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Commercial high-temperature Fe-, Ni-, and Co-base alloys were oxidized in air at 815 deg C for ten 1000-hour cycles. Specific weight change versus time curves were derived and the 10,000-hour surface oxides were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The alloys were ranked by a combination of appearance and metal loss estimates derived from gravimetric data.
Thirty-three commercial high-temperature Fe-, Ni-, and Co-base alloys were oxidized in air at 815 C (1500 F) for ten 1000-hour cycles. Specific weight change versus time curves were derived and the 10,000-hour surface oxides were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The alloys were ranked by a combination of appearance and metal loss estimates derived from gravimetric data.
A flight and laboratory study of sidewall acoustic treatment for cabin noise control is described. In flight, cabin noise levels were measured at six locations with three treatment configurations. Noise levels from narrow-band analysis are reduced to one-third octave format and used to calculate insertion loss, IL, defined as the reduction of interior noise associated with the addition of a treatment. Laboratory tests used a specially constructed structural panel modeled after the propeller plane section of the aircraft sidewall, and acoustic treatments representing those used in flight. Lab measured transmission loss and absorption values were combined using classical acoustic procedures to obtain a prediction of IL. Comparison with IL values measured in flight for the boundary layer component of the noise indicated general agreement.
This paper studies the spectral appearance and evolution of the infrared light curve, also referred to as the infrared echo, of Type II supernovae embedded in carbon- or oxygen-rich circumstellar dust shells. The distinct spectral signature of the echo and its temporal evolution can be used to estimate the mass of the shell and identify the composition of the dust. Since the shell mass and dust composition are determined by the combined effect of stellar mass loss and the dredging of newly synthesized heavy elements to the stellar surface, observations of the infrared echo may provide useful clues to the presupernova evolution of the progenitor star.
Unlubricated sliding friction and wear of 440C steels in an oxygen environment have been studied under a variety of load, speed, and temperature ranging from approximately -185 to 675 deg C. A specially designed test apparatus with a ball-on-flat geometry has been used for this purpose. The observed dependencies of the initial coefficient of friction, the average dynamic coefficient of friction, and the wear rate on load, speed, and test temperatures have been examined from the standpoint of existing theories of friction and wear. High contact temperatures are generated during the sliding friction, causing rapid oxidation and localized surface melting. A combination of fatigue, delamination, and loss of hardness due to tempering of the martensitic structure is responsible for the high wear rate observed and the coefficient of friction.
The Galileo mission was originally designed to investigate Jupiter and its moons utilizing a high-rate, X-band (8415 MHz) communication downlink with a maximum rate of 134.4 kb/sec. However, following the failure of the high-gain antenna (HGA) to fully deploy, a completely new communication link design was established that is based on Galileo's S-band (2295 MHz), low-gain antenna (LGA). The new link relies on data compression, local and intercontinental arraying of antennas, a (14,1/4) convolutional code, a (255,M) variable-redundancy Reed-Solomon code, decoding feedback, and techniques to reprocess recorded data to greatly reduce data losses during signal acquisition. The combination of these techniques will enable return of significant science data from the mission.
Previous analysis has shown that the distribution of O3 at high northern latitudes in the lower-to-middle stratosphere at the beginning of the winter season has a characteristic distribution, which is consistent between in situ and satellite measurements. Initial O3 profiles in the vortex are similar to each other and are quite different from outside the vortex at the same latitude and also from a zonal mean climatology. In the vortex, O3 is nearly constant from 500 to above 800 K with a value near 3 ppmv. Values outside the vortex are up to a factor of 2 higher and increase significantly with potential temperature. Model analysis indicates that the characteristic vortex O3 profiles arise from a combination of seasonally accelerated photochemical loss at high latitudes and minimal transport of air from lower latitudes. Analysis of the relatively high-resolution POAM data shows that these characteristic O3 distributions are consistent from year to year and between the hemispheres. Here we emphasize analysis of the 24-year time series of O3 data from SBUV in the lower-to-middle stratosphere at high latitudes in the fall vortex. We find that the variability of O3 from SBUV is relatively small in this regime and no significant trend is detectable. The implications of the findings for stratospheric O3 chemistry and transport will be explored.
An investigation of four exhaust-nozzle-afterbody combinations has been conducted in the Langley 9- by 12-inch blowdown tunnel at Mach numbers of 1.93, 2.55, and 3.05. The models were tested on a pylon-mounted nacelle and the jet exhaust was simulated with cold air. Base bleed w a s varied from 0 to about 12 percent of the primary jet weight flow and was discharged in to the base region through either a sonic or supersonic bleed nozzle. The models were tested at zero degree angle of attack and the Reynolds number range was from 8 x 10(exp 6) to 9 x 10(exp 6) per foot. The results indicate that the base pressure and the performance of the exhaust-nozzle-afterbody combinations were little affected gy the high-velocity base bleed. The efficiency of the terminal-fairing model was only slightly less than that of the convergent-divergent nozzle-afterbody combinations; this difference indicates the loss associated with improved transonic efficiency at higher Mach numbers.
In microgravity (microG) humans have marked changes in body fluids, with a combination of an overall fluid loss and a redistribution of fluids in the cranial direction. We investigated whether interstitial pulmonary edema develops as a result of a headward fluid shift or whether pulmonary tissue fluid volume is reduced as a result of the overall loss of body fluid. We measured pulmonary tissue volume (Vti), capillary blood flow, and diffusing capacity in four subjects before, during, and after 10 days of exposure to microG during spaceflight. Measurements were made by rebreathing a gas mixture containing small amounts of acetylene, carbon monoxide, and argon. Measurements made early in flight in two subjects showed no change in Vti despite large increases in stroke volume (40%) and diffusing capacity (13%) consistent with increased pulmonary capillary blood volume. Late in-flight measurements in four subjects showed a 25% reduction in Vti compared with preflight controls (P < 0.001). There was a concomittant reduction in stroke volume, to the extent that it was no longer significantly different from preflight control. Diffusing capacity remained elevated (11%; P < 0.05) late in flight. These findings suggest that, despite increased pulmonary perfusion and pulmonary capillary blood volume, interstitial pulmonary edema does not result from exposure to microG.
Communication systems for future NASA interplanetary spacecraft require transmitter power ranging from several hundred watts to kilowatts. Several hybrid junctions are considered as elements within a corporate combining architecture for high power Ka-band space traveling-wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs). This report presents the simulated transmission characteristics of several hybrid junctions designed for a low loss, high power waveguide based power combiner.
Atomic oxygen erosion of polymers in low Earth orbit (LEO) poses a serious threat to spacecraft performance and durability. To address this, 40 different polymer samples and a sample of pyrolytic graphite, collectively called the PEACE (Polymer Erosion and Contamination Experiment) Polymers, were exposed to the LEO space environment on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly 4 years as part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment 1 & 2 (MISSE 1 & 2). The purpose of the PEACE Polymers experiment was to obtain accurate mass loss measurements in space to combine with ground measurements in order to accurately calculate the atomic oxygen erosion yields of a wide variety of polymeric materials exposed to the LEO space environment for a long period of time. Error calculations were performed in order to determine the accuracy of the mass measurements and therefore of the erosion yield values. The standard deviation, or error, of each factor was incorporated into the fractional uncertainty of the erosion yield for each of three different situations, depending on the post-flight weighing procedure. The resulting error calculations showed the erosion yield values to be very accurate, with an average error of 3.30 percent.
Non Planar Ring Oscillator (NPRO) lasers are highly attractive for metrology applications. NPRO reliability for prolonged space missions is limited by reliability of 808 nm pump diodes. Combined laser farm aging parameter allows comparing different bias approaches. Monte-Carlo software developed to calculate the reliability of laser pump architecture, perform parameter sensitivity studies To meet stringent Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) Lite lifetime reliability / output power requirements, we developed a single-mode Laser Pump Module architecture that: (1) provides 2 W of power at 808 nm with >99.7% reliability for 5.5 years (2) consists of 37 de-rated diode lasers operating at -5C, with outputs combined in a very low loss 37x1 all-fiber coupler
Landslides can have significant and pervasive impacts to life and property around the world. Several attempts have been made to predict the geographic distribution of landslide activity at continental and global scales. These efforts shared common traits such as resolution, modeling approach, and explanatory variables. The lessons learned from prior research have been applied to build a new global susceptibility map from existing and previously unavailable data. Data on slope, faults, geology, forest loss, and road networks were combined using a heuristic fuzzy approach. The map was evaluated with a Global Landslide Catalog developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as several local landslide inventories. Comparisons to similar susceptibility maps suggest that the subjective methods commonly used at this scale are, for the most part, reproducible. However, comparisons of landslide susceptibility across spatial scales must take into account the susceptibility of the local subset relative to the larger study area. The new global landslide susceptibility map is intended for use in disaster planning, situational awareness, and for incorporation into global decision support systems.
Nitric oxide (NO) is emitted in large quantities from coal-burning power plants. During the day, the plumes from these sources are efficiently mixed into the boundary layer, while at night, they may remain concentrated due to limited vertical mixing during which they undergo horizontal fanning. At night, the degree to which NO is converted to HNO3 and therefore unable to participate in next-day ozone (O3) formation depends on the mixing rate of the plume, the composition of power plant emissions, and the composition of the background atmosphere. In this study, we use observed plume intercepts from the Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emissions and Reactivity (WINTER) campaign to test sensitivity of overnight NOx removal to the N2O5 loss rate constant, plume mixing rate, background O3, and background levels of volatile organic compounds using a 2-D box model of power plant plume transport and chemistry. The factor that exerted the greatest control over NOx removal was the loss rate constant of N2O5. At the lowest observed N2O5 loss rate constant, no other combination of conditions converts more than 10 percent of the initial NOx to HNO3. The other factors did not influence NOx removal to the same degree.
As humans venture further into space and beyond low Earth orbit, space radiation is one of the main challenges for astronauts' health. Radiation-induced bone loss is a potential health problem for long duration habitation in space. We showed that a dietary countermeasure prevents bone loss in mice exposed to total body irradiation (TBI). We used a range of ionizing radiation, gamma (137Cs), proton (1H), iron (56Fe), and a combination of sequential proton and iron beam (1H/56Fe/1H) to evaluate skeletal responses. These TBI cover a range of linear energy transfer (LET), from low-LET such as proton, to high-LET such as 56Fe (HZE: high Z- high energy) at doses between 1-2 Gy. The countermeasure diet, composed of 25% Dried Plum (DP) was effective at preventing radiation-induced cancellous bone loss in appendicular bone (tibia). Furthermore, exposing mice to HZE radiation, such as 56Fe (1Gy), impaired ex vivo growth of marrow-derived, bone-forming osteoblasts, which led to reduced mineralization capacity (-77%). In contrast, mice fed the DP diet did not display these deficits, showing the diet's capacity to protect marrow-derived osteoprogenitors. Dietary DP prevented the increase of bone resorbing osteoclast cells, inflammation and oxidative stress, while protecting the osteoprogenitors and mesenchymal stem cells, which few drugs against osteoporosis may achieve. Spaceflight is a combination of multiple factors including microgravity, in addition to space radiation. Therefore, we conducted additional studies to determine if the DP diet could prevent simulated spaceflight (simulated microgravity and radiation combined) bone loss. Mice were exposed to gamma (TBI, 137Cs, 2 Gy), simulated microgravity (using the hindlimb unloading system, HU) or TBI+HU. While we observed bone loss in mice fed the control diet (CD) due to both treatments (TBI=14%, HU=20%), and a worse effect with combined treatments (TBI+HU=25%), mice fed the DP diet did not sustain significant bone loss relative to untreated controls. The DP diet prevented microarchitectural decrements in both appendicular bone (tibia) and axial bone (vertebrae). In addition, the DP diet mitigated HU-induced deficits in osteoblastogenesis. Interestingly, lower doses of DP diet (5%, 10%) did not appear to prevent cancellous bone loss, which shows the importance of identifying the active component(s) of DP. Finally, we have preliminary data showing the potential of DP to prevent radiation-induced damage at a systematic level.. In summary, this novel dietary countermeasure is a promising candidate nutritional countermeasure for spaceflight-induced bone loss and tissue damage.
A technique combining electron impact excitation and optical absorption spectroscopy was applied to UF6. The crucial features of the experiment were that: (1) the electron optics was differentially pumped relative to the scattering chamber and (2) the target UF6 beam was condensed on a liquid nitrogen cold trap placed immediately above the scattering center. Energy loss spectra are presented at an incident electron energy of 20 eV and at scattering angles between 20 and 135 degrees. It is shown that no transitions are found below the first-detected feature at 3.0 eV and an optically forbidden excitation is found at 4.2 eV. A fairly strong optical absorption at 4.8 eV is observed to 'fill-in' at a scattering angle of 20 degrees but is practically absent at higher angles.
DC bus voltage regulation may be required in future high powered spacecraft due to the length of the busses or because they are not generated at precise voltage levels. In these cases the regulation range is often only a few percent increase or decrease, but conventional DC voltage regulators switch all the power passing through them, and this level of power switched determines the size and losses in the regulator. A recently developed concept used a low power DC-DC converter in series with the bs to raise or lower the bus voltage over a small range. This partial power processing technique combines the small size and power losses of the low power converter with the ability to regulate, (over a small range) a high power bus. The Series Connected Buck Boost Regulator (SCBBR) described herein provides bus regulation with an efficiency of 98%. The circuit also provides bus switching and overcurrent limiting functions of a Remote Power Controller (RPC). This paper described the circuit design and performance of a breadboard SCBBR configured as a bus voltage regulator providing plus of minus 40% voltage regulation range, bus switching, and overload limiting.
Global mangrove loss has been attributed primarily to human activity. Anthropogenic loss hotspots across Southeast Asia and around the world have characterized the ecosystem as highly threatened, though natural processes such as erosion can also play a significant role in forest vulnerability. However, the extent of human and natural threats has not been fully quantified at the global scale. Here, using a Random Forest-based analysis of over one million Landsat images, we present the first 30-meter resolution global maps of the drivers of mangrove loss from 2000-2016, capturing both human-driven and natural stressors. We estimate that 62% of global losses between 2000-2016 resulted from land-use change, primarily through conversion to aquaculture and agriculture. Up to 80% of these human-driven losses occurred within six Southeast Asian nations, reflecting the regional emphasis on enhancing aquaculture for export to support economic development. Both anthropogenic and natural losses declined between 2000-2016, though slower declines in natural loss caused an increase in their relative contribution to total global loss area. We attribute the decline in anthropogenic losses to the regionally-dependent combination of increased emphasis on conservation efforts and a lack of remaining mangroves viable for conversion. While efforts to restore and protect mangroves appear to be effective over decadal time scales, the emergence of natural drivers of loss presents an immediate challenge for coastal adaptation. We anticipate that our results will inform decision making within conservation and restoration initiatives by providing a locally-relevant understanding of the causes of mangrove loss.