Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Lawrence”

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.

At least 109 records · Page 6

A program to measure new energetic particle nuclear interaction cross sections

The Transport Collaboration, consisting of researchers from institutions in France, Germany, Italy, and the USA, has established a program to make new measurements of nuclear interaction cross sections for heavy projectiles (Z greater than or equal to 2) in targets of liquid H2, He and heavier materials. Such cross sections directly affect calculations of galactic and solar cosmic ray transport through matter and are needed for accurate radiation hazard assessment. To date, the collaboration has obtained data using the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Bevalac HISS facility with 20 projectiles from He-4 to Ni-58 in the energy range 393-910 MeV/nucleon. Preliminary results from the analysis of these data are presented here and compared to other measurements and to cross section prediction formulae.

Guzik, T. G.↗

An investigation of the processes controlling ozone in the upper stratosphere

Photolysis of vibrationally excited oxygen produced by ultraviolet photolysis of ozone in the upper stratosphere is incorporated into the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 2-D zonally averaged chemical-radiative-transport model of the troposphere and stratosphere. The importance of this potential contributor of odd oxygen to the concentration of ozone is evaluated based upon recent information on vibrational distributions of excited oxygen and upon preliminary studies of energy transfer from the excited oxygen. When the energy transfer rate constants of previous work are assumed, increases in model ozone concentrations of up to 40 percent in the upper stratosphere are found, and the ozone concentrations of the model agree with measurements, including data from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. However, the increase is about 0.4 percent when the larger energy transfer rate constants suggested by more recent experimental work are applied in the model. This indicates the importance of obtaining detailed information on vibrationally excited oxygen properties to evaluation of this process for stratospheric modelling.

Patten, Kenneth O., Jr.↗

Effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption on the radiative and chemical processes in the troposphere and stratosphere

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory two-dimensional zonally-averaged chemical-radiative-transport model of the global atmosphere was used to study the effects of the 15 June 1991 eruption of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano on stratospheric processes. SAGE 2 time-dependent aerosol surface area density and optical extinction data were used as input into the model. By 22 December 1991, a maximum equatorial change of -1.8 percent in column ozone was derived from heterogeneous chemical processes that convert NO(x) into HNO3 on sulfuric acid aerosols. Radiative feedbacks from increased aerosol optical thickness independently changes column ozone by approximately -3.5 percent for the same period. This occurs from increasing the net heating of the lower stratosphere, which indirectly increases chemical reaction rates via their temperature dependence and from changes in actinic fluxes, which directly modify photodissociation rates. Including both heterogeneous and radiative effects changes column ozone by -5.5 percent. The model-derived change overestimates the decrease in column ozone relative to the TOMS instrument on the Nimbus 7 satellite. Maximum local ozone decreases of 12 percent were derived in the equatorial region, at 25 km. Model-derived column NO2 peaked (-14 percent) at 30 deg S in October 1991. The timing of the NO2 peak is consistent with observation, but the model underestimates the magnitude of the decrease. Local concentrations of NO(x) (NO + NO2), ClO(x) (Cl + ClO), and HO(x) (OH + HO2), in the lower stratosphere between 30 deg S and 30 deg N, were calculated to have changed by -40 percent, +100 to +160 percent, and +120 to +140 percent respectively.

Kinnison, Douglas E.↗

Genetic effects on heavy ions in drosophila

Drosophila sex-linked recessive lethal mutation test was used to study the dose response relation and relative biological effectiveness of heavy ions. The experiments were performed using the heavy ion beams at BEVALAC of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. These experiments were undertaken according to the proposed milestones and included Ne-20, A-40 and Fe-65 ions with respective energies of 600 MeV, 840 MeV and 850 MeV. At these energies several doses of these radiations ranging from 20 to 1280 R were used. Space radiation exposure to astronauts is supposed to be quite low and therefore very low dose experiments i.e., 20 R, were also performed for the three ions. The mutation response was measured in all germ cell types i.e., spermatozoa, spermatids, spermatocytes and spermatogonia of treated Drosophila males. A linear dose frequency relation was observed for most of the range except at high doses where the saturation effect was observed. Also, a very significant difference was observed among the sensitivity of the four germ cell stages where spermatozoa and spermatids were more sensitive. At the higher doses of this range, most of the spermatogonia and spermatocytes were killed. Although comparative and identical experiments with X-rays or neutrons have not been performed, the compassion of our data with the ones available in literature suggest that the heavy ions have a high rbe and that they are several times more effective than low LET X-rays. The rbe compared to neutrons however appears to be only slightly higher.

Kale, P. G.↗

Doing photons with MERLIN 2 at Oroville

A very large n-type high-purity Ge-semiconductor detector has recently been installed in the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's underground low-background facility at Oroville. The detector (named MERLIN II) is mounted in a low-activity cryostat and has a rated 'efficiency' of about 115 percent -- nearly 4 times higher than our original MERLIN detector, which was used extensively to measure the minute amounts of radioactivity in samples from the LDEF satellite. We discuss gamma-spectrometric analyses with MERLIN II on some of the same LDEF samples, providing direct evidence for improvement in performance achieved with the larger detector.

Smith, Alan R.↗

Design prediction for long term stress rupture service of composite pressure vessels

Extensive stress rupture studies on glass composites and Kevlar composites were conducted by the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory beginning in the late 1960's and extending to about 8 years in some cases. Some of the data from these studies published over the years were incomplete or were tainted by spurious failures, such as grip slippage. Updated data sets were defined for both fiberglass and Kevlar composite stand test specimens. These updated data are analyzed in this report by a convenient form of the bivariate Weibull distribution, to establish a consistent set of design prediction charts that may be used as a conservative basis for predicting the stress rupture life of composite pressure vessels. The updated glass composite data exhibit an invariant Weibull modulus with lifetime. The data are analyzed in terms of homologous service load (referenced to the observed median strength). The equations relating life, homologous load, and probability are given, and corresponding design prediction charts are presented. A similar approach is taken for Kevlar composites, where the updated stand data do show a turndown tendency at long life accompanied by a corresponding change (increase) of the Weibull modulus. The turndown characteristic is not present in stress rupture test data of Kevlar pressure vessels. A modification of the stress rupture equations is presented to incorporate a latent, but limited, strength drop, and design prediction charts are presented that incorporate such behavior. The methods presented utilize Cartesian plots of the probability distributions (which are a more natural display for the design engineer), based on median normalized data that are independent of statistical parameters and are readily defined for any set of test data.

Robinson, Ernest Y.↗

STS-67 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

The Space Shuttle Mission, STS-67, is highlighted in this video. Flight crew (Stephen S. Oswald (Commander), William G. Gregory (Pilot), Tamara E. Jernigan, Wendy B. Lawrence, John M. Grunfeld (Mission Specialists), Samuel T. Durrance, and Ronald A. Parise (Payload Specialists)) prelaunch and launch activities, EVA activities with payload deployment and retrieval (ASTRO-2 and WUPPE (Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo Polarimeter Experiment)), spaceborne experiments (astronomical observation and data collection, protein crystal growth, and human physiological processes), and pre-reentry activities are shown. There are astronomical telescopic observation from the two telescopes in the payload, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope and the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, of Io and of globular clusters, and their emission spectra is collected via a spectrometer. Earth view film and photography is shown, which includes lightning on terrestrial surfaces, cyclone activity, and cloud cover.

Welch, Chuck↗

STS-42 Mission Highlights Resource Tape. Part 1 of 2

The mission of STS-42, the first International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1), is highlighted. The main purpose of this seven-member crew (including Payload specialist Raborto Bondar from Canada and Payload specialist Ulf D. Merbold from Germany) space shuttle was to perform different experiments at microgravity environment. The experiments were focussed on the following two major study areas: (1) life sciences ( biorack, biostack, space physiology, mental workload and performance, Microgravity vestibular investigations, etc.); and (2) material sciences (critical point facility, cryostat, fluid experiment system, mercury lodide crystal growth and vapor crystal growth systems). Cargo bay and middeck experiments; earth views (Quebec, Manicougan Reservoir, St. Lawrence River, and Mountain ranges); and orbiter activities are also included.

Source record↗

The hidden nuclear spectrum of the luminous IRAS source FSC 10214+4724

Optical spectropolarimetry of the luminous IRAS source FSC 10214+4724 (z=2.286) reveals that the strong (approximately 17%) linear polarization detected by Lawrence et al. is shared by both the narrow ultraviolet (UV) emission lines and the underlying continuum. This observation and the brightness of the source rule out synchrotron emission and dichroic extinction by dust as the polarizing mechanism, leaving scattering as the only plausible cause of the polarized emission. The narrowness of the lines requires that the scatterers be dust grains or cool (below 1.6 x 10(exp 4) K) electrons. We can recover the spectrum that is incident on the scattering medium provided we make some reasonable assumptions regarding the source geometry. The scattered UV spectrum has a power-law index alpha of -1.2 plus or minus 0.6 (F(sub nu) varies as nu(sup alpha)), steeper than would be expected from a young burst of star formation but similar to that of many active galactic nucleus (AGNs).

Jannuzi, Buell T.↗

Effect of vibrationally excited oxygen on ozone production in the stratosphere

Photolysis of vibrationally excited oxygen produced by ultraviolet photolysis of ozone in the upper stratosphere is incorporated into the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory two-dimensional zonally averaged chemical-radiative-transport model of the troposphere and stratosphere. The importance of this potential contributor of odd oxygen to the concentration of ozone is evaluated based on recent information on vibrational distributions of excited oxygen and on preliminary studies of energy transfer from the excited oxygen. When energy transfer rate constants similar to those of Toumi et al. (1991) are assumed, increases in model ozone concentrations of up to 4.0% in the upper stratosphere are found, and the model ozone concentrations are found to agree slightly better with measurements, including recent data from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. However, the ozone increase is only 0.3% when the larger energy transfer rate constants indicated by recent experimental work are applied to the model. An ozone increase of 1% at 50 km requires energy transfer rate constants one-twentieth those of the preliminary observations. As a result, vibrationally excited oxygen processes probably do not contribute enough ozone to be significant in models of the upper stratosphere.

Patten, K. O., Jr.↗

Radio continuum polarimetric imaging of high redshift radio galaxies

Multifrequency images of total and polarized radio continuum emission from the two high redshift radio galaxies 0902+343 (z = 3.40) and 0647+415 (4C 41.17, z = 3.80) are presented. These images represent the most sensitive polarimetric study of high redshift ratio galaxies to date. The emission from both galaxies is substantially polarized, up to 30% in some regions, and both sources sit behind deep 'Faraday screens,' producing large rotation measures, over 10(exp 3) rad/sq. m in magnitude, and large rotation measure gradients across the sources. Such large rotation measures provide further evidence that high redshift radio galaxies are situated in very dense environments. Drawing the analogy to a class of low redshift powerful radio galaxies with similarly large rotation measures, we suggest that 0902+343 and 0647+415 are situated at the centers of dense, x-ray 'colling flow' clusters, and that the cluster gas is substantially magnetized. The remarkable similarity between the optical and radio morphologies of 0647+415 on scales as small as 0.1 sec is presented. We consider, and reject, both synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation as possible sources of the optical emission. We also consider both scattering of light out of a 'cone' of radiation from an obscured nucleus, and jet-induced star formation, and find that both models encounter difficulties in explaining this remarkably close radio-optical alignment. High resolution spectral index images reveal compact, flat spectrum components in both sources. We suggest that these components are the active nuclei of the galaxies. Lastly, high resolution images of 0902+343 show that the southernmost component forms a 'ring' of 0.2 sec radius. We discuss the possibility that this ring is the result of gravitational lensing, along the lines proposed by Kochanek & Lawrence (1990).

Carilli, C. L.↗

A comparison of eastern North American seismic strain-rates to glacial rebound strain-rates

Glacial rebound strain-rates computed using a simple Laurentide glacial loading model are of the order of 10(exp -9) per year within the region of glaciation and extending several hundred kilometers beyond. The horizontal strain-rates receive approximately equal contributions from horizontal and vertical velocities, a consequence of the spherical geometry adopted for the Earth model. In the eastern United States and southeastern Canada the computed strain-rates are 1-3 orders of magnitude greater than an estimate of the average seismic strain-rate (Anderson, 1986) and approximately 1 order of magnitude greater than predicted erosional strain-rates. The predicted glacial rebound strain-rates are not, in general, oriented in such a way as to augment the observed state of deviatoric stress, possibly explaining why the seismic strain-rates are much smaller than the glacial rebound strain-rates. An exception to this may be seismically active regions in the St. Lawrence valley.

James, Thomas S.↗

Results from GROCSE I: A real-time search for gamma ray burst optical counterparts

The GROCSE I experiment (Gamma-Ray Optical Counterpart Search Experiment) is a rapid slewing wide field of view optical telescope at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory which responds to triggers from the BATSE GRB data telemetry stream that have been processed and distributed by the BACODINE network. GROCSE 1 has been in continuous automated operation since January 1994. As of October 1995, sky images for 22 GRB triggers have been recorded, in some cases while the burst was still emitting gamma rays. The preliminary analysis of eight of these events are presented here. No optical counterparts have yet been detected. Limits for optical emission are given.

Lee, B.↗

Measurement and Validation of Bidirectional Reflectance of Space Shuttle and Space Station Materials for Computerized Lighting Models

Task illumination has a major impact on human performance: What a person can perceive in his environment significantly affects his ability to perform tasks, especially in space's harsh environment. Training for lighting conditions in space has long depended on physical models and simulations to emulate the effect of lighting, but such tests are expensive and time-consuming. To evaluate lighting conditions not easily simulated on Earth, personnel at NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Graphics Research and Analysis Facility (GRAF) have been developing computerized simulations of various illumination conditions using the ray-tracing program, Radiance, developed by Greg Ward at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Because these computer simulations are only as accurate as the data used, accurate information about the reflectance properties of materials and light distributions is needed. JSC's Lighting Environment Test Facility (LETF) personnel gathered material reflectance properties for a large number of paints, metals, and cloths used in the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs, and processed these data into reflectance parameters needed for the computer simulations. They also gathered lamp distribution data for most of the light sources used, and validated the ability to accurately simulate lighting levels by comparing predictions with measurements for several ground-based tests. The result of this study is a database of material reflectance properties for a wide variety of materials, and lighting information for most of the standard light sources used in the Shuttle/Station programs. The combination of the Radiance program and GRAF's graphics capability form a validated computerized lighting simulation capability for NASA.

Fletcher, Lauren E.↗

An Optical Study of the Circumstellar Environment Around the Crab Nebula

Long-slit spectra of two peripheral regions around the Crab Nebula show no H(alpha) emission down to a flux level of 1.5 x 10(exp -7)erg/sq cm s sr (0.63 Rayleigh), corresponding to an emission measure limit of 4.2 cm(sup - 6) pc (3(sigma)) assuming A(sub V)= 1.6(sup m) and T(sub e)=7000 K. This is below the flux levels reported by Murdin & Clark (Nature, 294, 543 (198 1)) for an H(alpha) halo around the Crab. Narrow H(beta) emission as described by Murdin (MNRAS, 269, 89 (1994)) is detected but appears to be Galactic emission unassociated with the remnant. A review of prior searches indicates no convincing observational evidence to support either a high- or low-velocity envelope around the remnant. Spectral scans confirm a well-organized, N-S expansion asymmetry of the filaments with a approx. 500 km/s central velocity constriction as described by MacAlpine et al. (ApJ, 342, 364 (1989)) and Lawrence et (it. (AJ, 109, 2635 (1995)] but questioned by Hester et al. (ApJ, 448, 240 (1995)). The velocity pinching appears to coincide with an cast-west chain of bright [O III] and helium-rich filaments. This expansion asymmetry might be the result of ejecta interaction with a disk of circumstellar matter, but such a model may be inconsistent with H and He filament abundances in the velocity constriction zone. A re-analysis of the remnant's total mass suggests that the filaments contain 4.6 +/- 1.8 M(solar) in ionized and neutral cas, about twice that of earlier estimates. For a 10M(solar) progenitor, this suggests that approx.equals 4M(solar) remains to be detected in an extended halo or wind.

Fesen, Robert A.↗

STS-84 Day 05 Highlights

On this fifth day of the STS-84 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Charles J. Precourt, Pilot Eileen M. Collins, Payload Cmdr, Jean-Francois Clervoy (ESA), Mission Specialists Edward T. Lu, Carlos I. Noriega, Elena V. Kondakova, Jerry M. Linenger (download), and C. Michael Foale (upload) continue their work through the overnight hours, transferring water, hardware and logistical supplies to and from each other's spacecraft. It is the third day of joint operations between the Shuttle and the Russian Space Station crewmembers. As planned, the newest member of the Mir 23 crew, Mike Foale, and astronaut Jerry Linenger continue their handover activities to prepare Foale for his 4 month stay on Mir. Foale will serve aboard the Russian outpost until he is replaced by astronaut Wendy Lawrence during Atlantis' next visit to Mir in September.

Source record↗

The Systematic Interpretation of Cosmic Ray Data (The Transport Project)

The Transport project's primary goals were to: (1) Provide measurements of critical fragmentation cross sections; (2) Study the cross section systematics; (3) Improve the galactic cosmic ray propagation methodology; and (4) Use the new cross section measurements to improve the interpretation of cosmic ray data. To accomplish these goals a collaboration was formed consisting of researchers in the US at Louisiana State University (LSU), Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the University of Minnesota (UM), New Mexico State University (NMSU), in France at the Centre d'Etudes de Saclay and in Italy at the Universita di Catania. The US institutions, lead by LSU, were responsible for measuring new cross sections using the LBL HISS facility, analysis of these measurements and their application to interpreting cosmic ray data. France developed a liquid hydrogen target that was used in the HISS experiment and participated in the data interpretation. Italy developed a Multifunctional Neutron Spectrometer (MUFFINS) for the HISS runs to measure the energy spectra, angular distributions and multiplicities of neutrons emitted during the high energy interactions. The Transport Project was originally proposed to NASA during Summer, 1988 and funding began January, 1989. Transport was renewed twice (1991, 1994) and finally concluded at LSU on September, 30, 1997. During the more than 8 years of effort we had two major experiment runs at LBL, obtained data on the interaction of twenty different beams with a liquid hydrogen target, completed the analysis of fifteen of these datasets obtaining 590 new cross section measurements, published nine journal articles as well as eighteen conference proceedings papers, and presented more than thirty conference talks.

Guzik, T. Gregory↗

STS-86 Day 01 Highlights

On this first day of the STS-86 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. James D. Wetherbee, Jr., Pilot Michael J. Bloomfield, Mission Specialists Scott E. Parazynski, Jean-Loup Chretien, Vladimir G. Titov, Wendy B. Lawrence and David A. Wolf can be seen performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew can be seen being readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters.

Source record↗