Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “POSITIONING”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 955 records · Page 53

Magnetic-Field Diffusion Effects in Beam Position Monitors II: Application to Calibration Single-Pulse Data

Beam position monitors (BPMs) provide time-resolved measurements of the current and centroid position of high-current electron beams in linear induction accelerators (LIAs). One of the types of detectors used in BPMs is the B-dot loop, which generates a signal from the EMF due to the time varying magnetic flux through the loop. If some of the boundaries of the loop are composed of thick metal walls with finite conductivity, the resulting signal must be corrected for the magnetic field diffusion into the metal. From first principles, we have derived the perturbation to BPM measurements due to this effect. The theoretical framework was used to design an algorithm for signal correction that does not require knowledge of the time history of the magnetic flux being measured. Corrected signals based on that process compared favorably with the know reference signals in a laboratory calibration test sequence.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Correcting Magnetic-Field Diffusion Effects in Beam Position Monitors

Beam position monitors (BPMs) provide timeresolved measurements of the current and centroid position of high-current electron beams in linear induction accelerators (LIAs). The data from some types of BPMs can be influenced by magnetic field diffusion into the surrounding metal. We derive an estimate of the correction factor from first principles, and show how it is applied in practice to nearly eliminate the effect from the data.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

An Improved Beam Position Monitor for Scorpius and the DARHT Multi-Pulse Test Line

Beam position monitors (BPMs) provide time-resolved measurements of the current and centroid position of high-current electron beams in linear induction accelerators (LIAs). A frequently used BPM detector is the B-dot loop, which generates a signal from the EMF generated by the time varying magnetic flux through the loop. We have developed a second generation BPM that avoids previously observed diffusion effects in earlier stainless steel through the use of exceptionally high conductivity copper alloy for its construction.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Comparative proteomic analysis of Desulfotomaculum reducens MI-1: Insights into the metabolic versatility of a gram-positive sulfate- and metal-reducing bacterium

In this study, the proteomes of the metabolically versatile and poorly characterized Gram-positive bacterium Desulfotomaculum reducens MI-1 were compared across four cultivation conditions including sulfate reduction, soluble Fe(III) reduction, insoluble Fe(III) reduction, and pyruvate fermentation. Collectively across conditions, we observed at high confidence ~38% of genome-encoded proteins. Here, we focus on proteins that display significant differential abundance on conditions tested. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first full-proteome study focused on a Gram-positive organism cultivated either on sulfate or metal-reducing conditions. Several proteins with uncharacterized function encoded within heterodisulfide reductase ( hdr )-containing loci were upregulated on either sulfate (Dred_0633-4, Dred_0689-90, and Dred_1325-30) or Fe(III)-citrate-reducing conditions (Dred_0432-3 and Dred_1778-84). Two of these hdr -containing loci display homology to recently described flavin-based electron bifurcation (FBEB) pathways (Dred_1325-30 and Dred_1778-84). Additionally, we propose that a cluster of proteins, which is homologous to a described FBEB lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) complex, is performing lactate oxidation in D. reducens (Dred_0367-9). Analysis of the putative sulfate reduction machinery in D. reducens revealed that most of these proteins are constitutively expressed across cultivation conditions tested. In addition, peptides from the single multiheme c-type cytochrome (MHC) in the genome were exclusively observed on the insoluble Fe(III) condition, suggesting that this MHC may play a role in reduction of insoluble metals.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Novel Extracellular Electron Transfer Channels in a Gram-Positive Thermophilic Bacterium

Biogenic transformation of Fe minerals, associated with extracellular electron transfer (EET), allows microorganisms to exploit high-potential refractory electron acceptors for energy generation. EET-capable thermophiles are dominated by hyperthermophilic archaea and Gram-positive bacteria. Information on their EET pathways is sparse. Here, we describe EET channels in the thermophilic Gram-positive bacterium Carboxydothermus ferrireducens that drive exoelectrogenesis and rapid conversion of amorphous mineral ferrihydrite to large magnetite crystals. Microscopic studies indicated biocontrolled formation of unusual formicary-like ultrastructure of the magnetite crystals and revealed active colonization of anodes in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) by C. ferrireducens . The internal structure of micron-scale biogenic magnetite crystals is reported for the first time. Genome analysis and expression profiling revealed three constitutive c -type multiheme cytochromes involved in electron exchange with ferrihydrite or an anode, sharing insignificant homology with previously described EET-related cytochromes thus representing novel determinants of EET. Our studies identify these cytochromes as extracellular and reveal potentially novel mechanisms of cell-to-mineral interactions in thermal environments.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Comparative genomics of the Liberibacter genus reveals widespread diversity in genomic content and positive selection history

‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ is a group of bacterial species that are obligate intracellular plant pathogens and cause Huanglongbing disease of citrus trees and Zebra Chip in potatoes. Here, we examined the extent of intra- and interspecific genetic diversity across the genus using comparative genomics. Our approach examined a wide set of Liberibacter genome sequences including five pathogenic species and one species not known to cause disease. By performing comparative genomics analyses, we sought to understand the evolutionary history of this genus and to identify genes or genome regions that may affect pathogenicity. With a set of 52 genomes, we performed comparative genomics, measured genome rearrangement, and completed statistical tests of positive selection. We explored markers of genetic diversity across the genus, such as average nucleotide identity across the whole genome. These analyses revealed the highest intraspecific diversity amongst the ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ species, which also has the largest plant host range. We identified sets of core and accessory genes across the genus and within each species and measured the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (dN/dS) across genes. We identified ten genes with evidence of a history of positive selection in the Liberibacter genus, including genes in the Tad complex, which have been previously implicated as being highly divergent in the ‘Ca. L. capsica’ species based on high values of dN.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

An extreme-halophile archaebacterium possesses the interlock type of prephenate dehydratase characteristic of the Gram-positive eubacteria

The focal point of phenylalanine biosynthesis is a dehydratase reaction which in different organisms may be prephenate dehydratase, arogenate dehydratase, or cyclohexadienyl dehydratase. Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and cyanobacterial divisions of the eubacterial kingdom exhibit different dehydratase patterns. A new extreme-halophile isolate, which grows on defined medium and is tentatively designated as Halobacterium vallismortis CH-1, possesses the interlock type of prephenate dehydratase present in Gram-positive bacteria. In addition to the conventional sensitivity to feedback inhibition by L-phenylalanine, the phenomenon of metabolic interlock was exemplified by the sensitivity of prephenate dehydratase to allosteric effects produced by extra-pathway (remote) effectors. Thus, L-tryptophan inhibited activity while L-tyrosine, L-methionine, L-leucine and L-isoleucine activated the enzyme. L-Isoleucine and L-phenylalanine were effective at micromolar levels; other effectors operated at mM levels. A regulatory mutant selected for resistance to growth inhibition caused by beta-2-thienylalanine possessed an altered prephenate dehydratase in which a phenomenon of disproportionately low activity at low enzyme concentration was abolished. Inhibition by L-tryptophan was also lost, and activation by allosteric activators was diminished. Not only was sensitivity to feedback inhibition by L-phenylalanine lost, but the mutant enzyme was now activated by this amino acid (a mutation type previously observed in Bacillus subtilis). It remains to be seen whether this type of prephenate dehydratase will prove to be characteristic of all archaebacteria or of some archaebacterial subgroup cluster.

NASA Discipline Number 52-30↗

A New Force Balanced Accelerometer Using Tunneling Tip Position Sensing

In this paper, we report the initial development of a single-axis bulk micromachined accelerometer. The device employs an electron tunneling tip as a position detector in a force feedback control system. Control electrodes are placed above and below the proof mass and act as electrostatic force plates. Using the force plates, the position of the proof mass relative to the tunneling tip can be controlled.

accelerometers sensors position detectors↗

New Algorithms for Estimating Spacecraft Position Using Scanning Techniques for Deep Space Network Antennas

As more and more nonlinear estimation techniques become available, our interest is in finding out what performance improvement, if any, they can provide for practical nonlinear problems that have been traditionally solved using linear methods. In this paper we examine the problem of estimating spacecraft position using conical scan (conscan) for NASA's Deep Space Network antennas. We show that for additive disturbances on antenna power measurement, the problem can be transformed into a linear one, and we present a general solution to this problem, with the least square solution reported in literature as a special case. We also show that for additive disturbances on antenna position, the problem is a truly nonlinear one, and we present two approximate solutions based on linearization and Unscented Transformation respectively, and one 'exact' solution based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. Simulations show that, with the amount of data collected in practice, linear methods perform almost the same as MCMC methods. It is only when we artificially reduce the amount of collected data and increase the level of noise that nonlinear methods show significantly better accuracy than that achieved by linear methods, at the expense of more computation.

Metropolis-Hastings (MH)↗

Real-Time Point Positioning Performance Evaluation of Single-Frequency Receivers Using NASA's Global Differential GPS System

This paper evaluates the performance of a single-frequency receiver using the 1-Hz differential corrections as provided by NASA's global differential GPS system. While the dual-frequency user has the ability to eliminate the ionosphere error by taking a linear combination of observables, the single-frequency user must remove or calibrate this error by other means. To remove the ionosphere error we take advantage of the fact that the magnitude of the group delay in range observable and the carrier phase advance have the same magnitude but are opposite in sign. A way to calibrate this error is to use a real-time database of grid points computed by JPL's RTI (Real-Time Ionosphere) software. In both cases we evaluate the positional accuracy of a kinematic carrier phase based point positioning method on a global extent.

internet-based global differential GPS (IGDG)↗

Positional Dependence of SNPP VIIRS Solar Diffuser BRDF Change Factor: An Empirical Approach

The Earth-observing Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite regularly performs on-orbit radiometric calibration of its reflective solar bands (RSBs), primarily through observations of an onboard sunlit solar diffuser (SD). The on-orbit change of the SD bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) value, quantified by a numerical factor called the H-factor, is determined by the onboard SD stability monitor. Our previous study showed that the H-factor is solar angle and view direction dependent. In this study, we determine the dependence of the H-factor on the detector SD view footprint location. We fit an empirical model to the NASA Collection 1 SNPP VIIRS Level 1B (L1B) spectral reflectance difference across the detectors in an RSB over uniform Earth scenes of the Libya 4 desert and deep convective clouds. We apply the model predicted SD positional dependent H-factor to calibrate the RSBs. Under this new calibration scheme, the original unreal striping is removed from the homogeneous Libya 4 desert and the deep convective cloud images, as well as the original unreal striping from the Dunhuang desert image. The SD positional dependent H-factor has been used to calculate the SNPP VIIRS RSB radiometric correction factor for the NASA Collection 2.0 SNPP VIIRS L1B products.

SNPP VIIRS↗

A Prototype WADGPS System for Real Time Sub-Meter Positioning Worldwide

Many planned and proposed NASA science activities will benefit from precise real time positioning with wide area differential GPS (WADGPS). Future NASA users include orbital remote sensing instruments (altimeters, SARs, imagers) and a variety of airborne and Earth based investigations. Real time positioning requirements and goals range from a few meters to a few centimeters. Direct benefits will include the enabling of missions that are not now possible (such as precision remote sensing from the space shuttle and space station) and dramatic reduction of analysis costs for a diversity of current investigations.

GPS↗

Position-Sensitive Magnetic Calorimeters for Lynx

We describe the performance of position-sensitive metallic magnetic calorimeter X-ray detectors for potential future astrophysics missions, such as Lynx. The motivation behind this is to achieve a large focal plane area by increasing the number of pixels compared to the number of readout channels (called hydra). The detector consists of a 5×5 array of gold absorbers thermally coupled to a paramagnetic sensor. Since each absorber has a different thermal link to the sensor, it generates a different pulse shape and enables discrimination of pixel position. Recently, we have been successfully able to discriminate 25 averaged pulse shapes by means of rise-time and pulse height. The measured pulse shapes and distribution agree well with the modeling results. The estimated energy resolutions based on the pulse height and noise data we measured are 2.8–3.7 eV for MnKα X-ray photons at 50 mK.

Magnetic calorimeters↗

Stress-Activated Positive Holes (O− in a Matrix of O2–) Cause DNA Damage in Surface-Dwelling Organisms: Unveiling Mutation-Induced Secrets of Nature

Peroxy defects consist of pairs of tightly bonded oxygen anions in the –1 valence state such as in O3X/OO\YO3 with X, Y = Si4+, Al3+ etc. They commonly occur in igneous, metamorphic and many sedimentary rocks. When such rocks are stressed by tectonic forces, peroxy defects break up, releasing highly mobile electronic charge carriers: defect electrons in the O2– sublattice, i.e. unbound O–, known as “positive holes”, h•. The h• can flow out of stressed rock volumes, spreading far and wide, causing electric currents and electrochemical reactions. This study explores how the h• impact the electron flow in the electron transport chain (ETC) of organisms on the surface of rocks such as gabbro and granite. We found that, by forming hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions, the h• disrupt the in vivo coordination of reduction-oxidation reactions that are essential for the timing of the redox cycle. Our observations show that stress activation of h• delays the sprouting of certain plant seeds and impedes the growth of yeast cultures, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The h• induce mutations and affect plant development as evidenced by reduced stem length and leaf size. At the same time, the h• serve as a source of abiotic oxidation, capable of forming various organic compounds in situ. Through the generation of radical species that create new carbon-carbon bonds the h• facilitate the abiotic synthesis of hydrocarbons and other organic molecules essential to life, including porphyrins. Our findings highlight the intricate interplay between positive holes, redox timing, and biological processes, revealing their significant role in influencing the growth and development of organisms in tectonically stressed crustal environments. Understanding these effects enhances our broader comprehension of redox biology and the influence of environmental factors on cellular development in natural settings.

astrobiology↗

Dual AC Dipole Excitation for the Measurement of Magnetic Multipole Strength from Beam Position Monitor Data

An experiment was conducted at Jefferson Lab's Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility to develop a technique for characterizing the nonlinear fields of the beam transport system. Two air-core dipole magnets were simultaneously driven at two different frequencies to provide a time-dependent transverse modulation of the electron beam. Fourier decomposition of beam position monitor data was then used to measure the amplitude of these frequencies at different positions along the beamline. For a purely linear transport system one expects to find solely the frequencies that were applied to the dipoles with amplitudes that depend on the phase advance of the lattice. In the presence of nonlinear fields one expects to also find harmonics of the driving frequencies that depend on the order of the nonlinearity. The technique was calibrated using one of the sextupole magnets in a CEBAF beamline and then applied to a dipole to measure the sextupole and octupole strength of the magnet. A comparison is made between the beam-based measurements, results from TOSCA and data from our Magnet Measurement Facility.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

BEAM POSITION AND PHASE MONITORS FOR THE LANSCE LINAC

New beam-position and phase monitors are under development for the linac at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE.) Transducers have been designed and are being installed. We are considering many options for the electronic instrumentation to process the signals and provide position and phase data with the necessary precision and flexibility to serve the various required functions. We'll present the various options under consideration for instrumentation along with the advantages and shortcomings of these options.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Conceptual design of a high precision dual directional beam position monitoring system for beam crosstalk cancellation and improved output pulse shapes

The Relativistic Heavy Ions Collider (RHIC) would benefit from improved beam position measurements near the interaction points that see both beams, especially as the tolerances become tighter when reducing the beam sizes to obtain increased luminosity. Two limitations of the present beam position monitors (BPMs) would be mitigated if the proposed approach is successful. The small but unavoidable cross-talk between signals from bunches traveling in opposite directions when using conventional BPMs will be reduced by adopting directional BPMs. Further improvements will be achieved by cancelling residual cross-talk using pairs of such BPMs. Appropriately delayed addition and integration of the signals will also provide pulses with relatively flat maxima that will be easier to digitize by relaxing the presently very stringent timing requirements.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗