SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Carbon dioxide laser as a simple portable unit generates coherent light pulses at selected infrared wavelengths. The improved laser was designed for the detection of air pollutants but can be applied to optical communications.
High resolution photometry near planetary limb yielding scale height and optical depth applied to Mariner 4 Mars observations
A new method of solving the radiative transfer equation is developed in which the scattering and absorption coefficients may have arbitrary variations with depth, and in which both internal (thermal) emission and incident radiation are allowed. Specular and diffuse reflection at both boundaries also is taken into account. The method begins by forming a paired set of coupled first-order differential equations for the symmetric and antisymmetric parts of the radiation field after writing the scattering integral as a numerical quadrature. These differential equations are broken into finite difference form, in which the symmetric and antisymmetric parts of the radiation field are found on alternate grid points. Numerical results for a number of test problems are shown, demonstrating that the method is very fast, that it returns specific intensities and fluxes that are accurate to at least a percent, and that it can be applied to optically thick problems.
During 12 to 17 September 1983 a number of prominences were observed with the McMatch solar telescope of National Solar Observatories, using the Fourier transform spectrometer with a InSb detector (Brault 1979). The present study refers to three prominences observed 13 and 14 September. Prominence A: Large quiescent prominence at S28 E90 Prominence B. Stable prominence in weakly enhanced magnetic region at about NO8 E90 Prominence C: Quiescent prominence at N30 E90. Spectra were obtained at a total of 15 different locations in the three prominences in the wavelength range lambda, lambda 7740 to 14,000 Angstroms. The observed differences between T sub exc and T sub kin are hardly significant. Researchers conclude that the two methods for temperature determination when applied to optically thin lines give reasonably consistent results, i.e., the population of the excited levels of hydrogen is collisionally controlled. The well known increase in T and V towards the edge of equiescent prominences (Hirayama 1964) is not corroborated by the present data. One explanation for this could be that prominence A is atypical. The optical thickness of prominence emission lines tends to increase from center to edges as demonstrated by the case of He I lambda 10830 angstroms. If line opacity plays a significant role in earlier center to edge determinations of T and V, a smaller variation would be expected from measurements in optically thin lines, such as in the present case.
A digital correlation mask that induces orthogonality among a prescribed set of reference imagery is described. In this particular implementation, the resulting correlation is undersampled and shift-variant, though if it is applied to optical correlators, those limitations are removed. A method of introducing orthogonality among the weights among the training set from which filter values are obtained is derived, so that the correlation value from a given filter is representative of the unique nature of the reference object as compared against the other objects in the training class.
We consider the inclusive inelastic scattering of heavy ions using the Glauber (1959) model and the independent particle approximation. Inclusive inelastic distributions for projectile excitation of the target and total inelastic scattering, where all projectile and target excited states are summed, are discussed using closure. The total inelastic distribution, when integrated, is shown to be equivalent to the absorption cross section, found from applying the optical theorem to the elastic scattering amplitude in the coherent approximation. Calculations are presented for several heavy-ion pairs, using realistic nuclear densities in a large mass number approximation.
Hubble Space Telescope observations of SN 1987A show that the circumstellar material near the supernova forms a clumpy elliptical ring. We analyze six epochs of images made with the Faint Object Camera (FOC) imaging the lines of (O III) and H beta over the interval 1990 August-1993 October, and three epochs of observations with the Planetary Camera in the continuum and (N II) line over the interval 1992 April-1993 May. The elliptical ring in the (O III) images has a semimajor axis of 858 +/- 11 milliarcsec and a semiminor axis of 621 +/- 11 milliarsce (6.4 x 10(exp 17) and 4.6 x 10(exp 17) +/- 8.1 x 10(exp 15) cm, respectively, for a distance of 50 kpc), which implies an inclination angle of 44 +/- 1, if the ring is a circle inclined to our line of sight. The apparent width of the ring in (O III) is 121 +/- 22 milliarcsec (9.0 x 10(exp 16) +/- 1.6 x 10(exp 16) cm) based on our deconvolved image, which represents an upper limit to the width of the of the ring. The position angle of the major axis on the sky is 89 deg +/- 3 deg. One of the 'clumps' on the ring is a superposed star, whose energy distribution is consistent with an A-type dwarf (V = 20.2 mag) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) The radial profile of the ring is not symmetric, with the inner boundary sharper than the outer. Based on the radial profiles and the flux interior to the ring, we conclude that the ring is indeed a tilted ring, and not a spheroidal shell. While the observed width of the ring is approximately 10(exp 17) cm, we find that the average path length through the emitting gas is approximately 4 x 10(exp 15) cm, so the filling factor is small. The ring has faded by a factor of approximately equals 3.7 in (O III) from 1990 August to 1993 October. The characteristic electron density from the (O III) lambda 5007 emission line averages 1.2 x 10exp 4)/cu cm, based on recombination models of the emission. Because the fading rate is uncorrelated with the surface brightness, the density appears to be independent of the brightness, which implies significant path length differences through the ring. By assuming the current structure observed in optical lines applies to the early structure in ultraviolet lines, we construct light curve models to compare with early IUE observations. The clumpy structure of the ring has relatively little effect on the light curves. The (O III) images show faint arclike nebulosity probably associated with the bipolar nebula around SN 1987A and projected inside the ring, which may have affected previous observations of the ring. Finally, we find that the fading rate provides evidence, though weak, favoring an expanding ring over a contracting one.
Long uninterrupted sequences of solar magnetograms from the global oscillations network group (GONG) network and from the solar and heliospheric observatory (SOHO) satellite will provide the opportunity to study the proper motions of magnetic features. The possible use of multiscale regularization, a scale-recursive estimation technique which begins with a prior model of how state variables and their statistical properties propagate over scale. Short magnetogram sequences are analyzed with the multiscale regularization algorithm as applied to optical flow. This algorithm is found to be efficient, provides results for all the spatial scales spanned by the data and provides error estimates for the solutions. It is found that the algorithm is less sensitive to evolutionary changes than correlation tracking.
With the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, high resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic sources has begun. Early, deep observations of three stellar coronal sources will provide not only invaluable calibration data, but will also give us benchmarks for plasma spectral modeling codes. These codes are to interpret data from stellar coronae, galaxies and clusters of galaxies. supernova remnants and other astrophysical sources, but they have been called into question in recent years as problems with understanding moderate resolution ASCA and EUVE data have arisen. The Emission Line Project is a collaborative effort to improve the models, with Phase 1 being the comparison of models with observed spectra of Capella, Procyon, and HR, 1099. Goals of these comparisons are (1) to determine and verify accurate and robust diagnostics and (2) to identify and prioritize issues in fundamental spectroscopy which will require further theoretical and/or laboratory work. A critical issue in exploiting the coronal data for these purposes is to understand the extent to which common simplifying assumptions (coronal equilibrium, time-independence, negligible optical depth) apply. We will discuss recent advances in our understanding of stellar coronae in this context.
With the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, high resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic sources has begun. Early, deep observations of three stellar coronal sources Capella, Procyon, and HR 1099 are providing not only invaluable calibration data, but also benchmarks for plasma spectral models. These models are needed to interpret data from stellar coronae, galaxies and clusters of galaxies, supernova, remnants and other astrophysical sources. They have been called into question in recent years as problems with understanding low resolution ASCA and moderate resolution Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite (EUVE) data have arisen. The Emission Line Project is a collaborative effort, to improve the models, with Phase I being the comparison of models with observed spectra of Capella, Procyon, and HR 1099. Goals of these comparisons are (1) to determine and verify accurate and robust diagnostics and (2) to identify and prioritize issues in fundamental spectroscopy which will require further theoretical and/or laboratory work. A critical issue in exploiting the coronal data for these purposes is to understand the extent, to which common simplifying assumptions (coronal equilibrium, negligible optical depth) apply. We will discuss recent, advances in our understanding of stellar coronae, in this context.
The interaction between local and regional pollution levels occurs at the interface of the Planetary Boundary Layer and the Free Troposphere. Measuring the vertical distribution of ozone, aerosols, and winds with high temporal and vertical resolution is essential to diagnose the nature of this interchange and ultimately for accurately forecasting ozone and aerosol pollution levels. The Regional Atmospheric Profiling Center for Discovery, RAPCD, was built and instrumented to address this critical issue. The ozone W DIAL lidar, Nd:YAG aerosol lidar, and 2.1 micron Doppler wind lidar, along with balloon- borne ECC ozonesondes form the core of the W C D instrumentation for addressing this problem. Instrumentation in the associated Mobile Integrated Profiling (MIPS) laboratory includes 91 5Mhz profiler, sodar, and ceilometer. The collocated Applied particle Optics and Radiometry (ApOR) laboratory hosts an FTIR along with MOUDI and optical particle counters. With MODELS-3 analysis by colleagues in the National Space Science and Technology Center on the UAH campus and the co- located National Weather Service Forecasting Office in Huntsville, AL we are developing a unique facility for advancing the state of the science of pollution forecasting.
As discovered by recent studies, what directly affects the wetting and spreading is curvature in micro-region rather than the macroscopic contact angle. Measuring the profile of the micro-region becomes an important research topic. Recently, catastrophe optics has been applied to this kind of measurements. Optical catastrophe occurring in far field of waves of liquid-refracted laser beam implies a wealth of information about the liquid spreading not only for liquid drops but also for films. When a parallel laser beam passes through a liquid film on a slide glass at three-phase-line (TPL), very interesting optical image patterns occur on a screen far from the film. An analysis based on catastrophe optics discloses and interprets the formation of these optical image patterns. The analysis reveals that the caustic line manifested as the bright-thick line on the screen implies the lowest hierarchy of optical catastrophes, called fold caustic. This optical catastrophe is produced by the inflexion line on liquid surface at the liquid foot, which is formed not only in the spreading of drops but also in spreading of films. The generalized catastrophe optics method enables to identify the edge profiles and determine the edge foot height of liquid films. Keywords: Crossover region, Inflexion line, liquid edge foot, Catastrophe optics, Caustic and diffraction
We present an analysis of an approximately 160 ks NuSTAR observation of the nearby bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The highquality broadband spectrum enables us to separate the effects of distant reflection from the direct coronal continuum, and to therefore accurately measure the high-energy cutoff to be E(sub cut) = 178 (+74 / −40) keV. The coronal emission arises from accretion disk photons Compton up-scattered by a thermal plasma, with the spectral index and cutoff being due to a combination of the finite plasma temperature and optical depth. Applying standard Comptonization models, we measure both physical properties independently using the best signal to noise obtained to date in an active galactic nucleus over the 3 - 79 keV band. We derive kT(sub e) = 37(+7 /−6) keV with tau = 1.25(+0.20 / −0.10) assuming a slab geometry for the plasma, and kT(sub e) = 33(+6 / −6) keV with tau = 3.41(+0.58 / −0.38) for a spherical geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.
We present an analysis of an approximately 160 ks NuSTAR observation of the nearby bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The highquality broadband spectrum enables us to separate the effects of distant reflection from the direct coronal continuum, and to therefore accurately measure the high-energy cutoff to be E(sub cut) = 178 (+74 / −40) keV. The coronal emission arises from accretion disk photons Compton up-scattered by a thermal plasma, with the spectral index and cutoff being due to a combination of the finite plasma temperature and optical depth. Applying standard Comptonization models, we measure both physical properties independently using the best signal to noise obtained to date in an active galactic nucleus over the 3 - 79 keV band. We derive kT(sub e) = 37(+7 /−6) keV with tau = 1.25(+0.20 / −0.10) assuming a slab geometry for the plasma, and kT(sub e) = 33(+6 / −6) keV with tau = 3.41(+0.58 / −0.38) for a spherical geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.
The Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) project, funded by the NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), will build upon previous miniaturized SEM designs and recent advancements in variable pressure SEM's to design and build a SEM to complete analyses of samples on the surface of Mars using the atmosphere as an imaging medium. This project is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), electron gun and optics manufacturer Applied Physics Technologies, and small vacuum system manufacturer Creare. Dr. Ralph Harvery and environmental SEM (ESEM) inventor Dr. Gerry Danilatos serve as advisors to the team. Variable pressure SEMs allow for fine (nm-scale) resolution imaging and micron-scale chemical study of materials without sample preparation (e.g., carbon or gold coating). Charging of a sample is reduced or eliminated by the gas surrounding the sample. It is this property of ESEMs that make them ideal for locations where sample preparation is not yet feasible, such as the surface of Mars. In addition, the lack of sample preparation needed here will simplify the sample acquisition process and allow caching of the samples for future complementary payload use.
The performance of the velocity filtering method as applied to optical-flow passive ranging under real-world conditions is evaluated. The theory of the 3-D Fourier transform as applied to constant-speed moving points is reviewed, and the space-domain shift-and-add algorithm is derived from the general 3-D matched filtering formulation. The constant-speed algorithm is then modified to fit the actual speed encountered in the optical flow application, and the passband of that filter is found in terms of depth (sensor/object distance) so as to cover any given range of depths. Two algorithmic solutions for the problems associated with pixel interpolation and object expansion are developed, and experimental results are presented.
The Schottky barrier solar cell is considered a possible candidate for converting solar to electrical energy both for space and terrestrial applications. Knowledge of the optical constants of the ultrathin metal film used in the cell is essential for analyzing and designing higher efficiency Schottky barrier cells. The optical constants of 7.5 -nm (75-A) gold films on gallium arsenide have been obtained. In addition, the absolute collection efficiency of Schottky barrier solar cells has been determined from measured spectral response and optical constants of the gold film.