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At least 1,135 records · Page 63
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Parallel Estimators and Communication in Spacecraft Formations

This paper investigates the closed-loop dynamics of systems controlled via parallel estimators. This structure arises in formation flying problems when each spacecraft bases its control action on an internal estimate of the complete formation state. For LTI systems a separation principle shows that the necessary and sufficient conditions for overall system stability are more stringent than the single controller case; the controllers' open-loop dynamics necessarily appear in the closed-loop dynamics. Communication amongst the spacecraft can be used to specify the complete system dynamics and a framework for integrating the design of the communication links into the formation flying control design problem is presented.

communications↗
NASA NTRS1983

Photodissociation processes in the OH molecule

The potential energy curves of several excited states of OH of 2Sigma(+), 2Sigma(-), 2Pi, and 2Delta symmetries, and the transition moments connecting the excited states with the ground state and with each other, are calculated using two previously published theoretical models. The importance of the excited states in photodissociation is explored. Direct photodissociation by absorption into repulsive electronic states, as well as the contribution of absorption into bound electronic states, are discussed. Because they may participate in the photodissociation processes, several quartet states and one of the sextet spin multiplicity are investigated. The mechanism by which bound states can be dissociated are considered and estimates of the dissociation efficiencies of the mechanisms are made. Absorption into the bound 3 2Pi state may be an important dissociation channel. It is shown that OH is dissociated by the absorption of Lyman alpha radiation, a channel of particular significance in shocked interstellar gas and in cometary atmospheres.

Van Dishoeck, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Space shuttle guidance, navigation and control equation document no. 4: Precision state and filter weighting matrix extrapolation

The Precision State and Filter Weighting Matrix Extrapolation Routine is described which provides the capability to extrapolate any spacecraft geocentric state vector either backwards or forwards in time through a force field consisting of the earth's primary central-force gravitational attraction and a superimposed perturbing acceleration. The routine also provides the capability of extrapolating the filter-weighting matrix along the precision trajectory. This matrix is a square root form of the error covariance matrix and contains statistical information relative to the accuracies of the state vectors and certain other optionally estimated quantities. The routine is a cooled algorithm for the numerical solution of modified forms of the basic differential equations which are satisfied by the geocentric state vector of the spacecraft's center of mass and by the filter-weighting matrix.

Robertson, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Carrier Estimation Using Classic Spectral Estimation Techniques for the Proposed Demand Assignment Multiple Access Service

In any satellite communication, the Doppler shift associated with the satellite's position and velocity must be calculated in order to determine the carrier frequency. If the satellite state vector is unknown then some estimate must be formed of the Doppler-shifted carrier frequency. One elementary technique is to examine the signal spectrum and base the estimate on the dominant spectral component. If, however, the carrier is spread (as in most satellite communications) this technique may fail unless the chip rate-to-data rate ratio (processing gain) associated with the carrier is small. In this case, there may be enough spectral energy to allow peak detection against a noise background. In this thesis, we present a method to estimate the frequency (without knowledge of the Doppler shift) of a spread-spectrum carrier assuming a small processing gain and binary-phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation. Our method relies on an averaged discrete Fourier transform along with peak detection on spectral match filtered data. We provide theory and simulation results indicating the accuracy of this method. In addition, we will describe an all-digital hardware design based around a Motorola DSP56303 and high-speed A/D which implements this technique in real-time. The hardware design is to be used in NMSU's implementation of NASA's demand assignment, multiple access (DAMA) service.

Scaife, Bradley James↗
NASA NTRS1990

On the dissociation energy of BH

The dissociation energy D(0) of the X 1Sigma(+) state has been determined to be 81.5 + or - 0.5 kcal/mol. This value includes an estimate for basis set incompleteness and for core-core and core-valence correlation. The barrier in the A 1Pi state potential is estimated to be 1.9 + or - 0.2 kcal/mol. By analyzing the tunneling through the barrier, it is demonstrated that D(0) and the predissociation limit differ by about 0.8-0.9 kcal/mol. Thus the experimental predissociation limit of 82.5 + or - 0.4 kcal/mol is consistent with the values computed for D(0) and the barrier in this work.

Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Estimates of total quantity of meteorites in the East Antarctic ice cap

Based on a steady-state model of the East Antarctic ice cap, and current estimates of meteorite influx, a model is developed which predicts that the steady-state number of meteorites being carried in or on the ice is at least 760,000. This large meteorite population does not require unusual influx conditions, since the cold, dry climate preserves virtually all meteorites that fall with the exception of the fragile, porous carbonaceous chondrites. Application of the model to the Greenland ice cap yields a steady-state population of about 61,000 meteorites.

Olsen, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Regression and ratio estimators to integrate AVHRR and MSS data

Regression and ratio estimators are used to integrate AVHRR-Global Area Coverage (GAC) and Landsat MSS digital data to estimate forest area in the continental United States. Forestlands are enumerated for the 48 contiguous states using five different AVHRR-GAC data sets. Results indicated that the GAC and MSS forest estimates were not highly correlated. Although the ratio of means and linear regression corrections were, on the average, closer to national U.S. Forest Service forest area estimates, these correction procedures did not consistently improve GAC estimates of forest area. GAC forest area estimates tended to be high in densely forested regions such as the northeast and low in sparsely forested areas.

Nelson, Ross↗
NASA NTRS1995

Estimating release of carbon from 1990 and 1991 forest fires in Alaska

An improved method to estimate the amounts of carbon released during fires in the boreal forest zone of Alaska in 1990 and 1991 is described. This method divides the state into 64 distinct physiographic regions and estimates areal extent of five different land covers: two forest types, peat land, tundra, and nonvegetated. The areal extent of each cover type was estimated from a review of topographic maps of each region and observations on the distribution of foreat types within the state. Using previous observations and theoretical models for the two forest types found in interior Alaska, models of biomass accumulation as a function of stand age were developed. Stand age distributions for each region were determined using a statistical distribution based on fire frequency, which was from available long-term historical records. Estimates of the degree of biomass combusted were based on recent field observations as well as research reported in the literature. The location and areal extent of fires in this region for 1990 and 1991 were based on both field observations and analysis of satellite (advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR)) data sets. Estimates of average carbon release for the two study years ranged between 2.54 and 3.00 kg/sq m, which are 2.2 to 2.6 times greater than estimates used in other studies of carbon release through biomass burning in boreal forests. Total average annual carbon release for the two years ranged between 0.012 and 0.018 Pg C/yr, with the lower value resulting from the AVHRR estimates of fire location and area.

Kaisischke, Eric S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Nonequilibrium chemistry boundary layer integral matrix procedure

The development of an analytic procedure for the calculation of nonequilibrium boundary layer flows over surfaces of arbitrary catalycities is described. An existing equilibrium boundary layer integral matrix code was extended to include nonequilibrium chemistry while retaining all of the general boundary condition features built into the original code. For particular application to the pitch-plane of shuttle type vehicles, an approximate procedure was developed to estimate the nonequilibrium and nonisentropic state at the edge of the boundary layer.

Tong, H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Digital communications study

Research is reported dealing with problems of digital data transmission and computer communications networks. The results of four individual studies are presented which include: (1) signal processing with finite state machines, (2) signal parameter estimation from discrete-time observations, (3) digital filtering for radar signal processing applications, and (4) multiple server queues where all servers are not identical.

Boorstyn, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Thermal design and analysis of a hydrogen-burning wind tunnel model of an airframe-integrated scramjet

An aerodynamic model of a hydrogen burning, airframe integrated scramjet engine has been designed, fabricated, and instrumented. This model is to be tested in an electric arc heated wind tunnel at an altitude of 35.39 km (116,094 ft.) but with an inlet Mach number of 6 simulating precompression on an aircraft undersurface. The scramjet model is constructed from oxygen free, high conductivity copper and is a heat sink design except for water cooling in some critical locations. The model is instrumented for pressure, surface temperature, heat transfer rate, and thrust measurements. Calculated flow properties, heat transfer rates, and surface temperature distributions along the various engine components are included for the conditions stated above. For some components, estimates of thermal strain are presented which indicate significant reductions in plastic strain by selective cooling of the model. These results show that the 100 thermal cycle life of the engine was met with minimum distortion while staying within the 2669 N (600 lbf) engine weight limitation and while cooling the engine only in critical locations.

Guy, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Crop identification and area estimation over large geographic areas using LANDSAT MSS data

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT MSS data was adequate to accurately identify wheat in Kansas; corn and soybean estimates in Indiana were less accurate. Computer-aided analysis techniques were effectively used to extract crop identification information from LANDSAT data. Systematic sampling of entire counties made possible by computer classification methods resulted in very precise area estimates at county, district, and state levels. Training statistics were successfully extended from one county to other counties having similar crops and soils if the training areas sampled the total variation of the area to be classified.

Bauer, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Measurement, estimation, and prediction of software reliability

Quantitative indices of software reliability are defined, and application of three important indices is indicated: (1) reliability measurement, (2) reliability estimation, and (3) reliability prediction. State of the art techniques for each of these procedures are presented together with considerations of data acquisition. Failure classifications and other documentation for comprehensive software reliability evaluation are described.

Hecht, H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Local distributed estimation

Based on partial differential equations of motion the closed form solution for the optimal estimation of a spatially continuous state vector is derived, using a continuously distributed sensor. Local control is shown to be the feedback that minimizes a quadratic performance index of sensor and process disturbances. A detailed example of the control of a string in tension is presented.

Schaechter, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A variational technique for smoothing flight-test and accident data

The problem of determining aircraft motions along a trajectory is solved using a variational algorithm that generates unmeasured states and forcing functions, and estimates instrument bias and scale-factor errors. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear fixed-interval smoothing problem, and is solved as a sequence of linear two-point boundary value problems, using a sweep method. The algorithm has been implemented for use in flight-test and accident analysis. Aircraft motions are assumed to be governed by a six-degree-of-freedom kinematic model; forcing functions consist of body accelerations and winds, and the measurement model includes aerodynamic and radar data. Examples of the determination of aircraft motions from typical flight-test and accident data are presented.

Bach, R. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Structure of the midcontinent basement. Topography, gravity, seismic, and remote sensing

Some 600,000 discrete Bouguer gravity estimates of the continental United States were spatially filtered to produce a continuous tone image. The filtered data were also digitally painted in color coded form onto a shaded relief map. The resultant image is a colored shaded relief map where the hue and saturation of a given image element is controlled by the value of the Bouguer anomaly. Major structural features (e.g., midcontinent gravity high) are readily discernible in these data, as are a number of subtle and previously unrecognized features. A linear gravity low that is approximately 120 to 150 km wide extends from southeastern Nebraska, at a break in the midcontinent gravity high, through the Ozark Plateau, and across the Mississippi embayment. The low is also aligned with the Lewis and Clark lineament (Montana to Washington), forming a linear feature of approximately 2800 km in length. In southeastern Missouri the gravity low has an amplitude of 30 milligals, a value that is too high to be explained by simple valley fill by sedimentary rocks.

Guinness, E. A.↗