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At least 127 records · Page 7

26th Space Simulation Conference Proceedings. Environmental Testing: The Path Forward

Topics covered include: A Multifunctional Space Environment Simulation Facility for Accelerated Spacecraft Materials Testing; Exposure of Spacecraft Surface Coatings in a Simulated GEO Radiation Environment; Gravity-Offloading System for Large-Displacement Ground Testing of Spacecraft Mechanisms; Microscopic Shutters Controlled by cRIO in Sounding Rocket; Application of a Physics-Based Stabilization Criterion to Flight System Thermal Testing; Upgrade of a Thermal Vacuum Chamber for 20 Kelvin Operations; A New Approach to Improve the Uniformity of Solar Simulator; A Perfect Space Simulation Storm; A Planetary Environmental Simulator/Test Facility; Collimation Mirror Segment Refurbishment inside ESA s Large Space; Space Simulation of the CBERS 3 and 4 Satellite Thermal Model in the New Brazilian 6x8m Thermal Vacuum Chamber; The Certification of Environmental Chambers for Testing Flight Hardware; Space Systems Environmental Test Facility Database (SSETFD), Website Development Status; Wallops Flight Facility: Current and Future Test Capabilities for Suborbital and Orbital Projects; Force Limited Vibration Testing of JWST NIRSpec Instrument Using Strain Gages; Investigation of Acoustic Field Uniformity in Direct Field Acoustic Testing; Recent Developments in Direct Field Acoustic Testing; Assembly, Integration and Test Centre in Malaysia: Integration between Building Construction Works and Equipment Installation; Complex Ground Support Equipment for Satellite Thermal Vacuum Test; Effect of Charging Electron Exposure on 1064nm Transmission through Bare Sapphire Optics and SiO2 over HfO2 AR-Coated Sapphire Optics; Environmental Testing Activities and Capabilities for Turkish Space Industry; Integrated Circuit Reliability Simulation in Space Environments; Micrometeoroid Impacts and Optical Scatter in Space Environment; Overcoming Unintended Consequences of Ambient Pressure Thermal Cycling Environmental Tests; Performance and Functionality Improvements to Next Generation Thermal Vacuum Control System; Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project: Three-Dimensional Dynamic Stability Testing and Analysis; Thermal Physical Properties of Thermal Coatings for Spacecraft in Wide Range of Environmental Conditions: Experimental and Theoretical Study; Molecular Contamination Generated in Thermal Vacuum Chambers; Preventing Cross Contamination of Hardware in Thermal Vacuum Chambers; Towards Validation of Particulate Transport Code; Updated Trends in Materials' Outgassing Technology; Electrical Power and Data Acquisition Setup for the CBER 3 and 4 Satellite TBT; Method of Obtaining High Resolution Intrinsic Wire Boom Damping Parameters for Multi-Body Dynamics Simulations; and Thermal Vacuum Testing with Scalable Software Developed In-House.

Packard, Edward A.↗

MOCVD of GaAs in a horizontal reactor - Modeling and growth

A two-dimensional model for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of GaAs in a horizontal reactor is presented. The model is characterized by the following parameters: reactor geometry and operating pressure, thermal boundary conditions, ratio of reactants, chemical reactions, total inlet gas flow rate, as well as molecular weights, thermal conductivities, heat capacities, viscosities, and binary diffusion coefficients of the gas-phase species. Film thickness profiles predicted by the model are compared with those of GaAs thin films grown in the modeled reactor. Results obtained show a good agreement between the predictions and data over the entire length of the deposition region for the low pressure and high flow rate run. Attention is also given to the reactor design and growth conditions.

Clark, Ivan O.↗

Photoelectrons and solar wind/lunar limb interaction.

It is suggested that boundary conditions for solar wind/lunar limb interactions are active. The 'whole-moon' limb does not evoke a shock cone, because warm (approximately equal 13 eV/electron) solar wind electrons are replaced by cool (less than or equal to 2 eV/electron) photoelectrons that are ejected from the generally smooth areas of the lunar terminator illuminated at glazing angles by the sun. A localized volume of low thermal pressure is created in the solar wind by these cool photoelectrons. The solar wind expands into this turbulence-suppressive volume without shock production. Conversely, directly illuminated highland areas exchange hot photoelectrons (greater than 20 eV/electron) for warm solar wind electrons. The hot electrons generate a localized pressure increase in the adjacent solar wind flow which evokes a shock streamer in the solar wind. Shock streamers are identifiable by a coincident increase in the magnitude of the solar wind magnetic field immediately external to the lunar wake. Shock occurrence is controlled by lunar topography, solar activity in the hard ultraviolet (greater than 20 eV), solar wind electron density and thermal velocity, and the intensity of the solar wind magnetic field.

Criswell, D. R.↗

Winds in late-type stars - Mechanisms of mass outflow

The four basic mechanisms that have been proposed for explaining the acceleration of winds in late-type stars are thermal pressure gradients, radiation pressure on circumstellar dust grains, momentum addition by Alfven waves, and momentum addition by periodic shock waves. Recent work in applying these mechanisms to stars is reviewed, with consideration given to whether these mechanisms can work, even in principle, and whether they are consistent with recent ultraviolet and X-ray data from the IUE and Einstein spacecraft. It is noted that thermally driven winds are likely important for late-type dwarfs, where the mass loss rates are small, and perhaps also in G giants and supergiants, but they cannot operate alone in the K and M giants and supergiants. It is thought that radiatively driven winds are probably unimportant for all cool stars, even the M supergiants with dusty circumstellar envelopes. In principle, Alfven waves can accelerate winds to high speeds so long as the field lines are initially open or forced open by some mechanism, but detailed calculations are needed. It is noted that, for the Miras and semiregular variable supergiants, periodic shock waves provide a simple way of producing rapid mass loss.

Linsky, J. L.↗

Gravitational instabilities in a proto-planetary disk including the effects of magnetic fields

We investigate the gravitational instability of a thin, Keplerian protoplanetary disk including the effects of a largely azimuthal magnetic field. The model follows that of our previous work (Noh, Vishniac, & Cochran 1991) except for the inclusion of a magnetic field. The disk is assumed to consist of neutral and ionized gas and neutral dust which are coupled by gravity and friction. The growth rates and eigenfunctions are calculated numerically using nonaxisymmetric linear perturbation methods. The results show that the growth rate has a maximum at some intermediate azimuthal number m, but for each value of m it is reduced relative to the unmagnetized case. The effects of the magnetic field appear more strongly on small scales. As the strength of the equilibrium magnetic field increases the growth rates decrease, and the maximum instability occurs at a lower value on m due to the increasing magnetic pressure. The response of each component to the magnetic field is discussed using the behavior of the eigenfunctions in the radial direction. With the inclusion of the magnetic field, the effects of the ionization fraction and friction on the growth rates also appear to be important for high m modes. Increasing the ionization fraction or the friction suppresses instability, but only slightly changes the maximally unstable azimuthal scales. The enhanced growth rates due to a dust component for which thermal pressure is negligible are somewhat reduced by the inclusion of a magnetic field. The effects of different boundary conditions (reflecting and transmitting) on the growth rates are also shown.

Noh, Hyerim↗

Chandra Observations of Dying Radio Sources in Galaxy Clusters

Context. The dying radio sources represent a very interesting and largely unexplored stage of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) evolution. They are considered to be very rare, and almost all of the few known ones were found in galaxy clusters. However, considering the small number detected so far, it has not been possible to draw any firm conclusions about their X-ray environment. Aims. We present X-ray observations performed with the Chandra satellite of the three galaxy clusters Abell 2276, ZwCl 1829.3+6912, and RX J1852.1+5711, which harbor at their center a dying radio source with an ultra-steep spectrum that we recently discovered. Methods. We analyzed the physical properties of the X-ray emitting gas surrounding these elusive radio sources. We determined the global X-ray properties of the clusters, derived the azimuthally averaged profiles of metal abundance, gas temperature, density, and pressure. Furthermore, we estimated the total mass profiles. Results. The large-scale X-ray emission is regular and spherical, suggesting a relaxed state for these systems. Indeed, we found that the three clusters are also characterized by significant enhancements in the metal abundance and declining temperature profiles toward the central region. For all these reasons, we classified RX J1852.1+5711, Abell 2276, and ZwCl 1829.3+6912 as cool-core galaxy clusters. Conclusions. We calculated the non-thermal pressure of the radio lobes assuming that the radio sources are in the minimum energy condition. For all dying sources we found that this is on average about one to two orders of magnitude lower than that of the external gas, as found for many other radio sources at the center of galaxy groups and clusters. We found marginal evidence for the presence of X-ray surface brightness depressions coincident with the fossil radio lobes of the dying sources in A2276 and ZwCl 1829.3+691. We estimated the outburst age and energy output for these two dying sources. The energy power from the AGN outburst is significantly higher than the X-ray luminosity in both clusters. Indeed, it is sufficient that a small fraction of this power is dissipated in the intra-cluster medium to reheat the cool cores.

Murgia, M.↗

Highly ionized gas in the Galactic halo

We reexamine the values of electron density n(sub e) and gas pressure P/k in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Galactic halo, as inferred from C IV emission and absorption lines and using current C IV atomic data. In a homogeneous model with 4.7 less than or equal to log T less than or equal to 5.3, the data are consistent with 0.01 less than or equal to n(sub e) less than or equal to 0.02/cu cm and 2200 less than or equal to P/k less than or equal to 3700/cu cm K, a factor of 2-3 higher than advocated by Martin & Bowyer (1990) and comparable to the thermal pressure in the disk. If some of the C IV absorption arises from nonemitting, photoionized gas, then the inferred density and pressure will increase accordingly. The volume filling factor for homogeneous models ranges from 0.5% to 5%. Because of the constraints arising from filling factor and radiated power, most of the C IV must arise from gas near the peak of the cooling curve, at log t less than or equal to 5.6. We relate both emission-line and absorption-line observations to recent models in which turbulent mixing layers and isobarically cooling supernova remnants (SNRs) provide significant amounts of halo gas at approximately 10(exp 5.3) K and process 20-40 solar mass/yr with a power of approximately 10(exp 41) ergs/sec. Since the observed C IV and N V absorption scale heights have been reported to differ, at 4.9 kpc and 1.6 kpc, respectively, we examine inhomogeneous models with different exponential scale heights of T, P, and SN energy input. The ISM may change its character with distance above the Galactic plane, as superbubbles and mixing layers dominate over isolated SNRs as the source of the C IV. For appropiate scale heights, the midplane pressure is twice the homogeneous values quoted above. The O IV lambda 1034 diffuse emission line, which can be used as a temperature diagnostic of the hot gas, is predicted to be comparable in strength to that of C IV lambda 1549 (approximately 6000 photons/cu cm/s/sr. The ions C IV, N V, and O VI are predicted to show a decreasing trend in vertical extent, with the O IV scale height perhaps as low as approximately 1 kpc.

Shull, J. Michael↗

The MAP Propulsion Subsystem

This paper describes the requirements, design, integration, test, performance, and lessons learned of NASA's Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) propulsion subsystem. MAP was launched on a Delta-II launch vehicle from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 30, 2001. Due to instrument thermal stability requirements, the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point was selected for the mission orbit. The L2 trajectory incorporated phasing loops and a lunar gravity assist. The propulsion subsystem's requirements are to manage momentum, perform maneuvers during the phasing loops to set up the lunar swingby, and perform stationkeeping at L2 for 2 years. MAP's propulsion subsystem uses 8 thrusters which are located and oriented to provide attitude control and momentum management about all axes, and delta-V in any direction without exposing the instrument to the sun. The propellant tank holds 72 kg of hydrazine, which is expelled by unregulated blowdown pressurization. Thermal management is complex because no heater cycling is allowed at L2. Several technical challenges presented themselves during I and T, such as in-situ weld repairs and in-situ bending of thruster tubes to accommodate late changes in the observatory CG. On-orbit performance has been nominal, and all phasing loop, mid-course correction, and stationkeeping maneuvers have been successfully performed to date.

Davis, Gary T.↗

Pressure Balance at Mars and Solar Wind Interaction with the Martian Atmosphere

The strongest crustal fields are located in certain regions in the Southern hemisphere. In the Northern hemisphere, the crustal fields are rather weak and usually do not prevent direct interaction between the SW and the Martian ionosphere/atmosphere. Exceptions occur in the isolated mini-magnetospheres formed by the crustal anomalies. Electron density profiles of the ionosphere of Mars derived from radio occultation data obtained by the Radio Science Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) experiment have been compared with the crustal magnetic fields measured by the MGS Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer (MAG/ER) experiment. A study of 523 electron density profiles obtained at latitudes from +67 deg. to +77 deg. has been conducted. The effective scale-height of the electron density for two altitude ranges, 145-165 km and 165-185 km, and the effective scale-height of the neutral atmosphere density in the vicinity of the ionization peak have been derived for each of the profiles studied. For the regions outside of the potential mini-magnetospheres, the thermal pressure of the ionospheric plasma for the altitude range 145-185 km has been estimated. In the high latitude ionosphere at Mars, the total pressure at altitudes 160 and 180 km has been mapped. The solar wind interaction with the ionosphere of Mars and origin of the sharp drop of the electron density at the altitudes 200-210 km will be discussed.

A M Krymskii↗

Flows through sequential orifices with heated spacer reservoirs

Flow rates and pressure thermal profiles for two phase choked flows of fluid nitrogen were studied theoretically and experimentally in a four sequential orifice configuration. Both theory and experimental evidence demonstrate that heat addition in the first spacer-reservoir adjacent to the inlet orifice is most effective in reducing the flow rate and that heat addition in the last spacer-reservoir is least effective. The flows are choked at the exit orifice for large spacings and at the inlet orifice for small spacings. The moderate addition of heat available for this experiment did not materially alter this result for large spacings; however, significant heat addition for the small spacings tended to shift the choke point to the exit orifice. Nitrogen is used as the working fluid over a range of states from liquid to gas with a reduced inlet stagnation pressure range to P sub r, o = 2.

Hendricks, R. C.↗

Constraints on Cosmic Rays, Magnetic Fields, and Dark Matter from Gamma-ray Observations of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies with VERITAS and FERMI

Observations of radio halos and relics in galaxy clusters indicate efficient electron acceleration. Protons should likewise be accelerated and, on account of weak energy losses, can accumulate, suggesting that clusters may also be sources of very high energy (VHE; E greater than100 GeV) gamma-ray emission. We report here on VHE gamma-ray observations of the Coma galaxy cluster with the VERITAS array of imaging Cerenkov telescopes, with complementing Fermi Large Area Telescope observations at GeV energies. No significant gamma-ray emission from the Coma Cluster was detected. Integral flux upper limits at the 99 confidence level were measured to be on the order of (2-5) x 10(sup -8) photons m(sup -2) s(sup -1) (VERITAS,greater than 220 GeV) and approximately 2 x 10(sup -6) photons m(sup -2) s(sup -1) (Fermi, 1-3 GeV), respectively. We use the gamma-ray upper limits to constrain cosmic rays (CRs) and magnetic fields in Coma. Using an analytical approach, the CR-to-thermal pressure ratio is constrained to be less than 16% from VERITAS data and less than 1.7% from Fermi data (averaged within the virial radius). These upper limits are starting to constrain the CR physics in self-consistent cosmological cluster simulations and cap the maximum CR acceleration efficiency at structure formation shocks to be 50. Alternatively, this may argue for non-negligible CR transport processes such as CR streaming and diffusion into the outer cluster regions. Assuming that the radio-emitting electrons of the Coma halo result from hadronic CR interactions, the observations imply a lower limit on the central magnetic field in Coma of approximately (2-5.5)microG, depending on the radial magnetic field profile and on the gamma-ray spectral index. Since these values are below those inferred by Faraday rotation measurements in Coma (for most of the parameter space), this renders the hadronic model a very plausible explanation of the Coma radio halo. Finally, since galaxy clusters are dark matter (DM) dominated, the VERITAS upper limits have been used to place constraints on the thermally averaged product of the total self-annihilation cross section and the relative velocity of the DM particles, (sigma upsilon)

cosmic↗

Ion streaming instabilities with application to collisionless shock wave structure

The electromagnetic dispersion relation for two counterstreaming ion beams of arbitrary relative strength flowing parallel to a dc magnetic field is derived. The beams flow through a stationary electron background and the dispersion relation in the fluid approximation is unaffected by the electron thermal pressure. The dispersion relation is solved with a zero net current condition applied and the regions of instability in the k-U space (U is the relative velocity between the two ion beams) are presented. The parameters are then chosen to be applicable for parallel shocks. It was found that unstable waves with zero group velocity in the shock frame can exist near the leading edge of the shock for upstream Alfven Mach numbers greater than 5.5. It is suggested that this mechanism could generate sufficient turbulence within the shock layer to scatter the incoming ions and create the required dissipation for intermediate strength shocks.

Golden, K. I.↗

Model calculations for diffuse molecular clouds

A steady state isobaric cloud model is developed. The pressure, thermal, electrical, and chemical balance equations are solved simultaneously with a simple one dimensional approximation to the equation of radiative transfer appropriate to diffuse clouds. Cooling is mainly by CII fine structure transitions, and a variety of heating mechanisms are considered. Particular attention is given to the abundance variation of H2. Inhomogeneous density distributions are obtained because of the attenuation of the interstellar UV field and the conversion from atomic to molecular hyrodgen. The effects of changing the model parameters are described and the applicability of the model to OAO-3 observations is discussed. Good qualitative agreement with the fractional H2 abundance determinations has been obtained. The observed kinetic temperatures near 80 K can also be achieved by grain photoelectron heating. The problem of the electron density is solved taking special account of the various hydrogen ions as well as heavier ones.

Glassgold, A. E.↗

Magnetic field of Jupiter and its interaction with the solar wind

Jupiter's magnetic field and its interaction with the magnetized solar wind were observed with the Pioneer 10 vector helium magnetometer. The magnetic dipole is directed opposite to that of the earth with an inclination of 15 deg lying in a system III meridian of 230 deg. The dipole is offset about 0.1 Jupiter radius north of the equatorial plane and about 0.2 Jupiter radius toward longitude 170 deg. There is severe stretching of the planetary field parallel to the equator throughout the outer magnetosphere, accompanied by a systematic departure from meridian planes. The field configuration implies substantial plasma effects inside the magnetosphere, such as thermal pressure, centrifugal forces, and differential rotation.

Smith, E. J.↗

Ion streaming instabilities with application to collisionless shock wave structure

The electromagnetic dispersion relation for two counterstreaming ion beams of arbitrary relative strength flowing parallel to a dc magnetic field is derived. The beams flow through a stationary electron background and the dispersion relation in the fluid approximation is unaffected by the electron thermal pressure. Magnetic effects on the ion beams are included, but the electrons are treated as a magnetized fluid. The dispersion relation is solved with a zero net current condition applied and the regions of instability in the k-U space (U is the relative velocity between the two ion beams) are presented. These results are extensions of Kovner's analysis for weak beams. The parameters are then chosen to be applicable for parallel shocks. It is found that unstable waves with zero group velocity in the shock frame can exist near the leading edge of the shock for upstream Alfven Mach numbers greater than 5.5.

Golden, K. I.↗

Centaur Standard Shroud (CSS) static limit load structural tests

The structural capabilities of the jettisonable metal shroud were tested and the interaction of the shroud with the Centaur stage was evaluated. A flight-configured shroud and the assemblies of the associated Centaur stage were tested for applied axial and shear loads to flight limit values. The tests included various thermal, pressure, and load conditions to verify localized strength capabilities, to evaluate subsystem performance, and to determine the aging effect on insulation system properties. The tests series verified the strength capabilities of the shroud and of all associated flight assembles. Shroud deflections were shown to remain within allowable limits so long as load sharing members were connected between the shroud and the Centaur stage.

Eastwood, C.↗

Application of NASTRAN to a fluid solids unit in the petroleum industry

The application of NASTRAN to the design of a fluid solids unit plenum/cyclone/dipleg assembly is described. The major loads considered are thermal, pressure, and gravity. Such applications are of interest in the petroleum industry since the equipment described is historically critical.

Nelson, N. W.↗