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At least 397 records · Page 22

O VI absorption in interstellar cloud surfaces

The velocity profiles of O VI absorption lines of 24 stars, observed in early Copernicus surveys, have been compared with the line profiles of Si III (1206.51 A) and N II (1083.99 A). The velocity structures of the O VI lines appear to be correlated with those of the material in the lower ionization stages. It is argued that the O VI absorption arises in the coronal gas of the conductive interface between hot gas, responsible for extended, soft X-ray emission, and cooler interstellar clouds. The velocity broadening of both sets of lines is attributed to motions of the cloud surfaces induced by pressure fluctuations in the interstellar medium.

Cowie, L. L.↗

Reentry-F Flowfield Solutions at 80,000 ft.

Three equilibrium-air numerical solutions are presented for the Reentry-F flight-test vehicle at Mach 20, 80,000 Ft. conditions, including turbulent flow predictions. The three solutions are from a thin-layer Navier-Stokes code, coupled thin-layer and parabolized Navier-Stokes codes, and an approximate viscous shock-layer code. Boundary-layer and shock-layer profiles are presented and compared between the three solutions, revealing close agreement between the three solution methods. Notable exceptions to the close agreement, with 7-10 percent discrepancies, occur in the density profiles at the boundary-layer edge, in the boundary-layer velocity profiles, and in the shock-layer profiles in regions influenced by the nose bluntness.

Wood, William A.↗

Connecting the Low to High Corona: Propagating Disturbances as Tracers of the Near-Sun Solar Wind

We revisit a quiet 14 day period of solar minimum during 2008 January and track substreamer propagating disturbances (PDs) from low heights in STEREO/EUVI to the extended corona through STEREO/COR1 and into STEREO/COR2 along nonradial paths that trace the structure of the underlying streamers. Using our recently developed method for generating nonradial height–time profiles of outward PDs (OPDs) and inward PDs (IPDs), we obtained their velocities along the radial and position angle directions. Our analysis of 417 unique OPDs revealed two classes: slow and fast OPDs. Slow OPDs form preferentially at ≈1.6 Re closer to the streamer boundaries, with asymmetric occurrence rates, and show speeds of -+ - 16.4 km s 8.4 26.6 1 at 1.5 Re and accelerate up to- + - 200.1 km s 57.9 71.1 1 at 7.5 Re. Fast OPDs form preferentially at ≈1.6 Re and at ≈3.0 Re both at the streamer boundaries and slightly more often within them. They show speeds of - + - 87.8 km s 24.8 59.1 1 at 1.5 Re up to -+ - 197.8 km s 46.7 61.8 1 at 7.5 Re. IPDs are observed forming at ≈1.8 Re with speeds of tens of kilometers per second, mostly concentrated in the aftermath of a coronal mass ejection eruption. We present an example in which we show that periodic brightness variations related to OPDs remained in the range of 98 to 128 minutes, down to ≈2.0 Re, well within the field of view of COR1. The velocity profiles of slow OPDs for a heliocentric height below 3.0 Re show good agreement with speeds more closely related to the bulk solar wind obtained via interplanetary scintillation.

Astronomical techniques↗

Flight effects on the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of inverted profile coannular nozzles, volume 1

Jet noise spectra obtained at static conditions from an acoustic wind tunnel and an outdoor facility are compared. Data curves are presented for (1) the effect of relative velocity on OASPL directivity (all configurations); (2) the effect of relative velocity on noise spectra (all configurations); (3) the effect of velocity on PNL directivity (coannular nozzle configurations); (4) nozzle exhaust plume velocity profiles; and (5) the effect of relative velocity on aerodynamic performance.

Kozlowski, H.↗

Axial vane-type swirler performance characteristics

The performance of an axial vane-type swirler was investigated to aid in computer modeling of gas turbine combustor flowfields and in evaluation of turbulence models for swirling confined jet flow. The swirler studied is annular with a hub-to-swirler diameter ratio of 0.25 and ten adjustable vanes of pitch-to-chord ratio 0.68. Measurements of time-mean axial, radial, and tangential velocities were made at the swirler exit plane using a five-hole pitot probe technique with computer data reduction. Nondimensionalized velocities from both radial and azimuthal traverses are tabulated and plotted for a range of swirl vane angles phi from 0 to 70 degrees. A study was done of idealized exit-plane velocity profiles relating the swirl numbers S and S' to the ratio of maximum swirl and axial velocities for each idealized case, and comparing the idealized swirl numbers with ones calculated from measured profiles.

Sander, G. F.↗

Atmospheric Boundary-Layer and Flutter Computations Using CFD Model of the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel

This paper presents two Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models of the flow in the NASA Langley Research Center Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The TDT is a continuous-flow, closed circuit wind tunnel with a 16- by 16-foot slotted test section with cropped corners. The tunnel was originally built as the 19-ft Pressure Tunnel in 1938, but it was converted to the current transonic tunnel in the 1950s, with capabilities to use either air or heavy gas as the test medium. The first computational model describes the generation of an atmospheric-boundary-layer (ABL) profile inside the tunnel. An ABL, which includes both a wind profile and turbulence content, is one of the aerodynamic characteristics affecting the occurrence of wind-induced oscillations for a launch vehicle sitting on a pad. The challenging part of this analysis was modeling the turbulent flow inside the tunnel. This is due to the special ABL-generating hardware that was installed at the entrance of the TDT test section in order to change the downstream velocity profile and to introduce velocity fluctuations into the flow. The second CFD model builds on the computational aeroelastic results that were generated in support of the second Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW) for the NASA Benchmark Supercritical Wing (BSCW) configuration. During the AePW, the wing-only configuration (classical free-air model) was analyzed. In the current study, the flutter computations were conducted on the configuration as it was mounted in the TDT during the experiment. This includes the wing attached to the splitter plate that was attached to the wind-tunnel walls. The preliminary results show that the wind-tunnel walls marginally affect flutter prediction.

Pawel Chwalowski↗

Evaluation of experimental flow properties in the wake of a Viking '75 entry vehicle.

An experimental investigation has been conducted to obtain the flow properties in the wake of a model of the Viking '75 entry vehicle. Data are presented for the model at several angles of attack at free-stream Mach numbers from 0.2 to 3.95. The characteristics of the wake flow field are discussed and results are shown to demonstrate the significant variation of wake center-line flow properties in the transonic speed range, the shift in wake profiles with change in angle of attack, and the similarity exhibited by the velocity profiles across the wake.

Campbell, J. F.↗

Study of natural convection and interface shape in directional solidification of succinonitrile

Flow visualization experiments in a Bridgman furnace at zero growth velocity have been performed. The experiments were intended to investigate if the photochromic dye activation method could be used in a crystal growth study. The results from this work have confirmed that with a carefully designed experimental setup, the photochromic-dye method permits qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the flow field near the interface in crystal growth experiments. For the horizontal orientation of a 6 mm x 6 mm ampoule and an axial temperature gradient of 26.5 C/cm, velocity profiles have been obtained accurately at various positions near the interface. The maximum velocity of 1.29 mm/sec was measured in the central vertical plane and the flow was symmetrical about that plane. A flow inversion point was also noted, above which the flow was towards the interface and below it, away from the interface. The results obtained are useful for validating 3-dimensional numerical models and establishing a link between the macroscopic processing conditions and the formation of crystalline defects.

Kawaji, M.↗

Acoustic Absorption Characteristics of an Orifice With a Mean Bias Flow

The objective of the study reported here was to acquire acoustic and flow data for numerical validation of impedance models that simulate bias flow through perforates. The impedance model is being developed by researchers at High Technology Corporation. This report documents normal incidence impedance measurements a singular circular orifice with mean flow passing through it. All measurements are made within a 1.12 inch (28.5 mm) diameter impedance tube. The mean flow is introduced upstream of the orifice (with the flow and incident sound wave travelling in the same direction) with an anechoic termination downstream of the orifice. Velocity profiles are obtained upstream of the orifice to characterize the inflow boundary conditions. Velocity in the center of the orifice is also obtained. All velocity measurements are made with a hot wire anemometer and subsequent checked with mass flow measurements made concurrently. All impedance measurements are made using the Two-Microphone Method. Although we have left the analysis of the data to the developers of the impedance models that simulate bias flow through perforate, our initial examination indicates that our results follow the trends consistent with published theory on impedance of perforates with a steady bias flow.

Ahuja, K. K.↗

A critical evaluation of the predictions of the NASA-Lockheed multielement airfoil computer program

Theoretical predictions of several versions of the multielement airfoil computer program are evaluated. The computed results are compared with experimental high lift data of general aviation airfoils with a single trailing edge flap, and of airfoils with a leading edge flap and double slotted trailing edge flaps. Theoretical and experimental data include lift, pitching moment, profile drag and surface pressure distributions, boundary layer integral parameters, skin friction coefficients, and velocity profiles.

Brune, G. W.↗

An experimental study of the fluid mechanics associated with porous walls

The fluid mechanics associated with the blowing phenomenon from porous walls is measured and characterized. The measurements indicate that the flow exiting a porous wall exhibits a lumpy velocity profile caused by the coalescence effects of smaller jets emerging from the surface. The velocity variations are spatially stable and prevail even at low flow rates. The intensity of this pseudoturbulence is found to be directly proportional to the filter rating of the porous wall and to increase linearly with the mean velocity. Beyond a critical mean velocity, the pseudoturbulence intensity shows a leveling trend with increase in the mean velocity. This critical velocity varies inversely as the filter rating and represents the onset of fully developed jetting action in the flow field. Based on the data, a more appropriate length scale for the flow field is proposed and a correlation is developed that can be used to predict the onset of fully developed jets in the flow emerging from a porous wall.

Ramachandran, N.↗

Trailing Vortex Measurements in the Wake of a Hovering Rotor Blade with Various Tip Shapes

This work examined the wake aerodynamics of a single helicopter rotor blade with several tip shapes operating on a hover test stand. Velocity field measurements were conducted using three-component laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The objective of these measurements was to document the vortex velocity profiles and then extract the core properties, such as the core radius, peak swirl velocity, and axial velocity. The measured test cases covered a wide range of wake-ages and several tip shapes, including rectangular, tapered, swept, and a subwing tip. One of the primary differences shown by the change in tip shape was the wake geometry. The effect of blade taper reduced the initial peak swirl velocity by a significant fraction. It appears that this is accomplished by decreasing the vortex strength for a given blade loading. The subwing measurements showed that the interaction and merging of the subwing and primary vortices created a less coherent vortical structure. A source of vortex core instability is shown to be the ratio of the peak swirl velocity to the axial velocity deficit. The results show that if there is a turbulence producing region of the vortex structure, it will be outside of the core boundary. The LDV measurements were supported by laser light-sheet flow visualization. The results provide several benchmark test cases for future validation of theoretical vortex models, numerical free-wake models, and computational fluid dynamics results.

Martin, Preston B.↗

Some experimental observations on circulating currents in a crossed field plasma accelerator

Experiments on a thermally ionized argon plasma suggest that applying a Lorentz force by means of orthogonal electric and magnetic fields to an electrically conducting fluid flow imposes necessary but not sufficient conditions for acceleration. There are, in fact, many combinations of current and magnetic field which cause decelerations of the fluid. The deceleration arises from a retarding force which may be larger than the applied Lorentz force. The retarding force causing the deceleration is a consequence of currents circulating completely within the fluid. These currents arise from differences in velocity between the central and wall regions of the duct which interact with the imposed magnetic field to produce differences in induced voltages. The observed physical effects of the circulating currents cause a loss in velocity in the central region of the duct, an increase in thermal energy in the sidewall region, and little change in thermal energy near the electrode wall region. For similar velocity profiles, the adverse effects appear to be related to the product of electrical conductivity and velocity, and performance as an accelerator appears to be controlled by the Hoffman loading parameter (i.e., the ratio of the applied to the induced currents).

Jedlicka, J.↗

Martian atmospheric lee waves

Areas of extensive mountain lee wave phenomenon in the northern midlatitudes during late winter are observed in Mariner 9 television pictures of Mars. The lee wave pattern is due to the discrete spectrum of waves generated by a crater ridge in an airstream. The cloud patterns resulting from the waves generated by the flow across a mountain or crater are dependent on the velocity profile of the airstream and the vertical stability of the atmosphere. A two-layer velocity model of the airstream is used in calculations based on the theory of mountain lee waves. Regardless of the simple model used for the airstream, the calculations appear to be capable of reproducing the observed wave patterns. The many observations of lee waves suggest that the near surface wind speeds as implied by the lower stream velocities do not greatly exceed, and most of the time are less than, 40 m/sec in the northern midlatitudes during late winter except possibly on a very localized scale. Results are in agreement with circulation models, especially the Leovy and Mintz (1969) two-layer numerical model.

Pirraglia, J. A.↗

Effect of the properties of a porous coating on boundary layer stability

Drawing off gas from the boundary layer is a well-known method for increasing the stability of boundary layers. The increase in stability is primarily connected with a change in the velocity profile form in the case of suction. On the basis of the assumption that the velocity perturbations on a porous slate do not equal zero, the influence of the properties of a permeable surface upon the boundary layer stability were studied.

Gaponov, S. A.↗

Comparison of velocity estimates from advanced very high resolution radiometer in the Coastal Transition Zone

Two methods of estimating surface velocity vectors from AVHRR data are applied to the same set of images and the results are compared with in situ and altimeter measurements. The first technique utilizes an automated feature-tracking algorithm and the second uses an inversion of the heat equation. The two methods were comparable in their degree of agreement with the in situ data, giving velocity magnitudes that were 30 to 50 percent less than drifter and acoustic Doppler current profiler velocities measured at 15 to 20 m depth, with rms directional differences of about 60 degrees.

Kelly, Kathryn A.↗

Experimental Evaluation of an Isolated Synthetic Jet IN Crossflow

The second case for this workshop builds upon the isolated synthetic jet of Case 1 by adding a crossflow, with no streamwise pressure gradient, for the developing jet to interact with. Formally, Case 2 examines the interaction of a single, isolated, synthetic jet and a fully turbulent zero-pressure gradient boundary layer. The resulting flow has many of the characteristics that need to be modeled with fidelity if the results of the calculations are to serve as the basis for research and design with active flow control devices. These include the turbulence in the boundary layer, the time-evolution of the large vortical structure emanating from the jet orifice and its subsequent interaction with and distortion by the boundary layer turbulence, and the effect of the suction cycle on the boundary layer flow. In a synthetic jet, the flow through the orifice and out into the outer flowfield alternates between an exhaust and a suction cycle, driven by the contraction and expansion of a cavity internal to the actuator. In the present experiment, the volume changes in the internal cavity are accomplished by replacing one of the rigid walls of the cavity, the wall opposite the orifice exit, with a deformable wall. This flexible wall is driven by a bottom-mounted moveable piston. The piston is driven electro-mechanically. The synthetic jet issues into the external flow through a circular orifice. In the present experiment, this orifice has a diameter of 0.250 inches (6.35 mm). The flow is conceptually similar to that documented in Schaeffler [1]. To document the flow, several measurement techniques were utilized. The upstream boundary conditions (in-flow conditions), and several key phase-averaged velocity profiles were measured with a 3-component laser-Doppler velocimetry system. Phase-averaged velocity field measurements were made with both stereo digital particle image velocimetry and 2-D digital particle image velocimetry as the primary measurement system. Surface pressure measurements were made utilizing an electronically scanned pressure system.

Schaeffler, Norman W.↗

Gas turbine combustor insensitive to compressor outlet distortion

Short-length annular combustor for turbojet engines eliminates change of exit temperature profile. Individual scoops of full annular height control air distribution so that shifts in the radial velocity profile of air entering the combustor will not affect combustion process or alter exit temperature profile.

Humenik, F.↗