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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 1,369 records · Page 76
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Radiolytic Model for Chemical Composition of Europa's Atmosphere and Surface

The overall objective of the present effort is to produce models for major and selected minor components of Europa s neutral atmosphere in 1-D versus altitude and in 2-D versus altitude and longitude or latitude. A 3-D model versus all three coordinates (alt, long, lat) will be studied but development on this is at present limited by computing facilities available to the investigation team. In this first year we have focused on 1-D modeling with Co-I Valery Shematovich s Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code for water group species (H2O, O2, O, OH) and on 2-D with Co-I Mau Wong's version of a similar code for O2, O, CO, CO2, and Na. Surface source rates of H2O and O2 from sputtering and radiolysis are used in the 1-D model, while observations for CO2 at the Europa surface and Na detected in a neutral cloud ejected from Europa are used, along with the O2 sputtering rate, to constrain source rates in the 2-D version. With these separate approaches we are investigating a range of processes important to eventual implementation of a comprehensive 3-D atmospheric model which could be used to understand present observations and develop science requirements for future observations, e.g. from Earth and in Europa orbit. Within the second year we expect to merge the full water group calculations into the 2-D version of the DSMC code which can then be extended to 3-D, pending availability of computing resources. Another important goal in the second year would be the inclusion of sulk and its more volatile oxides (SO, SO2).

Cooper, John F.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The New Horizons Mission to Pluto and Flyby of Jupiter

New Horizons (NH) is NASA's mission to provide the first in situ reconnaissance of Pluto and its moons Charon, Nix, and Hydra. The NH spacecraft will reach Pluto in July 2015 and will then, if approved for an extended mission phase, continue on to a flyby encounter with one or more Kuiper belt objects (KBOs). NH was launched on 19 January 2006 and received a gravity assist during a flyby encounter with Jupiter (with closest approach at -32 RJ on 28 February 2007) that reduced its flight time to Pluto by 3 years. During the Jupiter flyby, NH collected a trove of multi-wavelength imaging and fields-and-particles measurements. Among the many science results at Jupiter were a detection of planet-wide mesoscale waves, eruptions of atmospheric ammonia clouds, unprecedented views of Io's volcanic plumes and Jupiter's tenuous ring system, a first close-up of the Little Red Spot (LRS), first sightings of polar lightning, and a trip down the tail of the magnetosphere. In 2015, NH will conduct a seven-month investigation of the Pluto system culminating in a closest approach some 12,500 km from Pluto's surface. Planning is presently underway for the Pluto encounter with special emphasis on longidentified science goals of studying the terrain, geology, and composition of the surfaces of Pluto and Charon, examining the composition and structure of Pluto's atmosphere, searching for an atmosphere on Charon, and characterizing Pluto's ionosphere and solar wind interaction. Detailed inspections will also be performed of the newly discovered satellites Nix and Hydra. Additionally, NH will characterize energetic particles in Pluto's environment, refine the bulk properties of Pluto and Charon, and search for additional satellites and rings.

Stern, Alan↗
NASA NTRS1993

Laer-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Instrument for Element Analysis of Planetary Surfaces

One of the most fundamental pieces of information about any planetary body is the elemental and mineralogical composition of its surface materials. We are developing an instrument to obtain such data at ranges of up to several hundreds of meters using the technique of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). We envision our instrument being used from a spacecraft in close rendezvous with small bodies such as comets and asteroids, or deployed on surface-rover vehicles on large bodies such as Mars and the Moon. The elemental analysis is based on atomic emission spectroscopy of a laser-induced plasma or spark. A pulsed, diode pumped Nd:YAG laser of several hundred millijoules optical energy is used to vaporize and electronically excite the constituent elements of a rock surface remotely located from the laser. Light emitted from the excited plasma is collected and introduced to the entrance slit of a small grating spectrometer. The spectrally dispersed spark light is detected with either a linear photo diode array or area CCD array. When the latter detector is used, the optical and spectrometer components of the LIBS instrument can also be used in a passive imaging mode to collect and integrate reflected sunlight from the same rock surface. Absorption spectral analysis of this reflected light gives mineralogical information that provides a remote geochemical characterization of the rock surface. We performed laboratory calibrations in air and in vacuum on standard rock powders to quantify the LIBS analysis. We performed preliminary field tests using commercially available components to demonstrate remote LIBS analysis of terrestrial rock surfaces at ranges of over 25 m, and we have demonstrated compatibility with a six-wheeled Russian robotic rover vehicle. Based on these results, we believe that all major and most minor elements expected on planetary surfaces can be measured with absolute accuracy of 10-15 percent and much higher relative accuracy. We have performed preliminary systems analysis of a LIBS instrument to evaluate probable mass and power requirements; results of this analysis are summarized.

Blacic, J.↗
DOE OSTI2026

TEMPEST3 surface runoff water chemistry and organic matter composition

Coastal flooding, driven by storm surges and sea level rise, can mobilize organic matter (OM) via runoff, while introducing compositionally distinct OM (e.g., estuarine OM) into the system. To understand event-scale OM dynamics, we monitored source waters and surface runoff during an ecosystem-scale field manipulation experiment, TEMPEST (Terrestrial Ecosystem Manipulation to Probe the Effects of Storm Treatments), in June 2024. The TEMPEST experiment is part of the COMPASS-FME (Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales – Field, Measurements, and Experiments) project and designed to investigate biogeochemical and ecological impacts of freshwater and seawater flooding on coastal terrestrial-aquatic interface ecosystems by simulating freshwater and seawater storm events in two 2000m2 coastal upland forest plots (freshwater and brackish seawater plots). The temporal coverage of this dataset is during the TEMPESTⅢ event (June 11-13, 2024). This dataset contains: - Surface runoff discharge measured by flumes - Sensor data (specific conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) - Particle size distribution - Total suspended sediment concentrations (TSS), particulate and dissolved organic carbon (POC, DOC) concentrations, total nitrogen and total dissolved nitrogen (TN, TDN) concentrations - Bulk particulate and dissolved OM compositions (stable C and N isotopes of particulates and optical measurements of chromophoric dissolved OM) - High resolution mass spectrometry analysis data - Water isotope data All data files are plain-text CSV (comma-separated value), and no special software is required to read them.

COMPASS-FME↗
DOE OSTI2023

Coating for improved surface finish

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component includes at least one seal surface, the at least one seal surface disposed adjacent an interfacing surface for providing a seal therebetween; and a coating disposed on the seal surface. The coating includes an aluminum oxide and/or a silicon dioxide.

Hafner, Matthew Troy↗
NASA NTRS1992

Geologic remote sensing - New technology, new information

Results of geologic studies using data collected by the NASA/JPL Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIMS), Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), and the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) are discussed. These instruments represent prototypes for the Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite instruments ASTER, High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS), and EOS SAR. Integrated analysis of this data type is one of the keys to successful geologic research using EOS. TIMS links the physical properties of surface materials in the 8-12-*mm region to their composition. Calibrated aircraft data make direct lithological mapping possible. AVIRIS, an analog for HIRIS, provides quantitative information about the surface composition of materials based on their detailed visible and infrared spectral signatures (0.4-2.45 mm). Calibrated AVIRIS data make direct identification of minerals possible. The AIRSAR provides additional complementary information about the surface morphology of rocks and soils.

Kruse, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Considerations for acoustic emission monitoring of spherical Kevlar/epoxy composite pressure vessels

We are continuing to research the applications of acoustic emission testing for predicting burst pressure of filament-wound Kevlar 49/epoxy pressure vessels. This study has focused on three specific areas. The first area involves development of an experimental technique and the proper instrumentation to measure the energy given off by the acoustic emission transducer per acoustic emission burst. The second area concerns the design of a test fixture in which to mount the composite vessel so that the acoustic emission transducers are held against the outer surface of the composite. Included in this study area is the calibration of the entire test setup including couplant, transducer, electronics, and the instrument measuring the energy per burst. In the third and final area of this study, we consider the number, location, and sensitivity of the acoustic emission transducers used for proof testing composite pressure vessels.

Hamstad, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The effects of scattering geometry on the spectrophotometric properties of powdered material

The characteristics of reflectance spectra are being used as a basis in investigations to infer the composition of planetary surfaces. However, the reflectance spectra of powdered materials depend not only on the composition of these materials, but also on other variables. A description is presented of the results of an exploratory series of measurements designed to investigate the importance of scattering geometry as a variable in determining the shapes of spectral reflectance curves, taking into account half a dozen materials of planetary interest. It is noted that the considered results are consistent with those reported by Adams and Felice (1967), especially the results on the variation with phase angle of the Red/Blue color ratio for various silicate materials. The measurements demonstrate in detail that scattering geometry does affect the shapes of spectral reflectance curve. In some cases this effect is quite significant.

Gradie, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Use of a liquid-crystal and heater-element composite for quantitative, high-resolution heat-transfer coefficients on a turbine airfoil including turbulence and surface-roughness effects

Local heat transfer coefficients were measured along the midchord of a three-times-size turbine vane airfoil in a static cascade operated at room temperature over a range of Reynolds numbers. The test surface consisted of a composite of commercially available materials: a Mylar sheet with a layer of cholestric liquid crystals, which change color with temperature, and a heater made of a polyester sheet coated with vapor-deposited gold, which produces uniform heat flux. After the initial selection and calibration of the composite sheet, accurate, quantitative, and continuous heat transfer coefficients were mapped over the airfoil surface. Tests were conducted at two free-stream turbulence intensities: 0.6 percent, which is typical of wind tunnels; and 10 percent, which is typical of real engine conditions. In addition to a smooth airfoil, the effects of local leading-edge sand roughness were also examined for a value greater than the critical roughness. The local heat transfer coefficients are presented for both free-stream turbulence intensities for inlet Reynolds numbers from 1.20 to 5.55 x 10 to the 5th power. Comparisons are also made with analytical values of heat transfer coefficients obtained from the STAN5 boundary layer code.

Hippensteele, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Heats of Segregation of BCC Metals Using Ab Initio and Quantum Approximate Methods

Many multicomponent alloys exhibit surface segregation, in which the composition at or near a surface may be substantially different from that of the bulk. A number of phenomenological explanations for this tendency have been suggested, involving, among other things, differences among the components' surface energies, molar volumes, and heats of solution. From a theoretical standpoint, the complexity of the problem has precluded a simple, unified explanation, thus preventing the development of computational tools that would enable the identification of the driving mechanisms for segregation. In that context, we investigate the problem of surface segregation in a variety of bcc metal alloys by computing dilute-limit heats of segregation using both the quantum-approximate energy method of Bozzolo, Ferrante and Smith (BFS), and all-electron density functional theory. In addition, the composition dependence of the heats of segregation is investigated using a BFS-based Monte Carlo procedure, and, for selected cases of interest, density functional calculations. Results are discussed in the context of a simple picture that describes segregation behavior as the result of a competition between size mismatch and alloying effects

Good, Brian↗
DOE OSTI2019

Technical note: The role of evolving surface tension in the formation of cloud droplets

The role of surface tension ( σ ) in cloud droplet activation has long been ambiguous. Recent studies have reported observations attributed to the effects of an evolving surface tension in the activation process. However, the adoption of a surface-mediated activation mechanism has been slow and many studies continue to neglect the composition dependence of aerosol–droplet surface tension, using instead a value equal to the surface tension of pure water ( σ w ). In this technical note, we clearly describe the fundamental role of surface tension in the activation of multicomponent aerosol particles into cloud droplets. It is demonstrated that the effects of surface tension in the activation process depend primarily on the evolution of surface tension with droplet size, typically varying in the range 0.5 σ w ≲ σ ≤ σ w due to the partitioning of organic species with a high surface affinity. We go on to report some recent laboratory observations that exhibit behavior that may be associated with surface tension effects and propose a measurement coordinate that will allow surface tension effects to be better identified using standard atmospheric measurement techniques. Unfortunately, interpreting observations using theory based on surface film and liquid–liquid phase separation models remains a challenge. Our findings highlight the need for experimental measurements that better reveal the role of composition-dependent surface tensions, critical for advancing predictive theories and parameterizations of cloud droplet activation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1988

Aeolian weathering of Venusian surface materials - Preliminary results from laboratory simulations

An attempt is made to duplicate the atmospheric temperature, pressure, and approximate gas composition of all surface elevations on Venus by means of a simulator environment in which particles are impacted against rock targets as a way of studying planetary aeolian processes. While particles are abraded even at the low impact velocities envisioned for Venus, the same particles do not generate basaltic rock abrasion for impact velocities lower than 1 m/sec; comminution debris is instead transferred onto rock surfaces to form an accretion layer. These phenomena are seen as functions of the greater than 660 K temperatures encountered.

Marshall, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Thermal emission spectrometer experiment - Mars Observer mission

The paper describes the thermal emission spectrometer (TES) designed for the Mars Observer mission. The TES measurements of the surface and the atmosphere of Mars will be used to determine and map the composition of the surface rocks, minerals, and the condensates. Examples of information that will be obtained from TES data include mineral abundance maps, condensate properties and their distribution in time and space, aerosol properties and their distribution in time and space, the rock abundance, the polar energy balance, and properties of gaseous species. Where appropriate, these derived parameters will be distributed in the form of gridded map, to allow direct comparison with other derived data sets.

Christensen, Philip R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Composition of the Martian aerosols through near-IR spectroscopy

Near-infrared spectroscopy is a powerful technique to study the composition of planetary surfaces, as the main minerals exhibit absorption bands in this spectral range. It gave important information on the mineralogy and petrology of Mars in the past twenty years although in this case it is well known that a large fraction of light is scattered by the airborne particles before reaching the surface. The measured signal is thus the sum of two different contributions that should be studied separately: One from the surface and one from the aerosols that depends on their density, size distribution and composition. Data from the ISM imaging spectrometer are used here to derive the aerosols spectrum. They consist in sets of spectra (from 0.76 to 3.16 microns) of approximately 3000 pixels approximately 25x25 sq km in size. The resulting spectrum exhibits both water-ice and clay mineral features superimposed on a scattering continuum.

Erard, Stephane↗
NASA NTRS1999

Effects of Fiber/Matrix Interface and its Composition on Mechanical Properties of Hi-Nicalon/Celsian Composites

To evaluate the effects of fiber coatings on composite mechanical properties. unidirectional celsian matrix composites reinforced with uncoated Hi-Nicalon fibers and those precoated with a dual BN/SiC layer in two separate batches (batch 1 and batch 2) were tested in three-point flexure. The uncoated-fiber reinforced composites showed catastrophic failure with strength of 210+/-35 MPa and a flat fracture surface. In contrast, composites reinforced with coated fibers exhibited graceful failure with extensive fiber pullout and showed significantly higher ultimate strengths, 904 and 759 MPa for the batch 1 and 2 coatings. respectively. Fiber push-in tests and microscopic examination indicated no chemical reaction at the uncoated or coated fiber-matrix interfaces that might be responsible for fiber strength degradation. Instead, the low strength of composite with uncoated fibers was due to degradation of the fiber strength from mechanical damage during composite processing. Despite identical processing, the first matrix cracking stresses (Sigma(sub mc)) of the composites reinforced with fibers coated in batch 1 and batch 2 were quite different, 436 and 122 MPa, respectively. The large difference in Sigma(sub mc) of the coated-fiber composites was attributed to differences in fiber sliding stresses (Tau(sub friction)), 121.2+/-48.7 and 10.4+/-3.1 MPa, respectively. for the two composites as determined by the fiber push-in method. Such a large difference in Tau(sub friction). for the two composites was found to be due to the difference in the compositions of the interface coatings. Scanning Auger microprobe analysis revealed the presence of carbon layers between the fiber and BN. and also between the BN and SiC coatings in the composite showing lower Tau(sub friction). This resulted in lower Sigma(sub mc) in agreement with the ACK theory. The ultimate strengths of the two composites depended mainly on the fiber volume fraction and were not significantly effected by Tau(sub friction) values, as expected. The poor reproducibility of the fiber coating composition between the two batches was judged to be the primary source of the large differences in performance of the two composites.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Hi-Nicalon Fiber-Reinforced Celsian Matrix Composites: Influence of Interface Modification

Unidirectional celsian matrix composites having 42-45 vol % of uncoated or BN-SIC coated Hi-Nicalon fibers were tested in three-point bend at room temperature. The uncoated fiber-reinforced composites showed catastrophic failure with strength of 210 35 MPa and a flat fracture surface. In contrast, composites reinforced with coated fibers exhibited graceful failure with extensive fiber pullout. Values of first matrix cracking stress and strain were 435 +/- 35 MPa and 0.27 +/- 0.01%, respectively, with ultimate strength as high as 960 MPa. The elastic Young modulus of the uncoated and coated fiber-reinforced composites were 184 +/- 4 GPa and 165 +/- 5 GPa, respectively. Fiber push-through tests and microscopic examination indicated no chemical reaction at the uncoated or coated fiber-matrix interface. The low strength of composite with uncoated fibers is due to degradation of the fiber strength from mechanical damage during processing. Because both the coated- and uncoated-fiber-reinforced composites exhibited weak interfaces, the beneficial effect of the BN-SIC dual layer is primarily the protection of fibers from mechanical damage during processing.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗