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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 667 records · Page 37

Elastic scattering and rotational excitation of a polyatomic molecule by electron impact - Acetylene

Differential, integral, momentum transfer, and partial cross sections have been calculated for elastic scattering and rotational excitation of C2H2 by 10-eV electrons. The effective potential includes static, exchange, and polarization interactions calculated by the INDOX/1s method and the semiclassical exchange approximation with adiabatic polarization at large electron-molecule distances. The scattering is treated by well converged rotational close coupling using the centrifugal dominant scheme to select the channels included and including up to 32 coupled channels for a given total angular momentum. The calculated integral cross sections for pure elastic scattering and rotation excitation are 54.5 and 41.4 a(0)squared, respectively. These are much larger than the values (34.4 and 18.6 a(0)squared) previously (Onda and Truhlar, 1979) calculated for the isoelectronic molecule N2, at this energy. This illustrates how the greater spatial extent of C2H2 greatly increases the cross sections for pure elastic and rotationally inelastic scattering.

Thirumalai, D.↗

On the role of vibrational excitation in dissociative recombination

An improved physical model of dissociative recombination is presented and applied to experimental data on the temperature dependence of rate coefficients for the rare-gas and atmospheric-gas ions. It is shown that in the charge neutralisation of the rare-gas dimer ions, autoionisation plays an important role (at least in comparison with the atmospheric-gas ions) and contributes to the fast fall-off in the rate coefficient with vibrational excitation observed in shock tube studies. Numerical estimates of the observed fall-off in rate coefficient with increasing vibrational excitation are also presented.

Cunningham, A. J.↗

Two-photon excitation of nitric oxide fluorescence as a temperature indicator in unsteady gasdynamic processes

A laser-induced fluorescence technique based on the pulsed two-photon excitation of NO is presented which is especially suited for the measurement of fluctuating temperatures in cold turbulent flows. The technique uses the fluorescence from the UV gamma bands of NO produced by two-photon excitation of NO (A 2 Sigma +, nu-prime = 0 - X 2 Pi, nu-double prime = 0) to obtain a rotational temperature. An analysis is presented of relevant aspects of the two-photon absorption process including microphysical processes, spectral intensities as a function of transition and laser spectral widths, line-shape integrals, the nonequilibrium response of the medium to a laser pulse, fluorescence energies, signal to noise ratio, and focusing effects. An analysis of absolute two-photon absorptivity measured in a nonflowing cell is then presented and used to predict signal to noise ratios greater than 50 for supersonic flows at temperatures below 300 K.

Mckenzie, R. L.↗

The abundance and excitation of the carbon chains in interstellar molecular clouds

Emission lines from the carbon chains HC3N, HC5N, HC7N and HC9N were observed at 3 mm, 7 mm, and 1.4 cm in a number of dark clouds, Orion A and IRC(plus)10216. Non-LTE models were constructed to describe excitation and column densities. Component models for the Taurus dark cloud TMC-1 suggested that relative molecular abundances do not vary substantially along the cloud ridge, whereas the H2 density does by a factor of three. Data available for other dark clouds showed that the decrease in abundance with length from one carbon chain to the next is nearly constant, being close to 2.3. The decline in carbon chain abundance with length is steeper in Orion KL than in dark clouds by a factor of approximately four. Abundance ratios derived for the carbon star IRC(plus)10216 are uncertain, due to difficulties in modeling excitation rates in this environment.

Bujarrabal, V.↗

Receiver-exciter controller design

A description of the general design of both the block 3 and block 4 receiver-exciter controllers for the Deep Space Network (DSN) Mark IV-A System is presented along with the design approach. The controllers are designed to enable the receiver-exciter subsystem (RCV) to be configured, calibrated, initialized and operated from a central location via high level instructions. The RECs are designed to be operated under the control of the DMC subsystem. The instructions are in the form of standard subsystem blocks (SSBs) received via the local area network (LAN). The centralized control provided by RECs and other DSCC controllers in Mark IV-A is intended to reduce DSN operations costs from the Mark III era.

Jansma, P. A.↗

Stratification effects and IUE spectra of high excitation planetaries

Individual strips across IUE low resolution images of a number of high excitation planetaries with appreciable angular disks (including NGC 2452, 3242, 6818, and IC 1297) are analyzed to assess stratification effects. The familiar enhancement of high excitation lines toward the center is well exhibited, but some unexpected structural features are found in NGC 2452 where C IV shows a single central maximum, but C III, Ne IV, and He II seem to have a central dip. The new IUE data permit improved chemical composition estimates for several planetaries previously analyzed by Aller and Czyzak.

Feibelman, W.↗

Detection of the torsionally excited state of methanol in Orion A

Torsionally excited methanol has been detected in Orion A, where three emission lines observed in the region of 93-100 GHz coincide with laboratory measurements of three methanol transitions. Torsionally excited methanol may therefore be used as a novel temperature probe, since this state lies near 200 per cm above the ground state, or about 290 K. No emission was detected from the transition arising from levels near 300 per cm, or approximately 430 K above the ground state.

Lovas, F. J.↗

The self-excited axisymmetric jet

The results of a number of investigations suggest that large-scale coherent structures and their interactions play key roles in the transport of heat, mass, and momentum, and in the generation of aerodynamic noise. Investigations related to the study of a large-scale coherent structure in the circular jet are considered, taking into account the advantages of inducing controlled perturbation through self-sustained excitation with the whistler nozzle. The primary objective of the present study was to document the jet response to self-excitation and the sensitivity of this response to the initial condition and the Reynolds number R(D). It was also felt that the results would find use in the control of mixing and aerodynamic noise in a jet.

Hasan, M. A. Z.↗

An excitation mechanism for the free 'core nutation'

The earth is believed to possess a free nutational mode due to its rotating, elliptical, fluid core, with an eigenfrequency of approximately (1 + 1/460) cycle per sidereal day as seen from the sidereally rotating earth. This free 'core nutation' has not yet been undisputably observed. Furthermore, there has been considerable doubt that any known mechanism could excite this mode to an observable level. It is shown here that diurnal atmospheric and oceanic loading of the earth's surface provides an efficient excitation mechanism which depends critically on the physical damping of the mode. Possible effects of the mode on geodetic measurements are discussed. The effects of 'wobble' and 'nutation' on astrometric observations are also considered.

Sasao, T.↗

Coupled hydromagnetic wave excitation and ion acceleration upstream of the earth's bow shock

A self-consistent theory is set forth for the excitation of hydromagnetic waves and the acceleration of 'diffuse' ions upstream of the earth's bow shock in the quasi-equilibrium that results when the solar wind velocity and the interplanetary magnetic field are nearly parallel. For the waves, the quasi-equilibrium derives from a balance between excitation by the ions, which stream relative to the solar wind plasma, and convective loss to the magnetosheath. For the diffuse ions, the quasi-equilibrium derives from a balance between injection at the shock front, confinement to the foreshock by pitch angle scattering on the waves, and acceleration by compression at the shock front. It also results from loss to the magnetosheath, loss due to escape upstream of the foreshock, and loss via diffusion perpendicular to the average magnetic field onto field lines that do not connect to the shock front. Diffusion equations describing the ion transport and wave kinetic equations describing the hydromagnetic wave transport are solved self-consistently to give analytical expressions. These describe (1) the differential wave intensity spectrum as a function of frequency and distance from the bow shock and (2) the ion omnidirectional distribution functions and anisotropies as functions of energy and distance from the bow shock.

Lee, M. A.↗

Observation of a Rydberg series of CO in the two-electron excited region

Using synchrotron radiation as a continuum background, the absorption spectrum of CO in the 380-470 A range was taken by using a double ion chamber. A Rydberg series in the 450 A (27.5 eV) region has been observed to converge to the F 2Pi, a two-electron excited state of CO(+). The series limit determined at 28.11 eV is in excellent agreement with the vertical ionization potential of the F 2Pi state measured by the high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy. A few dissociation processes leading to the productions of atomic ions and excited atomic fragments are also discussed.

Wu, C. Y. R.↗

Analysis of long-period seismic waves excited by the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens - A terrestrial monopole

The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, excited long-period seismic waves, and high-quality digital seismograms were recorded. The present investigation is concerned with the results of detailed analyses of Rayleigh and Love waves excited by this eruption. Since the elastic response of the earth is very accurately known, it is possible to retrieve the source parameters of this unique event from observations at far-field. It is shown that the source can be represented by a nearly horizontal single force. The conducted analysis is concerned with only long-period characteristics of the source. The short-period behavior of the source is difficult to determine from surface waves because the available knowledge of the earth's response is less accurate than at long periods.

Kanamori, H.↗

Flute mode waves near the lower hybrid frequency excited by ion rings in velocity space

Discrete emissions at the lower hybrid frequency are often seen on the S3-3 satellite. Simultaneous observation of perpendicularly heated ions suggests that these ions may provide the free energy necessary to drive the instability. Studies of the dispersion relation for flute modes excited by warm ion rings in velocity space show that waves are excited with real frequencies near the lower hybrid frequency and with growth rates ranging from about 0.01 to 1 times the ion cyclotron frequency. Numerical results are therefore consistent with the possibility that the observed ions are the free energy source for the observed waves.

Cattell, C.↗

The transfer function method for gear system dynamics applied to conventional and minimum excitation gearing designs

A transfer function method for predicting the dynamic responses of gear systems with more than one gear mesh is developed and applied to the NASA Lewis four-square gear fatigue test apparatus. Methods for computing bearing-support force spectra and temporal histories of the total force transmitted by a gear mesh, the force transmitted by a single pair of teeth, and the maximum root stress in a single tooth are developed. Dynamic effects arising from other gear meshes in the system are included. A profile modification design method to minimize the vibration excitation arising from a pair of meshing gears is reviewed and extended. Families of tooth loading functions required for such designs are developed and examined for potential excitation of individual tooth vibrations. The profile modification design method is applied to a pair of test gears.

Mark, W. D.↗

On excitation of Earth's free wobble and reference frames

The excitation of the Earth's polar motion in connection with problems that are associated with the diversity of reference frames involved in observations and theoretical computations is studied. Following the dynamics of the Earth's polar motion, the kinematics that relates observations from different reference frames is developed. The conventional procedures of studying the seismic excitation of polar motion are re-examined, subject to the question: relative to what reference frame? It is concluded that an inconsistency in reference frames has prevailed in the literature. While this inconsistency is indeed far from trivial, the resultant discrepancy, however, is small for all practical purposes.

Chao, B. F.↗

Laboratory analysis of techniques for remote sensing of estuarine parameters using laser excitation

The theoretical concepts underlying remote sensing of estuarine parameters using laser excitation are examined. The concepts are extended to include Mie scattering as a measure of the total suspended solids and to develop the water Raman signal as an internal standard. Experimental validation of the theory was performed using backscattered laser light from a laboratory tank to simulate a remote-sensing geometry. Artificially prepared sediments and biological cultures were employed to check specific aspects of the theory under controlled conditions. Natural samples gathered from a variety of water types were also analyzed in the tank to further enhance the simulation. The results indicate that it should be possible to remotely quantify total suspended solids, dissolved organics, attenuation coefficient, chlorophyll a, and phycoerythrin in estuarine water using laser excitation.

Exton, R. J.↗

Observations of the extinction and excitation of the molecular hydrogen emission in Orion

Observations have been made of two quadrupole purely rotational transitions of molecular hydrogen, the 0-0 S(7) and S(5) lines, and of several previously unobserved vibration-rotation hydrogen lines in the Orion molecular cloud. The line ratios indicate a 2.1-micron extinction of about 2 mag. A comparison of the populations of three vibrational levels shows a distribution of excitation temperatures between 1000 and 3000 K. These values are consistent with the theory that hydrogen is thermally excited in shock-heated gas which cools after passage of the shock front. The total luminosity of the hot molecular hydrogen is 200 plus or minus 80 solar luminosity, and the mass of the emitting gas is of the order 0.05 solar mass. The mass and cooling times of the hot hydrogen indicate that at least 10 solar mass of the material has been heated over the lifetime of the outflow.

Beckwith, S.↗

Laser techniques for spectroscopy of core-excited atomic levels

We discuss three techniques which allow the use of tunable lasers for high resolution and picosecond time scale spectroscopy of core-excited atomic levels. These are: anti-Stokes absorption spectroscopy, laser induced emission from metastable levels, and laser designation of selected core-excited levels.

Harris, S. E.↗