Space Station Biological Research Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Catherine C.; Hargens, Alan R.; Wade, Charles E.

1995-01-01

NASA Ames Research Center is responsible for the development of the Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) which will support non-human life sciences research on the International Space Station Alpha (ISSA). The SSBRP is designed to support both basic research to understand the effect of altered gravity fields on biological systems and applied research to investigate the effects of space flight on biological systems. The SSBRP will provide the necessary habitats to support avian and reptile eggs, cells and tissues, plants and rodents. In addition a habitat to support aquatic specimens will be provided by our international partners. Habitats will be mounted in ISSA compatible racks at u-g and will also be mounted on a 2.5 m diameter centrifuge except for the egg incubator which has an internal centrifuge. The 2.5 m centrifuge will provide artificial gravity levels over the range of 0.01 G to 2 G. The current schedule is to launch the first rack in 1999, the Life Sciences glovebox and a second rack early in 2001, a 4 habitat 2.5 in centrifuge later the same year in its own module, and to upgrade the centrifuge to 8 habitats in 2004. The rodent habitats will be derived from the Advanced Animal Habitat currently under development for the Shuttle program and will be capable of housing either rats or mice individually or in groups (6 rats/group and at least 12 mice/group). The egg incubator will be an upgraded Avian Development Facility also developed for the Shuttle program through a Small Business and Innovative Research grant. The Space Tissue Loss cell culture apparatus, developed by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, is being considered for the cell and tissue culture habitat. The Life Sciences Glovebox is crucial to all life sciences experiments for specimen manipulation and performance of science procedures. It will provide two levels of containment between the work volume and the crew through the use of seals and negative pressure. The glovebox

Utilization of Space Station Freedom for technology research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avery, Don E.

1992-01-01

Space Station Freedom presents a unique opportunity for technology developers to conduct research in the space environment. Research can be conducted in the pressurized volume of the Space Station's laboratories or attached to the Space Station truss in the vacuum of space. Technology developers, represented by the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST), will have 12 percent of the available Space Station resources (volume, power, data, crew, etc.) to use for their research. Most technologies can benefit from research on Space Station Freedom and all these technologies are represented in the OAST proposed traffic model. This traffic model consists of experiments that have been proposed by technology developers but not necessarily selected for flight. Experiments to be flown in space will be selected through an Announcement of Opportunity (A.O.) process. The A.O. is expected to be released in August, 1992. Experiments will generally fall into one of the 3 following categories: (1) Individual technology experiments; (2) Instrumented Space Station; and (3) Guest investigator program. The individual technology experiments are those that do not instrument the Space Station nor directly relate to the development of technologies for evolution of Space Station or development of advanced space platforms. The Instrumented Space Station category is similar to the Orbiter Experiments Program and allows the technology developer to instrument subsystems on the Station or develop instrumentation packages that measure products or processes of the Space Station for the advancement of space platform technologies. The guest investigator program allows the user to request data from Space Station or other experiments for independent research. When developing an experiment, a developer should consider all the resources and infrastructure that Space Station Freedom can provide and take advantage of these to the maximum extent possible. Things like environment, accommodations

Research on the optimization of air quality monitoring station layout based on spatial grid statistical analysis method.

PubMed

Li, Tianxin; Zhou, Xing Chen; Ikhumhen, Harrison Odion; Difei, An

2018-05-01

In recent years, with the significant increase in urban development, it has become necessary to optimize the current air monitoring stations to reflect the quality of air in the environment. Highlighting the spatial representation of some air monitoring stations using Beijing's regional air monitoring station data from 2012 to 2014, the monthly mean particulate matter concentration (PM10) in the region was calculated and through the IDW interpolation method and spatial grid statistical method using GIS, the spatial distribution of PM10 concentration in the whole region was deduced. The spatial distribution variation of districts in Beijing using the gridding model was performed, and through the 3-year spatial analysis, PM10 concentration data including the variation and spatial overlay (1.5 km × 1.5 km cell resolution grid), the spatial distribution result obtained showed that the total PM10 concentration frequency variation exceeded the standard. It is very important to optimize the layout of the existing air monitoring stations by combining the concentration distribution of air pollutants with the spatial region using GIS.

Applicability of NASA Polar Technologies to British Antarctic Survey Halley VI Research Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Michael

2005-01-01

From 1993 through 1997 NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF), developed a variety of environmental infrastructure technologies for use at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The objective of this program was to reduce the cost of operating the South Pole Station, reduce the environmental impact of the Station, and to increase the quality of life for Station inhabitants. The result of this program was the development of a set of sustainability technologies designed specifically for Polar applications. In the intervening eight years many of the technologies developed through this program have been commercialized and tested in extreme environments and are now available for use throughout Antarctica and circumpolar north. The objective of this document is to provide information covering technologies that might also be applicable to the British Antarctic Survey s (BAS) proposed new Halley VI Research Station. All technologies described are commercially available.

Evaluation of selected surface-water-quality stations in Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rucker, S.J.; DeLong, L.L.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, has conducted a surface-water-quality program in Wyoming since 1965. The purpose has been to determine the chemical quality of the water in terms of the major dissolved constituents (salinity). Changing agricultural techniques and energy development have stimulated a need for an expanded program involving additional types of data. This report determines the adequacy of the data collected thus far to describe the chemical quality. The sampling program was evaluated by determining how well the data describe the dissolved-solids load of the streams. Monthly mean loads were estimated at 16 stations throughout the network where daily streamflow and daily specific conductance were available. Monthly loads were then compared with loads estimated from daily streamflow and data derived from analyses of samples collected on a monthly basis at these same stations. Agreement was good. Solute-load hydrographs were constructed for 37 stations and from some reaches where streamflow records were available. Because stations where no discharge records are available are not amenable to this type of analysis, data collected at these stations are of limited usefulness. This report covers analyses of data for all qualifying sites in Wyoming except those in the Green River Basin, which were analyzed in U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 77-103. The salinity in most of the streams evaluated is adequately described by the data collected. Reduced sampling is feasible, and time and money can be diverted to collecting other data. (USGS)

Engineering Research and Technology Development on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

This report identifies and assesses the kinds of engineering research and technology development applicable to national, NASA, and commercial needs that can appropriately be performed on the space station. It also identifies the types of instrumentation that should be included in the space station design to support engineering research. The report contains a preliminary assessment of the potential benefits to U.S. competitiveness of engineering research that might be conducted on a space station, reviews NASA's current approach to jointly funded or cooperative experiments, and suggests modifications that might facilitate university and industry participation in engineering research and technology development activities on the space station.

Trends in Surface-Water Quality at Selected Ambient-Monitoring Network Stations in Kentucky, 1979-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crain, Angela S.; Martin, Gary R.

2009-01-01

Increasingly complex water-management decisions require water-quality monitoring programs that provide data for multiple purposes, including trend analyses, to detect improvement or deterioration in water quality with time. Understanding surface-water-quality trends assists resource managers in identifying emerging water-quality concerns, planning remediation efforts, and evaluating the effectiveness of the remediation. This report presents the results of a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet-Kentucky Division of Water, to analyze and summarize long-term water-quality trends of selected properties and water-quality constituents in selected streams in Kentucky's ambient stream water-quality monitoring network. Trends in surface-water quality for 15 properties and water-quality constituents were analyzed at 37 stations with drainage basins ranging in size from 62 to 6,431 square miles. Analyses of selected physical properties (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness, and suspended solids), for major ions (chloride and sulfate), for selected metals (iron and manganese), for nutrients (total phosphorus, total nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate), and for fecal coliform were compiled from the Commonwealth's ambient water-quality monitoring network. Trend analyses were completed using the S-Plus statistical software program S-Estimate Trend (S-ESTREND), which detects trends in water-quality data. The trend-detection techniques supplied by this software include the Seasonal Kendall nonparametric methods for use with uncensored data or data censored with only one reporting limit and the Tobit-regression parametric method for use with data censored with multiple reporting limits. One of these tests was selected for each property and water-quality constituent and applied to all station records so that results of the trend procedure could be compared among

International Space Station Research Plan: Assembly Sequence. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

These viewgraphs discuss the International Space Station's Research Plan. The goals for the International Space Station Utilization are to provide a state-of-the-art research facility on which to study gravity's effects on physical, chemical, and biological systems. It is also an advanced testbed for technology and human exploration as well as a commercial platform for space research and development.

Trends in surface-water quality at selected National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) stations, in Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Syed, Atiq U.; Fogarty, Lisa R.

2005-01-01

To demonstrate the value of long-term, water-quality monitoring, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), initiated a study to evaluate potential trends in water-quality constituents for selected National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) stations in Michigan. The goal of this study is to assist the MDEQ in evaluating the effectiveness of water-pollution control efforts and the identification of water-quality concerns. The study included a total of nine NASQAN stations in Michigan. Approximately 28 constituents were analyzed for trend tests. Station selection was based on data availability, land-use characteristics, and station priority for the MDEQ Water Chemistry Monitoring Project. Trend analyses were completed using the uncensored Seasonal Kendall Test in the computer program Estimate Trend (ESTREND), a software program for the detection of trends in water-quality data. The parameters chosen for the trend test had (1) at least a 5-year period of record (2) about 5 percent of the observations censored at a single reporting limit, and (3) 40 percent of the values within the beginning one-fifth and ending one-fifth of the selected period. In this study, a negative trend indicates a decrease in concentration of a particular constituent, which generally means an improvement in water quality; whereas a positive trend means an increase in concentration and possible degradation of water quality. The results of the study show an overall improvement in water quality at the Clinton River at Mount Clemens, Manistee River at Manistee, and Pigeon River near Caseville. The detected trend for these stations show decreases in concentrations of various constituents such as nitrogen compounds, conductance, sulfate, fecal coliform bacteria, and fecal streptococci bacteria. The negative trend may indicate an overall improvement in agricultural practices, municipal and industrial wastewater

Flow quality studies of the NASA Lewis Research Center Icing Research Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arrington, E. Allen; Pickett, Mark T.; Sheldon, David W.

1994-01-01

A series of studies have been conducted to determine the flow quality in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel. The primary purpose of these studies was to document airflow characteristics, including flow angularity, in the test section and tunnel loop. A vertically mounted rake was used to survey total and static pressure and two components of flow angle at three axial stations within the test section (test section inlet, test plane, and test section exit; 15 survey stations total). This information will be used to develop methods of improving the aerodynamic and icing characteristics within the test section. The data from surveys made in the tunnel loop were used to determine areas where overall tunnel flow quality and efficiency can be improved. A separate report documents similar flow quality surveys conducted in the diffuser section of the Icing Research Tunnel. The flow quality studies were conducted at several locations around the tunnel loop. Pressure, velocity, and flow angularity measurements were made by using both fixed and translating probes. Although surveys were made throughout the tunnel loop, emphasis was placed on the test section and tunnel areas directly upstream of the test section (settling chamber, bellmouth, and cooler). Flow visualization, by video recording smoke and tuft patterns, was also used during these studies. A great deal of flow visualization work was conducted in the area of the drive fan. Information gathered there will be used to improve the flow quality upstream and downstream of the fan.

Atmosphere and water quality monitoring on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niu, William

1990-01-01

In Space Station Freedom air and water will be supplied in closed loop systems. The monitoring of air and water qualities will ensure the crew health for the long mission duration. The Atmosphere Composition Monitor consists of the following major instruments: (1) a single focusing mass spectrometer to monitor major air constituents and control the oxygen/nitrogen addition for the Space Station; (2) a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer to detect trace contaminants; (3) a non-dispersive infrared spectrometer to determine carbon monoxide concentration; and (4) a laser particle counter for measuring particulates in the air. An overview of the design and development concepts for the air and water quality monitors is presented.

Exobiology research on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huntington, J. L.; Stratton, D. M.; Scattergood, T. W.

1995-01-01

The Gas-Grain Simulation Facility (GGSF) is a multidisciplinary experiment laboratory being developed by NASA at Ames Research Center for delivery to Space Station Freedom in 1998. This facility will employ the low-gravity environment of the Space Station to enable aerosol experiments of much longer duration than is possible in any ground-based laboratory. Studies of fractal aggregates that are impossible to sustain on Earth will also be enabled. Three research areas within exobiology that will benefit from the GGSF are described here. An analysis of the needs of this research and of other suggested experiments has produced a list of science requirements which the facility design must accommodate. A GGSF design concept developed in the first stage of flight hardware development to meet these requirements is also described.

Compilation of water-resources data and hydrogeologic setting for four research stations in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces of North Carolina, 2000-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, Brad A.; Pfeifle, Cassandra A.; Chapman, Melinda J.; Bolich, Richard E.; Campbell, Ted R.; Geddes, Donald J.; Pippin, Charles G.

2006-01-01

Water-resources data were collected to describe the hydrologic conditions at four research stations in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Physiographic Provinces of North Carolina. Data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, from September 2000 through September 2004 are presented in this report. The locations and periods of data collection are as follows: the Lake Wheeler Road research station (Raleigh) from April 2001 to September 2004, the Langtree Peninsula research station (Mooresville) from September 2000 to September 2004, the Upper Piedmont research station (Reidsville) from March 2002 to September 2004, and the Bent Creek research station (Asheville) from July 2002 to September 2004. Data presented in this report include well-construction characteristics for 110 wells, periodic ground-water-level measurements for 96 wells, borehole geophysical logs for 23 wells, hourly ground-water-level measurements for 12 wells, continuous-stage measurements for 2 streams, continuous water-quality measurements for 8 wells and 2 streams, periodic water-quality samples for 57 wells and 6 stream sites, slug-test results for 38 wells, and shallow ground-water-flow maps. In addition, the geology and hydrogeology at each site are summarized.

CentNet—A deployable 100-station network for surface exchange research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oncley, S.; Horst, T. W.; Semmer, S.; Militzer, J.; Maclean, G.; Knudson, K.

2014-12-01

Climate, air quality, atmospheric composition, surface hydrology, and ecological processes are directly affected by the Earth's surface. Complexity of this surface exists at multiple spatial scales, which complicates the understanding of these processes. NCAR/EOL currently provides a facility to the research community to make direct eddy-covariance flux observations to quantify surface-atmosphere interactions. However, just as model resolution has continued to increase, there is a need to increase the spatial density of flux measurements to capture the wide variety of scales that contribute to exchange processes close to the surface. NCAR/EOL now has developed the CentNet facility, that is envisioned to have on the order of 100 surface flux stations deployable for periods of months to years. Each station would measure standard meteorological variables, all components of the surface energy balance (including turbulence fluxes and radiation), atmospheric composition, and other quantities to characterize the surface. Thus, CentNet can support observational research in the biogeosciences, hydrology, urban meteorology, basic meteorology, and turbulence. CentNet has been designed to be adaptable to a wide variety of research problems while keeping operations manageable. Tower infrastructure has been designed to be lightweight, easily deployed, and with a minimal set-up footprint. CentNet uses sensor networks to increase spatial sampling at each station. The data system saves every sample on site to retain flexibility in data analysis. We welcome guidance on development and funding priorities as we build CentNet.

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2005 Research Accomplishments

Treesearch

Rick Fletcher

2006-01-01

During 2005, the USDA Forest Service celebrated its Centennial, recognizing 100 years of successfully caring for the land and serving people. The Rocky Mountain Research Station has been, and continues to be, an integral part of the Forest Service mission, dating back to the Agency's beginning, with the establishment of the Santa Rita Experimental Range near...

Water-quality data for selected stations in the East Everglades, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, Bradley G.

1981-01-01

The results of water-quality samples collected from April 1978 through April 1980 from three canal stations, four marsh stations, and two ground-water stations within the East Everglades, Dade County, Florida, are tabulated in 37 tables. The major categories of parameters analyzed are field measurements, physical characteristics, macronutrients (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus), major ions, trace elements, and algae. Chemical data for bulk-precipitation stations within and adjacent to the East Everglades are also given. The parameters analyzed include macronutrients, major ions, and trace elements. The period of record for these stations is October 1977 through April 1980. Bottom material at the canal and marsh stations was collected twice during the investigation. These data include analyses for macronutrients, trace elements, and chlorinated-hydrocarbon insecticides. (USGS)

Optical Dust Characterization in Manned Mars Analogue Research Stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bos, B. J.; Krebs, Carolyn (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

Martian dust has been identified as a potentially serious hazard to any manned Mars landing mission. NASA and other organizations realize this risk and continue to support Martian dust research through the Matador project led by researchers at the University of Arizona. The Mars Society can contribute to this work by beginning a regimen of monitoring and measuring dust properties at its Mars analogue research stations. These research facilities offer the unique opportunity to study the transport and distribution of dust particles within a crewed habitat supporting active geologic exploration. Information regarding the amount, location and size of dust particles that may accumulate in a Mars habitat will be required to design a real Mars habitat and habitat equipment. Beginning such an effort does not require a large outlay of equipment and can be accomplished using crewmembers experienced with station operations. Various optical techniques, such as dark-field illumination, coupled with image processing algorithms enable the collection of dust grain relative size and frequency information. Such approaches can be applied in several different zones within the research stations to evaluate the various dust reduction and isolation procedures implemented during a particular crew rotation. As the stations simulation fidelity increases, the applicability of such data to a functional Mars lander will increase. This presentation describes the optical equipment and procedures for measuring dust properties in Mars analogue research stations that can be implemented during the next field season.

Southern Research Station Global Change Research Strategy 2011-2019

Treesearch

Kier Klepzig; Zoe Hoyle; Stevin Westcott; Emrys Treasure

2012-01-01

In keeping with the goals of the Research and Development agenda of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Southern Research Station (SRS) provides the information and technology needed to develop best management practices for the forest lands of the Southern United States, where science-guided actions are needed to sustain ecosystem health,...

2009 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2010-01-01

This report highlights significant research findings and accomplishments by scientists at the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station during fiscal year 2009. The mission of the PNW Research Station is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices about people, natural resources...

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River Basin, Kentucky; fixed-station network and selected water-quality data, April 1987 through August 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffin, M.S.; Martin, G.R.; White, K.D.

1994-01-01

This report describes selected data-collection activities and the associated data collected during the Kentucky River Basin pilot study of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The data are intended to provide a nationally consistent description and improved understanding of current water quality in the basin. The data were collected at seven fixed stations that represent stream cross sections where constituent transport and water-quality trends can be evaluated. The report includes descriptions of (1) the basin; (2) the design of the fixed-station network; (3) the fixed-station sites; (4) the physical and chemical measurements; (5) the methods of sample collection, processing, and analysis; and (6) the quality-assurance and quality-control procedures. Water-quality data collected at the fixed stations during routine periodic sampling and supplemental high-flow sampling from April 1987 to August 1991 are presented.

2008 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2009-01-01

This report highlights significant research findings and accomplishments by scientists at the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station during fiscal year 2008. The mission of the PNW Research Station is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices about people, natural resources, and the environment. The work...

Impacts and societal benefits of research activities at Summit Station, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawley, R. L.; Burkhart, J. F.; Courville, Z.; Dibb, J. E.; Koenig, L.; Vaughn, B. H.

2017-12-01

Summit Station began as the site for the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 ice core in 1989. Since then, it has hosted both summer campaign science, and since 1997, year-round observations of atmospheric and cryospheric processes. The station has been continuously occupied since 2003. While most of the science activities at the station are supported by the US NSF Office of Polar Programs, the station also hosts many interagency and international investigations in physical glaciology, atmospheric chemistry, satellite validation, astrophysics and other disciplines. Summit is the only high elevation observatory north of the Arctic circle that can provide clean air or snow sites. The station is part of the INTER-ACT consortium of Arctic research stations with the main objective to identify, understand, predict and respond to diverse environmental changes, and part of the International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA) that coordinates Arctic research activities and provides a networked, observations-based view of the Arctic. The Summit Station Science Summit, sponsored by NSF, assembled a multidisciplinary group of scientists to review Summit Station science, define the leading research questions for Summit, and make community-based recommendations for future science goals and governance for Summit. The impact of several on-going observation records was summarized in the report "Sustaining the Science Impact of Summit Station, Greenland," including the use of station data in weather forecasts and climate models. Observations made at the station as part of long-term, year-round research or during shorter summer-only campaign seasons contribute to several of the identified Social Benefit Areas (SBAs) outlined in the International Arctic Observations Assessment Framework published by the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute and Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks as an outcome of the 2016 Arctic Science Ministerial. The SBAs supported by research

Recent Research applications at the Athens Neutron Monitor Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavromichalaki, H.; Gerontidou, M.; Paschalis, P.; Papaioannou, A.; Paouris, E.; Papailiou, M.; Souvatzoglou, G.

2015-08-01

The ground based neutron monitor measurements play a key role in the field of space physics, solar-terrestrial relations, and space weather applications. The Athens cosmic ray group has developed several research applications such as an optimized automated Ground Level Enhancement Alert (GLE Alert Plus) and a web interface, providing data from multiple Neutron Monitor stations (Multi-Station tool). These services are actually available via the Space Weather Portal operated by the European Space Agency (http://swe.ssa.esa.int). In addition, two simulation tools, based on Geant4, have also been implemented. The first one is for the simulation of the cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere (DYASTIMA) and the second one is for the simulation of the 6NM-64 neutron monitor. The contribution of the simulation tools to the calculations of the radiation dose received by air crews and passengers within the Earth's atmosphere and to the neutron monitor study is presented as well. Furthermore, the accurate calculation of the barometric coefficient and the primary data processing by filtering algorithms, such as the well known Median Editor and the developed by the Athens group ANN Algorithm and Edge Editor which contribute to the provision of high quality neutron monitor data are also discussed. Finally, a Space Weather Forecasting Center which provides a three day geomagnetic activity report on a daily basis has been set up and has been operating for the last two years at the Athens Neutron Monitor Station.

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2011 Annual Accomplishments

Treesearch

Rick Fletcher

2011-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization ­ the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the Great Plains...

Hydrogeologic setting, ground-water flow, and ground-water quality at the Lake Wheeler Road research station, 2001-03 : North Carolina Piedmont and Mountains Resource Evaluation Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapman, Melinda J.; Bolich, Richard E.; Huffman, Brad A.

2005-01-01

Results of a 2-year field study of the regolith-fractured bedrock ground-water system at the Lake Wheeler Road research station in Wake County, North Carolina, indicate both disconnection and interaction among components of the ground-water system. The three components of the ground-water system include (1) shallow, porous regolith; (2) a transition zone, including partially weathered rock, having both secondary (fractures) and primary porosity; and (3) deeper, fractured bedrock that has little, if any, primary porosity and is dominated by secondary fractures. The research station includes 15 wells (including a well transect from topographic high to low settings) completed in the three major components of the ground-water-flow system and a surface-water gaging station on an unnamed tributary. The Lake Wheeler Road research station is considered representative of a felsic gneiss hydrogeologic unit having steeply dipping foliation and a relatively thick overlying regolith. Bedrock foliation generally strikes N. 10? E. to N. 30? E. and N. 20? W. to N. 40? W. to a depth of about 400 feet and dips between 70? and 80? SE. and NE., respectively. From 400 to 600 feet, the foliation generally strikes N. 70? E. to N. 80? E., dipping 70? to 80? SE. Depth to bedrock locally ranges from about 67 to 77 feet below land surface. Fractures in the bedrock generally occur in two primary sets: low dip angle, stress relief fractures that cross cut foliation, and steeply dipping fractures parallel to foliation. Findings of this study generally support the conceptual models of ground-water flow from high to low topographic settings developed for the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Provinces in previous investigations, but are considered a refinement of the generalized conceptual model based on a detailed local-scale investigation. Ground water flows toward a surface-water boundary, and hydraulic gradients generally are downward in recharge areas and upward in discharge areas; however, local

2010 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2010-01-01

In 2010, station researchers provided land managers and policymakers with critical information related to ecological processes, environmental threats, forest management, and use of natural resources. The station also capitalized on opportunities to expand its research in these arenas. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was one such opportunity that has...

Space Station Biological Research Project: Reference Experiment Book

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Catherine (Editor); Wade, Charles (Editor)

1996-01-01

The Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP), which is the combined efforts of the Centrifuge Facility (CF) and the Gravitational Biology Facility (GBF), is responsible for the development of life sciences hardware to be used on the International Space Station to support cell, developmental, and plant biology research. The SSBRP Reference Experiment Book was developed to use as a tool for guiding this development effort. The reference experiments characterize the research interests of the international scientific community and serve to identify the hardware capabilities and support equipment needed to support such research. The reference experiments also serve as a tool for understanding the operational aspects of conducting research on board the Space Station. This material was generated by the science community by way of their responses to reference experiment solicitation packages sent to them by SSBRP scientists. The solicitation process was executed in two phases. The first phase was completed in February of 1992 and the second phase completed in November of 1995. Representing these phases, the document is subdivided into a Section 1 and a Section 2. The reference experiments contained in this document are only representative microgravity experiments. They are not intended to define actual flight experiments. Ground and flight experiments will be selected through the formal NASA Research Announcement (NRA) and Announcement of Opportunity (AO) experiment solicitation, review, and selection process.

Research: Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce

Science.gov Websites

Research Online Resources Get Involved Events Calendar NMNH Home ARMS collecting device Research Benthic Ecology Lab Smithsonian Resident and Visitor Research Projects SMS Home › Research Research at the Smithsonian Marine Station Facilities Graduate Student Research Projects Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory

2013 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2014-01-01

Communicating the scientific knowledge generated by the Pacific Northwest Research Station is integral to our mission. The 2013 Science Accomplishments reports highlights the breadth of the station’s research, the relevance of our science findings, and the application of these findings. The photographs throughout the report showcase the region where we work and how...

2014 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2015-01-01

Communicating the scientific knowledge generated by the Pacific Northwest Research Station is integral to our mission. The 2014 Science Accomplishments reports highlights the breadth of the station’s research, the relevance of our science findings, and the application of these findings. The photographs throughout the report showcase the region where we work and how...

International Space Station Research: Accomplishments and Pathways for Exploration and Fundamental Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.

2007-01-01

Beginning with the launch of the European Columbus module planned for December 2007, we approach a transition in the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) that is of great importance for the sciences. During the following 18 months, we will operate the first experiments in Columbus physical science resource facilities and also launch and commission the Japanese Kibo module. In addition, two Multi-purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) flights will deliver the U.S. Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) and Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) along with their first science experiments. These facilities provide significant new capabilities for basic and applied physical science research in microgravity. New life support technologies will come online throughout 2008, and we will reach the milestone of a 6-person crew planned for April 2009. A larger crew enables significant more scientific use of all the facilities for the life of ISS. Planning for the use of the International Space Station as a national laboratory is also maturing as we near the completion of assembly, enabling access to ISS as a research platform for other government agencies and the private sector. The latest updates on National Laboratory implementation will also be provided in this presentation. At the same time as these significant increases in scientific capability, there have been significant ongoing accomplishments in NASA's early ISS research both exploration related and fundamental research. These accomplishments will be reviewed in context as harbingers of the capabilities of the International Space Station when assembly is complete. The Vision for Space Exploration serves to focus NASA's applied investigations in the physical sciences. However, the broader capability of the space station as a National Laboratory and as a nexus for international collaboration will also influence the study of gravity-dependent processes by researchers around the world.

Space Station Biological Research Project.

PubMed

Johnson, C C; Wade, C E; Givens, J J

1997-06-01

To meet NASA's objective of using the unique aspects of the space environment to expand fundamental knowledge in the biological sciences, the Space Station Biological Research Project at Ames Research Center is developing, or providing oversight, for two major suites of hardware which will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS). The first, the Gravitational Biology Facility, consists of Habitats to support plants, rodents, cells, aquatic specimens, avian and reptilian eggs, and insects and the Habitat Holding Rack in which to house them at microgravity; the second, the Centrifuge Facility, consists of a 2.5 m diameter centrifuge that will provide acceleration levels between 0.01 g and 2.0 g and a Life Sciences Glovebox. These two facilities will support the conduct of experiments to: 1) investigate the effect of microgravity on living systems; 2) what level of gravity is required to maintain normal form and function, and 3) study the use of artificial gravity as a countermeasure to the deleterious effects of microgravity observed in the crew. Upon completion, the ISS will have three complementary laboratory modules provided by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Japanese space agency, NASDA. Use of all facilities in each of the modules will be available to investigators from participating space agencies. With the advent of the ISS, space-based gravitational biology research will transition from 10-16 day short-duration Space Shuttle flights to 90-day-or-longer ISS increments.

Space Station Biological Research Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. C.; Wade, C. E.; Givens, J. J.

1997-01-01

To meet NASA's objective of using the unique aspects of the space environment to expand fundamental knowledge in the biological sciences, the Space Station Biological Research Project at Ames Research Center is developing, or providing oversight, for two major suites of hardware which will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS). The first, the Gravitational Biology Facility, consists of Habitats to support plants, rodents, cells, aquatic specimens, avian and reptilian eggs, and insects and the Habitat Holding Rack in which to house them at microgravity; the second, the Centrifuge Facility, consists of a 2.5 m diameter centrifuge that will provide acceleration levels between 0.01 g and 2.0 g and a Life Sciences Glovebox. These two facilities will support the conduct of experiments to: 1) investigate the effect of microgravity on living systems; 2) what level of gravity is required to maintain normal form and function, and 3) study the use of artificial gravity as a countermeasure to the deleterious effects of microgravity observed in the crew. Upon completion, the ISS will have three complementary laboratory modules provided by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Japanese space agency, NASDA. Use of all facilities in each of the modules will be available to investigators from participating space agencies. With the advent of the ISS, space-based gravitational biology research will transition from 10-16 day short-duration Space Shuttle flights to 90-day-or-longer ISS increments.

Building a research legacy -- The Intermountain Station 1911-1997

Treesearch

Richard J. Klade

2006-01-01

Includes highlights of the history of organizations that preceded formation of the Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station in 1954. Provides detailed accounts of Intermountain Station research and administrative accomplishments, some of the people who led activities, and changes in the organization from 1954 through 1997 when the Intermountain and Rocky...

Biological field stations: research legacies and sites for serendipity

Treesearch

William K. Michener; Keith L. Bildstein; Arthur McKee; Robert R. Parmenter; William W. Hargrove; Deedra McClearn; Mark Stromberg

2009-01-01

Biological field stations are distributed throughout North America, capturing much of the ecological variability present at the continental scale and encompassing many unique habitats. In addition to their role in supporting research and education, field stations offer legacies of data, specimens, and accumulated knowledge. Such legacies often provide the only...

Research progress and accomplishments on International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roe, Lesa B.; Uri, John J.

2003-01-01

The first research payloads reached the International Space Station (ISS) more than two years ago, with research operating continuously since March 2001. Seven research racks are currently on-orbit, with three more arriving soon to expand science capabilities. Through the first five expeditions, 60 unique NASA-managed investigations from 11 nations have been supported, many continuing into later missions. More than 90,000 experiment hours have been completed, and more than 1,000 hours of crew time have been dedicated to research, numbers that grow daily. The multidisciplinary program includes research in life sciences, physical sciences, biotechnology, Earth sciences, technology demonstrations as well as commercial endeavors and educational activities. The Payload Operations and Integration Center monitors the onboard activities around the clock, working with numerous Principal Investigators and Payload Developers at their remote sites. Future years will see expansion of the station with research modules provided by the European Space Agency and Japan, which will be outfitted with additional research racks. c2003 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research progress and accomplishments on International Space Station.

PubMed

Roe, Lesa B; Uri, John J

2003-01-01

The first research payloads reached the International Space Station (ISS) more than two years ago, with research operating continuously since March 2001. Seven research racks are currently on-orbit, with three more arriving soon to expand science capabilities. Through the first five expeditions, 60 unique NASA-managed investigations from 11 nations have been supported, many continuing into later missions. More than 90,000 experiment hours have been completed, and more than 1,000 hours of crew time have been dedicated to research, numbers that grow daily. The multidisciplinary program includes research in life sciences, physical sciences, biotechnology, Earth sciences, technology demonstrations as well as commercial endeavors and educational activities. The Payload Operations and Integration Center monitors the onboard activities around the clock, working with numerous Principal Investigators and Payload Developers at their remote sites. Future years will see expansion of the station with research modules provided by the European Space Agency and Japan, which will be outfitted with additional research racks. c2003 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Space Station Freedom - Configuration management approach to supporting concurrent engineering and total quality management. [for NASA Space Station Freedom Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gavert, Raymond B.

1990-01-01

Some experiences of NASA configuration management in providing concurrent engineering support to the Space Station Freedom program for the achievement of life cycle benefits and total quality are discussed. Three change decision experiences involving tracing requirements and automated information systems of the electrical power system are described. The potential benefits of concurrent engineering and total quality management include improved operational effectiveness, reduced logistics and support requirements, prevention of schedule slippages, and life cycle cost savings. It is shown how configuration management can influence the benefits attained through disciplined approaches and innovations that compel consideration of all the technical elements of engineering and quality factors that apply to the program development, transition to operations and in operations. Configuration management experiences involving the Space Station program's tiered management structure, the work package contractors, international partners, and the participating NASA centers are discussed.

Space Station Human Factors Research Review. Volume 3: Space Station Habitability and Function: Architectural Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Marc M. (Editor); Eichold, Alice (Editor); Heers, Susan (Editor)

1987-01-01

Articles are presented on a space station architectural elements model study, space station group activities habitability module study, full-scale architectural simulation techniques for space stations, and social factors in space station interiors.

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2012-2013 Annual Report

Treesearch

Cass Cairns

2013-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization - the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the...

Rocky Mountain Research Station: Looking back on 2014

Treesearch

Cass Cairns

2015-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization - the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains and parts of...

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2008 Strategic Framework Update

Treesearch

Lane Eskew

2009-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station's 2008 Strategic Framework Update is an addendum to the 2003 RMRS Strategic Framework. It focuses on critical natural resources research topics over the next five to 10 years when we will see continued, if not accelerated, socioeconomic and...

Rocky Mountain Research Station: 2013-2014 Annual Report

Treesearch

Cass Cairns

2014-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station is one of seven regional units that make up the USDA Forest Service Research and Development organization - the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. We maintain 12 field laboratories throughout a 12-state territory encompassing the Great Basin, Southwest, Rocky Mountains and parts of the Great...

Water-Resources Data and Hydrogeologic Setting at the Raleigh Hydrogeologic Research Station, Wake County, North Carolina, 2005-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

McSwain, Kristen Bukowski; Bolich, Richard E.; Chapman, Melinda J.; Huffman, Brad A.

2009-01-01

Water-resources data were collected to describe the hydrologic conditions at the Raleigh hydrogeologic research station, located in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of North Carolina. Data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, from May 2005 through September 2007 are presented in this report. Three well clusters and four piezometers were installed at the Raleigh hydrogeologic research station along an assumed flow path from recharge to discharge areas. Each well cluster includes four wells to monitor the regolith, transition zone, and shallow and deep bedrock. Borehole, surface, and waterborne geophysics were conducted to examine the lithology and physical properties of the bedrock and to determine the aerial extent of near vertical diabase dikes. Slug tests were conducted in the wells at each cluster to determine the hydraulic conductivity of the formation tapped by each well. Periodic water-level altitudes were measured in all wells and in four piezometers. Continuous hourly water levels were measured in wells for variable periods of time during the study, and a surface-water gage collected 15-minute stage data from April to June 2006. In October 2005 and April 2006, water-quality samples were collected from a tributary and in all wells at the Raleigh hydrogeologic research station. Continuous water-quality data were collected hourly in three wells from December 2005 through January 2007 and every 15 minutes in the tributary from May to June 2006. In August 2006, streambed temperatures and drive-point ground-water samples were collected across lines of section spanning the Neuse River.

Life sciences research on the space station: An introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The Space Station will provide an orbiting, low gravity, permanently manned facility for scientific research, starting in the 1990s. The facilities for life sciences research are being designed to allow scientific investigators to perform research in Space Medicine and Space Biology, to study the consequences of long-term exposure to space conditions, and to allow for the permanent presence of humans in space. This research, using humans, animals, and plants, will provide an understanding of the effects of the space environment on the basic processes of life. In addition, facilities are being planned for remote observations to study biologically important elements and compounds in space and on other planets (exobiology), and Earth observations to study global ecology. The life sciences community is encouraged to plan for participation in scientific research that will be made possible by the Space Station research facility.

Hydrogeologic Setting, Ground-Water Flow, and Ground-Water Quality at the Langtree Peninsula Research Station, Iredell County, North Carolina, 2000-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pippin, Charles G.; Chapman, Melinda J.; Huffman, Brad A.; Heller, Matthew J.; Schelgel, Melissa E.

2008-01-01

A 6-year intensive field study (2000-2005) of a complex, regolith-fractured bedrock ground-water system was conducted at the Langtree Peninsula research station on the Davidson College Lake Campus in Iredell County, North Carolina. This research station was constructed as part of the Piedmont and Mountains Resource Evaluation Program, a cooperative study being conducted by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey. Results of the study characterize the distinction and interaction of a two-component ground-water system in a quartz diorite rock type. The Langtree Peninsula research station includes 17 monitoring wells and 12 piezometers, including 2 well transects along high to low topographic settings, drilled into separate parts of the ground-water-flow system. The location of the research station is representative of a metaigneous intermediate (composition) regional hydrogeologic unit. The primary rock type is mafic quartz diorite that has steeply dipping foliation. Primary and secondary foliations are present in the quartz diorite at the site, and both have an average strike of about N. 12 degree E. and dip about 60 degree in opposite directions to the southeast (primary) and the northwest (secondary). This rock is cut by granitic dikes (intrusions) ranging in thickness from 2 to 50 feet and having an average strike of N. 20 degree W. and an average dip of 66 degree to the southwest. Depth to consolidated bedrock is considered moderate to deep, ranging from about 24 to 76 feet below land surface. The transition zone was delineated and described in each corehole near the well clusters but had a highly variable thickness ranging from about 1 to 20 feet. Thickness of the regolith (23 to 68 feet) and the transition zone do not appear to be related to topographic setting. Delineated bedrock fractures are dominantly low angle (possibly stress relief), which were observed to be open to partially open at depths of

Locations of Sampling Stations for Water Quality Monitoring in Water Distribution Networks.

PubMed

Rathi, Shweta; Gupta, Rajesh

2014-04-01

Water quality is required to be monitored in the water distribution networks (WDNs) at salient locations to assure the safe quality of water supplied to the consumers. Such monitoring stations (MSs) provide warning against any accidental contaminations. Various objectives like demand coverage, time for detection, volume of water contaminated before detection, extent of contamination, expected population affected prior to detection, detection likelihood and others, have been independently or jointly considered in determining optimal number and location of MSs in WDNs. "Demand coverage" defined as the percentage of network demand monitored by a particular monitoring station is a simple measure to locate MSs. Several methods based on formulation of coverage matrix using pre-specified coverage criteria and optimization have been suggested. Coverage criteria is defined as some minimum percentage of total flow received at the monitoring stations that passed through any upstream node included then as covered node of the monitoring station. Number of monitoring stations increases with the increase in the value of coverage criteria. Thus, the design of monitoring station becomes subjective. A simple methodology is proposed herein which priority wise iteratively selects MSs to achieve targeted demand coverage. The proposed methodology provided the same number and location of MSs for illustrative network as an optimization method did. Further, the proposed method is simple and avoids subjectivity that could arise from the consideration of coverage criteria. The application of methodology is also shown on a WDN of Dharampeth zone (Nagpur city WDN in Maharashtra, India) having 285 nodes and 367 pipes.

Microgravity research results and experiences from the NASA/MIR space station program.

PubMed

Schlagheck, R A; Trach, B L

2003-12-01

The Microgravity Research Program (MRP) participated aggressively in Phase 1 of the International Space Station Program using the Russian Mir Space Station. The Mir Station offered an otherwise unavailable opportunity to explore the advantages and challenges of long duration microgravity space research. Payloads with both National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and commercial backing were included as well as cooperative research with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). From this experience, much was learned about long-duration on-orbit science utilization and developing new working relationships with our Russian partner to promote efficient planning, operations, and integration to solve complexities associated with a multiple partner program. This paper focuses on the microgravity research conducted onboard the Mir space station. It includes the Program preparation and planning necessary to support this type of cross increment research experience; the payloads which were flown; and summaries of significant microgravity science findings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Rapid toxicity detection in water quality control utilizing automated multispecies biomonitoring for permanent space stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, E. L.; Young, R. C.; Smith, M. D.; Eagleson, K. W.

1986-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate proposed design characteristics and applications of automated biomonitoring devices for real-time toxicity detection in water quality control on-board permanent space stations. Simulated tests in downlinking transmissions of automated biomonitoring data to Earth-receiving stations were simulated using satellite data transmissions from remote Earth-based stations.

Microgravity Research Results and Experiences from the NASA Mir Space Station Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schagheck, R. A.; Trach, B.

2000-01-01

The Microgravity Research Program Office (MRPO) participated aggressively in Phase I of the International Space Station Program using the Russian Mir Space Station. The Mir Station offered an otherwise unavailable opportunity to explore the advantages and challenges to long duration microgravity space research. Payloads with both NASA and commercial backing were included as well as cooperative research with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). From this experience, much was learned about dealing with long duration on orbit science utilization and developing new working relationships with our Russian partner to promote efficient planning, operations, and integration to solve complexities associated with a multiple partner program. Microgravity participation in the NASA Mir Program began with the first joint NASA Mir flight to the Mir Space Station. The earliest participation setup acceleration measurement capabilities that were used throughout the Program. Research, conducted by all Microgravity science disciplines, continued on each subsequent increment for the entire three-year duration of the Program. The Phase I Program included the Microgravity participation of over 30 Fluids, Combustion, Materials, and Biotechnology Sciences and numerous commercially sponsored research payloads. In addition to the research gained from Microgravity investigations, long duration operation of facility hardware was tested. Microgravity facilities operated on Mir included the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), the Microgravity Glovebox (MGBX), the Biotechnology System (BTS) and the Canadian Space Agency sponsored Microgravity Isolation Mount (MIM). The Russian OPTIZONE Furnace was also incorporated into our material science research. All of these efforts yielded significant and useful scientific research data. This paper focuses on the microgravity research conducted onboard the Mir space station. It includes the Program preparation and planning necessary to support this

The opportunities for space biology research on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Rodney W.; Souza, Kenneth A.

1987-01-01

The goals of space biology research to be conducted aboard the Space Station in 1990s include long-term studies of reproduction, development, growth, physiology, behavior, and aging in both animals and plants. They also include studies of the mechanisms by which gravitational stimuli are sensed, processed, and transmitted to a responsive site, and of the effect of microgravity on each component. The Space Station configuration will include a life sciences research facility, where experiment cyles will be on a 90-day basis (since the Space Station missions planned for the 1990s call for 90-day intervals). A modular approach is taken to accomodate animal habitats, plant growth chambers, and other specimen holding facilities; the modular habitats would be transportable between the launch systems, habitat racks, a workbench, and a variable-gravity centrifuge (included for providing artificial gravity and accurately controlled acceleration levels aboard Space Station).

Space Station Water Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, Charles E. (Editor)

1987-01-01

The manned Space Station will exist as an isolated system for periods of up to 90 days. During this period, safe drinking water and breathable air must be provided for an eight member crew. Because of the large mass involved, it is not practical to consider supplying the Space Station with water from Earth. Therefore, it is necessary to depend upon recycled water to meet both the human and nonhuman water needs on the station. Sources of water that will be recycled include hygiene water, urine, and cabin humidity condensate. A certain amount of fresh water can be produced by CO2 reduction process. Additional fresh water will be introduced into the total pool by way of food, because of the free water contained in food and the water liberated by metabolic oxidation of the food. A panel of scientists and engineers with extensive experience in the various aspects of wastewater reuse was assembled for a 2 day workshop at NASA-Johnson. The panel included individuals with expertise in toxicology, chemistry, microbiology, and sanitary engineering. A review of Space Station water reclamation systems was provided.

Opportunities for research on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Robert W.

1992-01-01

NASA has allocated research accommodations on Freedom (equipment, utilities, etc.) to the program offices that sponsor space-based research and development as follows: Space Science and Applications (OSSA)--52 percent, Commercial Programs (OCP)--28 percent, Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST)--12 percent, and Space Flight (OSF)--8 percent. Most of OSSA's allocation will be used for microgravity and life science experiments; although OSSA's space physics, astrophysics, earth science and applications, and solar system exploration divisions also will use some of this allocation. Other Federal agencies have expressed an interest in using Space Station Freedom. They include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Geological Survey, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy. Payload interfaces with space station lab support equipment must be simple, and experiment packages must be highly contained. Freedom's research facilities will feature International Standard Payload Racks (ISPR's), experiment racks that are about twice the size of a Spacelab rack. ESA's Columbus lab will feature 20 racks, the U.S. lab will have 12 racks, and the Japanese lab will have 10. Thus, Freedom will have a total of 42 racks versus 8 for Space lab. NASA is considering outfitting some rack space to accommodate small, self-contained payloads similar to the Get-Away-Special canisters and middeck-locker experiment packages flown on Space Shuttle missions. Crew time allotted to experiments on Freedom at permanently occupied capability will average 25 minutes per rack per day, compared to six hours per rack per day on Spacelab missions. Hence, telescience--the remote operation of space-based experiments by researchers on the ground--will play a very important role in space station research. Plans for supporting life sciences research on Freedom focus on the two basic goals of NASA 's space life sciences

Using Arduinos and 3D-printers to Build Research-grade Weather Stations and Environmental Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ham, J. M.

2013-12-01

Many plant, soil, and surface-boundary-layer processes in the geosphere are governed by the microclimate at the land-air interface. Environmental monitoring is needed at smaller scales and higher frequencies than provided by existing weather monitoring networks. The objective of this project was to design, prototype, and test a research-grade weather station that is based on open-source hardware/software and off-the-shelf components. The idea is that anyone could make these systems with only elementary skills in fabrication and electronics. The first prototypes included measurements of air temperature, humidity, pressure, global irradiance, wind speed, and wind direction. The best approach for measuring precipitation is still being investigated. The data acquisition system was deigned around the Arduino microcontroller and included an LCD-based user interface, SD card data storage, and solar power. Sensors were sampled at 5 s intervals and means, standard deviations, and maximum/minimums were stored at user-defined intervals (5, 30, or 60 min). Several of the sensor components were printed in plastic using a hobby-grade 3D printer (e.g., RepRap Project). Both passive and aspirated radiation shields for measuring air temperature were printed in white Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). A housing for measuring solar irradiance using a photodiode-based pyranometer was printed in opaque ABS. The prototype weather station was co-deployed with commercial research-grade instruments at an agriculture research unit near Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Excellent agreement was found between Arduino-based system and commercial weather instruments. The technology was also used to support air quality research and automated air sampling. The next step is to incorporate remote access and station-to-station networking using Wi-Fi, cellular phone, and radio communications (e.g., Xbee).

The space station and human productivity: An agenda for research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoonhoven, C. B.

1985-01-01

Organizational problems in permanent organizations in outer space were analyzed. The environment of space provides substantial opportunities for organizational research. Questions about how to organize professional workers in a technologically complex setting with novel dangers and uncertainties present in the immediate environment are examined. It is suggested that knowledge from organization theory/behavior is an underutilized resource in the U.S. space program. A U.S. space station will be operable by the mid-1990's. Organizational issues will take on increasing importance, because a space station requires the long term organization of human and robotic work in the isolated and confined environment of outer space. When an organizational analysis of the space station is undertaken, there are research implications at multiple levels of analysis: for the individual, small group, organizational, and environmental levels of analysis. The research relevant to organization theory and behavior is reviewed.

Long-Term Research Does Pay Off - A Summary of the Southern Station Experience

Treesearch

Margaret S. Devall; Virgil C. Baldwin; [Compilers

1998-01-01

Descriptions and summaries of completed and ongoing long-term research studies (those in existence for 5 or more years) conducted by scientists of the USDA Forest Service's former Southern Forest Experiment Station (now part of the Southern Research Station) are presented in this report. The array of data bases at the Southern Station includes forest surveys,...

2011 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2012-01-01

Expertise, dedication, and partnership: these are key elements to success within the Pacific Northwest Research Station. Fostering these elements enables the station to generate timely scientific information for land managers and policymakers to use for decisions about managing natural resources. In 2011, several projects examined ecosystem processes across...

Sea Level Station Metadata for Tsunami Detection, Warning and Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroker, K. J.; Marra, J.; Kari, U. S.; Weinstein, S. A.; Kong, L.

2007-12-01

The devastating earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004 has greatly increased recognition of the need for water level data both from the coasts and the deep-ocean. In 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) completed a Tsunami Data Management Report describing the management of data required to minimize the impact of tsunamis in the United States. One of the major gaps defined in this report is the access to global coastal water level data. NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) are working cooperatively to bridge this gap. NOAA relies on a network of global data, acquired and processed in real-time to support tsunami detection and warning, as well as high-quality global databases of archived data to support research and advanced scientific modeling. In 2005, parties interested in enhancing the access and use of sea level station data united under the NOAA NCDC's Integrated Data and Environmental Applications (IDEA) Center's Pacific Region Integrated Data Enterprise (PRIDE) program to develop a distributed metadata system describing sea level stations (Kari et. al., 2006; Marra et.al., in press). This effort started with pilot activities in a regional framework and is targeted at tsunami detection and warning systems being developed by various agencies. It includes development of the components of a prototype sea level station metadata web service and accompanying Google Earth-based client application, which use an XML-based schema to expose, at a minimum, information in the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) station database needed to use the PTWC's Tide Tool application. As identified in the Tsunami Data Management Report, the need also exists for long-term retention of the sea level station data. NOAA envisions that the retrospective water level data and metadata will also be available through web services, using an XML-based schema. Five high

Compilation of Water-Resources Data and Hydrogeologic Setting for the Allison Woods Research Station in Iredell County, North Carolina, 2005-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, Brad A.; Abraham, Joju

2010-01-01

Water-resources data were collected to describe the hydrologic conditions at the Allison Woods research station near Statesville, North Carolina, in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of North Carolina. Data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, from April 2005 through September 2008 are presented in this report. Data presented include well-construction characteristics and periodic groundwater-level measurements for 29 wells, borehole geophysical logs for 8 wells, hourly groundwater-level measurements for 5 wells, continuous water-quality measurements for 3 wells, periodic water-quality samples for 12 wells and 1 surface-water station, slug-test results for 11 wells, and shallow groundwater-flow maps. In addition, the geology and hydrogeology at the site are summarized.

Microgravity Particle Research on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squyres, Steven W. (Editor); Mckay, Christopher P. (Editor); Schwartz, Deborah E. (Editor)

1987-01-01

Science questions that could be addressed by a Space Station Microgravity Particle Research Facility for studying small suspended particles were discussed. Characteristics of such a facility were determined. Disciplines covered include astrophysics and the solar nebula, planetary science, atmospheric science, exobiology and life science, and physics and chemistry.

Forest economics research at the Pacific Northwest Research Station, to 2000.

Treesearch

Donald F. Flora

2003-01-01

The contributions for over 80 years by scientists at the Pacific Northwest Research Station to developments in economic theory, economic tools, policies, and economic issues are summarized. This is a story of progressive accomplishments set against a constantly changing background of economic and social events.

Life sciences biomedical research planning for Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Primeaux, Gary R.; Michaud, Roger; Miller, Ladonna; Searcy, Jim; Dickey, Bernistine

1987-01-01

The Biomedical Research Project (BmRP), a major component of the NASA Life Sciences Space Station Program, incorporates a laboratory for the study of the effects of microgravity on the human body, and the development of techniques capable of modifying or counteracting these effects. Attention is presently given to a representative scenario of BmRP investigations and associated engineering analyses, together with an account of the evolutionary process by which the scenarios and the Space Station design requirements they entail are identified. Attention is given to a tether-implemented 'variable gravity centrifuge'.

Rocky Mountain Research Station invasive species visionary white paper

Treesearch

D. E. Pearson; M. Kim; J. Butler

2011-01-01

Invasive species represent one of the single greatest threats to natural ecosystems and the services they provide. Effectively addressing the invasive species problem requires management that is based on sound research. We provide an overview of recent and ongoing invasive species research conducted by Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists in the Intermountain...

Water quality studies of TV station reservoir at Davangere City, Karnataka (India).

PubMed

Begum, Nafeesa; Purushothama, R; Narayana, J; Kumar, K P Ravindra

2006-10-01

Studies were carried out to assess the water quality of TV station reservoir at Davangere City, Karnataka (India). The study revealed that there were variations in physico-chemical concentrations during the rainy season. Except turbidity, all the other physico-chemical characteristics were found within the permissible limits. The results were compared with the standards given by ISI for water quality.

Research centrifuge accommodations on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arno, Roger D.; Horkachuk, Michael J.

1990-01-01

Life sciences research using plants and animals on the Space Station Freedom requires the ability to maintain live subjects in a safe and low stress environment for long durations at microgravity and at one g. The need for a centrifuge to achieve these accelerations is evident. Programmatic, technical, and cost considerations currently favor a 2.5 meter diameter centrifuge located either in the end cone of a Space Station Freedom node or in a separate module. A centrifuge facility could support a mix of rodent, plant, and small primate habitats. An automated cage extractor could be used to remove modular habitats in pairs without stopping the main rotor, minimizing the disruption to experiment protocols. The accommodation of such a centrifuge facility on the Space Station represents a significant demand on the crew time, power, data, volume, and logistics capability. It will contribute to a better understanding of the effects of space flight on humans, an understanding of plant growth in space for the eventual production of food, and an understanding of the role of gravity in biological processes.

Cabin Air Quality Dynamics On Board the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, J. L.; Peterson, B. V.

2003-01-01

Spacecraft cabin air quality is influenced by a variety of factors. Beyond normal equipment offgassing and crew metabolic loads, the vehicle s operational configuration contributes significantly to overall air quality. Leaks from system equipment and payload facilities, operational status of the atmospheric scrubbing systems, and the introduction of new equipment and modules to the vehicle all influence air quality. The dynamics associated with changes in the International Space Station's (ISS) configuration since the launch of the U.S. Segment s laboratory module, Destiny, is summarized. Key classes of trace chemical contaminants that are important to crew health and equipment performance are emphasized. The temporary effects associated with attaching each multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) to the ISS and influence of in-flight air quality on the post-flight ground processing of the MPLM are explored.

Biotechnology in the southern research station: a problem analysis

Treesearch

F.E. Bridgwater; C.D. Nelson

2006-01-01

We provide an analysis of opportunities and challenges for biotechnology in forest research in the southern United States. Four major areas of biotechnology were identified and described and then rated for priority among three groups of researchers—private sector, public sector, and the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station (SRS). The four areas of...

Human Nutrition Research Conducted at State Agricultural Experiment Stations and 1890/Tuskegee Agricultural Research Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driskell, Judy A.; Myers, John R.

1989-01-01

Cooperative State Research Service-administered and state-appropriated State Agriculture Experiment Station funds for human nutrition research increased about two-fold from FY70-FY86, while the percentage of budget expended for this research decreased. (JOW)

Management of Giant Sequoia at Blodgett Forest Research Station

Treesearch

Robert C. Heald

1986-01-01

Researchers at Blodgett Forest Research Station, University of California, are studying giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum [Lindl.] Buchholz) growth under both even-age and selection management in relationship to the presence of several shrub species and five native conifers. The sequoias are also being studied under several types of site...

Conceptual planning for Space Station life sciences human research project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Primeaux, Gary R.; Miller, Ladonna J.; Michaud, Roger B.

1986-01-01

The Life Sciences Research Facility dedicated laboratory is currently undergoing system definition within the NASA Space Station program. Attention is presently given to the Humam Research Project portion of the Facility, in view of representative experimentation requirement scenarios and with the intention of accommodating the Facility within the Initial Operational Capability configuration of the Space Station. Such basic engineering questions as orbital and ground logistics operations and hardware maintenance/servicing requirements are addressed. Biospherics, calcium homeostasis, endocrinology, exercise physiology, hematology, immunology, muscle physiology, neurosciences, radiation effects, and reproduction and development, are among the fields of inquiry encompassed by the Facility.

USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station Sudden Oak Death Research Program: 2001-2005

Treesearch

Patrick J. Shea

2006-01-01

The Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service initiated the Sudden Oak Death Research (SOD) Program in late 2000. The program was prompted by late fiscal year funding dedicated directly to begin research on this newly discovered disease. The history of discovery of Phytophthora ramorum, the...

Space Station Biological Research Project Habitat: Incubator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakamura, G. J.; Kirven-Brooks, M.; Scheller, N. M.

2001-01-01

Developed as part of the suite of Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) hardware to support research aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Incubator is a temperature-controlled chamber, for conducting life science research with small animal, plant and microbial specimens. The Incubator is designed for use only on the ISS and is transported to/from the ISS, unpowered and without specimens, in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) of the Shuttle. The Incubator interfaces with the three SSBRP Host Systems; the Habitat Holding Racks (HHR), the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) and the 2.5 m Centrifuge Rotor (CR), providing investigators with the ability to conduct research in microgravity and at variable gravity levels of up to 2-g. The temperature within the Specimen Chamber can be controlled between 4 and 45 C. Cabin air is recirculated within the Specimen Chamber and can be exchanged with the ISS cabin at a rate of approximately equal 50 cc/min. The humidity of the Specimen Chamber is monitored. The Specimen Chamber has a usable volume of approximately equal 19 liters and contains two (2) connectors at 28v dc, (60W) for science equipment; 5 dedicated thermometers for science; ports to support analog and digital signals from experiment unique sensors or other equipment; an Ethernet port; and a video port. It is currently manifested for UF-3 and will be launched integrated within the first SSBRP Habitat Holding Rack.

GPS Monitor Station Upgrade Program at the Naval Research Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galysh, Ivan J.; Craig, Dwin M.

1996-01-01

One of the measurements made by the Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor stations is to measure the continuous pseudo-range of all the passing GPS satellites. The pseudo-range contains GPS and monitor station clock errors as well as GPS satellite navigation errors. Currently the time at the GPS monitor station is obtained from the GPS constellation and has an inherent inaccuracy as a result. Improved timing accuracy at the GPS monitoring stations will improve GPS performance. The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is developing hardware and software for the GPS monitor station upgrade program to improve the monitor station clock accuracy. This upgrade will allow a method independent of the GPS satellite constellation of measuring and correcting monitor station time to US Naval Observatory (USNO) time. THe hardware consists of a high performance atomic cesium frequency standard (CFS) and a computer which is used to ensemble the CFS with the two CFS's currently located at the monitor station by use of a dual-mixer system. The dual-mixer system achieves phase measurements between the high-performance CFS and the existing monitor station CFS's to within 400 femtoseconds. Time transfer between USNO and a given monitor station is achieved via a two way satellite time transfer modem. The computer at the monitor station disciplines the CFS based on a comparison of one pulse per second sent from the master site at USNO. The monitor station computer is also used to perform housekeeping functions, as well as recording the health status of all three CFS's. This information is sent to the USNO through the time transfer modem. Laboratory time synchronization results in the sub nanosecond range have been observed and the ability to maintain the monitor station CFS frequency to within 3.0 x 10 (sup minus 14) of the master site at USNO.

Growth requirements for multidiscipline research and development on the evolutionary space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meredith, Barry; Ahlf, Peter; Saucillo, Rudy; Eakman, David

1988-01-01

The NASA Space Station Freedom is being designed to facilitate on-orbit evolution and growth to accommodate changing user needs and future options for U.S. space exploration. In support of the Space Station Freedom Program Preliminary Requirements Review, The Langley Space Station Office has identified a set of resource requirements for Station growth which is deemed adequate for the various evolution options. As part of that effort, analysis was performed to scope requirements for Space Station as an expanding, multidiscipline facility for scientific research, technology development and commercial production. This report describes the assumptions, approach and results of the study.

International Space Station Research Plan, Assembly Sequence Rev., F

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-08-01

muscles ü Higher risk for bone fracture upon return to Earth ü Potential for “slipped discs” ü Diminished ability to quickly respond to emergencies...Office of Biological and Physical Research International Space Station Research Plan Assembly Sequence Rev. F, Aug. 2000l . , . Report...Organization Name(s) and Address(es) NASA, Office of Biological and Physical Research Performing Organization Report Number Sponsoring/Monitoring Agency

Total nutrient and sediment loads, trends, yields, and nontidal water-quality indicators for selected nontidal stations, Chesapeake Bay Watershed, 1985–2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langland, Michael J.; Blomquist, Joel D.; Moyer, Douglas; Hyer, Kenneth; Chanat, Jeffrey G.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partners, routinely reports long-term concentration trends and monthly and annual constituent loads for stream water-quality monitoring stations across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This report documents flow-adjusted trends in sediment and total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations for 31 stations in the years 1985–2011 and for 32 stations in the years 2002–2011. Sediment and total nitrogen and phosphorus yields for 65 stations are presented for the years 2006–2011. A combined nontidal water-quality indicator (based on both trends and yields) indicates there are more stations classified as “improving water-quality trend and a low yield” than “degrading water-quality trend and a high yield” for total nitrogen. The same type of 2-way classification for total phosphorus and sediment results in equal numbers of stations in each indicator class.

Simulation of Martian EVA at the Mars Society Arctic Research Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pletser, V.; Zubrin, R.; Quinn, K.

The Mars Society has established a Mars Arctic Research Station (M.A.R.S.) on Devon Island, North of Canada, in the middle of the Haughton crater formed by the impact of a large meteorite several million years ago. The site was selected for its similarities with the surface of the Mars planet. During the Summer 2001, the MARS Flashline Research Station supported an extended international simulation campaign of human Mars exploration operations. Six rotations of six person crews spent up to ten days each at the MARS Flashline Research Station. International crews, of mixed gender and professional qualifications, conducted various tasks as a Martian crew would do and performed scientific experiments in several fields (Geophysics, Biology, Psychology). One of the goals of this simulation campaign was to assess the operational and technical feasibility of sustaining a crew in an autonomous habitat, conducting a field scientific research program. Operations were conducted as they would be during a Martian mission, including Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) with specially designed unpressurized suits. The second rotation crew conducted seven simulated EVAs for a total of 17 hours, including motorized EVAs with All Terrain Vehicles, to perform field scientific experiments in Biology and Geophysics. Some EVAs were highly successful. For some others, several problems were encountered related to hardware technical failures and to bad weather conditions. The paper will present the experiment programme conducted at the Mars Flashline Research Station, the problems encountered and the lessons learned from an EVA operational point of view. Suggestions to improve foreseen Martian EVA operations will be discussed.

Raman LIDAR for UHECR experiments: an overview of the L'Aquila (Italy) lidar station experience for the retrieval of quality-assured data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iarlori, Marco; Rizi, Vincenzo; D'Amico, Giuseppe; Freudenthaler, Volker; Wandinger, Ulla; Grillo, Aurelio

L'Aquila (Italy) lidar station is part of the EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) since its beginning in the 2000. In the EARLINET community great efforts are devoted to the quality-assurance of the aerosol optical properties inserted in the database. To this end, each lidar station performed intercomparisons with reference instruments, a series of internal hardware checks in order to assess the quality of their instruments and exercises to test the algorithms used to retrieve the aerosol optical parameters. In this paper we give an overview of our experience within EARLINET qualityassurance (QA) program, which was adopted for the Raman lidar (RL) operated in the AUGER Observatory. This program could be systematically adopted for the lidar systems needed for the current and upcoming UHECR experiments, like CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array).

Biological research on a Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krikorian, A. D.; Johnson, Catherine C.

1990-01-01

A Space Station can provide reliable, long duration access to ug environments for basic and applied biological research. The uniqueness of access to near-weightless environments to probe fundamental questions of significance to gravitational and Space biologists can be exploited from many vantage points. Access to centrifuge facilities that can provide 1 g and hypo-g controls will permit identification of gravity-dependent or primary effects. Understanding secondary effects of the ug environment as well will allow a fuller exploitation of the Space environment.

Cabin Air Quality On Board Mir and the International Space Station: A Comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macatangay, Ariel; Perry, Jay L.

2007-01-01

The maintenance of the cabin atmosphere aboard spacecraft is critical not only to its habitability but also to its function. Ideally, air quality can be maintained by striking a proper balance between the generation and removal of contaminants. Both very dynamic processes, the balance between generation and removal can be difficult to maintain and control because the state of the cabin atmosphere is in constant evolution responding to different perturbations. Typically, maintaining a clean cabin environment on board crewed spacecraft and space habitats is the central function of the environmental control and life support (ECLS) system. While active air quality control equipment is deployed on board every vehicle to remove carbon dioxide, water vapor, and trace chemical components from the cabin atmosphere, perturbations associated with logistics, vehicle construction and maintenance, and ECLS system configuration influence the resulting cabin atmospheric quality. The air-quality data obtained from the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA-Mir programs provides a wealth of information regarding the maintenance of the cabin atmosphere aboard long-lived space habitats. A comparison of the composition of the trace chemical contaminant load is presented. Correlations between ground-based and in-flight operations that influence cabin atmospheric quality are identified and discussed, and observations on cabin atmospheric quality during the NASA-Mir expeditions and the International Space Station are explored.

Space Station Freedom - Optimized to support microgravity research and earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilardo, Vincent J., Jr.; Herman, Daniel J.

1990-01-01

The Space Station Freedom Program is reviewed, with particular attention given to the Space Station configuration, program elements description, and utilization accommodation. Since plans call for the assembly of the initial SSF configuration over a 3-year time span, it is NASA's intention to perform useful research on it during the assembly process. The research will include microgravity experiments and observational sciences. The specific attributes supporting these attempts are described, such as maintainance of a very low microgravity level and continuous orientation of the vehicle to maintain a stable, accurate local-vertical/local-horizontal attitude.

Science and Technology Research Directions for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique and unprecedented space research facility. Never before have scientists and engineers had access to such a robust, multidisciplinary, long-duration microgravity laboratory. To date, the research community has enjoyed success aboard such platforms as Skylab, the Space Shuttle, and the Russian Mir space station. However, these platforms were and are limited in ways that the ISS is not. Encompassing four times the volume of Mir, the ISS will support dedicated research facilities for at least a dozen scientific and engineering disciplines. Unlike the Space Shuttle, which must return to Earth after less than three weeks in space, the ISS will accommodate experiments that require many weeks even months to complete. Continual access to a microgravity laboratory will allow selected scientific disciplines to progress at a rate far greater than that obtainable with current space vehicles.

Space Station Human Factors Research Review. Volume 4: Inhouse Advanced Development and Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanner, Trieve (Editor); Clearwater, Yvonne A. (Editor); Cohen, Marc M. (Editor)

1988-01-01

A variety of human factors studies related to space station design are presented. Subjects include proximity operations and window design, spatial perceptual issues regarding displays, image management, workload research, spatial cognition, virtual interface, fault diagnosis in orbital refueling, and error tolerance and procedure aids.

Pathology Collection of the Rocky Mountain Research Station

Treesearch

John B. Popp; John E. Lundquist

2006-01-01

The pathology collection located at the Rocky Mountain Research Station is fairly extensive. The oldest specimen in the collection was acquired in 1871; since then over 4,600 samples have been added. The data associated with the RMRS collection was converted from a card catalog to an electronic database, allowing greater flexibility in sorting and querying. The...

The role of the space station in earth science research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaye, Jack A.

1999-01-22

The International Space Station (ISS) has the potential to be a valuable platform for earth science research. By virtue of its being in a mid-inclination orbit (51.5 deg.), ISS provides the opportunity for nadir viewing of nearly 3/4 of the Earth's surface, and allows viewing to high latitudes if limb-emission or occultation viewing techniques are used. ISS also provides the opportunity for viewing the Earth under a range of lighting conditions, unlike the polar sun-synchronous satellites that are used for many earth observing programs. The ISS is expected to have ample power and data handling capability to support Earth-viewing instruments,more » provide opportunities for external mounting and retrieval of instruments, and be in place for a sufficiently long period that long-term data records can be obtained. On the other hand, there are several questions related to contamination, orbital variations, pointing knowledge and stability, and viewing that are of concern in consideration of ISS for earth science applications. The existence of an optical quality window (the Window Observational Research Facility, or WORF), also provides the opportunity for Earth observations from inside the pressurized part of ISS. Current plans by NASA for earth science research from ISS are built around the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE III) instrument, planned for launch in 2002.« less

International Research Results and Accomplishments From the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruttley, Tara M.; Robinson, Julie A.; Tate-Brown, Judy; Perkins, Nekisha; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; Heppener, Marc; Hatton, Jason; Tasaki, Kazuyuki; Umemura, Sayaka;

Analysis of water-quality trends at two discharge stations; one within Big Cypress National Preserve and one near Biscayne Bay; southern Florida, 1966-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lietz, A.C.

2000-01-01

An analysis of water-quality trends was made at two U.S. Geological Survey daily discharge stations in southern Florida. The ESTREND computer program was the principal tool used for the determination of water-quality trends at the Miami Canal station west of Biscayne Bay in Miami and the Tamiami Canal station along U.S. Highway 41 in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County. Variability in water quality caused by both seasonality and streamflow was compensated for by applying the nonparametric Seasonal Kendall trend test to unadjusted concentrations or flow-adjusted concentrations (residuals) determined from linear regression analysis. Concentrations of selected major inorganic constituents and physical characteristics; pH and dissolved oxygen; suspended sediment; nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon species; trace metals; and bacteriological and biological characteristics were determined at the Miami and Tamiami Canal stations. Median and maximum concentrations of selected constituents were compared to the Florida Class III freshwater standards for recreation, propagation, and maintenance of a healthy, well-balanced population of fish and wildlife. The median concentrations of the water-quality constituents and characteristics generally were higher at the Miami Canal station than at the Tamiami Canal station. The maximum value for specific conductance at the Miami Canal station exceeded the State standard. The median and maximum concentrations for ammonia at the Miami and Tamiami Canal stations exceeded the State standard, whereas median dissolved-oxygen concentrations at both stations were below the State standard. Trend results were indicative of either improvement or deterioration in water quality with time. Improvement in water quality at the Miami Canal station was reflected by downward trends in suspended sediment (1987-94), turbidity, (1970-78), total ammonia (1971-94), total phosphorus (1987-94), barium (1978-94), iron (1969-94), and fecal coliform

The Northeastern Research Station Strategic Framework: Regional Focus, Global Perspective

Treesearch

Northeastern Research Station

2000-01-01

The Northeastern Research Station Strategic Framework sets forth the strategic goals to provide information and technology required to ensure the sustainability of Northeastern forests and the goods and services they provide.

Web Information Systems for Monitoring and Control of Indoor Air Quality at Subway Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Gi Heung; Choi, Gi Sang; Jang, Joo Hyoung

In crowded subway stations indoor air quality (IAQ) is a key factor for ensuring the safety, health and comfort of passengers. In this study, a framework for web-based information system in VDN environment for monitoring and control of IAQ in subway stations is suggested. Since physical variables that describing IAQ need to be closely monitored and controlled in multiple locations in subway stations, concept of distributed monitoring and control network using wireless media needs to be implemented. Connecting remote wireless sensor network and device (LonWorks) networks to the IP network based on the concept of VDN can provide a powerful, integrated, distributed monitoring and control performance, making a web-based information system possible.

Rocky Mountain Research Station 2008-2012 National Fire Plan Investments

Treesearch

Erika Gallegos

2013-01-01

This report highlights selected accomplishments by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station's Wildland Fire and Fuels Research & Development projects in support of the National Fire Plan from 2008 through 2012. These projects are examples of the broad range of knowledge and tools developed by National Fire Plan funding beginning in 2008.

Network hydraulics inclusion in water quality event detection using multiple sensor stations data.

PubMed

Oliker, Nurit; Ostfeld, Avi

2015-09-01

Event detection is one of the current most challenging topics in water distribution systems analysis: how regular on-line hydraulic (e.g., pressure, flow) and water quality (e.g., pH, residual chlorine, turbidity) measurements at different network locations can be efficiently utilized to detect water quality contamination events. This study describes an integrated event detection model which combines multiple sensor stations data with network hydraulics. To date event detection modelling is likely limited to single sensor station location and dataset. Single sensor station models are detached from network hydraulics insights and as a result might be significantly exposed to false positive alarms. This work is aimed at decreasing this limitation through integrating local and spatial hydraulic data understanding into an event detection model. The spatial analysis complements the local event detection effort through discovering events with lower signatures by exploring the sensors mutual hydraulic influences. The unique contribution of this study is in incorporating hydraulic simulation information into the overall event detection process of spatially distributed sensors. The methodology is demonstrated on two example applications using base runs and sensitivity analyses. Results show a clear advantage of the suggested model over single-sensor event detection schemes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Total suspended solids concentrations and yields for water-quality monitoring stations in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 1996-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landers, Mark N.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established a water-quality monitoring program during late 1996 to collect comprehensive, consistent, high-quality data for use by watershed managers. As of 2009, continuous streamflow and water-quality data as well as discrete water-quality samples were being collected for 14 watershed monitoring stations in Gwinnett County. This report provides statistical summaries of total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations for 730 stormflow and 710 base-flow water-quality samples collected between 1996 and 2009 for 14 watershed monitoring stations in Gwinnett County. Annual yields of TSS were estimated for each of the 14 watersheds using methods described in previous studies. TSS yield was estimated using linear, ordinary least-squares regression of TSS and explanatory variables of discharge, turbidity, season, date, and flow condition. The error of prediction for estimated yields ranged from 1 to 42 percent for the stations in this report; however, the actual overall uncertainty of the estimated yields cannot be less than that of the observed yields (± 15 to 20 percent). These watershed yields provide a basis for evaluation of how watershed characteristics, climate, and watershed management practices affect suspended sediment yield.

Accommodation requirements for microgravity science and applications research on space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhran, M. L.; Holland, L. R.; Wear, W. O.

1985-01-01

Scientific research conducted in the microgravity environment of space represents a unique opportunity to explore and exploit the benefits of materials processing in the virtual abscence of gravity induced forces. NASA has initiated the preliminary design of a permanently manned space station that will support technological advances in process science and stimulate the development of new and improved materials having applications across the commercial spectrum. A study is performed to define from the researchers' perspective, the requirements for laboratory equipment to accommodate microgravity experiments on the space station. The accommodation requirements focus on the microgravity science disciplines including combustion science, electronic materials, metals and alloys, fluids and transport phenomena, glasses and ceramics, and polymer science. User requirements have been identified in eleven research classes, each of which contain an envelope of functional requirements for related experiments having similar characteristics, objectives, and equipment needs. Based on these functional requirements seventeen items of experiment apparatus and twenty items of core supporting equipment have been defined which represent currently identified equipment requirements for a pressurized laboratory module at the initial operating capability of the NASA space station.

The collocated station Košetice - Kešín u Pacova, Czech Republic: an important research infrastructure in central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorska, Alice; Milan, Váňa; Vlastimil, Hanuš; Marian, Pavelka

2013-04-01

The collocated station Košetice - Křešín u Pacova, central Czech Republic, is a major research and monitoring infrastructure in the Czech Republic and central Europe. It consists of two basic components: the observatory Košetice run since 1988 by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and the atmospheric station (AS) Křešín u Pacova starting operation in 2013. The AS is built and run by CzechGlobe - Global Change Research Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and is situated 100 m far from the observatory. There are three research and monitoring activities at the collocated station providing data necessary for the research on climate and related changes. The AS Křešín u Pacova consists of a 250 m tall tower serving for ground-based and vertical gradient measurements of (i) concentrations of CO2, CO, CH4, total gaseous mercury and tropospheric ozone (continuously), (ii) elemental and organic carbon (semicontinuously), (iii) carbon and oxygen isotopes, radon, N2O, SF6 and other species (episodically), (iv) optical properties of atmospheric aerosols and (v) meteorological parameters and the boundary layer height. Further, eddy covariance measurements in the nearby agroecosystem provide data on CO2 and H2O fluxes between the atmosphere and the ecosystem. Finally, monitoring activities at the nearby small hydrological catchment Anenské povodí run under the GEOMON network enables studying local hydrological and biogeochemical cycles. These measurements are supported by the long-term monitoring of meteorological and air quality parameters at the observatory Košetice, that are representative for the central European background. The collocated station provides a big research opportunity and challenge due to (i) a broad spectra of monitored chemical species, meteorological, hydrological and other parameters, (ii) measurements in various environmental compartments and especially the atmosphere, (iii) provision of data suitable for conducting

2007 Science Accomplishments Report of the Pacific Northwest Research Station.

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2008-01-01

As I look back at 2007 for the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station, I am very gratified at the contributions of our scientists and support staff in producing scientific knowledge and tools. This year has brought unprecedented recognition of the contributions of our scientists. Ralph Alig (research forester), Ron Neilson (bioclimatologist), and David L. Peterson (...

Dynamic rating curve assessment for hydrometric stations and computation of the associated uncertainties: Quality and station management indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morlot, Thomas; Perret, Christian; Favre, Anne-Catherine; Jalbert, Jonathan

2014-09-01

A rating curve is used to indirectly estimate the discharge in rivers based on water level measurements. The discharge values obtained from a rating curve include uncertainties related to the direct stage-discharge measurements (gaugings) used to build the curves, the quality of fit of the curve to these measurements and the constant changes in the river bed morphology. Moreover, the uncertainty of discharges estimated from a rating curve increases with the “age” of the rating curve. The level of uncertainty at a given point in time is therefore particularly difficult to assess. A “dynamic” method has been developed to compute rating curves while calculating associated uncertainties, thus making it possible to regenerate streamflow data with uncertainty estimates. The method is based on historical gaugings at hydrometric stations. A rating curve is computed for each gauging and a model of the uncertainty is fitted for each of them. The model of uncertainty takes into account the uncertainties in the measurement of the water level, the quality of fit of the curve, the uncertainty of gaugings and the increase of the uncertainty of discharge estimates with the age of the rating curve computed with a variographic analysis (Jalbert et al., 2011). The presented dynamic method can answer important questions in the field of hydrometry such as “How many gaugings a year are required to produce streamflow data with an average uncertainty of X%?” and “When and in what range of water flow rates should these gaugings be carried out?”. The Rocherousse hydrometric station (France, Haute-Durance watershed, 946 [km2]) is used as an example throughout the paper. Others stations are used to illustrate certain points.

Open hardware, low cost, air quality stations for monitoring ozone in coastal area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Marco; Donzella, Davide; Pintus, Fabio; Fedi, Adriano; Ferrari, Daniele; Massabò, Marco

2014-05-01

Ozone concentrations in urban and coastal area are a great concern for citizens and, consequently regulator. In the last 20 years the Ozone concentration is almost doubled and it has attracted the public attention because of the well know harmful impacts on human health and biosphere in general. Official monitoring networks usually comprise high precision, high accuracy observation stations, usually managed by public administrations and environmental agency; unfortunately due to their high costs of installation and maintenance, the monitoring stations are relatively sparse. This kind of monitoring networks have been recognized to be unsuitable to effectively characterize the high variability of air quality, especially in areas where pollution sources are various and often not static. We present a prototype of a low cost station for air quality monitoring, specifically developed for complementing the official monitoring stations improving the representation of air quality spatial distribution. We focused on a semi-professional product that could guarantee the highest reliability at the lowest possible cost, supported by a consistent infrastructure for data management. We test two type of Ozone sensor electrochemical and metal oxide. This work is integrated in the ACRONET Paradigm ® project: an open-hardware platform strongly oriented on environmental monitoring. All software and hardware sources will be available on the web. Thus, a computer and a small amount of work tools will be sufficient to create new monitoring networks, with the only constraint to share all the data obtained. It will so possible to create a real "sensing community". The prototype is currently able to measure ozone level, temperature and relative humidity, but soon, with the upcoming changes, it will be able also to monitor dust, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, always through the use of commercial sensors. The sensors are grouped in a compact board that interfaces with a data

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations as a Climate Change Mitigation Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cave, Bridget; DeYoung, Russell J.

2014-01-01

In order to facilitate the use of electric vehicles at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), charging stations should be made available to LaRC employees. The implementation of charging stations would decrease the need for gasoline thus decreasing CO2 emissions improving local air quality and providing a cost savings for LaRC employees. A charging station pilot program is described that would install stations as the need increased and also presents a business model that pays for the electricity used and installation at no cost to the government.

Roots of research: Raphael Zon and the origins of forest experiment stations

Treesearch

Jeremy C. Young

2008-01-01

The 1908 founding of the first American forest experiment station in Fort Valley, Arizona was an event of considerable historical significance. The Fort Valley station was the linchpin of forester Raphael Zon's bold plan to create the first program of organized research in U.S. Forest Service history. It also represented the beginning of a fruitful marriage...

Quality factor and dose equivalent investigations aboard the Soviet Space Station Mir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouisset, P.; Nguyen, V. D.; Parmentier, N.; Akatov, Ia. A.; Arkhangel'Skii, V. V.; Vorozhtsov, A. S.; Petrov, V. M.; Kovalev, E. E.; Siegrist, M.

1992-07-01

Since Dec 1988, date of the French-Soviet joint space mission 'ARAGATZ', the CIRCE device, had recorded dose equivalent and quality factor values inside the Mir station (380-410 km, 51.5 deg). After the initial gas filling two years ago, the low pressure tissue equivalent proportional counter is still in good working conditions. Some results of three periods are presented. The average dose equivalent rates measured are respectively 0.6, 0.8 and 0.6 mSv/day with a quality factor equal to 1.9. Some detailed measurements show the increasing of the dose equivalent rates through the SAA and near polar horns. The real time determination of the quality factors allows to point out high linear energy transfer events with quality factors in the range 10-20.

R2 Water Quality Portal Monitoring Stations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Water Quality Data Portal (WQP) provides an easy way to access data stored in various large water quality databases. The WQP provides various input parameters on the form including location, site, sampling, and date parameters to filter and customize the returned results. The The Water Quality Portal (WQP) is a cooperative service sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) that integrates publicly available water quality data from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) the EPA STOrage and RETrieval (STORET) Data Warehouse, and the USDA ARS Sustaining The Earth??s Watersheds - Agricultural Research Database System (STEWARDS).

Space Station Freedom Utilization Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The topics addressed in Space Station Freedom Utilization Conference are: (1) space station freedom overview and research capabilities; (2) space station freedom research plans and opportunities; (3) life sciences research on space station freedom; (4) technology research on space station freedom; (5) microgravity research and biotechnology on space station freedom; and (6) closing plenary.

Potential applications of expert systems and operations research to space station logistics functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lippiatt, Thomas F.; Waterman, Donald

1985-01-01

The applicability of operations research, artificial intelligence, and expert systems to logistics problems for the space station were assessed. Promising application areas were identified for space station logistics. A needs assessment is presented and a specific course of action in each area is suggested.

Space Biosciences, Space-X, and the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wigley, Cecilia

2014-01-01

Space Biosciences Research on the International Space Station uses living organisms to study a variety of research questions. To enhance our understanding of fundamental biological processes. To develop the fundations for a safe, productive human exploration of space. To improve the quality of life on earth.

Hydrothermal Geothermal Subprogram, Hawaii Geothermal Research Station, Hawaii County, Hawaii: Environmental assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-06-01

This environmental impact assessment addresses the design, construction, and operation of an electric generating plant (3 to 4 MWe) and research station (Hawaii Geothermal Research Station (HGRS)) in the Puna district on the Island of Hawaii. The facility will include control and support buildings, parking lots, cooling towers, settling and seepage ponds, the generating plant, and a visitors center. Research activities at the facility will evaluate the ability of a successfully flow-tested well (42-day flow test) to provide steam for power generation over an extended period of time (two years). In future expansion, research activities may include direct heat applicationsmore » such as aquaculture and the effects of geothermal fluids on various plant components and specially designed equipment on test modules. 54 refs., 7 figs., 22 tabs.« less

Flow Quality Studies of the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel Circuit (1995 Tests)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arrington, E. Allen; Kee-Bowling, Bonnie A.; Gonsalez, Jose C.

2000-01-01

The purpose of conducting the flow-field surveys described in this report was to more fully document the flow quality in several areas of the tunnel circuit in the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel. The results from these surveys provide insight into areas of the tunnel that were known to exhibit poor flow quality characteristics and provide data that will be useful to the design of flow quality improvements and a new heat exchanger for the facility. An instrumented traversing mechanism was used to survey the flow field at several large cross sections of the tunnel loop over the entire speed range of the facility. Flow-field data were collected at five stations in the tunnel loop, including downstream of the fan drive motor housing, upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger, and upstream and downstream of the spraybars located in the settling chamber upstream of the test section. The data collected during these surveys greatly expanded the data base describing the flow quality in each of these areas. The new data matched closely the flow quality trends recorded from earlier tests. Data collected downstream of the heat exchanger and in the settling chamber showed how the configuration of the folded heat exchanger affected the pressure, velocity, and flow angle distributions in these areas. Smoke flow visualization was also used to qualitatively study the flow field in an area downstream of the drive fan and in the settling chamber/contraction section.

Experimental forests and ranges. Field research facilities of the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

Treesearch

Neil H. Berg

1990-01-01

The 10 experimental forests and ranges in California administered by the Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, are described. The purposes of these facilities, and how to request their use for approved scientific study are given, and the natural resource base, data bases, studies, and general features of each are also...

Research on comprehensive decision-making of PV power station connecting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Erxiong; Xin, Chaoshan; Ma, Botao; Cheng, Kai

2018-04-01

In allusion to the incomplete indexes system and not making decision on the subjectivity and objectivity of PV power station connecting system, based on the combination of improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) as well as grey correlation degree analysis (GCDA) is comprehensively proposed to select the appropriate system connecting scheme of PV power station. Firstly, indexes of PV power station connecting system are divided the recursion order hierarchy and calculated subjective weight by the improved AHP. Then, CRITIC is adopted to determine the objective weight of each index through the comparison intensity and conflict between indexes. The last the improved GCDA is applied to screen the optimal scheme, so as to, from the subjective and objective angle, select the connecting system. Comprehensive decision of Xinjiang PV power station is conducted and reasonable analysis results are attained. The research results might provide scientific basis for investment decision.

Climate Signal Detection in Wine Quality Using Gridded vs. Station Data in North-East Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mika, Janos; Razsi, Andras; Gal, Lajos

2017-04-01

The grapevine is one of the oldest cultivated plants. Today's viticultural regions for quality wine production are located in relatively narrow geographical and therefore climatic niches. Our target area, the Matra Region in NE Hungary is fairly close to the edge of optimal wine production concerning its climate conditions. Fifty year (1961-2010) wine and quality (natural sugar content, in weight % of must) data are analysed and compared to parallel climate variables. Two sets of station-based monthly temperature, sunshine duration and precipitation data, taken from neighbouring stations, Eger-Kőlyuktető (1961-2010) and Kompolt (1976-2006) are used in 132 combinations, together with daily grid-point data provided by the CarpatClim Project (www.carpatclim-eu.org/pages/home). By now it is clear that (1) wine quality, is in significant negative correlation with the annual precipitation and in positive correlation with temperature and sunshine duration. (2) Applying a wide combination of monthly data we obtain even stronger correlations (higher significance according to t-tests) even from the station-based data, but it is difficult to select and optimum model from the many proper combinations differing in performance over the test sample just slightly. (3) The interpolated site-specific areal averages from the grid-point data provide even better results and stronger differences between the best models and the few other candidates. (4) Further improvement of statistical signal detection capacity of the above climate variables by using 5-day averages, point at the strong vulnerability of wine quality on climate anomalies of some key phenological phases of the investigated grapevine-mixes. Enhanced spatial and temporal resolution provides much better fit to the observed wine quality data. The study has been supported by the OTKA-113209 national project.

Defining the role of silvicultural research in the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station

Treesearch

Chris Nowak; Susan Stout; John Brissette; Laura Kenefic; Gary Miller; Bill Leak; Dan Yaussy; Tom Schuler; Kurt Gottschalk

1997-01-01

Research planning in the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station has followed a grass roots model for more than two years-ROADMAP, a research and development management plan. The goals for research within ROADMAP include understanding, protecting, managing, and utilizing forest ecosystems. There are nine research themes set to help achieve these goals, each with a set...

The Need and Opportunity for an Integrated Research, Development and Testing Station in the Alaskan High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardesty, J. O.; Ivey, M.; Helsel, F.; Dexheimer, D.; Cahill, C. F.; Bendure, A.; Lucero, D. A.; Roesler, E. L.

2016-12-01

This presentation will make the case for development of a permanent integrated research and testing station at Oliktok Point, Alaska; taking advantage of existing assets and infrastructure, controlled airspace, an active UAS program and local partnerships. Arctic research stations provide critical monitoring and research on climate change for conditions and trends in the Arctic. The US Chair of the Arctic Council has increased awareness of gaps in our understanding of Artic systems, scarce monitoring, lack of infrastructure and readiness for emergency response. Less sea ice brings competition for commercial shipping and resource extraction. Search and rescue, pollution mitigation and safe navigation need real-time, wide-area monitoring to respond to events. Multi-national responses for international traffic will drive a greater security presence to protect citizens and sovereign interests. To address research and technology gaps, there is a national need for a High Arctic Station with an approach that partners stakeholders from science, safety and security to develop comprehensive solutions. The Station should offer year-round use, logistic support and access to varied ecological settings; phased adaptation to changing needs; and support testing of technologies such as multiple autonomous platforms, renewable energies and microgrids, and sensors in Arctic settings. We propose an Arctic Station at Oliktok Point, Alaska. Combined with the Toolik Field Station and Barrow Environmental Observatory, they form a US network of Arctic Stations. An Oliktok Point Station can provide complementary and unique assets that include: ocean access, and coastal and terrestrial systems; road access; controlled airspaces on land and ocean; nearby air facilities, medical and logistic support; atmospheric observations from an adjacent ARM facility; connections to Barrow and Toolik; fiber-optic communications; University of Alaska Fairbanks UAS Test Facility partnership; and an airstrip

CARDS - comprehensive aerological reference data set. Station history, Version 2.1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-03-01

The possibility of anthropogenic climate change has reached the attention of Government officials and researchers. However, one cannot study climate change without climate data. The CARDS project will produce high-quality upper-air data for the research community and for policy-makers. The authors intend to produce a dataset which is: easy to use, as complete as possible, as free of random errors as possible. They will also attempt to identify biases and remove them whenever possible. In this report, they relate progress toward their goal. They created a robust new format for archiving upper-air data, and designed a relational database structure tomore » hold them. The authors have converted 13 datasets to the new format and have archived over 10,000,000 individual soundings from 10 separate data sources. They produce and archive a metadata summary of each sounding they load. They have researched station histories, and have built a preliminary upper-air station history database. They have converted station-sorted data from their primary database into synoptic-sorted data in a parallel database. They have tested and will soon implement an advanced quality-control procedure, capable of detecting and often repairing errors in geopotential height, temperature, humidity, and wind. This unique quality-control method uses simultaneous vertical, horizontal, and temporal checks of several meteorological variables. It can detect errors other methods cannot. This report contains the station histories for the CARDS data set.« less

Multipurpose epithermal neutron beam on new research station at MARIA research reactor in Swierk-Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gryzinski, M.A.; Maciak, M.

). It is planned to create fully equipped complex facility possible to perform various experiments on the intensive neutron beam. Epithermal neutron beam enables development across the full spectrum of materials research for example shielding concrete tests or electronic devices construction improvement. Due to recent reports on the construction of the accelerator for the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) it has the opportunity to become useful and successful method in the fight against brain and other types of cancers not treated with well known medical methods. In Europe there is no such epithermal neutron source which could be used throughout the year for training and research for scientist working on BNCT what makes the stand unique in Europe. Also our research group which specializes in mixed radiation dosimetry around nuclear and medical facilities would be able to carry out research on new detectors and methods of measurements for radiological protection and in-beam (therapeutic) dosimetry. Another group of scientists from National Centre for Nuclear Research, where MARIA research reactor is located, is involved in research of gamma detector systems. There is an idea to develop Prompt-gamma Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (Pg- SPECT). This method could be used as imaging system for compounds emitting gamma rays after nuclear reaction with thermal neutrons e.g. for boron concentration in BNCT. Inside the room, where H2 channel is located, there is another horizontal channel - H1 which is also unused. Simultaneously with the construction of the H2 stand it will be possible to create special pneumatic horizontal mail inside the H1 channel for irradiation material samples in the vicinity of the core i.e. in the distal part of the H1 channel. It might expand the scope of research at the planned neutron station. Secondly it is planned to equip both stands with moveable positioning system, video system and facilities to perform animal experiments

Space Acceleration Measurement System-II: Microgravity Instrumentation for the International Space Station Research Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutliff, Thomas J.

1999-01-01

The International Space Station opens for business in the year 2000, and with the opening, science investigations will take advantage of the unique conditions it provides as an on-orbit laboratory for research. With initiation of scientific studies comes a need to understand the environment present during research. The Space Acceleration Measurement System-II provides researchers a consistent means to understand the vibratory conditions present during experimentation on the International Space Station. The Space Acceleration Measurement System-II, or SAMS-II, detects vibrations present while the space station is operating. SAMS-II on-orbit hardware is comprised of two basic building block elements: a centralized control unit and multiple Remote Triaxial Sensors deployed to measure the acceleration environment at the point of scientific research, generally within a research rack. Ground Operations Equipment is deployed to complete the command, control and data telemetry elements of the SAMS-II implementation. Initially, operations consist of user requirements development, measurement sensor deployment and use, and data recovery on the ground. Future system enhancements will provide additional user functionality and support more simultaneous users.

Physical sciences research plans for the International Space Station.

PubMed

Trinh, E H

2003-01-01

The restructuring of the research capabilities of the International Space Station has forced a reassessment of the Physical Sciences research plans and a re-targeting of the major scientific thrusts. The combination of already selected peer-reviewed flight investigations with the initiation of new research and technology programs will allow the maximization of the ISS scientific and technological potential. Fundamental and applied research will use a combination of ISS-based facilities, ground-based activities, and other experimental platforms to address issues impacting fundamental knowledge, industrial and medical applications on Earth, and the technology required for human space exploration. The current flight investigation research plan shows a large number of principal investigators selected to use the remaining planned research facilities. c2003 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical sciences research plans for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, E. H.

2003-01-01

The restructuring of the research capabilities of the International Space Station has forced a reassessment of the Physical Sciences research plans and a re-targeting of the major scientific thrusts. The combination of already selected peer-reviewed flight investigations with the initiation of new research and technology programs will allow the maximization of the ISS scientific and technological potential. Fundamental and applied research will use a combination of ISS-based facilities, ground-based activities, and other experimental platforms to address issues impacting fundamental knowledge, industrial and medical applications on Earth, and the technology required for human space exploration. The current flight investigation research plan shows a large number of principal investigators selected to use the remaining planned research facilities. c2003 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Certification of Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) Experiment # 15012-U, "Near RealTime Water Quality Monitoring Demonstration for ISS Biocides Using Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE)"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Nolan, Daniel J.; Rutz, Jeffrey A.; Shcultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D,; Lipert, Robert J.; Limardo, Jose G.; McCoy, J. Torin

2009-01-01

Scientists and engineers from the Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering Group are working with researchers at the University of Utah and Iowa State University to develop and certify an experimental water quality monitoring kit based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE). The kit will be launched as a Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) experiment and evaluated on the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the acceptability of CSPE technology for routine inflight water quality monitoring. Iodine and silver, the biocides used in the US and Russian on-orbit water systems, will serve as test analytes for the technology evaluation. This manuscript provides an overview of the CSPE SDTO experiment and details the development and certification of the experimental water quality monitoring kit. Initial results from reagent and standard solution stability testing and environmental testing performed on the kit hardware are also reported.

A method to establish seismic noise baselines for automated station assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNamara, D.E.; Hutt, C.R.; Gee, L.S.; Benz, H.M.; Buland, R.P.

2009-01-01

We present a method for quantifying station noise baselines and characterizing the spectral shape of out-of-nominal noise sources. Our intent is to automate this method in order to ensure that only the highest-quality data are used in rapid earthquake products at NEIC. In addition, the station noise baselines provide a valuable tool to support the quality control of GSN and ANSS backbone data and metadata. The procedures addressed here are currently in development at the NEIC, and work is underway to understand how quickly changes from nominal can be observed and used within the NEIC processing framework. The spectral methods and software used to compute station baselines and described herein (PQLX) can be useful to both permanent and portable seismic stations operators. Applications include: general seismic station and data quality control (QC), evaluation of instrument responses, assessment of near real-time communication system performance, characterization of site cultural noise conditions, and evaluation of sensor vault design, as well as assessment of gross network capabilities (McNamara et al. 2005). Future PQLX development plans include incorporating station baselines for automated QC methods and automating station status report generation and notification based on user-defined QC parameters. The PQLX software is available through the USGS (http://earthquake. usgs.gov/research/software/pqlx.php) and IRIS (http://www.iris.edu/software/ pqlx/).

Studies on Anthropogenic Impact on Water Quality in Hilo (Hawaii) Bay and Mapping the Study Stations Using Geospatial Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartier, A. J.; Williams, M. S.; Adolf, J.; Sriharan, S.

2015-12-01

Hilo Bay has uncharacteristically brown waters compared to other waters found in Hawai'i. The majority of the freshwater entering Hilo Bay is from storm and surface water runoff. The anthropogenic impact on water quality at Hilo Bay is due to sediment entrance, cesspools (Bacteria), and invasive species (Albizia). This poster presentation will focus on the water quality and phytoplankton collected on a weekly basis at a buoy positioned one meter from the shore of Hilo Bay, preserving the phytoplankton intact, concentrating and dehydrating the sample with ethanol, and viewing the phytoplankton with a scanning electron microscope (Hitachi S-3400NII). The GPS (Global Positioning System) points were collected at the sampling stations. Three transects on three separate dates were performed in Hilo Bay with salinity, percent dissolved oxygen, turbidity, secchi depth, temperature, and chlorophyll fluorescence data collected at each sampling station. A consistent trend observed in all transects was as distance from the river increased turbidity decreased and salinity increased. The GPS data on June 30, 2015 showed a major correlation between stations and their distance from shore. There is a decrease in the turbidity but not the temperature for these stations. The GPS points collected on July 7, 2015 at thirteen stations starting with station one being at the shore to the water, showed that the salinity concentration fluctuate noticeably at the first 6 stations. As we proceed further away from the shore, the salinity concentration increases from stations seven through thirteen. The water temperature shows little variation throughout the thirteen stations. The turbidity level was high at the shore and shows a noticeable drop at station thirteen.

Science and payload options for animal and plant research accommodations aboard the early Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilchey, John D.; Arno, Roger D.; Gustan, Edith; Rudiger, C. E.

1986-01-01

The resources to be allocated for the development of the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) Space Station Animal and Plant Research Facility and the Growth Station Animal and Plant Vivarium and Laboratory may be limited; also, IOC accommodations for animal and plant research may be limited. An approach is presented for the development of Initial Research Capability Minilabs for animal and plant studies, which in appropriate combination and sequence can meet requirements for an evolving program of research within available accommodations and anticipated budget constraints.

Fundamental Biological Research on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Souza, K. A.; Yost, Bruce; Fletcher, L.; Dalton, Bonnie P. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The fundamental Biology Program of NASA's Life Sciences Division is chartered with enabling and sponsoring research on the International Space Station (ISS) in order to understand the effects of the space flight environment, particularly microgravity, on living systems. To accomplish this goal, NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) has been tasked with managing the development of a number of biological habitats, along with their support systems infrastructure. This integrated suite of habitats and support systems is being designed to support research requirements identified by the scientific community. As such, it will support investigations using cells and tissues, avian eggs, insects, plants, aquatic organisms and rodents. Studies following organisms through complete life cycles and over multiple generations will eventually be possible. As an adjunct to the development of these basic habitats, specific analytical and monitoring technologies are being targeted for maturation to complete the research cycle by transferring existing or emerging analytical techniques, sensors, and processes from the laboratory bench to the ISS research platform.

The International Space Station Research Opportunities and Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alleyne, Camille W.

2011-01-01

In 2010, the International Space Station (ISS) construction and assembly was completed to become a world-class scientific research laboratory. We are now in the era of utilization of this unique platform that facilitates ground-breaking research in the microgravity environment. There are opportunities for NASA-funded research; research funded under the auspice of the United States National Laboratory; and research funded by the International Partners - Japan, Europe, Russia and Canada. The ISS facilities offer an opportunity to conduct research in a multitude of disciplines such as biology and biotechnology, physical science, human research, technology demonstration and development; and earth and space science. The ISS is also a unique resource for educational activities that serve to motivate and inspire students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Even though we have just commenced full utilization of the ISS as a science laboratory, early investigations are yielding major results that are leading to such things as vaccine development, improved cancer drug delivery methods and treatment for debilitating diseases, such as Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. This paper

The space station: Human factors and productivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillan, D. J.; Burns, M. J.; Nicodemus, C. L.; Smith, R. L.

1986-01-01

Human factor researchers and engineers are making inputs into the early stages of the design of the Space Station to improve both the quality of life and work on-orbit. Effective integration of the human factors information related to various Intravehicular Activity (IVA), Extravehicular Activity (EVA), and teletobotics systems during the Space Station design will result in increased productivity, increased flexibility of the Space Stations systems, lower cost of operations, improved reliability, and increased safety for the crew onboard the Space Station. The major features of productivity examined include the cognitive and physical effort involved in work, the accuracy of worker output and ability to maintain performance at a high level of accuracy, the speed and temporal efficiency with which a worker performs, crewmember satisfaction with their work environment, and the relation between performance and cost.

Should the Space Station be an ark?

PubMed

Wassersug, R

1994-08-01

This essay explores the pros and cons of maximizing the number of species that can be maintained on the Space Station. It reviews some of the history of comparative space biology to show that different cultures have different perspectives on the study of non-traditional research organisms (ie non-rodents) in space. Despite these differences, there are simple principles that all international partners in the Space Station endeavour should be able to uphold when deciding what facilities to build and what species to fly. As an argument for maximizing the taxonomic diversity on the Space Station, examples are given to show how very similar organisms may have different reactions to microgravity. At the same time the political pressure in the USA to make the Space Station an institution specifically servicing the 'health, well-being and economic benefits of people on earth', is acknowledged. Ultimately the justification for what species will be on the Space Station should rest with the quality of the scientific questions being asked.

Accomplishments in bioastronautics research aboard International Space Station.

PubMed

Uri, John J; Haven, Cynthia P

2005-01-01

The tenth long-duration expedition crew is currently in residence aboard International Space Station (ISS), continuing a permanent human presence in space that began in October 2000. During that time, expedition crews have been operators and subjects for 18 Human Life Sciences investigations, to gain a better understanding of the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the crewmembers and of the environment in which they live. Investigations have been conducted to study: the radiation environment in the station as well as during extravehicular activity (EVA); bone demineralization and muscle deconditioning; changes in neuromuscular reflexes; muscle forces and postflight mobility; causes and possible treatment of postflight orthostatic intolerance; risk of developing kidney stones; changes in pulmonary function caused by long-duration flight as well as EVA; crew and crew-ground interactions; changes in immune function, and evaluation of imaging techniques. The experiment mix has included some conducted in flight aboard ISS as well as several which collected data only pre- and postflight. The conduct of these investigations has been facilitated by the Human Research Facility (HRF). HRF Rack 1 became the first research rack on ISS when it was installed in the US laboratory module Destiny in March 2001. The rack provides a core set of experiment hardware to support investigations, as well as power, data and commanding capability, and stowage. The second HRF rack, to complement the first with additional hardware and stowage capability, will be launched once Shuttle flights resume. Future years will see additional capability to conduct human research on ISS as International Partner modules and facility racks are added to ISS. Crew availability, both as a subject count and time, will remain a major challenge to maximizing the science return from the bioastronautics research program. c2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Accomplishments in Bioastronautics Research Aboard International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uri, John J.

2003-01-01

The seventh long-duration expedition crew is currently in residence aboard International Space Station (ISS), continuing a permanent human presence in space that began in October 2000. During that time, expedition crews have been operators and subjects for 16 Human Life Sciences investigations, to gain a better understanding of the effects of long-duration space flight on the crew members and of the environment in which they live. Investigations have been conducted to study the radiation environment in the station as well as during extravehicular activity (EVA); bone demineralization and muscle deconditioning; changes in neuromuscular reflexes, muscle forces and postflight mobility; causes and possible treatment of postflight orthostatic intolerance; risk of developing kidney stones; changes in pulmonary function caused by long-duration flight as well as EVA; crew and crew-ground interactions; and changes in immune function. The experiment mix has included some conducted in flight aboard ISS as well as several which collected data only pre- and postflight. The conduct of these investigations has been facilitated by the Human Research Facility (HRF). HRF Rack 1 became the first research rack on ISS when it was installed in the US laboratory module Destiny in March 2001. The rack provides a core set of experiment hardware to support investigations, as well as power, data and commanding capability, and stowage. The second HRF rack, to complement the first with additional hardware and stowage capability, will be launched once Shuttle flights resume. Future years will see additional capability to conduct human research on ISS as International Partner modules and facility racks are added to ISS . Crew availability, both as a subject count and time, will remain a major challenge to maximizing the science return from the bioastronautics research program.

International Space Station Remote Sensing Pointing Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Craig A.

2007-01-01

This paper analyzes the geometric and disturbance aspects of utilizing the International Space Station for remote sensing of earth targets. The proposed instrument (in prototype development) is SHORE (Station High-Performance Ocean Research Experiment), a multiband optical spectrometer with 15 m pixel resolution. The analysis investigates the contribution of the error effects to the quality of data collected by the instrument. This analysis supported the preliminary studies to determine feasibility of utilizing the International Space Station as an observing platform for a SHORE type of instrument. Rigorous analyses will be performed if a SHORE flight program is initiated. The analysis begins with the discussion of the coordinate systems involved and then conversion from the target coordinate system to the instrument coordinate system. Next the geometry of remote observations from the Space Station is investigated including the effects of the instrument location in Space Station and the effects of the line of sight to the target. The disturbance and error environment on Space Station is discussed covering factors contributing to drift and jitter, accuracy of pointing data and target and instrument accuracies.

Study on the construction of Intelligent Courier Station Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

zhao, Ce; lu, Jia xin; li, Zhuang zhuang; shao, Zi rong; pi, Kun yi

2018-06-01

Campus Express is an important window to observe the city consumption logistics service "last kilometer".The research on Campus Express service is not only conducive to campus environment improvement and service quality promotion, but also provides all types of community, agglomeration areas such as urban terminal "last kilometer" logistics with reference.This article first proposed the main problems of campus express service,analyzed the mode of smart express station and finally built a smart express station.

RadNet Air Quality (Fixed Station) Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

RadNet is a national network of monitoring stations that regularly collect air for analysis of radioactivity. The RadNet network, which has stations in each State, has been used to track environmental releases of radioactivity from nuclear weapons tests and nuclear accidents. RadNet also documents the status and trends of environmental radioactivity

Governing Knowledge: Research Steering and Research Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozga, Jenny

2008-01-01

This article argues that the "quality" debate in education research is not so much about quality as about creating the conditions in which research and knowledge production in the field of education can be managed and steered. The criticisms of research in education have destabilised the field and promoted its closer dependence on and…

Research on Application of Automatic Weather Station Based on Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianyun, Chen; Yunfan, Sun; Chunyan, Lin

2017-12-01

In this paper, the Internet of Things is briefly introduced, and then its application in the weather station is studied. A method of data acquisition and transmission based on NB-iot communication mode is proposed, Introduction of Internet of things technology, Sensor digital and independent power supply as the technical basis, In the construction of Automatic To realize the intelligent interconnection of the automatic weather station, and then to form an automatic weather station based on the Internet of things. A network structure of automatic weather station based on Internet of things technology is constructed to realize the independent operation of intelligent sensors and wireless data transmission. Research on networking data collection and dissemination of meteorological data, through the data platform for data analysis, the preliminary work of meteorological information publishing standards, networking of meteorological information receiving terminal provides the data interface, to the wisdom of the city, the wisdom of the purpose of the meteorological service.

Research priorities and plans for the International Space Station-results of the 'REMAP' Task Force

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kicza, M.; Erickson, K.; Trinh, E.

2003-01-01

Recent events in the International Space Station (ISS) Program have resulted in the necessity to re-examine the research priorities and research plans for future years. Due to both technical and fiscal resource constraints expected on the International Space Station, it is imperative that research priorities be carefully reviewed and clearly articulated. In consultation with OSTP and the Office of Management and budget (OMB), NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR) assembled an ad-hoc external advisory committee, the Biological and Physical Research Maximization and Prioritization (REMAP) Task Force. This paper describes the outcome of the Task Force and how it is being used to define a roadmap for near and long-term Biological and Physical Research objectives that supports NASA's Vision and Mission. Additionally, the paper discusses further prioritizations that were necessitated by budget and ISS resource constraints in order to maximize utilization of the International Space Station. Finally, a process has been developed to integrate the requirements for this prioritized research with other agency requirements to develop an integrated ISS assembly and utilization plan that maximizes scientific output. c2003 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Office of Commercial Programs' research activities for Space Station Freedom utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fountain, James A.

1992-01-01

One of the objectives of the Office of Commercial Programs (OCP) is to encourage, enable, and help implement space research which meets the needs of the U.S. industrial sector. This is done mainly through seventeen Centers for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS's) which are located throughout the United States. The CCDS's are composed of members from U.S. companies, universities, and other government agencies. These Centers are presently engaged in industrial research in space using a variety of carriers to reach low Earth orbit. One of the goals is to produce a body of experience and knowledge that will allow U.S. industrial entities to make informed decisions regarding their participation in commercial space endeavors. A total of 32 items of payload hardware were built to date. These payloads have flown in space a total of 73 times. The carriers range from the KC-135 parabolic aircraft and expendable launch vehicles to the Space Shuttle. This range of carriers allows the experimenter to evolve payloads in complexity and cost by progressively extending the time in microgravity. They can start with a few seconds in the parabolic aircraft and go to several minutes on the rocket flights, before they progress to the complexities of manned flight on the Shuttle. Next year, two new capabilities will become available: COMET, an expendable-vehicle-launched experiment capsule that can carry experiments aloft for thirty days; and SPACEHAB, a new Shuttle borne module which will greatly add to the capability to accommodate small payloads. All of these commercial research activities and carrier capabilities are preparing the OCP to evolve those experiments that prove successful to Space Station Freedom. OCP and the CCDS's are actively involved in Space Station design and utilization planning and have proposed a set of experiments to be launched in 1996 and 1997. These experiments are to be conducted both internal and external to Space Station Freedom and will

The opportunities for space biology research on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Rodney W.; Souza, Kenneth A.

1987-01-01

The life sciences research facilities for the Space Station are being designed to accommodate both animal and plant specimens for long durations studies. This will enable research on how living systems adapt to microgravity, how gravity has shaped and affected life on earth, and further the understanding of basic biological phenomena. This would include multigeneration experiments on the effects of microgravity on the reproduction, development, growth, physiology, behavior, and aging of organisms. To achieve these research goals, a modular habitat system and on-board variable gravity centrifuges, capable of holding various animal, plant, cells and tissues, is proposed for the science laboratory.

Long term assessment of air quality from a background station on the Malaysian Peninsula.

PubMed

Latif, Mohd Talib; Dominick, Doreena; Ahamad, Fatimah; Khan, Md Firoz; Juneng, Liew; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad; Nadzir, Mohd Shahrul Mohd

2014-06-01

Rural background stations provide insight into seasonal variations in pollutant concentrations and allow for comparisons to be made with stations closer to anthropogenic emissions. In Malaysia, the designated background station is located in Jerantut, Pahang. A fifteen-year data set focusing on ten major air pollutants and four meteorological variables from this station were analysed. Diurnal, monthly and yearly pollutant concentrations were derived from hourly continuous monitoring data. Statistical methods employed included principal component regression (PCR) and sensitivity analysis. Although only one of the yearly concentrations of the pollutants studied exceeded national and World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline standards, namely PM10, seven of the pollutants (NO, NO2, NOx, O3, PM10, THC and CH4) showed a positive upward trend over the 15-year period. High concentrations of PM10 were recorded during severe haze episodes in this region. Whilst, monthly concentrations of most air pollutants, such as: PM10, O3, NOx, NO2, CO and NmHC were recorded at higher concentrations between June and September, during the southwest monsoon. Such results correspond with the mid-range transport of pollutants from more urbanised and industrial areas. Diurnal patterns, rationed between major air pollutants and sensitivity analysis, indicate the influence of local traffic emissions on air quality at the Jerantut background station. Although the pollutant concentrations have not shown a rapid increase, an alternative background station will need to be assigned within the next decade if development projects in the surrounding area are not halted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and development of a Space Station proximity operations research and development mockup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haines, Richard F.

1986-01-01

Proximity operations (Prox-Ops) on-orbit refers to all activities taking place within one km of the Space Station. Designing a Prox-Ops control station calls for a comprehensive systems approach which takes into account structural constraints, orbital dynamics including approach/departure flight paths, myriad human factors and other topics. This paper describes a reconfigurable full-scale mock-up of a Prox-Ops station constructed at Ames incorporating an array of windows (with dynamic star field, target vehicle(s), and head-up symbology), head-down perspective display of manned and unmanned vehicles, voice- actuated 'electronic checklist', computer-generated voice system, expert system (to help diagnose subsystem malfunctions), and other displays and controls. The facility is used for demonstrations of selected Prox-Ops approach scenarios, human factors research (work-load assessment, determining external vision envelope requirements, head-down and head-up symbology design, voice synthesis and recognition research, etc.) and development of engineering design guidelines for future module interiors.

Station descriptions and availability of discharge and water-quality data through 1985 for eastern Montana stream sites not included in the National Water Data Exchange Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groskinsky Link, B. L.; Cary, L.E.

1988-01-01

Stations were selected to monitor water discharge and water quality of streams in eastern Montana. This report describes the stations and indicates the availability of hydrologic data through 1985. Included are stations that are operated by organizations that do not belong to the National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) program operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. Each station description contains a narration of the station 's history including location, drainage area, elevation, operator, period of record, type of equipment and instruments used at the station, and data availability. The data collected at each station have been identified according to type: water discharge, chemical quality, and suspended sediment. Descriptions are provided for 113 stations. These data have potential uses in characterizing small hydrologic basins, as well as other uses. A map of eastern Montana shows the location of the stations selected. (USGS)

Fire social science research from the Pacific Southwest research station: studies supported by national fire plan funds

Treesearch

Deborah J. Chavez; James D. Absher; Patricia L. Winter

2008-01-01

Fire events often have a large impact on recreation and tourism, yet these issues had not been addressed from a social science perspective. To address his, the Wildland Recreation and Urban Cultures Research Work Unit (RWU) of the Pacific Southwest Research Station acquired funding through the National Fire Plan within the community assistance topic area. The three...

Space Station Centrifuge: A Requirement for Life Science Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Arthur H.; Fuller, Charles A.; Johnson, Catherine C.; Winget, Charles M.

1992-01-01

A centrifuge with the largest diameter that can be accommodated on Space Station Freedom is required to conduct life science research in the microgravity environment of space. (This was one of the findings of a group of life scientists convened at the University of California, Davis, by Ames Research Center.) The centrifuge will be used as a research tool to understand how gravity affects biological processes; to provide an on-orbit one-g control; and to assess the efficacy of using artificial gravity to counteract the deleterious biological effect of space flight. The rationale for the recommendation and examples of using ground-based centrifugation for animal and plant acceleration studies are presented. Included are four appendixes and an extensive bibliography of hypergravity studies.

Microgravity research in the era of Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Mark C.

1989-01-01

NASA has developed numerous microgravity research-related missions planned for the period of 1991 to 1994, leading to Space Station Freedom (SSF). Space Transportation System (STS) flights are designed with the philosophy that STS, Spacelab, and SSF will constitute an integrated system allowing an evolutionary approach to microgravity research in low earth orbit. Ground experiments, tested and refined on short-duration STS flights, will be developed and deployed on SSF where long-duration operation is required. In addition, this sequence will ensure maximum scientific return, encourage growth of the research community, and increase the chances of identifying new techniques and processes to be used in the SSF time frame. The paper discusses the rationale, justification, and approach taken by NASA to fully exploit this environment.

Research on the International Space Station - An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cynthia A.; Robinson, Julie A.; Tate-Brown, Judy M.

2009-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) celebrates ten years of operations in 2008. While the station did not support permanent human crews during the first two years of operations November 1998 to November 2000 it hosted a few early science experiments months before the first international crew took up residence. Since that time and simultaneous with the complicated task of ISS construction and overcoming impacts from the tragic Columbia accident science returns from the ISS have been growing at a steady pace. As of this writing, over 162 experiments have been operated on the ISS, supporting research for hundreds of ground-based investigators from the U.S. and international partners. This report summarizes the experimental results collected to date. Today, NASA's priorities for research aboard the ISS center on understanding human health during long-duration missions, researching effective countermeasures for long-duration crewmembers, and researching and testing new technologies that can be used for future exploration crews and spacecraft. Through the U.S. National Laboratory designation, the ISS is also a platform available to other government agencies. Research on ISS supports new understandings, methods or applications relevant to life on Earth, such as understanding effective protocols to protect against loss of bone density or better methods for producing stronger metal alloys. Experiment results have already been used in applications as diverse as the manufacture of solar cell and insulation materials for new spacecraft and the verification of complex numerical models for behavior of fluids in fuel tanks. A synoptic publication of these results will be forthcoming in 2009. At the 10-year point, the scientific returns from ISS should increase at a rapid pace. During the 2008 calendar year, the laboratory space and research facilities were tripled with the addition of ESA's Columbus and JAXA's Kibo scientific modules joining NASA's Destiny Laboratory. All three

Second Harmonic Imaging improves Echocardiograph Quality on board the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, Kathleen; Sargsyan, Ashot; Hamilton, Douglas; Martin, David; Ebert, Douglas; Melton, Shannon; Dulchavsky, Scott

2008-01-01

Ultrasound (US) capabilities have been part of the Human Research Facility (HRF) on board the International Space Station (ISS) since 2001. The US equipment on board the ISS includes a first-generation Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI) option. Harmonic imaging (HI) is the second harmonic response of the tissue to the ultrasound beam and produces robust tissue detail and signal. Since this is a first-generation THI, there are inherent limitations in tissue penetration. As a breakthrough technology, HI extensively advanced the field of ultrasound. In cardiac applications, it drastically improves endocardial border detection and has become a common imaging modality. U.S. images were captured and stored as JPEG stills from the ISS video downlink. US images with and without harmonic imaging option were randomized and provided to volunteers without medical education or US skills for identification of endocardial border. The results were processed and analyzed using applicable statistical calculations. The measurements in US images using HI improved measurement consistency and reproducibility among observers when compared to fundamental imaging. HI has been embraced by the imaging community at large as it improves the quality and data validity of US studies, especially in difficult-to-image cases. Even with the limitations of the first generation THI, HI improved the quality and measurability of many of the downlinked images from the ISS and should be an option utilized with cardiac imaging on board the ISS in all future space missions.

Materials Science Research Rack Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reagan, Shawn E.; Lehman, John R.; Frazier, Natalie C.

2014-01-01

The Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) is a highly automated facility developed in a joint venture/partnership between NASA and ESA center dot Allows for the study of a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, semiconductor crystals, and glasses onboard the International Space Station (ISS) center dot Multi-user facility for high temperature materials science research center dot Launched on STS-128 in August 2009, and is currently installed in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module ?Research goals center dot Provide means of studying materials processing in space to develop a better understanding of the chemical and physical mechanisms involved center dot Benefit materials science research via the microgravity environment of space where the researcher can better isolate the effects of gravity during solidification on the properties of materials center dot Use the knowledge gained from experiments to make reliable predictions about conditions required on Earth to achieve improved materials

STS 129 Return Samples: Assessment of Air Quality aboard the Shuttle (STS-129) and International Space Station (ULF3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.

2010-01-01

Reports on the air quality aboard the Space Shuttle (STS-129), and the International Space station (ULF3). NASA analyzed the grab sample canisters (GSCs) and the formaldehyde badges aboard both locations for carbon monoxide levels. The three surrogates: (sup 13)C-acetone, fluorobenzene, and chlorobenzene registered 109, 101, and 109% in the space shuttle and 81, 87, and 55% in the International Space Station (ISS). From these results the atmosphere in both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) was found to be breathable.

Space Station Human Factors Research Review. Volume 1: EVA Research and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Marc M. (Editor); Vykukal, H. C. (Editor)

1988-01-01

An overview is presented of extravehicular activity (EVA) research and development activities at Ames. The majority of the program was devoted to presentations by the three contractors working in parallel on the EVA System Phase A Study, focusing on Implications for Man-Systems Design. Overhead visuals are included for a mission results summary, space station EVA requirements and interface accommodations summary, human productivity study cross-task coordination, and advanced EVAS Phase A study implications for man-systems design. Articles are also included on subsea approach to work systems development and advanced EVA system design requirements.

HadISD: a quality-controlled global synoptic report database for selected variables at long-term stations from 1973-2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, R. J. H.; Willett, K. M.; Thorne, P. W.; Woolley, E. V.; Durre, I.; Dai, A.; Parker, D. E.; Vose, R. S.

2012-10-01

This paper describes the creation of HadISD: an automatically quality-controlled synoptic resolution dataset of temperature, dewpoint temperature, sea-level pressure, wind speed, wind direction and cloud cover from global weather stations for 1973-2011. The full dataset consists of over 6000 stations, with 3427 long-term stations deemed to have sufficient sampling and quality for climate applications requiring sub-daily resolution. As with other surface datasets, coverage is heavily skewed towards Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. The dataset is constructed from a large pre-existing ASCII flatfile data bank that represents over a decade of substantial effort at data retrieval, reformatting and provision. These raw data have had varying levels of quality control applied to them by individual data providers. The work proceeded in several steps: merging stations with multiple reporting identifiers; reformatting to netCDF; quality control; and then filtering to form a final dataset. Particular attention has been paid to maintaining true extreme values where possible within an automated, objective process. Detailed validation has been performed on a subset of global stations and also on UK data using known extreme events to help finalise the QC tests. Further validation was performed on a selection of extreme events world-wide (Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the cold snap in Alaska in 1989 and heat waves in SE Australia in 2009). Some very initial analyses are performed to illustrate some of the types of problems to which the final data could be applied. Although the filtering has removed the poorest station records, no attempt has been made to homogenise the data thus far, due to the complexity of retaining the true distribution of high-resolution data when applying adjustments. Hence non-climatic, time-varying errors may still exist in many of the individual station records and care is needed in inferring long-term trends from these data. This dataset will allow the

The Pacific Northwest Research Station biodiversity initiative: collaborating for biodiversity management.

Treesearch

Peter Nelson; Rachel White; Randy Molina

2006-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Research Station launched a biodiversity initiative to assist natural resource professionals in integrating complex biodiversity concepts into natural resource management processes. We canvassed clients from various affiliations to determine the main challenges they face in biodiversity management, to define their information needs, and to...

Roots of research: Raphael Zon and the origins of forest experiment stations (P-53)

Treesearch

Jeremy C. Young

2008-01-01

The 1908 founding of the first American forest experiment station in Fort Valley, Arizona was an event of considerable historical significance. The Fort Valley station was the linchpin of forester Raphael Zon’s bold plan to create the first program of organized research in US Forest Service history. It also represented the beginning of a fruitful marriage between...

Funding source and research report quality in nutrition practice-related research.

PubMed

Myers, Esther F; Parrott, J Scott; Cummins, Deborah S; Splett, Patricia

2011-01-01

The source of funding is one of many possible causes of bias in scientific research. One method of detecting potential for bias is to evaluate the quality of research reports. Research exploring the relationship between funding source and nutrition-related research report quality is limited and in other disciplines the findings are mixed. The purpose of this study is to determine whether types of funding sources of nutrition research are associated with differences in research report quality. A retrospective study of research reporting quality, research design and funding source was conducted on 2539 peer reviewed research articles from the American Dietetic Association's Evidence Analysis Library® database. Quality rating frequency distributions indicate 43.3% of research reports were rated as positive, 50.1% neutral, and 6.6% as negative. Multinomial logistic regression results showed that while both funding source and type of research design are significant predictors of quality ratings (χ2 = 118.99, p≤0.001), the model's usefulness in predicting overall research report quality is little better than chance. Compared to research reports with government funding, those not acknowledging any funding sources, followed by studies with University/hospital funding were more likely to receive neutral vs positive quality ratings, OR = 1.85, P <0.001 and OR = 1.54, P<0.001, respectively and those that did not report funding were more likely to receive negative quality ratings (OR = 4.97, P<0.001). After controlling for research design, industry funded research reports were no more likely to receive a neutral or negative quality rating than those funded by government sources. Research report quality cannot be accurately predicted from the funding source after controlling for research design. Continued vigilance to evaluate the quality of all research regardless of the funding source and to further understand other factors that affect quality ratings are

Rocky Mountain Research Station Part 1 [U.S. Forest Service scientists continue work with the Lincoln National Forest

Treesearch

Todd Rawlinson

2010-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) is one of five regional Research Stations that make up the US Forest Service Research and Development organization. RMRS is organized into eight science program areas, with an overall mission to develop new and synthesize existing knowledge to foster improved management of natural resources. Scientists with the Wildlife and...

In-space research, technology and engineering experiments and Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tyson, Richard; Gartrell, Charles F.

1988-01-01

The NASA Space Station will serve as a technology research laboratory, a payload-servicing facility, and a large structure fabrication and assembly facility. Space structures research will encompass advanced structural concepts and their dynamics, advanced control concepts, sensors, and actuators. Experiments dealing with fluid management will gather data on such fundamentals as multiphase flow phenomena. As requirements for power systems and thermal management grow, experiments quantifying the performance of energy systems and thermal management concepts will be undertaken, together with expanded efforts in the fields of information systems, automation, and robotics.

Asthma in the vicinity of power stations: II. Outdoor air quality and symptoms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henry, R.L.; Bridgman, H.A.; Wlodarczyk, J.

1991-01-01

To assess longitudinally the effect of living in the vicinity of coal-fired power stations on children with asthma, 99 schoolchildren with a history of wheezing in the previous 12 months were studied for 1 year, using daily diaries and measurements of air quality. The children had been identified in a cross-sectional survey of two coastal areas: Lake Munmorah (LM), within 5 km of two power stations, and Nelson Bay (NB), free from major industry. Daily air quality (sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)), respiratory symptoms, and treatment for asthma were recorded throughout the year. Measurements of SO2 and NOxmore » at LM were well within recommended guidelines although they were several times higher than at NB: maximum daily levels in SO2 (micrograms/m3) were 26 at LM, 11 at NB (standard, 365); yearly average SO2 was 2 at LM, 0.3 at NB (standard, 60); yearly average NOx (micrograms/m3) was 2 at LM, 0.4 at NB (standard, 94). Marked weekly fluctuations occurred in the prevalence of cough, wheezing, and breathlessness, without any substantial differences between LM and NB. Overall, the prevalence of symptoms was low (10% for wheezing, 20% for any symptom). Whether the daily SO2 and NOx levels affected the occurrence of respiratory symptoms was investigated in children at LM using a logistic regression (Korn and Whittemore technique). For these children as a group, air quality measurements were not associated with the occurrence of symptoms.« less

Funding Source and Research Report Quality in Nutrition Practice-Related Research

PubMed Central

Myers, Esther F.; Parrott, J. Scott; Cummins, Deborah S.; Splett, Patricia

2011-01-01

Background The source of funding is one of many possible causes of bias in scientific research. One method of detecting potential for bias is to evaluate the quality of research reports. Research exploring the relationship between funding source and nutrition-related research report quality is limited and in other disciplines the findings are mixed. Objective The purpose of this study is to determine whether types of funding sources of nutrition research are associated with differences in research report quality. Design A retrospective study of research reporting quality, research design and funding source was conducted on 2539 peer reviewed research articles from the American Dietetic Association's Evidence Analysis Library® database. Results Quality rating frequency distributions indicate 43.3% of research reports were rated as positive, 50.1% neutral, and 6.6% as negative. Multinomial logistic regression results showed that while both funding source and type of research design are significant predictors of quality ratings (χ2 = 118.99, p<0.001), the model's usefulness in predicting overall research report quality is little better than chance. Compared to research reports with government funding, those not acknowledging any funding sources, followed by studies with University/hospital funding were more likely to receive neutral vs positive quality ratings, OR = 1.85, P <0.001 and OR = 1.54, P<0.001, respectively and those that did not report funding were more likely to receive negative quality ratings (OR = 4.97, P<0.001). After controlling for research design, industry funded research reports were no more likely to receive a neutral or negative quality rating than those funded by government sources. Conclusion Research report quality cannot be accurately predicted from the funding source after controlling for research design. Continued vigilance to evaluate the quality of all research regardless of the funding source and to further understand

The role of Environmental Health System air quality monitors in Space Station Contingency Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limero, Thomas F.; Wilson, Steve; Perlot, Susan; James, John

1992-01-01

This paper describes the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Environmental Health System's air-quality monitoring strategy and instrumentation. A two-tier system has been developed, consisting of first-alert instruments that warn the crew of airborne contamination and a volatile organic analyzer that can identify volatile organic contaminants in near-real time. The strategy for air quality monitoring on SSF is designed to provide early detection so that the contamination can be confined to one module and so that crew health and safety can be protected throughout the contingency event. The use of air-quality monitors in fixed and portable modes will be presented as a means of following the progress of decontamination efforts and ensuring acceptable air quality in a module after an incident. The technology of each instrument will be reviewed briefly; the main focus of this paper, however, will be the use of air-quality monitors before, during, and after contingency incidents.

Life Sciences Research Facility automation requirements and concepts for the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasmussen, Daryl N.

1986-01-01

An evaluation is made of the methods and preliminary results of a study on prospects for the automation of the NASA Space Station's Life Sciences Research Facility. In order to remain within current Space Station resource allocations, approximately 85 percent of planned life science experiment tasks must be automated; these tasks encompass specimen care and feeding, cage and instrument cleaning, data acquisition and control, sample analysis, waste management, instrument calibration, materials inventory and management, and janitorial work. Task automation will free crews for specimen manipulation, tissue sampling, data interpretation and communication with ground controllers, and experiment management.

Animal research facility for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonting, Sjoerd L.

1992-01-01

An integrated animal research facility is planned by NASA for Space Station Freedom which will permit long-term, man-tended experiments on the effects of space conditions on vertebrates. The key element in this facility is a standard type animal habitat which supports and maintains the animals under full bioisolation during transport and during the experiment. A holding unit accommodates the habitats with animals to be maintained at zero gravity; and a centrifuge, those to be maintained at artificial gravity for control purposes or for gravity threshold studies. A glovebox permits handling of the animals for experimental purposes and for transfer to a clean habitat. These facilities are described, and the aspects of environmental control, monitoring, and bioisolation are discussed.

Local technicians in long-term research projects: evaluation of 25 years experience in an active tropical research station.

PubMed

Hurtado, Johanna; Clark, David B

2011-12-01

Most field ecology is conceived and financed by scientists from urban areas but is actually carried out in rural areas. Field staff can either be imported from urban areas or recruited from local residents. We evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of involving rural residents as local technicians over a 25- year period at active field research site in Costa Rica. We defined "local technicians" as local residents with no university education who acquired significant experience in field data collection, data management and/or laboratory work. We analyzed the experiences of incorporating these technicians into field research in developing countries from the points of view of scientist and of the local technicians themselves. Primary data were written responses from to a standardized survey of 19 senior scientists and Ph.D. students,and results from standardized personal interviews with 22 local technicians. Researchers highlighted the advantages of highly-skilled technicians with minimal staff turnover, as well as the technicians' knowledge of local ecological conditions. Local technicians considered the primary advantages of their jobs to be opportunities for continuing education training in science as well as cultural enrichment through interactions with people of different cultures. The main challenges identified by researchers were the lack of long-term funding for projects and extended training required for local technicians. Local technicians can be of great benefit to research projects by providing high-quality data collection at reasonable costs with low staff turnover. Over the last 25 years the research model at the field station we studied has evolved to the point that most long-term projects now depend heavily on local technicians. This model of involving local technicians in long-term research has multiple benefits for the researchers, the technicians and the local community, and could be adapted to a variety of settings in rural areas of developing

Ergonomic Work Station Design to Improve Workload Quality and Productivity of the Craffsmen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widana, IK; Wayan Sumetri, Ni; Ketut Sutapa, I.

2018-01-01

This study is a research on ergonomics field, especially for ergonomics work station. This research begins with direct observation on the work process of carving craft. In addition to the aspect of occupational health, the stages of the process are also subject matter in the effort to solve the research problem. In accordance with the master plan of research of Bali State Polytechnic, problem solving will be focused on human aspect and utilization of appropriate technology, so that will get the work process ENASEP (effective, convenient, safe, healthy, efficient and productive) Technical easy to work, economical, ergonomic, energy saving, environmentally friendly and in accordance with the trend of the era. The method to be used in this research is experimental with the same subject design. Involves 9 samples who perform activities on conditions before and after treatment. Data on environmental conditions were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. Data on work productivity and workload were tested with two pair sample t-test at a significance level of 5%. The results showed that by utilizing ergonomic work stations, occupational health indicators such as workload showed better signs, indicated by decreased the workload. In addition to occupational health, productivity indicators also increased significantly.

About soil cover heterogeneity of agricultural research stations' experimental fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rannik, Kaire; Kõlli, Raimo; Kukk, Liia

2013-04-01

Depending on local pedo-ecological conditions (topography, (geo) diversity of soil parent material, meteorological conditions) the patterns of soil cover and plant cover determined by soils are very diverse. Formed in the course of soil-plant mutual relationship, the natural ecosystems are always influenced to certain extent by the other local soil forming conditions or they are site specific. The agricultural land use or the formation of agro-ecosystems depends foremost on the suitability of soils for the cultivation of feed and food crops. As a rule, the most fertile or the best soils of the area, which do not present any or present as little as possible constraints for agricultural land use, are selected for this purpose. Compared with conventional field soils, the requirements for the experimental fields' soil cover quality are much higher. Experimental area soils and soil cover composition should correspond to local pedo-ecological conditions and, in addition to that, represent the soil types dominating in the region, whereas the fields should be as homogeneous as possible. The soil cover heterogeneity of seven arable land blocks of three research stations (Jõgeva, Kuusiku and Olustvere) was studied 1) by examining the large scale (1:10 000) digital soil map (available via the internet), and 2) by field researches using the transect method. The stages of soils litho-genetic and moisture heterogeneities were estimated by using the Estonian normal soils matrix, however, the heterogeneity of top- and subsoil texture by using the soil texture matrix. The quality and variability of experimental fields' soils humus status, was studied more thoroughly from the aspect of humus concentration (g kg-1), humus cover thickness (cm) and humus stocks (Mg ha-1). The soil cover of Jõgeva experimental area, which presents an accumulative drumlin landscape (formed during the last glacial period), consist from loamy Luvisols and associated to this Cambisols. In Kuusiku area

Lewis Research Center space station electric power system test facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birchenough, Arthur G.; Martin, Donald F.

1988-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center facilities were developed to support testing of the Space Station Electric Power System. The capabilities and plans for these facilities are described. The three facilities which are required in the Phase C/D testing, the Power Systems Facility, the Space Power Facility, and the EPS Simulation Lab, are described in detail. The responsibilities of NASA Lewis and outside groups in conducting tests are also discussed.

Forest research notes, Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station, No. 01, November 1, 1928.

Treesearch

1928-01-01

The several research projects upon which the Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station is working are continually yielding results of interest and value to those engaged in forest enterprises. To make these results immediately available to those most likely to use them is the purpose of these "Forest Research Notes". They will be issued at irregular...

End-to-End Data System Architecture for the Space Station Biological Research Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mian, Arshad; Scimemi, Sam; Adeni, Kaiser; Picinich, Lou; Ramos, Rubin (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

The Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) Is developing hardware referred to as the "facility" for providing life sciences research capability on the International Space Station. This hardware includes several biological specimen habitats, habitat holding racks, a centrifuge and a glovebox. An SSBRP end to end data system architecture has been developed to allow command and control of the facility from the ground, either with crew assistance or autonomously. The data system will be capable of handling commands, sensor data, and video from multiple cameras. The data will traverse through several onboard and ground networks and processing entities including the SSBRP and Space Station onboard and ground data systems. A large number of onboard and ground (,entities of the data system are being developed by the Space Station Program, other NASA centers and the International Partners. The SSBRP part of the system which includes the habitats, holding racks, and the ground operations center, User Operations Facility (UOF) will be developed by a multitude of geographically distributed development organizations. The SSBRP has the responsibility to define the end to end data and communications systems to make the interfaces manageable and verifiable with multiple contractors with widely varying development constraints and schedules. This paper provides an overview of the SSBRP end-to-end data system. Specifically, it describes the hardware, software and functional interactions of individual systems, and interface requirements among various entities of the end-to-end system.

Concordia CCD - A Geoscope station in continental Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maggi, A.; Lévêque, J.; Thoré, J.; Bes de Berc, M.; Bernard, A.; Danesi, S.; Morelli, A.; Delladio, A.; Sorrentino, D.; Stutzmann, E.; Geoscope Team

2010-12-01

Concordia (Dome C, Antarctica) has had a permanent seismic station since 2005. It is run by EOST and INGV in collaboration with the French and Italian polar institutes (IPEV and PNRA). It is installed in an ice-vault, at 12m depth, distant 1km from the permanent scientific base at Concordia. The temperature in the vault is a constant -55°C. The data quality at the station has improved continuously since its installation. In 2007, the station was declared at ISC as an open station with station code CCD (ConCorDia), with data available upon request. It is only the second permanent station in the Antarctic continent, after South Pole. In 2010, CCD was included in the Geoscope network. Data from CCD starting in 2007 are now freely available from the Geoscope Data Center and IRIS. We present an analysis of the data quality at CCD, and describe the technical difficulties of operating an observatory-quality seismic station in the extreme environmental conditons present in continental Antarctica.

Compatibility of the Space Station Freedom life sciences research centrifuge with microgravity requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasha, Martin D.

1990-01-01

NASA is developing a Life Sciences Centrifuge Facility for Space Station Freedom. In includes a 2.5-meter artificial gravity Bioresearch Centrifuge (BC), which is perhaps the most critical single element in the life sciences space research program. It rotates continuously at precise selectable rates, and utilizes advanced reliable technologies to reduce vibrations. Three disturbance types are analyzed using a current Space Station Freedom dynamic model in the 0.0 to 5.0 Hz range: sinusoidal, random, and transient. Results show that with proper selection of proven design techniques, BC vibrations are compatible with requirements.

Omics Research on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, John

2015-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is an orbiting laboratory whose goals include advancing science and technology research. Completion of ISS assembly ushered a new era focused on utilization, encompassing multiple disciplines such as Biology and Biotechnology, Physical Sciences, Technology Development and Demonstration, Human Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and Educational Activities. The research complement planned for upcoming ISS Expeditions 45&46 includes several investigations in the new field of omics, which aims to collectively characterize sets of biomolecules (e.g., genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic products) that translate into organismic structure and function. For example, Multi-Omics is a JAXA investigation that analyzes human microbial metabolic cross-talk in the space ecosystem by evaluating data from immune dysregulation biomarkers, metabolic profiles, and microbiota composition. The NASA OsteoOmics investigation studies gravitational regulation of osteoblast genomics and metabolism. Tissue Regeneration uses pan-omics approaches with cells cultured in bioreactors to characterize factors involved in mammalian bone tissue regeneration in microgravity. Rodent Research-3 includes an experiment that implements pan-omics to evaluate therapeutically significant molecular circuits, markers, and biomaterials associated with microgravity wound healing and tissue regeneration in bone defective rodents. The JAXA Mouse Epigenetics investigation examines molecular alterations in organ specific gene expression patterns and epigenetic modifications, and analyzes murine germ cell development during long term spaceflight. Lastly, Twins Study ("Differential effects of homozygous twin astronauts associated with differences in exposure to spaceflight factors"), NASA's first foray into human omics research, applies integrated analyses to assess biomolecular responses to physical, physiological, and environmental stressors associated

Nutrition Research: Basis for Station Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, Helen W.; Rice, Barbara; Smith, Scott M.

2011-01-01

Prior to the Shuttle program, all understanding of nutritional needs in space came from Skylab metabolic research. Because Shuttle flights were short, most less than 14 days, research focused on major nutritional issues: energy (calories), protein and amino acids, water and electrotypes, with some more general physiology studies that related to iron and calcium. Using stable isotope tracer studies and diet intake records, we found that astronauts typically did not consume adequate calories to meet energy expenditure. To monitor energy and nutrient intake status and provide feedback to the flight surgeon and the astronauts, the International Space Station (ISS) program implemented a weekly food frequency questionnaire and routine body mass measurements. Other Shuttle investigations found that protein turnover was higher during flight, suggesting there was increased protein degradation and probably concurrent increase in protein synthesis, and this occurred even in cases of adequate protein and caloric intake. These results may partially explain some of the loss of leg muscle mass. Fluid and electrolyte flight studies demonstrated that water intake, like energy intake, was lower than required. However, sodium intakes were elevated during flight and likely related to other concerns such as calcium turnover and other health-related issues. NASA is making efforts to have tasty foods with much lower salt levels to reduce sodium intake and to promote fluid intake on orbit. Red blood cell studies conducted on the Shuttle found decreased erythrogenesis and increased serum ferritin levels. Given that the diet is high in iron there may be iron storage health concerns, especially related to the role of iron in oxidative damage, complicated by the stress and radiation. The Shuttle nutrition research lead to new monitoring and research on ISS. These data will be valuable for future NASA and commercial crewed missions.

Water resources data, Wyoming, water year 2004; Volume 1. Surface water; with List of discontinued and active surface-water, water-quality, sediment, and biological stations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, K.R.; Woodruff, R.E.; Laidlaw, G.A.; Clark, M.L.; Miller, K.A.

2005-01-01

Water resources data for the 2004 water year for Wyoming consist of records of stage, discharge and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality of ground water. Volume 1 of this report contains discharge records for 164 gaging stations; water quality for 43 gaging stations and 45 ungaged stations, and stage and contents for one reservoir. Volume 2 of this report contains water levels records for 64 wells. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of the systematic data collection program, and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent part of the National Water Information System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Wyoming.

On developing the local research environment of the 1990s - The Space Station era

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, Robert; Ziel, Fred

1989-01-01

A requirements analysis for the Space Station's polar platform data system has been performed. Based upon this analysis, a cluster, layered cluster, and layered-modular implementation of one specific module within the Eos Data and Information System (EosDIS), an active data base for satellite remote sensing research has been developed. It is found that a distributed system based on a layered-modular architecture and employing current generation work station technologies has the requisite attributes ascribed by the remote sensing research community. Although, based on benchmark testing, probabilistic analysis, failure analysis and user-survey technique analysis, it is found that this architecture presents some operational shortcomings that will not be alleviated with new hardware or software developments. Consequently, the potential of a fully-modular layered architectural design for meeting the needs of Eos researchers has also been evaluated, concluding that it would be well suited to the evolving requirements of this multidisciplinary research community.

International Space Station Research and Facilities for Life Sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.; Ruttley, Tara M.

2009-01-01

Assembly of the International Space Station is nearing completion in fall of 2010. Although assembly has been the primary objective of its first 11 years of operation, early science returns from the ISS have been growing at a steady pace. Laboratory facilities outfitting has increased dramatically 2008-2009 with the European Space Agency s Columbus and Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency s Kibo scientific laboratories joining NASA s Destiny laboratory in orbit. In May 2009, the ISS Program met a major milestone with an increase in crew size from 3 to 6 crewmembers, thus greatly increasing the time available to perform on-orbit research. NASA will launch its remaining research facilities to occupy all 3 laboratories in fall 2009 and winter 2010. To date, early utilization of the US Operating Segment of the ISS has fielded nearly 200 experiments for hundreds of ground-based investigators supporting international and US partner research. With a specific focus on life sciences research, this paper will summarize the science accomplishments from early research aboard the ISS- both applied human research for exploration, and research on the effects of microgravity on life. We will also look ahead to the full capabilities for life sciences research when assembly of ISS is complete in 2010.

Index of stations: surface-water data-collection network of Texas, September 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gandara, Susan C.; Barbie, Dana L.

1999-01-01

As of September 30, 1998, the surface-water data-collection network of Texas (table 1) included 313 continuous-recording streamflow stations (D), 22 gage-height record only stations (G), 23 crest-stage partial-record stations (C), 39 flood-hydrograph partial-record stations (H), 25 low-flow partial-record stations (L), 1 continuous-recording temperature station (M1), 25 continuous-recording temperature and conductivity stations (M2), 3 continuous-recording temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen stations (M3), 13 continuous-recording temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and pH stations (M4), 5 daily chemical-quality stations (Qd), 133 periodic chemical-quality stations (Qp), 16 reservoir/lake surveys for water quality (Qs), and 70 continuous or daily reservoir-content stations (R). Plate 1 identifies the major river basins in Texas and shows the location of the stations listed in table 1.

Trace elements in stormflow, ash, and burned soil following the 2009 station fire in southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Baumberger, Katherine L.; Backlin, Adam R.; Gallegos, Elizabeth; Fisher, Robert N.

2016-01-01

Most research on the effects of wildfires on stream water quality has focused on suspended sediment and nutrients in streams and water bodies, and relatively little research has examined the effects of wildfires on trace elements. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the effect of the 2009 Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles, CA on trace element concentrations in streams, and 2) compare trace elements in post-fire stormflow water quality to criteria for aquatic life to determine if trace elements reached concentrations that can harm aquatic life. Pre-storm and stormflow water-quality samples were collected in streams located inside and outside of the burn area of the Station Fire. Ash and burned soil samples were collected from several locations within the perimeter of the Station Fire. Filtered concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Hg and total concentrations of most trace elements in storm samples were elevated as a result of the Station Fire. In contrast, filtered concentrations of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Se and total concentrations of Cu were elevated primarily due to storms and not the Station Fire. Total concentrations of Se and Zn were elevated as a result of both storms and the Station Fire. Suspended sediment in stormflows following the Station Fire was an important transport mechanism for trace elements. Cu, Pb, and Zn primarily originate from ash in the suspended sediment. Fe primarily originates from burned soil in the suspended sediment. As, Mn, and Ni originate from both ash and burned soil. Filtered concentrations of trace elements in stormwater samples affected by the Station Fire did not reach levels that were greater than criteria established for aquatic life. Total concentrations for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were detected at concentrations above criteria established for aquatic life.

Trace Elements in Stormflow, Ash, and Burned Soil following the 2009 Station Fire in Southern California

PubMed Central

Burton, Carmen A.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Baumberger, Katherine L.; Backlin, Adam R.; Gallegos, Elizabeth; Fisher, Robert N.

2016-01-01

Most research on the effects of wildfires on stream water quality has focused on suspended sediment and nutrients in streams and water bodies, and relatively little research has examined the effects of wildfires on trace elements. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the effect of the 2009 Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles, CA on trace element concentrations in streams, and 2) compare trace elements in post-fire stormflow water quality to criteria for aquatic life to determine if trace elements reached concentrations that can harm aquatic life. Pre-storm and stormflow water-quality samples were collected in streams located inside and outside of the burn area of the Station Fire. Ash and burned soil samples were collected from several locations within the perimeter of the Station Fire. Filtered concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Hg and total concentrations of most trace elements in storm samples were elevated as a result of the Station Fire. In contrast, filtered concentrations of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Se and total concentrations of Cu were elevated primarily due to storms and not the Station Fire. Total concentrations of Se and Zn were elevated as a result of both storms and the Station Fire. Suspended sediment in stormflows following the Station Fire was an important transport mechanism for trace elements. Cu, Pb, and Zn primarily originate from ash in the suspended sediment. Fe primarily originates from burned soil in the suspended sediment. As, Mn, and Ni originate from both ash and burned soil. Filtered concentrations of trace elements in stormwater samples affected by the Station Fire did not reach levels that were greater than criteria established for aquatic life. Total concentrations for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were detected at concentrations above criteria established for aquatic life. PMID:27144270

Life Sciences Space Station planning document: A reference payload for the Life Sciences Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The Space Station, projected for construction in the early 1990s, will be an orbiting, low-gravity, permanently manned facility providing unprecedented opportunities for scientific research. Facilities for Life Sciences research will include a pressurized research laboratory, attached payloads, and platforms which will allow investigators to perform experiments in the crucial areas of Space Medicine, Space Biology, Exobiology, Biospherics and Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). These studies are designed to determine the consequences of long-term exposure to space conditions, with particular emphasis on assuring the permanent presence of humans in space. The applied and basic research to be performed, using humans, animals, and plants, will increase our understanding of the effects of the space environment on basic life processes. Facilities being planned for remote observations from platforms and attached payloads of biologically important elements and compounds in space and on other planets (Exobiology) will permit exploration of the relationship between the evolution of life and the universe. Space-based, global scale observations of terrestrial biology (Biospherics) will provide data critical for understanding and ultimately managing changes in the Earth's ecosystem. The life sciences community is encouraged to participate in the research potential the Space Station facilities will make possible. This document provides the range and scope of typical life sciences experiments which could be performed within a pressurized laboratory module on Space Station.

NASA Human Research Program (HRP). International Space Station Medical Project (ISSMP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sams, Clarence F.

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes the various flight investigations performed on the International Space Station as part of the NASA Human Research Program (HRP). The evaluations include: 1) Stability; 2) Periodic Fitness Evaluation with Oxygen Uptake Measurement; 3) Nutrition; 4) CCISS; 5) Sleep; 6) Braslet; 7) Integrated Immune; 8) Epstein Barr; 9) Biophosphonates; 10) Integrated cardiovascular; and 11) VO2 max.

Operations research investigations of satellite power stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, J. W.; Ballard, J. L.

1976-01-01

A systems model reflecting the design concepts of Satellite Power Stations (SPS) was developed. The model is of sufficient scope to include the interrelationships of the following major design parameters: the transportation to and between orbits; assembly of the SPS; and maintenance of the SPS. The systems model is composed of a set of equations that are nonlinear with respect to the system parameters and decision variables. The model determines a figure of merit from which alternative concepts concerning transportation, assembly, and maintenance of satellite power stations are studied. A hybrid optimization model was developed to optimize the system's decision variables. The optimization model consists of a random search procedure and the optimal-steepest descent method. A FORTRAN computer program was developed to enable the user to optimize nonlinear functions using the model. Specifically, the computer program was used to optimize Satellite Power Station system components.

Automated delineation and characterization of watersheds for more than 3,000 surface-water-quality monitoring stations active in 2010 in Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Archuleta, Christy-Ann M.; Gonzales, Sophia L.; Maltby, David R.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, developed computer scripts and applications to automate the delineation of watershed boundaries and compute watershed characteristics for more than 3,000 surface-water-quality monitoring stations in Texas that were active during 2010. Microsoft Visual Basic applications were developed using ArcGIS ArcObjects to format the source input data required to delineate watershed boundaries. Several automated scripts and tools were developed or used to calculate watershed characteristics using Python, Microsoft Visual Basic, and the RivEX tool. Automated methods were augmented by the use of manual methods, including those done using ArcMap software. Watershed boundaries delineated for the monitoring stations are limited to the extent of the Subbasin boundaries in the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset, which may not include the total watershed boundary from the monitoring station to the headwaters.

Meteor detections at the Metsähovi Fundamental Geodetic Research Station (Finland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja-Halli, A.; Gritsevich, M.; Näränen, J.; Moreno-Ibáñez, M.; Lyytinen, E.; Virtanen, J.; Zubko, N.; Peltoniemi, J.; Poutanen, M.

2016-01-01

We provide an overview and present some spectacular examples of the recent meteor observations at the Metsähovi Geodetic Research Station. In conjunction with the Finnish Fireball Network the all-sky images are used to reconstruct atmospheric trajectories and to calculate the pre-impact meteor orbits in the Solar System. In addition, intensive collaborative work is pursued with the meteor research groups worldwide. We foresee great potential of this activity also for educational and outreach purposes.

[Spatial representativeness of monitoring stations for air quality in Florence (Tuscany Region, Central Italy) according to ARPAT e LaMMA. Critical observations].

PubMed

Grechi, Daniele

2016-01-01

On March 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region (Central Italy) and the Laboratory of monitoring and environmental modelling published a Report on spatial representativeness of monitoring stations for Tuscan air quality, where they supported the decommissioning of modelling stations located in the Florentine Plain. The stations of Signa, Scandicci, and Firenze-Bassi, located in a further South area, were considered representative Believing that air quality of the Plain could be evaluated by these stations is a stretch. In this text the author show the inconsistency of the conclusion of the Report through correlation graphs comparing daily means of PM10 detected in the disposed stations and in the active ones, showing relevant differences between the reported values and the days when the limits are exceeded. The discrepancy is due to the fact that uncertainty of theoretical estimates is greater than the differences recorded by the stations considered as a reference and the areas they may represent. The area of the Plain has a population of 150,000 individuals and it is subject to a heavy environmental pression, which will change for the urban works planned for the coming years. The population's legitimate request for the analytical monitoring of air pollution could be met through the organization of participated monitoring based on the use of low-cost innovative tools.

Subway platform air quality: Assessing the influences of tunnel ventilation, train piston effect and station design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, T.; Pérez, N.; Reche, C.; Martins, V.; de Miguel, E.; Capdevila, M.; Centelles, S.; Minguillón, M. C.; Amato, F.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Gibbons, W.

2014-08-01

A high resolution air quality monitoring campaign (PM, CO2 and CO) was conducted on differently designed station platforms in the Barcelona subway system under: (a) normal forced tunnel ventilation, and (b) with daytime tunnel ventilation systems shut down. PM concentrations are highly variable (6-128 μgPM1 m-3, 16-314 μgPM3 m-3, and 33-332 μgPM10 m-3, 15-min averages) depending on ventilation conditions and station design. Narrow platforms served by single-track tunnels are heavily dependent on forced tunnel ventilation and cannot rely on the train piston effect alone to reduce platform PM concentrations. In contrast PM levels in stations with spacious double-track tunnels are not greatly affected when tunnel ventilation is switched off, offering the possibility of significant energy savings without damaging air quality. Sampling at different positions along the platform reveals considerable lateral variation, with the greatest accumulation of particulates occurring at one end of the platform. Passenger accesses can dilute PM concentrations by introducing cleaner outside air, although lateral down-platform accesses are less effective than those positioned at the train entry point. CO concentrations on the platform are very low (≤1 ppm) and probably controlled by ingress of traffic-contaminated street-level air. CO2 averages range from 371 to 569 ppm, changing during the build-up and exchange of passengers with each passing train.

Human factors in space station architecture 1: Space station program implications for human factors research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, M. M.

1985-01-01

The space station program is based on a set of premises on mission requirements and the operational capabilities of the space shuttle. These premises will influence the human behavioral factors and conditions on board the space station. These include: launch in the STS Orbiter payload bay, orbital characteristics, power supply, microgravity environment, autonomy from the ground, crew make-up and organization, distributed command control, safety, and logistics resupply. The most immediate design impacts of these premises will be upon the architectural organization and internal environment of the space station.

Schneefernerhaus as a mountain research station for clouds and turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risius, S.; Xu, H.; Di Lorenzo, F.; Xi, H.; Siebert, H.; Shaw, R. A.; Bodenschatz, E.

2015-08-01

Cloud measurements are usually carried out with airborne campaigns, which are expensive and are limited by temporal duration and weather conditions. Ground-based measurements at high-altitude research stations therefore play a complementary role in cloud study. Using the meteorological data (wind speed, direction, temperature, humidity, visibility, etc.) collected by the German Weather Service (DWD) from 2000 to 2012 and turbulence measurements recorded by multiple ultrasonic sensors (sampled at 10 Hz) in 2010, we show that the Umweltforschungsstation Schneefernerhaus (UFS) located just below the peak of Zugspitze in the German Alps, at a height of 2650 m, is a well-suited station for cloud-turbulence research. The wind at UFS is dominantly in the east-west direction and nearly horizontal. During the summertime (July and August) the UFS is immersed in warm clouds about 25 % of the time. The clouds are either from convection originating in the valley in the east, or associated with synoptic-scale weather systems typically advected from the west. Air turbulence, as measured from the second- and third-order velocity structure functions that exhibit well-developed inertial ranges, possesses Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers up to 104, with the most probable value at ~ 3000. In spite of the complex topography, the turbulence appears to be nearly as isotropic as many laboratory flows when evaluated on the "Lumley triangle".

Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) 2009 Crew Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrone, Kristine; Cusack, Stacy L.; Garvin, Christy; Kramer, Walter Vernon; Palaia, Joseph E., IV; Shiro, Brian

2010-01-01

A crew of six "astronauts" inhabited the Mars Society s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) for the month of July 2009, conducting a simulated Mars exploration mission. In addition to the various technical achievements during the mission, the crew learned a vast amount about themselves and about human factors relevant to a future mission to Mars. Their experiences, detailed in their own words, show the passion of those with strong commitment to space exploration and detail the human experiences for space explorers including separation from loved ones, interpersonal conflict, dietary considerations, and the exhilaration of surmounting difficult challenges.

Space Station Freedom: a unique laboratory for gravitational biology research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, R. W.; Cowing, K. L.

1993-01-01

The advent of Space Station Freedom (SSF) will provide a permanent laboratory in space with unparalleled opportunities to perform biological research. As with any spacecraft there will also be limitations. It is our intent to describe this space laboratory and present a picture of how scientists will conduct research in this unique environment we call space. SSF is an international venture which will continue to serve as a model for other peaceful international efforts. It is hoped that as the human race moves out from this planet back to the moon and then on to Mars that SSF can serve as a successful example of how things can and should be done.

75 FR 52374 - National Environmental Policy Act; NASA Glenn Research Center Plum Brook Station Wind Farm Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-25

...; NASA Glenn Research Center Plum Brook Station Wind Farm Project AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space... Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the NASA GRC Plum Brook Station Wind Farm Project located near Sandusky... obtain public comments on construction and operation of the wind farm. The purpose of constructing and...

Engineering for Autonomous Seismic Stations at the IRIS PASSCAL Instrument Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, K. R.; Carpenter, P.; Beaudoin, B. C.; Parker, T.; Hebert, J.; Childs, D.; Chung, P.; Reusch, A. M.

2015-12-01

The NSF funded Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) through New Mexico Tech operates the PASSCAL Instrument Center (PIC) in Socorro New Mexico. The engineering effort at the PIC seeks to optimize seismic station operations for all portable experiments, include those in extremely remote and harsh polar environments. Recent advances have resulted in improved station design, allowing improved operational efficiencies, data quality return and reduction in station logistics associated with installation, maintenance and decommissioning of stations. These include: Battery and power system designs. Incorporating primary Lithium Thionyl Chloride (LTC) technology with rechargeable Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries allows systems to operate in areas with long-term solar autonomy (high latitudes). Development includes charge controller systems to switch between primary and secondary technologies efficiently. Enclosures: Engineered solutions to efficiently manage waste heat, maintain operational environment and provide light-weight and durable housing for seismic instrumentation. Communications: In collaboration with Xeos Technologies Inc., we deliver Iridium-based SOH/Command and Control telemetry as well as full bandwidth seismic data communications in high latitude environments at low power requirements. Smaller-lighter-instrumentation: Through the GEOICE MRI, we are working with Nanometrics on next generation "all-in-one" seismic systems that can be deployed in polar environments - easing logistics, minimizing installation time and improving data quality return for these expensive deployments. All autonomous station designs are openly and freely available at the IRIS PASSCAL webpage (www.passcal.nmt.edu/polar/design-drawings). More information on GEOICE and data quality from various seismometer emplacements will be presented in other posters at this AGU meeting.

Imaging Total Stations - Modular and Integrated Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauth, Stefan; Schlüter, Martin

2010-05-01

Keywords: 3D-Metrology, Engineering Geodesy, Digital Image Processing Initialized in 2009, the Institute for Spatial Information and Surveying Technology i3mainz, Mainz University of Applied Sciences, forces research towards modular concepts for imaging total stations. On the one hand, this research is driven by the successful setup of high precision imaging motor theodolites in the near past, on the other hand it is pushed by the actual introduction of integrated imaging total stations to the positioning market by the manufacturers Topcon and Trimble. Modular concepts for imaging total stations are manufacturer independent to a large extent and consist of a particular combination of accessory hardware, software and algorithmic procedures. The hardware part consists mainly of an interchangeable eyepiece adapter offering opportunities for digital imaging and motorized focus control. An easy assembly and disassembly in the field is possible allowing the user to switch between the classical and the imaging use of a robotic total station. The software part primarily has to ensure hardware control, but several level of algorithmic support might be added and have to be distinguished. Algorithmic procedures allow to reach several levels of calibration concerning the geometry of the external digital camera and the total station. We deliver insight in our recent developments and quality characteristics. Both the modular and the integrated approach seem to have its individual strengths and weaknesses. Therefore we expect that both approaches might point at different target applications. Our aim is a better understanding of appropriate applications for robotic imaging total stations. First results are presented. Stefan Hauth, Martin Schlüter i3mainz - Institut für Raumbezogene Informations- und Messtechnik FH Mainz University of Applied Sciences Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße 2, 55128 Mainz, Germany

ANNUAL CYCLE OF PERIPHYTON, ZOOPLANKTON, AND WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS ALONG A 5 STATION TRANSECT OF ESCAMBIA BAY, FL

EPA Science Inventory

Phytoplankton, zooplankton and water quality parameters were monitored monthly along a 5-station transect in Escambia Bay (Pensacola, FL) from fall 1999 to fall 2000. To provide insight into nutrient processing in Escambia Bay and effects of grazers on phytoplankton community st...

The undersea habitat as a space station analog: Evaluation of research and training potential

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Wilhelm, John A.

1985-01-01

An evaluation is given of the utility of undersea habitats for both research and training on behavioral issues relative to the space station. The feasibility of a particular habitat, La Chalupa, is discussed.

Narrative methods in quality improvement research

PubMed Central

Greenhalgh, T; Russell, J; Swinglehurst, D

2005-01-01



 This paper reviews and critiques the different approaches to the use of narrative in quality improvement research. The defining characteristics of narrative are chronology (unfolding over time); emplotment (the literary juxtaposing of actions and events in an implicitly causal sequence); trouble (that is, harm or the risk of harm); and embeddedness (the personal story nests within a particular social, historical and organisational context). Stories are about purposeful action unfolding in the face of trouble and, as such, have much to offer quality improvement researchers. But the quality improvement report (a story about efforts to implement change), which is common, must be distinguished carefully from narrative based quality improvement research (focused systematic enquiry that uses narrative methods to generate new knowledge), which is currently none. We distinguish four approaches to the use of narrative in quality improvement research—narrative interview; naturalistic story gathering; organisational case study; and collective sense-making—and offer a rationale, describe how data can be collected and analysed, and discuss the strengths and limitations of each using examples from the quality improvement literature. Narrative research raises epistemological questions about the nature of narrative truth (characterised by sense-making and emotional impact rather than scientific objectivity), which has implications for how rigour should be defined (and how it might be achieved) in this type of research. We offer some provisional guidance for distinguishing high quality narrative research in a quality improvement setting from other forms of narrative account such as report, anecdote, and journalism. PMID:16326792

An Intelligent System for Monitoring the Microgravity Environment Quality On-Board the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Paul P.; Jules, Kenol

2002-01-01

An intelligent system for monitoring the microgravity environment quality on-board the International Space Station is presented. The monitoring system uses a new approach combining Kohonen's self-organizing feature map, learning vector quantization, and back propagation neural network to recognize and classify the known and unknown patterns. Finally, fuzzy logic is used to assess the level of confidence associated with each vibrating source activation detected by the system.

Defining contamination control requirements for non-human research on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbin, Barbara J.; Funk, Glenn A.

1992-01-01

The use of non-human biological specimens for life sciences research on Space Station Freedom has generated concerns about spacecraft internal contamination, crew safety and hardware utility. Various NASA organizations convened to discuss the concerns and determine how they should be addressed. This paper will present the issues raised at this meeting, the process by which safety concerns were identified, and the means by which contamination control requirements for all biological payloads were recommended for incorporation into Space Station Freedom safety requirements. The microbiological, toxicological and particulate contamination criteria for long-term spaceflight will be based on realistic assessment of risk and hardware will be designed to meet established contamination criteria while facilitating crew operations, thereby meeting the needs of the investigator.

APPLICATION OF DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVES TO RESEARCH PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper assists systematic planning for research projects. It presents planning concepts in terms that have some utility for researchers. For example, measurement quality objectives are more familiar to researchers than data quality objectives because these quality criteria are...

The emergence of modern statistics in agricultural science: analysis of variance, experimental design and the reshaping of research at Rothamsted Experimental Station, 1919-1933.

PubMed

Parolini, Giuditta

2015-01-01

During the twentieth century statistical methods have transformed research in the experimental and social sciences. Qualitative evidence has largely been replaced by quantitative results and the tools of statistical inference have helped foster a new ideal of objectivity in scientific knowledge. The paper will investigate this transformation by considering the genesis of analysis of variance and experimental design, statistical methods nowadays taught in every elementary course of statistics for the experimental and social sciences. These methods were developed by the mathematician and geneticist R. A. Fisher during the 1920s, while he was working at Rothamsted Experimental Station, where agricultural research was in turn reshaped by Fisher's methods. Analysis of variance and experimental design required new practices and instruments in field and laboratory research, and imposed a redistribution of expertise among statisticians, experimental scientists and the farm staff. On the other hand the use of statistical methods in agricultural science called for a systematization of information management and made computing an activity integral to the experimental research done at Rothamsted, permanently integrating the statisticians' tools and expertise into the station research programme. Fisher's statistical methods did not remain confined within agricultural research and by the end of the 1950s they had come to stay in psychology, sociology, education, chemistry, medicine, engineering, economics, quality control, just to mention a few of the disciplines which adopted them.

Operation of hydrologic data collection stations by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Condes de la Torre, Alberto

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates hydrologic data collection stations nationwide which serve the needs of all levels of government, the private sector, and the general public, for water resources information. During fiscal year 1987, surface water discharge was determined at 10,624 stations; stage data on streams, reservoirs, and lakes were recorded at 1,806 stations; and various surface water quality characteristics were determined at 2,901 stations. In addition, groundwater levels were measured at 32,588 stations, and the quality of groundwater was determined at 9,120 stations. Data on sediment were collected daily at 174 stations and on a periodic basis at 878 stations. Information on precipitation quantity was collected at 909 stations, and the quality of precipitation was analyzed at 78 stations. Data collection platforms for satellite telemetry of hydrologic information were used at 2,292 Geological Survey stations. Funding for the hydrologic stations was derived, either solely or from a combination, from three major sources - the Geological Survey 's Federal Program appropriation, the Federal-State Cooperative Program, and reimbursements from other Federal agencies. The number of hydrologic stations operated by the Geological Survey declined from fiscal year 1983 to 1987. The number of surface water discharge stations were reduced by 452 stations; surface water quality stations declined by 925 stations; groundwater level stations declined by 1,051 stations; while groundwater quality stations increased by 1,472 stations. (Author 's abstract)

DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper provides assistance with systematic planning using measurement quality objectives to those working on research projects. These performance criteria are more familiar to researchers than data quality objectives because they are more closely associated with the measuremen...

Gaseous Non-Premixed Flame Research Planned for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stocker, Dennis P.; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Hickman, J. Mark; Suttles, Andrew C.

2014-01-01

Thus far, studies of gaseous diffusion flames on the International Space Station (ISS) have been limited to research conducted in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) in mid-2009 and early 2012. The research was performed with limited instrumentation, but novel techniques allowed for the determination of the soot temperature and volume fraction. Development is now underway for the next experiments of this type. The Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) project consists of five independent experiments that will be conducted with expanded instrumentation within the stations Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR). ACMEs goals are to improve our understanding of flame stability and extinction limits, soot control and reduction, oxygen-enriched combustion which could enable practical carbon sequestration, combustion at fuel lean conditions where both optimum performance and low emissions can be achieved, the use of electric fields for combustion control, and materials flammability. The microgravity environment provides longer residence times and larger length scales, yielding a broad range of flame conditions which are beneficial for simplified analysis, e.g., of limit behaviour where chemical kinetics are important. The detailed design of the modular ACME hardware, e.g., with exchangeable burners, is nearing completion, and it is expected that on-orbit testing will begin in 2016.

The Capabilities of Space Stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Over the past two years the U.S. space station program has evolved to a three-phased international program, with the first phase consisting of the use of the U.S. Space Shuttle and the upgrading and use of the Russian Mir Space Station, and the second and third phases consisting of the assembly and use of the new International Space Station. Projected capabilities for research, and plans for utilization, have also evolved and it has been difficult for those not directly involved in the design and engineering of these space stations to learn and understand their technical details. The Committee on the Space Station of the National Research Council, with the concurrence of NASA, undertook to write this short report in order to provide concise and objective information on space stations and platforms -- with emphasis on the Mir Space Station and International Space Station -- and to supply a summary of the capabilities of previous, existing, and planned space stations. In keeping with the committee charter and with the task statement for this report, the committee has summarized the research capabilities of five major space platforms: the International Space Station, the Mir Space Station, the Space Shuttle (with a Spacelab or Spacehab module in its cargo bay), the Space Station Freedom (which was redesigned to become the International Space Station in 1993 and 1994), and Skylab. By providing the summary, together with brief descriptions of the platforms, the committee hopes to assist interested readers, including scientists and engineers, government officials, and the general public, in evaluating the utility of each system to meet perceived user needs.

Space Station Freedom Utilization Conference: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

From August 3-6, 1992, Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) representatives and prospective Space Station Freedom researchers gathered at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's first annual Space Station Freedom (SSF) Utilization Conference. The sessions presented are: (1) overview and research capabilities; (2) research plans and opportunities; (3) life sciences research; (4) technology research; (4) microgravity research and biotechnology; and (5) closing plenary.

Research on Strain Measurements of Core Positions for the Chinese Space Station.

PubMed

Shen, Jingshi; Zeng, Xiaodong; Luo, Yuxiang; Cao, Changqing; Wang, Ting

2018-06-05

The Chinese space station is designed to carry out manned spaceflight, space science research, and so on. In serious applications, it is a common operation to inject gas into the hull, which can produce strain of the bulkhead. Accurate measurement of strain for the bulkhead is one of the key tasks in evaluating the health condition of the space station. This is the first work to perform strain detection for the Chinese space station bulkhead by using optical fiber Bragg grating. In the period of measurements, the resistance strain gauge is used as the strain standard. The measurement error of the fiber optical sensor in the circumferential direction is very small, being less than 4.52 με. However, the error in the axial direction is very large with the highest value of 28.93 με. Because the measurement error of bare fiber in the axial direction is very small, the transverse effect of the substrate of the fiber optical sensor likely plays a role. The comparison of the theoretical and experimental results of the transverse effect coefficients shows that they are fairly consistent, with values of 0.0271 and 0.0287, respectively. After the transverse effect is compensated, the strain deviation in the axial detection is smaller than 2.04 με. It is of great significance to carry out real-time health assessment for the bulkhead of the space station.

HWHAP_Ep9_ International Space Station 2 Research

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-08

>> HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PODCAST! WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL PODCAST OF THE NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, EPISODE 9: INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION #2 RESEARCH. I’M GARY JORDAN AND I’LL BE YOUR HOST TODAY. SO IF YOU’RE NEW TO THE PODCAST, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE WE BRING ON EXPERTS, NASA SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, ASTRONAUTS, AND THEY TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, ALL THE COOLEST PARTS ABOUT NASA. SO TODAY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SPACE STATION SCIENCE WITH TARA RUTTLEY. SHE’S THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM SCIENTIST FOR THE SPACE STATION HERE AT THE NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND WE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH WE’RE DOING ABOARD THE ORBITING COMPLEX RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE’RE LEARNING, AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT. SO WITH NO FURTHER DELAY, LET’S GO LIGHT SPEED AND JUMP RIGHT AHEAD TO OUR TALK WITH DR. TARA RUTTLEY. ENJOY. [ MUSIC ] >> T MINUS FIVE SECONDS AND COUNTING. MARK. [ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ] >> HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PODCAST. [ MUSIC ] >> WELL THANK YOU FOR COMING ON AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME ON THE PODCAST. I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS TOPIC BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION-- GIANT, FOOTBALL FIELD-SIZED SPACESHIP, HUGE SOLAR ARRAYS-- LIKE, THAT’S COOL, BUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING INSIDE? SO THAT’S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, AND YOU’RE THE PERFECT PERSON TO DO THAT AS THE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM SCIENTIST FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROGRAM. SO WELCOME, WELCOME. FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR POSITION, WE DO SCIENCE-- YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE WERE EVER TO ASK YOU, “WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU DO UP IN THE SPACE STATION?” YOU’D SAY, “WE DO SCIENCE. WE DO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH,” CORRECT? IS THAT-- AM I FAIR IN SAYING THAT? >> YES, AND THEN THEY SAY, “WHY, WHY? DON’T WE HAVE LABORATORIES ON EARTH?” AND THEN I SAY, YOU KNOW, “IT’S THIS HUGE ORBITING LABORATORY! THINK OF EVERY EXPERIMENT YOU’VE EVER DONE IN SCHOOL.” >> OKAY. >> “AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN

Space Station Freedom Utilization Conference. Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The Space Station Freedom Utilization Conference was held on 3-6 Aug. 1992 in Huntsville, Alabama. The purpose of the conference was to bring together prospective space station researchers and the people in NASA and industry with whom they would be working to exchange information and discuss plans and opportunities for space station research. Topics covered include: research capabilities; research plans and opportunities; life sciences research; technology research; and microgravity research and biotechnology.

Latest developments in advanced network management and cross-sharing of next-generation flux stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burba, George; Johnson, Dave; Velgersdyk, Michael; Begashaw, Israel; Allyn, Douglas

2016-04-01

In recent years, spatial and temporal flux data coverage improved significantly and on multiple scales, from a single station to continental networks, due to standardization, automation, and management of the data collection, and better handling of the extensive amounts of generated data. However, operating budgets for flux research items, such as labor, travel, and hardware, are becoming more difficult to acquire and sustain. With more stations and networks, larger data flows from each station, and smaller operating budgets, modern tools are required to effectively and efficiently handle the entire process, including sharing data among collaborative groups. On one hand, such tools can maximize time dedicated to publications answering research questions, and minimize time and expenses spent on data acquisition, processing, quality control and overall station management. On the other hand, cross-sharing the stations with external collaborators may help leverage available funding, and promote data analyses and publications. A new low-cost, advanced system, FluxSuite, utilizes a combination of hardware, software and web-services to address these specific demands. It automates key stages of flux workflow, minimizes day-to-day site management, and modernizes the handling of data flows: (i) The system can be easily incorporated into a new flux station, or as un upgrade to many presently operating flux stations, via weatherized remotely-accessible microcomputer, SmartFlux 2, with fully digital inputs (ii) Each next-generation station will measure all parameters needed for flux computations in a digital and PTP time-synchronized mode, accepting digital signals from a number of anemometers and data loggers (iii) The field microcomputer will calculate final fully-processed flux rates in real time, including computation-intensive Fourier transforms, spectra, co-spectra, multiple rotations, stationarity, footprint, etc. (iv) Final fluxes, radiation, weather and soil data will

The tropical germplasm repository program at the USDA-ARS, Tropical Agriculture Research Station, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station is the only research entity within the National Plant Germplasm system in the insular Caribbean region. It houses germplasm collections of cultivated tropical/subtropical germplasm of bananas/plantains, cacao, mamey sapote, sapodilla, Spanish lime,...

A simple method to reduce discharge of sewage microorganisms from an Antarctic research station.

PubMed

Hughes, Kevin A; Blenkharn, Nigel

2003-03-01

The majority of coastal Antarctic stations release untreated sewage into the near-shore marine environment. This study examined bacterial reproduction within the temporary sewage-holding tanks of Rothera Research Station (Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula) and monitored sewage pollution in the local marine environment. By continuously flushing the sewage-holding tanks with cold seawater we inhibited microbial reproduction and decreased the numbers of bacteria subsequently released into the sea by >90%. The widespread use of this simple method could significantly reduce the numbers of faecal coliform and other non-native microorganisms introduced into the Antarctic marine environment.

Facilities for Biological Research Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Souza, Kenneth A.; Yost, Bruce D.; Berry, William E.; Johnson, Catherine C.

1996-01-01

A centrifuge designed as part of an integrated biological facility for installation onboard the International Space Station is presented. The requirements for the 2.5 m diameter centrifuge, which is designed for the support of biological experiments are discussed. The scientific objectives of the facility are to: provide a means of conducting fundamental studies in which gravitational acceleration is a controllable variable; provide a 1g control; determine the threshold acceleration for physiological response, and determine the value of centrifugation as a potential countermeasure for the biomedical problems associated with space flight. The implementation of the facility is reported on, and the following aspects of the facility are described: the host resources systems supply requirements such as power and data control; the habitat holding rack; the life sciences glove box; the centrifuge; the different habitats for cell culture, aquatic studies, plant research and insect research; the egg incubator, and the laboratory support equipment.

Space Station thermal storage/refrigeration system research and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dean, W. G.; Karu, Z. S.

1993-02-01

Space Station thermal loading conditions represent an order of magnitude increase over current and previous spacecraft such as Skylab, Apollo, Pegasus III, Lunar Rover Vehicle, and Lockheed TRIDENT missiles. Thermal storage units (TSU's) were successfully used on these as well as many applications for ground based solar energy storage applications. It is desirable to store thermal energy during peak loading conditions as an alternative to providing increased radiator surface area which adds to the weight of the system. Basically, TSU's store heat by melting a phase change material (PCM) such as a paraffin. The physical property data for the PCM's used in the design of these TSU's is well defined in the literature. Design techniques are generally well established for the TSU's. However, the Space Station provides a new challenge in the application of these data and techniques because of three factors: the large size of the TSU required, the integration of the TSU for the Space Station thermal management concept with its diverse opportunities for storage application, and the TSU's interface with a two-phase (liquid/vapor) thermal bus/central heat rejection system. The objective in the thermal storage research and development task was to design, fabricate, and test a demonstration unit. One test article was to be a passive thermal storage unit capable of storing frozen food at -20 F for a minimum of 90 days. A second unit was to be capable of storing frozen biological samples at -94 F, again for a minimum of 90 days. The articles developed were compatible with shuttle mission conditions, including safety and handling by astronauts. Further, storage rack concepts were presented so that these units can be integrated into Space Station logistics module storage racks. The extreme sensitivity of spacecraft radiator systems design-to-heat rejection temperature requirements is well known. A large radiator area penalty is incurred if low temperatures are accommodated via a

Space Station thermal storage/refrigeration system research and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, W. G.; Karu, Z. S.

1993-01-01

Space Station thermal loading conditions represent an order of magnitude increase over current and previous spacecraft such as Skylab, Apollo, Pegasus III, Lunar Rover Vehicle, and Lockheed TRIDENT missiles. Thermal storage units (TSU's) were successfully used on these as well as many applications for ground based solar energy storage applications. It is desirable to store thermal energy during peak loading conditions as an alternative to providing increased radiator surface area which adds to the weight of the system. Basically, TSU's store heat by melting a phase change material (PCM) such as a paraffin. The physical property data for the PCM's used in the design of these TSU's is well defined in the literature. Design techniques are generally well established for the TSU's. However, the Space Station provides a new challenge in the application of these data and techniques because of three factors: the large size of the TSU required, the integration of the TSU for the Space Station thermal management concept with its diverse opportunities for storage application, and the TSU's interface with a two-phase (liquid/vapor) thermal bus/central heat rejection system. The objective in the thermal storage research and development task was to design, fabricate, and test a demonstration unit. One test article was to be a passive thermal storage unit capable of storing frozen food at -20 F for a minimum of 90 days. A second unit was to be capable of storing frozen biological samples at -94 F, again for a minimum of 90 days. The articles developed were compatible with shuttle mission conditions, including safety and handling by astronauts. Further, storage rack concepts were presented so that these units can be integrated into Space Station logistics module storage racks. The extreme sensitivity of spacecraft radiator systems design-to-heat rejection temperature requirements is well known. A large radiator area penalty is incurred if low temperatures are accommodated via a

Five years on: Revisiting GSN data quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gee, L. S.; Nettles, M.; Ekstrom, G.; Davis, J. P.; Ringler, A. T.; Storm, T. L.; Wilson, D.; Anderson, K. R.

2014-12-01

In 2010, the Lamont Waveform Quality Center (WQC) conducted an in-depth review of ten stations in the Global Seismographic Network (GSN). IU stations (CASY, DAV, KIP, KONO, WCI), IC stations (SSE, XAN), and II stations (ALE, DGAR, RPN) were analyzed using a scaling analysis based on data-synthetic comparisons, evaluation of noise levels, assessment of inter-sensor coherence, and polarization analysis. These reports (available from http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~ekstrom/Projects/WQC.html) highlighted a number of significant problems in GSN data quality, including the frequency-dependent loss of gain in the STS-1 seismometer (Ekström et al., 2006) that has been attributed to the presence of humidity in the electronics, cables, and connectors (Yuki and Ishihara, 2002; Hutt and Ringler, 2011). The reports from the WQC spurred a number of changes in the operation of the GSN, including the adoption of the policy of annual calibrations and the development of new tools and metrics to monitor, evaluate, and communicate data quality. In parallel, the USGS' Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL) and UCSD's Project IDA worked with the IRIS Consortium to upgrade GSN stations with new data acquisition systems, to refurbish the STS-1 seismometers with new electronics, and to expand the deployment of secondary broadband sensors. We revisit the 2010 reports, using the tools of the WQC as well as a number of newly developed tools such as the USGS' Data Quality Analyzer and IRIS' MUSTANG, and provide an update on GSN data quality. Our initial focus is on CASY and KIP, the first two stations reviewed by the WQC. Our goal is to evaluate progress in the last five years and assess our ability to quantify data quality as well as to identify potential problems that could compromise data quality in the future. Ekström, G., C. A. Dalton, and M. Nettles (2006). Observations of time-dependent errors in long-period instrument gain at global seismic stations. Seismological Research Letters

NASA Glenn Research Center Solar Cell Experiment Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, Matthew G.; Wolford, David S.; Prokop, Norman F.; Krasowski, Michael J.; Parker, David S.; Cassidy, Justin C.; Davies , William E.; Vorreiter, Janelle O.; Piszczor, Michael F.; Mcnatt, Jeremiah S.;

Direct Signal-to-Noise Quality Comparison between an Electronic and Conventional Stethoscope aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshburn, Thomas; Cole, Richard; Ebert, Doug; Bauer, Pete

2014-01-01

Introduction: Evaluation of heart, lung, and bowel sounds is routinely performed with the use of a stethoscope to help detect a broad range of medical conditions. Stethoscope acquired information is even more valuable in a resource limited environments such as the International Space Station (ISS) where additional testing is not available. The high ambient noise level aboard the ISS poses a specific challenge to auscultation by stethoscope. An electronic stethoscope's ambient noise-reduction, greater sound amplification, recording capabilities, and sound visualization software may be an advantage to a conventional stethoscope in this environment. Methods: A single operator rated signal-to-noise quality from a conventional stethoscope (Littman 2218BE) and an electronic stethoscope (Litmann 3200). Borborygmi, pulmonic, and cardiac sound quality was ranked with both stethoscopes. Signal-to-noise rankings were preformed on a 1 to 10 subjective scale with 1 being inaudible, 6 the expected quality in an emergency department, 8 the expected quality in a clinic, and 10 the clearest possible quality. Testing took place in the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM), Unity (Node 2), Destiny (US Lab), Tranquility (Node 3), and the Cupola of the International Space Station. All examinations were conducted at a single point in time. Results: The electronic stethoscope's performance ranked higher than the conventional stethoscope for each body sound in all modules tested. The electronic stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 7 and 10 in all modules tested. In comparison, the traditional stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 4 and 7. The signal to noise ratio of borborygmi showed the biggest difference between stethoscopes. In the modules tested, the auscultation of borborygmi was rated between 5 and 7 by the conventional stethoscope and consistently 10 by the electronic stethoscope. Discussion: This stethoscope comparison was limited to a single operator. However, we

Facilities for animal research in space with special reference to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonting, Sjoerd L.; Kishiyama, Jenny S.; Arno, Roger D.

1990-01-01

The facilities being planned for animal research on Space Station Freedom are considered in the context of the development of animal habitats from early ballistic and orbital flights to long-term missions aimed at more detailed scientific studies of the effects of space conditions on the vertebrate organism. Animal habitats are becoming more elaborate, requiring systems for environmental control, waste management, physiological monitoring, as well as ancillary facilities such as a 1-G control centrifuge and a glovebox. Habitats in use or to be used in various types of manned and unmanned spacecraft, and particularly those planned for Space Station Freedom, are described. The characteristics of the habitats are compared with each other and with current standards for animal holding facilities on the ground.

International Research Results and Accomplishments From the International Space Station - A New Compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruttley, Tara; Robinson, Julie A.; Tate-Brown, Judy; Perkins, Nekisha; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; Heppener, Marc; Hatton, Jason; Tasaki, Kazuyuki; Umemura, Sayaka;

Agricultural Experiment Stations and Branch Stations in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Calvin H.; Atucha, Amaya

2015-01-01

In 1887, Congress passed the Hatch Act, which formally established and provided a funding mechanism for agricultural experiment stations in each state and territory in the United States. The main purpose of agricultural experiment stations is to conduct agricultural research to meet the needs of the citizens of the United States. The objective of…

[Qualitative Research in Health Services Research - Discussion Paper, Part 3: Quality of Qualitative Research].

PubMed

Stamer, M; Güthlin, C; Holmberg, C; Karbach, U; Patzelt, C; Meyer, T

2015-12-01

The third and final discussion paper of the German Network of Health Services Research's (DNVF) "Qualitative Methods Working Group" demonstrates methods for the evaluation and quality of qualitative research in health services research. In this paper we discuss approaches described in evaluating qualitative studies, including: an orientation to the general principles of empirical research, an approach-specific course of action, as well as procedures based on the research-process and criteria-oriented approaches. Divided into general and specific aspects to be considered in a qualitative study quality evaluation, the central focus of the discussion paper undertakes an extensive examination of the process and criteria-oriented approaches. The general aspects include the participation of relevant groups in the research process as well as ethical aspects of the research and data protection issues. The more specific aspects in evaluating the quality of qualitative research include considerations about the research interest, research questions, and the selection of data collection methods and types of analyses. The formulated questions are intended to guide reviewers and researchers to evaluate and to develop qualitative research projects appropriately. The intention of this discussion paper is to ensure a transparent research culture, and to reflect on and discuss the methodological and research approach of qualitative studies in health services research. With this paper we aim to initiate a discussion on high quality evaluation of qualitative health services research. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A precipitation database of station-based daily and monthly measurements for West Africa: Overview, quality control and harmonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bliefernicht, Jan; Waongo, Moussa; Annor, Thompson; Laux, Patrick; Lorenz, Manuel; Salack, Seyni; Kunstmann, Harald

2017-04-01

West Africa is a data sparse region. High quality and long-term precipitation data are often not readily available for applications in hydrology, agriculture, meteorology and other needs. To close this gap, we use multiple data sources to develop a precipitation database with long-term daily and monthly time series. This database was compiled from 16 archives including global databases e.g. from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), databases from research projects (e.g. the AMMA database) and databases of the national meteorological services of some West African countries. The collection consists of more than 2000 precipitation gauges with measurements dating from 1850 to 2015. Due to erroneous measurements (e.g. temporal offsets, unit conversion errors), missing values and inconsistent meta-data, the merging of this precipitation dataset is not straightforward and requires a thorough quality control and harmonization. To this end, we developed geostatistical-based algorithms for quality control of individual databases and harmonization to a joint database. The algorithms are based on a pairwise comparison of the correspondence of precipitation time series in dependence to the distance between stations. They were tested for precipitation time series from gages located in a rectangular domain covering Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin and Togo. This harmonized and quality controlled precipitation database was recently used for several applications such as the validation of a high resolution regional climate model and the bias correction of precipitation projections provided the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX). In this presentation, we will give an overview of the novel daily and monthly precipitation database and the algorithms used for quality control and harmonization. We will also highlight the quality of global and regional archives (e.g. GHCN, GSOD, AMMA database) in comparison to the precipitation databases provided by the

International Space Station Research for the Next Decade: International Coordination and Research Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thumm, Tracy L.; Robinson, Julie A.; Johnson-Green, Perry; Buckley, Nicole; Karabadzhak, George; Nakamura, Tai; Sorokin, Igor V.; Zell, Martin; Sabbagh, Jean

2011-01-01

During 2011, the International Space Station reached an important milestone in the completion of assembly and the shift to the focus on a full and continuous utilization mission in space. The ISS partnership itself has also met a milestone in the coordination and cooperation of utilization activities including research, technology development and education. We plan and track all ISS utilization activities jointly and have structures in place to cooperate on common goals by sharing ISS assets and resources, and extend the impacts and efficiency of utilization activities. The basic utilization areas on the ISS include research, technology development and testing, and education/outreach. Research can be categorized as applied research for future exploration, basic research taking advantage of the microgravity and open space environment, and Industrial R&D / commercial research focused at industrial product development and improvement. Technology development activities range from testing of new spacecraft systems and materials to the use of ISS as an analogue for future exploration missions to destinations beyond Earth orbit. This presentation, made jointly by all ISS international partners, will highlight the ways that international cooperation in all of these areas is achieved, and the overall accomplishments that have come as well as future perspectives from the cooperation. Recently, the partnership has made special efforts to increase the coordination and impact of ISS utilization that has humanitarian benefits. In this context the paper will highlight tentative ISS utilization developments in the areas of Earth remote sensing, medical technology transfer, and education/outreach.

The Era of International Space Station Utilization Begins: Research Strategy, International Collaboration, and Realized Potential

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thumm, Tracy; Robinson, Julie A.; Ruttley, Tara; Johnson-Green, Perry; Karabadzhak, George; Nakamura, Tai; Sorokin, Igor V.; Zell, Martin; Jean, Sabbagh

2010-01-01

With the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) nearing completion and the support of a full-time crew of six, a new era of utilization for research is beginning. For more than 15 years, the ISS international partnership has weathered financial, technical and political challenges proving that nations can work together to complete assembly of the largest space vehicle in history. And while the ISS partners can be proud of having completed one of the most ambitious engineering projects ever conceived, the challenge of successfully using the platform remains. During the ISS assembly phase, the potential benefits of space-based research and development were demonstrated; including the advancement of scientific knowledge based on experiments conducted in space, development and testing of new technologies, and derivation of Earth applications from new understanding. The configurability and human-tended capabilities of the ISS provide a unique platform. The international utilization strategy is based on research ranging from physical sciences, biology, medicine, psychology, to Earth observation, human exploration preparation and technology demonstration. The ability to complete follow-on investigations in a period of months allows researchers to make rapid advances based on new knowledge gained from ISS activities. During the utilization phase, the ISS partners are working together to track the objectives, accomplishments, and the applications of the new knowledge gained. This presentation will summarize the consolidated international results of these tracking activities and approaches. Areas of current research on ISS with strong international cooperation will be highlighted including cardiovascular studies, cell and plant biology studies, radiation, physics of matter, and advanced alloys. Scientific knowledge and new technologies derived from research on the ISS will be realized through improving quality of life on Earth and future spaceflight endeavours

Space Station Engineering and Technology Development: Proceedings of the Panel on In-Space Engineering Research and Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

In 1984 the ad hoc committee on Space Station Engineering and Technology Development of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) conducted a review of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) space station program planning. The review addressed the initial operating configuration (IOC) of the station. The ASEB has reconstituted the ad hoc committee which then established panels to address each specific related subject. The participants of the panels come from the committee, industry, and universities. The proceedings of the Panel on In Space Engineering Research and Technology Development are presented in this report. Activities, and plans for identifying and developing R&T programs to be conducted by the space station and related in space support needs including module requirements are addressed. Consideration is given to use of the station for R&T for other government agencies, universities, and industry.

Development of the Finse Alpine Research Station towards a platform for multi-disciplinary research on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments (LATICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkhart, John F.; Decker, Sven; Filhol, Simon; Hulth, John; Nesje, Atle; Schuler, Thomas V.; Sobolowski, Stefan; Tallaksen, Lena M.

2017-04-01

The Finse Alpine Research Station provides convenient access to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in Southern Norway (60 deg N, 1222 m asl). The station is located above the tree-line in vicinity to the west-eastern mountain water divide and is easily accessible by train from Bergen and Oslo. The station itself offers housing and basic laboratory facilities and has been used for ecological monitoring. Over the past years, studies on small-scale snow distribution and ground temperature have been performed and accompanied by a suite of meteorological measurements. Supported by strategic investments by the University of Oslo and ongoing research projects, these activities are currently expanded and the site is developed towards a mountain field laboratory for studies on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments, facilitated by the LATICE project (www.mn.uio.no/latice). Additional synergy comes from close collaborations with a range of institutions that perform operational monitoring close to Finse, including long-term time series of meteorological data and global radiation. Through our activities, this infrastructure has been complemented by a permanent tower for continuous Eddy-Covariance measurements along with associated gas fluxes. A second, mobile covariance system is in preparation and will become operational in 2017. In addition, a wireless sensor network is set up to grasp the spatial distributions of basic meteorological variables, snow depth and glacier mass balance on the nearby Hardangerjøkulen ice cap. While the research focus so far was on small scale processes (snow redistribution), this is now being expanded to cover hydrological processes on the catchment and regional scale. To this end, two discharge stations have been installed to gauge discharge from two contrasting catchments (glacier dominated and non-glacierized). In this presentation, we provide an overview over existing and planned infrastructure, field campaigns and research

Life Sciences Research in the Centrifuge Accommodation Module of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, Bonnie P.; Plaut, Karen; Meeker, Gabrielle B.; Sun, Sid (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Centrifuge Accommodation Module (CAM) will be the home of the fundamental biology research facilities on the International Space Station (ISS). These facilities are being built by the Biological Research Project (BRP), whose goal is to oversee development of a wide variety of habitats and host systems to support life sciences research on the ISS. The habitats and host systems are designed to provide life support for a variety of specimens including cells, bacteria, yeast, plants, fish, rodents, eggs (e.g., quail), and insects. Each habitat contains specimen chambers that allow for easy manipulation of specimens and alteration of sample numbers. All habitats are capable of sustaining life support for 90 days and have automated as well as full telescience capabilities for sending habitat parameters data to investigator homesite laboratories. The habitats provide all basic life support capabilities including temperature control, humidity monitoring and control, waste management, food, media and water delivery as well as adjustable lighting. All habitats will have either an internal centrifuge or are fitted to the 2.5-meter diameter centrifuge allowing for variable centrifugation up to 2 g. Specimen chambers are removable so that the specimens can be handled in the life sciences glovebox. Laboratory support equipment is provided for handling the specimens. This includes a compound and dissecting microscope with advanced video imaging, mass measuring devices, refrigerated centrifuge for processing biological samples, pH meter, fixation and complete cryogenic storage capabilities. The research capabilities provided by the fundamental biology facilities will allow for flexibility and efficiency for long term research on the International Space Station.

Index of stations: surface-water data-collection network of Texas, September 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gandara, Susan C.; Barbie, Dana L.

2001-01-01

As of September 30, 1999, the surface-water data-collection network of Texas (table 1) included 321 continuous-record streamflow stations (D), 20 continuous-record gage-height only stations (G), 24 crest-stage partial-record stations (C), 40 floodhydrograph partial-record stations (H), 25 low-flow partial-record stations (L), 1 continuous-record temperature station (M1), 25 continuous-record temperature and specific conductance stations (M2), 17 continuous-record temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH stations (M4), 4 daily water-quality stations (Qd), 115 periodic water-quality stations (Qp), 17 reservoir/lake surveys for water quality stations (Qs), 85 continuous or daily reservoircontent stations (R), and 10 daily precipitation stations (Pd). Plate 1 identifies the major river basins in Texas and shows the location of the stations listed in table 1. Table 1 shows the station number and name, latitude and longitude, type of station, and office responsible for the collection of the data and maintenance of the record. An 8-digit permanent numerical designation for all gaging stations has been adopted on a nationwide basis; stations are numbered and listed in downstream order. In the downstream direction along the main stem, all stations on a tributary entering between two main-stem stations are listed between these two stations. A similar order is followed in listing stations by first rank, second rank, and other ranks of tributaries. The rank of any tributary, with respect to the stream to which it is an immediate tributary, is indicated by an indention in the table. Each indention represents one rank. This downstream order and system of indention shows which gaging stations are on tributaries between any two stations on a main stem and the rank of the tributary on which each gaging station is situated.

The Princess Elisabeth Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berte, Johan

2012-01-01

Aware of the increasing impact of human activities on the Earth system, Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo) launched in 1997 a research programme in support of a sustainable development policy. This umbrella programme included the Belgian Scientific Programme on Antarctic Research. The International Polar Foundation, an organization led by the civil engineer and explorer Alain Hubert, was commissioned by the Belgian Federal government in 2004 to design, construct and operate a new Belgian Antarctic Research Station as an element under this umbrella programme. The station was to be designed as a central location for investigating the characteristic sequence of Antarctic geographical regions (polynia, coast, ice shelf, ice sheet, marginal mountain area and dry valleys, inland plateau) within a radius of 200 kilometers (approx.124 miles) of a selected site. The station was also to be designed as "state of the art" with respect to sustainable development, energy consumption, and waste disposal, with a minimum lifetime of 25 years. The goal of the project was to build a station and enable science. So first we needed some basic requirements, which I have listed here; plus we had to finance the station ourselves. Our most important requirement was that we decided to make it a zero emissions station. This was both a philosophical choice as we thought it more consistent with Antarctic Treaty obligations and it was also a logistical advantage. If you are using renewable energy sources, you do not have to bring in all the fuel.

International water and steam quality standards for thermal power station drum-type and waste heat recovery boilers with the treatment of boiler water with phosphates and NaOH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova, T. I.; Orlov, K. A.; Dooley, R. B.

2017-01-01

One of the ways for improving the operational reliability and economy of thermal power station equipment, including combined-cycle equipment, is to decrease the rates of the corrosion of constructional materials and the formation of scales in the water-steam circuit. These processes can be reduced to a minimum via the use of water with a minimum content of admixtures and the correction treatment of a heat-transfer fluid. The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS), which unites specialists from every country of the world, has developed water and steam quality standards for power station equipment of different types on the basis of theoretical studies and long-term experience in the operation of power plants in 21 countries. Different water chemistry regimes are currently used at conventional and combined-cycle thermal power stations. This paper describes the conditions for the implementation of water chemistry regimes with the use of sodium salts of phosphoric acid and NaOH for the quality correction of boiler water. Water and steam quality standards and some recommendations for their maintenance under different operational conditions are given for each of the considered water chemistry regimes. The standards are designed for the water-steam circuit of conventional and combined-cycle thermal power stations. It is pointed out that the quality control of a heat-transfer fluid must be especially careful at combined-cycle thermal power stations with frequent startups and shutdowns.

FluxSuite: a New Scientific Tool for Advanced Network Management and Cross-Sharing of Next-Generation Flux Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burba, G. G.; Johnson, D.; Velgersdyk, M.; Beaty, K.; Forgione, A.; Begashaw, I.; Allyn, D.

2015-12-01

Significant increases in data generation and computing power in recent years have greatly improved spatial and temporal flux data coverage on multiple scales, from a single station to continental flux networks. At the same time, operating budgets for flux teams and stations infrastructure are getting ever more difficult to acquire and sustain. With more stations and networks, larger data flows from each station, and smaller operating budgets, modern tools are needed to effectively and efficiently handle the entire process. This would help maximize time dedicated to answering research questions, and minimize time and expenses spent on data processing, quality control and station management. Cross-sharing the stations with external institutions may also help leverage available funding, increase scientific collaboration, and promote data analyses and publications. FluxSuite, a new advanced tool combining hardware, software and web-service, was developed to address these specific demands. It automates key stages of flux workflow, minimizes day-to-day site management, and modernizes the handling of data flows: Each next-generation station measures all parameters needed for flux computations Field microcomputer calculates final fully-corrected flux rates in real time, including computation-intensive Fourier transforms, spectra, co-spectra, multiple rotations, stationarity, footprint, etc. Final fluxes, radiation, weather and soil data are merged into a single quality-controlled file Multiple flux stations are linked into an automated time-synchronized network Flux network manager, or PI, can see all stations in real time, including fluxes, supporting data, automated reports, and email alerts PI can assign rights, allow or restrict access to stations and data: selected stations can be shared via rights-managed access internally or with external institutions Researchers without stations could form "virtual networks" for specific projects by collaborating with PIs from

Personal care products and steroid hormones in the Antarctic coastal environment associated with two Antarctic research stations, McMurdo Station and Scott Base.

PubMed

Emnet, Philipp; Gaw, Sally; Northcott, Grant; Storey, Bryan; Graham, Lisa

2015-01-01

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are a major source of micropollutants to the aquatic environment. Despite intense research on the fate and effects of PPCPs in temperate climates, there is a paucity of data on their presence in polar environments. This study reports the presence of selected PPCPs in sewage effluents from two Antarctic research stations, the adjacent coastal seawater, sea ice, and biota. Sewage effluents contained bisphenol-A, ethinylestradiol, estrone, methyl triclosan, octylphenol, triclosan, and three UV-filters. The maximum sewage effluent concentrations of 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, benzophenone-1, estrone, ethinylestradiol, and octylphenol exceeded concentrations previously reported. Coastal seawaters contained bisphenol-A, octylphenol, triclosan, three paraben preservatives, and four UV-filters. The sea ice contained a similar range and concentration of PPCPs as the seawater. Benzophenone-3 (preferential accumulation in clams), estradiol, ethinylestradiol, methyl paraben (preferential accumulation in fish, with concentrations correlating negatively with fillet size), octylphenol, and propyl paraben were detected in biota samples. PPCPs were detected in seawater and biota at distances up to 25 km from the research stations WWTP discharges. Sewage effluent discharges and disposal of raw human waste through sea ice cracks have been identified as sources of PPCPs to Antarctic coastal environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting Air Quality at First Ingress into Vehicles Visiting the International Space Station.

PubMed

Romoser, Amelia A; Scully, Robert R; Limero, Thomas F; De Vera, Vanessa; Cheng, Patti F; Hand, Jennifer J; James, John T; Ryder, Valerie E

2017-02-01

NASA regularly performs ground-based offgas tests (OGTs), which allow prediction of accumulated volatile pollutant concentrations at first entry on orbit, on whole modules and vehicles scheduled to connect to the International Space Station (ISS). These data guide crew safety operations and allow for estimation of ISS air revitalization systems impact from additional pollutant load. Since volatiles released from vehicle, module, and payload materials can affect crew health and performance, prediction of first ingress air quality is important. To assess whether toxicological risk is typically over or underpredicted, OGT and first ingress samples from 10 vehicles and modules were compared. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The rate of pollutant accumulation was extrapolated over time. Ratios of analytical values and Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations were used to predict total toxicity values (T-values) at first entry. Results were also compared by compound. Frequently overpredicted was 2-butanone (9/10), whereas propanal (6/10) and ethanol (8/10) were typically underpredicted, but T-values were not substantially affected. Ingress sample collection delay (estimated by octafluoropropane introduced from ISS atmosphere) and T-value prediction accuracy correlated well (R2 = 0.9008), highlighting the importance of immediate air sample collection and accounting for ISS air dilution. Importantly, T-value predictions were conservative 70% of the time. Results also suggest that T-values can be normalized to octafluoropropane levels to adjust for ISS air dilution at first ingress. Finally, OGT and ingress sampling has allowed small leaks in vehicle fluid systems to be recognized and addressed.Romoser AA, Scully RR, Limero TF, De Vera V, Cheng PF, Hand JJ, James JT, Ryder VE. Predicting air quality at first ingress into vehicles visiting the International Space Station. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(2):104-113.

Recent developments in water quality monitoring for Space Station reclaimed wastewaters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Small, John W.; Verostko, Charles E.; Linton, Arthur T.; Burchett, Ray

1987-01-01

This paper discusses the recent developments in water quality monitoring for Space Station reclaimed wastewaters. A preprototype unit that contains an ultraviolet absorbance organic carbon monitor integrated with pH and conductivity sensors is presented. The preprototype has provisions for automated operation and is a reagentless flow-through system without any gas/liquid interfaces. The organic carbon monitor detects by utraviolet absorbance the organic impurities in reclaimed wastewater which may be correlated to the organic carbon content of the water. A comparison of the preprototype organic carbon detection values with actual total organic carbon measurements is presented. The electrolyte double junction concept for the pH sensor and fixed electrodes for both the pH and conductivity sensors are discussed. In addition, the development of a reagentless organic carbon analyzer that incorporates ultraviolet oxidation and infrared detection is presented. Detection sensitivities, hardware development, and operation are included.

Index of surface-water stations in Texas, January 1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carrillo, E.R.; Buckner, H.D.; Rawson, Jack

1986-01-01

As of January 1, 1986, the surface-water data-collection network in Texas operated by the U.S. Geological Survey included 386 streamflow, 87 reservoir-contents, 33 stage, 10 crest-stage partial-record, 8 periodic discharge through range, 38 flood-hydrograph partial-record, 11 flood-profile partial-record , 36 low-flow partial-record 2 tide-level, 45 daily chemical-quality, 23 continuous-recording water-quality, 97 periodic biological, 19 lake surveys, 174 periodic organic- and (or) nutrient, 4 periodic insecticide, 58 periodic pesticide, 22 automatic sampler, 157 periodic minor elements, 141 periodic chemical-quality, 108 periodic physical-organic, 14 continuous-recording three- or four-parameter water-quality, 3 sediment, 39 periodic sediment, 26 continuous-recording temperature, and 37 national stream-quality accounting network stations were in operation. Tables describing the station location, type of data collected, and place where data are available are included, as well as maps showing the location of most of the stations. (USGS)

Accommodating life sciences on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arno, Roger D.

1987-01-01

The NASA Ames Research Center Biological Research Project (BRP) is responsible for identifying and accommodating high priority life science activities, utilizing nonhuman specimens, on the Space Station and is charged to bridge the gap between the science community and the Space Station Program. This paper discusses the approaches taken by the BRP in accomodating these research objectives to constraints imposed by the Space Station System, while maintaining a user-friendly environment. Consideration is given to the particular research disciplines which are given priority, the science objectives in each of these disciplines, the functions and activities required by these objectives, the research equipment, and the equipment suits. Life sciences programs planned by the Space Station participating partners (USA, Europe, Japan, and Canada) are compared.

Application of automated measurement stations for continuous water quality monitoring of the Dender river in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Vandenberghe, V; Goethals, P L M; Van Griensven, A; Meirlaen, J; De Pauw, N; Vanrolleghem, P; Bauwens, W

2005-09-01

During the summer of 1999, two automated water quality measurement stations were installed along the Dender river in Belgium. The variables dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, pH, rain-intensity, flow and solar radiation were measured continuously. In this paper these on-line measurement series are presented and interpreted using also additional measurements and ecological expert-knowledge. The purpose was to demonstrate the variability in time and space of the aquatic processes and the consequences of conducting and interpreting discrete measurements for river quality assessment and management. The large fluctuations of the data illustrated the importance of continuous measurements for the complete description and modelling of the biological processes in the river.

Space Station Engineering and Technology Development. Proceedings of the Panel on Solar Thermodynamics Research and Technology Development, July 31, 1985

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Solar thermodynamics research and technology is reported. Comments on current program activity and future plans with regard to satisfying potential space station electric power generation requirements are provided. The proceedings contain a brief synopsis of the presentations to the panel, including panel comments, and a summary of the panel's observations. Selected presentation material is appended. Onboard maintainability and repair in space research and technology plan, solar thermodynamic research, program performance, onboard U.S. ground based mission control, and technology development rad maps from 10 C to the growth station are addressed.

Expert Water Quality Panel Review of Responses to the NASA Request for Information for the International Space Station On-Board Environmental Monitoring System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, Julianna L.; Mudgett, Paul D.; Packham, Nigel J.; Schultz, John R.; Straub, John E., II

2005-01-01

On August 9, 2003, NASA, with the cooperative support of the Vehicle Office of the International Space Station Program, the Advanced Human Support Technology Program, and the Johnson Space Center Habitability and Environmental Factors Office released a Request for Information, or RFI, to identify next-generation environmental monitoring systems that have demonstrated ability or the potential to meet defined requirements for monitoring air and water quality onboard the International Space Station. This report summarizes the review and analysis of the proposed solutions submitted to meet the water quality monitoring requirements. Proposals were to improve upon the functionality of the existing Space Station Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) and monitor additional contaminants in water samples. The TOCA is responsible for in-flight measurement of total organic carbon, total inorganic carbon, total carbon, pH, and conductivity in the Space Station potable water supplies. The current TOCA requires hazardous reagents to accomplish the carbon analyses. NASA is using the request for information process to investigate new technologies that may improve upon existing capabilities, as well as reduce or eliminate the need for hazardous reagents. Ideally, a replacement for the TOCA would be deployed in conjunction with the delivery of the Node 3 water recovery system currently scheduled for November 2007.

The data quality analyzer: A quality control program for seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringler, A. T.; Hagerty, M. T.; Holland, J.; Gonzales, A.; Gee, L. S.; Edwards, J. D.; Wilson, D.; Baker, A. M.

2015-03-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL) has several initiatives underway to enhance and track the quality of data produced from ASL seismic stations and to improve communication about data problems to the user community. The Data Quality Analyzer (DQA) is one such development and is designed to characterize seismic station data quality in a quantitative and automated manner. The DQA consists of a metric calculator, a PostgreSQL database, and a Web interface: The metric calculator, SEEDscan, is a Java application that reads and processes miniSEED data and generates metrics based on a configuration file. SEEDscan compares hashes of metadata and data to detect changes in either and performs subsequent recalculations as needed. This ensures that the metric values are up to date and accurate. SEEDscan can be run as a scheduled task or on demand. The PostgreSQL database acts as a central hub where metric values and limited station descriptions are stored at the channel level with one-day granularity. The Web interface dynamically loads station data from the database and allows the user to make requests for time periods of interest, review specific networks and stations, plot metrics as a function of time, and adjust the contribution of various metrics to the overall quality grade of the station. The quantification of data quality is based on the evaluation of various metrics (e.g., timing quality, daily noise levels relative to long-term noise models, and comparisons between broadband data and event synthetics). Users may select which metrics contribute to the assessment and those metrics are aggregated into a "grade" for each station. The DQA is being actively used for station diagnostics and evaluation based on the completed metrics (availability, gap count, timing quality, deviation from a global noise model, deviation from a station noise model, coherence between co-located sensors, and comparison between broadband data and synthetics

The value and potential of animal research in enabling astronaut health - Transition from Spacelab to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garshnek, V.; Ballard, R. W.

1993-01-01

Maintaining astronaut health is a critical aspect of human space exploration. Three decades of space research have demonstrated that microgravity produces significant physiological changes in astronauts. For long-duration missions, the possibility exists that these changes may prevent the achievement of full health and safety and may therefore require countermeasures. Meeting this goal depends on a strong biomedical foundation. Although much research is conducted with humans, some of the most critical work involves a necessary in-depth look into complex problem areas requiring invasive procedures using animals. Much of this research cannot be performed in humans within the bounds of accepted medical practice. A large portion of knowledge and experience in flying animals and applying the data to astronaut health has been obtained through the Spacelab experience and can be applied to a space station situation (expanded to accommodate necessary standardization and flexibility). The objectives of this paper are to (a) discuss the value and potential of animal research in answering critical questions to enable astronaut health for advanced missions, (b) discuss how previous Spacelab operational experience in animal studies can be applied to facilitate transition into a space station era, and (c) review capabilities of biological facilities projected for Space Station Freedom.

REU Programs at Field Research Stations Offer Unique Advantages that may Enhance Retention of Students in STEM Fields.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, D. Y.; Marinelli, R. L.; Heidelberg, K., IV

2014-12-01

Studies have shown that undergraduate participation in research opportunities strengthens the retention of students in STEM fields. Increasing students' confidence levels in their scientific abilities, aiding in the development of their scientific identity, and strengthening their sense of belonging to a scientific community have been cited as important contributing factors. Research field stations offer unique advantages that amplify these benefits by challenging students to plan and work in the field, enhancing networking opportunities with multi-disciplinary professionals from numerous institutions and hierarchical levels, and creating a stronger sense of belonging and comradery within a science community. The USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies' (WIES) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is an 8-week program that begins on the main USC campus in Los Angeles and moves to a marine field station on Catalina Island during weeks 2-7, before returning to the mainland to complete the last week of the program. This unique model provides REU students with an opportunity to become integrated into faculty mentors' labs on the main campus, while exposing them to life as a researcher at a field station, both of which contribute significantly to the students' development as a scientist. Here, we present the WIES REU model and include a discussion of benefits and challenges to this unique infrastructure.

Space research with intact organisms: The role of Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Robert W.; Haddy, Francis J.

1993-01-01

The study of intact organisms has provided biologists with a good working knowledge of most of the common organisms that have evolved in the 1 g environment of Earth. Reasonably accurate predictions can be made about organismal responses to most stimuli on Earth. To extend this knowledge to life without gravity, we must have access to the space environment for prolonged periods. Space Station Freedom will provide a facility with which to begin this type of research. Spaceflight research to date has been limited to relatively short-term exposures that have been informative but incomplete. This paper provides a brief background of known changes that have occurred in intact organisms in the space environment and proposes the kinds of experiments that are needed to expand our knowledge of life on Earth and in space.

The Importance of the International Space Station for Life Sciences Research: Past and Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.; Evans, C. A.; Tate, Judy

2008-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) celebrates ten years of operations in 2008. While the station did not support permanent human crews during the first two years of operations, it hosted a few early science experiments months before the first international crew took up residence in November 2000. Since that time, science returns from the ISS have been growing at a steady pace. To date, early utilization of the U.S. Operating Segment of ISS has fielded nearly 200 experiments for hundreds of ground-based investigators supporting U.S. and international partner research. This paper will summarize the life science accomplishments of early research aboard the ISS both applied human research for exploration, and research on the effects of microgravity on life. At the 10-year point, the scientific returns from ISS should increase at a rapid pace. During the 2008 calendar year, the laboratory space and research facilities (both pressurized and external) will be tripled, with multiple scientific modules that support a wide variety of research racks and science and technology experiments conducted by all of the International Partners. A milestone was reached in February 2008 with the launch and commissioning of ESA s Columbus module and in March of 2008 with the first of three components of the Japanese Kibo laboratory. Although challenges lie ahead, the realization of the international scientific partnership provides new opportunities for scientific collaboration and broadens the research disciplines engaged on ISS. As the ISS nears completion of assembly in 2010, we come to full international utilization of the facilities for research. Using the past as an indicator, we are now able to envision the multidisciplinary contributions to improving life on Earth that the ISS can make as a platform for life sciences research.

StationLIFE_ Let’s Get Physical

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-08

Every month on StationLIFE, we’ll focus on a scientific area where the International Space Station is conducting groundbreaking research. This month, astronaut Tracy Dyson hosts a focus on how the station is a unique environment for physical sciences.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-08

This is the insignia for STS-98, which marks a major milestone in assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). Atlantis' crew delivered the United States Laboratory, Destiny, to the ISS. Destiny will be the centerpiece of the ISS, a weightless laboratory where expedition crews will perform unprecedented research in the life sciences, materials sciences, Earth sciences, and microgravity sciences. The laboratory is also the nerve center of the Station, performing guidance, control, power distribution, and life support functions. With Destiny's arrival, the Station will begin to fulfill its promise of returning the benefits of space research to Earth's citizens. The crew patch depicts the Space Shuttle with Destiny held high above the payload bay just before its attachment to the ISS. Red and white stripes, with a deep blue field of white stars, border the Shuttle and Destiny to symbolize the continuing contribution of the United States to the ISS. The constellation Hercules, seen just below Destiny, captures the Shuttle and Station's team efforts in bringing the promise of orbital scientific research to life. The reflection of Earth in Destiny's window emphasizes the connection between space exploration and life on Earth.

Microbiology operations and facilities aboard restructured Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cioletti, Louis A.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, Duane L.

1992-01-01

With the restructure and funding changes for Space Station Freedom, the Environmental Health System (EHS)/Microbiology Subsystem revised its scheduling and operational requirements for component hardware. The function of the Microbiology Subsystem is to monitor the environmental quality of air, water, and internal surfaces and, in part, crew health on board Space Station. Its critical role shall be the identification of microbial contaminants in the environment that may cause system degradation, produce unsanitary or pathogenic conditions, or reduce crew and mission effectiveness. EHS/Microbiology operations and equipment shall be introduced in concert with a phased assembly sequence, from Man Tended Capability (MTC) through Permanently Manned Capability (PMC). Effective Microbiology operations and subsystem components will assure a safe, habitable, and useful spacecraft environment for life sciences research and long-term manned exploration.

Space station executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An executive summary of the modular space station study is presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) design characteristics, (2) experiment program, (3) operations, (4) program description, and (5) research implications. The modular space station is considered a candidate payload for the low cost shuttle transportation system.

Dynamic rating curve assessment in hydrometric stations and calculation of the associated uncertainties : Quality and monitoring indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morlot, Thomas; Perret, Christian; Favre, Anne-Catherine

2013-04-01

Whether we talk about safety reasons, energy production or regulation, water resources management is one of EDF's (French hydropower company) main concerns. To meet these needs, since the fifties EDF-DTG operates a hydrometric network that includes more than 350 hydrometric stations. The data collected allow real time monitoring of rivers (hydro meteorological forecasts at points of interests), as well as hydrological studies and the sizing of structures. Ensuring the quality of stream flow data is a priority. A rating curve is an indirect method of estimating the discharge in rivers based on water level measurements. The value of discharge obtained thanks to the rating curve is not entirely accurate due to the constant changes of the river bed morphology, to the precision of the gaugings (direct and punctual discharge measurements) and to the quality of the tracing. As time goes on, the uncertainty of the estimated discharge from a rating curve « gets older » and increases: therefore the final level of uncertainty remains particularly difficult to assess. Moreover, the current EDF capacity to produce a rating curve is not suited to the frequency of change of the stage-discharge relationship. The actual method does not take into consideration the variation of the flow conditions and the modifications of the river bed which occur due to natural processes such as erosion, sedimentation and seasonal vegetation growth. In order to get the most accurate stream flow data and to improve their reliability, this study undertakes an original « dynamic» method to compute rating curves based on historical gaugings from a hydrometric station. A curve is computed for each new gauging and a model of uncertainty is adjusted for each of them. The model of uncertainty takes into account the inaccuracies in the measurement of the water height, the quality of the tracing, the uncertainty of the gaugings and the aging of the confidence intervals calculated with a variographic

Introduction: the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative.

PubMed

Naylor, Mary D; Lustig, Adam; Kelley, Heather J; Volpe, Ellen M; Melichar, Lori; Pauly, Mark V

2013-04-01

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) program in 2005 to generate, disseminate, and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve patient care quality. This special edition of Medical Care provides an overview of the program's strategy, goals, and impact, highlighting cross-cutting issues addressed by the initiative. INQRI's leadership and select grantees discuss the implications of a collection of studies on the following: advances in the science of nursing's contribution to quality, measurement of quality, interdisciplinary collaboration, implementation methodology, dissemination and translation of findings, and the business case for nursing. A comprehensive review of the scholarly literature published in 2004 and 2009 found that the evidence linking nursing to quality of care has grown. The second paper discusses INQRI's work on measurement of quality of care, revealing the need for additional comprehensive measures. The third paper examines INQRI's focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, finding that it can enhance methodological approaches and result in substantive changes in health delivery systems. The fourth paper presents methodological challenges faced in health care implementation, emphasizing the need for standardized terms and research designs. The fifth paper addresses INQRI's commitment to translating research into practice, illustrating dissemination strategies and lessons learned. The final paper discusses how the INQRI program has contributed to the current evidence regarding the business case for nursing. This supplement describes the accomplishments of the INQRI program, discusses current issues in research design and implementation, and places INQRI research within the larger context regarding advances in nursing science.

Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-01-01

This picture illustrates a concept of a 33-Foot-Diameter Space Station Leading to a Space Base. In-house work of the Marshall Space Flight Center, as well as a Phase B contract with the McDornel Douglas Astronautics Company, resulted in a preliminary design for a space station in 1969 and l970. The Marshall-McDonnel Douglas approach envisioned the use of two common modules as the core configuration of a 12-man space station. Each common module was 33 feet in diameter and 40 feet in length and provided the building blocks, not only for the space station, but also for a 50-man space base. Coupled together, the two modules would form a four-deck facility: two decks for laboratories and two decks for operations and living quarters. Zero-gravity would be the normal mode of operation, although the station would have an artificial gravity capability. This general-purpose orbital facility was to provide wide-ranging research capabilities. The design of the facility was driven by the need to accommodate a broad spectrum of activities in support of astronomy, astrophysics, aerospace medicine, biology, materials processing, space physics, and space manufacturing. To serve the needs of Earth observations, the station was to be placed in a 242-nautical-mile orbit at a 55-degree inclination. An Intermediate-21 vehicle (comprised of Saturn S-IC and S-II stages) would have launched the station in 1977.

Detection of Lightning-produced NOx by Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Y.; Shalev, S.; Saaroni, H.; Ziv, B.

2011-12-01

Lightning is the largest natural source for the production of nitrogen oxides (LtNOx) in the troposphere. Since NOx are greenhouse gases, it is important to know the global production rate of LtNOx for climate studies (present estimates range from 2 to 8 Tg per year) and to model its vertical distribution (Ott et al., 2010). One of the key factors for such an estimate is the yield of a single lightning flash, namely the number of molecules produced for each Joule of energy deposited along the lightning channel. We used lightning stroke data from the Israel Lightning Location System (ILLS) together with NOx data obtained from the national network of air quality monitoring stations operated by the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection. Looking for the fingerprints of LtNOx in the general ambient concentrations, usually most affected by pollution from urban sources, we looked only for CG strokes occurring within a radius of 3 km from the location of an air-quality monitoring station. This lowered the number of relevant cases from 605,413 strokes detected in the 2004/5 through 2009/10 seasons to 1,897 strokes. We applied a threshold of > 60kA reducing the number of events to 35. The results showed that there was no consistent rising trend in the NOx concentrations in the hour following the lightning (the lifetime near the ground is expected to be a few hours; Zhang et al., 2003). However, when considering only those events when the prevailing wind was in the direction from the stroke location toward the sensor (7 cases), a clear increase of few ppb following the stroke was observed in 5 cases [see Fig.]. This increase is well correlated with the wind speed, suggesting an effective transport from the stroke location to the sensor. Weaker winds allow dilution and result in smaller observed increases of LtNOx. Separate analysis of additional 17 cases in which the strokes were located < 500 m from the monitoring station (with any peak current above 7 kA) showed no

Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Increasing demand for qualitative research within global health has emerged alongside increasing demand for demonstration of quality of research, in line with the evidence-based model of medicine. In quantitative health sciences research, in particular clinical trials, there exist clear and widely-recognised guidelines for conducting quality assurance of research. However, no comparable guidelines exist for qualitative research and although there are long-standing debates on what constitutes 'quality' in qualitative research, the concept of 'quality assurance' has not been explored widely. In acknowledgement of this gap, we sought to review discourses around quality assurance of qualitative research, as a first step towards developing guidance. Methods A range of databases, journals and grey literature sources were searched, and papers were included if they explicitly addressed quality assurance within a qualitative paradigm. A meta-narrative approach was used to review and synthesise the literature. Results Among the 37 papers included in the review, two dominant narratives were interpreted from the literature, reflecting contrasting approaches to quality assurance. The first focuses on demonstrating quality within research outputs; the second focuses on principles for quality practice throughout the research process. The second narrative appears to offer an approach to quality assurance that befits the values of qualitative research, emphasising the need to consider quality throughout the research process. Conclusions The paper identifies the strengths of the approaches represented in each narrative and recommend these are brought together in the development of a flexible framework to help qualitative researchers to define, apply and demonstrate principles of quality in their research. PMID:22182674

[STEM on Station Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lundebjerg, Kristen

2016-01-01

The STEM on Station team is part of Education which is part of the External Relations organization (ERO). ERO has traditional goals based around BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). The BHAG model is simplified to a saying: Everything we do stimulates actions by others to advance human space exploration. The STEM on Station education initiate is a project focused on bringing off the earth research and learning into classrooms. Educational resources such as lesson plans, activities to connect with the space station and STEM related contests are available and hosted by the STEM on Station team along with their partners such as Texas Instruments. These educational activities engage teachers and students in the current happenings aboard the international space station, inspiring the next generation of space explorers.

Research Priorities for the International Space Station and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; Adolf, Jurine A.; Woolford, Barbara J.

1999-01-01

Advanced technology and the desire to explore space have resulted in increasingly longer manned space missions. Long Duration Space Flights (LDSF) have provided a considerable amount of scientific research on the ability of humans to adapt and function in microgravity environments. In addition, studies conducted in analogous environments, such as winter-over expeditions in Antarctica, have complemented the scientific understanding of human performance in LDSF. These findings indicate long duration missions may take a toll on the individual, both physiologically and psychologically, with potential impacts on performance. Significant factors in any manned LDSF are habitability, workload and performance. They are interrelated and influence one another, and therefore necessitate an integrated research approach. An integral part of this approach will be identifying and developing tools not only for assessment of habitability, workload, and performance, but also for prediction of these factors as well. In addition, these tools will be used to identify and provide countermeasures to minimize decrements and maximize mission success. The purpose of this paper is to identify research goals and methods for the International Space Station (ISS) in order to identify critical factors and level of impact on habitability, workload, and performance, and to develop and validate countermeasures. Overall, this approach will provide the groundwork for creating an optimal environment in which to live and work onboard ISS as well as preparing for longer planetary missions.

A solar station in Ica - Mutsumi Ishitsuka: a research center to improve education at the university and schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrazas-Ramos, Raúl

2012-07-01

The San Luis Gonzaga National University of Ica has built a solar station, in collaboration with the Geophysical Institute of Peru, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Hida Observatory. The Solar Station has the following equipment: a digital Spectrograph Solar Refractor Telescope Takahashi 15 cm aperture, 60 cm reflector telescope aperture, a magnetometer-MAGDAS/CPNM and a Burst Monitor Telescope Solar-FMT (Project CHAIN). These teams support the development of astronomical science and Ica in Peru, likewise contributing to science worldwide. The development of basic science will be guaranteed when university students, professors and researchers work together. The Solar Station will be useful for studying the different levels of university education and also for the general public. The Solar Station will be a good way to spread science in the region through public disclosure.

Methodology for designing psychological habitability for the space station.

PubMed

Komastubara, A

2000-09-01

Psychological habitability is a critical quality issue for the International Space Station because poor habitability degrades performance shaping factors (PSFs) and increases human errors. However, habitability often receives rather limited design attention based on someone's superficial tastes because systematic design procedures lack habitability quality. To improve design treatment of psychological habitability, this paper proposes and discusses a design methodology for designing psychological habitability for the International Space Station.

Hanford meteorological station computer codes: Volume 9, The quality assurance computer codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burk, K.W.; Andrews, G.L.

1989-02-01

The Hanford Meteorological Station (HMS) was established in 1944 on the Hanford Site to collect and archive meteorological data and provide weather forecasts and related services for Hanford Site approximately 1/2 mile east of the 200 West Area and is operated by PNL for the US Department of Energy. Meteorological data are collected from various sensors and equipment located on and off the Hanford Site. These data are stored in data bases on the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX 11/750 at the HMS (hereafter referred to as the HMS computer). Files from those data bases are routinely transferred to themore » Emergency Management System (EMS) computer at the Unified Dose Assessment Center (UDAC). To ensure the quality and integrity of the HMS data, a set of Quality Assurance (QA) computer codes has been written. The codes will be routinely used by the HMS system manager or the data base custodian. The QA codes provide detailed output files that will be used in correcting erroneous data. The following sections in this volume describe the implementation and operation of QA computer codes. The appendices contain detailed descriptions, flow charts, and source code listings of each computer code. 2 refs.« less

Evaluation of the Air Quality Monitor's Performance on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limero, Thomas; Reese, Eric; Ballard, Ken; Durham, Tamara

2010-01-01

The Air Quality Monitor (AQM) was flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as an experiment to evaluate its potential to replace the aging Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA), which ceased operations in August 2009. The AQM (Figure 1) is a small gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometer (GC/DMS) manufactured by Sionex. Data was presented at last year s ISIMS conference that detailed the preparation of the AQM for flight, including instrument calibration. Furthermore, initial AQM data was compared to VOA results from simultaneous runs of the two instruments. Although comparison with VOA data provided a measure of confidence in the AQM performance, it is the comparison with results from simultaneously acquired air samples (grab sample containers-GSCs) that will define the success (or failure) of the AQM performance. This paper will update the progress in the AQM investigation by comparing AQM data to results from the analyses of GSC samples, returned from ISS. Additionally, a couple of example will illustrate the AQM s ability to detect disruptions in the spacecraft s air quality. Discussion will also focus upon a few unexpected issues that have arisen and how these will be a addressed in the final operational unit now being built.

Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-01-01

This is an illustration of the Space Base concept. In-house work of the Marshall Space Flight Center, as well as a Phase B contract with the McDornel Douglas Astronautics Company, resulted in a preliminary design for a space station in 1969 and l970. The Marshall-McDonnel Douglas approach envisioned the use of two common modules as the core configuration of a 12-man space station. Each common module was 33 feet in diameter and 40 feet in length and provided the building blocks, not only for the space station, but also for a 50-man space base. Coupled together, the two modules would form a four-deck facility: two decks for laboratories and two decks for operations and living quarters. Zero-gravity would be the normal mode of operation, although the station would have an artificial-gravity capability. This general-purpose orbital facility was to provide wide-ranging research capabilities. The design of the facility was driven by the need to accommodate a broad spectrum of activities in support of astronomy, astrophysics, aerospace medicine, biology, materials processing, space physics, and space manufacturing. To serve the needs of Earth observations, the station was to be placed in a 242-nautical-mile orbit at a 55-degree inclination. An Intermediate-21 vehicle (comprised of Saturn S-IC and S-II stages) would have launched the station in 1977.

NASA's plans for life sciences research facilities on a Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arno, R.; Heinrich, M.; Mascy, A.

1984-01-01

A Life Sciences Research Facility on a Space Station will contribute to the health and well-being of humans in space, as well as address many fundamental questions in gravitational and developmental biology. Scientific interests include bone and muscle attrition, fluid and electrolyte shifts, cardiovascular deconditioning, metabolism, neurophysiology, reproduction, behavior, drugs and immunology, radiation biology, and closed life-support system development. The life sciences module will include a laboratory and a vivarium. Trade-offs currently being evaluated include (1) the need for and size of a 1-g control centrifuge; (2) specimen quantities and species for research; (3) degree of on-board analysis versus sample return and ground analysis; (4) type and extent of equipment automation; (5) facility return versus on-orbit refurbishment; (6) facility modularity, isolation, and system independence; and (7) selection of experiments, design, autonomy, sharing, compatibility, and integration.

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN RESEARCH LABORATORIES: RULES AND REASON

EPA Science Inventory

Quality Assurance in Research Laboratories: Rules and Reason

Ron Rogers, Quality Assurance and Records Manager, Environmental Carcinogenesis Division, NHEERL/ORD/US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709

To anyone who has actively participated in research, as I have...

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; fixed-station network and selected water-quality data for April 1987-September 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Daniel J.; Blanchard, Stephen F.

1994-01-01

This report describes and presents the sampling design, methods, quality assurance methods and results, and information on how to obtain data collected at eight fixed stations in the upper Illinois River Basin as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Data were collected monthly from April 1987-August l990; these data were supplemented with data collected during special events, including high and low flows. Each fixed station represents a cross section at which the transport of selected dissolved and suspended materials can be computed. Samples collected monthly and during special events were analyzed for concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace elements, organic carbon, chlorophyll-a, suspended sediment, and other constituents. Field measurements of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and indicator bacteria also were made at each site. Samples of suspended sediment were analyzed for concentrations of major ions and trace elements. In addition, samples were analyzed seasonally for concentrations of antimony, bromide, molybdenum, and the radionuclides gross alpha and gross beta.

Translational Cellular Research on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, John; Cooley, Vic

2016-01-01

The emerging field of Translational Research aims to coalesce interdisciplinary findings from basic science for biomedical applications. To complement spaceflight research using human subjects, translational studies can be designed to address aspects of space-related human health risks and help develop countermeasures to prevent or mitigate them, with therapeutical benefits for analogous conditions experienced on Earth. Translational research with cells and model organisms is being conducted onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in connection with various human systems impacted by spaceflight, such as the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and immune systems. Examples of recent cell-based translational investigations on the ISS include the following. The JAXA investigation Cell Mechanosensing seeks to identify gravity sensors in skeletal muscle cells to develop muscle atrophy countermeasures by analyzing tension fluctuations in the plasma membrane, which changes the expression of key proteins and genes. Earth applications of this study include therapeutic approaches for some forms of muscular dystrophy, which appear to parallel aspects of muscle wasting in space. Spheroids is an ESA investigation examining the system of endothelial cells lining the inner surface of all blood vessels in terms of vessel formation, cellular proliferation, and programmed cell death, because injury to the endothelium has been implicated as underpinning various cardiovascular and musculoskeletal problems arising during spaceflight. Since endothelial cells are involved in the functional integrity of the vascular wall, this research has applications to Earth diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension. The goal of the T-Cell Activation in Aging NASA investigation is to understand human immune system depression in microgravity by identifying gene expression patterns of candidate molecular regulators, which will provide further insight into factors that may play a

Epigenetics Research on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, John; Cooley, Vic

2016-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a state-of-the orbiting laboratory focused on advancing science and technology research. Experiments being conducted on the ISS include investigations in the emerging field of Epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to stably heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype (the transcriptional potential of a cell) resulting from changes in a chromosome without alterations to the underlying DNA nucleotide sequence (the genetic code), which are caused by external or environmental factors, such as spaceflight microgravity. Molecular mechanisms associated with epigenetic alterations regulating gene expression patterns include covalent chemical modifications of DNA (e.g., methylation) or histone proteins (e.g., acetylation, phorphorylation, or ubiquitination). For example, Epigenetics ("Epigenetics in Spaceflown C. elegans") is a recent JAXA investigation examining whether adaptations to microgravity transmit from one cell generation to another without changing the basic DNA of the organism. Mouse Epigenetics ("Transcriptome Analysis and Germ-Cell Development Analysis of Mice in Space") investigates molecular alterations in organ-specific gene expression patterns and epigenetic modifications, and analyzes murine germ cell development during long term spaceflight, as well as assessing changes in offspring DNA. NASA's first foray into human Omics research, the Twins Study ("Differential effects of homozygous twin astronauts associated with differences in exposure to spaceflight factors"), includes investigations evaluating differential epigenetic effects via comprehensive whole genome analysis, the landscape of DNA and RNA methylation, and biomolecular changes by means of longitudinal integrated multi-omics research. And the inaugural Genes in Space student challenge experiment (Genes in Space-1) is aimed at understanding how epigenetics plays a role in immune system dysregulation by assaying DNA methylation in immune cells

A research agenda for bridging the 'quality chasm.'.

PubMed

Fernandopulle, Rushika; Ferris, Timothy; Epstein, Arnold; McNeil, Barbara; Newhouse, Joseph; Pisano, Gary; Blumenthal, David

2003-01-01

Realizing the vision of the IOM's landmark report, Crossing the Quality Chasm, will require new knowledge to support new policy and management. This paper lays out a research agenda that must be pursued if the health care system is to bridge the quality chasm. Based on a consensus process involving leading health care researchers and authorities, the paper highlights knowledge gaps and research directions in five areas identified by the Quality Chasm report as critical to its goals of building organizational supports for change; applying evidence to health care delivery; developing information technology; aligning payment policies with quality improvement; and preparing the workforce.

Counter-Geographies: The Campaign against Rationalisation of Agricultural Research Stations in New South Wales, Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Chris; Dufty, Rae; Phillips, Samantha; Smith, Heather

2008-01-01

This paper discusses an example of community action mounted in a rural region of New South Wales, Australia, in response to proposals by the State Government to rationalise agricultural research stations operated by the Department of Primary Industries. Informed by a Foucaultian understanding of power and the concept of governmentality,…

Changing times at the Rocky Mountain Forest & Range Experiment Station: Station history from 1976 to 1997

Treesearch

R. H. Hamre

2005-01-01

Changing Times includes a review of early Station history, touches on changing societal perspectives and how things are now done differently, how the Station has changed physically and organizationally, technology transfer, a sampling of major characters, how some Station research has been applied, and a timeline of significant and/or interesting events. It includes...

NREL Research Takes Off for International Space Station | News | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Space Station May 16, 2017 Chatfield High School senior, Dominika Mroz inoculates algae in the school's Schroeder / NREL Experiments bear repeating, especially when they explode on their way to the International High School to the orbiting station disintegrated 139 seconds into its flight. That could have put an

International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This artist's digital concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over Florida. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

Evaluation of available analytical techniques for monitoring the quality of space station potable water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geer, Richard D.

1989-01-01

To assure the quality of potable water (PW) on the Space Station (SS) a number of chemical and physical tests must be conducted routinely. After reviewing the requirements for potable water, both direct and indirect analytical methods are evaluated that could make the required tests and improvements compatible with the Space Station operation. A variety of suggestions are made to improve the analytical techniques for SS operation. The most important recommendations are: (1) the silver/silver chloride electrode (SB) method of removing I sub 2/I (-) biocide from the water, since it may interfere with analytical procedures for PW and also its end uses; (2) the orbital reactor (OR) method of carrying out chemistry and electrochemistry in microgravity by using a disk shaped reactor on an orbital table to impart artificial G force to the contents, allowing solution mixing and separation of gases and liquids; and (3) a simple ultra low volume highly sensitive electrochemical/conductivity detector for use with a capillary zone electrophoresis apparatus. It is also recommended, since several different conductivity and resistance measurements are made during the analysis of PW, that the bipolar pulse measuring circuit be used in all these applications for maximum compatibility and redundancy of equipment.

The data quality analyzer: a quality control program for seismic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ringler, Adam; Hagerty, M.T.; Holland, James F.; Gonzales, A.; Gee, Lind S.; Edwards, J.D.; Wilson, David; Baker, Adam

2015-01-01

The quantification of data quality is based on the evaluation of various metrics (e.g., timing quality, daily noise levels relative to long-term noise models, and comparisons between broadband data and event synthetics). Users may select which metrics contribute to the assessment and those metrics are aggregated into a “grade” for each station. The DQA is being actively used for station diagnostics and evaluation based on the completed metrics (availability, gap count, timing quality, deviation from a global noise model, deviation from a station noise model, coherence between co-located sensors, and comparison between broadband data and synthetics for earthquakes) on stations in the Global Seismographic Network and Advanced National Seismic System.

The Pacific Northwest Research Station biodiversity initiative: scooping out the challenges in managing for biodiversity.

Treesearch

Rachel White; Randy Molina

2006-01-01

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station's Biodiversity Initiative seeks to determine the types of science tools needed by natural resource professionals to meet diverse and complex biodiversity goals. During the scoping phase of this Initiative, we asked a broad cross-section of people whose work involves managing for biodiversity, from state...

Tether applications for space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nobles, W.

1986-01-01

A wide variety of space station applications for tethers were reviewed. Many will affect the operation of the station itself while others are in the category of research or scientific platforms. One of the most expensive aspects of operating the space station will be the continuing shuttle traffic to transport logistic supplies and payloads to the space station. If a means can be found to use tethers to improve the efficiency of that transportation operation, it will increase the operating efficiency of the system and reduce the overall cost of the space station. The concept studied consists of using a tether to lower the shuttle from the space station. This results in a transfer of angular momentum and energy from the orbiter to the space station. The consequences of this transfer is studied and how beneficial use can be made of it.

Researcher-Portraitists: An Exploration of Aesthetics and Research Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muccio, Leah Schoenberg; Reybold, L. Earle; Kidd, Julie

2015-01-01

In this article, we critique the use of portraiture as a qualitative research method, emphasizing the relationship between the fundamental aspects of portraiture and the recurring themes of research quality associated with alternative qualitative inquiry. To accomplish this goal, we conducted a study of culturally responsive practices of three…

Mini Neutron Monitors at Concordia Research Station, Central Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poluianov, Stepan; Usoskin, Ilya; Mishev, Alexander; Moraal, Harm; Kruger, Helena; Casasanta, Giampietro; Traversi, Rita; Udisti, Roberto

2015-12-01

Two mini neutron monitors are installed at Concordia research station (Dome C, Central Antarctica, 75° 06' S, 123° 23' E, 3,233 m.a.s.l.). The site has unique properties ideal for cosmic ray measurements, especially for the detection of solar energetic particles: very low cutoff rigidity < 0.01 GV, high elevation and poleward asymptotic acceptance cones pointing to geographical latitudes > 75° S. The instruments consist of a standard neutron monitor and a "bare" (lead-free) neutron monitor. The instrument operation started in mid-January 2015. The barometric correction coefficients were computed for the period from 1 February to 31 July 2015. Several interesting events, including two notable Forbush decreases on 17 March 2015 and 22 June 2015, and a solar particle event of 29 October 2015 were registered. The data sets are available at cosmicrays.oulu.fi and nmdb.eu.

Life science research objectives and representative experiments for the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Catherine C. (Editor); Arno, Roger D. (Editor); Mains, Richard (Editor)

1989-01-01

A workshop was convened to develop hypothetical experiments to be used as a baseline for space station designer and equipment specifiers to ensure responsiveness to the users, the life science community. Sixty-five intra- and extramural scientists were asked to describe scientific rationales, science objectives, and give brief representative experiment descriptions compatible with expected space station accommodations, capabilities, and performance envelopes. Experiment descriptions include hypothesis, subject types, approach, equipment requirements, and space station support requirements. The 171 experiments are divided into 14 disciplines.

Cardiovascular research in space - Considerations for the design of the human research facility of the United States Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charles, J. B.; Bungo, M. W.

1986-01-01

The design of the Space Station's Human Research Facility for the collection of information on the long-time physiological adjustments of humans to space is described. The Space Life Sciences-1 mission will carry a rack-mounted echocardiograph for cardiac imaging, a mass spectrometer for cardiac output and respiratory function assessments at rest and during exercise, and a device to stimulate the carotid sinus baroreceptors and measure the resulting changes in heart rate.

Research across the disciplines: a road map for quality criteria in empirical ethics research.

PubMed

Mertz, Marcel; Inthorn, Julia; Renz, Günter; Rothenberger, Lillian Geza; Salloch, Sabine; Schildmann, Jan; Wöhlke, Sabine; Schicktanz, Silke

2014-03-01

Research in the field of Empirical Ethics (EE) uses a broad variety of empirical methodologies, such as surveys, interviews and observation, developed in disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Whereas these empirical disciplines see themselves as purely descriptive, EE also aims at normative reflection. Currently there is literature about the quality of empirical research in ethics, but little or no reflection on specific methodological aspects that must be considered when conducting interdisciplinary empirical ethics. Furthermore, poor methodology in an EE study results in misleading ethical analyses, evaluations or recommendations. This not only deprives the study of scientific and social value, but also risks ethical misjudgement. While empirical and normative-ethical research projects have quality criteria in their own right, we focus on the specific quality criteria for EE research. We develop a tentative list of quality criteria--a "road map"--tailored to interdisciplinary research in EE, to guide assessments of research quality. These quality criteria fall into the categories of primary research question, theoretical framework and methods, relevance, interdisciplinary research practice and research ethics and scientific ethos. EE research is an important and innovative development in bioethics. However, a lack of standards has led to concerns about and even rejection of EE by various scholars. Our suggested orientation list of criteria, presented in the form of reflective questions, cannot be considered definitive, but serves as a tool to provoke systematic reflection during the planning and composition of an EE research study. These criteria need to be tested in different EE research settings and further refined.

Social Indicators Research and Health-Related Quality of Life Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalos, Alex C.

2004-01-01

The aim of this essay is to build a bridge between two intersecting areas of research, social indicators research on the one hand and health-related quality of life research on the other. The first substantive section of the paper introduces key concepts and definitions in the social indicators research tradition, e.g., social indicators,…

Comparison of antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and conjugative transfer of Staphylococcus and Enterococcus isolates from International Space Station and Antarctic Research Station Concordia.

PubMed

Schiwon, Katarzyna; Arends, Karsten; Rogowski, Katja Marie; Fürch, Svea; Prescha, Katrin; Sakinc, Türkan; Van Houdt, Rob; Werner, Guido; Grohmann, Elisabeth

2013-04-01

The International Space Station (ISS) and the Antarctic Research Station Concordia are confined and isolated habitats in extreme and hostile environments. The human and habitat microflora can alter due to the special environmental conditions resulting in microbial contamination and health risk for the crew. In this study, 29 isolates from the ISS and 55 from the Antarctic Research Station Concordia belonging to the genera Staphylococcus and Enterococcus were investigated. Resistance to one or more antibiotics was detected in 75.8 % of the ISS and in 43.6 % of the Concordia strains. The corresponding resistance genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction in 86 % of the resistant ISS strains and in 18.2 % of the resistant Concordia strains. Plasmids are present in 86.2 % of the ISS and in 78.2 % of the Concordia strains. Eight Enterococcus faecalis strains (ISS) harbor plasmids of about 130 kb. Relaxase and/or transfer genes encoded on plasmids from gram-positive bacteria like pIP501, pRE25, pSK41, pGO1 and pT181 were detected in 86.2 % of the ISS and in 52.7 % of the Concordia strains. Most pSK41-homologous transfer genes were detected in ISS isolates belonging to coagulase-negative staphylococci. We demonstrated through mating experiments that Staphylococcus haemolyticus F2 (ISS) and the Concordia strain Staphylococcus hominis subsp. hominis G2 can transfer resistance genes to E. faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Biofilm formation was observed in 83 % of the ISS and in 92.7 % of the Concordia strains. In conclusion, the ISS isolates were shown to encode more resistance genes and possess a higher gene transfer capacity due to the presence of three vir signature genes, virB1, virB4 and virD4 than the Concordia isolates.

Space Station: Leadership for the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Franklin D.; Finn, Terence T.

1987-01-01

No longer limited to occasional spectaculars, space has become an essential, almost commonplace dimension of national life. Among other things, space is an arena of competition with our allies and adversaries, a place of business, a field of research, and an avenue of cooperation with our allies. The space station will play a critical role in each of these endeavors. Perhaps the most significant feature of the space station, essential to its utility for science, commerce, and technology, is the permanent nature of its crew. The space station will build upon the tradition of employing new capabilities to explore further and question deeper, and by providing a permanent presence, the station should significantly increase the opportunities for conducting research in space. Economic productivity is, in part, a function of technical innovation. A major thrust of the station design effort is devoted to enhancing performance through advanced technology. The space station represents the commitment of the United States to a future in space. Perhaps most importantly, as recovery from the loss of Challenger and its crew continues, the space station symbolizes the national determination to remain undeterred by tragedy and to continue exploring the frontiers of space.

The "Martian" flora: new collections of vascular plants, lichens, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria from the Mars Desert Research Station, Utah

PubMed Central

Freebury, Colin E.; Hamilton, Paul B.; Saarela, Jeffery M.

2016-01-01

Abstract The Mars Desert Research Station is a Mars analog research site located in the desert outside of Hanksville, Utah, U.S.A. Here we present a preliminary checklist of the vascular plant and lichen flora for the station, based on collections made primarily during a two-week simulated Mars mission in November, 2014. Additionally, we present notes on the endolithic chlorophytes and cyanobacteria, and the identification of a fungal genus also based on these collections. Altogether, we recorded 38 vascular plant species from 14 families, 13 lichen species from seven families, six algae taxa including both chlorophytes and cyanobacteria, and one fungal genus from the station and surrounding area. We discuss this floristic diversity in the context of the ecology of the nearby San Rafael Swell and the desert areas of Wayne and Emery counties in southeastern Utah. PMID:27350765

Energy-signal quality trade-offs in a WiMAX mobile station with a booster amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suherman; Mubarakah, N.; Wiranata, O.; Kasim, S. T.

2018-02-01

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a broadband wireless access technology that is able to provide high bit rate mobile internet services. Battery endurance remains a problem in current mobile communication. On the other hand, signal quality determines the successful run of the mobile applications. Energy consumption optimization cannot sacrifice the signal level required by the application to run smoothly. On the contrary, the application should consider battery life time. This paper examines the tradeoffs between energy and signal quality in WiMAX subscriber station by adjusting signal level using a booster amplifier. Simulation evaluations show that an increment of 0.00000104% energy consumption on using amplifier adaptively produces 16.411% signal to noise ratio (SNR) increment and 10.7% bit error rate (BER) decrement. By keeping the amplifier turned on, energy consumption increases up to 0.00000136%, causing the SNR rises to 17.2638% and BER drops to 11.13%. The evaluated application is video streaming, other application may behave differently.

Space station: Cost and benefits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Costs for developing, producing, operating, and supporting the initial space station, a 4 to 8 man space station, and a 4 to 24 man space station are estimated and compared. These costs include contractor hardware; space station assembly and logistics flight costs; and payload support elements. Transportation system options examined include orbiter modules; standard and extended duration STS fights; reusable spacebased perigee kick motor OTV; and upper stages. Space station service charges assessed include crew hours; energy requirements; payload support module storage; pressurized port usage; and OTV service facility. Graphs show costs for science missions, space processing research, small communication satellites; large GEO transportation; OVT launch costs; DOD payload costs, and user costs.

Trends of NOx, NO2 and O3 concentrations at three different types of air quality monitoring stations in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavroidis, I.; Ilia, M.

2012-12-01

This work presents a systematic analysis and evaluation of the historic and current levels of atmospheric pollution in the Athens metropolitan region, regarding nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2), ozone (O3) and the NO2/NOx and NO/NO2 concentration ratios. Hourly, daily, monthly, seasonal and annual pollutant variations are examined and compared, using the results of concentration time series from three different stations of the national network for air pollution monitoring, one urban-traffic, one urban-background and one suburban-background. Concentration data are also related to meteorological parameters. The results show that the traffic affected station of Patission Street presents the higher NOx values and the lower concentrations of O3, while it is the station with the highest number of NO2 limit exceedances. The monitoring data suggest, inter alia, that there is a change in the behaviour of the suburban-background station of Liossia at about year 2000, indicating that the exact location of this station may need to be reconsidered. Comparison of NOx concentrations in Athens with concentrations in urban areas of other countries reveal that the Patission urban-traffic station records very high NOx concentrations, while remarkably high is the ratio of NO2 concentrations recorded at the urban-traffic vs. the urban-background station in Athens, indicating the overarching role of vehicles and traffic congestion on NO2 formation. The NO2/NOx ratio in the urban-traffic station appears to be almost constant with time, while it has been increasing in other urban areas, such as London and Seoul, suggesting an increased effect of primary NO2 in these areas. Diesel passenger cars were only recently allowed in Athens and, therefore, NO2 trends should be carefully monitored since a possible increase in primary NO2 may affect compliance with NO2 air quality standards.

Psychosocial Research on the International Space Station: Special Privacy Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, N.; Salnitskiy, V.; Ritsher, J.; Grund, E.; Weiss, D.; Gushin, V.; Kozerenko, O.

Conducting psychosocial research with astronauts and cosmonauts requires special privacy and confidentiality precautions due to the high profile nature of the subject population and to individual crewmember perception of the risks inherent in divulging sensitive psychological information. Sampling from this small population necessitates subject protections above and beyond standard scientific human subject protocols. Many of these protections have relevance for psychosocial research on the International Space Station. In our previous study of psychosocial issues involving crewmembers on the Mir space station, special precautions were taken during each phase of the missions. These were implemented in order to gain the trust necessary to ameliorate the perceived risks of divulging potentially sensitive psychological information and to encourage candid responses. Pre-flight, a standard confidentiality agreement was provided along with a special layman's summary indicating that only group-level data would be presented, and subjects chose their own ID codes known only to themselves. In-flight, special procedures and technologies (such as encryption) were employed to protect the data during the collection. Post-flight, an analytic strategy was chosen to further mask subject identifiers, and draft manuscripts were reviewed by the astronaut office prior to publication. All of the eligible five astronauts and eight cosmonauts who flew joint US/Russian missions on the Mir were successfully recruited to participate, and their data completion rate was 76%. Descriptive analyses of the data indicated that there was sufficient variability in all of the measures to indicate that thoughtful, discriminating responses were being provided (e.g., the full range of response options was used in 63 of the 65 items of the Profile of Mood States measure, and both true and false response options were used in all 126 items of the Group Environment and the Work Environment measures). This

International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This artist's concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This artist's concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over Florida and the Bahamas. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating in the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

A report on upgraded seismic monitoring stations in Myanmar: Station performance and site response

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thiam, Hrin Nei; Min Htwe, Yin Myo; Kyaw, Tun Lin; Tun, Pa Pa; Min, Zaw; Htwe, Sun Hninn; Aung, Tin Myo; Lin, Kyaw Kyaw; Aung, Myat Min; De Cristofaro, Jason; Franke, Mathias; Radman, Stefan; Lepiten, Elouie; Wolin, Emily; Hough, Susan E.

2017-01-01

Myanmar is in a tectonically complex region between the eastern edge of the Himalayan collision zone and the northern end of the Sunda megathrust. Until recently, earthquake monitoring and research efforts have been hampered by a lack of modern instrumentation and communication infrastructure. In January 2016, a major upgrade of the Myanmar National Seismic Network (MNSN; network code MM) was undertaken to improve earthquake monitoring capability. We installed five permanent broadband and strong‐motion seismic stations and real‐time data telemetry using newly improved cellular networks. Data are telemetered to the MNSN hub in Nay Pyi Taw and archived at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center. We analyzed station noise characteristics and site response using noise and events recorded over the first six months of station operation. Background noise characteristics vary across the array, but indicate that the new stations are performing well. MM stations recorded more than 20 earthquakes of M≥4.5 within Myanmar and its immediate surroundings, including an M 6.8 earthquake located northwest of Mandalay on 13 April 2016 and the Mw 6.8 Chauk event on 24 August 2016. We use this new dataset to calculate horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratios, which provide a preliminary characterization of site response of the upgraded MM stations.

Research across the disciplines: a road map for quality criteria in empirical ethics research

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Research in the field of Empirical Ethics (EE) uses a broad variety of empirical methodologies, such as surveys, interviews and observation, developed in disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Whereas these empirical disciplines see themselves as purely descriptive, EE also aims at normative reflection. Currently there is literature about the quality of empirical research in ethics, but little or no reflection on specific methodological aspects that must be considered when conducting interdisciplinary empirical ethics. Furthermore, poor methodology in an EE study results in misleading ethical analyses, evaluations or recommendations. This not only deprives the study of scientific and social value, but also risks ethical misjudgement. Discussion While empirical and normative-ethical research projects have quality criteria in their own right, we focus on the specific quality criteria for EE research. We develop a tentative list of quality criteria – a “road map” – tailored to interdisciplinary research in EE, to guide assessments of research quality. These quality criteria fall into the categories of primary research question, theoretical framework and methods, relevance, interdisciplinary research practice and research ethics and scientific ethos. Summary EE research is an important and innovative development in bioethics. However, a lack of standards has led to concerns about and even rejection of EE by various scholars. Our suggested orientation list of criteria, presented in the form of reflective questions, cannot be considered definitive, but serves as a tool to provoke systematic reflection during the planning and composition of an EE research study. These criteria need to be tested in different EE research settings and further refined. PMID:24580847

A scientometric examination of the water quality research in India.

PubMed

Nishy, P; Saroja, Renuka

2018-03-16

Water quality has emerged as a fast-developing research area. Regular assessment of research activity is necessary for the successful R&D promotion. Water quality research work carried out in different countries increased over the years, and the USA ranked first in productivity while India stands in the seventh position in quantity and occupies the ninth position in quality of the research output. India observes a steady growth in the water quality research. Four thousand six hundred sixteen articles from India assessed from the aspect of citations received distributions of source countries, institutes, journals, impact factor, words in the title, author keywords. The qualitative and quantitative analysis identifies the contributions of the major institutions involved in research. Much of the country's water quality research is carried out by universities, public research institutions and science councils, whereas the contribution from Ministry of water resources not so significant. A considerable portion of Indian research is communicated through foreign journals, and the most active one is Environmental Monitoring and Assessment journal. Twenty-one percent of work is reported in journals published from India and around 7% ages in open access journals. The study highlights that international collaborative research resulted in high-quality papers. The authors meticulously analyse the published research works to gain a deeper understanding of focus areas through word cluster analyses on title words and keywords. When many papers deal with 'contamination', 'assessment' and 'treatment', enough studies done on 'water quality index', 'toxicity', considerable work is carried out in environmental, agricultural, industrial and health problems related to water quality. This detailed scientometric study from 1,09,766 research works from SCI-E during 1986-2015 plots the trends and identifies research hotspots for the benefit to scientists in the subject area. This study

Quality Assurance in Biobanking for Pre-Clinical Research

PubMed Central

Simeon-Dubach, Daniel; Zeisberger, Steffen M.; Hoerstrup, Simon P.

2016-01-01

It is estimated that not less than USD 28 billion are spent each year in the USA alone on irreproducible pre-clinical research, which is not only a fundamental loss of investment and resources but also a strong inhibitor of efficiency for upstream processes regarding the translation towards clinical applications and therapies. The issues and cost of irreproducibility has mainly been published on pre-clinical research. In contrast to pre-clinical research, test material is often being transferred into humans in clinical research. To protect treated human subjects and guarantee a defined quality standard in the field of clinical research, the manufacturing and processing infrastructures have to strictly follow and adhere to certain (inter-)national quality standards. It is assumed and suggested by the authors that by an implementation of certain quality standards within the area of pre-clinical research, billions of USD might be saved and the translation phase of promising pre-clinical results towards clinical applications may substantially be improved. In this review, we discuss how an implementation of a quality assurance (QA) management system might positively improve sample quality and sustainability within pre-clinically focused biobank infrastructures. Biobanks are frequently positioned at the very beginning of the biomedical research value chain, and, since almost every research material has been stored in a biobank during the investigated life cycle, biobanking seems to be of substantial importance from this perspective. The role model of a QA-regulated biobank structure can be found in biobanks within the context of clinical research organizations such as in regenerative medicine clusters. PMID:27781023

Volume equations for the Northern Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis Program as of 2010

Treesearch

Patrick D. Miles; Andrew D. Hill

2010-01-01

The U.S. Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program collects sample plot data on all forest ownerships across the United States. This report documents the methodology used to estimate live-tree gross, net, and sound volume for the 24 States inventoried by the Northern Research Station's (NRS) FIA unit. Sound volume is of particular interest...

Reusable Rack Interface Controller Common Software for Various Science Research Racks on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, George C.

2003-01-01

The purpose of the EXPRESS (Expedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station) rack project is to provide a set of predefined interfaces for scientific payloads which allow rapid integration into a payload rack on International Space Station (ISS). VxWorks' was selected as the operating system for the rack and payload resource controller, primarily based on the proliferation of VME (Versa Module Eurocard) products. These products provide needed flexibility for future hardware upgrades to meet everchanging science research rack configuration requirements. On the International Space Station, there are multiple science research rack configurations, including: 1) Human Research Facility (HRF); 2) EXPRESS ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System); 3) WORF (Window Observational Research Facility); and 4) HHR (Habitat Holding Rack). The RIC (Rack Interface Controller) connects payloads to the ISS bus architecture for data transfer between the payload and ground control. The RIC is a general purpose embedded computer which supports multiple communication protocols, including fiber optic communication buses, Ethernet buses, EIA-422, Mil-Std-1553 buses, SMPTE (Society Motion Picture Television Engineers)-170M video, and audio interfaces to payloads and the ISS. As a cost saving and software reliability strategy, the Boeing Payload Software Organization developed reusable common software where appropriate. These reusable modules included a set of low-level driver software interfaces to 1553B. RS232, RS422, Ethernet buses, HRDL (High Rate Data Link), video switch functionality, telemetry processing, and executive software hosted on the FUC computer. These drivers formed the basis for software development of the HRF, EXPRESS, EXPRESS ARIS, WORF, and HHR RIC executable modules. The reusable RIC common software has provided extensive benefits, including: 1) Significant reduction in development flow time; 2) Minimal rework and maintenance; 3) Improved reliability; and 4) Overall

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-02-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Payload Operations Center (POC) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, is the world's primary science command post for the International Space Station (ISS), the most ambitious space research facility in human history. The Payload Operations team is responsible for managing all science research experiments aboard the Station. The center is also home for coordination of the mission-plarning work of variety of international sources, all science payload deliveries and retrieval, and payload training and safety programs for the Station crew and all ground personnel. Within the POC, critical payload information from the ISS is displayed on a dedicated workstation, reading both S-band (low data rate) and Ku-band (high data rate) signals from a variety of experiments and procedures operated by the ISS crew and their colleagues on Earth. The POC is the focal point for incorporating research and experiment requirements from all international partners into an integrated ISS payload mission plan. This photograph is an overall view of the MSFC Payload Operations Center displaying the flags of the countries participating the ISS. The flags at the left portray The United States, Canada, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Japan, Brazil, and Sweden. The flags at the right portray The Russian Federation, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain, United Kingdom, Denmark, and Norway.

The challenge of the US Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beggs, J. M.

1985-01-01

The U.S. Space Station program is described. The objectives of the present national space policy are reviewed. International involvement and commercial use of space are the two strategies involved in the development of the Space Station. The Space Station is to be a multifunctional, modular, permanent facility with manned and unmanned platforms. The functions of the Space Station for space research projects, such as material processing and electrophoresis, are examined. The infrastructure required for commercialization of space is analyzed. NASA's space policy aimed at stimulating space commerce is discussed. NASA's plans to reduce the financial, institutional, and technical risks of space research are studied.

Monitoring water cycle elements using GNSS geodetic receivers at the field research station Marquardt, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simeonov, Tzvetan; Vey, Sibylle; Alshawaf, Fadwa; Dick, Galina; Guerova, Guergana; Güntner, Andreas; Hohmann, Christian; Kunwar, Ajeet; Trost, Benjamin; Wickert, Jens

2017-04-01

Water storage variations in the atmosphere and in soils are among the most dynamic within the Earth's water cycle. The continuous measurement of water storage in these media with a high spatial and temporal resolution is a challenging task, not yet completely solved by various observation techniques. With the development of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) a new approach for atmospheric water vapor estimation in the atmosphere and in parallel of soil moisture in the vicinity of GNSS ground stations was established in the recent years with several key advantages compared to traditional techniques. Regional and global GNSS networks are nowadays operationally used to provide the Integrated Water Vapor (IWV) information with high temporal resolution above the individual stations. Corresponding data products are used to improve the day-by-day weather prediction of leading forecast centers. Selected stations from these networks can be used to additionally derive the soil moisture in the vicinity of the receivers. Such parallel measurement of IWV and soil moisture using a single measuring device provides a unique possibility to analyze water fluxes between the atmosphere and the land surface. We installed an advanced experimental GNSS setup for hydrology at the field research station of the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy in Marquardt, around 30km West of Berlin, Germany. The setup includes several GNSS receivers, various Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) sensors at different depths for soil moisture measurement and an meteorological station. The setup was mainly installed to develop and improve GNSS based techniques for soil moisture determination and to analyze GNSS IWV and SM in parallel on a long-term perspective. We introduce initial results from more than two years of measurements. The comparison in station Marquardt shows good agreement (correlation 0.79) between the GNSS derived soil moisture and the TDR measurements. A

System analysis study of space platform and station accommodations for life sciences research facilities. Volume 2: Study results. Appendix D: Life sciences research facility requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiley, Lowell F.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this requirements document is to develop the foundation for concept development for the Life Sciences Research Facility (LSRF) on the Space Station. These requirements are developed from the perspective of a Space Station laboratory module outfitter. Science and mission requirements including those related to specimens are set forth. System requirements, including those for support, are detailed. Functional and design requirements are covered in the areas of structures, mechanisms, electrical power, thermal systems, data management system, life support, and habitability. Finally, interface requirements for the Command Module and Logistics Module are described.

Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-01

This is an artist's concept of the Research and Applications Modules (RAM). Evolutionary growth was an important consideration in space station plarning, and another project was undertaken in 1971 to facilitate such growth. The RAM study, conducted through a Marshall Space Flight Center contract with General Dynamics Convair Aerospace, resulted in the conceptualization of a series of RAM payload carrier-sortie laboratories, pallets, free-flyers, and payload and support modules. The study considered two basic manned systems. The first would use RAM hardware for sortie mission, where laboratories were carried into space and remained attached to the Shuttle for operational periods up to 7 days. The second envisioned a modular space station capability that could be evolved by mating RAM modules to the space station core configuration. The RAM hardware was to be built by Europeans, thus fostering international participation in the space program.

Transformation of Air Quality Monitor Data from the International Space Station into Toxicological Effect Groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.; Zalesak, Selina M.

2011-01-01

The primary reason for monitoring air quality aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is to determine whether air pollutants have collectively reached a concentration where the crew could experience adverse health effects. These effects could be near-real-time (e.g. headache, respiratory irritation) or occur late in the mission or even years later (e.g. cancer, liver toxicity). Secondary purposes for monitoring include discovery that a potentially harmful compound has leaked into the atmosphere or that air revitalization system performance has diminished. Typical ISS atmospheric trace pollutants consist of alcohols, aldehydes, aromatic compounds, halo-carbons, siloxanes, and silanols. Rarely, sulfur-containing compounds and alkanes are found at trace levels. Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) have been set in cooperation with a subcommittee of the National Research Council Committee on Toxicology. For each compound and time of exposure, the limiting adverse effect(s) has been identified. By factoring the analytical data from the Air Quality Monitor (AQM), which is in use as a prototype instrument aboard the ISS, through the array of compounds and SMACs, the risk of 16 specific adverse effects can be estimated. Within each adverse-effect group, we have used an additive model proportioned to each applicable 180-day SMAC to estimate risk. In the recent past this conversion has been performed using archival data, which can be delayed for months after an air sample is taken because it must be returned to earth for analysis. But with the AQM gathering in situ data each week, NASA is in a position to follow toxic-effect groups and correlate these with any reported crew symptoms. The AQM data are supplemented with data from real-time CO2 instruments aboard the ISS and from archival measurements of formaldehyde, which the AQM cannot detect.

Weaving Together Space Biology and the Human Research Program: Selecting Crops and Manipulating Plant Physiology to Produce High Quality Food for ISS Astronauts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia; Hummerick, Mary; Douglas, Grace; Wheeler, Raymond

2015-01-01

Researchers from the Human Research Program (HRP) have teamed up with plant biologists at KSC to explore the potential for plant growth and food production on the international space station (ISS) and future exploration missions. KSC Space Biology (SB) brings a history of plant and plant-microbial interaction research for station and for future bioregenerative life support systems. JSC HRP brings expertise in Advanced Food Technology (AFT), Advanced Environmental Health (AEH), and Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP). The Veggie plant growth hardware on the ISS is the platform that first drove these interactions. As we prepared for the VEG-01 validation test of Veggie, we engaged with BHP to explore questions that could be asked of the crew that would contribute both to plant and to behavioral health research. AFT, AEH and BHP stakeholders were engaged immediately after the return of the Veggie flight samples of space-grown lettuce, and this team worked with the JSC human medical offices to gain approvals for crew consumption of the lettuce on ISS. As we progressed with Veggie testing we began performing crop selection studies for Veggie that were initiated through AFT. These studies consisted of testing and down selecting leafy greens, dwarf tomatoes, and dwarf pepper crops based on characteristics of plant growth and nutritional levels evaluated at KSC, and organoleptic quality evaluated at JSCs Sensory Analysis lab. This work has led to a successful collaborative proposal to the International Life Sciences Research Announcement for a jointly funded HRP-SB investigation of the impacts of light quality and fertilizer on salad crop productivity, nutrition, and flavor in Veggie on the ISS. With this work, and potentially with other pending joint projects, we will continue the synergistic research that will advance the space biology knowledge base, help close gaps in the human research roadmap, and enable humans to venture out to Mars and beyond.

New approach for quality control in manufacturing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanzah, Muhammad Radhi bin; Rahim, Wan Mohd Faizal Wan Abd; Khor, C. Y.; Ishak, Muhammad Ikman; Rosli, M. U.; Jamalludin, Mohd Riduan; Zakaria, M. S.; Nawi, M. A. M.

2017-09-01

This study was regulated exclusively in view of theoretical aspect and further research should be done to demonstrate it in the genuine circumstance. The structure of this investigation including two industrial visits, i.e. interviews and meeting with approved staff from each organization agents. This review is cut up into two sections. Aside from the perception, little gatherings with the staffs from both organizations are held. With the subtle elements, the review is begun up. The aim of the study is characterized as to enhance the assessment strategy at quality control station to minimize defect outflow to the following client. This is to investigate the underlying factor in ebb and flow quality control framework so that another strategy to enhance quality control framework can implemented. Quality is a basic characteristic to be instated so that the end goal to fulfill clients' need is achieved. After a long hypothetical review is made, the best answer for be actualized at QG station to beat defects outflow to the following customer is by photoelectric sensor. It is reasonable, simple to keep up and has a high affectability to identify the defective items at the QG station.

EFRs in the Rocky Mountain Research Station: Understanding patterns of forest growth, weather and disturbance [Chapter 2.8

Treesearch

G. Sam Foster; Todd Mower; Russell Graham; Theresa B. Jain

2014-01-01

How does forest growth integrate weather, insect and disease attach, management actions, and natural disturbance? Which of these has the most impact on forest growth, composition, structure, and change? These questions have animated the activities of scientists of the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) since its earliest days, and continue to animate our research...

Improving Data Quality in Mass-Gatherings Health Research.

PubMed

Guy, Andrew; Prager, Ross; Turris, Sheila; Lund, Adam

2017-06-01

Mass gatherings attract large crowds and can strain the planning and health resources of the community, city, or nation hosting an event. Mass-Gatherings Health (MGH) is an evolving niche of prehospital care rooted in emergency medicine, emergency management, public health, and disaster medicine. To explore front-line issues related to data quality in the context of mass gatherings, the authors draw on five years of management experience with an online, mass-gathering event and patient registry, as well as clinical and operational experience amassed over several decades. Here the authors propose underlying human, environmental, and logistical factors that may contribute to poor data quality at mass gatherings, and make specific recommendations for improvement through pre-event planning, on-site actions, and post-event follow-up. The advancement of MGH research will rely on addressing factors that influence data quality and developing strategies to mitigate or enhance those factors. This is an exciting time for MGH research as higher order questions are beginning to be addressed; however, quality research must start from the ground up to ensure optimal primary data capture and quality. Guy A , Prager R , Turris S , Lund A . Improving data quality in mass-gatherings health research. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):329-332.

Ice crystal number concentration measured at mountain-top research stations - What do we measure?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, A.; Henneberger, J.; Fugal, J. P.; David, R.; Larcher, L.; Lohmann, U.

2017-12-01

To assess the impact of surface processes (e.g. blowing snow and hoar frost) on the ice crystal number concentrations (ICNCs) measured at mountain-top research stations, vertical profiles of ICNCs were observed up to a height of 10 m at the Sonnblick Observatory (SBO) in the Hohen Tauern Region, Austria. Independent of the presence of a cloud, the observed ICNCs decrease with height. This suggests a strong impact of surface processes on ICNCs measured at mountain-top research stations. Consequently, the measured ICNCs are not representative of the cloud, which limits the relevance of ground-based measurements for atmospheric studies. When the SBO was cloud free, the observed ICNCs reached several hundreds per liter near the surface and gradually decreased by more than two orders of magnitudes within the observed height interval of 10 m. The observed ice crystals had predominantly irregular habits, which is expected from surface processes. During in-cloud conditions, the ICNCs decreased between a factor of five and ten, if the ICNC at the surface was larger than 100 l-1. For one case study, the ICNC for regular and irregular ice crystals showed a similar relative decrease with height, which is not expected from surface processes. Therefore, we propose two near-surface processes that potentially enrich ICNCs near the surface and explain these findings: Either sedimenting ice crystals are captured in a turbulent layer above the surface or the ICNC is enhanced in a convergence zone, as the cloud is forced over a mountain. These two processes would also have an impact on ICNCs measured at mountain-top stations if the surrounding surface is not snow covered. Thus, ground-based measured ICNCs are uncharacteristic of the cloud properties aloft.

Levitation Technology in International Space Station Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guinart-Ramirez, Y.; Cooley, V. M.; Love, J. E.

2016-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique multidisciplinary orbiting laboratory for science and technology research, enabling discoveries that benefit life on Earth and exploration of the universe. ISS facilities for containerless sample processing in Materials Science experiments include levitation devices with specimen positioning control while reducing containment vessel contamination. For example, ESA's EML (ElectroMagnetic Levitator), is used for melting and solidification of conductive metals, alloys, or semiconductors in ultra-high vacuum, or in high-purity gaseous atmospheres. Sample heating and positioning are accomplished through electromagnetic fields generated by a coil system. EML applications cover investigation of solidification and microstructural formation, evaluation of thermophysical properties of highly reactive metals (whose properties can be very sensitive to contamination), and examination of undercooled liquid metals to understand metastable phase convection and influence convection on structural changes. MSL utilization includes development of novel light-weight, high-performance materials. Another facility, JAXA's ELF (Electrostatic Levitation Furnace), is used to perform high temperature melting while avoiding chemical reactions with crucibles by levitating a sample through Coulomb force. ELF is capable of measuring density, surface tension, and viscosity of samples at high temperatures. One of the initial ELF investigations, Interfacial Energy-1, is aimed at clarification of interfacial phenomena between molten steels and oxide melts with industrial applications in control processes for liquid mixing. In addition to these Materials Science facilities, other ISS investigations that involve levitation employ it for biological research. For example, NASA's "Magnetic 3D Culturing and Bioprinting" investigation uses magnetic levitation for three-dimensional culturing and positioning of magnetized cells to generate spheroid assemblies

78 FR 61362 - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-03

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Notice of Meetings AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS. ACTION: Notice of Five AHRQ Subcommittee Meetings. SUMMARY: The subcommittees listed below are part of AHRQ's Health Services Research...

In-Flight Water Quality Monitoring on the International Space Station (ISS): Measuring Biocide Concentrations with Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Schultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D.; Lipert, Robert J.; Flint, Stephanie M.; McCoy, J. Torin

2011-01-01

The colorimetric water quality monitoring kit (CWQMK) was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) on STS-128/17A and was initially deployed in September 2009. The kit was flown as a station development test objective (SDTO) experiment to evaluate the acceptability of colorimetric solid phase extraction (CSPE) technology for routine water quality monitoring on the ISS. During the SDTO experiment, water samples from the U.S. water processor assembly (WPA), the U.S. potable water dispenser (PWD), and the Russian system for dispensing ground-supplied water (SVO-ZV) were collected and analyzed with the CWQMK. Samples from the U.S. segment of the ISS were analyzed for molecular iodine, which is the biocide added to water in the WPA. Samples from the SVOZV system were analyzed for ionic silver, the biocide used on the Russian segment of the ISS. In all, thirteen in-flight analysis sessions were completed as part of the SDTO experiment. This paper provides an overview of the experiment and reports the results obtained with the CWQMK. The forward plan for certifying the CWQMK as operational hardware and expanding the capabilities of the kit are also discussed.

Space station architectural elements model study. Space station human factors research review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Thomas C.; Khan, Eyoub; Spencer, John; Rocha, Carlos; Cliffton, Ethan Wilson

1987-01-01

Presentation visuals and an extended abstract represent a study to explore and analyze the interaction of major utilities distribution, generic workstation, and spatial composition of the SPACEHAB space station module. Issues addressed include packing densities vs. circulation, efficiency of packing vs. standardization, flexibility vs. diversity, and composition of interior volume as space for living vs. residual negative volume. The result of the study is expected to be a series of observations and preliminary evaluation criteria which focus on the productive living environment for a module in orbit.

Performance Evaluation of the Operational Air Quality Monitor for Water Testing Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, William T.; Limero, Thomas F.; Gazda, Daniel B.; Macatangay, Ariel V.; Dwivedi, Prabha; Fernandez, Facundo M.

2014-01-01

In the history of manned spaceflight, environmental monitoring has relied heavily on archival sampling. For short missions, this type of sample collection was sufficient; returned samples provided a snapshot of the presence of chemical and biological contaminants in the spacecraft air and water. However, with the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) and the subsequent extension of mission durations, soon to be up to one year, the need for enhanced, real-time environmental monitoring became more pressing. The past several years have seen the implementation of several real-time monitors aboard the ISS, complemented with reduced archival sampling. The station air is currently monitored for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using gas chromatography-differential mobility spectrometry (Air Quality Monitor [AQM]). The water on ISS is analyzed to measure total organic carbon and biocide concentrations using the Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) and the Colorimetric Water Quality Monitoring Kit (CWQMK), respectively. The current air and water monitors provide important data, but the number and size of the different instruments makes them impractical for future exploration missions. It is apparent that there is still a need for improvements in environmental monitoring capabilities. One such improvement could be realized by modifying a single instrument to analyze both air and water. As the AQM currently provides quantitative, compound-specific information for target compounds present in air samples, and many of the compounds are also targets for water quality monitoring, this instrument provides a logical starting point to evaluate the feasibility of this approach. In this presentation, we will discuss our recent studies aimed at determining an appropriate method for introducing VOCs from water samples into the gas phase and our current work, in which an electro-thermal vaporization unit has been interfaced with the AQM to analyze target analytes at the

Habitability research priorities for the International Space Station and beyond.

PubMed

Whitmore, M; Adolf, J A; Woolford, B J

2000-09-01

Advanced technology and the desire to explore space have resulted in increasingly longer manned space missions. Long Duration Space Flights (LDSF) have provided a considerable amount of scientific research on the ability of humans to adapt and function in microgravity environments. In addition, studies conducted in analogous environments, such as winter-over expeditions in Antarctica, have complemented the scientific understanding of human performance in LDSF. These findings indicate long duration missions may take a toll on the individual, both physiologically and psychologically, with potential impacts on performance. Significant factors in any manned LDSF are habitability, workload and performance. They are interrelated and influence one another, and therefore necessitate an integrated research approach. An integral part of this approach will be identifying and developing tools not only for assessment of habitability, workload, and performance, but also for prediction of these factors as well. In addition, these tools will be used to identify and provide countermeasures to minimize decrements and maximize mission success. The purpose of this paper is to identify research goals and methods for the International Space Station (ISS) in order to identify critical factors and level of impact on habitability, workload, and performance, and to develop and validate countermeasures. Overall, this approach will provide the groundwork for creating an optimal environment in which to live and work onboard ISS as well as preparing for longer planetary missions.

Infusing culture into oncology research on quality of life.

PubMed

Ashing-Giwa, Kimlin; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie

2006-01-01

To review the literature relevant to understanding culturally informed oncology research, particularly as it relates to health-related quality of life. Published articles and books. A cultural perspective to the prevailing theory and research methods used in oncology research with respect to quality of life is imperative. A multidimensional and practical framework can be applied to increase cultural competence in research by addressing the purpose of the research, theoretical framework, and methodologic approaches. Culturally competent, multicultural research will help the scientific community better comprehend disparities that exist in health-related quality of life so that benefits can be experienced by all patients. Nursing practice and research must continue its leadership role to infuse cultural competence and reduce disparities in the healthcare system.

An appraisal of the quality of published qualitative dental research.

PubMed

Masood, Mohd; Thaliath, Ebin T; Bower, Elizabeth J; Newton, J Timothy

2011-06-01

To appraise the quality of published qualitative research in dentistry and identify aspects of quality, which require attention in future research. Qualitative research studies on dental topics were appraised using the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) appraisal framework for qualitative research. The percentage of CASP criteria fully met during the assessment was used as an indication of the quality of each paper. Individual criteria were not weighted. Forty-three qualitative studies were identified for appraisal of which 48% had a dental public health focus. Deficiencies in detail of reporting, research design, methodological rigour, presentation of findings, reflexivity, credibility of findings and relevance of study were identified. Problems with quality were apparent irrespective of journal impact factor, although papers from low impact factor journals exhibited the most deficiencies. Journals with the highest impact factors published the least qualitative research. The quality of much of the qualitative research published on dental topics is mediocre. Qualitative methods are underutilized in oral health research. If quality guidelines such as the CASP framework are used in the context of a thorough understanding of qualitative research design and data analysis, they can promote good practice and the systematic assessment of qualitative research. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Materials Science Research Rack Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reagan, Shawn; Frazier, Natalie; Lehman, John; Aicher, Winfried

2013-01-01

The Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) is a research facility developed under a cooperative research agreement between NASA and ESA for materials science investigations on the International Space Station (ISS). MSRR was launched on STS-128 in August 2009 and currently resides in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module. Since that time, MSRR has logged more than 1000 hours of operating time. The MSRR accommodates advanced investigations in the microgravity environment on the ISS for basic materials science research in areas such as solidification of metals and alloys. The purpose is to advance the scientific understanding of materials processing as affected by microgravity and to gain insight into the physical behavior of materials processing. MSRR allows for the study of a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, semiconductor crystals, and glasses. Materials science research benefits from the microgravity environment of space, where the researcher can better isolate chemical and thermal properties of materials from the effects of gravity. With this knowledge, reliable predictions can be made about the conditions required on Earth to achieve improved materials. MSRR is a highly automated facility with a modular design capable of supporting multiple types of investigations. The NASA-provided Rack Support Subsystem provides services (power, thermal control, vacuum access, and command and data handling) to the ESA-developed Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) that accommodates interchangeable Furnace Inserts (FI). Two ESA-developed FIs are presently available on the ISS: the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) and the Solidification and Quenching Furnace (SQF). Sample Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs), each containing one or more material samples, are installed in the FI by the crew and can be processed at temperatures up to 1400C. ESA continues to develop samples with 14 planned for launch and processing in the near future. Additionally NASA has begun developing SCAs to

Materials Science Research Rack Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reagan, S. E.; Lehman, J. R.; Frazier, N. C.

2016-01-01

The Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) is a research facility developed under a cooperative research agreement between NASA and ESA for materials science investigations on the International Space Station (ISS). MSRR was launched on STS-128 in August 2009 and currently resides in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module. Since that time, MSRR has logged more than 1400 hours of operating time. The MSRR accommodates advanced investigations in the microgravity environment on the ISS for basic materials science research in areas such as solidification of metals and alloys. The purpose is to advance the scientific understanding of materials processing as affected by microgravity and to gain insight into the physical behavior of materials processing. MSRR allows for the study of a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, semiconductor crystals, and glasses. Materials science research benefits from the microgravity environment of space, where the researcher can better isolate chemical and thermal properties of materials from the effects of gravity. With this knowledge, reliable predictions can be made about the conditions required on Earth to achieve improved materials. MSRR is a highly automated facility with a modular design capable of supporting multiple types of investigations. The NASA-provided Rack Support Subsystem provides services (power, thermal control, vacuum access, and command and data handling) to the ESA-developed Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) that accommodates interchangeable Furnace Inserts (FI). Two ESA-developed FIs are presently available on the ISS: the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) and the Solidification and Quenching Furnace (SQF). Sample Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs), each containing one or more material samples, are installed in the FI by the crew and can be processed at temperatures up to 1400degC. ESA continues to develop samples with 14 planned for launch and processing in the near future. Additionally NASA has begun developing SCAs to

Materials Science Research Rack Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reagan, Shawn; Frazier, Natalie; Lehman, John

2016-01-01

The Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) is a research facility developed under a cooperative research agreement between NASA and ESA for materials science investigations on the International Space Station (ISS). MSRR was launched on STS-128 in August 2009 and currently resides in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module. Since that time, MSRR has logged more than 1400 hours of operating time. The MSRR accommodates advanced investigations in the microgravity environment on the ISS for basic materials science research in areas such as solidification of metals and alloys. The purpose is to advance the scientific understanding of materials processing as affected by microgravity and to gain insight into the physical behavior of materials processing. MSRR allows for the study of a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, semiconductor crystals, and glasses. Materials science research benefits from the microgravity environment of space, where the researcher can better isolate chemical and thermal properties of materials from the effects of gravity. With this knowledge, reliable predictions can be made about the conditions required on Earth to achieve improved materials. MSRR is a highly automated facility with a modular design capable of supporting multiple types of investigations. The NASA-provided Rack Support Subsystem provides services (power, thermal control, vacuum access, and command and data handling) to the ESA-developed Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) that accommodates interchangeable Furnace Inserts (FI). Two ESA-developed FIs are presently available on the ISS: the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) and the Solidification and Quenching Furnace (SQF). Sample Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs), each containing one or more material samples, are installed in the FI by the crew and can be processed at temperatures up to 1400?C. ESA continues to develop samples with 14 planned for launch and processing in the near future. Additionally NASA has begun developing SCAs to

[MODERN INSTRUMENTS FOR EAR, NOSE AND THROAT RENDERING AND EVALUATION IN RESEARCHES ON RUSSIAN SEGMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION].

PubMed

Popova, I I; Orlov, O I; Matsnev, E I; Revyakin, Yu G

2016-01-01

The paper reports the results of testing some diagnostic video systems enabling digital rendering of TNT teeth and jaws. The authors substantiate the criteria of choosing and integration of imaging systems in future on Russian segment of the International space station kit LOR developed for examination and download of high-quality images of cosmonauts' TNT, parodentium and teeth.

Groundwater quality and occurrence and distribution of selected constituents in the Aquia and Upper Patapsco aquifers, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary's County, Maryland, July 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dieter, Cheryl A.; Campo, Kimberly W.; Baker, Anna C.

2012-01-01

The Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland has continued to expand in the first decade of the 21st century, contributing to rapid population growth in the surrounding area. The increase in population has caused State and County water managers and others to be concerned about the impact of population growth on the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey has been investigating the groundwater resources of the air station since 1998. As part of that ongoing investigation, groundwater was sampled in 2008 in six wells in the Aquia aquifer and two wells in the Upper Patapsco aquifer in the vicinity of Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Webster Outlying Field. Groundwater samples were analyzed for basic chemistry (field parameters, major ions, and nutrients) as well as several water-quality issues of concern including the occurrence of arsenic and tungsten, and saltwater intrusion. The results of the 2008 groundwater-quality sampling indicate that the overall quality of groundwater in the Aquia aquifer has not changed since 1943; data are too limited to determine if groundwater quality has changed in the Upper Patapsco aquifer. At one well in the Aquia aquifer, the arsenic concentration exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for drinking water. Arsenic was not detected in samples from the Upper Patapsco aquifer. Tungsten concentrations were detected at low concentrations near the laboratory reporting level in all eight samples. There was no evidence of saltwater intrusion in any of the wells.

Quality Control Specialist | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Within the Leidos Biomedical Research Inc.’s Clinical Research Directorate, the Clinical Monitoring Research Program (CMRP) provides high-quality comprehensive and strategic operational support to the high-profile domestic and international clinical research initiatives of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID),

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This artist's digital concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over Florida. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

Association of journal quality indicators with methodological quality of clinical research articles.

PubMed

Lee, Kirby P; Schotland, Marieka; Bacchetti, Peter; Bero, Lisa A

2002-06-05

The ability to identify scientific journals that publish high-quality research would help clinicians, scientists, and health-policy analysts to select the most up-to-date medical literature to review. To assess whether journal characteristics of (1) peer-review status, (2) citation rate, (3) impact factor, (4) circulation, (5) manuscript acceptance rate, (6) MEDLINE indexing, and (7) Brandon/Hill Library List indexing are predictors of methodological quality of research articles, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 243 original research articles involving human subjects published in general internal medical journals. The mean (SD) quality score of the 243 articles was 1.37 (0.22). All journals reported a peer-review process and were indexed on MEDLINE. In models that controlled for article type (randomized controlled trial [RCT] or non-RCT), journal citation rate was the most statistically significant predictor (0.051 increase per doubling; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.037-0.065; P<.001). In separate analyses by article type, acceptance rate was the strongest predictor for RCT quality (-0.113 per doubling; 95% CI, -0.148 to -0.078; P<.001), while journal citation rate was the most predictive factor for non-RCT quality (0.051 per doubling; 95% CI, 0.044-0.059; P<.001). High citation rates, impact factors, and circulation rates, and low manuscript acceptance rates and indexing on Brandon/Hill Library List appear to be predictive of higher methodological quality scores for journal articles.

Characterization and evaluation of five jaboticaba accessions at the subtropical horticulture research station in Miami, Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fruit of five Jaboticaba (Myrciaria caulifloria) cultivars ‘MC-05-06’, ‘MC-05-14’, ‘MC-05-12’, ‘MC-06-15,’ and ‘MC-06-14’ were evaluated and characterized at the National Germplasm Repository, Subtropical horticulture Research Station (SHRS) Miami, Florida. Thirty fruits were harvested from clona...

Research Notes - Openness and Evolvability - Documentation Quality Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Notes – Openness and Evolvability – Documentation Quality Assessment Michael Haddy* and Adam Sbrana...Methods and Processes. This set of Research Notes focusses on Documentation Quality Assessment. This work was undertaken from the late 1990s to 2007...1 2. DOCUMENTATION QUALITY ASSESSMENT ......................................................... 1 2.1 Documentation Quality Assessment

SUPPORT OF GULF OF MEXICO HYDRATE RESEARCH CONSORTIUM: ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEA FLOOR MONITORING STATION PROJECT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul Higley; J. Robert Woolsey; Ralph Goodman

The Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium (GOM-HRC) was established in 1999 to assemble leaders in gas hydrates research. The primary objective of the group has been to design and emplace a remote monitoring station or sea floor observatory (MS/SFO) on the sea floor in the northern Gulf of Mexico by the year 2005, in an area where gas hydrates are known to be present at, or just below, the sea floor. This mission, although unavoidably delayed by hurricanes and other disturbances, necessitates assembling a station that will monitor physical and chemical parameters of the sea water and sea floormore » sediments on a more-or-less continuous basis over an extended period of time. Development of the station has always included the possibility of expanding its capabilities to include biological monitoring, as a means of assessing environmental health. This possibility has recently achieved reality via the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology's (NIUST) solicitation for proposals for research to be conducted at the MS/SFO. Establishment of the Consortium has succeeded in fulfilling the critical need to coordinate activities, avoid redundancies and communicate effectively among researchers in the arena of gas hydrates research. Complementary expertise, both scientific and technical, has been assembled to promote innovative research methods and construct necessary instrumentation. The observatory has achieved a microbial dimension in addition to the geophysical and geochemical components it had already included. Initial components of the observatory, a probe that collects pore-fluid samples and another that records sea floor temperatures, were deployed in Mississippi Canyon 118 in May of 2005. Follow-up deployments, planned for fall 2005, have had to be postponed and the use of the vessel M/V Ocean Quest and its two manned submersibles sacrificed due to the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Katrina (and later, Rita) on the Gulf Coast. Every effort

Animal research on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonting, S. L.; Arno, R. D.; Corbin, S. D.

1987-01-01

The need for in-depth, long- and short-term animal experimentation in space to qualify man for long-duration space missions, and to study the effects of the absence and presence of Earth's gravity and of heavy particle radiation on the development and functioning of vertebrates is described. The major facilities required for these investigations and to be installed on the Space Station are: modular habitats for holding rodents and small primates in full bioisolation; a habitat holding facility; 1.8 and 4.0 m dia centrifuges; a multipurpose workbench; and a cage cleaner/disposal system. The design concepts, functions, and characteristics of these facilities are described.

A Survey Data Quality Strategy: The Institutional Research Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qin

2009-01-01

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

Gravitational biology on the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keefe, J. R.; Krikorian, A. D.

1983-01-01

The current status of gravitational biology is summarized, future areas of required basic research in earth-based and spaceflight projects are presented, and potential applications of gravitational biology on a space station are demonstrated. Topics covered include vertebrate reproduction, prenatal/postnatal development, a review of plant space experiments, the facilities needed for growing plants, gravimorphogenesis, thigmomorphogenesis, centrifuges, maintaining a vivarium, tissue culture, and artificial human organ generation. It is proposed that space stations carrying out these types of long-term research be called the National Space Research Facility.

Relationship of Fiber Properties to Vortex Yarn Quality via Partial Least Squares

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cotton Quality Research Station (CQRS) of the USDA-ARS, recently completed a comprehensive study of the relationship of cotton fiber properties to the quality of spun yarn. The five year study, began in 2001, utilized commercial variety cotton grown, harvested and ginned in each of three major ...

CHARACTERISTIC QUALITIES OF SOME ATOMIC POWER STATIONS (in Hungarian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ligeti, G.

1962-04-01

Mostly as the result of economic factors, the current rate of construction of public atomic power stations has slowed down. The use of atomic energy is considered economical only in a few special cases, such as ship propulsion or supplying power to remote regions. For this reason, many reactors were designed especially for the construction of such midget'' power stations, operating at power levels ranging from 10 to 70 Mw. Technical details are given of such already-built or proposed systems, including the following: pressurized- water reactors such as the Babcock and Wilcox 60-Mw reactor, using 2.4% U/sup 235/ fuel; themore » Humphrey-Glasow Company's 20 Mw reactor; the gascooled system of the de Havilland Company; the organicmoderated reactor of the English Electric Company; the organic-moderated system of the Hawker-Siddeley Nuclear Power Company; the boiling-water reactor of the Mitchell Engineering Company and the steam-cooled, heavy-water reactor of the Rolls-Royce & Vickers Company. (TTT)« less

Seismicity of Central Asia as Observed on Three IMS Stations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

and BVAR are all high-quality seismic arrays . Noise levels at the stations are generally acceptable for the period reviewed, except during the...following conditions: (1) a 4.5-Hz intermittent noise source at MKAR, (2) periodic high-frequency bursts on portions of the SONM array , and (3) a...seismic events (including single station events) observable on three central Asian IMS seismic array stations: Makanchi, Kazakhstan (MKAR); Songino

Space Station Freedom user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This guide is intended to inform prospective users of the accommodations and resources provided by the Space Station Freedom program. Using this information, they can determine if Space Station Freedom is an appropriate laboratory or facility for their research objectives. The steps that users must follow to fly a payload on Freedom are described. This guide covers the accommodations and resources available on the Space Station during the Man-Tended Capability (MTC) period, scheduled to begin the end of 1996, and a Permanently Manned Capability (PMC) beginning in late 1999.

Biotechnology opportunities on Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deming, Jess; Henderson, Keith; Phillips, Robert W.; Dickey, Bernistine; Grounds, Phyllis

1987-01-01

Biotechnology applications which could be implemented on the Space Station are examined. The advances possible in biotechnology due to the favorable microgravity environment are discussed. The objectives of the Space Station Life Sciences Program are: (1) the study of human diseases, (2) biopolymer processing, and (3) the development of cryoprocessing and cryopreservation methods. The use of the microgravity environment for crystal growth, cell culturing, and the separation of biological materials is considered. The proposed Space Station research could provide benefits to the fields of medicine, pharmaceuticals, genetics, agriculture, and industrial waste management.

Introduction to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohrs, Richard

1992-01-01

NASA field centers and contractors are organized to develop 'work packages' for Space Station Freedom. Marshall Space Flight Center and Boeing are building the U.S. laboratory and habitation modules, nodes, and environmental control and life support system; Johnson Space Center and McDonnell Douglas are responsible for truss structure, data management, propulsion systems, thermal control, and communications and guidance; Lewis Research Center and Rocketdyne are developing the power system. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is contributing a Mobile Servicing Center, Special Dextrous Manipulator, and Mobile Servicing Center Maintenance Depot. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is contributing a Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), which includes a pressurized module, logistics module, and exposed experiment facility. The European Space Agency (ESA) is contributing the Columbus laboratory module. NASA ground facilities, now in various stages of development to support Space Station Freedom, include: Marshall Space Flight Center's Payload Operations Integration Center and Payload Training Complex (Alabama), Johnson Space Center's Space Station Control Center and Space Station Training Facility (Texas), Lewis Research Center's Power System Facility (Ohio), and Kennedy Space Center's Space Station Processing Facility (Florida). Budget appropriations impact the development of the Space Station. In Fiscal Year 1988, Congress appropriated only half of the funds that NASA requested for the space station program ($393 million vs. $767 million). In FY 89, NASA sought $967 million for the program, and Congress appropriated $900 million. NASA's FY 90 request was $2.05 billion compared to an appropriation of $1.75 billion; the FY 91 request was $2.45 billion, and the appropriation was $1.9 billion. After NASA restructured the Space Station Freedom program in response to directions from Congress, the agency's full budget request of $2.029 billion for Space Station

Enhancing the quality of case studies in health services research.

PubMed Central

Yin, R K

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance on improving the quality of case studies in health services research. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data, drawing from previous case study research. RESEARCH DESIGN: Guidance is provided to two audiences: potential case study investigators (eight items) and reviewers of case study proposals (four additional items). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The guidance demonstrates that many operational steps can be undertaken to improve the quality of case studies. These steps have been a hallmark of high-quality case studies in related fields but have not necessarily been practiced in health services research. CONCLUSIONS: Given higher-quality case studies, the case study method can become a valuable tool for health services research. Images Figure 3 PMID:10591280

Materials Science Research Rack Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazier, Natalie C.; Johnson, Jimmie; Aicher, Winfried

2011-01-01

The Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) allows for the study of a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, semiconductor crystals, and glasses onboard the International Space Station (ISS). MSRR was launched on STS-128 in August 2009, and is currently installed in the U. S. Destiny Laboratory Module. Since that time, MSRR has performed virtually flawlessly logging more than 550 hours of operating time. Materials science is an integral part of development of new materials for everyday life here on Earth. The goal of studying materials processing in space is to develop a better understanding of the chemical and physical mechanisms involved. Materials science research benefits from the microgravity environment of space, where the researcher can better isolate chemical and thermal properties of materials from the effects of gravity. With this knowledge, reliable predictions can be made about the conditions required on Earth to achieve improved materials. MSRR is a highly automated facility containing two furnace inserts in which Sample Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs), each containing one material sample, can be processed up to temperatures of 1400C. Once an SCA is installed by a Crew Member, the experiment can be run by automatic command or science conducted via telemetry commands from the ground. Initially, 12 SCAs were processed in the first furnace insert for a team of European and US investigators. The processed samples have been returned to Earth for evaluation and comparison of their properties to samples similarly processed on the ground. A preliminary examination of the samples indicates that the majority of the desired science objectives have been successfully met leading to significant improvements in the understanding of alloy solidification processes. The second furnace insert will be installed in the facility in January 2011 for processing the remaining SCA currently on orbit. Six SCAs are planned for launch summer 2011, and additional batches are

Morphological and physio-chemical characterization of five Canistel accessions at the subtropical horticulture research station in Miami Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fruit of five canistel cultivars, 'Fairchild','E11', 'Keisau', 'TREC#3' and 'TREC 3680' were evaluated and characterized at the National Germplasm Repository, Subtropical horticulture Research Station (SHRS) Miami, Florida. Thirty fruits were harvested from clonal accessions during July and August, ...

2017 Space Station Science in Pictures

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-02

From molecular biology to fluid physics, life sciences and robotics, 2017 was a robust year for research aboard Earth’s only microgravity laboratory. The International Space Station hosts more than 300 experiments during a given Expedition, each working to further space exploration and/or benefit life back on Earth. Here’s a look back at just some of the science that happened on the orbiting laboratory. HD Download: https://archive.org/details/jsc2017m001167_2017_Space_Station_Science_in_Pictures _______________________________________ FOLLOW THE SPACE STATION! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Space_Station Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISS Instagram: https://instagram.com/iss/

Rodent Research on the International Space Station - A Look Forward

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapusta, A. B.; Smithwick, M.; Wigley, C. L.

2014-01-01

Rodent Research on the International Space Station (ISS) is one of the highest priority science activities being supported by NASA and is planned for up to two flights per year. The first Rodent Research flight, Rodent Research-1 (RR-1) validates the hardware and basic science operations (dissections and tissue preservation). Subsequent flights will add new capabilities to support rodent research on the ISS. RR-1 will validate the following capabilities: animal husbandry for up to 30 days, video downlink to support animal health checks and scientific analysis, on-orbit dissections, sample preservation in RNA. Later and formalin, sample transfer from formalin to ethanol (hindlimbs), rapid cool-down and subsequent freezing at -80 of tissues and carcasses, sample return and recovery. RR-2, scheduled for SpX-6 (Winter 20142015) will add the following capabilities: animal husbandry for up to 60 days, RFID chip reader for individual animal identification, water refill and food replenishment, anesthesia and recovery, bone densitometry, blood collection (via cardiac puncture), blood separation via centrifugation, soft tissue fixation in formalin with transfer to ethanol, and delivery of injectable drugs that require frozen storage prior to use. Additional capabilities are also planned for future flights and these include but are not limited to male mice, live animal return, and the development of experiment unique equipment to support science requirements for principal investigators that are selected for flight. In addition to the hardware capabilities to support rodent research the Crew Office has implemented a training program in generic rodent skills for all USOS crew members during their pre-assignment training rotation. This class includes training in general animal handling, euthanasia, injections, and dissections. The dissection portion of this training focuses on the dissection of the spleen, liver, kidney with adrenals, brain, eyes, and hindlimbs. By achieving and

Station Set Residual: Event Classification Using Historical Distribution of Observing Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Procopio, Mike; Lewis, Jennifer; Young, Chris

2010-05-01

Analysts working at the International Data Centre in support of treaty monitoring through the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization spend a significant amount of time reviewing hypothesized seismic events produced by an automatic processing system. When reviewing these events to determine their legitimacy, analysts take a variety of approaches that rely heavily on training and past experience. One method used by analysts to gauge the validity of an event involves examining the set of stations involved in the detection of an event. In particular, leveraging past experience, an analyst can say that an event located in a certain part of the world is expected to be detected by Stations A, B, and C. Implicit in this statement is that such an event would usually not be detected by Stations X, Y, or Z. For some well understood parts of the world, the absence of one or more "expected" stations—or the presence of one or more "unexpected" stations—is correlated with a hypothesized event's legitimacy and to its survival to the event bulletin. The primary objective of this research is to formalize and quantify the difference between the observed set of stations detecting some hypothesized event, versus the expected set of stations historically associated with detecting similar nearby events close in magnitude. This Station Set Residual can be quantified in many ways, some of which are correlated with the analysts' determination of whether or not the event is valid. We propose that this Station Set Residual score can be used to screen out certain classes of "false" events produced by automatic processing with a high degree of confidence, reducing the analyst burden. Moreover, we propose that the visualization of the historically expected distribution of detecting stations can be immediately useful as an analyst aid during their review process.

Specific Quality Criteria for Research Papers on Adults Learning Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wedege, Tine

2009-01-01

Since 1997, the identity of the research field of adults learning mathematics has been debated; the research field has grown in quantity and quality; and the research forum Adults Learning Mathematics (ALM) has established an international journal. In practice, the researchers answer the question about identity and quality of research papers in…

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This artist's concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over Florida and the Bahamas. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating in the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This artist's concept depicts the completely assembled International Space Station (ISS) passing over the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. As a gateway to permanent human presence in space, the Space Station Program is to expand knowledge benefiting all people and nations. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide unprecedented undertakings in scientific, technological, and international experimentation. Experiments to be conducted in the ISS include: microgravity research, Earth science, space science, life sciences, space product development, and engineering research and technology. The sixteen countries participating the ISS are: United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Brazil.

Train users’ perceptions of walking distance to train station and attributes of paratransit service: understanding their association with decision using paratransit or not towards the train station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafriharti, R.; Kombaitan, B.; Kusumantoro, I. P.; Syabri, I.

2018-05-01

Access mode is an important factor in public transport systems. Most of the train users from Cicalengka to Padalarang via Bandung use paratransit as access mode. Access modes under this study are only paratransit and walking. This study aims to explore the relationship between access mode choice to the station and the perception about walking distance to station, perception about attributes of paratransit service quality which consist of accessibility, cheapness, comfortable, swiftness, safety, security and easiness. Of all the variables tested, walking distance to the station is the only variable relating to the mode access choice. So, a person will tend to use paratransit when his/her perception of walking distance to station is relatively far away. While perceptions about the quality of paratransit service can not determine whether a person will choose paratransit or not.

Materials Science Research Hardware for Application on the International Space Station: an Overview of Typical Hardware Requirements and Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, D. A.; Cobb, S.; Fiske, M. R.; Srinivas, R.

2000-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the lead center for Materials Science Microgravity Research. The Materials Science Research Facility (MSRF) is a key development effort underway at MSFC. The MSRF will be the primary facility for microgravity materials science research on board the International Space Station (ISS) and will implement the NASA Materials Science Microgravity Research Program. It will operate in the U.S. Laboratory Module and support U. S. Microgravity Materials Science Investigations. This facility is being designed to maintain the momentum of the U.S. role in microgravity materials science and support NASA's Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) Enterprise goals and objectives for Materials Science. The MSRF as currently envisioned will consist of three Materials Science Research Racks (MSRR), which will be deployed to the International Space Station (ISS) in phases, Each rack is being designed to accommodate various Experiment Modules, which comprise processing facilities for peer selected Materials Science experiments. Phased deployment will enable early opportunities for the U.S. and International Partners, and support the timely incorporation of technology updates to the Experiment Modules and sensor devices.

Space Station medical sciences concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, J. A.; Johnson, P. C., Jr.

1984-01-01

Current life sciences concepts relating to Space Station are presented including the following: research, extravehicular activity, biobehavioral considerations, medical care, maintenance of dental health, maintaining health through physical conditioning and countermeasures, protection from radiation, atmospheric contamination control, atmospheric composition, noise pollution, food supply and service, clothing and furnishings, and educational program possibilities. Information on the current status of Soviet Space Stations is contained.

Academic research groups: evaluation of their quality and quality of their evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berche, Bertrand; Holovatch, Yuri; Kenna, Ralph; Mryglod, Olesya

2016-02-01

In recent years, evaluation of the quality of academic research has become an increasingly important and influential business. It determines, often to a large extent, the amount of research funding flowing into universities and similar institutes from governmental agencies and it impacts upon academic careers. Policy makers are becoming increasingly reliant upon, and influenced by, the outcomes of such evaluations. In response, university managers are increasingly attracted to simple metrics as guides to the dynamics of the positions of their various institutions in league tables. However, these league tables are invariably drawn up by inexpert bodies such as newspapers and magazines, using arbitrary measures and criteria. Terms such as “critical mass” and “h-index” are bandied about without understanding of what they actually mean. Rather than accepting the rise and fall of universities, departments and individuals on a turbulent sea of arbitrary measures, we suggest it is incumbent upon the scientific community itself to clarify their nature. Here we report on recent attempts to do that by properly defining critical mass and showing how group size influences research quality. We also examine currently predominant metrics and show that these fail as reliable indicators of group research quality.

On demand processing of climate station sensor data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wöllauer, Stephan; Forteva, Spaska; Nauss, Thomas

2015-04-01

Large sets of climate stations with several sensors produce big amounts of finegrained time series data. To gain value of this data, further processing and aggregation is needed. We present a flexible system to process the raw data on demand. Several aspects need to be considered to process the raw data in a way that scientists can use the processed data conveniently for their specific research interests. First of all, it is not feasible to pre-process the data in advance because of the great variety of ways it can be processed. Therefore, in this approach only the raw measurement data is archived in a database. When a scientist requires some time series, the system processes the required raw data according to the user-defined request. Based on the type of measurement sensor, some data validation is needed, because the climate station sensors may produce erroneous data. Currently, three validation methods are integrated in the on demand processing system and are optionally selectable. The most basic validation method checks if measurement values are within a predefined range of possible values. For example, it may be assumed that an air temperature sensor measures values within a range of -40 °C to +60 °C. Values outside of this range are considered as a measurement error by this validation method and consequently rejected. An other validation method checks for outliers in the stream of measurement values by defining a maximum change rate between subsequent measurement values. The third validation method compares measurement data to the average values of neighboring stations and rejects measurement values with a high variance. These quality checks are optional, because especially extreme climatic values may be valid but rejected by some quality check method. An other important task is the preparation of measurement data in terms of time. The observed stations measure values in intervals of minutes to hours. Often scientists need a coarser temporal resolution

Technology development activities for housing research animals on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenner, Jeffrey W.; Garin, Vladimir M.; Nguyen, Frank D.

1991-01-01

The development and design of animal facilities are described in terms of the technological needs for NASA's Biological Flight Research Laboratory. Animal habitats are presented with illustrations which encompass waste-collection techniques for microgravity conditions that reduce the need for crew participation. The technology is intended to be highly compatible with animal morphology, and airflow is employed as the primary mechanism of waste control. The airflow can be utilized in the form of localized high-speed directed flow that simultaneously provides a clean animal habitat and low airflow rates. The design of an animal-habitat testbed is presented which capitalizes on contamination-control mechanisms and suitable materials for microgravity conditions. The developments in materials and technologies represent significant contributions for the design of the centrifuge facilities for the Space Station Freedom.

International Business Research: Coauthorship Patterns and Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Kam C; Fung, Hung-Gay; Leung, Wai K.

2008-01-01

The authors investigate published international business research in four international business journals over a 10-year period, 1995-2004: (a) patterns of coauthorship across regions, and (b) the relation between coauthorship patterns and the quality of international business (IB) articles. A cross-region coauthorship enhances the quality of an…

OSSA Space Station Freedom science utilization plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cressy, Philip J.

Long duration exposure to an essentially zero-gravity environment is a phenomenon exclusive to the Space Station Freedom that cannot be duplicated on Earth. The Freedom Station will offer periods of time on orbit extending to weeks and months rather than hours or days, allowing for in-depth space based research and analysis to a degree never before achieved. OSSA remains committed to exploiting the unique capabilities provided by the Space Station as well as other space-based facilities to study the nature of physical, chemical, and biological processes in a low-gravity environment and to apply these studies to advance science and applications in such fields as biomedical research, plant and animal physiology, exobiology, biotechnology, materials science, fluid physics, and combustion science. The OSSA focus is on progressive science investigations, many requiring hands-on scientist involvement using sophisticated experiment hardware. OSSA science utilization planning for the Freedom Station is firmly established. For this presentation, this planning is discussed in three general areas: OSSA goals and overall approach, the current and on-going program, and plans for space station utilization. In the first area, OSSA addresses its overall approach to space science research, its commitment to transition to Space Station Freedom, and its top-level strategy for the utilization of Freedom. The current and on-going program is next discussed, focusing on the various Spacelab series of missions which are providing the stepping-stones to Space Station Freedom. Selected science results from SLS-1 and USML-1 are cited which underline the value of properly outfitted laboratories in space in which crew-intensive experiment interactions are possible. The presentation is concluded with a discussion of top-level goals and strategies for utilizing the Freedom Station by OSSA's Life Sciences Division and its Microgravity Science and Applications Division.

OSSA Space Station Freedom science utilization plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cressy, Philip J.

1992-01-01

Long duration exposure to an essentially zero-gravity environment is a phenomenon exclusive to the Space Station Freedom that cannot be duplicated on Earth. The Freedom Station will offer periods of time on orbit extending to weeks and months rather than hours or days, allowing for in-depth space based research and analysis to a degree never before achieved. OSSA remains committed to exploiting the unique capabilities provided by the Space Station as well as other space-based facilities to study the nature of physical, chemical, and biological processes in a low-gravity environment and to apply these studies to advance science and applications in such fields as biomedical research, plant and animal physiology, exobiology, biotechnology, materials science, fluid physics, and combustion science. The OSSA focus is on progressive science investigations, many requiring hands-on scientist involvement using sophisticated experiment hardware. OSSA science utilization planning for the Freedom Station is firmly established. For this presentation, this planning is discussed in three general areas: OSSA goals and overall approach, the current and on-going program, and plans for space station utilization. In the first area, OSSA addresses its overall approach to space science research, its commitment to transition to Space Station Freedom, and its top-level strategy for the utilization of Freedom. The current and on-going program is next discussed, focusing on the various Spacelab series of missions which are providing the stepping-stones to Space Station Freedom. Selected science results from SLS-1 and USML-1 are cited which underline the value of properly outfitted laboratories in space in which crew-intensive experiment interactions are possible. The presentation is concluded with a discussion of top-level goals and strategies for utilizing the Freedom Station by OSSA's Life Sciences Division and its Microgravity Science and Applications Division.

Undergraduate research internships: veterinary students' experiences and the relation with internship quality.

PubMed

Jaarsma, Debbie A D C; Muijtjens, Arno M M; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Schuurmans, Eva M; Van Beukelen, Peter; Scherpbier, Albert J J A

2009-05-01

The learning environment of undergraduate research internships has received little attention, compared to postgraduate research training. This study investigates students' experiences with research internships, particularly the quality of supervision, development of research skills, the intellectual and social climate, infrastructure support, and the clarity of goals and the relationship between the experiences and the quality of students' research reports and their overall satisfaction with internships. A questionnaire (23 items, a 5-point Likert scale) was administered to 101 Year five veterinary students after completion of a research internship. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with quality of supervision, development of research skills, climate, infrastructure and clarity of goals as independent variables and the quality of students' research reports and students' overall satisfaction as dependent variables. The response rate was 79.2%. Students' experiences are generally positive. Students' experiences with the intellectual and social climate are significantly correlated with the quality of research reports whilst the quality of supervision is significantly correlated with both the quality of research reports and students' overall satisfaction with the internship. Both the quality of supervision and the climate are found to be crucial factors in students' research learning and satisfaction with the internship.

Space Station life sciences guidelines for nonhuman experiment accommodation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arno, R.; Hilchey, J.

1985-01-01

Life scientists will utilize one of four habitable modules which constitute the initial Space Station configuration. This module will be initially employed for studies related to nonhuman and human life sciences. At a later date, a new module, devoted entirely to nonhuman life sciences will be launched. This report presents a description of the characteristics of a Space Station laboratory facility from the standpoint of nonhuman research requirements. Attention is given to the science rationale for experiments which support applied medical research and basic gravitational biology, mission profiles and typical equipment and subsystem descriptions, issues associated with the accommodation of nonhuman life sciences on the Space Station, and conceptual designs for the initial operational capability configuration and later Space Station life-sciences research facilities.

Affordable Space Tourism: SpaceStationSim

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

For over 5 years, people have been living and working in space on the International Space Station (ISS), a state-of-the-art laboratory complex orbiting high above the Earth. Offering a large, sustained microgravity environment that cannot be duplicated on Earth, the ISS furthers humankind s knowledge of science and how the body functions for extended periods of time in space all of which will prove vital on long-duration missions to Mars. On-orbit construction of the station began in November 1998, with the launch of the Russian Zarya Control Module, which provided battery power and fuel storage. This module was followed by additional components and supplies over the course of several months. In November 2000, the first ISS Expedition crew moved in. Since then, the ISS has continued to change and evolve. The space station is currently 240 feet wide, measured across the solar arrays, and 171 feet long, from the NASA Destiny Laboratory to the Russian Zvezda Habitation Module. It is 90 feet tall, and it weighs approximately 404,000 pounds. Crews inhabit a living space of about 15,000 cubic feet. To date, 90 scientific investigations have been conducted on the space station. New results from space station research, from basic science to exploration research, are being published each month, and more breakthroughs are likely to come. It is not all work on the space station, though. The orbiting home affords many of the comforts one finds on Earth. There is a weightless "weight room" and even a musical keyboard alongside research facilities. Holidays are observed, and with them, traditional foods such as turkey and cobbler are eaten, with lemonade to wash them down

Conveying International Space Station Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goza, Sharon P.

2017-01-01

Over 1,000 experiments have been completed, and others are being conducted and planed on the International Space Station (ISS). In order to make the information on these experiments accessible, the IGOAL develops mobile applications to easily access this content and video products to convey high level concepts. This presentation will feature the Space Station Research Explorer as well as several publicly available video examples.

Ethnobotanical Research at the Kutukú Scientific Station, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador

PubMed Central

Bracco, Francesco; Cerna, Marco; Vita Finzi, Paola; Vidari, Giovanni

2016-01-01

This work features the results of an ethnobotanical study on the uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of the region near to the Kutukú Scientific Station of Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, located in the Morona-Santiago province, southeast of Ecuador. In the surroundings of the station, one ethnic group, the Shuar, has been identified. The survey hereafter reports a total of 131 plant species, with 73 different therapeutic uses. PMID:28074189

Ethnobotanical Research at the Kutukú Scientific Station, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Jose Luis; Bracco, Francesco; Cerna, Marco; Vita Finzi, Paola; Vidari, Giovanni

2016-01-01

This work features the results of an ethnobotanical study on the uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of the region near to the Kutukú Scientific Station of Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, located in the Morona-Santiago province, southeast of Ecuador. In the surroundings of the station, one ethnic group, the Shuar, has been identified. The survey hereafter reports a total of 131 plant species, with 73 different therapeutic uses.

Remote Sensing Information Sciences Research Group: Santa Barbara Information Sciences Research Group, year 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, John E.; Smith, Terence; Star, Jeffrey L.

1987-01-01

Information Sciences Research Group (ISRG) research continues to focus on improving the type, quantity, and quality of information which can be derived from remotely sensed data. Particular focus in on the needs of the remote sensing research and application science community which will be served by the Earth Observing System (EOS) and Space Station, including associated polar and co-orbiting platforms. The areas of georeferenced information systems, machine assisted information extraction from image data, artificial intelligence and both natural and cultural vegetation analysis and modeling research will be expanded.

Quality-of-care research in mental health: responding to the challenge.

PubMed

McGlynn, E A; Norquist, G S; Wells, K B; Sullivan, G; Liberman, R P

1988-01-01

Quality-of-care research in mental health is in the developmental stages, which affords an opportunity to take an integrative approach, building on principles from efficacy, effectiveness, quality assessment, and quality assurance research. We propose an analytic strategy for designing research on the quality of mental health services using an adaptation of the structure, process, and outcome classification scheme. As a concrete illustration of our approach, we discuss research on a particular target population-patients with chronic schizophrenia. Future research should focus on developing models of treatment, establishing criteria and standards for outcomes and processes, and gathering data on community practices.

Space station group activities habitability module study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, David

1986-01-01

This study explores and analyzes architectural design approaches for the interior of the Space Station Habitability Module (originally defined as Habitability Module 1 in Space Station Reference Configuration Decription, JSC-19989, August 1984). In the Research Phase, architectural program and habitability design guidelines are specified. In the Schematic Design Phase, a range of alternative concepts is described and illustrated with drawings, scale-model photographs and design analysis evaluations. Recommendations are presented on the internal architectural, configuration of the Space Station Habitability Module for such functions as the wardroom, galley, exercise facility, library and station control work station. The models show full design configurations for on-orbit performance.

[Assessment of the Space Station Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerrebrock, Jack L.

1994-01-01

This letter report by the National Research Council's (NRC's) Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board addresses comments on NASA's response to the Board's 1993 letter report, NASA's response to technical and management recommendations from previous NRC technical reports on the Space Station, and an assessment of the current International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) program.

Final report on the portable weather station.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

This station was required to have air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and : pavement temperature sensors of similar quality to the traditional RWIS sensors, have an integrated solar : powered battery system, and be trailer...

The development of a volatile organics concentrator for use in monitoring Space Station water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodek, Itamar; Ehntholt, Daniel J.; Stolki, Thomas J.; Valentine, James R.; Trabanino, Rudy; Webb, Johanna V.; Sauer, Richard L.

1991-01-01

A breadboard concept of a volatile organics concentrator (VOC) is manufactured and tested for optimized water-quality analysis in a space environment. The VOC system is attached to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer to analyze the volatile chemicals relevant to the operation of Space Station Freedom. The preliminary tests include: (1) comparisons with analyses based on direct on-column injections of standards; (2) analyses of iodinated volatile organics; (3) comparisons of nitrogen vs helium as the chromatography carrier gas; and (4) measurements of collection efficiency. The VOC can analyze EPA method-624 analytes at comparable detection using flame-ionization detection and can analyze volatile iodinated compounds. The breadboard has good reproducibility and can use nitrogen as a carrier gas; good results are noted for the collection and concentration levels and for water removal.

Conducting Research on the International Space Station Using the EXPRESS Rack Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Sean W.; Lake, Robert E.

2013-01-01

Conducting Research on the International Space Station using the EXPRESS Rack Facilities. Sean W. Thompson and Robert E. Lake. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA. Eight "Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station" (EXPRESS) Rack facilities are located within the International Space Station (ISS) laboratories to provide standard resources and interfaces for the simultaneous and independent operation of multiple experiments within each rack. Each EXPRESS Rack provides eight Middeck Locker Equivalent locations and two drawer locations for powered experiment equipment, also referred to as sub-rack payloads. Payload developers may provide their own structure to occupy the equivalent volume of one, two, or four lockers as a single unit. Resources provided for each location include power (28 Vdc, 0-500 W), command and data handling (Ethernet, RS-422, 5 Vdc discrete, +/- 5 Vdc analog), video (NTSC/RS 170A), and air cooling (0-200 W). Each rack also provides water cooling (500 W) for two locations, one vacuum exhaust interface, and one gaseous nitrogen interface. Standard interfacing cables and hoses are provided on-orbit. One laptop computer is provided with each rack to control the rack and to accommodate payload application software. Four of the racks are equipped with the Active Rack Isolation System to reduce vibration between the ISS and the rack. EXPRESS Racks are operated by the Payload Operations Integration Center at Marshall Space Flight Center and the sub-rack experiments are operated remotely by the investigating organization. Payload Integration Managers serve as a focal to assist organizations developing payloads for an EXPRESS Rack. NASA provides EXPRESS Rack simulator software for payload developers to checkout payload command and data handling at the development site before integrating the payload with the EXPRESS Functional Checkout Unit for an end-to-end test before flight. EXPRESS Racks began supporting investigations

Reducing The Station-to Station Variability of Umkehr Ozone Trends Using SAGE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newchurch, Mike; Allen, Mark; Cunnold, Derek; Herman, Ben; Mateer, Carl

2000-01-01

This proposed research sought to use SAGE I and II ozone and aerosol measurements to reduce the variability in ozone trends, principally, but not exclusively, in layer 8 (40 km) derived from multiple Umkehr stations. Building on our experience with both SAGE and Umkehr data, we proposed to commence at the very beginning of the Umkehr process (measured radiance ratios) and proceed through the fitting and inversion processes in conjunction with radiative transfer calculations to establish a consistent, reliable time series of Umkehr ozone profiles at a number of stations. We expected to be able to reconcile the present discrepancies between SAGE and Umkehr trends in the upper stratosphere and, in particular, to reduce the variability in trend estimates among mid-latitude Umkehr stations.

The Use of Water During the Crew 144, Mars Desert Research Station, Utah Desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Morais Mendonca Teles, Antonio

2016-07-01

Well. from November 29th to December 14th, 2014, the author conducted astrobiological and geological surveys, as analog astronaut member of the international Crew 144, at the site of the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station, located at a remote location in the Utah desert, United States. The use of water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, etc., in the crew was a major issue for consideration for a human expedition to the planet Mars in the future. The author would like to tell about the factors of the rationalized use of water.

U.S. Geological Survey Catskill/Delaware Water-Quality Network: Water-Quality Report Water Year 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

McHale, Michael R.; Siemion, Jason

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates a 60-station streamgaging network in the New York City Catskill/Delaware Water Supply System. Water-quality samples were collected at 13 of the stations in the Catskill/Delaware streamgaging network to provide resource managers with water-quality and water-quantity data from the water-supply system that supplies about 85 percent of the water needed by the more than 9 million residents of New York City. This report summarizes water-quality data collected at those 13 stations plus one additional station operated as a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Long-Term Monitoring Network for the 2006 water year (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006). An average of 62 water-quality samples were collected at each station during the 2006 water year, including grab samples collected every other week and storm samples collected with automated samplers. On average, 8 storms were sampled at each station during the 2006 water year. The 2006 calendar year was the second warmest on record and the summer of 2006 was the wettest on record for the northeastern United States. A large storm on June 26-28, 2006, caused extensive flooding in the western part of the network where record peak flows were measured at several watersheds.

Space Station Freedom combustion research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faeth, G. M.

1992-01-01

Extended operations in microgravity, on board spacecraft like Space Station Freedom, provide both unusual opportunities and unusual challenges for combustion science. On the one hand, eliminating the intrusion of buoyancy provides a valuable new perspective for fundamental studies of combustion phenomena. On the other hand, however, the absence of buoyancy creates new hazards of fires and explosions that must be understood to assure safe manned space activities. These considerations - and the relevance of combustion science to problems of pollutants, energy utilization, waste incineration, power and propulsion systems, and fire and explosion hazards, among others - provide strong motivation for microgravity combustion research. The intrusion of buoyancy is a greater impediment to fundamental combustion studies than to most other areas of science. Combustion intrinsically heats gases with the resulting buoyant motion at normal gravity either preventing or vastly complicating measurements. Perversely, this limitation is most evident for fundamental laboratory experiments; few practical combustion phenomena are significantly affected by buoyancy. Thus, we have never observed the most fundamental combustion phenomena - laminar premixed and diffusion flames, heterogeneous flames of particles and surfaces, low-speed turbulent flames, etc. - without substantial buoyant disturbances. This precludes rational merging of theory, where buoyancy is of little interest, and experiments, that always are contaminated by buoyancy, which is the traditional path for developing most areas of science. The current microgravity combustion program seeks to rectify this deficiency using both ground-based and space-based facilities, with experiments involving space-based facilities including: laminar premixed flames, soot processes in laminar jet diffusion flames, structure of laminar and turbulent jet diffusion flames, solid surface combustion, one-dimensional smoldering, ignition and flame

Research on International Space Station - Building a Partnership for the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gindl, Heinz; Scheimann, Jens; Shirakawa, Masaki; Suvorov, Vadim; Uri, John J.

2004-01-01

As its name implies, the International Space Station is a platform where the research programs of 16 partner nations are conducted. While each partner pursues its own research priorities, cooperation and coordination of the various national and agency research programs occurs at multiple levels, from strategic through tactical planning to experiment operations. Since 2000, a significant number of experiments have been carried out in the Russian ISS utilization program, which consists of the Russian national program of fundamental and applied research in 11 research areas and international cooperative programs and contract activities. The US research program began with simple payloads in 2000 and was significantly expanded with the addition of the US Laboratory module Destiny in 2001, and its outfitting with seven research racks to date. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have made use of international cooperative arrangements with both the US and Russia to implement a variety of investigations in diverse research areas, and in the case of ESA included the flights of crewmembers to ISS as part of Soyuz Science Missions. In the future, ESA and JAXA will add their own research modules, Columbus and Kibo, respectively, to expand research capabilities both inside and outside ISS. In the aftermath of the Columbia accident and the temporary grounding of the Space Shuttle fleet, all ISS logistics have relied on Russian Progress and Sopz vehicles. The Russian national program has continued as before the Shuttle accident, as have international cooperative programs and contract activities, both during long-duration expeditions and visiting taxi missions. In several instances, Russian international cooperative activities with JAXA and ESA have also involved the use of US facilities and crewmembers in successful truly multilateral efforts. The US research program was rapidly refocused after the

On the use of Space Station Freedom in support of the SEI - Life science research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leath, K.; Volosin, J.; Cookson, S.

1992-01-01

The use of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) for life sciences research is evaluated from the standpoint of requirements for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). SEI life sciences research encompasses: (1) biological growth and development in space; (2) life support and environmental health; (3) physiological/psychological factors of extended space travel; and (4) space environmental factors. The platforms required to support useful study in these areas are listed and include ground-based facilities, permanently manned spacecraft, and the Space Shuttle. The SSF is shown to be particularly applicable to the areas of research because its facilities can permit the study of gravitational biology, life-support systems, and crew health. The SSF can serve as an experimental vehicle to derive the required knowledge needed to establish a commitment to manned Mars missions and colonization plans.

Ride quality research techniques: Section on general techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Information is gathered about the methods currently used for the study of ride quality in a variety of transportation modes by a variety of research organizations, including universities, Federal agencies, contracting firms, and private industries. Detailed descriptions of these techniques and their strengths and weaknesses, and identifying the organizations using such methods are presented. The specific efforts of the Group's participants, as well as a variety of feasible approaches not currently in use, are presented as methodological alternatives under the three basic factors which must be considered in ride quality studies: research techniques, research environments, and choice of subjects.

Spatio-temporal evaluation of Yamchi Dam basin water quality using Canadian water quality index.

PubMed

Farzadkia, Mahdi; Djahed, Babak; Shahsavani, Esmaeel; Poureshg, Yousef

2015-04-01

In recent years, the growth of population and increase of the industries around the tributaries of Yamchi Dam basin have led to deterioration of dam water quality. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of the Yamchi Dam basin water, which is used for drinking and irrigation consumptions using Canadian Water Quality Index (CWQI) model, and to determine the main water pollution sources of this basin. Initially, nine sampling stations were selected in the sensitive locations of the mentioned basin's tributaries, and 12 physico-chemical parameters and 2 biological parameters were measured. The CWQI for drinking consumptions was under 40 at all the stations indicating a poor water quality for drinking consumptions. On the other hand, the CWQI was 62-100 for irrigation at different stations; thus, the water had an excellent to fair quality for irrigation consumptions. Almost in all the stations, the quality of irrigation and drinking water in cold season was better. Besides, for drinking use, total coliform and fecal coliform had the highest frequency of failure, and total coliform had the maximum deviation from the specified objective. For irrigation use, total suspended solids had the highest frequency of failure and deviation from the objective in most of the stations. The pisciculture center, aquaculture center, and the Nir City wastewater discharge were determined as the main pollution sources of the Yamchi Dam basin. Therefore, to improve the water quality in this important surface water resource, urban and industrial wastewater treatment prior to disposal and more stringent environmental legislations are recommended.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-02-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Payload Operations Center (POC) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, is the world's primary science command post for the (ISS), the most ambitious space research facility in human history. The Payload Operations team is responsible for managing all science research experiments aboard the Station. The center is also home for coordination of the mission-plarning work of variety of international sources, all science payload deliveries and retrieval, and payload training and safety programs for the Station crew and all ground personnel. Within the POC, critical payload information from the ISS is displayed on a dedicated workstation, reading both S-band (low data rate) and Ku-band (high data rate) signals from a variety of experiments and procedures operated by the ISS crew and their colleagues on Earth. The POC is the focal point for incorporating research and experiment requirements from all international partners into an integrated ISS payload mission plan. This photograph is an overall view of the MSFC Payload Operations Center displaying the flags of the countries participating in the ISS. The flags at the left portray The United States, Canada, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Japan, Brazil, and Sweden. The flags at the right portray The Russian Federation, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain, United Kingdom, Denmark, and Norway.

Practical application of air-quality research incorporated in CMHC's research house.

PubMed Central

Rafuse, J

1995-01-01

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has been looking at ways to improve indoor air quality since 1984 and now hopes to interest house designers and manufacturers in the results of its research. Its flagship project has been the construction of a proto-type research house for environmentally hypersensitive people. PMID:7736379

Space station solar concentrator materials research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulino, Daniel A.

1988-01-01

The Space Station will represent the first time that a solar dynamic power system will be used to generate electrical power in space. In a system such as this, sunlight is collected and focused by a solar concentrator onto the receiver of a heat engine which converts the energy into electricity. The concentrator must be capable of collecting and focusing as much of the incident sunlight as possible, and it must also withstand the atomic oxygen bombardment which occurs in low Earth orbit (LEO). This has led to the development of a system of thin film coatings applied to the concentrator facet surface in a chamber designed especially for this purpose. The system of thin film coatings employed gives both the necessary degree of reflectance and the required protection from the LEO atomic oxygen environment.

Southeast Regional Experiment Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-08-01

This is the final report of the Southeast Regional Experiment Station project. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida (UCF), has operated the Southeast Regional Experiment Station (SE RES) for the US Department of Energy (DOE) since September 1982. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA) provides technical program direction for both the SE RES and the Southwest Regional Experiment Station (SW RES) located at the Southwest Technology Development Institute at Las Cruces, New Mexico. This cooperative effort serves a critical role in the national photovoltaic program by conducting system evaluations, design assistance and technology transfer to enhance the cost-effective utilization and development of photovoltaic technology. Initially, the research focus of the SE RES program centered on utility-connected PV systems and associated issues. In 1987, the SE RES began evaluating amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film PV modules for application in utility-interactive systems. Stand-alone PV systems began receiving increased emphasis at the SE RES in 1986. Research projects were initiated that involved evaluation of vaccine refrigeration, water pumping and other stand-alone power systems. The results of this work have led to design optimization techniques and procedures for the sizing and modeling of PV water pumping systems. Later recent research at the SE RES included test and evaluation of batteries and charge controllers for stand-alone PV system applications. The SE RES project provided the foundation on which FSEC achieved national recognition for its expertise in PV systems research and related technology transfer programs. These synergistic products of the SE RES illustrate the high visibility and contributions the FSEC PV program offers to the DOE.

Research on simulation of supercritical steam turbine system in large thermal power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qiongyang

2018-04-01

In order to improve the stability and safety of supercritical steam turbine system operation in large thermal power station, the body of the steam turbine is modeled in this paper. And in accordance with the hierarchical modeling idea, the steam turbine body model, condensing system model, deaeration system model and regenerative system model are combined to build a simulation model of steam turbine system according to the connection relationship of each subsystem of steam turbine. Finally, the correctness of the model is verified by design and operation data of the 600MW supercritical unit. The results show that the maximum simulation error of the model is 2.15%, which meets the requirements of the engineering. This research provides a platform for the research on the variable operating conditions of the turbine system, and lays a foundation for the construction of the whole plant model of the thermal power plant.

Water Resources Data, Georgia, 2003, Volume 1: Continuous water-level, streamflow, water-quality data, and periodic water-quality data, Water Year 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, Andrew C.; Kerestes, John F.; McCallum, Brian E.

2004-01-01

Water resources data for the 2003 water year for Georgia consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; and the stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs published in two volumes in a digital format on a CD-ROM. Volume one of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during water year 2003, including: discharge records of 163 gaging stations; stage for 187 gaging stations; precipitation for 140 gaging stations; information for 19 lakes and reservoirs; continuous water-quality records for 40 stations; the annual peak stage and annual peak discharge for 65 crest-stage partial-record stations; and miscellaneous streamflow measurements at 36 stations, and miscellaneous water-quality data at 162 stations in Georgia. Volume two of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during calendar year 2003, including continuous water-level records of 156 ground-water wells and periodic records at 130 water-quality stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Georgia.

Life sciences utilization of Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, Lawrence P.

1992-01-01

Space Station Freedom will provide the United States' first permanently manned laboratory in space. It will allow, for the first time, long term systematic life sciences investigations in microgravity. This presentation provides a top-level overview of the planned utilization of Space Station Freedom by NASA's Life Sciences Division. The historical drivers for conducting life sciences research on a permanently manned laboratory in space as well as the advantages that a space station platform provides for life sciences research are discussed. This background information leads into a description of NASA's strategy for having a fully operational International Life Sciences Research Facility by the year 2000. Achieving this capability requires the development of the five discipline focused 'common core' facilities. Once developed, these facilities will be brought to the space station during the Man-Tended Capability phase, checked out and brought into operation. Their delivery must be integrated with the Space Station Freedom manifest. At the beginning of Permanent Manned Capability, the infrastructure is expected to be completed and the Life Sciences Division's SSF Program will become fully operational. A brief facility description, anticipated launch date and a focused objective is provided for each of the life sciences facilities, including the Biomedical Monitoring and Countermeasures (BMAC) Facility, Gravitational Biology Facility (GBF), Gas Grain Simulation Facility (GGSF), Centrifuge Facility (CF), and Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Test Facility. In addition, hardware developed by other NASA organizations and the SSF International Partners for an International Life Sciences Research Facility is also discussed.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is an unparalleled international scientific and technological cooperative venture that will usher in a new era of human space exploration and research and provide benefits to people on Earth. On-Orbit assembly began on November 20, 1998, with the launch of the first ISS component, Zarya, on a Russian Proton rocket. The Space Shuttle followed on December 4, 1998, carrying the U.S.-built Unity cornecting Module. Sixteen nations are participating in the ISS program: the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The ISS will include six laboratories and be four times larger and more capable than any previous space station. The United States provides two laboratories (United States Laboratory and Centrifuge Accommodation Module) and a habitation module. There will be two Russian research modules, one Japanese laboratory, referred to as the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), and one European Space Agency (ESA) laboratory called the Columbus Orbital Facility (COF). The station's internal volume will be roughly equivalent to the passenger cabin volume of two 747 jets. Over five years, a total of more than 40 space flights by at least three different vehicles - the Space Shuttle, the Russian Proton Rocket, and the Russian Soyuz rocket - will bring together more than 100 different station components and the ISS crew. Astronauts will perform many spacewalks and use new robotics and other technologies to assemble ISS components in space.

International Space Station Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is an unparalleled international scientific and technological cooperative venture that will usher in a new era of human space exploration and research and provide benefits to people on Earth. On-Orbit assembly began on November 20, 1998, with the launch of the first ISS component, Zarya, on a Russian Proton rocket. The Space Shuttle followed on December 4, 1998, carrying the U.S.-built Unity cornecting Module. Sixteen nations are participating in the ISS program: the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The ISS will include six laboratories and be four times larger and more capable than any previous space station. The United States provides two laboratories (United States Laboratory and Centrifuge Accommodation Module) and a habitation module. There will be two Russian research modules, one Japanese laboratory, referred to as the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), and one European Space Agency (ESA) laboratory called the Columbus Orbital Facility (COF). The station's internal volume will be roughly equivalent to the passenger cabin volume of two 747 jets. Over five years, a total of more than 40 space flights by at least three different vehicles - the Space Shuttle, the Russian Proton Rocket, and the Russian Soyuz rocket - will bring together more than 100 different station components and the ISS crew. Astronauts will perform many spacewalks and use new robotics and other technologies to assemble ISS components in space.

Contextual and Analytic Qualities of Research Methods Exemplified in Research on Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svensson, Lennart; Doumas, Kyriaki

2013-01-01

The aim of the present article is to discuss contextual and analytic qualities of research methods. The arguments are specified in relation to research on teaching. A specific investigation is used as an example to illustrate the general methodological approach. It is argued that research methods should be carefully grounded in an understanding of…

A research agenda to advance quality measurement and improvement.

PubMed

Leatherman, Sheila T; Hibbard, Judith H; McGlynn, Elizabeth A

2003-01-01

In developing a conceptual framework for the design of a national quality measurement and reporting system (NQMRS), the Strategic Framework Board (SFB) recommends that such a system be built on a strong evidence base. To identify critical gaps in the evidence needed for a fully functional NQMRS and to recommend a starting point for the development of a research agenda. Selective review of literature in quality of care measurement and reporting and identification of strategic issues that must be addressed. There is some limited evidence that measurement and reporting can improve quality. Substantial advances have been made in the science of measurement and reporting but important gaps remain, specifically in (1) measurement methods and tools, (2) uses of quality performance data, (3) organizational and cultural factors, (4) information and informatics, and (5) impact evaluation/research. To achieve a sustainable research agenda, three strategic issues will have to be addressed: (1) the policy rationale for the research agenda, (2) adequate levels of public-sector funding, and (3) sustainability in a rapidly changing environment.

A Study of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concentration Variance by Distance from Train Platform at a Major Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Railway Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solis, M.; Nguyen, H.; Adeyan, A.; Adeyan, E.; Taylor, S.; Hardaway, K.; Peterson, E.; Ortega, J.; Marshall, R.

2017-12-01

Over the past five years, the East Bay Academy for Young Scientists (EBAYS) has been investigating air quality at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train stations. In particular, prior EBAYS research has revealed extremely high levels of particulate matter (PM 2.5) at the multi-leveled Embarcadero Station, which is underground and is one of the most frequently visited stations in the entire BART system. During the summer of 2017 data was collected to determine whether or not air quality differed on the three levels of this station. In conducting this study the research team was separated into pairs, each pair in possession of a Dustrak II or AirBeam PM analyzer and each pair assigned to a particular level. Within each measurement trial data was collected for 15 minutes. Measurements were also made on the eastern and western ends of the platforms to detect possible variations in PM concentration. Preliminary results obtained thus far indicate that dangerously high levels of PM 2.5 concentration occur on all three levels of the station. This is especially problematic because it suggests that individuals who spend extensive amounts of time at this station (e.g., station agents and other workers) are exposed to extremely high PM 2.5 concentration levels and as a result are working under conditions that are quite hazardous to their health. Based on observations made during testing, increased levels of PM 2.5 tend to correlate with the departure or arrival of BART trains that results in particulate matter being scattered about the train platform and other levels. Further studies should be conducted to verify this observation and to contribute to better understanding the sources and behavior of PM 2.5 at each level of the station.

International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahlberg, Jennifer; Gordon, Randy

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the research on the International Space Station (ISS), including the sponsorship of payloads by country and within NASA. Included is a description of the space available for research, the Laboratory "Rack" facilities, the external research facilities and those available from the Japanese Experiment Module (i.e., Kibo), and highlights the investigations that JAXA has maintained. There is also a review of the launch vehicles and spacecraft that are available for payload transportation to the ISS, including cargo capabilities of the spacecraft.

Rocky Mountain Research Station Part 2 [U.S. Forest Service scientists continue work with the Lincoln National Forest

Treesearch

Todd A. Rawlinson

2010-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) is studying the effects of fuels reduction treatments on Mexican Spotted Owls and their prey in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. One challenge facing Forest Service managers is that much of the landscape is dominated by overstocked stands resulting from years of fire suppression.

Weather Stations as Educational and Hazard-Forecasting Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowman, L. J.; Gierke, J. S.; Gochis, E. E.; Dominguez, R.; Mayer, A. S.

2014-12-01

Small, relatively inexpensive (<$1000 USD) weather stations can be valuable tools for enhancing inquiry-based educational opportunities at all grade levels, while also facilitating compilation of climate data for longer term research. Weather stations and networks of stations have been installed both locally and abroad in mostly rural and resource-limited settings. The data are being used either in the classroom to engage students in place-based, scientific investigations and/or research to improve hydrometeorological hazard forecasting, including water scarcity. The San Vicente (El Salvador) Network of six stations monitors rainfall to aid warning and evacuations for landslide and flooding hazards. Other parameters are used in modeling the watershed hydrology. A station installed in Hermosillo, Mexico is used in both Geography and Ecology Classes. Trends in temperature and rainfall are graphed and compared to historic data gathered over the last 30 years by CONAGUA. These observations are linked to local water-related problems, including well salinization, diminished agriculture, depleted aquifers, and social conflict regarding access to water. Two weather stations were installed at the Hannahville Indian Community School (Nah Tah Wahsh) in Michigan for educational purposes of data collection, analysis, and presentation. Through inquiry-based explorations of local hydrological processes, students are introduced to how meteorological data are used in understanding watershed hydrology and the sustainable management of groundwater resources. Several Michigan Technological University Peace Corps Masters International students have deployed weather stations in and around the communities where they serve, and the data are used in research to help in understanding water resource availability and irrigation needs.

The Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory Data Quality Analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringler, A. T.; Hagerty, M.; Holland, J.; Gee, L. S.; Wilson, D.

2013-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL) has several efforts underway to improve data quality at its stations. The Data Quality Analyzer (DQA) is one such development. The DQA is designed to characterize station data quality in a quantitative and automated manner. Station quality is based on the evaluation of various metrics, such as timing quality, noise levels, sensor coherence, and so on. These metrics are aggregated into a measurable grade for each station. The DQA consists of a website, a metric calculator (Seedscan), and a PostgreSQL database. The website allows the user to make requests for various time periods, review specific networks and stations, adjust weighting of the station's grade, and plot metrics as a function of time. The website dynamically loads all station data from a PostgreSQL database. The database is central to the application; it acts as a hub where metric values and limited station descriptions are stored. Data is stored at the level of one sensor's channel per day. The database is populated by Seedscan. Seedscan reads and processes miniSEED data, to generate metric values. Seedscan, written in Java, compares hashes of metadata and data to detect changes and perform subsequent recalculations. This ensures that the metric values are up to date and accurate. Seedscan can be run in a scheduled task or on demand by way of a config file. It will compute metrics specified in its configuration file. While many metrics are currently in development, some are completed and being actively used. These include: availability, timing quality, gap count, deviation from the New Low Noise Model, deviation from a station's noise baseline, inter-sensor coherence, and data-synthetic fits. In all, 20 metrics are planned, but any number could be added. ASL is actively using the DQA on a daily basis for station diagnostics and evaluation. As Seedscan is scheduled to run every night, data quality analysts are able to then use the

Research Quality Assessment in Education: Impossible Science, Possible Art?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, David

2009-01-01

For better or for worse, the assessment of research quality is one of the primary drivers of the behaviour of the academic community with all sorts of potential for distorting that behaviour. So, if you are going to assess research quality, how do you do it? This article explores some of the problems and possibilities, with particular reference to…

Influence of seasonal environmental variables on the distribution of presumptive fecal Coliforms around an Antarctic research station.

PubMed

Hughes, Kevin A

2003-08-01

Factors affecting fecal microorganism survival and distribution in the Antarctic marine environment include solar radiation, water salinity, temperature, sea ice conditions, and fecal input by humans and local wildlife populations. This study assessed the influence of these factors on the distribution of presumptive fecal coliforms around Rothera Point, Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula during the austral summer and winter of February 1999 to September 1999. Each factor had a different degree of influence depending on the time of year. In summer (February), although the station population was high, presumptive fecal coliform concentrations were low, probably due to the biologically damaging effects of solar radiation. However, summer algal blooms reduced penetration of solar radiation into the water column. By early winter (April), fecal coliform concentrations were high, due to increased fecal input by migrant wildlife, while solar radiation doses were low. By late winter (September), fecal coliform concentrations were high near the station sewage outfall, as sea ice formation limited solar radiation penetration into the sea and prevented wind-driven water circulation near the outfall. During this study, environmental factors masked the effect of station population numbers on sewage plume size. If sewage production increases throughout the Antarctic, environmental factors may become less significant and effective sewage waste management will become increasingly important. These findings highlight the need for year-round monitoring of fecal coliform distribution in Antarctic waters near research stations to produce realistic evaluations of sewage pollution persistence and dispersal.

[Development of Engineering Systems for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

From January, 1990 through September, 1995, Cleveland State University (CSU) and Lewis Research Center (LeRC) participated in a research cooperative agreement. Extensive study and experimentation were done by CSU on research technologies, methods, and techniques employed by the Space Station Freedom (SSF) project and, later, the Space Experiments Division (SED). In spite of many problems occasioned by the virtual cancellation of Space Station Freedom at LeRC, and organizational and financial problem at LeRC, CSU was able to do valuable work in the study and improvement of research operating methods there.

Regression equations for estimating concentrations of selected water-quality constituents for selected gaging stations in the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams-Sether, Tara

2004-01-01

The Dakota Water Resources Act, passed by the U.S. Congress on December 15, 2000, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of future water-quantity and quality needs of the Red River of the North Basin in North Dakota and possible options to meet those water needs. Previous Red River of the North Basin studies conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation used streamflow and water-quality data bases developed by the U.S. Geological Survey that included data for 1931-84. As a result of the recent congressional authorization and results of previous studies by the Bureau of Reclamation, redevelopment of the streamflow and water-quality data bases with current data through 1999 are needed in order to evaluate and predict the water-quantity and quality effects within the Red River of the North Basin. This report provides updated statistical summaries of selected water-quality constituents and streamflow and the regression relations between them.  Available data for 1931-99 were used to develop regression equations between 5 selected water-quality constituents and streamflow for 38 gaging stations in the Red River of the North Basin. The water-quality constituents that were regressed against streamflow were hardness (as CaCO3), sodium, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved solids. Statistical summaries of the selected water-quality constituents and streamflow for the gaging stations used in the regression equations development and the applications and limitations of the regression equations are presented in this report.

Daily Snow Depth Measurements from 195 Stations in the United States (1997) (NDP-059)

DOE Data Explorer

Easterling, D. R. [NOAA, National Climatic Data Center; Jamason, P. [NOAA, National Climatic Data Center; Bowman, D. P. [NOAA, National Climatic Data Center; Hughes, P. Y. [NOAA, National Climatic Data Center; Mason, E. H. [NOAA, National Climatic Data Center; Allison, L. J. [ORNL, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)

1997-02-01

This data package provides daily measurements of snow depth at 195 National Weather Service (NWS) first-order climatological stations in the United States. The data have been assembled and made available by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina. The 195 stations encompass 388 unique sampling locations in 48 of the 50 states; no observations from Delaware or Hawaii are included in the database. Station selection criteria emphasized the quality and length of station records while seeking to provide a network with good geographic coverage. Snow depth at the 388 locations was measured once per day on ground open to the sky. The daily snow depth is the total depth of the snow on the ground at measurement time. The time period covered by the database is 1893-1992; however, not all station records encompass the complete period. While a station record ideally should contain daily data for at least the seven winter months (January through April and October through December), not all stations have complete records. Each logical record in the snow depth database contains one station's daily data values for a period of one month, including data source, measurement, and quality flags. The snow depth data have undergone extensive manual and automated quality assurance checks by NCDC and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC). These reviews involved examining the data for completeness, reasonableness, and accuracy, and included comparison of some data records with records in NCDC's Summary of the Day First Order online database. Since the snow depth measurements have been taken at NWS first-order stations that have long periods of record, they should prove useful in monitoring climate change.

A portable station for recording fire weather data

Treesearch

John R. Murray; Clive M. Countryman

1968-01-01

A portable station for recording fire weather data has been developed for use in wildland fires, prescribed burns, evaluating sites for fire weather stations, and fire research. Housed in a mechanic's tool box, the station weighs about 60 pounds. One man can have it ready to operate in about 15 minutes. The unit can record five weather variables, but additional...

NASA space station automation: AI-based technology review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Firschein, O.; Georgeff, M. P.; Park, W.; Neumann, P.; Kautz, W. H.; Levitt, K. N.; Rom, R. J.; Poggio, A. A.

1985-01-01

Research and Development projects in automation for the Space Station are discussed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based automation technologies are planned to enhance crew safety through reduced need for EVA, increase crew productivity through the reduction of routine operations, increase space station autonomy, and augment space station capability through the use of teleoperation and robotics. AI technology will also be developed for the servicing of satellites at the Space Station, system monitoring and diagnosis, space manufacturing, and the assembly of large space structures.

Integrating stations from the North America Gravity Database into a local GPS-based land gravity survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shoberg, Thomas G.; Stoddard, Paul R.

2013-01-01

The ability to augment local gravity surveys with additional gravity stations from easily accessible national databases can greatly increase the areal coverage and spatial resolution of a survey. It is, however, necessary to integrate such data seamlessly with the local survey. One challenge to overcome in integrating data from national databases is that these data are typically of unknown quality. This study presents a procedure for the evaluation and seamless integration of gravity data of unknown quality from a national database with data from a local Global Positioning System (GPS)-based survey. The starting components include the latitude, longitude, elevation and observed gravity at each station location. Interpolated surfaces of the complete Bouguer anomaly are used as a means of quality control and comparison. The result is an integrated dataset of varying quality with many stations having GPS accuracy and other reliable stations of unknown origin, yielding a wider coverage and greater spatial resolution than either survey alone.

Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Research Forum on the Design of Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Arrays for Central Stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The Flat Plate Solar Array Project, focuses on advancing technologies relevant to the design and construction of megawatt level central station systems. Photovoltaic modules and arrays for flat plate central station or other large scale electric power production facilities require the establishment of a technical base that resolves design issues and results in practical and cost effective configurations. Design, qualification and maintenance issues related to central station arrays derived from the engineering and operating experiences of early applications and parallel laboratory reserch activities are investigated. Technical issues are examined from the viewpoint of the utility engineer, architect/engineer and laboratory researcher. Topics on optimum source circuit designs, module insulation design for high system voltages, array safety, structural interface design, measurements, and array operation and maintenance are discussed.