Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “interval analysis”

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 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of Duct Propagation Models

This paper presents results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses conducted to assess the relative merits of three duct propagation codes. Results from this study are intended to support identification of a "working envelope" within which to use the various approaches underlying these propagation codes. This investigation considers a segmented liner configuration that models the NASA Langley Grazing Incidence Tube, for which a large set of measured data was available. For the uncertainty analysis, the selected input parameters (source sound pressure level, average Mach number, liner impedance, exit impedance, static pressure and static temperature) are randomly varied over a range of values. Uncertainty limits (95% confidence levels) are computed for the predicted values from each code, and are compared with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals in the measured data. Generally, the mean values of the predicted attenuation are observed to track the mean values of the measured attenuation quite well and predicted confidence intervals tend to be larger in the presence of mean flow. A two-level, six factor sensitivity study is also conducted in which the six inputs are varied one at a time to assess their effect on the predicted attenuation. As expected, the results demonstrate the liner resistance and reactance to be the most important input parameters. They also indicate the exit impedance is a significant contributor to uncertainty in the predicted attenuation.

Nark, Douglas M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Residual acceleration data analysis for Spacelab missions

A two-level reduction plan is developed analytically with references to existing experimental data that can be used to develop accelerometer databases for postflight experiment analyses. Residual-acceleration data from previous experiments are studied with attention given to the differences in magnitude among the databases. First-level processing is based on the identification of instances in which tolerable acceleration levels are exceeded so that the time intervals requiring further scrutiny are found. Acceleration time histories including magnitude and orientation are utilized with frequency data for the second level of processing, and the data required for a given time window are reduced by means of data decimation. The identification and processing of limited windows of acceleration data facilitates the characterization of the acceleration environment. These characterizations are of use in the design, location, and utilization of low-gravity laboratory equipment.

Rogers, Melissa J. B.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Preliminary analysis of a CME observed by SOHO and Ulysses Experiments

Over the last week of November 2002 SOHO/LASCO observed several Coronal Mass Ejections, most of which occurring in the NW quadrant. At that time SOHO/UVCS was involved in a SOHO-Sun-Ulysses quadrature campaign, making observations off the west limb of the Sun, at a northern latitude of 27 deg. Here we focus on data taken at 1.7 solar radii, over a time interval of approx. 7 hours, on 26/27 November 2002, when a large streamer disruption was imaged by LASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs. UVCS spectra revealed the presence of lines from both high and low ionization ions, such as C III, O VI, Si VIII, IX, and XII, Fe X and XVIII, which brighten at different times, with a different time scale and at different positions and are apparently related to different phenomena. In particular, the intensity increase and fast disappearance of the C III 977 Angstrom line represents the passage through the UVCS slit of cold material released in a jet imaged by EIT in the He II 304 Angstrom line. The persistent presence of the Fe XVIII 974 Angstrom line is not easily related to any special feature crossing the UVCS slit. We suggest to interpret this behavior in terms of the reconnection events which lead to the formation of loops observed in the EIT He II 304 Angstrom line.

Bemporad, A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

National serosurvey and risk mapping reveal widespread distribution of Coxiella burnetii in Kenya

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, is an emerging pathogen that has the potential to cause severe chronic infections in animals and humans worldwide. The detrimental impact on public health is projected to be higher in the low- and middle-income countries given their lower capacity to sustain effective surveillance and response measures. We implemented a national serosurvey of cattle in Kenya to map the spatial distribution of the pathogen. The study used serum samples that were collected from randomly selected cattle in different ago-ecological zones across the country. These samples were screened for the pathogen using PrioCHECK Ruminant Q Fever AB Plate ELISA kit. The laboratory findings were analyzed using INLA package to identify risk factors for C. burnetii exposure from herd- and animal-level factors, area, and bioclimatic datasets accessed from online databases. A total of 6,593 cattle were recruited for the study; of these, 7.9% (95% CI; 7.2–8.5) were seropositive. Outputs from the multivariable analysis revealed that the animal age and some of the geographical variables including wind speed, area under shrubs and “petric calcisols” type of soil were significantly associated with C. burnetii seropositivity. Being a calf, weaner or subadult was associated with lower odds of exposure compared to being an adult by 0.24 (credibility interval: 2.5% and 97.5%), 0.41 (0.30–0.55) and 0.51 (0.38–0.69), respectively. In addition, a unit increase in the wind speed increased the odds of C. burnetii seropositivity by 1.27 (1.05–1.52) while an increase on the land area under shrubs was associated with lower odds of exposure (0.67 [0.47–0.69]). The effect of petric calcisols was non-linear; an increase of the land area with this soil type was associated with an exponential increase in C. burnetii seropositivity. This study provides new data on C. burnetii seroprevalence, information of its risk factors and a prevalence map that can be used for C. burnetii risk surveillance and control. The identification of environmental risk factors for C. burnetii exposure, and the increasing awareness of the zoonotic potential of the pathogen, calls for the need to enhance the existing collaborations for the surveillance and control of C. burnetii in line with the One Health framework. The evidence generated on the potential role of environmental factors can also be used to design nature-based interventions, such as replacement of vegetation in denuded areas, to reduce potential for the aerosolization of the pathogen. Livestock vaccination in the hotspots would also reduce animal infections and hence the contamination of the environment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

The impact of spectroscopic incompleteness in direct calibration of redshift distributions for weak lensing surveys

ABSTRACT Obtaining accurate distributions of galaxy redshifts is a critical aspect of weak lensing cosmology experiments. One of the methods used to estimate and validate redshift distributions is to apply weights to a spectroscopic sample, so that their weighted photometry distribution matches the target sample. In this work, we estimate the selection bias in redshift that is introduced in this procedure. We do so by simulating the process of assembling a spectroscopic sample (including observer-assigned confidence flags) and highlight the impacts of spectroscopic target selection and redshift failures. We use the first year (Y1) weak lensing analysis in Dark Energy Survey (DES) as an example data set but the implications generalize to all similar weak lensing surveys. We find that using colour cuts that are not available to the weak lensing galaxies can introduce biases of up to Δz ∼ 0.04 in the weighted mean redshift of different redshift intervals (Δz ∼ 0.015 in the case most relevant to DES). To assess the impact of incompleteness in spectroscopic samples, we select only objects with high observer-defined confidence flags and compare the weighted mean redshift with the true mean. We find that the mean redshift of the DES Y1 weak lensing sample is typically biased at the Δz = 0.005−0.05 level after the weighting is applied. The bias we uncover can have either sign, depending on the samples and redshift interval considered. For the highest redshift bin, the bias is larger than the uncertainties in the other DES Y1 redshift calibration methods, justifying the decision of not using this method for the redshift estimations. We discuss several methods to mitigate this bias.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

XRISM high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of Cygnus X-1: Highly ionized iron absorption structures

We present the first high-resolution X-ray spectral analysis of Cygnus X-1 using XRISM. The observation wa3s carried out from 2024 April 7 to 10, covering the orbital phase range 0.65–0.17 during its low/hard state. Taking advantage of the exceptional energy resolution of the Resolve instrument, we examined highly ionized iron absorption lines and characterized the ionization states, column densities, and line-of-sight velocities of the absorbing plasma. Spectral analysis revealed an ionization parameter of $\xi \sim 3$, column densities of a few $\times 10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$, and a blueshifted velocity of $\sim$100 km s$^{-1}$. The observation was divided into two phases: before and after orbital phase $\phi _{\rm {orb}} = 0.9$, corresponding to non-dipping and dipping intervals. While only weak absorption features were present before $\phi _{\rm {orb}} = 0.9$, strong absorption by He-like and H-like Fe appeared during the dipping phase. We measured equivalent widths of 2.3, 0.4, and 1.2 eV for He-like Fe K$\alpha$ and H-like Ly$\alpha _1$ and Ly$\alpha _2$, respectively—demonstrating the capability of XRISM Resolve to securely detect narrow absorption features of only a few eV. These measurements trace the motion of the absorbing material and offer insight into the kinematics and spatial distribution of the wind in the vicinity of the black hole. These findings enhance our understanding of wind-fed accretion in Cygnus X-1 and highlight the importance of continued high-resolution X-ray observations to further constrain the physical properties of winds and accretion flows in high-mass X-ray binaries.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Soil temperature and soil moisture raw data, permafrost table depths, and accompanying environmental variable data, Kenai Wildlife Refuge, 2019-2022

Data package purpose: This data package was created to contain all data used in an upcoming article, "Canopy Cover and Microtopography Control Precipitation-Enhanced Thaw of Ecosystem-Protected Permafrost." In review.This data package includes: Raw output from 19 distributed temperature profilers with a thermistor every 10 cm along a 160 cm length at a measurement interval of 15 minutes (.CSV). Raw output from two soil moisture and temperature profilers (90 cm length and 120 cm length) that took composite soil moisture readings every 15 cm along the sensor length at a measurement interval of 30 minutes (.CSV). Permafrost depths were measured annually in mid-September at DTP sensor locations (.CSV) and along an across-site transect (.CSV). Environmental variables (snow depth, canopy closure, moss depth, and elevation) for all sensor locations. Real-time kinetic (RTK) GPS points showing site microtopography (.CSV).Analysis software: Our analysis was done in Matlab. File types can be used with any software.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Opinion: The importance of historical and paleoclimate aerosol radiative effects

Abstract. Estimating past aerosol radiative effects and their uncertainties is an important topic in climate science. Aerosol radiative effects propagate into large uncertainties in estimates of how present and future climate evolves with changing greenhouse gas emissions. A deeper understanding of how aerosols affected the atmospheric energy budget under past climates is hindered in part by a lack of relevant paleo-observations and in part because less attention has been paid to the problem. Because of the lack of information we do not seek here to determine the change in the radiative forcing due to aerosol changes but rather to estimate the uncertainties in those changes. Here we argue that current uncertainties from emission uncertainties (90 % confidence interval range spanning 2.8 W m−2) are just as large as model spread uncertainties (2.8 W m−2) in calculating preindustrial to present-day aerosol radiative effects. There are no estimates of radiative forcing for important aerosols such as wildfire and dust aerosols in most paleoclimate time periods. However, qualitative analysis of paleoclimate proxies suggests that changes in aerosols between different past climates are similar in magnitude to changes in aerosols between the preindustrial and present day; plus, there is the added uncertainty from the variability in aerosols and fires in the preindustrial. From the limited literature we crudely estimate a paleoclimate aerosol uncertainty for the Last Glacial Maximum relative to preindustrial of 4.8 W m−2, and we estimate the uncertainty in the aerosol feedback in the natural Earth system over the paleoclimate (Last Glacial Maximum to preindustrial) to be about 3.2 W m−2 K−1. In order to more accurately assess the uncertainty in historical aerosol radiative effects, we propose a new model intercomparison project, which would include multiple plausible emission scenarios tested across a range of state-of-the-art climate models over the historical period. These emission scenarios would then be compared to the available independent aerosol observations to constrain which are most probable. In addition, future efforts should work to characterize and constrain paleo-aerosol forcings and uncertainties. Careful propagation of aerosol uncertainties in the literature is required to ensure an accurate quantification of uncertainties in projections of future climate changes.

Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗
NASA NTRS1972

Latitude and local time dependence of precipitated low energy electrons at high latitudes

Data from particle detectors on board the satellite OGO-4 were used to study the precipitation of electrons in the energy range 0.7 to 24 keV. The latitude dependence of these particles in the local time region from midnight to dawn was investigated in detail. The analysis shows that the precipitation of particles of energies 2.3 to 24 keV is centered at an invariant latitude of about 68 deg at midnight with a clear shift in latitude with increasing local time and this shift is more pronounced for lower energies. The highest fluxes of particles in this energy interval are measured at midnight and they decrease rapidly with local time. The data in the energy range 2.3 to 24 keV support a theory where particles are injected in the midnight region from the tail gaining energy due to a betatron process and then drift eastwards in a combined electric and magnetic field. The main part of the electrons at 0.7 keV show a different behavior. They seem to undergo an acceleration process which is rather local, sometimes giving field aligned fluxes which may be super-imposed on the background precipitation.

Gustafsson, G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Euclidean slope of the X-ray source counts - A 'cosmic conspiracy'

The selection criteria adopted for the Einstein Observatory Medium Sensitivity survey are delineated and the results of an analysis of the source-count relation for extragalactic X ray sources is presented. Only IPC fields at least 20 deg outside of the galactic plane, and then only those images in the center of the fields, were included. A total of 345 objects were sighted in the 0.3-3.5 keV energy interval, and 77 percent were concluded to be extragalactic. Most were associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN), including Seyfert galaxies and quasars, and galactic clusters. A slope of about 1.7 was calculated for the power law of the energy spectra of AGNs and close to 1.0 for clusters.

Gioia, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Investigation of the Large Scale Evolution and Topology of Coronal Mass Ejections in the Solar Wind

This investigation is concerned with the large-scale evolution and topology of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the solar wind. During the course of this three-year investigation, we have undertaken a number of studies that are discussed in more detail in this report. For example, we conducted an analysis of all CMEs observed by the Ulysses spacecraft during its in-ecliptic phase between 1 and 5 AU. In addition to studying the properties of the ejecta, we also analyzed the shocks that could be unambiguously associated with the fast CMEs. We also analyzed a series of 'density holes' observed in the solar wind that bear many similarities with CMEs. To complement this analysis, we conducted a series of 1-D and 2 1/2-D fluid, MHD, and hybrid simulations to address a number of specific issues related to CME evolution in the solar wind. For example, we used fluid simulations to address the interpretation of negative electron temperature-density relationships often observed within CME/cloud intervals. As part of this investigation, a number of fruitful international collaborations were forged. Finally, the results of this work were presented at nine scientific meetings and communicated in eight scientific, refereed papers.

Riley, Pete↗
NASA NTRS2009

North Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclone Activity in Relation to Temperature and Decadal- Length Oscillation Patterns

Yearly frequencies of North Atlantic basin tropical cyclones, their locations of origin, peak wind speeds, average peak wind speeds, lowest pressures, and average lowest pressures for the interval 1950-2008 are examined. The effects of El Nino and La Nina on the tropical cyclone parametric values are investigated. Yearly and 10-year moving average (10-yma) values of tropical cyclone parameters are compared against those of temperature and decadal-length oscillation, employing both linear and bi-variate analysis, and first differences in the 10-yma are determined. Discussion of the 2009 North Atlantic basin hurricane season, updating earlier results, is given.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Assessing Confidence in Pliocene Sea Surface Temperatures to Evaluate Predictive Models

In light of mounting empirical evidence that planetary warming is well underway, the climate research community looks to palaeoclimate research for a ground-truthing measure with which to test the accuracy of future climate simulations. Model experiments that attempt to simulate climates of the past serve to identify both similarities and differences between two climate states and, when compared with simulations run by other models and with geological data, to identify model-specific biases. Uncertainties associated with both the data and the models must be considered in such an exercise. The most recent period of sustained global warmth similar to what is projected for the near future occurred about 3.33.0 million years ago, during the Pliocene epoch. Here, we present Pliocene sea surface temperature data, newly characterized in terms of level of confidence, along with initial experimental results from four climate models. We conclude that, in terms of sea surface temperature, models are in good agreement with estimates of Pliocene sea surface temperature in most regions except the North Atlantic. Our analysis indicates that the discrepancy between the Pliocene proxy data and model simulations in the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic, where models underestimate warming shown by our highest-confidence data, may provide a new perspective and insight into the predictive abilities of these models in simulating a past warm interval in Earth history.This is important because the Pliocene has a number of parallels to present predictions of late twenty-first century climate.

simulation↗
NASA NTRS1984

Analysis of chorus emissions at Jupiter

The emissions in the chorus frequency band which were detected on the Voyager 1 inbound pass between about ten and six Jupiter radii are surveyed. An overview of the plasma and wave observations during the inbound pass is presented and the spatial regions in which chorus band signals were observed are discussed. A series of wide-band frequency-time frames which characterize the onset of two observed intervals of chorus band activity is displayed. A detailed examination is made of the spectra for rising chorus which sweeps upward in frequency from 0.2 to 0.5 times the electron cyclotron frequency f(c). Two temporally successive wide-band frames in which several types of chorus band emissions were observed are discussed. The spatial morphology of chorus is discussed in terms of the electron energies which resonate with whistler mode waves. A recent theory of chorus generation is reviewed along with theories and a model explaining the narrow-band emissions above f(c)/2.

Coroniti, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Rate of change of the Quincy-Monument Peak baseline from a translocation analysis of Lageos laser range data

Translocation studies of Lageos laser range data from Quincy and Monument Peak in California observed during 1984-1987 suggest that plate tectonic motion across the San Andreas fault system in the direction of the baseline between the two stations is uniform at a rate of -30(+ or - 3) mm/yr. Changes in the components of the baseline vector were inferred from repeat determinations using the solutions from successive 0.5-year intervals. The changes in the vertical and transverse components of the Quincy-Monument Peak baseline are -0.4(+ or - 5) mm/yr and +14(+ or -5) mm/yr, respectively. The vertical component determinations attest to the height stability of the laser ranging method. Lageos measurements made from Quincy and Monument Peak before 1984 are inaccurate enough to limit their usefulness for plate tectonic studies.

Stolz, A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Analysis of stellar occultation data for planetary atmospheres. I - Model fitting, with application to Pluto

Consideration is given to an analytic model for a stellar-occultation light curve developed for a small, spherically symmetric planetary atmosphere that includes thermal and molecular weight gradients in a region that overlies an extinction layer. The model incorporates two equivalent sets of parameters. One set specifies the occultation light curve in terms of signal levels, times, and time intervals. The other set specifies physical parameters of the planetary atmosphere. Equations are given for the transforming between the sets of parameters, including their errors and correlation coefficients. Detailed numerical calculations are presented for a benchmark case. The results obtained are consistent with the isothermal prediction of the 'methane-thermostat' model of Pluto's atmosphere.

Elliot, J. L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comment on “Five Decades of Observed Daily Precipitation Reveal Longer and More Variable Drought Events Across Much of the Western United States”

Abstract Changes in precipitation patterns with climate change could have important impacts on human and natural systems. Zhang et al. (2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl092293 ) report trends in daily precipitation patterns over the last five decades in the western United States, focusing on meteorological drought. They report that dry intervals (calculated at the annual or seasonal level) have increased across much of the southwestern U.S., with statistical assessment suggesting the results are statistically robust. However, Zhang et al. (2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl092293 ) preprocess their annual (or seasonal) averages to compute 5‐year moving window averages before using established statistical techniques for trend analysis that assume independence about some fixed trend. Here we show that the moving window preprocessing violates that independence assumption and inflates the statistical significance of their trend estimates. This raises questions about the robustness of their results. We conclude by discussing the difficulty of adjusting for spatial structure when assessing time trends in a regional context.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Differential cross-section measurements for the electroweak production of dijets in association with a Z boson in proton–proton collisions at ATLAS

Differential cross-section measurements are presented for the electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z boson. These measurements are sensitive to the vector-boson fusion production mechanism and provide a fundamental test of the gauge structure of the Standard Model. The analysis is performed using proton–proton collision data collected by ATLAS at √s=13 TeV and with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 . The differential cross-sections are measured in the Z→ℓ + ℓ - decay channel (ℓ=e,μ) as a function of four observables: the dijet invariant mass, the rapidity interval spanned by the two jets, the signed azimuthal angle between the two jets, and the transverse momentum of the dilepton pair. The data are corrected for the effects of detector inefficiency and resolution and are sufficiently precise to distinguish between different state-of-the-art theoretical predictions calculated using Powheg+Pythia8, Herwig7+Vbfnlo and Sherpa 2.2. The differential cross-sections are used to search for anomalous weak-boson self-interactions using a dimension-six effective field theory. The measurement of the signed azimuthal angle between the two jets is found to be particularly sensitive to the interference between the Standard Model and dimension-six scattering amplitudes and provides a direct test of charge-conjugation and parity invariance in the weak-boson self-interactions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗