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An energy analyzer has been constructed that is appropriate for measuring the energy profile and charge state distribution of the exhaust plume of a xenon-driven Hall thruster.
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Measurements from UV objective grating stellar spectrophotometers rocket flown to obtain stellar spectra
The problem of high energy neutron generation in P-P reactions in the solar atmosphere is reconsidered. It is shown that the angular distribution of emitted neutrons is anisotropic and the energy spectrum of neutrons depends on the angle of neutron emission.
The calculation results for the total energy delivered to the surroundings by the burst of an idealized massless sphere containing an ideal gas are presented. The logic development of various formulas for sphere energy is also presented. For all types of sphere bursts the fraction of the total initial energy available in the sphere that is delivered to the surroundings is shown to lie between that delivered for the constant pressure addition of energy to a source region and that delivered by isentropic expansion of the sphere. The relative value of E sub/Q increases at fixed sphere pressure/surrounding pressure as sphere temperature increases because the velocity of sound increases.
Potential energy analyzer tube for measuring field emitted electrons from coated tungsten and molybdenum surfaces
The flatness of the energy differential cross section in impact ionization is derived analytically in the Wannier theory. However it is shown that the Wannier zone is confined to a region of the order E/5 is less than or equal to epsilon is less than or equal to 4E/5, where E is the available energy and epsilon is the energy of the electrons. By contrasting the known results of photoionization and photodetachment, one can cogently argue that in the complementary region where electrons share their energy very unequally the cross section rises to a value independent of E, and that this region determines the form of the threshold law.
A hypothesis proposed by Nefske and Sung (1987) that the mechanical energy flow in acoustic/structural systems can be modeled using a thermal energy flow analogy was tested for both longitudinal vibration in rods and transverse flexural vibrations in beams. It was found that the rod behaves according to the energy flow analogy. However, the beam solutions behaved significantly differently than predicted by the thermal analogy, unless spatially averaged energy and power flow were considered. Otherwise, the beam analysis is restricted to frequencies where the near-field terms in the displacement solution are negligible over most of the beam.
Differential fluxes of gamma rays were calculated for energies of 2-25 MeV, zenith angles of 0-50 deg and 180-130 deg, and atmospheric depths from nominal sea level, 1000 g/sq cm, to float altitude, 3.5 g/sq cm residual atmosphere. Above 100 g/sq cm growth curves were constructed to estimate the contribution of the extraterrestrial gamma ray flux to the total downward-moving flux, while the upward-moving gamma rays were taken to be strictly of atmospheric origin. Below 100 g/sq cm, all gamma rays originate in the atmosphere. The downward atmospheric flux increases by almost two orders of magnitude between float altitude and the Pfotzer maximum, while the extraterrestrial flux is attenuated exponentially. Gamma rays produced by neutron interactions with the carbon in the scintillator liquid are eliminated by constructing growth curves for downward-moving gamma rays at high altitudes and are negligible compared with downward-moving gamma rays at lower altitudes and upward-moving gamma rays at all altitudes.
An electrothermal propulsion concept utilizing a microwave plasma system as the mechanism to convert electromagnetic energy into kinetic energy of a flowing gas is investigated. A calorimetry system enclosing a microwave plasma system has been developed to accurately measure the energy inputs and outputs of the microwave plasma system. The rate of energy transferred to the gas can be determined to within + or - 1.8 W from an energy balance around the microwave plasma system. The percentage of the power absorbed by the microwave plasma system transferred to the hydrogen gas as it flows through the system is found to increase with the increasing flow rate, to decrease with the increasing pressure, and to be independent of the absorbed power. An upper bound for the hydrogen gas temperature is estimated from the energy content, heat capacity, and flow rate of the gas stream. A lower bound for an overall heat-transfer coefficient is then calculated, characterizing the energy loss from the hydrogen gas stream to the air cooling of the plasma discharge tube wall. The heat-transfer coefficient is found to increase with the increasing flow rate and pressure and to be independent of the absorbed power. This result indicates that a convective-type mechanism is responsible for the energy transfer.
Data from the plasma composition experiment of ISEE 1 are used to investigate the relative quantities and energy characteristics of H(+), He(++), He(+), and O(+) ions in the near-equatorial magnetosphere during magnetic storm conditions. The ions in the study had energies between 0.1 and 17 keV/e and pitch angles between 45 and 135 deg. The data were obtained during 10 storms, for the most part at or immediately following the peak Dst, covering all major local time sectors and geocentric distances between 2 and 15 earth radii. The ion fluxes are averaged over the spacecraft spin angle and over time for periods ranging from about 20 min close to the earth to more than an hour in most distant regions. The inferred 'isotropic' number densities are characterized by a large to dominant fraction of terrestrial ions throughout the energy range covered. The data are found to be consistent with a terrestrial origin for all of the O(+), most of the He(+), and a large but varying fraction of the H(+), whereas the He(++) and part of the H(+) appear to be of solar wind origin.
An electrothermal propulsion concept utilizing a microwave plasma system as the mechanism to convert electromagnetic energy into translational energy of the flowing gas is being investigated. A calorimetric experimental system has been designed and built enclosing the microwave plasma system to accurately determine the net energy transferred to the flowing gas. For a flow rate of 8900 micromoles/sec, a pressure of 7.4 torr, and an absorbed power level of 80 W, an energy transfer efficiency of 50 percent has been measured. A heat transfer model that characterizes the energy transfer processes in the plasma is developed. A wall temperature for the plasma system is calculated.
A computer program for analyzing rocket engine performance was developed. The program is concerned with the formation, distribution, flow, and combustion of liquid sprays and combustion product gases in conventional rocket combustion chambers. The capabilities of the program to determine the combustion characteristics of the rocket engine are described. Sample data code sheets show the correct sequence and formats for variable values and include notes concerning options to bypass the input of certain data. A seperate list defines the variables and indicates their required dimensions.
An electrothermal propulsion concept utilizing a microwave plasma system as the mechanism to convert electromagnetic energy into translational energy of the flowing gas is being investigated. Specifically, this study compares the energy transfer characteristics of three different gases, H2, N2, and He, to gain some insight as to the dominant energy transfer processes present in a microwave plasma. A calorimetric experimental system has been designed and built enclosing the microwave plasma system to accurately determine the net energy transferred to the flowing gas. Results are obtained for N2 and He discharges and compared with previously reported experimental results for H2.
Charging characteristics of polyimide (Kapton) of varying thicknesses under irradiation by a very-low-curent-density electron beam, with the back surface of the sample grounded are reported. These charging characteristics are in good agreement with a simple analytical model which predicts that in thin samples at low current density, sample surface potential is limited by conduction leakage through the bulk material. The charging of Kapton in a low-current-density electron beam in which the beam energy was modulated to simulate Maxwellian and biMaxwellian distribution functions is measured.
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Study of deviations from thermal equilibrium among the ions in the ionosphere by considering that the 'light' ions H(+) and He(+) may be at a different temperature from the 'heavy' ion O(+). In particular, the case in which thermal protons are observed to be flowing relative to the assumed static ambient oxygen ions is considered. The proton flow is assumed to be along the direction of the magnetic field. Of the cases tested, it is found that the measured proton temperature is from one to ten times the measured oxygen ion temperature. Such temperature enhancements may be expected both because of the energy transfer associated with the ion flow and as a consequence of the preferential energy coupling from the light-ion distribution in the exosphere.
A parallel plate accelerator operated in the quasi-steady regime of argon mass flow discharges permits, on account of its geometry, the appraisal of the initial ratio of energy disposition into the kinetic and thermal modes of the plasma while retaining the essential features of coaxial high power self-field MPD accelerators. The energy disposition ratio, calculated as the ratio of kinetic energy to enthalpy in the exhaust flow, shows reasonable agreement with the ratio of the induced emf in the accelerator to resistive voltage drop. Both these ratios indicate that the discharge imparts more energy to the flow by resistive heating than by direct body force acceleration. This is turn suggests that other acceleration mechanisms must be responsible for the high performance of conventional MPD arcs.