30,525 research outputs found
Microbial burden prediction model for unmanned planetary spacecraft
The technical development of a computer program for predicting microbial burden on unmanned planetary spacecraft is outlined. The discussion includes the derivation of the basic analytical equations, the selection of a method for handling several random variables, the macrologic of the computer programs and the validation and verification of the model. The prediction model was developed to (1) supplement the biological assays of a spacecraft by simulating the microbial accretion during periods when assays are not taken; (2) minimize the necessity for a large number of microbiological assays; and (3) predict the microbial loading on a lander immediately prior to sterilization and other non-lander equipment prior to launch. It is shown that these purposes not only were achieved but also that the prediction results compare favorably to the estimates derived from the direct assays. The computer program can be applied not only as a prediction instrument but also as a management and control tool. The basic logic of the model is shown to have possible applicability to other sequential flow processes, such as food processing
Medical requirements in support of long duration manned space flight
Medical support program for crew health and performance requirements in manned space flights of long duratio
Biological generalizations and the search for extraterrestrial life
Biological exploration for extraterrestrial lif
Self-sterilization of bodies during outer planet entry
A body encountering the atmosphere of an outer planet is subjected to heat loads which could result in high temperature conditions that render terrestrial organisms on or within the body nonviable. To determine whether an irregularly shaped entering body, consisting of several different materials, would be sterilized during inadvertent entry at high velocity, the thermal response of a typical outer planet spacecraft instrument was studied. The results indicate that the Teflon insulated cable and electronic circuit boards may not experience sterilizing temperatures during a Jupiter, Saturn, or Titan entry. Another conclusion of the study is that small plastic particles entering Saturn from outer space have wider survival corridors than do those at Jupiter
Nuclear Aspects of Nucleosynthesis in Massive Stars
Preliminary results of a new set of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis
calculations for massive stars are presented. These results were obtained with
an extended reaction network up to Bi. The discussion focuses on the importance
of nuclear rates in pre- and post-explosive nucleosynthesis. The need for
further experiments to study specific reactions and nuclear properties (optical
alpha+nucleus potentials) is emphasized.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; invited talk, to appear in the Proceedings of the
Int. Conf. "Structure of the Nucleus at the Dawn of the Century", May 2000,
Bologna, Ital
A computer program for the calculation of the flow field in supersonic mixed-compression inlets at angle of attack using the three-dimensional method of characteristics with discrete shock wave fitting
The calculation procedure is based on the method of characteristics for steady three-dimensional flow. The bow shock wave and the internal shock wave system were computed using a discrete shock wave fitting procedure. The general structure of the computer program is discussed, and a brief description of each subroutine is given. All program input parameters are defined, and a brief discussion on interpretation of the output is provided. A number of sample cases, complete with data deck listings, are presented
Nucleosynthesis in massive stars revisited
We have performed the first calculations to follow the evolution of all
stable nuclei and their radioactive progenitors in a finely-zoned stellar model
computed from the onset of central hydrogen burning through explosion as a Type
II supernova. Calculations were done for 15, 20, and 25 solar masses Pop I
stars using the most recently available set of experimental and theoretical
nuclear data, revised opacity tables, and taking into account mass loss due to
stellar winds. Here results are presented for one 15 solar masses model.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; needs espcrc1.sty; talk at "Nuclei in the Cosmos
2000", Aarhus, Denmark, June 2000; will appear in Nucl. Phys.
On the Complexity of Local Search for Weighted Standard Set Problems
In this paper, we study the complexity of computing locally optimal solutions
for weighted versions of standard set problems such as SetCover, SetPacking,
and many more. For our investigation, we use the framework of PLS, as defined
in Johnson et al., [JPY88]. We show that for most of these problems, computing
a locally optimal solution is already PLS-complete for a simple neighborhood of
size one. For the local search versions of weighted SetPacking and SetCover, we
derive tight bounds for a simple neighborhood of size two. To the best of our
knowledge, these are one of the very few PLS results about local search for
weighted standard set problems
Rocket instrumentation for the measurement of D-region electron density and collision frequencies Scientific report no. 244
Black Brant II sounding rocket instrumentation for measurement of D layer electron density and collision rat
Effect of environment on biological burden during spacecraft assembly
Determining effects of environment on accumulation of biological burden on spacecraft during assembl
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