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At least 55 records · Page 3

Guidance and control requirements for high-speed Rollout and Turnoff (ROTO)

This report defines the initial requirements for designing a research high-speed rollout and turnoff (ROTO) guidance and control system applicable to transport class aircraft whose purpose is to reduce the average runway occupancy time (ROT) for aircraft operations. The requirements will be used to develop a ROTO system for both automatic and manual piloted operation under normal and reduced visibility conditions. Requirements were determined for nose wheel/rudder steering, braking/reverse thrust, and the navigation system with the aid of a non-real time, three degree-of-freedom MD-11 simulation program incorporating airframe and gear dynamics. The requirements were developed for speeds up to 70 knots using 30 ft exit geometries under dry and wet surface conditions. The requirements were generated under the assumptions that the aircraft landing system meets the current Category III touchdown dispersion requirements and that aircraft interarrival spacing is 2 nautical miles. This effort determined that auto-asymmetric braking is needed to assist steering for aft center-of-gravity aircraft. This report shows various time-history plots of the aircraft performance for the ROTO operation. This effort also investigated the state-of-the-art in the measurement of the runway coefficient of friction for various runway conditions.

Goldthorpe, Steve H.↗

Two-fluid simulations of galaxy formation

We investigate the formation of galaxies and larger structure with a simulation modeling two gravitationally coupled fluids representing dark matter and baryons. The baryon gas dynamics are calculated with a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, and the physics modeled includes thermal pressure, shock heating, and radiative cooling. We simulate a 16 Mpc periodic cube with 64(exp 3) particles in each fluid and 10% baryon mass fraction. We confirm, for the first time experimentally, disk formation as a natural consequence of hierarchical clustering in a large-scale cosmological environment. The majority of isolated galaxies exhibit centrifugally supported disks. A power-law relation between cold baryonic mass and maximum rotation velocity is found, M varies as nu(sub rot)(exp alpha) with alpha = 2.5 after correcting for differential numerical resolution. Both the spatial and velocity distributions of the simulated galaxies are biased with respect to the dark matter. A counts-in-cells analysis indicates that an unphysical degree of merging in the central cluster is likely responsible for the antibias signal in the correlation function. A robust, scale-dependent velocity bias is measured. The ratio of galaxy to dark matter pairwise velocity dispersions on a scale of 1 Mpc is 0.7. The amplitude is only mildly dependent on redshift or mass cutoff and scales with separation as r(exp 0.2). The degree to which these results depend on numerical parameters is discussed. Mass resolution plays a key role in controlling the resulting fraction of cold, dense baryons. The mass fraction associated with galaxies decreases by a factor of approximately greater than 3 when the mass per particle is increased by a factor 8. Photoionization and energy input from supernova will have to be included to determine more carefully the fraction of highly dissipated material and the characteristics of the stellar component of galaxies.

Evrard, August E.↗

Deep ROSAT HRI observations of the Orion nebula region

We present results from three deep ROSAT high-resolution imager observations of the Orion Nebula star-forming region. The X-ray images contain over 1500 cataloged stars in a roughly 0.8 sq deg region centered on the Trapezium. In all, 389 distinct X-ray sources have been detected, at least two-thirds of which are associated with a single proper-motion cluster member. X-ray emission is detected from stars of all spectral types, from massive O- and B-type components of the Trapezium to the coolest, low-mass pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars. In this paper we focus primarily on X-ray emission from the late-type PMS stars. Of the approximately 100 late-type cluster members with measured spectral types, approximately three-fourths have been detected; we have derived X-ray luminosity upper limits for the remaining stars. We found coronal X-ray emission turns on around spectral type F6, with the upper envelope of activity increasing with deceasing effective temperature. When plotted in an X-ray luminosity versus bolometric luminosity diagram, late-type PMS stars lie below a 'saturation' line corresponding to L(sub x)/L(sub bol) approximately 10(exp -3). For approximately solar-mass PMS stars, we find a median X-ray luminosity approximately 1 x 10(exp 30) ergs/s. The late G, K, and M stars exhibit nearly a two order of magnitude spread in X-ray luminosity and in L(sub x)/L(sub bol) at a given effective temperature. Plots of X-ray activity versus v sin i rotational velocity and rotational period appear to show no clear dependence of activity on rotation. However, because only a small fraction of late-type PMS stars in the Orion Nebula have measured v sin i or P(sub rot) and because of uncertainties in L(sub x) and L(sub x)/L(sub bol), we believe the data are not conclusive on this point. Light curves of the detected X-ray sources have revealed at least 10 strong X-ray flares with characteristic rise times greater than or approximately equal to 1 hr and decay times ranging from approximately 2 to 12 hr. All the flares have X-ray energies in excess of 3 x 10(exp 35) ergs. Many of the X-ray sources associated with late-type cluster members have been observed in more than one ROSAT HRI exposure, allowing us to look for variability on the approximately 1 yr timescale between HRI observations. A statistical analysis of the resulting count rate ratios suggests that at least one-fourth of the late-type cluster stars are significantly variable on this timescale.

Gagne, Marc↗

Effective Numerical Methods for Solving Elliptical Problems in Strengthened Sobolev Spaces

Fourth-order elliptic boundary value problems in the plane can be reduced to operator equations in Hilbert spaces G that are certain subspaces of the Sobolev space W(sub 2)(exp 2)(Omega) is identical with G(sup (2)). Appearance of asymptotically optimal algorithms for Stokes type problems made it natural to focus on an approach that considers rot w is identical with (D(sub 2)w - D(sub 1)w) is identical with vector of u as a new unknown vector-function, which automatically satisfies the condition div vector of u = 0. In this work, we show that this approach can also be developed for an important class of problems from the theory of plates and shells with stiffeners. The main mathematical problem was to show that the well-known inf-sup condition (normal solvability of the divergence operator) holds for special Hilbert spaces. This result is also essential for certain hydrodynamics problems.

D'yakonov, Eugene G.↗

Environmentally Sound Processing Technology: JANNAF Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee and Propellant Development and Characterization Subcommittee Joint Workshop

Topics covered include: Risk assessment of hazardous materials, Automated systems for pollution prevention and hazardous materials elimination, Study design for the toxicity evaluation of ammonium perchlorate, Plasma sprayed bondable stainless surface coatings, Development of CFC-free cleaning processes, New fluorinated solvent alternatives to ozone depleting solvents, Cleaning with highly fluorinated liquids, Biotreatment of propyleneglycol nitrate by anoxic denitrification, Treatment of hazardous waste with white rot fungus, Hydrothermal oxidation as an environmentally benign treatment technology, Treatment of solid propellant manufacturing wastes by base hydrolysis, Design considerations for cleaning using supercritical fluid technology, and Centrifugal shear carbon dioxide cleaning.

Pickett, Lorri A.↗

X-Ray Emission from the Sun in Its Youth and Old Age

We have obtained ROSAT PSPC (Roentgen Satellite Position Sensitive Proportional Counter) pointed observations of two nearby G stars of ages 70 Myr and 9.5 Gyr that are of unique importance as proxies for the Sun at the two extremes of its main-sequence evolutionary lifetime. The younger star, HD 129333 (EK Dra; G0 V), a rapid rotator with a 2.7 day period, is a strong source with an X-ray luminosity L(x)(0.2-2.4 keV) = (7.5-11.5) x 10(exp 29) erg/s. Modeling suggests a two-temperature corona with T(1) = (2.0 +/- 0.3) x 10(exp 6) K and T(2) = (9.7 +/- 0.3) x 10(exp 6) K (formal uncertainties). A continuous emission measure distribution, increasing to higher temperatures and with a cutoff at (20-30) x 10(exp 6) K, yields even better fits to the data. The old star, beta Hyi (HR 98; G2 IV), represents the Sun in the future, near the end of its hydrogen-core burning stage, when it should be rotating more slowly (present P(rot) = 25.4 day) and should have lower levels of activity. The ROSAT measurements yield L(x) = (0.9-3.0) x 10(exp 27) ergs/s and a rather cool, single coronal temperature of T = (1.7 +/- 0.4) x 10(exp 6) K. For comparison, the Sun has L(x) approx. equal to 2 x 10(exp 27) ergs/s and a coronal temperature of about T = 2 x 10(exp 6) K. These stars provide information on the decline of the stellar (and specifically solar) magnetic activity from extreme youth to old age. HD 129333 is also important in that it yields an estimate of the solar soft X-ray flux in the early solar system at the epoch of the terminal stages of planetary accretion.

Dorren, J. D.↗

Airport Surface Delays and Causes: A Preliminary Analysis

This report summarizes FAA Program Analysis and Operations Research Service (ASD-400)/Lockheed Martin activities and findings related to airport surface delays and causes, in support of NASA Langley Research Center's Terminal Area Productivity (TAP) Program. The activities described in this report were initiated in June 1995. A preliminary report was published on September 30, 1995. The final report incorporates data collection forms filled out by traffic managers, other FAA staff, and an airline for the New York City area, some updates, data previously requested from various sources to support this analysis, and further quantification and documentation than in the preliminary report. This final report is based on data available as of April 12, 1996. This report incorporates data obtained from review and analysis of data bases and literature, discussions/interviews with engineers, air-traffic staff, other FAA technical personnel, and airline staff, site visits, and a survey on surface delays and causes. It includes analysis of delay statistics; preliminary findings and conclusions on surface movement, surface delay sources and causes, runway occupancy time (ROT), and airport characteristics impacting surface operations and delays; and site-specific data on the New York City area airports, which are the focus airports for this report.

Chin, David K.↗

Arc-Tangent Circuit for Continuous Linear Output

A device suitable for determining arc-tangent of an angle θ is provided. Circuitry generates a first square wave at a frequency ωt and a second square wave at the frequency ωt but shifted by a phase difference equal to the angle θ. A pulse width modulation signal generator processes the first and second square waves to generate a pulse width modulation signal having a frequency of rot and having a pulse width that is a function of the phase difference θ. The pulse width modulation signal is converted to a DC voltage that is a linear representation of the phase difference θ.

Dean C Alhorn↗

The Role of Radial Clearance on the Performance of Foil Air Bearings

Load capacity tests were conducted to determine how radial clearance variations affect the load capacity coefficient of foil air bearings. Two Generation III foil air bearings with the same design but possessing different initial radial clearances were tested at room temperature against an as-ground PS304 coated journal operating at 30,000 rpm. Increases in radial clearance were accomplished by reducing the journal's outside diameter via an in-place grinding system. From each load capacity test the bearing load capacity coefficient was calculated from the rule-of-thumb (ROT) model developed for foil air bearings. The test results indicate that, in terms of the load capacity coefficient, radial clearance has a direct impact on the performance of the foil air bearing. Each test bearing exhibited an optimum radial clearance that resulted in a maximum load capacity coefficient. Relative to this optimum value are two separate operating regimes that are governed by different modes of failure. Bearings operating with radial clearances less than the optimum exhibit load capacity coefficients that are a strong function of radial clearance and are prone to a thermal runaway failure mechanism and bearing seizure. Conversely, a bearing operating with a radial clearance twice the optimum suffered only a 20 percent decline in its maximum load capacity coefficient and did not experience any thermal management problems. However, it is unknown to what degree these changes in radial clearance had on other performance parameters, such as the stiffness and damping properties of the bearings.

Radil, Kevin↗

Future Probes of the Neutron Star Equation of State Using X-ray Bursts

Observations with NASA s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) have resulted in the discovery of fast (200 - 600 Hz), coherent X-ray intensity oscillations (hereafter, %urstoscillations ) during thermonuclear X-ray bursts from 12 low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). Although many of their detailed properties remain to be fully understood, it is now beyond doubt that these oscillations result from spin modulation of the thermonuclear burst flux from the neutron star surface. Among the new timing phenomena revealed by RXTE the burst oscillations are perhaps the best understood, in the sense that many of their properties can be explained in the framework of this relatively simple model. Because of this, detailed modelling of burst oscillations can be an extremely powerful probe of neutron star structure, and thus the equation of state (EOS) of supra-nuclear density matter. Both the compactness parameter beta = GM/c(sup 2)R, and the surface velocity, nu(sub rot) = Omega(sub spin)R, are encoded in the energy-dependent amplitude and shape of the modulation pulses. The new discoveries have spurred much new theoretical work on thermonuclear burning and propagation on neutron stars, so that in the near future it is not unreasonable to think that detailed physical models of the time dependent flux from burning neutron stars will be available for comparison with the observed pulse profiles from a future, large collecting area X-ray timing observatory. In addition, recent high resolution burst spectroscopy with XMM/Newton suggests the presence of redshifted absorption lines from the neutron star surface during bursts. This leads to the possibility of using large area, high spectral resolution measurements of X-ray bursts as a precise probe of neutron star structure. In this work I will explore the precision with which constraints on neutron star structure, and hence the dense matter EOS, can be made with the implementation of such programs.

Strohmayer, Tod E.↗

Using mini-rockwool blocks as growing media for limited-cluster tomato production

Rockwool is an excellent growing medium for the hydroponic production of tomato; however, the standard size rockwool blocks [4 x 4 x 2.5 inches (10 x 10 x 6.3 cm) or 3 x 3 x 2.5 inches (7.5 x 7.5 x 6.3 cm)] are expensive. The following experiments were conducted with less expensive minirock wool blocks (MRBs), on rayon polyester material (RPM) as a bench top liner, to reduce the production cost of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in a limited-cluster, ebb and flood hydroponic cultivation system. Fruit yield for single-cluster plants growing in MRBs [2 x 2 x 1.6 inches (5 x 5 x 4 cm) and 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.6 inches (4 x 4 x 4 cm)] was not significantly different from plants grown in larger sized blocks (3 x 3 x 2.5 inches). When the bench top was lined with RPM, roots penetrated the RPM, and an extensive root mat developed between the RPM and the bench top. The fruit yield from plants on RPM was significantly increased compared to plants without RPM due to increases in fruit size and fruit number. RPM also significantly reduced the incidence of blossom-end rot. In a second experiment, single- and double-cluster plants were grown on RPM. Fruit yield for double-cluster plants was 40% greater than for single-cluster plants due to an increase in fruit number, although the fruit were smaller in size. As in the first experiment, fruit yield for all plants grown in MRBs was not significantly different from plants grown in the larger sized blocks. MRBs and a RPM bench liner are an effective combination in the production of limited-cluster hydroponic tomatoes.

Non-NASA Center↗

Pythium invasion of plant-based life support systems: biological control and sources

Invasion of plant-based life support systems by plant pathogens could cause plant disease and disruption of life support capability. Root rot caused by the fungus, Pythium, was observed during tests of prototype plant growth systems containing wheat at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). We conducted experiments to determine if the presence of complex microbial communities in the plant root zone (rhizosphere) resisted invasion by the Pythium species isolated from the wheat root. Rhizosphere inocula of different complexity (as assayed by community-level physiological profile: CLPP) were developed using a dilution/extinction approach, followed by growth in hydroponic rhizosphere. Pythium growth on wheat roots and concomitant decreases in plant growth were inversely related to the complexity of the inocula during 20-day experiments in static hydroponic systems. Pythium was found on the seeds of several different wheat cultivars used in controlled environmental studies, but it is unclear if the seed-borne fungal strain(s) were identical to the pathogenic strain recovered from the KSC studies. Attempts to control pathogens and their effects in hydroponic life support systems should include early inoculation with complex microbial communities, which is consistent with ecological theory.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

The locations and amounts of endogenous ions and elements in the cap and elongating zone of horizontally oriented roots of Zea mays L.: an electron-probe EDS study

We used quantitative electron-probe energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis to localize endogenous Na, Cl, K, P, S, Mg and Ca in cryofixed and freeze-dried cryosections of the cap (i.e. the putative site of graviperception) and elongating zone (i.e. site of gravicurvature) of horizontally oriented roots of Zea mays. Ca, Na, Cl, K and Mg accumulate along the lower side of caps of horizontally oriented roots. The most dramatic asymmetries of these ions occur in the apoplast, especially the mucilage. We could not detect any significant differences in the concentrations of these ions in the central cytoplasm of columella cells along the upper and lower sides of caps of horizontally-oriented roots. However, the increased amounts of Na, Cl, K and Mg in the longitudinal walls of columella cells along the lower side of the cap suggest that these ions may move down through the columella tissue of horizontally-oriented roots. Ca also accumulates (largely in the mucilage) along the lower side of the elongating zone of horizontally-oriented roots, while Na, P, Cl and K tend to accumulate along the upper side of the elongating zone. Of these ions, only K increases in concentration in the cytoplasm and longitudinal walls of cortical cells in the upper vs lower sides of the elongating zone. These results indicate that (1) gravity-induced asymmetries of ions differ significantly in the cap and elongating zone of graviresponding roots, (2) Ca accumulates along the lower side of the cap and elongating zone of graviresponding roots, (3) increased growth of the upper side of the elongating zone of horizontally-oriented roots correlates positively with increased amounts of K in the cytoplasm and longitudinal walls of cortical cells, and (4) the apoplast (especially the mucilage) may be an important component of the pathway via which ions move in graviresponding rots of Zea mays. These results are discussed relative to mechanisms for graviperception and gravicurvature of roots.

NASA Program Space Biology↗

Enzyme conversion of lignocellulosic plant materials for resource recovery in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System

A large amount of inedible plant material composed primarily of the carbohydrate materials cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin is generated as a result of plant growth in a Controlled Ecological Life-Support System (CELSS). Cellulose is a linear homopolymer of glucose, which when properly processed will yield glucose, a valuable sugar because it can be added directly to human diets. Hemicellulose is a heteropolymer of hexoses and pentoses that can be treated to give a sugar mixture that is potentially a valuable fermentable carbon source. Such fermentations yield desirable supplements to the edible products from hydroponically-grown plants such as rapeseed, soybean, cowpea, or rice. Lignin is a three-dimensionally branched aromatic polymer, composed of phenyl propane units, which is susceptible to bioconversion through the growth of the white rot fungus, Pluerotus ostreatus. Processing conditions, that include both a hot water pretreatment and fungal growth and that lead to the facile conversion of plant polysaccharides to glucose, are presented.

NASA Discipline Number 93-10↗

Growth in microgravity increases susceptibility of soybean to a fungal pathogen

The influence of microgravity on the susceptibility of soybean roots to Phytophthora sojae was studied during the Space Shuttle Mission STS-87. Seedlings of soybean cultivar Williams 82 grown in spaceflight or at unit gravity were untreated or inoculated with the soybean root rot pathogen P. sojae. At 3, 6 and 7 d after launch while still in microgravity, seedlings were photographed and then fixed for subsequent microscopic analysis. Post-landing analysis of the seedlings revealed that at harvest day 7 the length of untreated roots did not differ between flight and ground samples. However, the flight-grown roots infected with P. sojae showed more disease symptoms (percentage of brown and macerated areas) and the root tissues were more extensively colonized relative to the ground controls exposed to the fungus. Ethylene levels were higher in spaceflight when compared to ground samples. These data suggest that soybean seedlings grown in microgravity are more susceptible to colonization by a fungal pathogen relative to ground controls.

manned↗

A Roof for the Lion's House

Fans of the National Football League's Detroit Lions don't worry about gameday weather. Their magnificent new Pontiac Stadium has a domed, air-supported, fabric roof that admits light but protects the playing field and patrons from the elements. The 80,000-seat "Silverdome" is the world's largest fabric-covered structure-and aerospace technology played an important part in its construction. The key to economical construction of the Silverdome-and many other types of buildings-is a spinoff of fiber glass Beta yarn coated with Teflon TFE fluorocarbon resin. The big advance it offers is permanency. Fabric structures-tents, for example have been around since the earliest years of human civilization. But their coverings-hides, canvas and more recently plastics-were considered temporary; though tough, these fabrics were subject to weather deterioration. Teflon TFE-coated Beta Fiberglas is virtually impervious to the effects of weather and sunlight and it won't stretch, shrink, mildew or rot, thus has exceptional longevity; it is also very strong, lightweight, flame resistant and requires no periodic cleaning, because dirt will not stick to the surface of Teflon TFE. And to top all that, it costs only 30 to 40 percent as much as conventional roofing.

Source record↗

Highly Depleted Ethane and Mildly Depleted Methanol in Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner: Application of a New Empirical nu(sub 2) Band Model for CH30H Near 50 K

Infrared spectra of Comet 2lP/Giacobini-Zinner (hereafter 2IP/GZ) were obtained using NIRSPEC at Keck II on UT 2005 June 03, approximately one month before perihelion, that simultaneously measured H2O, C2H6, and CH3OH. For H2O, the production rate of 3.8 x 10(exp 28) molecules / S was consistent with that measured during other apparitions of 21P/GZ retrieved from optical, infrared, and mm-wavelength observations. The water analysis also provided values for rotational temperature (T(sub rot) = 55(epx +3) /-.2 K) and the abundance ratio of ortho- and para-water (3.00 +/-0.15, implying a spin temperature exceeding 50 K). Six Q-branches in the V7 band of C2H6 provided a production rate (5.27 +/- 0.90 x 10(exp 25)/S) that corresponded to an abundance ratio of 0.139 +/- 0.024 % relative to H2O, confirming the previously reported strong depletion of C2H6 from IR observations during the 1998 apparition, and in qualitative agreement with the depletion in C2 known from optical studies. For CH30H, we applied our recently published ab initia model for the v3 band to obtain a rotational temperature (48(exp + 10) / -7 K) consistent with that obtained for H2O. In addition we applied a newly developed empirical model for the CH30H v2 band, and obtained a production rate consistent with that obtained from the v3 band. Combining results from both v2 and v3 bands provided a production rate (47.5 +/- 4.4 x 10(exp 25) / S) that corresponded to an abundance ratio of 1.25 +/- 0.12 % relative to H2O in 21P/GZ. Our study provides the first measure of primary volatile production rates for any Jupiter family comet over multiple apparitions using high resolution IR spectroscopy.

DiSanti, M. A.↗

The Evolution of Volatile Production in Comet C-2009 P1(Garradd) During its 2011-2012 Apparition

We report observations at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths of comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) from 2011 December 28 to 2012 April 24, using the Arizona Radio Observatory submillimeter telescope (SMT) and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). Garradd is a dynamically young long-period comet from the Oort Cloud, with a periodicity of 127,000 years, that reached perihelion on 2011 December 23 (at Heliocentric distance (Rh) = 1.55 Astronomical Units and delta = 20.1 Astronomical Units ) and made its closest approach to the Earth on 2012 March 05 (at Heliocentric distance (Rh) = 1.84 Astronomical Units and delta = 1.26 Astronomical Units). We obtained gas production rates, and molecular abundances relative to water for HCN, ortho-H2CO, CS, CO and CH3OH. A rotational temperature, T (sub rot) approximately equal to 50 degrees Kelvin, was determined by observing multiple methanol lines with the JCMT. By averaging the abundance ratio relative to water from the SMT and the JCMT we derive: CO: 7.03 plus or minus 1.84 percent, HCN: 0.04 plus or minus 0.01 percent, ortho H2CO: 0.14 plus or minus 0.03 percent as a parent molecule (and 0.28 plus or minus 0.06 percent as an extended source), CS: 0.03 plus or minus 0.01 percent and CH3OH: 3.11 for a range from plus 1:86 to minus 0.51 percent. We concluded that Garradd is normal in CH3OH, depleted in HCN, ortho-H2CO and CS and slightly enriched in CO with respect to typically observed cometary mixing ratios. We also studied the temporal evolution of HCN and CO and find that the production of HCN has a trend similar to water (but with short-term variation), with a decrease after perihelion, while that of CO shows contrary behavior: remaining constant or increasing after perihelion.

Comets: individual↗