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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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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Impact winter and the Cretaceous/Tertiary extinctions: Results of a Chicxulub asteroid impact model

The Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico is the site of the impact purported to have caused mass extinctions at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary. 2-D hydrocode modeling of the impact, coupled with studies of the impact site geology, indiate that between 0.4 and 7.0 x 10(exp 17) g of sulfur were vaporized by the impact into anhydrite target rocks. A small portion of the sulfur was released as SO3 or SO4, which converted rapidly into H2SO4 aerosol and fell as acid rain. A radiative transfer model, coupled with a model of coagulation indicates that the aerosol prolonged the initial blackout period caused by impact dust only if the aerosol contained impurities. A larger portion of sulfur was released as SO2, which converted to aerosol slowly, due to the rate-limiting oxidation of SO2. Our radiative transfer calculations, combined with rates of acid production, coagulation, and diffusion indicate that solar transmission was reduced to 10-20% of normal for a period of 8-13 yr. This reduction produced a climate forcing (cooling) of -300 W/sq.m, which far exceeded the +8 W/sq.m greenhouse warming, caused by the CO2 released through the vaporization of carbonates, and therefore produced a decade of freezing and near-freezing temperatures. Several decades of moderate warming followed the decade of severe cooling due to the long residence time of CO2. The prolonged impact winter may have been a major cause of the K/T extinctions.

Pope, Kevin O.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Quantifying Burned Area of Wildfires in the Western United States From Polar-Orbiting and Geostationary Satellite Active-Fire Detections

Background : Accurately estimating burned area from satellites is key to improving biomass burning emission models, studying fire evolution and assessing environmental impact. Previous studies have found that current methods for estimating burned area of fires from satellite active-fire data do not always provide an accurate estimate. Aims and Methods : In this work, we develop a novel algorithm to estimate hourly accumulated burned area based on the area from boundaries of non-convex polygons containing the accumulated Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)active-fire detections. Hourly time series are created by combining VIIRS estimates with fire radiative power (FRP) estimates from GOES-17 data. Conclusions, Key Results and Implication : We evaluate the performance of the algorithm for both accumulated and change in burned area between airborne observations, and specifically examine sensitivity to the choice of the parameter controlling how much the boundary can shrink towards the interior of the area polygon. Results of the hourly accumulation of burned area for multiple fires from 2019 and 2020 generally correlate strongly with airborne infrared (IR) observations collected by the United States Forest Service National Infrared Operations (NIROPS), exhibiting correlation coefficient values usually greater than 0.95 and errors <20%.

burned area↗
NASA NTRS1989

Transient analysis techniques in performing impact and crash dynamic studies

Because of the emphasis being placed on crashworthiness as a design requirement, increasing demands are being made by various organizations to analyze a wide range of complex structures that must perform safely when subjected to severe impact loads, such as those generated in a crash event. The ultimate goal of crashworthiness design and analysis is to produce vehicles with the ability to reduce the dynamic forces experienced by the occupants to specified levels, while maintaining a survivable envelope around them during a specified crash event. DYCAST is a nonlinear structural dynamic finite element computer code that started from the plans systems of a finite element program for static nonlinear structural analysis. The essential features of DYCAST are outlined.

Pifko, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Vanadium K Xanes Studies of EET79001 Impact-Melt Glasses Revisited

Some impact-melt glasses in shergottites are rich in Martian atmospheric noble gases and sulfur suggesting a possible association with regolith-derived secondary mineral assemblages in the shocked samples. Previously, we studied two glasses, # 506 (Lith C in Lith A) and # 507 (Lith C in Lith B) from EET79001 [1,2] and suggested that sulfur initially existed as sulfate in the glass precursor materials and, on shock-melting of the precursors, the sulfate was reduced to sulfides in the shock glasses. To examine the validity of this hypothesis, we used V K microXANES techniques to measure the valence states of vanadium in the Lith C glasses from Lith A and Lith B in EET79001 [3] to complement and com-pare with previous analogous measurements on,78 glass (Lith C in Lith A) [4,5]. We reported the preliminary results in [3]. Vanadium is ideal for addressing the redox issue because it has multiple valence states and is a well-studied element. Vanadium in basalts exists mostly as V(sup 3+), V(sup 4+) and V(sup 5+) in terrestrial samples, mainly as V(sup 3+) with minor V(sup 2+) and minor V(sup 4+) in lunar samples and as roughly equal mixtures of V(sup 3+) and V(sup 4+) in Martian meteorites. In this report, we discuss the application of the V K XANES results to decipher the nature of shock reduction occurring in the silicate glasses during the impact process.

Sutton, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Study of hypervelocity meteoroid impact on orbital space stations

Structural damage resulting in hypervelocity impact of a meteorite on a spacecraft is discussed. Of particular interest is the backside spallation caused by such a collision. To treat this phenomenon two numerical schemes were developed in the course of this study to compute the elastic-plastic flow fracture of a solid. The numerical schemes are a five-point finite difference scheme and a four-node finite element scheme. The four-node finite element scheme proved to be less sensitive to the type of boundary conditions and loadings. Although further development work is needed to improve the program versatility (generalization of the network topology, secondary storage for large systems, improving of the coding to reduce the run time, etc.), the basic framework is provided for a utilitarian computer program which may be used in a wide variety of situations. Analytic results showing the program output are given for several test cases.

Leimbach, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 15

Contents include the following: Impact Metamorphism of Subsurface Organic Matter on Mars: A Potential Source for Methane and Surface Alteration. Preliminary Study of Polygonal Impact Craters in Argyre Region, Mars. Geochemistry of the Dark Veinlets in the Granitoids from the Souderfjarden Impact Structure, Finland: Preliminary Results. An Experimental Method to Estimate the Chemical Reaction Rate in Vapor Clouds: An Application to the K/T Impact. Study of the Apollo 16 Landing Site: Re-Visit as a Standard Site for the SELENE Multiband Imager. First X-Ray Observation of Lunar Farside from Hayabusa X-Ray Spectrometer. Lunar X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry from SELENE Lunar Polar Orbiter. Origin and Thermal History of Lithic Materials in the Begaa LL3 Chondrite. Evidence of Normal Faulting and Dike Intrusion at Valles Marineris from Pit Crater Topography. Evidence of Tharsis-Radial Dike Intrusion in Southeast Alba Patera from MOLA-based Topography of Pit Crater Chains. Are They Really Intact? Evaluation of Captured Micrometeoroid Analogs by Aerogel at the Flyby Speed of Stardust. Numerical Simulations of Impactor Penetration into Ice-Over-Water Targets. A Probable Fluid Lava Flow in the Hebes Mensa (Mars) Studied by HRSC Images. New Drill-Core Data from the Lockne Crater, Sweden: The Marine Excavation and Ejection Processes, and Post-Impact Environment. Cross-Sectional Profile of Baltis Vallis Channel on Venus: Reconstruction from Magellan SAR Brightness Data.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

The results of studies to determine the impact of far-aft center-of-gravity locations on the design of a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle system

Aft center-of-gravity locations dictated by the large number of rocket engines required has been a continuing problem of single-stage-to-orbit vehicles. Recent work at Langley has demonstrated that these aft center-of-gravity problems become more pronounced for the proposed heavy-lift mission, creating some unique design problems for both the SSTO and staged vehicle systems. During the course of this study, an effort was made to bring together automated vehicle design, wind-tunnel tests, and flight control analyses to assess the impact of longitudinal and lateral-directional instability, and control philosophy on entry vehicle design technology.

Freeman, D. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Meteoroid/space debris impacts on MSFC LDEF experiments

The many meteoroid and space debris impacts found on A0171, A0034, S1005, and other MSFC experiments are considered. In addition to those impacts found by the meteoroid and debris studies, numerous impacts less than 0.5 mm were found and photographed. The flux and size distribution of impacts is presented as well as EDS analysis of impact residue. Emphasis is on morphology of impacts in the various materials, including graphite/epoxy composites, polymeric materials, optical coatings, thin films, and solar cells.

Finckenor, Miria↗
NASA NTRS2018

Computational Investigation of Nominally-Orthogonal Pneumatic Active Flow Control for High-Lift Systems

We explore the feasibility of using nominally-orthogonal jets as active aerodynamic load control for multi-element high-lift systems, and whether the nominally-orthogonal jets can offer a variety of performance improvements. These nominally-orthogonal jets inject momentum normal to the airfoil surface near the flap trailing edge, where they create a vortex that entrains flow from the opposing side and change the airfoil circulation. Lift-enhancement opportunities of trailing edge nominally-orthogonal jets have previously been studied by Malavard et al. and Blaylock et al. on single-element airfoils; however, their effect on drag was not thoroughly investigated. In this study, we investigate two- dimensional nominally-orthogonal jet effects on both lift and drag on a two-element airfoil, NLR7301. We utilize Chimera Grid Tools to generate structured curvilinear overset grids, and the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver OVERFLOW-2 to solve for the flow field around the airfoil. We perform various computational sensitivity studies on the baseline airfoil without a jet to validate computational results against benchmark experimental data. Using a Chimera overset grid topology, we demonstrate a similar lift-enhancement effect between a nominally-orthogonal jet and a nominally-orthogonal physical tab employed at the same location on the studied airfoil. After we introduce the nominally-orthogonal jet concept, we investigate nominally-orthogonal jets with various momentum coefficient settings, C(sub µ) = 0.00 − 0.04 and present a lift-enhancement relationship ∆C(sub l) ≃ 3.59 (C(sub µ)) for this airfoil. We discuss that utilizing a nominally-orthogonal jet with C(sub µ) = 0.01 can shift the linear region of the lift curve by a ∆C(sub l) = 0.36 for the pressure side jet and by a ∆C(sub l) = −0.27 for the suction side jet. Employing a nominally-orthogonal jet is also shown effective in altering the drag. To study the impact, we carry out a drag decomposition study in the form of drag polars. We show for a given C(sub l) = 2.50, a nominally-orthogonal jet with C(sub µ) = 0.01 on the pressure and suction side of the airfoil results in 113 drag count decrements and 41 drag count increments, respectively, compared to the baseline airfoil with no jet. These results show that large and controllable changes in aerodynamic performance can be achieved by relatively small active flow control inputs using the nominally-orthogonal jets presented in this study.

Nominally-Orthogonal↗
NASA NTRS1983

Remote sensing and geologic studies of the planetary crusts

Dark haloed craters and regions of the Moon which were sites of ancient volcanism were remotely sensed as well as KREEP deposits in the Inbrium region. The relationship between geology and geochemistry in the Undarum/Spumans region was also examined. Results are summarized for observations of the Reiner Gamma formation, studies of impact cratering mechanics and processes, spectral variations of asteroidal surfaces, albedo and color variations on Ganymede, and studies of lunar impact structures.

Hawke, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Acoustic Emission Signals in Thin Plates Produced by Impact Damage

Acoustic emission (AE) signals created by impact sources in thin aluminum and graphite/epoxy composite plates were analyzed. Two different impact velocity regimes were studied. Low-velocity (less than 0.21 km/s) impacts were created with an airgun firing spherical steel projectiles (4.5 mm diameter). High-velocity (1.8 to 7 km/s) impacts were generated with a two-stage light-gas gun firing small cylindrical nylon projectiles (1.5 mm diameter). Both the impact velocity and impact angle were varied. The impacts did not penetrate the aluminum plates at either low or high velocities. For high-velocity impacts in composites, there were both impacts that fully penetrated the plate as well as impacts that did not. All impacts generated very large amplitude AE signals (1-5 V at the sensor), which propagated as plate (extensional and/or flexural) modes. In the low-velocity impact studies, the signal was dominated by a large flexural mode with only a small extensional mode component detected. As the impact velocity was increased within the low velocity regime, the overall amplitudes of both the extensional and flexural modes increased. In addition, a relative increase in the amplitude of high-frequency components of the flexural mode was also observed. Signals caused by high-velocity impacts that did not penetrate the plate contained both a large extensional and flexural mode component of comparable amplitudes. The signals also contained components of much higher frequency and were easily differentiated from those caused by low-velocity impacts. An interesting phenomenon was observed in that the large flexural mode component, seen in every other case, was absent from the signal when the impact particle fully penetrated through the composite plates.

Prosser, William H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Modeling and Observational Study of the Global Atmospheric Impacts of Antarctic Sea Ice Anomalies

A combined observational and modeling study considers the linkage between Antarctic sea ice and the climate of non-local latitudes. The observational component is based upon analyses of monthly station observations and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Reanalysis (NNR). The modeling component consists of simulations of the NCAR Community Climate Model versions 2 (CCM2) and 3 (CCM3) and the recent Community Atmosphere Model (CAM2). A convenient mechanism for communication between the Antarctic region (particularly the Ross Sea area) and the tropics and Northern Hemisphere is examined. The first evidence of this teleconnection came from CCM2 simulations performed during an earlier NASA supported project. Annual-cycle simulations with and without Antarctic sea ice show statistically- significant responses in monsoon precipitation over central and northern China during the month of September. The changes in monsoon precipitation are physically consistent with an intensified southwest Pacific (Northern Hemisphere) subtropical high in response to all Antarctic sea ice being removed and replaced with open water at -1.9"C. The intensified high is the northernmost component of three primary anomalies. The southernmost anomaly includes the Ross Sea area, where sea ice has been removed. An earlier study by Peng and Domros had also found a link between Antarctic sea ice and the East Asian monsoon circulation. The current project has helped to understand the teleconnection.

Bromwich, David H.↗