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At least 1,747 records · Page 97

Low Luminosity States of the Black Hole Candidate GX 339-4: ASCA and Simultaneous Radio/RXTE Observations - 1

We discuss a series of observations of the black hole candidate GX 339-4 in low luminosity, spectrally hard states. We present spectral analysis of three separate archival Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA) data sets and eight separate Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) data sets. Three of the RXTE observations were strictly simultaneous with 843 Mega Hertz and 8.3-9.1 Giga Hertz radio observations. All of these observations have (3-9 keV) flux approximately less than 10(exp-9) ergs s(exp-1) CM(exp -2). The ASCA data show evidence for an approximately 6.4 keV Fe line with equivalent width approximately 40 eV, as well as evidence for a soft excess that is well-modeled by a power law plus a multicolor blackbody spectrum with peak temperature approximately equals 150-200 eV. The RXTE data sets also show evidence of an Fe line with equivalent widths approximately equal to 20-1OO eV. Reflection models show a hardening of the RXTE spectra with decreasing X-ray flux; however, these models do not exhibit evidence of a correlation between the photon index of the incident power law flux and the solid angle subtended by the reflector. 'Sphere+disk' Comptonization models and Advection Dominated Accretion Flow (ADAF) models also provide reasonable descriptions of the RXTE data. The former models yield coronal temperatures in the range 20-50 keV and optical depths of r approximately equal to 3. The model fits to the X-ray data, however, do not simultaneously explain the observed radio properties. The most likely source of the radio flux is synchrotron emission from an extended outflow of extent greater than O(10 (exp7) GM/c2).

Wilms, Joern↗

New Laboratory Methods for Characterizing the Immersion Factors for Irradiance

The experimental determination of the immersion factor, I(sub f)(lambda), of irradiance collectors is a requirement of any in-water radiometer. The eighth SeaWiFS Intercalibration Round-Robin Experiment (SIRREX-8) showed different implementations, at different laboratories, of the same I(sub f)(lambda) measurement protocol. The different implementations make use of different setups, volumes, and water types. Consequently, they exhibit different accuracies and require different execution times for characterizing an irradiance sensor. In view of standardizing the characterization of I(sub f)(lambda) values for in-water radiometers, together with an increase in the accuracy of methods and a decrease in the execution time, alternative methods are presented, and assessed versus the traditional method. The proposed new laboratory methods include: a) the continuous method, in which optical measurements taken with discrete water depths are substituted by continuous profiles created by removing the water from the water vessel at a constant flow rate (which significantly reduces the time required for the characterization of a single radiometer); and b) the Compact Portable Advanced Characterization Tank (ComPACT) method, in which the commonly used large tanks are replaced by a small water vessel, thereby allowing the determination of I(sub f)(lambda) values with a small water volume, and more importantly, permitting I(sub f)(lambda) characterizations with pure water. Intercomparisons between the continuous and the traditional method showed results within the variance of I(sub f) (lambda) determinations. The use of the continuous method, however, showed a much shorter realization time. Intercomparisons between the ComPACT and the traditional method showed generally higher I(sub f)(lambda) values for the former. This is in agreement with the generalized expectations of a reduction in scattering effects, because of the use of pure water with the ComPACT method versus the use of tap water with the traditional method.

Hooker, Stanford B.↗

Approaches to Validation of Models for Low Gravity Fluid Behavior

This paper details the author experiences with the validation of computer models to predict low gravity fluid behavior. It reviews the literature of low gravity fluid behavior as a starting point for developing a baseline set of test cases. It examines authors attempts to validate their models against these cases and the issues they encountered. The main issues seem to be that: Most of the data is described by empirical correlation rather than fundamental relation; Detailed measurements of the flow field have not been made; Free surface shapes are observed but through thick plastic cylinders, and therefore subject to a great deal of optical distortion; and Heat transfer process time constants are on the order of minutes to days but the zero-gravity time available has been only seconds.

Chato, David J.↗

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2008

Topics covered include: Induction Charge Detector with Multiple Sensing Stages; Generic Helicopter-Based Testbed for Surface Terrain Imaging Sensors; Robot Electronics Architecture; Optimized Geometry for Superconducting Sensing Coils; Sensing a Changing Chemical Mixture Using an Electronic Nose; Inertial Orientation Trackers with Drift Compensation; Microstrip Yagi Antenna with Dual Aperture-Coupled Feed; Patterned Ferroelectric Films for Tunable Microwave Devices; Micron-Accurate Laser Fresnel-Diffraction Ranging System; Efficient G(sup 4)FET-Based Logic Circuits; Web-Enabled Optoelectronic Particle-Fallout Monitor; SiO2/TiO2 Composite for Removing Hg from Combustion Exhaust; Lightweight Tanks for Storing Liquefied Natural Gas; Hybrid Wound Filaments for Greater Resistance to Impacts; Making High-Tensile-Strength Amalgam Components; Bonding by Hydroxide-Catalyzed Hydration and Dehydration; Balanced Flow Meters without Moving Parts; Deflection-Compensating Beam for Use inside a Cylinder; Four-Point-Latching Microactuator; Curved Piezoelectric Actuators for Stretching Optical Fibers; Tunable Optical Assembly with Vibration Dampening; Passive Porous Treatment for Reducing Flap Side-Edge Noise; Cylindrical Piezoelectric Fiber Composite Actuators; Patterning of Indium Tin Oxide Films; Gimballed Shoulders for Friction Stir Welding; Improved Thermal Modulator for Gas Chromatography; Nuclear-Spin Gyroscope Based on an Atomic Co-Magnetometer; Utilizing Ion-Mobility Data to Estimate Molecular Masses; Optical Displacement Sensor for Sub-Hertz Applications; Polarization/Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Pump Beams; Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Beams for Pumping an NPRO; Algorithm Optimally Orders Forward-Chaining Inference Rules; Project Integration Architecture; High Power Amplifier and Power Supply; Estimating Mixing Heights Using Microwave Temperature Profiler; and Multiple-Cone Sunshade for a Spaceborne Telescope.

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NASA Tech Briefs, April 2002

The contents include: 1) Application Briefs; 2) Sneak Preview of Sensors Expo; 3) The Complexity of the Diagnosis Problem; 4) Design Concepts for the ISS TransHab Module; 5) Characteristics of Supercritical Transitional Mixing Layers; 6) Electrometer for Triboelectric Evaluation of Materials; 7) Infrared CO2 Sensor With Built-In Calibration Chambers; 8) Solid-State Potentiometric CO Sensor; 9) Planetary Rover Absolute Heading Detection Using a Sun Sensor; 10) Concept for Utilizing Full Areas of STJ Photodetector Arrays; 11) Development of Cognitive Sensors; 12) Enabling Higher-Voltage Operation of SOl CMOS Transistors; 13) Estimating Antenna-Pointing Errors From Beam Squints; 14) Advanced-Fatigue-Crack-Growth and Fracture- Mechanics Program; 15) Software for Sequencing Spacecraft Actions; 16) Program Distributes and Tracks Organizational Memoranda; 16) Flat Membrane Device for Dehumidification of Air; 17) Inverted Hindle Mount Reduces Sag of a Large, Precise Mirror; 18) Heart-Pump-Outlet/Cannula Coupling; 19) Externally Triggered Microcapsules Release Drugs In Situ; 20) Combinatorial Drug Design Augmented by Information Theory; 21) Multiple-Path-Length Optical Absorbance Cell; 22) Model of a Fluidized Bed Containing a Mixture of Particles; 23) Refractive Secondary Concentrators for Solar Thermal Systems; 24) Cold Flow Calorimeter; 25) Methodology for Tracking Hazards and Predicting Failures; 26) Estimating Heterodyne-Interferometer Polarization Leakage; 27) An Efficient Algorithm for Propagation of Temporal- Constraint Networks; 28) Software for Continuous Replanning During Execution; 29) Surface-Launched Explorers for Reconnaissance/Scouting; 30) Firmware for a Small Motion-Control Processor; 31) Gear Bearings and Gear-Bearing Transmissions; and 32) Linear Dynamometer With Variable Stroke and Frequency.

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NASA Tech Briefs, August 2005

Topics include: Hidden Identification on Parts: Magnetic Machine-Readable Matrix Symbols; System for Processing Coded OFDM Under Doppler and Fading; Multipurpose Hyperspectral Imaging System; Magnetic-Flux-Compensated Voltage Divider; High-Performance Satellite/Terrestrial-Network Gateway; Internet-Based System for Voice Communication With the ISS; Stripline/Microstrip Transition in Multilayer Circuit Board; Dual-Band Feed for a Microwave Reflector Antenna; Quadratic Programming for Allocating Control Effort; Range Process Simulation Tool; Simulator of Space Communication Networks; Computing Q-D Relationships for Storage of Rocket Fuels; Contour Error Map Algorithm; Portfolio Analysis Tool; Glass Frit Filters for Collecting Metal Oxide Nanoparticles; Anhydrous Proton-Conducting Membranes for Fuel Cells; Portable Electron-Beam Free-Form Fabrication System; Miniature Laboratory for Detecting Sparse Biomolecules; Multicompartment Liquid-Cooling/Warming Protective Garments; Laser Metrology for an Optical-Path-Length Modulator; PCM Passive Cooling System Containing Active Subsystems; Automated Electrostatics Environmental Chamber; Estimating Aeroheating of a 3D Body Using a 2D Flow Solver; Artificial Immune System for Recognizing Patterns; Computing the Thermodynamic State of a Cryogenic Fluid; Safety and Mission Assurance Performance Metric; Magnetic Control of Concentration Gradient in Microgravity; Avionics for a Small Robotic Inspection Spacecraft; and Simulation of Dynamics of a Flexible Miniature Airplane.

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Comparison of Stereo-PIV and Plenoptic-PIV Measurements on the Wake of a Cylinder in NASA Ground Test Facilities.

A series of comparison experiments have been performed using a single-camera plenoptic PIV measurement system to ascertain the systems performance capabilities in terms of suitability for use in NASA ground test facilities. A proof-of-concept demonstration was performed in the Langley Advanced Measurements and Data Systems Branch 13-inch (33- cm) Subsonic Tunnel to examine the wake of a series of cylinders at a Reynolds number of 2500. Accompanying the plenoptic-PIV measurements were an ensemble of complementary stereo-PIV measurements. The stereo-PIV measurements were used as a truth measurement to assess the ability of the plenoptic-PIV system to capture relevant 3D/3C flow field features in the cylinder wake. Six individual tests were conducted as part of the test campaign using three different cylinder diameters mounted in two orientations in the tunnel test section. This work presents a comparison of measurements with the cylinders mounted horizontally (generating a 2D flow field in the x-y plane). Results show that in general the plenoptic-PIV measurements match those produced by the stereo-PIV system. However, discrepancies were observed in extracted pro les of the fuctuating velocity components. It is speculated that spatial smoothing of the vector fields in the stereo-PIV system could account for the observed differences. Nevertheless, the plenoptic-PIV system performed extremely well at capturing the flow field features of interest and can be considered a viable alternative to traditional PIV systems in smaller NASA ground test facilities with limited optical access.

Fahringer, Timothy W.↗

Overview of the instrumentation program

This program is aimed at developing sensors and measurement systems capable of obtaining the data necessary for the verification of computational models of the structural behavior, the fatigue life, and the environmental conditions pertinent to advanced reusable space propulsion systems. One of the characteristics of measurement systems needed to verify codes is that the sensors must be nonintrusive or at least minimally intrusive so as not to significantly perturb the conditions being measured. This leads to a heavy emphasis on laser optical techniques and on thin-film sensors. Another characteristic of such instruments is that they must be highly accurate and produce very high spatial and temporal resolution of the parameter being measured. The measurement systems needed generally fall into a number of broad categories. First there are the measurements needed on the surfaces of components such as turbine blades and vanes. Some of the desired parameters are temperature, strain, and heat flux. Another broad category encompasses those measurements needed in the flow environment around these components. Here, the desired results are high resolution maps of such parameters as flow velocity, temperature, density, pressure, and species concentration. The remaining category deals with measurements necessary for monitoring the health of the engine. This category has loomed ever more important since the Challenger disaster. An optical method for determining the characteristics of the plume is presented. Holographic measurement of structural damage is also presented.

Nieberding, William C.↗

Development of a Comprehensive Two-Phase Flow Database for the Validation of NEK-2P

Three-dimensional (3-D) two-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes are emerging as a powerful and potentially practical tool for applications in which detailed local flow information is needed. However, two-phase flow models and associated closure relations are not well established for CFD applications, which is partly due to the lack of high-quality validation data. The main objective of this work is to develop a comprehensive database of two-phase flows that can be used to validate two-phase CFD codes such as NEK-2P. In this project, four advanced local measurement systems, including Particle Image Velocimetry and Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PIV-PLIF), high-speed imaging, x-ray densitometry, and multi-sensor conductivity probe are employed to measure the local two-phase flow parameters of both gas and liquid phases. By combining these techniques, the local void fraction, bubble velocity, interfacial area concentration, bubble frequency, liquid velocity, turbulence intensity, etc., in various two-phase flow regimes can be obtained. These local measurement techniques are first used in a 25.4 mm circular pipe test section. Seven air-water two-phase flow conditions spanning the bubbly, slug, churn-turbulent, and annular flow regimes are measured in this facility. The obtained database contains the radial profiles of both gas- and liquid-phase parameters at three axial locations along the test section. The second facility used in this work contains a 30 mm × 10 mm rectangular test section, in which three two-phase flow and two single-phase flow conditions are measured. Two-dimensional distributions of local two-phase flow parameters in the cross-sectional plane are measured in this facility at three axial locations as well. A facility featuring a 3×3 electrically heated rod bundle is also designed and being constructed in this project. This facility is specially designed for optical measurements and is expected to provide high-quality boiling data in the future. Preliminary analyses have been performed for the data taken in the 25.4 mm circular pipe. Both center-peaked and wall-peaked void fraction profiles have been observed in the data depending on the two-phase flow conditions and/or developing lengths. The 1-D drift-flux model was evaluated with the newly obtained datasets, in which both gas- and liquid-phases data were directly measured. The distribution parameter model has been optimized based on a new void-profile classification method proposed in this study. The optimized drift-flux model shows a significant improvement in predicting both gas velocity and void fraction. The measured liquid-phase turbulence was used to benchmark Sato’s turbulence model considering the bubble-induced shear stress for the three tested bubbly flows. The benchmark results showed good agreement between the PIV measurements and model predictions. In the bubbly flows tested that have low void fractions less than 3%, the effect of the bubble-induced turbulence was found not significant. However, the bubble-induced shear stress becomes important with the increase of the void fraction. The Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) model was developed and implemented in NEK-2P. This model allows the coupled simulation of the solid domain and two-phase fluid domain, allowing the specification of realistic boundary conditions. The CHT implementation was verified first with non-boiling simulations. The predicted temperatures in the fluid domain were shown to be identical in simulations with or without the CHT model. The CHT model was then validated through simulations of three Becker benchmark CHF tests performed under both Dryout (DO) and Departure from Nucleate Boiling (DNB) conditions. Reasonably good agreement was obtained between calculated wall temperatures and corresponding experimental data.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Experimental investigation of supersonic low pressure air plasma flows obtained with different arc-jet operating conditions

A stationary arc-jet plasma flow at low pressure is used to simulate some properties of the gas flow surrounding a vehicle during its entry into celestial body's atmospheres. This paper presents an experimental study concerning plasmas simulating a re-entry into our planet. Optical measurements have been carried out for several operating plasma conditions in the free stream, and in the shock layer formed in front of a flat cylindrical plate, placed in the plasma jet. The analysis of the spectral radiation enabled the identification of the emitting species, the determination of the rotational and vibrational temperatures in the free-stream and in the shock layer and the determination of the distance of the shock to the flat plate face. Some plasma fluid parameters like, stagnation pressure, specific enthalpy and heat flux have been determined experimentally along the plasma-jet axis.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Raman Doppler velocimetry - A unified approach for measuring molecular flow velocity, temperature, and pressure

Molecular flow velocity (one component), translational temperature, and static pressure of N2 are measured in a supersonic wind tunnel using inverse Raman spectroscopy. For velocity, the technique employs the large Doppler shift exhibited by the molecules when the pump and probe laser beams are counterpropagating (backward scattering). A retrometer system is employed to yield an optical configuration insensitive to mechanical vibration, which has the additional advantage of simultaneously obtaining both the forward and backward scattered spectra. The forward and backward line breadths and their relative Doppler shift can be used to determine the static pressure, translational temperature, and molecular flow velocity. A demonstration of the technique was performed in a continuous airflow supersonic wind tunnel in which data were obtained under the following conditions: (1) free-stream operation at five set Mach number levels over the 2.50-4.63 range; (2) free-stream operation over a range of Reynolds number (at a fixed Mach number) to vary systematically the static pressure; and (3) operation in the flow field of a simple aerodynamic model to assess beam steering effects in traversing the attached shock layer.

Exton, R. J.↗

Characterization of flowing liquid films as a regenerating plasma mirror for high repetition-rate laser contrast enhancement

In this paper, we characterize a high repetition-rate regenerating plasma mirror produced by the thin film of liquid formed when two laminar streams collide. The use of a flowing liquid film is inexpensive and the interaction surface refreshes automatically, avoiding buildup of on-target debris. The composition of the liquid material and the relative angle of the film-generating nozzles was optimized for this application. Spectra measured in reflection from a water-based plasma mirror showed a blue shift but an optical reflectivity of up to 30%. The thickness of the film was found to be of the order of 2 μm, and the stability of the reflected spot was ≈1 mrad. The reflected beam profile was highly distorted but stable. Further optimization of the nozzles to affect the fluid flow should enable significant improvements in control of the fluid films and increase in the reflectivity of these mirrors.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Connecting Black Hole States and Accertion Flow Geometry

Under this program, INTEGRAL made four observations of the Galactic black hole X-ray binary GRO 51655-40 in outburst. Our team made a number of supporting observations simultaneously in the radio, optical, and X-ray bands. The data have been processed by INTEGRAL and efforts to make a preliminary reduction and analysis of the data are underway. As the data have only been in house for a month at the time of writing, there are no significant results to report at this time, apart from the fact that the source appears to have been detected clearly even up to an energy of 200 keV.

Teegarden, Bonnard↗

The application of laser Rayleigh scattering to gas density measurements in hypersonic helium flows

Measurements of the mean static free-stream gas density have been made in two Langley Research Center helium facilities, the 3-inch leg of the high-Reynolds-number helium complex and the 22-inch hypersonic helium tunnel. Rayleigh scattering of a CW argon ion laser beam at 514.5 nm provided the basic physical mechanism. The behavior of the scattered signal was linear, confirmed by a preliminary laboratory study. That study also revealed the need to introduce baffles to reduce stray light. A relatively simple optical system and associated photon-counting electronics were utilized to obtain data for densities from 10 to the 23rd to 10 to the 25th per cu m. The major purpose, to confirm the applicability of this technique in the hypersonic helium flow, was accomplished.

Hoppe, J. C.↗

Laser fringe anemometry for aero engine components

Advances in flow measurement techniques in turbomachinery continue to be paced by the need to obtain detailed data for use in validating numerical predictions of the flowfield and for use in the development of empirical models for those flow features which cannot be readily modelled numerically. The use of laser anemometry in turbomachinery research has grown over the last 14 years in response to these needs. Based on past applications and current developments, the key issues which are involved when considering the application of laser anemometry to the measurement of turbomachinery flowfields are discussed. Aspects of laser fringe anemometer optical design which are applicable to turbomachinery research are briefly reviewed. Application problems which are common to both laser fringe anemometry (LFA) and laser transit anemometry (LTA) such as seed particle injection, optical access to the flowfield, and measurement of rotor rotational position are covered. The efficiency of various data acquisition schemes is analyzed and issues related to data integrity and error estimation are addressed. Real-time data analysis techniques aimed at capturing flow physics in real time are discussed. Finally, data reduction and analysis techniques are discussed and illustrated using examples taken from several LFA turbomachinery applications.

Strazisar, Anthony J.↗

Fiber Optic Distributed Sensors for High-resolution Temperature Field Mapping

The reliability of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes is checked by comparing simulations with experimental data. A typical data set consists chiefly of velocity and temperature readings, both ideally having high spatial and temporal resolution to facilitate rigorous code validation. While high resolution velocity data is readily obtained through optical measurement techniques such as particle image velocimetry, it has proven difficult to obtain temperature data with similar resolution. Traditional sensors such as thermocouples cannot fill this role, but the recent development of distributed sensing based on Rayleigh scattering and swept-wave interferometry offers resolution suitable for CFD code validation work. Thousands of temperature measurements can be generated along a single thin optical fiber at hundreds of Hertz. Sensors function over large temperature ranges and within opaque fluids where optical techniques are unsuitable. But this type of sensor is sensitive to strain and humidity as well as temperature and so accuracy is affected by handling, vibration, and shifts in relative humidity. Such behavior is quite unlike traditional sensors and so unconventional installation and operating procedures are necessary to ensure accurate measurements. This paper demonstrates implementation of a Rayleigh scattering-type distributed temperature sensor in a thermal mixing experiment involving two air jets at 25 and 45 °C. We present criteria to guide selection of optical fiber for the sensor and describe installation setup for a jet mixing experiment. We illustrate sensor baselining, which links readings to an absolute temperature standard, and discuss practical issues such as errors due to flow-induced vibration. This material can aid those interested in temperature measurements having high data density and bandwidth for fluid dynamics experiments and similar applications. We highlight pitfalls specific to these sensors for consideration in experiment design and operation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Low-Temperature Hydrothermal Synthesis of Colloidal Crystal Templated Nanostructured Single-Crystalline ZnO

Single crystal semiconductors almost always exhibit better optoelectrical properties than their polycrystalline or amorous counterparts. While three-dimensionally (3D) nanostructured semiconductor devices have been proposed for numerous applications, in the vast majority of reports, the semiconductor is polycrystalline or amorphous, greatly reducing the potential for advanced properties. While technologies for 3D structuring of semiconductors via use of a 3D template have advanced significantly, approaches for epitaxially growing nanostructured single crystal semiconductors within a template remain limited. Here, we demonstrate the epitaxial growth of 3D-structured ZnO through colloidal templates formed from 225 nm and 600 nm diameter colloidal particles via a low-temperature (~80 °C) hydrothermal process using a flow reactor. The effects of the pH of the reaction solution as well as the additive used on the 3D epitaxy process are investigated. The optical and electrical properties of the epitaxially grown nanostructured ZnO are probed by reflectance, photoluminescence, and Hall effect measurements. It is found that the epitaxially grown nanostructured ZnO generally exhibits superior properties than those of polycrystalline ZnO. The demonstrated hydrothermal epitaxy process should be applicable to other chemical solution-based deposition techniques and help extend the range of materials that can be grown into a 3D nanostructured single-crystalline form.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

X-ray imaging of liquid-liquid Mg cavitation

The coupling of dynamic loading platforms with synchrotron light sources have enabled experiments examining void formation in optically opaque materials. Much like spallation in a solid, cavitation occurs when rarefaction waves collide within a liquid. The resulting deformation leads to a complex flow field with numerous voids. It has been suggested that compaction of such a structure may be a significant source of ejecta (i.e. shallow bubble collapse). Experiments imaging supported and unsupported shocks interacting with a free surface in shock melted Mg with synchrotron radiation are presented. Here, the results are used to examine the structure of a cavitation plane that forms in the unsupported case and provide an estimate of the porosity within this region.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗