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At least 307 records · Page 17

The interaction of a surface cold front with a prefrontal thermodynamically well-mixed boundary layer

The dynamics of a surface cold front as it proceeds from sea to shore and interacts with a thermodynamically well-mixed boundary layer are investigated by means of numerical simulations using a modified version of the two-dimensional model of Reeder and Smith (1987). The theoretical basis of the model is explained, and the results are presented graphically and characterized in detail. Good agreement is found with observational data on Australian summer cold fronts, and the transverse frontal circulation is shown to be significantly affected by diabatic heating.

Reeder, Michael J.↗

On a theory of the evolution of surface cold fronts

The governing vorticity and divergence equations in the surface layer are derived and the roles of the different terms and feedback mechanisms are investigated in semigeostrophic and nongeostrophic cold-frontal systems. A planetary boundary layer model is used to perform sensitivity tests to determine that in a cold front the ageostrophic feedback mechanism as defined by Orlanski and Ross tends to act as a positive feedback mechanism, enhancing vorticity and convergence growth. Therefore, it cannot explain the phase shift between convergence and vorticity as simulated by Orlanski and Ross. An alternative plausible, though tentative, explanation in terms of a gravity wave is offered. It is shown that when the geostrophic deformation increases, nonlinear terms in the divergence equation may become important and further destabilize the system.

Levy, Gad↗

Controlled excitation of a cold turbulent swirling free jet

Experimental results from acoustic excitation of a cold free turbulent jet with and without swirl are presented. A flow with a swirl number of 0.35 (i.e., moderate swirl) is excited internally by plane acoustic waves at a constant sound pressure level and at various frequencies. It is observed that the cold swirling jet is excitable by plane waves, and that the instability waves grow about 50 percent less in peak rms amplitude, and saturate further upstream compared to corresponding waves in a jet without swirl having the same axial mass flux. The preferred Strouhal number based on the mass-averaged axial velocity and nozzle exit diameter for both swirling and nonswirling flows is 0.4. So far no change in the mean velocity components of the swirling jet is observed as a result of excitation.

Taghavi, R.↗

COLD-SAT: A technology satellite for cryogenic experimentation

NASA-Lewis (LeRC) is involved in the development and validation of analytical models which describe the fluid dynamic and thermodynamic processes associated with the storage, acquisition and transfer of subcritical cryogenic fluids in low gravity. Four concurrent studies, including one in-house at LeRC, are underway to determine the feasibility of performing model validation experiments aboard a free-flying spacecraft (S/C) called Cryogenic On-Orbit Liquid Depot-Storage, Acquisition and Transfer (COLD-SAT), using liquid hydrogen as the cryogen. The technology requirements for the experiments are described along with the initial LeRC concepts for the S/C and an experiment subsystem comprising of cryogenic tankage (a supply dewar and three receiver tanks), gas pressurization bottles (both helium and autogenous hydrogen), their associated plumbing, and instrumentation for data collection. Experiments were categorized into enabling/high priority Class 1 technologies and component/system Class 2 demonstrations. As initially envisioned by LeRC, COLD-SAT would have had a 1997 launch aboard a Delta-2 for a 6 month active lifetime in a 925 km orbit with a pseudo-inertial attitude.

Arif, H.↗

COLD-SAT: An orbital cryogenic hydrogen technology experiment

The COLD-SAT spacecraft will perform subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and transfer experiments under low-gravity conditions to provide engineering data for future space transportation missions. Consisting of an experiment module mated to a spacecraft bus, COLD-SAT will be placed in an initial 460 km circular orbit by an Atlas I commercial launch vehicle. After deployment, the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control and data management, communications, and attitude control along with propulsive acceleration levels ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-4)g. These accelerations are an important aspect of some of the experiments, as it is desired to know the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved. The experiment module will contain the three liquid hydrogen tanks, valves, pressurization equipment, and instrumentation. At launch all the hydrogen will be in the largest tank, which has helium-purged MLI and is loaded and topped off by the hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas. The two smaller tanks will be utilized in orbit for performing some of the experiments. The experiments are grouped into two classes on the basis of their priority, and include six regarded as enabling technology and nine regarded as enhancing technology.

Schuster, J. R.↗

On air motion trajectories in cold fronts

This paper examines air parcel trajectories in the two-dimensional model for a cold front by Reeder and Smith (1987). These are found to be in close agreement with trajectories deduced from analyses of summertime 'cool changes' in southeastern Australia, adding further support to the applicability of the numerical model to this kind of cold front. The favorable comparison points also to the dynamical consistency of the conceptual model for the cool change, which has evolved from the analysis of data from observational experiments.

Reeder, Michael J.↗

Boundary layer warming by condensation - Air-sea interaction during an extreme cold air outbreak from the eastern coast of the United States

Studies on an intense cold air outbreak that took place after a cold air cyclogenesis on January 27, 1986 are reviewed. Particular attention is given to data obtained during a multiaircraft research mission carried out on January 28, 1986 as part of the Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment. It was found that condensation heating of the subcloud layer air was comparable to heating by turbulent flux divergence.

Grossman, Robert L.↗

Cold Flow Determination of the Internal Flow Environment Around the Submerged TVC Nozzle for the Space Shuttle SRM

A series of subscale cold flow tests was performed to quantify the gas flow characteristics at the aft end of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor. This information was used to support the analyses of the redesigned nozzle/case joint. A portion of the thermal loads at the joint are due to the circumferential velocities and pressure gradients caused primarily by the gimbaling of the submerged nose TVC nozzle. When the nozzle centerline is vectored with respect to the motor centerline, asymmetries are set up in the flow field under the submerged nozzle and immediately adjacent to the nozzle/case joint. Specific program objectives included: determination of the effects of nozzle gimbal angle and propellant geometry on the circumferential flow field; measurement of the static pressure and gas velocities in the vicinity of the nozzle/case joint; use of scaling laws to apply the subscale cold flow data to the full scale SRM; and generation of data for use in validation of 3-D computational fluid dynamic, CFD, models of the SRM flow field. These tests were conducted in the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Airflow Facility with a 7.5 percent scale model of the aft segment of the SRM. Static and dynamic pressures were measured in the model to quantify the flow field. Oil flow data was also acquired to obtain qualitative visual descriptions of the flow field. Nozzle gimbal angles of 0, 3.5, and 7 deg were used with propellant grain configurations corresponding to motor burn times of 0, 9, 19, and 114 seconds. This experimental program was successful in generating velocity and pressure gradient data for the flow field around the submerged nose nozzle of the Space Shuttle SRM at various burn times and gimbal angles. The nature of the flow field adjacent to the nozzle/case joint was determined with oil droplet streaks, and the velocity and pressure gradients were quantified with pitot probes and wall static pressure measurements. The data was applied to the full scale SRM thru a scaling analysis and the results compared well with the 3-D computational fluid dynamics computer model.

Whitesides, R. H.↗

Detection of interstellar hydrogen sulfide in cold, dark clouds

Interstellar H2S has been detected toward the cold, dark clouds L134N and TMC 1. Total column densities at the SO peak of L134N and the NH3 peak of TMC 1 are found to be about 2.6 X 10 to the 13th/sq cm and 7.0 X 10 to the 12th/sq cm, respectively. The results suggest that grain surface reactions may play a major role in the synthesis of H2S in cold, dark clouds.

Minh, Y. C.↗

COLD-SAT - An orbital cryogenic hydrogen technology experiment

The COLD-SAT spacecraft will perform subcritical liquid hydrogen storage and transfer experiments under low-gravity conditions to provide engineering data for future space transportation missions. Consisting of an experiment module mated to a spacecraft bus, COLD-SAT will be placed in an initial 460 km circular orbit by an Atlas I commercial launch vehicle. After deployment, the three-axis-controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control and data management, communications, and attitude control along with propulsive acceleration levels ranging from 10 (-6) to 10(-4) g. These accelerations are an important aspect of some of the experiments, as it is desired to know the effects that low gravity levels might have on the heat and mass transfer processes involved. The experiment module will contain the three liquid hydrogen tanks, valves, pressurization equipment, and instrumentation. At launch all the hydrogen will be in the largest tank, which has helium-purged MLI and is loaded and topped off by the hydrogen tanking system used for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas. The two smaller tanks will be utilized in orbit for performing some of the experiments. The experiments are grouped into two classes on the basis of their priority, and include six regarded as enabling technology and nine regarded as enhancing technology.

Schuster, J. R.↗

Large-scale structure formation and cosmic microwave anisotropy in a cold plus hot dark matter universe

Several particle physics models suggest the simultaneous existence of both cold and hot forms of dark matter particles. Assuming a Harrison-Zel'dovich spectrum of primordial density fluctuations and Omega = 1, the formation of structure in a universe dominated by a combination of cold dark matter and massive neutrinos is explored. It is found that the presence of the hot dark matter component can cause enough power on large scales to explain some recent observations, while there is still sufficient power on small scales to allow galactic structure formation. Spatial anisotropies in the microwave background radiation are computed and found to be compatible with observational limits.

Schaefer, Robert K.↗

Nature of convection-stabilized dc arcs in dual-flow nozzle geometry. I - The cold flow field and dc arc characteristics. II - Optical diagnostics and theory

Steady-state low-current air arcs in a dual-flow nozzle system are studied experimentally. The cold flow field with no arc is investigated using a 12.7-mm diameter dual-flow nozzle in a steady-flow facility. Mach number and mass flux distributions are determined for various nozzle-pressure ratios and nozzle-gap spacing. It is found that the shock waves in the converging-diverging nozzles result in a decrease in overal resistance by about 15 percent. Also, Schlieren and differential interferometry techniques are used to visualize the density gradients within the arc plasma and thermal mantle. Both optical techniques reveal a laminar arc structure for a reservoir pressure of 1 atm at various current levels. Experimentally determined axial static pressure and cold-flow mass flux rate distributions and a channel-flow model with constant arc temperatre are used to solve the energy integral for the arc radius as a function of axial distance. The arc electric field strength, voltage, resistance, and power are determined with Ohm's law and the total heat transfer is related to arc power.

Serbetci, Ilter↗

Cold plasma heating in the plasma sheet boundary layer - Theory and simulations

Satellite observations in recent years have confirmed that the plasma sheet boundary layer is a permanent feature of the earth's magnetotail located between the lobe and central plasma sheet during both quiet and active magnetic periods. Distinct features of the boundary layer include field aligned ion beams and intense electrostatic emissions known as broadband electrostatic noise. Since the plasma sheet boundary layer is a spatial feature of the magnetotail, within it will occur thermal mixing of the resident warm boundary layer plasma with inflowing (convecting) cold ionospheric plasma. A theoretical study involving linear theory and nonlinear numerical particle simulations is presented which examines ion beam instabilities in the presence of a thermally mixed hot and cold background plasma. It is found that the free energy in the ion beams can heat the cool ionospheric plasma to ambient plasma sheet boundary layer temperatures via broadband electrostatic noise. These results, along with recent observational reports that ionospheric outflow can account for measured plasma sheet densities, suggest that the ionospheric role in plasma sheet dynamics and content may be as large as the solar wind.

Schriver, David↗

Theory and observations of electrostatic ion waves in the cold Io torus

A study of the ELF plasma wave environment of the cold Io torus in Jupiter's magnetosphere is made. Voyager 1 data are presented which show three distinct types of electrostatic ion waves occurring there: the Buchsbaum ion-ion mode just below the proton cyclotron frequency f(cp), hydrogen Bernstein modes at (n + 1/2) f(cp), and lower hybrid waves near f(LHR). The presence of these waves at their characteristic frequencies is consistent with a predominantly heavy ion plasma composed of singly ionized sulfur and oxygen ions along with a small admixture of protons. The hydrogen Bernstein modes are tightly confined to the magnetic equator, occurring within + or - 4 deg of it, while the Buchsbaum mode is localized to the dense heavy ion plasma of the cold torus near the centrifugal equator. A general theory for excitation of the waves based on the ion pickup process is developed.

Barbosa, D. D.↗

The hot and cold interstellar matter of early type galaxies and their radio emission

Over the last few years, the knowledge of the interstellar matter (ISM) of early type galaxies has increased dramatically. Many early type galaxies are now known to have ISM in three different phases: cold (neutral hydrogen (HI), dust and molecular material), warm (ionized) and hot (S-ray emitting) gas. Early type galaxies have smaller masses of cold ISM (10 to the 7th power - 10 to the 8th power solar mass; Jura et al. 1987) than later type spiral galaxies, while they have far more hot gas (10 to the 9th power - 10 to the tenth power solar mass; Forman et al. 1985, Canizares et al. 1987). In order to understand the relationship between the different phases of the ISM and the role of the ISM in fueling radio continuum sources and star formation, researchers compared observational data from a wide range of wavelengths.

Kim, Dong-Woo↗

COLD-SAT feasibility study safety analysis

The Cryogenic On-orbit Liquid Depot-Storage, Acquisition, and Transfer (COLD-SAT) satellite presents some unique safety issues. The feasibility study conducted at NASA-Lewis desired a systems safety program that would be involved from the initial design in order to eliminate and/or control the inherent hazards. Because of this, a hazards analysis method was needed that: (1) identified issues that needed to be addressed for a feasibility assessment; and (2) identified all potential hazards that would need to be controlled and/or eliminated during the detailed design phases. The developed analysis method is presented as well as the results generated for the COLD-SAT system.

Mchenry, Steven T.↗

Advanced development receiver thermal vacuum tests with cold wall

The first ever testing of a full size solar dynamic heat receiver using high temperature thermal energy storage was completed. The heat receiver was designed to meet the requirements for operation on the Space Station Freedom. The purpose of the test program was to quantify the receiver thermodynamic performance, its operating temperatures, and thermal response to changes in environmental and power module interface boundary conditions. The heat receiver was tested in a vacuum chamber with liquid nitrogen cold shrouds and an aperture cold plate to partially simulate a low Earth orbit environment. The cavity of the receiver was heated by an infrared quartz lamp heater with 30 independently controllable zones to produce flux distributions typical of candidate concentrators. A closed Brayton cycle engine simulator conditioned a helium xenon gas mixture to specific interface conditions to simulate various operational modes of the solar dynamic power module. Inlet gas temperature, pressure, and flow rate were independently varied. A total of 58 simulated orbital cycles were completed during the test conduct period. The test hardware, execution of testing, test data, and post test inspections are described.

Sedgwick, Leigh M.↗

The COLD-SAT Experiment for Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology

Future national space transportation missions will depend on the use of cryogenic fluid management technology development needs for these missions. In-space testing will be conducted in order to show low gravity cryogenic fluid management concepts and to acquire a technical data base. Liquid H2 is the preferred test fluid due to its propellant use. The design of COLD-SAT (Cryogenic On-orbit Liquid Depot Storage, Acquisition, and Transfer Satellite), an Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) launched orbital spacecraft that will perform subcritical liquid H2 storage and transfer experiments under low gravity conditions is studied. An Atlas launch vehicle will place COLD-SAT into a circular orbit, and the 3-axis controlled spacecraft bus will provide electric power, experiment control, and data management, attitude control, and propulsive accelerations for the experiments. Low levels of acceleration will provide data on the effects that low gravity might have on the heat and mass transfer processes used. The experiment module will contain 3 liquid H2 tanks; fluid transfer, pressurization and venting equipment; and instrumentation.

Schuster, J. R.↗