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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2021

High-speed wide-angle interleaved scanning technique for a 3D imaging lidar

In this paper, we describe a novel interleaved scanner for an eye-safe 3D scanning lidar system to measure aerodynamic phenomena in a wind tunnel using elastic backscatter from seeding particles. The scanner assembly consists of a rotating polygon scanner for line scanning along the fast axis, a galvanometer (galvo) scanner for scanning along the slow axis, angular position sensors and motor controllers. The polygon scanner sweeps the lidar beam at up to 10,000 lines/s across a 27 deg angular field-of-regard in the fast axis, while the galvo scanner covers an angular range of 20 deg in the slow axis. Using this scanner, the lidar can perform non-intrusive flow visualization, velocimetry, and hard target mapping at mmscale spatial resolution to a standoff range of 5 m at an update rate of 50 Hz for the full field-of-regard. An interleaved scanning methodology for the acquisition of two snapshots of 3D lidar intensity data with a 100 μs time offset is discussed. The design of the control and data acquisition electronics is described. The effects of rapid scanning on the response of a narrow field-of-view lidar are addressed. The design of the scanner is scalable and can be tailored to meet the requirements of other applications by increasing or decreasing the standoff range, angular field-of-regard and scan rate.

3D Imaging Lidar↗
NASA NTRS1999

Seeded Growth of Colloidal Silica Particles

The method of seeded growth was studied for producing mondisperse colloidal silica particles. It was shown that particle size as well as weight percent solids could be controlled by using this method. The particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quasielastic light scattering (QELS). The particles were found to have a bimodal size distribution when examined by TEM. The particle size as determined by QELS was found to be roughly 10-20% larger than the particle size as determined by TEM. Furthermore, the polydispersity (standard deviation/mean particle size) as determined by QELS was found to be significantly lower than the polydispersity as determined by TEM. This underscores the importance of using TEM as a characterization technique for determining particle monodispersity. It was also noted that there was an increase in particle roughness as the weight percent of the silica particles increased and a new nucleation of particles was observed as the weight percent approached 13%. A recipe for producing monodisperse silica particles in the 150 nm size range is presented.

Wurm, David B.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Development of a controllable particle generator for LV seeding in hypersonic wind tunnels

The paper describes the considerations that went into the development of a controllable particle generator for laser velocimeter seeding in a hypersonic wind tunnel operating at 3.45 million N/sq m, 533 K, and stream speed of about 1000 m/sec. Operating conditions determined the choice of a silicone oil as the material, and the requirement that the particle follow the flow within a certain accuracy range put constraints on the allowable particle size range. The principle of the particle generating device chosen was that of the LaMer generator, in which a liquid is first vaporized, mixed with the carrier gas, and then condensed under carefully controlled conditions. Preliminary results of studies on the effect of various apparatus parameters on the particle median diameter are given.

Feller, W. V.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Liquid-Seeding Atomizer

Particles sprayed in drops of evaporating liquid. Placed near wind-tunnel inlet, atomizer sprays evaporating liquid containing solid particles into wind-tunnel airflow. Particles entrained in flow and scatter light, enabling flow to be observed optically. One end of atomizer slides on stationary pin to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction.

Seegmiller, Henry L. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Silane Pyrolysis With Silicon-Seed Aerosol

Large silicon particles result from controlled pyrolysis of silane. Mixture of 1 percent silane in nitrogen pyrolyzed at 300 degrees C to generate aerosol of silicon seed particles.

Flagan, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Cirrus Cloud Seeding has Potential to Cool Climate

Cirrus clouds, thin ice clouds in the upper troposphere, have a net warming effect on Earth s climate. Consequently, a reduction in cirrus cloud amount or optical thickness would cool the climate. Recent research indicates that by seeding cirrus clouds with particles that promote ice nucleation, their lifetimes and coverage could be reduced. We have tested this hypothesis in a global climate model with a state-of-the-art representation of cirrus clouds and find that cirrus cloud seeding has the potential to cancel the entire warming caused by human activity from pre-industrial times to present day. However, the desired effect is only obtained for seeding particle concentrations that lie within an optimal range. With lower than optimal particle concentrations, a seeding exercise would have no effect. Moreover, a higher than optimal concentration results in an over-seeding that could have the deleterious effect of prolonging cirrus lifetime and contributing to global warming.

Storelvmo, T.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Reduction of Wind Tunnel Contamination During Flow Visualization Experiments Using Polystyrene Microspheres

Evaluation of novel methods and materials for seeding tracer particles for particle image velocimetry (PIV) was carried out in the Basic Aerodynamic Research Tunnel (BART) at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). Seeding of polystyrene latex microspheres (PSLs) from ethanol/water suspensions and from the dry state was carried out using custom built seeders. PIV data generated using the novel methods were found to be in general agreement with data collected using the current seeding methods. Techniques for assessing PSL fouling of wind tunnel surfaces were identified and refined. Initial results suggest that dry seeding PSLs may allow comparable data quality to wet seeding while reducing wind tunnel screen fouling. Results also indicate that further developments to the dry seeding system should focus on increasing single particle flux into the wind tunnel. Modifications to PSLs and seeding equipment to achieve this have been identified and are discussed.

Schmitz, Russell C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Aerodynamics support of research instrument development

A new velocimetry system is currently being developed at NASA LaRC. The device, known as a Doppler global velocimeter (DGV), can record three velocity components within a plane simultaneously and in near real time. To make measurements the DGV, like many other velocimetry systems, relies on the scattering of light from numerous small particles in a flow field. The particles or seeds are illuminated by a sheet of laser light and viewed by two CCD cameras. The scattered light from the particles will have a frequency which is a function of the source laser light frequency, the viewing angle, and most importantly the seed velocities. By determining the scattered light intensity the velocity can be measured at all points within the light sheet simultaneously. Upon completion of DGV component construction and initial check out a series of tests in the Basic Aerodynamic Research (wind) Tunnel (BART) are scheduled to verify instrument operation and accuracy. If the results are satisfactory, application of the DGV to flight measurements on the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) are planned. The DGV verification test in the BART facility will utilize a 75 degree swept delta wing model. A major task undertaken this summer included evaluation of previous results for this model. A specific series of tests matching exactly the previous tests and exploring new DGV capabilities were developed and suggested. Another task undertaken was to study DGV system installation possibilities in the F-18 HARV aircraft. In addition, a simple seeding system modification was developed and utilized to make Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) measurements in the BART facility.

Miller, L. Scott↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Root Growth Response of Arabidopsis Thaliana Seeds Exposed to Simulated Solar Particle Event Radiation and Microgravity

As NASA manned missions are planned to go past earth’s orbit, the effects of microgravity and radiation on plants will be essential to know as plants will be a part of the crew’s diet. APPROACH: Imbibed Arabidopsis thaliana seeds were exposed to simulated solar particle event (SPE) radiation, experiencing up to 80 cGy of radiation. After the radiation exposure, they were grown under simulated microgravity using a Random Positioning Machine. Images of the plants were taken after six to seven days of growth and the root length, top angle, tip angle were analyzed.

Karen Perkins↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development and Assessment of a New Particle Image Velocimetry System in the NASA GRC 225 cm2 Wind Tunnel

As part of an ongoing campaign to provide detailed and thorough measurements in a two-dimensional impinging shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI), a custom implementation of the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement technique in the NASA Glenn 225 cm2 Wind Tunnel was constructed. The flow seeding apparatus was devised to locally seed the region of interest in the overall flowfield to avoid coating the viewing window with seed material. The ability of the PIV system to provide small particles which faithfully track the underlying gas-phase flowfield was of key importance for the success of this system to make quality measurements in the SWBLI flowfield. In order to optimize and assess the performance of the particle seeding system, PIV measurements were made across a planar oblique shock wave and particle response was analyzed to quantify the particle lag effects due to the finite inertia of the seed droplets. Video recordings from a camera placed in the wind tunnel plenum tank were also used to discern the near-field behavior of the seeded plume and guide the design evolution of the seeding apparatus. The resulting optimized seeding configuration was applied to make PIV measurements in the wind tunnel test section boundary layer to assess the seed particle spatial coverage and concentration. This sample boundary layer dataset provides an analog to the eventual boundary layer measurements to be made in the axisymmetric test section under much more challenged viewing conditions.

PIV↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development and Assessment of a New Particle Image Velocimetry System in the NASA GRC 225 cm2 Wind Tunnel

As part of an ongoing campaign to provide detailed and thorough measurements in a two-dimensional impinging shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI), a custom implementation of the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement technique in the NASA Glenn 225 cm2 Wind Tunnel was constructed. The flow seeding apparatus was devised to locally seed the region of interest in the overall flowfield to avoid coating the viewing window with seed material. The ability of the PIV system to provide small particles which faithfully track the underlying gas-phase flowfield was of key importance for the success of this system to make quality measurements in the SWBLI flowfield. In order to optimize and assess the performance of the particle seeding system, PIV measurements were made across a planar oblique shock wave and particle response was analyzed to quantify the particle lag effects due to the finite inertia of the seed droplets. Video recordings from a camera placed in the wind tunnel plenum tank were also used to discern the near-field behavior of the seeded plume and guide the design evolution of the seeding apparatus. The resulting optimized seeding configuration was applied to make PIV measurements in the wind tunnel test section boundary layer to assess the seed particle spatial coverage and concentration. This sample boundary layer dataset provides an analog to the eventual boundary layer measurements to be made in the axisymmetric test section under much more challenged viewing conditions.

PIV↗
NASA NTRS1992

Absence of upstream energetic ions under turbulent radial interplanetary magnetic field

Two cases of observations on board the IMP 8 spacecraft of upstream energetic ions were used to test the viability of the Fermi mechanism as an efficient accelerator of particles with E not less than 50 keV at the earth's bow shock, under conditions which are more constrained than those applied in all previously published detailed analyses of upstream ion events. In addition to the nearly radial IMF, the following particle and field conditions were present: (1) in situ cyclotron-resonant wave activity, (2) a seed energetic particle population, and (3) small (not above 25 deg) theta(Bn) at the points of connection of the spacecraft to the bow shock. The analysis of data from days 67, 1979 and 303, 1980 showed that, despite these conditions, no ion enhancements attributable to the Fermi process could be detected.

Sarris, E. T.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Particle size distributions of several commonly used seeding aerosols

During the course of experimentation, no solid particle powder could be found which produced an aerosol with a narrow particle size distribution when fluidization was the only flow process used in producing the aerosol. The complication of adding particle size fractionation processes to the aerosol generation effort appears to be avoidable. In this regard, a simple sonic orifice is found to be effective in reducing the percentage of agglomerates in the several metal oxide powders tested. Marginally beneficial results are obtained for a 0.5/99.5 percent by weight mixture of the flow agent and metal oxide powder. However, agglomeration is observed to be enhanced when the flow agent percentage is increased to 5 percent. Liquid atomization using the Collison nebulizer as well as a version of the Laskin nozzle resulted in polydispersed aerosols with particle size distributions heavily weighted by the small particle end of the size spectrum. The aerosol particle size distributions produced by the vaporization/condensation seeder are closer to the ideal monodispersed aerosol than any of the other aerosols tested. In addition, this seeding approach affords a measure of control over particle size and particle production rate.

Crosswy, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Stereo Imaging Velocimetry

Stereo imaging velocimetry (SIV) will permit the collection of quantitative, three-dimensional flow data from any optically transparent fluid that can be seeded with tracer particles. This includes such diverse experiments as the study of multiphase flow, bubble nucleation and migration, pool combustion, and crystal growth. This technique will be useful to the microgravity science community as our investigations of fluid behavior in reduced-gravity environments enhance our knowledge of heat transfer, surface tension, concentration-gradient-driven anomalies, and residual effects from g-jitter. In its proposed configuration, the NASA Lewis Research Center's Stereo Imaging Velocimeter will consist of at least two charged coupled device (CCD) cameras, oriented at some relative angle with respect to each other. The cameras will observe a fluid experiment that has been seeded with tracer particles that are neutrally buoyant to permit accurate flow tracking. Except for the tracer particles, this measurement technique will be nonintrusive. Velocity accuracies will be on the order of 1 to 5 percent of full field. Each camera will make a two-dimensional record of the motion of the seed particles in the observation volume. Three-dimensional data will be obtained by computationally combining the two-dimensional information.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Changes in Plants Developed from Imbibed Seeds Irradiated by Simulated Solar Particle Events

One of the major concerns for long-term exploration missions beyond the Earth’s magnetosphere is radiation risk primarily from solar particle events (SPEs) and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). With the goal of manned Mars exploration, the production of fresh food during long duration space missions may provide nutritional supplementation and benefit astronauts’ behavioral health. However, the effects of space radiation on plants and plant propagules have not been sufficiently investigated and characterized. In this study, we evaluated the effect of simulated SPEs on imbibed seeds of mizuna mustard, ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, and ‘Red Robin’ dwarf tomato. Seeds were exposed to various doses of simulated SPEs (0, 40, 80 cGy, and 200 cGy), either acutely or at a low dose rate (LDR only for 40 and 80 cGy doses), using the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) facility at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL). Simulated SPE exposure was achieved using sequential exposures to protons with a broad energy range at 50-150 MeV/n. Control and irradiated seeds were planted either onto 0.5% MS-based agar plates containing required nutrients for early seedling analysis, or in peat plugs/pots for 28 day (mizuna and lettuce) and 91 day (tomato) grow outs. All plants were maintained under space-vehicle relevant controlled environment conditions at 3000 ppm CO2, 50% RH, and 23°C, and a 16/8 h photoperiod with 300 μmol·m-2·s-1 photosynthetically active radiation. Plant/fruit morphometrics and edible fresh mass were measured. In addition, nutrient analyses were performed for both mizuna and ripe tomatoe fruit. Seedlings from irradiated seeds (both 40 cGy and 80 cGy) showed significant changes in cotyledon development, as well as root length. Interestingly, small, but significant changes in vitamin content were found in mizuna and tomato fruits grown from 80 cGy (LDR) irradiated seeds. In addition, 80 cGy (LDR) simulated SPEs significantly affected tomato early seedling development, plant growth, and the quantity of fruits produced from the surviving plants. Generally, compared to 80 cGy, 40 cGy (LDR) of simulated SPEs displayed some impacts to the seeds and seedlings, but to a much lesser degree. (This study was supported by NASA Human Research Program.)

J.T. Richards↗