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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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Methane absorptions are prominent in the Titan atmospheric spectrum; also present are atomic hydrogen and nitrogen bands. Evaluation of the low ultraviolet albedo points to solid methane clouds and photochemical haze. Thermal infrared data indicate solar energy absorption and photodissociation reactions of the gas mixture resulting in the production of organic compounds and free hydrogen atoms.
Experimental study described in NASA technical memorandum performed to determine whether crash energy-absorption capabilities of graphite/epoxy and Kevlar/epoxy composite materials are functions of speed of crushing. Additional objective to develop understanding of mechanisms of crushing. Technology applied to enhancement of safety and crashworthiness of automobiles, design of energy-absorbing devices in machinery, and problems involving explosions and impacts.
Delivery of a payload from space to a planetary surface currently requires the development of an application specific landing system to protect the payload from forces imparted during impact with the planet surface. Often, active energy attenuating systems such as retro-rockets, deployable parachutes, and airbags are utilized within these landing systems to reduce landing impact energy. Unfortunately, these active systems come at a cost; active energy attenuating systems are susceptible to system faults which may limit or completely negate their energy attenuating capability. Additionally, components needing to be stowed such as fuel, parachutes, and airbags increase design complexity, cost, and weight. To overcome these limitations, this study examines the potential of passive energy attenuation through energy absorbing structural design and composite materials to mitigate landing loads for small payload planetary delivery. Researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) have conducted extensive research into developing energy absorbing structures and components for the attenuation of impact energy under various loading conditions including aircraft crash and spacecraft impact. The current study leverages this research to design a lightweight planetary delivery system which utilizes unique outer mold line (OML) geometry and passive energy absorbing structural design to limit landing loads across potential planetary surface environments. The OML geometry is designed to control impact orientation and provide self-righting capabilities for slopped impact surfaces. The internal structure is composed of composite material structures arranged to provide energy absorption which is robust to impact angle and impact velocity. The developed planetary delivery design concept will be evaluated using finite element (FE) model analysis. Simulations of landing impacts with representative soil surface environments will be used to characterize the energy absorbing capabilities of the landing system. Sensitivity of predicted impact force to landing environment, impact angle, and impact velocity will be assessed to identify capabilities and limitations of the initial structural design. Results will be used to determine the feasibility of a lightweight composite structure to passively absorb landing energy for robust planetary payload delivery.
The Impact Dynamics Laboratory at NASA Glenn Research Center recently developed a pneumatically-actuated crash sled for investigating the crush behavior of structural elements for vehicular applications. The apparatus includes an adjustable striker mass and specimen support mass, which are mounted on separate rails. This setup provides two advantages over crash sleds with so-called fixed specimen supports: (i) it allows for multiple independent measurements of the crush response using different instruments, and (ii) the specimen support can be varied and its reaction can be explicitly measured. This paper describes the experimental setup and data analysis methodology and illustrates the capability of the sled for measuring the specific energy absorption (SEA) of triaxially-braided carbon/epoxy composite C-channels and corrugated plates. The corrugated plate had a higher SEA than the C-channel and the SEAs did not vary when the striker mass and velocity were changed so that incident energy was constant.
This grant covered the analysis and interpretation of astrophysical data obtained with the XMM-Newton satellite mission. BL Lac objects are active galactic nuclei that exhibit unusually strong polarization and variability, and are also missing the usual strong optical/ultraviolet emission lines. They are typically strong X-ray sources, but this is the first survey gathering high-quality spectral data from a significant number of these objects. The observations were successful, and all data (for objects in this proposal as well as that of Dr. Perlman s) were of very good quality, as expected. We find that the X-ray spectra of most of these objects are well described by a power-law after allowing for low-energy absorption that can be attributed to neutral gas in the line of sight, presumably located in our own Galaxy. However, in some cases we see indications of a deviation from power-law behavior in the sense that the spectrum appears to be steepening (softening) to higher energies. We are developing a theoretical model in which the steepening is a result of energy-dependent cooling of the radiating particles.We searched for discrete spectral features that might be intrinsic to the objects or their host galaxies, but we found none at the level of sensitivity provided by these data. These are interestingly strong upper bounds.
A detector-specific deep learning (DL) approach is presented for spectra-to-exposure conversion using large-format sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) detectors deployed for in situ environmental radiation measurements in emergency response scenarios. Accurate determination of exposure from NaI spectra is challenging due to poor energy resolution, partial energy absorption, and the strong sensitivity of traditionally deployed analytical conversion methods to calibrated source geometry and pre-deployment assumptions. Here, to address these limitations, a multi-layer perceptron model was trained on a hybrid in situ /Monte Carlo dataset constructed to span a broad range of photon energies, spatial extents, and realistic deployment variability, representative of general in situ emergency response conditions. The DL model was evaluated against commonly fielded analytical approaches under matched simulation conditions, including a single-factor method, a G-function method, and a modeled pressurized ion chamber (PIC) baseline. This study was intentionally computational in scope to enable controlled, like-for-like comparisons between conversion techniques while minimizing confounding real-world variability. Comparison to the modeled PIC provides contextual benchmarking and is not intended as a field inter-comparison with deployed instruments. Across the evaluated 20 keV to 3 MeV energy range, the DL approach consistently exhibited higher accuracy and reduced variance relative to the analytical methods against a deterministically calculated exposure. This may indicate improved robustness to spectral complexity without reliance on source-, geometric-, or spectral region-specific optimization. While results do not represent real-world validation, the presented work demonstrates that deep learning may effectively learn the nonlinear detector response-to-exposure relationship for asymmetric NaI(Tl) detectors and offers a promising pathway for improving in situ exposure estimation using spectroscopic systems already integrated into initial real-time emergency response operations.
Intense laser fields interact very differently with micrometric rough surfaces than with flat objects. The interaction features high laser energy absorption and increased emission of MeV electrons, ions, and of hard x-rays. In this work, we irradiated isolated, translationally-symmetric objects in the form of micrometric Au bars. The interaction resulted in the emission of two forward-directed electron jets having a small opening angle, a narrow energy spread in the MeV range, and a positive angle to energy correlation. Our numerical simulations show that following ionization, those electrons that are pulled into vacuum near the object’s edge, remain in-phase with the laser pulse for long enough so that the Lorentz force they experience drive them around the object’s edge. After these electrons pass the object, they form attosecond duration bunches and interact with the laser field over large distances in vacuum in confined volumes that trap and accelerate them within a narrow range of momentum. The selectivity in energy of the interaction, its directionality, and the preservation of the attosecond duration of the electron bunches over large distances, offer new means for designing future laser-based light sources.
A task was initiated to improve the energy absorption capability of an existing aircraft seat through cost-effective retrofitting, while keeping seat-weight increase to a minimum. This task was undertaken as an extension of NASA ongoing safety research and commitment to general aviation customer needs. Only vertical crash scenarios have been considered in this task which required the energy absorbing system to protect the seat occupant in a range of crash speeds up to 31 ft/sec. It was anticipated that, the forward and/or side crash accelerations could be attenuated with the aid of airbags, the technology of which is currently available in automobiles and military helicopters. Steps which were followed include, preliminary crush load determination, conceptual design of cost effective energy absorbers, fabrication and testing (static and dynamic) of energy absorbers, system analysis, design and fabrication of dummy seat/rail assembly, dynamic testing of dummy seat/rail assembly, and finally, testing of actual modified seat system with a dummy occupant. A total of ten full scale tests have been performed including three of the actual aircraft seat. Results from full-scale tests indicated that occupant loads were attenuated successfully to survivable levels.
Formulations for second and higher harmonic frequency up and down conversions, as well as multi photon processes directly assume summability and divisibility of photons. Quantum mechanical (QM) interpretations are completely congruent with these assumptions. However, for linear optical phenomena (interference, diffraction, refraction, material dispersion, spectral dispersion, etc.), we have a profound dichotomy. Most optical engineers innovate and analyze all optical instruments by propagating pure classical electromagnetic (EM) fields using Maxwell s equations and gives only lip-service to the concept "indivisible light quanta". Further, irrespective of linearity or nonlinearity of the phenomena, the final results are always registered through some photo-electric or photo-chemical effects. This is mathematically well modeled by a quadratic action (energy absorption) relation. Since QM does not preclude divisibility or summability of photons in nonlinear & multi-photon effects, it cannot have any foundational reason against these same possibilities in linear optical phenomena. It implies that we must carefully revisit the fundamental roots behind all light-matter interaction processes and understand the common origin of "graininess" and "discreteness" of light energy.
Abstract Lithium (Li)‐magnesium (Mg) alloy with limited Mg amount, which can also be called Mg‐doped Li (Li‐Mg), has been considered as a potential alternative anode for high energy density rechargeable Li metal batteries. However, the optimum doping‐content of Mg in Li‐Mg anode and the mechanism of the improved performance are not well understood. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to investigate the effect of Mg amount in Li‐Mg anode. The Li‐Mg with about 5 wt. % Mg (abbreviated as Li‐Mg5) has the lowest absorption energy of Li, thus all the surface area can be “controlled” by Mg atoms, leading to the smooth and continuous deposition of Li on the surface around the Mg center. A localized high concentration electrolyte enables Li‐Mg5 to exhibit the best cycling stability in Li metal batteries with high‐loading cathode and lean electrolyte under 4.4 V high‐voltage, which is approaching the demand of practical application. This electrolyte also helps generate an inorganic‐rich solid electrolyte interphase, which leads to smooth, compact and less corrosion layer on the Li‐Mg5 surface. Both theoretical simulations and experimental results prove that Li‐Mg5 has optimum Mg content and gives best battery cycling performance.
OSO 8 X-ray spectra from 2 to 20 keV have been analyzed for 26 clusters of galaxies. For 20 clusters temperatures, emission integrals, iron abundances, and low-energy absorption measurements are presented. The data give, in general, better fits to thermal bremsstrahlung than to power-law models. Eight clusters have positive iron emission-line detections at the 90% confidence level, and all 20 cluster spectra are consistent with Fe/H = 0.000014 by number with the possible exception of Virgo. Thus it is confirmed that X-ray emission in this energy band is predominantly thermal radiation from hot intracluster gas rather than inverse Compton radiation. Physical correlations between X-ray spectral parameters and other cluster properties are examined. It is found that (1) the X-ray temperature is approximately proportional to the square of the velocity dispersion of the galaxies; (2) the emission integral is a strong function of the X-ray temperature; (3) the X-ray temperature and emission integral are better correlated with cluster central-galaxy density than with richness; and (4) the fraction of galaxies which are spirals is correlated with the observed ram pressure in the cluster core.
Proportional counters on the OsO-8 spacecraft measured the X-ray spectrum of QSR 0241+622 in the range 2-50 keV. The best power law fit has a proton spectral index and 90 percent errors gamma = 1.93 (+0.5, -0.3) and low energy absorption consistent with reported gas column densities, but a thermal bremsstrahlung form with temperature 13.1 keV cannot be excluded. No indication of spectral variability is found in three observations of the source with HEAO-A2, although a possible 15-30 percent intensity change over a period of 6 months was observed. The quasar is similar to 3C 273 in the proportion of energy emitted in various bands, excluding the radio, if reported radiation above 50 keV from its direction is indeed associated with QSO 0241+622. The two quasars are compared and possible energy generation scenarios are discussed. Implications concerning quasar contributions to the diffuse background are discussed.
Photosynthetic light harvesting requires efficient energy transfer within dynamic networks of light-harvesting complexes embedded within phospholipid membranes. Artificial light-harvesting models are valuable tools for understanding the structural features underpinning energy absorption and transfer within chromophore arrays. Here, a method for attaching a protein-based light-harvesting model to a planar, fluid supported lipid bilayer (SLB) is developed. The protein model consists of the tobacco mosaic viral capsid proteins that are gene-doubled to create a tandem dimer (dTMV). Assemblies of dTMV break the facial symmetry of the double disk to allow for differentiation between the disk faces. A single reactive lysine residue is incorporated into the dTMV assemblies for the site-selective attachment of chromophores for light absorption. Further, on the opposing dTMV face, a cysteine residue is incorporated for the bioconjugation of a peptide containing a polyhistidine tag for association with SLBs. The dual-modified dTMV complexes show significant association with SLBs and exhibit mobility on the bilayer. The techniques used herein offer a new method for protein-surface attachment and provide a platform for evaluating excited state energy transfer events in a dynamic, fully synthetic artificial light-harvesting system.
Since the invention of chirped pulse amplification, which was recognized by a Nobel Prize in physics in 2018, there has been a continuing increase in available laser intensity. Combined with advances in our understanding of the kinetics of relativistic plasma, studies of laser-plasma interactions are entering a new regime where the physics of relativistic plasmas is strongly affected by strong-field quantum electrodynamics (QED) processes, including hard photon emission and electron-positron (e⁻-e⁺) pair production. Additionally, this coupling of quantum emission processes and relativistic collective particle dynamics can result in dramatically new plasma physics phenomena, such as the generation of dense e⁻-e⁺ pair plasma from near vacuum, complete laser energy absorption by QED processes, or the stopping of an ultra-relativistic electron beam, which could penetrate a cm of lead, by a hair's breadth of laser light. In addition to being of fundamental interest, it is crucial to study this new regime to understand the next generation of ultra-high intensity laser-matter experiments and their resulting applications, such as high energy ion, electron, positron, and photon sources for fundamental physics studies, medical radiotherapy, and next generation radiography for homeland security and industry.
Lithium (Li)-magnesium (Mg) alloy with limited Mg amount, which can also be called Mg-doped Li (Li-Mg), has been considered as a potential alternative anode for high energy density rechargeable Li metal batteries. However, the optimum doping-content of Mg in Li-Mg anode and the mechanism of the improved performance are not well understood. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to investigate the effect of Mg amount in Li-Mg anode. The Li-Mg with about 5 wt. % Mg (abbreviated as Li-Mg5) has the lowest absorption energy of Li, thus all the surface area can be “controlled” by Mg atoms, leading to the smooth and continuous deposition of Li on the surface around the Mg center. A localized high concentration electrolyte enables Li-Mg5 to exhibit the best cycling stability in Li metal batteries with high-loading cathode and lean electrolyte under 4.4 V high-voltage, which is approaching the demand of practical application. This electrolyte also helps generate an inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase, which leads to smooth, compact and less corrosion layer on the Li-Mg5 surface. Both theoretical simulations and experimental results prove that Li-Mg5 has optimum Mg content and gives best battery cycling performance.
The application of energy absorbing surface layers to Si3N4 and SiC was investigated. Among the layers studied were microcracked materials such as iron titanate and a silica-zircon mixture and porous materials such as reaction sintered Si3N4. Energy absorption due to microcrack extension upon impact was found not to be an important mechanism. Instead, the fivefold improvement in Charpy and ballistic impact at elevated temperature (1250 C and 1370 C) found for Fe2TiO5 was due to plastic deformation while similar improvement found for silica-zircon mixtures at RT was due to crushing of the porous material. Due to thermal expansion mismatch, these two materials could not withstand thermal cycling when used as energy absorbing surface layers on Si3N4. Reaction sintered Si3N4 layers on dense Si3N4 were found to give up to a sevenfold increase in ballistic impact resistance due to crushing of the layer upon impact. High porosity (45%), large particle size R.S. Si3N4 layers fabricated from -100, +200 mesh Si powder gave better impact improvement than less porous (30%), small particle size layers fabricated from -325 mesh Si powder.
Radiation risks to astronauts depend on the microscopic fluctuations of energy absorption events in specific tissues. These fluctuations depend not only on the space environment but also on the modifications of that environment by the shielding provided by structures surrounding the astronauts and the attenuation characteristics of the astronaut's body. The effects of attenuation within the shield and body depends on the tissue biological response to these microscopic fluctuations. In the absence of an accepted method for estimating astronaut risk, we examined the attenuation characteristics using conventional linear energy transfer (LET)-dependent quality factors (as one means of representing relative biological effectiveness, RBE) and a track-structure repair model to fit cell transformation (and inactivation) data in the C3H10 T1/2 mouse cell system obtained for various ion beams. Although the usual aluminum spacecraft shield is effective in reducing dose equivalent with increasing shield thickness, cell transformation rates are increased for thin aluminum shields. Clearly, the exact nature of the biological response to LET and track width is critical to evaluation of biological protection factors provided by a shield design. A significant fraction of biological injury results from the LET region above 100 keV/mu m. Uncertainty in nuclear cross-sections results in a factor of 2-3 in the transmitted LET spectrum beyond depths of 15 g/cm2, but even greater uncertainty is due to the combined effects of uncertainty in biological response and nuclear parameters. Clearly, these uncertainties must be reduced before the shield design can be finalised.
Power reflections are a fundamental challenge in high-power resonant systems, causing energy loss, limiting per- formance, and potentially damaging critical components. This problem is particularly acute in applications such as lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) for tokamak-based nuclear fusion, where efficient, stable power transfer to the plasma is paramount. In this work, we introduce and experimentally demonstrate the virtual critical coupling (VCC) mechanism, a nonmechanical method to achieve reflection-free excitation in high-power S-band resonators. VCC utilizes a temporally shaped excitation signal with a precise complex frequency, tailored to the resonator’s characteristics to enable complete energy absorption. Using a custom low-level RF system and a 5-MW S-band klystron, we conducted experiments from low power (32 mW) to high power (600 kW). Furthermore, the results demonstrate a greater than ninefold reduction in the reflection coefficient compared to conventional monochromatic excitation. This signal processing-based approach offers a robust path toward enhancing the efficiency and stability of high-power resonant systems, with significant implications for particle accelerators and the advancement of nuclear fusion energy.