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NASA NTRS2004

The Electron Spectrum above 20 GeV Measured by ATIC

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) Balloon Experiment has been flown from McMurdo, Antarctica in 2000-01 (test flight) and 2002-03 (science flight). ATIC is composed of a segmented BGO calorimeter following a carbon target with scintillator tracking layers and a Silicon matrix detector at the entrance. ATIC measures the composition and energy spectra of the nuclei plus electrons. We present the electron spectrum derived from the ATIC flights, from 20 GeV to 3 TeV, and compare it to existing very high energy measurements from emulsion chambers and to the results of galactic propagation calculations. The good energy resolution and high statistics in the ATIC data allow detailed astrophysical interpretation of the results.

Chang, J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Detection and Location of Transverse Matrix Cracks in Cross-Ply Gr/Ep Composites Using Acoustic Emission

Transverse matrix cracking in cross-ply gr/ep laminates was studied with advanced acoustic emission (AE) techniques. The primary goal of this research was to measure the load required to initiate the first transverse matrix crack in cross-ply laminates of different thicknesses. Other methods had been previously used for these measurements including penetrant enhanced radiography, optical microscopy, and audible acoustic microphone measurements. The former methods required that the mechanical test be paused for measurements at load intervals. This slowed the test procedure and did not provide the required resolution in load. With acoustic microphones, acoustic signals from cracks could not be clearly differentiated from other noise sources such as grip damage, specimen slippage, or test machine noise. A second goal for this work was to use the high resolution source location accuracy of the advanced acoustic emission techniques to determine whether the crack initiation site was at the specimen edge or in the interior of the specimen.In this research, advanced AE techniques using broad band sensors, high capture rate digital waveform acquisition, and plate wave propagation based analysis were applied to cross-ply composite coupons with different numbers of 0 and 90 degree plies. Noise signals, believed to be caused by grip damage or specimen slipping, were eliminated based on their plate wave characteristics. Such signals were always located outside the sensor gage length in the gripped region of the specimen. Cracks were confirmed post-test by microscopic analysis of a polished specimen edge, backscatter ultrasonic scans, and in limited cases, by penetrant enhanced radiography. For specimens with three or more 90 degree plies together, there was an exact 1-1 correlation between AE crack signals and observed cracks. The ultrasonic scans and some destructive sectioning analysis showed that the cracks extended across the full width of the specimen. Furthermore, the locations of the cracks from the AE data were in excellent agreement with the locations measured with the microscope. The high resolution source location capability of this technique, combined with an array of sensors, was able to determine that the cracks initiated at the specimen edges, rather than in the interior. For specimens with only one or two 90 degree plies, the crack-like signals were significantly smaller in amplitude and there was not a 1-1 correlation to observed cracks. This was similar to previous results. In this case, however, ultrasonic and destructive sectioning analysis revealed that the cracks did not extend across the specimen. They initiated at the edge, but did not propagate any appreciable distance into the specimen. This explains the much smaller AE signal amplitudes and the difficulty in correlating these signals to actual cracks in this, as well as in the previous study.

Prosser, W. H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Assessment of impact damage of composite rocket motor cases

This contract reviewed the available literature on mechanisms of low velocity impact damage in filament wound rocket motor cases, MDE methods to quantify damage, critical coupon level test methods, manufacturing and material process variables and empirical and analytical modeling off impact damage. The critical design properties for rocket motor cases are biaxial hoop and axial tensile strength. Low velocity impact damage is insidious because it can create serious nonvisible damage at very low impact velocities. In thick rocket motor cases the prevalent low velocity impact damage is fiber fracture and matrix cracking adjacent to the front face. In contrast, low velocity loading of thin wall cylinders induces flexure, depending on span length and the flexure induces delamination and tensile cracking on the back face wall opposed to impact occurs due to flexural stresses imposed by impact loading. Important NDE methods for rocket motor cases are non-contacting methods that allow inspection from one side. Among these are vibrothermography, and pulse-echo methods based on acoustic-ultrasonic methods. High resolution techniques such as x-ray computed tomography appear to have merit for accurate geometrical characterization of local damage to support development of analytical models of micromechanics. The challenge of coupon level testing is to reproduce the biaxial stress state that the full scale article experiences, and to determine how to scale the composite structure to model full sized behavior. Biaxial tensile testing has been performed by uniaxially tensile loading internally pressurized cylinders. This is experimentally difficult due to gripping problems and pressure containment. Much prior work focused on uniaxial tensile testing of model filament wound cylinders. Interpretation of the results of some studies is complicated by the fact that the fabrication process did not duplicate full scale manufacturing. It is difficult to scale results from testing subscale cylinders since there are significant differences in out time of the resins relative to full scale cylinder fabrication, differences in hoop fiber tensioning and unsatisfactory coupon configurations. It appears that development of a new test method for subscale cylinders is merited. Damage tolerance may be improved by material optimization that uses fiber treatments and matrix modifications to control the fiber matrix interface bonding. It is difficult to develop process optimization in subscale cylinders without also modeling the longer out times resins experience in full scale testing. A major breakthrough in characterizing the effect of impact damage on residual strength, and understanding how to scale results of subscale evaluations, will be a sound micromechanical model that described progressive failure of the composite. Such models will utilize a three dimensional stress analysis due to the complex nature of low velocity impact stresses in thick composites. When these models are coupled with non-contact NDE methods that geometrically characterize the damage and acoustic methods that characterize the effective local elastic properties, accurate assessment of residual strength from impact damage may be possible. Directions for further development are suggested.

Paris, Henry G.↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA Tech Briefs, December 2010

Topics include: Coherent Frequency Reference System for the NASA Deep Space Network; Diamond Heat-Spreader for Submillimeter-Wave Frequency Multipliers; 180-GHz I-Q Second Harmonic Resistive Mixer MMIC; Ultra-Low-Noise W-Band MMIC Detector Modules; 338-GHz Semiconductor Amplifier Module; Power Amplifier Module with 734-mW Continuous Wave Output Power; Multiple Differential-Amplifier MMICs Embedded in Waveguides; Rapid Corner Detection Using FPGAs; Special Component Designs for Differential-Amplifier MMICs; Multi-Stage System for Automatic Target Recognition; Single-Receiver GPS Phase Bias Resolution; Ultra-Wideband Angle-of-Arrival Tracking Systems; Update on Waveguide-Embedded Differential MMIC Amplifiers; Automation Framework for Flight Dynamics Products Generation; Product Operations Status Summary Metrics; Mars Terrain Generation; Application-Controlled Parallel Asynchronous Input/Output Utility; Planetary Image Geometry Library; Propulsion Design With Freeform Fabrication (PDFF); Economical Fabrication of Thick-Section Ceramic Matrix Composites; Process for Making a Noble Metal on Tin Oxide Catalyst; Stacked Corrugated Horn Rings; Refinements in an Mg/MgH2/H2O-Based Hydrogen Generator; Continuous/Batch Mg/MgH2/H2O-Based Hydrogen Generator; Strain System for the Motion Base Shuttle Mission Simulator; Ko Displacement Theory for Structural Shape Predictions; Pyrotechnic Actuator for Retracting Tubes Between MSL Subsystems; Surface-Enhanced X-Ray Fluorescence; Infrared Sensor on Unmanned Aircraft Transmits Time-Critical Wildfire Data; and Slopes To Prevent Trapping of Bubbles in Microfluidic Channels.

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NASA NTRS2005

The Electron Spectrum above 20 GeV Measured by ATIC-2

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) Balloon Experiment has been flown from McMurdo, Antarctica in 2000-01 (test flight) and 2002-03 (science flight). ATIC is composed of a segmented BGO calorimeter following a carbon target with scintillator tracking layers and a Silicon matrix detector at the entrance. ATIC measures the composition and energy spectra of the nuclei plus electrons. We present the electron spectrum derived from the ATIC-2 science flight, from 20 GeV to 1.5 TeV, and compare it to existing very high energy measurements from emulsion chambers and to the results of galactic propagation calculations. The good energy resolution and high statistics in the ATIC data allow detailed astrophysical interpretation of the results.

Chang, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Polarization sensitivity analysis of an earth remote sensing instrument - The MODIS-N phase B study

Polarization analysis software that employs Jones matrix formalism to calculate the polarization sensitivity of an instrument design was developed at Hughes Danbury Optical Systems. The code is capable of analyzing the full ray bundle at its angles of incidence for each optical surface. Input is based on the system ray trace and the thin film coating design at each surface. The MODIS-N (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) system is used to demonstrate that it is possible to meet stringent requirements on polarization insensitivity associated with planned remote sensing instruments. Analysis indicates that a polarization sensitivity less than or equal to 2 percent was achieved in all desired spectral bands at all pointing angles, per specification. Polarization sensitivities were as high as 10 percent in similar remote sensing instruments.

Waluschka, E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Performance of a focused cavity aerosol spectrometer for measurements in the stratosphere of particle size in the 0.06-2.0-micrometer-diameter range

A focused cavity aerosol spectrometer aboard a NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft provided high-resolution measurements of the size of the stratospheric particles in the 0.06-2.0-micrometer-diameter range in flights following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Effects of anisokinetic sampling and evaporation in the sampling system were accounted for by means adapted and specifically developed for this instrument. Calibrations with monodisperse aerosol particles provided the instrument's response matrix, which upon inversion during data reduction yielded the particle size distributions. The resultant dataset is internally consistent and generally shows agreement to within a factor of 2 with comparable measurements simultaneously obtained by a condensation nuclei counter, a forward-scattering spectrometer probe, and aerosol particle impactors, as well as with nearby extinction profiles obtained by satellite measurements and with lidar measurements of backscatter.

Jonsson, H. H.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Initial Assessment of Acoustic Source Visibility with a 24-Element Microphone Array in the Arnold Engineering Development Center 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center

Measurements of background noise were recently obtained with a 24-element phased microphone array in the test section of the Arnold Engineering Development Center 80- by120-Foot Wind Tunnel at speeds of 50 to 100 knots (27.5 to 51.4 m/s). The array was mounted in an aerodynamic fairing positioned with array center 1.2m from the floor and 16 m from the tunnel centerline, The array plate was mounted flush with the fairing surface as well as recessed in. (1.27 cm) behind a porous Kevlar screen. Wind-off speaker measurements were also acquired every 15 on a 10 m semicircular arc to assess directional resolution of the array with various processing algorithms, and to estimate minimum detectable source strengths for future wind tunnel aeroacoustic studies. The dominant background noise of the facility is from the six drive fans downstream of the test section and first set of turning vanes. Directional array response and processing methods such as background-noise cross-spectral-matrix subtraction suggest that sources 10-15 dB weaker than the background can be detected.

Horne, William C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Equivalent source modeling of the main field using MAGSAT data

The software was considerably enhanced to accommodate a more comprehensive examination of data available for field modeling using the equivalent sources method by (1) implementing a dynamic core allocation capability into the software system for the automatic dimensioning of the normal matrix; (2) implementing a time dependent model for the dipoles; (3) incorporating the capability to input specialized data formats in a fashion similar to models in spherical harmonics; and (4) implementing the optional ability to simultaneously estimate observatory anomaly biases where annual means data is utilized. The time dependence capability was demonstrated by estimating a component model of 21 deg resolution using the 14 day MAGSAT data set of Goddard's MGST (12/80). The equivalent source model reproduced both the constant and the secular variation found in MGST (12/80).

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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Building and Breaking Carbon Composites with REACTER

Carbon composites have become indispensable for aerospace and other high-performance applications, and a detailed picture of their morphology and failure mechanisms remains difficult to obtain through experiment. REACTER is a versatile computational modeling tool for atomistic molecular dynamics designed to model chemical reactions at the speed and length scales of classical force fields.1 In this work, several recent features of REACTER were applied to the creation and subsequent mechanical testing of two classes of carbon composites, carbon-fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) and carbon nanotube (CNT) composites. Carbon fiber core morphologies were created by the method of Desai et al.,2 but using the advanced reaction constraints framework of REACTER, their proposed multistep procedure was reduced to a single uninterrupted molecular dynamics simulation. The carbon fiber filler was embedded into a polymer matrix by simulated in situ polymerization of several thermosetting resins, including bismaleimide and polyarylacetylene, to obtain the final CFRP model. To generate the second class of carbon composite, CNT networks were grown dynamically using the new ‘create atoms’ feature of REACTER, and similarly infiltrated with resin to obtain CNT composites. The resulting models were compared directly to experiment using simulated high resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Failure mechanisms were elucidated by simulating mechanically induced bond breaking, as characterized by third-order DFT-based tight-binding (DFTB3) simulations, via a reaction constraint on the total potential energy of the involved atoms.

Molecular Dynamics↗
NASA NTRS1989

Cloud field classification based on textural features

An essential component in global climate research is accurate cloud cover and type determination. Of the two approaches to texture-based classification (statistical and textural), only the former is effective in the classification of natural scenes such as land, ocean, and atmosphere. In the statistical approach that was adopted, parameters characterizing the stochastic properties of the spatial distribution of grey levels in an image are estimated and then used as features for cloud classification. Two types of textural measures were used. One is based on the distribution of the grey level difference vector (GLDV), and the other on a set of textural features derived from the MaxMin cooccurrence matrix (MMCM). The GLDV method looks at the difference D of grey levels at pixels separated by a horizontal distance d and computes several statistics based on this distribution. These are then used as features in subsequent classification. The MaxMin tectural features on the other hand are based on the MMCM, a matrix whose (I,J)th entry give the relative frequency of occurrences of the grey level pair (I,J) that are consecutive and thresholded local extremes separated by a given pixel distance d. Textural measures are then computed based on this matrix in much the same manner as is done in texture computation using the grey level cooccurrence matrix. The database consists of 37 cloud field scenes from LANDSAT imagery using a near IR visible channel. The classification algorithm used is the well known Stepwise Discriminant Analysis. The overall accuracy was estimated by the percentage or correct classifications in each case. It turns out that both types of classifiers, at their best combination of features, and at any given spatial resolution give approximately the same classification accuracy. A neural network based classifier with a feed forward architecture and a back propagation training algorithm is used to increase the classification accuracy, using these two classes of features. Preliminary results based on the GLDV textural features alone look promising.

Sengupta, Sailes Kumar↗
NASA NTRS1995

Thermographic imaging for high-temperature composite materials: A defect detection study

The ability of a thermographic imaging technique for detecting flat-bottom hole defects of various diameters and depths was evaluated in four composite systems (two types of ceramic matrix composites, one metal matrix composite, and one polymer matrix composite) of interest as high-temperature structural materials. The holes ranged from 1 to 13 mm in diameter and 0.1 to 2.5 mm in depth in samples approximately 2-3 mm thick. The thermographic imaging system utilized a scanning mirror optical system and infrared (IR) focusing lens in conjunction with a mercury cadmium telluride infrared detector element to obtain high resolution infrared images. High intensity flash lamps located on the same side as the infrared camera were used to heat the samples. After heating, up to 30 images were sequentially acquired at 70-150 msec intervals. Limits of detectability based on depth and diameter of the flat-bottom holes were defined for each composite material. Ultrasonic and radiographic images of the samples were obtained and compared with the thermographic images.

Roth, Don J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Vertical Transport Processes for Inert and Scavenged Species: TRACE-A Measurements

The TRACE-A mission of the NASA DC-8 aircraft made a large-scale survey of the tropical and subtropical atmosphere in September and October of 1992. Both In-situ measurements of CO (G. Sachsen NASA Langley) and aerosol size (J. Browell group, NASA Langley) provide excellent data sets with which to constrain vertical transport by planetary boundary layer mixing and deep-cloud cumulus convection. Lidar profiles of aerosol-induced scattering and ozone (also by Bremen) are somewhat require more subtle interpretation as tracers, but the vertical information on layering largely compensates for these complexities. The reason this DC-8 dataset is so useful is that very large areas of biomass burning over Africa and South America provide surface sources of appropriate sizes with which to characterize vertical and horizontal motions; the major limitation of our source description is that biomass burning patterns move considerably every few days, and daily burning inventories are a matter of concurrent, intensive research. We use the Penn State / NCAR MM5 model in an assimilation mode on the synoptic and intercontinental scale, and assess the success it shows in vertical transport descriptions. We find that the general level of emissions suggested by the climatological approach (Will. Has, U. of Montana) appears to be approximately correct, possibly a bit low, for this October, 1992, time period. Vertical transport in planetary boundary layer mixing to 5.5 kin was observed and reproduced in our simulations. Furthermore we find evidence that Blackader "transilient" or matrix-transport scheme is needed, but may require some adaptation in our tracer model: CO seems to exhibit very high values at the top of the planetary boundary layer, a process that stretches the eddy-diffusion parameterization. We will report on progress in improving the deep convective transport of carbon monoxide: the Grail scheme as we used it at 100 kin resolution did not transport enough material to the upper troposphere. We expect to be able to attribute this to either parameterization reasons (inadequacy of this parameterization at the large 100km scale) or other reasons. Nevertheless, the qualitative nature of deep transport by clouds shows up well in the simulations. As for scavengable species, the simulations predict tens of micrograms per standard cubic meter of smoke aerosol in the boundary layer. In a straightforward illustration of our simple bulk-mass scavenging parameterization, to one or two micrograms per standard cubic meter of smoke aerosol in the free troposphere just above the source regions: very high concentrations for the free troposphere. We expect to report on comparisons of these predictions to a variety of observations.

Chatfield, Robert B.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Characteristics of Cometary Dust Tracks in Stardust Aerogel and Laboratory Calibrations

The cometary tray of the NASA Stardust spacecraft s aerogel collector has been examined to study the dust that was captured during the 2004 fly by of comet 81P/Wild-2. An optical scan of the entire collector surface revealed 256 impact features in the aerogel (width > 100 microns). 20 aerogel blocks (out of a total of 132) were removed from the collector tray for a higher resolution optical scan and 186 tracks were observed (track length > 50 microns and width > 8 microns). The impact features were classified into three types based on their morphology. Laboratory calibrations were conducted which reproduce all three types. This work suggests that the cometary dust consisted of some cohesive, relatively strong particles as well as particles with a more friable or low cohesion matrix containing smaller strong grains. The calibrations also permitted a particle size distribution to be estimated for the cometary dust. We estimate that approximately 1200 particles bigger than 1 micron struck the aerogel. The cumulative size distribution of the captured particles was obtained and compared with observations made by active dust detectors during the encounter. At large sizes (>20 microns) all measures of the dust are compatible, but at micrometer scales and smaller discrepancies exist between the various measurement systems which may reflect structure in the dust flux (streams, clusters etc.) along with some possible instrument effects.

Burchell, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Systems level polarization modeling of multispectral space sensors

The 2-percent polarization sensitivity specification in many of NASA's Earth Observing System sensors has motivated Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC) to develop computer programs that model the polarization characteristics of optical systems. In support of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer program, SBRC has developed an analytical tool which unites the completed 3D lens design and coating designs to accurately predict an optical system's polarization characterization compensators, nonnormal incidence reflection and transmission from dichroic beam splitters and protected silver mirrors are analyzed without the need for proprietary coating prescriptions. The phenomenon of diattenuation and phase change are treated using the Jones matrix formalism.

Wells, Conrad↗
NASA NTRS1990

AX-5 space suit bearing torque investigation

The symptoms and eventual resolution of a torque increase problem occurring with ball bearings in the joints of the AX-5 space suit are described. Starting torques that rose 5 to 10 times initial levels were observed in crew evaluation tests of the suit in a zero-g water tank. This bearing problem was identified as a blocking torque anomaly, observed previously in oscillatory gimbal bearings. A large matrix of lubricants, ball separator designs and materials were evaluated. None of these combinations showed sufficient tolerance to lubricant washout when repeatedly cycled in water. The problem was resolved by retrofitting a pressure compensated, water exclusion seal to the outboard side of the bearing cavity. The symptoms and possible remedies to blocking are discussed.

Loewenthal, Stuart↗
NASA NTRS1993

Characterization of precipitates in CdTe and Cd(1-x)Zn(x)Te grown by vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique

Different polishing solutions were tested for exposing precipitates in CdTe and Cd(0.96)Zn(0.04) single crystals grown by vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. A solution of 5-7% Br2 in methanol and E-solution were both effective. High resolution scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was employed to characterize those exposed precipitates. Most of the polyhedral-shaped Te precipitates with a size range from 3 to 20 microns had voids inside. Partially dissolved Te precipitates were observed in CdTe samples that had been annealed in Cd vapor at 700 C for 10 min. Isolated areas mis-oriented from the matrix were observed in CdTe and Cd(0.96)Zn(0.04)Te that had been annealed in Cd vapor at 700 C for 20 and 50 h, respectively. Te precipitate images were recorded with EDS. By SEM/EDS, Cd-rich precipitates were observed in some Cd-annealed CdTe. C and Na impurities were detected in some Te precipitates.

Shen, J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Big Dust, Little Dust, and Aerogel

The titles in this section include: 1) A First Look at Graphite Grains from Orgueil: Morphology, Carbon, Nitrogen and Neon Isotopic Compositions of Individual, Chemically Separated Grains; 2) Discovery of an In-Situ Presolar Silicate Grain with GEMS-Like Composition in the Bishumpur Matrix; 3) Revised Global Accretion Rates of Micrometeorites in the Last Glacial Period; 4) Isotopic Fractionation of Potassium in Stony Cosmic Spherules; 5) Crumbs from the Crust of Vesta: Achondritic Micrometeorites from the South Pole Water Well; 6) Preservation of Micrometeoroid Remains on Solar Cells Returned from Orbit; 7) High Input Rates of Micrometeoritic Sulfur, 'Smoke' Particles and Oligoelements on the Early Earth; 8) High Resolution Confocal Raman Imaging of an IDP; 9) A micro-Raman Survey of 10 IDPs and 6 Carbonaceous Chondrites; 10) Mid- and Far-Infrared Spectroscopy at the Advanced Light Source; 11) Hypervelocity Impact Energy Loss and Track Shape in Aerogels: Theory and Experiment; 12) Fiducial Marks for Location of Particles in Aerogel.

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