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At least 145 records · Page 8

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DOE OSTI2025

Neutron Yield of Thermo Scientific P385 D-T Neutron Generator vs . Current and Voltage

The Thermo Scientific P385 Neutron Generator is a compact neutron source, producing 14 MeV neutrons through the deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reaction. It is important to measure and understand the dependence of the neutron production rate on the accelerator current and voltage. In this study we evaluated neutron production with an absolutely calibrated liquid scintillator neutron spectrometer (BTI N-Probe), an absolutely calibrated He-3 detector surrounded by HDPE shells (Detec Nested Neutron Spectrometer, NNS), and two uncalibrated ZnS fast neutron scintillators (EJ-410), for both A3082 and A3083 sealed tubes. Here we also modeled the neutron yield using the TRIM code, which calculates the trajectory and the energy loss of deuterons and tritons within the target. Experimental results showed an essentially linear dependence on beam current, as expected. A 3.59 ±0.08 power law dependence on the operating voltage was measured, in effective agreement with the modeled value of 3.5. A series of absolute NNS and N-Probe measurements, matched against MCNP calculations, showed that the A3083 and A3082 tubes provide a maximum neutron yield of 8.2 × 10 8 n/s and 4.7 × 10 8 n/s respectively, with estimated uncertainty of ±10%.We showed, through modeling, that tritium decay is not a significant consideration for tubes, such as these, with lifetimes of less than 10 years.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Studies on the response of a water-Cherenkov detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory to atmospheric muons using an RPC hodoscope

Extensive air showers, originating from ultra-high energy cosmic rays, have been successfully measured through the use of arrays of water-Cherenkov detectors (WCDs). Sophisticated analyses exploiting WCD data have made it possible to demonstrate that shower simulations, based on different hadronic-interaction models, cannot reproduce the observed number of muons at the ground. The accurate knowledge of the WCD response to muons is paramount in establishing the exact level of this discrepancy. In this work, we report on a study of the response of a WCD of the Pierre Auger Observatory to atmospheric muons performed with a hodoscope made of resistive plate chambers (RPCs), enabling us to select and reconstruct nearly 600 thousand single muon trajectories with zenith angles ranging from 0$^\circ$ to 55$^\circ$. Comparison of distributions of key observables between the hodoscope data and the predictions of dedicated simulations allows us to demonstrate the accuracy of the latter at a level of 2%. As the WCD calibration is based on its response to atmospheric muons, the hodoscope data are also exploited to show the long-term stability of the procedure.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

NASA NTRS1992

Short-arc orbit determination using coherent X-band ranging data

The use of X-band frequencies in ground-spacecraft and spacecraft-ground telecommunication links for current and future robotic interplanetary missions makes it possible to perform ranging measurements of greater accuracy than previously obtained. It is shown that ranging data of sufficient accuracy, when acquired from multiple stations, can sense the geocentric angular position of a distant spacecraft. The application of high-accuracy S/X-band and X-band ranging to orbit determination with relatively short data arcs is investigated in planetary approach and encounter scenarios. Actual trajectory solutions for the Ulysses spacecraft constructed from S/X-band ranging and Doppler data are presented; error covariance calculations are used to predict the performance of X-band ranging and Doppler data. The Ulysses trajectory solutions indicate that the aim point for the spacecraft's February 1992 Jupiter encounter was predicted to a geocentric accuracy of 0.20 to 0.23/microrad. Explicit modeling of range bias parameters for each station pass is shown to largely remove systematic ground system calibration errors and transmission media effects from the Ulysses range measurements, which would otherwise corrupt the angle finding capabilities of the data. The Ulysses solutions were found to be reasonably consistent with the theoretical results, which suggest that angular accuracies of 0.08 to 0.1/microrad are achievable with X-band ranging.

Thurman, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Generating A Strobed Laser Light Sheet

An optoelectronic system generating synchronous, strobed sheet of laser light developed for use in making visible flow of air about model helicopter rotor. Used in wind-tunnel tests to determine actual locations of vortices for comparison with locations predicted by mathematical models to validate models. Each blade tip produces vortex. By establishing successive vortex locations, researcher determines trajectory of vortex pattern. Light-sheet strobe circuits provide selection of blade positions, strobe-pulse durations, and multiple pulses per revolution for rotors having two to nine blades. To make flow visible, vaporizing propylene glycol injected upstream of model. System also provides calibrated trigger delay of strobe pulses, adjustable strobe-pulse durations, selectable number of blades, and slip-sync mode to make flow visible as though in slow motion.

Leighty, Bradley D.↗

NASA NTRS1994

A laser-based sizing/velocimetry technique to investigate the secondary atomization of aluminum gel propellants

A laser-based, forward-scatter diagnostic technique, employing a single laser sheet, has been developed to simultaneously measure the size and velocity of individual 10-150 micron droplets in a dilute polydisperse droplet stream (less than 1000 particles/cc) and to detect the presence of burning aluminum in these same droplets. Spectral emission from aluminum vapor in the 390-400 nm wavelength region is used as an indication of burning aluminum. The technique utilizes a 4-mm uniformly illuminated probe volume, eliminating trajectory-dependent particle sizing and size-dependent system detection bias. Particle sizing is based on a correlation of particle size with near-forward scattered light intensity. Calculations show average particle sizing variation to be within 3.5% over the expected range of refractive indices. Calibrations using a range of optical pinholes (10-100 micron) were used to verify the above sizing correlation.

Mueller, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Calibrating the Ordovician Radiation of marine life: implications for Phanerozoic diversity trends

It has long been suspected that trends in global marine biodiversity calibrated for the Phanerozoic may be affected by sampling problems. However, this possibility has not been evaluated definitively, and raw diversity trends are generally accepted at face value in macroevolutionary investigations. Here, we analyze a global-scale sample of fossil occurrences that allows us to determine directly the effects of sample size on the calibration of what is generally thought to be among the most significant global biodiversity increases in the history of life: the Ordovician Radiation. Utilizing a composite database that includes trilobites, brachiopods, and three classes of molluscs, we conduct rarefaction analyses to demonstrate that the diversification trajectory for the Radiation was considerably different than suggested by raw diversity time-series. Our analyses suggest that a substantial portion of the increase recognized in raw diversity depictions for the last three Ordovician epochs (the Llandeilian, Caradocian, and Ashgillian) is a consequence of increased sample size of the preserved and catalogued fossil record. We also use biometric data for a global sample of Ordovician trilobites, along with methods of measuring morphological diversity that are not biased by sample size, to show that morphological diversification in this major clade had leveled off by the Llanvirnian. The discordance between raw diversity depictions and more robust taxonomic and morphological diversity metrics suggests that sampling effects may strongly influence our perception of biodiversity trends throughout the Phanerozoic.

Non-NASA Center↗

DOE OSTI2020

Modeling root system growth around obstacles

State-of-the-Art models of Root System Architecture (RSA) do not allow simulating root growth around rigid obstacles. Yet, the presence of obstacles can be highly disruptive to the root system. We grew wheat seedlings in sealed petri dishes without obstacle and in custom 3D-printed rhizoboxes containing obstacles. Time-lapse photography was used to reconstruct the wheat root morphology network. We used the reconstructed wheat root network without obstacle to calibrate an RSA model implemented in the R-SWMS software. The root network with obstacles allowed calibrating the parameters of a new function that models the influence of rigid obstacles on wheat root growth. Experimental results show that the presence of a rigid obstacle does not affect the growth rate of the wheat root axes, but that it does influence the root trajectory after the main axis has passed the obstacle. The growth recovery time, i.e. the time for the main root axis to recover its geotropism-driven growth, is proportional to the time during which the main axis grows along the obstacle. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons between experimental and numerical results show that the proposed model successfully simulates wheat RSA growth around obstacles. Our results suggest that wheat roots follow patterns that could inspire the design of adaptive engineering flow networks.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

In-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry for real-time characterization of the effects of high-flux helium plasmas on tungsten surfaces

Tungsten samples were exposed to He plasmas generated by an RF source (Γ i = 3.5 x 10 16 He cm -2 s -1 , ion energy = 92 eV.) The range of exposure conditions selected here is conducive to the growth of nearsurface He bubbles, and at higher fluence, the formation of W nanotendrils ranging between 50 — 100 nm in diameter. The evolution of these surface features was probed using a fixed-angle ellipsometer (280 — 1000 nm wavelength range) with direct line-of-sight to the sample. Over the parameter space explored here, changes in the two angles (p, S) that define the polarization of the reflected light followed a distinct trajectory with increasing plasma fluence. Ex-situ ellipsometry of 22 additional tungsten specimens tested at a wide range of plasma fluences and temperatures mapped onto these in-situ results well. We used helium ion microscopy and focused ion beam profiling to provide a direct calibration of the ellipsometry measurements. Our results indicate that for a reproducible process such as the growth helium-induced surface morphologies, ellipsometry is a practical in-situ diagnostic to study how fusion plasmas modify materials. To study more general effects of plasmas on surfaces, including co-deposition and sputtering, different approaches to modelling the optical properties of the exposed surfaces are also considered.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2012

A Trajectory Algorithm to Support En Route and Terminal Area Self-Spacing Concepts: Third Revision

This document describes an algorithm for the generation of a four dimensional trajectory. Input data for this algorithm are similar to an augmented Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) with the augmentation in the form of altitude or speed crossing restrictions at waypoints on the route. This version of the algorithm accommodates constant radius turns and cruise altitude waypoints with calibrated airspeed, versus Mach, constraints. The algorithm calculates the altitude, speed, along path distance, and along path time for each waypoint. Wind data at each of these waypoints are also used for the calculation of ground speed and turn radius.

Abbott, Terence S.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Osiris-REx Spacecraft Current Status and Forward Plans

The NASA New Frontiers OSIRIS-REx spacecraft executed a flawless launch on September 8, 2016 to begin its 23-month journey to near-Earth asteroid (101955). The primary objective of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to collect and return to Earth a pristine sample of regolith from the asteroid surface. The sampling event will occur after a two-year period of remote sensing that will ensure a high probability of successful sampling of a region on the asteroid surface having high science value and within well-defined geological context. The OSIRIS-REx instrument payload includes three high-resolution cameras (OCAMS), a visible and near-infrared spectrometer (OVIRS), a thermal imaging spectrometer (OTES), an X-ray imaging spectrometer (REXIS), and a laser altimeter (OLA). As the spacecraft follows its nominal outbound-cruise trajectory, the propulsion, power, communications, and science instruments have undergone basic functional tests, with no major issues. Outbound cruise science investigations include a search for Earth Trojan asteroids as the spacecraft approaches the Sun-Earth L4 Lagrangian point in February 2017. Additional instrument checkouts and calibrations will be carried out during the Earth gravity assist maneuver in September 2017. During the Earth-moon flyby, visual and spectral images will be acquired to validate instrument command sequences planned for Bennu remote sensing. The asteroid Bennu remote sensing campaign will yield high resolution maps of the temperature and thermal inertia, distributions of major minerals and concentrations of organic matter across the asteroid surface. A high resolution 3d shape model including local surface slopes and a high-resolution gravity field will also be determined. Together, these data will be used to generate four separate maps that will be used to select the sampling site(s). The Safety map will identify hazardous and safe operational regions on the asteroid surface. The Deliverability map will quantify the accuracy with which the navigation team can deliver the spacecraft to and from specific sites on the asteroid surface. The Sampleability map quantifies the regolith properties, providing an estimation of how much material would be sampled at different points on the surface. The final Science Value map synthesizes the chemical, mineralogical, and geological, observations to identify the areas of the asteroid surface with the highest science value. Here, priority is given to organic, water-rich regions that have been minimally altered by surface processes. Asteroid surface samples will be acquired with a touch-and-go sample acquisition system (TAGSAM) that uses high purity pressurized N2 gas to mobilize regolith into a stainless steel canister. Although the mission requirement is to collect at least 60 g of material, tests of the TAGSAM routinely exceeded 300 g of simulant in micro-gravity tests. After acquiring the sample, the spacecraft will depart Bennu in 2021 to begin its return journey, with the sample return capsule landing at the Utah Test and Training Range on September 23, 2023. The OSIRIS-REx science team will carry out a series of detailed chemical, mineralogical, isotopic, and spectral studies that will be used to determine the origin and history of Bennu and to relate high spatial resolution sample studies to the global geological context from remote sensing. The outline of the sample analysis plan is described in a companion abstract.

Messenger, Scott↗

NASA NTRS2011

Mixed Phase Modeling in GlennICE with Application to Engine Icing

A capability for modeling ice crystals and mixed phase icing has been added to GlennICE. Modifications have been made to the particle trajectory algorithm and energy balance to model this behavior. This capability has been added as part of a larger effort to model ice crystal ingestion in aircraft engines. Comparisons have been made to four mixed phase ice accretions performed in the Cox icing tunnel in order to calibrate an ice erosion model. A sample ice ingestion case was performed using the Energy Efficient Engine (E3) model in order to illustrate current capabilities. Engine performance characteristics were supplied using the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) model for this test case.

Wright, William B.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Ascent air data system results from the space shuttle flight test program

The ascent air data system of the Space Shuttle consists of a simple biconic spike probe on the nose of the external tank. Pressure measurements were calibrated in a wind tunnel to obtain vehicle attitude and speed (relative to the air) and dynamic pressure. The wind tunnel test data analysis and the calibration are discussed in terms of test problems and calibration parameter formulation. The flight pressures are traced from telemetry data to final air data products. Analysis of the flight results showed that static pressure could not be accurately determined at the higher Mach numbers (above approx. 2.0). By replacing static pressure with data from a postflight estimated trajectory the ascent air data system performance met the user requirements. Lessons learned are enumerated, the most important being the need for a thorough systems integration effort.

Hillje, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Software Processes SAR Motion-Measurement Data

Motion Measurement Processor (MMP) is one of three computer programs that are used together in the operation of a terrain-mapping dual-frequency interferometric synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) system. The other two programs - Jurassicprok and Calibration Processor - are described in the two immediately preceding articles. MMP acquires all the motion and attitude data collected by onboard instrumentation systems, including radar, laser and camera metrology, inertial navigation systems, and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. MMP combines all this information and processes it into all the trajectory information needed to run Jurassicprok, which performs the interferometric processing and mapping functions. MMP includes several Kalman filters for combining and smoothing aircraft motion and attitude data, and least-squares inversion and filtering software tools for solving for interferometric baseline lengths. MMP synchronizes the motion and radar data. It combines the various measurement data into a unified, seven-dimensional reference system and puts out the resulting filtered trajectory and attitude data along with instructions for use of the data by Jurassicprok, as well as the command files used to operate Jurassicprok.

Freedman, Adam↗

DOE OSTI2023

Correlated Trajectory Uncertainty for Adaptive Sequential Decision Making

One of the great challenges with decision making tasks on real world systems is the fact that data is sparse and acquiring additional data is expensive. In these cases, it is often crucial to make a model of the environment to assist in making decisions. At the same time, limited data means that learned models are erroneous, making it just as important to equip the model with good predictive uncertainties. In the context of learning sequential decision making policies, these uncertainties can prove useful for informing which data to collect for the greatest improvement in policy performance \citep{mehta2021experimental, mehta2022exploration} or informing the policy about unsure regions of state and action space to avoid during test time \citep{yu2020mopo}. Additionally, assuming that realistic samples of the environment can be drawn, an adaptable policy can be trained that attempts to make optimal decisions for any given possible instance of the environment \citep{ghosh2022offline, chen2021offline}. In this work, we examine the so-called ``probabilistic neural network'' (PNN) model that is ubiquitous in model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) works. We argue that while PNN models may have good marginal uncertainties, they form a distribution of non-smooth transition functions. Not only are these samples unrealistic and may hamper adaptability, but we also assert that this leads to poor uncertainty estimates when predicting multiple step trajectory estimates. To address this issue, we propose a simple sampling method that can be implemented on top of pre-existing models.We evaluate our sampling technique on a number of environments, including a realistic nuclear fusion task, and find that, not only do smooth transition function samples produce more calibrated uncertainties, but they also lead to better downstream performance for an adaptive policy.

Offline Reinforcement Learning↗

NASA NTRS1994

Unsteady panel method for flows with multiple bodies moving along various paths

A potential flow based three-dimensional panel method was modified to treat time-dependent conditions in which several submerged bodies can move within the fluid along different trajectories. This modification was accomplished by formulating the momentary solution in an inertial frame of reference, attached to the undisturbed stationary fluid. Consequently, the numerical interpretation of the multiple-body, solid-surface boundary condition and the viscous wake rollup was considerably simplified. The usteady capability of this code was calibrated and validated by comparing computed results with closed-form analytical results available for an airfoil, which was impulsively set into a constant speed forward motion. To demonstrate the multicomponent capability, computations were made for two wings following closely intersecting paths (i.e., simulations aimed at avoiding mid-air collisions) and for a flowfield with relative rotation (i.e., the case of a helicopter rotor rotating relative to the fuselage). Computed results for the cases were compared to experimental data, when such data was available.

Richardson, Thomas F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Fluctuating Pressure Data from 2-D Nozzle Cold Flow Tests (Dual Bell)

Rocket engines nozzle performance changes as a vehicle climbs through the atmosphere. An altitude compensating nozzle, ACN, is intended to improve on a fixed geometry bell nozzle that performs at optimum at only one trajectory point. In addition to nozzle performance, nozzle transient loads are an important consideration. Any nozzle experiences large transient toads when shocks pass through the nozzle at start and shutdown. Additional transient toads will occur at transitional flow conditions. The objectives of cold flow nozzle testing at MSFC are CFD benchmark / calibration and Unsteady flow / sideloads. Initial testing performed with 2-D inserts to 14" transonic wind tunnel. Recent review of 2-D data in preparation for nozzle test facility 3-D testing. This presentation shows fluctuating pressure data and some observations from 2-D dual-bell nozzle cold flow tests.

Nesman, Tomas E.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Passive Thermal Control for the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Test Vehicle Spin Motors Sub-System

Future missions to Mars will require improved entry, descent, and landing (EDL) technology over the Viking-heritage systems which recently landed the largest payload to date, the 900 kg Mars Science Laboratory. As a result, NASA's Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project is working to advance the state of the art in Mars EDL systems by developing and testing three key technologies which will enable heavier payloads and higher altitude landing sites on the red planet. These technologies consist of a large 33.5 m diameter Supersonic Disk Sail (SSDS) parachute and two different Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD) devices - a robotic class that inflates to a 6 m diameter torus (SIAD-R), and an exploration class that inflates to an 8 m diameter isotensoid (SIADE). All three technologies will be demonstrated on test vehicles at high earth altitudes in order to simulate the Mars EDL environment. Each vehicle will be carried to altitude by a large helium balloon, released, spun up using spin motors to stabilize the vehicle's trajectory, and accelerated to supersonic speeds using a large solid rocket motor. The vehicle will then be spun down using another set of spin motors, and will deploy either the SIAD-R or SIAD-E, followed by the SSDS parachute until the vehicle lands in the ocean. Component level testing and bounding analysis are used to ensure the survival of system components in extreme thermal environments and predict temperatures throughout the flight. This paper presents a general description of the thermal testing, model correlation, and analysis of the spin motor passive thermal control sub-system to maintain spin motor performance, prescribed vehicle trajectory, and structural integrity of the test vehicle. The spin motor subsystem is predicted to meet its requirements with margin.

thermal analysis↗

NASA NTRS2018

Measurements of Parachute Dynamics in the World's Largest Wind Tunnel by Stereo Photogrammetry

Between 2012 and 2017, parachutes for four NASA Projects were tested in the 80- by 120-Ft test section of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) at NASA Ames Research Center. These projects were: (1) Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD); (2) Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS, for Orion); (3) Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight, a Mars mission); and (4) Mars 2020. In all tests stereo photogrammetry was used to measure time-dependent positions of features on the canopies. For the LDSD and CPAS tests, where the purpose was to study the trade-off between stability and drag of different parachute designs, the pendulum motion of the canopies about the riser attachment point was measured by calibrated cameras in the diffuser. The CPAS test also included static measurements where the inflated parachutes were pulled to the side by a system of tethers. The Insight tests were structural qualification tests where each canopy was packed in a bag and launched from a mortar. Cameras in the diffuser measured the trajectory of the bag and the stripping of the bag from the canopy. The Mars 2020 test was a workmanship verification test where the canopies were either launched from a mortar or deployed from a sleeve stretched along the tunnel axis. The deployments were recorded from many directions by thirteen high-speed cameras distributed in the diffuser and test section. Photogrammetry was not planned; however, after a tunnel-related accident ended the test prematurely, photogrammetric measurements were bootstrapped from the images to support the accident investigations. This paper describes how the photogrammetry measurements were made in each test and presents typical results.

Schairer, Edward T.↗