Investigations of fundamental phenomena in microgravity
Abstract
Four experiments are described which are being prepared for in-flight investigations on the Space Shuttle: a study of the lambda transition in helium and three experiments regarding liquid-vapor critical fluids. The Lambda Point Experiment is designed to measure the constant-volume heat capacity of helium near the superfluid transition in an orbital low-gravity environment. The critical transport studies include the Zeno Experiment in which the corresponding density-fluctuation decay rate is examined by means of laser scattering at two fixed angles. The other critical transport studies address the measurement of critical-fluid viscosity and thermal equilibration in critical SF6 in microgravitational conditions. The experiments are of interest to the study of fundamental phenomena with important applications and are technically convenient for investigation during Space Shuttle flights.
- Publication:
-
AIAA/IKI Microgravity Science Symposium
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991ikim.symp..379G
- Keywords:
-
- Critical Flow;
- Helium;
- Liquid-Vapor Interfaces;
- Reduced Gravity;
- Spaceborne Experiments;
- Light Scattering;
- Space Shuttle Missions;
- Thermodynamic Equilibrium;
- Viscous Fluids;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer