Aerosol profiling using radiometric and polarimetric spectral measurements in the O2 near infrared bands: Estimation of information content and measurement uncertainties
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Myungje Choi↗
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Results for “Measurement uncertainty”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Nature versus Nurture: Investigating the Effects of Measurement Uncertainties in the Assessment of Potential Trends between Planetary and Stellar Properties
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Emily D. Safsten↗
Uncertainty in Electric Propulsion Erosion Measurements
Uncertainty in erosion rates as measured by different methods is discussed and quantified. The work focuses on case studies from components on the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) Hall thruster, but the methods can be extended for many electric propulsion applications. The primary method used for evaluating erosion is non-contact profilometry of masked and exposed components. Accurate quantification of the erosion rates of components is critical to determining lifetime and is therefore critical to mission planning purposes.
Mackey, J.↗
Uncertainty in Electric Propulsion Erosion Measurements
Uncertainty in erosion rates as measured by different methods is discussed and quantified. The work focuses on case studies from components on the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) Hall thruster, but the methods can be extended for many electric propulsion applications. The primary method used for evaluating erosion is non-contact profilometry of masked and exposed components. Accurate quantification of the erosion rates of components is critical to determining lifetime and is therefore critical to mission planning purposes.
Mackey, Jonathan A.↗
Uncertainty in Electric Propulsion Erosion Measurements
Uncertainty in erosion rates as measured by different methods is discussed and quantified. The work focuses on case studies from components on the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) Hall thruster, but the methods can be extended for many electric propulsion applications. The primary method used for evaluating erosion is non-contact profilometry of masked and exposed components. Accurate quantification of the erosion rates of components is critical to determining lifetime and is therefore critical to mission planning purposes.
Jonathan A Mackey↗
Multi-reference evaluation of uncertainty in earth orientation parameter measurements
Uncertainties in polar motion and length-of-day measurements are evaluated empirically using several data series from the space-geodetic techniques of the global positioning system (GPS), satellite laser ranging (SLR), and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) during 1997-2002. In the evaluation procedure employed here, known as the three-corner hat (TCH) technique, the signal common to each series is eliminated by forming pair-wise differences between the series, thus requiring no assumed values for the 'truth' signal. From the variances of the differenced series, the uncertainty of each series can be recovered when reasonable assumptions are made about the correlations between the series. In order to form the pair-wise differences, the series data must be given at the same epoch. All measurement data sets studied here were sampled at noon (UTC); except for the VLBI series, whose data are interpolated to noon and whose UT1 values are also numerically differentiated to obtain LOD. The numerical error introduced to the VLBI values by the interpolation and differentiation is shown to be comparable in magnitude to the values determined by the TCH method for the uncertainties of the VLBI series. The TCH estimates for the VLBI series are corrupted by such numerical errors mostly as a result of the relatively large data intervals. Of the remaining data sets studied here, it is found that the IGS Final combined series has the smallest polar motion and length-of-day uncertainties.
Combination↗
An uncertainty analysis for satellite calorimetric measurements
Uncertainty analysis for designing calorimetric experiments, and equations for measuring properties of planetary radiation
Millard, J. P.↗
A practical approach to determining the uncertainty of a pressure measurement system
The pressure measurement systems located at three propulsion component test stands at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) were evaluated for their specific measurement uncertainty levels. An elemental error source evaluation was performed to provide an analytical estimate of uncertainty. Applied loads tests were also conducted at the different MSFC test sites to derive an empirical estimate of uncertainty for the measurement system process. The analytical results are compared to those obtained empirically. The data from MFSC was also compared to data reported from other comparable test facilities. Methods for acquiring and processing the data from calibration, acquisition, and reduction error sources are also addressed.
Fish, James E.↗
On the uncertainty in the determination of ground reflectance and temperature from TM measurements
Uncertainties in the derivation of the ground reflectance and temperature relative to the uncertainty in the estimation of aerosol loading and water vapor amount are presented. To compute the reflectance for TM 1 (thematic mapper) through TM6, a doubling model is used, and to compute satellite-received radiance for TM7, an emission-transmission model is employed. It is shown that at a water vapor concentration of higher than 50% above normal, the relative sensitivity remains as low as 8% for ground reflectance determinations. The relative sensitivity for determining ground temperature for midlatitude summer climatological profile is less than 5%, but as the ground temperature is approximately 300 K, low sensitivity still means a variation of a few degrees. An increase in water vapor amount causes an uncertainty in ground temperature and reflectance calculations comparable to the uncertainty in aerosol loading and water vapor amount estimations.
Kiang, R. K.↗
Past Changes in the Vertical Distribution of Ozone Part 1: Measurement Techniques, Uncertainties and Availability
Peak stratospheric chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and other ozone depleting substance (ODS) concentrations were reached in the mid- to late 1990s. Detection and attribution of the expected recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer in an atmosphere with reduced ODSs as well as efforts to understand the evolution of stratospheric ozone in the presence of increasing greenhouse gases are key current research topics. These require a critical examination of the ozone changes with an accurate knowledge of the spatial (geographical and vertical) and temporal ozone response. For such an examination, it is vital that the quality of the measurements used be as high as possible and measurement uncertainties well quantified. In preparation for the 2014 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion, the SPARC/IO3C/IGACO-O3/NDACC (SI2N) Initiative was designed to study and document changes in the global ozone profile distribution. This requires assessing long-term ozone profile data sets in regards to measurement stability and uncertainty characteristics. The ultimate goal is to establish suitability for estimating long-term ozone trends to contribute to ozone recovery studies. Some of the data sets have been improved as part of this initiative with updated versions now available. This summary presents an overview of stratospheric ozone profile measurement data sets (ground and satellite based) available for ozone recovery studies. Here we document measurement techniques, spatial and temporal coverage, vertical resolution, native units and measurement uncertainties. In addition, the latest data versions are briefly described (including data version updates as well as detailing multiple retrievals when available for a given satellite instrument). Archive location information for each data set is also given.
stratospheric ozone layer measurement↗
Bias and uncertainty in the absorption emission measurement of atomic sodium density in the SSME exit plane
The measurement of atomic sodium concentration in the TTB 019 firing of April 1990 is significant in that it represents the first measurement of density at the exit plane of the space shuttle main engine. The knowledge of the sodium density, combined with the certainty that the exit plane of the plume is optically thin at the sodium D-line wavelengths, provides essential information for evaluation of diagnostic techniques using sodium atoms, such as resonant Doppler velocimetry for temperature, pressure, and velocity through high resolution fluorescent lineshape analysis. The technique used for the sodium atom line transmission (SALT) measurements is that of resonant absorption emission using a hollow cathode lamp as the reference source. Through the use of two-dimensional kinetic (TDK) predictions of temperature and density for the flight engine case and radiative transfer calculations, this line-of-sight spectrally integrated transmission indicates a sodium atom concentration, i.e., mole fraction, of 0.91e-10. The subject of this paper is the assumptions and measurement uncertainties tied into the calculation. Because of the narrow shape of the source emission, the uncertainties in the absorption profile could introduce considerable bias in the measurement. The following were investigated: (1) the inclusion of hyperfine splitting of the D-lines in the calculation; (2) the use of the flight engine predictions of plume temperature and density versus those for the large throat engine; (3) the assumption of a Gaussian, i.e., Doppler, distribution for the source radiance with a temperature of 400 K; (4) the use of atomic collisional shift and width values for the work by Jongerius; and (5) a Doppler shift for a 7 degree outward velocity vector at the plume edge. Also included in the study was the bias introduced by an uncertainty in the measurement of the D1/D2 line ratio in the source.
Bauman, Leslie E.↗
Detailed Uncertainty Analysis of the ZEM-3 Measurement System
The measurement of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity are critical to the investigation of all thermoelectric systems. Therefore, it stands that the measurement uncertainty must be well understood to report ZT values which are accurate and trustworthy. A detailed uncertainty analysis of the ZEM-3 measurement system has been performed. The uncertainty analysis calculates error in the electrical resistivity measurement as a result of sample geometry tolerance, probe geometry tolerance, statistical error, and multi-meter uncertainty. The uncertainty on Seebeck coefficient includes probe wire correction factors, statistical error, multi-meter uncertainty, and most importantly the cold-finger effect. The cold-finger effect plagues all potentiometric (four-probe) Seebeck measurement systems, as heat parasitically transfers through thermocouple probes. The effect leads to an asymmetric over-estimation of the Seebeck coefficient. A thermal finite element analysis allows for quantification of the phenomenon, and provides an estimate on the uncertainty of the Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric power factor has been found to have an uncertainty of +9-14 at high temperature and 9 near room temperature.
Seebeck effect↗
CERES Top-of-atmosphere and Surface fluxes in the Arctic: A comparison with ARISE and MOSAiC measurements
Uncertainty in the NASA Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES)-derived irradiances is larger over sea ice than any other surface type and comes from several sources. This presentation summarizes results from comparisons of CERES data with the year-long Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition in the central Arctic and the Arctic Radiation and Icebridge Sea ice Experiment (ARISE). The CERES Synoptic 1degree (SYN1deg) product overestimates the downwelling shortwave flux by 11.40 Wm–2 and underestimates the upwelling shortwave flux by –15.70 Wm–2 and downwelling longwave fluxes by –12.58 Wm–2 at the surface during summer. In addition, large differences are found in the upwelling longwave flux when the surface approaches the melting point (approximately 0C). The large negative bias in upwelling shortwave flux can be attributed in large part to lower surface albedo (–0.15) in satellite footprint relative to surface sensors. The CERES-MOSAiC broadband albedo differences (approximately 20 Wm–2) explain a larger portion of the upwelling shortwave flux difference than the spectral albedo shape differences (approximately 3 Wm–2). The ARISE results indicate the some of these differences in the SW are due to the scene identification and representation of anisotropy in partly cloud scenes. Switching from imager-based to passive microwave-based sea ice data in the CERES inversion process reduces the differences in the grid box average fluxes and in the sea ice partly cloudy scene anisotropy in the instantaneously-matched footprints. Our analysis indicates that calibration and sampling uncertainty limit the ability to place strong constraints (<7%) on CERES TOA fluxes with aircraft measurements. The results indicate that improvements in the surface albedo and cloud data would substantially reduce the uncertainty in the Arctic surface radiation budget derived from CERES data products.
Patrick C Taylor↗
Uncertainty In Measuring Loads On Launch-Pad Supports
Report describes study of uncertainty in measurements of loads in structural members of launch pad of space shuttle. Measurements taken by strain gauges installed on members. Calibration data for study obtained by removing each thus-instrumented member from structure and measuring individual response on test stand.
Townsend, J. S.↗
Laser-Induced Thermal Acoustics Theory and Expected Experimental Errors when Applied to a Scramjet Isolator Model
A scramjet isolator model test apparatus is being assembled in the Isolator Dynamics Research Lab (IDRL) at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The test apparatus is designed to support multiple measurement techniques for investigating the flow field in a scramjet isolator model. The test section is 1-inch high by 2-inch wide by 24-inch long and simulates a scramjet isolator with an aspect ratio of two. Unheated, dry air at a constant stagnation pressure and temperature is delivered to the isolator test section through a Mach 2.5 planar nozzle. The isolator test section is mechanically back-pressured to contain the resulting shock train within the 24-inch isolator length and supports temperature, static pressure, and high frequency pressure measurements at the wall. Additionally, nonintrusive methods including laser-induced thermal acoustics (LITA), spontaneous Raman scattering, particle image velocimetry, and schlieren imaging are being incorporated to measure off-wall fluid dynamic, thermodynamic, and transport properties of the flow field. Interchangeable glass and metallic sidewalls and optical access appendages permit making multiple measurements simultaneously. The measurements will be used to calibrate computational fluid dynamics turbulence models and characterize the back-pressured flow of a scramjet isolator. This paper describes the test apparatus, including the optical access appendages; the physics of the LITA method; and estimates of LITA measurement uncertainty for measurements of the speed of sound and temperature.
Middleton, Troy F.↗
Uncertainty Analysis of the Grazing Flow Impedance Tube
This paper outlines a methodology to identify the measurement uncertainty of NASA Langley s Grazing Flow Impedance Tube (GFIT) over its operating range, and to identify the parameters that most significantly contribute to the acoustic impedance prediction. Two acoustic liners are used for this study. The first is a single-layer, perforate-over-honeycomb liner that is nonlinear with respect to sound pressure level. The second consists of a wire-mesh facesheet and a honeycomb core, and is linear with respect to sound pressure level. These liners allow for evaluation of the effects of measurement uncertainty on impedances educed with linear and nonlinear liners. In general, the measurement uncertainty is observed to be larger for the nonlinear liners, with the largest uncertainty occurring near anti-resonance. A sensitivity analysis of the aerodynamic parameters (Mach number, static temperature, and static pressure) used in the impedance eduction process is also conducted using a Monte-Carlo approach. This sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the impedance eduction process is virtually insensitive to each of these parameters.
Brown, Martha C.↗
The effects of tracking station location uncertainty and measurement bias errors during phases of the Apollo mission
Effects of measurement noise, measurement bias, and station location uncertainties on Apollo mission phases
NAVIGATION SYSTEM↗
Comparative Analysis of Radiometer Systems Using Non-Stationary Processes
Radiometers require periodic calibration to correct for instabilities in the receiver response. Various calibration techniques exist that minimize the effect of instabilities in the receivers. The optimal technique depends upon many parameters. Some parameters are constrained by the particular application and others can be chosen in the system design. For example, the measurement uncertainty may be reduced to the limits of the resolution of the measurement (sensitivity) if periodic absolute calibration can be performed with sufficient frequency. However if the period between calibrations is long, a reference-differencing technique, i.e. Dicke-type design, can yield better performance. The measurement uncertainty not only depends upon the detection scheme but also on the number of pixels between calibrations, the integration time per pixel, integration time per calibration reference measurement, calibration reference temperature, and the brightness temperature of what is being measured. The best scheme for reducing the measurement uncertainty also depends, in large part, on the stability of the receiver electronics. In this presentation a framework for evaluating calibration schemes for a wide range of system architectures is presented. Two methods for treating receiver non-stationarity are compared with radiometer measurements.
Racette, Paul↗