Research and technology annual report, FY 1990

Given here is the annual report of the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC), a NASA center responsible for testing NASA's large propulsion systems, developing supporting test technologies, conducting research in a variety of earth science disciplines, and facilitating the commercial uses of NASA-developed technologies. Described here are activities of the Earth Sciences Research Program, the Technology Development Program, commercial programs, the Technology Utilization Program, and the Information Systems Program. Work is described in such areas as forest ecosystems, land-sea interface, wetland biochemical flux, thermal imaging of crops, gas detectors, plume analysis, synthetic aperture radar, forest resource management, applications engineering, and the Earth Observations Commercial Applications Program

The 1989 JSC bibliography of scientific and technical papers

This document is a compilation of Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center contributions to the scientific and technical literature in aerospace and life sciences made during calendar year 1989. Citations include NASA formal series reports, journal articles, conference and symposium presentations, papers published in proceedings or other collective works, and seminar and workshop results

LNG annotated bibliography

This document updates the bibliography published in Liquefied Gaseous Fuels Safety and Environmental Control Assessment Program: third status report (PNL-4172) and is a complete listing of literature reviewed and reported under the LNG Technical Surveillance Task. The bibliography is organized alphabetically by author

Publications of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, January through December 1974

Formalized technical reporting is described and indexed, which resulted from scientific and engineering work performed, or managed, by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The five classes of publications included are technical reports, technical memorandums, articles from the bimonthly Deep Space Network Progress Report, special publications, and articles published in the open literature. The publications are indexed by author, subject, and publication type and number

Second Aerospace Environmental Technology Conference

The mandated elimination of CFC'S, Halons, TCA, and other ozone depleting chemicals and specific hazardous materials has required changes and new developments in aerospace materials and processes. The aerospace industry has been involved for several years in providing product substitutions, redesigning entire production processes, and developing new materials that minimize or eliminate damage to the environment. These activities emphasize replacement cleaning solvents and their application, verification, compliant coatings including corrosion protection system and removal techniques, chemical propulsion effects on the environment, and the initiation of modifications to relevant processing and manufacturing specifications and standards

Numerical modelling of mesoscale atmospheric dispersion

Fall 1992.Includes bibliographical references

Comparative study of the diachronic evolution of the geological and volcanological environments of the earth with the saturnian satellites Titan and Enceladus.

This thesis presents on the study of the environment of Titan and Enceladus, Saturn’s satellites observed by the Cassini-Huygens mission. Various aspects of the geology of Titan are presented focusing on the characteristics of the surface geological features and processes,the internal structure and the correlation with the atmosphere. The morphotectonic features are presented on the basis of terrestrial models. Moreover, Titan areas probably correlated with the interior are tested against a geophysical model of tidal distortion and found to conform with localisation and internal dynamics. We then study the surface albedo and composition of specific Titan areas (Hotei Regio, Tui Regio, Sotra Patera) –determined by the PCA method- based on data from Cassini/VIMS (0.4–5 μm) on which a radiative transfer code is applied with the most updated spectroscopic parameters. Monitoring of these areas showed surface albedo changes in the course of 1-3.5 yrs, implying dynamic exogenic-endogenic processes that affect the surface and compatible with cryovolcanism in the case of Sotra Patera. Processes that form the surface of Enceladus are also discussed. In addition, the analogies with the Earth's surface and possible internal processes on the icy satellites are being explored. The astrobiological implications of this work are discussed within the framework of the quest for habitable environments in our outer Solar system. These studies are related to the preparation of future space missions to the systems of Jupiter and Saturn and payload capability. Finally, public awareness and perspectives of this research are discussed

Energy: A continuing bibliography with indexes, issue 13

This bibliography lists 1036 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system from January 1, 1977 through March 31, 1977

Comparative study of the diachronic evolution of the geological and volcanological environments of the Earth and the Saturnian satellites, Titan and Enceladus

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αφορά τη μελέτη των περιβαλλόντων του Τιτάνα και του Εγκέλαδου, δορυφόρων του Κρόνου, μέσω της ανάλυσης δεδομένων που ανακτήθηκαν από τη διαστημική αποστολή Cassini-Huygens. Αρχικά παρουσιάζεται η επισκόπηση της γεωλογίας του Τιτάνα, με επίκεντρο τις γεωλογικές δομές και διεργασίες και το συσχετισμό μεταξύ της ατμόσφαιρας, της επιφάνειας και του εσωτερικού του δορυφόρου. Οι μορφοτεκτονικές δομές κατατάσσονται σε συγκεκριμένες κατηγορίες βάσει γήινων μοντέλων σχηματισμού. Επιφανειακές περιοχές του Τιτάνα, οι οποίες θεωρούνται συνδεδεμένες με το εσωτερικό, συγκρίθηκαν με γεωφυσικά μοντέλα παλιρροιακής στρέβλωσης και διαπιστώθηκε ότι συμπίπτουν σε σχέση με τη θέση, την επιφάνεια και την εσωτερική ενεργότητα. Ένα δεύτερο μέρος της διδακτορικής διατριβής παρουσιάζει την ενδελεχή ανάλυση συγκεκριμένων περιοχών του Τιτάνα –όπως αυτές καθορίζονται μέσω μιας στατιστικής μεθόδου– με επίκεντρο την επιφανειακή ανακλαστικότητα που παρουσιάζουν και τη χημική σύνθεση από την επεξεργασία δεδομένων του φασματογράφου Cassini/VIMS (εγγύς υπέρυθρη περιοχή του φάσματος από 0,4 έως 5 micron). Η εφαρμογή ενός εκσυγχρονισμένου και state-of-the-art κώδικα μεταφοράς ακτινοβολίας, επέδειξε τη φασματική συμπεριφορά και το εύρος της φωτεινότητας αυτών των περιοχών. Η έρευνα τριών σημαντικών περιοχών, που έχουν προταθεί ως υποψήφιες κρυοηφαιστειακές (Hotei Regio, Tui Regio και Sotra Patera), παρουσίασε ενδείξεις χρονικής μεταβολής της επιφανειακής ανακλαστικότητας για δύο από αυτές σε μια χρονική περίοδο από 1-3,5 χρόνια, υποδεικνύοντας δυναμικές εξωγενείς - ενδογενείς διεργασίες, οι οποίες επηρεάζουν την επιφάνεια και είναι συμβατές με φαινόμενα κρυοηφαιστεότητας στην περίπτωση της Sotra Patera. Επίσης, οι διαδικασίες που σχηματίζουν την επιφάνεια του Εγκέλαδου περιγράφονται λεπτομερειακά στη διατριβή. Σε ένα τρίτο μέρος, γήινα ανάλογα επιφανειακών εμφανίσεων καθώς και διεργασιών παρουσιάζονται εκτεταμένα, επισημαίνοντας ενδιαφέρουσες ομοιότητες και διαφορές μεταξύ της πυριτικής Γης και των παγωμένων δορυφόρων. Οι αστροβιολογικές συσχετίσεις αυτής της εργασίας διεξάγονται στο πλαίσιο της αναζήτησης περιβαλλόντων κατοικησιμότητας στο εξωτερικό ηλιακό σύστημα. Όλες οι προαναφερθείσες μελέτες συνδέονται με την προετοιμα σία των μελλοντικών διαστημικών αποστολών και των οργάνων τους στα συστήματα του Κρόνου και του Δία. Τέλος, συζητούνται οι δυνατότητες εκλαΐκευσης της επιστήμης και οι προοπτικές που παρουσιάζει η συγκεκριμένη έρευνα.This thesis presents on the study of the environment of Titan and Enceladus, Saturn’s satellites observed by the Cassini-Huygens mission. Various aspects of the geology of Titan are presented focusing on the characteristics of the surface geological features and processes,the internal structure and the correlation with the atmosphere. The morphotectonic features are presented on the basis of terrestrial models. Moreover, Titan areas probably correlated with the interior are tested against a geophysical model of tidal distortion and found to conform with localisation and internal dynamics. We then study the surface albedo and composition of specific Titan areas (Hotei Regio, Tui Regio, Sotra Patera) –determined by the PCA method- based on data from Cassini/VIMS (0.4–5 μm) on which a radiative transfer code is applied with the most updated spectroscopic parameters. Monitoring of these areas showed surface albedo changes in the course of 1-3.5 yrs, implying dynamic exogenic-endogenic processes that affect the surface and compatible with cryovolcanism in the case of Sotra Patera. Processes that form the surface of Enceladus are also discussed. In addition, the analogies with the Earth's surface and possible internal processes on the icy satellites are being explored. The astrobiological implications of this work are discussed within the framework of the quest for habitable environments in our outer Solar system. These studies are related to the preparation of future space missions to the systems of Jupiter and Saturn and payload capability. Finally, public awareness and perspectives of this research are discussed

Proceedings of the First International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics

1st International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Kruger Park, 8-10 April 2002.This lecture is a principle-based review of a growing body of fundamental work stimulated by multiple opportunities to optimize geometric form (shape, structure, configuration, rhythm, topology, architecture, geography) in systems for heat and fluid flow. Currents flow against resistances, and by generating entropy (irreversibility) they force the system global performance to levels lower than the theoretical limit. The system design is destined to remain imperfect because of constraints (finite sizes, costs, times). Improvements can be achieved by properly balancing the resistances, i.e., by spreading the imperfections through the system. Optimal spreading means to endow the system with geometric form. The system construction springs out of the constrained maximization of global performance. This 'constructal' design principle is reviewed by highlighting applications from heat transfer engineering. Several examples illustrate the optimized internal structure of convection cooled packages of electronics. The origin of optimal geometric features lies in the global effort to use every volume element to the maximum, i.e., to pack the element not only with the most heat generating components, but also with the most flow, in such a way that every fluid packet is effectively engaged in cooling. In flows that connect a point to a volume or an area, the resulting structure is a tree with high conductivity branches and low-conductivity interstices.tm201