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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 73 records · Page 4

A new method for the calculation of photodissociation cross sections

A time-independent quantum mechanical approach to the calculation of photodissociation cross sections is developed. The method is based on the use of a discrete variable representation and the application of absorbing boundary conditions. Both total photodissociation cross sections and partial cross sections (hence product state distributions) are obtained using the same basic technique, but the calculation is particularly efficient when only the former quantity is required. The method is applied to the photodissociation of HCl(+) for which accurate potential energy curves and dipole moment functions are available, to the photodissociation of ClCN which is a direct process, involving a single excited electrosonic state, and to the photodissociation of ICN, which involves several strongly coupled excited electronic states.

Seideman, Tamar↗

Factors influencing the intensity of magnetospheric substorms

A definition of the substorm is presented, and it is shown that the typical isolated substorm is produced by the superposition of effects of processes directly driven by the solar wind through dayside reconnection and those driven by unloading through nighttime reconnection. The single factor that determines whether a substorm will occur or not is the clock angle of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) around the earth-sun line. Only when this field points south of the GSM equatorial plane do the auroral electrojet indices depart from their quiet values. For a given clock angle, the level of activity increases with the IMF strength and solar wind velocity.

Mcpherron, R. L.↗

General Potential Theory of Arbitrary Wing Section

This report gives the exact treatment of the problem of determining the 2-dimensional potential flow around wing sections of any type. The treatment is based directly on the solution of this problem as advanced by Theodorsen in NACA-TR-411. The problem condenses into the compact form of an integral equation capable of yielding numerical solutions by a direct process.

Theodorsen, T↗

Computational Analysis for Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle Systems During Rocket-Only Operation

A series of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes calculations were employed to study the performance of rocket-based combined-cycle systems operating in an all-rocket mode. This parametric series of calculations were executed within a statistical framework, commonly known as design of experiments. The parametric design space included four geometric and two flowfield variables set at three levels each, for a total of 729 possible combinations. A D-optimal design strategy was selected. It required that only 36 separate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions be performed to develop a full response surface model, which quantified the linear, bilinear, and curvilinear effects of the six experimental variables. The axisymmetric, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations were executed with the NPARC v3.0 code. The response used in the statistical analysis was created from Isp efficiency data integrated from the 36 CFD simulations. The influence of turbulence modeling was analyzed by using both one- and two-equation models. Careful attention was also given to quantify the influence of mesh dependence, iterative convergence, and artificial viscosity upon the resulting statistical model. Thirteen statistically significant effects were observed to have an influence on rocket-based combined-cycle nozzle performance. It was apparent that the free-expansion process, directly downstream of the rocket nozzle, can influence the Isp efficiency. Numerical schlieren images and particle traces have been used to further understand the physical phenomena behind several of the statistically significant results.

Steffen, C. J., Jr.↗

Space- and Ground-Based Crystal Growth Using a Baffle (CGB)

The composition of semiconductor crystals produced in space by conventional melt-growth processes (directional solidification and zone melting) is affected by minute levels of residual micro-acceleration, which causes natural convection. The residual acceleration has random magnitude, direction and frequency. Therefore, the velocity field in the melt is apriori unpredictable. As a result, the composition of the crystals grown in space can not be predicted and reproduced. The method for directional solidification with a submerged heater or a baffle was developed under NASA sponsorship. The disk-shaped baffle acts as a partition, creating a small melt zone at the solid-liquid interface. As a result, in ground based experiment the level of buoyancy-driven convection at the interface is significantly reduced. In several experiments with Te-doped GaSb, nearly diffusion controlled segregation was achieved.

Ostrogorsky, A. G.↗

Left-handed Z-DNA: structure and function

Z-DNA is a high energy conformer of B-DNA that forms in vivo during transcription as a result of torsional strain generated by a moving polymerase. An understanding of the biological role of Z-DNA has advanced with the discovery that the RNA editing enzyme double-stranded RNA adenosine deaminase type I (ADAR1) has motifs specific for the Z-DNA conformation. Editing by ADAR1 requires a double-stranded RNA substrate. In the cases known, the substrate is formed by folding an intron back onto the exon that is targeted for modification. The use of introns to direct processing of exons requires that editing occurs before splicing. Recognition of Z-DNA by ADAR1 may allow editing of nascent transcripts to be initiated immediately after transcription, ensuring that editing and splicing are performed in the correct sequence. Structural characterization of the Z-DNA binding domain indicates that it belongs to the winged helix-turn-helix class of proteins and is similar to the globular domain of histone-H5.

Review↗

Wholly aromatic liquid crystalline polyetherimide (LC-PEI) resins

The benefits of liquid crystal polymers and polyetherimides are combined in an all-aromatic thermoplastic liquid crystalline polyetherimide. Because of the unique molecular structure, all-aromatic thermotropic liquid crystal polymers exhibit outstanding processing properties, excellent barrier properties, low solubilities and low coefficients of thermal expansion in the processing direction. These characteristics are combined with the strength, thermal, and radiation stability of polyetherimides.

Weiser, Erik S.↗

A Comparative Study of Simulated and Measured Gear-Flap Flow Interaction

The ability of two CFD solvers to accurately characterize the transient, complex, interacting flowfield asso-ciated with a realistic gear-flap configuration is assessed via comparison of simulated flow with experimental measurements. The simulated results, obtained with NASA's FUN3D and Exa's PowerFLOW® for a high-fidelity, 18% scale semi-span model of a Gulfstream aircraft in landing configuration (39 deg flap deflection, main landing gear on and off) are compared to two-dimensional and stereo particle image velocimetry measurements taken within the gear-flap flow interaction region during wind tunnel tests of the model. As part of the bench-marking process, direct comparisons of the mean and fluctuating velocity fields are presented in the form of planar contour plots and extracted line profiles at measurement planes in various orientations stationed in the main gear wake. The measurement planes in the vicinity of the flap side edge and downstream of the flap trailing edge are used to highlight the effects of gear presence on tip vortex development and the ability of the computational tools to accurately capture such effects. The present study indicates that both computed datasets contain enough detail to construct a relatively accurate depiction of gear-flap flow interaction. Such a finding increases confidence in using the simulated volumetric flow solutions to examine the behavior of pertinent aer-odynamic mechanisms within the gear-flap interaction zone.

Khorrami, Mehdi R.↗

Best Practices for the Design, Development, and Operation of Robust and Reliable Space Vehicle Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems

This document summarizes and updates the NESC Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Technical Discipline Team’s (TDT) work to synthesize and document the current best practices for the design & development of robust and reliable GN&C systems for robotic and crewed (human-rated) spacecraft. These GN&C best practices for future science and exploration missions were derived from the lessons learned, both positive and negative, on earlier spaceflight projects, both robotic and crewed. An attempt has been made to capture preferred practices that reflect the key considerations, trades, and processes directly attributed to past mission success.

Guidance, Navigation, and Control↗

Turbomachinery Simulation Impact on Design, Understanding, and Optimization

This presentation shows the impact of Turbomachinery Simulation from simple analytical simulation to high fidelity CFD and Finite Element Analysis on the design of turbomachinery and the understanding of flow physics that is then used to improve design approaches. The impact of Optimization is also presented. The best approach for the tool development is to work with a compressor, fan, or turbine designer or to work on the design process directly. The presentation represents the work and impact of the author over his 45-year career and provides insight for both new and experienced engineers. The presentation explores applications of distortion from a downstream fan frame, the first uses of 3D CFD for fan, compressor and turbine design, and approaches to optimization for performance and structures.

optimization↗

Directional Electrostatic Accretion Process Employing Acoustic Droplet Formation

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a free standing solid metal part. In the present invention, metal droplets are ejected in a nozzleless fashion from a free surface pool of molten metal by applying focused acoustic radiation pressure. The acoustic radiation pressure is produced by high intensity acoustic tone bursts emitted from an acoustic source positioned at the bottom of the pool which directs the acoustic energy at the pool surface. The metal droplets are electrostatically charged so their trajectory can be controlled by electric fields that guide the droplets to predetermined points on a target. The droplets impinge upon the target and solidify with the target material. The accretion of the electrostatically directed solidified droplets forms the free standing metal part.

Oeftering, Richard↗

Directional electrostatic accretion process employing acoustic droplet formation

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a free standing solid metal part. In the present invention metal droplets are produced from a free surface pool of molten metal is when an acoustic wave impacts an acoustic lens that is contiguous with the free standing pool of molten metal. The metal droplets are then charged and deflected toward a target. The build up of the metal droplets combine to form the free standing solid metal part.

Oeftering, Richard C.↗

Level 1 Processing of MODIS Direct Broadcast Data at the GSFC DAAC

The GSFC DAAC is working to test and package the MODIS Level 1 Processing software for Aqua Direct Broadcast data. This entails the same code base, but different lookup tables for Aqua and Terra. However, the most significant change is the use of ancillary attitude and ephemeris files instead of orbit/attitude information within the science data stream (as with Terra). In addition, we are working on Linux: ports of the algorithms, which could eventually enable processing on PC clusters. Finally, the GSFC DAAC is also working with the GSFC Direct Readout laboratory to ingest Level 0 data from the GSFC DB antenna into the main DAAC, enabling level 1 production in near real time in support of applications users, such as the Synergy project. The mechanism developed for this could conceivably be extended to other participating stations.

Lynnes, Christopher↗

Receiver processing for direct-detection optical communication systems.

A model that is sufficiently general to describe the predominant statistical characteristics of the output of many real optical detectors is formulated. This model is used to study the optimum receiver processing for direct-detection optical communication systems. In particular, the structures of detectors and estimators for filtered doubly stochastic Poisson processes (DSPP) observed in additive white Gaussian noise are considered. Representations for the posterior statistics of a vector Markov process that modulates the intensity of the DSPP are obtained.

Hoversten, E. V.↗

Automated control of crystal growth

Optical sensors detect liquid/crystal-interface growth parameters. Technique enables automation by using cold-cathode-discharge sensors and linear imaging devices to determine process status and direct growth process.

Hatch, A.↗

Future directions in optical processing

Three aspects of optical processing are discussed. The three aspects are: (1) the potential of this emerging technology; (2) the major limitations preventing wide scale implementation of optical processors and the importance of future research in these areas is emphasized; (3) the importance of nonlinear optics in developing optoelectronic interconnects for VLSI.

Neff, J. A.↗

Polymer membrane based electrolytic cell and process for the direct generation of hydrogen peroxide in liquid streams

An electrolytic cell for generating hydrogen peroxide is provided including a cathode containing a catalyst for the reduction of oxygen, and an anode containing a catalyst for the oxidation of water. A polymer membrane, semipermeable to either protons or hydroxide ions is also included and has a first face interfacing to the cathode and a second face interfacing to the anode so that when a stream of water containing dissolved oxygen or oxygen bubbles is passed over the cathode and a stream of water is passed over the anode, and an electric current is passed between the anode and the cathode, hydrogen peroxide is generated at the cathode and oxygen is generated at the anode.

White, James H.↗