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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 55 records · Page 3

A three-step model of high harmonic generation using complex classical trajectories

Highlights: • Rigorous trajectory formulation of strong field physics and high harmonic generation. • The Coulomb ground state is represented by an ensemble of complex trajectories. • Trajectories transition seamlessly from the ground state to ionization or recollision. • The ionized wavepacket is reproduced well from the complex trajectories. • Classically allowed and forbidden processes are treated in a single framework. We present a new trajectory formulation of high harmonic generation that treats classically allowed and classically forbidden processes within a single dynamical framework. Complex trajectories orbit the nucleus, producing the stationary Coulomb ground state. When the field is turned on, these complex trajectories continue their motion in the field-dressed Coulomb potential and therefore tunnel ionization, unbound evolution and recollision are described within a single, seamless framework. The new formulation can bring mechanistic understanding to a broad range of strong field physics effects.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Low-Environmental-Impact Monitoring of CO 2 Using Seismic Methods in North Dakota

Conference poster presented at American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Conference, Houston, Texas, March 28–30, 2022. In 2021, the Energy & Environmental Research Center initiated a multiyear research project associated with Red Trail Energy’s Carbon Capture and Storage Project. The research is based on the scalable automated sparse seismic array (SASSA), a lower-cost, less invasive seismic method that could replace the large-scale 3D seismic surveys by using four stationary seismic sources called surface orbital vibrators (SOVs) and a small number of seismic sensors deployed sparsely within the same 8-square-mile area investigated with a 3D seismic survey conducted in 2019.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Lageos orbit and solar eclipses

The objective was to assess the importance of solar eclipses on Lageos' orbit. Solar radiation pressure perturbs the orbit of the Lageos satellite. The GEODYN orbit determination computer program includes solar radiation pressure as one of the forces operating on the satellite as it integrates the orbit. GEODYN also takes into account the extinction of sunlight when Lageos moves into the Earth's shadow. The effect of solar eclipses on the semimajor axis of Lageos' orbit was computed analytically by assuming Lageos to be in a circular orbit, the Sun and the Moon to be in the plane of the orbit, and the Moon to be stationary in the sky in front of the Sun. Also, the magnitude of the radiation pressure is assumed to be linearly related to the angular separation of the Sun and Moon, and that Lageos is a perfect absorber of radiation. The computation indicates that an eclipse of the Sun by the Moon as seen by Lageos can affect the semimajor axis at the 1 centimeter (1 cm) level. Such a change is significant enough to include in GEODYN, in order to get an accurate orbit for Lageos.

Rubincam, D. P.↗

Convergent ab initio analysis of the multi-channel HOBr + H reaction

High-level potential energy surfaces for three reactions of hypobromous acid with atomic hydrogen were computed at the CCSDTQ/CBS//CCSDT(Q)/complete basis set level of theory. Focal point analysis was utilized to extrapolate energies and gradients for energetics and optimizations, respectively. The H attack at Br and subsequent Br–O cleavage were found to proceed barrierlessly. The slightly submerged transition state lies −0.2 kcal mol−1 lower in energy than the reactants and produces OH and HBr. The two other studied reaction paths are the radical substitution to produce H2O and Br with a 4.0 kcal mol−1 barrier and the abstraction at hydrogen to produce BrO and H2 with an 11.2 kcal mol−1 barrier. The final product energies lie −37.2, −67.9, and −7.3 kcal mol−1 lower in energy than reactants, HOBr + H, for the sets of products OH + HBr, H2O + Br, and H2 + BrO, respectively. Additive corrections computed for the final energetics, particularly the zero-point vibrational energies and spin–orbit corrections, significantly impacted the final stationary point energies, with corrections up to 6.2 kcal mol−1.

Chemistry↗

Chaotic /strange/ and periodic behavior in instability saturation by the oscillating two-stream instability

The nonlinear Schroedinger equation with linear growth and damping is truncated to three waves. The resulting system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations describes the excitation of linearly damped waves by the oscillating two-stream instability driven by a linearly unstable pump wave. This system represents a simple model for the nonlinear saturation of a linearly unstable wave. The model is examined analytically and numerically as a function of the dimensionless parameters of the system. It is found that the model can exhibit a wealth of characteristic dynamical behavior including stationary equilibria, Hopf bifurcations to periodic orbits, period doubling bifurcations, chaotic solutions characteristic of a strange attractor, tangent bifurcations from chaotic to periodic solutions, transient chaos, and hysteresis. Many of these features are shown to be explainable on the basis of one-dimensional maps. In the case of chaotic solutions, evidence for the presence of a strange attractor is provided by demonstrating Cantor set-like structure (i.e., scale invariance) in the surface of section.

Russell, D. A.↗

Analytical derivation and verification of zero-gyro control for the IUE satellite

The International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite was launched January 26, 1978 into a geosynchronous orbit over South America. From its stationary position, the telescope maintains continuous communication with the control centers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and at the European Space Agency's (ESA's) Villagranca del Castillo Satellite Tracking Station in Spain. Since its launch in 1978, the satellite has gradually lost four of the original six gyroscopes in the Inertial Reference Assembly (IRA). In August 1985, the fourth of the original six gyros failed and a two-gyro system developed by NASA-GSFC was uplinked to the satellite and is currently in use. A one-gyro system also developed by NASA-GSFC is ready for use in case of another gyro failure. In the event that the sixth gyro should also fail, a zero-gyro system is being developed. The goal of this system is to provide interial target pointing without the use of gyroscopes. The satellite has sun sensors to provide attitude information about two of the three axes. It relies upon the exchange of reaction wheel momenta to determine angular position and rate of the third axis.

Bowles, Tiffany↗

Autonomous docking ground demonstration

The Autonomous Docking Ground Demonstration is an evaluation of the laser sensor system to support the docking phase (12 ft to contact) when operated in conjunction with the guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) software. The docking mechanism being used was developed for the Apollo/Soyuz Test Program. This demonstration will be conducted using the 6-DOF Dynamic Test System (DTS). The DTS simulates the Space Station Freedom as the stationary or target vehicle and the Orbiter as the active or chase vehicle. For this demonstration, the laser sensor will be mounted on the target vehicle and the retroflectors will be on the chase vehicle. This arrangement was chosen to prevent potential damage to the laser. The laser sensor system, GN&C, and 6-DOF DTS will be operated closed-loop. Initial conditions to simulate vehicle misalignments, translational and rotational, will be introduced within the constraints of the systems involved.

Lamkin, Steve L.↗

Autonomous docking ground demonstration (category 3)

The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is involved in the development of an autonomous docking ground demonstration. The demonstration combines the technologies, expertise and facilities of the JSC Tracking and Communications Division (EE), Structures and Mechanics Division (ES), and the Navigation, Guidance and Control Division (EG) and their supporting contractors. The autonomous docking ground demonstration is an evaluation of the capabilities of the laser sensor system to support the docking phase (12ft to contact) when operated in conjunction with the Guidance, Navigation and Control Software. The docking mechanism being used was developed for the Apollo Soyuz Test Program. This demonstration will be conducted using the Six-Degrees of Freedom (6-DOF) Dynamic Test System (DTS). The DTS environment simulates the Space Station Freedom as the stationary or target vehicle and the Orbiter as the active or chase vehicle. For this demonstration the laser sensor will be mounted on the target vehicle and the retroreflectors on the chase vehicle. This arrangement was used to prevent potential damage to the laser. The sensor system. GN&C and 6-DOF DTS will be operated closed-loop. Initial condition to simulate vehicle misalignments, translational and rotational, will be introduced within the constraints of the systems involved. Detailed description of each of the demonstration components (e.g., Sensor System, GN&C, 6-DOF DTS and supporting computer configuration) including their capabilities and limitations will be discussed. A demonstration architecture drawing and photographs of the test configuration will be presented.

Lamkin, Steve L.↗

Space shuttle: Longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of low aspect ratio wing configurations in ground effect for a moving and stationary ground surface

A 0.05-scale model of the NASA-MSC Orbiter 040A Configuration was tested. Test duration was approximately 80 hours during which the model was tested in and out of ground effect with a stationary and moving ground belt. Model height from ground plane surface was varied from one and one-half wing span to landing touchdown while angle of attack varied from -4 to 20 degrees. Eleven effectiveness and alternate configuration geometries were tested to insure complete analysis of low aspect ratio wing aircraft in the presence of ground effect. Test Mach number was approximately 0.067 with a corresponding dynamic pressure value of 6.5 psf.

Romere, P. O.↗

User and technical documentation

The program LP1 calculates outbound and return trajectories between low earth orbit (LEO) and libration point no. 1 (L1). Libration points (LP) are defined as locations in space that orbit the Earth such that they are always stationary with respect to the Earth-Moon line. L1 is located behind the Moon such that the pull of the Earth and Moon together just cancel the centrifugal acceleration associated with the libration point's orbit. The input required from the user to define the flight is described. The contents of the six reports produced as outputs are presented. Also included are the instructions needed to execute the program.

Source record↗

A new method for satellite orbit determination using an operational worldwide transponder network

The method utilizes computer programs developed for the forthcoming ATS-F/NIMBUS-F tracking and data relay experiment where the basic tracking measurements are multiple path round-trip propagation times and rates. This method of orbit computation has recently been successfully evaluated by tracking a geostationary satellite (ATS-3) using an existing VHF (150 MHz) network of automatic transponders. A master station sequentially interrogates each transponder via the ATS-3. The master site is located at Schenectady, N. Y. and four automatic transponders were located at Shannon, Reykajavik, Buenos Aires, and Seattle respectively. Data at hourly intervals were collected during a 24 hour period on April 18-19, 1973. After correcting this data for known systematic errors it was provided as input to an orbit determination program where all satellite motions during signal propagation are rigorously accounted for. The resulting estimated ATS-3 orbit yielded observational residuals on the order of 100 meters. By using more than one satellite the present scheme is further capable of accurately locating several stationary or mobile terminals as part of the overall orbital solution.

Lynn, J. J.↗

CCD Video Observation of Microgravity Crystallization of Lysozyme and Correlation with Accelerometer Data

Lysozyme has been crystallized using the ESA Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility onboard the NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter during the IML-2 mission. CCD video monitoring was used to follow the crystallization process and evaluate the growth rate. During the mission some tetragonal crystals were observed moving over distances of up to 200 micrometers. This was correlated with microgravity disturbances caused by firings of vernier jets on the Orbiter. Growth-rate measurement of a stationary crystal (which had nucleated on the growth reactor wall) showed spurts and lulls correlated with an onboard activity; astronaut exercise. The stepped growth rates may be responsible for the residual mosaic block structure seen in crystal mosaicity and topography measurements.

Snell, E. H.↗

Investigation of Control System and Display Variations on Spacecraft Handling Qualities for Docking with Stationary and Rotating Targets

This paper documents the investigation into the manual docking of a preliminary version of the Crew Exploration Vehicle with stationary and rotating targets in Low Earth Orbit. The investigation was conducted at NASA Langley Research Center in the summer of 2008 in a repurposed fixed-base transport aircraft cockpit and involved nine evaluation astronauts and research pilots. The investigation quantified the benefits of a feed-forward reaction control system thruster mixing scheme to reduce translation-into-rotation coupling, despite unmodeled variations in individual thruster force levels and off-axis center of mass locations up to 12 inches. A reduced rate dead-band in the phase-plane attitude controller also showed some promise. Candidate predictive symbology overlaid on a docking ring centerline camera image did not improve handling qualities, but an innovative attitude status indicator symbol was beneficial. The investigation also showed high workload and handling quality problems when manual dockings were performed with a rotating target. These concerns indicate achieving satisfactory handling quality ratings with a vehicle configuration similar to the nominal Crew Exploration Vehicle may require additional automation.

Jackson, E. Bruce↗

Far Ultraviolet Imaging from the Image Spacecraft: System Design - 1

Direct imaging of the magnetosphere by the IMAGE spacecraft A,ill be supplemented by observation of the global aurora, the footprint of magnetospheric regions. To assure the simultaneity of these observations and tile measurement of the magnetospheric back-round neutral gas density, the IMAGE satellite instrument complement includes three Far Ultraviolet (FUV) instruments. In tile wavelength region 120-1 90 nm. a downward-viewing aurora imager is only minimally contaminated sunlight, scattered from clouds and ground, and radiance of the aurora observed in a nadir viewing geometry can be observed in the presence of the high-latitude day-low. Tile Wideband Imaging Camera (WIC) will provide broadband ultraviolet images of the aurora for maximum spatial and temporal resolution by imaging the LBH N2 bands of the aurora. The Spectrographic Imager (SI), a monochromatic imager, will image different types of aurora, filtered by wavelength. By measuring the Doppler-shifted Lyman-alpha, the proton-induced component of the aurora will be imaged separately. Finally, the GEO instrument will observe the distribution of the geocoronal emission, which is a measure of the neutral background density source of the charge exchange in the magnetosphere. The FUV instrument complement looks radially outward from the rotating IMAGE satellite and, therefore, it spends only a short time observing tile aurora and the Earth during, each spin. Detailed descriptions of the WIC, Si, GEO, and their individual performance validations are discussed in companion papers. This paper summarizes the system requirements and system design approach taken to satisfy the science requirements. One primary requirement is to maximize photon collection efficiency and use efficiently tile short time available foe exposures. The FUV auroral imagers WIC and SI both have wide fields of view and take data continuously as the auroral region proceeds through the field of view. To minimize data volume, multiple images are taken and electronically co-added by suitably shifting each image to compensate for the spacecraft rotation. In order to minimize resolution loss, the images have to be distortion-corrected in real time foe both WIC and Si prior to co-adding. The distortion correction is accomplished using high-speed look Lip tables that are pre-generated by least square fitting to polynomial functions by the on-orbit processor. The instruments were calibrated individually while on stationary platforms, mostly in vacuum chambers as described in the companion papers. Extensive -round-based testing was performed with visible and near UV simulators mounted oil a rotating platform to estimate their on-orbit performance. The predicted instrument system performance is summarized and some of the preliminary data formats are shown.

Mende, S. B.↗

Periodic motions (close to stationary) of an axisymmetric satellite with magnetic damping

Close to stationary periodic motions of an axisymmetric satellite in a circular orbit are considered. The satellite was equipped with a spherical magnetic damper. The investigation was conducted on the assumption that a strong magnet was installed on the damper float. Stationary rotations of the satellite around the axis of symmetry are selected as the generating solutions. The solutions are constructed in the form of power series of the smaller parameter, and they are extended numerically to the region of random values of the damping coefficient. The stability of the resulting solutions was investigated.

Ovchinnikov, M. Y.↗

An assessment of potential weather effects due to operation of the Space Orbiting Light Augmentation Reflector Energy System (SOLARES)

Implementation of SOLARES will input large quantities of heat continuously into a stationary location on the Earth's surface. The quantity of heat released by each of the SOlARES ground receivers, having a reflector orbit height of 6378 km, exceeds by 30 times that released by large power parks which were studied in detail. Using atmospheric models, estimates are presented for the local weather effects, the synoptic scale effects, and the global scale effects from such intense thermal radiation.

Allen, N. C.↗

STAR Concept for Passive Microwave Temperature Sounding from Middle Earth Orbit (MeoSTAR)

A future mission for a new microwave atmospheric temperature sounder radiometer in a Middle Earth Orbit (MEO) at 11,000 km altitude is described. The MeoSTAR design uses a stationary l-dimensional Synthetic Thinned Array Radiometer in the 50-60 GHz microwave sounding band, to provide a 'pushbroom' image as the satellite orbits. The advantage of this concept is an image with a high spatial resolution and a wide swath with no scanning antenna to disturb the visual and IR sensors on the same satellite.

microwave radiometers↗