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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Effects of gamma-ray, neutrino, and particle production on the energetics and dynamics of compact extragalactic radio sources

Consideration is given to particle production and high-energy radiation within apparently superluminal radio components of extragalactic radio sources forming within the apparent region of nuclear activity of a quasar or active galaxy. The physical conditions in compact components observed as radio emitters are derived for the quasars 3C 273 and 3C 345 and extrapolated to those of initial components of sizes on the order of 10 to the 15th cm on the basis of two-dimensional relativistic jet and relativistic three-dimensional models of component expansion. Probabilities that a given particle avoids an inelastic collision in the relativistic plasma are calculated for both cases which show that collisions which produce particles and radiation may be very important during the formation of a compact radio component. The consequences of electron-positron production, bremsstrahlung and proton-proton inelastic collisions ultimately giving rise to neutrinos and gamma rays for the development and energetics of the radio component are then examined, and upper limits to the amount of energy which can be channeled into radio components from an active region without giving rise to a high-energy X-ray source are derived.

Vestrand, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Description of quantum noise by a Langevin equation

General features of the quantum noise problem expressed as the equations of motion for a particle coupled to a set of oscillators are investigated analytically. Account is taken of the properties of the companion oscillators by formulating quantum statistical correlation Langevin equations (QSLE). The frequency of the oscillators is then retained as a natural cut-off for the quantum noise. The QSLE is further extended to encompass the particle trajectory and is bounded by initial and final states of the oscillator. The states are expressed as the probability of existence at the moment of particle collision that takes the oscillator into a final state. Two noise sources then exist: a statistical uncertainty of the initial state and the quantum dynamical uncertainty associated with a transition from the initial to final state. Feynman's path-integral formulation is used to characterize the functional of the particle trajectory, which slows the particle. It is shown that the energy loss may be attributed to friction, which satisfies energy conservation laws.

Metiu, H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

6 CM OH absorption in megamaser galaxies

Absorption in the 2Pi sub 1/2 J = 1/2 Lambda doublet transitions of OH, 182 K above the ground state, is detected in the megamaser galaxies IC 4553 (Arp 220), MK 231, MK 273, MGC 3690, and IRAS 17208-0014. The 4660, 4751, and 4766 MHz lines have intensity ratios moderately deviating from the LTE values (1:2:1). The OH rotational temperatures appear to be close to the temperature of the dust, approx. 60 K. The common characteristics of these galaxies (absence of 6 cm inversion, the optical depths, the infrared properties, the systematic trends in the line parameters, and the rotational temperatures) all suggest that the same pump process is responsible for the 18 cm line inversion in the five megamaser sources. The inversion is probably not due to an excitation mechanism involving collisions with HI or H2. While excitation via photodissociation of H2O cannot entirely be ruled out, the most likely mechanism is considered to be to be a combination of the intense FIR field (populating higher excited OH rotational states) and the non-thermal radiation from the nuclei of the parent galaxies (affecting the excitation within the Lambda -doublets). According to an LVG model of the OH excitation of IC4553, the OH-cloud(s) have to be located close, within 200 to 300 pc, to the center of the galaxy. The excitation of the individual 18 cm lines depends critically on the effective background radiation field and hence on the galactocentric distance of the masing clump. With increasing distance first the 1720 MHz and then the 18 cm main line inversion is quenched, while 1612 MHz inversion is obtained up to approx. 600 pc. The 1612 MHz satellite line is predicted to be more intense than the 1720 MHz line. A critical test for our excitation model is to observe the 2 Pi 3/2 J = 5/2 Lambda-doublet transitions which are predicted to be detectable in absorption.

Henkel, C.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Fall, Recovery, and Characterization of the Novato L6 Chondrite Breccia

The Novato L6 chondrite fragmental breccia fell in California on 17 October 2012, and was recovered after the Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance (CAMS) project determined the meteor's trajectory between 95 and 46 km altitude. The final fragmentation from 42 to 22 km altitude was exceptionally well documented by digital photographs. The first sample was recovered before rain hit the area. First results from a consortium study of the meteorite's characterization, cosmogenic and radiogenic nuclides, origin, and conditions of the fall are presented. Some meteorites did not retain fusion crust and show evidence of spallation. Before entry, the meteoroid was 35+/-5 cm in diameter (mass 80+/-35 kg) with a cosmic-ray exposure age of 9+/-1 Ma, if it had a one-stage exposure history. A two-stage exposure history is more likely, with lower shielding in the last few Ma. Thermoluminescence data suggest a collision event within the last approx.0.1 Ma. Novato probably belonged to the class of shocked L chondrites that have a common shock age of 470 Ma, based on the U, Th-He age of 420+/-220 Ma. The measured orbits of Novato, Jesenice, and Innisfree are consistent with a proposed origin of these shocked L chondrites in the Gefion asteroid family, perhaps directly via the 5:2 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. Novato experienced a stronger compaction than did other L6 chondrites of shockstage S4. Despite this, a freshly broken surface shows a wide range of organic compounds.

CAMS↗
NASA NTRS1977

A constraint on impact theories of chondrule formation

The association between agglutinates and chondrule-like spherules, which characterizes the assemblage of impact-derived melt products in lunar regolith samples and some gas-rich achondrites, is not found in primitive chondrites. This observation suggests that impacts into a parent-body regolith are unlikely to have produced the chondrules. We believe that if chondrules were formed from impact melt, it was probably generated by jetting during particle-to-particle collisions, presumably in the nebula.

Kerridge, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Gas drag in primordial circumplanetary envelopes - A mechanism for satellite capture

Known properties of the current solar system and Bodenheimer's (1977) model of early Jovian evolution are employed to develop a mechanism for satellite capture based on gas drag in primordial circumplanetary envelopes. In particular, the deceleration and fragmentation of two parent bodies passing through an extended primordial Jovian nebula may account for the clusters of prograde and retrograde satellites of Jupiter. Subsequently, the fragments probably underwent limited orbital evolution, and were dispersed by collision with a stray body. The heavy element cores of the outer planets may also be due to primordial gas drag capture. Nebular drag capture of the Martian satellites Phobos and Deimos, Neptune's Nereid and Triton, and Saturn's Phoebe and Iapetus is also conceivable.

Pollack, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS2006

NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop 2006 Introductory Remarks

NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop 2006, is the fourth in a series of workshops held at four year intervals, to assess the laboratory needs of NASA's astrophysics missions - past, current and future. Investigators who need laboratory data to interpret their observations from space missions, theorists and modelers, experimentalists who produce the data, and scientists who compile databases have an opportunity to exchange ideas and understand each other's needs and limitations. The multi-wavelength character of these workshops allows cross-fertilization of ideas, raises awareness in the scientific community of the rapid advances in other fields, and the challenges it faces in prioritizing its laboratory needs in a tight budget environment. Currently, we are in the golden age of Space Astronomy, with three of NASA s Great Observatories, Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), and Spitzer Space Telescope (SST), in operation and providing astronomers and opportunity to perform synergistic observations. In addition, the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), XMM-Newton, HETE-2, Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), INTEGRAL and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), are operating in an extended phase, while Swift and Suzaku are in their prime phase of operations. The wealth of data from these missions is stretching the Laboratory Astrophysics program to its limits. Missions in the future, which also need such data include the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), Constellation-X (Con-X), Herschel, and Planck. The interpretation of spectroscopic data from these missions requires knowledge of atomic and molecular parameters such as transition probabilities, f-values, oscillator strengths, excitation cross sections, collision strengths, which have either to be measured in the laboratory by simulating space plasma and interactions therein, or by theoretical calculations and modeling. Once the laboratory data are obtained, a key step to making them available to the observer is the creation and maintenance of critically compiled databases. Other areas of study, that are important for understanding planet formation, and for detection of molecules that are indicators of life, are also supported by the Laboratory Astrophysics program. Some examples are: studies of ices and dust grains in a space environment; nature and evolution of interstellar carbon-rich dust; and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition, the program provides an opportunity for the investigation of novel ideas, such as simulating radiative shock instabilities in plasmas, in order to understand jets observed in space. A snapshot of the currently funded program, mission needs, and relevance of laboratory data to interpreting observations, will be obtained at this workshop through invited and contributed talks and poster papers. These will form the basis for discussions in splinter groups. The Science Organization Committee will integrate the results of the discussions into a coherent White Paper, which will provide guidance to NASA in structuring the Laboratory Astrophysics program in subsequent years, and also to the scientific community in submitting research proposals to NASA for funding.

Hasan, Hashima↗
NASA NTRS2012

He II lambda-4686 in Eta Carinae: Collapse of the Wind-Wind Collision Region During Periastron Passage

The periodic spectroscopic events in Eta Carinae are now well established and occur near the periastron passage of two massive stars in a very eccentric orbit. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the variations of different spectral features, such as an eclipse by the wind-wind collision boundary, a shell ejection from the primary star or accretion of its wind onto the secondary. All of them have problems explaining all the observed phenomena. To better understand the nature of the cyclic events we performed a dense monitoring of Eta Carinae with 5 Southern telescopes during the 2009 low excitation event, resulting in a set of data of unprecedented quality and sampling. The intrinsic luminosity of the He II lambda-4686 emission line (L approx 310 solar L) just before periastron reveals the presence of a very luminous transient source of extreme UV radiation emitted in the wind-wind collision (WWC) region. Clumps in the primary's wind probably explain the flare-like behavior of both the X-ray and He II lambda-4686 light-curves. After a short-lived minimum, He II lambda-4686 emission rises again to a new maximum, when X-rays are still absent or very weak. We interpret this as a collapse of the WWC onto the "surface" of the secondary star, switching off the hard X-ray source and diminishing the WWC shock cone. The recovery from this state is controlled by the momentum balance between the secondary's wind and the clumps in the primary's wind.

Teodoro, M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Electronic excitation of ground state atoms by collision with heavy gas particles

Most of the important chemical reactions which occur in the very high temperature air produced around space vehicles as they enter the atmosphere were investigated both experimentally and theoretically, to some extent at least. One remaining reaction about which little is known, and which could be quite important at the extremely high temperatures that will be produced by the class of space vehicles now contemplated - such as the AOTV - is the excitation of bound electron states due to collisions between heavy gas particles. Rates of electronic excitation due to free electron collisions are known to be very rapid, but because these collisions quickly equilibrate the free and bound electron energy, the approach to full equilibrium with the heavy particle kinetic energy will depend primarily on the much slower process of bound electron excitation in heavy particle collisions and the subsequent rapid transfer to free electron energy. This may be the dominant mechanism leading to full equilibrium in the gas once the dissociation process has depleted the molecular states so the transfer between molecular vibrational energy and free electron energy is no longer available as a channel for equilibration of free electron and heavy particle kinetic energies. Two mechanisms seem probable in electronic excitation by heavy particle impact. One of these is the collision excitation and deexcitation of higher electronic states which are Rydberg like. A report, entitled 'Semi-Classical Theory of Electronic Excitation Rates', was submitted previously. This presented analytic expressions for the transition probabilities, assuming that the interaction potential is an exponential repulsion with a perturbation ripple due to the dipole-induced dipole effect in the case of neutral-neutral collisions, and to the ion-dipole interaction in the case of ion-neutral collisions. However the above may be, there is little doubt that excitation of ground state species by collision occurs at the point where the initial and final potentials cross, or at least come very close. Therefore, this mechanism would be applicable to the case where a gas is initially at very low temperature suddenly subjected to high energy heavy particle bombardment. This situation would model the measurement of excitation cross section by molecular beam techniques, for example. The purpose is to report values of cross sections and rate coefficients for collision excitation of ground state atoms estimated with the Landau-Zener transition theory and to compare results with measurement of excitation cross sections for a beam of Hydrogen atoms impacting Argon atom targets. Some very dubious approximations are used, and the comparison with measurement is found less than ideal, but results are at least consistent within order of magnitude. The same model is then applied to the case of N-N atom collisions, even though the approximations then become even more doubtful. Still the rate coefficients obtained are at least plausible in both magnitude and functional form, and as far as I am aware these are the only estimates available for such rate coefficients.

Hansen, C. Frederick↗
NASA NTRS1997

Investigation of Alert Zone and Display Concepts for Free Flight

To better understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of utilizing a probability-based method, a number of alternative approaches to the collision avoidance problem were examined and summarized in the paper "Survey of Conflict Detection and Resolution Modeling Methods" which was presented in August 1997 at the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference. The paper provides a summary and comparative evaluation of the many different approaches that have been used in the past to perform conflict analysis. Each method is categorized in its dynamic modeling approach and method of handling conflict detection and conflict resolution. For example, one category included the extrapolation method used to predict future trajectories of which 3 were defined: nominal, probabilistic, and worst-case. Another category listed the metrics and parameters used by each method to make conflict decisions (i.e. estimated time to closest point of approach, miss distance, current separation, expected maneuvering cost, probability of conflict). Other useful information such as the ability to handle multi-aircraft conflicts and cooperative and non-cooperative maneuvering is also included.

Yang, Lee C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Electromagnetic Dissociation Cross Sections for High LET Fragments

Nuclear interaction cross sections are used in space radiation transport codes to calculate the probability of fragment emission in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. Strong interactions usually dominate in these collisions, but electromagnetic (EM) interactions can also sometimes be important. Strong interactions typically occur when the projectile nucleus hits a target nucleus, with a small impact parameter. For impact parameters larger than the sum of the nuclear radii, EM reactions dominate and the process is called electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) if one of the nuclei undergo fragmentation. Previous models of EMD have been used to calculate single proton (p) production, single neutron (n) production or light ion production, where a light ion is defined as an isotope of hydrogen (H) or helium (He), such as a deuteron (2H), a triton (3H), a helion (3He) or an alpha particle (4He). A new model is described which can also account for multiple nucleon production, such as 2p, 2n, 1p1n, 2p1n, 2p2n, etc. in addition to light ion production. Such processes are important to include for the following reasons. Consider, for example, the EMD reaction 56Fe + Al --> 52Cr + X + Al, for a 56Fe projectile impacting Al, which produces the high linear energy transfer (LET) fragment 52Cr. In this reaction, the most probable particles representing X are either 2p2n or 4He. Therefore, production of the high LET fragment 52Cr, must include the multiple nucleon production of 2p2n in addition to the light ion production of 4He. Previous models, such as the NUCFRG3 model, could only account for the 4He production process in this reaction and could not account for 2p2n. The new EMD model presented in this work accounts for both the light ion and multiple nucleon processes, and is therefore able to correctly account for the production of high LET products such as 52Cr. The model will be described and calculations will be presented that show the importance of light ion and multiple nucleon production. The work will also show that EMD reactions contribute most to those fragments with the highest LET.

Norbury, John↗
NASA NTRS1978

Rotational inelasticity in high-energy H2-H2 collisions

Rotational cross sections for transitions in the H2-H2 system have been calculated for energies up to about 2.0 eV and for rotor levels up to j = 11 in the effective potential approximation. The cases of para H2-para H2, ortho H2-ortho H2 and ortho H2-para H2 are considered. Correlations and trends in the cross sections have been examined, and it is shown that the high-energy collisions are dominated by coupling effects. The results of this analysis also suggest that the collision process may be profitably viewed as a diffusion of probability among the levels.

Ramaswamy, R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Earthquake source mechanisms from body-waveform inversion and intraplate tectonics in the northern Indian Ocean

Double-couple point-source parameters for 11 of the largest intraplate earthquakes in the northern Indian Ocean during the last 20 years were determined from a formal inversion of the long-period P and SH waveforms. Two major intraplate tectonic provinces are distinguished in the northern Indian Ocean. The plate-wide stress pattern found and the high level of intraplate seismicity are probably the results of substantial resistance, along the Himalayan continental collision zone, to the continued northward motion of the western portion of the Indian plate.

Bergman, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Detection of Orbital Debris Collision Risks for the Automated Transfer Vehicle

In this paper, we present a general collision risk assessment method, which has been applied through numerical simulations to the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) case. During ATV ascent towards the International Space Station, close approaches between the ATV and objects of the USSTRACOM catalog will be monitored through collision rosk assessment. Usually, collision risk assessment relies on an exclusion volume or a probability threshold method. Probability methods are more effective than exclusion volumes but require accurate covariance data. In this work, we propose to use a criterion defined by an adaptive exclusion area. This criterion does not require any probability calculation but is more effective than exclusion volume methods as demonstrated by our numerical experiments. The results of these studies, when confirmed and finalized, will be used for the ATV operations.

Peret, L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Low-energy electron-atom bremsstrahlung

This paper extends recent work providing an elementary calculation of bremsstrahlung and opacity associated with the scattering of low-energy electrons by neutral atoms and molecules. The method applies when the scattering potential is 'hard' or when the collision time is short, applying the classical soft-photon emission probability formula for arbitrary bremsstrahlung photon energy. However, now, in addition to correcting the probability factor for finite bremsstrahlung photon energy, another factor corrects for the reduced phase space available to the outgoing electron. The bremsstrahlung cross section and opacity are then computed directly from the elastic scattering cross section, determined experimentally or calculated; a small (approximately 10 percent) correction is computed from the anisotropic term in the elastic scattering cross section. The opacity is evaluated for electron scattering by H, He, and H2 using experimentally determined values for the elastic scattering cross section, and is compared with more elaborate calculations. The agreement is good (within 10 percent), indicating an accuracy for the general method comparable to variations among the results of different elaborate theoretical computations. The agreement seems to validate the basic approximation of short collision time even at large bremsstrahlung photon energy for electron energies and temperatures up to a few eV.

Gould, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Redistribution - Why half a collision is better than a whole one

The study of spectral line shapes has traditionally been mainly concerned with the measurement and interpretation of absorption or emission profiles. Often only the line widths are studied. The present investigation has the objective to evaluate the additional information which can be obtained by scattering light (usually from a laser) from an atomic system which is being perturbed by collisions. A scattering experiment is discussed. The scattered light consists of two components, a (coherent) Rayleigh component and a redistributed (fluorescent) component. In order to obtain the absorption spectrum, questions regarding the probability of photon absorption are considered. By observing the fluorescence subsequent to absorption during a collision it is found possible to obtain information on the evolution of the system from the point of absorption to the completion of the collision. The information on the intracollisional evolution is the justification for the title of the study, namely 'Why half a collision is better than a whole one'.

Cooper, J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of A Simulation Environment for Future Space Traffic Management

This study presents initial results of a newly developed simulation environment intendedto explore and assess future Space Traffic Management (STM) scenarios. The number ofnew Resident Space Objects (RSOs) in near-Earth orbit is expected to increase significantlywith the expected future deployment of a number of large constellations. These futurescenarios involve the addition of many tens of thousands of new RSOs, making the analysisinto their impact on collision risk extend beyond what traditional data-mining of present-dayconjunction data can reliably predict. To address this, a robust simulation environment wasdeveloped that implements a full force-model for orbit propagation, and computes continuousall-on-all conjunction statistics for arbitrarily large catalog sizes and simulation timeframes.Collision avoidance and station-keeping maneuvers can be optionally implemented based onconfigurable user inputs including physical characteristics and spacecraft meta-data (e.g.,commercial/government, owner country, etc.). Constellation build-out and de-orbit scenarioswere also implemented and modeled based on real-data analysis. Validation of the simulationresults was a critical component of the simulation development, and was done using the currentcatalog with comparisons against both public and internal NASA data-sets. The comparisonsdemonstrate that, with the appropriate settings, representative levels of conjunction ratesand probabilities can be obtained, providing confidence that the simulation tool can generatemeaningful outcomes for test scenarios. As an initial demonstration of the tool’s capabilities,year-long simulations with station-keeping were conducted to examine conjunction historiesusing both the current object catalog (5800 active satellites) and a hypothetical 60,000 objectscenario involving five potential large constellations. Output metrics include the number ofconjunction events, estimates of collision consequence (fragmentation), delta-V maneuver costs,and the probability of at least one collision occurring. The results highlight the potential thatthe simulation tool has for incorporating and running performance comparisons between, e.g.,various sets of maneuver guidelines, industry norms, and definitions of risk, with the overallobjective of providing actionable data to STM policy makers. The presentation will providean overview of the simulation development and validation efforts, as well as a discussion ofobservations gathered from the initial simulations performed.

conjunction assessment↗