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NASA NTRS1994

East-west inclination of large-scale photospheric magnetic fields

Sixteen years of Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO) magnetogram data have been studied to determine the solar cycle variation and latitude dependence of the east-west inclination of photospheric magnetic field lines. East-west inclination is here defined as the angle between a field line and its local radial vector, as projected onto the plane of the latitude and line of sight. Inclination is determined by a least-squares fit of observed magnetic fields to a simple projection model, and is found to depend on polarity and to change with the solar cycle. Leading and following polarities are tipped towards each by about 9 deg and have an overall net tilt in the direction of rotation (to the west) of 0.6 deg. New cycles are seen to begin at high latitudes and to grow through the lower latitudes over approximately 5 years, providing evidence for an extended cycle length of 16-18 years.

Shrauner, J. A↗

NASA NTRS1959

The Effect of Leading-Edge Sweep and Surface Inclination on the Hypersonic Flow Field Over a Blunt Flat Plate

An investigation of the effects of variation of leading-edge sweep and surface inclination on the flow over blunt flat plates was conducted at Mach numbers of 4 and 5.7 at free-stream Reynolds numbers per inch of 6,600 and 20,000, respectively. Surface pressures were measured on a flat plate blunted by a semicylindrical leading edge over a range of sweep angles from 0 deg to 60 deg and a range of surface inclinations from -10 deg to +10 deg. The surface pressures were predicted within an average error of +/- 8 percent by a combination of blast-wave and boundary-layer theory extended herein to include effects of sweep and surface inclination. This combination applied equally well to similar data of other investigations. The local Reynolds number per inch was found to be lower than the free-stream Reynolds number per inch. The reduction in local Reynolds number was mitigated by increasing the sweep of the leading edge. Boundary-layer thickness and shock-wave shape were changed little by the sweep of the leading edge.

Creager, Marcus O.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Inclination Angles of Black Hole X-Ray Binaries Manifest Strong Gravity around Black Holes

System inclination angles have been determined for about 15 X-ray binaries, in which stellar mass black holes are considered to exist. These inclination angles range between 25 degrees and 80 degrees, but peaked between 60-70 degrees. This peak is not explained in the frame work of Newtonian gravity. However, this peak is reproduced naturally if we model the observed X-ray radiations as being produced in the accretion disks very close to the black hole horizons, where the extremely strong general and special relativistic effects, caused by the extremely strong gravity near the black hole horizons, modify the local radiation significantly as the X-rays propagate to the remote observer. Therefore the peak of the inclination angle distribution provides evidence or strong gravity around stellar mass black holes.

Zhang, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Evidence for Quasi-Periodic X-ray Dips from an ULX: Implications for the Binary Motion and the Orbital Inclination

We report results from long-term X-ray (0.3-8.0 keY) monitoring of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 5408 X-1 with the Swift/X-Ray Telescope. Our primary results are: (1) the discovery of quasi-periodic dips in the X-ray intensity that recur on average every 243 days, (2) the detection of an energy-dependent (variability amplitude decreases with increasing energy), quasi-sinusoidal X-ray modulation with a period of 112.6 +/- 4 days the amplitude of which decreases during the second half of the light curve and (3) energy spectral evidence for an increase in photoelectric absorption during the last continuous segment of the data, possibly due to a change in the ionization state of the circumbinary material. We interpret the X-ray modulations in the context of binary motion in analogy to that seen in high-inclination low-mass X-ray binaries. If correct, this implies that NGC 5408 X-1 is in a binary with an orbital period of 243 +/- 23 days in contrast to the 115.5 day quasi-sinusoidal period previously reported. In addition, if the X-ray modulation is caused by vertically structured obscuring material in the accretion disk (similar to the phenomenon of dipping LMXBs), this would imply a high value for the inclination of the orbit. A comparison with estimates from accreting X-ray binaries suggests an inclination approx > 60 deg. We note that, in principle, a precessing accretion disk could also produce the observed X-ray modulations.

Pasham, Dheeraj R.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Localization of Binary Black Hole Mergers with Known Inclination

The localization of stellar-mass binary black hole mergers using gravitational waves is critical in understanding the properties of the binaries' host galaxies, observing possible electromagnetic emission from the mergers, or using them as a cosmological distance ladder. The precision of this localization can be substantially increased with prior astrophysical information about the binary system. In particular, constraining the inclination of the binary can reduce the distance uncertainty of the source. Here we present the first realistic set of localizations for binary black hole mergers, including different prior constraints on the binaries' inclinations. We find that prior information on the inclination can reduce the localization volume by a factor of 3. We discuss two astrophysical scenarios of interest: (i) follow-up searches for beamed electromagnetic/neutrino counterparts and (ii) mergers in the accretion disks of active galactic nuclei.

Corley, K. Rainer↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The High Inclination Solar Mission (HISM)

The High Inclination Solar Mission (HISM) is an out-of-the-ecliptic solar sail mission concept for observing the Sun and the heliosphere. The mission profile is based on the Solar Polar Imager concept: initially spiraling in to a 0.48 AU ecliptic orbit, then increasing the orbital inclination at a rate of up to 10° degrees per year, ultimately reaching a heliographic inclination of >75°.The orbital profile is achieved using solar sails based on the sail design for the Solar Cruiser mission, currently in Phase-A study at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. An initial instrument complement was assumed for the study, consisting of a combination of remote, in-situ, and plasma wave instruments with a total mass of 66 kg. These provide a comprehensive suite of instruments to study the solar polar regions and connections to the heliosphere. The 7,000 m sail used in the mission assessment is a direct extension of the 4-quadrant 1,666 m Solar Cruiser design and employs the same type of high strength composite boom, deployment mechanism, and membrane technology. The sail system modeled is spun (~1 rpm) to assure required boom characteristics with margin. The spacecraft bus features a fine-pointing 3-axisstabilized instrument platform that allows full science observations as soon as the spacecraft reaches a solar distance of 0.48 AU. The spacecraft provides 95W power to science instruments and 8 Gbit/day downlink capability.

solar sail↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The ACCP Inclined Orbit Project: Enabling New and Synergistic Aerosol Remote Sensing Inversions

Atmospheric aerosols have high spatiotemporal variations due to their diverse sources including windblown dust, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic emissions. These aerosols also have strong diurnal emission characteristics that influence long-range transport, air quality, Earth’s radiation budget, biogeochemical cycles, and weather forecasting. While current sensors can measure the steady-state of global 3D cloud and aerosol properties, we lack the observational datasets to discover the diurnal variability of aerosols, even at seasonal and regional scales, because these missions utilize sun synchronous orbits. An Aerosols and Clouds, Convection and Precipitation (ACCP) observing system has been established as part of NASA’s new Earth System Observatory (ESO) to fulfill the science needs presented in the 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey. The selected ACCP architecture encompasses sensors in two orbit planes, one of which utilizes an inclined orbit (nominally ~55 degrees at a 407 km altitude) to advance our understanding of aerosol and cloud properties and target the dynamics of the cloud and aerosol processes on sub-daily time scales. The anticipated instrumentation suite for the ACCP Inclined Orbit Project is a Stereo Camera System, Polarimeter, Microwave Radiometer, Two-Frequency Radar, and Backscatter Lidar. The polarimeter is expected to have multiple wavelength bands and viewing angles to enable accurate retrievals of aerosol microphysical and optical properties. The backscatter lidar will provide vertical profiles of attenuated backscatter and depolarization ratio at two wavelengths, with better daytime signal-to-noise ratio than previous space-based lidar systems to improve aerosol detection/typing and estimates of aerosol optical properties. The stereo camera system, while designed primarily for clouds, will also provide aerosol plume heights and air motions at the plume heights. This invited presentation will provide (1) an overview of the ACCP Inclined Orbit Project, (2) a description of the new sensor capabilities and orbital characteristics, and (3) a preview of the potential for new synergistic aerosol inversion techniques.

John E Yorks↗

NASA NTRS1993

Flow and acoustic field due to an inclined plate with a downstream splitter

In the present work, the high Reynolds number flow past an inclined plate with a splitter plate placed in its wake is considered numerically. A numerical conformal mapping technique is employed to transform the two-plate system into the same number of cylinders: the flow field is assumed to be two-dimensional. The vortex shedding from the inclined plate is modelled using the discrete vortex method. It is shown that the splitter plate has a profound effect on the development of the flow over a range of values of a suitably defined offset parameter and for a range of positions of the leading edge of the splitter plate. The acoustic field is also calculated and the spectrum reflects the flow results.

DISCRETE VORTEX METHOD↗

DOE OSTI2020

Spectral solar irradiance on inclined surfaces: A fast Monte Carlo approach

Estimating spectral plane-of-array (POA) solar irradiance on inclined surfaces is an important step in the design and performance evaluation of both photovoltaic and concentrated solar plants. This work introduces a fast, line-by-line spectral, Monte Carlo (MC) radiative transfer model approach to simulate anisotropic distributions of shortwave radiation through the atmosphere as photon bundles impinge on inclined surfaces. This fast Monte Carlo approach reproduces the angular distribution of solar irradiance without the undesirable effects of spatial discretization and thus computes detailed POA irradiance values on surfaces at any orientation and also when surfaces are subjected to the anisotropic ground and atmospheric scattering. Polarization effects are also easily incorporated into this approach that can be considered as direct numerical simulation of the physics involved. Here, we compare our Monte Carlo radiative transfer model with the most widely used empirical transposition model, Perez4, under various conditions. The results show that the Perez4 model reproduces the more detailed Monte Carlo simulations with less than 10% deviation under clear skies for all relevant surface tilt and azimuth angles. When optically thin clouds are present, observed deviations are larger, especially when the receiving surface is strongly tilted. Deviations are also observed for large azimuth angle differences between the receiving surface and the solar position. When optically thick clouds are present, the two models agree within 15% deviation for nearly all surface orientation and tilt angles. The overall deviations are smaller when compared with cases for optically thin clouds. The Perez4 model performs very well (6.0% deviation) in comparison with the detailed MC simulations for all cases, thus validating its widespread use for practical solar applications. When detailed atmospheric profiles and cloud optical properties are available, the proposed fast Monte Carlo radiative model reproduces accurate spectral and angular POA irradiance levels for various atmospheric and cloud cover conditions, surface orientations, and different surface and ground properties.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

Simulations of the shock-driven Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in inclined gas curtains

In this paper, we present simulation results for the two-dimensional, shock-driven Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Simulations are performed with a Mach 2.0 shock propagating through a finite-thickness curtain of gas inclined at an angle α0=30° with respect to the shock plane. After the passage of the shock, the gas curtain is accelerated along its axis. A perturbation develops due to shock reflection near the lower wall, and a Kelvin–Helmholtz instability forms near the vertical center of the curtain. This is the first known numerical reproduction of these phenomena that have previously been observed in experiments with an inclined cylindrical gas column. The effects of varying Mach number and column width were explored in detail to complement experimental data. Additionally, the dependence of the Kelvin–Helmholtz wavelength on Mach number closely matches the relationship observed in experiments. This supports the notion that the observed instability is effectively two-dimensional and inviscid (like classical Kelvin–Helmholtz). The growth rate of the perturbations in the gas curtain was also found to be similar for different Mach numbers. The perturbation at the curtain foot, previously unreported in experiments, was found to have a similar relationship to Mach number as the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Both perturbation wavelengths are found to be proportional to layer width. Simulations were performed with the fast interfaces and transport in the atmosphere, an exascale ready, graphics processing unit-accelerated compressible flow solver developed at the University of New Mexico.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Temporal evolution of scalar modes in Richtmyer–Meshkov instability of inclined interface using high-speed PIV and PLIF measurements at 60 kHz

Abstract The current work presents simultaneous, high-speed measurements at 60,000 fields per second of velocity and mole fraction using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser induced acetone-fluorescence in a Richtmyer–Meshkov instability of an inclined interface (Atwood number, At = 0.22). Specifically, around 2 ms of temporal evolution of the vortex structures and their associated scalar modes immediately following the interface-reshock interaction is presented. Two initial interface conditions are discussed—(a) a sharp, inclined ‘single mode’ interface and (b) a ‘multi-mode’ interface where small perturbations are imposed on the single mode case. A 2D wavelet decomposition of the scalar flow field shows a highly intermittent distribution of small-scale variance throughout the interface even at late times. These are correlated strongly with the vortex structures and local turbulence intensity, where each small-scale scalar mode is sandwiched between two co-rotating vortex structures. This indicates that the interstitial regions between the vortices are significant hotspots of entrainment, which is then dispersed by the induced, counter-flow velocity fields. The multimode case demonstrates similar organization at large scales, while the scalar field is much more homogeneous at smaller scales. These observations highlight the importance of capturing the early time vortex evolution to accurately estimate any late time intermittency, especially where deposition of intense vorticity on sharp interfaces is present.

Engineering↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Evolution of Inclined Binary Black Holes in the Disks of Active Galactic Nuclei

The accretion disks that fuel active galactic nuclei (AGNs) may house numerous stars and compact objects, formed in situ or captured from nearby star clusters. Embedded neutron stars and black holes may form binaries and eventually merge, emitting gravitational waves detectable by LIGO/VIRGO. AGN disks are a particularly promising environment for the production of high-mass gravitational-wave events involving black holes in the pair-instability mass gap, and may facilitate electromagnetic counterparts to black hole binary mergers. However, many orders of magnitude separate the typical length scales of binary formation and those on which gravitational waves can drive binary inspirals, making binary mergers inside the disk uncertain. Previous hydrodynamical simulations of binaries have either been restricted to two dimensions entirely, or focused on binaries aligned with the midplane of the disk. Herein we present the first three-dimensional, high-resolution, local-shearing-box, inviscid hydrodynamical simulations of disk-embedded binaries over a range of orbital inclinations. We find that retrograde binaries can shrink up to 4 times as quickly as prograde binaries, and that all binaries not perfectly aligned (or anti-aligned) with the AGN disk are driven into alignment. An important consequence of this is that initially retrograde binaries will traverse the inclinations where von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai oscillations can drive binary eccentricities to large values, potentially facilitating mergers. We also find that interactions with the AGN disk may excite eccentricities in retrograde binaries and cause the orbits of embedded binaries to precess.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1969

Recovery considerations for possible high inclination long duration earth orbital missions

Problem areas are discussed and various solutions proposed. One of the major recovery problems encountered with missions having higher orbital inclinations than previous missions is the greater likelihood of severe weather conditions in the landing zones, especially if landing zones are optimized for orbital coverage considerations. Restricting the reentry window and increasing in-orbit wait times can partially eliminate the weather problem, but the possibility of emergency landings at higher latitudes still exists. It can be expected that the increased confidence level in spacecraft reliability that will exist by the time the high-inclination missions are flown will reduce the probabilities of an emergency landing in an unfavorable recovery location to a very low level.

Obriant, T. E.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Solutions of the motion of synchronous satellites with arbitrary eccentricity and inclination

A first order, semianalytical theory for the long term motion of resonant satellites is presented. The theory is valid for all eccentricities and inclinations and for all commensurability ratios. The method allows the inclusion of all the zonal and tesseral harmonics as well as luni solar perturbations and radiation pressure. The method is applied to a synchronous satellite including only the J sub 2 and J sub 22 harmonics. Global, long term solutions for this problem, eccentricity, argument of perigee, and inclination are obtained.

Nacozy, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Orbital inclination of Iapetus and the rotation of the Laplacian plane

This paper explores the possibility that the orbit of Iapetus, with its relatively large inclination but small eccentricity, was generated by a rapid dispersal of a gaseous circumplanetary disk, assumed to be the progenitor of the satellite system. The orientation of the local Laplacian plane is shown to be a sensitive function of the disk's structure. Modification of the disk on a time scale comparable to the precession of the orbit's nodal line can produce a large inclination from one that is initially zero, while leaving the eccentricity unchanged. This time scale is of the same order of magnitude as the viscous evolution time scale for a fully turbulent disk. Hence, Iapetus need not be a captured satellite to account for its curious orbital signature.

Ward, W. R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Inclinations of the Uranian rings

It is theoretically shown that at least seven of the nine rings of Uranus have orbits inclined to the equatorial plane of the planet. To the existing model of the Uranian rings, free parameters for the inclination of the rings and for the angle between the line of nodes of the ring orbit and a common reference line in the equatorial plane were added. An available set of occultation timings and expressions for the precession and nodal regression were combined, and an excellent fit was obtained.

French, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Long-term motion of resonant satellites with arbitrary eccentricity and inclination

A first-order, semi-analytical method for the long-term motion of resonant satellites is introduced. The method provides long-term solutions, valid for nearly all eccentricities and inclinations, and for all commensurability ratios. The method allows the inclusion of all zonal and tesseral harmonics of a nonspherical planet. We present here an application of the method to a synchronous satellite including J2 and J22 harmonics. Global, long-term solutions for this problem are given for arbitrary values of eccentricity, argument of perigee and inclination.

Nacozy, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A comparison of coronal and interplanetary current sheet inclinations

The HAO white light K-coronameter observations show that the inclination of the heliospheric current sheet at the base of the corona can be both large (nearly vertical with respect to the solar equator) or small during Cararington rotations 1660 - 1666 and even on a single solar rotation. Voyager 1 and 2 magnetic field observations of crossing of the heliospheric current sheet at distances from the Sun of 1.4 and 2.8 AU. Two cases are considered, one in which the corresponding coronameter data indicate a nearly vertical (north-south) current sheet and another in which a nearly horizontal, near equatorial current sheet is indicated. For the crossings of the vertical current sheet, a variance analysis based on hour averages of the magnetic field data gave a minimum variance direction consistent with a steep inclination. The horizontal current sheet was observed by Voyager as a region of mixed polarity and low speeds lasting several days, consistent with multiple crossings of a horizontal but irregular and fluctuating current sheet at 1.4 AU. However, variance analysis of individual current sheet crossings in this interval using 1.92 see averages did not give minimum variance directions consistent with a horizontal current sheet.

Behannon, K. W.↗