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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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BDMADS, BASIC Data Manipulation and Display System, is software package that runs on Apple II Plus or lle personal computer to provide user-friendly environment in which to perform many complex operations on array of numbers.
The major objectives of the high resolution telescope and spectrograph (HRTS) are: (1) the investigation of the energy balance and mass balance of the temperature minimum, chromosphere, transition zone, and corona in quiet regions on the Sun as well as in plages, flares, and sunspots; (2) the investigation of the velocity field of the lower corona to study the origin of the solar wind; (3) the investigation of preflare and flare phenomena. The HRTS instruments consists of a telescope, an ultraviolet spectrograph, and ultraviolet spectroheliograph, and an H alpha slit display system, all housed in a thermal control canister mounted on an instrument pointing system.
The flux and the energy spectrum of low energy (30-100 MeV) proton albedos, have been observed for the first time in a low latitude region, over Hyderabad, India. The preliminary results, based on the quick look data acquisition and display system are presented. A charged particle telescope, capable of distinguishing singly charged particles such as electrons, muons, protons in low energy region, records the data of both upward as well as downward moving particles. Thus spectra of splash and re-entrant albedo protons have been recorded simultaneously in a high altitude Balloon flight carried out on 8th December, 1985, over Hyderabad, India. Balloon floated at an latitude of approx. 37 km (4 mb).
The major objectives of the high resolution telescope and spectrograph (HRTS) are: (1) the investigation of the energy balance and mass balance of the temperature minimum, chromosphere, transition zone, and corona in quiet regions on the Sun as well as in plages, flares, and sunspots; (2) the investigation of the velocity field of the lower corona to study the origin of the solar wind; and (3) the investigation of preflare and flare phenomena. The HRTS instruments consists of a telescope, an ultraviolet spectrograph, an ultraviolet spectroheliograph, and an H alpha slit display system, all housed in a thermal control cannister mounted on an instrument pointing system.
The digital electronic engine control (DEEC) is a full-authority digital engine control developed for the F100-PW-100 turbofan engine which was flight tested on an F-15 aircraft. The DEEC hardware and software throughout the F-15 flight envelope was evaluated. Real-time data reduction and data display systems were implemented. New test techniques and stronger coordination between the propulsion test engineer and pilot were developed which produced efficient use of test time, reduced pilot work load, and greatly improved quality data. The engine pressure ratio (EPR) control mode is demonstrated. It is found that the nonaugmented throttle transients and engine performance are satisfactory.
The study uses an emission line, differential imaging camera built by the Science Operations Branch. This instrument allows photometric data to be obtained over a large area of a comet in a large number of resolution elements. The detector is a 100x100 Reticon array which with interchangeable optics can give resolutions from 2" to 30" over a field of 1' to 15'. The camera through its controlling computer can simultaneously take images in on-line and continuum filters and through computer subtraction and calibration present a photometric image of the comet produced by only the emission of the molecule under study. Initial work has shown two significant problems. First the auxiliary equipment of the telescope has not allowed the unambiguous location of faint comets so that systematic observations could be made, and secondly initial data has not shown much molecular emission from the faint comets which were located. Work last year on a software and hardware display system and this year on additional guide motors on the 36-inch telescope has allowed the differential camera to act as its own finder and guide scope. Comet IRAS was observed in C2 and CO+, as well as an occultation by the comet of SAO029103. The perodic comet Giacobini-Zinner was also observed in C2.
The Image Composition Language (ICL) provides a convenient way for programmers of interactive graphics application programs to define how the video look-up table of a raster display system is to be loaded. The ICL allows one or several images stored in the frame buffer to be combined in a variety of ways. The ICL treats these images as variables, and provides arithematic, relational, and conditional operators to combine the images, scalar variables, and constants in image composition expressions. The objective of ICL is to provide programmers with a simple way to compose images, to relieve the tedium usually associated with loading the video look-up table to obtain desired results.
The Raster Graphics Display Library (RGDL) is a high level subroutine package that give the advanced raster graphics display capabilities needed. The RGDL uses FORTRAN source code routines to build subroutines modular enough to use as stand-alone routines in a black box type of environment. Six examples are presented which will teach the use of RGDL in the fastest, most complete way possible. Routines within the display library that are used to produce raster graphics are presented in alphabetical order, each on a separate page. Each user-callable routine is described by function and calling parameters. All common blocks that are used in the display library are listed and the use of each variable within each common block is discussed. A reference on the include files that are necessary to compile the display library is contained. Each include file and its purpose are listed. The link map for MOVIE.BYU version 6, a general purpose computer graphics display system that uses RGDL software, is also contained.
For the study of human and animal vision, the video framebuffer is the only technology that is capable of displaying two-dimensional images with precise control of contrast, luminance, and display timing. The video framebuffer also allows precise control of color. However, this device is not designed for precise psychophysical displays, and techniques must be developed to use them in this role. In order to be concrete, an RDS-3000 raster display system (Adage, 1982) is used which is hosted by a PDP-11/73 under the Venix operating system. The principles generalize to other machines. Where it clarifies the issues, the syntax of the software routines involved is shown.
TAPECERT is VAX utility program for tape certification. Allows user to select tape density, test pattern to use, and number of allowed retries, and to decide whether to allow extended inter-record gaps to skip past bad spots on tape. Displays system error messages and record-count information with totals every 1,000 blocks. Designed so command procedure set up with defaults for different types of certification runs. Written in FORTRAN 77.
Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data collected from eight test areas in Austria were evaluated for their usefulness in forest damage assessment, geobotany, alpine vegetation mapping, and land use classification. Difficulties encountered in installing the SPAM spectral analysis software for use on the image display system and the necessity to adapt existing programs for this task impeded and delayed the analysis of the AIS data. Spectral reflectance curves obtained from a geobotanical test site show a marked increase in reflectance across most of the measured spectrum for metal stressed spruce trees compared with nonstressed spruce trees.
A head-mounted, wide-angle, stereoscopic display system controlled by operator position, voice and gesture is under development for use as a multipurpose interface environment. Initial applications of the system are in telerobotics, data-management and human factors research. System configuration and research directions are described.
The Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA), designed for flight investigation into powered-lift terminal area operations, first flew in 1978 and has flown 600 hours since. This report summarizes QSRA research since 1981. Numerous aerodynamic flight experiments have been conducted including research with an advanced concept stability and control augmentation and pilot display system for category III instrument landings. An electromechanical actuator system was flown to assess performance and reliability. A second ground-based test was conducted to further evaluate circulation-control-wing/upper-surface-blowing performance. QSRA technology has been transferred through reports, guest pilot evaluations and airshow participation. QSRA future research thoughts and an extensive report bibliography are also presented.
A Polymer Molecular Analysis Display System (p-MADS) was developed for computer modeling of polymers. This method of modeling allows for the theoretical calculation of molecular properties such as equilibrium geometries, conformational energies, heats of formations, crystal packing arrangements, and other properties. Furthermore, p-MADS has the following capabilities: constructing molecules from internal coordinates (bonds length, angles, and dihedral angles), Cartesian coordinates (such as X-ray structures), or from stick drawings; manipulating molecules using graphics and making hard copy representation of the molecules on a graphics printer; and performing geometry optimization calculations on molecules using the methods of molecular mechanics or molecular orbital theory.
An experimental telerobotics (TR) simulation suitable for studying human operator (H.O.) performance is described. Simple manipulator pick-and-place and tracking tasks allowed quantitative comparison of a number of calligraphic display viewing conditions. A number of control modes could be compared in this TR simulation, including displacement, rate and acceleratory control using position and force joysticks. A homeomorphic controller turned out to be no better than joysticks; the adaptive properties of the H.O. can apparently permit quite good control over a variety of controller configurations and control modes. Training by optimal control example seemed helpful in preliminary experiments. An introduced communication delay was found to produce decrease in performance. In considerable part, this difficulty could be compensated for by preview control information. That neurological control of normal human movement contains a data period of 0.2 second may relate to this robustness of H.O. control to delay. The Ames-Berkeley enhanced perspective display was utilized in conjunction with an experimental helmet mounted display system (HMD) that provided stereoscopic enhanced views.
Helmet-mounted visual display system provides pilot with broad range of visual information for flight simulation. Offers nearly unlimited field of regard. Optical fibers transmit wide-angle images in response to motions of head. Two "pancake" lenses mounted on lightweight helmet. Cable of optical fibers carries images to each lens. "Light-valve" projectors deliver computer-generated binocular images to cables.
Report describes continuing research into electronic control and display systems for vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing (V/STOL) aircraft. Objective of research to develop advanced digital control systems ("fly-by-wire" systems) integrating flight and propulsion controls. Intended to enable pilots to perform complicated landing maneuvers, including transitions from horizontal to vertical flight under visual and instrument flight conditions and landing in bad weather on decks of heaving ships, in confined spaces, and at ill-prepared sites.
Programmable maintenance processor (MAINT) made of commercially available integrated circuits. Autonomous one of four digital electronic processors in extended aircraft interrogation and display system (XAIDS). Developed for testing of system and application computer programs as well as for testing equipment. MAINT has independent terminal and printer interfaces and dedicated magnetic bubble memory storing system-testing sequences entered from terminal. Software for MAINT written in PLM86 programming language and broken into four separate modules.