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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 91 records · Page 5
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NASA NTRS1974

Reduction and analysis of data from cosmic dust experiments on Mariner 4, OGO 3, and Lunar Explorer 35

The analysis of data from the cosmic dust experiment on three NASA missions is discussed. These missions were Mariner IV, OGO III, and Lunar Explorer 35. The analysis effort has included some work in the laboratory of the physics of microparticle hypervelocity impact. This laboratory effort was initially aimed at the calibration and measurements of the different sensors being used in the experiment. The latter effort was conducted in order to better understand the velocity and mass distributions of the picogram sized ejecta particles.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

Reliability of cosmic dust data from Pioneers 8 and 9.

A comprehensive study of the characteristics and capabilities of the Pioneer cosmic dust mission is presented to facilitate accurate astronomical adaptations of the data by independent researchers. The characteristics of the sensor and associated electronics as they relate to dynamic range, field of view, and penetration effects in the film are discussed, comparisons are made between flight and simulation data, and statistical analyses are made of the reliability of the flight data. It is shown that the measurements from the Pioneer experiment are highly reliable and provide a valuable contribution to man's knowledge of the meteoroid environment of the solar system.

Gruen, E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Origin of fifteen cosmic dust particles intercepted by Pioneer 8 and 9

Consistent data for more than 8 years have been obtained from two identical cosmic dust particle experiments on board the space probes Pioneer 8 and 9. The two spacecraft are in direct heliocentric orbits with perihelia between 0.75 AU and 1.00 AU. On the basis of the data it is concluded that the majority of dust particles having elliptical orbits detected by the two space probes show orbital characteristics of Apollo group asteroids which originated from residual nuclei of short-period comets.

Rhee, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Study of cosmic dust particles on board LDEF: The FRECOPA experiments AO138-1 and AO138-2

Two experiments, within the French Cooperative Payload (FRECOPA) and devoted to the detection of cosmic dust, were flown on the LDEF. A variety of sensors and collecting devices have made possible the study of impact processes on materials of technological interest. Preliminary examination of hypervelocity impact features gives valuable data on size distribution and nature of interplanetary dust particles in low earth orbit, within the 0.5 to 300 micrometer size range. Most of the events detected on the trailing face of LDEF are expected to be the result of impacts of meteoritic particles only. So far, chemical analysis of craters by EDS clearly shows evidence of elements (Na, Mg, Si, S, Ca, and Fe) consistent with cosmic origin. Systematic occurrence of C and O in crater residues is an important result, to be compared with the existence of CHON particles detected in P-Halley comet nucleus. Crater size distribution is in good agreement with results from other dust experiments flown on LDEF. However, no crater smaller than 1.5 micron was observed, thus suggesting a cutoff in the near earth particle distribution. Possible origin and orbital evolution of micrometeoroids is discussed.

Mandeville, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Placers of cosmic dust in the blue ice lakes of Greenland

A concentration process occurring in the melt zone of the Greenland ice cap has produced the richest known deposit of cosmic dust on the surface of the earth. Extraterrestrial particles collected from this region are well preserved and are collectable in large quantities. The collected particles are generally identical to cosmic spheres found on the ocean floor, but a pure glass type was discovered that has not been seen in deep-sea samples. Iron-rich spheres are conspicuously rare in the collected material.

Maurette, M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Cosmic dust synthesis by accretion and coagulation

The morphology of grains grown by accretion and coagulation is revaled by a new laboratory method of synthesizing cosmic dust analogs. Submicron carbon particles, grown by accretion of carbon atoms from a gas, have a spherical shape with a cauliflower-like surface and an internal micro-structure of radial columns. This shape is probably common for grains grown by accretion at a temperature well below the melting point. Coagulated grains, consisting of spheres that collided to form irregular strings, were also synthesized. Another shape we produced had a bumpy non- spherical morphology, like an interplanetary particle collected in the terrestrial stratosphere. Besides these isolated grains, large spongy aggregates of nanometer-size particles were also found for various experimental conditions. Grains were synthesized using ions to sputter a solid target, producing an atomic vapor at a low temperature. The ions were provided by a plasma, which also provided electrostatic levitation of the grains during their growth. The temporal development of grain growth was studied by extinguishing the plasma after various intervals.

Praburam, G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Properties of microcraters and cosmic dust of less than 1000 A dimensions

Microcraters from about 100-200 A to larger than 1000 A true diameter have been measured by SEM at magnifications of 100,000x on lunar samples 76015,24,9003 and 76015,28,9004. The cumulative size frequency distribution has a slope of approximately -2.5 for craters larger than or equal to 1000 A, approximately -1.3 between 1000 A and 400 A diameters, and approaches zero at the smallest diameters. Distributions from lunar soil grains exposed during ancient epochs have the same form. Ninety-six of ninety-seven craters observed are equidimensional, indicating equidimensional dust particles with masses as low as 10 to the -20th grams. No lower limit on cosmic dust grain sizes was established. The flux and the crater production rate derived are consistent with 12054 measurements.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Purity and cleanness of aerogel as a cosmic dust capture medium

The capability for capturing micrometeoroids intact through laboratory simulations and in space in passive underdense silica aerogel offers a valuable tool for cosmic dust research. The integrity of the sample handling medium can substantially modify the integrity of the sample. Intact capture is a violent hypervelocity event: the integrity of the capturing medium can cause even greater modification of the sample. Doubts of the suitability of silica aerogel as a capture medium were raised at the 20th LPSC, and questions were raised again at the recent workshop on Particle Capture, Recovery, and Velocity Trajectory Measurement Technologies. Assessment of aerogel's volatile components and carbon contents have been made. We report the results of laboratory measurements of the purity and cleanliness of silica aerogel used for several Sample Return Experiments flown on the Get Away Special program.

Tsou, P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Cosmic dust in the atmosphere and in the interplanetary space at 1 AU today and in the early solar system

A description of techniques used in recent experiments to detect and analyze cosmic dust and micrometeorites is given and the results both from the study of lunar crater statistics and from in situ measurements are reviewed. The results from lunar crater statistics show an agreement with the results obtained from in situ measurements in interplanetary space and derived from zodiacal light measurements. The near earth results show an enhancement in the flux numbers. This can be caused either by secondary lunar debris or by disintegration of low density fireballs in the outer atmosphere.

Fechtig, H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

STARDUST - A simulation experiment of cosmic dust analogues production in microgravity conditions

The condensation of solid materials from the vapor phase is important in several scientific fields such as chemical vapor deposition, air pollution and the formation of refractory cosmic dust around stars. Conventional studies of refractory grain formation, using high temperature furnace and shock tube techniques, are restricted to short time scales and suffer from buoyancy induced convection that limit their accuracy. In order to simulate more accurately the condensation of refractory grains near stars and to investigate the advantages of performing condensation studies in microgravity conditions, an experimental investigation was undertaken. This work reports the experimental equipment currently used. The results from the first flight series and particle aggregation modelling efforts are presented briefly.

Ferguson, Frank T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Cosmic dust collection with a sub-satellite tethered to a space station

The number concentration and density of 1 micron and submicron sized grains in interplanetary space, as well as their relation to the larger zodical dust particles, and the importance of the Beta meteoroid phenomenon are currently being questioned. The best approach to collecting large numbers of intact micron and submicron sized cosmic dust particles in real time while avoiding terrestrial and man made contamination would be to employ a tethered subsatellite from a space station down into the Earth's atmosphere. Such a subsatellite tied to the space shuttle by a 100 km long tether is being developed. It is also possible that a permanent space station would allow the use of a tether even longer that 100 km. It should be noted that the same tethered collectors could also be employed to study the composition and flux of man made Earth orbiting debris in any direction within 100 km or so of the space station.

Corso, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Cosmic dust collection with a sub satellite tethered to a Space Station

The number concentration and density of 1 micron and submicron sized grains in interplanetary space, as well as their relation to the larger zodical dust particles, and the importance of the beta meteoroid phenomenon are currently being questioned. The best approach to collecting large numbers of intact micron and submicron sized cosmic dust particles in real time while avoiding terrestrial and man made contamination would be to employ a tethered subsatellite from a space station down into the earth's atmosphere. Such a subsatellite tied to the space shuttle by a 100 km long tether is being developed. It is also possible that a permanent space station would allow the use of a tether even longer than 100 km. It should be noted that the same tethered collectors could also be employed to study the composition and flux of man made earth orbiting debris in any direction within 100 km or so of the space station.

Corso, George J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Instrumentation for near-Earth measurement of orbital debris and cosmic dust particles

Dust instrumentation based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) dust sensor arrays is described which will measure the masses, fluxes, velocities, and trajectories of orbital debris particles and natural micrometeoroids. Orbital debris particles are distinguished from natural particles (cosmic dust) by means of the velocity/trajectory information. The instrumentation will measure particle trajectory with a mean error of approximately 7 degrees (for isotropic flux) and is designed for measurements over the particle diameter range of approximately 2 to 200 micro-m. For future missions having Earth-return capabilities, arrays of capture cell devices positioned behind the PVDF trajectory system would provide for Earth-based chemical and isotopic analysis of captured dust.

Tuzzolino, Anthony J.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Research Potential of Spacecraft Debris in the NASA Cosmic Dust Collections

Spacecraft de-orbit events generate debris which spans a range of sizes, from dust-sized to large fragments. A recent paper demonstrated that a measurable amount of spacecraft debris is present in stratospheric dust, entrained in sulfuric acid droplets present at that altitude. Spacecraft launches are increasing in number, and with them an increasing amount of infall debris is generated. The NASA Cosmic Dust Collections include possible spacecraft debris to include the examples shown here. At present the scientific potential of spacecraft debris in the collection has not been fully explored.

K McBride↗
NASA NTRS1992

STARDUST: A simulation experiment of cosmic dust analogues production in microgravity conditions

The aim, activity, and some preliminary results of the STARDUST program are presented. The condensation of solid materials from the vapor phase is important in several scientific fields such as chemical vapor deposition, air pollution, and the formation of refractory cosmic dust around stars. Conventional studies of refractory grain formation, using high temperature furnace and shock tube techniques, are restricted to short time scales and suffer from buoyancy induced convection that limit their accuracy. In order to simulate more accurately the condensation of refractory grains near stars and to investigate the advantages of performing condensation studies in microgravity conditions, an experimental investigation of vapor phase condensation in microgravity was undertaken. The experimental equipment currently used is reported. The results from the first flight series and particle aggregation modeling efforts are presented.

Ferguson, Frank↗
NASA NTRS1995

Cosmic dust analog simulation in a microgravity environment: The STARDUST program

We have undertaken a project called STARDUST which is a collaboration with Italian and American investigators. The goals of this program are to study the condensation and coagulation of refractory materials from the vapor and to study the properties of the resulting grains as analogs to cosmic dust particles. To reduce thermal convective currents and to develop valuable experience in designing an experiment for the Gas-Grain Simulation Facility aboard Space Station, Freedom we have built and flown a new chamber to study these processes under periods of microgravity available on NASA's KC-135 Research Aircraft. Preliminary results from flights with magnesium and zinc are discussed.

Ferguson, F.↗