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At least 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Characterization of charge states of energetic ions in solids from associated K X-ray production

The strong projectile-charge-state dependence of K X-ray production in gases establishes a charge-state scale for ions penetrating solids. Si K X-ray cross sections in gaseous SiH4 were compared to those in solid Si for 40-MeV O (6+ to 8+) and 86-MeV Ar (6+ to 16+) projectiles. For Ar an effective charge of 11 plus or minus one is found compared to an emergent charge of 14.8 plus or minus 0.5. The result is discussed in terms of alternate models for steady-state excitation in solids.

Datz, S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Measurement of supersmall quantities of Ar37 and H3

The results of measurements made on supersmall quantities of Ar-37 and H-3 by a low-background installation based on miniature proportional counters are presented. The article considers the sensitivity limit for the recording of Ar-37 and H-3.

Kocharov, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The solar wind as deduced from lunar samples

Lunar surface samples, which have been exposed to the solar wind, can be used to obtain information on the recent and past solar wind. Some of the more important conclusions reached are: The D/H ratio in the solar wind is smaller than 0.000003. The isotopic composition of C, Ar (except Ar-40), and Kr in the solar wind and on the earth are the same within approximately plus or minus 3%. Terrestrial Ne is enriched in the heavier isotopes relative to solar wind Ne. The average solar wind flux in the past was probably higher than at present. The average solar wind energy has varied in the past; however, no long time trend is apparent. Evidence for a secular decrease of the He-4/He-3 ratio with time exists.

Eberhardt, P.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Formation of the lunar atmosphere

Measurements of Ar-40 and helium made by the Apollo 17 lunar surface mass-spectrometer are used in the synthesis of atmospheric supply and loss mechanisms. The argon data indicate that about 8% of the Ar-40 produced in the moon due to decay of K-40 is released into the atmosphere and subsequently lost. Variability of the atmospheric abundance of argon requires that the source be localized, probably in an unfractionated, partially molten core. If so, the radiogenic helium released with the argon amounts to 10% of the atmospheric helium supply. The total rate of helium escape from the moon accounts for only 60% of the solar wind particle influx. This seems to require a nonthermal escape mechanism for trapped solar-wind gases, probably involving weathering of exposed soil-grain surfaces by solar-wind protons.

Hodges, R. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Martian volatiles - Their degassing history and geochemical fate

Implications of the Ar-40 content of the Martian atmosphere for Martian volatile history are considered. It is assumed that the potassium content of both Mars and earth is similar to that of normal chondrites, that Mars possesses a water content similar to that of normal chondrites, and that earth's water content is equal to or somewhat less than Mars'. A simple earth-analogous Mars degassing model is outlined in which the Martian surface volatile inventory is presumed to be identical to earth's, but scaled to the smaller mass and surface area of Mars. Physical storage of volatiles in the Martian regolith is examined along with the occurrence of volatile-containing mineral phases in the regolith, exospheric escape as a massive volatile sink, and the effect of the time history of degassing on the surface volatile inventory. Implications of earth's degassing history for Mars are assessed, and models describing the overall intensity of Mars degassing are presented. It is concluded that the maximum amounts of water and other volatiles that could be stored in the Martian regolith are marginally compatible with those required by the earth-analogous model, although a lower atmospheric Ar-40 concentration and regolith volatile inventory would be easier to reconcile with observational constraints.

Fanale, F. P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The duration of volcanism in Mare Serenitatis

The crystallization ages of a suite of Apollo 17 basalts from four different stations have been measured using the Ar-39 to Ar-40 stepwise heating technique. The rocks analyzed include all principal petrographic types found at Apollo 17 landing site. A correlation between the ages and the petrographic type exists; plagioclase-poikilitic ilmenite basalts are youngest and olivine porphyritic ilmenite basalts are the oldest. The duration of volcanism in Mare Serenitatis is about 200 million years, the same as observed for Mare Imbrium, and less than observed for Mare Tranquillitatis, 400 million years. A relationship between duration of volcanism and gravity anomalies is noted. The cosmic ray exposure ages (in millions of years) for various locations range as: station 4, 58-315; station 5, 85-440; station 6, 110; station 8, 90-160.

Schaeffer, O. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Composition and structure of the Martian atmosphere - Preliminary results from Viking 1

Results from the aeroshell-mounted neutral mass spectrometer on Viking 1 indicate that the upper atmosphere of Mars is composed mainly of CO2 with trace quantities of N2, Ar, O, O2, and CO. The mixing ratios by volume relative to CO2 for N2, Ar, and O2 are about 0.06, 0.015, and 0.003, respectively, at an altitude near 135 kilometers. Molecular oxygen is a major component of the ionosphere according to results from the retarding potential analyzer. The atmosphere between 140 and 200 kilometers has an average temperature of about 180 plus or minus 20 deg K. Atmospheric pressure at the landing site for Viking 1 was 7.3 millibars at an air temperature of 241 deg K. The descent data are consistent with the view that CO2 should be the major constituent of the lower Martian atmosphere.

Nier, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Large-scale neutral composition gravity waves in the thermosphere observed by ESRO 4

Neutral composition waves with a wavelength of about 5000 km and a wave period of about 2.5 h were observed by ESRO 4 in the altitude region of 250 km. The amplitudes are of the order of 25% for Ar, 15% for N2, and roughly 10% for He and O at 25 deg geographic latitude. The Ar and N2 waves are almost in phase, whereas He is in antiphase, and O is in between. The wave amplitudes are seen to decrease toward lower latitudes, suggesting that the composition waves are launched by auroral sources. Simultaneous ground-based ionosonde measurements of the F2 layer critical frequency at middle and low latitudes show a wave period consistent with the satellite observations. From the relation between wavelength and wave period these waves are identified as gravity waves. The theoretical investigation with a multicomponent model shows that diffusion plays a major role in explaining the observed phase and amplitude relations between atmospheric constituents.

Trinks, H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The relation between isotopic composition of argon and carbon in natural gases

The methods and results of determination of the argon and carbon isotope compositions of hydrocarbon gases of Mezozoic complexes of Western Siberia are presented. Based on the Ar-36, Ar-40, C-12, C-13 content of the various deposits and on the presumed mechanisms of entry of these isotopes into the deposits, it is concluded that formation of natural gas in some deposits included vertical migration from a lower complex.

Gavrilov, Y. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Recombination lasing in a magnetoplasmadynamic arcjet

The plasmadynamic recombination laser concept is verified experimentally in a high power quasi-steady MPD arcjet operating at 4 kA and 12 g/sec of argon. Measurements of the spatial variation of electron temperature, electron density, and population densities in the arc exhaust flow confirm that inverted populations of the 4p to 4s Ar II transitions are established by collisional-radiative recombination of the Ar III ion. Using an optical cavity aligned transversely to the flow, recombination lasing of four such transitions, 5145, 4880, 4764 and 4727 A, is observed spectro-photographically and photoelectrically over the entire 1-msec discharge.

Campbell, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Theory of inelastic ion-atom scattering at low and intermediate energies

Ab initio calculations are presented of inelastic energy loss and ionization phenomena associated with Ar(+)-Ar collisions at small distances of closest approach and for laboratory collision energies ranging from several keV to several hundred keV. Outer-shell excitations are handled statistically; inner-shell excitations are calculated from the viewpoint of quasidiabatic molecular orbital promotion. Auger electron yield, average state of ionization, and average inelastic energy loss are calculated per collision as a function of distance of closest approach of the collision partners for several laboratory collision energies. Average charge-state probabilities per collision partner are calculated as a function of the average inelastic energy loss per atom. It is shown that the structure in the data is due to the underlying structure in the inner-shell independent-electron quasimolecular promotion probabilities.

Schmid, G. B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Rate constant for formation of chlorine nitrate by the reaction ClO + NO2 + M

The pseudo-first-order decay of ClO in a large excess of NO2 was monitored in a discharge flow/mass-spectrometer apparatus in order to measure the rate constant of the reaction ClO + NO2 + M yields ClONO2 + M for M = He, Ar, and N2 over the temperature range from 248 to 417 K. Numerical results are given for He at 248, 299, 360, and 417 K (1 to 9 torr); for Ar at 298 K (1 to 4 torr); and for N2 at 299, 360, and 417 K (1 to 6 torr). Systematic errors are estimated, and identification of the reaction product is discussed. The results obtained are shown to be in excellent agreement with other recent measurements of the same rate constant.

Leu, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A new 1.3 Aeon-Young achondrite

The Ar-40/Ar-39 age of Governador Valadares, a Nakhlite achondrite, has been determined to be 1.32 plus or minus 0.04 billion yrs. The K-Ar age and cosmic-ray exposure age of Governador Valadares are essentially identical to analogous ages for the two other known Nakhlite achondrites and to Rb-Sr ages determined for Nakhla. These data suggest that all three known meteorites of this class were derived from the same parent body by a common event, and confirm that Governador Valadares is a member of this class. The most probable heat source for producing such meteorites may be collisional melting of a portion of the parent body. Nakhlites may represent a rare phenomenon and may not be at all representative of the surface of their parent body.

Bogard, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Energy and economic trade offs for advanced technology subsonic aircraft

Changes in future aircraft technology which conserve energy are studied, along with the effect of these changes on economic performance. Among the new technologies considered are laminar-flow control, composite materials with and without laminar-flow control, and advanced airfoils. Aircraft design features studied include high-aspect-ratio wings, thickness ratio, and range. Engine technology is held constant at the JT9D level. It is concluded that wing aspect ratios of future aircraft are likely to significantly increase as a result of new technology and the push of higher fuel prices. Whereas current airplanes have been designed for AR = 7, supercritical technology and much higher fuel prices will drive aspect ratio to the AR = 9-10 range. Composite materials may raise aspect ratio to about 11-12 and practical laminar flow-control systems may further increase aspect ratio to 14 or more. Advanced technology provides significant reductions in aircraft take-off gross weight, energy consumption, and direct operating cost.

Maddalon, D. V.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A global thermospheric model based on mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data MSIS. II - Composition

Measurements of O, He, and Ar from neutral gas mass spectrometers on four satellites (Ogo 6, San Marco 3, Aeros A, and AEC-C) and inferred oxygen and hydrogen densities from an ion mass spectrometer on AE-C have been combined with a neutral temperature and nitrogen density model to produce a global model of thermospheric composition in terms of inferred variations at 120 km. The data set covers the time period from mid-1969 to mid-1975. The MSIS (mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data) model is compared with the Ogo 6 model (Hedin et al., 1974). Ar variations at 120 km tend to be in phase with temperature variations and inverse to the He, O, and H variations.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Diurnal variations in the thermosphere. II - Temperature, composition, and winds

The fundamental diurnal component of temperature, composition and wind fields is discussed for the thermosphere, the results delineated in terms of energy sources in the lower atmosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere, illustrating their relative significance. The diurnal component in the composition of H, He, O, O2 and Ar has been analyzed in terms of effects from thermal expansion in diffusive equilibrium and transport processes associated with chemistry, wind circulation, exospheric flow and escape. Next to thermal expansion, wind-induced diffusion is the single most important process; it dominates the diurnal variations of He and prevails in the variations of O, O2 and Ar below 200 km.

Mayr, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Observations of neutral composition and related ionospheric variations during a magnetic storm in February 1974

The neutral-atmosphere composition experiment on Atmosphere Explorer C measured N2, O, Ar, and He densities during a magnetic storm at altitudes down to about 160 km. At latitudes above 45 deg N, N2 and Ar densities generally increase during the storm, while He and O densities decrease. Below 45 deg N all densities tend to increase during the storm. The density increases at perigee indicate that density- or temperature-profile changes are taking place below 160 km. The return to prestorm conditions is very slow, demonstrating the integrating effect of the atmospheric response. A recent theoretical model incorporating thermospheric circulation and diffusion effects reproduces the longitudinally averaged data, including latitude trends and the asymmetry about the storm maximum. Comparison with the mass-spectrometer and incoherent-scatter empirical model shows qualitative agreement with latitude trends but not with storm asymmetry, while the earlier J71 model based on total mass density is not in agreement with observed latitudinal trends. A close correlation is found between in situ O/N2 measurements and in situ and ground-based ionosonde measurements of electron density.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Optical and electrical properties of ion beam textured Kapton and Teflon

An electron bombardment argon ion source was used to ion etch polyimide (Kapton) and fluorinated ethylene, FEP (Teflon). Samples of polyimide and FEP were exposed to (0.5-1.0) keV Ar ions at ion current densities of (1.0-1/8) mA/sq cm for various exposure times. Changes in the optical and electrical properties of the samples were used to characterize the exposure. Spectral reflectance and transmittance measurements were made between 0.33 and 2.16 micron m using an integrating sphere after each exposure. From these measurements, values of solar absorptance were obtained. Total emittance measurements were also recorded for some samples. Surface resistivity was used to determine changes in the electrical conductivity of the etched samples. A scanning electron microscope recorded surface structure after exposure. Spectral optical data, resistivity measurements, calculated absorptance and emittance measurements are presented along with photomicrographs of the surface structure for the various exposures to Ar ions.

Mirtich, M. J.↗