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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

The impact of polar stratospheric clouds on the heating rates of the winter polar stratosphere

The perturbation affecting IR radiative heating rates of the lower stratosphere that are prompted by the occurrence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) during the Arctic and Antarctic winter are presently calculated by means of a multispectral radiative transfer code that allows for scattering, absorption, and thermal emission by particles and gases. Attention is given to perturbations arising from both the particulate opacity of the PSCs and the decrease of H2O vapor accompanying their formation. For plausible values of model parameters, the former, direct effect is always one of increased radiative cooling, while the indirect effect is always one of decreased cooling.

Pollack, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Measurement of Momentum Transfer Coefficients for H2, N2, CO, and CO2 Incident Upon Spacecraft Surfaces

Measurements of momentum transfer coefficients were made for gas-surface interactions between the Space Shuttle reaction control jet plume gases and the solar panel array materials to be used on the International Space Station. Actual conditions were simulated using a supersonic nozzle source to produce beams of the gases with approximately the same average velocities as the gases have in the Shuttle plumes. Samples of the actual solar panel materials were mounted on a torsion balance that was used to measure the force exerted on the surfaces by the molecular beams. Measurements were made with H2, N2, CO, and CO2 incident upon the solar array material, Kapton, SiO2-coated Kapton, and Z93-coated Al. The measurements showed that molecules scatter from the surfaces more specularly as the angle of incidence increases and that the scattering behavior has a strong dependence upon both the incident gas and velocity. These results show that for some technical surfaces the simple assumption of diffuse scattering with complete thermal accommodation is entirely inadequate. It is clear that additional measurements are required to produce models that more accurately describe the gas-surface interactions encountered in rarefied flow regimes.

Cook, Steven R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Measurements of momentum transfer coefficients for H2, N2, CO and CO2 incident upon spacecraft surfaces

Measurements of momentum transfer coefficients were made for gas-surface interactions between the Space Shuttle reaction control jet plume gases and the solar panel array materials to be used on the International Space Station. Actual conditions were simulated using a supersonic nozzle source to produce beams of the gases with approximately the same average velocities as the gases have in the Shuttle plumes. Samples of the actual solar panel materials were mounted on a torsion balance that was used to measure the force exerted on the surfaces by the molecular beams. Measurements were made with H2, N2, CO, and CO2 incident upon the solar array material, Kapton, SiO2-coated Kapton, and Z93-coated Al. The measurements showed that molecules scatter from the surfaces more specularly as the angle of incidence increases and that scattering behavior has a strong dependence upon both the incident gas and velocity. These results show that for some technical surfaces the simple assumption of diffuse scattering with complete thermal accommodation is entirely inadequate. It is clear that additional measurements are required to produce models that more accurately describe the gas-surface interactions encountered in rarefied flow regimes.

Cook, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The NGST and the Zodiacal Light in the Solar System

We develop a physical model of the zodiacal cloud incorporating the real dust sources of asteroidal, cometary, and kuiperoidal origin. Using the inferred distribution of the zodiacal dust, we compute its thermal emission and scattering at several wavelengths (1.25, 5, and 20 micron) as a function of NGST location assumed to be at 1 AU or 3 AU. Areas on the sky with a minimum of zodiacal light are determined.

Gorkavyi, Nick↗
NASA NTRS1999

Far Infrared Measurements of Cirrus

Improved techniques for remote sensing of cirrus are needed to obtain global data for assessing the effect of cirrus in climate change models. Model calculations show that the far infrared/sub-millimeter spectral region is well suited for retrieving cirrus Ice Water Path and particle size parameters. Especially useful cirrus information is obtained at frequencies below 60 cm-1 where single particle scattering dominates over thermal emission for ice particles larger than about 50 m. Earth radiance spectra have been obtained for a range of cloud conditions using an aircraft-based Fourier transform spectrometer. The Far InfraRed Sensor for Cirrus (FIRSC) is a Martin-Puplett interferometer which incorporates a polarizer for the beamsplitter and can be operated in either intensity or linear polarization measurement mode. Two detector channels span 10 to 140 cm-1 with a spectral resolution of 0.1 cm-1; achieving a Noise Equivalent Temperature of approximately 1K at 30 cm-1 in a 4 sec scan. Examples are shown of measured and modeled Earth radiance for a range of cloud conditions from 1998 and 1999 flights.

Nolt, I. G.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Computation of the Effects of Inhomogeneous Clouds on Retrieval of Remotely Sensed Properties

Current and future earth observation programs depend on satellite measurements of radiance to retrieve the properties of clouds on a global basis. At present, this retrieval is made assuming that the clouds in the instrument field of view are plane parallel and independent of adjacent pixels. While this assumption is known to be false except in very limited cases, its impact can be evaluated, and if possible corrected, based on emerging theoretical techniques. In this study, the Spherical Harmonic Discrete Ordinate Method (SHDOM, Evans, 1996) has been used to assess the sensitivity of the retrieval to a variety of cloud parameters. SHDOM allows the plane parallel assumption to be relaxed and makes 2D and even 3D radiative solutions practical. A previous study (Chambers et al., 1996) assessed the effect of horizontal inhomogeneity in 45 LANDSAT scenes of boundary layer clouds over ocean. The four scenes studied here represent overcast, broken, scattered and strongly thermally forced cloud fields and are used to perform sensitivity studies to a wider variety of parameters. Comparisons are made at three solar zenith angles (theta (sub 0) = 0, 49, and 63 degrees) to avoid ambiguity in the results due to solar zenith angle.

Chambers, Lin H.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Performance of Current Atmospheric Radiation Codes in Phase I of CIRC

The Continual Intercomparison of Radiation Codes (CIRC) is intended as an evolving and regularly updated reference source for evaluation of radiative transfer (RT) codes used in Global Climate Models and other atmospheric applications. In our presentation we will discuss our evaluation of the performance of 13 shortwave and 11 longwave RT codes that participated in Phase I of CIRC. CIRC differs from previous intercomparisons in that it relies on an observationally validated catalogue of cases. The seven CIRC Phase I baseline cases, five cloud-free, and two with overcast liquid clouds, are built around observations by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) program that satisfy the goals .of Phase I, namely to examine RT model performance in realistic, yet not overly complex, atmospheric conditions. Besides the seven baseline cases, additional idealized "subcases" are also examined to facilitate interpretation of model errors. We will quantify individual model performance with respect to reference line-by-line calculations, and will also highlight RT code behavior for conditions of doubled CO2 , aspects of utilizing a spectral specification of surface albedo, and the impact of the inclusion of scattering in the thermal infrared. Our analysis suggests that RT codes should work towards improving their calculation of diffuse shortwave flux, shortwave absorption, treatment of spectral surface albedo, and shortwave CO2 forcing. Despite practical difficulties in comparing our results to previous results by the Intercomparison of Radiation Codes in Climate Models (ICRCCM) conducted about 20 years ago, it appears that the current generation of RT codes do indeed perform better than the codes of the ICRCCM era. By enhancing the range of conditions under which participating codes are tested, future CIRC phases will hopefully allow even more rigorous examination of RT code performance.

Oreopoulos, L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

High-Contrast Near-Infrared Imaging Polarimetry of the Protoplanetary Disk around RY Tau

We present near-infrared coronagraphic imaging polarimetry of RY Tau. The scattered light in the circumstellar environment was imaged at H-band at a high resolution (approx. 0.05) for the first time, using Subaru-HiCIAO. The observed polarized intensity (PI) distribution shows a butterfly-like distribution of bright emission with an angular scale similar to the disk observed at millimeter wavelengths. This distribution is offset toward the blueshifted jet, indicating the presence of a geometrically thick disk or a remnant envelope, and therefore the earliest stage of the Class II evolutionary phase. We perform comparisons between the observed PI distribution and disk models with: (1) full radiative transfer code, using the spectral energy distribution (SED) to constrain the disk parameters; and (2) monochromatic simulations of scattered light which explore a wide range of parameters space to constrain the disk and dust parameters. We show that these models cannot consistently explain the observed PI distribution, SED, and the viewing angle inferred by millimeter interferometry. We suggest that the scattered light in the near-infrared is associated with an optically thin and geometrically thick layer above the disk surface, with the surface responsible for the infrared SED. Half of the scattered light and thermal radiation in this layer illuminates the disk surface, and this process may significantly affect the thermal structure of the disk.

protoplanetary disks↗
NASA NTRS2014

Measuring the Coronal Properties of IC 4329A with NuSTAR

We present an analysis of an approximately 160 ks NuSTAR observation of the nearby bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The highquality broadband spectrum enables us to separate the effects of distant reflection from the direct coronal continuum, and to therefore accurately measure the high-energy cutoff to be E(sub cut) = 178 (+74 / −40) keV. The coronal emission arises from accretion disk photons Compton up-scattered by a thermal plasma, with the spectral index and cutoff being due to a combination of the finite plasma temperature and optical depth. Applying standard Comptonization models, we measure both physical properties independently using the best signal to noise obtained to date in an active galactic nucleus over the 3 - 79 keV band. We derive kT(sub e) = 37(+7 /−6) keV with tau = 1.25(+0.20 / −0.10) assuming a slab geometry for the plasma, and kT(sub e) = 33(+6 / −6) keV with tau = 3.41(+0.58 / −0.38) for a spherical geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.

X-rays: binaries↗
NASA NTRS2014

Measuring the Coronal Properties of IC 4329A with NuSTAR

We present an analysis of an approximately 160 ks NuSTAR observation of the nearby bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The highquality broadband spectrum enables us to separate the effects of distant reflection from the direct coronal continuum, and to therefore accurately measure the high-energy cutoff to be E(sub cut) = 178 (+74 / −40) keV. The coronal emission arises from accretion disk photons Compton up-scattered by a thermal plasma, with the spectral index and cutoff being due to a combination of the finite plasma temperature and optical depth. Applying standard Comptonization models, we measure both physical properties independently using the best signal to noise obtained to date in an active galactic nucleus over the 3 - 79 keV band. We derive kT(sub e) = 37(+7 /−6) keV with tau = 1.25(+0.20 / −0.10) assuming a slab geometry for the plasma, and kT(sub e) = 33(+6 / −6) keV with tau = 3.41(+0.58 / −0.38) for a spherical geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.

finite plasma temperature↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Polymer Aerogels for Lunar Applications and Beyond

As the Space Community endeavors to reach new heights of human exploration, materials for extreme environment are at the forefront of research. One class of materials of particular focus are polymer aerogels; lightweight solids with nanoscale pore size, high internal surface area, and extremely high porosities. These interesting properties allow aerogels to act as superior thermal insulators, IR scattering filters, sensor platforms, and vibro-acoustic mitigating materials. Polymer aerogels also have the potential to combat issues found in lunar environments such as dust and radiation mitigation.

polymer↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Expanding the Horizons of Polymer Aerogels

As the Space Community endeavors to reach new heights of human exploration, materials for extreme environments are at the forefront of research. One class of materials of particular focus are polymer aerogels; lightweight solids with nanoscale pore size, high internal surface area, and extremely high porosities. These interesting properties allow aerogels to act as superior thermal insulators, IR scattering filters, sensor platforms, and vibro-acoustic mitigating materials. Polymer aerogels also have the potential to combat issues found in lunar environments such as dust and radiation mitigation. Herein, past and present research, synthesis, and applications of polymer aerogels will be discussed.

Stephanie L Vivod↗
NASA NTRS2017

Electromagnetic Scattering and Emission by a Fixed Multi-Particle Object in Local Thermal Equilibrium: General Formalism

The majority of previous studies of the interaction of individual particles and multi-particle groups with electromagnetic field have focused on either elastic scattering in the presence of an external field or self-emission of electromagnetic radiation. In this paper we apply semi-classical fluctuational electrodynamics to address the ubiquitous scenario wherein a fixed particle or a fixed multi-particle group is exposed to an external quasi-polychromatic electromagnetic field as well as thermally emits its own electromagnetic radiation. We summarize the main relevant axioms of fluctuational electrodynamics, formulate in maximally rigorous mathematical terms the general scattering emission problem for a fixed object, and derive such fundamental corollaries as the scattering emission volume integral equation, the Lippmann Schwinger equation for the dyadic transition operator, the multi-particle scattering emission equations, and the far-field limit. We show that in the framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, the computation of the self-emitted component of the total field is completely separated from that of the elastically scattered field. The same is true of the computation of the emitted and elastically scattered components of quadratic linear forms in the total electromagnetic field. These results pave the way to the practical computation of relevant optical observables.

Electromagnetic scattering; Thermal emission; Fluc↗
NASA NTRS1995

Thermal emission from particulate surfaces: A comparison of scattering models with measured spectra

Emissivity spectra of particulate mineral samples are highly dependent on particle size when that size is comparable to the wavelength of light emitted (5-50 micrometers for the midinfrared). Proper geologic interpretation of data from planetary infrared spectrometers will require that these particle size effects be well understood. To address this issue, samples of quartz powders were produced with narrow, well-characterized particle size distributions. Mean particle diameters in these samples ranged from 15 to 227 micrometers. Emission spectra of these powders allow the first detailed comparison of the complex spectral variations with particle size observed in laboratory data with the predictions of radiative transfer models. Four such models are considered here. Hapke's relectance theory (converted to emissivity via Kirchoff's law) is the first model tested. Hapke's more recently published emission theory is also employed. The third model, the 'Mie/Conel' model, uses Mie single scattering with a two-stream approximation for multiple scattering. This model, like the first, is a converted reflec- tance model. Mie scattering assumes particles are both spherical and well separated, which is not true for the quartz powders, but includes diffraction effects. The fourth model uses the Mie solution for single scattering by spheres and inputs those results into the multiple scattering formalism of Hapke's emission theory. The results of the four models are considered in relation to the values of the optical constants n and k. We have grouped these as class 1 (k large), class 2 (k moderate, n is approximately 2), class 3 (k small, n is approximately 2), and class 4 (k small, n is approximately 1). In general, the Mie/Hapke hybrid model does best at predicting variations with grain size. In particular, it predicts changes of the correct pattern, although incorrect magnitude, for class 1 bands, where large increases in emissivity with decreasing grain size are observed. This model also does an excellent job on moderate (class 2) and very weak and intraband (class 3) regions, and correctly predicts the emission maximum and its invariance with grain size near the Christiansen frequency (class 4). The Mie/Hapke hybrid model also has the fewest free parameters of the four models examined, while maintaining the most physical treatment of the radiative transfer. The Mie/Conel model performs as well as the Mie/Hapke hybrid model in strong bands (class 1) but does not accurately model the behavior of moderate (class 2) and very weak (class 3) bands.

Moersch, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Panchromatic Observations of SN2011dh Point to a Compact Progenitor Star

We report the discovery and detailed monitoring of X-ray emission associated with the Type IIb SN2011dh using data from the Swift and Chandra satellites, placing it among the best studied X-ray supernovae to date. We further present millimeter and radio data obtained with the SMA, CARMA, and EVLA during the first three weeks after explosion. Combining these observations with early optical photometry, we show that the panchromatic dataset is well-described by non-thermal synchrotron emission (radio/mm) with inverse Compton scattering (X-ray) of a thermal population of optical photons. We derive the properties of the shockwave and the circumstellar environment and find a time-averaged shock velocity of v approximately equals 0.1c and a progenitor mass loss rate of M-dot approximately equals 6 X 10 (exp 5) Solar M/ yr (wind velocity, v(sub w) = 1000 km/s). We show that these properties are consistent with the sub-class of Type IIb supernovae characterized by compact progenitors (Type cIIb) and dissimilar from those with extended progenitors (Type eIIb). Furthermore, we consider the early optical emission in the context of a cooling envelope model to estimate a progenitor radius of R(sub star) approximately equals 10(exp 11) cm, in line with the expectations for a Type cIIb supernova. Together, these diagnostics suggest that the putative yellow supergiant progenitor star identified in archival HST observations is instead a binary companion or unrelated to the supernova. Finally, we searched for the high energy shock breakout pulse using X-ray and gamma-ray observations obtained during the purported explosion date range. Based on the compact radius of the progenitor, we estimate that the shock breakout pulse was detectable with current instruments but likely missed due to their limited temporal/ spatial coverage. Future all-sky missions will regularly detect shock breakout emission from compact SN progenitors enabling prompt follow-up observations of the shockwave with the EVLA and ALMA.

Soderberg, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effects of prescattering attenuation of spectropolarimetric line profiles

We present the wavelength dependent linear polarization and position angle variations arising from single Thomson scattering of continuum stellar radiation in an axisymmetric, hot, planar disk, which is in bulk motion. The wavelength dependence arises through the combination of Doppler shifted line attenuation, prior to scattering, and the Doppler redistribution of the scattered radiation due to the bulk and thermal motions of the disk electrons. We find that when the scattering electrons are cold, there are large polarization and position angle variations across the resulting spectrapolarimetric absorption line profile-agreeing with previous investigations. However, when the thermal Doppler velocities of the scattering electrons are comparable to or greater than the electron bulk velocity (as is of ten the case), then the scattered line profile is broadened and the amplitude of the polarimetric variations are considerably reduced. The properties of the electron thermal smearing function are such that the equivalent width of any scattered spectrapolarimetric feature is independent on the electron temperature-a consequence of the conservation of areas under convolution. An important result of this is that for an axisymmetric circumstellar envelope the position angle variations will average to zero across any line formed through the above process. We expect that the effect of multiple line blending will yield a depolarization equivalent width is given by thesum of the individual equivalent widths and the position angle variations will average to zero. The implications of this are that the large depolarizations observed in the UV spectra of pi Aquarii, zeta Tauri and PP Carinae by the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) can only be explained with prescattering attenuation of stellar flux if there are a sufficient number of multiple overlapping lines in that part of the spectrum.

Wood, Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS1987

Ultraviolet and visible BRDF data on spacecraft thermal control and optical baffle materials

Bidirectional scattering functions of numerous optical baffle materials and of spacecraft thermal control coatings and surfaces are presented. Measurements were made at 254 nm and at 633 nm. The coatings and surfaces include high-reflectance white paints, low-reflectance optical blacks, thermal control blankets, and various conversion coatings on aluminum.

Viehmann, W.↗