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At least 325 records · Page 18

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NASA NTRS1979

Energetic particle activity at 5-min and 10-s time resolution in the magnetotail and its relation to auroral activity

The paper examines several energetic particle bursts associated with substorm events in the magnetotail using data from the Imp 7 and 8 spacecraft experiments. Individual proton and electron bursts observed by the spacecraft do not always coincide nor does magnetotail activity correlate strongly with auroral activity on time scales less than 1 hr. The pitch angle distributions were determined with a time resolution of 10 s by combining magnetic field and particle measurements on Imp 8; during intense particle bursts the 0.3-MeV protons exhibit unidirectional or bidirectional anisotropies along the magnetic field. The data suggest the presence of small localized acceleration regions in the magnetotail observable when magnetically connected to the spacecraft; little evidence is found for a single neutral line extending across the width of the magnetotail.

Carbary, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Field studies of the electrification of thunderstorms

Many theories have been advanced to explain the development of electric fields in thunderstorms, culminating in lightning, but thorough appraisal of these has been hampered by the lack of reliable and comprehensive observational data on the electrical characteristics, microphysical properties and dynamical behavior of the storms. A major field experiment (the Thunderstorm Research International Project) has been in progress for three years, in an effort to remedy this deficiency, and this paper describes some of this work and the results emanating from it. Major tools in this investigation are: an instrumented aircraft capable of penetrating the clouds; dual-Doppler and fast scanning radars; field-change and precipitation-recording networks; and an acoustic system for reconstructing the location of points on the lightning channels. The early results indicate a strong correlation between updraughts, precipitation and high fields. Circumstantial evidence points towards the presence of ice as being crucial to rapid field growth.

Christian, H.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Breccias 73215 and 73255 - Siderophile and volatile trace elements

Fifteen siderophile and volatile trace elements (Os, Re, Ir, Pd, Ni, Au, Sb, Ge, Se, Ag, In, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl) and U were determined by radiochemical neutron activation analysis in a spheroidal aphanitic clast and a clast of coarse-grained anorthositic gabbro from breccia 73215 and in three types of aphanite and two clasts of fine-grained anorthositic gabbro from breccia 73255. In common with most Apollo 17 fragment-laden melt rocks, the aphanites from 73215 and 73255 predominantly contain a Group 2 meteoritic component, which is apparently derived from the Serenitatis impact. All aphanitic lithologies contain the same meteoritic component, and are probably cogenetic. The clasts of fine-grained anorthositic gabbro contain substantial amounts (2% to 6% Cl equivalent based on Au) of a pre-Serenitatis Group 3 component. The clast of coarse-grained anorthositic gabbro is low in siderophile elements (0.4% Cl equivalent), and the meteoritic component (Group 5) is not well-defined. A strong correlation exists between Ir and Au in both the aphanites and the anorthositic gabbro clasts, which argues against the breccias 73215 and 73255 being open systems for Au

Morgan, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Collisions between grains in a turbulent gas

Turbulent gas motions will induce random velocities of small dust grains that are imbedded in the gas. Within large eddies the friction forces from the gas lead to strongly correlated velocities for neighboring grains, whereas small eddies cause uncorrelated grain motions. The nonlinear response of a grain to eddy motion is calculated. This leads to a turbulent pressure within the dust component as well as to collisions between pairs of grains. The results are evaluated numerically for a Kolmogoroff spectrum and turbulent collision rates are calculated for molecular clouds and protostellar environments. Whereas grain-grain collisions should not modify the initial size distribution in molecular clouds to a significant extent, they will lead to an entirely different grain population in protostars.

Voelk, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Energy dependence and temporal evolution of the He-3/He-4 ratios in heavy-ion-rich energetic particle events

A study is presented of the energy dependence of the He-3/He-4 between 0.44 and 4.1 MeV per nucleon for six heavy-ion-rich events observed in 1974 and 1976. The observations were made using the low-energy dE/dx vs E Ultralow-Energy Particle telescope on IMP 8. It was found that all selected heavy-ion-rich events are also enriched in He-3: that the He-3/He-4 ratio decreases with decreasing energies; and that a rapid temporal evolution of the He-3/He-4 and the Fe/(H + He) ratios is strongly correlated during one event with the maximum value at the onset. These results are analyzed in terms of a model based on the preferential injection of He-3 and Fe resulting from turbulent ion heating and subsequent Fermi acceleration.

Moebius, E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Ion acceleration at the earth's bow shock - A review of observations in the upstream region

Positive ions are accelerated at or near the earth's bow shock and propagate into the upstream region. Two distinctly different populations of these ions, distinguished by their greatly different spectral and angular widths, can be identified there. The type of ion population observed in the upstream region is strongly correlated with the presence or absence of long-period compressive waves in the solar wind. Very few ions are accelerated in the vicinity of the shock to energies much above about 100 keV. It is not yet clear whether the most energetic ions (i.e., those near 100 keV) are accelerated at the shock or in the broad disturbed region upstream from the shock. In either case stochastic acceleration by turbulent electrostatic fields seems to be the most viable candidate for the acceleration of the most energetic particles.

Gosling, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Observations of the magnetic field and plasma flow in Jupiter's magnetosheath

Large scale (many minutes to 10 hours) magnetic field structures consisting predominantly of nearly north-south field direction were discovered in Jupiter's magnetosheath from the data of Voyagers 1 and 2 and Pioneer 10 during their outbound encounter trajectories. The Voyager 2 data, and that of Voyager 1 to a lesser extent, show evidence of a quasi-period of 10 hours (and occasionally 5 hours) for these structures. The north-south components of the field and plasma velocity were strongly correlated in the outbound magnetosheath as observed by Voyagers 1 and 2, and the components orthogonal to the north-south direction showed weak correlations. For both Voyager encounters the sense (positive and negative) of the north-south correlations were directly related to the direction of the ecliptic plane component of the interplanetary magnetic field using the field and plasma measurements of the non-encountering spacecraft.

Lepping, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Tangential mode combustion instability of solid propellant rocket motors. 2: Pressure, frequency, and burning rate histories

The relationships among excursions of mean chamber pressure, high frequency pressure oscillations and accelerations associated with tangential mode combustion instability are considered. A data reduction procedure was devised to utilize the precise pressure time data as input to a numerical solution of the chamber mass balance relationships. The results indicate that both elevated burning rate induced by the tangential wave motions and variable nozzle blockage due to passage of vortical flow through the nozzle throat must act together to generate the large mean pressure peaks observed in the tests. There is strong correlation between the amplitude of wave motions and the level of mean pressure rise. Evidence for the presence of traveling tangential waves at the time of the D.C. shift was found by use of dual Kistler pressure transducers mounted at the head end of the burner. A very unusual frequency history was found to accompany the high amplitude disturbances. This was consistent from test to test and may represent an additional source of information regarding the complicated flow combustion interactions within the propellant burning zone.

Flandro, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Basic research in wake vortex alleviation using a variable twist wing

The variable twist wing concept was used to investigate the relative effects of lift and turbulence distribution on the rolled up vortex wake. Several methods of reducing the vortex strength behind an aircraft were identified. These involve the redistribution of lift spanwise on the wing and drag distribution along the wing. Initial attempts to use the variable twist wing velocity data to validate the WAKE computer code have shown a strong correlation, although the vorticity levels were not exactly matched.

Morris, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Oceanographic influences on the sea ice cover in the Sea of Okhotsk

Sea ice conditions in the Sea of Okhotsk, as determined by satellite images from the electrically scanning microwave radiometer on board Nimbus 5, were analyzed in conjunction with the known oceanography. In particular, the sea ice coverage was compared with the bottom bathymetry and the surface currents, water temperatures, and salinity. It is found that ice forms first in cold, shallow, low salinity waters. Once formed, the ice seems to drift in a direction approximating the Okhotsk-Kuril current system. Two basic patterns of ice edge positioning which persist for significant periods were identified as a rectangular structure and a wedge structure. Each of these is strongly correlated with the bathymetry of the region and with the known current system, suggesting that convective depth and ocean currents play an important role in determining ice patterns.

Gratz, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Silicon superlattices: Theory and application to semiconductor devices

Silicon superlattices and their applicability to improved semiconductor devices were studied. The device application potential of the atomic like dimension of III-V semiconductor superlattices fabricated in the form of ultrathin periodically layered heterostructures was examined. Whether this leads to quantum size effects and creates the possibility to alter familiar transport and optical properties over broad physical ranges was studied. Applications to improved semiconductor lasers and electrondevices were achieved. Possible application of silicon sperlattices to faster high speed computing devices was examined. It was found that the silicon lattices show features of smaller fundamental energyband gaps and reduced effective masses. The effects correlate strongly with both the chemical and geometrical nature of the superlattice.

Moriarty, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Precipitation growth in convective clouds

Analytical solutions to the equations of both the growth and motion of hailstones in updrafts and of cloud water contents which vary linearly with height were used to investigate hail growth in a model cloud. A strong correlation was found between the hail embyro starting position and its trajectory and final size. A simple model of the evolution of particle size distribution by coalescence and spontaneous and binary disintegrations was formulated. Solutions for the mean mass of the distribution and the equilibrium size distribution were obtained for the case of constant collection kernel and disintegration parameters. Azimuthal scans of Doppler velocity at a number of elevation angles were used to calculate high resolution vertical profiles of particle speed and horizontal divergence (the vertical air velocity) in a region of widespread precipitation trailing a mid-latitude squall line.

Srivastava, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1980

An empirical model for the complex dielectric permittivity of soils as a function of water content

Recent measurements on the dielectric properties of soils have shown that the variation of dielectric constant with moisture content depends on soil types. The observed dielectric constant increases only slowly with moisture content up to a transition point. Beyond the transition it increases rapidly with moisture content. The moisture value at transition region was found to be higher for high clay content soils than for sandy soils. Many mixing formulas reported in the literature were compared with, and were found incompatible with, the measured dielectric variations of soil-water mixtures. A simple empirical model was proposed to describe the dielectric behavior of the soil-water mixtures. This model employs the mixing of either the dielectric constants or the refraction indices of ice, water, rock, and air, and treats the transition moisture value as an adjustable parameter. The calculated mixture dielectric constants from the model were found to be in reasonable agreement with the measured results over the entire moisture range of 0-0.5 cu cm/cu cm. The transition moistures derived from the model range from 0.16 to 0.33 and are strongly correlated with the wilting points of the soils estimated from their textures. This relationship between transition moisture and wilting point provides a means of estimating soil dielectric properties on the basis of texture information.

Wang, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Observations of outbursts from the recurrent X-ray transient A0538-66 and LMC X-4

Nine X-ray outbursts from the LMC have been observed with the HEAO 1 Large-Area Sky Survey Instrument. Some are shown to originate in the recurrent transient A0538-66, confirming the proposed 16 day periodicity and showing that the duration of the events can be as long as 14 days or as short as a few hours. Deviations from precise periodicity can be attributed to phase jitter or to a change in period occurring around the time of an exceptionally long outburst. Other outbursts which are irregular and consistently shorter originate in LMC X-4. A long-term light curve indicates that the LMC X-4 outbursts occur only when the source is in a high state, but are not strongly correlated with the binary phase.

Skinner, G. K.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Cusp proton signatures and the interplanetary magnetic field

The variation of proton average energy with latitude in the cusp has been suggested as an indicator of the means of particle entry. If magnetic merging is the principal means of particle entry, the proton average energy should fall with increasing latitude; if diffusion is the principal means, the average energy should first fall and then briefly rise as a function of latitude, showing a 'V' signature. In the present work, 60 selected cusp passes of the AE-D satellite for which IMP-J interplanetary or magnetosheath magnetic-field data were available were examined. About one-third of these passes showed clear or likely merging-type energy dispersions; a third showed clear or likely V-type energy dispersions, and a third showed unclear or no energy dispersions. The results are strongly correlated with the IMF - the merging signatures are associated with southward IMF and the V signatures with northward IMF. Unclear cases are associated with unsteady or weakly northward IMF.

Reiff, P. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

The topographic effect on spectral response from nadir-pointing sensors

It is difficult to interpret multispectral Landsat earth resources data in areas of rugged and mountainous terrain because of the topographic effect on the sensor response. The objectives of this study were to examine and quantify the topographic effect on the sensor response from a uniform sand surface, to assess a simple theoretical incidence model for modeling the radiance from the surface, and to simulate Landsat sensor response due to the topographic effect. A field experiment was designed to collect data from a large range of slope angles and aspects at a range of solar elevations, using a hand-held radiometer. Analysis of these data showed that the magnitude of the topographic effect varied as a function of the solar elevation, the azimuthal orientation of the slope, and the slope inclination. The field measured variations in spectral response were found to have generally strong correlations with the theoretical model, and it was shown that the applicability of the Lambertian assumption varied within and between data sets. It is concluded that if slope angle, aspect, and solar zenith angle and azimuth are known, a technique incorporating a model to reduce the topographic effect prior to multispectral classification may be developed.

Holben, B. N.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Interstellar absorption in the Mg II resonance line k2 and h2 emissions

High-resolution (0.2 A) IUE spectra for the long wavelength range (1800-3000 A) have been studied. It is shown that narrow interstellar Mg II lines are seen in the center of the k2 and h2 emissions from nearby stars with large rotational velocities. For all observed stars, the radial velocity of the central k3 absorption component in the rest system of the star is strongly correlated with the mirror image of the radial velocity of the stars; this shows that a major fraction if not all of the k3 absorption is due to interstellar absorption in the solar neighborhood. The violet to red asymmetry of the k2 emission also correlates with the radial velocities of the star; this shows that the shift of k3 is due to the velocity shift of the local interstellar cloud with respect to the star.

Boehm-Vitense, E.↗

NASA NTRS1981

An extended far-infrared emission complex at IC 1318b and IC 1318c

A map of extended 90 micron emission with 15 arcmin resolution is presented for sources centered on IC 1318b and c. A strong correlation is found between far-infrared emission and radio continuum emission, although a comparison of far-infrared and CO molecular line maps shows no similarity. Extended far-infrared sources have inferred gas densities, which implies that far-infrared emitting dust is mixed with the ionized gas. Far-infrared emission from dust is also observed in the nonthermal radio source DR 4 which is part of a supernova remnant, and the data are compatible with a core-halo model for the compact source DR 7.

Campbell, M. F.↗