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At least 1,279 records · Page 71

Transition Documentation on a Three-Element High-Lift Configuration at High Reynolds Numbers: Analysis

A 2-D high-lift system experiment was conducted in August of 1996 in the Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. The purpose of the experiment was to obtain transition measurements on a three element high-lift system for CFD code validation studies. A transition database has been created using the data from this experiment. The present report contains the analysis of the surface hot film data in terms of the transition locations on the three elements. It also includes relevant information regarding the pressure loads and distributions and the wakes behind the model to aid in the interpretation of the transition data. For some of the configurations the current pressure data has been compared with previous wind tunnel entries of the same model. The methodology used to determine the regions of transitional flow is outlined and each configuration tested has been analyzed. A discussion of interference effects, repeatability, and three-dimensional effects on the data is included.

Bertelrud, Arild↗

Validation of International Space Station Electrical Performance Model via On-orbit Telemetry

The first U.S. power module on International Space Station (ISS) was activated in December 2000. Comprised of solar arrays, nickel-hydrogen (NiH2) batteries, and a direct current power management and distribution (PMAD) system, the electric power system (EPS) supplies power to housekeeping and user electrical loads. Modeling EPS performance is needed for several reasons, but primarily to assess near-term planned and off-nominal operations and because the EPS configuration changes over the life of the ISS. The System Power Analysis for Capability Evaluation (SPACE) computer code is used to assess the ISS EPS performance. This paper describes the process of validating the SPACE EPS model via ISS on-orbit telemetry. To accomplish this goal, telemetry was first used to correct assumptions and component models in SPACE. Then on-orbit data was directly input to SPACE to facilitate comparing model predictions to telemetry. It will be shown that SPACE accurately predicts on-orbit component and system performance. For example, battery state-of-charge was predicted to within 0.6 percentage points over a 0 to 100 percent scale and solar array current was predicted to within a root mean square (RMS) error of 5.1 Amps out of a typical maximum of 220 Amps. First, SPACE model predictions are compared to telemetry for the ISS EPS components: solar arrays, NiH2 batteries, and the PMAD system. Second, SPACE predictions for the overall performance of the ISS EPS are compared to telemetry and again demonstrate model accuracy.

Jannette, Anthony G.↗

Dynamics of Quantum Adiabatic Evolution Algorithm for Number Partitioning

We have developed a general technique to study the dynamics of the quantum adiabatic evolution algorithm applied to random combinatorial optimization problems in the asymptotic limit of large problem size n. We use as an example the NP-complete Number Partitioning problem and map the algorithm dynamics to that of an auxiliary quantum spin glass system with the slowly varying Hamiltonian. We use a Green function method to obtain the adiabatic eigenstates and the minimum excitation gap. g min, = O(n 2(exp -n/2), corresponding to the exponential complexity of the algorithm for Number Partitioning. The key element of the analysis is the conditional energy distribution computed for the set of all spin configurations generated from a given (ancestor) configuration by simultaneous flipping of a fixed number of spins. For the problem in question this distribution is shown to depend on the ancestor spin configuration only via a certain parameter related to 'the energy of the configuration. As the result, the algorithm dynamics can be described in terms of one-dimensional quantum diffusion in the energy space. This effect provides a general limitation of a quantum adiabatic computation in random optimization problems. Analytical results are in agreement with the numerical simulation of the algorithm.

Smelyanskiy, V. N.↗

Data Recipes: Toward Creating How-To Knowledge Base for Earth Science Data

Both the diversity and volume of Earth science data from satellites and numerical models are growing dramatically, due to an increasing population of measured physical parameters, and also an increasing variety of spatial and temporal resolutions for many data products. To further complicate matters, Earth science data delivered to data archive centers are commonly found in different formats and structures. NASA data centers, managed by the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), have developed a rich and diverse set of data services and tools with features intended to simplify finding, downloading, and working with these data. Although most data services and tools have user guides, many users still experience difficulties with accessing or reading data due to varying levels of familiarity with data services, tools, and or formats. The data recipe project at Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) was initiated in late 2012 for enhancing user support. A data recipe is a How-To online explanatory document, with step-by-step instructions and examples of accessing and working with real data (http:disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.govrecipes). The current suite of recipes has been found to be very helpful, especially to first-time-users of particular data services, tools, or data products. Online traffic to the data recipe pages is significant, even though the data recipe topics are still limited. An Earth Science Data System Working Group (ESDSWG) for data recipes was established in the spring of 2014, aimed to initiate an EOSDIS-wide campaign for leveraging the distributed knowledge within EOSDIS and its user communities regarding their respective services and tools. The ESDSWG data recipe group is working on an inventory and analysis of existing data recipes and tutorials, and will provide guidelines and recommendation for writing and grouping data recipes, and for cross linking recipes to data products. This presentation gives an overview of the data recipe activites at GES DISC and ESDSWG. We are seeking requirements and input from a broader data user community to establish a strong knowledge base for Earth science data research and application implementations.

data recipe↗

Computational Analysis of a Wing Designed for the X-57 Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft

A computational study of the wing for the distributed electric propulsion X-57 Maxwell airplane configuration at cruise and takeoff/landing conditions was completed. Two unstructured-mesh, Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics methods, FUN3D and USM3D, were used to predict the wing performance. The goal of the X-57 wing and distributed electric propulsion system design was to meet or exceed the required lift coefficient 3.95 for a stall speed of 58 knots, with a cruise speed of 150 knots at an altitude of 8,000 ft. The X-57 Maxwell airplane was designed with a small, high aspect ratio cruise wing that was designed for a high cruise lift coefficient (0.75) at angle of attack of 0deg. The cruise propulsors at the wingtip rotate counter to the wingtip vortex and reduce induced drag by 7.5 percent at an angle of attack of 0.6deg. The unblown maximum lift coefficient of the high-lift wing (with the 30deg flap setting) is 2.439. The stall speed goal performance metric was confirmed with a blown wing computed effective lift coefficient of 4.202. The lift augmentation from the high-lift, distributed electric propulsion system is 1.7. The predicted cruise wing drag coefficient of 0.02191 is 0.00076 above the drag allotted for the wing in the original estimate. However, the predicted drag overage for the wing would only use 10.1 percent of the original estimated drag margin, which is 0.00749.

Deere, Karen A.↗

A Study of Near to Far Fields of JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) Antennas for RFI Analysis

This paper addresses the issue of calculating the gain and power distribution of DSN antennas in the Fresnel (middle zone) and Fraunhofer (far zone) as a function of the distance from the DSN antenna and the off-boresight angle. Calculating the near and mid fields of DSN antennas are of interest in the receive mode where the transmitting signals from nearby flying objects such as helicopters and airplanes transmitting in the DSN frequency range, interfere with the operation of sensitive RF receiving system of the DSN antennas, and in the transmit mode where fields from high-powered DSN antennas interfere with receivers on nearby flying objects such as helicopters or other systems. Computing the exact fields of a large DSN antenna is, in general, a very complicated and arduous task. Even far-field calculations, which are less complicated compared to near and mid zone fields, take considerable computer time. These calculations become even more involved and time-consuming in very near field and back field regions. We provide two approaches for addressing the radio frequency interference (RFI) issue. In this paper, actual fields in mid and far zones are calculated using a relatively simple formulation that is accurate enough for the purposes of RFI analysis. In a future paper, we study and develop simple reference models that provide upper limit bounds or envelopes of the far field patterns as a function of the antenna diameter and frequency, which can be used for obtaining the field at any given point in space.

aperture antennas↗

Data system interprobability

Software was developed and tested which allows an end-user to build a book data object in an interactive fashion. The electronic book model was developed for the Library front-end of the DAVID (Distributed Access View Integrated Database) system. It is a complex data object which is capable of holding data of different types and formats. After the task, the plan was to assess the Book model and investigate the possibility of it serving as a knowledge base for a expert system front-end to the DAVID system. For the rest of the fellowship period, data system interoperability was examined. Specifically, a plan was prepared titled Implementations of the Land Analysis System (LAS) to Meet UNEP/GRID Requirements. This plan is aimed at reaching the goal of building one virtual global change information system which will link existing and future data systems allowing earth and space scientists to learn about, locate, access, and correlate data of interest regardless of its physical location. The plan proposed the construction of a master directory (MD) for the European data systems that is equivalent in structure to NASA's MD. The MD is to contain brief, high-level information about existing Earth and space science data sets sufficient for a user to know where data of interest reside and how to go about getting additional information. The plan also outlined the tasks that would be involved to electronically connect the MD system to the various discipline data systems (e.g., LAS) in order to achieve general interroperabilty, that is, the abilty to perform cross-systems searches and exchange of and access to distributed information.

Wakim, Nagi T.↗

Spatiotemporal Methane Emissions from Global Lakes and Reservoirs

Inland aquatic systems, such as lakes and reservoirs, contribute substantially to global methane (CH4) emissions; yet are among the most uncertain components of the total CH4 budget. Lakes and reservoirs have received recent attention as they may generate high CH4 fluxes. Improved quantification of these CH4 fluxes, particularly their spatiotemporal distribution, is key to realistically incorporating them in CH4 modeling and budget studies. Here we report on a new global, gridded (0.25° lat × 0.25° lon) study of lake and reservoir CH4 emissions, accounting for new knowledge regarding lake and reservoir areal extent and distribution, and spatiotemporal emission patterns influenced by diurnal variability, temperature-dependent seasonality, satellite-derived freeze-thaw dynamics, and eco-climatic and physical CH4-centric type classification. The results of this new data set comprise daily CH4 emissions from lake and reservoirs throughout the full annual cycle and are tightly anchored to field observations, in situ measurements, and remote-sensing observations. Results show that reservoirs cover 297 × 103 km2 globally and emit 10.1 Tg CH4 yr-1 from diffusive (1.2 Tg CH4 yr-1) and ebullitive (8.9 Tg CH4 yr-1) emission pathways. On a global scale, CH4 emitting areas of lakes cover 1853 × 103 km2 and emit 37.1 Tg CH4 yr-1 from diffusive (17.1 Tg CH4 yr-1) and ebullitive (23.0 Tg CH4 yr-1) emission pathways and an additional ebullition flux of 5.2 Tg CH4 yr-1 upon ice-melt due to the accumulation of bubbles during the freeze period. This analysis of lakes and reservoir CH4 emission addresses multiple gaps and uncertainties in previous studies and represents an important contribution to studies of the global CH4 budget. The new data sets and methodologies from this study provide a framework to better understand and model the current and future role of lakes and reservoirs in the global CH4 budget and to guide efforts to mitigate inland aquatic system CH4 emissions. This presentation will describe the methodologies applied and the major results of this study focusing on the spatiotemporal distribution of lake and reservoir type classification, processes driving lake and reservoir emission seasonality, and the contribution of individual lake and reservoir types to the annual cycle of inland aquatic CH4 emissions.

Spatiotemporal↗

DITDOS: A set of design specifications for distributed data inventories

The analysis of space science data often requires researchers to work with many different types of data. For instance, correlative analysis can require data from multiple instruments on a single spacecraft, multiple spacecraft, and ground-based data. Typically, data from each source are available in a different format and have been written on a different type of computer, and so much effort must be spent to read the data and convert it to the computer and format that the researchers use in their analysis. The large and ever-growing amount of data and the large investment by the scientific community in software that require a specific data format make using standard data formats impractical. A format-independent approach to accessing and analyzing disparate data is key to being able to deliver data to a diverse community in a timely fashion. The system in use at the Planetary Plasma Interactions (PPI) node of the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS) is based on the object-oriented Distributed Inventory Tracking and Data Ordering Specification (DITDOS), which describes data inventories in a storage independent way. The specifications have been designed to make it possible to build DITDOS compliant inventories that can exist on portable media such as CD-ROM's. The portable media can be moved within a system, or from system to system, and still be used without modification. Several applications have been developed to work with DITDOS compliant data holdings. One is a windows-based client/server application, which helps guide the user in the selection of data. A user can select a data base, then a data set, then a specific data file, and then either order the data and receive it immediately if it is online or request that it be brought online if it is not. A user can also view data by any of the supported methods. DITDOS makes it possible to use already existing applications for data-specific actions, and this is done whenever possible. Another application is a stand-alone tool to assist in the extraction of data from portable media, such as CD-ROM's. In addition to the applications, there is a set of libraries that can facilitate building new DITDOS compliant applications.

King, T. A.↗

International comparison of radiometers - Techniques and results.

Description of an international comparison of radiometers made on May 10 through 14, 1971, with 24 instruments, each one representing the calibration standard of a different country or a major laboratory. All were pyranometers, viewing the sun and sky, thus bypassing the conventional method of transferring the standard from Angstrom pyrheliometers. This is the first time that pyranometers from all around the globe have been brought together in order to verify the scale on which to report solar radiation data. A highly accurate data collection system measured simultaneously the output of each instrument and that of a reference standard at 20-sec intervals. Over 300,000 radiometric signals were recorded under varying atmospheric conditions, as well as data on turbidity, temperature, and other relevant parameters. Computer programs were developed for overnight analysis of the data and distribution to participants on the following day. Among major findings are that instruments of different types and independent calibration such as those of Eppley, U. S. A., World Radiation Center, Switzerland, and Melbourne, Australia, show better agreement than anticipated, that certain national standards have to be revised by as much as 16% and that the cosine factor is highly dependent on the type of instrument.

Thekaekara, M. P.↗

COMOC: Thermal analysis variant. User's manual

The Thermal Analysis Variant of the COMOC (computational continuum mechanics) computer system solves problems involving transient heat conduction and convection in stationary continua spanning arbitrarily irregular two-dimensional and axisymmetric solution domains. COMOC is based upon a finite element solution algorithm for the energy equation, and solves for the transient nodal temperature distribution using a highly stable and automatic explicit integration procedure. COMOC is extensively user-oriented, requires minimal input, and no a priori knowledge concerning the stability character of the differential equation system. It can readily output computed data in user-specified format fields, that geometrically resemble the solution domain discretization (for rapid engineering evaluation). Complete information is provided for applying COMOC to a specific problem.

Bauer, A. M.↗

Correlation studies on surface particle detection methods

The accurate determination of dust levels on optical surfaces is necessary to assess sensor system performance. A comparison study was made on several particle measurement methods including those based on direct imaging and light scattering. The effectiveness of removing the particles from the surface prior to determining particle size distributions was also assessed. These studies revealed that some methods, especially those requiring particle removal before analysis, are subject to large systematic errors affecting particle size distributions. Thus, an understanding of the particle measurement methods employed is necessary before any surface cleanliness or obstruction value assignments are accepted as true representations of an optical surface contamination condition.

Peterson, Ronald V.↗

Enhanced resolution particle size distributions by multiple angle photon correlation spectroscopy

Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) has become a method of choice for measuring submicrometer particles. It is capable of rapid, accurate measurements of mean particle size. Since the measurements are nonperturbing, it is ideal for monitoring systems undergoing dynamic changes. Despite its widespread acceptance, the information content of PCS measurements for particle size distributions is low and provides limited resolution. A method is presented whereby PCS measurements made at several scattering angles plus the angular distribution of light scattered from the particles are combined in a single simultaneous analysis to effect an enhanced resolution particle size distribution. The efficacy of the method is assessed by recovering size distributions from computer simulated data and by comparisons of conventional PCS measurements of polystyrene spheres with those made by the new method.

Bott, Steven E.↗

Autonomous power expert fault diagnostic system for Space Station Freedom electrical power system testbed

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (SSF/EPS) testbed being developed and demonstrated at NASA Lewis Research Center. The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence technology paths, to craft knowledge-based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces for power systems, and to interface and integrate knowledge-based systems with conventional controllers. The Autonomous Power EXpert (APEX) portion of the APS program will integrate a knowledge-based fault diagnostic system and a power resource planner-scheduler. Then APEX will interface on-line with the SSF/EPS testbed and its Power Management Controller (PMC). The key tasks include establishing knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation analysis, on-line information accessing through PMC, enhanced data management, and multiple-level, object-oriented operator displays. The first prototype of the diagnostic expert system for fault detection and isolation has been developed. The knowledge bases and the rule-based model that were developed for the Power Distribution Control Unit subsystem of the SSF/EPS testbed are described. A corresponding troubleshooting technique is also described.

Truong, Long V.↗

The Interstellar Gas Experiment (IGE)

The Interstellar Gas Experiment (IGE) exposed thin metallic foils in order to collect neutral particles from the interstellar gas. These particles were entrapped in the foils along with precipitating magnetospheric and ambient atmospheric particles. Seven of these foils collected particles arriving from seven different directions as seen from the spacecraft for the entire duration of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) mission. The authors' mass spectroscopy analysis of the noble gas component of these interstellar particles detected isotopes of helium and neon. These preliminary measurements suggest that the various isotopes are occurring in approximately the expected amounts and that their distribution in direction of arrival is close to what models predict. The analysis to subtract the background fluxes of magnetospheric and atmospheric particles is still in progress. The hope of this experiment is to investigate the noble gas isotopic ratios of this interstellar sample of matter which originated outside the solar system.

Lind, Don↗

Aeroacoustic diffraction and dissipation by a short propeller cowl in subsonic flight

This report develops and applies an aeroacoustic diffraction theory for a duct, or cowl, placed around modelled sources of propeller noise. The regime of flight speed is high subsonic. The modelled cowl's inner wall contains a liner with axially variable properties. Its exterior is rigid. The analysis replaces both sides with an unsteady lifting surface coupled to a dynamic thickness problem. The resulting pair of aeroacoustic governing equations for a lined 'ring wing' is valid both for a passive and for an active liner. Their numerical solution yields the effective dipole and monopole distributions of the shrouding system and thereby determines the cowl-diffracted component of the total radiated field. The sample calculations here include a preliminary parametric search for that liner layout which maximizes the cowl's shielding effectiveness. The main conclusion of the study is that a short cowl, passively lined, should provide moderate reductions in propeller noise.

Martinez, Rudolph↗

Exact element modal analysis of beam/oscillator systems

Exact modal analysis of a beam/many-oscillator system is presented. Each oscillator consists of a discrete mass having rotational inertia, and two locally-dependent springs: one being rotational and the other, translational. A constant longitudinal force is applied to the mass, and its effect is coupled with the dynamic modes. The beam's distributed mass and other material properties, and its geometric properties, do not vary within spans bounded by the oscillators, but may vary from span to span. The classical separation-of-variables technique is used to obtain a dosedform description of the dynamic matrix, and the modal frequencies are determined as the zeros of this determinant.

Broome, Taft H., Jr.↗

Network Connectivity for Permanent, Transient, Independent, and Correlated Faults

This paper develops a method for the quantitative analysis of network connectivity in the presence of both permanent and transient faults. Even though transient noise is considered a common occurrence in networks, a survey of the literature reveals an emphasis on permanent faults. Transient faults introduce a time element into the analysis of network reliability. With permanent faults it is sufficient to consider the faults that have accumulated by the end of the operating period. With transient faults the arrival and recovery time must be included. The number and location of faults in the system is a dynamic variable. Transient faults also introduce system recovery into the analysis. The goal is the quantitative assessment of network connectivity in the presence of both permanent and transient faults. The approach is to construct a global model that includes all classes of faults: permanent, transient, independent, and correlated. A theorem is derived about this model that give distributions for (1) the number of fault occurrences, (2) the type of fault occurrence, (3) the time of the fault occurrences, and (4) the location of the fault occurrence. These results are applied to compare and contrast the connectivity of different network architectures in the presence of permanent, transient, independent, and correlated faults. The examples below use a Monte Carlo simulation, but the theorem mentioned above could be used to guide fault-injections in a laboratory.

White, Allan L.↗