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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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Theoretical models and spectral reflectance measurements of white pigmented, low solar absorptance coatings for spacecraft temperature control
Induction plasma heating for calcining pigment particles in thermal control coatings
Preparation of pigments for space-stable thermal control coatings
ZnO coating pigment for spacecraft thermal control, examining UV irradiation effects on electrical properties
Reflectance measurements of irradiated specimens of zinc oxide and zinc orthotitanate white pigment materials
Induction plasma calcining of pigment particles for thermal control coatings on space vehicles
Porphyrin-like pigments in Apollo 12 lunar soil sample 12023, using spectral analysis involving fluorescence, absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectrometry
Tissue cultures of tobacco grown for 12 weeks in contact with lunar material returned by Apollo 12 contained 21 to 35% more total pigment than control tissues. This difference is due primarily to increased chlorophyll a concentrations per gram fresh weight of tissue in experimental cultures. No differences were noted in the fresh or dry weight of the experimental and control cultures.
Separation of plant pigments which can be accomplished on thin-layer silica plates with mixture of petroleum ether, halocarbon, acetone, and polar solvent can be readily translated into dry-column technique that yields reproducible chromatograms after elution in fashion of liquid chromatography with fluorimeter as detector. Best solvent system was found to be mixture of petroleum ether, dichloromethane, acetone, and ethyl acetate.
The identification and control of vapor phase reaction kinetics to produce pigments by homogeneous nucleation were achieved. A vapor phase apparatus was designed, fabricated, and calibrated through 1800 C. Vapor phase reactions were analyzed, calculations made, and powders of alumina, rutile, zinc orthotitanate (in a mixed phase), calcium tungstate, and lanthana were produced by homogeneous nucleation. Electron microscopy shows uniform particle morphology and size, and supports anticipated advantages of vapor-phase homogeneous nucleation; namely, purity, freedom from defects, and uniform particle sizing without grinding.
Sediment from Tanner Basin, the outer continental shelf off Southern California, was analyzed for photosynthetic pigments and their derivatives, namely carotenes and chlorins. Samples of the sediment were also exposed to raised temperatures (65, 100, 150 C) for various periods of time (1 week, 1 month, 2 months). Analysis of the heat-treated sediment revealed the presence of alpha-ionene and 2,6-dimethylnapthalene, thermal degradation products of Betacarotente. Chlorins were converted to nickel porphyrins of both DPEP and etio series. Possible mechanisms of these transformations are presented.
Zinc orthotitanate suitable for use as a pigment for spacecraft thermal control coatings is prepared by heating a slightly zinc deficient reaction mixture of precipitated oxalates of zinc and titanium. The reaction mixture can be formed by coprecipitation of zinc and titanium oxalates from chloride solution or by mixing separately precipitated oxalates. The mixture is first heated to 400 to 600 C to remove volatiles and is then rapidly heated at 900 to 1200 C. Zinc orthotitanate produced by this method exhibits the very fine particle size needed for thermal control coatings as well as stability in a space environment.
The airborne laser-induced spectral emission bands obtained simultaneously from water Raman backscatter and the fluorescence of chlorophyll and other naturally occurring waterborne pigments are reported here for the first time. The importance of this type data lies not only in its single-shot multispectral character but also in the application of the Raman line for correction or calibration of the spatial variation of the laser penetration depth without the need for in situ water attenuation measurements. The entire laser-induced fluorescence and Raman scatter emissions resulting from each separate 532-nm 10-nsec laser pulse are collected and spectrally dispersed in a diffraction grating spectrometer having forty photomultiplier tube detectors. Results from field experiments conducted in the North Sea and the Chesapeake Bay/Potomac River are presented. Difficulties involving the multispectral resolution of the induced emissions are addressed, and feasible solutions are suggested together with new instrument configurations and future research directions.
The fluorescence emission spectra for estuarine water samples excited by an argon laser at 514.5 nm were analyzed. The features of interest were: (1) scattering at the laser wavelength by particulates (Mie); (2) fluorescence from the pigments chlorophyl a and phycoerythrin; (3) Raman scattering by water; and (4) fluorescence by dissolved organic matter. It is shown that these intensities increase with the concentration of the corresponding material and decrease with attenuation. Since the concentration of water is constant the Raman intensity provides a direct measure of attenuation.
Laser fluorosensing techniques used for the airborne measurement of chlorophyll a and other naturally occurring waterborne pigments are reviewed. Previous experiments demonstrating the utility of the airborne oceanographic lidar (AOL) for assessment of various marine parameters are briefly discussed. The configuration of the AOL during the NOAA/NASA Superflux experiments is described. The participation of the AOL in these experiments is presented and the preliminary results are discussed. The importance of multispectral receiving capability in a laser fluorosensing system for providing reproducible measurements over wide areas having spatial variations in water column transmittance properties is addressed. This capability minimizes the number of truthing points required and is usable even in shallow estuarine areas where resuspension of bottom sediment is common. Finally, problems encountered on the Superflux missions and the resulting limitations on the AOL data sets are addressed and feasible solutions to these problems are provided.
As part of the first Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment, images of ocean color were collected from late March until late July, 1981, by the Coastal Zone Color Scanner aboard Nimbus-7. Images that had sufficient cloud-free area to be of interest were processed to yield near-surface phytoplankton pigment concentrations. These images were then remapped to a fixed equal-area grid. This report contains photographs of the digital images and a brief description of the processing methods.
The purpose of this investigation was to examine several sulfide containing environments for the presence of phototrophic bacteria and to obtain enriched cultures of some of the bacteria present. The field sites were Alum Rock State Park, the Palo Alto salt marsh, the bay area salt ponds, and Big Soda Lake (near Fallon, Nevada). Bacteria from these sites were characterized by microscopic examination, measurement of in vitro absorption spectra, and analysis of carotenoid pigments. Field observations at one of the bay area salt ponds, in which the salt concentration was saturating (about 30 percent NaCl) and the sediments along the shore of the pond covered with a gypsum crust, revealed a layer of purple photosynthetic bacteria under a green layer in the gypsum crust. Samples of this gypsum crust were taken to the laboratory to measure light transmission through the crust and to try to identify the purple photosynthetic bacteria present in this extremely saline environment.
Fluorescence properties of chlorophyll pigment bearing plant foliage utilizing a 337 nm nitrogen laser and integrating sphere were studied. Measured yields, in terms of number of photons emitted per 100 photons absorbed, range from 1.5 to 0.1 for the 685 nm peak, and from 4.2 to 0.2 for the 730 nm peak. Decreasing order of magnitude puts herbaceous leaves ahead of all others followed by broad leaves of hardwoods and coniferous needles. Meaningful quantization for the fluorescence peaks at 430 and 530 nm could not be attained. Passive monitoring of these fluorescence peaks is successful only for the 685 nm from the ocean surface. Field data show the reflectance changes at 685 nm due to the algae presence amounts to 1% at most.