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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 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Magnetic reversals of Jupiter and Saturn

The possibility that the gas-giant planets Jupiter and Saturn undergo solar-type magnetic reversals is examined using dynamo theory and radiotelescope data on decametriic emissions from Jupiter. Possible values are found for the effects of the fluctuating velocity field, the magnetic diffusivity, and change in the rotation rate of a dynamo over a characteristic length. The radio emissions from Jupiter decreased in intensity from 1961-72 and rose steadily to the end of 1978, which could have been caused by a change in the Jovian magnetic field. Since Jupiter may have a small rocky core embedded in metallic hydrogen which comprises 75 percent of the radius of the planet, the planetary magnetic field may extend into the cores of its satellites. The dynamo characteristics, like those of Saturn, would be chaotic, although quasi-periodic reversals could occur over intervals on the order of centuries instead of decades such as with the sun and much longer periods such as with the earth.

Hathaway, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Scale model test results of a thrust reverser concept for advanced multi-functional exhaust systems

An evaluation is made of scale model test results for a 'block-and-turn' thrust reverser design consisting of an internal flow blocker, internal doors, two ports located on the top and bottom of the exhaust duct, cascade-turning vanes located at the port exit to turn the flow, and external doors which guide the exhaust flow. Numerous geometric variations were incorporated in order to obtain parametric aerodynamic design criteria. The baseline reverser configuration exceeded predicted levels of performance. Skewed vane cascade concepts can be as effective in turning the flow as the baseline vane concept.

Kuchar, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A flash spectrum of Cl I, C I, N I, and Ni II absorption in 31 Cygni: A direct observation of the reversing layer

In the process of surveying IUE observations of the zeta Aurigae binary system 31 Cygni for evidence of a shock, the presence of narrow low temperature lines Cl I, C I, N I, and Ni II has been discovered. These lines cannot be due to the local interstellar medium, since they appear only in one of the 16 high resolution, short wavelength observations made of this system. The phase of their appearance is theta = 0.017, approximately two months after egress of the blue dwarf component from eclipse behind the cool supergiant. Such lines might be produced by the shining of the hot dwarf companion's continuum through the edge of the supergiant's reversing layer or through a condensation in the supergiant atmosphere. If the former is the case, then the height of the reversing layer may be estimated from this observation. The radial velocities and equivalent widths of ten of these lines have been measured and the former is found to be -8.2 +/- 0.5 km/sec, precisely equal to the radial velocity of the system center of mass. This places a strict upper limit on the rotational velocity of the supergiant: V sub rot less than 2 km/s to better than 3 sigma.

Ahmad, Imad A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A test method to measure the response of composite materials under reversed cyclic loads

A test method to measure the response of composite materials under reversed cyclic loads is described. The method approximates the long-term response of a component by permitting the composite specimen to respond to the imposed loads and fail in an unconstrained mode rather than in a constrained mode. The method has been successfully used for the reversed cyclic loading of unnotched and notched graphite/epoxy and graphite/PEEK laminates of various stacking sequences. Included in the paper are monotonic tensile and compressive stiffness and strength data at several points in the fatigue lifetime, and damage development information obtained via X-ray radiography for quasi-isotropic T300/5208 and AS4/PEEK laminates with unloaded circular holes.

Bakis, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Pulsed, high-current, in-line reversal electron attachment detector

A new, pulsed, high-current, in-line reversal electron attachment ionizer/detector is described. The ionizer is capable of delivering a beam of electrons into an electrostatic mirror field to form a planar wall of electrons having zero kinetic energy. Electron attachment to a molecular target at the reversal point produces either parent or fragment negative ions through a zero-energy (s-wave) state. The atomic or molecular ion is pulsed out of the attachment region approximately 2 microsec after the electrons are pulsed off, and focused onto the entrance plane of a quadrupole mass analyzer. The sensitivity of the apparatus is preliminarily assessed, and its higher-energy behavior with regard to molecular attachment and ionization is described.

Bernius, Mark T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A simple statistical model for geomagnetic reversals

The diversity of paleomagnetic records of geomagnetic reversals now available indicate that the field configuration during transitions cannot be adequately described by simple zonal or standing field models. A new model described here is based on statistical properties inferred from the present field and is capable of simulating field transitions like those observed. Some insight is obtained into what one can hope to learn from paleomagnetic records. In particular, it is crucial that the effects of smoothing in the remanence acquisition process be separated from true geomagnetic field behavior. This might enable us to determine the time constants associated with the dominant field configuration during a reversal.

Constable, Catherine↗
NASA NTRS1991

Reversible Chemisorption Gas-Gap Thermal Switch

Gas/sorbent combinations provide means to turn heat-conduction paths on and off. Single-stage gas-gap thermal switch based on reversible chemisorption of hydrogen gas by ZrNiH. Two-stage gas-gap thermal switch based on reversible desorption of O2 from MnO2 in first stage, followed by absorption in Cu on zeolite in second stage. Requires relatively low power. Used in sorption refrigeration systems designed to operate for long times without maintenance.

Jones, Jack A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

GRASP/Ada (Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada): The development of a program analysis environment for Ada. Reverse engineering tools for Ada, task 1, phase 2

The study, formulation, and generation of structures for Ada (GRASP/Ada) are discussed in this second phase report of a three phase effort. Various graphical representations that can be extracted or generated from source code are described and categorized with focus on reverse engineering. The overall goal is to provide the foundation for a CASE (computer-aided software design) environment in which reverse engineering and forward engineering (development) are tightly coupled. Emphasis is on a subset of architectural diagrams that can be generated automatically from source code with the control structure diagram (CSD) included for completeness.

Cross, James H., II↗
NASA NTRS1990

X-ray emission from reverse-shocked ejecta in supernova remnants

A simple physical model of the dynamics of a young supernova remnant is used to derive a straightforward kinematical description of the reverse shock. With suitable approximations, formulae can then be developed to give the X-ray emission of the reverse-shocked ejecta. The results are found to agree favorably with observations of SN1006.

Cioffi, Denis F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The development of a program analysis environment for Ada: Reverse engineering tools for Ada

The Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada (GRASP/Ada) has successfully created and prototyped a new algorithm level graphical representation for Ada software, the Control Structure Diagram (CSD). The primary impetus for creation of the CSD was to improve the comprehension efficiency of Ada software and thus improve reliability and reduce costs. The emphasis was on the automatic generation of the CSD from Ada source code to support reverse engineering and maintenance. The CSD has the potential to replace traditional prettyprinted Ada source code. In Phase 1 of the GRASP/Ada project, the CSD graphical constructs were created and applied manually to several small Ada programs. A prototype (Version 1) was designed and implemented using FLEX and BISON running under the Virtual Memory System (VMS) on a VAX 11-780. In Phase 2, the prototype was improved and ported to the Sun 4 platform under UNIX. A user interface was designed and partially implemented. The prototype was applied successfully to numerous Ada programs ranging in size from several hundred to several thousand lines of source code. In Phase 3 of the project, the prototype was prepared for limited distribution (GRASP/Ada Version 3.0) to facilitate evaluation. The user interface was extensively reworked. The current prototype provides the capability for the user to generate CSD from Ada source code in a reverse engineering mode with a level of flexibility suitable for practical application.

Cross, James H., II↗
NASA NTRS1992

Update of GRASP/Ada reverse engineering tools for Ada

The GRASP/Ada project (Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada) has successfully created and prototyped a new algorithmic level graphical representation of Ada software, the Control Structure Diagram (CSD). The primary impetus for creation of the CSD was to improve the comprehension efficiency of Ada software and, as a result, improve reliability and reduce costs. The emphasis was on the automatic generation of the CSD from Ada PDL or source code to support reverse engineering and maintenance. The CSD has the potential to replace traditional prettyprinted Ada source code. In Phase 1 of the GRASP/Ada project, the CSD graphical constructs were created and applied manually to several small Ada programs. A prototype (Version 1) was designed and implemented using FLEX and BISON running under VMS on a VAS 11-780. In Phase 2, the prototype was improved and ported to the Sun 4 platform under UNIX. A user interface was designed and partially implemented using the HP widget toolkit and the X Windows System. In Phase 3, the user interface was extensively reworked using the Athena widget toolkit and X Windows. The prototype was applied successfully to numerous Ada programs ranging in size from several hundred to several thousand lines of source code. Following Phase 3, the prototype was evaluated by software engineering students at Auburn University and then updated with significant enhancements to the user interface including editing capabilities. Version 3.2 of the prototype was prepared for limited distribution to facilitate further evaluation. The current prototype provides the capability for the user to generate CSD's from Ada PDL or source code in a reverse engineering as well as forward engineering mode with a level of flexibility suitable for practical application.

Cross, James H., II↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reversible thermodynamic cycle for AMTEC power conversion

The thermodynamic cycle appropriate to an AMTEC (alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter) cell is discussed for both liquid- and vapor-fed modes of operation, under the assumption that all processes can be performed reversibly. In the liquid-fed mode, the reversible efficiency is greater than 89.6 percent of Carnot efficiency for heat input and rejection temperatures (900-1300 K and 400-800 K, respectively) typical of practical devices. Vapor-fed cells can approach the efficiency of liquid-fed cells. Quantitative estimates confirm that the efficiency is insensitive to either the work required to pressurize the sodium liquid or the details of the state changes associated with cooling the low pressure sodium gas to the heat rejection temperature.

Vining, Cronin B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Pulsed, gridded electron reversal ionizer

The design and performance of a new-type source of negative ions is presented. This device retains the idea of the so-called reversal electron attachment detector to produce low-energy electrons by reversing electron trajectories at an electrode. Electrons are produced in the present device by several ribbon filaments that surround a cylindrical wire grid. They are accelerated through the grid, then decelerated to zero or near-zero velocity at the surface of a tube. The tube (anode) is perforated with small holes through which effuse the target molecules. Electrons attach to form either parent and/or fragment negative ions. Attachment takes place at a location above the anode corresponding to a match between the electron energy and the attachment resonance energy. Negative ions are pulsed out of the attachment region and focused onto the entrance plane of a quadrupole mass selector. Electron and ion trajectory calculations are presented and the performance illustrated with six molecules having attachment resonances in the range 0.0-2.2 eV. The detection sensitivity is below 1 part-per-trillion, with a calculated conversion rate of 1.3 percent. Signal nonlinearity is discussed in terms of ion space-charge effects. The device also produces positive ions, and an analogous treatment may be carried through to characterize its performance in this mode.

Boumsellek, S.↗
NASA NTRS1950

The reversibility theorem for thin airfoils in subsonic and supersonic flow

A method introduced by Munk is extended to prove that the light-curve slope of thin wings in either subsonic flow or supersonic flow is the same when the direction of flight of the wing is reversed. It is also shown that the wing reversal does not change the thickness drag, damping-in-roll parameter or the damping-in-pitch parameter.

Brown, Clinton E↗
NASA NTRS1994

Miniature Reversal Electron-Attachment Detector

Miniature reversal electron-attachment detector (miniREAD) enables direct injection of air or vapor at atmospheric pressure from monitored area into mass-spectrometric instrument to detect explosives, narcotics, or other substances, vapors of which suspected of being present in low concentrations. In comparison with older reversal electron-attachment detector, miniREAD simpler in design; more rugged; and easier to build, repair, and maintain. In addition, probably more sensitive.

Chutjian, Ara↗
NASA NTRS1993

Polarity reversals and tilt of the Earth's magnetic dipole

There is evidence that the terrestrial magnetic field is connected with the Earth's mantle: (1) there are magnetic anomalies that do not take part in the westward drift of the main field, but are fixed with respect to the mantle; (2) the geomagnetic pole position flips in a particular way by preferred meridional paths during a reversal; and (3) magnetic polarity reversals are correlated with the activations of geological processes. These facts may be explained if we take into account that a significant horizontal temperature gradient can exist in the top levels of the liquid core because of the different thermoconductivity of the different areas of the core-mantle boundary. These temperature inhomogeneities can penetrate the core because fluxes along the core boundary (the thermal wind) can be strongly suppressed by a small redistribution of the chemical composition in the top of the core. The nonparallel gradients of the temperature, density, and composition on the top of the core create a curled electric field that produces a current and a magnetic field. This seed-field can be amplified by motions in the core. The resulting field does not forget the seed-field distribution and in this way the field on the Earth surface (that can be created only in regions with high conductivity, i.e. in the core) is connected with the core-mantle boundary. Contrary to the usual approach to the dynamo problem, we will take into account that the seed field of thermoelectric origin is acting not only at some initial moment of time but permanently.

Dolginov, A. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Wrinkle ridges, reverse faulting, and the depth penetration of lithospheric stress in lunae planum, Mars

Tectonic features on a planetary surface are commonly used as constraints on models to determine the state of stress at the time the features formed. Quantitative global stress models applied to understand the formation of the Tharsis province on Mars constrained by observed tectonics have calculated stresses at the surface of a thin elastic shell and have neglected the role of vertical structure in influencing the predicted pattern of surface deformation. Wrinkle ridges in the Lunae Planum region of Mars form a conentric pattern of regularly spaced features in the eastern and southeastern part of Tharsis; they are formed due to compressional stresses related to the response of the Martian lithosphere to the Tharsis bulge. As observed in the exposures of valley walls in areas such as the Kasei Valles, the surface plains unit is underlain by an unconsolidated impact-generated megaregolith that grades with depth into structurally competent lithospheric basement. The ridges have alternatively been hypothesized to reflect deformation restricted to the surface plains unit ('thin skinned deformation') and deformation that includes the surface unit, megaregolith and basement lithosphere ('thick skinned deformation'). We have adopted a finite element approach to quantify the nature of deformation associated with the development of wrinkle ridges in a vertically stratified elastic lithosphere. We used the program TECTON, which contains a slippery node capability that allowed us to explicitly take into account the presence of reverse faults believed to be associated with the ridges. In this study we focused on the strain field in the vicinity of a single ridge when slip occurs along the fault. We considered two initial model geometries. In the first, the reverse fault was assumed to be in the surface plains unit, and in the second the initial fault was located in lithospheric basement, immediately beneath the weak megaregolith. We are interested in the conditions underwhich strain in the surface layer and basement either penetrates or fails to penetrate through the megaregolith. We thus address the conditions required for an initial basement fault to propagate through the megaregolith to the surface, as well as the effect of the megareolith on the strain tensor in the vicinity of a fault that nucleates in the surface plains unit.

Zuber, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Update of GRASP/Ada reverse engineering tools for Ada

The GRASP/Ada project (Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada) successfully created and prototyped a new algorithmic level graphical representation for Ada software, the Control Structure Diagram (CSD). The primary impetus for creation of the CSD was to improve the comprehension efficiency of Ada software and, as a result, improve reliability and reduce costs. The emphasis was on the automatic generation of the CSD from Ada PDL or source code to support reverse engineering and maintenance. The CSD has the potential to replace traditional pretty printed Ada source code. In Phase 1 of the GRASP/Ada project, the CSD graphical constructs were created and applied manually to several small Ada programs. A prototype CSD generator (Version 1) was designed and implemented using FLEX and BISON running under VMS on a VAX 11-780. In Phase 2, the prototype was improved and ported to the Sun 4 platform under UNIX. A user interface was designed and partially implemented using the HP widget toolkit and the X Windows System. In Phase 3, the user interface was extensively reworked using the Athena widget toolkit and X Windows. The prototype was applied successfully to numerous Ada programs ranging in size from several hundred to several thousand lines of source code. Following Phase 3,e two update phases were completed. Update'92 focused on the initial analysis of evaluation data collected from software engineering students at Auburn University and the addition of significant enhancements to the user interface. Update'93 (the current update) focused on the statistical analysis of the data collected in the previous update and preparation of Version 3.4 of the prototype for limited distribution to facilitate further evaluation. The current prototype provides the capability for the user to generate CSD's from Ada PDL or source code in a reverse engineering as well as forward engineering mode with a level of flexibility suitable for practical application. An overview of the GRASP/Ada project with an emphasis on the current update is provided.

Cross, James H., II↗