Results for “value analysis” — Page 88

NASA NTRS2007

Investigation of Liner Characteristics in the NASA Langley Curved Duct Test Rig

The Curved Duct Test Rig (CDTR), which is designed to investigate propagation of sound in a duct with flow, has been developed at NASA Langley Research Center. The duct incorporates an adaptive control system to generate a tone in the duct at a specific frequency with a target Sound Pressure Level and a target mode shape. The size of the duct, the ability to isolate higher order modes, and the ability to modify the duct configuration make this rig unique among experimental duct acoustics facilities. An experiment is described in which the facility performance is evaluated by measuring the sound attenuation by a sample duct liner. The liner sample comprises one wall of the liner test section. Sound in tones from 500 to 2400 Hz, with modes that are parallel to the liner surface of order 0 to 5, and that are normal to the liner surface of order 0 to 2, can be generated incident on the liner test section. Tests are performed in which sound is generated without axial flow in the duct and with flow at a Mach number of 0.275. The attenuation of the liner is determined by comparing the sound power in a hard wall section downstream of the liner test section to the sound power in a hard wall section upstream of the liner test section. These experimentally determined attenuations are compared to numerically determined attenuations calculated by means of a finite element analysis code. The code incorporates liner impedance values educed from measured data from the NASA Langley Grazing Incidence Tube, a test rig that is used for investigating liner performance with flow and with (0,0) mode incident grazing. The analytical and experimental results compare favorably, indicating the validity of the finite element method and demonstrating that finite element prediction tools can be used together with experiment to characterize the liner attenuation.

Gerhold, Carl H.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Erratum: "Discovery of a Second Millisecond Accreting Pulsar: XTE J1751-305"

The original Table 1 ("Timing Parameters of XTE J1751-305") contains one error. The epoch of pulsar mean longitude 90deg is incorrect due to a numerical conversion error in the preparation of the original table text. A corrected version of Table 1 is shown. For reference, the epoch of the ascending node is also included. The correct value was used in all of the analysis leading up to the paper. As T(sub 90) is a purely fiducial reference time, the scientific conclusions of the paper are unchanged.

Markwardt, Craig↗

NASA NTRS2012

A Parameterized Inversion Model for Soil Moisture and Biomass from Polarimetric Backscattering Coefficients

A semi-empirical algorithm for the retrieval of soil moisture, root mean square (RMS) height and biomass from polarimetric SAR data is explained and analyzed in this paper. The algorithm is a simplification of the distorted Born model. It takes into account the physical scattering phenomenon and has three major components: volume, double-bounce and surface. This simplified model uses the three backscattering coefficients ( sigma HH, sigma HV and sigma vv) at low-frequency (P-band). The inversion process uses the Levenberg-Marquardt non-linear least-squares method to estimate the structural parameters. The estimation process is entirely explained in this paper, from initialization of the unknowns to retrievals. A sensitivity analysis is also done where the initial values in the inversion process are varying randomly. The results show that the inversion process is not really sensitive to initial values and a major part of the retrievals has a root-mean-square error lower than 5% for soil moisture, 24 Mg/ha for biomass and 0.49 cm for roughness, considering a soil moisture of 40%, roughness equal to 3cm and biomass varying from 0 to 500 Mg/ha with a mean of 161 Mg/ha

soil moisture↗

NASA NTRS2015

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission Products and Services at the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC)

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) hosts and distributes GPM data within the NASA Earth Observation System Data Information System (EOSDIS). The GES DISC is also home to the data archive for the GPM predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). Over the past 17 years, the GES DISC has served the scientific as well as other communities with TRMM data and user-friendly services. During the GPM era, the GES DISC will continue to provide user-friendly data services and customer support to users around the world. GPM products currently and to-be available: -Level-1 GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and partner radiometer products, DPR products -Level-2 Goddard Profiling Algorithm (GPROF) GMI and partner products, DPR products -Level-3 daily and monthly products, DPR products -Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) products (early, late, and final) A dedicated Web portal (including user guides, etc.) has been developed for GPM data (http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gpm). Data services that are currently and to-be available include Google-like Mirador (http://mirador.gsfc.nasa.gov/) for data search and access; data access through various Web services (e.g., OPeNDAP, GDS, WMS, WCS); conversion into various formats (e.g., netCDF, HDF, KML (for Google Earth), ASCII); exploration, visualization, and statistical online analysis through Giovanni (http://giovanni.gsfc.nasa.gov); generation of value-added products; parameter and spatial subsetting; time aggregation; regridding; data version control and provenance; documentation; science support for proper data usage, FAQ, help desk; monitoring services (e.g. Current Conditions) for applications. The United User Interface (UUI) is the next step in the evolution of the GES DISC web site. It attempts to provide seamless access to data, information and services through a single interface without sending the user to different applications or URLs (e.g., search, access, subset, Giovanni, documents).

precipitation↗

NASA NTRS2010

Physical and Electrical Characterization of Aluminum Polymer Capacitors

Conductive polymer aluminum capacitor (PA capacitor) is an evolution of traditional wet electrolyte aluminum capacitors by replacing liquid electrolyte with a solid, highly conductive polymer. On the other hand, the cathode construction in polymer aluminum capacitors with coating of carbon and silver epoxy for terminal connection is more like a combination of the technique that solid tantalum capacitor utilizes. This evolution and combination result in the development of several competing capacitor construction technologies in manufacturing polymer aluminum capacitors. The driving force of this research on characterization of polymer aluminum capacitors is the rapid progress in IC technology. With the microprocessor speeds exceeding a gigahertz and CPU current demands of 80 amps and more, the demand for capacitors with higher peak current and faster repetition rates bring conducting polymer capacitors to the center o( focus. This is because this type of capacitors has been known for its ultra-low ESR and high capacitance. Polymer aluminum capacitors from several manufacturers with various combinations of capacitance, rated voltage, and ESR values were obtained and tested. The construction analysis of the capacitors revealed three different constructions: conventional rolled foil, the multilayer stacking V-shape, and a dual-layer sandwich structure. The capacitor structure and its impact on the electrical characteristics has been revealed and evaluated. A destructive test with massive current over stress to fail the polymer aluminum capacitors reveals that all polymer aluminum capacitors failed in a benign mode without ignition, combustion, or any other catastrophic failures. The extraordinary low ESR (as low as 3 mOMEGA), superior frequency independence reported for polymer aluminum capacitors have been confirmed. For the applications of polymer aluminum capacitors in space programs, a thermal vacuum cycle test was performed. The results, as expected, show no impact on the electrical characteristics of the capacitors. The breakdown voltage of polymer capacitors has been evaluated using a steady step surge test. Initial results show the uniform distribution in the breakdown voltage for polymer aluminum capacitors. Polymer aluminum capacitors with a combination of very high capacitance, extraordinary low ESR, excellent frequency stability, and non-ignite benign failure mode make it a niche fit in space applications for both today and future. Polymer capacitors are apparently also the best substitutes of the currently used MnO2-based tantalum capacitors in the low voltage range. However, some critical aspects are still to be addressed in the next phase of the investigation for PA capacitors. These include the long term reliability test of 125 C dry life and 85 C/85%RH humidity, the failure mechanism and de-rating, the radiation tolerance, and the high temperature performance. All of the above requires the continuous NEPP funding and support.

Liu, David (Donghang)↗

NASA NTRS2018

Global Assessment of the SMAP Level-4 Soil Moisture Product Using Assimilation Diagnostics

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission Level-4 Soil Moisture (L4_SM) product provides 3-hourly, 9-km resolution, global estimates of surface (0-5 cm) and root-zone (0-100 cm) soil moisture and related land surface variables from 31 March 2015 to present with approx. 2.5-day latency. The ensemble-based L4_SM algorithm assimilates SMAP brightness temperature (Tb) observations into the Catchment land surface model. This study describes the spatially distributed L4_SM analysis and assesses the observation-minus-forecast (O-F) Tb residuals and the soil moisture and temperature analysis increments. Owing to the climatological rescaling of the Tb observations prior to assimilation, the analysis is essentially unbiased, with global mean values of approx. 0.37 K for the O-F Tb residuals and practically zero for the soil moisture and temperature increments. There are, however, modest regional (absolute) biases in the O-F residuals (under approx. 3 K), the soil moisture increments (under approx. 0.01 cu m/cu m), and the surface soil temperature increments (under approx. 1 K). Typical instantaneous values are approx. 6 K for O-F residuals, approx. 0.01 (approx. 0.003) cu m/cu m for surface (root-zone) soil moisture increments, and approx. 0.6 K for surface soil temperature increments. The O-F diagnostics indicate that the actual errors in the system are overestimated in deserts and densely vegetated regions and underestimated in agricultural regions and transition zones between dry and wet climates. The O-F auto-correlations suggest that the SMAP observations are used efficiently in western North America, the Sahel, and Australia, but not in many forested regions and the high northern latitudes. A case study in Australia demonstrates that assimilating SMAP observations successfully corrects short-term errors in the L4_SM rainfall forcing.

Reichle, Rolf↗

NASA NTRS2018

Using Data Assimilation Diagnostics to Assess the SMAP Level-4 Soil Moisture Product

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission Level-4 Soil Moisture (L4_SM) product provides 3-hourly, 9-km resolution, global estimates of surface (0-5 cm) and root-zone (0-100 cm) soil moisture and related land surface variables from 31 March 2015 to present with approx.2.5-day latency. The ensemble-based L4_SM algorithm assimilates SMAP brightness temperature (Tb) observations into the Catchment land surface model. This study describes the spatially distributed L4_SM analysis and assesses the observation-minus-forecast (O-F) Tb residuals and the soil moisture and temperature analysis increments. Owing to the climatological rescaling of the Tb observations prior to assimilation, the analysis is essentially unbiased, with global mean values of approx. 0.37 K for the O-F Tb residuals and practically zero for the soil moisture and temperature increments. There are, however, modest regional (absolute) biases in the O-F residuals (under approx. 3 K), the soil moisture increments (under approx. 0.01 cu m/cu m), and the surface soil temperature increments (under approx. 1 K). Typical instantaneous values are approx. 6 K for O-F residuals, approx. 0.01 (approx. 0.003) cu m/cu m for surface (root-zone) soil moisture increments, and approx. 0.6 K for surface soil temperature increments. The O-F diagnostics indicate that the actual errors in the system are overestimated in deserts and densely vegetated regions and underestimated in agricultural regions and transition zones between dry and wet climates. The O-F auto-correlations suggest that the SMAP observations are used efficiently in western North America, the Sahel, and Australia, but not in many forested regions and the high northern latitudes. A case study in Australia demonstrates that assimilating SMAP observations successfully corrects short-term errors in the L4_SM rainfall forcing.

SMAP↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Simple Test Method for Large Deformation Bending of Thin High Strain Composite Flexures

A simple test method for large deformation bending of thin composite laminates is investigated using image processing and full-field strain measurements. The assumptions and kinematic equations that represent the test are used to calculate numerically the laminate bending stiffness and strength as well as the curvature and strains at failure. In order to validate the test methodology, a comparison is performed between analytical model predictions and empirical data in terms of computed surface strains versus digital image correlation data and calculated rotation angles of the fixture arms throughout the test versus measured ones. The new test method is then used to calculate the bending stiffness in the D11 and D22 directions as well as failure strains for various thin-ply laminates of interest. These parameters are ultimately compared with predicted values using micromechanics and classical lamination theory analysis. In general, bending stiffness and strain test results and predictions for 0 degree orientation coupons have a maximum difference of 10% and 35%.

Fernandez, Juan M.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Thoracic Pressure Does Not Impact CSF Pressure via Compartment Compliance

Space acquired neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) remains a difficult risk to characterize due to the complex multi-factorial etiology related to physiological responses to the spaceflight environment. Fluid shift and the resultant change on the Cardiovascular (CV) and cerebral spinal fluid systems (CSF) in the absence of gravity continue to be considered a contributing factor to the progression of SANS. In this study, we utilize a computational model of the CSF and CV interface to establish the sensitivity that intracranial pressure, and subsequently the optic nerve sheath pressure, exhibits due to variations in thoracic pressure, assuming the cranial perfusion pressure, i.e. mean arterial pressure (MAP) to central venous pressure (CVP), is known. Methods: The GRC Cross cutting computational modeling project created as model of the CSF and CV interaction within the cranial vault by extending the work of Stevens et al. [1] by modifying the representative anatomy to include a separate venous sinus, jugular veins, secondary veins and extra jugular pathways [2-3] to more adequately represent the vascular drainage pathways from the cranial vault (Figure 1). Assuming the MAP, CVP and thoracic pressure are known, we initiated this enhanced computational model assuming a supine positon and utilized a linear ramp to vary the thoracic pressure from the assumed supine state to the target pressure corresponding to set MAP and CVP values. The model generates the time based CSF pressure values (Figure2). Results and Conclusions: Following this analysis, CSF pressure shows significant independence from thoracic pressure changes (16 mmHg in thoracic pressure produces < 1mmHg change in CSF pressure), being mostly dependent on perfusion pressure. Similarly fluid redistribution is not predicted to be impacted over a level of 1mL. We note that this simulation represents an acute changes (order of 10's of minutes) and does not represent the long term effects.

Munster, Drayton W.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lower neck injury criteria for THOR and Hybrid III dummies in rear impact

The objectives of the study are to derive lower-neck-injury probability curves under rear impact loading from matched pair Hybrid III and THOR dummy tests. Methods: Twelve whole-body and 15 isolated head-neck rear-impact sled tests were conducted using the 2 dummies. They were positioned on a rigid seat that was attached to an acceleration sled. The dummies were positioned with the head parallel to the ground, torso against the seat back, and legs stretched such that there was no axial rotation. The acceleration pulse matched the previous in-house human cadaver tests. The 6-axis lower-neck load cell was used in both dummies. For the isolated rear-impact tests,the head-neck was excised from the dummies, and the lower-neck load cell was mounted to the top of the sled with the head parallel to the ground and such that the acceleration vector was in the rear impact mode. Lower-neck loads and lower-neck-injury criteria (LNij) were obtained using the load cell data and survival analysis to develop injury-assessment-risk values and curves for both dummies. The LNij criteria were determined for both dummies using the intercept value corresponding to the 90% probability level for the forces and moments. Results: The log normal and Weibull distributions were the optimal distributions for the Hybrid III and THOR devices. At the 50% risk level, the mean LNij of 1.1 and NCIS was 0.77 for the Hybrid III, and 1.5 NCIS was 0.30 for the THOR device. The quality indices were in the fair range and good range for the 2 dummies, respectively, at this risk level. Conclusions: The lower-neck-based IARCs and IARVs serve as the first dataset for injury assessments, and the THOR may be a better test device for assessing injures in rear impact environments.

Narayan Yoganandan↗

NASA NTRS2021

Performance and High-Speed Characterization of a 100-kW Nested Hall Thruster

The performance of a three-channel, 100-kW class nested Hall thruster was evaluated on xenon propellant for total powers up to 102 kW. The thruster demonstrated stable operation in all seven available channel combinations at discharge voltages from 300 V to 500 V and three different current densities. The resulting test matrix contained forty-six unique conditions ranging from 5 to 102 kW total power and 16 to 247 A discharge current. At each operating condition, thrust and telemetry was measured, and from these measurements specific impulse and efficiency were calculated. All seven channel combinations showed similar performance at a given discharge voltage and current density. The largest thrust recorded was 5.4 N ± 0.1 N at 99 kW, 400 V discharge voltage. Total efficiency and specific impulse ranged from 0.54 to 0.67 ± 0.03 and 1800 seconds to 2650 seconds ± 60 seconds, respectively. It was found that the thrust of the three channels firing together was not larger than the sum of each channel firing individually. Discharge current oscillations were also characterized with peak-to-peak and root-mean-square values and with high-speed camera analysis, which provide insight into how the discharge channels oscillate, and how those oscillations are affected by the presence of other operating channels. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of operation beyond 100 kW, as well as the general viability of NHT technology for future mission applications.

High-power↗

NASA NTRS2021

Boundary Layer Instabilities Over a Cone-Cylinder-Flare Model at Mach 6

Computations are performed to investigate the boundary-layer instabilities over a sharp cone-cylinder-flare model at zero degrees angle of attack. The model geometry and the flow conditions are selected to match the experiments conducted in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach 6 Quiet Tunnel (BAM6QT) at Purdue University. The geometry consists of a nominally sharp 5-degree half-angle cone, followed by a cylindrical segment and then a 10-degree flare. An axisymmetric separation bubble is generated as a result of the laminar shock/boundary-layer interaction in the cylinder-flare region. The comparison of the laminar flow solution and the schlieren images shows a remarkable agreement between the respective locations of both the boundarylayer edge and the reattachment shock. The predicted heat flux distribution is also in agreement with the measured values downstream of the reattachment location. The analysis of convective and global instabilities is performed for flare half angles equal to 8, 10, and 12 degrees and nosetip radii equal to 0.1, 1, and 5 mm. The linear amplification of first and second Mack mode instabilities that begin to amplify in the cone region are computed with a combination of the parabolized stability equations (PSE) and the harmonic linearized Navier-Stokes equations (HLNSE). The predicted frequency spectra of the surface pressure fluctuations associated with both planar and oblique instability waves are compared with the measured spectra at the various locations of the PCB and Kulite sensors. The comparison shows that the computational analysis captures the distinct lobes within the disturbance amplification spectra measured in the experiments, but some differences in amplification characteristics are noted at low frequencies. Overall, the oblique disturbances are found to be more amplified than the planar disturbances. To our knowledge, this represents the first successful comparison between convective instability analysis and measured surface pressure fluctuations for a hypersonic configuration with a separation bubble. Finally, the global instability analysis shows that the laminar flow becomes supercritical for flare half angles larger than 8 degrees. The unstable global mode for the experimental configuration of a 10 degrees flare and a sharp nosetip cone corresponds to a stationary three-dimensional disturbance that is concentrated in the recirculation region and achieves its maximum growth rate for an azimuthal wavenumber of 5.

Boundary layer transition↗

NASA NTRS2022

Boundary Layer Instabilities Over a Cone-Cylinder-Flare Model at Mach 6

Computations are performed to investigate the boundary-layer instabilities over a sharp cone-cylinder-flare model at zero degrees angle of attack. The model geometry and the flow conditions are selected to match the experiments conducted in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach 6 Quiet Tunnel (BAM6QT) at Purdue University. The geometry consists of a nominally sharp 5-degree half-angle cone, followed by a cylindrical segment and then a 10-degree flare. An axisymmetric separation bubble is generated as a result of the laminar shock/boundary-layer interaction in the cylinder-flare region. The comparison of the laminar flow solution and the schlieren images shows a remarkable agreement between the respective locations of both the boundarylayer edge and the reattachment shock. The predicted heat flux distribution is also in agreement with the measured values downstream of the reattachment location. The analysis of convective and global instabilities is performed for flare half angles equal to 8, 10, and 12 degrees and nosetip radii equal to 0.1, 1, and 5 mm. The linear amplification of first and second Mack mode instabilities that begin to amplify in the cone region are computed with a combination of the parabolized stability equations (PSE) and the harmonic linearized Navier-Stokes equations (HLNSE). The predicted frequency spectra of the surface pressure fluctuations associated with both planar and oblique instability waves are compared with the measured spectra at the various locations of the PCB and Kulite sensors. The comparison shows that the computational analysis captures the distinct lobes within the disturbance amplification spectra measured in the experiments, but some differences in amplification characteristics are noted at low frequencies. Overall, the oblique disturbances are found to be more amplified than the planar disturbances. To our knowledge, this represents the first successful comparison between convective instability analysis and measured surface pressure fluctuations for a hypersonic configuration with a separation bubble. Finally, the global instability analysis shows that the laminar flow becomes supercritical for flare half angles larger than 8 degrees. The unstable global mode for the experimental configuration of a 10 degrees flare and a sharp nosetip cone corresponds to a stationary three-dimensional disturbance that is concentrated in the recirculation region and achieves its maximum growth rate for an azimuthal wavenumber of 5.

Hydrodynamic instability↗

NASA NTRS2023

Ruggedness Evaluation of ASTM International Standard Test Methods for Shape Memory Materials: E3098 Standard Test Method for Mechanical Uniaxial Pre-strain and Thermal Free Recovery of Shape Memory Alloys

This paper evaluates the ruggedness testing of the recently released ASTM International E3098 Standard Test Method for Mechanical Uniaxial Pre-strain and Thermal Free Recovery of Shape Memory Alloys. The ruggedness experiment was designed with eight runs in two replicates, consisting of seven factors: strain rate (ė), heating and cooling rates (Ṫ heat and Ṫ cool , respectively), upper and lower cycle temperatures (UCT and LCT, respectively), hold time (t hold ), and minimum load (F min ) imparted on the samples. The results indicate that the strain rate factor had no effect on any result variable, whereas the minimum load factor had a large effect on several result variables including the austenite start and martensite finish temperatures as well as most of the strain measurements from the thermal cycle. The lower cycle temperature factor had a large effect on the stress at maximum strain during pre-straining (e i ), denoted by S i , at ~7.2 MPa, as well as the A f , at 5.47 °C. Closely following the LCT effect, Ṫ heat was found to have a large effect on the austenite start temperature (A s ), at a value of ~2.72 °C. The testing methodology, analysis techniques, and resulting conclusions on the ruggedness of the test method are presented.

Shape memory alloys↗

NASA NTRS2023

Elastic Modulus Testing for TriTruss Struts

The TriTruss is a novel structural module developed by researchers at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) that can be used in space to assemble large backing structures for a variety of applications. One such application is the metering truss and primary mirror backbone support structure of an in-space assembled telescope(iSAT). For the iSAT application, the TriTruss will be supporting mirror segments, payloads, and instruments, all of which require the TriTruss to have robust structural integrity. An accurate elastic modulus value is crucial to the finite element analysis(FEA) of the structure. Initial testing indicated that the equivalent elastic modulus provided by the manufacturer and used in the analyses did not accurately predict the behavior of the structure. In this paper, the in-house testing method developed at LaRC to accurately measure the equivalent elastic modulus of the composite struts for use in the analyses is described. A tensile and compressive equivalent elastic modulus was computed from the data obtained in this test. The testing resulted in a tensile equivalent elastic modulus of 24.6 Msi (standard deviation of 0.888 Msi) or 169 GPa (standard deviation of 6.20 GPa) and a compressive equivalent elastic modulus of 22.8 Msi (standard deviation of 0.780 Msi) or 157 GPa(standard deviation of 5.38 GPa) for the single wall thickness struts. For double wall thickness struts, the testing resulted in a tensile equivalent elastic modulus of32.1 Msi (standard deviation of 1.003 Msi) or 221 GPa (standard deviation of 6.91GPa) and a compressive equivalent elastic modulus of 31.9 Msi (standard deviation of 1.123) or 220 GPa (standard deviation of 7.74 GPa).1

TriTruss↗

NASA NTRS2023

Orion Artemis I as Flown MMOD Analysis

The Orion spacecraft conducted the Artemis I flight around the Moon from November 16 through December 11, 2022. After the flight, the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) Group performed a Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) analysis using the Bumper 3 risk assessment tool to predict the number of small impacts that would likely have occurred during the mission. Separately, the same group inspected the Orion capsule for hypervelocity impact damage features. The results of the inspection were compared to those of the analysis to aid in improving the analysis, including the environment models. The comparison showed that Bumper analysis predictions were generally within one integer value of the damage found, which is considered high accuracy. As this was the first large, non-ablative returned surface from a lunar mission, this effort extends the MMOD community’s insight beyond low Earth orbit into cis-lunar space.

Kevin D Deighton↗

NASA NTRS2023

Orion Artemis I as Flown MMOD Analysis

The Orion spacecraft conducted the Artemis I flight around the Moon from November 16 through December 11, 2022. After the flight, the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) Group performed a Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) analysis using the Bumper 3 risk assessment tool to predict the number of small impacts that would likely have occurred during the mission. Separately, the same group inspected the Orion capsule for hypervelocity impact damage features. The results of the inspection were compared to those of the analysis to aid in improving the analysis, including the environment models. The comparison showed that Bumper analysis predictions were generally within one integer value of the damage found, which is considered high accuracy. As this was the first large, non-ablative returned surface from a lunar mission, this effort extends the MMOD community’s insight beyond low Earth orbit into cis-lunar space.

MMOD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Monitoring Vegetation Impacts of Night Penning in Idaho and Oregon Grazing Allotments Using Remote Sensing

The practice of night penning, which involves corralling livestock into a fenced, secure area overnight, aims to safeguard animals from predators. Although this method has proven successful in minimizing interactions between livestock and wildlife, the extent of its impact on vegetation communities is still being explored. In this study, we used the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP), which aggregates spatially distributed values of vegetation composition, cover, and productivity from the Landsat missions, to quantify the effects of night penning on rangeland vegetation communities. We identified control sites that had similar topographic characteristics to night pen sites used by ranchers in Idaho and Oregon. We then quantified and compared changes in annual net primary productivity (NPP) between night pen and control sites. Our study found that RAP NPP data did not show a noticeable difference between control sites and night penning sites. When analyzed quantitatively, night pen sites showed variability in NPP before and after night penning; however, there were few discernible differences between night pen sites and control sites, suggesting that climate conditions can have more of an effect on NPP measurements compared to land management decisions. In the summer of 2024, field crews from the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory collected biomass data from these rangeland sites, and this will be used to compare and validate RAP products while continuing to investigate the effects of night penning.

Truman Anarella↗