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At least 397 records · Page 22

Growth of a single crystal ribbon in space

Three critical technological areas associated with adapting the method of pulling signal crystal silicon ribbon to a space environment were investigated. Basic parameters such as the magnitude of the forces required and the coupling between thermal and force are discussed. The design of a ribbon puller is described, and the problems encountered are also discussed. The force fields in the vicinity of a coil were characterized and results of attempts to pull ribbon are described. The results of the one experiment to grow a conventional float zone crystal in an external static magnetic field are presented.

Padovani, F. A.↗

Operational treatment of the nonuniform-lift theory in airplane dynamics

The method of operators is used in the application of nonuniform lift theory to problems of airplane dynamics. The method is adapted to the determination of the lift under prescribed conditions of motion or to the determination of the motions with prescribed disturbing forces.

Jones, R. T.↗

An analysis of the multiple model adaptive control algorithm

Qualitative and quantitative aspects of the multiple model adaptive control method are detailed. The method represents a cascade of something which resembles a maximum a posteriori probability identifier (basically a bank of Kalman filters) and a bank of linear quadratic regulators. Major qualitative properties of the MMAC method are examined and principle reasons for unacceptable behavior are explored.

Greene, C. S.↗

Application of millimeter-wave remote sensing to the investigation of comets

It is pointed out the despite years of investigation, the solid, quasi-permanent component of comets, the nucleus, remains largely a mystery. The composition and thermal properties of the nucleus determine the evolution of the more familiar and often spectacular cometary features, the coma and tail. Under certain circumstances, the nucleus may be obscured by a dust cloud of much higher temperature. The most appropriate technology for the investigation of the surface and subsurface layers of the nucleus is considered to be millimeter-wave sensing from an interplanetary spacecraft. Simple radiative transfer models, adapted from methods employed for the interpretation of remote-sensing data on terrestrial ice and snow fields, are used to predict the millimeter-wave spectra of representative model nuclei. The spectra determine the choice of the minimum set of observing frequencies that is required. An instrument configuration driven by these requirements and guided by available technology and the restraints of a proposed NASA spacecraft is then derived.

Hobbs, R. W.↗

Flow separation in shear-layer-driven cavities

A study of the shear-layer flow over a range of open-top cavity configurations is reported. Emphasis is placed on the effect that altering the cavity's span length and aspect ratio has on the development of the shear layer. Computational results are obtained using an interactive method which adapts the compressible boundary-layer model for the flow above the cavity and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations within the enclosure. Interaction of this composite model with the outer, inviscid supersonic flow is also considered in one case. The results show that the location of the stagnation points is sensitive primarily to the variation of the span. When the span was fixed and the aspect ratio varied, the shear layer was nearly unaffected except at aspect ratios less than 0.5. Interaction with the outer flow had a smoothing effect on the shape of the dividing streamline but did not significantly affect the location of the stagnation points.

Brandeis, J.↗

Inertial Confinement fusion targets

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets are made as simple flat discs, as hollow shells or as complicated multilayer structures. Many techniques were devised for producing the targets. Glass and metal shells are made by using drop and bubble techniques. Solid hydrogen shells are also produced by adapting old methods to the solution of modern problems. Some of these techniques, problems, and solutions are discussed. In addition, the applications of many of the techniques to fabrication of ICF targets is presented.

Hendricks, C. D.↗

On Restructurable Control System Theory

The state of stochastic system and control theory as it impacts restructurable control issues is addressed. The multivariable characteristics of the control problem are addressed. The failure detection/identification problem is discussed as a multi-hypothesis testing problem. Control strategy reconfiguration, static multivariable controls, static failure hypothesis testing, dynamic multivariable controls, fault-tolerant control theory, dynamic hypothesis testing, generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) methods, and adaptive control are discussed.

Athans, M.↗

An electrochemical study of Ni/2+/, Co/2+/, and Zn/2+/ ions in melts of composition CaMgSi2O6

Results are reported for a study of the behavior of Ni(2+), Co(2+), and Zn(2+) in molten diopside, determined by cyclic voltametry, as a first step in adapting electrochemical methods for use in experimental geochemistry. The techniques used are described, the theory is briefly discussed, and it is demonstrated that Ni(2+), Co(2+), and Zn(2+) can be reduced, then reoxidized in an uncomplicated case of reversible charge transfer at the Pt electrode. This implies that the neutral metal atoms remain undissolved in the melt. The kinetics of the reduction process, the effects of concentration, the standard reduction potentials, and the diffusion coefficients are discussed in detail. The observations are consistent with the mechanism of Ni(2+) diffusion by transport from site to site. As the proportion of SiO2 in the melt increases, a higher activation energy is required for Ni(2+) to move, and the rate of diffusion is lowered.

Semkow, K. W.↗

Control - Demands mushroom as station grows

The NASA space station, which is presently in the planning stage, is to be composed of both rigid and nonrigid modules, rotating elements, and flexible appendages subjected to environmental disturbances from the earth's atmospheric gravity gradient, and magnetic field, as well as solar radiation and self-generated disturbances. Control functions, which will originally include attitude control, docking and berthing control, and system monitoring and management, will with evolving mission objectives come to encompass such control functions as articulation control, autonomous navigation, space traffic control, and large space structure control. Attention is given to the advancements in modular, distributed, and adaptive control methods, as well as system identification and hardware fault tolerance techniques, which will be required.

Szirmay, S. Z.↗

Grid flexibility and patching techniques

The numerical determination of combustor flowfields is of great value to the combustor designer. An a priori knowledge of the flow behavior can speed the combustor design process and reduce the number of experimental test rigs required to arrive at an optimal design. Even 2-D steady incompressible isothermal flow predictions are of use; many codes of this kind are available, each employing different techniques to surmount the difficulties arising from the nonlinearity of the governing equations and from typically irregular combustor geometries. Mapping techniques (algebraic and elliptic PDE), and adaptive grid methods (both multi-grid and grid embedding) as applied to axisymmetric combustors are discussed.

Keith, T. G.↗

Noise removal in multichannel images

A adaptive filtering method, the Windrow-Hoff algorithm, for enhancing multichannel signals against aditive noise was investigated. It removes noise for multichannel images containing correlated signal compoments but uncorrelated noise components. Its potential application is the enhancement of multichannel microwave satellite images as a preprocessing step for the extraction of geophysical parameters.

Yeh, C. L.↗

Determining a carbohydrate profile for Hansenula polymorpha

The determination of the levels of carbohydrates in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha required the development of new analytical procedures. Existing fractionation and analytical methods were adapted to deal with the problems involved with the lysis of whole cells. Using these new procedures, the complete carbohydrate profiles of H. polymorpha and selected mutant strains were determined and shown to correlate favourably with previously published results.

Petersen, G. R.↗

A flooded-starved design for nickel-cadmium cells

A somewhat analogous situation among groupings of alkaline fuel cells is described where the stochastic aspects were much more accurately documented and then it was illustrated how this problem was eliminated using straight forward principles of pore size engineering. This is followed by a suggested method of adapting these same design principles to nickel-cadmium cells. It must be kept in mind that when cells are cycled to typically twenty percent depth of discharge that eighty percent of the weight of the cell is simply dead weight. Some of this dead weight might be put to better use by trading it for a scheme that would increase the time during which the cell would be working more closely to its optimum set of operating parameters.

Thaller, L. H.↗

A high resolution shock capturing scheme for high Mach number internal flow

An accurate shock capturing scheme is developed for high speed flow. The flux limited dissipation scheme can be converted to a symmetric TVD scheme in the case of a scalar conservation law. Application to an oblique shock wave problem shows the improved resolution and accuracy when compared to the results obtained by the adaptive dissipation method, while exhibiting comparable computational efficiency.

Yoon, Seokkwan↗

Fire safety concerns in space operations

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in fire control techniques and identifies important issues for continuing research, technology, and standards. For the future permanent orbiting facility, the space station, fire prevention and control calls for not only more stringent fire safety due to the long-term and complex missions, but also for simplified and flexible safety rules to accommodate the variety of users. Future research must address a better understanding of the microgravity space environment as it influences fire propagation and extinction and the application of the technology of fire detection, extinguishment, and material assessment. Spacecraft fire safety should also consider the adaptation of methods and concepts derived from aircraft and undersea experience.

Friedman, Robert↗

Real time AI expert system for robotic applications

A computer controlled multi-robot process cell to demonstrate advanced technologies for the demilitarization of obsolete chemical munitions was developed. The methods through which the vision system and other sensory inputs were used by the artificial intelligence to provide the information required to direct the robots to complete the desired task are discussed. The mechanisms that the expert system uses to solve problems (goals), the different rule data base, and the methods for adapting this control system to any device that can be controlled or programmed through a high level computer interface are discussed.

Follin, John F.↗