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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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At least 199 records · Page 11

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NASA NTRS1984

The morphology-density relation - The group connection

The relationship between galaxy morphology and local density is derived from two complete galaxy redshift surveys. This relationship is completely consistent with the one derived by Dressler for a sample of 55 rich clusters. The apparently universal morphology-density relation extends over six orders of magnitude in galaxy space density. There is no dependence of galaxy morphology on density in regions where the dynamical time scale is comparable with or greater than the Hubble time. At densities greater than about 600 galaxies/cu Mpc, S0's dominate the galaxy population. At these densities, stripping mechanisms are likely to affect the galaxy population. At densities greater than about 3000 galaxies/cu Mpc, the fraction of elliptical galaxies rises steeply. In these regions, the collapse time is short compared with typical time scales for the formation of disks.

Postman, M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

On the gravitational stability of the interstellar medium in spiral arms

The dynamics of self-gravitating gaseous density perturbations in the tightly wound spiral-arm model of the forcing potential (Brown 1969) is investigated. The cloud ensemble of the cold phase of the interstellar medium is regarded as a collisional gas whose 'molecules' are the clouds themselves, and the dynamical evolution of density perturbations is calculated assuming this gas obeys a polytropic pressure-density law. It is suggested that the formation of extreme Population I objects found predominantly along the arms of Sb/Sc systems is regulated by an overall energy balance in the cloud fluid. A single parameter is found which appears to characterize the flow's gravitational response to perturbations; this spiral parameter, Q-sub-sp, differs from the Toomre Q parameter by a factor of the square root of the density enhancement at the shock. It is necessary but not sufficient that Q-sub-sp be less than unity for significant growth to occur.

Balbus, S. A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Theoretical studies in interstellar cloud chemistry

This final report represents the completion of the three tasks under the purchase order no. SCPDE5620,1,2F. Chemical composition of gravitationally contracting, but otherwise quiescent, interstellar clouds and of interstellar clouds traversed by high velocity shocks, were modeled in a comprehensive manner that represents a significant progress in modeling these objects. The evolutionary chemical modeling, done under this NASA contract, represents a notable advance over the 'classical' fixed condition equilibrium models because the evolutionary models consider not only the chemical processes but also the dynamical processes by which the dark interstellar clouds may have assumed their present state. The shock calculations, being reported here, are important because they extend the limited chemical composition derivable from dynamical calculations for the total density and temperature structures behind the shock front. In order to be tractable, the dynamical calculations must severely simplify the chemistry. The present shock calculations take the shock profiles from the dynamical calculations and derive chemical composition in a comprehensive manner. The results of the present modeling study are still to be analyzed with reference to astronomical observational data and other contemporary model predictions. As far as humanly possible, this analysis will be continued with CRE's (Creative Research Enterprises's) IR&D resources, until a sponsor is found.

Chiu, Y. T.↗

NASA NTRS1944

A Theoretical Investigation of Longitudinal Stability of Airplanes with Free Controls Including Effect of Friction in Control System

The relation between the elevator hinge moment parameters and the control forces for changes in forward speed and in maneuvers is shown for several values of static stability and elevator mass balance. The stability of the short period oscillations is shown as a series of boundaries giving the limits of the stable regions in terms of the elevator hinge moment parameters. The effects of static stability, elevator moment of inertia, elevator mass unbalance, and airplane density are also considered. Dynamic instability is likely to occur if there is mass unbalance of the elevator control system combined with a small restoring tendency (high aerodynamic balance). This instability can be prevented by a rearrangement of the unbalancing weights which, however, involves an increase of the amount of weight necessary. It can also be prevented by the addition of viscous friction to the elevator control system provided the airplane center of gravity is not behind a certain critical position. For high values of the density parameter, which correspond to high altitudes of flight, the addition of moderate amounts of viscous friction may be destabilizing even when the airplane is statically stable. In this case, increasing the viscous friction makes the oscillation stable again. The condition in which viscous friction causes dynamic instability of a statically stable airplane is limited to a definite range of hinge moment parameters. It is shown that, when viscous friction causes increasing oscillations, solid friction will produce steady oscillations having an amplitude proportional to the amount of friction.

Greenberg, Harry↗

NASA NTRS1967

First order effects of production on the continuum theory of spherical electrostatic probes.

Density, electric field and volt-ampere characteristics for spherical electrostatic Langmuir probe in collision plasma with weak ionization and recombination, using asymptotic method

VOLT-AMPERE CHARACTERISTICS↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Gas Phase Effects on Slosh Dynamics

Gas phase effects on slosh dynamics were quantified using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for a range of propellant and gas combinations. Historical slosh modeling using potential flow solutions typically neglects gas phase effects. Regardless, the results have been shown to compare well with slosh ground tests typically performed with water and air at standard temperature and pressure. CFD analysis reveals that as the liquid-to-gas density ratio decreases, slosh dynamics change due to the relative increase in gas inertia and thus influence on liquid motion. The result is a profound impact on slosh dynamics over certain parameter spaces particularly for liquid hydrogen. Gas phase effects on slosh dynamics should be considered in slosh models especially for liquid hydrogen propellant tanks.

Jacob M Brodnick↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Gas Phase Effects on Slosh Dynamics

Jacob M Brodnick↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Gas Phase Effects on Slosh Dynamics

Gas phase effects on slosh dynamics were quantified using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for a range of propellant and ullage gas combinations. Historical slosh modeling using potential flow solutions typically neglects gas phase effects. Regardless, the results have been shown to compare well with slosh ground tests typically performed with water and air at standard temperature and pressure. CFD analysis reveals that as the liquid-to-gas density ratio decreases, slosh dynamics change due to the relative increase in gas inertia and thus influence on liquid motion. The result is a profound impact on slosh dynamics over certain parameter spaces particularly for liquid hydrogen. Gas phase effects on slosh dynamics should be considered in slosh models especially for liquid hydrogen propellant tanks.

Jacob M Brodnick↗

NASA NTRS1988

New theoretical results for the Lehmann effect in cholesteric liquid crystals

The Lehmann effect arising in a cholesteric liquid crystal drop when a temperature gradient is applied parallel to its helical axis is investigated theoretically using a local approach. A pseudoscalar quantity is introduced to allow for cross couplings which are absent in nematic liquid crystals, and the statics and dissipative dynamics are analyzed in detail. It is shown that the Lehmann effect is purely dynamic for the case of an external electric field and purely static for an external density gradient, but includes both dynamic and static coupling contributions for the cases of external temperature or concentration gradients.

Brand, Helmut R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Plasmaspheric Density Troughs: Global IMAGE EUV Observations and Analysis via Global Core Plasma Modeling

To date, the IMAGE EUV camera has observed several plasmaspheric density trough features inside the plasmapause under a wide range of geomagnetic activity. From the perspective of EUV, a density trough feature appears as a channel of diminished pixel counts which spans a width of L-shell (DELTA L) and magnetic local time (MLT) inside the plasmapause. Plasmaspheric density troughs are found to be morphologically complex possessing considerable spatial and temporal variability. We present an analysis of the evolution of trough DELTA L and MLT extent as functions of associated D (sub ST) and K (sub p) history. Trough features range in size from 0.16 less than or equal to DELTA L less than or equal to 1.2 with azimuthal extent from 1500 less than or equal to MLT less than or equal to 1200. All cases of plasmaspheric density troughs studied to date appear to have evolved as a result of the inner edge of the afternoon/evening plasma drainage plume being wrapped around through the nightside plasmasphere. The structure of plasmaspheric density trough features is further probed by analyzing simulated EUV images produced by forward modeling artificially introduced regions of depleted density into both static and dynamic global core plasmaspheric models. Forward modeling suggests that (1) L-shell refilling of density troughs during storm recovery can be modeled as filling from the ionosphere toward the equator (i.e., bottom-up refilling), and (2) that an erosion process is operating within flux tubes beyond the outer L-shell wall of the observed density troughs.

Adrian, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Density measurement in air with a saturable absorbing seed gas

Resonantly enhanced scattering from the iodine molecule is studied experimentally for the purpose of developing a scheme for the measurement of density in a gas dynamic flow. A study of the spectrum of iodine, the collection of saturation data in iodine, and the development of a mathematical model for correlating saturation effects were pursued for a mixture of 0.3 torr iodine in nitrogen and for mixture pressures up to one atmosphere. For the desired pressure range, saturation effects in iodine were found to be too small to be useful in allowing density measurements to be made. The effects of quenching can be reduced by detuning the exciting laser wavelength from the absorption line center of the iodine line used (resonant Raman scattering). The signal was found to be nearly independent of pressure, for pressures up to one atmosphere, when the excitation beam was detuned 6 GHz from line center for an isolated line in iodine. The signal amplitude was found to be nearly equal to the amplitude for fluorescence at atmospheric pressure, which indicates a density measurement scheme is possible.

Baganoff, D.↗

NASA NTRS2003

New Type of the Interface Evolution in the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

We performed systematic theoretical and numerical studies of the nonlinear large-scale coherent dynamics in the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability for fluids with contrast densities. Our simulations modeled the interface dynamics for compressible and viscous uids. For a two-fluid system we observed that in the nonlinear regime of the instability the bubble velocity decays and its surface attens, and the attening is accompanied by slight oscillations. We found the theoretical solution for the system of conservation laws, describing the principal influence of the density ratio on the motion of the nonlinear bubble. The solution has no adjustable parameters, and shows that the attening of the bubble front is a distinct property universal for all values of the density ratio. This property follows from the fact that the RM bubbles decelerate. The theoretical and numerical results validate each other, describe the new type of the bubble front evolution in RMI, and identify the bubble curvature as important and sensitive diagnostic parameter.

Abarzhi, S. I.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Secure Mass Measurements From Transit Timing: 10 Kepler Exoplanets Between 3 and 8M⊕ with Diverse Densities and Incident Fluxes

We infer dynamical masses in eight multiplanet systems using transit times measured from Keplerʼs complete dataset, including short-cadence data where available. Of the 18 dynamical masses that we infer, 10 pass multiple tests for robustness. These are in systems Kepler-26 (KOI-250), Kepler-29 (KOI-738), Kepler-60 (KOI-2086), Kepler-105 (KOI-115), and Kepler-307 (KOI-1576). Kepler -105 c has a radius of 1.3R⊕ and a density consistent with an Earth-like composition. Strong transit timing variation (TTV) signals were detected from additional planets, but their inferred masses were sensitive to outliers or consistent solutions could not be found with independently measured transit times, including planets orbiting Kepler-49 (KOI-248), Kepler-57 (KOI-1270), Kepler-105 (KOI-115), and Kepler-177 (KOI-523). Nonetheless, strong upper limits on the mass of Kepler-177 cimply an extremely low density of 0.1 g cm−3. In most cases, individual orbital eccentricities were poorly constrained owing to degeneracies in TTV inversion. For five planet pairs in our sample, strong secular interactions imply a moderate to high likelihood of apsidal alignment over a wide range of possible eccentricities. We also find solutions for the three planets known to orbit Kepler-60 in a Laplace-like resonance chain. However, nonlibrating solutions also match the transit timing data. For six systems, we calculate more precise stellar parameters than previously known, enabling useful constraints on planetary densities where we have secure mass measurements. Placing these exoplanets on the mass–radius diagram, we find that a wide range of densities is observed among sub-Neptune-mass planets and that the range in observed densities is anticorrelated with incident flux.

Stars individual↗

NASA NTRS1989

Design and development of a facility for compressible dynamic stall studies of a rapidly pitching airfoil

A facility for the study of dynamic stall of an airfoil undergoing a transient ramp-type pitching motion is described. The facility can produce pitch rates of 3600 deg/sec to an angle of attack of 60 deg by using a specially designed hydraulic drive with feedback control. The ramp motion generator can also generate arbitrary motion of the airfoil and thus can simulate an arbitrary aircraft maneuver. A unique airfoil support system allows unobstructed flow visualization including the complete airfoil contour, thus permitting the use of nonintrusive optical diagnostic methods for flow measurement close to the surface as well as simultaneous far-field measurements. Schlieren pictures obtained during the study reveal the instantaneous density gradients associated with dynamic stall, even under conditions of very low Mach numbers.

Chandrasekhara, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Secure Mass Measurements From Transit Timing: 10 Kepler Exoplanets Between 3 and 8 M⊕ With Diverse Densities and Incident Fluxes

We infer dynamical masses in eight multiplanet systems using transit times measured from Keplerʼs complete data set, including short-cadence data where available. Of the 18 dynamical masses that we infer, 10 pass multiple tests for robustness. These are in systems Kepler-26 (KOI-250), Kepler-29 (KOI-738), Kepler-60 (KOI-2086), Kepler-105 (KOI-115), and Kepler-307 (KOI-1576). Kepler-105 c has a radius of 1.3 R(sub ⨁) and a density consistent with an Earth-like composition. Strong transit timing variation (TTV) signals were detected from additional planets, but their inferred masses were sensitive to outliers or consistent solutions could not be found with independently measured transit times, including planets orbiting Kepler-49 (KOI-248), Kepler-57 (KOI-1270), Kepler-105 (KOI-115), and Kepler-177 (KOI-523). Nonetheless, strong upper limits on the mass of Kepler-177 c imply an extremely low density of ∽0.1 g cm(exp −3). In most cases, individual orbital eccentricities were poorly constrained owing to degeneracies in TTV inversion. For five planet pairs in our sample, strong secular interactions imply a moderate to high likelihood of apsidal alignment over a wide range of possible eccentricities. We also find solutions for the three planets known to orbit Kepler-60 in a Laplace-like resonance chain. However, nonlibrating solutions also match the transit timing data. For six systems, we calculate more precise stellar parameters than previously known, enabling useful constraints on planetary densities where we have secure mass measurements. Placing these exoplanets on the mass–radius diagram, we find that a wide range of densities is observed among sub-Neptune-mass planets and that the range in observed densities is anticorrelated with incident flux.

Individual stars↗

NASA NTRS2017

Observations of Deep Ionospheric F-Region Density Depletions with FPMU Instrumentation and their Relationship with the Global Dynamics of the June 22-23, 2015 Geomagnetic Storm

The magnetic storm that commenced on June 22-23, 2015 was one of the largest storms in our current solar cycle, resulting from an active region on the Sun that produced numerous coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and associated interplanetary shock waves. On June 22 at 18:36 UT the magnetosphere was impacted by the shock wave on the magnetosphere. Observations from several spacecraft observed the dynamic response of the magnetosphere and ionosphere. MMS observatories in the near earth tail These low altitude measurements are correlated in the magnetosphere with particle flux dropouts measured by MMS We follow the timing of this storm in the ionosphere with the density depletions throughout the ISS orbits, DMSP drift velocities, and enhanced AMPERE Birkland currents. Together these observations and simulation results will be assembled to provide each region's context to the global dynamics and time evolution of the storm. The models during these event support and flesh out the puzzle of the global dynamics.

Coffey, Victoria↗

NASA NTRS2010

Physics of Life: A Model for Non-Newtonian Properties of Living Systems

This innovation proposes the reconciliation of the evolution of life with the second law of thermodynamics via the introduction of the First Principle for modeling behavior of living systems. The structure of the model is quantum-inspired: it acquires the topology of the Madelung equation in which the quantum potential is replaced with the information potential. As a result, the model captures the most fundamental property of life: the progressive evolution; i.e. the ability to evolve from disorder to order without any external interference. The mathematical structure of the model can be obtained from the Newtonian equations of motion (representing the motor dynamics) coupled with the corresponding Liouville equation (representing the mental dynamics) via information forces. All these specific non-Newtonian properties equip the model with the levels of complexity that matches the complexity of life, and that makes the model applicable for description of behaviors of ecological, social, and economical systems. Rather than addressing the six aspects of life (organization, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction), this work focuses only on biosignature ; i.e. the mechanical invariants of life, and in particular, the geometry and kinematics of behavior of living things. Living things obey the First Principles of Newtonian mechanics. One main objective of this model is to extend the First Principles of classical physics to include phenomenological behavior on living systems; to develop a new mathematical formalism within the framework of classical dynamics that would allow one to capture the specific properties of natural or artificial living systems such as formation of the collective mind based upon abstract images of the selves and non-selves; exploitation of this collective mind for communications and predictions of future expected characteristics of evolution; and for making decisions and implementing the corresponding corrections if the expected scenario is different from the originally planned one. This approach postulates that even a primitive living species possesses additional, non-Newtonian properties that are not included in the laws of Newtonian or statistical mechanics. These properties follow from a privileged ability of living systems to possess a self-image (a concept introduced in psychology) and to interact with it. The proposed mathematical system is based on the coupling of the classical dynamical system representing the motor dynamics with the corresponding Liouville equation describing the evolution of initial uncertainties in terms of the probability density and representing the mental dynamics. The coupling is implemented by the information-based supervising forces that can be associated with self-awareness. These forces fundamentally change the pattern of the probability evolution, and therefore, lead to a major departure of the behavior of living systems from the patterns of both Newtonian and statistical mechanics. This innovation is meant to capture the signature of life based only on observable behavior, not on any biochemistry. This will not prevent the use of this model for developing artificial living systems, as well as for studying some general properties of behavior of natural, living systems.

Zak, Michail↗

NASA NTRS1990

Observations and models of star formation in the tidal features of interacting galaxies

Multi-color surface photometry (BVri) is presented for the tidal features in a sample of interacting galaxies. Large color variations are found between the morphological components and within the individual components. The blue colors in the primary and the tidal features are most dramatic in B-V, and not in V-i, indicating that star formation instead of metallicity or age dominates the colors. Color variations between components is larger in systems shortly after interaction begins and diminishes to a very low level in systems which are merged. Photometric models for interacting systems are presented which suggest that a weak burst of star formation in the tidal features could cause the observed color distributions. Dynamical models indicate that compression occurs during the development of tidal features causing an increase in the local density by a factor of between 1.5 and 5. Assuming this density increase can be related to the star formation rate by a Schmidt law, the density increases observed in the dynamical models may be responsible for the variations in color seen in some of the interacting systems. Limitations of the dynamical models are also discussed.

Wallin, John F.↗