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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Hard Burst Emission from the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1900+14

We present evidence for burst emission from SGR 1900 + 14 with a power-law high-energy spectrum extending beyond 500 keV. Unlike previous detections of high-energy photons during bursts from soft gamma repeaters (SGRs), these emissions are not associated with extraordinarily bright flares. Not only is the emission hard, but the spectra are better fitted by D. Band's gamma-ray burst (GRB) function rather than by the traditional optically thin thermal bremsstrahlung model. We find that the spectral evolution within these hard events obeys a hardness/intensity anticorrelation. Temporally, these events are distinct from typical SGR burst emissions in that they are longer (approximately 1 s) and have relatively smooth profiles. Despite a difference in peak luminosity of approximately > 10(exp 11) between these bursts from SGR 1900 + 14 and cosmological GRBs, there are striking temporal and spectral similarities between the two kinds of bursts, aside from spectral evolution. We outline an interpretation of these events in the context of the magnetar model.

Woods, Peter M.↗
NASA NTRS2012

On Dark Peaks and Missing Mass: A Weak-Lensing Mass Reconstruction of the Merging Cluster System A520

Merging clusters of galaxies are unique in their power to directly probe and place limits on the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter. Detailed observations of several merging clusters have shown the intracluster gas to be displaced from the centroids of dark matter and galaxy density by ram pressure, while the latter components are spatially coincident, consistent with collisionless dark matter. This has been used to place upper limits on the dark matter particle self-interaction cross-section of order 1 sq cm/g. The cluster A520 has been seen as a possible exception. We revisit A520 presenting new Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys mosaic images and a Magellan image set. We perform a detailed weak-lensing analysis and show that the weak-lensing mass measurements and morphologies of the core galaxy-filled structures are mostly in good agreement with previous works. There is, however, one significant difference: We do not detect the previously claimed "dark core" that contains excess mass with no significant galaxy overdensity at the location of the X-ray plasma. This peak has been suggested to be indicative of a large self-interaction cross-section for dark matter (at least approx 5alpha larger than the upper limit of 0.7 sq cm/g determined by observations of the Bullet Cluster). We find no such indication and instead find that the mass distribution of A520, after subtraction of the X-ray plasma mass, is in good agreement with the luminosity distribution of the cluster galaxies.We conclude that A520 shows no evidence to contradict the collisionless dark matter scenario.

Clowe, Douglas↗
NASA NTRS2024

The Giant Out Burst of EXO 2030+375 II: Broadband Spectroscopy and Evolution

In 2021, the High-mass X-ray Binary EXO 2030+375 underwent a giant X-ray outburst, the first since 2006, which reached a peak flux of ∼600 mCrab (3–50 keV). The goal of this work is to study the spectral evolution over the course of the outburst, search for possible cyclotron resonance scattering features (CRSFs), and to associate spectral components with the emission pattern of the accretion column. We use broadband spectra taken with NuSTAR, NICER, and Chandra near the peak and during the decline phase of the outburst. We describe the data with established empirical continuum models and perform pulse-phase-resolved spectroscopy. We compare the spectral evolution with pulse phase with a proposed geometrical emission model. We find a significant spectral hardening toward lower luminosity, a behavior that is expected for super-critical sources. The continuum shape and evolution cannot be described by a simple power law model with exponential cutoff but requires additional absorption or emission components. We can confirm the presence of a narrow absorption feature at ∼10 keV in both NuSTAR observations. The absence of harmonics question the interpretation of this feature as a CRSF. The empirical spectral components cannot be directly associated with identified emission components from the accretion column.

R. Ballhausen↗
NASA NTRS1974

Hepatic pathology in mice after continuous inhalation exposure to 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane

Mice exposed to either 250ppm or 1,000ppm 1,1,1-trichloroethane in air continuously for 14 weeks demonstrated significant changes in the centrilobular hepatocytes for the 1,000ppm group. Moderate liver triglyceride accumulation was evident in the 1,000ppm group and peaked at 40mg/gm of tissue after 7 weeks of exposure. Focal hepatocyte necrosis occurred in 40% of the mice exposed to 1,000ppm for 12 weeks. This necrosis was associated with an acute inflammatory infiltrate and hypertrophy of Kupffer cells. These findings indicate that the pathological alternations observed with 1,1,1-trichloroethane are similar to those observed with dichloromethane except for different time courses of the effects and different degrees of recovery. The toxic effects of 1,1,1-trichloroethane are of a similar type to those produced by carbon tetrachloride but appear much less severe.

Mcnutt, N. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Linear modes of convection in the solar envelope

The structure of the solar convective envelope calculated according to mixing-length theory is not consistent with the transport of the convective heat flux by any superposition of the fundamental linear convective modes. If the amplitudes of these modes can be estimated by consideration of the most important nonlinear terms in the equations of motion, it becomes possible to find solar models which are consistent with mode transport of the heat through the convective zone. These models may be characterized by a mixing length which varies from point to point through the envelope. The linear modes in such models show peaks in velocity at certain preferred length scales, but these scales do not necessarily correspond to those of the solar motions, such as the supergranulation.

Bogart, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Direct Transient Analysis of a Fuze Assembly by Axisymmetric Solid Elements

A fuze assembly, which consists of three major parts, nose, collar and sleeve, was designed to survive severe transverse impact giving a maximum base acceleration of 20.000 G. It is shown that hoop failure occurred in the collar after the impact. They also showed that by bonding the collar to the nose, the collar was able to survive the same impact. To find out the effectiveness of the bonding quantitatively, axisymmetric solid elements TRAPAX and TRIAAX were used in modelling the fuze and direct transient analysis was performed. The dynamic stresses in selected elements on the bonded and unbonded collars were compared. The peak hoop stresses in the unbonded collar were found to be up to three times higher than those in the bonded collar. The NASTRAN results explained the observed hoop failure in the unbonded collar. In addition, static and eigenvalue runs were performed as checks on the models prior to the transient runs. The use of the MPCAX cards and the existence and contributors of the calculated first several nearly identical natural frequencies are addressed.

Dai, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The wall of reconnection-driven magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in a large solar flare

LaRosa and Moore (1993) recently proposed that the bulk dissipation of magnetic field that is required for the electron energization in the explosive phase of solar flares occurs in a 'fat current sheet', a wall of cascading magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence sustained by highly disordered driven reconnection of opposing magnetic fields impacting at a turbulent boundary layer. Here, we use the well-observed great two-ribbon eruptive flare of 1984 April 24/25 to assess the feasibility of both (1) the standard model for the overall three-dimensional form and action of the magnetic field and (2) the turbulent reconnection wall within it. We find (1) that the morphology of this flare closely matched that of the standard model; (2) the preflare sheared core field had enough nonpotential magnetic energy to power the flare; (3) the model turbulent wall required to achieve the flare's peak dissipative power easily fit within the overall span of the flaring magnetic field; (4) this wall was thick enough to have turbulent eddies large enough (diameters approximately 10(exp 8 cm) to produce the approximately ergs energy release fragments typically observed in the explosive phase of flares; (5) the aspect ratio (thickness/vertical extent) of the turbulent reconnection wall was in the 0.1-1 range expected by (Parker 1973). We therefore conclude that the viability of our version of the standard model (i.e., having the magnetic field dissipation occur in our turbulent reconnection wall) is well confirmed by this typical great two-ribbon eruptive flare.

Moore, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Ulysses at high latitudes: An overview of recent results

After its fly-by of the planet Jupiter in February 1992, the Ulysses spacecraft is now in a highly inclined heliocentric orbit that will bring it above the south polar regions of the Sun in September 1994. The high-latitude phenomena observed to date have been strongly influenced by the near-minimum solar activity conditions encountered during this phase of the mission. In late April 1993, when Ulysses was at approximately 29 deg S heliographic latitude, the recurrent high speed solar wind stream that had been observed at the location of the spacecraft for 11 consecutive solar rotation underwent a dramatic change. The wind speed in the valleys between successive peaks increased in a single step from approximately 420 km/s to aopproximately 560 km/s. This change in solar wind flow was accompanied by the disappearance at the spacecraft of the magnetic sector structure that had been observed until then. Both these finding are consistent with Ulysses having climbed beyond the latitude of the coronal streamer belt in which is embedded the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). In its subsequent poleward journey, no further evidence for an encounter with the HCS has been seen at Ulysses. Other phenomena observed include the evolution with latitude of corotating interaction region (CIRs) and their influence on the acceleration of energetic particles, and the characteristics of the solar wind flows emanating from the south polar coronal hole. In this paper, we present details of the above observations. Finally, while the polar passes of the prime mission will take place near solar minimum, an extended mission will bring Ulysses back over the poles near the maximum of the next cycle. A summary of scientific goals for Ulysses at solar maximum is given.

Marsden, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Prelude to and Aftermath of the Giant Flare of 2004 December 27: Persistent and Pulsed X-ray Properties of SGR 1806-20 from 1993 to 2005

We report on the evolution of key spectral and temporal parameters of SGR 1806-20 prior to and following the highly energetic giant flare of 2004 December 27. Using RXTE, we track the pulse frequency of the SGR and find that the spin-down rate varied erratically in the months before and after the flare. Contrary to the giant flare in SGR 1900+14, we find no evidence for a discrete jump in spin frequency at the time of the December 27th flare (Absolute value of (Delta * upsilon/upsilon) < 5 10 (exp -6)). In the months surrounding the flare, we find a strong correlation between pulsed flux and torque consistent with the model for magnetar magnetosphere electrodynamics proposed. As with the flare in SGR 1900+14, the pulse morphology of SGR 1806-20 changes drastically following the flare. Using Chandra and other publicly available imaging X-ray detector observations, we construct a spectral history of SGR 1806-20 from 1993 to 2005. The usual magnetar persistent emission spectral model of a power law plus a blackbody provides an excellent fit to the data. We confirm the earlier finding of increasing spectral hardness of SGR 1806-20 between 1993 and 2004. However, our results indicate significant differences in the temporal evolution of the spectral hardening. Rather than a direct correlation between torque and spectral hardness, we find evidence for a sudden torque change that preceded a gradual hardening of the energy spectrum on a timescale of years. Interestingly, the spectral hardness, spin-down rate, phase-averaged flux, and pulsed flux of SGR 1806-20 all peak months before the flare epoch.

Woods, Peter M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

On the Importance of High Frequency Gravity Waves for Ice Nucleation in the Tropical Tropopause Layer

Recent investigations of the influence of atmospheric waves on ice nucleation in cirrus have identified a number of key processes and sensitivities: (1) ice concentrations produced by homogeneous freezing are strongly dependent on cooling rates, with gravity waves dominating upper tropospheric cooling rates; (2) rapid cooling driven by high-frequency waves are likely responsible for the rare occurrences of very high ice concentrations in cirrus; (3) sedimentation and entrainment tend to decrease ice concentrations as cirrus age; and (4) in some situations, changes in temperature tendency driven by high-frequency waves can quench ice nucleation events and limit ice concentrations. Here we use parcel-model simulations of ice nucleation driven by long-duration, constant-pressure balloon temperature time series, along with an extensive dataset of cold cirrus microphysical properties from the recent ATTREX high-altitude aircraft campaign, to statistically examine the importance of high-frequency waves as well as the consistency between our theoretical understanding of ice nucleation and observed ice concentrations. The parcel-model simulations indicate common occurrence of peak ice concentrations exceeding several hundred per liter. Sedimentation and entrainment would reduce ice concentrations as clouds age, but 1-D simulations using a wave parameterization (which underestimates rapid cooling events) still produce ice concentrations higher than indicated by observations. We find that quenching of nucleation events by high-frequency waves occurs infrequently and does not prevent occurrences of large ice concentrations in parcel simulations of homogeneous freezing. In fact, the high-frequency variability in the balloon temperature data is entirely responsible for production of these high ice concentrations in the simulations.

simulation↗
NASA NTRS2017

On the Early-Time Excess Emission in Hydrogen-Poor Superluminous Supernovae

We present the light curves of the hydrogen-poor super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe I) PTF 12dam and iPTF 13dcc, discovered by the (intermediate) Palomar Transient Factory. Both show excess emission at early times and a slowly declining light curve at late times. The early bump in PTF 12dam is very similar in duration (approximately 10 days) and brightness relative to the main peak (23 mag fainter) compared to that observed in other SLSNe I. In contrast, the long-duration (greater than 30 days) early excess emission in iPTF 13dcc, whose brightness competes with that of the main peak, appears to be of a different nature. We construct bolometric light curves for both targets, and fit a variety of light-curve models to both the early bump and main peak in an attempt to understand the nature of these explosions. Even though the slope of the late-time decline in the light curves of both SLSNe is suggestively close to that expected from the radioactive decay of 56Ni and 56Co, the amount of nickel required to power the full light curves is too large considering the estimated ejecta mass. The magnetar model including an increasing escape fraction provides a reasonable description of the PTF 12dam observations. However, neither the basic nor the double-peaked magnetar model is capable of reproducing the light curve of iPTF 13dcc. A model combining a shock breakout in an extended envelope with late-time magnetar energy injection provides a reasonable fit to the iPTF 13dcc observations. Finally, we find that the light curves of both PTF 12dam and iPTF 13dcc can be adequately fit with the model involving interaction with the circumstellar medium.

supernovae: general – supernovae: individual (PT↗
NASA NTRS2021

Deconvolution of SNPP VIIRS Solar Diffuser Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function On-orbit Change Factor

The Earth-observing Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite regularly calibrates its reflective solar bands (RSBs), primarily through observing an onboard sunlit solar diffuser (SD). The on-orbit change of the value of the SD bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is quantified by a numerical factor, called the H-factor, and is determined by the onboard SD stability monitor (SDSM). Because the spectral response function of an SDSM detector spreads in wavelength, the directly measured H-factor is the true H-factor convolved with the spectral response function. To find the true H-factor, we use the traditional direct method and an innovative iterative approach to separately deconvolve the measured H-factor. Our iterative approach relies on two properties of the SDSM detector spectral response function: the central peak width is narrow enough so that the H-factor does not change much over the peak width, and the dominance of the spectral response function’s integral with respect to the wavelength over the width. The iterative approach is more accurate, of a smaller noise impact, much more flexible in terms of interpolation and extrapolation of function values, and faster. We have used deconvolved H-factors to calibrate the NASA SNPP VIIRS RSB Collections 1 and 2 Level-1B products.

SNPP VIIRS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Surveillance for Jugular Venous Thrombosis in Long-Duration Space Flight: Findings From Twenty-Eight U.S. Astronauts

BACKGROUND: Given the high incidence of internal jugular vein (IJV) flow anomalies aboard the International Space Station and a case of thrombosis, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) instituted an occupational surveillance program to evaluate astronauts for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Current findings of the program are presented. METHODS: NASA astronauts undergo pre- and in-flight VTE surveillance examinations using a standardized vascular ultrasound protocol, which includes evaluation for bilateral IJV compressibility, filling, flow, and spontaneous echo contrast (SEC). RESULTS: Twenty-eight NASA astronauts had terrestrial baseline examinations and at least one in-flight imaging session. The reduction of in-flight peak IJV flow speeds was significant and more pronounced on the left. Comparing the first in-flight measurement to the terrestrial baseline, peak flow speeds were reduced from 90.1±41.9 cm/s (average ±SD) to 62.1±31.6 cm/s on the right and from 76.9±41.8 cm/s to 26.8±18.2 cm/s on the left. Seven astronauts showed stagnant or retrograde flow in the left IJV. Fourteen developed appreciable SEC in the left IJV (7 greater than mild); none developed significant right-sided SEC. All IJVs were fully compressible and free from thrombi. DISCUSSION: Bilateral IJV flow speed reduction is observed in microgravity, possibly due to the multitude of available flow redistribution paths for cranial drainage. In a subset of astronauts, significant flow anomalies develop that may facilitate thrombus formation through changes in blood viscosity and speed, especially if combined with other thrombogenic factors. These findings warrant attention to the interplay between individual vascular configurations and the dynamic properties of blood as a non-Newtonian fluid in the reduced-shear flow environment of microgravity.

Ashot Sargsyan↗
NASA NTRS1994

The evolution of voids in the adhesion approximation

We apply the adhesion approximation to study the formation and evolution of voids in the universe. Our simulations-carried out using 128(exp 3) particles in a cubical box with side 128 Mpc-indicate that the void spectrum evolves with time and that the mean void size in the standard Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE)-normalized cold dark matter (CDM) model with H(sub 50) = 1 scals approximately as bar D(z) = bar D(sub zero)/(1+2)(exp 1/2), where bar D(sub zero) approximately = 10.5 Mpc. Interestingly, we find a strong correlation between the sizes of voids and the value of the primordial gravitational potential at void centers. This observation could in principle, pave the way toward reconstructing the form of the primordialpotential from a knowledge of the observed void spectrum. Studying the void spectrum at different cosmological epochs, for spectra with a built in k-space cutoff we find that the number of voids in a representative volume evolves with time. The mean number of voids first increases until a maximum value is reached (indicating that the formation of cellular structure is complete), and then begins to decrease as clumps and filaments erge leading to hierarchical clustering and the subsequent elimination of small voids. The cosmological epoch characterizing the completion of cellular structure occurs when the length scale going nonlinear approaches the mean distance between peaks of the gravitaional potential. A central result of this paper is that voids can be populated by substructure such as mini-sheets and filaments, which run through voids. The number of such mini-pancakes that pass through a given void can be measured by the genus characteristic of an individual void which is an indicator of the topology of a given void in intial (Lagrangian) space. Large voids have on an average a larger measure than smaller voids indicating more substructure within larger voids relative to smaller ones. We find that the topology of individual voids is strongly epoch dependent, with void topologies generally simplifying with time. This means that as voids grow older they become progressively more empty and have less structure within them. We evaluate the genus measure both for individual voids as well as for the entire ensemble of voids predicted by CDM model. As a result we find that the topology of voids when taken together with the void spectrum is a very useful statistical indicator of the evolution of the structure of the universe on large scales.

Sahni, Varun↗
NASA NTRS1992

Star formation in protogalactic clouds

The physical processes determining the rate of star formation in protogalactic clouds and the resulting effects on the structure of the galaxies are examined with reference to analytical results and numerical simulations. For spheroidal systems, it is found that rapid star formation cannot be prevented once the density exceeds a typical value. The corresponding length scale is comparable to the length scales of spheroidal systems. The gas is converted into stars at a time scale of 2 Gyr or less, during which the total luminosity of the protogalaxy in ionizing photons is 10 exp 43-44 ergs/s, and the gas is enriched to solar abundance with a steep gradient. A simplistic analysis of the resulting stellar distribution finds that de Vaucouleurs profiles may naturally result. The Faber-Jackson relation is also found to follow naturally. The Fischer-Tully relation follows by an analysis similar to that used to derive the Faber-Jackson relation, provided that the peak rotational velocity is determined by the bulge mass.

Lin, Douglas N. C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The correlation of solar flare hard X-ray bursts with Doppler blueshifted soft X-ray flare emission

We have investigated the temporal correlation between hard X-ray bursts and the intensity of Doppler blueshifted soft X-ray spectral line emission. We find a strong correlation for many events that have intense blueshifted spectral signatures and some correlation in events with modest blueshifts. The onset of hard X-rays frequently coincides to within a few seconds with the onset of blueshifted emission. The peak intensity of blueshifted emission is frequently close in time to the peak of the hard X-ray emission. Decay rates of the blueshifted and hard X-ray emission are similar, with the decay of the blueshifted emission tending to lag behind the hard X-ray emission in some cases. There are, however, exceptions to these conclusions, and, therefore, the results should not be generalized to all flares. Most of the data for this work were obtained from instruments flown on the Japanese Yohkoh solar spacecraft.

Bentley, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Hard Burst Emission from the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1900+14

We present evidence for burst emission from SGR 1900+14 with a power-law high energy spectrum extending beyond 500 kev. Unlike previous detections of high energy photons during bursts from SGRS, these emissions are not associated with high-luminosity burst intervals. Not only is the emission hard, but the spectra are better fit by Band's GRB function rather than by the traditional optically-thin thermal bremsstrahlung model. We find that the spectral evolution within these hard events obeys a hardness/intensity anti-correlation. Temporally, these events are distinct from typical SGR burst emissions in that they are longer (about 1 s) and have relatively smooth profiles. Despite a difference in peak luminosity of > 1E+ll between these bursts from SGR 1900+14 and cosmological GRBS, there are striking temporal and spectral similarities between the two kinds of bursts, aside from spectral evolution. We outline an interpretation of these events in the context of the magnetar model.

Duncan, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The timing of galvanic vestibular stimulation affects responses to platform translation

We compared the effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation applied at 0, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 s prior to a backward platform translation on postural responses. The effect of the galvanic stimulation was largest on the final equilibrium position of the center of pressure (CoP). The largest effects occurred for the 0.5 and 0-s pre-period, when the dynamic CoP pressure changes in response to both the galvanic stimulus and the platform translation coincided. The shift in the final equilibrium position was also larger than the sum of the shifts for the galvanic stimulus and the platform translation alone for the 0.5 and 0-s pre-periods. The initial rate of change of the CoP response to the platform translation was not significantly affected in any condition. Changes in the peak CoP position could be accounted for by local interaction of CoP velocity changes induced by the galvanic and translation responses alone, but the changes in final equilibrium position could only be accounted for by a change in global body orientation. These findings suggest that the contribution of vestibulospinal information is greatest during the dynamic phase of the postural response, and that the vestibular system contributes most to the later components of the postural response, particularly to the final equilibrium position. These findings suggest that a nonlinear interaction between the vestibular signal induced by the galvanic current and the sensory stimuli produced by the platform translation occurs when the two stimuli are presented within 1 s, during the dynamic phase of the postural response to the galvanic stimulus. When presented at greater separations in time, the stimuli appear to be treated as independent events, such that no interaction occurs. Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

Non-NASA Center↗