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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 271 records · Page 15

Effect of misalignment on mechanical behavior of metals in creep

Application of the endochronic theory of viscoplasticity to creep, creep recovery, and stress relaxation at the small strain and short time range produced the following results: (1) The governing constitutive equations for constant-strain-rate stress-strain behavior, creep, creep recovery, and stress relaxation were derived by imposing appropriate constraints on the general constitutive equation of the endochronic theory. (2) A set of material constants was found which correlate strain-hardening, creep, creep recovery, and stress relaxation. (3) The theory predicts with reasonable accuracy the creep and creep recovery behaviors at short time. (4) The initial strain history prior to the creep stage affects the subsequent creep significantly. (5) A critical stress was established for creep recovery. A computer program, written for the misalignment problem is reported.

Wu, H. C.↗

Solitons and second harmonic radiation in type III bursts

The emission at the second harmonic of the plasma frequency from self-consistent Langmuir solitons is calculated. The theory predicts, in a natural way, the observed transition from the region where the intensity is linearly proportional to the electron flux to the region where the radio intensity is proportional to the square of the electron flux. A detailed comparison of the radiation observed at the second harmonic for the burst of 18:10 UT March 31, 1976, with the one expected on the assumption of radiation from solitons, using the correlated in situ measurements of the electric fields at the second harmonic, and their spatial structure, provides strong evidence that, for the first time, Langmuir solitons have been observed in space.

Papadopoulos, K.↗

Effect of material nonhomogeneity on crack propagation characteristics

The influence of material nonhomogeneity on the behavior of a moving crack is investigated. The model assumes a running crack in a material whose elastic properties may differ from those of the surrounding material. Theoretical calculations showed that the energy stored in elements ahead of the crack can be raised or lowered depending on the crack velocity, the crack length and the degree of material nonhomogeneity which is associated with the ratio of the shear moduli and the distance between the crack and the neighboring material with different elastic properties. Based on the strain energy density theory, predictions are made on how material nonhomogeneity can influence the initiation and/or arrest characteristics of cracks.

Sih, G. C.↗

Predicting Tensile Strengths of Boron/Aluminum Composites

To develop predictive theory to account for time/temperature effect of B/A1 composites, series of deformation and fracture studies was performed on commercial boron fibers over wide ranges of stress, stress application time, and temperature. By combining these single fiber results with fracture theory for metal matrix composites, design formulas were derived that describe B/A1 composite tensile and stress rupture strengths as function of time and temperature. Using derived formulas, calculated and experimental results agree to within 3 percent.

Decarlo, J. A.↗

Effective optical constants of anisotropic materials

The applicability of a technique for determining the optical constants of soil or aerosol components on the basis of measurements of the reflectance or transmittance of inhomogeneous samples of component material is investigated. Optical constants for a sample of very pure quartzite were obtained by a specular reflection technique and line parameters were calculated by classical dispersion theory. Predictions of the reflectance of powdered quartz were then derived from optical constants measured for the anisotropic quartz and for pure quartz crystals, and compared with experimental measurements. The calculated spectra are found to resemble each other moderately well in shape, however the reflectance level calculated from the psuedo-optical constants (quartzite) is consistently below that calculated from quartz values. The spectrum calculated from the quartz optical constants is also shown to represent the experimental nonrestrahlen features more accurately. It is thus concluded that although optical constants derived from inhomogeneous materials may represent the spectral features of a powdered sample qualitatively a quantitative fit to observed data is not likely.

Aronson, J. R.↗

Fuel/air nonuniformity - Effect on nitric oxide emissions

An analytical and experimental study was performed to determine the effect of inlet fuel/air profile nonuniformity on NO(x) emissions. The theoretical NO(x) levels were verified in a flame-tube rig at inlet air temperatures of 600, 700, and 800 K, 0.3 MPa rig pressure, 25 m/sec reference velocity, overall equivalence ratio of 0.6 and residence time near 0.002 sec. The theory predicts an increase in NO(x) emissions for increased fuel/air nonuniformity for average equivalence ratios less than 0.7, while for average equivalence ratios near stoichiometric, increasing the nonuniformity will decrease NO(x) emissions. The results can be used to predict the degree of uniformity of fuel/air profiles necessary to achieve NO(x) emissions goals for actual engines that use lean premixed, prevaporized combustion systems.

Lyons, V. J.↗

Acceleration of heavy ions on auroral field lines

Results of both a linear and a nonlinear study of oxygen cyclotron waves and the associated oxygen heating are presented. Linear theory predicts that oxygen cyclotron waves will have smaller growth rates than hydrogen cyclotron waves. Results of a simulation study in which the free energy source is an initial drifting electron distribution indicate that oxygen cyclotron waves only grow to small amplitudes, while the hydrogen cyclotron waves achieve larger amplitudes. In an attempt to model more realistically the continuous ionospheric outflow, a simulation model is used, in which the electron velocity distribution is maintained by a constant flow of electrons. This latter model predicts that the oxygen waves grow to amplitudes much larger than the hydrogen waves resulting in the preferential heating of the heavier ions.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗

Solar wind flow about the terrestrial planets. I - Modeling bow shock position and shape

A three-parameter method for modeling the position and shape of planetary bow waves was chosen to model the near portion of the Venus, earth and Mars bow shocks, and its results were compared with those of models using one to six free variables. It was found that the relative effective shapes of the near Martian, Cytherean, and terrestrial bow shocks are ellipsoidal, paraboloidal, and hyperboloidal, respectively, in response to the increasing bluntness of the obstacles that the planets present to the solar wind. No significant deviations from axial symmetry were found when the near bow waves of the earth and Venus were mapped into the aberrated terminator plane, in agreement with gas dynamic theory predictions neglecting the effects of the IMF because of their minuteness.

Slavin, J. A.↗

Space Shuttle Orbiter charging

This paper considers the charging of the Space Shuttle Orbiter by energetic particles of environmental origin and from emission by accelerators. The results indicate that precipitating electrons quickly induce large voltages. High voltages may also occur when onboard accelerators inject energetic beams into the high altitude plasma. A significant conclusion from electron beam experiments is that the rockets charged to positive potentials much less than anticipated from the theory of probes in a quiescent plasma. Elementary theories predict the large negative potentials observed by firing energetic ions and predict severe differential charging of the Orbiter.

Katz, I.↗

Tests of general relativity using Starprobe radio metric tracking data

The potential of a proposed spacecraft mission, called Starprobe, for testing general relativity and providing information on the interior structure and dynamics of the sun is investigated. Parametric, gravitational perturbation terms are derived which represent relativistic effects and effects due to spatial and temporal variations in the solar potential at a given radial distance. A covariance analysis based on Kalman filtering theory predicts the accuracies with which the free parameters in the perturbation terms can be estimated with radio metric tracking data through the process of trajectory reconstruction. It is concluded that Starprobe can contribute significant information on both the nature of gravitation and the structure and dynamics of the solar interior.

Mease, K. D.↗

Experiments on the flow and acoustic properties of a moderate-Reynolds-number supersonic jet

Flow and acoustic properties of a jet at Reynolds number of 70,000 were studied at Mach 2.1. Measurements in a free jet test facility were made with pitot tubes and hot-wire anemometry. Center-line Mach number distributions for natural and excited jets were obtained. A slow initial growth rate was in the potential core region of the jet, indicating a transition from laminar to turbulent flow in moderate Reynolds number jets. The transition occurred within the first 2-3 diameters. Spectral components were calculated for the fluctuating flowfield, and sound pressure levels were measured for the overall near-field noise. The centroid of noise was located about 8 nozzle diameters downstream. The growth rates of instabilities were determined to be in agreement with linear stability theory predictions over a broad frequency range.

Troutt, T. R.↗

Detonation propulsion experiments and theory

Test data are presented for the use of a single detonation of explosives in long-cone, short-cone, straight, and firing-plug nozzles to provide propulsion in a simulated Jupiter atmosphere, as well as the ambient gases N, CO2 and He. The long-cone nozzle yielded a progressive increase with ambient pressure for the higher molecular weight gases CO2 and N, while the lower molecular weight He and simulated Jupiter atmosphere showed a specific pulse decrease with increasing ambient pressure. The short-plug nozzle yielded a small specific impulse reduction with increasing ambient pressure, and its results were found to be nearly independent of ambient gas molecular weight. All data gathered are analyzed by using first principles, approximate blast wave theory predictions, and two-dimensional numerical calculations. Rarefaction and oscillatory wave phenomena are found to significantly influence specific impulse.

Back, L. H.↗

Cyclotron resonance effects on stochastic acceleration of light ionospheric ions

The production of energetic ions with conical pitch angle distributions along the auroral field lines is a subject of considerable current interest. There are several theoretical treatments showing the acceleration (heating) of the ions by ion cyclotron waves. The quasi-linear theory predicts no acceleration when the ions are nonresonant. In the present investigation, it is demonstrated that the cyclotron resonances are not crucial for the transverse acceleration of ions by ion cyclotron waves. It is found that transverse energization of ionospheric ions, such as He(+), He(++), O(++), and O(+), is possible by an Electrostatic Hydrogen Cyclotron (EHC) wave even in the absence of cyclotron resonance. The mechanism of acceleration is the nonresonant stochastic heating. However, when there are resonant ions both the total energy gain and the number of accelerated ions increase with increasing parallel wave number.

Singh, N.↗

Wave-driven winds from cool stars. II - Models for T Tauri stars

The Alfven wave-driven wind theory of Hartmann and MacGregor is applied to T Tauri variables, including modifications which permit the calculation of wind temperatures. It is shown that large wave fluxes generate low-temperature winds, which can radiate strongly in Balmer and other optical emission lines. If wave fluxes are restricted to be less than the stellar luminosity, mass loss rates are restricted to values less than or equal to 10 to the -8th solar mass per year. Although these mass loss rates are low in comparison to many previous estimates, it is shown that the wind models produce optical and ultraviolet emission roughly consistent with observations. The theory predicts large wave amplitudes, so that 'turbulent' velocities are generally comparable to, or larger than, local expansion velocities in the optical line-emitting regions, thus making the Sobolev approximation invalid. It is suggested that the discrepancy between the mass loss rates predicted here and previously estimated values is due to the inapplicability of the Sobolev approximation in T Tauri winds.

Hartmann, L.↗

Diffuse galactic gamma-ray line emission from nucleosynthetic Fe-60, Al-26, and Na-22 - Preliminary limits from HEAO 3

Data obtained during a two-week period in the fall of 1979 with the HEAO 3 gamma-ray spectroscopy experiment have been searched for diffuse galactic plane gamma-ray line emission expected t4 result from the decay of nucleosynthetic Fe-60, Al-26, and Na-22. With the possible exception of the 1809 keV line from Al-26 decay, for which a 2.6-omicron cosmic excess of (6.0 + or - 2.3) x 0.0001 photons/sq cm per sec per rad was measured, no positive detection was made. However, new limits ranging from 1.8 to 11 times 0.0001 photons/sq cm per sec per rad, at the 3-omicron level of confidence, have been placed on diffuse emission in these lines from the vicinity of the galactic center (between -30 and 30 deg). These limits are lower than some theories predict and thus place new constraints on the yields of these radionuclides in explosive nucleosynthesis and on the present rate of galactic nucleosynthesis.

Mahoney, W. A.↗

Quantitative measurement of density and velocity in compressible flows using laser-induced iodine fluorescence

A nonintrusive optical technique for the quantitative measurement of molecular density and velocity at a point or in an entire cross-sectional plane of a compressible flowfield is reported. Iodine molecules, seeded into the flowfield reservoir, are excited by a tunable narrow-bandwidth laser and the resulting spatially-resolved fluorescence is collected by a single- or multiple-element detector. A theoretical model for the iodine laser-induced fluorescence process is essential for quantitative measurements and is developed using a rate-equation approach. Density measurements using laser-induced fluorescence are normally complicated by collisional quenching; however, the theory predicts that the off-resonant fluorescent signal is directly proportional to density. Velocity is directly related to the Doppler shift of the iodine absorption line, determined by monitoring the broadband fluorescent signal as the laser is tuned in frequency. Experiments in a steady supersonic flowfield are compared with numerical calculations to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach for density and velocity measurement and the lack of perturbation to the flowfield by the iodine seeding. Extensions of the current approach to density and velocity measurement in lower Mach number flows, to the measurement of pressure and temperature, and to temporally-resolved measurements are discussed.

Mcdaniel, J. C.↗

The C-12/C-13 ratio in Jupiter from the Voyager infrared investigation

An analysis of the v(4) band of CH4 in the spectra recorded by the Voyager 1 IRIS experiment has yielded a C-12/C-13 ratio in Jupiter that is 160 plus 40 or minus 55, or 1.8 plus 0.4 or minus 0.6 times the terrestrial value. It is noted that while no plausible theory predicts such a difference between the C-12/C-13 ratio values of Jupiter and the inner solar system, values of this ratio in the solar neighborhood 4.5 million years ago, inferred from recent interstellar medium measurements, are compatible with the present determination in Jupiter. The Jovian, rather than the terrestrial value, would then be representative of the carbon isotope ratio in the primitive solar nebula.

Courtin, R.↗

Large numbers hypothesis. IV - The cosmological constant and quantum physics

In standard physics quantum field theory is based on a flat vacuum space-time. This quantum field theory predicts a nonzero cosmological constant. Hence the gravitational field equations do not admit a flat vacuum space-time. This dilemma is resolved using the units covariant gravitational field equations. This paper shows that the field equations admit a flat vacuum space-time with nonzero cosmological constant if and only if the canonical LNH is valid. This allows an interpretation of the LNH phenomena in terms of a time-dependent vacuum state. If this is correct then the cosmological constant must be positive.

Adams, P. J.↗