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At least 397 records · Page 22

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NASA NTRS1987

Magnetic field-aligned electric field acceleration and the characteristics of the optical aurora

The long-recognized association of brighter aurora with more deeply penetrating, and hence more energetic, electrons is examined. Using the Knight (1973) relation between the magnetic-field-aligned current density and potential drop (derived from the theory of single-particle motion in the presence of a magnetic-field-aligned electric field), an approximate expression relating the energy flux of the precipitating electrons over discrete aurora and the mean particle energy is derived. This expression is used in conjunction with an auroral optical excitation and emission model to specify the dependence of the red/blue ratio of auroral optical emissions on the brightness of the aurora. It is shown that the quantitative predictions of the discrete auroral theory are in accord with observations of the aurora.

Christensen, A. B.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Optical alignment of Centaur's inertial guidance system

During Centaur launch operations the launch azimuth of the inertial platform's U-accelerometer input axis must be accurately established and maintained. This is accomplished by using an optically closed loop system with a long-range autotheodolite whose line of sight was established by a first-order survey. A collimated light beam from the autotheodolite intercepts a reflecting Porro prism mounted on the platform azimuth gimbal. Thus, any deviation of the Porro prism from its predetermined heading is optically detected by the autotheodolite. The error signal produced is used to torque the azimuth gimbal back to its required launch azimuth. The heading of the U-accelerometer input axis is therefore maintained automatically. Previously, the autotheodolite system could not distinguish between vehicle sway and rotational motion of the inertial platform unless at least three prisms were used. One prism was mounted on the inertial platform to maintain azimuth alignment, and two prisms were mounted externally on the vehicle to track sway. For example, the automatic azimuth-laying theodolite (AALT-SV-M2) on the Saturn vehilce used three prisms. The results of testing and modifying the AALT-SV-M2 autotheodolite to simultaneously monitor and maintain alignment of the inertial platform and track the sway of the vehicle from a single Porro prism.

Gordan, Andrew L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Transparent metal model study of the use of a cellular growth front to form aligned monotectic composite materials

The purpose of this work was to resolve a scientific controversy in the understanding of how second phase particles become aligned during unidirectional growth of a monotectic alloy. A second aspect was to make the first systematic observations of the solidification behavior of a monotectic alloy during cellular growth in-situ. This research provides the first systematic transparent model study of cellular solidification. An interface stability diagram was developed for the planar to cellular transition of the succinonitrile glycerol (SNG) system. A method was developed utilizing Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy which allows quantitative compositional analysis of directionally solidified SNG along the growth axis. To determine the influence of cellular growth front on alignment for directionally solidified monotectic alloys, the planar and cellular growth morphology was observed in-situ for SNG between 8 and 17 percent glycerol and for a range of over two orders of magnitude G/R.

Kaukler, William F.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Sun sensor boresight alignment testing for the Halogen Occultation Experiment

The boresight alignment testing for the sun sensor assembly on the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) is described. The sun sensor assembly consists of three sensors that provide feedback signals for controlling dual axes gimbals. Two energy balancing silicon detectors are operated as wideband sensors in the azimuth and elevation axes. The third sensor is a silicon photodiode array operated as a narrow-band sensor in the elevation axis. These sensors are mounted on a common Invar structure which is mounted to the HALOE telescope. A blackbody was used as the stimulating source to perform the initial boresight alignment and this was checked with a heliostat solar look and a direct solar look. These tests are explained with a comparison between each source used.

Moore, A. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Field-aligned electron flux oscillations that produce flickering aurora

Measurements of energetic electrons that produce flickering aurora were made by a pair of sounding rockets, launched during a slowly evolving auroral breakup. Both payloads passed through a broad inverted-V structure. A component of the electron distribution function was closely aligned with the magnetic field over a broad energy range that extended from low energies up to the inverted-V differential energy flux peak. Measurements of the field-aligned component showed the presence of order of magnitude coherent flux oscillations. Source altitudes between 4000 and 8000 km were derived from velocity dispersion of the flux oscillations.

Mcfadden, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A study of field-aligned currents observed at high and low altitudes in the nightside magnetosphere

Field-aligned current structures on auroral field lines observed at low and high altitudes using DE 1 and ISEE 2 magnetometer, and particle data observed when the spacecraft are in magnetic conjunction in the near-midnight magnetosphere, are investigated. To minimize latitudinal ambiguity, the plasma-sheet boundary layer observed with ISEE 2 and the discrete aurora at the poleward edge of the auroral oval with DE 1 are studied. The overall current observed at highest latitudes is flowing into the ionosphere, and is likely to be carried by ionospheric electrons flowing upward. There are, however, smaller-scale current structures within this region. The sense and magnitude of the field-aligned currents agree at the two sites. The ISEE 2 data suggests that the high-latitude downward current corresponds to the high-latitude boundary of the plasma-sheet boundary layer, and may be associated with the ion beams observed there.

Elphic, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Transmission X-ray diffraction grating alignment using a photoelastic modulator

A high-resolution alignment technique which utilizes the partial polarization property of fine period transmission gratings has been developed. It is especially useful when the grating period is sufficiently small so that there are no visible diffracted orders. This technique uses a photoelastic modulator (PEM) to produce an intensity signal that is proportional to the sine of twice the angle between the grating lines and the PEM crystal axis. The experimentally demonstrated resolution of this technique on 200-nm period gold transmission gratings is better than 1 arc sec. This technique was developed to align X-ray transmission gratings for spectroscopy and interferometry applications.

Anderson, Erik H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Self-Aligning Robotic End Effector And Receptacle

Industrial-robot hand (end effector) and mating receptacle include congruent male and female conical and V-shaped surfaces for positive alignment. Surfaces of end effector and receptacle keyed to each other for automatic alignment. Lifting pins inserted in receptacle to lock end effector and receptacle together. Tool turns mounting screw, and end effector lifts object.

Vansant, Glen J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Segment alignment control system

The segmented primary mirror for the LDR will require a special segment alignment control system to precisely control the orientation of each of the segments so that the resulting composite reflector behaves like a monolith. The W.M. Keck Ten Meter Telescope will utilize a primary mirror made up of 36 actively controlled segments. Thus the primary mirror and its segment alignment control system are directly analogous to the LDR. The problems of controlling the segments in the face of disturbances and control/structures interaction, as analyzed for the TMT, are virtually identical to those for the LDR. The two systems are briefly compared.

Aubrun, JEAN-N.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Real-time sensing of optical alignment

The Large Deployable Reflector and other future segmented optical systems may require autonomous, real-time alignment of their optical surfaces. Researchers have developed gratings located directly on a mirror surface to provide interferometric sensing of the location and figure of the mirror. The grating diffracts a small portion of the incident beam to a diffractive focus where the designed diagnostics can be performed. Mirrors with diffraction gratings were fabricated in two separate ways. The formation of a holographic grating over the entire surface of a mirror, thereby forming a Zone Plate Mirror (ZPM) is described. Researchers have also used computer-generated hologram (CGH) patches for alignment and figure sensing of mirrors. When appropriately illuminated, a grid of patches spread over a mirror segment will yield a grid of point images at a wavefront sensor, with the relative location of the points providing information on the figure and location of the mirror. A particular advantage of using the CGH approach is that the holographic patches can be computed, fabricated, and replicated on a mirror segment in a mass production 1-g clean room environment.

Stier, Mark T.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Segmented mirror, manufacturing and alignment tolerances (SMMAT)

An attempt is made to define surface errors, and hence wavelength aberrations or optical path differences, due to fabrication and alignment errors of mirror segments. A FORTRAN routine is written to help to understand the relationship between system performance (Strehl ratio, etc.) and manufacturing and alignment errors for Precision Segmented Reflectors and Large Deployable Reflector. The power of having compensation parameters such as piston and tilt responding to errors in position or figure is demonstrated. Compensation can improve performance by two orders of magnitude.

Manhart, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Alignment Tool For Inertia Welding

Compact, easy-to-use tool aligns drive bar of inertia welder over hole in stub. Ensures drive bar concentric to hole within 0.002 in. (0.051 mm.). Holds two batteries and light bulb. Electrical circuit completed, providing current to bulb when pin in contact with post. When pin centered in post hole, it does not touch post, and lamp turns off. Built for use in making repair welds on liquid-oxygen-injector posts in Space Shuttle main engine. Version having suitably modified dimensions used to facilitate alignment in other forests of post.

Snyder, Gary L.↗

NASA NTRS1989

New results in the theory of dust grain alignment

Two complementary approaches are used in an attempt to propose an appropriate formulation of the solution to the problem of magnetic alignment of grains in the diffuse and/or the more denser clouds, whatever the mechanism of rotational excitation can be. The interest of such a unified formulation is mainly that the same theoretical expression for polarization can be used everywhere, allowing for easier comparisons between regions where the physical conditions are highly different. The first consists in applying a Monte-Carlo method to a limited number of representative cases, for which all the torques acting on the grain are taken into account: impulsive random torques due to direct collisions with gas atoms, to evaporation of atoms from the surface, and to exo-energetic recombinations forming hydrogen molecules, followed by violent ejections from peculiar sites; magnetic torques. Three characteristic times are associated with these torques: the collisional damping time, the time necessary to change completely the actual sites configuration narrowly bound to the correlation time of the suprathermal torque; and the magnetic damping time. The second approach starts from a heuristic point of view. It consists in a generalization of results (Cugnon, 1983; see also Purcell and Spitzer, 1971; Greenberg, 1978) obtained for thermal alignment to the suprathermal case. It appears indeed that in two extreme cases, the thermal formulation may be used after redefinition of involved times and temperatures.

Cugnon, Pierre↗

NASA NTRS1990

Alignment of cD-galaxies with their surroundings

For a sample of 122 rich Abell clusters the authors find a strong correlation of the position angle (orientation) of the first-ranked galaxy and its parent cluster. This alignment effect is strongest for cD-galaxies. Formation scenarios for cD galaxies, like the merging scenario, must produce such a strong alignment effect. The authors show some N-body simulations done for this purpose.

Vankampen, Eelco↗

NASA NTRS1990

A self-consistent two-dimensional resistive fluid theory of field-aligned potential structures including charge separation and magnetic and velocity shear

A self-consistent two-fluid theory that includes the magnetic field and shear patterns is developed to model stationary electrostatic structures with field-aligned potential drops. Shear flow is also included in the theory since this seems to be a prominent feature of the structures of interest. In addition, Ohmic dissipation, a Hall term, and pressure gradients in a generalized Ohm's law, modified for cases without quasi-neutrality, are included. In the analytic theory, the electrostatic force is balanced by field-aligned pressure gradients (i.e., thermal effects in the direction of the magnetic field) and by pressure gradients and magnetic stresses in the perpendicular direction. Within this theory, simple examples of applications are presented to demonstrate the kind of solutions resulting from the model. The results show how the effects of charge separation and shear in the magnetic field and the velocity can be combined to form self-consistent structures such as are found to exist above the aurora, suggested also in association with solar flares.

Hesse, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1989

Precision alignment of an infrared imaging system

The optical hardware design and methods of alignment for the GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) imaging instrument are discussed. The instrument is a multi-channel space-borne meteorological system. Included will be the results of a tolerance and sensitivity analysis for the optics and their adjustment mechanisms. A brief summary of the sequence of system alignment steps taken to achieve the final configuration of the instrument will conclude the discussion.

Kohrman, Richard J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Optical alignment of a pupil imaging spectrometer

The GOES Sounder is a 19-channel discrete filter spectrometer with an additional channel for star sensing. This paper presents the GOES Sounder's instrument optics and compensations, alignment rationale, and alignment mechanism and sensitivities. The results of a line of sight tolerance analysis of the instrument are described, and the prealignment and instrument coregistration are addressed.

Horchem, Stephen D.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Millimeter wave surface resistance of grain-aligned Y1Ba2Cu3O(x) bulk material

Measurements of the millimeter wave surface resistance of grain-aligned YBa2Cu3O(x) bulk material grown by a liquid phase process are reported. The measurements were performed by replacing the endplate of a TE011 cylindrical copper cavity with the superconducting sample. Surface resistance was measured for samples with surfaces oriented perpendicular and parallel to the c-axis of the grains. It is shown that, for the parallel configuration, the surface resistance at 77 K and 80 GHz is typically near 100 milliohms. For a very well-aligned sample with a very low density of Y2BaCuO(y) precipitates, measured in the perpendicular configuration, the transition width (10-90 percent) is about 2 K, and the surface resistance is less than 50 milliohms at 88 K. The effect of microstructure on surface resistance is discussed.

Wosik, J.↗