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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 361 records · Page 20

Investigation of shock-induced separation of a turbulent boundary layer using laser velocimetry

Boundary-layer measurements realized by laser velocimetry are presented for a Mach 2.9, two-dimensional, shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction containing an extensive region of separated flow. Mean velocity and turbulent intensity profiles were obtained from upstream of the interaction zone to downstream of the mean reattachment point. The superiority of the laser velocimeter technique over pressure sensors in turbulent separated flows is demonstrated by a comparison of the laser velocimeter data with results obtained from local pitot and static pressure measurements for the same flow conditions. The locations of the mean separation and reattachment points as deduced from the mean velocity measurements are compared to oil-flow visualization results. Representative, velocity probability density functions obtained in the separated flow region are also presented. Critical to the success of this investigation were: (1) the use of Bragg cell frequency shifting and (2) artificial seeding of the flow with submicron light-scattering particles.

Modarress, D.↗

Astrodynamics 1975; Conference, Nassau, Bahamas, July 28-30, 1975, Technical Papers

Articles are grouped under four headings: (1) dynamics and control of satellites; (2) satellite mission analysis; (3) Aeros-B and Symphonie satellite engineering problems; (4) optimization and control techniques applied to solar space heating and cooling of buildings. Topics covered include: communications and earth survey satellite systems, a system of two counter-orbiting satellites measuring GRT-predicted nodal drag, statistical mechanics studies of the spatial density function of orbiting space junk, attitude control of satellites, nutation dampers, low thrust inertial guidance and ascent inertial guidance, a shuttle-launched multi-comet intercept mission, preflight and in-flight analysis of the Atmosphere Explorer (AE-C) satellite, and launch-encounter strategy for the Mariner 1977 Jupiter-Saturn mission. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Powers, W. F.↗

Atmospheric turbulence power spectral measurements to long wavelengths for several meteorological conditions

Use of power spectral design techniques for supersonic transports requires accurate definition of atmospheric turbulence in the long wavelength region below the knee of the power spectral density function curve. Examples are given of data obtained from a current turbulence flight sampling program. These samples are categorized as (1) convective, (2) wind shear, (3) rotor, and (4) mountain-wave turbulence. Time histories, altitudes, root-mean-square values, statistical degrees of freedom, power spectra, and integral scale values are shown and discussed.

Rhyne, R. H.↗

X-band atmospheric noise temperature statistics at Goldstone DSS 13, 1975 - 1976

X-band noise temperature data were taken at Goldstone DSS 13 for the period August 1975 through January 1977. A description of the experiment is given along with probability density functions for zenith noise temperature increase during all year quarters and day quarters. Elevation angle modeling of the data is described along with a discussion of the problems associated with relating wide beamwidth statistics to narrow beamwidth antennas.

Slobin, S.↗

Microwave backscattering theory and active remote sensing of the ocean surface

The status is reviewed of electromagnetic scattering theory relative to the interpretation of microwave remote sensing data acquired from spaceborne platforms over the ocean surface. Particular emphasis is given to the assumptions which are either implicit or explicit in the theory. The multiple scale scattering theory developed during this investigation is extended to non-Gaussian surface statistics. It is shown that the important statistic for the case is the probability density function of the small scale heights conditioned on the large scale slopes; this dependence may explain the anisotropic scattering measurements recently obtained with the AAFE Radscat. It is noted that present surface measurements are inadequate to verify or reject the existing scattering theories. Surface measurements are recommended for qualifying sensor data from radar altimeters and scatterometers. Additional scattering investigations are suggested for imaging type radars employing synthetically generated apertures.

Brown, G. S.↗

Bayes estimation on parameters of the single-class classifier

Normal procedures used for designing a Bayes classifier to classify wheat as the major crop of interest require not only training samples of wheat but also those of nonwheat. Therefore, ground truth must be available for the class of interest plus all confusion classes. The single-class Bayes classifier classifies data into the class of interest or the class 'other' but requires training samples only from the class of interest. This paper will present a procedure for Bayes estimation on the mean vector, covariance matrix, and a priori probability of the single-class classifier using labeled samples from the class of interest and unlabeled samples drawn from the mixture density function.

Lin, G. C.↗

A statistical model for telecommunication link design

An evaluation is conducted of the current telecommunication link design technique and a description is presented of an alternative method, called the probability distribution method (PDM), which is free of the disadvantages of the current technique while retaining its advantages. The PDM preserves the simplicity of the design control table (DCT) format. The use of the DCT as a management design control tool is continued. The telecommunication link margin probability density function used presents the probability of achieving any particular value of link performance. It is, therefore, possible to assess the performance risk and other tradeoffs.

Yuen, J. H.↗

Limb-brightening observations from the OSO-7 satellite. II - Comparison of Abel-inverted intensities of Fe XIV and Fe XIII EUV emission lines with predictions

Intensities of Fe XIV and Fe XIII EUV emission lines obtained at coronal locations beyond the limb by the Goddard spectroheliograph on the OSO 7 satellite have been corrected for the wavelength dependence of the instrument's sensitivity and have been Abel-inverted to provide a valid comparison with theoretical predictions for each ion. Details of the Abel-inversion procedure are given, including explicit formulas for application of Bracewell's (1956) method. The intensity ratios of pairs of lines originating from a common level are compared with expected theoretical transition probability ratios over a range of heliocentric distance; deviations in some cases yield information about adjacent unclassified lines. Comparison of the observations with predictions for Fe XIV and Fe XIII shows generally good agreement, with a few interesting discrepancies that may imply a corresponding need for more accurate collisional excitation cross sections. The same comparison yields the variation of electron density with heliocentric radius for each ion separately; the two density functions are found to agree within a factor of three.

Kastner, S. O.↗

Aspects of turbulent combustion

A complete second-order closure program for the investigation of chemically reacting turbulent flowfields is being developed. Many of the turbulence models being used have been developed and tested during previous studies of a variety of incompressible and compressible shear flows. A number of additional scalar correlations have to be modeled for chemically reacting flows, and a 'typical eddy' model has been developed for the joint probability density function for all the scalars. A simpler model in which higher-order scalar correlations are set zero is also being used. The program has been recently extended to multi-species, multi-step chemical reactions. Computations have been performed using the second-order closure program to study the turbulence-chemistry interaction in DF chemical laser flows and in a hydrogen-air diffusion flame. The results demonstrate the importance of the inclusion of the concentration and temperature fluctuation correlations in turbulent reacting flows.

Varma, A. K.↗

Dual frequency correlation radar measurements of the height statistics of ocean waves

A radar technique has been developed for measuring the statistical height properties of a random rough surface. This method is being applied to the problem of measuring the significant wave height and probability density function of ocean waves from an aircraft or spacecraft. Earlier theoretical and laboratory results have been extended to define the requirements and performance limitations of flight systems. Some details of the current airborne radar system are discussed and results obtained on several experimental missions are presented and interpreted.

Weissman, D. E.↗

Optimization of active control systems to suppress flutter and minimize turbulence response

A method for optimizing an active control system which will suppress flutter and minimize the response of a lifting surface to atmospheric turbulence is presented. A mathematical search method is developed which will find a control law which will cause an active control system to flutter at a specified freestream velocity, air density, and Mach number. With the flutter velocity of the system held constant, the control law is then modified in such a way that the peak output power spectral density function of the angular response of a lifting surface (as a result of atmospheric turbulence) is minimized for a specified flight velocity which is less than the flutter velocity. The von Karman generalized power spectrum for the transverse components of turbulence is used in an example problem to increase the flutter velocity and minimize the turbulence response of a simplified delta-wing model which has leading and trailing edge control surfaces.

Rudisill, C. S.↗

Scintillation statistics caused by atmospheric turbulence and speckle in satellite laser ranging

We study the statistics of scintillation at the ground-based receiver for the earth-space-earth retroreflector configuration of satellite laser ranging. These statistics are governed by the joint effects of atmospheric turbulence and speckle produced by the retroreflector array. An expression for the probability density function of scintillation is obtained and evaluated numerically. Comparison of the normalized variance of scintillation calculated by using this function shows good agreement with results obtained by other methods.

Bufton, J. L.↗

Cascaded coherent tracking systems with time-varying channels

A performance analysis is presented of a two-way coherent tracking system (of the type used for spacecraft tracking and navigation) in which the transmitted signals have pass through linear time-varying channels. The performance of the system is characterized by the steady state probability density function of the reduced phase error process in the second tracking loop, the system considered consisting of two first-order phase locked loops in cascade. While the log normal channel, which arises in communication through planetary atmospheres, was used as the channel model, the results can be extended to other channels, such as the Rice and Rayleigh channels.

Weber, W. J., III↗

Random and systematic measurement errors in acoustic impedance as determined by the transmission line method

The effect of random and systematic errors associated with the measurement of normal incidence acoustic impedance in a zero-mean-flow environment was investigated by the transmission line method. The influence of random measurement errors in the reflection coefficients and pressure minima positions was investigated by computing fractional standard deviations of the normalized impedance. Both the standard techniques of random process theory and a simplified technique were used. Over a wavelength range of 68 to 10 cm random measurement errors in the reflection coefficients and pressure minima positions could be described adequately by normal probability distributions with standard deviations of 0.001 and 0.0098 cm, respectively. An error propagation technique based on the observed concentration of the probability density functions was found to give essentially the same results but with a computation time of about 1 percent of that required for the standard technique. The results suggest that careful experimental design reduces the effect of random measurement errors to insignificant levels for moderate ranges of test specimen impedance component magnitudes. Most of the observed random scatter can be attributed to lack of control by the mounting arrangement over mechanical boundary conditions of the test sample.

Parrott, T. L.↗

A second-order closure analysis of turbulent diffusion flames

A complete second-order closure computer program for the investigation of compressible, turbulent, reacting shear layers was developed. The equations for the means and the second order correlations were derived from the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and contain third order and higher order correlations, which have to be modeled in terms of the lower-order correlations to close the system of equations. In addition to fluid mechanical turbulence models and parameters used in previous studies of a variety of incompressible and compressible shear flows, a number of additional scalar correlations were modeled for chemically reacting flows, and a typical eddy model developed for the joint probability density function for all the scalars. The program which is capable of handling multi-species, multistep chemical reactions, was used to calculate nonreacting and reacting flows in a hydrogen-air diffusion flame.

Varma, A. K.↗

Radar scattering laws and wavelength dependence of the lunar surface

Data from Apollo lunar bistatic radar experiments have been processed to give probability density functions for surface slopes. These show best agreement with a Hagfors scattering law, though data having both gaussian and exponential characteristics also exist. Surface roughness estimates range from 4 deg in maria to at least 8 deg in highlands, values which are appropriate to 25 m horizontal scales and which are areal averages over tens of square kilometers. Roughness varies with wavelength, most strongly in maria.

Simpson, R. A.↗

Variation of fan tone steadiness for several inflow conditions

An amplitude probability density function analysis technique for quantifying the degree of fan noise tone steadiness has been applied to data from a fan tested under a variety of inflow conditions. The test conditions included typical static operation, inflow control by a honeycomb/screen device and forward velocity in a wind tunnel simulating flight. The ratio of mean square sinusoidal-to-random signal content in the fundamental and second harmonic tones was found to vary by more than an order-of-magnitude. Some implications of these results concerning the nature of fan noise generation mechanisms are discussed.

Balombin, J. R.↗

Feature selection for best mean square approximation of class densities

A criterion for linear feature selection is proposed which is based on mean square apporximation of class density functions. It is shown that for the widest possible class of approximants, the criterion reduces to Devijver's Bayesian distance. For linear approximants the criterion is equivalent to well known generalized Fisher criteria.

Peters, C.↗