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At least 307 records · Page 17

Principal Components as a Data Reduction and Noise Reduction Technique

The potential of principal components as a pipeline data reduction technique for thematic mapper data was assessed and principal components analysis and its transformation as a noise reduction technique was examined. Two primary factors were considered: (1) how might data reduction and noise reduction using the principal components transformation affect the extraction of accurate spectral classifications; and (2) what are the real savings in terms of computer processing and storage costs of using reduced data over the full 7-band TM complement. An area in central Pennsylvania was chosen for a study area. The image data for the project were collected using the Earth Resources Laboratory's thematic mapper simulator (TMS) instrument.

Imhoff, M. L.↗

Severe storm identification with satellite microwave radiometry: An initial investigation with Nimbus-7 SMMR data

The severe weather characteristics of convective storms as observed by the Nimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) are investigated. Low 37 GHz brightness temperatures (due to scattering of upwelling radiation by precipitation size ice) are related to the occurrence of severe weather (large hail, strong winds or wind damage, tornadoes and funnel clouds) within one hour of the satellite observation time. During 1979 and 1980 over the United States there were 263 storms which had very cold 37 GHz signatures. Of these storms 15% were severe. The SMMR detected hail, wind, and tornadic storms equally well. Critical Success Indices (CSI's) of 0.32, 0.48, and 0.38 are achieved for the thresholding of severe vs. nonsevere low brightness temperature events during 1979, 1980, and the two years combined, respectively. Such scores are comparable to skill scores for early radar detection methods. These results suggest that a future geostationary passive microwave imaging capability at 37 GHz, with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution, would allow the detection of severe convective storms. This capability would provide a useful complement to radar, especially in areas not covered by radar.

Spencer, R. W.↗

A novel computational method to simulate non-enzymatic self-replication

Non-enzymatic, template-directed synthesis of oligonucleotides has been extensively studied in the laboratory as a model to understand the kind of chemical processes that might have contributed to the origin of life on Earth. Several oligonucleotides have been shown to catalyze the synthesis of their complements from activated mononucleotides; however, a restricted number of them have been found to self-replicate. Recently we developed an efficient modified cellular automata method that supports the study of self-replicating oligonucleotides. With this method the oligonucleotide molecules are represented as active cells imbedded in a two-dimensional array of inactive cells symbolizing the environment. Random movements and probability-governed chemical reactions occurring in a cellular space can effectively simulate the experimental behavior observed in self-directed replication of oligonucleotides.

Navarro-Gonzalez, Rafael↗

A multiple chamber, semicontinuous, crop carbon dioxide exchange system: design, calibration, and data interpretation

Long-term, whole crop CO2 exchange measurements can be used to study factors affecting crop growth. These factors include daily carbon gain, cumulative carbon gain, and carbon use efficiency, which cannot be determined from short-term measurements. We describe a system that measures semicontinuously crop CO2 exchange in 10 chambers over a period of weeks or months. Exchange of CO2 in every chamber can be measured at 5 min intervals. The system was designed to be placed inside a growth chamber, with additional environmental control provided by the individual gas exchange chambers. The system was calibrated by generating CO2 from NaHCO3 inside the chambers, which indicated that accuracy of the measurements was good (102% and 98% recovery for two separate photosynthesis systems). Since the systems measure net photosynthesis (P-net, positive) and dark respiration(R-dark, negative), the data can be used to estimate gross photosynthesis, daily carbon gain, cumulative carbon gain, and carbon use efficiency. Continuous whole-crop measurements are a valuable tool that complements leaf photosynthesis measurements. Multiple chambers allow for replication and comparison among several environmental or cultural treatments that may affect crop growth. Example data from a 2 week study with petunia (Petunia x hybrida Hort. Vilm.-Andr.) are presented to illustrate some of the capabilities of this system.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

SOHO-Ulysses Coordinated Studies During the Two Extended Quadratures and the Alignment of 2007-2008

During SOHO-Sun-Ulysses quadratures the geometry of the configuration makes it possible to sample "in situ" the plasma parcels that are remotely observed in the corona. Although the quadrature position occurs at a well defined instant in time, we typically take data while Ulysses is within +/- 5 degrees of the limb, with the understanding that plasma sampled by Ulysses over this time interval can all be traced to its source in the corona. The relative positions of SOHO and Ulysses in winter 2007 (19 Dec 2006-28 May 2007) are unusual: the SOHO-Sun-Ulysses included angle is always between 85 and 95 degrees - the quadrature lasts for 5 months! This provides an opportunity for extended observations of specific observing objectives. In addition, in summer 2007, Ulysses (at 1.34 AU) is in near-radial alignment with Earth/ACE/Wind and SOHO, allowing us to analyze radial gradients and propagation in the solar wind and inner heliosphere. Our own quadrature campaigns rely heavily on LASCO and UVCS coronal observations: LASCO giving the overall context above 2 solar radii while the UVCS spectrograph acquired data from - 1.5 to, typically, 4-5 solar radii. In the past, coronal parameters have been derived from data acquired by these two experiments and compared with "in situ" data of Ulysses' SWOOPS and SWICS. Data from other experiments like EIT, CDS, SUMER, Sac Peak Fe XIV maps, magnetic field maps from the Wilcox solar magnetograph, MLSO, from MDI, and from the Ulysses magnetograph experiment have been, and will be, used to complement LASCO/UVCS/SWOOPS and SWICS data. We anticipate that observations by ACE/WIND/STEREO/Hinode and other missions will be relevant as well. During the IHY campaigns, Ulysses will be 52-80 degrees south in winter 2007, near sunspot minimum. Hence, our own scientific objective will be to sample high speed wind or regions of transition between slow and fast wind. This might be a very interesting situation - not met in previous quadratures - allowing us to study the variation of element abundances across streamer borders in the corona and,correspondingly, "in situ". Also, observing plasma over prolonged time intervals and at different latitudes, we may examine the latitude variation of the fractionation effect (e.g. Yon Steiger, 2002) and its dependence on time (e.g. Woo, 2004). For instance, if the FIP bias is dictated by the duration of plasma confinement in solar loops, its value in streamers should depend on the streamer age. Analogous variations should be found in the abundances of "in situ" plasma released by the streamer. All Ulysses and SOHO data is in the public domain and accessible so different objectives could be addressed by others. The winter 2008 quadrature will be well into the next sunspot cycle and there might be significant high mid-latitude activity. Ulysses will be up to 80 degrees in the northern hemisphere at this time and able to detect the resulting ICMEs and ejecta, allowing us to study the physical parameters of the propagating CME bubble/core/front, and/or to study the coronal and "in situ" characteristics of the current sheet associated with the event (e.g. Bemporad et al. 2005), so far still vaguely defined.

Suess, S. T.↗

GRAIL Refinements to Lunar Seismic Structure

The present ]day internal structure of the Moon provides insight not only into its own formation and evolution, but also that of all rocky planetary bodies. The most direct way to probe a planet fs interior structure is through seismology. As part of the Apollo lunar missions, four seismometers were deployed on the nearside surface of the Moon between the years 1969 and 1972. These instruments operated continuously until 1977, forming the only substantial extraterrestrial seismic data set in existence. These data have been used to constrain various aspects of the seismic velocity and density structure of the Moon. Typical 1-D models recognize a 30-60 km thick crust overlying a nearly constant ]velocity mantle, and extend to a depth of approximately 1000 km, below which the lack of penetrating moonquake ray ]paths precludes the seismic determination of deeper structure. Previously, the lack of observed moonquakes from the far side of the Moon has been used to infer the presence of a highly attenuating (possibly molten) core. Indirect geophysical measurements such as moment of inertia, magnetic induction, lunar laser ranging, and elemental abundances of mare basalts also place varying constraints on core size and state. In combination with seismic studies, these indirect measurements have been used to arrive at a commonly accepted model of the Moon's deepest interior that includes a solid inner and fluid outer core, overlain by a partial melt boundary layer. We recently applied modern array seismology techniques to the Apollo data and revealed detailed core structure, including the first direct confirmation of the presence of a solid inner core. Our study focused on the identification of core ]reflected phases in deep moonquake seismograms. The resulting model of the Moon fs innermost structure was found to be consistent with the commonly accepted model. However, the modeled layer radii may vary by tens of kilometers, as is expected when accounting for uncertainties such as moonquake location, timing errors, and potential seismic heterogeneities. In addition, the modeled velocities may vary with a 1-to-1 trade ]off with the modeled reflector depth. The GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission, launched in Sept. 2011, placed two nearly identical spacecraft in lunar orbit. The two satellites make extremely high-resolution measurements of the lunar gravity field, which can be used to constrain the interior structure of the Moon using a "crust to core" approach. GRAIL fs constraints on crustal thickness, mantle structure, core radius and stratification, and core state (solid vs. molten) will complement seismic investigations in several ways. Here we present a progress report on our efforts to advance our knowledge of the Moon fs internal structure using joint gravity and seismic analyses. We will focus on methodology, including 1) refinements to the seismic core constraint accomplished through array processing of Apollo seismic data, made by applying a set of travel time corrections based on GRAIL structure estimates local to each Apollo seismic station; 2) modeling deep lunar structure through synthetic seismograms, to test whether the seismic core model can reproduce the core reflections observed in the Apollo seismograms; and 3) a joint seismic and gravity inversion in which we attempt to fit a family of seismic structure models with the gravity constraints from GRAIL, resulting in maps of seismic velocities and densities that vary from a nominal model both laterally and with depth.

Weber, Renee↗

Mrk 421: 2 Weeks of Multi-Wavelength Monitoring with IXPE

At z=0.03, Mrk 421 is one of the closest Blazars and hence an exceptional target for X-ray polarization. In December of 2023, IXPE monitored Mrk 421 for approximately two weeks, in order to investigate the possible origins of X-ray polarization variability previously seen in this target, and whether it might originate in a shock propagating through the field lines of an energy-stratified jet. We present the results of the IXPE campaign, which is also complemented by NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, Swift, and ground-based monitoring.

IXPE↗

Mrk 421: Two Weeks of Multi-Wavelength Monitoring with IXPE

At z=0.03, Mrk 421 is one of the closest Blazars and hence an exceptional target for X-ray polarization. In December of 2023, IXPE monitored Mrk 421 for approximately two weeks, in order to investigate the possible origins of X-ray polarization variability previously seen in this target, and whether it might originate in a shock propagating through the field lines of an energy-stratified jet. We present the results of the IXPE campaign, which is also complemented by NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, Swift, and ground-based monitoring.

IXPE↗

Architecting a mission plan for Lunar Observer

The present status of NASA's Lunar Observer study effort at JPL is discussed in the context of an ongoing 20-year series of studies focused on defining a robotic, low-altitude, polar-orbiting mission to the moon. The primary emphasis of the discussion is a review of the various systems-level factors that drive the overall architecture of the mission plan. Selected top-level project and science requirements are summarized and the current mission and science objectives are presented. A brief description of the candidate science instrument complement is included. Several significant orbital effects caused by the lunar gravity field are explained and the variety of trajectory and maneuver options considered for both getting to the moon and orbiting there are described. Several candidate mission architectures are outlined and the mission plans chosen for future study are described. Two mission options result: a single-spacecraft, single-launch scenario, and a multiple-spacecraft, multiple-launch concept.

Ridenoure, Rex W.↗

Transport Coefficients for the NASA Lewis Chemical Equilibrium Program

The new transport property data that will be used in the NASA Lewis Research Center's Chemical Equilibrium and Applications Program (CEA) is presented. It complements a previous publication that documented the thermodynamic and transport property data then in use. Sources of the data and a brief description of the method by which the data were obtained are given. Coefficients to calculate the viscosity, thermal conductivity, and binary interactions are given for either one, or usually, two temperature intervals, typically 300 to 1000 K and 1000 to 5000 K. The form of the transport equation is the same as used previously. The number of species was reduced from the previous database. Many species for which the data were estimated were eliminated from the database. Some ionneutral interactions were added.

Svehla, Roger A.↗

Hardware

The full complement of EDOMP investigations called for a broad spectrum of flight hardware ranging from commercial items, modified for spaceflight, to custom designed hardware made to meet the unique requirements of testing in the space environment. In addition, baseline data collection before and after spaceflight required numerous items of ground-based hardware. Two basic categories of ground-based hardware were used in EDOMP testing before and after flight: (1) hardware used for medical baseline testing and analysis, and (2) flight-like hardware used both for astronaut training and medical testing. To ensure post-landing data collection, hardware was required at both the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) landing sites. Items that were very large or sensitive to the rigors of shipping were housed permanently at the landing site test facilities. Therefore, multiple sets of hardware were required to adequately support the prime and backup landing sites plus the Johnson Space Center (JSC) laboratories. Development of flight hardware was a major element of the EDOMP. The challenges included obtaining or developing equipment that met the following criteria: (1) compact (small size and light weight), (2) battery-operated or requiring minimal spacecraft power, (3) sturdy enough to survive the rigors of spaceflight, (4) quiet enough to pass acoustics limitations, (5) shielded and filtered adequately to assure electromagnetic compatibility with spacecraft systems, (6) user-friendly in a microgravity environment, and (7) accurate and efficient operation to meet medical investigative requirements.

Source record↗

Jet Diffusion in Proximity of a Wall

When auxiliary jet engines are installed on airframes; as well as in some new designs, the jet engines are mounted in such a way that the jet stream exhausts in close proximity to the fuselage. This report deals with the behavior of the jet in close proximity to a two-dimensional surface. The experiments were made to find out whether the axially symmetric stream tends to approach the flat surface. This report is the last of a series of four partial test reports of the Goettingen program for the installation of jet engines, dated October 12, 1943. This report is the complement of the report on intake in close proximity to a wall.

Kuechemann, D.↗

Science in a Team Environment (AKA, How to Play Nicely with Others)

So you want to do NASA funded research in a spaceflight analog? There are several things about participating in an HRP managed analog that may be different from the way you normally do work in your laboratory. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight those differences and explain some of the unique aspects of doing this research. Participation in an HRP funded analog study complement, even if initially selected for funding, is not automatic and involves numerous actions from ISSMP, HRP, and the PI. There are steps that have to be taken and processes to follow before approval and ISSMP-FA integration. After the proposal and acceptance process the Investigator works closely with the Flight Analog team to ensure full integration of their study requirements into a compliment. A complement is comprised of a group of studies requiring a common platform and/or scenario that are able to be integrated on a non-interference basis for implementation. Full integration into the analog platform can be broken down into three phases: integration, preparation, and implementation. These phases occur in order with some overlap in the integration and preparation phase. The ISSMP-FA team integrates, plans and implements analog study complements. Properly defining your research requirements and getting them documented is one of the most critical components to ensure successful integration and implementation of your study, but is also one of the most likely to be neglected by PIs. Requirements that are not documented, or that are documented poorly are unlikely to get done, no matter how much you push. The process to document requirements is two-fold, consisting of an initial individual requirements integration and then a compliment requirements integration. Understanding the requirements in detail and early ensures that the science is not compromised by outside influences. This step is vital to the integration, preparation, and implementation phases. The individual requirements integration is the first step in ensuring that the research fits into an available analog platform or allows for the Flight Analog team to provide information on structural study changes for participation in the analog. At this early point investigators need to understand exactly what their requirements are to produce relevant data and convey their must have needs to the Flight Analog team. The fluid nature of analog platforms allow for minor alterations to the operational structure. Participation in analog research requires flexibility from the investigator to ensure implementation of their research into a flight like analog platform. The compliment integration requires plasticity; investigators are asked to work closely with one another and the Flight Analog team to combine research studies into a single study plan. This study plan's ultimate goal is to facilitate multiple study participation with minimal scientific impact to each individual study. The Flight Analogs team works to find the best compromise for all parties while protecting the flight like atmosphere of a particular analog. Additional restrictions, limitations and constraints may be required by the analog in order to make all of the science work. Many studies need to be combined into each complement and there are a limited number of hours available for data collection. Through data/sample sharing, we can reduce the burden on the test subject, while usually avoiding significant science impacts. Restrictions on food, exercise, medications and sleep cycle are important to consider for your research.

Platts, S. H.↗

Electronic/electric technology benefits study

The benefits and payoffs of advanced electronic/electric technologies were investigated for three types of aircraft. The technologies, evaluated in each of the three airplanes, included advanced flight controls, advanced secondary power, advanced avionic complements, new cockpit displays, and advanced air traffic control techniques. For the advanced flight controls, the near term considered relaxed static stability (RSS) with mechanical backup. The far term considered an advanced fly by wire system for a longitudinally unstable airplane. In the case of the secondary power systems, trades were made in two steps: in the near term, engine bleed was eliminated; in the far term bleed air, air plus hydraulics were eliminated. Using three commercial aircraft, in the 150, 350, and 700 passenger range, the technology value and pay-offs were quantified, with emphasis on the fiscal benefits. Weight reductions deriving from fuel saving and other system improvements were identified and the weight savings were cycled for their impact on TOGW (takeoff gross weight) and upon the performance of the airframes/engines. Maintenance, reliability, and logistic support were the other criteria.

Howison, W. W.↗

The Personnel Launch System

NASA has begun to study candidate vehicles for manned access to space in support of the Space Station or other future missions requiring on-demand transportation of people to and from earth orbit. One such system, which would be used to complement the present Shuttle or an upgraded version, is the Personnel Launch System (PLS), which is envisioned as a reusable priority vehicle to place people and small payloads into orbit using an experimental launch vehicle. The design of the PLS is based on a Space Station crew changeout requirement whereby eight passengers and two crew members are flown to the station and a like number are returned within a 72 hour mission duration. Experimental and computational aerothermodynamic heating studies have been conducted using a new two-color thermographic technique that involved coating the model with a phosphor that radiates at varying color intensities as a function of temperature when illuminated with UV light. A full-scale model, the HL-20, has been produced and will be used for man-machine research. Three launch vehicle concepts are being considered, a Titan IV, the Advanced Launch System, and a Shuttle equipped with liquid rocket boosters.

Piland, William M.↗

Responses of Cardiac Tissue to Simulated Weightlessness

Our current study aims to determine the molecular mechanisms that underlie these cardiac changes in response to spaceflight. The central hypothesis of our study is that long duration simulated weightlessness and subsequent recovery causes select and persistent changes in gene expression and oxidative defense-related pathways. In this study, we will first conduct general analyses of three-month old male and female animals, focusing on two key long-duration time points, (i.e. after 90 days of simulated weightlessness (HU) and after 90 days recovery from 90 days of HU. Both rat-specific gene arrays and qPCR will be performed focusing on genes already implicated in oxidative stress responses and cardiac disease. Gene expression analyses will be complemented by biochemical tests of frozen tissue lysates for select markers of oxidative damage.

heart↗

Two papers on feed-forward networks

Connectionist feed-forward networks, trained with back-propagation, can be used both for nonlinear regression and for (discrete one-of-C) classification, depending on the form of training. This report contains two papers on feed-forward networks. The papers can be read independently. They are intended for the theoretically-aware practitioner or algorithm-designer; however, they also contain a review and comparison of several learning theories so they provide a perspective for the theoretician. The first paper works through Bayesian methods to complement back-propagation in the training of feed-forward networks. The second paper addresses a problem raised by the first: how to efficiently calculate second derivatives on feed-forward networks.

Buntine, Wray L.↗

Inner Magnetosphere Imager Mission: A New Window on the Plasma Universe

The proposed Inner Magnetosphere Imager mission will obtain the first simultaneous images of the component regions of the inner magnetosphere and will enable scientists to relate these global images to internal and external influences, as well as local observations. We are performing at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center a concept definition study of the proposed mission. The baseline mission calls for an instrument complement of approximately seven imagers to fly in an elliptical Earth orbit with an apogee of seven Earth radii (Re) and a perigee of approximately 4800 km. Several spacecraft concepts are being considered for the mission. The first concept utilizes a spinning spacecraft with a despun platform. The second concept splits the instruments onto two smaller satellites-a spinning spacecraft and a complementary three-axis stabilized spacecraft. Launch options being assessed for the spacecraft range from a Delta-2, for the single- and dual-spacecraft concepts, to dual Taurus launches, for the two smaller spacecraft. An additional option, that of downsizing the mission to fit within the guidelines of the Space Physics Division's new class of solar terrestrial probes, is also being considered.

Johnson, Charles L.↗