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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

Results of long-term synoptic monitoring of Jupiter's decametric radiation

Results of the analysis of the large, homogeneous set of measurements of Jupiter's emission at 16.7 and 22.2 MHz for the apparitions during the period 1966-1974 were presented. An update of the radio rotation period determination which includes provision for beaming effects due to variations in the Jovicentric declination of the earth was presented. Some estimates of the magnitude of possible long-term variations in the rotation period were also discussed. The data clearly shows the Io-independent emission features associated with the System III central meridian longitudes of all three major Io-related source regions. There is also some evidence for heretofore unrecognized Io-related emission features which are apparently independent of the central meridian longitude. The possibility of three kinds of emission are suggested: (1) Io-stimulated, sharply beamed emission, (2) Io-independent, sharply beamed emission, and (3) Io-stimulated, broadly beamed emission.

Alexander, J. K.↗

Densitography - A new method for evaluation of cardiac performance of rest and during exercise.

The validity of the densitographic curves obtained from the pinna of the ear for measuring the systolic intervals has been investigated in 28 subjects. This technique is found to permit the performance of noninvasive physiologic studies during physical activities, exercise tests, flight conditions, and probably long-term monitoring of critically ill patients. Densitographic curves constitute an excellent substitute by which to measure time-base intervals of the cardiac cycle when the carotid pulse tracing is not available.

Chirife, R.↗

Introduction to the JPSS-2 Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) Government Calibration Data Book (GCDB)

The third Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) is an instrument onboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), JPSS-2 (renamed NOAA-21 in orbit) mission. This report is to introduce the JPSS-2 Government Calibration Data Book (J2 GCDB) for ATMS, SN 304. This J2 GCDB document contains key information generated during the calibration testing campaign that is driving parameters for radiometric performance. This document also contains supporting data that augments the calibration results. The values in this document are utilized by ATMS’s calibration packet which is, in turn, an integral component in the interpretation of science data. The calibration data in this report was collected from tests such as shelf-level testing, antenna testing, instrument thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing; satellite TVAC testing; and JPSS-2 post-launch tests. JPSS-2 was launched on November 10, 2022. In the subsequent years, the Government will release an ATMS GCDB for each JPSS mission. We expect that all public users can download these ATMS GCDBs from the NOAA operational Integrated Calibration and Validation System (ICVS) website, see more discussions below. The goal of this GCDB is to demonstrate how to characterize ATMS measurements using JPSS-2 ATMS on-orbit operational data and to provide relevant explanations. This document serves as a primary public domain reference for calibrating operational ATMS Raw Data Records (RDR) science data, as used in the current operational Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS) system. This same RDR science data is distributed through direct broadcast (DB) to DB users for use in their ground processing systems. This J2 GCDB provides the results of the ATMS system radiometric calibration, the antenna flat reflector emissivity [1], the antenna pattern measurements, the antenna pattern corrected brightness temperature [2], the brightness temperature of the lunar disk [3], Lunar Intrusion (LI) correction algorithm [4], receiver spectral parameters, and mechanical alignment on-orbit pointing results, and the striping effect appeared significantly in S-NPP on-orbit radiance data when the data are compared to the Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) simulation in numerical weather prediction (NWP) system [5]. It also provides the parameters required for conversion of telemetry counts to engineering units, for radiometric calibration, and for antenna beam geo-location. Moreover, it provides JPSS-2 ATMS Spectral Response Functions data, some additional information related to ATMS on-orbit performance, on-orbit lunar intrusion correction parameters and Earth contamination bias, and on how to derive ATMS RDR, antenna Temperature Data Records (TDR), and Sensor Data Records (SDR). Furthermore, an introduction of NOAA operational Integrated Calibration and Validation System (ICVS) website and services is added in this J2 GCDB. This ICVS hosts a long-term monitoring system which allows to visualization and comparison of data from JPSS missions, NOAA legacy Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). From NOAA Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS), the public users can download all JPSS ATMS data products for all JPSS missions.

Microwave Sounder↗

Thin Film Sensors for Fission Surface Power

Physical sensors fabricated with thin films could result a significant savings in space and weight with improved reliability for monitoring the long-term operation of fission surface power systems. Thin film sensors of 1 µm or less are attractive for FSP applications because they can be incorporated onto component surfaces with minimal machining and the additional weight to a system is minimal compared to thick film-, wire-, or foil-based sensors. The thin, surface fabrication of the sensors is also expected to make them less susceptible to deep dose effects that affect thicker sensors. An overview of thin film sensors using thermocouples and resistive elements designed, fabricated, and demonstrated at GRC for aerospace applications exceeding 900°C is presented.

Fission Surface Power↗

Vegetation mapping from ERTS imagery of the Okavango Delta

The Okavango is Botswana's major water resource. The present study has been specifically directed at mapping vegetation types within the delta and generally concerned with finding what information of value to plant and animal ecologists could be extracted from the imagery. To date it has been found that. (1) It is possible to map broad vegetation types from the imagery. (2) Imagery of the delta records the state of the system in a manner which will facilitate long-term studies of plant succession. (3) Phenological events can be detected. (4) The imagery can be used to detect and map wild fires. This will be useful in determining the role of fire in the ecology of the region. Using the imagery it is thus possible to map existing vegetation and monitor both short and long-term changes.

Willamson, D. T.↗

LANDSAT-1 data as it has been applied for land use and water quality data by the Virginia State Water Control Board. 1: The state project. 2: Monitoring water quality from LANDSAT

LANDSAT-1 imagery has been used for water quality and land use monitoring in and around the Swift Creek and Lake Chesdin Reservoirs in Virginia. This has proved useful by (1) helping determine valid reservoir sampling stations, (2) monitoring areas not accessible by land or water, (3) giving the State a viable means of measuring Secchi depth readings in these inaccessible areas, (4) giving an overview of trends in changing sedimentation loadings over a given time period and classifying these waters into various categories, (5) enabling the State to inventory all major lakes and reservoirs and computing their acreage, (6) monitoring land use changes in any specific area, (7) evaluating possible long-term environmental effects of nearby developments, and (8) monitoring and predicting population shifts with possible impact on water quality problems. The main problems in the long-term use of such imagery appear to be cost and lack of consistency due to cloud cover limitations.

Trexler, P. L.↗

The quiet-time spectra of cosmic-ray electrons of energies between 10 and 200 MeV observed on OGO-5.

Measurement of spectra of cosmic-ray electrons of energies between 10 and 200 MeV over a one-year period starting 1968 March. The measurement was made with a detector system on board the OGO-5 satellite. The instrument consists of a solid-state dE/dx detector, a total-energy CsI detector, a gas Cerenkov threshold detector, and two scintillation guard counters. Time periods during which no solar-flare events were recorded were selected for the study. It was found that during these quiet periods there were numerous intensity variations of the electron flux. These variations, which are seen only below 25 MeV, do not show marked correlation with any solar or interplanetary-medium parameters. The flux of the electrons of energies above 25 MeV, on the other hand, showed a gradual decrease over the one-year period, paralleling the neutron monitor intensity. The parameter describing this long-term modulation is almost independent of the rigidity of the electrons in the reported energy range. The physical implication of the finding is discussed.

L'Heureux, J.↗

Applications of aerospace technology in the public interest: Pollution measurement

This study of selected NASA contributions to the improvement of pollution measurement examines the pervasiveness and complexity of the economic, political, and social issues in the environmental field; provides a perspective on the relationship between the conduct of aerospace R and D and specific improvements in on site air pollution monitoring equipment now in use; describes the basic relationship between the development of satellite-based monitoring systems and their influence on long-term progress in improving environmental quality; and comments on how both instrumentation and satellite remote sensing are contributing to an improved environment. Examples of specific gains that have been made in applying aerospace R and D to environmental problem-solving are included.

Heins, C. F.↗

The stratospheric aerosol background.

The current state of observations of the stratosphere aerosol layer is reviewed. Monitoring programs used are briefly reviewed, and the long-term trend of aerosols in the mid-latitude stratosphere is shown. The effects of volcanism on stratospheric aerosol profiles are discussed.

Rosen, J. M.↗

Skylab medical technology utilization

To perform the extensive medical experimentation on man in a long-term, zero-g environment, new medical measuring and monitoring equipment had to be developed, new techniques in training and operations were required, and new methods of collecting and analyzing the great amounts of medical data were developed. Examples of technology transfers to the public sector resulted from the development of new equipment, methods, techniques, and data. This paper describes several of the examples that stemmed directly from Skylab technology.

Stonesifer, J. C.↗

Enabling Reliable, Fault-Tolerant Autonomous Lunar Habitats with High-Performance Spaceflight Computing

The lunar surface presents unfavorable constraints and harsh living conditions. To address these challenges, autonomous habitats will require complex integrated systems that combine advanced software, high-performance hardware, and cutting-edge sensors to ensure sustainability, safety, and operational efficiency. Consequently, maintaining a sustainable presence on the Moon requires reliable infrastructure and efficient development, precise monitoring, and utilization of resources within a lunar installation. These elements are essential not only to ensure that lunar settlement can be long-term, self-sustaining, and resource-efficient, but also to serve as a foundation for future missions and eventual human habitation on Mars. Humans are not native to the Moon; therefore, our survival and ability to thrive will depend on autonomous systems that can foster safety and resilience through high-availability architectures, graceful degradation, and highly fault-tolerant spaceflight hardware capable of continuing operation during failures. This requires advanced human-rated distributed systems architectures with specialized electronics, scalable capabilities, and an integrated design approach. Unlike current practices focused on short-term missions and regularly maintained components, permanent lunar compute systems must be designed for extended operations beyond mission durations. This paper explores the necessity of transitioning toward fault- tolerant, highly autonomous hardware systems designed for multi-year missions. It also identifies critical subsystems that require high levels of autonomy, supported by radiation-hardened processors and extreme thermal loads, which are essential to mitigate long-term degradation and ensure sustainable lunar habitation. Finally, the paper aligns with NASA’s identified Civil Space Shortfalls, particularly in high-performance onboard computing, advanced data acquisition, extreme-environment avionics, radiation monitoring and countermeasures, and autonomous health management. It proposes NASA’s new High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) processor as a turnkey solution, delivering 100 times the performance-per-watt of legacy rad-hard CPUs and enabling onboard AI, edge computing, and fault-tolerant features essential for sustained lunar autonomy and beyond.

Sarkis S Mikaelian↗

Instrumentation for measurements of solar irradiance and atmospheric optical properties

The Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR), an accurate absolute pyrheliometer, has been developed for measurements of total solar irradiance. It has been used to discover a -2.2% error in the International Pyrheliometric Scale and to make measurements in balloon flight experiments yielding a solar constant value of 136.6 (+ or - 0.7) mW/sq cm. New ACRs are being developed to monitor the total output of solar optical radiation in balloon, satellite and space shuttle experiments with long-term absolute uncertainty of + or - 0.1% or less. In a separate program, instrumentation for the measurement of the scattering and extinction of solar radiation by the atmosphere is being constructed to provide data for modeling atmospheric aerosol content. The aerosol models will facilitate computation of radiative transfer effects yielding quantitative net fluxes useful in evaluating the climatological impact of aerosols.

Willson, R. C.↗

Comet Kohoutek observations from Skylab

The original intent of the Skylab observations of comet Kohoutek, as stated by Operation Kohoutek, was to provide (1) long-term viewing, (2) near-perihelion viewing, (3) astronaut response, and (4) payload optimization, allowing Kohoutek to be monitored in the ultraviolet and visible-light ranges regardless of its angular separation from the sun. The preliminary results made available thus far indicate that through its man-aided flexibility and broad range of capabilities Skylab was indeed able to achieve this intent.

Snoddy, W. C.↗

Unmanned seismometer levels self, corrects drift errors

Four-component, three-axis, feedback-controlled seismograph incorporates electronic circuitry for leveling and for monitoring the feedback signal required for servo-centering. Viscous damping of the earth-motion signal, compensation of the residual long-term drift, and centering of the seismometers are provided by automatic mechanisms.

Sutton, G.↗

International Cosmic Ray Conference, 13th, University of Denver, Denver, Colo., August 17-30, 1973, Proceedings. Volumes 1 & 2

Topics discussed include diffuse gamma rays, gamma ray sources (in particular, the Crab Nebula and Crab Pulsar), X-ray sources, isotopic and nuclear composition, spectra of nuclei, searches for antinuclei, studies of VH and VVH nuclei, measurements of electrons and positrons, the spectra of high-energy electrons, cosmic gamma rays, cosmic ray sources, interplanetary radial gradients, the theory and observation of electron modulation, short-period cosmic ray intensity variations, atmospheric and coupling effects on neutron monitors and muon telescopes, secondary particles and photons in the atmosphere, harmonics of diurnal variations, geomagnetic effects and cutoffs, planetary and interplanetary effects, solar particle access observations, long-term cosmic ray intensity modulation by solar activity and interplanetary effects, Forbush decreases, modulation and anisotropy of low-energy particles, the theory and models of solar particle propagation, solar flare particle composition, and relativistic solar particles. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Source record↗

Temporal X-ray astronomy with a pinhole camera

Preliminary results from the Ariel-5 all-sky X-ray monitor are presented, along with sufficient experiment details to define the experiment sensitivity. Periodic modulation of the X-ray emission was investigated from three sources with which specific periods were associated, with the results that the 4.8 hour variation from Cyg X-3 was confirmed, a long-term average 5.6 day variation from Cyg X-1 was discovered, and no detectable 0.787 day modulation of Sco X-1 was observed. Consistency of the long-term Sco X-1 emission with a shot-noise model is discussed, wherein the source behavior is shown to be interpretable as approximately 100 flares per day, each with a duration of several hours. A sudden increase in the Cyg X-1 intensity by almost a factor of three on 22 April 1975 is reported, after 5 months of relative source constancy. The light curve of a bright nova-like transient source in Triangulum is presented, and compared with previously observed transient sources. Preliminary evidence for the existence of X-ray bursts with duration less than 1 hour is offered.

Holt, S. S.↗

Evaluation of Long-Term Storage Stability and Operational Efficiency of Rapid Cycle Amine Adsorbents

With the recent incorporation of Mars Extravehicular Activity (EVA) into the 2025 NASA roadmap, Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) technology advancement within the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) applies to both the upcoming Lunar Artemis missions and future human exploration of Mars. The incorporation of commercial spacesuit vendors to service NASA’s crewed-space programs since 2021 has increased the demand for regenerable, RCA-based carbon dioxide (CO2) and humidity control adsorbents. The regenerable RCA subunit is the most advanced, long-term solution for CO2 removal and humidity control, enabling both lunar and Martian EVAs. The adsorbent selected for use within the RCA unit must exhibit sufficient storage stability and operational efficiency for prolonged missions. As XploSafe worked to simultaneously develop both a recirculating sub-atmospheric test rig and adsorbents for the RCA system within the xEMU, several novel adsorbents were evaluated for long-term storage stability in support of future extended-duration missions. The chosen materials were periodically evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, thermal desorption-coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS), and CO2 adsorption to assess long-term storage efficacy across various environmental storage conditions. NMR spectroscopy was utilized by extracting the active CO2 adsorbing chemical from the solid support with deuterated solvent and comparing the spectra over time for degradation and change. The solid adsorbents were also analyzed via TD-GC/MS to reveal any potential off-gassing chemicals over time. Additionally, XploSafe’s breakthrough test rig was utilized to dose the solid adsorbents with a 585 BTU/h metabolic rate flow-equivalent CO2 stream and monitored for 0–99% CO2 breakthrough. The performance metrics from the breakthrough analysis were compared over the storage study duration for CO2 removal and humidity control. Xplo-SA9T was evaluated for 24 months, whereas two additional adsorbent variants, MMPA-Sorbent and LPEI-Sorbent, were each evaluated for 12 months.

John R Tidwell↗

Cardiac arrhythmias during exercise testing in healthy men.

Clinically healthy male executives who participate in a long-term physical conditioning program have demonstrated cardiac arrhythmia during and after periodic ergometric testing at submaximal and maximal levels. In 1,385 tests on 248 subjects, it was found that 34% of subjects demonstrated an arrhythmia at some time and 13% of subjects developed arrhythmia on more than one test. Premature systoles of ventricular origin were most common, but premature systoles of atrial origin, premature systoles of junctional origin, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, atrioventricular block, wandering pacemaker, and pre-excitation were also seen. Careful post-test monitoring and pulse rate regulated training sessions are suggested for such programs.

Beard, E. F.↗