Engineering topics

Chen, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Chen, L..

170 records · Page 10

NASA NTRS1994

Crystal structure of a four-stranded intercalated DNA: d(C4)

The crystal structure of d(C4) solved at 2.3-A resolution reveals a four-stranded molecule composed of two interdigitated or intercalated duplexes. The duplexes are held together by hemiprotonated cytosine-cytosine base pairs and are parallel stranded, but the two duplexes point in opposite directions. The molecule has a slow right-handed twist of 12.4 degrees between covalently linked cytosine base pairs, and the base stacking distance is 3.1 A. This is in general agreement with the NMR studies. A biological role for DNA in this conformation is suggested.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1992

Ring current instabilities in the magnetohydrodynamic frequency range

This report summarizes recent theoretical developments in ring current plasma instabilities in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) frequency range but with the effect of finite Larmor radius, and discusses its relevance to satellite-based observations. Possible instabilities are the bounce resonant instabilities caused by a humped energy distribution, the drift mirror instability caused by an anisotropic pressure and the drift wave type instability caused by a combination of drift-bounce resonance and reduced Alfven frequency due to a high beta loading of the flux tube. Here, beta is proportional to plasma/magnetic pressures. Mechanisms leading to turbulence are also discussed.

Hasegawa, A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Modern biofuel cells for waste recycling in life support systems

Innovative ways of treating urea in waste water reprocessing for long duration space exploration are being considered. Urea is very stable and therefore there are few effective ways for its decomposition. The feasibility of the use of the enzyme urease is to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide is discussed, including a methodology, potential problems, the capabilities and advantages of such a system.

Chen, L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The atmospheric heat budget over the western part of the Tibetan plateau during MONEX, 1979

The heat sources over the western part of the Tibetan Plateau for the period from May 19-August 31, 1979 are calculated. The use of the direct method to compute the total atmospheric heat source is examined. The values for the heat source over western, northwestern, and southwestern Tibet are presented. It is concluded that the atmospheric heat source is smaller during the summer than had been previously estimated; this difference is due to reduced drag coefficients. The northwestern and southwestern heat source values are compared, and it is observed that the northwestern heat source is independent on sensible heating and the southwestern heat source relates to the latent heat (LH). The calculated values correlate with the surface hydrology of these two regions. Time series analyses of the heat source components over the southwestern region reveal that LH is the primary modulator of the total atmospheric heat sources. The relation between the vertical heat distribution and Indian summer monsoons is studied.

Feng, Z.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Global view of the upper level outflow patterns associated with tropical cyclone intensity changes during FGGE

The characteristics of the upper tropospheric outflow patterns which occur with tropical cyclone intensification and weakening over all of the global tropical cyclone basins during the year long period of the First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) are discussed. By intensification is meant the change in the tropical cyclone's maximum wind or central pressure, not the change of the cyclone's outer 1 to 3 deg radius mean wind which we classify as cyclone strength. All the 80 tropical cyclones which existed during the FGGE year are studied. Two-hundred mb wind fields are derived from the analysis of the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) which makes extensive use of upper tropospheric satellite and aircraft winds. Corresponding satellite cloud pictures from the polar orbiting U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and other supplementary polar and geostationary satellite data are also used.

Chen, L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The atmospheric heat source over the Tibetan plateau May-August 1979

Estimates of the time and space variability of the atmospheric heat source over Tibet are presented for the summer of 1979. These estimates rely on new data from the People's Republic of China allowing a better assessment of the surface heat fluxes, and on new satellite data from Nimbus-7 giving the radiation balance at the top of the atmosphere. The estimates of the atmospheric heat source turned out to be considerably smaller than those provided earlier in the literature, mainly because of different assumptions of the drag coefficient. The atmospheric heat source over Tibet is mainly modulated by the release of latent heat. Over the southeastern and southwestern plateau regions the heat source appears to be in phase with the precipitation yield of the Indian summer monsoon, whereas central Tibet reveals an out-of-phase behavior. Over western Tibet there appears to be hardly any net import of moisture from outside the region, whereas the maintenance of the hydrological cycle over eastern Tibet requires moisture flux convergence from outside the region of up to 40 percent of the mean rainfall, in agreement with what is known about the surface hydrology of Tibet.

Chen, L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Displaying Geographically-Based Domestic Statistics

Decision Information Display System (DIDS) is rapid-response information-retrieval and color-graphics display system. DIDS transforms tables of geographically-based domestic statistics (such as population or unemployment by county, energy usage by county, or air-quality figures) into high-resolution, color-coded maps on television display screen.

Quann, J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Endochronic theory of transient creep and creep recovery

Short time creep and creep recovery were investigated by means of the endochronic theory of viscoplasticity. It is shown that the constitutive equations for constant-strain-rate stress-strain behavior, creep, creep recovery, and stress relaxation can all ber derived from the general constitutive equation by imposing appropriate constraints. In this unified approach, the effect of strain-hardening is naturally accounted for when describing creep and creep recovery. The theory predicts with reasonable accuracy the creep and creep recovery behaviors for Aluminum 1100-0 at 150 C. It was found that the strain-rate history at prestraining stage affects the subsequent creep. A critical stress was also established for creep recovery. The theory predicts a forward creep for creep recovery stress greater than the critical stress. For creep recovery stress less than the critical stress, the theory then predicts a normal strain recovery.

Wu, H. C.↗