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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 37 records · Page 2

A study and classification of non-linear high frequency ionospheric instabilities by coupled mode theory.

Two basic high-frequency ionospheric instabilities are discussed - i.e., the three-wave parametric interaction, and the oscillating two-stream instability. In the parametric instability, the ion-acoustic wave has a complex frequency, whereas in the oscillating two-stream instability the ion-acoustic frequency is purely imaginary. The parametric instability is shown to be the only one whose threshold depends on the ion collision frequency. A coupled-mode theory is proposed which permits study and classification of high-frequency instabilities on a unified basis.

Harker, K. J.↗

Affect of Brush Seals on Wave Rotor Performance Assessed

The NASA Lewis Research Center's experimental and theoretical research shows that wave rotor topping can significantly enhance gas turbine engine performance levels. Engine-specific fuel consumption and specific power are potentially enhanced by 15 and 20 percent, respectively, in small (e.g., 400 to 700 hp) and intermediate (e.g., 3000 to 5000 hp) turboshaft engines. Furthermore, there is potential for a 3- to 6-percent specific fuel consumption enhancement in large (e.g., 80,000 to 100,000 lbf) turbofan engines. This wave-rotor-enhanced engine performance is accomplished within current material-limited temperature constraints. The completed first phase of experimental testing involved a three-port wave rotor cycle in which medium total pressure inlet air was divided into two outlet streams, one of higher total pressure and one of lower total pressure. The experiment successfully provided the data needed to characterize viscous, partial admission, and leakage loss mechanisms. Statistical analysis indicated that wave rotor product efficiency decreases linearly with the rotor to end-wall gap, the square of the friction factor, and the square of the passage of nondimensional opening time. Brush seals were installed to further minimize rotor passage-to-cavity leakage. The graph shows the effect of brush seals on wave rotor product efficiency. For the second-phase experiment, which involves a four-port wave rotor cycle in which heat is added to the Brayton cycle in an external burner, a one-dimensional design/analysis code is used in conjunction with a wave rotor performance optimization scheme and a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes code. The purpose of the four-port experiment is to demonstrate and validate the numerically predicted four-port pressure ratio versus temperature ratio at pressures and temperatures lower than those that would be encountered in a future wave rotor/demonstrator engine test. Lewis and the Allison Engine Company are collaborating to investigate wave rotor integration in an existing turboshaft engine. Recent theoretical efforts include simulating wave rotor dynamics (e.g., startup and load-change transient analysis), modifying the one-dimensional wave rotor code to simulate combustion internal to the wave rotor, and developing an analytical wave rotor design/analysis tool based on macroscopic balances for parametric wave rotor/engine analysis.

Source record↗

Highly nondegenerate all-resonant optical parametric oscillator

We show that a nondegenerate multi-frequency parametric oscillator has different properties compared with an usual three-wave parametric oscillator. We consider, as an example, a scheme of a resonant cw monolithic microwave-optical parametric oscillator based on high-Q whispering gallery modes excited in a nonlinear dielectric cavity. In this paper we recall main properties of usual three-mode OPO, discuss four-mode OPO, study conditions of generation of a frequency comb in all-resonant OPO with two-frequency optical pumping, and discuss stability of a cavity with moving mirrors.

whispering↗

Electron acceleration by parametrically excited Langmuir waves

Simple physical arguments are used to estimate the downward-going energetic electron flux due to parametrically excited Langmuir waves in ionospheric modification experiments. The acceleration mechanism is a single velocity reversal as seen in the frame of the Langmuir wave. The flux is sufficient to produce the observed ionospheric airglow if focusing-type instabilities are invoked to produce moderate local enhancements of the pump field.

Fejer, J. A.↗

Modulational instability and soliton formation during ionospheric heating

The most intense electric fields during ionospheric heating occur a fraction of a kilometer below the classical reflection point. At this location, the nonlinear evolution of Langmuir waves is studied within the context of the modified Zakharov equations. It is found that the modulational instability (oscillating two-stream instability) is more important than the three-wave parametric decay instability, leading to the rapid formation of solitons.

Payne, G. L.↗

The plasma wave environment of an auroral arc. III - VLF hiss

Auroral hiss in the vicinity of a quiet arc is studied by comparing the data obtained from a sounding rocket with predictions of the convective beam amplification (CBA) model of auroral hiss generation. It is concluded that the VLF auroral hiss observed by the payload appears to have been natural in origin. The CBA model produces predicted hiss spectra that are in good agreement with the data. The hiss intensity above the ionosphere was greater equatorward of the arc than within the arc; this pattern appears to be the result of emission geometry and refraction. Hiss intensity was not found to be better correlated with 0.1-0.7 keV fluxes than with more energetic electrons. No evidence is found for a three-wave parametric decay process. The data are consistent with a weak hiss source located at an altitude of 110-120 km.

Bering, E. A.↗

Toward Large Field-of-view X-ray Spectrometers with Magnetic Microcalorimeters

A future X-ray telescope mission like Lynx, a X-ray flagship mission concept, requires a large field of view, high energy resolution, and high spatial resolution. The Magnetic Microcalorimeter (MMC) detectors we are developing for such a mission feature a 5-arcminute field of view, approximately 100,000 pixels, each spanning 0.5–1 arcsecond. These detectors require the readout of 8,000 sensors. Three different array types have been designed to meet scientific goals, two of which utilize thermal multiplexing to reduce the number of readout channels in a scheme called “Hydra.” We are currently fabricating detectors on a recently completed buried wiring wafer with connections to every sensor. The sensors are read out using a microwave multiplexer (μMUX) with flux ramp modulation. A single μMUX can read out approximately 1,000 sensors with only two feed lines. We will report on the test of the first two-dimensional μMUX chip, consisting of 78 resonators. μMUX chips that pass screening will be directly bonded to MMC array chips using indium bump bonding. In parallel, we have tested a kinetic inductance traveling wave parametric amplifier (KI-TWPA) to amplify signals at low temperatures. The KI-TWPA exhibits extremely low internal noise, approaching the standard quantum limit. Since the energy resolution of an MMC is primarily limited by the readout system, the KI-TWPA is an ideal amplifier for MMCs with μMUX readout. We recently measured the readout noise of a μMUX with a KI-TWPA, demonstrating its capability for reading out MMC arrays. We present the design and fabrication of the latest MMC detectors, along with its readout performance.

Magntic Microcalorimeters↗

Small scale turbulence in the Crab Nebula: Evidence of lower hybrid parametric instabilities driven by the pulsar wave

Strong small scale turbulence is observed in the Crab Nebula from the temporal pulse broadening data. It is shown that the strong 30 Hz pulsar wave can parametrically excite instabilities near the lower hybrid frequency in the thermal plasma of the Crab Nebula with a characteristic wavelength of the order of the scale size a of the turbulence observed. These instabilities provided a coupling mechanism between the pulsar wave and the Nebula plasma.

Lee, L. C.↗

Excitation of parametric instabilities by radio waves in the ionosphere.

The excitation of parametric instabilities by radio waves in a magnetoplasma is discussed. A uniform medium is assumed and linear approximations are used. Excitation by a pump wave of ordinary polarization is hardly affected by the magnetic field. Low or zero frequency ion waves and high frequency Langmuir waves are excited simultaneously. For an extraordinary pump wave, the excited high frequency electrostatic waves are in the Bernstein mode. The threshold is slightly higher and excitation can occur only within certain 'allowed' frequency bands. A new type of parametric instability in which the excited waves are electromagnetic in nature and which is more strongly affected by the inhomogeneous nature of the medium is discussed qualitatively.

Fejer, J. A.↗

Parametric Instabilities Of Alfven Waves

Report presents theoretical study of parametric instabilities of finite-amplitude, circularly-polarized Alfven waves in plasma having pressure anisotropy. Waves studied are observed in solar wind and conjectured to exist in interstellar and other cosmic plasmas.

Hamabata, Hiromitsu↗

On the use of parametric differentiation to predict weak shock waves

The method of parametric differentiation is shown to be an effective means to transform both the time-linearized and the fully nonlinear transonic small disturbance potential flow equations to a linear system of equations. The globally linearized equations are then solved in phase space by finite difference methods and integral equation methods. The predicted birth, growth, and motion of weak shock waves in two-dimensional transonic flows are compared with existing theory and experiment.

Harris, W. L.↗

Wave effects on ocean-ice interaction in the marginal ice zone

The effects of wave train on ice-ocean interaction in the marginal ice zone are studied through numerical modeling. A coupled two-dimensional ice-ocean model has been developed to include wave effects and wind stress for the predictions of ice edge dynamics. The sea ice model is coupled to the reduced-gravity ocean model through interfacial stresses. The main dynamic balance in the ice momentum is between water-ice stress, wind stress, and wave radiation stresses. By considering the exchange of momentum between waves and ice pack through radiation stress for decaying waves, a parametric study of the effects of wave stress and wind stress on ice edge dynamics has been performed. The numerical results show significant effects from wave action. The ice edge is sharper, and ice edge meanders form in the marginal ice zone owing to forcing by wave action and refraction of swell system after a couple of days. Upwelling at the ice edge and eddy formation can be enhanced by the nonlinear effects of wave action; wave action sharpens the ice edge and can produce ice meandering, which enhances local Ekman pumping and pycnocline anomalies. The resulting ice concentration, pycnocline changes, and flow velocity field are shown to be consistent with previous observations.

Liu, Antony K.↗

Surface Instability of Liquid Propellants in Microgravity During Pulsed Settling Operations

Pulsing reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, vent valves, or other propulsion devices can preserve propellant resources in space, but this operation also effectively introduces a vibration to the vehicle. When the vibration is perpendicular to the liquid propellant surface, Faraday waves may be generated at the liquid-vapor interface. These Faraday instabilities can perturb or break up the liquid surface of cryogenic tanks, leading to inefficiencies in thermal management or even ullage collapse. Drawing from theory and experiments, an engineering model defining the allowable design regions for pulsed settling in microgravity was assembled and verified with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A traditional settling metric, the Bond number, was also overlaid in the model to indicate which duty cycles were insufficient to overcome surface tension and aggregate propellant. Mission planners and engineers can consult the tool to rapidly evaluate the stability of a liquid-vapor interface given the pulse frequency and the excitation acceleration. Expressions developed for Faraday waves induced by a sinusoidal forcing input at standard gravity were found to provide excellent predictive capabilities for pulsed, or rectangular, waveforms in the absence of a consistent gravitational acceleration. This study extends the usage of these equations to an alternative forcing function and microgravity environments for the purpose of estimating natural frequencies, surface mode shapes, surface wave amplitudes, and the onset of droplet ejection. CFD simulations with the Loci/STREAM-VoF (Volume of Fluid) solver were initially validated against experimental results in standard gravity. Discrete points on the design map were then investigated with CFD and confirmed that the engineering model reliably indicates surface stability and most Faraday wave characteristics without requiring higher-fidelity tools. The engineering model is highly extensible and can be adapted for various propellant fill fractions, fluid properties, and tank sizes.

Faraday Waves↗

Surface Instability of Liquid Propellants in Microgravity During Pulsed Settling Operations

Pulsing reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, vent valves, or other propulsion devices can preserve propellant resources in space, but this operation also effectively introduces a vibration to the vehicle. When the vibration is perpendicular to the liquid propellant surface, Faraday waves may be generated at the liquid-vapor interface. These Faraday instabilities can perturb or break up the liquid surface of cryogenic tanks, leading to inefficiencies in thermal management or even ullage collapse. Drawing from theory and experiments, an engineering model defining the allowable design regions for pulsed settling in microgravity was assembled and verified with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A traditional settling metric, the Bond number, was also overlaid in the model to indicate which duty cycles were insufficient to overcome surface tension and aggregate propellant. Mission planners and engineers can consult the tool to rapidly evaluate the stability of a liquid-vapor interface given the pulse frequency and the excitation acceleration. Expressions developed for Faraday waves induced by a sinusoidal forcing input at standard gravity were found to provide excellent predictive capabilities for pulsed, or rectangular, waveforms in the absence of a consistent gravitational acceleration. This study extends the usage of these equations to an alternative forcing function and microgravity environments for the purpose of estimating natural frequencies, surface mode shapes, surface wave amplitudes, and the onset of droplet ejection. CFD simulations with the Loci/STREAM-VoF (Volume of Fluid) solver were initially validated against experimental results in standard gravity. Discrete points on the design map were then investigated with CFD and confirmed that the engineering model reliably indicates surface stability and most Faraday wave characteristics without requiring higher-fidelity tools. The engineering model is highly extensible and can be adapted for various propellant fill fractions, fluid properties, and tank sizes.

Faraday Waves↗