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At least 775 records · Page 43

The eccentric ringlet at 1.29 R sub S

Voyager 1 images, UV stellar occultation, and radio data on the eccentric ringlet in Saturn's C ring near the Titan 1:0 apsidal resonance are discussed. Kinematic analysis shows a ringlet precession rate equal to the mean motion of Titan and a width-radius relation expected for a ring maintaining itself against differential precession by self-gravity. The specific opacity estimated for this ringlet, 0.056 sqcm/gm, is comparable to that found for the eccentric ringlet at 1.45 Rs. Assuming that the eccentricity is completely forced by Titan, a more precise value can be determined for the location of the resonance than can be computed using the current values of Saturn's gravity coefficients.

Porco, C.↗

R and D Productivity: New Challenges for the US Space Program

Various topics related to research and development activities applicable to their U.S. space program are discussed. Project management, automatic control technology, human resources, management information systems, computer aided design, systems engineering, and personnel management were among the topics covered.

Otis W Baskin↗

The USAF Systems Command and R and D productivity

The United States Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is charged with the development and acquisition of aerospace technology systems. Much of that activity is concerned with space systems development, acquisition, and operations. Heavy emphasis is being placed on productivity in organizational and process functions which will keep aerospace systems on the leading edge of technology, with plans extending capability into the future. The productivity emphasis ranges from people-oriented activities to resource and technological functions which support national aerospace objectives. The AFSC space-related missions is discussed as a special area of productivity efforts.

Luchainger, V.↗

A case study in R and D productivity: Helping the program manager cope with job stress and improve communication effectiveness

Certain structural changes in the Naval Material Command which resulted from a comparison of its operations to those of selected large-scale private sector companies are described. Central to the change was a reduction in the number of formal reports from systems commands to headquarters, and the provision of Program Management Assistance Teams (at the request of the program manager) to help resolve project problems. It is believed that these changes improved communication and information-processing, reduced program manager stress, and resulted in improved productivity.

Bodensteiner, W. D.↗

Overcash, D. R.

The objectives of this investigation were to determine the characteristics of semiconductor devices at low temperatures. The output characteristics of several currently available semiconductor devices and devices fabricated at Marshall Space Flight Center were measured over a range of gate voltages. Large variations in low-temperature performance, not only from type to type, but from field effect transistor (FET) to FET of the same type were obtained. By increasing the carrier concentrations at low temperatures through extra heavy doping, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) device was fabricated that operated at 4.2K. To verify the low-temperature operation of a heavily doped device, this procedure was repeated. Their noise spectrum was analyzed at 4.2K. Suggestions were made as to possible fabrication methods, techniques, and other semiconductor materials that might improve the device charactersitics at low temperatures. A procedure for using an electric field to drift dopants through the insulating oxide to produce a very thin, heavily doped region under the gate of a MOSFET was initiated. Capacitance s a function of voltage plots was suggested as a method for determining the level of dopant drift.

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Fourteenth NASTRAN (R) Users' Colloquium

The proceedings of a colloquium are presented along with technical papers contributed during the conference. Reviewed are general applications of finite element methodology and the specific application of the NASA Structural Analysis System, NASTRAN, to a variety of static and dynamic sturctural problems.

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Definition and empirical structure of the range of stellar chromospheres-coronae across the H-R diagram: Cool stars

Major advances in our understanding of non-radiative heating and other activity in stars cooler than T sub eff = 10,000K has occured in the last few years. This observational evidence is reviewed and the trends that are now becoming apparent are discussed. The evidence for non-radiatively heated outer atmospheric layers (chromospheres, transition regions, and coronae) in dwarf stars cooler than spectral type A7, in F and G giants, pre-main sequence stars, and close bindary systems is unambiguous, as is the evidence for chromospheres in the K and M giants and supergiants. The existence of non-radiative heating in the outer layers of the A stars remains undetermined despite repeated searches at all wavelengths. Two important trends in the data are the decrease in plasma emission measure with age on the main sequence and decreasing rotational velocity. Variability and atmospheric inhomogeneity are commonly seen, and there is considerable evidence that magnetic fields define the geometry and control the energy balance in the outer atmospheric layers. In addition, the microwave observations imply that non-thermal electrons are confined in coronal magnetic flux tubes in at least the cool dwarfs and RS CVn systems. The chromospheres in the K and M giants and supergiants are geometrically extended, as are the coronae in the RS CVn systems and probably also in other stars.

Linsky, J. L.↗

Does Saturn have rings outside 10 R(s)?

Voyager ion and electron data in the energy range 30-1000 keV as measured by the Low Energy Charged Particle experiment are reviewed to check suggestions based on star occultation data that there are additional tenuous rings of Saturn beyond 10 Saturn radii from that planet. In the Voyager data, there is no convincing evidence for such ring matter. Features in the charged particle fluxes in the regions in question are more readily explained by temporal variations and/or spatial structure unrelated to ring matter, such as the mantle on the dayside and/or detached plasma sheets.

Cheng, A. F.↗

Nonradiative activity across the H-R diagram - Which types of stars are solar-like?

Advances in the understanding of nonradiatively heated outer atmospheric layers (coronae, transition regions, and chromospheres) and other solar-like activity in stars are noted. Ultraviolet spectroscopy from IUE, X-ray imaging from the Einstein Observatory, microwave detections by the VLA, and new optical observing techniques have made such advances possible. Classes of star that can be considered 'solar-like' are noted, where a solar-like star is defined as one which has a turbulent magnetic field sufficiently strong to control the dynamics and energetics in its outer atmospheric regions.

Linsky, J. L.↗

Polarization photometer to measure bidirectional reflectance factor R(55 deg, 0 deg, 55 deg, 180 deg) of leaves

A polarization photometer has been developed for rapidly determining the bidirectional, polarized, and diffuse light-scattering properties of individual leavs illuminated and measured 'in vivo' at an angle of 55 deg (approximately Brewster's angle) in six wavelength bands in the visible and near-IR wavelength regions. The optical performance and data quality of the system are evaluated to estimate the magnitude of the variation in the data attributable to the instrument system and to measurement procedures. The potential to discriminate between three species of oak is demonstrated using data acquired by the polarization photometer. The instrument is being used to increase understanding of the radiation transfer process in plant canopies and specifically to determine how agronomic information of the physical and chemical processes in leaves, plants, and plant canopies is expressed in these light-scattering properties.

Vanderbilt, V. C.↗

Fifteenth NASTRAN (R) Users' Colloquium

Numerous applications of the NASA Structural Analysis (NASTRAN) computer program, a general purpose finite element code, are discussed. Additional features that can be added to NASTRAN, interactive plotting of NASTRAN data on microcomputers, mass modeling for bars, the design of wind tunnel models, the analysis of ship structures subjected to underwater explosions, and buckling analysis of radio antennas are among the topics discussed.

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An assessment of OH airglow interference on the remote sensing of stratospheric HCl via limb sounding in the near-I.R.

Chemiluminescent emission from the formation of vibrationally excited OH at an altitude of approximately 85 km presents a barrier to earth-limb measurements of NIR emissions originating in the stratosphere. High-resolution measured spectra of OH airglow have not been reported, and thus it is difficult to assess its impact on moderately-high-resolution earth-limb spectroscopy capable of looking between strong OH lines. Low-resolution rocketborne spectrometer earth-limb measurements of OH airglow are mathematically inverted to recover vibrational-state populations that are used to simulate a higher resolution spectrum in the neighbourhood of 2843/cm. Implications for remote sensing HCl are presented.

Mergenthaler, J. L.↗

Comments on 'The magnetic field of Mars - Implications from gas dynamic modeling' by C. T. Russell, J. C. Luhmann, J. R. Spreiter, and S. S. Stahara

The Russell et al. (1984) claim that gas dynamic modeling allows a determination of interplanetary and magnetosheath field configurations resembling the Mars 3 magnetic field observations during the January 21, 1972 encounter, and their proposal of a draped magnetic field pattern model for these data, are presently disputed. Extensive use is made of Martian magnetic field analyses undertaken by Dolginov between 1973 and 1984, which are held to prove the existence of an intrinsic Martian magnetic field. Russell replies that the Russell et al. analysis of the variation in the Mars 2, 3, and 5 data suggests the presence of both zero-level and sensor polarity errors in these data. The rejection of an intrinsic Martian magnetic field is accordingly reaffirmed, pending the availability of less ambiguous data.

Dolginov, Sh. SH.↗