SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Field boundaries”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 595 records · Page 33

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1984

Wall interference measurements for three-dimensional models in transonic wind tunnels: Experimental difficulties

The purpose is not to provide a detailed discussion of several wall interference experiments, but rather to use these experiments (recently accomplished in the Boeing Transonic Wind Tunnel (BTWT) to illustrate the problems associated with many of the measurements required by current wall interference assessment/correction (WIAC) procedures. The wall correction to lift is emphasized. It is shown that, because conventional tunnels and relatively small models continue to be used, the flow field or flow boundary measurements to be made impose severe requirements on the experiment itself. In some cases, existing instrumentation and test techniques may not be adequate to obtain the data accuracies needed.

Bengelink, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

On an algorithm for analysis of the radiation patterns of dual reflector and segmented reflector antennas

An algorithm has been developed to calculate the radiation patterns of a large reflector antenna for space applications. The algorithm treats each panel in the reflector array as an analytic surface having n-sided polygonal boundaries. The radiation fields for individual panels are computed and stored separately, and then added to yield a uniform radiation pattern for the entire reflector. Numerical methods developed to reduce the overlap of the aperture fields of adjacent panels are described in detail. Calculations of the tangential field components of the aperture plane are carried out based on the principles of geometric optics (GO). Some radiation patterns calculated with the algorithm are compared with patterns produced by other methods, together with measured data for a classical Cassegrain antenna and the calculated patterns are illustrated.

Christodoulou, C. G.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Single mode acoustic fiber waveguide

The single mode operation of a clad rod acoustic waveguide is described. Unlike conventional clad optical and acoustic waveguiding structures which use modes confined to a central core surrounded by a cladding, this guide supports neither core nor cladding modes but a single interface wave field on the core-cladding boundary. The propagation of this bound field and the potential improved freedom from spurious responses is discussed.

Jackson, B. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Fourier transform techniques for the evaluation of the Thematic Mapper line spread function

An endeavor was made to use Fourier transform techniques to estimate the line spread function (LSF) of the Thematic Mapper (TM) from processed data. Data near the boundary of small fields from TM scenes were sampled, fitted to a theoretical curve, lowpass filtered, and then deconvolved to obtain the LSF. Lowpass filtering improved the truncation effect and eliminated the discontinuity at both ends of the data sequence.The selection of the cutoff frequency and the order of a lowpass filter is based on a newly defined criterion which tests the distortion of the processed edge by comparing it with the original edge. A parameter of the LSF, the equivalent width, is used to compare these LSF's deconvolved from sampled edge data with those evaluated by the derivative techniques. The calculated equivalent widths using the Fourier transform techniques for infrared bands are very close to TM design specifications.

Carnahan, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A coordinate free description of magnetohydrostatic equilibria

The question what geometrical restrictions are imposed on static magnetic fields by the magnetohydrostatic (MHS) equation is addressed. The general mathematical problem is therefore to determine the solutions of the MHS equations in the corona subject to an arbitrary normal component of the magnetic field at the boundary and arbitrary connectivity. What constraints the MHS equations impose on the geometry of the solutions, expressed in metric tensors, will be determined.

Martens, P. C. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Evolution to nonequilibrium in simple models of prominence filaments

The support of cold plasma against gravity by a line-tied magnetic field is considered. The normal component of the field at the boundaries, the mass/unit flux, and the magnetic shear are all specified. Fixing the first two of these quantities, and varying the third leads to evolutionary sequences. When the magnetic shear is less than a critical value, an infinite number of solutions exist. When the magnetic shear is sufficiently large, there are no solutions with the desired topology. These results support the idea that prominences erupt as a result of evolution to magnetic nonequilibrium.

Zweibel, Ellen G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

CFD lends the government a hand

The present survey of important and novel CFD applications being developed and implemented by U.S. Government contractors gives attention to naval vessel flow-modeling, Army ballistic and rotary wing aerodynamics, and NASA hypersonic vehicle related applications of CFD. CFD-generated knowledge of numerical algorithms, fluid motion, and supercomputer use is being incorporated into such additional areas as computational electromagnetics and acoustics. Attention is presently given to CFD methods' development status in such fields as submarine boundary layers, hypersonic kinetic energy projectile shock structures, helicopter main rotor tip flows, and National Aerospace Plane aerothermodynamics.

Lekoudis, Spiro↗

NASA NTRS1992

The disconnection event of 16.0 March 1986 in comet Halley

From kinematic extrapolation of tail/nucleus distance measurements on photographic images in the International Halley Watch (IHW) archive, we calculated the disconnection time of the 16-19 March 1986 event to be 16.0 (plus or minus 0.1) March. The solar wind conditions around Comet Halley at the time of the DE, inferred by corotation of IMP-8 satellite data to the comet, were such that (1) Comet Halley had just crossed the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) sector boundary; (2) the solar wind density was approximately 8 cm(exp -3); (3) the solar wind speed was approximately 600 km/sec; (4) the IMF magnitude was approximately 8 nT. Given these conditions, we conclude that the most likely cause of the 16.0 March DE was front-side magnetic reconnection, as described in the model of Niedner and Brandt (1978).

Randall, Cora E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Numerical solution of wave equations for the stability of the inner cometo-sheath

Numerical solution of the MHD wave equations for stability of the cometary sheath determined by the balance between the inward Lorentz body force and the outward ion-neutral drag force is obtained by using a two-point boundary value method. The eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions are obtained numerically by treating the cometary inner sheath as a layer of finite thickness, bounded by the contact surface, i.e., the diamagnetic cavity boundary. The magnetic field structure discovered in the ionosphere of Comets Halley and Giacobini-Zinner is found to be unstable. The effects of finite plasma pressure, dissociative recombination, and mass loading due to photoionization are found to be stabilizing but are unable to quench the instability completely. It is also found that the higher the neutral production rate the lesser is the growth rate for the instability.

Srivastava, Krishna M.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Multilayer thin film design as far ultraviolet quarterwave retarders

At short wavelengths, such as FUV, transparent, optically active materials are scarce. Reflection phase retardation by a multilayer thin film can be a good alternative in this wavelength region. We design a multilayer quarterwave retarder by calculating the electric fields at each boundary in the multilayer thin film. Using this method, we achieve designs of FUV multilayers which provide high, matched reflectances for both s- and p-polarization states, and at the same time a phase difference between these two states of nearly 90 deg. For example, a quarterwave retarder designed at the Lyman-alpha line (121.6 nm) has 81.05 percent reflectance for the s-polarization and 81.04 percent for the p-polarization state. The phase difference between these two polarization states is 90.07 deg. For convenience the retarders are designed for 45 deg angle of incidence, but our design approach can be used for any other angle of incidence. Aluminum and MgF2 are used as film materials and an opaque thick film of aluminum as the substrate.

Kim, Jongmin↗

NASA NTRS1993

Multiple heliospheric current sheets and coronal streamer belt dynamics

The occurrence of multiple directional discontinuities in the coronal streamer belt at sector boundary crossings in the heliosphere, often ascribed to waves or kinks in the heliospheric current sheet, may alternatively be attributed to a network of extended current sheets from multiple helmet streamers with a hierarchy of sizes at the base of the corona. Frequent transient outflows from these helmets can account for a variety of signatures observed at sector boundaries, including ordered field rotations, planar magnetic structures and sandwichlike plasma structure.

Crooker, N. U.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies and the Martian crustal dichotomy

Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies from a 50x50 field, derived from re-analysis of Viking Orbiter and Mariner 9 tracking data and using a 50x50 expansion of the current Mars topography and the GSFC degree 50 geoid as the equipotential reference surface, with the Martian crustal dichotomy are compared. The spherical harmonic topography used has zero mean elevation, and differs from the USGS maps by about 2 km. In this field the dichotomy boundary in eastern Mars lies mostly at -1 to -2 km elevation. Bouguer gravity anomalies are shown on a map of Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian age terrains, simplified from current geologic maps. The map is centered at 300 deg W to show the continuity of the dichotomy boundary. Contour interval is 100 mgals. Gravity and topography were compared along approximately 40 profiles oriented parallel to the dichotomy boundary topographic gradient, to determine how the geophysical character of the boundary changes along its length and what this implies for its origin and development.

Frey, Herbert↗

NASA NTRS1993

Analytical evaluation of a surface integral expressing the coupling between interior and exterior volumes in a FE-IE approach

Recently an approach which combines the finite element technique and an integral equation to determine the fields scattered by inhomogeneous bodies of complicated shape has been proposed. Basically, a mathematical surface which encloses the scatterers is introduced, thus dividing the space into an interior and an exterior volume, in which the finite element technique and an integral equation for EM scattering, respectively, are applied. The integral equation is set up for the tangential components of the fields at the surface, while the interior volume the unknowns are the total fields. Continuity of the tangential fields at the boundary, as required by Maxwell's equations, is imposed, thus coupling the two methods to obtain a consistent solution. The coupling term is expressed by a surface integral formed by the dot product of a FE basis function and an IE testing function, or viceversa. By choosing the boundary to be a surface of revolution and by making a convenient selection of IE basis (testing) functions, it is possible to evaluate the integrals analytically on surfaces such as curved triangles, curved quadrilaterals and curved pentagons. We will illustrate the salient steps involved in setting up and carrying out these integrals and discuss what class of basis (testing) functions and analytic surfaces of revolution they are applicable to. Analytic calculations offer the advantage of better accuracy than purely numerical ones, and, when combined with them, often shed light on issues of numerical convergence and limiting values. Furthermore, they may reduce computation time and storage requirements.

Zuffada, C.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Electrohydrodynamic deformation and interaction of a pair of emulsion drops

The response of a pair of emulsion drops to the imposition of a uniform electric field is examined. The case studied is that of equal-sized drops whose line of centers is parallel to the axis of the applied field. A new boundary integral solution to the governing equations of the leaky dielectric model is developed; the formulation accounts for the electrostatic and hydrodynamic interactions between the drops, as well as their deformations. Numerical calculations show that, after an initial transient during which the drops primarily deform, the pair drift slowly together due to their electrostatic interactions.

Baygents, James C.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Carbon-Water-Energy Relations for Selected River Basins

A biophysical process-based model was run using satellite, assimilated and ancillary data for four years (1987-1990) to calculate components of total evaporation (transpiration, interception, soil and snow evaporation), net radiation, absorbed photosynthetically active radiation and net primary productivity over the global land surface. Satellite observations provided fractional vegetation cover, solar and photosynthetically active radiation incident of the surface, surface albedo, fractional cloud cover, air temperature and vapor pressure. The friction velocity and surface air pressure are obtained from a four dimensional data assimilation results, while precipitation is either only surface observations or a blended product of surface and satellite observations. All surface and satellite data are monthly mean values; precipitation has been disaggregated into daily values. All biophysical parameters of the model are prescribed according to published records. From these global land surface calculations results for river basins are derived using digital templates of basin boundaries. Comparisons with field observations (micrometeorologic, catchment water balance, biomass production) and atmospheric water budget analysis for monthly evaporation from six river basins have been done to assess errors in the calculations. Comparisons are also made with previous estimates of zonal variations of evaporation and net primary productivity. Efficiencies of transpiration, total evaporation and radiation use, and evaporative fraction for selected river basins will be presented.

Choudhury, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

A Discrete-Vortex Method for Studying the Wing Rock of Delta Wings

A discrete-vortex method is developed to investigate the wing rock problem associated with highly swept wings. The method uses two logarithmic vortices placed above the wing to represent the vortex flow field and uses boundary conditions based on conical flow, vortex rate of change of momentum, and other considerations to position the vortices and determine their strengths. A relationship based on the time analogy and conical-flow assumptions is used to determine the hysteretic positions of the vortices during roll oscillations. Static and dynamic vortex positions and wing rock amplitudes and frequencies calculated by using the method are generally in good agreement with available experimental data. The results verify that wing rock is caused by hysteretic deflections of the vortices and indicate that the stabilizing moments that limit wing rock amplitudes are the result of the one primary vortex moving outboard of the wing where it has little influence on the wing.

Gainer, Thomas G.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Kinetic Simulation of Inhomogeneous Plasma with a Variable Sized Grid System

Space plasmas are usually inhomogeneous and irregular. Particle in cell (PIC) plasma simulations, however, often consider the plasma to be homogeneous and periodic. Here non-periodic PIC simulations with inhomogeneities in the density, temperature and background magnetic field are considered. Boundary conditions and a variable sized grid system are discussed, along with an application to a magnetospheric plasma physics problem in the auroral zone.

Schriver, David↗

NASA NTRS2004

Gardosian Patterns in Tribology

The following paper is a memorial retrospective on selected research of Dr. Michael N. Gardos. Dr. Gardos spent his professional career engaged in tribological research which often extended the scientific boundaries of the field. Several of the concepts he put forth into the tribology community were initially met with grave skepticism but over time his views have been largely embraced but not widely acknowledged. His approach to new research topics was often characterized by these qualities: 1) pioneering points of view, 2) the use of the model experiment, and 3) the presence of multiple research agendas for each single experiment. I have chosen to name his research approach as "Gardosian Patterns" in honor of his contributions to Tribology. Three specific examples of these patterns will be reviewed. One is the concept of atomic level tailoring of materials to control macroscopic properties. A second is the use of a model ball polishing experiment to identify high fracture toughness ceramics for use in rolling element bearings. A third Gardosian Pattern example is his pioneering work with the tribology of diamond and diamond films in which he proposed controlling friction via surface bond tailoring. In these examples, Gardos utilized conventional research tools in unconventional ways and, at times, even developed new tools which have become part of the mainstream. His remarkable career has left a positive and lasting mark on Tribology.

DellaCorte, Christopher↗