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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Radiative Structures of Lycopodium-Air Flames in Low Gravity

Initially uniform clouds of fuel particulates in air sustain processes which may lead to particle cloud nonuniformities. In low gravity, flame-induced Kundt's Tube phenomena are observed to form regular patterns of nonuniform particle concentrations. Irregular patterns of particle concentrations also are observed to result from selected nonuniform mixing processes. Low gravity flame propagation for each of these classes of particle cloud flames has been found to depend importantly on the flame-generated infrared radiative fields. The spatial structures of these radiative fields are described. Application is made for the observed clases of lycopodium-air flames.

Berlad, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The neutral atomic phases of the interstellar medium

We calculate the thermal equilibrium gas temperature of the diffuse interstellar medium. Our method incorporates a new photoelectric heating rate from small grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that accounts for a size distribution of particles extending from 100 to 3 A radius. We also include a detailed treatment of the ionization rates and heating due to the soft X-ray background and due to cosmic rays. Phase diagrams (thermal pressure P versus hydrogen density n) are presented for gas that is illuminated by local interstellar far-ultraviolet (FUV) and X-ray radiation fields. A stable two-phase medium is produced with thermal pressure in the range P/k approximately = to 10(exp 3-4) K/cc. We demonstrate that photoelectric heating from PAHs dominates in the warm neutral phase (WNM) and cold neutral phase (CNM). If the C II (158 micrometers cooling per hydrogen nucleus in the solar neighborhood represents an average value for the Galaxy, we predict L(sub CII) approximately = to 7 x 10(exp 7) solar luminosities from the CNM in the Galaxy, comparable to that observed by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE). We discuss the dependence of the results on absorbing column density, gas phase abundances, dust abundances and metallicity, FUV field, and the X-ray radiation field. These results will be useful in modeling the multiphase structure of high-velocity clouds in the halo, the interstellar matter (ISM) at other galactocentric radii, and the ISM in external galaxies and galactic nuclei.

Wolfire, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The radiative deceleration of ultrarelativistic jets in active galactic nuclei

A detailed study of the dynamical interaction between a highly relativistic jet and the thermal radiation field from an AGN accretion disk is reported, and the Comptonized spectrum arising from this interaction is self-consistently determined. A simple model that captures the essential radiative and geometrical features of realistic disk configurations is presented, and the disk radiation field is calculated. The results confirm Phinney's (1987) suggestion that the thermal radiation field produced by accretion in an AGN could be very effective in decelerating ultrarelativistic jets that are accreted by electromagnetic or hydromagnetic forces closer to the central black hole. Terminal Lorentz factors are consistent with the values inferred in superluminal radio sources are readily produced in this model for plausible disk and jet parameters without additional acceleration in the interaction zone. A new interpretation of the hard X-ray component detected in BL Lac spectra is proposed.

Melia, Fulvio↗
NASA NTRS1976

Inhomogeneities in the early universe

The paper investigates certain nonlinear processes that are viable candidates for the mechanisms which produced large-scale inhomogeneities in the early Universe. Several nonlinear Lagrangians are presented for matter, the Korteweg-de Vries equation is analyzed, and the existence of solitons among its solutions is noted. A model based on the possibility of generating a cascade of solitons from an initial perturbation is proposed, and it is shown how large-scale inhomogeneities can be generated when an initial soliton fragments into many others through the nonlinear action of the terms in the Korteweg-de Vries equation. A second model is examined which is based on the interaction of matter with a strong radiation field (an almost monochromatic photon gas) and which involves changes in the refractive index of the vacuum. It is found that matter and radiation will not mix if the radiation field has a nonuniform intensity and that the matter will separate into dense portions or 'cosmological protogalaxies'. The evolution of these portions of matter is studied, and it is found that conditions would be appropriate for the interface between them and the surrounding radiation field to become unstable, giving rise to a turbulent layer.

Canuto, V.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Open-Loop HIRF Experiments Performed on a Fault Tolerant Flight Control Computer

During the third quarter of 1996, the Closed-Loop Systems Laboratory was established at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to study the effects of High Intensity Radiated Fields on complex avionic systems and control system components. This new facility provided a link and expanded upon the existing capabilities of the High Intensity Radiated Fields Laboratory at LaRC that were constructed and certified during 1995-96. The scope of the Closed-Loop Systems Laboratory is to place highly integrated avionics instrumentation into a high intensity radiated field environment, interface the avionics to a real-time flight simulation that incorporates aircraft dynamics, engines, sensors, actuators and atmospheric turbulence, and collect, analyze, and model aircraft performance. This paper describes the layout and functionality of the Closed-Loop Systems Laboratory, and the open-loop calibration experiments that led up to the commencement of closed-loop real-time flight experiments.

Koppen, Daniel M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Parameter estimation applied to Nimbus 6 wide-angle longwave radiation measurements

A parameter estimation technique was used to analyze the August 1975 Nimbus 6 Earth radiation budget data to demonstrate the concept of deconvolution. The longwave radiation field at the top of the atmosphere is defined from satellite data by a fifth degree and fifth order spherical harmonic representation. The variations of the major features of the radiation field are defined by analyzing the data separately for each two-day duty cycle. A table of coefficient values for each spherical harmonic representation is given along with global mean, gradients, degree variances, and contour plots. In addition, the entire data set is analyzed to define the monthly average radiation field.

Green, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Geomagnetic Field and Radiation in Near-Earth Orbits

This report shows, in detail, how the geomagnetic field interacts with the particle flux of the radiation belts to create a hazard to spacecraft and humans in near-Earth orbit. It illustrates the geometry of the geomagnetic field lines, especially around the area where the field strength is anomalously low in the South Atlantic Ocean. It discusses how the field will probably change in the future and the consequences that may have on hazards in near space.

Heirtzler, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Protostellar condensations in the core of NGC 2024

The J = 4-3 transition of HCO(+) was observed in the core of NGC 2024. The findings indicate a possibly expanding torus centered around the FIR 6 continuum source and an E-W ridge below the ionization front. The presence of HCO(+) J = 4-3 emission from the torus and E-W ridge suggests relatively high gas densities in these regions. The relatively strong intensity of the observed HCO(+) J = 4-3 emission toward the FIR source suggests that the emission originates from relatively warm and dense gas. Continuum radiation transport modeling of the core shows that submillimeter and millimeter continuum observations of the cores can be reproduced under the assumption that the cores are externally heated objects without internal heating sources. This requires a factor of about 250 enhancement of the external radiation field intensity compared to the standard Galactic radiation field. This enhancement is consistent with the stellar luminosities required to explain the observed FIR continuum emission from the region.

Lis, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Active Solid State Dosimetry for Lunar EVA

The primary threat to astronauts from space radiation is high-energy charged particles, such as electrons, protons, alpha and heavier particles, originating from galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), solar particle events (SPEs) and trapped radiation belts in Earth orbit. There is also the added threat of secondary neutrons generated as the space radiation interacts with atmosphere, soil and structural materials.[1] For Lunar exploration missions, the habitats and transfer vehicles are expected to provide shielding from standard background radiation. Unfortunately, the Lunar Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit is not expected to afford such shielding. Astronauts need to be aware of potentially hazardous conditions in their immediate area on EVA before a health and hardware risk arises. These conditions would include fluctuations of the local radiation field due to changes in the space radiation field and unknown variations in the local surface composition. Should undue exposure occur, knowledge of the dynamic intensity conditions during the exposure will allow more precise diagnostic assessment of the potential health risk to the exposed individual.[2]

Wrbanek, John D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Tortuosity of lightning return stroke channels

Data obtained from photographs of lightning are presented on the tortuosity of return stroke channels. The data were obtained by making piecewise linear fits to the channels, and recording the cartesian coordinates of the ends of each linear segment. The mean change between ends of the segments was nearly zero in the horizontal direction and was about eight meters in the vertical direction. Histograms of these changes are presented. These data were used to create model lightning channels and to predict the electric fields radiated during return strokes. This was done using a computer generated random walk in which linear segments were placed end-to-end to form a piecewise linear representation of the channel. The computer selected random numbers for the ends of the segments assuming a normal distribution with the measured statistics. Once the channels were simulated, the electric fields radiated during a return stroke were predicted using a transmission line model on each segment. It was found that realistic channels are obtained with this procedure, but only if the model includes two scales of tortuosity: fine scale irregularities corresponding to the local channel tortuosity which are superimposed on large scale horizontal drifts. The two scales of tortuosity are also necessary to obtain agreement between the electric fields computed mathematically from the simulated channels and the electric fields radiated from real return strokes. Without large scale drifts, the computed electric fields do not have the undulations characteristics of the data.

Levine, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Molecular Hydrogen in Diffuse Interstellar Clouds of Arbitrary Three-Dimensional Geometry

We have constructed three-dimensional models for the equilibrium abundance of molecular hydrogen in diffuse interstellar clouds of arbitrary geometry that are illuminated by ultraviolet radiation. The position-dependent photodissociation rate of H2 in such clouds was computed with a 26 ray approximation to model the attenuation of the incident ultraviolet radiation field by dust and by H2 line absorption. We have applied our modeling technique to the isolated diffuse cloud G236+39, assuming that the cloud has a constant density and that the thickness of the cloud along the line of sight is at every point proportional to the 100 micron continuum intensity measured by IRAS. We find that our model can successfully account for observed variations in the ratio of 100 micron continuum intensity to H I column density, with larger values of that ratio occurring along lines of sight in which the molecular hydrogen fraction is expected to be the largest. Using a standard chi square analysis to assess the goodness of fit of our models, we find (at the 60 a level) that a three-dimensional model is more successful in matching the observational data than a one-dimensional model in which the geometrical extent of the cloud along the line of sight is assumed to be much smaller than its extent in the plane of the sky. If D is the distance to G236 + 39, and given standard assumptions about the rate of grain-catalyzed H2 formation, we find that the cloud has an extent along the line of sight that is 0.9 +/- 0.1 times its mean extent projected onto the plane of the sky and a gas density of 53 +/- 8 (100 pc/D) H nuclei/cc and is illuminated by a radiation field of 1.1 +/- 0.2 (100 pc/D) times the mean interstellar radiation field. The derived 100 micron emissivity per nucleon is 1.13 +/- 0.06 x 10(exp -20) MJy/sr sq cm.

Spaans, Marco↗
NASA NTRS1992

The prediction of noise radiation from supersonic elliptic jets

This paper describes the prediction of noise radiation from supersonic elliptic jets. The noise is associated with the large scale structures in the jet mixing layer. These structures are described as instability waves. The local characteristics of the instability waves are determined from a compressible, linear, analysis. The jet mean velocity and density are described in elliptic cylindrical coordinates. The local eigensolution for the instability waves is determined from a finite difference solution of the non-separable boundary value problem. This inner solution which is formulated in terms of the method of multiple scales is matched with the radiated field using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The form of the far-field directivity is derived. Predictions are presented for the noise radiation by the several modes of instability in the elliptic jet. The radiated field is not axisymmetric and certain modes radiate strongly in the directions of the major and minor axes of the jet. The extension of the present work to other geometries and flow fields is discussed.

Morris, Philip J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Interannual variability of the earth's climate during the last decade as observed by the Nimbus-7 spacecraft

A set of earth radiation budget observations spanning the time period 1979 to 1987 is considered. A diurnally averaged eight year top-of-the-atmosphere net radiation field is analyzed along with a zonally averaged radiation budget. Variability in the net radiation due to changes in the clear sky shortwave and longwave radiation fields or changes in the total cloudiness distribution and the cloud properties is assessed, along with those radiation-budget parameters key to the earth's heat balance.

Kyle, H. Lee↗
NASA NTRS1978

Quantum-mechanical theory including angular momenta analysis of atom-atom collisions in a laser field

The problem of two atoms colliding in the presence of an intense radiation field, such as that of a laser, is investigated. The radiation field, which couples states of different electronic symmetry, is described by the number state representation while the electronic degrees of freedom (plus spin-orbit interaction) are discussed in terms of a diabatic representation. The total angular momentum of the field-free system and the angular momentum transferred by absorption (or emission) of a photon are explicitly considered in the derivation of the coupled scattering equations. A model calculation is discussed for the Xe + F collision system.

Devries, P. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Narrow-field radiometry in a quasi-isotropic atmosphere

If a radiometer having a narrow field of view is used to measure the radiance of a source such as a quasi-isotropic atmosphere, a knowledge of the out-of-field responsivity is critical. For example, if a radiometer with a field of view of 5 deg (full-angle) has a relative responsivity of 0.0001 for the out-of-field radiation, the contribution of the out-of-field radiation (assuming an isotropic source subtending 2 steradians) is 10.5% of the total signal. Either the stray light suppression of the radiometer must be extremely high or methods of determining the out-of-field response must be developed. A description of one method of determining the effect of out-of-field response and its application to a planetary atmospheric radiometer is presented.

Holmes, A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Small grains and IRAS colors

The paper studies how infrared colors of dust emission from the interstellar medium vary with the energy density of the radiation field on the basis of IRAS observation of the California Nebula. The data suggest that color variations result from a combinatin of equilibrium emission from large grains, and nonequilibrium emission from small grains, with destruction of the small grains emitting at 12 microns at high energy density; it is estimated that 80 percent of these small particles are destroyed for an energy density in ultraviolet photons larger than 50 times that of the average interstellar radiation field in the solar neighborhood. In a color-color diagram, I(v)(60 microns)/I(v)(100 microns) versus I(v)(12 microns)/I(v)(25 microns), the California Nebula measurements at various distances to the ionizing star Zeta Per follow a sequence similar to that of galaxies. This result shows that the position of a galaxy along this sequence is a measure of the intensity of the radiation field in the regions responsible for the infrared emission.

Boulanger, F.↗