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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Universal binding energy relations in metallic adhesion

Scaling relations which map metallic adhesive binding energy onto a single universal binding energy curve are discussed in relation to adhesion, friction, and wear in metals. The scaling involved normalizing the energy to the maximum binding energy and normalizing distances by a suitable combination of Thomas-Fermi screening lengths. The universal curve was found to be accurately represented by E*(A*)= -(1+beta A) exp (-Beta A*) where E* is the normalized binding energy, A* is the normalized separation, and beta is the normalized decay constant. The calculated cohesive energies of potassium, barium, copper, molybdenum, and samarium were also found to scale by similar relations, suggesting that the universal relation may be more general than for the simple free electron metals.

Ferrante, J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Solar control of winter mesospheric echo occurrence at Poker Flat, Alaska

Winter mesospheric echoes are observed between about 55 and 80 km when auroral absorption is present during daylight hours. Relatively steady auroral absorption during sunrise and sunset periods causes a distinct onset and decay signature in mesospheric echo occurrence. The echo onset and disappearance time are shown versus height by the inclined lines for four different dates. The more vertical lines give the visible sunlight height/time curves for both sunrise (SR) and sunset (SS). The data is combined and replotted to give the morning onset height and the afternoon disappearance height as a function of solar zenith angle. Echoes are not observed at the lowest heights in the morning until the solar zenith angle is less than 90 deg. The afternoon echoes at the lowest heights also start to disappear as soon as the solar zenith angle exceeds 90 deg, implying that the solar component which sustains the mesospheric echo is screened by a layer extending up to about 60 km. The morning echo at 73 km onsets near the time of visible sunrise, but in the afternoon the 73 km echo lasts well past visible sunset.

Ecklund, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Particle physics meets cosmology - The search for decaying neutrinos

The fundamental physical implications of the possible detection of massive neutrinos are discussed, with an emphasis on the Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) of matter. The Newtonian and general-relativistic pictures of the fundamental forces are compared, and the reduction of electromagnetic and weak forces to one force in the GUTs is explained. The cosmological consequences of the curved-spacetime gravitation concept are considered. Quarks, leptons, and neutrinos are characterized in a general treatment of elementary quantum mechanics. The universe is described in terms of quantized fields, the noninteractive 'particle' fields and the force fields, and cosmology becomes the study of the interaction of gravitation with the other fields, of the 'freezing out' of successive fields with the expansion and cooling of the universe. While the visible universe is the result of the clustering of the quark and electron fields, the distribution of the large number of quanta in neutrino field, like the mass of the neutrino, are unknown. Cosmological models which attribute anomalies in the observed motions of galaxies and stars to clusters or shells of massive neutrinos are shown to be consistent with a small but nonzero neutrino mass and a universe near the open/closed transition point, but direct detection of the presence of massive neutrinos by the UV emission of their decay is required to verify these hypotheses.

Henry, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Theoretical light curve of a Type 2p supernova

The light curve and other observable diagnostics are presented for what should be a typical Type II 'plateau' supernova, the explosion of a 15 solar mass red supergiant. The calculations are carried out using a multi-frequency radiation transport code that includes opacity from all important mechanisms-bound-bound, bound-free, free-free, and electron scattering. It is found that the inclusion of opacity sources besides electron scattering increases the computed lenght of the plateau in the 15 solar mass model by approximately 30 days. Especially important is the ultraviolet cutoff caused by a thick forest of lines. Deposition and escape of gamma-rays from radioactive decay are also accurately simulated. We find that the presence of 0.06 solar mass of ejected Ni-56 extends the length of the plateau from approximately 100 days to approximately 140 dys. Because of the large hydrogen envleope and radius in this model, mixing does not appreciably alter the bolometric light curve, although it does change the gamma-ray light curve significantly. With 0.06 solar mass of ejected Ni-56, the unmixed (mixed) model peaks in escaping gamma-rays at 576 (466) days with gamma-ray luminosity of 3 x 10(exp 38) ergs/s. Except for the local group, the gamma-rays from an extragalactic 15 solar mass SNe IIp will be too faint to detect with any exsiting detectors. However, a Galactic SNe IIp would be quite bright and easily detectable.

Eastman, Ronald G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Kinematics of velocity and vorticity correlations in turbulent flow

The kinematic problem of calculating second-order velocity moments from given values of the vorticity covariance is examined. Integral representation formulas for second-order velocity moments in terms of the two-point vorticity correlation tensor are derived. The special relationships existing between velocity moments in isotropic turbulence are expressed in terms of the integral formulas yielding several kinematic constraints on the two-point vorticity correlation tensor in isotropic turbulence. Numerical evaluation of these constraints suggests that a Gaussian curve may be the only form of the longitudinal velocity correlation coefficient which is consistent with the requirement of isotropy. It is shown that if this is the case, then a family of exact solutions to the decay of isotropic turbulence may be obtained which contains Batchelor's final period solution as a special case. In addition, the computed results suggest a method of approximating the integral representation formulas in general turbulent shear flows.

Bernard, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

On the bonding in Be2(2+)

The ground 1Sigma-g(+) state and excited 3Pi-u and 1P-u states of Be2(2+) have been studied. The ground state has 13 vibrational levels with an appreciable lifetime with respect to unimolecular decay. The 3Pi-u state also has an inner well with several vibrational levels with long lifetimes. The 1Pi-u state is repulsive, but the chemical bonding causes an inflection to appear in the potential curve.

Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2022

TESS Revisits WASP-12: Updated Orbital Decay Rate and Constraints on Atmospheric Variability

After observing WASP-12 in the second year of the primary mission, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) revisited the system in late 2021 during its extended mission. In this paper, we incorporate the new TESS photometry into a reanalysis of the transits, secondary eclipses, and phase curve. We also present a new Ks-band occultation observation of WASP-12b obtained with the Palomar/Wide-field Infrared Camera instrument. The latest TESS photometry spans three consecutive months, quadrupling the total length of the TESS WASP-12 light curve and extending the overall time baseline by almost two years. Based on the full set of available transit and occultation timings, we find that the orbital period is shrinking at a rate of −29.81 ± 0.94 ms yr−1. The additional data also increase the measurement precision of the transit depth, orbital parameters, and phase-curve amplitudes. We obtain a secondary eclipse depth of 466 ± 35 ppm, a 2σ upper limit on the nightside brightness of 70 ppm, and a marginal 6°.2 ± 2°.8 eastward offset between the dayside hotspot and the substellar point. The voluminous TESS data set allows us to assess the level of atmospheric variability on timescales of days, months, and years. We do not detect any statistically significant modulations in the secondary eclipse depth or day–night brightness contrast. Likewise, our measured Ks-band occultation depth of 2810 ± 390 ppm is consistent with most ∼2.2 μm observations in the literature.

Ian Wong↗
NASA NTRS1993

The progenitor of supernova 1993J - A stripped supergiant in a binary system?

Supernova 1993J in the spiral galaxy M81 is the brightest supernova since SN1987A and, like the latter, appears to be another 'peculiar' type II supernova. The available photometry of the supernova region before the explosion requires the presence of at least two supergiants (one of early spectral type and the other of late type), but the actual progenitor has yet to be identified. We show that the explosion of a late-type supergiant can explain the initial sharp peak in the supernova light curve, provided that the star had lost almost all of its hydrogen-rich envelope before the explosion. In our model, the secondary brightening of the supernova, about 10 days later, is then a consequence of the radioactive decay of Ni-56 (and subsequently Co-56) produced in the explosion. The progenitor could have lost its hydrogen-rich envelope either in a strong stellar wind or, as seems more likely, through mass transfer to a companion star. In the latter case, the companion should reappear after the supernova photosphere has receded, the system having become a binary composed of a neutron star with a massive stellar companion.

Podsiaklowski, PH.↗
NASA NTRS1982

On the role of successive downstream development in East Asian polar air outbreaks

Common features were drawn from 16 events of wintertime migration of cold Siberian air moving southeastward across the east Asia coast, accompanied by strong northerly winds. Criteria for including an event as an instance of a typical synoptic scale occurrence comprised a surface pressure gradient over Korea exceeding 2.5 mb/100 km, and a drop in the daily mean temperature of over 5 C in one day. The events were required to have at least a 10 day separation. A sequence of events was discerned, including the formation of troughs and ridges over the western north Atlantic 6-7 days before an event, their development and decay downstream from one another across the Eurasian continent, and then an outbreak of polar weather. The troughs and ridges displayed maximum amplitude in the same places in the majority of cases studied, with the center moving along a curved trajectory of the 300 mb flow at nearly 30 deg longitudinally every day.

Jung, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Daughter growth in freshly separated Ra-226, Ac-227 and U-232

Report provides computer-calculated curves and tables for the daughter buildup of Ra-226, Ac-227 and U-232 chains. Data are presented as a function of time beginning with pure samples of each parent. The information may be of interest to those using decay chains as isotopic alpha sources or neutron sources.

Basile, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1954

On the three-dimensional instability of laminar boundary layers on concave walls

A study is made of the stability of laminar boundary-layer profiles on slightly curved walls relative to small disturbances that result from vortices whose axes are parallel to the principal direction of flow. The result is an eigenvalue problem by which, for a given undisturbed flow at a prescribed wall, the amplification or decay is computed for each Reynolds number and each vortex thickness. For neutral disturbances (zero amplification) a critical Reynolds number is determined for each vortex distribution. The numerical calculation produces amplified disturbances on concave walls only.

FLOW, LAMINAR↗
NASA NTRS1996

A Study of the Development of Steady and Periodic Unsteady Turbulent Wakes Through Curved Channels at Positive, Zero, and Negative Streamwise Pressure Gradients, Part 1

The turbomachinery wake flow development is largely influenced by streamline curvature and streamwise pressure gradient. The objective of this investigation is to study the development of the wake under the influence of streamline curvature and streamwise pressure gradient. The experimental investigation is carried out in two phases. The first phase involves the study of the wake behind a stationary circular cylinder (steady wake) in curved channels at positive, zero, and negative streamwise pressure gradients. The mean velocity and Reynolds stress components are measured using a X-hot-film probe. The measured quantities obtained in probe coordinates are transformed to a curvilinear coordinate system along the wake centerline and are presented in similarity coordinates. The results of the steady wakes suggest strong asymmetry in velocity and Reynolds stress components. However, the velocity defect profiles in similarity coordinates are almost symmetrical and follow the same distribution as the zero pressure gradient straight wake. The results of Reynolds stress distributions show higher values on the inner side of the wake than the outer side. Other quantities, including the decay of maximum velocity defect, growth of wake width, and wake integral parameters, are also presented for the three different pressure gradient cases of steady wake. The decay rate of velocity defect is fastest for the negative streamwise pressure gradient case and slowest for the positive pressure gradient case. Conversely, the growth of the wake width is fastest for the positive streamwise pressure gradient case and slowest for the negative streamwise pressure gradient. The second phase studies the development of periodic unsteady wakes generated by the circular cylinders of the rotating wake generator in a curved channel at zero streamwise pressure gradient. Instantaneous velocity components of the periodic unsteady wakes, measured with a stationary X-hot-film probe, are analyzed by the phase averaging techniques. The temporal distribution of velocity and Reynolds stress components obtained in a stationary frame of reference are transformed to a spatial distribution in a relative frame of reference. Profiles of phase-averaged velocity and Reynolds stress distributions in the relative frame of reference and similarity coordinates are presented. The velocity defect and Reynolds stress distributions agree with the results of the wake development behind a stationary cylinder in the curved channel at zero streamwise pressure gradient. The phase-averaged third-order correlations, presented in the relative frame of reference and similarity coordinates, show pronounced asymmetric features.

Schobeiri, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Analysis of preflutter and postflutter characteristics with motion-matched aerodynamic forces

The development of the equations of dynamic equilibrium for a lifting surface from Lagrange's equation is reviewed and restated for general exponential growing and decaying oscillatory motion. Aerodynamic forces for this motion are obtained from the three-dimensional supersonic kernel function that is newly generalized to complex reduced frequencies. Illustrative calculations were made for two flutter models at supersonic Mach numbers. Preflutter and postflutter motion isodecrement curves were obtained. This type of analysis can be used to predict preflutter behavior during flutter testing and to predict postflutter behavior for use in the design of flutter suppression systems.

Cunningham, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A limit on the production of Ni-56 in a type I supernova

The data from the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite have been searched for evidence of gamma-ray line emission from the decay of Co-56 in the type Ia SN, 1986G. No significant flux at either 847 or 1238 keV, the energies of the two strongest decay lines is found. Based on the data, a 3-sigma upper limit of 0.4 solar masses (D/3 Mpc)-squared on the amount of Ni-56 produced in the explosion is set. This value is consistent with radioactive models of type I light curves. For distances less than 3 Mpc, the limit is inconsistent with most models of SN Ia as thermonuclear explosions of white dwarfs.

Matz, Steven M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Disk irradiation and light curves of x ray novae

We study the disk instability and the effect of irradiation on outbursts in the black hole X-ray nova system. In both the optical and soft X-rays, the light curves of several X-ray novae, A0620-00, GH 2000+25, Nova Muscae 1991 (GS 1124-68), and GRO J0422+32, show a main peak, a phase of exponential decline, a secondary maximum or reflare, and a final bump in the late decay followed by a rapid decline. Basic disk thermal limit cycle instabilities can account for the rapid rise and overall decline, but not the reflare and final bump. The rise time of the reflare, about 10 days, is too short to represent a viscous time, so this event is unlikely to be due to increased mass flow from the companion star. We explore the possibility that irradiation by X-rays produced in the inner disk can produce these secondary effects by enhancing the mass flow rate within the disk. Two plausible mechanisms of irradiation of the disk are considered: direct irradiation from the inner hot disk and reflected radiation from a corona or other structure above the disk. Both of these processes will be time dependent in the context of the disk instability model and result in more complex time-dependent behavior of the disk structure. We test both disk instability and mass transfer burst models for the secondary flares in the presence of irradiation.

Kim, S.-W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Digging for Fossils in the Hertzsprung Gap

Objective was to conduct deep (approx. 250 ks) pointings on two EUV sources, the early-F giant beta Cas and the mid-G giant mu Velorum; to obtain spectra in the range 70-300 A and to record Deep Survey light curves over the extensive duration of each observation. We have analyzed the DS lightcurve and the SW spectrum, breaking the latter lip into time slices corresponding to key phases of the observation: pre-flare, flare rise, and two segments of the flare decay.

Ayres, Thomas R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Autolysis of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis cells in low gravity

The role of gravity in the autolysis of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli was studied by growing cells on Earth and in microgravity on Space Station Mir. Autolysis analysis was completed by examining the death phase or exponential decay of cells for approximately 4 months following the stationary phase. Consistent with published findings, the stationary-phase cell population was 170% and 90% higher in flight B. subtilis and E. coli cultures, respectively, than in ground cultures. Although both flight autolysis curves began at higher cell densities than control curves, the rate of autolysis in flight cultures was identical to that of their respective ground control rates.

Flight Experiment↗
NASA NTRS2009

Persistence of Space Radiation-Induced Cytogenetic Damage in the Blood Lymphocytes of Astronauts and the Effects of Repeat Long Duration Space Missions

The yield of chromosome damage in astronauts blood lymphocytes has been shown to increase after long duration space missions of a few months or more. This provides a useful in vivo measurement of space radiation induced damage that takes into account individual radiosensitivity and considers the influence of microgravity and other stress conditions. We present our latest follow-up analyses of chromosome damage in astronauts blood lymphocytes assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) chromosome painting and collected at various times, from directly after return from space to several years after flight. For most individuals the analysis of individual time-courses for translocations revealed a temporal decline of yields with different half-lives. Dose was derived from frequencies of chromosome exchanges using preflight calibration curves, and estimates derived from samples collected a few days after return to earth lie within the range expected from physical dosimetry. However, a temporal decline in yields may indicate complications with the use of stable aberrations for retrospective dose reconstruction, and the differences in the decay time may reflect individual variability in risk from space radiation exposure. Limited data on three individuals who have participated in repeat long duration space flights indicates a lack of correlation between time in space and translocation yields, and show a possible adaptive response to space radiation exposure.

George, Kerry A.↗