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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 NTRS1985

Time-dependent interstellar chemistry

Some current problems in interstellar chemistry are considered in the context of time-dependent calculations. The limitations of steady-state models of interstellar gas-phase chemistry are discussed, and attempts to chemically date interstellar clouds are reviewed. The importance of studying the physical and chemical properties of interstellar dust is emphasized. Finally, the results of a series of studies of collapsing clouds are described.

Glassgold, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Time dependent chemistry in dense molecular clouds. I - Grain surface reactions, gas/grain interactions and infrared spectroscopy

For the fist time, a time-dependent model is described which includes the role of grains in the production of molecules in dense clouds including ion-molecule gas phase chemistry. The approach provides information regarding the coupling between the two phases. Although the coupling between the two chemistries is extremely strong, the two domains maintain their own identities. While H2O, CH4, and NH3 are made efficiently, with a high production rate on grains and released back to the gas phase, the gas phase is essentially responsible for the formation of CO, a very stable molecule which may or may not react on grains with atomic oxygen and may or may not form CO2.

Dhendecourt, L. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Interstellar clouds - From a dynamical perspective on their chemistry

The possibility is examined that in the course of its dynamical evolution, a single mass of interstellar gas would exhibit properties of diffuse clouds, dense clouds and finally also of clouds perturbed by shocks or intense UV or X-ray radiation generated by a star of its own creation. This concept provides a common thread through the bewildering diversity of physical and chemical compositional properties shown by interstellar clouds. From this perspective, instead of being static objects, interstellar clouds are possibly incessantly evolving from initially diffuse to later dense state and then to star formation which ultimately restructures or disperses the remaining cloud material to begin the whole evolutionary process once again. Based on a simplified study of interstellar chemistry from a dynamical perspective, the ideas are presented as an heuristic: to encourage thought on the future direction of molecular astrophysics and the need to consider the chemical behavior of interstellar clouds in conjunction with, rather than in isolation from, their dynamical behavior. A physical basis must be sought for the semiempirical temperature formula which has been given a critical role in the collapse of diffuse clouds. Self-shielding effects in the chemistry of CO were neglected and this drawback should be removed; the ability of the model to explain the fractional abundances of more complex molecules, such as cyanopolyynes, should be examined.

Prasad, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Tropospheric chemistry

The chemistry of the background troposphere, the source region, and the transition regions are discussed. The troposphere is governed by heterogeneous chemistry far more so than the stratosphere. Heterogeneous processes of interest involve scavenging of trace gases by aerosols, cloud and precipitation elements leading to aqueous phase chemical reactions and to temporary and permanent removal of material from the gas phase. Dry deposition is a major removal process for ozone, as well as for other gases of importance in tropospheric photochemistry. These processes are also discussed.

Mohnen, V. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Lidar measurements from space for tropospheric chemistry investigations: Summary of workshop overview presentation

Over the past decade, NASA has played a lead role in defining the scientific objectives and technology requirements for spaceborne lidar investigations of the atmosphere. An assessment of the potential for conducting lidar measurements from space for investigations that pertain specifically to tropospheric chemistry is presented. A description of potential lidar measurement techniques is given, and the scientific requirements for tropospheric chemistry are reviewed. The current status of airborne lidar measurements of aerosols, O3, and H2O is discussed, and a brief description of the evolution of lidar technology to space is given. Also, the measurement of tropospheric gases with a spaceborne lidar system is evaluated for a wide range of gas species. From this general assessment, it appears feasible to measure aerosols, H2O, O3, NH3, CO, CH4, NO2, atmospheric pressure and temperature, and wind with a lidar from space provided that the appropriate laser and receiver technology is available. For the mid-1990's, it is expected that lidar technology will be available for the measurement of aerosols, H2O, and O3 from a space platform.

Browell, Edward V.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Microstructure and surface chemistry of amorphous alloys important to their friction and wear behavior

An investigation was conducted to examine the microstructure and surface chemistry of amorphous alloys, and their effects on tribological behavior. The results indicate that the surface oxide layers present on amorphous alloys are effective in providing low friction and a protective film against wear in air. Clustering and crystallization in amorphous alloys can be enhanced as a result of plastic flow during the sliding process at a low sliding velocity, at room temperature. Clusters or crystallines with sizes to 150 nm and a diffused honeycomb-shaped structure are produced on sizes to 150 nm and a diffused honeycomb-shaped structure are produced on the wear surface. Temperature effects lead to drastic changes in surface chemistry and friction behavior of the alloys at temperatures to 750 C. Contaminants can come from the bulk of the alloys to the surface upon heating and impart to the surface oxides at 350 C and boron nitride above 500 C. The oxides increase friction while the boron nitride reduces friction drastically in vacuum.

Miyoshi, K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Laser-induced fluorescence measurement of combustion chemistry intermediates

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) can measure the trace (often free radical) species encountered as intermediates in combustion chemistry; OH, CS, NH, NS, and NCO are typical of the species detected in flames by LIF. Attention is given to illustrative experiments designed to accumulate a quantitative data base for LIF detection in low pressure flow systems and flames, as well as to flame measurements conducted with a view to the detection of new chemical intermediaries that may deepen insight into the chemistry of combustion.

Crosley, David R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Evolutionary models of interstellar chemistry

The goal of evolutionary models of interstellar chemistry is to understand how interstellar clouds came to be the way they are, how they will change with time, and to place them in an evolutionary sequence with other celestial objects such as stars. An improved Mark II version of an earlier model of chemistry in dynamically evolving clouds is presented. The Mark II model suggests that the conventional elemental C/O ratio less than one can explain the observed abundances of CI and the nondetection of O2 in dense clouds. Coupled chemical-dynamical models seem to have the potential to generate many observable discriminators of the evolutionary tracks. This is exciting, because, in general, purely dynamical models do not yield enough verifiable discriminators of the predicted tracks.

Prasad, Sheo S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The role of aqueous chemistry in determining the composition and cloud structure of the upper troposphere on Uranus

Aqueous chemistry on Uranus affects the atmospheric abundances of NH3 and H2S below the methane cloud base. Here a complete thermochemical equilibrium model for the H2O-NH3-H2S system is presented. Inclusion of H2S increases the aqueous removal of NH3 to 20-30 percent, but aqueous chemistry alone cannot account for the depletion of NH3 in the 150-200-K region of the atmosphere required to fit microwave observations. Formation of NH4SH clouds can account for the observed depletion provided the H2S/NH3 ratio is enhanced by a factor of 4 relative to solar. Perturbations to the chemical balance between N and S, for example by the general circulation on Uranus, would then produce regions with either NH3 or H2S aloft.

Carlson, Barbara E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Convection and chemistry effects in CVD: A 3-D analysis for silicon deposition

The computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT has been adopted to simulate the entire rectangular-channel-like (3-D) geometry of an experimental CVD reactor designed for Si deposition. The code incorporated the effects of both homogeneous (gas phase) and heterogeneous (surface) chemistry with finite reaction rates of important species existing in silane dissociation. The experiments were designed to elucidate the effects of gravitationally-induced buoyancy-driven convection flows on the quality of the grown Si films. This goal is accomplished by contrasting the results obtained from a carrier gas mixture of H2/Ar with the ones obtained from the same molar mixture ratio of H2/He, without any accompanying change in the chemistry. Computationally, these cases are simulated in the terrestrial gravitational field and in the absence of gravity. The numerical results compare favorably with experiments. Powerful computational tools provide invaluable insights into the complex physicochemical phenomena taking place in CVD reactors. Such information is essential for the improved design and optimization of future CVD reactors.

Gokoglu, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Chemistry and petrology of the Apennine Front, Apollo 15. I - KREEP basalts and plutonic rocks. II - Impact melt rocks

The mineralogy, petrology, and chemistry of rock fragments for the Apennine Front coarse fines (10-4 and 4-2 mm) have been determined. The data are consistent with a single eruptive event that produced several flows. It is found that most of the plutonic rocks are ferroan in nature, with a few belonging to the Mg-suite. The mineral and bulk chemistry of KREEP basalts and the composition of ferroan anorthosites are discussed. Petrographic studies of 21 impact melts are also presented, showing a variety of textures. It is found that the Apollo 15 impact melts are mixtures of low-K Fra Mauro, KREEP, and plutonic components. The Ni/Ir ratios of the melt rocks are shown to be greater than chondritic values, indicating ancient and/or iron meteorite components.

Simon, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Chemistry and transport in a three-dimensional stratospheric model - Chlorine species during a simulated stratospheric warming

The distributions in the stratosphere of a variety of chemical species were calculated for a 6-day period during the February 1979 stratospheric major warming, using winds derived from a spectral forecast model which included O(x), NO(x), HO(x), and ClO(x) chemistries as well as longitudinally varying reaction rate coefficients and photolysis rates for these molecules. The results obtained indicate a particular importance of chemistry and transport for the Cl-containing species ClO, ClONO2, HCl, and HOCl. Dynamical effects dominate the variability of HCl, while diurnal effects dominate that of ClONO2 and ClO. The effects of strong planetary wave activity may be seen in terms of large longitudinal variability of the total HCl and ClONO columns in the stratosphere; in the middle and high northern latitudes, it is sufficiently large to exceed the diurnal variability of the column.

Kaye, Jack A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Ozone destruction through heterogeneous chemistry following the eruption of El Chichon

The results of ozone observations at northern midlatitudes in late 1982 through 1983, following the eruption of El Chichon are discussed, together with the observations of other trace gases which may be linked to possible variations in ozone chemistry. These results are related to the in situ aerosol observations following the El Chicon eruption, with particular attention given to data relevant to heterogeneous reactions, such as the aerosol surface area and weight percent H2SO4. It is shown that, at midlatitudes, the observed volcanic-particle surface area reached a maximum of about 50 sq microns/cu m (above a typical background value of about 0.75) at an altitude of 18-20 km in early 1983; this enhancement of surface area is about the same as that encountered in stratospheric clouds in the Antarctic, suggesting a possible basis for ozone depletion through heterogeneous chemistry. The fraction of ozone reduction that may have occurred as a result of heterogeneous chemicl effects is estimated.

Hofmann, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A detailed analysis of inviscid flux splitting algorithms for real gases with equilibrium or finite-rate chemistry

The extension of the known flux-vector and flux-difference splittings to real gases via rigorous mathematical procedures is demonstrated. Formulations of both equilibrium and finite-rate chemistry for real-gas flows are described, with emphasis on derivations of finite-rate chemistry. Split-flux formulas from other authors are examined. A second-order upwind-based TVD scheme is adopted to eliminate oscillations and to obtain a sharp representation of discontinuities.

Shuen, Jian-Shun↗
NASA NTRS1989

An evaluation of imaging spectrometry for estimating forest canopy chemistry

High spectral resolution Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data were acquired over 20 well-studied Wisconsin forest sites to evaluate the potential of remote sensing for estimating forest canopy chemistry. Intensive nutrient cycling research in these forests demonstrates that canopy lignin content is strongly related to measured annual nitrogen mineralization at the undisturbed sites and may serve as an accurate index for nitrogen cycling rates. Ground measurements were made of foliar biomass and canopy nitrogen and lignin content, the latter within two weeks of the AIS overflight. The spectral data were transformed using derivative techniques modified from laboratroy spectroscopy. Stepwise regression assisted in determining combinations of wavelengths most highly correlated with canopy chemistry and biomass. Strong correlations between AIS data and total canopy lignin content in deciduous forests and canopy lignin concentration (total lignin/biomass) in both deciduous and coniferous stands indicate that imaging spectrometry can be used to estimate canopy lignin content and, from that, the spatial distribution of annual nitrogen mineralization rates.

Wessman, Carol A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Solar nebula chemistry - Implications for volatiles in the solar system

Current theoretical models of solar nebula chemistry which take into account the interplay between chemistry and dynamics are presented for the abundant reactive volatile elements including hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. Results of these models indicate that, in the solar nebula, the dominant carbon and nitrogen gases were CO and NO, whereas, in giant planet subnebulae, the dominant carbon and nitrogen gases were CH4 and NH3; in the solar nebula, the Fe metal grains catalyzed the formation of organic compounds from CO and H2 via the Fischer-Tropsch-type reaction. It was also found that, in solar nebula, bulk FeS formation was kinetically favorable, while FeO incorporation into silicates and bulk Fe3O4 formation were kinetically inhibited. Furthermore, clathrate formation was kinetically inhibited in the solar nebula, while it was kinetically favorable in giant planet subnebulae.

Fegley, Bruce, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Aerosol chemistry during the wet season in central Amazonia - The influence of long-range transport

The temporal variation in the concentration and chemistry of the atmospheric aerosol over central Amazonia, Brazil, during the 1987 wet season is discussed based on ground and aircraft collected data obtained during the NASA GTE ABLE 2B expedition conducted in April/May 1987. It is found that wet-season aerosol concentrations and composition are variable in contrast to the more uniform biogenic aerosol observed during the 1985 dry season; four distinct intervals of enhanced aerosol concentration coincided with short periods (3 to 5 d) of extensive rainfall. It is hypothesized that aerosol chemistry in Amazonia during the wet season is strongly influenced by long-range transport of soil dust, marine aerosol, and possibly biomass combustion products advected into the central Basin by large-scale tropospheric circulation, producing periodic pulses of material input to local boundary layer air. The resultant wet-season aerosol regime is dynamic, in contrast to the uniformity of natural biogenic aerosols during the dry season.

Talbot, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Nonmethane hydrocarbon chemistry in the remote marine boundary layer

A photochemical model of the remote marine boundary layer (MBL) is presented, with focus placed on the role of reactive nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC). A wide range of NMHC air-sea fluxes with various relative distributions of NMHC regions are considered. In particular, the flux magnitude at which NMHC emissions become significant, and then dominant, players in MBL chemistry is identified. Emphasis is placed on diurnal variability, diurnal ozone variations and sensitivity to NMHC emission fluxes, to CO, O3, H2O, and UV light, and to kinetics and isometric composition. Model runs indicate that, in the range consistent with current observations, the NMHCs may either dominate MBL chemistry, or simply be contributors at the 10-percent level. These model runs also show that existing observations of NMHCs in ocean water find them to scarce for fluxes from bulk-flux air-sea gas exchange models to be consistent with the fluxes needed in the proposed model to maintain the lowest observed MBL NMHC.

Donahue, Neil M.↗