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At least 397 records · Page 22

Monotectic and syntectic alloys experiment MA-044

The flight test furnace run of the monotectic and syntectic alloys experiment was successfully performed during the Apollo Soyuz Test Project mission. All three experiment cartridges were returned intact. A second ground based test was conducted after the mission to provide one g samples with an equivalent thermal history. The examinations of all flight and ground based cartridges and ampoules have been completed. Encouraging results have been obtained in the preliminary analysis of one flight aluminum antimonide sample as compared to ground based and prototype test counterparts. In terms of reduction of the unwanted second phase, the low g sample shows a homogeneity improvement by a factor of 5 to 20. Preliminary examination of one lead zinc flight sample shows a dispersion of lead in the zinc matrix. However, complete homogenization of the material did not occur. A thermal analysis of flight data shows that the average soak temperature for the head zinc ampoules was 20 C lower than planned but 35 C above the published consolute temperature..

Ang, C. Y.↗

Cosmic ray antiproton and positron production in the interstellar medium

We have calculated the energy spectra of cosmic ray secondary antiprotons and positrons using the latest available data on inclusive reactions. Using the measured positron spectrum, we have found that the amount of matter traversed by the cosmic rays in the few GeV region to be 4.7 (+ or - 1.5) g/sq cm of interstellar hydrogen. The computed antiproton to proton ratio is about .0004 for energies 5-10 GeV. This is sufficient to make observations of antiprotons feasible from balloon flights. We have also pointed out the type of information that can be obtained if accurate information of the spectra of these two components becomes available.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Kinematical constraints on the observation of slow monopoles at the top of the atmosphere

Relativistic kinematics of monopole production and propagation in earth's atmosphere and magnetic field have been examined in the light of the observation of a magnetic monopole by Price et al. It has been shown that the observed monopole cannot result from nuclear interactions in the atmosphere and that the extraterrestrial origin of this monopole is very unlikely.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Energetics of monopole production

The relativistic kinematics of monopole production and mechanisms of energy loss and gain for monopoles in free space and in the upper atmosphere are studied. It is shown that a monopole produced in a nuclear interaction must have a laboratory energy greater than about 200,000 GeV if its mass is greater than 600 GeV per sq cm. A study of energy loss mechanisms of such an energetic monopole in the earth's magnetic field and atmosphere rules out the possibility of observing such a monopole with the parameters observed by Price et al. (1975). The very low velocity of the observed monopole also makes an extraterrestrial production mechanism very unlikely.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

A search for short-term meteorological effects of solar variability in an atmospheric circulation model

A set of numerical experiments is carried out to test the short-range sensitivity of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies global atmospheric general-circulation model to changes in solar constant and ozone amount. These experiments consist of forecasts initiated with actual atmospheric data. One set of forecasts is made with a standard version of the model; another set uses the model modified by very different values of the solar constant (two-thirds and three-halves of the standard value) and of the ozone amount (zero and twice the standard amount). Twelve-day integrations with these very large variations show such small effects that the effects of realistic variations would almost certainly be insignificant meteorologically on this time scale.

Somerville, R. C. J.↗

Spectral and spatial resolution of the 12.8 micron Ne II emission from the galactic center

High-resolution spectra of the Ne II 12.8-micron fine-structure line in emission from the galactic-center cloud Sgr A West show a line-center LSR radial velocity of +75 (+ or - 20) km/s and a velocity dispersion of about 200 km/s. The line has been observed with spectral resolution as high as 0.10 micron/cm and spatial resolution as high as 8 arcsec. This appears to provide a direct measurement of conditions in the 45-arcsec ionized region at the galactic center. The radial velocity and dispersion are more or less independent of position and indicate that events as recent as the last 10,000 years have given the ionized gas a systematic motion with respect to the massive stellar component of material at the galactic center. An upper limit of the order of 4 million solar masses for the mass within 0.8 pc of the galactic center is obtained from the velocity dispersion.

Wollman, E. R.↗

Low-gravity homogenization and solidification of aluminum antimonide

The III-V semiconducting compound AlSb shows promise as a highly efficient solar cell material, but it has not been commercially exploited because of difficulties in compound synthesis. Liquid state homogenization and solidification of AlSb were carried out in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Experiment MA-044 in the hope that compositional homogeneity would be improved by negating the large density difference between the two constituents. Post-flight analysis and comparative characterization of the space-processed and ground-processed samples indicate that there are major homogeneity improvements in the low-gravity solidified material.

Ang, C.-Y.↗

Monotectic and syntectic alloys. Experiment MA-044

The flight test furnace run of the monotectic and syntectic alloys experiment was successfully performed during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission in July 1975. Examination of the returned sample cartridges and the formal comparative characterization of the low-g and one-g processed samples of lead-zinc and aluminum antimonide were completed. The results for aluminum antimonide show that polycrystalline and multiphased material can be homogenize in space under low-g conditions. Microstructural study on the lead-zinc flight samples shows that complete interdiffusion of lead and zinc had not been achieved, even though the flight data indicated a soak temperature in the miscible region that was 40 K above the published consolute temperature.

Lacy, L. L.↗

Greenhouse effects due to man-made perturbations of trace gases

Nitrous oxide, methane, ammonia, and a number of other trace constituents of the earth's atmosphere have infrared absorption bands in the spectral range from 7 to 14 microns. Despite their small amounts, these gases can have a significant effect on the thermal structure of the atmosphere by transmitting most of the thermal radiation from the earth's surface to the lower atmosphere. In the present paper, this greenhouse effect is computed for a number of trace gases. The nature and climatic implications of possible changes in the concentrations of N2O, CH4, NH3, and HNO3 are discussed.

Wang, W. C.↗

Greenhouse effect due to atmospheric nitrous oxide

The greenhouse effect due to nitrous oxide in the present atmosphere is about 0.8 K. Increase in atmospheric N2O due to perturbation of the nitrogen cycle by man may lead to an increase in surface temperature as large as 0.5 K by 2025, or 1.0 K by 2100. Other climatic effects of N2O are briefly discussed.

Yung, Y. L.↗

The thermal balance of the atmosphere of Venus

Current knowledge of the temperature structure of the atmosphere of Venus is briefly summarized. The principal features to be explained are the high surface temperature, the small horizontal temperature contrasts near the cloud tops in the presence of strong apparent motions, and the low value of the exospheric temperature. In order to understand the role of radiative and dynamical processes in maintaining the thermal balance of the atmosphere, a great deal of additional data on the global temperature structure, solar and thermal radiation fields, structure and optical properties of the clouds, and circulation of the atmosphere are needed. The ability of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Multiprobe Missions to provide these data is indicated.

Tomasko, M. G.↗

Mt. Agung eruption as a confirmation of the effect of atmospheric radiative perturbations on climate

The effects of the 1963 Mt. Agung (Bali) volcanic eruption are studied with respect to the response of the climate system to global radiative perturbations. Volcanic aerosols, spread globally by stratospheric winds, cause a perturbation characterized by a reasonably well known forcing function. Since the climatic response to a large eruption should be pronounced, these phenomena might provide a means to test the validity of climate models. The Mt. Agung eruption is described, and the atmospheric thermal response is calculated. The magnitude, sign, and time delay of temperature changes computed with a simple one-dimensional climate model for both the stratosphere and troposphere are in agreement with the observed temperature changes.

Hansen, J. E.↗

The cosmic-ray antiproton flux - An upper limit near that predicted for secondary production

Data gathered from a balloon flight of a superconducting-magnet spectrometer have been examined for the presence of cosmic-ray antiprotons. The ratio of antiprotons to protons, p(-)/p, in cosmic rays was found to be (0.03 + or - 3.3) ten-thousandths in the rigidity interval from 4.2 to 12.5 GV. The 95%-confidence-level upper limit for p(-)/p is thus 0.00066. This upper limit is in strong contradiction to the prediction of the closed-galaxy model of Rasmussen and Peters (1975), but is not inconsistent with the prediction of the modified closed-galaxy model of Peters and Westergaard (1977). It is nearly equal to the predictions of conventional propagation models. This result provides an independent confirmation of the absence of primary antimatter in the cosmic rays at a level of approximately a few ten-thousandths.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Ne II 12.8 micron emission from the galactic center. II

Recent observations of the 12.8-micron Ne II emission from the galactic center have revealed a region of primarily blueshifted emission in addition to the previously detected redshifted emission. It appears most likely that the blueshifted and redshifted emission come from separate clouds and that the dynamics of the ionized gas is dominated by the gravitational potential of the massive core at the galactic center. On the basis of the velocities and velocity dispersions, the total mass within a radius of 1 pc about the galactic center is estimated to be of the order of 4 million solar masses.

Wollman, E. R.↗

Mount Agung eruption provides test of global climatic perturbation

The Mount Agung volcanic eruption in 1963 provides the best-documented global radiative perturbation to the earth's atmosphere currently available. Data on stratospheric aerosols produced by this eruption have been used as input to a model for the atmospheric thermal structure. The computed magnitude, sign, and phase lag of the temperature changes in both the stratosphere and the troposphere are in good agreement with observations, providing evidence that the climatic response to a global radiative perturbation is significant as well as support for the use of theoretical models to predict climatic effects.

Hansen, J. E.↗

Determination of liquid-phase immiscibility in the lead-zinc system

A number of different techniques in the past have yielded inconsistent equilibrium measurements of immiscibility in the Pb-Zn system above 600 C. Accurate differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements were performed on well-homogenized samples of high-purity Pb-Zn, and they indicate that the immiscibility curve is higher than previously accepted for Zn compositions between 20 and 70 at. %. The maximum deviations observed correspond to about 20 C. Below 600 C the DTA results agree with previous results.

Trahan, J. F.↗

Relative abundance of antiprotons and antihelium in the primary cosmic radiation

The paper reports measurement of the antiproton-to-proton and antihelium-to-helium ratios in the 4-100 GeV/c range. A superconducting magnet spectrophotometer obtained the data during a balloon flight in May 1976. The upper limit value for the antiproton ratio is 0.0005 in the 4.2-12.5 GeV/c range. This value is only slightly higher than the expected value for a leaky box-model and nearly equal to the value expected in the Peter-Westergard model. It is suggested that this upper limit value rules out the closed galaxy model. Upper limit values for the antihelium ratio are 0.000058 in the 4-10 GeV/c range; less than 0.0001 in the 4-33 GeV/c range; and less than 0.01 in the 33-100 GeV/c range. The interpretation of the raw data is explained.

Badhwar, G. D.↗