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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

A magnetospheric critical velocity experiment - Particle results

In March of 1983, a barium injection sounding rocket experiment (The Star of Lima) was conducted to investigate Alfven's critical ionization velocity (CIV) hypothesis in space. Included in the instrumented payload was a particle detection experiment consisting of five retarding potential analyzers. Despite conditions that appeared to be optimal for the critical velocity effect, the particle data, in agreement with optical observations, indicates that a fractional ionization of only approximately .0005 was observed, indicating that the conditions required for the effect to occur are still not well understood. However many of the required phenomena associated with the CIV effect were observed; in particular a superthermal electron population was formed at the expense of ion drift kinetic energy in the presence of intense electrostatic waves near the lower hybrid frequency. The amount of ionization produced is plausibly consistent with the observed electron flux, but could also be accounted for by residual solar UV at the injection point. It is shown based on the data set that one obvious explanation for the low ionization efficiency, namely that the ionizing superthermal electrons may rapidly escape along field lines, can be ruled out.

Torbert, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Xenon critical velocity releases from the ACTIVNY satellite - Discussion of attempted optical observations

The ACTIVNY satellite launched on Sept. 30, 1989 was a platform for a suite of active plasma experiments, including releases of Xe gas to test Alfven's critical velocity effect. Three releases were done over Alaska and three over Utah, all fully illuminated by sunlight. We attempted optical observations from ground stations in the dark, using various low light level imagers and spectrographs, with narrow bandpass filters on XeI and XeII lines and also in white light. Viewing conditions were very good on several releases, the satellite could tracked easily, but we saw no optical evidence of the releases from any wavelength. We discuss the reasons why optical diagnostics in the visible and near infrared failed to detect emissions from the releases.

Wescott, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1937

The critical velocity of a body towed by a cable from an airplane

It is sufficient to consider only the equations of motion of the towed body whereas those of the cable may be left out of consideration. The result obtained makes it possible to determine which factors affect the critical velocity and what modifications of the instrument are necessary for extending the upper limit of that velocity.

Koning, C↗
NASA NTRS1936

The Question of Spontaneous Wing Oscillations : Determination of Critical Velocity Through Flight-oscillation Tests

Determination of the spontaneous oscillations of a wing or tail unit entail many difficulties, both the mathematical determination and the determination by static wing oscillation tests being far from successful and flight tests involving very great risks. The present paper gives a method developed at the Junkers Airplane Company by which the critical velocity with respect to spontaneous oscillations of increasing amplitude can be ascertained in flight tests without undue risks, the oscillation of the surface being obtained in the tests by the application of an external force.

Schlippe, B V↗
NASA NTRS2004

Analytical Solution for the Critical Velocity of Pushing/Engulfment Transition

The distribution of ceramic particles in a metal matrix composite material depends primarily on the interaction of the particles with the solid/liquid interface during the solidification process. A numerical model that describes the evolution of the shape of the solid/liquid interface in the proximity of a foreign particle will presented in this paper. The model accounts for the influence of the temperature gradient and the Gibbs-Thomson and disjoining pressure effects. It shows that for the systems characterized by k(sub p) < k(sub L) the disjoining pressure causes the interface curvature to change its sign in the close-contact particle/interface region. It also shows that the increase of the temperature gradient diminishes the effect of the disjoining pressure. The analysis of the numerical results obtained for a large range of processing conditions and materials parameters has led to the development of an analytical solution for the critical velocity of pushing/engulfinent transition. The theoretical results will be discussed and compared with the experimental measurements performed under microgravity conditions.

Catalina, Adrian V.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Critical Velocity in Open Capillary Channel Flows

We investigate forced liquid flows through open capillary channels with free surfaces experimentally. The experiments were performed under low gravity conditions in the Bremen Drop Tower and on board the sounding rocket TEXUS-37. Open capillary channels (vanes) are used in surface tension tanks to transport the propellant and to provide a flow path for the bubble-free liquid supply to the thrusters. Since the free surfaces can only withstand a certain pressure differential between the liquid and ambient, the flow rate in the channel is limited. The maximum flow rate is achieved when the surfaces collapse and gas is ingested into the outlet. Since experimental and theoretical data of this flow rate limitation is lacking, the safety factors for the application of vanes in surface tension tanks must be unnecessary high. The aim of the investigation is to determine the maximum liquid flow rate and the corresponding critical flow velocity. The characteristic nondimensional parameters, OHNESORGE number, and gap ratio, cover a wide range of usual vanes. For the theoretical approach a one-dimensional momentum balance was set up. The numerical solution yields the maximum volume flux and the position of the free surface in good agreement with the experiments.

Rosendahl, Uwe↗
NASA NTRS1977

Critical velocity phenomena and the LTP

When the relative velocity between magnetized plasma and neutral gas exceeds a critical value, the gas-plasma interaction is dominated by collective phenomena which rapidly excite and ionize the neutrals. The interaction of the solar wind with a large cloud (between 10 to the 24th and 10 to the 28th power neutrals) vented from the moon should be of this type. Line radiation from such an interaction can yield an apparent lunar surface brightness rivaling reflected sunlight levels over small areas, if the kinetic-energy flow density of the gas is sufficiently high. The aberrated solar-wind flow past the moon would enhance the visibility of such interactions near the lunar sunrise terminator, supporting the statistical studies which indicate that the 'Lunar Transient Phenomena' (anomalous optical phenomena on the moon) are significantly correlated with the position of the terminator on the lunar surface.

Srnka, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The critical velocity phenomenon and the origin of the regular satellites

A theory is developed for the formation of the satellite systems which are likely to have been formed in situ, that is, not by capture of the satellite by the central planet. The foundation of the theory is the observation of the similarity between the band structure of such satellites and the band structure of cosmically abundant elements. That means that the values of the quantity log Gamma, where Gamma is the ratio of the mass of the central body to the orbital radius of the secondary body, are grouped into three bands which can be identified with the three bands into which are grouped the values of the ratio of the mass of a central body to the distance at which the kinetic energy of a freely falling cloud of atoms of a given kind equals the ionization energy. A coherent series of processes that could have led to the formation of satellites is outlined. The theory is valid also for planets, since the above-mentioned band structure is noted for the sun-planets system also.

De, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Dynamic behavior of continuous cantilevered pipes conveying fluid near critical velocities

The plane motion of a cantilevered pipe conveying fluid is examined when the flow velocity is in the neighborhood of that generating flutter. In contrast to previous studies, the flow velocity is not prescribed as a constant, but is determined from the laws of motion. A system of two nonlinear partial differential equations which are coupled through the nonlinear terms is thereby obtained. The solution is found by the use of the Krylov-Bogoliubov averaging method and the results are discussed indicating the effect of nonlinearities.

Rousselet, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A critical velocity interaction between fast barium and strontium atoms and the terrestial ionospheric plasma

A disk of barium and strontium vapor traveling radially outward, perpendicular to the geomagnetic field lines, may be created by the detonation of a high-explosive, radially shaped charge with a liner composed of the two metals in the upper atmosphere. Because of solar radiation resonance, both the barium and the strontium may be optically tracked. Observations indicate the early formation of the metal ions thus evolved into a disk-shaped, stellate structure with a dark hole at the center of a radial structure. The results of these experiments indicate that the process could occur on a cosmic scale, and that unconfirmed aspects of the theory relating to this process could be determined through variation of the parameters in future radial rocket experiments.

Deehr, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Critical Velocities in Open Capillary Flow

This paper describes the proposed research program on open capillary flow and the preliminary work performed theoretically and in drop tower experiments. The work focuses on the fundamental physical understanding of the flow through capillary bound geometries, where the circumference of the cross section of the flow path contains free surfaces. Examples for such a flow configuration are capillary vanes in surface tension tanks, flow along edges and corners and flow through liquid bridges. The geometries may be classified by their cross section areas, wetted circumferences and the radii of curvature of the free surfaces. In the streaming float zone the flow path is bound by a free surface only. The ribbon vane is a model for vane types used in surface tension tanks, where a structure in proximity to the tank wall forms a capillary gap. A groove is used in heat pipes for the transportation of the condensed working fluid to the heat source and a wedge may occur in a spaceborne experiment where fluid has to be transported by the means of surface tension. The research objectives are the determination of the maximum volume flux, the observation of the free surfaces and the liquid flow inside the flow path as well as the evaluation of the limiting capillary wave speed. The restriction of the maximum volume flux is due to convective forces (flow velocity exceeding the capillary wave speed) and/or viscous forces, i.e. the viscous head loss along the flow path must be compensated by the capillary pressure due to the curved free surface. Exceeding the maximum volume flux leads to the choking of the flow path, thus the free surface collapses and.gas ingestion occurs at the outlet. The means are ground-based experimental work with plateau tanks and in a drop tower, a sounding rocket flight, and theoretical analysis with integral balances as well as full three dimensional CFD solutions for flow with free surfaces.

Dreyer, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1986

A simulation study of the critical ionization velocity process

The critical ionization velocity process is studied by first investigating a coupled system of equations describing the production of several ion species and electrons by impact ionization, their collisions with neutrals, and the heating of electrons. Analytic relations derived from this were tested with the help of a particle simulation, including collisional processes between neutrals and plasma particles. It was found that resistive heating of electrons plays an important role when the density of the neutrals is high, and that electron heating due to lower hybrid waves is significant when the neutral density is low. In both cases, the control of the plasma production rate by the ratio of the beam velocity to the critical velocity was verified.

Machida, S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Numerical quasi-linear study of the critical ionization velocity phenomenon

The critical ionization velocity (CIV) for a neutral barium (Ba) gas cloud moving across the static magnetic field is studied numerically using quasi-linear equations and a parameter range which is typical for the shaped-charge Ba gas release experiments in space. For consistency the charge exchange between the background oxygen ions and neutral atoms and its reverse process, as well as the excitation of the neutral Ba atoms, are included. The numerical results indicate that when the ionization rate due to CIV becomes comparable to the charge exchange rate the energy lost to the ionization and excitation collisions by the superthermal electrons exceeds the energy gain from the waves that are excited by the ion beam. This results in a CIV yield less than the yield by the charge exchange process.

Moghaddam-Taaheri, E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

On the turbulent heating and the threshold condition in the critical ionization velocity interaction

On the basis of the nonlinear treatment of the ion beam instability and the modified two-stream instability, threshold conditions for the critical ionization velocity interaction are derived. There are three different regimes of interaction: (1) additional ionization for relative velocities smaller than the critical velocity, (2) the self-sustained discharge for velocities greater than the critical velocity which indeed turns out as a sharp threshold, and (3) an explosive growth regime for velocities exceeding 1.5 times the critical velocity. Additional charge exchange collisions of ions and energy loss of electrons due to excitation do not change the basic threshold behavior but modify the value of the critical velocity.

Moebius, E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Optical observations on the CRIT-II Critical Ionization Velocity Experiment

A rocket borne Critical Ionization Velocity (CIV0 experiment was carried out from Wallops Island at dusk on May 4, 1989. Two barium shaped charges were released below the solar terminator (to prevent photoionization) at altitudes near 400 km. The ambient ionospheric electron density was 50,000/cu cm. The neutral barium jet was directed upward and at an angle of nominally 45 degrees to B which gives approximately 3 x 10 to the 23rd neutrals with super critical velocity. Ions created by a CIV process in the region of the neutral jet would travel up along B into sunlight where they can be detected optically. Well defined ion clouds (max. brightness 750 R) were observed in both releases. An ionization rate of 0.8 percent/sec (125 sec ionization time constant) can account for the observed ion cloud near the release field line, but the ionization rate falls off with increasing distance from the release. It is concluded that a CIV process was present in the neutral jet out to about 50 km from the release, which is significantly further than allowed by current theories.

Stenbaek-Nielsen, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The manifestation of Alfven's hypothesis of critical ionization velocity in the performance of MPD thrusters

The role of Alfven's critical ionization velocity in the performance of the self-field MPD thruster has been investigated. The existence of a well defined characteristic velocity can be attributed to an ionization process involving the production of a population of suprathermal electrons by an electrostatic instability. It is shown that for the MPD thruster plasma, suprathermalization of electrons via this electrostatic instability can only happen if ions are initially accelerated to velocities larger than the Alfven critical ionization velocity. When this occurs the mechanism will be initiated and the ions decelerated to velocities near the critical velocity. This mechanism ceases to be limiting when all neutrals are ionized. A model of MPD thruster terminal behavior, incorporating Alfven's hypothesis, is presented. Experiments with three different propellants reveal that operation at values of the current squared to total mass flow ratio corresponding to the Alfven critical velocity is marked by a transition wherein low frequency voltage oscillations and a notable change in the voltage-current dependence occurs. One major result of this study is the demonstration that the Alfven critical velocity is not a fundamental limitation on MPD exhaust velocity.

Choueiri, E. Y.↗