Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “leaves”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13

Noise generated by impingement of a jet upon a large flat board

Data were obtained on the noise generated by an air jet impinging on a large flat board. The board was large enough so that the flow leaving the edges of the board generated no significant noise. The impingement angle, nozzle shape and size, jet velocity, and the distance from the nozzle to the board were varied in the experiment. Far-field noise data are presented. The nozzle-alone noise contribution to the total noise was generally small and was subtracted from the total, leaving the impingement-only noise. The impingement-only noise was adequately correlated by eighth power of the peak impingement velocity and first power of the impingement area. The spectral data were correlated by a Strouhal number based on the peak impingement velocity and a characteristic impingement diameter.

Olsen, W. A.↗

Sensitivity to emotional ill health

The services of mental specialists, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, or psychiatric social workers are required to assure maximum human performance in Government facilities. Contemporary mental health programming covers emotionally generated problems at operational sites to complete disclaiming of the existence of such difficulties among workers. Frequent taking of sick leave or annual leave when work seems demanding or when a promotion does not materialize, chronic or repeated tardiness, requests for frequent transfers, work over-loading, accidental injuries, and alcoholism are all forms of stress responses and indicate a need for emotional counselling.

Felton, J. S.↗

Identification, definition and mapping of terrestrial ecosystems in interior Alaska

The author has identified the following significant results. A reconstituted, simulated color-infrared print, enlarged to a scale of 1:250,000, was used to make a vegetation map of a 3,110 sq km area just west of Fairbanks, Alaska. Information was traced from the print which comprised the southeastern part of ERTS-1 scene 1033-21011. A 1:1,000,000 scale color-infrared transparency of this scene, obtained from NASA, was used along side the print as an aid in recognizing colors, color intensities and blends, and mosaics of different colors. Color units on the transparency and print were identified according to vegetation types using NASA air photos, U.S. Forest Service air photos, and experience of the investigator. Five more or less pure colors were identified and associated with vegetation types. These colors were designated according to their appearances on the print: (1) orange for forest vegetation dominated by broad-leaved trees: (2) gray for forest vegetation dominated by needle-leaved trees; (3) violet for scrub vegetation; (4) light violet denoting herbaceous tundra vegetation; and (5) dull violet for muskeg vegetation. This study has shown, through close examinations of the NASA transparency, that much more detailed vegetation landscape, or ecosystem maps could be produced, if only spectral signatures could be consistently and reliably recognized and transferred to a map of suitable scale.

Anderson, J. H.↗

Gas turbine exhaust nozzle

An elongated hollow string is disposed in an exhaust nozzle combustion chamber and communicates with an air source through hollow struts at one end. The other end of the string is bell-mouth shaped and extends over the front portion of a nozzle plug. The bell-mouth may be formed by pivotally mounted flaps or leaves which are used to vary the exhaust throat area and the area between the plug and the leaves. Air from the engine inlet flows into the string and also between the combustion chamber and a housing disposed around the chamber. The air cools the plug and serves as a low velocity inner core of secondary gas to provide noise reduction for the primary exhaust gas while the other air, when it exits from the nozzle, forms an outer low velocity layer to further reduce noise. The structure produces increased thrust in a turbojet or turbofan engine.

Straight, D. M.↗

Study of air pollutant signatures for remote sensing

Experimental results are presented for a possible new, indirect signature for air pollutants: the spectral reflectivity of plant leaves. Sub-visual changes (up to 160%) in the spectral reflectivity of bean and tobacco leaves were observed over the range 475nm to 750nm in response to SO2 exposures such as 2ppm/4hrs or 4ppm/16hrs, or to O3 exposures such as 90pphm/21hrs or 7.5pphm/292hrs. Such changes might be observed from a satellite using either laser or sunlight as the illumination source. Inasmuch as the plants appear to become acclimated to some of these exposure doses, environmental changes may be most important for this type of plant-response.

Nowak, W. B.↗

NO sub x deposited in the stratosphere by the space shuttle, phase 1

The results of calculations to determine the amount of NOx deposited in the stratosphere by space shuttle solid rocket motors (SRM) are presented. Flow properties and chemical composition in the exhaust nozzle and plume were analyzed. The nozzle calculations show that about 4.5 lbm/sec of NOx leaves the two SRMs. The total amount of NOx deposited in the stratosphere is related to the amount leaving the nozzle via an overall plume enhancement factor (OPEF), which depends upon the influence of afterburning and shocks in enhancing the exit plane NOx mole fraction. Calculations show that the OPEF is approximately 2, indicating the mass flow of NOx in the plume to be approximately l0 lbm/sec at 30 km altitude with a possible error factor of 4. For a vehicle velocity of 3750 ft/sec, therefore, the NOx deposition rate in the stratosphere is about 2.7 x 10(-3) lbm/ft.

Pergament, H. S.↗

A comparison of leaf epinasty induced by weightlessness or by clinostat rotation

A space flight experiment to determine the effect of weightlessness on the liminal angle of leaves of pepper as compared to the angles of leaves of central plants that rotate horizontally on an earth-based clinostat is evaluated. Copies of the Biosatellite II pepper plant flight film and of the clinostat central film were obtained, and an objective analysis of the information on these films is presented. Results confirm that epinastic leaf movements are characteristic in both orbital and clinostated pepper plants. Claims that the rotation on the clinostat produce the same effect as weightlessness are not supported by the pepper plant experiment.

Brown, A. H.↗

Release of volatile mercury from vascular plants

Volatile, organic solvent soluble mercury has been found in leaves and seeds of several angiosperms. Leaves of garlic vine, avocado, and haole-koa release mercury in volatile form rapidly at room temperature. In garlic vine, the most active release is temperature dependent, but does not parallel the vapor-pressure temperature relationship for mercury. Mercury can be trapped in nitric-perchloric acid digestion fluid, or n-hexane, but is lost from the hexane unless the acid mixture is present. Seeds of haole-koa also contain extractable mercury but volatility declines in the series n-hexane (90%), methanol (50%), water (10%). This suggests that reduced volatility may accompany solvolysis in the more polar media.

Siegel, S. M.↗

Soil, Water, and Vegetation Conditions in South Texas

The author has identified the following significant results. Reflectance differences between the dead leaves of six crops (corn, cotton, sorghum, sugar cane, citrus, and avocado) and the respective bare soils where the dead leaves were lying on the ground were determined from laboratory spectrophotometric measurements over the 0.5- to 2.5 micron wavelength interval. The largest differences were in the near infrared waveband 0.75- to 1.35 microns. Leaf area index was predicted from plant height, percent ground cover, and plant population for irrigated and nonirrigated grain sorghum fields for the 1975 growing season.

Wiegand, C. L.↗

Researches on interactions of satellite-speed helium atoms with aluminum and quartz surfaces

Three major areas were experimentally studied: (1) energy transfer in collisions of satellite-speed (700 m/sec) helium atoms with a cleaned satellite-type aluminum surface was investigated using the molecular-beam technique. Spatial and energy distributions of reflected helium atoms were measured and analyzed, (2) The gross accommodation coefficient for a satellite-speed (7000 m/sec) helium beam entering a 2-inch-diameter aluminum spherical cavity was determined by measuring the exit velocity distribution of the leaving helium atoms using a metastable time-of-flight method. Results indicate that the 7000-m/sec satellite-speed helium atoms entering the cavity gain full accommodation with the room-temperature inner surface of the sphere through a large number of collisions before leaving the spherical cavity; and (3) the feasibility of producing a satellite-speed atomic hydrogen beam by arc-heating, for use in studies of interactions of satellite-surfaces with hydrogen atoms under laboratory conditions, was investigated. It was found that a stable arc-heated molecular hydrogen beam can be obtained using the arc-heater, and that a partially dissociated hydrogen beam can be produced. Photographs of laboratory equipment are shown.

Liu, S. M.↗

Absorption generator for solar-powered air-conditioner

Device passes solar-heated water through coils. Hot lithium Bromide/Water solution leaves through central stand-pipe, and water vapor leaves through refrigerant outlet at top. Matching generation temperature to collector efficiency helps cut costs.

Lowen, D. J.↗

Generalized vegetation map of north Merrit Island based on a simplified multispectral analysis

A simplified system for classification of multispectral data was used for making a generalized map of ground features of North Merritt Island. Subclassification of vegetation within broad categories yielded promising results which led to a completely automatic method and to the production of satisfactory detailed maps. Changes in an area north of Happy Hammocks are evidently related to water relations of the soil and are not associated with the last winter freeze-damage which affected mainly the mangrove species, likely to reestablish themselves by natural processes. A supplementary investigation involving reflectance studies in the laboratory has shown that the reflectance by detached citrus leaves, of wavelengths lying between 400 microns and 700 microns, showed some variation over a period of seven days during which the leaves were kept in a laboratory atmosphere.

Poonai, P.↗

Ozone damage detection in cantaloupe plants

Ozone causes up to 90 percent of air pollution injury to vegetation in the United States; excess ozone affects plant growth and development and can cause undetected decrease in yields. Laboratory and field reflectance measurements showed that ozone-damaged cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) leaves had lower water contents and higher reflectance than did nondamaged leaves. Cantaloupe plants which were lightly, severely, and very severely ozone-damaged were distinguishable from nondamaged plants by reflectance measurements in the 1.35- to 2.5 micron near-infrared water absorption waveband. Ozone-damaged leaf areas were detected photographically 16 h before the damage was visible. Sensors are available for use with aircraft and spacecraft that possibly could be used routinely to detect ozone-damaged crops.

Gausman, H. W.↗

Space augmentation of military high-level waste disposal

Space disposal of selected components of military high-level waste (HLW) is considered. This disposal option offers the promise of eliminating the long-lived radionuclides in military HLW from the earth. A space mission which meets the dual requirements of long-term orbital stability and a maximum of one space shuttle launch per week over a period of 20-40 years, is a heliocentric orbit about halfway between the orbits of earth and Venus. Space disposal of high-level radioactive waste is characterized by long-term predictability and short-term uncertainties which must be reduced to acceptably low levels. For example, failure of either the Orbit Transfer Vehicle after leaving low earth orbit, or the storable propellant stage failure at perihelion would leave the nuclear waste package in an unplanned and potentially unstable orbit. Since potential earth reencounter and subsequent burn-up in the earth's atmosphere is unacceptable, a deep space rendezvous, docking, and retrieval capability must be developed.

English, T.↗

Effects of heavy metals on the absorbance and reflectance spectra of plants

The spectral responses of plants to various concentrations of heavy metals in their rooting media are investigated in relation to the application of remote sensing methods to the detection of vegetation under stress. Absorption photometry of chloroplasts, measurements of metal and chlorophyll concentrations and reflectance spectrometry were performed on leaves of pea, sunflower and soybean plants grown under greenhouse conditions with the addition of various concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn to their rooting media and on leaves of oak trees growing naturally in an area of a copper-arsenic mineralization. Under laboratory conditions, the most general effect observed was growth inhibition and ultimately death, with pea plants also exhibiting changes of chlorophyll a/ chlorophyll b ratios with Cd and Cu and reflectance increases in the visible and decreases in the infrared. Although results for other species indicate that reflectance effects are dependent on species, correlations between reflectance and metal exposure is confirmed by the field investigations. It is concluded that a remote sensing system would be improved by the inclusion of bands around 1.65 and 2.20 microns to detect soil mineralization from plant spectra.

Horler, D. N. H.↗

Method for applying photographic resists to otherwise incompatible substrates

A method for applying photographic resists to otherwise incompatible substrates, such as a baking enamel paint surface, is described wherein the uncured enamel paint surface is coated with a non-curing lacquer which is, in turn, coated with a partially cured lacquer. The non-curing lacquer adheres to the enamel and a photo resist material satisfactorily adheres to the partially cured lacquer. Once normal photo etching techniques are employed the lacquer coats can be easily removed from the enamel leaving the photo etched image. In the case of edge lighted instrument panels, a coat of uncured enamel is placed over the cured enamel followed by the lacquer coats and the photo resists which is exposed and developed. Once the etched uncured enamel is cured, the lacquer coats are removed leaving an etched panel.

Fuhr, W.↗

Pioneer 10 ultraviolet photometer observations of the interplanetary glow at heliocentric distances from 2 to 14 AU

An analysis is presented of the observed Pioneer 10 interplanetary data from 1972 to 1977, taking into account the interplanetary glow intensity observed by the Pioneer 10 UV photometer at sun-spacecraft distances of 2-14 AU. On the basis of the obtained data, it was determined that the background intensity for the 200-1400 A band pass of the photometer channel is about 40 + or - 10 R, and that the nearby interstellar density is 0.04 + or - 0.91 per ccm for hydrogen and about 0.01 + or - 0.002 per ccm for helium. Accordingly, the He/H number density is about 0.25 at large distances from the sun. The Pioneer 10 spacecraft is leaving the solar system in the downwind direction, while both Pioneer 11 and Voyager will leave in the upwind direction. The combined UV observations of the interplanetary glow will provide accurate results on the physical status of the inflowing interstellar gas and the variability of background radiation as well.

Wu, F. M.↗

Particle and field measurements on two J-series 30-centimeter thrusters

An experimental investigation under complete computer control of the characteristics of particles and fields emanating from mercury bombardment ion thrusters (J-series, 30 cm diameter), operating independently and simultaneously, is discussed. Results show that the flux rate of sputtered metal atoms leaving a single thruster has been determined and the data is in agreement with previous test results. The flux rate and energies of ions leaving single and two-thruster configurations have been established for a variety of beam current levels and combinations involving the two thrusters, and the data are sufficient to establish upper bounds. Floating potential measurements made in the near vicinity of the thrusters indicate that the fields are weak, plus or minus a few volts. The tests may be significant for the Solar Electric Propulsion System (SEPS) planners.

Lathem, W. C.↗