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NASA NTRS1997

The Aggregate Description of Semi-Arid Vegetation with Precipitation-Generated Soil Moisture Heterogeneity

Meteorological measurements in the Walnut Gulch catchment in Arizona were used to synthesize a distributed, hourly-average time series of data across a 26.9 by 12.5 km area with a grid resolution of 480 m for a continuous 18-month period which included two seasons of monsoonal rainfall. Coupled surface-atmosphere model runs established the acceptability (for modelling purposes) of assuming uniformity in all meteorological variables other than rainfall. Rainfall was interpolated onto the grid from an array of 82 recording rain gauges. These meteorological data were used as forcing variables for an equivalent array of stand-alone Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) models to describe the evolution of soil moisture and surface energy fluxes in response to the prevalent, heterogeneous pattern of convective precipitation. The calculated area-average behaviour was compared with that given by a single aggregate BATS simulation forced with area-average meteorological data. Heterogeneous rainfall gives rise to significant but partly compensating differences in the transpiration and the intercepted rainfall components of total evaporation during rain storms. However, the calculated area-average surface energy fluxes given by the two simulations in rain-free conditions with strong heterogeneity in soil moisture were always close to identical, a result which is independent of whether default or site-specific vegetation and soil parameters were used. Because the spatial variability in soil moisture throughout the catchment has the same order of magnitude as the amount of rain failing in a typical convective storm (commonly 10% of the vegetation's root zone saturation) in a semi-arid environment, non-linearitv in the relationship between transpiration and the soil moisture available to the vegetation has limited influence on area-average surface fluxes.

White, Cary B.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Synchrony of clonal cell proliferation and contiguity of clonally related cells: production of mosaicism in the ventricular zone of developing mouse neocortex

We have analyzed clonal cell proliferation in the ventricular zone (VZ) of the early developing mouse neocortex with a replication-incompetent retrovirus encoding human placental alkaline phosphatase (AP). The retrovirus was injected into the lateral ventricles on embryonic day 11 (E11), i.e., at the onset of neuronogenesis. Three days postinjection, on E14, a total of 259 AP-labeled clones of various sizes were found in 7 fetal brains. There are approximately 7 cell cycles between E11 and E14 (), and there is a 1-2 cell cycle delay between retroviral injection and the production of a retrovirally labeled "founder" cell; thus, we estimate that the "age" of the clones was about 5-6 cell cycles. Almost one-half of the clones (48.3%) identified were pure proliferating clones containing cells only in the VZ. Another 18.5% contained both proliferating and postproliferative cells, and 33.2% contained only postproliferative cells. It was striking that over 90% of the clonally related proliferating cells occurred in clusters of two or more apparently contiguous cells, and about 73% of the proliferating cells occurred in clusters of three or more cells. Regardless of the number of cells in the clone, these clusters were tightly packed and confined to a single level of the VZ. This clustering of proliferating cells indicates that clonally related cells maintain neighbor-neighbor relationships as they undergo interkinetic nuclear migration and progress through several cell cycles, and, as a result, the ventricular zone is a mosaic of small clusters of clonally related and synchronously cycling cells. In addition, cells in the intermediate zone and the cortical plate were also frequently clustered, indicating that they became postproliferative at a similar time and that the output of the VZ is influenced by its mosaic structure.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗

NASA NTRS2015

Macrosegregation Caused by Convection Associated with Directional Solidification through Cross-Section Change

Al-7 wt% Si and Pb-6 wt% Sb alloy samples were directionally solidified (DS), with liquid above and solid below and gravity pointing down, in cylindrical graphite crucibles through an abrupt cross-section change. Fraction eutectic distribution in the microstructure, primary dendrite spacing and primary dendrite trunk diameters have been measured in the DS samples in the vicinity of section change in order to examine the effect of convection associated with the combined influence of thermosolutal factors and solidification shrinkage. It is observed that convection not only produces extensive radial and axial macrosegregation near cross-section change, it also affects the dendritic array morphology. Primary dendrite spacing and primary dendrite trunk diameter, both, are influenced by this convection. In addition to the experimental results, preliminary results from a numerical model which includes solidification shrinkage and thermosolutal convection in the mushy zone in its analysis will also be presented

Ghods, M.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The latitudinal distributions of auroral zone electric fields and ground magnetic perturbations and their response to variations in the interplanetary magnetic field

Measurements of the latitudinal distributions of electric fields obtained with the Chatanika, Alaska, incoherent radar have been employed in determining the influence of the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) on the electric field pattern. Poleward (or equatorward) shifts produced by the northward (or southward) transitions of the IMF north-south component are given particular attention. The behavior of the electric field patterns and magnetic perturbations in the midnight sector during substorms near the Harang discontinuity is analyzed.

Horwitz, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb Evaluated Under Fretting Conditions

Material parameters govern many of the design decisions in any engineering task. When two materials are in contact and microscopically small, relative motions (either vibratory or creeping) occur, and fretting fatigue can result. Fretting fatigue is a material response influenced by the materials in contact as well as by such variables as loading and vibratory conditions. Fretting produces fresh, clean interacting surfaces and induces adhesion, galling, and wear in the contact zone. Time, money, and materials are unnecessarily wasted when galling and wear result in excessive fretting fatigue that leads to poorly performing, unreliable mechanical systems. Fretting fatigue is a complex problem of significant interest to aircraft engine manufacturers. It can occur in a variety of engine components. Numerous approaches, depending on the component and the operating conditions, have been taken to address the fretting problems. The components of interest in this investigation were the low-pressure turbine blades and disks. The blades in this case were titanium aluminide, Ti-48Al-2Cr- 2Nb, and the disk was a nickel-base superalloy, Inconel 718 (IN 718). A concern for these airfoils is the fretting in fitted interfaces at the dovetail where the blade and disk are connected. Careful design can reduce fretting in most cases, but not completely eliminate it, because the airfoils frequently have a skewed (angled) blade-disk dovetail attachment, which leads to a complex stress state. Furthermore, the local stress state becomes more complex when the influence of the metal-metal contact and the edge of contact are considered.

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa↗

NASA NTRS1975

Numerical evaluation of the surface deformation of elastic solids subjected to a Hertzian contact stress

The elastic deformation of two ellipsoidal solids in contact and subjected to a Hertzian stress distribution was evaluated numerically as part of a general study of the elastic deformation of such solids in elastohydrodynamic contacts. In the analysis the contact zone is divided into equal rectangular areas and it is assumed that a uniform pressure is applied over each rectangular area. A study was made of the influence on the size of the rectangular area upon accuracy. The results also indicate how far from the center of the contact one needs to go before elastic deformation becomes insignificant.

Dowson, D.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Electric power needs in space

The power requirements for specific float zone experiments in space are presented. Power figures for the Space Shuttle and projected available power for advanced vehicles are given. The following power related trends are derived: (1) float zone processing of up to 5 cm diameter silicon and 16.0 cm diameter cadmium telluride can be conducted on a Shuttle pallet mission; (2) float zone processing of up to 8.5 cm diameter silicon for 70% total heating efficiency can be conducted on the initial MEC/space platform; (3) projected available host vehicle power for float zone sample heating; (4) induction heating is found to be the most promising heating method; (5) process control and ease of equipment integration into the host vehicle influence heating method selection.

Waltz, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Experimental study of a metal-matrix composite

A metal-matrix specimen was investigated using moire interferometry with 2400 lines/m (60,960 l/in.). The specimen was a 6-ply (0/ + or - 45)s boron-aluminum tensile coupon with a central slot. The unequal deformations in fibers and matrix were evident. Special attention was given to a plastic slip zone in the matrix. Normal and shear strains were calculated in the slip zone; the shear-strain concentration factor rose dramatically with the onset of plastic slip and continued to rise gradually with load to 95 percent of the failure load. The precipitous change from maximum tensile strain in one fiber to zero tensile strain in the neighboring fiber was accommodated by the very high shear strains of the matrix in the slip zone. Experimental considerations are discussed: shear strains are independent of rigid-body rotations; simplified strain calculations are justified; averaging across the narrow slip region and the influence of finite thickness of the specimen grating contribute to underestimation of peak strains.

Post, D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Experimental studies of hypersonic shock-wave boundary-layer interactions

Two classes of shock-wave boundary-layer interactions were studied experimentally in a shock tunnel in which a low Reynolds number, turbulent flow at Mach 8 was developed on a cold, flat test surface. The two classes of interactions were: (1) a swept interaction generated by a wedge ('fin') mounted perpendicularly on the flat plate; and (2) a two-dimensional, unseparated interaction induced by a shock impinging near an expansion corner. The swept interaction, with wedge angles of 5-20 degrees, was separated and there was also indication that the strongest interactions prossessed secondary separation zones. The interaction spread out extensively from the inviscid shock location although no indication of quasi-conical symmetry was evident. The surface pressure from the upstream influence to the inviscid shock was relatively low compared to the inviscid downstream value but it rose rapidly past the inviscid shock location. However, the surface pressure did not reach the downstream inviscid value and reasons were proposed for this anomalous behavior compared to strongly separated, supersonic interactions. The second class of interactions involved weak shocks impinging near small expansion corners. As a prelude to studying this interaction, a hypersonic similarity parameter was identified for the pure, expansion corner flow. The expansion corner severely damped out surface pressure fluctuations. When a shock impinged upstream of the corner, no significant changes to the surface pressure were found as compared to the case when the shock impinged on a flat plate. But, when the shock impinged downstream of the corner, a close coupling existed between the two wave systems, unlike the supersonic case. This close coupling modified the upstream influence. Regardless of whether the shock impinged ahead or behind the corner, the downstream region was affected by the close coupling between the shock and the expansion. Not only was the mean pressure distribution modified but the unsteadiness in the surface pressure was reduced compared to the flat-plate case.

Lu, Frank K.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Evaluation of water vapor distribution in general circulation models using satellite observations

This paper presents a comparison of the water vapor distribution obtained from two general circulation models, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM), with satellite observations of total precipitable water (TPW) from Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and upper tropospheric relative humidity (UTH) from GOES. Overall, both models are successful in capturing the primary features of the observed water vapor distribution and its seasonal variation. For the ECMWF model, however, a systematic moist bias in TPW is noted over well-known stratocumulus regions in the eastern subtropical oceans. Comparison with radiosonde profiles suggests that this problem is attributable to difficulties in modeling the shallowness of the boundary layer and large vertical water vapor gradients which characterize these regions. In comparison, the CCM is more successful in capturing the low values of TPW in the stratocumulus regions, although it tends to exhibit a dry bias over the eastern half of the subtropical oceans and a corresponding moist bias in the western half. The CCM also significantly overestimates the daily variability of the moisture fields in convective regions, suggesting a problem in simulating the temporal nature of moisture transport by deep convection. Comparison of the monthly mean UTH distribution indicates generally larger discrepancies than were noted for TPW owing to the greater influence of large-scale dynamical processes in determining the distribution of UTH. In particular, the ECMWF model exhibits a distinct dry bias along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and a moist bias over the subtropical descending branches of the Hadley cell, suggesting an underprediction in the strength of the Hadley circulation. The CCM, on the other hand, demonstrates greater discrepancies in UTH than are observed for the ECMWF model, but none that are as clearly correlated with well-known features of the large-scale circulation.

Soden, Brian J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Application of Remote Sensing to Assess the Impact of Short Term Climate Variability on Coastal Sedimentation

The University of Wisconsin and Louisiana State University have teamed to study the forcing of winter season cold frontal wind systems on sediment distribution patterns and geomorphology in the Louisiana coastal zone. Wind systems associated with cold fronts have been shown to modify coastal circulation and resuspend sediments along the microtidal Louisiana coast. The assessment includes quantifying the influence of cumulative winter season atmospheric forcing (through surface wind observations) from year to year in response to short term climate variability, such as El Nino events. A correlation between winter cyclone frequency and the strength of El Nino events has been suggested. The atmospheric forcing data are being correlated to geomorphic measurements along western Louisiana's prograding muddy coast. Remote sensing data is being used to map and track sediment distribution patterns for various wind conditions. Transferring a suspended sediment concentration (SSC) algorithm to EOS MODIS observations will enable estimates of SSC in case 2 waters over the global domain. Progress in Year 1 of this study has included data collection and analysis of wind observations for atmospheric forcing characterization, a field activity (TX-2001) to collect in situ water samples with co-incident remote sensing measurements from the NASA ER-2 based MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) and the EOS Terra based MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments, aerial photography and of sediment burial pipe field measurements along the prograding muddy Chenier Plain coast of western Louisiana for documenting coastal change in that dynamic region, and routine collection of MODIS 250 in resolution data for monitoring coastal sediment patterns. The data sets are being used in a process to transfer an SSC estimation algorithm to the MODIS platform. Work is underway on assessing coastal transport for the winter 2000-01 season. Water level data for use in a Geomorphic Impact Index, which relates wind energy, water level conditions, and geomorphic change along the microtidal western Louisiana coastline is being assembled.

Moeller, Christopher C.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Flight Schedule and the Circadian Clock Influence on Sleep Loss During Overnight Cargo Operations

Thirty-four flight crew members were monitored before, during, and after two 8-day overnight cargo duty patterns which involved multiple flights at night crossing no more than one time zone per 24 h. Rectal temperature, heart rate, and wrist activity were recorded every 2 min. Sleep quantity and quality, and nap timing, were noted in a logbook. To reduce the masking effects of physical activity on temperature, 0.28 C was added to each subject's raw temperature data whenever he reported being asleep. For both masked and unmasked data, daily temperature minima were estimated from the multiple complex demodulated waveform. The temperature minima did not show a progressive adaptation to night duty, which was interrupted by a night off after 5 nights on one trip pattern and after 3 nights on the other. On duty days, the average temperature minimum delayed by about 3 h, occurring near the end of the duty period. Daytime sleep episodes averaged 2.9 h shorter than nighttime sleep episodes, and were rated as lighter, less restorative, and poorer overall. Fifty-three percent of subjects slept more than once per 24 h while they were on night duty, compared to 17% when able to sleep at night. The total sleep per 24 h on duty days averaged 1.2 h less than pretrip. Twenty-nine percent of subjects lost more than 2 h of sleep per 24 h across the 8-day duty patterns. After night duty, subjects awoke around 1400 local time, even when they had slept 2-3 h less than a normal nocturnal sleep episode. Consequently, the duration of morning sleep episodes was correlated with the off-duty time (multiple r(sup 2)=0.44, F=37.23, p less than 0.0001). Anecdotally, crew members complained of being unable to sleep longer and not feeling well-rested. These wakeups were clustered 6 h after the temperature minimum, which suggests that they may have been a response to the circadian wakeup signal. Daytime layovers in which crew members were able to sleep again in the evening ended later (0200-0300) and were longer (average 19.2 h versus 14.8 h) than those in which they slept only once in the morning. Overnight cargo crew members are working around the time of the circadian nadir with an accumulating sleep debt. Two scheduling factors affect sleep loss during these operations: how long before the circadian wakeup signal crew members come off duty, and whether the layover lasts long enough to permit a second sleep episode in the early evening.

Gander, Philippa H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Numerical evaluation of the surface deformation of elastic solids subjected to a Hertzian contact stress

The elastic deformation of two ellipsoidal solids in contact and subjected to a Hertzian stress distribution has been evaluated numerically as part of a general study of the elastic deformation of such solids in elastohydrodynamic contacts. In the analysis the contact zone is divided into equal rectangular areas and it is assumed that a uniform pressure is applied over each rectangular area. A study has been made of the influence on the size of the rectangular area upon accuracy. The results also indicate how far from the center of the contact one needs to go before elastic deformation becomes insignificant.

Dowson, D.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Advanced cooling techniques for high-pressure hydrocarbon-fueled engines

The regenerative cooling limits (maximum chamber pressure) for 02/hydrocarbon gas generator and staged combustion cycle rocket engines over a thrust range of 89,000 N (20,000lbf) to 2,669,000 N (600,000 lbf) for a reusable life of 250 missions were defined. Maximum chamber pressure limits were first determined for the three propellant combinations (O2/CH4, O2/C3H8, and O2/RP-1 without a carbon layer (unenhanced designs). Chamber pressure cooling enhancement limits were then established for seven thermal barriers. The thermal barriers evaluated for these designs were: carbon layer, ceramic coating, graphite liner, film cooling, transpiration cooling, zoned combustion, and a combination of two of the above. All fluid barriers were assessed a 3 percent performance loss. Sensitivity studies were then conducted to determine the influence of cycle life and RP-1 decomposition temperature on chamber pressure limits. Chamber and nozzle design parameters are presented for the unenahanced and enhanced designs. The maximum regenerative cooled chamber pressure limits were attained with the O2/CH4 propellant combination. The O2/RP-1 designs relied on a carbon layer and liquid gas injection chamber contours, short chamber, to be competitive with the other two propellant combinations. This was attributed to the low decomposition temperature of RP-1.

Cook, R. T.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Lidar observations of vertically organized convection in the planetary boundary layer over the ocean

Observations of a convective planetary boundary layer (PBL) were made with an airborne, downward-looking lidar system over the Atlantic Ocean during a cold air outbreak. The lidar data revealed well-organized, regularly spaced cellular convection with dominant spacial scales between two and four times the height of the boundary layer. It is demonstrated that the lidar can accurately measure the structure of the PBL with high vertical and horizontal resolution. Parameters important for PBL modeling such as entrainment zone thickness, entrainment rate, PBL height and relative heat flux can be inferred from the lidar data. It is suggested that wind shear at the PBL top may influence both entrainment and convective cell size.

Melfi, S. H.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Influence of Cr and W alloying on the fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength in cast and directionally solidified sapphire NiAl composites

Sapphire-reinforced NiAl matrix composites with chromium or tungsten as alloying additions were synthesized using casting and zone directional solidification (DS) techniques and characterized by a fiber pushout test as well as by microhardness measurements. The sapphire-NiAl(Cr) specimens exhibited an interlayer of Cr rich eutectic at the fiber-matrix interface and a higher interfacial shear strength compared to unalloyed sapphire-NiAl specimens processed under identical conditions. In contrast, the sapphire-NiAl(W) specimens did not show interfacial excess of tungsten rich phases, although the interfacial shear strength was high and comparable to that of sapphire-NiAl(Cr). The postdebond sliding stress was higher in sapphire-NiAl(Cr) than in sapphire-NiAl(W) due to interface enrichment with chromium particles. The matrix microhardness progressively decreased with increasing distance from the interface in both DS NiAl and NiAl(Cr) specimens. The study highlights the potential of casting and DS techniques to improve the toughness and strength of NiAl by designing dual-phase microstructures in NiAl alloys reinforced with sapphire fibers.

Asthana, R.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Interstellar PAH Analogs in the Laboratory: Comparison with Astronomical Data

Salama, Farid↗

NASA NTRS2005

Interstellar PAH in the Laboratory and in Space. What have we Learned from the New Generation of Laboratory and Observational Studies?

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important and ubiquitous component of carbon-bearing materials in space. PAHs are the best-known candidates to account for the IR emission bands (UIR bands) and PAH spectral features are now being used as new probes of the ISM. PAHs are also thought to be among the carriers of the diffuse interstellar absorption bands (DIBs). In the model dealing with the interstellar spectral features, PAHs are present as a mixture of radicals, ions and neutral species. PAH ionization states reflect the ionization balance of the medium while PAH size, composition, and structure reflect the energetic and chemical history of the medium. A major challenge for laboratory astrophysics is to reproduce (in a realistic way) the physical conditions that exist in the emission and/or absorption interstellar zones. An extensive laboratory program has been developed at NASA Ames to assess the physical and chemical properties of PAHs in such environments and to describe how they influence the radiation and energy balance in space and the interstellar chemistry. In particular, laboratory experiments provide measurements of the spectral characteristics of interstellar PAH analogs from the ultraviolet and visible range to the infrared range for comparison with astronomical data. This paper will focus on the recent progress made in the laboratory to measure the direct absorption spectra of neutral and ionized PAHs in the gas phase in the near-UV and visible range in astrophysically relevant environments. These measurements provide data on PAHs and nanometer-sized particles that can now be directly compared to astronomical observations. The harsh physical conditions of the IS medium - characterized by a low temperature, an absence of collisions and strong VUV radiation fields - are simulated in the laboratory by associating a molecular beam with an ionizing discharge to generate a cold plasma expansion. PAH ions are formed from the neutral precursors in an isolated environment at low temperature (of the order of 100 K). The spectra of neutral and ionized PAHs are measured using the high sensitivity methods of cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS). These experiments provide unique information on the spectra of free, cold large carbon molecules and ions in the gas phase. Intrinsic band profiles and band positions of cold gas-phase PAHs can now be measured with high-sensitivity spectroscopy and directly compared to the astronomical data. The electronic bands measured for ionized PAH are found to be intrinsically broad (about 20 cm(sup -1)) while the bands associated with the neutral precursors are narrower (of the order of 2 - 10 cm(sup -1)). The laboratory data are discussed and compared with recent astronomical spectra of large and narrow DIBs and with the spectra of circumstellar environments of selected carbon stars and the implications for the interstellar PAH population are derived. Preliminary results also show that carbon nanoparticles are formed during the short residence time of the precursors in the plasma.

Salama, Farid↗