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At least 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Io's surface and environs - A magmatic-volatile model

A model is proposed to account for the observed properties of Io. The crust is probably siliceous, but the outermost visible surface is composed primarily of several allotropes of elemental sulfur, plus frosts of SO2, H2S, and S2O. The 4-micron feature in Io's IR reflectance is identified as the (nu 1 + nu 3) band of SO2 frost. A possible source of the S is dissociation of iron sulfide brought up from the core by mantle convection. The SO2 is produced in the volcanoes, and the H2S by interaction of magnetospheric protons with the surface S. Delayed luminescence from S2O could cause the posteclipse brightening. The orbital torus is sustained by evaporation from molten ejecta from the volcanoes. Several additional diagnostic absorption bands and two additional minor torus species are predicted by this model.

Hapke, B.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Some effects of gas adsorption on the high temperature volatile release behavior of a terrestrial basalt, tektite and lunar soil

Mass pyrograms obtained from high-temperature, mass psectrometric pyrolysis of a glassy theoleiitic submarine basalt and a tektite, ground in air to less than 64 microns, have shown N2 and SO release patterns very similar to those from the pyrolysis of mature lunar soil fines. The N2 and CO release behavior from the terrestrial samples reproduces the biomodal, high-temperature (approximately 700 and 1050 C) features from the lunar samples. Unground portions of the basalt and tektite show no release of N2 and CO during pyrolysis. Grinding also alters the release behavior and absolute amounts of H2O and CO2. It is suggested that adsorption of atmospheric gases in addition to solar wind implantation of ions may account for the wide range of values in previously reported concentrations of carbon and nitrogen from lunar fines.

Graham, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Mars - CO2 adsorption and capillary condensation on clays: Significance for volatile storage and atmospheric history

Results on the adsorbate-adsorbent system CO2-nontronite are reported at 230, 196, and 158 deg K, covering the range of subsurface regolith temperature on Mars. A three-part regolith-atmosphere-cap model reveals that cold nontronite, and expanding clays in general, are far better but far more complex CO2 adsorbers than cold pulverized basalt. In addition, the layered terrain, and possibly the adjacent debris mantle, contains about 2% or more by mass of atmosphere-exchangeable CO2 and the total regolith inventory of available adsorbed CO2 is estimated to be 400 g/ sq cm.

Fanale, F. P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Volatile element chemistry in the solar nebula - Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P

The results of the most extensive set to date of thermodynamic calculations on the equilibrium chemistry of several hundred compounds of the elements Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P in a solar composition system are reported. Two extreme models of accretion are investigated. In one extreme complete chemical equilibrium between condensates and gases is maintained because the time scale for accretion is long compared to the time scale for cooling or dissipation of the nebula. Condensates formed in this homogeneous accretion model include several phases such as whitlockite, alkali feldspars, and apatite minerals which are found in chondrites. In the other extreme complete isolation of newly formed condensates from prior condensates and gases occurs due to a time scale for accretion that is short relative to the time required for nebular cooling or dissipation. The condensates produced in this heterogeneous accretion model include alkali sulfides, ammonium halides, and ammonium phosphates. None of these phases are found in chondrites. Available observations of the Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P elemental abundances in the terrestrial planets are found to be compatible with the predictions of the homogeneous accretion model.

Fegley, B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Martian fresh crater depths - More evidence for subsurface volatiles

The paper presents and examines new depth data, which have greater accuracy and area coverage than those acquired previously, for fresh Martian craters through shadow measurements on high quality Viking Orbiter photography. Consideration is given to these data in the context of similar measurements of lunar and Mercurian craters, noting that most craters studied are shallower than those on the Moon and Mercury. Finally, processes are described which could account for the observed interior morphometries.

Cintala, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The contribution of cometary volatiles to the primitive earth

It has been estimated that during its early history the earth captured a mass of cometary material of the order of 10 to the 23rd grams. Since carbon is supposed to be at least three times more abundant in comets than in carbonaceous chondrites (3.5 percent C in C 1 chondrites), it can be deduced that about 1 x 10 to the 22nd grams of carbon (as carbon compounds), were added by comets to the surface of the prebiotic earth. This carbon value is of the same order of magnitude as the value of the organic carbon buried in the earth's sedimentary shell, but approximately one order of magnitude lower than the earth's surface total carbon (7 x 10 to the 22nd gm). The capture of comets by the earth would also have contributed to generating the appropriate aqueous and reducing environmental conditions necessary for organic synthesis.

Oro, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Vacuum Baking To Remove Volatile Materials

Outgassing reduced in some but not all nonmetallic materials. Eleven polymeric materials tested by determining outgassing species as temperature of conditioned and unconditioned materials raised to 300 degrees C. Conditioning process consisted of vacuum bake for 24 hours at 80 degrees C in addition to usual cure. Baking did not change residual gas percentage of water molecules.

Muscari, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Geomorphic clues to the Martian volatile inventory: Landslides

Eight landslide locales were selected in Valles Marineris for preliminary geomorphological mapping. Four main suites of morphological features were identified. In four order outward from the head scarp they are: (1) large ridges in head area, transverse to movement direction, probably slump blocks or pieces of wall that fell or toppled, possibly backward rotated; (2) smaller ridges, convex toward distal edge of slides, many with lobate pattern, some possibly step like scarps rather than ridges; (3) thin, sheet like debris cover, forms discrete fan shaped lobe with edge scarps unconfined; and (4) low transverse, continuous ridges (possibly folds) found at distal edge of slides, where debris appears to have encountered obstructions (e.g., opposing canyon walls), but not all confined slides exhibit this feature. Any one landslide can possess all or some of these features. Slides in the western Valles Marineris are more complex and show more variety than those in the eastern part.

Pieri, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Laser-induced volatilization and ionization of microparticles

A method for the laser vaporization and ionization of individual micron-size particles is presented whereby a particle is ionized by a laser pulse while in flight in the beam. Ionization in the beam offers a real-time analytical capability and eliminates any possible substrate-sample interferences during an analysis. An experimental arrangement using a high-energy Nd-YAG laser is described, and results are presented for ions generated from potassium biphthalate particles (1.96 micron in diameter). The method proposed here is useful for the chemical analysis of aerosol particles by mass spectrometry and for other spectroscopic and chemical kinetic studies.

Sinha, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Miniature triaxial metastable ionization detector for gas chromatographic trace analysis of extraterrestrial volatiles

The present investigation is concerned with a miniature metastable ionization detector featuring an unconventional electrode configuration, whose performance characteristics parallel those of traditional design. The ionization detector is to be incorporated in a flight gas chromatograph (GC) for use in the Space Shuttle. The design of the detector is discussed, taking into account studies which verified the sensitivity of the detector. The triaxial design of the detector is compared with a flat-plate style. The obtained results show that the principal goal of developing a miniature, highly sensitive ionization detector for flight applications was achieved. Improved fabrication techniques will utilize glass-to-metal seals and brazing procedures.

Woeller, F. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Dynamic compression and volatile release of carbonates

Particle velocity profiles upon shock compression and isentropic releases were measured for polycrystalline calcite. The Solenhofen limestone release paths lie, close to the Hugoniot. Calcite 3 to 2 transition, upon release, was observed, but rarefaction shocks were not detected. The equation of state is used to predict the fraction of material devolatilized upon isentropic release as a function of shock pressure. The effect of ambient partial pressure of CO2 on the calculations is demonstrated and considered in models of atmospheric evolution by impact induced mineral devolatilization. The radiative characteristics of shocked calcite indicate that localization of thermal energy occurs under shock compression. Shock entropy calculations result in a minimum estimate of 90% devolatilization upon complete release from 10 GPa. Isentropic release paths from calculated continuum Hugoniot temperatures cross into the CaO (solid) + CO2 (vapor) field at improbably low pressures. It is found that release paths from measured shock temperatures cross into the melt plus vapor field at pressures greater than .5 GPa, which suggests that devolatilization is initiated at the shear banding sites.

Tyburczy, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Biologically produced volatile compounds: N2O emissions from soils

Tropospheric nitrous concentration has increased by 0.2 0.4% per year over the period 1975 to 1982, amounting to net addition to the atmosphere of 2.8 - 5.6 Tg N2O-N per year. This perturbation, if continued into the future, will affect stratospheric chemical cycles, and the thermal balance of the Earth. In turn it will have direct and indirect global effects on the biosphere. Though the budget and cycles of N2O on Earth are not yet fully resolved, accumulating information and recent modelling efforts permit a more complete evaluation and better definition of gaps in our knowledge.

Banin, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The partial volatilization of Mercury

During recent years research on the primitive solar nebula has followed two main themes: (1) Very early in the development of the nebula conditions probably favored the occurrence of major gaseous instabilities leading to the formation of giant gaseous protoplanets, but the rapid rise of the external temperature soon evaporated the envelopes of these protoplanets, possibly leaving behind precipitated solids which formed the cores and mantles of the terrestrial planets. (2) Models of the nebula indicate a later stage when conditions in the inner Solar System became very hot; at the position of Mercury the temperature was probably in the range 2500-3500 K. This leads to the hypothesis that the original protomercury was a body substantially more massive than the present planet and of normal composition, but that when it was immersed in the high-temperature field of the dissipating solar nebula, most of the rocky mantle was vaporized and mixed into the solar nebula gases and carried away by them. This hypothesis is investigated in the present paper. For simplicity the vaporization of a mantle composed of enstatite, MgSiO3, was computed for a planet with 2.25 the mass of Mercury at a temperature of 3000 K. It is argued that the mantle could probably be largely removed in the available time of 30,000 yrs. Subsequent accretion would restore some magnesium silicates to the mantle of the planet.

Cameron, A. G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Dynamic compression and volatile release of carbonates

Particle velocity profiles upon shock compression and isentropic releases were measured for polycrystalline calcite. The Solenhofen limestone release paths lie close to the Hugoniot. Calcite 3 to 2 transition, upon release was observed, but rarefaction shocks were not detected. The equation of state is used to predict the fraction of material devolatilized upon isentropic release as a function of shock pressure. The effect of ambient partial pressure of CO2 on the calculations is demonstrated and considered in models of atmospheric evolution by impact induced mineral devolatilization. The radiative characteristics of shocked calcite indicate that localization of thermal energy occurs under shock compression. Shock entropy calculations result in a minimum estimate of 90 percent devolatilization upon complete release from 10 GPa. Isentropic release paths from calculated continuum Hugoniot temperatures cross into the CaO (solid) + CO2 (vapor) field at improbably low pressures. It is found that release paths from measured shock temperatures cross into the melt plus vapor field at pressures greater than .5 GPa, which suggests that devolatilization is initiated at the shear banding sites.

Tyburczy, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Measurements of the dielectric constants for planetary volatiles

The model of Titan at present has the surface temperature, pressure, and composition such that there is a possibility of a binary ethane-methane ocean. Proposed experiments for future Titan flybys include microwave mappers. Very little has been measured of the dielectric properties of the small hydrocarbons at these radar frequencies. An experiment was conducted utilizing a slotted line to measure the dielectric properties of the hydrocarbons, methane to heptane, from room temperature to -180 C. Measurements of the real part of the dielectric constants are accurate to + or - 0.006 and the imaginary part (the loss tangent) of the liquids studied is less than or equal to 0.001. In order to verify this low loss tangent, the real part of the dielectric constant of hexane at 25 C was studied as a function of the frequency range of the slotted line system used. The dielectric constant of hexane at room temperature, between 500 MHz and 3 MHz, is constant within experimental error.

Anicich, Vincent G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Lava fountain heights at Pu'u 'O'o, Kilauea, Hawaii - Indicators of amount and variations of exsolved magma volatiles

Factors most important in determining fountain height in Hawaiian-type basaltic eruptions were assessed on the basis of theoretical calculations and observations at Pu'u 'O'o vent, east rift zone of Kilauea, Hawaii. It is shown that fountain height is very sensitive to changes in exsolved gas content (and, thus, can be used to estimate variability in exsolved gas content) and relatively insensitive to large variations in volume flux. Volume flux was found to be the most important parameter determining the equilibrium vent diameter. The results of calculations also indicate that there was a general increase in magma gas content over the first 20 episodes of the Pu'u 'O'o eruption and that gas depletion took place in the conduit beneath the vent during repose periods.

Head, James W., III↗