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NASA NTRS1997

Dynamics of Superfluid Helium in Low-Gravity

This report summarizes the work performed under a contract entitled 'Dynamics of Superfluid Helium in Low Gravity'. This project performed verification tests, over a wide range of accelerations of two Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes of which one incorporates the two-fluid model of superfluid helium (SFHe). Helium was first liquefied in 1908 and not until the 1930s were the properties of helium below 2.2 K observed sufficiently to realize that it did not obey the ordinary physical laws of physics as applied to ordinary liquids. The term superfluidity became associated with these unique observations. The low temperature of SFHe and it's temperature unifonrmity have made it a significant cryogenic coolant for use in space applications in astronomical observations with infrared sensors and in low temperature physics. Superfluid helium has been used in instruments such as the Shuttle Infrared Astronomy Telescope (IRT), the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS), the Cosmic Background Observatory (COBE), and the Infrared Satellite Observatory (ISO). It is also used in the Space Infrared Telescope (SIRTF), Relativity Mission Satellite formally called Gravity Probe-B (GP-B), and the Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP) presently under development. For GP-B and STEP, the use of SFHE is used to cool Superconducting Quantum Interference Detectors (SQUIDS) among other parts of the instruments. The Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer (SHOOT) experiment flown in the Shuttle studied the behavior of SFHE. This experiment attempted to get low-gravity slosh data, however, the main emphasis was to study the low-gravity transfer of SFHE from tank to tank. These instruments carried tanks of SFHE of a few hundred liters to 2500 liters. The capability of modeling the behavior of SFHE is important to spacecraft control engineers who must design systems that can overcome disturbances created by the movement of the fluid. In addition instruments such as GP-B and STEP are very sensitive to quasi-steady changes in the mass distribution of the liquid. The CFD codes were used to model the fluid's dynamic motion. Tests in one-g were performed with the main emphasis on being able to compute the actual damping of the fluid. A series of flights on the NASA Lewis reduced gravity DC-9 aircraft were performed with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Low Temperature Flight Facility and a superfluid Test Cell. The data at approximately 0.04g, lg and 2g were used to determine if correct fundamental frequencies can be predicted based on the acceleration field. Tests in zero gravity were performed to evaluate zero gravity motion.

Frank, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Nonstationary Gravity Wave Forcing of the Stratospheric Zonal Mean Wind

The role of gravity wave forcing in the zonal mean circulation of the stratosphere is discussed. Starting from some very simple assumptions about the momentum flux spectrum of nonstationary (non-zero phase speed) waves at forcing levels in the troposphere, a linear model is used to calculate wave propagation through climatological zonal mean winds at solstice seasons. As the wave amplitudes exceed their stable limits, a saturation criterion is imposed to account for nonlinear wave breakdown effects, and the resulting vertical gradient in the wave momentum flux is then used to estimate the mean flow forcing per unit mass. Evidence from global, assimilated data sets are used to constrain these forcing estimates. The results suggest the gravity-wave-driven force is accelerative (has the same sign as the mean wind) throughout most of the stratosphere above 20 km. The sense of the gravity wave forcing in the stratosphere is thus opposite to that in the mesosphere, where gravity wave drag is widely believed to play a principal role in decelerating the mesospheric jets. The forcing estimates are further compared to existing gravity wave parameterizations for the same climatological zonal mean conditions. Substantial disagreement is evident in the stratosphere, and we discuss the reasons for the disagreement. The results suggest limits on typical gravity wave amplitudes near source levels in the troposphere at solstice seasons. The gravity wave forcing in the stratosphere appears to have a substantial effect on lower stratospheric temperatures during southern hemisphere summer and thus may be relevant to climate.

Alexander, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Effect of Artificial Gravity: Central Nervous System Neurochemical Studies

The major objective of this project was to assess chemical and morphological modifications occurring in muscle receptors and the central nervous system of animals subjected to altered gravity (2 x Earth gravity produced by centrifugation and simulated micro gravity produced by hindlimb suspension). The underlying hypothesis for the studies was that afferent (sensory) information sent to the central nervous system by muscle receptors would be changed in conditions of altered gravity and that these changes, in turn, would instigate a process of adaptation involving altered chemical activity of neurons and glial cells of the projection areas of the cerebral cortex that are related to inputs from those muscle receptors (e.g., cells in the limb projection areas). The central objective of this research was to expand understanding of how chronic exposure to altered gravity, through effects on the vestibular system, influences neuromuscular systems that control posture and gait. The project used an approach in which molecular changes in the neuromuscular system were related to the development of effective motor control by characterizing neurochemical changes in sensory and motor systems and relating those changes to motor behavior as animals adapted to altered gravity. Thus, the objective was to identify changes in central and peripheral neuromuscular mechanisms that are associated with the re-establishment of motor control which is disrupted by chronic exposure to altered gravity.

Fox, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Flame Spread and Extinction in Partial-Gravity Environments

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of spreading flames under certain conditions, nearly all under the influence of normal Earth gravity. Recently, several investigators have studied some aspects of flame spread in purely forced flows in microgravity. However, very few have considered (especially experimentally) purely-buoyant flow influences, using gravity as a variable. In addition to the scientific interest in understanding how variable gravity affects flame spread in purely-buoyant flow, prospective human exploration of the Moon and Mars provides an incentive to obtain practical knowledge for use in fire-safety related engineering and mission operations in those partial-gravity environments. The purpose of this research effort is to conduct a focused experimental effort to observe the behavior of flames spreading both upward (concurrent flow) and downward (opposed flow) over thin fuels in partial-gravity environments, and to extend an existing numerical model of flame spread to predict flammability and flame spread behavior in these two regimes. A significant aspect of the experimental effort is to use a special device to improve the simulated partial-gravity environment achievable aboard reduced-gravity aircraft facilities.

K R Sacksteder↗
NASA NTRS2001

Effects of Gravity on Cocurrent Two-Phase Gas-Liquid Flows Through Packed Columns

This work presents the experimental results of research on the influence of gravity on flow pattern transitions, pressure drop and flow characteristics for cocurrent gas-liquid two-phase flow through packed columns. The flow pattern transition data indicates that the pulse flow regime exists over a wider range of gas and liquid flow rates under reduced gravity conditions compared to normal gravity cocurrent down-flow. This is illustrated by comparing the flow regime transitions found in reduced gravity with the transitions predicted by Talmor. Next, the effect of gravity on the total pressure drop in a packed column is shown to depend on the flow regime. The difference is roughly equivalent to the liquid static head for bubbly flow but begins to decrease at the onset of pulse flow. As the spray flow regime is approached by increasing the gas to liquid ratio, the effect of gravity on pressure drop becomes negligible. Finally, gravity tends to suppress the amplitude of each pressure pulse. An example of this phenomenon is presented.

Motil, Brian J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Bubble Formation at a Submerged Orifice in Reduced Gravity

The dynamic regime of gas injection through a circular plate orifice into an ideally wetting liquid is considered, when successively detached bubbles may be regarded as separate identities. In normal gravity and at relatively low gas flow rates, a growing bubble is modeled as a spherical segment touching the orifice perimeter during the whole time of its evolution. If the flow rate exceeds a certain threshold value, another stage of the detachment process takes place in which an almost spherical gas envelope is connected with the orifice by a nearly cylindrical stem that lengthens as the bubble rises above the plate. The bubble shape resembles then that of a mushroom and the upper envelope continues to grow until the gas supply through the stem is completely cut off. Such a stage is always present under conditions of sufficiently low gravity, irrespective of the flow rate. Two major reasons make for bubble detachment: the buoyancy force and the force due to the momentum inflow into the bubble with the injected gas. The former force dominates the process at normal gravity whereas the second one plays a key role under negligible gravity conditions. It is precisely this fundamental factor that conditions the drastic influence on bubble growth and detachment that changes in gravity are able to cause. The frequency of bubble formation is proportional to and the volume of detached bubbles is independent of the gas flow rate in sufficiently low gravity, while at normal and moderately reduced gravity conditions the first variable slightly decreases and the second one almost linearly increases as the flow rate grows. Effects of other parameters, such as the orifice radius, gas and liquid densities, and surface tension are discussed.

Buyevich, Yu A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Gravity Estimation from a Simulated GRACE Mission: Short vs. Long Arcs

We present simulations of gravity estimation from a GRACE-like satellite mission: low-low intersatellite tracking with a precision of order 1 micron s(exp -1) yielding gravity fields of degree and order 120. We employ a unique parameterization of the intersatellite baseline vector which allows the gravity estimation to be performed (relatively) independently of the GPS (global positioning system) tracking data once sufficiently accurate orbits are obtained. This considerably simplifies data processing during the gravity estimation. During that process only certain components of the baseline parameterization need be adjusted; other components are uncorrelated with gravity and may be adopted unchanged from the initial GPS orbits. The technique is also amenable to very short arcs of data. We present comparisons of gravity estimation from 30 days of observations with arcs of length 15 minutes vs. arcs of one day. Our 'truth' field is the EGM96 (Earth Gravitational Model) model; our prior field is a degree-70 clone of EGM96, perturbed from it by amounts comparable to the standard errors of EGM96 (and identically zero for degrees 71-120). For a high inclination orbit, the short-arc analysis recovers low order gravity coefficients remarkably well, although higher order terms, especially sectorial terms, are understandably less accurate. The simulations suggest that either long or short arcs of GRACE data are likely to improve parts of the geopotential spectrum by several orders of magnitude. This is especially so for low order coefficients, which are markedly improved for all degrees through 120.

Rowlands, David D.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Length Scale and Gravity Effects on Microgravity Boiling Heat Transfer

Boiling is a complex phenomenon where hydrodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and interfacial phenomena are tightly interwoven. An understanding of boiling and critical heat flux in microgravity environments is of importance to space based hardware and processes such as heat exchange, cryogenic fuel storage and transportation, electronic cooling, and material processing due to the large amounts of heat that can be removed with relatively little increase in temperature. Although research in this area has been performed in the past four decades, the mechanisms by which heat is removed from surfaces in microgravity are still unclear. In earth gravity, buoyancy is an important parameter that affects boiling heat transfer through the rate at which bubbles are removed from the surface. A simple model describing the bubble departure size based on a quasistatic force balance between buoyancy and surface tension is given by the Fritz [I] relation: Bo(exp 1/2) = 0.0208 theta where Bo is the ratio between buoyancy and surface tension forces. For small, rapidly growing bubbles, inertia associated with the induced liquid motion can also cause bubble departure. In microgravity, the magnitude of effects related to natural convection and buoyancy are small and physical mechanisms normally masked by natural convection in earth gravity such as Marangoni convection can substantially influence the boiling and vapor bubble dynamics. CHF (critical heat transfer) is also substantially affected by microgravity. In 1 g environments, Bo has been used as a correlating parameter for CHF. Zuber's CHF model for an infinite horizontal surface assumes that vapor columns formed by the merger of bubbles become unstable due to a Helmholtz instability blocking the supply of liquid to the surface. The jets are spaced lambda(sub D) apart, where lambda(sub D) = 2pi square root of 3[(sigma)/(g(rho(sub l) - rho(sub v)](exp 1/2) = 2pi square root of 3 L Bo(exp -1/2) = square root of 3 lambda(sub c) and is the wavelength that amplifies most rapidly. The critical wavelength, lambda(sub c), is the wavelength below which a vapor layer underneath a liquid layer is stable. For heaters with Bo smaller than about 3 (heaters smaller than lambda(sub D)), the above model is not applicable, and surface tension effects dominate. Bubble coalescence is thought to be the mechanism for CHF under these conditions. Small Bo can result by decreasing the size of a heater in earth gravity, or by operating a large heater in a lower gravity environment. In the microgravity of space, even large heaters can have low Bo, and models based on Helmholtz instability should not be applicable. The macrolayer model of Haramura and Katto is dimensionally equivalent to Zuber's model and has the same dependence on gravity, so it should not be applicable as well. The goal of this work is to determine how boiling heat transfer mechanisms in a low-g environment are altered from those at higher gravity levels. Boiling data using a microheater array was obtained under gravity environments ranging from 1.8 g to 0.02 g with heater sizes ranging from 2.7 mm to 1 mm. The boiling behavior for 2.7 mm at 0.02 g looked quite similar to boiling on the 1 mm heater at 1 g-the formation of a large primary bubble surrounded by smaller satellite bubbles was observed under both conditions. The similarity suggests that for heaters smaller than some fraction of I(sub c), coalescence and surface tension dominate boiling heat transfer. It also suggests that microgravity boiling can be studied by studying boiling on very small heaters.

Kim, Jungho↗
NASA NTRS2003

Modeling Candle Flame Behavior In Variable Gravity

The burning of a candle, as typical non-propagating diffusion flame, has been used by a number of researchers to study the effects of electric fields on flame, spontaneous flame oscillation and flickering phenomena, and flame extinction. In normal gravity, the heat released from combustion creates buoyant convection that draws oxygen into the flame. The strength of the buoyant flow depends on the gravitational level and it is expected that the flame shape, size and candle burning rate will vary with gravity. Experimentally, there exist studies of candle burning in enhanced gravity (i.e. higher than normal earth gravity, g(sub e)), and in microgravity in drop towers and space-based facilities. There are, however, no reported experimental data on candle burning in partial gravity (g < g(sub e)). In a previous numerical model of the candle flame, buoyant forces were neglected. The treatment of momentum equation was simplified using a potential flow approximation. Although the predicted flame characteristics agreed well with the experimental results, the model cannot be extended to cases with buoyant flows. In addition, because of the use of potential flow, no-slip boundary condition is not satisfied on the wick surface. So there is some uncertainty on the accuracy of the predicted flow field. In the present modeling effort, the full Navier-Stokes momentum equations with body force term is included. This enables us to study the effect of gravity on candle flames (with zero gravity as the limiting case). In addition, we consider radiation effects in more detail by solving the radiation transfer equation. In the previous study, flame radiation is treated as a simple loss term in the energy equation. Emphasis of the present model is on the gas-phase processes. Therefore, the detailed heat and mass transfer phenomena inside the porous wick are not treated. Instead, it is assumed that a thin layer of liquid fuel coated the entire wick surface during the burning process. This is the limiting case that the mass transfer process in the wick is much faster than the evaporation process at the wick surface.

Alsairafi, A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Gravity Effects in Condensing and Evaporating Films

A general overview of gravity effects in condensing and evaporating films is presented. The topics include: 1) Research Overview; 2) NASA Recognizes Critical Need for Condensation & Evaporation Research to Enable Human Exploration of Space; 3) Condensation and Evaporation Research in Reduced Gravity is Enabling for AHST Technology Needs; 4) Differing Role of Surface Tension on Condensing/Evaporating Film Stability; 5) Fluid Mechanisms in Condensing and Evaporating Films in Reduced Gravity; 6) Research Plan; 7) Experimental Configurations for Condensing Films; 8) Laboratory Condensation Test Cell; 9) Aircraft Experiment; 10) Condensation Study Current Test Conditions; 11) Diagnostics; 12) Shadowgraph Images of Condensing n- pentane Film in Unstable (-1g) Configuration; 13) Condensing n-Pentane Film in Normal Gravity (-1g) at Constant Pressure; 14) Condensing n-Pentane Film in Normal Gravity (-1g) with Cyclic Pressure; 15) Non-condensing Pumped Film in Normal Gravity (-1g); 16) Heat Transfer Coefficient in Developing, Unstable Condensing Film in Normal Gravity; 17) Heat Transfer for Unsteady Condensing Film (-1g); 18) Ultrasound Measurement of Film Thickness N-pentane Film, Stable (+1g) Configuration; and 19) Ultrasound Measurement of Film Thickness N-pentane Film, Unstable (-1g) Configuration.

Hermanson, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Effects of Gravity on Bubble Formation in an Annular Jet

The effects of gravity on the bubble formation in an annular jet were studied. The experiments were conducted in the 2.2-second drop tower at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Terrestrial gravity experiments were conducted at the Fluid Dynamics Research Laboratory at the University of Oklahoma. Stainless steel tubing with inner diameters of 1/8" (gas inner annulus) and 5/16" (liquid outer annulus) served as the injector. A rectangular test section, 6" x 6" x 14" tall, made out of half-inch thick Lexan was used. Images of the annular jet were acquired using a high-speed camera. The effects of gravity and varying liquid and gas flow rates on bubble size, wavelength, and breakup length were documented. In general, the bubble diameter was found to be larger in terrestrial gravity than in microgravity for varying Weber numbers (0.05 - 0.16 and 5 - 11) and liquid flow rates (1.5 ft/s - 3.0 ft/s). The wavelength was found to be larger in terrestrial gravity than in microgravity, but remained constant for varying Weber numbers. For low Weber numbers (0.05 - 0.16), the breakup length in microgravity was significantly higher than in terrestrial gravity. Comparison with linear stability analysis showed estimated bubble sizes within 9% of experimental bubble sizes. Bubble size compared to other terrestrial gravity experiments with same flow conditions showed distinct differences in bubble size, which displayed the importance of injector geometry on bubble formation.

Koepp, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Analytical and Experimental Characterization of Gravity Induced Deformations In Subscale Gossamer Structures

The development of gossamer space structures such as solar sails and sunshields presents many challenges due to their large size and extreme flexibility. The post-deployment structural geometry exhibited during ground testing may significantly depart from the in-space configuration due to the presence of gravity-induced deformations (gravity sag) of lightly preloaded membranes. This paper describes a study carried out to characterize gravity sag in two subscale gossamer structures: a single quadrant from a 2 m, 4 quadrant square solar sail and a 1.7 m membrane layer from a multi-layer sunshield The behavior of the test articles was studied over a range of preloads and in several orientations with respect to gravity. An experimental study was carried out to measure the global surface profiles using photogrammetry, and nonlinear finite element analysis was used to predict the behavior of the test articles. Comparison of measured and predicted surface profiles shows that the finite dement analysis qualitatively predicts deformed shapes comparable to those observed in the laboratory. Quantitatively, finite element analysis predictions for peak gravity-induced deformations in both test articles were within 10% of measured values. Results from this study provide increased insight into gravity sag behavior in gossamer structures, and demonstrates the potential to analytically predict gravity-induced deformations to within reasonable accuracy.

Johnston, John D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Time Changes of the European Gravity Field from GRACE: A Comparison with Ground Measurements from Superconducting Gravimeters and with Hydrology Model Predictions

We investigate the time-variable gravity changes in Europe retrieved from the initial GRACE monthly solutions spanning a 18 month duration from April 2002 to October 2003. Gravity anomaly maps are retrieved in Central Europe from the monthly satellite solutions we compare the fields according to various truncation levels (typically between degree 10 and 20) of the initial fields (expressed in spherical harmonics to degree 120). For these different degrees, an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition of the time-variable gravity field leads us to its main spatial and temporal characteristics. We show that the dominant signal is found to be annual with an amplitude and a phase both in agreement with predictions in Europe modeled using snow and soil-moisture variations from recent hydrology models. We compare these GRACE gravity field changes to surface gravity observations from 6 superconducting gravimeters of the GGP (Global Geodynamics Project) European sub-network, with a special attention to loading corrections. Initial results suggest that all 3 data sets (GRACE, hydrology and GGP) are responding to annual changes in near-surface water in Europe of a few microGal (at length scales of approx.1000 km) that show a high value in winter and a summer minimum. We also point out that the GRACE gravity field evolution seems to indicate that there is a trend in gravity between summer 2002 and summer 2003 which can be related to the 2003 heatwave in Europe and its hydrological consequences (drought). Despite the limited time span of our analysis and the uncertainties in retrieving a regional solution from the network of gravimeters, the calibration and validation aspects of the GRACE data processing based on the annual hydrology cycle in Europe are in progress.

Hinderer, J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Coupled Gravity and Elevation Measurement of Ice Sheet Mass Change

During June 2003, we measured surface gravity at six locations about a glaciological measurement site located on the South-central Greenland Ice. We operated a GPS unit for 90 minutes at each site -the unit was operated simultaneously with a base station unit in Sondrestrom Fjord so as to enable differential, post-processing of the data. We installed an aluminum, accumulation-rate-pole at each site. The base section of the pole also served as the mount for the GPS antenna. Two gravimeters were used simultaneously at each site. Measurements were repeated at each site with at time lapse of at least 50 minutes. We measured snow physical properties in two shallow pits The same measurement sites were occupied in 1981 and all were part of a hexagonal network of geodetic and glaciological measurements established by The Ohio State University in 1980. Additional gravity observations were acquired at three of the sites in 1993 and 1995. Gravity data were collected in conjunction with Doppler satellite measurements of position and elevation in 1981 and global positioning system measurements subsequently. The use of satellite navigation techniques permitted reoccupation of the same sites in each year to within a few 10 s of meters or better. After detrending the gravity data, making adjustments for tides and removing the residual effects of local spatial gradients in gravity, we observe an average secular decrease in gravity of about 0.01 milligal/year, but with tenths of milligal variations about the mean trend. The trend is consistent with a nearly linear increase in surface elevation of between 7 to 10 c d y r (depending on location) as measured by repeated airborne laser altimeter, surface Doppler satellite and GPS elevation measurements. Differences between the residual gravity anomalies after free air correction may be attributable to local mass changes. This project is a collaboration between the Byrd Polar Research Center of the Ohio State University and the Arctic Technology Center of the Danish Technical University.

Jezek, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Ceiling Fires Studied to Simulate Low-Gravity Fires

A unique new way to study low-gravity flames in normal gravity has been developed. To study flame structure and extinction characteristics in low-stretch environments, a normal gravity low-stretch diffusion flame was generated using a cylindrical PMMA sample of varying large radii, as shown in the photograph. These experiments have demonstrated that low-gravity flame characteristics can be generated in normal gravity through the proper use of scaling. On the basis of this work, it is feasible to apply this concept toward the development of an Earth-bound method of evaluating material flammability in various gravitational environments from normal gravity to microgravity, including the effects of partial gravity low-stretch rates such as those found on the Moon (1/6g) or Mars (1/3g). During these experiments, the surface regression rates for PMMA were measured for the first time over the full range of flammability in air, from blowoff at high stretch, to quenching at low stretch, as plotted in the graph. The solid line drawn through the central portion of the data (3<a<100 sec-1) has a slope of unity, which indicates regression is proportional to stretch. The figure coordinates assume that the values of stretch are equivalent, whether derived from forced stretch or from buoyant stretch. The excellent correlation of the regression-rate data over the two-order-of-magnitude variation of stretch shows the reasonableness of this assumption.

Olson, Sandra L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Variable Gravity Effects on the Cooling Performance of a Single Phase Confined Spray

The objective of this paper is to discuss the testing of a spray cooling experiment designed to be flown on NASA's KC-135 Reduced Gravity Testing Platform. Spray cooling is an example of a thermal management technique that may be utilized in high flux heat acquisition and high thermal energy transport concepts. Many researchers have investigated the utility of spray cooling for the thermal management of devices generating high heat fluxes. However, there has been little research addressing the physics and ultimate performance of spray cooling in a variable gravity environment. An experimental package, consisting of a spray chamber coupled to a fluid delivery loop system, was fabricated for variable gravity flight tests. The spray chamber contains two opposing nozzles spraying on target Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) heaters. These heaters are mounted on glass pedestals, which are part of a sump system to remove unconstrained liquid from the test chamber. Liquid is collected in the sumps and returned to the fluid delivery loop. Thermocouples mounted in and around the pedestals are used to determine both the heat loss through the underside of the IT0 heater and the heat extracted by the spray. A series of flight tests were carried out aboard the KC-135, utilizing the ability of the aircraft to produce various gravity conditions. During the flight tests, for a fixed flow rate, heat input was varied at 20, 30, 50, and 80W with variable gravities of 0.01, 0.16, 0.36, and 1.8g. Flight test data was compared to terrestrial baseline data in addition to analytical and numerical solutions to evaluate the heat transfer in the heater and support structure . There were significant differences observed in the spray cooling performance as a result of variable gravity conditions and heat inputs. In general, the Nussult number at the heater surface was found to increase with decreasing gravity conditions for heat loads greater than 30W.

Michalak, Travis↗
NASA NTRS2005

Terrestrial Microgravity Model and Threshold Gravity Simulation sing Magnetic Levitation

What is the threshold gravity (minimum gravity level) required for the nominal functioning of the human system? What dosage is required? Do human cell lines behave differently in microgravity in response to an external stimulus? The critical need for such a gravity simulator is emphasized by recent experiments on human epithelial cells and lymphocytes on the Space Shuttle clearly showing that cell growth and function are markedly different from those observed terrestrially. Those differences are also dramatic between cells grown in space and those in Rotating Wall Vessels (RWV), or NASA bioreactor often used to simulate microgravity, indicating that although morphological growth patterns (three dimensional growth) can be successiblly simulated using RWVs, cell function performance is not reproduced - a critical difference. If cell function is dramatically affected by gravity off-loading, then cell response to stimuli such as radiation, stress, etc. can be very different from terrestrial cell lines. Yet, we have no good gravity simulator for use in study of these phenomena. This represents a profound shortcoming for countermeasures research. We postulate that we can use magnetic levitation of cells and tissue, through the use of strong magnetic fields and field gradients, as a terrestrial microgravity model to study human cells. Specific objectives of the research are: 1. To develop a tried, tested and benchmarked terrestrial microgravity model for cell culture studies; 2. Gravity threshold determination; 3. Dosage (magnitude and duration) of g-level required for nominal functioning of cells; 4. Comparisons of magnetic levitation model to other models such as RWV, hind limb suspension, etc. and 5. Cellular response to reduced gravity levels of Moon and Mars.

Ramachandran, N.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Terrestrial Microgravity Model and Threshold Gravity Simulation using Magnetic Levitation

What is the threshold gravity (minimum gravity level) required for the nominal functioning of the human system? What dosage is required? Do human cell lines behave differently in microgravity in response to an external stimulus? The critical need for such a gravity simulator is emphasized by recent experiments on human epithelial cells and lymphocytes on the Space Shuttle clearly showing that cell growth and function are markedly different from those observed terrestrially. Those differences are also dramatic between cells grown in space and those in Rotating Wall Vessels (RWV), or NASA bioreactor often used to simulate microgravity, indicating that although morphological growth patterns (three dimensional growth) can be successfully simulated using RWVs, cell function performance is not reproduced - a critical difference. If cell function is dramatically affected by gravity off-loading, then cell response to stimuli such as radiation, stress, etc. can be very different from terrestrial cell lines. Yet, we have no good gravity simulator for use in study of these phenomena. This represents a profound shortcoming for countermeasures research. We postulate that we can use magnetic levitation of cells and tissue, through the use of strong magnetic fields and field gradients, as a terrestrial microgravity model to study human cells. Specific objectives of the research are: 1. To develop a tried, tested and benchmarked terrestrial microgravity model for cell culture studies; 2. Gravity threshold determination; 3. Dosage (magnitude and duration) of g-level required for nominal functioning of cells; 4. Comparisons of magnetic levitation model to other models such as RWV, hind limb suspension, etc. and 5. Cellular response to reduced gravity levels of Moon and Mars. The paper will discuss experiments md modeling work to date in support of this project.

Ramachandran, N.↗