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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

Empirical Evaluation of GPS Clock Accuracy for Isochronous Droop-Based Inverters: Preprint

Grid-forming inverters rely upon an internal reference to regulate the grid’s voltage and frequency. Without a reliable reference, issues such as loss of synchronism, frequency instability, and unequal power sharing can occur. One proposed internal phase reference for grid-forming inverters is generated by the controller’s clock, but this is affected by nonidealities in the crystal oscillator leading to time drift in the phase reference. To improve the controller’s clock accuracy, the Global Positioning System (GPS) can be used to calibrate the internal clock. Previously, GPS-based clock calibration was explored theoretically and various methods were developed for mitigating frequency/phase drift at the power system level. This paper experimentally validates the direct performance of GPS time-calibration at the controller level and justifies its use in maintaining an accurate phase reference for droop-based grid-forming inverters.

clock drift↗

Miniaturized Mercury Ion Clock for Ultrastable Deep Space Applications

We have recently completed a prototype ion-clock physics package based on Hg ions shuttled between a quadrupole and a 16-pole rf trap. With this architecture we have demonstrated short-term stability ~2-3x10-13 at 1 second, averaging to 10-15 at 1 day. This development shows that H-maser quality stabilities can be produced in a small clock package, comparable in size to an ultra-stable quartz oscillator required for holding 1-2x10-13 at 1 second. This performance was obtained in a sealed vacuum configuration where only a getter pump was used to maintain vacuum. The vacuum tube containing the traps has now been under sealed vacuum conditions for nearly 1.5 years with no measurable degradation of ion trapping lifetimes or clock short-term performance. Because the tube is sealed, the Hg source and Neon buffer gas are held indefinitely, for the life of the tube. There is no consumption of Hg in this system unlike in a Cs beam tube where lifetime is often limited by Cs depletion.

mercury ion clocks↗

Effect of cisplatin on the clock genes expression in the liver, heart and kidney

Highlights: • Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity showed a circadian rhythm. • Cisplatin altered the clock genes expression in a tissue- and gene-specific manner. • Dbp was consistently suppressed in peripheral tissues after cisplatin treatment. Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug that is widely used to treat various types of malignancies. Although the involvement of circadian clock in cisplatin metabolism and excretion has been reported, the effect of cisplatin on circadian rhythm remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cisplatin on clock genes expression in mouse peripheral tissues. Cisplatin induced severe nephrotoxicity, as revealed by the significant increase of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. Moreover, cisplatin circadian time-dependently induced p21 expression in the liver, heart and kidney, with the highest increase during the dark phase. In addition, cisplatin altered the clock genes expression in the liver, heart and kidney in a tissue- and gene-specific manner. Interesting, the expression of D site of the albumin promoter binding protein (Dbp), a gene involved in detoxification and drug metabolism, was consistently suppressed in the liver, heart and kidney after cisplatin treatment, implying a role of DBP in the toxicity of cisplatin.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Misalignment-free signal propagation in nanomagnet arrays and logic gates with 45°-clocking field

A key obstacle for the application of Magnetic Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (MQCA) is the misalignment of clocking field, which results in low stability for both signal propagations within nanomagnet array and logic operation in majority gates. Here, we demonstrate that a reversal clocking field applied at 45° off the hard axis, with progressively reduced amplitude, applied to a shape-tuned nanomagnet array fabricated by e-beam lithography, helps intrinsically eliminate the misalignment sensitivity of the elements and results in correct signal propagation. Further, least reversal steps and reduced field amplitude was required owing to the 45°-clocking field. This clocking field was also tested for majority gates (OR function) and characterized by Magnetic Force Microscopy demonstrating correct output. This novel design provides high stability for signal propagation and logic operation of MQCA and potentially paves way for its application.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Detection of the clock transition in thulium atoms by using repump laser radiation

A population transfer from the upper level of the clock transition in thulium atoms to the ground level is demonstrated by using radiation with a wavelength of 402 nm. The method for detecting the clock transition excitation that is not affected by technical fluctuations of the number of atoms in an optical lattice is investigated. The hyperfine splitting of the |4f{sup 12}({sup 3}F{sub 2})5d{sub 5/2} 6s{sup 2}; J = 7/2〉 level in the thulium atom is measured to be 1480(9) MHz. The suggested method for population transfer can be applied to both the hyperfine components of the clock transition intended for compensating Zeeman effect in a thulium optical clock. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

period -1 encodes an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that influences nutritional compensation of the Neurospora circadian clock

Mutants in the period -1 ( prd­ -1) gene, characterized by a recessive allele, display a reduced growth rate and period lengthening of the developmental cycle controlled by the circadian clock. We refined the genetic location of prd­ -1 and used whole genome sequencing to find the mutation defining it, confirming the identity of prd­ -1 by rescuing the mutant circadian phenotype via transformation. PRD-1 is an RNA helicase whose orthologs, DDX5 and DDX17 in humans and Dbp2p in yeast, are implicated in various processes including transcriptional regulation, elongation, and termination, 23 ribosome biogenesis, and RNA decay. Although prd­ -1smutantssiois an ATP-dependent RNA helicase, member of a sub-family display a long period (~25 hrs) circadian developmental cycle, they interestingly display a wild type period when the core circadian oscillator is tracked using a frq -luciferase transcriptional fusion under conditions of limiting nutritional carbon; the core oscillator runs with a long period under glucose-sufficient conditions. Furthermore PRD-1 clearly impacts the circadian oscillator and is not only part of a metabolic oscillator ancillary to the core clock. PRD-1 is an essential protein and its expression is neither light-regulated nor clock-regulated. However, it is transiently induced by glucose; in the presence of sufficient glucose PRD-1 is in the nucleus until glucose runs out which elicits its disappearance from the nucleus. Because circadian period length is carbon concentration-dependent, prd­ -1 may be formally viewed as clock mutant with defective nutritional compensation of circadian period length.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A sub-picosecond digital clock monitoring system

We describe a low-cost system designed to monitor wander in digital clocks with a precision of ≤ 1 ps. With this system we have shown that it is possible to track phase variations at the sub-picosecond level by adding noise to a reference clock. As in many cases where a clock is part of a complex distribution network small changes in temperature and other effects can lead to small changes in the clock's phase. As a further demonstration of the system, we have used it to measure the phase changes induced in optical signals in fibers.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Structure of the frequency-interacting RNA helicase: a protein interaction hub for the circadian clock

In the Neurospora crassa circadian clock, a protein complex of frequency (FRQ), casein kinase 1a (CK1a), and the FRQ-interacting RNA Helicase (FRH) rhythmically represses gene expression by the white-collar complex (WCC). FRH crystal structures in several conformations and bound to ADP/RNA reveal differences between FRH and the yeast homolog Mtr4 that clarify the distinct role of FRH in the clock. The FRQ-interacting region at the FRH N-terminus has variable structure in the absence of FRQ. A known mutation that disrupts circadian rhythms (R806H) resides in a positively charged surface of the KOW domain, far removed from the helicase core. Here, we show that changes to other similarly located residues modulate interactions with the WCC and FRQ. A V142G substitution near the N-terminus also alters FRQ and WCC binding to FRH, but produces an unusual short clock period. Finally, these data support the assertion that FRH helicase activity does not play an essential role in the clock, but rather FRH acts to mediate contacts among FRQ, CK1a and the WCC through interactions involving its N-terminus and KOW module.

Conrad, Karen S.↗

The AGS Ggamma Meter and Calibrating the Gauss Clock

During AGS Polarized Proton acceleration periods, one output from the AGS Ggamma Meter, namely the energy (or Ggamma) calculated from the magnetic field in the AGS main magnets and the beam radius- both measured in particular instant, is used to figure out the times in the AGS magnet acceleration cycle when the beam passes through a particular set of depolarizing resonances. The resonance set occur whenever a particle’s Ggamma (energy*(G/m) becomes nearly equal to n*Qx (i.e. any integer multiplied by the horizontal betatron tune). This deliverable is why the machinery is referred to as the ''Ggamma Meter'' rather than the AGS energy meter. The Ggamma Meter takes as inputs a set of measurements of frequency (F(t)), radius (r(t)), and gauss clock counts (GCC(t)). The other energy (GgammaBr) assumes the field when the gauss clock starts counting is known. The change in field to time t is given by the measured accumulated gauss clock counts multiplied by the gauss clock calibration (gauss/GCC). In order to deal with experimental data, this calibration factor gets an added ad hoc complication, namely a correction dependent on the rate of change the counting rate. The Ggamma meter takes GCC(t) and together with the past history for this cycle calculates B(t).

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

New experiments on the effect of clock shifts on homing in pigeons

The effect of clock shifts as an experimental tool for predictably interfering with the homing ability of birds is discussed. Clock shifts introduce specific errors in the birds' sun azimuth compass, resulting in corresponding errors during initial orientation and possibly during orientation enroute. The effects of 6 hour and 12 hour clock shifts resulted in a 90 degree deviation and a 180 degree deviation from the initial orientation, respectively. The method for conducting the clock shift experiments and results obtained from previous experiments are described.

Schmidt-Koenig, K.↗

Inexpensive programmable computer clock

Clock's computer interface accepts pulses from computer (computer commands) and translates them into control signals for clock, and vice versa. Clock is preset by computer to a fixed number of time pulses, and then started. After fixed number of time pulses has occured, clock reads pulse (via interface) to computer and stops.

Vrancik, J. E.↗

Clock synchronization experiments performed via the ATS-1 and ATS-3 satellites.

Clock synchronization experiments were carried out May 10 to June 10, 1971, via the ATS-1 and ATS-3 geostationary satellites between the NASA tracking stations at Rosman, N.C., and Mojave, Calif., in order to determine the offset and the relative drift rate between the two station clocks. Pulses at C band with very sharp risetime and of 10 microsec duration were exchanged by the two stations through the dual transponders of the satellites. At each station, a time-interval counter was started by the transmitted pulse and stopped by the pulse received via satellite from the other station. The probable error of the clock offset as measured by the counter is 10 msec. A very long baseline interferometer experiment was also performed between the two stations at the same time and provided independent clock-offset data to check the accuracy of the time-synchronization experiment.

Ramasastry, J.↗

Government and industry interactions in the development of clock technology

It appears likely that everyone in the time and frequency community can agree on goals to be realized through the expenditure of resources. These goals are the same as found in most fields of technology: lower cost, better performance, increased reliability, small size and lower power. Related aspects are examined in the process of clock and frequency standard development. Government and industry are reviewed in a highly interactive role. These interactions include judgements on clock performance, what kind of clock, expenditure of resources, transfer of ideas or hardware concepts from government to industry, and control of production. Successful clock development and production requires a government/industry relationship which is characterized by long-term continuity, multidisciplinary team work, focused funding and a separation of reliability and production oriented tasks from performance improvement/research type efforts.

Hellwig, H.↗

Atomic and gravitational clocks

Atomic and gravitational clocks are governed by the laws of electrodynamics and gravity, respectively. While the strong equivalence principle (SEP) assumes that the two clocks have been synchronous at all times, recent planetary data seem to suggest a possible violation of the SEP. Past analysis of the implications of an SEP violation on different physical phenomena revealed no disagreement. However, these studies assumed that the two different clocks can be consistently constructed within the framework. The concept of scale invariance, and the physical meaning of different systems of units, are now reviewed and the construction of two clocks that do not remain synchronous - whose rates are related by a non-constant function beta sub a - is demonstrated. The cosmological character of beta sub a is also discussed.

Canuto, V. M.↗

Time maintenance of user clocks via the tracking and data relay satellite system

A system is described which uses the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) itself to compare the user satellite clock with a clock at the White Sands station that is referenced to Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). No command of the spacecraft by the system is required, and actual on-board clock corrections are made by the spacecraft control center at its discretion. Computer models were constructed using basic orbital parameters for user and TDRS satellites. With only first-order corrections and simple averaging techniques for constant clock rates, error measurement precision of better than one microsecond was obtained. More sophisticated computations should allow considerable improvement over this.

Whitworth, G.↗

NAVEX: A space shuttle experiment with atomic clocks

A navigation and time transfer experiment (NAVEX) to be flown within the payload of the first German Spacelab mission D-1 is discussed. The objectives of the experiment are to synchronize distant ground stations with an accuracy of better than 10 nsec and to demonstrate one way ranging with an accuracy of better than 30 m. Spread spectrum signals are used and the related technique is tested. On board a Cs and a Rb clock is used. The relativistic effect of these clocks is about -25 microsec per day. On the ground at least two receiving stations and one transmitting-receiving station will be installed. The synchronization of the ground clocks by shuttle signals is compared to those achieved with clock transportations and with GPS measurements. A system description of this experiment is given containing details on the technical concept, the hardware and the planned data evaluation. The present state of the preparatory work is briefly reviewed.

Starker, S.↗