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Chang, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Chang, A..

17 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

Continuing Measurements of CO2 Crystals with a Hand-Held 35 GHz Radiometer

In order to increase our knowledge of the Martian polar caps, an improved understanding of the behavior of both frozen H2O and CO2 in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is needed. The thermal microwave part of the spectrum has received relatively little attention compared to the visible and infrared wavelengths. A simple experiment to measure the brightness temperature of frozen CO2 was first performed in the winter of 1998 using a 35 GHz radiometer. in experiments performed during the winter of 1999 and 2000, passive microwave radiation emanating from within layers of manufactured CO2 (dry ice) crystals was again measured with a 35 GHz handheld radiometer. Both large (0.8 cm) and small (0.3 cm) cylindrical-shaped dry ice pellets, at a temperature of 197 K (-76 C), were measured. A 1 sq m plate of aluminum sheet metal was positioned beneath the dry ice so that microwave emissions from the underlying soil layers would be minimized. Non-absorbing foam was positioned around the sides of the plate in order to keep the dry ice in place and to assure that the incremental deposits were level. Thirty-five GHz measurements of this plate were made through the dry ice deposits in the following way. Layers of dry ice were built up and measurements were repeated for the increasing CO2 pack. First, 7 cm of large CO2 pellets were poured onto the sheet metal plate, then an additional 7 cm were added, and finally, 12 cm were added on top of the 14 cm base. Hand-held 35 GHz measurements were made each time the thickness of the deposit was increased. The same process was repeated for the smaller grain pellets. Furthermore, during the past winter, 35 GHz measurements were taken of a 25 kg (27 cm x 27 cm x 27 cm) solid cube Of CO2, which was cut in half and then re-measured. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Foster, J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Subsidence, Mixing and Denitrification of Arctic Polar Vortex Air Measured During POLARIS

A new technique is presented to determine the degree of denitrification that occured during the 1996/97 Arctic winter, based on balloon and aircraft borne measurements of NOy, N2O and CH4. In this study high-altitude balloon measurements are used to define the properties of air masses that later descend in the polar vortex to altitudes sampled by the ER-2 aircraft and mix isentropically with mid-latitude air.

stratosphere↗
NASA NTRS1998

35-GHz Measurements of Carbon Dioxide Crystals

In order to maximize our knowledge of the martian polar caps, it is important to compare and contrast the behavior of both frozen H2O and CO2 in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Relatively little attention has been given, thus far, to observing the thermal microwave part of the spectrum. In this experiment, passive microwave radiation emanating from within a 33-cm snowpack was measured with a 35-GHz hand-held radiometer, and in addition to the natural snow measurements, the radiometer was used to measure the microwave emission and scattering from layers of manufactured CO2 (dry ice) crystals. A 1 square meter plate of aluminum sheet metal was positioned beneath the natural snow so that microwave emissions from the underlying soil layers would be minimized. 35 GHz measurements of this plate were made through the 33-cm snowpack. Layers of the snow were removed and measurements were repeated for the diminishing snowpack until the bare plate was in view. Then, 9 cm of CO2 crystals were deposited onto the sheet-metal plate, and as was the case for the natural snow, hand-held measurements were made each time the thickness of the deposit was altered. These CO2 crystals were -0.65 cm in diameter and were cylindrical. The temperature of the dry ice was -76 C, whereas the temperature at the top of the snowpack was -1.9 C (the air temperature was -3 C). Two additional 9-cm increments were placed on top of the existing CO2 crystals, resulting in a total thickness of 27 cm of dry ice. After this series of measurements was made, the CO2 crystals were then placed on top of the snowpack, and as before, measurements were made using the 35-GHz radiometer. As a final part of this experiment, soil particles were spread on top of the dry ice, and once again, microwave measurements were made with the 35-GHz radiometer.

Foster, J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Crosslinking-property relationships in PMR polyimide composites. I

The effect of the crosslink density of the matrix on physical and mechanical properties of a graphite-fiber-reinforced PMR (for polymerization of monomer reactants) polyimide composites during isothermal aging was investigated in experiments where unidirectional composite specimens of Celion 6000/PMR-P1 were isothermally exposed at 288 C in air for various time periods up to 5000 hrs. It was found that, as the crosslink density increased, the glass transition temperature, density, and elevated-temperature interlaminar shear strength of a composite increased, while the initial moisture absorption and the coefficient of thermal expansion decreased. However, after reaching the highest possible matrix crosslink density, several of the composite properties began to deteriorate rapidly.

Pater, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Crosslinking-property relationships in PMR polyimide composites. I

The thermooxidatively-induced crosslinking/ physical and mechanical property relationships of graphite fiber-reinforced PMR polyimide-matrix composites were studied during isothermal exposure of the composite specimens at 288 C in air for periods of up to 5000 hr. The crosslinking densities due to this treatment were estimated on the basis of the kinetic theory of rubber elasticity and shifts in the glass transition temperature T(g). Several linear relationships are noted between crosslink density and physical and mechanical properties: T(g), initial weight loss, and elevated temperature interlaminar shear strength increase with crosslink density, while initial moisture absorption decreases. After achieving the highest crosslink density, several of the composite properties begin to decrease from their maximum values.

Pater, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Resin Characterization in Cured Composite Materials

Molecular-level characterization of polymeric matrix resin in cured graphite-reinforced composite materials now determined through analysis of diffuse reflectance (DR) with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Improved analytical method based on diffuse reflectance. DR/ FTIR technique successfully applied to analysis of several different composites and adhesives impossible to analyze by conventional methods.

Young, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The influence of Coriolis forces on gyroscopic motion of spinning blades

Turbomachine blades on spinning and precessing rotors experience gyroscopically induced instabilities and forcing. With vehicle-mounted turbomachines, either constant or harmonic precession occurs, depending on vehicle or mount motion. Responses of uniform cantilever beams at arbitrary stagger, subjected to the noted rotor motion, are predicted in both self-excited and forced-excitation modes taking into account Coriolis acceleration.

Sisto, F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Aircraft active microwave measurements for estimating soil moisture

Both active and passive microwave sensors are sensitive to variations in near-surface soil moisture. The principal advantage of active microwave systems for soil moisture applications is that high spatial resolution can be retained even at satellite attitudes. The considered investigation is concerned with the use of active microwave scatterometers for estimating near-surface soil moisture. Microwave scatterometer data were obtained during a series of three aircraft flights over a group of Oklahoma research watersheds during May 1978. Data were obtained for the C, L, and P bands at angles of incidence between 5 and 50 degrees. The best results were obtained using C band data at incidence angles of 10 and 15 degrees and soil moisture depth of 0 to 15 cm. These results were in excellent agreement with the conclusions of the truck-mounted scatterometer measurement program reported by Ulaby et al. (1978, 1979).

Jackson, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Active microwave measurements for estimating soil moisture in Oklahoma

Previous research has shown that active and passive microwave sensors can be used to estimate near surface soil moisture. An advantage of the active systems is that they have the capability of high spatial resolution from satellite platforms. Most of the previous research has been conducted on agricultural fields. This study examined the use of active microwave data for estimating the average surface soil moisture for several watersheds located near Chicasha, Oklahoma. Data were collected using P, L, and C band scatterometers, mounted on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration C130B aircraft flying at an altitude of 300 m. Soil moisture data were collected in conjunction with three flights during May 1978. Our results indicated that relationships between the scatterometer data and soil moisture do exist and agree with the results obtained at the University of Kansas.

Jackson, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Effect of surface roughness on the microwave emission from soils

The effect of surface roughness on the brightness temperature of a moist terrain has been studied through the modification of Fresnel reflection coefficient and using the radiative transfer equation. The modification involves introduction of a single parameter to characterize the roughness. It is shown that this parameter depends on both the surface height variance and the horizontal scale of the roughness. Model calculations are in good quantitative agreement with the observed dependence of the brightness temperature on the moisture content in the surface layer. Data from truck mounted and airborne radiometers are presented for comparison. The results indicate that the roughness effects are great for wet soils where the difference between smooth and rough surfaces can be as great as 50 K.

Choudhury, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Effect of surface roughness on the microwave brightness temperature of soils

The effect of surface roughness on the brightness temperature of a moist terrain was studied through the modification of Fresnel reflection coefficient and using the radiative transfer equation. Model calculations are in good qualitative agreement with the observed dependence of the brightness temperature on the moisture content in the surface layer.

Choudhury, B. J.↗