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At least 1,477 records · Page 82

A Mobile Robot for Locomotion Through a 3D Periodic Lattice Environment

This paper describes a novel class of robots specifically adapted to climb periodic lattices, which we call 'Relative Robots'. These robots use the regularity of the structure to simplify the path planning, align with minimal feedback, and reduce the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) required to locomote. They can perform vital inspection and repair tasks within the structure that larger truss construction robots could not perform without modifying the structure. We detail a specific type of relative robot designed to traverse a cuboctahedral (CubOct) cellular solids lattice, show how the symmetries of the lattice simplify the design, and test these design methodologies with a CubOct relative robot that traverses a 76.2 mm (3 in.) pitch lattice, MOJO (Multi-Objective JOurneying robot). We perform three locomotion tasks with MOJO: vertical climbing, horizontal climbing, and turning, and find that, due to changes in the orientation of the robot relative to the gravity vector, the success rate of vertical and horizontal climbing is significantly different.

Aeronautics↗

Decentralized Microgrid Protection Through Relative Fault Direction Classification: Preprint

Protection in inverter-based resources (IBRs) dominated microgrids generally face significant challenges due to the low fault current and inconsistent fault behaviors from IBRs. Recently, machine learning-based approaches have attracted considerable attention to address these challenges. This paper introduces a novel decentralized protection strategy for microgrids. The proposed method decomposes the protection challenge into several distributed learning tasks, enabling individual relays to autonomously determine the direction of faults using a binary classification framework based on support vector machine (SVM) algorithms. Following the distributed fault direction estimation, classifier outcomes are shared among neighboring relays, facilitating a local decision-making process to ascertain the presence of faults within the neighborhood. Finally, a tripping signal is generated based on the classifier results of each relay to operate the circuit breaker. To test and validate this approach, a 100% renewable microgrid model is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. In the numerical analysis, the application of SVM classifiers in our approach yields impressive results: an average relay classification accuracy of 98%, and a 96% accuracy in circuit breaker control. These findings highlight the potential of machine-learning-based approaches in enhancing the efficiency and reliability of microgrid protection systems.

decentralized algorithm↗

Efficient implementation of weighted ENO schemes

In this paper, we further analyze, test, modify and improve the high order WENO (weighted essentially non-oscillatory) finite difference schemes of Liu, Osher and Chan. It was shown by Liu et al. that WENO schemes constructed from the r-th order (in L1 norm) ENO schemes are (r+1)-th order accurate. We propose a new way of measuring the smoothness of a numerical solution, emulating the idea of minimizing the total variation of the approximation, which results in a 5-th order WENO scheme for the case r = 3, instead of the 4-th order with the original smoothness measurement by Liu et al. This 5-th order WENO scheme is as fast as the 4-th order WENO scheme of Liu et al., and both schemes are about twice as fast as the 4-th order ENO schemes on vector supercomputers and as fast on serial and parallel computers. For Euler systems of gas dynamics, we suggest computing the weights from pressure and entropy instead of the characteristic values to simplify the costly characteristic procedure. The resulting WENO schemes are about twice as fast as the WENO schemes using the characteristic decompositions to compute weights, and work well for problems which do not contain strong shocks or strong reflected waves. We also prove that, for conservation laws with smooth solutions, all WENO schemes are convergent. Many numerical tests, including the 1D steady state nozzle flow problem and 2D shock entropy wave interaction problem, are presented to demonstrate the remarkable capability of the WENO schemes, especially the WENO scheme using the new smoothness measurement, in resolving complicated shock and flow structures. We have also applied Yang's artificial compression method to the WENO schemes to sharpen contact discontinuities.

Jiang, Guang-Shan↗

Representativity error scaling of models of the high temperature test facility

Error scaling is a critical step toward the validation of modeling capabilities for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). Extensive effort is being made to bring HTGRs into the validation basis of numerous thermal-hydraulics codes. Here, this paper demonstrates how systems-level codes can be leveraged to perform error scaling analyses between an experimental facility and a plant-to-be facility. Specifically, we focus on two conduction cooldown experiments from the High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) and the General Atomics 350 MW th modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR-350). The error scaling methodology employed in this study is representativity, which in the context of this work was used to quantify how well experiments captured the physics of the plant facility by comparing sensitivity vectors between the two facilities. In addition, two different RELAP5–3D models of the HTTF were included in the comparison to determine if modeling methodologies notably impact the representativity results. The key figures of merit are the maximum block temperature and the coolant outlet temperature. The time-dependent maximum block temperature had a low representativity of below 0.1 for both models across both transients. The coolant outlet temperature had a higher representativity of around 0.6 for both models during the pressurized conduction cooldown, but it was below 0.2 for the depressurized conduction cooldown. Overall, the HTTF experiments were not representative of the transients in the MHTGR-350. However, these results can play a significant role in informing future potential experiments for HTGR systems that iterate on what the HTTF accomplished.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Time-distance helioseismology of two realistic sunspot simulations

Linear time-distance helioseismic inversions are carried out using several filtering schemes to determine vector flow velocities within two ∼100{sup 2} Mm{sup 2} × 20 Mm realistic magnetohydrodynamic sunspot simulations of 25 hr. One simulation domain contains a model of a full sunspot (i.e., one with both an umbra and penumbra), while the other contains a pore (i.e., a spot without a penumbra). The goal is to test current helioseismic methods using these state-of-the-art simulations of magnetic structures. We find that horizontal flow correlations between inversion and simulation flow maps are reasonably high (∼0.5-0.8) in the upper 3 Mm at distances exceeding 25-30 Mm from spot center, but are substantially lower at smaller distances and larger depths. Inversions of forward-modeled travel times consistently outperform those of our measured travel times in terms of horizontal flow correlations, suggesting that our inability to recover flow structure near these active regions is largely due to the fact that we are unable to accurately measure travel times near strong magnetic features. In many cases the velocity amplitudes from the inversions underestimate those of the simulations by up to 50%, possibly indicating nonlinearity of the forward problem. In every case, we find that our inversions are unable to recover the vertical flow structure of the simulations at any depth.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multiboson interactions at the LHC

This review covers results on the production of all possible electroweak boson pairs and 2-to-1 vector boson fusion at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in proton-proton collisions at a center of mass energy of 7 and 8 TeV. The data were taken between 2010 and 2012. Limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings (aTGCs) then follow. In addition, data on electroweak triple gauge boson production and 2-to-2 vector boson scattering yield limits on anomalous quartic gauge boson couplings (aQGCs). The LHC hosts two general purpose experiments, ATLAS and CMS, which have both reported limits on aTGCs and aQGCs which are herein summarized. The interpretation of these limits in terms of an effective field theory is reviewed, and recommendations are made for testing other types of new physics using multi-gauge boson production.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Differential cross section and vector analysing power of the p {sub pol} p → {pp}{sub s }π{sup 0} reaction at 353–700 MeV

The reaction p {sub pol} p → {pp}{sub s }π{sup 0} was studied with the ANKE spectrometer at COSY-Jülich using a polarized beam with energies 353, 500, 550 and 700 MeV. The proton pairs {pp}{sub s }were detected at low excitation energy E {sub pp }< 3 MeV, where S-wave dominates. The angular dependences of vector analysing power A {sub y }and differential cross section dσ/dΩ of the reaction have been obtained for the most of the angular range at 353 MeV and forward angles at the higher beam energies. The partial wave amplitude analysis, done with the 353 MeV results, is important for Chiral Perturbation Theory tests at this energy. The data at higher energies detalize the energy dependence of dσ/dΩ(0°) obtained earlier. It allows to learn about the dynamics of the Δ(1232) resonance excitation in two-nucleon systems.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Use of the flight simulator in the design of a STOL research aircraft.

Piloted simulator tests on the NASA-Ames Flight Simulator for Advanced Aircraft motion base played a major role in guiding the design of the Modified C-8A 'Buffalo' augmentor wing jet flap STOL research airplane. Design results are presented for the flight control systems, lateral-directional SAS, hydraulic systems, and engine and thrust vector controls. Emphasis is given to lateral control characteristics on STOL landing approach, engine-out control and recovery techniques in the powered-lift regime, and operational flight procedures which affected airplane design.

Spitzer, R. E.↗

Observations of interstellar helium with a gas absorption cell - Implications for the structure of the local interstellar medium

A photometer sensitive at the 584 A line of He 1, incorporating a helium gas resonance absorption cell, was flown on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in July 1975. The instrument observed much of the night-time sky, and returned 42 min of usable data. The data were analyzed by fitting to a model of resonant scattering of solar 584 A flux from nearby interstellar helium. Good model fits were obtained for an interstellar gas bulk velocity vector pointing toward alpha = 72 deg, delta = +15 deg, with speed 20 km/s, with interstellar medium temperatures from 5000 to 20,000 K and with neutral interstellar helium density (8.9 plus or minus 10 to the -3rd/cu cm). In the context of theoretical studies of the interstellar medium by McKee and Ostriker (1977), the results may indicate that the sun lies in the warm, partially ionized periphery of a cold interstellar cloud, surrounded by a high-temperature gas heated by old supernova remnants.

Freeman, J.↗

Continuum modeling of catastrophic collisions

A two dimensional hydrocode based on 2-D SALE was modified to include strength effects and fragmentation equations for fracture resulting from tensile stress in one dimension. Output from this code includes a complete fragmentation summary for each cell of the modeled object: fragment size (mass) distribution, vector velocities of particles, peak values of pressure and tensile stress, and peak strain rates associated with fragmentation. Contour plots showing pressure and temperature at given times within the object are also produced. By invoking axial symmetry, three dimensional events can be modeled such as zero impact parameter collisions between asteroids. The code was tested against the one dimensional model and the analytical solution for a linearly increasing tensile stress under constant strain rate.

Ryan, Eileen V.↗

Results of the Magnetometer Navigation (MAGNAV)lnflight Experiment

The Magnetometer Navigation (MAGNAV) algorithm is currently running as a flight experiment as part of the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) Post-Science Engineering Testbed. Initialization of MAGNAV occurred on September 4, 2003. MAGNAV is designed to autonomously estimate the spacecraft orbit, attitude, and rate using magnetometer and sun sensor data. Since the Earth's magnetic field is a function of time and position, and since time is known quite precisely, the differences between the computed magnetic field and measured magnetic field components, as measured by the magnetometer throughout the entire spacecraft orbit, are a function of the spacecraft trajectory and attitude errors. Therefore, these errors are used to estimate both trajectory and attitude. In addition, the time rate of change of the magnetic field vector is used to estimate the spacecraft rotation rate. The estimation of the attitude and trajectory is augmented with the rate estimation into an Extended Kalman filter blended with a pseudo-linear Kalman filter. Sun sensor data is also used to improve the accuracy and observability of the attitude and rate estimates. This test serves to validate MAGNAV as a single low cost navigation system which utilizes reliable, flight qualified sensors. MAGNAV is intended as a backup algorithm, an initialization algorithm, or possibly a prime navigation algorithm for a mission with coarse requirements. Results from the first six months of operation are presented.

Thienel, Julie K.↗

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2006

Topics covered include: Improving Thermomechanical Properties of SiC/SiC Composites; Aerogel/Particle Composites for Thermoelectric Devices; Patches for Repairing Ceramics and Ceramic- Matrix Composites; Lower-Conductivity Ceramic Materials for Thermal-Barrier Coatings; An Alternative for Emergency Preemption of Traffic Lights; Vehicle Transponder for Preemption of Traffic Lights; Automated Announcements of Approaching Emergency Vehicles; Intersection Monitor for Traffic-Light-Preemption System; Full-Duplex Digital Communication on a Single Laser Beam; Stabilizing Microwave Frequency of a Photonic Oscillator; Microwave Oscillators Based on Nonlinear WGM Resonators; Pointing Reference Scheme for Free-Space Optical Communications Systems; High-Level Performance Modeling of SAR Systems; Spectral Analysis Tool 6.2 for Windows; Multi-Platform Avionics Simulator; Silicon-Based Optical Modulator with Ferroelectric Layer; Multiplexing Transducers Based on Tunnel-Diode Oscillators; Scheduling with Automated Resolution of Conflicts; Symbolic Constraint Maintenance Grid; Discerning Trends in Performance Across Multiple Events; Magnetic Field Solver; Computing for Aiming a Spaceborne Bistatic- Radar Transmitter; 4-Vinyl-1,3-Dioxolane-2-One as an Additive for Li-Ion Cells; Probabilistic Prediction of Lifetimes of Ceramic Parts; STRANAL-PMC Version 2.0; Micromechanics and Piezo Enhancements of HyperSizer; Single-Phase Rare-Earth Oxide/Aluminum Oxide Glasses; Tilt/Tip/Piston Manipulator with Base-Mounted Actuators; Measurement of Model Noise in a Hard-Wall Wind Tunnel; Loci-STREAM Version 0.9; The Synergistic Engineering Environment; Reconfigurable Software for Controlling Formation Flying; More About the Tetrahedral Unstructured Software System; Computing Flows Using Chimera and Unstructured Grids; Avoiding Obstructions in Aiming a High-Gain Antenna; Analyzing Aeroelastic Stability of a Tilt-Rotor Aircraft; Tracking Positions and Attitudes of Mars Rovers; Stochastic Evolutionary Algorithms for Planning Robot Paths; Compressible Flow Toolbox; Rapid Aeroelastic Analysis of Blade Flutter in Turbomachines; General Flow-Solver Code for Turbomachinery Applications; Code for Multiblock CFD and Heat-Transfer Computations; Rotating-Pump Design Code; Covering a Crucible with Metal Containing Channels; Repairing Fractured Bones by Use of Bioabsorbable Composites; Kalman Filter for Calibrating a Telescope Focal Plane; Electronic Absolute Cartesian Autocollimator; Fiber-Optic Gratings for Lidar Measurements of Water Vapor; Simulating Responses of Gravitational-Wave Instrumentation; SOFTC: A Software Correlator for VLBI; Progress in Computational Simulation of Earthquakes; Database of Properties of Meteors; Computing Spacecraft Solar-Cell Damage by Charged Particles; Thermal Model of a Current-Carrying Wire in a Vacuum; Program for Analyzing Flows in a Complex Network; Program Predicts Performance of Optical Parametric Oscillators; Processing TES Level-1B Data; Automated Camera Calibration; Tracking the Martian CO2 Polar Ice Caps in Infrared Images; Processing TES Level-2 Data; SmaggIce Version 1.8; Solving the Swath Segment Selection Problem; The Spatial Standard Observer; Less-Complex Method of Classifying MPSK; Improvement in Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation of Data; Using Heaps in Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation of Data; Tool for Statistical Analysis and Display of Landing Sites; Automated Assignment of Proposals to Reviewers; Array-Pattern-Match Compiler for Opportunistic Data Analysis; Pre-Processor for Compression of Multispectral Image Data; Compressing Image Data While Limiting the Effects of Data Losses; Flight Operations Analysis Tool; Improvement in Visual Target Tracking for a Mobile Robot; Software for Simulating Air Traffic; Automated Vectorization of Decision-Based Algorithms; Grayscale Optical Correlator Workbench; "One-Stop Shopping" for Ocean Remote-Sensing and Model Data; State Analysis Database Tool; Generating CAHV and CAHVOmages with Shadows in ROAMS; Improving UDP/IP Transmission Without Increasing Congestion; FORTRAN Versions of Reformulated HFGMC Codes; Program for Editing Spacecraft Command Sequences; Flight-Tested Prototype of BEAM Software; Mission Scenario Development Workbench; Marsviewer; Tool for Analysis and Reduction of Scientific Data; ASPEN Version 3.0; Secure Display of Space-Exploration Images; Digital Front End for Wide-Band VLBI Science Receiver; Multifunctional Tanks for Spacecraft; Lightweight, Segmented, Mostly Silicon Telescope Mirror; Assistant for Analyzing Tropical-Rain-Mapping Radar Data; and Anion-Intercalating Cathodes for High-Energy- Density Cells.

Source record↗

Analysis of Near Simultaneous Jimsphere and AMPS High Resolution Wind Profiles

The high-resolution wind profile of the Automated Meteorological Profiling System (HRAMPS) is the proposed replacement for the Jimsphere measurement system used to support NASA Shuttle launches from the Eastern Test Range (ETR). Samples of twenty-six ETR near simultaneous Jimsphere and HRAMPS wind profiles were obtained for Shuttle program HRAMPS certification studies. Shuttle systems engineering certification is to ensure that spacecraft and launch vehicle systems performance and safety evaluations for each launch (derived from flight simulations with Jimsphere wind profile data bases) retain their validity when HRAMPS profiles are used on day-of-launch (DOL) in trajectory and loads simulations to support the commit-to-launch decision. This paper describes a statistical analysis of the near simultaneous profiles. In principle the differences between a Jimsphere profile and an HRAMPS profile should be attributed to tracking technology (radar versus GPS tracking of a Jimsphere flight element) and the method for derivation of wind vectors from the raw tracking data. In reality, it is not technically feasible to track the same Jimsphere balloon with the two systems. The aluminized Mylar surface of the standard Jimsphere flight element facilitates radar tracking, but it interferes with HRAMPS during simultaneous tracking. Suspending a radar reflector from an HRAMPS flight element (Jimsphere without aluminized coating) does not produce satisfactory Jimsphere profiles because of intermittent radar returns. Thus, differences between the Jimsphere and HRAMPS profiles are also attributed to differences in the trajectories of separate flight elements. Because of small sample size and a test period limited to one winter season, test measurements during extreme high winds aloft could not have been expected and did not occur. It is during the highest winds that the largest differences between Jimsphere and HRAMPS would occur because the distance between flight elements would be larger. Jimsphere radar tracking noise increases as a function of balloon displacement downrange. The Jimsphere data processing compensates for tracking signal/noise degradation by increasing the smoothing interval. The Jimsphere wind profile effective resolution is a function of downrange distance and altitude, whereas the effective resolution of the HRAMPS should be independent of those variables. The procedure used for editing Jimsphere spikes in Shuttle DOL profiles was not implemented for the Jimsphere profile measurements during the AMPS field tests. For this analysis a code was developed that essentially mimics DOL Jimsphere spike editing. Jimsphere profiles have somewhat more noise in the wavelength range less than 200m defined as the noise floor. No differences between Jimsphere and HRAMPS wind profile pairs have been found that would support denial of HRAMPS certification for application in Shuttle DOL applications. The reliability of the HRAMPS system, which is an important certification issue, is not addressed in this study.

Adelfang, S. I.↗

Aperture‐Synthesis Radar Imaging With Compressive Sensing for Ionospheric Research

Abstract Inverse methods involving compressive sensing are tested in the application of two‐dimensional aperture‐synthesis imaging of radar backscatter from field‐aligned plasma density irregularities in the ionosphere. We consider basis pursuit denoising, implemented with the fast iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm, and orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) with a wavelet basis in the evaluation. These methods are compared with two more conventional optimization methods rooted in entropy maximization (MaxENT) and adaptive beamforming (linearly constrained minimum variance or often “Capon's Method.”) Synthetic data corresponding to an extended ionospheric radar target are considered. We find that MaxENT outperforms the other methods in terms of its ability to recover imagery of an extended target with broad dynamic range. Fast iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm performs reasonably well but does not reproduce the full dynamic range of the target. It is also the most computationally expensive of the methods tested. OMP is very fast computationally but prone to a high degree of clutter in this application. We also point out that the formulation of MaxENT used here is very similar to OMP in some respects, the difference being that the former reconstructs the logarithm of the image rather than the image itself from basis vectors extracted from the observation matrix. MaxENT could in that regard be considered a form of compressive sensing.

Hysell, D. L.↗

Probing the angular and polarization reconstruction of the ARIANNA detector at the South Pole

The sources of ultra-high energy (UHE) cosmic rays, which can have energies up to 10 20 eV, remain a mystery. UHE neutrinos may provide important clues to understanding the nature of cosmic-ray sources. ARIANNA aims to detect UHE neutrinos via radio (Askaryan) emission from particle showers when a neutrino interacts with ice, which is an efficient method for neutrinos with energies between 10 16 eV and 10 20 eV. The ARIANNA radio detectors are located in Antarctic ice just beneath the surface. Neutrino observation requires that radio pulses propagate to the antennas at the surface with minimum distortion by the ice and firn medium. Using the residual hole from the South Pole Ice Core Project, radio pulses were emitted from a transmitter located up to 1.7 km below the snow surface. By measuring these signals with an ARIANNA surface station, the angular and polarization reconstruction abilities are quantified, which are required to measure the direction of the neutrino. After deconvolving the raw signals for the detector response and attenuation from propagation through the ice, the signal pulses show no significant distortion and agree with a reference measurement of the emitter made in an anechoic chamber. Furthermore, the signal pulses reveal no significant birefringence for our tested geometry of mostly vertical ice propagation. The origin of the transmitted radio pulse was measured with an angular resolution of 0.37° indicating that the neutrino direction can be determined with good precision if the polarization of the radio-pulse can be well determined. In this work, we obtained a resolution of the polarization vector of 2.7°. Neither measurement show a significant offset relative to expectation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

3D Imaging with Structured Illumination for Advanced Security Applications

Three-dimensional (3D) information in a physical security system is a highly useful discriminator. The two-dimensional data from an imaging systems fails to provide target distance and three-dimensional motion vector, which can be used to reduce nuisance alarm rates and increase system effectiveness. However, 3D imaging devices designed primarily for use in physical security systems are uncommon. This report discusses an architecture favorable to physical security systems; an inexpensive snapshot 3D imaging system utilizing a simple illumination system. The method of acquiring 3D data, tests to understand illumination design, and software modifications possible to maximize information gathering capability are discussed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Predicted flight characteristics of the augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft

An existing deHavilland C-8A airplane has been modified into an augmentor wing flight test vehicle. Research objectives are to verify the augmentor flap concept and to produce data for STOL airworthiness criteria. The Modified C-8A provides the means for jet-STOL flight research down to a 60 knot approach speed. The airplane has a high thrust-to-weight ratio, high-lift flap system, vectored thrust, powerful flight controls, and lateral-directional stability augmentation system. Normal performance and handling qualities are expected to be satisfactory. Analysis and piloted simulator results indicate that stability and control characteristics in conventional flight are rated satisfactory. Handling qualities in the STOL regime are also generally satisfactory, although pilot workload is high about the longitudinal axis.

Spitzer, R. E.↗

Comparison of axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric nozzles installed on the F-15 configuration

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel to determine nozzle/afterbody performance of nonaxisymmetric nozzles installed in a 1/12-scale F-15 propulsion model. Tests were performed at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.20 at angles-of-attack from -2 to +9 deg and jet-total-pressure ratios from 1.0 (jet-off) to 5.0, depending on Mach number. The baseline F-15 afterbody was tested with axisymmetric nozzles, and two different two-dimensional wedge nozzle afterbody designs. Results of this investigation indicate that one of the two-dimensional afterbody designs had lower drag than the baseline at a Mach number of 1.20, and about the same drag for subsonic Mach numbers at scheduled nozzle pressure ratios. Thrust vectoring of the two-dimensional wedge nozzles produced significant induced lift on the afterbody and horizontal tails, while thrust reversing had little effect on horizontal tail effectiveness.

Pendergraft, O. C., Jr.↗