For Release: Sept. 17, 1996

Kathryn Cataldo
Office of Media Services
(205) 544-2188
(205) 544-1183 (pin number: 0546)

NOTE TO ASSIGNMENT EDITORS/PRODUCERS: 96-166N

SATELLITE INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ON SHUTTLE EARTHQUAKE EXPERIMENT

When severe earthquakes shake urban areas, buildings tumble, highways collapse and lives are lost. Finding ways to protect against Mother NatureÌs fury by unraveling the mysteries of soil behavior is the goal of one basic research experiment during the current Space Shuttle mission.

NASA research manager Joel Kearns is available for satellite interviews about this high flying experiment and its potential benefits here on Earth on September 19 between 4 p.m. CDT and 8:30 p.m. from the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Called the Mechanics of Granular Materials experiment, it seeks to explain what really happens to granular materials such as sand under low stresses in the near zero-gravity environment of space.

The experiment may lead to the development of more stable building foundations and retro-fittings for existing buildings. Its findings could help prevent hundreds of grain silo collapses annually that pose danger and economic loss to farmers. Results of the experiment could redefine the processes used by the pharmaceutical and coal mining industries for handling of bulk materials. And, it may even lead to improving the tires of sport utility vehicles by giving us a better understanding of how Ïrubber meets the road.Ó

Your anchors can demonstrate how a single change in conditions can markedly affect the behavior of granular materials by simply ripping open a vacuum-packed coffee bag. When the solid brick contents of the package are exposed to air, the contents suddenly change and behave almost like a liquid -- shifting, collapsing and spilling from the bag. Such behavior of granular materials is similar to what can happen during an earthquake, or when a grain silo collapses.

To request an interview or further information, please contact Kathryn Cataldo at (205) 544-2188. Interviews will be conducted on NASA TV, located on C-band, Spacenet 2, transponder 5, at 69 degrees west longitude. The transponder frequency is 3880 MHz and the audio subcarrier is 6.8 MHz.