Engineering PapersSearch

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Spectrum Interference”

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 109 records · Page 6

Parallel interference cancellation for CDMA applications

The present invention provides a method of decoding a spread spectrum composite signal, the composite signal comprising plural user signals that have been spread with plural respective codes, wherein each coded signal is despread, averaged to produce a signal value, analyzed to produce a tentative decision, respread, summed with other respread signals to produce combined interference signals, the method comprising scaling the combined interference signals with a weighting factor to produce a scaled combined interference signal, scaling the composite signal with the weighting factor to produce a scaled composite signal, scaling the signal value by the complement of the weighting factor to produce a leakage signal, combining the scaled composite signal, the scaled combined interference signal and the leakage signal to produce an estimate of a respective user signal.

Divsalar, Dariush

Satellite-based interference analyzer

System identifies terrestrial sources of radiofrequency interference and measures their frequency spectra and amplitudes. Designed to protect satellite communication networks, system measures entire noise spectrum over selected frequency band and can raster-scan geographical region to locate noise sources. Once interference is analyzed, realistic interference protection ratios are determined and mathematical models for predicting ratio-frequency noise spectra are established. This enhances signal-detection and locates optimum geographical positions and frequency bands for communication equipment.

Varice, H.

Wireless Channel Characterization in the Airport Surface Environment

Given the anticipated increase in air traffic in the coming years, modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS) is a necessity. Part of this modernization effort will include updating current communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems to deal with the increased traffic as well as developing advanced CNS technologies for the systems. An example of such technology is the integrated CNS (ICNS) network being developed by the Advanced CNS Architecture and Systems Technology (ACAST) group for use in the airport surface environment. The ICNS network would be used to convey voice/data between users in a secure and reliable manner. The current surface system only supports voice and does so through an obsolete physical infrastructure. The old system is vulnerable to outages and costly to maintain. The proposed ICNS network will include a wireless radio link. To ensure optimal performance, a thorough and accurate characterization of the channel across which the link would operate is necessary. The channel is the path the signal takes from the transmitter to the receiver and is prone to various forms of interference. Channel characterization involves a combination of analysis, simulation, and measurement. My work this summer was divided into four tasks. The first task required compiling and reviewing reference material that dealt with the characterization and modeling of aeronautical channels. The second task involved developing a systematic approach that could be used to group airports into classes, e.g. small airfields, medium airports, large open airports, large cluttered airports, etc. The third task consisted of implementing computer simulations of existing channel models. The fourth task entailed measuring possible interference sources in the airport surface environment via a spectrum analyzer.

Neville, Joshua T.

The Spectrum Orbit Utilization Program (SOUP) used for DBS plan analysis at RARC '83

This paper describes the history, functions, and usage of the program that was used to analyze the plans for direct broadcast satellite service developed in the course of the 1983 Regional Administrative Radio Conference for ITU Region 2. Given the requirements for direct broadcast service by the administrations, the conference delegates (1) developed the appropriate technical parameters; (2) made tentative assignments to the orbit locations, frequencies, and polarizations of space stations, (3) calculated the interferences and margins of such assignments through the use of the Spectrum Orbit Utilization Program (SOUP); and (4) iterated this procedure until an acceptable plan was found.

Davidson, J.

Interferometry in the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-Ray

We report on demonstration of an x-ray interferometer that uses plane mirrors at grazing incidence to create interference fringes in the extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray portions of the spectrum. X-ray interferometry has historically been implemented through narrow band, diffractive systems that split the wavefront. Our system, by using two separate optical channels to create interference from two areas of the wavefront, has broad band response and much higher efficiency. We discuss some applications of this technique to astronomy and microscopy including the possibility of eventually capturing a micro-arcsecond image of a black hole.

Cash, W.

Silicon Carbide Mixers Demonstrated to Improve the Interference Immunity of Radio-Based Aircraft Avionics

Concern over the interference of stray radiofrequency (RF) emissions with key aircraft avionics is evident during takeoff and landing of every commercial flight when the flight attendant requests that all portable electronics be switched off. The operation of key radio-based avionics (such as glide-slope and localizer approach instruments) depends on the ability of front-end RF receivers to detect and amplify desired information signals while rejecting interference from undesired RF sources both inside and outside the aircraft. Incidents where key navigation and approach avionics malfunction because of RF interference clearly represent an increasing threat to flight safety as the radio spectrum becomes more crowded. In an initial feasibility experiment, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the NASA Lewis Research Center recently demonstrated the strategic use of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor components to significantly reduce the susceptibility of an RF receiver circuit to undesired RF interference. A pair of silicon carbide mixer diodes successfully reduced RF interference (intermodulation distortion) in a prototype receiver circuit by a factor of 10 (20 dB) in comparison to a pair of commercial silicon-based mixer diodes.

Neudeck, Philip G.

Boron-10 loaded inorganic shielding material

Shielding material containing Boron 10 and gadoliunium for neutron absorption has been developed to reduce interference from low energy neutrons in measurement of fission neutron spectrum using Li-6 fast neutron spectrometer.

Baker, S. I.

Effect of a Silicone Contaminant Film on the Transmittance Properties of AR-coated Fused Silica

We present the results of a laboratory test to determine the effects of bulk deposited, DC-704 silicone contaminant film on the transmittance properties of an anti-reflective (AR) coated fused silica optical substrate. Testing and optical measurements were performed in vacuum in the Boeing Combined Effects Test Facility (CETF). The test and measurement procedures are described herein. Measurement results are presented showing the change in transmittance characteristics as a function of contaminant deposit thickness and vacuum ultra-violet (vuv) exposure levels. Measurement results show an initial degradation in the transmittance of the contaminated sample. This is followed by a partial recovery in sample transmittance as the sample is exposed to additional VUV radiation. Transmittance results also show a loss of transmission in the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum and an increase in transmission in the infrared portion of the spectrum. These transmittance results are characteristic of thin-film interference effects. Thin-film analyses indicate that some of the observed transmittance results can be successfully modeled, but only if the contaminant film is assumed to be SiO2 rather than DC-704 silicone. Post-test Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) scans of the test sample indicate the formation of contaminant islands and the presence of a thin uniform coating of contaminant deposit on the sample

Boeder, Paul A.

Conformal Lightweight Antenna Structures for Aeronautical Communication Technologies

This project is to develop antennas which enable beyond line of sight (BLOS) command and control for UAVs. We will take advantage of newly assigned provisional Ku-band spectrum for UAVs and use unique antenna designs to avoid interference with ground systems. This will involve designing antennas with high isotropic effective radiated power (EIRP) and ultra-low sidelobes. The antennas will be made with polymer aerogel as a substrate to both reduce weight and improve performance, as demonstrated in an Aero Seedling. In addition, designing the antennas to be conformal to the aircraft fuselage will reduce drag.

antennas

Conformal Lightweight Antenna Structures for Aeronautical Communication Technologies

This project is to develop antennas which enable beyond line of sight (BLOS) command and control for UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). We will take advantage of newly assigned provisional Ku-band spectrum for UAVs and use unique antenna designs to avoid interference with ground systems. This will involve designing antennas with high isotropic effective radiated power (EIRP) and ultra-low sidelobes. The antennas will be made with polymer aerogel as a substrate to both reduce weight and improve performance, as demonstrated in an Aero Seedling. In addition, designing the antennas to be conformal to the aircraft fuselage will reduce drag.

aerogels

Conformal Lightweight Antenna Structures for Aeronautical Communication Technologies

This project developed an antenna to enable beyond line of sight (BLOS) command and control for small UAVs. We took advantage of a newly assigned provisional Ku-band spectrum for UAVs and used unique antenna design to avoid interference with ground systems. This required the design of an antenna with high isotropic effective radiated power (EIRP) and ultra-low sidelobes. The antenna was made with polymer aerogel as a substrate to both reduce weight and improve performance, as demonstrated in an Aero Seedling. In addition, designing the antennas to be conformal to the aircraft fuselage will reduce drag.

polyimide

Properties of The RFI Environment at 1400-1427 MHz as observed by the Soil Moisture Active/Passive Mission Microwave Radiometer

The soil moisture active/passive (SMAP) satellite microwave radiometer has been providing global measurements of L-band thermal emission from Earth since April 2015. Although the radiometer operates in the protected 1400–1427 MHz portion of the radio spectrum, its measurements are still corrupted by either radio frequency interference (RFI) from out-of-band emissions via legal sources or by sources operating in-band illegally. The SMAP radiometer includes a digital backend that enables implementation of multiple ground-based RFI detection and filtering algorithms. This data is used to collect statistics and trends of Earth's RFI environment. This article examines properties of the global RFI environment as observed by SMAP, including information on RFI source properties (obtained from analysis of SMAP multiple detector outputs) and the evolution of the RFI environment in time. Residual RFI contributions after the application of SMAP RFI processing are also examined as preliminary information for the development of future methods to address their effect.

L-band radiometry

Mathematical models for cochannel interference in FH/MFSK multiple-access systems

FH/MFSK has been proposed for a multiuser spread spectrum digital communication system to combat both self-jamming and intentional jamming. An independence assumption at the energy detector outputs is used to evaluate such a system for a digitized voice mobile radio system (Yue, 1981). This paper presents a correlated model and compares its performance to an independence model under the symbol error probability criterion. A Gaussian process model is also developed for comparison. It is found that the conventional Gaussian approximation is inadequate in predicting the number of users that can be accommodated by an FH/MFSK system using the conventional receiver. Furthermore, for the cases evaluated, the independence model provides an excellent approximation to the correlated model. Additionally, a conditional Chernoff bound is presented for the more general case of frequency-hopping systems with multiple hops per symbol.

Yan, T.-Y.

Viking telecommunication effects of GEOS satellite interference based on testing at the Madrid deep space station

In support of the ongoing NASA-European Space Agency (ESA) effort to understand and control possible interference between missions, testing was conducted at the Madrid Deep Space Station from July 1975 to February 1976 to characterize the effect on Viking 1975 telecommunication link performance of Geodetic Earth-Orbiting Satellite (GEOS) downlink signals. The prime use of the data was to develop a capability to predict GEOS interference effects for evaluation of Viking 1975 mission impacts and possible temporary GEOS shutdown. Also, the data would serve as a basis for assessment of the GEOS impact on missions other than Viking as well as for more general interference applications. Performances of the reference receiver, telemetry, and planetary ranging were measured in the presence of various types of GEOS-related interference, including an unmodulated GEOS carrier and simulation of the actual spectrum by an ESA-supplied GEOS suitcase model.

Stuhr, F. V.

Radio spectrum surveillance station

The paper presents a general and functional description of a low-cost surveillance station designed as the first phase of NASA's program to develop a radio spectrum surveillance capability for deep space stations for identifying radio frequency interference sources. The station described has identified several particular interferences and is yielding spectral signature data which, after cataloging, will serve as a library for rapid identification of frequently observed interference. Findings from the use of the station are discussed.

Hersey, D. R.

Simple in-line method to measure the dispersion of an optical system

We describe a simple in-line method to measure the dispersion of an optical system. The light beam passing through the optical system interferes with a reference beam in a spectrometer, and the resulting spectrum yields the quadratic and cubic dispersion terms of the system. We demonstrate this technique on an optical system made of grating pairs.

Yao, X. S.

Modeling of Sound Transmission through Shell Structures with Turbulent Boundary Layer Excitation

The turbulent boundary layer (TBL) pressure field is an important source of cabin noise during cruise of high subsonic and supersonic commercial aircraft. The broadband character of this excitation field results in an interior noise spectrum that dominates the overall sound pressure level (SPL) and speech interference metrics in the forward and midcabins of many aircraft. In the authors' previous study, sound transmission through an aircraft fuselage, modeled by two concentric cylindrical sandwich shells and excited by a TBL statistical model was investigated analytically. An assessment of point and global structural vibration levels and resulting interior noise levels was obtained for different TBL models, flight conditions and fuselage structural designs. However, due to the complication of the shell structure, the important noise transmission mechanisms were difficult to discern. Previous experience has demonstrated that a fundamental understanding of the range of modes (or wavenumbers) generated by the TBL source both in the structure and the acoustic cavity is key to the development of both active and passive control technologies. In an initial effort to provide this insight, the objective of this paper is to develop an analytical model of sound transmission through a simple unstiffened cylindrical aluminum shell excited by a TBL pressure field. The description of the turbulent pressure field is based on the Corcos formulation for the cross-spectral density (CSD) of the pressure fluctuations. The coupled shell and interior and exterior acoustic equations are solved for the structural displacement and the interior acoustic response using a Galerkin approach to obtain analytical solutions. Specifically, this study compares the real part of the normalized CSD of the TBL excitation field, the structural displacement and the interior acoustic field. Further the modal compositions of the structural and cavity response are examined and some inference of the dominant mechanism of noise transmission is made.

Tang, Yvette Y.