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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 919 records · Page 51

Gravity as a factor in the animal environment.

Review of current knowledge, research, and research planning on the influence of gravity upon living organisms. Discussed factors affecting the adaptability of animals to increased acceleration fields include age, sex, posture, and body size. Affected functions and aspects reviewed cover growth and mature body size, body composition, maintenance feed requirements, and feed utilization efficiency. It is expected that research involving the exposure of animals to altered gravity states will lead to new biological concepts of very broad importance.

Smith, A. H.↗

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the nonlinear behavior of angleplied boron/aluminum composites.

Specimens from angleplied laminates of boron/aluminum composites were tested and the results analyzed. The specimens consisted of eight-ply symmetric layups and were loaded in tension at various angles to the 0-deg-ply direction. Stress-strain curves to specimen fracture were obtained. The analysis was performed using linear composite mechanics which includes residual stresses and a combined stress yield function. The results obtained indicate that angleplied boron/aluminum laminates exhibit a nonlinear stress-strain behavior to fracture. The residual stresses affect the initial and 'yield' laminate properties.

Chamis, C. C.↗

The effects of microcracking on the thermal expansion of graphite-epoxy composites

A study of the effects of thermal environment and microcracking in graphite epoxy composites was made. Research indicates that microcracking does affect the thermal expansion of composite laminates. The amount of reduction in thermal expansion was a function of the crack density. A maximum reduction of approximately 25% occurred in a quasi-isotropic specimen with a crack density of 2.05 mm 1 in the 90 deg plies. Laminate analysis with appropriate reductions in E sub 2 and Alpha sub 2 of the damaged plies appears to be capable of modeling the observed

Bowles, D. E.↗

Properties of Low-Expansion Laminates

Laminate elastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion calculated for near-zero-expansion graphite/aluminum and graphite/ magnesium composites. Report presents results in graphic form for these properties as function of laminate angle and fiber volume fraction for four high-modulus continuous-pitch fiber.

Kural, M.↗

The International VEGA "Venus-Halley" (1984-1986) Experiment: Description and Scientific Objectives

The Venus-Halley (Vega) project will provide a unique opportunity to combine a mission over Venus with a transfer flight to Halley's comet. This project is based on three research goals: (1) to study the surface of Venus; (2) to study the air circulation on Venus and its meteorological parameters; and (3) to study Halley's comet. The objective of the study of Halley's comet is to: determine the physical characteristics of its nucleus; define the structure and dynamics of the coma around the nucleus; define the gas composition near the nucleus; investigate the dust particle distribution as a function of mass at various distances from the nucleus; and investigate the solar wind interaction with the atmosphere and ionosphere of the comet.

Source record↗

Research reports: 1985 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

A compilation of 40 technical reports on research conducted by participants in the 1985 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is given. Weibull density functions, reliability analysis, directional solidification, space stations, jet stream, fracture mechanics, composite materials, orbital maneuvering vehicles, stellar winds and gamma ray bursts are among the topics discussed.

Karr, G. R.↗

Arsenic ambient conditions preventing surface degradation of GaAs during capless annealing at high temperatures

Changes in surface morphology and composition caused by capless annealing of GaAs were studied as a function of annealing temperature, T(GaAs), and the ambient arsenic pressure controlled by the temperature, T(As), of an arsenic source in the annealing ampul. It was established that any degradation of the GaAs surface morphology could be completely prevented, providing that T(As) was more than about 0.315T(GaAs) + 227 C. This empirical relationship is valid up to the melting point temperature of GaAs (1238 C), and it may be useful in some device-processing steps.

Kang, C. H.↗

Strength and toughness of monolithic and composite silicon nitrides

The strength and toughness of two composite and two monolithic silicon nitrides were measured from 25 to 1400 C. The monolithic and composite materials were made from similar starting powders. Both of the composite materials contained 30 vol percent silicon carbide whiskers. All measurements were made by four point flexure in surrounding air and humidity. The composite and monolithic materials exhibited similar fast fracture properties as a function of temperature.

Salem, Jonathan A.↗

Braided composite bore evacuator chambers for tank cannons

Typically, continuous filament composite components are fabricated using a filament winding technique. In this operation, fibers are introduced to a rotating mandrel while a guide holding the material traverses back and forth to place the material in a helical pattern over the surface of the mandrel. This procedure is continued until complete coverage is obtained. An alternative method for fabricating continuous filament composite components is braiding. In the braiding operation a mandrel is traversed through the center of the braider while 144 strands of material traverse around a carrier ring. As the fibers are applied to a mandrel surface, 72 carriers holding the fibers travel clockwise, while another 72 carriers travel counterclockwise to interlock fibers. An additional 72 carriers located on the back of the braider introduce longitudinal fibers to the composite giving the composite lateral strength. The goal of using the braider is to reduce production time by simultaneously applying 144 strands of material onto a mandrel as opposed to the four-strand wrapping most filament winding techniques offer. Benefits to braiding include the ability to (1) introduce longitudinal fibers to the composite structure; (2) fabricate non-symmetric components without using complex functions to produce full coverage; and (3) produce a component with a higher degree of damage tolerance due to the interlocking of fibers. The fabrication of bore evacuator chambers for a tank cannon system is investigated by utilizing a 144 carrier braiding machine, an industrial robot, and a resin applicator system.

Wheeler, Philip C.↗

Calculated mineral precipitation upon evaporation of a model Martian groundwater near 0 C

Previously, the effect of weathering a basalt of Shergotty meteorite composition with pure water buffered at martian atmospheric values of CO2 and O2, to place constraints upon the composition of martian groundwater, and to determine possible equilibrium mineral assemblages was calculated. A revised calculation of the composition of the aqueous phase in the weathering reaction as a function of the amount of basalt titrated into the solution is shown. The concentrations of sulfate and chloride ions increase in the solution from high water/rock ratios (w/r) on the left to low water/rock ratios on the right, until at w/r = 1, where 1 kg of basalt has been titrated, sulfate concentration is 1564 ppm and chloride is 104 ppm. This resulting fluid is dominated by sulfate and sodium, with bicarbonate and chloride at about the same concentration. This solution was evaporated in an attempt to determine if the resulting evaporite can explain the Viking XRF data. The program CHILLER was used to evaporate this solution at 0.1 C.

Debraal, J. D.↗

Hormonal regulation of fluid and electrolyte metabolism during periods of headward fluid shifts

In the broadest sense, this project evaluates how spaceflight induced shifts of blood and interstitial fluids into the thorax affect regulation by the central nervous system (CNS) of fluid-electrolyte hormone secretion. Specifically, it focuses on the role of hormones related to salt/water balance and their potential function in the control of intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition. Fluid-electrolyte status during spaceflight gradually equilibrates, with a reduction in all body fluid compartments. Related to this is the cardiovascular deconditioning of spaceflight which is manifested upon return to earth as orthostatic intolerance.

Keil, Lanny C.↗

Elliptic surface grid generation on minimal and parmetrized surfaces

An elliptic grid generation method is presented which generates excellent boundary conforming grids in domains in 2D physical space. The method is based on the composition of an algebraic and elliptic transformation. The composite mapping obeys the familiar Poisson grid generation system with control functions specified by the algebraic transformation. New expressions are given for the control functions. Grid orthogonality at the boundary is achieved by modification of the algebraic transformation. It is shown that grid generation on a minimal surface in 3D physical space is in fact equivalent to grid generation in a domain in 2D physical space. A second elliptic grid generation method is presented which generates excellent boundary conforming grids on smooth surfaces. It is assumed that the surfaces are parametrized and that the grid only depends on the shape of the surface and is independent of the parametrization. Concerning surface modeling, it is shown that bicubic Hermite interpolation is an excellent method to generate a smooth surface which is passing through a given discrete set of control points. In contrast to bicubic spline interpolation, there is extra freedom to model the tangent and twist vectors such that spurious oscillations are prevented.

Spekreijse, S. P.↗

Modal Acoustic Emission of Damage Accumulation in Woven SiC/SiC at Elevated Temperatures

Ceramic matrix composites exhibit significant nonlinear stress-strain behavior that makes them attractive as potential materials for many high temperature applications. The mechanisms for this nonlinear stress-strain behavior are all associated with various types of damage in the composites, e.g. transverse matrix cracks and individual fiber failures. Modal acoustic emission has been employed to aid in discerning the damage accumulation that occurs during elevated temperature tensile stress-rupture of woven Hi-Nicalon fiber, BN interphase, SiC matrix composites. It is shown that modal acoustic emission is an effective monitor of the relative damage accumulation in the composites and locator of the damage and failure events as a function of strain (stress), time at temperature, and temperature gradients along the length of the elevated temperature test specimen.

Morscher, G. N.↗

The Formation Age of Comets: Predicted Physical and Chemical Trends

The chemical composition of a comet has always been considered to be a function of where it formed in the nebula. We suggest that the most important factor in determining a comet's chemistry might actually be when it formed. We present specific predictions of correlations between the dust and volatile components to test our hypothesis.

Nuth, Joesph A., III↗

The Formation Age of Comets: Predicted Physical and Chemical Trends

The chemical composition of a comet has always been considered to be a function of where it formed in the nebula. We suggest that the most important factor in determining a comet's chemistry might actually be when it formed. Specific predictions are presented.

Nuth, J. A., III↗

Science Rationale for Jupiter Entry Probe as Part of JIMO

A Jupiter atmospheric entry probe as part of JIMO is a cost effective way to address fundamental science questions identified in the National Research Council Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey (SSEDS): New Frontiers in the Solar System, An Integrated Exploration Strategy. Compared to either the cost of an entirely separate Jupiter mission, or the cost of JIMO itself, inclusion of such a probe on JIMO would be cost advantageous. The probe itself could be relatively simple, and could build on the Galileo Probe heritage. Determining the abundance of water in the Jovian atmosphere would be the most useful function the probe could perform. The probe could also investigate the composition, dynamics, and thermal structure of the Jovian atmosphere.

Young, Richard E.↗

10 000-hr Cyclic Oxidation Behavior of 68 High-Temperature Co-, Fe-, and Ni- Base Alloys Evaluated at 982 deg. C (1800 deg. F)

Power systems with operating temperatures in the range of 815 to 982 C (1500 to 1800 F) frequently require alloys that can operate for long times at these temperatures. A critical requirement is that these alloys have adequate oxidation resistance. The alloys used in these power systems require thousands of hours of operating life with intermittent shutdown to room temperature. Intermittent power plant shutdowns, however, offer the possibility that the protective scale will tend to spall (i.e., crack and flake off) upon cooling, increasing the rate of oxidative attack in subsequent heating cycles. Thus, it is critical that candidate alloys be evaluated for cyclic oxidation behavior. It was determined that exposing test alloys to ten 1000-hr cycles in static air at 982 10 000-hr Cyclic Oxidation Behavior of 68 High-Temperature Co-, Fe-, and Ni-Base Alloys Evaluated at 982 C (1800 F) could give a reasonable simulation of long-time power plant operation. Iron- (Fe-), nickel- (Ni-), and cobalt- (Co-) based high-temperature alloys with sufficient chromium (Cr) and/or aluminum (Al) content can exhibit excellent oxidation resistance. The protective oxides formed by these classes of alloys are typically Cr2O3 and/or Al2O3, and are usually influenced by their Cr, or Cr and Al, content. Sixty-eight Co-, Fe-, and Ni-base high-temperature alloys, typical of those used at this temperature or higher, were used in this study. At the NASA Lewis Research Center, the alloys were tested and compared on the basis of their weight change as a function of time, x-ray diffraction of the protective scale composition, and the physical appearance of the exposed samples. Although final appearance and x-ray diffraction of the final scale products were two factors used to evaluate the oxidation resistance of each alloy, the main criterion was the oxidation kinetics inferred from the specific weight change versus time data. These data indicated a range of oxidation behavior including parabolic (typical of isothermal oxidation), paralinear, linear, and mixed-linear kinetics.

Barrett, Charles A.↗

Modeling evaporation of Jet A, JP-7 and RP-1 drops at 1 to 15 bars

A model describing the evaportion of an isolated drop of a multicomponent fuel containing hundreds of species has been developed. The model is based on Continuous Thermodynamics concepts wherein the composition of a fuel is statistically described using a Probability Distribution Function (PDF).

kerosene drops↗