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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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NASA NTRS2010

Trace Gas Measurements on Mars and Earth Using Optical Parametric Generation

Trace gases and their isotopic ratios in planetary atmospheres offer important but subtle clues as to the origins of a planet's atmosphere, hydrology, geology, and potential for biology. An orbiting laser remote sensing instrument is capable of measuring trace gases on a global scale with unprecedented accuracy, and higher spatial resolution that can be obtained by passive instruments. We have developed an active sensing instrument for the remote measurement of trace gases in planetary atmospheres (including Earth). The technique uses widely tunable, seeded optical parametric generation (OPG) to measure methane, CO2, water vapor, and other trace gases in the near and mid-infrared spectral regions. Methane is a strong greenhouse gas on Earth and it is also a potential biogenic marker on Mars and other planets. Methane in the Earth's atmosphere survives for a shorter time than CO2 but its impact on climate change can be larger than CO2. Methane levels have remained relatively constant over the last decade around 1.78 parts per million (ppm) but recent observations indicate that methane levels may be on the rise. Increasing methane concentrations may trigger a positive feedback loop and a subsequent runaway greenhouse effect, where increasing temperatures result in increasing methane levels. The NRC Decadal Survey recognized the importance of global observations of greenhouse gases and called for simultaneous CH4, CO, and CO2 measurements but also underlined the technological limitations for these observations. For Mars, methane measurements are of great interest because of its potential as a strong biogenic marker. A remote sensing instrument that can measure day and night over all seasons and latitudes can identify and localize sources of biogenic gas plumes produced by subsurface chemistry or biology, and aid in the search for extra-terrestrial life. It can identify the dynamics of methane generation over time and latitude and identify future lander mission sites for more detailed in-situ analysis. In this paper we report on remote sensing measurements of methane using a high peak power, widely tunable optical parametric generator (OPG) operating at 3.3 micron and 1.65 micron. The OPG is pumped by a passively q-switched single frequency laser (3ns, 5KHz, 50uJ) and seeded by a diode laser. The spectral width of both signal and idler of seeded OPG is nearly Fourier transform limited. The output of seeded OPG is single frequency with high spectral purity and is widely tunable. Both 1650 nm and 3300 nm can be generated with a conversion efficiency of more than 30%. We have demonstrated detection of methane at 3274 nm and 1650 nm in a cell and also performed open path atmospheric measurements of methane at the same wavelengths. Finally, we were able to demonstrate simultaneous detection of methane at 3270.4 nm and CO2 at 1578.2 nm. In this paper we will discuss the OPG performance and atmospheric open path measurement results.

Numata, Kenji↗
NASA NTRS2013

Multiphase Transport in Porous Media: Gas-Liquid Separation Using Capillary Pressure Gradients International Space Station (ISS) Flight Experiment Development

Advances in the understanding of multiphase flow characteristics under variable gravity conditions will ultimately lead to improved and as of yet unknown process designs for advanced space missions. Such novel processes will be of paramount importance to the success of future manned space exploration as we venture into our solar system and beyond. In addition, because of the ubiquitous nature and vital importance of biological and environmental processes involving airwater mixtures, knowledge gained about fundamental interactions and the governing properties of these mixtures will clearly benefit the quality of life here on our home planet. The techniques addressed in the current research involving multiphase transport in porous media and gas-liquid phase separation using capillary pressure gradients are also a logical candidate for a future International Space Station (ISS) flight experiment. Importantly, the novel and potentially very accurate Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) modeling of multiphase transport in porous media developed in this work offers significantly improved predictions of real world fluid physics phenomena, thereby promoting advanced process designs for both space and terrestrial applications.This 3-year research effort has culminated in the design and testing of a zero-g demonstration prototype. Both the hydrophilic (glass) and hydrophobic (Teflon) media Capillary Pressure Gradient (CPG) cartridges prepared during the second years work were evaluated. Results obtained from ground testing at 1-g were compared to those obtained at reduced gravities spanning Martian (13-g), Lunar (16-g) and zero-g. These comparisons clearly demonstrate the relative strength of the CPG phenomena and the efficacy of its application to meet NASAs unique gas-liquid separation (GLS) requirements in non-terrestrial environments.LB modeling software, developed concurrently with the zero-g test effort, was shown to accurately reproduce observed CPG driven gas-liquid separation phenomena. The design and fabrication of a micropost plate-lamina Hele-Shaw (HS) cell was performed which served as a computationally attainable geometric structure facilitating direct comparison between physical phenomena observed in our laboratory and the LB software predictions.

Wheeler, Richard R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

On the Final Mass of Giant Planets

In the core accretion model of giant planet formation, when the core reaches critical mass, hydrostatic equilibrium is no longer possible and gas accretion ensues. If the envelope is radiative, the critical core mass is nearly independent of the boundary conditions and is roughly M(sub crit) ~ 10Mass of the Earth (with weak dependence on the rate of planetesimal accretion M(sub core) and the disk opacity k). Given that such a core may form at the present location of Jupiter in a time comparable to its Type I migration time (10(exp 5) - 10(exp 6) years) provided that the nebula was significantly enhanced in solids with respect to the MMSN and stall at this location in a weakly turbulent (alpha approximately less than 10(exp -4) disk, it may be appropriate to assume that such objects inevitably form and drive the evolution of late-phase T Tauri star disks. Here we investigate the final masses of giant planets in disks with one or more than one such cores. Although the presence of several planets would lead to Type II migration (due to the effective viscosity resulting from the planetary tidal torques), we ignore this complication for now and simply assume that each core has stalled at its location in the disk. Once a core has achieved critical mass, its gaseous accretion is governed by the given Kelvin-Helmholtz timescale.

Estrada, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Rayleigh, Raman and particulate scattering

Analysis of the visible and near infrared spectra of planetary atmospheres and the multiple scattering of photons within the atmosphere are discussed. Photons detected within the spectral region are solar photons which were scattered by the gas and particles in the planetary atmosphere. An example is given for the incident and emitted fluxes for a hypothetical planet with an effective temperature of 100 K. The absorption spectrum of the planetary atmosphere is discussed in terms of the various scattering processes photons undergo within the atmosphere. Three different physical processes are considered. Rayleigh scattering and Raman scattering by the gas molecules, and scattering by any cloud or dust aerosol particles in the atmosphere. The physics of each of these processes is examined.

Cochran, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Redox Conditions Among the Terrestrial Planets

Early solar system conditions should have been extremely reducing. The redox state of the early solar nebula was determined by the H2O/H2 of the gas, which is calculated (based on solar composition) to have been about IW-5. At high temperature under such conditions, ferrous iron would exist only as a trace element in silicates and the most common type of chondritic material should have been enstatite chondrites. The observation that E-chondrites form only a subset of the chondrite suite and that the terrestrial planets (Earth, Moon, Mars, Venus, 4 Vesta) contain ferrous and ferric iron as major and minor elements, respectively, implies that either most chondritic materials formed under conditions that were not solar or that early-formed metals oxidized at low temperature, producing FeO. For example, equilibrated ordinary chondrites (by definition, common chondritic materials), by their phase assemblage of olivine, orthopyroxene and metal, must fall not far from the QFI (Quartz-Fayalite-Iron) oxygen buffer. The QFI buffer is about IW-0.5 and, as we shall see, this fo2 is close to that inferred for many materials in the inner solar system.

Jones, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments

The NASA Sun-Earth Connection theme roadmap calls for comparative study of how the planets, comets, and local interstellar medium (LISM) interact with the Sun and respond to solar variability. Through such a study we advance our understanding of basic physical plasma and gas dynamic processes, thus increasing our predictive capabilities for the terrestrial, planetary, and interplanetary environments where future remote and human exploration will occur. Because the other planets have lacked study initiatives comparable to the terrestrial ITM, LWS, and EOS programs, our understanding of the upper atmospheres and near space environments on these worlds is far less detailed than our knowledge of the Earth. To close this gap we propose a mission to study {\it all) of the solar interacting bodies in our planetary system out to the heliopause with a single remote sensing space observatory, the Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments (SCOPE). SCOPE consists of a binocular EUV/FUV telescope operating from a remote, driftaway orbit that provides sub-arcsecond imaging and broadband medium resolution spectro-imaging over the 55-290 nm bandpass, and high (R>10$^{5}$ resolution H Ly-$\alpha$ emission line profile measurements of small scale planetary and wide field diffuse solar system structures. A key to the SCOPE approach is to include Earth as a primary science target. From its remote vantage point SCOPE will be able to observe auroral emission to and beyond the rotational pole. The other planets and comets will be monitored in long duration campaigns centered when possible on solar opposition when interleaved terrestrial-planet observations can be used to directly compare the response of both worlds to the same solar wind stream and UV radiation field. Using a combination of observations and MHD models, SCOPE will isolate the different controlling parameters in each planet system and gain insight into the underlying physical processes that define the solar connection.

Oliversen, Ronald J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

An Impact Triggered Runaway Greenhouse on Mars

When a planet is in radiative equilibrium, the incoming solar flux balances the outgoing longwave flux. If something were to perturb the system slightly, say the incoming solar flux increased, the planet would respond by radiating at a higher surface temperature. Since any radiation that comes in must go out, if the incoming is increased, the outgoing must also increase, and this increase manifests itself as a warmer equilibrium temperature. The increase in solar flux would correspond to an increase in temperature, which would increase the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere due to increased evaporation. Since water vapor is a greenhouse gas, it would absorb more radiation in the atmosphere leading to a yet warmer equilibrium temperature. The planet would reach radiative equilibrium at this new temperature. There exists a point, however, past which this positive feedback leads to a "runaway" situation. In this case, the planet does not simply evaporate a little more water and eventually come to a slightly higher equilibrium temperature. Instead, the planet keeps evaporating more and more water until all of the planet's available liquid and solid water is in the atmosphere. The reason for this is generally understood. If the planet's temperature increases, evaporation of water increases, and the absorption of radiation increases. This increases the temperature and the feedback continues until all water is in the atmosphere. The resulting equilibrium temperature is very high, much higher than the equilibrium temperature of a point with slightly lower solar flux. One can picture that as solar flux increases, planetary temperature also increases until the runaway point where temperature suddenly "jumps" to a higher value, in response to all the available water now residing in the atmosphere. This new equilibrium is called a "runaway greenhouse" and it has been theorized that this is what happened to the planet Venus, where the surface temperature is more than 700 K (427 C).

Segura, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Evidence for weather on Neptune. I

Between April 1975 and March 1976 the reflectance of Neptune between 1 and 4 microns increased substantially. A spectrum taken at these wavelengths near the period of peak observed brightness showed a low-intensity continuum with weak superposed absorptions caused by CH4 and H2. Photographic spectra of the planet measured during the same period showed no differences from older published data. The gas abundances derived from the infrared spectrum, 5 plus or minus 2 km-amagat of H2 at a base density of 0.26 plus or minus 0.08 am and no more than about 1 m-am of CH4, appear to refer to an effective reflecting level high in the atmosphere of Neptune.

Joyce, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Spacecraft for flight in the atmosphere of Venus

Possible configurations of space vehicles which would be delivered to Venus by rocket system in order to autonomously carry out flights in an automatic (and possibly piloted) mode are considered with respect to mission and flight altitude. Base (high altitude) vehicles, operating at pressure, sendity, and temperature corresponding to those on Earth at sea level, will have little maneuverability, will serve as carriers for equipment, scientific devices, and other cargo, and will study the gas composition of the Venus atmosphere from above. Low altitude vehicles will explore the planet from flight altitude in the vicinity of the planet's surface, as well as land on it. Analogous to deep submergence vehicles such as the bathyscaphe and the bathyplane, they will have a certain amount of maneuverability and will study the atmospheric boundary layer from below. The advantages of aerostats in this environment are discussed. Drawings of the aerostatic base station, the variable-length aerostatic sing vehicle, and the hybrid aerostatic vehicle with attached wings are included.

Moskalenko, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Modern Microbial Ecosystems are a Key to Understanding Our Biosphere's Early Evolution and its Contributions To The Atmosphere and Rock Record

The survival of our early biosphere depended upon efficient coordination anion- diverse microbial populations. Microbial mats exhibit a 3.46-billion-year fossil record, thus they are the oldest known ecosystems. Photosynthetic microbial mats were key because, today, sunlight powers more than 99 percent of global primary productivity. Thus photosynthetic ecosystems have affected the atmosphere profoundly and have created the most pervasive, easily-detected fossils. Photosynthetic biospheres elsewhere will be most detectible via telescopes or spacecraft. As a part of the Astrobiology Institute, our Ames Microbial Ecosystems group examines the roles played by ecological processes in the early evolution of our biosphere, as recorded in geologic fossils and in the macromolecules of living cells: (1) We are defining the microbial mat microenvironment, which was an important milieu for early evolution. (2) We are comparing mats in contrasting environments to discern strategies of adaptation and diversification, traits that were key for long-term survival. (3) We have selected sites that mimic key environmental attributes of early Earth and thereby focus upon evolutionary adaptations to long-term changes in the global environment. (4) Our studies of gas exchange contribute to better estimates of biogenic gases in Earth's early atmosphere. This group therefore directly addresses the question: How have the Earth and its biosphere influenced each other over time Our studies strengthen the systematics for interpreting the microbial fossil record and thereby enhance astrobiological studies of martian samples. Our models of biogenic gas emissions will enhance models of atmospheres that might be detected on inhabited extrasolar planets. This work therefore also addresses the question: How can other biospheres be recogniZed" Our choice of field sites helps us explore Earth's evolving early environment. For example, modern mats that occupy thermal springs and certain freshwater environments experience conditions such as low O2 and sulfate and high inorganic carbon and sulfide levels that resemble those of ancient marine environments. Later in history, both biologically-induced carbonate precipitation and the trapping and binding of suspended grains of carbonate became a dominant mechanism for carbonate deposition. Modern marine carbonate platforms and alkaline offer good examples of microbiologically-induced calcification. Both marine platforms and solar salterns illustrate microbially-driven trapping and binding. We are also exploring the effects of water composition upon the exchange of biogenic gases with the atmosphere.

DesMarais, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Criterion for Identifying Vortices in High-Pressure Flows

A study of four previously published computational criteria for identifying vortices in high-pressure flows has led to the selection of one of them as the best. This development can be expected to contribute to understanding of high-pressure flows, which occur in diverse settings, including diesel, gas turbine, and rocket engines and the atmospheres of Jupiter and other large gaseous planets. Information on the atmospheres of gaseous planets consists mainly of visual and thermal images of the flows over the planets. Also, validation of recently proposed computational models of high-pressure flows entails comparison with measurements, which are mainly of visual nature. Heretofore, the interpretation of images of high-pressure flows to identify vortices has been based on experience with low-pressure flows. However, high-pressure flows have features distinct from those of low-pressure flows, particularly in regions of high pressure gradient magnitude caused by dynamic turbulent effects and by thermodynamic mixing of chemical species. Therefore, interpretations based on low-pressure behavior may lead to misidentification of vortices and other flow structures in high-pressure flows. The study reported here was performed in recognition of the need for one or more quantitative criteria for identifying coherent flow structures - especially vortices - from previously generated flow-field data, to complement or supersede the determination of flow structures by visual inspection of instantaneous fields or flow animations. The focus in the study was on correlating visible images of flow features with various quantities computed from flow-field data.

Bellan, Josette↗
NASA NTRS2012

Tooling Techniques Enhance Medical Imaging

They can release as much energy as tens of billions of hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time. They send protons and electrons rocketing at near the speed of light. They heat gas in the Sun s atmosphere to tens of millions of degrees Celsius. They send a blast of gas and particles toward Earth, posing a danger to spacecraft and astronauts outside the planet s magnetosphere, in rare cases even knocking out radio communications and power grids on the ground. They are so-called solar eruptive events, made up of solar flares and the often associated coronal mass ejections. Because of the scientific mystery of how these solar eruptions are produced on the Sun with such scale and force, and also the major role they play in space weather that can impact life on Earth, NASA researchers have innovated new methods of gathering information about these violent events. One NASA mission, the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) has significantly advanced understanding of solar flares since its launch in 2002. RHESSI scientists use the spacecraft s imaging spectrometer to piece together pictures of solar flares from the high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray radiation they emit. While there is still much to be learned, data gathered by RHESSI has revealed how magnetic fields in the vast expanse of the solar atmosphere may be the force that drives the immense explosions. The instrument has imaged around 50,000 flares to date, providing information that may explain not only the workings of solar flares but also of much more massive energy releases from distant objects like black holes and quasars. We have been able to make images from X-rays with much finer resolution and greater sensitivity than have ever been made before, says Brian Dennis, RHESSI Mission Scientist and astrophysicist in the Solar Physics Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center. The key to RHESSI s unprecedented capabilities lie in a set of essential components a NASA partner created for the mission. The manufacturing techniques developed to create the components have yielded innovations advancing medical imaging, transportation security, and even energy efficiency.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Carbon Crisis in 90 Seconds

This is a banana; and this is a chunk of coal. The banana is sweet and delicious and fun to eat... the coal is ... none of those things. But they are much more alike than they seem. Both were made by plants and store energy from the sun and carbon gas from the air around us. When you eat the banana, you use the energy stored in the banana to run and jump; and you release carbon gas back into the air around you. Now, carbon in the banana is young fast carbon: just weeks ago the banana was carbon gas in the air, and hours after you eat it, you breathe out the same carbon back into the air. When we burn coal in power plants, we use the energy stored in the coal to generate electricity that powers our homes and factories; and we release carbon gas back into the air around us. But, the carbon in the coal is old slow carbon. Plants took the coal carbon out of the air hundreds of millions of years ago. That carbon has been locked up ever since, and would stay locked up, if people hadn't dug up the coal and burned it. So now by burning coal and oil, people are adding lots and lots of old carbon to the atmosphere, faster than plants and the oceans can take it out. Why do I care? Because carbon gas in the atmosphere acts like a blanket, trapping heat, and making the whole planet warmer. My name is Peter, and I'm a carbon cycle scientist at NASA. We use satellites to watch how the world is warming. We can see the glaciers and the ice caps melting; and the air, land, and oceans warming. So we know we all have to change the way we produce and use energy, to burn less coal and oil, to prevent the planet from getting too warm.

Griffith, Peter↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Aerospacecraft Analysis, Propulsion, and Resource Capturing Implications

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and deuterium can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and deuterium were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists. Analyses of orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), landers, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mining factories are included. Preliminary observations are presented on near-optimal selections of moon base orbital locations, OTV power levels, and OTV and lander rendezvous points. Aerospacecraft with closed cycle gas core propulsion are used to capture the 3He and deuterium from the outer planet atmospheres. Additional analyses of aerospacecraft sizing led to important results, reducing the overall mining system mass by many thousands of metric tons. Earlier analyses had focused on small aerospacecraft payloads. Important influences on mining time in the atmosphere were also analyzed and will be presented.

In Situ Resource Utilization↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Interplanetary Transfer Vehicles, In-Situ Resource Utilization, and Moon Mining Issues

Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and deuterium can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and deuterium were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists. Analyses of orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), landers, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mining factories are included. Preliminary observations are presented on near-optimal selections of moon base orbital locations, OTV power levels, and OTV and lander rendezvous points. Aerospacecraft with closed cycle gas core propulsion are used to capture the 3He and deuterium from the outer planet atmospheres. Water ice on the outer planet moons has been identified as critical resources for refueling the moon landers and the nuclear electric OTVs. The numbers of interplanetary transfer vehicles (ITVs) and the launch vehicles will be presented. Preliminary design parameters for the ITVs and their payload limits will be assessed. The number of mining machines and their associated issues are addressed.

chemical propulsion↗
NASA NTRS1976

Computer simulations of planetary accretion dynamics: Sensitivity to initial conditions

The implications and limitations of program ACRETE were tested. The program is a scheme based on Newtonian physics and accretion with unit sticking efficiency, devised to simulate the origin of the planets. The dependence of the results on a variety of radial and vertical density distribution laws, the ratio of gas to dust in the solar nebula, the total nebular mass, and the orbital eccentricity of the accreting grains was explored. Only for a small subset of conceivable cases are planetary systems closely like our own generated. Many models have tendencies towards one of two preferred configurations: multiple star systems, or planetary systems in which Jovian planets either have substantially smaller masses than in our system or are absent altogether. But for a wide range of cases recognizable planetary systems are generated - ranging from multiple star systems with accompanying planets, to systems with Jovian planets at several hundred AU, to single stars surrounded only by asteroids.

Isaacman, R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

In-situ exploration of Venus on a global scale : direct measurements of origins and evolution, meterology, dynamics, and chemistry by a long-duration aerial science station

Drifting in the strong winds of Venus under benign Earth-like temperature and pressure conditions, an instrumented balloon-borne science station presents a viable means to explore, in-situ, the Venusian atmosphere on a global scale. Flying over the ground at speeds exceeding 240 km/hour while floating in the Venusian skies near 55 km altitude for several weeks, such an aerostat can conduct a 'world tour' of our neighboring planet, as it circumnavigates the globe multiple times during its flight from equatorial to polar latitudes. Onboard science sensors can repeatedly and directly sample gas compositions, atmospheric pressures and temperatures and cloud particle properties, giving unprecedented insight into the chemical processes occurring within the sulfuric clouds. Additionally, interferometric tracking via Earth-based radio observatories can yield positions and windspeeds to better than 10 cm/sec over one-hour periods, providing important information for understanding the planet's meridional circulation and enigmatic zonal super-rotation, as well as local dynamics associated with meteorological processes. As well, hundreds of GCMS spectra collected during the flight can provide measurements of noble gas compositions and their isotopes with unprecedented accuracy, thereby enabling fundamental new insights into Venus's origin and evolution.

Venus↗
NASA NTRS1976

The occultation of Mariner 10 by Mercury

Analysis of Mariner 10 dual-frequency radio-occultation recordings has yielded new information on the radius and atmosphere of Mercury. The ingress measurements, which were conducted near 1.1 deg north latitude and 67.4 deg east longitude on the night side of the planet, gave a value for the radius of 2439.5 + or - 1 km. Egress near 67.6 deg north latitude and 258.4 deg east longitude on the sunlit side yielded a radius of 2439.0 + or - 1 km. The atmospheric measurements showed the electron density to be less than 1000 per cu cm on both sides of the planet. From the latter result one may infer an upper limit to the dayside surface gas density of 1 million molecules per cu cm.

Fjeldbo, G.↗