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At least 793 records · Page 44

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NASA NTRS1978

Relative abundance of antiprotons and antihelium in the primary cosmic radiation

The paper reports measurement of the antiproton-to-proton and antihelium-to-helium ratios in the 4-100 GeV/c range. A superconducting magnet spectrophotometer obtained the data during a balloon flight in May 1976. The upper limit value for the antiproton ratio is 0.0005 in the 4.2-12.5 GeV/c range. This value is only slightly higher than the expected value for a leaky box-model and nearly equal to the value expected in the Peter-Westergard model. It is suggested that this upper limit value rules out the closed galaxy model. Upper limit values for the antihelium ratio are 0.000058 in the 4-10 GeV/c range; less than 0.0001 in the 4-33 GeV/c range; and less than 0.01 in the 33-100 GeV/c range. The interpretation of the raw data is explained.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1978

A measurement of cosmic-ray beryllium isotopes from 200 to 1500 MeV per nucleon

A balloon-borne superconducting magnetic spectrometer was used in the measurement of cosmic-ray isotopic abundances from lithium through oxygen in the energy range 200-1500 MeV per nucleon. Except for Be-7 all isotopic composition is essentially energy-independent. Be-10 is nearly absent, indicating a mean cosmic-ray age of 6(-3, +10) x 10 to the 6th years. Above about 500 MeV per nucleon, Be-7 drops dramatically in abundance relative to Be-9 and C. By 1500 MeV per nucleon, the relative abundance of Be-7 has become one-half of its lower-energy value. Since Be-7 is the only isotope measured which decays by electron capture, this result is interpreted as indicating that higher-energy Be-7 had an appreciable probability of not being stripped of all its electrons before entering interstellar space where electron pickup is negligible.

Buffington, A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Abundances and spectra for cosmic-ray nuclei from lithium to iron for 2 to 150 GeV per nucleon

Measurements of primary cosmic-ray composition and energy spectra made with a balloon-borne superconducting magnetic spectrometer are described. Results for both 6.7 g/sq cm equivalent vertical atmospheric depth and the top of the atmosphere are presented for the absolute and relative integral abundances, the differential energy spectra, and the spectral indices for cosmic-ray nuclei from Li to Fe and energies of 2 to 50 GeV/n. It is found that propagation effects can explain essentially all the elemental abundances, that the abundances of Li, Be, and B for rigidities below 10 GV/c are consistent with an energy-independent mean interstellar path length of 4.5 + or - 0.5 g/sq cm for the 'leaky box' propagation model, that the abundances of all elements above 10 GV/c are consistent with a path length that decreases as the inverse n-th power of rigidity, and that n equals 0.6 (+0.4, -0.3) for the simplest assumptions made in fitting the source spectra.

Orth, C. D.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Cryostatic influence of formvar coatings on sizing of the stabilizer in composite NbTi-Cu superconductors

Often undesirable low energy densities are associated with extreme safety measures (e.g. cryostatic stability) in large superconducting magnets. Therefore, a medium-sized, formvar-coated composite NbTi alloy, Cu-stabilized, has been studied (48 filaments, approximately square cross section about 1/5 cm thickness). Thermal quench behavior (caused by heating) was investigated in various fluid states of He4, including pressurized and superfluid He4. The data obtained support existence of a particular coating thickness ('limiting' thickness) with the property that thermal boundary conditions of uncoated superconductors at a quench are not deteriorated.

Caspi, S.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The proton and helium rigidity spectra from 10 to 100 GV

An airborne superconducting magnet spectrometer was used to obtain measurements on 700,000 protons and 50,000 helium nuclei of rigidity greater than about 4 GV. The rigidity spectra of protons and helium nuclei in the 9-100 GV range are determined. In the cited range, the proton and helium nuclei can be represented by a power law in rigidity, with an index of 2.78 + or - 0.03 and 2.80 + or - 0.03 respectively. An upper limit on H-2/p of 10% at 35 GeV/nucleon is established

Badhwar, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Evidence for the existence of cosmic-ray antiprotons

A search for cosmic-ray antiprotons was recently performed with the use of a balloon-borne superconducting-magnet spectrometer. A total of 46 antiproton candidates were observed in the rigidity interval from 5.6 to 12.5 GV/c. Of these events 18.3 are expected to be atmospheric and instrumentation background. The p(-)/p ratio is found to be 0.00052 + or - 0.00015. This ratio is consistent with secondary production of antiprotons in the interstellar medium.

Golden, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1980

X-band, low-noise, traveling-wave maser

The development and performance of X-band traveling-wave maser (TWM) systems with effective input noise temperature of 3.5 K and bandwidths varying from 65 to 108 MHz is discussed. These TWMs are used on the 64-meter antennas at Deep Space Stations 14, 43 and 63 at 8420 MHz to meet the requirements of the Voyager-Saturn encounter. The TWMs use shortened and cooled signal input waveguide to reduce noise and are equipped with superconducting magnets and solid-state pump sources to provide the required stability performance.

Trowbridge, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Solar modulation of protons and alpha particles at rigidities of 4-10 GV/c

The high statistics and high resolution rigidity spectra from geomagnetic cutoff to 160 GV/c were provided by a superconducting-magnet spectrometer flown on a balloon. The spectra above 8.3 GV/c fit a power law in rigidity for protons and alphas; below 8.3 GV/c, no clear evidence of solar modification is available. The analysis of data from 5.5 to 8.3 GV/c by the Gleeson-Axford model for solar modulation indicated that the modulation parameter was 0.3 + or - 0.05 Gev/nucleon; the spectra below 5.5 GV/c are being analyzed using a portion of the flight data recorded while the balloon was essentially stationary

Badhwar, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Some characteristics of powder silica counters

Following the original idea of Peters, techniques have been developed to fabricate large area powder silica counters with refractive index between 1.06 to 1.12 in thicknesses of 1 cm and 2 cm respectively. The maximum size counter is 25 cm x 25 cm but the technique can be easily extended to 40 cm x 30 cm counters. Techniques have also been developed to dope this counter with the wavelength shifter p-terphenyl uniformly. The results of test runs at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and of laboratory runs using a superconducting magnet spectrometer on their performance are reported.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A small and light weight heat exchanger for on-board helium refrigerator

A small and light weight heat exchanger used for small helium refrigerator has been developed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. This heat exchanger is a laminated metal heat exchanger which consists of perforated aluminum metal plates and glassfiber reinforced plastic separators. The size is from 100 mm to 28 mm in diameter and about 300 mm in length. The weight is from 2.5 kg to 0.6 kg. Also it can be used between room temperature and liquid helium temperature. The thermal efficiency obtained has been more than 96%. The heat exchanger has been practically used for on-board helium refrigerator in Japanese National Railways' superconducting magnetic levitated trains.

Koizumi, T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Hydrogen Refrigerator Would Cool Below 10 K

Closed-cycle hydrogen refrigerator uses low-level heat energy to cool objects to temperature of 10 K. Refrigerator needs only fraction of energy of previous equipment with similar low-temperature capability. Unit compact and light in weight. With valves as only moving parts, reliable for many years. Refrigeration concept adapted to cooling superconducting magnets on magnetically levitated railcars, nuclear-particle accelerators, and variety of other cryogenic equipment.

Jones, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Study of alternate optical and fine guidance sensor designs for the space infrared telescope facility (SIRTF)

A unique optical design was developed that compensates for the coma degraded images caused by field chopping in SIRTF. The conic constants of a Cassegrain telescope were altered to compensate for the coma induced by the secondary mirror tilt. The modulation transfer function is essentially independent of secondary mirror tilt, and diffraction limited image quality is maintained over a several arcminute field during chopping. With an untilted secondary mirror, the coma compensated (CC) design has a smaller field than the unchopped Ritchey-Chretien design; but use of relay optics, such as the inverted Cassegrain design developed for the fine guidance sensor (FGS), can increase the CC telescope's field size. A reactionless secondary mirror chopper mechanism that uses superconducting magnets was studied. The heart producing elements are confined to a reaction plate that is not directly viewed by the IR focal plane. A design was also developed for a low moment of inertia, reticulated HIP beryllium secondary mirror consistent with blank fabrication technology and optical finishing requirements.

Wissinger, A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A measurement of the absolute flux of cosmic-ray electrons

A balloon-borne superconducting magnet spectrometer was used to measure the absolute flux of cosmic-ray electrons. The instrument consisted of a gas Cerenkov detector, a momentum spectrometer, and a lead-scintillator shower counter. In order to determine electron flux in the interstellar medium, observed fluxes for energy loss in the atmosphere and the payload were corrected, taking into account solar modulation effects and bremsstrahlung energy losses. Fluxes were measured at an average atmospheric depth of 5.8 g/sq cm, and the solar modulation was 300 MeV. A cosmic-ray electron flux of 367 E to the exp(3.15 + or -0.2) per sq m/sr s GeV was obtained in the energy range 4.5-63.5 GeV. The uncertainty of the absolute (electron-positron) flux was 10 percent. A summary of the electron data is given in a table.

Golden, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Cryogenic Equivalence Principle Experiment

The purpose of this project is to test the equivalence of inertial and passive gravitational mass in an Earth-orbiting satellite. A ground-based experiment is now well developed. It consists of comparing the motions of two cylindrical test masses suspended in precision superconducting magnetic bearings and free to move along the horizontal (axis) direction. The masses are made of niobium and lead-plated aluminum. A position detector based on a SQUID magnetometer measures the differential motion between the masses. The periods of the masses are matched by adjustment of the position detector until the system is insensitive to common mode signals, and so that the experiment is less sensitive to seismic vibration. The apparatus is contained in a twelve inch helium dewar suspended in a vibration isolation stand. The stand achieves 30 db isolation from horizontal motions between 0.1 and 60 Hz, by simulating the motion of a 200 meter long pendulum with an air bearing. With this attenuation of seismic noise and a common mode rejection ratio of 10 to the 5th power in the differential mode, the ground based apparatus should have a sensitivity to equivalence principle violations of one part in 10 to the 13th power; the satellite version might have a sensitivity of one part in 10 to the 17th power.

Everitt, C. W. F.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Four K refrigerators with a new compact heat exchanger

Two refrigerators have been developed which have nominal cpacities of 0.25M and 0.5W at 4.2K. These use standard two stage Displex sup R expanders and compressors combined with a new compact heat exchanger which is concentric with the expander cylinder. These refrigerators can be used to cool superconducting electronic devices by direct attachment to the 4K heat station, or they can be plugged into the neck of a liquid helium superconducting magnet cryostat where they can cool the radiation shields and reliquefy helium.

Longsworth, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Studying antiprotons from balloons and Space Station

Experimental measurements are proposed to determine the existence of cosmic antiprotons and to differentiate between various hypothetical origins for them. The balloon-borne experiment proposed by Balasubrahmanyan et al. (1983) for detecting 50-220-MeV antiprotons and measuring their energy distribution is described; the astrophysical significance of antiproton measurements is considered; the antiproton/proton ratios predicted by various cosmic-ray and exotic models are presented graphically; and the performance required of a Space Station superconducting-magnet detector for the 10-1000-GeV range is discussed. It is concluded that an instrument with 0.3-sq m sr geometry could distinguish (at a 5-sigma level) between hypotheses with spectral-exponent separation of 0.1 in observing time about 1 month, assuming a spectral exponent as steep as E to the -3rd.

Ormes, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Nuclear composition

The results of direct measurements of the energy distribution and elemental composition of cosmic rays are reviewed. Consideration is given to early calorimeter, Cerenkov-counter, and superconducting-magnet data; HEAO-3 results; balloon-borne measurements beyond 30 GeV/nucleon, and the balloon-borne emulsion-chamber data obtained in the JACEE experiments (Burnett et al., 1982 and 1983). The potential of Space Station observations to extend the data to energies as high as 10 PeV is discussed.

Balasubrahmanyan, V. K.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Hardware development for Gravity Probe-B

Gravity Probe-B (GP-B), also known as the Stanford Relativity Gyroscope Experiment, will test two fundamental predictions of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity by precise measurement of the precessions of nearly perfect gyroscopes in earth orbit. This endeavor embodies state-of-the-art technologies in many fields, including gyroscope fabrication and readout, cryogenics, superconductivity, magnetic shielding, precision optics and alignment methods, and satellite control systems. These technologies are necessary to enable measurement of the predicted precession rates to the milliarcsecond/year level, and to reduce to 'near zero' all non-General Relativistic torques on the gyroscopes. This paper provides a brief overview of the experiment followed by descriptions of several specific hardware items with highlights on progress to date and plans for future development and tests.

Bardas, D.↗