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At least 127 records · Page 7

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NASA NTRS1990

A mechanism for bursty radio emission in planetary magnetospheres

Bursty radio emissions are often observed from the polar magnetospheres of the earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus in addition to the smooth radio emissions commonly detected. It is shown that in plasma regimes in which the electron plasma frequency is less than the electron cyclotron frequency, anisotropic electron beams or gyrating electron beams can excite directly broadband electromagnetic radiation. The largest growth is for right-hand X-mode radiation with frequencies above the electron cyclotron frequency. This instability can produce bursty, broadband emission, consistent with some of the properties of the radiation observed from the magnetized planets.

Wong, H. K.↗

NASA NTRS1990

An enhanced integrated aerodynamic load/dynamic approach to optimum rotor blade design

An enhanced integrated aerodynamic load/dynamic optimization procedure is developed to minimize vibratory root shears and moments. The optimization is formulated with 4/rev vertical and 3/rev inplane shears at the blade root as objective functions and constraints, and 4/rev lagging moment. Constraints are also imposed on blade natural frequencies, weight, autorotational inertia, contrifugal stress, and rotor thrust. The Global Criteria Approach is used for formulating the multi-objective optimization. Design variables include spanwise distributions of bending stiffnesses, torsional stiffness, nonstructural mass, chord, radius of gyration, and blade taper ratio. The program CAMRAD is coupled with an optimizer, which consists of the program CONMIN and an approximate analysis, to obtain optimum designs. The optimization procedure is applied to an advanced rotor as a reference design. Optimum blade designs, obtained with and without a constraint on the rotor thrust, are presented and are compared to the reference blade. Substantial reductions are obtained in the vibratory root forces and moments. As a byproduct, improvements are also found in some performance parameters, such as total power required, which were not considered during optimization.

Chattopadhyay, Aditi↗

NASA NTRS1990

Cleft contribution to ring current formation

The storm time transport of ionospheric plasma from the 'cleft fountain' to the plasma sheet and ring current is investigated by means of three-dimensional trajectory codes. Using observations to define the source location and flow rate, test particles are traced during a 'taillike' to 'dipolelike' reconfiguration of the geomagnetic field. Emphasis is placed on the behavior of heavy ions of low charge state, O(+). As a result of their long periods of gyration, these ions are highly sensitive to rapid field variations and possibly display transient nonadiabatic motions. It is demonstrated that O(+) which have originated in the high-latitude ionosphere but which find themselves in the vicinity of the equator at substorm onset can experience considerable energization (from several keV up to several hundred keV) and pitch angle increase leading to trapping, as an effect of the induced electric field.

Delcourt, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Gyro-phase effects near the storm-time boundary of energetic plasma

The nonadiabatic acceleration of plasma sheet ions during the expansion phase of substorms is examined by means of single-particle codes. It is shown that, in the near-earth plasma sheet, the gyration phase at substorm onset controls the net ion energization, as the gyro-period is locally comparable to the field variation time scale. This can yield a particularly significant decrease of the particle magnetic moment. It is accordingly argued that, via adiabatic invariant violation, the dipolarization of magnetospheric field lines can induce a 'de-trapping' of inner plasma sheet populations and, hence, give rise to short-lived precipitation enhancements over the auroral zone. As this effect depends upon cyclotron frequency, it is expected to occur at distinct latitudes for different ion species. This contrasts with nonadiabatic ion behavior further out into the geotail, which is characterized by intense perpendicular heating and a likely collective trapping.

Delcourt, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Whistler waves associated with the Uranian bow shock - Outbound observations

High-resolution magnetic field measurements from the first outbound crossing of the Uranian bowshock by the Voyager 2 spacecraft between January 27 and 30, 1986, are examined. Evidence is found of enhanced whistler wave activity in the vicinity of three shock crossings but little or no evidence of such activity elsewhere. Two wave events display two separate and simultaneous wave enhancements each. From an investigation of these events using high-resolution field data, it is concluded that they are analogous to those whistler waves upstream of the earth's bow shock that are driven by beams of electrons. An instability analysis is presented to show that a single electron beam with reasonable parameters can penetrate both of the upstream and downstream of a shock crossing. This event displays only one relatively broad spectral enhancement in the same frequency regime and is left-hand polarized in the spacecraft frame. It is argued that this event is the result of a gyrating proton distribution associated with the oblique shock.

Smith, Charles W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Mass loading at Titan and comets

Present understanding of the cometary mass loading process (the addition of newborn ions to high speed magnetized plasma flows) is explored and the cometary lesson is applied to the environment of Titan. Mass loading is the dominant physical process controlling the interaction of the solar wind with comets, and it might play an important role in the interaction of Titan's neutral torus and exosphere with Saturn's magnetosphere. Freshly born ions follow cycloidal trajectories, resulting from the superposition of gyration and E/B drift. In the plasma frame, the resulting velocity space distribution is a ring beam distribution at comets and a ring distribution at Titan. This difference in free energy is expected to generate significantly different levels of low frequency broad band electromagnetic turbulence and, thus, result in important differences in the implanted ion distributions. It is predicted that mass loading creates a hot, equatorially trapped plasma population at Titan.

Gombosi, Tamas I.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Acoustophoresis method and apparatus

A method and apparatus are provided for acoustophoresis, i.e., the separation of species via acoustic waves. An ultrasonic transducer applies an acoustic wave to one end of a sample container containing at least two species having different acoustic absorptions. The wave has a frequency tuned to or harmonized with the point of resonance of the species to be separated. This wave caused the species to be driven to an opposite end of the sample container for removal. A second ultrasonic transducer may be provided to apply a second, oppositely directed acoustic wave to prevent undesired streaming. In addition, a radio frequency tuned to the mechanical resonance and coupled with a magnetic field can serve to identify a species in a medium comprising species with similar absorption coefficients, whereby an acoustic wave having a frequency corresponding to this gyrational rate can then be applied to sweep the identified species to one end of the container for removal.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Stability and 3-D spatial dynamics analysis of a three cable crane

A 3-cable crane mechanism has been designed for incorporation into a highly loaded Lunar crane for planetary construction. This 3-cable crane must maintain a positive stability margin in all phases of the loading/unloading, assembly, or installation operations. A 2D kinematic curvature theory is applied to: (1) derive a general stability criterion to prevent the 3-cable crane from instability; and (2) determine a simple equation of natural frequency for two planar models of 3-cable crane. Investigation of the 2D vibrational characteristics of the planar models provides valuable insight toward understanding of 3D dynamic behavior of the 3-cable crane. Also, precision in natural frequency from this simple kinematic equation due to the exclusion of the radius-of-gyration of a suspended article is discussed. Multibody dynamics of the 3D 3-cable crane is presented and simulated to study the resulting vibrational characteristics under external disturbances and to verify the feasibility of the stability criterion for the 3-cable crane.

Yang, Li-Farn↗

NASA NTRS1992

Relativistic magnetosonic shock waves in synchrotron sources - Shock structure and nonthermal acceleration of positrons

The theoretical properties of relativistic, transverse, magnetosonic collisionless shock waves in electron-positron-heavy ion plasmas of relevance to astrophysical sources of synchrotron radiation are investigated. Both 1D electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations and quasi-linear theory are used to examine the spatial and kinetic structure of these nonlinear flows. A new process of shock acceleration of nonthermal positrons, in which the gyrating reflected heavy ions dissipate their energy in the form of collectively emitted, left-handed magnetosonic waves which are resonantly absorbed by the positrons immediately behind the ion reflection region, is described. Applications of the results to the termination shocks of pulsar winds and to the termination shocks of jets emanating from the AGN are outlined.

Hoshino, Masahiro↗

NASA NTRS1992

The dynamics of low-beta plasma clouds as simulated by a three-dimensional, electromagnetic particle code

A 3D electromagnetic and relativistic particle simulation code is used to investigate the dynamics of low-beta plasma clouds moving perpendicular to an ambient magnetic field in vacuum and in a background plasma. The simulations show the formation of the space charge sheaths at the sides of the cloud with the associated polarization electric field which facilitate the cross-field propagation, as well as the sheaths at the front and rear end of the cloud caused by the larger ion Larmor radius, which allows ions to move ahead and lag behind the electrons as they gyrate. It is found that, in a background plasma, electron and ion sheaths expand along the magnetic field at the same rate, whereas in vacuum the electron sheath expands much faster than the ion sheath. Sheath clouds are accelerated up to relativistic energies, which indicates that artificial plasma clouds released in the ionosphere or magnetosphere may generate optical emissions as energetic sheath electrons scatter in the upper atmosphere.

Neubert, T.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Acoustophoresis separation method

A method and apparatus are provided for acoustophoresis, i.e., the separation of species via acoustic waves. An ultrasonic transducer applies an acoustic wave to one end of a sample container containing at least two species having different acoustic absorptions. The wave has a frequency tuned to or harmonized with the point of resonance of the species to be separated. This wave causes the species to be driven to an opposite end of the sample container for removal. A second ultrasonic transducer may be provided to apply a second, oppositely directed acoustic wave to prevent undesired streaming. In addition, a radio frequency tuned to the mechanical resonance and coupled with a magnetic field can serve to identify a species in a medium comprising species with similar absorption coefficients, whereby an acoustic wave having a frequency corresponding to this gyrational rate can then be applied to sweep the identified species to one end of the container for removal.

Heyman, Joseph S.↗

NASA NTRS1939

Combined Beam-column Stresses of Aluminum-alloy Channel Sections

The results of a research program to obtain design data on the strength of open-channel aluminum-alloy sections subjected to combined column and beam action. The results of the tests of about 70 specimens were graphed for stresses due to axial load and stresses due to bending loading as functions of length to radius of gyration of the specimens. From these graphs a design chart was derived that is suitable for ready use.

COLUMNS, ALUMINUM-ALLOY - ALCOA 24ST - STRENGTH↗

NASA NTRS1954

A study of the problem of designing airplanes with satisfactory inherent damping of the dutch roll oscillation

Considerable interest has recently been shown in means of obtaining satisfactory stability of the dutch roll oscillation for modern high-performance airplanes without resort to complicated artificial stabilizing devices. One approach to this problem is to lay out the airplane in the earliest stages of design so that it will have the greatest practicable inherent stability of the lateral oscillation. The present report presents some preliminary results of a theoretical analysis to determine the design features that appear most promising in providing adequate inherent stability. These preliminary results cover the case of fighter airplanes at subsonic speeds. The investigation indicated that it is possible to design fighter airplanes to have substantially better inherent stability than most current designs. Since the use of low-aspect-ratio swept-back wings is largely responsible for poor dutch roll stability, it is important to design the airplane with the maximum aspect ratio and minimum sweep that will permit attainment of the desired performance. The radius of gyration in roll should be kept as low as possible and the nose-up inclination of the principal longitudinal axis of inertia should be made as great as practicable. (author)

Campbell, John P↗

NASA NTRS1940

Free-Spinning Wind-Tunnel Tests of a Low-Wing Monoplane with Systematic Changes in Wings and Tails V : Effect of Airplane Relative Density

The reported tests are a continuation of an NACA investigation being made in the free-spinning wind tunnel to determine the effects of independent variations in load distribution, wing and tail arrangement, and control disposition on the spin characteristics of airplanes. The standard series of tests was repeated to determine the effect of airplane relative density. Tests were made at values of the relative-density parameter of 6.8, 8.4 (basic), and 12.0; and the results were analyzed. The tested variations in the relative-density parameter may be considered either as variations in the wing loading of an airplane spun at a given altitude, with the radii of gyration kept constant, or as a variation of the altitude at which the spin takes place for a given airplane. The lower values of the relative-density parameter correspond to the lower wing loadings or to the lower altitudes of the spin.

Seidman, Oscar↗

NASA NTRS1941

An analysis of the stability of an airplane with free controls

Report presents the results of an investigation made of the essentials to the stability of an airplane with free control surfaces. Calculations are based on typical airplane characteristics with certain factors varied to cover a range of current designs. Stability charts are included to show the limiting values of the aerodynamic hinge moments and the weight hinge moments of the control surfaces for various positions of the center of gravity of the airplane and for control systems with various moments of inertia. The effects of reducing the chord and of eliminating the floating tendency of the surface, of changing the wing loading, and of decreasing the radius of gyration of the airplane are also indicated. An investigation has also been made of the nature of the motion of the airplane with controls free and of the modes of instability that may occur.

Jones, Robert T↗

NASA NTRS1948

Theoretical motions of hydrofoil systems

Results are presented of an investigation that has been undertaken to develop theoretical methods of treating the motions of hydrofoil systems and to determine some of the important parameters. Variations of parameters include three distributions of area between the hydrofoils, two rates of change of downwash angle with angle of attack, three depths of immersion, two dihedral angles, two rates of change of lift with immersion, three longitudinal hydrofoil spacings, two radii of gyration in pitching, and various horizontal and vertical locations of the center of gravity. Graphs are presented to show locations of the center of gravity for stable motion, values of the stability roots, and motions following the sudden application of a vertical force or a pitching moment to the hydrofoil system for numerous sets of values of the parameters.

Imlay, Frederick H↗

NASA NTRS1942

The Porpoising Characteristics of a Planing Surface Representing the Forebody of a Flying-Boat Hull

Porpoising characteristics were observed on V-body fitted with tail surfaces for different combinations of load, speed, moment of inertia, location of pivot, elevator setting, and tail area. A critical trim was found which was unaltered by elevator setting or tail area. Critical trim was lowered by moving pivot either forward or down or increasing radius or gyration. Increase in mass and moment of inertia increased amplitude of oscillations. Complete results are tabulated and shown graphically.

HULL BOTTOMS, VEE↗

NASA NTRS1993

Investigation of plasma instabilities in the Polar cusp

During the last six months, our efforts concentrated on studying the excitation of electromagnetic waves in the whistler frequency range by an anisotropic electron beam. A paper entitled 'Electron Cyclotron Wave Generation by Relativistic Electrons' was submitted to Journal of Geophysical Research and was accepted for publication. This paper is in collaboration with Dr. M. L. Goldstein at Goddard Space Flight Center. It was shown that an anisotropic electron beam (or gyrating electron beam) is capable of generating electron cyclotron waves with frequency from above to below the electron plasma frequency in a low density plasma. This instability may account for the observed Z mode and the electromagnetic component of auroral hiss in the Earth's polar region. The abstract of this paper is enclosed. For a high density plasma in which the electron plasma frequency is considerably higher than the electron cyclotron frequency, a new left-hand electromagnetic wave at whistler frequencies, which is also driven unstable by an anisotropic electron beam, was found. The basic notion of this new instability is the significant change of the dispersion equation due to the contribution of the beam component, which can shift the usual right hand whistler waves into left hand waves.

Wong, H. K.↗