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At least 1,171 records · Page 65

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NASA NTRS1991

Long-term evolution of a planetesimal swarm in the vicinity of a protoplanet

Many models of planet formation involve scenarios in which one or a few large protoplanets interact with a swarm of much smaller planetesimals. In such scenarios, three-body perturbations by the protoplanet as well as mutual collisions and gravitational interactions between the swarm bodies are important in determining the velocity distribution of the swarm. We are developing a model to examine the effects of these processes on the evolution of a planetesimal swarm. The model consists of a combination of numerical integrations of the gravitational influence of one (or a few) massive protoplanets on swarm bodies together with a statistical treatment of the interactions between the planetesimals. Integrating the planetesimal orbits allows us to take into account effects that are difficult to model analytically or statistically, such as three-body collision cross-sections and resonant perturbations by the protoplanet, while using a statistical treatment for the particle-particle interactions allows us to use a large enough sample to obtain meaningful results.

Kary, David M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Catalytic RNA and synthesis of the peptide bond

We are studying whether the L-19 IVS ribozyme from Tetrahymena thermophila can catalyze the formation of the peptide bond when it is supplied with synthetic aminoacyl oligonucleotides. If this reaction works, it could give us some insight into the mechanism of peptide bond formation and the origin of coded protein synthesis. Two short oligoribonucleotides, CCCCC and a protected form of CCCCU were prepared; the former was made by the controlled hydrolysis of Poly(C), and the later by multistep chemical synthesis from the protected monomers. The homopentamer was then aminocylated using C-14 labelled Boc-protected glycine imidazolide. This aminoacylated oligo-nucleotide has now been shown to enter the active site of the L-19 IVS, and aminoacyl transfer, and peptide bond formation reactions are being sought. Our synthesis of CCCCU made us aware of the inadequacy of many of the 2'- hydroxyl protecting groups that are in use today and we therefore designed a new 2'- protecting group that is presently being tested.

Usher, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Movement of Trace Elements During Residence in the Antarctic Ice: a Laboratory Simulation

Recent work has determined that differences in the trace element distribution between Antarctic eucrites and non-Antarctic eucrites may be due to weathering during residence in the ice, and samples that demonstrate trace element disturbances do not necessarily correspond to eucrites that appear badly weathered to the naked eye. This study constitutes a preliminary test of the idea that long-term residence in the ice is the cause of the trace element disturbances observed in the eucrites. Samples of a non-Antarctic eucrite were leached in water at room temperature conditions. Liquid samples were analyzed for rare earth element abundances using ion chromatography. The results for the short-term study showed little or no evidence that leaching had occurred. However, there were tantalizing hints that something may be happening. The residual solid samples are currently being analyzed for the unleached trace metals using instrumental neutron activation analysis and should show evidence of disturbance if the chromatography clues were real. In addition, another set of samples continues to be intermittently sampled for later analysis. The results should give us information about the movement of trace elements under our conditions and allow us to make some tentative extrapolations to what we observe in actual Antarctic eucrite samples.

Strait, Melissa M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Ada and the rapid development lifecycle

JPL is under contract, through NASA, with the US Army to develop a state-of-the-art Command Center System for the US European Command (USEUCOM). The Command Center System will receive, process, and integrate force status information from various sources and provide this integrated information to staff officers and decision makers in a format designed to enhance user comprehension and utility. The system is based on distributed workstation class microcomputers, VAX- and SUN-based data servers, and interfaces to existing military mainframe systems and communication networks. JPL is developing the Command Center System utilizing an incremental delivery methodology called the Rapid Development Methodology with adherence to government and industry standards including the UNIX operating system, X Windows, OSF/Motif, and the Ada programming language. Through a combination of software engineering techniques specific to the Ada programming language and the Rapid Development Approach, JPL was able to deliver capability to the military user incrementally, with comparable quality and improved economies of projects developed under more traditional software intensive system implementation methodologies.

Deforrest, Lloyd↗

NASA NTRS1991

Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, University of Alabama in Birmingham

Porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) crystals grown under microgravity conditions on mission STS-26 of the Space Shuttle Discovery were shown to diffract to considerably higher resolution than the best PPE crystals grown by us on the ground. We have now independently refined both the microgravity and ground-based data. Preliminary results of these refinements are summarized. These results show nearly a doubling of experimental diffraction data for this structure, exceeding 1.3 A resolution. Improved phase information derived from the refined structure of PPE based on this microgravity data has allowed us to interpret previously-uninterpretable electron density obtained from ground-based crystals of a complex of PPE with a chemically-reactive inhibitor. Intermediate stages in the enzyme-inhibitor reaction mechanism in the crystal can now be directly observed. Further refinement of PPE structures is in progress.

Navia, Manuel A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Metabolic energy requirements for space flight

The international space community, including the USSR, Japan, Germany, the European Space Agency, and the US, is preparing for extended stays in space. Much of the research planned for space will be tended by humans, thus, maintaining adequate nutritional status during long stays in space has lately become an issue of much interest. Historically, it appears that minimum nutritional requirements are being met during stays in space. Thus far, crewmembers have been able to consume food adequate for maintaining nominal performance in microgravity. The physiological data obtained from ground-based and flight research that may enable us to understand the biochemical alterations that effect energy utilization and performance. Focus is on energy utilization during the Apollo lunar missions, Skylab's extended space lab missions, and Space Shuttle flights. Available data includes those recorded during intra- and extravehicular activities as well as during microgravity simulation (bed rest). Data on metabolism during flight and during bed rest are discussed, with a follow-up on human gastrointestinal function.

Lane, Helen W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 16: Aerospace knowledge diffusion research

The project is a cooperative US effort between NASA, DoD, and Indiana University. This research was endorsed by the AGARD Technical Information Panel and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Technical Information Committee. The four-phase inquiry focuses on scientific and technical information (STI) as knowledge, the channels through which this knowledge is communicated, and the members of the social system associated with and involved in diffusing this knowledge throughout the aerospace community. The project is based on two premises: (1) although STI is essential to innovation, STI by itself does not ensure innovation; and (2) utilizing existing STI or creating new STI, does often facilitate technological innovation. The topics covered include the following: information-seeking habits, knowledge transfer, academic sector, non-US organizations, present status, comparative study, and timetable.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Efficiencies of Rotational Raman, and Rayleigh Techniques for Laser Remote Sensing of the Atmospheric Temperature

Various lidar methods have been developed for measuring the atmospheric temperature, making use of the temperature dependant characteristics of rotational Raman scattering (RRS) from nitrogen and oxygen, and Rayleigh or Rayleigh-Brillowin scattering (RS or RBS). These methods have various advantages and disadvantages as compared to each other but their potential accuracies are principal characteristics of their efficiency. No systematic attempt has been undertaken so far to compare the efficiences, in the above meaning, of different temperature lidar methods. Two RRS techniques have been compared. Here, we do such a comparison using two methods based on the detection and analysis of RS (RBS) spectra. Four methods are considered here for measuring the atmospheric temperature. One of them (Schwiesow and Lading, 1981) is based on an analysis of the RS linewidth with two Michelson interferometers (MI) in parallel. The second method (Shimisu et al., 1986) employs a high-resolution analysis of the RBS line shape. The third method (Cooney, 1972) employs the temperature dependance of the RRS spectrum envelope. The fourth method (Armstrong, 1974) makes use of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) as a comb filter for processing the periodic RRS spectrum of the nitrogen. Let us denote the corresponding errors in measuring the temperature by sigma(sub MI), sigma(sub HR), sigma(sub ENV), and sigma(sub FPI). Let us also define the ratios chi(sub 1) = sigma(sub MI)/sigma(sub ENV), chi(sub 2) = sigma(sub HR)/sigma(sub ENV), and chi(sub 3) = sigma(sub FPI)/sigma(sub ENV) interpreted as relative errors with respect to sigma(sub ENV).

Ivanova, I. D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A comparison of lidar inversion methods for cirrus applications

Several methods for inverting the lidar equation are suggested as means to derive the cirrus optical properties (beta backscatter, alpha extinction coefficients, and delta optical depth) at one wavelength. The lidar equation can be inverted in a linear or logarithmic form; either solution assumes a linear relationship: beta = kappa(alpha), where kappa is the lidar ratio. A number of problems prevent us from calculating alpha (or beta) with a good accuracy. Some of these are as follows: (1) the multiple scattering effect (most authors neglect it); (2) an absolute calibration of the lidar system (difficult and sometimes not possible); (3) lack of accuracy on the lidar ratio k (taken as constant, but in fact it varies with range and cloud species); and (4) the determination of boundary condition for logarithmic solution which depends on signal to noise ration (SNR) at cloud top. An inversion in a linear form needs an absolute calibration of the system. In practice one uses molecular backscattering below the cloud to calibrate the system. This method is not permanent because the lower atmosphere turbidity is variable. For a logarithmic solution, a reference extinction coefficient (alpha(sub f)) at cloud top is required. Several methods to determine alpha(sub f) were suggested. We tested these methods at low SNR. This led us to propose two new methods referenced as S1 and S2.

Elouragini, Salem↗

NASA NTRS1992

TEM studies of a circumstellar rock

Reported here is the discovery of crystals of titanium carbide in a grain of silicon carbide which formed as a circumstellar dust particle in the atmosphere of a carbon-rich star. Just as in the case of terrestrial rocks, whose assemblage of minerals gives us clues to the composition and conditions of the environment in which they formed, the titanium carbide crystals and their textural relationship to the silicon carbide give us important clues to the nature of the stellar atmosphere in which they formed. From microscopic studies of the relationships between the atomic planes of the silicon carbide and the titanium carbide, we can show that the titanium carbide cannot have existed as already-formed crystals in a gas around which silicon carbide subsequently condensed. An alternative possibility is that both minerals grew quickly and simultaneously from condensing gas in the rapidly cooling and expanding stellar atmosphere. Other microscopic features of the silicon carbide, such as abundant atomic layer disorder and crystal twinning, similarly suggest rapid grain growth. However, another possibility is that the titanium carbide grew inside of the silicon carbide by diffusion of titanium atoms. Our calculations suggest that this scenario is less likely, given the relatively short times (a year or less) for which stellar condensates can be expected to be exposed to temperatures high enough to make diffusion sufficiently rapid.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Characterization of frequency standard instability by estimation of their covariance matrix

The popular 3-cornered hat method used for evaluating the noise contributions of individual frequency standards is revisited. This method is used in several cases, but sometimes the results are not consistent because one or more estimated clock variances turn out to be negative. Different causes of this unacceptable result have been conjectured: among them one regards the hypothesis of uncorrelated clocks, essential in this method. Since recently realistic cases of correlation between clocks, mainly due to the environmental conditions, have been observed, this paper proposes an entirely revisited version of the 3-cornered hat method which permits to evaluate the individual variances and also the possible covariances between clocks, by relaxing the hypothesis of uncorrelation. The uncertainty and the lack of contemporaneity of the measurement series are assumed to be negligible. The lack of the uncorrelation hypothesis calls for a more general mathematical model leading to an underdetermined linear system. The estimates of the (co)variances of the measurement series us well us those of the individual clocks are introduced by means of the scalar product of the related time series and arranged in the respective covariance matrices S and R. Since covariance matrix is positive definite by definition, the problem consists in estimating the unknown R, subject to the constraint of positive definiteness, from the known S. Unfortunately, this constraint is not sufficient to estimate R. Therefore a suitable optimization criterion is proposed, which assures the positive definiteness of R and, at the same time, minimizes the global correlation among clocks. Examples of frequency instability measurements processed by the "classical" 3-cornered hat method and the here-revisited method are presented showing that the solutions are identical only when the uncorrelation hypothesis doesn't violate the positive definiteness of R.

PatriziaTravella↗

NASA NTRS1991

Shock wave equation of state of muscovite

Shock wave data were obtained between 20 and 140 GPa for natural muscovite obtained from Methuen Township (Ontario), in order to provide a shock-wave equation of state for this crustal hydrous mineral. The shock equation of state data could be fit by a linear shock velocity (Us) versus particle velocity (Up) relation Us = 4.62 + 1.27 Up (km/s). Third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state parameters were found to be K(OS) = 52 +/-4 GPa and K-prime(OS) = 3.2 +/-0.3 GPa. These parameters are comparable to those of other hydrous minerals such as brucite, serpentine, and tremolite.

Sekine, Toshimori↗

NASA NTRS1992

Noril'sk/Siberian plateau basalts and Bahama hot spot: Impact triggered?

Twenty-eight years after one of us argued that Sudbury was an astrobleme, this interpretation has only recently attained wide acceptance; not so for the view that the Sudbury Cu/Ni sulfide ores are cosmogenic. Other research has provided the triggering of plateau basalts by super-large impacts a modicum of respectability. The recent apparent successful tying in of the K/T extinctions to the Chicxulub astrobleme in the Yucatan encourages the search for an impact event that may have caused the other two major post-Paleozoic extinctions (P/Tr, Tr/J). This gives us heart to offer two further outrageous hypotheses. The cosmogenic concept for the Sudbury ore deposite remains viable because it is giant, nonultramafic, and unique (except for Noril'sk). The Triassic/Jurassic boundary catastrophic extinctions have been attributed to the Manicouagan asteroidal impact, but recent radiometric dating indicates these events are diachronous (Manicouagan astrobleme 212 +/- 2 Ma and Tr/J boundary 200 Ma).

Deitz, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Software design as a problem in learning theory (a research overview)

Our interest in automating software design has come out of our research in automated reasoning, inductive inference, learnability, and algebraic machine theory. We have investigated these areas extensively, in connection with specific problems of language representation, acquisition, processing, and design. In the case of formal context-free (CF) languages we established existence of finite learnable models ('behavioral realizations') and procedures for constructing them effectively. We also determined techniques for automatic construction of the models, inductively inferring them from finite examples of how they should 'behave'. These results were obtainable due to appropriate representation of domain knowledge, and constraints on the domain that the representation defined. It was when we sought to generalize our results, and adapt or apply them, that we began investigating the possibility of determining similar procedures for constructing correct software. Discussions with other researchers led us to examine testing and verification processes, as they are related to inference, and due to their considerable importance in correct software design. Motivating papers by other researchers, led us to examine these processes in some depth. Here we present our approach to those software design issues raised by other researchers, within our own theoretical context. We describe our results, relative to those of the other researchers, and conclude that they do not compare unfavorably.

Fass, Leona F.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Multi-agent planning and scheduling, execution monitoring and incremental rescheduling: Application to motorway traffic

This article describes a planning method applicable to agents with great perception and decision-making capabilities and the ability to communicate with other agents. Each agent has a task to fulfill allowing for the actions of other agents in its vicinity. Certain simultaneous actions may cause conflicts because they require the same resource. The agent plans each of its actions and simultaneously transmits these to its neighbors. In a similar way, it receives plans from the other agents and must take account of these plans. The planning method allows us to build a distributed scheduling system. Here, these agents are robot vehicles on a highway communicating by radio. In this environment, conflicts between agents concern the allocation of space in time and are connected with the inertia of the vehicles. Each vehicle made a temporal, spatial, and situated reasoning in order to drive without collision. The flexibility and reactivity of the method presented here allows the agent to generate its plan based on assumptions concerning the other agents and then check these assumptions progressively as plans are received from the other agents. A multi-agent execution monitoring of these plans can be done, using data generated during planning and the multi-agent decision-making algorithm described here. A selective backtrack allows us to perform incremental rescheduling.

Mourou, Pascal↗

NASA NTRS1992

Plio-Pleistocene time evolution of the 100-ky cycle in marine paleoclimate records

To constrain theories for the dynamical evolution of global ice mass through the late Neogene, it is important to determine whether major changes in the record were gradual or rapid. Of particular interest is the evolution of the near 100-ky ice age cycle in the middle Pleistocene. We have applied a new technique based on multiple taper spectrum analysis which allows us to model the time evolution of quasi-periodic signals. This technique uses both phase and amplitude information, and enables us to address the question of abrupt versus gradual onset of the 100-ky periodicity in the middle Pleistocene.

Park, Jeffrey↗

NASA NTRS1993

Japan's microgravity combustion science program

Most of energy used by us is generated by combustion of fuels. On the other hand, combustion is responsible for contamination of our living earth. Combustion, also, gives us damage to our life as fire or explosive accidents. Therefore, clean and safe combustion is now eagerly required. Knowledge of the combustion process in combustors is needed to achieve proper designs that have stable operation, high efficiency, and low emission levels. However, current understanding on combustion is far from complete. Especially, there is few useful information on practical liquid and solid particle cloud combustion. Studies on combustion process under microgravity condition will provide many informations for basic questions related to combustors.

Sato, Junichi↗

NASA NTRS1992

Focal plane arrays for submillimeter waves using two-dimensional electron gas elements: A grant under the Innovative Research Program

This final report describes a three-year research effort, aimed at developing new types of THz low noise receivers, based on bulk effect ('hot electron') nonlinearities in the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas (2DEG) Medium, and the inclusion of such receivers in focal plane arrays. 2DEG hot electron mixers have been demonstrated at 35 and 94 GHz with three orders of magnitude wider bandwidth than previous hot electron mixers, which use bulk InSb. The 2DEG mixers employ a new mode of operation, which was invented during this program. Only moderate cooling is required for this mode, to temperatures in the range 20-77 K. Based on the results of this research, it is now possible to design a hot electron mixer focal plane array for the THz range, which is anticipated to have a DSB receiver noise temperature of 500-1000K. In our work on this grant, we have found similar results the the Cronin group (resident at the University of Bath, UK). Neither group has so far demonstrated heterodyne detection in this mode, however. We discovered and explored some new effects in the magnetic field mode, and these are described in the report. In particular, detection of 94 GHz and 238 GHz, respectively, by a new effect, 'Shubnikov de Haas detection', was found to be considerably stronger in our materials than the cyclotron resonance detection. All experiments utilized devices with an active 2DEG region of size of the order of 10-40 micrometers long, and 20-200 micrometers wide, formed at the heterojunction between AlGaAs and GaAs. All device fabrication was performed in-house. The materials for the devices were also grown in-house, utilizing OMCVD (Organo Metallic Chemical Vapor Deposition). In the course of this grant, we developed new techniques for growing AlGaAs/GaAs with mobilities equalling the highest values published by any laboratory. We believe that the field of hot electron mixers and detectors will grow substantially in importance in the next few years, partly as a result of the opportunity given us through this grant, which represents the major effort in the US so far. We note, however, that parallel research on hot electron mixers in thin film superconductors in Russia, and recently in Sweden, have demonstrated mixing up to 1 THz, with the potential for low-noise receivers for frequencies up to many THz. The three groups recently assessed the relative adtantages of 2DEG and superconducting film mixers in a joint paper (Kollberg et al., 1992; see Appendix II).

Yngvesson, K. Sigfrid↗