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At least 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications Systems, New Mexico State University

This viewgraph presentation gives an overview of the Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications Systems activities at New Mexico State University. Presentations cover the following topics: (1) small satellite communications, including nanosatellite radio and virtual satellite development; (2) modulation and detection studies, including details on smooth phase interpolated keying (SPIK) spectra and highlights of an adaptive turbo multiuser detector; (3) decoupled approaches to nonlinear ISI compensation; (4) space internet testing; (4) optical communication; (5) Linux-based receiver for lightweight optical communications without a laser in space, including software design, performance analysis, and the receiver algorithm; (6) carrier tracking hardware; and (7) subband transforms for adaptive direct sequence spread spectrum receivers.

Horan, Stephen↗
NASA NTRS1997

Mid-IR Spectra Herbig Ae/Be Stars

Herbig Ae/Be stars are intermediate mass pre-main sequence stars, the higher mass analogues to the T Tauri stars. Because of their higher mass, they are expected form more rapidly than the T Tauri stars. Whether the Herbig Ae/Be stars accrete only from collapsing infalling envelopes or whether accrete through geometrically flattened viscous accretion disks is of current debate. When the Herbig Ae/Be stars reach the main sequence they form a class called Vega-like stars which are known from their IR excesses to have debris disks, such as the famous beta Pictoris. The evolutionary scenario between the pre-main sequence Herbig Ae/Be stars and the main sequence Vega-like stars is not yet revealed and it bears on the possibility of the presence of Habitable Zone planets around the A stars. Photometric studies of Herbig Ae/Be stars have revealed that most are variable in the optical, and a subset of stars show non-periodic drops of about 2 magnitudes. These drops in visible light are accompanied by changes in their colors: at first the starlight becomes reddened, and then it becomes bluer, the polarization goes from less than 0.1 % to roughly 1% during these minima. The theory postulated by V. Grinnin is that large cometary bodies on highly eccentric orbits occult the star on their way to being sublimed, for systems that are viewed edge-on. This theory is one of several controversial theories about the nature of Herbig Ae/Be stars. A 5 year mid-IR spectrophotometric monitoring campaign was begun by Wooden and Butner in 1992 to look for correlations between the variations in visible photometry and mid-IR dust emission features. Generally the approximately 20 stars that have been observed by the NASA Ames HIFOGS spectrometer have been steady at 10 microns. There are a handful, however, that have shown variable mid-IR spectra, with 2 showing variations in both the continuum and features anti-correlated with visual photometry, and 3 showing variations in the emission features only while the continuum level remained unchanged. The first 2 stars mentioned probably have reprocessing envelopes. The other 3 stars gives important clues to the controversy over the geometry of the gas and dust around these pre-main sequence stars: the steady underlying 10 microns continuum and variable features indicates that an optically thick continuum probably arising from an accretion disk is decoupled from the optically thin emission features which may arise in a disk atmosphere. Bernadette Rodgers has joined this monitoring campaign in the near-IR using GRIMII with the goal of detecting variations in the hot dust continuum and the gas density in the dense accretion region close to these stars.

Wooden, Diane↗
NASA NTRS1999

X-33 Ascent Flight Controller Design by Trajectory Linearization: A Singular Perturbational Approach

The flight control of X-33 poses a challenge to conventional gain-scheduled flight controllers due to its large attitude maneuvers from liftoff to orbit and reentry. In addition, a wide range of uncertainties in vehicle handling qualities and disturbances must be accommodated by the attitude control system. Nonlinear tracking and decoupling control by trajectory linearization can be viewed as the ideal gain-scheduling controller designed at every point on the flight trajectory. Therefore it provides robust stability and performance at all stages of flight without interpolation of controller gains, and eliminates costly controller redesigns due to minor airframe alteration or mission reconfiguration. A prototype trajectory linearization design for X-33 ascent flight controller was designed and tested with 3-DOF and 6-DOF simulations during the 10 weeks SFFP. It is noted that the 6-DOF results were obtained from the 3-DOF design with only a few hours of tuning, which demonstrates the inherent robustness of the design technique. It is this "plug-and-play" feature that is much needed by NASA for the development, test and routine operations of the RLVs. Plans for further research are also presented.

Zhu, J. Jim↗
NASA NTRS2001

Input Decimated Ensembles

Using an ensemble of classifiers instead of a single classifier has been shown to improve generalization performance in many pattern recognition problems. However, the extent of such improvement depends greatly on the amount of correlation among the errors of the base classifiers. Therefore, reducing those correlations while keeping the classifiers' performance levels high is an important area of research. In this article, we explore input decimation (ID), a method which selects feature subsets for their ability to discriminate among the classes and uses them to decouple the base classifiers. We provide a summary of the theoretical benefits of correlation reduction, along with results of our method on two underwater sonar data sets, three benchmarks from the Probenl/UCI repositories, and two synthetic data sets. The results indicate that input decimated ensembles (IDEs) outperform ensembles whose base classifiers use all the input features; randomly selected subsets of features; and features created using principal components analysis, on a wide range of domains.

Tumer, Kagan↗
NASA NTRS1998

Exploring Gigabyte Datasets in Real Time: Architectures, Interfaces and Time-Critical Design

Architectures and Interfaces: The implications of real-time interaction on software architecture design: decoupling of interaction/graphics and computation into asynchronous processes. The performance requirements of graphics and computation for interaction. Time management in such an architecture. Examples of how visualization algorithms must be modified for high performance. Brief survey of interaction techniques and design, including direct manipulation and manipulation via widgets. talk discusses how human factors considerations drove the design and implementation of the virtual wind tunnel. Time-Critical Design: A survey of time-critical techniques for both computation and rendering. Emphasis on the assignment of a time budget to both the overall visualization environment and to each individual visualization technique in the environment. The estimation of the benefit and cost of an individual technique. Examples of the modification of visualization algorithms to allow time-critical control.

Bryson, Steve↗
NASA NTRS2002

Large Torque Variations in Two Soft Gamma Repeaters

We have monitored the pulse frequencies of the two soft gamma repeaters SGR 1806-20 and SGR 1900+14 through the beginning of year 2001 using primarily Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array observations. In both sources, we observe large changes in the spin-down torque up to a factor of approximately 4, which persist for several months. Using long-baseline phase-connected timing solutions as well as the overall frequency histories, we construct torque noise power spectra for each SGR (Soft Gamma Repeater). The power spectrum of each source is very red (power-law slope is approximately -3.5). The torque noise power levels are consistent with some accreting systems on timescales of approximately 1 yr, yet the full power spectrum is much steeper in frequency than any known accreting source. To the best of our knowledge, torque noise power spectra with a comparably steep frequency dependence have been seen only in young, glitching radio pulsars (e.g., Vela). The observed changes in spin-down rate do not correlate with burst activity; therefore, the physical mechanisms behind each phenomenon are also likely unrelated. Within the context of the magnetar model, seismic activity can not account for both the bursts and the long-term torque changes unless the seismically active regions are decoupled from one another.

Woods, Peter M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Wake Vortex Prediction Models for Decay and Transport Within Stratified Environments

This paper proposes two simple models to predict vortex transport and decay. The models are determined empirically from results of three-dimensional large eddy simulations, and are applicable to wake vortices out of ground effect and not subjected to environmental winds. The results, from the large eddy simulations assume a range of ambient turbulence and stratification levels. The models and the results from the large eddy simulations support the hypothesis that the decay of the vortex hazard is decoupled from its change in descent rate.

Switzer, George F.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Progress Toward a Compact 0.05 K Magnet Refrigerator Operating from 10 K

Much of the most interesting information regarding our universe is hidden in the sub-millimeter, infrared, and x-rays bands of the spectrum, to which our atmosphere is largely opaque. Thus, missions exploring these bands are a very important part of NASA s Space Science program. Coincidentally, the most sensitive detectors in these spectral regions operate at extremely low temperatures, typically 0.05 - 0.10 K. Generally these temperatures will be achieved using magnetic refrigerators, also know as Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators, or ADRs. Current ADRs, such as the one used in the XRS-II instrument on the Astro-E2 satellite, use a single-stage to cool detectors from 1.3 K to 0.06 K. The ADR is designed so that it can absorb the heat on the detector stage for at least 24 hours before it must stop, warm up to the helium bath temperature (1.3 K), and dump the accumulated heat. Future detector arrays will be much larger and will have higher heat dissipation. Furthermore, future missions will use mechanical cryocoolers to provide upper stage cooling, but they can only reach 4 - 10 K. Trying to scale heavy (-15 kg) single stage ADRs up to the higher heat loads and higher heat rejection temperatures required leads to unacceptably large systems. The GSFC Cryogenics Branch has developed the Continuous ADR (CADR) to solve this problem. The CADR consists of a series of ADR stages that sequentially pass heat from the load up to the high temperature heat sink. The stage connected to the load remains at a constant temperature. The continuous stage effectively decouples detector operation from ADR operation, allowing the ADR stages to be cycled much more rapidly. Rapid cycling leads to higher cooling power density. The cascading, multistage arrangement allows the magnetic refrigerant of each stage to be optimized for its own temperature swing. In the past year, we have made good progress toward a 0.05 to 10K system. A four-stage system that operates from 4.2 K was demonstrated. Magnetic shielding was added to eliminate inter-stage coupling. Improvements were made to superconducting and passive gas-gap heat switches. A second type of passive gas gap switch, one meant for use at higher temperature, was demonstrated. The presentation will focus primarily on these recent design improvements, and on the challenges that remain on the progress toward a system that will operate from 10 K or higher.

Canavan, Edgar↗
NASA NTRS2003

System Risk Assessment and Allocation in Conceptual Design

As aerospace systems continue to evolve in addressing newer challenges in air and space transportation, there exists a heightened priority for significant improvement in system performance, cost effectiveness, reliability, and safety. Tools, which synthesize multidisciplinary integration, probabilistic analysis, and optimization, are needed to facilitate design decisions allowing trade-offs between cost and reliability. This study investigates tools for probabilistic analysis and probabilistic optimization in the multidisciplinary design of aerospace systems. A probabilistic optimization methodology is demonstrated for the low-fidelity design of a reusable launch vehicle at two levels, a global geometry design and a local tank design. Probabilistic analysis is performed on a high fidelity analysis of a Navy missile system. Furthermore, decoupling strategies are introduced to reduce the computational effort required for multidisciplinary systems with feedback coupling.

Mahadevan, Sankaran↗
NASA NTRS2002

Diffuse Cosmic Infrared Background Radiation

The diffuse cosmic infrared background (CIB) consists of the cumulative radiant energy released in the processes of structure formation that have occurred since the decoupling of matter and radiation following the Big Bang. In this lecture I will review the observational data that provided the first detections and limits on the CIB, and the theoretical studies explaining the origin of this background. Finally, I will also discuss the relevance of this background to the universe as seen in high energy gamma-rays.

Dwek, Eli↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Flywheel Energy Storage System Demonstration for Space Applications

A novel control algorithm for the charge and discharge modes of operation of a flywheel energy storage system for space applications is presented. The motor control portion of the algorithm uses sensorless field oriented control with position and speed estimates determined from a signal injection technique at low speeds and a back EMF technique at higher speeds. The charge and discharge portion of the algorithm use command feed-forward and disturbance decoupling, respectively, to achieve fast response with low gains. Simulation and experimental results are presented.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Comparison of the AUSM(+) and H-CUSP Schemes for Turbomachinery Applications

Many turbomachinery CFD codes use second-order central-difference (C-D) schemes with artificial viscosity to control point decoupling and to capture shocks. While C-D schemes generally give accurate results, they can also exhibit minor numerical problems including overshoots at shocks and at the edges of viscous layers, and smearing of shocks and other flow features. In an effort to improve predictive capability for turbomachinery problems, two C-D codes developed by Chima, RVCQ3D and Swift, were modified by the addition of two upwind schemes: the AUSM+ scheme developed by Liou, et al., and the H-CUSP scheme developed by Tatsumi, et al. Details of the C-D scheme and the two upwind schemes are described, and results of three test cases are shown. Results for a 2-D transonic turbine vane showed that the upwind schemes eliminated viscous layer overshoots. Results for a 3-D turbine vane showed that the upwind schemes gave improved predictions of exit flow angles and losses, although the HCUSP scheme predicted slightly higher losses than the other schemes. Results for a 3-D supersonic compressor (NASA rotor 37) showed that the AUSM+ scheme predicted exit distributions of total pressure and temperature that are not generally captured by C-D codes. All schemes showed similar convergence rates, but the upwind schemes required considerably more CPU time per iteration.

Chima, Rodrick V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Fault Tolerant Homopolar Magnetic Bearings

Magnetic suspensions (MS) satisfy the long life and low loss conditions demanded by satellite and ISS based flywheels used for Energy Storage and Attitude Control (ACESE) service. This paper summarizes the development of a novel MS that improves reliability via fault tolerant operation. Specifically, flux coupling between poles of a homopolar magnetic bearing is shown to deliver desired forces even after termination of coil currents to a subset of failed poles . Linear, coordinate decoupled force-voltage relations are also maintained before and after failure by bias linearization. Current distribution matrices (CDM) which adjust the currents and fluxes following a pole set failure are determined for many faulted pole combinations. The CDM s and the system responses are obtained utilizing 1D magnetic circuit models with fringe and leakage factors derived from detailed, 3D, finite element field models. Reliability results are presented vs. detection/correction delay time and individual power amplifier reliability for 4, 6, and 7 pole configurations. Reliability is shown for two success criteria, i.e. (a) no catcher bearing contact following pole failures and (b) re-levitation off of the catcher bearings following pole failures. An advantage of the method presented over other redundant operation approaches is a significantly reduced requirement for backup hardware such as additional actuators or power amplifiers.

Li, Ming-Hsiu↗
NASA NTRS2003

Planetesimal Break-Up and the Feeding of Solids to the Satellite Disk: Consequences for the Formation Timescale and Composition of the Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn

In order to create a coherent scenario of satellite formation. the source of the solids (rock-metal and ice) that will eventually make up the satellites must be considered. While it is customary to use a solar composition mixture with a gas/solid mass ratio of about 100, at the tail end of the formation of the giant planet (when satellite formation is thought to have taken place) the fraction of solids entrained in the gas (particles with sizes lower than the decoupling size about 1 m for typical nebula parameters) is likely to be significantly lower than cosmic. In particular, in the core accretion model of giant planet formation one expects low dust and rubble content at late times due to particle coagulation leading to a collisional distribution of particle sizes with most of the mas residing in objects 1 km or larger, which are not coupled to the gas and whose dynamics must be followed independently. As a result, flow of gas into circumplanetary orbits is not sufficient to constrain the mas available to form satellites.

Mosqueira, I.↗
NASA NTRS2003

AMS-02 Cryocooler Baseline Configuration and Engineering Model Qualification Test Results

Four Sunpower M87N Stirling-cycle cryocoolers will be used to extend the lifetime of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02) experiment. The cryocoolers will be mounted to the AMS-02 vacuum case using a structure that will thermally and mechanically decouple the cryocooler from the vacuum case while providing compliance to allow force attenuation using a passive balancer system. The cryocooler drive is implemented using a 60Hz pulse duration modulated square wave. Details of the testing program, mounting assembly and drive scheme will be presented. AMS-02 is a state-of-the-art particle physics detector containing a large superfluid helium-cooled superconducting magnet. Highly sensitive detector plates inside the magnet measure a particle s speed, momentum, charge, and path. The AMS-02 experiment, which will be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station, will study the properties and origin of cosmic particles and nuclei including antimatter and dark matter. Two engineering model cryocoolers have been under test at NASA Goddard since November 2001. Qualification testing of the engineering model cryocooler bracket assembly is near completion. Delivery of the flight cryocoolers to Goddard is scheduled for September 2003.

Banks, Stuart↗
NASA NTRS2002

Implementation of the NCAR Community Land Model (CLM) in the NASA/NCAR finite-volume Global Climate Model (fvGCM)

In this study, the NCAR CLM version 2.0 land-surface model was integrated into the NASA/NCAR fvGCM. The CLM was developed collaboratively by an open interagency/university group of scientists and based on well-proven physical parameterizations and numerical schemes that combine the best features of BATS, NCAR-LSM, and IAP94. The CLM design is a one-dimensional point model with 1 vegetation layer, along with sub-grid scale tiles. The features of the CLM include 10-uneven soil layers with water, ice, and temperature states in each soil layer, and five snow layers, with water flow, refreezing, compaction, and aging allowed. In addition, the CLM utilizes two-stream canopy radiative transfer, the Bonan lake model and topographic enhanced streamflow based on TOPMODEL. The DAO fvGCM uses a genuinely conservative Flux-Form Semi-Lagrangian transport algorithm along with terrain- following Lagrangian control-volume vertical coordinates. The physical parameterizations are based on the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model (CAM-2). For our purposes, the fvGCM was run at 2 deg x 2.5 deg horizontal resolution with 55 vertical levels. The 10-year climate from the fvGCM with CLM2 was intercompared with the climate from fvGCM with LSM, ECMWF and NCEP. We concluded that the incorporation of CLM2 did not significantly impact the fvGCM climate from that of LSM. The most striking difference was the warm bias in the CLM2 surface skin temperature over desert regions. We determined that the warm bias can be partially attributed to the value of the drag coefficient for the soil under the canopy, which was too small resulting in a decoupling between the ground surface and the canopy. We also discovered that the canopy interception was high compared to observations in the Amazon region. A number of experiments were then performed focused on implementing model improvements. In order to correct the warm bias, the drag coefficient for the soil under the canopy was considered a function of LAI (Leaf Area Index). Analysis of the results revealed that there was a substantial impact, and the warm and dry bias in the CLM2 was significantly reduced. For the interception scheme, the canopy throughfall was increased to allow for more infiltration of precipitation into the soil, resulting in increased low-level moisture and a decrease in the interception loss ratio (canopy evaporation to precipitation).

Radakovich, Jon D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Turbulent Jet Flames Into a Vitiated Coflow

Examined is the vitiated coflow flame, an experimental condition that decouples the combustion processes of flows found in practical combustors from the associated recirculating fluid mechanics. The configuration consists of a 4.57 mm diameter fuel jet into a coaxial flow of hot combustion products from a lean premixed flame. The 210 mm diameter coflow isolates the jet flame from the cool ambient, providing a hot environment similar to the operating conditions of advanced combustors; this important high temperature element is lacking in the traditional laboratory experiments of jet flames into cool (room) air. A family of flows of increasing complexity is presented: 1) nonreacting flow, 2) all hydrogen flame (fuel jet and premixed coflow), and 3) set of methane flames. This sequence of experiments provides a convenient ordering of validation data for combustion models. Laser Raman-Rayleigh-LIF diagnostics at the Turbulent Diffusion Flame laboratory of Sandia National Laboratories produced instantaneous multiscalar point measurements. These results attest to the attractive features of the vitiated coflow burner and the well-defined boundary conditions provided by the coflow. The coflow is uniform and steady, isolating the jet flame from the laboratory air for a downstream distance ranging from z/d = 50-70. The statistical results show that differential diffusion effects in this highly turbulent flow are negligible. Complementing the comprehensive set of multiscalar measurements is a parametric study of lifted methane flames that was conducted to analyze flame sensitivity to jet and coflow velocity, as well as coflow temperature. The linear relationship found between the lift-off height and the jet velocity is consistent with previous experiments. New linear sensitivities were found correlating the lift-off height to coflow velocity and temperature. A blow-off study revealed that the methane flame blows off at a common coflow temperature (1260 K), regardless of coflow or jet velocity. An explanation for this phenomenon is that entrainment of ambient air at the high lift-off heights prevents autoignition. Analysis of the results suggests that flame stabilization occurs through a combination of flame propagation, autoignition, and localized extinction processes. Proposed is an expanded view of distributed reaction combustion based on analysis of the distributions of probe volume conditions at the stabilization region of the lifted hydrogen and methane flames. Turbulent eddies the size of the flame thickness mix fuel and hot coflow across the flame front, thereby enhancing the reaction zone with autoignition of reactants at elevated temperatures; this is the reverse effect of turbulent flames in ambient air, where intense turbulence in cool mixtures result in localized extinction. Each of the three processes (i.e., flame propagation, autoignition and localized extinction) contributes to flame stabilization in varying degrees, depending on flow conditions.

Holdeman, James D.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Combustion Of Porous Graphite Particles In Oxygen Enriched Air

Combustion of solid fuel particles has many important applications, including power generation and space propulsion systems. The current models available for describing the combustion process of these particles, especially porous solid particles, include various simplifying approximations. One of the most limiting approximations is the lumping of the physical properties of the porous fuel with the heterogeneous chemical reaction rate constants [1]. The primary objective of the present work is to develop a rigorous modeling approach that could decouple such physical and chemical effects from the global heterogeneous reaction rates. For the purpose of validating this model, experiments with porous graphite particles of varying sizes and porosity are being performed under normal and micro gravity.

Delisle, Andrew J.↗