Engineering topics

Keffer, Charles E.

Publications and source records attributed to Keffer, Charles E..

6 records

NASA NTRS1994

Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions

This report describes the accomplishments of a program designed to develop the tools necessary to interpret auroral emissions measured from a space-based platform. The research was divided into two major areas. The first area was a laboratory study designed to improve our understanding of the space vehicle external environment and how it will affect the space-based measurement of auroral emissions. Facilities have been setup and measurements taken to simulate the gas phase environment around a space vehicle; the radiation environment encountered by an orbiting vehicle that passes through the Earth's radiation belts; and the thermal environment of a vehicle in Earth orbit. The second major area of study was a modeling program to develop the capability of using auroral images at various wavelengths to infer the total energy influx and characteristic energy of the incident auroral particles. An ab initio auroral calculation has been added to the extant ionospheric/thermospheric global modeling capabilities within our group. Once the addition of the code was complete, the combined model was used to compare the relative intensities and behavior of various emission sources (dayglow, aurora, etc.). Attached papers included are: 'Laboratory Facility for Simulation of Vehicle-Environment Interactions'; 'Workshop on the Induced Environment of Space Station Freedom'; 'Radiation Damage Effects in Far Ultraviolet Filters and Substrates'; 'Radiation Damage Effects in Far Ultraviolet Filters, Thin Films, and Substrates'; 'Use of FUV Auroral Emissions as Diagnostic Indicators'; and 'Determination of Ionospheric Conductivities from FUV Auroral Emissions'.

Keffer, Charles E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Transparent conductive coatings in the far ultraviolet

In certain cases a space-borne optical instrument with a dielectric window requires a transparent conductive coating deposited on the window to remove the electrostatic charge collected due to the bombardment of ionized particles. Semiconductor and metal films are studied for use as transparent conductive coatings for the front window of far ultraviolet camera. Cr is found to be the best coating material. The theoretical search for the semiconductor and metal coating materials and experimental results for ITO and Cr films are reported.

Kim, Jongmin↗

NASA NTRS1993

A vacuum ultraviolet spectrophotometric system

The development of a vacuum ultraviolet spectrophotometric system for measuring transmittance and reflectance at variable angles is presented. Using various detectors and sources, the spectrophotometric system has been used for wavelengths from 80 nm to 300 nm with optical components up to 80 mm in diameter. The capability exists to make measurements through the visible range.

Spann, James F.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Radiation Damage Effects in Far Ultraviolet Filters and Substrates

New advances in VUV thin film filter technology have been made using filter designs with multilayers of materials such as Al2O3, BaF2, CaF2, HfO2, LaF3, MgF2, and SiO2. Our immediate application for these filters will be in an imaging system to be flown on a satellite where a 2 X 9 R(sub E) orbit will expose the instrument to approximately 275 krads of radiation. In view of the fact that no previous studies have been made on potential radiation damage of these materials in the thin film format, we report on such an assessment here. Transmittances and reflectances of BaF2, CaF2, HfO2, LaF3, MgF2, and SiO2 thin films on MgF2 substrates, Al2O3 thin films on fused silica substrates, uncoated fused silica and MgF2, and four multilayer filters made from these materials were measured from 120 nm to 180 nm before and after irradiation by 250 krads from a Co-60 gamma radiation source. No radiation-induced losses in transmittance or reflectance occurred in this wavelength range. Additional postradiation measurements from 160 nm to 300 nm indicated a 3 - 5% radiation-induced absorption near 260 nm in some of the samples with MgF2 substrates. From these measurements it is concluded that far ultraviolet filters made from the materials tested should experience less that 5% change from exposure to up to 250 krads of high energy radiation in space applications.

Keffer, Charles E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions

The results obtained in the second year of a three year collaborative effort with MSFC are summarized. A succession of experimental studies was completed to determine the effects of the natural and induced space vehicle environment on the measurement of auroral images from space-based platforms. In addition, a global model which incorporates both auroral and dayglow emission sources is being developed to allow interpretation of measured auroral emissions. A description of work completed on these two tasks is presented.

Keffer, Charles E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions

The accomplishments achieved over the past year are detailed with emphasis on the interpretation or auroral emissions and studies of potential spacecraft-induced contamination effects. Accordingly, the research was divided into two tasks. The first task is designed to add to the understanding of space vehicle induced external contamination. An experimental facility for simulation of the external environment for a spacecraft in low earth orbit was developed. The facility was used to make laboratory measurements of important phenomena required for improving the understanding of the space vehicle induced external environment and its effect on measurement of auroral emissions from space-based platforms. A workshop was sponsored to provide a forum for presentation of the latest research by nationally recognized experts on space vehicle contamination and to discuss the impact of this research on future missions involving space-based platforms. The second task is to add an ab initio auroral calculation to the extant ionospheric/thermospheric global modeling capabilities. Once the addition of the code was complete, the combined model was to be used to compare the relative intensities and behavior of various emission sources (dayglow, aurora, etc.). Such studies are essential to an understanding of the types of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) auroral images which are expected to be available within two years with the successful deployment of the Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) on the ISTP POLAR spacecraft. In anticipation of this, the second task includes support for meetings of the science working group for the UVI to discuss operational and data analysis needs. Taken together, the proposed tasks outline a course of study designed to make significant contributions to the field of space-based auroral imaging.

Keffer, Charles E.↗