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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Pulsed Laser System to Simulate Effects of Cosmic Rays in Semiconductor Devices

Spaceflight system electronic devices must survive a wide range of radiation environments with various particle types including energetic protons, electrons, gamma rays, x-rays, and heavy ions. High-energy charged particles such as heavy ions can pass straight through a semiconductor material and interact with a charge-sensitive region, generating a significant amount of charge (electron-hole pairs) along their tracks. These excess charges can damage the device, and the response can range from temporary perturbations to permanent changes in the state or performance. These phenomena are called single event effects (SEE). Before application in flight systems, electronic parts need to be qualified and tested for performance and radiation sensitivity. Typically, their susceptibility to SEE is tested by exposure to an ion beam from a particle accelerator. At such facilities, the device under test (DUT) is irradiated with large beams so there is no fine resolution to investigate particular regions of sensitivity on the parts. While it is the most reliable approach for radiation qualification, these evaluations are time consuming and costly. There is always a need for new cost-efficient strategies to complement accelerator testing: pulsed lasers provide such a solution. Pulsed laser light can be utilized to simulate heavy ion effects with the advantage of being able to localize the sensitive region of an integrated circuit. Generally, a focused laser beam of approximately picosecond pulse duration is used to generate carrier density in the semiconductor device. During irradiation, the laser pulse is absorbed by the electronic medium with a wavelength selected accordingly by the user, and the laser energy can ionize and simulate SEE as would occur in space. With a tightly focused near infrared (NIR) laser beam, the beam waist of about a micrometer can be achieved, and additional scanning techniques are able to yield submicron resolution. This feature allows mapping of all of the sensitive regions of the studied device with fine resolution, unlike heavy ion experiments. The problematic regions can be precisely identified, and it provides a considerable amount of information about the circuit. In addition, the system allows flexibility for testing the device in different configurations in situ.

Aveline, David C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Iterative Atmospheric Correction Scheme and the Polarization Color of Alpine Snow

Characterization of the Earth's surface is crucial to remote sensing, both to map geomorphological features and because subtracting this signal is essential during retrievals of the atmospheric constituents located between the surface and the sensor. Current operational algorithms model the surface total reflectance through a weighted linear combination of a few geometry-dependent kernels, each devised to describe a particular scattering mechanism. The information content of these measurements is overwhelmed by that of instruments with polarization capabilities: proposed models in this case are based on the Fresnel reflectance of an isotropic distribution of facets. Because of its remarkable lack of spectral contrast, the polarized reflectance of land surfaces in the shortwave infrared spectral region, where atmospheric scattering is minimal, can be used to model the surface also at shorter wavelengths, where aerosol retrievals are attempted based on well-established scattering theories. In radiative transfer simulations, straightforward separation of the surface and atmospheric contributions is not possible without approximations because of the coupling introduced by multiple reflections. Within a general inversion framework, the problem can be eliminated by linearizing the radiative transfer calculation, and making the Jacobian (i.e., the derivative expressing the sensitivity of the reflectance with respect to model parameters) available at output. We present a general methodology based on a Gauss-Newton iterative search, which automates this procedure and eliminates de facto the need of an ad hoc atmospheric correction. In this case study we analyze the color variations in the polarized reflectance measured by the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies Research Scanning Polarimeter during a survey of late-season snowfields in the High Sierra. This insofar unique dataset presents challenges linked to the rugged topography associated with the alpine environment and a likely high water content due to melting. The analysis benefits from ancillary information provided by the NASA Langley High Spectral Resolution Lidar deployed on the same aircraft. The results obtained from the iterative scheme are contrasted against the surface polarized reflectance obtained ignoring multiple reflections, via the simplistic subtraction of the atmospheric scattering contribution. Finally, the retrieved reflectance is modeled after the scattering properties of a dense collection of ice crystals at the surface. Confirming that the polarized reflectance of snow is spectrally flat would allow to extend the techniques already in use for polarimetric retrievals of aerosol properties over land to the large portion of snow-covered pixels plaguing orbital and suborbital observations.

Polarized BRDF↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Innovative Features of NASA's Celestial Mapping System to Support Exploration in the Lunar South Pole

Introduction: NASA's Celestial Mapping System (CMS) is developed to address the need for 3D tools for planetary science investigations, mission planning, in-situ operations, in a 3D-first design constructed around a unified view of a planetary globe. At present CMS provides many critical functionalities that include 1) Equipment planning and optimized placement on Lunar surface 2) Line of sight (visibility ) analysis 3) Powerful measurement tools based on 3D terrain with realistic 3D models to represent rovers, astronauts and equipment 4) Visualization of de-rived mapping products (e.g. resource maps), and 5) Data engine for hosting new observations that are not available in other contemporary lunar data tools. CMS is built on the foundation of powerful NASA WorldWind globe engines. In near future, users will be able to simultaneously deploy CMS onto multiple hardware configurations and platforms such as Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. The users will also have the flexibility to update to the latest imagery and terrain datasets as they are being acquired (in real time) before and/or during the exploration mission. CMS is also capable of consumption and analysis of data from locally hosted and external sources. It supports Open Geospatial Consorti-um (OGC) data and file standards, with current integrations of datasets from the Astrogeology Science Center of USGS which include global and local data acquired from NASA (LRO, Clementine, Lunar Orbiter) and JAXA (SELENE/Kaguya) with the capability of integrating more datasets. With development experience in both the end-user application and planetary engine side, CMS is also able to adapt to newer Lunar cartography standards as they develop and become recognized by international geospatial panels. Overcoming Polar Distortions: 3D geospatial applications traditionally suffer from significant distortion of imagery at the poles due to following reasons – 1) distortions in the source imagery 2) Incompatible tessellation algorithm on the poles 3) map projections. In the lunar context, with the focus on the South pole, this is not acceptable. The CMS team is researching ways to address polar distortion of imagery with new tessellation algorithms and by reprojecting the data using projections that are more accurate in polar scenarios. Figure1 shows the potential error introduced by different tessellation methods, represented by the red and green circles for Shoemaker crater. There is ~2 Km difference in the placement of the crater. Line of Sight Analysis and Traverse Planning: We have developed a built-in line of sight analysis (LOS) tool in CMS that analyzes the terrain profile and obstructions and provides the visibility of a given terrain for a remote observer. Figure 2 shows the viewshed analysis on the PSR in Nobile region. The PSR was created with help of HORUS generated images. The yellow pin shows the observer location outside the PSR. The yellow area shows the visible part of PSR. The obstructed area with no visibility for the observer is shown in red. This analysis was ex-tended further to set different heights for various observers and then perform the viewshed analysis. Combining the different visibility profiles can help designing improved traverses within the crater.

Geospatial Mapping↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Innovative Features of NASA's Celestial Mapping System to Support Exploration in the Lunar South Pole

Introduction: NASA's Celestial Mapping System (CMS) is developed to address the need for 3D tools for planetary science investigations, mission planning, in-situ operations, in a 3D-first design constructed around a unified view of a planetary globe. At present CMS provides many critical functionalities that include 1) Equipment planning and optimized placement on Lunar surface 2) Line of sight (visibility ) analysis 3) Powerful measurement tools based on 3D terrain with realistic 3D models to represent rovers, astronauts and equipment 4) Visualization of de-rived mapping products (e.g. resource maps), and 5) Data engine for hosting new observations that are not available in other contemporary lunar data tools. CMS is built on the foundation of powerful NASA WorldWind globe engines. In near future, users will be able to simultaneously deploy CMS onto multiple hardware configurations and platforms such as Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. The users will also have the flexibility to update to the latest imagery and terrain datasets as they are being acquired (in real time) before and/or during the exploration mission. CMS is also capable of consumption and analysis of data from locally hosted and external sources. It supports Open Geospatial Consorti-um (OGC) data and file standards, with current integrations of datasets from the Astrogeology Science Center of USGS which include global and local data acquired from NASA (LRO, Clementine, Lunar Orbiter) and JAXA (SELENE/Kaguya) with the capability of integrating more datasets. With development experience in both the end-user application and planetary engine side, CMS is also able to adapt to newer Lunar cartography standards as they develop and become recognized by international geospatial panels. Overcoming Polar Distortions: 3D geospatial applications traditionally suffer from significant distortion of imagery at the poles due to following reasons – 1) distortions in the source imagery 2) Incompatible tessellation algorithm on the poles 3) map projections. In the lunar context, with the focus on the South pole, this is not acceptable. The CMS team is researching ways to address polar distortion of imagery with new tessellation algorithms and by reprojecting the data using projections that are more accurate in polar scenarios. Figure1 shows the potential error introduced by different tessellation methods, represented by the red and green circles for Shoemaker crater. There is ~2 Km difference in the placement of the crater. Line of Sight Analysis and Traverse Planning: We have developed a built-in line of sight analysis (LOS) tool in CMS that analyzes the terrain profile and obstructions and provides the visibility of a given terrain for a remote observer. Figure 2 shows the viewshed analysis on the PSR in Nobile region. The PSR was created with help of HORUS generated images. The yellow pin shows the observer location outside the PSR. The yellow area shows the visible part of PSR. The obstructed area with no visibility for the observer is shown in red. This analysis was ex-tended further to set different heights for various observers and then perform the viewshed analysis. Combining the different visibility profiles can help designing improved traverses within the crater.

Geospatial Mapping↗
NASA NTRS1995

Simulated cosmic microwave background maps at 0.5 deg resolution: Unresolved features

High-contrast peaks in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy can appear as unresolved sources to observers. We fit simluated CMB maps generated with a cold dark matter model to a set of unresolved features at instrumental resolution 0.5 deg-1.5 deg to derive the integral number density per steradian n (greater than absolute value of T) of features brighter than threshold temperature absolute value of T and compare the results to recent experiments. A typical medium-scale experiment observing 0.001 sr at 0.5 deg resolution would expect to observe one feature brighter than 85 micro-K after convolution with the beam profile, with less than 5% probability to observe a source brighter than 150 micro-K. Increasing the power-law index of primordial density perturbations n from 1 to 1.5 raises these temperature limits absolute value of T by a factor of 2. The MSAM features are in agreement with standard cold dark matter models and are not necessarily evidence for processes beyond the standard model.

Kogut, A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Using Multiplicative Algebraic Reconstruction Techniques (MART) to Derive Instrument Requirements for Computed Tomography Imaging Spectrographs

Computed Tomography Imaging Spectrographs (CTISs), which are generally slitless or large-aperture spectrographs that observe a wide, dispersed field of view in multiple dispersion angles or diffraction orders, provide a unique opportunity to capture spectral information over an extended source, such as the Sun, but require software reconstruction techniques to be fully utilized. A useful data product that can be recovered from CTIS observations is intensity maps of solar features in single spectral lines. These intensity maps can then be used to determine temperature, density, abundance, and equilibrium properties of the emitting plasma. We apply the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) to example data from a variety of CTIS configurations to determine the capability and limitations of the method to return spectrally-pure maps. By completing this study, we aim to establish a path to derive requirements for CTIS instruments that rely on reconstruction techniques to meet their science objectives.

Amy Winebarger↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Digital Tectonic Activity Map of the Earth

The subject of neotectonics, covering the structures and structural activity of the last 5 million years (i.e., post-Miocene) is a well-recognized field, including "active tectonics," focussed on the last 500,000 years in a 1986 National Research Council report of that title. However, there is a cartographic gap between tectonic maps, generally showing all features regardless of age, and maps of current seismic or volcanic activity. We have compiled a map intended to bridge this gap, using modern data bases and computer-aided cartographic techniques. The maps presented here are conceptually descended from an earlier map showing tectonic and volcanic activity of the last one million years. Drawn by hand with the National Geographic Society's 1975 "The Physical World" map as a base, the 1981 map in various revisions has been widely reproduced in textbooks and various technical publications. However, two decades of progress call for a completely new map that can take advantage of new knowledge and cartographic techniques. The digital tectonic activity map (DTM), presented in shaded relief (Fig. 1) and schematic (Fig. 2) versions, is the result. The DTM is intended to show tectonism and volcanism of the last one million years, a period long enough to be representative of global activity, but short enough that features such as fault scarps and volcanos are still geomorphically recognizable. Data Sources and Cartographic Methods The DTM is based on a wide range of sources, summarized in Table 1. The most important is the digital elevation model, used to construct a shaded relief map. The bathymetry is largely from satellite altimetry, specifically the marine gravity compilations by Smith and Sandwell (1996). The shaded relief map was designed to match the new National Geographic Society world physical map (1992), although drawn independently, from the digital elevation model. The Robinson Projection is used instead of the earlier Van der Grinten one. Although neither conformal nor equal-area, the Robinson Projection provides a reasonable compromise and retains useful detail at high latitudes.

Lowman, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2025

Large Impact Features on Ganymede and Callisto as Revealed By Geological Mapping and Morphometry

The icy Galilean satellites are host to a broad range of impact feature morphologies. Hypotheses seeking to explain the diversity of these impact features consider the effects of impact melt, the physical state of the subsurface at the time of impact, and the impactor characteristics. As part of a larger effort to assess the role of these factors in the formation and evolution of these impact features, we have performed topographic and geological mapping of 19 large impact features on Ganymede and Callisto. These are divided into two main morphological groups: craters (subdivided into pit, dome, and anomalous dome craters), and penepalimpsests/palimpsests. The transitions from pit, dome, to anomalous dome craters appear to be size-dependent up to diameters of ∼170 km. The morphologies of pit and dome craters appear to be independent of their age or geologic context. The impacts that formed them only affected a cold, rigid ice layer, with the development of pits and raised annuli on their floors possibly stemming from the evolution of a pocket of impact melt. The subdued rims and floors of anomalous dome craters indicate the increasing effect of a weak, warm ice layer on impact feature morphology with increasing size, but their prominent annuli and pits indicate that mobilization of impact melt is also a factor. The very low topographic relief of older penepalimpsests and palimpsests indicates that their impacts penetrated the ice shell to mobilize very large volumes of pre-existing liquid from a subsurface layer, with little contribution to the final feature morphology from impact melt. Penepalimpsests are distinguished from palimpsests by the higher frequency of concentric ridges within their interiors, indicating a generally more robust state of the subsurface that could better support the rotation and uplift of solid material during impact, even if a crater-like depression could not be supported. A few impact features seem to be transitional between anomalous dome craters and penepalimpsests, and the overlap of anomalous dome craters, penepalimpsests, and palimpsests in terms of diameter as well as age indicates that impactor size and subsurface properties over time are major factors in determining which of these morphologies emerges.

Oliver L White↗
NASA NTRS1975

Geologic Investigations in the Basin and Range of Nevada Using Skylab/EREP Data

The author has identified the following significant results. Working from the S190A photography at a scale of 1:702,000 and comparing the results with existing geologic maps has suggested that the larger scale structural features can be mapped and related to regional trends which provide an overall view not available at lower altitudes. All S190B in-house coverage was in stereo. The stereo capability was helpful in resolving problems relating to elevations and attitude of bedding, etc., but the greatest single contribution was the resolution capability.

Quade, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Satellite information on Orlando, Florida

A land use map of Orange County, Florida was prepared from EREP photography while LANDSAT and EREP multispectral scanner data were used to provide more detailed information on Orlando and its suburbs. The generalized maps were prepared by tracing the patterns on an overlay, using an enlarging viewer. Digital analysis of the multispectral scanner data was basically the maximum likelihood classification method with training sample input and computer printer mapping of the results. Urban features delineated by the maps are discussed. It is concluded that computer classification, accompanied by human interpretation and manual simplification can produce land use maps which are useful on a regional, county, and city basis.

Hannah, J. W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaluation of Digital Nautical Chart data for confirmation and expansion of GeoNames data

Here, this work examines how Digital Nautical Chart (DNC) data may contribute to the evolution and refinement of GeoNames data for near-shore features. GeoNames features are point data with one or more possible place names. DNC Earth Cover Text (ECRText) objects are map labels positioned nearby their real word counterpart. ECRText feature map position strikes a compromise between association with real features and cartographic readability. This work explores whether ECRText features can confirm (or expand names for) existing locations or contribute new locations through data conflation. Due to name variations and spatial position, conflating these data are nontrivial. Previous work engaged in a brief examination using the trigram string matching algorithm under coarse proximity constraints, indicating that ECRText could provide additional value to GeoNames. This work builds on that study, by engaging in a deeper examination of spatial proximity and exploring conflation agreement across an ensemble of string matching approaches. The result finds strong ensemble agreement about ECRText features which already exist in GeoNames but mixed results about which features contribute new information, as well as exploring why some of these matching techniques fail. With an eye toward automation, computational efficiency was found not to be a constraint in sustaining updates.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
NASA NTRS1985

Atmospheric electric field and current configurations in the vicinity of mountains

A number of investigations have been conducted regarding the electrical distortion produced by the earth's orography. Hays and Roble (1979) utilized their global model of atmospheric electricity to study the effect of large-scale orographic features on the currents and fields of the global circuit. The present paper is concerned with an extension of the previous work, taking into account an application of model calculations to orographic features with different configurations and an examination of the electric mapping of these features to ionospheric heights. A two-dimensional quasi-static numerical model of atmospheric electricity is employed. The model contains a detailed electrical conductivity profile. The model region extends from the surface to 100 km and includes the equalization layer located above approximately 70 km. The obtained results show that the electric field and current configurations above mountains depend upon the curvature of the mountain slopes, on the width of the mountain, and on the columnar resistance above the mountain (or mountain height).

Tzur, I.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Crustal Thickness of Mars: Accuracy and Resolution

The accuracy of the most recent crustal thickness models of Mars is investigated along with their resolution. Evidence is presented of noise-like features in the maps and spectra that suggest the basic data only represent features down to resolutions of about 300 to 600 km. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Smith, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Summary of space imagery studies in Utah and Nevada

LANDSAT-1, Skylab, and RB-57 imagery acquired within days of each other of the San Rafael swell enabled geological mapping of individual formations of the southern portion of this broad anticlinal feature in eastern Utah. Mapping at a scale of 1/250,000 on an enhanced and enlarged S-190B image resulted in a geological map showing correlative mappable features that are indicated on the geological map of Utah at the same scale. An enhanced enlargement of an S-190B color image at a scale of 1/19,200 of the Bingham Porphyry Copper deposit allowed comparison of a geological map of the area with the space imagery map as fair for the intrusion boundaries and total lack of quality for mapping the sediments. Hydrothermal alteration is only slightly evident on space imagery at Bingham but in the Tintic mining district and the volcanic piles of the Keg and Thomas ranges, Utah, hydrothermal alteration is readily mapped on color enlargements of S-190B (SL-3, T3-3N Tr-2). A mercury soil-gas analyzer was developed for locating hidden mineralized zones which were suggested from space imagery.

Jensen, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

4DoF Drift Free Navigation Using Inertial Cues and Optical Flow

In this paper, we describe a novel approach in fusing optical flow with inertial cues (3D acceleration and 3D angular velocities) in order to navigate a Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) drift free in 4DoF and metric velocity. Our approach only requires two consecutive images with a minimum of three feature matches. It does not require any (point) map nor any type of feature history. Thus it is an inherently failsafe approach that is immune to map and feature-track failures. With these minimal requirements we show in real experiments that the system is able to navigate drift free in all angles including yaw, in one metric position axis, and in 3D metric velocity. Furthermore, it is a power-on-and-go system able to online self-calibrate the inertial biases, the visual scale and the full 6DoF extrinsic transformation parameters between camera and IMU.

reconnissance↗
NASA NTRS1975

Earth resources evaluation for New Mexico by LANDSAT-2

The author has identified the following significant results. The Middle Rio Grande project has not yet progressed to the point where mineral exploration sites can be chosen; however, there does appear to be some correlation between the known structure and mineral deposits and the LANDSAT lineament map. A circular feature identified in the southern Magdalena Mountains on LANDSAT-1 imagery agrees well with the location of a newly proposed caldron complex. Several recognized and unrecognized circular features were identified on imagery of the Mogollon-Datil volcanic field. A check of aeromagnetic maps for New Mexico found that the circular features on the LANDSAT imagery showed up as areas of generally high magnetic intensity.

Linden, K. V.↗
NASA NTRS1972

An evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery for mapping of major earth fractures and related features

The author has identified the following significant results. Fractures of regional extent in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming were mapped from ERTS-1 imagery. Most previously mapped fractures were confirmed by the ERTS-1 image study, and many new fractures were discovered. In one area, the ERTS-1 imagery appeared to give superior results to ground studies.

Parker, R. B.↗