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NASA NTRS1974

The NASA program for standardizing silicon solar cells

The present work describes briefly the goals of the recently organized Standardized Space Power Systems Office and its program for developing low-cost, standard power system components for spacecraft. The first step is the development of standard specifications for solar cells and covers. These include: (1) physical dimensions, materials of construction, appearance and integrity of solar cell and coverglass; (2) electrical performance characteristics of solar cell and optical characteristics of coverglass; and (3) sampling, inspection, and electrical and environmental tests needed to demonstrate compliance with the above specifications.

Bifano, W.J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Mars atmospheric phenomena during major dust storms, as measured at surface

Meteorological instrumentation aboard the Viking Mars Landers measures wind, temperature, and pressure. Two global dust storms occurred during northern autumn and winter, observed both by the orbiters and by the landers. The meteorological data from the landers has been analyzed for the period just before first storm arrival to just after second storm arrival, with the objectives of defining the meteorological phenomena during the storm period, determining those associated with storm and dust arrival, and evaluating the effects on synoptic conditions and the general circulation. Times of dust arrival over the sites could be defined fairly closely from optical and pressure (solar tide) data, and dust arrival was also accompanied by changes in diurnal temperature range, temperature maxima, and temperature minima. The arrivals of the storms at Viking Lander 1 were accompanied by significant increases in wind speed and pressure. No such changes were observed at Viking Lander 2. It is possible that surface material could have been raised locally at Viking Lander 1. Throughout the period except for the time following the second dust storm the synoptic picture at Viking Lander 2 was one of eastward moving cyclonic and anticyclonic systems. These disappeared following the second storm, a phenomenon which may be related to the storm.

Ryan, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Parabolic Solar Collectors

Paper presents tutorial overview of point focusing parabolic reflectors for solar-energy collectors. Optical and thermal characteristics of collectors discussed in detail.

Truscello, V. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

IRAS 00521-7054 - An unusually warm galaxy

IRAS 00521 - 7054 is a galaxy that lies behind the Small Magellanic Cloud. Its infrared energy distribution is quite unusual in that it has exceptionally red 0.6-10-micron colors, while its 12-100-micron spectrum is among the warmest known for a galaxy or quasar, with a peak at 25 microns and an integrated luminosity of close to 10 to the 12th solar luminosity. Its optical spectrum is characteristic of a Seyfert 2 galaxy: low-ionization forbidden lines and H-alpha have FWHM 500 km/s, with some evidence for a much broader component of the H-alpha line. A plausible model is that a central nonthermal source is the dominant source of luminosity, but it is heavily obscured by dust and is thus observed indirectly through reradiation of its flux by the surrounding material. This galaxy may then be a good example of an object in the process of developing into a 'classical' quasar.

Frogel, Jay A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A simple formulation of the delta-four-stream approximation for radiative transfer parameterizations

A systematic development of the delta-four-stream approximation for calculations of radiative fluxes in planetary atmosphere is presented. It is shown that an analytic solution for this approximation can be derived explicitly, with minimum computational effort for flux calculations. Relative accuracy checks for reflection, transmission, and absorption for numerous asymmetry factors, single-scattering albedos, optical depths, and solar zenith angles have been performed with respect to the 'exact' results computed from the adding method for radiative transfer. Overall, results from the delta-four-stream approximation yield relative accuracies within about 5 percent. This approximation is well suited to radiative transfer parameterizations involving flux and heating calculations in aerosol and cloudy atmospheres.

Liou, Kuo-Nan↗

NASA NTRS1989

An overview of solar and stellar flare research

A overview of the topics concerning solar and stellar flares at the IAU Colloquium No. 104 is presented. Work being done on the location of flares, the characteristics of solar flares, the optical or white-light flare, and the question of microflaring is reviewed. Theoretical questions and hydrodynamic models are examined, and suggested areas for future investigations are addressed.

Haisch, Bernhard M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The spectra of relativistic accretion disks - Application to A0620-00

The X-ray flux emitted from a geometrically thin, relativistic accretion disk in the steady state approximation is investigated in order to place limits on the quiescent state mass flow rate in the soft X-ray transient black hole candidate source A0620-00. Specific attention is focused on the effects associated with gravitational redshifts, Doppler shifts, and on the enhancement of the apparent accretion disk area due to gravitational light bending on the continuum spectrum. It is found that the upper limit to the mass flow rate within the inner regions of the disk, constrained by the lack of soft X-rays in the quiescent state, is about 2.8 x 10 to the -11th solar mass/yr for black hole masses greater than about 5.4 solar mass. The optical data are consistent with these upper limits provided that the inclination angle of the binary system is less than about 65 deg. The upper limits and the lack of a hard X-ray flux, together, suggest that the soft X-ray transient model based upon a mass transfer instability situated in the stellar envelope of the companion is inapplicable to A0620-00.

Fu, Albert↗

NASA NTRS1992

The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM): a Multipurpose Optical Laboratory in Space

The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) is a multifunction in-flight laboratory for in-situ optical studies of materials. Many independent and related studies can be carried out on EURECA with the OPM instruments to address the experiment objectives. Test samples will be selected to address the materials and issues of the greatest interest to NASA, ESA, DoD, and the aerospace community. The objective of the OPM program is to study the effects of the space environment, both natural and induced, on optical, thermal control, solar array, and other materials.

Wilkes, Donald R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

A coupled subsurface-boundary layer model of water on Mars

A 1D numerical model of the exchange of H2O between the atmosphere and subsurface of Mars through the PBL is employed to explore the mechanisms of H2O exchange and to elucidate the role played by the regolith in the local H2O budget. The atmospheric model includes effects of Coriolis, pressure gradient, and frictional forces for momentum: radiation, sensible heat flux, and advection for heat. It is suggested that in most cases, the flux through the Martian surface reverses twice in the course of each sol. The effects of surface albedo, thermal inertia, solar declination, atmospheric optical depth, and regolith pore structure are explored. It is proposed that higher thermal inertia forces more H2O into the atmosphere because the regolith is warmer at depth.

Zent, Aaron P.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Aromatic Polyimides With Low Dielectric Constants

Linear aromatic polyimides developed containing dimethylsilane linkages in dianhydride portions of molecules and at least one trifluoromethyl group in each of diamine portions. Polyimides offer advantages of thermal stability, low density, resistance to ionizing radiation, toughness, flexibility, and exhibit lower dielectric constants. Also polyimides nearly transparent and colorless; an advantage in protective coating of solar photovoltaic cells, optical components, and antennas.

St. Clair, Anne K.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Satellite Estimation of Spectral Surface UV Irradiance: Effect of Horizontally Homogeneous Clouds - 2

The local variability of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface is mostly caused by clouds in addition to the seasonal variability. Parametric representations of radiative transfer RT calculations are presented for the convenient solution of the transmission T of ultraviolet radiation through plane parallel clouds over a surface with reflectivity R(sub s). The calculations are intended for use with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) measured radiances to obtain the calculated Lambert equivalent scene reflectivity R for scenes with and without clouds. The purpose is to extend the theoretical analysis of the estimation of UV irradiance from satellite data for a cloudy atmosphere. Results are presented for a range of cloud optical depths and solar zenith angles for the cases of clouds over a low reflectivity surface R(sub s) less than 0.1, over a snow or ice surface R(sub s) greater than 0.3, and for transmission through a non-conservative scattering cloud with single scattering albedo omega(sub 0) = 0.999. The key finding for conservative scattering is that the cloud-transmission function C(sub T), the ratio of cloudy-to clear-sky transmission, is roughly C(sub T) = 1 - R(sub c) with an error of less than 20% for nearly overhead sun and snow-free surfaces. For TOMS estimates of UV irradiance in the presence of both snow and clouds, independent information about snow albedo is needed for conservative cloud scattering. For non-conservative scattering with R(sub s) greater than 0.5 (snow) the satellite measured scene reflectance cannot be used to estimate surface irradiance. The cloud transmission function has been applied to the calculation of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface and compared with ground-based measurements.

Krothov, N.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The COR1 Inner Coronagraph for STEREO-SECCHI

The Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) is a pair of identical satellites that will orbit the Sun so as to drift ahead of and behind Earth respectively, to give a stereo view of the Sun. STEREO is currently scheduled for launch in November 2005. One of the instrument packages that will be own on each of the STEREO spacecrafts is the Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI), which consists of an extreme ultraviolet imager, two coronagraphs, and two side-viewing heliospheric imagers to observe solar coronal mass ejections all the way from the Sun to Earth. We report here on the inner coronagraph, labeled COR1. COR1 is a classic Lyot internally occulting refractive coronagraph, adapted for the first time to be used in space. The field of view is from 1.3 to 4 solar radii. A linear polarizer is used to suppress scattered light, and to extract the polarized brightness signal from the solar corona. The optical scattering performance of the coronagraph was first modeled using both the ASAP and APART numerical modeling codes, and then tested at the Vacuum Tunnel Facility at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. In this report, we will focus on the COR1 optical design, the predicted optical performance, and the observed performance in the lab. We will also discuss the mechanical and thermal design, and the cleanliness requirements needed to achieve the optical performance.

Thompson, William T.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Analysis of Solar Receiver Flux Distributions for US/Russian Solar Dynamic System Demonstration on the MIR Space Station

Analyses have been performed at the NASA Lewis Research Center's Power Systems Project Office to support the design and development of the joint U.S./Russian Solar Dynamic Flight Demonstration Project. The optical analysis of the concentrator and solar flux predictions on target receiver surfaces have an important influence on receiver design and control of the Brayton engine.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2004

An Overview of MODIS Calibration and Characterization

The MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is one of the key instruments for the NASA s Earth Observing System (EOS). It is currently operating on both EOS Terra and Aqua satellites. The MODIS is a major advance over its heritage sensors in terms of its spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions with frequent global observations and a broad range of science applications. There are 20 reflective solar bands (RSB) with center wavelengths ranging from 0.41 to 2.l microns and 16 thermal emissive bands (TEB) from 3.7 to 14.4 microns. The absolute radiometric accuracy requirements (lsigma) at the typical spectral radiance levels are plus or minus 2% for the RSB reflectance factors and plus or minus 5% for the RSB radiance products. With few exceptions, the TEB requirements are plus or minus 1%. To verify that the instruments met their specified design requirements both Terra and Aqua MODIS underwent extensive pre-launch calibration and characterization at various levels, including system-level thermal vacuum testing. On-orbit calibration and characterization are performed by the on-board calibrators: a solar diffuser (SD) and a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM), a V-groove flat panel blackbody (BB), and a spectro-radiometric calibration assembly (SRCA). In this paper, we present an overview of MODIS calibration and characterization activities, methodologies, and lessons learned from pre-launch testing and on-orbit operations. Key issues to be discussed include our on-orbit efforts of monitoring detectors noise characterization, tracking solar diffuser and optics degradation, and updating sensor s response versus scan-angle. The MODIS experience has provided invaluable lessons that are being used in designing and testing the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), a direct follow-on to the MODIS that will be flown on the National Polar-Orbit Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) missions.

Xiong, X.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Thermal Contributions to the Degradation of Ground-Laboratory- and Space-Irradiated Teflon Investigated

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is covered with two primary types of thermal control materials, radiators and multilayer insulation blankets, which passively control temperatures during orbit. Both of these thermal control materials utilize back-surface metalized Teflon FEP (DuPont, fluorinated ethylene propylene) as the exterior (spacefacing) layer because of its excellent optical properties (low solar absorptance and high thermal emittance). The aluminized-FEP (Al-FEP) outermost layer of the multilayer insulation blankets on the HST has become embrittled while in space, resulting in severe on-orbit cracking (see the photographs). During the second servicing mission, an extremely embrittled piece of Al-FEP was retrieved that had curled, exposing the backsurface aluminum to space (see the photograph on the right). Because the aluminum surface has a lower thermal emittance than the FEP, this curled piece reached 200 C during orbit, 150 C higher than the nominal temperature extreme. To better understand the effect of temperature on the rate of degradation, and on the mechanism of degradation, of this insulation material in the low-Earth-orbit environment, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center conducted experiments to determine the effect of heating on the degradation of FEP that has been irradiated in a ground laboratory facility or in space on the HST. For this study, Teflon FEP retrieved from the HST during the third servicing mission after 9.7 years of space exposure was provided to Glenn by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

deGroh, Kim K.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Propulsion Instruments for Small Hall Thruster Integration

Planning and development are underway for the propulsion instrumentation necessary for the next AFRL electric propulsion flight project, which includes both a small Hall thruster and a micro-PPT. These instruments characterize the environment induced by the thruster and the associated data constitute part of a 'user's manual' for these thrusters. Several instruments probe the back-flow region of the thruster plume, and the data are intended for comparison with detailed numerical models in this region. Specifically, an ion probe is under development to determine the energy and species distributions, and a Langmuir probe will be employed to characterize the electron density and temperature. Other instruments directly measure the effects of thruster operation on spacecraft thermal control surfaces, optical surfaces, and solar arrays. Specifically, radiometric, photometric, and solar-cell-based sensors are under development. Prototype test data for most sensors should be available, together with details of the instrumentation subsystem and spacecraft interface.

ion probes↗

NASA NTRS2008

Ground Plane and Near-Surface Thermal Analysis for NASA's Constellation Program

Most spacecraft thermal analysis tools assume that the spacecraft is in orbit around a planet and are designed to calculate solar and planetary fluxes, as well as radiation to space. On NASA Constellation projects, thermal analysts are also building models of vehicles in their pre-launch condition on the surface of a planet. This process entails making some modifications in the building and execution of a thermal model such that the radiation from the planet, both reflected albedo and infrared, is calculated correctly. Also important in the calculation of pre-launch vehicle temperatures are the natural environments at the vehicle site, including air and ground temperatures, sky radiative background temperature, solar flux, and optical properties of the ground around the vehicle. A group of Constellation projects have collaborated on developing a cohesive, integrated set of natural environments that accurately capture worst-case thermal scenarios for the pre-launch and launch phases of these vehicles. The paper will discuss the standardization of methods for local planet modeling across Constellation projects, as well as the collection and consolidation of natural environments for launch sites. Methods for Earth as well as lunar sites will be discussed.

Gasbarre, Joseph F.↗

NASA NTRS2007

The Importance of High Spatial and Appropriate Spectral Resolution Spectroscopy

Many diverse astronomical sources are resolved with diffraction-limited large telescopes. Application of appropriate dispersion spectroscopy unveils much information on the physics of these objects ranging from gamma ray bursters in host galaxies, star-formation regions and central engines in nearby galaxies, structures in galactic nebulae, resolved binaries with mass exchange, extended winds of massive stars, protoplanetary systems, and comets, asteroids and planets within our own solar system. Active optics and interferometers coupled with spectrographs can provide near-diffraction-limited spectroscopy from the ground but only longward of one micron. Below one micron, and certainly below 6000A, we must turn to space-based large telescopes equipped with spectrographs capable of providing spatially diffraction-limited spectroscopy of astronomical sources. Examples will be presented from the HST/STIS, ground-based and other instruments on science that has been accomplished. Suggestions will be made of what might be possible, and limitations thereof, with future large monolithic, multiple mirror or interferometric telescopes equipped with spectrographs that would be matched to the diffraction limit of the telescope.

Gull, Theodore↗