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At least 37 records · Page 2

Nuclear safety considerations in the conceptual design of a fast reactor for space electric power and propulsion

Some nuclear safety aspects of a 3.2 mWt heat pipe cooled fast reactor with out-of-core thermionic converters are discussed. Safety related characteristics of the design including a thin layer of B4C surrounding the core, the use of heat pipes and BeO reflector assembly, the elimination of fuel element bowing, etc., are highlighted. Potential supercriticality hazards and countermeasures are considered. Impacts of some safety guidelines of space transportation system are also briefly discussed, since the currently developing space shuttle would be used as the primary launch vehicle for the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft.

Hsieh, T.-M.↗

A computer program for the calculation of the flow field including boundary layer effects for mixed-compression inlets at angle of attack

A computer program was developed which is capable of calculating the flow field in the supersonic portion of a mixed compression aircraft inlet operating at angle of attack. The supersonic core flow is computed using a second-order three dimensional method-of-characteristics algorithm. The bow shock and the internal shock train are treated discretely using a three dimensional shock fitting procedure. The boundary layer flows are computed using a second-order implicit finite difference method. The shock wave-boundary layer interaction is computed using an integral formulation. The general structure of the computer program is discussed, and a brief description of each subroutine is given. All program input parameters are defined, and a brief discussion on interpretation of the output is provided. A number of sample cases, complete with data listings, are provided.

Vadyak, J.↗

Microscopic, Multipoint Characterization of Foreshock Bubbles With Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS)

This work presents the first detailed analysis of foreshock bubbles (FBs) using high‐resolution Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) data. Between October 2017 and January 2019, MMS captured 10 foreshock transient events with burst resolution data that we show are consistent with FBs. One “textbook” event is examined and described in detail. Employing the multipoint nature of MMS, we demonstrate how the size and orientation, expansion speed, and distance since formation can be estimated. From all 10 events, FB sizes ranged from 1.1 to 9.9 RE (average of 4.4 RE), and expansion speeds ranged from 139 to 377 km/s (average of 257 km/s). FBs formed under a usual range of solar wind conditions between 3 and 20 RE upstream of Earth's bow shock. We also report on new features of FBs: deep and localized magnetic “holes” within the cores of FBs, where the total field strength drops to <1 nT.

D. L. Turner↗

Lunar Prospector: overview

Lunar Prospector is providing a global map of the composition of the moon and analyzing the moon's gravity and magnetic fields. It has been in a polar orbit around the moon since 16 January 1998. Neutron flux data show that there is abundant H, and hence probably abundant water ice, in the lunar polar regions. Gamma-ray and neutron data reveal the distribution of Fe, Ti, and other major and trace elements on the moon. The data delineate the global distributions of a key trace element-rich component of lunar materials called KREEP and of the major rock types. Magnetic mapping shows that the lunar magnetic fields are strong antipodal to Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis and has discovered the smallest known magnetosphere, magnetosheath, and bow shock complex in the solar system. Gravity mapping has delineated seven new gravity anomalies and shown that the moon has a small Fe-rich core of about 300 km radius.

Flight Experiment↗

NUBOW-3D Demonstration on LFR: Final CRADA Report

The NUBOW-3D software was developed to assist in designing a core restraint system for sodium-cooled fast spectrum reactors. Originally conceived during the FFTF design activities, the United States has been a proponent of limited free bow reactor design ever since to improve safety performance. In fast spectrum reactors, successful safety performance during reactor transients requires favorable reactivity feedback that leads to safe power stabilization or even natural system shutdown. In fast spectrum reactors, one key mechanism that designers use to improve the performance is to make thermal expansion inject negative feedback into the reactor system. While most fast reactor systems generally have a negative reactivity response to geometric expansion, the NUBOW-3D software allows the designers to better explore the impact on reactivity and optimize the system to maximize its impact.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Field-aligned ion beams upstream of the earth's bow shock Evidence for a magnetosheath source

High time resolution ISEE-1 and -2 observations of upstream field-aligned ion beams at several crossings of the earth's bow shock indicate that some beams are due to high energy magnetosheath particles leaking through the shock into the upstream region. The distribution immediately downstream of these oblique shocks consists of a 'core' of directly transmitted, slightly heated ions, plus a crescent-shaped, high-velocity distribution, centered roughly on the magnetic field in the direction toward the upstream region, with a fairly well defined low velocity cutoff.

Thomsen, M. F.↗

Electron velocity distributions near interplantary shocks

Previous work on electron heating mechanisms operating at the supercritical earth's bow shock is extended to the generally lower Mach number interplanetary shocks. This is done by studying electron velocity distributions observed both upstream and downstream of interplanetary shocks observed by ISEE 3 between August 1978 and December 1979. It is found that perpendicular heating accompanied by little or no parallel heating occurs at the weaker shocks but that parallel heating is dominant for the stronger shocks. When perpendicular heating is dominant, downstream velocity distributions are for the most part Gaussian at low energies (core) and Lorentzian at high energies (halo). When parallel heating is dominant, however, these distributions are flat-topped at low energies, having power law extensions to higher energies. At the weaker shocks, the observations are consistent with electron heating resulting from conservation of the magnetic moment, whereas at the stronger shocks the heating is quite similar to that observed at the earth's bow shock.

Feldman, W. C.↗

Structure and Properties of the Foreshock at Venus

The interaction of the solar wind with Venus is dominated by the planet's ionosphere that acts as an obstacle to the flow resulting in an induced magnetosphere and bow shock much smaller than their terrestrial counterparts. This study presents a 3-D electromagnetic hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) simulation of the solar wind interaction with an unmagnetized obstacle to examine the structure and properties of the Cytherean foreshock during periods of near radial IMF, that is, when it lies upstream of the ionosphere. The interaction between the backstreaming ions and the solar wind results in the generation of two classes of ULF waves: (1) parallel propagating sinusoidal waves with periods approx. 20-30 s and (2) highly oblique fast magnetosonic waves. The joint nonlinear evolution of these waves results in the formation of structures called foreshock cavitons with dimensions comparable to the size of the planet. Foreshock cavitons are also present in the terrestrial foreshock. The excavation of plasma and magnetic field from their cores leads to lower average densities and magnetic field strengths in the foreshock. As in the case of Earth, this excavation results in the formation of a fast magnetosonic pulse/shock at the edge of the foreshock named the foreshock compressional boundary. Also similar to Earth is the formation of spontaneous hot flow anomalies (SHFAs) as foreshock cavitons approach the bow shock. The size and properties of SHFAs at Venus are comparable to those at Earth, and their existence has recently been established at Mars and Venus in a companion paper.

Omidi, N.↗

Exprimental Results of the First Two Stages of an Advanced Transonic Core Compressor Under Isolated and Multi-Stage Conditions.

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Program calls for investigation of the technology barriers associated with improved fuel efficiency for large gas turbine engines. Under ERA, the highly loaded core compressor technology program attempts to realize the fuel burn reduction goal by increasing overall pressure ratio of the compressor to increase thermal efficiency of the engine. Study engines with overall pressure ratio of 60 to 70 are now being investigated. This means that the high pressure compressor would have to almost double in pressure ratio while keeping a high level of efficiency. NASA and GE teamed to address this challenge by testing the first two stages of an advanced GE compressor designed to meet the requirements of a very high pressure ratio core compressor. Previous test experience of a compressor which included these front two stages indicated a performance deficit relative to design intent. Therefore, the current rig was designed to run in 1-stage and 2-stage configurations in two separate tests to assess whether the bow shock of the second rotor interacting with the upstream stage contributed to the unpredicted performance deficit, or if the culprit was due to interaction of rotor 1 and stator 1. Thus, the goal was to fully understand the stage 1 performance under isolated and multi-stage conditions, and additionally to provide a detailed aerodynamic data set for CFD validation. Full use was made of steady and unsteady measurement methods to understand fluid dynamics loss source mechanisms due to rotor shock interaction and endwall losses. This paper will present the description of the compressor test article and its measured performance and operability, for both the single stage and two stage configurations. We focus the paper on measurements at 97% corrected speed with design intent vane setting angles.

transonic compressors↗

The effects of a high luminosity radio galaxy on the ICM: ROSAT HRI observations of Cygnus A

The previously analyzed X-ray features of Cygnus A which coincide with the radio/optical core and radio hotspots are considered. Based on the Rosat high resolution imager (HRI) observations, the cavities in the projected X-ray surface brightness caused by the radio lobes and the excess emission from shocked inter-cluster medium (ICM) between the lobes and the bow shock are discussed. The data are compared to the predictions of an analytical model and of a 3D numerical simulation.

Harris, D. E.↗

Shocklets, SLAMS, and Field-Aligned Ion Beams in the Terrestrial Foreshock

We present Wind spacecraft observations of ion distributions showing field- aligned beams (FABs) and large-amplitude magnetic fluctuations composed of a series of shocklets and short large-amplitude magnetic structures (SLAMS). The FABs are found to have T(sub k) approx 80-850 eV, V(sub b)/V(sub sw) approx 1.3-2.4, T(sub perpendicular,b)/T(sub paralell,b) approx 1-8, and n(sub b)/n(sub o) approx 0.2-11%. Saturation amplitudes for ion/ion resonant and non-resonant instabilities are too small to explain the observed SLAMS amplitudes. We show two examples where groups of SLAMS can act like a local quasi-perpendicular shock reflecting ions to produce the FABs, a scenario distinct from the more-common production at the quasi-perpendicular bow shock. The SLAMS exhibit a foot-like magnetic enhancement with a leading magnetosonic whistler train, consistent with previous observations. Strong ion and electron heating are observed within the series of shocklets and SLAMS with temperatures increasing by factors approx > 5 and approx >3, respectively. Both the core and halo electron components show strong perpendicular heating inside the feature.

Wilson, L. B.↗

Ion reflection and downstream thermalization at the quasi-parallel bow shock

Using the results of ISEE 2 plasma and magnetic field measurements, two features related to the ion thermalization process at high-Mach-number (M above 2) quasi-parallel collisionless shocks are discussed. These are the presence of a coherent secondary beam of ions within the shock layer which is considered to be produced by reflection, and downstream ion distributions which contain both a relatively cold core of directly transmitted ions and a hotter 'shell' of ions, which appear to result from the disruption and scattering of ions initially reflected at the shock. Evidence is presented that coherent ion reflection is an important element of the ion energy dissipation process at high-Mach-number quasi-parallel shocks.

Gosling, J. T.↗

Post-Irradiation Examination to Quantify Irradiation-Induced Bowing of SiGA® Silicon Carbide Composite Structures (Final CRADA Report – NFE-23-09937)

As part of the SiC-based material development at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS), this project involved the first-of-a-kind experimental post-irradiation examination of the irradiation-induced bowing response in SiC composite structures under a neutron flux gradient. The SiC composite miniature channel specimen was provided by GA-EMS for the irradiation experiment. To quantify the irradiation-induced bowing of the channel specimen, a series of visual and dimensional inspections were conducted using the unique capabilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), including a custom profilometry rig. The post-irradiation examination results of this project will assist GA-EMS in validating their fuel performance model for SiC-based core structures in neutron irradiation environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Synthesis of PbS/CdS/Cu 2-x S core/shell/shell quantum dots for rapid NIR emission.

Nanoscale semiconductors, known as quantum dots (QDs), possess unique size-tunable optical and electrical properties. With continued research into quantum information storage and quantum communication, the need for near-infrared single photon emitters and absorbers has gained prominence. Lead sulfide QDs have only recently been explored as a reliable near-infrared single photon emitters with the addition of a protective cadmium sulfide shell. Despite the increased air and room temperature stability of these QDs, long photon emission times have limited widespread application. This work examines the enhanced photon emission due to the Purcell effect provided by the layering of copper sulfide. In particle, this work synthesized lead sulfide cores in the 10 nm range, successfully layered cadmium sulfide through cation exchange, and attempted the cation exchange of copper sulfide, as identified with near-infrared absorbance spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectra.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Lunar electrical conductivity, permeability,and temperature from Apollo magnetometer experiments

Magnetometers were deployed at four Apollo sites on the moon to measure remanent and induced lunar magnetic fields. Measurements from this network of instruments were used to calculate the electrical conductivity, temperature, magnetic permeability, and iron abundance of the lunar interior. Global lunar fields due to eddy currents, induced in the lunar interior by magnetic transients, were analyzed to calculate and electrical conductivity profile for the moon, and those profiles were used to calculate the lunar temperature for an assumed lunar material of olivine. Simultaneous measurements by magnetometers on the lunar surface and in orbit around the moon were use to construct a whole-moon hysteresis curve, from which the global lunar magnetic permeability is determined. Total iron abundance (sum of iron in the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic states) was calculated for two assumed compositional models of the lunar interior. Other lunar models with an iron core and with a shallow iron-rich layer also discussed in light of the measured global lunar permeability. Simultaneous magnetic field and solar plasma pressure measurements show that the remanent fields at the Apollo 12 and 16 sites interact with, and are compressed by, the solar wind. Velocities and thicknesses of the earth's magnetopause and bow shock were also estimated from simultaneous magnetometer measurements.

Dyal, P.↗

Additional constraints on circumstellar disks in the Trapezium Cluster

We discuss the new constraints on the population of compact ionized sources in the Trapezium Cluster thought to arise from the ionization by the central OB stars of circumstellar disks around low-mass pre-main sequence stars. We present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Planetary Camera observations of two of these candidate disk sources, resolving extended nebulosity around them. One source shows a small-scale (greater than or approximately = 100 AU) bow-shock structure, previously seen on larger scales by O'Dell et al. We show that the circumstellar disk model is the most likely one for the majority of sources, although is remains plausible that some of the larger objects could be equilibrium globules. We combine the most complete censuses of compact radio sources and stars in the core region to derive the fraction of the stellar population that may be associated with a circumstellar disk. Our estimate of 25%-75% is comparable to that found for pre-main sequence (PMS) stars in the Taurus-Auriga dark clouds, indicating that the dense cluster environment of the Trapezium has not drastically reduced the frequency of disks seen around PMS stars.

Stauffer, John R.↗

Additional constraints on circumstellar disks in the Trapezium Cluster

We discuss new constraints on the population of compact ionized sources in the Trapezium Cluster thought to arise from the ionization by the central OB stars of circumstellar disks around low-mass pre-main sequence stars. We present new HST Planetary Camera observations of two of these candidate disk sources, resolving extended nebulosity around them. One source shows a small-scale (greater than 100 AU) bow-shock structure, previously seen on larger scales by O'Dell et al. We show that the circumstellar disk model is the most likely one for the majority of sources, although it remains plausible that some of the larger objects could be equilibrium globules. We combine the most complete censuses of compact radio sources and stars in the core region to derive the fraction of the stellar population that may be associated with a circumstellar disk. Our estimate of 25-75 percent is comparable to that found for PMS stars in the Taurus-Auriga dark clouds, indicating that the dense cluster environment of the Trapezium has not drastically reduced the frequency of disks seen around pre-main sequence stars.

Stauffer, John R.↗

HST imaging of hydrogen-poor ejecta in Abell 30 and Abell 78 - Wind-blown cometary structures

HST Faint Object Camera images of hydrogen-poor gas in the planetary nebulae A30 and A78 have revealed remarkable 'cometary' structures in the O III 5007-A forbidden line. Most of these cometary structures, consisting of compact (0.15-0.5 arcsec) knots with radial tails several arcsec in length, are located in an equatorial plane in both nebulae. In addition, two bright, compact (0.3 arcsec) polar knots are present in A30, one of them forming a bow shock. Corresponding polar features in A78 are more diffuse. The central stars of both nebulae have energetic winds which are most likely responsible for the 'cometary' knot morphology. We interpret this morphology in terms of dense (several thousand electrons per cu cm) H-poor condensations whose outer expanding layers are swept outward by stellar winds. Photoionization modeling indicates that while dense knot cores are mostly heated by atomic photoionization, expanding tenuous gas is heated by photoelectrons ejected from abundant dust grains. Our models predict steep temperature gradients for which there is observational evidence and possible abrupt phase transitions in the expanding gas.

Borkowski, Kazimierz J.↗