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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 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1970

Discrete control of linear distributed systems with application to the deformable primary mirror of a large orbiting telescope

The results are presented of a detailed study of the discrete control of linear distributed systems with specific application to the design of a practical controller for a plant representative of a telescope primary mirror for an orbiting astronomical observatory. The problem of controlling the distributed plant is treated by employing modal techniques to represent variations in the optical figure. Distortion of the mirror surface, which arises primarily from thermal gradients, is countered by actuators working against a backing structure to apply a corrective force distribution to the controlled surface. Each displacement actuator is in series with a spring attached to the mirror by means of a pad intentionally introduced to restrict the excitation of high-order modes. Control is exerted over a finite number of the most significant modes.

Creedon, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A Lagrange multiplier based divide and conquer finite element algorithm

A novel domain decomposition method based on a hybrid variational principle is presented. Prior to any computation, a given finite element mesh is torn into a set of totally disconnected submeshes. First, an incomplete solution is computed in each subdomain. Next, the compatibility of the displacement field at the interface nodes is enforced via discrete, polynomial and/or piecewise polynomial Lagrange multipliers. In the static case, each floating subdomain induces a local singularity that is resolved very efficiently. The interface problem associated with this domain decomposition method is, in general, indefinite and of variable size. A dedicated conjugate projected gradient algorithm is developed for solving the latter problem when it is not feasible to explicitly assemble the interface operator. When implemented on local memory multiprocessors, the proposed methodology requires less interprocessor communication than the classical method of substructuring. It is also suitable for parallel/vector computers with shared memory and compares favorably with factorization based parallel direct methods.

Farhat, C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Study of intensification zones in a rectangular acoustic cavity

The interior acoustic field of a rectangular acoustic cavity, which is excited by the structural vibration of one of its walls, or a portion of the wall, has been studied. Particularly, the spatial variations of sound pressure levels from the peak levels at the boundaries (intensification zones) to the uniform interior are considered. Analytical expressions, which describe the intensification zones, are obtained using the methodology of asymptotic modal analysis. These results agree well with results computed by a discrete summation over all of the modes. The intensification zones were also modeled as a set of oblique waves incident upon a surface. The result for a rigid surface agrees with the asymptotic modal analysis result. In the presence of an absorptive surface, the character of the intensification zone is dramatically changed. The behavior of the acoustic field near an absorptive wall is described by an expression containing the rigid wall result plus additional terms containing impedance information. The important parameter in the intensification zone analysis is the bandwidth to center frequency ratio. The effect of bandwidth is separated from that of center frequency by expanding the expression about the center frequency wave number. The contribution from the bandwidth is second order in bandwidth to center frequency ratio.

Peretti, Linda F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The IUE Mega Campaign. Modulated Structure in the Wind of HD 64760 (B0.5 Ib)

We highlight systematic variability in the stellar wind of the early B type supergiant, HD 64760, whose UV line profiles were monitored for almost 16 days in 1995 January as part of the IUE 'MEGA Campaign.' The extensive coverage reveals a pattern of rapidly evolving discrete optical depth changes which typically migrate from approx. - 200 km/s to approx. -1500 km/s in less than 12 hr. These features coexist with more slowly evolving structures lasting several days. Time-series analysis of the Si(IV), Si(III), and N(V) profile variations presents a clear 1.2 day periodicity, which is a quarter of the estimated maximum rotation period of HD 64760. The line profile changes are consistent with an interpretation in terms of a set of corotating wind features which occult the stellar disk at least 3 times during the observing run. These data are combined with UV observations collected in 1993 March to argue in favor of rotationally modulated wind variations in HD 64760. The basic result of very regular, large-scale optical depth variations points to a 'clock' whose origin is on the stellar surface, rather than a mechanism that is entirely intrinsic to the stellar wind.

Prinja, Raman K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A variational method for finite element stress recovery: Applications in one-dimension

It is well-known that stresses (and strains) calculated by a displacement-based finite element analysis are generally not as accurate as the displacements. In addition, the calculated stress field is typically discontinuous at element interfaces. Because the stresses are typically of more interest than the displacements, several procedures have been proposed to obtain a smooth stress field, given the finite element stresses, and to improve the accuracy. Hinton and Irons introduced global least squares smoothing of discrete data defined on a plane using a finite element formulation. Tessler and co-workers recently developed a conceptually similar formulation for smoothing of two-dimensional data based on a discrete least square approximation with a penalty constraint. The penalty constraint results in a stress field which is C(exp 1)-continuous, a result not previously obtained. The approach requires additional, 'smoothing' finite element analysis and for their two-dimensional application, they used a conforming C(exp 0)-continuous triangular finite element based on a conforming plate element. This paper presents the results of a detailed investigation into the application of Tessler's smoothing procedure to the smoothing of finite element stresses from one-dimensional problems. Although the one-dimensional formulation has some practical applicability, such as in truss, beam, axisymmetric mechanics, and one-dimensional heat conduction, the primary motivation for developing the one-dimensional smoothing case is to explore the characteristics of the general smoothing strategy. In particular, it is used to describe the behavior of the method and to explore the suitability of criteria proposed for the smoothing analysis. Prior to presenting numerical results, the variational formulation of the smoothing strategy is presented and a criterion for the smoothing analysis is described.

Riggs, H. Ronald↗
NASA NTRS1989

Enhanced element-specific modal formulations for flexible multibody dynamics

The accuracy of current flexible multibody formalisms based on assumed modes is examined in the context of standard spacecraft motions involving structural components undergoing both slow and fast overall translational and rotational motions as well as small deformations. Limitations of current techniques in treating: (1) element-specific coupling behavior of large motion and small deformation, and (2) motion-induced structural stiffness variations, are noted. The roles of nonlinear and linear elastic structural theories in accurately predicting transient large-displacement dynamic behavior of flexible multibody systems are examined in detail. Coupling effects between deformation and overall motion are carefully scrutinized in the context of assumed-mode discretization techniques. Consistently linearized beam, plate, and shell formulations involving in-plane stretch variables are proposed and shown to yield very accurate simulation results and extremely fast modal convergence for most motions involving small strains. In some particular cases, however, in which membrane stiffness dominates bending stiffness, a nonlinear strain formulation is required in order to capture proper coupling between deformation and overall motion.

Ryan, Robert R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Actinic Flux Calculations: A Model Sensitivity Study

calculate direct and diffuse surface irradiance and actinic flux (downwelling (2p) and total (4p)) for the reference model. Sensitivity analysis has shown that the accuracy of the radiative transfer flux calculations for a unit ETS (i.e. atmospheric transmittance) together with a numerical interpolation technique for the constituents' vertical profiles is better than 1% for SZA less than 70(sub o) and wavelengths longer than 310 nm. The differences increase for shorter wavelengths and larger SZA, due to the differences in pseudo-spherical correction techniques and vertical discretetization among the codes. Our sensitivity study includes variation of ozone cross-sections, ETS spectra and the effects of wavelength shifts between vacuum and air scales. We also investigate the effects of aerosols on the spectral flux components in the UV and visible spectral regions. The "aerosol correction factors" (ACFs) were calculated at discrete wavelengths and different SZAs for each flux component (direct, diffuse, reflected) and prescribed IPMMI aerosol parameters. Finally, the sensitivity study was extended to calculation of selected photolysis rates coefficients.

Krotkov, Nickolay A.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Chemical Thermodynamics and the Mathematical Integration of Reaction Kinetics

Key advances in the development of numerical methods for non-reacting compressible flows have been enabled by translating physical requirements into concrete numerical guidelines, such as the satisfaction of entropy inequalities for shock-capturing techniques [Lax, Contributions to Nonlinear Functional Analysis (1971) 603-634]. In the present work, we present nonlinear numerical analysis tools that draw from Chemical Thermodynamics , the branch of Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics that deals with chemical reactions. Through Gibbs formalism, chemical thermodynamics provides a well-known theoretical expression for the chemical equilibrium constant of a reaction in terms of reduced chemical potentials. A less-known, yet extremely valuable result, due to [Krambeck, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. , 38 (1970) 317], states that when this expression is implemented, mass-action kinetic models are consistent with the dynamical prescriptions of the 2nd law of thermodynamics. For fixed-temperature ordinary differential equations modeling constant-volume reacting gas mixtures, this leads to a decreasing Helmholtz free energy. If the temperature is allowed to vary in accordance with conservation of energy (1st law), this leads to the statement of increasing entropy. These nonlinear prescriptions can, and should be, used to further develop temporal integration techniques for reaction kinetics. We demonstrate that Krambeck's result holds even when the equilibrium constants are approximated from data. We prove this result by constructing the implicit free energy and the implicit entropy inherent to a given approximation. This is first done for a 5-species, 17-reaction model problem for air. With this structure established, elements of discrete entropy-stability theory [Tadmor, Acta Numer. , 12 (2003) 451] are leveraged to examine the consistency of time-integration schemes with these prescriptions. Using chemical potentials, one can compute the respective contributions of the kinetics model and of the temporal scheme to free energy/entropy variations. We introduce a nonlinear-stable version of the Discontinuous-Galerkin (DG) scheme in time which shows robustness improvements over the standard linearly-stable version. Most notably, the maximum timestep that can be resolved with the nonlinearly-stable variant tends to grow with polynomial order, in contrast to the linearly-stable variant. We generalize our constructions to arbitrary systems of reversible chemical reactions, ultimately showing that the compressible reacting Euler system admits the opposite of the implicitly constructed thermodynamic entropy as a mathematical entropy . This lays important theoretical foundations towards robust scheme development [Harten, J. Comput. Phys. 49 (1983) 151-164].

STMD↗
NASA NTRS1974

Discretized partial differential equations - Examples of control systems defined on modules

The purpose of this paper is to show how the important problems of linear system theory can be solved concisely for a particular class of linear systems, namely block circulant systems, by exploiting the algebraic structure. This type of system arises in lumped approximations to linear partial differential equations. The computation of the transition matrix, the variation of constants formula, observability, controllability, pole allocation, realization theory, stability and quadratic optimal control are discussed. In principle, all questions which are solved here could also be solved by standard methods; the present paper clearly exposes the structure of the solution, and thus permits various savings in computational effort.

Brockett, R. W.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Dimensional Similarity Search with Quantum-Assisted Variational Autoencoder

Recent progress in quantum algorithms and hardware indicates the potential importance of quantum computing in the near future. However, finding suitable application areas remains an active area of research. Quantum machine learning is touted as a potential approach to demonstrate quantum advantage within both the gate-model and the adiabatic schemes. For instance, the QVAE has been proposed as a quantum enhancement to the discrete VAE. We extend on previous work and study the real-world applicability of a QVAE by presenting a proof-of-concept for similarity search in large-scale high-dimensional datasets. While exact and fast similarity search algorithms are available for low dimensional datasets, scaling to high-dimensional data is non-trivial. We show how to construct a space-efficient search index based on the latent space representation of a QVAE. Our experiments show a correlation between the Hamming distance in the embedded space and the Euclidean distance in the original space on the MODIS dataset. Further, we find real-world speedups compared to linear search and demonstrate memory-efficient scaling to half a billion data points.

Data mining, similarity search, quantum machine le↗
NASA NTRS1972

Ogo 5 observations of LHR noise, emissions, and whistlers near the plasmapause at several earth radii during a large magnetic storm.

On May 15, 1969, Ogo 5 crossed the plasmapause during a major storm that produced severe geomagnetic disturbances (Kp up to 8-), large and rapid variations in ring-current intensity (as measured by Dst), intense low-latitude aurora, and persistent SAR arcs. Near the highly structured plasmasphere boundary, the electric- and magnetic-field sensors on Ogo 5 detected lower-hybrid-resonance noise bursts, whistlers, ELF hiss, and other discrete signals or emissions. Some LHR noise bursts were associated with whistlers, and these high-altitude phenomena resembled the corresponding ionospheric ones. This report contains a description of the VLF observations. We also show that intense ULF magnetic signals were present near the plasmapause, and we attempt to relate these observations to the predictions of various theories of proton ring-current decay and SAR-arc formation.

Scarf, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Acoustic Imaging of Combustion Noise

Elliposidal acoustic mirror used to measure sound emitted at discrete points in burning turbulent jets. Mirror deemphasizes sources close to target source and excludes sources far from target. At acoustic frequency of 20 kHz, mirror resolves sound from region 1.25 cm wide. Currently used by NASA for research on jet flames. Produces clearly identifiable and measurable variation of acoustic spectral intensities along length of flame. Utilized in variety of monitoring or control systems involving flames or other reacting flows.

Ramohalli, K. N.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Numerical simulation of thermocapillary bubble migration under microgravity for large Reynolds and Marangoni numbers

A numerical procedure in which the Navier-Stokes equations are discretized using tightly coupled discretizations of pressure derivatives and continuity equations is used here to extend the range of known terminal velocities of gaseous bubbles in liquids well beyond that in previous investigations. Computations performed for Reynolds numbers up to 2000 and Marangoni numbers up to 1000 show only a modest variation of the scaled bubble velocity between 0.16 and 0.5. The bubble velocity is influenced more by the Marangoni number than by the Reynolds number.

Balasubramaniam, R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Towards enhancing and delaying disturbances in free shear flows

The family of shear flows comprising the jet, wake, and the mixing layer are subjected to perturbations in an inviscid incompressible fluid. By modeling the basic mean flows as parallel with piecewise linear variations for the velocities, complete and general solutions to the linearized equations of motion can be obtained in closed form as functions of all space variables and time when posed as an initial value problem. The results show that there is a continuous as well as the discrete spectrum that is more familiar in stability theory and therefore there can be both algebraic and exponential growth of disturbances in time. These bases make it feasible to consider control of such flows. To this end, the possibility of enhancing the disturbances in the mixing layer and delaying the onset in the jet and wake is investigated. It is found that growth of perturbations can be delayed to a considerable degree for the jet and the wake but, by comparison, cannot be enhanced in the mixing layer. By using moving coordinates, a method for demonstrating the predominant early and long time behavior of disturbances in these flows is given for continuous velocity profiles. It is shown that the early time transients are always algebraic whereas the asymptotic limit is that of an exponential normal mode. Numerical treatment of the new governing equations confirm the conclusions reached by use of the piecewise linear basic models. Although not pursued here, feedback mechanisms designed for control of the flow could be devised using the results of this work.

Criminale, W. O.↗
NASA NTRS2007

An Automated Flying-Insect Detection System

An automated flying-insect detection system (AFIDS) was developed as a proof-of-concept instrument for real-time detection and identification of flying insects. This type of system has use in public health and homeland-security decision support, agriculture and military pest management, and/or entomological research. Insects are first lured into the AFIDS integrated sphere by insect attractants. Once inside the sphere, the insect s wing beats cause alterations in light intensity that is detected by a photoelectric sensor. Following detection, the insects are encouraged (with the use of a small fan) to move out of the sphere and into a designated insect trap where they are held for taxonomic identification or serological testing. The acquired electronic wing-beat signatures are preprocessed (Fourier transformed) in real time to display a periodic signal. These signals are sent to the end user where they are graphically. All AFIDS data are preprocessed in the field with the use of a laptop computer equipped with LabVIEW. The AFIDS software can be programmed to run continuously or at specific time intervals when insects are prevalent. A special DC-restored transimpedance amplifier reduces the contributions of low-frequency background light signals, and affords approximately two orders of magnitude greater AC gain than conventional amplifiers. This greatly increases the signal-to-noise ratio and enables the detection of small changes in light intensity. The AFIDS light source consists of high-intensity Al-GaInP light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The AFIDS circuitry minimizes brightness fluctuations in the LEDs and when integrated with an integrating sphere, creates a diffuse uniform light field. The insect wing beats isotropically scatter the diffuse light in the sphere and create wing-beat signatures that are detected by the sensor. This configuration minimizes variations in signal associated with insect flight orientation. Preliminary data indicate that AFIDS has sufficient sensitivity and frequency measuring capability to differentiate between male and female mosquitoes (Figure 1, bottom panel) and fruit flies (data not shown). Similar studies show that AFIDS can be utilized to detect discrete differences between two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. When fully deployable, a wireless network of AFIDS monitors could be used in combination with other remotely sensed data and visually displayed in a geographic information system (GIS) to provide real-time surveillance (see Figure 2). More accurate and sensitive insect population forecasts and effective rapid response and mitigation of insect issues would then be possible.

Vann, Timi↗
NASA NTRS2009

Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) Analysis and U-Pb Geochronology of the Oldest Lunar Zircon: Constraining Early Lunar Differentiation and Dating Impact-Related Deformation

The evolution of the early moon was dominated by two processes (i) crystallization of the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) and differentiation of potassium-rare earth element-phosphorous-rich residual magma reservoir referred to as KREEP, and (ii) an intense meteorite bombardment referred to as lunar cataclysm . The exact timing of these processes is disputed, and resolution relies on collection and interpretation of precise age data. This study examines the microstructure and geochronology of zircon from lunar impact breccias collected during the Apollo 17 mission. A large zircon clast within lunar breccia 72215,195 shows sector zoning in optical microscopy, cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and Raman mapping, and indicates that it was a relict fragment of a much larger magmatic grain. Sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb analysis of the zircon shows that U and Th concentration correlate with sector zoning, with darkest CL domains corresponding with high-U and Th (approx.150 and approx.100 ppm respectively), and the brightest-CL sectors containing approx.30-50 ppm U and approx.10-20 ppm Th. This indicates that variations in optical CL and Raman properties correspond to differential accumulation of alpha-radiation damage in each sector. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) mapping shows that the quality of electron backscatter patterns (band contrast) varies with sector zoning, with the poorest quality patterns obtained from high-U and Th, dark-CL zones. EBSD mapping also reveals a deformation microstructure that is cryptic in optical, CL and Raman imaging. Two orthogonal sets of straight discrete and gradational low-angle boundaries accommodate approx.12 misorientation across the grain. The deformation bands are parallel to the crystallographic {a}-planes of the zircon, have misorientation axes parallel to the c-axis, and are geometrically consistent with formation by dislocation creep associated with <100>{010} slip. The deformation bands are unlike curved morphology of crystal-plastic microstructures in tectonically deformed terrestrial zircon, and geometrically similar to dislocation microstructures reported in experimentally shocked zircon. We interpret these crystal-plastic deformation microstructures to have resulted from a significant impact, either directly from impact shock, or during ductile flow directly following the impact. The deformation bands appear to continue undeflected through the non-indexed, radiation-damaged areas of the grain, which suggests that the orientation variation predates any significant mechanical weakening from radiation damage in the grain, and therefore occurred early in its history.

Timms, Nick↗
NASA NTRS1986

Gust response of hingeless rotors

The gust response of a coupled hingeless rotor-fuselage system is studied in both hover and forward flight. Each rotor blade undergoes flap bending, lag bending, and torsional deflections. The blades are discretized into beam elements, each with fifteen nodal degrees of freedom. The fuselage is permitted three translational (vertical, longitudinal, and lateral) and two rotational (pitch and roll) degrees of freedom. The formulation considers a three-dimensional gust field wherein each gust velocity component can have an arbitrary variation in space and time. Aerodynamic loads are obtained using quasisteady strip theory. Wake-induced effects are introduced through dynamic inflow modeling. Dynamic stall and reverse flow effects are also included. Equations governing the rotor-fuselage gust response are linearized about the vehicle propulsive trim state and the blade steady-state defected positions, and solved by time integration. The effects of several parameters on the helicopter gust response are illustrated, including dynamic inflow, lag stiffness, forward speed, gust profile, gust penetration rate, and gust velocity direction.

Bir, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Numerical solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equation

The construction and the analysis of nonoscillatory shock capturing methods for the approximation of hyperbolic conservation laws are discussed. These schemes share many desirable properties with total variation diminishing schemes, but TVD schemes have at most first-order accuracy, in the sense of truncation error, at extrema of the solution. In this paper a uniformly second-order approximation is constructed, which is nonoscillatory in the sense that the number of extrema of the discrete solution is not increasing in time. This is achieved via a nonoscillatory piecewise linear reconstruction of the solution from its cell averages, time evolution through an approximate solution of the resulting initial value problem, and averaging of this approximate solution over each cell.

Osher, Stanley J.↗