Trimetric Scale for Drafting Machines
Device allows three basic projections to be drawn from a single scale zero setting. Ellipse proportions are included for convenience. Axonometric projections can also be determined.
Ryan, J. C.↗
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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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On the cost of approximating and recognizing a noise perturbed straight line or a quadratic curve segment in the plane
Approximation of noisy data in the plane by straight lines or elliptic or single-branch hyperbolic curve segments arises in pattern recognition, data compaction, and other problems. The efficient search for and approximation of data by such curves were examined. Recursive least-squares linear curve-fitting was used, and ellipses and hyperbolas are parameterized as quadratic functions in x and y. The error minimized by the algorithm is interpreted, and central processing unit (CPU) times for estimating parameters for fitting straight lines and quadratic curves were determined and compared. CPU time for data search was also determined for the case of straight line fitting. Quadratic curve fitting is shown to require about six times as much CPU time as does straight line fitting, and curves relating CPU time and fitting error were determined for straight line fitting. Results are derived on early sequential determination of whether or not the underlying curve is a straight line.
Cooper, D. B.↗
A boundary-layer analysis of atmospheric motion over a semi-elliptical surface obstruction
Flow over surface obstructions can produce adverse flying conditions for helicopters, V/STOL vehicles, etc. The disturbed boundary-layer concept is applied in approximating the localized flow field induced around a surface obstruction (modeled by a two-dimensional cylinder with elliptical cross section) by an impinging wind. The analysis concludes that: (1) localized wind-speed maxima occur at the top of a surface obstruction, which are expected in physically real flows; (2) increased elliptical aspect ratio decreases with speed within the boundary layer at the top of the ellipse; (3) increased surface roughness decreases velocity in the boundary layer; (4) Reynolds number has a negligible effect on the overall flow for the Re range considered; (5) decreased elliptical aspect ratio and increased surface roughness cause larger separation regions.
Frost, W.↗
Self-precession and frequency shift for electromagnetic waves in homogeneous plasmas
The nonlinear propagation of an arbitrarily polarized electromagnetic wave in a uniform plasma is studied. It is shown that nonlinear effects cause precession of the polarization ellipse as the wave propagates. The ellipticity remains constant, but the orientation of the principal axes is rotated relative to its initial value. A relativistic Vlasov model is used to study nonlinear frequency shifts as well as self-precession, in a plasma of arbitrary temperature. Even when the electron temperature is much greater than the product of the electron mass times the square of the velocity of light, the qualitative nature of these two processes remains unchanged, although their dependence on the plasma density is altered in significant ways. Implications of these effects for plasma instabilities driven by strong electromagnetic waves are briefly discussed.
Arons, J.↗
Isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contacts. 4: Starvation results
The influence of lubricant starvation on minimum film thickness was investigated by moving the inlet boundary closer to the contact center. The following expression was derived for the dimensionless inlet distance at the boundary between the fully flooded and starved conditions: m* = 1 + 3.06 ((R/b)(R/b)H) to the power 0.58, where R is the effective radius of curvature, b is the semiminor axis of the contact ellipse, and H is the central film thickness for fully flooded conditions. A corresponding expression was also given based on the minimum film thickness for fully flooded conditions. Therefore, for m m*, starvation occurs and, for m m*, a fully flooded condition exists. Two other expressions were also derived for the central and minimum film thicknesses for a starved condition. Contour plots of the pressure and the film thickness in and around the contact are shown for the fully flooded and starved lubricating conditions, from which the film thickness was observed to decrease substantially as starvation increases.
Hamrock, B. J.↗
Micropulsations in the morning sector. II - Satellite observations of 10to 45-s waves at synchronous orbit, ATS 1
A study of 13 wave events having 10- to 45-s periods and observed by ATS 1 in the morning sector reveals that these events, which have been called band-limited pulsations and are thought to be related to Pi 1, appear actually to be Pc 3. Digital power-spectral and coherency analysis was used to determine the characteristics of the wave activity. The average peak frequency of the events (about 0.04 Hz) and their generally narrow-band nature correspond closely with the characteristics of Pc 3. The local-time distribution of the events (peaking at 0900 LT) and their less than complete association with substorms also correspond more closely with Pc 3 characteristics. The orientation of the major axis of the polarization ellipse for these events was predominantly azimuthal, which agrees more closely with the east-west polarization of Pi 1 observed on the ground. However, some examples of radial orientation were observed in the satellite data.
Arthur, C. W.↗
The occultation of Kappa Geminorum by Eros
The paper discusses predictions and observations of the occultation of Kappa Gem by (433) Eros on January 24, 1975. Several positive and negative observations made in western New England are described. Local circumstances for the occultation are reconstructed, and the size and shape of Eros are determined analytically as well as graphically. The calculations yield two extremes for the cross section: a circle 23 km in diameter or a somewhat irregular figure 20 km by 6 or 7 km. Arguments based on the expected albedo of the asteroid suggest that the circle should be warped into an ellipse 21 by 13 km or that the irregular figure might be one component of a dumbbell-like profile.
Oleary, B.↗
Inlets for high angles of attack
Different inlet designs for high angle of attack STOL and VTOL applications were tested in a subsonic wind tunnel. Three removable entry lips having contraction ratios of 1.30, 1.34 and 1.38 were tested with a single diffuser. The internal contour of each entry lip was an ellipse with a major to minor axis of 2.0. Each lip and diffuser assembly was tested to determine its tolerance to angle of attack, first with a conventional centerbody and then with an extended centerbody. Results indicate that a large improvement in separation angle (determined as a function of lip contraction ratio and inlet flow) was obtained for the extended centerbody for all contraction ratios. Improved inlet tolerance to angle of attack was obtained by reducing the adverse pressure gradient downstream of the throat.
Miller, B. A.↗
Mercury's rotation axis and period
Recent measurements made from high-resolution Mariner 10 photography of the planet Mercury yield a rotation period of 58.6461 + or 0.005 days, in excellent agreement with the period required for a precise 2/3 resonance with its orbital period (58.6462 days). The axis of rotation of the planet was calculated to be offset about 2 deg from the perpendicular to its orbital plane within a 50% probability error ellipse of + or - 2.6 deg by + or - 6.5 deg. Dynamical considerations make it most likely that the true displacement from the orbit normal is less than 1 deg.
Klaasen, K. P.↗
Additional studies of forest classification accuracy as influenced by multispectral scanner spatial resolution
First, an analysis of forest feature signatures was used to help explain the large variation in classification accuracy that can occur among individual forest features for any one case of spatial resolution and the inconsistent changes in classification accuracy that were demonstrated among features as spatial resolution was degraded. Second, the classification rejection threshold was varied in an effort to reduce the large proportion of unclassified resolution elements that previously appeared in the processing of coarse resolution data when a constant rejection threshold was used for all cases of spatial resolution. For the signature analysis, two-channel ellipse plots showing the feature signature distributions for several cases of spatial resolution indicated that the capability of signatures to correctly identify their respective features is dependent on the amount of statistical overlap among signatures. Reductions in signature variance that occur in data of degraded spatial resolution may not necessarily decrease the amount of statistical overlap among signatures having large variance and small mean separations. Features classified by such signatures may thus continue to have similar amounts of misclassified elements in coarser resolution data, and thus, not necessarily improve in classification accuracy.
Sadowski, F. E.↗
Slender body treatment of some specialized problems associated with elliptic-cross-section missile configurations
Slender body methods were applied to some specialized problems associated with missile configurations with elliptic cross sections. Expressions are derived for computing the velocity distribution on the nose section when the ellipse eccentricity is varying longitudinally on the missile. The cross flow velocity on a triform fin section is also studied.
Barger, R. L.↗
A generalized orthogonal coordinate system for describing families of axisymmetric and two-dimensional bodies
A generalized curvilinear orthogonal coordinate system is presented which can be used for approximating various axisymmetric and two-dimensional body shapes of interest to aerodynamicists. Such body shapes include spheres, ellipses, spherically capped cones, flat-faced cylinders with rounded corners, circular disks, and planetary probe vehicles. A set of transformation equations is also developed whereby a uniform velocity field approaching a body at any angle of attack can be resolved in the transformed coordinate system. The Navier-Stokes equations are written in terms of a generalized orthogonal coordinate system to show the resultant complexity of the governing equations.
Gnoffo, P. A.↗
Stress intensity factors for long, deep surface flaws in plates under extensional fields
Using a singular solution for a part circular crack by Smith, a Taylor Series Correction Method (TSCM) was verified for extracting stress intensity factors (SIFs) from photoelastic data. Photoelastic experiments were then conducted on plates with part circular and flat bottomed cracks for flaw depth to thickness ratios of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 and for equivalent flaw depth to equivalent ellipse length values ranging from 0.066 to 0.319. Experimental results agreed well with the Smith theory but indicated that the use of the 'equivalent' semi-elliptical flaw for correlating the part circular flaw results with semi-elliptical flaw results was not valid for a/2c much less than 0.20. Best overall agreement for the moderate (a/t about 0.5) to deep flaws (a/t about 0.75) and a/2c greater than 0.15 was found with a semi-empirical theory due to Newman when compared on the basis of equivalent flaw depth and area. The Smith theory, when correlated on the basis of flaw depth and area, appears to yield reasonable estimates (within 10%) of the SIF for flat bottomed flaws for the geometries studied here.
Harms, A. E.↗
Analysis of vector wind change with respect to time for Cape Kennedy, Florida
Multivariate analysis was used to determine the joint distribution of the four variables represented by the components of the wind vector at an initial time and after a specified elapsed time is hypothesized to be quadravariate normal; the fourteen statistics of this distribution, calculated from 15 years of twice-daily rawinsonde data are presented by monthly reference periods for each month from 0 to 27 km. The hypotheses that the wind component changes with respect to time is univariate normal, that the joint distribution of wind component change with respect to time is univariate normal, that the joint distribution of wind component changes is bivariate normal, and that the modulus of vector wind change is Rayleigh are tested by comparison with observed distributions. Statistics of the conditional bivariate normal distributions of vector wind at a future time given the vector wind at an initial time are derived. Wind changes over time periods from 1 to 5 hours, calculated from Jimsphere data, are presented. Extension of the theoretical prediction (based on rawinsonde data) of wind component change standard deviation to time periods of 1 to 5 hours falls (with a few exceptions) within the 95 percentile confidence band of the population estimate obtained from the Jimsphere sample data. The joint distributions of wind change components, conditional wind components, and 1 km vector wind shear change components are illustrated by probability ellipses at the 95 percentile level.
Adelfang, S. I.↗
Elastohydrodynamic lubrication of elliptical contacts for materials of low elastic modulus. I - Fully flooded conjunction
A complete numerical solution is presented to the problem of isothermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication of elliptical contacts for low-elastic-modulus materials operating under fully loaded conditions. No assumption is made for the pressure or film thickness within the contact, and compressibility and viscous effects are taken into account. Because of the dimensionless representation of the coordinates, the actual Hertzian contact ellipse becomes a circle regardless of the value of the ellipticity parameter. A minimum-film-thickness relation and a central-film-thickness relation are derived from examining 17 different cases. Contour plots for detailed illustration of the pressure distribution and film thickness in the conjunction are provided.
Hamrock, B. J.↗
Twisted and warped disks as consequences of heavy halos
Observationally testable consequences of the hypothesis that galactic disks are confined less by their self-gravity than that of some hot stellar component are sought. Theoretical and observational studies are reviewed which suggest that elliptical galaxies are typically triaxial in form. It is argued that any hot stellar component is likely to be similarly spherical. The motion of a galactic disk about such a population is calculated. Within the plane the flow is to first order along similar concentric ellipses and without of the plane, provided that certain conditions on the background field are met, an oscillation may be excited which can cause isolated galaxies to become warped. The circular motion of matter in such disks will manifest itself in the misalignment of the apparent minor axis and the H I zero-velocity contour. Such an effect may be present in a number of recent H I surveys, although the data presently available do not allow definite conclusions. Alternative explanations of galactic warps are reviewed and their relation to the present proposal discussed.
Binney, J.↗
Surface pressure data on a series of conical forebodies at Mach numbers from 1.70 to 4.50 and combined angles of attack and sideslip
Tabulated surface pressure data for a series of forebodies which have analytically defined cross sections and are based on a 20 degs half-angle cone are presented without analysis. Five of the cross sections were ellipses having axis ratios of 3/1, 2/1, 1/1, 1/2, and 1/3. The sixth cross section was defined by a curve having a single lobe. The data generally cover angles of attack from -5 degs to 20 degs at angles of sideslip from 0 degs to 5 degs for Mach numbers of 1.70, 2.50, 3.95, and 4.50 at a constant Reynolds number.
Townsend, J. C.↗
Surface pressure data on a series of analytic forebodies at Mach numbers from 1.70 to 4.50 and combined angles of attack and sideslip
Tabulated surface pressure data for a series of four forebodies which have analytically defined cross sections and which are based on a parabolic arc profile having a 20 deg half angle at the nose are presented without analysis. The first forebody has a circular cross section, and the second has a cross section which is an ellipse with an axis ratio of 2/1. The third has a cross section defined by a lobed analytic curve. The fourth forebody has cross sections which develop smoothly from circular at the pointed nose through the lobed analytic curve and back to circular at the aft end. The data generally cover angles of attack from -5 deg to 20 deg at angles of sideslip from 0 deg to 5 deg for Mach numbers of 1.70, 2.50, 3.95, and 4.50 at a constant Reynolds number.
Townsend, J. C.↗