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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Observations of charging dynamics

Plasma data from the University of California, San Diego, Auroral Particles experiments on Applied Technology satellites 5 and 6 are used to investigate the dynamics of natural charging events. Both eclipse and daylight charging events are considered, and typical responses are illustrated by data from specific events. Two different physical processes are found to be involved in the charging process. One of these is straightforward: the spacecraft structure potential responds rapidly to changes in the environment, typically changing by hundreds of volts in a few seconds. The other process is more subtle: differential charging and potential barrier formation precede structural charging and determine the time scale; typically, tens of minutes are required for the potential to change by several hundreds of volts. The latter process is found to be predominately responsible for daylight charging on both spacecraft.

Olsen, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Upwelling O(+) ion source characteristics

The characteristics of an upwelling ion source are discussed. A typical upwelling event is analyzed using Dynamic Explorer 1 satellite retarding ion mass spectrometer (RIMS) observations of the low-energy plasma, and energetic ion and local electromagnetic field observations. The RIMS spectrograms of the O(+) ion species, radial and axial head data for O(+), and spin plan O(+) distribution functions are examined. The features of the upwelling observed include: (1) transverse ion heating to temperature of 100,000 K, (2) large outward flows of O(+), (3) enhanced flow of H(+) and He (+), (4) moderately strong field-aligned current sheets, (5) an associated intense eastward convection channel, and (6) strong wave emissions in the range near and below the proton gyrofrequency. The association between the upwelling O(+) signature and auroral current is investigated. Plasma wave and electric field environments are studied and plasma flows and densities are derived. It is noted that the mechanism for ion heating which defines the source region for these polar ion outflows is related to field-aligned currents and an associated auroral convection channel or jet.

Moore, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Voyager 2 radio observations of Uranus

Voyager 2 detected continuous radio signals in the 40-100 kHz interval starting from 5 days before passage of Uranus. The radio signals reached 800 kHz within 4 days of closest approach and continued throughout the outward bound phase of flight. The signals were modulated with a period close to 17.24 days, the same period calculated for the rotation of the Uranus magnetosphere with other spacecraft data. The planet was also found to have an off-center magnetic field, and radio signals were strongest when the dipole center was on the nightside of Uranus. Dynamic spectral and burst events which were recorded indicated that Uranus, like the earth, has a strongly defined plasmasphere. It moves under the control of magnetic force tubes that interact with the magnetosphere boundary, producing a variety of MHD phenomena.

Warwick, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Microcoding of communications in accident investigation - Crew coordination in United 811 and United 232

Two recent airline accidents that underscored the value of cockpit resource management (CRM) to line operations, especially under stressful, high workload conditions are reviewed. An analysis of the verbal behavior of each crew was conducted to explore how catastrophic events impact upon the dynamics of crew interaction. In both cases the Captain stated that training in CRM contributed significantly to the overall effectiveness of the crews.

Predmore, Steven C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Global variations of zonal mean ozone during stratospheric warming events

Eight years of Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) ozone data are examined to study zonal mean variations associated with stratospheric planetary wave (warming) events. These fluctuations are found to be nearly global in extent, with relatively large variations in the tropics, and coherent signatures reaching up to 50 deg in the opposite (summer) hemisphere. These ozone variations are a manifestation of the global circulation cells associated with stratospheric warming events; the ozone responds dynamically in the lower stratosphere to transport, and photochemically in the upper stratosphere to the circulation-induced temperature changes. The observed ozone variations in the tropics are of particular interest because transport is dominated by zonal-mean vertical motions (eddy flux divergences and mean meridional transports are negligible), and hence, substantial simplifications to the governing equations occur. The response of the atmosphere to these impulsive circulation changes provides a situation for robust estimates of the ozone-temperature sensitivity in the upper stratosphere.

Randel, William J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The bright knots at the tops of soft X-ray flare loops: Quantitative results from Yohkoh

Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) observations from the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft have shown that confined bright regions are common features at the tops of flare loops throughout most of the duration of the flares. In this paper we present quantitative results for these flare knots, in relation to other flare regions, for four relatively 'simple' flares. Emission measure distributions, electron temperatures, and electron densities are derived from SXT and Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) observations. The four flares selected are dominated by what appear to be single-loop structures, with bright knots at the loop tops. The flares are neither long-duration nor impulsive events. The spatial distributions of brightness and emission measure in the flares are found to be quite similar for all four events, even though there are significant differences in dynamical behavior between at least two of the events. Temperatures and densities calculated for these flares are consistent with previous results from many solar experiments. An investigation of intensity correlations between adjacent pixels at the tops of the loops suggests the existence of local disturbances in the magnetic loops that occur on spatial scales less than the radii of the loops.

Doschek, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Coronal mass ejections and the evolution of the large-scale corona

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are dynamic, large-scale events in the solar corona that expel plasma and magnetic fields into the solar wind. The structure of the large-scale corona influences CME occurrence; for example, CMEs are most frequently observed to be disruptions of coronal or helmet streamer configurations on the Sun. We have investigated the evolution of the large-scale corona in the presence of differential rotation, using time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations in two and three dimensions. An equilibrium coronal configuration is first computed by superimposing a Parker solar wind flow on an initial potential field, the equations are integrated in time until a steady-state is reached. When differential rotation is introduced, we find that the configuration does not reach a steady state; the closed field regions (helmet streamers) disrupt recurrently, ejecting plasmoids into the solar wind. Our results suggest that differential rotation may be one of the mechanisms by which mass ejections are initiated. We will describe the evolution of the polarization brightness (pB) for the resulting configurations, as well as the propagation of the ejected plasmoids in the solar wind, and we will compare the effects of differential rotation with other possible initiation mechanisms, such as the emergence of new magnetic flux.

Linker, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Oxygen Isotopes in Fresh Water Biogenic Opal: Northeastern US Alleroed-Younger Dryas Temperature Shift

The first oxygen isotope analysis of biogenic opal from lake sediments, from the Allerod/Younger Dryas transition in a core from Linsley Pond, Connecticut, gives an average estimate of a 6 C drop in temperature during the Younger Dryas. This shift represents temperatures during the bloom season, and may be less than the winter temperature drop. The sharp transition itself, with a duration of about 200 years, suggests that the temperature decrease may have been as large as 12 C. Previous estimates of the Allerod/Younger Dryas temperature shifts are controversial, and range from 3-20 C, suggesting that further interdisciplinary research on the same samples is warranted. One way that global climate change manifests itself is by redistributing energy throughout the globe. The Northern Hemisphere latitudinal temperature gradient during the late-glacial is at present a controversial topic. The magnitude of air temperature shifts during the Allerod/Younger Dryas (YD) oscillation are estimated from mid-latitude pollen records surrounding the North Atlantic to be 3-5 C in Europe [Lowe et al., 19941 and 3-4 C in the eastern US [Peteet et al., 1993]. In contrast, lake temperatures estimates derived from aquatic midge larvae in the Canadian eastern maritimes and Maine range from 6-20 C, with larger shifts at more southern sites [Levesque et al., 1997]. The magnitude of YD cooling in Greenland ice cores ranges from at least 7 C from the Bolling warming [Dansgaard et al., 1989] to 15 C - a more recent estimate from borehole temperatures [Cuffey et al., 1995]. The ice core geochemical records reveal that massive frequent and short-term (decadal or less) changes in atmospheric composition occurred throughout this event, suggesting a very dynamic circulation [Mayewski et al., 1993).

Shemesh, Aldo↗
NASA NTRS2008

Tools, Techniques, and Applications: Normalizing the VR Paradigm

Oshynee's precision Learning Objective performance factor rubrics with associated behavioral anchors integrates with Thinking Worlds(TradeMark), to provide event data recording and dynamic prescriptive feedback. Thinking Worlds(TradeMark) provides SCORM parametric data for reporting within the game and within overarching curricula or workplace evaluation strategy. - Open-sourced, browser-based digital dashboard reporting tools collect data from TW, LMS, LCMS, HR, and workplace metrics or control systems The games may be delivered across the internet or in a range of networked and stand-alone methods using the delivery model (s) required by the host organization.

Duncan, Gaeme↗
NASA NTRS2003

Mitigating Upsets in SRAM-Based FPGAs from the Xilinx Virtex 2 Family

Static random access memory (SRAM) upset rates in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) from the Xilinx Virtex 2 family have been tested for radiation effects on configuration memory, block RAM and the power-on-reset (POR) and SelectMAP single event functional interrupts (SEFIs). Dynamic testing has shown the effectiveness and value of Triple Module Redundancy (TMR) and partial reconfiguration when used in conjunction. Continuing dynamic testing for more complex designs and other Virtex 2 capabilities (i.e., I/O standards, digital clock managers (DCM), etc.) is scheduled.

SEE testing↗
NASA NTRS2009

Liquid crystal devices especially for use in liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer systems

Liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI) systems that can provide real-time, phase-shifting interferograms that are useful in the characterization of static optical properties (wavefront aberrations, lensing, or wedge) in optical elements or dynamic, time-resolved events (temperature fluctuations and gradients, motion) in physical systems use improved LCPDI cells that employ a "structured" substrate or substrates in which the structural features are produced by thin film deposition or photo resist processing to provide a diffractive element that is an integral part of the cell substrate(s). The LC material used in the device may be doped with a "contrast-compensated" mixture of positive and negative dichroic dyes.

Marshall, Kenneth L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Interactions Between CRs and MCs in the Vicinity of Supernova Remnants

Supernovae are incredibly energetic events which drive the dynamic state of the interstellar medium and accelerate cosmic rays up to energies of a few PeV. I present multi-wavelength observations constraining the shocks, chemistry, dust grain processing, and magnetic fields in a large sample of supernova remnants interacting with dense clouds. These are among the most luminous Galactic sources detected by the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. Surprisingly, spectral breaks are seen between GeV and TeV energies. Radio spectral breaks have also been detected for a few remnants, providing clear evidence that supernovae are a significant source of hadronic cosmic rays in the Galaxy. Resolving the origin of these spectral breaks will allow the physics of cosmic ray acceleration and diffusion to be probed.

Hewitt, John W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Aerial Refueling Process Rescheduling Under Job Related Disruptions

The Aerial Refueling Scheduling Problem (ARSP) can be defined as determining the refueling completion times for each fighter aircraft (job) on the multiple tankers (machines) to minimize the total weighted tardiness. ARSP assumes that the jobs have different release times and due dates. The ARSP is dynamic environment and unexpected events may occur. In this paper, rescheduling in the aerial refueling process with a time set of jobs will be studied to deal with job related disruptions such as the arrival of new jobs, the departure of an existing job, high deviations in the release times and changes in job priorities. In order to keep the stability and to avoid excessive computation, partial schedule repair algorithm is developed and its preliminary results are presented.

Kaplan, Sezgin↗
NASA NTRS2011

On the Causes and Dynamics of the Early Twentieth Century North American Pluvial

The early twentieth century North American pluvial (1905-1917) was one of the most extreme wet periods of the last five hundred years and directly led to overly generous water allotments in the water-limited American West. Here we examine the causes and dynamics of the pluvial event using a combination of observation-based data sets and general circulation model (GCM) experiments. The character of the moisture surpluses during the pluvial differed by region, alternately driven by increased precipitation (the Southwest), low evaporation from cool temperatures (the Central Plains), or a combination of the two (the Pacific Northwest). Cool temperature anomalies covered much of the west and persisted through most months, part of a globally extensive period of cooler land and sea surface temperatures (SST). Circulation during boreal winter favored increased moisture import and precipitation in the southwest, while other regions and seasons were characterized by near normal or reduced precipitation. Anomalies in the mean circulation, precipitation, and SST fields are partially consistent with the relatively weak El Nino forcing during the pluvial, and also reflect the impact of positive departures in the Arctic Oscillation that occurred in ten of the thirteen pluvial winters. Differences between the reanalysis dataset, an independent statistical drought model, and GCM simulations highlight some of the remaining uncertainties in understanding the full extent of SST forcing of North American hydroclimatic variability.

Cook, Benjamin I.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Climatic History of the Northeastern United States During the Past 3000 Years

Many ecosystem processes that influence Earth system feedbacks - vegetation growth, water and nutrient cycling, disturbance regimes - are strongly influenced by multidecadal- to millennial-scale climate variations that cannot be directly observed. Paleoclimate records provide information about these variations, forming the basis of our understanding and modeling of them. Fossil pollen records are abundant in the NE US, but cannot simultaneously provide information about paleoclimate and past vegetation in a modeling context because this leads to circular logic. If pollen data are used to constrain past vegetation changes, then the remaining paleoclimate archives in the northeastern US (NE US) are quite limited. Nonetheless, a growing number of diverse reconstructions have been developed but have not yet been examined together. Here we conduct a systematic review, assessment, and comparison of paleotemperature and paleohydrological proxies from the NE US for the last 3000 years. Regional temperature reconstructions (primarily summer) show a long-term cooling trend (1000BCE - 1700CE) consistent with hemispheric-scale reconstructions, while hydroclimate data show gradually wetter conditions through the present day. Multiple proxies suggest that a prolonged, widespread drought occurred between 550 and 750CE. Dry conditions are also evident during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, which was warmer and drier than the Little Ice Age and drier than today. There is some evidence for an acceleration of the longer-term wetting trend in the NE US during the past century; coupled with an abrupt shift from decreasing to increasing temperatures in the past century, these changes could have wide-ranging implications for species distributions, ecosystem dynamics, and extreme weather events. More work is needed to gather paleoclimate data in the NE US to make inter-proxy comparisons and to improve estimates of uncertainty in reconstructions.

Marlon, Jennifer R.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Persistent Quasi-Periodic Pulsations During a Large X-Class Solar Flare

Solar flares often display pulsating and oscillatory signatures in the emission, known as quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP). QPP are typically identified during the impulsive phase of flares, yet in some cases, their presence is detected late into the decay phase. Here, we report extensive fine structure QPP that are detected throughout the large X8.2 flare from 2017 September 10. Following the analysis of the thermal pulsations observed in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite/X-ray sensor and the 131 Å channel of Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, we find a pulsation period of ~65 s during the impulsive phase followed by lower amplitude QPP with a period of ~150 s in the decay phase, up to three hours after the peak of the flare. We find that during the time of the impulsive QPP, the soft X-ray source observed with the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager rapidly rises at a velocity of approximately 17 km/s following the plasmoid/coronal mass ejection eruption. We interpret these QPP in terms of a manifestation of the reconnection dynamics in the eruptive event. During the long-duration decay phase lasting several hours, extended downward contractions of collapsing loops/plasmoids that reach the top of the flare arcade are observed in EUV. We note that the existence of persistent QPP into the decay phase of this flare are most likely related to these features. The QPP during this phase are discussed in terms of magnetohydrodynamic wave modes triggered in the post-flaring loops.

Hayes, Laura A.↗
NASA NTRS2020

NASA’s High-Resolution GEOS Forecasting and Reanalysis Products: Impact of Stratospheric Intrusions on Surface Ozone Air Quality

A new approach to the study of stratospheric intrusions (SIs)? the introduction of ozone-rich lower stratospheric air into the troposphere ? uses NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) model and assimilation products with an objective feature tracking algorithm to investigate the atmospheric dynamics in the UTLS region that generate SIs and the different mechanisms through which SIs may influence tropospheric chemistry and surface air quality. In particular, SIs have been linked with surface ozone air quality exceedances, especially at the high elevations in the western USA in springtime. However, the impact of SIs in the remaining seasons and over the rest of the USA is less clear. Improved understanding of the connections between large-scale climate variability and local-scale dynamically-driven air quality events may support improved seasonal prediction of SI events. While the spring over the western USA does exhibit the largest number of SIs affecting the lower troposphere, we demonstrate that the number of intrusions in the remaining seasons and over the eastern USA is sizable. Using a multitude of observational datasets, including lidar data, ozonesondes and air quality monitoring surface sites, in combination with GEOS forecast and reanalysis products, the transport of ozone from the stratosphere toward the surface is assessed. By focusing on recent reports of high ozone at monitoring station sites likely associated with SIs, we aim to provide the public with tools which are available in near-real time to enhance their capability to identify the impact of stratospheric air on surface ozone concentrations separate from anthropogenic sources.

Knowland, K. Emma↗