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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Electronic Escape Trails for Firefighters

A proposed wireless-communication and data-processing system would exploit recent advances in radio-frequency identification devices (RFIDs) and software to establish information lifelines between firefighters in a burning building and a fire chief at a control station near but outside the building. The system would enable identification of trails that firefighters and others could follow to escape from the building, including identification of new trails should previously established trails become blocked. The system would include a transceiver unit and a computer at the control station, portable transceiver units carried by the firefighters in the building, and RFID tags that the firefighters would place at multiple locations as they move into and through the building (see figure). Each RFID tag, having a size of the order of a few centimeters, would include at least standard RFID circuitry and possibly sensors for measuring such other relevant environmental parameters as temperature, levels of light and sound, concentration of oxygen, concentrations of hazardous chemicals in smoke, and/or levels of nuclear radiation. The RFID tags would be activated and interrogated by the firefighters and control-station transceivers. Preferably, RFID tags would be configured to communicate with each other and with the firefighters units and the control station in an ordered sequence, with built-in redundancy. In a typical scenario, as firefighters moved through a building, they would scatter many RFID tags into smoke-obscured areas by use of a compressed-air gun. Alternatively or in addition, they would mark escape trails by dropping RFID tags at such points of interest as mantraps, hot spots, and trail waypoints. The RFID tags could be of different types, operating at different frequencies to identify their functions, and possibly responding by emitting audible beeps when activated by signals transmitted by transceiver units carried by nearby firefighters.

Jorgensen, Charles↗
NASA NTRS1966

Omnidirectional antennas transmit and receive over large bandwidth

For exchanging wideband signals between two distant ground stations, low-gain antennas with wide angular coverage and circular polarization are mounted on a single mast extending from a satellite. The transmitting antenna has two decoupled ports or inputs for eliminating switching problems when using two transmitters on different frequencies.

Woodward, O. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Optically induced free carrier light modulator

Signal carrier laser beam is optically modulated by a second laser beam of different frequency acting on a free carrier source to which the signal carrier laser is directed. The second laser beam affects the transmission characteristics of the free carrier source to light from the signal carrier laser, thus modulating it.

Gruber, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Deposition monitor and control

Two quartz crystal oscillators monitor and control the thickness and the rate of thin film deposition. The outputs of both oscillators, one exposed to mass and heat and the other exposed only to heat, were mixed and the difference frequency was used as the indication of film thickness.

Salisbury, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1971

A traverse gravimeter for the lunar surface

A semi-automatic, self-levelling lunar gravimeter was designed for the purpose of measuring gravity at predetermined stops along the route of a lunar rover vehicle to obtain a gravity profile. The traverse gravimeter is completely self-contained and is powered by an internal battery. The gravity sensor is a vibrating string accelerometer (VSA) which is enclosed in a precision oven. Gravity data are obtained by initiating a measurement. After the gravimeter has levelled, the VSA difference frequency is counted down and a gate is generated to enable a crystal-controlled clock to a BCD counter. The BCD counter stores the data which are a measurement of gravity. These data, displayed upon command by the astronaut, are transmitted by voice back to earth. It is expected that the accuracy of the gravimeter will be better than one milligal. Low power, light weight, reliability, and simplicity of operation are major considerations in the design of the gravimeter.

Mamon, G.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Probing atmospheric water vapor profiles via multiple scattering of electromagnetic waves

A theoretical analysis on the multiple scattering of electromagnetic waves propagating in a finite inhomogeneous medium is presented and applied to the study of wave propagation in a clear atmosphere (fine weather conditions). It is shown that the analysis offers a method of synthesizing the water vapor density profile in a clear atmosphere by measuring the resultant reflections from the density profile at several different frequencies. It is also shown that the resultant reflection emerges as the consequence of multiple scattering of partial reflections from various parts of the inhomogeneous medium. The solutions of the multiple scattering approach are shown to be more accurate than those of the WKB approach, which neglects the multiple scattering effects.

Tang, C. C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Methods of measurement for semiconductor materials, process control, and devices

Significant accomplishments include development of a procedure to correct for the substantial differences of transistor delay time as measured with different instruments or with the same instrument at different frequencies; association of infrared response spectra of poor quality germanium gamma ray detectors with spectra of detectors fabricated from portions of a good crystal that had been degraded in known ways; and confirmation of the excellent quality and cosmetic appearance of ultrasonic bonds made with aluminum ribbon wire. Work is continuing on measurement of resistivity of semiconductor crystals; study of gold-doped silicon, development of the infrared response technique; evaluation of wire bonds and die attachment; and measurement of thermal properties of semiconductor devices, delay time and related carrier transport properties in junction devices, and noise properties of microwave diodes.

Bullis, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Flame spectra of solid propellants during unstable combustion.

The spectral and temporal details of the flames of a series of ammonium perchlorate-polyurethane propellants during both unstable and stable combustion were observed experimentally. A 400-scan per second optical spectrometer operating in the middle infrared region was used. During unstable combustion at low ratios of chamber free volume to nozzle throat area, three different frequencies were observed simultaneously. These were attributable to at least two mechanisms. During stable combustion periodic fluctuations in flame temperature and composition were also observed. Some aspects of theory of bulk mode instability were confirmed, but the assumptions of constant flame temperature and constant composition were found to be inaccurate.

Eisel, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A traverse gravimeter for the lunar surface.

A semiautomatic, self-leveling lunar gravimeter has been designed for the purpose of measuring gravity at predetermined stops along the route of a Lunar Rover Vehicle to obtain a gravity profile. The Traverse Gravimeter is completely self-contained and is powered by an internal battery. The gravity sensor is a vibrating string accelerometer (VSA) which is enclosed in a precision oven. Gravity data are obtained by initiating a measurement. After the gravimeter has leveled, the VSA difference frequency is counted down and a gate is generated to enable a crystal-controlled clock to a BCD counter. The BCD counter stores the data which are a measurement of gravity. These data, displayed upon command by the astronaut, are transmitted by voice back to earth.

Mamon, G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Determination of normal points for the relativity test of the celestial mechanics experiment

The relativity test is based on Mariner 9 tracking data acquired by the Deep Space Network. These data consist of two types of measurements: (1) two-way frequency difference (Doppler) measurements that are proportional to the tracking station-spacecraft range rate, and (2) signal round trip time-delay measurements that are proportional to the station-spacecraft range. A data compression scheme has been employed to alleviate accuracy and cost difficulties by (1) using the Doppler data to solve for the spacecraft orbit and to relate spacecraft position to the center of mass of Mars; and (2) combining this result with the station-spacecraft range measurements to obtain measurements of the Earth-Mars distance, called normal points, that contain all of the information pertinent to a detailed knowledge of the Earth-Mars motion.

Jordan, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A linear voltage-tunable distributed null device.

A linear voltage-tunable null device was predicted, fabricated, and tested. This filter is conceptually a distributed parameter RC representation of the channel of a MOSFET in a network configuration with a second MOSFET that is treated as a variable resistor. Classical transmission-line theory is used to predict a linear tuning curve with applied bias for the device. This concept was used to design a null device having a null that is linearly tunable in the range of 100 kHz. Such devices were fabricated and tested. Typical MOS processing steps were used and the resulting structures are compatible with the planar technology. The compatibility leads towards extension of this work to different frequency ranges for other specific applications.

Benz, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Accuracy of rocket measurements of lower ionosphere electron concentrations

Measurements of electron concentration taken at the same time and at the same place in the lower ionosphere by independent instrumentation mounted on the same rocket are described. The technique utilizes Faraday rotation and differential absorption of radio waves propagating from the ground to the rocket at two different frequencies. Agreement near 90 km within 7%, 6%, 8%, and 3% is demonstrated by the four available cases of coincidence in time and altitude. Maximum dispersion at other altitudes is calculated from known random errors. Stronger variation of electron collision frequency with altitude than with season is indicated by 34 measurements between 75 and 100 km. Insensitivity of electron concentration determinations at 72 km to errors in extrapolated collision frequency models is demonstrated.

Mechtly, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Propagation of transverse waves in a radially expanding plasma

Investigation of the properties of low-frequency transverse waves in an expanding plasma. The wave vector, the background magnetic field, and the streaming velocity of the plasma are all assumed to lie along the radial direction. Expressions are presented for the radial dependence of the amplitude and phase of left and right circularly polarized waves, correct to first order in the wave frequency divided by the proton cyclotron frequency. Differences in the phase velocities of these two circular polarizations result in a Faraday rotation that can be substantial for typical interplanetary conditions near 1 AU. The implications of these results for a realistic solar wind model with the interplanetary magnetic field along the spiral direction are also considered.

Solodyna, C. V.↗