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.
This document is the programmer's guide for the GNAT computer program developed under MSC/TRW Task 705-2, Apollo cryogenic storage system analysis, subtask 2, is reported. Detailed logic flow charts and compiled program listings are provided for all program elements.
The shallow model of the earth's mantle is discussed along with a variety of geophysical arguments for its correctness and against the existence of deep convection. The main agrument is summarized in the proposal that the astheno sphere is less viscous (by a factor of 10 to 100) than has generally been assumed. In this shallow model, the return flow is essentially through the asthenosphere. The dynamical agent is the steep temperature gradient in the upper mantle. Speculations as to the historical variation of this gradient are advanced. The effects on the model of a nonuniform earth aggregation are considered and shown to favor shallow convection as well as a top convective layer (lithosphere plus asthenosphere) whose depth increases slowly over the earth's life, leading to a tectonic activity that increases gradually with time.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
The author has identified the following significant results. Twelve winter wheat LACIE segments in Kansas were used to compare the performance of three clustering methods: (1) BCLUST, which uses a spectral distance function to accumulate clusters; (2) blocks-alone, which divides spectral space into equally populated blocks; and (3) block-seeds, which uses spectral means of blocks-alone as seeds for accumulating distance-type clusters. Both BCLUST and block-seeds performed equally well and outperformed blocks-alone significantly. Their average variance ratio of about 0.5 showed imperfect separation of wheat from non-wheat. This result points to the need to explore the achievable crop separability in the spectral/temporal domain, and suggest evaluating derived features rather than data channels as a means to achieve purer spectral strata.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Stable density gradient forms in pond saturated with disodium phosphate (DSP). Volume of DSP saturated water tends to develop temperature and density layers. Since tests indicate thermal and density gradients remain in equilibrium at heat removal rates of 60 percent or more of heat input rate, pond containing DSP would be suitable for collecting solar energy and transferring it to heat exchanger for practical use.
Ultraviolet spectra covering both eclipses of V444 Cygni have been obtained. Longward of 1570 angstroms, the continuum brightness showed essentially the same variation seen in the optical (at 4244 angstroms). Striking atmospheric eclipses of up to 0.7 mag in depth were detected, however, in individual strong lines as well as over large ranges of the continuum shortward of 1500 angstroms. IUE data are used to estimate the degree of interstellar extinction and terminal expansion velocity of the system and to study the phase dependence of the continuum and line absorptions.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Observations of the DAO white dwarf PG1210+533, including the first high dispersion spectrum of a hybrid H-He object of this nature were obtained by IUE. In contrast with hot DAs in the 50,000 K temperature range, PG1210+533 shows no narrow interstellar-like metal lines, in spite of an optically observed He/H abundance of 0.1. This lack of metal makes accretion from the ISM an unlikely source for the He in the PG1210+533 photosphere. A significant discovery in the high dispersion spectrum is the existence of a sharp, non-LTE like, core seen in the He II 1640 line. Such features are detected in DO white dwarfs. A small aperture SWP low dispersion observation reveals the Lyman alpha profile of PG1210+533 to be surprisingly weak and narrow. Fits of this profile using pure H models yielded a T(eff) = 56,000 K. Fits of the Balmer H gamma profile however, yield T(eff) = 42,300 K and log g = 8.5 + or - 0.5 for the same models. It is unlikely that homogeneously mixed H-He atmospheres can resolve the inconsistency between the Lyman alpha and H gamma features in this star. Stratified models involving thin H photospheres may be necessary to explain these results.
Dynamical consequences of compositional buoyancy and the combined effects of compositional and thermal buoyancy on mantle flow and crustal production are explored. The results show that for a low enough mantle viscosity, buoyant upwelling can significantly enhance the crustal thickness relative to that which would be produced by plate spreading alone, while for a mantle viscosity of 10 to the 22nd Pa s, upwelling due to plate spreading is dominant and crustal thickness is predicted to be a function of spreading rate. The results indicate that thermal and compositional density variations result in opposing buoyancy forces that can cause time-dependent upwelling.
As part of the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) project, the multi-dimensional effects of gravitational force, initial tank pressure, initial ullage temperature, and heat transfer rate on the 2-D temperature profiles were studied. FLOW-3D, a commercial finite difference fluid flow model, was used for the evaluation. These effects were examined on the basis of previous liquid hydrogen experimental data with gaseous hydrogen pressurant. FLOW-3D results were compared against an existing 1-D model. In addition, the effects of mesh size and convergence criteria on the analytical results were investigated. Suggestions for future modifications and uses of FLOW-3D for modeling of a NASP tank are also presented.
Theoretical arguments supporting a new mechanism maintaining a homogeneously mixed composition in white dwarf atmospheres with traces of helium are presented. Diffusion time scales, meridional circulation, mass loss, accretion of interstellar matter, convection, and radiative levitation are discussed. Theoretically, layered envelopes, with hydrogen on top of helium and an abundance profile in the transition layer determined by diffusion equilibrium, are expected. In cases with observed helium and hydrogen in the atmosphere this means that the total hydrogen mass must be very small. The empirical evidence for such atmospheres are assessed, using a new grid of model atmospheres with stratified element abundances and applying it to typical mixed abundance cases at the hot end of the white dwarf temperature sequence.
Scatterometers measure surface roughness which is empirically related either to surface stress or to the equivalent neutral stability wind. The importance of atmospheric stability effects for the analysis of these data is studied. For low wind speeds and neutral to slightly stable conditions, neutral stability wind is quite sensitive to stability. A variational analysis procedure for the scatterometer data, which adjusts both the near-surface velocity and temperature, is developed. In simulation tests, temperature analysis increments are found to be small. Also, the differences in the wind analyses due to differences in the temperature background field are small. However, if stability effects are not accounted for, there will be small systematic errors in the wind analysis.