Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “condor”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

JavaGenes and Condor: Cycle-Scavenging Genetic Algorithms

A genetic algorithm code, JavaGenes, was written in Java and used to evolve pharmaceutical drug molecules and digital circuits. JavaGenes was run under the Condor cycle-scavenging batch system managing 100-170 desktop SGI workstations. Genetic algorithms mimic biological evolution by evolving solutions to problems using crossover and mutation. While most genetic algorithms evolve strings or trees, JavaGenes evolves graphs representing (currently) molecules and circuits. Java was chosen as the implementation language because the genetic algorithm requires random splitting and recombining of graphs, a complex data structure manipulation with ample opportunities for memory leaks, loose pointers, out-of-bound indices, and other hard to find bugs. Java garbage-collection memory management, lack of pointer arithmetic, and array-bounds index checking prevents these bugs from occurring, substantially reducing development time. While a run-time performance penalty must be paid, the only unacceptable performance we encountered was using standard Java serialization to checkpoint and restart the code. This was fixed by a two-day implementation of custom checkpointing. JavaGenes is minimally integrated with Condor; in other words, JavaGenes must do its own checkpointing and I/O redirection. A prototype Java-aware version of Condor was developed using standard Java serialization for checkpointing. For the prototype to be useful, standard Java serialization must be significantly optimized. JavaGenes is approximately 8700 lines of code and a few thousand JavaGenes jobs have been run. Most jobs ran for a few days. Results include proof that genetic algorithms can evolve directed and undirected graphs, development of a novel crossover operator for graphs, a paper in the journal Nanotechnology, and another paper in preparation.

Globus, Al↗
NASA NTRS1987

Project CONDOR: Middle atmosphere wind structure obtained with lightweight inflatable spheres near the equatorial electrojet

Observed correlations between the atmospheric electric field and the neutral wind were studied using additional atmospheric measurements during Project CONDOR. Project CONDOR obtained measurements near the equatorial electrojet (12 S) during March 1983. Neutral atmosphere wind measurements were obtained using lightweight inflatable spheres and temperatures were obtained using a datasonde. The lightweight sphere technology, the wind structure, and temperature structure are described. Results show that the lightweight sphere gives higher vertical resolution of winds below 75 km compared with the standard sphere, but gives little or no improvement above 80 km, and no usable temperature and density data.

Schmidlin, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Preliminary design of four aircraft to service the California Corridor in the year 2010: The California Condor, California Sky-Hopper, high capacity short range transport tilt rotor aircraft needed to simplify intercity transportation

The major objective of this project was to design an aircraft for use in the California Corridor in the year 2010. The design process, completed by students in a senior design class at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, used a Class 1 airplane design analysis from Jan Roskam's Airplane Design. The California Condor (CC-38), a 38 passenger, 400 mph aircraft, was designed to meet the needs of tomorrow's passengers while conforming to the California Corridor's restrictions. Assumptions were made using today's technology with forecasts into 21st Century technology. Doubling today's commuter aircraft passenger capacity, travelling at Mach .57 with improved cruise efficiencies of over 10 percent, with the ability to land within field lengths of 4000 feet, are the CC-38's strongest points. The California Condor has a very promising future in helping to relieve the air traffic and airport congestion in the 21st Century.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

Star of Condor - A strontium critical velocity experiment, Peru, 1983

'Star of Condor' was a critical velocity experiment using Sr vapor produced in a radial shaped charge, which was carried to 571.11 km altitude on a Taurus-Tomahawk rocket launched from Punto Lobos, Peru, and detonated in the plane of the magnetic field lines so that all ranges of pitch angles from parallel to B to perpendicular to B were covered. Sr has a critical velocity of 3.3 km/s, and from observation, 42.5 percent of the neutral Sr gas had a velocity component perpendicular to B exceeding that value. No Sr ion emissions were detected shortly after the burst with usual TV integration times. However, about 10 min after the detonation a faint field-aligned streak was discovered with long TV integration times. The brightness is estimated as 5 R, which, combined with the streak geometry, implies an ion production of 2.4 x 10 to the 19th ions. This is only 0.0036 percent ionization of the Sr vapor. All the ions could easily have been produced by thermal ionization from the original detonation thermal distribution. The breakup of the Sr gas into small bloblike structures may have allowed the high-energy electrons to escape before an ionization cascade could be produced. For whatever reason, the Alfven mechanism proposed for space plasmas in the absence of laboratory walls did not produce an ionization cascade in the experiment.

Wescott, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electric field measurements during the Condor critical velocity experiment

The instrumentation of the Condor critical velocity Ba experiment (Wescott et al., 1986) for the measurements of the energetic particles and the electric field associated with a Ba explosion is described. The Ba explosion created a complex electric field pulse detected in situ by a single-axis double electric-field probe on a separate spacecraft. The measurements provide evidence of several important links in the critical-velocity chain, and are consistent with two hypotheses. The first hypothesis involves the creation of large polarization electric field due to charge separation; the second hypothesis implies a polarization of the beam by currents flowing across it. The chain of physical processes inferred from the observations is in agreement with most theories for the Alfven process.

Kelley, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

CONDOR: Long endurance high altitude vehicle, volume 5

The results of a design study resulting in the proposed CONDOR aircraft are presented. The basic requirements are for the aircraft to maintain continuous altitude at or above 45,000 feet for at least a 3-day mission, be able to comfortably support a two-man crew during this period with their field of vision not obstructed to a significant degree, carry a payload of 200 pounds, and provide a power supply to the payload of 2000 watts. The take-off and landing distances must be below 5000. feet, and time to reach cruise altitude must not exceed 3 hours. The subjects discussed are configuration selection, structural analysis, stability and control, crew and payload accomodations, and economic estimates.

Andrews, L. Cullen↗
NASA NTRS1994

A preliminary design proposal for a maritime patrol strike aircraft: MPS-2000 Condor

The four member graduate design team assembled to submit a proposal for the 1993/1994 RFP at the University of Kansas has designed a four seat, variable swept wing, twin turbofan aircraft with STOL capabilities. The aircraft is named the MPS-2000 Condor and is capable of carrying air-to-surface or air-to-air weapon systems along with attack and surveillance radar and IRF systems. The aircraft has a cruise range of 800 nautical miles, a loiter of 4 hours, and a dash speed of 500 kts.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

An analysis of the role of drift waves in equatorial spread F

An account is given of results of rocket measurements of the wave number spectrum of equatorial spread F irregularities, with emphasis on wavelengths less than 100 m. The measurements were made from two sounding rockets launched from Peru as part of Project Condor. The Condor density fluctuation spectra display a break at a wavelength near 100 m, identical to that found in the PLUMEX experiment (Kelley et al., 1982). The Condor data also confirm a subrange in which the density and the wave potential obey the Boltzmann relation - a strong indication of the presence of low-frequency electrostatic waves with finite wavelength parallel to the magnetic field, perhaps low-frequency drift waves as proposed by Kelley et al. The Condor data are also consistent with the previous conjecture that drift waves only exist above 300 km altitude. To investigate the difference in spectra observed over two altitude ranges, the data must be fitted to a form for the power spectrum taken from Keskinen and Ossakow (1981). The fitted spectrum, along with empirically determined growth and dissipation rates, is used to calculate the energy pumped into the spectrum at long wavelengths as well as the energy dissipated at shorter wavelengths. It is found that the energy is balanced by classical collisional effects in the low-altitude case, but energy balance in the high-altitude case requires an enhanced dissipation of about 500 times that due to classical diffusion. The model is consistent with, but does not uniquely imply, an inverse cascade of drift wave turbulence in equatorial spread F.

Labelle, J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

STAR Formation Histories Across the Interacting Galaxy NGC 6872, the Largest-Known Spiral

NGC6872, hereafter the Condor, is a large spiral galaxy that is interacting with its closest companion, the S0 galaxy IC 4970. The extent of the Condor provides an opportunity for detailed investigation of the impact of the interaction on the current star formation rate and its history across the galaxy, on the age and spatial distribution of its stellar population, and on the mechanism that drives the star formation activity. To address these issues we analyzed the far-ultraviolet (FUV) to near-infrared (near-IR) spectral energy distribution of seventeen 10 kpc diameter regions across the galaxy, and derived their star formation history, current star formation rate, and stellar population and mass. We find that most of the star formation takes place in the extended arms, with very little star formation in the central 5 kpc of the galaxy, in contrast to what was predicted from previous numerical simulations. There is a trend of increasing star formation activity with distance from the nucleus of the galaxy, and no evidence for a recent increase in the current star formation rate due to the interaction. The nucleus itself shows no significant current star formation activity. The extent of the Condor also provides an opportunity to test the applicability of a single standard prescription for conversion of the FUV + IR (22 micrometer) intensities to a star formation rate for all regions. We find that the conversion factor differs from region to region, arising from regional differences in the stellar populations.

Histories↗
NASA NTRS1992

Sensitivity of wildlife habitat models to uncertainties in GIS data

Decision makers need to know the reliability of output products from GIS analysis. For many GIS applications, it is not possible to compare these products to an independent measure of 'truth'. Sensitivity analysis offers an alternative means of estimating reliability. In this paper, we present a CIS-based statistical procedure for estimating the sensitivity of wildlife habitat models to uncertainties in input data and model assumptions. The approach is demonstrated in an analysis of habitat associations derived from a GIS database for the endangered California condor. Alternative data sets were generated to compare results over a reasonable range of assumptions about several sources of uncertainty. Sensitivity analysis indicated that condor habitat associations are relatively robust, and the results have increased our confidence in our initial findings. Uncertainties and methods described in the paper have general relevance for many GIS applications.

Stoms, David M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Implementing Production Grids

We have presented the essence of experience gained in building two production Grids, and provided some of the global context for this work. As the reader might imagine, there were a lot of false starts, refinements to the approaches and to the software, and several substantial integration projects (SRB and Condor integrated with Globus) to get where we are today. However, the point of this paper is to try and make it substantially easier for others to get to the point where Information Power Grids (IPG) and the DOE Science Grids are today. This is what is needed in order to move us toward the vision of a common cyber infrastructure for science. The author would also like to remind the readers that this paper primarily represents the actual experiences that resulted from specific architectural and software choices during the design and implementation of these two Grids. The choices made were dictated by the criteria laid out in section 1. There is a lot more Grid software available today that there was four years ago, and various of these packages are being integrated into IPG and the DOE Grids. However, the foundation choices of Globus, SRB, and Condor would not be significantly different today than they were four years ago. Nonetheless, if the GGF is successful in its work - and we have every reason to believe that it will be - then in a few years we will see that the 28 functions provided by these packages will be defined in terms of protocols and MIS, and there will be several robust implementations available for each of the basic components, especially the Grid Common Services. The impact of the emerging Web Grid Services work is not yet clear. It will likely have a substantial impact on building higher level services, however it is the opinion of the author that this will in no way obviate the need for the Grid Common Services. These are the foundation of Grids, and the focus of almost all of the operational and persistent infrastructure aspects of Grids.

Johnston, William E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Stability and control of the Gossamer human powered aircraft by analysis and flight test

The slow flight speed, very light wing loading, and neutral stability of the Gossamer Condor and the Gossamer Albatross emphasized apparent-mass aerodynamic effects and unusual modes of motion response. These are analyzed, approximated, and discussed, and the resulting transfer functions and dynamic properties are summarized and compared. To verify these analytical models, flight tests were conducted with and electrically powered Gossamer Albatross II. Sensors were installed and their outputs were telemetered to records on the ground. Frequency sweeps of the various controls were made and the data were reduced to frequency domain measures. Results are given for the response of: pitch rate, airspeed and normal acceleration from canard-elevator deflection; roll rate and yaw rate from canard-rudder tilt; and roll rate and yaw rate from wing warp. The reliable data are compared with the analytical predictions.

Jex, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An experimental investigation of the low Reynolds number performance of the Lissaman 7769 airfoil

A Lissaman 7769 airfoil, used on the Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross human-powered aircraft, was tested in a low turbulence subsonic wind tunnel. Lift and drag data were collected at chord Reynolds numbers of 100,000, 150,000, 200,000, 250,000, and 300,000; at angles of attack from -10 to +20 deg by using an external strain gage force balance. Lift curves, drag curves, and drag polars were generated from both uncorrected data and data corrected for wind tunnel blockage effects. A flow visualization study was performed to correlate with the force data. The results of the investigation have shown that the airfoil exhibits a significant degradation in performance for chord Reynolds numbers below 150,000.

Conigliaro, P. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Absolute electron density measurements in the equatorial ionosphere

Accurate measurement of the electron density profile and its variations is crucial to further progress in understanding the physics of the disturbed equatorial ionosphere. To accomplish this, a plasma frequency probe was included in the payload complement of two rockets flown during the Condor rocket campaign conducted from Peru in March 1983. This paper presents density profiles of the disturbed equatorial ionosphere from a night-time flight in which spread-F conditions were present and from a day-time flight during strong electrojet conditions. Results from both flights are in excellent agreement with simultaneous radar data in that the regions of highly disturbed plasma coincide with the radar signatures. The spread-F rocket penetrated a topside depletion during both the upleg and downleg. The electrojet measurements showed a profile peaking at 1.3 x 10 to the 5th per cu cm at 106 km, with large scale fluctuations having amplitudes of roughly 10 percent seen only in the upward gradient in electron density. This is in agreement with plasma instability theory. It is further shown that simultaneous measurements by fixed-bias Langmuir probes, when normalized at a single point to the altitude profile of electron density, are inadequate to correctly parameterize the observed enhancements and depletions.

Baker, K. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electron-density irregularities in the day-time equatorial ionosphere

Electron-density irregularities have been observed in the day-time equatorial ionosphere using probe experiments carried out in the payloads of two rockets launched near Lima, Peru during Project Condor, 1983. Simultaneous observations of the mesosphere and upper E-region were obtained using the radar at Jicamarca. A layer of mesospheric irregularities is identified as originating in neutral atmosphere turbulence. In the electrojet the rocket data show the regions of type 2 irregularities (between 90 and 105 km) and type 1 irregularities (between 103 and 108 km), differentiated by the slopes of their respective spectra. The irregularities of the upper E-region seen in the rocket data are reconciled with the radar data by postulating a strong aspect sensitivity.

Smith, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Rocket observations of energetic particles at the geomagnetic equator

Energetic particle detectors were included in the payloads of two rockets launched in Peru during the Condor campaign of 1983. These night-time flights reached altitudes of 587 and 535 km, respectively. The pitch-angle distribution is anisotropic with the maximum at 90 deg. Each payload included two solid-state detectors differing in the thickness of the aluminum coating. Comparison of the fluxes measured by the two detectors leads to the conclusion that, on both occasions, the energetic particles are predominantly helium ions. The flux is small below 200 km, increases linearly to 350 km, and then more slowly to apogee. The east-west asymmetry of flux, noted at 200 km in a previous equatorial launch, is not seen at greater altitudes, consistent with the flux profile and the large gyroradius of the ions.

Smith, L. G.↗