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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Ultrasoft X-ray Background Observations of the Local Interstellar Medium

Preliminary results from a May 8, 1984 sounding rocket survey of the soft X-ray background are presented. The X-ray detectors are sensitive to X-rays in three soft X-ray bandpasses: 80 to 110 eV, 90 to 188 eV, and 284 to 532 eV (at 20% of peak response). The lowest energy X-rays in this range have a mean free path of order 10 to the 19th power/sq cm and provide information about the local interstellar medium. The count rate in the 80 to 110 eV energy band (the Be band) tracks the 90 to 188 (eV band (the B band) very well, indicating that the same approx. 1 million degree gas that is responsible for the B band emission may be responsible for the bulk of the Be band X-rays as well.

Sanders, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Wavelets, period-doubling, and time-frequency localization with application to organization of convection over the tropical western Pacific

In this paper, preliminary results in using orthogonal and continuous wavelet transform (WT) to identify period doubling and time-frequency localization in both synthetic and real data are presented. First, the Haar WT is applied to synthetic time series derived from a simple nonlinear dynamical system- a first-order quadratic difference equation. Second, the complex Morlet WT is used to study the time-frequency localization of tropical convection based on a high-resolution Japanese Geostationary Meteorological Satellite infrared (IR) radiance dataset. The Haar WT of the synthetic time series indicates the presence and distinct separation of multiple frequencies in a period-doubling sequence. The period-doubling process generates a multiplicity of intermediate frequencies, which are manifested in the nonuniformity in time with respect to the phase of oscillations in the lower frequencies. Wavelet transform also enables the detection of extremely weak signals in high-order subharmonics resulting from the period-doubling bifurcations. These signals are either undetected or considered statistically insignificant by traditional Fourier analysis. The Morlet WT of the IR radiance dataset indicates the presence of multiple timescales, which are localized in both frequency and time. There are two regimes in the variation of IR radiance, corresponding to the wet and dry periods. Multiple timescales, ranging from semidiurnal, diurnal, synoptic, to intraseasonal with embedding structures, are active in the wet regime. In particular, synoptic variability is more prominent during the wet phase of an intensive intraseasonal cycle. These are not only consistent with, but also show more details than, previous findings by using other techniques. The phase-locking relationships among the oscillations with different time-scales suggest that both synoptic and intraseasonal variations may be mixed oscillations due to the interaction of self-excited oscillations in the tropical atmosphere and external forcings such as annual and diurnal solar radiation variations. Both examples show that WT is a powerful tool for analysis of phenomena involving multiscale interactions that exhibit localization in both frequency and time. A discussion on the caveats in the use of WT in geophysical data analysis is also presented.

Weng, Hengyi↗
NASA NTRS1990

Counterrotating prop-fan simulations which feature a relative-motion multiblock grid decomposition enabling arbitrary time-steps

Improvements are presented of a computer algorithm developed for the time-accurate flow analysis of rotating machines. The flow model is a finite volume method utilizing a high-resolution approximate Riemann solver for interface flux definitions. The numerical scheme is a block LU implicit iterative-refinement method which possesses apparent unconditional stability. Multiblock composite gridding is used to orderly partition the field into a specified arrangement of blocks exhibiting varying degrees of similarity. Block-block relative motion is achieved using local grid distortion to reduce grid skewness and accommodate arbitrary time step selection. A general high-order numerical scheme is applied to satisfy the geometric conservation law. An even-blade-count counterrotating unducted fan configuration is chosen for a computational study comparing solutions resulting from altering parameters such as time step size and iteration count. The solutions are compared with measured data.

Janus, J. Mark↗
NASA NTRS1979

The growth of aspherical structure in the universe - Is the Local Supercluster an unusual system

The growth and subsequent collapse of homogeneous ellipsoidal perturbations in a uniform expanding background is considered as a simple model for the formation of large-scale aspherical structures in the observed universe. Numerical calculations of the evolution of such perturbations turn out to be well described by an approximate analytic solution of the equations of motion, and simple relationships are found between the initial shape of a perturbation and its shape and kinematic properties at the time of collapse. Perturbations do not change their shape significantly until they reach a density contrast of order unity. As a result, structures with the kinematic properties of the Local Supercluster should form much more commonly in a low-density universe than in a flat universe. The homogeneity of the local Hubble flow, the motion of the Milky Way with respect to the microwave background, and the flattening of the Local Supercluster can be successfully accounted for by these models, provided that the initial perturbation is sufficiently flattened. Viable models are obtained only if the ratio of the lengths of the two smaller axes of the initial perturbation is at least 3:1 in an Einstein-de Sitter universe or at least 1.8:1 in a universe for which the density parameter (Omega) is of order 0.1, when the protocluster pancakes.

White, S. D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Numerical simulation of boundary layer excitation by surface heating/cooling

The concept of active control of growing disturbances in an unstable compressible flow by using time periodic, localized surface heating is studied numerically. The simulations are calculated by a fourth-order accurate solution of the compressible, laminar Navier-Stokes equations. Fourth-order accuracy is particularly important for this problem because the solution must be computed over many wavelengths. The numerical results demonstrate the growth of an initially small fluctuation into the nonlinear regime where a local breakdown into smaller scale disturbances can be observed. It is shown that periodic surface heating over a small strip can reduce the level of the fluctuation provided that the phase of the heating current is properly chosen.

Bayliss, A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Numerical simulation of boundary-layer excitation by surface heating/cooling

The concept of active control of growing disturbances in an unstable compressible flow by using time periodic, localized surface heating is studied numerically. The simulations are calculated by a fourth-order accurate solution of the compressible, laminar Navier-Stokes equations. Fourth-order accuracy is particularly important for this problem because the solution must be computed over many wavelengths. The numerical results demonstrate the growth of an initially small fluctuation into the nonlinear regime where a local breakdown into smaller scale disturbances can be observed. It is shown that periodic surface heating over a small strip can reduce the level of the fluctuation provided that the phase of the heating current is properly chosen.

Bayliss, A.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) for Non-Pneumatic Tires

Conventional mobility elements, such as pneumatic tires, suffer from a number of issues related to reliability. Two of the more prevalent problems are the high likelihood of single point failure owing to puncture (i.e. flat tire), and loss of efficiency due to reduction in tire pressure over time. In order to overcome these limitations, alternative compliant tire designs not requiring pneumatics have been developed. However, although current designs have significantly reduced the aforementioned issues, they tend to have their own set of limitations. First, non-pneumatic tires designed for high load applications often have restricted envelopment capability, making their performance less than optimal, especially on uneven terrain. Second, tires designed with larger envelopment capability tend to suffer from large amounts of plasticity (permanent deformation) or failure (rupture). Both of these limitations are the direct result of the choice of material being used for the design; conventional metals undergo plastic deformation at low strain while elastomer based designs are often too rigid for the localized deformations needed for high envelopment. Recent advancements at the NASA Glenn research center in a unique class of metals know as shape memory alloys (SMAs) has opened the design space for non-pneumatic compliant tire technologies allowing designs to incorporate orders of magnitude more deformation without damage. The work presented herein highlights the advantages of using SMAs as compared to conventional metals. Additionally, the development of a unique SMA compliant tire design capable of carrying up to 8.9 kN (2000 lbf) with reversible, local deformations on the order of the side wall height will be presented.

Padula, Santo↗
NASA NTRS1975

The geometric approach to sets of ordinary differential equations and Hamiltonian dynamics

The calculus of differential forms is used to discuss the local integration theory of a general set of autonomous first order ordinary differential equations. Geometrically, such a set is a vector field V in the space of dependent variables. Integration consists of seeking associated geometric structures invariant along V: scalar fields, forms, vectors, and integrals over subspaces. It is shown that to any field V can be associated a Hamiltonian structure of forms if, when dealing with an odd number of dependent variables, an arbitrary equation of constraint is also added. Families of integral invariants are an immediate consequence. Poisson brackets are isomorphic to Lie products of associated CT-generating vector fields. Hamilton's variational principle follows from the fact that the maximal regular integral manifolds of a closed set of forms must include the characteristics of the set.

Estabrook, F. B.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LOX/hydrocarbon fuel carbon formation and mixing data analysis

By applying the Priem-Heidmann Generalized-Length vaporization correlation, the computer model developed by the present study predicts the spatial variation of propellant vaporization rate using the injector cold flow results to define the streamtubes. The calculations show that the overall and local propellant vaporization rate and mixture ratio change drastically as the injection element type or the injector operating condition is changed. These results are compared with the regions of carbon formation observed in the photographic combustion testing. The correlation shows that the fuel vaporization rate and the local mixture ratio produced by the injector element have first order effects on the degree of carbon formation.

Fang, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Body-turbulence interaction

The paper reviews the area of body-turbulence interaction with particular emphasis upon the influence of the body upon an incident turublent field. Cases considered include two-dimensional (high and low fineness ratio, porous, and impervious) and three-dimensional bodies in-stream, adjacent to, and attached to walls. Particular physics common to several geometric and incident flow configurations include (1) eddy severing at relatively sharp leading edges, (2) production of vorticity of the opposite sense on bluff bodies, and (3) body region production of control vortices which affect the incident turbulence field for the order of 100 boundary-layer thicknesses downstream. The major local effects of the body upon the incident turbulent field include (1) a blocking effect, (2) influence of the body momentum deficit/near wake, (3) distortion due to the body time-averaged flow field, and (4) unsteady body circulation. The review may be of particular interest for turbulence alteration/control using fixed geometry in applications such as drag reduction, separation control, noise reduction, and augmentor optimization.

Bushnell, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations of ionospheric magnetospheric coupling - DE and Chatanika coincidences

Observations from several experiments on board the Dynamics Explorer 1 and 2 (DE 1 and 2) spacecraft and ground-based radar measurements from the Chatanika radar are combined in order to examine the details of ionospheric/magnetospheric coupling in the local evening sector. DE 1 and DE 2 were in coplanar polar orbits that provided measurements almost simultaneously in time and magnetically coincident with the Chatanika radar from L = 3 to L = 17. The coupling processes are inferred from the density, temperature, composition, and angular distributions of the low-energy plasma observed from the E region of the ionosphere to magnetospheric altitudes of 2.5 earth radii. Plasma characteristics of the plasmasphere, main trough, auroral zone, and polar cap can be studied in this data set. The observations imply that as L increases, the dominant coupling mechanism between the ionosphere and magnetosphere in the measured energy range changes from equilibrium diffusion to perpendicular acceleration and finally to parallel acceleration.

Green, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Novel local symmetries and chiral-symmetry-broken phases in S = 1/2 triangular-lattice Heisenberg model

Using a nonmean-field approach the triangular-lattice S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor couplings is shown undergo an Ising-type phase transition into a chiral-symmetry-broken phase (Kalmeyer-Laughlin-like state) at small T. Removal of next-nearest-neighbor coupling introduces a local Z2 symmetry, thereby suppressing any finite-T chiral order.

Baskaran, G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Summary of interference measurements at selected radio observatories

Results are presented from a series of RF interference (RFI) observations conducted during 1989 and 1990 at selected radio astronomy observatories in order to choose a site for the SETI, where the local and orbital RFI would be as benign as possible for observations of weak electromagnetic signals. These observatories included the DSS13 at Goldstone (California), the Arecibo Observatory (Puerto Rico), the Algonquin Radio Observatory in Ottawa (Canada), the Ohio State University Radio Observatory in Columbus (Ohio), and the NRAO in Green Bank (West Virginia). The observations characterize the RFI environment at these sites from 1 to 10 GHz, using radio astronomy antennas, feeds, and receivers; SETI signal processors; and stand-alone equipment built specifically for this purpose. The results served as part of the basis for the selection (by the NASA SETI Microwave Observing Project) of NRAO as the site of choice for SETI observations.

Tarter, Jill C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Role of pressure diffusion in non-homogeneous shear flows

A non-local model is presented for approximating the pressure diffusion in calculations of turbulent free shear and boundary layer flows. It is based on the solution of an elliptic relaxation equation which enables local diffusion sources to be distributed over lengths of the order of the integral scale. The pressure diffusion model was implemented in a boundary layer code within the framework of turbulence models based on both the kappa-epsilon-(bar)upsilon(exp 2) system of equations and the full Reynolds stress equations. Model computations were performed for mixing layers and boundary layer flows. In each case, the pressure diffusion model enabled the well-known free-stream edge singularity problem to be eliminated. There was little effect on near-wall properties. Computed results agreed very well with experimental and DNS data for the mean flow velocity, the turbulent kinetic energy, and the skin-friction coefficient.

Demuren, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS1997

An Adaptive Flow Solver for Air-Borne Vehicles Undergoing Time-Dependent Motions/Deformations

This report describes a concurrent Euler flow solver for flows around complex 3-D bodies. The solver is based on a cell-centered finite volume methodology on 3-D unstructured tetrahedral grids. In this algorithm, spatial discretization for the inviscid convective term is accomplished using an upwind scheme. A localized reconstruction is done for flow variables which is second order accurate. Evolution in time is accomplished using an explicit three-stage Runge-Kutta method which has second order temporal accuracy. This is adapted for concurrent execution using another proven methodology based on concurrent graph abstraction. This solver operates on heterogeneous network architectures. These architectures may include a broad variety of UNIX workstations and PCs running Windows NT, symmetric multiprocessors and distributed-memory multi-computers. The unstructured grid is generated using commercial grid generation tools. The grid is automatically partitioned using a concurrent algorithm based on heat diffusion. This results in memory requirements that are inversely proportional to the number of processors. The solver uses automatic granularity control and resource management techniques both to balance load and communication requirements, and deal with differing memory constraints. These ideas are again based on heat diffusion. Results are subsequently combined for visualization and analysis using commercial CFD tools. Flow simulation results are demonstrated for a constant section wing at subsonic, transonic, and a supersonic case. These results are compared with experimental data and numerical results of other researchers. Performance results are under way for a variety of network topologies.

Singh, Jatinder↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Formulation of Asymptotic and Exact Boundary Conditions Using Local Operators

In this paper we describe a systematic approach for constructing asymptotic boundary conditions for isotropic wave-like equations using local operators. The conditions take a recursive form with increasing order of accuracy. In three dimensions the recursion terminates and the resulting conditions are exact for solutions which are described by finite combinations of angular spherical harmonics. First, we develop the expansion for the two-dimensional wave equation and construct a sequence of easily implementable boundary conditions. We show that in three dimensions and analogous conditions are again easily implementable in addition to being exact. Also, we provide extensions of these ideas to hyperbolic systems. Namely, Maxwell's equations for TM waves are used to demonstrate the construction. Finally, we provide numerical examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of these conditions for a model problem governed by the wave equation.

Hagstrom, T.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Acceleration Processes in the Cusp -- Observations by the FAST Satellite

The FAST spacecraft has encountered the Earth's cusp regions near its apogee of 4175 km on numerous occasions during its first two and half years of operations. The cusp encounters are identified by their signatures of keV dispersed ion injections of solar wind origin. The FAST instruments reveal a complex microphysics inherent to many, but not all, of the cusp regions encountered by the spacecraft, that often include upgoing ion beams within regions of downgoing electrons that may appear as series of inverted-V features with energies near a few hundred eV. In many instances, upgoing electron beams have also been observed. Intense (> 100 mV/m) spikey DC-coupled electric fields and plasma waves are common features of the cusp encounters which also provide evidence for the presence of such local acceleration processes. In some cases, the FAST data show clear modulation of the precipitating magnetosheath ions indicative that they are affected by local electric potentials, as evidenced by simultaneous electron acceleration within such intervals. Furthermore, the acceleration events are sometimes organized with an apparent cellular structure that suggest Alfven waves or other large scale phenomena are controlling the localized potentials. We examine several cusp encounters in detail in order to study the complex relation of the cusp energetic particle populations with the plasma waves and DC electric fields.

Pfaff, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Acceleration Processes in the Cusp: Observations by the FAST Satellite

The Fast Auroral Snapshot (FAST) spacecraft has encountered the Earth's cusp regions near its apogee of 4175 km on numerous occasions during its first two and half years of operations. The cusp encounters are identified by their signatures of keV dispersed ion injections of solar wind origin. The FAST instruments reveal a complex microphysics inherent to many, but not all, of the cusp regions encountered by the spacecraft, that often include upgoing ion beams within regions of downgoing electrons that may appear as series of inverted-V features with energies near a few hundred eV. In many instances, upgoing electron beams have also been observed. Intense (> 100 mV/m) spikey DC-coupled electric fields and plasma waves are common features of the cusp encounters which also provide evidence for the presence of such local acceleration processes. In some cases, the FAST data show clear modulation of the precipitating magnetosheath ions indicative that they are affected by local electric potentials, as evidenced by simultaneous electron acceleration within such intervals. Furthermore, the acceleration events are sometimes organized with an apparent cellular structure that suggest Alfv6n waves or other large scale phenomena are controlling the localized potentials. We examine several cusp encounters in detail in order to study the complex relation of the cusp energetic particle populations with the plasma waves and DC electric fields.

Pfaff, R. F.↗