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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 127 records · Page 7

Modelling and design of high efficiency radiation tolerant indium phosphide space solar cells

Using a fairly comprehensive model, a parametric variation study was performed of the InP shallow homojunction solar cell with a view to determining the maximum realistically achievable efficiency and an optimum design that would yield this efficiency. Calculations show that with good-quality epitaxial material, a beginning-of-life efficiency of about 20.3 precent at 1AM0, 25 C may be possible. The design parameters of the near-optimum cell are given. Also presented are the expected effect on the performance parameters of radiation damage by 1-MeV electrons and a possible explanation of the high radiation tolerance of InP solar cells.

Goradia, Chandra↗

Polarization phenomena in multiphoton ionization of atoms

The theory of multiphoton ionization for an atomic system of arbitrary complexity is developed using a density matrix formalism. An expression is obtained which determines the differential N-photon ionization cross section as a function of the polarization states of the target atom and the incident radiation. The parameters which characterize the photoelectron angular distribution are related to the general reduced matrix elements for the N-photon transition. Two-photon ionization of unpolarized atoms is treated as an illustration of the use of the theory. The dependence of the multiphoton ionization cross section on the polarization state of the incident radiation, which has been observed in two- and three-photon ionization of Cs, is accounted for by the theory. Finally, the photoelectron spin polarization produced by the multiphoton ionization of unpolarized atoms, like the analogous polarization resulting from single-photon ionization, is found to depend on the circular polarization of the incident radiation.

Jacobs, V. L.↗

Polarization phenomena in multiphoton ionization of atoms.

The theory of multiphoton ionization for an atomic system of arbitrary complexity is developed using a density matrix formalism. An expression is obtained which determines the differential N-photon ionization cross section as a function of the polarization states of the target atom and the incident radiation. The parameters which characterize the photo-electron angular distribution are related to the general reduced matrix elements for the N-photon transition. Two-photon ionization of unpolarized atoms is treated as an illustration of the use of the theory. The dependence of the multiphoton ionization cross section on the polarization state of the incident radiation, which has been observed in two- and three-photon ionization of Cs, is accounted for by the theory. Finally, the photoelectron spin polarization produced by the multiphoton ionization of unpolarized atoms, like the analogous polarization resulting from single-photon ionization, is found to depend on the circular polarization of the incident radiation.

Jacobs, V. L.↗

Dose rate effects in MOS microcircuits

Three read/write random access memories, AM91L24, HM1-6514, and MWS 5114, were subjected to total dose irradiation at three dose rates, with electrical testing after each increment of dosage. Annealing measurements were performed after the radiation tests were completed. The AM91L24 showed a strong dose rate effect and substantial post-irradiation annealing of radiation-induced damage. The dose rate effect was that a lower dose rate produced less net damage than an eqivalent total dose applied at a higher rate. The HM1-6514 showed essentially no dose rate effect and no annealing damage, and the MWS 5114 exhibited a moderate effect with some annealing. It was concluded that dose rate is an important parameter in radiation test procedures for MOS microcircuits and that annealing measurements may be important evaluation aids for such tests.

Cleveland, D. G.↗

Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) 2014 Western Pacific Campaign

The NASA Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) is a series of airborne campaigns focused on understanding physical processes in the Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL) and their role in atmospheric chemistry and climate. ATTREX is using the high-altitude, long-duration NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Air System to make in situ and remote-sensing measurements spanning the Pacific. A particular ATTREX emphasis is to better understand the dehydration of air as it passes through the cold tropical tropopause region. The ATTREX payload contains 12 in situ and remote sensing instruments that measure water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nonmethane hydrocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide), reactive chemical compounds (ozone, bromine, nitrous oxide), meteorological parameters, and radiative fluxes. During January-March, 2014, the Global Hawk was deployed to Guam for ATTREX flights. Six science flights were conducted from Guam (in addition to the transits across the Pacific), resulting in over 100 hours of Western Pacific TTL sampling and about 180 vertical profiles through the TTL. I will provide an overview of the dataset, with examples of the measurements including meteorological parameters, clouds and water vapor, and chemical tracers.

Airborne↗

A new spectrally-invariant approach to the remote sensing of inhomogeneous clouds

Current operational satellite retrievals of cloud optical and microphysical properties go back to the Nakajima-King technique developed at the end of the 1980s. This technique is based on library calculations for plane-parallel homogeneous clouds. It often works well for overcast skies but leads to substantial errors for inhomogeneous and broken cloud fields where the plane-parallel-geometry assumption is no longer valid. The basic concept of a new technique was first introduced in nuclear physics to quantify the critical conditions of reactors. Based on the eigenvalues of the radiative transfer equation, their approach provides a powerful means to parameterize the structure of 3D media. This parameterization was later successfully applied to relate surface reflectance spectra to 3D canopy structure and is known as the spectrally-invariant approximation. The proposed approach adapts this technique to the remote sensing of cloud properties such as droplet single scattering albedo and the average number of scatterings (which are the fundamental parameters in radiative transfer theory), with an emphasis on quantifying the associated errors and uncertainties. This retrieval is free from the plane-parallel homogeneous cloud assumption.

clouds↗

Defining the minimum temporal and spatial scales available from a new 72-month Nimbus-7 Earth Radiation Budget climate data set

Scale factors and assumptions which were applied in calculations of global radiation budget parameters based on ERB data are discussed. The study was performed to examine the relationship between the composite global ERB map that can be generated every six days using all available data and the actual average global ERB. The wide field of view ERB instrument functioned for the first 19 months of the Nimbus-7 life, and furnished sufficient data for calculating actual ERB averages. The composite was most accurate in regions with the least variation in radiation budget.

Randel, D. L.↗

Coaxial prime focus feeds for paraboloidal reflectors

A TE11 - TM11 dual mode coaxial feed for use in prime focus paraboloidal antenna systems is investigated. The scattering matrix parameters of the internal bifurcation junction was determined by the residue calculus technique. The scattering parameters and radiation fields of the aperture were found from the Weinstein solution. The optimum modeing ratio for minimum cross-polarization was determined along with the corresponding optimum feed dimensions. A peak cross-polarization level of -58 dB is predicted. The frequency characteristics were also investigated and a bandwidth of 5% is predicted over which the cross-polarization remains below -30 dB, the input VSWR is below 1.15, and the phase error is less than 10 deg. Theoretical radiation patterns and efficiency curves for a paraboloidal reflector illuminated by this feed were computed. The predicted sidelobe level is below -30 dB and aperture efficiencies greater than 70% are possible. Experimental results are also presented that substantiates the theoretical results. In addition, experimental results for a 'short-cup' coaxial feed are given. The report includes extensive design data for the dual-mode feed along with performance curves showing cross-polarization as a function of feed parameters. The feed is useful for low-cost ground based receiving antennas for use in direct television satellite broadcasting service.

Collin, R. E.↗

Radiative interactions in laminar duct flows

Analyses and numerical procedures are presented for infrared radiative energy transfer in gases when other modes of energy transfer occur simultaneously. Two types of geometries are considered, a parallel plate duct and a circular duct. Fully developed laminar incompressible flows of absorbing-emitting species in black surfaced ducts are considered under the conditions of uniform wall heat flux. The participating species considered are OH, CO, CO2, and H2O. Nongray as well as gray formulations are developed for both geometries. Appropriate limiting solutions of the governing equations are obtained and conduction-radiation interaction parameters are evaluated. Tien and Lowder's wide band model correlation was used in nongray formulation. Numerical procedures are presented to solve the integro-differential equations for both geometries. The range of physical variables considered are 300 to 2000 K for temperature, 0.1 to 100.0 atm for pressure, and 0.1 to 100 cm spacings between plates/radius of the tube. An extensive parametric study based on nongray formulation is presented. Results obtained for different flow conditions indicate that the radiative interactions can be quite significant in fully developed incompressible flows.

Trivedi, P. A.↗

Monte Carlo predictions of DNA fragment-size distributions for large sizes after HZE particle irradiation

DSBs (double-strand breaks) produced by densely ionizing space radiation are not located randomly in the genome: recent data indicate DSB clustering along chromosomes. DSB clustering at large scales, from >100 Mbp down to approximately 2 kbp, is modeled using a Monte-Carlo algorithm. A random-walk model of chromatin is combined with a track model, that predicts the radial distribution of energy from an ion, and the RLC (randomly-located-clusters) formalism, in software called DNAbreak. This model generalizes the random-breakage model, whose broken-stick fragment-size distribution is applicable to low-LET radiation. DSB induction due to track interaction with the DNA volume depends on the radiation quality parameter Q. This dose-independent parameter depends only weakly on LET. Multi-track, high-dose effects depend on the cluster intensity parameter lambda, proportional to fluence as defined by the RLC formalism. After lambda is determined by a numerical experiment, the model reduces to one adjustable parameter Q. The best numerical fits to the experimental data, determining Q, are obtained. The knowledge of lambda and Q allows us to give biophysically based extrapolations of high-dose DNA fragment-size data to low doses or to high LETs.

NASA Center JSC↗

Study of Aerothermodynamic Modeling Issues Relevant to High-Speed Sample Return Vehicles

This paper examines the application of state-of-the-art coupled ablation and radiation simulations to highspeed sample return vehicles, such as those returning from Mars or an asteroid. A defining characteristic of these entries is that the surface recession rates and temperatures are driven by nonequilibrium convective and radiative heating through a boundary layer with significant surface blowing and ablation products. Measurements relevant to validating the simulation of these phenomena are reviewed and the Stardust entry is identified as providing the best relevant measurements. A coupled ablation and radiation flowfield analysis is presented that implements a finite-rate surface chemistry model. Comparisons between this finite-rate model and a equilibrium ablation model show that, while good agreement is seen for diffusion-limited oxidation cases, the finite-rate model predicts up to 50% lower char rates than the equilibrium model at sublimation conditions. Both the equilibrium and finite rate models predict significant negative mass flux at the surface due to sublimation of atomic carbon. A sensitivity analysis to flowfield and surface chemistry rates show that, for a sample return capsule at 10, 12, and 14 km/s, the sublimation rates for C and C3 provide the largest changes to the convective flux, radiative flux, and char rate. A parametric uncertainty analysis of the radiative heating due to radiation modeling parameters indicates uncertainties ranging from 27% at 10 km/s to 36% at 14 km/s. Applying the developed coupled analysis to the Stardust entry results in temperatures within 10% of those inferred from observations, and final recession values within 20% of measurements, which improves upon the 60% over-prediction at the stagnation point obtained through an uncoupled analysis. Emission from CN Violet is shown to be over-predicted by nearly and order-of-magnitude, which is consistent with the results of previous independent analyses. Finally, the coupled analysis is applied to a 14 km/s Earth entry representative of a Mars sample return. Although the radiative heating provides a larger fraction of the total heating, the influence of ablation and radiation on the flowfield are shown to be similar to Stardust.

Johnston, Christopher O.↗

Evaluation of the potential of one to three SEASAT-SMMR channels in retrieving sea surface temperature

The scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) aboard the SEASAT satellite measured emitted radiation in both horizontal and vertical polarizations at microwave frequencies of 6.6, 10.69, 18.0, 21.0 and 37.0 GHz. Retrieval algorithms, for sea surface temperature (SST) determination, from subsets of one to three SMMR channels are obtained by a two step statistical technique. The technique first selects the best subsets of a given size defined by an R2 criterion (coefficient of determination), of a given size by the application of an efficient 'leaps and bounds' technique on a statistical data base. It then performs a regression analysis on the selected subsets. The statistical data base employed a large (600) set of seasonally and geographically diverse atmospheric and surface parameters for radiative transfer calculations. The results of the study of one to three channel subset retrieval algorithms indicate the possibility of using 6.6V, 6.6H and 18V channels for SST determination from SEASAT-SMMR data.

Pandey, P. C.↗

The Langley Parameterized Shortwave Algorithm (LPSA) for Surface Radiation Budget Studies

An efficient algorithm was developed during the late 1980's and early 1990's by W. F. Staylor at NASA/LaRC for the purpose of deriving shortwave surface radiation budget parameters on a global scale. While the algorithm produced results in good agreement with observations, the lack of proper documentation resulted in a weak acceptance by the science community. The primary purpose of this report is to develop detailed documentation of the algorithm. In the process, the algorithm was modified whenever discrepancies were found between the algorithm and its referenced literature sources. In some instances, assumptions made in the algorithm could not be justified and were replaced with those that were justifiable. The algorithm uses satellite and operational meteorological data for inputs. Most of the original data sources have been replaced by more recent, higher quality data sources, and fluxes are now computed on a higher spatial resolution. Many more changes to the basic radiation scheme and meteorological inputs have been proposed to improve the algorithm and make the product more useful for new research projects. Because of the many changes already in place and more planned for the future, the algorithm has been renamed the Langley Parameterized Shortwave Algorithm (LPSA).

Gupta, Shashi K.↗

Evaluation of the ERBE scene identification algo-rithm

The sensitivity of the radiation budget parameters and the scene selection process to different factors is evaluated. The use of ERB-7 CLE models provides instantaneous albedo and longwave flux values which are in essential agreement in the 70 deg cutoff case with those from the SAB method. The increase in albedo with increasing satellite zenith angle cutoff is not apparent at the target area level for different surface types. GOES models seem to show an increase in instantaneous albedo at the global level with satellite zenith angle of the same nature as the ERB-7 models investigated in a previous report and are, therefore, probably not an improvement. The use of recently derived NCLE models did not make a noticeable change in the budget parameters; but the cloud classification did show hemispherical differences and caused a day-night readjustment of cloudiness amounts. Preliminary results for an additional month (December 1979) indicate good agreement between the SAB and MLE methods. Additional work is required to establish the agreement for all seasons. Comparison of derived cloud amounts with other data sets such as THIR/TOMS indicates good zonal agreement. Sampling adequacy investigations at different temporal averaging intervals with the SAB method, indicate large uncertainties in small time average cases. For a 6-day averaging period, sampling is very poor with only 23% of the globe contributing toward the global mean albedo. Effect of modifications to the MLE procedure seem to have little effect on the derived budget quantities in an averaged sense. Significant differences in the flux values due to differences in scene selection are apparent in individual target areas studies. A modification of the MLE procedure to mimic the perpendicular bisector algorithm indicated no effect on the gross radiation budget quantities.

Vemury, S. K.↗

Expansion of Tabulated Scattering Matrices in Generalized Spherical Functions

An efficient way to solve the vector radiative transfer equation for plane-parallel turbid media is to Fourier-decompose it in azimuth. This methodology is typically based on the analytical computation of the Fourier components of the phase matrix and is predicated on the knowledge of the coefficients appearing in the expansion of the normalized scattering matrix in generalized spherical functions. Quite often the expansion coefficients have to be determined from tabulated values of the scattering matrix obtained from measurements or calculated by solving the Maxwell equations. In such cases one needs an efficient and accurate computer procedure converting a tabulated scattering matrix into the corresponding set of expansion coefficients. This short communication summarizes the theoretical basis of this procedure and serves as the user guide to a simple public-domain FORTRAN program.

scattering matrix↗

Electron microscopy of irradiation effects in space

The paper discusses several discoveries made in the study of lunar material. In the examination of the effects of solar wind implantations the topics covered include (1) solar wind radiation damage parameters and their aging characteristics, (2) the theory of the ancient solar wind, (3) the solar wind sputtering erosion rate, (4) the physicochemical properties of amorphous coatings, (5) maturity indexes and the macroscopic properties of the lunar regolith, (6) solar wind gas bubbles, (7) the composition of very heavy nuclei in the contemporary solar wind, and (8) track aging processes. Conclusions are drawn from the results about other extraterrestrial features such as the parent bodies of the meteorites, early solar nebulas, and interstellar clouds.

Maurette, M.↗

The Earth Radiation Budget Satellite System - An overview

The Earth Radiation Budget Satellite System (ERBSS) has been developed to provide radiation budget data. The current ERBSS studies have focused on a multiple satellite/multiple sensor system approach for determining earth radiation budget parameters at the top of the atmosphere on monthly and longer time scales for a number of area resolutions. The area resolutions include 250 by 250 km regions, 1000 by 1000 km regions in the tropics, 10 deg latitudinal zones, an equator to pole gradient net, and a global net. NOAA's near-polar sun-synchronous Tiros-N series of operational satellites are to be used together with a NASA 56-degree inclination satellite of the Applications Explorer Mission type. Each spacecraft will carry wide and medium field-of-view sensors, a sensor for measuring the solar constant, and a narrow field-of-view cross-track scanner.

Woerner, C. V.↗