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Chen, A. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Chen, A. W..

The Third EGRET Catalog of High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

The third catalog of high-energy gamma-ray sources detected by the EGRET telescope on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory includes data from 1991 April 22 to 1995 October 3 (Cycles 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the mission). In addition to including more data than the second EGRET catalog (Thompson et al. 1995) and its supplement (Thompson et al. 1996), this catalog uses completely reprocessed data (to correct a number of mostly minimal errors and problems). The 271 sources (E greater than 100 MeV) in the catalog include the single 1991 solar flare bright enough to be detected as a source, the Large Magellanic Cloud, five pulsars, one probable radio galaxy detection (Cen A), and 66 high-confidence identifications of blazars (BL Lac objects, flat-spectrum radio quasars, or unidentified flat-spectrum radio sources). In addition, 27 lower-confidence potential blazar identifications are noted. Finally, the catalog contains 170 sources not yet identified firmly with known objects, although potential identifications have been suggested for a number of those. A figure is presented that gives approximate upper limits for gamma-ray sources at any point in the sky, as well as information about sources listed in the second catalog and its supplement which do not appear in this catalog.

Hartman, R. C.

In-Flight Calibration of the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory

The Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory has been operating for over seven years since its launch in 1991 April. This span of time far exceeds the design lifetime of two years. As the instrument has aged, several changes have occurred due to spark chamber gas exchanges as well as some hardware degradation and failures, all of which have an influence on the instrument sensitivity. This paper describes post-launch measurements and analysis that are done to calibrate the instrument response functions. The updated instrument characteristics are incorporated into the analysis software.

Esposito, J. A.

The Third EGRET Catalog of High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

The third catalog of high-energy gamma-ray sources detected by the EGRET telescope on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory includes data from 1991 April 22 to 1995 October 3 (Cycles 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the mission). In addition to including more data than the second EGRET catalog and its supplement, this catalog uses completely reprocessed data (to correct a number of mostly minimal errors and problems). The 271 sources (E greater than 100 MeV) in the catalog include the single 1991 solar flare bright enough to be detected as a source, the Large Magellanic Cloud, five pulsars, one probable radio galaxy detection (Cen A), and 66 high-confidence identifications of blazars (BL Lac objects, flat-spectrum radio quasars, or unidentified flat-spectrum radio sources). In addition, 27 lower-confidence potential blazar identifications are noted. Finally, the catalog contains 170 sources not yet identified firmly with known objects, although potential identifications have been suggested for a number of those. A figure is presented that gives approximate upper limits for gamma-ray sources at any point in the sky, as well as information about sources listed in the second catalog and its supplement which do not appear in this catalog.

Hartman, R. C.

Application of boundary layer control to HSCT low speed configuration

The feasibility of using boundary layer control (BLC) on a high speed civil transport (HSCT) high lift configuration for low speed performance improvement is studied. The possibility of using a part of the suction system previously designed for cruise laminar flow control (LFC) for low speed BLC mode was explored. A suction scheme for BLC was devised for the HSCT high lift configuration. The extent of the suction regions and levels were determined via panel method based inviscid flow analysis coupled with three-dimensional boundary layer analyses. The compatibility of the BLC suction requirements was assessed, and the modifications necessary to operate the system in both modes of operation, were determined. An assessment of the potential aerodynamic performance improvement resulting from an implementation of the BLC concept compared to an optimized simple flap configuration without BLC was made by an Euler code analysis of the simple flap configuration.

Parikh, P. G.

The 757 NLF glove flight test results

A major concern in the application of a laminar flow wing design to commercial transports is whether laminar flow can be sustained in the presence of the noise environment due to wing mounted turbofan engines. To investigate this issue, a flight test program was conducted using the Boeing 757 flight research airplane with a portion of the wing modified to obtain natural laminar flow. The flight test had two primary objectives. The first was to measure the noise levels on the upper and lower surface of the wing for a range of flight conditions. The second was to investigate the effect of engine noise on laminar boundary layer transition. The noise field on the wing and transition location on the glove were then measured as a function of the engine power setting at a given flight condition. The transition and noise measurement on the glove show that there is no apparent effect of engine noise on the upper surface transition location. On the lower surface, the transition location moved forward 2 to 3 percent chord. A boundary layer stability analysis to the flight data showed that cross flow disturbances were the dominant cause of transition at most flight conditions.

Runyan, L. Jim

Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil optimized for maximum lift coefficient

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel to determine the two-dimensional characteristics of an airfoil optimized for maximum lift coefficient. The design maximum lift coefficient was 2.1 at a Reynolds number of 9.7 million. The airfoil with a smooth surface and with surface roughness was tested at angles of attack from 6 deg to 26 deg, Reynolds numbers (based on airfoil chord) from 2.0 million to 12.9 million, and Mach numbers from 0.10 to 0.35. The experimental results are compared with values predicted by theory. The experimental pressure distributions observed at angles of attack up to at least 12 deg were similar to the theoretical values except for a slight increase in the experimental upper-surface pressure coefficients forward of 26 percent chord and a more severe gradient just behind the minimum-pressure-coefficient location. The maximum lift coefficients were measured with the model surface smooth and, depending on test conditions, varied from 1.5 to 1.6 whereas the design value was 2.1.

Bingham, G. J.

Multiple element airfoils optimized for maximum lift coefficient.

Optimum airfoils in the sense of maximum lift coefficient are obtained for incompressible fluid flow at large Reynolds number. The maximum lift coefficient is achieved by requiring that the turbulent skin friction be zero in the pressure rise region on the airfoil upper surface. Under this constraint, the pressure distribution is optimized. The optimum pressure distribution is a function of Reynolds number and the trailing edge velocity. Geometries of those airfoils which will generate these optimum pressure distributions are obtained using a direct-iterative method which is developed in this study. This method can be used to design airfoils consisting of any number of elements. Numerical examples of one- and two-element airfoils are given. The maximum lift coefficients obtained range from 2 to 2.5.

Ormsbee, A. I.

The Determination of the Geometries of Multiple-Element Airfoils Optimized for Maximum Lift Coefficient

Optimum airfoils in the sense of maximum lift coefficient are obtained by a newly developed method. The maximum lift coefficient is achieved by requiring that the turbulent skin friction be zero in the pressure rise region on the upper surface. Under this constraint, the pressure distribution is optimized. The optimum pressure distribution consists of a uniform stagnation pressure on the lower surface, a uniform minimum pressure on the upper surface immediately downstream of the front stagnation point followed by a Stratford zero skin friction pressure rise. When multiple-element airfoils are under consideration, this optimum pressure distribution appears on every element. The parameters used to specify the pressure distribution on each element are the Reynolds number and the normalized trailing edge velocity. The newly developed method of design computes the velocity distribution on a given airfoil and modifies the airfoil contour in a systematic manner until the desired velocity distribution is achieved. There are no limitations on how many elements the airfoil to be designed can have.

Chen, A. W.