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Gillis, J. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Gillis, J. R..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Operation of the computer model for direct atomic oxygen exposure of Earth satellites

One of the primary causes of material degradation in low Earth orbit (LEO) is exposure to atomic oxygen. When atomic oxygen molecules collide with an orbiting spacecraft, the relative velocity is 7 to 8 km/sec and the collision energy is 4 to 5 eV per atom. Under these conditions, atomic oxygen may initiate a number of chemical and physical reactions with exposed materials. These reactions contribute to material degradation, surface erosion, and contamination. Interpretation of these effects on materials and the design of space hardware to withstand on-orbit conditions requires quantitative knowledge of the atomic oxygen exposure environment. Atomic oxygen flux is a function of orbit altitude, the orientation of the orbit plan to the Sun, solar and geomagnetic activity, and the angle between exposed surfaces and the spacecraft heading. We have developed a computer model to predict the atomic oxygen exposure of spacecraft in low Earth orbit. The application of this computer model is discussed.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Operation of the computer model for microenvironment atomic oxygen exposure

A computer model for microenvironment atomic oxygen exposure has been developed to extend atomic oxygen modeling capability to include shadowing and reflections. The model uses average exposure conditions established by the direct exposure model and extends the application of these conditions to treat surfaces of arbitrary shape and orientation.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Operation of the computer model for microenvironment solar exposure

A computer model for microenvironmental solar exposure was developed to predict solar exposure to satellite surfaces which may shadow or reflect on one another. This document describes the technical features of the model as well as instructions for the installation and use of the program.

Gillis, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

LDEF microenvironments, observed and predicted

A computer model for prediction of atomic oxygen exposure of spacecraft in low earth orbit, referred to as the primary atomic oxygen model, was originally described at the First Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) Post-Retrieval Symposium. The primary atomic oxygen model accounts for variations in orbit parameters, the condition of the atmosphere, and for the orientation of exposed surfaces relative to the direction of spacecraft motion. The use of the primary atomic oxygen model to define average atomic oxygen exposure conditions for a spacecraft is discussed and a second microenvironments computer model is described that accounts for shadowing and scattering of atomic oxygen by complex surface protrusions and indentations. Comparisons of observed and predicted erosion of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) thermal control blankets using the models are presented. Experimental and theoretical results are in excellent agreement. Work is in progress to expand modeling capability to include ultraviolet radiation exposure and to obtain more detailed information on reflecting and scattering characteristics of material surfaces.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

LDEF atomic oxygen fluence update

The definition of LDEF atomic oxygen exposure involves theoretical prediction of fluxes, modeling of shielding and scattering effects, and comparison of predicted with observed atomic oxygen effects on LDEF experiments. Work is proceeding as follows: atomic oxygen fluxes and fluences have been recalculated using a more detailed orbit prediction program; a micro-environments program is being developed to account for the effects of experiment geometry on atomic oxygen flux; and chemical and physical measurements are being made on copper grounding straps to verify correspondence between predicted exposures and observed surface property variations. These three areas of work are reported briefly.

Bourassa, Roger J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Atomic oxygen exposure of LDEF experiment trays

Atomic oxygen exposures were determined analytically for rows, longerons, and end bays of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The calculations are based on an analytical model that accounts for the effects of thermal molecular velocity, atmospheric temperature, number density, spacecraft velocity, incidence angle, and atmospheric rotation on atomic oxygen flux. Results incorporate variations in solar activity, geomagnetic index, and orbital parameters occurring over the 6-year flight of the spacecraft. To facilitate use of the data, both detailed tabulations and summary charts for atomic oxygen fluences are presented.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Solar exposure of LDEF experiment trays

Exposure to solar radiation is one of the primary causes of degradation of materials on spacecraft. Accurate knowledge of solar exposure is needed to evaluate the performance of materials carried on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) during its nearly 6 year orbital flight. Presented here are tables and figures of calculated solar exposure for the experiment rows, longerons, and end bays of the spacecraft as functions of time in orbit. The data covers both direct solar and earth reflected radiation. Results are expressed in cumulative equivalent sun hours (CESH) or the hours of direct, zero incidence solar radiation that would cause the same irradiance of a surface. Space end bays received the most solar radiation, 14,000 CESH; earth end bays received the least, 4,500 CESH. Row locations received between 6,400 CESH and 11,200 CESH with rows facing either eastward or westward receiving the most radiation and rows facing northward or southward receiving the least.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Atomic oxygen and ultraviolet radiation mission total exposures for LDEF experiments

Atomic oxygen and solar radiation exposures were determined analytically for rows, longerons, and end bays of the LDEF. Calculated atomic oxygen exposures are based on an analytical model that accounts for the effects of thermal molecular velocity, atmospheric temperature, number density, spacecraft velocity, incidence angle, and atmospheric rotation. Results also incorporate variations in solar activity, geomagnetic index, and orbital parameters occurring over the six year flight of the spacecraft. Solar radiation exposure calculations are based on the form factors reported in the Solar Illumination Data Package prepared by NASA Langley. The earth albedo value for these calculations was based on the Nimbus 7 earth radiation data set. Summary charts for both atomic oxygen and solar radiation exposure are presented to facilitate the use of the data generated by LDEF experimenters.

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Atomic oxygen and ultraviolet radiation mission total exposures for LDEF experiments

An analytical treatment of the effect of thermal molecular velocity on spacecraft atomic oxygen (AO) flux is presented. The analysis leads to a closed form equation that incorporates the effect of atmospheric temperature, number density, spacecraft velocity, and incidence angle on AO flux. The effects of atmospheric rotation, solar activity, and geomagnetic index on AO flux are also included on the computer model. Data developed with the model are presented for the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The results incorporate variations in the defining environmental and orbital parameters of the spacecraft over its six year orbital flight. Cumulative ultraviolet solar and albedo exposures were calculated .

Bourassa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Stratospheric HNO3 quantification from line-by-line nonlinear least-squares analysis of high-resolution balloon-borne solar absorption spectra in the 870/cm region

Line parameters for the nu(5) and 2nu(9) bands and associated hot bands of HNO3 have been calculated and compared with laboratory spectra, and the results are presented. Spectral intervals near 870/cm for which best agreement was obtained are used to quantitatively analyze HNO3 absorption features in 0.02/cm resolution stratospheric solar absorption spectra.

Goldman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

AFGL atmospheric absorption line parameters compilation - 1982 edition

The latest edition of the AFGL atmospheric absorption line parameters compilation for the seven most active infrared terrestrial absorbers is described. Major modifications to the atlas for this edition include updating of water-vapor parameters from 0 to 4300 per cm, improvements to line positions for carbon dioxide, substantial modifications to the ozone bands in the middle to far infrared, and improvements to the 7- and 2.3-micron bands of methane. The atlas now contains about 181,000 rotation and vibration-rotation transitions between 0 and 17,900 per cm. The sources of the absorption parameters are summarized.

Rothman, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

AFGL trace gas compilation - 1982 version

The new edition of the AFGL trace gas compilation is described. The latest version provides the necessary parameters for the computation of absorption or emission spectra of major bands of twenty-one gases in the region from 0 to 10,000 per cm. Emphasis in this edition has been on the addition of numerous millimeter and submillimeter transitions, the inclusion of bands of significance in upper atmospheric processes, and strong IR bands of trace constituents likely to be used for remote detection. The sources for the additions and modifications of the absorption parameters are summarized.

Rothman, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Atmospheric ozone profiles from high resolution UV spectra obtained with a balloon-borne spectrometer

High resolution solar spectra at high and low sun angles are analyzed by a layer-by-layer three-wavelength differential absorption method. Ozone amounts are derived from the ratio of a low sun angle scan through a long atmosphere path to a high sun angle scan through a negligible atmosphere path. Ozone volume-mixing ratio profiles are derived and agree with standard profiles. The accuracy of the ozone profiles is found to be limited mostly by the accuracy of the ozone absorption coefficients, and suggestions are made for improving the accuracy of the results in future measurements.

Gillis, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Identification of acetylene /C2H2/ in infrared atmospheric absorption spectra

Infrared atmospheric absorption spectra at 0.02/cm resolution were obtained during a balloon flight on March 23, 1981 from the Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The absorption features, attributed to C2H2, were used to derive a preliminary mixing ratio of about 25 pptv near 9 km, accurate to + or - 40%. This mixing ratio falls into the range of values calculated for the upper troposphere C2H2 in a photochemical/transport model. However, previous measurements from aircraft grab sampling (Cronn and Robinson, 1979) show four to twelve times this C2H2 concentration 1.5 km below the tropopause.

Goldman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Identification of new solar OH lines in the 10-12 micron region

High-resolution (0.02/cm) infrared solar spectra obtained with a balloon-borne interferometer reveal new solar absorption features, which appear as regularly spaced quartets, in the 825-960/cm region. The lines are interpreted as high N-double-prime (25-33) pure rotation lines of solar OH. An effective amount of approximately 8 x 10 to the 15th molecules/sq cm of OH is estimated from the spectra.

Goldman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

AFGL trace gas compilation - 1980 version

A new edition of the AFGL trace gas compilation is now available. Absorption line parameters of positions, intensities, and half-widths are given for the major bands of thirteen gases covering the spectral region from 0 to 10,000/cm. In addition to updating the original gases (NO, SO2, NO2, and NH3), the molecules HNO3, OH, HF, HCl, HBr, HI, ClO, OCS, and H2CO have been added to the compilation. The sources for the additions and modifications are described.

Rothman, L. S.↗