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At least 433 records · Page 24

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NASA NTRS2019

Two-Point Focused Laser Differential Interferometry Second-Mode Measurements at Mach 6

A two-point focused laser differential interferometer (FLDI) is used to make measurements of density fluctuations on a 7 degree half-angle cone in a Mach 6 flow. The system was first characterized in the laboratory using laser induced breakdown to provide a well defined density fluctuation. The speed of the shock wave generated by the breakdown is verified using simultaneous high-speed schlieren. The FLDI system is then installed at the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 air tunnel to make measurements in the boundary layer of the 7 degree half-angle cone model and in the tunnel freestream for a unit Reynolds number range of 3.0 to 8.22 x 10(exp 6)/ft. Second-mode packets are visible in the spectra, with peak frequencies increasing linearly and peak amplitude increasing as a function of unit Reynolds number. The two-point measurement allows for the calculation of the second-mode wavepacket speeds, which propagate between 88% and 92% of the freestream velocity of the tunnel for all Reynolds numbers. The FLDI measurements are compared to surface-mounted fast-response pressure transducer measurements, where second-mode frequencies and wavepacket speeds are in good agreement.

Weisberger, Joshua M.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Interaction between a normal shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer at high transonic speeds. II - Wall shear stress

Asymptotic methods are used to calculate the shear stress at the wall for the interaction between a normal shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate. A mixing length model is used for the eddy viscosity. The shock wave is taken to be strong enough that the sonic line is deep in the boundary layer and the upstream influence is thus very small. It is shown that unlike the result found for laminar flow an asymptotic criterion for separation is not found; however, conditions for incipient separation are computed numerically using the derived solution for the shear stress at the wall. Results are compared with available experimental measurements.

Liou, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1956

A special method for finding body distortions that reduce the wave drag of wing and body combinations at supersonic speeds

For a given wing and supersonic Mach number, the problem of shaping an adjoining fuselage so that the combination will have a low wave drag is considered. Only fuselages that can be simulated by singularities (multipoles) distributed along the body axis are studied. However, the optimum variations of such singularities are completely specified in terms of the given wing geometry. An application is made to an elliptic wing having a biconvex section, a thickness-chord ratio equal to 0.05 at the root, and an aspect ratio equal to 3. A comparison of the theoretical results with a wind-tunnel experiment is also presented.

Lomax, Harvard↗

NASA NTRS1989

Modeling of an interplanetary disturbance event tracked by the interplanetary scintillation method

The interplanetary disturbance event of August 25-29, 1978 was modeled in an attempt to reproduce the corresponding interplanetary scintillation observations and simultaneous ISEE-3 satellite data. A shock wave generated from the region of a disappearing filament on August 23 is shown to account for the observed shock wave structure, but not the broad high-speed stream behind the shock wave. A shock wave generated by the sudden activation of the coronal hole on the same day is able to account for the high-speed stream.

Akasofu, S.-I.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Wind and Temperature Consensus at Horn Point, HU-Beltsville, Piney Run (Maryland) in support of CoURAGE

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) operates a ground-based atmospheric profiling network consisting of collocated radar wind profilers (RWP) and radio acoustic sounding systems (RASS) as part of its Ambient Air Monitoring Program. This network provides continuous observations of wind and temperature structure in the lower troposphere to support air quality forecasting, regulatory analysis, and atmospheric research. The network currently includes three fixed sites across Maryland: Horn Point (HP, lower eastern shore) [38.587525°,-76.141006°], Howard University-Beltsville (HUB, central Maryland) [39.055277°, -76.878632°], and Piney Run (PR, western Maryland) [39.705950°, -79.012000°] The network is designed to capture regional variability in atmospheric transport and boundary-layer processes. These systems measure vertical profiles of horizontal wind speed and direction using Doppler radar techniques, with observations typically spanning from ~100 m above ground level up to approximately 2.5–4 km. Measurements are derived from the Doppler shift of backscattered electromagnetic signals, enabling retrieval of wind vectors at multiple altitudes with high temporal resolution (e.g., 30-minute averages reported every 6 minutes). Each radar wind profiler is paired with a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS) to provide profiles of virtual temperature in the lower atmosphere (~100–200 m AGL) by measuring the propagation speed of acoustic waves. Together, the RWP/RASS system yields a coupled data set of thermodynamic and kinematic atmospheric structure, including additional parameters such as vertical velocity, radial velocity, signal-to-noise ratio, and spectral width for advanced analysis. There are two types of files for each station: wind data (files with a "w" prefix) and virtual temperature RASS data (files with a "t" prefix). The wind data files are in the format wYYDDD.cns, where YY is the 2-digit year and DDD is the day of the year. The RASS virtual temperature data files are in the format tYYDDD.cns. Each record has the following header structure: Line 1 : Station Name RASS files Line 2 : RASS rev DeTect_2.0, WINDS files Line 2 : WINDS rev ATI 5.1 Line 3 : N latitude, W longitude, and site elevation (m) Line 4 : Date and begin time of consensus: yy mm dd hh mn ss plus # minutes to add to get UTC Line 5 : Consensus averaging time (minutes); number of beams; number of range gates Line 6 : Number of records required to make consensus (num) total number of records (tot) and the consensus window size (m/s) in the format: num:tot (window) RASS files Line 7 : no. of coded cells, no. of spec, pulse width (ns), and inter-pulse period (µs), WINDS files Line 7 : No. of coded cells, no. of spectra, pulse width (ns), and inter-pulse period (µs), each with a pair of values: first value is for oblique beams, second for vertical RASS files Line 8 : Full scale Doppler value (m/s) Delay to first gate (ns) Number of gates Spacing of gates (ns), WINDS files Line 8 : Full scale Doppler velocity (m/s), oblique and vertical Vertical correction applied to oblique beams? (0 = no, 1 = yes) Delay to first gate (ns), oblique and vertical Number of gates, oblique and vertical Spacing of gates (ns), oblique and vertical Line 9 : Azimuth and elevation (9s indicate vertical beam not used) RASS files Line 10, values : HT = Height above ground (km), T = Uncorrected virtual temperature consensus (deg C), Tc = Corrected virtual temperature consensus (deg C), W = Vertical wind consensus (9s indicate vertical beam not used, w-component, positive upward, m/s), CNT = Number of records that made consensus (for the 3 values in same order), SNR = Average signal to noise ratio (dB) of records in consensus (same order) WINDS files Line 10, values : HT = Height above ground (km), SPD = Wind speed (m/s), DIR = Wind direction (deg E of N from N), RAD = Radial velocities for each beam (m/s) in order given in azimuth and elevation line (positive toward radar; 9s indicate vertical beam not used, CNT = Number of records that made consensus, SNR = Average signal to noise ratio (dB) of records in consensus

{"wind speed and direction",temperature}↗

NASA NTRS1980

Interaction between a normal shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer at high transonic speeds. Part 1: Pressure distribution. Part 2: Wall shear stress. Part 3: Simplified formulas for the prediction of surface pressures and skin friction

An asymptotic description is derived for the interaction between a shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer in transonic flow, for a particular limiting case. The dimensionless difference between the external flow velocity and critical sound speed is taken to be much smaller than one, but large in comparison with the dimensionless friction velocity. The basic results are derived for a flat plate, and corrections for longitudinal wall curvature and for flow in a circular pipe are also shown. Solutions are given for the wall pressure distribution and the shape of the shock wave. Solutions for the wall shear stress are obtained, and a criterion for incipient separation is derived. Simplified solutions for both the wall pressure and skin friction distributions in the interaction region are given. These results are presented in a form suitable for use in computer programs.

Adamson, T. C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1970

Laser observations of wave growth and foam density for fetch limited 25 M/SEC winds

The variability of sea surface conditions has been observed from a low flying aircraft by a laser wave profiling system for fetch limited wind speeds of 25 M/SEC. in the North Sea. Wave profiles obtained with the laser system have been analyzed and show that wave growth occurs simultaneously at all frequencies and that an equilibrium value for the higher frequency components is eventually reached, but not before substantially higher (overshoot) values are obtained. Simultaneous photography of the surface has been analyzed and show that 32 percent of the surface is covered with white caps, foam and streaks. This result is in good agreement with a semi-empirical relationship incorporating both the wind speed and the local wave spectrum which predicts 26 percent white water for the conditions observed.

Ross, D. B.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Hall MHD waves: A fundamental departure from their MHD counterparts

It is demonstrated through a succinct derivation as to how the linear waves in Hall magnetohydrodynamics (HMHD) constitute a fundamental departure from the standard MHD waves. Apart from modifying the conventional MHD spectrum, the Hall current induces a distinct and new branch consisting of purely circularly polarized waves that may become the representative shear waves.

Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2020

Atmospheric condition identification in multivariate data through a metric for total variation

Identification of atmospheric conditions within a multivariable atmospheric data set is a necessary step in the validation of emerging and existing high-fidelity models used to simulate wind plant flows and operation.Atmospheric conditions relevant for wind energy research include stationary conditions, given the need for well-converged statistics for model validation, as well as conditions observed less frequently, such as extreme atmospheric events, which are used in wind turbine and wind plant design.Aggregation of observations without regard to covariance between time series discounts the dynamical nature of the atmosphere and is not sufficiently representative of atmospheric conditions.Identification and characterization of continuous time periods with atmospheric conditions that have a high value for analysis or simulation set the stage for more advanced model validation and the development of real-time control and operational strategies.The current work explores a single metric for variation in a multivariate data sample that quantifies variability within each channel as well as covariance between channels.The total variation is used to identify conditions of interest that conform to desired objective functions, such as stationary conditions, ramps or waves of wind speed, and changes in wind direction.Total variation is somewhat sensitive to the presence of outliers in the input data, and the method is best complemented by quality-control procedures to ensure reliable results.The direct detection and classification of events or conditions of interest within atmospheric data sets is vital to developing our understanding of wind plant response and to the formulation of forecasting and control models.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1974

On Jupiter's rate of rotation

It is suggested that the apparent lag of Jupiter's mean rotation rate in extratropical latitudes (System II) behind the rotation rate of Jupiter's radio emissions (System III) is caused by the difference between phase speeds and true speeds in extratropical latitudes. An estimate of the difference based on the formula for the phase speed of Rossby waves agrees with the difference calculated from the two rotation rates.

Stone, P. H.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Evaluation of turbulence models for three primary types of shock-separated boundary layers

Zero-equation (algebraic), one-equation (kinetic energy), and two-equation (kinetic energy plus length scale) turbulence eddy viscosity models were used in computing three basic types of shock-separated boundary-layer flows. The three basic types of shock boundary-layer interaction discussed are: (1) a normal shock wave at transonic speeds, (2) a compression corner shock at supersonic speeds, and (3) an incident oblique shock at hypersonic speeds. The models tested are simple, unmodified models used extensively for incompressible, unseparated flows. A comparison of computed and measured results for the compressible, separated flows described herein indicates that model performance is dependent on flow configuration with no distinct superiority of one model over the other for all three flow configurations.

Coakley, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Discontinuous transitions in a current-carrying plasma

The properties of 'discontinuous' transitions in a current-carrying plasma are investigated by adopting an approach based on the two-fluid equations for a plasma. Braginskii's (1965) transport equations for a two-fluid plasma carrying a current are presented, and allowance is made for collisions with a background neutral gas as well as for effects of reflected particles. The speed of sound in a current-carrying plasma is derived so that the Mach number can be defined correctly as the ratio of the flow speed to the wave phase velocity in such a plasma. The various types of discontinuities permitted by the relevant jump relations in the absence of reflected particles are classified, the effect of reflected particles on such discontinuities is examined, and it is shown that the degree of indeterminacy of a discontinuity can be changed by the presence of reflected particles. Consideration of shocks containing a population of reflected particles and adiabatic transitions indicates that the pressure of reflected particles alone can give rise to both weak and strong transitions. The construction of discontinuous periodic flow solutions is also discussed.

Lee, H.-J.↗

NASA NTRS1980

GEOS-3 radar altimeter study for the South Atlantic Bight

Three years of radar altimeter data from GEOS-3 for the South Atlantic Bight were processed. Mean monthly topographic maps were produced which estimate geostrophic flow in the region. Statistical distribution of the surface wind speed and significant wave height as a function of both space and time are presented.

Leitao, C. D.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Algorithm for Unsteady Potential Flow About Airfoils

Implicit finite-difference scheme efficiently computes unsteady potential flow about airfoils. Formulation uses density and velocity potential as dependent variables. Conservation form is retained to assure that shock wave location and speed are computed correctly. Scheme fills need for method to calculate efficiently unsteady potential flow about airfoils and to predict flutter and other unsteady aeroelastic phenomena in transonic flow regimes.

Chipman, R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Microwave and hard X-ray observations of a solar flare with a time resolution of better than 100 MS

Simultaneous microwave and X-ray observations are presented for a solar flare detected on 1980 May 8 starting at 1937 UT. The X-ray observations were made with the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission and covered the energy range from 28-490 keV with a time resolution of 10 ms. The microwave observations were made with the 5 and 45 foot antennas at the Itapetinga Radio Observatory at frequencies of 7 and 22 GHz, with time resolutions of 100 ms and 1 ms respectively. Detailed correlation analysis of the different time profiles of the event show that the major impulsive in the X-ray flux preceded the corresponding microwave peaks at 22 GHz by about 240ms. For this particular burst the 22 GHz peaks preceded the 7 GHz by about 1.5s. Observed delays of the microwave peaks are too large for a simple electron beam model but they can be reconciled with the speeds of shock waves in a thermal model.

Kaufmann, P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Black holes, quasars, and the universe /2nd edition/

Topics of astronomy are discussed in terms of black holes, galaxies, quasars, and models of the universe. Black holes are approached through consideration of stellar evolution, white dwarfs, supernovae, neutron stars, pulsars, the event horizon, Cygnus X-1, white holes, and worm holes. Attention is also given to radio waves from high speed electrons, the radiation emitted by quasars, active galaxies, galactic energy sources, and interpretations of the redshift. Finally, the life cycle of the universe is deliberated, along with the cosmic time scale, evidence for the Big Bang, and the future of the universe.

Shipman, H. L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A conservative finite difference algorithm for the unsteady transonic potential equation in generalized coordinates

An implicit, approximate-factorization, finite-difference algorithm has been developed for the computation of unsteady, inviscid transonic flows in two and three dimensions. The computer program solves the full-potential equation in generalized coordinates in conservation-law form in order to properly capture shock-wave position and speed. A body-fitted coordinate system is employed for the simple and accurate treatment of boundary conditions on the body surface. The time-accurate algorithm is modified to a conventional ADI relaxation scheme for steady-state computations. Results from two- and three-dimensional steady and two-dimensional unsteady calculations are compared with existing methods.

Bridgeman, J. O.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Satellite radar altimeters - Present and future oceanographic capabilities

Satellite radar altimeters have the ability to provide information related to ocean wave heights, wind speed, and currents. The present investigation has the objective to demonstrate the current capabilities and to indicate ways to increase the information content of the altimeter return through the use of wider bandwidth, higher pulse repetition frequencies (PRF), and multibeam. Altimeters aboard Skylab, Geos-3, and Seasat-1 have provided investigators with valuable experience in translating the radar observables into oceanic parameters. Basically, an altimeter transmits a narrow pulse and measures the time interval until the return energy from the ocean surface is received. That direct measure of the satellite altitude can be interpreted in terms of surface topography. Attention is given to altimeter oceanographic measurements, altimeter return pulse characteristics, satellite pointing and surface slopes, the adaptive tracker for terrain mapping, and a multibeam altimeter.

Townsend, W. F.↗