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NASA NTRS1985

Low-frequency absorption of sound in air

Thirty sets of sound absorption measurements in air at a pressure of 1 atmosphere are presented at temperatures from 10 C to 50 C, relative humidities from 0 to 100 percent, and frequencies from 10 to 2500 Hz. The measurements were conducted by the method of free decay in a resonant tube having a length of 18.261 m and bore diameter of 0.152 m. Background measurements in a gas consisting of 89.5 percent N2 and 10.5 percent Ar, a mixture which has the same sound velocity as air, permitted the wall and structural losses of the tube to be separated from the constituent absorption, consisting of classical rotational and vibrational absorption, in the air samples. The data were used to evaluate the vibrational relaxation frequencies of N2 and/or O2 for each of the 30 sets of meteorological parameters. Over the full range of humidity, the measured relaxation frequencies of N2 in air lie between those specified by ANSI Standard S1.26-1978 and those measured earlier in binary N2H2O mixtures. The measured relaxation frequencies could be determined only at very low values of humidity, reveal a significant trend away from the ANSI standard, in agreement with a prior investigation.

Zuckerwar, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A methodology for the selection of frequencies for deep space telecommunications

For each new deep-space mission it is necessary to select the radio frequencies that will be used for uplink and downlink communication. The frequency selection has the objective of avoiding or minimizing the possibility of radio interference between existing and planned missions. This paper presents a comprehensive procedure for the selection of frequencies for deep-space communications. The procedure includes the possible effects of several existing missions on a new mission. This is shown through an example of frequency selection of a new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) deep-spce mission using actual mission data.

Mathur, A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Measurements of ocean wave spectra and modulation transfer function with the airborne two-frequency scatterometer

The directional spectrum and the microwave modulation transfer function of ocean waves can be measured with the airborne two frequency scatterometer technique. Similar to tower based observations, the aircraft measurements of the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) show that it is strongly affected by both wind speed and sea state. Also detected are small differences in the magnitudes of the MTF between downwind and upwind radar look directions, and variations with ocean wavenumber. The MTF inferred from the two frequency radar is larger than that measured using single frequency, wave orbital velocity techniques such as tower based radars or ROWS measurements from low altitude aircraft. Possible reasons for this are discussed. The ability to measure the ocean directional spectrum with the two frequency scatterometer, with supporting MTF data, is demonstrated.

Weissman, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Low frequency acoustic and electromagnetic scattering

This paper deals with two classes of problems arising from acoustics and electromagnetics scattering in the low frequency stations. The first class of problem is solving Helmholtz equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions on an arbitrary two dimensional body while the second one is an interior-exterior interface problem with Helmholtz equation in the exterior. Low frequency analysis show that there are two intermediate problems which solve the above problems accurate to 0(k/2/ log k) where k is the frequency. These solutions greatly differ from the zero frequency approximations. For the Dirichlet problem numerical examples are shown to verify the theoretical estimates.

Hariharan, S. I.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Coherent lidar signal fluctuation reduction by means of frequency diversity technique

The atmospheric return measured by a coherent lidar is typically characterized by rapid and deep fluctuations in signal strength. These fluctuations result from the interference of the fields backscattered to the lidar from randomly located aerosol particles which move relative to the lidar pulse. In many applications, it is necessary to determine the average value of the lidar signal intensity at some range. A new method utilizes frequency diversity initially suggested by Goldstein and subsequently studied in the microwave radar domain by others. It is expected that the application of the frequency diversity method in the coherent lidar domain will eventually provide greater efficiency and speed in the return signal averaging needed to obtain accurate intensity estimates. The frequency diversity method recognizes that the transmitted lidar pulse is very long compared to a wavelength and consequently a given phase, theta sub i, is repeated many times within the pulse. In order to test this concept, a fairly simple laboratory experiment was designed which simulates scattering of a lidar pulse from atmospheric aerosol. The testing of the frequency diversity method is discussed.

Schotland, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The frequency spectrum of C sub n sup 2 from MST radar data

In a recent study (Nastrom et al., 1986), the variability of the refractivity turbulence structure constant, C sub n(2), was examined using observations from the stratosphere troposphere/mesosphere stratosphere troposphere (ST/MST) radar at Poker Flat, Alaska, and Platteville, Colorado. Variations of C2 with height, season, and weather conditions were examined. Also, the autocorrelation function and the frequency distribution of C sub n(2) were studied, and it was shown that C sub n(2), follows a log-normal frequency distribution. One of the more tentative results given in that paper is a first look at the spectrum of log C sub n(2), as a function of frequency at Poker Flat. This spectrum appears to obey a power law relation with frequency, P(F) approx. F(k), with k near -5/3 at periods between about 4 hours and 6 days, and with k near -1 at shorter periods. Power law behavior of a spectrum often helps us to infer the underlying dynamics which give rise to this spectrum, and it is thus of some concern to establish further confidence in the spectral shape. The purpose here is to address these questions.

Nastrom, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Swept frequency technique for dispersion measurement of microstrip lines

Microstrip lines used in microwave integrated circuits are dispersive. Because a microstrip line is an open structure, the dispersion can not be derived with pure TEM, TE, or TM mode analysis. Dispersion analysis has commonly been done using a spectral domain approach, and dispersion measurement has been made with high Q microstrip ring resonators. Since the dispersion of a microstrip line is fully characterized by the frequency dependent phase velocity of the line, dispersion measurement of microstrip lines requires the measurement of the line wavelength as a function of frequency. In this paper, a swept frequency technique for dispersion measurement is described. The measurement was made using an automatic network analyzer with the microstrip line terminated in a short circuit. Experimental data for two microstrip lines on 10 and 30 mil Cuflon substrates were recorded over a frequency range of 2 to 20 GHz. Agreement with theoretical results computed by the spectral domain approach is good. Possible sources of error for the discrepancy are discussed.

Lee, R. Q.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Ultrasensitive detection of atmospheric trace gases using frequency modulation spectroscopy

Frequency modulation (FM) spectroscopy is a new technique that promises to significantly extend the state-of-the-art in point detection of atmospheric trace gases. FM spectroscopy is essentially a balanced bridge optical heterodyne approach in which a small optical absorption or dispersion from an atomic or molecular species of interest generates an easily detected radio frequency (RF) signal. This signal can be monitored using standard RF signal processing techniques and is, in principle, limited only by the shot noise generated in the photodetector by the laser source employed. The use of very high modulation frequencies which exceed the spectral width of the probed absorption line distinguishes this technique from the well-known derivative spectroscopy which makes use of low (kHz) modulation frequencies. FM spectroscopy was recently extended to the 10 micron infrared (IR) spectral region where numerous polyatomic molecules exhibit characteristic vibrational-rotational bands. In conjunction with tunable semiconductor diode lasers, the quantum-noise-limited sensitivity of the technique should allow for the detection of absorptions as small as .00000001 in the IR spectral region. This sensitivity would allow for the detection of H2O2 at concentrations as low as 1 pptv with an integration time of 10 seconds.

Cooper, David E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Frequency selective reflection and transmission at a layer composed of a periodic dielectric

The feasibility of using a periodic dielectric layer, composed of alternating bars having dielectric constants epsilon sub 1 and epsilon sub 2, as a frequency selective subreflector in order to permit feed separation in large aperture reflecting antenna systems was examined. For oblique incidence, it is found that total transmission and total reflection can be obtained at different frequencies for proper choices of epsilon sub 1, epsilon 2, and the geometric parameters. The frequencies of total reflection and transmission can be estimated from wave phenomena occurring in a layer of uniform dielectric constant equal to the average for the periodic layers. About some of the frequencies of total transmission, the bandwidth for 90% transmission is found to be 40%. However, the bandwidth for 90% reflection is always found to be much narrower; the greatest value found being 2.5%.

Bertoni, Henry L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Effect of shaft frequency on cavitation in a journal bearing for noncentered circular whirl

The effect of shaft frequency on the performance of a submerged journal undergoing noncentered circular whirl is examined. The main emphasis of the paper is on the behavior of the vapor cavitation bubble and its effect on the bearing performance as a function of frequency. A cavitation algorithm due to Elrod was implemented in a computer program which solves a time-dependent Reynolds equation. This algorithm automatically handles the boundary conditions by using a switch function and a control volume approach which conserves mass throughout the entire flow. The shaft frequencies in this investigation ranged from 0 rad/s (squeeze-film damper) to -104 rad/s (a case in which oil-whip condition was produced momentarily). For the particular vibration amplitude chosen in this investigation it was observed that vapor cavitation had an effect on the load components for the full range of shaft frequencies investigated.

Brewe, David E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Intrinsic frequency spectra of short gravity-capillary waves obtained from temporal measurements of wave height on a lake

Intrinsic frequency spectra of water waves in the range of 6-17 Hz were obtained as a function of both wind speed and wind stress from point measurements of wave height. In a lake with a limited fetch, there are two types of surface motions causing Doppler shift in the frequencies of short waves: orbital velocity of long waves and surface wind drift. The former was estimated from long-wave amplitude by using a linear wave theory. The error in this estimate is of the order of the long-wave slope, and for this work it is typically 10 percent. The latter was approximated by the friction velocity. The friction velocity could be either taken as 3 percent of the mean wind speed measured at a height of 10 m or obtained from direct measurements of the wind stress. The surface drift velocities obtained by these two approaches were found to be in close agreement. Doppler frequency shift can be corrected in either the frequency or the equivalent spatial domain. The two techniques were found to produce comparable results. Experimental results showed that the spectral energy of short waves rapidly increased in response to increasing winds and jumped up by an order of magnitude when wave breaking occurred.

Atakturk, S. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Frequency functions of Venus nightside ion densities

The variability of the total and major ion densities in the nightside Venus ionosphere are studied by deriving an experimental frequency function for these quantities. The frequency function N(i) derived for the total ion density is found to be insensitive to division of the parent set into two approximately equal subsets representing dawn and dusk hemispheres, an upper and lower altitude interval, or two solar zenith angle intervals. The N(i) function is reasonably well peaked near the median value, and 78 percent of the normalized values fall within a factor of 2.8 of the median value. The frequency of occurrence decreases more rapidly on the high side of the median than on the low side. The frequency functions for the constituent ions are similar to that for N(i).

Knudsen, William C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Fixed order compensator design based on frequency shaped cost functionals

This paper treats the design of fixed order compensators using frequency shaped cost functionals. The formulation is done in an output feedback setting which exploits an observer canonical form to represent the compensator dynamics. The major advantages of the design approach are that the order of the compensator is fixed by the design process, and it is not necessary to realize the frequency shaping dynamics as an integral part of the compensator design. This avoids the two-step approach of full state feedback design followed by the design of an observer, which in the case of a full order observer requires a compensator of order n + nf where n is the order of the plant and nf is the order of the frequency shaping realization. The formulation also precludes the use of direct feedback of the plant output, thus reducing the effect of sensor noise and improving the robustness to high frequency unmodeled dynamics. A structural vibration model describing the fast dynamics of a lightweight flexible arm is used as an example to illustrate the design procedure.

Calise, Anthony J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

An expert system to analyze high frequency dependent data for the space shuttle main engine turbopumps

The prototype expert system ADDAMX identifies selected sinusoid frequencies from spectral data graphs as speed frequencies and harmonics from each turbopump, frequency feed through from one turbopump to another, frequencies generated by turbopump bearings, pseudo 3N for the phase 2 high pressure fuel turbopump, and electrical noise. ADDAMX does the analysis in an interactive or batch mode and the results can be displayed on the screen or hardcopy.

Garcia, Raul C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The JPL trapped mercury ion frequency standard

In order to provide frequency standards for the Deep Space Network (DSN) which are more stable than present-day hydrogen masers, a research task was established under the Advanced Systems Program of the TDA to develop a Hg-199(+) trapped ion frequency standard. The first closed-loop operation of this kind is described. Mercury-199 ions are confined in an RF trap and are state-selected through the use of optical pumping with 194 nm UV light from a Hg-202 discharge lamp. Absorption of microwave radiation at the hyperfine frequency (40.5 GHz) is signaled by atomic fluorescence of the UV light. The frequency of a 40.5 GHz oscillator is locked to a 1.6 Hz wide atomic absorption line of the trapped ions. The measured Allan variance of this locked oscillator is currently gamma sub y (pi) = 4.4 x 10 to the minus 12th/square root of pi for 20 is less than pi is less than 320 seconds, which is better stability than the best commercial cesium standards by almost a factor of 2. This initial result was achieved without magnetic shielding and without regulation of ion number.

Prestage, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Temperature effects on the pickup process of water group and hydrogen ions - Extensions of 'A theory for low-frequency waves observed at Comet Giacobini-Zinner' by M. L. Goldstein and H. K. Wong

Cometary heavy ions can resonantly excite hydromagnetic wave activity with spacecraft frequency spectra strongly deviating from the ion cyclotron frequency. The influence of the newborn particle temperature on this effect is assessed, its relevance to the interpretation of the observations is discussed, and an alternative, more efficient mechanism to generate spacecraft frequencies of the order of the proton cyclotron frequency is suggested.

Brinca, Armando L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Frequencies of solar p-mode oscillations

A list is presented of frequencies that can be used as a basis for helioseismic investigations of the average structure of the solar interior as a function of depth. The list includes measurements of frequencies of p-mode multiplets covering the l range from 4 to 99. Two different data sets are employed: one based on Doppler shift measurements made in 1985 at the Big Bear Solar Observatory and another based on intensity measurements made in 1981 at the geographic South Pole. Frequencies from the two data sets are compared, and systematic frequency differences are found that range from less than 0.1 microHz at low values of l to about 0.6 microHz at l = 99; the uncertainty is + or - 0.1 microHz.

Duvall, T. L., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Conceptual test of frequency diversity lidar

The present consideration of the estimation accuracy of lidar-backscattered signals in atmospheric remote sensing proposes a method that can furnish additional uncorrelated data within the atmospheric decorrelation time, with enhanced energy efficiency. This frequency-diversity method recognizes that additional uncorrelated data from a given illuminated region is obtainable by changing the frequency of the incoming radiation. The mathematical analysis of the frequency-diversity concept by Wallace (1953) confirms the physical scenario employed. A simple version of a coherent lidar system incorporating the frequency-diversity concept is included to illustrate the design principles involved.

Schotland, Richard M.↗