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At least 127 records · Page 7

Fire-Retardant Decorative Inks For Aircraft Interiors

Report describes testing of commercial and experimental fire retardants for incorporation into acrylic printing inks used on aircraft-interior sandwich panels. Films of acrylic ink containing fire-retardant additives prepared by casting on glass plates. Solvent evaporated in vacuum, cast films cured at 80 to 100 degree C for 30 minutes in air-circulating oven. Thermochemical properties of films examined by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Samples of inks cast on sheets of polyvinylfloride (PVF), and their limiting oxygen indices and smoke evolution measured.

Kourtides, D. A.↗

Mars low albedo regions: Possible map of near-surface

A freeze/thaw desorption mechanism is proposed in certain low albedo areas which could be the factor that instigated dust storms. It is widely accepted that the bulk of the episodic gas evolution (not necessarily the oxygen release) experienced during the humidification process in the Viking Gas Exhange Experiment (GEX) was caused by a familiar process in which more polar H2O molecules replace large quantities of other preadsorbed gas molecules on adsorption sites. The author suggests that a similar process could produce high pore pressures in soil that could disrupt the soil and eject dust at high velocity. The author also argued that association of sites of dust storms initiated with high thermal inertial areas may simply reflect repeated dust depletion.

Huguenin, R. L.↗

Mars atmospheric escape and isotopic fractionation: Synthesis of data and models

The present Mars atmosphere is relatively thin and cold. It is not at all like that which is presumed to have been responsible for the formation of valley networks and the heavy erosion of craters during the earliest epochs of martian history. An important goal of Mars exploration is to try to understand the properties of the early atmosphere, the initial inventory of volatiles at the planet's surface, the processes by which the atmosphere and climate have evolved over time, and the current location of volatiles presumed to have been in the atmosphere in the earlier times. The current status of understanding of the escape of volatiles to space over geologic time and the resulting fractionation of isotopes of stable atoms remaining in the atmosphere are described, and a scenario for volatile abundance and evolution that is consistent with the available information on the escape and fractionation of each species is constructed. In particular, the evolution of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, as contained in atmospheric (and non-atmospheric) water, carbon dioxide, and molecular nitrogen, is examined.

Jakosky, Bruce M.↗

Singlet oxygen generator for a solar powered chemically pumped iodine laser

The potential of solid phase endoperoxides as a means to produce single-delta oxygen in the gas phase in concentrations useful to chemical oxygen-iodine lasers was investigated. The 1,4 - endoperoxide of ethyl 3- (4-methyl - 1-naphthyl) propanoate was deposited over an indium-oxide layer on a glass plate. Single-delta oxygen was released from the endoperoxide upon heating the organic film by means of an electrical discharge through the conductive indium oxide coating. The evolution of singlet-delta oxygen was determined by measuring the dimol emission signal at 634 nm. Comparison of the measured signal with an analytic model leads to two main conclusions: virtually all the oxygen being evolved is in the singlet-delta state and in the gas phase, and there is no significant quenching other than energy pooling on the time scale of the experiment (approximately 10 msec). The use of solid phase endoperoxide as a singlet-delta oxygen generator for an oxygen-iodine laser appears promising.

Busch, G. E.↗

High-Pressure Oxygen Test Evaluations

The relevance of impact sensitivity testing to the development of the space shuttle main engine is discussed in the light of the special requirements for the engine. The background and history of the evolution of liquid and gaseous oxygen testing techniques and philosophy is discussed also. The parameters critical to reliable testing are treated in considerable detail, and test apparatus and procedures are described and discussed. Materials threshold sensitivity determination procedures are considered and a decision logic diagram for sensitivity threshold determination was plotted. Finally, high-pressure materials sensitivity test data are given for selected metallic and nonmetallic materials.

Schwinghamer, R. J.↗

Platinum Partitioning at Low Oxygen Fugacity: Implications for Core Formation Processes

Highly siderophile elements (HSE = Au, Re, and the Pt-group elements) are tracers of silicate / metal interactions during planetary processes. Since most core-formation models involve some state of equilibrium between liquid silicate and liquid metal, understanding the partioning of highly siderophile elements (HSE) between silicate and metallic melts is a key issue for models of core / mantle equilibria and for core formation scenarios. However, partitioning models for HSE are still inaccurate due to the lack of sufficient experimental constraints to describe the variations of partitioning with key variable like temperature, pressure, and oxygen fugacity. In this abstract, we describe a self-consistent set of experiments aimed at determining the valence of platinum, one of the HSE, in silicate melts. This is a key information required to parameterize the evolution of platinum partitioning with oxygen fugacity.

Medard, E.↗

SNC meteorites - Igneous rocks from Mars

It is argued that SNC (shergottite, nakhlite, chassignite) meteorites are ejecta from Mars. The mineralogy and chemistry of these objects is discussed, including rare earth element content, potassium/uranium ratios, oxidation state, oxygen isotopes, ages and isotopic evolution, magnetism, shock and texture. The possibility of SNC's deriving from Mercury, Venus, earth, moon, or a eucrite parent body is argued against. Mercury is too volatile-poor and anhydrous, Venus's atmosphere too thick and hot and its gravitational field too large, earth's oxygen isotope content too different from that of SNC's, the moon too different isotopically and chemically, and the ages of eucrites too different. Models suggest that SNC's could have escaped from Mars's gravitational field, and their composition supports Martian origin. Statistically, they could have reached the earth within their measured shock ages. Objections to the hypothesis are also discussed.

Wood, C. A.↗

A Quantitative, Time-Dependent Model of Oxygen Isotopes in the Solar Nebula: Step one

The remarkable discovery that oxygen isotopes in primitive meteorites were fractionated along a line of slope I rather than along the typical slope 0,52 terrestrial fractionation line occurred almost 40 years ago, However, a satisfactory, quantitative explanation for this observation has yet to be found, though many different explanations have been proposed, The first of these explanations proposed that the observed line represented the final product produced by mixing molecular cloud dust with a nucleosynthetic component, rich in O-16, possibly resulting from a nearby supernova explosion, Donald Clayton suggested that Galactic Chemical Evolution would gradually change the oxygen isotopic composition of the interstellar grain population by steadily producing O-16 in supernovae, then producing the heavier isotopes as secondary products in lower mass stars, Thiemens and collaborators proposed a chemical mechanism that relied on the availability of additional active rotational and vibrational states in otherwise-symmetric molecules, such as CO2, O3 or SiO2, containing two different oxygen isotopes and a second, photochemical process that suggested that differential photochemical dissociation processes could fractionate oxygen , This second line of research has been pursued by several groups, though none of the current models is quantitative,

Nuth, J. A.↗

Early photosynthetic microorganisms and environmental evolution

Microfossils which are preserved as shrivelled kerogenous residues provide little information about cellular organization and almost none about the metabolic properties of the organisms. The distinction between prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, and phototrophic vs chemo- and organotrophic fossil microorganisms rests entirely on morphological comparisons with recent counterparts. The residual nature of the microbial fossil record promotes the conclusion that it must be biased toward (a) most abundant organisms, (b) those most resistant to degradation, and (c) those inhabiting environments with high preservation potential e.g., stromatolites. These criteria support the cyanophyte identity of most Precambrian microbial fossils on the following grounds: (1) as primary producers they dominate prokaryotic communities in modern extreme environments, e.g., intertidal zone; (2) several morphological counterparts of modern cyanophytes and microbial fossils have been established based on structure, cell division patterns and degradation sequences. The impact of anaerobic and oxygenic microbial photosynthesis on the evolution of Precambrian environments is discussed.

Golubic, S.↗

Electrochemical approach for passivating steel and other metals and for the simultaneous production of a biocide to render water potable

Potentiostatic polarization curves indicated that the cathodic reactions in deaerated KI-I2 water solutions were due to iodine reduction and hydrogen evolution. In the presence of oxygen an additional reduction wave appeared. Anodic polarization curves revealed that iodine could be produced in the region of potential from +600 to +1000 nv vs. SCE.

Source record↗

Performance properties of graphite reinforced composites with advanced resin matrices

The contribution of the resin matrix to the performance of the composite is studied with particular emphasis on the flammability, and thermal and mechanical properties. Of the several thermoset and thermoplastic matrices examined, the lowest fire-resistant properties of the composite have been observed with epoxy matrices. Bismaleimide A composites exhibit high fire-resistant properties, low moisture absorption, and good mechanical properties at 23 C. Bismaleimide B and phenolic retain their mechanical properties at elevated temperatures but have lower mechanical properties than the epoxy composites at ambient temperatures. Phenolic-novolac, polyethersulfone, and polyphenylsulfone composites exhibit high oxygen index and low smoke evolution.

Kourtides, D. A.↗

Polycrystalline SiC fibers from organosilicon polymers

Various organosilicon polymers have been converted into small diameter, fine-grained silicon carbide fibers by melt spinning, crosslinking, and pyrolyzing to greater than 1600 C. The high pyrolysis temperature densifies the fiber and causes CO evolution which removes nearly all oxygen. An additive prevents the loss of strength normally associated with such treatments. Silicon carbide fibres with up to 2.6 GPa (380 ksi) tensile strength, greater than 420 GPa (greater than 60 Msi) elastic modulus, and 3.1-3.2 mg/cu m density have been prepared via this process. Their microstructure consists of greater than 95 wt pct B-SiC crystallites averaging 30-40 nm diameter, with varying amounts of graphitic carbon between the SiC grains. Under inert conditions, the fibers can be thermally aged at least 12 h/1800 C with minimal change in properties.

Lipowitz, Jonathan↗

UCLA IGPP Space Plasma Simulation Group

During the past 10 years the UCLA IGPP Space Plasma Simulation Group has pursued its theoretical effort to develop a Mission Oriented Theory (MOT) for the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program. This effort has been based on a combination of approaches: analytical theory, large scale kinetic (LSK) calculations, global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations and self-consistent plasma kinetic (SCK) simulations. These models have been used to formulate a global interpretation of local measurements made by the ISTP spacecraft. The regions of applications of the MOT cover most of the magnetosphere: the solar wind, the low- and high-latitude magnetospheric boundary, the near-Earth and distant magnetotail, and the auroral region. Most recent investigations include: plasma processes in the electron foreshock, response of the magnetospheric cusp, particle entry in the magnetosphere, sources of observed distribution functions in the magnetotail, transport of oxygen ions, self-consistent evolution of the magnetotail, substorm studies, effects of explosive reconnection, and auroral acceleration simulations.

Source record↗

Theoretical Technology Research for the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) Program

During the last four years the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) IGPP (Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics) Space Plasma Simulation Group has continued its theoretical effort to develop a Mission Oriented Theory (MOT) for the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program. This effort has been based on a combination of approaches: analytical theory, large-scale kinetic (LSK) calculations, global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations and self-consistent plasma kinetic (SCK) simulations. These models have been used to formulate a global interpretation of local measurements made by the ISTP spacecraft. The regions of applications of the MOT cover most of the magnetosphere: solar wind, low- and high- latitude magnetospheric boundary, near-Earth and distant magnetotail, and auroral region. Most recent investigations include: plasma processes in the electron foreshock, response of the magnetospheric cusp, particle entry in the magnetosphere, sources of observed distribution functions in the magnetotail, transport of oxygen ions, self-consistent evolution of the magnetotail, substorm studies, effects of explosive reconnection, and auroral acceleration simulations. A complete list of the activities completed under the grant follow.

Ashour-Abdalla, Maha↗

An Archean Biosphere Initiative

The search for life on extrasolar planets will necessarily focus on the imprints of biolgy on the composition of planetary atmospheres. The most notable biological imprint on the modern terrestrial atmosphere is the presence of 21 % O2, However, during most of the past 4 billion years, life and the surface environments on Earth were profoundly different than they are today. It is therefore a major goal of the astrobiology community to ascertain how the O2 content of the atmosphere has varied with time. and to understand the causes of these variations. The NAI and NASA Exobiology program have played critical roles in developing our current understanding of the ancient Earth's atmosphere, supporting diverse observational, analytical, and computational research in geoscience, life science, and related fields. In the present incarnation of the NAI, ongoing work is investigating (i) variations in atmospheric O2 in the Archean to the Cambrian, (ii) characterization of the redox state of the oceans shortly before, during and after the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), and (iii) unraveling the complex connections between environmental oxygenation, global climate, and the evolution of life.

Anbar, A. D.↗

Dust in a Type Ia Supernova Progenitor: Spitzer Spectroscopy of Kepler's Supernova Remnant

Characterization of the relatively poorly-understood progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae is of great importance in astrophysics, particularly given the important cosmological role that these supernovae play. Kepler's Supernova Remnant, the result of a Type Ia supernova, shows evidence for an interaction with a dense circumstellar medium (CSM), suggesting a single-degenerate progenitor system. We present 7.5-38 micron IR spectra of the remnant, obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope, dominated by emission from warm dust. Broad spectral features at 10 and 18 micron, consistent with various silicate particles, are seen throughout. These silicates were likely formed in the stellar outflow from the progenitor system during the AGB stage of evolution, and imply an oxygen-rich chemistry. In addition to silicate dust, a second component, possibly carbonaceous dust, is necessary to account for the short-wavelength IRS and IRAC data. This could imply a mixed chemistry in the atmosphere of the progenitor system. However, non-spherical metallic iron inclusions within silicate grains provide an alternative solution. Models of collisionally-heated dust emission from fast shocks (> 1000 km/s) propagating into the CSM can reproduce the majority of the emission associated with non-radiative filaments, where dust temperatures are approx 80-100 K, but fail to account for the highest temperatures detected, in excess of 150 K. We find that slower shocks (a few hundred km/s) into moderate density material (n(sub o) approx 50-100 / cubic cm) are the only viable source of heating for this hottest dust. We confirm the finding of an overall density gradient, with densities in the north being an order of magnitude greater than those in the south.

Williams, Brian J.↗

The potential for chemical evolution on Titan

Sampling of organics to determine oxygen content, extent of acetylene polymerization, existence of chiral molecules and enantiomeric excesses, and searches for specific polymer products, would be of interest in assessing how organic chemistry evolves toward biochemistry. Such efforts would require fairly sophisticated chemical analyses from landed missions. This paper examines this chemistry and the potential instruments that could distinguish chemical evolution.

Titan enantioenrichment chemical sensor Huygens pr↗