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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Convection and lunar thermal history

The effects of solid interior convection on the thermal history of the moon are examined. Convective models of lunar evolution are calculated to demonstrate the influence of various viscosities, radioactive heat source distributions and initial temperature profiles and tested by means of a thermal history simulation code. Results indicate that solid convection does not necessarily produce a quasi-steady thermal balance between heat sources and surface losses. The state of the lithosphere is found to be sensitive to the efficiency of heat source redistribution, while that of the convecting interior depends primarily on rheology. Interior viscosities of 10 to the 21st to 10 to the 22nd cm/sec are obtained, along with a central temperature above 1100 C. It is suggested that mare flooding could have been the result of magma production by pressure release melting in the upwelling region of convection cells.

Cassen, P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A simulation study of cold electron heating by loss cone instabilities

Results are presented of a computer simulation study of electron cyclotron harmonic waves; an electrostatic finite size particle simulation code is used. The initial electron velocity distribution function is modeled as a hot ring perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field and a cold Maxwellian component. Nonlinear cyclotron resonance is found to be the saturation mechanism of the unstable waves and the heating mechanism of the cold electrons. The results can be related to certain ionospheric phenomena.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Equations of motion for a free-electron laser with an electromagnetic pump field and an axial electrostatic field

The equations of motion for a free-electron laser (FEL) with an electromagnetic pump field and a static axial electric field are derived using a Hamiltonian formalism. Equations governing the energy transfer between the electron beam and each of the electromagnetic fields are given, and the phase shift for each of the electromagnetic fields is derived from a linearized Maxwell wave equation. The relation between the static axial electric field and the resonant phase is given. Laser gain and the fraction of the electron energy converted to photon energy are determined using a simplified resonant particle model. These results are compared to those of a more exact particle simulation code.

Hiddleston, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A simulation study of the loss cone driven cyclotron maser applied to auroral kilometric radiation

The linear growth and nonlinear saturation of electromagnetic radiation amplified by a hot (5-20 keV) population of electrons possessing a loss cone velocity distribution in the presence of a cold (20-500 eV) electron population are studied. A relativistic electromagnetic simulation code is used to study the emission process. Three cases are presented in detail to illustrate the generation process of auroral kilometric radiation. The first case, which has an electron plasma frequency omega(pe) = 0.2 omega(ce) (electron cyclotron frequency) and possesses a double loss cone distribution, exhibits a strong narrow peak of the fast extraordinary mode (X mode) radiation just above the X mode cutoff frequency. The second case with omega(pe) = 0.2 omega(ce) and a single loss cone distribution shows a preferred direction of propagation for the amplified radiation. The third case with omega(pe) = 0.5 omega(ce) shows a peak in the ordinary mode (O mode) radiation. In all cases, the radiation saturates by turbulent scattering of resonant particles into the loss cone.

Wagner, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The investigation of tethered satellite system dynamics

A progress report is presented that deals with three major topics related to Tethered Satellite System Dynamics. The SAO rotational dynamics computer code was updated. The program is now suitable to deal with inclined orbits. The output has been also modified in order to show the satellite Euler angles referred to the rotating orbital frame. The three-dimensional high resolution computer program SLACK3 was developed. The code simulates the three-dimensional dynamics of a tether going slack taking into account the effect produced by boom rotations. Preliminary simulations on the three-dimensional dynamics of a recoiling slack tether are shown in this report. A program to evaluate the electric potential around a severed tether is immersed in a plasma. The potential is computed on a three-dimensional grid axially symmetric with respect to the tether longitudinal axis. The electric potential variations due to the plasma are presently under investigation.

Lorenzini, E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Wall-interference assessment in three-dimensional slotted-wall wind tunnels

The development of the slotted tunnel simulator code and lessons learned from its use are summarized. The high order panel method was selected as the basic procedure for aerodynamic computations. The panel singularities are supplemented by line sources to represent discrete wall slots.

Kemp, W. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An MHD simulation of By-dependent magnetospheric convection and field-aligned currents during northward IMF

A three-dimensional MHD simulation code is used to model the magnetospheric configuration when the IMF has both a northward B(z) component and a B(y) component in the east-west direction. Projections of the plasma pressure, the field-aligned velocity, the field-aligned vorticity, and the field-aligned current along the magnetic field lines into the northern ionosphere are shown and discussed. Cross-sectional patterns of these parameters are shown. The results demonstrate that the B(y) component of the IMF strongly influences the plasma sheet configuration and the magnetospheric convection pattern.

Ogino, T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Satellite attitude motion models for capture and retrieval investigations

The primary purpose of this research is to provide mathematical models which may be used in the investigation of various aspects of the remote capture and retrieval of uncontrolled satellites. Emphasis has been placed on analytical models; however, to verify analytical solutions, numerical integration must be used. Also, for satellites of certain types, numerical integration may be the only practical or perhaps the only possible method of solution. First, to provide a basis for analytical and numerical work, uncontrolled satellites were categorized using criteria based on: (1) orbital motions, (2) external angular momenta, (3) internal angular momenta, (4) physical characteristics, and (5) the stability of their equilibrium states. Several analytical solutions for the attitude motions of satellite models were compiled, checked, corrected in some minor respects and their short-term prediction capabilities were investigated. Single-rigid-body, dual-spin and multi-rotor configurations are treated. To verify the analytical models and to see how the true motion of a satellite which is acted upon by environmental torques differs from its corresponding torque-free motion, a numerical simulation code was developed. This code contains a relatively general satellite model and models for gravity-gradient and aerodynamic torques. The spacecraft physical model for the code and the equations of motion are given. The two environmental torque models are described.

Cochran, John E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Simulations of high Mach number perpendicular shocks with resistive electrons

A simulation code which models the ions as microparticles and the electrons as a resistive massless fluid is employed to study the structure of high Mach number perpendicular shocks. It is found that stable stationary shock solutions can be obtained for Alfven Mach numbers (M sub A) between 5 and 60 for upstream plasmas where the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure is 1, providing that the upstream resistive diffusion length is much smaller than the ion inertial length. For much larger resistive diffusion lengths, the magnetic field overshoot is damped, and the imbalance in the electron momentum equation results in a periodic fluctuation of the fraction of reflected ions. In the limit of M sub A of less than 10, the magnetic overshoot and the fraction of reflected ions increase with increasing M sub A, while at higher Mach numbers the fraction of reflected ions peaks at about 40 percent and the magnetic field overshoot increases at a much slower rate. Electron inertial effects are also considered.

Quest, K. B.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Further results on finite-state codes

A general construction for finite-state (FS) codes is applied to some well-known block codes. Subcodes of the (24,12) Golay code are used to generate two optimal FS codes with d sub free = 12 and 16. A partition of the (16,8) Nordstrom-Robinson code yields a d sub free = 10 FS code. Simulation results are shown and decoding algorithms are briefly discussed.

Pollara, F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Analytical investigation of the dynamics of tethered constellations in earth orbit

This Quarterly Report on Tethering in Earth Orbit deals with three topics: (1) Investigation of the propagation of longitudinal and transverse waves along the upper tether. Specifically, the upper tether is modeled as three massive platforms connected by two perfectly elastic continua (tether segments). The tether attachment point to the station is assumed to vibrate both longitudinally and transversely at a given frequency. Longitudinal and transverse waves propagate along the tethers affecting the acceleration levels at the elevator and at the upper platform. The displacement and acceleration frequency-response functions at the elevator and at the upper platform are computed for both longitudinal and transverse waves. An analysis to optimize the damping time of the longitudinal dampers is also carried out in order to select optimal parameters. The analytical evaluation of the performance of tuned vs. detuned longitudinal dampers is also part of this analysis. (2) The use of the Shuttle primary Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters for blowing away a recoiling broken tether is discussed. A microcomputer system was set up to support this operation. (3) Most of the effort in the tether plasma physics study was devoted to software development. A particle simulation code has been integrated into the Macintosh II computer system and will be utilized for studying the physics of hollow cathodes.

Lorenzini, Enrico C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Analysis and simulations of a troposphere-stratosphere gravity wave model. I

An analytical model is presented that accommodates nonhydrostatic shearing stratified flow over an obstacle, and that can be modified to include a superposed stratosphere with constant wind and higher stability. A simulation code is used in parallel with the analytic calculations to demonstrate a methodology for determining the wavelength and magnitude of gravity wave energy reflected, and that transmitted, by the tropopause.

Wurtele, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Space lab system analysis

An analysis of the Automated Booster Assembly Checkout System (ABACS) has been conducted. A computer simulation of the ETHERNET LAN has been written. The simulation allows one to investigate different structures of the ABACS system. The simulation code is in PASCAL and is VAX compatible.

Rives, T. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Development and simulation study of a new inverse-pinch high Coulomb transfer switch

The inverse-pinch plasma switch was studied using a computer simulation code. The code was based on a 2-D, 2-temperature magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. The application of this code was limited to the disk-type inverse-pinch plasma switch. The results of the computer analysis appear to be in agreement with the experimental results when the same parameters are used. An inverse-pinch plasma switch for closing has been designed and tested for high-power switching requirements. An azimuthally uniform initiation of breakdown is a key factor in achieving an inverse-pinch current path in the switch. Thus, various types of triggers, such as trigger pins, wire-brush, ring trigger, and hypocycloidal-pinch (HCP) devices have been tested for uniform breakdown. Recently, triggering was achieved by injection of a plasma-ring (plasma puff) that is produced separately with hypocycloidal-pinch electrodes placed under the cathode of the main gap. The current paths at switch closing, initiated by the injection of a plasma-ring from the HCP trigger are azimuthally uniform, and the local current density is significantly reduced, so that damage to the electrodes and the insulator surfaces is minimized. The test results indicate that electron bombardment on the electrodes and the insulator surfaces is minimized. The test results indicate that electron bombardment on the electrodes is four orders of magnitude less than that of a spark-gap switch for the same switching power. Indeed, a few thousand shots with peak current exceeding a mega-ampere and with hold-off voltage up to 20 kV have been conducted without showing measurable damage to the electrodes and insulators.

Choi, Sang H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Model reduction in the simulation of interconnected flexible bodies

Given the control system specifications for a system of interconnected rigid and flexible bodies, methods now exist for determining the system modes that do not interact 'strongly' with the controller. Once these important system modes are known, there still remains the problem of determining the modes of individual bodies that should be retained, since, in the final analysis, it is the modal information at the component level that must be fed into any multibody simulation code. Systematic identification of these component modes is achieved through a two-phase matrix diagonalization process starting with judiciously chosen submatrices of the system modal matrix.

Eke, Fidelis O.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Ion-cyclotron wave heating of heavy ions in the equatorial magnetosphere - A numerical simulation theory

A 1-2/2 dimensional hybrid numerical simulation code is used to study the heating of cold H(+) ions and heavy ions by electromagnetic ion-cyclotron waves (ICWs) in the ring current region of the equatorial magnetosphere. Consideration is given to a plasma consisting of electrons, hot H(+) ions, and cold heavy ions in which the ICWs are driven by the temperature anisotropy of the hot protons. For large-amplitude ICWs, it is found that the cold H(+) ions are preferentially heated over the heavy ions although the cold H(+) ions are heated by a three-step process.

Chen, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Spectral analysis of turbulent effects on resistivity and the tearing instability

A spectral numerical-simulation code and ancillary diagnostics are used here to analyze the behavior of resistive magnetic tearing in the presence of short-wavelength turbulence. It is found that, in general, the anomalous resistivity defined by Biskamp and Welter (1983) due to short-wavelength turbulence tends to return quickly towards zero even when artificially supported away from zero, and that its effect on tearing-mode behavior is not consistent with its interpretation as a resistivity. The behavior reported by Biskamp and Welter and the behavior observed here are analyzed. It is argued that, while not meaningful as a true resistivity, the anomalous resistivity parameter is a useful diagnostic showing the energy balance of the system.

Deeds, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Control of optical systems

Some of the current and planned activities at the Air Force Systems Command in structures and controls for optical-type systems are summarized. Many of the activities are contracted to industry; one task is an in-house program which includes a hardware test program. The objective of the in-house program, referred to as the Aluminum Beam Expander Structure (ABES), is to address issues involved in on-orbit system identification. The structure, which appears similar to the LDR backup structure, is about 35 feet tall. The activity to date has been limited to acquisition of about 250 hours of test data. About 30 hours of data per excitation force is gathered in order to obtain sufficient data for a good statistical estimate of the structural parameters. The development of an Integrated Structural Modeling (ISM) computer program is being done by Boeing Aerospace Company. The objective of the contracted effort is to develop a combined optics, structures, thermal, controls, and multibody dynamics simulation code.

Founds, D.↗