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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 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of the transient calibration of heat flux sensors: One dimensional case

The effect of transient heat flux on heat flux sensor response and calibration is analyzed. A one dimensional case was studied in order to elucidate the key parameters and trends for the problem. It has the added advantage that the solutions to the governing equations can be obtained by analytic means. The analytical results obtained to date indicate that the transient response of a heat flux sensor depends on the thermal boundary conditions, the geometry and the thermal properties of the sensor. In particular it was shown that if the thermal diffusivity of the sensor is small, then the transient behavior must be taken into account.

Dybbs, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The shock wave equation of state of brucite Mg(OH)2

New shock equation of state (EOS) data on magnesium hydroxide between 12 and 60 GPa is presented. It is found that the brucite EOS data between 12 and 97 GPa can be fit with a single linear U(s) - u(p) relationship: U(s) = 4.76(0.11) + 1.35(0.05)u(p). The third order Birch-Murnaghan equation parameters are K(os) = 51 + or - 4 GPa and K(os)prime = 5.0 + or - 0.4. The first partial release states measured for brucite Mg(OH)2 are reported. Calculated phase boundaries using the EOS data are found to be consistent with the experimental data and indicate that brucite is unlikely to be stable under lower mantle conditions. At high pressure, bulk sound velocities calculated for MgO and Mg(OH)2 are very similar, indicating that the presence of hydrous assemblages in the lower mantle may not produce anomalous bulk seismic velocities. A comparison of densities in brucite and other high-pressure phases under mantle conditions shows that the water content of the lower mantle is between 0 and 3 wt pct.

Duffy, Thomas S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A new technique for oil backstreaming contamination measurements

Due to the large size and the number of diffusion pumps, space simulation chambers cannot be easily calibrated by the usual test dome method for measuring backstreaming from oil diffusion pumps. In addition, location dependent contamination may be an important parameter of the test. The backstreaming contamination was measured in the Space Power Facility (SPF) near Sandusky, OH, the largest space simulation vacuum test chamber in the U.S.. Small clean silicon wafers placed at all desired measurement sites were used as contamination sensors. The facility used diffusion pumps with DC 705 oil. The thickness of the contamination oil film was measured using ellipsometry. Since the oil did not wet the silicon substrate uniformly, two analysis models were developed to measure the oil film: (1) continuous, homogeneous film; and (2) islands of oil with the islands varying in coverage fraction and height. In both cases, the contamination film refractive index was assumed to be that of DC 705. The second model improved the ellipsometric analysis quality parameter by up to two orders of magnitude, especially for the low coverage cases. Comparison of the two models shows that the continuous film model overestimates the oil volume by less than 50 percent. Absolute numbers for backstreaming are in good agreement with published results for diffusion pumps. Good agreement was also found between the ellipsometric results and measurements done by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on examples exposed to the same vacuum runs.

Alterovitz, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Computer aided design of digital controller for radial active magnetic bearings

A five degree of freedom Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) system is developed which is controlled by digital controllers. The model of the radial AMB system is linearized and the state equation is derived. Based on the state variables feedback theory, digital controllers are designed. The performance of the controllers are evaluated according to experimental results. The Computer Aided Design (CAD) method is used to design controllers for magnetic bearings. The controllers are implemented with a digital signal processing (DSP) system. The control algorithms are realized with real-time programs. It is very easy to change the controller by changing or modifying the programs. In order to identify the dynamic parameters of the controlled magnetic system, a special experiment was carried out. Also, the online Recursive Least Squares (RLS) parameter identification method is studied. It can be realized with the digital controllers. Online parameter identification is essential for the realization of an adaptive controller.

Cai, Zhong↗
NASA NTRS1992

A discrete momentum-conserving explicit algorithm for multibody dynamics analysis

A discrete momentum-conserving, explicit time integration is presented. The accurate feature and simplicity of the present algorithm are realized by a mid-point implicit formula for integrating the Euler parameters and a second-order discrete momentum-conserving form of the central difference algorithm, respectively. The accuracy and robustness of the algorithm is demonstrated by example problems which exhibit large overall rigid motions under holonomic constraints.

Park, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A discrete momentum-conserving explicit algorithm for rigid body dynamics analysis

A discrete momentum-conserving explicit time integration is presented. The accurate feature and simplicity of the present algorithm are realized by a mid-point implicit formula for integrating the Euler parameters and a second-order discrete momentum-conserving form of the central difference algorithm, respectively. The accuracy and robustness of the algorithm is demonstrated by example problems which exhibit large overall rigid motions under holonomic constraints.

Park, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

New technique for oil backstreaming contamination measurements

The backstreaming contamination in the Space Power Facility, Ohio, was measured using small size clean silicon wafers as contamination sensors placed at all measurement sites. Two ellipsometric models were developed to measure the oil film with the contamination film refractive index of DC 705: a continuous, homogeneous film and islands of oil with the islands varying in coverage fraction and height. The island model improved the ellipsometric analysis quality parameter by up to two orders of magnitude. The continuous film model overestimated the oil volume by about 50 percent.

Alterovitz, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

New technique for oil backstreaming contamination measurements

Due to the large size and the number of diffusion pumps, space simulation chambers cannot be easily calibrated by the usual test dome method for measuring backstreaming from oil diffusion pumps. In addition, location dependent contamination may be an important parameter of the test. The backstreaming contamination in the Space Power Facility (SPF) near Sandusky, Ohio, the largest space simulation vacuum test chamber in the U.S.A. was measured. Small size clean silicon wafers as contamination sensors placed at all desired measurement sites were used. The facility used diffusion pumps with DC 705 oil. The thickness of the contamination oil film was measured using ellipsometry. Since the oil did not wet uniformly the silicon substrate, two analysis models were developed to measure the oil film: continuous, homogeneous film and islands of oil with the islands varying in coverage fraction and height. In both cases, the contamination film refractive index was assumed to be that of DC 705. The second model improved the ellipsometric analysis quality parameter by up to two orders of magnitude, especially for the low coverage cases. Comparison of the two models for our case shows that the continuous film model overestimates the oil volume by less than 50 percent. Absolute numbers for backstreaming are in good agreement with published results for diffusion pumps. Good agreement was also found between the ellipsometric results and measurements done by x ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on samples exposed to the same vacuum runs.

Alterovitz, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Dynamic analysis of Space Shuttle/RMS configuration using continuum approach

The initial assembly of Space Station Freedom involves the Space Shuttle, its Remote Manipulation System (RMS) and the evolving Space Station Freedom. The dynamics of this coupled system involves both the structural and the control system dynamics of each of these components. The modeling and analysis of such an assembly is made even more formidable by kinematic and joint nonlinearities. The current practice of modeling such flexible structures is to use finite element modeling in which the mass and interior dynamics is ignored between thousands of nodes, for each major component. The model characteristics of only tens of modes are kept out of thousands which are calculated. The components are then connected by approximating the boundary conditions and inserting the control system dynamics. In this paper continuum models are used instead of finite element models because of the improved accuracy, reduced number of model parameters, the avoidance of model order reduction, and the ability to represent the structural and control system dynamics in the same system of equations. Dynamic analysis of linear versions of the model is performed and compared with finite element model results. Additionally, the transfer matrix to continuum modeling is presented.

Ramakrishnan, Jayant↗
NASA NTRS1992

Electrochemical characterization of InP structures

Electrochemical (EC) techniques represent a simple and yet accurate method to characterize InP and related materials structures. With EC techniques, uncertainties in the measurements arising from factors such as surface effects, the composition and thickness of a front dead layer, the contacts, etc., can be significantly reduced when both a suitable electrolyte is used and the measuring conditions are carefully selected. In this work, the use of photoelectrochemical techniques with InP structures is reported. The work focuses on both the characterization and the optimization of structures grown by thermal diffusion and by epitaxial methods. Characterization of the structures is done by studying the variation in the density of surface states, number of defects, and net majority carrier concentration as a function of material removed. A step-by-step optimization process of n(sup +)p and p(sup+)n InP structures is also described. This involves the passivation and subsequent removal of damaged layers in order to extract the performance parameters of solar cells fabricated with these structures.

Faur, Maria↗
NASA NTRS1994

Physical and chemical structure of the IC 63 nebula. 1: Millimeter and far-infrared observations

We present results of a (sub)millimeter and far-infrared study of the reflection/emission nebula IC 63, located close to the BO.5p star gamma Cas. The source has been mapped in the (12)CO 2 - 1 and 3 - 2, (13)CO 2 - 1, and CS 2 - 1 lines and shows a small molecular cloud less than 1'x 2' in extent, which coincides with the brightest optical nebulosity and IRAS 100 micrometer emission. IC 63 is therefore an excellent example of a nearby (d approximately = 230 pc), edge-on photon-dominated region (PDR). Various other molecules have been observed at the peak position through their rotational transitions, in order to probe the physical parameters and to derive abundances. The measured CO, HCO(+) HCN, CS and H2CO line ratios suggest that the cloud is warm, T approximately = 50 K, and dense, n (H2) approximately = 5 x 10(exp 4)/cu cm. Excitation of molecules by electrons may play a significant role in this PDR. On the basis of these physical conditions, column densities have been determined from the observed line strengths. Several different methods are discussed to constrain the H2 column density, including the use of measured submillimeter continuum fluxes. The resulting abundances of species such as CN and CS are similar to those found in cold, dark clouds like TMC-1 and L134N. However, the abundances of other simple molecules such as HNC, HCO(+) and possibly C2H are lower by factors of at least three, probably because of the enhanced photodissociation rates at a distance of 1.3 pc from a B star. Surprisingly, only the abundance of the H2S molecule appears enhanced. More complex, volatile molecules such as CH3OH CH3CN and HNCO, and the sulfur-oxides SO and SO2 have not been found in this cloud. Limited observations of molecules in the reflection nebulea NGC 2023 are presented as well, and the resulting molecular abundances are compared with those found for IC 63.

Jansen, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A high spectral resolution VLA search for H I absorption towards A496, A1795, and A2584

In this paper, we present the results of a Very Large Array (VLA) search for H I absorption with high spectral resolution (1.6 km/s) towards A496, A1795, A2584, and A2597. These observations are well matched to the properties of cold, optically thick H I clouds, where the line width is given by the width of an individual cloud rather than the dispersion in an ensemble of clouds. We do not detect any H I absorption with narrow linewidths in these clusters. Our limits mainly apply to clouds which are larger than a few tenths parsec-i.e., if the clouds are much smaller than the background radio source and have a low covering factor in velocity space, they could still escape detection. The estimated limits on column density (for clouds in this regime of parameter space) are 2-3 orders of magnitude less than the 10(exp 21)/sq cm required to explain the x-ray absorption seen in some cooling flow clusters. The combination of our high spectral resolution H I absorption searches with the existing lower spectral resolution H I absorption searches and the searches for H I emission makes it unlikely that atomic hydrogen is the dominant component of the cold x-ray absorbing gas in the inter-cloud medium (ICM).

O'Dea, Christopher P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Calibration of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer in the Laboratory

Imaging spectrometry data must be spectrally, radiometrically and geometrically calibrated in order to: 1) derive physical parameters from measured spectral radiance, 2) compare data acquired from different regions and at different times, 3) compare and analyze the imaging spectrometry data with data acquired from other calibrated sensors, and 4) compare and analyze data with results from computer models. The calibration of AVIRIS data is the process by which laboratory characterization data are applied to raw instrument data (digitized number versus spectral channels) to produce quantitative spectra (radiance versus wavelength) for each image pixel in units of spectral radiance. The AVIRIS sensor and calibration process are described by Vane and the application of the calibration data to the raw digital data is described by Green. This calibration process is validated for in-flight performance of the sensor using a rigorous ground-truth campaign. This workshop paper reviews the laboratory characterization data set that is used in the AVIRIS calibration process. The laboratory measurements used to acquire the calibration data are divided into three classes: 1) spectral calibration, 2) radiometric calibration, and 3) spatial calibration.

Green Robert O.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Multilayer Relaxation and Surface Energies of Metallic Surfaces

The perpendicular and parallel multilayer relaxations of fcc (210) surfaces are studied using equivalent crystal theory (ECT). A comparison with experimental and theoretical results is made for AI(210). The effect of uncertainties in the input parameters on the magnitudes and ordering of surface relaxations for this semiempirical method is estimated. A new measure of surface roughness is proposed. Predictions for the multilayer relaxations and surface energies of the (210) face of Cu and Ni are also included.

Bozzolo, Guillermo↗
NASA NTRS1999

Departure Energies, Trip Times and Entry Speeds for Human Mars Missions

The study examines how the mission design variables departure energy, entry speed, and trip time vary for round-trip conjunction-class Mars missions. These three parameters must be balanced in order to produce a mission that is acceptable in terms of mass, cost, and risk. For the analysis, a simple, massless- planet trajectory program was employed. The premise of this work is that if the trans-Mars and trans-Earth injection stages are designed for the most stringent opportunity in the energy cycle, then there is extra energy capability in the "easier" opportunities which can be used to decrease the planetary entry speed, or shorten the trip time. Both of these effects are desirable for a human exploration program.

Munk, Michelle M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Priori Analyses of Three Subgrid-Scale Models for One-Parameter Families of Filters

The decay of isotropic turbulence a compressible flow is examined by direct numerical simulation (DNS). A priori analyses of the DNS data are then performed to evaluate three subgrid-scale (SGS) models for large-eddy simulation (LES): a generalized Smagorinsky model (M1), a stress-similarity model (M2), and a gradient model (M3). The models exploit one-parameter second- or fourth-order filters of Pade type, which permit the cutoff wavenumber k(sub c) to be tuned independently of the grid increment (delta)x. The modeled (M) and exact (E) SGS-stresses are compared component-wise by correlation coefficients of the form C(E,M) computed over the entire three-dimensional fields. In general, M1 correlates poorly against exact stresses (C < 0.2), M3 correlates moderately well (C approx. 0.6), and M2 correlates remarkably well (0.8 < C < 1.0). Specifically, correlations C(E, M2) are high provided the grid and test filters are of the same order. Moreover, the highest correlations (C approx.= 1.0) result whenever the grid and test filters are identical (in both order and cutoff). Finally, present results reveal the exact SGS stresses obtained by grid filters of differing orders to be only moderately well correlated. Thus, in LES the model should not be specified independently of the filter.

Pruett, C. David↗
NASA NTRS2002

Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Spectra Information from Multiple Independent Astrophysics Data Sets

The Maximum Likelihood (ML) statistical theory required to estimate spectra information from an arbitrary number of astrophysics data sets produced by vastly different science instruments is developed in this paper. This theory and its successful implementation will facilitate the interpretation of spectral information from multiple astrophysics missions and thereby permit the derivation of superior spectral information based on the combination of data sets. The procedure is of significant value to both existing data sets and those to be produced by future astrophysics missions consisting of two or more detectors by allowing instrument developers to optimize each detector's design parameters through simulation studies in order to design and build complementary detectors that will maximize the precision with which the science objectives may be obtained. The benefits of this ML theory and its application is measured in terms of the reduction of the statistical errors (standard deviations) of the spectra information using the multiple data sets in concert as compared to the statistical errors of the spectra information when the data sets are considered separately, as well as any biases resulting from poor statistics in one or more of the individual data sets that might be reduced when the data sets are combined.

Howell, Leonard W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Conjugate Auroral Imagery

Conjugate studies of high-latitude geomagnetic activity are central to understanding the (truly) global magnetospheric response to external perturbations, i.e. the solar wind, and the role of the ionosphere in modulating and coupling with the magnetosphere. Interhemispheric asymmetries as manifested in auroral emissions have been observed for over 40 years. Unfortunately, the nature of the problem has limited the type and extent of studies that can be performed to either conjugate ground based observations or comparison of space based images with all-sky cameras. Recently Frank and Sigwarth (2002) published results using unique simultaneous images from Polar of the northern and southern aurora, but these are necessarily limited to the nighttime and at oblique angles. However, conjunctive images made with the cameras from the Polar and IMAGE missions contain simultaneous conjugate images of the large-scale aurora under many and varying conditions. This rich data set provides an opportunity to study interhemispheric auroral asymmetries and investigate their occurrence as a function of solar wind conditions and ionospheric parameters such as conductivity. In order to use images of different scenes from each of these cameras, knowledge of their relative response is required. To that end, this paper will present preliminary results of comparing the images with emphasis on data from the Polar UVI LBH filters and the IMAGE FUV WIC.

Spann, Jim↗