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Brown, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Brown, R. A..

At least 55 records · Page 3
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NASA NTRS1984

The role of scientists in developing Hubble Space Telescope

The objective of the Hubble Space Telescope Program is to build and operate a high-performance, fully-instrumented and long-lived optical observatory in earth orbit. Key Program elements are (1) a logistic strategy of Shuttle launch/maintenance and TDRSS communications, (2) overall responsibility at the MSFC Project for developing both the flight and ground systems, and (3) scientific participation in ST development and responsibility after launch for conducting the observing program. The ST Project is a management structure with a budget and schedule for delivering an ST system capable of achieving its established scientific objectives. The Project distributes through contracts the responsibility for supplying particular components, but retains the responsibility for system-level integrity. Scientists have set the performance objectives and now support the Project during the development stage by providing (1) PI management of the five Science Instruments, (2) continuing translations of scientific requirements into engineering specifications, (3) oversight of designs and performance tests, and (4) specific expertise on technical concerns.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Reflectance Measurements, Part 2

Improving the productivity of spectroreflectometer readings taken to monitor induced contamination of lenses, mirrors, and coatings in the space environment are described. More sophisticated modelling techniques were applied to the laboratory data collected last summer in order to produce a more accurate model of the nonlinearities and noise sources of the instrumentation. This would ultimately allow for correction of known anomalies by the digital computer, yielding an anticipated order to magnitude improvement in the accuracy of the reflectance measurements, while reducing the total measuring time. The construction of and programming for a modernized version of the electronics used in Beckman DK-2 spectroreflectometers suffered because of a schedule lag in fabrication of a modified form of the carrier frequency pickoff. Separate development of the electronics and the computer programming was partially accomplished.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Observed departure of the Io plasma torus from rigid corotation with Jupiter

A study of forbidden S II red doublet spectra indicates that the Io plasma torus at 5.9 Jupiter radii does not corotate rigidly with Jupiter. The lag is found to be 6 percent + or 4 percent, where the variability range, not the uncertainty, is indicated. Comparison with existing models indicates the lag may be due primarily to ion creation in the Io torus.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Development of a clean optical telescope

Particulate contamination on astronomical mirrors degrades performance in two ways: by information loss by extinction of light; and background and noise from scattering, especially forward or Fraunhofer scattering. These effects were not generally understood, and an ambitious pilot program was outlined to measure particulate effects on telescope optical performance; develop prophylactic and cleaning procedures suitable for groundbased observatories; investigate by computational modelling the effects on telescopes in space; and communicate the results and concerns within the astronomical community.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

On a satellite scatterometer as an anemometer

The Seasat-A satellite scatterometer (SASS) wind-algorithm was tested against surface wind fields. Three classes of surface wind fields were used; point measurements, an isotach field over an intensively measured triangle with 200 km sides, and synoptic scale winds determined from pressure and temperature fields and a planetary boundary layer model. These comparisons can verify optimal capabilities of SASS at accuracies of + or - 2 m/s and + or - 20 deg. SASS ability to locate fronts accurately is also established. Complications in nonsteady, highly variable fields indicate problems exist in unqualified application of the SASS algorithm to all conditions.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Studies of planetary extended atmospheres

The light produced by the atoms and ions of Jupiter's luminous, heavy particle environment was studied. High resolution spectrophotometry is discussed.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Multiple buoyancy driven flows in a vertical cylinder heated from below

The structure of axisymmetric buoyancy-driven convection in a vertical cylinder heated from below is probed by finite element solution of the Boussinesq equations coupled with computed-implemented perturbation techniques for detecting and tracking multiple flows and for determining flow stability. Results are reported for fluids with Prandtl number of one and for cylinders with aspect ratio (Lambda) (defined as the height to radius of the cylinder) between 0.5 and 2.25. Extensive calculations of the neutral stability curve for the static solution and of the nonlinear motions along the bifurcating flow families show a continuous evolution of the primary cellular motion from a single toroidal cell to two and three cells nested radially in the cylinder, instead of the sharp transitions found for a cylinder with shear-free sidewalls. The smooth transitions in flow structure with Rayleigh number and lambda are explained by nonlinear connectivity between the first two bifurcating flow families formed either by a secondary bifurcation point for Lambda or = Lambda * approximately 0.80 or by a limit point for Lambda Lambda *. The transition between these two modes may be described by the theory of multiple limit point bifurcation.

Yamaguchi, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A deficiency of O III in the Io plasma torus

Evidence for a deficiency of O III ions in the Io plasma torus is reported and implications of this deficiency for the physical processes controlling the plasma are considered. Observations of the O III 5007-A as well as Cl III and S III emissions from the Io plasma torus were made by a ground-based echelle spectrograph and intensified Reticon detector in February and May, 1981. The O III observations allow an upper limit of 4/cu cm to be placed on torus O III abundance, which is inconsistent with expectations for a low density plasma controlled by electron collisions. The inclusion of ion-ion and ion-atom charge exchange reactions and a depleted high energy electron component in the model is found to suppress O III levels, however observed limiting values are only achieved if it is assumed that the O III is kinetically hot. In addition, the charge-exchange model developed is inconsistent with previous observations of the kinetics of the S II-S III system. The present observations also establish upper limits of 2 R on 5518-A and 5538-A Cl III emission, and an emission rate of 58 + or - 40 R for the S III 6312-A line in the hot torus.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Flow in a differentially rotated cylindrical drop at low Reynolds number

A liquid drop held captive between parallel disks that are differentially rotated is a model for the swirling flows induced by crystal rotation in the floating-zone process for growing semiconductor materials. An asymptotic analysis for a cylindrical drop is presented that elucidates the structure of the axisymmetric cellular motions caused by disk rotation at low Reynolds number. Variations of meniscus shape induced by these flows are described in the limit of small capillary number. Most cellular flow fields break the bifurcation point that corresponds to the Plateau-Rayleigh limit for the length of a static drop into two disjoint shape families and lower the maximum stable drop length. This effect is studied by a singular bifurcation analysis.

Harriott, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Finite-element methods for steady solidification problems

Four Galerkin finite-element methods are tested for solving the free-boundary problem that describes steady solidification. The formulations differ in the solution method used to account for the unknown shape of the melt/solid interface, in the interphase condition (either balance of heat flux or equilibrium of temperature) distinguished for locating the interface, and in the technique used for solving the systems of algebraic equations that result from the finite-element approximations. Methods that use the melting point isotherm to locate the melt/solid interface are found more accurate and efficient than formulations based on the interfacial energy balance. Solution by a Galerkin-Newton algorithm of the free-boundary problem transformed to a fixed domain is most efficient when the field problem in each phase is made nonlinear by including radiation from the melt and solid to the surroundings.

Ettouney, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Spectrophotometric studies of the Io Torus

A toroidal volume near Io's orbit is made luminous by multiple optical and ultraviolet line emissions excited by resonant scattering of sunlight and by electron collisions. These emitting atoms and ions have been lost from Io. The spectrophotometric measurements of these emissions and their physical interpretation are considered. It is now known that the flow of material from Io dominates the particle and energy budgets of the Jovian magnetosphere. The observed emitting species in the Io torus are examined, and the atomic clouds are discussed, taking into account morphology and kinematics, atomic cloud supply rates, ion-atom collisions, and charge-exchange collisions. Observations and studies concerning the plasma torus are reported, giving attention to the forbidden lines, the extreme ultraviolet lines, and aspects of ion temperature and spatial distribution. Two types of radial transport in the Io torus include the ballistic motion of neutrals escaping from Io and the cross-L transport of ions.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Radial segregation induced by natural convection and melt/solid interface shape in vertical Bridgman growth

The roles of natural convection in the melt and the shape of the melt/solid interface on radial dopant segregation are analyzed for a prototype of vertical Bridgman crystal growth system by finite element methods that solve simultaneously for the velocity field in the melt, the shape of the solidification isotherm, and the temperature distribution in both phases. Results are presented for crystal and melt with thermophysical properties similar to those of gallium-doped germanium in Bridgman configurations with melt below (thermally destabilizing) and above (stabilizing) the crystal. Steady axisymmetric flow are classified according to Rayleigh number as either being nearly the growth velocity, having a weak cellular structure or having large amplitude cellular convention. The flows in the two Bridgman configurations are driven by different temperature gradients and are in opposite directions. Finite element calculations for the transport of a dilute dopant by these flow fields reveal radial segregation levels as large as sixty percent of the mean concentration. Segregation is found most severe at an intermediate value of Rayleigh number above which the dopant distribution along the interface levels as the intensity of the flow increases.

Chang, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Finite element calculation of buoyancy-driven convection near a melt/solid phase boundary

Two iterative schemes based on the mixed finite element method are developed for analyzing steady natural convection in a melt adjacent to its solid phase. The simplest method decouples the calculation of the field variables and the shape of the melt/solid interface into two interlocked iterations that are performed successively. The second method uses Newton's iteration to solve simultaneously for both types of unknowns and has a quadratic convergence rate. Results for a model problem of melt and solid in a cylindrical ampoule show the Newton algorithm to be a factor of three more efficient.

Chang, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

On the nature of S II emission from Jupiter's hot plasma torus

An effective electron temperature T(e) of 80,000 K is indicated by the Voyager 1 encounter Jupiter hot torus emission rates in the 6731, 1256, 911 and reclassified 765 A transitions of S II. A set of 53 measurements of the S II red line doublet obtained at 5.9 Jupiter radii shows strong, irregular fluctuations in intensity, but no variation in the line ratio. At this distance from Jupiter, the torus is found to be longitudinally uniform in density; this is consonant with Voyager UVS findings, but contrary to magnetic anomaly model predictions. It is suggested that presently unidentified ion-ion and/or iron-atom reactions are responsible for the S II component irregular variations, in view of the fact that electron properties are regular and variable only over a small range in the hot torus at 5.9 Jupiter radii.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

On two-layer models and the similarity functions for the PBL

An operational Planetary Boundary Layer model which employs similarity principles and two-layer patching to provide state-of-the-art parameterization for the PBL flow is used to study the popularly used similarity functions, A and B. The expected trends with stratification are shown. The effects of baroclinicity, secondary flow, humidity, latitude, surface roughness variation and choice of characteristic height scale are discussed.

Brown, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Radio emission from Io

Radio observations of Io taken with the VLA at 2, 6, and 21 cm show flux densities of 11.6 + or - 0.2 mJy, and less than 0.5 mJy, respectively, where the latter is a 2 sigma upper limit. These flux densities correspond to Io disk brightness temperatures of T(b) (2 cm) = 98 + or - 17 K, T(b) (6 cm) = 85 + or - 16 K, and T(b) (21 cm) less than 400 K, respectively. These radio brightness temperatures are consistent with thermal emission expected from Io's surface on the basis of its infrared brightness temperature and its radio emissivity derived from radar studies. No evidence for nonthermal radio emission from Io is found, such as has been reported by Mingaliev et al (1979). By using a model for the generation of synchrotron emission at 21 cm by energetic electrons in a hypothetical Io magnetosphere, an upper limit of Io's dipole magnetic moment less than 2 x 10 to the 25th gauss/cu cm is found.

De Pater, I.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Segregation effects during growth of pseudo-binary system with large liquidus-solidus separation

Results are reported for an experimental study of the seeded growth, of PbSnTe single crystals in a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger (B-S) furnace. Profiles of axial and radial segregation of Sn are presented for crystal growth from melts with aspect ratios of 15 and 6.8; the profiles indicate intense convective mixing. A one-dimensional model of heat and mass transfer in an idealized B-S furnace with diffusion control is used to examine the importance of liquidus-solidus separation in determining growth-rate and composition transients in a pseudobinary system. It is shown that the coupling of heat and mass transfer in a pseudobinary system with a large liquidus-solidus separation causes the transient behavior in a nondilute system to differ markedly from such behavior in a dilute system and that PbSnTe crystals with a reasonable diameter can be grown under nearly convectionless conditions in a microgravity environment.

Bourret, E. D.↗