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At least 289 records · Page 16

Characterization of Soil Thermal and Electrical Properties along Multiple Hillslope Transects at Teller Road Site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2017

This dataset has been acquired along five-119 m long transects located on the bottom part of the watershed hillslope at the NGEE Arctic Teller Road site at mile marker 27 (TL_MM27) on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska in July and September 2017. The Distributed Temperature Profiling (DTP) system dataset consist in vertically-resolved profile of soil temperature covering the top 0.8 m of soil with 8 cm interval. In addition to DPT data, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data, soil moisture, depth to rock or thaw layer thickness (no differentiation) and ground elevations data have been acquired along each of the transects. A UAV-based geotiff mosaic of the investigated site is also provided. The four data types provided with this dataset of 37 files (*.csv, *.tif, *.DATA): (1) soil temperature profiles, (2) ERT data, (3) the physical measurements of the thaw layer, and (4) an orthomosaic GeoTIFF of the transect study area.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Considerations for accurately determining the maximum power output of solar cells

The most important single electrical parameter characterizing solar cell performance is Pm, the cell's maximum power output. In order to experimentally determine Pm it is necessary accurately to control both illumination and cell temperature during measurements. Two quite different measurement approaches can be used: an equilibrium method and a transient flash method. Both techniques are discussed in the paper in detail.

Lathrop, J. W.↗

The role of service areas in the optimization of FSS orbital and frequency assignments

An implicit relationship is derived which relates the topocentric separation of two satellites required for a given level of single-entry protection to the separation and orientation of their service areas. The results are presented explicitly for circular beams and topocentric angles. A computational approach is given for elliptical beams and for use with longitude and latitude variables. It is found that the geocentric separation depends primarily on the service area separation, secondarily on a parameter which characterizes the electrical design, and only slightly on the mean orbital position of the satellites. Both linear programming and mixed integer programming algorithms are implemented. Possible objective function choices are discussed, and explicit formulations are presented for the choice of the sum of the absolute deviations of the orbital locations from some prescribed 'ideal' location set. A test problem involving six service areas is examined with results that are encouraging with respect to applying the linear programming procedure to larger scenarios.

Levis, C. A.↗

Synthesis and characterization of high-T(sub c) screen-printed Y-Ba-Cu-O films on alumina

Thick films of YBa2Cu3O(sub 7-x) have been deposited on highly polished alumina substrates by the screen printing technique. To optimize the post-printing heat treatment, the films were baked at various temperatures for different lengths of time and oxygen-annealed at a lower temperature. The resulting films were characterized by electrical resistivity measurements, x-ray diffraction, and optical and scanning electron microscopy. Properties of the films were found to be highly sensitive to the post-printing thermal treatment. Films baked for 15 min at 1000 C in oxygen were hard, adherent, near single phase, and superconducting with T(sub c)(onset) approx 96 K, T(sub c)(zero) approx 66 K and Delta T sub c (10 to 90 percent) approx 10 K.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

University of Florida lightning research at the Kennedy Space Center

A variety of basic and applied research programs are being conducted at the Kennedy Space Center. As an example of this research, the paper describes the University of Florida program to characterize the electric and magnetic fields of lightning and the coupling of those fields to utility power lines. Specifically, detailed consideration is given to the measurements of horizontal and vertical electric fields made during the previous three summers at KSC and the simultaneous measurements of the voltages on a 500 m test line made during the past two summers at KSC. Theory to support these measurements is also presented.

Uman, Martin A.↗

Synthesis and characterization of high-Tc superconductors in the Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O system

Both Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O10 and TlCa3BaCu3O8.5 are investigated for superconductivity as a function of the sintering temperature, time, atmosphere, and quench rate in an effort to synthesize the high-Tc superconducting phase in the thallium system. The samples are characterized by electrical resistivity measurements, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Samples of starting composition Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O10 fired in air at 860-900 C and rapidly quenched show a Tc of 96-107 K. In contrast, specimens of starting composition TlCa3BaCu3O8.5 when baked at 900 C and slowly cooled in oxygen superconduct at 116 K and above and consist of Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O(10+x) as the dominant phase. The results also show that, in contrast to the case of YBa2Cu3O(7-x), doping with a small concentration of fluorine sharpens the resistive transition and produces a large Tc increase in thallium-based superconductors.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

Synthesis and characterization of high-T(c) screen-printed Y-Ba-Cu-O films on alumina

Thick films of YBa2Cu3O(sub 7-x) have been deposited on highly polished alumina substrates by the screen printing technique. To optimize the post-printing heat treatment, the films were baked at various temperatures for different lengths of time and oxygen-annealed at a lower temperature. The resulting films were characterized by electrical resistivity measurements, X-ray diffraction, and optical and scanning electron microscopy. Properties of the films were found to be highly sensitive to the post-printing thermal treatment. Films baked for 15 min at 1000 C in oxygen were hard, adherent, near single phase, and superconducting with T(sub c) (onset) approx 96 KK, T(sub c) (zero) approx 66 K and Delta T sub c (10 to 90 percent) approx 10 K.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

Advanced electromagnetic methods for aerospace vehicles

High- and low-frequency methods to analyze various radiation elements located on aerospace vehicles with combinations of conducting, nonconducting, and energy absorbing surfaces and interfaces. The focus was on developing fundamental concepts, techniques, and algorithms which would remove some of the present limitations in predicting radiation characteristics of antennas on complex aerospace vehicles. In order to accomplish this, the following subjects were examined: (1) the development of techniques for rigorous analysis of surface discontinuities of metallic and nonmetallic surfaces using the equivalent surface impedance concept and Green's function; (2) the effects of anisotropic material on antenna radiation patterns through the use of an equivalent surface impedance concept which is incorporated into the existing numerical electromagnetics computer codes; and (3) the fundamental concepts of precipitation static (P-Static), such as formulations and analytical models. A computer code was used to model the P-Static process on a simple structure. Measurement techniques were also developed to characterized the electrical properties at microwave frequencies. Samples of typical materials used in airframes were tested and the results are included.

Balanis, Constantine A.↗

Emissions Tests Of Two Dc-To-Dc Converters

Report describes tests to characterize unwanted electric and magnetic fields, at frequencies up to few megahertz, radiated by two dc-to-dc converters, one 20-kHz square-wave converter; the other, a 33-kHz sine-wave converter. Part of effort to develop "quiet" power converter for use aboard spacecraft. Converter required to interfere minimally with delicate instruments measuring electric and magnetic fields.

Mclyman, W. T.↗

High-T sub c fluorine-doped YBa2Cu3O(y) films on ceramic substrates by screen printing

Thick films of fluorine-doped YBa2Cu3O(y) were screen printed on highly polished alumina, magnesia spinel, strontium titanate, and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates. They were annealed at 1000 C and soaked in oxygen at 450 C, followed by slow cooling to room temperature. The films were characterized by electrical resistivity measurements as a function of temperature and x-ray diffraction. The film on YSZ showed the best characteristics with a T sub c (onset) of 91 K, T sub c (R equals 0) of 88.2 K, and a transition width, delta T sub c (10-90 percent), of approximately 1.7 K. The film adhesion, probably controlled by interdiffusion of cations between the film and the substrate, was good in all cases except on strontium titanate where the film completely detached from the substrate.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

Composition dependence of superconductivity in YBa2(Cu(3-x)Al(x))Oy

Eleven different compositions in the system YBa2(Cu(3-x)Al(x))O(y) (x = 0 to 0.3) have been synthesized and characterized by electrical resistivity measurements, powder x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The superconducting transition temperature T sub c (onset) was almost unaffected by the presence of alumina due to its limited solubility in YBa2Cu3O(7-x). However, T sub c(R = 0) gradually decreased, and the resistive tails became longer with increasing Al2O3 concentration. This was probably due to formation of BaAl2O4 and other impurity phases from chemical decomposition of the superconducting phase by reaction with Al2O3.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

Composition dependence of superconductivity in YBa2(Cu(3-x)Al(x))O(y)

Eleven different compositions in the system YBa2(Cu(3-x)Al(x))O(y) (x = 0 to 0.3) have been synthesized and characterized by electrical resistivity measurements, powder X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The superconducting transition temperature T sub c (onset) was almost unaffected by the presence of alumina due to its limited solubility in YBa2Cu3O(7-x). However, T sub c(R = 0) gradually decreased, and the resistive tails became longer with increasing Al2O3 concentration. This was probably due to formation of BaAl2O4 and other impurity phases from chemical decomposition of the superconducting phase by reaction with Al2O3.

Bansal, N. P.↗

STS-76 Flight Day 1

On this first day of the STS-76 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Kevin P. Chilton, Pilot Richard A Searfoss, and Mission Specialists Shannon W. Lucid, Linda M. Godwin, Michael R. Clifford, and Ronald M. Sega, are shown performing prelaunch and launch activities for the night launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The primary objective of this mission is the third docking between the Mir Space Station and Atlantis and a crew transfer. Lucid will remain onboard the Mir for about four months. Other activities include an EVA by Godwin and Clifford, logistics operations, and scientific research with a SPACEHAB module, some middeck experiments, and a Get Away Special (GAS) canister. Also, almost a ton of equipment and supplies will be transferred to the Mir. Experiments include the Mir Electric Field Characterization (MEFC), European Space Agency (ESA) Biorack life sciences experiment, Queens University Experiment in Liquid Diffusion (QUELD), Optizone Liquid Phase Sintering Experiment (OLIPSE), and a Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) GAS payload Trapped Ions in Space (TRIS), which will measure low-energy particle radiation in the inner magnetosphere. This mission also will include a KidSat, a prototype of Earth viewing cameras and instruments, that allow students in grades K-12 to see and direct the capture of pictures from space. Footage from Mission control is also included.

Source record↗

Development of Tailorable Electrically Conductive Thermal Control Material Systems

The optical characteristics of surfaces on spacecraft are fundamental parameters in controlling its temperature. Passive thermal control coatings with designed solar absorptance and infrared emittance properties have been developed and have been in use for some time. In this total space environment, the coating must be stable and maintain its desired optical properties as well as mechanical properties for the course of the mission lifetime. The mission lifetimes are increasing and in our quest to save weight, newer substrates are being integrated which limit electrical grounding schemes. All of this has added to already existing concerns about spacecraft charging and related spacecraft failures or operational failures. The concern is even greater for thermal control surfaces that are very large. One way of alleviating such concerns is to design new thermal control material systems (TCMS) that can help to mitigate charging via providing charge leakage paths. The objective of this program was to develop two types of passive electrically conductive TCMS. The first was a highly absorbing/emitting black surface and the second was a low (alpha(sub s)/epsilon(sub N)) type white surface. The surface resistance goals for the black absorber was 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 9) Omega/square, and for the white surfaces it was 10(exp 6) to 10(exp 10) Omega/square. Several material system concepts were suggested and evaluated for space environment stability and electrical performance characterization. Our efforts in designing and evaluating these material systems have resulted in several developments. New concepts, pigments and binders have been developed to provide new engineering quality TCMS. Some of these have already found application on space hardware, some are waiting to be recognized by thermal designers, and some require further detailed studies to become state-of-the-art for future space hardware and space structures. Our studies on baseline state-of-the-art materials and conductive concepts have resulted in several important findings that are of interest to all thermal designers and systems integrators.

Deshpande, M. S.↗

Thin-Film Photovoltaic Device Fabrication

This project will primarily involve the fabrication and characterization of thin films and devices for photovoltaic applications. The materials involved include Il-VI materials such as zinc oxide, cadmium sulfide, and doped analogs. The equipment ot be used will be sputtering and physical evaporations. The types of characterization includes electrical, XRD, SEM and CV and related measurements to establish the efficiency of the devices. The faculty fellow will be involved in a research team composed of NASA and University researchers as well as students and other junior researchers.

Scofield, John H.↗

Damage Characterization in SiC/SiC Composites using Electrical Resistance

SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) under creep-rupture loading accumulate damage by means of local matrix cracks that typically form near a stress concentration, such as a 90o fiber tow or large matrix pore, and grow over time. Such damage is difficult to detect through conventional techniques. Electrical resistance changes can be correlated with matrix cracking to provide a means of damage detection. Sylramic-iBN fiber-reinforced SiC composites with both melt infiltrated (MI) and chemical vapor infiltrated (CVI) matrix types are compared here. Results for both systems exhibit an increase in resistance prior to fracture, which can be detected either in situ or post-damage.

Smith, Craig E.↗

The Exploration Portable Electrostatic Detector (xPED)

Astronauts and rovers, while exploring dynamic environments, can experience charge buildup through Tribo-charging (contact electrification). Charge levels can become substantially high. especially in areas where photoelectric and plasma currents are reduced (e.g. lunar polar crater). Tribo-charging in areas that have little to no charge dissipative path can be severe, leaving an astronaut or roving object to remain charged for extended periods of time. Charge buildup on space suits and/or rovers is expected to present significant hazards to missions, such as electrostatic discharge and arcing, dust adhesion to space suits/equipment, and destruction of equipment. The avoidance of hazards associated with charge buildup is critical for future NASA missions to near earth objects, the Moon and Mars. The Exploration Portable Electrostatic Device (xPED) will allow astronauts to determine their charge state, and also characterize the electrical environment from their excursions. xPED would benefit manned, as well as robotic missions.

Jackson, Telana L.↗