involved in planetformation. PFI will be optimised to provide a complete census of the protoplanet population at all stellocentricradii and over the age range from 0.1 to∼100 Myr. Within this age period, planetary systems undergo dra-matic changes and the final architecture of planetary systems is determined. Our goal is to study the planetarybirth on the natural spatial scale where the material is assembled,which is the “Hill Sphere” of the formingplanet, and to characterise the protoplanetary cores by measuring their masses and physical properties. Ourscience working group has investigated the observational characteristics of these young protoplanets as well asthe migration mechanisms that might alter the system architecture. We simulated the imprints that the planetsleave in the disk and study how PFI could revolutionise areas ranging from exoplanet to extragalactic science.In this contribution we outline the key science drivers of PFI and discuss the requirements that will guide thetechnology choices, the site selection, and potential science/technology tradeoffs.

Stefan Kraus↗

ImageLabler: Labeling and Managing Image Data for Machine Learning in the Earth Sciences

While machine learning techniques for image classification have been around for a long time, storing and managing the vast number of images required as training data is still a problem for scientists. This is especially true for the field of Earth science, where only recently have experts begun using machine learning techniques for image-based phenomena classification. Image Labeler, a fast and scalable cloud-based tagging platform for Earth science images, seeks to improve upon existing methods of managing images and associated metadata, such as maintaining categorized folders of images on a local machine, a process that can be cumbersome and difficult to scale. The platform facilitates rapid development of image-based Earth science phenomena training datasets by allowing scientists to upload their existing imagery as well as extract new samples from open satellite imagery services made available through NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Service (GIBS). Image Labeler also supports GeoTIFF data, with capabilities such as displaying GeoTIFFs on an interactive map, drawing shapefiles over them, and tagging them with additional metadata. This allows scientists to perform spatiotemporal subsetting with geographic information and develop training data more quickly. Built using modern web technologies, Image Labeler includes additional capabilities such as team collaboration for large-scale image tagging projects. Users can download their data in a machine-learning-ready format, allowing scientists to spend time on experimentation rather than on the collection of training data. In this presentation, we demonstrate how Image Labeler seeks to become a one-stop image data management solution for machine learning applications in Earth science.

Ashish Acharya↗

Setup for Visual Observation of Carbon-Nanotube Arc Process

A simple optical setup has been devised to enable safe viewing of the arc and measurement of the interelectrode gap in a process in which carbon nanotubes are produced in an arc between a catalyst-filled carbon anode and a graphite cathode. This setup can be used for visually guided manual positioning of the anode to maintain the interelectrode gap at a desired constant value, possibly as a low-technology alternative to the automatic position/voltage control described in Automatic Control of Arc Process for Making Carbon Nanotubes (MSC-23134), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 28, No. 3 (March 2004), page 51. The optical setup consists mainly of lenses for projecting an image of the arc onto a wall, plus a calibrated grid that is mounted on the wall so that one can measure the superimposed image of the arc. To facilitate determination of the end point of the process, the anode is notched, by use of a file, at the end of the filled portion that is meant to be consumed in the process. As the anode is consumed and the notch comes into view in the scene projected onto the wall, the process operator switches off the arc current.

Scott, Carl D.↗

The New Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica; A Part of Your World You've Never Seen Before

The first-ever true-color, high-resolution digital mosaic of Antarctica has been produced from nearly 11 00 Landsat-7 ETM+ images. This project is an early 1999-2001 benchmark data set of the International Polar Year and represents a close and successful collaboration between NASA, USGS, the British Antarctic Survey and the National Science Foundation. The production of the mosaic required the development of new procedures for treating sensor saturation, adjusting for non-diffusive reflectance and for balancing color between images to remove distracting image edges. All adjustments were physically based to achieve the goal that each pixel's value is surface reflectance. This makes this mosaic more than just a pretty picture to guide users to individual scenes, but one where the mosaics can be used directly for quantitative research. The 15-m resolution, pan-sharpened mosaic, numerous derivative mosaics that enhance various ice sheet features, and the individual scenes are all served to the public via a web site hosted by the USGS. This site also enables on-line exploration of the various mosaics, including panning and zooming functions. Datasets can be customized by the user and downloaded. An associated web site, hosted by NASA, uses the mosaic as a means to demonstrate the value of satellite imagery of Antarctica. It is hoped this data set will enable the public and researcher alike a new and realistic view of the seventh continent.

Bindschadler, Robert↗

A Robust Magnetic Resonance Imager For Ground and Flight Based Measurements of Fluid Physics Phenomena

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful and versatile, noninvasive method for studying fluid transport problems, However, its applications to these types of investigations have been limited. A primary factor that limits the application of NMR has been the lack of a user-friendly, versatile, and inexpensive NMR imaging apparatus that can be used by scientists who are not familiar with sophisticated NMR. To rectify this situation, we developed a user-friendly, NMR imager for projects of relevance to the MRD science community. To that end, we performed preliminary collaborative experiments between NASA, NCMR, and New Mexico Resonance in the high field NMR set up at New Mexico Resonance to track wetting front dynamics in foams under gravity. The experiments were done in a 30 cm, 1.9T Oxford magnet with a TECMAG Libra spectrometer (Tecmag, Inc., Houston, TX). We used two different imaging strategies depending on whether the water in the foam sample was static or moving. Stationary water distributions were imaged with the standard Fourier imaging method, as used in medical MRI, in which data are acquired from all parts of the region of interest at all times and Fourier transformed into a static spatial image.

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Using DSCOVR EPIC as an Additional Calibration Reference to Radiometrically Scale the Geo Imagers for the NASA CERES Project

The NASA CERES project provides climate-quality observed TOA and calculated surface fluxes to the climate community. The CERES instruments are mounted on the Aqua, Terra, NPP, and NOAA-20 low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites, where they are used alongside the VIIRS and MODIS based cloud properties necessary for converting CERES radiance observations into fluxes. The CERES SYN1deg product provides the regional hourly fluxes in between the Terra and Aqua/NOAA-20-CERES observations based on geostationary imager (GEO) radiances. The GEO radiances are radiometrically scaled to the MODIS or VIIRS calibration references. The GEO and MODIS inter-calibration events are limited by the Aqua-MODIS or VIIRS local equator crossing time of 1:30 PM. The DSCOVR satellite orbits the Lagrange-1 (L1) point about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, and the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) instrument onboard DSCOVR has a constant view of the sunlit side of the Earth while taking images ranging from the UV to the NIR throughout the day. While the EPIC sensor has no onboard calibration systems, multiple inter-calibration studies have indicated that EPIC is radiometrically stable, which allows it to potentially be used as a transfer radiometer between imagers. This study will assess the viability of using EPIC as a consistent and stable calibration source for GEO imagers. EPIC will be inter-calibrated with Himawari-8 that has been radiometrically scaled with Aqua. The Himawari-8 based EPIC calibration gains will be verified by the EPIC calibration gains determined directly from Aqua-MODIS matches. The EPIC calibration gains based on Himawari-8 will be stratified by local time to determine any diurnal dependence of the GEO/EPIC calibration strategy.

C O Haney↗

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Version 7 Near-Real-Time Product and Imagery Released by NASA GES DISC

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has been the home of data processing, archive, and distribution services for data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) mission since its launch in 2002. The GES DISC provides service to both AIRS routine and Near Real-Time (NRT) products. The AIRS NRT products are an important element in the Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE). In collaboration with AIRS Project, the GES DISC has just released products from the Version 7 algorithm. The new version algorithm provides significant improvements over the previous version. The most substantial advances are: improved consistency between day and night water vapor; improved total column ozone and temperature; improved infrared-only (IR-only) retrievals, especially in high latitude regions; an improved Stochastic Cloud Clearing Neural Network used as a first guess at the initial value in the iterative retrieval process; and removal of ambiguity in surface classification in the IR-only retrieval algorithm. In addition, the GES DISC produces AIRS NRT imagery. The AIRS NRT imagery are generated by mosaicking and mapping the available AIRS 6-minute retrieval granules to a global projection. The images are constantly refreshed when new granules are produced. The AIRS NRT Viewer and LANCE Worldview provide visualization services to online users for AIRS NRT imagery. The data products used to generate this imagery include atmospheric temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloud, Dust Score, CO, and SO2. In this presentation, we will demonstrate visualization of the AIRS NRT imagery from the new Version 7, and demonstrate some improvements over the previous version. Progress on improving the AIRS NRT imagery, a collaboration project with the AIRS Applications Development Team at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will also be presented.

Feng Ding↗

Recognition and characterization of hierarchical interstellar structure. II - Structure tree statistics

A new method of image analysis is described, in which images partitioned into 'clouds' are represented by simplified skeleton images, called structure trees, that preserve the spatial relations of the component clouds while disregarding information concerning their sizes and shapes. The method can be used to discriminate between images of projected hierarchical (multiply nested) and random three-dimensional simulated collections of clouds constructed on the basis of observed interstellar properties, and even intermediate systems formed by combining random and hierarchical simulations. For a given structure type, the method can distinguish between different subclasses of models with different parameters and reliably estimate their hierarchical parameters: average number of children per parent, scale reduction factor per level of hierarchy, density contrast, and number of resolved levels. An application to a column density image of the Taurus complex constructed from IRAS data is given. Moderately strong evidence for a hierarchical structural component is found, and parameters of the hierarchy, as well as the average volume filling factor and mass efficiency of fragmentation per level of hierarchy, are estimated. The existence of nested structure contradicts models in which large molecular clouds are supposed to fragment, in a single stage, into roughly stellar-mass cores.

Houlahan, Padraig↗

On-Orbit Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Star Tracker Warm Pixel Analysis

This paper describes the process of identification and analysis of warm pixels in two autonomous star trackers on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. A brief description of the mission orbit and attitude regimes is discussed and pertinent star tracker hardware specifications are given. Warm pixels are defined and the Quality Index parameter is introduced, which can be explained qualitatively as a manifestation of a possible warm pixel event. A description of the algorithm used to identify warm pixel candidates is given. Finally, analysis of dumps of on-orbit star tracker charge coupled devices (CCD) images is presented and an operational plan going forward is discussed. SDO, launched on February 11, 2010, is operated from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). SDO is in a geosynchronous orbit with a 28.5 inclination. The nominal mission attitude points the spacecraft X-axis at the Sun, with the spacecraft Z-axis roughly aligned with the Solar North Pole. The spacecraft Y-axis completes the triad. In attitude, SDO moves approximately 0.04 per hour, mostly about the spacecraft Z-axis. The SDO star trackers, manufactured by Galileo Avionica, project the images of stars in their 16.4deg x 16.4deg fields-of-view onto CCD detectors consisting of 512 x 512 pixels. The trackers autonomously identify the star patterns and provide an attitude estimate. Each unit is able to track up to 9 stars. Additionally, each tracker calculates a parameter called the Quality Index, which is a measure of the quality of the attitude solution. Each pixel in the CCD measures the intensity of light and a warns pixel is defined as having a measurement consistently and significantly higher than the mean background intensity level. A warns pixel should also have lower intensity than a pixel containing a star image and will not move across the field of view as the attitude changes (as would a dim star image). It should be noted that the maximum error introduced in the star tracker attitude solution during suspected warm pixel corruptions is within the specified 36 attitude error budget requirement of [35, 70, 70] arcseconds. Thus, the star trackers provided attitude accuracy within the specification for SDO. The star tracker images are intentionally defocused so each star image is detected in more than one CCD pixel. The position of each star is calculated as an intensity-weighted average of the illuminated pixels. The exact method of finding the positions is proprietary to the tracker manufacturer. When a warm pixel happens to be in the vicinity of a star, it can corrupt the calculation of the position of that particular star, thereby corrupting the estimate of the attitude.

Felikson, Denis↗

Spacecraft design project: High temperature superconducting infrared imaging satellite

The High Temperature Superconductor Infrared Imaging Satellite (HTSCIRIS) is designed to perform the space based infrared imaging and surveillance mission. The design of the satellite follows the black box approach. The payload is a stand alone unit, with the spacecraft bus designed to meet the requirements of the payload as listed in the statement of work. Specifications influencing the design of the spacecraft bus were originated by the Naval Research Lab. A description of the following systems is included: spacecraft configuration, orbital dynamics, radio frequency communication subsystem, electrical power system, propulsion, attitude control system, thermal control, and structural design. The issues of testing and cost analysis are also addressed. This design project was part of the course Advanced Spacecraft Design taught at the Naval Postgraduate School.

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A neutral hydrogen survey of the Hydra 1 cluster

We are undertaking a project to image the entire volume of the Hydra 1 cluster of galaxies in neutral hydrogen using the VLA. This involves making a series of pointings spaced 30 min. (the half power beam width) apart, each observed at three velocity settings in order to span the whole velocity range of the cluster. The purpose of this survey is to determine the true distribution, both in space and velocity, of gas-rich systems and hence, to deduce what effects a dense environment may have on the evolution of these systems. Most surveys of clusters to date have been performed on optically selected samples. However, optically selected samples may provide misleading views of the distribution of gas-rich systems, since many low surface brightness galaxies have an abundance of neutral gas (Bothun et al. 1987, Giovanelli & Haynes 1989). The Hydra project is providing the first unbiased view of the HI distribution in a cluster of galaxies. Our 5 sigma sensitivity is 4.1 x 10(exp 7) solar M/beam, (assuming H(sub 0) = 75 km s(exp -1) Mpc(exp -1)) and our velocity resolution is 42 km s(exp -1). We have a spatial resolution of 45 sec., which means that only the largest galaxies are spatially resolved enough to determine HI disk size. Our coverage is about 50 percent of the central region plus eight other fields centered on bright spirals within about 2 deg. of the center.

Mcmahon, Pauline↗

Optical alignment of electrodes on electrical discharge machines

Shadowgraph system projects magnified image on screen so that alignment of small electrodes mounted on electrical discharge machines can be corrected and verified. Technique may be adapted to other machine tool equipment where physical contact cannot be made during inspection and access to tool limits conventional runout checking procedures.

Boissevain, A. G.↗

Collimator of multiple plates with axially aligned identical random arrays of apertures

A collimator is disclosed for examining the spatial location of distant sources of radiation and for imaging by projection, small, near sources of radiation. The collimator consists of a plurality of plates, all of which are pierced with an identical random array of apertures. The plates are mounted perpendicular to a common axis, with like apertures on consecutive plates axially aligned so as to form radiation channels parallel to the common axis. For near sources, the collimator is interposed between the source and a radiation detector and is translated perpendicular to the common axis so as to project radiation traveling parallel to the common axis incident to the detector. For far sources the collimator is scanned by rotating it in elevation and azimuth with a detector to determine the angular distribution of the radiation from the source.

Hoover, R. B.↗

Faculae and the solar oblateness - A summary

Dicke and Goldenberg (1967) inferred a value of the solar oblateness by projecting an image of the sun on a circular occulting disk and measuring the light flux from the portion of the sun exposed beyond the disk. These measurements have the implication that if the optical oblateness measured is mirrored in a true gravitational oblateness, then the non-Newtonian part of Mercury's perihelion advance cannot agree with Einstein's prediction based on general relativity. The present analysis shows that faculae may have contributed all of Dicke and Goldenberg's excess signal. There is overwhelming evidence that this signal is contaminated by faculae at some level, and very little evidence to exclude faculae as a cause of the signal.

Chapman, G. A.↗

Field limiter for solar radiometers

Lenses project solar image onto aperature to exclude circumsolar radiation, more precisely measuring energy captured by receiver aperatures of highly-concentrating solar thermal-energy converters. First version uses achromatic objective lens to form image of Sun at aperature ahead of radiometer cavity. Smaller second version with shorter focal length forms image magnified by another lens and thrown onto aperature. Both Versions require calibration against standard radiometer.

Berdahl, C. M.↗

Development and usage of a false color display technique for presenting Seasat-A scatterometer data

A computer generated false color program which creates digital multicolor graphics to display geophysical surface parameters measured by the Seasat-A satellite scatterometer (SASS) is described. The data is incrementally scaled over the range of acceptable values and each increment and its data points are assigned a color. The advantage of the false color display is that it visually infers cool or weak data versus hot or intense data by using the rainbow of colors. For example, with wind speeds, levels of yellow and red could be used to imply high winds while green and blue could imply calmer air. The SASS data is sorted into geographic regions and the final false color images are projected onto various world maps with superimposed land/water boundaries.

Jackson, C. B.↗