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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 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

The fine structure of the Saturnian ring system

A dust disk within a planetary magnetosphere constitutes a novel type of dust-ring current. Such an azimuthal current carrying dust disk is subject to the dusty plasma analog of the well known finite-resistivity 'tearing' mode instability in regular plasma current sheets, at long wavelengths. It is proposed that the presently observed fine ringlet of the Saturnian ring system is a relic of this process operating at cosmogonic times and breaking up the initial proto-ring (which may be regarded as an admixture of fine dust and plasma) into an ensemble of thin ringlets. It is shown that this instability develops at a rate that is many orders of magnitude faster than any other known instability, when the disk thickness reaches a value that is comparable to its present observed value.

Houpis, H. L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Voyager photopolarimeter stellar occultation of Saturn's rings

On Aug. 25, 1981, the Voyager 2 photopolarimeter system observed a stellar occultation by Saturn's rings. A brief description of this experiment along with details of the data reduction are presented. The occultation results are given in tabular and graphical form at a resolution of 60 km. Histograms of the frequency of optical depth show dominantly unimodal distributions in each of the classical ring elements. The frequency distribution of the entire ring system shows three modes at tau values of about 0.08, 0.5, and more than 2.5.

Esposito, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The wake model for azimuthal brightness variations in Saturn's A-ring

A dynamical model offering a possible explanation for azimuthal brightness variations in Saturn's ring A is considered. The orbits of ring particles encountering a massive moonlet (radius = about 100 m) are integrated numerically. It is seen that a density wake is produced if the random velocities of the ring particles are much smaller than 1 cm/s.

Karttunen, H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Large-scale structure of molecular gas in Heiles Cloud 2 - A remarkable rotating ring

The J = 1 - 0 transition of (C-13)O over a 3 sq deg region in Heiles Cloud 2 has been mapped using the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory 14 m telescope. The complete map contains 3600 individual spectra of which 2400 were sampled with 1 arcmin spacing. The map suggests that the structure of Heiles Cloud 2 is dominated by a quasi-equilibrium rotating ring similar to those found in numerical calculations of the gravitational collapse of a rotating cloud. Within this ring, several dense condensations have been identified and partially mapped in C(O-18). These subcondensations, among which is the dense filament TMC-1, probably result from the instability of the ring to fragmentation and have masses on the order of the jeans mass. Thus, they are marginally unstable to further collapse and may be the precursors of fragments that will eventually form stars.

Schloerb, F. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Dynamical Studies of Saturn's Rings

The data returned by the Voyager on the Saturnian system has revealed the structure of Saturn's ring system to be dominated by many abrupt transitions in optical depth, narrow well-defined ringlets and gaps, and spiral density and bending waves. A handful of these features were attributed with reasonable certainty to the resonant influence of external satellites, but the vast majority of the structure remains unexplained. The entire C ring was studied with particular emphasis on the search for unrecognized eccentric or inclined features, and the role, if any, played by satellite resonances in controlling C ring structure.

Nicholson, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Saturn's E-ring in the red spectral region

Observations of the 1966 edge-on presentation of Saturn's E-ring in the red spectral region are presented. Techniques to suppress the glare from the planet are described. The E-ring profile does not exhibit a maximum near the orbit of Enceladus in 1966. Historical comments concerning the E-ring are included to illustrate that important planetary work can be done by ground-based observations.

Feibelman, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The E-ring of Saturn

The origin of the E-ring of Saturn and its relationship to Enceladus is discussed. It is proposed that the ring is formed as a consequence of micrometeoritic and meteoritic bombardment of Enceladus. It is shown that the mass reaching the ring replaces that lost by erosion, drag and other mechanisms. The effect of the presence of amorphous ice and the possible opposition effect is indicated.

Smoluchowski, R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

SRB attach ring phenolic TPS fishtail seal evaluation tests

The SRB attach ring is thermally protected with layered phenolic cloth fairings that are fastened to the ring. The gap between the fairings and the motor case is closed off with a rubber seal of a fishtail cross sectional shape bonded to the phenolic. On both the STS-1 and STS-2 flights this gap was discovered to vary anywhere from an intended gap of 0.375 in. to an actual measured gap of 0.60 in. due to tolerances. Tests were conducted with and without a 0.25 in. thick cork shim placed under the seal with a 0.60 in. gap under the phenolic TPS to determine and compare the performance of the seal in the two different configurations. To alleviate the difficult and costly procedure of installing the cork shim under the seal, especially after phenolic TPS mounting on the attach ring, large fishtail seals of idential Elder gray silicon material and two different hardnesses were tested. A similar matrix of tests was conducted with this new large fishtail seal, and seals with both type hardnesses performed well regardless of whether or not the seal was bonded in the phenolic at the front of the seal groove. Similar results had been obtained with the original small fishtail seal which performed adequately with the 0.25 in. cork shim under it.

Karu, Z. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Modification of planetary atmospheres by material from the rings

The modification of the atmospheres and ionospheres of ringed planets by the injection of ionized and neutral material from the rings is discussed, on the basis of Pioneer and Voyager observations. It is shown that although no direct evidence exists for the injection of material from the rings into the atmosphere, such an interaction could account for the observed thermal structure and ionospheric properties of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and the Jovian satellite Io.

Atreya, S. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Planetary rings - A dynamic, evolving subject

Attention is drawn to current attempts to present the results of theoretical dynamical studies of the planetary rings, and to propagate observational results on ring structure and physical properties that are relevant to dynamical interpretations. Like earlier, optical models, dynamical models tend to assume simplified, single sized, smooth, and round, ring-constituting particles; a tendency is noted which confuses particles dominating optical properties with those that dominate dynamics.

Greenberg, R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The origin and evolution of planetary rings

Roche (1847) suggested that Saturn's rings may be the fragments of a disrupted satellite rather than the uncoagulated remnant of a circumplanetary disk from which the regular satellites formed. In order to address this unresolved central issue, attention is given to the dynamical processes of viscous spreading, gas drag, particulate coagulation, and the effect of further matter infall from heliocentric orbit onto the planet/disk, all of which act on a gas/solid disk in Keplerian motion. In view of these considerations, it is suggested that rings were created by the disruption of large satellites which were less sensitive to the destructive processes present during the planet's formation. This hypothesis explains the presence of shepherd satellites, such as large collision fragments, which coexist in the same orbital range as the ring particles.

Harris, A. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Lorentz resonances and the structure of the Jovian ring

Charged dust orbiting through spatially periodic planetary magnetic fields will experience time-variable electromagnetic forces. When the forcing frequencies are nearly commensurate with the particle's orbital frequency, the particle undergoes large out-of-plane and radial excursions. Specific 'Lorentz' resonances, corresponding to particular spatial periodicities in the magnetic field, occur on either side of synchronous orbit. Lorentz resonance locations and strengths for the Jovian and Saturnian rings are described. The boundaries of the halo of the Jovian ring, and perhaps other ring structures, are near resonances.

Burns, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Discovery of Jupiter's 'gossamer' ring

Enhancement of Voyager 2's parting shot of the Jupiter system reveals an additional ring. This ring is far fainter than either of the components previously identified, and extends to a radius of 210,000 km. The possible sources of this 'gossamer' ring are discussed.

Showalter, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Performance characteristics of ring-cusp thrusters with xenon propellant

The performance characteristics and operating envelope of several 30-cm ring-cusp ion thrusters with xenon propellant were investigated. Results indicate a strong performance dependence on the discharge chamber boundary magnetic fields and resultant distribution of electron currents. Significant improvements in discharge performance over J-series divergent-field thrusters were achieved for large throttling ranges, which translate into reduced cathode emission currents and reduced power dissipation which should be of significant benefit for operation at thruster power levels in excess of 10 kW. Mass spectrometry of the ion beam was documented for both the ring-cusp and J-series thrusters with xenon propellant for determination of overall thruster efficiency, and lifetime. Based on the lower centerline values of doubly charged ions in the ion beam and the lower operating discharge voltage, the screen grid erosion rate of the ring-cusp thruster is expected to be lower than the divergent-field J-series thruster by a factor of 2.

Patterson, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Rings of Uranus - Not so thick, not so black

Regarding the optical thickness of the rings of Uranus (measured by stellar occultations), it is shown that the optical thickness so obtained is larger by an extinction efficiency factor of 2 than the fractional area physically filled by particles which is commonly used to infer both particle reflectivity and particle size. New estimates of particle reflectance are presented, which include this effect and an improved radiative transfer treatment. The ring particles, while still quite dark, are no longer mysteriously so. Particle sizes could easily lie in the macroscopic size range characteristic of other planetary rings.

Cuzzi, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Ring cusp discharge chamber performance optimization

An experimental study of the effects of discharge chamber length and the locations of the anode, cathode and ring cusp within the chamber on the performance of an 8 cm dia. ring cusp thruster is described. As these lengths and positions are varied the changes induced in plasma ion energy costs, extracted ion fractions and ion beam profiles are measured. Results show that the anode may be positioned at any location along an 'optimum virtual anode' magnetic field line and minimum plasma ion energy costs will result. The actual location of this field line is related to a 'virtual cathode' magnetic field line that is defined by the cathode position. The magnetic field has to be such that the virtual anode field line intersects the grids at the outermost ring of grid holes to maximize the extracted ion fraction and flatten the ion beam profile. Discharge chamber lengths that were as small as possible in the test apparatus yielded the lowest extracted ion fractions.

Hiatt, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Rings and moons - Clues to understanding the solar nebula

Planetary satellites, ranging in size from ring particles to the Galilean moons of Jupiter, constitute a small but diverse compmonent of the solar system. In some respects, the satellite systems of the giant planets can be thought of as miniature solar systems. The chemical and physical properties of these systems can yield clues to the conditions under which they may have formed, and thus can constrain models of the circumplanetary nebulae and the solar nebula. Planetary rings contain a great deal of structure, most strikingly displayed in Voyager spacecraft images. Understanding the causes of this structure can yield important insights into the dynamics of the protoplanetary disk. Taken together, rings and moons offer clues as to the nature of the processes which led to the formation of the planets themselves.

Lissauer, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Does Saturn have rings outside 10 R(s)?

Voyager ion and electron data in the energy range 30-1000 keV as measured by the Low Energy Charged Particle experiment are reviewed to check suggestions based on star occultation data that there are additional tenuous rings of Saturn beyond 10 Saturn radii from that planet. In the Voyager data, there is no convincing evidence for such ring matter. Features in the charged particle fluxes in the regions in question are more readily explained by temporal variations and/or spatial structure unrelated to ring matter, such as the mantle on the dayside and/or detached plasma sheets.

Cheng, A. F.↗