Award Data

Electrons play a very key role in plasma chemistry and dynamics of low temperature plasmas. Improved capability for measuring electron number density, ne, and electron energy distribution function, EEDF, in weakly ionized low temperature plasmas would benefit both fundamental study and application areas. For example, the capability would directly benefit emerging research targeted at modifying and ...

Successful adoption of open frameworks such as perfSONAR in Science DMZs within DOE labs, universities, and small-businesses, and the emerging trends of software-defined cloud platforms that inherently require multi-domain performance transparency are major drivers for a new market. However, perfSONAR framework and other proprietary solutions developed by industry cannot be effectively integrated ...

The laser plasma accelerator (LPA) is a very promising technology for generating gamma rays for the detection of contraband bulk nuclear materials, but is currently limited by the rate at which the beam can be pulsed. Erosion of the capillary plasma channel is the main limiting factor and can be mitigated through the use of artificial diamond to construct the channel. Computational modeling and ...

To meet the NASA's need for innovative technologies that decrease turn-around time for inspections and assessments for safe operations of aircraft and spacecraft, X-wave Innovations, Inc. (XII), teaming up with Prof. Fuh-Gwo Yuan at North Carolina State University (NCSU), proposes to develop an innovative guided-wave based Time-Reversal Tomography (TRT) technology and Bayesian Framework base ...

To solve the problem of autonomous navigation on small satellite platforms less than 20 kg, we propose to develop an onboard orbit determination receiver for small LEO satellites which lack stable Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS), continuous GPS coverage, or ground tracking. The system is a refinement of existing spaceborne receiver technology built around a new, innovative collec ...

The proposed solution exploits recent advances in computer vision to conceive of a single-camera + gyro + accelerometer vision-based navigation solution such that the processing will be lightweight (requiring only a single optical flow sample per frame). Known landmarks (natural or artificial) will have absolute positions known to planetary exploration worker robots. The worker robot can identif ...

Thermal Stir Welding (TSW) provides advancement over the more conventional Friction Stir Welding (C-FSW) process because it separates the primary processes variables thereby allowing independent control of metal stirring and forging from the stir zone temperature. However, the feedback for precise control of the stir zone temperature, and hence the process parameters to sustain that temperature wi ...

Although advancements in CFD technology and high performance computing have proven to be effective and reasonably accurate in assessing the hydrodynamic performance of naval vessels, the effort required to develop associated analysis models remains a challenging and time consuming task. Decomposing and manipulating the design geometry for mesh construction, while capturing near-field and far-field ...

Under this STTR, Imaging Systems Technology (IST) in cooperation with Georgia Institute Technology (GIT) will develop and mature models to predict mechanical properties of refractory alloys with an eye toward tailoring these alloys for specific applications. In particular, this research will focus on addressing core aspects of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) as it applies to ...

The objective of the work described in this proposal is to aid in the advancement of Mo-Si-B alloys for use in high temperature applications such as hot gas stream components in turbine engines. Such alloys are being characterized for their monotonic tensile properties in tension and compression as well for their creep resistance. Likewise, multiphase Mo-Si-B alloys have been studied in terms of m ...