Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “monte carlo”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 433 records · Page 24

Comparison of effects of copropagated and precomputed atmosphere profiles on Monte Carlo trajectory simulation

A realization of a stochastic atmosphere model for use in simulations is presented. The model provides pressure, density, temperature, and wind velocity as a function of latitude, longitude, and altitude, and is implemented in a three degree of freedom simulation package. This implementation is used in the Monte Carlo simulation of an aeroassisted orbital transfer maneuver and results are compared to those of a more traditional approach.

Queen, Eric M.↗

The injection and acceleration of particles in oblique shocks - A unified Monte Carlo description

Important problems are discussed concerning the effects of shock geometry on the injection of thermal particles and the process of standard Fermi particle acceleration in general. In pursuit of a self-consistent model that simultaneously describes shock structure and particle acceleration in shocks of arbitrary obliquity, a Monte Carlo simulation developed for parallel shocks is generalized to address oblique geometries. Attention is given to initial results concerning the ways in which injection and acceleration efficiency varies with obliquity and Mach number.

Baring, Matthew G.↗

Ensemble Monte Carlo calculation of the hole initiated impact ionization rate in bulk GaAs and silicon using a k-dependent, numerical transition rate formulation

The hole initiated impact ionization rate in bulk silicon and GaAs is calculated using a numerical formulation of the impact ionization transition rate incorporated into an ensemble Monte Carlo simulation. The transition rate is calculated from Fermi's golden rule using a two-body screened Coulomb interaction including a wavevector dependent dielectric function. It is found that the effective threshold for hole initiated ionization is relatively soft in both materials, that the split-off band dominates the ionization process in GaAs. and that no clear dominance by any one band is observed in silicon, though the rate out of the light hole band is greatest.

Oguzman, Ismail H.↗

A Monte Carlo approach to competition strategy

Variables taken into account in glider flight strategy decisions are modeled. These include height of clouds, distance between thermals, time of day, water ballast, present altitude, weather changes, lift organization, and distance to goal, as well as the strength of the next thermal. Results of the Monte Carlo atmospheric model are discussed.

Teter, M. P.↗

Monte Carlo solution of Boltzmann equation for a simple model of highly nonequilibrium diatomic gases - Translational rotational energy relaxation

Theoretical results pertaining to internally excited translational-rotational energy relaxation in a spatially uniform diatomic gas far removed from solid boundaries are obtained by solving the Boltzmann equation by means of the Monte Carlo direct simulation method. The analysis is based on calculations involving three different types of initial conditions: equilibrium, nonequilibrium-equipartition (i.e., equipartition is satisfied, but the distributions are perturbed), and nonequilibrium-nonequipartition (i.e., both equipartition and the distributions are perturbed). Results of monatomic-gas simulations are also included to facilitate comparisons with the coupled translational-rotational relaxation simulations, and some simulations for a normal shock-wave structure are briefly examined. The results show that: (1) single-step transitions are the significant mechanisms of intermodal energy transfer; (2) translational-rotational transitions are coupled most efficiently for low-lying states of rotationally excited molecules and least efficiently for highly rotationally excited molecules; and (3) relaxation occurs via a successive set of distributions that are not Maxwell-Boltzmann (nonlocal Maxwellian).

Yoshikawa, K. K.↗

Monte Carlo models and analysis of galactic disk gamma-ray burst distributions

Gamma-ray bursts are transient astronomical phenomena which have no quiescent counterparts in any region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Although temporal and spectral properties indicate that these events are likely energetic, their unknown spatial distribution complicates astrophysical interpretation. Monte Carlo samples of gamma-ray burst sources are created which belong to Galactic disk populations. Spatial analysis techniques are used to compare these samples to the observed distribution. From this, both quantitative and qualitative conclusions are drawn concerning allowed luminosity and spatial distributions of the actual sample. Although the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) experiment on Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) will significantly improve knowledge of the gamma-ray burst source spatial characteristics within only a few months of launch, the analysis techniques described herein will not be superceded. Rather, they may be used with BATSE results to obtain detailed information about both the luminosity and spatial distributions of the sources.

Hakkila, Jon↗

Electron heating in quasi-perpendicular shocks - A Monte Carlo simulation

To study the problem of electron heating in quasi-perpendicular shocks, under the combined effects of 'reversible' motion, in the shock electric potential and magnetic field, and wave-particle interactions a diffusion equation was derived, in the drift (adiabatic) approximation and it was solved by using a Monte Carlo method. The results show that most of the observations can be explained within this framework. The simulation has also definitively shown that the electron parallel temperature is determined by the dc electromagnetic field and not by any wave particle induced heating. Wave-particle interactions are effective in smoothing out the large gradients in phase space produced by the 'reversible' motion of the electrons, thus producing a 'cooling' of the electrons. Some constraints on the wave-particle interaction process may be obtained from a detailed comparison between the simulation and observations. In particular, it appears that the adiabatic approximation must be violated in order to explain the observed evolution of the perpendicular temperature.

Veltri, Pierluigi↗

Monte Carlo approach in assessing damage in higher order structures of DNA

We have developed a computer monitor of nuclear DNA in the form of chromatin fibre. The fibres are modeled as a ideal solenoid consisting of twenty helical turns with six nucleosomes per turn. The chromatin model, in combination with are Monte Carlo theory of radiation damage induces by charged particles, based on general features of tack structure and stopping power theory, has been used to evaluate the influence of DNA structure on initial damage. An interesting has emerged from our calculations. Our calculated results predict the existence of strong spatial correlations in damage sites associated with the symmetries in the solenoidal model. We have calculated spectra of short fragments of double stranded DNA produced by multiple double strand breaks induced by both high and low LET radiation. The spectra exhibit peaks at multiples of approximately 85 base pairs (the nucleosome periodicity), and approximately 1000 base pairs (solenoid periodicity). Preliminary experiments to investigate the fragment distributions from irradiated DNA, made by B. Rydberg at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, confirm the existence of short DNA fragments and are in substantial agreement with the predictions of our theory.

Non-NASA Center↗

CTRANS: A Monte Carlo program for radiative transfer in plane parallel atmospheres with imbedded finite clouds: Development, testing and user's guide

The program called CTRANS is described which was designed to perform radiative transfer computations in an atmosphere with horizontal inhomogeneities (clouds). Since the atmosphere-ground system was to be richly detailed, the Monte Carlo method was employed. This means that results are obtained through direct modeling of the physical process of radiative transport. The effects of atmopheric or ground albedo pattern detail are essentially built up from their impact upon the transport of individual photons. The CTRANS program actually tracks the photons backwards through the atmosphere, initiating them at a receiver and following them backwards along their path to the Sun. The pattern of incident photons generated through backwards tracking automatically reflects the importance to the receiver of each region of the sky. Further, through backwards tracking, the impact of the finite field of view of the receiver and variations in its response over the field of view can be directly simulated.

Source record↗

Monte Carlo study of neutrino acceleration in supernova shocks

The first order Fermi acceleration mechanism of cosmic rays in shocks may be at work for neutrinos in supernova shocks when the latter are at densities greater than 10 to the 13th g/cu cm, at which the core material is opaque to neutrinos. A Monte Carlo approach to study this effect is employed, and the emerging neutrino power law spectra are presented. The increased energy acquired by the neutrinos may facilitate their detection in supernova explosions and provide information about the physics of collapse.

Kazanas, D.↗

Prediction of Thermal Protection System Material Permeability and Hydraulic Tortuosity Factor Using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo

Carbon preforms used in Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials are 80 to 90% porous, allowing for boundary layer and pyrolysis gases to flow through the porous regions. The bulk material properties such as permeability and hydraulic tortuosity factor affect the transport of the boundary layer gases. The use of Direct Simulation Monte Carlo along with the Klinkenberg permeability formulation allows us to compute the continuum permeability and Knudsen correction factor for flow in the transition regime. In this work, we have computed the permeability for two types of carbon preforms, namely, Morgan Felt and FiberForm, and assessed the effect of orientation on the permeability. Since both the materials are anisotropic, the permeability was found to depend on orientation, wherein, the materials are more permeable in the in-plane orientation than the through-thickness orientation. The through-thickness orientation was also more tortuous compared to the in-plane material orientation. Compared to Morgan Felt, FiberForm is less permeable, in both, through thickness and in-plane directions.

Jambunathan, Revathi↗

Multiple scattering in reflection nebulae. I - A Monte Carlo approach. II - Uniform plane-parallel nebulae with foreground stars. III - Nebulae with embedded illuminating stars

A method for calculating the surface brightness distribution on a plane-parallel reflection nebula of uniform density illuminated by a star located either in front of, behind, or arbitrarily inside the scattering medium is proposed. The Monte Carlo technique is used to find solutions to the radiative transfer problem. The scattering properties of the nebular particles are parameterized by the albedo for single scattering and a three-parameter analytic phase function. Calculations are then presented for the surface brightness distribution across the face of such nebulae with (1) a foreground star and (2) immersed stars. The calculations include the full effects of multiple scattering, are independent of a particular assumed grain material or size distribution, and are applicable to any wavelength region for which observations can be obtained.

Witt, A. N.↗

Monte Carlo treatment of Lyman-alpha. II - Radiation in a spherical atmosphere

Intensity and state of polarization of solar L-alpha photons as they diffuse through an inhomogeneous, spherically symmetric, isothermal geocorona are theoretically determined. The fine structure of L-alpha and Doppler redistribution of frequencies are taken into account. The calculation use the Monte Carlo technique involving Stokes vectors. Comparison of the results with OGO-4 and OSO-4 observed intensities at an altitude of 650 km shows good agreement. Calculations of the polarization versus solar zenith angle show a residual polarization at large zenith angles which is mainly due to multiply scattered photons.

Modali, S. B.↗

Concept of Fractal Dimension use of Multifractal Cloud Liquid Models Based on Real Data as Input to Monte Carlo Radiation Models

The purpose of this paper is discuss the concept of fractal dimension; multifractal statistics as an extension of this; the use of simple multifractal statistics (power spectrum, structure function) to characterize cloud liquid water data; and to understand the use of multifractal cloud liquid water models based on real data as input to Monte Carlo radiation models of shortwave radiation transfer in 3D clouds, and the consequences of this in two areas: the design of aircraft field programs to measure cloud absorptance; and the explanation of the famous "Landsat scale break" in measured radiance.

Wiscombe, W.↗

Analysis of large solid propellant rocket engine exhaust plumes using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method

A new solution procedure has been developed to analyze the flowfield properties in the vicinity of the Inertial Upper Stage/Spacecraft during the 1st stage (SRMI) burn. Continuum methods are used to compute the nozzle flow and the exhaust plume flowfield as far as the boundary where the breakdown of translational equilibrium leaves these methods invalid. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is applied everywhere beyond this breakdown boundary. The flowfield distributions of density, velocity, temperature, relative abundance, surface flux density, and pressure are discussed for each species for 2 sets of boundary conditions: vacuum and freestream. The interaction of the exhaust plume and the freestream with the spacecraft and the 2-stream direct interaction are discussed. The results show that the low density, high velocity, counter flowing free-stream substantially modifies the flowfield properties and the flux density incident on the spacecraft. A freestream bow shock is observed in the data, located forward of the high density region of the exhaust plume into which the freestream gas does not penetrate. The total flux density incident on the spacecraft, integrated over the SRM1 burn interval is estimated to be of the order of 10 to the 22nd per sq m (about 1000 atomic layers).

Hueser, J. E.↗

A Monte Carlo comparison of the recovery of winds near upwind and downwind from the SASS-1 model function by means of the sum of squares algorithm and a maximum likelihood estimator

Backscatter measurements at upwind and crosswind are simulated for five incidence angles by means of the SASS-1 model function. The effects of communication noise and attitude errors are simulated by Monte Carlo methods, and the winds are recovered by both the Sum of Square (SOS) algorithm and a Maximum Likelihood Estimater (MLE). The SOS algorithm is shown to fail for light enough winds at all incidence angles and to fail to show areas of calm because backscatter estimates that were negative or that produced incorrect values of K sub p greater than one were discarded. The MLE performs well for all input backscatter estimates and returns calm when both are negative. The use of the SOS algorithm is shown to have introduced errors in the SASS-1 model function that, in part, cancel out the errors that result from using it, but that also cause disagreement with other data sources such as the AAFE circle flight data at light winds. Implications for future scatterometer systems are given.

Pierson, W. J., Jr.↗

Monte Carlo modeling and meteor showers

Prediction of short lived increases in the cosmic dust influx, the concentration in lower thermosphere of atoms and ions of meteor origin and the determination of the frequency of micrometeor impacts on spacecraft are all of scientific and practical interest and all require adequate models of meteor showers at an early stage of their existence. A Monte Carlo model of meteor matter ejection from a parent body at any point of space was worked out by other researchers. This scheme is described. According to the scheme, the formation of ten well known meteor streams was simulated and the possibility of genetic affinity of each of them with the most probable parent comet was analyzed. Some of the results are presented.

Kulikova, N. V.↗

Universal and Automated Monte Carlo Method Code for Uncertainty Propagation in Metrology Databases

A method of providing transformed target points for integrating a component into an assembly includes collecting a set of component target points, collecting a set of assembly target points, identifying target points common to the set of component target points and the set of assembly target points; performing a specified number of Monte Carlo transformations of selected ones of the common target points to yield a set of transformed target points and vectors and an associated uncertainty value for each transformed target point and vector, and using certain ones of the transformed target points for integrating the component into the assembly based on the associated uncertainty value for each of the transformed target points.

Hayden, Joseph↗