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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Magnetically driven jets and winds

Four equations for the origin and propagation of nonrelativistic jets and winds are derived from the basic conservation laws of ideal MHD. The axial current density is negative in the vicinity of the axis and positive at larger radii; there is no net current because this is energetically favored. The magnetic field is essential for the jet solutions in that the zz-component of the magnetic stress acts, in opposition to gravity, to drive matter through the slow magnetosonic critical point. For a representative self-consistent disk/jet solution relevant to a protostellar system, the reaction of the accreted mass expelled in the jets is 0.1, the ratio of the power carried by the jets to the disk luminosity is 0.66, and the ratio of the boundary layer to disk luminosities is less than about 0.13. The star's rotation rate decreases with time even for rotation rates much less than the breakup rate.

Lovelace, R. V. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

NIST torsion oscillator viscometer response: Performance on the LeRC active vibration isolation platform

Critical point viscosity measurements are limited to their reduced temperature approach to T(sub c) in an Earth bound system, because of density gradients imposed by gravity. Therefore, these classes of experiments have been proposed as good candidates for 'microgravity' science experiments where this limitation is not present. The nature of these viscosity measurements dictate hardware that is sensitive to low frequency excitations. Because of the vibratory acceleration sensitivity of a torsion oscillator viscometer, used to acquire such measurements, a vibration isolation sensitivity test was performed on candidate 'microgravity' hardware to study the possibility of meeting the stringent oscillatory sensitivity requirements of a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) torsion oscillator viscometer. A prototype six degree of freedom active magnetic isolation system, developed at NASA Lewis Research Center, was used as the isolation system. The ambient acceleration levels of the platform were reduced to the noise floor levels of its control sensors, about one microgravity in the 0.1 to 10 Hz bandwidth.

Berg, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A study of the topology of dissipating motions in direct numerical simulations of time-developing compressible and incompressible mixing layers

A preliminary investigation of the geometry of flow patterns in numerically simulated compressible and incompressible mixing layers was carried out using 3-D critical point methodology. Motions characterized by high rates of kinetic energy dissipation and/or high enstrophy were of particular interest. In the approach the partial derivatives of the velocity field are determined at every point in the flow. These are used to construct the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor and the rate-of-strain tensor (P, Q, R, and P(sub s), Q(sub s), R(sub s) respectively). For incompressible flow the first invariant is zero. For the conditions of the compressible simulation, the first invariant is found to be everywhere small, relative to the second and third invariants, and so in both cases the local topology at a point is mainly determined by the second and third invariants. The data at every grid point is used to construct scatter plots of Q versus R and Q(sub s) versus R(sub s). Most points map to a cluster near the origin in Q-R space. However, fine scale motions, that is motions which are characterized by velocity derivatives which scale with the square root of R(sub delta), tend to map to regions which lie far from the origin. Definite trends are observed for motions characterized by high enstrophy and/or high dissipation. The observed trends suggest that, for these motions, the second and third invariants of the velocity gradient and rate-of-strain tensors are strongly correlated. The second and third invariants of the rate-of-strain tensor are related by K(-Q(sub s))(exp 3/2), which is consistent with the above scaling of velocity derivatives. The quantity K appears to depend on Reynolds number with an upper limit K = 2(the square root of 3)/9 corresponding to locally axisymmetric flow. For both the compressible and incompressible mixing layer, regions corresponding to high rates of dissipation are found to be characterized by comparable magnitudes of R(sub ij)R(sub ij) and S(sub ij)S(sub ij). For the incompressible mixing layer, regions characterized by the highest values of enstrophy are found to have relatively low strain rates.

Chen, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Study of InGaAs-based modulation doped field effect transistor structures using variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry

Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to estimate the thicknesses of all layers within the optical penetration depth of InGaAs-based modulation doped field effect transistor structures. Strained and unstrained InGaAs channels were made by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on InP substrates and by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on GaAs substrates. In most cases, ellipsometrically determined thicknesses were within 10 percent of the growth-calibration results. The MBE-made InGaAs strained layers showed large strain effects, indicating a probable shift in the critical point of their dielectric function toward the InP lattice-matched concentration.

Alterovitz, Samuel A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The effects of radiation drag on radial, relativistic hydromagnetic winds

The effects of drag on an idealized relativistic MHD wind of radial geometry are studied. The astrophysical motivation is to understand the effects of radiation drag on the dynamics of a jet or wind passing through the intense radiation field of an accreting compact object. From a critical point analysis, it is found that a slow magnetosonic point can appear in a dragged flow even in the absence of gravitational force, as a result of a balance between the drag force and the combination of thermal pressure and centrifugal forces. As in the undragged case, the Alfven point does not impose any constraints on the flow. Although it is formally possible for a dragged flow to possess more than one fast magnetosonic point, it is shown that this is unlikely in practice. In the limit of a 'cold', centrifugally driven flow, it is shown that the fast magnetosonic point moves to infinite radius, just as in the drag-free case. For a given mass flux, the total energy output carried to infinity, and the final partition between the kinetic energy and the Poynting flux, are the same for the dragged and the drag-free flows. The main effects of radiation drag are to increase the amount of energy and angular momentum extracted from the source and to redistribute the regions where acceleration occurs in the flow. This is accomplished through the storage and release of magnetic energy, as a result of additional winding and compression of the field caused by the action of the drag. For a relativistic wind, the dissipated energy can exceed the final kinetic energy of the flow and may be comparable to the total flow energy (which is dominated by Poynting flux). The energy lost to radiation drag will appear as a Doppler-boosted beam of scattered radiation, which could dominate the background radiation if the flow is well-collimated.

Li, Zhi-Yun↗
NASA NTRS1992

Accretion disks in active galactic nuclei - Vertically explicit models

A region of the parameter space accessible to accretion disks in AGN is explored using vertically integrated models to describe the thin-disk structure. Particular attention is paid to the role of convection. From a comparison of strongly convective solutions with varying mixing lengths to solutions obtained using a recent theory of convection developed for accretion disks, it is argued that it may be appropriate to take the mixing length to be roughly one-third of a pressure scale height when applying standard mixing-length theory to disks. Scalings are presented for various critical points in the locus of steady-state solutions, and rough estimates of time scales for behavior associated with disk instability are provided.

Cannizzo, John K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The role of the molecular-metallic transition of hydrogen in the evolution of Jupiter, Saturn, and brown dwarfs

An equation of state for hydrogen which predicts a molecular-metallic phase transition at finite temperatures has become available recently. The effect of this phase transition on the cooling histories of these two giant planets and of substellar brown dwarfs is studied. The phase transition alters the present age of Jupiter and of Saturn by a few percent. Interestingly, the cooling of brown dwarfs is most strongly affected at the time when the interior adiabat crosses the critical point of the phase transition.

Saumon, Didier↗
NASA NTRS1992

Fluid hydrogen at high density - Pressure ionization

The Helmholtz-free-energy model for nonideal mixtures of hydrogen atoms and molecules by Saumon and Chabrier (1991) is extended to describe dissociation and ionization in similar mixtures in chemical equilibrium. A free-energy model is given that describes partial ionization in the pressure and temperature ionization region. The plasma-phase transition predicted by the model is described for hydrogen mixtures including such components as H2, H, H(+), and e(-). The plasma-phase transition has a critical point at Tc = 15,300 K and Pc = 0.614 Mbar, and thermodynamic instability is noted in the pressure-ionization regime. The pressure dissociation and ionization of fluid hydrogen are described well with the model yielding information on the nature of the plasma-phase transition. The model is shown to be valuable for studying dissociation and ionization in astrophysical objects and in high-pressure studies where pressure and temperature effects are significant.

Saumon, Didier↗
NASA NTRS1992

A parameter study of the two-fluid solar wind

A two-fluid model of the solar wind was introduced by Sturrock and Hartle (1966) and Hartle and Sturrock (1968). In these studies the proton energy equation was integrated neglecting the heat conductive term. Later several authors solved the equations for the two-fluid solar wind model keeping the proton heat conductive term. Methods where the equations are integrated simultaneously outward and inward from the critical point were used. The equations were also integrated inward from a large heliocentric distance. These methods have been applied to cases with low coronal base electron densities and high base temperatures. In this paper we present a method of integrating the two-fluid solar wind equations using an iteration procedure where the equations are integrated separately and the proton flux is kept constant during the integrations. The technique is applicable for a wide range of coronal base densities and temperatures. The method is used to carry out a parameter study of the two-fluid solar wind.

Sandbaek, Ornulf↗
NASA NTRS1992

The eigenvalue spectrum of the Rayleigh equation for a plane shear layer

The eigenvalue spectrum of the Rayleigh equation is examined using three different solution techniques. In particular, a simple second-order finite difference scheme and two spectral methods, the Chebyshev tau and Chebyshev collocation methods, are used to discretize the equation. All of the approximation methods are shown to be capable of predicting the discrete spectrum as well as the continuous spectrum associated with the critical point singularity for the Rayleigh equation. The global eigenvalue methods considered here provide an efficient way of obtaining either an approximation to the complete eigenvalue spectrum or initial guesses for a local shooting procedure for the discrete part of the spectrum.

Liou, William W.-W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Vibronic spectra of Cu(2+) in ZnTe

Infrared-absorption spectra of substitutional Cu(2+) ions in ZnTe have been measured at 4.6 K. Several distinct absorption peaks are observed between 800 and 2000/cm. Absorption peaks at 1002 and 1069/cm are identified as zero-phonon lines arising from 2T2-2E transitions. Between 1069 and 2000/cm, several sets of sharp absorption lines are seen to recur regularly at an interval of 210/cm, corresponding to the LO phonon energy. Within each set distinct vibronic sidebands that cannot be identified with critical-point energies of TA, LA, TO or LO phonon modes are observed. A dynamic Jahn-Teller effect, involving coupling between a single-phonon mode and the electronic states of the 2E level, is proposed to account for the observed spectra.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Ellipsometric study of Si(0.5)Ge(0.5)/Si strained-layer superlattices

We present an ellipsometric study of two Si(0.5)Ge(0.5)/Si strained-layer superlattices grown by MBE at low temperature (500 C), and compare our results with X-ray diffraction (XRD) estimates. Excellent agreement is obtained between target values, XRD, and ellipsometry when one of two available Si(x)Ge(1-x) databases is used. We show that ellipsometry can be used to nondestructively determine the number of superlattice periods, layer thicknesses, Si(x)Ge(1-x) composition, and oxide thickness without resorting to additional sources of information. We also note that we do not observe any strain effect on the E1 critical point.

Sieg, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Low temperature research facilities for shuttle and beyond

This paper describes the Low Temperature Research Facility program now under development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This program will develop the experiments and cryogenic facility to fly experiments requiring temperatures in the liquid helium range, from the superfluid range (1.6 K) to the critical point (5.2 K). A shuttle facility is planned for 1998. It will be flown about every two years after that time. A free flyer is also being evaluated for the end of the decade or early in the next century. A brief discussion of the quality of micro-gravity available in various carriers is also given.

Mason, P.↗
NASA NTRS1926

Wing spar stress charts and wing truss proportions

In order to simplify the calculation of beams continuous over three supports, a series of charts have been calculated giving the bending moments at all the critical points and the reactions at all supports for such members. Using these charts as a basis, calculations of equivalent bending moments, representing the total stresses acting in two bay-wing trusses of proportions varying over a wide range, have been determined, both with and without allowance for column effect. This leads finally to the determination of the best proportions for any particular truss or the best strut locations in any particular airplane. The ideal proportions are found to vary with the thickness of the wing section used, the aspect ratio, and the ratio of gap to chord.

Warner, Edward P↗
NASA NTRS1951

Critical velocities of ultracentrifuges

The Euler equations for the rotation of a solid body are applied to the problem of the motion of ultracentrifuges. Particular attention is paid to the problem of the passage of an ultracentrifuge rotor through the critical velocity. The factors that affect the passage of rotors through the critical point are stressed.

Sokolov, V I↗
NASA NTRS1994

Synthesis Of A Precursor Of Silicon Nitride

Promising route toward production of highly pure, finely divided, easily sinterable silicon nitride (Si3N4) involves thermal decomposition of silicon diimide {Si(NH)2} prepared by ammonolysis of Si(SCN)4 in CH3CN and purified by complete extraction of byproduct NH4SCN by use of ammonia at temperature and pressure above critical point.

Philipp, Warren H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The International Microgravity Laboratory, a Spacelab for materials and life sciences

The material science experiments performed on the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1), which is used to perform investigations which require the low gravity environment of space, are discussed. These experiments, the principal investigator, and associated organization are listed. Whether the experiment was a new development or was carried on an earlier space mission, such as the third Spacelab (SL-3) or the Shuttle Middeck, is also noted. The two major disciplines of materials science represented on IML-1 were the growth of crystals from the melt, solution, or vapor and the study of fluids (liquids and gases) in a reduced gravity environment. The various facilities on board IML-1 and their related experiments are described. The facilities include the Fluids Experiment System (FES) Vapor Crystal Growth System (VCGS) Organic Crystal Growth Facility (OCGF), Cryostat (CRY), and the Critical Point Facility (CPF).

Snyder, Robert S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Computer program for analysis of high speed, single row, angular contact, spherical roller bearing, SASHBEAN. Volume 1: User's guide

The computer program SASHBEAN (Sikorsky Aircraft Spherical Roller High Speed Bearing Analysis) analyzes and predicts the operating characteristics of a Single Row, Angular Contact, Spherical Roller Bearing (SRACSRB). The program runs on an IBM or IBM compatible personal computer, and for a given set of input data analyzes the bearing design for it's ring deflections (axial and radial), roller deflections, contact areas and stresses, induced axial thrust, rolling element and cage rotation speeds, lubrication parameters, fatigue lives, and amount of heat generated in the bearing. The dynamic loading of rollers due to centrifugal forces and gyroscopic moments, which becomes quite significant at high speeds, is fully considered in this analysis. For a known application and it's parameters, the program is also capable of performing steady-state and time-transient thermal analyses of the bearing system. The steady-state analysis capability allows the user to estimate the expected steady-state temperature map in and around the bearing under normal operating conditions. On the other hand, the transient analysis feature provides the user a means to simulate the 'lost lubricant' condition and predict a time-temperature history of various critical points in the system. The bearing's 'time-to-failure' estimate may also be made from this (transient) analysis by considering the bearing as failed when a certain temperature limit is reached in the bearing components. The program is fully interactive and allows the user to get started and access most of its features with a minimal of training. For the most part, the program is menu driven, and adequate help messages were provided to guide a new user through various menu options and data input screens. All input data, both for mechanical and thermal analyses, are read through graphical input screens, thereby eliminating any need of a separate text editor/word processor to edit/create data files. Provision is also available to select and view the contents of output files on the monitor screen if no paper printouts are required. A separate volume (Volume-2) of this documentation describes, in detail, the underlying mathematical formulations, assumptions, and solution algorithms of this program.

Aggarwal, Arun K.↗