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NASA NTRS1997

Thermochemistry and Kinetics of the Cl+O2 Association Reaction

Laser flash photolysis of Cl2/O2 mixtures has been employed in conjunction with Cl((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) detection by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate equilibration kinetics for the reactions Cl + O2 + O is in equilibrium with ClOO + O2 at temperatures of 181-200 K and O2 pressures of 15-40 Torr. The third-order rate coefficient for the association reaction at 186.5 +/- 5.5 K is (8.9 +/- 2.9) x 10(exp -33) cm(exp 6) molecule(exp -2) s(exp -1) and the equilibrium constant (K(p)) at 185.4 K is 18.9 atm(exp -1) (factor of 1.7 uncertainty). A third law analysis of our data leads to a value for the Cl-OO bond dissociation energy of 4.76 +/- 0.49 kcal mol(exp -1).

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics of the Reactions of Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) and Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) with O3

A laser flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the important stratospheric reactions Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) + O3 yields ClO + O2 and Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + O3 yields BrO + O2 as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence observed for the Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) + O3 reaction is nonArrhenius, but can be adequately described by the following two Arrhenius expressions (units are cu cm/(molecule.s), errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only): k(sub 1)(T) = (1.19 +/- 0.21) x 10(exp -11) exp[(-33 +/- 37)/T] for T = 189-269 K and k(sub 1)(T) = (2.49 +/- 0.38) x 10(exp -11) exp[(-233 +/- 46)/T] for 269-385 K. At temperatures below 230 K, the rate coefficients determined in this study are faster than any reported previously. Incorporation of our values for k(sub 1)(T) into stratospheric models would increase calculated ClO levels and decrease calculated HCI levels; hence the calculated efficiency of ClO catalyzed ozone destruction would increase. The temperature dependence observed for the Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + O3 reaction is adequately described by the following Arrhenius expression (units are cu cm/(molecule.s), errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only): k(sub 2)(T) = (1.50 +/- 0.16) x 10(exp -11)exp[(-775 +/- 30)/T for 195-392 K. While not in quantitative agreement with Arrhenius parameters reported in most previous studies, our results almost exactly reproduce the average of all earlier studies and therefore will not affect the choice of k(sub 2)(T) for use in modeling stratospheric BrO2 chemistry.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics and Thermochemistry of ClCO Formation from the Cl + CO Association Reaction

Laser flash photolysis of Cl2/CO/M mixtures (M = N2, CO, Ar, CO2) has been employed in conjunction with Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) detection by time-resolved resonance fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate equilibration kinetics in the reactions Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) + CO ClCO as a function of temperature (185-260 K) and pressure (14-200 Torr). The association and dissociation reactions are found to be in the low-pressure limit over the range of experimental conditions investigated. In N2 and/or CO buffer gases, the temperature dependences of the ClCO formation and dissociation reaction rate constants are described by the Arrhenius expressions k(sub 1) = (1.05 +/- 0.36) x 10(exp -34) exp[(810 +/- 70)/T] cm(exp 6)/molecules(exp 2).s and k(sub -1) = (4.1 +/- 3.1) x 10(exp -10) exp[(-2960 +/- 60)/T]cu cm/(molecule.s) (errors are 2 sigma). Second- and third-law analyses of the temperature dependence of the equilbrium constant (k/k-1) lead to the following thermodynamic parameters for the association reaction: Delta-H(sub 298) = -7.7 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol, Delta-H(sub 0) = -6.9 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol, Delta-S(sub 298) = -23.8 +/- 2.0 cal/mole.K, Delta-H(sub f,298)(ClCO) = 5.2 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol (errors are 2 sigma). The results repported in this study significantly reduce the uncertainties in all reported kinetic and thermodynamic parameters.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Noninvasive Determination of Bone Mechanical Properties using Vibration Response: A Refined Model and Validation in vivo

Accurate non-invasive mechanical measurement of long bones is made difficult by the masking effect of surrounding soft tissues. Mechanical Response Tissue Analysis (MRTA) offers a method for separating the effects of the soft tissue and bone; however, a direct validation has been lacking. A theoretical analysis of wave propagation through the compressed tissue revealed a strong mass effect dependent on the relative accelerations of the probe and bone. The previous mathematical model of the bone and overlying tissue system was reconfigured to incorporate the theoretical finding. This newer model (six-parameter) was used to interpret results using MRTA to determine bone cross-sectional bending stiffness, EI(sub MRTA). The relationship between EI(MRTA) and theoretical EI values for padded aluminum rods was R(exp 2) = 0.999. A biological validation followed using monkey tibias. Each bone was tested in vivo with the MRTA instrument. Postmortem, the same tibias were excised and tested to failure in three-point bending to determine EI(sub 3-PT) and maximum load. Diaphyseal Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measurements were also made. The relationship between E(sub 3-PT) and in vivo EI(sub MRTA) using the six-parameter model is strong (R(exp 2) = 0.947) and better than that using the older model (R(exp 2) = 0.645). EI(MRTA) and BMD are also highly correlated (R(exp 2) = 0.853). MRTA measurements in vivo and BMD ex vivo are both good predictors of scaled maximum strength (R(exp 2) = 0.915 and R(exp 2) = 0.894, respectively). This is the first biological validation of a non-invasive mechanical measurement of bone by comparison to actual values. The MRTA technique has potential clinical value for assessing long-bone mechanical properties.

Roberts, S. G.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Free-Flight Aerodynamic-Heating Data to Mach Number 10.4 for a Modified Von Karman Nose Shape

Aerodynamic-heating data have been obtained on a modified fineness-ratio-5.0 Von Karman nose shape at free-stream Mach numbers up to 10.4 with a rocket-propelled model. Transient skin temperatures were measured at one station, 26.6 inches behind the tip of a nose 31.6 inches long. A maximum skin temperature of 1,663 deg R was measured soon after the maximum Mach number was obtained. During the periods for which experimental Stanton numbers were presented, flow parameters just outside the boundary layer at the temperature measuring station varied as follows: the local Mach number varied in the range between 0.8 and 9.0 and the local Reynolds number varied in the range between 0.8 x 10(exp 6) and 35.5 x 10(exp 6). The ratio of skin temperature to local static temperature varied between 1.0 and 3.6. The experimental Stanton numbers agreed well with Van Driest's turbulent theory while the local Reynolds number was high - that is, while the local Reynolds number varied in a range above 6.8 x 10(exp 6). For local Reynolds numbers less than 3.5 x 10(exp 6) the experimental Stanton numbers were of the magnitude predicted by Van Driest's laminar theory. Transition from turbulent to laminar flow at the temperature measuring station, as indicated by the change in the magnitude of the Stanton number, occurred as the local Reynolds number decreased from 6.8 x 10(exp 6) to 3.5 x 10(exp 6) at essentially a constant local Mach number of about 9.0.

Bland, William M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Evaluation of Several Space Lubricants using a Vacuum Four-Ball Tribometer

The friction and wear behavior of seven space lubricants was investigated under boundary lubrication conditions using a vacuum four-ball tribometer. Three of the lubricants were perfluoropolyethers (143AC, S-200, and Z-25). Three were synthetic hydrocarbons (a multiply alkylated cyclopentane, 2001a), and a formulated version with an antiwear and an antioxidant additive (2001). The third hydrocarbon was an unformulated polyalphaolefin (PAO-100). An unformulated silahydrocarbon (SiHC) was also evaluated. Test conditions included: a pressure less than 6.7 x 10(exp 4) Pa, a 200 N load, a sliding velocity of 28.8 mm/sec (100 RPM), and room temperature (approx. 23 C). The wear rate for each lubricant was determined from the slope of wear volume as a function of sliding distance. The lowest wear rate (0.033 x 10(exp-9) cu mm/mm) was obtained with the silahydrocarbon. The formulated synthetic hydrocarbon had a wear rate off O.037 x 10(exp -9)cu mm/mm, which was a 36% reduction compared to the unformulated fluid. The polyalphaolefin had the highest wear rate of the non-PFPE fluids. Of the perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs), wear rates decreased by about 50% from Z-25 (1.7 x 10(exp -9)cu mm/mm) to S-200 (0.70 x 10(exp -9)cu mm/mm) to 143AC (0.21 x 10(exp -9)cu mm/mm).

Jones, William R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Low Stretch Diffusion Flames Over a Solid Fuel

A unique new way to study low gravity flames in normal gravity has been developed. To study flame structure and extinction characteristics in low stretch environments, a normal gravity low-stretch diffusion flame is generated using a cylindrical PMMA sample of varying large radii. Foutch and T'ien used the radiative loss as well as a densimetric Froude number to characterize the blowoff (small Da) and quenching extinction (large Da) boundaries in stagnation-point diffusion flames under various convective conditions. An important conclusion of this study was that the shape and location of the extinction boundary, as well as a number of important flame characteristics, were almost identical for the buoyant, forced, and mixed convective environments they modeled. This theory indicates it should be possible to understand a material's burning characteristics in the low stretch environment of spacecraft (induced by fans and crew movements) by understanding its burning characteristics in an equivalent Earth-based stretch environment (induced by normal gravity buoyancy). Similarly, the material's burning characteristics in Lunar or Martian stretch environments (induced by partial gravity buoyancy) can be assessed. Equivalent stretch rates can be determined as a function of gravity, imposed flow, and geometry. A generalized expression for stretch rate which captures mixed convection includes both buoyant and forced stretch is defined as a = a(sub f) ((1 + (a(sub b))exp 2/(a(sub b))exp 2))exp 1/2. For purely buoyant flow, the equivalent stretch rate is a(sub b) = [(rho(exp e)-rho(exp *)/rho(sub e)][g/R](exp 1/2). For purely forced flow, the equivalent stretch rate is characterized by either a(sub f)= 2U(sub infinity)/R for a cylinder, or a(sub f)=U(sub jet)/d(sub jet) for a jet impinging on a planar surface. In these experiments, the buoyant stretch is varied through R, the radius of curvature, but the buoyant stretch could also be varied through g, the gravity level. In this way the effect of partial gravity, such as those found on the Moon (1/6 g) or Mars (1/3 g) can be captured in the definition of flame stretch.

Olson, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Condensed Water in Tropical Cyclone "Oliver", 8 February 1993

On February 8, 1993, the NASA DC-8 aircraft profiled from 10,000 to 37,000 feet (3.1-11.3 km) pressure altitude in a stratified section of tropical cyclone "Oliver" over the Coral Sea northeast of Australia. Size, shape and phase of cloud and precipitation particles were measured with a 2-D Greyscale probe. Cloud/precipitation particles changed from liquid to ice as soon as the freezing level was reached near 17,000 feet (5.2 km) pressure altitude. The cloud was completely glaciated at -5 C. There was no correlation between ice particle habit and ambient temperature. In the liquid phase, the precipitation-cloud drop concentration was 4.0 x 10(exp 3)/cu m, the geometric mean diameter D(sub g) = 0.5-0.7 mm, and the liquid water content 0.7-1.9 g m(exp-3). The largest particles anywhere in the cloud, dominated by fused dendrites at concentrations similar to that of raindrops (2.5 x 10(exp 3) m(exp -3)) but a higher condensed water content(5.4 g/cu m estimated) were found in the mixed phase; condensed water is removed very effectively from the mixed layer due to high settling velocities of the large mixed particles. The highest number concentration (4.9 x 10(exp 4)/cu m, smallest size (D(sub g) = 0.3-0.4 mm), largest surface area (up to 2.6 x 10 (exp 2) sq cm/cu m at 0.4- 1.0 g/cu m of condensate) existed in the ice phase at the coldest temperature (- 40 C) at 35,000 feet ( 10.7 km). Each cloud contained aerosol (haze particles) in addition to cloud particles. The aerosol total surface area exceeded that of the cirrus particles at the coldest temperature. Thus, aerosols must play a significant role in the upscattering of solar radiation. Light extinction (6.2/km) and backscatter (0.8/sr/km) was highest in the coldest portion of the cirrus cloud at the highest altitude.

Pueschel, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Signatures of Exo-Solar Planets in Dust Debris Disks

We have developed a new numerical approach to the dynamics of minor bodies and dust particles, which enables us to increase, without using a supercomputer, the number of employed particle positions in each model up to 10(exp 10) - 10(exp 11), a factor of 10(exp 6) - 10(exp 7) higher than existing numerical simulations. We apply this powerful approach to the high-resolution modeling of the structure and emission of circumstellar dust disks, incorporating all relevant physical processes. In this Letter, we examine the resonant structure of a dusty disk induced by the presence of one planet of mass in the range of (5 x 10(exp -5) - 5 x 10(exp -3))M. It is shown that the planet, via resonances and gravitational scattering, produces (i) a central cavity void of dust; (ii) a trailing (sometimes leading) off-center cavity; and (iii) an asymmetric resonant dust belt with one, two, or more clumps. These features can serve as indicators of planet(s) embedded in the circumstellar dust disk and, moreover, can be used to determine the mass of the planet and even some of its orbital parameters. The results of our study reveal a remarkable similarity with various types of highly asymmetric circumstellar disks observed with the JCMT around Epsilon Eridani and Vega.

Ozernoy, Leonid M.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Hg(+) Frequency Standards

In this paper we review the development of Hg(+) microwave frequency standards for use in high reliability and continuous operation applications. In recent work we have demonstrated short-term frequency stability of 3 x 10(exp -14)/nu(sub tau) when a cryogenic oscillator of stability 2-3 x 10(exp 15) was used a the local oscillator. The trapped ion frequency standard employs a Hg-202 discharge lamp to optically pump the trapped Hg(+)-199 clock ions and a helium buffer gas to cool the ions to near room temperature. We describe a small Hg(+) ion trap based frequency standard with an extended linear ion trap (LITE) architecture which separates the optical state selection region from the clock resonance region. This separation allows the use of novel trap configurations in the resonance region since no optical pumping is carried out there. A method for measuring the size of an ion cloud inside a linear trap with a 12-rod trap is currently being investigated. At approx. 10(exp -12), the 2nd order Doppler shift for trapped mercury ion frequency standards is one of the largest frequency offsets and its measurement to the 1% level would represent an advance in insuring the very long-term stability of these standards to the 10(exp -14) or better level. Finally, we describe atomic clock comparison experiments that can probe for a time variation of the fine structure constant, alpha = e(exp 2)/2(pi)hc, at the level of 10(exp -20)/year as predicted in some Grand Unified String Theories.

Prestage, John D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Hot-electron Direct Detector for Radioastronomy

A hot-electron transition-edge superconducting bolometer with adjustable thermal relaxation speed is proposed. The bolometer contacts are made from a superconductor with high critical temperature which blocks the thermal diffusion of hot carriers into the contacts. Thus electron-phonon interaction is the only mechanism for heat removal. The speed of thermal relaxation for hot electrons in a nanometer-size superconducting bolometer with T(sub c) = 100-300 mK is controlled by the elastic electron mean free path l. The relaxation rate behaves as T(sup 4)l at subkelvin temperatures and can be reduced by a factor of 10-100 by decreasing 1. Then an antenna- or wave guide-coupled bolometer with a time constant approx. = 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -4) s will exhibit photon-noise limited performance at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. The bolometer will have a figure-of-merit NEPtau = 10(exp -22) - 10(exp -21) W/Hz at 100 mK which is 10(exp 3) to 10(exp 4) times better (ie: smaller) than that of a state-of-the-art bolometer. A tremendous increase in speed and sensitivity will have a significant impact for observational mapping applications.

Karasik, Boris S.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Stability and Phase Noise Tests of Two Cryo-Cooled Sapphire Oscillators

A cryocooled Compensated Sapphire Oscillator (CSO), developed for the Cassini Ka-band Radio Science experiment, and operating in the 8K - 10K temperature range was previously demonstrated to show ultra-high stability of sigma(sub y) = 2.5 x 10 (exp -15) for measuring times 200 seconds less than or equal to tau less than or equal to 600 seconds using a hydrogen maser as reference. We present here test results for a second unit which allows CSO short-term stability and phase noise to be measured for the first time. Also included are design details of a new RF receiver and an intercomparison with the first CSO unit. Cryogenic oscillators operating below about 10K offer the highest possible short term stability of any frequency sources. However, their use has so far been restricted to research environments due to the limited operating periods associated with liquid helium consumption. The cryocooled CSO is being built in support of the Cassini Ka-band Radio Science experiment and is designed to operate continuously for periods of a year or more. Performance targets are a stability of 3-4 x 10 (exp -15) (1 second less than or equal to tau less than or equal to 100 seconds) and phase noise of -73dB/Hz @ 1Hz measured at 34 GHz. Installation in 5 stations of NASA's deep space network (DSN) is planned in the years 2000 - 2002. In the previous tests, actual stability of the CSO for measuring times tau less than or equal to 200 seconds could not be directly measured, being masked by short-term fluctuations of the H-maser reference. Excellent short-term performance, however, could be inferred by the success of an application of the CSO as local oscillator (L.O.) to the JPL LITS passive atomic standard, where medium-term stability showed no degradation due to L.O. instabilities at a level of (sigma)y = 3 x 10 (exp -14)/square root of tau. A second CSO has now been constructed, and all cryogenic aspects have been verified, including a resonator turn-over temperature of 7.907 K, and Q of 7.4 x 10 (exp 8). These values compare to a turn-over of 8.821 K and Q of 1.0 x 10 (exp 9) for the first resonator. Operation of this second unit provides a capability to directly verify for the first time the short-term (1 second less than or equal to tau less than or equal to 200 seconds) stability and the phase noise of the CSO units. The RF receiver used in earlier tests was sufficient to meet Cassini requirements for tau greater than or equal to 10 seconds but had short-term stability limited to 2-4 x 10 (exp -14) at tau = 1 second, a value 10 times too high to meet our requirements. A new low-noise receiver has been designed to provide approximately equal to 10-15 performance at 1 second, and one receiver is now operational, demonstrating again short-term CSO performance with H maser-limited stability. Short-term performance was degraded in the old receiver due to insufficient tuning bandwidth in a 100MHZ quartz VCO that was frequency-locked to the cryogenic sapphire resonator. The new receivers are designed for sufficient bandwidth, loop gain and low noise to achieve the required performance.

Dick, G. John↗
NASA NTRS1998

Potential Mars Surveyor 2001 Landing Sites: Low-Elevation Cratered "Highlands" in Central and Eastern Sinus Meridiani and Near Amenthes Fossae

The main scientific goal for the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 (MSP 01) landed mission is to collect and characterize 91 rock and 13 soil core samples using an integrated instrument suite onboard the Athena Rover. If possible, these samples will be retrieved and returned to Earth via a MSP 05 or MSP 07 mission. Preliminary engineering constraints for the MSP 01 landing site call for a location that lies between 15 S and 30 N, and below about 2 km elevation (based on Viking-era topography). Desirable landing sites for MSP 01 are to be located "in the ancient highlands where the environmental conditions may have been favorable to the preservation of evidence of possible prebiotic or biotic processes including the emergence (and, potentially, the persistence) of life". We interpret this to mean that the desirable sites include those that have evidence of aqueous sediments that might have been deposited during the Noachian and/or Hesperian Epochs of Mars' history. In addition to the search for subaqueous sedimentary deposits, we took into consideration the fact that the rover, Athena, will need to be able to access these materials. Thus, a site where aeolian deflation has occurred might be desirable because it might expose, in situ, layered sedimentary deposits. Deflated areas, of course, might include potential landing hazards in the form of meterscale buttes and mesas (e.g., Christmas Lake Valley, OR), thus careful study of such sites with high resolution images will be required before a decision is made to land. We have been examining three regions that have potential to be considered for MSP 01 landing sites. This work is based on Viking (VIS, IRTM) and Phobos 2 (Termoskan) observations and should be regarded as preliminary because we believe that the final site selection should also be based upon analysis of Mars Global Surveyor observations that help constrain mineralogy (TES) and local geomorphology (MOC, MOLA). (1) Eastern Sinus Meridiani Region (proposed by K. S. Edgett) Sinus Meridiani is a persistent low-albedo (< 0. 16) region on the martian equator that has been recognized for about 400 years. All of Sinus Meridiani is below the 2 km elevation constraint for MSP 01. The region includes cratered highlands, valley networks, aeolian dunes, and possible aqueous sedimentary deposits. The landing site study region is located in the eastern portion of Sinus Meridiani. It is bounded by latitudes 10 S to 2 N, longitudes 355 W to 345 W, and the elevations are mostly 1-2 km. The center of this area contains a medium-albedo (0.19-0.21), relatively smooth-surfaced deposit that was suggested by Rice to be a lacustrine deposit. Several potential landing areas can be suggested within this region. Based on Viking and Phobos 2 data, the favored sites so far are centered at 7.6 S, 346.9 W and 0.8 S, 349 W. Thermal inertias are 3.2-7.0 x 10(exp -3) cal /sq cm s(exp -0.5)/K; and rock abundances are around 2-6%. The site at 7.6 S, 346.9 W is at the southern end of the smooth, medium-albedo unit that might have a lacustrine origin. At this location, numerous channels appear to have drained toward the smooth unit. Viking images from orbit 747A show this area at about 15 m/pixel ground resolution. The images reveal that aeolian deflation has occurred along the deposit's margins. Bright (i.e., albedo >= 0.21) aeolian dunes are present on the channel floors and in some of the depressions on the smooth unit. The bright, apparently active dunes might consist of material (perhaps lakedeposited sands) that has been eroded from the smooth unit. The site at approximately 0.8 S, 349 W is selected because it offers an opportunity to solve a long-standing puzzle about Mars remote sensing. There are three main "color" units on Mars: "dark red, dark gray, and bright red". This landing site would allow the Athena rover an opportunity to investigate all three materials within close proximity (the best place on Mars to do so). There are no high resolution (better than 100 m/pixel) Viking or Mariner images of this site. (2) Central Sinus Meridiani Region (proposed by K. S. Edgett and T. J. Parker) Central Sinus Meridiani is characterized by two types of surfaces [4]. One is like typical martian cratered highlands elsewhere- there are old valley networks and old impact craters. The other is relatively smooth and flat. These two units are in contact around 3.1 S between 5 W and 4 E longitudes. Valley networks- including one at 6'S, 358 W that rivals the Grand Canyon of Arizona- once drained toward the smooth unit. Edgett and Parker [4] proposed that the smooth unit might consist of sediments laid down in a large Noachian-aged sea/ocean that would have covered much of the northern hemisphere. Schultz and Lutz [I I I suggested that it is a paleopolar layered deposit. Regardless, the smooth unit where it contacts the cratered terrain would make an excellent site for Athena rover to investigate. The site is best seen in Viking high resolution images from orbits 408B (about 30 m/pixel) and 746A (about 12 m/pixel). These images suggest that aeolian deflation has occurred along the margin of the smooth unit, and this deflation has exposed horizontal larrs of material. The elevation is about 0.5 km; thermal inertias are 6.5-8.0 x 10(exp -3) cal /sq cm s(exp -0.5) / K; rock abundances are 2-4%; and the surface is probably sandy with dark drifts and ripples but almost no actual dunes. We suggest a landing around 3.2 S, 3.0 W would test the aqueous sediment hypothesis and provide a potentially smooth surface on which to land. (3) Amenthes Fossae Region (proposed by S. N. Huntwork and K. S. Edgett) The Amenthes Fossae are a series of graben/fissures that are circumferential to the southeast side of Isidis Planitia. These fissures cross a variety of ancient, heavily cratered Noachian terrain and younger, Hesperian and Amazonian terrain. We focused our search on a region 0-15 N, 250 - 270 W. Elevations are -0.5 to 2 km. Depending upon whether Isidis Planitia was ever a water-rich environment, this region might have been influenced by aqueous sedimentation. Valley networks are common, and they drained toward the north and northwest. We focused our work on a set of Viking orbiter high-resolution images, 719A 1-48. These have resolutions 16-24 rri/pixel. We examined images 20-23, centered at 2 N, 258 W. This site, on the plains just southwest of a 42 km-diameter crater, includes a valley network channel, a relatively young crater ejecta deposit, a few buttes composed of presumably ancient, Noachian bedrock, and a "plains" unit. The plains might make an ideal landing surface, except for the presence of some fine-scale ridges (oriented approximately N-S). The ridges are probably yardangs, thus this site offers a place where aeolian deflation has probably exposed some of the layered rock units that comprise the "plains". Thermal inertias are 7.9-8.3 x 10(exp -3) cal/sq cm s(exp -0.5) /K and rock abundances are 10-15%. A rover traverse might include the opportunity to go down to the floor (and sample along the walls) of the valley network channel at 2 N 258.1 W.

Edgett, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Coronal Structure: Legacy of EUVE

Extreme ultraviolet spectra (lambda lambda 70-740) and light curves (lambda lambda 75-175) of the spectroscopic binary system lambda And (HD 222107), were obtained with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite (EUVE) in July and August 1997. Two flares were detected during the observations which spanned 15 days, or almost three-quarters of the orbital period of 20.5 days. The Emission Measure Distribution (EMD) of lambda And derived from a line-based analysis, shows an increasing slope with the temperature from 3.1x10(exp 6) K through 2.0x10(exp 7) K, as well as a remarkable 'bump' around T(sub e) approx. equals 10(exp 6.9) K. During the flares small changes were detected in both the general slope of the EMD and the height of the bump, but the bump remained very stable in its temperature. Electron densities of N(sub e) approx. equals 10(exp 12.7) cm(exp -3) are indicated at temperatures of 10(exp 7) K using Fe XXI and Fe XXII emission features.

Dupree, Andrea K.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Hot-electron Direct Detector for Radioastronomy

A new approach is proposed to improve the sensitivity of direct-detection bolometers. The idea is to adjust a speed of the thermal relaxation of hot-electrons in a nanometer size normal metal or superconductive transition edge bolometer by controlling the elastic electron mean free path. If the bolometer contacts are made of a superconductor with high critical temperature then the thermal diffusion into the contacts is absent because of the Andreev's reflection and the electron-phonon relaxation is the only mechanism for heat removal. The relaxation rate should behave as 7(exp 4)l at subkelvin temperatures (l is the electron elastic mean free path) and can be reduced by factor of 10 - 100 by decreasing l. Then an antenna- or waveguide-coupled bolometer with a time constant approx. 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) S at T approx. = 0.1 - 0.3 K will exhibit photon-noise limited performance in millimeter and subn-millimeter range. The bolometer will have a figure-of-merit NEk square root of tau approx. = 10(exp -22) 10(exp -21) W/Hz at 100 mK which is 10(exp 3) times smaller than that of a state-of-the-art bolometer. This will allow for a tremendous increase in speed which will have a significant impact for observational mapping applications. Alternatively, the bolometer could operate at higher temperature with still superior sensitivity This research was performed by the Center for Space Microelectronics Technology, JPL, California Institute of Technology, under the contract for NASA.

Karasik, B. S.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Reynolds Number Effects on the Performance of Lateral Control Devices

The influence of Reynolds number on the performance of outboard spoilers and ailerons was investigated on a generic subsonic transport configuration in the National Transonic Facility over a chord Reynolds number range 41 from 3x10(exp 6) to 30xl0(exp 6) and a Mach number range from 0.50 to 0.94, Spoiler deflection angles of 0, 10, 15, and 20 deg and aileron deflection angles of -10, 0, and 10 deg were tested. Aeroelastic effects were minimized by testing at constant normalized dynamic pressure conditions over intermediate Reynolds number ranges. Results indicated that the increment in rolling moment due to spoiler deflection generally becomes more negative as the Reynolds number increases from 3x10(exp 6) to 22x10(exp 6) with only small changes between Reynolds numbers of 22x10(exp 6) and 30x10(exp 6). The change in the increment in rolling moment coefficient with Reynolds number for the aileron deflected configuration is generally small with a general trend of increasing magnitude with increasing Reynolds number.

Mineck, Raymond E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

ASCA Observations of PSR 1929+10 and PSR 0950+08

The ASCA X-ray spectra of the old pulsars PSR 1929+10 and PSR 0950+08 are adequately fitted by simple blackbodies. Between 0.5 and 5.0 keV, PSR 1929+10 is best fitted with T = (5.14 +/- 0.53) x 10(exp 6) K and L = 1.54 x 10(exp 30) ergs/s; PSR 0950+08 has T = (5-70 +/- 0.63) x 10(exp 6) K and L = 4.67 x 10(exp 29) ergs/s. The inferred areas are 2 orders of magnitude smaller than canonical polar cap sizes. There is some evidence for a dearth of photons above 5 keV, which would disfavor alternative power-law models for the spectra. Pulsed emission is detected from PSR 1929+10 with 99.8% significance and pulsed fraction 0.35 +/- 0.18. Marginal evidence of pulsed X-ray emission from PSR 0950+08 is present with 99.0% significance and pulsed fraction 0.34+/- 0.18. Relativistic ray tracing shows that if the geometry deduced from the polarization of the radio pulse is adopted for the surface thermal emission, a central dipole cannot reproduce the large pulsed modulations observed unless the radius of the neutron star is as large as 18 km. A mechanism of polar cap heating by the impact of relativistic particles is suggested that can produce small areas with T approx. 5 x 10(exp 6) K on old, spun-down pulsars with weak magnetic fields (B approx. 3 x 10(exp 11) G).

Wang, F. Y.-H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Soft X-Ray Properties of the Binary Millisecond Pulsar J0437-4715

We obtained a light curve for the 5.75 ms pulsar J0437-4715 in the 65-120 A range with 0.5 ms time resolution using the Deep Survey instrument on the EUVE satellite. The single-peaked profile has a pulsed fraction of 0.27 +/- 0.05, similar to the ROSAT data in the overlapping energy band. A combined analysis of the EUVE and ROSAT data is consistent with a power-law spectrum of energy index alpha = 1.2 - 1.5, intervening column density N(sub H) = (5 - 8) x 10(exp 19)/sq cm, and luminosity 5.0 x 10(exp 30) ergs/s in the 0.1 - 2.4 keV band. We also use a bright EUVE/ROSAT source only 4.2 min. from the pulsar, the Seyfert galaxy RX J0437.4-4711 (= EUVE J0437-471 = IES 0435-472), to obtain an independent upper limit on the intervening absorption to the pulsar, N(sub H) less than 1.2 x 10(exp 20)/sq cm. Although a blackbody spectrum fails to fit the ROSAT data, two-component spectral fits to the combined EUVE/ROSAT data are used to limit the temperatures and surface areas of thermal emission that might make partial contributions to the flux. A hot polar cap of radius 50 - 600 m and temperature (1.0 - 3.3) x 10(exp 6) K could be present. Alternatively, a larger region with T = (4 - 12) x 10(exp 5) K and area less than 200 sq km, might contribute most of the EUVE and soft X-ray flux, but only if a hotter component were present as well. Any of these temperatures would require some mechanism(s) of surface reheating to be operating in this old pulsar, the most plausible being the impact of accelerated electrons and positrons onto the polar caps. The kinematically corrected spin-down power of PSR J0437-4715 is only 4 x 10(exp 33) ergs/s, which is an order of magnitude less than that of the lowest-luminosity gamma-ray pulsars Geminga and PSR B1055-52. The absence of high-energy gamma-rays from PSR J0437-4715 might signify an inefficient or dead outer gap accelerator, which in turn accounts for the lack of a more luminous reheated surface such as those intermediate-age gamma-ray pulsars may have.

Halpern, Jules P.↗