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NASA NTRS1975

The He II lines in the spectrum of zeta Puppis

The observed He II line spectrum in zeta Pup is compared with that predicted from model atmospheres in an attempt to establish the parameters (effective temperature, log g) which characterize the model that best represents this star's atmosphere. The study is conducted by compiling equivalent widths of the He II lines in the series (n = 2,3,4,5) and comparing them with predictions from plane-parallel static model atmospheres using a non-LTE theory of line formation. Good agreement between observation and prediction for a model atmosphere with an effective temperature of 50,000 K and log of 4.0 is found for the upper members of the n = 3 and n = 5 series, but discrepancies are found for the two lines of the n = 2 series and the upper members of the n = 4 series. It is shown that the n = 4 level appears to be more overpopulated at moderate atmospheric depths than the non-LTE calculations with plane-parallel layers indicate. It is suggested that this may be due to an overlap of the H and He II lines in the even-even series caused by macroturbulent velocities of the hydrogen and helium atoms.

Snijders, M. A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Are clear-cut areas estimated from LANDSAT imagery reliable?

The reliability of LANDSAT imagery for estimation of clear-cut areas was evaluated by comparison with data obtained from high-altitude photos and logging historical map and from field inspections. A mature forest was selected as a test site because of its continuous clear-cut operation. The forest is about 50 km northwest of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and consists of 9092 ha. Areas clear-cut within the past year were overestimated by 12.9%, those clear-cut 1-year or more by 2.2%, whereas uncut mature timber was underestimated by 3.6%. Three clear-cut areas were missed in the logging map and two in the LANDSAT enhancement. The difference between area estimates was significant when all 26 areas were included but not when 2 overestimated areas were excluded from the analysis. The study indicates that LANDSAT imagery color enhancement is a useful tool in up-dating clear-cut areas for long-term planning in forest management.

Lee, Y. J.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Application of a dedicated micro-processor for automatic data acquisition of load strain and acoustic-emission data

This paper describes an automatic system for acquisition, logging and analysis of stress, strain and acoustic emission data. The complete system is a combination of several standard items of equipment and a newly developed intelligent data logger which has the capability to send data directly to a large scale computer for reduction and plotting. The data logging and all interfacing with peripheral equipment are accomplished using digital electronics. The heart of the system is a four-bit microprocessor and digital cassette tape unit. The system, which is controlled by instructions from a cathode ray tube terminal, has the capability to transmit data from the cassette unit to a large computer via a time sharing option. Typical results are presented for acoustic emission count rate and total count curves superimposed on stress-strain diagrams for boron/epoxy advanced composites.

Wilson, G. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

A new solar carbon abundance based on non-LTE CN molecular spectra

A detailed non-LTE analysis of solar CN spectra strongly suggest a revised carbon abundance for the sun. We recommend a value of log carbon abundance = 8.35 plus or minus 0.15 which is significantly lower than the presently accepted value of log carbon abundance = 8.55. This revision may have important consequences in astrophysics.

Mount, G. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Evidence for a temperature rise in the outer layers of alpha Lyrae, from Copernicus observations of Lyman-alpha

Copernicus satellite observations of the Ly-alpha profiles in alpha Lyrae (Vega) are used to determine whether classical radiative-equilibrium LTE model atmospheres can fit the thermal structure in the outer layers of that star. Two plane-parallel LTE model photospheres of alpha Lyrae are considered: a line-blanketed radiative-equilibrium model with an effective temperature of 9650 K and log g of 4.05, and the same model with a temperature of 9500 K and log g of 4.0. The profiles of the Ly-alpha wings are computed, and it is found that classical LTE models are unable to predict either the observed violet wing or the red wing longwards of 1239 A, regardless of the line source function. It is concluded that the electron temperature must increase outwards over the surface value reached in radiative equilibrium.

Praderie, F.↗

NASA NTRS1977

An estimate of field size distributions for selected sites in the major grain producing countries

The field size distributions for the major grain producing countries of the World were estimated. LANDSAT-1 and 2 images were evaluated for two areas each in the United States, People's Republic of China, and the USSR. One scene each was evaluated for France, Canada, and India. Grid sampling was done for representative sub-samples of each image, measuring the long and short axes of each field; area was then calculated. Each of the resulting data sets was computer analyzed for their frequency distributions. Nearly all frequency distributions were highly peaked and skewed (shifted) towards small values, approaching that of either a Poisson or log-normal distribution. The data were normalized by a log transformation, creating a Gaussian distribution which has moments readily interpretable and useful for estimating the total population of fields. Resultant predictors of the field size estimates are discussed.

Podwysocki, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1976

The EUV chromospheric network in the quiet sun

Investigations on the structure and intensity of the chromospheric network from quiet solar regions have been carried out with EUV data obtained with a spectroheliometer on the Apollo Telescope Mount of Skylab. The distribution of intensities within supergranulation cell interiors follows a near-normal function, where the standard deviation exceeds the value expected from the counting rate, which indicates fine-scale structure below the 5 arcsec resolution of the data. The intensities from the centers of supergranulation cells appear to be the same in both quiet regions and coronal holes, although the network is significantly different in the two types of regions. The average halfwidth of the network elements was measured as 10 arcsec and was independent of the temperature of formation of the observing line for effective-temperature logarithms (log Te) from 3.8 to 5.8. The contrast between the network and the centers of cells is greatest for lines with log Te about equal to 5.2, where the network contributes approximately 75% of the intensity of quiet solar regions. The contrast and fractional-intensity contributions decrease to higher and lower temperatures characteristic of the corona and chromosphere.

Reeves, E. M.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Dirac cosmology

The large numbers hypothesis (LNH) linking the magnitude of large dimensionless ratios in physics (on the order of 10 to the 40th power) to cosmic time is examined. The LNH is checked against evidence on 3K background radiation of the universe and the (log N, log S)-relation for radio galaxies. Earlier criticisms of LNH by Gamow and Teller are examined, and alternative hypotheses put forth by Dicke and Carter (1974) are discussed. The discussion covers: continuous (additive or multiplicative) creation of matter, the Einstein metric and the atomic metric, and general cosmological and local astronomical implications of LNH. LNH is also viewed in relation to solar evolution and pulsar physics.

Canuto, V.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Minimum film thickness in elliptical contacts for different regimes of fluid-film lubrication

The film-parameter equations are provided for four fluid-film lubrication regimes found in elliptical contacts. These regimes are isoviscous-rigid; viscous-rigid; elastohydrodynamic of low-elastic-modulus materials, or isoviscous-elastic; and elastohydrodynamic, or viscous-elastic. The influence or lack of influence of elastic and viscous effects is the factor that distinguishes these regimes. The film-parameter equations for the respective regimes come from earlier theoretical studies by the authors on elastohydrodynamic and hydrodynamic lubrication of elliptical conjunctions. These equations are restated and the results are presented as a map of the lubrication regimes, with film-thickness contours on a log-log grid of the viscosity and elasticity parameters for five values of the ellipticity parameter. The results present a complete theoretical film-parameter solution for elliptical contacts in the four lubrication regimes.

Hamrock, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

ATS-6 ascending - Near horizon measurements over water at 30 GHz

The return of the ATS-6 satellite to a western longitude during the fall of 1976 presented a unique opportunity to perform low-angle-of-elevation measurements at 30 GHz. For this purpose a receiver using a 1.5 m antenna was set up at Port Aransas, Texas, resulting in a propagation path entirely over water. The 30 GHz beacon was monitored daily for at least one hour from 8 September to 21 September 1976. During the time the elevation angle changed from 1.5 to 17.3 deg, the mean attenuation decreased from 20 to 2 dB and the standard deviation from over 6 dB to less than .2 dB. The deep fades at angles below 4 deg show significantly sharper nulls than peaks on a log scale. Spectra of the log amplitude fluctuations vary as the (-8/3) power of the spectral frequency in the limit. A flattening is noticeable at the low frequencies. A precipitation even at 8.5 deg elevation produced a 16 dB fade and significantly increased the variance.

Vogel, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Interpretation of cosmological information on radio sources

The question of whether any cosmological information can be obtained from radio astronomy is considered. Specific attention is given to the discovery and cosmological interpretation of the microwave background radiation, attempts to derive a Hubble relation for the optical objects identified with radio sources, searches for relations between the angular diameters of radio sources and the redshifts of their optically identified counterparts as well as between angular diameter and radio flux, construction of log N - log S curves, and luminosity volume tests. A brief outline is given of the situation that might prevail if a significant population of radio sources is not at great distances and is associated with QSOs that have been ejected from relatively nearby galaxies. It is concluded that: (1) some types of cosmological investigations have been premature; (2) much of the discussion in this area still depends on the distances of QSOs; and (3) there is no conclusive proof that the population of radio sources is changing with epoch.

Burbidge, G.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A size-frequency study of large Martian craters

Martian craters in the size range 10-250 km follow a log-normal size-frequency distribution law. Analysis techniques based on the log-normal model yield possible evidence for the size-frequency evolution of crater-producing bodies. Some regions on Mars display excessive depletions of either large or small craters; the most likely causes of the depletions are considered. Apparently, eolian sedimentation has markedly altered the population of small craters south of -30 deg latitude. The general effects of crater obliteration in the Southern Hemisphere appear to be confined to diameters of less than 20 km. A strong depletion of large craters in a large region centered at 35 deg latitude and 10 deg W longitude may indicate locations of subsurface ice.

Woronow, A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Evidence for a primordial magnetic field during the meteorite parent body era

Data on 247 meteorites were examined, and a log-log plot of the magnetic moment/gm versus the susceptibility/gm reveals a straight-line relation with a slope of unity for a range of meteorite types extending from achondrites at the low Fe-Ni end to stony-irons. The relation holds for a span of parameter values ranging between four and five orders. The results support the hypothesis of a common background magnetic field at the time of meteorite formation. An equation relating the primordial field strength to the average carrier demagnetization factor, which can vary from 0 to 4 pi, is presented. The extreme lower limit for the field strength is 0.02 oersted, while for the mean field of 0.27 oersted determined from a study of individual meteorites (Stacy and Banerjee, 1974), the average value for the carrier demagnetization factor is 0.74, corresponding to elongated grains.

Sonett, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Sorting on STAR

Timing comparisons are given for three sorting algorithms written for the CDC STAR computer. One algorithm is Hoare's (1962) Quicksort, which is the fastest or nearly the fastest sorting algorithm for most computers. A second algorithm is a vector version of Quicksort that takes advantage of the STAR's vector operations. The third algorithm is an adaptation of Batcher's (1968) sorting algorithm, which makes especially good use of vector operations but has a complexity of N(log N)-squared as compared with a complexity of N log N for the Quicksort algorithms. In spite of its worse complexity, Batcher's sorting algorithm is competitive with the serial version of Quicksort for vectors up to the largest that can be treated by STAR. Vector Quicksort outperforms the other two algorithms and is generally preferred. These results indicate that unusual instruction sets can introduce biases in program execution time that counter results predicted by worst-case asymptotic complexity analysis.

Stone, H. S.↗

NASA NTRS1977

On the constancy of the lunar cratering flux over the past 3.3 billion yr

Utilizing a method that minimizes random fluctuations in sampling crater populations, it can be shown that the ejecta deposit of Tycho, the floor of Copernicus, and the region surrounding the Apollo 12 landing site have incremental crater size-frequency distributions that can be expressed as log-log linear functions over the diameter range from 0.1 to 1 km. Slopes are indistinguishable for the three populations, probably indicating that the surfaces are dominated by primary craters. Treating the crater populations of Tycho, the floor of Copernicus, and Apollo 12 as primary crater populations contaminated, but not overwhelmed, with secondaries, allows an attempt at calibration of the post-heavy bombardment cratering flux. Using the age of Tycho as 109 m.y., Copernicus as 800 m.y., and Apollo 12 as 3.26 billion yr, there is no basis for assuming that the flux has changed over the past 3.3 billion yr. This result can be used for dating intermediate aged surfaces by crater density.

Guinness, E. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

On the angular momentum loss of late-type stars

The observed surface angular velocity of main-sequence stars shows a sharp decrease at about spectral type F6. It is suggested that stars more massive than F6 cannot experience an appreciable angular-momentum loss because their convection zones cannot sustain a magnetic dynamo: without a magnetic field the angular-momentum loss is very small. The influence of rotation on the convective motions is essential for the existence of a solar-type dynamo. Rotation can influence these convective motions only if the typical convective time is larger than the rotation time. For main-sequence stars of different masses and chemical compositions the dimensionless parameter (convective velocity/sum's angular velocity times mixing length in the lower part of the convection zone) is evaluated. It is shown that this parameter increases very sharply for stars whose mass exceeds that defined by the relation log(star mass/solar mass) is of the order of 0.1. Thus even for large angular velocities, magnetic dynamos are not feasible if log(star mass/solar mass) appreciably exceeds 0.1.

Durney, B. R.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Scaling laws and edge effects for polymer surface discharges

Specimens of Mylar sheet were exposed to a 20 kV electron beam. The resulting surface discharge arcs were photographed and the discharge current into a metal backing plate measured as a function of time. The area of the Mylar sheet was defined by a round aperture in a close-fitting metal mask, and the current pulse characteristics were plotted against area on log-log paper. The plots appear as straight lines (due to power-law behavior) with slopes of 0.50 for the peak current, 1.00 for the charge released, 1.49 for the energy and 0.55 for the pulse duration. Evidence is presented for the occurrence of banded charge distributions near grounded edges, on both Teflon and Mylar.

Balmain, K. G.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Development of procedures for calculating stiffness and damping of elastomers in engineering applications. Part 5: Elastomer performance limits and the design and test of an elastomer damper

Tests were performed on elastomer specimens of the material polybutadiene to determine the performance limitations imposed by strain, temperature, and frequency. Three specimens were tested: a shear specimen, a compression specimen, and a second compression specimen in which thermocouples were embedded in the elastomer buttons. Stiffness and damping were determined from all tests, and internal temperatures were recorded for the instrumented compression specimen. Measured results are presented together with comparisons between predictions of a thermo-viscoelastic analysis and the measured results. Dampers of polybutadiene and Viton were designed, built, and tested. Vibration measurements were made and sensitivity of vibration to change in unbalance was also determined. Values for log decrement were extracted from the synchronous response curves. Comparisons were made between measured sensitivity to unbalance and log decrement and predicted values for these quantities.

Tecza, J. A.↗