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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

The impact of conventional surface data upon VAS regression retrievals in the lower troposphere

Surface temperature and dewpoint reports are added to the infrared radiances from the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) in order to improve the retrieval of temperature and moisture profiles in the lower troposphere. The conventional (airways) surface data are combined with the twelve VAS channels as additional predictors in a ridge regression retrieval scheme, with the aim of using all available data to make high resolution space-time interpolations of the radiosonde network. For one day of VAS observations, retrievals using only VAS radiances are compared with retrievals using VAS radiances plus surface data. Temperature retrieval accuracy evaluated at coincident radiosonde sites shows a significant impact within the boundary layer. Dewpoint retrieval accuracy shows a broader improvement within the lowest tropospheric layers. The most dramatic impact of surface data is observed in the improved relative spatial and temporal continuity of low-level fields retrieved over the Midwestern United States. Previously announced in STAR as N83-27522

Lee, T.-H.↗

Phosphoran pyroxene and olivine in silicate inclusions in natural iron-carbon alloy, Disko Island, Greenland

A survey of literature data on the P contents of olivine, pyroxene, and garnet in mantle xenoliths and the bulk P contents of mantle xenoliths shows that available data is ambiguous as to whether mantle P is primarily contained in silicates or in phosphates, even though phosphates are rarely observed in mantle xenoliths. Garnet probably contains more of the mantle's P than olivine or pyroxene. Bulk P contents of mantle xenoliths vary significantly. Estimation of the primitive mantle P content from xenoliths requires interpretation of the partial melting and contamination histories of the xenoliths.

Goodrich, C. A.↗

Fatigue behavior of flexhoses and bellows due to flow-induced vibrations

The analysis and results developed in a fresh approach to calculate flow induced vibration response of a flexible flow passage are summarized. The vibration results are further examined in the frequency domain to obtain dominant frequency information. A cumulative damage analysis due to cyclic strains is performed to obtain the number of cycles to failure for a metallic bellows of particular specifications under a variety of operational conditions. Sample plots of time and frequency domain responses are included. The complex listing of a computer program is provided. The program successively executes each of the analyses needed to calculate the vibration response, the frequency response, the cyclic strains and the number of cycles to failure. The program prompts the user for necessary input information. Sample data from the program is provided. The fatigue life results obtained by the computer model lie within an acceptable range of previously measured available data.

Desai, P. V.↗

Issues on human acceleration tolerance after long-duration space flights

This report reviewed the literature on human tolerance to acceleration at 1 G and changes in tolerance after exposure to hypogravic fields. It was found that human tolerance decreased after exposure to hypokinetic and hypogravic fields, but the magnitude of such reduction ranged from 0 to 30 percent for plateau G forces and 30 to 70 percent for time tolerance on sustained G forces. A logistic regression model of the probability of individuals with 25 percent reduction in +Gz tolerance after 1 to 41 days of hypogravic exposures was constructed. The estimated values from the model showed a good correlation with the observed data. A brief review of the need for in-flight centrifuge during long-duration missions was also presented. Review of the available data showed that the use of countermeasures (such as anti-G suits, periodic acceleration, and exercise) reduced the decrement in acceleration tolerance after long-duration space flights. Areas of further research include quantification of the effect of countermeasures on tolerance, and methods to augment tolerance during and after exposures to hypogravic fields. Such data are essential for planning long-duration human missions.

Kumar, K. Vasantha↗

Polar Wind in the Context of the Auroral Plasma Fountain for 2 to 8 RE

Operations of the POLAR Plasma Source Instrument have provided adequate observing time with controlled spacecraft potential to begin a 3D characterization of the polar wind as it exists in the context of the auroral plasma fountain. The principal periods of such polar wind observation to date have been 15-18 Apr. 96, 28 may 96, 14 Jun. - 6 Sep. 96, 17-29 Mar. 97, 29 May - 12 Jun. 97, 13-27 Aug. 97. Separate observations have been made near 2 RE geocentric in the south polar perigee passes and between 6-8 RE geocentric in the north polar apogee passes. Analyses of data from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment during these periods are used to characterize the altitude, local time, and invariant latitude distribution of the polar wind. Data from these and other periods are used to establish the auroral plasma heating context within which the polar wind outflows exist. The available data will be used to address the temporal variability of the polar wind during the period of operations to date. Comparisons between the observations and a coupled fluid-semikinetic model are used to interpret the observed spatial structure and temporal variability.

Moore, T. E.↗

Integrating Gridded NASA Hydrological Data into CUAHSI HIS

The amount of hydrological data available from NASA remote sensing and modeling systems is vast and ever-increasing;but, one challenge persists:increasing the usefulness of these data for, and thus their use by, end user communities. The Hydrology Data and Information Services Center (HDISC), part of the Goddard Earth Sciences DISC, has continually worked to better understand the hydrological data needs of different end users, to thus better able to bridge the gap between NASA data and end user communities. One effective strategy is integrating the data in to end user community tools and environments. There is an ongoing collaborative effort between NASA HDISC, NASA Hydrological Sciences Branch, and CUAHSI to integrate NASA gridded hydrology data in to the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (HIS).

Rui, Hualan↗

Advanced Query and Data Mining Capabilities for MaROS

The Mars Relay Operational Service (MaROS) comprises a number of tools to coordinate, plan, and visualize various aspects of the Mars Relay network. These levels include a Web-based user interface, a back-end "ReSTlet" built in Java, and databases that store the data as it is received from the network. As part of MaROS, the innovators have developed and implemented a feature set that operates on several levels of the software architecture. This new feature is an advanced querying capability through either the Web-based user interface, or through a back-end REST interface to access all of the data gathered from the network. This software is not meant to replace the REST interface, but to augment and expand the range of available data. The current REST interface provides specific data that is used by the MaROS Web application to display and visualize the information; however, the returned information from the REST interface has typically been pre-processed to return only a subset of the entire information within the repository, particularly only the information that is of interest to the GUI (graphical user interface). The new, advanced query and data mining capabilities allow users to retrieve the raw data and/or to perform their own data processing. The query language used to access the repository is a restricted subset of the structured query language (SQL) that can be built safely from the Web user interface, or entered as freeform SQL by a user. The results are returned in a CSV (Comma Separated Values) format for easy exporting to third party tools and applications that can be used for data mining or user-defined visualization and interpretation. This is the first time that a service is capable of providing access to all cross-project relay data from a single Web resource. Because MaROS contains the data for a variety of missions from the Mars network, which span both NASA and ESA, the software also establishes an access control list (ACL) on each data record in the database repository to enforce user access permissions through a multilayered approach.

Wang, Paul↗

Data on total and spectral solar irradiance - Reply to comments

The letter is a response to Frohlich's (1983) comments on an earlier paper (Mecherikunnel et al., 1983) containing a brief survey of the available data on the solar constant and its spectral distribution. The sources of the initial data used in the above study are mentioned, and comments are made on the accuracy of the measurements. Reasons are given for using NASA/ASTM data in the computations.

Mecherikunnel, A. T.↗

Space-Cabin Atmospheres: Part II - Fire and Blast Hazards. A Literature Review

The rapid evolution of aircraft and, lately, space vehicles has brought with it the ever-increasing difficulty of designing for prevention of fires and explosions. The present-day sealed cabin with its limited work space, unusual atmospheric constituents, and lack of flexibility in emergency situations has brought new and ill-defined hazards into the picture. In the past, numerous data have been compiled on the fire and explosion characteristics of all things combustible. Unfortunately, much of the material is not pertinent to the actual operational problems in space. The confusion and controversy arising from attempts to evaluate the space-cabin fire problem appear to stem from past failure to compile the scattered data and to expose it to critical review and selection. In the compilation that follows, an attempt has been made to review the best available data that was deemed actually pertinent to the present problem. The effects of unusual atmospheres have been emphasized, but, as will soon be evident, other physical parameters also play a major role in determining the nature of the problem. Chapter 1 contains a discussion of pertinent definitions and theory. This is detailed only to the point of anticipating some of the problems of interpretation that may arise in other chapters of the report. Included in this chapter is speculation on the impact of unusual environmental conditions such as aerodynamic heating, reduced gravitational acceleration, and low ambient pressures. Chapter 2 covers flammable fabrics and carbonaceous solids; Chapter 3, specific fire hazards involving flammable liquids, vapors, and gases; and Chapter 4, electrical fires. Chapter 5 covers the fire, blast, and flash hazards from meteoroid penetration; and Chapter 6, the problems of fire prevention and extinguishment in space cabins. Chapter 7 reviews the factors of fire and blast hazards in selection of a space-cabin atmosphere.

Roth, Emanuel M.↗

An evaluation of the ERTS data collection system as a potential operational tool

The Earth Resources Technology Satellite Data Collection System has been shown to be, from the users vantage point, a reliable and simple system for collecting data from U.S. Geological Survey operational field instrumentation. It is technically feasible to expand the ERTS system into an operational polar-orbiting data collection system to gather data from the Geological Survey's Hydrologic Data Network. This could permit more efficient internal management of the Network, and could enable the Geological Survey to make data available to cooperating agencies in near-real time. The Geological Survey is conducting an analysis of the costs and benefits of satellite data-relay systems.

Paulson, R. W.↗

UH cosmic rays and solar system material - The elements just beyond iron

The nucleosynthesis of cosmic-ray elements between the iron peak and the rare-earth region is examined, and compositional changes introduced by propagation in interstellar space are calculated. Theories on the origin of elements heavier than iron are reviewed, a supernova model of explosive nucleosynthesis is adopted for the ultraheavy (UH) cosmic rays, and computational results for different source distributions are compared with experimental data. It is shown that both the cosmic-ray data and the nucleosynthesis calculations are not yet of sufficient precision to pinpoint the processes occurring in cosmic-ray source regions, that the available data do provide boundary conditions for cosmic-ray nucleosynthesis, and that these limits may apply to the origin of elements in the solar system. Specifically, it is concluded that solar-system abundances appear to be consistent with a superposition of the massive-star core-helium-burning s-process plus explosive-carbon-burning synthesis for the elements from Cu to As and are explained adequately by the s- and r-processes for heavier elements.

Wefel, J. P.↗

Present-day plate motions

A data set comprising 110 spreading rates, 78 transform fault azimuths and 142 earthquake slip vectors was inverted to yield a new instantaneous plate motion model, designated RM2. The mean averaging interval for the relative motion data was reduced to less than 3 My. A detailed comparison of RM2 with angular velocity vectors which best fit the data along individual plate boundaries indicates that RM2 performs close to optimally in most regions, with several notable exceptions. On the other hand, a previous estimate (RM1) failed to satisfy an extensive set of new data collected in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is shown that RM1 incorrectly predicts the plate kinematics in the South Atlantic because the presently available data are inconsistent with the plate geometry assumed in deriving RM1. It is demonstrated that this inconsistency can be remedied by postulating the existence of internal deformation with the Indian plate, although alternate explanations are possible.

Minster, J. B.↗

User's guide for the Nimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) CELL-ALL tape

The SMMR instrument onboard the Nimbus-7 satellite has been in operation since October 1978. It provided global coverage of passive microwave observations at 6.6, 10.7, 18, 21, and 37 GHz. The oberved brightness temperature can be used to retrieve geophysical parameters, principally sea surface temperature, atmospheric water vapor and liquid water content over oceans, sea ice concentration, and snow cover over land. The SMME CELL-ALL Tape contains earth-located calibrated brightness temperature data which have been appropriately binned into cells of various grid sizes, allowing intercomparisons of observations made at different frequencies (with corresponding different footprint sizes). This user's guide describes the operation of the instrument, the flow of the data processing the calibration procedure, and the characteristics of the calibrated brightness temperatures and how they are binned. Detailed tape specifications and lists of available data are also provided.

Cu, C. C.↗

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the mechanical actuation subsystem, volume 1

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to determine draft failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the proposed Post 51-L NASA FMEA/CIL baseline that was available. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison was provided through additional analysis as required. These discrepancies were flagged as issues, and recommendations were made based on the FMEA data available at the time. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter Mechanical Actuation System (MAS) hardware. Specifically, the MAS hardware consists of the following components: Air Data Probe (ADP); Elevon Seal Panel (ESP); External Tank Umbilical (ETU); Ku-Band Deploy (KBD); Payload Bay Doors (PBD); Payload Bay Radiators (PBR); Personnel Hatches (PH); Vent Door Mechanism (VDM); and Startracker Door Mechanism (SDM). Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode.

Bradway, M. W.↗

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the mechanical actuation subsystem, volume 2

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to determine draft failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the proposed Post 51-L NASA FMEA/CIL baseline that was available. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison was provided through additional analysis as required. These discrepancies were flagged as issues, and recommendations were made based on the FMEA data available at the time. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter Mechanical Actuation System (MAS) hardware. Specifically, the MAS hardware consists of the following components: Air Data Probe (ADP); Elevon Seal Panel (ESP); External Tank Umbilical (ETU); Ku-Band Deploy (KBD); Payload Bay Doors (PBD); Payload Bay Radiators (PBR); Personnel Hatches (PH); Vent Door Mechanism (VDM); and Startracker Door Mechanism (SDM). Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode. Volume 2 continues the presentation of IOA analysis worksheets and contains the potential critical items list, detailed analysis, and NASA FMEA/CIL to IOA worksheet cross reference and recommendations.

Bradway, M. W.↗

Thermomechanical deformation testing and modeling in the presence of metallurgical instabilities

A number of viscoplastic constitutive models were developed to describe deformation behavior under complex combinations of thermal and mechanical loading. Questions remain, however, regarding the validity of procedures used to characterize these models for specific structural alloys. One area of concern is that the majority of experimental data available for this purpose are determined under isothermal conditions. This experimental study is aimed at determining whether viscoplastic constitutive theories characterized using an isothermal data base can adequately model material response under the complex thermomechanical loading conditions typical of power generation service. The approach adopted was to conduct a series of carefully controlled thermomechanical experiments on a nickel-based superalloy, Hastelloy Alloy X. Previous investigations had shown that this material experiences metallurgical instabilities leading to complex hardening behavior, termed dynamic strain aging. Investigating this phenomenon under full thermomechanical conditions leads to a number of challenging experimental difficulties which up to the present work were unresolved. To correct this situation, a number of advances were made in thermomechanical testing techniques. Advanced methods for dynamic temperature gradient control, phasing control and thermal strain compensation were developed and incorporated into real time test control software. These advances allowed the thermomechanical data to be analyzed with minimal experimental uncertainty. The thermomechanical results were evaluated on both a phenomenological and microstructural basis. Phenomenological results revealed that the thermomechanical hardening trends were not bounded by those displayed under isothermal conditions. For the case of Hastelloy Alloy X (and similar dynamic strain aging materials), this strongly suggests that some form of thermomechanical testing is necessary when characterizing a thermoviscoplastic deformation model. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the microstructural physics, and analyze the unique phenomenological behavior.

Castelli, Michael G.↗

Asteroid lightcurve observations from 1979-1981

An account is given of the results of photometric light curve observations in the V band for asteroids, yielding estimates of the mean and maximum reduced magnitudes for each object. On the basis of fits of the H-G magnitude relation for 33 objects, the mean values of the slope parameter are examined for different taxonomic classes; these values are then applied to the analysis of less complete data sets. While in the case of the moderate albedo S and M class asteroids the H-G relation appears to fit the available data, the relation for dark asteroids appears to predict more of an opposition than is characteristically present.

Harris, A. W.↗

Abundant raw material for cis-regulatory evolution in humans

Changes in gene expression and regulation--due in particular to the evolution of cis-regulatory DNA sequences--may underlie many evolutionary changes in phenotypes, yet little is known about the distribution of such variation in populations. We present in this study the first survey of experimentally validated functional cis-regulatory polymorphism. These data are derived from more than 140 polymorphisms involved in the regulation of 107 genes in Homo sapiens, the eukaryote species with the most available data. We find that functional cis-regulatory variation is widespread in the human genome and that the consequent variation in gene expression is twofold or greater for 63% of the genes surveyed. Transcription factor-DNA interactions are highly polymorphic, and regulatory interactions have been gained and lost within human populations. On average, humans are heterozygous at more functional cis-regulatory sites (>16,000) than at amino acid positions (<13,000), in part because of an overrepresentation among the former in multiallelic tandem repeat variation, especially (AC)(n) dinucleotide microsatellites. The role of microsatellites in gene expression variation may provide a larger store of heritable phenotypic variation, and a more rapid mutational input of such variation, than has been realized. Finally, we outline the distinctive consequences of cis-regulatory variation for the genotype-phenotype relationship, including ubiquitous epistasis and genotype-by-environment interactions, as well as underappreciated modes of pleiotropy and overdominance. Ordinary small-scale mutations contribute to pervasive variation in transcription rates and consequently to patterns of human phenotypic variation.

NASA Discipline Evolutionary Biology↗