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NASA NTRS1994

Directions in parallel programming: HPF, shared virtual memory and object parallelism in pC++

Fortran and C++ are the dominant programming languages used in scientific computation. Consequently, extensions to these languages are the most popular for programming massively parallel computers. We discuss two such approaches to parallel Fortran and one approach to C++. The High Performance Fortran Forum has designed HPF with the intent of supporting data parallelism on Fortran 90 applications. HPF works by asking the user to help the compiler distribute and align the data structures with the distributed memory modules in the system. Fortran-S takes a different approach in which the data distribution is managed by the operating system and the user provides annotations to indicate parallel control regions. In the case of C++, we look at pC++ which is based on a concurrent aggregate parallel model.

Bodin, Francois↗

NASA NTRS1997

The Wardle Instability in Interstellar Shocks: Gas Temperture and Line Emission - 2

We have modeled the gas temperature structure in unstable C-type shocks and obtained predictions for the resultant CO and H2 rotational line emissions, using numerical simulations of the Wardle instability. Our model for the thermal balance of the gas includes ion-neutral frictional heating; compressional heating; radiative cooling due to rotational and ro-vibrational transitions of the molecules CO, H2O, and H2; and gas-grain collisional cooling. We obtained results for the gas temperature distribution in-and H2 and CO line emission from-shocks of neutral Alfvenic Mach number 10 and velocity 20 or 40 km/ s in which the Wardle instability has saturated. Both two- and three-dimensional simulations were carried out for shocks in which the preshock magnetic field is perpendicular to the shock propagation direction, and a two-dimensional simulation was carried out for the case in which the magnetic field is obliquely oriented with respect to the shock propagation direction. Although the Wardle instability profoundly affects the density structure behind C-type shocks, most of the shock-excited molecular line emission is generated upstream of the region where the strongest effects of the instability are felt. Thus the Wardle instability has a relatively small effect on the overall gas temperature distribution in-and the emission-line spectrum from-C-type shocks, at least for the cases that we have considered. In none of the cases that we have considered thus far did any of the predicted emission-line luminosities change by more than a factor of 2.5, and in most cases the effects of instability were significantly smaller than that. Slightly larger changes in the line luminosities seem likely for three-dimensional simulations of oblique shocks, although such simulations have yet to be carried out and lie beyond the scope of this study. Given the typical uncertainties that are always present when model predictions are compared with real astronomical data, we conclude that Wardle instability does not imprint any clear observational signature on the shock-excited CO and H2 line strengths. This result justifies the use of one-dimensional steady shock models in the interpretation of observations of shock-excited line emission in regions of star formation. Our three-dimensional simulations of perpendicular shocks revealed the presence of warm filamentary structures that are aligned along the magnetic field, a result that is of possible relevance to models of water maser emission from C-type shocks.

Neufeld, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Silicon germanium semiconductive alloy and method of fabricating same

A silicon germanium (SiGe) semiconductive alloy is grown on a substrate of single crystalline Al.sub.2O.sub.3. A {111} crystal plane of a cubic diamond structure SiGe is grown on the substrate's {0001} C-plane such that a <110> orientation of the cubic diamond structure SiGe is aligned with a <1,0,-1,0> orientation of the {0001} C-plane. A lattice match between the substrate and the SiGe is achieved by using a SiGe composition that is 0.7223 atomic percent silicon and 0.2777 atomic percent germanium.

Park, Yeonjoon↗

NASA NTRS2013

Thermal Control of the Balloon-Borne HEROES Telescope

The High Energy Replicated Optics to Explore the Sun (HEROES) telescope is scheduled to fly on a high altitude balloon from Fort Sumner, New Mexico in the Fall of 2013. Once it reaches an altitude of 40km it will observe the Sun, Crab Nebula, and other astrophysical objects in the hard X-Ray spectrum (20-75keV) for around 28 hours. The HEROES project is a joint effort between Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Centers (MSFC and GSFC), and will utilize the High Energy Replicated Optics (HERO) telescope, which last flew in 2011 in Australia. The addition of new systems will allow the telescope to view the Sun, and monitor the mechanical alignment of the structure during flight. This paper will give an overview of the telescope, and then provide a description of the thermal control method used on HEROES. The thermal control is done through a passive cold-bias design. Detailed thermal analyses were performed in order to prove the design. This will be discussed along with the results of the analyses. HEROES is funded by the NASA Hands-On Project Experience (HOPE) Training Opportunity. The HOPE opportunity provides early career employees within NASA hands on experience with a yearlong flight project. HOPE was awarded by the NASA Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership, in partnership with NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Office of the Chief Engineer, and Office of the Chief Technologist.

O'Connor, Brian↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improved Heat Transfer Prediction for High-Speed Flows over Blunt Bodies using Adaptive Mixed-Element Unstructured Grids

Aerothermodynamic prediction is important for the design and analysis of many aerospace vehicles. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools used for these predictions commonly rely on structured shock-aligned grids due to the strong shocks exhibited at high speeds. This work details the incorporation of an improved HLLE++ scheme for both perfect gas and thermochemical nonequilibrium flows which robustly captures shock waves on both non-shock-aligned and shock-aligned grids. The HLLE++ scheme reduces the impact of eigenvalue limiting on flow solutions which is required for Roe's scheme for high Mach number flows. An adapted grid approach is also demonstrated using mixed-element unstructured grids to improve heat prediction. Thin prismatic boundary layers are used with tetrahedra in the farfield and for capturing shock waves. Various results are presented for hypersonic flows over blunt bodies including cylinders, spheres, and capsules.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improved Heat Transfer Prediction for High-Speed Flows over Blunt Bodies using Adaptive Mixed-Element Unstructured Grids

CFD↗

NASA NTRS2022

Impact of Assimilating Adaptively Thinned AIRS Cloud-Cleared Radiances on the Analysis of Polar Lows and Mediterranean Sea Tropical-Like Cyclone in a Global Modeling and Data Assimilation Framework

Polar lows, and mesoscale convective cyclones bearing resemblance to tropical cyclones but originating outside of the tropics, are storms that are challenging to represent accurately in global analyses and models because of their small size, rapid growth at subsynoptic scales, occurrence in data poor oceanic regions, and difficulties in objectively validating them in analysis. Building on previous positive results obtained with respect to the representation of tropical cyclones (TCs) in a global model, a set of observing system experiments (OSEs) performed using the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS, version 5) are investigated, focusing on three case studies—a polar low in the Sea of Okhotsk, a polar low in the Southern Ocean, and a Mediterranean Sea tropical-like cyclone that occurred during the boreal fall season of 2014. Experiments assimilating adaptively thinned cloud-cleared hyperspectral infrared radiances from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on board the NASA Aqua satellite, with higher density in the vicinity of each storm and its pre-cyclogenesis environment, and lower density elsewhere, demonstrate a positive impact on the analyzed representation of each storm. The adaptive thinning experiments improve the storm intensity and structure, including vertical alignment, depth, symmetry, strength, and compactness of warm core compared to the reference experiments. The results suggest that jet-level processes associated with extremely strong horizontal velocity gradients as represented in the model analysis can be useful to locate dynamically active regions of the extratropical atmosphere where denser data coverage is likely to improve the analyzed representation of polar lows and other similar marine mesoscale convective cyclones.

global modeling↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Distributed Observations of Auroral Electrodynamics From the Geospace Dynamics Constellation

The Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC), with an anticipated launch by the end of thedecade, can provide a unique dataset and modeling effort to support heterogeneousdistributed studies of auroral electrodynamics. On its own, GDC will fully characterize thelarger scale context for auroral electrodynamics, including the electric Meld/ion drift, plasmawaves and irregularities/small-scale structure, Meld-aligned and horizontal current, andenergetic electron and ion populations, with multipoint measurements that can assesslongitudinal gradients on scales of 300+ km, and in-track/latitudinal scales of approximately10 km, on timescales ranging from seconds to tens of minutes. In addition, GDC will fullycharacterize the thermosphere and ionosphere populations, including new capabilities likemeasurements of 3-d neutral wind, and detailed assessment of the neutral and ioncomposition and the plasma density proMles.When added to other space-based and ground-based assets, which may provide Mne-scaleelectrodynamics, time history of energy inputs and forcing, or altitude proMles of plasma driftsand density, the combined heterogeneous dataset will represent a groundbreaking opportunityto advance the science of auroral electrodynamics. GDC is particularly well suited as a'strategic hub' that can be leveraged by other observation campaigns with focus on GDC-adjacent science. For example, constellations of satellites able to measure Mne-scalestructure, or sounding rocket missions, or dedicated ground-based observing campaigns, inconjunction with advanced local-scale and regional-scale modeling show great promise incoordination with GDC.We will present the current status of GDC, its sampling scheme, measurement parameters,and a summary of instrumentation, in addition to several potential sampling scenarios thatmay be of particular interest for studies of auroral electrodynamics.

Douglas E Rowland↗

NASA NTRS2014

Ambient Optomechanical Alignment and Pupil Metrology for the Flight Instruments Aboard the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope science instruments are in the final stages of being integrated into the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) element. Each instrument is tied into a common coordinate system through mechanical references that are used for optical alignment and metrology within ISIM after element-level assembly. In addition, a set of ground support equipment (GSE) consisting of large, precisely calibrated, ambient, and cryogenic structures are used as alignment references and gauges during various phases of integration and test (I&T). This GSE, the flight instruments, and ISIM structure feature different types of complimentary metrology targeting. These GSE targets are used to establish and track six degrees of freedom instrument alignment during I&T in the vehicle coordinate system (VCS). This paper describes the optomechanical metrology conducted during science instrument integration and alignment in the Spacecraft Systems Development and Integration Facility (SSDIF) cleanroom at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The measurement of each instrument's ambient entrance pupil location in the telescope coordinate system is discussed. The construction of the database of target locations and the development of metrology uncertainties is also discussed.

Optomechanical Alignment↗

NASA NTRS1993

Symmetry in polarimetric remote sensing

Relationships among polarimetric backscattering coefficients are derived from the viewpoint of symmetry groups. For both reciprocal and non-reciprocal media, symmetry encountered in remote sensing due to reflection, rotation, azimuthal, and centrical symmetry groups is considered. The derived properties are general and valid to all scattering mechanisms, including volume and surface scatterings and their interactions, in a given symmetrical configuration. The scattering coefficients calculated from theoretical models for layer random media and rough surfaces are shown to obey the symmetry relations. Use of symmetry properties in remote sensing of structural and environmental responses of scattering media is also discussed. Orientations of spheroidal scatterers described by spherical, uniform, planophile, plagiothile, erectophile, and extremophile distributions are considered to derive their polarimetric backscattering characteristics. These distributions can be identified from the observed scattering coefficients by comparison with theoretical symmetry calculations. A new parameter is then defined to study scattering structures in geophysical media. Observations from polarimetric data acquired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne synthetic aperture radar over forests, sea ice, and sea surface are presented. Experimental evidences of the symmetry relationships are shown and their use in polarimetric remote sensing is illustrated. For forests, the coniferous forest in Mt. Shasta area (California) and mixed forest near Presque Isle (Maine) exhibit characteristics of the centrical symmetry at C-band. For sea ice in the Beaufort Sea, multi-year sea ice has a cross-polarized ratio e close to e(sub 0), calculated from symmetry, due to the randomness in the scattering structure. First-year sea ice has e much smaller than e(sub 0) due to the preferential alignment of the columnar structure of the ice. From polarimetric data of a sea surface in the Bering Sea, it is observed that e and e(sub 0) are increasing with incident angle and e is greater than e(sub 0) at L-band because of the directional feature of sea surface waves. Symmetry properties of geophysical media can also be used to calibrate polarimetric radars.

Nghiem, S. V.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Natural Language Processing for Extracting Rich Disease Data Aligned To Satellite Meteorological Data

Global climate change is redefining our understanding of how diseases spread. In Sri Lanka, vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever, encephalitis, and leptospirosis historically surged during the monsoon seasons when temperatures were high enough for mosquito eggs to hatch. Unfortunately, due to rising temperatures and more erratic rainfall patterns, mosquito eggs can now hatch year-round and are increasingly unpredictable, leading to an alarmingly increasing number of hospitalizations and deaths. More data is needed to adapt our response to these diseases in an increasingly warmer world. In the contemporary landscape, a wealth of disease information is available, yet accessibility remains limited due to unstructured data formats such as PDFs. Therefore, converting unstructured disease reports into structured formats is necessary for effectively leveraging data. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework for collecting unstructured disease reports and transforming them into analyzable formats. By creating separate models tailored to each data format, we can ensure accuracy compared to general models. These straightforward models enhance accessibility and empower other researchers to use our tools. The returned structured data can then be harnessed for analysis, statistical purposes, and informing evidence-based public health interventions, thus facilitating more informed decision-making in healthcare. We deploy this framework to produce geospatial data for Sri Lanka and Brazil for many different conditions and align these data with satellite environmental data, providing for the first time a structured, aligned powerful dataset for disease modeling.

Open Source Open Science↗

NASA NTRS1990

An Optimal Design For Steerable Dish Antenna With BWG

New design proposed for highly-efficient 34-m-diameter millimeter-wavelength antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network. Incorporates axial beam waveguide, BWG, and improved structure to maintain shape and alignment of reflecting surfaces. General approach to conceptual construction of structure to modularize overall system so critical constraint conditions pertaining to microwave optics and structural performance satisfied. Design retrofitted to existing NASA Deep Space Network 34-m antennas, or used as basis to build large ground-based steerable antennas. Engineering concepts involved in design adapted to design of other large, steerable antennas for telecommunications, radio astronomy, and military uses.

Chuang, K. L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Polarimetric Remote Sensing of Geophysical Medium Structures

Polarimetric remote sensing of structures in geophysical media is studied in this paper based on their symmetry properties. Orientations of spheroidal scatterers described by spherical, uniform, planophile, plagiothile, erectophile, and extremophile distributions are considered to derive their polarimetric backscattering characteristics. These distributions can be identified from the observed scattering coefficients by comparison with theoretical symmetry calculations. A new parameter is defined to study scattering structures in geophysical media. Experimental observations from polarimetric data acquired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne synthetic aperture radar over forests, sea ice, and sea surface are presented to illustrate the use of symmetry properties. For forests, the coniferous forest in Mount Shasta area and mixed forests neir Presque Isle show evidence of the centrical symmetry at C band. In sea ice from the Beaufort Sea, multiyear sea ice has a cross-polarized ratio e close to e(sub 0), calculated from symmetry, due to the randomness in the scattering structure. For first-year sea ice, e is much smaller than e(sub 0) as a result of preferential alignment of the columnar structure of the ice. From polarimetric data of a sea surface in the Bering sea, it is observed that e and e(sub 0) are increasing with incident angle and e is greater than e(sub 0) at L band because of the directional feature of sea surface waves. Use of symmetry properties of geophysical media for polarimetric radar calibration is also suggested.

Nghiem, S. V.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Current carriers for the field-aligned current system

The Dynamics Explorer satellites have returned a large body of data containing high resolution magnetometer measurements and distributions of charged particles of all but thermal electrons. From these data the relations of the field aligned currents to particle precipitation structures were investigated and the charge carriers were identified. Results include the following: (1) during very quiet periods, field aligned currents exist primarily as fine structure; (2) during onset of substorms, region 1 and region 2 become clearly evident but contain significant structure; (3) as magnetic activity subsides, current regions become less distinct, and structure becomes more dominant; (4) the distribution of the upward currents derived from magnetometer data and calculated from suprathermal electron data agree remarkably well in shape but not necessarily in magnitude; (5) at all local times, 5 eV electrons seldom carry most of the upward current; (6) except for the accelerated inverted-V electrons, the dominant upward current carriers which are measured are below 500 eV and are distributed in energy; (7) dusk upward currents (region 1) are associated with the boundary plasma sheet; and (8) suprathermal electron bursts are important current carrying structures.

Hoffman, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Current carriers for the field-aligned current system

The Dynamics Explorer satellites have returned a large body of data containing high resolution magnetometer measurements and distributions of charged particles of all but thermal electrons. From these data the relations of the field aligned currents to particle precipitation structures were investigated and the charge carriers were identified. Results include the following: (1) during very quiet periods, field aligned currents exist primarily as fine structure; (2) during onset of substorms, region 1 and region 2 become clearly evident but contain significant structure; (3) as magnetic activity subsides, current regions become less distinct, and structure becomes more dominant; (4) the distribution of the upward currents derived from magnetometer data and calculated from suprathermal electron data agree remarkably well in shape but not necessarily in magnitude; (5) at all local times, 5 eV electrons seldom carry most of the upward current; (6) except for the accelerated inverted-V electrons, the dominant upward current carriers which are masured are below 500 eV and are distributed in energy; (7) dusk upward currents (region 1) are associated with the boundary plasma sheet; and (8) suprathermal electron bursts are important current carrying structures.

Hoffman, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Aligned Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composites Using an Electric Field

While high shear alignment has been shown to improve the mechanical properties of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT)-polymer composites, it is difficult to control and often results in degradation of the electrical and dielectric properties of the composite. Here, we report a novel method to actively align SWNTs in a polymer matrix, which allows for control over the degree of alignment of SWNTs without the side effects of shear alignment. In this process, SWNTs are aligned via field-induced dipolar interactions among the nanotubes under an AC electric field in a liquid matrix followed by immobilization by photopolymerization while maintaining the electric field. Alignment of SWNTs was controlled as a function of magnitude, frequency, and application time of the applied electric field. The degree of SWNT alignment was assessed using optical microscopy and polarized Raman spectroscopy and the morphology of the aligned nanocomposites was investigated by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. The structure of the field induced aligned SWNTs is intrinsically different from that of shear aligned SWNTs. In the present work, SWNTs are not only aligned along the field, but also migrate laterally to form thick, aligned SWNT percolative columns between the electrodes. The actively aligned SWNTs amplify the electrical and dielectric properties in addition to improving the mechanical properties of the composite. All of these properties of the aligned nanocomposites exhibited anisotropic characteristics, which were controllable by tuning the applied field conditions.

Park, Cheol↗

NASA NTRS1990

The excitation of plasma waves by a current source moving in a magnetized plasma - Two-dimensional propagation

The steady motion of a large conducting body in a magnetized plasma has been shown to create a spatial structure of charges and currents in the plasma which propagate without attenuation along the magnetic field direction (the label 'Alfven wings' has been given to this structure because of its resemblance to the wings of a biplane). It has been found that the Alfven wing structure breaks up into individual Fourier components which propagate away from the source at an angle slightly greater with respect to the magnetic field than the alignment of the original structure. This process depends on wave frequency. A given frequency is lost from the Alfven wing structure at a distance which varies as 1/omega-cubed. The amplitude of these traveling waves decreases at a rate which is inversely proportional to the square root of the distance from the source.

Rasmussen, Craig E.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Automatic connector for structural beams

Lightweight connector automatically aligns beams to be jointed, and withstands torsion, tension, and compression loads. One beam has connector, other has receptor. Bracket aligns connector and receptor. When actuated, spring in connector pushes shaft into receptor. Hooks on shaft snap to lock into receptor slots. Union can be separated easily without damage. Connectors are designed for in-space assembly, but may be suited to ground assemblies as well.

Von Tiessehausen, G. F.↗