Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Disks”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Narrowband HST images of M87: Evidence for a disk of ionized gas around a massive black hole

We present Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field/Planetary Camera-2 (HST WFPC2) narrowband H-alpha + (N II) images of M87 which show a small disk of ionized gas with apparent spiral structure surrounding the nucleus of M87. The jet projects approximately 19.5 deg from the minor axis of the disk, which suggests that the jet is approximately normal to the disk. In a companion Letter, Harms et al. measure the radial velocities at r = +/- 0.25 sec along a line perpendicular to the jet, showing that one side of the disk is approaching at 500 +/- 50 km/s and the other side of the disk is receding at 500 +/- 50 km/s. Absorption associated with the disk and the sense of rotation imply that the apparent spiral arms trail the rotation. The observed radial velocites corrected for a 42 deg inclination of the disk imply rotation at +/- 750 km/s. Analysis of velocity measurements at four positions near the nucleus gives a total mass of approximately 2.4 +/- 0.7 x 10(exp 9) solar mass within 18 pc of the nucleus, and a mass-to-light ratio (M/L)(sub I) = 170. We conclude that there is a disk of ionized gas feeding a massive black hole in the center of M87.

Ford, Holland C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations of outflows from accretion disks

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations have been made of the formation of outflows from a Keplerian disk threaded by a magnetic field. The disk is treated as a boundary condition, where matter is ejected with Keplerian azimuthal speed and poloidal speed less than the slow magnetosonic velocity, and where boundary conditions on the magnetic field correspond to a highly conducting disk. Initially, the space above the disk, the corona, is filled with high specific entropy plasma in thermal equilibrium in the gravitational potential of the central object. The initial magnetic field is poloidal and is represented by a superposition of monopoles located below the plane of the disk. The rotation of the disk twists the initial poloidal magnetic field, and this twist propagates into the corona pushing and collimating matter into jetlike outflow in a cylindrical region. Matter outflowing from the disk flows and accelerates in the z-direction owing to both the magnetic and pressure gradient forces. The flow accelerates through the slow magnetosonic and Alfven surfaces and at larger distances through the fast magnetosonic surface. The flow velocity of the jet is approximately parallel to the z-axis, and the collimation results from the pinching force of the toroidal magnetic field. For a nonrotating disk no collimation is observed.

Ustyugova, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Workshop on Physics of Accretion Disks Around Compact and Young Stars

The purpose of the two-day Workshop on Physics of Accretion Disks Around Compact and Young Stars was to bring together workers on accretion disks in the western Gulf region (Texas and Louisiana). Part 2 presents the workshop program, a list of poster presentations, and a list of workshop participants. Accretion disks are believed to surround many stars. Some of these disks form around compact stars, such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes that are members of binary systems and reveal themselves as a power source, especially in the x-ray and gamma regions of the spectrum. On the other hand, protostellar disks are believed to be accretion disks associated with young, pre-main-sequence stars and manifest themselves mostly in infrared and radio observations. These disks are considered to be a natural outcome of the star formation process. The focus of this workshop included theory and observations relevant to accretion disks around compact objects and newly forming stars, with the primary purpose of bringing the two communities together for intellectual cross-fertilization. The nature of the workshop was exploratory, to see how much interaction is possible between distinct communities and to better realize the local potential in this subject. A critical workshop activity was identification and documentation of key issues that are of mutual interest to both communities.

Liang, E↗
NASA NTRS1997

Line Emission from an Accretion Disk Around a Rotating Black Hole: Toward a Measurement of Frame Dragging

Line emission from an accretion disk and a corotating hot spot about a rotating black hole are considered for possible signatures of the frame-dragging effect. We explicitly compare integrated line profiles from a geometrically thin disk about a Schwarzschild and an extreme Kerr black hole, and show that the line profile differences are small if the inner radius of the disk is near or above the Schwarzschild stable-orbit limit of radius 6GM/sq c. However, if the inner disk radius extends below this limit, as is Possible in the extreme Kerr spacetime, then differences can become significant, especially if the disk emissivity is stronger near the inner regions. We demonstrate that the first three moments of a line profile define a three-dimensional space in which the presence of material at small radii becomes quantitatively evident in broad classes of disk models. In the context of the simple, thin disk paradigm, this moment-mapping scheme suggests formally that the iron line detected by the Advanced Satellite,for Cosmology and Astrophysics mission from MCG --6-30-15 (Tanaka et al.) is approximately 3 times more likely to originate from a disk about a rotating black hole than from a Schwarzschild system. A statistically significant detection of black hole rotation in this way may be achieved after only modest improvements in the quality of data. We also consider light curves and frequency shifts in line emission as a function of time for corotating hot spots in extreme Kerr and Schwarzschild geometries. The frequency-shift profile is a valuable measure of orbital parameters and might possibly be used to detect frame dragging even at radii approaching 6GM/sq c if the inclination angle of the orbital plane is large. The light curve from a hot spot shows differences as well, although these too are pronounced only at large inclination angles.

Bromley, Benjamin C.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Dispersal of Disks Around Young Stars

We review the evidence pertaining to the lifetimes of planet-forming disks and discuss possible disk dispersal mechanisms: 1) viscous accretion of material onto the central source, 2) close stellar encounters, 3) stellar winds, and 4) photoevaporation by ultraviolet radiation. We focus on 3) and 4) and describe the quasi-steady state appearance and the overall evolution of disks under the influence of winds and radiation from the central star and of radiation from external OB stars. Viscous accretion likely dominates disk dispersal in the inner disk (r < or approx. equals 10 AU), while photoevaporation is the principal process of disk dispersal outside of r > or approx. equals 10 AU for low mass stars. Disk dispersal timescales are compared and discussed in relation to theoretical estimates for planet formation timescales. Photoevaporation may explain the large differences in the hydrogen content of the giant planets in the solar system. The commonly held belief that our early sun's stellar wind dispersed the solar nebula is called into question. Finally, we model the small bright objects ("proplyds") observed in the Orion Nebula as disks around young, low mass stars which are externally illuminated by the UV photons from the nearby massive star Theta(sup 1)C.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2002

Dispersal of Disks Around Young Stars: Constraints on Kuiper Belt Formation

We review the evidence pertaining to the lifetimes of planet-forming disks and discuss possible disk dispersal mechanisms: 1) viscous accretion of material onto the central source; 2) close stellar encounters; 3) stellar winds; and 4) photoevaporation by ultraviolet radiation. We focus on 3) and 4) and describe the quasi-steady state appearance and the overall evolution of disks under the influence of winds and radiation from the central star and of radiation from external OB stars. Viscous accretion likely dominates disk dispersal in the inner disk (r approx. <= 10 AU), while photoevaporation is the principal process of disk dispersal outside of r approx. >= 10 AU for low mass stars. Disk dispersal timescales are compared and discussed in relation to theoretical estimates for planet formation timescales. Photoevaporation may explain the large differences in the hydrogen content of the giant planets in the solar system. The commonly held belief that our early sun's stellar wind dispersed the solar nebula is called into question. Finally, we study the constraints that the evaporation of the outer disk has on the formation of Kuiper belts in extrasolar planetary systems.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2002

Dispersal of Disks Around Young Stars

We review the evidence pertaining to the lifetimes of planet-forming disks and discuss possible disk dispersal mechanisms: 1) viscous accretion of material onto the central source; 2) close stellar encounters; 3) stellar winds; and 4) photoevaporation by ultraviolet radiation. We focus on 3) and 4) and describe the quasi-steady state appearance and the overall evolution of disks under the influence of winds and radiation from the central star and of radiation from external OB stars. Viscous accretion likely dominates disk dispersal in the inner disk (r approx. or less than 10 AU), while photoevaporation is the principal process of disk dispersal outside of r approx. or greater than 10 AU for low mass stars. Disk dispersal timescales are compared and discussed in relation to theoretical estimates for planet formation timescales. Photoevaporation may explain the large differences in the hydrogen content of the giant planets in the solar system. The commonly held belief that our early sun's stellar wind dispersed he solar nebula is called into question. Finally, we model the small bright objects ('proplyds') observed in the Orion Nebula as disks around young, low mass stars which are externally illuminated by the UV (ultraviolet) photons from the nearby massive star Theta(1)C.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Vibration Based Crack Detection in a Rotating Disk: An Analytical Study - Part 1

This paper describes the analytical results concerning the detection of a crack in a rotating disk. The concept of the approach is based on the fact that the development of a disk crack results in a distorted strain field within the component. As a result, a minute deformation in the disk's geometry as well as a change in the system s center of mass occurs. Finite element analyses were conducted concerning a notched disk in order to define the sensitivity of the method. The notch was used to simulate an actual crack and will be the method utilized for upcoming experiments. Various notch sizes were studied. The geometric deformations and shifts of center of mass were documented as a function of rotational speed. In addition, a rotordynamic analysis of a 2-bearing, disk and shaft system was conducted. The overall response of the system was required in order to design the experimental system for operation beyond the first critical. The results of the FE analyses of the disk indicated that the overall changes in the disk s geometry and center of mass were rather small. The difference between the maximum centrifugal radial displacements between the undamaged and damaged disks at 8000 RPM was 0.00014 in. for a 0.963 in. notch length. The shift in center of mass was also of this magnitude. The next step involves running experiments to verify the analysis.

Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Disk Dispersal Around Young Stars

We first review the evidence pertaining to the lifetimes of planet-forming disks of gas and dust around young stars and discuss possible disk dispersal mechanisms: 1) viscous accretion of material onto the central source, 2) close stellar encounters, 3) stellar winds, and 4) photoevaporation caused by the heating of the disk surface by ultraviolet radiation. Photoevaporation is likely the most important dispersal mechanism for the outer regions of disks, and this talk focuses on the evaporation caused by the presence of a nearby, luminous star rather than the central star itself. We also focus on disks around low-mass stars like the Sun rather than high-mass stars, which we have treated previously. Stars often form in clusters and the ultraviolet flux from the most luminous star in the cluster can have a dramatic effect on the disk orbiting a nearby low-mass star. We apply our theoretical models to the evaporating protoplanetary disks (or "proplyds") in the Trapezium cluster in Orion, to the formation of gas giant planets like Jupiter around Sun-like stars in the Galaxy, and to the formation of Kuiper belts around low mass stars. We find a possible explanation for the differences between Neptune and Jupiter, and make a prediction concerning recent searches for giant planets in large clusters. We discuss recent models of the infrared spectra from gaseous disks around young stars.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Multi-Discipline Analytical Modeling of a Cracked Disk in a Turbine Engine: Applied to TF41 Experiment at China Lake

The investigated crack detection method is based on the fact that the development of a disk crack results in a distorted strain field within the component. As a result, a minute deformation in the disk's geometry as well as a change in the system's center of mass occurs. Finite element analyses were conducted concerning a notched disk in order to define the sensitivity of the method. The notch was used to simulate an actual crack and will be the method utilized for upcoming experiments. Various notch sizes were studied and the geometric deformations and shifts of center of mass were documented as a function of rotational speed. In addition, a rotordynamic analysis of a two-bearing, disk and shaft system was conducted. The results of the FE analyses of the disk indicated that the overall changes in the disk's geometry and center of mass were rather small. Comparing the 9.25 in. disk's maximum radial displacements due centrifugal forces at 8000 RPM between an un-notched and a 0.962 in. notched disk, the difference was on the order of 0.00014 in. The shift in center of mass was also of this magnitude. The next step involves running experiments to verify the analysis.

Sawicki, Jerzy T.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Experiments on Heat Transfer in a Thin Liquid Film Flowing Over a Rotating Disk

An experimental study of heat transfer into a thin liquid film on a rotating heated disk is described. Deionized water was introduced at the center of a heated. horizontal disk with a constant film thickness and uniform radial velocity. Radial distribution of the disk surface temperatures was measured using a thermocouple/slip ring arrangement. Experiments were performed for a range of liquid flow rates between 3.01pm and 15.01pm. The angular speed of the disk was varied from 0 rpm to 500 rpm. The local heat transfer coefficient was determined based on the heat flux supplied to the disk and the temperature difference between the measured disk surface temperature and the liquid entrance temperature onto the disk. The local heat transfer coefficient was seen to increase with increasing flow rate as well as increasing angular velocity of the disk. Effect of rotation on heat transfer was largest for the lower liquid flow rates with the effect gradually decreasing with increasing liquid flow rates. Semi-empirical correlations are presented in this study for the local and average Nusselt numbers.

Sankaran, Subramanian↗
NASA NTRS2007

Time Variability of the Dust Sublimation Zones in Pre-Main Sequence Disk Systems

The dust sublimation zone (DSZ) is the region of pre-main sequence (PMS) disks where dust grains most easily anneal, sublime, and condense out of the gas. Because of this, it is a location where crystalline material may be enhanced and redistributed throughout the rest of the disk. A decade-long program to monitor the thermal emission of the grains located in this region demonstrates that large changes in emitted flux occur in many systems. Changes in the thermal emission between 3 and 13.5 microns were observed in HD 31648 (MWC 480), HD 163296 (MWC 275), and DG Tau. This emission is consistent with it being produced at the DSZ, where the transition from a disk of gas to one of gas+dust occurs. In the case of DG Tau, the outbursts were accompanied by increased emission on the 10 micron silicate band on one occasion, while on another occasion it went into absorption. This requires lofting of the material above the disk into the line of sight. Such changes will affect the determination of the inner disk structure obtained through interferometry measurements, and this has been confirmed in the case of HD 163296. Cyclic variations in the heating of the DSZ will lead to the annealing of large grains, the sublimation of smaller grains, possibly followed by re-condensation as the zone enters a cooling phase. Lofting of dust above the disk plane, and outward acceleration by stellar winds and radiation pressure, can re-distribute the processed material to cooler regions of the disk, where cometesimals form. This processing is consistent with the detection of the preferential concentration of large crystalline grains in the inner few AU of PMS disks using interferometric spectroscopy with the VLTI.

Sitko, Michael L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Debris Disk Case Study: 49 Ceti with Herschel

Gas-poor debris disks represent a fundamentally different class of circumstellar disk than gas-rich protoplanetary disks. Their gas probably originates from the same source as the dust, i.e. planetesimal destruction, but the low gas densities make it difficult to detect. So far, Herschel has detected far-IR gas emission from one debris disk, Beta Pictoris. Here I discuss a well-known debris disk system in the GASPS survey, 49 Ceti. It serves as a case study for modeling low-density gas in optically thin disks. The dust disk appears to be spatially resolved at 70 um. Most interestingly, there appears to be a hint of ClI 158 urn emission at the roughly 2 sigma level. Preliminary modeling suggests that reconciling the sub-mm CO emission from this system with the weak or non-existent far-IR atomic lines may require an unusual chemical composition in the gas of this disk.

Roberge, Aki↗
NASA NTRS2004

Selected Papers on Protoplanetary Disks

Three papers present studies of thermal balances, dynamics, and electromagnetic spectra of protoplanetary disks, which comprise gas and dust orbiting young stars. One paper addresses the reprocessing, in a disk, of photons that originate in the disk itself in addition to photons that originate in the stellar object at the center. The shape of the disk is found to strongly affect the redistribution of energy. Another of the three papers reviews an increase in the optical luminosity of the young star FU Orionis. The increase began in the year 1936 and similar increases have since been observed in other stars. The paper summarizes astronomical, meteoric, and theoretical evidence that these increases are caused by increases in mass fluxes through the inner portions of the protoplanetary disks of these stars. The remaining paper presents a mathematical-modeling study of the structures of protostellar accretion disks, with emphasis on limits on disk flaring. Among the conclusions reached in the study are that (1) the radius at which a disk becomes shadowed from its central stellar object depends on radial mass flow and (2) most planet formation has occurred in environments unheated by stellar radiation.

Bell, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Transitional Disks Associated With Intermediate-mass Stars: Results of the SEEDS YSO survey

As part of the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru YSO survey, we have surveyed a number of Herbig B-F stars at H-band using Polarimetric Differential Imaging+Angular differential imaging. Historically, Herbig stars have been sorted based on their IR SEDs into those with SEDS which can be fit by powerlaws over 1-200 μm (Meeus et al. 2001, group II), and those which can be interpreted as a powerlaw + a blackbody component (Meeus group I) or powerlaw+missing warm thermal emission, which is one of the criteria for identification of gapped or transitional disks. Meeus group II disks, when imaged with HiCIAO show featureless disks with depolarization along the projection of the disk semi-minor axis (Kusakabe et al. 2012). This is what we had expected to see for the Meeus group I disks, except for the addition of wide gaps or central cavities. Instead we find wild diversity, suggesting that transitional disks are highly perturbed compared to Meeus group II disks.

Herbig B-F stars↗
NASA NTRS2013

Herschel - PACS Survey Of Protoplanetary Disks In Taurus - Auriga Observations Of [O I] And [C Ii], And Far-Infrared Continuum

The Herschel Space Observatory was used to observe approx. 120 pre-main-sequence stars in Taurus as part of the GASPS Open Time Key project. Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer was used to measure the continuum as well as several gas tracers such as [O I] 63 micron, [O I] 145 micron, [C II] 158, micron OH, H2O, and CO. The strongest line seen is [O I] at 63 micron. We find a clear correlation between the strength of the [O I] 63 micron line and the 63 micron continuum for disk sources. In outflow sources, the line emission can be up to 20 times stronger than in disk sources, suggesting that the line emission is dominated by the outflow. The tight correlation seen for disk sources suggests that the emission arises from the inner disk (<50 AU) and lower surface layers of the disk where the gas and dust are coupled. The [O I] 63 micron is fainter in transitional stars than in normal Class II disks. Simple spectral energy distribution models indicate that the dust responsible for the continuum emission is colder in these disks, leading to weaker line emission. [C II] 158 micron emission is only detected in strong outflow sources. The observed line ratios of [O I] 63 micron to [O I] 145 micron are in the regime where we are insensitive to the gas-to-dust ratio, neither can we discriminate between shock or photodissociation region emission. We detect no Class III object in [O I] 63 micron and only three in continuum, at least one of which is a candidate debris disk.

GASPS Open Time Key project↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Transitional Disks Associated With Herbig Stars

As part of the Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru YSO survey, we have surveyed a number of Herbig B-F stars mainly at H-band using Polarimetric Differential Imaging + Angular differential imaging. Historically, Herbig stars have been sorted by the shape of the IR SEDs into those which can be fit by power laws over 1-200 micrometers (Meeus et al. 2001, group II), and those which can be interpreted as a power law + a blackbody component (Meeus group I) or as transitional or pre-transitional disks (Maaskant et al. 2013). Meeus group II disks, when imaged with HiCIAO show featureless disks with depolarization along the projection of the disk semi-minor axis (Kusakabe et al. 2012). This is what we had expected to see for the Meeus group I disks, except for the addition of wide gaps or central cavities. Instead we find wild diversity, suggesting that transitional disks are highly perturbed compared to Meeus group II disks. To date, similar structure continues to be observed as higher Strehl ratio imagery becomes available.

Subaru YSO survey↗
NASA NTRS2020

Discovery of a Nearby Young Brown Dwarf Disk

We report the discovery of the youngest brown dwarf with a disk at 102 pc from the Sun, WISEA J120037.79−784508.3 (W1200−7845), via the Disk Detective citizen science project. We establish that W1200−7845 is located in the 3.7 (+4.6,-1.4) Myr old ε Cha association. Its spectral energy distribution (SED) exhibits clear evidence of an infrared (IR) excess, indicative of the presence of a warm circumstellar disk. Modeling this warm disk, we find the data are best fit using a power-law description with a slope α = −0.94, which suggests that it is a young, Class II type disk. Using a single blackbody disk fit, we find T(eff,disk)= 521 K and L(IR)/L(*) =0.14. The near-IR spectrum of W1200−7845 matches a spectral type of M6.0 γ ± 0.5, which corresponds to a low surface gravity object, and lacks distinctive signatures of strong Paβ or Brγ accretion. Both our SED fitting and spectral analysis indicate that the source is cool (T(eff) = 2784–2850 K), with a mass of 42–58 M(Jup), well within the brown dwarf regime. The proximity of this young brown dwarf disk makes the system an ideal benchmark for investigating the formation and early evolution of brown dwarfs.

Maria C. Schutte↗