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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 NTRS2002

Chemical Compositions and Abundance Anomalies in Stellar Coronae ADP99

We have been investigating different statistical methods for analysing the metal abundances of sources with low S/N. A Bayesian technique has been developed that determines the most probable line-to-continuum ratio in the source, thereby leading to the metallicity. This method is a promising approach with which to mine the ASCA archive. Some of this work has now been published in conference proceedings. The flavour of the project has changed very slightly in the last year owing to the increasing availability of several good quality Chandra HETG and LETG spectra for stars for which we had reduced and analysed ASCA data. The Chandra grating spectra in principle provide a means of calibrating the results from the low resolution ASCA spectra and we have started some work toward that goal. One paper concerning abundance ratios in active stars is appearing shortly in conference proceedings and is being readied for publication in a main-stream astrophysical journal. This paper demonstrates for the first time that abundance anomalies cannot be categorized simply in terms of First Ionization Potential (FIP) or inverse-FIP based effects. Different Ne enhancements are found in different star types but a link between enhancement factors and stellar properties is not obvious. The publication noted as in preparation in an earlier report, finding strong Ne enhancements in active stars, is now published. These results will again be used to "calibrate" low resolution results for which line ratio techniques cannot be employed.

Drake, Jeremy↗
NASA NTRS2019

Meteor Shower Forecasting in Near-Earth Space

NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) produces an annual meteor shower forecast in order to help spacecraft operators assess the risk posed by meteoroid streams. Previously, this forecast focused on the International Space Station and therefore reported meteoroid fluxes and enhancement factors at an orbital altitude of 400 km. This paper presents an updated forecast algorithm that has an improved calculation of the flux enhancement produced by showers and can calculate fluxes at any selected Earth or lunar orbital altitude. Finally, we discuss and generate forecasted fluxes for the 2018 Draconid meteor shower, which is expected to produce meteoroid flux enhancements near the Sun-Earth L1 and L2 Lagrange points but not at Earth.

Althea V Moorhead↗
NASA NTRS2003

Molecular Carbon in the Galaxy: Laboratory and Observational Studies

In a collaboration with the Mats Larsson group from Stockholm, we carried out a new measurement of the rate of dissociative recombination of H(sup *, sub j), using a new pulsed supersonic beam source of rotationally cold H(sup *, sub j). This source was first designed and characterized in our lab by IR cavity ringdown spectroscopy, determining a rotationaYtranslationa1 temperature of 20-60K, depending on conditions. This new source was then taken to Stockholm for the recombination rate studies at the CRYRING storage ring. The recombination rate constant measured against temperature yields values consistent with the most recent calculations, whereas previous experimental measurements varied over a range of 10(exp 4) and were poor agreement with theory. This is a crucial achievement for understanding the ion chemistry of diffuse clouds. Moreover, this result in combination with recent observations implies a greatly enhanced (factor of 40) cosmic ray ionization rate in a diffuse cloud (zeta Persei) relative to previous studies. The implications of this are discussed in our recent Nature paper. An enhanced cosmic-ray flux towards zeta Persei inferred from a laboratory study of the H(sup *, sub j)-e(sup -) recombination rate.

Saykally, Richard James↗
NASA NTRS1993

Semiclassical approximation for electron impact excitation of hydrogenic ions

The threshold behavior of the electron impact excitation cross sections for hydrogenic ions is investigated using the semiclassical approximation with the hyperbolic orbit for the projectile path, rather than the straight line path. The symmetric approximation is applied to modify the ordinary hyperbolic orbit. The modification factor due to the hyperbolic orbit approximation produces the correct energy dependence of the cross section near the excitation threshold. This result is very similar to that of the quantum mechanical case. The semiclassical enhancement factor due to this simple modification corresponds to the Coulomb focusing factor in the Born-Bethe approximation. In the high-energy limit, the semiclassical cross sections approach the Born-Bethe cross sections, with a finite cutoff in the momentum transfer for dipole transitions.

Jung, Young-Dae↗
NASA NTRS2015

Role of Longwave Cloud-Radiation Feedback in the Simulation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation

The role of the cloud-radiation interaction in the simulation of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is investigated. A special focus is on the enhancement of column-integrated diabatic heating due to the greenhouse effects of clouds and moisture in the region of anomalous convection. The degree of this enhancement, the greenhouse enhancement factor (GEF), is measured at different precipitation anomaly regimes as the negative ratio of anomalous outgoing longwave radiation to anomalous precipitation. Observations show that the GEF varies significantly with precipitation anomaly and with the MJO cycle. The greenhouse enhancement is greater in weak precipitation anomaly regimes and its effectiveness decreases monotonically with increasing precipitation anomaly. The GEF also amplifies locally when convection is strengthened in association with the MJO, especially in the weak precipitation anomaly regime (less than 5 mm day(exp -1)). A robust statistical relationship is found among CMIP5 climate model simulations between the GEF and the MJO simulation fidelity. Models that simulate a stronger MJO also simulate a greater GEF, especially in the weak precipitation anomaly regime (less than 5 mm day(exp -1)). Models with a greater GEF in the strong precipitation anomaly regime (greater than 30 mm day(-1)) represent a slightly slower MJO propagation speed. Many models that lack the MJO underestimate the GEF in general and in particular in the weak precipitation anomaly regime. The results herein highlight that the cloud-radiation interaction is a crucial process for climate models to correctly represent the MJO.

Clouds↗
NASA NTRS1986

Factor of 2 error in balloon-borne atmospheric conduction current measurements

An exact expression is derived for the atmospheric current to a prolate spheroidal antenna. The effective collection area is considered, obtaining a solution for a spherical antenna and the vertical wire antenna. A factor of two error in the studies of the effective area of an antenna of arbitrary geometry by Kasemir and Ruhnke (1958) and Ogawa (1973) is discussed. The effects of the instrument-atmospheric interaction as they apply to the atmospheric conduction current measurement are considered. Electric field enhancement factors for spheroids and approximate solutions for spheroids and other elongated objects are given.

Few, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Effect of Cooling Passage Aspect Ratio on Curvature Heat Transfer Enhancement

A series of electrically heated tube experiments was performed to investigate the effect of high aspect ratio on curvature heat transfer enhancement in uniformly heated rectangular cooling passages. Three hardware geometries were tested: a baseline straight aspect ratio 10 tube, an aspect ratio 1 (square) tube with a 45 deg. curve, and an aspect ratio 10 tube with a 45 deg. curve. Gaseous nitrogen with the following properties was used as the coolant: ambient inlet temperature, pressures to 8.3 MPa, wall-to-bulk temperature ratios less than two, and Reynolds numbers based on hydraulic diameter ranging from 250,000 to 1,600,000. The measured curvature enhancement factors were compared to values predicted by three previously published models which had been developed for low aspect ratio tubes. The models were shown to be valid for the high aspect ratio tube as well the low aspect ratio tube, indicating that aspect ratio had little impact on the curvature heat transfer enhancement in these tests.

Meyer, Michael L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

AMPTE/CCE energetic particle composition measurements during the September 4, 1984 magnetic storm

The results of measurements for the magnetic-storm period of September 4-7, 1984 from the medium-energy particle analyzer (MEPA) on the CCE spacecraft are presented. It is shown that within L-shells of about 2.5 to 5 in the dusk sector near the equatorial plane, the enhancement factor in the fluxes for the CNO group is greater than that of helium, which is greater than that of protons. The flux ratios of helium and CNO over all ions at the same total energy show considerable increases in the same L-shell ranges. For the particle population measured by MEPA, a local current-density enhancement of about 0.5 nA/sq m is found over the L range of 3.5 to 6 during the magnetic storm. It is found that the total current density is dominated by the pressure-gradient current of the protons.

Mcentire, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Light-concentrating microcone array for improving performance of infrared imaging devices

Light-harvesting low-index (n=1.6) microconical arrays are proposed for increasing the sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of mid-wave infrared (MWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs) used in thermal cameras. Numerical modeling showed a 3-D Power enhancement factor ~ 50 in MWIR for 10° tapered microcones with Dt/Db = 60 μm/8μm and h=150μm, where Dt and Db are the top and bottom diameters of microcones, respectively. Such microconical arrays were fabricated in photoresist by using a nanoscribe tool directly on top of the front-illuminated Ni/Si Schottky-barrier, and three-fold enhancement in the photocurrent response was observed. The proposed approach permits increase of the SNR and the operation temperature of the MWIR imaging devices.

Astratov, Vasily N.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Effect of metallic coatings on the thermal contact conductance of turned surfaces

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the degree to which the thermal contact conductance at the interface of contacting Aluminum 6061 T6 surfaces could be enhanced through the use of vapor-deposited metallic coatings. Three different coating materials (lead, tin, and indium) were evaluated using four different thicknesses for each coating material. The results verified the existence of an optimum coating thickness, shown to be in the range of 2.0 to 3.0 microns for indium, 1.5 to 2.5 microns for lead, and 0.2 to 0.5 microns for tin. The enhancement factors for thermal contact conductance were found to be on the order of 700, 400, and 50 percent, respectively. Based upon the experimental data, the hardness of the coating materials appears to be the most significant parameter in ranking the substrate and coating material combinations; however, additional experimental data are needed to substantiate this hypothesis. Finally, it was apparent that the thermal contact conductance enhancement effect was greatest at low contact pressures and decreased significantly with increases in the contact pressure.

Kang, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Solar cycle variation of interplanetary disturbances observed as Doppler scintillation transients

Interplanetary disturbances characterized by plasma that is more turbulence and/or moves faster than the background solar wind are readily defected as transients in Doppler scintillation measurements of the near-Sun solar wind. Systematic analysis of over 23,000 hours of Pioneer Venus Orbiter Doppler measurements obtained inside 0.5 AU during 1979-1987 have made it possible for the first time to investigate the frequency of occurrence of Doppler scintillation transients under solar minimum conditions and to determine its dependence on solar cycle. On the basis of a total of 142 transients, Doppler scintillation transient rates vary from a high of 0.22 in 1979 (one every 4.6 days) to a low of 0.077 transients/d in 1986 (one every 13 days), a decrease by almost a factor of 3 from solar maximum to solar minimum. This solar cycle variation, the strongest yet of any solar wind Doppler scintillation property, is highly correlated with both solar activity characterized by sunspot number and the coronal mass ejection rates deduced from Solswind and Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) coronagraph observations. These results indicate that coronal mass ejections and Doppler scintillation transients are closely related not just during solar maximum, as occasional individual comparisons have shown in the past, but throughout the entire solar cycle, and strengthen the notation that the Doppler scintillation and optical transients are different manifestations of the same physical phenomenon. The magnitudes of the transients, as described by the ratio of peak to pretransient scintillation levels (EF for enhancement factor), and their distribution iwth heliocentric distance also vary with solar cycle. While EF tends to diminish with increasing heliocentric distance during high solar activity, it is more evenly distributed during low solar activity. EF is also lower during solar minimum, as 13% of the transients during solar maximum have values exceeding 23, the highest EF observed during solar minimum. These results are consistent with the fact that occasional major fast-moving interplanetary shocks that are observed during solar maximum are very rate during solar minimum.

Woo, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2020

Understanding and Improving Model Representation of Aerosol Optical Properties for a Chinese Haze Event Measured During KORUS-AQ

KORUS-AQ was an international cooperative air quality field study in South Korea that measured local and remote sources of air pollution affecting the Korean Peninsula during May–June 2016. Some of the largest aerosol mass concentrations were measured during a Chinese haze transport event (24 May). Air quality forecasts using the WRF-Chem model with aerosol optical depth (AOD) data assimilation captured AOD during this pollution episode but overpredicted surface particulate matter concentrations in South Korea, especially PM2.5, often by a factor of 2 or larger. Analysis revealed multiple sources of model deficiency related to the calculation of optical properties from aerosol mass that explain these discrepancies. Using in situ observations of aerosol size and composition as inputs to the optical properties calculations showed that using a low-resolution size bin representation (four bins) underestimates the efficiency with which aerosols scatter and absorb light (mass extinction efficiency). Besides using finer-resolution size bins (8–16 bins), it was also necessary to increase the refractive indices and hygroscopicity of select aerosol species within the range of values reported in the literature to achieve better consistency with measured values of the mass extinction efficiency (6.7 m2 g−1 observed average) and light-scattering enhancement factor (f(RH)) due to aerosol hygroscopic growth (2.2 observed average). Furthermore, an evaluation of the optical properties obtained using modeled aerosol properties revealed the inability of sectional and modal aerosol representations in WRF-Chem to properly reproduce the observed size distribution, with the models displaying a much wider accumulation mode. Other model deficiencies included an underestimate of organic aerosol density (1.0 g cm−3 in the model vs. observed average of 1.5 g cm−3) and an overprediction of the fractional contribution of submicron inorganic aerosols other than sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, chloride, and sodium corresponding to mostly dust (17 %–28 % modeled vs. 12 % estimated from observations). These results illustrate the complexity of achieving an accurate model representation of optical properties and provide potential solutions that are relevant to multiple disciplines and applications such as air quality forecasts, health impact assessments, climate projections, solar power forecasts, and aerosol data assimilation.

Pablo E. Saide↗
NASA NTRS1974

Atmospheric spreading of protons in auroral arcs

A model is developed to calculate the effect of atmospheric spreading on the flux and angular distribution of protons in homogeneous auroral arcs. An expression is derived that indicates the angular distribution in the atmosphere as a function of distance from arc center, neutral scale height, arc width, and initial angular distribution. The results of the model agree favorably with those based on Monte-Carlo calculations. From these results the enhancement factors needed to compute the original proton current above the atmosphere are obtained. A technique is indicated for determining the incident angular distribution from rocket-based measurements of the arc width and angular distribution.

Iglesias, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Observation of transiron solar-flare nuclei in an Apollo 16 command-module window

The first measurements of the fluence of solar particles with nuclear charges not less than 32 and 44 are presented, along with the enhancement factors found. Using a track-etching technique, these transiron nuclei were detected in a window from the Apollo 16 command module which was exposed outside the magnetosphere during the solar-particle event of Apr. 18, 1972.

Shirk, E. K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Optimizing signal-to-error ratio in standing wave ultrasonic measurements

Standing wave ultrasonic techniques for the measurement of very small changes in acoustic attenuation and phase velocity are discussed. Enhanced sensitivity to these small changes was achieved by making the specimen part of a composite ultrasonic resonator. It was found that a point of maximum sensitivity on the response of such an ultrasonic resonator need not coincide with a point of maximum signal-to-error ratio. A model is presented and analyzed which takes into account error due to long term (low frequency) noise effects such as gain drifts and dc level shifts. This model yields a quantitative value for the signal-to-error ratio in which the signal is defined as the ideal change in the monitored response and the error as the difference between the experimentally measured change and the signal. The specific frequency dependent forms for the ultrasonic response and the sensitivity enhancement factor were used to predict the operating point on a mechanical resonance corresponding to maximum signal-to-error ratio.

Brown, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Ultrasonic coupling to optically generated charge carriers in CdS: Physical phenomena and applications

Phonon-charge carrier interactions are studied as well as ultrasonic resonators. Sensitivity enhancement factors predicted by one dimensional resonator theory are verified and several sensitive ultrasonic experimental techniques are developed. Measurements are reported of an anomalous sign reversal of the acoustoelectric voltage in a CdS resonator. Applications of CdS as an ultrasonic power detector are described.

Heyman, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Glucose metabolism in different regions of the rat brain under hypokinetic stress influence

Glucose metabolism in rats kept under long term hypokinetic stress was studied in 7 brain regions. Determination was made of the regional levels of glucose, lactate, glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, gamma-aminobutyrate and the incorporation of C-14 from plasma glucose into these metabolites, in glycogen and protein. From the content and activity data the regional glucose flux was approximated quantitatively. Under normal conditions the activity gradient cortex and frontal pole cerebellum, thalamus and mesencephalon, hypothalamus and pons and medulla is identical with that of the regional blood supply (measured with I131 serum albumin as the blood marker). Within the first days of immobilization a functional hypoxia occurred in all brain regions and the utilization of cycle amino acids for protein synthesis was strongly diminished. After the first week of stress the capillary volumes of all regions increased, aerobic glucose metabolism was enhanced (factors 1.3 - 2.0) and the incorporation of glucose C-14 via cycle amino acids into protein was considerably potentiated. The metabolic parameters normalized between the 7th and 11th week of stress. Blood supply and metabolic rate increased most in the hypothalamus.

Konitzer, K.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Elemental composition of solar energetic particles in 1977 and 1978

Measurements of the elemental composition of energetic nuclei with atomic numbers between 2 and 28 from seven major solar flares from September 1977 to May 1978 are presented. The abundance observations were made with the Low Energy Telescope systems of the cosmic ray detector systems on board the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft between 1 and 3 AU. Examination of the abundance ratios of the flare nuclei relative to oxygen reveals significant variations from event to event and between energetic nuclei and photospheric abundances, with an average composition, except for C and N, very similar to that of the galactic cosmic ray source. For the four flare events for which the elemental abundances exhibit no significant energy dependence in the energy range observed, it is found that the enhancement of energetic nuclei relative to their photospheric abundance are similar and not monotonic with atomic number, with the metallic nuclei showing an enhancement factor of approximately 5 and the volatiles showing one closer to 1.

Cook, W. R.↗