Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Tidal”

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 1,801 records · Page 100

Relativity mission with two counter-orbiting polar satellites

In 1918, J. Lense and H. Thirring calculated that a moon in orbit around a massive rotating planet would experience a nodal dragging effect due to general relativity. We describe an experiment to measure this effect with two counter-orbiting drag-free satellites in polar earth orbit. For a 2 1/2 year experiment, the measurement accuracy should approach 1%. In addition to precision tracking data from existing ground stations, satellite-to-satellite Doppler ranging data are taken at points of passing near the poles. New geophysical information on both earth harmonics and tidal effects is inherent in the polar ranging data.

Van Patten, R. A.↗

The accelerations of the earth and moon from early astronomical observations

An investigation has compiled a very large amount of data on central or near central solar eclipses as recorded in four principal ancient sources (Greek and Roman classics, medieval European chronicles, Chinese annals and astronomical treatises, and Late Babylonian astronomical texts) and applied careful data selectivity criteria and statistical methods to obtain reliable dates, magnitudes, and places of observation of the events, and thereby made estimates of the earth acceleration and lunar acceleration. The basic conclusion is that the lunar acceleration and both tidal and nontidal earth accelerations have been essentially constant during the period from 1375 B.C. to the present.

Muller, P. M.↗

Contributions to the National Geodetic Satellite Program by Goddard Space Flight Center

The major scientific contributions of Goddard Space Flight Center to the National Geodetic Satellite Program between 1965 and 1973 are presented and discussed. The primary results described are the determination of the earth's gravitational field from satellite tracking and surface gravimeter data to an accuracy of about 4 mGal for wavelengths of about 1000 km and larger; the construction of a detailed geoid suitable for geodetic, tectonic, and altimetry data analysis accurate to about 2 m over continents and to 2-5 m over the northeast Pacific and Atlantic oceans; and the positioning of globally distributed tracking stations to an accuracy of 5-10 m for the interconnecting of local geodetic datums. In addition, work on the observation of the earth and ocean tidal perturbations of satellites is discussed and reviewed.

Smith, D. E.↗

Solar semidiurnal tide in the thermosphere

The behavior of the solar semidiurnal tide in the thermosphere is studied on the basis of a three-dimensional model involving viscosity, thermal conductivity, Coriolis effects, sphericity of the earth, and ion drag. Sources of excitation are absorption of solar radiation by H2O and O3 below the mesopause, and by O2 in the Schumann-Runge continuum (SRC), and O, O2, N2 in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV), in the thermosphere. The relative importance of EUV, SRC, and forcing below the thermosphere are assessed. The semidiurnal tide in the lower thermosphere is re-examined, and the utility of equivalent gravity mode calculations is evaluated. The calculations presented provide detailed predictions for all meteorological fields as functions of season, solar cycle, and other parameters. In particular, the semidiurnal tide between 100 and 130 km is dominated by the 2,4 mode excited below the thermosphere. During sunspot minimum, forcing from below is dominant, but during sunspot maximum tides from below are so severely attenuated within the thermosphere that thermospheric in situ forcing becomes relatively more important. Results are compared with tidal observations at 45 deg latitude.

Hong, S.-S.↗

Excitation and relaxation of the wobble, precession, and libration of the moon

The rate of meteorite-impact excitation of the free wobble, free precession, and free libration of the moon above a given amplitude is estimated for two crater-size scaling laws and is compared with the rate of damping by tidal and rotational distortion as well as by a possible core-mantle interaction. Criteria for the probable existence and the probable nonexistence of observable amplitudes of the free motions are developed in terms of upper bounds on the damping factor for the various motions and in terms of ranges for the kinematic viscosity of a possible core. It is shown that although observable amplitudes are compatible with reasonable values of the damping factor and kinematic viscosity, other reasonable values could keep the amplitudes below the observable level most of the time. It is found that the free libration is the least likely motion to be observed and that a lunar core with earthlike properties might keep some of the free motions damped, but not all of them. Uncertainties in some of the assumptions used in the analysis are discussed.

Peale, S. J.↗

Physiologic and anti-G suit performance data from YF-16 flight tests

Biomedical data were collected during high-G portions of 11 YF-16 test flights. Test pilots monitored revealed increased respiratory rate and volume, decreased tidal volume, and increased heart rate at higher G levels, with one pilot exhibiting various cardiac arrhythmias. Anti-G suit inflation and pressurization lags varied inversely with G-onset rate, and suit pressurization slope was near the design value.

Gillingham, K. K.↗

Preliminary meteorological results on Mars from the Viking 1 lander

The results from the meteorology instruments on the Viking 1 lander are presented for the first 4 sols of operation. The instruments are working satisfactorily. Temperatures fluctuated from a low of 188 K to an estimated maximum of 244 K. The mean pressure is 7.65 millibars with a diurnal variation of amplitude 0.1 millibar. Wind speeds averaged over several minutes have ranged from essentially calm to 9 meters per second. Wind directions have exhibited a remarkable regularity which may be associated with nocturnal downslope winds and gravitational oscillations, or to tidal effects of the diurnal pressure wave, or to both.

Hess, S. L.↗

Winds on Mars during the Viking season - Predictions based on a general circulation model with topography

The Arakawa-Mintz general circulation model of the earth has been applied to Mars at the season of the Viking Lander mission. Allowance has been made for the effects of the large Martian topography. The calculated wind fields exhibit significant zonally symmetric, topographically forced, and diurnal tidal components. Average wind speeds of 20-25 m/sec were found at three possible landing sites, with wind speeds occasionally reaching values as much as a factor of 2 larger than these average values. If buffering by CO2 adsorbed in the regolith can be neglected, a pressure decline of about 0.8 mb is expected over the first two months of operation of the first lander.

Pollack, J. B.↗

LANDSAT application of remote sensing to shoreline-form analysis

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT imagery of the southern end of Assateague Island, Virginia, was enlarged to 1:80,000 and compared with high altitude (1:130,000) and low altitude (1:24,000) aerial photography in an attempt to quantify change in land area over a nine month period. Change in area and configuration was found with LANDSAT and low altitude photography. Change in configuration, but no change in area was found with high altitude photography. Due to tidal differences at time of image obtention and lack of baseline data, the accuracy of the LANDSAT measurements could not be determined. They were consistent with the measurements from the low altitude photography.

Dolan, R.↗

A three-dimensional, time-dependent model of Mobile Bay

A three-dimensional, time-variant mathematical model for momentum and mass transport in estuaries was developed and its solution implemented on a digital computer. The mathematical model is based on state and conservation equations applied to turbulent flow of a two-component, incompressible fluid having a free surface. Thus, bouyancy effects caused by density differences between the fresh and salt water, inertia from thare river and tidal currents, and differences in hydrostatic head are taken into account. The conservation equations, which are partial differential equations, are solved numerically by an explicit, one-step finite difference scheme and the solutions displayed numerically and graphically. To test the validity of the model, a specific estuary for which scaled model and experimental field data are available, Mobile Bay, was simulated. Comparisons of velocity, salinity and water level data show that the model is valid and a viable means of simulating the hydrodynamics and mass transport in non-idealized estuaries.

Pitts, F. H.↗

Water resources planning for rivers draining into Mobile Bay

The application of remote sensing, automatic data processing, modeling and other aerospace related technologies to hydrological engineering and water resource management are discussed for the entire river drainage system which feeds the Mobile Bay estuary. The adaptation and implementation of existing mathematical modeling methods are investigated for the purpose of describing the behavior of Mobile Bay. Of particular importance are the interactions that system variables such as river flow rate, wind direction and speed, and tidal state have on the water movement and quality within the bay system.

April, G. C.↗

Aeronomy report no. 74: The Urbana meteor-radar system; design, development, and first observations

The design, development, and first observations of a high power meteor-radar system located near Urbana, Illinois are described. The roughly five-fold increase in usable echo rate compared to other facilities, along with automated digital data processing and interferometry measurement of echo arrival angles, permits unsurpassed observations of tidal structure and shorter period waves. Such observations are discussed. The technique of using echo decay rates to infer density and scale height and the method of inferring wind shear from radial acceleration are examined. An original experiment to test a theory of the Delta-region winter anomaly is presented.

Hess, G. C.↗

Mariner 10 data analysis. 1: Scarps, ridges, troughs, and other lineaments on Mercury. 2: Geologic significance of photometric variations on Mercury

Volcanic and tectonic implications of the surface morphology of Mercury are discussed. Mercurian scarps, ridges, troughs, and other lineaments are described and classified as planimetrically linear, arcuate, lobate, or irregular. A global pattern of lineaments is interpreted to reflect modification of linear crustal joints formed in response to stresses induced by tidal spindown. Large arcuate scarps on Mercury most likely record a period of compressional tectonism near the end of heavy bombardment. Shrinkage owing to planetary cooling is the mechanism preferred for their production. Measurements of local normal albedo are combined with computer-generated photometric maps of Mercury to provide constraints on the nature of surface materials and processes. If the mercurian surface obeys the average lunar photometric function, its normal albedo at 554 nm is .16 + or - .03.

Dzurisin, D.↗

Acoustic tracking of woodhead seabed drifters

An investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of tracking Woodhead seabed drifters that were instrumented with miniature acoustic transmitters having a range in water in excess of 1.0 n.mi. A trial cruise at the entrance of Delaware Bay, with the R.V. Annandale as the sonar-tracking vessel, verified acoustic communications and positioning of the bottom drifters. A demonstration cruise with the R.V. Annandale was also performed in the New York Bight to attempt to collect information on bottom water movement near the sewage-sluge dump site. Results from the tracking mission in the New York Bight suggested that bottom water currents were negligible near the dump site during the time interval from November 7-12, 1975, and that shipboard sonar tracking of acoustic Woodhead seabed drifters could provide useful Lagragian information on bottom water movement caused by tidal and other nonstorm effects.

Mayhue, R. J.↗

Lunar surface gravimeter experiment

The lunar surface gravimeter used the moon as an instrumented antenna to search for gravitational waves predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. Tidal deformation of the moon was measured. Gravitational radiation is a channel that is capable of giving information about the structure and evolution of the universe.

Giganti, J. J.↗

Procedure for detection and measurement of interfaces in remotely acquired data using a digital computer

A technique for the detection and measurement of surface feature interfaces in remotely acquired data was developed and evaluated. A computer implementation of this technique was effected to automatically process classified data derived from various sources such as the LANDSAT multispectral scanner and other scanning sensors. The basic elements of the operational theory of the technique are described, followed by the details of the procedure. An example of an application of the technique to the analysis of tidal shoreline length is given with a breakdown of manpower requirements.

Faller, K. H.↗

Variability of wetland reflectance and its effect on automatic categorization of satellite imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Land cover categorization of data from the same overpass in four test wetland areas was carried out using a four category classification system. The tests indicate that training data based on in situ reflectance measurements and atmospheric correction of LANDSAT data can produce comparable accuracy of categorization to that achieved using more than four wetlands cover categories (salt marsh cordgrass, salt hay, unvegetated, and water tidal flat) produced overall classification accuracies of 85% by conventional and relative radiance training and 81% by use of in situ measurements. Overall mapping accuracies were 76% and 72% respectively.

Klemas, V.↗

A procedure for detection and measurement of interfaces in remotely acquired data using a digital computer

A technique developed and evaluated for the detection and measurement of surface feature interfaces in remotely acquired data is described. A computer implementation of this technique has been effected to automatically process categorized data derived from various sources such as the LANDSAT multispectral scanner and other scanner type sensors. The basic elements of the operational theory of the technique are described together with details of the procedure. An example application of the technique to the analysis of tidal shoreline length is given with a breakdown of manpower requirements.

Faller, K. H.↗

Refine your search to explore more results.