Search NASASearch

Engineering topics

Liu, Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Liu, Y..

At least 37 records · Page 2

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) Investigation for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument and investigation as a part of the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is designed to study convection-zone dynamics and the solar dynamo, the origin and evolution of sunspots, active regions, and complexes of activity, the sources and drivers of solar magnetic activity and disturbances, links between the internal processes and dynamics of the corona and heliosphere, and precursors of solar disturbances for space-weather forecasts. A brief overview of the instrument, investigation objectives, and standard data products is presented.

Helioseismology

Thermodynamic Structure of Collision-Dominated Expanding Plasma: Heating of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Injections

We investigate the thermodynamic structure of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) using combined surveys of the ejecta between 0.3 and 20 AU. ICMEs are shown to have a moderate expansion in the solar wind compared with theoretical predictions. The expansion seems to be governed by a polytrope with gamma approx. 1.3 in this distance range. We find that Coulomb collisions are important contributors to the ion-ion equilibration process in the ICME plasma. The alpha-proton differential speed quickly drops to below 10 km/s due to strong Coulomb collisions. However, the two species of particles are far from thermal equilibrium with a temperature ratio T(sub alpha/T(sub p) = 4-6, suggestive of a preferential heating of alpha particles. The plasma heating rate as a function of heliocentric &stance required for the temperature profile is deduced by taking into account the expansion and energy transfer between protons and alphas via Coulomb collisions. The turbulence dissipation rate is also inferred from the inertial range power spectrum of magnetic fluctuations within ICMEs. Comparison of the turbulence dissipation rate with the required heating rate shows that turbulence dissipation seems sufficient to explain the ICME heating. Sources powering the turbulence are also investigated by examining the instabilities induced by temperature anisotropies and energy deposition by pickup ions.

Liu, Y.

Friction Properties of Surface-Fluorinated Carbon Nanotubes

Surface modification of the tubular or sphere-shaped carbon nanoparticles through chemical treatment, e.g., fluorination, is expected to significantly affect their friction properties. In this study, a direct fluorination of the graphene-built tubular (single-walled carbon nanotubes) structures has been carried out to obtain a series of fluorinated nanotubes (fluoronanotubes) with variable C(n)F (n =2-20) stoichiometries. The friction coefficients for fluoronanotubes, as well as pristine and chemically cut nanotubes, were found to reach values as low as 0.002-0.07, according to evaluation tests run in contact with sapphire in air of about 40% relative humidity on a ball-on-disk tribometer which provided an unidirectional sliding friction motion. These preliminary results demonstrate ultra-low friction properties and show a promise in applications of surface modified nanocarbons as a solid lubricant.

Wal, R. L. Vander

Implementation of Premixed Equilibrium Chemistry Capability in OVERFLOW

An implementation of premixed equilibrium chemistry has been completed for the OVERFLOW code, a chimera capable, complex geometry flow code widely used to predict transonic flowfields. The implementation builds on the computational efficiency and geometric generality of the solver.

Olsen, M. E.

Internal Rb-Sr Age and Initial Sr-87/Sr-86 of a Silicate Inclusion from the Campo Del Cielo Iron Meteorite

The largest group of iron meteorites, IAB, is distinguished by the presence of diverse silicate inclusions. In principle, Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd radiometric dating of these silicate inclusions by internal isochron techniques can determine both the times of melting and parent/daughter ratios in the precursor materials via initial Sr-87/Sr-86 and Nd-143/Nd-144 ratios. The Sr-87/Sr-86 and Nd-143/Nd-144 ratios could distinguish chondritic precursors from already differentiated silicates. We reported Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd internal ischron ages of 4.52+/-0.03 Ga and 4.50+/-0.04 Ga, respectively, for plagioclase-diopside-rich material in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite. These results are essentially identical to literature values of its Ar-Ar age of 4.520+/-0.005 Ga and its Sm-Nd age of 4.53+/-0.02 Ga. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the formation and evolution of silicate inclusions in IAB iron meteorites by determination of their initial Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios combined with higher-resolution chronology and mineralogical and geochemical studies.

Liu, Y.