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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.

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At least 73 records · Page 4

Spin-glass dynamics: Experiment, theory, and simulation

This review updates the field of spin glasses with broad application to a large variety of physical systems. In particular, this review tracks the progress of experiment, theory, and large scale simulations. It highlights the importance of their synergy, from the inception of the field to the present day, and includes future opportunities for research.

Dahlberg, E. D. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, ↗

Measurement of velocity fields in fluid dynamics experiments

A microcomputer-video system was used to measure both spatial and temporal variations of two dimensional fluid flow velocity fields. The system utilizes two methods: the first method is the traditional one in which tracers are introduced into the fluid and their position compared at two closely spaced times; and the second method involves scattering coherent light in the fluid and obtaining motion by analyzing the multiple exposed speckle pattern recorded on photographic film.

Fitzjarrald, D. E.↗

Charged drop dynamics experiment using an electrostatic-acoustic hybrid system

The design and the performance of an electrostatic-acoustic hybrid system and its application to a charge drop rotation experiment are presented. This system can levitate a charged drop electrostatically and induce drop rotation or oscillation by imposing an acoustic torque or an oscillating acoustic pressure. Using this system, the equilibrium shapes and stability of a rotating charged drop were experimentally investigated. A 3 mm size water drop was rotated as a rigid body and its gyrostatic equilibrium shapes were observed. Families of axisymmetric shapes, two-lobed shapes, and eventual fissioning have been observed. With the assumption of 'effective surface tension' in which the surface charge simply modified the surface tension of neutral liquid, the results agree exceptionally well with the Brown and Scriven's (1980) prediction for uncharged drops.

Rhim, W. K.↗

Climate dynamics experiments using a GCM simulations

The study of surface-atmosphere interactions has begun with studies of the effect of altering the ocean and land boundaries. A ten year simulation of global climate using observed sea surface temperature anomalies has begun using the NCAR Community Climate Model (CCM1). The results for low resolution (R15) were computed for the first 8 years of the simulation and compared with the observed surface temperatures and the MSU (Microwave Sounding Unit) observations of tropospheric temperature. A simulation at higher resolution (T42) was done to ascertain the effect of interactive soil hydrology on the system response to an El Nino sea surface temperature perturbation. Initial analysis of this simulations was completed.

Fitzjarrald, Dan↗

Middeck zero-gravity dynamics experiment - Comparison of ground and flight test data

An analytic and experimental study of the changes in the modal parameters of space structural test articles from one- to zero-gravity is presented. Deployable, erectable, and rotary modules was assembled to form three one- and two-dimensional structures, in which variations in bracing wire and rotary joint preload could be introduced. The structures were modeled as if hanging from a suspension system in one gravity, and unconstrained, as if free floating in zero-gravity. The analysis is compared with ground experimental measurements, made on a spring/wire suspension system with a nominal plunge frequency of one Hertz, and with measurements made on the Shuttle middeck. The degree of change in linear modal parameters as well as the change in nonlinear nature of the response is examined. Trends in modal parameters are presented as a function of force amplitude, joint preload, and ambient gravity level.

Crawley, Edward F.↗

ISE structural dynamic experiments

The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: directed energy systems - vibration issue; Neutral Particle Beam Integrated Space Experiment (NPB-ISE) opportunity/study objective; vibration sources/study plan; NPB-ISE spacecraft configuration; baseline slew analysis and results; modal contributions; fundamental pitch mode; vibration reduction approaches; peak residual vibration; NPB-ISE spacecraft slew experiment; goodbye ISE - hello Zenith Star Program.

Lock, Malcolm H.↗

Global Geospace Science (GGS)/POLAR Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiments (TIDE) Co-Investigator Program: Mission Operations and Data Analysis (MO/DA)

We have pursued several investigations using the Polar/TIDE data set. The first was a comparison of TIDE high-altitude observations with similar ion flux signatures in the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) magnetospheric plasma analyzer (MPA) data. There are several geosynchronously orbiting satellites with LANL MPA instruments onboard. When the satellite is immersed in fresh plasma sheet electrons, the spacecraft voltage drops to several hundred volts negative, and cold ions are accelerated in to the detector. In the LANL MPA spectrograms, the accelerated cold ions appear as a bright, narrow line, following the voltage of the spacecraft. This "ion line" is seen regularly on the nightside, but has not received much attention. The Polar TIDE observations indicated a ubiquitous "lobal wind" in the near-- magnetotail, a field-aligned stream of approx. 100 eV ions flowing out of both polar ionospheres. The interesting result of this research is that the MPA ion line is also peaked in the field-aligned direction, even though the potential well should be uniform in all directions. It is believed that this is evidence that the lobal winds not only populate the high-latitude lobes, but fill the lobes all the way in to the near-Earth plasma sheet (the location of geosynchronous orbit). This activity developed into a full-scale survey of the lobal wind observations in the TIDE database. The universality of these observations with respect to local time and solar wind conditions implies that the ionospheric outflow is supplying the near-Earth plasma sheet at all times, regardless of magnetic activity. We have conducted a statistical study of the characteristics of the lobal wind in these two data sets FIDE and LANL MPA), finding much similarity between them. Using these characteristics as input conditions to our inner magnetosphere ion transport model, we have conducted simulations of the flow of these particles inside of geosynchronous orbit to show the impact these particles will have on the near-Earth space environment. As the study has progressed, these results have been presented several times to the TIDE team during teleconferences. It is planned to present this survey at the GEM 2004 Summer Workshop, and hopefully at additional conferences in the near future. We are presently writing a paper on the lobal wind occurrence statistics, which should be submitted in April or May to the Journal of Geophysical Research for publication. An undergraduate student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Will Maddox, working at NASA MSFC with Dr. Paul Craven, is presently creating a database of the values TIDE moments for the lobal wind (under Dr. Liemohn's guidance), and this will be the focus of a follow-on paper.

Nagy, Andrew↗

Design of Experiments for Dynamic Test Runs in Solvent-Based CO 2 Capture Pilot Plants

Test runs in the pilot plants consume significant resources, and therefore, the learning from test runs should be maximized. Test runs conducted in the pilot plants are often steady state. It takes several hours for reaching steady-state in the pilot plants, and thus, the duration of the test runs needs to be long even for collecting few steady-state data points. On the other hand, a large number of measurements can be collected through dynamic test runs in a short span of time. This paper presents a systematic design of dynamic experiments (DoDEs) for identifiability of model parameters, which is achieved by persistently exciting the inputs signals. A pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) is designed as the input signal for DoDE due to its efficiency in obtaining sufficient spectral content. However, due to the long sequence size of the PRBS signal, a Schroeder-phase input signal, which is a multisine signal, is also designed. Tests for both types of signals are run in the Pilot Solvent Test Unit (PSTU) at the National Carbon Capture Center in Wilsonville, Alabama. The transient data are used to solve dynamic data reconciliation and parameter estimation problem. The estimated parameters are found to be not only superior to those estimated from using data collected from hundreds of steady-state test runs in a nonreactive (air–water) system, but the parameters could be estimated by using the dynamic data collected for about 24 h from the pilot plant for the MEA-H 2 O–CO 2 system.

CO2 capture↗

Fluid Dynamic Verification Experiments on STS-70

Fluid dynamic experiments were flown on STS-70 as phase two of the engineering evaluation of the first bioreactor Engineering Development Unit (EDU#1). The phase one experiments were comparative cell cultures in identical units on earth and onboard STS-70. In phase two, two types of fluid dynamic experiments were performed. Qualitative comparisons of the basic flow patterns were evaluated with the use of 'dye' streaklines formed from alternate injections of either a mild acid or base solution into the external flow loop that was then perfused into the vessel. The presence of Bromothymol Blue in the fluid then caused color changes from yellow to blue or vice versa, indicating the basic fluid motions. This reversible change could be repeated as desired. In the absence of significant density differences in the fluid, the flow patterns in space should be the same as on earth. Video tape records of the flow patterns for a wide range of operating conditions were obtained. The second type of fluid dynamic experiment was the quantitative evaluation of the trajectories of solid beads of various densities and sizes. The beads were introduced into the vessel and the paths recorded on video tape, with the vessel operated at various rotation rates and flow perfusion rates. Because of space limitations, the video camera was placed as close as possible to the vessel, resulting in significant optical distortion. This report describes the analysis methods to obtain comparisons between the in-flight fluid dynamics and numerical models of the flow field. The methods include optical corrections to the video images and calculation of the bead trajectories for given operating conditions and initial bead locations.

Kleis, Stanley J.↗

Dynamical Aquaplanet Experiments with Uniform Thermal Forcing: System Dynamics and Implications for Tropical Cyclone Genesis and Size

Existing hypotheses for the dynamical dependence of tropical cyclone genesis and size on latitude depend principally on the Coriolis parameter $f$. These hypotheses are tested via dynamical aquaplanet experiments with uniform thermal forcing in which planetary rotation rate and planetary radius are varied relative to Earth values; the control simulation is also compared to a present-day Earth simulation. Storm genesis rate collapses to a quasi-universal dependence on f that attains its maximum at the critical latitude, where the inverse-$f$ scale and Rhines scale are equal. Minimum genesis distance from the equator is set by the equatorial Rhines (or deformation) scale and not by a minimum value of $f$. Outer storm size qualitatively follows the smaller of the two length scales, including a slow increase with latitude equatorward of 45° in the control simulation, similar to the Earth simulation. The latitude of peak size scales with the critical latitude for varying planetary radius but not rotation rate, possibly because of the dependence of genesis specifically on $f$. The latitudes of peak size and peak packing density scale closely together. Results suggest that temporal effects and interstorm interaction may be significant for size dynamics. More generally, the critical latitude separates two regimes: 1) a mixed wave–cyclone equatorial belt, where wave effects are strong and the Rhines scale likely limits storm size, and 2) a cyclone-filled polar cap, where wave effects are weak and cyclones persist. Finally, the large-planet limit predicts a world nearly covered with long-lived storms, equivalent to the f plane. Overall, spherical geometry is likely important for understanding tropical cyclone genesis and size on Earthlike planets.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Review of rotating wing dynamic stall: Experiments and flow control

Dynamic stall has been a technical challenge and a fluid dynamical subject of interest for more than fifty years; but in the last decade significant advances have been made in the understanding, prediction, modeling, and control of dynamic stall on rotors. This paper provides a summary of the state of the art of dynamic stall experiments and future directions in the understanding of dynamic stall on rotors. Experimental data sets are discussed, as well the direction of future research for control of dynamic stall. Coordinated testing between airfoils and rotating blades, as well as close integration between computational and experimental studies were found to be productive approaches. Advanced analysis methods, including statistical methods, modal representations, and artificial intelligence methods have led to significant advances in the understanding of dynamic stall. Investigations of dynamic stall control devices have allowed many useful targeted investigations of the transition to separated flow, but have not yet resulted in a commercially implemented device.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Lunar geophysics, geodesy, and dynamics

Experience with the dynamics and data analyses for earth and moon reveals both similarities and differences. Analysis of Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) data provides information on the lunar orbit, rotation, solid-body tides, and retroreflector locations.

lunar laser ranging lunar science↗