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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 271 records · Page 15

On the excess attenuation of sound in the atmosphere

The attenuation suffered by an acoustic plane wave propagating from an elevated source to the ground, in excess of absorption losses, was studied. Reported discrepancies between attenuation measurements made in the field and theories which only account for absorption losses are discussed. It was concluded that the scattering of sound by turbulence results in a nonnegligible contribution to the total attenuation.

Deloach, R.↗

Computer simulation of the velocity diffusion of cosmic rays

Monte Carlo simulation experiments were performed in order to study the velocity diffusion of charged particles in a static turbulent magnetic field. By following orbits of particles moving in a large ensemble of random magnetic field realizations with suitable chosen statistical properties, a pitch-angle diffusion coefficient is derived. Results are presented for a variety of particle rigidities and rms random field strengths and compared with the predictions of standard quasi-linear theory and the nonlinear partially averaged field theory.

Kaiser, T. B.↗

Computer simulation of the velocity diffusion of cosmic rays

Monte Carlo simulation experiments have been performed in order to study the velocity diffusion of charged particles in a static turbulent magnetic field. By following orbits of particles moving in a large ensemble of random magnetic field realizations with suitably chosen statistical properties, a pitch-angle diffusion coefficient is derived. Results are presented for a variety of particle rigidities and rms random field strengths and compared with the predictions of standard quasi-linear theory and the nonlinear partially averaged field theory.

Kaiser, T. B.↗

Velocity fields in the solar atmosphere - Theory

An attempt is made to present an equationless description of the hydrodynamic state of the lower solar atmosphere. Areas currently being analyzed in some depth and areas which appear amenable to treatment are pointed out.

Leibacher, J. W.↗

Inert gas thrusters

Inert gas thrusters have continued to be of interest for space propulsion applications. Xenon is of interest in that its physical characteristics are well suited to propulsion. High atomic weight and low tankage fraction were major factors in this choice. If a large amount of propellant was required, so that cryogenic storage was practical, argon is a more economical alternative. Argon was also the preferred propellant for ground applications of thruster technology, such as sputter etching and deposition. Additional magnetic field measurements are reported. These measurements should be of use in magnetic field design. The diffusion of electrons through the magnetic field above multipole anodes was studied in detail. The data were consistent with Bohm diffusion across a magnetic field. The theory based on Bohm diffusion was simple and easily used for diffusion calculations. Limited startup data were obtained for multipole discharge chambers. These data were obtained with refractory cathodes, but should be useful in predicting the upper limits for starting with hollow cathodes.

Kaufman, H. R.↗

Gyrotron: A high-frequency microwave amplifier

A proposed microwave amplifier mechanism for future generations of millimeter high power uplinks to spacecraft and planetary radar transmitters is introduced. Basic electron-electromagnetic field interaction theory for RF power gain is explained. The starting point for general analytical methods leading to detailed design results is presented.

Kupiszewski, A.↗

Unsteady vortical and entropic distortions of potential flows round arbitrary obstacles

The analysis concerns the alterations produced when small amplitude disturbances, including entropy and vorticity disturbances, are imposed on steady potential flows. For the most general nonacoustic incident distortion field that can be imposed on the uniform upstream flow, it is shown that the perturbation velocity at any point of the resulting unsteady compressible and vortical flow consists of a part that is a known function of the imposed upstream distortion field and the mean flow variables and a potential part that can be found by solving a linear inhomogeneous wave equation with a dipole-type source term whose strength is a known function of the imposed upstream distortion field. The theory is applied to the unsteady flow past a corner, and a closed-form analytical solution is found.

Goldstein, M. E.↗

A simple theory of back-surface-field /BSF/ solar cells

An earlier calculation of the I-V characteristics of solar cells contains a mistake. The current generated by light within the depletion layer is too large by a factor of 2. When this mistake is corrected, not only are all previous conclusions unchanged, but the agreement with experiment becomes better. Results are presented in graphical form of new computations which not only take account of the factor of 2, but also include more recent data on material parameters.

Von Roos, O.↗

Characteristic boundary conditions for the Euler equations

The boundary conditions are demonstrated for the quasi-one-dimensional Euler equations with the extension to two and three dimensions being straightforward. In this application an implicit finite-difference scheme is employed with the boundary conditions being applied implicitly. The boundary application uses both characteristic extrapolations and evaluations which distinguishes it from other theories. Flow fields with shocks are calculated with inflow-outflow conditions of supersonic-subsonic and subsonic-subsonic flow.

T H Pulliam↗

Magneto-atmospheric waves

A theoretical treatment of magneto-atmospheric waves is presented and applied to the modelling of waves in the solar atmosphere. The waves arise in compressible, stratified, electrically conductive atmospheres within gravitational fields when permeated by a magnetic field. Compression, buoyancy, and distortion of the magnetic field all contribute to the existence of the waves. Basic linearized equations are introduced to describe the waves and attention is given to plane-stratified atmospheres and their stability. A dispersion relation is defined for wave propagation in a plane-stratified atmosphere when there are no plane-wave solutions. Solutions are found for the full wave equation in the presence of either a vertical or a horizontal magnetic field. The theory is applied to describing waves in sunspots, in penumbrae, and flare-induced coronal disturbances.

Thomas, J. H.↗

Periods of activity cycles in late-type stars

The mean magnetic field dynamo theory is utilized to obtain the qualitative dependence of the period of activity on the angular velocity of rotation for stars with sufficiently extensive convective shells. The dependence of the cycle period on the spectral class is also discussed.

Kliorin, N. I.↗

Analysis of upper mantle structure using wave field continuation of P waves

Wave field continuation theory, which allows transformation of the seismic record section data directly into velocity-depth space, is tested for upper mantle analysis using a large array-recorded data set obtained at the 200-station Caltech-USGS Southern California Seismic Network that is representative of the structure beneath the gulf of California. The method's resolution capability is illustrated by the comparison of the slant stacks and downward continuation of both synthetic and data record sections. It is stressed that when high-quality, densely sampled digital data are available, the technique is easy to implement, provides an inversion which contains all the data in the global format, and produces an objective estimate of depth resolution as a function of ray parameter.

Walck, M. C.↗

Transverse diffusion of electrons in a magnetoplasma

Plasma density and temperature profiles were measured for plasma electrons which were generated by a plasma source and ionization from a 1 kev electron beam. Electron plasma parameters were measured with a cylindrical Langmuir probe which was moved perpendicular to the axis of the beam and field. Electron densities decreased exponentially from the beam center and the decay constant varied with magnetic field in accordance with the Bohm theory of cross field diffusion. This enhanced diffusion effect due to instabilities generated by the electron beam is orders of magnitude larger than that due to particle collisions.

Mcintyre, Bernard↗

Light scattering by marine heterotrophic bacteria

Mie theory is applied to estimate scattering by polydispersions of marine heterotrophic bacteria, and a simple expression is derived for the bacterial scattering coefficient. The error incurred in deriving bacterial optical properties by use of the van de Hulst approximations is computed. The scattering properties of natural bacterial assemblages in three marine environments, Georges Bank, Northeast Channel, and Sargasso Sea, are assessed by applying Mie theory to field data on bacterial size and abundance. Results are used to examine the potential contribution of bacteria to the scattering properties of seawater. The utility of using pigment data to predict the magnitude of scattering by bacteria is discussed.

Ulloa, Osvaldo↗

Simulations of ion cyclotron anisotropy instabilities in the terrestrial magnetosheath

Enhanced transverse magnetic fluctuations observed below the proton cyclotron frequency in the terrestrial magnetosheath have been identified as due to the proton cyclotron and helium cyclotron instabilities driven by the T-perpendicular greater than T-parallel condition of the sheath ions. One-dimensional hybrid computer simulations are used here to examine the nonlinear properties of these two growing modes at relatively weak fluctuation energies and for wave vectors parallel to the background magnetic field. Second-order theory predicts fluctuating magnetic field energies at saturation of the proton cyclotron anisotropy instability in semiquantitative agreement with the simulation results. Introduction of the helium component enhances the wave-particle exchange rate for proton anisotropy reduction by that instability, thereby reducing the saturation energy of that mode. The simulations demonstrate that wave-particle interactions by the proton cyclotron and helium cyclotron instabilities lead to the anticorrelation observed by Anderson and Fuselier (1993).

Gary, S. P.↗

Tenth Biennial Coherent Laser Radar Technology and Applications Conference

The tenth conference on coherent laser radar technology and applications is the latest in a series beginning in 1980 which provides a forum for exchange of information on recent events current status, and future directions of coherent laser radar (or lidar or lader) technology and applications. This conference emphasizes the latest advancement in the coherent laser radar field, including theory, modeling, components, systems, instrumentation, measurements, calibration, data processing techniques, operational uses, and comparisons with other remote sensing technologies.

Michael J. Kavaya↗

Tenth Biennial Coherent Laser Radar Technology and Applications Conference

The tenth conference on coherent laser radar technology and applications is the latest in a series beginning in 1980 which provides a forum for exchange of information on recent events current status, and future directions of coherent laser radar (or lidar or lader) technology and applications. This conference emphasizes the latest advancement in the coherent laser radar field, including theory, modeling, components, systems, instrumentation, measurements, calibration, data processing techniques, operational uses, and comparisons with other remote sensing technologies.

Kavaya, Michael J.↗