AFOSR

EOARD
Space Technology
17 March 2011
Lt Col Brad Thompson
Program Manager
AFOSR/EOARD
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 88ABW-2011-0797
 EOARD Space Technology
Portfolio Sub-Area Activity
NAME: Lt Col Brad Thompson
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PORTFOLIO:
Discover world class research in space technology related to thermal
transport and space situational awareness (SSA) while providing
international engagement for AFOSR & AFRL Technical Directorates in
basic and developmental research

Propulsion (AFRL/RZSA, AFOSR)

Remote Sensing and Imaging
(AFRL/RDTE, RDSN)
Space Electronics (AFRL/RVSE)
Plasma Physics & Chemistry
(AFRL/RVBX, AFOSR)
Power (AFRL/RXBN)
Thermal Control (AFRL/RVSS, AFOSR)
Space structures (AFRL/RVSV)
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 Current Projects
Sweden
Germany Nonlinear thermal effects Russia
Atmospheric Chemistry Spacecraft Surface
Faint Object Detection Optical Properties

United Kingdom
Organic Thin Film Transistors
Atmospheric Chemistry
Power density of linear compressor
Thin laminate flexures sustained bending

France
Rocket Engine Injectors

Italy
Spain Non-Volitile memory
Magnetic nozzles for plasma Spinodal heat transfer
LiH analysis for propulsion 3
Photovoltaic hybrid
 Portfolio Strategy/Direction

• Aligned with Space Situational Awareness efforts (DCT # 4)

– SSA goal: Ubiquitous knowledge of all orbiting objects, their
capabilities and intent, and the environment they operate
in/through
– How portfolio contributes to goal:
• Pursuing work in the modeling of non-conservative forces
on satellites to provide more accurate prediction of orbits
(ie solar pressure, electro static force effect modeling, etc)
• Working with AFRL to set up a European SSA workshop
• Current portfolio includes work contributing to modeling
near space environment

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 Portfolio Strategy/Direction (cont)

• Aligned with thermal transport phenomena (DCT # 7)

– DCT # 7 goal: Discover new techniques for understanding
thermal phenomena at multiple time & length scales
– How portfolio contributes to goal:
• Pursuing experimental and theoretical work on heat
transfer at the nano scale
• Initiated European workshop on experimental and
theoretical non-equilibrium thermodynamics
(“Thermodynamics: can macro learn from nano?”, 23-25
May 2011)

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 Portfolio Strategy/Direction (cont)

• Provides support to space related basic research

interests/requests across AFRL Plasma Physics and
Remote Sensing & Imaging Chemistry
RDSM (Maui) RVBX (Hanscom)
Dr Gudimetla Venkata Dr Al Viggiano
RDTE (Kirtland) Dr David Cooke
Maj Justin White Space Electronics (Kirtland) Power (WPAFB)
RVSE RXBN
Dr James Lyke Dr Benji Maruyama
Space Propulsion Dr Ashwani Sharma
RZS (Edwards) Dr Arthur Edwards
Dr Ivett Leyva Mr Clay Mayberry AFOSR
Dr Doug Talley RSE
Space Structures (Kirtland)
Dr Jerry Boatz Dr Kent Miller
RVSV
Dr Jean Luc Cambier Dr Cassandra
Dr Thomas Murphy
Fesen
Thermal Control (Kirtland) Dr Mitat Birkan
RVSS Dr Kumar Jata
Ms Erin Pettyjohn RSA 6

Dr Charles Lee
 Research Examples: Overview

– Dr Szymon Gladysz, “Dim object detection and

characterization through multi-frame imaging”, European
Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern
Hemisphere, Germany
– Professor John Plane, “Magnesium Chemistry in the Upper
Atmosphere,” University of Leeds, UK
– Linke, “Nonlinear thermal effects in ballistic electron devices”,
Lund University, Sweden

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 Dim object detection and characterization
through multi-frame imaging

• Dr Szymon Gladysz, European Organization for Astronomical

Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Germany, (funding
source: EOARD)
– Works with Dr Gudimetla Venkata at AFRL/RDSM
• Intro/background
– Looking at the statistics of multi frame images to detect faint objects
in the presence of bright ones
– Focus on modeling and exploiting peculiar statistical properties of
AO speckle patterns with the goal of enhancing signals and
suppressing noise
Three theory
measurements
telescopes
(3, 5 and 8m)

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 Dim object detection and characterization
through multi-frame imaging (cont)

• Expected/desired application to space tech: The identification of

satellites and satellite characteristics in „noisy‟ backgrounds

Left: Right: additional

traditional imaging statistical information

3m Lick
telescope

Simulated
10m telescope

PI: Gladysz
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 Magnesium Chemistry in the Upper
Atmosphere
• Professor John Plane, University of Leeds, UK, (funding source:
EOARD)
– Works with Dr Al Viggiano at AFRL/RVBX
• Grant objectives:
– Study the ion-molecule chemistry of magnesium relevant to
ionospheric sporadic E layers
– Study the reactions of neutral magnesium species which
control the Mg layer observed around 87 km
– Produce a new model of atmospheric magnesium, using the
measured rate coefficients. Evaluate and optimise this
model by comparing with satellite and rocket measurements
of Mg+ and Mg

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Magnesium Chemistry in the Upper
Atmosphere (cont)

Magnesium chemistry in the

upper mesosphere/lower
thermosphere
This project studied 16 ion-molecule
reactions and 5 neutral reactions

•blue arrows: reactions studied in the

EOARD project
•black arrows: previously studied by the
Leeds group
•grey arrows: remain to be studied, but
rate constants can be estimated reliably
•thicker arrows indicate more important
reaction pathways

PI John Plane, U. of Leeds, UK 11

 Magnesium Chemistry in the Upper
Atmosphere (cont)
Atmospheric modelling
• 1-D mesosphere/lower thermosphere
110
January, 40o N

100
model
Mg+
•Mg column density shows very little
Altitude / km

90 seasonal variation, and is about 2 x 109

Mg
cm-2
80
Mg(OH)2 •Mg+ column density doubles from 3 to 6
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
x 109 cm-2 from winter to summer
•Absolute concentrations and
-3
Concentration / cm
110
July, 40o N
seasonal changes are in excellent
100 agreement with satellite & rocket data
Altitude / km

Mg+
•Model to be used in the Whole
Mg
90 Atmosphere Chemistry Climate Model
(WACCM) produced by the National
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Mg(OH)2 Center for Atmospheric Research
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
(Boulder)
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Concentration / cm-3
PI John Plane, U. of Leeds, UK
 Nonlinear thermal effects in ballistic
electron devices
• Professor Heiner Linke, The Nanometer Structure Consortium at
Lund University, Sweden (funding source: EOARD)
– This work addresses thermal phenomena in nonlinear
response, with the goal to explore fundamentally new effects
and functionalities that may enable game-changing, novel
devices, and enhanced performance

a) b)

In preliminary results, found that a horizontal thermal gradient in device with asymmetric obstacles ((a)
shows an electron microscope image) creates a vertical voltage response (T = 2K) (b) (unpublished)

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 Nonlinear thermal effects in ballistic
electron devices (cont)
• Specific aims
– Rectification of heat flow
• Explore if nanoscale obstacles
partially rectify heat carried by
electrons
– Transverse thermoelectric effect in
asymmetric devices
• Explore physical origins of
discovered perpendicular thermo
voltage introduced by asymmetric
obstacles for ballistic electrons
– Theoretical framework for nonlinear
thermal effects in ballistic devices
– Prediction and test of conditions of
enhanced performance 14
 Contact Information

Lt Col Brad Thompson

EOARD
Unit 4515
APO, AE 09421-0014

DSN: 314-235-6163
COMM: +44 1895 616 163
brad.thompson@london.af.mil
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