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Smith, W. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Smith, W. L..

51 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Energy and remote sensing applications

The nature of the U.S. energy problem is examined. Based upon the best available estimates, it appears that demand for OPEC oil will exceed OPEC productive capacity in the early to mid-eighties. The upward pressure on world oil prices resulting from this supply/demand gap could have serious international consequences, both financial and in terms of foreign policy implementation. National Energy Plan objectives in response to this situation are discussed. Major strategies for achieving these objectives include a conversion of industry and utilities from oil and gas to coal and other abundant fuels. Remote sensing from aircraft and spacecraft could make significant contributions to the solution of energy problems in a number of ways, related to exploration of energy-related resources, the efficiency and safety of exploitation procedures, power plant siting, environmental monitoring and assessment, and the transportation infrastructure.

Summers, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Superbroadening in H2O and D2O by self-focused picosecond pulses from a YAlG:Nd laser

The dielectric-breakdown intensity threshold, the critical power for self-focusing, and the power threshold for the production of spectral superbroadening have been measured in H2O and D2O. For bandwidth-limited pulses of 30 psec duration at 1.06 microns and of 21 psec duration at 0.53 micron, the superbroadening in water always required power levels sufficient for catastrophic self-focusing and intensities equal to the electric breakdown threshold.

Smith, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Two-photon photoemission from metals induced by picosecond laser pulses

We have measured the two-photon photoemission current density from tungsten, tantalum, and molybdenum when irradiated by 532-nm wavelength radiation. This wavelength was produced by the second-harmonic radiation of single picosecond laser pulses from a mode-locked neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. The results are interpreted in terms of both a simple temperature-independent two-photon photoemission effect and a generalization of the Fowler-DuBridge theory of photoemission. The laser polarization dependence of the emitted current is also reported.

Bechtel, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Picosecond laser-induced breakdown at 5321 and 5347 A - Observation of frequency-dependent behavior

A study is presented of picosecond laser-induced breakdown at 3547 and 5321 A of several materials. The thresholds obtained for breakdown at 5321 A are compared to previous results obtained at 1.064 microns using the same laser system. This comparison illustrates the transition of bulk laser-induced breakdown as it becomes increasingly frequency dependent. UV picosecond pulses are obtained by mixing 5321 A and 1.064 micron pulses in a KH2PO4 crystal. Upper and lower bounds on the 3547 A breakdown threshold are defined, although some effects of walk-off distortion and self-focusing are observed. The results are discussed with reference to models for the intrinsic processes involved in the breakdown, i.e., avalanche and multiphoton ionization.

Smith, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Energy and remote sensing

Effective implementation of the President's National Energy Plan and the Nuclear Power Policy Statement require application of the best remote sensing tools available. The potential contributions of remote sensing, particularly LANDSAT data, have yet to be clearly identified and exploited. These contributions investigated fall into the following categories: (1) exploration; (2) exploitation; (3) power plant siting; (4) environmental assessment and monitoring; and (5) transportation infrastructure.

Summers, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Energy and remote sensing

Exploration for uranium, thorium, oil, gas and geothermal activity through remote sensing techniques is considered; satellite monitoring of coal-derived CO2 in the atmosphere, and the remote assessment of strip mining and land restoration are also mentioned. Reference is made to color ratio composites based on Landsat data, which may aid in the detection of uranium deposits, and to computer-enhanced black and white airborne scanning imagery, which may locate geothermal anomalies. Other applications of remote sensing to energy resources management, including mapping of transportation networks and power plant siting, are discussed.

Summers, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Dielectric breakdown induced by picosecond laser pulses

The damage thresholds of transparent optical materials were investigated. Single picosecond pulses at 1.06 microns, 0.53 microns and 0.35 microns were obtained from a mode locked Nd-YAG oscillator-amplifier-frequency multiplier system. The pulses were Gaussian in space and time and permitted the determination of breakdown thresholds with a reproducibility of 15%. It was shown that the breakdown thresholds are characteristic of the bulk material, which included nine alkali halides, five different laser host materials, KDP, quartz, sapphire and calcium fluoride. The extension of the damage data to the ultraviolet is significant, because some indication was obtained that two- and three-photon absorption processes begin to play a role in determining the threshold. Throughout the visible region of the spectrum the threshold is still an increasing function of frequency, indicating that avalanche ionization is the dominant factor in determining the breakdown threshold. This was confirmed by a detailed study of the damage morphology with a high resolution microscope just above the threshold. The influence of self focusing is discussed, and evidence for beam distortion below the power threshold for complete self focusing is presented, confirming the theory of Marburger.

Smith, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Pulse width fluctuations in mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers

The experiment consisted of a flashlamp-pumped Nd:YAG laser rod in the Brewster-Brewster configuration, passively modelocked by a thick flowing dye in contact with the high reflectivity rear mirror. A single pulse was selected by a cylindrical-ring electrode Pockel's cell, and amplified by two Nd:YAG amplifiers. Calibrated photodiodes measured the total pulse energy at the fundamental frequency and the total pulse energy at the second harmonic frequency. The signals were monitored by a digital data acquisition system and displayed on a teletype printer.

Bechtel, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

NIMBUS-5 sounder data processing system. Part 2: Results

The Nimbus-5 spacecraft carries infrared and microwave radiometers for sensing the temperature distribution of the atmosphere. Methods developed for obtaining temperature profiles from the combined set of infrared and microwave radiation measurements are described. Algorithms used to determine (a) vertical temperature and water vapor profiles, (b) cloud height, fractional coverage, and liquid water content, (c) surface temperature, and (d) total outgoing longwave radiation flux are described. Various meteorological results obtained from the application of the Nimbus-5 sounding data processing system during 1973 and 1974 are presented.

Smith, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Four-photon photoemission from tungsten

Four-photon photoemission is observed from tungsten using carefully controlled and calibrated single pulses produced by a passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser system. The results are shown to be in quantitative agreement with a four-photon generalization of the Fowler and DuBridge theories of photoemission.

Bechtel, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Crew equipment applications - Firefighter's Breathing System.

The Firefighter's Breathing System (FBS) represents a significant step in applying NASA's crew equipment technologists and technologies to civilian sector problems. This paper describes the problem, the utilization of user-design committees as a forum for development of design goals, the design of the FBS, and the field test program to be conducted.

Smith, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Earth resources survey applications of the space shuttle sortie mode

The use of the shuttle sortie mode for earth observation applications was investigated and its feasibility for applied research and instrument development was appraised. The results indicate that the shuttle sortie missions offer unique advantages and that specific aspects of earth applications are particularly suited to the sortie mode.

Sharma, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Statistical versus nonstatistical temperature inversion methods

Vertical temperature profiles are derived from radiation measurements by inverting the integral equation of radiative transfer. Because of the nonuniqueness of the solution, the particular temperature profile obtained depends on the numerical inversion technique used and the type of auxiliary information incorporated in the solution. The choice of an inversion algorithm depends on many factors; including the speed and size of computer, the availability of representative statistics, and the accuracy of initial data. Results are presented for a numerical study comparing two contrasting inversion methods: the statistical-matrix inversion method and the nonstatistical-iterative method. These were found to be the most applicable to the problem of determining atmospheric temperature profiles. Tradeoffs between the two methods are discussed.

Smith, W. L.↗