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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 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Differences in the size-internal velocity relation of galactic and extragalactic HII regions

The nature of the size-internal velocity relation in extragalactic HII regions is examined in order to improve their use as distance determinants. The relation between the linear size and the internal velocity was compared for HII regions in the Galaxy and in external galaxies. Data for the former are from the researcher's own studies at high spatial resolution, while the latter have been the subject of spectroscopy that includes almost the entire objects. The Galactic HII regions are corrected to values of the internal velocity that would be observed if they were at extragalactic distances. A very different size-internal velocity relation was found for the two types of objects in the sense that the extragalactic objects are some ten times larger at the same internal velocity. This is interpreted to mean that the extragalactic HII regions are actually complexes of small HII regions comparable in size to their Galactic counterparts.

Odell, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Reddening and extinction towards H II regions

The light emitted by the gas in H II regions is attenuated by dust. This extinction can be measured by comparing H alpha, H beta, and radio continuum fluxes, since the intrinsic ratios of the Balmer line and thermal radio continuum emissivities are nearly constant for reasonable conditions in H II regions. In the case of giant extragalactic H II regions, the extinction was found to be considerably greater than expected. The dust between the Earth and the emitting gas may have an optical thickness which varies. The dust may be close enough to the source that scattered light contributes to the flux, or the dust may be actually mixed with the emitting gas. It is difficult to decide which configuration is correct. A rediscussion of this question in light of recent observations, with the Fabry-Perot spectrophotometers, of the large Galactic H II region is presented. The color excesses are compared for stars embedded in these H II regions with those derived (assuming the standard law) from the nebular extinction and reddening.

Caplan, James↗
NASA NTRS1989

High resolution observations of compact H II regions at 230 GHz

Based on the idea that star formation goes on progressively in molecular clouds, a search was conducted for protostars by mapping compact H II regions at a frequency of 250 GHz. The IRAM 30 m radio telescope was used with a (3)He cooled bolometer. Twenty compact H II regions usually obtaining twice the expected free-free flux density, positionally coincident with the H II region, were observed. Even fine structure within the H II regions can be traced in the maps as in the case of G75.84+0.40 near ON-2. The high degree of coincidence between the 250 and 5 GHz map of Harris shows that the excess flux density observed must come from dust mixed with the ionized gas. Part of the dust must however be accumulated in the outer part of the H II region, since in some cases the contours are shifted outwards relative to the radio maps. This is consistent with the fact that in those cases where enough information is available to make a model fit, temperatures were derived of 80 + or - 30 K.

Wink, JOERN-E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Thermal and albedo mapping of the north and south polar regions of Mars

The first maps are presented of the north and south polar regions of Mars. The thermal properties of the midlatitude regions from -60 deg to +60 deg latitude were mapped in previous studies. The presented maps complete the mapping of entire planet. The maps for the north and south polar regions were derived from Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) observations. Best fit thermal inertias were determined by comparing the available IRTM 20 micron channel brightness within a given region to surface temperatures computed by a diurnal and seasonal thermal model. The model assumes no atmospheric contributions to the surface heat balance. The resulting maps of apparent thermal inertia and average IRTM measured solar channel lambert albedo for the north and south polar regions from the poles to +/- 60 deg latitude.

Paige, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Spatial relationships between region 2 field-aligned currents and electron and ion precipitation in the evening sector

The equatorward cutoff of ion and electron precipitation in relation to the evening region 2 field-aligned current during isolated substorms has been investigated using the magnetic field and plasma data obtained from the Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite. The equatorward boundaries of the region 2 currents relative to those of central plasma sheet (CPS) electron precipitation are determined predominantly by magnetic local time and subsequently change with substorm phases. With approaching midnight, the equatorward boundary of CPS electron precipitation extends toward and eventually equatorward of that of the region 2 current. On the other hand, the equatorward boundary of the region 2 current coincides well with that of 10-20 keV ion precipitation during the whole course of substorms. It is proposed that these ions originate in the so-called Alfven layer and that the location of this inner boundary determines the lower latitude boundary of the region 2 current.

Fujii, R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Image segmentation by iterative parallel region growing and splitting

The spatially constrained clustering (SCC) iterative parallel region-growing technique is applied to image analysis. The SCC algorithm is implemented on the massively parallel processor at NASA Goddard. Most previous region-growing approaches have the drawback that the segmentation produced depends on the order in which portions of the image are processed. The ideal solution to this problem (merging only the single most similar pair of spatially adjacent regions in the image in each iteration) becomes impractical except for very small images, even on a massively parallel computer. The SCC algorithm overcomes these problems by performing, in parallel, the best merge within each of a set of local, possibly overlapping, subimages. A region-splitting stage is also incorporated into the algorithm, but experiments show that region splitting generally does not improve segmentation results. The SCC algorithm has been tested on various imagery data, and test results for a Landsat TM image are summarized.

Tilton, James C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Geology of the Venus equatorial region from Pioneer Venus radar imaging

The data collected by Pioneer Venus have been used to map the broad radar characteristics of the equatorial region on the basis of radar brightness and texture. Seven units are defined and are used to assess the geologic character of the equatorial region. The correspondence between features in the 15 deg region of overlap between Pioneer Venus ans Venera 15/16 images is examined and used to extend units mapped in the northern high latitudes into the equatorial region. Using the properties of rms slope, reflectivity, the scattering behavior of the surface, and topographic signature, seven physiographic units are mapped on the basis of the distribution of the radar units in the equatorial region and are identified by increasing complexity as plains, dark halo plains, upland rises, upland plateaus, interhighland tectonic zones, tectonically segmented linear highlands, and tectonic junctions. The distribution of larger circular structures interpreted as coronae is also examined.

Senske, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Magnetic flux transport of decaying active regions and enhanced magnetic network

Several series of coordinated observations on decaying active regions and enhanced magnetic network regions on the sun were carried out jointly at Big Bear Solar Observatory and at the Huairou Solar Observing Station of the Bejing Astronomical Observatory in China. The magnetic field evolution in several regions was followed closely for three to seven days. The magnetic flux transport from the remnants of decayed active regions was studied, along with the evolution and lifetime of the magnetic network which defines the boundaries of supergranules. The magnetic flux transport in an enhanced network region was studied in detail and found to be negative. Also briefly described are some properties of moving magnetic features around a sunspot. Results of all of the above studies are presented.

Wang, Haimin↗
NASA NTRS1991

An ultraviolet spectral atlas of a sunspot and an active region 1190-1730 A

An ultraviolet spectral atlas of a sunspot with high spectral and spatial resolution in the wavelength region 1190-1730 A is presented. The atlas contains spectra of three different areas in the sunspot and also of an active region and a quiet region. The selected areas are averaged over several arcsec, ranging from 3.5 arcsec in the sunspot to 18 arcsec in the quiet region. Brief descriptions of the data reduction and calibration procedures are given. The absolute intensities are determined with an accuracy of + or - 30 percent and the wavelength scale is accurate to better than 0.01 A. The transition region lines show the most extreme example known of downflowing gas above a sunspot, a phenomenon which seems to be commonly connected to sunspots.

Brekke, P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The stretching of magnetic flux tubes in the convective overshoot region

The present study examines the fate of a magnetic flux tube initially lying at the bottom of the solar convective overshoot region. Stretching of the flux tube, e.g., by differential rotation, reduces its density, causing it to rise quasi-statically (a process referred to as vertical flux drift) until it reaches the top of the overshoot region and enters the buoyantly unstable convection region, from which a portion of it may ultimately protrude to form an active region on the surface. It is suggested that vertical flux drift and flux destabilization are inevitable consequences of field amplification, and it is surmised that these phenomena should be considered in self-consistent models of solar and stellar dynamos operating in the overshoot region.

Fisher, George H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Structure of the dissipation region during magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma

The results are presented of an analytic and numerical investigation of the structure of the X line during steady state magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. The structure of the X line essentially depends on a single dimensionless parameter F, which is a measure of the influx of plasma into the reconnection region. For small F the self-consistent plasma current driven at the X line is small, and the magnetic fields are nearly unchanged from the initial vacuum state. With increasing F the current driven at the X line becomes large and the dissipation region collapses in the direction of the inflow and elongates along the outflow. For sufficiently large F the velocity of the plasma ejected form the X line exceeds the local Alfven velocity. In this regime a fast mode shock forms at the outflow end of the dissipation region which slows the high-velocity outflow plasma to the subsonic flow characteristic of the broader outflow region. Finally, at a critical plasma flux the dissipation region collapses to zero thickness.

Burkhart, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Motions, fields, and flares in the 1989 March active region

The results of observations of NOAA AR 5395 are presented. The region was observed every day from limb to limb for significant periods, and nine of the ten class-X flares were recorded. The region was found to be a great Delta group, dominated by spots of following (f) polarity, which moved rapidly westward, producing large changes in magnetic structure which increased the shear and led to great flares. Aside from its great size, the region was unusual in that normally p spots dominate and move westward. In this case there was a 4:1 flux imbalance; 80 percent of the flux measured was of following polarity. The major following spot in the region was found to move with a near-constant acceleration, eventually reaching 0.25 km/s. Rapid spot motion was discovered in all other superactive regions. Small p and f spots move out from either side of the large f spot, and curl around it in curved trajectories. The moving penumbral material coalesces into new umbrae.

Wang, Haimin↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mars geologic mapping: Dao, Harmakhis, and Reull Valles region

The east rim of Hellas basin is a complex geologic region affected by volcanic, tectonic, channeling, and resurfacing processes. A regional geologic map of the area between 27.5-42.4 degrees S and 260-275 degrees W was compiled in order to establish general stratigraphic relationships between and among the geologic units exposed in the region. The southern one-third of the regional map, the area convered by three MGM 1:500,000 quadrangles -40272, -40267, and -40262, is to be mapped in more detail in this project. Outflow channel deposits were subdivided into three facies and interpreted. A geologic sketch map of the Hadriaca Patera region on the east rim of the Hellas basin is presented.

Price, Katherine H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Relative abundances in the lower solar transition region

Properties of the lower solar transition region as determined from UV spectral lines recorded by the Naval Research Laboratory HRTS are investigated. The spectra were obtained from a rocket flight in July 1975. Variations of intensity ratios of strong lines of C IV, Si IV, C II, Si III, and O IV over the entire field of view of the HRTS instrument, which extends from disk center to the solar limb are discussed. The largest apparent abundance variations appear to be in the active regions surrounding a sunspot. The C/Si ratio is lower in the active regions than anywhere else in the instrument field of view, implying a lower C/Si abundance ratio in the active regions. There is a possible correlation of line intensity variation in the active region with Doppler shift of the lines; the explanation for this is unclear. The magnitude and reality of intensity ratio variations of all observed solar features are discussed, and monotonic center-to-limb intensity ratio variations due to the opacity of some of the spectral lines are measured.

Doschek, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The molecular interstellar medium in two giant H II regions in M33 - NGC 604 and NGC 595

This study reports single-dish and interferometric CO observations for the two largest H II regions in M33, NGC 604, and NGC 595. Six individual molecular clouds are identified in the H II regions. Molecular and virial masses for three resolved clouds in NGC 604 agree very well, from which it is inferred that the CO-to-H2 conversion factor in this region is the same as it is in the inner disk of M33 and in the Galaxy, despite a metallicity in NGC 604 that is three times below solar. The total gas mass of the molecular complex associated with NGC 604 estimated from single-dish data is dissimilar to those of molecular complexes in the inner disk of M33, while the molecular gas mass of NGC 505 is roughly an order or magnitude smaller. Both regions contain a large mass fraction of atomic hydrogen, which suggests that photodissociation of molecular hydrogen is an important process in these energetic H II regions.

Wilson, Christine D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A regional estimate of convective transport of CO from biomass burning

A regional-scale estimate of the fraction of biomass burning emissions that are transported to the free troposphere by deep convection is presented. The focus is on CO and the study region is a part of Brazil that underwent intensive deforestation in the 1980s. The method of calculation is stepwise, scaling up from a prototype convective event, the dynamics of which are well-characterized, to the vertical mass flux of carbon monoxide over the region. Given uncertainties in CO emissions from biomass burning and the representativeness of the prototype event, it is estimated that 10-40 percent of CO emissions from the burning region may be rapidly transported to the free troposphere over the burning region. These relatively fresh emissions will produce O3 efficiently in the free troposphere where O3 has a longer lifetime than in the boundary layer.

Pickering, Kenneth E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The H II regions of the galaxy M101

The physical properties and composition of the H II region population of the spiral galaxy M101 (NGC 5457) were examined using spectrophotometrically calibrated CCD imagery of two overlapping 16-arcmin fields in the M101, in which individual H II regions were identified and mapped using an automated algorithm. The characteristics obtained for the H II region population of M101 include the H II region luminosity function and radial variations in extinction; the forbidden O III line/H-beta, O/H, and forbidden S II line/H-alpha ratios; the ionization parameter U; and the numbers of ionizing photons. Global variations of physical properties of the H II regions in M101 are compared to model expectations derived for other galaxies. The evident star formation in the M101 galaxy is discussed.

Scowen, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Determining the source region of auroral emissions in the prenoon oval using coordinated Polar BEAR UV-imaging and DMSP particle measurements

The Polar Beacon Experiment and Auroral Research (Polar BEAR) satellite included the capability for imaging the dayside auroral oval in full sunlight at several wavelengths. Particle observations from the DMSP F7 satellite during dayside auroral oval crossings are compared with approximately simultaneous Polar BEAR 1356-A images to determine the magnetospheric source region of the dayside auroral oval. The source region is determined from the DMSP particle data, according to recent work concerning the classification and identification of precipitation source regions. The close DMSP/Polar BEAR coincidences all occur when the former satellite is located between 0945 and 1000 MLT. Instances of auroral arcs mapping to each of several different regions, including the boundary plasma sheet, the low-latitude boundary layer, and the plasma mantle were found. It was determined that about half the time the most prominent auroral arcs are located at the interfaces between distinct plasma regions, at least at the local time studied here.

Newell, Patrick T.↗