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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Evidence for fragmentation of strongly nonspherical dust particles in the tail of Comet West 1976 VI

Motion of 16 striae through the dust tail of Comet West 1976 VI are observed over a time interval of more than three days. Initiation times for most of the 16 striae are found to coincide with the times of discrete violent bursts of dust, determined from the motions of streamers. It is also found that fragments are subjected to repulsive accelerations between 0.6 and 2.7 the solar attraction, indicating submicron-size absorbing particles, while repulsive accelerations imparted to parent articles are slightly lower than the average acceleration of fragments. The sizes of the fragments are estimated to be between one tenth and a few tenths of a micron. No effect of the Lorentz force on striae motion is detected. It is concluded that the theoretical assumption that striae are products of fragmentation of friable dust particles ejected from the nucleus agrees with observations.

Sekanina, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Absorbers seen near the Venus cloud tops from Pioneer Venus

Pioneer Venus Orbiter measurements of planetary contrast at the Venus cloud tops are discussed. Images of the cloud tops at wavelengths between 1990 and 3400 A were obtained by the Pioneer UV Spectrometer together with broadband imagery and polarimetry at 2700 and 3650 A from the Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter at Venus phase angles of 33 to 130 deg. The planet is found to be darkest at the point where the UV Spectrometer line of sight penetrates perpendicular to the cloud tops, indicating that the absorbing material must be deep in the atmosphere. The contrast observed at wavelengths shortward of 3200 A is explained by SO2 absorption in the dark regions, while the persistence of the contrast at longer wavelengths requires the presence of an additional absorber or absorbers closely associated with the SO2, and a haze of submicron particles overlying the cloud tops in the bright regions. The correlations found between contrast and polarization indicate that no single constituent or change in vertical structure can account for the UV contrast. The origin of the markings is instead explained by a model in which absorbers subject to photochemical destruction are mixed upward into the cloud top region.

Esposito, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Lunar rock surfaces as detectors of solar processes

Lunar rock surfaces exposed at or just below the lunar surface are considered as detectors of the solar wind, solar flares and solar-derived magnetic fields through their interactions with galactic cosmic rays. The degradation of the solar detector capabilities of lunar surface rocks by meteoroid impact erosion, accreta deposition, loose dust, and sputtering, amorphous layer formation and accelerated diffusion due to solar particles and illumination is discussed, and it is noted that the complex interactions of factors affecting the outer micron of exposed surface material has so far prevented the development of a satisfactory model for a particle detector on the submicron scale. Methods for the determination of surface exposure ages based on the accumulation of light solar wind noble gases, Fe and Mg, impact craters, solar flare tracks, and cosmogenic Kr isotopes are examined, and the systematic variations in the ages determined by the various clocks are discussed. It is concluded that a means of obtaining satisfactory quantitative rate or flux data has not yet been established.

Hartung, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Pre- and post-annealing of mechanical damage in silicon wafers

Basic properties of mechanical damage in silicon consisting of cracks and abrasion were studied using transmission electron microscopy. The crystallographic structure of mechanical damage was determined before and after high temperature annealing. The main findings include that stresses in silicon around crack tips are not plastically relieved at room temperature and that abrasion at room temperature introduces shear loops into the silicon. It was also found that cracks of micron size can be annealed out, specifically, if cleavage occurs on 111 planes. The healing products of such cracks are 60 deg and 90 deg dislocations. Submicron cracks transform into stacking faults during annealing. Likewise high concentrations of shear loops due abrasion were found to anneal into stacking faults. A one to one correlation between surface areas containing small cracks and stacking faults was made. Measurements of damage removal on silicon surfaces through chemical-mechanical etching techniques are presented. It is shown that silicon dioxide repolishes damaged silicon surfaces most effectively.

Schwottke, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Method of Fabricating Schottky Barrier solar cell

On a thin substrate of low cost material with at least the top surface of the substrate being electrically conductive is deposited a thin layer of heavily doped n-type polycrystalline germanium, with crystalline sizes in the submicron range. A passivation layer may be deposited on the substrate to prevent migration of impurities into the polycrystalline germanium. The polycrystalline germanium is recrystallized to increase the crystal sizes in the germanium layer to not less than 5 micros to serve as a base layer on which a thin layer of gallium arsenide is vapor epitaxially grown to a selected thickness. A thermally-grown oxide layer of a thickness of several tens of angstroms is formed on the gallium arsenide layer. A metal layer, of not more about 100 angstroms thick, is deposited on the oxide layer, and a grid electrode is deposited to be in electrical contact with the top surface of the metal layer. An antireflection coating may be deposited on the exposed top surface of the metal layer.

Stirn, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

On the electrostatic charging of the cometary nucleus

The paper demonstrates that a water-dominated cometary nucleus is not shielded from solar UV radiation or solar wind by protective atmospheres beyond a heliocentric distance of 5 AU. It is also shown that submicron dust particles can be electrostatically levitated and blown off the cometary surface. An upper limit on the total mass that can be lost from the sunlit hemisphere is derived using two solar wind models, and the dust mantle erosion is estimated at 5-12 cm. It is noted that the erosion is comparable to the mass of dust blown off a typical medium bright comet by the viscous drag of the sublimating gases during perihelium passage between 3.0 and 0.5 AU, and it is therefore proposed, that the surface dust blow-off be included in the current balance equation.

Mendis, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

New kind of type 3 chondrite with a graphite-magnetite matrix

Four clasts in three ordinary-chondrite regolith breccias are discovered which are a new kind of type 3 chondrite. As with ordinary and carbonaceous type 3 chondrites, they have distinct chondrules, some of which contain glass, highly heterogeneous olivines and pyroxenes, and predominantly monoclinic low-Ca pyroxenes. Instead of the usual, fine-grained, Fe-rich silicate matrix, however, the clasts have a matrix composed largely of aggregates of micron- and submicron-sized graphite and magnetite. The bulk compositions of the clasts, as well as the types of chondrules (largely porphyritic), are characteristic of type 3 ordinary chondrites, although chondrules in the clasts are somewhat smaller (0.1-0.5 mm). A close relationship with ordinary chondrites is also suggested by the presence of similar graphite-magnetite aggregates in seven type 3 ordinary chondrites. It is thought that this new kind of chondrite is probably the source of the abundant graphite-magnetite inclusions in ordinary-chondrite regolith breccias and that it may be more common than indicated by the absence of whole meteorites made of chondrules and graphite-magnetite.

Scott, E. R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Metallic particles in the glassy constituents of three lunar highland samples 65315, 67435 and 78235

Electron probe microanalysis and analytical electron microscopy techniques were employed to obtain structural and chemical analyses of metal particles in the size range of less than 1000 A and greater than 5 microns from the glassy constituents of 3 lunar highland samples 65315, 67435 and 78235. Most of the micron size metal particles in the glass coatings of the three samples are of meteoritic Co-Ni content. The Ni content of submicron metal often differs significantly from the micron size metal in the same glass. This difference can be explained by one of 3 reasons: (a) the presence of metal of different sizes and Ni contents in the rock prior to the shock event, (b) the presence of metal particles in the lunar soil of meteoritic or variable Ni content which were incorporated when the glass formed and (c) the production of submicroscopic Fe metal from the reduction of Fe(+2) in the shock produced melt.

Mehta, S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A unique type 3 ordinary chondrite containing graphite-magnetite aggregates - Allan Hills A77011

ALHA 77011, which is the object of study in the present investigation, is a chondrite of the 1977 meteorite collection from Allan Hills, Antarctica. It contains an opaque and recrystallized silicate matrix (Huss matrix) and numerous aggregates consisting of micron- and submicron-sized graphite and magnetite. It is pointed out that no abundant graphite-magnetite aggregates could be observed in other type 3 ordinary chondrites, except for Sharps. Attention is given to the results of a modal analysis, relations between ALHA 77011 and other type 3 ordinary chondrites, and the association of graphite-magnetite and metallic Fe, Ni. The discovery of graphite-magnetite aggregates in type 3 ordinary chondrites is found to suggest that this material may have been an important component in the formation of ordinary chondrites.

Mckinley, S. G.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Noble gas trapping by laboratory carbon condensates

Trapping of noble gases by carbon-rich matter was investigated by synthesizing carbon condensates in a noble gas atmosphere. Laser evaporation of a solid carbon target yielded submicron grains which proved to be efficient noble gas trappers (Xe distribution coefficients up to 13 cu cm STP/g-atm). The carbon condensates are better noble gas trappers than previously reported synthetic samples, except one, but coefficients inferred for meteoritic acid-residues are still orders of magnitude higher. The trapped noble gases are loosely bound and elementally strongly fractionated, but isotopic fractionations were not detected. Although this experiment does not simulate nebular conditions, the results support the evidence that carbon-rich phases in meteorites may be carriers of noble gases from early solar system reservoirs. The trapped elemental noble gas fractionations are remarkably similar to both those inferred for meteorites and those of planetary atmospheres for earth, Mars and Venus.

Niemeyer, S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The path and surviving tail of a comet that fell into the sun

A satisfactory orbital solution for Comet Howard-Koomen-Michels 1979 XI is found on the assumption that the comet's line of apsides coincided with that of the Kreutz sungrazing comet group. The derived perihelion distance then shows that this is the first known case of a comet falling into the sun. A dust tail that survived the comet is studied as a particle flow phenomenon controlled by no force other than solar gravity and solar radiation pressure. The tail's outline is interpreted in terms of an onset of dust production, a peak repulsive force on the particles, and a circumsolar dustfree zone due to particle sublimation. It is shown that the surviving debris consisted mostly of absorbing, submicron size particles in hyperbolic trajectories convex to the sun and curving toward the earth. The tail width may be a product of the interaction of charged dust in the tail with a complicated structure of the coronal magnetic field.

Sekanina, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1982

In situ monitoring of liquid phase electroepitaxial growth

In situ monitoring of the layer thickness during liquid phase electroepitaxy (LPEE) was achieved with a submicron resolution through precise resistance measurements. The new approach to the study and control of LPEE was applied to growth of undoped and Ge-doped GaAs layers. The in situ determined growth kinetics was found to be in excellent agreement with theory.

Okamoto, A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Sampling of Silicon Powder for Impurity Analysis

Electron beam forms dense pellets of powdered silicon for Zeeman analysis. Sampling method focuses electron beam on submicron silicon powder. Process enhances quality control in production of low-cost silicon powder for semiconductor industry.

Yamakawa, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Impact of VLSI/VHSIC on satellite on-board signal processing

Forecasted improvements in IC fabrication techniques, such as the use of X-ray lithography, are expected to yield submicron circuit feature sizes within the decade of the 1980s. As dimensions decrease, reliability, cost, speed, power consumption and density improvements will be realized which have a significant impact on the capabilities of onboard spacecraft signal processing functions. This will in turn result in increases of the intelligence that may be deployed on spaceborne remote sensing platforms. Among programs oriented toward such goals are the silicon-based Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) researches sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, and efforts toward the development of GaAs devices which will compete with silicon VLSI technology for future applications. GaAs has an electron mobility which is five to six times that of silicon, and promises commensurate computation speed increases under low field conditions.

Aanstoos, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Annual Conference on Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects, 19th, Las Vegas, NV, July 20-22, 1982, Proceedings

The results of research concerning the effects of nuclear and space radiation are presented. Topics discussed include the basic mechanisms of nuclear and space radiation effects, radiation effects in devices, and radiation effects in microcircuits, including studies of radiation-induced paramagnetic defects in MOS structures, silicon solar cell damage from electrical overstress, radiation-induced charge dynamics in dielectrics, and the enhanced radiation effects on submicron narrow-channel NMOS. Also examined are topics in SGEMP/IEMP phenomena, hardness assurance and testing, energy deposition, desometry, and radiation transport, and single event phenomena. Among others, studies are presented concerning the limits to hardening electronic boxes to IEMP coupling, transient radiation screening of silicon devices using backside laser irradiation, the damage equivalence of electrons, protons, and gamma rays in MOS devices, and the single event upset sensitivity of low power Schottky devices.

Long, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Venus -Mesospheric hazes of ice, dust, and acid aerosols

Four distinct types of particles are suggested to be present in the upper atmosphere of Venus. The lowest and densest haze may consist of a submicron sulfuric acid aerosol which extends above the cloud tops, up to about 80 km, representing an extension of the upper cloud deck. Temperature structure measurements in the 70-120 km altitude range indicate the occasional appearance of two independent water ice layers, of which the lower may form between 80 and 100 km and is probably the detached haze layer noted in high contrast limb photography. A nucleation of this ice layer on sulfuric acid aerosols is hypothesized. Temperatures of the Venus mesopause, near 120 km altitude, are frequently cold enough to allow ice nucleation on meteoric dust or ambient ions, yielding a haze (analogous to noctilucent clouds on earth) which is expected to be tenuous to the point of optical invisibility.

Turco, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Application of digital image analysis techniques to antimisting fuel spray characterization

Pulsed ruby laser sheet illumination of the spray is used for the initial recording of data on very-high-resolution photographic film. The digitization of mosaic elements is effected with a vidicon and video digitizer whose output is stored in computer RAM memory for processing. Highly nonspherical elements and a broad range of drop diameters (8-2000 microns) resulting from the unusual rheological properties of the fuel-additive system are accommodated by the device configuration and algorithms. It is found that the generation of two-dimensional images by means of scattered light also eliminates errors resulting from variations in the index of refraction and from the submicron scattering sites that are often present within the modified fuel. No a priori information on the drop size distribution or on the system response to various drop sizes is required.

Fleeter, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Io's 4-micron band and the role of adsorbed SO2

The role of adsorbed SO2 on Io's surface particles in producing the observed spectral absorption band near 4 microns in Io's reflectance spectrum is explored. Calculations show that a modest 50 percent monolayer coating of adsorbed So2 molecules on submicron grains of sulfur or alkali sulfide, assumed to make up Io's uppermost optical surface ('radialith'), will result in a nu 1 + nu 3 absorption band near 4 microns with depth about 30 percent below the adjacent continuum, consistent with the observed strength of the Io band. The precise wavelength position of the nu 1 + nu 3 band of SO2 in different phase states such as frost, ice, adsorbate, and gas are summarized from the experimental literature and compared with the available telescopic measurements of the Io band position. The results suggest that the 4-micron band in Io's full disk spectrum can best be explained by the presence on Io's surface of widespread SO2 in the form of adsorbate rather than ice or frost.

Nash, D. B.↗