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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 19 records

S-R compatibility effects with orthogonal stimulus and response dimensions

An experiment was conducted to assess the relative influence of several factors on performance with orthogonal stimulus-response arrays. Subjects responded to the onset of one of three aligned light circles with a press of one of three aligned response keys. The response array was aligned parallel, angled, or orthogonal to the stimulus array. The results indicated that performance with orthogonal arrays is worse than with parallel or angled S-R arrays. For the orthogonal arrangements, the results also indicate that each hand prefers a mapping directly opposite to the other hand, and that this mapping reverses when the orientation of the stimulus and response arrays are transposed. In addition, the results also revealed that the relative costs of orthogonal S-R arrangements are somewhat attenuated when the assigned mapping associates (i.e., colocates) a given display with its closest control.

Andre, Anthony D.↗

Coarse-Grained and Atomistic Modeling of Polyimides

A coarse-grained model for a set of three polyimide isomers is developed. Each polyimide is comprised of BPDA (3,3,4,4' - biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride) and one of three APB isomers: 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene, 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene or 1,3-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzene. The coarse-grained model is constructed as a series of linked vectors following the contour of the polymer backbone. Beads located at the midpoint of each vector define centers for long range interaction energy between monomer subunits. A bulk simulation of each coarse-grained polyimide model is performed with a dynamic Monte Carlo procedure. These coarsegrained models are then reverse-mapped to fully atomistic models. The coarse-grained models show the expected trends in decreasing chain dimensions with increasing meta linkage in the APB section of the repeat unit, although these differences were minor due to the relatively short chains simulated here. Considerable differences are seen among the dynamic Monte Carlo properties of the three polyimide isomers. Decreasing relaxation times are seen with increasing meta linkage in the APB section of the repeat unit.

Clancy, Thomas C.↗

Homopolyrotaxanes and Homopolyrotaxane Networks of PEO

In order to identify the optimum size of macrocrown ether for threading, we first investigated the size and shape of simple crown ethers in the melt at 373 K, and their extent of threading with PEO in the melt using coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulations on the 2nnd (second nearest neighbor diamond) lattice, which is a high coordination lattice whose coarse-grained chains can be reverse mapped into fully atomistic models in continuous space.

Pugh, Coleen↗

Assessment of the Uniqueness of Wind Tunnel Strain-Gage Balance Load Predictions

A new test was developed to assess the uniqueness of wind tunnel strain-gage balance load predictions that are obtained from regression models of calibration data. The test helps balance users to gain confidence in load predictions of non-traditional balance designs. It also makes it possible to better evaluate load predictions of traditional balances that are not used as originally intended. The test works for both the Iterative and Non-Iterative Methods that are used in the aerospace testing community for the prediction of balance loads. It is based on the hypothesis that the total number of independently applied balance load components must always match the total number of independently measured bridge outputs or bridge output combinations. This hypothesis is supported by a control volume analysis of the inputs and outputs of a strain-gage balance. It is concluded from the control volume analysis that the loads and bridge outputs of a balance calibration data set must separately be tested for linear independence because it cannot always be guaranteed that a linearly independent load component set will result in linearly independent bridge output measurements. Simple linear math models for the loads and bridge outputs in combination with the variance inflation factor are used to test for linear independence. A highly unique and reversible mapping between the applied load component set and the measured bridge output set is guaranteed to exist if the maximum variance inflation factor of both sets is less than the literature recommended threshold of five. Data from the calibration of a six{component force balance is used to illustrate the application of the new test to real-world data.

strain-gage balance↗

Analysis of record-breaking low ozone values during the 1997 winter over NDSC Station Lauder, New Zealand

During early August 1997, the ozone column density measured over Lauder was unusually low, with a minimum value of 222 Dobson Units (DU) at August 10. These observations are striking since in August, during the Austral winter, the ozone column density should be heading towards its yearly maximum; The August mean ozone column density measured over Lauder between 1987 and 1996 was 348(+/-28) DU, the lowest monthly average in these ten years was 255 DU. Regular altitude profile measurements of ozone, performed at Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) station Lauder, make it possible to do a detailed, altitude-resolved, study of the low ozone observations. The measurements show ozone poor air in two altitude regions of the stratosphere: A 'high region', extending from the 600 K to the 1050 K isentrope (25 to 34 km), and a 'low region', below about 550 K (22 km). High resolution reverse trajectory maps of potential vorticity (PV) and ozone mixing ratio, based on the assumption of passive advection by the large-scale three-dimensional winds, show that in the 'high region' the ozone poor air was part of the polar vortex, which was centered off the pole and extended over Lauder for several days, while in the 'low region' the ozone poor air was mixed in from low latitudes. A rapid recovery of the ozone column density, by more than 110 DU within 24 hours, was observed when in the low region an ozone rich filament of the polar vortex moved over Lauder, while in the high region the (ozone poor) high part of the vortex moved away.

Brinksma, E. J.↗

Polarization Reversal Over Flooded Regions and Applications to Large-Scale Flood Mapping with Spaceborne Scatterometers

We present the polarization reversal in backscatter over flooded land regions, and demonstrate for the first time the utility of spaceborne Ku-band scatterometer for large-scale flood mapping. Scatterometer data were collected over the globe by the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) operated at 14 GHz on the Japanese ADEOS spacecraft from September 1996 to June 1997. During this time span, several severe floods occurred. Over most land surface, vertical polarization backscatter (Sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) is larger than horizontal polarization backscatter (sigma(sub hh)). Such polarization characteristics is reversed and sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) is smaller than sigma(sub hh) over flooded regions, except under a dense forest canopy. The total backscatter from the flooded landscape consists of direct backscatter and boundary-interaction backscatter. The direct term is contributed by direct backscattering from objects protruding above the water surface, and by backscattering from waves on the water surface. The boundary-interaction term is contributed by the forward scattering from the protruding objects and then reflected from the water surface, and also by the forward scattering from these objects after the water-surface reflection. Over flooded regions, the boundary-interaction term is dominant at large incidence angles and the strong water-surface reflection is much larger for horizontal polarization than the vertical one due to the Brewster effect in transverse-magnetic waves. These scattering mechanisms cause the polarization reversal over flooded regions. An example obtained with the Analytic Wave Theory is used to illustrate the scattering mechanisms leading to the polarization reversal. We then demonstrate the utility of spaceborne Ku-band scatterometer for large-scale flood mapping. We process NSCAT data to obtain the polarization ratio sigma(sub hh)/sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) with colocated data at incidence angles larger than 40 deg. The results over Asian summer monsoon regions in September-October 1996 indicate flooded areas in many countries such as Bangladesh, India, Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China. Reports documented by the United Nation Department of Humanitarian Affairs (now called UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) show loss of many lives and severe flood related damages which affected many million people in the corresponding flooded areas. We also map the NSCAT polarization ratio over the same regions in the "dry season" in January 1997 as a reference to confirm our results. Furthermore, we obtain concurrent ocean wind fields also derived from NSCAT data, and Asia topographic data (USGS GTOPO30) to investigate the flooded area. The results show that winds during summer monsoon season blowing inland, which perplex flood problems. Overlaying the topographic map over NSCAT results reveals an excellent correspondence between the confinement of flooded area within the relevant topographic features, which very well illustrates the value of topographic wetness index. Finally, we discuss the applications of future spaceborne scatterometers, including QuikSCAT and Seawinds, for flood mapping over the globe.

Nghiem, Son V.↗

Multiple resource evaluation of region 2 US forest service lands utilizing LANDSAT MSS data

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT MSS imagery provided an excellent overview which put a geomorphic study into a regional perspective, using scale 1:250,000 or smaller. It was used for deriving a data base for land use planning for southern San Juan Mountains. Stereo pairing of adjacent images was the best method for all geomorphic mapping. Combining this with snow enhancement, seasonal enhancement, and reversal aided in interpretation of geomorphic features. Drainage patterns were mapped in much greater detail from LANDSAT than from a two deg quadrangle base.

Krebs, P. V.↗

L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, as a potential countermeasure to post-suspension hypotension in rats

A large number of astronauts returning from spaceflight experience orthostatic hypotension. This hypotension may be due to overproduction of vasodilatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins. To evaluate the role of the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) as a countermeasure against the post-suspension reduction in mean arterial pressure (MAP), we assessed the cardiovascular responses and vascular reactivity to 7-day 30 degrees tail-suspension and a subsequent 6 hr post-suspension period in conscious rats. After a pre-suspension reading, direct MAP and heart rate (HR) were measured daily and every 2 hrs post-suspension. The NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (20 mg/kg, i.v.), or saline, were administered after the 7th day reading prior to release from suspension and at 2 and 4 hrs post-suspension. At 6 hrs post-suspension, vascular reactivity was assessed. While MAP did not change during the suspension period, it was reduced post-suspension. Heart rate was not significantly altered. L-NAME administration reversed the post-suspension reduction in MAP. In addition, the baroreflex sensitivity for heart rate was modified by L-NAME. Thus, the post-suspension reduction in MAP may be due to overproduction of NO and altered baroreflex activity.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

Method and apparatus for mapping the distribution of chemical elements in an extended medium

Contaminants in an extended medium such as the wall of a building are mapped by locating neutron excitation source on one side of the wall and a gamma ray spectrometer, including a gamma ray detector on the opposite side of the wall facing the excitation source. The source and detector are moved in unison in discrete steps over opposing wall surfaces so as to determine the chemical composition of the elements in a hemispheric region of the wall adjacent the detector with the radius of the region being substantially that of the mean free path distance of gamma rays emitted from elements interacting with neutrons on the detector side of the wall. The source and detector are reversed for relatively thick walls for mapping the distribution of elements on the other side of the wall thickness. The output of the detector is fed to a multichannel pulse height analyzer where the intensity of the various gamma ray spectral lines are indicated relative to a dominant constituent element such as silicon. Resolution of anomalies such as the presence of voids and/or determining the bulk density of the medium is achieved by substituting a gamma ray source technique is also applied to metal alloys, such as iron alloys, in either the solid or molten state.

Evans, L. G.↗

Arctic Sea Ice Motion from Wavelet Analysis of Satellite Data

Wavelet analysis of DMSP SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave/Imager) 85 GHz and 37 GHz radiance data, SMMR (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer) 37 GHz, and NSCAT (NASA Scatterometer) 13.9 GHZ data can be used to obtain daily sea ice drift information for both the northern and southern polar regions. The derived maps of sea ice drift provide both improved spatial coverage over the existing array of Arctic Ocean buoys and better temporal resolution over techniques utilizing data from satellite synthetic aperture radars (SAR). Examples of derived ice-drift maps in the Arctic illustrate large-scale circulation reversals within a period of a couple weeks. Comparisons with ice displacements derived from buoys show good quantitative agreement. NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) 13.9 GHZ data have been also used for wavelet analysis to derive sea-ice drift. First, the 40' incidence-angle, sigma-zero (surface roughness) daily map of whole Arctic region with 25 km of pixel size from satellite's 600 km swath has been constructed. Then, the similar wavelet transform procedure to SSM/I data can be applied. Various scales of wavelet transform and threshold have been tested. By overlaying , neighbor filtering, and block-averaging the results of multiscale wavelet transforms, the final sea ice drift vectors are much smooth and representative to the sea ice motion. This wavelet analysis procedure is robust and can make a major contribution to the understanding of ice motion over large areas at relatively high temporal resolutions. The results of wavelet analysis of SSM/I and NSCAT images and buoy data can be merged by some data fusion techniques and will help to improve our current knowledge of sea ice drift and related processes through the data assimilation of ocean-ice numerical model.

Liu, Antony K.↗

Reveal, A General Reverse Engineering Algorithm for Inference of Genetic Network Architectures

Given the immanent gene expression mapping covering whole genomes during development, health and disease, we seek computational methods to maximize functional inference from such large data sets. Is it possible, in principle, to completely infer a complex regulatory network architecture from input/output patterns of its variables? We investigated this possibility using binary models of genetic networks. Trajectories, or state transition tables of Boolean nets, resemble time series of gene expression. By systematically analyzing the mutual information between input states and output states, one is able to infer the sets of input elements controlling each element or gene in the network. This process is unequivocal and exact for complete state transition tables. We implemented this REVerse Engineering ALgorithm (REVEAL) in a C program, and found the problem to be tractable within the conditions tested so far. For n = 50 (elements) and k = 3 (inputs per element), the analysis of incomplete state transition tables (100 state transition pairs out of a possible 10(exp 15)) reliably produced the original rule and wiring sets. While this study is limited to synchronous Boolean networks, the algorithm is generalizable to include multi-state models, essentially allowing direct application to realistic biological data sets. The ability to adequately solve the inverse problem may enable in-depth analysis of complex dynamic systems in biology and other fields.

Liang, Shoudan↗

Large-scale solar magnetic fields and H-alpha patterns

Coronal and interplanetary magnetic fields computed from measurements of large-scale photospheric magnetic fields suffer from interruptions in day-to-day observations and the limitation of using only measurements made near the solar central meridian. Procedures were devised for inferring the lines of polarity reversal from H-alpha solar patrol photographs that map the same large-scale features found on Mt. Wilson magnetograms. These features may be monitored without interruption by combining observations from the global network of observatories associated with NOAA's Space Environment Services Center. The patterns of inferred magnetic fields may be followed accurately as far as 60 deg from central meridian. Such patterns will be used to improve predictions of coronal features during the next solar eclipse.

Mcintosh, P. S.↗

Auroral magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: A brief topical review

Auroral arcs result from the acceleration and precipitation of magnetospheric plasma in narrow regions characterized by strong electric fields both perpendicular and parallel to the Earth's magnetic field. The various mechanisms proposed for the origin of such strong electric fields include electrostatic double layers, double reverse shocks, anomalous resistivity, magnetic mirroring of hot plasma, mapping of the magnetospheric convection electric field through an auroral discontinuity.

Chiu, Y. T.↗

Sea Ice Motion from Wavelet Analysis of Satellite Data

Wavelet analysis of NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) backscatter and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) radiance data can be used to obtain daily sea ice drift information for the Arctic region. This technique provides improved spatial coverage over the existing array of Arctic Ocean buoys and better temporal resolution over techniques utilizing data from satellite synthetic aperture radars. Comparisons with ice motion derived from ocean buoys give good quantitative agreement. Both comparison results from NSCAT and SSM/I are compatible, and the results from NSCAT can definitely complement that from SSM/I when there are cloud or surface effects. Then three sea-ice drift daily results from NSCAT, SSM/I, and buoy data can be merged as a composite map by some data fusion techniques. The ice flow streamlines are highly correlated with surface air pressure contours. Examples of derived ice-drift maps in December 1996 illustrate large-scale circulation reversals over a period of four days. A method for deriving divergence and shear at the large-scale has been developed and comparison between buoys and satellite results shows a good agreement. These calibrated/validated results indicate that NSCAT, SSM/I merged daily ice motion are suitably accurate to identify and closely locate sea ice processes, and to improve our current knowledge of sea ice drift and related processes through the data assimilation of ocean-ice numerical model. For demonstration purpose, the ice velocities derived from satellite data are compared with the ice velocities derived from a coupled ice-ocean interaction model. The comparison reveals that the general circulation patterns of the two are quite similar but the ice velocity differences between the two are quite significant. In order to quantify the wind effects on ice motion, empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) are used in the principal component analysis for both ice motion and pressure field. Some preliminary results of sea-ice motion from QuikScat will also be presented.

Liu, Antony K.↗

Experimental Identification and Simulation of Time and/or Rate Dependent Reversible and Irreversible Deformation Regions for both a Titanium and Nickel Alloy

In this paper time and/or rate dependent deformation regions are experimentally mapped out as a function of temperature. It is clearly demonstrated that the concept of a threshold stress (a stress that delineate reversible and irreversible behavior) is valid and necessary at elevated temperatures and corresponds to the classical yield stress at lower temperatures. Also the infinitely slow modulus, (Es) i.e. the elastic modulus of the material if it was loaded at an infinitely slow strain rate, and the "dynamic modulus", modulus, Ed, which represents the modulus of the material if it is loaded at an infinitely fast rate are used to delineate rate dependent from rate independent regions. As demonstrated at elevated temperatures there is a significant difference between the two modulus values, thus indicating both significant time-dependence and rate dependence. In the case of the nickel-based super alloy, ME3, this behavior is also shown to be grain size specific. Consequently, at higher temperatures viscoelastic behavior exist below k (i.e., the threshold stress) and at stresses above k the behavior is viscoplastic. Finally a multi-mechanism, stress partitioned viscoelastic model, capable of being consistently coupled to a viscoplastic model is characterized over the full temperature range investigated for Ti-6-4 and ME3.

Arnold, Steven M.↗

High-resolution mapping and genetic characterization of the Lazy-2 gravitropic mutant of tomato

Mutation of the Lazy-2 (Lz-2) gene in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill.) produces a phytochrome-dependent reversal of shoot gravitropism, providing a unique genetic resource for investigating how signals from light modulate gravitropism. We mapped the Lz-2 gene using RFLPs and a PCR-based technique to assess the feasibility of positional cloning. Analysis of a 1338 plant backcross population between L. esculentum and L. pennellii placed Lz-2 within a 1.2 cM interval on chromosome 5, 0.4 cM from TG504-CT201A interval. The inabililty to resolve these markers indicates that Lz-2 resides in a centromeric region in which recombination is highly suppressed. Lazy-2 is tightly linked to but does not encode the gene for ACC4, an enzyme involved in ethylene biosynthesis. We also observed that Lz-2 is partially dominant under certain conditions and stages of development.

Non-NASA Center↗

Evaluation of the Radiometric Integrity of LANDSAT 4 Thematic Mapper Band 6 Data

Probably the most generally accepted method for processing radiometric data from space is to correct the observed radiance or apparent temperature to a surface radiance or temperature value using atmospheric propagation models. As part of NASA's Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM) experiment the atmospheric propagation models were used in reverse in an attempt to evaluate the post launch radiometric response of the radiometer. Techniques successfully used to radiometrically calibrate the HCMM sensor were extended. The HCMM experiment is described and used as a base for the evaluation of the TM band 6 (infrared) sensor.

Schott, J. R.↗