SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Filaments”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2020

Filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy with structured beams

Filament-induced ablation represents an attractive scheme for long-range material identification via optical spectroscopy. However, the delivery of laser energy to the target can be severely hindered by the stochastic nature of multiple-filamentation, ionization of ambient gas, and atmospheric turbulence. In order to mitigate some of these adverse effects, we examine the utility of beam shaping for femtosecond filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy with Gaussian and structured (Laguerre-Gaussian, Airy, and Bessel-Gaussian) beams in the nonlinear regime. Interaction of filaments with copper, zinc, and brass targets was studied by recording axially-resolved broadband emission from the filament-induced plasma. The laser-solid coupling efficacy was assessed by inferring thermodynamic parameters such as excitation temperature and electron density. While under our experimental conditions the ablation rate with Gaussian- and Laguerre-Gaussian beams is found to be similar, the Airy and Bessel-Gaussian beams offer the advantage of longitudinally extended working zones. These results provide insights into potential benefits of structuring ultrafast laser beams for standoff sensing applications.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy of solids through highly scattering media

Ultrafast laser pulse filamentation in the air can be used for remote sensing by exciting a characteristic optical emission, which is usually referred to as filamentation-induced breakdown spectroscopy. In environments that impede light propagation, such as fog, haze, or clouds, scattering makes it challenging to propagate laser beams and retrieve generated optical signatures. We demonstrate the effectiveness of laser filamentation for simultaneously clearing the path for intense femtosecond pulse propagation in a highly scattering medium, generation of luminous plasma on a solid target, and counter-propagation of a characteristic spectroscopic signal over a cleared channel along the filament path. In a dense cloud, the counter-propagating signal predominantly transits the cleared on-axis path but is highly affected by the negative thermal lensing of a Gaussian beam. Furthermore, these insights enhance our understanding of laser filamentation in atmospheric sensing and could substantially improve remote detection capabilities in poor visibility conditions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Structure of Geobacter OmcZ filaments suggests extracellular cytochrome polymers evolved independently multiple times

While early genetic and low-resolution structural observations suggested that extracellular conductive filaments on metal-reducing organisms such as Geobacter were composed of type IV pili, it has now been established that bacterial c -type cytochromes can polymerize to form extracellular filaments capable of long-range electron transport. Atomic structures exist for two such cytochrome filaments, formed from the hexaheme cytochrome OmcS and the tetraheme cytochrome OmcE. Due to the highly conserved heme packing within the central OmcS and OmcE cores, and shared pattern of heme coordination between subunits, it has been suggested that these polymers have a common origin. We have now used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structure of a third extracellular filament, formed from the Geobacter sulfurreducens octaheme cytochrome, OmcZ. In contrast to the linear heme chains in OmcS and OmcE from the same organism, the packing of hemes, heme:heme angles, and between-subunit heme coordination is quite different in OmcZ. A branched heme arrangement within OmcZ leads to a highly surface exposed heme in every subunit, which may account for the formation of conductive biofilm networks, and explain the higher measured conductivity of OmcZ filaments. This new structural evidence suggests that conductive cytochrome polymers arose independently on more than one occasion from different ancestral multiheme proteins.

Cytochromes/metabolism↗

NASA NTRS1971

Fundamental Mechanisms of Tensile Fracture in Aluminum Sheet Unidirectionally Reinforced with Boron Filament

Results are presented from an experimental research effort to gain a more complete understanding of the physics of tensile fracture in unidirectionally reinforced B-Al composite sheet. By varying the degree of filament degradation resulting from fabrication, composite specimens were produced which failed in tension by the cumulative mode, the noncumulative mode, or by any desired combination of the two modes. Radiographic and acoustic emission techniques were combined to identify and physically describe a previously unrecognized fundamental fracture mechanism which was responsible for the noncumulative mode. The tensile strength of the composite was found to be severely limited by the noncumulative mechanism which involved the initiation and sustenance of a chain reaction of filament fractures at a relatively low stress level followed by ductile fracture of the matrix. The minimum average filament stress required for initiation of the fracture mechanism was shown to be approximately 170 ksi, and appeared to be independent of filament diameter, number of filament layers, and the identity of the matrix alloy.

Herring, H. W.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Comments on filament-disintegration and its relation to other aspects of solar activity.

Studies of sudden disintegrations of filaments in solar cycles 19 and 20 (to 1969) indicate that such events occur frequently. Approximately 30% of all large filaments in these cycles disintegrated in the course of their transit across the solar disk. 'Major' flares occurred with above average frequency on the last day on which 141 large disappearing filaments were observed. Relationships between a disintegrating filament on July 10-11, 1959, a prior major flare, a newly formed spot, and concomitant growth of H-alpha plage are presented. Observation of prior descending prominence material apparently directed towards the location of the flare of July 15, 1959 is reported. The development of the filament-associated flare of Feb. 13, 1967 is described.

Dodson, H. W.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Fracture of boron filaments in an aluminum matrix.

The B-Al composite specimens tested in this study were fabricated by diffusion bonding of 1230 aluminum foil and boron filaments placed in alternate layers, using an acrylic resin solution to maintain filament spacing. The specimens were put under tensile stresses parallel to the filaments, and filament fracture was monitored acoustically under loads. Fracture of specimens under loads was caused by break propagation with a characteristic wedge-type fragmentation pattern indicating its direction. The aluminum foil matrix of the specimens failed by ductile shear type fracture after the break of the filaments.

Steele, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Filament winding S-glass/polyimide resin composite processing studies

The work performed in selecting a TRW A-type polyimide resin that would be suitable for fabrication of filament wound reinforced plastic structures is described. Several different formulations were evaluated after which the P105AC formulation was selected as the most promising. Procedures then were developed for preparing P105AC/S-glass roving prepreg and for fabricating filament wound structural composites. Composites were fabricated and then tested in order to obtain tensile and shear strength information. Small, closed-end cylindrical pressure vessels then were fabricated using a stainless steel liner and end fittings with a P105AC/S-glass polar wound overwrap. These pressure vessels were cured in an air circulating oven without augmented pressure. It is concluded that the P105AC resin system is suitable for filament winding; that low void content, high strength composites are obtained by the filament winding process; and that augmented pressure is not required to effect the fabrication of filament wound P105AC composites.

Vaughan, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1973

A penny shaped crack in a filament-reinforced matrix. 2: The crack problem

The elastostatic interaction problem between a penny-shaped crack and a slender inclusion or filament in an elastic matrix was formulated. For a single filament as well as multiple identical filaments located symmetrically around the crack the problem is shown to reduce to a singular integral equation. The solution of the problem is obtained for various geometries and filament-to-matrix stiffness ratios, and the results relating to the angular variation of the stress intensity factor and the maximum filament stress are presented.

Pacella, A. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

TRW A-type polyimide resin for filament winding

Studies were conducted to select a TRW A-type polyimide resin that would be suitable for fabrication of filament wound reinforced plastics structures. Several different formulations were evaluated after which the P105AC formulation was selected as the most promising. Procedures were developed for preparing P105AC/S-glass roving prepreg and for fabricating filament wound structural composites. Composites were fabricated and then tested in order to obtain tensile and shear strength information. Small, closed-end cylindrical pressure vessels then were fabricated using a stainless steel liner and end-fittings with a P105AC/S-glass polar-wound overwrap. These pressure vessels were cured in an air circulating oven without augmented pressure. It was concluded upon completion of this study that the P105AC resin system is suitable for filament winding; that low void content, high strength composites are obtained by the filament winding process; and that augmented pressure is not required to effect the fabrication of filament wound P105AC composites.

Vaughan, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Slow X-ray bursts and chromospheric flares with filament disruption

The data from OGO-5 and OSO-7 X-ray experiments have been analyzed to study six chromospheric flares with filament disruption associated with slow thermal X-ray bursts. Filament activation accompanied by a slight X-ray enhancement precedes the first evidence of H alpha flare by a few minutes. Rapid increase of the soft X-ray flux is accompanied by a sudden brightening of the filament when viewed on-band H alpha. Thereafter the bright chromospheric strands reach their maximum brightness with maximum X-ray flux. Any plateau or slow decay phase in the X-ray flux is accompanied by a quieting in filament activity and even by filament re-appearance. The height of the disrupted prominence is proportional to the soft X-ray flux for the August 3, 1970 limb occulted event.

Roy, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A study of filament transition sheath from radio observations

An H-alpha dark filament has been observed at 8, 15 and 22 GHz, and its radio spectrum derived. It is suggested that the filament may be optically thick at radio frequencies and that the observed spectrum may be due to the presence of a transition sheath surrounding the filament. A model is developed for the transition sheath in which the energy radiated away is balanced by the conduction of heat from the corona; the radio observations indicate that little or no thermal energy is conducted into the main body of the filament. The model is compared with ultraviolet observations of filaments.

Rao, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Synthesized map of a solar filament at 6 cm with approximately 15 arc sec resolution

Radio telescope observations have been used to provide the first synthesized map of a filament at 6 cm with angular resolution of about 15 arcsec. The 'dirty' map of the north limb of the sun is shown along with the dirty map of the residual after subtracting the three component least squares model. There is very good correspondence between the radio contours and the H alpha filament; the darkest feature of the filament has a radio temperature depression of 7500 plus or minus 1500 K, and the corresponding brightness temperature of the filament is 12500 plus or minus 1500 K. It is concluded that for this particular filament the radio size is not larger than the optical one.

Rao, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The development of X-ray flare onsets near active region filaments

Skylab X-ray images of the early phases of six active region transient brightenings were compared with simultaneous H-alpha images to study the spatial relationships between filaments and the X-ray brightenings. When the X-ray loops were roughly perpendicular to the axes of the H-alpha filaments, the filaments did not disappear. X-ray loops which appeared nearly parallel to the filaments were generally associated with the disappearances of those filaments. It is suggested that the perpendicular loops correspond to the class I X-ray flares of Pallavicinic et al. (1977) while the parallel loops are the early phases of their class II flares characterized in the decay phases by arcades of large loops with low energy densities. Both kinds of X-ray flares can be associated with impulsive phases.

Kahler, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1982

EUV arcades - Signatures of filament instability

The present investigation is based on the EUV observations from the HCO spectroheliometer aboard Skylab. These observations provide a great deal of information on coronal structures. The investigation is concerned with the EUV corona around active region filaments. One of its goals is to define the geometry and temperature distribution around those filaments which appear to be 'stable' (lifetimes equal to or greater than 2 days). The second goal is to study time changes in structures associated with other filaments which are 'unstable'. It is pointed out that the filaments and associated EUV loops reported in this investigation are not flare-related. The data of primary interest are those of Sept. 5, 1973, for which there exist simultaneous EUV and H-alpha filtergrams for the active region McMath 12510. It is found that active region filaments lie within channels of low emissivity in EUV lines formed above 1.5 x 10 to the 6th K.

Schmahl, E. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The growth of filaments by the condensation of coronal arches

A model of filament formation based on the condensation of coronal arches is described. The condensation results from initiating the radiative instability within an arch by superimposing a transient energy supply upon the steady state heating mechanism. The transient energy supply increases the density within the arch so that when it is removed the radiative losses are sufficient to lead to cooling below the minimum in the power loss curve. Times from the initial formation of the condensation to its temperature stabilization as a cool filament have been calculated for various initial conditions. They lie in the range 10,000-100,000 s with the majority of the time spent above a temperature of 1 x 10 to the 6th K. Under the assumption that the condensation of a single arch forms an element of the filament, a complete filament requires the condensation of an arcade of loops. Using experimentally derived parameters, filament densities of 10 to the 11th to 10 to the 12th per cu cm can be obtained.

Davis, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Discovery of fast-moving oxygen filaments in Puppis A

A number of faint filaments in the Puppis A supernova remnant have been found to have spectra with strong oxygen lines, extremely weak Balmer lines, and radial velocities greater than 1500 km/s. These are very different from the bright filaments, which are nitrogen-rich and have velocities less than 300 km/s. The newly discovered filaments are spectroscopically similar to those found in young, oxygen-rich remnants, as typified by the fast-moving knots in Cas A. These Puppis A filaments are interpreted as knots of oxygen-rich supernova ejecta which remain relatively uncontaminated by interstellar material, despite the probable age of Puppis A of several thousand years. Spectra of the newly discovered filaments show, in addition to strong forbidden lines of O I, O II, and O III, permitted lines of O I: 7774, 8446 A. The permitted lines are attributed to recombination of O(+), and their strength relative to H is used to estimate that the O:H mass ratio is about 30.

Winkler, P. F.↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the association of magnetic clouds with disappearing filaments

Evidence is presented that an interplanetary magnetic cloud preceding an interaction region, observed at earth on January 24, 1974, is associated with the eruptive filament of disparition brusque (DB) near central meridian on January 18. The DB was also associated with a long-decay soft X ray transient and a long-duration gradual-rise-and-fall radio burst. To assess whether magnetic clouds are generally associated with DBs, results from statistical testing of the relation of 33 magnetic clouds (and 33 control samples without magnetic clouds) to disappearing filaments near central meridian (approximately less than 45 deg central meridian distance) are presented. The hypothesis that magnetic cloud are the 1-AU counterparts of either eruptive filaments or the coronal mass ejections which probably accompany them is supported. The major result is that disappearing filaments occur more frequently on the days when magnetic clouds are launched than on control days, a result obtained with greater than 99 pct confidence. There is a suggestion that clouds following shocks, probably launched at times of solar flares, are not as strongly associated with disappearing filaments as are clouds launched less violently.

Wilson, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A study of solar filaments from high resolution microwave observations

The Very Large Array was used to observe several solar filaments at 1.5 and 5 GHz. The maximum temperature depressions appear to be associated with H-alpha filaments. Comparison with He 10,830 A spectroheliogram shows that 20 cm temperature depressions correspond to the regions of reduced intensity in the He 10,830 A around filaments, which correspond to coronal cavities. The temperature and density structure of the transition sheath between the filament and the surrounding corona was studied assuming that the energy radiated away is balanced by the energy conducted from the corona. It is found that the observations can be better explained by a model having a pressure gradient in the transition sheath around the filament.

Kundu, M. R.↗