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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

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NASA NTRS1987

The formation of a double layer leading to the critical velocity phenomenon

The formation of a double layer is proposed as the mechanism which produces the critical velocity phenomenon. This hypothesis was examined qualitatively and it was found that the double layer can be a very efficient mechanism for transferring the kinetic energy of the neutral gas into the kinetic energy of electrons which, in turn, will ionize the neutral gas if the critical velocity was reached or exceeded.

Williams, A. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The formation of a double layer leading to the critical velocity phenomenon

The formation of a double layer is proposed as the mechanism which produces the critical velocity phenomenon. This hypothesis is examined qualitatively, and it is found that the double layer can be a very efficient mechanism for transferring the kinetic energy of the neutral gas into the kinetic energy of electrons which, in turn, will ionize the neutral gas if the critical velocity has been reached or exceeded.

Williams, A. C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

PAHs molecules and heating of the interstellar gas

Until now it has remained difficult to account for the rather high temperatures seen in many diffuse interstellar clouds. Various heating mechanisms have been considered: photoionization of minor species, ionization of H by cosmic rays, and photoelectric effect on small grains. Yet all these processes are either too weak or efficient under too restricting conditions to balance the observed cooling rates. A major heat source is thus still missing in the thermal balance of the diffuse gas. Using photoionization cross sections measured in the lab, it was shown that in order to balance the observed cooling rates in cold diffuse clouds (T approx. 80 K) the PAHs would have to contain 15 percent of the cosmic abundance of carbon. This value does not contradict the former estimation of 6 percent deduced from the IR emission bands since this latter is to be taken as a lower limit. Further, it was estimated that the contribution to the heating rate due to PAH's in a warm HI cloud, assuming the same PAH abundance as for a cold HI cloud, would represent a significant fraction of the value required to keep the medium in thermal balance. Thus, photoionization of PAHs might well be a major heat source for the cold and warm HI media.

Verstraete, Laurent↗

NASA NTRS1978

Implications of the hypohydrous history of Mars

The extent to which fluvial processes occurred in Mars is considered with reference to the oxidation of soil organics by the gamma-Fe2O3/H2O2 system. Data from the Viking biology experiments suggest that the acidity of gamma-Fe2O3 controls the ionization of hydrogen peroxide - that is, in acid conditions and in the presence of large concentrations of formate, gamma-Fe2O3 reacts efficiently with peroxide to oxidize formate to CO2 and H2O. Fe3O4, alpha-Fe2O3, and calcite are basic and block the oxidation of formate. The properties of this system are consistent with the hypothesis that Mars has been under a severe regime of dryness.

Oyama, V. I.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Numerical simulation of hypersonic inlet flows with equilibrium or finite rate chemistry

An efficient numerical program incorporated with comprehensive high temperature gas property models has been developed to simulate hypersonic inlet flows. The computer program employs an implicit lower-upper time marching scheme to solve the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with variable thermodynamic and transport properties. Both finite-rate and local-equilibrium approaches are adopted in the chemical reaction model for dissociation and ionization of the inlet air. In the finite rate approach, eleven species equations coupled with fluid dynamic equations are solved simultaneously. In the local-equilibrium approach, instead of solving species equations, an efficient chemical equilibrium package has been developed and incorporated into the flow code to obtain chemical compositions directly. Gas properties for the reaction products species are calculated by methods of statistical mechanics and fit to a polynomial form for C(p). In the present study, since the chemical reaction time is comparable to the flow residence time, the local-equilibrium model underpredicts the temperature in the shock layer. Significant differences of predicted chemical compositions in shock layer between finite rate and local-equilibrium approaches have been observed.

Yu, Sheng-Tao↗

NASA NTRS1992

Preliminary investigation of a low power pulsed arcjet thruster

A type of pulsed arcjet is examined which operates with gaseous helium propellant at powers from 100 to 1500 W and pulse rats from 360 to 6000 pulses per second. During the pulse, peak power is 50 to 250 kW generating chamber pressures of 10 to 50 atmospheres. The high operating pressure substantially reduces ionization in the 2.5 mm diameter x 12.5 mm long capillary and lowers frozen flow losses in the nozzle. The thruster thermal efficiency, measured calorimetrically, is 43 percent at 440 W and 8 mg/sec helium mass flow rate. Thruster performance trends are predicted by a time-dependent lumped-parameter model which includes heat exchange between the propellant and the wall. The model substantially underpredicts the experimental thermal efficiency values. Alternative thruster configurations yielding significant improvements in thrust efficiency and specific impulse are discussed.

Taylor, Russell D.↗

NASA NTRS2026

Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites Exposed to Cryogenic Conditions and Space Radiation via Simulation and Testing

As NASA missions extend beyond low Earth orbit, increasing reliance is placed on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites for spacecraft structures where mass efficiency, durability, and long-term reliability are critical. In service, these materials are subjected to a combination of ultraviolet radiation, vacuum, ionizing radiation, atomic oxygen, and extreme thermal excursions under sustained mechanical loading. Flight systems such as the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Dragon employ external composite structures that will experience these environments for extended durations. Although prior spaceflight and ground studies have reported limited changes in bulk mechanical properties, the synergistic effects of these environments on composite microstructure, particularly at the fiber matrix interphase, remain insufficiently characterized and represent a potential qualification and reliability risk. This study investigates the effects of short-term cryogenic exposure on a radiation shielding carbon epoxy composite, SC2020, as a ground-based analog for space relevant thermal extremes. The SC2020 material system has previously flown on the International Space Station under the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) program. Composite specimens were exposed to liquid nitrogen for 6 and 24 hours and evaluated using a multiscale characterization framework that combined ASTM D3039 tensile testing, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) based interphase analysis, and helium gas permeability measurements. Tensile testing showed no statistically significant or permanent degradation in global strength or modulus following cryogenic exposure. In contrast, AFM measurements revealed reductions in interphase modulus, weakened adhesion, and increased nanoscale heterogeneity, indicating localized degradation mechanisms not captured by conventional bulk testing. Gas permeability measurements showed a progressive increase in helium diffusion with exposure duration, consistent with micro-void formation or partial interfacial debonding. The results indicate that cryogenic exposure initiates degradation at the fiber matrix interphase while leaving global mechanical properties largely unchanged over short durations. These findings underscore the importance of multiscale diagnostics for identifying early-stage damage mechanisms that may influence long term performance and qualification margins for spaceflight composite structures. The data presented establish a cryogenic baseline for comparison with forthcoming MISSE flight exposure results and support ongoing NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) efforts aimed at improving composite qualification methodologies, risk assessment, and reliability prediction for space environments.

composite reliability↗

NASA NTRS1985

An infrared study of the NGC 1977 H II region/molecular cloud interface

The results of an infrared study of the H II region NGC 1977 and the adjacent dense molecular cloud are reported. Extensive far-infrared maps with 45 arcsec resolution allow the spatial structure of the dust temperature and optical depth variations across the ionization front to be delineated. Analysis of the dust energetics indicates that the only significant energy source is the B1 V star HD 37018 which ionizes the H II region. This result, together with a favorable geometry, provides a good opportunity to determine the ratio of ultraviolet absorption efficiency to far-infrared emission efficiency, 790 + 460 or - 180. Analysis of the gas energetics indicates that collisions with warm dust grains can explain the observed gas temperatures.

Makinen, P.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Status of the Nuclear-Induced Conductivity Experiment (NICE) Project

Nuclear-based magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy conversion has been pursued in various forms since the 1950's. The majority of this work was motivated by the compatibility of MHD generators with the high temperature achievable with a nuclear reactor and the associated potential for very high cycle efficiency. As a result of this perspective, methods for enhancing the electrical conductivity of the MHD flow have primarily focused on traditional thermal ionization processes, especially those utilizing alkali metal seeds. However, electrical conductivity enhancement via thermal interactions imposes significant limitations on the flow expansion through the generator, and hence on the ultimate power density. Furthermore, the introduction of an alkali metal seed into the flow significantly complicates the engineering design and increases the potential for system failures due to plating of the evaporated metal on cold surfaces.

Bitteker, Leo↗

NASA NTRS2005

Single Particle Damage Events in Candidate Star Camera Sensors

Si charge coupled devices (CCDs) are currently the preeminent detector in star cameras as well as in the near ultraviolet (uv) to visible wavelength region for astronomical observations in space and in earth-observing space missions. Unfortunately, the performance of CCDs is permanently degraded by total ionizing dose (TID) and displacement damage effects. TID produces threshold voltage shifts on the CCD gates and displacement damage reduces the charge transfer efficiency (CTE), increases the dark current, produces dark current nonuniformities and creates random telegraph noise in individual pixels. In addition to these long term effects, cosmic ray and trapped proton transients also interfere with device operation on orbit. In the present paper, we investigate the dark current behavior of CCDs - in particular the formation and annealing of hot pixels. Such pixels degrade the ability of a CCD to perform science and also can present problems to the performance of star camera functions (especially if their numbers are not correctly anticipated). To date, most dark current radiation studies have been performed by irradiating the CCDs at room temperature but this can result in a significantly optimistic picture of the hot pixel count. We know from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) that high dark current pixels (so-called hot pixels or hot spikes) accumulate as a function of time on orbit. For example, the HST Advanced Camera for Surveys/Wide Field Camera instrument performs monthly anneals despite the loss of observational time, in order to partially anneal the hot pixels. Note that the fact that significant reduction in hot pixel populations occurs for room temperature anneals is not presently understood since none of the commonly expected defects in Si (e.g. divacancy, E center, and A-center) anneal at such a low temperature. A HST Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) CCD manufactured by E2V was irradiated while operating at -83C and the dark current studied as a function of temperature while the CCD was warmed to a sequence of temperatures up to a maximum of +30C. The device was then cooled back down to -83 and re-measured. Hot pixel populations were tracked during the warm-up and cool-down. Hot pixel annealing began below 40C and the anneal process was largely completed before the detector reached +3OC. There was no apparent sharp temperature dependence in the annealing. Although a large fraction of the hot pixels fell below the threshold to be counted as a hot pixel, they nevertheless remained warmer than the remaining population. The details of the mechanism for the formation and annealing of hot pixels is not presently understood, but it appears likely that hot pixels are associated with displacement damage occurring in high electric field regions.

Marshall, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1990

Origin and dynamics of emission line clouds in cooling flow environments

The author suggests that since clouds are born co-moving in a turbulent intra-cluster medium (ICM), the allowed parameter space can now be opened up to a more acceptable range. Large-scale motions can be driven in the central parts of cooling flows by a number of mechanisms including the motion of the central and other galaxies, and the dissipation of advected, focussed rotational and magnetic energy. In addition to the velocity width paradox, two other paradoxes (Heckman et al. 1989) can be solved if the ICM is turbulent. Firstly, the heating source for the emission line regions has always been puzzling - line luminosities are extremely high for a given (optical or radio) galaxy luminosity compared to those in non-cooling flow galaxies, therefore a mechanism peculiar to cooling flows must be at work. However most, if not all, previously suggested heating mechanisms either fail to provide enough ionization or give the wrong line ratios, or both. The kinetic energy in the turbulence provides a natural energy source if it can be efficiently converted to cloud heat. Researchers suggest that this can be done via magneto-hydrodynamic waves through plasma slip. Secondly, while the x ray observations indicate extended mass deposition, the optical line emission is more centrally concentrated. Since many of the turbulence-inducing mechanisms are strongest in the central regions of the ICM, so is the method of heating. In other words material is dropping out everywhere but only being lit up in the center.

Loewenstein, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1999

DNA Repair-Protein Relocalization After Heavy Ion Exposure

Ionizing radiation is good at making DNA double strand breaks, and high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations such as heavy ion particles are particularly efficient. For this reason, the proteins belonging to repair systems that deal with double strand breaks are of particular interest. One such protein is Ku, a component in the non-homologous recombination repair system. The Ku protein is an abundant, heterodimeric DNA end-binding complex, composed of one 70 and one 86 kDa subunit. Ku protein binds to DNA ends, nicks, gaps, and regions of transition between single and double-stranded structure. These binding properties suggest an important role in DNA repair. The Ku antigen is important in this study because it is present in relatively large copy numbers and it is part of a double-strand-break repair system. More importantly, we consistently measure an apparent upregulation in situ that is not verified by whole-cell-lysate immunoblot measurements. This apparent upregulation is triggered by very low doses of radiation, thus showing a potentially useful high sensitivity. However, elucidation of the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is still to be done.

Metting, N. F.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Fullerene Propellant Research for Electric Propulsion

The large mass, low first ionization potential and large electron impact ionization cross-section make Buckminsterfullerene (carbon 60) potentially attractive as an ion engine propellant. It has the potential for significant increases in engine efficiency over that obtained with xenon at specific impulses less than 3 000 s. One problem encountered in fullerene ion engines has been dissociation of the propellant. Previously this was attributed to thermal decomposition due to operation of the ion engine at temperatures greater than 1073 K. However, during tests conducted at temperatures lower than 1073 K fullerene fragmentation was still observed. This prompted an investigation to determine if the dissociation was still due to thermal effects or if it was due to collisional processes in the discharge chamber.

fullerenes↗

NASA NTRS2010

Role of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Observations for the Study of Ionized Plasmas

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory, launched in 1999, is now beginning its 12-th year of operation. Chandra, the X-ray component of NASA s Great Observatory program, continues to operate efficiently, somewhat remarkable considering that the Observatory was designed for three years of operation with a goal of five. The Observatory features X-ray optics with sub-arcsecond angular resolution and a small suite of instruments, including transmission gratings, which allow for high-resolution spectroscopy of point sources. We will detail the capabilities of the Observatory for making such spectroscopic measurements and discuss a number of examples of what has been learned about the astrophysical plasmas capable of producing bright X-ray emission.

Weisskopf, Martin C.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Light-emission measurements of iron at simulated meteor conditions.

Ionization and spectral emission (3500-4200 A) cross-sections have been measured for FE + N2, O2 reactions between 350 and 2000 eV. Meteor luminous efficiencies from 3500 to 5400 A were calculated from these measurements. These results are thought to be accurate within plus or minus 40% for meteor velocities greater than 35 km/sec and at conditions where free molecular flow prevails. A general tendency is exhibited for a decrease in the luminous efficiency with increasing velocity. The present results compare favorably with previous meteor simulation experiments.

Boitnott, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Flare loop radiative hydrodynamics. III - Nonlocal radiative transfer effects

The study has three goals. The first is to demonstrate that processes exist whose intrinsic nonlocal nature cannot be represented by local approximations. The second is to elucidate the physical nature and origins of these nonlocal processes. The third is to suggest that the methods and results described here may prove useful in constructing semiempirical models of the chromosphere by means more efficient than trial and error. Matrices are computed that describe the effect of a temperature perturbation at an arbitrary point in the loop on density, hydrogen ionized fraction, total radiative loss rate, and radiative loss rate of selected hydrogen lines and continua at all other points. It is found that the dominant nonlocal radiative transfer effects can be separated into flux divergence coefficient effects and upper level population effects. The former are most important when the perturbation takes place in a region of significant opacity. Upper level population effects arise in both optically thick and thin regions in response to nonlocal density, ionization, and interlocking effects.

Canfield, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Efficient thermoelectric device

A high efficiency thermo electric device comprising a multi nanolayer structure of alternating insulator and insulator/metal material that is irradiated across the plane of the layer structure with ionizing radiation. The ionizing radiation produces nanocrystals in the layered structure that increase the electrical conductivity and decrease the thermal conductivity thereby increasing the thermoelectric figure of merit. Figures of merit as high as 2.5 have been achieved using layers of co-deposited gold and silicon dioxide interspersed with layers of silicon dioxide. The gold to silicon dioxide ratio was 0.04. 5 MeV silicon ions were used to irradiate the structure. Other metals and insulators may be substituted. Other ionizing radiation sources may be used. The structure tolerates a wide range of metal to insulator ratio.

Ila, Daryush↗

NASA NTRS2003

Investigation of a Light Gas Helicon Plasma Source for the VASIMR Space Propulsion System

An efficient plasma source producing a high-density (approx.10(exp 19/cu m) light gas (e.g. H, D, or He) flowing plasma with a high degree of ionization is a critical component of the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) concept. We are developing an antenna to apply ICRF power near the fundamental ion cyclotron resonance to further accelerate the plasma ions to velocities appropriate for space propulsion applications. The high degree of ionization and a low vacuum background pressure are important to eliminate the problem of radial losses due to charge exchange. We have performed parametric (e.g. gas flow, power (0.5 - 3 kW), magnetic field , frequency (25 and 50 MHz)) studies of a helicon operating with gas (H2 D2, He, N2 and Ar) injected at one end with a high magnetic mirror downstream of the antenna. We have explored operation with a cusp and a mirror field upstream. Plasma flows into a low background vacuum (<10(exp -4) torr) at velocities higher than the ion sound speed. High densities (approx. 10(exp 19/cu m) have been achieved at the location where ICRF will be applied, just downstream of the magnetic mirror.

Squire, J. P.↗