Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ATMOSPHERIC HEATING”

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 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Measuring the spectral emissivity of thermal protection materials during atmospheric reentry simulation

Hypersonic spacecraft reentering the earth's atmosphere encounter extreme heat due to atmospheric friction. Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials shield the craft from this searing heat, which can reach temperatures of 2900 F. Various thermophysical and optical properties of TPS materials are tested at the Johnson Space Center Atmospheric Reentry Materials and Structures Evaluation Facility, which has the capability to simulate critical environmental conditions associated with entry into the earth's atmosphere. Emissivity is an optical property that determines how well a material will reradiate incident heat back into the atmosphere upon reentry, thus protecting the spacecraft from the intense frictional heat. This report describes a method of measuring TPS emissivities using the SR5000 Scanning Spectroradiometer, and includes system characteristics, sample data, and operational procedures developed for arc-jet applications.

Marble, Elizabeth↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effect of a finite ionization rate on the radiative heating of outer planet atmospheric entry probes

The influence of finite rate ionization in the inviscid gas just behind the stagnation shock wave on the radiative heating of probes entering the hydrogen-helium atmosphere of the major plants was investigated. Two opposing conclusions were reached as to how the ionization rate assumption affects the radiative transfer. Hydrogen-helium shock waves with a cold nonblowing wall boundary condition at the probe heat shield are emphasized. The study is limited to the stagnation shock layer.

Nelson, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The survival of solar flare tracks in interplanetary dust silicates on deceleration in the earth's atmosphere

Pulse heating experiments on magnesium-rich olivine and pyroxene, two silicates often found in micrometeorites collected in the stratosphere, show that iron ion tracks remain detectable in the transmission electron microscope for temperature maxima up to approximately 600 C. Assuming thermal emissivities near unity, this implies that micrometeorites with surface densities above 1 mg/sq cm are likely to have their track record erased, and that tracks in reentrant or low-density micrometeorites smaller than 7 microns in size are likely to survive atmospheric entry.

Fraundorf, P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Plasma heating of Io's atmosphere

A Monte-Carlo, molecule-tracking program was constructed to describe the structure of Io's atmosphere in the region penetrated by ions from the plasma torus. This region is shown to exhibit high temperatures, consistent with corona observations, independent of whether significant UV heating also occurs. The atmospheric structure is determined near the exobase, which is the region responsible for the supply of the Io torus.

Pospieszalska, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

On the efficiency of solar heating in the middle atmosphere

The efficiency at which solar ultraviolet radiation absorbed in the Hartley band of ozone is directly converted to heat in the terrestrial mesosphere and lower thermosphere (50-110 km) is calculated. The ozone molecule undergoes photolysis to yield the excited species O(1D) and O2(1Delta) with a quantum yield of about 0.9. Spontaneous emission from O2(1Delta) and from O2(1Sigma) (excited by energy transfer from O/1D/) significantly decreases the amount of energy available for heat. Similarly, the efficiency at which solar ultraviolet radiation absorbed by O2 in the Schumann-Runge continuum is directly converted to heat in the lower thermosphere (95-110 km) is calculated. The O2 undergoes photolysis and the excited product O(1D) is generated. Spontaneous emission from O2(1Sigma) (excited by energy transfer from O/1D/) reduces the amount of energy available for heat in the lower thermosphere. The consideration of these energy transfer and loss processes results in significantly reduced heating rates as compared to those conventionally calculated in models of the middle atmosphere.

Mlynczak, Martin G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Aspects of Planetary Wave Transports in the Middle Atmosphere

The heat and momentum flux due to standing planetary waves in the stratosphere were calculated on the basis of satellite data. The convergence of these fluxes was investigated and shows an apparent heating and acceleration of the mean zonal state. The Eliassen-Palm flux divergence calculation shows that the mean zonal state is effectively decelerated. Furthermore, the interaction between ultra long waves and k = 4 - 15 in the troposphere was investigated for a winter period and is discussed in connection with the geopotential wave one amplitude, which increases before a stratospheric warming event occurs.

Schmitz, G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Latent Heating from TRMM Satellite Measurements

Rainfall production is the fundamental variable within the Earth's hydrological cycle because it is both the principal forcing term in surface water budgets and its energetics corollary, latent heating, is the principal source of atmospheric diabatic heating. Latent heat release itself is a consequence of phase changes between the vapor, liquid, and frozen states of water. The properties of the vertical distribution of latent heat release modulate large-scale meridional and zonal circulations within the tropics - as well as modifying the energetic efficiencies of midlatitude weather systems. This paper focuses on the retrieval of latent heat release from satellite measurements generated by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite observatory, which was launched in November 1997 as a joint American-Japanese space endeavor. Since then, TRMM measurements have been providing an accurate four-dimensional account of rainfall over the global tropics and sub-tropics, information which can be used to estimate the space-time structure of latent heating across the Earth's low latitudes. The paper examines how the observed TRMM distribution of rainfall has advanced an understanding of the global water and energy cycle and its consequent relationship to the atmospheric general circulation and climate via latent heat release. A set of algorithm methodologies that are being used to estimate latent heating based on rain rate retrievals from the TRMM observations are described. The characteristics of these algorithms and the latent heating products that can be generated from them are also described, along with validation analyses of the heating products themselves. Finally, the investigation provides an overview of how TRMM-derived latent heating information is currently being used in conjunction with global weather and climate models, concluding with remarks intended to stimulate further research on latent heating retrieval from satellites.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS1987

Energetic He(+) precipitation in a mid-latitude aurora

Ground-based spectral observations of a midlatitude aurora on Sept. 22, 1982 indicated that the observed emissions were caused by either O(+) or H(+) energetic ions. In this paper, the model of Ishimoto et al. (1986) is used to simulate the interaction between precipitating energetic He(+) and a neutral atmosphere of He, O, and N2, computing the atmospheric impacts in terms of heating, ionization, and excitation of certain emissions and comparing the results with those obtained earlier with O(+) as the energetic flux. It was found that, of the total energy influx, approximately 50 percent goes into ionization, compared with 2 percent in the case of O(+), and 40 percent is backscattered or escapes, compared with 16 percent in the case of O(+). By contrast, He(+) is much less efficient at heating the atmosphere and does not excite the N2 2P system. It is concluded that the aurora observed on Sept. 22 is well explained by an influx of energetic O(+) together with a 6 percent admixture of He(+).

Ishimoto, M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Ames Infusion Stories for NASA Annual Technology Report: Development of an Ablative 3D Quartz / Cyanate Ester Composite Multi-Functional Material for the Orion Spacecraft Compression Pad

Vehicles re-entering Earth's atmosphere require protection from the heat of atmospheric friction. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) has more demanding thermal protection system (TPS) requirements than the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions, especially in regions where the structural load passes through. The use of 2-dimensional laminate materials along with a metal insert, used in EFT1 flight test for the compression pad region, are deemed adequate but cannot be extended for Lunar return missions.

Smith, Brandon↗
NASA NTRS1999

Generation of Electron Suprathermal Tails in the Upper Solar Atmosphere: Implications for Coronal Heating

We present a mechanism for the generation of non-Maxwellian electron distribution function in the upper regions of the solar atmosphere in the presence of collisional damping. It is suggested that finite amplitude, low frequency, obliquely propagating electromagnetic waves can carry a substantial electric field component parallel to the mean magnetic field that can be significantly larger than the Dreicer electric field. This long wavelength electric fluctuation is capable of generating high frequency electron plasma oscillations and low frequency ion acoustic-like waves. The analysis has been performed using 1-1/2D Vlasov and PIC numerical simulations in which both electrons and ions are treated kinetically and self consistently. The simulation results indicate that high frequency electron plasma oscillations and low frequency ion acoustic-like waves are generated. The high frequency electron plasma oscillation drives electron plasma turbulence, which subsequently is damped out by the background electrons. The turbulence damping results in electron acceleration and the generation of non-Maxwellian suprathermal tails on time scales short compared to collisional damping. Bulk heating also occurs if the fluctuating parallel electric field is strong enough. This study suggests that finite amplitude, low frequency, obliquely propagating, electromagnetic waves can play a significant role in the acceleration and heating of the solar corona electrons and in the coupling of medium and small-scale phenomena.

Vinas, Adolfo F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Effect of a finite ionization rate on the radiative heating of outer planet atmospheric entry probes

The influence of finite rate ionization in the inviscid gas just behind the stagnation shock wave on the radiation heating of probes entering the hydrogen helium atmospere of the major planets was investigated. At the present time, there is disagreement as to whether the radiative flux increases or decreases relative to its equilibrium value when finite rate ionization is considered. Leibowitz and Kuo content that the finite rate ionization in the hydrogen gas just behind the shock wave reduces the radiative flux to the probe, whereas Tiwari and Szema predict that it increases the radiative flux. The radiation modeling used in the calculations of both pairs of these investigators was reviewed. It is concluded that finite rate ionization in the inviscid region of the shock layer should reduce the cold wall radiative heating below the values predicted by equilibrium chemistry assumptions.

Nelson, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Sensitivity analysis of radiative heating and cooling rates in planetary atmospheres: general linearization and adjoint approaches

Radiative heating and cooling provide primary source and ultimate sink of energy driving lower planetary atmospheres. Evaluating the sensitivities of atmospheric dynamics models on these primary atmospheric parameters requires knowing how heating and cooling rates depend on these same parameters. We discuss two approaches that make it possible to directly compute the sensitivities of heating and cooling rates in parallel with evaluation of heating and cooling rates themselves.

radiative transfer sensitivity analysis↗
NASA NTRS1974

On the averaging of ratios of specific heats in a multicomponent planetary atmosphere

The use of adiabatic relations in the calculation of planetary atmospheres requires knowledge of the ratio of specific heats of a mixture of gases under various pressure and temperature conditions. It is shown that errors introduced by simple averaging of the ratio of specific heats in a multicomponent atmosphere can be roughly 0.4%. Therefore, the gamma-averaging error can become important when integrating through the atmosphere to a large depth.

Dubisch, R.↗