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NASA NTRS1974

Centrifugal instability of the Jovian magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar wind

The outer regions (r greater than 2.3 Jupiter radii) of the magnetosphere of Jupiter will systematically accumulate plasma. If sufficient plasma accumulates, the field lines must open to allow the plasma to escape. Available energy sources appear able to supply plasma at a high enough rate to keep the field lines constantly open beyond about 60 Jupiter radii. It is suggested that the solar wind interaction with Jupiter may be essentially different from that with the earth, with the Jovian magnetosphere opening up to form a planetary wind.

Michel, F. C.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Thermospheric temperature measurement technique.

A method for measurement of temperature in the earth's lower thermosphere from a high-velocity probes is described. An undisturbed atmospheric sample is admitted to the instrument by means of a free molecular flow inlet system of skimmers which avoids surface collisions of the molecules prior to detection. Measurement of the time-of-flight distribution of an initially well-localized group of nitrogen metastable molecular states produced in an open, crossed electron-molecular beam source, yields information on the atmospheric temperature. It is shown that for high vehicle velocities, the time-of-flight distribution of the metastable flux is a sensitive indicator of atmospheric temperature. The temperature measurement precision should be greater than 94% at the 99% confidence level over the range of altitudes from 120-170 km. These precision and altitude range estimates are based on the statistical consideration of the counting rates achieved with a multichannel analyzer using realistic values for system parameters.

Hueser, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Water-vapor pressure control in a volume

The variation with time of the partial pressure of water in a volume that has openings to the outside environment and includes vapor sources was evaluated as a function of the purging flow and its vapor content. Experimental tests to estimate the diffusion of ambient humidity through openings and to validate calculated results were included. The purging flows required to produce and maintain a certain humidity in shipping containers, storage rooms, and clean rooms can be estimated with the relationship developed here. These purging flows are necessary to prevent the contamination, degradation, and other effects of water vapor on the systems inside these volumes.

Scialdone, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Comparison of frequency-domain and time-domain rotorcraft vibration control methods

Active control of rotor-induced vibration in rotorcraft has received significant attention recently. Two classes of techniques have been proposed. The more developed approach works with harmonic analysis of measured time histories and is called the frequency-domain approach. The more recent approach computes the control input directly using the measured time history data and is called the time-domain approach. The report summarizes the results of a theoretical investigation to compare the two approaches. Five specific areas were addressed: (1) techniques to derive models needed for control design (system identification methods), (2) robustness with respect to errors, (3) transient response, (4) susceptibility to noise, and (5) implementation difficulties. The system identification methods are more difficult for the time-domain models. The time-domain approach is more robust (e.g., has higher gain and phase margins) than the frequency-domain approach. It might thus be possible to avoid doing real-time system identification in the time-domain approach by storing models at a number of flight conditions. The most significant error source is the variation in open-loop vibrations caused by pilot inputs, maneuvers or gusts. The implementation requirements are similar except that the time-domain approach can be much simpler to implement if real-time system identification were not necessary.

Gupta, N. K.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Membership and Coronal Activity in the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 Open Clusters

This is the second annual performance report for our grant "Membership and Coronal Activity in the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 Open Clusters." We propose to identify X-ray sources and extract net source counts in 8 archival ROSAT HRI images in the regions of the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 open clusters. These X-ray data will be combined with ground-based photometry and spectroscopy in order to identify G, K, and early-M type cluster members. At present, no members later than approximately F5 are currently known for either cluster. With ages of approximately 25 Myr and at a distance of just 320 - 360 pc, the combined late-type membership of the NGC 2232 and Cr 140 clusters will yield an almost unique sample of solar-type stars in the post-T Tauri/pre-main sequence phase of evolution. These stars will be used to assess the level and dispersion in coronal activity levels, as part of a probe of the importance of magnetic braking and the level of magnetic dynamo activity, for solar-type stars just before they reach the ZAMS. Over the past year we have successfully acquired all of the ground-based data necessary to support the analysis of the archival ROSAT X-ray data in the regions around both of these clusters. By the end of 2001 we expect to have completed the reduction and analysis of the ground-based photometry and spectroscopy and will begin the integration of these data with the ROSAT X-ray data. A certain amount of pressure to complete the work on NGC 2232 is coming from the SIRTF project, as this cluster may be a key component to a circumstellar disk evolution GTO program. We are only too happy to try to help and have worked to speed the analysis as much as possible. The primary activity to be undertaken in the next few months is the integration of the groundbased photometry and spectroscopy with the archival ROSAT X-ray data and then writing the paper summarizing our results. The most time consuming portion of this next phase is, of course, seeing the paper through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Therefore, we have requested a no-cost extension to the grant to allow us to bring this project to a conclusion.

Patten, Brian M.↗

NASA NTRS2002

First Flight of ARCADE CMB Instrument

ARCADE (Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission) is a balloon-borne cryogenic instrument to measure the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation at centimeter wavelengths. ARCADE compares the sky to an on-board external blackbody target to measure small differences between the sky spectrum and a known blackbody. The instrument uses a novel open-aperture cryogenic design to minimizes sources of systematic error. In particular, there are no windows between the cold (2.7 K) optics and the atmosphere during observations. We discuss the cryogenic performance of ARCADE during its first flight in November 2001.

Kogut, A.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Integral Battery Power Limiting Circuit for Intrinsically Safe Applications

A circuit topology has been designed to guarantee the output of intrinsically safe power for the operation of electrical devices in a hazardous environment. This design uses a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) as a switch to connect and disconnect power to a load. A test current is provided through a separate path to the load for monitoring by a comparator against a preset threshold level. The circuit is configured so that the test current will detect a fault in the load and open the switch before the main current can respond. The main current passes through the switch and then an inductor. When a fault occurs in the load, the current through the inductor cannot change immediately, but the voltage drops immediately to safe levels. The comparator detects this drop and opens the switch before the current in the inductor has a chance to respond. This circuit protects both the current and voltage from exceeding safe levels. Typically, this type of protection is accomplished by a fuse or a circuit breaker, but in order for a fuse or a circuit breaker to blow or trip, the current must exceed the safe levels momentarily, which may be just enough time to ignite anything in a hazardous environment. To prevent this from happening, a fuse is typically current-limited by the addition of the resistor to keep the current within safe levels while the fuse reacts. The use of a resistor is acceptable for non-battery applications where the wasted energy and voltage drop across the resistor can be tolerated. The use of the switch and inductor minimizes the wasted energy. For example, a circuit runs from a 3.6-V battery that must be current-limited to 200 mA. If the circuit normally draws 10 mA, then an 18-ohm resistor would drop 180 mV during normal operation, while a typical switch (0.02 ohm) and inductor (0.97 ohm) would only drop 9.9 mV. From a power standpoint, the current-limiting resistor protection circuit wastes about 18 times more power than the switch and the inductor configuration. In the fault condition, both the resistor and the inductor react immediately. The resistor reacts by allowing more current to flow and dropping the voltage. Initially, the inductor reacts by dropping the voltage, and then by not allowing the current to change. When the comparator detects the drop in voltage, it opens the switch, thus preventing any further current flow. The inductor alone is not sufficient protection, because after the voltage drop has settled, the inductor would then allow the current to change, in this example, the current would be 3.7 A. In the fault condition, the resistor is flowing 200 mA until the fuse blows (anywhere from 1 ms to 100 s), while the switch and inductor combination is flowing about 2 A test current while monitoring for the fault to be corrected. Finally, as an additional safety feature, the circuit can be configured to hold the switch opened until both the load and source are disconnected.

Burns, Bradley M.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Lunar Near-Surface Volatile Sample Return

The origin, distribution, depth and volume of lunar volatiles remain open questions. One of the possible sources of Moon's volatiles is their volcanic outgassing during the peak of lunar volcanic activity ~3.5 Ga. This same outgassing would also produce a tenuous transient atmosphere which would promote the delivery of volatiles from the volcanic sources to the polar cold traps. Though such an atmosphere could have played an important role in the evolution of the Moon, little is known about it due to high uncertainty level in the mechanisms involved. The only reliable proxy for the ancient lunar atmosphere are the primordial volatiles deposited by it, which are expected to be preserved in the polar cold traps, and could be studied through sample return. In this white paper we therefore advocate that a volatile sample return from the Moon's polar cold traps should be a fundamental part of the Artemis program.

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics↗

NASA NTRS2020

Mock Catalogs for the Extragalactic X-ray Sky: Simulating AGN Surveys with ATHENA and with the AXIS Probe

We present a series of new, publicly available mock catalogs of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs), nonactive galaxies, and clusters of galaxies. These mocks are based on up-to-date observational results on the demographic of extragalactic X-ray sources and their extrapolations. They reach fluxes below 10-20 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5–2 keV band, that is, more than an order of magnitude below the predicted limits of future deep fields, and they therefore represent an important tool for simulating extragalactic X-ray surveys with both current and future telescopes. We used our mocks to perform a set of end-to-end simulations of X-ray surveys with the forthcoming ATHENA mission and with the AXIS probe, a subarcsecond resolution X-ray mission concept proposed to the Astro 2020 Decadal Survey. We find that these proposed, next generation surveys may transform our knowledge of the deep X-ray Universe. As an example, in a total observing time of 15 Ms, AXIS would detect ~225 000 AGNs and ~50 000 nonactive galaxies, reaching a flux limit of f0:5-2 ~ 5 x 10-19 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5–2 keV band, with an improvement of over an order of magnitude with respect to surveys with current X-ray facilities. Consequently, 90% of these sources would be detected for the first time in the X-rays. Furthermore, we show that deep and wide X-ray surveys with instruments such as AXIS and ATHENA are expected to detect ~20 000 z > 3 AGNs and ~250 sources at redshift z > 6, thus opening a new window of knowledge on the evolution of AGNs over cosmic time and putting strong constraints on the predictions of theoretical models of black hole seed accretion in the early universe.

X-ray galaxies↗

NASA NTRS2019

Data Analysis Challenges for Multi-Messenger Astrophysics

Recent multi-messenger observations of gravitational-wave and high-energy neutrino sources together with electromagnetic signatures have opened new ways of observing the Universe. These promise a future in which physics and astronomy will be advanced by combining observations and data from across the electromagnetic spectrum with gravitational waves and neutrinos. We consider the challenges the field is facing in fully utilizing data for multi-messenger astrophysics. Such data come from heterogeneous detector networks and standards, and their analysis is often time-critical to guide further observations. In this area, science capabilities depend on the interplay among observation, theory and computational/modeling work. Advances in data science and computing present additional opportunities and considerations in analyzing such data. We invited ADASS participants to a Birds of a Feather session to engage in discussion on the challenges and opportunities in data analysis for multimessenger astrophysics.

Peter S Shawhan↗

NASA NTRS2020

Snow Property Inversion from Remote Sensing (SPIReS): A Generalized Multispectral Unmixing Approach with Examples from MODIS and Landsat 8 OLI

Spectral mixture analysis has a history in mappingsnow, especially where mixed pixels prevail. Using multiplespectral bands rather than band ratios or band indices, retrievalsof snow properties that affect its albedo lead to more accu-rate estimates than widely used age-based models of albedoevolution. Nevertheless, there is substantial room for improve-ment. We present the Snow Property Inversion from RemoteSensing (SPIReS) approach, offering the following improve-ments: 1) Solutions for grain size and concentrations of lightabsorbing particles are computed simultaneously; 2) Only snowand snow-free endmembers are employed; 3) Cloud-maskingand smoothing are integrated; 4) Similar spectra are groupedtogether and interpolants are used to reduce computation time.The source codes are available in an open repository. Com-putation is fast enough that users can process imagery ondemand. Validation of retrievals from Landsat 8 operational landimager (OLI) and moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiome-ter (MODIS) against WorldView-2/3 and the Airborne SnowObservatory shows accurate detection of snow and estimatesof fractional snow cover. Validation of albedo shows low errorsusing terrain-correctedin situmeasurements. We conclude bydiscussing the applicability of this approach to any airborne orspaceborne multispectral sensor and options to further improve retrievals.

Edward H Blair↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Free-Flight CFD Simulations and Dynamic StabilityAnalysis of the Orion Crew Module

Dynamic stability analysis of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is performed us-ing the US3D flow solver and a plugin library to solve rigid-body dynamics, Free-Flight CFD(FF-CFD). Previous efforts investigated the free-flight behavior of higher speed, open-backaeroshell shapes. Three primary experimental sources are used to evaluate the predictivecapability of the FF-CFD solver in the low supersonic range (Mach≈1). First, the ballisticrange results obtained at the HFFAF facility at NASA Ames is used to verify the six degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) dynamic capability of the FF-CFD solver. Next, FF-CFD simulationsare preformed using restricted motion and the resultant trajectories are post-processed toobtain pitch damping coefficient as a function of angle-of-attack. The comparison of thepitch damping results obtained with one degree-of-freedom (1-DoF) FF-CFD compare wellwith experimental fits derived from ballistic range data. Finally, the atmospheric flight ca-pability of FF-CFD is compared to data from the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight experiment.Two simulations were performed using forced and forced-free flight to investigate surfacepressure predictive capability and free-flight aerodynamic performance through a varyingatmosphere at low speed (Mach 0.6-0.2). Surface pressure predicted with FF-CFD agreeswell with experimental trends, with slight over-prediction near the end of the trajectory.The total angle-of-attack for the free-flight portion agrees well with experimental data.

FFCFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Enhancing Air Quality Applications in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region Using Satellite, Model, and Machine Learning Techniques

Air pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of South Asia is a severe issue, as increases in emissions over the past two decades have degraded air quality (AQ) across the region, which poses major threats to human health, the ecosystem, climate, and agriculture. A diversity of anthropogenic and natural emission sources including transportation, power plants, industries, open biomass burning of crop residue, forest fires, cooking and heating fires, and dust storms contribute to unhealthy AQ and transboundary pollution issues in the region. Further complicating matters is the importance of meteorology and terrain on AQ, especially in the Kathmandu Valley where extreme haze episodes frequently develop from the atmospherically stable weather conditions during the winter monsoon. This study uses state-of-the-art satellite observations and modeling capabilities in conjunction with machine learning techniques to develop a comprehensive toolkit for enhancing AQ monitoring and forecasting in HKH. The toolkit incorporates new generation satellite observations from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), and Advanced Meteorological Imager (AMI), which provide unprecedented resolution on aerosols and trace gases, including nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), formaldehyde (CH2O), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O 3 ), and aerosol optical depth (AOD). Value-added products [e.g., Particulate matter with diameters less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)] are developed from the suite of satellite observations to further improve AQ monitoring capabilities in the region. The satellite products are also used to assimilate a high-resolution chemical transport model tailored for the HKH region, which is providing daily, 54-hour AQ forecasts with horizontal grid spacings of 12- and 4-km. This presentation will provide an overview of the suite of satellite- and model-based products in the AQ toolkit and application and performance of the toolkit for AQ monitoring and forecasting in HKH.

Air Quality↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Enhancing Air Quality Applications in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region Using Satellite, Model, and Machine Learning Techniques

Air pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of South Asia is a severe issue, as increases in emissions over the past two decades have degraded air quality (AQ) across the region, which poses major threats to human health, the ecosystem, climate, and agriculture. A diversity of anthropogenic and natural emission sources including transportation, power plants, industries, open biomass burning of crop residue, forest fires, cooking and heating fires, and dust storms contribute to unhealthy AQ and transboundary pollution issues in the region. Further complicating matters is the importance of meteorology and terrain on AQ, especially in the Kathmandu Valley where extreme haze episodes frequently develop from the atmospherically stable weather conditions during the winter monsoon. This study uses state-of-the-art satellite observations and modeling capabilities in conjunction with machine learning techniques to develop a comprehensive toolkit for enhancing AQ monitoring and forecasting in HKH. The toolkit incorporates new generation satellite observations from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), and Advanced Meteorological Imager (AMI), which provide unprecedented resolution on aerosols and trace gases, including nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, and aerosol optical depth. Value-added products, such as level 4 PM2.5 products, are developed from the suite of satellite observations to further improve AQ monitoring capabilities in the region. The satellite products are also used to assimilate a high-resolution chemical transport model tailored for the HKH region, which is providing daily, 54-hour AQ forecasts with horizontal grid spacings of 12- and 4-km. This presentation will provide an overview of the suite of satellite- and model-based products in the AQ toolkit and application and performance of the toolkit for AQ monitoring and forecasting in HKH.

Forecasting↗

NASA NTRS2003

Pneumatically Actuated Miniature Peristaltic Vacuum Pumps

Pneumatically actuated miniature peristaltic vacuum pumps have been proposed for incorporation into advanced miniature versions of scientific instruments that depend on vacuum for proper operation. These pumps are expected to be capable of reaching vacuum-side pressures in the torr to millitorr range (from .133 down to .0.13 Pa). Vacuum pumps that operate in this range are often denoted roughing pumps. In comparison with previously available roughing pumps, these pumps are expected to be an order of magnitude less massive and less power-hungry. In addition, they would be extremely robust, and would operate with little or no maintenance and without need for oil or other lubricants. Portable mass spectrometers are typical examples of instruments that could incorporate the proposed pumps. In addition, the proposed pumps could be used as roughing pumps in general laboratory applications in which low pumping rates could be tolerated. The proposed pumps could be designed and fabricated in conventionally machined and micromachined versions. A typical micromachined version (see figure) would include a rigid glass, metal, or plastic substrate and two layers of silicone rubber. The bottom silicone layer would contain shallow pump channels covered by silicone arches that could be pushed down pneumatically to block the channels. The bottom silicone layer would be covered with a thin layer of material with very low gas permeability, and would be bonded to the substrate everywhere except in the channel areas. The top silicone layer would be attached to the bottom silicone layer and would contain pneumatic- actuation channels that would lie crosswise to the pump channels. This version is said to be micromachined because the two silicone layers containing the channels would be fabricated by casting silicone rubber on micromachined silicon molds. The pneumatic-actuation channels would be alternately connected to a compressed gas and (depending on pump design) either to atmospheric pressure or to a partial vacuum source. The design would be such that the higher pneumatic pressure would be sufficient to push the silicone arches down onto the substrates, blocking the channels. Thus, by connecting pneumatic- actuation channels to the two pneumatic sources in spatial and temporal alternation, waves of opening and closing, equivalent to peristalsis, could be made to move along the pump channels. A pump according to this concept could be manufactured inexpensively. Pneumatic sources (compressors and partial vacuum sources) similar those needed for actuation are commercially available; they typically have masses of .100 g and power demands of the order of several W. In a design-optimization effort, it should be possible to reduce masses and power demands below even these low levels and to integrate pneumatic sources along with the proposed pumps into miniature units with overall dimensions of no more than a few centimeters per side.

Feldman, Sabrina↗

NASA NTRS1998

Mineral Mapping with Imaging Spectroscopy: The Ray Mine, AZ

Mineral maps generated for the Ray Mine, Arizona were analyzed to determine if imaging spectroscopy can provide accurate information for environmental management of active and abandoned mine regions. The Ray Mine, owned by the ASARCO Corporation, covers an area of 5700 acres and is situated in Pinal County, Arizona about 70 miles north of Tucson near Hayden, Arizona. This open-pit mine has been a major source of copper since 1911, producing an estimated 4.5 million tons of copper since its inception. Until 1955 mining was accomplished by underground block caving and shrinkage stope methods. (excavation by working in stepped series usually employed in a vertical or steeply inclined orebody) In 1955, the mine was completely converted to open pit method mining with the bulk of the production from sulfide ore using recovery by concentrating and smelting. Beginning in 1969 a significant production contribution has been from the leaching and solvent extraction-electrowinnowing method of silicate and oxide ores. Published reserves in the deposit as of 1992 are 1.1 billion tons at 0.6 percent copper. The Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with ASARCO, and NASA/JPL obtained AVIRIS data over the mine in 1997 as part of the EPA Advanced Measurement Initiative (AMI) (Tom Mace, Principal Investigator). This AVIRIS data set is being used to compare and contrast the accuracy and environmental monitoring capabilities of remote sensing technologies: visible-near-IR imaging spectroscopy, multispectral visible and, near-IR sensors, thermal instruments, and radar platforms. The goal of this effort is to determine if these various technologies provide useful information for envirorunental management of active and abandoned mine sites in the arid western United States. This paper focuses on the analysis of AVIRIS data for assessing the impact of the Ray Mine on Mineral Creek. Mineral Creek flows to the Gila River. This paper discusses our preliminary AVIRIS mineral mapping and environmental findings.

Clark, Roger N.↗

NASA NTRS2002

An XMM-Newton Observation of the Lagoon Nebula and the Very Young Open Cluster NGC 6530

We report the results of an XMM-Newton observation of the Lagoon Nebula (M 8). Our EPIC images of this region reveal a cluster of point sources, most of which have optical counterparts inside the very young open cluster NGC 6530. The bulk of these X-ray sources are probably associated with low and intermediate mass pre-main sequence stars. One of the sources experiences a flare-like increase of its X-ray flux making it the second brightest source in M 8 after the O4 star 9 Sgr. The X-ray spectra of most of the brightest sources can be fitted with thermal plasma models with temperatures of kT approximately a few keV. Only a few of the X-ray selected PMS candidates are known to display H(alpha) emission and were previously classified as classical T Tauri stars. This suggests that most of the X-ray emitting PMS stars in NGC 6530 are weak line T Tauri stars. In addition to 9 Sgr, our EPIC field of view contains also a few early-type stars. The X-ray emission from HD 164816 is found to be typical for an O9.5III-IV star. At least one of the known Herbig Be stars in NGC 6530 (LkH(alpha) 115) exhibits a relatively strong X-ray emission, while most of the main sequence stars of spectral type B1 and later are not detected. We also detect (probably) diffuse X-ray emission from the Hourglass Region that might reveal a hot bubble blown by the stellar wind of Herschel 36, the ionizing star of the Hourglass Region.

Rauw, G.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Solar sources of the interplanetary magnetic field and solar wind

Open magnetic field lines, those which extend from the solar photosphere to interplanetary space, are traced in the current-free (potential field) approximation using measured photospheric fields as a boundary condition. It is found that (1) only a relatively small fraction of the photospheric area connects via open field lines to the interplanetary magnetic field; (2) those photospheric areas which do contribute open field lines lie beneath coronal holes and within the boundaries of the holes as projected onto the photosphere or else between loop systems of an active region; (3) the interplanetary magnetic field in the plane of the sun's equator, essentially the field in the ecliptic plane, may connect to photospheric regions of high latitude; and (4) the fastest solar wind streams are correlated with those magnetic flux tubes which expand least in cross-sectional area over the distance between the photosphere and the coronal height where the solar wind begins.

Levine, R. H.↗