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NASA NTRS1984

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

This paper describes an approach to predicting the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload will bring the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The Super-Sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) Program was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

An approach to predict the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances is described. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electromagnetic pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload brings the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The super-sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) programs was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

NASA NTRS2004

SCA Waveform Development for Space Telemetry

The NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating and developing suitable reconfigurable radio architectures for future NASA missions. This effort is examining software-based open-architectures for space based transceivers, as well as common hardware platform architectures. The Joint Tactical Radio System's (JTRS) Software Communications Architecture (SCA) is a candidate for the software approach, but may need modifications or adaptations for use in space. An in-house SCA compliant waveform development focuses on increasing understanding of software defined radio architectures and more specifically the JTRS SCA. Space requirements put a premium on size, mass, and power. This waveform development effort is key to evaluating tradeoffs with the SCA for space applications. Existing NASA telemetry links, as well as Space Exploration Initiative scenarios, are the basis for defining the waveform requirements. Modeling and simulations are being developed to determine signal processing requirements associated with a waveform and a mission-specific computational burden. Implementation of the waveform on a laboratory software defined radio platform is proceeding in an iterative fashion. Parallel top-down and bottom-up design approaches are employed.

Mortensen, Dale J.↗

NASA NTRS2021

LUVOIR-ECLIPS Closed-Loop Adaptive Optics Performance and Contrast Predictions

One of the primary science goals of the Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) mission concept is to detect and characterize Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby stars with direct imaging. The success of its coronagraph instrument ECLIPS (Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems) depends on the ability to stabilize the wavefront from a large segmented mirror such that optical path differences are limited to tens of picometers RMS during an exposure time of a few hours. In order to relax the constraints on the mechanical stability, ECLIPS will be equipped with a wavefront sensing and control (WS\&C) architecture to correct wavefront errors up to temporal frequencies $\gtrsim$1 Hz. These errors may be dominated by spacecraft structural dynamics exciting vibrations at the segmented primary mirror. In this work, we present detailed simulations of the WS\&C system within the ECLIPS instrument and the resulting contrast performance. This study assumes wavefront aberrations based on a finite element model of a simulated telescope with spacecraft structural dynamics. Wavefront residuals are then computed according to a model of the adaptive optics system that includes numerical propagation to simulate a realistic wavefront sensor and an analytical model of the temporal performance. An end-to-end numerical propagation model of ECLIPS is then used to estimate the residual starlight intensity distribution at the science detector. We show that the contrast performance depends strongly on the target star magnitude and the spatio-temporal distribution of wavefront errors from the telescope. In cases with significant vibration, we advocate for the use of laser metrology to mitigate high temporal frequency wavefront errors and increase the mission yield.

Sirbu, Dan↗

NASA NTRS1999

Development of a Multi-Disciplinary Computing Environment (MDICE)

The growing need for and importance of multi-component and multi-disciplinary engineering analysis has been understood for many years. For many applications, loose (or semi-implicit) coupling is optimal, and allows the use of various legacy codes without requiring major modifications. For this purpose, CFDRC and NASA LeRC have developed a computational environment to enable coupling between various flow analysis codes at several levels of fidelity. This has been referred to as the Visual Computing Environment (VCE), and is being successfully applied to the analysis of several aircraft engine components. Recently, CFDRC and AFRL/VAAC (WL) have extended the framework and scope of VCE to enable complex multi-disciplinary simulations. The chosen initial focus is on aeroelastic aircraft applications. The developed software is referred to as MDICE-AE, an extensible system suitable for integration of several engineering analysis disciplines. This paper describes the methodology, basic architecture, chosen software technologies, salient library modules, and the current status of and plans for MDICE. A fluid-structure interaction application is described in a separate companion paper.

Kingsley, Gerry↗

NASA NTRS2003

CORBASec Used to Secure Distributed Aerospace Propulsion Simulations

The NASA Glenn Research Center and its industry partners are developing a Common Object Request Broker (CORBA) Security (CORBASec) test bed to secure their distributed aerospace propulsion simulations. Glenn has been working with its aerospace propulsion industry partners to deploy the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) object-based technology. NPSS is a program focused on reducing the cost and time in developing aerospace propulsion engines. It was developed by Glenn and is being managed by the NASA Ames Research Center as the lead center reporting directly to NASA Headquarters' Aerospace Technology Enterprise. Glenn is an active domain member of the Object Management Group: an open membership, not-for-profit consortium that produces and manages computer industry specifications (i.e., CORBA) for interoperable enterprise applications. When NPSS is deployed, it will assemble a distributed aerospace propulsion simulation scenario from proprietary analytical CORBA servers and execute them with security afforded by the CORBASec implementation. The NPSS CORBASec test bed was initially developed with the TPBroker Security Service product (Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc., Waltham, MA) using the Object Request Broker (ORB), which is based on the TPBroker Basic Object Adaptor, and using NPSS software across different firewall products. The test bed has been migrated to the Portable Object Adaptor architecture using the Hitachi Security Service product based on the VisiBroker 4.x ORB (Borland, Scotts Valley, CA) and on the Orbix 2000 ORB (Dublin, Ireland, with U.S. headquarters in Waltham, MA). Glenn, GE Aircraft Engines, and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft are the initial industry partners contributing to the NPSS CORBASec test bed. The test bed uses Security SecurID (RSA Security Inc., Bedford, MA) two-factor token-based authentication together with Hitachi Security Service digital-certificate-based authentication to validate the various NPSS users. The test bed is expected to demonstrate NPSS CORBASec-specific policy functionality, confirm adequate performance, and validate the required Internet configuration in a distributed collaborative aerospace propulsion environment.

Blaser, Tammy M.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Julia Programming Language Benchmark Using a Flight Simulation

Julia is a relatively new computer language that aims to reduce the challenge for mathmodelers to develop fast computer tools and simulations. It potentially combines the ease-of-coding feature of scripting languages (like Python) with the performance of compiled languages (like C++). A key question for Julia application to the simulation domain is, “Can Julia, with its obvious coding simplicity, provide runtime speeds comparable to conventional compiled languages for flight simulation?” A unique combination of existing elements can be employed to address the previous question: Extensively documented object-oriented simulation architecture, Industry standard rocket flight simulation, Separate versions (C++, Java, and Python) already benchmarked.

Sells, Ray↗

NASA NTRS1976

HEP - A semaphore-synchronized multiprocessor with central control

The paper describes the design concept of the Heterogeneous Element Processor (HEP), a system tailored to the special needs of scientific simulation. In order to achieve high-speed computation required by simulation, HEP features a hierarchy of processes executing in parallel on a number of processors, with synchronization being largely accomplished by hardware. A full-empty-reserve scheme of synchronization is realized by zero-one-valued hardware semaphores. A typical system has, besides the control computer and the scheduler, an algebraic module, a memory module, a first-in first-out (FIFO) module, an integrator module, and an I/O module. The architecture of the scheduler and the algebraic module is examined in detail.

Gilliland, M. C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Memory Network For Distributed Data Processors

Universal Memory Network (UMN) is modular, digital data-communication system enabling computers with differing bus architectures to share 32-bit-wide data between locations up to 3 km apart with less than one millisecond of latency. Makes it possible to design sophisticated real-time and near-real-time data-processing systems without data-transfer "bottlenecks". This enterprise network permits transmission of volume of data equivalent to an encyclopedia each second. Facilities benefiting from Universal Memory Network include telemetry stations, simulation facilities, power-plants, and large laboratories or any facility sharing very large volumes of data. Main hub of UMN is reflection center including smaller hubs called Shared Memory Interfaces.

Bolen, David↗

NASA NTRS1987

Optoelectronic analogs of self-programming neural nets - Architecture and methodologies for implementing fast stochastic learning by simulated annealing

Self-organization and learning is a distinctive feature of neural nets and processors that sets them apart from conventional approaches to signal processing. It leads to self-programmability which alleviates the problem of programming complexity in artificial neural nets. In this paper architectures for partitioning an optoelectronic analog of a neural net into distinct layers with prescribed interconnectivity pattern to enable stochastic learning by simulated annealing in the context of a Boltzmann machine are presented. Stochastic learning is of interest because of its relevance to the role of noise in biological neural nets. Practical considerations and methodologies for appreciably accelerating stochastic learning in such a multilayered net are described. These include the use of parallel optical computing of the global energy of the net, the use of fast nonvolatile programmable spatial light modulators to realize fast plasticity, optical generation of random number arrays, and an adaptive noisy thresholding scheme that also makes stochastic learning more biologically plausible. The findings reported predict optoelectronic chips that can be used in the realization of optical learning machines.

Farhat, Nabil H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Multidisciplinary computational aerosciences

As the challenges of single disciplinary computational physics are met, such as computational fluid dynamics, computational structural mechanics, computational propulsion, computational aeroacoustics, computational electromagnetics, etc., scientists have begun investigating the combination of these single disciplines into what is being called multidisciplinary computational aerosciences (MCAS). The combination of several disciplines not only offers simulation realism but also formidable computational challenges. The solution of such problems will require computers orders of magnitude larger than those currently available. Such computer power can only be supplied by massively parallel machines because of the current speed-of-light limitation of conventional serial systems. Even with such machines, MCAS problems will require hundreds of hours for their solution. To efficiently utilize such a machine, research is required in three areas that include parallel architectures, systems software, and applications software. The main emphasis of this paper is the applications software element. Examples that demonstrate application software for multidisciplinary problems currently being solved at NASA Ames Research Center are presented. Pacing items for MCAS are discussed such as solution methodology, physical modeling, computer power, and multidisciplinary validation experiments.

Kutler, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1989

Upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation strategies for hypersonic flowfield simulations on supercomputers

An upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for three-dimensional, viscous, hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium is described. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with Roe's averaging and Harten's entropy fix with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. The relaxation strategy is well suited for computers employing either vector or parallel architectures, and the relation between computer architecture and algorithm is emphasized. It is also well suited to the numerical solution of the governing equations on unstructured grids. Because of the point-implicit relaxation strategy, the algorithm remains stable at large Courant numbers without the necessity of solving large. block tri-diagonal systems. A single relaxation step depends only on information from nearest neighbors. Predictions for pressure distributions, surface heating, and aerodynamic coefficients compare well with experimental data for Mach 10 flow over a blunt body. Predictions for the hypersonic flow of air in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium (velocity = 8917 m/s, altitude = 78 km.) over the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) configuration obtained on a multi-domain grid are discussed.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Performance Analysis of a Hardware Implemented Complex Signal Kurtosis Radio-Frequency Interference Detector

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) is a known problem for passive remote sensing as evidenced in the L-band radiometers SMOS, Aquarius and more recently, SMAP. Various algorithms have been developed and implemented on SMAP to improve science measurements. This was achieved by the use of a digital microwave radiometer. RFI mitigation becomes more challenging for microwave radiometers operating at higher frequencies in shared allocations. At higher frequencies larger bandwidths are also desirable for lower measurement noise further adding to processing challenges. This work focuses on finding improved RFI mitigation techniques that will be effective at additional frequencies and at higher bandwidths. To aid the development and testing of applicable detection and mitigation techniques, a wide-band RFI algorithm testing environment has been developed using the Reconfigurable Open Architecture Computing Hardware System (ROACH) built by the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER) Group. The testing environment also consists of various test equipment used to reproduce typical signals that a radiometer may see including those with and without RFI. The testing environment permits quick evaluations of RFI mitigation algorithms as well as show that they are implementable in hardware. The algorithm implemented is a complex signal kurtosis detector which was modeled and simulated. The complex signal kurtosis detector showed improved performance over the real kurtosis detector under certain conditions. The real kurtosis is implemented on SMAP at 24 MHz bandwidth. The complex signal kurtosis algorithm was then implemented in hardware at 200 MHz bandwidth using the ROACH. In this work, performance of the complex signal kurtosis and the real signal kurtosis are compared. Performance evaluations and comparisons in both simulation as well as experimental hardware implementations were done with the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The complex kurtosis algorithm has the potential to reduce data rate due to onboard processing in addition to improving RFI detection performance.

microwaves↗

NASA NTRS2016

Performance Analysis of a Hardware Implemented Complex Signal Kurtosis Radio-Frequency Interference Detector

radiometers↗

NASA NTRS1992

Survey of Intelligent Computer-Aided Training

Intelligent Computer-Aided Training (ICAT) systems integrate artificial intelligence and simulation technologies to deliver training for complex, procedural tasks in a distributed, workstation-based environment. Such systems embody both the knowledge of how to perform a task and how to train someone to perform that task. This paper briefly reviews the antecedents of ICAT systems and describes the approach to their creation developed at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. In addition to the general ICAT architecture, specific ICAT applications that have been or are currently under development are discussed. ICAT systems can offer effective solutions to a number of training problems of interest to the aerospace community.

Loftin, R. B.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulation of the Aerosol Size Distribution Using a Neural Network Surrogate for the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM7)

One objective of atmospheric simulations is to quantify the distribution of aerosols and their properties. Accurate parameterizations of the processes governing aerosol mass, particle number, and particle size distribution are important for predicting the Earth’s net radiative balance and aerosol-cloud interactions. The Modal Aerosol Module (MAM7) is a two-moment aerosol model that simulates mass, number, and size distribution of seven modes comprised of internally mixed aerosol species. The two-moment scheme adds significant computational expense but allows for the prediction of varying particle size distribution relative to the bulk method which predicts only total mass. In this work, we developed a neural network surrogate model for MAM7 (MAMnet) to predict the aerosol number concentration in NASA’s Global Earth Observing System (GEOS) without adding prohibitive computational expense. MAMnet, can be driven by output from a single moment, mass-based, aerosol scheme (Goddard Chemistry Aerosol and Radiation model (GOCART)) or from reanalysis products (Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2)). MAMnet was trained using number concentrations from a 5-year GEOS/MAM7 simulation at 1-degree horizontal resolution and using the total mass calculated across modes as inputs, as well as temperature and air density. The model architecture for MAMnet was based on AlexNet, the 2012 winner of the ImageNet Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge. While some modifications were necessary to accommodate our problem, important aspects of the network were preserved. MAMnet was able to reproduce zonal dynamics and spatial distributions of the aerosol number concentration however predictability in the upper troposphere was poor.

Katherine H Breen↗

NASA NTRS1987

Systems simulations supporting NASA telerobotics

Two simulation and analysis environments have been developed to support telerobotics research at the Langley Research Center. One is a high-fidelity, nonreal-time, interactive model called ROBSIM, which combines user-generated models of workspace environment, robots, and loads into a working system and simulates the interaction among the system components. Models include user-specified actuator, sensor, and control parameters, as well as kinematic and dynamic characteristics. Kinematic, dynamic, and response analyses can be selected, with system configuration, task trajectories, and arm states displayed using computer graphics. The second environment is a real-time, manned Telerobotic Systems Simulation (TRSS) which uses the facilities of the Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory (ISRL). It utilizes a hierarchical structure of functionally distributed computers communicating over both parallel and high-speed serial data paths to enable studies of advanced telerobotic systems. Multiple processes perform motion planning, operator communications, forward and inverse kinematics, control/sensor fusion, and I/O processing while communicating via common memory. Both ROBSIM and TRSS, including their capability, status, and future plans are discussed. Also described is the architecture of ISRL and recent telerobotic system studies in ISRL.

Harrison, F. W., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Performance analysis of a large-grain dataflow scheduling paradigm

A paradigm for scheduling computations on a network of multiprocessors using large-grain data flow scheduling at run time is described and analyzed. The computations to be scheduled must follow a static flow graph, while the schedule itself will be dynamic (i.e., determined at run time). Many applications characterized by static flow exist, and they include real-time control and digital signal processing. With the advent of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools for capturing software designs in dataflow-like structures, macro-dataflow scheduling becomes increasingly attractive, if not necessary. For parallel implementations, using the macro-dataflow method allows the scheduling to be insulated from the application designer and enables the maximum utilization of available resources. Further, by allowing multitasking, processor utilizations can approach 100 percent while they maintain maximum speedup. Extensive simulation studies are performed on 4-, 8-, and 16-processor architectures that reflect the effects of communication delays, scheduling delays, algorithm class, and multitasking on performance and speedup gains.

Young, Steven D.↗