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NASA NTRS2012

Reducing Undue Conservatism in "Higher Frequency" Structural Design Loads in Aerospace Components

This study is intended to investigate the frequency dependency of significant strain due to vibratory loads in aerospace vehicle components. The notion that "higher frequency" dynamic loads applied as static loads is inherently conservative is perceived as widely accepted. This effort is focused on demonstrating that principle and attempting to evolve methods to capitalize on it to mitigate undue conservatism. It has been suggested that observations of higher frequency modes that resulted in very low corresponding strain did so due to those modes not being significant. Two avionics boxes, one with its first significant mode at 341 Hz and the other at 857 Hz, were attached to a flat panel installed on a curved orthogrid panel which was driven acoustically in tests performed at NASA/MSFC. Strain and acceleration were measured at select locations on each of the boxes. When possible, strain gage rosettes and accelerometers were installed on either side of a given structural member so that measured strain and acceleration data would directly correspond to one another. Ultimately, a frequency above which vibratory loads can be disregarded for purposes of static structural analyses and sizing of typical robust aerospace components is sought.

Knight, J. Brent↗

NASA NTRS2012

Characterization of Deficiencies in the Frequency Domain Forced Response Analysis Technique for Turbine Bladed Disks

Turbine blades in rocket and jet engine turbomachinery experience enormous harmonic loading conditions. These loads result from the integer number of upstream and downstream stator vanes as well as the other turbine stages. The standard technique for forced response analysis to assess structural integrity is to decompose a CFD generated flow field into its harmonic components, and to then perform a frequency response analysis at the problematic natural frequencies. Recent CFD analysis and water-flow testing at NASA/MSFC, though, indicates that this technique may miss substantial harmonic and non-harmonic excitation sources that become present in complex flows. These complications suggest the question of whether frequency domain analysis is capable of capturing the excitation content sufficiently. Two studies comparing frequency response analysis with transient response analysis, therefore, have been performed. The first is of a bladed disk with each blade modeled by simple beam elements. It was hypothesized that the randomness and other variation from the standard harmonic excitation would reduce the blade structural response, but the results showed little reduction. The second study was of a realistic model of a bladed-disk excited by the same CFD used in the J2X engine program. The results showed that the transient analysis results were up to 10% higher for "clean" nodal diameter excitations and six times larger for "messy" excitations, where substantial Fourier content around the main harmonic exists.

Brown, Andrew M.↗

NASA NTRS2012

A Three-Frequency Feed for Millimeter-Wave Radiometry

A three-frequency millimeter-wave feed horn was developed as part of an advanced component technology task that provides components necessary for higher-frequency radiometers to meet the needs of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. The primary objectives of SWOT are to characterize ocean sub-mesoscale processes on 10-km and larger scales in the global oceans, and to measure the global water storage in inland surface water bodies, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. In this innovation, the feed provides three separate output ports in the 87-to- 97-GHz, 125-to-135-GHz, and 161-to-183- GHz bands; WR10 for the 90-GHz channel, WR8 for the 130-GHz channel, and WR5 for the 170-GHz channel. These ports are in turn connected to individual radiometer channels that will also demonstrate component technology including new PIN-diode switches and noise diodes for internal calibration integrated into each radiometer front end. For this application, a prime focus feed is required with an edge taper of approximately 20 dB at an illumination angle of 40 deg. A single polarization is provided in each band. Preliminary requirements called for a return loss of better than 15 dB, which is achieved across all three bands. Good pattern symmetry is also obtained throughout all three-frequency bands. This three-frequency broadband millimeter-wave feed also minimizes mass and provides a common focal point for all three millimeter-wave bands.

Hoppe, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Comparison of Signals from Gravitational Wave Detectors with Instantaneous Time-Frequency Maps

Gravitational wave astronomy relies on the use of multiple detectors, so that coincident detections may distinguish real signals from instrumental artifacts, and also so that relative timing of signals can provide the sky position of sources. We show that the comparison of instantaneous time-frequency and time-amplitude maps provided by the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) can be used effectively for relative signal timing of common signals, to discriminate between the case of identical coincident signals and random noise coincidences and to provide a classification of signals based on their time-frequency trajectories. The comparison is done with a X(sup 2) goodness-of~fit method which includes contributions from both the instantaneous amplitude and frequency components of the HHT to match two signals in the time domain. This approach naturally allows the analysis of waveforms with strong frequency modulation.

Stroeer, A.↗

NASA NTRS2013

On-Chip Power-Combining for High-Power Schottky Diode-Based Frequency Multipliers

A 1.6-THz power-combined Schottky frequency tripler was designed to handle approximately 30 mW input power. The design of Schottky-based triplers at this frequency range is mainly constrained by the shrinkage of the waveguide dimensions with frequency and the minimum diode mesa sizes, which limits the maximum number of diodes that can be placed on the chip to no more than two. Hence, multiple-chip power-combined schemes become necessary to increase the power-handling capabilities of high-frequency multipliers. The design presented here overcomes difficulties by performing the power-combining directly on-chip. Four E-probes are located at a single input waveguide in order to equally pump four multiplying structures (featuring two diodes each). The produced output power is then recombined at the output using the same concept.

Chattopadhyay, Goutam↗

NASA NTRS2013

Wireless Chalcogenide Nanoionic-Based Radio-Frequency Switch

A new nonvolatile nanoionic switch is powered and controlled through wireless radio-frequency (RF) transmission. A thin layer of chalcogenide glass doped with a metal ion, such as silver, comprises the operational portion of the switch. For the switch to function, an oxidizable electrode is made positive (anode) with respect to an opposing electrode (cathode) when sufficient bias, typically on the order of a few tenths of a volt or more, is applied. This action causes the metal ions to flow toward the cathode through a coordinated hopping mechanism. At the cathode, a reduction reaction occurs to form a metal deposit. This metal deposit creates a conductive path that bridges the gap between electrodes to turn the switch on. Once this conductive path is formed, no further power is required to maintain it. To reverse this process, the metal deposit is made positive with respect to the original oxidizable electrode, causing the dissolution of the metal bridge thereby turning the switch off. Once the metal deposit has been completely dissolved, the process self-terminates. This switching process features the following attributes. It requires very little to change states (i.e., on and off). Furthermore, no power is required to maintain the states; hence, the state of the switch is nonvolatile. Because of these attributes the integration of a rectenna to provide the necessary power and control is unique to this embodiment. A rectenna, or rectifying antenna, generates DC power from an incident RF signal. The low voltages and power required for the nanoionic switch control are easily generated from this system and provide the switch with a novel capability to be operated and powered from an external wireless device. In one realization, an RF signal of a specific frequency can be used to set the switch into an off state, while another frequency can be used to set the switch to an on state. The wireless, miniaturized, and nomoving- part features of this switch make it suitable for applications such as integration into garments, RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags, and conformal structures (e.g., aircraft wings, sounding rockets contours, etc). In the case of RFID tags the innovation will provide countermeasures to attempts for identity theft and other uninvited attempts for retrieval of information. It could also be applicable to the automotive industry as well as the aerospace industry for collision avoidance and phased array radar systems, respectively

Nessel, James↗

NASA NTRS2013

Dual-Polarization, Multi-Frequency Antenna Array for use with Hurricane Imaging Radiometer

Advancements in common aperture antenna technology were employed to utilize its proprietary genetic algorithmbased modeling tools in an effort to develop, build, and test a dual-polarization array for Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) applications. Final program results demonstrate the ability to achieve a lightweight, thin, higher-gain aperture that covers the desired spectral band. NASA employs various passive microwave and millimeter-wave instruments, such as spectral radiometers, for a range of remote sensing applications, from measurements of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, to cosmic background emission. These instruments such as the HIRAD, SFMR (Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer), and LRR (Lightweight Rainfall Radiometer), provide unique data accumulation capabilities for observing sea surface wind, temperature, and rainfall, and significantly enhance the understanding and predictability of hurricane intensity. These microwave instruments require extremely efficient wideband or multiband antennas in order to conserve space on the airborne platform. In addition, the thickness and weight of the antenna arrays is of paramount importance in reducing platform drag, permitting greater time on station. Current sensors are often heavy, single- polarization, or limited in frequency coverage. The ideal wideband antenna will have reduced size, weight, and profile (a conformal construct) without sacrificing optimum performance. The technology applied to this new HIRAD array will allow NASA, NOAA, and other users to gather information related to hurricanes and other tropical storms more cost effectively without sacrificing sensor performance or the aircraft time on station. The results of the initial analysis and numerical design indicated strong potential for an antenna array that would satisfy all of the design requirements for a replacement HIRAD array. Multiple common aperture antenna methodologies were employed to achieve exceptional gain over the entire spectral frequency band while exhibiting superb VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio) values. Element size and spacing requirements were addressed for a direct replacement of the thicker, lower-performance, stack ed patch antenna array currently employed for the HIRAD application. Several variants to the multiband arrays were developed that exhibited four, equally spaced, high efficiency, "sweet spot" frequency bands, as well as the option for a high-performance wideband array. The 0.25-in. (≈6.4- mm) thickness of the antenna stack-up itself was achieved through the application of specialized antenna techniques and meta-materials to accomplish all design objectives.

Little, John↗

NASA NTRS2013

Assessment of the Performance of a Dual-Frequency Surface Reference Technique

The high correlation of the rain-free surface cross sections at two frequencies implies that the estimate of differential path integrated attenuation (PIA) caused by precipitation along the radar beam can be obtained to a higher degree of accuracy than the path-attenuation at either frequency. We explore this finding first analytically and then by examining data from the JPL dual-frequency airborne radar using measurements from the TC4 experiment obtained during July-August 2007. Despite this improvement in the accuracy of the differential path attenuation, solving the constrained dual-wavelength radar equations for parameters of the particle size distribution requires not only this quantity but the single-wavelength path attenuation as well. We investigate a simple method of estimating the single-frequency path attenuation from the differential attenuation and compare this with the estimate derived directly from the surface return.

precipitation↗

NASA NTRS2014

System and Method for Generating a Frequency Modulated Linear Laser Waveform

A system for generating a frequency modulated linear laser waveform includes a single frequency laser generator to produce a laser output signal. An electro-optical modulator modulates the frequency of the laser output signal to define a linear triangular waveform. An optical circulator passes the linear triangular waveform to a band-pass optical filter to filter out harmonic frequencies created in the waveform during modulation of the laser output signal, to define a pure filtered modulated waveform having a very narrow bandwidth. The optical circulator receives the pure filtered modulated laser waveform and transmits the modulated laser waveform to a target.

Pierrottet, Diego F.↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Novel Ku-Band/Ka-Band and Ka-Band/E-Band Multimode Waveguide Couplers for Power Measurement of Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier Harmonic Frequencies

This paper presents the design, fabrication and test results for a novel waveguide multimode directional coupler (MDC). The coupler, fabricated from two dissimilar frequency band waveguides, is capable of isolating power at the second harmonic frequency from the fundamental power at the output port of a traveling-wave tube (TWT) amplifier. Test results from proof-of-concept demonstrations are presented for a Ku-band/Ka-band MDC and a Ka-band/E-band MDC. In addition to power measurements at harmonic frequencies, a potential application of the MDC is in the design of a satellite borne beacon source for atmospheric propagation studies at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies (Ka-band and E-band).

Wintucky, Edwin G.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Performance Analysis of a Hardware Implemented Complex Signal Kurtosis Radio-Frequency Interference Detector

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) is a known problem for passive remote sensing as evidenced in the L-band radiometers SMOS, Aquarius and more recently, SMAP. Various algorithms have been developed and implemented on SMAP to improve science measurements. This was achieved by the use of a digital microwave radiometer. RFI mitigation becomes more challenging for microwave radiometers operating at higher frequencies in shared allocations. At higher frequencies larger bandwidths are also desirable for lower measurement noise further adding to processing challenges. This work focuses on finding improved RFI mitigation techniques that will be effective at additional frequencies and at higher bandwidths. To aid the development and testing of applicable detection and mitigation techniques, a wide-band RFI algorithm testing environment has been developed using the Reconfigurable Open Architecture Computing Hardware System (ROACH) built by the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER) Group. The testing environment also consists of various test equipment used to reproduce typical signals that a radiometer may see including those with and without RFI. The testing environment permits quick evaluations of RFI mitigation algorithms as well as show that they are implementable in hardware. The algorithm implemented is a complex signal kurtosis detector which was modeled and simulated. The complex signal kurtosis detector showed improved performance over the real kurtosis detector under certain conditions. The real kurtosis is implemented on SMAP at 24 MHz bandwidth. The complex signal kurtosis algorithm was then implemented in hardware at 200 MHz bandwidth using the ROACH. In this work, performance of the complex signal kurtosis and the real signal kurtosis are compared. Performance evaluations and comparisons in both simulation as well as experimental hardware implementations were done with the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The complex kurtosis algorithm has the potential to reduce data rate due to onboard processing in addition to improving RFI detection performance.

microwaves↗

NASA NTRS2016

Performance Analysis of a Hardware Implemented Complex Signal Kurtosis Radio-Frequency Interference Detector

radiometers↗

NASA NTRS2016

On the Directivity of Low-Frequency Type IV Radio Bursts

An intense type IV radio burst was observed by the STEREO Behind (STB) spacecraft located about 144 deg. behind Earth. The burst was associated with a large solar eruption that occurred on the backside of the Sun (N05E151) close to the disk center in the STB view. The eruption was also observed by the STEREO Ahead (STA) spacecraft (located at 149 deg. ahead of Earth) as an eruption close to the west limb (N05W60) in that view. The type IV burst was complete in STB observations in that the envelope reached the lowest frequency and then receded to higher frequencies. The burst was partial viewed from STA, revealing only the edge coming down to the lowest frequency. The type IV burst was not observed at all near Earth because the source was 61 deg. behind the east limb. The eruption was associated with a low-frequency type II burst observed in all three views, although it was not very intense. Solar energetic particles were also observed at both STEREOs and at SOHO, suggesting that the shock was much extended, consistent with the very high speed of the CME (~2048 km/s). These observations suggest that the type IV emission is directed along a narrow cone above the flare site. We confirm this result statistically using the type IV bursts of solar cycle 23.

solar eruption↗

NASA NTRS2016

Study of the Effect of Temporal Sampling Frequency on DSCOVR Observations Using the GEOS-5 Nature Run Results: Cloud Coverage - Part II

This is the second part of a study on how temporal sampling frequency affects satellite retrievals in support of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission. Continuing from Part 1, which looked at Earth's radiation budget, this paper presents the effect of sampling frequency on DSCOVR-derived cloud fraction. The output from NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) Nature Run is used as the "truth". The effect of temporal resolution on potential DSCOVR observations is assessed by subsampling the full Nature Run data. A set of metrics, including uncertainty and absolute error in the subsampled time series, correlation between the original and the subsamples, and Fourier analysis have been used for this study. Results show that, for a given sampling frequency, the uncertainties in the annual mean cloud fraction of the sunlit half of the Earth are larger over land than over ocean. Analysis of correlation coefficients between the subsamples and the original time series demonstrates that even though sampling at certain longer time intervals may not increase the uncertainty in the mean, the subsampled time series is further and further away from the "truth" as the sampling interval becomes larger and larger. Fourier analysis shows that the simulated DSCOVR cloud fraction has underlying periodical features at certain time intervals, such as 8, 12, and 24 h. If the data is subsampled at these frequencies, the uncertainties in the mean cloud fraction are higher. These results provide helpful insights for the DSCOVR temporal sampling strategy.

GEOS-5↗

NASA NTRS2017

Statistical Analysis of Instantaneous Frequency Scaling Factor as Derived from Optical Disdrometer Measurements at V/W Bands

Since October 2015, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have collaboratively operated an RF terrestrial link in Albuquerque, New Mexico to characterize atmospheric propagation phenomena at 72 and 84 GHz. The W/V-band Terrestrial Link Experiment (WTLE) consists of coherent transmitters at each frequency on the crest of the Sandia Mountains and a corresponding pair of receivers in south Albuquerque. The beacon receivers provide a direct measurement of the link attenuation, while concurrent weather instrumentation provides a measurement of the atmospheric conditions. Among the available weather instruments is an optical disdrometer which yields an optical measurement of rain rate, as well as droplet size and velocity distributions (DSD, DVD). In particular, the DSD can be used to derive an instantaneous scaling factor (ISF) by which the measured data at one frequency can be scaled to another - for example, scaling the 72 GHz to an expected 84 GHz timeseries. Given the availability of both the DSD prediction and the directly observed 84 GHz attenuation, WTLE is thus uniquely able assess DSD-derived instantaneous frequency scaling at the V/W-bands. Previous work along these lines has investigated the DSD-derived ISF at Ka and Q-band (20 GHz to 40 GHz) using a satellite beacon receiver experiment in Milan, Italy. This work will expand the investigation to terrestrial links in the V/W-bands, where the frequency scaling factor is lower and where the link is also much more sensitive to attenuation by rain, clouds, and other atmospheric effects.

Radio Transmission↗

NASA NTRS2016

Survey of the Frequency Dependent Latitudinal Distribution of the Fast Magnetosonic Wave Mode from Van Allen Probes Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument and Integrated Science Waveform Receiver Plasma Wave Analysis

We present a statistical survey of the latitudinal structure of the fast magnetosonic wave mode detected by the Van Allen Probes spanning the time interval of 21 September 2012 to 1 August 2014. We show that statistically, the latitudinal occurrence of the wave frequency (f) normalized by the local proton cyclotron frequency (f(sub cP)) has a distinct funnel-shaped appearance in latitude about the magnetic equator similar to that found in case studies. By comparing the observed E/B ratios with the model E/B ratio, using the observed plasma density and background magnetic field magnitude as input to the model E/B ratio, we show that this mode is consistent with the extra-ordinary (whistler) mode at wave normal angles (theta(sub k)) near 90 deg. Performing polarization analysis on synthetic waveforms composed from a superposition of extra-ordinary mode plane waves with theta(sub k) randomly chosen between 87 and 90 deg, we show that the uncertainty in the derived wave normal is substantially broadened, with a tail extending down to theta(sub k) of 60 deg, suggesting that another approach is necessary to estimate the true distribution of theta(sub k). We find that the histograms of the synthetically derived ellipticities and theta(sub k) are consistent with the observations of ellipticities and theta(sub k) derived using polarization analysis.We make estimates of the median equatorial theta(sub k) by comparing observed and model ray tracing frequency-dependent probability occurrence with latitude and give preliminary frequency dependent estimates of the equatorial theta(sub k) distribution around noon and 4 R(sub E), with the median of approximately 4 to 7 deg from 90 deg at f/f(sub cP) = 2 and dropping to approximately 0.5 deg from 90 deg at f/f(sub cP) = 30. The occurrence of waves in this mode peaks around noon near the equator at all radial distances, and we find that the overall intensity of these waves increases with AE*, similar to findings of other studies.

Boardsen, Scott A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Statistical Analysis of Instantaneous Frequency Scaling Factor as Derived from Optical Disdrometer Measurements at VW Bands

Since October 2015, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have collaboratively operated an RF terrestrial link in Albuquerque, New Mexico to characterize atmospheric propagation phenomena at 72 and 84 GHz. The WV-band Terrestrial Link Experiment (WTLE) consists of coherent transmitters at each frequency on the crest of the Sandia Mountains and a corresponding pair of receivers in south Albuquerque. The beacon receivers provide a direct measurement of the link attenuation, while concurrent weather instrumentation provides a measurement of the atmospheric conditions.Among the available weather instruments is an optical disdrometer which yields an optical measurement of rain rate, as well as droplet size and velocity distributions (DSD, DVD). In particular, the DSD can be used to derive an instantaneous scaling factor (ISF) by which the measured data at one frequency can be scaled to another for example, scaling the 72 GHz to an expected 84 GHz timeseries. Given the availability of both the DSD prediction and the directly observed 84 GHz attenuation, WTLE is thus uniquely able assess DSD-derived instantaneous frequency scaling at the VW-bands. Previous work along these lines has investigated the DSD-derived ISF at Ka and Q-band (20 GHz to 40 GHz) using a satellite beacon receiver experiment in Milan, Italy [1-3]. This work will expand the investigation to terrestrial links in the VW-bands, where the frequency scaling factor is lower and where the link is also much more sensitive to attenuation by rain, clouds, and other atmospheric effects.

Radio Attenuation↗

NASA NTRS2017

System and Method for Generating a Frequency Modulated Linear Laser Waveform

Pierrottet, Diego F.↗