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NASA NTRS1982

Solar cell having improved back surface reflector

The operating temperature is reduced and the output of a solar cell is increased by using a solar cell which carries electrodes in a grid finger pattern on its back surface. These electrodes are sintered at the proper temperature to provide good ohmic contact. After sintering, a reflective material is deposited on the back surface by vacuum evaporation. Thus, the application of the back surface reflector is separate from the back contact formation. Back surface reflectors formed in conjunction with separate grid finger configuration back contacts are more effective than those formed by full back metallization of the reflector material.

Chai, A. T.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The interaction of flowing plasmas with planetary ionospheres - A Titan-Venus comparison

Voyager I data from the moon Titan's wake are employed to model the external flow direction and, in comparison with magnetotail observations of Venus, show that the magnetic field may change in response to the presence of flux tubes. The Titan magnetic field was measured at distances as close as 2.7 Titan radii, showing final, unperturbed fields directly southward, while a northern lobe was observed which pointed away from Titan. The central portion of the pattern was displaced radially toward Saturn relative to the direction of corotation. Pioneer Venus orbiter data have shown that Venus, like Titan, is a nonmagnetic body, and both objects have displayed a two-lobe wake field with oppositely oriented fields separated by a neutral sheet and lowered field magnitudes on flux tubes near the dayside ionospheres. It is suggested that the asymmetries in the wake structure are due to coupling of different regions of the wakes with the dayside or nightside ionosphere.

Kivelson, M. G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

An experimental investigation of the impingement of a planar shock wave on an axisymmetric body at Mach 3

An experimental study of the flow caused by a planar shock wave impinging obliquely on a cylinder is presented. The complex three dimensional shock wave and boundary layer interaction occurring in practical problems, such as the shock wave impingement from the shuttle nose on an external fuel tank, and store carriage interference on a supersonic tactical aircraft were investigated. A data base for numerical computations of complex flows was also investigated. The experimental techniques included pressure measurements and oil flow patterns on the surface of the cylinder, and shadowgraphs and total and static pressure surveys on the leeward and windward planes of symmetry. The complete data is presented in tabular form. The results reveal a highly complex flow field with two separation zones, regions of high crossflow, and multiple reflected shocks and expansion fans.

Brosh, A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Adaptive antenna arrays for satellite communications: Design and testing

When two separate antennas are used with each feedback loop to decorrelate noise, the antennas should be located such that the phase of the interfering signal in the two antennas is the same while the noise in them is uncorrelated. Thus, the antenna patterns and spatial distribution of the auxiliary antennas are quite important and should be carefully selected. The selection and spatial distribution of auxiliary elements is discussed when the main antenna is a center fed reflector antenna. It is shown that offset feeds of the reflector antenna can be used as auxiliary elements of an adaptive array to suppress weak interfering signals. An experimental system is designed to verify the theoretical analysis. The details of the experimental systems are presented.

Gupta, I. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

More on the decoder error probability for Reed-Solomon codes

The decoder error probability for Reed-Solomon codes (more generally, linear maximum distance separable codes) is examined. McEliece and Swanson offered an upper bound on P sub E (u), the decoder error probability given that u symbol errors occurs. This upper bound is slightly greater than Q, the probability that a completely random error pattern will cause decoder error. By using a combinatoric technique, the principle of inclusion and exclusion, an exact formula for P sub E (u) is derived. The P sub e (u) for the (255, 223) Reed-Solomon Code used by NASA, and for the (31,15) Reed-Solomon code (JTIDS code), are calculated using the exact formula, and the P sub E (u)'s are observed to approach the Q's of the codes rapidly as u gets larger. An upper bound for the expression is derived, and is shown to decrease nearly exponentially as u increases. This proves analytically that P sub E (u) indeed approaches Q as u becomes large, and some laws of large numbers come into play.

Cheung, K.-M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

More on the decoder error probability for Reed-Solomon codes

The decoder error probability for Reed-Solomon codes (more generally, linear maximum distance separable codes) is examined. McEliece and Swanson offered an upper bound on P sub E (u), the decoder error probability given that u symbol errors occur. This upper bound is slightly greater than Q, the probability that a completely random error pattern will cause decoder error. By using a combinatoric technique, the principle of inclusion and exclusion, an exact formula for P sub E (u) is derived. The P sub E (u) for the (255,223) Reed-Solomon Code used by NASA, and for the (31,15) Reed-Solomon code (JTIDS code), are calculated using the exact formula, and the P sub E (u)'s are observed to approach the Q's of the codes rapidly as u gets larger. An upper bound for the expression is derived, and is shown to decrease nearly exponentially as u increases. This proves analytically that P sub E (u) indeed approaches Q as u becomes large, and some laws of large numbers come into play.

Cheung, Kar-Ming↗

NASA NTRS1992

Calculation of fully three-dimensional separated flow with an unsteady viscous-inviscid interaction method

Three previous papers have shown that the viscous inviscid numerical methods were capable of calculating separated turbulent flows. The 'Semi-inverse method' and the models of the first author allow the computation of massive separations, stalled flows, and shock wave-boundary layer interactions, in two-dimensional or quasi-three-dimensional conditions, from low speeds to supersonic speeds. The 'Semi-implicit' method for time-consistent coupling allows for the computation of time-accurate transonic separated flow and buffer computations in two-dimensions. The present paper shows that the viscous-inviscid interaction approach is also able to compute the fully three-dimensional flow separation phenomena. The method is based on a thin-layer approximation of the theory of 'Defect-Formulation' that provides the viscous-inviscid splitting of the Navier-Stokes equations. A parametric analytical modelling of the 3D-turbulent velocity profiles is involved. Numerically, the 3D-velocity profiles are discretized in the normal z-direction and driven by parametric integral 3D-equations in direct or inverse modes in the x-direction. The viscous-inviscid coupling is fully 3D and solved the time-consistency problem with an extension of the 'Semi-implicit' method previously suggested in two-dimensions. A 3D inviscid subroutine with TSP approximation is used. Results are obtained for transonic steady flows over wings with shock-induced transonic separation. The method provides results for highly three-dimensional flow separations, such as induced by a three-dimensional through at the wall of a flat plate. The 3D viscous-inviscid coupling and the 3D model of the velocity field provide three-dimensional instantaneous skin-friction lines whose patterns exhibit the same complex topology as Navier-Stokes solvers, with foci, nodes, and saddle-points.

Leballeur, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Curved grating fabrication techniques for concentric-circle grating, surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

We describe the fabrication and operational characteristics of a novel, surface-emitting semiconductor laser that makes use of a concentric-circle grating to both define its resonant cavity and to provide surface emission. A properly fabricated circular grating causes the laser to operate in radially inward- and outward-going circular waves in the waveguide, thus, introducing the circular symmetry needed for the laser to emit a beam with a circular cross-section. The basic circular-grating-resonator concept can be implemented in any materials system; an AlGaAs/GaAs graded-index, separate confinement heterostructure (GRINSCH), single-quantum-well (SQW) semiconductor laser, grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), was used for the experiments discussed here. Each concentric-circle grating was fabricated on the surface of the AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor laser. The circular pattern was first defined by electron-beam (e-beam) lithography in a layer of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and subsequently etched into the semiconductor surface using chemically-assisted (chlorine) ion-beam etching (CAIBE). We consider issues that affect the fabrication and quality of the gratings. These issues include grating design requirements, data representation of the grating pattern, and e-beam scan method. We provide examples of how these techniques can be implemented and their impact on the resulting laser performance. A comparison is made of the results obtained using two fundamentally different electron-beam writing systems. Circular gratings with period lambda = 0.25 microns and overall diameters ranging from 80 microns to 500 microns were fabricated. We also report our successful demonstration of an optically pumped, concentric-circle grating, semiconductor laser that emits a beam with a far-field divergence angle that is less than one degree. The emission spectrum is quite narrow (less than 0.1 nm) and is centered at wavelength lambda = 0.8175 microns.

Jordan, Rebecca H.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Memory switches based on metal oxide thin films

MnO.sub.2-x thin films (12) exhibit irreversible memory switching (28) with an OFF/ON resistance ratio of at least about 10.sup.3 and the tailorability of ON state (20) resistance. Such films are potentially extremely useful as a connection element in a variety of microelectronic circuits and arrays (24). Such films provide a pre-tailored, finite, non-volatile resistive element at a desired place in an electric circuit, which can be electrically turned OFF (22) or disconnected as desired, by application of an electrical pulse. Microswitch structures (10) constitute the thin film element, contacted by a pair of separate electrodes (16a, 16b) and have a finite, pre-selected ON resistance which is ideally suited, for example, as a programmable binary synaptic connection for electronic implementation of neural network architectures. The MnO.sub.2-x microswitch is non-volatile, patternable, insensitive to ultraviolet light, and adherent to a variety of insulating substrates (14), such as glass and silicon dioxide-coated silicon substrates.

Ramesham, Rajeshuni↗

NASA NTRS1972

Review of critical flow rate, propagation of pressure pulse, and sonic velocity in two-phase media

For single-phase media, the critical discharge velocity, the sonic velocity, and the pressure pulse propagation velocity can be expressed in the same form by assuming isentropic, equilibria processes. In two-phase mixtures, the same concept is not valid due to the existence of interfacial transports of momentum, heat, and mass. Thus, the three velocities should be treated differently and separately for each particular condition, taking into account the various transport processes involved under that condition. Various attempts are reviewed to predict the critical discharge rate or the propagation velocities by considering slip ratio (momentum change), evaporation (mass and heat transport), flow pattern, etc. Experimental data were compared with predictions based on various theorems. The importance is stressed of the time required to achieve equilibrium as compared with the time available during the process, for example, of passing a pressure pulse.

Hsu, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1974

NCUBE - A clustering algorithm based on a discretized data space

Cluster analysis involves the unsupervised grouping of data. The process provides an automatic procedure for generating known training samples for pattern classification. NCUBE, the clustering algorithm presented, is based upon the concept of imposing a gridwork on the data space. The NCUBE computer implementation of this concept provides an easily derived form of piecewise linear discrimination. This piecewise linear discrimination permits the separation of some types of data groups that are not linearly separable.

Eigen, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Rare-gas-rich separates from carbonaceous chondrites

This paper describes an analysis of carbon-rich separates prepared by demineralization of colloidal fractions after disaggregation of bulk samples of the type C2 meteorites Murray, Murchison, and Cold Bokkeveld, as well as a methanol colloid extracted from acid-resistant residues of the Allende meteorite (type C3V) obtained by dissolution of most of the minerals in HCl and HF acids. The carbonaceous separates, or lAlates (a coined word designating colloids prepared sometimes before and sometimes after acid treatment), are characterized incompletely and with difficulty. A stepwise heating experiment on a Murray lAlate is discussed which revealed bimodal release of all noble gases, with similar patterns for Ar, Kr, and Xe. Chemical reactions are suggested as the likely mechanism for gas release. The results are shown to support the concept of a carbonaceous gas carrier uniformly present in meteorites of various types.

Reynolds, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Numerical investigation of unsteady flow development in a nozzle-duct configuration

A computational approach has been used to resolve the transient phenomena caused by a rocket engine starting up and exhausting into a short duct. The results are obtained from the finite-difference Navier-Stokes, continuity, and energy equations for a single component gas. Using a recently developed numerical technique to account for the time-varying boundary conditions at the nozzle throat and the duct openings, the numerical simulation of the idealized ignition flow model has yielded some insight into the complex interactions between the wave patterns and the vortical flow. The present findings verify the hypothesis that a lateral expansion of the jetstream outside the nozzle will generate an over-pressure pulse on the duct wall if the jetstream is restricted within the nozzle by flow separation. The numerical simulations of this complex flow problem should be useful for improving simple correlation techniques used for engineering purposes.

Li, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A First Evaluation of LANDSAT TM Data to Monitor Suspended Sediments in Lakes

The use of LANDSAT to monitor and track changes in the water quality of Lake Chicot, Arizona was assessed using MSS and TM digital data from nine water sites. Results show that: (1) TM Bands 1, 2, 3, and 4 appear to be providing information on concentrations of particulate matter suspended in surface waters. These bands are also highly interrelated for water samples; (2) preliminary evaluation indicates that TM Band 3 showed the best relationship to surface suspended solids; (3) TM Bands 5 and 7 are useful for separating water from nonwater areas; (4) the MSS Bands 2 and 3 can be related to suspended solids in surface water, as has already been shown from previous LANDSAT research; and (5) analysis of TM Band 6 indicates that while synoptic temperature patterns may be discerned, the digital sensitivity to a two degree temperature difference is low.

Schiebe, F. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A tangent subsolar merging line

A global magnetospheric model is described with a single subsolar merging line whose position is determined neither locally by the relative orientations and strengths of the merging fields nor globally by the orientation of a separator line (the governing parameters of most previous models) but by the condition of tangential contact between the external field and the magnetopause. Attention is given to the case of finite leakage and partial penetration, which distort the IMF into a draped pattern, thus changing the locus of tangency to the sphere. In the special case where the penetrating IMF flux is balanced by an equal amount of earth flux leakage, the tangent merging line bisects the angle between the IMF and earth's northward subsolar field. This result is identical to the local merging line model result for merging fields with equal magnitude. Here, a global flux balance condition replaces the local equal magnitude condition.

Crooker, N. U.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Coupling between middle atmosphere trend estimates and solar effects in ozone vertical structure

Studies are performed on both the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II (1985-1989) and Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (SBUV)-Version 6 (1979-1986) global ozone vertical structure satellite data sets to determine the long-term trends in ozone as a function of altitude (pressure) and latitude. SAGE II data are only available during the period of increasing solar activity and show increases in ozone with time in the upper stratosphere which are attributed largely to rising solar activity. Looking at this data set independently, the solar effects and trends are highly coupled and cannot be clearly separated. However, a study of combined SBUV and SAGE II data over the 11-year solar cycle shows a clear response of ozone to 11-year solar variations and allows a decoupling of solar effects, quasibiennial oscillations (QBO), and trends. The detailed pattern of long-term ozone trends become clear using this approach. In the upper stratosphere, ozone depletion increases sharply with latitude. Global trends are fairly symmetric about the equator but are somewhat stronger in the Southern Hemisphere. Near the equator, some layers of ozone are decreasing with time while others appear to be increasing. Near 30 mb, there is evidence of intrusion to mid latitudes of high latitude negative trends. Near 15 mb, trends appear to be very weak. Near the tropopause there appears to be strong ozone depletion on a global scale. Two regions of unexpectedly strong ozone response to 11-year solar variations were detected: the first near 2 mb and the second near 30 mb at low latitudes and near 15 mb at mid latitudes.

Keating, G. M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Carrier Modulation Via Waveform Probability Density Function

Beyond the classic modes of carrier modulation by varying amplitude (AM), phase (PM), or frequency (FM), we extend the modulation domain of an analog carrier signal to include a class of general modulations which are distinguished by their probability density function histogram. Separate waveform states are easily created by varying the pdf of the transmitted waveform. Individual waveform states are assignable as proxies for digital ONEs or ZEROs. At the receiver, these states are easily detected by accumulating sampled waveform statistics and performing periodic pattern matching, correlation, or statistical filtering. No fundamental natural laws are broken in the detection process. We show how a typical modulation scheme would work in the digital domain and suggest how to build an analog version. We propose that clever variations of the modulating waveform (and thus the histogram) can provide simple steganographic encoding.

Williams, Glenn L.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Laser-Induced Fabrication of Metallic Interlayers and Patterns in Polyimide Films

Self-metallizing polyimide films are created by doping polyamic acid solutions with metallic ions and solubilizing agents. Upon creating a film, the film is exposed to coherent light for a specific time and then cured. The resulting film has been found to have a metallic surface layer and a metallic subsurface layer (interlayer). The layer separating the metallic layer has a uniform dispersion of small metal particulates within the polymer. The layer below the interlayer has larger metal particulates uniformly distributed within the polymer. By varying the intensity or time of exposure to the coherent light, three-dimensional control of metal formation within the film is provided.

Miner, Gilda A.↗