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Fundamental geometric properties of interferometers, magnetometers, horizon scanners and star trackers are studied in order to derive a set of equations for standardizing these attitude sensors.
The first phases of a fundamental analytical study of STOL ground effects were presented. Ground effects were studied in two dimensions to establish the importance of nonlinear effects, to examine transient aspects of ascent and descent near the ground, and to study the modelling of the jet impingement on the ground. Powered lift system effects were treated using the jet-flap analogy. The status of a three-dimensional jet-wing ground effect method was presented. It was shown, for two-dimensional unblown airfoils, that the transient effects are small and are primarily due to airfoil/freestream/ground orientation rather than to unsteady effects. The three-dimensional study showed phenomena similar to the two-dimensional results. For unblown wings, the wing/freestream/ground orientation effects were shown to be of the same order of magnitude as for unblown airfoils. This may be used to study the nonplanar, nonlinear, jet-wing ground effect.
Fundamental limitations imposed on the performance of silicon junction solar cells by physical mechanisms accompanying high doping are described. The one-dimensional mechanisms divide into two broad categories: those associated with band-gap shrinkage and those associated with interband transition rates. By extending the traditional method of analysis and comparing with measurement, it is shown that the latter kind of mechanism dominates in determining the open-circuit voltage in a one-dimensional model of a 0.1 ohm-cm cell at 300 K. As an alternative dominant mechanism, a three-dimensional model involving thermodynamically stable clusters of impurities in the highly-doped diffused layer is suggested.
It is shown that the fundamental structure of Galois switching functions follows naturally from that of Boolean switching functions. An expanded formula for deriving multimomial Galois switching functions is provided with illustrations of its application.
The fundamental limitations of the optimal control of dynamic systems with random parameters are analyzed by studying a scalar linear-quadratic optimal control example. It is demonstrated that optimum long-range decision making is possible only if the dynamic uncertainty (quantified by the means and covariances of the random parameters) is below a certain threshold. If this threshold is exceeded, there do not exist optimum decision rules. This phenomenon is called the 'uncertainty threshold principle'. The implications of this phenomenon to the field of modelling, identification, and adaptive control are discussed.
A description is presented of studies which have been conducted to establish an improved technology base for a use of the sharply notched cylindrical specimen in quality assurance tests of aluminum alloy products. The results are presented of an investigation of fundamental variables associated with specimen preparation and testing, taking into account the influence of the notch root radius, the eccentricity of loading, the specimen diameter, and the notch depth on the sharp notch strength. Attention is given to the statistical procedures which are necessary to establish correlations between the sharp notch strength and the plane-strain fracture toughness for high-strength aluminum alloys.
Spectral transmission of IR radiation through the nitrogen-broadened lines of the nu-3 fundamental of N2O has been measured at 154, 202 and 300 K. A value of 1411 + or - 54 per sq cm per atmosphere at STP has been obtained for the combined strength of the nu-3 and nu-2(1) + nu-3 - nu-2(1) bands, using the Wilson-Wells-Penner-Weber method. This value of the combined strength, the relative intensity calculations of Gray Young, the room-temperature data of Toth for nitrogen-broadened half-widths in the nu-1 + nu-3 and 2nu2(0) + nu-3 bands, and the variation of the line width with temperature proposed by Varanasi and Sarangi are shown to yield excellent agreement between the measured and computed spectral transmittance throughout the band.
The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio to be expected when a 180 deg rotationally shearing interferometer is used for image recovery at the diffraction limit of a large telescope is computed. The variance and covariance of the irradiance fluctuations at the detector array are shown to yield measures of the high-frequency spatial spectrum of the source. Four fundamental sources of noise are considered: temporal fluctuations of the source, space-time fluctuations of the atmosphere, shot noise in the detected photocurrents, and the effects of finite sampling. S/N is found to be directly proportional to the angular resolution of the telescope, the single-frame integration time, the square root of the number of frames, the cube of the operating wavelength, the quantum efficiency of the detector, and the average spectral irradiance from the source on the pupil. It is inversely proportional to the cube of the field angle subtended by the source (or part thereof) under study.
A preliminary application of the underlying principles of the investigator's general system theory to the description and analyses of the fluid flow system is presented. An attempt is made to establish practical models, or elements of the general fluid flow system from the point of view of the general system theory fundamental principles. Results obtained are applied to a simple experimental fluid flow system, as test case, with particular emphasis on the understanding of fluid flow instability, transition and turbulence.
Estimates of the heat transfer from the gas to stationary (vanes) or rotating blades poses a major uncertainty due to the complexity of the heat transfer processes. The gas flow through these blade rows is three dimensional with complex secondary viscous flow patterns that interact with the endwalls and blade surfaces. In addition, upstream disturbances, stagnation flow, curvature effects, and flow acceleration complicate the thermal transport mechanisms in the boundary layers. Some of these fundamental heat transfer effects are discussed. The chief purpose of the discussion is to acquaint those in the heat transfer community, not directly involved in gas turbines, of the seriousness of the problem and to recommend some basic research that would improve the capability for predicting gas-side heat transfer on turbine blades and vanes.
Because of the controversy over the value of the band strength for the nu-4 fundamental of CH4, equivalent widths of the R(0), R(1), and P(11, 11, F1) lines have been measured to compare with opposing views. The present measurements are consistent with the band strength of Ko and Varanasi (1977), who, on the basis of high-resolution line-strength measurements, propose an integrated band strength of 145 kaysers/(cm-am).
Three particularly clear type III bursts have been observed with a satellite instrument (Helios 2). The results show that, in the range 25-200 kHz, both fundamental and harmonic generation are present.
A lubricant is any substance that is used to reduce friction and wear and to provide smooth running and a satisfactory life for machine components. Lubrication fundamentals are discussed and the various lubrication mechanisms are defined. These include: hydrodynamic, elastohydrodynamic, mixed, boundary, and extreme pressure. Before the various lubrication mechanisms are presented, it is desirable to define conformal and nonconformal surfaces.
Thirty-seven experts from industry and the universities joined 24 NASA Lewis staff members in an exchange of ideas on trends in aeropropulsion research and technology, basic analyses, computational analyses, basic experiments, near-engine environment experiments, fundamental fluid mechanics and heat transfer, and hot technology as related to gas turbine engines. The workshop proceedings described include pre-workshop input from participants, presentations of current activity by the Lewis staff, reports of the four working groups, and a workshop summary.
Propagation phenomena affect the design of radio frequency (RF) transmission systems. Propagation phenomena limit the suitability of portions of the frequency band for some applications, limit the reliability of RF transmission systems, and provide a means of coupling unwanted signals from one system to another with the potential of producing interference. The possibility of interference is the fundamental limitation to the unrestricted use of the frequency band. Phenomena affecting suitability, reliability, and the potential for interference are considered for frequencies in the 1- to 300-GHz range.
An overview is presented of the fundamental aspects of and recent developments in fracture mechanics. Reference is made to linear elastic fracture mechanics including the state of stresses and displacements in the vicinity of cracks, effects of crack geometry and orientation on stress intensity factors, energy balance of Griffith, Irwin's stress intensity concept, and linear elastic fracture mechanics testing for fracture toughness. Other aspects of this paper include the non-linear behavior of materials and their influence on fracture mechanics parameters, consideration of viscoelasticity and plasticity, non-linear fracture toughness parameters as C.O.D., R-curve and J-integral, and a non-linear energy method, proposed by Liebowitz. Finite element methods applied to fracture mechanics problems are indicated. Also, consideration has been given to slow crack growth, dynamic effects on K(IC), Sih's criterion for fracture, Lee and Liebowitz's criterion relating crack growth with plastic energy, and applications of fracture mechanics to aircraft design. Suggestions are offered for future research efforts to be undertaken in fracture mechanics.
Spectral transmission measurements were performed at 300 K in the 8.65-micron fundamental band of monodeuterated methane, a trace constituent in the atmosphere of Jupiter. A theoretical curve is obtained from line-by-line computation of the spectral transmission utilizing a triangular slit function with full width at half-maximum. The agreement between theoretical and experimental spectral transmission curves suggests that deuteration does not affect the collision-broadened half-widths significantly in the two extreme cases of broadening being considered.
The volume provides an introduction to antennas and probes embedded within or near material bodies such as the earth, the ocean, or a living organism. After a fundamental analysis of insulated and bare antennas, an advanced treatment of antennas in various media is presented, including a detailed study of the electromagnetic equations in homogeneous isotropic media, the complete theory of the bare dipole in a general medium, and a rigorous analysis of the insulated antenna as well as bare and insulated loop antennas. Finally, experimental models and measuring techniques related to antennas and probes in a general dissipative or dielectric medium are examined.