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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

Multidimensional Parameter Study of Double Detonation Type Ia Supernovae Originating from Thin Helium Shell White Dwarfs

Despite the importance of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) throughout astronomy, the precise progenitor systems and explosion mechanisms that drive SNe Ia are still unknown. An explosion scenario that has gained traction recently is double detonation, in which an accreted shell of He detonates and triggers a secondary detonation in the underlying white dwarf. Our research presents a number of high-resolution, multidimensional, full-star simulations of thin-He-shell, sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf progenitors that undergo a double detonation. This suite of thin-shell progenitors incorporates He shells that are thinner than those in previous multidimensional studies. We confirm the viability of the double detonation across a range of He-shell parameter space, as well as present bulk yields and ejecta profiles for each progenitor. The yields obtained are generally consistent with previous works and indicate the likelihood of producing observables that resemble SNe Ia. The dimensionality of our simulations allow us to examine features of the double detonation more closely, including the details of the off-center secondary ignition and asymmetric ejecta. We find considerable differences in the high-velocity extent of postdetonation products across different lines of sight. The data from this work will be used to generate predicted observables and may further support the viability of the double detonation scenario as an SN Ia channel, as well as show how the properties of the progenitor or viewing angle may influence trends in observable characteristics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Dissipative Dark Substructure: The Consequences of Atomic Dark Matter on Milky Way Analog Subhalos

Using cosmological hydrodynamical zoom-in simulations, we explore the properties of subhalos in Milky Way analogs that contain a subcomponent of atomic dark matter (ADM). ADM differs from cold dark matter (CDM) due to the presence of self-interactions that lead to energy dissipation, analogous to standard model baryons. This model can arise in dark sectors that are natural and theoretically motivated extensions to the standard model. The simulations used in this work were carried out using GIZMO and utilize the FIRE-2 galaxy formation physics in the standard model baryonic sector. For the parameter points we consider, the ADM gas cools efficiently, allowing it to collapse to the center of subhalos. This increases a subhalo's central density and affects its orbit, with more subhalos surviving small pericentric passages. The subset of subhalos that host satellite galaxies have cuspier density profiles and smaller stellar half-mass radii relative to CDM. The entire population of dwarf galaxies produced in the ADM simulations is more compact than those seen in CDM simulations, unable to reproduce the entire diversity of observed dwarf galaxy structures. Additionally, we also identify a population of highly compact subhalos that consist nearly entirely of ADM and form in the central region of the host, where they can leave distinctive imprints in the baryonic disk. This work presents the first detailed exploration of subhalo properties in a strongly dissipative dark matter scenario, providing intuition for how other regions of ADM parameter space, as well as other dark sector models, would impact galactic-scale observables.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Enhancing Nuclear and Radiological Security in Polarized Times: Safeguarding Against Extremist Insider Threats

Domestic violent extremism has been on the rise in recent years, fueled by growing political polarization, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the spread of misinformation online. This concerning trend raises an important question: has this increase in extremist violence manifested in more incidents involving radioactive or nuclear (RN) materials and a corresponding security concern? To explore this question, we analyzed existing data on events involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials over time. Specifically, we examined the rate of RN-related incidents, the targets of these events, and the ideologies motivating the perpetrators by using the Violent Non-State Actor Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Event Database from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism. Our analysis aimed to determine whether the broader rise of violent extremism has translated to an elevated risk of attacks involving RN materials. Results of the analysis revealed that there was no clear increase in events involving RN material in the dataset. However, given the rarity of these events, this conclusion does not indicate that such a trend might not appear in coming years if violent extremism continues to rise. To address the potential risk presented by violent extremism, in addition to quantifying the frequency of RN events, we also reviewed traits that could make organizations more susceptible to insider threats from radicalized employees. Focusing on the literature around counterproductive workplace behavior, we identified organizational characteristics that might increase the risk of malicious acts committed by radicalized insiders. These risk factors include abusive leadership, situational constraints, and organizational injustice. Finally, using these organizational risk characteristics, we discuss interventions that organizations with RN material can take to reduce their risk of attacks stemming from violent extremism while still protecting individual rights to privacy and civil liberties. Overall, this article provides an overview of the intersections between rising domestic extremism, insider threats, and risks posed by RN materials. We present current data on trends and patterns in this space as well as practical guidance for organizational resilience.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Ultraviolet and thermally stable polymer compositions

A class of polymers is provided, namely, poly(diarylsiloxy) arylazines. These polymers have a basic chemical composition which has the property of stabilizing the optical and physical properties of the polymer against the degradative effect of ultraviolet light and high temperatures. This stabilization occurs at wavelengths including those shorter than found on the surface of the earth and in the absence or presence of oxygen, making the polymers of the present invention useful for high performance coating applications in extraterrestrial space as well as similar applications in terrestrial service. The invention also provides aromatic azines which are useful in the preparation of polymers such as those of the present invention.

Reinisch, R. F.↗

Present tendencies in equipment noise normalization

The importance of equipment noise normalization in the complex of measures aimed at reducing noise in work spaces, as well as the necessity of correlating these norms with the criteria that establish the noxious values of noise for man are outlined.

Sternberg, A.↗

Spectroscopic and photochemical study of molecules important in chemical evolution

The primary broad goals of this research are to investigate (1) the possible reactions responsible for generation of compounds important in chemical evolution, and (2) reactions of compounds important in chemical evolution. In both cases the interest includes molecules that exist in interstellar space as well as those present on or near other planets and those which were thought to be present on or near the primitive earth.

Becker, R. S.↗

Hot hydrogen atoms reactions of interest in molecular evolution and interstellar chemistry

Hot hydrogen atoms which are photochemically generated initiate reactions among mixtures of methane, ethane, water and ammonia, to produce ethanol, organic amines, organic acids, and amino acids. Both ethanol and ethyl amine can also act as substrates for formation of amino acids. The one carbon substrate methane is sufficient as a carbon source to produce amino acids. Typical quantum yields for formation of amino acids are approximately 0.00002 to 0.00004. In one experiment, 6 protein amino acids were identified and 8 nonprotein amino acids verified utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. We propose that hot atoms, especially hydrogen, initiate reactions in the thermodynamic nonequilibrium environment of interstellar space as well as in the atmospheres of planets.

Becker, R. S.↗

Ultraviolet and thermally stable polymer compositions

A new class of polymers is provided, namely, poly (diarylsiloxy) arylazines. These novel polymers have a basic chemical composition which has the property of stabilizing the optical and physical properties of the polymer against the degradative effect of ultraviolet light and high temperatures. This stabilization occurs at wavelengths including those shorter than found on the surface of the earth and in the absence or presence of oxygen, making the polymers useful for high performance coating applications in extraterrestrial space as well as similar applications in terrestrial service. The invention also provides novel aromatic azines which are useful in the preparation of polymers such as those described.

Reinisch, R. F.↗

Three-dimensional ion sound turbulence

A fast cold large diameter electron beam is injected into a uniform background plasma. The injected beam current is balanced by a field-aligned return current which gives rise to an ion acoustic instability. The plasma is essentially unbounded and collisionless on the time scale of the pulsed experiment. The fluctuations are analyzed by probe techniques in real time and space as well as in the frequency and wavenumber domains. Strong density fluctuations are observed in the entire ion acoustic spectrum reaching peak amplitudes at the low frequency end. The propagation of phase coherent test waves in the current carrying plasma is investigated. For the highly turbulent regime strong damping is observed while at lower drift velocities direction is observed. Oblique propagation of two strong test waves at different frequencies indicate the role of nonlinear ion Landau damping in absorption of wave energy.

Stenzel, R. L.↗

Nickel cadmium cell composite reliability model

Ni-Cd battery reliability has become a critical design parameter with the increasing need for longer life and optimally designed secondary battery power systems in space as well as in more mundane applications. It is the purpose of this paper to present a state-of-the-art Ni-Cd cell reliability model as a function of cumulative cyclic operation, cell temperature and cyclic depth-of-discharge. In addition, a simple and convenient cell failure analysis technique will be presented in which the reliability, the distribution, and the distribution parameters can be determined by visual inspection.

Kirsch, W. W.↗

Crystallization history of lunar picritic basalt sample 12002 - Phase-equilibria and cooling-rate studies

Experimental crystallization of a lunar picrite composition (sample 12002) at controlled linear cooling rates produces systematic changes in the temperature at which crystalline phases appear, in the texture, and in crystal morphology as a function of cooling rate. Phases crystallize in the order olivine, chromium spinel, pyroxene, plagioclase, and ilmenite during equilibrium crystallization, but ilmenite and plagioclase reverse their order of appearance and silica crystallizes in the groundmass during controlled cooling experiments. The partition of iron and magnesium between olivine and liquid is independent of cooling rate, temperature, and pressure. Comparison of the olivine nucleation densities in the lunar sample and in the experiments indicates that the sample began cooling at about 1 deg C/hr. Pyroxene size, chemistry, and growth instability spacings, as well as groundmass coarseness, all suggest that the cooling rate subsequently decreased by as much as a factor of 10 or more. The porphyritic texture of this sample, then, is produced at a decreasing, rather than a discontinuously increasing, cooling rate.

Walker, D.↗

Solar-driven liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic generator

A solar oven heated by concentrated solar radiation as the heat source of a liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic (LMMHD) power generation system is proposed. The design allows the production of electric power in space, as well as on Earth, at high rates of efficiency. Two types of the solar oven suitable for the system are discussed.

Lee, J. H.↗

Nuclear reactor system study for NASA/JPL

Reactor shielding, safety studies, and heat pipe development work are described. Monte Carlo calculations of gamma and neutron shield configurations show that substantial weight penalties are incurred if exposure at 25 m to neutrons and gammas must be limited to 10 to the 12th power nvt and 10 to the 6th power rad, instead of the 10 to the 13th power nvt and 10 to the 7th power rad values used earlier. For a 1.6 MW sub t reactor, the required shield weight increases from 400 to 815 kg. Water immersion critically calculations were extended to study the effect of water in fuel void spaces as well as in the core heat pipes. These show that the insertion into the core of eight blades of B4C with a mass totaling 2.5 kg will guarantee subcriticality. The design, fabrication procedure, and testing of a 4m long molybdenum/lithium heat pipe are described. It appears that an excess of oxygen in the wick prevented the attainment of expected performance capability.

Palmer, R. G.↗

Early Results of Investigations of LANDSAT 4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner Applications

The TM digital data were evaluated for their potential to provide improved land cover information. The analyses included: (1) testing for information that may be offered by the new TM spectral bands, and (2) comparing data characteristics for equivalent spectral bands of the TM and MSS sensors. The analyses were conducted on several large samples of pixels corresponding to five broad land cover classes. Some TM spectral data are presented and evaluated as single-band, black-and-white images, and in several three-band color-composite images. Some data transformations which can be used to present TM data in a manner that is potentially more useful for analysis or display are demonstrated. These transformations enable generating hue, intensity, and saturation data space from red, green, and blue color space, as well as perspective view images.

Sadowski, F. G.↗

Use of Irradiated Foods

The safety of irradiated foods is reviewed. Guidelines and regulations for processing irradiated foods are considered. The radiolytic products formed in food when it is irradiated and its wholesomeness is discussed. It is concluded that food irradiation processing is not a panacea for all problems in food processing but when properly used will serve the space station well.

Brynjolfsson, A.↗

Evaluation of results of cell electrophoresis experiments on space shuttle STS-3 including pre-flight and post-flight laboratory experiments

The objectives of the red blood cell experiments were to provide a visual check on the electrophoretic process and especially electroosmotic flow in space as well as to provide test separations of non-degradable standard particles for comparison with the separations of the three viable cell types studied on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Determination of the maximum concentrations of cells that can be separated in column electrophore was a significant goal. Two of the eight columns were available for red cell experiments, so two concentrations of human and rabbit RBC mixtures were used. The objectives of another experiment were to evaluate the reproducibility of microgravity electrophoretic separation of living kidney cells, to separate cells with highly viability despite two freeze-thaw cycles, and to optimize the physical conditions of cell separation. Owing to the uncertain heterogeneity of the starting material, the experimental design does not assess resolution in microgravity, but improved separability was sought in comparison to density-gradient electrophoresis or continuous-flow electrophoresis. Efforts were made to increase cell yield and cell viability and to assess reproducibility directly.

Todd, P. W.↗

Space Station - The first step

The United States Space Station program, begun in Fiscal Year 1985 under significant cost constraints, should cause all those involved in the planning of manned interplanetary flight to revise their impressions of the cost and practicality of planetary missions. The presence of the Space Shuttle, as well as arrival of a capable Space Station, will provide a major impetus to planetary programs, both by removing most of the real barriers to extended manned space flights and by proving that significant manned space ventures may be performed very economically.

Mandell, H. C., Jr.↗