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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

Analysis of the theory of high energy ion transport

Procedures for the approximation of the transport of high-energy ions are discussed on the basis of available data on ion nuclear reactions. A straightahead approximation appears appropriate for space applications. The assumption that the secondary-ion-fragment velocity is equal to that of the fragmenting nucleus is inferior to straightahead theory but is of sufficient accuracy if the primary ions display a broad energy spectrum. An iterative scheme for the solution of the inhomogenous integral transport equations holds promise for practical calculation. A model calculation shows that multiple charged ion fragments penetrate to greater depths in comparison with the free path of a primary heavy ion.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

High-temperature thermoelectric energy converstion. I - Theory

The high-temperature thermoelectric energy-conversion theory is examined. It is shown that semiconductors are the logical choices for high-figure of merit-value materials, but the requirements for optimization differ depending on whether the material is classed as a broad-band or narrow-band semiconductor. Optimization is discussed as a function of temperature. Phonon scattering mechanisms are considered; and for the reduction of thermal conductivity, basic material guidelines are given. Although experimental results indicate that ZT (where Z is the figure of merit and T is the temperature) of about 1 represents an upper limit, there is in fact, no theoretical limitation. It is unlikely that the Z values will be significantly reduced by radiation transfer at temperatures lower than 2000 K. The current status of materials research is also considered. The rare-earth chalcogenides which behave as n-type semi-conductors and the boron-rich borides which exhibit hopping p-type conductivity behavior are the materials that show promise for high-temperature Z values. The reasons for low thermal conductivities in these materials is discussed.

Wood, C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

High-Temperature Thermoelectric Energy Conversion

Theory of thermoelectric energy conversion at high temperatures and status of research on conversion materials reviewed in report. Shows highest values of thermoelectric figure of merit, Z, found in semiconductor materials. Semiconductors keep wide choice of elements and compounds. Electrical properties tailored to particular application by impurity doping and control of stoichiometry. Report develops definition of Z useful for comparing materials and uses it to evaluate potentials of different classes of materialsmetals, semiconductors, and insulators.

Wood, C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Beyond Einstein: From the Big Bang to Black Holes

How did the Universe begin? Does time have a beginning and an end? Does space have edges? The questions are clear and simple. They are as old as human curiosity. But the answers have always seemed beyond the reach of science. Until now. In their attempts to understand how space, time, and matter are connected, Einstein and his successors made three predictions. First, space is expanding from a Big Bang; second, space and time can tie themselves into contorted knots called black holes where time actually comes to a halt; third, space itself contains some kind of energy that is pull- ing the Universe apart. Each of these three predictions seemed so fantastic when it was made that everyone, including Einstein himself, regarded them as unlikely. Incredibly, all three have turned out to be true. Yet Einstein's legacy is one of deep mystery, because his theories are silent on three questions raised by his fantastic predictions: (1) What powered the Big Bang? (2) What happens to space, time, and matter at the edge of a black hole? (3) What is the mysterious dark energy pulling the Universe apart? The answers to these questions-which lie at the crux of where our current theories fail us-will lead to a profound, new understanding of the nature of time and space. To find answers, however, we must venture beyond Einstein. The answers require new theories, such as the inflationary Universe and new insights in high-energy particle theory. Like Einstein s theories, these make fantastic predictions that seem hard to believe: unseen dimensions and entire universes beyond our own. We must find facts to confront and guide these new theories. Powerful new technologies now make this possible. And NASA and its partners are developing an armada of space-based observatories to chart the path to discovery. Here is where the Beyond Einstein story begins. By exploring the three questions that are Einstein s legacy, we begin the next revolution in understanding our Universe. We plot our way forward using clues from observations and from new ideas connecting the worlds of the very small and the very large, from the atom out through the deepest reaches of the cosmos.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

High-energy proton radiation belt.

The experiments and theories to explain the high-energy protons trapped in the earth's radiation belt are reviewed. The theory of cosmic ray albedo neutron decay injection of protons into the radiation belt is discussed. Radial diffusion and change in the earth's dipole moment are considered along with losses of protons by ionization and nuclear collision. It is found that the measured albedo neutron escape current is sufficient to supply trapped protons above 30 MeV. The theoretical calculations of the trapped protons are in agreement with the measurements for L less than or equal to 1.7 both on and off the equator. For L greater than or equal to 1.7, additional trapped proton differential energy measurements should be made before the theory can be adequately tested. It appears that an additional loss mechanism such as pitch angle scattering may be required.

White, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Generalized Comptonization models and application to the recent high-energy observations

The theory of spectral formation in thermal X-ray sources, where the effects of Comptonization and Klein-Nishina corrections are important, is presented. Analytical expressions are obtained for the produced spectrum as a function of such input parameters as the plasma temperature, the optical depth of the plasma cloud and the injected soft photon spectrum. The analytical theory developed here takes into account the dependence of the scattering opacity on the photon energy. It is shown that the plasma temperature as well as the asymptotic rate of photon escape from the plasma cloud determine the shape of the upscattered hard tail in the emergent spectra, even in the case of very small optical depths. The escape distributions of photons are given for any optical depth of the plasma cloud and their asymptotic dependence for very small and large optical depths are examined. It is shown that this new generalized approach can fit spectra for a large variety of hard X-ray sources and determine the plasma temperature in the region of main energy release in Cyg X-1 and the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151.

Titarchuk, Lev↗
NASA NTRS1987

High temperature thermoelectric energy conversion

The theory and current status of materials research for high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion are reviewed. Semiconductors are shown to be the preferred class of materials for this application. Optimization of the figure of merit of both broadband and narrow-band semiconductors is discussed as a function of temperature. Phonon scattering mechanisms are discussed, and basic material guidelines are given for reduction of thermal conductivity. Two general classes of materials show promise for high temperature figure of merit (Z) values, namely the rare earth chalcogenides and the boron-rich borides. The electronic transport properties of the rare earth chalcogenides are explicable on the basis of degenerate or partially degenerate n-type semiconductors. Boron and boron-rich borides exhibit p-type hopping conductivity, with detailed explanations proposed for the transport differing from compound to compound. Some discussion is presented on the reasons for the low thermal conductivities in these materials. Also, ZTs greater than one appear to have been realized at high temperature in many of these compounds.

Wood, Charles↗
NASA NTRS1974

International Cosmic Ray Conference, 13th, University of Denver, Denver, Colo., August 17-30, 1973, Proceedings. Volumes 3 & 4

Volumes 3 and 4 contain papers dealing with measurements of muons and neutrinos, ultrahigh-energy interactions, extensive air showers, and details of experimental techniques and instrumentation. Attention is given to the zenith angle and underground depth dependence of cosmic ray muons, muon charge ratios and energy spectra, extraterrestrial sources of neutrinos, strong interaction data from new accelerators, searches for quarks and other new particles, hadron fluxes and propagation in the atmosphere, high-energy gamma-ray measurements, and new models and theories for high-energy strong interactions. Extensive air showers are examined in papers dealing with associated Cerenkov light, radio emission, structure, the hadron content, and primaries. The design, operation, and performance of various detectors are explained. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2023

Improved Fermion Hamiltonians for Quantum Simulations

Constructing improved hamiltonians for gauge theories coupled to fermonic matter will be important for improving continuum limit extrapolations of quantum computations. In this talk we will present a formulation for simulating ASQTAD fermions for lattice computation and provide fault tolerant resource costs in terms of primitive group operations. We additionally show that the scaling of energies with respect to the lattice spacing are better than for the unimproved Hamiltonian for toy models.

Quantum Algorithms↗
NASA NTRS1990

The Joint NASA/Goddard-University of Maryland Research Program in Charged Particle and High Energy Photon Detector Technology

The Univ. of Maryland portion investigated the following areas. The Space Physics Group performed studies of data from the AMPTE/CCE spacecraft CHEM experiment and found that the ratio of solar wind to photospheric abundances decreased rather smoothly with the first ionization potential (FIP) of the ion with the low FIP ion being about a factor of two overabundant. Carbon and hydrogen fit this trend particularly well. Several occurrences were analyzed of field aligned beams observed when CCE was upstream of the Earth's bow shock. Also using CHEM data, ring current intensity and composition changes during the main and recovery phases of the great geomagnetic storm that occurred in February 1986 was examined in detail. Still using CHEM data, ring current characteristics were examined in a survey of 20 magnetic storms ranging in size from -50 nT to -312 nT. A study was done of energetic ion anisotropy characteristics in the Earth's magnetosheath region using data from the UMD/MPE experiment on ISEE-1. The properties were analyzed of approx. 30 to 130 keV/e protons and alpha particles upstream of six quasi-parallel interplanetary shocks that passed by the ISEE-3 spacecraft during 1978 to 1979. Work from NASA-Goddard include studies from the High Energy Cosmic Ray Group, Low Energy Cosmic Ray Group, Low Energy Gamma Ray Group, High Energy Astrophysics Theory Group, and the X ray Astronomy Group.

Ipavich, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Ultra-high-energy photons from active galactic nuclei - Theory

First-order Fermi acceleration in collisionless shocks is supposed to operate in the central regions of AGN, initiating processes which ultimately result in ultrahigh energy (UHE) photons. This paper analyzes the formation of the UHE photon spectrum inside the central source. The escape probability of the UHE photons, the energy spectra of created electron-positron pairs, and their synchrotron radiation in the external region are calculated.

Sikora, Marek↗
NASA NTRS1989

LAGEOS 3 and the gravitomagnetic field

The importance of the gravitomagnetic field is discussed. A never-measured field of nature, the foundations of inertia in Einstein General Relativity, and a key role in theories of quasars and active galactic nuclei are important aspects of this field and are discussed. In high energy astrophysics, some theories of energy storage, power generation, jet formation and jet alignment of quasars and active galactic nuclei are based on the existence of the gravitomagnetic field of a supermassive black hole (Thorne et al. 1986). LAGEOS 3 is discussed in terms of laser ranged satellites to detect the gravitomagnetic field and supplementary inclination satellites to avoid gravity field uncertainties. Many experiments have been proposed to measure the gravitomagnetic field. The GPB experiment intends to measure the Lense-Thirring-Schiff precession of gyroscopes orbiting the earth. Polar satellites have been proposed to measure the Lense-Thirring precession of the orbital plane (an enormous gyroscope and two guided, drag-free, counter-rotating, polar satellites have been suggested to avoid orbital inclination errors.) The new idea to measure the gravitomagnetic drag of the nodes of two nonpolar, supplementary inclination, satellites is summarized.

Ciufolini, Ignazio↗
NASA NTRS1975

Perturbation theory for charged-particle transport in one dimension

Perturbation theory, when applied to charged-particle transport, generates a series solution that requires a double quadrature per term. The continuity of higher-order terms leads to numerical evaluation of the series. The high rate of convergence of the series makes the method a practical tool for charged-particle transport problems. The coupling of the neutron component in the case of proton transport in tissue does not greatly alter the rate of convergence. The method holds promise for a practical high-energy proton transport theory.

Wilson, J. W.↗