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At least 253 records · Page 14

Design and Analysis of A Jet Stretcher for High-Altitude Supersonic Free Jet Testing

A jet stretcher can be used to extend the region of clean flow for a test article in a supersonic free jet. The device acts to shield the article from shock waves reflected from the free jet shear layer. It can also allow for overexpanded nozzle operation through blocking shocks emanating from the nozzle lip, enlarging the potential test envelope. The FUN3D computational fluid dynamics solver was used to test a design process for developing jet stretchers. The inner surface of the axisymmetric jet stretcher was obtained from a streamline extracted from a free flight simulation around a notional test article at the intended test condition of Mach 3.2, 53,000 ft. The test article and jet stretcher were then simulated in a free jet nozzle exhaust, and the flowfield within a notional inlet aperture was compared between the installed and free flight calculations. Ambient pressure was increased until separation within the free jet nozzle finally induced disturbances at the inlet. The jet stretcher was shown to provide clean flow to the inlet at cell pressure ratios up to 2.8. A process for trimming the axisymmetric jet stretcher was also tested. This was intended to provide blockage relief for complex test articles, aiding with starting, as well as reducing weight and fabrication cost. The trimmed jet stretcher performed identically to the axisymmetric model at slightly-overexpanded conditions, but at cell pressure ratios above 1.3 allowed disturbances from the trailing edge to reach the inlet.

free jet↗

Design and Analysis of A Jet Stretcher for High-Altitude Supersonic Free Jet Testing

A jet stretcher can be used to extend the region of clean flow for a test article in a supersonic free jet. The device acts to shield the article from shock waves reflected from the free jet shear layer. It can also allow for overexpanded nozzle operation through blocking shocks emanating from the nozzle lip, enlarging the potential test envelope. The FUN3D computational fluid dynamics solver was used to test a design process for developing jet stretchers. The inner surface of the axisymmetric jet stretcher was obtained from a streamline extracted from a free flight simulation around a notional test article at the intended test condition of Mach 3.2, 53,000 ft. The test article and jet stretcher were then simulated in a free jet nozzle exhaust, and the flowfield within a notional inlet aperture was compared between the installed and free flight calculations. Ambient pressure was increased until separation within the free jet nozzle finally induced disturbances at the inlet. The jet stretcher was shown to provide clean flow to the inlet at cell pressure ratios up to 2.8. A process for trimming the axisymmetric jet stretcher was also tested. This was intended to provide blockage relief for complex test articles, aiding with starting, as well as reducing weight and fabrication cost. The trimmed jet stretcher performed identically to the axisymmetric model at slightly overexpanded conditions, but at cell pressure ratios above 1.3 allowed disturbances from the trailing edge to reach the inlet.

free jet↗

Ultrasonic Inspection During Autoclave Cure of Reflowable-Interface Composite Joints

In structural bonds, the interface between adherend and adhesive is nearly two-dimensional making the interface susceptible to minute quantities of contamination, which can cause weak bonds. Regulatory organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) often require redundant load paths in secondary-bonded primary-structures due to uncertainty in bond performance. To address this issue, the NASA Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS): Adhesive Free Bonding of Composites (AERoBOND) project is investigating reformulated aerospace epoxy-matrix resins to enable reflow and diffusion of the resin at the joint interface during a secondary bonding and cure process that can eliminate the material discontinuity at the interface. Implementing in-situ process monitoring enables assessing the bond quality during processing rather than waiting for post-fabrication mechanical testing to be completed. In this paper, an in-situ ultrasonic inspection system is used to monitor the joining of three composite laminates assembled using the AERoBOND technique. For each panel, the amplitude of the wave reflection at the joint was measured throughout the cure cycle. The results indicate the timing and extent of reflow and cure of the epoxy resin at the joint. Factors indicating end of cure were ascertained and a metric was developed to qualitatively predict acceptable mode-II fracture toughness based on the ultrasonic amplitude at the joint line during cure. In addition, since the inspection system scans an area of the joint, high-resolution localized results can be obtained across the joint.

Tyler B Hudson↗

Numerical solutions of several reflected shock-wave flow fields with nonequilibrium chemical reactions

The method of characteristics for a chemically reacting gas is used in the construction of the time-dependent, one-dimensional flow field resulting from the normal reflection of an incident shock wave at the end wall of a shock tube. Nonequilibrium chemical reactions are allowed behind both the incident and reflected shock waves. All the solutions are evaluated for oxygen, but the results are generally representative of any inviscid, nonconducting, and nonradiating diatomic gas. The solutions clearly show that: (1) both the incident- and reflected-shock chemical relaxation times are important in governing the time to attain steady state thermodynamic properties; and (2) adjacent to the end wall, an excess-entropy layer develops wherein the steady state values of all the thermodynamic variables except pressure differ significantly from their corresponding Rankine-Hugoniot equilibrium values.

Hanson, R. K.↗

Plasma wave evidence for reflected ions in front of subcritical shocks - ISEE 1 and 2 observations

Plasma wave profiles of bow shock crossings at ion acoustic frequencies exhibit 'feet' or 'pedestals', just as magnetic field profiles do. These ion-acoustic feet, consisting of increases in ion wave amplitude over background, are observed in front of virtually all quasi-perpendicular shocks, regardless of Mach number, but are closely associated with magnetic feet and reflected ions circulating around the ambient upstream field at supercritical shocks. Observed gyroradii of the reflected ions have been found to be commensurate with the thicknesses of the magnetic feet, which consist of increases in average field magnitude just outside the main shock ramps in front of supercritical shocks. Estimated scale lengths (gyroradii) of reflected protons are proportional to the thicknesses of acoustic wave feet in all cases, indicating that such protons are probably universally present at subcritical as well as supercritical shocks, although the protons are observed only sporadically because of instrumental limitations. The mere presence or absence of reflected ions in front of a shock may therefore be an insufficient diagnostic of the shock's status with respect to criticality and ion dissipation.

Greenstadt, E. W.↗

Conjugate Effect of the 2011 Tohoku Reflected Tsunami-Driven Gravity Waves in the Ionosphere

This study presents the conjugate ionospheric disturbances triggered by the 2011 Tohoku-Oki reflected tsunami oceanic waves using the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) total electron content (TEC) observations. We found that the equatorward and westward propagating nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) occurred over Japan and Australia simultaneously following the tsunami oceanic waves reflected by the Emperor Seamount Chain in the northern hemisphere. The atmospheric gravity waves driven by reflected tsunami oceanic waves are hypothesized to be the source to trigger the conjugate MSTIDs by transporting the polarization electric fields along the field line to the conjugate hemisphere. Moreover, only the southwestward propagating MSTIDs have this conjugate effect, which could be due to the wavefront orientation. The Perkins instability could also be involved in the interhemispheric coupling process. This study provides the first observational evidence that the reflected tsunami can induce conjugate ionospheric disturbances through electrodynamic forcing.

tsunami, gravity waves, GPS TEC↗

Partial reflections of radio waves from the lower ionosphere

The addition of phase difference measurements to partial reflection experiments is discussed, and some advantages of measuring electron density this way are pointed out. The additional information obtained reduces the requirement for an accurate predetermination of collision frequency. Calculations are also made to estimate the errors expected in partial-reflection experiments due to the assumption of Fresnel reflection and to the neglect of coupling between modes. In both cases, the errors are found to be of the same order as known errors in the measurements due to current instrumental limitations.

Connolly, D. J.↗

Reflections of AE Waves in Finite Plates: Finite Element Modeling and Experimental Measurements

The capability of a three-dimensional dynamic finite element method for predicting far-field acoustic emission signals in thin plates of finite lateral extent, including their reflections from the plate edges, was investigated. A lead break (Hsu-Neilsen) source to simulate AE was modeled and used in the experimental measurements. For the thin plate studied, the signals were primarily composed of the lowest order symmetric (S0) and antisymmetric (A0) Lamb modes. Experimental waveforms were detected with an absolutely calibrated, wideband, conical element transducer. The conditions of lead fractures both on the surface of the plate as well as on the edge of the plate were investigated. Surface lead breaks preferentially generate the A0 mode while edge lead breaks generate the S0 mode. Reflections of developed plate waves from both normal and oblique incidence angles were evaluated. Particularly interesting for the case of the lead break on the plate edge were S0 waves produced by the interaction of a Rayleigh wave with the plate corner and by a bulk shear wave mode converting at the side edge. The Rayleigh wave, in this case, propagated along the specimen edge. For all cases considered, the experimental measurements were in good agreement with the predictions of the finite element model.

Prosser, W. H.↗

Acousto-ultrasonic input-output characterization of unidirectional fiber composite plate by P waves

The single reflection problem for an incident P wave at a stress free plane boundary in a semi-infinite transversely isotropic medium whose isotropic plane is parallel to the plane boundary is analyzed. It is found that an obliquely incident P wave results in a reflected P wave and a reflected SV wave. The delay time for propagation between the transmitting and the receiving transducers is computed as if the P waves were propagating in an infinite half space. The displacements associated with the P waves in the plate and which may be detected by a noncontact NDE receiving transducer are approximated by an asymptotic solution for an infinite transversely isotropic medium subjected to a harmonic point load.

Liao, Peter↗

The damping of seismic waves and its determination from reflection seismograms

The damping in theoretical waveforms is described phenomenologically and a classification is proposed. A method for studying the Earth's crust was developed which includes this damping as derived from reflection seismograms. Seismic wave propagation by absorption, attenuation of seismic waves by scattering, and dispersion relations are considered. Absorption of seismic waves within the Earth as well as reflection and transmission of elastic waves seen through boundary layer absorption are also discussed.

Engelhard, L.↗

Reflection and refraction of hydromagnetic waves at the magnetopause

Reflection and transmission coefficients of MHD waves are obtained at a stable, plane interface which separates two compressible, perfectly conducting media in relative motion to each other. The coefficients are evaluated for representative conditions of the quiet-time, near-earth magnetopause. The transmission coefficient averaged over a hemispherical distribution of incident waves is found to be 1-2%. Yet the magnitude of the energy flux deposited into the magnetosphere in a day averaged over a hemispherical distribution of waves having amplitudes of say 2-3 gamma, is estimated to be of the order 10 to the 22-nd power erg. Therefore the energy input of MHD waves must contribute significantly to the energy budget of the magnetosphere. The assumption that the boundary surface is a tangential discontinuity with no curvature limits the present theory to hydromagnetic frequencies higher than about .1 Hz.

Verzariu, P.↗

Composite Material Property Nondestructive Characterization Using Obliquely Insonified Ultrasonic Waves

The analysis of reflected ultrasonic waves induced by oblique insonification of composite materials is a powerful tool for providing informations about defects and material properties. A device was developed to manipulate a pair of transmitting and receiving transducers at vrious angles of wave incidence and propagation with the fiber orientation.

Non-Destructive Evaluation Composites Mechanical P↗

Sources of and Remedies for Removing Unwanted Reflections in Millimeter Wave Images of Complex SOFI-Covered Structures

In the recent years, continuous-wave (CW) near-field and lens-focused millimeter wave imaging systems have been effectively. used to demonstrate their utility for producing high-resolution images of metallic structures covered with spray on foam insulation (SOFI) such as the space shuttle external tank. These systems have produced images with a spatial resolution of approximately 2 mm at a frequency of 150 GHz, and can easily interrogate thin as well as thick SOFI (> 9") enabling detection and evaluation of flaws such as voids, disbands, delaminations and corrosion. These systems are relatively simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, require little to no signal processing of the raw data, on-site friendly, real-time and small. However, for some specific structures a certain interference pattern may be superimposed on the produced images. Generally, this occurs when the SOFI surface is at a relatively significant angle with respect to the surface of the substrate (or other sub-structures) on which it is sprayed. Consequently, the reflection from the surface of the SOFI and that from the substrate (or sub-structure) coherently combine into an interference pattern as the SOFI surface is scanned. There are methods by which the influence of this unwanted interference can be reduced, such as the incorporation of an incidence angle and the proper use of signal polarization. This paper presents the basics of this problem and describes the use of the methods for reducing this unwanted influence through several specific examples. A discussion on how the use of a swept-frequency or pulsed method may also alleviate this problem is also presented.

Khakovsky, S.↗