Inner Magnetosphere Imager (IMI) instrument heritage

This report documents the heritage of instrument concepts under consideration for the Inner Magnetosphere Imager (IMI) mission. The proposed IMI will obtain the first simultaneous images of the component regions of the inner magnetosphere and will enable scientists to relate these global images to internal and external influences as well as local observations. To obtain simultaneous images of component regions of the inner magnetosphere, measurements will be made of: (1) the ring current and inner plasma sheet using energetic neutral atoms; (2) the plasmasphere using extreme ultraviolet; (3) the electron and proton auroras using far ultraviolet and x rays; and (4) the geocorona using FUV. Instrument concepts that show heritage and traceability to those that will be required to meet the IMI measurement objectives are described

NASA Tech Briefs, June 2012

Topics covered include: iGlobe Interactive Visualization and Analysis of Spatial Data; Broad-Bandwidth FPGA-Based Digital Polyphase Spectrometer; Small Aircraft Data Distribution System; Earth Science Datacasting v2.0; Algorithm for Compressing Time-Series Data; Onboard Science and Applications Algorithm for Hyperspectral Data Reduction; Sampling Technique for Robust Odorant Detection Based on MIT RealNose Data; Security Data Warehouse Application; Integrated Laser Characterization, Data Acquisition, and Command and Control Test System; Radiation-Hard SpaceWire/Gigabit Ethernet-Compatible Transponder; Hardware Implementation of Lossless Adaptive Compression of Data From a Hyperspectral Imager; High-Voltage, Low-Power BNC Feedthrough Terminator; SpaceCube Mini; Dichroic Filter for Separating W-Band and Ka-Band; Active Mirror Predictive and Requirement Verification Software (AMP-ReVS); Navigation/Prop Software Suite; Personal Computer Transport Analysis Program; Pressure Ratio to Thermal Environments; Probabilistic Fatigue Damage Program (FATIG); ASCENT Program; JPL Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) Portal; Data::Downloader; Fault Tolerance Middleware for a Multi-Core System; DspaceOgreTerrain 3D Terrain Visualization Tool; Trick Simulation Environment 07; Geometric Reasoning for Automated Planning; Water Detection Based on Color Variation; Single-Layer, All-Metal Patch Antenna Element with Wide Bandwidth; Scanning Laser Infrared Molecular Spectrometer (SLIMS); Next-Generation Microshutter Arrays for Large-Format Imaging and Spectroscopy; Detection of Carbon Monoxide Using Polymer-Composite Films with a Porphyrin-Functionalized Polypyrrole; Enhanced-Adhesion Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on Titanium Substrates for Stray Light Control; Three-Dimensional Porous Particles Composed of Curved, Two-Dimensional, Nano-Sized Layers for Li-Ion Batteries 23 Ultra-Lightweight; and Ultra-Lightweight Nanocomposite Foams and Sandwich Structures for Space Structure Applications

Prioritized Contact Transport Stream

A detection process, contact recognition process, classification process, and identification process are applied to raw sensor data to produce an identified contact record set containing one or more identified contact records. A prioritization process is applied to the identified contact record set to assign a contact priority to each contact record in the identified contact record set. Data are removed from the contact records in the identified contact record set based on the contact priorities assigned to those contact records. A first contact stream is produced from the resulting contact records. The first contact stream is streamed in a contact transport stream. The contact transport stream may include and stream additional contact streams. The contact transport stream may be varied dynamically over time based on parameters such as available bandwidth, contact priority, presence/absence of contacts, system state, and configuration parameters

Vision Science and Technology at NASA: Results of a Workshop

A broad review is given of vision science and technology within NASA. The subject is defined and its applications in both NASA and the nation at large are noted. A survey of current NASA efforts is given, noting strengths and weaknesses of the NASA program

The Connection between solar magnetic fields and photospheric dynamics

La convezione rappresenta il meccanismo principale di trasporto dell’energia negli strati sottostanti la superficie solare. La dinamica dei flussi fotosferici associati a tale meccanismo determina la formazione e l’evoluzione del campo magnetico globale e di una grande varietà di strutture presenti nelle regioni più esterne del Sole. In particolare l’interazione tra i flussi di plasma e il campo magnetico determina la configurazione spaziale e l’evoluzione delle regioni attive e degli elementi magnetici superficiali, importanti ad esempio nel determinare la variabilità solare. La convezione solare può essere studiata o mediante lo sviluppo di simulazioni di magnetoconvezione (simulazioni MHD) o attraverso osservazioni spettrali della superficie solare. In questo lavoro il problema della connessione tra campi magnetici solari e dinamica fotosferica è stato affrontato seguendo un approccio sperimentale. In particolare abbiamo lavorato sui sistemi di acquisizione per la spettroscopia solare bidimensionale, sulla pipeline di riduzione di dati spettroscopici solari e infine sull’analisi dei dati. Uno degli strumenti principali della fisica solare sperimentale è la spettroscopia, che permette di derivare informazioni su molti parametri dell’atmosfera solare, quali velocità, temperatura e campo magnetico. Inoltre, l’analisi spettroscopica permette di ricavare la velocità verticale delle strutture emergenti sulla superficie solare. In questo modo, poiché ogni lunghezza d’onda può essere associata ad una determinata quota nell’atmosfera, è possibile trasformare un’immagine bidimensionale in un campo 3D. Al fine di studiare la dinamica dell’atmosfera solare, sono necessarie osservazioni ad alta risoluzione spettrale e spaziale. Inoltre, la rapida evoluzione delle strutture solari osservate richiede monocromatori con un’elevata trasparenza per acquisire spettri multi-riga in un tempo molto breve. Uno strumento che soddisfa tutte queste richieste è IBIS (Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrometer), uno spettrometro bidimensionale installato presso il Dunn Solar Telescope-DST. IBIS produce dati con elevata risoluzione spaziale (0.2” al DST), spettrale (Dl/l~200000) e temporale (tempo di esposizione 10 ms, rate di acquisizione 5 immagini al secondo). Le immagini acuiqiste con IBIS sono registrare da un sensore CCD. Il Capitolo 1 della tesi fornisce un’introduzione alla spettroscopia solare e all’uso delle immagini spettroscopiche per ottenere informazioni sulla dinamica degli strati fotosferici solari. Lo schema dello strumento IBIS, utilizzato in questa tesi per l’acquisizione delle immagini spettroscopiche, è descritto. Nel Capitolo 2 sono riportate le misure e le calibrazioni, effettuate in laboratorio attraverso la Tecnica della Photon Transfer, di due sensori: il sensore CMOS Si-1920-HD e il sensore EMCCD Andor Ixon DV885. Il nostro interesse in questi sensori nasce dalla necessità di sostituire il sensore attualmente installato sul canale spettrale di IBIS, al fine di incrementare l’efficienza di acquisizione dei dati. In particolare, i miglioramenti al sistema di acquisizione di IBIS riguardano diversi aspetti: aumento della sensibilità/efficienza quantica, riduzione del tempo di lettura, incremento della dimensione dell’array e aumento del guadagno del sensore. Nel Capitolo 3 sono descritti i vari passi della pipeline di riduzione dei dati IBIS, che include sia una correzione standard delle immagini sia un software scritto in IDL per l’analisi di immagini solari ad elevata risoluzione. Nel Capitolo 4 riportiamo i risultati scientifici legati allo studio dell’emersione e dell’organizzazione del campo magnetico sulla superficie solare sia come struttura isolata sia come cluster. Tipiche strutture magnetiche isolate sono le macchie solari e i “pore”. E’ stata studiata la dinamica, su piccola scala, di una regione di intenso campo magnetico (pore), con struttura brillante interna. I pore rappresentano una delle tante strutture formate dall’emersione del campo magnetico sulla superficie solare. Essi rappresentano un link tra i più piccoli elementi di flusso e le regioni magnetiche associate alle macchie. I light bridge, in un pore o in una macchia, sono strutture brillanti che dividono la regione di ombra in una strutture più o meno complessa. Comunemente, i light bridge indicano la presenza di un processo in corso all’interno della regione attiva: l’emersione di regioni magnetiche o, al contrario, il disfacimento dell’intera struttura. In entrambi i casi ci si aspetta una riconfigurazione topologica del campo magnetico emergente. Un altro modo per studiare l’interazione del campo magnetico con i moti del plasma consiste nell’andare ad investigare le proprietà oscillatorie della cromosfera solare, sia quieta che attiva, in relazione alla fotosfera sottostante, ponendo particolare riguardo alla topologia del capo magnetico. Nell’atmosfera solare esiste una frequenza di cut-off acustica che produce una riflessione delle onde a bassa frequenza verso gli strati più bassi dell’atmosfera e la regione convettiva. Dunque solo le onde con frequenza maggiori della frequenza di cut-off possono propagarsi verso gli strati più alti dell’atmosfera. Il campo magnetico modifica dunque le proprietà delle oscillazioni acustiche. In particolare, in presenza di un campo magnetico inclinato la frequenza di cut-off acustica si abbassa, permettendo così la propagazione verso l’alto di onde a frequenza maggiore. Questo risultato è stato confermato dalle mappe dei picchi di potenza relative alla fotosfera e alla cromosfera, ottenute utilizzando i dati acquisiti con IBIS. Lo studio della dinamica della fotosfera solare può essere intrapreso anche con metodi statistici, analizzando le proprietà topologiche degli elementi di origine convettiva e magnetica, come la distribuzione spaziale delle strutture presenti nei magnetogrammi. A tal proposito è stato sviluppato un algoritmo in grado di determinare, in maniera automatica, i “vuoti” in una fissata distribuzione di particelle. Questo metodo, applicato ad una serie temporale di magnetogrammi solari con un ampio campo di vista, ha permesso di identificare i vuoti tra strutture magnetiche e di studiarne la distribuzione sulla superficie solare.Convection is the chief mode of heat transport in the outer envelopes of cool stars such as the Sun. Convective effects are recognizable in large-scale features, such as the global differential rotation and meridional circulation flows, as well as smaller scale phenomena such as granulation, mesogranulation, and supergranulation. Moreover, convective flows widely determine the evolution and organization of tiny magnetic elements observed in the solar surface responsible for small scale irradiance solar variations. Our understanding of the solar convection derives from numerical simulations of compressible convection (MHD approach) and from spectral observations of the solar surface (velocity and center line maps, helioseismological data, etc.). In this work we face the problem of connection between solar magnetic fields and photospheric dynamics through an experimental approach. In particular we worked on acquisitions systems for solar imaging spectroscopy, on a pipeline for the spectroscopic data reduction and on the data analysis. One of the basic tools of observational solar physics is spectroscopy, which allows us to derive information on several physical parameters of solar atmosphere such as velocity, temperature, magnetic field strength etc. Spectroscopic analysis allows us to determine the vertical velocity of solar surface structures. Moreover, as wavelength can be somehow associated to depth in the solar atmosphere, it is possible to transform a bidimensional image in a 3-D field. In order to study solar atmosphere dynamics, observations of adequate spectral purity, together with high spatial resolution to resolve small-scale structures are necessary. Moreover, the rapid evolution of observed solar features requires monochromators with high transparency to acquire multiple-line spectra in a comparatively short time. In order to meet all these requirements, suitable instruments and techniques have to be used. An instrument which satisfies all these constraints is IBIS, an Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer, installed at the Dunn Solar Telescope/NSO (Sac Peak, USA). IBIS produces data with high spectral (Dl/l~200000), spatial (0.2’’ at DST telescope) and temporal resolution (exposure time 10 ms; acquisition rate 5 frames s-1). Images acquired with IBIS are currently recorded by a CCD camera. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the solar spectroscopy and to the use of spectroscopic imaging to retrieve information on solar photospheric layers dynamics. The basic concept and the layout of the IBIS spectrograph, used in this thesis to acquire spectroscopic images, is described. Chapter 2 reports laboratory measurements and calibrations, derived through the application of the Photon Transfer Technique, of two sensors: the SI-1920 HD CMOS sensor and the Andor DV885 EMCCD sensor. Our interest in these sensors is related to the necessity to replace the CCD camera, now installed on the IBIS spectral channel. Improvements in the IBIS camera system concern an increased sensitivity/quantum efficiency, a decreased detector readout time, a larger array size and an increased full well/programmable detector gain. Chapter 3 describes the various steps of the pipeline developed for the IBIS data reduction. The pipeline includes both the standard image processing and a high performance IDL software package written specifically for high resolution solar images. In Chapter 4 we report some results related to the study of the emergence and the organization of the magnetic field on the solar surface both as isolated structures and as clusters. More in detail, typical isolated magnetic features are pores or sunspots. We investigated the small scale dynamics of a strong magnetic field region (pore) with a light bridge inside it, observed with the IBIS spectrometer. An analysis of the intensity and velocity maps revealed the presence, inside the light bridge, of elongated structures showing a kind of reversal in intensity and velocity. More in detail, in the intensity images we observed a narrow central dark lane running along the axis of the light bridge, that we explain proposing an analytical model. Regarding the velocity structure, its topology resembles a convective roll and may indicate a modification of the photospheric convective flows. By adopting the IBIS dataset, we studied the oscillatory properties of the solar atmosphere, in the photosphere and the chromosphere, with particular regard to the influence of the magnetic topology. In particular, we analyzed the propagation of waves in the atmosphere in correspondence of a pore, of a magnetic network area and of a quiet Sun region. Studying the generation and propagation of waves in the solar atmosphere provides information about the atmospheric structure and dynamics and it helps to identify the key mechanism of chromospheric and coronal heating. Finally, by using large FoV MDI magnetograms we analyzed the spatial distribution of reticular clusters of magnetic features, such as the magnetic network. For this purpose, we developed a numerical algorithm able to detect voids between magnetic fragments. We computed Void Probability Functions which describe, in a uniform and objective way, the assessment of the void structure of different magnetic elements distributions

NASA Tech Briefs, December 2007

Topics include: Ka-Band TWT High-Efficiency Power Combiner for High-Rate Data Transmission; Reusable, Extensible High-Level Data-Distribution Concept; Processing Satellite Imagery To Detect Waste Tire Piles; Monitoring by Use of Clusters of Sensor-Data Vectors; Circuit and Method for Communication Over DC Power Line; Switched Band-Pass Filters for Adaptive Transceivers; Noncoherent DTTLs for Symbol Synchronization; High-Voltage Power Supply With Fast Rise and Fall Times; Waveguide Calibrator for Multi-Element Probe Calibration; Four-Way Ka-Band Power Combiner; Loss-of-Control-Inhibitor Systems for Aircraft; Improved Underwater Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorometer; Metrology Camera System Using Two-Color Interferometry; Design and Fabrication of High-Efficiency CMOS/CCD Imagers; Foam Core Shielding for Spacecraft CHEM-Based Self-Deploying Planetary Storage Tanks Sequestration of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in a Polymer PPC750 Performance Monitor Application-Program-Installer Builder Using Visual Odometry to Estimate Position and Attitude Design and Data Management System Simple, Script-Based Science Processing Archive Automated Rocket Propulsion Test Management Online Remote Sensing Interface Fusing Image Data for Calculating Position of an Object Implementation of a Point Algorithm for Real-Time Convex Optimization Handling Input and Output for COAMPS Modeling and Grid Generation of Iced Airfoils Automated Identification of Nucleotide Sequences Balloon Design Software Rocket Science 101 Interactive Educational Program Creep Forming of Carbon-Reinforced Ceramic-Matrix Composites Dog-Bone Horns for Piezoelectric Ultrasonic/Sonic Actuators Benchtop Detection of Proteins Recombinant Collagenlike Proteins Remote Sensing of Parasitic Nematodes in Plants Direct Coupling From WGM Resonator Disks to Photodetectors Using Digital Radiography To Image Liquid Nitrogen in Voids Multiple-Parameter, Low-False-Alarm Fire-Detection Systems Mosaic-Detector-Based Fluorescence Spectral Imager Plasmoid Thruster for High Specific-Impulse Propulsion Analysis Method for Quantifying Vehicle Design Goals Improved Tracking of Targets by Cameras on a Mars Rover Sample Caching Subsystem Multistage Passive Cooler for Spaceborne Instruments GVIPS Models and Software Stowable Energy-Absorbing Rocker-Bogie Suspension

NASA SBIR abstracts of 1991 phase 1 projects

The objectives of 301 projects placed under contract by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are described. These projects were selected competitively from among proposals submitted to NASA in response to the 1991 SBIR Program Solicitation. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 301, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference of the 1991 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA Field Center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number are included