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At least 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Star Identification Without Attitude Knowledge: Testing with X-Ray Timing Experiment Data

As the budget for the scientific exploration of space shrinks, the need for more autonomous spacecraft increases. For a spacecraft with a star tracker, the ability to determinate attitude from a lost in space state autonomously requires the capability to identify the stars in the field of view of the tracker. Although there have been efforts to produce autonomous star trackers which perform this function internally, many programs cannot afford these sensors. The author previously presented a method for identifying stars without a priori attitude knowledge specifically targeted for onboard computers as it minimizes the necessary computer storage. The method has previously been tested with simulated data. This paper provides results of star identification without a priori attitude knowledge using flight data from two 8 by 8 degree charge coupled device star trackers onboard the X-Ray Timing Experiment.

Ketchum, Eleanor↗
NASA NTRS1997

Doppler Global Velocimeter Development for the Large Wind Tunnels at Ames Research Center

Development of an optical, laser-based flow-field measurement technique for large wind tunnels is described. The technique uses laser sheet illumination and charged coupled device detectors to rapidly measure flow-field velocity distributions over large planar regions of the flow. Sample measurements are presented that illustrate the capability of the technique. An analysis of measurement uncertainty, which focuses on the random component of uncertainty, shows that precision uncertainty is not dependent on the measured velocity magnitude. For a single-image measurement, the analysis predicts a precision uncertainty of +/-5 m/s. When multiple images are averaged, this uncertainty is shown to decrease. For an average of 100 images, for example, the analysis shows that a precision uncertainty of +/-0.5 m/s can be expected. Sample applications show that vectors aligned with an orthogonal coordinate system are difficult to measure directly. An algebraic transformation is presented which converts measured vectors to the desired orthogonal components. Uncertainty propagation is then used to show how the uncertainty propagates from the direct measurements to the orthogonal components. For a typical forward-scatter viewing geometry, the propagation analysis predicts precision uncertainties of +/-4, +/-7, and +/-6 m/s, respectively, for the U, V, and W components at 68% confidence.

Reinath, Michael S.↗
NASA NTRS1997

New Research by CCD Scanning for Comets and Asteroids

Spacewatch was begun in 1980; its purpose is to explore the various populations of small objects within the solar system. Spacewatch provides data for studies of comets and asteroids, finds potential targets for space missions, and provides information on the environmental problem of possible impacts. Moving objects are discovered by scanning the sky with charge-coupled devices (CCDS) on the 0.9-meter Spacewatch Telescope of the University of Arizona on Kitt Peak. Each Spacewatch scan consists of three drift scan passes over an area of sky using a CCD filtered to a bandpass of 0.5-1.0 pm (approximately V+R+I with peak sensitivity at 0.7 pm). The effective exposure time for each pass is 143 seconds multiplied by the secant of the declination. The area covered by each scan is 32 arcminutes in declination by about 28 minutes of time in right ascension. The image scale is 1.05 arcseconds per pixel. Three passes take about 1.5 hours to complete and show motions of individual objects over a one hour time baseline. The limiting magnitude is about 21.5 in single scans. CCD scanning was developed by Spacewatch in the early 1980s, with improvements still being made - particularly by bringing a new 1.8-m Spacewatch Telescope on line. In the meantime, we have been finding some 30,000 new asteroids per year and applying their statistics to the study of the collisional history of the solar system. Spacewatch had found a total of 150 Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAS) and 8 new comets, and had recovered one lost comet (P/Spitaler in 1993). Spacewatch is also efficient in recovery of known comets and has detected and reported positions for more than 137,000 asteroids, mostly new ones in the main belt, including more than 10,882 asteroids designated by the Minor Planet Center (MPC).

Gehrels, Tom↗
NASA NTRS1995

Raman Spectroscopy as a Method for Mineral Identification on Lunar Robotic Exploration Missions

The sharp, nonoverlapping Raman bands for plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine would be advantageous for on-surface, active mineralogical analysis of lunar materials. A robust, light-weight, low-power, rover-based Raman spectrometer with a laser exciting source, entirely transmission-mode holographic optics, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector could fit within a less than 20 cm cube. A sensor head on the end of an optical fiber bundle that carried the laser beam and returned the scattered radiation could be placed against surfaces at any desired angle by a deployment mechanism; otherwise, the instrument would need no moving parts. A modem micro-Raman spectrometer with its beam broadened (to expand the spot to 50-micrometer diameter) and set for low resolution (7/cm in the 100-1400/cm region relative to 514.5-nm excitation), was used to simulate the spectra anticipated from a rover instrument. We present spectra for lunar mineral grains, less than 1 mm soil fines, breccia fragments, and glasses. From frequencies of olivine peaks, we derived sufficiently precise forsterite contents to correlate the analyzed grains to known rock types and we obtained appropriate forsterite contents from weak signals above background in soil fines and breccias. Peak positions of pyroxenes were sufficiently well determined to distinguish among orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic (pyroxenoid) structures; additional information can be obtained from pyroxene spectra, but requires further laboratory calibration. Plagioclase provided sharp peaks in soil fines and most breccias even when the glass content was high.

Wang, Alian↗
NASA NTRS1997

New Research by CCD Scanning for Comets and Asteroids

The purpose of Spacewatch is to explore the various populations of small objects within the solar system. Spacewatch provides data for studies of comets and asteroids, finds potential targets for space missions, and provides information on the environmental problem of possible impacts. Moving objects are discovered by scanning the sky with charge-coupled devices (CCDs) on the 0.9-meter Spacewatch Telescope of the University of Arizona on Kitt Peak. Each Spacewatch scan consists of three drift scan passes over an area of sky using a CCD filtered to a bandpass of 0.5-1.0 microns (approximately V+R+I with peak sensitivity at 0.7 micron). The effective exposure time for each pass is 143 seconds multiplied by the secant of the declination. We have been finding some 30,000 new asteroids per year and applying their statistics to the study of the collisional history of the solar system. As of the end of the observing run of Nov. 1997, Spacewatch had found a total of 153 Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and 8 new comets since the project began in the 1980s, and had recovered one lost comet. The total number of NEAs found by Spacewatch big enough to be hazardous if they were to impact the Earth is 36. Spacewatch is also efficient in recovery of known comets and has detected and reported positions for more than 137,000 asteroids, mostly new ones in the main belt, including more than 16,000 asteroids designated by the Minor Planet Center (MPC).

Gehrels, Tom↗
NASA NTRS1997

Determination of geometric distortion in STIS images

This is a report on the characterization of the geometric distortion of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) and the STIS Far-Ultraviolet Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (FUV-MAMA) detectors when used in imaging mode. We find that the amount of the distortion is fairly small over most of the field. The maximum displacement is 1.66 pixels for the CCD and 2.71 pixels for the FUV-MAMA. This data also allows us to determine the plate scale for both cameras. For the CCD the scale is 0".05071 +/- 0".00007 /pixel. For the FUV-MAMA the scale is 0".02447 +/- 0".00001 /pixel in x and 0".02467 +/-0".00002 /pixel in y.

Malumuth, Eliot M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Flame Imaging System

A system for imaging a flame and the background scene is discussed. The flame imaging system consists of two charge-coupled-device (CCD) cameras. One camera uses a 800 nm long pass filter which during overcast conditions blocks sufficient background light so the hydrogen flame is brighter than the background light, and the second CCD camera uses a 1100 nm long pass filter, which blocks the solar background in full sunshine conditions such that the hydrogen flame is brighter than the solar background. Two electronic viewfinders convert the signal from the cameras into a visible image. The operator can select the appropriate filtered camera to use depending on the current light conditions. In addition, a narrow band pass filtered InGaAs sensor at 1360 nm triggers an audible alarm and a flashing LED if the sensor detects a flame, providing additional flame detection so the operator does not overlook a small flame.

Barnes, Heidi L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

STS-88 Day 11 Highlights

On this eleventh day of the STS-88 mission, the flight crew, Commander Robert D. Cabana, Pilot Frederick W. Sturckow, and Mission Specialists Nancy J. Currie, James H. Newman, Jerry L. Ross, and Sergei Krikalev are awakened with the song "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight". Pilot Rick Sturckow undocks Endeavour from the station and backs the shuttle away to a distance of 450 feet above the station before beginning a nose-forward fly-around. Later Cabana, Sturckow and Ross deploy the SAC-A satellite from Endeavour's payload bay. SAC-A is a small, self-contained, non-recoverable satellite built by the Argentinean National Commission of Space Activities. The cube-shaped, 590-pound satellite will test and characterize the performance of new equipment and technologies that may be used in future scientific or operational missions. The payload includes a differential global positioning system, a magnetometer, silicon solar cells, a charge-coupled device Earth camera and a whale tracker experiment.

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NASA NTRS1998

Analysis of Mauna Kea Imaging of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

The aim of this proposal was to analyse a set of charge-coupled device images of the Jupiter-impacting comet D/Shoemaker-Levy 9. The images were obtained primarily using the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope and a standardized imaging device, providing an unusually uniform set of data. Additional data included a set of spectra taken in search of gaseous emission from SL9 using the UH 2.2-m and Keck 10-m telescopes.

Jewitt, David↗
NASA NTRS1999

Demonstration of Imaging Flow Diagnostics Using Rayleigh Scattering in Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

The feasibility of using the Rayleigh scattering technique for molecular density imaging of the free-stream flow field in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel has been experimentally demonstrated. The Rayleigh scattering was viewed with a near-backward geometry with a frequency-doubled output from a diode-pumped CW Nd:YAG laser and an intensified charge-coupled device camera. Measurements performed in the range of free-stream densities from 3 x 10(exp 25) to 24 x 10(exp 25) molecules/cu m indicate that the observed relative Rayleigh signal levels are approximately linear with flow field density. The absolute signal levels agree (within approx. 30 percent) with the expected signal levels computed based on the well-known quantities of flow field density, Rayleigh scattering cross section for N2, solid angle of collection, transmission of the optics, and the independently calibrated camera sensitivity. These results show that the flow field in this facility is primarily molecular (i.e., not contaminated by clusters) and that Rayleigh scattering is a viable technique for quantitative nonintrusive diagnostics in this facility.

Shirinzadeh, B.↗
NASA NTRS1997

The High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy (HTXS) Mission

The HTXS mission concept combines large effective area (approximately 15,000 sq cm at 1 keV), high spectral resolution (E/Delta(E) approximately 300-3000), and broad energy bandpass (0.25-40 keV and possibly up to 100 keV) by using replicated optics together with a complement of spectroscopic instrumentation including reflection gratings readout by charge-coupled device detectors (CCDs), quantum micro-calorimeters, and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) or comparable high energy detectors. An essential feature of this concept involves minimization of cost (approximately $350M for development and approximately $500-600M including launches) and risk by building six identical modest satellites to achieve the large area. Current mission and technology studies are targeted towards a new start in the 2002 timeframe, with first launch around 2005-2006. The HTXS mission represents a major advance, providing as much as a factor of 100 increase in sensitivity over currently planned high resolution X ray spectroscopy missions. HTXS will mark the start of a new era when high quality X ray spectra will be obtained for all classes of X ray sources, over a wide range of luminosity and distance. With its increased capabilities, HTXS will address many fundamental astrophysics questions such as the origin and distribution of the elements from carbon to zinc, the formation and evolution of clusters of galaxies, the validity of general relativity in the strong gravity limit, the evolution of supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei, the details of supernova explosions and their aftermath, and the mechanisms involved in the heating of stellar coronae and driving of stellar winds.

White, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Integrated Dual Imaging Detector

A new type of image detector was designed to simultaneously analyze the polarization of light at all picture elements in a scene. The integrated Dual Imaging detector (IDID) consists of a lenslet array and a polarizing beamsplitter bonded to a commercial charge coupled device (CCD). The IDID simplifies the design and operation of solar vector magnetographs and the imaging polarimeters and spectroscopic imagers used, for example, in atmosphere and solar research. When used in a solar telescope, the vector magnetic fields on the solar surface. Other applications include environmental monitoring, robot vision, and medical diagnoses (through the eye). Innovations in the IDID include (1) two interleaved imaging arrays (one for each polarization plane); (2) large dynamic range (well depth of 10(exp 5) electrons per pixel); (3) simultaneous readout and display of both images; and (4) laptop computer signal processing to produce polarization maps in field situations.

Rust, David M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

High-Resolution X-Ray Imaging of Colliding Radio-Jet Galaxies

We received ROSAT data for four program objects:3C31,3C278,3C449,and NGC1044. The first three sources were observed with the ROSAT HRI instrument. Our plan was to use the HRI to image the hot gas distribution in a few pairs of strongly disturbed interacting elliptical galaxies which are also strong radio sources having a bent-jet source morphology. The PSPC was used for NGC1044 in order to obtain a flux measurement to use in planning future High Resolution Imager (HRI) observations of that source. Though we never requested such HRI observations of NGC1044, others have used those archival PSPC data from our project for other research projects and analyses. The goal of the program was to elucidate the detailed distribution of hot gas into which the jets flow. The X-ray data were consequently analyzed in conjunction with existing VLA radio maps, optical broad-band and H-alpha Charge Couple device (CCD) images, and optical kinematic data to constrain models for the propagation of ballistic jets in interacting galaxies. We were able to test and validate the claimed causal connection between tidal interaction, the presence of gas, and the onset of activity in galaxies. The full multi-wavelength multi-observatory analyses described here are still on-going and will be published in the future. Because of the relevance of this research to on-going work in the field of active galaxies, the grant was used to support travel to several scientific meetings where our x-ray analysis, numerical modeling, and related radio results were presented and discussed.

Born, Kirk D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A Compact Polarization Imager

A new type of image detector has been designed to analyze the polarization of light simultaneously at all picture elements (pixels) in a scene. The Integrated Dual Imaging Detector (IDID) consists of a polarizing beamsplitter bonded to a custom-designed charge-coupled device with signal-analysis circuitry, all integrated on a silicon chip. The IDID should simplify the design and operation of imaging polarimeters and spectroscopic imagers used, for example, in atmospheric and solar research. Other applications include environmental monitoring and robot vision. Innovations in the IDID include two interleaved 512 x 1024 pixel imaging arrays (one for each polarization plane), large dynamic range (well depth of 10(exp 6) electrons per pixel), simultaneous readout and display of both images at 10(exp 6) pixels per second, and on-chip analog signal processing to produce polarization maps in real time. When used with a lithium niobate Fabry-Perot etalon or other color filter that can encode spectral information as polarization, the IDID can reveal tiny differences between simultaneous images at two wavelengths.

Thompson, Karl E.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Event Pileup in AXAF's ACIS CCD Camera

AXAF's high resolution mirrors will focus a point source near the optical axis to a spot that is contained within a radius of about two pixels on the ACIS Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) camera. Because of the small spot size, the accuracy to which fluxes and spectral energy distributions of bright point sources can be measured will be degrad3ed by event pileup. Event pileup occurs when two or more X-ray photons arrive simultaneously in a single detection cell on a CCD readout frame. When pileup occurs, ACIS's event detection algorithm registers the photons as a single X-ray event. The pulse height channel of the event will correspond to an energy E approximately E-1 + E-2...E-n, where n is the number of photons registered per detection cell per readout frame. As a result, pileup artificially hardens the observed spectral energy distribution. I will discuss the effort at the AXAF Science Center Lo calibrate pileup in ACIS using focused, nearly monochromatic X-ray source. I will discuss techniques for modeling and correcting pileup effects in polychromatic spectra.

McNamara, Brian R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Protein Crystal Movements and Fluid Flows During Microgravity Growth

The growth of protein crystals suitable for X-ray crystal structure analysis is an important topic. The methods of protein crystal growth are under increasing study whereby different methods are being compared via diagnostic monitoring including Charge Coupled Device (CCD) video and interferometry. The quality (perfection) of protein crystals is now being evaluated by mosaicity analysis (rocking curves) and X-ray topographic images as well as the diffraction resolution limit and overall data quality. Choice of a liquid-liquid linear crystal growth geometry and microgravity can yield a spatial stability of growing crystals and fluid, as seen in protein crystallization experiments on the unmanned platform EURICA. A review is given here of existing results and experience over several microgravity missions. The results include CCD video as well as interferometry during the mission, followed, on return to earth, by rocking curve experiments and full X-ray data collection on LMS and earth control lysozyme crystals. Diffraction data recorded from LMS and ground control apocrustacyanin C(sub 1) crystals are also described.

Boggon, Titus J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

AXAF/Chandra Capabilities

I will show some examples of what can be done with AXAF/Chandra, whose mirror has a subarcsecond angular resolution and whose detectors include Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) and microchannel plates with available high spectral resolution gratings.

Markevitch, M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Physical and Chemical Study of Minerals and Rocks Containing Low-Z Compounds of Interest to Astrobiology and Origin of Life

Understanding the origins of Life requires a good understanding of the physics and chemistry of biogenic low-z elements H, C, N, O, P, S in terrestrial environments, on Mars, on extraterrestrial bodies such as meteorite parent bodies and comets, and in interstellar space. In this Proposal five Tasks form a coherent program aimed at elucidating various aspects of low-z element geo- and cosmochemistry with special reference to the origin of Life on Earth and to the search for life on Mars, extant or extinct. (i) Formation of organic molecules, in particular oxygenated H-C-0 molecules or precursors thereof of the composition H(x)C(y)O(z)(n-), inside the hard matrix of structurally dense magmatic minerals; (ii) Formation of organic molecules inside the soft matrix of amorphous and crystalline water ice; (iii) Preservation of organic molecules in cherts and other siliceous rocks formed in hot spring or submarine hydrothermal vent environments; (iv) The nature of the elusive Martian soil oxidant; and (v) Prototype development of an XRD instrument, using a new patented XRD camera concept that utilizes a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) as a camera and as a energy-dispersive analyzer.

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