Engineering topics

Long, Steven R.

Publications and source records attributed to Long, Steven R..

9 records

NASA NTRS2016

On Holo-Hilbert Spectral Analysis: A Full Informational Spectral Representation for Nonlinear and Non-Stationary Data

The Holo-Hilbert spectral analysis (HHSA) method is introduced to cure the deficiencies of traditional spectral analysis and to give a full informational representation of nonlinear and non-stationary data. It uses a nested empirical mode decomposition and Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) approach to identify intrinsic amplitude and frequency modulations often present in nonlinear systems. Comparisons are first made with traditional spectrum analysis, which usually achieved its results through convolutional integral transforms based on additive expansions of an a priori determined basis, mostly under linear and stationary assumptions. Thus, for non-stationary processes, the best one could do historically was to use the time- frequency representations, in which the amplitude (or energy density) variation is still represented in terms of time. For nonlinear processes, the data can have both amplitude and frequency modulations (intra-mode and inter-mode) generated by two different mechanisms: linear additive or nonlinear multiplicative processes. As all existing spectral analysis methods are based on additive expansions, either a priori or adaptive, none of them could possibly represent the multiplicative processes. While the earlier adaptive HHT spectral analysis approach could accommodate the intra-wave nonlinearity quite remarkably, it remained that any inter-wave nonlinear multiplicative mechanisms that include cross-scale coupling and phase-lock modulations were left untreated. To resolve the multiplicative processes issue, additional dimensions in the spectrum result are needed to account for the variations in both the amplitude and frequency modulations simultaneously. HHSA accommodates all the processes: additive and multiplicative, intra-mode and inter-mode, stationary and nonstationary, linear and nonlinear interactions. The Holo prefix in HHSA denotes a multiple dimensional representation with both additive and multiplicative capabilities.

Huang, Norden E.↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Critical Examination of Wind-Wave Spectral Functional Form

Traditionally, data from random ocean waves are presented in spectral functions. The spectra are the result of Fourier analysis. Fourier spectral analysis has dominated data analysis for, at least, the last hundred years. It has been the standard method for is examining the global amplitude-frequency distributions. Although Fourier transform valid under extremely general conditions, there are some crucial restrictions for the Fourier spectral analysis. The system must be linear, and the data must be stationary- otherwise, the resulting spectrum will make little physical sense. The stationarity requirement is also a common required criterion for most of other available data analysis methods. Nevertheless, few, if any, natural phenomena are linear and stationary. To compound these complications is the imperfection of our probes or numerical schemes the interactions of the imperfect probes even with a perfect linear system can make the final data nonlinear. Furthermore, all the available data are usually of finite duration. Under these conditions, Fourier analysis is of limited use, For lack of alternatives, however, Fourier analysis is still used to process such data. The loose application of Fourier analysis and the insouciant adoption of the stationary and linear assumptions may lead to misleading conclusions. Ocean waves are know to be nonlinear, and the wind system generating the wave field are seldom stationary- As a result, the traditional examination of the spectral form hardly made physical sense. A new method for analyzing nonlinear and nonstationary data has been developed. The key part is the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method with which any complicated data set can be decomposed into a finite and often small number of Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMF) that serve as the basis of the representation of the data, This decomposition method is adaptive, and, therefore, highly efficient. The IMFs admit well-behaved Hilbert transforms, and yield instantaneous energy and frequency as functions of time that give sharp identifications of imbedded structures. The final presentation of the results is an energy-frequency-time distribution, designated as the Hilbert Spectrum. Among the main conceptual innovations is the introduction of the instantaneous frequencies for complicated data sets, which eliminate the need of spurious harmonics to represent nonlinear and nonstationary signals. The spectral forms of the ocean waves are very different. This new method offers the first physical meaningful view of the wave spectrum. Data from laboratory and field will be presented to illustrate the differences.

Huang, Norden E.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Directional wind wave development

Using aircraft radar instruments designed for sea surface wave measurements, we have obtained fetch-limited directional wind wave spectra under steady off-shore wind conditions. The results from these observations in different areas at different times show that, up to a fetch of 150 km, the dominant waves propagate at an angle to the wind. The angle is near to that suggested by the Phillips resonance wind wave generation condition, but with one important difference: The waves are not always symmetric to the left and right of the wind. Most of the cases show the eventual dominance of one side lobe. The asymmetry of the wave direction relative to the wind suggests that the surface wind stress vector may not always be parallel to the mean wind direction.

Long, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Measurements of the interaction of wave groups with shorter wind-generated waves

Fields of statistically steady wind-generated waves produced in a wind wave facility were perturbed by the injection of groups of longer, mechanically generated waves with various slopes. The time histories of the surface displacements were measured at four fetches in ensembles consisting of 100 realizations of each set of experimental conditions; the data were stored and analyzed digitally. Four distinct stages in the overall interaction are identified and characterized. The properties of the wave energy front are documented, and a preliminary discussion is given of the dynamic processes involved in its formation.

Chu, Jacob S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

NASA Wallops Flight Facility Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility

This publication serves as an introduction to the Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility at NASA/GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility. The purpose of this publication is to provide background information on the research facility itself, including capabilities, available instrumentation, the types of experiments already done, ongoing experiments, and future plans.

Long, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A self-zeroing capacitance probe for water wave measurements

The wave probe developed at the Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility was designed to measure the surface elevation fluctuations of water waves. Design criteria included being linear in response, self-zeroing to the mean water level, having multiple operating ranges so that the instrument's maximum output could be matched to the maximum surface elevation over varying conditions, and be as noise-free as possible. The purpose of this publication is to provide a detailed description of the design and construction of this probe.

Long, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The local properties of ocean surface waves by the phase-time method

A new approach using phase information to view and study the properties of frequency modulation, wave group structures, and wave breaking is presented. The method is applied to ocean wave time series data and a new type of wave group (containing the large 'rogue' waves) is identified. The method also has the capability of broad applications in the analysis of time series data in general.

Huang, Norden E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Laboratory studies of wave-current interaction - Kinematics of the strong interaction

Controlled laboratory experiments have been conducted to study the kinematics of wave-current interactions. The results confirm the conservation of waves under the steady state condition. The data also show that the kinematic effect of the current on waves can be treated as a simple Doppler shift. After the Doppler correction, the kinematics of the waves (either breaking or nonbreaking) follow the linear theory very well.

Lai, Ronald J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Observations of the properties of the water surface roughness structure under the action of wind and waves

The statistical properties of a water surface roughness structure subjected to wind and waves are analyzed in a laboratory wind wave channel. The surface slope is derived using elevation measurements and the pitot tube is employed to measure wind speed. The transient responses of the surface slope to a calm condition and low, medium, and high wind conditions are studied. Two methods for determining a critical wind speed range are described.

Long, Steven R.↗