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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 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

On the correlation of plume centerline velocity decay of turbulent acoustically excited jets

Acoustic excitation was shown to alter the velocity decay and spreading characteristics of jet plumes by modifying the large-scale structures in the plume shear layer. The present work consists of reviewing and analyzing available published and unpublished experimental data in order to determine the importance and magnitude of the several variables that contribute to plume modification by acoustic excitation. Included in the study were consideration of the effects of internal and external acoustic excitation, excitation Strouhal number, acoustic excitation level, nozzle size, and flow conditions. The last include jet Mach number and jet temperature. The effects of these factors on the plume centerline velocity decay are then summarized in an overall empirical correlation.

Vonglahn, Uwe H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

On the correlation of plume centerline velocity decay of turbulent acoustically excited jets

Acoustic excitation has been shown to alter the velocity decay and spreading characteristics of jet plumes by modifying the large-scale structures in the plume shear layer. The present work consists of reviewing and analyzing available published and unpublished experimental data in order to determine the importance and magnitude of the several variables that contribute to plume modification by acoustic excitation. Included in the study were consideration of the effects of internal or external acoustic excitation, excitation Strouhal number, acoustic excitation level, nozzle size and flow conditions. The last include jet Mach number and jet temperature. The effects of these factors on the plume centerline velocity decay are then summarized in an overall empirical correlation.

Von Glahn, Uwe H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Comparison of aerobic fitness and space motion sickness during the Shuttle program

Space motion sickness (SMS) is an important problem for short-duration space flight; 71 percent of STS crewmembers develop SMS symptoms. The search for effective countermeasures and factors that correlate with sensitivity has been extensive. Recently, several investigators have linked aerobic fitness with motion sickness sensitivity in the 1-G or high-G environment. This paper compares the aerobic fitness of 125 Shuttle crewmembers with their SMS symptom category. Aerobic fitness data were obtained from the exercise tolerance test conducted nearest the time of launch. SMS data were derived from the medical debrief summaries. Mean maximum oxygen consumption values for crewmembers in four SMS categories (none, mild, moderate, severe) were 44.55, 44.08, 46.5, and 44.24 ml/kg per min, respectively. Scattergrams with linear regression analysis, comparing aerobic fitness and SMS symptom classification are presented. Correlation coefficients comparing SMS categories vs. aerobic fitness for men and women reveal no definite relationship between the two factors.

Jennings, Richard T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Scattering from nonspherical Chebyshev particles. II - Means of angular scattering patterns

The calculated angular scattering properties of over 250 randomly oriented nonspherical Chebyshev particles are examined for the effect of three factors: size; concavity vs convexity; and amount of deformation from a sphere. Both shape and size averaging are performed to reveal general features of the angular scattering not discernible for particular shapes and sizes. Comparisons with a comparably extensive experimental study published by Zerull in 1976 reveal remarkable qualitative similarities, even though Zerull used greatly different shapes from ours. This augurs well for the eventual development of a general theory of nonspherical scattering, although such a theory must account for concavity in addition to the amount of deviation from a sphere; and it cannot be entirely deterministic, as the third paper in this series will argue.

Wiscombe, Warren J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Semi-empirical crack tip analysis

Experimentally observed crack opening displacements are employed as the solution of the multiple crack interaction problem. Then the near and far fields are reconstructed analytically by means of the double layer potential technqiue. Evaluation of the effective stress intensity factor resulting from the interaction of the main crack and its surrounding crazes in addition to the remotely applied load is presented as an illustrative example. It is shown that crazing (as well as microcracking) may constitute an alternative mechanism to Dugdale-Berenblatt models responsible for the cancellation of the singularity at the crack tip.

Chudnovsky, A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Cryogenic mirror analysis

Due to extraordinary distances scanned by modern telescopes, optical surfaces in such telescopes must be manufactured to unimaginable standards of perfection of a few thousandths of a centimeter. The detection of imperfections of less than 1/20 of a wavelength of light, for application in the building of the mirror for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, was undertaken. Because the mirror must be kept very cold while in space, another factor comes into effect: cryogenics. The process to test a specific morror under cryogenic conditions is described; including the follow-up analysis accomplished through computer work. To better illustrate the process and analysis, a Pyrex Hex-Core mirror is followed through the process from the laser interferometry in the lab, to computer analysis via a computer program called FRINGE. This analysis via FRINGE is detailed.

Nagy, S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Improved silicon carbide for advanced heat engines. II - Pressureless sintering and mechanical properties of injection molded silicon carbide

The influence on density and strength of pressureless sintering in vacuum and argon environments has been evaluated with injection molded SiC materials. Main effects and two factor interactions of sintering (cycle variables temperature, time, heating rate, and atmosphere) were assessed. An improved understanding of the influence of the processing flaws and sintering conditions has been obtained. Strength and density have improved from a baseline level of 299 MPa (43.3 Ksi) and 94 pct of theoretical density to values greater than 483 MPa (70 Ksi) and 97 pct.

Whalen, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The Tsarev meteorite - Petrology and bidirectional reflectance spectra of a shock-blackened L chondrite

The Tsarev meteorite is a highly shocked black L5 ordinary chondrite. Meteorites of this class may have been subjected to regolith processes on or near the surface of ordinary chondrite bodies. The study of their optical alteration can provide valuable support in the spectral search for ordinary chondrite parent bodies. Although Tsarev is very dark in a cut-surface hand sample, it is characterized by subtle variations in apparent darkness, called in this work grey and black areas. Both areas are substantially optically altered from normal ordinary chondrites and are characterized by a much lower albedo and strongly suppressed absorption features. Although both areas are altered, they show differences in albedo and the strength of absorption features. Particulate samples from the black area have a slightly higher albedo and stronger absorption features, while the particulate samples from the grey area show a systematic suppression of spectral features and albedo. Chemical, mineralogical, and spectral analyses suggest that the spectral differences can be the result of one or a combination of several factors, including shock effects on the crystallographic structure of the minerals and differences in the size, distribution, and amount of metal and troilite grains.

Britt, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Global properties of pseudospectral methods

The present application of polynomial interpolation methods to function-approximation and numerical solutions for hyperbolic and elliptic PDEs allows the explicit construction of the derivative matrix for a general sequence of collocation points. An evaluation of the effect of several factors on the performance of these methods indicates an inability to interpret global methods in terms of local ones; the accuracy of the approximation will differ when the function's large gradients occur near the center of the region or near the boundary, irrespective of the boundary vicinity's collocation-point density.

Solomonoff, A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Modelling and measurement of crack closure and crack growth following overloads and underloads

Ignoring crack growth retardation following overloads can result in overly conservative life predictions in structures subjected to variable amplitude fatigue loading. Crack closure is believed to contribute to the crack growth retardation, although the specific closure mechanism is dabatable. The delay period and corresponding crack growth rate transients following overload and overload/underload cycles were systematically measured as a function of load ratio and overload magnitude. These responses are correlated in terms of the local 'driving force' for crack growth, i.e. the effective stress intensity factor range. Experimental results are compared with the predictions of a Dugdale-type (1960) crack closure model, and improvements in the model are suggested.

Dexter, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Fatigue crack growth in unidirectional metal matrix composite

The weight function method was used to determine the effective stress intensity factor and the crack opening profile for a fatigue tested composite which exhibited fiber bridging. The bridging mechanism was modeled using two approaches; the crack closure approach and the shear lag approach. The numerically determined stress intensity factor values from both methods were compared and correlated with the experimentally obtained crack growth rates for SiC/Ti-15-3 (0)(sub 8) oriented composites. The near crack tip opening profile was also determined for both methods and compared with the experimentally obtained measurements.

Ghosn, Louis J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ground based studies of the vibrational and rotational dynamics of acoustically levitated drops and shells

A substantial amount of experimental data can be gathered on the dynamics of acoustically positioned liquids in a ground-based laboratory and during short duration low-gravity parabolic flights of the KC-135. The preliminary results of a set of measurements of the static shape, of the vibrational spectrum, and the rotation equilibrium shapes of simple drops and liquid shells carried out using ultrasonic levitators working between 19 and 40 kHz is presented. The droplet diameter ranges between 1 and 5 mm, the surface tension of the liquid used varies between 25 and 70 dynes/cm, and the viscosity is changed between 1 to 1,000 cP. Of particular interest is the variation of the frequency of the fundamental mode of shape oscillation with various factors, and the effects of static drop shape deformation on the limit of stability of the axisymmetric shape of a drop in solid-body rotation.

Trinh, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Shear testing of fiber reinforced metal matrix composites

This paper outlines the elements of a combined experimental/analytical methodology for accurate shear characterization of unidirectional composites in the linear and nonlinear range, with particular attention devoted to metal matrix composites. It is illustrated that consistent results can be obtained for a large class of composites from two commonly employed shear test methods currently in use by composites researchers when the influence of various factors that affect the determination of the actual shear response is properly analyzed. These factors include the effects of material anisotropy, specimen geometry, manner of load introduction, and test fixture design on the stress and deformation fields in the test section of off-axis and Iosipescu specimens. Common errors associated with the measurement of deformation fields and calculation of stress fields are discussed and quantified. Particular problems in the determination of the shear response of unidirectional boron/aluminum using the Iosipescu test are illustrated and discussed.

Pindera, Marek-Jerzy↗
NASA NTRS1991

Determination of series resistance of indium phosphide solar cells

The series resistance of a solar cell is an important parameter, which must be minimized to achieve high cell efficiencies. The cell series resistance is affected by the starting material, its design, and processing. The theoretical approach proposed by Jia, et. al., is used to calculate the series resistance of indium phosphide solar cells. It is observed that the theoretical approach does not predict the series resistance correctly in all cases. The analysis was modified to include the use of effective junction ideality factor. The calculated results were compared with the available experimental results on indium phosphide solar cells processed by different techniques. It is found that the use of process dependent junction ideality factor leads to better estimation of series resistance. An accurate comprehensive series resistance model is warranted to give proper feedback for modifying the cell processing from the design state.

Jain, Raj K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Simple models for complex natural surfaces - A strategy for the hyperspectral era of remote sensing

A two-step strategy for analyzing multispectral images is described. In the first step, the analyst decomposes the signal from each pixel (as expressed by the radiance or reflectance values in each channel) into components that are contributed by spectrally distinct materials on the ground, and those that are due to atmospheric effects, instrumental effects, and other factors, such as illumination. In the second step, the isolated signals from the materials on the ground are selectively edited, and recombined to form various unit maps that are interpretable within the framework of field units. The approach has been tested on multispectral images of a variety of natural land surfaces ranging from hyperarid deserts to tropical rain forests. Data were analyzed from Landsat MSS (multispectral scanner) and TM (Thematic Mapper), the airborne NS001 TM simulator, Viking Lander and Orbiter, AIS, and AVRIS (Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer).

Adams, John B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Fatigue crack growth in unidirectional metal matrix composite

The weight function method was used to determine the effective stress intensity factor and the crack opening profile for a fatigue tested composite which exhibited fiber bridging. The bridging mechanism was modeled using two approaches; the crack closure approach and the shear lag approach. The numerically determined stress intensity factor values from both methods were compared and correlated with the experimentally obtained crack growth rates for SiC/Ti-15-3 (0) (sub 8) oriented composites. The near crack tip opening profile was also determined for both methods and compared with the experimentally obtained measurements.

Ghosn, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (ARVI) for EOS-MODIS

ARVI, which is here proposed as a tool for the remote sensing of vegetation by the EOS MODIS sensor, takes advantage of the presence of the blue channel in MODIS, together with the red and near-IR channels composing the normalized-difference vegetation index (NDVI). Unlike the NDVI, ARVI resists atmospheric effects via a self-correction process for the effects of the atmosphere on the red channel. ARVI is presently shown to have a dynamic range similar to NDVI's, but is on average less sensitive to atmospheric effects by a factor of 4. A single combination of the blue and red channels in the ARVI may be used in all or most remote-sensing applications.

Kaufman, Yoram J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Visoelastic relaxation of Venusian coronae and mountain belts: Constraints on global heat flow and tectonism

Venus differs from Earth in that water is essentially absent and its surface temperatures are about 470 K higher. The competing effects of high surface temperature and dry lithologies on the long-term history of surface topography have been studied using the finite-element method. The relaxation history of surface topographic features, such as coronae and mountain belts, is a function of thermal gradient, crustal thickness and lithology, regional stresses, and basal tractions applied to the lithosphere. In this study, we have examined the relative effects of these factors over a period of 500 Ma (presumed to be the mean age of the venusian surface).

Duncan, I.↗