Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “interaction region (IR)”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Mid infrared LHS system packaging using flexible waveguides

As mid IR fiber optic systems are rapidly approaching a reality, so is the feasibility of fiber optic laser heterodyne systems. Laser heterodyne spectroscopy for high resolution monitoring of atmospheric gaseous pollutants is necessarily in the mid IR, the region in which the absorption signature of gaseous species is most prominent. It so happens that the lowest theoretical loss due to Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering also lies in the mid IR. Prospects of highly efficient laser heterodyne systems are thus very good. Such fibers are now beginning to be commercially available, and a test program is being conducted for such fibers with ambient temperature ranging from cryogenic to above room, and stringest mechanical flexibility requirements. Preliminary results are encouraging. A program is being started to explore the possibility of mid IR fiber optic device applications, by taking advantage of this phonon rich region. The potential long interaction length in fibers coupled with predicted extremely low losses point to stimulated Brillouin scattering based devices in the mW range. The generation of backscattered sBs at low laser powers is significant not only as an ultimate power limiting factor for laser transmission in fibers in the mid IR, but also the presence of frequency-shifted multiple order sBs Stokes and antiStokes lines will certainly have severe effect on the laser beats crucial in high resolution heterodyne spectroscopy.

Yu, Chung↗
NASA NTRS1994

UV extinction and IR emission in diffuse H2 regions

HII regions occupy a unique position in our understanding of the physical relationships between stars, the interstellar medium, and galactic structure. Observations show a complex interaction between a newly formed hot star and its surroundings. In particular, the ultraviolet radiation from the stars modifies the pre-existing dust, which again affects both the amount of ionizing radiation absorbed by the gas, and the infrared spectrum emitted by the heated dust. The aim of this project was to use UV and far-UV observations to gain information on the nebular dust, and to use this dust to model the far-IR emission, for a consistent picture of a few selected diffuse HII regions. Using archival data from the IUE and Voyager data banks and computed model atmospheres, we have deduced extinction curves for early-types stars. The requisite spectral resolution turned out to be a major task. We have successfully modelled these curves in terms of a multi-component, multi-size distribution of dust grains, and interpret the differences in the curves as primarily due to the presence or non-presence of intermediate size grains (0.01 to 0.04 micron). Much smaller (0.005 micron) grains must also be present. Finally, we have made calculations of the temperature fluctuations and the corresponding infra-red emission in such small grains.

Aannestad, Per A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Evidence for extended IR emission in NGC2798 and NGC6240

Extended emission at 10 and 20 microns can be used to distinguish starbursts from monsters as the underlying energy source driving the luminous infrared emission in the central regions of galaxies. The spatial extent of the mid infrared emission in the interacting galaxy NCG 2798 and the merger NGC 6240 were investigated. The 10 and 20 micron profiles of the IR source in NGC 2798 are significantly wider than beam profiles measured on a standard star, supporting a starburst interpretation of its IR luminosity. For NGC 6240 there is marginal evidence for an extended 10 micron source, suggesting that a significant fraction of its IR luminosity could be produced by a burst of star formation.

Wright, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Evolution of luminous IRAS galaxies: Radio imaging

In a recent study of IRAS galaxies' optical morphologies, we found that luminous IR sources lie in the IR color-luminosity plane in groups which separate out by optical spectroscopic type and also by degree of tidal disturbance. We found that the most luminous steep-IR-spectrum sources are generally galaxies in the initial stages of a major tidal interaction. Galaxies with active nuclei were generally found to have flatter IR spectra, to cover a range of IR luminosity, and to be in the later stages of a tidal interaction. We proposed a sequence of events by which luminous IR sources evolve: they start as interacting or merging galaxies, some develop active nuclei, and most undergo extensive star-formation in their central regions. Another way to study these objects and their individual evolution is to study their radio morphologies. Radio emission may arise at a detectable level from supernovae in star-forming regions and/or the appearance of an active nucleus can be accompanied by a nuclear radio source (which may develop extended structure). Therefore, the compact radio structure may trace the evolution of the inner regions of IRAS-luminous sources. If the radio sources are triggered by the interactions, we would expect to find the radio morphology related to the optical 'interactivity' of the systems. Here, we explore using the radio emission of IRAS galaxies as a possible tracer of galaxy evolution. We present and discuss observations of the compact radio morphology of 111 luminous IRAS-selected active galaxies covering a wide range of IR and optical properties.

Neff, S. G.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Visualizing Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy with Computer Animation

IR Tutor, an interactive, animated infrared (IR) spectroscopy tutorial has been developed for Macintosh and IBM-compatible computers. Using unique color animation, complicated vibrational modes can be introduced to beginning students. Rules governing the appearance of IR absorption bands become obvious because the vibrational modes can be visualized. Each peak in the IR spectrum is highlighted, and the animation of the corresponding normal mode can be shown. Students can study each spectrum stepwise, or click on any individual peak to see its assignment. Important regions of each spectrum can be expanded and spectra can be overlaid for comparison. An introduction to the theory of IR spectroscopy is included, making the program a complete instructional package. Our own success in using this software for teaching and research in both academic and industrial environments will be described. IR Tutor consists of three sections: (1) The 'Introduction' is a review of basic principles of spectroscopy. (2) 'Theory' begins with the classical model of a simple diatomic molecule and is expanded to include larger molecules by introducing normal modes and group frequencies. (3) 'Interpretation' is the heart of the tutorial. Thirteen IR spectra are analyzed in detail, covering the most important functional groups. This section features color animation of each normal mode, full interactivity, overlay of related spectra, and expansion of important regions. This section can also be used as a reference.

Charles B. Abrams↗
DOE OSTI2025

Using Multiple Isotope-Labeled Infrared Spectra for the Structural Characterization of an Intrinsically Disordered Peptide

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) rapidly interconvert between conformers, requiring an ensemble description. This complicates their experimental characterization, and force field limitations pose challenges for their simulation. Here, in this work, we use isotope-labeled and unlabeled infrared (IR) spectra to reweight simulated ensembles of the elastin-like peptide GVGVPGVG, a paradigmatic disordered peptide. By comparing the results obtained with different spectra, we explicitly show that the weights are underdetermined by the ensemble averaged data. We identify which labels and frequency regions maximize structural information while minimizing sensitivity to simulation error and show that these regions report on whether the peptide makes specific interactions. Our work shows the importance of incorporating simulations and simulated spectra at the planning stages of isotope-labeled IR experiments and more generally provides a framework for interpreting IR data for IDPs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1990

The nature of the emission-line nebulae in powerful far-infrared galaxies

The authors discuss their program of narrow-band (H alpha + (NII)) imaging of a sample of 30 powerful far-infrared galaxies (FIRG's) chosen to have far-infrared spectral energy distributions similar to the prototype FIRG's Arp 220, NGC 3690, NGC 6240, and M82. The emission-line nebulae of these IR color-selected sample (ICSS) galaxies as a class are both impressively large (mean half light radius, r approx. 1.3 Kpc, and mean diameter, D approx. 16 Kpc) and luminous (L sub TOT approx. 10(exp 8) solar lumninosity; uncorrected for internal extinction). The mean total H alpha + (NII) luminosity of the FIRG's is comparable to that found for pairs of optically selected interacting galaxies (Bushouse, Lamb, and Werner 1988), but is a factor of approx. 5 greater than that of isolated spirals (Kennicutt and Kent 1983). Only approx. 25 percent of the nearby (z approx. less than 0.10) FIRG's have morphologies suggesting that large HII-regions contribute significantly to their emission-line appearance. The broad-band morphologies of our IR color-selected galaxies fall into three major categories. Nearly 75 percent are single galaxy systems, with the remaining FIRG's being either multiple nuclei systems, or members of interacting pairs. Since the authors saw few (10 percent) currently interacting FIRG's, yet many (80 percent) with highly distorted continuum morphologies, their IR color criteria may be preferentially selecting galaxies that have undergone highly inelastic, rapidly merging interactions.

Armus, Lee↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interaction (SWBLI) Experiments in the Presence of Transition-to-Turbulence on a Flat Plate Model in the NASA LaRC 31-Inch Mach 10 Air Tunnel

Historically, there have been a limited number of studies involving Transitional Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions (XSWBLI) in hypersonic flows, the majority of which have been performed at Mach Numbers of 7.5 and below. Additionally, there have been even fewer such experiments which incorporate non-intrusive and optical diagnostics. NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC), in collaboration with The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI), is currently planning and preparing for a series of experimental aerodynamic tests using the NASA LaRC 31-inch Mach 10 Air Tunnel. The experiments will primarily focus on studying the dynamics of Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions (SWBLI) in the presence of transition (XSWBLI) and turbulence (SWTBLI) on a large, flat plate model at a freestream Mach number of 10. Besides continued interest in understanding the flow at high Mach numbers, executing such tests at Mach 10 avoids some known concerns and will aid in solving new problems. XSWBLI are a highly unsteady phenomena and the generation of XSWBLI at lower Mach numbers can prove to be a significant challenge. This concern will be somewhat mitigated in the Mach 10 flow, as boundary layers become increasingly stabilized, but some difficulty in achieving transition is still expected. Modelling SWBLI in the presence of transitional and turbulent boundary layers has also proven to be difficult, so a high-Mach number experiment which applies non-intrusive and optical diagnostics will aid in solving a unique problem as well as advancing the understanding and characterization of an aerodynamic surface at Mach 10.The NASA LaRC 31-inch Wind Tunnel incorporates a test section having a cross-section of 31-inches × 31-inches and provides optical access to the test section via three (3) ultra-violet (UV) transmitting windows on the top, side, and bottom. The Mach 10 operating conditions will consist of pressures (P0) ranging from 2.4 to 10MPa (348 to 1,450 psi) at a temperature (T0) of 1,000 K (1,800 °R). The NASA LaRC 31-inch wind tunnel will deliver 1-minute blow-down runs, of which 30-45 seconds will be consumed to reach the aforementioned test conditions. The pump down time between runs will be approximately 45-60 minutes, which will provide for 6-10 test runs per day over the course of a weeklong entry. The proposed flat plate model will be constructed of stainless steel with geometry consisting of a10-inch × 30-inch upper surface and a 2-inch thickness. The model will be designed to support multiple leading-edge inserts in order to examine blunt, round, and sharp leading edges at Mach 10. Adjustments will be made to manage boundary layer thickness as well as the strength and size of the shock interaction region for each test. Measurements and diagnostics will be performed though high-speed Schlieren, on-body high-speed pressure transducers, IR thermography, and oil flow visualization. Hypersonic vehicle applications have and will continue to emerge at the forefront of aerospace. The NASA-UTSA-UTSI team realizes the value of characterizing SWBLI, XSWBLI, and SWTBLI behaviors well beyond single-digit hypersonic Mach numbers. As hypersonic vehicle speed capabilities continue to increase, measurement and diagnostic methods for Mach numbers of 10 and beyond will provide the foundation for a firm understanding of flow field behavior which will directly influence the advancement of technologies towards the design and manufacturing of high-speed aerodynamic surfaces, controls, thermal protection systems, acoustic treatments, and structural components. The use of non-intrusive and optical diagnostic methods in such experimentation is pivotal in developing the visualization and empirical data necessary to advance the aforementioned technology areas.

Shockwave/Boundary-Layer Interactions↗
NASA NTRS1995

Far-infrared studies of the Galactic Center Arc using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory

Two molecular clouds are clearly interacting with the Galactic Center Radio Arc. The HII regions located at both sites of interaction - the 'Arched Filaments' and G0.18-0.04 - are powerful sources of far-infrared radiation, each having a total luminosity of approx. 10(exp 7) solar luminosity. Using the University of Texas far-IR Photometer at 50 and 90 microns, we found that the emission is substantially more extended than the filamentary HII regions, and that, while the intensity peaks at the locations of the filaments, the dust temperature shows only weak variations, implying that the heating is relatively uniform. The Arched Filaments were also observed with the University of Chicago far-IR Array Polarimeter, STOKES, at 100 microns. The greater than 100 independently sampled positions cover most of the 5 ft x 7 ft area of the Arched Filaments. The polarization is relatively strong (up to 9.4%) almost everywhere in this region. Also, the slow and smooth variations of the polarization angles across the region are consistent with the large magnetic field strengths and the highly-ordered geometry deduced from radio measurements. However, it appears that the magnetic field direction inferred from far-IR polarization (parallel to the Arched Filaments and following their curvature) is very different from that implied by the nonthermal radio filaments. The magnetic field, gas motions, and gravitational potential gradient in the arched filament region are all consistent with gravitational shearing of the molecular cloud underlying the Arched Filaments.

Morris, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2014

STAR Formation Histories Across the Interacting Galaxy NGC 6872, the Largest-Known Spiral

NGC6872, hereafter the Condor, is a large spiral galaxy that is interacting with its closest companion, the S0 galaxy IC 4970. The extent of the Condor provides an opportunity for detailed investigation of the impact of the interaction on the current star formation rate and its history across the galaxy, on the age and spatial distribution of its stellar population, and on the mechanism that drives the star formation activity. To address these issues we analyzed the far-ultraviolet (FUV) to near-infrared (near-IR) spectral energy distribution of seventeen 10 kpc diameter regions across the galaxy, and derived their star formation history, current star formation rate, and stellar population and mass. We find that most of the star formation takes place in the extended arms, with very little star formation in the central 5 kpc of the galaxy, in contrast to what was predicted from previous numerical simulations. There is a trend of increasing star formation activity with distance from the nucleus of the galaxy, and no evidence for a recent increase in the current star formation rate due to the interaction. The nucleus itself shows no significant current star formation activity. The extent of the Condor also provides an opportunity to test the applicability of a single standard prescription for conversion of the FUV + IR (22 micrometer) intensities to a star formation rate for all regions. We find that the conversion factor differs from region to region, arising from regional differences in the stellar populations.

Histories↗
DOE OSTI2026

Multiple interaction points in ghost collisions

The Ghost Collider makes use of unique “ghost” bunches, which are electrically neutral combinations of electrons and positrons within the same RF bucket, eliminates the beam-beam effects typically present at the interaction point (IP) in conventional colliders. This allows for the novel possibility of placing multiple interaction regions in series, achieving additive luminosity without introducing significant disruption. However, to get higher luminosity, the beta functions at the IP reaches millimeter scale, which in turn adds significant chromatic contribution to the collider. Correcting these chromatic effects is essential to maintain beam stability and ensure high luminosity during collider operation. By carefully adjusting the phase advance between two IRs that are placed in series, it becomes possible to cancel chromaticity globally, enabling stable collider operation while preserving high luminosity. In this paper we discuss the design of such IR/IRs to be used in a ghost collider.

Accelerator Physics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental and Theoretical Needs for the JWST Early Release Science Program on Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars (PDRs4ALL): III. A Quantum Chemistry Perspective

Massive stars disrupt their natal molecular cloud material by dissociating molecules, ionizing atoms and molecules, and heating the gas and dust. These processes drive the evolution of interstellar matter in our Galaxy and throughout the Universe from the era of vigorous star formation at z=1-3 to the present day. Much of this interaction occurs in Photo- Dissociation Regions (PDRs) where far-ultraviolet photons of these stars create a largely neutral, but warm region of gas and dust. PDR emission dominates the IR spectra of starforming galaxies and provides a unique tool to study the physical and chemical processes that are relevant for inter- and circumstellar media including diffuse clouds, molecular cloud and protoplanetary disk surfaces, and starburst galaxies. The ERS program ID1288 is dedicated to provide template data as well as data processing and analysis tools for PDRs. To this end, it will observe the Orion Bar, the proto-typical PDR situated in the nearby Orion Nebula, using NIRSpec IFU, MIRI IFU, and NIRCAM and MIRI imaging. These observations will, for the first time, spatially resolve and perform a tomography of the PDR, revealing the individual IR spectral signatures from the key zones and sub-regions within the ionized gas, the PDR, and the molecular cloud. Quantum chemistry can be used to determine molecular data such as ionization potentials, chemical reaction rates, electronic spectra, dissociation energies, channels, and branching ratios, etc. These are often used in synergy with experiment to take advantage of the strengths of each approach. An area of active research is modeling the infrared (IR) emission spectra produced by PAH molecules, including the effects of anharmonicity. This will be important in the interpretation of JWST data which will yield higher-resolution spectral data compared to Spitzer or ISO. Quantum chemistry methods can compute accurate anharmonic IR absorption spectra of PAH molecules up to about 25 C atoms, and the results have been benchmarked against high-resolution experimental spectra. These feed into a quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) approach to generate temperature-dependent anharmonic IR emission spectra and then used to generate fully anharmonic cascade emission IR spectra of PAH molecules -- the very type of spectra that JWST will observe. Work continues to extend these methods to larger PAH molecules. We will discuss the current state of this work, as well as

Timothy Lee↗
NASA NTRS1989

New insights in the photochemistry of grain mantles: The identification of the 4.62 and 6.87 micron bands

The mid-IR spectral region of molecular clouds is known to show the fingerprints of molecules frozen in the icy mantles of the interstellar grains. To study the complex chemical and physical interactions on the ice mantles accreted on grains in molecular clouds numerous UV irradiation and diffusion experiments were performed. The irradiation of binary ices was studied. Using isotopic labelling on NH3/CO and NH3/O2 ices numerous compounds were identified, of which OCN(-), NO2(-), NO3(-), and NH4(+) ions reveal a new type of chemical reactions. It appeared that these compounds were formed by proton transfer reactions induced by the interaction between an acid (HNCO, HNO2, HNO3) and a base (NH3) through a hydrogen bond. This mechanism was confirmed by a study of photolyzed diluted argon mixtures. The main astrophysically relevant data from the overall study are presented. The 4.62 micron band in W33A can be reproduced with NH3/CO containing irradiated ices and was identified with OCN(-). The 6.87 micron band in W33A and other photostellar objects is reproduced with NH3/O2 containing ices and is identified with NH4(+).

Grim, Ruud↗
DOE OSTI2026

Comment on “Monochromatization interaction region optics design for direct s-channel Higgs production at FCC-ee”

Here, the original article Zhang et al. (2025) can be logically divided into two parts: (1) the selection of main parameters for monochromatization and (2) interaction region optics design; the comment pertains only to the first part. The authors of Zhang et al. (2025) state that “The purpose of this paper is to report on the development of realistic IR optics designs for monochromatization at the FCC-ee”. However, the proposed parameters do not seem very realistic and raise many questions; due to space limitations, we will only consider the most important ones.

Beamstrahlung↗
NASA NTRS1993

Molecular-beam spectrum of the 970/cm Fermi triad of CF3CH3

A tunable MW-sideband CO2 laser is used with an electric-resonance optothermal spectrometer to investigate the IR spectrum of CF3CH3 near 970/cm. A Fermi-coupled triad of states is observed, resulting from the interactions of 2nu6+nu11 and nu5+nu12 with the fundamental vibration, nu10, which is assumed to carry the oscillator strength in this region. The high resolution (about 3 MHz) of the spectrometer allows the observation of tunneling splittings associated with the nu6 torsional vibration. These splittings are used to identify the torsional character of the states observed. At the normal-mode level the nu10 and nu5+nu12 states are found to be nearly degenerate and interacting by an anharmonic matrix element of about 3/cm. The present investigation illustrates the utility of using resolved torsional splittings to unravel complex vibrational couplings in molecules.

Fraser, G. T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

C II 158 micron and O I 63 micron observations of NGC 7023 - A model for its photodissociation region

Emission in the far IR fine-structure lines of O I (63 microns) and C II (158 microns) from the bright optical reflection nebula NGC 7023 has been observed. It is suggested that this emission arises in a warm, atomic photodissociation region produced by the interaction of the UV radiation of the illuminating star with a molecular cloud. The density and temperature in the photodissociation region is estimated and a model for the region is constructed.

Chokshi, A.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cosolvent-tuned interactions in ionic liquids: A vibrational and quantum-chemical study of ethylene glycol ratio effects

Ionic liquids (ILs) are attractive media for CO 2 capture but remain limited by viscosity and cost. Blending ILs with ethylene glycol (EG) is a practical route to mitigate these constraints, yet the molecular origins of cosolvent effects and their dependence on composition are not well resolved. We combine Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy with quantum-chemical (DFT) analysis to elucidate how the IL:EG molar ratio modulates intermolecular interactions and electronic structure. Computed vibrational frequencies enable mode assignment and deconvolution of overlapping bands, revealing systematic, ratio-dependent shifts and broadenings in (i) EG O–H stretching, (ii) cation and EG C–H stretchings (imidazolium C2–H, C4–H, C5–H, methyl and ethyl groups, -CH2 of EG), (iii) anion signature modes (e.g., CN motifs), and (iv) EG C–O and C–C stretchings, consistent with the redistribution of hydrogen-bonding networks. Molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) maps quantify attenuation of extreme potential regions with increasing EG, indicating progressive screening of cation–anion electrostatic interactions. Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) identifies emergent bond critical points between EG and the IL ions, while Reduced Density Gradient–Noncovalent Interaction (RDG–NCI) analysis differentiates strong directional hydrogen bonds from dispersive contacts across compositions. Together, these results show that EG fraction controls a switch from predominantly ion–ion to mixed ion–EG coordination, altering local polarity and polarizability that underlie the observed FT-IR trends. The framework provides composition–structure–spectrum relationships that can guide rational selection of IL:EG ratios to balance favorable molecular interactions with practical performance targets in scalable CO 2 capture systems.

DAC↗
NASA NTRS1980

GOES satellite data maps areas of extreme cold in Colorado

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) enhanced infrared (IR) imagery depicted very cold temperatures over Colorado on the morning of 8 December 1978. The situation was unusual because skies were clear and the cold temperatures were not associated with high cloud tops. Instead, satellite data mapped large areas that were experiencing extremely cold surface temperatures. The GOES data were also examined using the Colorado State University interactive data processing system and it was found that the cold IR readings corresponded well with early morning low temperatures over the state. GOES data can be of use in monitoring surface temperatures and can, in certain situations, provide detailed spatial and temporal information over regions experiencing extreme temperatures.

Maddox, R. A.↗