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At least 91 records · Page 5

Control-nonlinear-nonstationary structural response and radiation near a supersonic jet

This paper is on the control of nonlinear-nonstationary vibration of a frame-stringer structure resulting from high levels of excitation from a nearby supersonic jet exhaust. The structure exhibits periodic, chaotic, or random behaviors when forced by high-intensity sound from a supersonic jet exhaust with 'shock' loading superimposed on a broadband response. The time history of the pressure, showing the rotation and flapping of the shock structure in the jet column due to large-scale instabilities, indicates that the response is not only nonlinear but also nonstationary. The acoustic pressure radiated by the structure also contains shocks and the formation of harmonics with distance. Control of the structural response is achieved by actively forcing the structure with an actuator at the shock oscillation frequency whose amplitude is locked into a self-control cycle. Results show that the peak power level is reduced by a factor of 63, or 18 dB. As a result, new broadband components emerge with at least four harmonics. At accelerating and decelerating supersonic speeds, the exhaust from the jet induces higher transient loading on the nearby flexible structure due to the occurrence of multiple shock from the jet.

TRT-EXPERIMENTAL↗

Control-nonlinear-nonstationary structural response and radiation near a supersonic jet

This paper is on the control of nonlinear-nonstationary vibration of a frame-stringer structure resulting from high levels of excitaation from a nearby supersonic jet exhaust. The structure exhibits periodic, chaotic, or random behaviors when forced by high-intensity sound from a supersonic jet exhaust with shock loading superimposed on the broadband response. The time history of the pressure, showing the rotation and flapping of the shock structure in the jet column due to large-scale instabilities, indicates that the response is not only nonlinear but also nonstationary. The acoustic pressure radiated by the structure also contains shocks and the formation of harmonics with distance. Control of the structural response is achieved by actively forcing the structure with an actuator at the shock oscillation frequency whose amplitude is locked into a self-control cycle. Results show that the peak power level is reduced by a factor of 63, or 18 dB. As a result, new broadband components emerge with at least four harmonics. At accelerating and decelerating supersonic speeds, the exhaust from the jet induces higher transient loading on the nearby flexible structure due to the occurence of multiple shocks from the jet.

Maestrello, Lucio↗

Active Suppression Of Vibrations On Aircraft Structures

Method of active suppression of nonlinear and nonstationary vibrations developed to reduce sonic fatigue and interior noise in high-speed aircraft. Structure of aircraft exhibits periodic, chaotic, and random vibrations when forced by high-intensity sound from jet engines, shock waves, turbulence, and separated flows. Method of suppressing vibrations involves feedback control: Strain gauges or other sensors mounted in paths of propagation of vibrations on structure sense vibrations; outputs of sensors processed into control signal applied to actuator mounted on structure, inducing compensatory forces.

Maestrello, Lucio↗

Drops in Space: Super Oscillations and Surfactant Studies

An unprecedented microgravity observation of maximal shape oscillations of a surfactant-bearing water drop the size of a ping pong ball was observed during a mission of Space Shuttle Columbia as part of the second United States Microgravity Laboratory-USML-2 (STS-73, October 20-November 5, 1995). The observation was precipitated by the action of an intense sound field which produced a deforming force on the drop. When this deforming force was suddenly reduced, the drop executed nearly free and axisymmetric oscillations for several cycles, demonstrating a remarkable amplitude of nonlinear motion. Whether arising from the discussion of modes of oscillation of the atomic nucleus, or the explosion of stars, or how rain forms, the complex processes influencing the motion, fission, and coalescence of drops have fascinated scientists for centuries. Therefore, the axisymmetric oscillations of a maximally deformed liquid drop are noteworthy, not only for their scientific value but also for their aesthetic character. Scientists from Yale University, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Vanderbilt University conducted liquid drop experiments in microgravity using the acoustic positioning/manipulation environment of the Drop Physics Module (DPM). The Yale/JPL group's objectives were to study the rheological properties of liquid drop surfaces on which are adsorbed surfactant molecules, and to infer surface properties such as surface tension, Gibb's elasticity, and surface dilatational viscosity by using a theory which relies on spherical symmetry to solve the momentum and mass transport equations.

Apfel, Robert E.↗

Acoustic Streaming and Heat and Mass Transfer Enhancement

A second order effect associated with high intensity sound field, acoustic streaming has been historically investigated to gain a fundamental understanding of its controlling mechanisms and to apply it to practical aspects of heat and mass transfer enhancement. The objectives of this new research project are to utilize a unique experimental technique implementing ultrasonic standing waves in closed cavities to study the details of the generation of the steady-state convective streaming flows and of their interaction with the boundary of ultrasonically levitated near-spherical solid objects. The goals are to further extend the existing theoretical studies of streaming flows and sample interactions to higher streaming Reynolds number values, for larger sample size relative to the wavelength, and for a Prandtl and Nusselt numbers parameter range characteristic of both gaseous and liquid host media. Experimental studies will be conducted in support to the theoretical developments, and the crucial impact of microgravity will be to allow the neglect of natural thermal buoyancy. The direct application to heat and mass transfer in the absence of gravity will be emphasized in order to investigate a space-based experiment, but both existing and novel ground-based scientific and technological relevance will also be pursued.

Trinh, E. H.↗

Vortex/Body Interaction and Sound Generation in Low-Speed Flow

The problem of sound generation by vortices interacting with an arbitrary body in a low-speed flow has been investigated by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. For the purpose of this report, it is convenient to divide the problem into three parts. In the first part the mechanism of the vortex/body interaction, which is essentially the inner solution in the inner region, is examined. The trajectories for a system of vortices rotating about their centroid are found to undergo enormous changes after interaction; from this, some interesting properties emerged. In the second part, the problem is formulated, the outer solution is found, matching is implemented, and solutions for acoustic pressure are obtained. In the third part, Fourier integrals are evaluated and predicated results presented. An examination of these results reveals the following: (a) the background noise can be either augmented or attenuated by a body after interaction, (b) sound generated by vortex/body interaction obeys a scaling factor, (C) sound intensity can be reduced substantially by positioning the vortex system in the "favorable" side of the body instead of the "unfavorable" side, and (d) acoustic radiation from vortex/bluff-body interaction is less than that from vortex/airfoil interaction under most circumstances.

Kao, Hsiao C.↗

Acoustic Source Localization in Aircraft Interiors Using Microphone Array Technologies

Using three microphone array configurations at two aircraft body stations on a Boeing 777-300ER flight test, the acoustic radiation characteristics of the sidewall and outboard floor system are investigated by experimental measurement. Analysis of the experimental data is performed using sound intensity calculations for closely spaced microphones, PATCH Inverse Boundary Element Nearfield Acoustic Holography, and Spherical Nearfield Acoustic Holography. Each method is compared assessing strengths and weaknesses, evaluating source identification capability for both broadband and narrowband sources, evaluating sources during transient and steady-state conditions, and quantifying field reconstruction continuity using multiple array positions.

Sklanka, Bernard J.↗

Sound Diffraction Modeling of Rotorcraft Noise Around Terrain

A new computational technique, Wave Confinement (WC), is extended here to account for sound diffraction around arbitrary terrain. While diffraction around elementary scattering objects, such as a knife edge, single slit, disc, sphere, etc. has been studied for several decades, realistic environments still pose significant problems. This new technique is first validated against Sommerfeld's classical problem of diffraction due to a knife edge. This is followed by comparisons with diffraction over three-dimensional smooth obstacles, such as a disc and Gaussian hill. Finally, comparisons with flight test acoustics data measured behind a hill are also shown. Comparison between experiment and Wave Confinement prediction demonstrates that a Poisson spot occurred behind the isolated hill, resulting in significantly increased sound intensity near the center of the shadowed region.

Stephenson, James H.↗

Propagation of Sound at Moderate and High Intensities in Absorbent and Hard-Walled Cylindrical Ducts

The propagation of plane wave and higher order acoustic modes in both hard-walled and absorbent cylindrical ducts was studied at moderate sound intensities where the linear wave equation is valid, and at high intensities where nonlinear effects can be observed. The experiments were conducted with an anechoically terminated twelve-inch inside-diameter transite pipe. Various types of sound sources were mounted at one end of the duct to generate the desired acoustic fields within the duct. Arrays of conventional loudspeakers were used to generate plane waves and higher order acoustic modes at moderate intensities, and an array of four high intensity electro-pneumatic sound sources was used for the experiments in the nonlinear region. The attenuation of absorbent liners made of several different materials was obtained at moderate intensities for both plane waves and high order modes. It was found that the characteristics of the liners studied did not change appreciably at high intensities.

Mcdaniel, Oliver Herbert↗

Can Vertical Profiles of Tropospheric Methane on Titan Be Derived from Radio-Occultation Soundings?

The intensity of the received signal at Earth in the radio occultations of Titan is attenuated both by refractive defocusing and pressure-induced absorption from N2-N2 and CH4-N2 pairs. Because the absorption strength is different for the two sets of pairs, matching the retrieved absorptivity profile can in principle yield the vertical variation in gaseous methane in the troposphere. There are two factors that make this difficult. The first is the propagation of noise in the phase and amplitude of the received signal in the absorption retrieval. The phase data is first inverted to retrieve vertical profiles of refractivity, from which the refractive defocusing is calculated. This is then subtracted from the observed. intensity attenuation of the received signal to generate a profile of atmospheric absorption. The second problem is the uncertainty in the pressure-induced absorption coefficients. Laboratory data at radio wavelengths is only available near room temperature (see, e.g., [1] for N2-N2), and the extrapolation to the low temperatures in Titan's troposphere is not well established. Ab initio calculations by Borysow et al. [2, 3] provide absorption coefficients at low temperatures and long wavelengths, but their accuracy has come into question. We present examples from Cassini radio occultations of Titan to illustrate the difficulties. For methane mole fractions in the lower troposphere comparable to that inferred from the Huygens probe (approximately 0.05), it will be difficult to separate the contributions of N2-N2 collisions from those of N2-CH4, collisions to the retrieved absorption. However, higher concentrations of CH4 and/or a higher signal-to-noise ratio from a future uplink experiment could result in a successful separation of the two components. However, key to this are highly accurate estimates of the absorption from a combination of laboratory measurements at love temperatures and long wavelengths, and possibly improved theoretical calculations.

Flasar, F. Michael↗

Noise-induced hearing impairment and handicap

A permanent, noise-induced hearing loss has doubly harmful effect on speech communications. First, the elevation in the threshold of hearing means that many speech sounds are too weak to be heard, and second, very intense speech sounds may appear to be distorted. The whole question of the impact of noise-induced hearing loss upon the impairments and handicaps experienced by people with such hearing losses was somewhat controversial partly because of the economic aspects of related practical noise control and workmen's compensation.

Source record↗

Active localization of virtual sounds

We describe a virtual sound display built around a 12 MHz 80286 microcomputer and special purpose analog hardware. The display implements most of the primary cues for sound localization in the ear-level plane. Static information about direction is conveyed by interaural time differences and, for frequencies above 1800 Hz, by head sound shadow (interaural intensity differences) and pinna sound shadow. Static information about distance is conveyed by variation in sound pressure (first power law) for all frequencies, by additional attenuation in the higher frequencies (simulating atmospheric absorption), and by the proportion of direct to reverberant sound. When the user actively locomotes, the changing angular position of the source occasioned by head rotations provides further information about direction and the changing angular velocity produced by head translations (motion parallax) provides further information about distance. Judging both from informal observations by users and from objective data obtained in an experiment on homing to virtual and real sounds, we conclude that simple displays such as this are effective in creating the perception of external sounds to which subjects can home with accuracy and ease.

Loomis, Jack M.↗

An acoustic investigation of the near-surface turbulence on Mars

The Perseverance rover is carrying out an original acoustic experiment on Mars: the SuperCam microphone records the spherical acoustic waves generated by laser sparks at distances from 2 m to more than 8 m. These N-shaped acoustic waves scatter from the multiple local heterogeneities of the turbulent atmosphere. Therefore, large and random fluctuations of sound travel time and intensity develop as the waves cross the medium. The variances of the travel times and the scintillation index (normalized variance of the sound intensity) are studied within the mathematical formalism of the propagation of spherical acoustic waves through thermal turbulence to infer statistical properties of the Mars atmospheric temperature fluctuation field. The comparison with the theory is made by simplifying assumptions that do not include wind fluctuations and diffraction effects. Two Earth years (about one Martian year) of observations acquired during the maximum convective period (10:00–14:00 Mars local time) show a good agreement between the dataset and the formalism: the travel time variance diverges from the linear Chernov solution exactly where the density of occurrence of the first caustic reaches its maximum. Moreover, on average, waves travel faster than the mean speed of sound due to a fast path effect, which is also observed on Earth. To account for the distribution of turbulent eddies, several power spectra are tested and the best match to observation is obtained with a generalized von Karman spectrum with a shallower slope than the Kolmogorov cascade, φ(k)∝(1 + k 2 L 2 ) -4/3 . It is associated with an outer scale of turbulence, L, of 11 cm at 2 m above the surface and a standard deviation of 6 K over 9 s for the temperature. These near-surface atmospheric properties are consistent with a weak to moderate wave scattering regime around noon with little saturation. Overall, this study presents an innovative and promising methodology to probe the near-surface atmospheric turbulence on Mars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Digital PIV Measurements of Acoustic Particle Displacements in a Normal Incidence Impedance Tube

Acoustic particle displacements and velocities inside a normal incidence impedance tube have been successfully measured for a variety of pure tone sound fields using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). The DPIV system utilized two 600-mj Nd:YAG lasers to generate a double-pulsed light sheet synchronized with the sound field and used to illuminate a portion of the oscillatory flow inside the tube. A high resolution (1320 x 1035 pixel), 8-bit camera was used to capture double-exposed images of 2.7-micron hollow silicon dioxide tracer particles inside the tube. Classical spatial autocorrelation analysis techniques were used to ascertain the acoustic particle displacements and associated velocities for various sound field intensities and frequencies. The results show that particle displacements spanning a range of 1-60 microns can be measured for incident sound pressure levels of 100-130 dB and for frequencies spanning 500-1000 Hz. The ability to resolve 1 micron particle displacements at sound pressure levels in the 100 dB range allows the use of DPIV systems for measurement of sound fields at much lower sound pressure levels than had been previously possible. Representative impedance tube data as well as an uncertainty analysis for the measurements are presented.

Humphreys, William M., Jr.↗