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At least 289 records · Page 16

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NASA NTRS1983

The cosmic ray abundances of the platinum-lead elements as measured on HEAO-3

The relative abundances of elements in the charge ranges of Z = 75-79 (platinum) and Z = 80-83 (lead) should be a sensitive indication of the contributions of the r- and s-processes in nucleosynthesis. Data from the HEAO 3 Heavy Nuclei Experiment are used to establish abundances, relative to iron, of these elements in the cosmic radiation, as well as the ratio of 'secondary' elements, in the Z = 62-74 range, to the primary lead-platinum elements. These results appear to suggest that either the source abundances are deficient in s-process elements or that they are not organized solely by first ionization potential. In addition, present propagation models can adequately represent the relative abundances of primary and secondary elements.

Fixsen, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Supercomputer implementation of finite element algorithms for high speed compressible flows

Prediction of compressible flow phenomena using the finite element method is of recent origin and considerable interest. Two shock capturing finite element formulations for high speed compressible flows are described. A Taylor-Galerkin formulation uses a Taylor series expansion in time coupled with a Galerkin weighted residual statement. The Taylor-Galerkin algorithms use explicit artificial dissipation, and the performance of three dissipation models are compared. A Petrov-Galerkin algorithm has as its basis the concepts of streamline upwinding. Vectorization strategies are developed to implement the finite element formulations on the NASA Langley VPS-32. The vectorization scheme results in finite element programs that use vectors of length of the order of the number of nodes or elements. The use of the vectorization procedure speeds up processing rates by over two orders of magnitude. The Taylor-Galerkin and Petrov-Galerkin algorithms are evaluated for 2D inviscid flows on criteria such as solution accuracy, shock resolution, computational speed and storage requirements. The convergence rates for both algorithms are enhanced by local time-stepping schemes. Extension of the vectorization procedure for predicting 2D viscous and 3D inviscid flows are demonstrated. Conclusions are drawn regarding the applicability of the finite element procedures for realistic problems that require hundreds of thousands of nodes.

Thornton, E. A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Finite elements based on consistently assumed stresses and displacements

Finite element stiffness matrices are derived using an extended Hellinger-Reissner principle in which internal displacements are added to serve as Lagrange multipliers to introduce the equilibrium constraint in each element. In a consistent formulation the assumed stresses are initially unconstrained and complete polynomials and the total displacements are also complete such that the corresponding strains are complete in the same order as the stresses. Several examples indicate that resulting properties for elements constructed by this consistent formulation are ideal and are less sensitive to distortions of element geometries. The method has been used to find the optimal stress terms for plane elements, 3-D solids, axisymmetric solids, and plate bending elements.

Pian, T. H. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Simplex finite element analysis of viscous incompressible flow with penalty function formulation

Viscous flow calculations are important for the determination of separated flows, recirculating flows, secondary flows and so on. This paper presents a penalty function approach for the finite element analysis of steady incompressible viscous flow. A simplex element is used with linear velocity and constant pressure in contrast to other works which usually employ higher order elements. Simplex elements yield analytical expressions for the element matrices which in turn lead to efficient solutions. Earlier works have partially indicated how constraint and lock-up problems might be avoided for simplex elements. This paper extends the earlier works by indicating the approach in detail and verifying that it is successful for several applications not discussed in the literature so far. Solution times and accuracy considerations are discussed for Couette flow, plane Poiseuille flow, a driven cavity problem, and laminar and turbulent flow over a step.

Allaire, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Stochastic and hybrid-stress plate/shell finite elements for hot-section components

The research effort in the Center for the Advancement of Computational Mechanics at Georgia Tech has two main thrusts. The first of these is the development of special approaches for the numerical stress analysis of solids and structures whose material and geometric properties are uncertain. The second seeks to develop and implement high-efficiency plate and shell elements. The stochastic element method, currently being implemented, will be able to more accurately portray the probabilistic nature of stress, strain, and displacement in actual structures. Current research has provided a hybrid-stress shell element whose behavior is acceptable for aspect ratios as high as 30 to 1. Thus, substantially more complex analyses will be practicable as soon as this element is fully implemented. An additional advantage of the hybrid approach is that it permits more accurate stress-recovery at the upper and lower surfaces of the shell, an important consideration in high thickness-gradient applications. The software associated with the above research is being implemented in the form of extensions to the Nessus code. The hybrid shell element has been successfully tested in several small-deformation elastic analyses. The theoretical formulation of the stochastic elements is essentially complete; its implementation is just beginning.

Atluri, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Dynamic and thermal response finite element models of multi-body space structural configurations

Presented is structural dynamics modeling of two multibody space structural configurations. The first configuration is a generic space station model of a cylindrical habitation module, two solar array panels, radiator panel, and central connecting tube. The second is a 15-m hoop-column antenna. Discussed is the special joint elimination sequence used for these large finite element models, so that eigenvalues could be extracted. The generic space station model aided test configuration design and analysis/test data correlation. The model consisted of six finite element models, one of each substructure and one of all substructures as a system. Static analysis and tests at the substructure level fine-tuned the finite element models. The 15-m hoop-column antenna is a truss column and structural ring interconnected with tension stabilizing cables. To the cables, pretensioned mesh membrane elements were attached to form four parabolic shaped antennae, one per quadrant. Imposing thermal preloads in the cables and mesh elements produced pretension in the finite element model. Thermal preload variation in the 96 control cables was adjusted to maintain antenna shape within the required tolerance and to give pointing accuracy.

Edighoffer, Harold H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the numerical performance of three-dimensional thick shell elements using a hybrid/mixed formulation

Three-dimensional thick shell elements with 8, 16, and 18 nodes are formulated by using the hybrid/mixed method. In bending applications, these elements are free from locking effect and give improved stress predictions. Finite element equations are derived from the Hellinger-Reissner variational principle in which both the displacement and stress fields are approximated by independent interpolation functions. For the assumption of stress parameters, three guidelines are followed: (1) suppression of kinematic deformation modes, (2) invariant element property, and (3) the constraint index exhibited by the element, when applied to constrained-media problems, must be greater than or equal to one. Numerical results are presented to show the element's behavior characteristics regarding sensitivity to locking, distortion effect (patch tests), mesh convergence and the accuracy of stress evaluation.

Graf, W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The trace element chemistry of CaS in enstatite chondrites and some implications regarding its origin

The trace element distribution in oldhamite (CaS) extracted from enstatite chondrites was determined by INAA. Prior to extraction, the petrologic setting of the grains was studied microscopically, and their minor element contents determined by microprobe analysis; samples that displayed a wide range of minor element contents were selected for detailed elementary analysis. Those samples of CaS suspected to be more primitive on the basis of their minor element and petrologic siting contain the entire inventory of the host meteorite's light REE (LREE) and Eu, plus 30-50 percent of the heavy-REE inventory. In less primitive samples, the LREE are less enriched although Eu remains highly concentrated. Several other elements, including lithophiles and chalcophiles, are most enriched in the most primitive CaS. It is suggested that oldhamite played a key role in the redistribution of these elements during the metamorphism and evolution of enstatite-rich material.

Larimer, John W.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A velocity-pressure integrated, mixed interpolation, Galerkin finite element method for high Reynolds number laminar flows

A velocity-pressure integrated, mixed interpolation, Galerkin finite element method for the Navier-Stokes equations is presented. In the method, the velocity variables were interpolated using complete quadratic shape functions and the pressure was interpolated using linear shape functions. For the two dimensional case, the pressure is defined on a triangular element which is contained inside the complete biquadratic element for velocity variables; and for the three dimensional case, the pressure is defined on a tetrahedral element which is again contained inside the complete tri-quadratic element. Thus the pressure is discontinuous across the element boundaries. Example problems considered include: a cavity flow for Reynolds number of 400 through 10,000; a laminar backward facing step flow; and a laminar flow in a square duct of strong curvature. The computational results compared favorable with those of the finite difference methods as well as experimental data available. A finite elememt computer program for incompressible, laminar flows is presented.

Kim, Sang-Wook↗

NASA NTRS1988

Cosmological quantum chromodynamics, neutron diffusion, and the production of primordial heavy elements

A simple one-dimensional model is used to describe the evolution of neutron density before and during nucleosynthesis in a high-entropy bubble left over from the cosmic quark-hadron phase transition. It is shown why cosmic nucleosynthesis in such a neutron-rich environment produces a surfeit of elements heavier than lithium. Analytical and numerical techniques are used to estimate the abundances of carbon, nitrogen, and heavier elements up to Ne-22. A high-density neutron-rich region produces enough primordial N-14 to be observed in stellar atmospheres. It shown that very heavy elements may be created in a cosmological r-process; the neutron exposure in the neutron-rich regions is large enough for the Ne-22 to trigger a catastrophic r-process runaway in which the quantity of heavy elements doubles in much less than an expansion time due to fission cycling. A primordial abundance of r-process elements is predicted to appear as an excess of rare earth elements in extremely metal-poor stars.

Applegate, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A re-evaluation of finite-element models and stress-intensity factors for surface cracks emanating from stress concentrations

A re-evaluation of the 3-D finite-element models and methods used to analyze surface crack at stress concentrations is presented. Previous finite-element models used by Raju and Newman for surface and corner cracks at holes were shown to have ill-shaped elements at the intersection of the hole and crack boundaries. These ill-shaped elements tended to make the model too stiff and, hence, gave lower stress-intensity factors near the hole-crack intersection than models without these elements. Improved models, without these ill-shaped elements, were developed for a surface crack at a circular hole and at a semi-circular edge notch. Stress-intensity factors were calculated by both the nodal-force and virtual-crack-closure methods. Both methods and different models gave essentially the same results. Comparisons made between the previously developed stress-intensity factor equations and the results from the improved models agreed well except for configurations with large notch-radii-to-plate-thickness ratios. Stress-intensity factors for a semi-elliptical surface crack located at the center of a semi-circular edge notch in a plate subjected to remote tensile loadings were calculated using the improved models. The ratio of crack depth to crack length ranged form 0.4 to 2; the ratio of crack depth to plate thickness ranged from 0.2 to 0.8; and the ratio of notch radius to the plate thickness ranged from 1 to 3. The models had about 15,000 degrees-of-freedom. Stress-intensity factors were calculated by using the nodal-force method.

Tan, P. W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Gain of circularly polarised arrays composed of linearly polarised elements

The gain of circularly polarized (CP) array antennas realized by proper phasing of sequentially rotated linearly polarized (LP) elements is compared to that of arrays using CP elements and demonstrated by calculations for microstrip patch elements. When element spacing is large and array size is small, the advantages of LP elements are offset by the significant reduction in gain due to high cross polarized lobes in the diagonal planes. For large arrays of closely spaced elements, this gain loss reduces to a negligible amount. However, for spacings above a critical value of about 0.7 wavelengths, unacceptably high gain losses will be incurred.

Hall, P. S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Refractory lithophile elements

The abundance and distributions of refractory lithophile elements in chondritic meteorites and calcium-aluminum inclusions (CAIs) are presently noted to indicate that protoplanetary material was heated to very high temperatures. Three subsequent elemental fractionations have since been resolved: (1) that within the CAIs, indicating temperatures high enough to evaporate much of the refractory element content; (2) that of the refractory lithophile elements; and (3) that of Mg and Si, which indicates that the high temperatures were prevalent throughout the chondrite-formation region. Attention is given to models that have been proposed to explain elemental and isotopic abundances of refractory lithophile elements in chondritic material.

Larimer, John W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Velocity-pressure integrated versus penalty finite element methods for high Reynolds number flows

Velocity-pressure integrated and consistent penalty finite element computations of high Reynolds number laminar flows are presented. In both methods the pressure has been interpolated using linear shape functions for a triangular element which is contained inside the biquadratic flow element. It has been shown previously that the pressure interpolation method, when used in conjunction with the velocity-pressure integrated method, yields accurate computational results for high-Reynolds-number flows. It is shown in this paper that use of the same pressure interpolation method in the consistent penalty finite element method yields computational results which are comparable to those of the velocity-pressure integrated method for both the velocity and the pressure fields. Accuracy of the two finite element methods has been demonstrated by comparing the computational results with available experimental data and/or fine grid finite difference computational results. Advantages and disadvantages of the two finite element methods are discussed on the basis of accuracy and convergence nature. Example problems considered include a lid-driven cavity flow of Reynolds number 10000, a laminar backward-facing step flow and a laminar flow through a nest of cylinders.

Kim, S.-W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Trace element abundance determinations by Synchrotron X Ray Fluorescence (SXRF) on returned comet nucleus mineral grains

Trace element analyses were performed on bulk cosmic dust particles by Proton Induced X Ray Emission (PIXE) and Synchrotron X Ray Fluorescence (SXRF). When present at or near chondritic abundances the trace elements K, Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Se, and Br are presently detectable by SXRF in particles of 20 micron diameter. Improvements to the SXRF analysis facility at the National Synchrotron Light Source presently underway should increase the range of detectable elements and permit the analysis of smaller samples. In addition the Advanced Photon Source will be commissioned at Argonne National Laboratory in 1995. This 7 to 8 GeV positron storage ring, specifically designed for high-energy undulator and wiggler insertion devices, will be an ideal source for an x ray microprobe with one micron spatial resolution and better than 100 ppb elemental sensitivity for most elements. Thus trace element analysis of individual micron-sized grains should be possible by the time of the comet nucleus sample return mission.

Flynn, G. J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Abundances of ultraheavy elements in the cosmic radiation - Results from HEAO 3

An analysis is presented that, for the first time, systematically normalizes the data from the HEAO 3 heavy nuclei experiment on the cosmic-ray abundances of all the elements heavier than germanium to that of iron. In the range of atomic number Z from 33 to 60, the analysis yields abundances of odd-even element pairs. The abundances are consistent with a cosmic-ray source having a composition similar to that of the solar system, but subject to source fractionation correlated with the first ionization potential (FIP) of each element. For Z greater than 60, the analysis yields abundances of element groups. For these heaviest nuclei, we find an enhancement of the abundance of the platinum group, elements with Z of 74-80, relative to that in propagated solar system source, and a corresponding increase in the abundance of the largely secondary elements in the 62-73 range. These abundances suggest that there is an enhancement of the r-process contribution to the source nuclei in the Z greater than 60 charge region. Over the entire region of charge, standard leaky box models of propagation satisfactorily model secondary production.

Binns, W. R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Asteroid family identifications and proper elements

This paper lists proper elements and family memberships for the first 2065 numbered asteroids plus 20 higher numbered objects. All proper elements were calculated using the Williams (1969) theory. The information contained in the 13 columns of the table is discussed in detail. It is noted that the proper elements and family assignments for the first 1796 numbered objects are mostly identical to those reported previously by Williams (1979). However, proper elements were recalculated for 68 objects in the earlier list, and entries were made for asteroids omitted from that list. Family identifications have changed for several objects as a result of the improvement of the osculating elements and a recalculation of the proper elements of asteroids which formerly had poor orbits.

Williams, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Generalized Transition Finite-Boundary Elements for high speed flight structures

A new class of 'Generalized Transition Finite-Boundary Elements' formulation is presented to predict temperature and/or stress distribution of flight structures at high speeds. A tweleve-noded three-dimensional transition element and a variable degree of freedom eight-noded element are formulated. These elements are incorporated into the formulation of the heat transfer and structural analysis problems by utilizing a newly introduced 'material approximation functions' concept. Results obtained from limited examples compared with the solutions from analytical and other finite element analysis solution. Numerical examples presented illustrate the effectiveness of these elements.

Sarigul-Klijn, Nesrin↗