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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Positronium-hydrogen elastic scattering

Elastic scattering of positronium atoms by hydrogen atoms below the excitation threshold at 5.1 eV is investigated with the investigation limited to the spin-zero (singlet) state of the two electrons. Nonresonant S-wave phase shifts have been obtained from normalizable trial functions by extracting the center-of-mass wave function and examining its spatial behavior. An effective-range expansion is fitted to the phase shifts and the previously obtained positronium-hydride bound-state energy to yield a scattering length approximately equal to 5.3 Bohr radii as compared with Fraser's (1961) corrected exchange result of 7.28 Bohr radii. The stabilization method suggests that a resonance occurs at a scattering energy of 4.5 eV, about 0.6 eV below the excitation threshold. Using the complex-rotation method, evidence is obtained which confirms the existence of the resonance, and its width is estimated to be about 0.06 eV.

Drachman, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Optical characterization of semi-insulating GaAs - Determination of the Fermi energy, the concentraion of the midgap EL2 level and its occupancy

The key electronic characteristics of semiinsulating GaAs, i.e., the Fermi energy, concentration, and occupancy of the midgap donor EL2, and the net concentration of ionized acceptors can all be determined from high-resolution measurements of the EL2 intracenter absorption. The procedure is based on the measurement of zero-phonon line intensity before and after the complete transfer of EL2 to its metastable state followed by thermal recovery. The procedure is quantitative, involves no fitting parameters, and unlike existing methods, is applicable even when a significant part of the EL2 is ionized.

Lagowski, J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Asymptotic form of the charge exchange cross section in the three body rearrangement collisions

A three body general rearrangement collision is considered where the initial and final bound states are described by the hydrogen-like wave functions. Mathematical models are developed to establish the relationships of quantum number, the reduced mass, and the nuclear charge of the final state. It is shown that for the low lying levels, the reciprocal of n cubed scaling law at all incident energies is only approximately satisfied. The case of the symmetric collisions is considered and it is shown that for high n and high incident energy, E, the cross section behaves as the reciprocal of E cubed. Zeros and minima in the differential cross sections in the limit of high n for protons on atomic hydrogen and positrons on atomic hydrogen are given.

Omidvar, K.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Solid Rocket Motor Combustion Instability Modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics

Combustion instability modeling of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) remains a topic of active research. Many rockets display violent fluctuations in pressure, velocity, and temperature originating from the complex interactions between the combustion process, acoustics, and steady-state gas dynamics. Recent advances in defining the energy transport of disturbances within steady flow-fields have been applied by combustion stability modelers to improve the analysis framework. Employing this more accurate global energy balance requires a higher fidelity model of the SRM flow-field and acoustic mode shapes. The current industry standard analysis tool utilizes a one dimensional analysis of the time dependent fluid dynamics along with a quasi-three dimensional propellant grain regression model to determine the SRM ballistics. The code then couples with another application that calculates the eigenvalues of the one dimensional homogenous wave equation. The mean flow parameters and acoustic normal modes are coupled to evaluate the stability theory developed and popularized by Culick. The assumption of a linear, non-dissipative wave in a quiescent fluid remains valid while acoustic amplitudes are small and local gas velocities stay below Mach 0.2. The current study employs the COMSOL Multiphysics finite element framework to model the steady flow-field parameters and acoustic normal modes of a generic SRM. This work builds upon previous efforts to verify the use of the acoustic velocity potential equation (AVPE) laid out by Campos. The acoustic velocity potential (psi) describing the acoustic wave motion in the presence of an inhomogeneous steady high-speed flow is defined by, del squared psi - (lambda/c) squared psi - M x [M x del((del)(psi))] - 2((lambda)(M)/c + M x del(M) x (del)(psi) - 2(lambda)(psi)[M x del(1/c)] = 0. with M as the Mach vector, c as the speed of sound, and λ as the complex eigenvalue. The study requires one way coupling of the CFD High Mach Number Flow (HMNF) and mathematics module. The HMNF module evaluates the gas flow inside of a SRM using St. Robert's law to model the solid propellant burn rate, slip boundary conditions, and the supersonic outflow condition. Results from the HMNF model are verified by comparing the pertinent ballistics parameters with the industry standard code outputs (i.e. pressure drop, axial velocity, exit velocity). These results are then used by the coefficient form of the mathematics module to determine the complex eigenvalues of the AVPE. The mathematics model is truncated at the nozzle sonic line, where a zero flux boundary condition is self-satisfying. The remaining boundaries are modeled with a zero flux boundary condition, assuming zero acoustic absorption on all surfaces. The one way coupled analysis is perform four times utilizing geometries determined through traditional SRM modeling procedures. The results of the steady-state CFD and AVPE analyses are used to calculate the linear acoustic growth rate as is defined by Flandro and Jacob. In order to verify the process implemented within COMSOL we first employ the Culick theory and compare the results with the industry standard. After the process is verified, the Flandro/Jacob energy balance theory is employed and results displayed.

Fischbach, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Baroclinic instability of flows along sloping boundaries

In the two-layer quasi-geostrophic model with boundaries sloping perpendicular to the basic flow, the ratios of the slopes of the bottom and the top to that of the interface between the fluid layers in the basic state are important parameters in the expression of the growth rate of unstable waves. When Eady's (1949) model is extended to include sloping bottom and top boundaries, the growth rates of unstable waves depend on the ratios of the slopes of the bottom and the top to that of the isentropes of the basic state. For the Eady model with sloping bottom, an important parameter characterizing the instability is the ratio between the vertical and horizontal heat transports by the wave divided by the slope of the isentropes of the basic state. An interpretation of these ratios and their relations clarifies the stabilization of the system for large slopes, the variation of the wavelength of the most unstable wave with the bottom slope, and the destabilization of some short waves for negative bottom slopes. It is found that the most unstable wave of the system has zero vertical energy flux convergence at the sloping bottom.

Mechoso, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Stability analysis of multiple-robot control systems

In a space telerobotic service scenario, cooperative motion and force control of multiple robot arms are of fundamental importance. Three paradigms to study this problem are proposed. They are distinguished by the set of variables used for control design. They are joint torques, arm tip force vectors, and an accelerated generalized coordinate set. Control issues related to each case are discussed. The latter two choices require complete model information, which presents practical modeling, computational, and robustness problems. Therefore, focus is on the joint torque control case to develop relatively model independent motion and internal force control laws. The rigid body assumption allows the motion and force control problems to be independently addressed. By using an energy motivated Lyapunov function, a simple proportional derivative plus gravity compensation type of motion control law is always shown to be stabilizing. The asymptotic convergence of the tracing error to zero requires the use of a generalized coordinate with the contact constraints taken into account. If a non-generalized coordinate is used, only convergence to a steady state manifold can be concluded. For the force control, both feedforward and feedback schemes are analyzed. The feedback control, if proper care has been taken, exhibits better robustness and transient performance.

Wen, John T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Theoretical characterization of the minimum energy path for hydrogen atom addition to N2 - Implications for the unimolecular lifetime of HN2

Results are reported from CASSCF externally contracted CI ab initio computations of the minimum-energy path for the addition of H to N2. The theoretical basis and numerical implementation of the computations are outlined, and the results are presented in extensive tables and graphs and characterized in detail. The zero-point-corrected barrier for HN2 dissociation is estimated as 8.5 kcal/mol, and the lifetime of the lowest-lying quasi-bound vibrational state of HN2 is found to be between 88 psec and 5.8 nsec (making experimental observation of this species very difficult).

Walch, Stephen P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A dynamic measure of controllability and observability for the placement of actuators and sensors on large space structures

The degree of controllability of a large space structure is found by a four step procedure: (1) finding the minimum control energy for driving the system from a given initial state to the origin in the prescribed time; (2) finding the region of initial state which can be driven to the origin with constrained control energy and time using optimal control strategy; (3) scaling the axes so that a unit displacement in every direction is equally important to control; and (4) finding the linear measurement of the weighted "volume" of the ellipsoid in the equicontrol space. For observability, the error covariance must be reduced toward zero using measurements optimally, and the criterion must be standardized by the magnitude of tolerable errors. The results obtained using these methods are applied to the vibration modes of a free-free beam.

Vandervelde, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Rotationally resolved electron-photon coincidence study of H2(d 3 Pi u) excitation

The three normalized Stokes' parameters characterizing the decay of the electron impact excited d 3 Pi u (V1=O, N1=1) rotational level of H2 were determined in an electron-photon coincidence experiment at 25 eV impact energy and 60 deg scattering angle. The low degree of polarization (coherence) which was observed could be caused by both the averaging over the magnetic sublevels of the ground state of the target and the fine and hyperfine relaxation process. The average angular momentum transfer perpendicular to the scattering plane from the electrons to the molecules was found to be near zero in this excitation process.

Mcconkey, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Obliquity Experiments with a Mars General Circulation Model

We have simulated the seasonal variation of the general circulation on Mars for obliquities of 0deg and 60deg. These obliquities represent the minimum and maximum values the planet has experienced during the past 10(exp 7) years (e.g., Laskar and Robutel, 1993, Nature, 361, 608-614). The model we use is the NASA/Ames Mars General Circulation Model (Pollack et al., 1993, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 3149-3181). We vary only the obliquity; all other model parameters are as in Pollack et al. At high obliquity, the model shows dramatic seasonal variations in the polar caps and in the structure and intensity of the circulation. At the solstices the winter cap extends to the equator. Thus, surface temperatures throughout the entire winter hemisphere are fixed at the CO2 frost point. During summer surface temperatures at the poles reach 269K in the north and 295K in the south. The most notable changes to the circulation at solstice compared to our standard runs are a general weakening of the winter westerlies, a Hadley cell of greater latitudinal extent, and the development of very strong, possibly unstable, low-level jets in midlatitudes of the summer hemisphere. Surface stresses associated with these jets are sufficient to raise dust continuously. Thus, dust storms should be frequent features of the high obliquity climate. This result is independent of any desorbed regolith CO2 which would raise mean surface pressures. At zero obliquity the structure of the circulation resembles that of present day equinox conditions modulated by the varying insolation associated with orbital eccentricity. Notable features include equatorial superrotation, asymmetric Hadley cells, and stronger poleward heat fluxes in the northern hemisphere. Since the poles do not receive solar energy at any time of year, permanent caps form which extend to about 70deg in each hemisphere. However, the north permanent cap is growing at a rate 40% faster than the south cap. This is due to the differences in topography, albedo, emissivity, and heat transport in each hemisphere. Thus the zero obliquity climate system appears to be evolving toward a state in which the north cap is the dominant cap.

Harberle, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Using Ensemble Short-Term Initialized Coupled NASA GEOS5 Climate Model Integrations to Study Convective Bias Growth

The representation of convective processes, particularly deep convection in the tropics, remains a persistent problem in climate models. In fact structural biases in the distribution of tropical rainfall in the CMIP5 models is hardly different than that of the CMIP3 versions. Given that regional climate change at higher latitudes is sensitive to the configuration of tropical forcing, this persistent bias is a major issue for the credibility of climate change projections. In this study we use model output from integrations of the NASA Global Earth Observing System Five (GEOS5) climate modeling system to study the evolution of biases in the location and intensity of convective processes. We take advantage of a series of hindcast experiments done in support of the US North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) initiative. For these experiments a nine-month forecast using a coupled model configuration is made approximately every five days over the past 30 years. Each forecast is started with an updated analysis of the ocean, atmosphere and land states. For a given calendar month we have approximately 180 forecasts with daily means of various quantities. These forecasts can be averaged to essentially remove "weather scales" and highlight systematic errors as they evolve. Our primary question is to ask how the spatial structure of daily mean precipitation over the tropics evolves from the initial state and what physical processes are involved. Errors in parameterized convection, various water and energy fluxes and the divergent circulation are found to set up on fast time scales (order five days) compared to errors in the ocean, although SST changes can be non-negligible over that time. For the month of June the difference between forecast day five versus day zero precipitation looks quite similar to the difference between the June precipitation climatology and that from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). We focus much of our analysis on the influence of SST gradients, associated PBL baroclinicity enabled by turbulent mixing, the ensuing PBL moisture convergence, and how changes in these processes relate to convective precipitation bias growth over this short period.

Cohen, Charlie↗
NASA NTRS1990

Simple model of plasma acceleration in a magnetic nozzle

A collisionless, steady-state, cold-plasma model is used to calculate the three-dimensional trajectory of a plasma as it is accelerated through a diverging magnetic field. The magnetic field is assumed to be axisymmetric with nonzero radial and axial components and zero azimuthal component. Although random thermal motion of plasma species is neglected in the cold plasma approximation, an important effect of plasma thermal energy is accounted for in the model as the kinetic energy of electrons in their Larmor motion about magnetic field lines. Calculations based on this model confirm previous studies which suggested that plasma separation from the field of a magnetic nozzle can take place even in the absence of collisional diffusion. It is shown that plasma divergence in a magnetic nozzle can be controlled by tailoring the field geometry.

Sercel, Joel C.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Princess Elisabeth Station

Aware of the increasing impact of human activities on the Earth system, Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo) launched in 1997 a research programme in support of a sustainable development policy. This umbrella programme included the Belgian Scientific Programme on Antarctic Research. The International Polar Foundation, an organization led by the civil engineer and explorer Alain Hubert, was commissioned by the Belgian Federal government in 2004 to design, construct and operate a new Belgian Antarctic Research Station as an element under this umbrella programme. The station was to be designed as a central location for investigating the characteristic sequence of Antarctic geographical regions (polynia, coast, ice shelf, ice sheet, marginal mountain area and dry valleys, inland plateau) within a radius of 200 kilometers (approx.124 miles) of a selected site. The station was also to be designed as "state of the art" with respect to sustainable development, energy consumption, and waste disposal, with a minimum lifetime of 25 years. The goal of the project was to build a station and enable science. So first we needed some basic requirements, which I have listed here; plus we had to finance the station ourselves. Our most important requirement was that we decided to make it a zero emissions station. This was both a philosophical choice as we thought it more consistent with Antarctic Treaty obligations and it was also a logistical advantage. If you are using renewable energy sources, you do not have to bring in all the fuel.

Berte, Johan↗
NASA NTRS1993

Aerospace devices for magnetic replicas

Retained persistent magnetic field has been studied and improved in the superconductor YBa2Cu3O7 (Y123). During the study, trapped magnetic field, B(t), has been increased by over a factor of 10(exp 5). Methods used to improve magnetic field trapping were principally: (1) the adoption of the Melt Texturing process to increase grain size; (2) the addition of excess Y to disperse deposits of Y2BaCuO5 (Y211) and again increase grain size; (3) irradiation with high energy particles including 1H+, 3He++, 4He++, and fission fragments; and (4) utilizing temperatures below 77 K has also been quantified as a way to increase trapped field. In addition, in our study of B(t), we have found laws governing creep, activation, temperature dependence, creep vs. current flow, etc. In the range 20 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 65 K, and for B less than 10 Tesla, a simple empirical relationship was found: B(trap) (T2) = B(trap) (T1) ((Tc - T2)/(Tc - T1))squared where Tc is the critical temperature. The highest experimental trapped field was B(trap) = 3.96 Tesla, at 65 K. We believe this to be the highest persistent field ever produced, by any method. A two component model of the persistent currents has been developed. This accurately reproduces the data, using as parameters only the magnitude of a constant surface current, J(s), and a constant volume current J(v). The model successfully predicts B(t) (xyz) for the case of maximum trapped field, for all samples observed. It has also been extended to describe the unsaturated case either zero field cooled, or field cooled. Loss of strap with time has been studied for the critical state (Bt,max), and non critical state (Bt less than Bt,max), for times from a few minutes to a few months, for unirradiated material, for irradiation by 1H+, 3He++, 4He++, high z projectiles, and neutrons, and for all materials used in the overall study. We conclude that: (1) multi Tesla trapped fields are attained; (2) fields over 10 T are achievable; (3) creep is not a large problem; (4) application is feasible to motors, generators, magnets for particle beam optics, separators, levitating bearings, energy storage, shielding, and transportation.

Weinstein, Roy↗
NASA NTRS1991

The energy separation between the classical and nonclassical isomers of protonated acetylene - An extensive study in one- and n-particle space saturation

The energy separation between the classical and nonclassical forms of protonated acetylene has been reinvestigated in light of the recent experimentally deduced lower bound to this value of 6.0 kcal/mol. The objective of the present study is to use state-of-the-art ab initio quantum mechanical methods to establish this energy difference to within chemical accuracy (i.e., about 1 kcal/mol). The one-particle basis sets include up to g-type functions and the electron correlation methods include single and double excitation coupled-cluster (CCSD), the CCSD(T) extension, multireference configuration interaction, and the averaged coupled-pair functional methods. A correction for zero-point vibrational energies has also been included, yielding a best estimate for the energy difference between the classical and nonclassical forms of 3.7 + or - 1.3 kcal/mol.

Lindh, Roland↗
NASA NTRS1986

Grain dynamics in zero gravity

The dynamics of granular materials has proved difficult to model, primarily because of the complications arising from inelastic losses, friction, packing, and the effect of many grains being in contact simultaneously. The kinetic model of granular systems is similar to the kinetic theory of gases, except that collisional energy losses are always present in the former and must be treated explicity. Few granular materials on Earth are describable by this limiting model, since gravity tends to collapse the grains into a high density state where Coulombic friction effects are dominant. The planned Space Station offers an unusual opportunity to test the kinetic grain model and to explore its predictions. Without gravity, the regime of low interparticle velocities (where an elastic description of the collision is still valid) can be investigated. This will allow for direct interpretation by dynamical computer simulations as well as by the kinetic theory. The dynamics of spherical grains inside a clear box would be examined. Results would be compared with the predictions of the kinetic theory and computer simulations.

Werner, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

One-way nesting for a primitive equation ocean model

Prognostic numerical models for atmospheric and oceanic circulations require initial fields, boundary conditions, and forcing functions in addition to a consistent set of partial differential equations, including a state relation and equations expressing conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. Depending on the horizontal domain to be modeled, the horizontal boundary conditions are either physically obvious or extremely difficult to specify consistently. If the entire atmosphere is modeled, periodic horizontal boundary conditions are appropriate. On the other hand, the physical horizontal boundaries on the entire ocean are solid walls. Obviously, the normal velocity at a solid wall is zero while the specification of the tangential velocity depends on the mathematical treatment of the horizontal viscous terms. Limitations imposed by computer capacity and cost, as well as research interests, have led to the use of limited area models to study flows in the atmosphere and ocean. The limited area models do not have physical horizontal boundaries, merely numerical ones. Correctly determining these open boundary conditions for limited-area numerical models has both intrigued and frustrated numerical modelers for decades. One common approach is to use the closed or solid wall boundary conditions for a limited-area model. The argument given for this approach is that the boundary conditions affect flow near the walls but that none of these effects are propagated into the interior. Therefore, one chooses a big enough domain that the central region of interest is not corrupted by the boundary flow. Research in progress to model the North Atlantic circulation vividly illustrates the pitfalls of this approach. Two model runs are compared: (1) the southern boundary at 20S between latitudes 0 and 40W is artificially closed; and (2) the same boundary is specified as open with an inward transport of 15 Sv (determined from a global model with the same physics) uniformly spread across the boundary. A comparison of both runs is presented.

Blake, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Collision matrix elements near a pseudocrossing of potential energy curves.

The cross sections of certain inelastic atomic collision processes can be determined from the matrix elements of the collision operator, d/dR, where R is the separation of the colliding atoms. At one extreme, the matrix element may pass through zero near a pseudocrossing of potential energy curves, while at the other extreme, it may pass through a maximum. The resulting cross sections are entirely different in magnitude and in energy dependence. An attempt is made to predict the qualitative behavior of the collision matrix elements with variations in R from an analysis of the Born-Oppenheimer adiabatic Hamiltonian. The modifications caused by a second pseudocrossing with a third adiabatic state are studied.

Oppenheimer, M.↗