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At least 1,801 records · Page 100

New Evidence For Proton Cyclotron Resonance In a Magnetar Strength Field From SGR 1806-20

A great deal of evidence has recently been gathered in favor of the picture that Soft Gamma Repeaters and Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars are powered by ultra-strong magnetic fields (B greater than 10(exp 14) G; i.e. magnetars). Nevertheless, present determination of the magnetic field in such magnetar candidates has been indirect and model dependent. A key prediction concerning magnetars is the detection of ion cyclotron resonance features, which would offer a decisive diagnostic of the field strength. Here we present the detection of a 5 keV absorption feature in a variety of bursts from the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1806-20, confirming our initial discovery and establishing the presence of the feature in the source's burst spectra. The line feature is well explained as proton cyclotron resonance in an ultra-strong magnetic field, offering a direct measurement of SGR 1806-20's magnetic field (B approx. 10(exp 15) G) and a clear evidence of a magnetar. Together with the source's spin-down rate, the feature also provides the first measurement of the gravitational redshift, mass and radius of a magnetar.

Parke, William↗

Ab Initio Calculations of Water Line Strengths

We report on the determination of a high quality ab initiu potential energy surface (PES) and dipole moment function for water. This PES is empirically adjusted to improve the agreement between the computed line positions and those from the HITRAN 92 data base with J less than 6 for H2O. The changes in the PES are small, nonetheless including an estimate of core (oxygen 1s) electron correlation greatly improves the agreement with experiment. Using this adjusted PES, we can match 30,092 of the 30,117 transitions in the HITRAN 96 data base for H2O with theoretical lines. The 10,25,50,75, and 90 percentiles of the difference between the calculated and tabulated line positions are -0.11, -0.04, -0.01, 0.02, and 0.07 l/cm. Non-adiabatic effects are not explicitly included. About 3% of the tabulated line positions appear to be incorrect. Similar agreement using this adjusted PES is obtained for the oxygen 17 and oxygen 18 isotopes. For HDO, the agreement is not as good, with root-mean-square error of 0.25 l/cm for lines with J less than 6. This error is reduced to 0.02 l/cm by including a small asymmetric correction to the PES, which is parameterized by simultaneously fitting to HDO md D2O data. Scaling this correction by mass factors yields good results for T2O and HTO. The intensities summed over vibrational bands are usually in good agreement between the calculations and the tabulated results, but individual lines strengths can differ greatly. A high temperature list consisting of 307,721,352 lines is generated for H2O using our PES and dipole moment function.

Schwenke, David W.↗

High Strength and Wear Resistant Aluminum Alloy for High Temperature Applications

Originally developed by NASA as high performance piston alloys to meet U.S. automotive legislation requiring low exhaust emission, the novel NASA alloys now offer dramatic increase in tensile strength for many other applications at elevated temperatures from 450 F (232 C) to about 750 F (400 C). It is an ideal low cost material for cast automotive components such as pistons, cylinder heads, cylinder liners, connecting rods, turbo chargers, impellers, actuators, brake calipers and rotors. It can be very economically produced from conventional permanent mold, sand casting or investment casting, with silicon content ranging from 6% to 18%. At high silicon levels, the alloy exhibits excellent thermal growth stability, surface hardness and wear resistant properties.

Lee, Jonathan A.↗

Residual Strength Analysis Methodology: Laboratory Coupons to Structural Components

The NASA Aircraft Structural Integrity (NASIP) and Airframe Airworthiness Assurance/Aging Aircraft (AAA/AA) Programs have developed a residual strength prediction methodology for aircraft fuselage structures. This methodology has been experimentally verified for structures ranging from laboratory coupons up to full-scale structural components. The methodology uses the critical crack tip opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion to characterize the fracture behavior and a material and a geometric nonlinear finite element shell analysis code to perform the structural analyses. The present paper presents the results of a study to evaluate the fracture behavior of 2024-T3 aluminum alloys with thickness of 0.04 inches to 0.09 inches. The critical CTOA and the corresponding plane strain core height necessary to simulate through-the-thickness effects at the crack tip in an otherwise plane stress analysis, were determined from small laboratory specimens. Using these parameters, the CTOA fracture criterion was used to predict the behavior of middle crack tension specimens that were up to 40 inches wide, flat panels with riveted stiffeners and multiple-site damage cracks, 18-inch diameter pressurized cylinders, and full scale curved stiffened panels subjected to internal pressure and mechanical loads.

Dawicke, D. S.↗

Effects of chair restraint on the strength of the tibia in rhesus monkeys

To determine the effects of the relative inactivity and unloading on the strength of the tibias of monkeys, Macaca mulatta, we used a non-invasive test to measure bending stiffness, or EI (Nm2), a mechanical property. The technique was validated by comparisons of in vivo measurements with standard measures of EI in the same bones post-mortem (r2 = 0.95, P < 0.0001). Inter-test precision was 4.28+/-1.4%. Normative data in 24 monkeys, 3.0+/-0.7 years and 3.6+/-0.6 kg, revealed EI to be 16% higher in the right than left tibia (4.4+/-1.6 vs. 3.7+/-1.6 Nm2, P < 0.05). Five monkeys, restrained in chairs for 14 days, showed decreases in EI. There were no changes in EI in two chaired monkeys that lost weight during a 2-week space flight. The factors that account for both the decreases in bone mechanical properties after chair restraint at 1 g and lack of change after microgravity remain to be identified. Metabolic factors associated with body weight changes are suggested by our results.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗

The strength of a calcified tissue depends in part on the molecular structure and organization of its constituent mineral crystals in their organic matrix

High-voltage electron-microscopic tomographic (3D) studies of the ultrastructural interaction between mineral and organic matrix in a variety of calcified tissues reveal different crystal structural and organizational features in association with their respective organic matrices. In brittle or weak pathologic or ectopic calcifications, including examples of osteogenesis imperfecta, calciphylaxis, calcergy, and dermatomyositis, hydroxyapatite crystals occur in various sizes and shapes and are oriented and aligned with respect to collagen in a manner which is distinct from that found in normal calcified tissues. A model of collagen-mineral interaction is proposed which may account for the observed crystal structures and organization. The results indicate that the ultimate strength, support, and other mechanical properties provided by a calcified tissue are dependent in part upon the molecular structure and arrangement of its constituent mineral crystals within their organic matrix.

Non-NASA Center↗

Residual Strength Characterization of a Curved Integrally-Stiffened Panel

Over the years, Finite-element fracture simulation methodology has been very well established at NASA Langley to predict the residual strength of damaged aircraft structures. This methodology has been experimentally verified at NASA Langley for structures ranging from laboratory coupons up to full-scale built-up structural components with single and multiple-site damage cracking. The methodology uses the critical crack-tip-opening-angle (CTOA) fracture criterion to characterize the fracture behavior of the material. The CTOA fracture criterion assumes that stable crack growth occurs when the crack-tip angle reaches a constant critical value. The use of the CTOA criterion requires an elastic-plastic, finite-element analysis. The critical CTOA value is determined by simulating fracture behavior in laboratory specimens, such as a compact specimen, to obtain the angle that best fits the observed test behavior. The critical CTOA value appears to be independent of loading, crack length, and in-plane dimensions. However, it is a function of material thickness and local crack-front constraint. Modeling the local constraint requires either a three-dimensional analysis or a two-dimensional analysis with an approximation to account for the constraint effects. In recent times as the aircraft industry is leaning towards monolithic structures with the intension of reducing part count and manufacturing cost, there has been a consistent effort at NASA Langley to extend critical CTOA based numerical methodology in the analysis of integrally-stiffened panels. In this regard, a series of fracture tests were conducted on curved aluminum-alloy integrally-stiffened panels. These curved panels were subjected to uniaxial tension and pressure loading. During the test, applied load-crack extension, out-of-plane displacements and local deformations around the crack tip region were measured. Compact and middle-crack tension specimens were tested to determine the critical angle (psi(sub c) using three-dimensional code (ZIP3D) and the plane-strain core height (h(sub c)) using two-dimensional code (STAGS).

Seshadri, B. R.↗

Anomolous Fatigue Crack Growth Phenomena in High-Strength Steel

The growth of a fatigue crack through a material is the result of a complex interaction between the applied loading, component geometry, three-dimensional constraint, load history, environment, material microstructure and several other factors. Previous studies have developed experimental and computational methods to relate the fatigue crack growth rate to many of the above conditions, with the intent of discovering some fundamental material response, i.e. crack growth rate as a function of something. Currently, the technical community uses the stress intensity factor solution as a simplistic means to relate fatigue crack growth rate to loading, geometry and all other variables. The stress intensity factor solution is a very simple linear-elastic representation of the continuum mechanics portion of crack growth. In this paper, the authors present fatigue crack growth rate data for two different high strength steel alloys generated using standard methods. The steels exhibit behaviour that appears unexplainable, compared to an aluminium alloy presented as a baseline for comparison, using the stress intensity factor solution.

Forth, Scott C.↗

Design Tool Developed for Probabilistic Modeling of Ceramic Matrix Composite Strength

Ceramic matrix composites are being evaluated as candidate materials for many high temperature applications such as engine combustor liners for the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). They are required to have an assured life of several thousand hours. Estimating the reliability of these components is quite a complex process and requires knowledge of the uncertainties that occur at various scales. The properties of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are known to display a considerable amount of scatter due to variations in fiber/matrix properties, interphase/coating properties, bonding, amount of matrix voids, and many geometry- and fabrication-related parameters such as ply thickness and ply orientations. The objective of this research effort is to account for these uncertainties in a formal way by probabilistically analyzing both the stiffness- and strength related properties of CMC's. In current deterministic approaches, uncertainties are usually accounted for by safety factors. This approach often yields overly conservative designs, thereby reducing the potential of many advanced composite materials.

Murthy, Pappu L. N.↗

Biaxial Testing of High-Strength Fabric Improves Design of Inflatable Radar Domes

Large radar installations around the globe continuously watch the skies, unobtrusively providing security to the United States; these systems have been in active use for the past 50 years. Often situated in extreme environments, the radar dishes require shielding from the harsh elements. Air-inflated domes (over 100 ft in diameter) are one structure of choice for providing this essential protection. The radomes are constructed from highstrength fabric that is strong enough to withstand the inflation pressure, high winds, and other environmental loads, yet transparent to the microwave signal to allow precise radar mapping. This fabric is woven from glass fibers for high strength and embedded in a polytetrafluoroethylene resin matrix, akin to the nonstick coatings used on cookware.

Krause, David L.↗

Towards Rocket Engine Components with Increased Strength and Robust Operating Characteristics

High-energy rotating machines, powering liquid propellant rocket engines, are subject to various sources of high and low cycle fatigue generated by unsteady flow phenomena. Given the tremendous need for reliability in a sustainable space exploration program, a fundamental change in the design methodology for engine components is required for both launch and space based systems. A design optimization system based on neural-networks has been applied and demonstrated in the redesign of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Low Pressure Oxidizer Turbo Pump (LPOTP) turbine nozzle. One objective of the redesign effort was to increase airfoil thickness and thus increase its strength while at the same time detuning the vane natural frequency modes from the vortex shedding frequency. The second objective was to reduce the vortex shedding amplitude. The third objective was to maintain this low shedding amplitude even in the presence of large manufacturing tolerances. All of these objectives were achieved without generating any detrimental effects on the downstream flow through the turbine, and without introducing any penalty in performance. The airfoil redesign and preliminary assessment was performed in the Exploration Technology Directorate at NASA ARC. Boeing/Rocketdyne and NASA MSFC independently performed final CFD assessments of the design. Four different CFD codes were used in this process. They include WIL DCA T/CORSAIR (NASA), FLUENT (commercial), TIDAL (Boeing Rocketdyne) and, a new family (AardvarWPhantom) of CFD analysis codes developed at NASA MSFC employing LOX fluid properties and a Generalized Equation Set formulation. Extensive aerodynamic performance analysis and stress analysis carried out at Boeing Rocketdyne and NASA MSFC indicate that the redesign objectives have been fully met. The paper presents the results of the assessment analysis and discusses the future potential of robust optimal design for rocket engine components.

Marcu, Bogdan↗

Compressive Strength of Tapered Airplane Struts

Methods are here given for ascertaining the value of n in Euler's simplified formula, P = n (EI/l(sup 2)), for the compressive strength of tapered airplane struts, by estimating from curves and by calculation.

Lewe, Viktor↗

A Micromechanics-Based Damage Model for the Strength Prediction of Composite Laminates

A new damage model based on a micromechanical analysis of cracked [+/-0deg/90deg(sub n)]s laminates subjected to multiaxial loads is proposed. The model predicts the onset and accumulation of transverse matrix cracks in uniformly stressed laminates, the effect of matrix cracks on the stiffness of the laminate, as well as the ultimate failure of the laminate. The model also accounts for the effect of the ply thickness on the ply strength. Predictions relating the elastic properties of several laminates and multiaxial loads are presented.

Camanho, Pedro P.↗

Lifetimes and Oscillator Strengths for Ultraviolet Transitions in P II, Cl II and Cl III

Oscillator strengths for transitions in P II, Cl II and Cl III are derived from lifetimes and branching factions measured with beam-foil techniques. The focus is on the multiplets with a prominent interstellar line at 1153 A in P II which is seen in spectra of hot stars, and the lines at 1071 A in Cl II and 1011 A in Cl III whose lines are seen in spectra of diffuse interstellar clouds and the Io torus acquired with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. These data represent the first complete set of experimental f-values for the lines in the multiplets. Our results for P II (lambda)1153 agree well with Curtis semi-empirical predictions, as well as the large scale computations by Hibbert and by Tayal. The data for Cl II (lambda)1071 also agree very well with the most recent theoretical effort and with Morton s newest recommendations. For Cl III, however, our f-values are significantly larger than those given by Morton; instead, they are more consistent with recent large-scale theoretical calculations. Extensive tests provide confirmation that LS coupling rules apply to the transitions for the multiplets in Cl II and Cl III.

Cheng, S.↗

Measurements of Line Positions and Strengths of HD O-18 and D2 O-18 in the 2500-4280 cm(exp -1) Region

Measurements of line positions and strengths of D2 O-18 and HD O-18 were obtained with a Fourier transform spectrometer. The data were analyzed to obtain energy levels of the (100), (020), and (001) vibrational states of HD O-18 and the (001) and (011) states of D2 O-18 and the vibrational bands of these states connected to the ground state covered the spectral region from 2500 to 4278 cm(exp -1). 456 absorption lines of D2 O-18 and 856 lines of HD O-18 were assigned from the spectra. The measurements were of oxygen-18 enriched samples of deuterated water vapor and the spectra also contained features of HD O-16, D2 O-16, H2 O-16, H2 O-17 and H2 O-18 of which several were used as frequency calibration standards.

Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS)↗

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