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At least 1,621 records · Page 90

Heat Loss Imagery

Infrared scanning devices are being used to produce images that show, by color or black-and-white shading differences, which buildings and homes are losing heat to the outdoors, and how much. Heat loss surveys done by Texas Instruments, Daedalus Enterprises, Inc. and other companies have growing acceptance of their services among industrial firms, utilities, local governments, and state and federal agencies interested in promoting heat loss awareness and inspiring corrective actions.

Source record↗

Radiative Heat Loss Measurements During Microgravity Droplet Combustion in a Slow Convective Flow

Radiative heat loss from burning droplets in a slow convective flow under microgravity conditions is measured using a broad-band (0.6 to 40 microns) radiometer. In addition, backlit images of the droplet as well as color images of the flame were obtained using CCD cameras to estimate the burning rates and the flame dimensions, respectively. Tests were carried out in air at atmospheric pressure using n-heptane and methanol fuels with imposed forced flow velocities varied from 0 to 10 centimeters per second and initial droplet diameters varied from 1 to 3 millimeters. Slow convective flows were generated using three different experimental configurations in three different facilities in preparation for the proposed International Space Station droplet experiments. In the 2.2 Second Drop-Tower Facility a droplet supported on the leading edge of a quartz fiber is placed within a flow tunnel supplied by compressed air. In the Zero-Gravity Facility (five-second drop tower) a tethered droplet is translated in a quiescent ambient atmosphere to establish a uniform flow field around the droplet. In the KC 135 aircraft an electric fan was used to draw a uniform flow past a tethered droplet. Experimental results show that the burn rate increases and the overall flame size decreases with increases in forced-flow velocities over the range of flow velocities and droplet sizes tested. The total radiative heat loss rate, Q(sub r), decreases as the imposed flow velocity increases with the spherically symmetric combustion having the highest values. These observations are in contrast to the trends observed for gas-jet flames in microgravity, but consistent with the observations during flame spread over solid fuels where the burning rate is coupled to the forced flow as here.

Hicks, Michael C.↗

Temperature Dependence of the Rate Constant for the CH3 Recombination Reaction: A Loss Process in Outer Planet Atmospheres

The methyl free radical (CH3) has been observed in the atmospheres of Saturn and Neptune by the ISO satellite. There are discrepancies between the column densities for the CH3 radical derived from the ISO observations and the column densities derived from atmospheric photochemical models. For Neptune the model column density is 1.5 times that derived from ISO. For Saturn the model is 6 times that from ISO. The recombination of methyl radicals is the major loss process for methyl in these atmospheres. The serious disagreement between observed and calculated levels of CH3 has led to suggestions that the atmospheric models greatly underestimated the loss of CH3 due to poor knowledge of the rate of the reaction (1) CH3 + CH3 + M goes to C2H6 + M at the low temperatures and pressures of these atmospheric systems. Although the reaction CH3 + CH3 + M goes to C2H6 + M has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally, the laboratory conditions have been, with only a few exceptions, higher temperatures (T greater than 298K), higher pressures (P greater than or equal to 10 Torr - 13.3 mbar) or M=Ar rather than H2 or He as the bath gas.

Cody, R. J.↗

Measurement of Insertion Loss of an Acoustic Treatment in the Presence of Additional Uncorrelated Sound Sources

A method to intended for measurement of the insertion loss of an acoustic treatment applied to an aircraft fuselage in-situ is documented in this paper. Using this method, the performance of a treatment applied to a limited portion of an aircraft fuselage can be assessed even though the untreated fuselage also radiates into the cabin, corrupting the intensity measurement. This corrupting noise in the intensity measurement incoherent with the panel vibration of interest is removed by correlating the intensity to reference transducers such as accelerometers. Insertion loss of the acoustic treatments is estimated from the ratio of correlated intensity measurements with and without a treatment applied. In the case of turbulent boundary layer excitation of the fuselage, this technique can be used to assess the performance of noise control methods without requiring treatment of the entire fuselage. Several experimental studies and numerical simulations have been conducted, and results from three case studies are documented in this paper. Conclusions are drawn about the use of this method to study aircraft sidewall treatments.

Klos, Jacob↗

Graphical Representation of the Effects of Antenna Locations on Path Loss Data

The use of portable wireless technology has increased dramatically over the past few years. This increased use has caused a heightened concern for electromagnetic interference from wireless-enabled technologies, such as laptop computers and cellular phones to aircraft communication and navigation radios. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, United Airlines and Eagles Wings Incorporated, have tested and collected interference path loss data on a United Airlines out-of-service B737 aircraft near Victorville, CA. This paper summarizes the results found from the measured data sets as well as includes graphical representations of the interference path loss data on a B737 plane with different system antennas.

Jafri, Madiha↗

Radiation Belt Electron Dynamics: Modeling Atmospheric Losses

The first year of work on this project has been completed. This report provides a summary of the progress made and the plan for the coming year. Also included with this report is a preprint of an article that was accepted for publication in Journal of Geophysical Research and describes in detail most of the results from the first year of effort. The goal for the first year was to develop a radiation belt electron model for fitting to data from the SAMPEX and Polar satellites that would provide an empirical description of the electron losses into the upper atmosphere. This was largely accomplished according to the original plan (with one exception being that, for reasons described below, the inclusion of the loss cone electrons in the model was deferred). The main concerns at the start were to accurately represent the balance between pitch angle diffusion and eastward drift that determines the dominant features of the low altitude data, and then to accurately convert the model into simulated data based on the characteristics of the particular electron detectors. Considerable effort was devoted to achieving these ends. Once the model was providing accurate results it was applied to data sets selected from appropriate periods in 1997, 1998, and 1999. For each interval of -30 to 60 days, the model parameters were calculated daily, thus providing good short and long term temporal resolution, and for a range of radial locations from L = 2.7 to 3.9. .

Selesnick, R. S.↗

Proton Nonionizing Energy Loss (NIEL) for Device Applications

Nonionizing energy loss (NIEL) is a quantity that describes the rate of energy loss due to atomic displacements as a particle traverses a material. The product of the NIEL and the particle fluence (time integrated flux) gives the displacement damage energy deposition per unit mass of material. NIEL plays the same role to the displacement damage energy deposition as the stopping power to the total ionizing dose (TID). The concept of NIEL has been very useful for correlating particle induced displacement damage effects in semiconductor and optical devices. Many studies have successfully demonstrated that the degradation of semiconductor devices or optical sensors in a radiation field can be linearly correlated to the displacement damage energy, and subsequently to the NIEL deposited in the semiconductor devices or optical sensors. In addition, the NIEL concept was also useful in the study of both Si and GaAs solar cells and of high temperature superconductors, and at predicting the survivability of detectors used at the LHC at CERN. On the other hand, there are some instances where discrepancies are observed in the application of NIEL, most notably in GaAs semiconductor devices. However, NIEL is still a valuable tool, and can be used to scale damages produced by different particles and in different environments, even though this is not understood at the microscopic level.

Jun, Insoo↗

Leakage and Power Loss Test Results for Competing Turbine Engine Seals

Advanced brush and finger seal technologies offer reduced leakage rates over conventional labyrinth seals used in gas turbine engines. To address engine manufacturers concerns about the heat generation and power loss from these contacting seals, brush, finger, and labyrinth seals were tested in the NASA High Speed, High Temperature Turbine Seal Test Rig. Leakage and power loss test results are compared for these competing seals for operating conditions up to 922 K (1200 F) inlet air temperature, 517 KPa (75 psid) across the seal, and surface velocities up to 366 m/s (1200 ft/s).

Proctor, Margaret P.↗

Stratospheric Ozone: Transport, Photochemical Production and Loss

Observations from various satellite instruments (e.g., Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE), Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS)) specify the latitude and seasonal variations of total ozone and ozone as a function of altitude. These seasonal variations change with latitude and altitude partly due to seasonal variation in transport and temperature, partly due to differences in the balance between photochemical production and loss processes, and partly due to differences in the relative importance of the various ozone loss processes. Comparisons of modeled seasonal ozone behavior with observations test the following: the seasonal dependence of dynamical processes where these dominate the ozone tendency; the seasonal dependence of photochemical processes in the upper stratosphere; and the seasonal change in the balance between photochemical and dynamical processes.

Douglass, A. R.↗

Preliminary Effect of Synthetic Vision Systems Displays to Reduce Low-Visibility Loss of Control and Controlled Flight Into Terrain Accidents

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effectiveness of Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) flight displays as a means of eliminating Low Visibility Loss of Control (LVLOC) and Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents by low time general aviation (GA) pilots. A series of basic maneuvers were performed by 18 subject pilots during transition from Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) to Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), with continued flight into IMC, employing a fixed-based flight simulator. A total of three display concepts were employed for this evaluation. One display concept, referred to as the Attitude Indicator (AI) replicated instrumentation common in today's General Aviation (GA) aircraft. The second display concept, referred to as the Electronic Attitude Indicator (EAI), featured an enlarged attitude indicator that was more representative of a glass display that also included advanced flight symbology, such as a velocity vector. The third concept, referred to as the SVS display, was identical to the EAI except that computer-generated terrain imagery replaced the conventional blue-sky/brown-ground of the EAI. Pilot performance parameters, pilot control inputs and physiological data were recorded for post-test analysis. Situation awareness (SA) and qualitative pilot comments were obtained through questionnaires and free-form interviews administered immediately after the experimental session. Initial pilot performance data were obtained by instructor pilot observations. Physiological data (skin temperature, heart rate, and muscle flexure) were also recorded. Preliminary results indicate that far less errors were committed when using the EAI and SVS displays than when using conventional instruments. The specific data example examined in this report illustrates the benefit from SVS displays to avoid massive loss of SA conditions. All pilots acknowledged the enhanced situation awareness provided by the SVS display concept. Levels of pilot stress appear to be correlated with skin temperature measurements.

Glaab, Louis J.↗

Precision bone and muscle loss measurements by advanced, multiple projection DEXA (AMPDXA) techniques for spaceflight applications

An advanced, multiple projection, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (AMPDXA) scanner system is under development. The AMPDXA is designed to make precision bone and muscle loss measurements necessary to determine the deleterious effects of microgravity on astronauts as well as develop countermeasures to stem their bone and muscle loss. To date, a full size test system has been developed to verify principles and the results of computer simulations. Results indicate that accurate predictions of bone mechanical properties can be determined from as few as three projections, while more projections are needed for a complete, three-dimensional reconstruction. c 2001. Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗

Competency for graviresponse in the leaf-sheath pulvinus of Avena sativa: onset to loss

The development of the leaf-sheath pulvinus of oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Victory) was studied in terms of its competency to respond to gravistimulation. Stages of onset of competency, maximum competency and loss of competency were identified, using the length of the supertending internode as a developmental marker. During the early phases in the onset of competency, the latency period between stimulus and graviresponse decreased and the steady state response rate increased significantly. When fully competent, the latency period remained constant as the plant continued to develop, suggesting that the latency period is relatively insensitive to quantitative changes (e.g., in carbohydrate or nutrient availability) at the cell level within the plant. In contrast, the response rate was found to increase with plant development, indicating that graviresponse rate is more strongly influenced by quantitative cellular changes. The total possible graviresponse of a single oat pulvinus was confirmed to be significantly less than the original presentation angle. This was shown to not result from a loss of competency, since the graviresponse could be reinitiated by increasing the presentation angle. As a result of the low overall graviresponse of individual pulvini, two or more pulvini are required to bring the plant apex to the vertical. This was determined to occur though the sequential, rather than simultaneous, action of successive pulvini, since a given pulvinus lost competency to gravirespond shortly after the next pulvinus became fully competent.

Non-NASA Center↗

The effect of blood volume loss on cardiovascular response to lower body negative pressure using a mathematical model

Different mathematical models of varying complexity have been proposed in recent years to study the cardiovascular (CV) system. However, only a few of them specifically address the response to lower body negative pressure (LBNP), a stress that can be applied in weightlessness to predict changes in orthostatic tolerance. Also, the simulated results produced by these models agree only partially with experimental observations. In contrast, the model proposed by Melchior et al., and modified by Karam et al. is a simple representation of the CV system capable of accurately reproducing observed LBNP responses up to presyncopal levels. There are significant changes in LBNP response due to a loss of blood volume and other alterations that occur in weightlessness and related one-g conditions such as bedrest. A few days of bedrest can cause up to 15% blood volume loss (BVL), with consequent decreases in both stroke volume and cardiac output, and increases in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and total peripheral resistance. These changes are more pronounced at higher levels of LBNP. This paper presents the results of a simulation study using our CV model to examine the effect of BVL on LBNP response.

NASA Discipline Number 70-30↗

Tachyphylaxis to PACAP-27 after inhibition of NO synthesis: a loss of adenylate cyclase activation

The vasodilator effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP-27) are subject to tachyphylaxis in rats treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). This study examined whether this tachyphylaxis is due to the loss of vasodilator potency of cAMP generated by activation of the G(s) protein-coupled PACAP receptors. Five successive treatments with PACAP-27 (2 nmol/kg iv) produced pronounced vasodilator responses in saline-treated rats that were not subject to tachyphylaxis. The first injection of PACAP-27 (2 nmol/kg iv) in L-NAME (50 micromol/kg iv)-treated rats produced vasodilator responses of similar magnitude to those in saline-treated rats, whereas four subsequent injections produced progressively and markedly smaller responses. The hemodynamic effects of the membrane-permeable cAMP analog 8-(4-chlorophenylthiol)-cAMP (8-CPT-cAMP; 5-15 micromol/kg iv) were similar in L-NAME-treated rats and in L-NAME-treated rats that had received the five injections of PACAP-27. In addition, five injections of 8-CPT-cAMP (10 micromol/kg iv) produced pronounced vasodilator responses in saline- and L-NAME-treated rats that were not subject to the development of tachyphylaxis. These results suggest that a loss of biological potency of cAMP is not responsible for tachyphylaxis to PACAP-27 in L-NAME-treated rats. This tachyphylaxis may be due to the inability of the G(s) protein-coupled PACAP receptor to activate adenylate cyclase.

Non-NASA Center↗

EEG and ocular correlates of circadian melatonin phase and human performance decrements during sleep loss

The aim of this study was to quantify the associations between slow eye movements (SEMs), eye blink rate, waking electroencephalogram (EEG) power density, neurobehavioral performance, and the circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin in a cohort of 10 healthy men during up to 32 h of sustained wakefulness. The time course of neurobehavioral performance was characterized by fairly stable levels throughout the first 16 h of wakefulness followed by deterioration during the phase of melatonin secretion. This deterioration was closely associated with an increase in SEMs. Frontal low-frequency EEG activity (1-7 Hz) exhibited a prominent increase with time awake and little circadian modulation. EEG alpha activity exhibited circadian modulation. The dynamics of SEMs and EEG activity were phase locked to changes in neurobehavioral performance and lagged the plasma melatonin rhythm. The data indicate that frontal areas of the brain are more susceptible to sleep loss than occipital areas. Frontal EEG activity and ocular parameters may be used to monitor and predict changes in neurobehavioral performance associated with sleep loss and circadian misalignment.

Non-NASA Center↗

Loss of atmosphere from Mars due to solar wind-induced sputtering

Because Mars does not have a strong intrinsic magnetic field, the atmosphere is eroded by interactions with the solar wind. Early solar-system conditions enhanced the sputtering loss. It is calculated that approximately 3 bars of carbon dioxide (CO2) have been sputtered over the last 3.5 billion years. This significant increase over the previous estimate by Luhmann et al. of approximately 0.14 bar of CO2 is the result of the development of a more complete model. The model also predicts slightly greater loss of water--approximately 80 meters instead of the approximately 50 meters predicted by Luhmann et al. Because estimates of CO2 on early Mars range from 0.5 to 5 bars, the 0.14-bar estimate is insignificant but the approximately 3-bar estimate will have a large effect on our understanding of the planet's evolution.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

The RBE-LET relationship for rodent intestinal crypt cell survival, testes weight loss, and multicellular spheroid cell survival after heavy-ion irradiation

This report presents data for survival of mouse intestinal crypt cells, mouse testes weight loss as an indicator of survival of spermatogonial stem cells, and survival of rat 9L spheroid cells after irradiation in the plateau region of unmodified particle beams ranging in mass from 4He to 139La. The LET values range from 1.6 to 953 keV/microns. These studies examine the RBE-LET relationship for two normal tissues and for an in vitro tissue model, multicellular spheroids. When the RBE values are plotted as a function of LET, the resulting curve is characterized by a region in which RBE increases with LET, a peak RBE at an LET value of 100 keV/microns, and a region of decreasing RBE at LETs greater than 100 keV/microns. Inactivation cross sections (sigma) for these three biological systems have been calculated from the exponential terminal slope of the dose-response relationship for each ion. For this determination the dose is expressed as particle fluence and the parameter sigma indicates effect per particle. A plot of sigma versus LET shows that the curve for testes weight loss is shifted to the left, indicating greater radiosensitivity at lower LETs than for crypt cell and spheroid cell survival. The curves for cross section versus LET for all three model systems show similar characteristics with a relatively linear portion below 100 keV/microns and a region of lessened slope in the LET range above 100 keV/microns for testes and spheroids. The data indicate that the effectiveness per particle increases as a function of LET and, to a limited extent, Z, at LET values greater than 100 keV/microns. Previously published results for spread Bragg peaks are also summarized, and they suggest that RBE is dependent on both the LET and the Z of the particle.

Non-NASA Center↗

Measurement of Recoil Losses and Ranges for Spallation Products Produced in Proton Interactions with Al, Si, Mg at 200 and 500 MeV

Cosmic rays interact with extraterrestrial materials to produce a variety of spallation products. If these cosmogenic nuclides are produced within an inclusion in such material, then an important consideration is the loss of the product nuclei, which recoil out of the inclusion. Of course, at the same time, some atoms of the product nuclei under study may be knocked into the inclusion from the surrounding material, which is likely to have a different composition to that of the inclusion [1]. For example, Ne-21 would be produced in presolar grains, such as SiC, when irradiated in interstellar space. However, to calculate a presolar age, one needs to know how much 21Ne is retained in the grain. For small grains, the recoil losses might be large [2, 3] To study this effect under laboratory conditions, recoil measurements were made using protons with energies from 66 - 1600 MeV on Si, Al and Ba targets [3, 4, 5].

Sisterson, J. M.↗