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DOE OSTI2023

CEGANN: CRYSTAL EDGE GRAPH ATTENTION NEURAL NETWORK

SF-22-156 Machine learning (ML) models and applications in materials design and discovery typically involve the use of feature representations or descriptors followed by a learning algorithm that maps them to user desired properties of interest. Most popular mathematical formulation-based descriptors are not unique across atomic environments and suffer from transferability issues across different application domains and/or material classes. The CEGANN code provides a unified interface to facilitate material characterization across materials across multiple scales (from atomic to mesoscale) and diverse classes of materials ranging from metals oxides, non-metals, and even hierarchical materials such as zeolites and semi ordered materials such as mesophases. CEGANN implements a Graph Attention Network (GAT) type convolution architecture. The details of network architecture can be found in the paper https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2207.10168. The software comes with pretrained examples and dataset for the classification of the following representative systems: (1) Structure-level representation such as space group (2) Structural dimensionality (e.g., bulk, 2D, clusters etc.) (3) Grain boundary identification (4) Nucleation and growth of a zeolite polymorph (5) Characterization of binary mesophases and their phase transitions (6) Growth of ice. The code is written in python programming language.

CHAN, HENRYT↗

DOE OSTI2022

Machine learning approaches to streamline and enhance the analysis of multiscale imaging data for bioaerosol and soil particles

Bioaerosol and soil particles are ubiquitous in the environment. They are multicomponent and complex in nature displaying mixed inorganic and organic components. The way components are mixed in a bioaerosol sample is referred to as its mixing state. Soil particles are also a mixture of inorganic (mineral) and organic (soil organic matter) components. Bioaerosol particles contribute to a major fraction of coarse mode atmospheric particles, especially in the tropical areas, contributing up to 80 % of the particle mass concentration. The mixing state of particles is crucial to evaluate because it impacts several important environmental processes such as warm and cold cloud formation and radiation budget. Mixing states in aerosols are accompanied by chemical reactions across solid-liquid-gas interfaces. In this study, we utilized elemental compositions and microcopy images of thousands of atmospheric particles acquired by computer-controlled scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometer to compute the mixing state of atmospheric particles. A 2D convolutional neural network (CNN), also known as convnet, was used to model the relationship between low resolution imaging data and higher resolution spectroscopy data, with the former as training input and the latter as target output. Two types of CNNs were implemented and tested; a basic CNN and an Inception-v3 network. For binary classification, the basic CNN achieved an accuracy of 84.29 % across all atom types, and the Inception-v3-like network achieved an accuracy 85.51 %. This study demonstrates the applicability of deep learning to handle large amounts of imaging/chemical spectroscopy data efficiently and evaluate particle mixing state from a range of environmental samples.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Fundamental study of gas species transport in the oxygen electrode of solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells

A fundamental analysis of multicomponent gas transport models was performed in application to the oxygen electrodes of solid oxide cells. It is common practice to neglect the effect of pressure gradients within oxygen electrodes, even though a net molar flux at the electrolyte surface implies that a pressure gradient must exist. The influence of both Darcy velocity and Knudsen flux are considered in the context of ordinary (Fickian) diffusion, the dusty gas model, and the binary friction model. Comparisons between the models and different sets of assumptions are made via parametric studies on operating load, oxygen partial pressure, microstructural properties, and electrode thickness. Results show that the pressure gradient will have a significant impact on the oxygen concentration distribution and therefore the concentration overpotential. In electrolysis mode, pressure increases up to 1 atm are predicted, indicating that pressure at the electrode/electrolyte interface could contribute to electrode delamination. Additionally, it is found that Darcy's law is insufficient for calculating the pressure distribution without accounting for the flux due to Knudsen diffusion. Additionally, it is found that for the range of properties typical of oxygen electrodes, there is a negligibly small difference between the dusty gas model and binary friction model from a practical standpoint.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2021

Fuel-cladding chemical interaction of a prototype annular U-10Zr fuel with Fe-12Cr ferritic/martensitic HT-9 cladding

As an alternative fuel form, the annular metallic fuel design eliminates the liquid sodium bond between the fuel and the cladding, providing back-end fuel cycle and other benefits. The fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) of annular fuel also presents new features. In this work, state-of-the-art electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques were used to study the FCCI of a prototype annular U-10wt%Zr (U-10Zr) fuel with ferritic/martensitic HT-9 cladding irradiated to 3.3% fission per initial heavy atom. Compared with sodium-bonded solid fuels, negligible amounts of lanthanides were found in the FCCI layer in the investigated helium-bonded annular fuel. Instead, most lanthanides were retained in the newly formed UZr 2 phase in the fuel center region. The interdiffusion of iron and uranium resulted in tetragonal ( U ,Zr) 6 Fe phase (space group I4/mcm) and cubic ( U ,Zr)( Fe ,Cr) 2 phase (space group Fd 3 ¯ m). The ( U ,Zr)( Fe ,Cr) 2 phase contains a high density of voids and intergranular uranium monocarbides of NaCl-type crystal structure (space group Fm 3 ¯ m). At the interdiffusion zone and inner cladding interface, a porous lamellar structure composed of alternating Cr-rich layers and U-rich layers was observed. Next to the lamellar region, the unexpected phase transformation from body-centered cubic ferrite (α-Fe) to tetragonal binary Fe-Cr σ phase (space group P4 2 /mnm) occurred, and tetragonal Fe-Cr-U-Si phase (space group I4/mmm) was identified. Due to the diffusion of carbon into the interdiffusion zone, carbon depletion inside the HT-9 led to the disappearance of the martensite lath structure, and intergranular U-rich carbides formed as a result of the diffusion of uranium into the cladding. These detailed new findings reveal the unique features of the FCCI behavior of annular U-Zr fuels, which could be a promising alternative fuel form for high burnup fast reactor applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

GR-Athena++: General-relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics Simulations of Neutron Star Spacetimes

We present the extension of GR-Athena++ to general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) for applications to neutron star spacetimes. The new solver couples the constrained transport implementation of Athena++ to the Z4c formulation of the Einstein equations to simulate dynamical spacetimes with GRMHD using oct-tree adaptive mesh refinement. We consider benchmark problems for isolated and binary neutron star spacetimes demonstrating stable and convergent results at relatively low resolutions and without grid symmetries imposed. The code correctly captures magnetic field instabilities in nonrotating stars with total relative violation of the divergence-free constraint of 10 –16 . It handles evolutions with a microphysical equation of state and black hole formation in the gravitational collapse of a rapidly rotating star. For binaries, we demonstrate correctness of the evolution under the gravitational radiation reaction and show convergence of gravitational waveforms. We showcase the use of adaptive mesh refinement to resolve the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability at the collisional interface in a merger of magnetised binary neutron stars. GR-Athena++ shows strong scaling efficiencies above 80% in excess of 10 5 CPU cores and excellent weak scaling is shown up to ~5 × 10 5 CPU cores in a realistic production setup. GR-Athena++ allows for the robust simulation of GRMHD flows in strong and dynamical gravity with exa-scale computers.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS2005

Solar-System Ephemeris Toolbox

NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) generates planetary and lunar ephemeris data and FORTRAN routines that allow users to obtain state data for the Sun, the moon, and the planets. The JPL Solar System Ephemeris Toolbox, developed at Kennedy Space Center, is a set of functions that provides the same functionality in the MATLAB computing environment along with some additional capabilities. The toolbox can be used interactively via a graphical user interface (GUI), or individual functions can be called from the MATLAB command prompt or other MATLAB scripts and functions. The toolbox also includes utility functions to define and perform coordinate transformation (e.g., mean-of-date, true-of-date, J2000) that are common in the use of these ephemerides. An attached README file guides the user through the process of constructing binary ephemeris files, verifying correct installation, and using functions to extract state data. This process also can be performed using the GUI. Help from each toolbox function is available through MATLAB s "help" function. Many of the functions in the toolbox are MATLAB equivalents of the JPL-written FORTRAN programs and subroutines used for the same purposes. A novice can use the GUI to extract state data, while a more experienced user can use the functions directly, as needed, in his/her applications. The toolbox has been tested using MATLAB Releases 13 an

Walker, Charles F.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Electron‐Assisted Generation and Straight Movement of Skyrmion Bubble in Kagome TbMn 6 Sn 6

Abstract Topological magnetic textures are promising candidates as binary data units for the next‐generation memory device. The precise generation and convenient control of nontrivial spin topology at zero field near room temperature endows the critical advantages in skyrmionic devices but is not simultaneously integrated into one material. Here, in the Kagome plane of quantum TbMn 6 Sn 6 , the expedient generation of the skyrmion bubbles in versatile forms of lattice, chain, and isolated one by converging the electron beam, where the electron intensity gradient contributes to the dynamic generation from local anisotropy variation near spin reorientation transition (SRT) is reported. Encouragingly, by utilizing the dynamic shift of the SRT domain interface, the straight movement is actualized with the skyrmion bubble slave to the SRT domain interface forming an elastic composite object, avoiding the usual deflection from the skyrmion Hall effect. The critical contribution of the SRT domain interface via conveniently electron‐assisted heating is further theoretically validated in micromagnetic simulation, highlighting the compatible application possibility in advanced devices.

Li, Zhuolin↗

DOE OSTI2025

Dual-Responsive Macromolecular Surfaces with Binary Patterns

The development of nanopatterned interfaces incorporating multiple stimuli-responsive polymers has great potential for advancing smart sensors and molecular capture devices, yet it remains challenging due to limitations in patterning techniques and “grafting from” methods. Here, we present a binary-patterned surface featuring honeycomb-shaped photothermal polypyrrole (PPy) and thermally responsive poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate) [poly(EGMEA-co-PEGMEA)] brushes within the cavities, fabricated using colloidal lithography and surface-initiated photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (SI-PET-RAFT) polymerization. The morphology of the surface can be precisely tuned by adjusting the height of each domain. This design integrates unique topographical features with the stimuli-responsiveness of the polymer, enabling the collapse of the copolymer brushes through direct heating or photothermal conversion of PPy under near-IR light. In conclusion, this innovative system offers potential capture-release functionality, providing versatility for diverse applications and enhancing adaptability across different functional scenarios.

Copolymers↗

NASA NTRS2004

Low-Cost, User-Friendly, Rapid Analysis of Dynamic Data System Established

An issue of primary importance to the development of new jet and certain other airbreathing combined-cycle powered aircraft is the advancement of airframe-integrated propulsion technologies. Namely, engine inlets and their systems and subsystems are required to capture, convert, and deliver the atmospheric airflow demanded by such engines across their operating envelope in a form that can be used to provide efficient, stable thrust. This must be done while also minimizing aircraft drag and weight. Revolutionary inlet designs aided by new technologies are needed to enable new missions. An unwanted byproduct of pursuing these inlet technologies is increased time-variant airflow distortion. Such distortions reduce propulsion system stability, performance, operability, and life. To countermand these limitations and fully evaluate the resulting configurations, best practices dictate that this distortion be experimentally measured at large scale and analyzed. The required measurements consist of those made by an array of high-response pressure transducers located in the flow field at the aerodynamic interface plane (AIP) between the inlet and engine. Although the acquisition of the necessary pitot-pressure time histories is relatively straight-forward, until recent years, the analysis has proved to be very time-consuming, tedious, and expensive. To transform the analysis of these data into a tractable and timely proposition, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center created and established the Rapid Analysis of Dynamic Data (RADD) system. The system provides complete, near real-time analysis of time-varying inlet airflow distortion datasets with report quality output. This fully digital approach employs Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) binary data file format standardization to establish data-acquisition-system-independent processing on low cost personal computers. Features include invalid instrumentation code-out, logging, and multiple replacement schemes as needed for each channel of instrumentation. The AIP pressure distribution can be interpolated to simulate measurements by alternate AIP probe arrays, if desired. In addition, the RADD system provides for the application of filters that can be used to focus the analysis on the frequency range of interest.

Arend, David J.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Experiments on Evolving Software Models of Analog Circuits

Analog circuits are of great importance in electronic system design since the world is fundamentally analog in nature. While the amount of digital design activity far outpaces that of analog design, most digital systems require analog modules for interfacing with the external world. It was recently estimated that approximately 60% of digital application- specific integrated circuit designs incorporated analog circuits. With challenging analog circuit design problems and few analog design engineers, there are economic reasons for automating the analog design process, especially time-to-market considerations. Techniques for analog circuit design automation began appearing about two decades ago. These methods incorporated heuristics [6], knowledge bases [1], simulated annealing [5], and other algorithms. Efforts using techniques from evolutionary computation began appearing over the last few years. These include the use of genetic algorithms to select electronic component values (for example, the resistance value of a resistor), to select circuit topologies, and to design amplifiers using a limited set of canned topologies [4]. A genetic programming-based analog circuit design system has been demonstrated in which the circuit sizes, component values, and the circuit topologies are determined automatically [3]. The genetic-algorithm systems typically represent circuit structures as vectors of parameters encoded in binary strings, while the genetic programming system manipulates tree data structures.

Lohn, Jason D.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Solvation-protection-enabled high-voltage electrolyte for lithium metal batteries

To facilitate the practical application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs), stable interfaces between the electrolyte and the lithium metal must be achieved. Herein, we introduce a solvation protection strategy for designing a functional electrolyte for high-voltage LMBs. Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) was introduced as a solvation protection solvent for the difluoroethylene carbonate (DFEC)/trifluoroethyl methyl carbonate (FEMC) electrolyte system to enable the cycling of lithium metal anode. The addition of FEC alters the structures of lithium complexes in solution because of its relatively high solvating power. Through the precise control of the solvation number (> 1) of fluorinated cyclic carbonate (i.e., FEC:DFEC > critical ratio), lithium complexes with Li + solvated solely by FEMC, which decompose on the lithium surface to form detrimental by-products, can be effectively eliminated. Here, the new ternary FEC/DFEC/FEMC system not only maintains the beneficial effect of DFEC in forming a robust solid-electrolyte interphase on the lithium anode, but also confers outstanding anodic stability provided by FEMC, while eliminating detrimental FEMC decomposition through the solvation protection effect of FEC. Clearly, this ternary system outperforms the FEC/FEMC and DFEC/FEMC binary systems in facilitating the stable cycling of LMBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Microstructure, Transport, and Mechanics of Compacted Clay Simulated at the 0.1 μm Scale (1400 Smectite Clay Particles) Using a Coarse-Grained Model with Explicit Counterions

Clay-rich geomaterials play a critical role in many subsurface systems. The macroscale properties of these materials (low permeability, high ionic conductivity, high swelling pressure, etc.) are sensitive to molecular-level adsorption and hydration interactions at clay−water interfaces. Efforts to develop multiscale simulation approaches to predict these properties reveal a scale gap between atomistic simulations (typically limited to systems smaller than 10 nm) and continuum-scale models (which use computational grid elements with dimensions ≳ 10 μm). In this study, we present a coarse-grained (CG) framework that partly bridges this gap by simulating compacted smectite clay assemblages with dimensions of 0.1 μm containing 1,400 clay particles across a range of dry densities (1,050 to 1,850 kg·m −3 ) and Na/Ca counterion compositions (Na fraction ranging from 0.2 to 1). The simulated systems, along with their reconstructed binary three-dimensional pore networks, are used to evaluate the microstructure, pore size distribution, tortuosity, ion diffusivity, and swelling pressure of compacted smectite clay. Results show that our approach captures important features of the mesoscale heterogeneity of compacted clays, including tactoid formation, hierarchical porosity, and anisotropic pore networks. Results also reveal how compaction and counterion composition govern emergent behaviors, including dominant pore sizes, directional transport, and electrochemical response. This work highlights the potential of CG simulations to bridge molecular and continuum scales and to advance geotechnical and environmental applications involving clay-rich materials as well as related nanoporous media such as geopolymers and calcium-silicate-hydrate. However, the results also suggest that accurate prediction of certain microstructural and mechanical properties (e.g., swelling pressure) may require even larger-scale systems on the order of 1 μm.

02 PETROLEUM↗

DOE OSTI2024

Elucidating the Transition of 3D Morphological Evolution of Binary Alloys in Molten Salts with Metal Ion Additives

Molten salts serve as effective high-temperature heat transfer fluids and thermal storage media used in a wide range of energy generation and storage facilities, including concentrated solar power plants, molten salt reactors and high-temperature batteries. However, at the salt–metal interfaces, a complex interplay of charge-transfer reactions involving various metal ions, generated either as fission products or through corrosion of structural materials, takes place. Simultaneously, there is a mass transport of ions or atoms within the molten salt and the parent alloys. The precise physical and chemical mechanisms leading to the diverse morphological changes in these materials remain unclear. Here, to address this knowledge gap, this work employed a combination of synchrotron X-ray nanotomography and electron microscopy to study the morphological and chemical evolution of Ni-20Cr in molten KCl-MgCl 2 , while considering the influence of metal ions (Ni 2+ , Ce 3+ , and Eu 3+ ) and variations in salt composition. Our research suggests that the interplay between interfacial diffusivity and reactivity determines the morphological evolution. The summary of the associated mass transport and reaction processes presented in this work is a step forward toward achieving a fundamental comprehension of the interactions between molten salts and alloys. Overall, the findings offer valuable insights for predicting the diverse chemical and structural alterations experienced by alloys in molten salt environments, thus aiding in the development of protective strategies for future applications involving molten salts.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2021

Adaptive-Sweep Algorithm for Spacecraft Carrier Acquisition and Tracking: System Analysis and Implementation

This paper presents an adaptive-sweep algorithm that can be used in conjunction with a Phased-Lock Loop to acquire and track the carrier of a Binary Phase-shift Keying signal with residual carrier. This algorithm is useful in proximity links where no Doppler pre-compensation is available at the transmitter, and allows the receiver to acquire the incoming carrier even if the experienced Doppler shift is several orders of magnitude larger than the PLL bandwidth. Other applications for this algorithm include Multiple Uplink per Antenna at the Deep Space Network, and generation of observables (Doppler shift, Doppler rate, range rate) for in-situ navigation purposes. This paper enhances a previously presented adaptive-sweep algorithm and its performance analysis in two fronts. First, the algorithm now uses the direction function to automatically estimate the required frequency jump to achieve PLL lock. This enables a fully adaptive-sweep scheme in which system implementer does not need to manually select thresholds. On the other hand, we study the system performance in the presence of Additive White Gaussian Noise and derive necessary conditions for the system to operate at low signal-to-noise conditions. This allows us to create design rules that specify all parameters of the algorithm given a set of system-level requirements. To test the performance of the proposed algorithm, we implement it in GNU Radio, an open-source Software-Defined Radio that interfaces with several commercial radio peripherals. We use this implementation to demonstrate carrier lock and quantify system performance under different noise conditions. We also test the algorithm using open-loop recordings of two downlinks between the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Deep Space Network. We show that even after large frequency jumps (tens of kHz), the proposed system is able to rapidly reacquire the carrier and continue operation.

Divsalar, Dariush↗

NASA NTRS2018

The Zwicky Transient Facility: Data Processing, Products, and Archive

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a new robotic time-domain survey currently in progress using the Palomar 48-inch Schmidt Telescope. ZTF uses a 47 square degree field with a 600 megapixel camera to scan the entire northern visible sky at rates of ∼3760 square degrees/hour to median depths of g ~ 20.8 and r ~ 20.6 mag (AB, 5σ in 30 sec). We describe the Science Data System that is housed at IPAC, Caltech. This comprises the data-processing pipelines, alert production system, data archive, and user interfaces for accessing and analyzing the products. The real-time pipeline employs a novel image-differencing algorithm, optimized for the detection of point-source transient events. These events are vetted for reliability using a machine-learned classifier and combined with contextual information to generate data-rich alert packets. The packets become available for distribution typically within 13 minutes (95th percentile) of observation. Detected events are also linked to generate candidate moving-object tracks using a novel algorithm. Objects that move fast enough to streak in the individual exposures are also extracted and vetted. We present some preliminary results of the calibration performance delivered by the real-time pipeline. The reconstructed astrometric accuracy per science image with respect to Gaia DR1 is typically 45 to 85 milliarcsec. This is the RMS per-axis on the sky for sources extracted with photometric S/N ≥10 and hence corresponds to the typical astrometric uncertainty down to this limit. The derived photometric precision (repeatability) at bright unsaturated fluxes varies between 8 and 25 millimag. The high end of these ranges corresponds to an airmass approaching ∼2—the limit of the public survey. Photometric calibration accuracy with respect to Pan-STARRS1 is generally better than 2%. The products support a broad range of scientific applications: fast and young supernovae; rare flux transients; variable stars; eclipsing binaries; variability from active galactic nuclei; counterparts to gravitational wave sources; a more complete census of Type Ia supernovae; and solar-system objects.

Frank J. Masci↗

NASA NTRS2005

NASA GES DISC On-line Visualization and Analysis System for Gridded Remote Sensing Data

The ability to use data stored in the current NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) archives for studying regional or global phenomena is highly dependent on having a detailed understanding of the data's internal structure and physical implementation. Gaining this understanding and applying it to data reduction is a time-consuming task that must be undertaken before the core investigation can begin. This is an especially difficult challenge when science objectives require users to deal with large multi-sensor data sets that are usually of different formats, structures, and resolutions. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has taken a major step towards meeting this challenge by developing an infrastructure with a Web interface that allows users to perform interactive analysis online without downloading any data, the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure or "Giovanni." Giovanni provides interactive, online, analysis tools for data users to facilitate their research. There have been several instances of this interface created to serve TRMM users, Aerosol scientists, Ocean Color and Agriculture applications users. The first generation of these tools support gridded data only. The user selects geophysical parameters, area of interest, time period; and the system generates an output on screen in a matter of seconds. The currently available output options are: Area plot averaged or accumulated over any available data period for any rectangular area; Time plot time series averaged over any rectangular area; Hovmoller plots image view of any longitude-time and latitude-time cross sections; ASCII output for all plot types; Image animation for area plot. Another analysis suite deals with parameter intercomparison: scatter plots, temporal correlation maps, GIs-compatible outputs, etc. This allow user to focus on data content (i.e. science parameters) and eliminate the need for expensive learning, development and processing tasks that are redundantly incurred by an archive's user community. The current implementation utilizes the GrADS-DODS Server (GDS), and provides subsetting and analysis services across the Internet for any GrADS-readable dataset. The subsetting capability allows users to retrieve a specified temporal and/or spatial subdomain from a large dataset, eliminating the need to download everything simply to access a small relevant portion of a dataset. The analysis capability allows users to retrieve the results of an operation applied to one or more datasets on the server. We use this approach to read pre-processed binary files and/or to read and extract the needed parts directly from HDF or HDF-EOS files. These subsets then serve as inputs into GrADS analysis scripts. It can be used in a wide variety of Earth science applications: climate and weather events study and monitoring; modeling. It can be easily configured for new applications.

Leptoukh, Gregory G.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Distributive On-line Processing, Visualization and Analysis System for Gridded Remote Sensing Data

The ability to use data stored in the current Earth Observing System (EOS) archives for studying regional or global phenomena is highly dependent on having a detailed understanding of the data's internal structure and physical implementation. Gaining this understanding and applying it to data reduction is a time- consuming task that must be undertaken before the core investigation can begin. This is an especially difficult challenge when science objectives require users to deal with large multi-sensor data sets that are usually of different formats, structures, and resolutions, for example, when preparing data for input into modeling systems. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has taken a major step towards meeting this challenge by developing an infrastructure with a Web interface that allows users to perform interactive analysis online without downloading any data, the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure or "Giovanni." Giovanni provides interactive, online, analysis tools for data users to facilitate their research. There have been several instances of this interface created to serve TRMM users, Aerosol scientists, Ocean Color and Agriculture applications users. The first generation of these tools support gridded data only. The user selects geophysical parameters, area of interest, time period; and the system generates an output on screen in a matter of seconds. The currently available output options are: Area plot averaged or accumulated over any available data period for any rectangular area; Time plot time series averaged over any rectangular area; Time plots image view of any longitude-time and latitude-time cross sections; ASCII output for all plot types; Image animation for area plot. In the future, we will add correlation plots, GIS-compatible outputs, etc. This allow user to focus on data content (i.e. science parameters) and eliminate the need for expensive learning, development and processing tasks that are redundantly incurred by an archive's user community. The current implementation utilizes the GrADS-DODS Server (GDS), a stable, secure data server that provides subsetting and analysis services across the Internet for any GrADS-readable dataset. The subsetting capability allows users to retrieve a specified temporal and/or spatial subdomain from a large dataset, eliminating the need to download everything simply to access a small relevant portion of a dataset. The analysis capability allows users to retrieve the results of an operation applied to one or more datasets on the server. In our case, we use this approach to read pre-processed binary files and/or to read and extract the needed parts from HDF or HDF-EOS files. These subsets then serve as inputs into GrADS processing and analysis scripts. It can be used in a wide variety of Earth science applications: climate and weather events study and monitoring; modeling. It can be easily configured for new applications.

Leptoukh, G.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Goldstone Solar System Radar Waveform Generator

Due to distances and relative motions among the transmitter, target object, and receiver, the time-base between any transmitted and received signal will undergo distortion. Pre-distortion of the transmitted signal to compensate for this time-base distortion allows reception of an undistorted signal. In most radar applications, an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) would be used to store the pre-calculated waveform and then play back this waveform during transmission. The Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR), however, has transmission durations that exceed the available memory storage of such a device. A waveform generator capable of real-time pre-distortion of a radar waveform to a given time-base distortion function is needed. To pre-distort the transmitted signal, both the baseband radar waveform and the RF carrier must be modified. In the GSSR, this occurs at the up-conversion mixing stage to an intermediate frequency (IF). A programmable oscillator (PO) is used to generate the IF along with a time-varying phase component that matches the time-base distortion of the RF carrier. This serves as the IF input to the waveform generator where it is mixed with a baseband radar waveform whose time-base has been distorted to match the given time-base distortion function producing the modulated IF output. An error control feedback loop is used to precisely control the time-base distortion of the baseband waveform, allowing its real-time generation. The waveform generator produces IF modulated radar waveforms whose time-base has been pre-distorted to match a given arbitrary function. The following waveforms are supported: continuous wave (CW), frequency hopped (FH), binary phase code (BPC), and linear frequency modulation (LFM). The waveform generator takes as input an IF with a time varying phase component that matches the time-base distortion of the carrier. The waveform generator supports interconnection with deep-space network (DSN) timing and frequency standards, and is controlled through a 1 Gb/s Ethernet UDP/IP interface. This real-time generation of a timebase distorted radar waveform for continuous transmission in a planetary radar is a unique capability.

Quirk, Kevin J.↗