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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 325 records · Page 18

Evaluation of 2 possible further developments of the UK in-flight radiation warning meter for SSTS

A mass reduction of the moderator and the response to the nucleon flux, responsible for the tissue-star component of the total-dose equivalent rate using a high atomic number material, are discussed. Radiation situations at SST cruising altitudes (approximately 20 km) due to solar proton flares were simulated in the stratosphere and on the ground. Actual stratospheric situations due to galactic cosmic radiation with a limited range of quality factor values (2-4) were encountered during slow ascents by balloons to 36 km. Synthetic situations obtained from high and low energy acclerator radiations were used to obtain radiation distributions having a larger range of quality factor values (11/2-9) than experienced in the stratosphere. The measurements made in these simulations related to the directly ionizing, neutron and tissue-star components of dose-equivalent rate. Due to the restricted range of neutron spectra encountered in the stratosphere, a significant mass reduction of the moderator by 4 kg was made, with the moderator clad with cadmium or some other slow neutron absorber.

Wilson, I. J.↗

Search for magnetic monopoles in the moon

A search was made for the possible existence of magnetic monopoles on the moon using magnetic observations from magnetometer experiments on Explorer 33 and 35. A series of 37 orbital plots were analyzed and it was determined that the net number of magnetic monopoles was less than 1 per 10 to the 7th power cc. This is equivalent to the difference in the number of northern and southern magnetic monopoles within the moon being less than 1 per 10 to the 31st power nucleons. Searches for monopoles from lunar samples have also proven negative.

Schatten, K. H.↗

Ultrahigh energy photons, electrons, and neutrinos, the microwave background, and the universal cosmic-ray hypothesis

The production of ultrahigh energy photons, electrons and neutrinos as the decay products of pions produced in photomeson interactions between cosmic ray nucleons and the blackbody microwave background is discussed in terms of the resultant energy spectra of these particles. Simple asymptotic formulas are given for calculating the ultrahigh energy photon spectrum predicted for the universal cosmic ray hypothesis and the resulting spectra are compared with those obtained previously by numerical means using a different propagation equation for the photons. Approximate analytic solutions for the photon spectra are given in terms of simple power-law energy functions and slowly varying logarithmic functions.

Stecker, F. W.↗

Search for magnetic monopoles in lunar material.

A search for magnetic monopoles in lunar material has been performed by the electromagnetic measurement of the magnetic charge of samples. All measurements were found consistent with zero charge for all samples and inconsistent with any other value allowed by the Dirac theory. Upper limits are determined for the monopole flux in cosmic radiation and for the pair-production cross section in proton-nucleon collisions.

Eberhard, P. H.↗

Calculation of the lunar photon albedo from galactic and solar proton bombardment.

The lunar photon albedo due to cosmogenic and primordial photon sources has been calculated. The individual photon leakage spectra from prompt photons produced by galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar cosmic ray (SCR) induced nuclear interactions, from the decay of GCR- and SCR-induced radionuclides, and from the decay of naturally occurring radionuclides are given. An approximate estimate of the leakage from the photon-electron cascade initiated by the decay of neutral pions is also given. Monte Carlo methods have been used to determine the nucleon-meson cascade, and discrete-ordinates methods were used for the photon and low-energy neutron transport.

Armstrong, T. W.↗

Production cross sections for Lee-Wick massive electromagnetic bosons and for spin-zero and spin-one W bosons at high energies.

Production cross sections for three types of hypothetical particles are calculated in the presented paper. Several (Z, Z') cases were studied corresponding to elastic scattering off protons and neutrons (either free or embedded within a Fermi sea), coherent scattering off a nucleus, and inelastic scattering off a proton (in which case Z' denotes a nucleon resonance or hadronic system in the continuum). Detailed structure-function data are used to improve the accuracy of the inelastic scattering calculation. Results of calculations are given for beam energies between 50 and 10,000 GeV, and masses between 5 and 40 GeV for the massive Lee-Wick spin-1 boson. Cross sections were computed for resonant and semiweak processes. The production cross section of spin-zero weak intermediate bosons was found to be at least one order of magnitude smaller than for spin-1 weak bosons in nearly all regions of interest. The production cross section of spin-zero weak intermediate bosons for inelastic scattering off protons compares with that for elastic scattering in the regions of interest. In the case of massive spin-1 bosons and spin-1 weak intermediates, the main contribution to total production cross section off protons is elastic.

Linsker, R.↗

A search for antihelium in primary cosmic radiation.

A search for anti-alpha-particles in the primary cosmic radiation has been carried out, and a new upper limit for these particles in the range 0.2-4.3 GeV per nucleon has been obtained. At the 95 per cent confidence level the upper limit is found to be 0.14 per cent of the alpha-particle flux. The instrument used for this purpose is a magnetic spectrometer employing spark chambers for determining particle trajectories and time-of-flight measurement for the rejection of upward-moving particles. Implications of these results for various models of the sources of cosmic radiation are discussed.

Evenson, P.↗

Cooling of dense stars

Cooling rates were calculated for neutron stars of about one solar mass and 10 km radius, with magnetic fields from zero to about 10 to the 14th power gauss, for extreme cases of maximum and zero superfluidity. The results show that most pulsars are so cold that thermal ionization of surface atoms would be negligible. Nucleon superfluidity and crystallization of heavy nuclei were treated quantitatively, and more realistic hadron star models were chosen. Cooling rates were calculated for a stable hyperon star near the maximum mass limit, a medium weight neutron star, and a light neutron star with neutron-rich heavy nuclei near the minimum mass limit. Results show that cooling rates are a sensitive function of density. The Crab and Vela pulsars are considered, as well as cooling of a massive white dwarf star.

Tsuruta, S.↗

The reaction proton deuteron yields triton pion at 470 and 590 MeV

The preliminary results from a study of the deuteron (proton, positive pion)triton reaction are reported. The differential cross section for this reaction was measured for a number of center of mass angles from 37 deg to 160 deg at incident proton energies of 470 and 590 MeV. The cross sections measured at 590 MeV agree with predictions made considering a two-nucleon process. The 470 MeV data shows a peak in the backward direction which is not predicted by this mechanism.

Dollhopf, W.↗

Time variations of magnetospheric intensities of outer zone protons, alpha particles and ions (Z greater than or equal to 2)

A comprehensive study of the temporal behavior of trapped protons, alpha particles and ions (Z 2) in outer zone of the earth's magnetosphere has been made. These observations were made by the Injun V satellite during the first 21 months of operation, August 1968 to May 1970. Rapid increases in the observed number of particles followed by slower exponential decay characterize the data. Comparisons are made with the temporal behavior of interplanetary particles of the same energy observed by Explorer 35. Increases in the trapped fluxes generally correspond to enhanced interplanetary activity. The energy spectra of protons and alpha particles at L = 3 have similar shapes when compared on an energy per charge basis while the respective polar cap spectra have similar shape on an energy per nucleon basis. Apparent inward trans-L motion of energetic protons is observed. These particles are diffused inward by a process involving fluctuating electric fields. The loss of trapped low altitude protons, alpha particles and ions (Z 2) is controlled by coulombic energy loss in the atmosphere.

Randall, B. A.↗

The ultrahigh energy photon spectrum

Results are made of a numerical calculation of the ultrahigh energy photon spectrum. After assuming that the ultrahigh energy cosmic-ray nucleons are universal, calculations are made without resorting to the previously employed delta function approximation.

Stecker, F. W.↗

Matter-antimatter Cosmology

The possible existence of antimatter on a large scale in the universe is evaluated. As a starting point, an attempt was made to understand the origin of matter as being essentially analogous to the origin of backgound thermal radiation. Several theories and models are examined, with particular emphasis on nucleon-antinucleon interactions at intermediate energies. Data also cover annihilation interaction with the matter-antimatter boundary to produce the essential fluid motion known as coalesence.

Omnes, R.↗

Direct Observations of the Charge States of Low Energy Solar Particles

The charge states of carbon and oxygen of solar origin were measured directly in interplanetary space. At 100 keV per nucleon the C(+5)/C(+6) and O(+7)/O(+8) ratios are 1.8 and 1.6 respectively. It was found that the abundance ratios of low energy heavy nuclei to He is significantly larger than corresponding photospheric values: the enhancement of O/He is 35 and both Si/He and Fe/He are overabundant by a factor of 100. To explain these observations a mechanism is proposed which first preferentially accelerates heavy ions and is followed by either storage of these ions in the coronal regions or strong adiabatic deceleration.

Gloeckler, G.↗

Is nuclear matter a quantum crystal?

A possible alternative to the ordinary gas-like computation for nuclear matter is investigated under the assumption that the nucleons are arranged in a lattice. BCC, FCC and HCP structures are investigated. Only HCP shows a minimum in the energy vs. density curve with a modest binding energy of -1.5 MeV. The very low density limit is investigated and sensible results are obtained only if the tensor force decreases with the density. A study of the elastic properties indicates that the previous structures are mechanically unstable against shearing stresses.

Canuto, V.↗

Minimum mass of a neutron star.

The equation of state at subnuclear densities is considered together with the average binding energy per nucleon and the possibilities for a conversion of a neutron star into a white dwarf. It is found that the stable minimum mass with a core of pure neutron gas is equal to 0.067 units in terms of the solar mass, and with a core clustered with heavy nuclei equals 0.093 units. The real minimum mass is probably somewhere between these two numbers.

Leung, Y. C.↗

Evidence for differences in the energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei.

Comparison of the intensities of He, C + O, and Fe + Ni cosmic ray nuclei as measured on balloon flights in Canada and Argentina at several energy levels between about 1 and 50 GeV per nucleon. A re-analysis of previous data and those of Juliusson et al. (1972) and Smith et al. (in the press) is carried out. The differences in the spectra of these nuclei are discussed.

Webber, W. R.↗

Preliminary Pioneer-10 intensity gradients of galactic cosmic rays.

Selected data from the University of Chicago charged-particle telescope on the Pioneer-10 spacecraft bound for Jupiter have been examined and compared with data from the University of Chicago charged-particle telescopes on the Earth satellites IMP-5 and IMP-6 at 1 AU to derive a preliminary integral intensity gradient for relativistic galactic protons and helium nuclei. The preliminary value obtained is (4.5 plus or minus 1.0) percent per AU over the radial range 1-2.8 AU. Preliminary differential gradients also have been obtained for the energy range 29-67 MeV per nucleon.

Mckibben, R. B.↗

Positron-annihilation radiation from neutron stars.

Matter accreted on the surfaces of neutron stars consists of energetic particles of a few tens to one or two hundred MeV per nucleon, depending on the neutron-star mass. In addition to heat, such particles produce nuclear reactions with the surface material. It is proposed that the recently observed 473 plus or minus 30 keV spectral feature from the galactic center is gravitationally redshifted positron-annihilation radiation produced at the surfaces of neutron stars. The principal observational tests of the model would be the detection of nuclear gamma-ray lines from the galactic center.

Ramaty, R.↗