SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Plateau”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 343 records · Page 19

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1973

Mapping of the major structures of the African rift system using ERTS-1

The author has identified the following significant results. The structural margin of western Afar with the Ethiopian plateau is marked by a rather wide zone of crustal deformation. ERTS-1 imagery has now permitted a more precise mapping of the structures of this marginal zone, and in particular of the discontinuous marginal graben. The tectonic style of the graben is different in the north from the south, and in the latter region the graben is discordant with the regional tectonic trend. The structural margin of the southern Afar with the Somalian plateau is formed, in the western sector, by a remarkable series of fault-zone splays. Afar-plateau boundary fault-zones successively curve northeast and then NNE to become Afar floor fault-zones, with a distance of about 25 km separating successive turnoffs. The transition from Ethiopian rift to Gulf of Aden tread faulting along this margin is fascinatingly complex. A simplistic crustal thinning model is not adequate to explain all observed structural features of the Afar margins.

Mohr, P. A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Comparison of Martian and lunar geologic provinces

Mars and the moon have superficially similar dichotomies between old elevated terrain and young low-lying terrain. On Mars the older terrain contains much less basin and crater material and much more plains material than the older terrain on the moon. These elevated Martian plains, constituting the plateau plains province, are believed to be depositional, perhaps volcanic, in origin. Some of the plateau plains are equivalent in crater density to a province of old lunar mare material in Mare Australe but are much more extensive. Like their lunar equivalents, these plateau plains are believed to have formed while the impact flux was declining from an early torrential rate to a later much slower rate. Other, younger Martian plains generally are also considerably more extensive relative to planet size than their lunar equivalents.

Wilhelms, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Inviscid to turbulent transition of trailing vortices

The characteristics of the plateau region in the vortex system which trails from a lifting wing are discussed. The decay of the vortex due to viscous or turbulent shear is very slow in the plateau so that the maximum tangential speed in the vortices remains nearly constant for some distance downstream of roll-up and then begins to decrease, becoming inversely proportional to the square root of the distance downstream. Mathematical models are developed to analyze the structure of the plateau area. Solutions are obtained for both constant and variable eddy viscosity models.

Iversen, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Mapping of lithologic and structural units using multispectral imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 MSS imagery covering the Afar-Triangle/Ethiopia and adjacent regions (Ethiopian Plateau, Somali Plateau, and parts of Yemen and Saudi Arabi) was applied to the mapping of lithologic and structural units of the test area at a scale 1:1,000,000. Results of the geological evaluation of the ERTS-1 imagery of the Afar have proven the usefullness of this type of satellite data for regional geological mapping. Evaluation of the ERTS images also resulted in new aspects of the structural setting and tectonic development of the Afar-Triangle, where three large rift systems, the oceanic rifts of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the continental East African rift system, seem to meet each other. Surface structures mapped by ERTS do not indicate that the oceanic rift of the Gulf of Aden (Sheba Ridge) continues into the area of continental crust west of the Gulf of Tadjura. ERTS data show that the Wonji fault belt of the African rift system does not enter or cut through the central Afar. The Aysha-Horst is not a Horst but an autochthonous spur of the Somali Plateau.

Kronberg, P.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Inviscid to turbulent transition of trailing vortices

The plateau region in which trailing vortices initially exhibit slow decay of maximum tangential speed is demonstrated with the aid of constant and variable eddy viscosity models. The existence of the plateau is explained by the presence of the viscous core and by the necessity for transition of the initial, nearly inviscid profile to similarity far downstream. Span loading is shown to affect the initial maximum tangential speed as well as the duration of the plateau region. Triangular span loading is shown to present less hazard to trailing aircraft, at least in the near field, than elliptic loading because the inviscid profile for triangular loading exhibits a finite tangential speed at the vortex centerline and a large inviscid core.

Iversen, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Comparison of Skylab and LANDSAT images for geologic mapping in Northern Arizona

The author has identified the following significant results. It was found that based on resolution, the Skylab S190A products were superior to LANDSAT images. Based on measurements of shoreline features in Lake Mead S190A images had 1.5 - 3 times greater resolution than LANDSAT. In general, the higher resolution of the Skylab data yielded better discrimination among rock units, but in the case of structural features, lower sun angle LANDSAT images (50 deg) were superior to higher sun angle Skylab images (77 deg). The most valuable advantage of the Skylab over the LANDSAT image products is the capability of producing stereo images. Field spectral reflectance measurements on the Coconino Plateau were made in an effort to determine the best spectral band for discrimination of the six geologic units in question, and these bands were 1.3, 1.2, 1.0, and 0.5 microns. The EREP multispectral scanner yielded data with a low signal to noise ratio which limited its usefulness for image enhancement work. Sites that were studied in Arizona were Shivwits Plateau, Verde Valley, Coconino Plateau, and Red Lake. Thematic maps produced by the three classification algorithms analyzed were not as accurate as the maps produced by photointerpretation of composites of enhanced images.

Goetz, A. F. H.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Studies on color-center formation in glass utilizing measurements made during 1 to 3 MeV electron irradiation

The coloring of NBS 710 glass was studied using a facility for making optical absorption measurements during and after electron irradiation. The induced absorption contains three Gaussian shaped bands. The color center growth curves contain two saturating exponential and one linear components. After irradiation the coloring decays can be described by three decreasing exponentials. At room temperature both the coloring curve plateau and coloring rate increases with increasing dose rate. Coloring measurements made at fixed dose rate but at increasing temperature indicate: (1) The coloring curve plateau decreases with increasing temperature and coloring is barely measurable near 400 C. (2) The plateau is reached more rapidly as the temperature increases. (3) The decay occurring after irradiation cannot be described by Arrhenius kinetics. At each temperature the coloring can be explained by simple kinetics. The temperature dependence of the decay can be explained if it is assumed that the thermal untrapping is controlled by a distribution of activation energies.

Swyler, K. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

/Ar-39/-/Ar-40/ ages of lunar rocks

The (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) ages for 21 lunar samples from Apollo 14, 15, 16, and 17 are presented. The cosmic-ray exposure ages, Ca, and K contents are also measured. Mare basalt 15075, a slowly cooled pyroxene-phyric basalt, has a (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) plateau age of 3.45 + or - 0.2 billion years. This is one of the oldest mare basalts found at Apollo 15. 65777, a recrystallized noritic breccia, has a plateau age of 3.72 + or - 0.02 billion years, relatively young for a highland rock. This rock is probably related to a cratering event over 200 m.y. post Imbrium. Similarly breccia 68516 was formed 150 m.y. post Imbrium. Histograms for the (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) plateau ages strongly suggest that the peak in ages at Apollo 14, 16, and 17 of about 4 billion years is caused by the dominance of Imbrium ejecta at these landing sites.

Schaeffer, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Relict drainages, conical hills, and the eolian veneer in southwest Egypt - Applications to Mars

The fluvial and mass wasting origin of the particles in the eolian deposits, the segregation of these materials on the basis of grain size, and the migration of those particles capable of saltation to areas of accumulation in lowland basins of the Sahara are suggested as analogs for the formation and accumulation of 'sand' sheets and dunes on the northern plains and in the polar erg on Mars. Outliers of the Martian plateau in the fretted terrain are seen as having been dissected, at least initially, by channels whose upstream portions are incised in the uplands. The Martian 'wadis' possess many geomorphic peculiarities similar to those of the Gilf (Gilf Kebir Plateau, southwest Egypt) wadis, and like the Egyptian features they have been attributed to mass wasting. Even though basal sapping and removal of debris by wind have almost certainly modified the Martian features, their deep incision in the plateau and their inferred northward extensions in the northern plains are thought to require not only initial downcutting by fairly energetic streams but also prolonged and long-distance flow of water.

Breed, C. S.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Role of Calmodulin in Cell Proliferation

Calmodulin levels were found to increase as cells enter plateau. The data suggest that the cells are exiting the cell cycle late in the G sub 1 phase, or that the calmodulin levels in plateau cells are uncoupled to progression into S phase in plateau cells. Upon release, calmodulin levels rapidly decrease. Following this decrease, there is a increase prior to S phase.

Chafouleas, J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A compositional study of the aristarchus region of the moon using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Newly obtained near-infrared reflectance spectra for features on or near the Aristarchus Plateau demonstrate the diversity of compositions in the region. Highland units are of three probable compositions: a feldspar and clinopyroxene assemblage; a probable clinopyroxene, olivine, and possibly feldspar assemblage; and an assemblage composed of olivine or olivine and feldspar. The feldspar-clinopyroxene assemblage is tentatively correlated with the major Th anomaly centered on Aristarchus crater. The regional pyroclastic deposits on the plateau are composed of greater than 90 percent Fe(2+)-bearing glass. The Aristarchus cratering event fully penetrated any mare or pyroclastics in the target. Evidence for mare-related material is found in the ejecta on the mare side of the mare-plateau contact.

Lucey, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Heterodyne spectroscopy of the J = 17-16 CO line in Orion

High-resolution spectra of the 153 micron J = 17-16 CO line in the BN-KL region of Orion using a laser heterodyne spectrometer are obtained. The line shows broad wings characteristic of the plateau emission as well as a narrower component probably associated with the quiescent gas in the molecular ridge. From an analysis of the plateau emission together with that observed in lower J CO transitions, an excitation temperature of 180 + or - 50 K and minimum column density of 1 x 10 to the 18th /sq cm are derived for CO in this component, which constitutes 80 percent of the total integrated intensity of the J = 17-16 line near BN. The peak intensity of the narrower component observed at 0.8 km/s resolution increases relative to that of the plateau component toward theta 1C and away from BN, while the width decreases from 10 to 4 km/s (FWHM).

Boreiko, R. T.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Photoelectric return-stroke velocity and peak current estimates in natural and triggered lightning

Two-dimensional photoelectric return stroke velocities from 130 strokes are presented, including 86 negative natural, 41 negative triggered, one positive triggered, and two positive natural return strokes. For strokes starting near the ground and exceeding 500 m in length, the average velocity is 1.3 + or - 0.3 X 10 to the 8th m/s for natural return strokes and 1.2 + or - 0.3 X 10 to the 8th m/s for triggered return strokes. For strokes with lengths less than 500 m, the average velocities are slightly higher. Using the transmission line model (TLM), the shortest segment one-dimensional return stroke velocity, and either the maximum or plateau electric field, it is shown that natural strokes have a peak current distribution that is lognormal with a median value of 16 kA (maximum E) or 12 kA (plateau E). Triggered lightning has a medium peak current value of 21 kA (maximum E) or 15 kA (plateau E). Correlations are found between TLM peak currents and velocities for triggered and natural subsequent return strokes, but not between TLM peak currents and natural first return stroke velocities.

Mach, Douglas M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Kasei Valles, Mars - Interpretation of canyon materials and flood sources

Kasei Valles form the most immense outflow channel system on Mars. Here, the materials that make up the canyon walls and floors of Kasei Valles are investigated along with the sources of the flood waters. It is proposed that the geological sequence of plateau materials through which Kasei Valles cuts is capped by ridged plains material overlying relatively weak Noachian plateau materials that increase in resistance to erosion below 1000 m depth. Flooding began in the Late Hesperian, probably originating from the Tharsis rise, here volcanotectonic activity produced high ground-water pressures. Ground water sluiced through hydrofractures above the resistant zone at 1000 m depth and erupted in northern Kasei Valles, forming mostly northeast-trending troughs of Sacra Fossae and etching joints in the ridged plains material. Some of the flood water invaded the upper weak zone of the Noachian plateau materials, producing chaotic and knobby terrains of low relief.

Tanaka, Kenneth L.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Tartarus Colles: A sampling of the Martian highlands

Several of the most fundamental issues about the geology of Mars can be addressed using information on composition and structure of the plateau plains ('highlands') that cover approximately half the planet. The units that compose the highlands are interpreted as a mixture of volcanic, fluvial, lacustrine, and impact ejecta deposits. A more precise inventory of differing of igneous and sedimentary lithologies in highland rock units would not only lead to a better understanding of how the plateau plains formed, but would also clarify the nature of the surface environment during the first 800 m.y. of martian history. Structural features including bedforms, joints, and small faults that are unresolved from orbit record a history of the emplacement and deformation of the highlands. In addition, weathering products present in this very ancient terrain represent a mineralogic record of past climate and of the pathways by which bedrock is altered chemically. Their similarity or dissimilarity to bright soils observed spectroscopically and in situ at the Viking Lander sites will be evidence for the relative roles of regional sources and global eolian transport in producing the widespread cover of 'dust.' Unfortunately, these issues are difficult to address in the plateau plains proper, because bedrock is covered by mobile sand and weathering products, which dominate both surface composition and remotely measurable spectral properties. However, the 'Tartarus Colles' site, located at 11.41 deg N, 197.69 deg W at an elevation of -1 km, provides an excellent opportunity to address the highland geology within the mission constraints of Mars Pathfinder. The site is mapped as unit HNu, and consists of knobby remnants of deeply eroded highlands. It contains rolling hills, but lacks steep escarpments and massifs common in most highland remnants, and is free of large channels that would have removed colluvium from eroded upper portions of the stratigraphic column. These characteristics indicate that variety of bedrock types from throughout the Noachian-Hesperian stratigraphic column may remain at the site.

Murchie, Scott↗

NASA NTRS1992

The psychophysical function for perceived gravitational-inertial force does not depend on the orientation of the otolith organs

It has generally been believed that the perceived intensity of a gravitational-inertial force depends on both the magnitude and orientation of the force with respect to the otolith organs, as does the elevator illusion. In this study, we examine the perceived intensity of Gz force and the elevator illusion as a function of the applied force and the orientation of the subject's head. Methods: Each of 7 male subjects was seated upright in a swinging chair mounted in the Ames 20-G Human Centrifuge while he set a visual target to his apparent horizon and judged the perceived intensity of Gz forces by cross-modal matches on a hand dynamometer. Plateau Gz levels were 1.00 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 2.25, and 2.50; a 30 second ramp to plateau was used in all cases, and the duration of exposure at each plateau was 120 seconds. All measures were obtained both with the subject's head erect and pitched forward 30 degrees. Results: Although the elevator illusion changed with head orientation (F(6,60) = 7.56; p less than 0.001) the perceived intensity of Gz was essentially the same for both orientations of the head (F (6,60) = 0.61; p greater than 50). Conclusions: The results of this experiment suggest that the perceived intensity of gravitational-inertial force does not depend on otolith mechanisms in the same way as does the elevator illusion and that somesthetic, tactile, and other proprioceptive inputs are important for the psychophysical function.

Cohen, M.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Theoretical light curve of a Type 2p supernova

The light curve and other observable diagnostics are presented for what should be a typical Type II 'plateau' supernova, the explosion of a 15 solar mass red supergiant. The calculations are carried out using a multi-frequency radiation transport code that includes opacity from all important mechanisms-bound-bound, bound-free, free-free, and electron scattering. It is found that the inclusion of opacity sources besides electron scattering increases the computed lenght of the plateau in the 15 solar mass model by approximately 30 days. Especially important is the ultraviolet cutoff caused by a thick forest of lines. Deposition and escape of gamma-rays from radioactive decay are also accurately simulated. We find that the presence of 0.06 solar mass of ejected Ni-56 extends the length of the plateau from approximately 100 days to approximately 140 dys. Because of the large hydrogen envleope and radius in this model, mixing does not appreciably alter the bolometric light curve, although it does change the gamma-ray light curve significantly. With 0.06 solar mass of ejected Ni-56, the unmixed (mixed) model peaks in escaping gamma-rays at 576 (466) days with gamma-ray luminosity of 3 x 10(exp 38) ergs/s. Except for the local group, the gamma-rays from an extragalactic 15 solar mass SNe IIp will be too faint to detect with any exsiting detectors. However, a Galactic SNe IIp would be quite bright and easily detectable.

Eastman, Ronald G.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Site testing Antarctica for astronomy

The Antarctic Plateau provides the preeminent sites on the surface of the Earth for many types of astronomical observation. We have embarked on a site testing program to quantify the ultimate sensitivity levels achievable. The program is now in operation at the South Pole, where an infrared sky brightness monitor and micro-thermal temperature sensors have been deployed. We plan to extend these measurements, first at the Pole, and then to the highest parts of the plateau, Domes Argus and Circe. The latter will involve adapting an 'automated geophysical observatory,' a mobile laboratory designed for autonomous operation on the plateau, for astrophysical purposes.

Burton, Michael G.↗