Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Core characterization”

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 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Stellar density enhancements associated with IRAS sources in L1641

We obtained H and K' images of 59 Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) sources associated with dense molecular gas in L1641. Some of the sources were also imaged in narrow-band L and M. Using these near-IR images and photometry, we are able to identify the near-IR counterparts for most of the IRAS sources. The spectral energy distributions of the sources suggest that all of them are young stellar objects (class I and II sources). Most importantly, we find in this study that 14 IRAS sources are associated with small (but statistically significant) groupings of bright near-IR sources defined as stellar density enhancements (SDEs). The spatial distribution of young stars in the Orion A molecular cloud can be characterized by a range of stellar densities, from the Trapezium Cluster, to the SDEs, to individual stars. We conjecture that the SDEs are regions of continuous star formation within or around dense molecular cores and that they may represent an important mode of star formation in L1641. If true, adjustments to the standard star formation model may be required.

Chen, Hua↗
NASA NTRS1998

Study Methods to Standardize Thermography NDE

The purpose of this work is to develop thermographic inspection methods and standards for use in evaluating structural composites and aerospace hardware. Qualification techniques and calibration methods are investigated to standardize the thermographic method for use in the field. Along with the inspections of test standards structural hardware, support hardware is designed and fabricated to aid in the thermographic process. Also, a standard operating procedure is developed for performing inspections with the Bales Thermal Image Processor (TIP). Inspections are performed on a broad range of structural composites. These materials include various graphite/epoxies, graphite/cyanide-ester, graphite/silicon-carbide, graphite phenolic and Keviar/epoxy. Also metal honeycomb (titanium and aluminum faceplates over an aluminum honeycomb core) structures are investigated. Various structural shapes are investigated and the thickness of the structures vary from as few as 3 plies to as many as 80 plies. Special emphasis is placed on characterizing defects in attachment holes and bondlines, in addition to those resulting from impact damage and the inclusion of foreign matter. Image processing through statistical analysis and digital filtering is investigated to enhance the quality and quantify the NDE thermal images when necessary.

Walker, James L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Study Methods to Standardize Thermography NDE

The purpose of this work is to develop thermographic inspection methods and standards for use in evaluating structural composites and aerospace hardware. Qualification techniques and calibration methods are investigated to standardize the thermographic method for use in the field. Along with the inspections of test standards structural hardware, support hardware is designed and fabricated to aid in the thermographic process. Also, a standard operating procedure is developed for performing inspections with the Bales Thermal Image Processor (TIP). Inspections are performed on a broad range of structural composites. These materials include graphite/epoxies, graphite/cyanide-ester, graphite/silicon-carbide, graphite phenolic and Kevlar/epoxy. Also metal honeycomb (titanium and aluminum faceplates over an aluminum honeycomb core) structures are investigated. Various structural shapes are investigated and the thickness of the structures vary from as few as 3 plies to as many as 80 plies. Special emphasis is placed on characterizing defects in attachment holes and bondlines, in addition to those resulting from impact damage and the inclusion of foreign matter. Image processing through statistical analysis and digital filtering is investigated to enhance the quality and quantify the NDE thermal images when necessary.

Walker, James L.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Contamination Knowledge Strategy for the Mars 2020 Sample-Collecting Rover

The Mars 2020 rover will collect carefully selected samples of rock and regolith as it explores a potentially habitable ancient environment on Mars. Using the drill, rock cores and regolith will be collected directly into ultraclean sample tubes that are hermetically sealed and, later, deposited on the surface of Mars for potential return to Earth by a subsequent mission. Thorough characterization of any contamination of the samples at the time of their analysis will be essential for achieving the objectives of Mars returned sample science (RSS). We refer to this characterization as contamination knowledge (CK), which is distinct from contamination control (CC). CC is the set of activities that limits the input of contaminating species into a sample, and is specified by requirement thresholds. CK consists of identifying and characterizing both potential and realized contamination to better inform scientific investigations of the returned samples. Based on lessons learned by other sample return missions with contamination-sensitive scientific objectives, CC needs to be "owned" by engineering, but CK needs to be "owned" by science. Contamination present at the time of sample analysis will reflect the sum of contributions from all contamination vectors up to that point in time. For this reason, understanding the integrated history of contamination may be crucial for deciphering potentially confusing contaminant-sensitive observations. Thus, CK collected during the Mars sample return (MSR) campaign must cover the time period from the initiation of hardware construction through analysis of returned samples in labs on Earth. Because of the disciplinary breadth of the scientific objectives of MSR, CK must include a broad spectrum of contaminants covering inorganic (i.e., major, minor, and trace elements), organic, and biological molecules and materials.

Farley, K. A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulation of a Mach 2 Jet in a Supersonic Retropropulsion Configuration

High-fidelity simulations of nozzle flows relevant to supersonic retropropulsion environments have been conducted using CRoCCo-AMR, a validated flow solver with curvilinear adaptive mesh refinement. The computational approach for simulating retropropulsion utilizing generalized curvilinear adaptive mesh refinement are discussed in detail. Initial results are presented for a single nozzle condition with comparison to available experimental data. Strong agreement is demonstrated in key regions of the flowfield. Mean and statistical analyses are performed to characterize unsteady, turbulence quantities present in the canonical retropropulsion environment. The findings herein suggest the presence of a dominant low-frequency mode that appears across the flowfield originating from the primary vortex cores where the freestream and retropropulsion jet interact.

retropropulsion↗
DOE OSTI2019

NREL's Capabilities in Techno-Economic and Sustainability Analyses for Thermal and Catalytic Conversion of Biomass and Waste Feedstocks

The Thermal and Catalytic Process Development Unit at NREL has state-of-the-art equipment for thermochemical process development and testing, ranging from catalyst and feedstock characterizations to bench-scale reactors to pilot plants. Within this facility is the capability to integrate experimental results with detailed process models to estimate biomass conversion costs. This fact sheet summarizes the core capabilities and applications.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2020

Using X-Ray Computed Tomography to Image Apollo Drive Tube 73002

The Apollo missions collected 382 kg of rock, regolith, and core samples from six locations on the nearside of the Moon. Today, just over 84% by mass of the Apollo collection remains in pristine condition within the curation facility at Johnson Space Center. Most Apollo samples have been well characterized, however there are several types of samples that have remained wholly or largely unstudied since their return, and/or that have been curated under special conditions. These sample types are: (1) unopened samples sealed under vacuum on the Moon; (2) unopened (but unsealed) drive tubes; (3) Apollo 17 samples frozen shortly after their return; and (4) Apollo 15 samples opened and stored in a helium atmosphere since their return. Last summer, NASA solicited proposals for the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program (ANGSA), and 9 teams were selected to study: (1) unsealed, unopened drive tube 73002; (2) sealed, unopened drive tube 73001 (paired with 73002); and (3) a subset of the frozen and He-purged samples [1]. The first sample opened as part of the ANGSA program was drive tube 73002. This is a 30 cm long, 4 cm diameter drive tube collected on a landslide deposit near Lara Crater at the Apollo 17 landing site. It was part of a 60 cm long double drive tube collected, and the bottom half of the tube (73001) was sealed under vacuum on the Moon [2]. Prior to opening sample 73002, the sample was imaged with a high resolution Xray Computed Tomography (XCT) scan of the entire tube. Additional XCT scans have been made of “large” clasts removed from the core as part of the dissection process [3]. Here we present a first look at the XCT data from 73002, and talk about the utility of the scans as part of the curation process, including the potential for future science returns from the high resolutions scans.

Zeigler, R. A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Using X-Ray Computed Tomography to Image Apollo Drive Tube 73002

The Apollo missions collected 382 kg of rock, regolith, and core samples from six locations on the nearside of the Moon. Today, just over 84% by mass of the Apollo collection remains in pristine condition within the curation facility at Johnson Space Center. Most Apollo samples have been well characterized, however there are several types of samples that have remained wholly or largely unstudied since their return, and/or that have been curated under special conditions. These sample types are: (1) unopened samples sealed under vacuum on the Moon; (2) unopened (but unsealed) drive tubes; (3) Apollo 17 samples frozen shortly after their return; and (4) Apollo 15 samples opened and stored in a helium atmosphere since their return. NASA solicited proposals for the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program (ANGSA), and 9 teams were selected to study: (1) unsealed, unopened drive tube 73002; (2) sealed, unopened drive tube 73001 (paired with 73002); and (3) a subset of the frozen and He-purged samples [1]. The first sample opened as part of the ANGSA program was drive tube 73002. This was originally a ~30 cm long, 4 cm diameter drive tube collected on a landslide deposit near Lara Crater at the Apollo 17 landing site. It was part of a ~60 cm long double drive tube collected, and the bottom half of the tube (73001) was sealed under vacuum on the Moon [2]. Prior to opening sample 73002, the sample was imaged with a high resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) scan of the entire tube. Additional XCT scans have been made of “large” clasts removed from the core as part of the dissection process [3]. Here we present the whole tube and close-up XCT data from 73002, and talk about the utility of the scans as part of the curation process, including the potential for future science returns from the high resolutions scans.

R A Zeigler↗
DOE OSTI2017

High surface area Pd nanocatalyst on core-shell tungsten based support as a beneficial catalyst for low temperature fuel cells application

In this paper, tungsten based support was prepared by polycondensation of resorcinol and formaldehyde from ammonium metatungstate, in the presence cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) surfactant. Pd nanocatalyst on this support was synthesized by borohydride reduction method. The obtained materials were characterized by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical measurements. TEM analysis revealed Pd nanoparticles size in the range of a few nanometers, even the clusters of single Pd atoms. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was applied to determine surface composition of the substrates. It was found that tungsten based support consisted of W, WC and WO 3 species. The presence of metallic palladium – Pd(0) in the Pd/W@WCWO 3 catalyst was revealed, as well. The catalytic activity and stability for the oxygen reduction were investigated in acid and alkaline solutions, by cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry at the rotating disc electrode. The catalysts' activities were compared to the carbon supported Pd nanoparticles (Vulcan XC 72). Finally, WC supported Pd nanoparticles have shown high activity and superior stability, comparable even to Pt based catalysts, especially in alkaline electrolytes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

TCCSP Site Characterization and Feasibility Report

The Tulare County Carbon Storage Project (TCCSP) focused on establishing the geological and commercial viability of a 50 million metric ton (MMT) carbon storage complex located in Tulare County, California. The geologic scope of work included collecting new and existing subsurface data, such as two-dimensional (2D) seismic data, advanced geophysical logs, core and fluid samples, and specialized core-analysis datasets, to support the integration and interpretation of findings from earlier tasks. These efforts contributed to the comprehensive feasibility study for commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) development at the TCCSP site and in the surrounding region. The TCCSP project team evaluated the feasibility of the Lower Monterey Group (Santa Margarita Sand Member or its equivalent), Temblor Formation sand members (Olcese, Jewett, Vedder), and Lodo-Martinez Zone (Domengine Sandstone, Walker Formation, Lodo Formation, and the Martinez Sand) to serve as commercial CCS reservoirs along with potential for the Upper Monterey Group (Reef Ridge, Antelope Members) and the Kreyenhagen Formation to vertically seal underlying reservoirs from shallow above-zones.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Characterization of elastic mechanical properties of Tuscaloosa Marine Shale from well logs using the vertical transversely isotropic model

To avoid steep declines in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) production, wells are fracture-stimulated to release the hydrocarbons trapped in the matrix of the formation. An accurate estimation of Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio is essential for hydraulic fracture propagation. In addition, ignoring the highly heterogeneous and anisotropic character of TMS can lead to erroneous stress values, which subsequently affect hydraulic fracture width estimates and the overall hydraulic fracturing process. We have developed an empirical 1D geomechanical model that takes into account VTI anisotropy, and it is used to characterize the elastic mechanical properties of TMS in two wells. In the analyzed formation, the vertical Poisson’s ratio is less than the horizontal Poisson’s ratio, which suggests the necessity of an alternative to the ANNIE equations. The stiffness coefficients [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were estimated using the relationships developed from the ultrasonic core data available for the two TMS. Further, correlations between the static and dynamic properties from laboratory tests were used to improve the minimum horizontal stress calculation. We compare VTI Young’s moduli, Poisson’s ratios, and minimum horizontal stress with the isotropic solution. VTI modeling improves the estimation of the elastic mechanical properties. The isotropic solution underestimates the minimum horizontal stress in the formation. Moreover, it was shown that the 20 ft shale interval below the TMS base is characterized by a low Young’s modulus (the vertical Young’s modulus is equal to 20 GPa, whereas the horizontal Young’s modulus is equal to 40 GPa) and may be a frac barrier.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗
DOE OSTI2022

Three‐Dimensional Permeability Inversion Using Convolutional Neural Networks and Positron Emission Tomography

Abstract Quantification of heterogeneous multiscale permeability in geologic porous media is key for understanding and predicting flow and transport processes in the subsurface. Recent utilization of in situ imaging, specifically positron emission tomography (PET), enables the measurement of three‐dimensional (3‐D) time‐lapse radiotracer solute transport in geologic media. However, accurate and computationally efficient characterization of the permeability distribution that controls the solute transport process remains challenging. Leveraging the relationship between local permeability variation and solute advection behavior, an encoder‐decoder based convolutional neural network (CNN) is implemented as a permeability inversion scheme using a single PET scan of a radiotracer pulse injection experiment as input. The CNN can accurately capture the 3‐D spatial correlation between the permeability and the radiotracer solute arrival time difference maps in geologic cores. We first test the inversion accuracy using synthetic test datasets and then test the accuracy on a suite of experimental PET imaging datasets acquired on four different geologic cores. The network‐predicted permeability maps from the geologic cores are used to parameterize forward numerical models that are directly compared with the experimental PET imaging data. The results indicate that a single trained network can generate robust 3‐D permeability inversion maps in seconds. Numerical models parameterized with these permeability maps closely capture the experimentally observed solute arrival time behavior. This work provides an unprecedented approach for efficiently characterizing multiscale permeability heterogeneity in complex geologic samples.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Curvature-slope correlation of nuclear symmetry energy and its imprints on the crust-core transition, radius, and tidal deformability of canonical neutron stars

Background: The nuclear symmetry energy E sym (ρ) encodes information about the energy necessary to make nuclear systems more neutron-rich. While its slope parameter L at the saturation density ρ 0 of nuclear matter has been relatively well constrained by recent astrophysical observations and terrestrial nuclear experiments, its curvature K sym characterizing the E sym (ρ) around 2ρ 0 remains largely unconstrained. Over 520 calculations for E sym (ρ) using various nuclear theories and interactions in the literature have predicted several significantly different K sym –L correlations. Purpose: If a unique K sym –L correlation of E sym (ρ) can be firmly established, it will enable us to progressively better constrain the high-density behavior of E sym (ρ) using the available constraints on its slope parameter L. Here, we investigate if and by how much the different K sym –L correlations may affect neutron star observables. Method: A meta-model of nuclear Equation of States (EOSs) with three representative K sym –L correlation functions is used to generate multiple EOSs for neutron stars. We then examine effects of the K sym –L correlation on the crust-core transition density and pressure as well as the radius and tidal deformation of canonical neutron stars. Results: The K sym –L correlation affects significantly both the crust-core transition density and pressure. It also has strong imprints on the radius and tidal deformability of canonical neutron stars especially at small L values. The available data from LIGO/VIRGO and NICER set some useful limits for the slope L but can not distinguish the three representative K sym –L correlations considered.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Strain-Enhanced Metallic Intermixing in Shape-Controlled Multilayered Core–Shell Nanostructures: Toward Shaped Intermetallics

Controlling the surface composition of shaped bimetallic nanoparticles could offer precise tunability of geometric and electronic surface structure for new nanocatalysts. To achieve this goal, a platform for studying the intermixing process in a shaped nanoparticle was designed, using multilayered Pd-Ni-Pt core–shell nanocubes as precursors. Under mild conditions, the intermixing between Ni and Pt could be tuned by changing layer thickness and number, triggering intermixing while preserving nanoparticle shape. Intermixing of the two metals is monitored using transmission electron microscopy. The surface structure evolution is characterized using electrochemical methanol oxidation. DFT calculations suggest that the low-temperature mixing is enhanced by shorter diffusion lengths and strain introduced by the layered structure. The platform and insights presented are an advance toward the realization of shape-controlled multimetallic nanoparticles tailored to each potential application.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Structural and physicochemical insights into pH-responsive poly(DEAEMA- co -HEMA)-grafted mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SiO 2 ) grafted with responsive polymer shells are versatile hybrid systems. Understanding their three-dimensional organization in the hydrated state remains a significant challenge. Here, in this study, SiO 2 nanoparticles were functionalized with a poly(DEAEMA-co-HEMA) shell via a “grafting-from” polymerization strategy in aqueous media. Successful surface modification was confirmed by FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N 2 sorption, and ζ-potential, yielding grafting contents of 22% (p1 DEAEMA-co-HEMA ) and 49% (p2 DEAEMA-co-HEMA ). Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with solvent contrast variation was employed to elucidate the solution-state core–shell architecture of p1 and p2 hybrids at pH 2, where the grafted polymer shell is protonated and highly hydrated. Near contrast matching of the silica core, theoretically estimated at 58% D 2 O, suppressed the scattering intensity, enhancing sensitivity to the polymer shell. Constrained core–shell ellipsoid modeling across solvent contrasts revealed a systematic increase in shell thickness, overall particle dimensions, and shell anisotropy with increasing grafting content. In solution, the hydrated polymer shells were markedly more extended and structurally anisotropic than suggested by dry-state techniques structural characterization, highlighting the importance of solution-state structural analysis for accurately describing grafted polymer architectures.

Core-shell biomaterials↗
NASA NTRS2019

Microstructural Characterization of TiO2-II in the Chicxulub Peak Ring

The peak ring of the approximately 180 kilometer-diameter Chicxulub impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, was recently drilled during IODP-ICDP (International Ocean Discovery Program-International Continental Scientific Drilling Program) Expedition 364, producing core M0077A. The new core provides insights into the anatomy, composition, tectonic deformation, shock metamorphism, and post-impact overprint of crater-filling impactites and crystalline basement rocks. The basement rocks were shocked to approximately 12.5-17.5 gigapascals, uplifted, and hydrothermally altered. This study presents a combined Raman spectroscopic and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) study of TiO2-II, a high-pressure polymorph of TiO2 with an alpha-PbO2 structure (orthorhombic; space group Pbcn; density 4.34 grams per cubic centimeter, in shocked granitoid rock of the Chicxulub peak ring.

Schmieder, Martin↗
NASA NTRS2019

The Impact of Stripped Cores on the Frequency of Earth-size Planets in the Habitable Zone

The frequency of Earth-size planets in the habitable zone(HZ)of Sun-like stars, hereafter, is a key parameter to evaluate the yield of nearby Earth analogs that can be detected and characterized by future missions. Yet, this value is poorly constrained as there are no reliable exoplanet candidates in the HZ of Sun-like stars in the Kepler field. Here, we show that extrapolations relying on the population of small(<1.8R), short-period(<25 days)planets bias to large values. As the radius distribution at short orbital periods is strongly affected by atmospheric loss, we reevaluate using exoplanets at larger separations. We find that drops considerably, to values of only5% - 10%. Observations of young(<100 Myr)clusters can probe short-period sub-Neptunes that still retain most of their envelope mass. As such, they can be used to quantify the contamination of sub-Neptunes to the population of Kepler short-period small planets and aid in more reliable estimates of.

Pascucci, Ilaria↗
DOE OSTI2018

Revealing excitonic processes and chemical bonding in Mo S 2 by x-ray spectroscopy

Electron core-hole processes at absorption edges sport several signatures, primarily in the form of bound states and/or excitonic enhancement. Here, through analysis of the resonant-Raman Auger effect for the two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide MoS 2 , we demonstrate that these effects have significant manifestations at the S K edge. We characterize two asymmetric excitonically enhanced edges: one at the fundamental band edge and one several electron volts above it following a second band gap that lies entirely within the unoccupied states, with the latter revealing an anomalous postcollision interaction effect. In conclusion, our interpretation is supported by comparison of both the photoemission valence-band spectrum and the S K-edge x-ray-absorption spectrum with electronic structure calculations and an ab initio solution of the Bethe-Salpeter equation that accurately accounts for the electron-core-hole interaction.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗