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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

Telemetry link for an automatic salmon migration monitor

The antenna and transmitter described in this report were designed for integration into the remote acoustic assessment system for detection of sockeye salmon in the Bristol Bay region of the Bering Sea. The assessment system configuration consists of an upward directed sonar buoy anchored 150 ft below the surface and attached by cable to a spar buoy tethered some 300 ft laterally. The spar buoy contains a telemetry transmitter, power supply, data processing electronics, an antenna and a beacon light.

Baldwin, H. A.↗

Tracking air-dropped drogues and dyes from aircraft in support of ERTS-1 circulation studies

The author has identified the following significant results. For two years ERTS-1 has been employed to investigate current circulation patterns in Delaware Bay under different tidal, flow, and wind conditions. Since sufficient numbers of current meters and boats are not available, air-droppable drogues and dye packs have been developed and tested. The drogues consist of a styrofoam float and a line to which is attached a stainless steel biplane. The length of the line determines at what depth currents will be monitored. The floats are color coded to distinguish their movement and mark the depth of the biplanes. Simultaneously floating and anchored dye packs of fluorescein dye have been deployed from aircraft. The movement of the dye and drogues is tracked by sequential aerial photography, using fixed markers on shore or on buoys as reference points to calibrate the scale and direction of drogue movement. The current data obtained by this technique is then used to annotate current circulation maps derived from ERTS-1 imagery.

Klemas, V.↗

Solar Sea Power Plants (SSPP): A critical review and survey

An overview of technical and economic matters relating to the eventual success or failure of the SSPP concept is presented, with emphasis on the pollution and energy problems which the SSPP would serve to eliminate. Factors discussed include cost, mariculture possibilities, siting, legal limitations, design materials, mooring and anchoring, and the human element involved. Several alternative power systems are considered for incorporation into SSPP design, such as Nitinol power, Claude cycle, and closed cycle engine systems.

Strauss, A. M.↗

Passive stabilization of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF)

The results of a study on the application of the magnetically anchored rate damper to gravity gradient stabilization of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) are presented. The analyses and simulations required to investigate the use of an existing viscous magnetic rate damper for rate stabilizing the LDEF spacecraft were performed. The following tasks were included: linear performance estimates, capture and damper requirements, and performance prediction. Each of these tasks was performed for two gravity gradient stabilization configurations; an axisymmetric configuration for two-axis (pitch and roll) stability; and a non-axisymmetric configuration for three-axis stability. The results are presented by stabilization configuration.

Das, A.↗

Earth resources technology satellite /ERTS/ data collection and transmission buoys for inland, neritic and oceanic waters

As a result of a consortium of several industries and organizations, an economical, versatile, and stable data collection and transmission buoy has been designed, developed, and deployed to gather and transmit water quality data to a ground receiving station at three-minute intervals and to the earth resources technology satellite (ERTS) as it passes over the deployed buoy every 12 hours. The buoy system, designed for both fresh and salt water application, gathers data inclusive of temperature measurement, conductivity, relative acidity, dissolved oxygen, current speed, and direction. The mechanical design philosophy used to determine and satisfy boundary conditions involving stability, ease of deployment, servicing and maintenance, minimal manufacturing costs, and fresh and salt water installation capability is discussed. The development of peripheral handling equipment and anchoring systems is described.

Chapman, W. S.↗

Precision centering vise

Lightweight device automatically alines stainless-steel tubing and fittings, regardless of differing diameters, prior to joining via induction brazing. Device is useful in remote areas where existing supports or walls cannot be used to anchor tubing holder.

Thompson, J. A.↗

Hydrofoil controls outfall effluents in rivers and oceans

System, which consists of vertical semispan hydrofoil anchored in water bed and set at angle of attack with respect to ambient water flow, works by keeping pollutants concentrated within long trailing vortex generated by hydrofoil and either deflecting vortex away from sensitive regions or sweeping it from side to side for rapid dispersion.

Costen, R. C.↗

Magnetospheric protons and electrons encountered by the moon in the plasma sheet

Results are summarized for a study of plasma-sheet particles (and their flow) encountered by the moon during its passage through the geomagnetic tail. The study is based on analysis of data obtained with a modulated Faraday cup on board the lunar-anchored spacecraft Explorer 35. It is shown that the electrons have a rapidly fluctuating non-Maxwellian energy distribution with a mean energy of several hundred electron volts and a density of approximately 0.2 per cu cm. Protons with energies of the order of 1 keV were usually detected above the instrument background when flowing towards earth at about 200 km/sec. It is suggested that strong terrestrial polar winds during the early history of the earth-moon system could have caused some erosion of the front side of the moon and that the relative smoothness of the same side could be explained in terms of gravitational shielding by the earth from the interplanetary rock flux.

Prakash, A.↗

Leading edge protection for composite blades

A laminated filament composite structure, such as an airfoil for use in an environment in which it is subjected to both foreign object impact and bending is provided with improved leading edge protection. At least one fine wire mesh layer is partially bonded within the composite structure along its neutral bending axis. A portion of the wire mesh layer extends beyond the neutral bending axis and partially around the leading edge where it is bonded to the outer periphery of the primary composite structure. The wire mesh is clad with a metal such as nickel to provide an improved leading edge protective device which is firmly anchored within the composite structure. Also described is a novel method of constructing a composite airfoil so as to further minimize the possibility of losing the leading edge protective device due to delamination caused by impact and bending.

Brantley, J. W.↗

Extension of surface data by use of meteorological satellites

Ways of using meteorological satellite data to extend surface data are summarized. Temperature models are prepared from infrared data from ITOS/NOAA, NIMBUS, SMS/GOES, or future LANDSAT satellites. Using temperatures for surface meteorological stations as anchors, an adjustment is made to temperature values for each pixel in the model. The result is an image with an estimated temperature for each pixel. This provides an economical way of producing detailed temperature information for data-sparse areas, such as are found in underdeveloped countries. Related uses of these satellite data are also given, including the use of computer prepared cloud-free composites to extend climatic zones, and their use in discrimination of reflectivity-thermal regime zones.

Giddings, L. E.↗

NASA/Cousteau ocean bathymetry experiment. Remote bathymetry using high gain LANDSAT data

Satellite remote bathymetry was varified to 22 m depths where water clarity was defined by alpha = .058 1/m and bottom reflection, r(b), was 26%. High gain band 4 and band 5 CCT data from LANDSAT 1 was used for a test site in the Bahama Islands and near Florida. Near Florida where alpha = .11 1/m and r(b) = 20%, depths to 10 m were verified. Depth accuracies within 10% rms were achieved. Position accuracies within one LANDSAT pixel were obtained by reference to the Transit navigation satellites. The Calypso and the Beayondan, two ships, were at anchor on each of the seven days during LANDSAT 1 and 2 overpasses: LORAN C position information was used when the ships were underway making depth transects. Results are expected to be useful for updating charts showing shoals hazardous to navigation or in monitoring changes in nearshore topography.

Polcyn, F. C.↗

Outfall siting with dye-buoy remote sensing of coastal circulation

A dye-buoy remote sensing technique has been applied to estuarine siting problems that involve fine-scale circulation. Small hard cakes of sodium fluorescein and polyvinyl alcohol, in anchored buoys and low-windage current followers, dissolve to produce dye marks resolvable in 1:60,000 scale color and color infrared imagery. Lagrangian current vectors are determined from sequential photo coverage. Careful buoy placement reveals surface currents and submergence near fronts and convergence zones. The technique has been used in siting two sewage outfalls in Hampton Roads, Virginia: In case one, the outfall region during flood tide gathered floating materials in a convergence zone, which then acted as a secondary source during ebb; for better dispersion during ebb, the proposed outfall site was moved further offshore. In case two, flow during late flood was found to divide, with one half passing over shellfish beds; the proposed outfall site was consequently moved to keep effluent in the other half.

Munday, J. C., Jr.↗

Vehicular impact absorption system

An improved vehicular impact absorption system characterized by a plurality of aligned crash cushions of substantially cubic configuration is described. Each consists of a plurality of voided aluminum beverage cans arranged in substantial parallelism within a plurality of superimposed tiers and a covering envelope formed of metal hardware cloth. A plurality of cables is extended through the cushions in substantial parallelism with an axis of alignment for the cushions adapted to be anchored at each of the opposite end thereof.

Knoell, A. C.↗

Skylab viscous damper study

The proposed magnetically anchored viscous fluid damper can maintain the Skylab in a gravity-gradient stabilized mode at the anticipated reboost altitudes. The parameters influencing damper performance (and thereby affecting the degree of risk) are: (1) amount of skylab pitch bias in the orbit plane which will result from aerodynamic trim conditions of the post-reboost configuration Skylab; (2) the lowest altitude to which the post-reboost Skylab will be allowed to decay prior to the next rendezvous; (3) maximum allowable weight and size of the proposed damper in order to match shuttle/TRS mission constraints; (4) the amount of magnetic materials expected to be in the vicinity of the damper.

Source record↗

Analysis of the passive stabilization of the long duration exposure facility

The nominal Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) configurations and the anticipated orbit parameters are presented. A linear steady state analysis was performed using these parameters. The effects of orbit eccentricity, solar pressure, aerodynamic pressure, magnetic dipole, and the magnetically anchored rate damper were evaluated to determine the configuration sensitivity to variations in these parameters. The worst case conditions for steady state errors were identified, and the performance capability calculated. Garber instability bounds were evaluated for the range of configuration and damping coefficients under consideration. The transient damping capabilities of the damper were examined, and the time constant as a function of damping coefficient and spacecraft moment of inertia determined. The capture capabilities of the damper were calculated, and the results combined with steady state, transient, and Garber instability analyses to select damper design parameters.

Siegel, S. H.↗

Large space structures fabrication experiment

The fabrication machine used for the rolltrusion and on-orbit forming of graphite thermoplastic (CTP) strip material into structural sections is described. The basic process was analytically developed parallel with, and integrated into the conceptual design of, a flight experiment machine for producing a continuous triangular cross section truss. The machine and its associated ancillary equipment are mounted on a Space Lab pallet. Power, thermal control, and instrumentation connections are made during ground installation. Observation, monitoring, caution and warning, and control panels and displays are installed at the payload specialist station in the orbiter. The machine is primed before flight by initiation of beam forming, to include attachment of the first set of cross members and anchoring of the diagonal cords. Control of the experiment will be from the orbiter mission specialist station. Normal operation is by automatic processing control software. Machine operating data are displayed and recorded on the ground. Data is processed and formatted to show progress of the major experiment parameters including stable operation, physical symmetry, joint integrity, and structural properties.

Source record↗

Field Measurements of Penetrator Seismic Coupling in Sediments and Volcanic Rocks

Field experiments were conducted to determine how well a seismometer installed using a penetrator would be coupled to the ground. A dry-lake bed and a lava bed were chosen as test sites to represent geological environments of two widely different material properties. At each site, two half-scale penetrators were fired into the ground, a three-component geophone assembly was mounted to the aft end of each penetrator, and dummy penetrators were at various distances to generate seismic signals. These signals were detected by the penetrator-mounted geophone assembly and by a reference geophone assembly buried or anchored to surface rock and 1-m from the penetrator. The recorded signals were digitized, and cross-spectral analyses were performed to compare the observed signals in terms of power spectral density ratio, coherence, and phase difference. The analyses indicate that seismometers deployed by penetrators will be as well coupled to the ground as are seismometers installed by conventional methods for the frequency range of interest in earthquake seismology.

Nakamura, Y.↗

Optimal estimation of undersea acoustic transponder locations

Using principles from multilateration and optimal estimation theories an approach is derived for estimating the relative positions of three or more submerged and anchored acoustic transponders. The procedure is not constrained to processing range data collected at special points or on special trajectories. While the data normally collected over transponders and between transponder pairs can be processed, simultaneous ranges from anywhere on the surface to three or more transponders can also be processed. Simulated examples involving four stations in different geometries with different range collection schemes demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure.

Carta, D. G.↗