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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

The mean mass of the abundant cosmic-ray nuclei from boron to silicon at 1.2 GeV per atomic mass unit

Results are presented for an investigation of cosmic-ray isotopic composition in which a balloon-borne instrument was used to perform an isotopic analysis of the abundant elements from B through Si in the energy range from 1.0 to 1.6 GeV/amu. The technique employed, which depends on the effect of earth's magnetic field on incoming cosmic rays, and reduction of the observational data are described in detail. Mean masses of the elements B, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, and Si are extracted from normalized Cerenkov spectra and evaluated in terms of the 'leaky box' model of galactic propagation and confinement. The implications of the results for cosmic-ray sources are shown to be consistent with the nucleosynthesis of certain isotopes in the cosmic rays in explosive carbon burning under the conditions of peak temperature, density, and neutronization expected in an explosion of a massive highly evolved star. The possibility of alternate interpretations is noted.

Dwyer, R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Influence of the ion/neutral atom mass ratio on the damping of electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves

The damping of electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves by ion-neutral collisions was studied in a single-ended Q machine. The amplitudes of K(+) and Cs(+) electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves were measured as a function of neutral pressure in helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. For each ion/neutral atom combination, the electrostatic ion-cyclotron wave amplitude maximizes at a neutral pressure that scales monotonically with the m(+)/m(n) mass ratio. This result is interpreted by considering the dynamics of elastic collisions between the ions and the neutral atoms.

Suszcynsky, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Composition of heavy cosmic rays from 25 to 180 MeV per atomic mass unit

Relative abundances of elements from neon through zinc in the energy range from 25 to 180 MeV per amu have been determined from particle tracks in polycarbonate detectors exposed on the Apollo 16 mission. The ratios of elemental abundances of Ne + Si and 17 less than Z less than 25 to Fe + Co + Ni are found to be 5.8 plus or minus 1.9 and 2.1 plus or minus 0.7, respectively, in agreement with the results from cellulose triacetate detectors by O'Sullivan et al. (1973). These results imply that the heavy particles observed are predominantly galactic in origin. The availability to investigators of unetched plastic detectors exposed to solar-flare particles on the Apollo 16 mission is noted.

Fleischer, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Cosmic-ray energy spectra between 10 and several hundred GeV per atomic mass unit for elements from Ar-18 to Ni-28 - Results from HEAO 3

Results from the Heavy Nuclei experiment on HEAO 3 are used to determine the primary abundances of Ni and Fe. Ni and Fe are found to have nearly constant relative abundances over the interval of 10 to about 500 GeV per amu. Individual secondary elements derived principally from interactions of primary Fe nuclei are shown to display a power-law decrease in relative abundance up to about 150 GeV per amu. Ar/Fe and Ca/Fe ratios of 2.6 + or - 0.7 percent and 8.8 + or - 0.7 percent, respectively, are found, confirming a fractionation of source abundances in which elements with high values of the first ionization potential are depleted relative to those with low first ionization potential.

Binns, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Mitigating Space Radiation Using Magnesium(-Lithium) and Boron Carbide Composites

The health effects of galactic cosmic radiation are a serious impediment to crewed exploration of the solar system. OLTARIS, an interface for the 3DHZETRN deterministic radiation transport code, was used to assess the response of aerospace materials to this constant radiation exposure. Traditional aerospace structural materials like aluminum can, after a certain mass, increase the health effects of such radiation. However, materials with lower atomic mass may mitigate this build-up in secondary radiation with increasing areal density. As such, lower atomic mass structural alloys of magnesium and magnesium–lithium are promising candidates. These alloys may reduce the mass of structures when substituted for aluminum alloys. Reinforcement with boron carbide could further reduce atomic mass while also improving the mechanical properties of such lightweight alloys. This study found that the lower atomic mass of these materials increased nuclear fragmentation upon cosmic radiation interactions, leading to a softening of the secondary (neutron) radiation spectra. This softened spectra reduced the effective dose equivalent, a measure of health effects, for magnesium(-lithium) alloys and their boron carbide-reinforced composites when compared to aluminum.

Galactic cosmic radiation↗
NASA NTRS1987

H I superclouds in the inner Galaxy

Atomic hydrogen clouds in the Weaver-Williams 21 cm survey are found in the vicinity of the largest molecular cloud complexes in the first Galactic quadrant. The atomic masses are estimated in several ways, including a new method where the clouds are assumed to be composed of cool clumps immersed in a warm interclump medium. The clouds are found to contain between a million and 40 million solar masses of atoms at an average density of about 9/cu cm. They appear gravitationally bound, their molecular mass fractions decrease from 70 percent to 5 percent with increasing distance from the Galactic center, and they are located in the spiral arms. The importance of these clouds for the large-scale distributions of interstellar mass, molecular fraction, and star formation is discussed.

Elmegreen, Bruce G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effects of darkening processes on surfaces of airless bodies

We find the lunar darkening process could be due neither to simple addition of impact-melted glass nor to addition of devitrified glass to crushed lunar rock. There is evidence that lunar soil grains have thin, very light-absorbing coatings that mask absorption bands, seen in the reflection spectra of freshly crushed lunar rock, in the same manner as they are masked in the spectra of lunar soils. We believe the processes that produce these coatings are (1) deposition of atoms sputtered from lunar soil grains by solar wind particles and (2) deposition of vapor species vaporized from lunar soil grains by micrometeoritic impacts. We describe an apparent new type of fractionation that occurs during deposition of sputtered atoms. This fractionation favors retention of higher mass atoms over lower mass atoms, and appears to be a linear function of mass.

Cassidy, W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Evidence for chain molecules enriched in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in comet Halley

In situ measurements of the composition and spatial distribution of heavy thermal positive ions in the coma of comet Halley were made with the heavy-ion analyzer RPA2-PICCA aboard the Giotto spacecraft. Above 50 atomic mass units an ordered series of mass peaks centered at 61, 75, 91, and 105 atomic mass units were observed. Each peak appears to be composed of three or more closely spaced masses. The abundances decrease and the dissociation rates increase smoothly with increasing mass. These observations suggest the presence of chain molecules that are enriched in carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, such as polyoxymethylene (polymerized formaldehyde), in comet Halley.

Mitchell, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Magnesium and Titanium Isotopic Compositions of an Unusual Hibonite-Perovskite Refractory Inclusion from Allende: It Is Fun

Introduction: Hibonite-rich refractory inclusions are among the first solids that formed in the solar nebula, and thus provide constraints on the earliest environment in the Solar System. An unusual hibonite-perovskite inclusion from Allende, SHAL, consists of a large (approximately 500 by 200 microns) single hibonite crystal and coexisting blocky perovskite (approximately 200 microns in size). The hibonite is characterized by chemical and oxygen isotopic compositions similar to those in the FUN (Fractionated and Unknown Nuclear anomalies) inclusion HAL. However, the rare earth element (REE) patterns measured at different spots of SHAL hibonite are highly variable, ranging from Group II-like (light REEs enriched relative to heavy REEs) to Group III-like (relatively flat with slight Eu depletions), but overall contrast largely with that of HAL, especially in the Ce and Yb abundances. This implies that SHAL hibonite formed and underwent distillation processes under more reducing conditions. Interestingly, the accompanying perovskite has uniform, unfractionated oxygen isotopic compositions (averaging delta (sup 17) O equals delta (sup 18) O equals −7 per mille) and REE abundances that are completely different from those of SHAL hibonite. This has been interpreted that perovskite and hibonite may not be co-genetic. Here we performed Al-Mg and Ti isotopic measurements of SHAL hibonite and perovskite to determine if the FUN characteristics are observed in these two isotope systems, and to further constrain the origin and evolution of SHAL. Results: Isotopic measurements of Al-Mg and Ti in SHAL were performed on the UCLA CAMECA ims-1290 ion microprobe by following the analytical protocols described in [1]. The Al-Mg and Ti data obtained in both terrestrial standards and SHAL hibonite and perovskite are shown below. Both SHAL hibonite and perovskite, despite very high (sup 27) Al to (sup 24) Mg ratios, are devoid of (sup 26) Mg excesses that can be attributed to the decay of (sup 26) Al. Delta (sup 25) Mg (mass-dependent fractionation) in hibonite is approximately −5 per mille per atomic mass unit relative to Madagascar hibonite, but is not well constrained for perovskite due to very large uncertainties owing to extremely low Mg contents. Similar to Mg isotopes, SHAL hibonite and perovskite show essentially the same Ti isotopic compositions, with anomalies in (sup 50) Ti of approximately 14 per mille, but the former shows greater Ti isotope fractionation than the latter (2.5 per mille per atomic mass unit versus 0 per mille). Discussion and Conclusions: The Al-Mg and Ti isotopic compositions of SHAL hibonite are consistent with those of HAL, suggesting that SHAL hibonite is a FUN inclusion and likely formed prior to homogenization of (sup 26) Al and Ti isotope variations in the solar nebula. However, the formation mechanisms for SHAL and HAL differ, given the differences in the REE patterns and degrees of oxygen mass-dependent fractionation. The Group-II to Group-III like REE patterns, the Yb depletions, and negative delta (sup 25) Mg observed in SHAL hibonite are all consistent with condensation of the hibonite precursor in a reducing environment.. The lack of large Ce depletions in SHAL hibonite implies that distillation processes that fractionated hibonite's oxygen isotopes must have taken place under a reducing condition, but the extent to which SHAL hibonite was distilled appears to be less than HAL because of the smaller degree of oxygen mass-dependent fractionation. The perovskite shares essentially the same Ti and Mg isotopic compositions as hibonite and probably formed in the same reservoir.. The ultrarefractory REE pattern seen in perovskite likely resulted from gas-solid fractionation which depleted HREEs in this reservoir. This process also explains why SHAL hibonite is generally depleted in HREEs relative to LREEs.

Liu, M.-C.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Graphic Three-Axes Presentation of Residual Gas Analyser Data

Residual gas analyzers (RGA) are commonly used to measure the composition of residual gases in thermal-vacuum test chambers. Measurements from RGAs are often used to identify and quantify outgassing contaminants from a test article during thermal-vacuum testing. RGA data is typically displayed as snapshots in time, showing instantaneous concentrations of ions from ionized residual gas molecules at different atomic masses. A method was devised by the authors to present RGA data in a three-axis format, plotting atomic mass unit (AMU), ion concentration as a function of AMU, and time, to provide a clear graphic visualization ot trends in gas concentration changes and to initiate a valuable analytical tool to interpret test article outgassing rates during thermal-vacuum testing.

data analysis↗
NASA NTRS1981

Isotopic stack - measurement of heavy cosmic ray isotopes

Heavy cosmic ray nuclei with nuclear charge, Z, equal to or greater than 3 are to be measured using an isotopic stack consisting of passive visual track detectors which remain sensitive throughout the entire mission. The scientific data are stored in latent tracks which are produced by heavy ions and which can be revealed in the investigator's laboratory after recovery. During the mission, only housekeeping data have to be collected. The exposure onboard Spacelab 1 allows the study of the chemical composition and energy spectrum of articles which have energies in the range 20 to 100 million electron volts per atomic mass unit, as well as the isotopic composition of heavy galactic cosmic rays with energies in the range 100 to 1000 million electron volts per atomic mass unit.

Beaujean, R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Cometary particulate analyzer

A concept for determining the relative abundance of elements contained in cometary particulates was evaluated. The technique utilizes a short, high intensity burst of laser radiation to vaporize and ionize collected particulate material. Ions extracted from this laser produced plasma are analyzed in a time of flight mass spectrometer to yield an atomic mass spectrum representative of the relative abundance of elements in the particulates. Critical aspects of the development of this system are determining the ionization efficiencies for various atomic species and achieving adequate mass resolution. A technique called energy-time focus, which utilizes static electric fields to alter the length of the ion flight path in proportion to the ion initial energy, was used which results in a corresponding compression to the range of ion flight times which effectively improves the inherent resolution. Sufficient data were acquired to develop preliminary specifications for a flight experiment.

Friichtenicht, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Graphic Three-Axes Presentation of Residual Gas Analyzer Data

Residual gas analyzers (RGA) are commonly used to measure the composition of residual gases in thermal-vacuum test chambers. Measurements from RGA's are often used to identify and quantify outgassing contaminants from a test article during thermal-vacuum testing. RGA data is typically displayed as snapshots in time, showing instantaneous concentrations of ions from ionized residual gas molecules at different atomic masses. This ion concentration information can be interpreted to be representative of the composition of the residual gas in the chamber at the instant of analysis. Typically, test personnel are most interested in tracking the time history of changes in the composition of chamber residual gas to determine the relative cleanliness and the clean-up rate of the test article under vacuum. However, displays of instantaneous RGA data cannot provide test personnel with the preferred time history information. In order to gain an understanding of gas composition trends, a series of plots of individual data snapshots must be analyzed. This analysis is cumbersome and still does not provide a very satisfactory view of residual gas composition trends. A method was devised by the authors to present RCA data in a three-axis format, plotting Atomic Mass Unit (AMU), the Ionization Signal Response (ISR) as amps/torr as a function of AMU, and Time, to provide a clear graphic visualization of trends of changes in ISR with respect to time and AMU (representative of residual gas composition). This graphic visualization method provides a valuable analytical tool to interpret test article outgassing rates during thermal vacuum tests. Raw RGA data was extracted from a series of delimited ASCII files and then converted to a data array in a spreadsheet. Consequently, using the 3-D plotting functionality provided by the spreadsheet program, 3-D plots were produced. After devising the data format conversion process, the authors began developing a program to provide real-time 3-D plotting of RGA data. The intent of this program is to automate the RGA data acquisition process and to generate up-to-the-minute time history 3-D displays of stored RGA data (development of this program was not complete at the time of this writing). This paper provides a brief description of the data format conversion process and presents results from a recent test to illustrate the usefulness of this 3-D RGA data plotting technique.

Johnson, Kenneth R.↗