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At least 1,315 records · Page 73
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

A single-channel model does not predict visibility of asynchronous gratings

A single channel model is shown to lack the capability to predict the visibility of asynchronous compound gratings. A constant Beta was assumed, based on Monte-Carlo simulations, and used to show that an SE of 6.73 (Limb, 1981) lies outside of an acceptable confidence interval. Potential imbalances between two eyes cannot be as large as 1.5 dB, which can only affect one eye, or one region of a retina. An average unbalance of 0.53 dB (SE = 0.12) employed in experiments to measure thresholds was compensated for by estimated threshold reductions. Trial-to-trial variability was included in the single channel model, as were considerations of retinal inhomogeneity. Temporal sensitivity for 2 and 4 c/deg grating patches were measured, and the amplitude response of a single channel at the two spatial frequencies was obtained. Threshold reductions with a Beta of 3.1 are then determined to not be significant enough to warrant adoption of the single channel model predictions.

Watson, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Crack tip deformation and fatigue crack growth

Recent research on fatigue crack growth is summarized. Topics discussed include the use of the differential stress intensity factor to characterize crack tip deformation, the use of the unzipping model to study the growth of microcracks and the fatigue crack growth in a ferritic-martensitic steel, and the development of a model of fatige crack growth threshold. It is shown that in the case of small yielding, the differential stress intensity factor provides an adequate description of cyclic plastic deformation at the crack tip and correlates well with the crack growth rate. The unzipping model based on crack tip shear decohesion process is found to be in good agreement with the measured crack growth and striation spacing measurements. The proposed model of crack growth threshold gives correct predictions of the crack growth behavior in the near-threshold region.

Liu, H.-W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Models of climate cycles recorded in Martian polar layered deposits

Mars polar deposit accumulation models are used to predict the sequences of layer thicknesses. Continuous deposition and climate-modulated deposition models are compared, and two physical models of the latter type are developed in detail. In addition to examining the sensitivity of the sequence of layer thicknesses to model type and threshold, parallels with terrestrial ocean margin deposition are drawn with a view to better understanding the effects of a prolonged interval of nondeposition on stratigraphy and the modification of the central polar stratigraphy by scarp margin effects. When the threshold for deposition lies in the midrange with respect to excursions of the climate function, deposition occurs about half of the time, and there is only a slight modulation of the layer thickness. When the threshold for deposition is high, deposition occurs only a small fraction of the total time, and groups of layers form which are separated from other groups by long periods of nondeposition.

Cutts, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Study of communications data compression methods

A simple monochrome conditional replenishment system was extended to higher compression and to higher motion levels, by incorporating spatially adaptive quantizers and field repeating. Conditional replenishment combines intraframe and interframe compression, and both areas are investigated. The gain of conditional replenishment depends on the fraction of the image changing, since only changed parts of the image need to be transmitted. If the transmission rate is set so that only one fourth of the image can be transmitted in each field, greater change fractions will overload the system. A computer simulation was prepared which incorporated (1) field repeat of changes, (2) a variable change threshold, (3) frame repeat for high change, and (4) two mode, variable rate Hadamard intraframe quantizers. The field repeat gives 2:1 compression in moving areas without noticeable degradation. Variable change threshold allows some flexibility in dealing with varying change rates, but the threshold variation must be limited for acceptable performance.

Jones, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Capacity and cutoff rate of (M+1)-ary decision rules for noisy M-ary optical PPM channel

The channel capacity C and the cutoff rate R sub o of two (M + 1)-ary decision rules for noisy M slots/symbol optical pulse position modulation (PPM) with ideal photon counting are computed and compared. Also the values of the optimum thresholds needed to minimize the signal requirements are given. With a minor increase in hardware complexity, the symbol by symbol threshold decision rule is shown to be superior to the slot by slot threshold detection and decision rule in two aspects: first, it saves more than 0.5 dB in signal energy for the very noisy cases of more than one noise photon per slot (for low noise cases it also saves signal energy, but a negligibly small amount). Second, it is more robust to variations in the noise level.

Lee, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Dissociative recombination of O2(+), NO(+) and N2(+)

A new L(2) approach for the calculation of the threshold molecular capture width needed for the determination of DR cross sections was developed. The widths are calculated with Fermi's golden rule by substituting Rydberg orbitals for the free electron continuum coulomb orbital. It is shown that the calculated width converges exponentially as the effective principal quantum number of the Rydberg orbital increases. The threshold capture width is then easily obtained. Since atmospheric recombination involves very low energy electrons, the threshold capture widths are essential to the calculation of DR cross sections for the atmospheric species studied here. The approach described makes use of bound state computer codes already in use. A program that collects width matrix elements over CI wavefunctions for the initial and final states is described.

Guberman, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Physiological and behavioral effects of tilt-induced body fluid shifts

This paper addresses the 'fluid shift theory' of space motion sickness. The primary purpose of the research was the development of procedures to assess individual differences in response to rostral body fluid shifts on earth. Experiment I examined inner ear fluid pressure changes during head-down tilt in intact human beings. Tilt produced reliable changes. Differences among subjects and between ears within the same subject were observed. Experiment II examined auditory threshold changes during tilt. Tilt elicited increased auditory thresholds, suggesting that sensory depression may result from increased inner ear fluid pressure. Additional observations on rotation magnitude estimation during head-down tilt, which indicate that rostral fluid shifts may depress semicircular canal activity, are briefly described. The results of this research suggest that the inner ear pressure and auditory threshold shift procedures could be used to assess individual differences among astronauts prior to space flight. Results from the terrestrial observations could be related to reported incidence/severity of motion sickness in space and used to evaluate the fluid shift theory of space motion sickness.

Parker, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Effects of different rub models on simulated rotor dynamics

Using a direct integration, transient response rotor dynamics computer code, the response of turbine engine rotors to two different blade tip - seal interference rub models was studied. The first model, an abradable seal rub model, is based on an energy-loss-per-unit-volume theory (applicable to a ceramic turbine blade tip seal). The second, a smearin model, is based on viscous hydrodynamic theory (applicable to a metallic blade tip seal). The results from these two models were compared with those from a previously studied model based on dry friction theory. The abradable model was very senitive to small changes in the energy per unit volume, and once a threshold was exceeded, the rotor went into a backward whirl. The amplitude seemed to grow without limit. This was similar to the dry friction model when the coefficient of friction exceeded a particular threshold. The smearing model was not as sensitive to small changes in the viscosity, but a threshold viscosity was found. When it was exceeded, the rotor went into backward whirl, but the amplitude seemed to grow to a finite limit.

Kascak, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Pair production in superstrong magnetic fields

The production of electron-positron pairs by single photons in magnetic fields of not less than about 10 to the 12th gauss has been investigated in detail for photon energy. The exact attenuation coefficient, which is derived and then evaluated numerically, is strongly influenced by the discrete energy states of the electron and positron. Near threshold, it exhibits a 'sawtooth' pattern as a function of photon energy and its value is significantly below that predicted by the asymptotic expression for the attenuation coefficient. The energy distributions of the created pair are computed numerically near threshold, and analytic expressions are derived in the asymptotic limit. These results indicate that as field strength and photon energy increase, it becomes increasingly probable for the pair to divide strength energy unequally. This effect, as well as the threshold behavior of the attenuation coefficient, could have important consequences to pulsar models.

Daugherty, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The direct effects of strain on burning rates of composite solid propellants

A mathematical model is developed to predict burn rate augmentation due to strain in a composite solid propellant. The model assumes the effect is due to the ability of the flame to penetrate the small fissures and voids that form when a propellant is strained. The number and size of these fissures is obtained by applying a flaw propagation analysis to randomly distributed flaws that form when the binder-oxidizer particle bonds break under stress. A flame height is calculated with Summerfield's burn rate equation and is used to compute the burn rate augmentation based upon the additional burn area created when the flame penetrates the fissures. Comparisons are made with data obtained from published sources. The existence of threshold pressure and strains, above which augmentation occurs, is verified although the model predicts a lower threshold pressure and higher threshold strain than expected. Further results and applications of the model are discussed.

Langhenry, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A high-speed implementation of the random decrement algorithm

The algorithm is useful for measuring net system damping levels in stochastic processes and for the development of equivalent linearized system response models. The algorithm works by summing together all subrecords which occur after predefined threshold level is crossed. The random decrement signature is normally developed by scanning stored data and adding subrecords together. The high speed implementation of the random decrement algorithm exploits the digital character of sampled data and uses fixed record lengths of 2(n) samples to greatly speed up the process. The contributions to the random decrement signature of each data point was calculated only once and in the same sequence as the data were taken. A hardware implementation of the algorithm using random logic is diagrammed and the process is shown to be limited only by the record size and the threshold crossing frequency of the sampled data. With a hardware cycle time of 200 ns and 1024 point signature, a threshold crossing frequency of 5000 Hertz can be processed and a stably averaged signature presented in real time.

Kiraly, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cosmic ray simulation and testing program

Single event upset (SEU) and latchup vulnerabilities were determined for a number of parts of interest to NASA space programs. In cases where a threshold linear energy transfer (LET) for SEU could be measured, an upset rate in a low inclination Space Shuttle orbit was computed. The predicted upset rates are extremely low, except for the devices with LET thresholds below the geomagnetic cutoff for altitude and inclination of the Space Shuttle orbit. While some of the devices do exhibit latchup, the cross sections and threshold LETs are such that the risk associated with flying these devices in low, near equatorial orbits is small if not negligible.

Kolasinski, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Remarks on rotor stability (A contribution to discussion during symposium on instability in rotating machinery)

Influence of nonlinear factors in fluid lubricated bearings on rotor vibrations is discussed as are computation of threshold of stability for systems with multiple degrees of freedom. The reason for this investigation was to learn more about the influence of tilting pad bearings on vertical rotors. The eigenvalues, the stability threshold, the response on the Heaviside-function and the unbalance response were calculated for a rigid rotor, a Jeffcott rotor and for the finite element model of a real rotor. The comparison of the linear and nonlinear calculations shows the limit of the linear calculations. The computation is supposed to show, that the model of the Jeffcott rotor is not sufficient in most practical cases to determine the stability threshold. This was known for some years, when computed results were compared with the behavior of real machines. That's why a program was developed, which is roughly described.

Kraemer, E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Robust detection, isolation and accommodation for sensor failures

The objective is to extend the recent advances in robust control system design of multivariable systems to sensor failure detection, isolation, and accommodation (DIA), and estimator design. This effort provides analysis tools to quantify the trade-off between performance robustness and DIA sensitivity, which are to be used to achieve higher levels of performance robustness for given levels of DIA sensitivity. An innovations-based DIA scheme is used. Estimators, which depend upon a model of the process and process inputs and outputs, are used to generate these innovations. Thresholds used to determine failure detection are computed based on bounds on modeling errors, noise properties, and the class of failures. The applicability of the newly developed tools are demonstrated on a multivariable aircraft turbojet engine example. A new concept call the threshold selector was developed. It represents a significant and innovative tool for the analysis and synthesis of DiA algorithms. The estimators were made robust by introduction of an internal model and by frequency shaping. The internal mode provides asymptotically unbiased filter estimates.The incorporation of frequency shaping of the Linear Quadratic Gaussian cost functional modifies the estimator design to make it suitable for sensor failure DIA. The results are compared with previous studies which used thresholds that were selcted empirically. Comparison of these two techniques on a nonlinear dynamic engine simulation shows improved performance of the new method compared to previous techniques

Emami-Naeini, A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Bidirectional control system for energy flow in solar powered flywheel

An energy storage system for a spacecraft is provided which employs a solar powered flywheel arrangement including a motor/generator which, in different operating modes, drives the flywheel and is driven thereby. A control circuit, including a threshold comparator, senses the output of a solar energy converter, and when a threshold voltage is exceeded thereby indicating the availability of solar power for the spacecraft loads, activates a speed control loop including the motor/generator so as to accelerate the flywheel to a constant speed and thereby store mechanical energy, while also supplying energy from the solar converter to the loads. Under circumstances where solar energy is not available and thus the threshold voltage is not exceeded, the control circuit deactivates the speed control loop and activates a voltage control loop that provides for operation of the motor as a generator so that mechanical energy from the flywheel is converted into electrical energy for supply to the spacecraft loads.

Nola, Frank J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Mass transport by Aeolian saltation on Earth, Mars and Venus: The effects of full saltation cloud development and choking

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to study the characteristics of particle motion and the quantity transported by wind under a variety of planetary environmental conditions. Analysis of the results indicates that, on Earth, saltation fully develops at near-threshold wind speeds and rarely chokes (retarding of saltation due to high particle concentration and subsequent increase of mid-air collisions). On Mars, saltation becomes fully developed only at favorable locations and at wind speeds well above threshold. The Martian saltation cloud has an insufficient particle concentration to cause choking, particularly over a partially rocky surface. On Venus, full saltation occurs at wind speeds very near threshold, but saltation flux increases less rapidly than expected at relatively modest wind speeds due to choking.

Williams, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The effect of spatial resolution on satellite derived cloud cover

The effects of a varying sensor spatial resolution on the cloud fraction derived by reflectance threshold (RT), IR temperature threshold (IRT), hybrid bispectral threshold (HBT) and spatial coherence (SC) methods for cloud retrieval from remotely sensed data were examined experimentally. Eight subscenes from four scenes acquired with the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) in 1982, 1983 and 1985 were used in the trials. All cloud retrieval methods were applied to extract the cloud fraction in all the subscences for comparison with the total cloud amount determined from the TM band 4 data, which had 28.5 m resolution.

Wielicki, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Plastic deformation - Its role in fatigue crack propagation

Recognizing the fact that the effective driving force Delta-K(eff) determines the fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rate and that the shear strain, which is considered to develop due to an occurrence of crack closure, primarily contributes to the plastic deformation, an effort is made here to elucidate the role of plastic deformation in FCP by developing a correlation between the Delta-K(eff) and the applied driving force (Delta-K) with shear strain as variable. The disparity between Delta(K)eff) and Delta-K, which apparently increases with shear strain level, persists at lower values of Delta-K. This suggests a strong influence of the degree of localized deformation on the FCP rates in the near threshold level. Hence, an improvement of FCP rates in the near threshold level should follow an effort that promotes the plastic deformation near the crack tip to a greater degree. This approach could explain the effect of the grain size, microstructure, environment, R-ratio and crack size on the near-threshold FCP rates.

Mazumdar, P. K.↗