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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 343 records · Page 19
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NASA NTRS1990

HEAO 1 A-2 low-energy detector X-ray spectra of the Cygnus Loop

The Cygnus Loop supernova remnant was observed by the A-2 low-energy detector (LED) proportional counters on the HEAO 1 satellite. Recent improvements to the non-X-ray background rejection and detector response simulation have allowed production of the most accurate spectra of the Cygnus Loop to date. Three separate regions of the Cygnus Loop were observed. Single-temperature, Raymond-Smith models are inadequate to describe the spectra, but two component model fits are good. Temperature, column density, and emission measure variations across the Cygnus Loop are found. These results are interpreted and compared with previous work.

Leahy, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An estimator-predictor approach to PLL loop filter design

The design of digital phase locked loops (DPLL) using estimation theory concepts in the selection of a loop filter is presented. The key concept, that the DPLL closed-loop transfer function is decomposed into an estimator and a predictor, is discussed. The estimator provides recursive estimates of phase, frequency, and higher-order derivatives, and the predictor compensates for the transport lag inherent in the loop.

Statman, Joseph I.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Blue loops during core helium burning as the consequence of moderate convective envelope overshooting in stars of intermediate to high mass

New calculations of stellar evolutionary sequences without semiconvection in any phase have unexpectedly turned up, for stars in the mass range 3-30 solar masses, an irregular pattern of blue loops on the H-R diagram during the core helium-burning phase. Blue loops occur for 3 and 10 solar masses, but not for 5, 7, 15, and 30 solar masses. It is found, however, that the models near the bottom of the red supergiant branch are only marginallly stable against small inward displacements of the former base of the outer convection zone when it was deepest, for the stellar mass range 5-15 solar masses. As a consequence, convective envelope overshooting need only penetrate a distance of about 0.3 of a local pressure scale height to promote a delayed blue loop in these particular sequences. In conformity with previous work, the triggering mechanism for the blue loop appears to be proximity of the hydrogen-burning shell to the hydrogen discontinuity at the former base of the outer convection zone.

Stothers, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Dynamics of closed-loop systems containing flexible bodies

An important characteristic of flexible multibody systems containing closed-loop topologies is that the component modes used to describe individual bodies will no longer be independent because of loop closure constraints. Thus, the issue of component modal selection becomes even more complicated. In addition, the foreshortening effect that has been studied extensively in the literature in the context of open-loop topologies will also be present in these constraint equations. Simulation results presented demonstrate the effects of modal selection and foreshortening on the dynamic response of closed-loop flexible systems.

Tadikonda, Sivakumar S. K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Behavior Of Costas Loop In Reception Of Telemetry

Report presents study of behavior of Costas loop in reception of binary non-return-to-zero telemetry signal phase-shift-modulated onto sinusoidal or square-wave subcarrier signal in turn phase-modulated onto carrier signal. Equations describe degradation of performance of Costas loop in terms of phase jitter, conditions causing loss of lock, and other effects. Costas loop used to track telemetry signal with residual carrier in presence of Doppler shift. Performance optimized by suitable choice of bit rate, waveform and frequency of subcarrier, and noise bandwidth of filters in arms of Costas loop.

Nguyen, Tien Manh↗
NASA NTRS1992

The behavior of a Costas loop in the presence of space telemetry signals

When the Costas loop is operated in the presence of a residual carrier space telemetry signal, the loop reconstructs its carrier reference from an input signal whose carrier component is not completely suppressed. The telemetry signal investigated in this work is generated by phase shift-keying the data onto a subcarrier and then phase modulating onto the sinusoidal carrier. The telemetry modulation index, telemetry bit rate, subcarrier waveform, and subcarrier frequency are shown to be the key system parameters that contribute to the performance degradation of a Costas loop. Furthermore, the effect of Doppler shift on the loop is also investigated in this work.

Nguyen, Tien M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Removal of surface loop from stitched composites can improve compression and compression-after-impact strengths

Stitching through-the-thickness (TTT) of composite materials produces a surface loop of yarn between successive penetrations. The surface loop is pressed into the surface layers of the composite material during the curing of the laminate, kinking the in-plane fibers near the surface of the material. The compression strength and compression-after-impact (CAI) strengths of carbon-epoxy specimens were measured with and without the surface loop. Removal of the surface loop had no influence on failure mode or failure mechanism, but did significantly increase the compression and CAI strengths.

Farley, Gary L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for free-space laser communications with heterodyne detection

Several advantages of coherent free-space optical communications are outlined. Theoretical analysis is formulated for an OPLL disturbed by shot noise, modulation noise, and frequency noise consisting of a white component, a 1/f component, and a 1/f-squared component. Each of the noise components is characterized by its associated power spectral density. It is shown that the effect of modulation depends only on the ratio of loop bandwidth and data rate, and is negligible for an OPLL with loop bandwidth smaller than one fourth the data rate. Total phase error variance as a function of loop bandwidth is displayed for several values of carrier signal to noise ratio. Optimal loop bandwidth is also calculated as a function of carrier signal to noise ratio. An OPLL experiment is performed, where it is shown that the measured phase error variance closely matches the theoretical predictions.

Win, Moe Z.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Loop transfer recovery for general nonminimum phase discrete time systems. I - Analysis

A complete analysis of loop transfer recovery (LTR) for general nonstrictly proper, not necessarily minimum phase discrete time systems is presented. Three different observer-based controllers, namely, `prediction estimator' and full or reduced-order type `current estimator' based controllers, are used. The analysis corresponding to all these three controllers is unified into a single mathematical framework. The LTR analysis given here focuses on three fundamental issues: (1) the recoverability of a target loop when it is arbitrarily given, (2) the recoverability of a target loop while taking into account its specific characteristics, and (3) the establishment of necessary and sufficient conditions on the given system so that it has at least one recoverable target loop transfer function or sensitivity function. Various differences that arise in LTR analysis of continuous and discrete systems are pointed out.

Chen, Ben M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Loop heating by D.C. electric current and electromagnetic wave emissions simulated by 3-D EM particle zone

We have shown that a current-carrying plasma loop can be heated by magnetic pinch driven by the pressure imbalance between inside and outside the loop, using a 3-dimensional electromagnetic (EM) particle code. Both electrons and ions in the loop can be heated in the direction perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field, therefore the perpendicular temperature can be increased about 10 times compared with the parallel temperature. This temperature anisotropy produced by the magnetic pinch heating can induce a plasma instability, by which high-frequency electromagnetic waves can be excited. The plasma current which is enhanced by the magnetic pinch can also excite a kinetic kink instability, which can heat ions perpendicular to the magnetic field. The heating mechanism of ions as well as the electromagnetic emission could be important for an understanding of the coronal loop heating and the electromagnetic wave emissions from active coronal regions.

Sakai, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The possible role of high-frequency waves in heating solar coronal loops

We investigate the role of high-frequency waves in the heating of solar active region coronal loops. We assume a uniform background magnetic field, and we introduce a density stratification in a direction perpendicular to this field. We focus on ion compressive viscosity as the damping mechanism of the waves. We incorporate viscosity self-consistently into the equations, and we derive a dispersion relation by adopting a slab model, where the density inside the slab is greater than that outside. Such a configuration supports two types of modes: surface waves and trapped body waves. In order to determine under what conditions these waves may contribute to the heating of active regions, we solve our dispersion relation for a range of densities, temperatures, magnetic field strengths, density ratios, wavevector magnitudes, wavevector ratios, and slab widths. We find that surface waves exhibit very small damping, but body waves can potentially damp at rates needed to balance radiative losses. However, the required frequencies of these body waves are very high. For example, the wave frequency must be at least 5.0/s for a slab density of 10(exp 9,5)/cc, a slab temperature of 10(exp 6,5) K, a field strength of 100 G, and a density ratio of 5. For a slab density of 10(exp 10)/cc, this frequency increases to 8.8/s. Although these frequencies are very high, there in no observational evidence to rule out their existence, and they may be generated both below the corona and at magnetic reconnection sites in the corona. However, we do find that, for slab densities of 10(exp 10)/cc or less, the dissipation of high-frequency waves will be insufficient to balance the radiative losses if the magnetic field strength exceeds roughly 200 G. Because the magnetic field is known to exceed 200 G in many active region loops, particularly low-lying loops and loops emanating from sunspots, it is unlikely that high-frequency waves can provide sufficient heating in these regions.

Porter, Lisa J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Study of nonlinear MHD equations governing the wave propagation in twisted coronal loops

The solar corona, modelled by a low beta, resistive plasma slab, sustains MHD wave propagations due to shearing footpoint motions in the photosphere. By using a numerical algorithm the excitation and nonlinear development of MHD waves in twisted coronal loops are studied. The plasma responds to the footpoint motion by sausage waves if there is no twist. The twist in the magnetic field of the loop destroys initially developed sausage-like wave modes and they become kinks. The transition from sausage to kink modes is analyzed. The twist brings about mode degradation producing high harmonics and this generates more complex fine structures. This can be attributed to several local extrema in the perturbed velocity profiles. The Alfven wave produces remnants of the ideal 1/x singularity both for zero and non-zero twist and this pseudo-singularity becomes less pronounced for larger twist. The effect of nonlinearity is clearly observed by changing the amplitude of the driver by one order of magnitude. The magnetosonic waves also exhibit smoothed remnants of ideal logarithmic singularities when the frequency of the driver is correctly chosen. This pseudo-singularity for fast waves is absent when the coronal loop does not undergo any twist but becomes pronounced when twist is included. On the contrary, it is observed for slow waves even if there is no twist. Increasing the twist leads to a higher heating rate of the loop. The larger twist shifts somewhat uniformly distributed heating to layers inside the slab corresponding to peaks in the magnetic field strength.

Parhi, S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A Far-Ultraviolet Study of the Cygnus Loop Using the VOYAGER Ultraviolet Spectrometers

We have used the Voyager 1 and 2 Ultraviolet Spectrometers to study the far-ultraviolet emissions from different types of shock waves in the Cygnus Loop. In the southeast and northern parts of the supernova remnant (SNR), we have measured the O(VI) lambda1035 surface brightness from the main blast wave. This value is several times below the average and more than one order of magnitude below the peak O(VI) brightness in the SNR as measured with Voyager. A simple blast wave model appears able to reproduce the observations in the southeast and the northern parts of the Cygnus Loop but can only account for 10%-15% of the total O(VI) emission from the Cygnus Loop. The brightest O(VI) and C(III) lambda977 emission is found coincident with optical filamentation and X-ray enhancements in the northeast. We interpret the observations in the northeast in terms of nonradiative and incomplete shocks whose surface area rises in the optical filamentary regions. We conclude that the bulk of the O(VI) emission from the Cygnus Loop arises from optically bright clouds within which intermediate-velocity (200 + 50 km/s) nonradiative and incomplete shocks are widespread.

Vancura, Olaf↗
NASA NTRS1996

Closed-Loop System Identification Experience for Flight Control Law and Flying Qualities Evaluation of a High Performance Fighter Aircraft

This paper highlights some of the results and issues associated with estimating models to evaluate control law design methods and design criteria for advanced high performance aircraft. Experimental fighter aircraft such as the NASA-High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) have the capability to maneuver at very high angles of attack where nonlinear aerodynamics often predominate. HARV is an experimental F/A-18, configured with thrust vectoring and conformal actuated nose strakes. Identifying closed-loop models for this type of aircraft can be made difficult by nonlinearities and high order characteristics of the system. In this paper, only lateral-directional axes are considered since the lateral-directional control law was specifically designed to produce classical airplane responses normally expected with low-order, rigid-body systems. Evaluation of the control design methodology was made using low-order equivalent systems determined from flight and simulation. This allowed comparison of the closed-loop rigid-body dynamics achieved in flight with that designed in simulation. In flight, the On Board Excitation System was used to apply optimal inputs to lateral stick and pedals at five angles at attack : 5, 20, 30, 45, and 60 degrees. Data analysis and closed-loop model identification were done using frequency domain maximum likelihood. The structure of identified models was a linear state-space model reflecting classical 4th-order airplane dynamics. Input time delays associated with the high-order controller and aircraft system were accounted for in data preprocessing. A comparison of flight estimated models with small perturbation linear design models highlighted nonlinearities in the system and indicated that the closed-loop rigid-body dynamics were sensitive to input amplitudes at 20 and 30 degrees angle of attack.

Murphy, Patrick C.↗
NASA NTRS1998

An Experimental Study of Pressure Oscillation in a Capillary Pumped Loop with Multiple Evaporators and Condensers

The heat transport capability of a capillary pumped loop (CPL) is limited by the pressure drop that its evaporator wick can sustain. The pressure drop in a CPL is not constant even under seemingly steady operation, but rather exhibits an oscillatory behavior. A hydrodynamic theory based on a mass-spring-dashpot model was previously developed to predict the pressure oscillation in a CPL with a single evaporator and a single condenser. The theory states that the pressure oscillation is a function of physical dimensions of the CPL components and operating conditions. Experimental data agreed very well with theoretical predictions. The hydrodynamic stability theory has recently been extended to predict the pressure oscillations in CPLs with multiple evaporators and multiple condensers. Concurrently, an experimental study was conducted to verify the theory and to investigate the effects of various parameters on the pressure oscillation. Four evaporators with different wick properties were tested using a test loop containing two condenser plates. The test loop allowed the four evaporators to be tested in a single-pump, two-pump or four-pump configuration, and the two condenser plates to be plumbed either in parallel or in series. Test conditions included varying the power input, the reservoir set point temperature, the condenser sink temperature, and the flow resistance between the reservoir and the loop. Experimental results agreed well with theoretical predictions.

Ku, Jen-Tung↗
NASA NTRS1998

Testing of the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) Prototype Loop Heat Pipe

This paper describes the testing of the prototype loop heat pipe (LHP) for the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS). The primary objective of the test program was to verify the loop's heat transport and temperature control capabilities under conditions pertinent to GLAS applications. Specifically, the LHP had to demonstrate a heat transport capability of 100 W, with the operating temperature maintained within +/-2K while the condenser sink was subjected to a temperature change between 273K and 283K. Test results showed that this loop heat pipe was more than capable of transporting the required heat load and that the operating temperature could be maintained within +/-2K. However, this particular integrated evaporator-compensation chamber design resulted in an exchange of energy between the two that affected the overall operation of the system. One effect was the high temperature the LHP was required to reach before nucleation would begin due to inability to control liquid distribution during ground testing. Another effect was that the loop had a low power start-up limitation of approximately 25 W. These Issues may be a concern for other applications, although it is not expected that they will cause problems for GLAS under micro-gravity conditions.

Douglas, Donya↗
NASA NTRS1998

Mathematical Modeling of Loop Heat Pipes

The primary focus of this study is to model steady-state performance of a Loop Heat Pipe (LHP). The mathematical model is based on the steady-state energy balance equations at each component of the LHP. The heat exchange between each LHP component and the surrounding is taken into account. Both convection and radiation environments are modeled. The loop operating temperature is calculated as a function of the applied power at a given loop condition. Experimental validation of the model is attempted by using two different LHP designs. The mathematical model is tested at different sink temperatures and at different elevations of the loop. Tbc comparison of the calculations and experimental results showed very good agreement (within 3%). This method proved to be a useful tool in studying steady-state LHP performance characteristics.

Kaya, Tarik↗
NASA NTRS1999

Closed-Loop System Identification Experience for Flight Control Law and Flying Qualities Evaluation of a High Performance Fighter Aircraft

This paper highlights some of the results and issues associated with estimating models to evaluate control law design methods and design criteria for advanced high performance aircraft. Experimental fighter aircraft such as the NASA High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) have the capability to maneuver at very high angles of attack where nonlinear aerodynamics often predominate. HARV is an experimental F/A-18, configured with thrust vectoring and conformal actuated nose strakes. Identifying closed-loop models for this type of aircraft can be made difficult by nonlinearities and high-order characteristics of the system. In this paper only lateral-directional axes are considered since the lateral-directional control law was specifically designed to produce classical airplane responses normally expected with low-order, rigid-body systems. Evaluation of the control design methodology was made using low-order equivalent systems determined from flight and simulation. This allowed comparison of the closed-loop rigid-body dynamics achieved in flight with that designed in simulation. In flight, the On Board Excitation System was used to apply optimal inputs to lateral stick and pedals at five angles of attack: 5, 20, 30, 45, and 60 degrees. Data analysis and closed-loop model identification were done using frequency domain maximum likelihood. The structure of the identified models was a linear state-space model reflecting classical 4th-order airplane dynamics. Input time delays associated with the high-order controller and aircraft system were accounted for in data preprocessing. A comparison of flight estimated models with small perturbation linear design models highlighted nonlinearities in the system and indicated that the estimated closed-loop rigid-body dynamics were sensitive to input amplitudes at 20 and 30 degrees angle of attack.

Murphy, Patrick C.↗