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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 775 records · Page 43
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

The discovery of a young radio galaxy at z = 2.390 - Probing initial star formation at z less than approximately 3.0

The discovery of a weak radio galaxy from the Leiden Berkeley Deep Survey at a redshift of 2.390 is presented, as well as nine-band photometry for the galaxy and for surrounding objects. The source 53W002 is not variable on the time scales of years. Its rest-frame UV continuum is compared with IUE spectra of various nearby galaxies with relatively recent starbursts, and with nearby AGNs. It is inferred from the C IV/Ly-alpha and N V/Ly-alpha ratios that 53W002 has a Seyfert 1-like AGN, and that the ratios constrain the nonthermal component to about 35 percent of the observed UV continuum. Several independent age estimates yield a consistent value of 0.25-0.32 Gyr. The available data are consistent with 53W002 being a genuinely young galaxy seen at a redshift of 2.390 during its first major starburst. It likely started forming most of its current stars at redshifts between 2.5 and 3.0, suggesting that radio galaxies do not form the bulk of their stars coevally, but start doing so over a lengthy period of cosmic time.

Windhorst, Rogier A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Transparent process migration: Design alternatives and the Sprite implementation

The Sprite operating system allows executing processes to be moved between hosts at any time. We use this process migration mechanism to offload work onto idle machines, and also to evict migrated processes when idle workstations are reclaimed by their owners. Sprite's migration mechanism provides a high degree of transparency both for migrated processes and for users. Idle machines are identified, and eviction is invoked, automatically by daemon processes. On Sprite it takes up to a few hundred milliseconds on SPARCstation 1 workstations to perform a remote exec, while evictions typically occur in a few seconds. The pmake program uses remote invocation to invoke tasks concurrently. Compilations commonly obtain speedup factors in the range of three to six; they are limited primarily by contention for centralized resources such as file servers. CPU-bound tasks such as simulations can make more effective use of idle hosts, obtaining as much as eight-fold speedup over a period of hours. Process migration has been in regular service for over two years.

Douglis, Fred↗
NASA NTRS1992

Computational fluid dynamics for propulsion technology: Geometric grid visualization in CFD-based propulsion technology research

The coordination is examined of necessary resources, facilities, and special personnel to provide technical integration activities in the area of computational fluid dynamics applied to propulsion technology. Involved is the coordination of CFD activities between government, industry, and universities. Current geometry modeling, grid generation, and graphical methods are established to use in the analysis of CFD design methodologies.

Ziebarth, John P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lidar analysis techniques for use in the atmospheric boundary layer

There is a growing body of observational and theoretical evidence which suggests that local climate characteristics are associated with variations in the earth's surface. The link between surface variability and local-scale processes must be made if we are to improve our understanding of the feedback mechanisms involved in surface-atmosphere dynamics. However, to understand these interactions, the surface-atmosphere interface must be studied as a large-scale spatial system. Lidars are ideal tools to study the spatial properties of the atmosphere. The described techniques were developed for use with the Los Alamos Water Raman-Lidar, but are applicable to many other types of lidar. The methodology of the analysis of lidar data is summarized in order to determine meteorological parameters in the atmospheric boundary layer. The techniques are not exhaustive but are intended to show the depth and breadth of the information which can be obtained from lidars. Two methods for the computation of water-vapor fluxes were developed. The first uses the fact that the water vapor concentration in the vertical direction follows a logarithmic profile when corrected for atmospheric stability. The second method involves using inertial dissipation techniques in which lidar-derived spatial and temporal power spectra are used to determine the flux.

Eichinger, William E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Clathrate hydrate formation in amorphous cometary ice analogs in vacuo

Experiments conducted in clathrate hydrates with a modified electron microscope have demonstrated the possibility of such compounds' formation during the warming of vapor-deposited amorphous ices in vacuo, through rearrangements in the solid state. Subsolidus crystallization of compositionally complex amorphous ices may therefore be a general and ubiquitous process. Phase separations and microporous textures thus formed may be able to account for such anomalous cometary phenomena as the release of gas at large radial distances from the sun and the retention of volatiles to elevated temperatures.

Blake, David↗
NASA NTRS1992

Photometry and spectroscopy of Nova Herculis 1991

Observations of Nova Herculis 1991 obtained during the months of 1991 May-September are presented. Spectral observations a few weeks after outburst constrain the distance to Nova Her to between 6 and 12 kpc and show evidence of dust formation in the expanding shell and line profiles with five components having large expansion velocities. Initial photometric observations of the nova in June showed the nova had declined approximately ten magnitudes in the V band from its maximum, and by September, the nova had dimmed by approximately two additional magnitudes. The period derived from these observations agrees with that reported by Leibowitz et al. (1992). Periodic eclipses with a depth of about 0.7 V mag are observed, and the depths of the eclipses are constant over a 2-month period while the overall brightness diminished by one magnitude. The long duration of the eclipses indicates an eclipse of an extended source, likely the accretion disk.

Ingram, Doug↗
NASA NTRS1992

Aerodynamic performance of a full-scale lifting ejector system in a STOVL fighter aircraft

The aerodynamic characteristics of an advanced lifting ejector system incorporated into a full-scale, powered, fighter aircraft model were measured at statically and at transition airspeeds in the 40- by 80- and 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnels at NASA-Ames. The ejector system was installed in an ejector-lift/vectored thrust STOVL (Short Take-Off Vertical Landing) fighter aircraft configuration. Ejector thrust augmentation ratios approaching 1.6 were demonstrated during static testing. Changes in the internal aerodynamics and exit flow conditions of the ejector ducts are presented for a variety of wind-off and forward-flight test conditions. Wind-on test results indicate a small decrease in ejector performance and increase in exit flow nonuniformity with forward speed. Simulated ejector start-up at high speed, nose-up attitudes caused only small effects on overall vehicle forces and moments despite the fact that the ejector inlet flow was found to induce large regions of negative pressure on the upper surface of the wing apex adjacent to the inlets.

Smith, Brian E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Robot Avoids Collisions With Obstacles

Developmental robot equipped with infrared sensors and control system acting in concert to enable manipulator arm to move around obstacles. Robot avoids collisions with other objects, even when moving in unpredictable ways. Control system requires no prior knowledge of environment.

Cheung, Edward↗
NASA NTRS1993

Plastic Foam Withstands Greater Temperatures And Pressures

Improved plastic foam suitable for use in foam-core laminated composite parts and in tooling for making fiber/matrix-composite parts. Stronger at high temperatures, more thermally and dimensionally stable, machinable, resistant to chemical degradation, and less expensive. Compatible with variety of matrix resins. Made of polyisocyanurate blown with carbon dioxide and has density of 12 to 15 pounds per cubic feet. Does not contibute to depletion of ozone from atmosphere. Improved foam used in cores of composite panels in such diverse products as aircraft, automobiles, railroad cars, boats, and sporting equipment like surfboards, skis, and skateboards. Also used in thermally stable flotation devices in submersible vehicles. Machined into mandrels upon which filaments wound to make shells.

Cranston, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Image processing and products for the Magellan mission to Venus

The Magellan mission to Venus is providing planetary scientists with massive amounts of new data about the surface geology of Venus. Digital image processing is an integral part of the ground data system that provides data products to the investigators. The mosaicking of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data from the spacecraft is being performed at JPL's Multimission Image Processing Laboratory (MIPL). MIPL hosts and supports the Image Data Processing Subsystem (IDPS), which was developed in a VAXcluster environment of hardware and software that includes optical disk jukeboxes and the TAE-VICAR (Transportable Applications Executive-Video Image Communication and Retrieval) system. The IDPS is being used by processing analysts of the Image Data Processing Team to produce the Magellan image data products. Various aspects of the image processing procedure are discussed.

Clark, Jerry↗
NASA NTRS1993

Design and construction of a prototype ACTS propagation terminal

The launch schedule for the Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) spacecraft did not leave sufficient time for completion of the prototype ACTS Propagation Terminals (APT) prior to initiation of the APT production phase. In fact, the approach used was to construct and test all subassemblies of the terminal with special emphasis on the technically challenging portions. These include the RF front end that uses a state-of-the-art down converter which integrates a low noise amplifier, mixer, post amplifier, filter, and local oscillator port frequency doubler into a single small package. In addition, a new digital receiver that uses the latest DSP technology was developed. Both of these subassemblies were thoroughly tested. The highest risk technology in the APT program was the digital receiver. Several candidate algorithms and DSP chips were investigated early on, primarily under JPL sponsorship. A receiver was constructed based on Texas Instruments chip. The final prototype digital receiver was one based on an Analog Devices chip. The design and test results are documented in a report prepared for this grant. A Primary Design Review (PDR) was conducted 30 May 1991, and a Critical Design Review was held 7 Jul. 1992. Final complete documentation of the APT's will appear in the form of three reports: a hardware description report, a report on the data collection code (ACTS VIEW), and a report on the preprocessing code.

Stutzman, Warren↗
NASA NTRS1993

Performance characteristics of LOX-H2, tangential-entry, swirl-coaxial, rocket injectors

Development of a high performing swirl-coaxial injector requires an understanding of fundamental performance characteristics. This paper addresses the findings of studies on cold flow atomic characterizations which provided information on the influence of fluid properties and element operating conditions on the produced droplet sprays. These findings are applied to actual rocket conditions. The performance characteristics of swirl-coaxial injection elements under multi-element hot-fire conditions were obtained by analysis of combustion performance data from three separate test series. The injection elements are described and test results are analyzed using multi-variable linear regression. A direct comparison of test results indicated that reduced fuel injection velocity improved injection element performance through improved propellant mixing.

Howell, Doug↗
NASA NTRS1993

Towards a machine learning framework for acquiring and exploiting monitoring and diagnostic knowledge

In this paper we address the problem of detecting and diagnosing faults in physical systems, for which neither prior expertise for the task nor suitable system models are available. We propose an architecture that integrates the on-line acquisition and exploitation of monitoring and diagnostic knowledge. The focus of the paper is on the component of the architecture that discovers classes of behaviors with similar characteristics by observing a system in operation. We investigate a characterization of behaviors based on best fitting approximation models. An experimental prototype has been implemented to test it. We present preliminary results in diagnosing faults of the Reaction Control System of the Space Shuttle. The merits and limitations of the approach are identified and directions for future work are set.

Manganaris, Stefanos↗
NASA NTRS1993

3.3 and 11.3 micron images of HD 44179 - Evidence for an optically thick polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon disk

Images of HD 44179 (the Red Rectangle) obtained in the 3.3 and 11.3 micron emission bands show two different spatial distributions. The 3.3 micron band image is centrally peaked and slightly extended N-S while the 11.3 micron image shows a N-S bipolar shape with no central peak. If the 3.3 micron band image shows the intrinsic emission of the 11.3 micron band, then the data suggest absorption of the 11.3 micron emission near the center of HD 44179 by a disk with an optical depth of about one, making HD 44179 the first object in which the IR emission bands have been observed to be optically thick. Since there is no evidence of absorption of the 3.3 micron emission band by the disk, the absorption cross section of the 3.3 micron band must be substantially less than for the 11.3 micron band. Since the 3.3 and 11.3 micron bands are thought to arise from different size PAHs, the similar N-S extents of the two images implies that the ratio of small to large PAHs does not change substantially with distance from the center.

Bregman, Jesse D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development and operation of new arc heater technology for a large-scale scramjet propulsion test facility

An arc-heater technology development effort conducted at NASA-Ames has led to the creation of a 100 MW Huels arc heater which has been integrated into the hydrogen-fueled Direct Connect Arcjet Facility for long-duration, high Mach-number scramjet performance evaluation. This development effort has significantly advanced the design of vortex-stabilized arc heaters; air enthalpy levels of 2.8-7.5 MJ/kg, at stagnation pressures of up to 45 atm, are produced. The facility furnishes technology-development support that is critical to the definition of NASP-related propulsion systems.

Balboni, John↗
NASA NTRS1993

Monte Carlo and experimental studies of nozzle flow in a low-power hydrogen arcjet

The flow in the nozzle of a small hydrogen arcjet intended for low-thrust propulsion is studied without arc ignition using numerical and experimental techniques. The flow conditions in the thruster indicate that low-density nonequilibrium effects will significantly influence the flow. Therefore, the numerical analysis is undertaken using a Monte Carlo approach. The experimental studies employ laser Raman scattering. Comparisons of the measured and computed results are made for total number density, rotational temperature, and for the number density of the first rotational level. The numerical results are found to be quite sensitive to the rotational relaxation rate, and a strong degree of thermal nonequilibrium is observed at the exit plane of the nozzle. Successful comparisons between experiment and analysis permit estimation of the rotational relaxation rate for hydrogen.

Boyd, Iain D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

High-dispersion spectroscopy of giants in metal-poor globular clusters. I - Iron abundances

High-resolution, high-SNR CCD spectra have been obtained for 16 giants in eight metal-poor Galactic globular clusters. Fe abundances accurate to 0.15 dex have been determined by a fully consistent set of model atmospheres and spectrum synthesis techniques. A metallicity scale is presented for metal-poor clusters that should prove useful for calibrating a wide variety of photometric and low-resolution spectroscopic metallicity indicators.

Minniti, Dante↗