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The Bathymetry of North America map layer shows depth ranges using colors. The image was derived from the National Geophysical Data Center?s ETOPO2 elevation data, which is an elevation database gridded at 2-minute resolution, containing elevation and bathymetry for the world. The image was produced from the October 2001 data set.

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The Satellite View of Hawaii map layer is a 100-meter resolution simulated natural-color image of Hawaii. Vegetation is generally green, with forests in darker green and grasslands or shrublands in lighter green. Areas of high reflectance, including urban areas, rock, and dry bare soil, are shown in shades of tan and pink. Very bright areas, such as snow and ice, are light blue. The image was produced by mosaicking Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery from the Landsat 4 and Landsat 5 satellites. Bands 7 (mid-infrared), 4 (near-infrared) and 2 (green), were assigned to red, green, and blue, respectively, and adjusted to produce the final simulated natural-color image.

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The AMSR-E/Aqua Level-3 daily Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) product includes global SWE on Northern and Southern Hemisphere 25 km EASE-Grids, generated by the GSFC algorithm using Level-2A TBs.

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Long burst error mitigation is an enabling technology for the use of Ka band for high rate commercial and government users. Multiple NASA, government, and commercial programs plan to use the Ka-band due to its large capacity and flexible scheduling relative to other bands such as S, X, and Ku. Current digital communications systems have become increasingly adept at managing degraded channel conditions using robust FEC codes and strategies such as adaptive or variable coding and modulation (ACM/VCM). These strategies do not adequately address long burst error conditions on the order of 100,000 symbols. Existing FEC codes of up to 16,000 symbols are inadequate. New methods to address this fast fade or burst error condition must be considered. In phase 1, we identify solutions to address long burst errors within the power and size constraints of a satellite application. In Phase 2, we modify an existing platform to demonstrate performance under real-world conditions and study the interaction of these mitigation methods with higher layer protocols.

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provide a fundamental framework for research and management activities in Long Island Sound, shows the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During April-May 2009 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H12013 offshore of the entrance to the Connecticut River, and during November 2009 and April 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of two ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Two interpretive data layers were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth surveys see: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2009-059-FA and http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2010-010-FA

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Outcrop and subcrop extent of the Lower Wilcox Aquifer in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi.

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Research on desensitized optimal filtering techniques and a navigation and sensor fusion tool kit using advanced filtering techniques is proposed. Research focuses on reducing the sensitivity of Kalman filters with respect to model parameter uncertainties using a robust trajectory optimization approach called Desensitized Optimal Control, developed by the proposing company. The proposed tool kit implements the research results as well as recent advances in robust and/or adaptive generalized Kalman and Sigma-Point filters for non-Gaussian problems with uncertain error statistics. The proposed research and development brings new filtering and sensor fusion techniques to NASA and industry in a convenient package which can be used as a stand-alone toolbox, either for ground support or for onboard applications. Its modular structure enables it to be readily integrated with other tools, and thus enhances the existing fleet of applications. The desensitized optimal filtering research and the feasibility study on components of the proposed tool kit will be carried out concurrently. The tool kit is a generic stand-alone application, and has a modularized structure which facilitates easy integration with existing tools. A suite of sensor models and noise distributions as well as Monte-Carlo analysis capability are included to enable statistical performance evaluations.

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Broadband Terahertz Frequency Multipliers Project

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Broadband Terahertz Frequency Multipliers Project

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These data identify, in general, the areas where final critical habitat for the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) occurs.

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For the proposed CoNNeCT experiment, Innoflight and John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) have formed a significant complimentary union with respect to each one's expertise in space networking. Innoflight is bringing forward design and development expertise in cryptographically secure Internet Protocol (IP) for space links per NSA specifications while JHU/APL brings formidable Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) protocol and application to run above the secure transport. The two combined provide a high-value space communications solution that can be tested and refined using CoNNeCT. In addition, each one separately provides its own independent solution for a large variety of commercial and government applications.

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This project addresses the need for a framework and domain architecture suitable for reconfigurable transceivers and associated component technologies. The goal of this effort is to provide flexible, reconfigurable communications capability while minimizing on-board resources and cost. WW Technology Group's (WWTG) approach provides a formalized structure for: (1) the design and implementation of reconfigurable computing (RC) using FPGAs for high performance parallel processing and (2) algorithm updates over the life cycle of the platform. In addition, this RC-Enabled approach can replace manual, ad-hoc development methods and support Runtime Reconfiguration (RTR) activities that allow the dynamic modification of the functional configuration of the RC hardware and adaptive computing. Specifically, WWTG's approach offers reconfigurable software and firmware that provides access control, and reconfiguration process including partial reconfiguration. The WW Technology Group (WWTG) presents a novel approach for reconfigurable, reprogrammable communication systems that provide high performance within the constraints of power consumption, reliability, size, and weight. By combining the system on a chip (SoC) technologies in a distributed platform supported by a flexible software infrastructure, our system strikes the optimal balance between size, power consumption, and functionality.

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Processor speed has traditionally grown at a rate faster than that of communication speed in computer and supercomputer networks, and it is expected that this trend will continue even stronger, as we move into the exascale age in the upcoming decade. This has resulted in what is known as the "communication gap" for communication-bound HPC applications: their communication-to-computation time-ratio is so large, that the processors remain mostly sub-utilized, with lots of "disposable" FLOPS available. In the last few years, scientists have proposed to use these disposable FLOPS (which otherwise would be wasted idling) to compress and decompress the communicated data so to effectively speed up the underlying application. Although the idea bears tremendous potential, efforts in this direction have consistently rendered very poor results, with typical resulting speedups averaging below 1.5x. In this project, we identify the strongest reasons why traditional data compression has fallen short in terms of speedup performance for HPC, and propose novel techniques particularly crafted for groundbreaking performance within the HPC framework. Preliminary results show that these techniques break the 10x speedup markup consistently for a wide class of HPC applications of primary importance to NASA. We propose to develop the theory and methods behind these techniques, which ultimately will result into a library product for transparent acceleration of HPC communication platforms, such as MPI. Accelogic has already secured Phase III private capital in the amount of $1 million for the deployment of such potentially revolutionary product, following a successful Phase II.

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop, fabricate, and characterize a novel frequency steered acoustic transducer (FSAT) for the structural health monitoring of aerospace structures for impacts, damage, and leakage. A single compact, cost effective FSAT is expected to replace high-element-count phase arrays, significantly reducing cost, weight, size, and power requirements for multiple channel data handling, wiring, electronics, and powering. FSAT will allow for permanent continuous leakage detection and localization of simple and complex structures.

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The Lunar EVA network will exhibit a wide range of connectivity levels due to the challenging communications environment and mission dynamics. Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) enables communications in environments where intermittent end-to-end connectivity occurs due to nodes moving temporarily out of range by taking advantage of persistent storage and mobility. DTN forwarding is a mature technology, but requires an adaptable routing algorithm that covers opportunistic and scheduled modes of operation under stable or disrupted connectivity. SSCI, in collaboration with Boston University and BBN Technologies proposes novel adaptive hybrid routing protocols and efficient data set reconciliation algorithms that will significantly enhance the scalability and performance of state-of-the-art DTN approaches. SSCI further proposes to develop the SELENE DTN system prototype using COTS hardware and demonstrate data muling capability in a 20-node network. SELENE technologies will provide the Lunar EVA network with the reliability necessary to support Lunar missions in the extreme network conditions on the Lunar surface. Through Phase II, SSCI will identify and secure commitments from industry and government transition partners to transition SELENE to commercial applications.

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CO2 control for during ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA) on mars is challenging. Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) canisters have impractical logistics penalties, and regenerable metal oxide canisters weigh too much. Cycling bed systems and permeable membranes that are regenerable in space vacuum cannot vent on Mars due to the high partial pressure of CO2 in the atmosphere. Although sweep gas regeneration is under investigation, the feasibility, logistics penalties, and failure modes associated with this technique have not been fully determined. TDA Research, Inc. proposes to develop a durable, high-capacity regenerable sorbent that can remove CO2 from the breathing loop. The system design allows sorbent regeneration at or above 6 torr, eliminating the potential for Martian atmosphere to leak into the regeneration bed and into the breathing loop. In the proposed work, we will synthesize sorbent formulations to remove CO2 from the breathing loop of the PLSS and evaluate the performance of these sorbents under representative conditions (adsorption and regeneration under sub-atmospheric pressures across the desired temperature differential). We will explore the methods to prepare these sorbents on engineered structures to increase durability and promote better heat transfer during the thermal regeneration process. We will perform a minimum of 1,000 adsorption/regeneration cycles to demonstrate the life of these sorbents. Finally, we will carry out a detailed engineering analysis and design to assess the technical viability of the concept.

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<p>There are two parts to this project: technology development and technology demonstration and infusion into programs. The development of the DTN services is funded and managed by Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN). The demonstrations and infusion into Humans Space Flight programs is managed by Advanced Exploration Systems (AES).</p><p>Currently, protocols to move data have been developed and demonstrated in the lab. These are being infused into operational systems, starting with the International Space Station.</p><p>The future development services are: security, network management, routing, quality of service, key management, and deployment services (e.g., timing). As these are developed by SCaN, they will be demonstrated by AES and moved into HEOMD programs. In addition, there are international agreements to use DTN; AES will manage the US part of international Human Space Flight tests and usage.</p>

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Human exploration of Mars, as well as unmanned sample return missions can benefit greatly from use of propellants and life-support consumables produced from the resources available on Mars. The first major step of any in-situ propellant production system is the acquisition of carbon dioxide from the Mars atmosphere and its compression for further chemical processing. TDA Research Inc. proposes to develop a compact, lightweight, advanced sorbent-based compressor to recover high-pressure, high purity CO2 from the Martian atmosphere. The system eliminates the need for a mechanical pump, increasing the reliability with relatively low power consumption. TDA's system uses a proprietary sorbent that selectively adsorb CO2 at 0.1 psia and regenerates by temperature swing, producing a continuous, high purity CO2 flow at pressure (> 15 psia). The objective of this Phase I research is to develop a high capacity, regenerable CO2 adsorbent that maintains its CO2 capacity and mechanical integrity over extended adsorption/desorption cycles. We will optimize the sorbent formulation and conduct a minimum of 100 complete adsorption/regeneration cycles for our best sorbent formulation. We will carry out a design of the adsorbent-based CO2 compressor and demonstrate the technical feasibility of the concept and quantify the logistics savings.

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<p>This project involves modulating a commercial, distributed feedback, laser with a pseudo random code. It involves the optimization of laser pulse width versus the pumping of the fiber laser to extract the maximum amount of energy before encountering damaging nonlinear effects in the fiber amplifier.  It also explores the impact of nonlinearities in the noise on measurement precision.</p>

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<p>Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a cost effective nano-manufacturing technique that allows for the conformal coating of substrates with atomic control in a benign temperature and pressure environment.  By utilizing the effectiveness of this technique an ALD production method for depositing laminated films of Iridium and metal nitride source material for multilayer x-ray optics, a lamination of TiO2 and TiN for VUV protection and static charge dissipation and the formation of tuned nanopillars for sensors and filters is in the process of being developed.  The film deposition will be done utilizing a custom built in-house ALD reactor and the proposed work is in collaboration with the University of Maryland at College Park. Success of the this work has been demonstrated through the development of a Passive Variable Emittance Film prototype for thermal control, Iridium Coated X-Ray Optics and nanolaminated film for the three-dimensional growth of carbon nanotubes for stray light suppression. Novel deposition methods and materials justified the design and installation of a custom reactor where dynamic in situ measurements reduced the formulation of the materials system to prototype at a fraction of the cost.  Three specific examples of the reactors benefit include the formation of nanolaminated films, additive material protection and tunable nanopillars. Nanolaminate films constitute diverse materials of periodic layers with distinct film thickness that measure on the order of nanometers.  The multilayered structure often imparts unique characteristics to the nanolaminate film where the periodic morphology may have physical properties that are far superior to single or pure material films. Polymers and polymer composite materials used for lightweight spacecraft structural components are susceptible to surface damage by high-energy collisions with atomic oxygen found in low-Earth orbit and by the high fluxes of vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Because these materials are insulators, they also can accumulate significant levels of surface charge. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of SiO2 films is effective at protecting polymer materials, but relatively thick PECVD must be used to eliminate pinholes and to assure sufficient film thicknesses over surfaces with significant topography.  An investigation of TiO2 and TiN coupled films is underway.  While each of these materials alone can provide a protective layer for the polymer, the TiO2 is particularly well suited to VUV protection and the TiN, being conductive, will help dissipate static charge.  A tertiary product of metal oxide ALD is its ability to protect polymeric films such as Kapton from AO erosion in low earth orbiting missions.   NASA Glen confirmed this property where samples of Kapton film coated with an ALD of a metal oxide were exposed to AO fluxes equivalent to 10 years resulted in mass conservation of 98%. The formation of the tuned nanopillars is accomplished by utilizing nanomolds of sputtered aluminum on the substrate of choice.  The sputtered aluminum can be transformed into spatially arrayed pores of predefined length and diameter utilizing acidic baths and an applied voltage.  After pore/hole formation, material can be deposited within these structures utilizing ALD to produce standing nanotubes or pillars.  These initial developments in scaffold assisted nanogeometric formations have potential applications in rectifying nanoantennas, sensors (chemical, biological, medical), and novel p-type semiconductors for solar cells, natural gas filtration, catalysis and nanocapacitors.  This application has a potential follow on funding from technology that requires filtration or catalytic capabilities for non-hydrazine based “green” fuels.<br /> </p>

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<p> The small size and low weight of these battery-free<br /> SAW tags enable long-range, long duration remote temperature sensing instruments as well as a relative navigation waypoint network. This project can eventually provide a unique scientific instrument to be flown on multiple robotic probes. Additional exploration technologies will be identified and assessed for their applicability for future surface, small body and planetary exploration (e.g. Naval Research Lab miniature microbial fuel cell, modulating retrroeflector, X-band switchable radio/radar).<br />  </p>

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Improving Binaural Simulation of Structural Acoustics Project

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A key objective for NASA's next rover mission to Mars is the demonstration of oxygen production from atmospheric carbon dioxide. Such a technology demonstration may pave the way for a future sample return mission to the Red Planet as well as possibly a future manned mission to Mars. A necessary component in such a demonstration system is a blower or compressor that can deliver the necessary carbon dioxide mass flow to a production plant. Creare proposes the development of a multistage radial flow compressor that is capable of compressing 400 g/hr to a pressure of up 0.1 Bar. The compressor will be a turbomachine based on our space-qualified vacuum pump technology currently operating on the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater on Mars. In Phase I, we propose to design the compressor and perform benchtop testing. In Phase II, we propose to design and build a full-up multistage system.

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C-CURE system manages certain aspects of the access control system, including collecting employee and contractor names and photographs. The Office of Security uses C-CURE to collect this information to verify that individual employees are who they say they are.

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The Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins are in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in southern California. Ground water from these basins supplies a major part of the water requirements for the region. The continuous population growth in this area has resulted in ever-increasing demands on local ground-water resources. The collection and interpretation of ground-water data helps local water districts, military bases, and private citizens gain a better understanding of the ground-water flow systems, and consequently, water availability. During 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies made approximately 2,500 water-level measurements in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins. These data document recent conditions and, when compared with previous data, changes in ground-water levels. A water-level contour map was drawn using data from about 660 wells, providing coverage for most of the basins. Twenty-eight hydrographs show long-term (up to 70 years) water-level conditions throughout the basins, and 9 short-term (1997 to 2002) hydrographs show the effects of recharge and discharge along the Mojave River. In addition, a water-level-change map was compiled to compare 2000 and 2002 water levels throughout the basins. In the Mojave River ground-water basin, about 66 percent of the wells had water-level declines of 0.5 ft or more since 2000 and about 27 percent of the wells had water-level declines greater than 5 ft. The only area that had water-level increases greater than 5 ft that were not attributed to fluctuations in nearby pumpage was in the Harper Lake (dry) area where there has been a significant reduction in pumpage during the last decade. In the Morongo ground-water basin, about 36 percent of the wells had water-level declines of 0.5 ft or more and about 10 percent of the wells had water-level declines greater than 5 ft. Water-level increases greater than 5 ft were measured only in the Warren subbasin, where artificial-recharge operations have caused water levels to rise almost 60 ft since 2000.