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At least 397 records · Page 22

SSME propellant path leak detection real-time

Included are four documents that outline the technical aspects of the research performed on NASA Grant NAG8-140: 'A System for Sequential Step Detection with Application to Video Image Processing'; 'Leak Detection from the SSME Using Sequential Image Processing'; 'Digital Image Processor Specifications for Real-Time SSME Leak Detection'; and 'A Color Change Detection System for Video Signals with Applications to Spectral Analysis of Rocket Engine Plumes'.

Crawford, R. A.↗

How the Open Data Policy of the Landsat Program Has Advanced Our Understanding of Environmental Change

A time series is a sequence of observations of a phenomenon taken sequentially in time. A crucial characteristic of a time series is the dependence among adjacent observations – techniques for analyzing this dependence are referred to as time series analysis. This analytical approach enables us to predict or forecast future values of a time series, study the impact of various inputs on the observed phenomenon, and examine interrelationships among related time series variables. Within the geographical sciences, time series analysis has historically been limited to coarse-resolution satellite data, as constructing time series of data suitable for studying land cover and land use dynamics, such as Landsat data, were prohibitively costly. A transformative shift occurred in 2008 when the U.S. Government decided to make free and open all past and future data collected by the Landsat satellite program. The decision brought about a paradigm shift away from analyzing individual images or observations to continuous monitoring in time. Of particular relevance to environmental remote sensing is the ability to forecast observations – if we can predict how future observations should behave, we can infer information about how the land surface is changing. In this presentation, we will examine literature examples that showcase scientific gains enabled by time series analysis of satellite data. We will delve into how the analysis of dense time series of satellite data revealed that overall rate of forest disturbance in the Amazon has increased despite a reduction in deforestation; how different types of forest degradation, previously unquantified, are now being accurately assessed in the Caucasus region; and how we now can study the highly dynamic and intricate patterns of shifting cultivation in Southeast Asia.

Pontus Olofsson↗

Automated Desalting Apparatus

Because salt and metals can mask the signature of a variety of organic molecules (like amino acids) in any given sample, an automated system to purify complex field samples has been created for the analytical techniques of electrospray ionization/ mass spectroscopy (ESI/MS), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and biological assays where unique identification requires at least some processing of complex samples. This development allows for automated sample preparation in the laboratory and analysis of complex samples in the field with multiple types of analytical instruments. Rather than using tedious, exacting protocols for desalting samples by hand, this innovation, called the Automated Sample Processing System (ASPS), takes analytes that have been extracted through high-temperature solvent extraction and introduces them into the desalting column. After 20 minutes, the eluent is produced. This clear liquid can then be directly analyzed by the techniques listed above. The current apparatus including the computer and power supplies is sturdy, has an approximate mass of 10 kg, and a volume of about 20 20 20 cm, and is undergoing further miniaturization. This system currently targets amino acids. For these molecules, a slurry of 1 g cation exchange resin in deionized water is packed into a column of the apparatus. Initial generation of the resin is done by flowing sequentially 2.3 bed volumes of 2N NaOH and 2N HCl (1 mL each) to rinse the resin, followed by .5 mL of deionized water. This makes the pH of the resin near neutral, and eliminates cross sample contamination. Afterward, 2.3 mL of extracted sample is then loaded into the column onto the top of the resin bed. Because the column is packed tightly, the sample can be applied without disturbing the resin bed. This is a vital step needed to ensure that the analytes adhere to the resin. After the sample is drained, oxalic acid (1 mL, pH 1.6-1.8, adjusted with NH4OH) is pumped into the column. Oxalic acid works as a chelating reagent to bring out metal ions, such as calcium and iron, which would otherwise interfere with amino acid analysis. After oxalic acid, 1 mL 0.01 N HCl and 1 mL deionized water is used to sequentially rinse the resin. Finally, the amino acids attached to the resin, and the analytes are eluted using 2.5 M NH4OH (1 mL), and the NH4OH eluent is collected in a vial for analysis.

Spencer, Maegan K.↗

Concurrent algorithms for transient nonlinear FE analysis

A two-parameter class of time-stepping algorithms for nonlinear structural dynamics is investigated. What sets the present method apart from other concurrent algorithms is the fact that it can be used to some advantage in sequential machines as well. Thus, substantial speed-ups are obtained on a single processor as the number of subdomains is increased. An additional O(p) speed-up is obtained when p processors are utilized. The test case discussed is being repeated for a mesh comprising four times as many elements, in an effort to understand how the large scale asymptotic speed-ups are attained. A three dimensional example involving finite deformations and free body motions is also being pursued. A code optimized for concurrency in the Alliant FX8 computer is being finalized. This will provide the means for testing the performance of the algorithm in a multiprocessor environment.

Ortiz, M.↗

Efficient Jitter Analysis for Spacecraft

Typically in space missions, the science instruments require a specific degree of pointing accuracy as well as dynamical quietness. This dynamical quietness, which is needed to allow the instruments to make measurements (remote sensing applications) or perform other functions, is usually characterized in terms of jitter and stability specifications. In order to insure that the spacecraft meets the requirements of its instruments, several jitter analyses are performed throughout the design phase of the spacecraft and beyond as the models of the spacecraft, its components, and disturbances mature. Each such analysis involves the simulation of the spacecraft and instrument dynamical response to all known disturbance scenarios, followed by the computation of jitter values for each instrument based on the specified jitter time windows. The direct approach for computing jitter values by sweeping maxima and minima throughout the time history may be costly in the computational sense as the size and number of the time histories involved could be quite large. Keeping in mind that typical spacecraft simulation time histories may easily involve hundreds of thousands or millions of points, it is imperative that a jitter analysis algorithm be developed which is more efficient than the direct approach. This paper presents a vectorized algorithm for efficient computation of spacecraft jitter values. The algorithm identifies the extreme points in the time history, which are the points that may dominate the jitter values depending on the location of the jitter window along the time history. The span of influence of each extremum is then computed by the algorithm and used in an efficient and vectorized fashion to obtain the jitter values. The algorithm deals with the multiple jitter windows 2 sequentially, first computing jitter values for the smallest time window, then looping over the remaining time windows until all jitter values are computed. A numerical example is carried out to demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of the proposed jitter analysis technique.

Maghami, Peiman G.↗

Iron and Phosphorus Geochemistry in High-Centered and Low-Centered Polygon Soils from the Barrow Environmental Observatory, Utqiagvik, Alaska, 2015

This dataset provides chemical characterization of soil cores obtained in triplicate from center and trough positions of a high-centered polygon and center, ridge, and trough positions of a low-centered polygon in the NGEE Arctic research area within the Barrow Environmental Observatory, Utqiagvik, Alaska. Photographs of the 15 collected cores are provided. Cores were collected to thaw depth in early October 2015 and subsequently divided into subsamples for analysis, which included bulk soil horizons (organic or mineral) and finer scale depth increments (minimum 4 cm thickness per increment). Bulk horizons and depth increments were characterized using sequential chemical extractions for Fe and P and with Fe K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Additional soil parameters such as loss-on-ignition, gravimetric water content, and carbon and nitrogen concentrations were also quantified for bulk horizons. This dataset includes four csv files, one pdf user guide, and one zip folder of *.jpg photos.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Metallurgical Evaluations of Depainting Processes on Aluminum Substrate

In December 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emission Standards Division and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) signed an Interagency Agreement (IA) initiating a task force for the technical assessment of alternative technologies for aerospace depainting operations. The United States Air Force (USAF) joined the task force in 1994. The mandates of the task force were: (1) To identify available alternative depainting systems that do not rely on methylene chloride or other ozone-depleting, chlorinated, and volatile organic carbon solvents. (2) To determine the viability, applicability, and pollution prevention potential of each identified alternative. (3) To address issues of safety, environmental impact, reliability, and maintainability. Through a Technical Implementation Committee (TIC), the task force selected and evaluated eight alternative paint stripping technologies: chemical stripping, carbon dioxide (CO2) blasting, xenon flashlamp and CO2 coatings removal (FLASHJET(R)), CO2 laser stripping, plastic media blasting (PMB), sodium bicarbonate wet stripping, high-pressure water blasting (WaterJet), and wheat starch abrasive blasting (Enviro-Strip(R)). (The CO2 blasting study was discontinued after the first depainting sequence.) This final report presents the results of the Joint EPA/NASA/USAF Interagency Depainting Study. Significant topics include: (1) Final depainting sequence data for the chemical stripping, PMB, sodium bicarbonate wet stripping, and WaterJet processes. (2) Strip rates for all eight technologies. (3) Sequential comparisons of surface roughness measurements for the seven viable depainting technologies. (4) Chronological reviews of and lessons learned in the conduct of all eight technologies. (5) An analysis of the surface roughness trends for each of the seven technologies. (6) Metallurgic evaluations of panels Summaries of corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement evaluations of chemical stripping panels, detailed descriptions of which appear in previous reports. Because the requirements for alternative systems are diverse, as are initial setup, training, and on-going operational considerations, this study does not recommend a particular product or process. Users of this study will draw their own conclusions from the data presented herein.

McGill, Preston↗

Automated mass spectrometer analysis system

An automated mass spectrometer analysis system is disclosed, in which samples are automatically processed in a sample processor and converted into volatilizable samples, or their characteristic volatilizable derivatives. Each volatilizable sample is sequentially volatilized and analyzed in a double focusing mass spectrometer, whose output is in the form of separate ion beams all of which are simultaneously focused in a focal plane. Each ion beam is indicative of a different sample component or different fragments of one or more sample components and the beam intensity is related to the relative abundance of the sample component. The system includes an electro-optical ion detector which automatically and simultaneously converts the ion beams, first into electron beams which in turn produce a related image which is transferred to the target of a vilicon unit. The latter converts the images into electrical signals which are supplied to a data processor, whose output is a list of the components of the analyzed sample and their abundances. The system is under the control of a master control unit, which in addition to monitoring and controlling various power sources, controls the automatic operation of the system under expected and some unexpected conditions and further protects various critical parts of the system from damage due to particularly abnormal conditions.

Kuppermann, Aron↗

Automated mass spectrometer analysis system

An automated mass spectrometer analysis system is disclosed, in which samples are automatically processed in a sample processor and converted into volatilizable samples, or their characteristic volatilizable derivatives. Each volatizable sample is sequentially volatilized and analyzed in a double focusing mass spectrometer, whose output is in the form of separate ion beams all of which are simultaneously focused in a focal plane. Each ion beam is indicative of a different sample component or different fragments of one or more sample components and the beam intensity is related to the relative abundance of the sample component. The system includes an electro-optical ion detector which automatically and simultaneously converts the ion beams, first into electron beams which in turn produce a related image which is transferred to the target of a vidicon unit. The latter converts the images into electrical signals which are supplied to a data processor, whose output is a list of the components of the analyzed sample and their abundances. The system is under the control of a master control unit, which in addition to monitoring and controlling various power sources, controls the automatic operation of the system under expected and some unexpected conditions and further protects various critical parts of the system from damage due to particularly abnormal conditions.

Boettger, Heinz G.↗

Decoupled direct method for sensitivity analysis in combustion kinetics

An efficient, decoupled direct method for calculating the first order sensitivity coefficients of homogeneous, batch combustion kinetic rate equations is presented. In this method the ordinary differential equations for the sensitivity coefficients are solved separately from , but sequentially with, those describing the combustion chemistry. The ordinary differential equations for the thermochemical variables are solved using an efficient, implicit method (LSODE) that automatically selects the steplength and order for each solution step. The solution procedure for the sensitivity coefficients maintains accuracy and stability by using exactly the same steplengths and numerical approximations. The method computes sensitivity coefficients with respect to any combination of the initial values of the thermochemical variables and the three rate constant parameters for the chemical reactions. The method is illustrated by application to several simple problems and, where possible, comparisons are made with exact solutions and those obtained by other techniques.

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan↗

Note on the definitions of branching ratios of overlapping resonances

Branching ratios for the decay of hadrons with large width or near thresholds depend on their definition. We test different definitions and show that rather different branching ratios can be obtained. For wide resonances and for sequential decays with wide intermediate resonances, integration over the spectral functions is mandatory. The tests are performed exploiting the latest solution of the Bonn-Gatchina multi-channel analysis and published values for residues of light scalar mesons. For a resonance overlapping with a threshold, in case its pole lies in a non-adjacent sheet, we show how the total width, needed for the branching ratios, does not correspond to the imaginary part of the pole position. We use the Madrid-Krakow dispersive parameterizations to illustrate this situation with the f 0 (980).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

On the distribution of computation for sequential decoding using the stack algorithm

A method is developed for estimating the computational distribution for the stack algorithm for sequential decoding, that is, the probability that the computation required to decode the first branch of the tree is greater than or equal to N, for small N. The analysis relies heavily on the theory of multitype branching processes. A step in the analysis is the determination of the distribution of the minimum of the cumulative metrics along the transmitted path in the code tree. This is used to obtain the distribution of the number of computations made by the decoder in order to decode the first branch in the tree, and this random variable serves as an approximation of the average number of computations per decoded branch. At information rates below the cutoff rate, the calculated computational performance is virtually identical to that obtained by time-consuming simulations.

Johannesson, R.↗

Thermal Desorption/GCMS Analysis of Astrobiologically Relevant Organic Materials

Several macromolecular organic materials, both biologically-derived (type II kerogen and humic acid) and abiotic in origin (Murchison insoluble organic material, cyanide polymer, and Titan tholin) were subjected to thermal desorption using a Chromatoprobe attachment on a Varian Saturn 2000 GCMS system. Each sample was heated sequentially at 100, 200, and 300 C to release volatile components. The evolved compounds were then separated on a Supelco EC-1 dimethylsilica GC column and detected by the Saturn 2000 ion trap mass spectrometer. The various types of macromolecular organic material subjected to thermal desorption produced distinctly different GCMS chromatograms at each temperature, containing fractions of both low and high chromatographic mobility. The relative amounts of detectable volatiles released at each temperature also differed, with type II kerogen and cyanide polymer containing the highest percentage of low-temperature components. In all the samples, the highest yield of released compounds occurred at 300 C. Only cyanide polymer evolved a homologous hydrocarbon series, suggesting that it is the only material among those examined that contains a truly polymeric structure. Pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry has been used extensively for analysis of terrestrial organic macromolecular materials, and was also part of the instrument package on the Viking landers. Thorough analysis by pyrolysis usually employs temperatures of 500 C or higher, which for in situ analyses can be problematic given spacecraft power and materials constraints. This study demonstrates that heating of organic materials of astrobiological relevance to temperatures as low as 200-300 C for short periods releases volatile components that can be analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Even in the absence of full pyrolysis, useful chemical information on samples can be obtained, and materials from different biological and abiological sources can be distinguished. The research described in this paper was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

McDonald, Gene D.↗

Concurrent processing adaptation of aeroplastic analysis of propfans

Discussed here is a study involving the adaptation of an advanced aeroelastic analysis program to run concurrently on a shared memory multiple processor computer. The program uses a three-dimensional compressible unsteady aerodynamic model and blade normal modes to calculate aeroelastic stability and response of propfan blades. The identification of the computational parallelism within the sequential code and the scheduling of the concurrent subtasks to minimize processor idle time are discussed. Processor idle time in the calculation of the unsteady aerodynamic coefficients was reduced by the simple strategy of appropriately ordering the computations. Speedup and efficiency results are presented for the calculation of the matched flutter point of an experimental propfan model. The results show that efficiencies above 70 percent can be obtained using the present implementation with 7 processors. The parallel computational strategy described here is also applicable to other aeroelastic analysis procedures based on panel methods.

Janetzke, David C.↗

Concurrent processing adaptation of aeroelastic analysis of propfans

This paper reports on a study involving the adaptation of an advanced aeroelastic analysis program to run concurrently on a shared memory multiple processor computer. The program uses a three-dimensional compressible unsteady aerodynamic model and blade normal modes to calculate aeroelastic stability and response of propfan blades. The identification of the computational parallelism within the sequential code and the scheduling of the concurrent subtasks to minimize processor idle time are discussed. Processor idle time in the calculation of the unsteady aerodynamic coefficients was reduced by the simple strategy of appropriately ordering the computations. Speedup and efficiency results are presented for the calculation of the matched flutter point of an experimental propfan model. The results show that efficiencies above 70 percent can be obtained using the present implementation with 7 processors. The parallel computational strategy described here is also applicable to other aeroelastic analysis procedures based on parallel methods.

Murthy, Durbha V.↗

Concurrent processing adaptation of aeroelastic analysis of propfans

Discussed here is a study involving the adaptation of an advanced aeroelastic analysis program to run concurrently on a shared memory multiple processor computer. The program uses a three-dimensional compressible unsteady aerodynamic model and blade normal modes to calculate aeroelastic stability and response of propfan blades. The identification of the computational parallelism within the sequential code and the scheduling of the concurrent subtasks to minimize processor idle time are discussed. Processor idle time in the calculation of the unsteady aerodynamic coefficients was reduced by the simple strategy of appropriately ordering the computations. Speedup and efficiency results are presented for the calculation of the matched flutter point of an experimental propfan model. The results show that efficiencies above 70 percent can be obtained using the present implementation with 7 processors. The parallel computational strategy described here is also applicable to other aeroelastic analysis procedures based on panel methods.

Murthy, D. V.↗

A Framework for Understanding and Quantifying the Loss and Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in the Outer Radiation Belt During Geomagnetic Storms

We present detailed analysis of the global relativistic electron dynamics as measured by total radiation belt content (RBC) during coronal mass ejection (CME) and corotating interaction region (CIR)-driven geomagnetic storms. Recent work has demonstrated that the response of the outer radiation belt is consistent and repeatable during geomagnetic storms. Here we build on this work to show that radiation belt dynamics can be divided into two sequential phases, which have different solar wind dependencies and which when analyzed separately reveal that the radiation belt responds more predictably than if the overall storm response is analyzed as a whole. In terms of RBC, in every storm we analyzed, a phase dominated by loss is followed by a phase dominated by acceleration. Analysis of the RBC during each of these phases demonstrates that they both respond coherently to solar wind and magnetospheric driving. However, the response is independent of whether the storm response is associated with either a CME or CIR. Our analysis shows that during the initial phase, radiation belt loss is organized by the location of the magnetopause and the strength of Dst and ultralow frequency wave power. During the second phase, radiation belt enhancements are well organized by the amplitude of ultralow frequency waves, the auroral electroject index, and solar wind energy input. Overall, our results demonstrate that storm time dynamics of the RBC is repeatable and well characterized by solar wind and geomagnetic driving, albeit with different dependencies during the two phases of a storm.

Kyle R. Murphy↗