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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 NTRS2002

Kepler Mission: A Discovery-Class Mission Designed to Determine the Frequency of Earth-Size and Larger Planets Around Solar-Like Stars

The first step in discovering the extent of life in our galaxy is to determine the number of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone (HZ). The Kepler Mission is designed around a 0.95 in aperture Schmidt-type telescope with an array of 42 CCDs designed to continuously monitor the brightness of 100,000 solar-like stars to detect the transits of Earth-size and larger planets. The photometer is scheduled to be launched into heliocentric orbit in 2007. Measurements of the depth and repetition time of transits provide the size of the planet relative to the star and its orbital period. When combined with ground-based spectroscopy of these stars to fix the stellar parameters, the true planet radius and orbit scale, hence the position relative to the HZ are determined. These spectra are also used to discover the relationships between the characteristics of planets and the stars they orbit. In particular, the association of planet size and occurrence frequency with stellar mass and metallicity will be investigated. At the end of the four year mission, hundreds of terrestrial planets should be discovered in and near the HZ of their stars if such planets are common. Extending the mission to six years doubles the expected number of Earth-size planets in the HZ. A null result would imply that terrestrial planets in the HZ occur in less than 1% of the stars and that life might be quite rare. Based on the results of the current Doppler-velocity discoveries, detection of a thousand giant planets is expected. Information on their albedos and densities of those giants showing transits will be obtained.

William Borucki↗
NASA NTRS2003

Measurement of Characteristics of Micron Size Individual Dust Particles of Astrophysical Interest

A laboratory facility for levitating single isolated dust particles in an electrodynamic balance has been developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center for conducting studies of the physical and optical properties of the analogs of interstellar and interplanetary dust grains of 0.2-20 micron size under controlled pressures/temperatures simulating astrophysical environments. We plan three classes of experiments using this facility: (1) Charge characteristics of micron size single dust grains: The photoelectric efficiencies, yields, and equilibrium potentials when exposed to UV radiation found from these measurements will provide much-needed photoelectric emission data for individual dust particles; (2) Infrared optical properties of dust particles: Specifically, we will determines the complex refractive indices, the extinction coefficients, the scattering phase functions, and the polarization properties of single dust grains of interest in interstellar environments, in the 1- 25 micron spectral region; (3) Condensation experiments to investigate the deposition of volatile gases on colder nucleated particles in dense interstellar clouds and lower planetary atmospheres: The measured data will permit determination of the sticking efficiencies of volatile gases of astrophysical interest. Brief descriptions of the experimental setup for the last two classes of experiments will be given. We will present results of measurements of photoelectric emission using 0.2-6.6 micron size silica particles exposed to UV radiation at 120-200 nm and also results of radiation pressure measurements using the same size silica particles and laser light at 5320 Angstrom.

Craven, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Theory of the von Weimarn Rules Governing the Average Size of Crystals Precipitated from a Supersaturated Solution

More than 75 years ago, von Weimarn summarized his observations of the dependence of the average crystal size on the initial relative concentration supersaturation prevailing in a solution from which crystals were growing. Since then, his empirically derived rules have become part of the lore of crystal growth. The first of these rules asserts that the average crystal size measured at the end of a crystallization increases as the initial value of the relative supersaturation decreases. The second rule states that for a given crystallization time, the average crystal size passes through a maximum as a function of the initial relative supersaturation. Using a theory of nucleation and growth due to Buyevich and Mansurov, we calculate the average crystal size as a function of the initial relative supersaturation. We confirm the von Weimarn rules for the case where the nucleation rate is proportional to the third power or higher of the relative supersaturation.

Barlow, Douglas A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Influence of Sizings on the Durability of High-Temperature Polymer Composites

To increase performance and durability of high-temperature composites for potential rocket engine components, it is necessary to optimize wetting and interfacial bonding between high modulus carbon fibers and high-temperature polyimide resins. Sizings commercially supplied on most carbon fibers are not compatible with polyimides. In this study, the chemistry of sizings on two high-modulus carbon fibers (M40J and M60J, Toray) was characterized as was the chemistry of PMR-II-50 fluorinated polyimide resin. The carbon fibers were characterized using single filament wetting, scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. The polyimide matrix resins were coated onto glass filaments for characterization by wetting measurements. Surface energy components were obtained by wetting with nondispersive (methylene iodide), acidic (ethylene glycol), and basic (formamide) probes. A continuous desizing system that uses an environmentally friendly chemical-mechanical process was developed for tow level fiber. Composites were fabricated with fibers containing the manufacturer's sizing, desized, and further treated with a reactive finish. Results of room-temperature tests after thermal aging show that the reactive finish produces a higher strength and more durable interface compared to the manufacturer's sizing. When exposed to moisture blistering tests, however, the better bonded composite displayed a tendency to delaminate, presumably due to trapping of volatiles.

Allred, Ronald E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Effect of Sizings on the Durability of High Temperature Polymer Composites

To increase performance and durability of high-temperature composite for potential rocket engine components, it is necessary to optimize wetting and interfacial bonding between high modulus carbon fibers and high-temperature polyimide resins. Sizing commercially supplied on most carbon fiber are not compatible with polyimides. In this study, the chemistry of sizing on two high modulus carbon fiber (M40J and M60J, Tiray) was characterized. A continuous desizling system that uses an environmentally friendly chemical-mechanical process was developed for tow level fiber. Composites were fabricated with fibers containing the manufacturer's sizing, desized, and further treated with a reactive finish. Results of room-temperature tests after thermal aging show that the reactive finish produces a higher strength and more durable interface compared to the manufacturer's sizing. When exposed to moisture blistering tests, however, the butter bonded composite displayed a tendency to delaminate, presumably due to trapping of volatiles.

Allred, Ronald E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Muscle regeneration during hindlimb unloading results in a reduction in muscle size after reloading

The hindlimb-unloading model was used to study the ability of muscle injured in a weightless environment to recover after reloading. Satellite cell mitotic activity and DNA unit size were determined in injured and intact soleus muscles from hindlimb-unloaded and age-matched weight-bearing rats at the conclusion of 28 days of hindlimb unloading, 2 wk after reloading, and 9 wk after reloading. The body weights of hindlimb-unloaded rats were significantly (P < 0.05) less than those of weight-bearing rats at the conclusion of hindlimb unloading, but they were the same (P > 0.05) as those of weight-bearing rats 2 and 9 wk after reloading. The soleus muscle weight, soleus muscle weight-to-body weight ratio, myofiber diameter, number of nuclei per millimeter, and DNA unit size were significantly (P < 0.05) smaller for the injured soleus muscles from hindlimb-unloaded rats than for the soleus muscles from weight-bearing rats at each recovery time. Satellite cell mitotic activity was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the injured soleus muscles from hindlimb-unloaded rats than from weight-bearing rats 2 wk after reloading, but it was the same (P > 0.05) as in the injured soleus muscles from weight-bearing rats 9 wk after reloading. The injured soleus muscles from hindlimb-unloaded rats failed to achieve weight-bearing muscle size 9 wk after reloading, because incomplete compensation for the decrease in myonuclear accretion and DNA unit size expansion occurred during the unloading period.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗
NASA NTRS2004

Analysis of Droplet Size during the Ice Accumulation Phase Of Flight Testing

There are numerous hazards associated with air travel. One of the most serious dangers to the pilot and passengers safety is the result of flying into conditions which are conducive to the formation of ice on the surface of an aircraft. Being a pilot myself I am very aware of the dangers that Icing can pose and the effects it can have on an airplane. A couple of the missions of the Icing branch is to make flying safer with more research to increase our knowledge of how ice effects the aerodynamics of an airfoil, and to increase are knowledge of the weather for better forecasting. The Icing Branch uses three different tools to determine the aerodynamic affects that icing has on a wing. The Icing research tunnel is an efficient way to test various airfoils in a controlled setting. To make sure the data received from the wind tunnel is accurate the Icing branch conducts real flight tests with the DHC-6 Twin Otter. This makes sure that the methods used in the wind tunnel accurately model what happens on the actual aircraft. These two tools are also compared to the LEWICE code which is a program that models the ice shape that would be formed on an airfoil in the particular weather conditions that are input by the user. One benefit of LEWICE is that it is a lot cheaper to run than the wind tunnel or flight tests which make it a nice tool for engineers designing aircraft that don t have the money to spend on icing research. Using all three of these tools is a way to cross check the data received from one and check it against the other two. industries, but it is also looked at by weather analysts who are trying to improve forecasting methods. The best way to avoid the troubles of icing encounters is to not go into it in the first place. By looking over the flight data the analyst can determine which conditions will most likely lead to an icing encounter and then this information will aid forecasters when briefing the pilots on the weather conditions. am looking at the weather data from certain flights and analyzing the type of precipitation that the plane is flying through. During flight tests there is a probe on the bottom of the aircraft that gathers information on the size and shape of the particles that it is flying through. The data can then be viewed on a computer. After grouping the weather into certain groups we can then pick certain groups which we think should be analyzed farther. The goal is to remove all the ice particles because they do not contribute to the icing on an aircraft. We use a 2D analyzer which measures the droplet size and categorizes the drops into bins of certain sizes. We can then look at what the characteristics of the weather that we were flying through such as the temperature and dew point and compare this with the size of the drops that the 2D analyzer measured. We can then look at what type and shape of ice that formed on the wing during this time period. Having this data will help us to reproduce these conditions using LEWICE and the wind tunnel. Having consistency among the tests will make things more accurate. With respect to weather forecasting we will be able to learn which conditions can lead to icing. Better accuracy in weather reporting will lead to fewer run-ins with icing which will also lead to fewer accidents.

Miller, Eric James↗
NASA NTRS2005

Aeroelastic Sizing for High-Speed Research (HSR) Longitudinal Control Alternatives Project (LCAP)

The Longitudinal Control Alternatives Project (LCAP) compared three high-speed civil transport configurations to determine potential advantages of the three associated longitudinal control concepts. The three aircraft configurations included a conventional configuration with a layout having a horizontal aft tail, a configuration with a forward canard in addition to a horizontal aft tail, and a configuration with only a forward canard. The three configurations were aeroelastically sized and were compared on the basis of operational empty weight (OEW) and longitudinal control characteristics. The sized structure consisted of composite honeycomb sandwich panels on both the wing and the fuselage. Design variables were the core depth of the sandwich and the thicknesses of the composite material which made up the face sheets of the sandwich. Each configuration was sized for minimum structural weight under linear and nonlinear aeroelastic loads subject to strain, buckling, ply-mixture, and subsonic and supersonic flutter constraints. This report describes the methods that were used and the results that were generated for the aeroelastic sizing of the three configurations.

Walsh, Joanne L.↗
NASA NTRS2006

What does Reflection from Cloud Sides tell us about Vertical Distribution of Cloud Droplet Sizes?

Cloud development, the onset of precipitation and the effect of aerosol on clouds depend on the structure of the cloud profiles of droplet size and phase. Aircraft measurements of cloud profiles are limited in their temporal and spatial extent. Satellites were used to observe cloud tops not cloud profiles with vertical profiles of precipitation-sized droplets anticipated from CloudSat. The recently proposed CLAIM-3D satellite mission (cloud aerosol interaction mission in 3-D) suggests to measure profiles of cloud microphysical properties by retrieving them from the solar and infrared radiation reflected or emitted from cloud sides. Inversion of measurements from the cloud sides requires rigorous understanding of the 3-dimentional(3-D) properties of clouds. Here we discuss the reflected sunlight from the cloud sides and top at two wavelengths: one nonabsorbing to solar radiation (0.67 microns) and one with liquid water efficient absorption of solar radiation (2.1 microns). In contrast to the plane-parallel approximation, a conventional approach to all current operational retrievals, 3-D radiative transfer is used for interpreting the observed reflectances. General properties of the radiation reflected from the sides of an isolated cloud are discussed. As a proof of concept, the paper shows a few examples of radiation reflected from cloud fields generated by a simple stochastic cloud model with the prescribed vertically resolved microphysics. To retrieve the information about droplet sizes, we propose to use the probability density function of the droplet size distribution and its first two moments instead of the assumption about fixed values of the droplet effective radius. The retrieval algorithm is based on the Bayesian theorem that combines prior information about cloud structure and microphysics with radiative transfer calculations.

Marshak, A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

What Does Reflection from Cloud Sides Tell Us About Vertical Distribution of Cloud Droplet Sizes?

Cloud development, the onset of precipitation and the effect of aerosol on clouds depend on the structure of the cloud profiles of droplet size and phase. Aircraft measurements of cloud profiles are limited in their temporal and spatial extent. Satellites were used to observe cloud tops not cloud profiles with vertical profiles of precipitation-sized droplets anticipated from Cloudsat. The recently proposed CLAIM-3D satellite mission (cloud aerosol interaction mission in 3D) suggests to measure profiles of cloud microphysical properties by retrieving them from the solar and infrared radiation reflected or emitted from cloud sides. Inversion of measurements from the cloud sides requires rigorous understanding of the 3-dimensional (3D) properties of clouds. Here we discuss the reflected sunlight from the cloud sides and top at two wavelengths: one nonabsorbing to solar radiation (0.67 micrometers) and one with liquid water efficient absorption of solar radiation (2.1 micrometers). In contrast to the plane-parallel approximation, a conventional approach to all current operational retrievals, 3D radiative transfer is used for interpreting the observed reflectances. General properties of the radiation reflected from the sides of an isolated cloud are discussed. As a proof of concept, the paper shows a few examples of radiation reflected from cloud fields generated by a simple stochastic cloud model with the prescribed vertically resolved microphysics. To retrieve the information about droplet sizes, we propose to use the probability density function of the droplet size distribution and its first two moments instead of the assumption about fixed values of the droplet effective radius. The retrieval algorithm is based on the Bayesian theorem that combines prior information about cloud structure and microphysics with radiative transfer calculations.

Marshak, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS2006

Impact of Three-Dimensional Radiative Effects on Satellite Retrievals of Cloud Droplet Sizes

There are several dozen papers that study the effects of cloud horizontal inhomogeneity on the retrievals of cloud optical thickness, but only a few of them deal with cloud droplet sizes. This paper is one of the first comprehensive attempts to fill this gap: It takes a close theoretical look at the radiative effects of cloud 3-D structure in retrievals of droplet effective radii. Under some general assumptions, it was found that ignoring subpixel (unresolved) variability produces a negative bias in the retrieved effective radius, while ignoring cloud inhomogeneity at scales larger than a pixel scale (resolved variability), on the contrary, leads to overestimation of the domain average droplet size. The theoretical results are illustrated with examples from Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of cumulus (Cu) and stratocumulus (Sc) cloud fields. The analysis of cloud drop size distributions retrieved from both LES fields confirms that ignoring shadowing in 1-D retrievals results in substantial overestimation of effective radii which is more pronounced for broken Cu than for Sc clouds. Collocated measurements of broken Cu clouds by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) are used to check simulations and theory with observations. The analysis of ASTER and MODIS data and associated derived products recommends against blindly using retrieved effective radii for broken cloud fields, especially if one wants to relate aerosol amounts to cloud droplet sizes.

Marshak, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS2007

Prediction of Size Effects in Notched Laminates Using Continuum Damage Mechanics

This paper examines the use of a continuum damage model to predict strength and size effects in notched carbon-epoxy laminates. The effects of size and the development of a fracture process zone before final failure are identified in an experimental program. The continuum damage model is described and the resulting predictions of size effects are compared with alternative approaches: the point stress and the inherent flaw models, the Linear-Elastic Fracture Mechanics approach, and the strength of materials approach. The results indicate that the continuum damage model is the most accurate technique to predict size effects in composites. Furthermore, the continuum damage model does not require any calibration and it is applicable to general geometries and boundary conditions.

Camanho, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Three-Dimensional Shapes and Impactor Size Estimation of Stardust Impact

Impact tracks formed by cometary dust capture in silica aerogel collectors in the Stardust mission [1] have a variety of shapes, showing diversity of the cometary dust [2]. We have investigated 3-D structures and elemental distributions of three impact tracks using synchrotron radiation x-ray analyses (microtomography and XRF) as one of the preliminary examination [3]. In this study, additional five tracks were investigated by the same analytical method. Impactor sizes of the tracks were estimated from the track entrance sizes and Fe abundances. Size parameters, such as length, of the tracks were normalized by the impactor size to compare track shape

Iida, Y.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Laboratory Simulation of Impacts upon Aluminum Foils of the Stardust Spacecraft: Calibration of Dust Particle Size from Comet Wild 2

Metallic aluminium alloy foils exposed on the forward, comet-facing surface of the aerogel tray on the Stardust spacecraft are likely to have been impacted by the same cometary particle population as the dedicated impact sensors and the aerogel collector. The ability of soft aluminium alloy to record hypervelocity impacts as bowl-shaped craters offers an opportunistic substrate for recognition of impacts by particles of a wide potential size range. In contrast to impact surveys conducted on samples from low Earth orbit, the simple encounter geometry for Stardust and Wild 2, with a known and constant spacecraft-particle relative velocity and effective surface-perpendicular impact trajectories, permits closely comparable simulation in laboratory experiments. For a detailed calibration programme we have selected a suite of spherical glass projectiles of uniform density and hardness characteristics, with well-documented particle size range from 10 microns to nearly 100 microns. Light gas gun buckshot firings of these particles at approximately 6km s)exp -1) onto samples of the same foil as employed on Stardust have yielded large numbers of craters. Scanning electron microscopy of both projectiles and impact features has allowed construction of a calibration plot, showing a linear relationship between impacting particle size and impact crater diameter. The close match between our experimental conditions and the Stardust mission encounter parameters should provide another opportunity to measure particle size distributions and fluxes close to the nucleus of Wild 2, independent of the active impact detector instruments aboard the Stardust spacecraft.

Kearsley, A. T.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Sizing Structures and Predicting Weight of a Spacecraft

EZDESIT is a computer program for choosing the sizes of structural components and predicting the weight of a spacecraft, aircraft, or other vehicle. In designing a vehicle, EZDESIT is used in conjunction with a finite-element structural- analysis program: Each structural component is sized within EZDESIT to withstand the loads expected to be encountered during operation, then the weights of all the structural finite elements are added to obtain the structural weight of the vehicle. The sizing of the structural components elements also alters the stiffness properties of the finiteelement model. The finite-element analysis and structural component sizing are iterated until the weight of the vehicle converges to a prescribed iterative difference.

Cerro, Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS2010

Effects of Gas Turbine Component Performance on Engine and Rotary Wing Vehicle Size and Performance

In support of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Subsonic Rotary Wing Project, further gas turbine engine studies have been performed to quantify the effects of advanced gas turbine technologies on engine weight and fuel efficiency and the subsequent effects on a civilian rotary wing vehicle size and mission fuel. The Large Civil Tiltrotor (LCTR) vehicle and mission and a previous gas turbine engine study will be discussed as a starting point for this effort. Methodology used to assess effects of different compressor and turbine component performance on engine size, weight and fuel efficiency will be presented. A process to relate engine performance to overall LCTR vehicle size and fuel use will also be given. Technology assumptions and levels of performance used in this analysis for the compressor and turbine components performances will be discussed. Optimum cycles (in terms of power specific fuel consumption) will be determined with subsequent engine weight analysis. The combination of engine weight and specific fuel consumption will be used to estimate their effect on the overall LCTR vehicle size and mission fuel usage. All results will be summarized to help suggest which component performance areas have the most effect on the overall mission.

Snyder, Christopher A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Size Optimization for Mirror Segments for X-Ray Optics

The flight mirror assemblies (FMA) for X-ray telescopes similar to that of the International X-ray Observatory (IXO) concept consist of several thousands of individual mirror segments. The size, shape, and location of these mirrors affect many characteristics of the telescope design. Mission requirements among other factors in turn restrict mirror segment parameters such as thickness, axial- length, azimuthal span, and mass density. This paper provides an overview of the critical relationships relating to mirror segment size and configuration throughout the design and analysis of an X-ray mirror assembly. A computational analysis is presented in the form of ray tracing pairs of thin X-ray mirror segments of varying sizes aligned in gravity and supported using kinematic constraints with corresponding self weight distortions calculated using finite element analysis (FEA). The work in this paper may be used as a starting point for determining mirror segment sizes for X-ray missions like that of IXO and beyond.

Biskach, Michael P.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Modeling Kepler Transit Light Curves as False Positives: Rejection of Blend Scenarios for Kepler-9, and Validation of Kepler-9 d, a Super-Earth-Size Planet in a Multiple System

Light curves from the Kepler Mission contain valuable information on the nature of the phenomena producing the transit-like signals. To assist in exploring the possibility that they are due to an astrophysical false positive we describe a procedure (BLENDER) to model the photometry in terms of a blend rather than a planet orbiting a star. A blend may consist of a background or foreground eclipsing binary (or star-planet pair) whose eclipses are attenuated by the light of the candidate and possibly other stars within the photometric aperture. We apply BLENDER to the case of Kepler-9 (KIC 3323887), a target harboring two previously confirmed Saturn-size planets (Kepler-9 b and Kepler-9 c) showing transit timing variations, and an additional shallower signal with a 1.59 day period suggesting the presence of a super-Earth-size planet. Using BLENDER together with constraints from other follow-up observations we are able to rule out all blends for the two deeper signals and provide independent validation of their planetary nature. For the shallower signal, we rule out a large fraction of the false positives that might mimic the transits. The false alarm rate for remaining blends depends in part (and inversely) on the unknown frequency of small-size planets. Based on several realistic estimates of this frequency, we conclude with very high confidence that this small signal is due to a super-Earth-size planet (Kepler-9 d) in a multiple system, rather than a false positive. The radius is determined to be 1.64(exp)(sub-14),R, and current spectroscopic observations are as yet insufficient to establish its mass.

PLANETARY SYSTEMS↗