ALBERT

Description: In controller design for flexible structures, certain system modes are extremely important for the overall performance of the structure. A reduced-order model (ROM) based control focuses on these modes, providing a viable, active control algorithm for large systems. Unfortunately, unmodeled structure dynamics can interact with the ROM controller (CSI) and cause crippling deterioration of system performance, possibly to the point that system stability is lost. A residual model filter (RMF) eliminates one channel of control structure interaction (CSI), while adding only a simple, second-order filter to the control loop. Thus, the ROM controller can be designed independently, based strictly on performance criteria, and residual mode filters can then be selected to compensate for CSI. A flexible robot manipulator is used for preliminary experimentation with the ROM/RMF design methodology. Since the controller was to be implemented both with, and without compensation for CSI, the ROM control gains are carefully chosen such that closed loop stability is never compromised. In this way, RMF effectiveness is easily evaluated in terms of the improvement in system performance resulting from CSI compensation.

Description: Through the Surveyor 3 and 7, and Apollo 11-17 missions a knowledge of the mechanical properties of Lunar regolith were gained. These properties, including material cohesion, friction, in-situ density, grain-size distribution and shape, and porosity, were determined by indirect means of trenching, penetration, and vane shear testing. Several of these properties were shown to be significantly different from those of terrestrial soils, such as an interlocking cohesion and tensile strength formed in the absence of moisture and particle cementation. To characterize the strength and deformation properties of Lunar regolith experiments have been conducted on a lunar soil simulant at various initial densities, fabric arrangements, and composition. These experiments included conventional triaxial compression and extension, direct tension, and combined tension-shear. Experiments have been conducted at low levels of effective confining stress. External conditions such as membrane induced confining stresses, end platten friction and material self weight have been shown to have a dramatic effect on the strength properties at low levels of confining stress. The solution has been to treat these external conditions and the specimen as a full-fledged boundary value problem rather than the idealized elemental cube of mechanics. Centrifuge modeling allows for the study of Lunar soil-structure interaction problems. In recent years centrifuge modeling has become an important tool for modeling processes that are dominated by gravity and for verifying analysis procedures and studying deformation and failure modes. Centrifuge modeling is well established for terrestrial enginering and applies equally as well to Lunar engineering. A brief review of the experiments is presented in graphic and outline form.

Description: Nonthermal radio emissions from earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus are reviewed. The dominant source of emission at each planet appears to be AKR-like auroral emission in the X-mode. O-mode emissions are substantially responsible. There is a remarkably constant scaling factor relating the total solar wind input power into each planetary system and the AKR-like auroral emissions.

Description: This article presents the results of a fit of a model of the Martian satellite orbits to earthbased and spacecraft-based observations. An assessment of the orbit accuracies is given and the orbits are compared with those obtained by previous investigators.

Description: The petrology and chronology of early lunar crust is examined using the least equivocal of the available petrographic and age data on lunar rock samples, and the possible processes which produced the lunar crust are discussed. The results suggest that the lunar anorthositic crust was formed by about 120 Ma after the primary accretion of the moon at 4.56 Ga. At least some members of the diverse Mg-suites of rocks, such as norites, troctolites, and dunites, crystallized within a very few 100s of Ma after 4.56 Ga. A trace-element-rich material (KREEP) was formed by about 4.3 Ga ago, and this residue was subsequently reworked in melting and impact processes such that most samples which contain it have ages around 3.9-4.0 Ga. The findings also suggest that the onset of ferrous mare basalt volcanism began about 4.33 Ga, much earlier than was once assumed, and was still in process before the end of the most intense period of bombardment (3.9-4.0 Ga ago).

Description: The findings made by the Voyager 2 Neptune encounter are reviewed. Data on the bowshock, magnetic field, magnetosphere, rings, plasma sheet, aurora, moons, and dust of Neptune are discussed. Findings made concerning Triton are summarized.

Description: The composition of lunar regolith and its attendant properties are discussed. Tables are provided listing lunar minerals, the abundance of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, olivine, and ilmenite in lunar materials, typical compositions of common lunar minerals, and cumulative grain-size distribution for a large number of lunar soils. Also provided are charts on the chemistry of breccias, the chemistry of lunar glass, and the comparative chemistry of surface soils for the Apollo sites. Lunar agglutinates, constructional particles made of lithic, mineral, and glass fragments welded together by a glassy matrix containing extremely fine-grained metallic iron and formed by micrometeoric impacts at the lunar surface, are discussed. Crystalline, igneous rock fragments, breccias, and lunar glass are examined. Volatiles implanted in lunar materials and regolith maturity are also addressed.

Description: Theoretical models of planetary-ring dynamics are discussed in a detailed analytical review and illustrated with graphs and diagrams. The streamline concept is introduced, and the phenomena associated with the transport of angular momentum are described. Particular attention is then given to (1) broad rings like those of Saturn (shepherding, density-wave excitation, gaps, bending-wave excitation, multiringlet structures, inner-edge shepherding, and the possibility of polar rings around Neptune), (2) narrow rings like those of Uranus (shepherding, ring shapes, and a self-gravity model of rigid precession), and (3) ring arcs like those seen in stellar-occultation observations of Neptune.

Description: Images of Neptune obtained by the narrow-angle camera of the Voyager 2 spacecraft reveal large-scale cloud features that persist for several months or longer. The features' periods of rotation about the planetary axis range from 15.8 to 18.4 hours. The atmosphere equatorward of -53 deg rotates with periods longer than the 16.05-hour period deduced from Voyager's planetary radio astronomy experiment (presumably the planet's internal rotation period). The wind speeds computed with respect to this radio period range from 20 meters per second eastward to 325 meters per second westward. Thus, the cloud-top wind speeds are roughly the same for all the planets ranging from Venus to Neptune, even though the solar energy inputs to the atmospheres vary by a factor of 1000.

Description: The theory of turbulent plumes maintained above steady line sources of buoyancy is worked out in detail within the limitations of Taylor's entrainment assumption. It is applied to the structure of a pure plume injected into a stably stratified atmosphere. Volcanic basalt eruptions that develop from long, narrow vents create line source plumes, which rise well above the magmatic fire fountains playing near the ground level. The eruption of Laki in 1783 may provide an example of this style of eruption. Flood basalts are more ancient examples. Evidence of enormous fissure eruptions that occurred in the past on Mars and Venus also exists. Owing to the different properties of the atmospheres on these two planets from those on the earth, heights of line source plumes are expected to vary in the ratios 1:6:0.6 (earth:Mars:Venus). It is very unlikely that the observed increase of sulfur dioxide above the Venusian cloud deck in 1978 could have been due to a line source volcanic eruption, even if it had been a flood basalt eruption.

Description: An analytical and numerical study of the stability of polar rings around Neptune is presented. The stability proofs are based on various methods used to study gas disks in galaxies. It is shown that stable polar rings can exist despite energy dissipation by collisions between particles. Also, four equilibrium orientations which pass nearly over the pole of Neptune are found, two of which are stable in the presence of dissipation.

Description: Issues related to the establishment of lunar observatories are briefly addressed. The advantages of placing an observatory in a crater at one of the poles, where permanent darkness exists, are pointed out, and the methods required to emplace and operate such an observatory are considered. Planning for the installation of the first set of observatory instruments is discussed.

Description: The phenomena of the Saturn system discovered by the Voyager missions are addressed. The characteristics of the rings, including grooves, spikes, and warps, are described, and the discovery of bombarded rings and young rings is discussed. The unique and unexplained properties of Enceladus are summarized, and the possibility that some moons of Saturn have been reassembled is addressed. The interaction of moons with the rings is examined, and the possibility that Titan's atmosphere may contain complex molecules that are the precursors of life is considered.

Description: Spectral data from earth observations have indicated the presence of N2 and CH4 on Triton. This paper outlines the use of the 1-D radiative-convective model developed for Titan to calculate the current pressure of N2 and CH4 on Triton. The production of haze material is obtained by scaling down from the Titan value. Results and predictions for the Voyager Triton encounter are as follows: A N2-CH4 atmosphere on Triton is thermodynamically self consistent and would have a surface pressure of approximately 50 millibar; due to the chemically produced haze, Triton has a hot atmosphere with a temperature of approximately 130 K; Triton's troposphere is a region of saturation of the major constituent of the atmosphere, N2.

Description: The process by which ambient gases can be implanted into silicates by shocks was investigated by analyzing the noble-gas content of several experimentally and naturally shocked silicate samples. The retentivity of shock-implanted gas during stepwise heating in the laboratory was defined in terms of two parameters, namely, the activation energy for diffusion and the extraction temperature at which 50 percent of the gas is released, both of which correlate with the shock pressure. The experiments indicate that, with increasing shock pressure, gas implantation occurs through an increasing production of microcracks/defects in the silicate lattice. The degree of annealing of these defects control the degree of diffusive loss of implanted gas.

Description: The long-term modulation of Saturn's nonthermal radio emission in the kilometric wavelength range has been studied based upon data obtained by Voyagers 1 and 2. A comparison of the ballistic and hydrodynamic propagation of solar wind features from the spacecraft to Saturn allows the uncertainty inherent in the projection to be determined. The results confirm the previous suggestion that momentum, ram pressure, and kinetic energy flux are the primary solar wind parameters that drive the nonthermal radio emission. It is suggested that, under certain conditions and for limited periods of time, the magnetic properties and time derivatives of the solar wind have increased importance.

Description: A generalized methodology to predict the fatigue life and reliability of a rotating disk such as used for aircraft engine turbines and compressors is advanced. The approach incorporates the computed life of elemental stress volumes to predict system life and reliability. Disk speed and thermal gradients as well as design varibles such as disk diameter and thickness and bolt hole size, number and location are considered.

Description: It has been observed from the plasma experiments on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter that the altitude of the upper boundary of the ionosphere decreases in response to increasing solar wind dynamic pressure. However, at pressures above about 2.5 x 10 to the -8th dynes/sq cm, the further decrease in the ionopause height is rather small. Following the model of Cloutier et al. (1969), it is suggested that during high solar wind conditions, when the ionopause is formed at lower altitudes, the solar wind induces vertical and horizontal flows which sweep away the ionospheric plasma that is produced locally by photoionization. As a result, a disturbed photodynamical ionosphere is formed which has the scale height of the ionizable neutral constituent. It is shown that such a photodynamical ionosphere is observed at the subsolar ionopause under these conditions. As a consequence of this interaction, the ionopause altitude is observed to follow the small-scale height of the ionizable species, atomic oxygen, showing only small changes with solar wind pressure.

Description: Asteroids appear in light of telescopic and meteority studies to be the most accessible repositories of early solar system history available. In the cooler regions of the outer asteroid belt, apparently unaffected by severe heating, the C, P, and D populations appear to harbor significant inventories of volatiles; the larger primordial belt population may have had an even greater percentage of volatile-rich, low-albedo asteroids, constituting a potent asteroid for veneering early terrestrial planet atmospheres. The volatile-rich asteroids contain carbon, structurally bound and adsorbed water, as well as remnants of interstellar material predating the solar system.

Description: The development and implementation of the Voyager missions are reviewed. The interplanetary missions preceding Voyager are discussed, focusing on the technological development leading up to the Voyager spacecraft. The main results from Voyager observations of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus are outlined. Also, consideration is given to the prospects for observations of Neptune.

Description: Isotopic analysis of nesquehonite recovered from the surface of the LEW 85320 H5 ordinary chondrite shows that the delta C-13 and delta O-18 values of the two generations of bicarbonate (Antarctic and Texas) are different: delta C-13 = + 7.9 per mil and + 4.2 per mil; delta O-18 = + 17.9 per mil and + 12.1 per mil, respectively. Carbon isotopic compositions are consistent with equilibrium formation from atmospheric carbon dioxide at - 2 + or - 4 C (Antarctic) and + 16 + or - 4 C (Texas). Oxygen isotopic data imply that the water required for nesquehonite precipitation was derived from atmospheric water vapor or glacial meltwater which had locally exchanged with silicates, either in the meteorite or in underlying bedrock. Although carbonates with similar delta C-13 values have been identified in the SNC meteorites EETA 79001 and Nakhla, petrographic and temperature constraints argue against their simply being terrestrial weathering products.

Description: A primary concern in the formation of a multinational Mars-exploration program is that of technology transfer, which would be most acute in the U.S./U.S.S.R. case but would exist in lesser degree among other nations. Another concern is that of management-complexity, which could inflate total costs and substantially counteract the anticipated benefits of spreading program costs among a number of nations. It is presently suggested that these problems can be substantially reduced by having each nation become responsible for one (or more) complete flight system. Each nation's role in mission operations must be clear, and the cleanliness of interfaces among flight systems must carry over into mission operations.

Description: Observations of the stratospheric IR emission structure on Saturn are presented. The high-spatial-resolution global images show a variety of new features, including a narrow equatorial belt of enhanced emission at 7.8 micron, a prominent symmetrical north polar hotspot at all three wavelengths, and a midlatitude structure which is asymmetrically brightened at the east limb. The results confirm the polar brightening and reversal in position predicted by recent models for seasonal thermal variations of Saturn's stratosphere.

Description: An overview of the Voyager 2 encounter with Neptune is presented, including a brief discussion of the trajectory, the planned observations, and highlights of the results described in the 11 companion papers. Neptune's blue atmosphere has storm systems reminiscent of those in Jupiter's atmosphere. An optically thin methane ice cloud exists near the 1.5-bar pressure level, and an optically thick cloud exists below 3 bars. Neptune's magnetic field is highly tilted and offset from the planet's center; it rotates with a period of 16.11 hours. Two narrow and two broad rings circle the planet; the outermost of these rings has three optically thicker arc segments. Six new moons were discovered in circular prograde orbits, all well inside Triton's retrograde orbit. Triton has a highly reflective and geologically young surface, a thin nitrogen atmosphere, and at least two active geyser-like plumes.

Description: Recent models of the internal structure of Pluto and Charon, made possible by analysis of the Pluto/Charon mutual events are reviewed. At a mean density of just over 2 g/cu cm and a predicted rock mass fraction of roughly 0.7, the Pluto/Charon system is significantly rockier than the icy satellites of the giant planets, a contrast which may reflect its formation in a CO-rich outer solar nebula rather than a circumplanetary nebula. Pluto and Charon may in fact be so rocky that they lost volatiles early in their history (possibly during a Charon-forming impact event), although this is still an open issue.

Description: A dynamic analysis of a 2240-kW (3000-hp) helicopter planetary system is presented. Results from both analytical and experimental studies show good correlation in gear-tooth loads. A parametric study indicates that the mesh damping ratio has a significant effect on maximum gear tooth load, stress, and vibration. Correlation with experimental results indicates that the Sun-planet mesh damping ratio can significantly differ from the planet ring mesh damping ratio. A numerical fast Fourier transform (FFT) procedure was applied to examine the mesh load components in the frequency domain and the magnitudes of multiple tooth pass frequencies excited by nonsynchronous meshing of the planets. Effects of tooth-spacing errors and tooth-profile modifications with tip relief are examined. A general discussion of results and correlation with the experimental study are also presented.

Description: Preliminary results from electric field measurements in the environment of Mars using the plasma-wave system on board Phobos 2 are reported. Electron-plasma oscillations observed upstream of the bow shock correspond to a solar-wind density of 2/cu cm. The shock-foot boundary was crossed up to three times on each orbit. The shock ramp was detected at altitudes between 0.45 and 0.75 Mars radii R(M) above the planetary surface. The density increased by about a factor of two at the ramp. The shock position, although variable, seems to be consistent with previous measurements. The downstream magnetosheath contained broadband electric-field noise below the plasma frequency. The boundary of th obstacle, or plasmapause, was crossed at altitudes of the order of 0.28 R(M); the cold plasma density was highly variable within the planetopause and reached the unexpected value of 700/cu cm on the third orbit, at 0.25 R(M) altitude. Bursts of waves with frequencies below the electron cyclotron frequency occur within the planetopause.

Description: The magnetic fields of Mars have been measured from Phobos 2 with high temporal resolution in the tail and down to an 850-km altitude. During four successive highly elliptical orbits, the position of the bow shock as well as that of a transition layer, the 'planetopause', were identified. Subsequent circular orbits at 6000-km altitude provided the first high-resolution data in the planetary tail and indicate that the interplanetary magnetic field mainly controls the magnetic tail. Magnetic turbulence was also detected when the spacecraft crossed the orbit of Phobos, indicating the possible existence of a torus near the orbit of this moon.

Description: The formation of the ice-rock cores of the giant planets by density wave-assisted accretion is outlined. The process could be rapid (100,000-1,000,000 yr) and completed within the probable lifetime of the solar nebula. The mechanism works for both Jupiter and Saturn and does not require a large excess of mass over that believed present in their cores.

Description: This paper identifies and documents several well-preserved examples of Martian strike-slip faults and examines their relationships to wrinkle-ridges. The strike-slip faulting predates or overlaps periods of wrinkle-ridge growth southeast of Valles Marineris, and some wrinkle ridges may have nucleated and grown as a result of strike-slip displacements along the echelon fault arrays. Lateral displacements of several km inferred along these arrays may be related to tectonism in Tharsis.

Description: This paper describes the process for manufacturing high-quality test specimens for uses in evaluations of interlaminar tensile strength of laminated composites. The chosen specimen configuration is a curved beam which experiences interlaminar tension in the region of greatest curvature when the beam is subjected to 'opening' forces. The manufacturing process uses a lock-mold tooling approach, the principle of which relies upon the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the internal rubber mandrel and the surrounding steel female mold. With this method, compaction pressures above those provided by a typical autoclave can be achieved.

Description: Results are presented on the long-term behavior of the main peak electron density in the Venus ionosphere during the solar cycle 21, based on 104 radio occultation measurements of the vertical electron density profile in the dayside ionosphere of Venus carried out aboard the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft (along with published data on 11 Venera 9-10 measurements). The equation representing the electron temperature at h = 140 km is presented. The results imply that the electron temperature at h = 140 km decreased by about 25 percent from solar maximum to solar minimum, compared to a decrease of 50-75 percent above 200 km found by Kliore and Mullen (1989).

Description: Theoretical models of early Martian atmospheric evolution describe the maintenance of a dense CO2 atmosphere and a warm, wet climate until the end of the heavy-bombardment phase of impacting. However, the presence of very young, earthlike fluvial valleys on the northern flank of Alba Patera conflicts with this scenario. Whereas the widespread ancient Martian valleys generally have morphologies indicative of sapping erosion by the slow outflow of subsurface water, the local Alba valleys were probably formed by surface-runoff processes. Because subsurface water flow might be maintained by hydrothermal energy inputs and because surface-runoff valleys developed late in Martian history, it is not necessary to invoke drastically different planet-wide climatic conditions to explain valley development on Mars. The Alba fluvial valleys can be explained by hydrothermal activity or outflow-channel discharges that locally modified the atmosphere, including precipitation and local overland flow on low-permeability volcanic ash.

Description: On the Mars rover sample-return mission, the rover vehicle will collect and select samples from different locations on the Martian surface to be brought back to earth for laboratory studies. It is anticipated that an in situ energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer will be on board the rover. On such a mission, sample selection is of higher priority than in situ quantitative chemical anlaysis. With this in mind, a pattern recognition technique is proposed as a simple, direct, and speedy alternative to detailed chemical analysis of the XRF spectra. The validity and efficacy of the pattern recognition technique are demonstrated by the analyses of laboratory XRF spectra obtained from a series of geological samples, in the form both of standardized pressed pellets and as unprepared rocks. It is found that pattern recognition techniques applied to the raw XRF spectra can provide for the same discrimination among samples as a knowledge of their actual chemical composition.

Description: The present photoelectric lightcurve observations of 44 Nysa at one aspect, and 64 Angelina at both polar aspects, indicate the presence of an opposition spike or brightening of approximately 0.25 mag within several deg of zero-phase angle. Since the three curves are identical within the bounds of observational scatter, the opposition spike cannot be judged anomalous within the asteroid taxonomic class E. The general similarity of the observed phase curves to those of the Uranian satellites and the rings of Saturn supports the status of the spike as an ordinary property of moderate-to-high albedo atmosphereless surfaces.

Description: In order to ascertain the features of organic compound-production in planetary atmospheres under the effects of plasmas and shocks, various mixtures of N2, CH4, and H2 modeling the atmosphere of Titan were subjected to discrete sparks, laser-induced plasmas, and UV radiation. The experimental results obtained suggest that UV photolysis from the plasma is an important organic compound synthesis process, as confirmed by the photolysis of gas samples that were exposed to the light but not to the shock waves emitted by the sparks. The thermodynamic equilibrium theory is therefore incomplete in the absence of photolysis.

Description: An account is given of the results of photometric light curve observations in the V band for asteroids, yielding estimates of the mean and maximum reduced magnitudes for each object. On the basis of fits of the H-G magnitude relation for 33 objects, the mean values of the slope parameter are examined for different taxonomic classes; these values are then applied to the analysis of less complete data sets. While in the case of the moderate albedo S and M class asteroids the H-G relation appears to fit the available data, the relation for dark asteroids appears to predict more of an opposition than is characteristically present.

Description: Voyager imaging, radio occultation, and stellar occultation data for the regular structure of Saturn's inner Cassini Division are presently analyzed. The regular optical depth variation observed by the radio occultation experiment scan and the feature noted in Voyager images is the same structure, namely the gravitational wakes of two 10-km radius satellites orbiting within the division. The structure is azimuthally symmetric, and is judged to rule out the possibility that large moonlets may be responsible for the observed structure.

Description: TEM and IR spectroscopy investigations of the interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the stratosphere have shown the majority of IDPs in the layer-lattice silicate and pyroxene classes to not have been heated to temperatures above 600 C during atmospheric entry. This implies that they arrive at the upper atmosphere with low geocentric encounter velocities, and limits the possible encounter trajectories for these particles to relatively circular prograde orbits. On this basis, it is judged unlikely that these IDPs are from earth-crossing comets or asteroids; collected IDPs dominated by olivine include a larger portion of above-600 C-heated particles, suggesting their capture from more eccentric orbits.

Description: The present examination of the west Deuteronilus Mensae region of Mars notes the changes in fretted terrain across the gradational boundary from uplands to lowlands to include a reduction of canyon wall slopes and depths, so that the fretted terrain north of the gradational boundary appears matted, but not obscured. The two process-classes that may account for the lateral overlap are the erosion of stratified upland terrain, and the deposition of plains materials onto the sloping upland margin and fretted terrain. A variety of plains-emplacement mechanisms is considered.

Description: The compositional contrast between the giant-planet satellites and the significantly rockier Pluto/Charon system is indicative of different formation mechanisms; cosmic abundance calculations, in conjunction with an assumption of the Pluto/Charon system's direct formation from solar nebula condensates, strongly suggest that most of the carbon in the outer solar nebula was in CO form, in keeping with both the inheritance from the dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium, and/or the Lewis and Prinn (1980) kinetic-inhibition model of solar nebula chemistry. Laboratory studies of carbonaceous chondrites and Comet Halley flyby studies suggest that condensed organic material, rather than elemental carbon, is the most likely candidate for the small percentage of the carbon-bearing solid in the outer solar nebula.

Description: An attempt is made to provide a constraint on the combined mass of Janus and Epimetheus from an analysis of Voyager I and Voyager 2 data and ground-based observations obtained during the 1966 and 1980 ring plane crossings. The results of the analysis presented here suggest that the total mass is 2.59 + or - 0.26 x 10 to the 21st g, the mass ratio is 3.61 + or - 0.01, and Janus' density is 0.67 + or - 0.10 g/cu cm. The low density of Janus is attributed to its porosity rather than composition.

Description: A coordinated multinational Mars Surveyor Program involving a series of robotic missions is proposed in order to select worthwhile human landing sites for discoveries, for safe operations, and for testing and proving technologies for making human flight to Mars possible. Some characteristics motivating exploration of the planet are briefly discussed, including the possibility of life, geological features, and meteorological conditions. The necessity for preliminary exploration of Mars by robots prior to human exploration is discussed, and the rationale behind a multinational approach for a Mars Surveyor Program is presented.

Description: Arecibo high-resolution (1.5 to 2 km) radar data of Venus for the area extending from Beta Regio to western Eisila Regio provide strong evidence that the mountains in Beta and Eisila Regiones and plains in and adjacent to Guinevere Planitia are of volcanic origin. Recognized styles of volcanism include large volcanic edifices on the Beta and Eisila rises related to regional structural trends, plains with multiple source vents and a mottled appearance due to the ponding of volcanic flows, and plains with bright features surrounded by extensive quasi-circular radar-dark halos. The high density of volcanic vents in the plains suggests that heat loss by abundant and widely distributed plains volcanism may be more significant than previously recognized. The low density of impact craters greater than 15 km in diameter in this region compared to the average density for the higher northern latitudes suggests that the plains have a younger age.

Description: In February and March 1989 the Phobos 2 spacecraft took 37 television images of Phobos from a distance of 190-1100 km. The data are being used to update the three-dimensional model of Phobos, to provide improved determinations of its density and orbital dynamics, and to study its surface color, composition, and texture. Preliminary findings are presented here which include different integrated photometric behavior in visible and near-infrared bands, observation of a region immediately west of Stickney which is relatively free of large grooves, the prevalence of bright rims on grooves and younger craters, and low bulk density.

Description: The nearly ubiquitous presence of a negative Eu anomaly in the mare basalts has been suggested to indicate prior separation and flotation of plagioclase from the basalt source region during its crystallization from a lunar magma ocean (LMO). Are there any mare basalts derived from a mantle source which did not experience prior plagioclase separation? Crystal chemical rationale for REE substitution in pyroxene suggests that the combination of REE size and charge, M2 site characteristics of pyroxene, fO2, magma chemistry, and temperature may account for the negative Eu anomaly in the source region of some types of primitive, low TiO2 mare basalts. This origin for the negative Eu anomaly does not preclude the possibility of the LMO as many mare basalts still require prior plagioclase crystallization and separation and/or hybridization involving a KREEP component.

Description: Pioneer Venus ion composition measurements are used to study the Venus ionosphere during solar minimum. It is suggested that the topside electron density profile at Venus during solar minimum has two distinct regimes. One beween 140 and 180 km is dominated by O2(+) ions which are in photochemical equilibrium. The other regime is above 180 km and is dominated by O(+) ions which are disturbed by the solar wind induced plasma transport. For Pioneer Venus, Mariner 10, and Venera 9 and 10 data, it is found that Venus exhibits a photodynamical type of ionopause during solar minimum.

Description: Voyager 2's IR observations of Neptune encompass thermal emissions and broadband radiometer measurements of reflected solar radiation. Temperature maps were obtained for the planet between 80 deg S and 30 deg N for two atmospheric layers, one in the lower stratosphere and the other in the troposphere. The relatively warm pole and equator, with cooler midlatitudes, are qualitatively similar to Uranus, despite the two planets' very different obliquities and internal heat fluxes. Powerful wavelike longitudinal thermal structure is noted, of which some appears to be associated with the Great Dark Spot; a localized cold region uncorrelated with any visible feature is found in the lower stratosphere.

Description: Detection of very intense short radio bursts from Neptune was possible as early as 30 days before closest approach and at least 22 days after closest approach. The bursts lay at frequencies in the range 100 to 1300 kilohertz, were narrowband and strongly polarized, and presumably originated in southern polar regions of the planet. Episodes of smooth emissions in the frequency range from 20 to 865 kilohertz were detected during an interval of at least 10 days around closest approach. The bursts and the smooth emissions can be described in terms of rotation in a period of 16.11 + or - 0.05 hours. The bursts came at regular intervals throughout the encounter, including episodes both before and after closest approach. The smooth emissions showed a half-cycle phase shift between the five episodes before and after closest approach. This experiment detected the foreshock of Neptune's magnetosphere and the impacts of dust at the times of ring-plane crossings and also near the time of closest approach. Finally, there is no evidence for Neptunian electrostatic discharges.

Description: Based on the success of several two-dimensional (latitude, longitude) linear barotropic instability models at matching some of the observed characteristics of the cloud level, polar region of the Venus atmosphere, a more realistic, linear, three-dimensional (height, latitude and longitude) model has been developed to further test the hypothesis that the observed features can be described by linear instability theory. The approach taken is to vary the model input parameters to see whether it is possible to produce modes that resemble the observations of wave activity and to compare those input parameters with other observations of the mean state. Sensitivity studies show that in addition to a well-documented dependence on the mean zonal wind, the growth and propagation of unstable modes depends on the latitude variation of the mean temperature (and hence static stability). These studies have led to the specification of a model basic state wind and temperature field that produces modes which are matched to observations of spatial structure, preferred wavenumber and phase speed of the polar disturbances. Wavenumber 2 is found to have the shortest growth time and unlike the two-dimensional results, wavenumbers 1-3 share a nearly common period of about 3 days. The derived basic state has a temperature field that is quite similar to Pioneer Venus observations; however, in some regions the model basic state wind field departs from cyclostrophic values based on temperature observations.

Description: An approach is described to modeling the flexibility effects in spatial mechanisms and manipulator systems. The method is based on finite element representations of the individual links in the system. However, it should be noted that conventional finite element methods and software packages will not handle the highly nonlinear dynamic behavior of these systems which results form their changing geometry. In order to design high-performance lightweight systems and their control systems, good models of their dynamic behavior which include the effects of flexibility are required.

Description: Experiences of several organizations using worm gearing for spacecraft are discussed. Practical aspects and subtleties of using worm gearing for design and operation is included. Knowledge gained from these applications is analyzed, and guidelines for usage are proposed.

Description: Problems and challenges of designing flight telerobot mechanisms are discussed. Specific experiences are drawn from the following system developments: (1) the Force Reflecting Hand Controller, (2) the Smart End Effector, (3) the force-torque sensor, and a generic multi-degrees-of-freedom manipulator.

Description: The development of a mechanism for instrumentation and solar-array deployment is discussed. One part of the technology consists of a smart motor which can operate in either an analog mode to provide high speed and torque, or in the stepper mode to provide accurate positioning. The second technology consists of a coilable lattice mast which is deployed and rotated about its axis with a common drive system. A review of the design and function of the system is presented. Structural and thermal test data are included.

Description: The NASA Stabilized Payload Deployment System (SPDS) is discussed. The lightweight and heavy-duty system rolls payloads over the orbiter's side rather than ejecting them upward. The system will enhance the orbiter capability of carrying larger and heavier payloads. The design, function, and analysis of a new three-pin double swivel toggle release mechanism which is crucial to the successful deployment of the SPDS are described.

Description: The status of recently completed and already ongoing technology developments, as well as some of the most important future developments of the European Space Agency are discussed. Among the subjects considered are Scientific Satellites, Columbus space station development, applications spacecraft for communications, Earth observation and meteorology, and the Ariane V and Hermes space transportation systems.

Description: It is essential that high-performance centrifugal compressors be free of subsynchronous vibrations. A new high-performance centrifugal compressor has been developed by applying the latest rotordynamics knowledge and design techniques: (1) To improve the system damping, a specially designed oil film seal was developed. This seal attained a damping ratio three times that of the conventional design. The oil film seal contains a special damper ring in the seal cartridge. (2) To reduce the destabilizing effect of the labyrinth seal, a special swirl canceler (anti-swirl nozzle) was applied to the balance piston seal. (3) To confirm the system damping margin, the dynamic simulation rotor model test and the full load test applied the vibration exciting test in actual load conditions.

Description: New methods are presented that allow straightforward application of complex nonlinearities to finite element based rotor dynamic analyses. The key features are: (1) the methods can be implemented with existing finite element or dynamic simulation programs, (2) formulation is general for simple application to a wide range of problems, and (3) implementation is simplified because nonlinear aspects are separated from the linear part of the model. The new techniques are illustrated with examples of inertial nonlinearity and torquewhirl which can be important in rubbing turbomachinery. The sample analyses provide new understanding of these nonlinearities which are discussed.

Description: The stability of a high pressure compressor is investigated with special regard to the self-exciting effects in oil seals and labyrinths. It is shown how to stabilize a rotor in spite of these effects and even increase its stability with increasing pressure.

Description: The recent studies of the dynamic stiffness properties of fluid lubricated bearing and seals by the authors have yielded most of the generalized characteristics discussed and used in this paper. They include bearing and seal nonlinear fluid film properties associated with stiffness, damping, and fluid average circumferential velocity ratio. Analytical relationships yield the rotor system's dynamic stiffness characteristics. This paper shows the combination of these data to provide the fluid-induced rotor stability equations.

Description: A new type of electromagnetic bearing was built and tested. It consists of fixed AC-electromagnets in a star formation surrounding a conducting rotor. The bearing works by repulsion due to eddy-currents induced in the rotor. A single bearing is able to fully support a short rotor. The rotor support is inherently stable in all five degrees of freedom. No feedback control is needed. The bearing is also able to accelerate the rotor up to speed and decelerate the rotor back to standstill. The bearing design and the experimentation to verify its capabilities are described.

Description: Methods for including the effects of general race and housing compliance and outer race-to-housing deadband (clearance) in rolling element bearing mechanics analysis is presented. It is shown that these effects can cause significant changes in bearing stiffness characteristics, which are of major importance in rotordynamic response of turbomachinery and other rotating systems. Preloading analysis is demonstrated with the finite element/contact mechanics hybrid method applied to a 45 mm angular contact ball bearing.

Description: Active magnetic bearings can be implemented with frequency band-reject filtering that decreases the bearing stiffness and damping at a small bandwidth around a chosen frequency. The control scheme was used for reducing a rotor dynamic force, such as an imbalance force, transmitted to the bearing stator. The scheme creates additional system vibration modes at the same frequency. It also shows that the amount of force reduction is limited by the stability requirement of these modes.

Description: Many rotating machines such as compressors, turbines and pumps have long thin shafts with resulting vibration problems, and would benefit from additional damping near the center of the shaft. Magnetic dampers have the potential to be employed in these machines because they can operate in the working fluid environment unlike conventional bearings. An experimental test rig is described which was set up with a long thin shaft and several masses to represent a flexible shaft machine. An active magnetic damper was placed in three locations: near the midspan, near one end disk, and close to the bearing. With typical control parameter settings, the midspan location reduced the first mode vibration 82 percent, the disk location reduced it 75 percent and the bearing location attained a 74 percent reduction. Magnetic damper stiffness and damping values used to obtain these reductions were only a few percent of the bearing stiffness and damping values. A theoretical model of both the rotor and the damper was developed and compared to the measured results. The agreement was good.

Description: The fluid forces on a centrifugal impeller rotating and whirling in a vaned diffuser are analyzed on the assumption that the number of impeller and diffuser vanes is so large that the flows are perfectly guided by the vanes. The flow is taken to be two dimensional, inviscid, and incompressible, but the effects of impeller and diffuser losses are taken into account. It is shown that the interaction with the vaned diffuser may cause destabilizing fluid forces. From these discussions, it is found that the whirling forces are closely related to the steady head-capacity characteristics of the impeller. This physical understanding of the whirling forces can be applied also to the cases with volute casings. At partial capacities, it is shown that the impeller forces change greatly when the flow rate and whirl velocity are near to the impeller or vaned diffuser attributed rotating stall onset capacity, and the stall propagation velocity, respectively. In such cases the impeller forces may become destabilizing for impeller whirl.

Description: The shrouded-impeller leakage path forces calculated by Childs (1987) have been analyzed to answer two questions. First, because of certain characteristics of the results of Childs, the forces could not be modeled with traditional approaches. Therefore, an approach has been devised to include the forces in conventional rotordynamic analyses. The forces were approximated by traditional stiffness, damping and inertia coefficients with the addition of whirl-frequency-dependent direct and cross-coupled stiffness terms. The forces were found to be well-modeled with this approach. Finally, the effect these forces had on a simple rotor-bearing system was analyzed, and, therefore, they, in addition to seal forces, were applied to a Jeffcott rotor. The traditional methods of dynamic system analysis were modified to incorporate the impeller forces and yielded results for the eigenproblem, frequency response, critical speed, transient response and an iterative technique for finding the frequency of free vibration as well as system stability. All results lead to the conclusion that the forces have little influence on natural frequency but can have appreciable effects on system stability. Specifically, at higher values of fluid swirl at the leakage path entrance, relative stability is reduced. The only unexpected response characteristics that occurred are attributed to the nonlinearity of the model.

Description: The dynamic coefficients of seals are calculated for shaft movements around an eccentric position. The turbulent flow is described by the Navier-Stokes equations in connection with a turbulence model. The equations are solved by a finite-difference procedure.

Description: Lateral fluid forces on two-dimensional centrifugal impellers, which whirl on a circular orbit in a vaneless diffuser, were reported. Experiments were further conducted for the cases in which a three-dimensional centrifugal impeller, a model of the boiler feed pump, whirls in vaneless and vaned diffusers. The influence of the clearance configuration between the casing and front shroud of the impeller was also investigated. The result indicated that the fluid dynamic interaction between the impeller and the guide vanes induces quite strong fluctuating fluid forces to the impeller, but nevertheless its influence on radial and tangential force components averaged over a whirling orbit is relatively small.

Description: An articulated structure is defined as an assembly of flexible bodies that may be coupled by kinematic connections and force elements that permit large relative displacement and rotation. Kinematics of such systems is defined using one reference frame for each body in the system and deformation modal coordinates that define displacement fields within flexible bodies. Deformation kinematics are defined by both elastic vibration and static correction deformation modes. Linear elastic deformation is presumed; i.e., a linear stress-strain relation is valid and relative displacements within each elastic component are small enough so that the theory of linear elasticity applies. Coupling of reference and modal coordinates leads to a system of nonlinear equations of motion. Methods of automatically generating and solving these equations of motion are outlined.

Description: The performance of dry-lubricated, angular contact ball bearings in vacuum at a temperature of 20 degrees K has been investigated, and is compared with the in-vacuo performance at room temperatures. Bearings were lubricated using dry-lubricant techniques which have been previously established for space applications involving operations at or near room temperature. Comparative tests were undertaken using three lubricants: molybdenum disulphide, lead, and PTFE. Results obtained using the three lubricants are presented.

Description: The development of an approach to the visual perception of object surface information using laser range data in support of robotic grasping is discussed. This is a very important problem area in that a robot such as the EVAR must be able to formulate a grasping strategy on the basis of its knowledge of the surface structure of the object. A description of the problem domain is given as well as a formulation of an algorithm which derives an object surface description adequate to support robotic grasping. The algorithm is based upon concepts of differential geometry namely, Gaussian and mean curvature.

Description: Particles in the mass range from 10 to the minus 7th power to 10 to the minus 3rd power grams contribute 80 percent of the total mass influx of meteoritic material in the 10 to the minus 13th power to 10 to the 6th power gram mass range at Earth (Hughes, 1978). On Earth atmospheric entry, all but the smallest particles in the 10 to the minus 7th power to 10 to the minus 3rd power gram mass range, about 60 to 1200 micrometers in diameter, are heated sufficiently to melt and vaporize. Mars, because of its lower escape velocity and larger atmospheric scale height, is a much more favorable site for unmelted survival of micrometeorites on atmospheric deceleration. Researchers calculate that a significant fraction of particles throughout the 60 to 1200 micrometer diameter range will survive atmospheric entry unmelted. Thus returned Mars soils may offer a resource for sampling micrometeorites in a size range uncollectable in unaltered form at Earth. The addition of meteoritic material to the Mars soils should perturb their chemical composition, as has been detected using the soils on the Moon (Anders, et al., 1973). Using measured mass influx at Earth and estimates of the Mars/Earth flux ratio, researchers estimate a mass influx at Mars of between 2,700 and 202,000 metric tons per year.

Description: The current state of development of the NASA/GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) Split-Rail Parallel Gripper (SRPG) is described. The SPRG has been shown to be a high performance gripper for industrial robots. It has a precise wide throw and at the same time, it is light, simple, compact, rugged, and jam-proof against side loads. Originated at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), this gripper is undergoing further development at NASA/GSFC in pursuit of two goals: as a potential gripper for robots in space and as the basis for sensory-interactive industrial gripper as part of NASA's technology utilization program. The gripper design features, its principles of operation and how it is constructed are described. Test results are included.

Description: The NASA Goddard telerobotic program is structured to increase the scope and efficiency of what man can accomplish in space through the use of robotics. The main focus is to service Space Station Freedom and its payloads, but robotic assembly of Space Station Freedom and platforms is also anticipated. The approach being taken to achieve this by telerobotics, where manipulators can be controlled by human operators or computer programs. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has the responsability to develop the Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) for Space Station Freedom. The current plan at GSFC in support of telerobotics for Space Station Freedom and the in-orbit servicing of platforms are reviewed. Plans for ground demonstrations involving the use of an engineering test bed and an operational facility are discussed.

Description: The Manipulator Emulator Testbed (MET) is to provide a facility capable of hosting the simulation of various manipulator configurations to support concept studies, evaluation, and other engineering development activities. Specifically, the testbed is intended to support development of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and related systems. The objective of this study is to evaluate the math models developed for the MET simulation of a manipulator's rigid body dynamics and the servo systems for each of the driven manipulator joints. Specifically, the math models are examined with regard to their amenability to pipeline and parallel processing. Based on this evaluation and the project objectives, a set of prioritized recommendations are offered for future work.

Description: A test apparatus was constructed and was applied to investigate static and dynamic characteristics of annular seals for turbopumps. The fluid forces acting on the seals were measured for various parameters such as the preswirl velocity, the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the seal, the whirling amplitude, and the ratio of whirling speed to spinning speed of the rotor. Influence of these parameters on the static and dynamic characteristics was investigated from the experimental results. As a result, preswirl affects the dynamic characteristics strongly. Especially, the preswirl opposing the rotating direction has a stabilizing role on the rotor system.

Description: A new seal test facility for measuring high-pressure seal rotor-dynamic characteristics has recently been made operational at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). This work is being sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The fundamental concept embodied in this test apparatus is a double-spool-shaft spindle which permits independent control over the spin speed and the frequency of an adjustable circular vibration orbit for both forward and backward whirl. Also, the static eccentricity between the rotating and non-rotating test seal parts is easily adjustable to desired values. By accurately measuring both dynamic radial displacement and dynamic radial force signals, over a wide range of circular orbit frequency, one is able to solve for the full linear-anisotropic model's 12 coefficients rather than the 6 coefficients of the more restrictive isotropic linear model. Of course, one may also impose the isotropic assumption in reducing test data, thereby providing a valid qualification of which seal configurations are well represented by the isotropic model and which are not. In fact, as argued in reference (1), the requirement for maintaining a symmetric total system mass matrix means that the resulting isotropic model needs 5 coefficients and the anisotropic model needs 11 coefficients.

Description: One of the main problems in designing a centrifugal pump is to achieve a good efficiency while not neglecting the dynamic performance of the machine. The first aspect leads to the design of grooved seals in order to minimize the leakage flow. But the influence of these grooves to the dynamic behavior is not well known. Experimental and theoretical results of the rotordynamic coefficients for different groove shapes and depths in seals is presented. In addition, the coefficients are applied to a simple pump model.

Description: A method to calculate the dynamic coefficients of seals with arbitrary geometry is presented. The Navier-Stokes equations are used in conjunction with the k-e turbulence model to describe the turbulent flow. These equations are solved by a full 3-dimensional finite-difference procedure instead of the normally used perturbation analysis. The time dependence of the equations is introduced by working with a coordinate system rotating with the precession frequency of the shaft. The results of this theory are compared with coefficients calculated by a perturbation analysis and with experimental results.

Description: The compressible, turbulent, time dependent and three dimensional flow in a labyrinth seal can be described by the Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with a turbulence model. Additionally, equations for mass and energy conservation and an equation of state are required. To solve these equations, a perturbation analysis is performed yielding zeroth order equations for centric shaft position and first order equations describing the flow field for small motions around the seal center. For numerical solution a finite difference method is applied to the zeroth and first order equations resulting in leakage and dynamic seal coefficients respectively.

Description: The basic equations are derived for compressible flow in a stepped labyrinth gas seal. The flow is assumed to be completely turbulent in the circumferential direction where the friction factor is determined by the Blasius relation. Linearized zeroth and first-order perturbation equations are developed for small motion about a centered position by an expansion in the eccentricity ratio. The zeroth-order pressure distribution is found by satisfying the leakage equation while the circumferential velocity distribution is determined by satisfying the momentum equations. The first order equations are solved by a separation of variables solution. Integration of the resultant pressure distribution along and around the seal defines the reaction force developed by the seal and the corresponding dynamic coefficients. The results of this analysis are presented in the form of a parametric study, since there are no known experimental data for the rotordynamic coefficients of stepped labyrinth gas seals. The parametric study investigates the relative rotordynamic stability of convergent, straight and divergent stepped labyrinth gas seals. The results show that, generally, the divergent seal is more stable, rotordynamically, than the straight or convergent seals. The results also show that the teeth-on-stator seals are not always more stable, rotordynamically, then the teeth-on-rotor seals as was shown by experiment by Childs and Scharrer (1986b) for a 15 tooth seal.

Description: A new type of vibration damper for rotor systems was developed and tested. The damper contains electroviscous fluid which solidifies and provides Coulomb damping when an electric voltage is imposed across the fluid. The damping capacity is controlled by the voltage. The damper was incorporated in a flexible rotor system and found to be able to damp out high levels of unbalanced excitation. Other proven advantages include controllability, simplicity, and no requirement for oil supply. Still unconfirmed are the capabilities to eliminate critical speeds and to suppress rotor instabilities.

Description: High speed motion pictures have revealed several operating regimes in a squeeze film damper. Pressure measurements corresponding to these distinct regimes were made to examine their effect on the performance of such dampers. Visual observation also revealed the means by which the pressure in the feed groove showed higher amplitudes than the theory predicts. Comparison between vapor and gaseous cavitation are made based on their characteristic pressure wave, and the effect this has on the total force and its phase.

Description: The active control of rotordynamic vibrations and stability by magnetic bearings and electromagnetic shakers was discussed extensively in the literature. These devices, though effective, are usually large in volume and add significant weight to the stator. The use of piezoelectric pushers may provide similar degrees of effectiveness in light, compact packages. Analyses are contained which extend quadratic regulator, pole placement and derivative feedback control methods to the prescribed displacement character of piezoelectric pushers. The structural stiffness of the pusher is also included in the theory. Tests are currently being conducted at NASA Lewis Research Center with piezoelectric pusher-based active vibration control. Results performed on the NASA test rig as preliminary verification of the related theory are presented.

Description: A 21 MW electric power generating unit comprises a gas turbine, a planetary gear, and a generator connected together by gear couplings. For simplicity of the design and high performance the pinion of the gear has no bearing. It is centered by the planet wheels only. The original design showed a strong instability and a natural frequency increasing with the load between 2 and 6.5 MW. In this operating range the natural frequency was below the operating speed of the gas turbine, n sub PT = 7729 RPM. By shortening the pinion shaft and reduction of its moment of inertia the unstable natural frequency was shifted well above the operating speed. With that measure the unit now operates with stability in the entire load range.

Description: Some problems associated with non-synchronous vibrations are analyzed by describing three cases experienced with fairly large rotating machines in operating conditions. In each case, a brief description is first given of the machine and of the instrumentation used. The experimental results are then presented, with reference to time or frequency domain recordings. The lines followed in diagnosis are then discussed and, lastly, the corrective action undertaken is presented.

Description: Aero-engine structures have very low inherent damping and so artificial damping is often introduced by pumping oil into annular gaps between the casings and the outer races of some or all of the rolling-element bearings supporting the rotors. The thin oil films so formed are called squeeze film dampers and they can be beneficial in reducing rotor vibration due to unbalance and keeping to reasonable limits the forces transmitted to the engine casing. However, squeeze-film dampers are notoriously non-linear and as a result can introduce into the assembly such phenomena as subharmonic oscillations, jumps and combination frequencies. The purpose of the research is to investigate such phenomena both theoretically and experimentally on a test facility reproducing the essential features of a medium-size aero engine. The forerunner of this work was published. It was concerned with the examination of a squeeze-film damper in series with housing flexibility when supporting a rotor. The structure represented to a limited extent the essentials of the projected Rolls Royce RB401 engine. That research demonstrated the ability to calculate the oil-film forces arising from the squeeze film from known motions of the bearing components and showed that the dynamics of a shaft fitted with a squeeze film bearing can be predicted reasonably accurately. An aero-engine will normally have at least two shafts and so in addition to the excitation forces which are synchronous with the rotation of one shaft, there will also be forces at other frequencies from other shafts operating on the squeeze-film damper. Theoretical and experimental work to consider severe loading of squeeze-film dampers and to include these additional effects are examined.

Description: A lot of large chemical fertilizer plants producing 1000 ton NH3/day and 1700 ton urea/day were constructed in the 1970's in China. During operation, subsynchronous vibration takes place occasionally in some of the large turbine-compressor sets and has resulted in heavy economic losses. Two cases of subsynchronous vibration are described: Self-excited vibration of the low-pressure (LP) cylinder of one kind of N2-H2 multistage compressor; and Forced subsynchronous vibration of the high-pressure (HP) cylinder of the CO2 compressor.

Description: The Manipulator Control and Mechanization (MCM) subsystem of the telerobot system provides the real-time control of the robot manipulators in autonomous and teleoperated modes and real time input/output for a variety of sensors and actuators. Substantial hardware and software are included in this subsystem which interfaces in the hierarchy of the telerobot system with the other subsystems. The other subsystems are: run time control, task planning and reasoning, sensing and perception, and operator control subsystem. The architecture of the MCM subsystem, its capabilities, and details of various hardware and software elements are described. Important improvements in the MCM subsystem over the first version are: dual arm coordinated trajectory generation and control, addition of integrated teleoperation, shared control capability, replacement of the ultimate controllers with motor controllers, and substantial increase in real time processing capability.

Description: There has been a long standing interest in the design of controllers for multilegged vehicles. The approach is to apply distributed control to this problem, rather than using parallel computing of a centralized algorithm. Researchers describe a distributed neural network controller for hexapod locomotion which is based on the neural control of locomotion in insects. The model considers the simplified kinematics with two degrees of freedom per leg, but the model includes the static stability constraint. Through simulation, it is demonstrated that this controller can generate a continuous range of statically stable gaits at different speeds by varying a single control parameter. In addition, the controller is extremely robust, and can continue the function even after several of its elements have been disabled. Researchers are building a small hexapod robot whose locomotion will be controlled by this network. Researchers intend to extend their model to the dynamic control of legs with more than two degrees of freedom by using data on the control of multisegmented insect legs. Another immediate application of this neural control approach is also exhibited in biology: the escape reflex. Advanced robots are being equipped with tactile sensing and machine vision so that the sensory inputs to the robot controller are vast and complex. Neural networks are ideal for a lower level safety reflex controller because of their extremely fast response time. The combination of robotics, computer modeling, and neurobiology has been remarkably fruitful, and is likely to lead to deeper insights into the problems of real time sensorimotor control.

Description: For future in-space construction facility, one or more space cranes capable of manipulating and positioning large and massive spacecraft components will be needed. Inverse dynamics was extensively studied as a basis for trajectory generation and control of robot manipulators. The focus here is on trajectory generation in the gross-motion phase of space crane operation. Inverse dynamics of the flexible crane body is much more complex and intricate as compared with rigid robot link. To model and solve the space crane's inverse dynamics problem, LATDYN program which employs a three-dimensional finite element formulation for the multibody truss-type structures will be used. The formulation is oriented toward a joint dominated structure which is suitable for the proposed space crane concept. To track a planned trajectory, procedures will be developed to obtain the actuation profile and dynamics envelope which are pertinent to the design and performance requirements of the space crane concept.

Description: The prescribed tasks in high speed robotic systems are severely deteriorated because of their manipulator dynamic deflections. On the other hand conventional dynamic modeling techniques fail to reveal appropriate control forces in flexible systems. The conventional dynamic equations of motion for systems subject to kinematical constraints are modified by a new concept of control force representation. The directions of the control forces are selected such that they correspond to the joint degrees of freedom. Then the joint control forces and torques that yield unperturbed prescribed motions are solved simultaneously with the system motion. A flexible manipulator is presented to illustrate the methods proposed.

Description: A mechanism which meets the requirements of a teleoperated manipulator and those of an autonomous robot is discussed. The mechanism is a traction-drive differential that uses variable preload mechanisms. The differential provides compact design, with dextrous motion range and torque density similar to geared systems. The traction drive offers high stiffness to backlash for good robotic performance. The variable-loading mechanism (VLM) minimizes the drive-train friction for improved teleoperation. This combination provides a mechanism to allow advanced manipulation with either teleoperated control or autonomous robotic operation. The design principles of both major components of the joint mechanism are described.

Description: The dynamic properties and the mathematical model for the adaptive control of the robotic system presently under investigation at Robotic Application and Development Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center are discussed. NASA is currently investigating the use of robotic manipulators for mating and demating of fuel lines to the Space Shuttle Vehicle prior to launch. The Robotic system used as a testbed for this purpose is an ASEA IRB-90 industrial robot with adaptive control capabilities. The system was tested and it's performance with respect to stability was improved by using an analogue force controller. The objective of this research project is to determine the mathematical model of the system operating under force feedback control with varying dynamic internal perturbation in order to provide continuous stable operation under variable load conditions. A series of lumped parameter models are developed. The models include some effects of robot structural dynamics, sensor compliance, and workpiece dynamics.

Description: Three questions are addressed: what mission must a cryogenic seal perform; what are the contrasts between desirable and available seal materials; and how realistic must test conditions be. The question of how to quantify the response of a material subject to large strains and which is susceptible to memory effects leads to a discussion of theoretical issues. Accordingly, the report summarizes some ideas from the rational mechanics of materials. The report ends with a list of recommendations and a conclusion.

Description: A central question for any planet is the age of its surface. Based on comparative planetological arguments, Venus should be as young and active as the Earth (Wood and Francis). The detection of probable impact craters in the Venera radar images provides a tool for estimating the age of the surface of Venus. Assuming somewhat different crater production rates, Bazilevskiy et al. derived an age of 1 + or - 0.5 billion years, and Schaber et al. and Wood and Francis estimated an age of 200 to 400 million years. The known impact craters are not randomly distributed, however, thus some area must be older and others younger than this average age. Ages were derived for major geologic units on Venus using the Soviet catalog of impact craters (Bazilevskiy et al.), and the most accessible geologic unit map (Bazilevskiy). The crater counts are presented for (diameters greater than 20 km), areas, and crater densities for the 7 terrain units and coronae. The procedure for examining the distribution of craters is superior to the purely statistical approaches of Bazilevskiy et al. and Plaut and Arvidson because the bins are larger (average size 16 x 10(6) sq km) and geologically significant. Crater densities define three distinct groups: relatively heavily cratered (Lakshmi, mountain belts), moderately cratered (smooth and rolling plains, ridge belts, and tesserae), and essentially uncratered (coronae and domed uplands). Following Schaber et al., Grieve's terrestrial cratering rate of 5.4 + or - 2.7 craters greater than 20 km/10(9) yrs/10(6) sq km was used to calculate ages for the geologic units on Venus. To improve statistics, the data was aggregated into the three crater density groups, deriving the ages. For convenience, the three similar age groups are given informal time stratigraphic unit names, from youngest to oldest: Ulfrunian, Sednaian, Lakshmian.

Description: The Tellus Regio area of Venus represents a subset of a narrow latitude band where Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) altimetry data, line-of-sight (LOS) gravity data, and Venera 15/16 radar images have all been obtained with good resolution. Tellus Regio also has a wide variety of surface morphologic features, elevations ranging up to 2.5 km, and a relatively low LOS gravity anomaly. This area was therefore chosen in order to examine the theoretical stress distributions resulting from various models of compensation of the observed topography. These surface stress distributions are then compared with the surface morphology revealed in the Venera 15/16 radar images. Conclusions drawn from these comparisons will enable constraints to be put on various tectonic parameters relevant to Tellus Regio. The stress distribution is calculated as a function of the topography, the equipotential anomaly, and the assumed model parameters. The topography data is obtained from the PVO altimetry. The equipotential anomaly is estimated from the PVO LOS gravity data. The PVO LOS gravity represents the spacecraft accelerations due to mass anomalies within the planet. These accelerations are measured at various altitudes and angles to the local vertical and therefore do not lend themselves to a straightforward conversion. A minimum variance estimator of the LOS gravity data is calculated, taking into account the various spacecraft altitudes and LOS angles and using the measured PVO topography as an a priori constraint. This results in an estimated equivalent surface mass distribution, from which the equipotential anomaly is determined.

Description: Previous analyses have recognized several styles and orientations of compressional deformation, crustal convergence, and crustal thickening in Eastern Ishtar Terra. An east to west sense of crustal convergence through small scale folding, thrusting, and buckling is reflected in the high topography and ridge-and-valley morphology of Maxwell Montes and the adjacent portion of Fortuna Tessera. This east to west convergence was accompanied by up to 1000 km of lateral motion and large scale strike-slip faulting within two converging shear zones which has resulted in the present morphology of Maxwell Montes. A more northeast to southwest sense of convergence through large scale buckling and imbrication is reflected in large, northwest-trending scarps along the entire northern boundary of Ishtar Terra, with up to 2 km of relief present at many of the scarps. It was previously suggested that both styles of compression have occurred at the expense of pre-existing tessera regions which have then been overprinted by the latest convergence event. The difference in style is attributed mostly to differences in the properties of the crust converging with the tessera blocks. If one, presumably thick, tessera block converges with another tessera region, then the widespread, distributed style of deformation occurs, as observed in western Fortuna Tessera. However, if relatively thin crust (such as suggested for the North Polar Plains converges with thicker tessera regions, then localized deformation occurs, as reflected in the scarps along Northern Ishtar Terra. The purpose is to identify the types of features observed in Eastern Ishtar Terra. Their potential temporal and spatial relationships, is described, possible origins for them is suggested, and how the interpretation of some of these features has led to the multiple-style tectonic evolution model described is shown.