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At least 235 records · Page 13

Cardiogenic oscillation phase relationships during single-breath tests performed in microgravity

We studied the phase relationships of the cardiogenic oscillations in the phase III portion of single-breath washouts (SBW) in normal gravity (1 G) and in sustained microgravity (microG). The SBW consisted of a vital capacity inspiration of 5% He-1.25% sulfurhexafluoride-balance O2, preceded at residual volume by a 150-ml Ar bolus. Pairs of gas signals, all of which still showed cardiogenic oscillations, were cross-correlated, and their phase difference was expressed as an angle. Phase relationships between inspired gases (e.g., He) and resident gas (n2) showed no change from 1 G (211 +/- 9 degrees) to microG (163 +/- 7 degrees). Ar bolus and He were unaltered between 1 G (173 +/- 15 degrees) and microG (211 +/- 25 degrees), showing that airway closure in microG remains in regions of high specific ventilation and suggesting that airway closure results from lung regions reaching low regional volume near residual volume. In contrast, CO2 reversed phase with He between 1 G (332 +/- 6 degrees) and microG (263 +/- 27 degrees), strongly suggesting that, in microG, areas of high ventilation are associated with high ventilation-perfusion ratio (VA/Q). This widening of the range of VA/Q in microG may explain previous measurements (G.K. Prisk, A.R. Elliott, H.J.B. Guy, J.M. Kosonen, and J.B. West J. Appl. Physiol. 79: 1290-1298, 1995) of an overall unaltered range of VA/Q in microG, despite more homogeneous distributions of both ventilation and perfusion.

Non-NASA Center↗

Effects of training on muscle O2 transport at VO2max

To quantify the relative contributions of convective and peripheral diffusive components of O2 transport to the increase in leg O2 uptake (VO2leg) at maximum O2 uptake (VO2max) after 9 wk of endurance training, 12 sedentary subjects (age 21.8 +/- 3.4 yr, VO2max 36.9 +/- 5.9 ml.min-1.kg-1) were studied. VO2max, leg blood flow (Qleg), and arterial and femoral venous PO2, and thus VO2leg, were measured while the subjects breathed room air, 15% O2, and 12% O2. The sequence of the three inspirates was balanced. After training, VO2max and VO2leg increased at each inspired O2 concentration [FIO2; mean over the 3 FIO2 values 25.2 +/- 17.8 and 36.5 +/- 33% (SD), respectively]. Before training, VO2leg and mean capillary PO2 were linearly related through the origin during hypoxia but not during room air breathing, suggesting that, at 21% O2, VO2max was not limited by O2 supply. After training, VO2leg and mean capillary PO2 at each FIO2 fell along a straight line with zero intercept, just as in athletes (Roca et al. J. Appl. Physiol. 67: 291-299, 1989). Calculated muscle O2 diffusing capacity (DO2) rose 34% while Qleg increased 19%. The relatively greater rise in DO2 increased the DO2/Qleg, which led to 9.9% greater O2 extraction. By numerical analysis, the increase in Qleg alone (constant DO2) would have raised VO2leg by 35 ml/min (mean), but that of DO2 (constant Qleg) would have increased VO2leg by 85 ml/min, more than twice as much. The sum of these individual effects (120 ml/min) was less (P = 0.013) than the observed rise of 164 ml/min (mean). This synergism (explained by the increase in DO2/Qleg) seems to be an important contribution to increases in VO2max with training.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗

Aerosols in the study of convective acinar mixing

Convective mixing (CM) refers to the different transport mechanisms except Brownian diffusion that irreversibly transfer inspired air into resident air and can be studied using aerosol bolus inhalations. This paper provides a review of the present understanding of how each of these mechanisms contributes to CM. Original data of the combined effect of stretch and fold and gravitational sedimentation on CM are also presented. Boli of 0.5 microm-diameter particles were inhaled at penetration volumes (V(p)) of 300 and 1200 ml in eight subjects. Inspiration was followed by a 10-s breath hold, during which small flow reversals (FR) were imposed, and expiration. There was no physiologically significant dependence in dispersion and deposition with increasing FR. The results were qualitatively similar to those obtained in a previous study in microgravity in which it was speculated that the phenomenon of stretch and fold occurred during the first breathing cycle without the need of any subsequent FR.

Convection↗

Small Dog-Like Quadruped Robot Powered With McKibben Air Muscles

Planetary surface robotic exploration is typically done by wheeled robots, which are limited to traveling on relatively flat terrain. The goal of this project was to design a bio-inspired robot to mimic the movements and agility of animals to navigate in various types of natural terrain, such as found on Mars. My objective for the summer was to design and construct a quadruped robot with a locomotion gait similar to a small dog. The design includes four legs and an actuated flexible spine for added mobility and performance; each leg has three joints - hip, knee, and ankle. I created 3D CAD models and machined the pieces for the assemblies of each part. One of the key areas of concern is weight vs. power issues for the driving force of locomotion. To maximize the power-to-weight ratio, I used McKibben air muscles to drive the motion of the quadruped. The prototype went through several iterations to analyze performance, with adjustments made to each assembly. We expect the final working prototype will be capable of standing unassisted and pronking into the air without active control. It will serve as a research platform for future bio-inspired control algorithms.

Lacy, John M.↗

Working Group Reports and Presentations: Mars Science and Exploration

In Mars, the spirit of exploring an exciting and rewarding new frontier is alive. Mars not only offers a unique destination for exploration, but it is also a critical destination for the advancement of human society and preservation of humanity. The exploration of Mars will provide significant social and technological benefits to enhance life on Earth as well. International cooperation will not only be essential to the success of a human presence on Mars, but development of such interactions will jumpstart collaboration on global issues. The eventual commercialization of space holds tremendous opportunities for economic growth. Finally, there is an undeniable basic human need to explore and define our place in the universe. The overarching theme that ties together all of these reasons for exploration is to inspire and unite the global community to pursue a common cause that is much larger than disagreements over ethnic differences or national borders. Continuous inspiration of the public, the scientific community, and the community of Earth are required in order to explore Mars.

Beaty, David↗

Consistency of Post-Newtonian Waveforms with Numerical Relativity

General relativity predicts the gravitational radiation signatures of mergers of compact binaries,such as coalescing binary black hole systems. Derivations of waveform predictions for such systems are required for optimal scientific analysis of observational gravitational wave data, and have so far been achieved primarily with the aid of the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation. The quaIity of this treatment is unclear, however, for the important late inspiral portion. We derive late-inspiral wave forms via a complementary approach, direct numerical simulation of Einstein's equations, which has recently matured sufficiently for such applications. We compare waveform phasing from simulations covering the last approximately 14 cycles of gravitational radiation from an equal-mass binary system of nonspinning black holes with corresponding 3PN and 3.5PN waveforms. We find phasing agreement consistent with internal error estimates based in either approach, at the level of one radian over approximately 10 cycles. The result suggests that PN waveforms for this system are effective roughly until the system reaches its last stable orbit just prior to the final merger.

Baker, John G.↗

Recoiling from a Kick in the Head-On Case

Recoil "kicks" induced by gravitational radiation are expected in the inspiral and merger of black holes. Recently the numerical relativity community has begun to measure the significant kicks found when both unequal masses and spins are considered. Because understanding the cause and magnitude of each component of this kick may be complicated in inspiral simulations, we consider these effects in the context of a simple test problem. We study recoils from collisions of binaries with initially head-on trajectories, starting with the simplest case of equal masses with no spin; adding spin and varying the mass ratio, both separately and jointly. We find spin-induced recoils to be significant even in head-on configurations. Additionally, it appears that the scaling of transverse kicks with spins is consistent with post-Newtonian (PN) theory, even though the kick is generated in the nonlinear merger interaction, where PN theory should not apply. This suggests that a simple heuristic description might be effective in the estimation of spin-kicks.

Choi, Dae-Il↗

Consistency of Post-Newtonian Waveforms with Numerical Relativity

General relativity predicts the gravitational radiation signatures of mergers of compact binaries, such as coalescing binary black hole systems. Derivations of waveform predictions for such systems are required for optimal scientific analysis of observational gravitational wave data, and have so far been achieved primarily with the aid of the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation. The quality of this treatment is unclear, however, for the important late inspiral portion. We derive late-inspiral waveforms via a complementary approach, direct numerical simulation of Einstein's equations, which has recently matured sufficiently for such applications. We compare waveform phasing from simulations covering the last approximately 14 cycles of gravitational radiation from an equal-mass binary system of nonspinning black holes with the corresponding 3PN and 3.5PN orbital phasing. We find agreement consistent with internal error estimates based on either approach at the level of one radian over approximately 10 cycles. The result suggests that PN waveforms for this system are effective roughly until the system reaches its last stable orbit just prior to the final merger/

Baker, John G.↗

Accurate Waveforms for Non-spinning Binary Black Holes using the Effective-one-body Approach

Using numerical relativity as guidance and the natural flexibility of the effective-one-body (EOB) model, we extend the latter so that it can successfully match the numerical relativity waveforms of non-spinning binary black holes during the last stages of inspiral, merger and ringdown. Here, by successfully, we mean with phase differences < or approx. 8% of a gravitational-wave cycle accumulated until the end of the ringdown phase. We obtain this result by simply adding a 4 post-Newtonian order correction in the EOB radial potential and determining the (constant) coefficient by imposing high-matching performances with numerical waveforms of mass ratios m1/m2 = 1,2/3,1/2 and = 1/4, m1 and m2 being the individual black-hole masses. The final black-hole mass and spin predicted by the numerical simulations are used to determine the ringdown frequency and decay time of three quasi-normal-mode damped sinusoids that are attached to the EOB inspiral-(plunge) waveform at the light-ring. The accurate EOB waveforms may be employed for coherent searches of gravitational waves emitted by non-spinning coalescing binary black holes with ground-based laser-interferometer detectors.

Buonanno, Alessandra↗

Bioinspired Engineering of Exploration Systems (BEES) - its Impact on Future Missions

This paper describes an overview of our "Bioinspired Engineering of Exploration Systems for Mars" ( "BEES for Mars") project. The BEES approach distills selected biologically inspired strategies utilizing motion cues/optic flow, bioinspired pattern recognition, biological visual and neural control systems, bioinspired sensing and communication techniques, and birds of prey inspired search and track algorithmic systems. Unique capabilities so enabled, provide potential solutions to future autonomous robotic space and planetary mission applications. With the first series of tests performed in September 2003, August 2004 and September 2004, we have demonstrated the BEES technologies at the El Mirage Dry Lakebed site in the Mojave Desert using Delta Wing experimental prototypes. We call these test flyers the "BEES flyer", since we are developing them as dedicated test platform for the newly developed bioinspired sensors, processors and algorithmic strategies. The Delta Wing offers a robust airframe that can sustain high G launches and offers ease of compact stowability and packaging along with scaling to small size and low ReynOld's number performance for a potential Mars deployment. Our approach to developing light weight, low power autonomous flight systems using concepts distilled from biology promises to enable new applications, of dual use to NASA and DoD needs. Small in size (0.5 -5 Kg) BEES Flyers are demonstrating capabilities for autonomous flight and sensor operability in Mars analog conditions. The BEES project team spans JPL, NASA Ames, Australian National University (ANU), Brigham Young University(BYU), DC Berkeiey, Analogic Computers Inc. and other institutions. The highlights from our recent flight demonstrations exhibiting new Mission enabling capabilities are described. Further, this paper describes two classes of potential new missions for Mars exploration: (1) the long range exploration missions, and (2) observation missions, for real time imaging of critical ephemeral phenomena, that can be enabled by use of BEES flyers. For example, such flyers can serve as a powerful black-box for critical descent and landing data and enablers for improved science missions complementing and supplementing the existing assets like landers and rovers by providing valuable exploration and quick extended low-altitude aerial coverage of the sites of interest by imaging them and distributing instruments to them. Imaging done by orbiters allows broad surface coverage at limited spatial resolution. Low altitude air-borne exploration of Mars offers a means for imaging large areas, perhaps up to several hundred kilometers, quickly and efficiently, providing a close-up birds-eye view of the planetary terrain and close-up approach to constrained difficult areas like canyons and craters. A novel approach to low-mass yet highly capable flyers is enabled by small aircraft equipped using sensors and processors and algorithms developed using BEES technology. This project is focused towards showing the direct impact of blending the best of artificial intelligence attributes and bioinspiration to create a leap beyond existing capability for our future Missions.

navigation↗

Observing Merging Massive Black Hole Binaries with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to detect gravitational radiation from the inspiral and merger of massive black hole binaries at high redshifts with large signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). These high-SNR observations will make it possible to extract physical parameters such as hole masses and spins, luminosity distance, and sky position from the observed waveforms. LISA'S effectiveness as a tool for astrophysics will be influenced by the precision with which these parameters can be measured. In addition, the practicality of coordinated observations with other instruments will be affected by the temporal evolution of parameter errors such as sky position. We present estimates of parameter errors for the special case of non-spinning black holes. Our focus is on the contribution of the late inspiral and merger portions of the waveform, a regime which typically dominates the SNR but has not been extensively studied due to the historic lack of a precise description of the waveform. Advances in numerical relativity have recently made such studies possible. Initial results suggest that the portion of the waveform beyond the Schwarzchild inner-most stable circular orbit can reduce parameter uncertainties by up to a factor of two.

Thorpe, J.↗

Going South: Lessons from an Historic Project Failure

NASA's successful conduct of the Apollo Program greatly enhanced the prestige of the United States and remains broadly accepted as America's gift to all Mankind. NASA's accomplishments continue to amaze the world. With the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) Americans once again tasked NASA to carry out a project that is expected to provide inspiration and economic stimulus to the United States and to the world. In preparation NASA has thoroughly examined space program precedents. There is, however, another precedent which has not been examined in this context but whose scope and environment in many ways parallel the VSE. This project was initiated by a team that had, ten years before, successfully completed an effort that, at a cost of $151 billion (2008 values), had pushed the envelope of technology, brought economic growth, established their country as the world leader in engineering, and been broadly accepted as their country s gift to Mankind. The new project was again inspired by popular desire to enhance national prestige and make yet another major contribution to Humanity. The new effort was predicted to require eight years and $156 billion (2008 values). However, after eight years and expenditures of 80% beyond the baseline, the project collapsed amid bankruptcy, political scandal, and criminal prosecution. This paper applies current aerospace project metrics, such as earned value analysis, to review the strategic decisions in this historic failure and describe its ultimate collapse. Key mistakes are identified, and lessons are drawn which may prove useful in guiding the VSE.

Scott, John H.↗

Going South: Analysis of an Historic Project Engineering Failure

NASA's successful conduct of the Apollo Program greatly enhanced the prestige of the United States and remains broadly accepted as America's gift to all Mankind. NASA's accomplishments continue to amaze the world. With the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) Americans once again tasked NASA to carry out a project that is expected to provide inspiration and economic stimulus to the United States and to the world. In preparation NASA has thoroughly examined space program precedents. There is, however, another precedent which has not been examined in this context but whose scope and environment in many ways parallel the VSE. This project was initiated by a team that had, ten years before, successfully completed an effort that, at a cost of $173 billion (in 2008 dollars), had pushed the envelope of technology, brought economic growth, established their country as the world leader in engineering, and been broadly accepted as that country's gift to all Mankind. The new project was again inspired by popular desire to enhance national prestige and make yet another major contribution to Humanity. This effort was predicted to require eight years and $156 billion (2008 dollars). However, after nine years and expenditures of 96% beyond the baseline, the project collapsed amid bankruptcy, political scandal, and criminal prosecution. This paper applies current project management metrics, such as earned value analysis, to review the strategic decisions in this historic failure and describe its ultimate collapse. Key mistakes are identified, and lessons are drawn which may prove useful in guiding the VSE.

Scott, John H.↗

Expedition Earth and Beyond: Using NASA Data Resources and Integrated Educational Strategies to Promote Authentic Research in the Classroom

Teachers in today s classrooms are bound by state required skills, education standards, and high stakes testing. How can they gain skills and confidence to replace units or individual activities with curriculum that incorporates project and inquiry-based learning and promotes authentic research in the classroom? The key to promoting classroom authentic research experiences lies in educator professional development that is structured around teacher needs. The Expedition Earth and Beyond Program is a new geosciences program based at the NASA Johnson Space Center designed to engage, inspire and educate teachers and students in grades 5-14. The program promotes authentic research experiences for classrooms and uses strategies that will help NASA reach its education goals while still allowing educators to teach required standards. Teachers will have access to experts in terrestrial and planetary remote sensing and geoscience; this will enhance their use of content, structure, and relevant experiences to gain the confidence and skills they need to actively engage students in authentic research experiences. Integrated and powerful educational strategies are used to build skills and confidence in teachers. The strategies are as follows: 1) creating Standards-aligned, inquiry-based curricular resources as ready-to-use materials that can be modified by teachers to fit their unique classroom situation; 2) providing ongoing professional development opportunities that focus on active experiences using curricular materials, inquiry-based techniques and expanding content knowledge; 3) connecting science experts to classrooms to deepen content knowledge and provide relevance to classroom activities and real world applications; 4) facilitating students sharing research with their peers and scientists reinforcing their active participation and contributions to research. These components of the Expedition Earth and Beyond Education Program will be enhanced by providing exciting and diverse research opportunities that are inspired by views of Earth from space taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station. The interest and connection to viewing our home planet from space will inevitably spark questions that will drive students to pursue their research investigations, as well as forming a basis for comparisons to the exploration of other planetary bodies in our solar system.

Graffi, Paige Valderrama↗

NASA Education: Yesterday's Dream...Today's Vision...Tomorrow's Hope

For 50 years, NASA's journeys into air and space have developed humankind's understanding of the universe, advanced technology breakthroughs, enhanced air travel safety and security, and expanded the frontiers of scientific research. These accomplishments share a common genesis: education. Education is a fundamental element of NASA's activities, reflecting a balanced and diverse portfolio of: Elementary and Secondary Education, Higher Education, e-Education, Informal Education, and Minority University Research and Education Programs (MUREP). Previous experience has shown that implementing exciting and compelling NASA missions are critical to inspiring the next generation of explorers, innovators, and leaders. Through partnerships with the Agency's Mission Directorates, other federal agencies, private industries, scientific research, and education/academic organizations, NASA's unique mission and education initiatives (content, people, and facilities) are helping to spark student interest and to guide them toward careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NASA continues to inspire the next generation of explorers, innovators, and future leaders through its educational investments, which are designed to: (1) Strengthen NASA and the Nation's future workforce -- NASA will identify and develop the critical skills and capabilities needed to ensure achievement of exploration, science, and aeronautics. (2) Attract and retain students in STEM disciplines through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers, and faculty -- To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations, and career ambitions of America's young people, NASA will focus on engaging and retaining students in STEM education programs to encourage their pursuit of educational disciplines critical to NASA's future engineering, scientific, and technical missions. 3. Engage Americans in NASA's mission -- NASA will build strategic partnerships and links between formal and informal STEM education providers. Through hands-on, interactive, educational activities, NASA will engage students, educators, families, the general public, and all agency stakeholders in increasing America's science and technology literacy. NASA Education uses multiple methods to assess and evaluate the success of its programs and projects. Methods include strategic planning, management and control, expert evaluations and assessments, competitive acquisition, and analysis of performance measurement data and metrics. Additional control measures are in development. These measures will further improve data collection, assist in assessing return on investments, and provide information for accountability in project and program management. In 2009, NASA directly reached over one million students and over 115,000 educators.

Winterton, Joyce L.↗

The Radio Jove Project

The Radio love Project is a hands-on education and outreach project in which students, or any other interested individuals or groups build a radio telescope from a kit, operate the radio telescope, transmit the resulting signals through the internet if desired, analyze the results, and share the results with others through archives or general discussions among the observers. Radio love is intended to provide an introduction to radio astronomy for the observer. The equipment allows the user to observe radio signals from Jupiter, the Sun, the galaxy, and Earth-based radiation both natural and man-made. The project was started through a NASA Director's Discretionary Fund grant more than ten years ago. it has continued to be carried out through the dedicated efforts of a group of mainly volunteers. Dearly 1500 kits have been distributed throughout the world. Participation can also be done without building a kit. Pre-built kits are available. Users can also monitor remote radio telescopes through the internet using free downloadable software available through the radiosky.com website. There have been many stories of prize-winning projects, inspirational results, collaborative efforts, etc. We continue to build the community of observers and are always open to new thoughts about how to inspire the observers to still greater involvement in the science and technology associated with Radio Jove.

Thieman, J. R.↗

Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Annual Report 2003

If you stepped outdoors on the final evening of 2003 and looked up into the night sky, many celestial events were taking place. A hundred million miles away from Earth, a dust storm swirled across the terracotta peaks and gullies of Mars, as two six-wheeled robots bore down on the planet. They were soon to join two orbital sentries already stationed there. A few hops across the inner solar system, another spacecraft was closing in on a ball of ice and rock spewing forth a hailstorm of dust grains, heated as it swung in toward the Sun. Closer in, two newly lofted space telescopes scanned the skies, their mirrors gathering photons that had crossed the empty vastness of space for billions of years, recording ancient events in unimaginably distant galaxies. And streaking overhead every few minutes directly above our home planet, a handful of satellites was recording the unfolding events of a tropical cyclone off the east coast of Africa and a blizzard that carpeted the northwestern United States. As 2003 drew to a close, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was on the cusp of an extraordinarily busy period, a time when JPL will execute more fly-bys, landings, sample returns and other milestones than at any other time in its history. The exploration we undertake is important for its own sake. And it serves other purposes, none more important than inspiring the next generation of explorers. If the United States wishes to retain its status as a world leader, it must maintain the technological edge of its workforce. What we do here is the stuff of dreams that will inspire a new generation to continue the American legacy of exploration.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)↗

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2005

Topics covered include: Insect-Inspired Optical-Flow Navigation Sensors; Chemical Sensors Based on Optical Ring Resonators; A Broad-Band Phase-Contrast Wave-Front Sensor; Progress in Insect-Inspired Optical Navigation Sensors; Portable Airborne Laser System Measures Forest-Canopy Height; Deployable Wide-Aperture Array Antennas; Faster Evolution of More Multifunctional Logic Circuits; Video-Camera-Based Position-Measuring System; N-Type delta Doping of High-Purity Silicon Imaging Arrays; Avionics System Architecture Tool; Updated Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code; Predicting Flutter and Forced Response in Turbomachinery; Upgrades of Two Computer Codes for Analysis of Turbomachinery; Program Facilitates CMMI Appraisals; Grid Visualization Tool; Program Computes Sound Pressures at Rocket Launches; Solar-System Ephemeris Toolbox; Data-Acquisition Software for PSP/TSP Wind-Tunnel Cameras; Corrosion-Prevention Capabilities of a Water-Borne, Silicone-Based, Primerless Coating; Sol-Gel Process for Making Pt-Ru Fuel-Cell Catalysts; Making Activated Carbon for Storing Gas; System Regulates the Water Contents of Fuel-Cell Streams; Five-Axis, Three-Magnetic-Bearing Dynamic Spin Rig; Modifications of Fabrication of Vibratory Microgyroscopes; Chamber for Growing and Observing Fungi; Electroporation System for Sterilizing Water; Thermoelectric Air/Soil Energy-Harvesting Device; Flexible Metal-Fabric Radiators; Actuated Hybrid Mirror Telescope; Optical Design of an Optical Communications Terminal; Algorithm for Identifying Erroneous Rain-Gauge Readings; Condition Assessment and End-of-Life Prediction System for Electric Machines and Their Loads; Lightweight Thermal Insulation for a Liquid-Oxygen Tank; Stellar Gyroscope for Determining Attitude of a Spacecraft; and Lifting Mechanism for the Mars Explorer Rover.

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