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Results for “Irradiation Experiment”

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

Io's surface composition based on reflectance spectra of sulfur/salt mixtures and proton-irradiation experiments

Available full-disk reflectance spectra of Io in the range 0.3 to 2.5 microns have been used to determine a surface compositional model for Io that is consistent with Io's other known chemical and physical properties. Results indicate that the surface of Io contains abundant dehydrated salts of high Na, Mg, and Fe(3+) content such as bloedite and ferrous iron sulfate. Experiments were performed studying the irradiation damage effects from low-energy proton bombardment, since Io is immersed in Jupiter's magnetosphere.

Nash, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Engineering experimental program on the effects of near-space radiation on lithium doped solar cells

The results of an experimental evaluation of the real-time degradation characteristics of lithium-diffused silicon solar cells are reported. A strontium-90 radioisotope was used for simulation of a typical earth-orbital electron environment. The experiment was performed in an ion pump vacuum chamber with samples maintained at -50, +20, +50, and +80 C. Samples were illuminated during the 6-month exposure run with solar cell 1-5 characteristics measured periodically in situ. This 6-month exposure corresponded to a 1 MeV equivalent fluence of approximately 10 to the 14th power electrons/sq cm. Several types of lithium cells were irradiatied and compared directly with conventional N/P cells. The best lithium cells compared favorably with N/P cells, particularly at the higher test temperatures. With a slight improvement of initial performance characteristics, lithium cells appear feasible for 5 to 10 year missions at synchronous altitude. Based on the reported results and those of other irradiation experiments, lithium cells would appear to be superior to N/P cells in proton-dominated earth-orbital environments. Another important conclusion of the effort was that illuminated/loaded cells degrade more rapidly than do dark/unloaded cells. The irradiation experiment provided data of high quality with a high degree of confidence because of the experimental and statistical analysis techniques utilized.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1981

Active cavity radiometer

The active cavity radiometer (ACR) experiment on the Spacelab 1 mission to measure the total solar irradiance is discussed. Short and long term variations in the total solar output of optical energy are studied. Solar total irradiance observation provides information on the solar cycle and other long term trends in solar output that are of climatological significance as well as short term solar physics phenomena. The interaction of solar radiation with the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land masses provides the primary driving forces for the formation of weather systems and the determination of climate. Astrophysical measurements determine the total energy flux. The principal role of the ACR observations support extended solar irradiance experiments on free flying satellites. Solar irradiance measurements are important in the establishment of the radiation scale at the solar total flux level in the international system of units (SI).

Willson, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Production of simple molecules on the surface of Mercury

Lunar sample studies have shown that solar-wind irradiation of the lunar surface has produced a variety of low-molecular-weight compounds. Analysis of the lunar soils has revealed the presence of H2, CH4, H2O, N2, CO, CO2, He, Ne and other components which are extralunar. Irradiation experiments on lunar materials and analogs have shown that solar-wind and solar-flare irradiation of the lunar surface produces selected low-molecular-weight components. Solar-wind irradiation of Mercury's surface should also produce a wide variety of low-molecular-weight species because of the increased solar flux, which results from Mercury being nearer the sun than the moon. The thermal regime of Mercury's surface would result in thermal evaporation of low-temperature components followed by 'cold-trapping' on the night-time side of the planet. Such desorption-adsorption processes assist chemical weathering of Mercury's regolith.

Gibson, E. K., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Design, fabrication, and operation of capsules for the irradiation testing of candidate advanced space reactor fuel pins

Fuel irradiation experiments were designed, built, and operated to test uranium mononitride (UN) fuel clad in tungsten-lined T-111 and uranium dioxide fuel clad in both tungsten-lined T-111 and tungsten-lined Nb-1% Zr. A total of nine fuel pins was irradiated at average cladding temperatures ranging from 931 to 1015 C. The UN experiments, capsules UN-4 and -5, operated for 10,480 and 10,037 hr, respectively, at an average linear heat generation rate of 10 kW/ft. The UO2 experiment, capsule UN-6, operated for 8333 hr at an average linear heat generation rate of approximately 5 kW/ft. Following irradiation, the nine fuel pins were removed from their capsules, externally examined, and sent to the NASA Plum Brook Facility for more detailed postirradiation examination. During visual examination, it was discovered that the cladding of the fuel pin containing dense UN in each of capsules UN-4 and -5 had failed, exposing the UN fuel to the NaK in which the pins were submerged and permitting the release of fission gas from the failed pins. A rough analysis of the fission gas seen in samples of the gas in the fuel pin region indicated fission gas release-to-birth rates from these fuel pins in the range of .00001.

Thoms, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1967

Fission-electric cell irradiation

Capsule reactor irradiation experiments on fission electric devices under high radiation intensity to determine electrical properties and materials problems

ELECTRIC PROPERTY↗
NASA NTRS1975

Investigation of space radiation effects in polymeric film-forming materials

The literature search in the field of ultraviolet radiation effects that was conducted during the previous program, Contract No. NAS1-12549, has been expanded to include the effects of charged particle radiation and high energy electromagnetic radiation. The literature from 1958 to 1969 was searched manually, while the literature from 1969 to present was searched by using a computerized keyword system. The information generated from this search was utilized for the design of an experimental program aimed at the development of materials with improved resistance to the vacuum-radiation environment of space. Preliminary irradiation experiments were performed which indicate that the approaches and criteria employed are very promising and may provide a solution to the challenging problem of polymer stability to combined ultraviolet/high energy radiation.

Giori, C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Improved apparatus for trapped radical and other studies down to 1.5 K

A Dewar system and associated equipment for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of trapped free radicals and other optical or irradiation experiments are described. The apparatus is capable of reaching a temperature of 1.5 K and transporting on the order of 20 W per K temperature gradient; its principal advantages are for use at pumped cryogen temperatures and for experiments with large heat inputs. Two versions of the apparatus are discussed, one of which is designed for EPR in a rectangular cavity operating in a TE(102) mode and another in which EPR is performed in a cylindrical microwave cavity.

Woollam, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Production of organic molecules by proton irradiation

Preliminary experiments were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of proton irradiation for producing organic chromophores. The source of the 2 MeV protons used in the experiments was a model Van de Graaff accelerator. The gas cells used were hollow aluminum cylinders. The test results show that energetic protons can be an effective energy source for the formation of complex molecules from simple ones. With the exception of sulfide compounds none of the molecules that were identified are colored. However, coloring agents could be contained in unresolvable fractions.

Scattergood, T.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The Nimbus-4 backscatter ultraviolet /BUV/ atmospheric ozone experiment Two years' operation.

Review of some of the procedures and results of the double monochromator and colinear photometer Nimbus-4 satellite experiment that measures ultraviolet terrestrial radiance, Lambert reflectivity of the lower boundary of the scattering atmosphere, and extraterrestrial solar irradiance. The experiment has produced nearly three years of almost continuous data which are being used to infer the high-level ozone distribution and total ozone on a global basis. The high-level ozone data have been verified by independent coincident rocket ozone soundings, and the total ozone values show good agreement with Dobson spectrophotometer determinations. An increase has been observed in equatorial radiance at 2550 A relative to 2900 A, which seems to indicate that the amount of ozone in the upper stratosphere is related to the eleven-year solar cycle.

Heath, D. F.↗