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At least 865 records · Page 48
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

The unusual morphology of molecular hydrogen emission in the planetary nebula J900

We report new high-resolution near-infrared imaging observations of the planetary nebula J900, in broadband J, H, and K, and narrowband 2.122 micrometers (for H2 1-0 S(1)), Brackett-gamma, and continuum filters. The H2 images reveal a remarkable set of outward-extending features not detected in any previous observations of theis object. In the northwest lobe of the inner bipolar region, the H2 emission, Brackett-gamma emission, and underlying continuum are spatially resolved. The relative positions of the peaks of the line emission suggest an ionization front seen edge-on. The continuum emission, apparently located nearer to the central star, is likely due to transiently heated small dust grains. The extended H2 emission features are probably excited either by oblique shocks caused by material ejected from the nebula, or by radiation leaking from holes in the opacity surrounding the ionized shell.

Shupe, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effect of particle size and particle size distribution on physical characteristics, morphology and crystal structure of explosively compacted high-T(sub c) superconductors

A superconductor, of composition Y(Ba,K,Na)2Cu3O(x)/F(y) and a composite of composition Y(Ba,K,Na)2Cu3O(x)/F(y) + Ag, with changing K, Na and F content but a constant silver content (Ag = 10 mass%) was prepared using a single heat treatment. the resulting material was ground in a corundum lined mill, separated to particle size fractions of 0-40 micron, 0-63 micron and 63-900 micron and explosively compacted, using an explosive pressure of 10(exp 4) MPa and a subsequent heat treatment. Best results were obtained with the 63-900 micron fraction of composition Y(Ba(1.95) K(0.01)Cu3O(x)F(0),(05)/Ag: porosity less than 0.01 cu cm/g and current density 2800 A/sq cm at 77K.

Kotsis, I.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Morphology of Thermoset Polyimides by Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Thermoset polyimides have great potential for successfully meeting tough stress and temperature challenges in the advanced aircraft development program. However, studies of structure/property relationships in these materials have not been very successful so far. Positron annihilation spectroscopy has been used to investigate free volumes and associated parameters. It has been noted that the free volume correlates well with the molecular weight, cross-link density and thermal coefficient of expansion of these materials. Currently no other techniques are available for direct measurement of these parameters. Experimental results and their interpretations will be discussed.

Ranganathaiah, C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Experiment K-7-18: Effects of Spaceflight in the Muscle Adductor Longus of Rats Flown in the Soviet Biosatellite Cosmos 2044: A Study Employing Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules (N-CAM) Immunocytochemistry and Conventional Morphological Techniques (Light and Electron Microscopy) - Part 1

The effects of spaceflight upon the 'slow' muscle adductor longus was examined in rats flown in the Soviet Biosatellite COSMOS 2044. Three groups - synchronous, vivarium and basal served as controls. The techniques employed included standard methods for light microscopy, N-CAM immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. Light microscopic observations revealed myofiber atrophy, contraction bands and segmental necrosis accompanied by cellular infiltrates composed of macrophages, leucocytes and mononuclear cells. N-CAM immunoreactivity was seen (N-CAM-IR) on the myofiber surface, satellite cells and in regenerating myofibers reminiscent of myotubes. Ultrastructural alterations included Z band streaming, disorganization of myofibrillar architecture, sarcoplasmic degradation, extensive segmental necrosis with preservation of the basement membrane, degenerative phenomena of the capillary endothelium and cellular invasion of necrotic areas. Regenerating myofibers were identified by the presence of increased amounts of ribosomal aggregates and chains of polyribosomes associated with myofilaments that displayed varied distributive patterns. The principal electron microscopic changes of the neuromuscular junctions consisted of a decrease or absence of synaptic vesicles, degeneration of axon terminals, increased number of microtubules, vacant axonal spaces and axonal sprouting. The present observations indicate that major alterations such as myofibrillar disruption and necrosis, muscle regeneration and denervation and synaptic remodeling at the level of the neuromuscular junction may take place during spaceflight.

Daunton, N. G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Experiment K-7-28: Lung Morphology Study

There are no previous studies investigating the effect of microgravity exposure during spaceflight on lung tissue. We examined the ultrastructure of the left lungs of 5 Czechoslovakian Wistar rats flown on the 13 day, 19+ hr. Cosmos 2044 mission, and compared them to 5 vivarium and 5 synchronous controls at 1-g conditions, and 5 rats exposed to 14 days of tail-suspension. Within 10 minutes of sacrifice by decapitation, the lungs were removed and immersed in 3% glutaraldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer (total osmolarity of the fixative: 560 mOsm; pH = 7.4). The tissue stored at 5 C was transported to our laboratory where it was processed for light and electron microscopy. No significant perivascular cuffing caused by interstitial edema was present in the tissue samples. Some of the flight, tail-suspended, and synchronous control rats showed alveolar edema, while vivarium controls did not. The pulmonary capillaries appeared to be more congested in the flight animals than in the other groups. This could be related to the increased hematocrit due to the microgravity exposure. In all 5 flight, 4 tail-suspended, and 3 synchronous rats, red blood cells (RBC) were present in the alveolar spaces. The RBC were either suspended free in the alveoli or observed lining the alveolar wall. The frequency of RBC lining the alveolar walls appeared greater in the dorsal (gravity non-dependent) than in ventral (gravity dependent) regions of the lung in these three animal groups. In 3 of the vivarium controls, a few RBC were found in the alveolar spaces. Intra-capillary fluid-filled vesicles were observed in the flight, tail-suspended and synchronous animals, but not in the vivarium controls. The formation of intra-capillary fluid-filled vesicles has been previously associated with pulmonary hypertension induced by high altitude exposure and mitral stenosis. In conclusion, pulmonary hemorrhage and alveolar edema of unknown origin occurred to a greater extent in the flight, tail-suspended, and synchronous control animals, and in the dorsal regions of the lung when compared to the vivarium controls. The etiology of these changes, which are possibly due to an increase in pulmonary vascular pressure, requires further investigation.

West, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Cirrus Cloud Optical and Morphological Variations within a Mesoscale Volume

Cirrus cloud optical and structural properties were measured above southern Wisconsin in two time segments between 18:07 and 21:20 GMT on December 1, 1989 by the volume imaging lidar (VIL) and the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and the visible infrared spin scan radiometer (VISSR) atmospheric sounder (VAS) on GOES. A new technique was used to calculate the cirrus cloud visible aerosol backscatter cross sections for a single channel elastic backscatter lidar. Cirrus clouds were viewed simultaneously by the VIL and the HSRL. This allowed the HSRL aerosol backscatter cross sections to be directly compared to the VIL single channel backscattered signal. This first attempt resulted in an adequate calibration. The calibration was extended to all the cirrus clouds in the mesoscale volume imaged by the VIL.

Wolf, Walter W.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The unusual X-ray collision morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278)

Deep Rosat high resolution imager (HRI) observations of the X-ray emitting gas associated with the colliding elliptical galaxy pair NGC 4782 and NGC 4783 reveals the gas distribution in a pair of close interacting ellipticals. The HRI image shows hot gas around each galaxy pair and a sheet of gas at the interaction interface between the two galaxies. The hot gas distributions do not peak at the optical centers of the galaxies, but are displaced in the same sense as the tidal distensions seen in the optical luminosity distributions.

Borne, Kirk↗
NASA NTRS1990

Morphological Analyses of Spring Wheat (CIMMYT cv. PCYT-10) Somaclones

The objectives of this study were to induce callus from single immature wheat embryos, produce multiple seedlings from the induced callus, and analyse the somaclonal regenerants for potential grain production in a space garden. Immature wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (cv. PCYT-10), embryos were excised 10 to 12 days post-anthesis and cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog's inorganic salts. Embryos cultured on medium containing kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine) at 0.5mg/l plus 2 or 3mg/l dicamba (1-methoxy-3,6- dichlorobenzoic acid) or 0.2mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid produced calli from which 24, 35 and 39% of the explant tissue exhibited regenerants, respectively. The size of flag leaves, plant heights, tillers per plant, spike lengths, awn lengths, and seeds per spike were significantly different in regenerants of two-selfed recurrent generations (SC(sub 1), SC(sub 2)) than in parental controls. However, there were no significant differences in spikelets per spike between the SC(sub 2) and parental controls. Desirable characteristics that were obtained included longer spikes, more seeds per spike, supernumerary spikelets, and larger flag leaves, variants that should be useful in wheat improvement programs.

Campbell, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Micro and Macro Segregation in Alloys Solidifying with Equiaxed Morphology

To understand macro segregation formation in Al-Cu alloys, experiments were run under terrestrial gravity (1g) and under low gravity during parabolic flights (10(exp -2) g). Alloys of two different compositions (2% and 5% Cu) were solidified at two different cooling rates. Systematic microscopic and SEM observations produced microstructural and segregation maps for all samples. These maps may be used as benchmark experiments for validation of microstructure evolution and segregation models. As expected, the macro segregation maps are very complex. When segregation was measured along the central axis of the sample, the highest macro segregation for samples solidified at 1g was obtained for the lowest cooling rate. This behavior is attributed to the longer time available for natural convection and shrinkage flow to affect solute redistribution. In samples solidified under low-g, the highest macro-segregation was obtained at the highest cooling rate. In general, low-gravity solidification resulted in less segregation. To explain the experimental findings, an analytical (Flemings-Nereo) and a numerical model were used. For the numerical model, the continuum formulation was employed to describe the macroscopic transports of mass, energy, and momentum, associated with the microscopic transport phenomena, for a two-phase system. The model proposed considers that liquid flow is driven by thermal and solutal buoyancy, and by solidification shrinkage. The Flemings-Nereo model explains well macro segregation in the initial stages of low-gravity segregation. The numerical model can describe the complex macro segregation pattern and the differences between low- and high-gravity solidification.

Stefanescu, Doru M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Morphology and Compositional Differentiation of the Surface of Comets

Giotto images reveal many features on the nucleus of Comet Halley, including gas- and dust-producing sources surrounded by an inactive region. In the inactive region, crater-like structures can be seen that may be extinct sources. These structures may develop by surface erosion of an active area and deposition of some excavated material on the periphery, creating crater-like rims. These rims are formed from "clumps" of comet regolith that can be lifted by the escaping gas. The lack of lift caused by the divergence of the gas flow near the boundary of an active region lets them fall back on the nucleus and create a rim. This may be a continuous process during perihelion passage. Supplementing the original concept of investigating the active and inactive regions, we conclude that three compositionally distinct areas should be sampled during the Rosetta mission: (1) The active regions rich in frozen gases and unprocessed dust; (2) The inactive region covered by a thin layer of fine dust enriched in organics that may be sintered. (3) The crater-like rims containing "clumps" of processed organics, silicates, and trapped frozen gases.

Huebner, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Long-Term Global Morphology of Gravity Wave Activity Using UARS Data

This is the first quarter's report on research to extract global gravity-wave data from satellite data and to model those observations synoptically. Preliminary analysis of global maps of extracted middle atmospheric temperature variance from the CRISTA instrument is presented, which appear to contain gravity-wave information. Corresponding simulations of global gravity-wave and mountain-wave activity during this mission period are described using global ray-tracing and mountain-wave models, and interesting similarities among simulated data and CRISTA data are noted. Climatological simulations of mesospheric gravity-wave activity using the HWM-03 wind-temperature climatology are also reported, for comparison with UARS MLS data. Preparatory work on modeling of gravity wave observations from space-based platforms and subsequent interpretation of the MLS gravity-wave product are also described. Preliminary interpretation and relation to the research objectives are provided, and further action for the next quarter's research is recommended.

Eckermann, Stephen D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The Unusual X-Ray Collision Morphology of NGC 4782/4783 (3C 278)

Deep ROSAT HRI (High-Resolution Imager) imaging of the X-ray-emitting gas associated with the colliding elliptical galaxy pair NGC 4782/4783 reveals for the first time the complexity of the hot gas distribution in a pair of close interacting galaxies. The HRI image of NGC 4782/4783 shows hot gas around each galaxy, a high surface brightness X-ray bridge connecting the galaxy pair, tidal-like tails emerging from the two galaxies, and a sheet of gas at the interaction interface between the two galaxies. The hot gas distributions do not peak at the optical centers of the galaxies but are displaced in the same sense as the tidal distensions seen in the optical luminosity distributions. All of these remarkable features show the complexity of structure that develops in the hot gas distribution when both hydrodynamical and tidal forces come into play during collisions between ellipticals with hot gas components. Models by Borne and Colina of the bent two-sided radio jet 3C 278 (associated with NGC 4782) indicated that there must be a strong interaction between the hot gas components of NGC 4782,/4783 and that the deflection of the radio jets is likely caused by the ram pressure exerted on the jet plasma by the hot gas associated with the passing companion NGC 4783. These conclusions are qualitatively confirmed by the HRI image and substantiate the major role played by the hot interstellar medium, and its asymmetries, in the propagation and entrainment of radio jets in colliding radio host ellipticals.

Colina, Luis↗
NASA NTRS1998

Analysis and Modeling of Coronal Holes Observed by CORONAS-1: Morphology and Magnetic Field Configuration - 1

Two low-latitude coronal holes observed by CORONAS-1 in April and June 1994 are analyzed together with magnetic field measurements obtained from Wilcox and Kitt Peak Solar Observatories. To estimate the comparable temperature of these two coronal holes, the YOHKOH observations are also utilized. Using this information, we have constructed three-dimensional magnetic field lines to illustrate the geometrical configuration of these coronal holes. The calculated synoptic maps are used to determine the existence of closed and open field regions of the hole. Finally, we have correlated the characteristics of two coronal holes with observed solar wind speed. We found that the brighter coronal hole has high speed solar wind, and the dimmer coronal hole has low speed solar wind.

Obridko, Vladmir↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Morphology of Two X-Ray Luminous Clusters of Galaxy Redshift 0.8

Rosat HRI observations of two distant X-ray clusters were obtained, reduced, and analyzed. The emission from the clusters were characterized by a central surface brightness, a core radius, an ellipticity (if necessary), and a slope. The mass of the intracluster medium in the clusters was inferred for one of the clusters; for the other, the signal-to-noise and the irregularity in the cluster did not allow that inference to be made. Subsequent observations by another observer added to these observations allowed this inference.

Donahue, Megan↗
NASA NTRS2000

Morphology of Mars North Polar Ice Cap

The northern ice cap of Mars consists of a parabolic dome centered within 13 km of the pole, plus an arm-like ridge extending from the dome between about 135 and 225 east. Chasma Boreale lies between the dome and the extended ridge. The base of the dome is approximately elliptical with a major axis of 1100 km along the 90 east to 270 east direction and minor axis of 700 km along zero east to 180 deg. The heights of the dome and the extended ridge are respectively 2900 inches and 1700 inches above the surrounding basin. Least-squares fitting of a parabola through height profiles of the dome along longitudes 90 deg to 270 deg and zero deg to 180 deg gives an elliptic-paraboloid equation for the dome: Z(m) = 2800 - [(X-x)(exp 2)/113.6] - [(Y-y)(exp 2)/50.3], where X is the 90 deg to 270 deg axis, x = 9.90 km, y = 13.32 km, and the slightly-different fitted heights for the two axes are averaged. The center of the dome is shifted 13.32 km from the pole along zero deg longitude and 9.90 km along 90 deg longitude. Typical mean surface slopes on the ice cap are the order of 1/100 (0.6 deg), A small central portion of the cap, about 100 km by 200 km, extends in elevation about 200 inches above the parabolic shape of the cap. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Zwally, H. J.↗