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At least 145 records · Page 8

Matrix methods for the design of cascades to prescribed surface velocity distributions and for fully compressible flow

This paper describes matrix methods that have been developed for calculating compressible flow on a blade-to-blade surface of revolution. The methods have been fully tested to date only for the design of plane cascades to prescribed blade surface distributions; the methods will be illustrated here for that problem only. Similar methods are presently being applied to both the direct and indirect problems and for flow on arbitrary surfaces of revolution in annular cascades with stream sheet thickness variations. It is believed that by such methods, both the direct and indirect calculations can be reduced to about 60 to 90 seconds of computing.

Silvester, M. E.↗

Analysis of Lunar Seismic Signals: Determination of Instrumental Parameters and Seismic Velocity Distributions

Inverse filters were designed to correct the effect of instrumental response, coupling of the seismometer to the ground, and near surface structures. The least squares technique was used to determine the instrumental constants and the transfer functions of the long period lunar seismographs. The influence of noise and the results of these calculations are discussed.

Horvath, P.↗

Effects of non-Maxwellian electron velocity distribution functions and nonspherical geometry on minor ions in the solar wind

A previous model has shown that in order to account for the charge state distribution in the low-speed solar wind, a high coronal temperature is necessary and that this temperature peak goes together with a peak of nx/np in the corona. In the present paper, one of the assumptions made previously, i.e., that coronal electrons are Maxwellian, is relaxed, and a much cooler model is presented, which could account for the same oxygen charge states in the solar wind due to the inclusion of non-Maxwellian electrons. Also, due to a different choice of the coronal magnetic field geometry, this model would show no enhancement of the coronal nx/np. Results of the two models are then compared, and observational tests to distinguish between the two scenarios are proposed: comparison of directly measured coronal Te to charge state measurements in the solar wind, determination of the coronal nx/np measurement of ion speeds in the acceleration region of the solar wind, and measurement of the frozen-in silicon charge state distribution.

Burgi, A.↗

Characteristics of electron velocity distribution functions in the solar wind derived from the Helios plasma experiment

The details of the shapes of three typical electron distribution functions observed by the Helios 1 and 2 probes in the solar wind between 0.3 AU and 1 AU are analyzed and compared with theoretical predictions. These are (1) a distribution function with a narrow 'strahl' (narrow beam), which is extremely anisotropic and skewed with respect to the magnetic field direction at particle energies above 100 eV; (2) a distribution function with a broad 'strahl', less anisotropic and skewed; and (3) a nearly isotropic distribution function. For each distribution function, a sudden change in the slope was discerned, separating the 'core' at lower energies from the 'halo' at higher energies. The most obvious differences of the analyzed electron distribution functions were observed at energies above 50-100 eV. The possible origins for the observed features of the distribution functions are discussed.

Pilipp, W. G.↗

Meteor velocity distribution and an optimum monitoring mathematical model

At present, there are a great number of radio meteor, ionosphere and rocket observation data for the altitude range of 80 to 100 km which indicate the existence of large scale circulation systems in the mesopause to low thermosphere range which change regularly with season and latitude. But the existing observation network and observation programs are not optimal for revealing the main factors forming the circulation mode at these altitudes. A generalized optimum monitoring mathematical model is offered for consideration. The model input data are distribution density, response function, individual measurement root mean square uncertainty and detection effectiveness function. The model makes it possible to obtain the observation distribution density, the minimal possible dispersion and optimized system effectiveness.

Volkov, N. G.↗

Ion and electron velocity distributions within flux transfer events

The detailed nature of the thermal and suprathermal ion and electron distributions within magnetic flux transfer events (FTEs) is examined. Examples of both magnetosheath FTEs and magnetospheric FTEs are discussed. The detailed distributions confirm that FTEs contain a mixture of magnetosheath and magnetospheric plasmas. To lowest order, the distributions are consistent with a simple superposition of the two interpenetrating populations, with no strong interactions between them. To first order, some interesting differences appear, especially in the electron distributions, suggesting that considerable pitch angle scattering and some electron energy diffusion are also occurring. These observations should provide a useful test of analytical and numerical studies of interpenetrating plasmas.

Thomsen, M. F.↗

Velocity distributions of oxygen atoms incident on spacecraft surfaces

The angular distributions of oxygen atoms incident on surfaces in low earth orbit have been calculated for a number of ambient gas temperatures. Atom fluxes to surfaces were modeled by integrals over all permitted angles of incidence. Angles of incidence are limited by masking structures, and a number of types of mask were considered. Combustible surfaces exposed to the orbital atmosphere are heavily etched, creating profiles in mask shadows that are sensitive to ambient temperatures. The influence of the angular distributions on the characteristics of etched surfaces is discussed. Profiles measured for a September, 1983 flight were fitted to this model profile with a temperature of 750 + or - 50 K, which agrees with estimates based on solar activity at that time. Applications to sensing ambient temperatures and oxygen atom densities are discussed.

Peters, P. N.↗

Electron velocity distributions and plasma waves associated with the injection of an electron beam into the ionosphere

An electron beam was injected into earth's ionosphere on August 1, 1985, during the flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger as part of the objectives of the Spacelab 2 mission. In the wake of the Space Shuttle a magnetically aligned sheet of electrons returning from the direction of propagation of the beam was detected with the free-flying Plasma Diagnostics Package. The thickness of this sheet of returning electrons was about 20 m. Large intensifications of broadband electrostatic noise were also observed within this sheet of electrons. A numerical simulation of the interaction of the electron beam with the ambient ionospheric plasmas is employed to show that the electron beam excites electron plasma oscillations and that it is possible for the ion acoustic instability to provide a returning flux of hot electrons by means of quasi-linear diffusion.

Frank, L. A.↗

Bulk properties and velocity distributions of water group ions at Comet Halley - Giotto measurements

In the region upstream of Comet Halley, pickup heavy ions of cometary origin were directly observed by the implanted ion spectrometer on Giotto. Diffusion of this population in pitch angle and in energy, during the approach to the comet and on the outbound leg is discussed. The two data sets are compared and qualitative ideas on scattering timescales are inferred. In addition the bulk parameters of these distributions have been computed and a comparison of the observed speed in the solar wind frame and the observed density with expectations is presented. Pitch angle scattering occurs more slowly than expected with filled shells appearing at 2,500,000 km, and significant energy diffusion does not occur until the bow shock region. Also the shell distributions downstream of the shock flow at the bispherical bulk speed (related to the Alfven speed) along the magnetic field with respect to the solar wind in accordance with conservation of energy between the pickup ions and the wave turbulence.

Coates, A. J.↗

Energy Loss, Velocity Distribution, and Temperature Distribution for a Baffled Cylinder Model

A study has been made of the important principles involved in the operation of a baffle for an engine cylinder and shows that cooling can be improved by 20 percent by using a correctly designed baffle. Such a gain is as effective as a 65 percent increase in pressure drop across the standard baffle, which had a 1/4 inch clearance between baffle and fin tips.

Brevoort, Maurice J↗