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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 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Design and performance characteristics of the vertical temperature profile radiometer /VTPR/ for atmospheric temperature soundings

Various design characteristics and performance achievements of the vertical temperature profile radiometer (VTPR) are discussed. It is shown that the VTPR provides a relative calibration accuracy of better than 0.1% rms of the full dynamic range and has been operating successfully in space on the ITOS spacecraft for more than eleven months. The absolute accuracy achievable between in-flight calibrations of 6 minutes, or between 2-hour calibrations using optical temperature correction factors, is better than an rms value of 0.15% of full scale. The radiometric correlation between the VTPR in-flight calibration source and a reference standard blackbody is better than an rms value of 0.5% of full scale.

Falbel, G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A note on the interference of two collinear cracks in a cylindrical shell

A simple interference problem in shells is evaluated and the results are compared with the obtained data for flat plates. A pressurized shallow cylindrical shell containing two collinear axial through cracks of equal lengths is investigated. It is found that as the size of the net ligament between the two cracks approaches zero, the stress intensity factors at the inner crack tips go to infinity, and the factors at the outer tips approach values that correspond to a single crack except that they are twice as long.

Erdogan, F.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Collisionless shock waves in space - A very high beta structure

Measurements from six OGO-5 particle and field experiments are used to examine the structure of the earth's bow shock during a period of extremely high beta (the ratio of plasma thermal to magnetic energy density), as determined from simultaneous measurements of the upstream plasma on board the HEOS satellite. Even though the interplanetary field is nearly perpendicular to the shock normal, the shock is extremely turbulent. Large field increases are observed up to a factor of 20 above the upstream values. Ahead of these large enhancements, smaller magnetic effects accompanied by electrostatic noise, electron heating, and ion deflection are observed for several minutes. These observations suggest that a steady-state shock may not be able to form at very high beta. Further, they show that while the magnetic energy density may be relatively unimportant in the upstream flow, it can become very significant within the shock structure, and hence the magnetic field should not be ignored in theoretical treatments of very high beta shocks.

Formisano, V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

NO sub X Deposited in the Stratosphere by the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors

The possible effects of the interaction of the plumes from the two solid rocket motors (SRM) from the space shuttles and mixing of the rocket exhaust products and ambient air in the base recirculation region on the total nitrous oxide deposition rate in the stratosphere were investigated. It was shown that these phenomena will not influence the total NOx deposition rate. It was also shown that uncertainties in the particle size of Al2O3, size distributions and particle/gas drag and heat transfer coefficients will not have a significant effect on the predicted NOx deposition rate. The final results show that the total mass flow of NOx leaving the plume at 30 km altitude is 4000 g./sec with a possible error factor of 3. For a vehicle velocity of 1140 meter/sec this yields an NOx deposition rate of about 3.5 g./meter. The corresponding HCl deposition rate at this altitude is about a factor of 500 greater than this value.

Pergament, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Stellar occultation measurements of atmospheric ozone and chlorine from OAO3

The Princeton University telescope on the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 3 was used for occultation measurements of upper-atmospheric species. The target star, Beta Cen, and observing date were selected so that the line of sight grazed earth's limb at local midnight. Observations at 2580, 2825, 2997, 3100, and 3428 A produced ozone absorption data of high statistical accuracy between 48-km and 114-km tangent altitude. Near-exponential density profiles are obtained up to 85 km. Near 100 km, a significant density excess above the extrapolated low-altitude profile is observed. Near-equatorial observations at altitudes up to approximately 75 km agree well with theoretical calculations. Ozone densities measured at 6.5 to 12.5 deg S latitude above approximately 75 km exceed the theoretical calculations and are not understood at the present time. A search for the 1188-A chlorine line in the 1187-A O2 absorption feature was carried out at tangent altitudes of 96-116 km. An upper limit of 3 ppb to the atomic chlorine mixing ratio at 106 km is found. This upper limit exceeds the expected value for atomic chlorine by a factor of approximately 2.5.

Riegler, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

OH emission intensity measurements during the 1969 NASA Airborne Auroral Expedition

Absolute intensity measurements of the (8, 6) OH band obtained during 10 flights of the December 1969 NASA Auroral Airborne Expedition are presented. Nightglow intensities higher by a factor of 2 than the usual values are recorded during flights 8, 14, and 15. The OH variations are compared with the evolution of the green line and O2(1 Delta g) emissions measured by other experimenters on board the aircraft. Before sunrise the twilight variations of OH down to a solar depression angle of 5 deg show a rapid decrease. A theoretical prediction of the OH, O I 5577 A, and O2(1 Delta g) emissions is evaluated by means of an extensive time-dependent oxygen-hydrogen model of the 25- to 150-km region. Twilight decrease of the OH emission is interpreted in terms of mesospheric ozone photodissociation. Nighttime variations of the emissions may be reproduced if modifications of the dynamic regime are introduced into the model.

Moreels, G.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Seismic investigation of the lunar interior

The velocity and attenuation structure of the moon below the crust is examined using surface events. The moon is divided into an upper mantle and a lower mantle, the division at a depth of about 500 km being marked by a reflector identified on polarization filtered record sections. The upper mantle has a P-wave velocity of about 8 km/sec, a Poisson's ratio of about 0.25 and a Q for P waves of about 5000. This region contains no partial melt and is depleted in volatiles, notably water. The lower mantle has a lower S-wave velocity and probably a lower P-wave velocity than the upper mantle, with a Poisson's ratio of about 0.34. The lower mantle has a Q for P waves of approximately 1500, substantially lower than the upper mantle but probably still high enough to preclude partial melting. The velocity structure and the current value of the moment of inertia factor indicate an increase of density below about 500 km, perhaps due to an increase in iron content. We do not have any information directly pertaining to seismic velocities below 1000 km depth.

Dainty, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

IUE observations of the quasar 3C 273

IUE observations indicate that the spectrum of 3C 273 is similar to that of other large-redshift quasars. There is a large excess of flux in the range 2400 A to 5300 A, which encompasses the Balmer jump region but which does not appear to be explainable by Balmer emission. The intensity ratio of Lyman-alpha to H-beta is 5.5, in agreement with other measures and a factor 6 smaller than the recombination value. The only absorption lines in the spectrum are due to our Galaxy. There is marginal evidence for a depression of the continuum shortward of the Lyman-alpha emission line, but the errors are too large to warrant any conclusion that 3C 273 has a rich absorption-line spectrum such as that seen in large-redshift quasars. The absence of emission and absorption lines of Fe II leads to the conclusion that resonance fluorescence probably produces the visual Fe II emission lines.

Boggess, A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Cost-minimized aircraft trajectories

For aircraft operating over fixed range, operating costs are basically sum of fuel cost and time cost; but determining minimum cost trajectory can be complex. Program optimizes trajectories with respect to cost function that is based on weighed sum of fuel cost and time cost. Minimum fuel, minimum time, and various delay trajectories are obtained by specifying particular values for fuel and time cost factors.

Lee, H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Photo-sputtering of ice and hydrogen around Saturn's rings

It is noted that rocketborne UV spectroscopic measurements have shown that a dense cloud on atomic hydrogen surrounds Saturn which has been interpreted as being associated with the Saturn ring system. Several ring sources of atomic hydrogen have been proposed, but abundance and lifetime estimates require a source which is much more potent than those previously considered. An alternate mechanism is proposed which satisfies this source requirement and involves photodissociation of surface water molecules on the icy ring material. The source rate for this mechanism is within a factor of two of the required value and is within the experimental error of the measurement.

Carlson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The nebulosity associated with 3C 120

Spectrophotometric observations have been made of the nebulosity surrounding the Seyfert (or N) galaxy 3C 120, as well as of the nucleus. Observations of the nebulosity reveal an extensive network of H II regions characterized by a high ionization level, which, it is argued, is due to photoionizations by the nucleus. The O/H and N/O abundance ratios in this gas, at least as far out as 8 kpc from the nucleus, must be within a factor of 20 of the solar values. The velocity field of this gas is very chaotic, but the systematic gas velocities, relative to the nucleus, are mostly positive to one side of an axis passing through the nucleus at P.A. 72 deg and mostly negative on the other side. The position angle of this axis is consistent with the direction (P.A. 65 deg) along which the compact radio source in the nucleus is expanding, but it is about 45 deg away from the major or minor axes of the fainter elliptical structure visible on previously published broad-band direct plates.

Baldwin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Software metrics: The quantitative impact of four factors on work rates experienced during software development

A model of a software development process is described. The software development process is seen to consist of a sequence of activities, such as 'program design' and 'module development' (or coding). A manpower estimate is made by multiplying code size by the rates (man months per thousand lines of code) for each of the activities relevant to the particular case of interest and summing up the results. The effect of four objectively determinable factors (organization, software product type, computer type, and code type) on productivity values for each of nine principal software development activities was assessed. Four factors were identified which account for 39% of the observed productivity variation.

Gaffney, J. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Thermal performance of a photographic laboratory process: Solar Hot Water System

The thermal performance of a solar process hot water system is described. The system was designed to supply 22,000 liters (5,500 gallons) per day of 66 C (150 F) process water for photographic processing. The 328 sq m (3,528 sq. ft.) solar field has supplied 58% of the thermal energy for the system. Techniques used for analyzing various thermal values are given. Load and performance factors and the resulting solar contribution are discussed.

Walker, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Direct system parameter identification of mechanical structures with application to modal analysis

In this paper a method is described to estimate mechanical structure characteristics in terms of mass, stiffness and damping matrices using measured force input and response data. The estimated matrices can be used to calculate a consistent set of damped natural frequencies and damping values, mode shapes and modal scale factors for the structure. The proposed technique is attractive as an experimental modal analysis method since the estimation of the matrices does not require previous estimation of frequency responses and since the method can be used, without any additional complications, for multiple force input structure testing.

Leuridan, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Detection of sulphur in the galactic center

A strong detection at the (SIII) 18.71 micron line is reported for the Galactic Center region, Sgr A West. A line flux of 1.7 + or - 0.2x10 to the -17th power W cm(-2) is found for a 20-arc second beam-size measurement centered on IRS 1. A preliminary analysis indicates that the SIII abundance relative to hydrogen is consistent with the cosmic abundance of sulfur, 1.6x10 to the -5th power, if a filling factor of unity within the known clumps is assumed. However, the sulfur abundance in the Galactic Center may be as much as a factor of 3 overabundant if a filling factor of 0.03 is adopted, a value found to hold for some galactic HII regions.

Herter, T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Electric thruster research

It has been customary to assume that ions flow nearly equally in all directions from the ion production region within an electron-bombardment discharge chamber. In general, the electron current through a magnetic field can alter the electron density, and hence the ion density, in such a way that ions tend to be directed away from the region bounded by the magnetic field. When this mechanism is understood, it becomes evident that many past discharge chamber designs have operated with a preferentially directed flow of ions. Thermal losses were calculated for an oxide-free hollow cathode. At low electron emissions, the total of the radiation and conduction losses agreed with the total discharge power. At higher emissions, though, the plasma collisions external to the cathode constituted an increasingly greater fraction of the discharge power. Experimental performance of a Hall-current thruster was adversely affected by nonuniformities in the magnetic field, produced by the cathode heating current. The technology of closed-drift thrusters was reviewed. The experimental electron diffusion in the acceleration channel was found to be within about a factor of 3 of the Bohm value for the better thruster designs at most operating conditions. Thruster efficiencies of about 0.5 appear practical for the 1000 to 2000 s range of specific impulse. Lifetime information is limited, but values of several thousands of hours should be possible with anode layer thrusters operated or = to 2000 s.

Kaufman, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Detection of sulfur in the galactic center

A strong detection at the S III forbidden 18.71 micron line is reported for the galactic center region, Sgr A West. A line flux of 1.7 + or - 0.2 x 10 to the -17th W/sq cm is found for a 20 inch beam size measurement centered on IRS 1. A preliminary analysis indicates that the S III abundance relative to hydrogen is consistent with the cosmic abundance of sulfur, 0.000016, if a filling factor of unity within the known clumps is assumed. However, the sulfur abundance in the galactic center may be as much as a factor of 3 overabundant if a filling factor of 0.03 is adopted, a value found to hold for some galactic H II regions.

Herter, T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The Atmospheric Lifetime Experiment. II - Calibration

The calibration standards used in the Atmospheric Lifetime Experiment (ALE) for CFCl3, CF2Cl2, CH3CCl3, and CCl4 are described. This includes the preparation of the primary standards by static dilution and their propagation and stability for the period 1977-1982. Two independent assessments of the absolute concentrations of the primary standards used to initiate the ALE measurements in 1977-1978 are reported. For consistency in the ALE program the values assigned to the primary standards and subsequent working standards used in the field were not altered during the experiment when results of better estimates of the original concentration values were obtained. Rather, the appropriate factors by which the ALE mixing ratios for a given species should be multiplied to obtain the best estimate of the current concentration of a given species, are provided.

Rasmussen, R. A.↗