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NASA NTRS1992

Ultraviolet studies of Cepheids

We discuss whether with new evolutionary tracks we still have a problem fitting the Cepheids and their evolved companions on the appropriate evolutionary tracks. We find that with the Bertelli et al. tracks with convective overshoot by one pressure scale height the problem is essentially removed, though somewhat more mixing would give a better fit. By using the results of recent nonlinear hydrodynamic calculations, we find that we also have no problem matching the observed pulsation periods of the Cepheids with those expected from their new evolutionary masses, provided that Cepheids with periods less than 9 days are overtone pulsators. We investigate possible mass loss of Cepheids from UV studies of the companion spectrum of S Mus and from the ultraviolet spectra of the long period Cepheid l Carinae. For S Mus with a period of 9.6 days we derive an upper limit for the mass loss of M less than 10(exp -9) solar mass, if a standard velocity law is assumed for the wind. For l Carinae with a period of 35.5 days we find a probable mass loss of M is approximately 10(exp -5+/-2) solar mass.

Boehm-Vitense, Erika↗
NASA NTRS1993

Investigation for improving Global Positioning System (GPS) orbits using a discrete sequential estimator and stochastic models of selected physical processes

GEODYNII is a conventional batch least-squares differential corrector computer program with deterministic models of the physical environment. Conventional algorithms were used to process differenced phase and pseudorange data to determine eight-day Global Positioning system (GPS) orbits with several meter accuracy. However, random physical processes drive the errors whose magnitudes prevent improving the GPS orbit accuracy. To improve the orbit accuracy, these random processes should be modeled stochastically. The conventional batch least-squares algorithm cannot accommodate stochastic models, only a stochastic estimation algorithm is suitable, such as a sequential filter/smoother. Also, GEODYNII cannot currently model the correlation among data values. Differenced pseudorange, and especially differenced phase, are precise data types that can be used to improve the GPS orbit precision. To overcome these limitations and improve the accuracy of GPS orbits computed using GEODYNII, we proposed to develop a sequential stochastic filter/smoother processor by using GEODYNII as a type of trajectory preprocessor. Our proposed processor is now completed. It contains a correlated double difference range processing capability, first order Gauss Markov models for the solar radiation pressure scale coefficient and y-bias acceleration, and a random walk model for the tropospheric refraction correction. The development approach was to interface the standard GEODYNII output files (measurement partials and variationals) with software modules containing the stochastic estimator, the stochastic models, and a double differenced phase range processing routine. Thus, no modifications to the original GEODYNII software were required. A schematic of the development is shown. The observational data are edited in the preprocessor and the data are passed to GEODYNII as one of its standard data types. A reference orbit is determined using GEODYNII as a batch least-squares processor and the GEODYNII measurement partial (FTN90) and variational (FTN80, V-matrix) files are generated. These two files along with a control statement file and a satellite identification and mass file are passed to the filter/smoother to estimate time-varying parameter states at each epoch, improved satellite initial elements, and improved estimates of constant parameters.

Goad, Clyde C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The effects of scattering on solar oscillations

Acoustic modes are scattered by turbulent velocity fluctuations in the solar convection zone. The strongest scattering occurs near the top of the acoustic cavity where the mode changes character from propagating to evanescent. This layer is located at depth z(sub 1) approximately g/omega(exp 2) below the photosphere. The scattering optical depth tau(sub s) is of order M(sub 1)(exp 2), where M(sub 1) is the Mach number of the energy-bearing eddies at z(sub 1). The corresponding contribution to the line width is gamma(exp s) is approximately (omega) M(sub 1)(exp 2)/(pi)(n+1), where n is the mode's radial order. At the top of the acoustic cavity the correlation time of energy-bearing eddies is much longer than omega(exp -1). Also, the pressure scale height H and the eddy correlation length Lambda are comparable to omega/c, where c is the sound speed. Thus scattering couples modes of similar omega and all l and has little effect on the sum of their energies. Observations show that mode energies decline with decreasing n (increasing l) at fixed omega. Consequently, scattering damps p-modes and excites f-modes.

Goldreich, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparison of SBUV and SAGE II ozone profiles: Implications for ozone trends

Solar backscattered ultraviolet (SBUV) ozone profiles have been compared with Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II profiles over the period October 1984 through June 1990, when data are available from both instruments. SBUV measurements were selected to closely match the SAGE II latitude/longitude measurement pattern. There are significant differences between the SAGE II sunrise and the sunset zonal mean ozone profiles in the equatorial zone, particularly in the upper stratosphere, that may be connected with extreme SAGE II solar azimuth angles for tropical sunrise measurements. Calculation of the average sunset bias between SBUV and SAGE II ozone profiles shows that allowing for diurnal variation in Umkehr layer 10, SBUV and SAGE II agree to within +/- 5% for the entire stratosphere in the northern midlatitude zone. The worst agreement is seen at southern midlatitudes near the ozone peak (disagreements of +/- 10%), apparently the result of the SBUV ozone profile peaking at a lower altitude than SAGE. The integrated ozone columns (cumulative above 15 km) agree very well, to within +/- 2.3% in all zones for both sunset and sunrise measurements. A comparison of the time dependence of SBUV and SAGE II shows that there was less than +/- 5% relative drift over the 5.5 years for all altitudes except below 25 km, where the SBUV vertical resolution is poor. The best agreement with SAGE is seen in the integrated column ozone (cumulative above 15 km), where SAGE II has a 1% negative trend relative to SBUV over the comparison period. There is a persistent disagreement of the two instruments in Umkehr layers 9 and 10 of +/- 4% over the 5.5-year comparison period. In the equatorial zone this disagreement may be caused in part by a large positive trend (0.8 K per year) in the National Meteorologica Center temperatures used to convert the SAGE II measurement of ozone density versus altitude to a pressure scale for comparison with SBUV. In the middle stratosphere (30-40 km), SBUV shows a 2-4% negative drift relative to SAGE II. If the actual ozone trends are considered, SBUV and SAGE II agree in showing little ozone change (less than 2%) between 1984 and 1990, except in layer 3 where SAGE II measures a large ozone decrease. But over 11 years, SBUV measured a 7% per decade ozone decrease between 40 and 50 km, decreasing in magnitude at lower altitudes, in good agreement with 11-year trends derived from the average of 5 Umkehr stations.

Mcpeters, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Tests of two convection theories for red giant and red supergiant envelopes

Two theories of stellar envelope convection are considered here in the context of red giants and red supergiants of intermediate to high mass: Boehm-Vitense's standard mixing-length theory (MLT) and Canuto & Mazzitelli's new theory incorporating the full spectrum of turbulence (FST). Both theories assume incompressible convection. Two formulations of the convective mixing length are also evaluated: l proportional to the local pressure scale height (H(sub P)) and l proportional to the distance from the upper boundary of the convection zone (z). Applications to test both theories are made by calculating stellar evolutionary sequences into the red zone (z). Applications to test both theories are made by calculating stellar evolutionary sequences into the red phase of core helium burning. Since the theoretically predicted effective temperatures for cool stars are known to be sensitive to the assigned value of the mixing length, this quantity has been individually calibrated for each evolutionary sequence. The calibration is done in a composite Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the red giant and red supergiant members of well-observed Galactic open clusters. The MLT model requires the constant of proportionality for the convective mixing length to vary by a small but statistically significant amount with stellar mass, whereas the FST model succeeds in all cases with the mixing lenghth simply set equal to z. The structure of the deep stellar interior, however, remains very nearly unaffected by the choices of convection theory and mixing lenghth. Inside the convective envelope itself, a density inversion always occurs, but is somewhat smaller for the convectively more efficient MLT model. On physical grounds the FST model is preferable, and seems to alleviate the problem of finding the proper mixing length.

Stothers, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The tilts of corotating interaction regions at mid heliographic latitudes

Ulysses observations of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) at mid heliographic latitudes have shown that the flow downstream of the forward shock (or wave) on the leading edge of a CIR generally turns northward and westward, while the flow downstream of the reverse wave on the trailing edge generally turns southward and eastward. These systematic flow deflections are a natural consequence of large scale pressure gradients associated with the CIRs, and indicate that the forward waves tend to propagate toward and across the equator with increasing heliocentric distance, while the reverse waves tend to propagate toward the pole. Recent determinations of CIR shock normals using the Ulysses magnetic field data appear to confirm these plasma results (Burton, private communication). Numerical simulations indicate that these effects (which imply that CIRs are systematically tilted in the north-south direction at mid latitudes) are a natural consequence of the tilt of the solar magnetic dipole axis relative to the solar rotation axis. The present work utilizes a variety of techniques to analyze the flow deflections observed within CIRs from which we can infer the overall orientations of the CIRs and the speeds and directions of propagation of the waves. Where possible, the observations are quantitatively compared with the results of 3-dimensional MHD simulations.

Riley, Pete↗
NASA NTRS1999

Residual Strength Prediction of Fuselage Structures with Multiple Site Damage

This paper summarizes recent results on simulating full-scale pressure tests of wide body, lap-jointed fuselage panels with multiple site damage (MSD). The crack tip opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion and the FRANC3D/STAGS software program were used to analyze stable crack growth under conditions of general yielding. The link-up of multiple cracks and residual strength of damaged structures were predicted. Elastic-plastic finite element analysis based on the von Mises yield criterion and incremental flow theory with small strain assumption was used. A global-local modeling procedure was employed in the numerical analyses. Stress distributions from the numerical simulations are compared with strain gage measurements. Analysis results show that accurate representation of the load transfer through the rivets is crucial for the model to predict the stress distribution accurately. Predicted crack growth and residual strength are compared with test data. Observed and predicted results both indicate that the occurrence of small MSD cracks substantially reduces the residual strength. Modeling fatigue closure is essential to capture the fracture behavior during the early stable crack growth. Breakage of a tear strap can have a major influence on residual strength prediction.

Chen, Chuin-Shan↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Solar-Stellar Connection (NAG5-6124: SOHO Guest Investigator Program)

The following is a final report from the SOHO Guest Investigator program to use the SUMER far-UV spectrometer to obtain imaging spectroscopy in support of the goals of the so-called "solar-stellar connection." In particular, a major emphasis was utilization of the long-slit time-resolved maps of the solar surface in bright far-UV emission lines to deduce how particular aspects of the temporally and spatially averaged line profiles trace back to individual structural features of the magnetically disturbed outer atmosphere; to help interpret the unresolved line profiles from high quality stellar observations (say, with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph). The researchers served two tours of duty in the SOHO Operations Center as SUMER planners, during which time we conducted an extensive series of observing programs. These can be divided into three general categories: surface mapping, translimb spectroscopy, and active region diagnostics. We have analyzed some of the large volumes of data to the point where we have presented them in poster papers, and in invited papers at national and international meetings. Listed below are the titles of the preliminary publications we have written, including brief abstracts to indicate the main results. (1) Chromospheric structure and Dynamics-- Observations -- The chromosphere is a highly structured dynamic 'layer' of the solar outer atmosphere. Here, not only are the effects of mechanical heating first evident (moving upward in altitude from the deep photosphere), but also the amount of nonradiative energy deposited is far greater than in the albeit much hotter overlying transition region and corona. Further, the chromosphere is by far the thickest zone of the solar atmosphere with respect to the pressure scale height. A major goal of stellar astrophysics is to understand how the chromosphere is heated and why it adopts its peculiar structure. A cursory examination of solar filtergrams and high-resolution movies demonstrates that much of the chromospheric "action" must be occurring on fine spatial scales and short times; particularly in the cell interior transient brightenings, but also in the longer-lived network fragments. That regime of investigation is far removed from what one usually associates with "synoptic" measurements. Nevertheless, synoptic observations of chromospheric indices, filtergrams, and globally-averaged profile parameters not only can provide important insight concerning the crucial role of the cycle-variable part of the solar magnetic field; but they also can forge a key link with analogous measurements of the stars, where often the phenomena can be significantly exaggerated from the solar case, but high spatial resolution reconnaissance is not even a remote possibility. In addition to discussing the synoptic aspects of chromospheric structure and dynamics, I summarized new insights into the general problem of the solar chromosphere that have been obtained recently with the SUMER far-ultraviolet spectrometer on SOHO. (2) CO and the Temperature Structure of the Solar Atmosphere -- The surface layers of the Sun provide a crucial boundary condition for many of the processes that occur in the deep interior. The stratification of the outer solar atmosphere once was thought to be well understood. However, studies of thermally sensitive molecular absorptions in the infrared revealed puzzling anomalies. Strong lines of the CO fundamental vibration-rotation bands near 5 microns showed very cool temperatures at the extreme limb, and remarkable off-limb emissions extending well into the supposedly hot chromosphere. The conflicting pictures of the photosphere/chromosphere interface, from the widely separated wavelength regimes, has raised suspicions that those "layers" of the atmosphere are much more inhomogeneous than previously suspected. One proposal is that the low chromosphere is dominated by cool gas, the "COmosphere," which is threaded by a network of persistent small-scale hot magnetic filaments and occasionally disrupted by localized acoustic disturbances. The COmosphere is capped by the merged fields of the network elements in the chromospheric "canopy." (3) Translimb Spectroscopy with SOHO/SUMER -- We have used SUMER to obtain deep exposures of the 1300-1400 A spectrum, at the extreme limb and off-limb. Previous "translimb" studies in the thermal infrared had revealed remarkable extensions of cold material (T is approximately equal to 3000 K)-traced by carbon monoxide emission lines-into the heart of the hot chromosphere. A main objective of our program was to search for corresponding far-UV signatures of the "thermally-bifurcated" low chromosphere; for example, radiatively fluoresced emissions of the CO A-X 4th-positive system (collisional excitation would be negligible in cold gas). We conducted two separate observing programs with SUMER. Both made use of the 1 inch-diameter circular aperture, translated across the limb in the minimum motor step increments of 0."375, along the central meridian in the Northern polar coronal hole. The first program executed for nine hours beginning 19UT 25 Oct 1996. The full wavelength range was 1340-1400 A. It was recorded in two overlapping segments, placing key regions of the spectrum alternately on the KBr and bare parts of the detector, to help isolate 2nd-order features. Each segment was integrated for 500 s, and 32 pairs were obtained to span a 12" swath centered on the optical limb. The second program was conducted 00-09UT 01 Dec 1996. It consisted of a single wavelength setting (1300-1340 A) with exposure time 500 s, but twice the spatial coverage of the earlier series: 64 steps, for a total displacement of 24". The strong chromospheric resonance lines of atomic oxygen (1302-1305 A) and ionized carbon (1334-1335 A) were observed on the bare part of the MCP camera.

Ayres, Thomas R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Chromospheric Structure and Dynamics--Observations

The chromosphere is a highly structured dynamic 'layer' of the solar outer atmosphere. Here, not only are the effects of mechanical heating first evident (moving upward in altitude from the deep photosphere), but also the amount of nonradiative energy deposited is far greater than in the albeit much hotter overlying transition region and corona. Further, the chromosphere is by far the thickest zone of the solar atmosphere with respect to the pressure scale height. A major goal of stellar astrophysics is to understand how the chromosphere is heated and why it adopts its peculiar structure. A cursory examination of solar filtergrams and high-resolution movies demonstrates that much of the chromospheric "action" must be occurring on fine spatial scales and short times; particularly in the cell interior transient brightenings, but also in the longer-lived network fragments. That regime of investigation is far removed from what one usually associates with "synoptic" measurements. Nevertheless, synoptic observations of chromospheric indices, filtergrams, and globally-averaged profile parameters (e.g., for Ca II) not only can provide important insight concerning the crucial role of the cycle-variable part of the solar magnetic field; but they also can forge a key link with analogous measurements of the stars, where often the phenomena can be significantly exaggerated from the solar case, but high spatial resolution reconnaissance is not even a remote possibility. In addition to discussing the synoptic aspects of chromospheric structure and dynamics, I will summarize new insights into the general problem of the solar chromosphere that have been obtained recently with the SUMER far-ultraviolet spectrometer on SOHO.

Ayres, Thomas R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Winds From Luminous Late-Type Stars: The Effects of Nonlinear Alfven Waves - 1

We present the results of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modeling of winds from luminous late-type stars using a 2.5-dimensional, nonlinear MHD computer code. We assume that the wind is generated within an initially hydrostatic atmosphere and is driven by torsional Alfven waves generated at the stellar surface. Two cases of atmospheric topology are considered: case I has longitudinally uniform density distribution and isotropic radial magnetic field over the stellar surface, and case II has an isotropic, radial magnetic field with a transverse density gradient, which we refer to as an "atmospheric hole." We use the same set of boundary conditions for both models. The calculations are designed to model a cool luminous star, for which we assume an initial hydrostatic pressure scale height of 0.072 Stellar Radius, an Alfven wave speed of 92 km/s at the surface, and a wave period of 76 days, which roughly corresponds with the convective turnover time. For case I the calculations produce a wind with terminal velocity of about 22 km/s and a mass loss rate comparable to the expected value of 10(exp -6) Solar Mass/yr. For case II we predict a two-component wind: a fast (25 km/s) and relatively dense wind outside of the atmospheric hole and a slow (1.5 km/s), rarefied wind inside of the hole.

Airapetian, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Near Net Manufacturing Using Thin Gage Friction Stir Welding

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and near net spin forming of FSW aluminumn blanks were investigated for large-scale pressure vessel applications. With a specific focus on very thin gage 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum alloys, the program concentrated on the following: the criteria used for material selection, a potential manufacturing flow, and the effectiveness and associated risks of near net spin forming. Discussion will include the mechanical properties of the friction stir welds and the parent material from before and after the spin forming process. This effort was performed under a NASA Space Exploration initiative focused on increasing the affordability, reliability and performance of pressure vessels larger than 10 ft. diameter.

Takeshita, Jennifer↗
NASA NTRS2009

Design, Activation, and Operation of the J2-X Subscale Simulator (JSS)

The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed description of the design, activation, and operation of the J2-X Subscale Simulator (JSS) installed in Cell 1 of the E3 test facility at Stennis Space Center, MS (SSC). The primary purpose of the JSS is to simulate the installation of the J2-X engine in the A3 Subscale Rocket Altitude Test Facility at SSC. The JSS is designed to give aerodynamically and thermodynamically similar plume properties as the J2-X engine currently under development for use as the upper stage engine on the ARES I and ARES V spacecraft. The JSS is a scale pressure fed, LOX/GH fueled rocket that is geometrically similar to the J2-X from the throat to the nozzle exit plane (NEP) and is operated at the same oxidizer to fuel ratios and chamber pressures. This paper describes the heritage hardware used as the basis of the JSS design, the newly designed rocket hardware, igniter systems used, and the activation and operation of the JSS.

Saunders, Grady P.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Saturn's Equatorial Oscillation: Evidence of Descending Thermal Structure from Cassini Radio Occultations

Ground-based and Cassini CIRS thermal-infrared data have characterized the spatial and temporal characteristics of an equatorial oscillation in Saturn's middle atmosphere above the 100-mbar level. The CIRS data indicate a vertical pattern of alternating warm and cold anomalies at the equator. From the thermal wind equation this implies a concomitant reversal of zonal winds with attitude, relative to the cloud-top winds, with peak-to-peak amplitude approximately 200 meters per second. The ground-based observations do not having the altitude range or vertical resolution of the CIRS observations, but they cover several years and indicate an oscillation cycle of 1 years, roughly half of Saturn's year. Equatorial oscillations in Earth's middle atmosphere have primarily exhibited either quasi-biennial or semi-annual "periodicities," and both types have been extensively observed and modeled. They exhibit a vertical pattern of alternating warmer and cooler zonal-mean temperatures and zonal winds analogous to that described above for Saturn. Moreover, the pattern of winds and temperatures descends with time. Momentum deposition by damped vertically propagating easterly and westerly waves is thought to play a key role in forcing both types of oscillation, and it can plausibly account for the descent. Here we report the direct observation of this descent in Saturn's equatorial atmosphere from Cassini radio occultation soundings in 2005 and 2009. The retrieved temperatures are consistent with a descent of 0.6 x the pressure scale height over this time period. The descent rate is related to the magnitude of the wave forcing, radiative damping, and induced meridional circulations. A simple calculation implies that vertical wave fluxes of zonal momentum approximately 0.05 square meters per square second could account for the observed vertical descent on Saturn, which is comparable to the magnitude of the wave fluxes associated with the terrestrial quasi-biennial oscillation.

Flasar, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Saturn's Equatorial Oscillation

Recent ground-based and Cassini CIRS thermal-infrared data have characterized the spatial and temporal characteristics of an equatorial oscillation in the middle atmosphere of Saturn above the 100-mbar level. The CIRS data [I] indicated a pattern of warm and cold anomalies near the equator, stacked vertically in alternating fashion. The ground-based observations s2, although not having the altitude range or vertical resolution of the CIRS observations, covered several years and indicated an oscillation cycle of approx.15 years, roughly half of Saturn's year. In Earth's middle atmosphere, both the quasi-biennial (approx.26 months) and semi-annual equatorial oscillations have been extensively observed and studied (see e.g., [3]), These exhibit a pattern of alternating warmer and cooler zonal-mean temperatures with altitude, relative to those at subtropical latitudes. Consistent with the thermal wind equation, this is also associated with an alternating pattern of westerly and easterly zonal winds. Moreover, the pattern of winds and temperatures descends with time. Momentum deposition by damped vertically propagating waves is thought to play a key role m forcing both types of oscillation, and it can plausibly account for the descent. Here we report the direct observation of this descent in Saturn's equatorial atmosphere from Cassini radio occultation soundings in 2005 and 2009. The retrieved temperatures are consistent with a descent of 0.7 x the pressure scale height. The descent rate is related to the magnitude of the wave forcing, radiative damping, and induced meridional circulations. We discuss possible implications.

Flasar, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Thermal Emission From Saturn's Polar Cyclones

We have used data from the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer to map the temperatures in Saturn's polar cyclones at the highest spatial resolution obtained during the Cassini mission. We find temperature contrasts of 7 K in the upper troposphere within 1.4° of both poles, roughly 50 percent larger than earlier measurements at lower spatial resolution. The polar hot spots weaken with depth, disappearing near 500 mbar. In the stratosphere, the polar hot spot becomes broader, extending 4° from the poles, and weakens with altitude disappearing near 1 mbar. A thermal relaxation model shows that the tropospheric hot spot is consistent with adiabatic heating from subsidence with a vertical velocity of about −0.05 mm/s above 500 mbar. The observed temperature gradients imply that the winds in the polar cyclone decay with increasing altitude over roughly three pressure scale heights above the 200‐mbar level.

Polar↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Predictive Bubble Point Pressure Model for Porous Liquid Acquisition Device Screens

This article presents a simplified model for porous screen channel liquid acquisition devices based on a maximum bubble point pressure method from Adamson and Gast (1997). To validate the model, three 304 stainless steel (325 × 2300, 450 × 2750, and 510 × 3600) mesh samples were tested in methanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and water. Screen pores are estimated based on analysis from scanning electron microscopy, historical data, and current test data. Results show that the bubble point pressure is proportional to the surface tension of the fluid only when accounting for nonzero contact angles. The previous assumption that bubble point pressure scales inversely with effective pore diameter is shown to be invalid, as the second finest 450 × 2750 produced the highest bubble point of the three screens. The simplified bubble point model can be used to make predictions for any pure fluid when pore diameters are based on bubble point tests and not SEM analysis.

Liquid Acquisition Device↗
NASA NTRS2020

Controlled Environmental Effects on Creep Test Data of Woven Fabric Webbings for Inflatable Space Modules

eveloping technologies for proposed lunar and Mars space exploration missions. Enhanced habitation sy g studied as potential habitats due to their inherent low mass and small launch volume. One goal of inflatable module research is quantification of the safe-life and end-of-life creep-strain spectrum. Full-scale pressurized inflatable modules are large, costly, and difficult to experimentally study. Therefore, material subcomponents are often studied as an alternative. An experimental thermally controlled long-term creep study of VectranTM webbings for application to inflatable modules is presented. Vectran fibers have high strength and low creep properties. High strength webbing materials are desirable for the load bearing restraint layer of inflatable modules because they are strong, flexible, and lightweight. Characterization of the creep behavior, safe-life, and end-of- life of webbing specimens will help quantify comparable life properties for inflatable modules. Several experimental multiple-year creep studies of webbing specimens in uncontrolled thermal environments have been conducted at NASA Langley Research Center. Experimental data obtained exhibits the classic creep-strain curve due to load, coupled with unique sinusoidal variation due to variation in temperature and humidity over daily and annual time periods. Results also have indicated that specimens fail within a year if the applied load is greater than 50 percent of the rated load. The primary goal of this study is to eliminate thermal effects from the creep data for a group of webbing specimens, and to allow uncontrolled thermal effects to influence the creep data of a second group of webbing specimens. Comparison of both sets of data will define how temperature influences creep data. A unique creep test facility was fabricated to facilitate the generation and comparison of the two sets of data. The facility consists of five creep test stands with an integrated heating and cooling system, and four creep test stands exposed to external environmental or ambient conditions. The facility contains displacement, temperature, humidity, and load sensors. Test specimens consist of one- inch wide, 48-inch long Vectran webbings rated at 12,500 pounds-per-inch. Experimental thermally controlled creep-strain data has been generated for two groups of webbing specimens. Applied load for all test stands was above 9000 lbs and greater than 50 percent of the rated load. Temperatures varied between 58˚F and 83˚F for the four test stands exposed to ambient conditions. Associated creep data exhibited the classic creep- strain profiles. The temperature was set to 72˚F for the five test stands in the controlled temperature environment. Creep data for tests with temperature control also exhibited the classic strain profiles. Data indicated that if the load is greater n thermal effects do not manifest. Therefore, creep tests with loads less than 50 percent of the rated load are planned for in the near future.

Kenner, Winfred S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Secondary Sonic Boom Ray Path Prediction using sBOOM

Sonic boom ray path equations are solved numerically to show the extent of secondary booms compared to primary sonic boom carpet. Secondary booms are shown to reach altitudes of ~125 km before turning toward the ground and impinging at lateral distances of ~50 km and beyond. Exact closed-form solutions of the ray paths and their partial derivatives with respect to certain relevant parameters are derived for the simplified case of windless atmospheres and compared against numerical solutions. Ray tube areas are computed using the Jacobian of a single ray as opposed to the traditional technique of using 4 rays that are temporally and azimuthally perturbed. The ray tube areas corresponding to secondary booms can get 1000 times larger than those from primary booms. The numerically computed ray tube areas are verified using exact expressions for the special case of windless atmospheres. Finally, pressure scaling due to ray tube area changes and atmospheric stratification is presented and the shortcomings associated with the current atmospheric interpolation techniques are discussed. It is determined that piece-wise linear interpolation of the atmospheric temperature may be inadequate and could lead to numerical noise in the prediction of secondary booms.

Sriram K Rallabhandi↗