Engineering topics

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.

Publications and source records attributed to Bernatowicz, Thomas J..

11 records

NASA NTRS2005

History of Presolar Grains

Papers on the History of Presolar Grains. This has been a very productive period in which much of the laboratory work conducted in the previous year and during this funding cycle were brought to completion. In the last year we have published or submitted for peer review 4 research papers, 4 review papers, and 11 abstracts in research areas supported under this grant. Brief synopses of the results of the research papers are presented, followed by short summaries of the topics discussed in the review papers. Several areas of research are of course being actively pursued, and the appended list of abstracts gives citations to this ongoing work. In a paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal, the results of an investigation into the physical conditions in the mass outflows of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) carbon stars that are required for the formation of micron-sized presolar graphite grains, with and without previously formed internal crystals of titanium carbide (TIC) are reported.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Surface and Internal Structure of Pristine Presolar Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide is the most well-studied type of presolar grain. Isotope measurements of thousands [1,2] and structural data from over 500 individual grains have been reported [3]. The isotope data indicate that approximately 98% originated in asymptotic giant branch stars and 2% in supernovae. Although tens of different polytypes of SiC are known to form synthetically, only two polytypes have been reported for presolar grains. Daulton et al. [3] found that for SiC grains isolated from Murchison by acid treatments, 79.4% are 3C cubic beta-SiC, 2.7% are 2H hexagonal alpha-SiC, 17.1% are intergrowths of and , and 0.9% are heavily disordered. They report that the occurrence of only the and polytypes is consistent with the observed range of condensation temperatures of circumstellar dust for carbon stars. Further constraint on the formation and subsequent alteration of the grains can be obtained from studies of the surfaces and interior structure of grains in pristine form, i.e., prepared without acid treatments [4,5]. The acid treatments remove surface coatings, produce etch pits around defect sites and could remove some subgrains. Surface oxides have been predicted by theoretical modeling as a survival mechanism for SiC grains exposed to the hot oxidizing solar nebula [6]. Scanning electron microscopy studies of pristine SiC shows some evidence for the existence of oxide and organic coatings [4]. We report herein on transmission electron microscopy studies of the surface and internal structure of two pristine SiC grains, including definitive evidence of an oxide rim on one grain, and the presence of internal TiC and AlN grains.

Stroud, Rhonda, M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The History of Presolar Grains

Below we summarize the results of our investigations into the history of presolar grains that were conducted in the last year. During this time we have expended much of our effort in the development of experimental techniques and sample preparation methods that are needed to laboratory in December, 2000. Specific information on this instrument is contained in the Full Proposal of PI Ernst Zinner and will not be repeated here. Our general strategy in the past year has been in large measure to explore novel sample handling methods for the very small (sub-micron), but more representative, presolar grains that can now be characterized isotopically in the NanoSIMS. We have developed experimental techniques that will permit NanoSIMS analyses of the very same ultramicrotome sections studied in the TEM, and we have developed grain dispersion, handling and mounting techniques that permit NanoSIMS isotopic analysis as well as field emission SEM, high energy TEM, and atomic force microscopy of pristine presolar grains. Although much of this has been slow and very difficult work that has no immediate payoff in terms of publishable results, we considered it absolutely necessary groundwork for future discoveries, especially in the realm of individual presolar grains that have been inaccessible to past studies due to size constraints. As discussed below, we have been largely successful in these endeavors, and expect to reap the benefits of this work in the next year. We also report on our continued morphologic studies of pristine presolar grains, on our investigations of presolar graphite grains from supernovae as well as on rarer types of presotar SIC, on the search for presolar silicates, and on our efforts to obtain direct size-distribution information on presolar SiC through X-ray mapping techniques.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Transmission Electron Microscopy of Non-Etched Presolar Silicon Carbide

Our solar system formed from nuclei produced in earlier generations of stars. Mixing in the proto-solar nebula isotopically homogenized most of this material, but some grains, called presolar grains, retain their original isotopic composition. The isotopic properties of presolar SiC grains indicate that most of the grains formed in the outflows of carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. The microstructure of these presolar grains reflects the conditions of the dust formation and subsequent alteration. Early microstructural studies of SiC grains obtained by acid dissolution from meteorites show that most isotopically anomalous SiC grains have the face-centered cubic b- SiC structure. However, Daulton et al. have shown that a small fraction of sub-micron presolar SiC grains are of the hexagonal 2H polytype (a-SiC). Although the harsh chemical treatments of these grains does not alter their crystal structure, significant alteration of the surface morphology of the grains due to the acid treatments has been observed. In addition, the acid treatments may preferentially remove cracked or fissured grains, and possible sub-grains, such as graphite. By studying SiC grains isolated by physical separation and found in situ, we attempt to obtain a more complete analysis of presolar SiC microstructures, including the surface morphology, in order to address the formation and processing history of the grains. In our prior work, we reported on one in situ SiC grain (hereafter CBIS1). Here we present results from two additional grains, one in situ, and one prepared as a physical separate.

Stroud, Rhonda M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

TEM studies of a circumstellar rock

Reported here is the discovery of crystals of titanium carbide in a grain of silicon carbide which formed as a circumstellar dust particle in the atmosphere of a carbon-rich star. Just as in the case of terrestrial rocks, whose assemblage of minerals gives us clues to the composition and conditions of the environment in which they formed, the titanium carbide crystals and their textural relationship to the silicon carbide give us important clues to the nature of the stellar atmosphere in which they formed. From microscopic studies of the relationships between the atomic planes of the silicon carbide and the titanium carbide, we can show that the titanium carbide cannot have existed as already-formed crystals in a gas around which silicon carbide subsequently condensed. An alternative possibility is that both minerals grew quickly and simultaneously from condensing gas in the rapidly cooling and expanding stellar atmosphere. Other microscopic features of the silicon carbide, such as abundant atomic layer disorder and crystal twinning, similarly suggest rapid grain growth. However, another possibility is that the titanium carbide grew inside of the silicon carbide by diffusion of titanium atoms. Our calculations suggest that this scenario is less likely, given the relatively short times (a year or less) for which stellar condensates can be expected to be exposed to temperatures high enough to make diffusion sufficiently rapid.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Interstellar grains within interstellar grains

Five interstellar graphite spherules extracted from the Murchison carbonaceous meteorite are studied. The isotopic and elemental compositions of individual particles are investigated with the help of an ion microprobe, and this analysis is augmented with structural studies of ultrathin sections of the grain interiors by transmission electron microscopy. As a result, the following procedure for the formation of the interstellar graphite spherule bearing TiC crystals is inferred: (1) high-temperature nucleation and rapid growth of the graphitic carbon spherule in the atmosphere of a carbon-rich star, (2) nucleation and growth of TiC crystals during continued growth of the graphitic spherule and the accretion of TiC onto the spherule, (3) quenching of the graphite growth process by depletion of C or by isolation of the spherule before other grain types could condense.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Comparative xenology of two angrites

Results are presented on Xe analysis during stepwise heating of the angrite meteorite Lewis Cliff 86010 and the Angra dos Reis angrite. It is shown that both the Lewis Cliff and the Angra dos Reis angrites are poor in trapped Xe and are rich in fission Xe from Pu-244 and in spallation Xe produced by cosmic ray irradiation of Ba and the light REE, and that neither meteorite has an excess of Xe-129 derived from I-129. Both meteorites show significant variations in the composition of the spallation Xe attributable to the separation of the Ba and REE components. The Ba-related spallation in Lewis Cliff differs from that in Angra dos Reis primarily in a lower relative yield of the neutron-sensitive Xe-131 isotope, suggesting a lower neutron flux during cosmic ray exposure for the Lewis Cliff meteorite.

Hohenberg, Charles M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Instellar grains within interstellar grains

The discovery of crystals of titanium carbide in an interstellar graphite spherule is reported. The new species is particularly interesting in that it came in a protective wrapping (the graphite spherule) which eliminated the possibility of chemical alteration during its residence in the interstellar medium and in the meteorite in which it was discovered.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Electron energy loss spectrometry of interstellar diamonds

The results are reported of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) measurements on diamond residues from carbonaceous meteorites designed to elucidate the structure and composition of interstellar diamonds. Dynamic effective medium theory is used to model the dielectric properties of the diamonds and in particular to synthesize the observed spectra as mixtures of diamond and various pi-bonded carbons. The results are shown to be quantitatively consistent with the idea that diamonds and their surfaces are the only contributors to the electron energy loss spectra of the diamond residues and that these peculiar spectra are the result of the exceptionally small grain size and large specific surface area of the interstellar diamonds.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Solubility and partitioning of Ar in anorthite, diopside, forsterite, spinel, and synthetic basaltic liquids

The solubility and partitioning of Ar in natural anorthite, diopside, forsterite, spinel, and synthetic iron-free basaltic melts was investigated using a new technique that obviates the postquenching phase separation. It was found that the solubility of Ar in the minerals was surprisingly high. Moreover, the solubility of Ar in different samples of a particular mineral run in the same experiment varied more than the solubility in the same sample run in different experiments, suggesting that noble gases are held in lattice vacancy defects. Moreover, the results of TEM imaging revealed no anomalous microstructures, while EXAFS studies of some samples showed that Kr has no preferred site in the lattices, supporting the defect siting conclusion.

Broadhurst, C. Leigh↗

NASA NTRS1987

Isotopic fractionation of Kr and Xe implanted in solids at very low energies

Results on the implantation of Kr and Xe in W under closed system conditions at very low energies (50-500 eV) are reported. Investigation of the fraction of gas trapped as a function of time reveals the existence of competing trapping and release mechanisms, and analysis of recovered trapped gas and residual gas phases shows that both elemental and isotropic fractionation result from these mechanisms. It is determined that the mass dependence for the overall implantation process is at or near m exp 1, with heavier isotopes enriched in the implanted gas. This mass dependence is inferred to result from implantation and a combination of diffusive and gas sputtering release mechanisms. These results reaffirm the conclusion of Bernatowicz and Fahey (1986) that previously observed isotopic fractionation of Kr and Xe in carbonaceous material synthesized in electrical discharges owes its origin to low-energy ion implantation, and also suggest that this process may be relevant to incorporation of noble gases in early solar system materials. The implication of these results for noble gas mass spectrometry are discussed.

Bernatowicz, Thomas J.↗