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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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NASA NTRS1981

Functional methods for waves in random media

Some basic ideas in functional methods for waves in random media are illustrated through a simple random differential equation. These methods are then generalized to solve certain random parabolic equations via an exponential representation given by the Feynman-Kac formula. It is shown that these functional methods are applicable to a number of problems in random wave propagation. They include the forward-scattering approximation in Gaussian white-noise media; the solution of the optical beam propagation problem by a phase-integral method; the high-frequency scattering by bounded random media, and a derivation of approximate moment equations from the functional integral representation.

Chow, P. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Functional methods for waves in random media

Some basic ideas in functional methods for waves in random media are illustrated through a simple random differential equation. These methods are then generalized to solve certain random parabolic equations via an exponential representation given by the Feynman-Kac formula. It is shown that these functional methods are applicable to a number of problems in random wave propagation. They include the forward-scattering approximation in Gaussian white-noise media; the solution of the optical beam propagation problem by a phase-integral method; the high-frequency scattering by bounded random media; and a derivation of approximate moment equations from the functional integral representation.

Chow, P. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Characteristics of type III bursts in the solar wind from simultaneous observations on board ISEE-3 and Voyager

The properties of solar type III bursts observed aboard ISEE-3 and Voyager that originate behind the sun are analyzed and compared to those originating on the near side. The measurement of the burst parameters and the correction for proximity effects are described. The diminution of flux densities, the increase of source sizes, the difference of source azimuths and elevations, the change of spectral properties, and the anomalous delays in burst arrival time at one spacecraft relative to another are determined. Many of the observations imply that the beaming of type III radiation is much more widespread at all frequencies than has been derived from statistical studies. The effective beam appears to consist of at least two components: a Gaussian core of half width about 60 deg, and a very broad halo that extends to 180 deg with an amplitude of a few percent.

Lecacheux, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Quantification of the effects of generation volume, surface recombination velocity, and diffusion length on the electron-beam-induced current and its derivative Determination of diffusion lengths in the low micron and submicron ranges

A systematic and quantitative analysis is carried out to investigate the effects of the shape (point, cube, Gaussian) and size of the generation volume, the surface recombination velocity, and the diffusion length on the electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) and its derivative (DEIC). Thick homogeneously doped samples exhibiting diffusion lengths in the low micron and submicron range are considered. The results are presented in computed EBIC curves as a function of scanning distance and of the ratio true diffusion length/effective diffusion length. Shown using these curves are: (1) a simple and yet rigorous method for the determination of the true diffusion length, taking into consideration all of the factors cited above, (2) a method for the rapid determination of the surface recombination velocity, (3) the condition under which the source shape becomes insignificant, and (4) a new value for the lower limit of the diffusion length which can be determined by the EBOC technique.

Luke, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new analysis of beam waveguide antennas considering the presence of the metal enclosure

Large beam waveguide (BWG) type ground station antennas are generally designed using analysis which ignores the presence of the metallic tube enclosing the beam waveguide mirrors. The common analysis approaches are physical optics and Gaussian mode analyses. The weakness of these analyses is that they do not shed any light with regards to the effect of the metal tube. In this paper, the first known BWG analysis which considers the presence of the metal tube is presented. Numerical results of a two-mirror system using the new analysis are compared with experiments which have verified the new analysis.

Cha, Alan G.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin Method for Euler-Bernoulli Beam Problems

An accurate and yet simple Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) formulation for analyzing beam problems is presented. In the formulation, simple weight functions are chosen as test functions. The use of these functions shows that the weak form can be integrated with conventional Gaussian integration. The MLPG method was evaluated by applying the formulation to a variety of patch test and thin beam problems. The formulation successfully reproduced exact solutions to machine accuracy when test functions with C2 continuity and an appropriate order of basis functions are used.

Raju, I. S.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Model studies of the beam-filling error for rain-rate retrieval with microwave radiometers

Low-frequency (less than 20 GHz) single-channel microwave retrievals of rain rate encounter the problem of beam-filling error. This error stems from the fact that the relationship between microwave brightness temperature and rain rate is nonlinear, coupled with the fact that the field of view is large or comparable to important scales of variability of the rain field. This means that one may not simply insert the area average of the brightness temperature into the formula for rain rate without incurring both bias and random error. The statistical heterogeneity of the rain-rate field in the footprint of the instrument is key to determining the nature of these errors. This paper makes use of a series of random rain-rate fields to study the size of the bias and random error associated with beam filling. A number of examples are analyzed in detail: the binomially distributed field, the gamma, the Gaussian, the mixed gamma, the lognormal, and the mixed lognormal ('mixed' here means there is a finite probability of no rain rate at a point of space-time). Of particular interest are the applicability of a simple error formula due to Chiu and collaborators and a formula that might hold in the large field of view limit. It is found that the simple formula holds for Gaussian rain-rate fields but begins to fail for highly skewed fields such as the mixed lognormal. While not conclusively demonstrated here, it is suggested that the notionof climatologically adjusting the retrievals to remove the beam-filling bias is a reasonable proposition.

Ha, Eunho↗
NASA NTRS1997

Validation of a Deterministic Vibroacoustic Response Prediction Model

This report documents the recently completed effort involving validation of a deterministic theory for the random vibration problem of predicting the response of launch pad structures in the low-frequency range (0 to 50 hertz). Use of the Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) methods is not suitable in this range. Measurements of launch-induced acoustic loads and subsequent structural response were made on a cantilever beam structure placed in close proximity (200 feet) to the launch pad. Innovative ways of characterizing random, nonstationary, non-Gaussian acoustics are used for the development of a structure's excitation model. Extremely good correlation was obtained between analytically computed responses and those measured on the cantilever beam. Additional tests are recommended to bound the problem to account for variations in launch trajectory and inclination.

Caimi, Raoul E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Relationship of strength of turbulence to received power

Because of contributions due to reflection, the determination of the turbulence refractive index structure constant may be affected. For pure scattering from turbulence in the inertial subrange, the radar echo power can be used to calculate the refractive index structure constant. The radar power is determined by a convolution integral. If the antenna beam is swung to sufficiently large off-zenith angles ( 12.5 deg) so that a quasi-isotropic response from the tail ends of the Gaussian angular distribution can be anticipated, the evaluation of the convolution integral depends only on the known antenna pattern of the radar. This procedure, swinging the radar beam to attenuate the reflected component, may be called angular or direction filtering. The tilted antenna also may be pick up reflected components from near the zenith through the sidelobes. This can be tested by the evaluation of the correlation function. This method applies a time domain filtering of the intensity time series but needs a very careful selection of the high pass filters.

Rottger, J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A measurement of the medium-scale anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background radiation

Observations from the first flight of the Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement (MSAM) are analyzed to place limits on Gaussian fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR). This instrument chops a 30 min beam in a three-position pattern with a throw of +/- 40 min; the resulting data is analyzed in statistically independent single- and double-difference sets. We observe in four spectral channels at 5.6, 9.0, 16.5, and 22.5/cm, allowing the separation of interstellar dust emission from CMBR fluctuations. The dust component is correlated with the IRAS 100 micron map. The CMBR component has two regions where the signature of an unresolved source is seen. Rejecting these two source regions, we obtain a detection of fluctuations which match CMBR in our spectral bands of 0.6 x 10(exp -5) is less than Delta (T)/T is less than 2.2 x 10(exp -5) (90% CL interval) for total rms Gaussian fluctuations with correlation angle 0.5 deg, using the single-difference demodulation. Fore the double difference demodulation, the result is 1.1 x 10(exp -5) is less than Delta(T)/T is less than 3.1 x 10(exp -5) (90% CL interval) at a correlation angle of 0.3 deg.

Cheng, E. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Spectral characteristics of the return

Doppler spectra of VHF radar returns typically indicate a Gaussian back-ground shape with superimposed spikes. An average of 10 Doppler spectra are shown which are calculated from a time series of seven min of complex data. A proper Gaussian fit to the background distribution is possible by neglecting the strong amplitude spikes. If this background distribution is due to beam width broadening, either diffuse reflection or rather isotropic scattering is required. If beam width broadening is neglected, the width of the distribution is given by turbulent velocity fluctuations. The reflected component is about 1/3 of the scattered component. It is assumed that the amplitude spikes due to diffuse reflection indicate a Gaussian frequency distribution such as for the amplitudes due to scattering.

Rottger, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An Investigation of the Effects of Scan Separation on the Sensitivity of the SETI All Sky Survey for the Case of Gaussian Noise

The scalloping problem for the case of Gaussian noise statistics is analyzed. The optimal weighting strategy for linearly combining two observations in adjacent beam areas is derived, and the sensitivity and scalloping for this weighting strategy are compared with those realized using a single observation or using equal weighting of two observations. The variation of the probability for detecting ETI signals with scan separation are calculated for the various weighting strategies, assuming that the transmitters are of equal strength and are uniformly distributed throughout space.

Lokshin, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Cosmic-structure constraints from a one-degree microwave-background anisotropy experiment

A recent anisotropy experiment with a 30-arcmin beam is close to optimal for testing models in which cosmic structure arose from inflation-generated Gaussian density perturbations. Using a Bayesian analysis to constrain the amplitude of the perturbation spectrum, it is shown that adiabatic hot-dark-matter models are convincingly ruled out and cold-dark-matter models have anisotropies near the derived limits. Theories with broken scale invariance such as isocurvature baryon models are strongly constrained, as are models with extra power crafted to give significant large-scale structures and flows.

Bond, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Multi-wavelength Observations and Modelling of a Solar Flare

Aims: The aim of this work is to investigate the dynamic behavior of a C-class solar flare through the evolution of temperature, emission measure, energy loss and velocity. In particular, the variation of these properties with time are studied using multi-wavelength observations in combination with a recently developed 0-D hydrodynamic model. Methods: The temperature and emission measure evolution were studied using several instruments covering a wide range of temperatures - the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI, >5 MK), GOES-12 (5- 30 MK), the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE 171 A, 1 MK) and the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS, 0.03-8 MK). The temperature and emission measure were analysed through the systematic cooling of flare plasma through the response functions of these instruments. These parameters were then investigated using the Enthalpy Based Thermal Evolution of Loops model (EBTEL). The Doppler shifts at both flare footpoints were analysed using five emission lines seen by CDS. Results: The flare began with clear evidence for pre-flare heating. Upflows of approx.90 km/s and low level emission, both observed in Fe XIX before the main impulsive phase were explained by pre-flare gentle chromospheric evaporation. During the main impulsive phase, the flare plasma was heated to a temperature of >13 MK in approximately 10 minutes. Explosive chromospheric evaporation was observed, driving upflows of approx.80 km/s in Fe XIX and simultaneous downflows of approx.20 km/s in He I and O v. At the peak of the Rare, conduction modelled by EBTEL was found to be the dominant loss mechanism, working efficiently to both lower the temperatures and drive gentle chromospheric evaporation. As the temperature fell below approx.8 MK, radiation became the dominant loss mechanism. During the final stages of the decay phase, downflowing plasma was observed at the footpoints in He I, O v and Mg x at velocities of up to approx.40 km/s, suggesting loop draining occurred. Conclusions. This is the first extensive study of the evolution of flare plasma using both spectroscopic and broad-band instruments in conjunction with a comprehensive hydrodynamic model. The flare began with pre-flare heating and then evolved following the predictions of the standard flare model. Detailed analysis of the plasma heating mechanisms was carried out and the heating function most consistent with observations was found to be Gaussian in shape. The simulations suggested that both direct heating and heating by a non-thermal beam played significant roles in this event.

Raftery, Claire L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Strong Langmuir turbulence generated by electron beams - Electric-field distributions and electron scattering

Strong turbulence and transit-time scattering theory are applied here to calculate the statistical distribution of intense Langmuir fields and the consequent beam scattering in plasma turbulence driven by an electron beam. The experimentally observed electric-field distributions are compared with predictions of strong-turbulence theory, concentrating on the wave levels, the Gaussian tail of the high-field distribution observed in one experiment, the arrest scale of collapse, and the fractional volume occupied by the highest fields. The Guassian form of the tail is confirmed, and the results imply that the collapse is arrested at a scale where the peak electrostatic energy density is of the same order as the thermal energy density. The theory of transit-time interactions is generalized to include relativistic particle dynamics and is applied to predict the scattering of the beam electrons in energy and angle as they pass through strong Langmuir turbulence. The results support the validity of the recently developed scaling theory of strong turbulence.

Robinson, P. A.↗