Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “IMPULSE GENERATOR”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records

Sequential-Impulse Generator Uses Fiber-Optics

Light pulse from a ruby or neodymium-glass laser enters miniature optics of repetitive-detonation apparatus. Traveling along a bundle of optical fibers, light strikes laser-sensitive microdetonator and charge explodes. Apparatus then advances next charge in train into position. Possible applications of sequential-impulse generator are in creating shock waves for aerodynamics research and in generating electrical power by magnetohydrodynamics.

Yang, L. C.↗

Impulsively generated fast coronal pulsations

Rapid oscillations in the corona are discussed from a theoretical standpoint, developing some previous work on ducted, fast magnetoacoustic waves in an inhomogeneous medium. In the theory, impulsively (e.g., flare) generated mhd (magnetohydrodynamic) waves are ducted by regions of low Alfven speed (high density) such as coronal loops. Wave propagation in such ducts is strongly dispersive and closely akin to the behavior of Love waves in seismology, Pekeris waves in oceanography and guided waves in fiber optics. Such flare-generated magnetoacoustic waves possess distinctive temporal signatures consisting of periodic, quasi-periodic and decay phases. The quasi-periodic phase possesses the strongest amplitudes and the shortest time scales. Time scales are typically of the order of a second for inhomogeneities (coronal loop width) of 1000 km and Alfven speeds of 1000/kms, and pulse duration times are of tens of seconds. Quasi-periodic signatures have been observed in radio wavelengths for over a decade and more recently by SMM. It is hoped that the theoretical ideas outlined may be successfully related to these observations and thus aid the interpretation of oscillatory signatures recorded by SMM. Such signatures may also provide a diagnostic of coronal conditions. New aspects of the ducted mhd waves, for example their behavior in smoothly varying as opposed to tube-like inhomogeneities, are currently under investigation. The theory is not restricted to loops but applied equally to open field regions.

Edwin, P. M.↗

Modeling Attitude Dynamics in Simulink: A Study of the Rotational and Translational Motion of a Spacecraft Given Torques and Impulses Generated by RMS Hand Controllers

In order to study and control the attitude of a spacecraft, it is necessary to understand the natural motion of a body in orbit. Assuming a spacecraft to be a rigid body, dynamics describes the complete motion of the vehicle by the translational and rotational motion of the body. The Simulink Attitude Analysis Model applies the equations of rigid body motion to the study of a spacecraft?s attitude in orbit. Using a TCP/IP connection, Matlab reads the values of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) hand controllers and passes them to Simulink as specified torque and impulse profiles. Simulink then uses the governing kinematic and dynamic equations of a rigid body in low earth orbit (LE0) to plot the attitude response of a spacecraft for five seconds given known applied torques and impulses, and constant principal moments of inertia.

Mauldin, Rebecca H.↗

Method for predicting impulsive noise generated by wind turbine rotors

Large wind turbines can generate both broad band and impulsive noises. These noises can be controlled by proper choice of rotor design parameters such as rotor location with respect to the supporting tower, tower geometry and tip speed. A method was developed to calculate the impulsive noise generated when the wind turbine blade experiences air forces that are periodic functions of the rotational frequency. This phenomenon can occur when the blades operate in the wake of the support tower and the nonuniform velocity field near the ground due to wind shear. Results from this method were compared with measured sound spectra taken at locations of one to two rotor diameters from the DOE/NASA Mod-1 wind turbine. The calculated spectra generally agreed with the measured data in both the amplitude of the predominant harmonics and the roll of rate with frequency. Measured sound pressure levels far from the Mod-1 (15 rotor diameters), however, were higher than predicted. Simultaneous measurements in the near and far field indicated that the propagation effects could enhance the sound levels by more than 10 dB above that expected by spherical dispersion. These propagation effects are believed to be due to terrain and atmospheric characteristics of the Mod-1 site.

Viterna, L. A.↗

Optimum Three Impulse Trajectory Generator with Patched Conic Trajectory Model

Optimal multi-impulse trajectories were investigated as a nominal about which asymptotic expansion was used to obtain approximations of optimal low thrust trajectories. The work consisted of the analysis and description of an optimal 3-impulse trajectory program. A patched-conic trajectory model was specifically designed for compatibility with the subsequent addition of the low thrust expansion approximation.

Payne, M. H.↗

Sedimentological effects of tsunamis, with particular reference to impact-generated and volcanogenic waves

Impulse-generated waves (tsunamis) may be produced, at varying scales and global recurrence intervals (RI), by several processes. Meteorite-water impacts will produce tsunamis, and asteroid-scale impacts with associated mega-tsunamis may occur. A bolide-water impact would undoubtedly produce a major tsunami, whose sedimentological effects should be recognizable. Even a bolide-land impact might trigger major submarine landslides and thus tsunamis. In all posulated scenarios for the K/T boundary event, then, tsunamis are expected, and where to look for them must be determined, and how to distinguish deposits from different tsunamis. Also, because tsunamis decrease in height as they move away from their source, the proximal effects will differ by perhaps orders of magnitude from distal effects. Data on the characteristics of tsunamis at their origin are scarce. Some observations exist for tsunamis generated by thermonuclear explosions and for seismogenic tsunamis, and experimental work was conducted on impact-generated tsunamis. All tsunamis of interest have wave-lengths of 0(100) km and thus behave as shallow-water waves in all ocean depths. Typical wave periods are 0(10 to 100) minutes. The effect of these tsunamis can be estimated in the marine and coastal realm by calculating boundary shear stresses (expressed as U*, the shear velocity). An event layer at the K/T boundary in Texas occurs in mid-shelf muds. Only a large, long-period wave with a wave height of 0(50) m, is deemed sufficient to have produced this layer. Such wave heights imply a nearby volcanic explosion on the scale of Krakatau or larger, or a nearby submarine landslide also of great size, or a bolide-water impact in the ocean.

Bourgeois, Joanne↗

Auto-Gopher-2 - Wireline Deep Sampler Driven by Percussive Piezoelectric Actuator and Rotary EM Motors

Two of the key purposes of future NASA’s solar system exploration of planetary bodies are the search for potentially preserved bio-signatures and for habitable regions. To address these objectives, a biologically inspired wireline deep rotary-percussive drill, called Auto-Gopher, has been developed. This drill employs a piezoelectric-actuated percussive mechanism for generating impulsive stresses and breaking formations, and an electric motor to rotate the bit to break material and remove the cuttings. Initially, the drill was designed as percussive mechanism for sampling ice and was demonstrated in 2005 at Lake Vida, Antarctica, reaching about 2 meters depth. The lessons learned suggested there is a need to augment the percussive action with bit rotation in order to maximize the penetration rate. The first generation implementation of the rotary augmentation was focused on the demonstration of this capability. In 2012, during the 3-day field test, the drill reached a 3-meter deep in gypsum. A separate mechanism was used to break and remove the cores. The average drilling power consumption was in the range of 100-150 Watts, while the rate of penetration was approximately 2.4 meters per hour. Currently under development is the second-generation drill, called Auto-Gopher-2. The drill will be fully autonomous. In this paper, the capabilities that are being integrated into the Auto-Gopher-2 are described and discussed.

Auto-Gopher Drill↗

Slow Magnetosonic Waves and Fast Flows in Active Region Loops

Recent extreme ultraviolet spectroscopic observations indicate that slow magnetosonic waves are present in active region (AR) loops. Some of the spectral data were also interpreted as evidence of fast (approx 100-300 km/s) quasiperiodic flows. We have performed three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) modeling of a bipolar AR that contains impulsively generated waves and flows in coronal loops. The model AR is initiated with a dipole magnetic field and gravitationally stratified density, with an upflow-driven steadily or periodically in localized regions at the footpoints of magnetic loops. The resulting flows along the magnetic field lines of the AR produce higher density loops compared to the surrounding plasma by injection of material into the flux tubes and the establishment of siphon flow.We find that the impulsive onset of flows with subsonic speeds result in the excitation of damped slow magnetosonic waves that propagate along the loops and coupled nonlinearly driven fast-mode waves. The phase speed of the slow magnetosonic waves is close to the coronal sound speed. When the amplitude of the driving pulses is increased we find that slow shock-like wave trains are produced. When the upflows are driven periodically, undamped oscillations are produced with periods determined by the periodicity of the upflows. Based on the results of the 3D MHD model we suggest that the observed slow magnetosonic waves and persistent upflows may be produced by the same impulsive events at the bases of ARs.

Magnetohydrodynamics-Sun Activity↗

Gaussian and click noise in an FM/FM multiplex receiver.

An FM/FM system is one in which the signal information frequency modulates a subcarrier, which, in turn, frequency modulates a main carrier for transmission. The detection process then involves two frequency demodulators in sequence. Using Rice's click model for both FM demodulators, we obtain the average click rate and an approximate output spectrum that include the effect of the impulses generated by the carrier demodulator on the subcarrier demodulation at and below threshold. We then focus on the threshold behavior of these systems and the proportioning of their modulation parameters so as to provide certain desired characteristics. We find that due to the filtering action of the second demodulator, the number of output clicks from carrier generated spikes can be orders of magnitude smaller, yet their contribution to the output noise can be much greater than that produced by the first demodulation.

Stochel, N. H.↗

Characteristics of corona impulses from insulated wires subjected to high ac voltages

Corona discharges arise due to ionization of air or gas subject to high electric fields. The free electrons and ions contained in these discharges interact with molecules of insulating materials, resulting in chemical changes and destroying the electrical insulating properties. The paper describes some results of measurements aimed at determining corona pulse waveforms, their repetition rate, and amplitude distribution during various randomly-sampled identical time periods of a 60-Hz high-voltage wave. Described are properties of positive and negative corona impulses generated from typical conductors at various test high voltages. A possible method for calculating the energies, densities, and electromagnetic interferences by making use of these results is suggested.

Doreswamy, C. V.↗

An experimental investigation of blade-vortex interaction at normal incidence

An experimental investigation has been conducted for the blade-vortex interaction (BVI) of a rotor at normal incidence, where the vortex is generally parallel to the rotor axis. Tip Mach number, radial BVI station, and free stream velocity were varied during measurements of fluctuating blade pressures, far field sound pressure levels and directivity, incident vortex velocity field, and blade-vortex interaction angles. The experimental setup is representative of the chopping of helicopter main rotor tip vortices by the tail rotor. This interaction is found to generate impulsive noise which radiates primarily ahead of the blade.

Ahmadi, A. R.↗

Rotor blade-vortex interaction impulsive noise source identification and correlation with rotor wake predictions

An acoustic source localization scheme applicable to noncompact moving sources is developed and applied to the blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise data of a 40-percent scale BO-105 model rotor. A generalized rotor wake code is employed to predict possible VBI locations on the rotor disk and is found quite useful in interpreting the acoustic localization results. The highly varying directivity patterns of different BVI impulses generated at the same test condition are explained by both the localization results and predicted tip vortex trajectories. The effects of rotor tip-path-plane angle and advance ratio on the BVI source positions is studied. Decreasing tip-path-plane angle (at constant advance ratio) moves the general interaction region upwind on the rotor disk, significantly changing the interaction geometry. Increasing advance ratio (at constant tip-path-plane angle) shifts the general source region downwind on the rotor disk with the increased convection of the vortices until about 60 deg azimuth, where the BVI sources appear to become acoustically less effective. The region of strongest BVI sources lies between 60 and 70 deg azimuth and 80 and 90 percent radius for the moderate range of advance ratios studied.

Splettstoesser, W. R.↗

Employing analogies for ducted MHD waves in dense coronal structures

Analogies of fast MHD waves propagating along a dense coronal structure are exploited to examine how the size and shape of the inhomogeneity affect the properties of the Love- and Pekeris-type waves. The profile's shape determines the dispersive nature of the waves. Excited impulsively, magnetic Love and Pekeris waves give rise to quasi-periodic oscillations with a duration and time scale that depend on the cross-sectional area and strength of the inhomogeneity. More diffuse coronal inhomogeneities support impulsively generated periodic oscillations, with the quasi-periodic signature being absent.

Edwin, P. M.↗

Subpicosecond time-resolved studies of coherent phonon oscillations in thin-film YBa2Cu3O(6+x) (x less than 0.4)

The results are reported of the first time-resolved observation of impulsively generated coherent optical phonon oscillations in the semiconducting cuprate compound YBa2Cu3O(6+x ) (x less than 0.4). The oscillations, which were probed through time-resolved transmissivity modulation, had a period of 237 fsec at room temperature, corresponding to a Raman active mode at A(1g) symmetry at 142/cm. No oscillations were observed in the superconducting form of Y-Ba-Cu-O either above or below Tc. The amplitude, frequency, and linewidth of this mode were measured over a temperature range from about 7 K to room temperature.

Chwalek, J. M.↗

Synthetic Jets in Cross-flow: Round Jet - Part 1

Results of an experimental investigation on synthetic jets from round orifices with and without cross-flow are presented. Jet Reynolds number up to 46,000 with a fully turbulent approach boundary layer, and Stokes number up to 400. are covered. The threshold of stroke length for synthetic jet formation. in the absence of the cross-flow, is found to be Lo /D approximately 0.5. Above Lo /D is approximately 10, the profiles of normalized centerline mean velocity appear to become invariant. It is reasoned that the latter threshold may be related to the phenomenon of saturation of impulsively generated vortices. In the presence of the cross-flow, the penetration height of a synthetic jet is found to depend on the momentum- flux ratio . When this ratio is defined in terms of the maximum jet velocity and the cross-flow velocity. not only all data collapse but also the jet trajectory is predicted well by correlation equation available for steady jets-in-cross-flow. Distributions of mean velocity, streamwise vorticity as well as turbulence intensity for a synthetic jet in cross-flow are found to be similar to those of a steady jet-in-cross-flow. A pair of counter-rotating streamwise vortices, corresponding to the bound vortex pair of the steady case, is clearly observed. Mean velocity distribution exhibits a dome of low momentum fluid pulled up from the boundary layer, and the entire domain is characterized by high turbulence.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗