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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Some spatial and temporal relationships between lightning and storm structure and evolution

A number of systems were used to study relationships between lightning and other storm parameters. Instrumentation includes a system for locating cloud to ground lightning strike points, an acoustic lightning mapper and very high frequencies (VHF) (30 to 80 MHz) lightning mapper to study the structure and location of lightning, and S band radar to provide other storm data. Several characteristics of the reconstructed lightning have been relatively constant: (1) lightning structure is usually predominately horizontal; (2) lightning tends to occur preferrentially in certain altitude ranges that are only a few kilometers thick and above the O C isotherm; (3) it tends to occur near, but not necessarily inside, cores of high reflectivity (approximately or 45 dBz), and it often connects with regions of relatively weak reflectivity downstream from stronger reflectivity and updraft cores. Other relationships are also discussed.

Macgorman, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Helicopter rotor blade design for minimum vibration

The importance of blade design parameters in rotor vibratory response and the design of a minimum vibration blade based upon this understanding are examined. Various design approaches are examined for a 4 bladed articulated rotor operating at a high speed flight condition. Blade modal shaping, frequency placement, structural and aerodynamic coupling, and intermodal cancellation are investigated to systematically identify and evaluate blade design parameters that influence blade airloads, blade modal response, hub loads, and fuselage vibration. The relative contributions of the various components of blade force excitation and response to the vibratory hub loads transmitted to the fuselage are determined in order to isolate primary candidates for vibration alleviation. A blade design is achieved which reduces the predicted fuselage vibration from the baseline blade by approximately one half. Blade designs are developed that offer significant reductions in vibration (and fatigue stresses) without resorting to special vibration alleviation devices, radical blade geometries, or weight penalties.

Taylor, R. B.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evolution of highly multimodal Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities

Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instabilities are important fluid instabilities that arise in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule implosions, and many other contexts. Multi-mode coupling is observed in experiments and plays a substantial role in material mix from RT instabilities. In this work, we study the evolution of highly multimodal perturbations (power law distribution) that approximate those found at manufactured material interfaces. We use simulations of over 2000 different perturbations in the LANL code xRAGE to identify distinct phases in the processes of bubble growth and bubble merger which can be visualized in a 2D phase portrait with clear regimes of mode growth and decay. Our results show that the dynamic evolution of the instability strongly depends on the mode of the perturbations and mode interactions. The merger process accelerates bubble growth. A non-Markovian region and a transition of the instability from: (1) initial exponential growth to (2) linear growth and to (3) quadratic growth and asymptotic behavior, are clearly captured in the phase space. We have developed a quantitative model of bubble growth that reproduces the dynamic behavior of ensembles of perturbations. Implications for ICF capsules designed for robustness against instabilities are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Larmor power limit for cyclotron radiation of relativistic particles in a waveguide

Cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES) is a modern technique for high-precision energy spectroscopy, in which the energy of a charged particle in a magnetic field is measured via the frequency of the emitted cyclotron radiation. The He6-CRES collaboration aims to use CRES to probe beyond the standard model physics at the TeV scale by performing high-resolution and low-background beta-decay spectroscopy of 6 He and 19 Ne. Having demonstrated the first observation of individual, high-energy (0.1–2.5 MeV) positrons and electrons via their cyclotron radiation, the experiment provides a novel window into the radiation of relativistic charged particles in a waveguide via the time-derivative (slope) of the cyclotron radiation frequency, df c /dt. We show that analytic predictions for the total cyclotron radiation power emitted by a charged particle in circular and rectangular waveguides are approximately consistent with the Larmor formula, each scaling with the Lorentz factor of the underlying e ± as γ 4 . This hypothesis is corroborated with experimental CRES slope data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1994

Aeroacoustic computation of gust-blade interaction

To better understand and address the challenges faced in computing the acoustics of flow fields, test problems must be considered. In the present study, the sound radiated by the interaction of a flat plate with an oncoming gust containing a two component, mean velocity is computed. The gust has a uniform mean flow in x with Mach number M(infinity) equal to 0.5. The gust's mean velocity in y is of smaller amplitude and is given by: v = 0.1 sin(pi/8(x/M(sub infinity) - t)). This problem has been posed for an upcoming ICASE/LaRC workshop on benchmark problems in computational aeroacoustics. A plate with a length of 30 units in x is used. The plate is assumed to be infinitesimally thin and is centered at the origin. All variables are made dimensionless using the scales specified. Acoustic quantities are obtained by numerically integrating the linearized Euler equations. Integration is performed on the computational domain -100.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 100.0, -100.0 less than or equal to y less than or equal to 100.0, using unit length grid spacing in x and in y. An integration scheme is sought which will provide accurate solution to the small quantities of interest at a minimal computational expense. Results indicate that with the given discretization a scheme of minimal fourth order accuracy might be adequate to approximate the waves within the given flow. Thus, a variation of the MacCormack scheme with fourth order accuracy in space and second order accuracy in time was chosen. A scheme with sixth order accuracy in space has also been implemented and results compared with those of the fourth order accurate scheme. To ensure no mass flux, zero normal velocity is assigned at the plate. This condition will induce a discontinuity in the pressure across the plate location. Values for the perturbation pressure p' along the surface of the plate are obtained using a one-sided, third order Taylor expansion, such that p'(sub y) = O. In accordance with the Kutta condition, perturbation pressure at the trailing edge is assigned to zero. In the far field, radiation boundary conditions have been implemented. The effectiveness of the far field conditions are validated by computing in a larger computational domain and comparing the results. Early in time, sound waves begin to radiate from the plate. A Doppler effect is observed. After the initial transients disappear, the strongest waves leave the trailing edge at an approximate 45 degree angle. The intensity pattern of pressure fluctuations shows five lobes (of increasing magnitude with increasing downstream direction) emerging from the plate. Undesirable short wave contaminants are observed in the computed pressure distribution along the plate surface. For a more accurate solution at small scales, a more refined discretization will be required.

Martin, James E.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Computational and analytical comparison of flux discretizations for the semiconductor device equations beyond Boltzmann statistics

We compare three thermodynamically consistent numerical fluxes known in the literature, appearing in a Voronoï finite volume discretization of the van Roosbroeck system with general charge carrier statistics. Our discussion includes an extension of the Scharfetter–Gummel scheme to non-Boltzmann (e.g. Fermi–Dirac) statistics. It is based on the analytical solution of a two-point boundary value problem obtained by projecting the continuous differential equation onto the interval between neighboring collocation points. Hence, it serves as a reference flux. The exact solution of the boundary value problem can be approximated by computationally cheaper fluxes which modify certain physical quantities. One alternative scheme averages the nonlinear diffusion (caused by the non-Boltzmann nature of the problem), another one modifies the effective density of states. To study the differences between these three schemes, we analyze the Taylor expansions, derive an error estimate, visualize the flux error and show how the schemes perform for a carefully designed p-i-n benchmark simulation. We present strong evidence that the flux discretization based on averaging the nonlinear diffusion has an edge over the scheme based on modifying the effective density of states.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Time-Resolved Thomson Scattering on Gas-Puff Z-Pinch Plasmas at Pinch Time

The conditions and dynamics of neon gas puff Z-pinch plasmas at pinch time are studied on a pulsed power generator with a current rise time of approximately 200-ns and 0.9-mA peak current. Radial tailoring of the gas puff massdensity profile using a triple-nozzle coaxial valve (two annular gas liners and a central jet) allows production of both more stable and less stable (with regard to the magneto-Rayleigh– Taylor instability) Z-pinch implosions. A 526.5-nm, 10-J Thomson scattering diagnostic laser enables probing of the flow dynamics and plasma conditions of these implosions with both spatial and temporal resolutions. The 2.2-ns laser pulse scatters from the plasma electrons and is carried by one optical fiber to a visible light streak camera, and by a bundle of optical fibers to a time-gated camera, both after spectral dispersion by 750-mm spectrometers. The streak camera, with a 10-ns full streak time, provides subnanosecond resolution of the evolution of the pinch plasma parameters through stagnation. The timegated camera provides spatially resolved spectra (across a field of view of 6.1 mm) at the same time as the streak. Scattering spectra suggest that temperatures are high at stagnation, with the ion temperature as much as three times higher than the electron temperature. Furthermore, we consider the possibility of nonthermal explanations for the broad scattering spectra and high effective ion temperature, including collisionality, implosion velocity distributions (velocity gradients), and small-scale hydrodynamic motion.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1991

Planetary surface structure and evolution of Mars

The surface of the planet Mars is characterized by two different hemispheres: old densely cratered structures in the Southern Uplands, and sparsely cratered younger topographically lower regions covering approximately the northern third of the planet's surface. The model for explaining these global surface structures is characterized by the following features: (1) homogeneous accretion of Mars; (2) formation of a metal melt layer; (3) northward translation of the undifferentiated core due to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability; (4) vigorous convection in the southern parts and formation of the Southern Uplands' crust; (5) fragmentation of the primordial core, slowly dissolving rockbergs, beginning of Tharsis uplift and volcanism; (6) formation of the Northern Lowlands' crust from only weakly differentiated silicatic material; and (7) reaching of the present state with symmetrically placed core and further thermal evolution.

Franck, Siegfried↗
DOE OSTI2017

Simulating estimation of California fossil fuel and biosphere carbon dioxide exchanges combining in situ tower and satellite column observations

Here, we report simulation experiments estimating the uncertainties in California regional fossil fuel and biosphere CO 2 exchanges that might be obtained by using an atmospheric inverse modeling system driven by the combination of ground-based observations of radiocarbon and total CO 2 , together with column-mean CO 2 observations from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2). The work includes an initial examination of statistical uncertainties in prior models for CO 2 exchange, in radiocarbon-based fossil fuel CO 2 measurements, in OCO-2 measurements, and in a regional atmospheric transport modeling system. Using these nominal assumptions for measurement and model uncertainties, we find that flask measurements of radiocarbon and total CO 2 at 10 towers can be used to distinguish between different fossil fuel emission data products for major urban regions of California. We then show that the combination of flask and OCO-2 observations yields posterior uncertainties in monthly-mean fossil fuel emissions of ~5–10%, levels likely useful for policy relevant evaluation of bottom-up fossil fuel emission estimates. Similarly, we find that inversions yield uncertainties in monthly biosphere CO 2 exchange of ~6%–12%, depending on season, providing useful information on net carbon uptake in California's forests and agricultural lands. Finally, initial sensitivity analysis suggests that obtaining the above results requires control of systematic biases below approximately 0.5 ppm, placing requirements on accuracy of the atmospheric measurements, background subtraction, and atmospheric transport modeling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

High pressure/high temperature multiphase simulations of dodecane injection to nitrogen: Application on ECN Spray-A

The present work investigates the complex phenomena associated with pressure/high temperature dodecane injection for the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) Spray-A case, employing more elaborate thermodynamic closures, to avoid well known deficiencies concerning density and speed of sound prediction using traditional cubic models. A tabulated thermodynamic approach is proposed here, based on log 10 (p)-T tables, providing very high accuracy across a large range of pressures, spanning from 0 to 2500 bar, with only a small number of interpolation points. The tabulation approach is directly extensible to any thermodynamic model, existing or to be developed in the future. Here NIST REFPROP properties are used, combined with PC-SAFT Vapor-Liquid-Equilibrium to identify the liquid in mixtures penetration, hence avoiding the use of an arbitrary threshold for mass fraction. Identified liquid and vapour penetration are compared against experimental data from the ECN database showing a good agreement, within approximately 3–8% for axial penetration of liquid, 2% for vapor axial penetration and within experimental uncertainty for radial distribution of mass fraction. Analysis of the vortex evolution indicates that driving mechanisms behind the jet break-up are vortex tilting/stretching, then baroclinic torque, leading to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, closely followed by vortex dilation and finally viscous effects.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Self-similarity of a Rayleigh–Taylor mixing layer at low Atwood number with a multimode initial perturbation

High-fidelity large eddy simulation (LES) of a low-Atwood number (A = 0.05) Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer is performed using the tenth-order compact difference code Miranda. An initial multimode perturbation spectrum is specified in Fourier space as a function of mesh resolution such that a database of results is obtained in which each successive level of increased grid resolution corresponds approximately to one additional doubling of the mixing layer width, or generation. The database is then analyzed to determine approximate requirements for self-similarity, and a new metric is proposed to quantify how far a given simulation is from the limit of self-similarity. It is determined that mixing layer growth reaches a high degree of self-similarity after approximately 4.5 generations. Statistical convergence errors and boundary effects at late time, however, make it impossible to draw similar conclusions regarding the self-similar growth of more sensitive turbulence parameters. Finally, self-similar turbulence profiles from the LES database are compared with one-dimensional simulations using the k-L-a and BHR-2 Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models. The k-L-a model, which is calibrated to reproduce a quadratic turbulence kinetic energy profile for a self-similar mixing layer, is found to be in better agreement with the LES than BHR-2 results.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2013

Differentiating the role of lithium and oxygen in retaining deuterium on lithiated graphite plasma-facing components

Laboratory experiments have been used to investigate the fundamental interactions responsible for deuterium retention in lithiated graphite. Oxygen was found to be present and play a key role in experiments that simulated NSTX lithium conditioning, where the atomic surface concentration can increase to >40% when deuterium retention chemistry is observed. Quantum-classical molecular dynamic simulations elucidated this oxygen-deuterium effect and showed that oxygen retains significantly more deuterium than lithium in a simulated matrix with 20% lithium, 20% oxygen, and 60% carbon. Simulations further show that deuterium retention is even higher when lithium is removed from the matrix. Experiments artificially increased the oxygen content in graphite to approximately 16% and then bombarded with deuterium. XPS showed depletion of the oxygen and no enhanced deuterium retention, thus demonstrating that lithium is essential in retaining the oxygen that thereby retains deuterium.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1971

Standard deviation of vertical two-point longitudinal velocity differences in the atmospheric boundary layer.

Statistical estimates of wind shear in the planetary boundary layer are important in the design of V/STOL aircraft, and for the design of the Space Shuttle. The data analyzed in this study consist of eleven sets of longitudinal turbulent velocity fluctuation time histories digitized at 0.2 sec intervals with approximately 18,000 data points per time history. The longitudinal velocity fluctuations were calculated with horizontal wind and direction data collected at the 18-, 30-, 60-, 90-, 120-, and 150-m levels. The data obtained confirm the result that Eulerian time spectra transformed to wave-number spectra with Taylor's frozen eddy hypothesis possess inertial-like behavior at wave-numbers well out of the inertial subrange.

Fichtl, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The abundance of carbon monoxide in Jupiter

Spectra of Jupiter in the 5-micron window region have been acquired. From these it is deduced that (1) the presence of CO in Jupiter is verified; (2) the column abundance is approximately 0.016 cm amagat (identical to 4.3 by 10 to the 17th power mol/sq cm); and (3) the CO is probably nonuniformly mixed in the atmosphere, being concentrated into the stratosphere.

Beer, R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Comparison of calculated and measured ion densities on the dayside of Venus

Data from the Pioneer Venus ion mass spectrometers are compared with model calculations of the ion density distributions appropriate for daytime conditions. The model assumes diffusive equilibrium upper boundary conditions for the major ions (O2(+), O(+), CO2(+), He(+), and H(+)); the agreement between the calculated and measured gross behavior of these ions is reasonably good except for H(+), which may be influenced strongly by convective transport processes. The distributions of five minor ions (C(+), N(+), NO(+), CO(+), and N2(+)) are also calculated for the chemically controlled region (less than approximately 200 km); the agreements are, in general, poor, an indication that the present understanding of the Venus minor ion chemistry is still incomplete.

Nagy, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The centring dynamics of a thin liquid shell in capillary oscillations

The physical mechanism governing the centring of a hollow liquid shell in capillary oscillations, which has been observed in experiments, is investigated theoretically. First, the shell is assumed to be inviscid and to have a thickness that is much less than its spherical radius. A system of one-dimensional nonlinear equations of motion is derived using a thin-sheet model. From a numerical study the nonlinear effects of the wave are found to cause the core to oscillate slowly relative to the shell while the centre of mass of the whole system remains stationary. The effects of small viscosity are then considered in an approximation. Finally the strength of the centring mechanism is compared with that of the decentring effect due to buoyancy. The findings are consistent with the limited experimental information available.

Lee, Chun P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The second Caltech-Jodrell Bank VLBI survey. 1: Observations of 91 of 193 sources

We define the sample for the second Caltech-Jodrell Bank very long base interferometry (VLBI) survey. This is a sample of 193 flat- or gigahertz-peaked-spectrum sources selected at 4850 MHz. This paper presents images of 91 sources with a resolution of approximately 1 mas, obtained using VLBI observations at 4992 MHz with a global array. The remaining images and the integrated radio spectra will be presented in a forthcoming paper by Henstock et al.

Taylor, G. B.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Competing mechanisms at vibrated interfaces of density-contrast fluids

Fluid-fluid interfacial instability and subsequent fluid mixing are ubiquitous in nature and engineering. The hydrodynamic instability of fluid interfaces has long centered on the pressure gradient-driven long-wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the resonance-induced short-wavelength Faraday instability. However, neither instability alone can explain the dynamics when both mechanisms are present. We identify a previously unseen multi-modal instability emerging from their coexistence. When the denser fluid is polydimethylsiloxane, the mixed region at a high density contrast (Atwood number = 0.9) spans a vibration amplitude range approximately twice the gravitational acceleration. Using Floquet stability analysis, we show how vibrations govern transitions between the RT and Faraday instabilities, leading to contention between these instabilities rather than resonant enhancement. Here, the initial transient growth is represented by the exponential modal growth of the most unstable Floquet exponent, along with its accompanying periodic behavior. Direct numerical simulations validate these findings and track interface breakup into the multiscale and nonlinear regimes. Specifically, we show that growing RT modes nonlinearly suppresses Faraday responses even when the initial growth rate of the Faraday instability is 3.63 times that of RT, so a bidirectional competition hinders their sustained coexistence.

Direct numerical simulations↗