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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 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Compositional Analysis of Martian Soil: Synergism of APEX and MECA Experiments on MPS 2001

The APEX (ATHENA Precursor Experiment) payload for the Mars 2001 mission will analyze soil and dust with a multispectral panoramic imager and an emission spectrometer on a mast on the lander, a Moessbauer spectrometer on the lander robotic arm (RA), and APXS measurements on the Marie Curie rover. These analytical methods will provide data on elemental abundances and mineralogy. The MECA payload on the lander will apply microscopy, AFM, wet chemistry, adhesive substrates, and electrometry to determine the shape and size of particles in the soil and dust, the presence of toxic substances, and electrostatic, magnetic, and hardness qualities of particles. The two experiments will complement one another through several interactions: (1) The panoramic imager provides the geological setting in which both APEX and MECA samples are acquired, (2) The RA provides samples to MECA from the surface and subsurface and will permit APEX analytical tools access to materials below the immediate surface, (3) Comparisons can be made between elemental analyses of the Moessbauer, IR, APXS on APEX and the wet chemistry of MECA which will define trace elements (ionic species in solution) and soil redox potential and conductivity. (4) APEX bulk compositional measurements will place MECA trace measurements in context, and similarly, MECA microscopy will provide particle size data that may correlate with compositional differences determined by the APEX instruments. Additionally, lithic fragments viewed by the MECA microscope station should correlate with mineral/rock species inferred by APEX data, (5) If APEX instruments detect quartz for example, the scratch plates of the MECA microscope stage will define if a mineral of this hardness is registered during abrasion tests. This is by no means an exhaustive list of potential interactions, but it is clear that both the sheer number of analytical techniques and their complementarity should provide an analytically powerful capability for both planetary and HEDS communities.

Arvidson, R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Advanced Photodetectors for Space Lidar

The detector in a space lidar plays a key role in the instrument characteristics and performance, especially in direct detection lidar. The sensitivity of the detector is usually the limiting factor when determining the laser power and the receiver aperture size, which in turn determines the instrument complexity and cost. The availability of a suitable detector is often a deciding factor in the choice of lidar wavelengths. A direct detection lidar can achieve the highest receiver performance, or the quantum limit, when its detector can detect signals at the single photon

PMT↗
NASA NTRS1952

Investigation of Spinning and Tumbling Characteristics of a 1/20-Scale Model of the Consolidated Vultee XFY-1 Airplane in the Free-Spinning Tunnel, TED No. NACA DE 370

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel on a l/20-scale model of the Consolidated Vultee XFY-1 airplane with a windmilling propeller simulated to determine the effects of control setting and movements upon the erect spin and recovery characteristics for a range of airplane-loading conditions. The effects on the model's spin-recovery characteristics of removing the lower vertical tail, removing the gun pods, and fixing the rudders at neutral were also investigated briefly. The investigation included determination of the size parachute required for emergency recovery from demonstration spins. The tumbling tendencies of the model were also investigated. Brief static force tests were made to determine the aerodynamic characteristics in pitch at high angles of attack. The investigation indicated that the spin and recovery characteristics of the airplane with propeller windmilling will be satisfactory for all loading conditions if recovery is attempted by full rudder reversal accompanied by simultaneous movement of the stick laterally to full with the spin (stick right in a right spin) and longitudinally to neutral. Inverted spins should be satisfactorily terminated by fully reversing the rudder followed immediately by moving the stick laterally towards the forward rudder pedal and longitudinally to neutral. Removal of the gun pods or fixing the rudders at neutral will not adversely affect the airplane's spin-recovery characteristics, but removal of the lower vertical tail will result in unsatisfactory spin-recovery characteristics. The model-test results showed that a 13.3-foot wing-tip conventional parachute (drag coefficient approximately 0.7) should be effective as an emergency spin-recovery device during demonstration spins of the airplane. It was indicated that the airplane should not tumble and that no unusual longitudinal-trim characteristics should be obtained for the center-of-gravity positions investigated.

Lee, Henry A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Evaluation of all-parachute and hybrid /parachute-retrorocket/ recovery systems for a one-million-pound booster

Both an all-parachute recovery system and a hybrid parachute-retrorocket recovery system for a one-million-pound booster are evaluated in order to determine what parachute sizes and number in a cluster are required for an all-parachute system to provide impact velocities of less than 100 ft/sec and in order to determine whether the hybrid system permits a weight reduction over an all-parachute system. A minimum-weight hybrid decelerator system using Kevlar materials for a cluster of three parachutes with two stages of reefing is analyzed. Major conclusions are that for an impact velocity of less than 100 ft/sec the hybrid decelerator system is lighter in weight, and that the use of Kevlar rather than Nylon material results in hybrid decelerator system weight savings of over 40% for impact velocities in the range 60-30 ft/sec.

Eckstrom, C. V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Size of a gamma-ray burster optical emitting region

Measured limits on the quiescent optical and IR flux of the Nov. 19, 1978 gamma ray burster event are presented and used to establish a lower limit to the size of the optically emitting region. A total of 305 min of exposure was made, using a CCD with a UV cutoff at 3800 A. It was determined that the size of the optical emitting region is more than an order of magnitude larger than a neutron star. The size of the optical emitting region did not, however, coincide with that of the gamma ray emitting region, indicating that the optical emissions originate from a different area of the region, i.e., from a companion star or accretion disk rather than a neutron star.

Schaefer, B. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Measurements of X-ray scattering from interstellar grains

The results of an Einstein Observatory imaging proportional counter investigation of the halos produced by the scattering of X-rays from interstellar grains of four compact Galactic (low-latitude) and two extragalactic (high-latitude) X-ray sources are reported. It is found that the intensity of these halos correlates well with the amount of visual extinction and the distance through the Galaxy's dust layer: quantities which measure the column density of grains to a given source. From this result, and from the size and shape of the halos from the Galactic sources, a number of grain parameters are derived in the context of two alternate grain size distributions: the Mathis-Rumpl-Nordsieck (MRN) and the Oort-van de Hulst distributions, either of which is capable of producing the observed halos. Though no single grain size is capable of producing the shapes observed for these halos, a mean size of about 0.1 micron and a number density of about 10 to the -12th grains/cu cm produce the correct halo intensities. From the additional parameters determined from the size and shape of the halos, results concerning the amount of material in grains which are in general agreement with the observed depletion of the elements from the gas phase of the interstellar medium, as well as with the detailed predictions of the MRN size distribution, are found.

Mauche, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Trace elemental characteristics of aerosols emitted from municipal incinerators

As part of a continuing investigation of high temperature combustion aerosols, elemental composition of size differentiated aerosols emitted from a local municipal incinerator was studied. Aerosols were aerodynamically separated into eight diameter groups ranging from 0.43 mm to 20 mm, collected, and analyzed by charged particle induced X-ray emission technique. On line data collection and reduction codes generated aerial densities for elements from Na to U with sensitivities in the ng/cu m range for most elements. From the total weights of aerosols collected per stage, their size distribution was determined to be bimodal, with one group centered at a diameter of 0.54 mm and the other at a diameter of 5.6 mm. Measured elemental concentrations in various size ranges indicate that K and S show a strong tendency to concentrate on aerosol surfaces. A weaker trend for surface preference was also observed for Mn and Ni, but other elements show no such trend.

Singh, J. J.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Apparatus and methods for location and sizing of trace gas sources

A system for detecting gas leaks and determining their location and size. A data gathering portion of the system utilizes a chosen geometrical configuration to collect path-integrated spectroscopic data over multiple paths around an area. A processing portion of the system applies a transport model together with meteorological data of the area to generate an influence function of possible leak locations on gas detector measurement paths, and applies an inversion model to the influence function, prior data, and the spectroscopic data to generate gas source size and location.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Synergies between H, He and radiation damage in dual and triple ion irradiation of candidate fusion blanket materials

Three ferritic/martensitic alloys were studied to understand the synergistic effect between single ion beam (Fe 2+ ), dual ion beam (Fe 2+ +He 2+ and Fe 2+ +H + ), and triple ion beam (Fe 2+ +He 2+ +H + ) irradiations on cavity evolution. A commercial alloy, F82H, a castable nanostructured alloy, CNA3, and a high purity model alloy, Fe8Cr2W, were irradiated at 400°C to 600°C to a damage level of 50 dpa at a damage rate of 1 × 10 –3 dpa/s with He and H injection rates of 10 and 40 appm/dpa, respectively. Post-irradiation characterization via bright field transmission electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy was performed on all irradiated conditions to characterize the cavity size distribution and determine the effects of H/He injection on cavity microstructure. In all three alloys, hydrogen co-injection with helium resulted in an increased cavity number density and maximum cavity size, producing an increase in swelling over that from helium injection alone. Swelling in F82H appears to peak between 450°C and 500°C. At 600°C, swelling was minimal and cavities of high density and small size were confined to grain boundaries and dislocations while at 400°C, swelling is also low with a nearly homogeneous, high density, distribution of very small cavities throughout. Swelling was least in the commercial alloy F82H due to the high sink strength. The CNA3 alloy underwent dissolution of precipitates that lowered the sink strength and resulted in higher swelling than F82H, but less than the model alloy. Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) elemental mapping revealed hydrogen forming a halo-like structure about the periphery of the cavities and helium residing within the cavities themselves. Finally, this observation suggests that hydrogen reduces the surface energy of helium-filled cavities which results in both increased cavity number density and cavity size in triple beam irradiation over dual beam irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantitative assessment of environmental phenomena on maximum pit size predictions in marine environments

Maximum pit sizes were predicted for dilute and concentrated NaCl and MgCl 2 solutions as well as sea-salt brine solutions corresponding to 40% relative humidity (RH) (MgCl 2 -rich) and 76% RH (NaCl-rich) at 25 °C. A quantitative method was developed to capture the effects of various cathode evolution phenomena including precipitation and dehydration reactions. Additionally, the sensitivity of the model to input parameters was explored. Despite one's intuition, the highest chloride concentration (roughly 10.3 M Cl – ) did not produce the largest predicted pit size as the ohmic drop was more severe in concentrated MgCl 2 solutions. Therefore, the largest predicted pits were calculated for saturated NaCl (roughly 5 M Cl – ). Next, it was determined that pit size predictions are most sensitive to model input parameters for concentrated brines. However, when the effects of cathodic reactions on brine chemistry are considered, the sensitivity to input parameters is decreased. Although there was not one main input parameter that influenced pit size predictions, two main categories were identified. Under similar chloride concentrations (similar RH), the water layer thickness (WL), and pit stability product, (i · x) sf , are the most influential factors. When varying chloride concentrations (RH), changes in WL, the brine specific cathodic kinetics on the external surface (captured in the equivalent current density (i eq )), and conductivity (k o ) are the most influential parameters. Finally, it was noted that dehydration reactions coupled with precipitation in the cathode will have the largest effect on predicted pit size, and cause the most significant inhibition of corrosion damage.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1976

Functional polymeric microspheres based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate for immunochemical studies

Co gamma irradiation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in the presence or in the absence of other acrylic monomers was found to constitute an effective technique for the synthesis of hydrophilic functional microspheres in the size range of approximately 0.3 to 3 microns in diameter. The effect of monomer concentration, steric stabilization, and electrostatic interaction on the particle size was investigated. Experimental conditions were determined to obtain desired particle sizes of relatively narrow distribution. It was shown that particles may be formed without intermediate micelles, i.e., by homogeneous nucleation, and the rate of particle formation is affected primarily by the rate of particle coalescence in the initial stages of the reaction. When covalently bound to antibodies these microspheres were successfully used to label murine and human lymphocytes.

Rembaum, A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

TPSAS-NF1676L-22701-DND

The next generation of aerosol satellite instruments will include multi-spectral polarimetric measurements to retrieval aerosol size distribution and refractive index (Hasekamp et al., 2011; NRC, 2007). Refractive index is the “only means of constraining aerosol chemical composition from space” for passive sensors (Mischenko et al., 2007). A number of methods have been developed to derive refractive index from combined optical and electrical mobility sizing instruments (e.g., the “Alignment Method” of Hand and Kreidenweis, 2002). In this work, we evaluate the sensitivity of two, commercially-available, high-resolution optical particle counters for determining the size-resolved refractive index of laboratory-generated aerosols when used with a modified form of the Alignment Method.

Stephen Zimmerman↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ignition and combustion characteristics of metallized propellants

Shakedown and calibration of the experimental apparatus designed to study secondary atomization and ignition characteristics of aluminum slurry propellants was begun and nears completion. The burner was tested over an array of equivalence ratios and oxygen mass fractions to determine the permissible range of operating conditions. A burner flow control system was designed and fabricated which permits independent control of flame stoichiometry and oxidant O2 concentrations. The Sun slurry formulation was selected as the base for initial testing. Laser beam waists at the focal volume of the single particle sizing system were determined to be 396 microns for the Ar-ion and 81 microns for the He-Ne laser. Size calibrations using pinholes were completed and compared to Mie theory for light scattering from particles. A vibrating office droplet generator was used to test the single particle sizing system dynamically by producing a water droplet laden gas flow. The data acquisition and analysis programming was completed and testing is in progress. From initial results, the particle sizing, atomization and ignition detection systems appear to be performing as expected.

Turns, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Endogenic craters on basaltic lava flows - Size frequency distributions

Circular crater forms, termed collapse depressions, which occur on many basalt flows on the earth have also been detected on the moon and Mars and possibly on Mercury and Io. The admixture of collapse craters with impact craters would affect age determinations of planetary surface units based on impact crater statistics by making them appear anomalously old. In the work described in the present paper, the techniques conventionally used in planetary crater counting were applied to the determination of the size range and size frequency distribution of collapse craters on lava flows in Idaho, California, and New Mexico. Collapse depressions range in size from 3 to 80 m in diameter; their cumulative size distributions are similar to those of small impact craters on the moon.

Greeley, R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Bright sand/dark dust: The identification of active sand surfaces on the Earth and Mars

Field studies and analysis of LANDSAT Thematic Mapper data in the Gran Desierto, Mexico may shed light on a technique to distinguish active from inactive (relict) sand surfaces. Active sand bodies in the study area are consistently brighter (by an average of 20%) at visual and near infrared wavelengths and darker at thermal infrared wavelengths than compositionally similar inactive sands. The reasons for the albedo difference between active and inactive sands are reviewed and the mixing model of Johnson et al. is examined for tracing the provenance of sands based on albedo and spectral variations. Portions of the wavelengths covered by the Mars Orbiter correspond to the Thematic Mapper data. The identification of active sands on Earth, with a priori knowledge of bulk composition and grain size distribution, may allow the remote mapping of active sand surfaces on Mars. In conjuction with thermal infrared remote sensing for composition, it may also provide a method for the remote determination of grain size distributions within sand/silt mixtures.

Blount, H. G., II↗
NASA NTRS1986

A determination of sampling intensity to characterize a Landsat MSS scene using two block sizes

Three Landsat MSS scenes were processed to empirically determine the sampling intensity needed to characterize various land cover types including water, conifer, and hardwood. The block sizes used as the sampling units were 497 by 500 pixels (picture elements) and 248 by 250 pixels. It is found that, for a given accuracy criterion, the sampling intensity is dependent on the abundance of the cover type of interest in the MSS scene. The results also indicate that, when using the smaller block size, a smaller percentage of the scene has to be classified to obtain a given level of accuracy.

Horning, N.↗
DOE OSTI2023

SULI Internship Deliverables (Flow Orifice Design: Measuring Degas Flow of Experiment Loops at the Advanced Test Reactor)

These deliverables present a design for a new orifice flow meter to be installed in three experiment loops at the Advanced Test Reactor. The current configuration of the experiment loop system has an orifice that is not properly sized to the low flow rates of the degas line of the pressurizer system, causing inaccurate flow measurements. Under consideration of flow conditions and system constraints, an iterative procedure was utilized to determine the optimal sizing for a new orifice. This orifice is designed to accurately and precisely measure the flow rate of the degas line, which will consequently improve control of the pressure and chemistry of the loop pressurizer system. The scope of this project includes recommendations for orifice sizing, material, flange type, face type, and installation location on the loop piping spools. The design is suitable for experiment loops 1D-N, 2B-SE, and 2D-SW and meets all necessary standards.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Laser light scattering review

Since the development of laser light sources and fast digital electronics for signal processing, the classical discipline of light scattering on liquid systems experienced a strong revival plus an enormous expansion, mainly due to new dynamic light scattering techniques. While a large number of liquid systems can be investigated, ranging from pure liquids to multicomponent microemulsions, this review is largely restricted to applications on Brownian particles, typically in the submicron range. Static light scattering, the careful recording of the angular dependence of scattered light, is a valuable tool for the analysis of particle size and shape, or of their spatial ordering due to mutual interactions. Dynamic techniques, most notably photon correlation spectroscopy, give direct access to particle motion. This may be Brownian motion, which allows the determination of particle size, or some collective motion, e.g., electrophoresis, which yields particle mobility data. Suitable optical systems as well as the necessary data processing schemes are presented in some detail. Special attention is devoted to topics of current interest, like correlation over very large lag time ranges or multiple scattering.

Schaetzel, Klaus↗