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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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At least 199 records · Page 11

Design of Two RadWorks Storm Shelters for Solar Particle Event Shielding

In order to enable long-duration human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, the risks associated with exposure of astronaut crews to space radiation must be mitigated with practical and affordable solutions. The space radiation environment beyond the magnetosphere is primarily a combination of two types of radiation: galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE). While mitigating GCR exposure remains an open issue, reducing astronaut exposure to SPEs is achievable through material shielding because they are made up primarily of medium-energy protons. In order to ensure astronaut safety for long durations beyond low-Earth orbit, SPE radiation exposure must be mitigated. However, the increasingly demanding spacecraft propulsive performance for these ambitious missions requires minimal mass and volume radiation shielding solutions which leverage available multi-functional habitat structures and logistics as much as possible. This paper describes the efforts of NASA's RadWorks Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Project to design two minimal mass SPE radiation shelter concepts leveraging available resources: one based upon reconfiguring habitat interiors to create a centralized protection area and one based upon augmenting individual crew quarters with waterwalls and logistics. Discussion items include the design features of the concepts, a radiation analysis of their implementations, an assessment of the parasitic mass of each concept, and the result of a human in the loop evaluation performed to drive out design and operational issues.

Simon, Matthew↗

Preliminary Dynamic Modeling of the Quarter-Scale Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft

This paper describes the early-stage modeling of a quarter-scale distributed electric propulsion aircraft, based on the SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan, a transformative concept aircraft for which a model exists. The full-scale 180 passenger SUSAN concept has a single turbofan engine in the tail that both produces thrust and provides electrical power to 16 electric fans distributed across the wings utilizing a series/parallel hybrid architecture. The quarter-scale version would have an internal combustion piston engine to provide power to 17 electric fans–16 on the wings, one in the tail–in a series hybrid configuration, and no vertical or horizontal stabilizers. It would also have a reduced flight envelope in terms of both altitude and speed. The initial modeling approach is to scale down the original airframe model to capture the dynamic behavior of a much smaller aircraft, albeit with an empennage. The original powertrain model is then replaced with one representing the physical components of that of the quarter-scale vehicle. This powertrain model is suitable for control design and analysis, and the fully integrated, although preliminary, aircraft model allows flight simulator testing and evaluation. Results from simulations are presented.

electrified aircraft propulsion↗

Preliminary Dynamic Modeling of the Quarter-Scale Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft

This presentation describes the early-stage modeling of a quarter-scale distributed electric propulsion aircraft, based on the SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan, a transformative concept aircraft for which a model exists. The full-scale 180 passenger SUSAN concept has a single turbofan engine in the tail that both produces thrust and provides electrical power to 16 electric fans distributed across the wings utilizing a series/parallel hybrid architecture. The quarter-scale version would have an internal combustion piston engine to provide power to 17 electric fans–16 on the wings, one in the tail–in a series hybrid configuration, and no vertical or horizontal stabilizers. It would also have a reduced flight envelope in terms of both altitude and speed. The initial modeling approach is to scale down the original airframe model to capture the dynamic behavior of a much smaller aircraft, albeit with an empennage. The original powertrain model is then replaced with one representing the physical components of that of the quarter-scale vehicle. This powertrain model is suitable for control design and analysis, and the fully integrated, although preliminary, aircraft model allows flight simulator testing and evaluation. Results from simulations are presented.

electrified aircraft propulsion↗

Preliminary Dynamic Modeling of the Quarter-Scale Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft

This paper describes the early-stage modeling of a quarter-scale distributed electric propulsion aircraft, based on the SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan, a transformative concept aircraft for which a model exists. The full-scale 180 passenger SUSAN concept has a single turbofan engine in the tail that both produces thrust and provides electrical power to 16 electric fans distributed across the wings utilizing a series/parallel hybrid architecture. The quarter-scale version would have an internal combustion piston engine to provide power to 17 electric fans–16 on the wings, one in the tail–in a series hybrid configuration, and no vertical or horizontal stabilizers. It would also have a reduced flight envelope in terms of both altitude and speed. The initial modeling approach is to scale down the original airframe model to capture the dynamic behavior of a much smaller aircraft, albeit with an empennage. The original powertrain model is then replaced with one representing the physical components of that of the quarter-scale vehicle. This powertrain model is suitable for control design and analysis, and the fully integrated, although preliminary, aircraft model allows flight simulator testing and evaluation. Results from simulations are presented.

Electrified powertrain↗

Crystal motion measurement by means of satellite techniques

A system for monitoring precursory crustal motions is presented. It involves a set of automated corner reflector stations tracked by means of a laser operating in the Geopause satellite. It is possible to range some three times during every Geopause pass to each of the sites in such an ensemble, weather permitting. One centimeter range data gathered during a quarter of a year can yield position component accuracies of the order of a couple of centimeters. A laser beam of a tenth of a milliradian in diameter would, illuminate a single station in such an array. A broader beam would generate reflections from several sites, yielding overlapping data. A chain or pattern of such overlapping regions can strengthen the solution for site positions. Pressure, temperature and humidity gauges can provide refraction correction data. Turnaround transponders interrogated by the Geopause radio tracking system can furnish corresponding data in excessively cloudy regions.

Siry, J. W.↗

How to create ball lightning

Procedures are given on how to produce ball lightning. Necessary equipment includes a transformer of 150,000 watts capable of providing approximately 10,000 amperes at 15 volts, 60 cycles; thick one inch cables of stranded wire leading into a 3 by 4 by 1 foot plastic tank; a quarter inch thick 4 by 6 inch aluminum plate to be used as one of the discharge electrodes; and another electrode of heavy copper wire with the insulation stripped back 6 inches.

Golka, Robert K., Jr.↗

Is it possible to identify a trend in problem/failure data

One of the major obstacles in identifying and interpreting a trend is the small number of data points. Future trending reports will begin with 1983 data. As the problem/failure data are aggregated by year, there are just seven observations (1983 to 1989) for the 1990 reports. Any statistical inferences with a small amount of data will have a large degree of uncertainty. Consequently, a regression technique approach to identify a trend is limited. Though trend determination by failure mode may be unrealistic, the data may be explored for consistency or stability and the failure rate investigated. Various alternative data analysis procedures are briefly discussed. Techniques that could be used to explore problem/failure data by failure mode are addressed. The data used are taken from Section One, Space Shuttle Main Engine, of the Calspan Quarterly Report dated April 2, 1990.

Church, Curtis K.↗

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Food Systems: Building the Evidence Base

New estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the food system were developed at the country level, for the period 1990–2018, integrating data from crop and livestock production, on-farm energy use, land use and land use change, domestic food transport and food waste disposal. With these new country-level components in place, and by adding global and regional estimates of energy use in food supply chains, we estimate that total GHG emissions from the food system were about 16 CO2eq yr−1 in 2018, or one-third of the global anthropogenic total. Three quarters of these emissions, 13 Gt CO2eq yr−1, were generated either within the farm gate or in pre- and post-production activities, such as manufacturing, transport, processing, and waste disposal. The remainder was generated through land use change at the conversion boundaries of natural ecosystems to agricultural land. Results further indicate that pre- and post-production emissions were proportionally more important in developed than in developing countries, and that during 1990–2018, land use change emissions decreased while pre- and post-production emissions increased. We also report results on a per capita basis, showing world total food systems per capita emissions decreasing during 1990–2018 from 2.9 to 2.2 t CO2eq cap−1, with per capita emissions in developed countries about twice those in developing countries in 2018. Our findings also highlight that conventional IPCC categories, used by countries to report emissions in the National GHG inventory, systematically underestimate the contribution of the food system to total anthropogenic emissions. We provide a comparative mapping of food system categories and activities in order to better quantify food-related emissions in national reporting and identify mitigation opportunities across the entire food system.

greenhouse gas emissions↗

Transmission of sound through nonuniform circular ducts with compressible mean flows

An acoustic theory is developed to determine the sound transmission and attenuation through an infinite, hard-walled or lined, circular duct carrying compressible, sheared, mean flows and having a variable cross section. The theory is applicable to large as well as small axial variations, as long as the mean flow does not separate. Although the theory is described for circular ducts, it is applicable to other duct configurations - annular, two dimensional, and rectangular. The theory is described for the linear problem, but the technique is general and has the advantage of being applicable to the nonlinear case as well as the linear case. The technique is based on solving for the envelopes of the quasi-parallel acoustic modes that exist in the duct instead of solving for the actual wave. A computer program was developed. The mean flow model consists of a one dimensional flow in the core and a quarter-sine profile in the boundary layer. Results are presented for the reflection and transmission coefficients in ducts with varying slopes and carrying different mean flows.

Nayfeh, A. H.↗

The experimental behavior of spinning pretwisted laminated composite plates

The purpose of the research is to gain an understanding of the material and geometric couplings present in advanced composite turbo-propellers. Twelve pre-twisted laminated composite plates are tested. Three different ply lay-ups (2 symmetric and 1 asymmetric) and four different geometries (flat and 30x pre-twist about the mid-chord, quarter-chord, and leading edge) distinguish each plate from one another. Four rotating and non-rotating tests are employed to isolate the material and geometric couplings of an advanced turbo propeller. The first series of tests consist of non-rotating static displacement, strain, and vibrations. These tests examine the effects of ply lay-up and geometry. The second series of tests consist of rotating displacement, strain, and vibrations with various pitch and sweep settings. These tests utilize the Dynamic Spin Rig Facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The rig allows the spin testing of the plates in a near vacuum environment. The tests examine how the material and plate geometry interact with the pitch and sweep geometry of an advanced turbo-propeller.

Kosmatka, John B.↗

Development and Testing of the New Surface LER Climatology for OMI UV Aerosol Retrievals

Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard Aura satellite retrieved aerosols properties using UV part of solar spectrum. The OMI near UV aerosol algorithm (OMAERUV) is a global inversion scheme which retrieves aerosol properties both over ocean and land. The current version of the algorithm makes use of TOMS derived Lambertian Equivalent Reflectance (LER) climatology. A new monthly climatology of surface LER at 354 and 388 nm have been developed. This will replace TOMS LER (380 nm and 354nm) climatology in OMI near UV aerosol retrieval algorithm. The main objectives of this study is to produce high resolution (quarter degree) surface LER sets as compared to existing one degree TOMS surface LERs, to product instrument and wavelength consistent surface climatology. Nine years of OMI observations have been used to derive monthly climatology of surface LER. MODIS derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) have been used to make aerosol corrections on OMI wavelengths. MODIS derived BRDF adjusted reflectance product has been also used to capture seasonal changes in the surface characteristics. Finally spatial and temporal averaging techniques have been used to fill the gaps around the globes, especially in the regions with consistent cloud cover such as Amazon. After implementation of new surface data in the research version of algorithm, comparisons of AOD and single scattering albedo (SSA) have been performed over global AERONET sites for year 2007. Preliminary results shows improvements in AOD retrievals globally but more significance improvement were observed over desert and bright locations. We will present methodology of deriving surface data sets and will discuss the observed changes in retrieved aerosol properties with respect to reference AERONET measurements.

Aerosol↗

Suppression of combustion oscillations with mechanical damping devices

Nonarray absorbing devices were investigated for use in rocket thrust chambers as instability suppressors. A theory for designing absorbing devices suitable for rocket application is derived, and a nonarray computer program is developed. The experimental program used to verify the theory is discussed. It is concluded that individual acoustical devices can be designed for maximum energy absorption, and it is recommended that single resonators be designed so that the ratio of the aperture diameter to the product of the quarter-wave length and cavity backing depth is less than one.

Source record↗

The Voyager mission to Uranus and beyond

On 24 January 1986 the Voyager 2 probe will approach within 82,000 km of the cloud tops of the planet Uranus, obtaining our first closeup pictures of this giant outer planet as well as amassing large quantities of data from the ten other onboard experiments. Closeups of the five presently known Uranian satellites will be transmitted back over a distance of 20 AU with a one-way light-time of two and three-quarter hours. The narrow, elliptical, inclined rings of Uranus will be probed both by the imaging subsystem and by the photopolarimeter detecting the light of stars shining through this diffuse necklace.

Kerridge, S. J.↗

Detection and Correction of Step Discontinuities in Kepler Flux Time Series

PDC 8.0 includes an implementation of a new algorithm to detect and correct step discontinuities appearing in roughly one of every 20 stellar light curves during a given quarter. The majority of such discontinuities are believed to result from high-energy particles (either cosmic or solar in origin) striking the photometer and causing permanent local changes (typically -0.5%) in quantum efficiency, though a partial exponential recovery is often observed [1]. Since these features, dubbed sudden pixel sensitivity dropouts (SPSDs), are uncorrelated across targets they cannot be properly accounted for by the current detrending algorithm. PDC detrending is based on the assumption that features in flux time series are due either to intrinsic stellar phenomena or to systematic errors and that systematics will exhibit measurable correlations across targets. SPSD events violate these assumptions and their successful removal not only rectifies the flux values of affected targets, but demonstrably improves the overall performance of PDC detrending [1].

Kolodziejczak, J. J.↗

Methods for Detection and Correction of Sudden Pixel Sensitivity Drops

PDC 8.0 includes implementation of a new algorithm to detect and correct step discontinuities appearing in roughly one of every twenty stellar light curves during a given quarter. An example of such a discontinuity in an actual light curve is shown in fig. 1. The majority of such discontinuities are believed to result from high-energy particles (either cosmic or solar in origin) striking the photometer and causing permanent local changes (typically -0.5% in summed apertures) in quantum efficiency, though a partial exponential recovery is often observed. Since these features, dubbed sudden pixel sensitivity dropouts (SPSDs), are uncorrelated across targets they cannot be properly accounted for by the current detrending algorithm. PDC de-trending is based on the assumption that features in flux time series are due either to intrinsic stellar phenomena or to systematic errors and that systematics will exhibit measurable correlations across targets. SPSD events violate these assumptions and their successful removal not only rectifies the flux values of affected targets, but demonstrably improves the overall performance of PDC de-trending.

Kolodziejczak, Jeffery↗

Warping of unsymmetric cross-ply graphite/epoxy laminates

Warping in unsymmetric graphite/epoxy laminates was studied with particular attention given to the change of residual stresses resulting from long term environmental exposure. Square, cured prepreg sheets were measured for edge deflection with a cathetometer, then quartered and remeasured. Two postcuring durations were then used, 7.5 and one hr at 177 C; varying cooldown rates after curing were used for other samples, and one set was stored in vacuum at 75 C. Maximum deflections and weight changes were measured periodically at room temperature. Average curvatures, the effect of postcure, and the effect of long-term exposure were determined. Larger panels exhibited cylindrical warping and smaller panels underwent anticlastic warping. The deflections were related to weight changes, i.e. moisture absorption, and the lower the moisture content, the higher the deflection. Relaxation of residual stresses at 75 C was neglibible after 220 days.

Hahn, H. T.↗

Design, construction, activation, and operation of a high intensity acoustic test chamber

The design philosophy, construction, integration, and activation of the high intensity acoustic test chamber for production acceptance testing of satellites are discussed. The 32,000 cubic-foot acoustic test cell consists of a steel reinforced concrete chamber with six electropneumatic noise generators. One of the innovative features of the chamber is a unique quarter horn assembly that acoustically couples the noise generators to the chamber. Design concepts, model testing, and evaluation results are presented. Considerations such as nitrogen versus compressed air source, digital closed loop spectrum control versus manual equalizers, and microprocessor based interlock systems are included. Construction difficulties, anomalies encountered, and their resolution are also discussed. Results of the readiness testing are highlighted.

Kamel, L. T.↗