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At least 415 records · Page 23

The Effect of Beam Loading on Water Impact Loads and Motions

An investigation of the effect of beam loading on impact loads and motions has been conducted in the Langley impact basin. Water impact tests of flat-bottom 5-inch- and 8-inch-beam models having beam-loading coefficients C(sub Delta) from 62.5 to 544 and a 30 0 dead-rise 5-inch-beam model A having beam-loading coefficients from 208 to 530 are described and the results analyzed to show trends of these heavy-beam-loading data with initial flight-path angle, trim angle, dead-rise angle, and time throughout the impact. Data from flat-bottom model tests, C(sub Delta) = 4.4 to 36.5, and from 300 dead-rise model tests, C(sub Delta)A = 0.58 and 18.8, are included, along with the heavy-beam-loading data; and variations of these data with beam-loading coefficients are shown. Each of the load and motion coefficients is found to be directly proportional to a power factor ofC(sub Delta). For instance, the maximum impact lift coefficient C(sub L,max)is found to be directly proportional to C(sub Delta)(sup 0.33) for the flat-bottom model and C(sub Delta)(sup 0.45) for the 30 deg dead-rise model. These variations of C(sub L,max) C(sub Delta) are found to be in agreement with theoretical variations. Finally, an empirical equation for the prediction of C(sub L,max) is presented and is shown to give good agreement with experimental C(sub L,max) for about 500 fixed-trim smooth-water impacts. The range of variables included dead-rise angles from 0 deg to 30 deg, beam-loading coefficients from 0.48 to 544, trim angles from 3 deg to 45 deg and initial flight-path angles from about 2 deg to about 27 deg.

Mixson, John S.↗

The Effect of Beam Loading on Water Impact Loads and Motions

An investigation of the effect of beam loading on impact loads and motions has been conducted in the Langley impact basin. Water impact tests of flat-bottom 5-inch-and 8-inch-beam models having beam-loading coefficients C(sub Delta) from 62.5 to 544 and a 30 deg dead-rise 5-inch-beam model A having beam-loading coefficients from 208 to 530 are described and the results analyzed to show trends of these heavy-beam-loading data with initial flight-path angle, trim angle, dead-rise angle, and time through- out the impact. Data from flat-bottom model tests, C(sub Delta) = 4.4 to 36.5, and from 30 deg dead-rise model tests, C(sub Delta) = 0.58 and 18.8, are included, along with the heavy-beam-loading data; and variations of these data with beam-loading coefficients are shown. Each of the load and motion coefficients is found to be directly proportional to a power factor of C(sub Delta). For instance, the maximum impact lift coefficient is found C(sub L,max) to be directly proportional to C(sub Delta, exp 0,33) for the flat-bottom model and C(sub Delta, exp 0,45) for the 30 deg dead-rise model. These variations of C(sub L, max) with C(sub Delta) are found to be in agreement with theoretical variations. Finally, an empirical equation for the prediction of C(sub L,max) is presented and is shown to give good agreement with experimental C(sub L, max) for about 500 fixed-trim smooth-water impacts. The range of variables included dead-rise angles from 0 deg to deg, beam-loading coefficients from o.48 to 544, trim angles from 3 deg to deg, and initial flight-path angles from about 2 deg to about deg.

Mixson, John S.↗

Structural Alignment Sensor Feasibility Demonstration

A structural alignment sensor (SAS) was developed for use with large deployable antenna systems for contour measurement and/or active control. The SAS is a laser ranging system using frequency modulation and accurate phase measurement to determine distance. Work was done with a CO2 and HeNe laser. The capability of the SAS to measure antenna rib contours was studied over ranges of 50 meters to a resolution of 100 microns. Initial resolution data was taken with the CO2 system. This data shows that it will indeed meet the SAS requirements. The development of the HeNe system was initiated because it offers substantial improvement in size, weight, and power over the CO2 system. The final demonstration was made with the HeNe system and it too showed that the SAS requirements could be met with this alternate approach. The projection of these results to a conceptual design for a flight system and its application are described.

Anderson, R. H.↗

A Limited Comparison of the Thermal Durability of Polyimide Candidate Matrix Polymers with PMR-15

Studies were conducted with six different candidate high-temperature neat matrix resin specimens of varied geometric shapes to investigate the mechanisms involved in the thermal degradation of polyimides like PMR-15. The metrics for assessing the quality of these candidates were chosen to be glass transition temperature (T(sub g)), thermo-oxidative stability, dynamic mechanical properties, microstructural changes, and dimensional stability. The processing and mechanical properties were not investigated in the study reported herein. The dimensional changes and surface layer growth were measured and recorded. The data were in agreement with earlier published data. An initial weight increase reaction was observed to be dominating at the lower temperatures. However, at the more elevated temperatures, the weight loss reactions were prevalent and probably masked the weight gain reaction. These data confirmed the findings of the existence of an initial weight gain reaction previously reported. Surface- and core-dependent weight losses were shown to control the polymer degradation at the higher temperatures.

Bowles, Kenneth J.↗

What's New in the PSI? (Physical Sciences Informatics)

The NASA Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) database is NASA’s archival for physical sciences research in microgravity – on ISS and also other reduced gravity platforms. The database has been making data from microgravity physical science investigations publicly available since its launch late 2014. The database was an early investment in Open Science for NASA’s Biophysics and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), who conducts fundamental and applied physical sciences yielding research data in 6 disciplines: biophysics, combustion science, complex fluids, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science. PSI started initially with data from 14 microgravity investigations. Receipt of data through the years and an annual NRA to fund ground investigations extending flight datasets has increased the total to 72 investigations available with 8 new datasets in the 2020 NRA (NNH20ZDA014N). These new datasets are open for public access at the PSI website at https://www.nasa.gov/PSI.

Physical Sciences Informatics PSI database↗

The influence of actual and apparent geoid error on ocean analysis and prediction

The radar altimeter is the only satellite remote sensor with a proven capability for synoptically measuring an integral property of the dynamic ocean on a near global, all weather basis. Because acquisition of global, in situ ocean data with space/time resolution adequate to describe dynamically important ocean features is practically impossible, any attempt to develop a global ocean monitoring and forecasting system will rely heavily on altimetric data for initialization and updating. Maximizing useful information from the altimeter while minimizing error sources and developing methods for assimilating altimeter data into dynamical models are, therefore, vital areas for research and development. The limits imposed on ocean prediction by errors in the geoid or apparent errors associated with ground track variations near strong geopotential gradients are examined.

Thompson, J. D.↗

Regional-scale flows in mountainous terrain. Part 1: A numerical and observational comparison

This study uses observed data and a numerical simulation to examine the generation of thermally driven flows across the Colorado mountain barrier on meso-beta to meso-alpha scales. The observations were collected from remote surface observing systems at exposed mountaintop locations throughout the state of Colorado, over the summers of 1984-88, as part of the Rocky Mountain Peaks Experiment (ROMPEX). The data show the development of a recurrent circulation system across the Colorado mountain barrier, operating on a diurnal timescale. From the observations, the basic structure of the flow system appears as a daytime inflow toward the highest terrain, and a nocturnal outflow away from it. However, when examined in detail, the flow system exhibits more unusual behavior, especially west of the barrier crest. Here, winds in the early evening are occasionally observed to onset abruptly from an easterly direction, generally counter to the upper-level winds. Observations from ROMPEX for 26 August 1985 are used to provide comparison data for a numerical simulation with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). This three-dimensional case study experiment is initialized with data from the National Meteorological Center and incorporates two-way interactive grid nesting. From the observed data and case study simulation, four distinct phases of the regional-scale circulation system have been identified. In the development phase, a deep mountain-plains solenoid is generated through terrain heating along the Front Range. This circulation system transforms in the late afternoon transition phase into a westward-propagating density current (WPDC). The third phase, called the 'density-current propagation phase,' occurs as the WPDC moves westward across the mountains, leaving in its wake strong southeasterly flow at the mountaintop level. This current appears to be the cause of the peculiar easterly component winds found in the ROMPEX mountaintop observations along the western slope. In the final late-night adjustment phase, the WPDC dissipates near the western edge of the Colorado mountains and steady southerly flow evolves over the high mountain terrain. This southerly flow is the steady response to the differential heating that develops between the low-lying plains and the intermountain region.

Bossert, James E.↗

Definition of International GPM GV Research Program

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission will consist of a constellation of rain-measuring satellites, the main member of which (the core satellite) will serve as the measurement reference to the other members of the constellation. The core satellite is being developed jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the newly-named Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA -- previously NASDA) along with its government partner, the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL). The GPM mission was proposed as a follow-up mission to the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) by both NASA and NASDA based on the unparalleled scientific success of TRMM, and has recently been joined by the European Space Agency (ESA) via its formulation of the European GPM mission (i.e., EGPM). GPM is an ambitious mission designed to produce accurate and frequent global observations of precipitation (both rain and snow) made possible by replacing the TRMM satellite with the new core satellite carrying an advanced radar-radiometer system, and serving as the centerpiece for the constellation of some eight (8) additional satellites being provided through international cooperation. The core satellite is to be flown up to high latitudes (inclined some 65-70 degrees), and will carry a Ku/Ka-band, nadir-scanning, dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) that is being developed by JAXA and CRL, along with a large aperture, extended frequency-range, conically-scanning passive microwave radiometer being developed by NASA and its industrial partners. Each constellation satellite will also carry some type of multi-channel passive microwave radiometer (as well as a multi-beam Ka-band radar in the case of EGPM) whose rain estimates will be calibrated and referenced to those made by the core satellite, producing for the first time fully-global, continuous, and bias-free precipitation datasets. GPM data will be delivered in near-realtime, taking a major step toward the operational use of precipitation information for model initialization and data assimilation in a number of application areas such as hazardous weather forecasting, flood warning, fresh water resource assessment, and crop growth prediction. In addition, GPM data will complement the now-existing global temperature record, allowing for improved assessments of climate change, particularly those processes in which the global water cycle both forces and responds to climatic drifts in global temperature conditions. A foremost element of this international constellation mission is a parallel international ground validation (GV) network. This GV network is needed to determine uncertainties in the rain retrievals, critical for application of the retrieval information in weather and hydrometeorological modeling and climate diagnostics, as well as assurances that the satellite retrievals of surface rainfall are consistent with those actually measured at the surface. The key aspects of this network is that it must be worldwide and created through the GPM partnership process. Therefore the network will consist of a confederation of government agencies, academic organizations, private institutions, and individual scientists from a collection of nations who have initiated the process by gathering in Abingdon to develop the fundamentals of the international GPM GV research programme. Therefore in keeping with our responsibilities as the front-runners of the programme, the main objectives of this workshop are: (1) to present and share opinions on interests, perspectives, and concerns about GPM GV research; (2) to examine the conceptual and/or planned GPM GV site templates from NASA, NASDA, ESA, and other partners; (3) to define the main scientific objectives of the international GPM GV research programme; (4) to formulate a preliminary set of international GPM GV science and measurement requirements; and (5) to convene a Steering Committee to aid the organization of the GPM GV program, to document its science implementation plans, and to aid planning for follow-up GPM GV meetings.

Smith, Eric A.↗

On some problems in a theory of thermally and mechanically interacting continuous media

Using a linearized theory of thermally and mechanically interacting mixture of linear elastic solid and viscous fluid, we derive a fundamental relation in an integral form called a reciprocity relation. This reciprocity relation relates the solution of one initial-boundary value problem with a given set of initial and boundary data to the solution of a second initial-boundary value problem corresponding to a different initial and boundary data for a given interacting mixture. From this general integral relation, reciprocity relations are derived for a heat-conducting linear elastic solid, and for a heat-conducting viscous fluid. An initial-boundary value problem is posed and solved for the mixture of linear elastic solid and viscous fluid. With the aid of the Laplace transform and the contour integration, a real integral representation for the displacement of the solid constituent is obtained as one of the principal results of the analysis.

Lee, Y. M.↗

Research on TRMM and GPM Through Collaboration Between JAXA & NASA

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is conducting joint research with the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on a new constellation satellite observation project called Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), the main satellite of which is planned for launch in 2008 by JAXA. This GPM project was proposed as a follow-up mission to the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) by both the Japanese and American sides based on the unparalleled scientific success of TRMM. A major reason for TRMM's success was the use of the worlds first spaceborne rain radar, the Precipitation Radar (PR) system developed by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, now JAXA) and CRL. Measurements from this instrument have ushered in many new scientific findings and have opened a new era of precipitation measuring from space. GPM is an ambitious project which will produce accurate and frequent global observations of precipitation (both rain and snow) made possible by replacing TRMM with a new core satellite carrying an advanced radar-radiometer system, and serving as the centerpiece for a constellation of some eight (8) additional satellites being provided through international cooperation. The core satellite is to be flown up to high latitudes (inclined some 65-70 degrees), and will carry a dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) that will be newly developed by JAXA and CRL, along with a large aperture, extended frequency-range passive microwave radiometer being provided by NASA. Each constellation satellite will also carry some type of multi-channel passive microwave radiometer whose rain estimates will be calibrated and referenced to those made by the core satellite, producing for the first time fully-global, continuous, and bias-free precipitation datasets. GPM data will be delivered in near-realtime, taking a major step toward the operational use of precipitation information for model initialization and data assimilation in a number of application areas such as hazardous weather forecasting, flood warning, fresh water resource assessment, and crop growth prediction. In addition, GPM data will complement the now-existing global temperature record, allowing for improved assessments of climate change, particularly those processes in which the global water cycle both forces and responds to climatic drifts in global temperature conditions.

Smith, Eric A.↗

Evaluation of the Air Quality Monitor's Performance on the International Space Station

The Air Quality Monitor (AQM) was flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as an experiment to evaluate its potential to replace the aging Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA), which ceased operations in August 2009. The AQM (Figure 1) is a small gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometer (GC/DMS) manufactured by Sionex. Data was presented at last year s ISIMS conference that detailed the preparation of the AQM for flight, including instrument calibration. Furthermore, initial AQM data was compared to VOA results from simultaneous runs of the two instruments. Although comparison with VOA data provided a measure of confidence in the AQM performance, it is the comparison with results from simultaneously acquired air samples (grab sample containers-GSCs) that will define the success (or failure) of the AQM performance. This paper will update the progress in the AQM investigation by comparing AQM data to results from the analyses of GSC samples, returned from ISS. Additionally, a couple of example will illustrate the AQM s ability to detect disruptions in the spacecraft s air quality. Discussion will also focus upon a few unexpected issues that have arisen and how these will be a addressed in the final operational unit now being built.

Limero, Thomas↗

Temporal Characterization of Aircraft Noise Sources

Current aircraft source noise prediction tools yield time-independent frequency spectra as functions of directivity angle. Realistic evaluation and human assessment of aircraft fly-over noise require the temporal characteristics of the noise signature. The purpose of the current study is to analyze empirical data from broadband jet and tonal fan noise sources and to provide the temporal information required for prediction-based synthesis. Noise sources included a one-tenth-scale engine exhaust nozzle and a one-fifth scale scale turbofan engine. A methodology was developed to characterize the low frequency fluctuations employing the Short Time Fourier Transform in a MATLAB computing environment. It was shown that a trade-off is necessary between frequency and time resolution in the acoustic spectrogram. The procedure requires careful evaluation and selection of the data analysis parameters, including the data sampling frequency, Fourier Transform window size, associated time period and frequency resolution, and time period window overlap. Low frequency fluctuations were applied to the synthesis of broadband noise with the resulting records sounding virtually indistinguishable from the measured data in initial subjective evaluations. Amplitude fluctuations of blade passage frequency (BPF) harmonics were successfully characterized for conditions equivalent to take-off and approach. Data demonstrated that the fifth harmonic of the BPF varied more in frequency than the BPF itself and exhibited larger amplitude fluctuations over the duration of the time record. Frequency fluctuations were found to be not perceptible in the current characterization of tonal components.

Grosveld, Ferdinand W.↗

A Kalman filter approach to adaptive estimation of multispectral signatures

The signatures of remote sensing data from agricultural crops exhibit significant non-stationarity, so that the performance of fixed parameter classifiers degenerates with time and distance from the initial training data. A class of adaptive decision-directed classifiers are being developed, based on Kalman filter theory. Limited results to date on two data sets indicate approximately a 25 to 40% reduction in rates of misclassification.

Crane, R. B.↗

Statistical distribution of time to crack initiation and initial crack size using service data

Crack growth inspection data gathered during the service life of the C-130 Hercules airplane were used in conjunction with a crack propagation rule to estimate the distribution of crack initiation times and of initial crack sizes. A Bayesian statistical approach was used to calculate the fraction of undetected initiation times as a function of the inspection time and the reliability of the inspection procedure used.

Heller, R. A.↗

Retrieval of Temperature and Species Distributions from Multispectral Image Data of Surface Flame Spread in Microgravity

Weight, size, and power constraints severely limit the ability of researchers to fully characterize temperature and species distributions in microgravity combustion experiments. A powerful diagnostic technique, infrared imaging spectrometry, has the potential to address the need for temperature and species distribution measurements in microgravity experiments. An infrared spectrum imaged along a line-of-sight contains information on the temperature and species distribution in the imaged path. With multiple lines-of-sight and approximate knowledge of the geometry of the combustion flowfield, a three-dimensional distribution of temperature and species can be obtained from one hyperspectral image of a flame. While infrared imaging spectrometers exist for collecting hyperspectral imagery, the remaining challenge is retrieving the temperature and species information from this data. An initial version of an infrared analysis software package, called CAMEO (Combustion Analysis Model et Optimizer), has been developed for retrieving temperature and species distributions from hyperspectral imaging data of combustion flowfields. CAMEO has been applied to the analysis of multispectral imaging data of flame spread over a PMMA surface in microgravity that was acquired in the DARTFire program. In the next section of this paper, a description of CAMEO and its operation is presented, followed by the results of the analysis of microgravity flame spread data.

Annen, K. D.↗

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

The presentation describes the recently awarded ACCESS project to provide data management of NASA remote sensing data for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). The project targets integration of remote sensing data from MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US-satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEP/NCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

Leptoukh, Gregory↗

Data Assimilation Cycling for Weather Analysis

This software package runs the atmospheric model MM5 in data assimilation cycling mode to produce an optimized weather analysis, including the ability to insert or adjust a hurricane vortex. The program runs MM5 through a cycle of short forecasts every three hours where the vortex is adjusted to match the observed hurricane location and storm intensity. This technique adjusts the surrounding environment so that the proper steering current and environmental shear are achieved. MM5cycle uses a Cressman analysis to blend observation into model fields to get a more accurate weather analysis. Quality control of observations is also done in every cycle to remove bad data that may contaminate the analysis. This technique can assimilate and propagate data in time from intermittent and infrequent observations while maintaining the atmospheric field in a dynamically balanced state. The software consists of a C-shell script (MM5cycle.driver) and three FORTRAN programs (splitMM5files.F, comRegrid.F, and insert_vortex.F), and are contained in the pre-processor component of MM5 called "Regridder." The model is first initialized with data from a global model such as the Global Forecast System (GFS), which also provides lateral boundary conditions. These data are separated into single-time files using splitMM5.F. The hurricane vortex is then bogussed in the correct location and with the correct wind field using insert_vortex.F. The modified initial and boundary conditions are then recombined into the model fields using comRegrid.F. The model then makes a three-hour forecast. The three-hour forecast data from MM5 now become the analysis for the next short forecast run, where the vortex will again be adjusted. The process repeats itself until the desired time of analysis is achieved. This code can also assimilate observations if desired.

Tran, Nam↗

A flight investigation of simulated data-link communications during single-pilot IFR flight. Volume 1: Experimental design and initial test

A Flight Data Console simulation of a digital communication link to replace the current voice communication system used in air traffic control (ATC) was developed. The study determined how a digital communications system reduces cockpit workload, improve, flight proficiency, and is acceptable to general aviation pilots. It is shown that instrument flight, including approach and landing, can be accomplished by using a digital data link system for ATC communication.

Parker, J. F., Jr.↗