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NASA NTRS2019

Meteoroids at the Moon: Orbital Properties, Surface Vaporization, and Impact Ejecta Production

We use a dynamical model to characterize the monthly and yearly variations of the lunar meteoroid environment for meteoroids originating from short and long‐period comets and the main‐belt asteroids. Our results show that if we assume the meteoroid mass flux of 43.3 tons per day at Earth, inferred from previous works, the mass flux of meteoroids impacting the Moon is 30 times smaller, approximately 1.4 tons per day, and shows variations of the order of 10% over a year. The mass flux difference is due to the combined effect of the smaller cross‐section of the Moon (factor of 13.46) and Earth's larger gravitational focusing (factor of 2–2.5). The lunar surface is vaporized by these impactors at an average impact vaporization flux of 11.6 × 10−16 g·cm−2·s−1, providing a significant source for the rarefied lunar exosphere. Our model predicts acceptable vaporization rates and reproduces the local time dependence of observations of the dust ejecta cloud, measured by the Lunar Dust Experiment on board NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment (LADEE) satellite. However, the predicted density of the lunar ejecta cloud is four orders of magnitude larger than reported values by LADEE. This discrepancy might be attributed to a much lower yield from meteoroid impacts on fluffy lunar regolith and/or a lower detection efficiency of the LADEE dust detector. We suggest an upper limit of 30 cm per million years for the soil gardening rate from small meteoroids.

Petr Pokorny↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Automated Tracking of Shallow Maritime Clouds on Geostationary Imagery to Extract Lifecycle Characteristics

Shallow moist convection is ubiquitous throughout the tropics and represents a key player in boundary layer processes. Satellites have provided many statistics on shallow clouds, such as size, structure, and geographical coverage, from static views of recurring cloud fields. But determining why certain cloud features appear and persist for different periods requires a time-evolving view of their behaviors. Geostationary satellites provide a unique opportunity to follow the time evolution of individual convective features, given their enhanced spatial and temporal sampling. A cloud-tracking tool was developed to identify properties of cloud lifecycle from the NASA Cloud, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment (CAMP2EX) field campaign of 2019. The mission conducted intensive sampling of shallow cumulus in the West Pacific Ocean, in tandem with Rapid Scan imagery from the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) on the Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) Himawari-8 satellite. Shallow cumulus was segmented according to thresholds in 0.5-km visible reflectance and with blurring techniques. Despite being limited to daytime hours, the segmentations yielded the best resolution possible for capturing cloud initiation and decay. The tracking procedure is based on a computer vision package that includes Kalman filters for motion prediction, object overlap search, and the Hungarian (or Kuhn-Munkres) matching algorithm for track designation. AHI radiances available within the tracked cloud boundaries are assembled to form individual spectral histories. The resulting catalog provides thousands of cloud histories for domains measuring only a few degrees in latitude and longitude. We present an overview of the cloud-tracking tool, strategies to identify development stages from cloud tracks, and preliminary results that document cumulus lifecycle properties from satellite. The application of AHI 0.5-km reflectance has both strengths and limitations when attempting to track lifecycles of the smallest resolvable clouds. We show that by aggregating cloud tracks from a few case studies of CAMP2EX, we can discern differences in cloud lifetime and development according to ensembles selected from areas of interest. The results demonstrate an ability to quantify lifetimes and assess rates of change in cloud characteristics that are likely controlled by the surrounding environment and meteorology.

Cloud Tracking↗
NASA NTRS2005

Prediction of Turbulence-Generated Noise in Unheated Jets: JeNo Technical Manual (Version 1.0) - Part 1

The model-based approach, used by the JeNo code to predict jet noise spectral directivity, is described. A linearized form of Lilley's equation governs the non-causal Green s function of interest, with the non-linear terms on the right hand side identified as the source. A Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solution yields the required mean flow for the solution of the propagation Green s function in a locally parallel flow. The RANS solution also produces time- and length-scales needed to model the non-compact source, the turbulent velocity correlation tensor, with exponential temporal and spatial functions. It is shown that while an exact non-causal Green s function accurately predicts the observed shift in the location of the spectrum peak with angle as well as the angularity of sound at low to moderate Mach numbers, the polar directivity of radiated sound is not entirely captured by this Green s function at high subsonic and supersonic acoustic Mach numbers. Results presented for unheated jets in the Mach number range of 0.51 to 1.8 suggest that near the peak radiation angle of high-speed jets, a different source/Green s function convolution integral may be required in order to capture the peak observed directivity of jet noise. A sample Mach 0.90 heated jet is also discussed that highlights the requirements for a comprehensive jet noise prediction model.

Khavaran, Abbas↗
NASA NTRS1987

Experiments on the applicability of MAE techniques for predicting sound diffraction by irregular terrains

The sound field diffracted by a single smooth hill of finite impedance is studied both analytically, within the context of the theory of Matched Asymptotic Expansions (MAE), and experimentally, under laboratory scale modeling conditions. Special attention is given to the sound field on the diffracting surface and throughout the transition region between the illuminated and the shadow zones. The MAE theory yields integral equations that are amenable to numerical computations. Experimental results are obtained with a spark source producing a pulse of 42 microsec duration and about 130 Pa at 1 m. The insertion loss of the hill is inferred from measurements of the acoustic signals at two locations in the field, with subsequent Fourier analysis on an IBM PC/AT. In general, experimental results support the predictions of the MAE theory, and provide a basis for the analysis of more complicated geometries.

Berthelot, Yves H.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Analysis of the Patterns of Radiation-Induced DNA Damage Foci by a Stochastic Monte Carlo Model of DNA Double Strand Breaks Induction by Heavy Ions and Image Segmentation Software

To create a generalized mechanistic model of DNA damage in human cells that will generate analytical and image data corresponding to experimentally observed DNA damage foci and will help to improve the experimental foci yields by simulating spatial foci patterns and resolving problems with quantitative image analysis. Material and Methods: The analysis of patterns of RIFs (radiation-induced foci) produced by low- and high-LET (linear energy transfer) radiation was conducted by using a Monte Carlo model that combines the heavy ion track structure with characteristics of the human genome on the level of chromosomes. The foci patterns were also simulated in the maximum projection plane for flat nuclei. Some data analysis was done with the help of image segmentation software that identifies individual classes of RIFs and colocolized RIFs, which is of importance to some experimental assays that assign DNA damage a dual phosphorescent signal. Results: The model predicts the spatial and genomic distributions of DNA DSBs (double strand breaks) and associated RIFs in a human cell nucleus for a particular dose of either low- or high-LET radiation. We used the model to do analyses for different irradiation scenarios. In the beam-parallel-to-the-disk-of-a-flattened-nucleus scenario we found that the foci appeared to be merged due to their high density, while, in the perpendicular-beam scenario, the foci appeared as one bright spot per hit. The statistics and spatial distribution of regions of densely arranged foci, termed DNA foci chains, were predicted numerically using this model. Another analysis was done to evaluate the number of ion hits per nucleus, which were visible from streaks of closely located foci. In another analysis, our image segmentaiton software determined foci yields directly from images with single-class or colocolized foci. Conclusions: We showed that DSB clustering needs to be taken into account to determine the true DNA damage foci yield, which helps to determine the DSB yield. Using the model analysis, a researcher can refine the DSB yield per nucleus per particle. We showed that purely geometric artifacts, present in the experimental images, can be analytically resolved with the model, and that the quantization of track hits and DSB yields can be provided to the experimentalists who use enumeration of radiation-induced foci in immunofluorescence experiments using proteins that detect DNA damage. An automated image segmentaiton software can prove useful in a faster and more precise object counting for colocolized foci images.

Ponomarev, Artem↗
NASA NTRS2004

NASA Data for Water Resources Applications

Water Management Applications is one of twelve elements in the Earth Science Enterprise National Applications Program. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is supporting the Applications Program through partnering with other organizations to use NASA project results, such as from satellite instruments and Earth system models to enhance the organizations critical needs. The focus thus far has been: 1) estimating water storage including snowpack and soil moisture, 2) modeling and predicting water fluxes such as evapotranspiration (ET), precipitation and river runoff, and 3) remote sensing of water quality, including both point source (e.g., turbidity and productivity) and non-point source (e.g., land cover conversion such as forest to agriculture yielding higher nutrient runoff). The objectives of the partnering cover three steps of: 1) Evaluation, 2) Verification and Validation, and 3) Benchmark Report. We are working with the U.S. federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). We are using several of their Decision Support Systems (DSS) tools. This includes the DSS support tools BASINS used by EPA, Riverware and AWARDS ET ToolBox by USBR and SWAT by USDA and EPA. Regional application sites using NASA data across the US. are currently being eliminated for the DSS tools. The current NASA data emphasized thus far are from the Land Data Assimilation Systems WAS) and MODIS satellite products. We are currently in the first two steps of evaluation and verification validation. Water Management Applications is one of twelve elements in the Earth Science Enterprise s National Applications Program. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is supporting the Applications Program through partnering with other organizations to use NASA project results, such as from satellite instruments and Earth system models to enhance the organizations critical needs. The focus thus far has been: 1) estimating water storage including snowpack and soil moisture, 2) modeling and predicting water fluxes such as evapotranspiration (ET), precipitation and river runoff, and 3) remote sensing of water quality, including both point source (e.g., turbidity and productivity) and non-point source (e.g., land cover conversion such as forest to agriculture yielding higher nutrient runoff). The objectives of the partnering cover three steps of 1) Evaluation, 2) Verification and Validation, and 3) Benchmark Report. We are working with the U.S. federal agencies the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). We are using several of their Decision Support Systems (DSS) tools. T us includes the DSS support tools BASINS used by EPA, Riverware and AWARDS ET ToolBox by USBR and SWAT by USDA and EPA. Regional application sites using NASA data across the US. are currently being evaluated for the DSS tools. The current NASA data emphasized thus far are from the Land Data Assimilation Systems (LDAS) and MODIS satellite products. We are currently in the first two steps of evaluation and verification and validation.

Toll, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Secondary Neutron Production from Space Radiation Interactions: Advances in Model and Experimental Data Base Development

For humans engaged in long-duration missions in deep space or near-Earth orbit, the risk from exposure to galactic and solar cosmic rays is an important factor in the design of spacecraft, spacesuits, and planetary bases. As cosmic rays are transported through shielding materials and human tissue components, a secondary radiation field is produced. Neutrons are an important component of that secondary field, especially in thickly-shielded environments. Calculations predict that 50% of the dose-equivalent in a lunar or Martian base comes from neutrons, and a recent workshop held at the Johnson Space Center concluded that as much as 30% of the dose in the International Space Station may come from secondary neutrons. Accelerator facilities provide a means for measuring the effectiveness of various materials in their ability to limit neutron production, using beams and energies that are present in cosmic radiation. The nearly limitless range of beams, energies, and target materials that are present in space, however, means that accelerator-based experiments will not provide a complete database of cross sections and thick-target yields that are necessary to plan and design long-duration missions. As such, accurate nuclear models of neutron production are needed, as well as data sets that can be used to compare with, and verify, the predictions from such models. Improvements in a model of secondary neutron production from heavy-ion interactions are presented here, along with the results from recent accelerator-based measurements of neutron-production cross sections. An analytical knockout-ablation model capable of predicting neutron production from high-energy hadron-hadron interactions (both nucleon-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions) has been previously developed. In the knockout stage, the collision between two nuclei result in the emission of one or more nucleons from the projectile and/or target. The resulting projectile and target remnants, referred to as prefragments, then decay by the emission of nucleons, composites, and gamma rays. Recent improvements to the model have incorporated coalescence effects, which effectively tie up single nucleons in the formation of composites during final-state interactions. Comparison of the improved model s predictions with neutron production data near 0 deg in the CA-40+ H reaction at 357 and 565 MeV/nucleon show marked improvement.

Heilbronn, Lawrence H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Ion drift velocities in gaseous mixtures at arbitrary field strengths.

A momentum-transfer theory is used to obtain an expression for the drift velocity of an ion in a multicomponent gas mixture. This is combined with an approximate calculation of the partition of the ion energy in the mixture to yield a formula for the drift velocity in terms of the drift velocities in the pure component gases. Positive deviations from Blanc's law at high fields are predicted, of magnitudes that should be easily measured experimentally.

Mason, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Pionic X-ray yields and 2p-level widths in Li6, Be9, C12 and O16.

Measurement of the intensities of 2p-1s pionic X-ray transitions in Li6, Be9, C12 and O16 by using an absolute-efficiency technique. Population probability predictions for the mesonic levels, and values for the strong-interaction levels widths are obtained by pion-cascade calculations. Numerical values are also obtained for the 2p-level absorption broadening.

Sapp, W. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The influence of a prediction display on the quasi-linear describing function and remnant measured with an adaptive analog-pilot in a closed loop

The effect of a prediction display on the human transfer characteristics is explained with the aid of a quasi-linear model. The prediction display causes an increase of the gain factor and the lead factor, a diminishing of the lag factor and a decrease of the remnant. Altogether, these factors yield a smaller mean square value of the control deviation and a simultaneous decrease of the mean square value of the stick signal.

Dey, D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Supersonic flow about circular cones at large angles of attack - A floating discontinuity approach

The technique of floating shock fitting is adapted to the computation of the inviscid flowfield about circular cones in a supersonic free stream at angles of attack that exceed the cone half-angle. In those regions in which the governing conical equations are mixed elliptic-hyperbolic, the fully hyperbolic form is obtained by the addition of the temporal derivative. The resulting equations are applicable over the complete range of free-stream Mach numbers, angles of attack and cone half-angles for which the bow shock is attached. An explicit finite-difference algorithm is used to obtain the solution by an unsteady relaxation approach. The bow shock, embedded crossflow shock, and vortical singularity in the leeward symmetry plane are all treated as floating discontinuities in a fixed computational mesh. The method yields excellent results for the bow and embedded shocks, however, the solution in the leeward symmetry plane exhibits viscous-like effects and does not appear to adequately predict the behavior of the vortical singularity.

Daywitt, J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Thermal expansion of composites using Moire interferometry

An experimental technique for precise measurement of the thermal response of fiber-reinforced composite materials uses moire interferometry with fringe multiplication which yield a sensitivity of 833 nm (32.8 mu in.) per fringe. Results from the technique are compared with those obtained from electrical resistance strain gages, and also those predicted from classical lamination theory. Temperature dependent coefficients of thermal expansion for composite materials subjected to thermal cycling in the temperature range of 297 K (75 F) to 422 K (300 F) were determined for four laminate configurations (0, 90, 0/ + or - 45/90 sub s and 0/90/ + or - 45 sub s) of T300/5208 graphite epoxy, and ranged from -0.107 mu epsilon K/1 (-0.059 mu epsilon deg F/-) for the 0 laminate to 32.18 mu epsilon K/1 (17.88 mu epsilon F/1) for the 90 laminate. Moisture was found to greatly influence the thermal response of a quasi-isotropic laminate, resulting in hysteresis and residual compressive strain as the moisture content was reduced. Comparisons between moire and strain gage measurements were inconclusive with both techniques giving consistent but systematically different results. Differences of as much as 29% were observed.

Bowles, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Brightness temperatures of Saturn's disk and rings at 400 and 700 micrometers

Observations at wavelengths longer than 300 microns provide temperature measurements at deeper layers in the atmosphere of giant planets because opacities are reduced. Submillimeter observations of Saturn were made in November 1979 when the inclination angle of the rings was 1.2 degrees. A 55 sec focal plane aperture was used along with two filters with spectral passbands of 300 to 800 microns (mean wavelength approximately 400 microns) and 500 to 850 microns (mean wavelength approximately 700). Mean brightness temperatures of 121 + or - 12 K at 400 microns and 139 + or - 15 K at 700 microns are reported. The brightness temperatures fall below predictions of atmospheric models at shorter wavelengths, requiring an opacity source besides the pressure-broadened hydrogen lines. In combination with measurements at larger inclination angles, the results yield a 400 micrometer brightness temperature for the rings of approximately 75 K.

Whitcomb, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Predicting Roll Angle Of A Spinning Spacecraft

Data for corrections of attitude derived on Earth from secondary measurements. Paper describes how attitude of Pioneer 10 spacecraft controlled since spacecraft lost signal from Sun-sensor signal. Roll calculations in paper yields insight into environment of solar system at great distances.

Smith, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Analysis of eccentric annular incompressible seals. II - Effects of eccentricity on rotordynamic coefficients

A new analysis procedure has been presented which solves for the flow variables of an annular pressure seal in which the rotor has a large static displacement (eccentricity) from the centered position. The present paper incorporates the solutions to investigate the effect of eccentricity on the rotordynamic coefficients. The analysis begins with a set of governing equations based on a turbulent bulk-flow model and Moody's friction factor equation. Perturbations of the flow variables yields a set of zeroth- and first-order equations. After integration of the zeroth-order equations, the resulting zeroth-order flow variables are used as input in the solution of the first-order equations. Further integration of the first order pressures yields the eccentric rotordynamic coefficients. The results from this procedure compare well with available experimental and theoretical data, with accuracy just as good or slightly better than the predictions based on a finite-element model.

Nelson, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Giotto data analysis: Electron plasma and heavy ion composition measurements at Comet Halley

This investigation involved the analysis of electron plasma and heavy ion composition measurements made by the COPERNIC (COmplete Positive ion, Electron, and Ram Negative Ion measurements near Comet Halley) plasma experiment during the close fly-by of Halley by the European Space Agency's Giotto spacecraft. The experiment provided measurements of the full 3-dimensional distribution of 10 eV-30 keV electrons, and mass analysis of cold cometary ions from 10-210 amu. The analysis of the COPERNIC data has yielded some remarkable results, including: The discovery of negatively charged ions in the inner coma; the discovery of far heavier (mass is greater than 50 amu) ions than predicted, dominated by complex molecular ions made up of C, H, O, and N; the discovery of an adiabatic heating effect on electrons from the compression of the solar wind plasma; the identification of several organic and sulfur bearing ions; and the discovery of a new 'mystery region' where electrons are accelerated to high energies. These discoveries were in addition to the detailed analysis of 'expected' features at Comet Halley. Although this grant has expired, analysis continues on the data at a low (unfunded) level, and it is expected that more significant results will be obtained. A bibliography of the papers resulting from this research is attached, and a copy of each paper is included.

Lin, Robert P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Determination of tidal h Love number parameters in the diurnal band using an extensive VLBI data set

We use over a decade of geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data to estimate parameters in a resonance expansion of the frequency dependence of the tidal h(sub 2) Love number within the diurnal band. The resonance is associated with the retrograde free core nutation (RFCN). We obtain a value for the real part of the resonance strength of (-0.27 +/- 0.03) x 10(exp -3); a value of -0.19 x 10(exp -3) is predicted theoretically. Uncertainties in the VLBI estimates of the body tide radial displacement amplitudes are approximately 0.5 mm (1.1 mm for the K1 frequency), but they do not yield sufficiently small Love number uncertainties for placing useful constraints on the frequency of the RFCN, given the much smaller uncertainties obtained from independent analyses using nutation or gravimetric data. We also consider the imaginary part of the tidal h(sub 2) Love number. The estimated imaginary part of the resonance strength is (0.00 +/- 0.02) x 10(exp -3). The estimated imaginary part of the nonresonant component of the Love number implies a phase angle in the diurnal tidal response of the Earth of 0.7 deg +/- 0.5 deg (lag).

Mitrovica, J. X.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparison of coordinate-invariant and coordinate-aligned upwinding for the Euler equations

A floating-shock fitting method for the Euler equations has been developed that uses one-sided spatial differences along and across streamlines. The coordinate-invariant formulation of the spatial differences permits automatic capture of shears. Results are presented for unsteady shocked flow in a duct with a ramp, for supercritical flow over a circular cylinder, and for subsonic, transonic, and supersonic (0.3 is less than or equal to M(sub infinity) is less than 1.5) flow over airfoils. In flows with strong shears, the coordinate-invariant differencing concept appears to yield some gains in accuracy over Euler methods that rely on coordinate-aligned differencing concepts. In applications to transonic airfoils, fitted shocks have a tendency to be predicted upstream of captured shocks, regardless of whether coordinate-invariant or coordinate-aligned differencing is used. The coordinate-invariant differencing method requires between 2 and 3.5 times as much computing time as its coordinate-aligned counterpart.

Hartwich, Peter M.↗