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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 451 records · Page 25
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NASA NTRS2019

Seasonal Variation in Martian Water Ice Cloud Particle Size

We employ the complete record of Mars limb-viewing observations by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer, totaling 922 successful retrievals, to chart the seasonal variation in water ice cloud particle size. Low-latitude clouds exhibit particle size sorting with altitude at all seasons, with particles ranging from >3.0 m in effective radius to 1.01.5 m. However, at a given altitude, the ice particle size often varies through the year. Ice particle sizes in the tropics follow a different seasonal cycle than ice mixing ratio. North polar clouds have a complex seasonal cycle, with a sloped size profile with altitude as the polar hood cloud forms in early fall trending to a roughly uniform 1.5 m profile by the end of winter. These data are an important metric to validate and improve general circulation model microphysical routines and to better understand how martian water ice clouds influence the atmospheric radiative budget.

Scott D. Guzewich↗
NASA NTRS1986

Operational wave forecasting with spaceborne SAR: Prospects and pitfalls

Measurements collected in the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-B) Extreme Waves Experiment confirm the ability of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to yield useful estimates of wave directional energy spectra over global scales, at least for shuttle altitudes. However, azimuth fall-off effects tend to become severe for wavelengths shorter than about 100 m in most sea states. Moreover, the azimuth fall-off problem becomes increasingly severe as the platform altitude increases beyond 300 km. The most viable solution to the global wave measurements problem may be a low altitude spacecraft containing a combination of both the SAR and the Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometry (ROWS). Such a combination could have a synergy which yield global spectral estimates superior to those of either instrument singly employed.

Beal, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Theoretical study of the effect of ionospheric return currents on the electron temperature

A time-dependent, three-dimensional model of the high-altitude ionosphere is presently used to study the effects of field-aligned ionospheric return currents on auroral electron temperatures for different seasonal and solar cycle conditions, as well as for different upper boundary heat fluxes. The average, large scale, return current densities, which are a few microamps/sq m, are too small to affect auroral electron temperatures. The thermoelectric effect exhibits a pronounced solar cycle and seasonal dependence, and its heat transport corresponds to an upward flow of electron energy which can be either a source or sink of electron energy depending on altitude and geophysical conditions.

Schunk, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Point and path performance of light aircraft: A review and analysis

The literature on methods for predicting the performance of light aircraft is reviewed. The methods discussed in the review extend from the classical instantaneous maximum or minimum technique to techniques for generating mathematically optimum flight paths. Classical point performance techniques are shown to be adequate in many cases but their accuracies are compromised by the need to use simple lift, drag, and thrust relations in order to get closed form solutions. Also the investigation of the effect of changes in weight, altitude, configuration, etc. involves many essentially repetitive calculations. Accordingly, computer programs are provided which can fit arbitrary drag polars and power curves with very high precision and which can then use the resulting fits to compute the performance under the assumption that the aircraft is not accelerating.

Smetana, F. O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Influence of atmosphere pathlengths for different bands

The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison of ERTS-1 imagery in three bands (MSS-4, 5, and 7) acquired over southwestern Kansas on 1 Dec. 72 reveals that low solar altitude has a pronounced different effect on apparent scene illumination in different bands.

Haralick, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Position and shape of the Venus bow shock - Pioneer Venus Orbiter observations

Magnetometer data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter is used to examine the position and shape of this planet's bow shock. Utilizing crossings identified on 86 occasions during the first 65 orbits a mean shock surface is defined for sun-Venus-satellite angles of 60-110 deg. Both the shock shape and variance in location are found to be very similar to the terrestrial case for the range in SVS angle considered. However, while the spread in shock positions at the earth is due predominantly to the magnetopause location varying in response to solar wind dynamic pressure, ionopause altitude variations can have little effect on total obstacle radius. Thus, the Cytherean shock is sometimes observed much closer to or farther from the planet than previously predicted by gasdynamic theory applied to the deflection of flow about a blunt body which acts neither as source nor sink for any portion of the flow.

Slavin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Conical distributions of low-energy ion fluxes at synchronous orbit

Low-energy ion fluxes observed at synchronous orbit often display conical pitch angle distributions, that is, peak fluxes between 0 and 90 deg to the magnetic field direction. They are observed at all local times and are an especially common occurrence near dusk. The conic peaks normally occur in the 15-35 deg pitch angle range. Many of the low-energy ion conics in the late afternoon-dusk sector appear to be associated with low-energy plasma from the vicinity of the dusk plasmasphere bulge region. Several hypotheses for the production of these conics are advanced, and it is judged likely that cyclotron acceleration of ions at geocentric distances of 3.1 to 5.1 earth radii is operative in many cases. It is suggested that cyclotron acceleration in this altitude range may be an effective mechanism in trapping ionospheric ions within the magnetosphere.

Horwitz, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

An empirical determination of the effects of sea state bias on Seasat altimetry

A linear empirical model has been developed for the correction of sea state bias effects, in Seasat altimetry data altitude measurements, that are due to (1) electromagnetic bias caused by the fact that ocean wave troughs reflect the altimeter signal more strongly than the crests, shifting the apparent mean sea level toward the wave troughs, and (2) an independent instrument-related bias resulting from the inability of height corrections applied in the ground processor to compensate for simplifying assumptions made for the processor aboard Seasat. After applying appropriate corrections to the altimetry data, an empirical model for the sea state bias is obtained by differencing significant wave height and height measurements from coincident ground tracks. Height differences are minimized by solving for the coefficient of a linear relationship between height differences and wave height differences that minimize the height differences. In more than 50% of the 36 cases examined, 7% of the value of significant wave height should be subtracted for sea state bias correction.

Born, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Energetic O/+/ precipitation

Fluxes of energetic O(+) ions are often observed precipitating into the atmosphere and are possibly a significant energy source for the ionosphere and thermosphere. Models of these events indicate that most of the energy of such an O(+) beam is deposited as neutral heat at F region heights and a significant escape flux of O atoms results. The distribution of this heating with altitude, however, has a major effect on the type and significance of the aeronomical consequences that it can initiate. The particulars of this distribution are very sensitive to the cross sections and scattering parameters used in the modeling. A comparison of hard sphere and classical elastic parameters indicates that using the latter, more realistic formulation not only results in a more penetrating beam but reduces the escape flux by as much as a factor of 2 over the hard sphere treatment.

Kozyra, J. U.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A model study of the diurnal variation of mesospheric O3

Diurnal variation of ozone between 50 to 80 km is studied for both oxygen-only and O-N-H-C atmospheres. The temporal variation of ozone density along the ray path as well as that due to the change in the local zenith angle are included in the model computations. The difference between cases with and without the temporal variation of ozone density, is examined. It is found that the inclusion of this variation reduces the ozone concentration at all altitudes. In addition, the greatest effect on the ozone concentration is during sunrise and sunset.

Wang, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Large amplitude middle atmospheric electric fields - Fact or fiction?

An analysis of the measurements of large apparent dc fields in the middle atmosphere, previously gathered by two sounding rockets, shows these fields to be spurious. In the case of one of the rockets, the evidence presented suggests that the measured electric fields, aligned with the rocket's velocity vector, may be due to a negatively charged wake. A comparison of measurements made by various electric field booms also suggests that the insulating boom coatings in one experiment may have affected the results obtained. It is recommended that insulating coatings should not be used at mesospheric altitudes, because of the detrimental effects that frictional charging may have.

Kelley, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Design study of technology requirements for high performance single-propeller-driven business airplanes

Developments in aerodyamic, structural and propulsion technologies which influence the potential for significant improvements in performance and fuel efficiency of general aviation business airplanes are discussed. The advancements include such technolgies as natural laminar flow, composite materials, and advanced intermittent combustion engines. The design goal for this parameter design study is a range of 1300 nm at 300 knots true airspeed with a payload of 1200lbs at 35,000 ft cruise altitude. The individual and synergistic effects of various advanced technologies on the optimization of this class of high performance, single engine, propeller driven business airplanes are identified.

Kohlman, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Observation of El Chichon volcanic aerosols by the solar backscattered ultraviolet (SBUV) experiment

The Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Experiment (SBUV) aboard the Nimbus-7 satellite identified large amounts of SO2 in the tropical stratosphere on April 15, 1982, 11 days after major eruption of the El Chichon volcano in southern Mexico. It is shown in the present study that the backscattered ultraviolet radiances measured by the SBUV experiment have been strongly affected by the presence of stratospheric volcanic cloud from the El Chichon eruptions. Both SO2 and aerosol amounts present in the volcanic cloud have been mapped on the basis of an analysis of the radiances measured by the SBUV and TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) experiments. It is estimated that a volcanic cloud of optical depths as small as 0.03 can be detected using SBUV, provided the cloud reaches the middle atmosphere. Lower-altitude clouds have progressively smaller effects on the radiances as well as on the ozone profile derived from them and are therefore harder to detect.

Bhartia, P. K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

DE-1 phase 3 extended mission data analysis of Dynamics Explorer retarding ion mass spectrometer flight data

Field-aligned motion of ionospheric ions at a low altitudes and different pitch angle distributions of ionospheric ions at high altitudes were studied. The objective is twofold: (1) to discover the degree to which observations made by Dynamics Explorer 1 (DE-1) and DE-2 agree when taken in the same ionospheric volume; (2) to understand the processes operating along a magnetic field tube connecting DE-1 and DE-2 that allow a reconciliation of the two data sets. A second investigation has two facets; to reconcile the observed occurrence of ionospheric ions at high altitudes with a point source injection in the ionosphere and subsequent E x B drift, and to reconcile the observed fluxes of ionospheric ions at high altitudes with the measured upward flux at low altitudes. An understanding of the effects of E x B drift molten on the dispersion of ionospheric ions is attained.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

Transition to unstable ion flow in parallel electric fields

The stability of ionospheric O(+)-H(+) outflows accelerated by a nonambipolar parallel electric field is considered under conditions where the ion motion initially develops adiabatically and the ambient plasma is vertically stratified with an effective temperature that increases with altitude. Such conditions are expected near the bottom of the auroral acceleration region where ion and electron streaming instabilities first develop. It is shown for a particular equilibrium profile that the differentially accelerated ion flows become unstable within about 100 km from their entry point in the acceleration region. At O(+)/H(+) density ratios less than about 9, the instability is dominated by a violent H(+)-O(+) two-stream interaction which couples the O(+) and H(+) acoustic modes, and which mediates a transition to nonadiabatic acceleration. At higher altitudes and/or larger O(+)/H(+) density ratios, a much weaker resonant instability exists, which is driven by the relative drift between electrons and O(+) or H(+) ions. The results suggest that the H(+)-O(+) two-stream instability may be a viable mechanism for heating upflowing auroral ions.

Bergmann, R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Radiation safety in commercial air traffic

A recalculation of radiation dose rates in the stratosphere indicates that near 45,000 ft. the level is 1 to 1.6 m-rem/hour depending on solar activity. Consequently, flight crews operating at that height should be considered radiation workers with respect to safety level calculations. Uncertainties are introduced by the difficulty in ascertaining how many hours flight crews actually spend at that altitude and by the unresolved effects of galactic heavy ion collisions on the atmospheric neutron spectrum.

Wilson, John W.↗