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NASA NTRS2016

Application of X-Ray Pulsar Navigation: A Characterization of the Earth Orbit Trade Space

The potential for pulsars as a navigation source has been studied since their discovery in 1967. X-ray pulsar navigation (XNAV) is a celestial navigation system that uses the consistent timing nature of x-ray photons from milli-second pulsars (MSP) to perform space navigation. By comparing the detected arrival of x-ray photons to a reference database of expected pulsar lightcurve timing models, one can infer a range and range rate measurement based on light time delay. Much of the challenge of XNAV comes from the faint signal, availability, and distant nature of pulsars. This is a study of potential pulsar XNAV measurements to measure extended Kalman filter (EKF) tracking performance with a wide trade space of bounded Earth orbits, using a simulation of existing x-ray detector space hardware. An example of an x-ray detector for XNAV is the NASA Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation (SEXTANT) mission, a technology demonstration of XNAV set to perform on the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2016early 2017. XNAV hardware implementation is driven by trajectory and environmental influences which add noise to the x-ray pulse signal. In a closed Earth orbit, the radiation environment can exponentially increase the signal noise from x-ray pulsar sources, decreasing the quality and frequency of measurements. The SEXTANT mission in particular improves on the signal to noise ratio by focusing an array of 56 x-ray silicon drift detectors at one pulsar target at a time. This reduces timing glitches and other timing noise contributions from ambient x-ray sources to within a 100 nanosecond resolution. This study also considers the SEXTANT scheduling challenges inherent in a single target observation. Finally, as the navigation sources are now relatively inertial targets, XNAV measurements are also subject to periods of occultation from various celestial bodies. This study focuses on the characterization of these drivers in closed Earth orbits and is not a tuning analysis of the EKF. The study shows that the closed Earth orbit for XNAV performance is reliant on the orbit semi-major axis and eccentricity as well as orbit inclination. These parameters are the primary drivers of pulsar measurement availability and significantly influence the natural spacecraft orbit dynamics. Sensitivity to initial orbit determination error growth due to the scarcity of XNAV measurements within an orbital period require appropriate timing of initial XNAV measurements. The orbit angles of argument of perigee and right ascension of the ascending node, alongside the other orbit parameters, complete the initial cadence of XNAV measurements. The performance of initial XNAV measurements then propagates throughout the experimental period. The study provides a basis to missions who wish to consider XNAV as a potential navigation source in a closed Earth orbit design. It provides a family of orbit trajectories as well as other modeling considerations needed to effectively evaluate if XNAV is an effective navigation source for a potential mission. As an EKF is sensitive to a linearized estimated state, this study has a direct benefit of providing effective XNAV measurements to maintain spacecraft tracking, independent of other navigation sources. In the particular use case of the SEXTANT mission, it also provides a novel scheduling algorithm which addresses the need to prioritize and manage pulsar observations for effective navigation.

PULSAR↗

NASA NTRS2016

Application of X-Ray Pulsar Navigation: A Characterization of the Earth Orbit Trade Space

The potential for pulsars as a navigation source has been studied since their discovery in 1967. X-ray pulsar navigation (XNAV) is a celestial navigation system that uses the consistent timing nature of x-ray photons from millisecond pulsars (MSP) to perform space navigation. By comparing the detected arrival of x-ray photons to a reference database of expected pulsar light-curve timing models, one can infer a range and range rate measurement based on light time delay. Much of the challenge of XNAV comes from the faint signal, availability, and distant nature of pulsars. This is a study of potential pulsar XNAV measurements to measure extended Kalman filter (EKF) tracking performance with a wide trade space of bounded Earth orbits, using a simulation of existing x-ray detector space hardware. An example of an x-ray detector for XNAV is the NASA Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation (SEXTANT) mission, a technology demonstration of XNAV set to perform on the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2016early 2017. XNAV hardware implementation is driven by trajectory and environmental influences which add noise to the x-ray pulse signal. In a closed Earth orbit, the radiation environment can exponentially increase the signal noise from x-ray pulsar sources, decreasing the quality and frequency of measurements. The SEXTANT mission in particular improves on the signal to noise ratio by focusing an array of 56 x-ray silicon drift detectors at one pulsar target at a time. This reduces timing glitches and other timing noise contributions from ambient x-ray sources to within a 100 nanosecond resolution. This study also considers the SEXTANT scheduling challenges inherent in a single target observation. Finally, as the navigation sources are now relatively inertial targets, XNAV measurements are also subject to periods of occultation from various celestial bodies. This study focuses on the characterization of these drivers in closed Earth orbits and is not a tuning analysis of the EKF. The study shows that the closed Earth orbit for XNAV performance is reliant on the orbit semi-major axis and eccentricity as well as orbit inclination. These parameters are the primary drivers of pulsar measurement availability and significantly influence the natural spacecraft orbit dynamics. Sensitivity to initial orbit determination error growth due to the scarcity of XNAV measurements within an orbital period require appropriate timing of initial XNAV measurements. The orbit angles of argument of perigee and right ascension of the ascending node, alongside the other orbit parameters, complete the initial cadence of XNAV measurements. The performance of initial XNAV measurements then propagates throughout the experimental period. The study provides a basis to missions who wish to consider XNAV as a potential navigation source in a closed Earth orbit design. It provides a family of orbit trajectories as well as other modeling considerations needed to effectively evaluate if XNAV is an effective navigation source for a potential mission. As an EKF is sensitive to a linearized estimated state, this study has a direct benefit of providing effective XNAV measurements to maintain spacecraft tracking, independent of other navigation sources. In the particular use case of the SEXTANT mission, it also provides a novel scheduling algorithm which addresses the need to prioritize and manage pulsar observations for effective navigation.

x-ray↗

NASA NTRS1956

Lift hysteresis at stall as an unsteady boundary-layer phenomenon

Analysis of rotating stall of compressor blade rows requires specification of a dynamic lift curve for the airfoil section at or near stall, presumably including the effect of lift hysteresis. Consideration of the magnus lift of a rotating cylinder suggests performing an unsteady boundary-layer calculation to find the movement of the separation points of an airfoil fixed in a stream of variable incidence. The consideration of the shedding of vorticity into the wake should yield an estimate of lift increment proportional to time rate of change of angle of attack. This increment is the amplitude of the hysteresis loop. An approximate analysis is carried out according to the foregoing ideas for a 6:1 elliptic airfoil at the angle of attack for maximum lift. The assumptions of small perturbations from maximum lift are made, permitting neglect of distributed vorticity in the wake. The calculated hysteresis loop is counterclockwise. Finally, a discussion of the forms of hysteresis loops is presented; and, for small reduced frequency of oscillation, it is concluded that the concept of a viscous "time lag" is appropriate only for harmonic variations of angle of attack with time at mean conditions other than maximum lift.

Moore, Franklin K↗

NASA NTRS1993

The dynamics of large-scale cyclogenesis over the North Pacific Ocean

Wintertime cases of persistent cyclonic flow abnormalities over the North Pacific were studied with the aim of identifying the primary mechanisms for persistent anomaly development. Processes influencing the time evolution of eddy potential enstrophy and potential vorticity anomalies were examined using intensive diagnostic analyses. Analysis indicates that the primary source region for large-scale development is located over the mid-Pacific jet exit region. Potential enstrophy analysis shows that eddy enstrophy increases result from local conversions between the large-scale eddy and the climatological-mean flow. The occurrence of a form of baroclinic 'self development' during large-scale intensification is suggested by potential vorticity inversions. Baroclinic and barotropic processes contribute positively to the large-scale developments. Results indicate that the primary mechanism for the developments is a large-scale instability of the three-dimensional time-mean flow, and suggest that nonmodel transient growth plays a significant role during development.

Black, Robert X.↗

NASA NTRS1993

DUKSUP - A high thrust trajectory optimization code

Designing missions on expendable launch vehicles (ELV's) includes determining launch vehicle performance capabilities and trajectory characteristics over the range of mission requirements for suitable launch periods. This analysis depends on mathematically modeling both the launch vehicle and the mission requirements. Generally the result is a mathematical model that is described by an objective function to be optimized subject to an assortment of algebraic and dynamic constraints. About 30 years ago, engineers at Lewis Research Center (LeRC) undertook the task of creating a software code to solve 3D versions of such problems and based it on the Calculus of Variations/Optimal Control Theory. One of these codes, DUKSUP, has been in use at LeRC for nearly 25 years, during which time it has played an important role in a large number of studies and actual missions. Currently it is being used by about 12 analysts in the Center's Advanced Space Analysis Office (ASAO) to do mission design, feasibility studies, corroboration of contractor data and planning studies for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). Today, it is one of the few ELV mission analysis production codes based on variational methods. With future ELV missions in mind, ASAO is presently creating a new code to upgrade DUKSUP's capabilities.

Balkanyi, Leslie R.↗

NASA NTRS2020

A Framework for Understanding and Quantifying the Loss and Acceleration of Relativistic Electrons in the Outer Radiation Belt During Geomagnetic Storms

We present detailed analysis of the global relativistic electron dynamics as measured by total radiation belt content (RBC) during coronal mass ejection (CME) and corotating interaction region (CIR)-driven geomagnetic storms. Recent work has demonstrated that the response of the outer radiation belt is consistent and repeatable during geomagnetic storms. Here we build on this work to show that radiation belt dynamics can be divided into two sequential phases, which have different solar wind dependencies and which when analyzed separately reveal that the radiation belt responds more predictably than if the overall storm response is analyzed as a whole. In terms of RBC, in every storm we analyzed, a phase dominated by loss is followed by a phase dominated by acceleration. Analysis of the RBC during each of these phases demonstrates that they both respond coherently to solar wind and magnetospheric driving. However, the response is independent of whether the storm response is associated with either a CME or CIR. Our analysis shows that during the initial phase, radiation belt loss is organized by the location of the magnetopause and the strength of Dst and ultralow frequency wave power. During the second phase, radiation belt enhancements are well organized by the amplitude of ultralow frequency waves, the auroral electroject index, and solar wind energy input. Overall, our results demonstrate that storm time dynamics of the RBC is repeatable and well characterized by solar wind and geomagnetic driving, albeit with different dependencies during the two phases of a storm.

Kyle R. Murphy↗

NASA NTRS1997

Altered fractal dynamics of gait: reduced stride-interval correlations with aging and Huntington's disease

Fluctuations in the duration of the gait cycle (the stride interval) display fractal dynamics and long-range correlations in healthy young adults. We hypothesized that these stride-interval correlations would be altered by changes in neurological function associated with aging and certain disease states. To test this hypothesis, we compared the stride-interval time series of 1) healthy elderly subjects and young controls and of 2) subjects with Huntington's disease and healthy controls. Using detrended fluctuation analysis we computed alpha, a measure of the degree to which one stride interval is correlated with previous and subsequent intervals over different time scales. The scaling exponent alpha was significantly lower in elderly subjects compared with young subjects (elderly: 0.68 +/- 0.14; young: 0.87 +/- 0.15; P < 0.003). The scaling exponent alpha was also smaller in the subjects with Huntington's disease compared with disease-free controls (Huntington's disease: 0.60 +/- 0.24; controls: 0.88 +/-0.17; P < 0.005). Moreover, alpha was linearly related to degree of functional impairment in subjects with Huntington's disease (r = 0.78, P < 0.0005). These findings demonstrate that strike-interval fluctuations are more random (i.e., less correlated) in elderly subjects and in subjects with Huntington's disease. Abnormal alterations in the fractal properties of gait dynamics are apparently associated with changes in central nervous system control.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

NASA NTRS2012

Operational Analysis in the Launch Environment

The launch environment is a challenging regime to work due to changing system dynamics, changing environmental loading, joint compression loads that cannot be easily applied on the ground, and control effects. Operational testing is one of the few feasible approaches to capture system level dynamics since ground testing cannot reproduce all of these conditions easily. However, the most successful applications of Operational Modal Testing involve systems with good stationarity and long data acquisition times. This paper covers an ongoing effort to understand the launch environment and the utility of current operational modal tools. This work is expected to produce a collection of operational tools that can be applied to non-stationary launch environment, experience dealing with launch data, and an expanding database of flight parameters such as damping. This paper reports on recent efforts to build a software framework for the data processing utilizing existing and specialty tools; understand the limits of current tools; assess a wider variety of current tools; and expand the experience with additional datasets as well as to begin to address issues raised in earlier launch analysis studies.

James, George↗

NASA NTRS1980

A simulation model of temperature transitory on rocks having different thermal inertia. Analysis of the theoretical capacity of rock discrimination by remote sensing data

The possibility of identifying ground surface material by measuring the surface temperature at two different and significant times of the day was investigated for the case of hypothetical island whose rocky surface contained no vegetation and consisted of dolomite, clay, and granite. The thermal dynamics of the soil surface during a day in which atmospheric conditions were average for a latitude of about 40 deg to 50 deg were numerically simulated. The line of separation between zones of different materials was delineated by the range of temperature variation. Results show that the difference between maximum and minimum value of the temperature of ground surface during the day is linked to the thermal inertia value of the material of which the rock is formed.

Cassinis, R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Averaging analysis for discrete time and sampled data adaptive systems

Earlier continuous time averaging theorems are extended to the nonlinear discrete time case. Theorems for the study of the convergence analysis of discrete time adaptive identification and control systems are used. Instability theorems are also derived and used for the study of robust stability and instability of adaptive control schemes applied to sampled data systems. As a by product, the effects of sampling on unmodeled dynamics in continuous time systems are also studied.

Fu, Li-Chen↗

NASA NTRS1991

An assessment of computational fluid dynamic techniques in the analysis and design of turbomachinery - The 1990 Freeman Scholar Lecture

Various computational fluid dynamic techniques are reviewed focusing on the Euler and Navier-Stokes solvers with a brief assessment of boundary layer solutions, and quasi-3D and quasi-viscous techniques. Particular attention is given to a pressure-based method, explicit and implicit time marching techniques, a pseudocompressibility technique for incompressible flow, and zonal techniques. Recommendations are presented with regard to the most appropriate technique for various flow regimes and types of turbomachinery, incompressible and compressible flows, cascades, rotors, stators, liquid-handling, and gas-handling turbomachinery.

Lakshminarayana, B.↗

NASA NTRS1995

User's Guide for ECAP2D: an Euler Unsteady Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic Analysis Program for Two Dimensional Oscillating Cascades, Version 1.0

This guide describes the input data required for using ECAP2D (Euler Cascade Aeroelastic Program-Two Dimensional). ECAP2D can be used for steady or unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis of two dimensional cascades. Euler equations are used to obtain aerodynamic forces. The structural dynamic equations are written for a rigid typical section undergoing pitching (torsion) and plunging (bending) motion. The solution methods include harmonic oscillation method, influence coefficient method, pulse response method, and time integration method. For harmonic oscillation method, example inputs and outputs are provided for pitching motion and plunging motion. For the rest of the methods, input and output for pitching motion only are given.

Reddy, T. S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Venus O2 visible and IR nightglow: Implications for lower thermosphere dynamics and chemistry

The National Center for Atmospheric Research thermospheric general circulation model for the Venus thermosphere is modified to examine two observed night airglow features, both of which serve as sensitive tracers of the thermospheric circulation. New O2 nightglow data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) star tracker (O2 Herzberg II at 400-800 nm) and ground-based telescopes (O2 IR at 1.27 microns) yield additional model constraints for estimating Venus winds over 100-130 km. Atomic oxygen, produced by dayside CO2 photolysis peaking near 110 km, and transported to the nightside by the global wind system, is partially destroyed through three-body recombination, yielding the O2 Herzberg II visible nightglow. This emission is very sensitive to horizontal winds at altitudes between 100 and 130 km. Other trace species catalytic reactions also contribute to the production of the very strong nightside infrared (1.27 microns) emission. This paper examines the dynamical and chemical implications of these new data using the Venus thermospheric general circulation model (VTGCM) as an analysis tool. Three-dimensional calculations are presented for both solar maximum and solar medium conditions, corresponding to early PVO (1979-1981) and PVO entry (mid-1992) time periods. Very distinct periods are identified in which zonal winds are alternately weak and strong in the Venus lower thermosphere. VTGCM sensitivity studies are conducted to assess the impacts of potential changes in thermospheric zonal and day-to-night winds, and eddy diffusion on the corresponding nightglow intensities. It appears that cyclostrophic balance extends above 80 km periodically, owing to a reversal of the upper mesosphere latitudinal temperature gradient, and thereby producing strong zonal winds and correspondingly modified O2 nightglow distributions that are observed.

Bougher, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Seismic Study of The Solar Interior: Inferences from SOI/MDI Observations during Solar Activity

The principal investigator describes several types of solar research conducted during the reporting period and gives a statement of work to be performed in the following year. Research conducted during the reporting period includes: exhaustive analysis of observational and instrumental effects that might cause systematic errors in the characterization of high-degree p-modes; study of the structure, asphericity and dynamics of the solar interior from p-mode frequencies and frequency splittings; characterizing the solar rotation; Time-Distance inversion; and developing and using a new peak-fitting method for very long MDI time series at low degrees.

Korzennik, Sylvain G.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The Development of Large Inflatable Antenna for Deep-Space Communications

NASA/JPL's deep-space exploration program has been placing emphasis on reducing the mass and stowage volume of its spacecraft's high-gain and large-aperture antennas. To achieve these goals, the concept of deployable flat reflectarray antenna using an inflatable/thin-membrane structure was introduced at JPL several years ago. A reflectarray is a flat array antenna space-fed by a low-gain feed located at its focal point in a fashion similar to that of a parabolic reflector. The ref1ectarray's elements, using microstrip technology, can be printed onto a flat thin-membrane surface and are each uniquely designed to compensate for the different phase delays due to different path lengths from the feed. Although the reflectarray suffers from limited bandwidth (typically < 10%), it offers a more reliably deployed and maintained flat "natural" surface. A recent hardware development at JPL has demonstrated that a 0.2mm rms surface tolerance (l/50th of a wavelength) was achieved on a 3-meter Ka-band inflatable reflectarray. Another recent development, to combat the reflectarray's narrow band characteristic, demonstrated that dual-band performance, such as X- and Ka-bands, with an aperture efficiency of above 50 percent is achievable by the reflectarray antenna. To mechanically deploy the antenna, the reflectarray's thin membrane aperture surface is supported, tensioned and deployed by an inflatable tubular structure. There are several critical elements and challenging issues associated with the inflatable tube structure. First, the inflatable tube must be made rigidizable so that, once the tube is fully deployed in space, it rigidizes itself and the inflation system is no longer needed. In addition, if the tube is penetrated by small space debris, the tube will maintain its rigidity and not cause deformation to the antenna structure. To support large apertures (e.g. 10m or beyond) without causing any buckling to the small-diameter inflatable tube during vibration, the tube, in addition to rigidization, is also reinforced by circumferential thin blades, as well as axial blades. Second, a controlled deployment mechanism, such as by using Velcro strips, must also be implemented into the system so that, for very large structures, the long inflatable tubes can be deployed in a time-controlled fashion and not get tangled with each other. Third, the thermal analysis is another critical element and must be performed for the tube design in order to assure that the inflated tube, under extreme space thermal conditions, will not deform significantly. Finally, the dynamic vibration analysis must also be performed on the inflatable structure. This will investigate the response of the structure due to excitation introduced by the spacecraft maneuvering and thus determine any necessary damping. Several reflectarray antennas have been developed at JPL to demonstrate the technology. These include an earlier 1-meter X-band inflatable reflectarray, a 3-meter Ka-band inflatable reflectarray, a half-meter dual-band (X and Ka) reflectarray, and the current on-going 10-meter inflatable structure development. The detailed RF and mechanical descriptions of these antennas, as well as their performances, will be presented during the conference.

inflatable antenna↗

NASA NTRS2023

New Evidence on the Origin of Solar Wind Microstreams/Switchbacks

Microstreams are fluctuations in the solar wind speed and density associated with polarity-reversing folds in the magnetic field (also denoted switchbacks). Despite their long heritage, the origin of these microstreams/switchbacks remains poorly understood. For the first time, we investigated periodicities in microstreams during Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Encounter 10 to understand their origin. Our analysis was focused on the inbound corotation interval on 2021 November 19–21, while the spacecraft dove toward a small area within a coronal hole (CH). Solar Dynamics Observatory remote-sensing observations provide rich context for understanding the PSP in situ data. Extreme ultraviolet images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly reveal numerous recurrent jets occurring within the region that was magnetically connected to PSP during intervals that contained microstreams. The periods derived from the fluctuating radial velocities in the microstreams (approximately 3, 5, 10, and 20 minutes) are consistent with the periods measured in the emission intensity of the jetlets at the base of the CH plumes, as well as in larger coronal jets and in the plume fine structures. Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager magnetograms reveal the presence of myriad embedded bipoles, which are known sources of reconnection-driven jets on all scales. Simultaneous enhancements in the PSP proton flux and ionic ( 3 He, 4 He, Fe, O) composition during the microstreams further support the connection with jetlets and jets. In keeping with prior observational and numerical studies of impulsive coronal activity, we conclude that quasiperiodic jets generated by interchange/ breakout reconnection at CH bright points and plume bases are the most likely sources of the microstreams/ switchbacks observed in the solar wind.

Pankaj Kumar↗

NASA NTRS2017

Analysis of in Vitro Evolution Reveals the Underlying Distribution of Catalytic Activity Among Random Sequences

The emergence of catalytic RNA is believed to have been a key event during the origin of life. Understanding how catalytic activity is distributed across random sequences is fundamental to estimating the probability that catalytic sequences would emerge. Here, we analyze the in vitro evolution of triphosphorylating ribozymes and translate their fitnesses into absolute estimates of catalytic activity for hundreds of ribozyme families. The analysis efficiently identified highly active ribozymes and estimated catalytic activity with good accuracy. The evolutionary dynamics follow Fisher’s Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection and a corollary, permitting retrospective inference of the distribution of fitness and activity in the random sequence pool for the first time. The frequency distribution of rate constants appears to be log-normal, with a surprisingly steep dropoff at higher activity, consistent with a mechanism for the emergence of activity as the product of many independent contributions.

Abe Pressman↗

NASA NTRS1985

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Deploying Flexible Space Booms

A fundamental investigation of the planar deployment and lock-up of two flexible boom type appendages which have attached tip masses and are connected to a central rigid body through a rotational spring is presented. Nondimensional parameters are identified and it is shown that, in general, the solution depends only on two mass ratios and one nondimensional stiffness parameter. Results are presented for boom tip deflections, deployment time and root moments at lock-up. A threshold value of the nondimensional stiffness parameter is identified beyond which boom deflections become large. Also, a thorough examination of the effect of nonlinear terms in the equations governing the deployment phase is performed. Nonlinear terms in the deployment equations due to kinematics and structural deformation are required to predict more accurately boom deflections, but retention of an inconsistent set of nonlinear terms leads to erroneous results. In particular, retaining nonlinear kinematic terms while neglecting nonlinear structural terms can produce inaccurate results even below the threshold stiffness value.

Mcgowan, P. E.↗