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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Modeling the reflectance of CO2 frost with new optical constants: Application to Martian south polar cap spectra

New measurements of the absorption coefficients of CO2 ice, in most of the spectral range 0.2 to 3.9 microns where absorption coefficients are below 1.5 per cm, have recently been made. Although these measurements are preliminary, they contain spectral detail not seen previously in the literature. Therefore, it is useful to combine these new data with older data from spectral regions of stronger absorption and reformulate models of the albedo or reflectance of CO2 frost. These models can then be adjusted in an attempt to match measurements of Martian polar deposits, such as the set of spectra returned by the IRS instrument on Mariner 7 (1969). The new absorption coefficients of CO2 ice were measured on several samples of 41-mm thickness at 150-155 K. A portion of the spectrum from 1.9 to 3.9 microns wavelength is shown in the form of imaginary coefficient of refraction ( = linear absorption x wavelength / 4 pi). The data above 3x10(exp -5) are obtained from, except for the absorption line at 3.32 micrometers, which is extrapolated in a way that is consistent with laboratory frost measurements, but the peak level is still highly uncertain. This new imagary coefficient, combined with the real coefficient, can be immediately applied to the models for hemispherical albedo, resulting in markedly different results from those in that study. The results for an infinite optical depth layer and solar incidence of 60 degrees are plotted for a range of mean particle radii from 0.03 to 3 mm.

Hansen, Gary B.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Light output measurements and computational models of microcolumnar CsI scintillators for x-ray imaging

Purpose: The authors report on measurements of light output and spatial resolution of microcolumnar CsI:Tl scintillator detectors for x-ray imaging. In addition, the authors discuss the results of simulations aimed at analyzing the results of synchrotron and sealed-source exposures with respect to the contributions of light transport to the total light output. Methods: The authors measured light output from a 490-μm CsI:Tl scintillator screen using two setups. First, the authors used a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to measure the response of the scintillator to sealed-source exposures. Second, the authors performed imaging experiments with a 27-keV monoenergetic synchrotron beam and a slit to calculate the total signal generated in terms of optical photons per keV. The results of both methods are compared to simulations obtained with hybridMANTIS, a coupled x-ray, electron, and optical photon Monte Carlo transport package. The authors report line response (LR) and light output for a range of linear absorption coefficients and describe a model that fits at the same time the light output and the blur measurements. Comparing the experimental results with the simulations, the authors obtained an estimate of the absorption coefficient for the model that provides good agreement with the experimentally measured LR. Finally, the authors report light output simulation results and their dependence on scintillator thickness and reflectivity of the backing surface. Results: The slit images from the synchrotron were analyzed to obtain a total light output of 48 keV{sup −1} while measurements using the fast PMT instrument setup and sealed-sources reported a light output of 28 keV{sup −1}. The authors attribute the difference in light output estimates between the two methods to the difference in time constants between the camera and PMT measurements. Simulation structures were designed to match the light output measured with the camera while providing good agreement with the measured LR resulting in a bulk absorption coefficient of 5 × 10{sup −5} μm{sup −1}. Conclusions: The combination of experimental measurements for microcolumnar CsI:Tl scintillators using sealed-sources and synchrotron exposures with results obtained via simulation suggests that the time course of the emission might play a role in experimental estimates. The procedure yielded an experimentally derived linear absorption coefficient for microcolumnar Cs:Tl of 5 × 10{sup −5} μm{sup −1}. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first time this parameter has been validated against experimental observations. The measurements also offer insight into the relative role of optical transport on the effective optical yield of the scintillator with microcolumnar structure.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1977

Microwave absorption characteristics of the clouds of Venus from Mariner 10 radio occultation

Measurements of received signal strength at S-band (13 cm) and X-band (4.8 cm) wavelengths during the radio occultation of Mariner 10 by Venus on February 5, 1974, are examined in order to study the structure and composition of the absorbing medium. The frequency excursions of the signals are determined and used to obtain the structure of the refractive index in the lower atmosphere. Profiles of excess signal attenuation due to atmospheric scattering and absorption are presented which indicate that the X-band signal experienced much more absorption and was extinguished at about 50 km, while the S-band signal penetrated to about 42 km. The optical-depth data are inverted by means of a discrete inversion method to obtain the absorption coefficient for each band as a function of height, and the resulting absorption-coefficient profiles are compared with the attenuation at vertical incidence modeled from planetary radar and passive microwave observations of Venus. The absorption coefficients at the two wavelengths are employed to estimate the liquid content and composition of the microwave-absorbing cloud particles.

Kliore, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Comparison of the Radiative Two-Flux and Diffusion Approximations

Approximate solutions are sometimes used to determine the heat transfer and temperatures in a semitransparent material in which conduction and thermal radiation are acting. A comparison of the Milne-Eddington two-flux approximation and the diffusion approximation for combined conduction and radiation heat transfer in a ceramic material was preformed to determine the accuracy of the diffusion solution. A plane gray semitransparent layer without a substrate and a non-gray semitransparent plane layer on an opaque substrate were considered. For the plane gray layer the material is semitransparent for all wavelengths and the scattering and absorption coefficients do not vary with wavelength. For the non-gray plane layer the material is semitransparent with constant absorption and scattering coefficients up to a specified wavelength. At higher wavelengths the non-gray plane layer is assumed to be opaque. The layers are heated on one side and cooled on the other by diffuse radiation and convection. The scattering and absorption coefficients were varied. The error in the diffusion approximation compared to the Milne-Eddington two flux approximation was obtained as a function of scattering coefficient and absorption coefficient. The percent difference in interface temperatures and heat flux through the layer obtained using the Milne-Eddington two-flux and diffusion approximations are presented as a function of scattering coefficient and absorption coefficient. The largest errors occur for high scattering and low absorption except for the back surface temperature of the plane gray layer where the error is also larger at low scattering and low absorption. It is shown that the accuracy of the diffusion approximation can be improved for some scattering and absorption conditions if a reflectance obtained from a Kubelka-Munk type two flux theory is used instead of a reflection obtained from the Fresnel equation. The Kubelka-Munk reflectance accounts for surface reflection and radiation scattered back by internal scattering sites while the Fresnel reflection only accounts for surface reflections.

Spuckler, Charles M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Adequacy of classical inverse bremsstrahlung theory for low-temperature plasmas

The authors examine those plasma heating conditions under which a theory more accurate than the classical inverse bremsstrahlung theory should be used to predict absorption coefficients when laser energy is injected into the plasma. A correlation plot for measured absorption coefficients at three laser wavelengths versus those calculated by quantum mechanical theory yields a correlation coefficient for the least-squares fit of 0.994. A plot of the ratio of the quantum-mechanically corrected electron ion inverse bremsstrahlung absorption coefficient to that calculated by classical methods versus plasma temperature shows that at around 20 eV and above the differences between classical and quantum predictions are negligible, but significant errors could arise from application of classical theories to lower-temperature plasmas. Some recent experiments in the literature are shown to be worthy of reinterpretation in this light.

Billman, K. W.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of layer thickness on device response of silicon heavily supersaturated with sulfur

We report on a simple experiment in which the thickness of a hyperdoped silicon layer, supersaturated with sulfur by ion implantation followed by pulsed laser melting and rapid solidification, is systematically varied at constant average sulfur concentration, by varying the implantation energy, dose, and laser fluence. Contacts are deposited and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) is measured for visible wavelengths. We posit that the sulfur layer primarily absorbs light but contributes negligible photocurrent, and we seek to support this by analyzing the EQE data for the different layer thicknesses in two interlocking ways. In the first, we use the measured concentration depth profiles to obtain the approximate layer thicknesses, and, for each wavelength, fit the EQE vs. layer thickness curve to obtain the absorption coefficient of hyperdoped silicon for that wavelength. Comparison to literature values for the hyperdoped silicon absorption coefficients [S.H. Pan et al. Applied Physics Letters 98, 121913 (2011)] shows good agreement. Next, we essentially run this process in reverse; we fit with Beer’s law the curves of EQE vs. hyperdoped silicon absorption coefficient for those wavelengths that are primarily absorbed in the hyperdoped silicon layer, and find that the layer thicknesses obtained from the fit are in good agreement with the original values obtained from the depth profiles. We conclude that the data support our interpretation of the hyperdoped silicon layer as providing negligible photocurrent at high S concentrations. This work validates the absorption data of Pan et al. [Applied Physics Letters 98, 121913 (2011)], and is consistent with reports of short mobility-lifetime products in hyperdoped layers. It suggests that for optoelectronic devices containing hyperdoped layers, the most important contribution to the above band gap photoresponse may be due to photons absorbed below the hyperdoped layer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1985

Submillimeter and millimeter wave characterization of absorbing materials

Several microwave absorbers have been characterized in terms of transmittance and reflectance at frequencies between 35 GHz and 3 THz. The materials studied were a series of iron-loaded cast epoxy absorbers known as Eccosorb. Measurements show that reflectance and absorption coefficient increase with the iron density. A dramatic decrease, by as much as a factor of 2, in absorption coefficient was observed when the samples were cooled from ambient to cryogenic temperatures. A blackbody calibrator to be operated at liquid helium temperature was constructed using the measured optical constants for these absorbers. The measured absorption coefficient for cold Eccosorb CR-110 is within 20 percent of that reported recently by Peterson and Richards.

Hemmati, H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Effects of Refractive Index and Diffuse or Specular Boundaries on a Radiating Isothermal Layer

Equilibrium temperatures of an absorbing-emitting layer were obtained for exposure to incident radiation and with the layer boundaries either specular or diffuse. For high refractive indices the surface condition can influence the radiative heat balance if the layer optical thickness is small. Hence for a spectrally varying absorption coefficient the layer temperature is affected if there is significant radiative energy in the spectral range with a small absorption coefficient. Similar behavior was obtained for transient radiative cooling of a layer where the results are affected by the initial temperature and hence the fraction of energy radiated in the short wavelength region where the absorption coefficient is small. The results are a layer without internal scattering. If internal scattering is significant, the radiation reaching the internal surface of a boundary is diffused and the effect of the two different surface conditions would become small.

Siegel, R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

On the observability of the H3/+/ fundamental spectrum.

The calculations and conclusions of Kawaoka and Borkman (1971) concerning the dipole moment derivative of the H3(+) electronic ground state are discussed. The possibility of observing the H3(+) fundamental in hydrogen gas in local thermodynamic equilibrium is considered, and the H3(+) average absorption coefficient is compared with the total absorption coefficient for other mechanisms.

Patch, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Near-infrared absorptions of monomethylhydrazine

The peak absorption coefficients for two near-infrared absorptions of monomethylhydrazine, CH3-N2H3, (MMH) were measured. Absorption bands located at 1.524 micrometers (6560/cm), 1.557 micrometers (6423/cm), and 1.583 micrometers (6316/cm) are assigned to the Delta upsilon = 2 overtones of the infared N-H stretching fundamentals at 3317, 3245 and 3177/cm. An absorption band located at 1.04 micrometers (9620 +/- 100/cm) is assigned to the Delta upsilon = 3 overtone of one of these fundamentals. The peak absorption coefficients (alpha(sub 10)) at 1.524 micrometers (6560 +/- 20/cm) and 1.04 micrometers (9620 +/- 100/cm) are 31 x 10(exp -3) and 0.97 x 10(exp -3)/(cm atm), respectively. Uncertainties in these coefficients were estimated to be less than +/- 20% due primarily to uncertainties in the partial vapor pressure of MMH.

Murray, Mark↗
DOE OSTI2016

Two schemes for quantitative photoacoustic tomography based on Monte Carlo simulation

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop novel methods for photoacoustically determining the optical absorption coefficient of biological tissues using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Methods: In this study, the authors propose two quantitative photoacoustic tomography (PAT) methods for mapping the optical absorption coefficient. The reconstruction methods combine conventional PAT with MC simulation in a novel way to determine the optical absorption coefficient of biological tissues or organs. Specifically, the authors’ two schemes were theoretically and experimentally examined using simulations, tissue-mimicking phantoms, ex vivo, and in vivo tests. In particular, the authors explored these methods using several objects with different absorption contrasts embedded in turbid media and by using high-absorption media when the diffusion approximation was not effective at describing the photon transport. Results: The simulations and experimental tests showed that the reconstructions were quantitatively accurate in terms of the locations, sizes, and optical properties of the targets. The positions of the recovered targets were accessed by the property profiles, where the authors discovered that the off center error was less than 0.1 mm for the circular target. Meanwhile, the sizes and quantitative optical properties of the targets were quantified by estimating the full width half maximum of the optical absorption property. Interestingly, for the reconstructed sizes, the authors discovered that the errors ranged from 0 for relatively small-size targets to 26% for relatively large-size targets whereas for the recovered optical properties, the errors ranged from 0% to 12.5% for different cases. Conclusions: The authors found that their methods can quantitatively reconstruct absorbing objects of different sizes and optical contrasts even when the diffusion approximation is unable to accurately describe the photon propagation in biological tissues. In particular, their methods are able to resolve the intrinsic difficulties that occur when quantitative PAT is conducted by combining conventional PAT with the diffusion approximation or with radiation transport modeling.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2013

Multi-Group Reductions of LTE Air Plasma Radiative Transfer in Cylindrical Geometries

Air plasma radiation in Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) within cylindrical geometries is studied with an application towards modeling the radiative transfer inside arc-constrictors, a central component of constricted-arc arc jets. A detailed database of spectral absorption coefficients for LTE air is formulated using the NEQAIR code developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The database stores calculated absorption coefficients for 1,051,755 wavelengths between 0.04 μm and 200 μm over a wide temperature (500K to 15 000K) and pressure (0.1 atm to 10.0 atm) range. The multi-group method for spectral reduction is studied by generating a range of reductions including pure binning and banding reductions from the detailed absorption coefficient database. The accuracy of each reduction is compared to line-by-line calculations for cylindrical temperature profiles resembling typical profiles found in arc-constrictors. It is found that a reduction of only 1000 groups is sufficient to accurately model the LTE air radiation over a large temperature and pressure range. In addition to the reduction comparison, the cylindrical-slab formulation is compared with the finite-volume method for the numerical integration of the radiative flux inside cylinders with varying length. It is determined that cylindrical-slabs can be used to accurately model most arc-constrictors due to their high length to radius ratios.

Reductions↗
DOE OSTI2015

Quantification of water in majoritic garnet

Majoritic garnet, characterized by an excess of silicon (>3 Si per formula unit), is considered one of the major phases of the Earth’s transition zone from 410-660 km depth. Quantifying the H 2 O content of nominally anhydrous mantle minerals is necessary to evaluate their water storage capacity from experiments and modeling the Earth’s deep water cycle. We present mineral-specific infrared absorption coefficients for the purpose of quantifying the amount of water incorporated into majorite as hydroxyl point defects. A suite of majoritic garnet samples with varying proportions of Si, Fe, Al, Cr and H 2 O was synthesized at conditions of 18-19 GPa and 1500-1800°C. Single-crystals were characterized using X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, secondary Ion Mass spectrometry (SIMS), IR, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy. We utilize SIMS and Raman spectroscopy in combination with IR spectroscopy to provide IR absorption coefficients for water in majoritic garnets with the general mineral formula (Mg,Fe) 3 (Si,Mg,Fe,Al,Cr) 2 [SiO4] 3 . Furthermore, the IR absorption coefficient for majoritic garnet in the OH stretching region is frequency-dependent and ranges from 10 470 ± 3100 Lmol-1cm-2 to 23 400 ± 2300 Lmol -1 cm -2 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1973

Fine structure in the optical-absorption edge of silicon.

Investigation of the dependence of the photocurrent generated in silicon p-n junctions on the energy of the incident photons to obtain details concerning the fine structure in the indirect optical-absorption edge of silicon. It is found that at room temperature there are three prominent thresholds in the absorption tail. The first, which is not too well defined, occurs at 0.91 eV, the second at 0.99 eV, and the third at 1.026 eV. The dependence of the absorption coefficient on the photon energy following the latter two thresholds is found to differ from that found by Mcfarlane et al. (1958). The threshold energies and temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient suggest that two- and three-phonon processes give rise to the absorption tail. In the transverse-optical phonon-absorption region more structure is found in the absorption coefficient than is accounted for by the theory.

Anagnostopoulos, C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Coastal Atmosphere and Sea Time Series (CoASTS)

The Coastal Atmosphere and Sea Time Series (CoASTS) Project aimed at supporting ocean color research and applications, from 1995 up to the time of publication of this document, has ensured the collection of a comprehensive atmospheric and marine data set from an oceanographic tower located in the northern Adriatic Sea. The instruments and the measurement methodologies used to gather quantities relevant for bio-optical modeling and for the calibration and validation of ocean color sensors, are described. Particular emphasis is placed on four items: (1) the evaluation of perturbation effects in radiometric data (i.e., tower-shading, instrument self-shading, and bottom effects); (2) the intercomparison of seawater absorption coefficients from in situ measurements and from laboratory spectrometric analysis on discrete samples; (3) the intercomparison of two filter techniques for in vivo measurement of particulate absorption coefficients; and (4) the analysis of repeatability and reproducibility of the most relevant laboratory measurements carried out on seawater samples (i.e., particulate and yellow substance absorption coefficients, and pigment and total suspended matter concentrations). Sample data are also presented and discussed to illustrate the typical features characterizing the CoASTS measurement site in view of supporting the suitability of the CoASTS data set for bio-optical modeling and ocean color calibration and validation.

Hooker, Stanford B.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Free-free absorption of infrared radiation in collisions of electrons with neutral rare-gas atoms

A relationship between the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption cross section and the electron neutral momentum transfer cross section has been utilized to determine the infrared free-free continuum absorption coefficient for the negative ions of helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. The values of the momentum transfer cross section for this calculation have been obtained from experimental measurements. Analytical expressions for the absorption coefficient have also been developed. From the results of this calculation, it is possible to determine the absorption coefficient per unit electron density per neutral atom for temperatures in the range from 2500 to 25,000 K. The results are compared with those from tabulations of previous calculations and those computed from theoretical values of the phase shifts for the elastic scattering of electrons by neutral atoms.

Stallcop, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Measurements and Modeling of Soot Formation and Radiation in Microgravity Jet Diffusion Flames

This is a computational and experimental study for soot formation and radiative heat transfer in jet diffusion flames under normal gravity (1-g) and microgravity (0-g) conditions. Instantaneous soot volume fraction maps are measured using a full-field imaging absorption technique developed by the authors. A compact, self-contained drop rig is used for microgravity experiments in the 2.2-second drop tower facility at NASA Lewis Research Center. On modeling, we have coupled flame structure and soot formation models with detailed radiation transfer calculations. Favre-averaged boundary layer equations with a k-e-g turbulence model are used to predict the flow field, and a conserved scalar approach with an assumed Beta-pdf are used to predict gaseous species mole fraction. Scalar transport equations are used to describe soot volume fraction and number density distributions, with formation and oxidation terms modeled by one-step rate equations and thermophoretic effects included. An energy equation is included to couple flame structure and radiation analyses through iterations, neglecting turbulence-radiation interactions. The YIX solution for a finite cylindrical enclosure is used for radiative heat transfer calculations. The spectral absorption coefficient for soot aggregates is calculated from the Rayleigh solution using complex refractive index data from a Drude- Lorentz model. The exponential-wide-band model is used to calculate the spectral absorption coefficient for H20 and C02. It is shown that when compared to results from true spectral integration, the Rosseland mean absorption coefficient can provide reasonably accurate predictions for the type of flames studied. The soot formation model proposed by Moss, Syed, and Stewart seems to produce better fits to experimental data and more physically sound than the simpler model by Khan et al. Predicted soot volume fraction and temperature results agree well with published data for a normal gravity co-flow laminar flames and turbulent jet flames. Predicted soot volume fraction results also agree with our data for 1-g and 0-g laminar jet names as well as 1-g turbulent jet flames.

Ku, Jerry C.↗