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At least 289 records · Page 16

Fully Kinetic Simulations of Proton-beam-driven Instabilities from Parker Solar Probe Observations

The expanding solar wind plasma ubiquitously exhibits anisotropic nonthermal particle velocity distributions. Typically, proton velocity distribution functions (VDFs) show the presence of a core and a field-aligned beam. Novel observations made by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) in the innermost heliosphere have revealed new complex features in the proton VDFs, namely anisotropic beams that sometimes experience perpendicular diffusion. In this study, we use a 2.5D fully kinetic simulation to investigate the stability of proton VDFs with anisotropic beams observed by PSP. Our setup consists of a core and an anisotropic beam population that drift with respect to each other. This configuration triggers a proton beam instability from which nearly parallel fast magnetosonic modes develop. Our results demonstrate that before this instability reaches saturation, the waves resonantly interact with the beam protons, causing perpendicular heating at the expense of the parallel temperature.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Computer signal processing for ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements for material property characterizations

Instrumentation and computer programming concepts that were developed for ultrasonic materials characterization are described. Methods that facilitate velocity and attenuation measurements are outlined. The apparatus described is based on a broadband, buffered contact probe using a pulse-echo approach for simultaneously measuring velocity and attenuation. Instrumentation, specimen condition, and signal acquisition and acceptance criteria are discussed. Typical results with some representative materials are presented.

Vary, A.↗

Computer signal processing for ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements for material property characterizations

This report deals with instrumentation and computer programming concepts that have been developed for ultrasonic materials characterization. Methods that facilitate velocity and attenuation measurements are described. The apparatus described is based on a broadband, buffered contact probe using a pulse-echo approach for simultaneously measuring velocity and attenuation. Instrumentation, specimen condition, and signal acquisition and acceptance criteria are discussed. Typical results with some representative materials are presented.

Vary, A.↗

Wind-Tunnel and Flight Test Results for the Measurements of Flow Variables at Supersonic Speeds Using Improved Wedge and Conical Probes

The results of supersonic wind-tunnel tests on three probes at nominal Mach numbers of 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 and flight tests on two of these probes up to a Mach number of 1.9 are described. One probe is an 8 deg. half-angle wedge with two total-pressure measurements and one static. The second, a conical probe, is a cylinder that has a 15 deg., semi-angle cone tip with one total-pressure orifice at the apex and four static-pressure orifices on the surface of the cone, 90 deg. apart, and about two-thirds of the distance from the cone apex to the base of the cone. The third is a 2 deg. semi-angle cone that has two static ports located 180 deg. apart about 1.5 inches behind the apex of the cone. The latter probe was included since it has been the "probe of choice" for wind-tunnel flow-field pressure measurements (or one similar to it) for the past half-century. The wedge and 15 deg. conical probes used in these tests were designed for flight diagnostic measurements for flight Mach numbers down to 1.35 and 1.15 respectively, and have improved capabilities over earlier probes of similar shape. The 15. conical probe also has a temperature sensor that is located inside the cylindrical part of the probe that is exposed to free-stream flow through an annulus at the apex of the cone. It enables the determination of free-stream temperature, density, speed of sound, and velocity, in addition to free-stream pressure, Mach number, angle of attack and angle of sideslip. With the time-varying velocity, acceleration can be calculated. Wind-tunnel tests of the two probes were made in NASA Langley Research Center fs Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) at Mach numbers of 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0. Flight tests were carried out at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) on its F-15B aircraft up to Mach numbers of 1.9. The probes were attached to a fixture, referred to as the Centerline Instrumented Pylon (CLIP), under the fuselage of the aircraft. Problems controlling the velocity of the flow through the conical probe required for accurate temperature measurements are noted, as well as some calibration problems of the miniature pressure sensors that required a re-calculation of the flow variables. Data are presented for angle of attack, pressure and Mach number obtained in the wind tunnel and in flight. In the wind tunnel some transient data were obtained by translating the probes through the shock flow field created by a bump on the wind-tunnel wall.

Bobbitt, Percy J.↗

On the interplay between magnetic field and anisotropy in holographic QCD

We investigate the combined effects of anisotropy and a magnetic field in strongly interacting gauge theories by the gauge/gravity correspondence. Our main motivation is the quark-gluon plasma produced in off-central heavy-ion collisions which exhibits large anisotropy in pressure gradients as well as large external magnetic fields. We explore two different configurations, with the anisotropy either parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field, focusing on the competition and interplay between the two. A detailed study of the RG flow in the ground state reveals a rich structure where depending on which of the two, anisotropy or magnetic field, is stronger, intermediate geometries with approximate AdS 4 × $\mathbb{R}$ and AdS 3 × $\mathbb{R}$ 2 factors arise. This competition is also manifest in the phase structure at finite temperature, specifically in the dependence of the chiral transition temperature on anisotropy and magnetic field, from which we infer the presence of inverse magnetic and anisotropic catalyses of the chiral condensate. Finally, we consider other salient observables in the theory, including the quark-antiquark potential, shear viscosity, entanglement entropy and the butterfly velocity. We demonstrate that they serve as good probes of the theory, in particular, distinguishing between the effects of the magnetic field and anisotropy in the ground and plasma states. We also find that the butterfly velocity, which codifies how fast information propagates in the plasma, exhibits a rich structure as a function of temperature, anisotropy and magnetic field, exceeding the conformal value in certain regimes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Extended Baryonic Tully–Fisher Relation for SDSS MaNGA Galaxies

The baryonic Tully–Fisher relation (BTFR), a relationship between the rotational velocity and baryonic mass in spiral galaxies, probes the relative content of baryonic and total mass in galaxies and thus provides a good test of dark matter content in galaxies. Using Hα kinematics, we model the rotation curves of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey MaNGA DR17 spiral galaxies. To extend the BTFR to higher masses with elliptical galaxies, we estimate their total masses from their stellar velocity dispersions using the virial theorem and define the effective rotational velocity as the velocity a rotation-supported galaxy would exhibit given this mass. The baryonic mass of spiral galaxies is composed of stellar, H I , H 2 , and He mass, while only the stellar mass is used for the baryonic content of ellipticals. We construct joint BTFRs for 5743 MaNGA spiral and elliptical galaxies, TNG100 simulated galaxies with baryonic masses greater than 10 9 M ⊙ , and a cross-matched subsample between these two datasets (3149 spiral and 1423 elliptical galaxies). For the cross-matched subsample, we find agreement in the slopes between observed and simulated galaxies. We find a slope of $3.8{6}_{-0.62}^{+0.92}$ for the full MaNGA sample, which agrees well with the slope of 4.0 predicted by MOND and the fitted slope of $3.5{8}_{-0.38}^{+0.48}$ for the TNG100 galaxies. We find that a sample of lower-mass galaxies is necessary to differentiate between the two models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Probe systems for static pressure and cross-stream turbulence intensity

A recent study of total-pressure probes for use in highly turbulent streams is extended herein by developing probe systems that measure time-averaged static or ambient pressure and turbulence intensity. Arrangements of tubular probes of circular and elliptical cross section are described that measure the pressure at orifices on the sides of the probes to obtain different responses to the cross-stream velocity fluctuations. When the measured data are combined to remove the effect of the presence of the probes on the local pressure, the time-averaged static pressure and the cross-stream components of turbulence intensity can be determined. If a system of total pressure tubes, as described in an accompanying paper, is added to the static pressure group to form a single cluster, redundant measurements are obtained that permit accuracy and consistency checks.

Rossow, Vernon, J.↗

Solar wind protons - Three-dimensional velocity distributions and derived plasma parameters measured between 0.3 and 1 AU

Such nonthermal features as temperature anisotropies, heat fluxes, and proton double streams have been observed by a Helios solar probe survey of solar wind three-dimensional proton velocity distributions between 0.3 and 1 AU. It is found that a strong anisotropy in the core of proton distributions, with a temperature that is larger perpendicular rather than parallel to the magnetic field, is a persistent feature of high-speed streams, becoming most pronounced in the perihelion, or about 0.3 AU. Isotropic distributions have been detected only close to, and at, magnetic sector boundaries, and the flattest radial temperature profiles are found in high-speed streams. These observations indicate that local heating or proton heat conduction occurs in the solar wind.

Marsch, E.↗

Plane mixing layer vortical structure kinematics

The objective of the current project was to experimentally investigate the structure and dynamics of the streamwise vorticity in a plane mixing layer. The first part of this research program was intended to clarify whether the observed decrease in mean streamwise vorticity in the far-field of mixing layers is due primarily to the 'smearing' caused by vortex meander or to diffusion. Two-point velocity correlation measurements have been used to show that there is little spanwise meander of the large-scale streamwise vortical structure. The correlation measurements also indicate a large degree of transverse meander of the streamwise vorticity which is not surprising since the streamwise vorticity exists in the inclined braid region between the spanwise vortex core regions. The streamwise convection of the braid region thereby introduces an apparent transverse meander into measurements using stationary probes. These results corroborated with estimated secondary velocity profiles in which the streamwise vorticity produces a signature which was tracked in time.

Leboeuf, Richard L.↗

Streamwise vortex meander in a plane mixing layer

The present experimental study was conducted in order to determine the existence of streamwise vortex meander in a mixing layer, and if present, its significance on the measured properties. The dependence of the velocity cross-correlation on the fixed probe location was shown to be a good indicator of the stationarity of the streamwise vortex location. The cross-correlation measurements obtained here indicate that spanwise meander is negligible, although transverse apparent meander (normal to the plane of the mixing layer) was indicated. The transverse meander, exemplified by the elliptical shape of the mean streamwise vorticity contours, was expected, since the streamwise vorticity in the braid region is essentially inclined, with respect to the streamwise direction. These conclusions were supported by results of estimated spanwise profiles of the transverse velocity component. The balance of evidence suggests that the measured mean streamwise vorticity decay is representative of the decay of the vorticity rather than an artifact of meander.

Leboeuf, Richard L.↗

Aircraft-Integrated Meteorological Measurement System (AIMMS) Instrument Handbook

The AIMMS-20 probe is manufactured by Aventech Research Inc. and measures platform position, velocity, attitude, ambient temperature, static pressure, and the differential pressures from a 5-port hemispheric gust probe, and combines all these measured data into a calculation of the ambient winds. A detailed description of the AIMMS-20 specifications is available here. Note: The Aventech engineers use the aircraft-centric frame of reference common to aeronautical engineering, which defines z as down.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

GHRS Observations of Cool, Low-Gravity Stars: The Outer Atmosphere and Wind of the Nearby K Supergiant Lambda Velorum - 5

UV spectra of lambda Velorum taken with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on the Hubble Space Telescope are used to probe the structure of the outer atmospheric layers and wind and to estimate the mass-loss rate from this K5 lb-II supergiant. VLA radio observations at lambda = 3.6 cm are used to obtain an independent check on the wind velocity and mass-loss rate inferred from the UV observations, Parameters of the chromospheric structure are estimated from measurements of UV line widths, positions, and fluxes and from the UV continuum flux distribution. The ratios of optically thin C II] emission lines indicate a mean chromospheric electron density of log N(sub e) approximately equal 8.9 +/- 0.2 /cc. The profiles of these lines indicate a chromospheric turbulence (v(sub 0) approximately equal 25-36 km/s), which greatly exceeds that seen in either the photosphere or wind. The centroids of optically thin emission lines of Fe II and of the emission wings of self-reversed Fe II lines indicate that they are formed in plasma approximately at rest with respect to the photosphere of the star. This suggests that the acceleration of the wind occurs above the chromospheric regions in which these emission line photons are created. The UV continuum detected by the GHRS clearly traces the mean flux-formation temperature as it increases with height in the chromosphere from a well-defined temperature minimum of 3200 K up to about 4600 K. Emission seen in lines of C III] and Si III] provides evidence of material at higher than chromospheric temperatures in the outer atmosphere of this noncoronal star. The photon-scattering wind produces self-reversals in the strong chromospheric emission lines, which allow us to probe the velocity field of the wind. The velocities to which these self-absorptions extend increase with intrinsic line strength, and thus height in the wind, and therefore directly map the wind acceleration. The width and shape of these self-absorptions reflect a wind turbulence of approximately equal 9-21 km/s. We further characterize the wind by comparing the observations with synthetic profiles generated with the Lamers et al. Sobolev with Exact Integration (SEI) radiative transfer code, assuming simple models of the outer atmospheric structure. These comparisons indicate that the wind in 1994 can be described by a model with a wind acceleration parameter beta approximately 0.9, a terminal velocity of 29-33 km/s, and a mass-loss rate approximately 3 x 10(exp -9) solar M/yr. Modeling of the 3.6 cm radio flux observed in 1997 suggests a more slowly accelerating wind (higher beta) and/or a higher mass-loss rate than inferred from the UV line profiles. These differences may be due to temporal variations in the wind or from limitations in one or both of the models. The discrepancy is currently under investigation.

Carpenter, Kenneth G.↗

COMPASS Final Report: Enceladus Solar Electric Propulsion Stage

The results of the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) COllaborative Modeling and Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) internal Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) stage design are documented in this report (Figure 1.1). The SEP Stage was designed to deliver a science probe to Saturn (the probe design was performed separately by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center s (GSFC) Integrated Mission Design Center (IMDC)). The SEP Stage delivers the 2444 kg probe on a Saturn trajectory with a hyperbolic arrival velocity of 5.4 km/s. The design carried 30 percent mass, 10 percent power, and 6 percent propellant margins. The SEP Stage relies on the probe for substantial guidance, navigation and control (GN&C), command and data handling (C&DH), and Communications functions. The stage is configured to carry the probe and to minimize the packaging interference between the probe and the stage. The propulsion system consisted of a 1+1 (one active, one spare) configuration of gimbaled 7 kW NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion thrusters with a throughput of 309 kg Xe propellant. Two 9350 W GaAs triple junction (at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU), includes 10 percent margin) ultra-flex solar arrays provided power to the stage, with Li-ion batteries for launch and contingency operations power. The base structure was an Al-Li hexagonal skin-stringer frame built to withstand launch loads. A passive thermal control system consisted of heat pipes to north and south radiator panels, multilayer insulation (MLI) and heaters for the Xe tank. All systems except tanks and solar arrays were designed to be single fault tolerant.

Oleson, Steven R.↗

Measurements in a large angle oblique jet impingement flow

Velocity and surface pressure measurements, in the flow field of an obliquely impinging jet, and their interpretation as regards the governing mechanics and the aerodynamic noise generation characteristics of such a flow are reported. A computer controlled probe positioning mechanism allowed the measurement of the velocity magnitude and direction in the plane parallel to the plate. The mean velocity and Reynolds stress components were recorded. Measures of the terms in the momentum equation reveal the character of the pressure gradients in the neighborhood of the stagnation point. The effects of the stagnation streamline location on the vorticity field and the vortex sound considerations are discussed in relationship to the aerodynamic noise generation effects of this flow.

Foss, J. F.↗

A calibration technique for a hot-wire-probe vector anemometer

Calibration tests using hot wires were conducted using a newly developed test rig that greatly reduced the data acquisition time. A comparison of measured and computed velocity vector magnitude and direction indicates the necessity of complete probe calibration to determine flow interference and/or operating limitation regions. Calibration results indicate that flow rates with 3 percent accuracy and flow angles with 5 deg accuracy are attainable.

Scheiman, J.↗

A Study of the Development of Steady and Periodic Unsteady Turbulent Wakes Through Curved Channels at Positive, Zero, and Negative Streamwise Pressure Gradients, Part 1

The turbomachinery wake flow development is largely influenced by streamline curvature and streamwise pressure gradient. The objective of this investigation is to study the development of the wake under the influence of streamline curvature and streamwise pressure gradient. The experimental investigation is carried out in two phases. The first phase involves the study of the wake behind a stationary circular cylinder (steady wake) in curved channels at positive, zero, and negative streamwise pressure gradients. The mean velocity and Reynolds stress components are measured using a X-hot-film probe. The measured quantities obtained in probe coordinates are transformed to a curvilinear coordinate system along the wake centerline and are presented in similarity coordinates. The results of the steady wakes suggest strong asymmetry in velocity and Reynolds stress components. However, the velocity defect profiles in similarity coordinates are almost symmetrical and follow the same distribution as the zero pressure gradient straight wake. The results of Reynolds stress distributions show higher values on the inner side of the wake than the outer side. Other quantities, including the decay of maximum velocity defect, growth of wake width, and wake integral parameters, are also presented for the three different pressure gradient cases of steady wake. The decay rate of velocity defect is fastest for the negative streamwise pressure gradient case and slowest for the positive pressure gradient case. Conversely, the growth of the wake width is fastest for the positive streamwise pressure gradient case and slowest for the negative streamwise pressure gradient. The second phase studies the development of periodic unsteady wakes generated by the circular cylinders of the rotating wake generator in a curved channel at zero streamwise pressure gradient. Instantaneous velocity components of the periodic unsteady wakes, measured with a stationary X-hot-film probe, are analyzed by the phase averaging techniques. The temporal distribution of velocity and Reynolds stress components obtained in a stationary frame of reference are transformed to a spatial distribution in a relative frame of reference. Profiles of phase-averaged velocity and Reynolds stress distributions in the relative frame of reference and similarity coordinates are presented. The velocity defect and Reynolds stress distributions agree with the results of the wake development behind a stationary cylinder in the curved channel at zero streamwise pressure gradient. The phase-averaged third-order correlations, presented in the relative frame of reference and similarity coordinates, show pronounced asymmetric features.

Schobeiri, M. T.↗

Unveiling Venus with VOIR

The goals and intended capabilities of the Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar (VOIR), scheduled for launch in the mid-1980's, are reviewed. Current Pioneer Venus Orbiter data is considered of unsufficient resolution for actual planetary mapping of the geologic terrain of Venus, while the VOIR possesses an SAR which is able to provide a 600 m line pair resolution. The data would yield information of small-scale roughness and the rms slope of surface features, would serve as an efficient altimeter, and help track the planet's gravity field to within 1/5000 cm/sec resolution. Estimations of wind velocity and turbulence would be made available, and a Langmuir probe, a quadrupole mass analyzer, and an ion analyzer will detect ions, electrons, elemental compositions, concentrations, and densities, as well as velocities.

James, W.↗