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At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

The Influence of Reduced Gravity on the Crystal Growth of Electronic Materials

The imperfections in the grown crystals of electronic materials, such as compositional nonuniformity, dopant segregation and crystalline structural defects, are detrimental to the performance of the opto-electronic devices. Some of these imperfections can be attributed to effects caused by Earth gravity during crystal growth process and four areas have been identified as the uniqueness of material processing in reduced gravity environment. The significant results of early flight experiments, i.e. prior to space shuttle era, are briefly reviewed followed by an elaborated review on the recent flight experiments conducted on shuttle missions. The results are presented for two major growth methods of electronic materials: melt and vapor growth. The use of an applied magnetic field in the melt growth of electrically conductive melts on Earth to simulate the conditions of reduced gravity has been investigated and it is believed that the superimposed effect of moderate magnetic fields and the reduced gravity environment of space can result in reduction of convective intensities to the extent unreachable by the exclusive use of magnet on Earth or space processing. In the Discussions section each of the significant results of the flight experiments is attributed to one of the four effects of reduced gravity and the unresolved problems on the measured mass fluxes in some of the vapor transport flight experiments are discussed.

Su, Ching-Hua↗
NASA NTRS1997

MEASUREMENT OF THE NOISE IMPROVEMENT OF A 34-METER CASSEGRAIN ANTENNA RETROFITTED WITH A LOW-BACKSCATTERING STRUT

Large axially-symmetric ground-based dual-reflector antennas are used in a variety of applications simultaneously requiring very high gain and very low noise (e.g., satellite communications, radio astronomy, deep-space communications, and radar). In these systems, reducing the noise by 10 % is equivalent to increasing the antenna gain by roughly 0.5 dB. Since the early days of radio-astronomy this fact has continuously driven efforts to reduce the noise of front-end low-noise amplifiers--a major noise contributor. As the performance of the front-end amplifiers improved, the relative importance of the noise generated by the surrounding warm ground increased, causing the antenna noise to become a major factor in the overall system sensitivity. Since large ground-based reflectors have been around for several decades, the various electrical and mechanical parameters affecting their performance have received considerable attention and are generally well understood. However, the impact of the subreflector supporting struts on the antenna noise performance remains a source of uncertainty. The reason for this stems from the usually large electrical dimensions involved, which precludes the accurate modeling of the various strut-scattering mechanisms. For the particular antennas used on NASA's Deep Space Network, which have been designed to minimize all noise sources, several studies have typically reported measured noise temperatures between 2 and 3 K (at approx. 8.45 GHz, antenna pointing at zenith), attributed to the struts and other unknown effects (see for example [1] and [2]). With this in mind, an effort has recently been conducted to determine optimal strut shapes to reduce the associated noise contribution [3].

Prata, A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2012

CARVE: The Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment

The Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) is a NASA Earth Ventures (EV-1) investigation designed to quantify correlations between atmospheric and surface state variables for the Alaskan terrestrial ecosystems through intensive seasonal aircraft campaigns, ground-based observations, and analysis sustained over a 5-year mission. CARVE bridges critical gaps in our knowledge and understanding of Arctic ecosystems, linkages between the Arctic hydrologic and terrestrial carbon cycles, and the feedbacks from fires and thawing permafrost. CARVE's objectives are to: (1) Directly test hypotheses attributing the mobilization of vulnerable Arctic carbon reservoirs to climate warming; (2) Deliver the first direct measurements and detailed maps of CO2 and CH4 sources on regional scales in the Alaskan Arctic; and (3) Demonstrate new remote sensing and modeling capabilities to quantify feedbacks between carbon fluxes and carbon cycle-climate processes in the Arctic (Figure 1). We describe the investigation design and results from 2011 test flights in Alaska.

Arctic Carbon Cycle↗
NASA NTRS2019

Near-saturation Conditions at the Tropical Tropopause: Results from Ticosonde

Balloon-borne frostpoint measurements have shown a high frequency of supersaturation near the tropical tropopause, and this has been attributed to forced ascent associated with wavemotions as well as diabatic heating. Long-term profile statistics are typically presented on altitude, pressure or potential temperature surfaces. For example, at Costa Rica long-term mean values of CFH RH at 16.8 km, the mean annual height of the tropopause, range from less than 60 percent in July to over 90% in October. While a plot of the annual cycle vs height shows relatively high humidities in the upper troposphere and especially so as one approaches the tropopause, the overall picture is one of subsaturation. A very different picture emerges,however, if the analysis is done in height relative to the tropopause. Here the long-term average of RH at the tropopause is 94 percent or greater throughout the year. We discuss this paradoxical result in the context of dynamical and cloud processes occurring near the tropical tropopause.

Tropical↗
NASA NTRS2019

Global seasonal variations of the near-surface relative humidity levels on present-day Mars

We investigate the global seasonal variations of near-surface relative humidity and relevant attributes, like temperature and water vapor volume mixing ratio on Mars using calculations from modelled and measurement data. We focus on 2 AM local time snapshots to eliminate daily effects related to differences in insolation, and to be able to compare calculations based on modelling data from the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Mars General Circulation Model with the observations of Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer. We study the seasonal effects by examining four specific dates in the Martian year, the northern spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice. We identify three specific zones, where the near-surface relative humidity levels are systematically higher than in their vicinity regardless of season. We find that these areas coincide with low thermal inertia features, which control surface temperatures on the planet, and are most likely covered with unconsolidated fine dust with grain sizes smaller than ∼ 40 μm. By comparing the data of relative humidity, temperature and water vapor volume mixing ratio at three different heights (near-surface, ∼ 4m and ∼ 23m above the surface), we demonstrate that the thermal inertia could play an important role in determining near-surface humidity levels. We also notice that during the night the water vapor levels drop at ∼ 4m above the surface. This, together with the temperature and thermal inertia values, shows that water vapor likely condenses in the near-surface atmosphere and on the ground during the night at the three aforementioned regions. This condensation may be in the form of brines, wettening of the fine grains by adsorption or deliquescence. This study specifies areas of interest on the surface of present day Mars for the proposed condensation, which may be examined by in-situ measurements in the future.

Bernadett Pál↗
NASA NTRS2000

AC Calorimetry and Thermophysical Properties of Bulk Glass-Forming Metallic Liquids

Thermo-physical properties of two bulk metallic glass forming alloys, Ti34Zr11Cu47Ni8 (VIT 101) and Zr57Nb5Ni12.6Al10CU15.4 (VIT 106), were investigated in the stable and undercooled melt. Our investigation focused on measurements of the specific heat in the stable and undercooled liquid using the method of AC modulation calorimetry. The VIT 106 exhibited a maximum undercooling of 140 K in free radiative cooling. Specific heat measurements could be performed in stable melt down to an undercooling of 80 K. Analysis of the specific heat data indicate an anomaly near the equilibrium liquidus temperature. This anomaly is also observed in y the temperature dependencies of the external relaxation time, the specific volume, and the surface tension; it is tentatively attributed to a phase separation in the liquid state. The VIT 101 specimen exhibited a small undercooling of about 50 K. Specific heat measurements were performed in the stable and undercooled melt. These various results will be combined with ground based work such as the measurement of T-T-T curves in the electrostatic levitator and low temperature viscosity and specific heat measurements for modeling the nucleation kinetics of these alloys.

Johnson, William L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Investigation of Damping Physics and CFD Tool Validation for Simulation of Baffled Tanks at Variable Slosh Amplitude

To meet the flight control damping requirement, baffles of various configurations have been devised to increase the natural viscous damping and decrease the magnitude of the slosh forces and torques. In the design of slosh baffles, the most widely used damping equation is the one derived by Miles, which is based on the experiments of Keulegan and Carpenter. This equation has been used in predicting damping of the baffled tanks in different diameters ranging from 12 to 112 inches. The analytical expression of Miles equation is easy to use, especially in the design of complex baffle system. Previous investigations revealed that some experiments had shown good agreements with the prediction method of Miles, whereas other experiments have shown significant deviations. For example, damping from Miles equation differs from experimental measurements by as much as 100 percent over a range of tank diameters from 12 to 112 inches, oscillation amplitudes from 0.1 to 1.5 baffle widths, and baffle depths of 0.3 to 0.5 tank radius. Previously, much of this difference has been attributed to experimental scatter. A systematical study is needed to understand the damping physics of baffled tanks, to identify the difference between Miles equation and experimental measurement, and to develop new semi-empirical relations to better represent the real damping physics. The approach of this study is to use CFD technology to shed light on the damping mechanisms of a baffled tank. First, a 1-D Navier-Stokes equation representing different length scales and time scales in the baffle damping physics is developed and analyzed. A well validated CFD solver, developed at NASA MSFC, Loci-STREAM-VOF, is applied to study vorticity field around the baffle and around the fluid interface to highlight the dissipation mechanisms at different slosh amplitudes. Previous measurement data are then used to validate the CFD damping results. The study found several critical parameters controlling fluid damping from a baffle: local slosh amplitude to baffle thickness (A/t), surface liquid depth to tank radius (h/R), local slosh amplitude to baffle width (A/W); and non-dimensional slosh frequency. The simulation highlights three significant damping regimes where different mechanisms dominate. The study proves that the previously found discrepancies between Miles equation and experimental measurement are not due to the measurement scatter, but rather due to different damping mechanisms at various slosh amplitudes. The limitations on the use of Miles equation are discussed based on the flow regime.

Yang, H. Q.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Consistent Evaluation of ACOS-GOSAT, BESD-SCIAMACHY, CarbonTracker, and MACC Through Comparisons to TCCON

Consistent validation of satellite CO2 estimates is a prerequisite for using multiple satellite CO2 measurements for joint flux inversion, and for establishing an accurate long-term atmospheric CO2 data record. Harmonizing satellite CO2 measurements is particularly important since the differences in instruments, observing geometries, sampling strategies, etc. imbue different measurement characteristics in the various satellite CO2 data products. We focus on validating model and satellite observation attributes that impact flux estimates and CO2 assimilation, including accurate error estimates, correlated and random errors, overall biases, biases by season and latitude, the impact of coincidence criteria, validation of seasonal cycle phase and amplitude, yearly growth, and daily variability. We evaluate dry-air mole fraction (X(sub CO2)) for Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) (Atmospheric CO2 Observations from Space, ACOS b3.5) and SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) (Bremen Optimal Estimation DOAS, BESD v2.00.08) as well as the CarbonTracker (CT2013b) simulated CO2 mole fraction fields and the Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC) CO2 inversion system (v13.1) and compare these to Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) observations (GGG2012/2014). We find standard deviations of 0.9, 0.9, 1.7, and 2.1 parts per million vs. TCCON for CT2013b, MACC, GOSAT, and SCIAMACHY, respectively, with the single observation errors 1.9 and 0.9 times the predicted errors for GOSAT and SCIAMACHY, respectively. We quantify how satellite error drops with data averaging by interpreting according to (error(sup 2) equals a(sup 2) plus b(sup 2) divided by n (with n being the number of observations averaged, a the systematic (correlated) errors, and b the random (uncorrelated) errors). a and b are estimated by satellites, coincidence criteria, and hemisphere. Biases at individual stations have year-to-year variability of 0.3 parts per million, with biases larger than the TCCON predicted bias uncertainty of 0.4 parts per million at many stations. We find that GOSAT and CT2013b under-predict the seasonal cycle amplitude in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) between 46 and 53 degrees North latitude, MACC over-predicts between 26 and 37 degrees North latitude, and CT2013b under-predicts the seasonal cycle amplitude in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). The seasonal cycle phase indicates whether a data set or model lags another data set in time. We find that the GOSAT measurements improve the seasonal cycle phase substantially over the prior while SCIAMACHY measurements improve the phase significantly for just two of seven sites. The models reproduce the measured seasonal cycle phase well except for at Lauder_125HR (CT2013b) and Darwin (MACC). We compare the variability within 1 day between TCCON and models in June-July-August; there is correlation between 0.2 and 0.8 in the NH, with models showing 10-50 percent the variability of TCCON at different stations and CT2013b showing more variability than MACC. This paper highlights findings that provide inputs to estimate flux errors in model assimilations, and places where models and satellites need further investigation, e.g., the SH for models and 45-67 degrees North latitude for GOSAT and CT2013b.

ACOS-GOSAT↗
NASA NTRS1994

The study of coronal plasma structures and fluctuations with Faraday rotation measurements

We report dual-frequency, polarimetric measurements of Faraday rotation of extragalactic radio sources viewed through the solar corona. The observations were made at the Very Large Array in 1990 during solar maximum. Of the nine observed, an excess rotation measure of -12.6 rad/sq m was detected for one source (0010+005), which was observed at an elongation of about 9 solar radii. This measurement is in fair agreement with an a priori model rotation measure of -8.6 rad/sq m estimated from coronal potential field models and the electron density model of Paetzold et al. (1992). Our measurement provides a value for the coronal magnetic field strength at 9 solar radii given a knowledge of the magnetic field sector structure, of 12.5 +/- 2.3 mG. Rotation measurements of 0010+005 were made approximately once per hour over an 11 hr period. During this interval, a slow change of about 1 rad/sq m/hr in rotation measure was detected. Although we are not absolutely certain that this drift is not unremoved ionospheric Faraday rotation, extensive analysis of data from the other sources suggests that this is not the case (Sakurai & Spangler 1994). The very long timescale for this variation argues against the agency of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) waves, and we suggest occultation of 0010+005 by relatively static plasma structures in the corona. We filtered our rotation measure time series to search for variations on an hourly timescale, such as those reported by Hollweg et al. (1992), which could be attributed to coronal MHD waves. We were unable to detect such fluctuations and can report only an upper limit to the rms variation of 1.6 rad/sq m. This upper limit is of the same order, but slightly larger than the values typically reported by Hollweg et al. (1982). This upper limit to the rotation measure fluctuations limits the dimensionless wave amplitude (delta B)/B in the corona to be less than 0.7. Using the number, we estimate the MHD wave flux at the coronal base to be less than 1.6 x 10(exp 5) ergs/sq cm/s. This is less than the amount of wave energy flux required by wave-driven models of the solar wind. Finally, we discuss a number of ways in which such observations could be improved in the future.

Sakurai, Takayuki↗
NASA NTRS1986

In situ observations of midlatitude stratospheric ClO and BrO

A balloon-borne experiment to measure midlatitude stratospheric BrO and ClO concentrations by NO chemical conversion/atomic resonance fluorescence was flown from Palestine, Texas, on May 20 1986. In this first study of BrO, no signal attributable to BrO was detected, and upper limits (2 sigma uncertainty) between 35 and 24 km altitude give BrO mixing ratios less than 15 pptv. Current models predict mixing ratios that are 1.7 times larger. Measurements of ClO were obtained at less than 0.2-km altitude resolution from 41 to 22 km. The smoothly varying altitude profile lies within the range of two-dimensional model calculations.

Brune, William H.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Modelling of Collision Induced Absorption Spectra Of H2-H2 Pairs for the Planetary Atmospheres Structure: The Second Overtone Band

The main objective of the proposal was to model the collision induced, second overtone band of gaseous hydrogen at low temperatures. The aim of this work is to assist planetary scientists in their investigation of planetary atmospheres, mainly those of Uranus and Neptune. The recently completed extended database of collision induced dipole moments of hydrogen pairs allowed us, for the first time, to obtain dipole moment matrix elements responsible for the roto-vibrational collision induced absorption spectra of H2-H2 in the second overtone band. Despite our numerous attempts to publish those data, the enormous volume of the database did not allow us to do this. Instead, we deposited the data on a www site. The final part of this work has been partially supported by NASA, Division for Planetary Atmospheres. In order to use our new data for modelling purpose, we first needed to test how well we can reproduce the existing experimental data from theory, when using our new input data. Two papers resulted from this work. The obtained agreement between theoretical results and the measurements appeared to be within 10-30%. The obviously poorer agreement than observed for the first H2 overtone, the fundamental, and the rototranslational bands can be attributed to the fact that dipole moments responsible for the second overtone are much weaker, therefore susceptible to larger numerical uncertainties. At the same time, the intensity of the second overtone band is much weaker and therefore it is much harder to be measured accurately in the laboratory. We need to point out that until now, no dependable model of the 2nd overtone band was available for modelling of the planetary atmospheres. The only one, often referred to in previous works on Uranian and Neptune's atmospheres, uses only one lineshape, with one (or two) parameter(s) deduced at the effective temperature of Uranus (by fitting the planetary observation). After that, the parameter(s) was(were) made temperature dependent according to some very simple relation. Summarizing, no reliable temperature-dependent model has been available yet. Our approach was a bit different from similar attempts done earlier, on account of the poorer agreement of theory with experiment. We needed to resort to some semi-empirical procedure. While we were in a favourable position to be able to rely on the physical input data, these, apparently, did not supply the most dependable predictions (simply because the results did not agree well enough with experimental data). On the other hand, the relative deviations between the theory and experiment were comparable at 77 and at 298 K. That fact indicated that theory is capable of predicting the temperature dependence of the absorption spectra well. We have thus chosen the "middle way". We have fitted the existing measurements with many 3- parameter lineshapes, in order to achieve the closest fit.

Borysow, Aleksandra↗
NASA NTRS1995

Radio interferometer observations of solar wind turbulence from the orbit of Helios to the solar corona

We report observations of Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) phase scintillations due to turbulence in the solar wind. The observations were made at 5.00 and 8.42 GHz with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) on three dates in 1991 July and August. We observed the sources 0851 + 202 and 0735 + 178 at solar elongations ranging from 2.66 deg to 13.29 deg; the closest approach of the line of sight to the Sun ranged from 10 to 49.8 solar radii. We have also included previously unpublished 5 GHz VLBI phase scintillation measurements from 1989. These measurements probe solar wind density fluctuations on spatial scales from about 200 km to 2000 km. Our measurements are in quite good agreement with the Coles & Harmon model for the radio phase structure function, which was largely determined from observations on both shorter and larger spatial scales. Departures from the Coles & Harmon functions are attributable to day-to-day variations in the solar wind conditions. Phase scintillations at the greatest solar elongations are in very good agreement with extrapolated estimates from direct measurements made with the Helios spacecraft at slightly larger heliocentric distances. Thus there is a consistency between the in-situ spacecraft and radio sensing measurements of density turbulence. All of the VLBI data are consistent with a Kolmogorov spectrum for the density fluctuations, although at the closest elongations there may be excess power at small spatial scales. An advantage of interferometric techniques over other radio propagation measurements is that they provide a measure of the anisotropy of the irregularities. Our observations at closest approach (10 solar radii) show weak evidence for anisotropic, field-aligned density irregularities with an axial ratio of order 2. This degree of anisotropy would appear to be less than that measured at similar solar elongations but on smaller spatial scales by Armstrong and colleagues. Finally, a combination of the radio propagation data and in situ Helios measurements is used to determine the heliocentric distance dependence of the normalization coefficient of the density power spectrum, C(sup 2)(sub N). Modeling C(sup2)(sub N) varies as (R/solar radii)(sup -Kappa), we find Kappa = 3.72 +/- 0.30. Subject to a number of assumptions, this result is consistent with the conclusion of D. A. Roberts that turbulence within 0.28 astronomical units adheres to a WKB formula for turbulence amplitude as a function of heliocentric distance.

Spangler, Steven R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

James Webb Space Telescope Integrated Science Instrument Module Thermal Balance/Thermal Vacuum Test Configuration and Test Planning at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the next of the great observatories , scheduled to be launched in 2014. Three of the four science instruments are passively cooled to their operational temperature range of 36K to 40K, and the fourth instrument is actively cooled to its operational temperature of approximately 6K. Thermal-vacuum testing of the flight science instruments at the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) element level will take place within a newly constructed shroud cooled by gaseous helium inside Goddard Space Flight Center s (GSFC) Space Environment Simulator (SES). The test enclosure surrounding the instruments during the integrated ISIM-level thermal balance testing is complex, and is designed to simulate as closely as possible the in-flight conductive and radiative thermal environment around the ISIM. Thermal control and measurement of parasitic sources of heat leak into the test volume is critical, as the dissipation plus known parasitics in the flight ISIM is approximately 454 mW, and additional parasitics attributed to the flight enclosure itself are nearly equal to this, resulting in the energy balance of the inflight ISIM being less than 1.0 W. Sources of test-induced parasitics must be carefully controlled and measured, and the ability to thermally control the test environment is critical to enable accurate thermal balance testing and thermal model correlation. This paper describes the test configuration and plans for the ISIM-level thermal vacuum/thermal balance testing at GSFC.

Glazer, Stuart↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

MEDLI2: MISP Measured Aftbody Aerothermal Environments

The Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) sensor suite on the Mars 2020 mission included two total heat flux sensors and one radiometer on the backshell to directly measure the aftbody aerothermal environments during entry into the Martian atmosphere. All three sensors successfully returned aftbody entry heating measurements. Comparisons between the total heat flux sensor measurements and DPLR/NEQAIR predictions show excellent agreement and provide confidence in the models. The radiometer measured significant radiative heating but compared to the model predictions the signal was attenuated by 50% at the end of the entry heat pulse. The loss of signal is attributed to blockage by thermal protection system (TPS) ablation product deposits on the radiometer window. Ground-based testing in the NASA Ames arc jet facilities was conducted to understand the impact of ablation product deposits on the measured radiometer signal. A discussion of the test results, how flight-like the test conditions were, and future work to further characterize the effect of TPS ablation product deposits on the radiometer performance are presented. In addition to measuring the entry heat pulse all three sensors were sensitive enough to measure solar radiation during cruise, the radiometer measured solar flux during the entry heat pulse, and the leeside total heat flux sensor picked up the descent reaction control system firings.

Ruth A Miller↗
NASA NTRS2011

Limits to Mercury's Magnesium Exosphere from MESSENGER Second Flyby Observations

The discovery measurements of Mercury's exospheric magnesium, obtained by the MErcury Surface. Space ENvironment, GEochemistry. and Ranging (MESSENGER) probe during its second Mercury flyby, are modeled to constrain the source and loss processes for this neutral species. Fits to a Chamberlain exosphere reveal that at least two source temperatures are required to reconcile the distribution of magnesium measured far from and near the planet: a hot ejection process at the equivalent temperature of several tens of thousands of degrees K, and a competing, cooler source at temperatures as low as 400 K. For the energetic component, our models indicate that the column abundance that can be attributed to sputtering under constant southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions is at least a factor of five less than the rate dictated by the measurements, Although highly uncertain, this result suggests that another energetic process, such as the rapid dissociation of exospheric MgO, may be the main source of the distant neutral component. If meteoroid and micrometeoroid impacts eject mainly molecules, the total amount of magnesium at altitudes exceeding approximately 100 km is found to be consistent with predictions by impact vaporization models for molecule lifetimes of no more than two minutes. Though a sharp increase in emission observed near the dawn terminator region can be reproduced if a single meteoroid enhanced the impact vapor at equatorial dawn, it is much more likely that observations in this region, which probe heights increasingly near the surface, indicate a reservoir of volatile Mg being acted upon by lower-energy source processes.

Sarantos, Menelaos↗
NASA NTRS2011

Emission Spectroscopic Measurements with an Optical Probe in the NASA Ames IHF Arc Jet Facility

An optical probe was designed to measure radiation (from inside the arc heater) incident on a test sample immersed in the arc-heated stream. Currently, only crude estimates are available for this incident radiation. Unlike efforts of the past, where the probe line of sight was inclined to the nozzle centerline, the present development focuses on having the probe line of sight coincide with the nozzle centerline. A fiber-coupled spectrometer was used to measure the spectral distribution of incident radiation in the wavelength range of 225 to 900 nm. The radiation heat flux in this wavelength range was determined by integration of measured emission spectral intensity calibrated to incident irradiance from an integrating sphere. Two arc-heater conditions, corresponding to stream bulk enthalpy levels of 12 and 22 MJ/kg, were investigated in the 13-inch diameter nozzle of the Interaction Heating Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. With the probe placed at a distance of 10 inches from the nozzle exit plane, total radiative heat fluxes were measured to be 3.3 and 8.4 W/sq cm for the 12 and 22 MJ/kg conditions, respectively. About 17% of these radiative fluxes were due to bound-bound radiation from atoms and molecules, while the remaining 83% could be attributed to continua (bound-free and/or free-free). A comparison with spectral simulation based on CFD solutions for the arc-heater flow field and with spectroscopic measurements in the plenum region indicates that more than 95% of the measured radiation is generated in the arc region. The total radiative heat flux from the line radiation could increase by a factor of two through contributions from wavelengths outside the measured range, i.e., from the vacuum ultraviolet (wavelengths less than 225 nm) and the infrared (wavelengths greater than 900 nm). An extrapolation of the continuum radiation to these two wavelength regions was not attempted. In the tested configuration, the measured radiative heat flux accounts for only about 1.4% of the nominal heat flux on a flat face model and therefore is considered negligible. In the 6-inch diameter nozzle, on account of shorter path lengths, the radiation heat flux could be significant. Therefore, future tests in the 6-inch nozzle will have radiometers in addition to the optical probe.

Winter, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1994

NO2 column changes induced by volcanic eruptions

Nitrogen dioxide slant column amounts measured by ground-based remote sensing from Lauder, New Zealand (45 deg S) and Campbell Island (53 deg S) during the second half of 1991 and early 1992 show anomalously low values that are attributed to the effects of volcanic eruptions. It is believed that the eruptions of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991 and possibly Mount Hudson in Chile in August 1991 are responsible for the stratospheric changes, which first became apparent in July 1991. The effects in the spring of 1991 are manifested as a reduction in the retrieved NO2 column amounts from normal levels by 35 to 45 percent, and an accompanying increase in the overnight decay of NO2. The existence of an accurate long-term record of column NO2 from the Lauder site enables us to quantify departures from the normal seasonal behavior with some confidence. Simultaneous retrievals of column ozone agree well with Dobson measurements, confirming that only part of the NO2 changes can be attributed to a modification of the scattering geometry by volcanic aerosols. Other reasons for the observed behavior are explored, including the effects of stratospheric temperature increases resulting from the aerosol loading and the possible involvement of heterogeneous chemical processes.

Johnston, Paul V.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Investigation of reliability attributes and accelerated stress factors on terrestrial solar cells

Major effort during this reporting period was devoted to two tasks: improvement of the electrical measurement instrumentation through the design and construction of a microcomputer controlled short interval tester, and better understanding of second quadrant behavior by developing a mathematical model relating cell temperature to electrical characteristics. In addition, some preliminary work is reported on an investigation into color changes observed after stressing.

Lathrop, J. W.↗