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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

GeneLab: "Omics" Data Systems for Spaceflight and Simulated Spaceflight Environment

NASA's GeneLab Data System is a repository that hosts multi-omics datasets generated by biological experiments flown onboard the International Space Station. Strategies regarding how GeneLab envisions the involvement of the scientific community and the public at large will be discussed, and current and future capabilities of the system will be described. Information describing how scientists can participate in analyzing the current datasets on plants, microbes, invertebrates or mammals will be provided, and initial findings from the current datasets will be discussed during this presentation. Anyone interested in genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics and proteomics, and systems biology, or who is curious to understand how space modifies living organisms should attend.

Omics↗

Flow field Reconstruction for Inhomogeneous Turbulence using Data and Physics Driven Models

A methodology combining Large Eddy Simulation (LES) trained data and a physics driven wave packet model to obtain a reduced order reconstruction for broadband, three-dimensional, temporally stationary but spatially inhomogeneous, incompressible turbulence. Wake turbulence generated by an axisymmetric dragging disk with a turbulent co-flow serves as the benchmark test case. We begin by studying the proper-orthogonal decomposition of the turbulent fluctuations taken from a high-resolution LES to first identify whether the fields demonstrate a low-rank character. It is argued that the presence of the turbulent co-flow results in a largely broadband character lacking any tonal properties. This is especially true for Strouhal numbers greater than 1 and only a small fraction of energy is contained in the leading order Kelvin-Helmholtz modes. As such reconstructions and reduced order modeling purely relying on data from LES does not appear to be a lucrative solution - contrary to problems with strongly tonal character. To supplement the missing energy from a low order truncated mode expansion, we utilize a physics based super-resolution (enrichment) algorithm that relies on spatio-temporally localized Gabor wave packets whose time evolution is described using a set of ordinary differential equations. The reconstructed flow has single- and two-point correlations that are consistent with the reference high resolution simulation data.

SLS↗

Data analysis and model simulation of the initiation of convection on April 24, 1982

A combined modelling and data analysis is used to examine the initiation and development of a hail-producing mesoscale convective system which developed over the Texas panhandle near Amarillo, Texas, on April 24, 1982, and propagated east into Oklahoma. This event occurred during the NASA AVE-VAS IV experiment, as a dense upper air mesoscale network was collecting data at three-hour intervals. The results show that both synoptic and mesoscale processes separately and in concert help to force the convection. The destabilization of the atmosphere due to cold advection is important in removing any cap to deep convective development. The upper level moistening due to flow from the northwest also helps to increase the convective instability of the atmosphere. The mesoscale convergence due to cloud shading appears dominant over that of topography, but the latter cannot be ignored, especially in its sustained effect. The developing mesoscale circulation also appears to tap a surface supply of moisture feeding the convection.

Mcnider, R. T.↗

The SMAP Level-4 ECO Project: Improving Terrestrial Flux Estimates Through Coupled Hydrology-Vegetation Data Assimilation

Simulations of hydrologic and vegetation states as well as water, energy and carbon fluxes from the land surface to the atmosphere are crucial for a wide range of applications, including agricultural advisories, forecasts of (short-term) atmospheric behavior and seasonal weather predictions including forecasts of extreme events, such as heatwaves or droughts. The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission Level-4 Eco-Hydrology (L4-ECO) project aims to improve modeled estimates of the terrestrial water, energy and carbon fluxes and states by developing a fully-coupled hydrology-vegetation data assimilation system. This system is developed around the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Catchment-CN land surface model, which combines land hydrology and energy balance components of the GEOS Catchment model with dynamic vegetation components of the Community Land Model version 4. Catchment-CN fully couples the terrestrial water, energy and carbon cycles, allowing feedbacks from the land hydrology to the biosphere and vice versa.Here, we implement a calibration of the Catchment-CN vegetation parameterization against observations of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to improve the model's standalone skill. Later, the DA algorithm used to produce the SMAP L4 soil moisture product will be adapted to Catchment-CN to assimilate SMAP brightness temperatures and inform the model's land hydrology component. Finally, the DA system will be further extended to assimilate MODIS FPAR observations in order to constrain the model's dynamic vegetation component.In this presentation, we demonstrate that the Catchment-CN parameter calibration leads to more realistic vegetation simulations and reduces the root mean squared error between modeled and observed vegetation states across the model's various plant functional types. We also show that the assimilation of SMAP observations is able to improve the average correlation, bias and unbiased RMSE between the modeled surface and root zone soil moisture estimates, and ground observations from the SMAP core validation sites.

Kolassa, Jana↗

A study of three finite difference schemes and their role in asynoptic meteorological data assimilation

An investigation of three finite difference methods and their responses to the insertion of simulated satellite data is presented. A simple-one-level barotropic model is used as the forecast model, while the Mintz-Arakawa two-layer model is used to furnish the initial field, the verification fields, and the simulated satellite data. The schemes tested are the Shuman, the Matsuno-TASU, and an implicit scheme devised by McPherson. Results indicate that the schemes react to inserted data as they would react to unfiltered initial fields. Schemes which contain significant implicit viscosity are capable of damping the high frequency oscillations which occur after insertions, but such schemes may cause a loss of information. Schemes which contain less damping capability produce shock waves which damage the forecasts. It is also found that insertion of winds along with temperature data improves the forecast considerably.

Halberstan, I.↗

The Kepler End-to-End Model: Creating High-Fidelity Simulations to Test Kepler Ground Processing

The Kepler mission is designed to detect the transit of Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars by observing 100,000 stellar targets. Developing and testing the Kepler ground-segment processing system, in particular the data analysis pipeline, requires high-fidelity simulated data. This simulated data is provided by the Kepler End-to-End Model (ETEM). ETEM simulates the astrophysics of planetary transits and other phenomena, properties of the Kepler spacecraft and the format of the downlinked data. Major challenges addressed by ETEM include the rapid production of large amounts of simulated data, extensibility and maintainability.

Bryson, Stephen T.↗

Investigation of turbulent shear flows by numerical simulation

A data base (Kim et al., 1986) generated by direct numerical integration of the Navier-Stokes equations for unsteady three-dimensional turbulent channel flow at low Reynolds numbers is applied to investigate the physical processes acting in wall-bounded shear flows. The techniques used to construct the data base are outlined; the modeling of turbulence, streaks and streamwise vortices, horseshoe and inverted-horseshoe vortices, and vortex rings is described; the conditional sampling techniques employed are discussed; and typical results are presented graphically. An organized vorticity-field structure is revealed and found to be associated with the bursting process and a local peak in the wall pressure, indicating a possible approach to reducing viscous drag.

Kim, J.↗

Description of Simulated Small Satellite Operation Data Sets

A set of two BP930 batteries (Identified as PK31 and PK35) were operated continuously for a simulated satellite operation profile completion for single cycle. The battery packs were charged to an initial voltage of around 8.35 V for 100% SOC before the experiment was started. This document explains the structure of the battery data sets. Please cite this paper when using this dataset: Z. Cameron, C. Kulkarni, A. Guarneros, K. Goebel, S. Poll, "A Battery Certification Testbed for Small Satellite Missions", IEEE AUTOTESTCON 2015, Nov 2-5, 2015, National Harbor, MA

Kulkarni, Chetan S.↗

The Impact of TRMM Data on Mesoscale Numerical Simulation of Super Typhoon Paka

Accurate measurement of the spatial and temporal variations of tropical rainfall around the globe had remained as a critical problem in meteorology until the recent launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). TRMM offers a unique opportunity to improve understanding of tropical meteorology and also offers a great opportunity to evaluate the impact of rainfall data on tropical weather forecasts. This study assesses the impact of TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) derived surface rainfall data on the numerical simulation of Super Typhoon Paka (1997).

Pu, Zhao-Xia↗

Automated Simulation Updates based on Flight Data

A statistically-based method for using flight data to update aerodynamic data tables used in flight simulators is explained and demonstrated. A simplified wind-tunnel aerodynamic database for the F/A-18 aircraft is used as a starting point. Flight data from the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) is then used to update the data tables so that the resulting aerodynamic model characterizes the aerodynamics of the F-18 HARV. Prediction cases are used to show the effectiveness of the automated method, which requires no ad hoc adjustments by the analyst.

Morelli, Eugene A.↗

Thematic mapper design parameter investigation

This study simulated the multispectral data sets to be expected from three different Thematic Mapper configurations, and the ground processing of these data sets by three different resampling techniques. The simulated data sets were then evaluated by processing them for multispectral classification, and the Thematic Mapper configuration, and resampling technique which provided the best classification accuracy were identified.

Colby, C. P., Jr.↗

Algorithms for Autonomous GPS Orbit Determination and Formation Flying: Investigation of Initialization Approaches and Orbit Determination for HEO

This report summarizes the efforts to date in processing GPS measurements in High Earth Orbit (HEO) applications by the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR). Two specific projects were conducted; initialization of the orbit propagation software, GEODE, using nominal orbital elements for the IMEX orbit, and processing of actual and simulated GPS data from the AMSAT satellite using a Doppler-only batch filter. CCAR has investigated a number of approaches for initialization of the GEODE orbit estimator with little a priori information. This document describes a batch solution approach that uses pseudorange or Doppler measurements collected over an orbital arc to compute an epoch state estimate. The algorithm is based on limited orbital element knowledge from which a coarse estimate of satellite position and velocity can be determined and used to initialize GEODE. This algorithm assumes knowledge of nominal orbital elements, (a, e, i, omega, omega) and uses a search on time of perigee passage (tau(sub p)) to estimate the host satellite position within the orbit and the approximate receiver clock bias. Results of the method are shown for a simulation including large orbital uncertainties and measurement errors. In addition, CCAR has attempted to process GPS data from the AMSAT satellite to obtain an initial estimation of the orbit. Limited GPS data have been received to date, with few satellites tracked and no computed point solutions. Unknown variables in the received data have made computations of a precise orbit using the recovered pseudorange difficult. This document describes the Doppler-only batch approach used to compute the AMSAT orbit. Both actual flight data from AMSAT, and simulated data generated using the Satellite Tool Kit and Goddard Space Flight Center's Flight Simulator, were processed. Results for each case and conclusion are presented.

Axelrad, Penina↗

Determination of the utility of remote sensing data for land use/cover analysis in the lower Appalachia region: Assessing the utility of remote sensing data for archeological site recognition

Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) data were gathered by NASA/ERL over a portion of the lower Ohio River and the middle Mississippi River valleys on April 11, 1982. CIR imagery accompanied the 10 and 30 meter resolution TMS data sets. This area is somewhat unique archeologically as there exists a concentration of sites with major features such as mounds, earthworks, and villages. It was the primary purpose of this study to determine the utility of TMS data in identifying signatures which are distinctly archeological. TMS data were processed using the NASA/ERL software package ELAS. No signatures that were distinctly archeological were detected, due in large part to the complexity of the land cover and land use practices. However, as more sophisticated classification techniques were employed, the classes which were related to archeological features were narrowed. TMS data could certainly be of assistance to a trained archeologist/interpreter in narrowing an area which has to be field-surveyed as anomalous features can be recognized within a particular environmental context.

Weber, N. V.↗

Comparison of Cloud Resolving Model Simulations to Remote Sensing Data

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the ability of a cloud-resolving model (CRM) to simulate the dynamical, radiative, and microphysical properties of deep convective cloud objects identified using CERES (Clouds and the Earth s Radiant Energy System) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite platform, for many cases. A deep convective cloud object is a contiguous region that is composed of satellite footprints that fulfill the following selection criteria: 100% cloud fraction, cloud optical depth > 10, and a cloud top height of at least 10 km. Selection criteria have also been formed for different types of boundary-layer clouds, as described in Xu et al. (2005). The purpose of the cloud object approach is to identify specific areas of where the cloud properties simulated by the CRM systematically differ from the observed cloud properties. Where these systematic differences exist, concrete steps can be made to improve the CRM s simulation of an entire class of clouds, rather than by tuning the model to correctly simulate a single case study, as is often done. Additional information regarding detailed approaches and findings are presented.

Randall, David A.↗

Effects of instrument characteristics on cloud properties retrieved from satellite imagery data

The relationships between sensor resolution and derived cloud properties in satellite remote sensing were studied by comparisons of cloud characteristics determined by spatial coherence analysis of AVHRR and GOES data. The latter data were simulated from 11 microns AVHRR data and were assigned a resolution (8 sq km) half that of the AVHRR. Day and nighttime passes were considered for single-layer maritime cloud systems. Sample radiance vs local standard deviation plots of 1024 points are provided for the same area from AVHRR and GOES-East sensors, demonstrating a qualitative agreement.

Baldwin, D. G.↗

Development of visual programming techniques to integrate theoretical modeling into the scientific planning and instrument operations environment of ISTP

The goal of this project is to investigate the use of visualization software based on the visual programming and data-flow paradigms to meet the needs of the SPOF and through it the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) science community. Specific needs we address include science planning, data interpretation, comparisons of data with simulation and model results, and data acquisition. Our accomplishments during the twelve month grant period are discussed below.

Goodrich, Charles C.↗

Research activity at the shock tube facility at NASA Ames

The real gas phenomena dominate the relaxation process occurring in the flow around hypersonic vehicles. The air flow around these vehicles undergoes vibrational excitation, chemical dissociation, and ionization. These chemical and kinetic phenomena absorb energy, change compressibility, cause temperature to fall, and density to rise. In high-altitude, low density environments, the characteristic thicknesses of the shock layers can be smaller than the relaxation distances required for the gas to attain chemical and thermodynamic equilibrium. To determine the effects of chemical nonequilibrium over a realistic hypersonic vehicle, it would be desirable to conduct an experiment in which all aspects of fluid flow are simulated. Such an experiment is extremely difficult to setup. The only practical alternative is to develop a theoretical model of the phenomena and to compute the flow around the vehicle including the chemical nonequilibrium, and compare the results with the experiments conducted in the facilities under conditions where only a portion of the flow phenomena is simulated. Three types of experimental data are needed to assist the aerospace community in this model development process: (1) data which will enhance our phenomenological understanding of the relaxation process, (2) data on rate reactions for the relevant reactions, and (3) data on bulk properties, such as spectral radiation emitted by the gas, for a given set of aerodynamic conditions. NASA Ames is in a process of collecting such data by simulating the required aerothermochemical conditions in an electric arc driven shock tube.

Sharma, Surendra P.↗

Accuracy Studies of a Magnetometer-Only Attitude-and-Rate-Determination System

A personal computer based system was recently prototyped that uses measurements from a three axis magnetometer (TAM) to estimate the attitude and rates of a spacecraft using no a priori knowledge of the spacecraft's state. Past studies using in-flight data from the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particles Explorer focused on the robustness of the system and demonstrated that attitude and rate estimates could be obtained accurately to 1.5 degrees (deg) and 0.01 deg per second (deg/sec), respectively, despite limitations in the data and in the accuracies of te truth models. This paper studies the accuracy of the Kalman filter in the system using several orbits of in-flight Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) data and attitude and rate truth models obtained from high precision sensors to demonstrate the practical capabilities. This paper shows the following: Using telemetered TAM data, attitude accuracies of 0.2 to 0.4 deg and rate accuracies of 0.002 to 0.005 deg/sec (within ERBS attitude control requirements of 1 deg and 0.0005 deg/sec) can be obtained with minimal tuning of the filter; Replacing the TAM data in the telemetry with simulated TAM data yields corresponding accuracies of 0.1 to 0.2 deg and 0.002 to 0.005 deg/sec, thus demonstrating that the filter's accuracy can be significantly enhanced by further calibrating the TAM. Factors affecting the fillter's accuracy and techniques for tuning the system's Kalman filter are also presented.

Challa, M.↗