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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS1973

Application of automated multispectral analysis to Delaware's coastal vegetation mapping

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. Overlay maps of Delaware's wetlands have been prepared, showing the dominant species or group of species of vegetation present. Five such categories of vegetation were used indicating marshes dominated by: (1) salt marsh cord grass; (2) salt marsh hay and spike grass; (3) reed grass; (4) high tide bush and sea myrtle; and (5) a group of fresh water species found in impounded areas built to attract water fowl. Fifteen such maps cover Delaware's wetlands from the Pennsylvania to the Maryland borders. The mapping technique employed utilizes the General Electric multispectral data processing system. This system is a hybrid analog-digital system designed as an analysis tool to be used by an operator whose own judgment and knowledge of ground truth can be incorporated at any time into the analyzing process. The result is a high speed, cost effective method for producing enhanced photomaps showing a number of spectral classes, each enhanced spectral class being representative of a vegetative species or group of species.

Klemas, V.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Analysis of passenger acceptance of commercial flights having characteristics similar to STOL

Previous work in the development of quantitative models for the prediction of passenger reaction to motion and vehicle environment parameters in flight was extended to include a class of aircraft appropriate for low-density, short-haul service. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain quantitative response inputs from an usually small special test-subject group which will be representative of the general traveling public. Additional data which indicate the importance of comfort as a factor in evaluating ride quality was obtained, and identification of the factors which contribute to judgments regarding comfort level was improved. Seat comfort and seat spacing is very vital in the smaller aircraft. Mathematical modeling applied in conjuction with passenger reaction data was shown to be very useful for establishing ride-quality design criteria.

Kuhlthau, A. R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Techniques for Forecasting Air Passenger Traffic

The basic techniques of forecasting the air passenger traffic are outlined. These techniques can be broadly classified into four categories: judgmental, time-series analysis, market analysis and analytical. The differences between these methods exist, in part, due to the degree of formalization of the forecasting procedure. Emphasis is placed on describing the analytical method.

Taneja, N.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Cortical potentials evoked by confirming and disconfirming feedback following an auditory discrimination.

Vertex potentials elicited by visual feedback signals following an auditory intensity discrimination have been studied with eight subjects. Feedback signals which confirmed the prior sensory decision elicited small P3s, while disconfirming feedback elicited P3s that were larger. On the average, the latency of P3 was also found to increase with increasing disparity between the judgment and the feedback information. These effects were part of an overall dichotomy in wave shape following confirming vs disconfirming feedback. These findings are incorporated in a general model of the role of P3 in perceptual decision making.

Squires, K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Loudness changes resulting from an electrically induced middle-ear reflex.

An experiment was conducted in order to determine the changes in loudness brought about by electro-cutaneous elicitation of the middle-ear reflex. Subjects were required to judge the relative loudness of the second of three consecutive 30-msec bursts of tone, the second tone being accompanied by an electrical shock to the external auditory meatus, capable of eliciting a contraction of the middle-ear muscles. The difference between these judgments and those of the control condition (shock on the arm) was taken to represent a measure of the attenuation provided by contraction of the middle-ear muscles. Test tones were 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz at levels of 65, 75, 85, 95, and 105 dB. The results indicate that the middle-ear reflex decreases the middle-ear's transmission mainly for low-frequency sounds. The results fail to lend support to the Loeb-Riopelle hypothesis that the middle-ear reflex acts as a limiter, rather than a linear attenuator.

Gunn, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1966

Nuclear Rocket Technology Conference

The Lewis Research Center has a strong interest in nuclear rocket propulsion and provides active support of the graphite reactor program in such nonnuclear areas as cryogenics, two-phase flow, propellant heating, fluid systems, heat transfer, nozzle cooling, nozzle design, pumps, turbines, and startup and control problems. A parallel effort has also been expended to evaluate the engineering feasibility of a nuclear rocket reactor using tungsten-matrix fuel elements and water as the moderator. Both of these efforts have resulted in significant contributions to nuclear rocket technology. Many successful static firings of nuclear rockets have been made with graphite-core reactors. Sufficient information has also been accumulated to permit a reasonable Judgment as to the feasibility of the tungsten water-moderated reactor concept. We therefore consider that this technoIogy conference on the nuclear rocket work that has been sponsored by the Lewis Research Center is timely. The conference has been prepared by NASA personnel, but the information presented includes substantial contributions from both NASA and AEC contractors. The conference excludes from consideration the many possible mission requirements for nuclear rockets. Also excluded is the direct comparison of nuclear rocket types with each other or with other modes of propulsion. The graphite reactor support work presented on the first day of the conference was partly inspired through a close cooperative effort between the Cleveland extension of the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office (headed by Robert W. Schroeder) and the Lewis Research Center. Much of this effort was supervised by Mr. John C. Sanders, chairman for the first day of the conference, and by Mr. Hugh M. Henneberry. The tungsten water-moderated reactor concept was initiated at Lewis by Mr. Frank E. Rom and his coworkers. The supervision of the recent engineering studies has been shared by Mr. Samuel J. Kaufman, chairman for the second day of the conference, and Mr. Roy V. Humble. Dr. John C. Eward served as general chairman for the conference.

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NASA NTRS1973

Public science policy and administration

Science, the overwhelming concern of our time, is no longer a matter of private research and development but one of public policy and administration, in which government, industry, foundations, and educational institutions must all work together as never before. Few other single tasks are of such decisive importance to the collective and individual welfare of American citizens as the formulation of public science policy and the administration of scientific programs. Eleven national authorities of varied background in science, education, and government administration contribute their experience and their judgment in an effort to deal with the major aspects of the subject. Their focus is on the meeting of actual problems; they consider the decision making process in both public and public-private organizations. Topics are grouped in three general categories: personnel needs and resources, organizational problems and techniques, and the administrative role in policy leadership.

Rosenthal, A. H.↗

NASA NTRS1973

The growing importance of costs and ways to maintain cost control on a large program in today's competitive environment

Discussion of management techniques that make it possible to overcome inflationary and developmental cost rises while holding schedule and performance fixed in scientific space programs. The techniques reviewed pertain to high personnel motivation, continual review of contract rigidity for de facto modification by senior judgment, standardization vs design innovation, cooperative customer/contractor goal orientation vs task orientation, and deep real-time management visibility.

Newman, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1974

The deadly triad

The contributions of a design deficiency, supervisory shortcoming, and pilot error to the occurrence of a major accident involving a mechanically intact fighter aircraft during VFR weather are analyzed. The need for physiologically oriented flight surgeons to exercise critical judgment about the adequacy of the man-machine interface is pointed out.

Barry, W. E.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Resin/graphite fiber composites

Processing techniques were developed for the fabrication of both polyphenylquinoxaline and polyimide composites by the in situ polymerization of monomeric reactants directly on the graphite reinforcing fibers, rather than using previously prepared prepolymer varnishes. Void-free polyphenylquinoxaline composites were fabricated and evaluated for room and elevated flexure and shear properties. The technology of the polyimide system was advanced to the point where the material is ready for commercial exploitation. A reproducible processing cycle free of operator judgment factors was developed for fabrication of void-free composites exhibiting excellent mechanical properties and a long time isothermal life in the range of 288 C to 316 C. The effects of monomer reactant stoichiometry and process modification on resin flow were investigated. Demonstration of the utility and quality of this polyimide system was provided through the successful fabrication and evaluation of four complex high tip speed fan blades.

Cavano, P. J.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Comparison of two head-up displays in simulated standard and noise abatement night visual approaches

Situation and command head-up displays were evaluated for both standard and two segment noise abatement night visual approaches in a fixed base simulation of a DC-8 transport aircraft. The situation display provided glide slope and pitch attitude information. The command display provided glide slope information and flight path commands to capture a 3 deg glide slope. Landing approaches were flown in both zero wind and wind shear conditions. For both standard and noise abatement approaches, the situation display provided greater glidepath accuracy in the initial phase of the landing approaches, whereas the command display was more effective in the final approach phase. Glidepath accuracy was greater for the standard approaches than for the noise abatement approaches in all phases of the landing approach. Most of the pilots preferred the command display and the standard approach. Substantial agreement was found between each pilot's judgment of his performance and his actual performance.

Cronn, F.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Systems cost/performance analysis (study 2.3). Volume 2, appendix A: Data base

Data are presented on selected payload equipments (components) which were collected for the purpose of exercising the systems cost/performance model. Although most of the data is accurate, approximations based on engineering judgment and experience are used wherever actual data was unavailable. The equipments are organized according to the following subsystems which use the specific components: stabilization and control, auxiliary propulsion, data processing, communication, and electrical power. The data sheet for each component states which subsystem utilizes the component, which configurations require the component, which equipment type the component is categorized as, and the data base identifier or code number assigned to the component. The data describing the component consist of the following four types: performance, safety, cost, and schedule.

Campbell, B. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Human spatial orientation in the pitch dimension

Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment I, each of eight Ss attempted to place himself at 13 different goal orientations between prone and supine. Deviations of achieved body pitch angles from goal orientations were determined. In Experiment II, each of eight Ss attempted to align a visual target with his morphological horizon while he was placed at each of the 13 goal orientations. Changes in settings of the target were examined. Results indicate that Ss underestimate body pitch when they are tilted less than 60 deg backward or forward from the vertical, overestimate body pitch when they are nearly prone, and accurately estimate body pitch when they are nearly supine. In contrast, Ss set the visual target maximally above the morphological horizon when they are tilted 30 deg forward from the vertical. The findings are discussed in terms of common and different physiological mechanism that may underlie judgments of these types.

Cohen, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Passenger ride quality determined from commercial airline flights

The University of Virginia ride-quality research program is reviewed. Data from two flight programs, involving seven types of aircraft, are considered in detail. An apparatus for measuring physical variations in the flight environment and recording the subjective reactions of test subjects is described. Models are presented for predicting the comfort response of test subjects from the physical data, and predicting the overall comfort reaction of test subjects from their moment by moment responses. The correspondence of mean passenger comfort judgments and test subject response is shown. Finally, the models of comfort response based on data from the 5-point and 7-point comfort scales are shown to correspond.

Richards, L. G.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Systems cost/performance analysis (study 2.3). Volume 2, appendix A: Data base

Data on selected payload equipments (components) which were collected for the purpose of exercising the systems cost performance model are reported in an appendix. The reader should be aware that, although most of the data are accurate, approximations based on engineering judgment and experience are used wherever actual data were unavailable. The approximations are justified by the objective of the study which was to develop a cost/performance model. Assuming that the model is successfully developed and is accepted for use by a body of users, the data base should be expanded and the approximations replaced by actual data.

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NASA NTRS1976

An Evaluation of Reaction Wheel Emitted Vibrations for Large Space Telescope

Emitted force and torque vibration were measured in three axes for three Sperry reaction wheels. Data were taken for both hard and soft mounts; tests were conducted at constant speeds and during runup-rundown over a 0 to 5000 rpm range. A FSC, 7 ft-lb-sec and HEAO, 30 ft-lb-sec ball bearing reaction wheel and a model magnetic bearing were tested. Data analysis was conducted to identify the principal resonances in the 10 to 120 Hz region. Although some particular phenomena remain unexplained, in general good agreement is attained between the analytical predictions and test data. Predictions were also made of the expected emitted vibrations for an LST sized ball bearing and magnetic bearing reaction wheel using engineering judgment and the test data obtained. Additional tests were also run on the 101H duplex bearing pairs used in the reaction wheel suspension to determine bearing stiffness characteristics in the pre-breakaway zero speed region.

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NASA NTRS1976

Cost estimation: An expert-opinion approach

A methodology is outlined which can be used to estimate the costs of research and development projects. The approach uses the Delphi technique a method developed by the Rand Corporation for systematically eliciting and evaluating group judgments in an objective manner. The use of the Delphi allows for the integration of expert opinion into the cost-estimating process in a consistent and rigorous fashion. This approach can also signal potential cost-problem areas. This result can be a useful tool in planning additional cost analysis or in estimating contingency funds. A Monte Carlo approach is also examined.

Buffalano, C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Domestic and world trends (1980 - 2000) affecting the future of aviation

Variables affecting aviation in the United States during the last fifth of the twentieth century are studied. Estimates of relevant future developments are presented and their probable impact on the aviation industry in this country are identified. A series of key trends relating to economic, social, political, technological, ecological and environmental developments are identified and discussed with relation to their possible effects on aviation. From this analysis, a series of scenarios are developed representing an array of possibilities ranging from severe economic depression and high international tension on the one hand, to a world of detente which enjoys an unprecedented economic growth rate and relaxation of tensions on the other. A surprise free scenario is presented which represents the best judgment of the manner in which events will most probably develop and the effect on the aviation industry such developments will likely produce.

Friedman, N.↗