Dual arm master controller development (open access)

Dual arm master controller development

The advanced servomanipulator (ASM) slave was designed with an anthropomorphic stance, gear/torque tube power drives, and modular construction. These features resulted in increased inertia, friction, and backlash relative to tape-driven manipulators. Studies were performed which addressed the human factors design and performance trade-offs associated with the corresponding master controller best suited for the ASM. The results of these studies, as well as the conceptual design of the dual arm master controller, are presented. This work was performed as part of the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 5 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
Date: January 1, 1985
Creator: Kuban, D. P. & Perkins, G. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Influence of Geometry on Natural Convection in Buildings (open access)

Influence of Geometry on Natural Convection in Buildings

Strong free convection airflows occur within passive solar buildings resulting from elevated temperatures of surfaces irradiated by solar energy compared with the cooler surfaces not receiving radiation. The geometry of a building has a large influence on the directions and magnitudes of natural airflows, and thus heat transfer between zones. This investigation has utilized a variety of reduced-scale building configurations to study the effects of geometry on natural convection heat transfer. Similarity between the reduced-scale model and a full-scale passive solar building is achieved by having similar geometries and by replacing air with Freon-12 gas as the model's working fluid. Filling the model with Freon-12 gas results in similarity in Prandtl numbers and Rayleigh numbers based on temperature differences in the range from 10/sup 9/ to 10/sup 11/. Results from four geometries are described with an emphasis placed on the effects of heat loss on zone temperature stratification shifts.
Date: January 1, 1985
Creator: White, M. D.; Winn, C. B.; Jones, G. F. & Balcomb, J. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Review of nuclear reaction data evaluation in the US (open access)

Review of nuclear reaction data evaluation in the US

The development of the nuclear reaction data evaluation activities in the US over the last 40 years is reviewed, starting with comments on several reports as early as 1944. The review moves on to the development of consortia to share the burden by interchanging sets of data and efforts toward putting together an encoding system and computer-oriented formats. It is predicted that future emphasis is likely to be on charged particle induced reactions. (LEW)
Date: May 1, 1985
Creator: Howerton, Robert J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Low Energy X-Ray Spectra Measured With a Mercuric Iodide Energy Dispersive Spectrometer in a Scanning Electron Microscope (open access)

Low Energy X-Ray Spectra Measured With a Mercuric Iodide Energy Dispersive Spectrometer in a Scanning Electron Microscope

A mercuric iodide energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer, with Peltier cooling provided for the detector and input field effect transistor, has been developed and tested in a scanning electron microscope. X-ray spectra were obtained with the 15 keV electron beam. An energy resolution of 225 eV (FWHM) for Mn-K/sub ..cap alpha../ at 5.9 keV and 195 eV (FWHM) for Mg-K line at 1.25 keV has been measured. Overall system noise level was 175 eV (FWHM). The detector system characterization with a carbon target demonstrated good energy sensitivity at low energies and lack of significant spectral artifacts at higher energies. 16 refs., 5 figs.
Date: January 1, 1985
Creator: Iwanczyk, J. S.; Dabrowski, A. J.; Huth, G. C.; Bradley, J. G.; Conley, J. M. & Albee, A. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Neutral sheet crossings in the distant magnetotail (open access)

Neutral sheet crossings in the distant magnetotail

We have analyzed the magnetic field data from ISEE-3 in the distant magnetotail for 18 crossings of the cross-tail current sheet (or so-called natural sheet) to determine the direction of the normal component B/sub z/. The crossings occurred near the middle of the aberrated magnetotail (0 < y < 30 R/sub e, -10 < z < 5) in GSM coordinates, at a distance of about 220 R/sub e/, January 28 to February 12, 1983; in each case the plasma flow velocity was tailward. In 2 cases we found B/sub z/ negative (southward), as would be required with a magnetic neutral line (reconnection line) earthward of the spacecraft. In 12 cases B/sub z/ was clearly northward (B/sub z/ > 0.4 nT), consistent with closed field lines connected to the earth. In 3 cases B/sub z/ was very close to zero; in several instances there was structure in B/sub y/, suggesting localized currents with x or z directions. One may have been a magnetopause crossing. The strong preponderance of northward B/sub z/ favors a model of the magnetotail which is dominated by boundary layer plasma, flowing tailward on closed magnetic field lines, which requires the existence of an electric field in the …
Date: January 1, 1985
Creator: Heikkila, W. J.; Slavin, J. A.; Smith, E. J.; Baker, D. N. & Zwickl, R. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris: Session 2, Impacts of Debris on Resources (open access)

Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris: Session 2, Impacts of Debris on Resources

Compilation of papers presented during the second session of a workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Hawaii, November 1984. This session includes 11 papers describing various impacts that debris entanglement has on marine animals and the environment.
Date: 1985
Creator: Shomura, R. S. & Yoshida, H. O.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris: Session 3, Fate of Marine Debris (open access)

Proceedings of the Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris: Session 3, Fate of Marine Debris

Compilation of papers presented during the third session of a workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Hawaii, November 1984. This session includes 5 papers describing the ocean current and circulation flow along with oceanographic factors that play in to drifting debris and population dynamics of marine debris.
Date: 1985
Creator: Shomura, R. S. & Yoshida, H. O.
System: The UNT Digital Library
PEGASUS: a multi-megawatt nuclear electric propulsion system (open access)

PEGASUS: a multi-megawatt nuclear electric propulsion system

With the Space Transportation System (STS), the advent of space station Columbus and the development of expertise at working in space that this will entail, the gateway is open to the final frontier. The exploration of this frontier is possible with state-of-the-art hydrogen/oxygen propulsion but would be greatly enhanced by the higher specific impulse of electric propulsion. This paper presents a concept that uses a multi-megawatt nuclear power plant to drive an electric propulsion system. The concept has been named PEGASUS, PowEr GenerAting System for Use in Space, and is intended as a ''work horse'' for general space transportation needs, both long- and short-haul missions. The recent efforts of the SP-100 program indicate that a power system capable of producing upwards of 1 megawatt of electric power should be available in the next decade. Additionally, efforts in other areas indicate that a power system with a constant power capability an order of magnitude greater could be available near the turn of the century. With the advances expected in megawatt-class space power systems, the high specific impulse propulsion systems must be reconsidered as potential propulsion systems. The power system is capable of meeting both the propulsion system and spacecraft power requirements.
Date: June 1, 1985
Creator: Coomes, Edmund P.; Cuta, Judith M.; Webb, Brent J. & King, David Q.
System: The UNT Digital Library