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NASA NTRS2005

Structures Self-Assembled Through Directional Solidification

Nanotechnology has created a demand for new fabrication methods with an emphasis on simple, low-cost techniques. Directional solidification of eutectics (DSE) is an unconventional approach in comparison to low-temperature biomimetic approaches. A technical challenge for DSE is producing microstructural architectures on the nanometer scale. In both processes, the driving force is the minimization of Gibb's free energy. Selfassembly by biomimetic approaches depends on weak interaction forces between organic molecules to define the architectural structure. The architectural structure for solidification depends on strong chemical bonding between atoms. Constituents partition into atomic-level arrangements at the liquid-solid interface to form polyphase structures, and this atomic-level arrangement at the liquid-solid interface is controlled by atomic diffusion and total undercooling due to composition (diffusion), kinetics, and curvature of the boundary phases. Judicious selection of the materials system and control of the total undercooling are the keys to producing structures on the nanometer scale. The silicon-titanium silicide (Si-TiSi2) eutectic forms a rod structure under isothermal cooling conditions. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, directional solidification was employed along with a thermal gradient to promote uniform rods oriented with the thermal gradient. The preceding photomicrograph shows the typical transverse microstructure of a solidified Si-TiSi2 eutectic composition. The dark and light gray regions are Si and TiSi2, respectively. Preferred rod orientation along the thermal gradient was poor. The ordered TiSi2 rods have a narrow distribution in diameter of 2 to 3 m, as shown. The rod diameter showed a weak dependence on process conditions. Anisotropic etch behavior between different phases provides the opportunity to fabricate structures with high aspect ratios. The photomicrographs show the resulting microstructure after a wet chemical etch and a dry plasma etch. The wet chemical etches the silicon away, exposing the TiSi2 rods, whereas plasma etching preferentially etches the Si-TiSi2 interface to form a crater. The porous architectures are applicable to fabricating microdevices or creating templates for part fabrication. The porous rod structure can serve as a platform for fabricating microplasma devices for propulsion or microheat exchangers and for fabricating microfilters for miniatured chemical reactors. Although more work is required, self-assembly from DSE can have a role in microdevice fabrication.

Dynys, Frederick W.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Intersymbol Interference Investigations Using a 3D Time-Dependent Traveling Wave Tube Model

For the first time, a physics based computational model has been used to provide a direct description of the effects of the TWT (Traveling Wave Tube) on modulated digital signals. The TWT model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency dependent AM/AM and AM/PM conversion; gain and phase ripple; drive-induced oscillations; harmonic generation; intermodulation products; and backward waves. Thus, signal integrity can be investigated in the presence of these sources of potential distortion as a function of the physical geometry of the high power amplifier and the operational digital signal. This method promises superior predictive fidelity compared to methods using TWT models based on swept amplitude and/or swept frequency data. The fully three-dimensional (3D), time-dependent, TWT interaction model using the electromagnetic code MAFIA is presented. This model is used to investigate assumptions made in TWT black box models used in communication system level simulations. In addition, digital signal performance, including intersymbol interference (ISI), is compared using direct data input into the MAFIA model and using the system level analysis tool, SPW (Signal Processing Worksystem).

Kory, Carol L.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Time-Dependent Traveling Wave Tube Model for Intersymbol Interference Investigations

For the first time, a computational model has been used to provide a direct description of the effects of the traveling wave tube (TWT) on modulated digital signals. The TWT model comprehensively takes into account the effects of frequency dependent AM/AM and AM/PM conversion, gain and phase ripple; drive-induced oscillations; harmonic generation; intermodulation products; and backward waves. Thus, signal integrity can be investigated in the presence of these sources of potential distortion as a function of the physical geometry of the high power amplifier and the operational digital signal. This method promises superior predictive fidelity compared to methods using TWT models based on swept-amplitude and/or swept-frequency data. The fully three-dimensional (3D), time-dependent, TWT interaction model using the electromagnetic code MAFIA is presented. This model is used to investigate assumptions made in TWT black-box models used in communication system level simulations. In addition, digital signal performance, including intersymbol interference (ISI), is compared using direct data input into the MAFIA model and using the system level analysis tool, SPW.

Kory, Carol L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Particle Segregation in Collisional Shearing Flows

The size segregation of flowing or shaken grains is a commonly observed phenomenon in industrial processes and in nature. In systems that do not involve much agitation of the grains, several mechanisms that involve gravity have been identified as leading to such segregation. In highly agitated flows, there is a mechanism independent of gravity that is available to drive separation of different grains. This is associated with spatial gradients in the energy of their velocity fluctuations. Because collisions between grains inevitably dissipate energy, collisional granular shear flows are usually of limited extent in the direction transverse to the flow. One consequence of this is that shear flows are strongly influenced by their boundaries. Because grains, on average, slip relative to boundaries, a bumpy or frictional boundary can convert slip energy into fluctuation energy. However, because each collision between a grain and the boundary dissipates fluctuation energy, there is a competition between production and dissipation. In principle, it is possible to design the geometry of the boundary - for example, the size and spacing of the bumps - so that the boundary either produces or dissipates fluctuation energy. This permits the control of the component of the spatial gradient of the fluctuation energy that is normal to the boundary. The gradients in fluctuation energy established by such boundaries may be exploited to drive the separation by size or other properties in a binary mixture of spherical grains. Microgravity makes the visual observations possible by permitting us to employ moderate rates of shear. On earth, the effects of gravity can be minimized by shearing so rapidly that the particle pressure overwhelms gravity. However, in this event, separation takes place too rapidly for visual observation, buoyancy and/or condensation associated with the centripetal acceleration must be accounted for, and the particles can be severely damaged. Because, in the absence of gravity, the only available time scale is proportional to the speed of the moving boundary, this speed can be made arbitrarily slow to permit observations and to avoid particle damage, without altering the phenomenon under study. The primary goal of this research is to carry out a physical experiment in which particle segregation is induced and maintained in a collisional flow of a binary mixture of two different types of spheres.

Jenkins, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Mechanical Mixer for Rudder/Braking Wedge

Right and left rudder panels moved separately. Mechanical mixer enables panels of two-panel rudder to rotate in same direction for steering or in opposite directions for dynamic braking. Steering and braking inputs separate so any combination of steering and braking motions executed simultaneously. Developed for aerodynamic braking of Space Shuttle orbiter, steering/braking drive train and rudder arrangement used for similar purposes on aircraft, thereby reducing sizes of thrust reversers.

Grimm, D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Integrated Optoelectronic Interface

Proposed optoelectronic integrated-circuit device serves as "universal" or standard interface for transmission and reception of digital and analog signals in communication, data-processing, and control systems. Eliminates need for custom design of interface circuitry in sense that it embodies "master-chip" design easily adaptable to use with specific equipment. Includes directly modulated semiconductor laser to generate light signals for transmission along optical fiber; positive/intrinsic/negative, avalanche, or other photodiode to detect light signals received along another optical fiber;and driving, synchronizing, preamplifying, and signal-regenerating circuitry. Muliplexes electronic signals before transmission and/or demultiplexes electronic signals after reception.

Katz, Joseph↗

NASA NTRS1993

Generation of waves in the Venus mantle by the ion acoustic beam instability

The ion acoustic beam instability is suggested as a mechanism to produce wave turbulence observed in the Venus mantle at frequencies 100 Hz and 730 Hz. The plasma is assumed to consist of a stationary cold O(+) ion plasma and a flowing, shocked solar wind plasma. The O(+) ions appear as a beam relative to the flowing ionosheath plasma which provides the free energy to drive the instability. The plasma is driven unstable by inverse electron Landau damping of an ion acoustic wave associated with the cold ionospheric O(+) ions. The instability can directly generate the observed 100 Hz waves in the Venus mantle as well as the observed 730 Hz waves through the Doppler shift of the frequency caused by the satellite motion.

Huba, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Aerosol-Water Cycle Interaction: A New Challenge in Monsoon Climate Research

Long recognized as a major environmental hazard, aerosol is now known to have strong impacts on both regional and global climate. It has been estimated that aerosol may reduce by up to 10% of the seasonal mean solar radiation reaching the earth surface, producing a global cooling effect that opposes global warming (Climate Change 2001). This means that the potential perils that humans have committed to global warming may be far greater than what we can detect at the present. As a key component of the Earth climate system, the water cycle is profoundly affected by the presence of aerosols in the atmosphere. Through the so-called direct effect , aerosol scatters and/or absorbs solar radiation, thus cooling the earth surface and changing the horizontal and vertical radiational heating contrast in the atmosphere. The heating contrast drives anomalous atmospheric circulation, resulting in changes in convection, clouds, and rainfall. Another way aerosol can affect the water cycle is through the so-called indirect effects, whereby aerosol increases the number of cloud condensation nuclei, prolongs life time of clouds, and inhibits the growth of cloud drops to raindrops. This leads to more clouds, and increased reflection of solar radiation, and further cooling at the earth surface. In monsoon regions, the response of the water cycle to aerosol forcing is especially complex, not only because of presence of diverse mix of aerosol species with vastly different radiative properties, but also because the monsoon is strongly influenced by ocean and land surface processes, land use, land change, as well as regional and global greenhouse warming effects. Thus, sorting out the impacts of aerosol forcing, and interaction with the monsoon water cycle is a very challenging problem. In this talk, I will offer some insights into how aerosols may impact the Asian monsoon based on preliminary results from satellite observations and climate model experiments. Specifically, I will discuss the elevated heat pump hypothesis, involving atmospheric heating by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) over the southern slopes of the Himalayas, and feedback with the deep convection, in modifying monsoon water cycle over South .and East Asia. The role of aerosol forcing relative to those due to sea surface temperature and land surface processes, as well as observation requirements to verify such a hypothesis will also be discussed.

Lau, William K. M.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Physics-based Tests to Identify the Accuracy of Solar Wind Ion Measurements: A Case Study with the Wind Faraday Cups

We present techniques for comparing measurements of velocity, temperature, and density with constraints imposed by the plasma physics of magnetized bi-Maxwellian ions. Deviations from these physics-based constraints are interpreted as arising from measurement errors. Two million ion spectra from the Solar Wind Experiment Faraday Cup instruments on the Wind spacecraft are used as a case study. The accuracy of velocity measurements is determined by the fact that differential flow between hydrogen and helium should be aligned with the ambient magnetic field. Modeling the breakdown of field alignment suggests velocity uncertainties are less than 0.16% in magnitude and 3deg in direction. Temperature uncertainty is found by examining the distribution of observed temperature anisotropies in high-beta solar wind intervals where the firehose, mirror, and cyclotron microinstabilities should drive the distribution to isotropy. The presence of a finite anisotropy at high beta suggests overall temperature uncertainties of 8%. Hydrogen and helium number densities are compared with the electron density inferred from observations of the local electron plasma frequency as a function of solar wind speed and year. We find that after accounting for the contribution of minor ions, the results are consistent with a systematic offset between the two instruments of 34%. The temperature and density methods are sensitive to non-Maxwellian features such as heat flux and proton beams and as a result are more suited to slow solar wind where these features are rare. These procedures are of general use in identifying the accuracy of observations from any solar wind ion instrument.

Kasper, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Aerosol-Water Cycle Interaction: A New Challenge in Monsoon Climate Research

Long recognized as a major environmental hazard, aerosol is now known to have strong impacts on both regional and global climate. It has been estimated that aerosol may reduce by up to 10% of the seasonal mean solar radiation reaching the earth surface, producing a global cooling effect that opposes global warming (Climate Change 2001). This means that the potential perils that humans have committed to global warming may be far greater than what we can detect at the present. As a key component of the Earth climate system, the water cycle is profoundly affected by the presence of aerosols in the atmosphere. Through the so-called "direct effect", aerosol scatters and/or absorbs solar radiation, thus cooling the earth surface and changing the horizontal and vertical radiational heating contrast in the atmosphere. The heating contrast drives anomalous atmospheric circulation, resulting in changes in convection, clouds, and rainfall. Another way aerosol can affect the water cycle is through the so-called "indirect effects", whereby aerosol increases the number of cloud condensation nuclei, prolongs life time of clouds, and inhibits the growth of cloud drops to raindrops. This leads to more clouds, and increased reflection of solar radiation, and further cooling at the earth surface. In monsoon regions, the response of the water cycle to aerosol forcing is especially complex, not only because of presence of diverse mix of aerosol species with vastly different radiative properties, but also because the monsoon is strongly influenced by ocean and land surface processes, land use, land change, as well as regional and global greenhouse warming effects. Thus, sorting out the impacts of aerosol forcing, and interaction with the monsoon water cycle is a very challenging problem. In this talk, I will offer some insights into how aerosols may impact the Asian monsoon based on preliminary results from satellite observations and climate model experiments. Specifically, I will discuss the "elevated heat pump" hypothesis, involving atmospheric heating by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) over the southern slopes of the Himalayas, and feedback with the deep convection, in modifying monsoon water cycle over South and East Asia. The role of aerosol forcing relative to those due to sea surface temperature and land surface processes, as well as observation requirements to verify such a hypothesis will also be discussed.

Lau, William K. M.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Solar Eruptions: Coronal Mass Ejections and Flares

This lecture introduces the topic of Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, collectively known as solar eruptions. During solar eruptions, the released energy flows out from the Sun in the form of magnetized plasma and electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation suddenly increases the ionization content of the ionosphere, thus impacting communication and navigation systems. Flares can be eruptive or confined. Eruptive flares accompany CMEs, while confined flares hav~ only electromagnetic signature. CMEs can drive MHD shocks that accelerate charged particles to very high energies in the interplanetary space, which pose radiation hazard to astronauts and space systems. CMEs heading in the direction of Earth arrive in about two days and impact Earth's magnetosphere, producing geomagnetic storms. The magnetic storms result in a number of effects including induced curr~nts that can disrupt power grids, railroads, and underground pipelines

Gopalswamy, Nat↗

NASA NTRS2004

Cognitive Modeling of Social Behaviors

The driving theme of cognitive modeling for many decades has been that knowledge affects how and which goals are accomplished by an intelligent being (Newell 1991). But when one examines groups of people living and working together, one is forced to recognize that whose knowledge is called into play, at a particular time and location, directly affects what the group accomplishes. Indeed, constraints on participation, including roles, procedures, and norms, affect whether an individual is able to act at all (Lave & Wenger 1991; Jordan 1992; Scribner & Sachs 1991). To understand both individual cognition and collective activity, perhaps the greatest opportunity today is to integrate the cognitive modeling approach (which stresses how beliefs are formed and drive behavior) with social studies (which stress how relationships and informal practices drive behavior). The crucial insight is that norms are conceptualized in the individual &nd as ways of carrying out activities (Clancey 1997a, 2002b). This requires for the psychologist a shift from only modeling goals and tasks - why people do what they do - to modeling behavioral patterns-what people do-as they are engaged in purposeful activities. Instead of a model that exclusively deduces actions from goals, behaviors are also, if not primarily, driven by broader patterns of chronological and located activities (akin to scripts). This analysis is particular inspired by activity theory (Leont ev 1979). While acknowledging that knowledge (relating goals and operations) is fundamental for intelligent behavior, activity theory claims that a broader driver is the person s motives and conceptualization of activities. Such understanding of human interaction is normative (i.e., viewed with respect to social standards), affecting how knowledge is called into play and applied in practice. Put another way, how problems are discovered and framed, what methods are chosen, and indeed who even cares or has the authority to act, are all constrained by norms, which are conceived and enacted by individuals.

Clancey, William J.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Reliable Earth Return System for Safe Recovery of Mars Samples

The objective of a Mars sample return mission is to bring selected Mars surface materials to Earth. Numerous approaches for the Earth-return segment have been analyzed including propulsive or aerocapture return to low-Earth orbit followed by Space Shuttle rendezvous and direct entry. Of these approaches, ballistic entry of a small capsule terminating in a ground landing has been shown to be the lowest risk strategy. Over the past two years, significant work has been performed towards development of a robust direct entry vehicle for Mars sample return. In June 1999, the NASA Planetary Protection Officer provided initial guidance to the former Mars Sample Return Project. The sample return phase of the mission was assigned a restricted Earth return planetary protection classification. The draft mission requirement states that the total mean probability of release of unsterilized Mars material into the Earth;s biosphere must be less than 1.0E-06 (1 in a million). This strict requirement drives the approach and design of the Earth return system. To meet this requirement, selection of the Earth return strategy and development of the Earth return system must be guided by risk, not performance, based decisions. An initial Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) was performed to address the direct entry Earth return system containment assurance reliability and to identify high-risk elements of this system. The results of this PRA identified risk elements that include thermal protection system performance during entry, spin-eject orientation and aerodynamic stability during entry, structural integrity under atmospheric deceleration and impact loads, and tracking/recovery of this system. This initial probabilistic risk quantification demonstrates that, with the proper development program, a prototypical direct entry design can satisfy the containment assurance reliability requirement. Through the current Mars Sample Return Advanced Technology Development effort, an extensive design, analysis, and test program is presently proceeding with the aim of reducing the containment assurance risk of this system. This technology development effort, guided by a continuing PRA, focuses on key risk areas of a direct entry Earth return system including: the thermal protection system, impact dynamics, structural performance, aerodynamic stability, and ground recovery. This development program will culminate in a system validation flight test, 1-2 years prior to launch of the flight system. This flight test would include the launch, entry, and recovery of a full-scale Earth return system, as a scientific validation of the key risk elements to verify nominal design performance. The results of the initial PRA suggested several dominant failure sequences that can be validated in a flight test. These include: demonstrating the thermal protection system reliability and performance during entry, demonstrating the spin-eject orientation and aero-dynamic stability during entry, demonstrating the structural integrity under atmospheric deceleration and impact loads, and demonstrating tracking and recovery of the Earth return system. This single test will directly address over 50% of the total containment assurance risk elements. This presentation will begin by presenting the relative risk of various Earth return strategies. The results of the initial probabilistic risk assessment will be presented followed by a discussion of the development accomplishments and plans for demonstration of a highly reliable direct entry Earth return system.

Braun, R.↗

NASA NTRS1974

The cryogenic wind tunnel for high Reynolds number testing

Experiments performed at the NASA Langley Research Center in a cryogenic low-speed continuous-flow tunnel and in a cryogenic transonic continuous-flow pressure tunnel have demonstrated the predicted changes in Reynolds number, drive power, and fan speed with temperature, while operating with nitrogen as the test gas. The experiments have also demonstrated that cooling to cryogenic temperatures by spraying liquid nitrogen directly into the tunnel circuit is practical and that tunnel temperature can be controlled within very close limits. Whereas most types of wind tunnel could operate with advantage at cryogenic temperatures, the continuous-flow fan-driven tunnel is particularly well suited to take full advantage of operating at these temperatures. A continuous-flow fan-driven cryogenic tunnel to satisfy current requirements for test Reynolds number can be constructed and operated using existing techniques. Both capital and operating costs appear acceptable.

Kilgore, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Two hundred passage three-way valve: Fraction collector

This paper describes the design and operation of a fraction collector used to direct flow of separated biological materials from 197 capillary tubes to either a collection tray or to a waste tank. This mechanism uses a 28-volt dc gear motor driving twin cams to force 197 needles through a self-sealing silicone rubber septum, where they inject the material in 197 separate pockets in a collection tray. The position of the collector tray is sensed by two optical limit switches. The time sequences are controlled automatically by an electronics control monitoring module.

Keffer, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Evaporation and solar irradiance as regulators of sea surface temperature in annual and interannual changes

Seven years of net surface solar irradiance (S) derived from cloud information provided by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) and 4 years of surface latent heat flux (E) derived from the observations of the special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) were used to examine the relation between surface heat fluxes and sea surface temperature (T(sub s)) in their global geographical distribution, seasonal cycle, and interannual variation. The relations of seasonal changes imply that evaporation cooling is significant over most of the ocean and that solar heating is the main drive for the change of T(sub s) away from the equatorial wave guide where ocean dynamics may be more important. However, T(sub s) is not the most direct and significant factor in the seasonal changes of S and E over most of the ocean; the solar incident angle may be more important to S, and wind speed and air humidity are found to correlate better with E. Significant local correlations between anomalies of T(sub s) and S and between anomalies of T(sub s) and E are found in the central equatorial Pacific; both types of correlation are negative. The influence of ocean dynamics in changing T(sub s) in the tropical ocean cannot be ignored.

Liu, W. Timothy↗

NASA NTRS2000

Flow Quality Measurements in the NASA Ames Upgraded 11-by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel

Among the many upgrades designed and implemented in the NASA Ames 11-by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel over the past few years, several directly affect flow quality in the test section: a turbulence reduction system with a honeycomb and two screens, a flow smoothing system in the back leg diffusers, an improved drive motor control system, and a full replacement set of composite blades for the compressor. Prior to the shut-down of the tunnel for construction activities, an 8-foot span rake populated with flow instrumentation was traversed in the test section to fully document the flow quality and establish a baseline against which the upgrades could be characterized. A similar set of measurements was performed during the recent integrated system test trials, but the scope was somewhat limited in accordance with the primary objective of such tests, namely to return the tunnel to a fully operational status. These measurements clearly revealed substantial improvements in flow angularity and significant reductions in turbulence level for both full-span and semi-span testing configurations, thus making the flow quality of the tunnel one of the best among existing transonic facilities.

Amaya, Max A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Method of Heating a Foam-Based Catalyst Bed

A method of heating a foam-based catalyst bed has been developed using silicon carbide as the catalyst support due to its readily accessible, high surface area that is oxidation-resistant and is electrically conductive. The foam support may be resistively heated by passing an electric current through it. This allows the catalyst bed to be heated directly, requiring less power to reach the desired temperature more quickly. Designed for heterogeneous catalysis, the method can be used by the petrochemical, chemical processing, and power-generating industries, as well as automotive catalytic converters. Catalyst beds must be heated to a light-off temperature before they catalyze the desired reactions. This typically is done by heating the assembly that contains the catalyst bed, which results in much of the power being wasted and/or lost to the surrounding environment. The catalyst bed is heated indirectly, thus requiring excessive power. With the electrically heated catalyst bed, virtually all of the power is used to heat the support, and only a small fraction is lost to the surroundings. Although the light-off temperature of most catalysts is only a few hundred degrees Celsius, the electrically heated foam is able to achieve temperatures of 1,200 C. Lower temperatures are achievable by supplying less electrical power to the foam. Furthermore, because of the foam s open-cell structure, the catalyst can be applied either directly to the foam ligaments or in the form of a catalyst- containing washcoat. This innovation would be very useful for heterogeneous catalysis where elevated temperatures are needed to drive the reaction.

Fortini, Arthur J.↗