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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS2009

Future System Science Mission Targets for Heliophysics

Heliophysics is a discipline that investigates the science at work from the interface of Earth and space, to the core of the Sun, and to the outer edge of our solar system. This solar-interplanetary-planetary system is vast and inherently coupled on many spatial, temporal and energy scales. The Sun's explosive energy output creates complicated field and plasma structures that when coupled without terrestrial magnetized space, generates an extraordinary complex environment that has practical implications for humanity as we are becoming increasingly dependent on space-based assets. The immense volume of our cosmic neighborhood is the domain of heliophysics. Understanding this domain and the dominant mechanisms that control the transfer of mass and energy requires a system approach that addresses all aspects and regions of the system. The 2009 NASA Heliophysics Roadmap presents a science-focused strategic approach to advance the goal of heliophysics: why does the Sun vary; how do the Earth and heliosphere respond; and what are the impacts on humanity? This talk will present the top 6 prioritized science targets to understand the coupled heliophysics system as presented in the 2009 NASA Heliophysics Roadmap. An exposition of each science target and how it addresses outstanding questions in heliophysics will be discussed.

Spann, James↗
NASA NTRS1981

Broad-band polarization in molecular spectra

The rotational lines of the CN(0,0) red system have been observed to show a strongly asymmetric Zeeman profile. Certain molecules are very susceptible to magnetic perturbation because of the weakness of their spin-rotation coupling; a fairly weak magnetic field can cause a complete Paschen-Back effect. The calculation of transition probabilities incorporating this effect into the Hamiltonian is discussed, and the detailed calculation is then given. The resulting transition probabilities are transformed into synthetic line profiles by using the Unno (1956) model of polarized radiation transfer. The dependence of the net polarized flux on magnetic field and equivalent width is investigated. It is shown that entire band systems may be significantly polarized. Broad-band circular polarization of sunspots may be due, in part, to molecular bands. Analysis of the CH G band indicates a magnetic field of 0.25-0.50 x 10 to the 6th gauss in the white dwarf G99-37, an order of magnitude lower than previous estimates.

Illing, R. M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The automation of the stellar proper motion survey

A microdensitometer, scanning pairs of star plates of identical areas of the sky taken a decade apart, is coupled to a magnetic tape unit through a data acquisition system. This system performs an image density threshold level selection for each plate and a buffer memory system to smooth the data flow as well as analog and digital display controls. The data from the tape are processed later by a large scale high speed computer which reconstructs the scanned images, discovers, measures, and documents stellar proper motions by precise comparison of corresponding areas of the two star plates to detect those images which have moved at least 0.10 seconds annually in the time interval between the exposures.

Newcomb, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Development of nondestructive testing techniques for plated-through holes in multilayer printed circuit boards

The development of a nondestructive test with the capability to interrogate plated-through holes as small as 0.51 millimeters inside diameter is discussed. The system can detect defects such as holes, voids, cracks, and thin spots that reduce the current carrying capability of plates-through interconnects by 20 percent or more. Efforts were directed toward the design and fabrication of magnetic circuitry mutual coupling probes and to evaluate the effectiveness of these devices for detecting in multilayer board plated-through holes.

Anthony, P. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Significance of medium energy gamma ray astronomy in the study of cosmic rays

Medium energy (about 10 to 30 MeV) gamma ray astronomy provides information on the product of the galactic electron cosmic ray intensity and the galactic matter to which the electrons are dynamically coupled by the magnetic field. Because high energy (greater than 100 MeV) gamma ray astronomy provides analogous information for the nucleonic cosmic rays and the relevant matter, a comparison between high energy and medium energy gamma ray intensities provides a direct ratio of the cosmic ray electrons and nucleons throughout the galaxy. A calculation of gamma ray production by electron bremsstrahlung shows that: bremsstrahlung energy loss is probably not negligible over the lifetime of the electrons in the galaxy; and the approximate bremsstrahlung calculation often used previously overestimates the gamma ray intensity by about a factor of two. As a specific example, expected medium energy gamma ray intensities are calculated for the speral arm model.

Fichtel, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Vacuum mounting for piezoelectric transducers

Special housing couples piezoelectric transducers to nonporous surfaces for ultrasonic or acoustic-emission testing. Device, while providing sound isolation on flat or nonflat surfaces, can be attached and detached quickly. Vacuum sealing mechanism eliminates need for permanent or semipermanent bonds, viscous coupling liquids, weights, magnets, tape, or springs ordinarily used.

Tiede, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Infrared spectroscopy of interstellar shocks

Infrared emission lines from interstellar shocks provide valuable diagnostics for violent events in the interstellar medium, such as supernova remnants and mass outflow from young stellar objects. There are two types of interstellar shocks: in J shocks, gas properties 'jump' from their preshock to their postshock values in a shock front with a thickness equal to or less than one mean free path; radiation is emitted behind the shock front, primarily in the visible and ultraviolet, but with a few strong infrared lines, such as OI(63 microns). Such shocks occur in ionized or neutral atomic gas, or at high velocities (equal to or greater than 50 km/s) in molecular gas. In C shocks, gas is accelerated and heated by collisions between charged particles, which have a low concentration and are coupled to the magnetic field, and neutral particles; radiation is generated throughout the shock and is emitted almost entirely in infrared emission lines. Such shocks occur in weakly ionized molecular gas for shock velocities below about 50 km/s.

Mckee, C. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Pulse Coupling for Laser Excitation

Tapered transmission line couples energy from magnetic switch to excimer laser. Transmission line provides constant impedance for pulses from switch and distributes pulses across length of laser as nearly uniform wave fronts. Allows smaller, more efficient magnetic core to be used in switch. Losses and circuit capacitance are less than for full-laser-width line and core.

Pacala, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Task reports on developing techniques for scattering by 3D composite structures and to generate new solutions in diffraction theory using higher order boundary conditions

There are two tasks described in this report. First, an extension of a two dimensional formulation is presented for a three dimensional body of revolution. With the introduction of a Fourier expansion of the vector electric and magnetic fields, a coupled two dimensional system is generated and solved via the finite element method. An exact boundary condition is employed to terminate the mesh and the fast fourier transformation is used to evaluate the boundary integrals for low O(n) memory demand when an iterative solution algorithm is used. Second, the diffraction by a material discontinuity in a thick dielectric/ferrite layer is considered by modeling the layer as a distributed current sheet obeying generalized sheet transition conditions (GSTC's).

Volakis, John L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A finite element conjugate gradient FFT method for scattering

An extension of a two dimensional formulation is presented for a three dimensional body of revolution. With the introduction of a Fourier expansion of the vector electric and magnetic fields, a coupled two dimensional system is generated and solved via the finite element method. An exact boundary condition is employed to terminate the mesh and the fast fourier transformation (FFT) is used to evaluate the boundary integrals for low O(n) memory demand when an iterative solution algorithm is used. By virtue of the finite element method, the algorithm is applicable to structures of arbitrary material composition. Several improvements to the two dimensional algorithm are also described. These include: (1) modifications for terminating the mesh at circular boundaries without distorting the convolutionality of the boundary integrals; (2) the development of nonproprietary mesh generation routines for two dimensional applications; (3) the development of preprocessors for interfacing SDRC IDEAS with the main algorithm; and (4) the development of post-processing algorithms based on the public domain package GRAFIC to generate two and three dimensional gray level and color field maps.

Collins, Jeffery D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Instantaneous Io flux tube as the source of Jovian DAM - Possible second harmonic emissions

To determine if the source of the Jovian Io-dependent DAM (decametric) emission is along the instantaneous Io flux tube (IIFT), the results of ray-tracing calculations are compared with radio emission data obtained by the Planetary Radio Astronomy instruments on Voyager 1 and 2. RX mode gyroemission at frequencies near the local gyrofrequency and sources along field lines within the active sector between 150 and 270 deg longitude are assumed. The results indicate good agreement with the observations if the source is within 20 deg of the IIFT, but the maximum gyrofrequency of the model magnetic field is smaller than the observed maximum frequency of the DAM for the assumed active field line. While errors in the magnetic-field model coupled with emission at large Doppler shift might explain this discrepancy, a more natural explanation is that the higher-frequency component of the DAM is due to second-harmonic gyroemission.

Menietti, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Acoustophoresis method and apparatus

A method and apparatus are provided for acoustophoresis, i.e., the separation of species via acoustic waves. An ultrasonic transducer applies an acoustic wave to one end of a sample container containing at least two species having different acoustic absorptions. The wave has a frequency tuned to or harmonized with the point of resonance of the species to be separated. This wave caused the species to be driven to an opposite end of the sample container for removal. A second ultrasonic transducer may be provided to apply a second, oppositely directed acoustic wave to prevent undesired streaming. In addition, a radio frequency tuned to the mechanical resonance and coupled with a magnetic field can serve to identify a species in a medium comprising species with similar absorption coefficients, whereby an acoustic wave having a frequency corresponding to this gyrational rate can then be applied to sweep the identified species to one end of the container for removal.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field

Thermal instability driven by optically thin radiation in the corona is believed to initiate the formation of solar filaments. The fact that filaments are observed generally to separate regions of opposite, line-of-sight, magnetic polarity in the differentially rotating photosphere suggests that filament formation requires the presence of a highly sheared magnetic field. The coupled energetics and dynamics of the most important condensation modes, those due to perpendicular thermal conduction at short wavelengths are discussed. Linear structure in the sheared field and their growth rates is described, and 2D, nonlinear, MHD simulations of the evolution of these modes in a force-free field are conducted. The simulations achieve the fine thermal structures, minimum temperatures and maximum densities characteristic of observed solar filaments.

Van Hoven, Gerard↗
NASA NTRS1993

Acoustophoresis separation method

A method and apparatus are provided for acoustophoresis, i.e., the separation of species via acoustic waves. An ultrasonic transducer applies an acoustic wave to one end of a sample container containing at least two species having different acoustic absorptions. The wave has a frequency tuned to or harmonized with the point of resonance of the species to be separated. This wave causes the species to be driven to an opposite end of the sample container for removal. A second ultrasonic transducer may be provided to apply a second, oppositely directed acoustic wave to prevent undesired streaming. In addition, a radio frequency tuned to the mechanical resonance and coupled with a magnetic field can serve to identify a species in a medium comprising species with similar absorption coefficients, whereby an acoustic wave having a frequency corresponding to this gyrational rate can then be applied to sweep the identified species to one end of the container for removal.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Thermal Noise Reduction of Mechanical Oscillators by Actively Controlled External Dissipative Forces

We show that the thermal fluctuations of very soft mechanical oscillators, such as the cantilever in an atomic force microscope (AFM), can be reduced without changing the stiffness of the spring or having to lower the environment temperature. We derive a theoretical relationship between the thermal fluctuations of an oscillator and an actively external-dissipative force. This relationship is verified by experiments with an AFM cantilever where the external active force is coupled through a magnetic field. With simple instrumentation, we have reduced the thermal noise amplitude of the cantilever by a factor of 3.4, achieving an apparent temperature of 25 K with the environment at 295K. This active noise reduction approach can significantly improve the accuracy of static position or static force measurements in a number of practical applications.

Liang, Shoudan↗
NASA NTRS2003

Towards Automating Spacecraft Attitude Sensor Calibration

With a view towards reducing cost and complexity for spacecraft early mission support at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), efforts are being made to automate the attitude sensor calibration process. This paper addresses one of the major components needed by such a system. The beneficiaries of an improved calibration process are missions that demand moderate to high precision attitude knowledge or that need to perform accurate attitude slews. Improved slew accuracy reduces the time needed for re-acquisition of fine-pointing after each attitude maneuver, Rapid target acquisition can be very important for astronomical targeting or for off-nadir surface feature targeting by Earth-oriented spacecraft. The normal sequence of on-orbit calibration starts with alignment calibration of the star trackers and possibly the Sun sensor. Their relative alignment needs to be determined using a sufficiently large data set so their fields of view are adequately sampled. Next, the inertial reference unit (IRU) is calibrated for corrections to its alignment and scale factors. The IRU biases are estimated continuously by the onboard attitude control system, but the IRU alignment and scale factors are usually determined on the ground using a batch-processing method on a data set that includes several slews sufficient to give full observability of all the IRU calibration parameters. Finally, magnetometer biases, alignment, and its coupling to the magnetic torquers are determined in order io improve momentum management and occasionally for use in the attitude determination system. The detailed approach used for automating calibrations will depend on whether the automated system resides on the ground or on the spacecraft with an ultimate goal of autonomous calibration. Current efforts focus on a ground-based system driving subsystems that could run either on the ground or onboard. The distinction is that onboard calibration should process the data sequentially rather than in a single large batch since onboard computer data storage is limited. Very good batch- processing calibration utilities have been developed and used extensively at NASA/GSFC for mission support but no sequential calibration utilities are available. To meet this need, this paper presents the mathematical description of a sequential IRU calibration system. The system has been tested using flight data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) during a series of attitude slews. The paper also discusses the current state of the overall automated system and describes plans for adding sequential alignment calibration and other additions that will reduce the amount of analyst time and input.

Sedlak, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2008

Coronal Rotation at Solar Minimum from UV Observations

UVCS/SOHO observations have been analyzed to reconstruct intensity time series of the O VI 1032 A and H 11216 A spectral lines at different coronal heliolatitudes from 1.5 to 3.0 solar radii from Sun center. Evidence was found for coronal differential rotation that differs significantly from that of the photospheric plasma. The study of the latitudinal variation shows that the UV corona decelerates toward the photospheric rates from the equator up to the poleward boundary 2 of the midlatitude streamers, reaching a peak of 28.16+/-0.20 days around +30 from the equator at 1.5 solar radii, while a less evident peak is observed in the northern hemisphere. This result suggests a real north-south rotational asymmetry as a consequence of different activity and weak coupling between the magnetic fields of the two hemispheres. The study of the radial rotation profiles shows that the corona is rotating almost rigidly with height.

Mancuso, S.↗