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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 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

ATS-6 - Synchronous orbit trapped radiation studies with an electron-proton spectrometer

The paper discusses the University of Minnesota experiment on ATS-6 designed to study the origin and dynamics of high-energy electrons and protons in the outer radiation belt and in the near-earth plasma sheet. The experiment consists of two nearly identical detector assemblies, each of which is a magnetic spectrometer containing four gold-silicon surface barrier detectors. The instrument provides a clean separation between protons and electrons by the combination of pulse height analysis and magnetic deflection.

Walker, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Transport of terrestrial atmospheric gases to the moon

The suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment instruments on the lunar surface have identified fluxes of ions which may be different from the solar wind both in elemental and in isotopic abundances. At present, only O/+/ is (tentatively) identified, but the mechanism operates to produce ions at the moon which have their origin in the earth's atmosphere. Consequently, the 'solar wind' component of the surface-correlated gases is effectively a combination of terrestrial atmospheric ions and the actual solar wind. The results differ from solar wind results if the terrestrial ion abundances strongly differ from those of the solar wind.

Hills, H. K.↗
NASA NTRS1980

An airborne far-infrared spectrometer for astronomical observations

A Fabry-Perot spectrometer for airborne observations of astronomical spectral lines has been designed for use in the 50 to 200 micron region of the far-infrared. The spectrometer uses a fixed wavelength Fabry-Perot filter cooled to 4.2 K in conjunction with a high order scanning Fabry-Perot at room temperature. This arrangement provides high spectral resolution and also minimizes the thermal background radiation on the detector. The instrument has been successfully used to study all the presently detected fine structure lines between 50 and 120 microns.

Storey, J. W. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The seasonal and global behavior of water vapor in the Mars atmosphere - Complete global results of the Viking atmospheric water detector experiment

A key question regarding the evolution of Mars is related to the behavior of its volatiles. The present investigation is concerned with the global and seasonal abundances of water vapor in the Mars atmosphere as mapped by the Viking Mars Atmospheric Water Detector (MAWD) instrument for almost 1-1/2 Martian years from June 1976 to April 1979. Attention is given to the implications of the observed variations for determining the relative importance of those processes which may be controlling the vapor cycle on a seasonal basis. The processes considered include buffering of the atmosphere water by a surface or subsurface reservior of ground ice, physically adsorbed water, or chemically bound water. Other processes are related to the supply of water from the residual or seasonal north polar ice cap, the redistribution of the vapor resulting from atmospheric circulation, and control of the vapor holding capacity of the atmosphere by the local atmospheric temperatures.

Jakosky, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An ultraviolet spectrograph using an echelle grating with cross-disperser for the measurement of stratospheric constituents

The present investigation is concerned with the development of a high resolution echelle-cross disperser grating spectrograph for application in groundbased, balloon, and Shuttle studies of the middle atmosphere and thermosphere. All the design features discussed pertain specifically to the balloon instrument. Attention is given to examples of scientific objectives for the middle atmosphere, aspects of instrument description, imaging requirements, the spectral multiplexing capability, broad wavelength coverage, sensitivity, dynamic range, scattered light, the optical configuration of the instrument, the detector system, the data system, and the results of laboratory tests and theoretical evaluations.

Torr, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Double focusing ion mass spectrometer of cylindrical symmetry

A mass spectrometer consisting of an electric sector followed by a magnetic sector is described. The geometry is a cylindrically symmetric generalization of the Mattauch-Herzog spectrometer (1934). With its large annular entrance aperture and a position-sensitive detector, the instrument provides a large geometric factor and 100-percent duty factor, making it appropriate for spacecraft experiments.

Coplan, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Photometric and spectroscopic gamma-ray observations of solar transient phenomena using long duration balloons

A program currently in progress to conduct extended duration spectroscopic and photometric observation of solar X-ray phenomena from balloons is described. High photometric sensitivity to weak hard X-ray bursts is attained using a 600 sq cm array of phoswich scintillators. High spectral resolution for stronger bursts is available from an array of planar germanium detectors. These instruments are carried in a novel balloon gondola dssigned for the 15 to 20 day float durations available through using conventional zero pressure balloons in the radiation controlled (RACOON) mode.

Pelling, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An FIR cooled grating spectrometer for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory

The design and performance of a liquid-He-cooled spectrometer being developed for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) to study FIR lines originating in the interstellar medium are discussed. Currently, the spectrometer contains six Ge:Ga photoconductor detectors mounted in integrating cavities and cooled to about 3 K; the collimator focal plane has space for 39 such detectors. The instrument achieves a maximum resolving power of 6000 by means of a 45-cm long echelle grating and is optically capable of operating in the spectral range 25-300 microns. A laboratory spectrum of water vapor, an atmospheric water absorption feature measured from the KAO with Mars as a source, and the forbidden O(2+) emission from W51-IRS1 are shown.

Erickson, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Physics through the 1990s: Elementary-particle physics

The volume begins with a non-mathematical discussion of the motivation behind, and basic ideas of, elementary-particle physics theory and experiment. The progress over the past two decades with the quark model and unification of the electromagnetic and weak interactions is reviewed. Existing theoretical problems in the field, such as the origin of mass and the unification of the fundamental forces, are detailed, along with experimental programs to test the new theories. Accelerators, instrumentation, and detectors are described for both current and future facilities. Interactions with other areas of both theoretical and applied physics are presented. The sociology of the field is examined regarding the education of graduate students, the organization necessary in large-scale experiments, and the decision-making process involved in high-cost experiments. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for maintaining US excellence in theory and experiment are given. Appendices list both current and planned accelerators, and present statistical data on the US elementary-particle physics program. A glossary is included.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

Development of a reclosable clamshell nose fairing for sounding rocket NASA 21.003UI

A reclosable clamshell noise fairing system was developed and successfully flown on a Black Brant VC sounding rocket. The clamshell system involved the design of unique structural and mechanical subsystems to meet the experimenters requirements, withstand environmental conditions of sounding rocket flight and recovery, and be relatively easy to maintain with a clean interface between the experiment detectors and instrumentation section of the payload. The development of the equations of motion of the mechanism are illustrated and results of the test of the Engineering Test Model (ETM) are shown.

Ferragut, N. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Cosmic-ray elemental abundances from 1 to 10 GeV per amu for boron through nickel

The relative abundances of cosmic-ray nuclei in the charge range boron through nickel over the energy range 1-10 GeV per amu were measured with a balloon-borne detector. The instrument consists of a scintillation and Cerenkov counter telescope with a multiwire proportional chamber hodoscope and has been flown in four high-altitude balloon flights. Good charge resolution (sigma = 0.2 charge units at iron) and high statistical accuracy have been achieved. These data are used to derive the energy dependence of the leakage path length using the leaky box model of propagation and confinement in the galaxy. This energy dependence is found to be best fit by lambda = E(tot) exp -n, where n = 0.49 + or - 0.06 over 1-10 GeV per amu. Relative abundances at the source are consistent with an energy-independent composition.

Dwyer, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1991

Infrared astronomy

The decade of 1990's presents an opportunity to address fundamental astrophysical issues through observations at IR wavelengths made possible by technological and scientific advances during the last decade. The major elements of recommended program are: the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and the IR Optimized 8-m Telescope (IRO), a detector and instrumentation program, the SubMilliMeter Mission (SMMM), the 2 Microns All Sky Survey (2MASS), a sound infrastructure, and technology development programs. Also presented are: perspective, science opportunities, technical overview, project recommendations, future directions, and infrastructure.

Gillett, Frederick↗
NASA NTRS1990

A theoretical model of current collection

Numerical simulations were carried out on the high-bias voltage on the conducting satellite for the current collection. Results show that the particle trajectories are dependent on the geomagnetic field orientation and the biased potential on both the satellite and the instrument's detector. It is noted that these particles will not escape from the plasma sheath when the B field is perpendicular to the satellite surface plane. It is also shown that part of the satellite surface will be shielded if the perpendicular magnetic field is greater than 0.35 gauss.

Hwang, Kai-Shen↗
NASA NTRS1992

Berkeley extreme-ultraviolet airglow rocket spectrometer - BEARS

The Berkeley EUV airglow rocket spectrometer (BEARS) instrument is described. The instrument was designed in particular to measure the dominant lines of atomic oxygen in the FUV and EUV dayglow at 1356, 1304, 1027, and 989 A, which is the ultimate source of airglow emissions. The optical and mechanical design of the instrument, the detector, electronics, calibration, flight operations, and results are examined.

Cotton, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Actinometric measurement of j(O3-O(1D)) using a luminol detector

The photolysis frequency of ozone to singlet D oxygen atoms has been measured by means of a chemical actinometer using a luminol based detector. The instrument measures j(O3-O(1D)) with a precision of 10 percent. The data collected in winter and spring of 1991 is in agreement with model predictions and previously measured values. Data from a global solar radiometer can be used to estimate the effects of local cloudiness on j(O3-O(1D)).

Bairai, Solomon T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A high radiometric performance CCD for the third generation stratospheric aerosol and gas experiment

A third-generation SAGE instrument is about to be designed as part of the NASA Earth Observational System. Previous instruments have used individual diodes as detectors. The new instrument will use a custom design CCD to dramatically enhance the study of the gas and aerosol components of the upper atmosphere. The CCD is a 3 by 400 imaging array that has a single serial register and an exposure control drain. It will be used at the focal plane of a spectrometer covering the spectral range from 288 nm to 1.02 micron.

Delamere, Alan↗