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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 NTRS1993

Interferometric observations of non-maser SiO emission from circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars - Acceleration regions and SiO depletion

High- and medium-resolution images of SiO J = 2-1(V = 0) from the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of three oxygen-rich stars, Chi Cyg, RX Boo, and IK Tau, were obtained. The SIO images were found to be roughly circular, implying that the CSEs are spherically symmetric on angular-size scales of about 3-9 arcsec. The observed angular half-maximum intensity source radius is nearly independent of the LSR velocity for all three CSEs. Chi Cyg and RX Boo are argued to be less than 450 pc distant, and have mass-loss rates larger than about 10 exp -6 solar mass/yr. In Chi Cyg and RX Boo, the line profiles at the peak of the brightness distribution are rounded, typical of optically-thick emission from a spherical envelope expanding with a constant velocity. In the IK Tau line profiles, an additional narrower central component is present, probably a result of emission from an inner circumstellar shell with a significantly smaller expansion velocity than the extended envelope.

Sahai, Raghvendra↗
NASA NTRS1999

Six Years of Short-Spaced Monitoring of the v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 (28)SiO Maser Emission in Evolved Stars

We present the results from a monitoring of the v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 (28)SiO maser emission in 21 objects, covering all types of known SiO maser emitters: 13 Mira variables, 2 long period semiregulars (SRGs), 3 variable supergiants (SGs), 2 OH/IR stars, and one young stellar object. This study has been carried out with the 13.7 meter radiotelescope of the Centro Astronomico de Yebes (Guadalajara, Spain), from July 1984 to May 1990, and represents the longest and most tightly sampled monitoring of SiO masers ever published. Our data show that for Mira-type (i.e. regular) variables, the SiO and optical light curves agree in period, and that the maxima of the SiO emission lag the optical ones by about 0.1-0.2 periods. Since a similar lag characterizes the near infrared (NIR) emission variability from these stars, we conclude that for regular variables SiO and NIR vary in phase. This result was confirmed in three objects for which NIR variability curves are available. For SRGs and SGs, we found a less systematic behavior, but when the SiO emission is periodic, its variability curve agrees with the optical one, also showing a lag between maximum epochs similar to that of Mira-type stars. The data clearly reveal other interesting details on the SiO maser variability, such as the strong intensity differences between different maxima and changes in the velocity distribution of the emission. Finally, the SiO masers associated to the young stellar object Orion IRc2 showed a double peaked spectrum with low amplitude, aperiodic variations.

Alcolea, J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Monitoring observations of selected SiO maser sources at 7 mm wavelength - 1977-1979

High-spectral-resolution SiO maser observations at 7 mm wavelength were made for 13 circumstellar objects and Ori A over a 34 month interval from January 1977 to November 1979. These data precede and adjoin the SiO monitoring data taken at 3 and 7 mm wavelengths by Lane (1982) and at 3 mm wavelengths by Nyman and Olofsson (1985) and thus provide an important link in the record of the temporal behavior of SiO masers over a period of several years. The time-averaged center of the weak SiO maser emission pedestal gives the stellar radial velocity. This reinforces the idea that the SiO maser emission pedestal is representative of the true structure of a stellar SiO maser, while the more visible and stronger, narrow SiO emission spikes represent chance coherences along the velocity range of the pedestal. Similarities between the SiO maser velocity patterns of VY CMa and Ori A may suggest similarities in their evolutionary stages.

Snyder, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

ALMA Observations of the Galactic Center: SiO Outflows and High Mass Star Formation Near Sgr A

Using ALMA observations of the Galactic center with a spatial resolution of 2.61" x 0.97 ", we detected 11 SiO (5-4) clumps of molecular gas in the within 0.6pc (15") of Sgr A*, interior of the 2-pc circumnuclear molecular ring. Three SiO (5-4) clumps closest to Sgr A* show the largest central velocities of approximately 150 kilometers per second and broadest asymmetric linewidths with total linewidths FWZI approximately 110-147 kilometers per second. Other clumps are distributed mainly to the NE of the ionized minispiral with narrow linewidths of FWHM approximately 11-27 kilometers per second. Using CARMA data, LVG modeling of the broad velocity clumps, the SiO (5-4) and (2-1) line ratios constrain the column density N(SiO) approximately 10(exp 14) per square centimeter, and the H2 gas density n(sub H2) = (3-9) x 10(exp 5) per cubic centimeter for an assumed kinetic temperature 100-200K. The SiO (5-4) clumps with broad and narrow linewidths are interpreted as highly embedded protostellar outflows, signifying an early stage of massive star formation near Sgr A* in the last 104 years. Additional support for the presence of YSO outflows is that the luminosities and velocity widths lie in the range detected from protostellar outflows in star forming regions in the Galaxy. Furthermore, SED modeling of stellar sources along the N arm show two YSO candidates near SiO clumps supporting in-situ star formation near Sgr A*. We discuss the nature of star formation where the gravitational potential of the black hole dominates. In particular, we suggest that external radiative pressure exerted on self-shielded molecular clouds enhance the gas density, before the gas cloud become gravitationally unstable near Sgr A*.

Yusef-Zadeh, F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Interstellar SiO as a tracer of high-temperature chemistry

A search for the J = 2-1 transition toward both hot and cold molecular gas is reported. SiO was observed toward all sources with kinetic temperatures greater than or equal to 30 K. No SiO was detected toward the dark clouds TMC-1, L134 N, and B335. The abundances of SiO relative to HCN and the SiO/H2 ratios are determined. A linear relation between the natural log of the SiO concentration and 1/Tk is found, suggesting that species formation involves a chemically specific process with an activation barrier of about 90 K. It is concluded that the formation of SiO is linked to the local gas kinetic temperature, rather than the oxygen abundance.

Ziurys, L. M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Environmental Barrier Coating Surface Temperature Mapping Using a Compatible Er-Doped Sc 2 SiO 5 Temperature-Sensing Layer

Accurate surface temperature-mapping capabilities in the 1300 to 1500 °C range are needed for SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites protected by environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) under testing in turbine engine environment facilities. The strong background thermal radiation at these higher temperatures is a challenging issue. Er-doped Y 2 SiO 5 was previously shown to be capable of achieving luminescence lifetime-based temperature mapping up to 1560 °C as a standalone material. However, compatibility issues between an Er-doped Y 2 SiO 5 surface temperature sensing layer and an underlying Sc 2 Si 2 O 7 -based EBC topcoat limited temperature mapping of the EBC surface to a maximum of 1380 °C. Therefore, an Er-doped Sc 2 SiO 5 temperature sensing layer has been subsequently developed with better compatibility with the Sc2Si2O7-based EBC topcoat. Localized spot temperature measurements as well as luminescence lifetime imaging-based temperature mapping were demonstrated up to 1535 °C from a 15 µm thick Er-doped Sc 2 SiO 5 layer at the surface of a Sc2Si2O7-based EBC topcoat, a significant improvement over the Er-doped Y2SiO5 layer 1380 °C temperature sensing limit. No degradation of the Er-doped Sc 2 SiO 5 temperature sensing surface layer was observed.

temperature measurement↗
NASA NTRS1975

Vibrationally excited SiO - A new type of maser source in the millimeter wavelength region

The recently discovered strong emission lines at 86.24 GHz from the J = 2-1 rotational transition of SiO in its first excited vibrational state have been found to be a maser source associated with infrared stars. Twelve maser sources have been detected, and almost all are late M-type Mira or semiregular variables. Many of the known OH/H2O/IR sources are also SiO maser sources, and good velocity correlations between SiO and H2O emission profiles were found. Characteristics of these new SiO maser sources are discussed.

Kaifu, N.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Detection of a weak maser emission pedestal associated with the SiO maser

Results are reported for high-spectral-resolution observations of the v = 1, J = 1-0 SiO maser sources at 43,122.027 MHz (6.95 mm wavelength) associated with the variable stars Omega Cet, NML Tau, VY CMa, R Leo, W Hya, VX Sgr, NML Cyg, and R Cas. A weak underlying maser emission pedestal is clearly observed in the spectra of all but NML Cyg and R Cas. The data indicate that the underlying pedestal of SiO emission appears to originate in a shell-like region around the star, has a thermal appearance even though it must be due to weak maser emission, and appears to be part of the spectral signature of SiO maser emission from late-type stars. It is found that the center velocities of the pedestals may be used to determine stellar radial velocities. Observations of large-scale time variations in the intensity of the Ori A SiO maser and the detection of weak maser pedestals associated with each of the two strong emission-feature groups in Orion are also discussed. It is suggested that the Orion molecular cloud might contain two late-type long-period variable stars that may be semiregular variables.

Snyder, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A long-term study of SiO (v = 1, J = 2-1) maser emission from evolved stars and Orion A

General characteristics of eight late-type stars and Orion A in the SiO (v = 1, J = 2-1) maser line are reported based on observations made with the 20-m Onsala telescope between 1977 and 1984. Five stars show periodic maser flux variations that are well correlated with the infrared light curve, and the maximum SiO intensity and the dynamic range vary significantly between different periods and sources. Some long-term variations in the center velocity of the maser emission have been noted, with Omicron Cet possibly being a member of a binary system. Grand averages have been used to study the general velocity structure, and a global SiO (v = 1, J = 2-1) profile for Mira variables shows that the strongest emission is blueshifted with respect to the stellar velocity, while as a whole the emission is redshifted. The analysis places the SiO masers in a region between the pulsating stellar atmosphere and the expanding circumstellar envelope, where the velocity structure bears no relation to the expansion velocity of the shell.

Nyman, L.-A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Observations of SiO toward OMC-1 - A new outflow source 1.5 arcmin south of Orion-KL?

Observations of the J = 2-1 transition of thermal SiO have been carried out toward OMC-1. Approximately 1.5 arcmin south of the KL nebula and IRc2, a new moderately strong source of SiO emission with T(a)-asterisk of about 1 K has been detected. The emission appears to be confined to a region 30 arcsec or less in size and shows evidence of high-velocity wings extending + or - 12-15 km/s from line center, which may indicate the presence of an embedded star in its early stages. The SiO J - 2-1 line was sought at other positions in OMC-1 but was not detected except at (3N, 1E), where a weak narrow line was observed. Derived column densities and abundances at the 1.5-arcmin S, (3N, 1E), and KL positions suggest that SiO formation is favored in regions where outflows and high temperatures are present.

Ziurys, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Mid-infrared imaging of Orion BN/KL - Astrometry of IRc2 and the SiO maser

Array images of Orion BN/KL at nine midinfrared (5-20 microns) wavelengths have revealed a subarcsecond structure near IRc2 which provides new constraints on the relationship between IRc2 and the Orion SiO maser. The infrared source positions have been improved, and IRc2 is found to be displaced 0.8 +/- 0.2 arcsec (at least 400 AU) from the SiO maser, an order of magnitude greater than the separation assumed in the current maser model. The SiO maser and the IRc2 midinfrared source may be physically independent objects. There are indications that IRc2 is eroded on the south side adjacent to the SiO/H2O maser cluster, suggesting that another luminous object near IRc2, most likely a stellar object associated with radio continuum point source 'I', is the host for the Orion SiO maser.

Gezari, Daniel Y.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Molecular catastrophes and circumstellar SiO masers

Understanding the complex SiO maser regions of highly evolved stars can be improved through multiwavelength studies of 'premaser' stars, such as M0-M4 giants and semiregular variables, which can be placed on normal H-R diagrams unlike most of the OH-IR stars. I argue that SiO masers are a key part of the transformation of hot stellar plasma into cold circumstellar silicate dust, in the outflows from evolved, oxygen rich stars. Evidence for this statement rests on the following: (1) red giant mass loss originates in a stochastic, amsotropic manner; (2) SiO maser maps of Miras and red supergiants show numerous maser spots within a few stellar radii; (3) molecules and dust naturally form in a cooling outflow; (4) the IRAS Low Resolution Spectrometer provided evidence for diverse and variable 10 micron silicate features in Miras, and these shapes correlate well with the proposed maser chronology, suggesting a formation and annealing sequence. The theory for the occurrence of SiO masers involving thermal instability, related 'new' physics, recent calculations and a prediction are discussed.

Stencel, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A search for SiO, OH, CO and HCN radio emission from silicate-carbon stars

We report upper limits for radio emission of SiO at 86 and 43 GHz, of OH at 1612 and 1665/1667 MHz, of CO at 115 GHz and HCN at 88.6 GHz in the silicate-carbon stars. These upper limits of SiO imply that oxygen-rich material has not been detected within 2R(sub star) of a central star even though the detected emission from silicate dust grains, H2O and OH maser establishes the presence of oxygen-rich material from about tens to thousands of AU of a central star. The upper limit of the SiO abundance is consistent with that found in oxygen-rich envelopes. Upper limits of the mass loss rate (based on the CO data) are estimated to be between 10(exp -6) to 10(exp -7) solar mass/yr assuming a distance of 1.5 kpc for these stars. The absence of HCN microwave emission implies that no carbon-rich material can be detected at large distances (thousands of AU) from a central star. The lack of detections of SiO, CO, and HCN emission is most likely due to the large distances of these stars. A number of C stars were detected in CO and HCN, but only the M supergiant VX Sgr was detected in CO.

Little-Marenin, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A 43GHz VLBI mapping of SiO maser emission associated with Orion-KL IRC-2

A milliarcsecond resolution spot map of the SiO maser emission associated with IRC-2 in Orion-KL is presented. The two dominant groups of spectral features, near V(LRS) = -6 and 16 km/s, were observed in the 43 GHz, v = 1 to 0 transition of SiO, using a Mark III VLBI system. The 74 km baseline ran from Haystack Observatory in Westford, Massachusetts to Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) in New Salem, Massachusetts. Five distinct maser features were observed: -8.5 to -6.5 km/s; -5 to -1.5 km/s; 12 to 13.5 km/s; 16.5 to 19 km/s; and 20 to 21 km/s (stellar velocity = 5 km/s). The relative positions were established, from an analysis of fringe phases, to an accuracy of about 5 milliarcseconds. All the features lay within an area of radius 0.08 arcseconds or 6x10(14) cm, at a distance of 500 pc. Previous interferometric studies were only able to measure the gross separation between the red and the blue shifted groups. Our measurement of the separation between these two gropus is consistent with those of the previous studies, indicating the persistence of these two centers of activity. The absolute positions of the masers with respect to IRC-2 are only known to an accuracy of about 1 arcsecond. It is assumed that IRC-2 is centered between the red shifted and the blue shifted maser features. The relative placement of these two groups of maser features agrees with observations of thermal emission from SO, which traces the outflow on a much larger scale. The SiO masers trace the neutral outflow from IRC-2 on the smallest scale yet observed.

Greenhill, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Comparisons of SiO maser and long-period variable positions in the R Aquarii and Omicron Ceti binary systems

It has been determined that the absolute position of the centroid of SiO maser-emitting spots toward both R Aqr and Omicron Cet are coincident with the position of the long-period variables (LPVs) in these binary systems to within the errors of measurement. The SiO positions were determined with the Hat Creek interferometer, while the LPV positions were determined with the 8-in transit circle of the US Naval Observatory. These results contradict an earlier report of a circumbinary SiO maser far removed from the LPV in the R Aqr binary system; statistical reasons for the discrepancy are suggested. High-resolution spectra of both sources are presented and possible models are discussed.

Hollis, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) Project - Systems Integration and Operationalization (SIO) Demonstration

The UAS-NAS Project hosted a Systems Integration Operationalization (SIO) Industry Day for the SIO Request for Information (RFI) on November 30, 2017 in San Diego, California. This presentation is being presented to the same group as a follow up regarding the progress that the UAS-NAS project has made on the SIO RFI. The presentation will be virtual with a teleconference

outreach↗
NASA NTRS2021

GA-ASI Final Report and Program Wrap-up for NASA System Integration and Operationalization (SIO)

The NASA SIO demonstration flight of April 3, 2020 represents a successful culmination of 18 months of coordinated effort between GA-ASI, NASA, the FAA, Collins Aerospace, and Honeywell Aerospace to operate a Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) safely in the National Airspace System (NAS) using industry leading prototype technologies. The GA-ASI team consisted of technical experts, program managers, engineers, mechanics, flight technicians, flight crews, and numerous other subject matter experts. This final report describes the most significant and potentially impactful aspects of the planning, integration, test, and flight aspects of this effort. GA-ASI successfully integrated the key technologies needed for UAS to fly in the NAS onto our prototype SkyGuardian UAS, which was designed to meet the most stringent airworthiness standards applicable to an aircraft of its size category. A proven Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, developed by GA-ASI and utilizing Honeywell Aerospace technology was integrated onto SkyGuardian for the first time, along with datalink radios from Collins Aerospace that meet the new civil standard for Control and Non-Payload Communication (CNPC) links. GA-ASI also obtained approvals from the FAA and FCC to operate the reconfigured UAS. The SIO demonstration flight represented a commercial aerial surveying operation conducted at medium altitude (>10,000ft above mean sea level). The aircraft’s onboard sensors were used to capture photographic, infrared and radar imagery of public and commercial infrastructure and land, and to subsequently produce the types of data products that would provide business value to potential customers. These survey services would supplement or replace services currently provided by manned airplanes and helicopters, small drones or satellites. A “virtual” mission was also planned, to show what additional survey data could have been captured during the flight if additional sensors had been installed on the aircraft’s external hardpoints. This revision of the final report focuses on information of value to the wider UAS community, and avoids propriety data to facilitate broad dissemination. It also includes a description of GA-ASI’s engagement with the FAA following the SIO flight, which led to the award of an updated Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category (SAC-EC) and a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) allowing operation of the SkyGuardian UAS using its DAA system to satisfy right-of-way rules, instead of a chase plane. The associated operational limitations are described to illustrate the further steps that would be needed to remove those limitations for unhindered commercial operations.

Flight demonstration↗