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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 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Experimentally reproduced textures and mineral chemistries of high-titanium mare basalts

Many of the textures, morphologies, and mineral chemistries of the high-titanium mare basalts have been experimentally duplicated using single-stage cooling histories. Lunar high-titanium mare basalts are modeled in a 1 m thick gravitationally differentiating flow based on cooling rates, thermal models, and modal olivine contents. The low-pressure equilibrium phase relations of a synthetic high-titanium basalt composition were investigated as a function of oxygen fugacity, and petrographic criteria are developed for the recognition of phenocrysts which were present in the liquid at the time of eruption.

Usselman, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A study to examine the feasibility of using surface penetrators for mineral exploration

The feasibility of using penetrators in earth applications is examined. Penetrator applications in exploration for mineral resources only is summarized. Instrumentation for future penetrators is described. Portions of this report are incorporated into a more extensive report examining other penetrator applications in exploration for fossil fuels, geothermal resources, and in environmental and engineering problems, which is to be published as a NASA technical publication.

Davis, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Post-shock temperatures in minerals

An experimental technique was developed for measuring post-shock temperatures in a wide variety of materials, including those of geophysical interest such as silicates. The technique uses an infrared radiation detector to determine the brightness temperature of samples shocked to pressures in the range 5 to approximately 30 GPa; in these experiments measurements were made in two wavelength ranges (4.5 to 5.75 microns and 7 to 14 microns). Reproducible results, with the temperatures in the two wavelength bands generally in excellent agreement, were obtained for aluminum-2024 (10.5 to 33 GPa, 125 to 260 C), stainless steel-304 (11.5 to 50 GPa, 80 to 350 C), crystalline quartz (5.0 to 21.5 GPa, 80 to 250 C), forsterite (7.5 to 28.0 GPa, approximately 30 to 160 C) and Bamble bronzite (6.0 to 26.0 GPa, approximately 30 to 225 C). It is concluded that release adiabat data should be used, wherever available, for calculations of residual temperature, and that adequate descriptions of the shock and release processes in minerals are more complex than generally assumed.

Raikes, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Application of remote sensing to reconnaissance geologic mapping and mineral exploration

A method of mapping geology at a reconnaissance scale and locating zones of possible hydrothermal alteration has been developed. This method is based on principal component analysis of Landsat digital data and is applied to the desert area of the Chagai Hills, Baluchistan, Pakistan. A method for airborne spectrometric detection of geobotanical anomalies associated with prophyry Cu-Mo mineralization at Heddleston, Montana has also been developed. This method is based on discriminants in the 0.67 micron and 0.79 micron region of the spectrum.

Birnie, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Luna 24 - Systematics in spinel mineral chemistry in the context of an intrusive petrogenetic grid

Spinels in the Luna 24 gabbroic fragments have a restricted bimodal distribution of aluminum chromite and ulvospinel, whereas those in the Luna 24 basalts form a continuous sequence which defines a compositional variation from Al-Mg-chromites to ulvospinels containing 1 wt% Al2O3. A comparison of these spinel mineral chemistries with basaltic spinels from other mare regions and with spinels from other lunar intrusive rocks suggest that the Luna 24 gabbroic spinels lie at the low pressure end of a P-T spinel grid, and that titanium enrichment trends on Mg-Al-Cr rich spinel cores are related to extrusion and formed at the terminal stages of magmatic crystallization.

Haggerty, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Post-shock temperatures in minerals

An experimental technique for the measurement of post-shock temperatures in minerals is presented, and silicate post-shock temperature measurements are compared with theoretical calculations. The technique involves the use of infrared detectors to determine the brightness temperatures at 4.5 to 5.75 microns and 7 to 14 microns of samples shocked to between 5 and 30 GPa. Results obtained for aluminum 2024 and stainless steel 304, as well as for Bamble bronzite and synthetic crystal forsterite are found at low pressures to be considerably in excess of the temperatures predicted assuming a hydrodynamic rheology and isentropic release parallel to the Hugoniot. The results are shown to be in better agreement, however, with values calculated assuming elastoplastic behavior, and the post-shock temperatures of crystalline quartz are found to be in good agreement with those calculated by Mashimo et al. (1979) from release adiabat data.

Raikes, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Petrography and olivine mineral chemistry of chondrules and inclusions in the Allende meteorite

The examination of 19 polished-thin sections from a sample of the Allende meteorite reveals that anhedral olivine chondrules (OCs) are the most abundant chondrule type (19.7% of total chondrules + inclusions), followed by recrystallized OCs (7.5%), euhedral OCs (2.9%), glassy/skeletal OCs (2.7%), and barred OCs (2.3%). The most abundant inclusions are those comprised of many small olivine crystals with varying amounts of opaque minerals and glass (31.5%), followed by fine grained inclusions (16.1%) and single olivine crystals (15.7%). Microprobe analyses of olivines show that recrystallized and barred chondrules are the most forsteritic and exhibit relatively narrow compositional ranges, whereas single crystals have the widest range, from Fa sub 0.3 to Fa sub 49.

Simon, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Heterogeneous phase reactions of Martian volatiles with putative regolith minerals

The chemical reactivity of several minerals thought to be present in Martian fines is tested with respect to gases known in the Martian atmosphere. In these experiments, liquid water is excluded from the system, environmental temperatures are maintained below 0 C, and the solar illumination spectrum is stimulated in the visible and UV using a xenon arc lamp. Reactions are detected by mass spectrometric analysis of the gas phase over solid samples. No reactions were detected for Mars nominal gas over sulfates, nitrates, chloride, nontronite clay, or magnetite. Oxidation was not observed for basaltic glass, nontronite, and magnetite. However, experiments incorporating SO2 gas an expected product of volcanism and intrusive volatile release - gave positive results. Displacement of CO2 by SO2 occurred in all four carbonates tested. These reactions are catalyzed by irradiation with the solar simulator. A calcium nitrate hydrate released NO2 in the presence of SO2. These results have implications for the cycling of atmospheric CO2, H2O, and N2 through the regolith.

Clark, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Effect of six-month hypokinesia in dogs on mineral component, reconstruction and mechanical properties of bone tissue

Ca45 incorporation into the bones of the limbs, particularly in the area of the muscle attachment increased in dogs as a result of 6 month hypokinesia. There were no phenomena of osteoporosis in the cortical layer of the diaphyses; however, changes in the form of osteons, an increase in the number of anastomoses between the channels and the thinning of the subperiosteal layer pointed to disturbances of the bone tissue reconstruction. Mineral saturation of the bone microstructures of the experimental dogs had a tendency to rise. No changes in the mechanical properties of the long bones occurred as a result of hypokinesia in dogs.

Volozhin, A. I.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Metallic minerals, thermal histories and parent bodies of some xenolithic, ordinary chondrite meteorites

The metal grains were investigated in the hosts and lithic fragments of various petrologic types in four xenolithic chondrites using reflected-light microscopy and electron-probe analysis. The kamacite, taenite, tetrataenite, and troilite in Weston and Fayetteville have many textures; on a Wood plot of the central Ni content vs dimensions, the taenite content shows scatter if metal grains had cooled at rates of 10-1000 and 1-100 K/Myr through 700 K. In contrast, metallic minerals in Bhola and Mezo-Madaras have uniform textures and plot coherently, indicating cooling rates of 0.1 and 1 K/Myr, respectively, in the 700-600 K range. It is concluded that the host and xenoliths in these chondrites were cooled slowly after compaction; their clasts underwent peak metamorphic temperatures and slow cooling through 700 K in different environments.

Scott, E. R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Protoplanetary core formation by rain-out of minerals

Models of giant protoplanets computed by DeCampli and Cameron (1979) show that Fe and other minerals in the planet interior are in a liquid state during one of the stages of protoplanet evolution. A model of coalescence of liquid drops was developed using the 'stochastic' collection equation of Slattery (1978); the growth times to droplets was much shorter than the period during which the drops are in a liquid state. Brownian collection quickly coalesced the tiny droplets to a radius of 0.005 cm; gravitational collection was required to form droplets of radii greater than 0.005 cm.

Slattery, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Partitioning REE between minerals and coexisting melts during partial melting of a garnet lherzolite

Partition coefficients for Ce, Sm, and Tm between garnet, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, olivine, and melt are determined at 35 kbar for 2.3, 8, 20, and 37.7% melting of a garnet lherzolite nodule with chondritic REE abundances. Partition coefficients are found to increase as the degree of partial melting increases. From 2.3 to 8% melting, this increase is for the most part a consequence of non-Henry's law behavior of REE in minerals.

Harrison, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The design of a mechanical referencing system for the rear drum of the Longwall Shearer Coal Miner

The design of two systems which reference the position of a longwall shearer coal miner to the mine roof of the present cut and of the last cut are presented. This system is part of an automation system that will guide the rear cutting drum in such a manner that the total depth of cut remains constant even though the front drum may be following an undulating roof profile. The rear drum referencing mechanism continually monitors the distance from the mine roof to the floor for the present cut. This system provides a signal to control a constant depth of cut. The last cut follower mechanism continually monitors the distance from the mine roof of the prior cut to the cutting drum. This latter system provides a signal to minimize the step height in the roof between cuts. The dynamic response of this hydraulic-pneumatic and mechanical system is analyzed to determine accumulator size and precharge pressure.

Jones, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Influence of mineral oil and additives on microhardness and surface chemistry of magnesium oxide (001) surface

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses and hardness experiments were conducted with cleaved magnesium oxide /001/ surfaces. The magnesium oxide bulk crystals were cleaved into specimens along the /001/ surface, and indentations were made on the cleaved surface in laboratory air, in nitrogen gas, or in degassed mineral oil with and without an additive while not exposing specimen surface to any other environment. The various additives examined contained sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, or oleic acid. The sulfur-containing additive exhibited the highest hardness and smallest dislocation patterns evidencing plastic deformation; the chlorine-containing additive exhibited the lowest hardness and largest dislocation patterns evidencing plastic deformation. Hydrocarbon and chloride (MgCl2) films formed on the magnesium oxide surface. A chloride film was responsible for the lowest measured hardness.

Miyoshi, K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

ESRI applications of GIS technology: Mineral resource development

The application of geographic information systems technology to large scale regional assessment related to mineral resource development, identifying candidate sites for related industry, and evaluating sites for waste disposal is discussed. Efforts to develop data bases were conducted at scales ranging from 1:3,000,000 to 1:25,000. In several instances, broad screening was conducted for large areas at a very general scale with more detailed studies subsequently undertaken in promising areas windowed out of the generalized data base. Increasingly, the systems which are developed are structured as the spatial framework for the long-term collection, storage, referencing, and retrieval of vast amounts of data about large regions. Typically, the reconnaissance data base for a large region is structured at 1:250,000 scale, data bases for smaller areas being structured at 1:25,000, 1:50,000 or 1:63,360. An integrated data base for the coterminous US was implemented at a scale of 1:3,000,000 for two separate efforts.

Derrenbacher, W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Mars residual north polar cap - Earth-based spectroscopic confirmation of water ice as a major constituent and evidence for hydrated minerals

A description is presented of new earth-based reflectance spectra of the Martian north residual polar cap. The spectra indicate that the composition is at least mostly water ice plus another component with a 'gray' reflectance. The other minerals in the ice cap appear to be hydrated. The data were obtained with a cooled circular variable filter spectrometer on February 20, 1978, using the 2.2-m telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. It is pointed out that the identification of water ice in the north polar cap alone does not indicate that water makes up all or even most of the bulk of the cap. Kieffer (1970) has shown that a small amount of water will mask the spectral features of CO2.

Clark, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Interaction between ATP, metal ions, glycine, and several minerals

Interactions between ATP, glycine and montmorillonite and kaolinite clay minerals in the presence of various metal cations are investigated. The adsorption of adenine nucleotides on clays and Al(OH)3 was measured as a function of pH, and glycine condensation was followed in the presence of ATP, ZnCl2, MgCl2 and either kaolinite or montmorillonite. The amounts of ATP and ADP adsorbed are found to decrease with increasing Ph, and to be considerably enhanced in experiments with Mg(2+)- and Zn(2+)-montmorillonite with respect to Na(+)-montmorillonite. The effects of divalent cations are less marked in kaolinite. Results for Al(OH)3 show the importance of adsorption at clay platelet edges at high pH. The decomposition of ATP during drying at high temperature is observed to be inhibited by small amounts of clay, vacuum, or Mg(2+) or Zn(2+) ions, and to be accompanied by peptide formation in the presence of glycine. Results suggest the importance of Zn(2+) and Mg(2+) in chemical evolution.

Rishpon, J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Cavitation Erosion of Copper, Brass, Aluminum and Titanium Alloys in Mineral Oil

The variations of the mean depth of penetration, the mean depth rate of penetration, MDRP, the pit diameter 2a and depth h due to cavitation attack on Al 6061-T6, Cu, brass of composition Cu-35Zn-3Pb and Ti-5A1-2.5Sn are presented. The experiments are conducted in a mineral oil of viscosity 110 CS using a magnetostrictive oscillator of 20 kHz frequency. Based on MDRP on the materials, it is found that Ti-5Al-2.5Sn exhibits cavitation erosion resistance which is two orders of magnitude higher than the other three materials. The values of h/a are the largest for copper and decreased with brass, titanium, and aluminum. Scanning electron microscope studies show that extensive slip and cross slip occurred on the surface prior to pitting and erosion. Twinning is also observed on copper and brass.

Rao, B. C. S.↗