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At least 541 records · Page 30

Chloryl nitrate - A novel product of the OClO + NO3 + M recombination

The products of the reaction of OClO with NO3 were investigated between 220 and 298 K using a flow reactor and infrared, visible, and ultraviolet analysis. At temperatures below 250 K new infrared and ultraviolet absorption features were observed and assigned to the novel compound chloryl nitrate (O2ClONO2). Additionally, ClO and NO2 were observed as reaction products, indicating the existence of a second reaction channel. O2ClONO2 formation predominates at temperatures below 230 K. The reaction rate constant at 220 K is estimated to be on the order of 10 exp -14 cu cm/molecule s in 1-5 Torr of helium. These observations suggest that O2ClONO2 may exist in the terrestrial stratosphere.

Friedl, Randall R.↗

Products of Dissociative Recombination in the Ionosphere

SRI International undertook a novel experimental measurement of the product states formed by dissociative ro-combination (DR) of C2(+), NO(+), and N2(+) as a function of both electron energy and reactant ion vibrational level. For these measurements we used a recently developed experimental technique for measuring dissociation product distributions that allows both the branching ratios to be accurately determined and the electronic and ro-vibrational state composition of the reactant ions to be specified. DR is the dominant electron loss mechanism in all regions of the ionosphere. In this process, electron attachment to the molecular ion produces an unstable neutral molecule that rapidly dissociates.

Cosby, Philip↗

Effects of Surface Recombination on Heat Transfer to Bodies in a High Enthalpy Stream of Partially Dissociated Nitrogen

Heat-transfer rates to two surfaces having widely different catalytic effectiveness are compared at a Mach number of 6 in a low-density stream of partially dissociated nitrogen. The heat-transfer rate to a polished copper cylinder is twice as great as the heat-transfer rate to a silicon-monoxide-coated cylinder when the stream total energy content is 9000 Btu/lb. Various methods for determining the stream energy content, the stream velocity, and the stream Mach number have been developed and compared. It is shown that methods for estimating the stream energy content by means of purely aerodynamic concepts may neglect the sizable fraction of the stream energy contained in molecular dissociation.

Winkler, Ernest L..↗

Quantitation of Radiation Induced Deletion and Recombination Events Associated with Repeated DNA Sequences

Manned exploration of space exposes the explorers to a complex and novel radiation environment. The galactic cosmic ray and trapped belt radiation (predominantly proton) components of this environment are relatively constant, and the variations with the solar cycle are well understood and predictable. The level of radiation encountered in low earth orbits is determined by several factors, including altitude, inclination of orbit with respect to the equator, and spacecraft shielding. At higher altitudes, and on a Mars mission, the level of radiation exposure will increase significantly. A significant fraction of the dose may be delivered by solar particle events which vary dramatically in dose rate and incident particle spectrum. High-LET radiation is of particular concern. High-LET radiation, a component of galactic cosmic rays (GCR), is comprised of a variety of charged particles of various energies (10 MeV/n to 10 GeV/n), including about 87% photons, 12% helium ions, and heavy ions (including iron). These high energy particles can cause significant damage to target cells. The different particle types and energies result in different patterns of energy deposition at the molecular and cellular level in a primary target cell. They can also cause significant damage to other, nearby cells as a result of secondary particles. Protons, for instance produce secondaries that include photons, neutrons, pions, heavy particles, as well as gamma rays. Heavy ions deposit energy in a "track" in which the magnitude of the damage varies as the particle loses energy. Heavy ions produce secondary delta rays, or electrons. The distribution of damage through tissue is described by a Bragg curve which will be characteristic for different energies. Needless to say there are differences in the RBE of protons and a particles. High-LET heavy ions are particularly damaging to cells as they do continual damage throughout their track. Differences in these energy deposition patterns can significantly influence the nature of DNA damage and the ability of cellular systems to repair such damage. It has been suspected that these differences also affect the spatial distribution of damage within the DNA of the interphase cell nucleus and produce corresponding differences in endpoints related to health effects. The interaction of a single high-LET particle with chromatin has been suggested to cause multiple double strand breaks within a relatively short distance. In part this is due to the organization of DNA into chromatin fibers in which distant regions of the DNA helix can be physically juxtaposed by the various levels of coiling of the DNA. This prediction was confirmed by the detection of the generation of double strand DNA fragments of 100-2000 bp following exposure to high-LET ions (including iron).

Sinden, Richard R.↗

Dissociation and Recombination Effects on the Performance of Pulse Detonation Engines

This paper summarizes major theoretical results for pulse detonation engine performance taking into account real gas chemistry, as well as significant performance differences resulting from the presence of ram and compression heating. An unsteady CFD analysis, as well as a thermodynamic cycle analysis, was conducted in order to determine the actual and the ideal performance for an air-breathing pulse detonation engine (PDE) using either a hydrogen-air or ethylene-air mixture over a flight Mach number range from 0 to 4. The results clearly elucidate the competitive regime of PDE application relative to ramjets and gas turbines.

Povinelli, Louis A.↗

Removing Spectral Diagnostics of Galactic and Stellar X-Ray Emission from Charged Exchange Recombination

Our research uses the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to study X-ray emission from the charge exchange (CX) of highly charged ions with neutral gases. The resulting data help to fill a void in existing experimental and theoretical understanding of this atomic physics process, and are needed to explain all or part of the observed X-ray emission from the soft X-ray background, stellar winds, the Galactic Center and Galactic Ridge, supernova ejecta, and photoionized nebulae. Appreciation of the astrophysical relevance of our work continues to grow with the publication of roughly a dozen papers in the past four years describing Chandra and XMM observations of geocoronal and heliospheric CX emission, the temporal variation of such emission and correlation with X-ray emission enhancements observed by ROSAT, the theoretical spatial distribution of that emission, and CX emission around other stars. A similar number of papers were also published during that time describing CX emission from planets and comets. We expect that the launch of ASTRSE2, with its second-generation XRS microcalo- (with 6-eV resolution), will reveal even more clearly the contributions of CX to astrophysical emission. In our EBIT work we collected CX spectra from such ions as H-like and He-like Ne, Ar, and Fe. Our early measurements were made with a high-purity Ge detector, but during the second year we began operation of the first-generation XRS microcalorimeter (a twin of the XRS on ASTRO-E) and greatly improved the resolution of our measurements from roughly 150 eV (FWHM) with the Ge detectors to 10 eV with the XRS. We found that saturation of the XRS counting apparatus, which we described in our proposal as a potential concern, is not a problem for studying CX. During the course of our research, we expanded the number of injection gases permitted by the LLNL safety team, purchased and eventually operated an atomic H source, and clearly demonstrated the feasibility of our longer-range plan. For example, we successfully injected He into EBIT (not a small feat because of the difficulty of maintaining a good vacuum with He and avoiding electrical breakdown) to collect a H-like oxygen CX spectrum. The highest energy CX spectrum recorded with the XRS to date is that of the Ar K-shell emission. These measurements provided the first observation of the relative intensity ratios of resolved He-like singlet and triplet n=2->1 lines. We also carried out measurements of He-like Ne as a function of collision energy (i.e., ion temperature). Significant differences in the resulting x-ray spectra were noted. In all cases, the intensity of high-n H-like Lyman lines is significantly higher than current theoretical CX models predict.

Wargelin, Brad↗