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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 1,243 records · Page 69
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Grooved surfaces on InP

Formation of a textured or grooved front surface on a solar cell can increase the efficiency in several ways, including enhanced absorption and light trapping. In III-IV materials the (111) plane is chemically different form the (1'1'1') plane, and both etching and epitaxial deposition behave differently on these surfaces. The current state of profile etching in InP is summarized. Data are presented on novel geometries attainable as a function of etchant temperature and composition, substrate orientation and carrier concentration, and the oxide thickness between the substrate and the photoresist. Depending on dopant concentration, the same etchant can produce either anisotropic or isotropic grooves. V-grooved solar cells were manufactured on InP, and the improved optical absorption was demonstrated. Preferred parameters for various applications are listed and discussed.

Bailey, Sheila G.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Assessment of the potential of solar thermal small power systems in small utilities

The potential economic benefit of small solar thermal electric power systems to small municipal and rural electric utilities is assessed. Five different solar thermal small power system configurations were considered in three different solar thermal technologies. The configurations included: (1) 1 MW, 2 MW, and 10 MW parabolic dish concentrators with a 15 kW heat engine mounted at the focal point of each dish, these systems utilized advanced battery energy storage; (2) a 10 MW system with variable slat concentrators and central steam Rankine energy conversion, this system utilized sensible thermal energy storage; and (3) a 50 MW central receiver system consisting of a field of heliostats concentrating energy on a tower-mounted receiver and a central steam Rankine conversion system, this system also utilized sensible thermal storage. The results are summarized in terms of break-even capital costs. The break-even capital cost was defined as the solar thermal plant capital cost which would have to be achieved in order for the solar thermal plants to penetrate 10 percent of the reference small utility generation mix by the year 2000. The calculated break-even capital costs are presented.

Steitz, P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Gravitational and radiative effects on the escape of helium from the moon

On the moon, and probably on Mercury and other similar regolith-covered bodies with tenuous atmosphere, the dominant gas is He-4. It arises as the radiogenic product of the decay of uranium and thorium within any planet, but its major source appears to be the alpha particle flux of the solar wind. The moon intercepts solar wind helium at an average rate of 1.1 times 10 to the 24th atom/sec, and loses it at the same rate. Some helium may escape directly as the result of the process of solar wind soil bombardment which may release previously trapped helium at superthermal speeds. Atmospheric models have been calculated with the total helium influx as source. Subsequent comparison of model and measured helium concentrations indicates that the fraction of helium escaping via the atmosphere may range from 20% to 100% of the solar wind influx. Of the escaping atmosphere, most of the helium (about 93%) becomes trapped in earth orbit, while about 5% gets trapped in satellite orbits about the moon. Owing to a 6 month lifetime for helium in solar radiation, the satellite atoms form a lunar corona that exceeds the lunar atmosphere in total abundance by a factor of 4 to 5.

Hodges, R. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Coronal Microscale Observatory

It has been a longstanding challenge to identify the mechanisms responsible for heating the solar corona, in part because heating, whether by waves or magnetic reconnection, is thought to be concentrated in thus far unresolved volumes with characteristic scales ≲100 km. The Coronal Microscale Observatory (CMO) is a mission concept designed to image these microscale heating events, identify the dominant physical mechanisms that control their initiation and evolution, and understand their effects on the formation of the solar wind. CMO positions three spacecraft and three instruments near the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point. One instrument is a cluster of 6 coaligned extreme ultraviolet (EUV) telescopes that image a common field of view with ultrahigh angular resolution (0.02−0.07 arcsec) in narrow wavelength bands, each sensitive to emission from plasma in a limited temperature range. The second instrument is a multi-band, full-disk, externally occulted coronagraph. Finally, a two-band fine scale EUV imager (resolution 0.3 arcsec) provides a larger field of view for context and additional science. The three CMO craft fly in precise formation to ensure that the EUV imagers point to a desired target on the Sun and the external occulter accurately blocks the solar disk. The novel mission architecture arises from the intrinsically long EUV focal length (≳100 m) of diffractive optics known as photon sieves, which achieve nearly diffraction-limited EUV imaging but require a distributed telescope, in which the optics and- the image sensors are on separate spacecraft. Two spacecraft are also needed to position an external occulter 200 m in front of the coronagraph, which enables visible-light imaging of the corona very close to the solar limb with undiminished angular resolution. Recent advances in fabricating ultraprecise and smooth reflective optics suggest that a conventional (single spacecraft)EUV “microscope” may now be feasible in an Explorer-class mission that could achieve a subset of the scientific objectives of CMO.

Douglas Rabin↗
NASA NTRS1977

The structure of the planets Jupiter and Saturn

Planetary models for Jupiter and Saturn are computed using a fourth-order theory and an equation of state for the molecular hydrogen and helium planetary envelopes taken from the Monte Carlo calculations of Slattery and Hubbard (1976). Models for Jupiter are found that have a small amount of heavy elements either mixed with hydrogen and helium throughout the interior of the planet or concentrated in a small dense core. Saturn is modeled with a solar-composition hydrogen and helium envelope and a small dense core. It is concluded that the molecular equation of state linked with suitable interior equations of state can produce Jovian models which satisfy the observational data. The planetary models show that the enrichment of heavy elements (relative to solar composition) is approximately 3 times for Jupiter and 10 times for Saturn.

Slattery, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Primary reflector for solar energy collection systems

A fixed, linear, ground-based primary reflector is disclosed which has an extended curved sawtooth-contoured surface covered with a metalized polymeric reflecting material. The device reflects solar energy to a movably supported collector that is kept at the concentrated line focus of the reflector primary. The primary reflector may be constructed by a process utilizing well-known freeway paving machinery.

Miller, C. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Test Bed Concentrator (TBC)

A point focussing concentrator design adapted from an existing communications antenna for use in a solar test bed application is described. The structure design, configured for use with JPL's spherical radius mirror panels, made no attempt toward optimization. The key objectives of stiffness, pointing accuracy, and timely delivery were exceeded. The system weight is approximately 16,000 Kg (36,000 lbs) and has a calculated 1 sigma system error of 0.03 degrees.

Goldberg, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Temperature Controller for a Solar Furnace

Relatively-simple movable sheild has been suggested for controlling temperature of solar furnace. Temperature modulator can be set to have collected solar energy fully "on", fully "off" or any intermediate level. Parabolic mirror concentrates Sunlight into receiver. Shade plate that blocks insolation at back of receiver produces shade zone in center of collector. No radiation is returned to receiver from shade zone; only rays falling on other areas of reflecting surface are directed back toward receiver.

Hale, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Observation of the core of the Perseus cluster with the Einstein solid state spectrometer: Cooling gas and elemental abundances

Solid State Spectrometer observations of the core of the Perseus cluster have resulted in the detection of X-ray emission lines due to Si, S, and Fe. Analysis of the spectrum indicates that the X-ray emission has at least two characteristic temperatures. This is interpreted in the framework of radiative accretion in the core of the cluster. The derived parameters are a cooling time tc less than 2 x 109 yrs for the low temperature gas, a mass accretion rate of approximately 300 Mo/yr and a characteristic size of 10 to 20 Kpc for the cool gas. The Fe abundance in the core, approximately 0.4, is similar to the Fe abundance averaged over the whole cluster indicating that Fe emission is not strongly concentrated about NGC 1275. The Si and S abundances are consistent with solar values.

Mushotzky, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Design, development, and field testing of Infrared Heterodyne Radiometer (IHR) for remote profiling of tropospheric and stratospheric species

The performance of a dual-channel infrared heterodyne radiometer, designed to remotely monitor the concentration and vertical distribution of selected atmospheric species, is described. Ground based solar viewing measurement using the IHR were performed at selected laser transitions for ammonia (NH3 and ozone O3). Flight tests were conducted aboard the Galileo II, NASA Ames CV-990, on the Latitude Survey Mission. Ozone was the selected atmospheric species for the airborne flight measurements because of the scientific interest in this atmospheric species, the availability of in situ monitors, the coordinated ozone measurements, and the availability of ground truth data. The IHS was operated in the solar viewing mode to determine ozone distributions in the stratosphere and in the nadir viewing mode to determine the ozone distribution in the troposphere. Airborne atmospheric propagation measurements also were carried out at selected CO2 laser transitions.

Lange, R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

High-energy observations of stellar flares - Comparison with the sun

This paper reviews recent observations of flaring activity on flare stars of the UV Ceti type, concentrating on X-ray and radio data in comparison with possible solar analogs. Although detailed differences exist, it is concluded that similar mechanisms may work for both cases. Extending the analogy, the hard X-ray and gamma ray fluxes expected from typical stellar flares are estimated. In the solar case, these radiations give information about accelerated particles in the flare region. Hard X-ray observations of stellar flares may be possible, eventually, but the predicted gamma-ray fluxes are prohibitively weak.

Hudson, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Hybrid deployable/erectable solar dynamic box truss system

The design of a hybrid deployable/erectable solar dynamic box truss power generation system for the initial operation capability (IOC) of the Space Shuttle is examined. An organic Rankine cycle heat engine for IOC solar power generation is studied. The design configuration is a simple parabolic concentration where the receiver is located in the focal plane with its aperture at the focal point. The relationship between concentrator size and collection efficiency is analyzed. The geometry of the deployable graphite/epoxy box truss ring and the reflective panels of the system are described. Mass properties and dynamic analyses are performed to evaluate the center of gravity location and moments of inertia characteristics of the energy conversion subsystem (ECS). The deployable/erectable truss is applicable for large IR space telescopes and center and offset fed ECSs.

Coyner, J. V., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Photochemical consequences of enhanced CO2 levels in earth's early atmosphere

Greatly enhanced atmospheric CO2 concentrations are the most likely mechanism for offsetting the effects of reduced solar luminosity early in the earth's history. CO2 levels of 80 to 600 times the present value could have maintained a mean surface temperature of 0 C to 15 C, given a 25 percent decrease in solar output. Such high CO2 levels are at least qualitatively consistent with the present understanding of the carbonate-silicate geochemical cycle. The presence of large amounts of CO2 has important implications for the composition of the earth's prebiotic atmosphere. The hydrogen budget of a high-CO2 primitive atmosphere would have been strongly influenced by rainout of H2O2 and H2CO. The reaction of H2O2 with dissolved ferrous iron in the early oceans could have been a major sink for atmospheric oxygen. The requirement that this loss of oxygen be balanced by a corresponding loss of hydrogen (by escape to space and rainout of H2CO) implies that the atmospheric H2 mixing ratio was greater than 2 x 10 to the -5th and the ground level O2 mixing ratio was below 10 to the -12th, even if other surface sources of H2 were small. These results are only weakly dependent on changes in solar UV flux, rainout rates, and vertical mixing rates in the primitive atmosphere.

Kasting, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Composition of solar flare noble gases preserved in meteorite parent body regolith

Isotopic composition of solar-flare (SF) Ne was determined in acid-etched pyroxene mineral separates from the Kapoeta meteorite, a brecciated meteorite known to contain implanted solar gases. The results yield the SF Ne-20/Ne-22 ratio of 11.6 +/-0.2, confirming previous determinations of this SF ratio in lunar and meteoritic samples. The same SF Ne composition was also obtained by applying an ordinate intercept technique to the same data set. The ordinate intercept technique was then applied to the Ar and He data. The results are SF Ar-36/Ar-38 = 4.9 +/-0.1 and SF He-4/He-3 = 3800 +/-200. These values are significantly different from the solar-wind (SW) Ar and He values. It is estimated that the concentration of the SF component in Kapoeta pyroxenes is about 20 percent that of the SW component, orders of magnitude higher than expected from SW and SF proton flux measurements.

Rao, M. N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Availability of hydrogen for lunar base activities

Hydrogen will be needed on a lunar base to make water for consumables, to provide fuel, and to serve as a reducing agent in the extraction of oxygen from lunar minerals. This study was undertaken in order to learn more about the abundance and distribution of solar-wind-implanted hydrogen. Hydrogen was found in all samples studied, with concentrations, varying widely depending on soil maturity, grain size, and mineral composition. Seven cores returned from the Moon were studied. Although hydrogen was implanted in the upper surface layer of the regolith, it was found throughout the cores due to micrometeorite reworking of the soil.

Bustin, Roberta↗
NASA NTRS1995

Radial velocities of stars in the globular cluster M4 and the cluster distance

The internal stellar velocity distribution of the globular cluster M4 is evaluated from nearly 200 new radial velocity measurements good to 1 km/s and a rederivation of existing proper motions. The mean radial velocity of the cluster is 70.9 +/- 0.6 km/s. The velocity dispersion is 3.5 +/- 0.3 km/s at the core, dropping marginally towards the outskirts. Such a low internal dispersion is somewhat at odds with the cluster's orbit, for which the perigalacticon is sufficiently close to the galactic center that the probability of cluster disruption is high; a tidal radius two-thirds the currently accepted value would eliminate the discrepancy. The cluster mass-to-light ratio is also small, M/L(sub V) = 1.0 +/- 0.4 in solar units. M4 thus joins M22 as a cluster of moderate and concentration with a mass-to-light ratio among the lowest known. The astrometric distance to the cluster is also smaller than expected, 1.72 +/- 0.14 kpc. This is only consistent with conventional estimates of the luminosity of horizontal branch stars provided an extinction law R = A(sub V)/E(B-V) approximately 4 is adopted, as has been suggested recently by several authors.

Peterson, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Thermal and evolved gas analyzer

The Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) instrument will perform calorimetry and evolved gas analysis on soil samples collected from the Martian surface. TEGA is one of three instruments, along with a robotic arm, that form the Mars Volatile and Climate Survey (MVACS) payload. The other instruments are a stereo surface imager, built by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona and a meteorological station, built by JPL. The MVACS lander will investigate a Martian landing site at approximately 70 deg south latitude. Launch will take place from Kennedy Space Center in January, 1999. The TEGA project started in February, 1996. In the intervening 24 months, a flight instrument concept has been designed, prototyped, built as an engineering model and flight model, and tested. The instrument performs laboratory-quality differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) over the temperature range of Mars ambient to 1400K. Low-temperature volatiles (water and carbon dioxide ices) and the carbonates will be analyzed in this temperature range. Carbonates melt and evolve carbon dioxide at temperatures above 600 C. Evolved oxygen (down to a concentration of 1 ppm) is detected, and C02 and water vapor and the isotopic variations of C02 and water vapor are detected and their concentrations measured. The isotopic composition provides important tests of the theory of solar system formation.

Williams, M. S.↗