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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

Solar radio burst and in situ determination of interplanetary electron density

A few interplanetary electron density scales which were derived from the analysis of interplanetary solar radio burst are discussed and compared to a model derived from 1974 to 1980 Helios 1 and 2 in situ density observations made in the 0.3 to 1.0 AU range. The Helios densities were normalized to 1976 with the aid of IMP and ISEE data at 1 AU, and were then sorted into 0.1 AU bins and logarithmically averaged within each bin. The best fit to these 1976-normalized, bin averages is in N(R(AU)) = 6.1 R(-2.10)/cu cm. This model is in rather good agreement with the solar burst determination if the radiation is assumed to be on the second harmonic of the plasma frequency. This analysis also suggests that the radio emissions tend to be produced in regions denser than the average where the density gradient decreases faster with distance than the observed R(-2.10). Previously announced in STAR as N83-35989

King, J. H.↗

The distribution of reconnection geometry in flux transfer events using energetic ion, plasma and magnetic data

The distribution of energetic ion anisotropies in flux transfer events (FTEs) about the dayside magnetopause has been determined for ISEE 2 crossings of the boundary in 1977 and 1978. When the events are sorted according to the sign of the east-west component of the magnetic field in the magnetosphere, a clear correlation is observed on the northern morningside. When the field is eastward, particles flow antiparallel to the field, implying field line connection to the Northern Hemisphere; when the field is westward, the opposite is true. On the afternoonside, the particle anisotropies are correlated with latitude. Explanations for this pattern are discussed which involve FTE formation at low latitudes with subsequent motion at a velocity given by the vector superposition of the Alfven velocity from the release of magnetic tension and the magnetosheath bulk flow velocity. Evidence that the geomagnetic and not the geocentric solar magnetospheric equator is the source of FTEs is considered.

Daly, P. W.↗

Wave interactions in swept-wing flows

Crossflow instabilities dominate disturbance growth in the leading-edge region of swept wings. It is well known that streamwise vortices in a boundary layer strongly influence the behavior of other disturbances. Amplification of crossflow vortices near the leading edge produces a residual spanwise nonuniformity in the mid-chord regions where Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves are strongly amplified. Should the T-S wave undergo double-exponential growth because of this effect, the usual transition prediction methods would fail. Thus, it is important to study interactions of this sort and to develop more realistic criteria for transition prediction.

Reed, H. L.↗

Improved Jet-Mill Silicon Grinder

Proposed refinement in jet-mill grinding of silicon reduces proportion of unusable, overly ground particles. Particles serve as seeds for growth of silicon from vapor. In new grinding apparatus, particle separator distinct from collision chamber. Particle collides only once before sorted for size. If proper size, extracted; if not, returned to chamber for another collision.

Collins, Earl R., Jr.↗

Intense Source of Polarized Hydrogen Atoms

Atoms produced by radio-frequency dissociation of hydrogen molecules sorted according to their hyperfine states in improved polarized hydrogen source. By use of combination of dc magnetic fields, atoms of upper hyperfine ground level selected in numbers greater than those of undesired F = O state. Source built with permanent magnets or electromagnets. Principal utility is source of polarized hydrogen for masers or experimental studies.

Maleki, L.↗

Elimination of uncontrollable rigid body mode, appendix C

The planar system model is examined which reveals two rigid body modes. One is due to the pure translation of the whole experiment assembly and is uncontrollable because the only control input is a torque at the gimbal. The other rigid body mode is due to the pointing of the gimbal and is the one for which control is sort. The problem arises from the Vector V2 which relates the control input to the modal coordinates. Since its fifth and sixth elements are both nonzero, neither body mode can be thrown away as is. The two rigid body modes must be transformed so that one is unaffected by the control input and one is left controllable. The uncontrollable mode can then be eliminated from the model for design purposes. A process is described to accomplish the elimination of the uncontrollable rigid body mode.

Source record↗

NASA/JSC orbital debris study: Debris model

The possibility of the creation of a debris belt around the Earth is discussed. A computer model which describes the near-Earth space environment created by the existing spacecraft and fragments from the associated spent launching vehicle attachments and explosions was developed. The present debris model adopts the mathematical formulations published in a paper by Kessler. Thus, the model uses more rigorous mathematical formulation in calculating the collision rate between two orbiting objects than the one published by Kessler and Cour-Palais (1978). The present model contains many general but detailed analyses on the debris environment such as manipulating and/or sorting the existing debris objects, the physical dimensions of the objects and extrapolating the number density describing to include the unobservable small objects.

Roberts, J. B.↗

Impact Cratering Calculations

Impact cratering, both normal and oblique, on planetary surfaces is discussed and energy partitioning, ejecta distribution, (both with regard to size, velocity, energy content, and size sorting), the condensation physics of impact induced vapor, and the loss of planetary atmospheres during accretion of terrestrial and icy planets are considered. The possible origin of SNC meteorites, impact into porous regolith, equation of state of water and ice, and a possible model for the accretion of the Jovian and Saturnian satellites are examined.

Ahrens, T. J.↗

A Comparison of Terrestrial Saltation Flux in the Laboratory and the Field

Aeolian transport of surficial material is an important part of the terrestrial geologic cycle. In many areas of geological interest, sand is not transported by the wind at the rate predicted by studies made in idealized conditions. Furthermore, calculated surface-abrasion rates based on laboratory saltation fluxes are often unrealistically high. This work is an attempt to quantify and discuss discrepancies between saltation rates under ideal conditions and in the field under natural conditions. The saltation-flux data persented by Sharp (1) will be used as the field data. Sharp measured saltation flux during four periods in the early 1950's in the Whitewater River drainage. Meteorological conditions at the experiment site were extrapolated from the airport records and from wind speeds measured simultaneously by Hunter. Wind speeds above threshold were sorted into 4-MPH bins and the frequency of observation over each experimental period was calculated. A saltation flux for each bin was calculated and summed to yield a predicted saltation rate for that period. When the predicted fluxes were compared with those measured by Sharp, large discrepancies were found.

Williams, S. H.↗

Microdunes and Other Aeolian Bedforms on Venus: Wind Tunnel Simulations

The development of aeolian bedforms in the simulated Venusian environment has been experimentally studied in the Venus Wind tunnel. It is found that the development of specific bedforms, including ripples, dunes, and waves, as well as their geometry, are controlled by a combination of factors including particle size, wind speed, and atmospheric density. Microdunes are formed which are analogous to full-size terrestrial dunes and are characterized by the development of slip faces, internal cross-bedding, a low ratio of saltation path length to dune length, and a lack of particle-size sorting. They begin to develop at wind speeds just above saltation threshold and evolve into waves at higher velocities. At wind speeds of about 1.5 m/sec and higher, the bed is flat and featureless. This evolution is explained by a model based on the interaction of alternating zones of erosion and deposition and particle saltation distances.

Greeley, R.↗

Extended atmospheres of outer planet satellites and comets

Collisions between neutral hydrogen atoms in the interstellar medium and those in the so-called Titan hydrogen torus may provide an additional lifetime sink for atoms in the Saturn environment. Progress toward re-sorting the Voyager UVS scans of neutral hydrogen in the Saturn system to enable both a factor of two increase in the amount of data to be analyzed as well as to help identify near-Titan hydrogen is discussed. Progress toward development of the cometary carbon and oxygen models is also discussed and a preliminary model run for the H2O source of cometary oxygen is presented.

Smyth, W. H.↗

NPLOT: an Interactive Plotting Program for NASTRAN Finite Element Models

The NPLOT (NASTRAN Plot) is an interactive computer graphics program for plotting undeformed and deformed NASTRAN finite element models. Developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the program provides flexible element selection and grid point, ASET and SPC degree of freedom labelling. It is easy to use and provides a combination menu and command driven user interface. NPLOT also provides very fast hidden line and haloed line algorithms. The hidden line algorithm in NPLOT proved to be both very accurate and several times faster than other existing hidden line algorithms. A fast spatial bucket sort and horizon edge computation are used to achieve this high level of performance. The hidden line and the haloed line algorithms are the primary features that make NPLOT different from other plotting programs.

Jones, G. K.↗

Carbon isotopes in bulk carbonaceous chondrites

The chemical and physical processes involved in the formation of the solar system are examined. Primitive matter has been found on a microscopic scale in a variety of meteorites: fragments of small solar system bodies that were never part of a large planet. This primitive matter has, in most cases, been identified by the presence of anomalous abundances of some isotopes of the chemical elements. Of particular interest for carbon isotope studies are the primitive meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. Using a selective oxidation technique to sort out the carbon contained in different chemical forms (graphite, carbonates, and organic matter), four carbonaceous chondrites are analyzed. The presence of the (13) C-rich component was confirmed and additional carbon components with different, but characteristic, isotopic signatures were resolved.

Halbout, J.↗

Validation of the ERBE scanner scene identification methodology: Analysis with Nimbus-7 ERB data

Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) procedure for scene identification currently being utilized in the ERBE scanner data processing stream is applied to the Nimbus-7 ERB Scanner data for the month of June 1979. The Earth radiation budget parameters derived using MLE method show very good agreement with the values provided using sorting into angular bins (SAB) method. Results of the fields on different spatial scales are presented. A satellite zenith angle study indicates that the MLE procedure considerably improves the scene selection over the method of bispectral thresholds applied in the Nimbus-7 ERB data processing. Agreement with SAB results improved further when the observations were cut off at 75% in satellite zenith. Sampling constraints, however require that the cut-off angle should not be lower than 70%. Quantitative details about the reliability of the scene identification are also presented.

Vermury, S.↗

Developement of an Optimum Interpolation Analysis Method for the CYBER 205

A state-of-the-art technique to assimilate the diverse observational database obtained during FGGE, and thus create initial conditions for numerical forecasts is described. The GLA optimum interpolation (OI) analysis method analyzes pressure, winds, and temperature at sea level, mixing ratio at six mandatory pressure levels up to 300 mb, and heights and winds at twelve levels up to 50 mb. Conversion to the CYBER 205 required a major re-write of the Amdahl OI code to take advantage of the CYBER vector processing capabilities. Structured programming methods were used to write the programs and this has resulted in a modular, understandable code. Among the contributors to the increased speed of the CYBER code are a vectorized covariance-calculation routine, an extremely fast matrix equation solver, and an innovative data search and sort technique.

Nestler, M. S.↗

Computer program for plotting and fairing wind-tunnel data

A detailed description of the Langley computer program PLOTWD which plots and fairs experimental wind-tunnel data is presented. The program was written for use primarily on the Langley CDC computer and CALCOMP plotters. The fundamental operating features of the program are that the input data are read and written to a random-access file for use during program execution, that the data for a selected run can be sorted and edited to delete duplicate points, and that the data can be plotted and faired using tension splines, least-squares polynomial, or least-squares cubic-spline curves. The most noteworthy feature of the program is the simplicity of the user-supplied input requirements. Several subroutines are also included that can be used to draw grid lines, zero lines, axis scale values and lables, and legends. A detailed description of the program operational features and each sub-program are presented. The general application of the program is also discussed together with the input and output for two typical plot types. A listing of the program code, user-guide, and output description are presented in appendices. The program has been in use at Langley for several years and has proven to be both easy to use and versatile.

Morgan, H. L., Jr.↗

Canadian Astronautics Limited's SARSAT ground stations

The SARSAT Local User Terminal (LUT) is described. The RF receiving subsystem is based on a conventional 3 m dish antenna mounted on an elevation-over-azimuth pedestal to permit tracking of the low altitude, near polar satellites. Only program tracking is used since orbit parameters and time must always be known precisely for use in position location. Operation of the LUT is split into real-time mode during which Doppler data are generated and stored, and post-pass during which data are sorted and position located. Location accuracy is to within 20 km.

Taylor, J. D.↗

Flow cytometry of human embryonic kidney cells: A light scattering approach

The mammalian kidney contains cells that transport water, convert vitamin D to active forms, synthesize hormones such a renin and erythropoietin, and produce enzymes such as urokinase, a plasminogen activator. Several of these functions are maintained by human embryonic kidney cells (HEK) cultivated in vitro. Biochemical study of these functions in their individual cell types in vitro requires purified populations of cells. Light-scattering activated cell sorting (LACS) was explored as a means of achieving such purifications. It was found that HEK cells at the first 1 to 5 passages in culture were heterogeneous with respect to 2-parameter light scattering intensity distribution, in which combined measurements included forward angle scattering (2.5 to 19 deg), 90 deg scattering, and time-of-flight size measurements. Size was measured at a resolution of 0.15 microns/channel in 256 channels using pulse-height independent pulse-width measurements. Two-parameter distributions combining these measurements were obtained for HEK cell subpopulations that had been purified by microgravity electrophoresis and subsequently propagated in culture. These distributions contained at least 3 subpopulations in all purified fractions, and results of experiments with prepurified cultured HEK cells indicated that subpopulations of living cells that were high in plasminogen-activator activity also contained the highest per cent of cells with high 90 deg light scatter intensity.

Kunze, M. E.↗