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At least 847 records · Page 47

C IV and Si IV in IUE spectra of normal B8-A0 stars: UV identified Be/Ae stars

Archival IUE high dispersion spectra of 42 B6-A2 stars within 200 pc were surveyed. Five of the program stars show significant C IV and Si IV absorption. All of the stars with detected C IV have v sin i less than or = 190 km/sec. Sharp absorption cores are present in Si II lambda 1533 in 3 of the objects, indicating that these are previously unrecognized shell stars. Three of the stars have variable or asymmetric C IV profiles which are consistent with the C IV and Si IV being produced in stellar winds. One star has C IV in the form of a shortward-shifted discrete absorption component, similar to those observed in Be stars. The data are compared with similar data for Be and B shell stars.

Chiu, Weihsueh A.↗

Satellite data

Three satellite SST data sets were analyzed, all derived from the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) on the Nimbus-7 satellite. The SMMR is a ten-channel instrument flown also on the SEASAT satellite (now defunct) and was designed to measure SST in addition to other oceanographic and meteorological parameters. The three SMMR data sets were referred to as SMMR-I, -II, and -III. SMMR-I and -II were produced by T. Wilheit and A. Milman, SMMR-II being an updated and refined version of SMMR-I. A description of the algorithms used is provided. SMMR-III was provided by C. Prabhakara and was obtained by a different retrieval approach from the others. For consistency with the file code conventions and to avoid confusion, SMMRs I, II, and III were renamed SMMR-A, SMMR-D, and SMMR-C, respectively.

Njoku, E. G.↗

Pterodactyl: An Uncoupled Range Control Approach to Fully Numerical Predictor-Corrector Entry Guidance

Entry, descent, and landing (EDL) has been identified as a core area of investment in NASA's Strategic Technology Investment Plan (NASA STIP). STIP lists the space technologies needed to help achieve NASA's science, technology, and exploration goals across the agency. Within the EDL core area, deployable hypersonic decelerators, also known as deployable entry vehicles (DEVs), have been identified as an area of investment, due to its potential to revolutionize payload delivery methods to Earth and other planets. These vehicles, which can deploy their heat shields or alter their shape before entry, exploit an increased and more effective drag ratio by using less mass than traditional blunt body vehicles with rigid aeroshells. DEVs like Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) and Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) have demonstrated the capability of transporting the equivalent science payloads of blunt body rigid aeroshells, while using a significantly smaller diameter when stowed within a launch vehicle. While DEVs' increased energy dissipation for less mass is an attractive feature, their ability to contract and expand would require advancements in the current state-of-the-art guidance and control (G&C) architectures used by traditional rigid vehicles. Pterodactyl, a project funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), aims to provide feasible integrated G&C solutions for DEVs, complete with optimized vehicle designs and packaging analyses. Structural and aerodynamic analyses for the explored control systems suggested a need for a bank angle guidance algorithm, a heritage guidance approach that has been used in many entry precision targeting vehicles, as well as an additional need for the development of a non-bank angle guidance. For this reason, Pterodactyl will consider four different G&C configurations during its design phase: i) a reaction control system for bank (sigma) control, ii) a mass movement system for angle of attack (alpha) sideslip (beta) control, iii) flaps for alpha - beta control, and iv) flaps for sigma control. To increase the applicability of each proposed integrated G&C architecture, an 11 km/s lunar return demonstration mission is selected to stress the developed technology capability. The Lifting Nano-ADEPT (LNA) vehicle is chosen as the DEV to demonstrate the integrated solutions. This paper will detail the trajectory design for a lunar return mission, using the validated bank control guidance algorithm Fully Numerical Predictor-Corrector Entry Guidance (FNPEG) and a newly developed guidance algorithm: FNPEG Uncoupled Range Control (URC). FNPEG-URC diverges from traditional bank angle guidances by producing alpha and beta commands to thereby decouple downrange and crossrange control. This presentation will discuss the development and overall performance of FNPEG and FNPEG-URC for each of the four G&C configurations. Successful G&C configurations are defined as those that can deliver payloads to the intended descent and landing site while abiding by trajectory constraints in the face of dispersions.

Johnson, Breanna↗

Hydrogen enhanced crack growth in 18 Ni maraging steels

The kinetics of sustained-load subcritical crack growth for 18 Ni maraging steels in high-purity hydrogen are examined using the crack-tip stress intensity factor K as a measure of crack driving force. Crack growth rate as a function of stress intensity exhibited a clearly defined K-independent stage (Stage II). Crack growth rates in an 18 Ni (grade 250) maraging steel are examined for temperatures from -6 to +100 C. A critical temperature was observed above which crack growth rates became diminishingly small. At lower temperatures the activation energy for Stage II crack growth was found to be 16.7 plus or minus 3.3 kJ/mole. Temperature and hydrogen partial pressure are shown to interact in a complex manner to determine the apparent Kth (stress intensity level below which no observable crack growth occurs) and the crack growth behavior. Comparison of results on '250' and '300' grades of 18 Ni maraging steel indicate a significant influence of alloy composition and/or strength level on the crack growth behavior.

Hudak, S. J., Jr.↗

Electrochemical Studies of Redox Systems for Energy Storage

Particular attention was paid to the Cr(II)/Cr(III) redox couple in aqueous solutions in the presence of Cl(-) ions. The aim of this research has been to unravel the electrode kinetics of this redox couple and the effect of Cl(1) and electrode substrate. Gold and silver were studied as electrodes and the results show distinctive differences; this is probably due to the role Cl(-) ion may play as a mediator in the reaction and the difference in state of electrical charge on these two metals (difference in the potential of zero charge, pzc). The competition of hydrogen evolution with CrCl3 reduction on these surfaces was studied by means of the rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE). The ring downstream measures the flux of chromous ions from the disk and therefore separation of both Cr(III) and H2 generation can be achieved by analyzing ring and disk currents. The conditions for the quantitative detection of Cr(2+) at the ring electrode were established. Underpotential deposition of Pb on Ag and its effect on the electrokinetics of Cr(II)/Cr(III) reaction was studied.

Wu, C. D.↗

Images in the rocket ultraviolet - Photometry of M101

It is pointed out that ultraviolet imagery of spiral galaxies is a sensitive probe of the large-scale morphology of the star-forming regions and the associated interstellar dust. A rocket-borne Ritchey-Chretien telescope was employed to obtain three ultraviolet images of the Sc 1 galaxy M101 (NGC 5457). The present investigation is concerned with the procedures for reduction and absolute calibration of the obtained images and an analysis in terms of discrete sources. Attention is also given to the radial variation and the azimuthal variation of disk and arms. It is found that the emission from M101 in the UV bandpass is dominated by extreme Population I, in the form of discrete OB/H II complexes.

Hill, J. K.↗

Shuttle II - The next generation

A comparative evaluation is conducted for next-generation Space Shuttle-type system configurations, in light of mission and design goals, performance and operational requirements, and technology development needs and opportunities. Cargo vehicle options presently entertained are an unmanned Shuttle Derivative Vehicle and a Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle. Two high priority manned vehicle options are small (35,000-lb payload) and large (150,000-lb payload) fully reusable vehicles. Attention is given to single stage vs. two-stage 'Shuttle II' system performance and economic projections.

Eldred, C. H.↗

Astrophysics of brown dwarfs; Proceedings of the Workshop, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, Oct. 14, 15, 1985

Various reports on theoretical and observational studies of brown dwarfs (BDs) are presented. The topics considered include: astrometric detection of BDs, search for substellar companions to nearby stars using IR imaging, constraints on BD mass function from optical and IR searches, properties of stellar objects near the main sequence mass limit, search for low-mass stellar companions with the HF precision velocity technique, dynamical search for substellar objects, search for BDs in the IRAS data base, deep CCD survey for low mass stars in the disk and halo, the Berkeley search for a faint solar companion, the luminosity function for late M stars, astronomic search for IR dwarfs, and the role of the Space Telescope in the detection of BDs. Also addressed are: theoretical significance of BDs, evolution of super-Jupiters, compositional indicators in IR spectra of BDs, evolution of BDs and the evolutionary status of VB8B, the position of BDs on universal diagrams, theoretical determination of the minimum protostellar mass, Population II BDs and dark halos.

Kafatos, Minas C.↗

SMM hard X-ray observations of the soft gamma-ray repeater 1806-20

Six bursts from the soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) 1806-20 have been recorded with the SMM Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer during a highly active phase in 1983. Rise and decay times of less than 5 ns have been detected. Time profiles of these events indicate low-level emission prior to and after the main peaks. The results suggest that SGRs are distinguished from classical gamma-ray bursts by repetition, softer nonvarying spectra, short durations, simple temporal profiles, and a tendency for source locations to correlate with Population I objects. SGR characteristics differ from those of type I X-ray bursts, but they appear to have similarities with the type II bursts from the Rapid Burster.

Kouveliotou, C.↗

Relations between the photospheric magnetic field and the emission from the outer atmospheres of cool stars. I - The solar Ca II K line core emission

Observations of a solar active region complex and its surroundings are used to establish a quantitative relation between the Ca II K line core intensity and magnetic flux density. The Ca II K line core intensity is transformed to a Ca II H + K line core flux density to facilitate a comparison of solar and stellar data. A new absolute calibration for the Mount Wilson Ca II H + K fluxes for G-type dwarfs is derived. The minimum Ca II K flux, found in the centers of supergranulation cells in quiet regions on the sun, is identical to the minimum flux that is observed for solar-type stars. An expression is presented for the nonlinear trend between the Ca II H + K line core excess flux density and the absolute value of the magnetic flux density. Models that explain the nonlinearity of the mean trend and the large intrinsic scatter about it are discussed. The solar data define a relation that is similar to the relation between stellar hemisphere-average magnetic flux densities and Ca II H + K excess flux densities.

Schrijver, C. J.↗

Influences of Local Sea-Surface Temperatures and Large-scale Dynamics on Monthly Precipitation Inferred from Two 10-year GCM-Simulations

Two parallel sets of 10-year long: January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991, simulations were made with the finite volume General Circulation Model (fvGCM) in which the model integrations were forced with prescribed sea-surface temperature fields (SSTs) available as two separate SST-datasets. One dataset contained naturally varying monthly SSTs for the chosen period, and the oth& had the 12-monthly mean SSTs for the same period. Plots of evaporation, precipitation, and atmosphere-column moisture convergence, binned by l C SST intervals show that except for the tropics, the precipitation is more strongly constrained by large-scale dynamics as opposed to local SST. Binning data by SST naturally provided an ensemble average of data contributed from disparate locations with same SST; such averages could be expected to mitigate all location related influences. However, the plots revealed: i) evaporation, vertical velocity, and precipitation are very robust and remarkably similar for each of the two simulations and even for the data from 1987-ENSO-year simulation; ii) while the evaporation increased monotonically with SST up to about 27 C, the precipitation did not; iii) precipitation correlated much better with the column vertical velocity as opposed to SST suggesting that the influence of dynamical circulation including non-local SSTs is stronger than local-SSTs. The precipitation fields were doubly binned with respect to SST and boundary-layer mass and/or moisture convergence. The analysis discerned the rate of change of precipitation with local SST as a sum of partial derivative of precipitation with local SST plus partial derivative of precipitation with boundary layer moisture convergence multiplied by the rate of change of boundary-layer moisture convergence with SST (see Eqn. 3 of Section 4.5). This analysis is mathematically rigorous as well as provides a quantitative measure of the influence of local SST on the local precipitation. The results were recast to examine the dependence of local rainfall on local SSTs; it was discernible only in the tropics. Our methodology can be used for computing relationship between any forcing function and its effect(s) on a chosen field.

Sud, Y. C.↗

Far-infrared observations of H II regions near the galactic center

This paper presents and discusses far-infrared observations of nine H II regions within 1 deg of the galactic center, including Sgr A, Sgr B2, Sgr C, and G0.5-0.0. The far-infrared luminosity, color temperature, and optical depth of these regions and the ratio of infrared flux to radio-continuum flux lie in the range characteristic of spiral-arm H II regions. The far-infrared results are therefore consistent with the idea that the galactic-center H II regions are ionized by luminous early-type stars. Steep systematic gradients in far-infrared color temperature and optical depth are seen along the galactic plane between Sgr B2 and G0.5-0.0; the appearance of this area is similar to that of regions of star formation in the spiral arms.

Gatley, I.↗

The detection of interstellar C I in the immediate vicinity of the sun

Multiple stacked IUE spectra reveal the presence of interstellar C I 1657 in the trough of a corresponding photospheric feature in the nearby star, Alpha PsA (d = 7 pc). This represents the first detection of this neutral atom in the interstellar medium within the immediate vicinity of the sun. It is suggested that C I may be a much better diagnostic tool in studying the local interstellar medium than the neutral species K I and Na I, which are observable at visual wavelengths. Variations in C I column density, coupled with b-values deduced from the Mg II doublet ratio, may prove to be an important means to unravel density and temperature fluctuations in the very local interstellar medium. Comparison of the line of sight toward Alpha PsA with previous Copernicus interstellar Mg II results for that of Alpha Leo tentatively indicates that the distribution of Mg II in the local cloud is not homogeneous about the sun. Rough constraints on the ionization fraction of hydrogen toward Alpha PsA do not conflict with previous data, implying that the very local interstellar medium is significantly ionized.

Bruhweiler, F. C.↗