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Wilson, J. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Wilson, J. W..

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Comparison of abrasion model differences in heavy ion fragmentation - Optical versus geometric models

Two different abrasion formalisms, one based on an energy-independent geometric model and the other based on a quantum-mechanical optical model, are shown to yield comparable fragmentation cross section predictions when used as input to an abrasion-ablation frictional-spectator interaction fragmentation calculation which includes electromagnetic dissociation contributions. The results suggest that any dependence upon the incident ion's kinetic energy above 200 MeV/nucleon is weak. It is also noted that the larger surface diffusiveness of the optical model densities only affects nuclear cross sections for near-projectile-mass fragments, while for heavier nuclei, the sizable cross-section contributions from electromagnetic dissociation negate these differences.

Townsend, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Optical model calculations of heavy-ion target fragmentation

The fragmentation of target nuclei by relativistic protons and heavy ions is described within the context of a simple abrasion-ablation-final-state interaction model. Abrasion is described by a quantum mechanical formalism utilizing an optical model potential approximation. Nuclear charge distributions of the excited prefragments are calculated by both a hypergeometric distribution and a method based upon the zero-point oscillations of the giant dipole resonance. Excitation energies are estimated from the excess surface energy resulting from the abrasion process and the additional energy deposited by frictional spectator interactions of the abraded nucleons. The ablation probabilities are obtained from the EVA-3 computer program. Isotope production cross sections for the spallation of copper targets by relativistic protons and for the fragmenting of carbon targets by relativistic carbon, neon, and iron projectiles are calculated and compared with available experimental data.

Townsend, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Transport model of nucleon-nucleus reaction

A simplified model of nucleon-nucleus reaction is developed and some of its properties are examined. Comparisons with proton production measured for targets of Al-27, Ni-58, Zr-90, and Bi-209 show some hope for developing an accurate model for these complex reactions. It is suggested that binding effects are the next step required for further development.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of the physical atomic forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions and halogen ions

The physical forces between atoms and molecules are important in a number of processes of practical importance, including line broadening in radiative processes, gas and crystal properties, adhesion, and thin films. The components of the physical forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions, and halogen ions are analyzed and a data base for the dispersion forces is developed from the literature based on evaluations with the harmonic oscillator dispersion model for higher order coefficients. The Zener model of the repulsive core is used in the context of the recent asymptotic wave functions of Handler and Smith; and an effective ionization potential within the Handler and Smith wave functions is defined to analyze the two body potential data of Waldman and Gordon, the alkali-halide molecular data, and the noble gas crystal and salt crystal data. A satisfactory global fit to this molecular and crystal data is then reproduced by the model to within several percent. Surface potentials are evaluated for noble gas atoms on noble gas and salt crystal surfaces with surface tension neglected. Within this context, the noble gas surface potentials on noble gas and salt crystals are considered to be accurate to within several percent.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A model for the kinetics of a solar-pumped long path laser experiment

A kinetic model for a solar-simulator pumped iodine laser system is developed and compared to an experiment in which the solar simulator output is dispersed over a large active volume (150 cu cm) with low simulator light intensity (approx. 200 solar constants). A trace foreign gas which quenches the upper level is introduced into the model. Furthermore, a constant representing optical absorption of the stimulated emission is introduced, in addition to a constant representing the scattering at each of the mirrors, via the optical cavity time constant. The non-uniform heating of the gas is treated as well as the pressure change as a function of time within the cavity. With these new phenomena introduced into the kinetic model, a best reasonable fit to the experimental data is found by adjusting the reaction rate coefficients within the range of known uncertainty by numerical methods giving a new bound within this range of uncertainty. The experimental parameters modeled are the lasing time, laser pulse energy, and time to laser threshold.

Stock, L. V.↗
NASA NTRS1986

On the biological hazard of galactic antinuclei

The interaction of antinuclei in the galactic cosmic-ray beam with biological systems is studied. A nuclei-antinuclei annihilation event observed in nuclear emulsion near the end of the slowing-down trajectories of singly charged particle is discussed. An annihilation event that occurred by capture of the antinucleus into an atomic orbital followed by cascade to or near the ground atomic state and subsequent annihilation with the nuclear material of the atom is described. Microdosimetric quantities relevant to potential biological hazards are estimated. The average linear-energy-transfer spectrum for galactic cosmic ray antinuclei annihilation events in tissues is presented. It is observed that the annihilation in tissues occurs mainly in O and the heavier elements around K.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The maximum momentum transfer in proton-hydrogen collisions

The upper limit of momentum transfer by a proton to K-shell electrons is calculated in a restricted three-body classical model. The model shows that the infinite upper limit used in practice, is generally good except for low energy protons passing through an extremely rarefied gas.

NASA Discipline Number 22-70↗
NASA NTRS1986

Finite size corrections to Madelung number

It is customary in the study of ionic crystals to assume that the ions are point charges at their respective lattice sites; the corresponding electrostatic energy of one such ion is reducible to Madelung's form, where the Madelung number has a value of 1.7467. This paper considers the modifications in the electrostatic energy when the atomic finite size is treated in more detail. The results are tabulated as a direct correction to Madelung's number for alkali halide cubic crystals.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Theoretical antideuteron-nucleus absorptive cross sections

Antideuteron-nucleus absorptive cross sections for intermediate to high energies are calculated using an ion-ion optical model. Good agreement with experiment (within 15 percent) is obtained in this same model for mean p-nucleus cross sections at laboratory energies up to 15 GeV. We describe a technique for estimating antinucleus-nucleus cross sections from N mean N data and suggest that further cosmic ray studies to search for antideuterons and other antinuclei be undertaken.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗
NASA NTRS1985

Refined potentials for rare gas atom adsorption on rare gas and alkali-halide surfaces

The utilization of models of interatomic potential for physical interaction to estimate the long range attractive potential for rare gases and ions is discussed. The long range attractive force is calculated in terms of the atomic dispersion properties. A data base of atomic dispersion parameters for rare gas atoms, alkali ion, and halogen ions is applied to the study of the repulsive core; the procedure for evaluating the repulsive core of ion interactions is described. The interaction of rare gas atoms on ideal rare gas solid and alkali-halide surfaces is analyzed; zero coverage absorption potentials are derived.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Vibrational excitation of CO by blackbody radiation

Lasers excited by blackbody radiation are of interest for power beaming applications in space. In such a system sunlight is collected and focused into a blackbody cavity, heating it to approximately 2000 K. An appropriate absorbing molecule is vibrationally heated but not translationally heated when passed through the blackbody cavity. The vibrationally excited gas is then mixed with a lasant resulting in laser emission. The number density of CO molecules within a blackbody radiation field of a given temperature and pressure is calculated. Such calculations show the degree of excitation achievable, under ideal conditions, from blackbody pumping.

Arriola, L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A method for analysis of blackbody diatomic-triatomic lasers

A formalism is developed for analysis of performance of direct blackbody and blackbody transfer lasers. Application to the CO/CO2 system is made. Three cases are treated: (1) Photoexcited triatomic laser; (2) Photoexcited diatomic-triatomic laser; and (3) Photoexcited diatomic mixing triatomic laser. Each is treated in a transverse flow geometry as illustrated. It is seen from the analysis that the mixing laser configuration has many advantages in that CO can achieve high excitation densities so that high power can be achieved on a relatively small scale.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Proton stopping cross sections of liquid water

The proton stopping cross section of liquid water for the energy range from 40 keV to 10 MeV is calculated by applying the modified local-plasma model and employing a simple model of liquid water. The calculated stopping cross section of liquid water is about 5.6 percent to 14 percent lower than the calculated vapor-state results for the range of 80 to 500 keV and is about 8.5 percent to 13.4 percent lower than measured vapor-state results. The present results agree well with the measurements for ice crystals. The mechanism of this physical-state effect is also presented.

Xu, Y. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Proton dosimeter design for distributed body organs

A simple dosimeter design has been developed by NASA to monitor the space proton dose (in rads) to a distributed body organ as a linear combination of ion chambers with varying wall thickness. Estimated doses are given for ion chambers of thickness 2, 3, 4, and 5 g/sq cm. The analytical equation used to calculate the dose distribution factor is also given.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Tables of nuclear cross sections for galactic cosmic rays: Absorption cross sections

A simple but comprehensive theory of nuclear reactions is presented. Extensive tables of nucleon, deuteron, and heavy-ion absorption cross sections over a broad range of energies are generated for use in cosmic ray shielding studies. Numerous comparisons of the calculated values with available experimental data show agreement to within 3 percent for energies above 80 MeV/nucleon and within approximately 10 percent for energies as low as 30 MeV/nucleon. These tables represent the culmination of the development of the absorption cross section formalism and supersede the preliminary absorption cross sections published previously in NASA TN D-8107, NASA TP-2138, and NASA TM-84636.

Townsend, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Threshold kinetic processes for t-C4F9I

To determine the relative threshold of the lasant gas t-C4F9I in comparison to n-C3F7I, the pump energy to reach threshold for photodissociation iodine lasing is measured in a common aparatus. The comparison is made for the threshold energies in the iodide pressure range up to 50 Torr when 64-J electric input into a flashlamp is used for pumping. It is shown from the results that qualitative differences between the thresholds of the two gases result from the degree to which steady state is achieved by the time threshold is reached. The estimated recombination rate for t-C4F9I is found to be much larger than the value given by Ershov et al (1978).

Lee, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Computer subroutines for estimation of human exposure to radiation in low Earth orbit

Computer subroutines to calculate human exposure to trapped radiations in low Earth orbit (LEO) on the basis of a simple approximation of the human geometry by spherical shell shields of varying thickness are presented and detailed. The subroutines calculate the dose to critical body organs and the fraction of exposure limit reached as a function of altitude of orbit, degree of inclination, shield thickness, and days in mission. Exposure rates are compared with current exposure limits.

Cucinotta, F. A.↗