Abstract: A system and method for reducing the threat of derailment of a train during deceleration is provided. An individualized braking force for each rail car of a train, such individualized braking force being determined by the braking deceleration of the train's locomotive, may be calculated by the rail car's controller and is directly proportional to the mass of the rail car. The controller may utilize the various forces acting upon the individual rail car as measured by a plurality of sensing and measuring devices to dynamically adjust the braking force applied to the individual rail car's brakes. Such a system and method allows for the train to act as a single body mass when decelerating to eliminate rail car pile-up and reduce the threat of derailment.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to scan radar and radiometer combination used to image 3D atmospheric pressure from high altitudes or space. The apparatus includes a microwave sensor configured to operate at a V-band between a range of 51 and 71 GHz, producing high fidelity retrievals of one or more pressure and temperature profiles. The sensor includes a broadband transmitter and one or more receivers with three or more transmitted and received radar frequencies. The three or more transmitted and received frequencies are used to provide an estimate of atmospheric oxygen absorption in atmosphere. The sensor is further configured to provide vertical pressure profiles by combining three radar frequency data from the three or more transmitted and received radar frequencies with vertical temperature information.

Abstract: In an illustrative example, one or more coating formulations may be used and may have characteristics useful in different situations. During evaluations, a plurality of coating formulations comprising epoxy resins and diamine hardeners were prepared and evaluated with regards to impact ice adhesion strength and durability. Alone, such coating formulations provided a significantly reduced impact ice adhesion strength as compared to uncoated aluminum and/or stainless steel surfaces. However, a durability of the coatings, when applied to aluminum or stainless steel surfaces, was insufficient to be considered for use on external aircraft surfaces. By including nano-sized and/or micro-sized particles as additives to the coating formulations, resulted in improved durability without significantly reducing ice adhesion performance of the resin base.

Abstract: A refinery spacecraft comprises a hub section defining a longitudinal axis, an excavator segment to convey material into the hub section, first, second and third rotary ring segments rotatable about the hub section with adjustable speed and direction, each rotary ring segments comprising three modules configured to carry out refining or storage processes and wherein two of the three modules in each rotary ring segment have adjustable angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis. Methods of collecting and refining substances from an asteroid, derelict orbiting spacecraft or other space junk, can comprise attaching a refining spacecraft to an asteroid, extracting material from the asteroid, transferring material into a refining hub, transferring material to refining rings orbiting the refining hub, and controlling orbiting of the refining rings about the hub to establish and maintain angular momentum of the refining spacecraft at a stable condition.

Abstract: Compositions including a polyimide and one or more thermally conductive fillers, and compaction rollers for an automated fiber placement machine incorporating the compositions are provided. The polyimide may be a polymeric reaction product of a dianhydride and one or more diamines. The one or more diamines may include a fluorine-containing alkyl ether diamine. The one or more thermally conductive fillers may include one or more of a carbon-based filler, boron nitride, a metal, or combinations thereof. The compositions may have a thermal conductivity of from about 0.2 to about 50 Watts per meter Kelvin (Wm?1 K?1).

Abstract: A solid state, carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor configured for sensitive detection of CO2 in both dry and moist conditions. The CO2 sensor utilizes a composite sensing material that detects CO2 in the range of 100 ppm to 10,000 ppm. The sensing material is composed of O-MWCNTs and a metal oxide functionalizing agent, such as iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles. The material has an inherent resistance and conductivity that is chemically modulated as the level of CO2 increases. The CO2 gas molecules that are absorbed into the carbon nanotube composites cause charge-transfer and changes in the conductive pathway causes changes in conductivity of the composite sensing material. This change in conductivity provides a specificity and sensitivity for CO2 detection. The CO2 sensor can be easily integrated into existing electronic circuitry and hardware configurations, including the hardware of a mobile computing device, such as a smart phone or tablet device.

Abstract: A climate data intercomparison and analytics service application programming interface (CDIAS-API) includes a set of basic utilities configured to map calls from client applications to single service-side methods operating on one or more disparate climate reanalysis datasets by the climate data intercomparison and analytics service, a set of extended utilities comprising scripts that call on one or more of a set of canonical operations, and one or more basic utilities, and a collections reference model configured to provide semantic alignment of variable names, method alignment of statistical operations, and output data format consistency for operations across the one or more disparate climate reanalysis datasets.

Abstract: A reanalysis ensemble service includes a plurality of conversion utilities, each conversion utility configured to convert a specific one of a plurality of disparate climate reanalysis datasets from different sources to common format files that are temporally and spatially registered, a data analytics platform for storing and operating on the different sourced common format files, a service interface for mapping service requests to analytic operations performed on the different sourced common format files by the data analytics platform, and a services library that dynamically creates data objects from one or more of the different sourced common format files in response to the analytic operations, and delivers the data objects to the service interface.

Abstract: The invention is a method for identifying aircraft, flying at supersonic speeds, that exceed a specified noise condition in a defined geographical area that may be employed once restrictions to supersonic aircraft flights over the United States are lifted.

Abstract: A high flow differential cleaning system uses a source of pressurized compressed dry gas to pressurize a holding tank. A component to be cleaned is securely loaded and oriented against a blast plate designed specifically for the desired pressure, flow, and volume. A fast-actuated valve system opens to direct high volumes of pressurized gas from a holding tank through and around the component(s) held within the cleaning chamber for the removal of remnant powder and foreign particles from interior cavities as well as exterior component surfaces.

Abstract: Catalyst materials comprising iron and palladium are described. Also described are methods for preparing such materials. In addition, methods for remediating materials such as sediments and groundwater using the catalyst materials are described.

Abstract: A method for measuring and computing unsteady loads using unsteady pressure-sensitive paint (uPSP) data includes performing an in-situ calibration using an average of pixels of a portion of an image captured of a surface painted with pressure-sensitive paint. The method also includes dividing an average static pressure by an intensity for each region of interest (ROI) in terms of time to produce a ratioed intensity measuring an intensity fluctuation. The method further includes producing a pressure-time history from the in-situ calibration and the measured intensity fluctuation. The method also includes calculating a fluctuating force by multiplying the produced pressure-time history by an area of pixels in each ROI, and converting a time signal to a frequency, and producing a power spectral density (PSD) to compare frequency content to determine an amount of energy at a certain frequency band.

Abstract: Compositions including a poly(arylene ether), and compaction rollers for an automated fiber placement machine incorporating the composition are provided. The poly(arylene ether) may be a reaction product of at least one disubstituted benzophenone and at least one polyol. The at least one polyol may include at least one fluorinated diol. The composition may have a thermal conductivity of from about 0.2 to about 50 Watts per meter Kelvin (Wm?1K?1).

Abstract: A method for the design, manufacture, and assembly of modular lattice structures composed of cuboctahedron unit cells.

Abstract: A satellite includes a fast tracking mirror (“mirror”) placed at or near center of mass (CoM) of the satellite along a line of sight between the CoMs of two satellites. The satellite also includes a detector at a distance away from the mirror. The mirror is adjusted to maintain the distance between the mirror and the detector, when a location of the detector changes due to pitch and yaw of the satellite.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a curing process for fiber reinforced composite materials that includes positioning an actuator on uncured composite material at a first location. At least one sensor is positioned at a second location that is spaced apart from the first location. The actuator excites waves in the composite part at the first location. At least one sensor is positioned at a second location that is spaced apart from the first location. The actuator excites waves in the composite part at the first location. The waves propagate through the composite part due to internal reflection. At least one wave metric is measured at the second location utilizing the sensor. At least one parameter of the curing process may be adjusted based, at least in part, on a wave metric measured by the sensor.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for preventing, or reducing the effects of, an infection by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, that bind human ACE2. The compositions are fusion proteins with mutated forms of the extracellular domain of the ACE2 receptor which can bind viral particles of these coronaviruses. When sprayed or inhaled into an individual’s nasal passages or airway, the inventive fusion proteins bind particles of such coronaviruses, keeping them from reaching and infecting the individual’s cells. When administered parenterally, the fusion proteins can enter the fluid lining the inside of the lung, binding particles of such coronaviruses and keeping them from binding to and infecting cells.

Abstract: A non-etched gap is introduced along the length of an integrated Bragg grating with etched grooves such that the coupling coefficient, K, of the grating is reduced by the non-etched gap. In this way, multiple grating K values may be defined within a photonic integrated circuit using a single lithography and etch step. Additionally, the non-etched gap width may be varied along the length of a single grating to implement a chirped grating.

Abstract: A phased-array, conformal antenna and a method for forming same are disclosed. The method comprises forming a substantially planar layered antenna structure by fabricating a printed circuit board (PCB) on a substantially planar first substrate, adhering the PCB to a second substantially planar substrate, the second substantially planar substrate comprising an aerogel, adhering a plurality of antenna elements to the substantially planar second substrate to form the phased-array, adhering a protective layer to the one or more antenna elements, and shaping the substantially planar layered antenna structure to form a substantially curved layered antenna structure.

Abstract: A method of recycling a polymer structure includes converting a first polymer structure into feedstock. The first polymer structure comprises particles that are bonded to one another by chemical click bonds to form a first shape. The first polymer structure is converted into feedstock particles by breaking the click bonds. The feedstock particles are formed into a second shape, and the feedstock particles are chemically click-bonded together to form a second polymer structure having a second shape. Breaking the click bonds may include heating the particles. The structures may be formed by causing first particles having dienes to chemically bond to dienophiles of second particles.