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At least 703 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Characteristics of capacitor-type micrometeoroid flux detectors when impacted with simulated micrometeoroids

A series of impact tests are described and data presented which characterize the operation of the capacitor-type micrometeoroid flux detectors used on the Meteoroid Technology Satellite (MTS). Capacitor-type detectors with silicon dioxide dielectric thickness of 0.4 and 1.0 microns were tested in the micrometeoroid impact simulator at the Langley Research Center, a 4-MV Van de Graaff electrostatic accelerator. The carbonyl iron projectiles were from 0.5 to 5.0 microns in diameter with velocities from 4 to 10.0 km/sec. The detector bias voltage was varied from -20 to -60 V; some tests were at detector temperatures of 90 C to -100 C; and the angle of impact varied from 0 deg to 75 deg from the normal to the detector. These tests showed that: (1) the detector operation is reliable when the bias voltage is greater than 30 V; (2) after an impact the detector returns to its original condition with an insignificant loss of active area; and (3) the sensitivity of the detector is inversely proportional to the detector thickness. The test results suggest a theoretical model in which the signal is an arc triggered by the impacting projectile, and the detector bias voltage must be high enough to insure that an arc will form.

Kassel, P. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Analysis of data from spacecraft (stratospheric warmings)

Links between the upper atmosphere and the stratosphere were studied to explain stratospheric warmings, and to correlate the warmings with other terrestrial and solar phenomena. Physical mechanisms for warming, or which may act as a trigger are discussed along with solar and geophysical indices. Two stratospheric warming cases are analyzed.

Anderson, A. D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Thermal surveillance of active volcanoes

The author has identified the following significant results. By the end of 1973, aerial infrared scanner traverses for thermal anomaly recordings of all Cascade Range volcanoes were essentially completed. Amplitude level slices of the Mount Baker anomalies were completed and compiled at a scale of 1:24,000, thus producing, for the first time, an accurate map of the distribution and intensity of thermal activity on Mount Baker. The major thermal activity is concentrated within the crater south of the main summit and although it is characterized by intensive solfataric activity and warm ground, it is largely subglacial, causing the development of sizable glacier perforation features. The outgoing radiative flux from the east breach anomalies is sufficient to account for the volume of ice melted to form the glacier perforations. DCP station 6251 has been monitoring a thermally anomalous area on the north slope of Mount Baker. The present thermal activity of Mount Baker accounts for continuing hydrothermal alteration in the crater south of the main summit and recurrent debris avalanches from Sherman Peak on its south rim. The infrared anomalies mapped as part of the experiment SR 251 are considered the basic evidence of the subglacial heating which was the probable triggering mechanism of an avalanche down Boulder Glacier on August 20-21, 1973.

Friedman, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Energetic particles as a source of flare energy

The production of solar flares by the reservoir of energy generated by sunspot magnetic fields is discussed. Electrons play an important part in the flare process since high energy electrons are responsible for X-ray and radio emission. The energy required in the form of protons trapped in sunspot magnetic fields to produce large solar flares is analyzed. A trigger mechanism is described where the particles can be rapidly dumped into the chromosphere when fast electrons are produced by Coulomb collisions and through pion production by the highest energy protons.

Elliot, H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The chromospheric association of the metric type 3 bursts - implications concerning the acceleration of solar electrons and the active streamers

In two recent papers it was shown that the metric type 3 emission is closely related to a transient perturbation seen in absorption in the H alpha line. In addition, this perturbation sometimes triggers a flare, sometimes not. This can explain why the type 3 have a poor H alpha flare correlation rate and still are a typical flash phase emission when flare-associated. The characteristics are summarized of the new association proposed. It is assumed that 10 to 100 keV electrons are accelerated in connection with a particular kind of transient H alpha absorbing feature. For as yet undetermined reasons, this process would often, but not always, result in a more efficient acceleration coincident with the early phase of the optical flare. The possibilities that this process could lead occasionally to long lasting subrelativistic particle emissive region are explored.

Axisa, F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The acceleration of heavy nuclei in solar flares

The overabundance of heavy nuclei in solar cosmic rays of energy approximately 5 Mev/nucleon is explained by taking into account the pre-flare ionization states of these nuclei in the region where they are accelerated. A model is proposed which considers two-step accelerations associated with the initial development of solar flares. The first step is closely related to the triggering process of flares, while the second one starts with the development of the explosive phase. Further ionization of medium and heavy nuclei occurs through their interaction with Kev electrons accelerated by the first-step acceleration. It is suggested that the role of these electrons is important in producing fully ionized atoms in the acceleration regions.

Sakurai, K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Evaluation of ERTS data for certain oceanographic uses

The author has identified the following significant results. According to Lake Michigan records, the pH levels have been steadily increasing as the lake becomes more eutrophic. Numerous upwellings during the summer of 1973, beginning with the late July event, appear to be triggering a chemical precipitation of calcium carbonate. The upwelling provides abundant carbon dioxide into the surface water and results in massive blooms of phytoplankton. As the CO2 is utilized by these microscopic plants the pH is increased (acidity decreases) and CaCO3 no longer is able to remain in solution. The precipitation takes place where the phytoplankton are living, near depths of 10 meters. Therefore, the whiting observed by ERTS-1 is only seen in the green band, as red cannot penetrate but a few meters. With these whitings, secci disc readings lower in July from 10-15 meters to 3-5 meters and green, milky water is observed by research vessels. It appears that whitings have been becoming more frequent since the middle 60's but until ERTS-1 the extent had never been realized. Calcium levels are too low, presently, for a similar precipitate in Lakes Huron or Superior. However, whitings have been seen by ERTS-1 in Lakes Erie and Ontario where the calcium ion and pH levels are more like those found in Lake Michigan.

Strong, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Photomultiplier circuit including means for rapidly reducing the sensitivity thereof

A simple, reliable and inexpensive control circuit is described for rapidly reducing the bias voltage across one or more of the dynode stages of a photomultiplier, to substantially decrease its sensitivity to incoming light at those times where excess light intensity might damage the tube. The control circuit comprises a switching device, such as a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), coupled between a pair of the electrodes in the tube, preferably the cathode and first dynode, or the first and second dynodes, the switching device operating in response to a trigger pulse applied to its gate to short circuit the two electrodes. To insure the desired reduction in sensitivity, two switching stages, the devices be employed between two of the electrode stages, the devices being operated simultaneously to short circuit both stages.

Mcclenahan, J. O.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The aurora as a source of planetary-scale waves in the middle atmosphere

Photographs of global scale auroral forms taken by scanning radiometers onboard weather satellites in 1972 show that auroral bands exhibit well organized wave motion with typical zonal wave number of 5 or so. The scale size of these waves is in agreement with that of well organized neutral wind fields in the 150- to 200-km region during the geomagnetic storm of May 27, 1967. Further, the horizontal scale size revealed by these observations are in agreement with that of high altitude traveling ionospheric disturbances. It is conjectured that the geomagnetic storm is a source of planetary and synoptic scale neutral atmospheric waves in the middle atmosphere. Although there is, at present, no observation of substorm related waves of this scale size at mesospheric and stratospheric altitudes, the possible existence of a new source of waves of the proper scale size to trigger instabilities in middle atmospheric circulation systems may be significant in the study of lower atmospheric response to geomagnetic activity.

Chiu, Y. T.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Two-position dc pulse voltage stabilizer

The advantages of the dc pulse voltage stabilizers over the continuous action stabilizers are described. These advantages include higher efficiency, low sensitivity to the ambient temperature and insignificant size and weight. A comparison is made between the schematics of the known two position pulse stabilizer with a Schmitt trigger and that developed by the author. A characteristic feature of the improved system is the increased stabilization coefficient and the possibility of smooth regulation of the output voltage. A practical schematic is presented for the improved two position pulse stabilizer along with its parameters.

Osadchiy, V. I.↗
NASA NTRS1973

On the design and test of a liquid injection electric thruster

The design of the thruster described incorporates a coaxial four-segment trigger assembly to discharge a high-energy capacitor. The discharge ablates a waxy perfluorocarbon from the surface of porous annular metal ring, and the resulting plasma is electromagnetically accelerated to ambient producing thrust. Tests revealed a thruster performance well in excess of the major design goals.

Youmans, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Organic compounds in meteorites

The problem of whether organic compounds originated in meteorites as a primary condensate from a solar gas or whether they were introduced as a secondary product into the meteorite during its residence in a parent body is examined by initially attempting to reconstruct the physical conditions during condensation (temperature, pressure, time) from clues in the inorganic matrix of the meteorite. The condensation behavior of carbon under these conditions is then analyzed on the basis of thermodynamic calculations, and compounds synthesized in model experiments on the condensation of carbon are compared with those actually found in meteorites. Organic compounds in meteorites seem to have formed by catalytic reactions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and ammonia in the solar nebula at 360 to 400 K temperature and about 3 to 7.6 microtorr pressure. The onset of these reactions was triggered by the formation of suitable catalysts (magnetite, hydrated silicates) at these temperatures.

Anders, E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Development of an annular arc accelerator shock tube driver

An annular arc accelerator (ANAA) shock tube driver has been developed that deposits the energy of an arc discharge into a flowing gas, which then expands and cools without any delay for the opening of a diaphragm. A simplified one-dimensional flow analysis of the ANAA shock tube has been performed, which indicates that shock velocities greater than 40 km/sec may be obtained using a 300-kJ capacitor bank. The ANAA driver consists of a high-pressure driver, an expansion section, and an electrode section. In operation, the cold gas driver is pressurized until the diaphragm bursts, sending a pressure front down the expansion tube to the arc section. When the accelerated flow arrives at the electrode section, a 100-capacitor, 300-kJ capacitor bank is discharged either by breaking an insulating diaphragm between the electrodes or by the triggering of a series of external switches. Shock velocities of 28 km/sec have been obtained, and modifications are described that are expected to improve performance.

Leibowitz, L. P.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Role of the cerebellum and the vestibular apparatus in regulation of orthostatic reflexes in the cat

The contribution of the fastigial nucleus and the vestibular nerves (eighth cranial nerves) to the orthostatic reflexes in anesthetized, paralyzed cats was studied. Bilateral lesions of the rostral fastigial nucleus resulted in impairment of the reflex changes in blood pressure, femoral arterial flow, and resistance evoked by head-up tilting to 30 deg or 60 deg. The rostral fastigial nucleus, which might be triggered by the vestibular apparatus, appears to participate in concert with the baroreceptors in the initiation and possibly the maintenance of the orthostatic reflexes.

Doba, N.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Study of a small magnetospheric substorm

Data from a rocket launched into the expansion phase of an auroral substorm have been compared with data from numerous ground stations and several space vehicles. It is shown that this magnetic and auroral substorm has most of the features of larger substorms; thus it is implied that the same plasma processes are involved in all substorms. Some evidence is presented to link the auroral breakup with the field lines conjugate to the inner edge of the plasma sheet. The implications of these two results for substorm morphology and the triggering mechanism of the substorm instability are discussed. It is concluded that spatial gradients in plasma temperature are a likely cause.

Johnstone, A. D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Measurement of separate electron and positron spectra in the primary cosmic rays from 5 to 50 GeV

A magnetic spectrometer and lead-plate spark chamber have been used to measure separate primary cosmic-ray electrons and positrons up to 50 GeV. Separation of these particles from the background was accomplished with a new technique combining both selective trigger and observation, in the lead-plate chamber, of bremsstrahlung photons that were created in a thin radiator placed above the spectrometer. The results of efficiency and rejection calibrations with accelerator tests and Monte Carlo calculations are presented, as well as preliminary data from a balloon-flight exposure of the apparatus.

Buffington, A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Measurements of cosmic ray trajectories with a proportional counter hodoscope

A 50 by 50 cm, 8-layer multiwire proportional counter hodoscope has been developed for performing trajectory measurements in a large geometrical factor cosmic ray experiment. The hodoscope has a nominal position accuracy of 0.5 cm and a 1-deg angular accuracy. Data obtained from a balloon exposure show tracks of heavy cosmic rays are efficiently recovered from the copious triggers due to secondary electrons through the use of two discriminators on each wire. The spatial distribution of counts produced by secondary electrons from the iron group nuclei is compared with calculations of energy deposition from the secondaries.

Parnell, T. A.↗