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NASA NTRS2014

Improving Sensorimotor Adaptation Following Long Duration Space Flight by Enhancing Vestibular Information Transfer

Crewmember adapted to the microgravity state may need to egress the vehicle within a few minutes for safety and operational reasons after gravitational transitions. The transition from one sensorimotor state to another consists of two main mechanisms: strategic and plastic-adaptive and have been demonstrated in astronauts returning after long duration space flight. Strategic modifications represent "early adaptation" - immediate and transitory changes in control that are employed to deal with short-term changes in the environment. If these modifications are prolonged then plastic-adaptive changes are evoked that modify central nervous system function, automating new behavioral responses. More importantly, this longer term adaptive recovery mechanism was significantly associated with their strategic ability to recover on the first day after return to Earth G. We are developing a method based on stochastic resonance to enhance information transfer by improving the brain's ability to detect vestibular signals (Vestibular Stochastic Resonance, VSR) especially when combined with balance training exercises such as sensorimotor adaptability (SA) training for rapid improvement in functional skill, for standing and mobility. This countermeasure to improve detection of vestibular signals is a stimulus delivery system that is wearable/portable providing low imperceptible levels of white noise based binaural bipolar electrical stimulation of the vestibular system (stochastic vestibular stimulation). To determine efficacy of vestibular stimulation on physiological and perceptual responses during otolith-canal conflicts and dynamic perturbations we have conducted a series of studies: We have shown that imperceptible binaural bipolar electrical stimulation of the vestibular system across the mastoids enhances balance performance in the mediolateral (ML) plane while standing on an unstable surface. We have followed up on the previous study showing VSR stimulation improved balance performance in both ML and anteroposterior planes while stimulating in the ML axis only. We have shown the efficacy of VSR stimulations on enhancing physiological and perceptual responses of whole-body orientation during low frequency perturbations (0.1 Hz) on the ocular motor system using a variable radius centrifuge on both physiological (using eye movements) and perceptual responses (using a joystick) to track imposed oscillations. The variable radius centrifuge provides a selective tilting sensation that is detectable only by the otolith organs providing conflicting information from the canal organs of the vestibular system (intra-vestibular conflict). These results indicate that VSR can improve performance in sensory conflict scenarios like that experienced during space flight. We have showed the efficacy of VSR stimulation to improve balance and locomotor control on subjects exposed to continuous, sinusoidal lateral motion of the support surface while walking on a treadmill while viewing perceptually matched linear optic flow. We have shown the safety of short term continuous use of up to 4 hours of VSR stimulation and its efficacy in improving balance and locomotor function in Parkinson's Disease patients. This technique for improving vestibular signal detection may thus provide additional information to improve strategic abilities. We hypothesize that VSR stimulation will act synergistically with SA training to improve adaptability by increased utilization of vestibular information and therefore serve to optimize and personalize the SA countermeasure prescription. This forms the basis of its usefulness both as a training modality and further help in significantly reducing the number of days required to recover functional performance to preflight levels after long duration space flight.

Mulavara, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Assessing the Impact of Vertical Land Motion on Twentieth Century Global Mean Sea Level Estimates

Near-global and continuous measurements from satellite altimetry have provided accurate estimates of global mean sea level in the past two decades. Extending these estimates further into the past is a challenge using the historical tide gauge records. Not only is sampling nonuniform in both space and time, but tide gauges are also affected by vertical land motion (VLM) that creates a relative sea level change not representative of ocean variability. To allow for comparisons to the satellite altimetry estimated global mean sea level (GMSL), typically the tide gauges are corrected using glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models. This approach, however, does not correct other sources of VLM that remain in the tide gauge record. Here we compare Global Positioning System (GPS) VLM estimates at the tide gauge locations to VLM estimates from GIA models, and assess the influence of non-GIA-related VLM on GMSL estimates. We find that the tide gauges, on average, are experiencing positive VLM (i.e., uplift) after removing the known effect of GIA, resulting in an increase of 0.2460.08 mm yr21 in GMSL trend estimates from 1900 to present when using GPS-based corrections. While this result is likely dependent on the subset of tide gauges used and the actual corrections used, it does suggest that non-GIA VLM plays a significant role in twentieth century estimates of GMSL. Given the relatively short GPS records used to obtain these VLM estimates, we also estimate the uncertainty in the GMSL trend that results from limited knowledge of non-GIA-related VLM.

Hamlington, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Comparison of CFD and DSMC Using Calibrated Transport Parameters

Hypersonic re-entry flows span a wide range of length scales where regions of both rarefied and continuum flow exist. Traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques do not provide an accurate solution for the rarefied regions of such ‘mixed’ flow fields. Although direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) can be used to accurately capture both the continuum and rarefied features of ‘mixed’ flow fields, they are computationally expensive when employed to simulate the low Knudsen number continuum regimes. Thus, a hybrid framework for seamlessly combining the two methodologies, CFD and DSMC, continues to be a topic of significant research effort. Ensuring consistency in the reaction kinetics and transport models employed within CFD and DSMC is a crucial requirement for obtaining a reliable solution from a hybrid framework for combined continuum/rarefied high speed flows. This paper represents one of the first studies to utilize the calibrated transport parameters developed to ensure consistency between CFD and DSMC solvers. The new variable soft sphere (VSS) parameters are compared to both previous “standard” variable hard sphere (VHS) parameters and also to solutions from the CFD transport properties that the new parameters were developed to reproduce.

Liechty, D. S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advanced Weather Hazard Perception Capabilities for Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Wildland Fire Operations

Weather, specifically winds, are the most variable and least predictable of the weather-related elements that affect wildfire behavior.1 This leads to aviation operations which must deal with increased risks due to dynamic weather factors. Remotely piloted aircraft provide the opportunity to remove human loss of life from these risk consequences and mitigate the overall risks for air operations for fire suppression and dropping of retardant. UAS also allows the opportunity to continue fire suppression with nighttime operations. However, with the use of new technologies in aviation operations comes additional risk factors and the need for remote sensing capabilities to identify and permit navigation around extreme weather conditions, with turbulence being the most unforeseeable. This paper presents advanced concepts for weather hazard perception capabilities for remote pilot operators to include data and display techniques intended for dynamic environments and low altitude operations. This work can support the potential of weather sensing capabilities to create hazard maps to track high-risk weather patterns in mountainous regions. Advanced sensing may provide opportunity to locate extreme turbulence hazards for uninhabited aerial systems (UAS) and decrease the likelihood of flying into unknown weather conditions to enable safe operations to assist in wildfire air support.

Tyler L Willhite↗

NASA NTRS1991

Examination of time-variable input effects in a nonlinear analogue magnetosphere model

The plasma physical analog model (an extension of the damped, harmonic-oscillator dripping faucet model) is employed to consider explicitly the effect of time-varying the inputs. This work is equivalent to considering the effects of northward and southward turnings of the interplanetary magnetic field for various periods of time. It is found that relatively extended episodes (not less than 2 hours) of turned-on input with shorter (about 1 hour) periods of turned-off input lead to model behavior much like the continuously driven case. Going to short input intervals with longer periods of zero input leads to highly irregular and dramatically fluctuating episodes of magnetotail unloading. These results give an insight into the diversity of apparent magnetospheric responses during relatively isolated substorm conditions. This work shows the absolutely critical interdependence (in a nonlinear dynamical system) of input phasing and internal magnetospheric response cycles.

Baker, D. N.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Design and Testing of a Dynamically-Tuned Magnetostrictive Spring with Electrically-Controlled Stiffness

This paper details the development of an electrically-controlled, variable-stiffness spring based on magnetostrictive materials. The device, termed a magnetostrictive Varispring, can be applied as a semi-active vibration isolator or switched stiffness vibration controller for reducing transmitted vibrations. The Varispring is designed using 1D linear models that consider the coupled electrical response, mechanically-induced magnetic diffusion, and the effect of internal mass on dynamic stiffness. Modeling results illustrate that a Terfenol-D-based Varispring has a rise time almost an order of magnitude smaller and a magnetic diffusion cut-off frequency over two orders of magnitude greater than a Galfenol-based Varispring. The results motivate the use of laminated Terfenol-D rods for a greater stiffness tuning range and increased bandwidth. The behavior of a prototype Varispring is examined under vibratory excitation up to 6 MPa and 25 Hz using a dynamic load frame. For this prototype, stiffness is indirectly varied by controlling the excitation current. Preliminary measurements of continuous stiffness tuning via sinusoidal currents up to 1 kHz are presented. The measurements demonstrate that the Young's modulus of the Terfenol-D rod inside the Varispring can be continuously varied by up to 21.9 GPa. The observed stiffness tuning range is relatively constant up to 500 Hz, but significantly decreases thereafter. The stiffness tuning range can be greatly increased by improving the current and force control such that a more consistent current can be applied and the Varispring can be accurately tested at a more optimal bias stress.

Vibration control↗

NASA NTRS1976

Disjoint design spaces in the optimization of harmonically excited structures

The paper deals with a method of optimizing harmonically or dynamically excited structures which removes the frequency constraint (that specifies that the structure's first natural frequency of vibration must be greater than the excitation frequency), replaces the displacement constraint by an inequality constraint on the allowable stress and applies finite element approximations to the continuous one-dimensional structures. When the problem is posed in this manner, the feasible design space is disconnected or 'disjoint'. An attempt is made to explain this disjointness by studying the optimal design of a thin-walled cantilevered rod subjected to steady, simple harmonic torsional excitation. The finite element method is applied to the optimization of a harmonically excited structure with an arbitrary number of design variables, with the disjointness of the design space, a complicating factor.

Johnson, E. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

An initial investigation into methods of computing transonic aerodynamic sensitivity coefficients

Continuing studies associated with the development of the quasi-analytical (QA) sensitivity method for three dimensional transonic flow about wings are presented. Furthermore, initial results using the quasi-analytical approach were obtained and compared to those computed using the finite difference (FD) approach. The basic goals achieved were: (1) carrying out various debugging operations pertaining to the quasi-analytical method; (2) addition of section design variables to the sensitivity equation in the form of multiple right hand sides; (3) reconfiguring the analysis/sensitivity package in order to facilitate the execution of analysis/FD/QA test cases; and (4) enhancing the display of output data to allow careful examination of the results and to permit various comparisons of sensitivity derivatives obtained using the FC/QA methods to be conducted easily and quickly. In addition to discussing the above goals, the results of executing subcritical and supercritical test cases are presented.

Carlson, Leland A.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Large eddy simulations of compressible turbulent flows

An evaluation of existing models for Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of incompressible turbulent flows has been completed. LES is a computation in which the large, energy-carrying structures to momentum and energy transfer is computed exactly, and only the effect of the smallest scales of turbulence is modeled. That is, the large eddies are computed and the smaller eddies are modeled. The dynamics of the largest eddies are believed to account for most of sound generation and transport properties in a turbulent flow. LES analysis is based on an observation that pressure, velocity, temperature, and other variables are the sum of their large-scale and small-scale parts. For instance, u(i) (velocity) can be written as the sum of bar-u(i) and u(i)-prime, where bar-u(i) is the large-scale and u(i)-prime is the subgrid-scale (SGS). The governing equations for large eddies in compressible flows are obtained after filtering the continuity, momentum, and energy equations, and recasting in terms of Favre averages. The filtering operation maintains only large scales. The effects of the small-scales are present in the governing equations through the SGS stress tensor tau(ij) and SGS heat flux q(i). The mathematical formulation of the Favre-averaged equations of motion for LES is complete.

Porter-Locklear, Freda↗

NASA NTRS2015

Effects of Reduced Strength on Self-Selected Pacing for Long-Duration Activities

Strength and aerobic capacity are predictors of astronaut performance for extravehicular activities (EVA) during exploration missions. It is expected that astronauts will self‐select a pace below their ventilatory threshold (VT). PURPOSE: To determine the percentage of VT that subjects self‐select for prolonged occupational tasks. METHODS: Maximal aerobic capacity and a variety of lower‐body strength and power variables were assessed in 17 subjects who climbed 480 rungs on a ladder ergometer and then completed 10 km on a treadmill as quickly as possible using a self‐selected pace. The tasks were performed on 4 days, with a weighted suit providing 0% (suit fabric only), 40%, 60%, and 80% of additional bodyweight (BW), thereby altering the strength to BW ratio. Oxygen consumption and heart rate were continuously measured. Repeated measures ANOVA and post‐hoc comparisons were performed on the percent of VT values under each suited condition. RESULTS: Subjects consistently self‐paced at or below VT for both tasks and the pace was related to suit weight. At the midpoint for the ladder climb the 80% BW condition elicited the lowest metabolic cost (‐19+/-14% below VT), significantly different than the 0% BW (‐3+/-16%, P=0.002) and the 40% BW conditions (‐5+/-22%, P=0.023). The 60% BW condition (‐13+/-19%) was different than the 40% BW condition (P=0.034). Upon completion of the ladder task there were no differences among the conditions (0%BW: 3+/-18%; 40%BW: 3+/-21%; 60%BW: ‐ 8+/-25%; 80%BW: ‐10+/-18%). All subjects failed to complete 5km at 80%BW. At the midpoint of the treadmill test the three remaining conditions were all significantly different (0%BW: ‐20+/-15%; 40%BW: ‐ 33+/-15%; 60%BW: ‐41+/-19%). Upon completion of the treadmill test the 60% BW condition (‐38+/-12%) was significantly different than the 40% BW (‐28+/-15%, P=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing relative strength results in progressive and disproportionate decreases (relative to VT) in self‐selected pacing during long‐duration activities. Thus, during prolonged, endurance‐type activities, large reductions in strength cause notable performance decrements despite no changes in aerobic capacity. These data highlight the importance of both aerobic capacity and muscle strength to the performance of prolonged EVA in exploration mission scenarios.

Buxton, Roxanne E.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Urbanization Causes Increased Cloud Base Height and Decreased Fog in Coastal Southern California

Subtropical marine stratus clouds regulate coastal and global climate, but future trends in these clouds are uncertain. In coastal Southern California (CSCA), interannual variations in summer stratus cloud occurrence are spatially coherent across 24 airfields and dictated by positive relationships with stability above the marine boundary layer (MBL) and MBL height. Trends, however, have been spatially variable since records began in the mid-1900s due to differences in nighttime warming. Among CSCA airfields, differences in nighttime warming, but not daytime warming, are strongly and positively related to fraction of nearby urban cover, consistent with an urban heat island effect. Nighttime warming raises the near-surface dew point depression, which lifts the altitude of condensation and cloud base height, thereby reducing fog frequency. Continued urban warming, rising cloud base heights, and associated effects on energy and water balance would profoundly impact ecological and human systems in highly populated and ecologically diverse CSCA.

coasts↗

NASA NTRS1974

A smoothing algorithm using cubic spline functions

Two algorithms are presented for smoothing arbitrary sets of data. They are the explicit variable algorithm and the parametric variable algorithm. The former would be used where large gradients are not encountered because of the smaller amount of calculation required. The latter would be used if the data being smoothed were double valued or experienced large gradients. Both algorithms use a least-squares technique to obtain a cubic spline fit to the data. The advantage of the spline fit is that the first and second derivatives are continuous. This method is best used in an interactive graphics environment so that the junction values for the spline curve can be manipulated to improve the fit.

Smith, R. E., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The effects of voice and manual control mode on dual task performance

Two fundamental principles of human performance, compatibility and resource competition, are combined with two structural dichotomies in the human information processing system, manual versus voice output, and left versus right cerebral hemisphere, in order to predict the optimum combination of voice and manual control with either hand, for time-sharing performance of a dicrete and continuous task. Eight right handed male subjected performed a discrete first-order tracking task, time-shared with an auditorily presented Sternberg Memory Search Task. Each task could be controlled by voice, or by the left or right hand, in all possible combinations except for a dual voice mode. When performance was analyzed in terms of a dual-task decrement from single task control conditions, the following variables influenced time-sharing efficiency in diminishing order of magnitude, (1) the modality of control, (discrete manual control of tracking was superior to discrete voice control of tracking and the converse was true with the memory search task), (2) response competition, (performance was degraded when both tasks were responded manually), (3) hemispheric competition, (performance degraded whenever two tasks were controlled by the left hemisphere) (i.e., voice or right handed control). The results confirm the value of predictive models invoice control implementation.

Wickens, C. D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Navier-Stokes relaxation to sinh-Poisson states at finite Reynolds numbers

A mathematical framework is proposed in which it seems possible to justify the computationally-observed relaxation of a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes fluid to a 'most probable', or maximum entropy, state. The relaxation occurs at large but finite Reynolds numbers, and involves substantial decay of higher-order ideal invariants such as enstrophy. A two-fluid formulation, involving interpenetrating positive and negative vorticity fluxes (continuous and square integrable) is developed, and is shown to be intimately related to the passive scalar decay problem. Increasing interpenetration of the two fluids corresponds to the decay of vorticity flux due to viscosity. It is demonstrated numerically that, in two dimensions, passive scalars decay rapidly, relative to mean-square vorticity (enstrophy). This observation provides a basis for assigning initial data to the two-fluid field variables.

Montgomery, David↗

NASA NTRS1994

Prediction of Undsteady Flows in Turbomachinery Using the Linearized Euler Equations on Deforming Grids

A linearized Euler solver for calculating unsteady flows in turbomachinery blade rows due to both incident gusts and blade motion is presented. The model accounts for blade loading, blade geometry, shock motion, and wake motion. Assuming that the unsteadiness in the flow is small relative to the nonlinear mean solution, the unsteady Euler equations can be linearized about the mean flow. This yields a set of linear variable coefficient equations that describe the small amplitude harmonic motion of the fluid. These linear equations are then discretized on a computational grid and solved using standard numerical techniques. For transonic flows, however, one must use a linear discretization which is a conservative linearization of the non-linear discretized Euler equations to ensure that shock impulse loads are accurately captured. Other important features of this analysis include a continuously deforming grid which eliminates extrapolation errors and hence, increases accuracy, and a new numerically exact, nonreflecting far-field boundary condition treatment based on an eigenanalysis of the discretized equations. Computational results are presented which demonstrate the computational accuracy and efficiency of the method and demonstrate the effectiveness of the deforming grid, far-field nonreflecting boundary conditions, and shock capturing techniques. A comparison of the present unsteady flow predictions to other numerical, semi-analytical, and experimental methods shows excellent agreement. In addition, the linearized Euler method presented requires one or two orders-of-magnitude less computational time than traditional time marching techniques making the present method a viable design tool for aeroelastic analyses.

Clark, William S.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Millisecond X-ray Pulses from Cygnus X-1

X-ray pulses with millisecond-long FWHM have been detected in RXTE (Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer) satellite observations of Cyg X-1. Their identity as short- timescale variations in the X-ray luminosity of the source, and not stochastic variability in the X-ray flux, is established by their simultaneous occurrence and similar pulse structure in two independent energy bandpasses. The light-time distance corresponding to the timescale of their FWHM indicates that they originate in the inner region of the accretion disk around the system's black hole component. The fluence in the pulses can equal or exceed the fluence of the system's average continuous flux over the duration of the pulse's FWHM in several different bandpasses between 1 and 73 keV. Millisecond pulses are detected during both high and low luminosity states of Cyg X-1, and during transitions between luminosity states.

Dolan, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Sea Ice Floe Distribution in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas Measured by ERS-1 SAR

This study examines the spatial and temporal character of sea ice floe size distribution during summer melt, important variables for understanding the summer heat and mass budgets and the distribution of heat between the vertical and horizontal ice melt. Preliminary results are presented that indicate the gradual decrease in medium size floes (1-5 km diameters) and a fairly steady maintenance of floes smaller than 1 km in diameter over the primary summer months within the central pack ice region. The latter result indicates that smaller floes continue to melt or decay rather than accumulate, indicating the importance of dynamics in affecting ice melt.

sea ice floes SAR imagery Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea↗

NASA NTRS2019

Alternative Vegetation States in Tropical Forests and Savannas: The Search for Consistent Signals in Diverse Remote Sensing Data

Globally, the spatial distribution of vegetation is governed primarily by climatological factors (rainfall and temperature, seasonality, and inter-annual variability). The local distribution of vegetation, however, depends on local edaphic conditions (soils and topography) and disturbances (fire, herbivory, and anthropogenic activities). Abrupt spatial or temporal changes in vegetation distribution can occur if there are positive (i.e., amplifying) feedbacks favoring certain vegetation states under otherwise similar climatic and edaphic conditions. Previous studies in the tropical savannas of Africa and other continents using the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation continuous fields (VCF) satellite data product have focused on discontinuities in the distribution of tree cover at different rainfall levels, with bimodal distributions (e.g., concentrations of high and low tree cover) interpreted as alternative vegetation states. Such observed bimodalities over large spatial extents may not be evidence for alternate states, as they may include regions that have different edaphic conditions and disturbance histories. In this study, we conduct a systematic multi-scale analysis of diverse MODIS data streams to quantify the presence and spatial consistency of alternative vegetation states in Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis is based on the premise that major discontinuities in vegetation structure should also manifest as consistent spatial patterns in a range of remote sensing data streams, including, for example, albedo and land surface temperature (LST). Our results confirm previous observations of bimodal and multimodal distributions of estimated tree cover in the MODIS VCF. However, strong disagreements in the location of multimodality between VCF and other data streams were observed at 1 km scale. Results suggest that the observed distribution of VCF over vast spatial extents are multimodal, not because of local-scale feedbacks and emergent bifurcations (the definition of alternative states), but likely because of other factors including regional scale differences in woody dynamics associated with edaphic, disturbance, and/or anthropogenic processes. These results suggest the need for more in-depth consideration of bifurcation mechanisms and thus the likely spatial and temporal scales at which alternative states driven by different positive feedback processes should manifest.

Savanna↗