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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Logistic Risk Model for the Unique Effects of Inherent Aerobic Capacity on (+)G(sub z) Tolerance Before and After Simulated Weightlessness

Small sample size (n less than 1O) and inappropriate analysis of multivariate data have hindered previous attempts to describe which physiologic and demographic variables are most important in determining how long humans can tolerate acceleration. Data from previous centrifuge studies conducted at NASA/Ames Research Center, utilizing a 7-14 d bed rest protocol to simulate weightlessness, were included in the current investigation. After review, data on 25 women and 22 men were available for analysis. Study variables included gender, age, weight, height, percent body fat, resting heart rate, mean arterial pressure, Vo(sub 2)max and plasma volume. Since the dependent variable was time to greyout (failure), two contemporary biostatistical modeling procedures (proportional hazard and logistic discriminant function) were used to estimate risk, given a particular subject's profile. After adjusting for pro-bed-rest tolerance time, none of the profile variables remained in the risk equation for post-bed-rest tolerance greyout. However, prior to bed rest, risk of greyout could be predicted with 91% accuracy. All of the profile variables except weight, MAP, and those related to inherent aerobic capacity (Vo(sub 2)max, percent body fat, resting heart rate) entered the risk equation for pro-bed-rest greyout. A cross-validation using 24 new subjects indicated a very stable model for risk prediction, accurate within 5% of the original equation. The result for the inherent fitness variables is significant in that a consensus as to whether an increased aerobic capacity is beneficial or detrimental has not been satisfactorily established. We conclude that tolerance to +Gz acceleration before and after simulated weightlessness is independent of inherent aerobic fitness.

Ludwig, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Technology Assessment of High Capacity Data Storage Systems: Can We Avoid a Data Survivability Crisis?

This technology assessment of long-term high capacity data storage systems identifies an emerging crisis of severe proportions related to preserving important historical data in science, healthcare, manufacturing, finance and other fields. For the last 50 years, the information revolution, which has engulfed all major institutions of modem society, centered itself on data-their collection, storage, retrieval, transmission, analysis and presentation. The transformation of long term historical data records into information concepts, according to Drucker, is the next stage in this revolution towards building the new information based scientific and business foundations. For this to occur, data survivability, reliability and evolvability of long term storage media and systems pose formidable technological challenges. Unlike the Y2K problem, where the clock is ticking and a crisis is set to go off at a specific time, large capacity data storage repositories face a crisis similar to the social security system in that the seriousness of the problem emerges after a decade or two. The essence of the storage crisis is as follows: since it could take a decade to migrate a peta-byte of data to a new media for preservation, and the life expectancy of the storage media itself is only a decade, then it may not be possible to complete the transfer before an irrecoverable data loss occurs. Over the last two decades, a number of anecdotal crises have occurred where vital scientific and business data were lost or would have been lost if not for major expenditures of resources and funds to save this data, much like what is happening today to solve the Y2K problem. A pr-ime example was the joint NASA/NSF/NOAA effort to rescue eight years worth of TOVS/AVHRR data from an obsolete system, which otherwise would have not resulted in the valuable 20-year long satellite record of global warming. Current storage systems solutions to long-term data survivability rest on scalable architectures having parallel paths for data migration.

Halem, M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Dependence of Photosynthetic Capacity, Photosynthetic Pigment Allocation, and Carbon Storage on Nitrogen Levels in Foliage of Aspen Stands

The role of foliar nitrogen (N) in the seasonal dynamics and vertical canopy distribution of photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic capacity, and carbon (C) storage was investigated in boreal broadleaved species. The study was conducted at two different aged stands (60 y and 15 y) in 1994 and 1996 in Saskatchewan, Canada as part of the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). Foliage in upper and lower strata was examined for aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and its associated hazelnut shrub (Corylus americana Walt.). We determined that C accumulation, expressed as dry mass per unit leaf area (mg C cm (exp -2)), was linearly dependent on N content (approximately 0.3- 3.5 mg N cm (exp -2))(r (exp 2) = 0.93, n=383, P less than 0.001) when eleven foliage groups were defined according to species, site, and developmental stage. C assembly was greatest in the upper aspen strata of both sites (seasonal average, 40.1 plus or minus 0.6 mg C cm (exp -2)), intermediate in the lower aspen strata (32.7 plus or minus 0.6), and considerably lower, and similar, in the hazelnut shrub layers (23.7 plus or minus 0.6) and in expanding aspen leaves (23.8 plus or minus 0.5); the lowest C assembly per unit N occurred in the two youngest, emerging leaf groups (17.1 plus or minus 0.6). Other relationships among physiological and biochemical variables were typically non-linear and were confounded by inclusion of the three groups of young (i.e., emerging or expanding) leaves, unless these were separately identified. Net C uptake, measured as photosynthetic capacity (A (sub max), micromole CO2 m (exp -2) s (exp -1)), was greater in aspen throughout the season, and optimal in mid-summer at a C:N ratio of approximately 18 (approximately 2.3 %N). When young leaves were excluded and logarithms of both variables were used, A (sub max) was approximately linearly dependent on N (mg N cm (exp-2) (r (exp 2) = 0.85, n= 193, P less than 0.001), attributed to incorporation of N into photosynthetic complexes and enzymes. In mature leaves, differences in pigment content vs. N among canopy strata were accentuated when N was expressed per unit leaf area (Mg cm (exp -2)) . However, the simplest log-linear relationship between a pigment variable and N was obtained for a ratio describing the relative allocation of photosynthetic pigment to Chl a (Chl a/[Chl b + carotenoids], microgram cm (exp -2)/ microgram cm-2) vs. %N (r (exp 2) = 0.90, n=343, P less than 0.001). Attainment of comparable A (sub max) Chl a content and relative Chl a allocation per unit N (mg cm (exp -2)) was achieved at different foliar N levels per canopy group: the lowest N requirement was for hazelnut leaves in the lowest, shaded stratum at the older, closed canopy site; the highest N requirement was in aspen leaves of the upper-most stratum at the younger, more open canopy site. These results highlight the differences in physiological responses between young and fully expanded leaves and show that sustaining those foliar constituents and processes important to C balance may require higher foliar N levels in leaves of establishing vs. mature aspen stands. There may be implications for remote-sensing assessments made for carbon balance in springtime, or over a landscape mosaic comprised of different aged stands.

Middleton, Elizabeth M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Building the Capacity of HBCU's for Establishing Effective Globe Partnerships

The special GLOBE train-the-trainer (TTT) workshop entitled "Building the Capacity of HBCUs For Establishing Effective GLOBE Partnerships" was help for the purpose of expanding GLOBE training capacity on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and community colleges (CCs). The workshop was held March 17-22, 2002 in Washington, D.C. at Howard University. It was designed to establish research and instructional collaboration between and among U.S. universities (HBCUs and CCs) and African countries. Representatives from 13 HBCUs, and two community colleges were represented among trainees, so were representatives from eight African countries who were financially supported by other sources. A total of 38 trainees increased their knowledge of GLOBE protocols through five days of rigorous classroom instruction, field experiences, cultural events, and computer lab sessions.

Bagayoko, Diola↗
NASA NTRS2003

Dual-task interference with equal task emphasis: graded capacity sharing or central postponement?

Most studies using the psychological refractory period (PRP) design suggest that dual-task performance is limited by a central bottleneck. Because subjects are usually told to emphasize Task 1, however, the bottleneck might reflect a strategic choice rather than a structural limitation. To evaluate the possibility that central operations can proceed in parallel, albeit with capacity limitations, we conducted two dual-task experiments with equal task emphasis. In both experiments, subjects tended to either group responses together or respond to one task well before the other. In addition, stimulus-response compatibility effects were roughly constant across stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). At the short SOA, compatibility effects also carried over onto response times for the other task. This pattern of results is difficult to reconcile with the possibility that subjects share capacity roughly equally between simultaneous central operations. However, this pattern is consistent with the existence of a structural central bottleneck.

Auditory Perception↗
NASA NTRS2003

Prolonged head-down tilt exposure reduces maximal cutaneous vasodilator and sweating capacity in humans

Cutaneous vasodilation and sweat rate are reduced during a thermal challenge after simulated and actual microgravity exposure. The effects of microgravity exposure on cutaneous vasodilator capacity and on sweat gland function are unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that simulated microgravity exposure, using the 6 degrees head-down tilt (HDT) bed rest model, reduces maximal forearm cutaneous vascular conductance (FVC) and sweat gland function and that exercise during HDT preserves these responses. To test these hypotheses, 20 subjects were exposed to 14 days of strict HDT bed rest. Twelve of those subjects exercised (supine cycle ergometry) at 75% of pre-bed rest heart rate maximum for 90 min/day throughout HDT bed rest. Before and after HDT bed rest, maximal FVC was measured, via plethysmography, by heating the entire forearm to 42 degrees C for 45 min. Sweat gland function was assessed by administering 1 x 10(-6) to 2 M acetylcholine (9 doses) via intradermal microdialysis while simultaneously monitoring sweat rate over the microdialysis membranes. In the nonexercise group, maximal FVC and maximal stimulated sweat rate were significantly reduced after HDT bed rest. In contrast, these responses were unchanged in the exercise group. These data suggest that 14 days of simulated microgravity exposure, using the HDT bed rest model, reduces cutaneous vasodilator and sweating capacity, whereas aerobic exercise training during HDT bed rest preserves these responses.

Clinical Trial↗
NASA NTRS1992

Influence of exercise training on the oxidative capacity of rat abdominal muscles

Our purpose was to determine if endurance exercise training would increase the oxidative capacity of the abdominal expiratory muscles of the rat. Accordingly, 9 male rats were subjected to an endurance training protocol (1 h/day, 6 days/week, 9 weeks) and 9 litter-mates served as controls. Citrate synthase (CS) activity was used as an index of oxidative capacity, and was determined in the following muscles: soleus, plantaris, costal diaphragm, crural diaphragm, and in all four abdominal muscles: rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique. Compared to their non-trained litter-mates, the trained rats had higher peak whole body oxygen consumption rates (+ 16%) and CS activities in plantaris (+34%) and soleus (+36%) muscles. Thus, the training program caused substantial systemic and locomotor muscle adaptations. The CS activity of costal diaphragm was 20% greater in the trained animals, but no difference was observed in crural diaphragm. The CS activity in the abdominal muscles was less than one-half of that in locomotor and diaphragm muscles, and there were no significant changes with training except in the rectus abdominis where a 26% increase was observed. The increase in rectus abdominis CS activity may reflect its role in postural support and/or locomotion, as none of the primary expiratory pumping muscles adapted to the training protocol. The relatively low levels of CS activity in the abdominal muscles suggests that they are not recruited frequently at rest, and the lack of an increase with training indicates that these muscles do not contribute significantly to the increased ventilatory activity accompanying exercise in the rat.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2003

Consumer Expectations of Capacity Constrains and Their Effect on the Demand for Multi-Class Air Travel

This paper argues that a consumer's decision on ticket class takes into account the expected likelihood of obtaining a seat in a particular class which, in turn, partially depends on an optimum "transaction cost". Taking into account the preferences of the consumer and the information that the consumer is endowed with, the consumer will select a ticket that includes its own optimal transaction cost. This motivates the inclusion of the capacity constraint as a proxy independent variable for these consumer expectations This then forms the basis of a model of air-travel demand with specific reference to Australia. A censored likelihood function allowing for correlation in the disturbance term across k classes is introduced. The correlation in the disturbances arises as a result of the interdependence of the capacity constraints in k different ticket classes on each flight.

Battersby, Bryn D.↗
NASA NTRS1997

High Capacity Battery Cell Flight Qualified

The High Capacity Battery Cell project is an effort equally funded by the NASA Lewis Research Center and Hughes Space and Communications Company (a unit of Hughes Aircraft Company) to develop and flight qualify a higher capacity nickel hydrogen battery for continuing use on commercial spacecraft. The larger diameter, individual pressure vessel cell will provide approximately twice the power, while occupying the same volume, as the current state-of-the-art nickel hydrogen cell. These cells are also anticipated to reduce battery cost by 20 percent. The battery is currently booked for use on 26 spacecraft, with the first flight scheduled in 1997. A strong requirement for batteries with higher power levels (6 to 12 kW), long life, and reduced cost was identified in studies of the needs of commercial communications spacecraft. With the design developed in this effort, the higher power level was accommodated without having to modify the rest of the existing spacecraft bus. This design scaled-up the existing state-of-the-art nickel hydrogen battery cell from a 3.5-in., 50-Ahr cell to a 5.5-in., 350-Ahr cell. An improvement in cycle life was also achieved by the use of the 26-percent KOH electrolyte design developed by NASA Lewis. The cell design was completed, and flight batteries were built and flight qualified by Hughes Space and Communications Company with input from NASA Lewis. Two batteries were shipped in September 1996 to undergo life cycle testing under the purview of NASA Lewis.

McKissock, Barbara I.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Trajectory Specification for High-Capacity Air Traffic Control

In the current air traffic management system, the fundamental limitation on airspace capacity is the cognitive ability of human air traffic controllers to maintain safe separation with high reliability. The doubling or tripling of airspace capacity that will be needed over the next couple of decades will require that tactical separation be at least partially automated. Standardized conflict-free four-dimensional trajectory assignment will be needed to accomplish that objective. A trajectory specification format based on the Extensible Markup Language is proposed for that purpose. This format can be used to downlink a trajectory request, which can then be checked on the ground for conflicts and approved or modified, if necessary, then uplinked as the assigned trajectory. The horizontal path is specified as a series of geodetic waypoints connected by great circles, and the great-circle segments are connected by turns of specified radius. Vertical profiles for climb and descent are specified as low-order polynomial functions of along-track position, which is itself specified as a function of time. Flight technical error tolerances in the along-track, cross-track, and vertical axes define a bounding space around the reference trajectory, and conformance will guarantee the required separation for a period of time known as the conflict time horizon. An important safety benefit of this regimen is that the traffic will be able to fly free of conflicts for at least several minutes even if all ground systems and the entire communication infrastructure fail. Periodic updates in the along-track axis will adjust for errors in the predicted along-track winds.

Paielli, Russell A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Reducing the Cation Exchange Capacity of Lithium Clay to Form Better Dispersed Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites

Polymer-clay nanocomposites have exhibited superior strength and thermo- oxidative properties as compared to pure polymers for use in air and space craft; however, there has often been difficulty completely dispersing the clay within the matrices of the polymer. In order to improve this process, the cation exchange capacity of lithium clay is first lowered using twenty-four hour heat treatments of no heat, 130 C, 150 C, or 170 C to fixate the lithium ions within the clay layers so that they are unexchangeable. Generally, higher temperatures have generated lower cation exchange capacities. An ion exchange involving dodecylamine, octadecylamine, or dimethyl benzidine (DMBZ) is then employed to actually expand the clay galleries. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy can be used to determine whether the clay has been successfully exfoliated. Finally, resins of DMBZ with clay are then pressed into disks for characterization using dynamic mechanical analyzer and oven- aging techniques in order to evaluate their glass transition, modulus strength, and thermal-oxidative stability in comparison to neat DMBZ. In the future, they may also be tested as composites for flexural and laminar shear strength.

Liang, Maggie↗
NASA NTRS2005

Developing a Framework for Effective Network Capacity Planning

As Internet traffic continues to grow exponentially, developing a clearer understanding of, and appropriately measuring, network's performance is becoming ever more critical. An important challenge faced by the Information Resources Directorate (IRD) at the Johnson Space Center in this context remains not only monitoring and maintaining a secure network, but also better understanding the capacity and future growth potential boundaries of its network. This requires capacity planning which involves modeling and simulating different network alternatives, and incorporating changes in design as technologies, components, configurations, and applications change, to determine optimal solutions in light of IRD's goals, objectives and strategies. My primary task this summer was to address this need. I evaluated network-modeling tools from OPNET Technologies Inc. and Compuware Corporation. I generated a baseline model for Building 45 using both tools by importing "real" topology/traffic information using IRD's various network management tools. I compared each tool against the other in terms of the advantages and disadvantages of both tools to accomplish IRD's goals. I also prepared step-by-step "how to design a baseline model" tutorial for both OPNET and Compuware products.

Yaprak, Ece↗
NASA NTRS2005

Capacity Takes Flight: A Vehicle-Centered Approach to Sustainable Airspace Productivity

The National Airspace System (NAS) faces a significant challenge. With the nation's economy growing stronger, and passengers returning to the skies, the demand for air transportation is steadily rising once again. The capacity of the current airspace system will struggle to keep pace in the near term, and with demand expected to double within a decade, air traffic delays are likely to escalate, soon becoming intolerable for aviation businesses. Recognition in the aviation community is forming that retaining a growing, thriving air transportation system for the benefit of the traveling public and the world economy will likely require implementing transformational ideas in air traffic management. This video illustrates an approach NASA is pursuing to this end: the notion that a major untapped resource available to air traffic management can be leveraged, the aircraft itself. The thesis presented is that implementation of vehicle-centric air traffic management capabilities into the NAS could have a profound, positive, and sustainable impact on system capacity, individual aircraft operators, and the economy through its dependency on air.

Wing, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Atmospheric Hydroperoxides in West Antarctica: Links to Stratospheric Ozone and Atmospheric Oxidation Capacity

The troposphere above the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was sampled for hydroperoxides at 21 locations during 2-month-long summer traverses from 2000 to 2002, as part of US ITASE (International Transantarctic Scientific Expedition). First time quantitative measurements using an HPLC method showed that methylhydroperoxide (MHP) is the only important organic hydroperoxide occurring in the Antarctic troposphere, and that it is found at levels ten times those previously predicted by photochemical models. During three field seasons, means and standard deviations for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were 321+/-158 pptv, 650+/-176 pptv and 330+/-147 pptv. While MHP was detected, but not quantified in December 2000, levels in summer 2001 and 2002 were 317+128 pptv and 304+/-172.2 pptv. Results from firn air experiments and diurnal variability of the two species showed that atmospheric H2O2 is significantly impacted by a physical snow pack source between 76 and 90degS, whereas MHP is not. We show strong evidence of a positive feedback between stratospheric ozone and H2O2 at the surface. Between November-27 and December-12 in 2001, when ozone column densities dropped below 220 DU (means in 2000 and 2001 were 318 DU and 334 DU, respectively), H2O2 was 1.7 times that observed in the same period in 2000 and 2002, while MHP was only 80% of the levels encountered in 2002. Photochemical box model runs suggest that NO and OH levels on WAIS are closer to coastal values, while Antarctic Plateau levels are higher, confirming that region to be a highly oxidizing environment. The modeled sensitivity of H2O2 and particularly MHP to NO offers the potential to use atmospheric hydroperoxides to constrain the NO background and thus estimate the past oxidation capacity of the remote atmosphere. Index Terms: 0365 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: composition and chemistry; 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks; 1610 Global Change: Atmosphere (03 15,0325); 0736 Cryosphere: Snow (1827, 1863); 0724 Cryosphere: Ice Cores (4932) Keywords: hydrogen peroxide, methylhydroperoxide, Antarctica, air-snow exchange, stratospheric ozone, atmospheric oxidation capacity

Frey, Markus M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Capacity of the Generalized Pulse-Position Modulation Channel

We show the capacity of a generalized pulse-position modulation (PPM) channel, where the input vectors may be any set that allows a transitive group of coordinate permutations, is achieved by a uniform input distribution. We derive a simple expression in terms of the Kullback Leibler distance for the binary case, and the asymptote in the PPM order. We prove a sub-additivity result for the PPM channel and use it to show PPM capacity is monotonic in the order.

Hamkins, J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Gas Seal Pad With Herringbone-Grooved Rotor-Stiffness and Load Capacity

The principle of herringbone-grooved journal bearings has been applied to the case of a seal disc running under a finger seal pad. The inward pumping action of herringbone grooves on the disc generates load capacity and stiffness to maintain a fluid film and prevent contact of the pad and disc. This mechanism does not depend on a converging film under the pad, such as analyzed in previous works. Analysis shows that significant stiffness and load capacity can be supplied by herringbone grooves. In order for the grooves to be effective, the seal pressure drop must be taken outside of the grooved portion of the rotor, but this may be acceptable in order to gain freedom from maintaining a precise film convergence.

Flemming, David P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Heat Capacity of Superfluid (sup 4)He in the Presence of a Heat Current Near T

The thermodynamic theory of superfluid helium in the presence of a heat current is presented. We show that there is a thermodynamic relation between the heat capacity and the expression ps(W), which describes the depression of the superfluid density with the counterflow velocity W. Using this relation we show that the heat capacity of superfluid super4He in the presence of a heat current diverges at a depressed lambda transition temperature, suggesting the possibility of a new second order phase transition where the superfluid wave function is not the order parameter.

superfluid helium thermodynamic↗
NASA NTRS2006

An Agent-Based Model for Analyzing Control Policies and the Dynamic Service-Time Performance of a Capacity-Constrained Air Traffic Management Facility

Simple agent-based models may be useful for investigating air traffic control strategies as a precursory screening for more costly, higher fidelity simulation. Of concern is the ability of the models to capture the essence of the system and provide insight into system behavior in a timely manner and without breaking the bank. The method is put to the test with the development of a model to address situations where capacity is overburdened and potential for propagation of the resultant delay though later flights is possible via flight dependencies. The resultant model includes primitive representations of principal air traffic system attributes, namely system capacity, demand, airline schedules and strategy, and aircraft capability. It affords a venue to explore their interdependence in a time-dependent, dynamic system simulation. The scope of the research question and the carefully-chosen modeling fidelity did allow for the development of an agent-based model in short order. The model predicted non-linear behavior given certain initial conditions and system control strategies. Additionally, a combination of the model and dimensionless techniques borrowed from fluid systems was demonstrated that can predict the system s dynamic behavior across a wide range of parametric settings.

Conway, Sheila R.↗