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Chen, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Chen, G..

118 records · Page 7

A photostationary state analysis of the NO2-NO system based on airborne observations from the subtropical/tropical North and South Atlantic

The Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation 3 (CITE 3) NO-NO2 database has provided a unique opportunity to examine important aspects of tropospheric photochemistry as related to the rapid cycling between NO and NO2. Our results suggest that when quantitative testing of this photochemical system is based on airborne field data, extra precautions may need to be taken in the analysis. This was particularly true in the CITE 3 data analysis where different regional environments produced quite different results when evaluating the photochemical test ratio (NO2)(sub expt)/(NO2)(sub calc), designated here as R(sub E)/R(sub C). The quantity (NO2)(sub Calc) was evaluated using the following photostationary state expression: (NO2)(sub Calc) = k(sub 1)(O3) + k(sub 4)(HO2) + k(sub 5)(CH3O2) + k(sub 6)(RO2))(NO)(sub Expt)/J(sub 2). The four most prominent regional environmental data sets identified in this analysis were those labeled here as free-tropospheric northern hemisphere (FTNH), free-tropospheric tropical northern hemisphere (FTTNH), free-tropospheric southern hemisphere (FTSH), and tropical-marine boundary layer (plume) (TMBL(P)). The respective R(sub E)/R(sub C) mean and median values for these four data subsets were 1.74, 1.69; 3.00, 2.79; 1.01, 0.97; and 0.99, 0.94. Of the four data subsets listed, the two that were statistically the most robust were FTNH and FTSH; for these the respective R(sub E)/R(sub C) mean and standard deviation of the mean values were 1.74 +/- 0.07 and 1.01 +/- 0.04. The FTSH observations were in good agreement with theory, whereas those from the FTNH data set were in significant disagreement. An examination of the critical photochemical parameters O3, UV(zenith), NO, NO2, and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) for these two databases indicated that the most likely source of the R(sub E)/R(sub C) bias in the FTNH results was the presence of a systematic error in the observational data rather than a shortening in our understanding of fundamental photochemical processes. Although neither a chemical nor meteorological analyses of these data identified this error with complete certainty, they did point to the three most likely possibilities: (1) an NO2 interference from a yet unidentified NO(y) species: (2) the presence of unmeasured hydrocarbons, the integrated reactivity of which would be equivalent to approximately 2.7 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) of toluene; or (3) some combination of points (1) and (2). Details concerning hypotheses (1) and (2) as well as possible ways to minimize these problems in future airborne missions are discussed.

Davis, D. D.↗

Summertime tropospheric observations related to N(x)O(y) distributions and partitioning over Alaska - Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition 3A

Measurements of NO, NO2, PAN and NO(y) are presented for the summertime middle/lower troposphere over northern high latitudes. Chemical signatures from concurrent measurements of O3, CO, C2H2, C2H6, C3H8, C2Cl4, and H2O are used to characterize factors affecting the budget and distribution of N(x)O(y) in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic tropospheric air masses sampled over Alaska during the NASA Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE 3A). The results implicate biomass burning in Siberia as the probable source of about one-third of the NO(y) abundance within the middle lower troposphere over Alaska and the downward transport of air from altitude in the vicinity of the tropopause as a major contributor to the abundance of NO(y) within the lower 6 km column over Alaska.

Sandholm, S. T.↗

A linear shock cell model for jets of arbitrary exit geometry

The shock cell structures of single supersonic non-ideally expanded jets with arbitrary exit geometry are studied. Both vortex sheets and realistic mean profiles are considered for the jet shear layer. The boundary element method is used to predict the shock spacing and screech tones in a vortex sheet model of a single jet. This formulation enables the calculations to be performed only on the vortex sheet. This permits the efficient and convenient study of complicated jet geometries. Results are given for circular, elliptic and rectangular jets and the results are compared with analysis and experiment. The agreement between the predictions and measurements is very good but depends on the assumptions made to predict the geometry of the fully expanded jet. A finite diffference technique is used to examine the effect of finite mixing layer thickness for a single jet. The finite thickness of the mixing layer is found to decrease the shock spacing by approximately 20 percent over the length of the jet potential core.

Morris, P. J.↗

Shock structure in jets of arbitrary exit geometry

The shock structure and hydrodynamic stability of single and twin jets with arbitrary exit geometry are studied. Both vortex sheets and realistic mean profiles are considered for the jet shear layer. The boundary element method is used to predict the shock spacing and screech tones in a vortex sheet model of a single jet. Results are given for circular, elliptic and rectangular jets and the results compared with analysis and experiment. A finite difference technique is used to examine the effect of finite mixing layer thickness for a single jet. The hydrodynamic stability of twin circular jets is also considered. The variation of the stability characteristics are presented for the vortex sheet case for several separation distances. The formulation of the problem to account for finite thickness effects is also given.

Morris, P. J.↗

An experimental study for a miniature Stirling refrigerator

Experimental results of a miniature two-stage Stirling cryocooler are introduced. The influence of filling gas pressure and refrigeration temperature on the refrigerating capacity along with the relationship between parameters was measured. The valley pressure corresponding to the lowest refrigeration temperature and the cooldown time versus operating pressure are discussed. The coefficient of performance and thermodynamic efficiency of the cryocooler are calculated based on experimental data.

Li, S.↗

Finite difference numerical methods for boundary control problems governed by hyperbolic partial differential equations

This paper briefly reviews convergent finite difference schemes for hyperbolic initial boundary value problems and their applications to boundary control systems of hyperbolic type which arise in the modelling of vibrations. These difference schemes are combined with the primal and the dual approaches to compute the optimal control in the unconstrained case, as well as the case when the control is subject to inequality constraints. Some of the preliminary numerical results are also presented.

Chen, G.↗

N-person differential games. Part 2: The penalty method

The equilibrium strategy for N-person differential games can be found by studying a min-max problem subject to differential systems constraints. The differential constraints are penalized and finite elements are used to compute numerical solutions. Convergence proof and error estimates are given. Numerical results are also included and compared with those obtained by the dual method.

Chen, G.↗

Acceleration and modulation of electrons and ions by propagating interplanetary shocks

The theory and observation of shock spikes are reviewed. Models of the orbits of charged particles and their energization during interaction with discontinuities under various geometries are studied. In situ observations of shock spikes are discussed. These have shown that sharp spikes are found sometimes ahead of and sometimes behind the shock, with the highest energies being ahead. One generally observes larger, field-aligned ion anisotropies ahead of shocks rather than behind. Intensity modulation of protons, alpha particles, medium nuclei, and iron have been observed.

Armstrong, T. P.↗

Acceleration of charged particles in oblique MHD shocks

The motion of high energy charged particles in ideal oblique MHD shocks has been studied extensively. The orbits of charged particles can be solved exactly from Lorentz force equation. It is found that a charged particle may cross the shock front many times before it leaves the shock and it is energized during crossings. The most energetic particles are those with initial pitch and phase near the boundary between crossing and reflected particles. The reflected particles cross the shock about twice as many times as the passing particles do. The energy gain increases for larger values of shock strength and speed. If reflection occurs, the energy gain is larger for smaller angles between the field and shock surface. The introduction of scattering results in a few more higher energy particles.

Chen, G.↗