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At least 199 records · Page 11

An overview of selected NASP aeroelastic studies at the NASA Langley Research Center

Following an initial discussion of the NASP flight environment, the results of recent aeroelastic testing of NASP-type highly swept delta-wing models in Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) are summarized. Subsonic and transonic flutter characteristics of a variety of these models are described, and several analytical codes used to predict flutter of these models are evaluated. These codes generally provide good, but conservative predictions of subsonic and transonic flutter. Also, test results are presented on a nonlinear transonic phenomena known as aileron buzz which occurred in the wind tunnel on highly swept delta wings with full-span ailerons. An analytical procedure which assesses the effects of hypersonic heating on aeroelastic instabilities (aerothermoelasticity) is also described. This procedure accurately predicted flutter of a heated aluminum wing on which experimental data exists. Results are presented on the application of this method to calculate the flutter characteristics of a fine-element model of a generic NASP configuration. Finally, it is demonstrated analytically that active controls can be employed to improve the aeroelastic stability and ride quality of a generic NASP vehicle flying at hypersonic speeds.

Spain, Charles V.↗

Lattice Boltzmann model for simulation of magnetohydrodynamics

A numerical method, based on a discrete Boltzmann equation, is presented for solving the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The algorithm provides advantages similar to the cellular automaton method in that it is local and easily adapted to parallel computing environments. Because of much lower noise levels and less stringent requirements on lattice size, the method appears to be more competitive with traditional solution methods. Examples show that the model accurately reproduces both linear and nonlinear MHD phenomena.

Chen, Shiyi↗

Role of shock dynamics in transonic flutter

A computational study of the influence of shock motion on flutter and divergence in transonic flow is presented. The numerical scheme models the entire fluid-structure system as a single continuum dynamics problem, by using a mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian formulation. No assumptions of small displacements are made, but the effect of viscosity is neglected. The results from this study indicate that the shock dynamics gives rise to limit cycles and highly nonlinear aeroelastic phenomena, such as weak divergence and flutter-divergence interactions. Although the shocks typically are destabilizing at the linear flutter boundary, they often have a strongly stabilizing effect for moderate-amplitude motions. The shocks are thus capable of quenching an emerging bending-torsion flutter motion and turning it into limit cycle flutter. The usefulness of classical flutter and divergence boundary diagrams is severely limited in transonic flow, because much of the global dynamic stability information is lost in such a presentation.

Bendiksen, Oddvar O.↗

Some recent applications of Navier-Stokes codes to rotorcraft

Many operational limitations of helicopters and other rotary-wing aircraft are due to nonlinear aerodynamic phenomena incuding unsteady, three-dimensional transonic and separated flow near the surfaces and highly vortical flow in the wakes of rotating blades. Modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology offers new tools to study and simulate these complex flows. However, existing Euler and Navier-Stokes codes have to be modified significantly for rotorcraft applications, and the enormous computational requirements presently limit their use in routine design applications. Nevertheless, the Euler/Navier-Stokes technology is progressing in anticipation of future supercomputers that will enable meaningful calculations to be made for complete rotorcraft configurations.

Mccroskey, W. J.↗

Fast neural solution of a nonlinear wave equation

A neural algorithm for rapidly simulating a certain class of nonlinear wave phenomena using analog VLSI neural hardware is presented and applied to the Korteweg-de Vries partial differential equation. The corresponding neural architecture is obtained from a pseudospectral representation of the spatial dependence, along with a leap-frog scheme for the temporal evolution. Numerical simulations demonstrated the robustness of the proposed approach.

Toomarian, Nikzad↗

Modelling chaotic vibrations using NASTRAN

Due to the unavailability and, later, prohibitive cost of the computational power required, many phenomena in nonlinear dynamic systems have in the past been addressed in terms of linear systems. Linear systems respond to periodic inputs with periodic outputs, and may be characterized in the time domain or in the frequency domain as convenient. Reduction to the frequency domain is frequently desireable to reduce the amount of computation required for solution. Nonlinear systems are only soluble in the time domain, and may exhibit a time history which is extremely sensitive to initial conditions. Such systems are termed chaotic. Dynamic buckling, aeroelasticity, fatigue analysis, control systems and electromechanical actuators are among the areas where chaotic vibrations have been observed. Direct transient analysis over a long time period presents a ready means of simulating the behavior of self-excited or externally excited nonlinear systems for a range of experimental parameters, either to characterize chaotic behavior for development of load spectra, or to define its envelope and preclude its occurrence.

Sheerer, T. J.↗

Fast Neural Solution Of A Nonlinear Wave Equation

Neural algorithm for simulation of class of nonlinear wave phenomena devised. Numerically solves special one-dimensional case of Korteweg-deVries equation. Intended to be executed rapidly by neural network implemented as charge-coupled-device/charge-injection device, very-large-scale integrated-circuit analog data processor of type described in "CCD/CID Processors Would Offer Greater Precision" (NPO-18972).

Barhen, Jacob↗

A Solution Adaptive Technique Using Tetrahedral Unstructured Grids

An adaptive unstructured grid refinement technique has been developed and successfully applied to several three dimensional inviscid flow test cases. The method is based on a combination of surface mesh subdivision and local remeshing of the volume grid Simple functions of flow quantities are employed to detect dominant features of the flowfield The method is designed for modular coupling with various error/feature analyzers and flow solvers. Several steady-state, inviscid flow test cases are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method for solving practical three-dimensional problems. In all cases, accurate solutions featuring complex, nonlinear flow phenomena such as shock waves and vortices have been generated automatically and efficiently.

Pirzadeh, Shahyar Z.↗

Flutter, Postflutter, and Control of a Supersonic Wing Section

A number of issues related to the flutter and postflutter of two-dimensional supersonic lifting surfaces are addressed. Among them there are the 1) investigation of the implications of the nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics and structural nonlinearities on the stable/unstable character of the limit cycle and 2) study of the implications of the incorporation of a control capability on both the flutter boundary and the postflutter behavior. To this end, a powerful methodology based on the Lyapunov first quantity is implemented. Such a treatment of the problem enables one to get a better understanding of the various factors involved in the nonlinear aeroelastic problem, including the stable and unstable limit cycle. In addition, it constitutes a first step toward a more general investigation of nonlinear aeroelastic phenomena of three-dimensional lifting surfaces.

Marzocca, Piergiovanni↗

Numerical Investigations of High Pressure Acoustic Waves in Resonators

This presentation presents work on numerical investigations of nonlinear acoustic phenomena in resonators that can generate high-pressure waves using acoustic forcing of the flow. Time-accurate simulations of the flow in a closed cone resonator were performed at different oscillation frequencies and amplitudes, and the numerical results for the resonance frequency and fluid pressure increase match the GRC experimental data well. Work on cone resonator assembly simulations has started and will involve calculations of the flow through the resonator assembly with and without acoustic excitation. A new technique for direct calculation of resonance frequency of complex shaped resonators is also being investigated. Script-driven command procedures will also be developed for optimization of the resonator shape for maximum pressure increase.

Athavale, Mahesh↗

Update on EMD and Hilbert-Spectra Analysis of Time Series

This method is especially well suited for analyzing time-series data that represent nonstationary and nonlinear physical phenomena. The method is based principally on the concept of empirical mode decomposition (EMD), according to which any complicated signal (as represented by digital samples) can be decomposed into a finite number of functions, called "intrinsic mode functions" (IMFs), that admit well-behaved Hilbert transforms. The local energies and the instantaneous frequencies derived from the IMFs through Hilbert transforms can be used to construct an energy-frequency-time distribution, denoted a Hilbert spectrum.

Huang, Norden E.↗

Acoustical Applications of the HHT Method

A document discusses applications of a method based on the Huang-Hilbert transform (HHT). The method was described, without the HHT name, in Analyzing Time Series Using EMD and Hilbert Spectra (GSC-13817), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 10 (October 2000), page 63. To recapitulate: The method is especially suitable for analyzing time-series data that represent nonstationary and nonlinear physical phenomena. The method involves the empirical mode decomposition (EMD), in which a complicated signal is decomposed into a finite number of functions, called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), that admit well-behaved Hilbert transforms. The HHT consists of the combination of EMD and Hilbert spectral analysis.

Huang, Norden E.↗

Simulation Study of Landau Damping Near the Persisting to Arrested Transition

A one-dimensional electrostatic filtered Vlasov-Poisson simulation study is discussed. The transition from persisting to arrested Landau damping that is produced by increasing the strength of a sinusoidal perturbation on a background Vlasov-Poisson equilibrium is explored. Emphasis is placed on observed features of the electron phase-space distribution when the perturbation strength is near the transition value. A single ubiquitous waveform is found perturbing the space-averaged phase-space distribution at almost any time in all of the simulations; the sole exception is the saturation stage that can occur at the end of the arrested damping scenario. This waveform contains relatively strong, very narrow structures in velocity bracketing (plus or minus velocity (sub res)) - the velocities at which electrons must move to traverse the dominant field mode wavelength in one of its oscillation periods - and propagating with (plus or minus velocity (sub res)) respectively. Local streams of electrons are found in these structures crossing the resonant velocities from low speed to high speed during Landau damping and from high speed to low speed during Landau growth. At the arrest time, when the field strength is briefly constant, these streams vanish. It is conjectured that the expected transfer of energy between electrons and field during Landau growth or damping has been visualized for the first time. No evidence is found in the phase-space distribution to support recent well-established discoveries of a second-order phase transition in the electric field evolution. While trapping is known to play a role for larger perturbation strengths, it is shown that trapping plays no role at any time in any of the simulations near the transition perturbation strength.

plasma simulation↗

Giant nonlinear optical responses from photon-avalanching nanoparticles

Avalanche phenomena use steeply nonlinear dynamics to generate disproportionately large responses from small perturbations, and are found in a multitude of events and materials. Photon avalanching enables technologies such as optical phase-conjugate imaging, infrared quantum counting and efficient upconverted lasing. However, the photon-avalanching mechanism underlying these optical applications has been observed only in bulk materials and aggregates, limiting its utility and impact. In this study we report the realization of photon avalanching at room temperature in single nanostructures-small, Tm 3+ -doped upconverting nanocrystals-and demonstrate their use in super-resolution imaging in near-infrared spectral windows of maximal biological transparency. Avalanching nanoparticles (ANPs) can be pumped by continuous-wave lasers, and exhibit all of the defining features of photon avalanching, including clear excitation-power thresholds, exceptionally long rise time at threshold, and a dominant excited-state absorption that is more than 10,000 times larger than ground-state absorption. Beyond the avalanching threshold, ANP emission scales nonlinearly with the 26th power of the pump intensity, owing to induced positive optical feedback in each nanocrystal. This enables the experimental realization of photon-avalanche single-beam super-resolution imaging with sub-70-nanometre spatial resolution, achieved by using only simple scanning confocal microscopy and without any computational analysis. Pairing their steep nonlinearity with existing super-resolution techniques and computational methods, ANPs enable imaging with higher resolution and at excitation intensities about 100 times lower than other probes. The low photon-avalanching threshold and excellent photostability of ANPs also suggest their utility in a diverse array of applications, including sub-wavelength imaging and optical and environmental sensing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Nonlinear low frequency (LF) waves - Comets and foreshock phenomena

A review is conducted of LF wave nonlinear properties at comets and in the earth's foreshock, engaging such compelling questions as why there are no cometary cyclotron waves, the physical mechanism responsible for 'dispersive whiskers', and the character of a general description of linear waves. Attention is given to the nonlinear properties of LF waves, whose development is illustrated by examples of waves and their features at different distances from the comet, as well as by computer simulation results. Also discussed is a curious wave mode detected from Comet Giacobini-Zinner, both at and upstream of the bow shock/wave.

Tsurutani, Bruce T.↗

Nonlinear global stability analysis of compressor stall phenomena

Compressor stall phenomena are analyzed from the point of view of nonlinear control theory, based on bifurcation-catastrophe techniques. This new approach appears promising and offers insight into such well-known compressor instability problems as surge and rotating stall and suggests strategies for recovery. Three interlocking dynamic nonlinear state space models are developed. It is shown that the problem of rotating stall can be viewed as an induced bifurcation of solution of the unstalled model. Hysteresis effects are shown to exist in the stall/recovery process. Surge cycles are observed for some critical parameter values. The oscillatory behavior is seen to be due to development of limit cycles, generated by Hopf bifurcation of solutions. More specifically, it is observed that at certain critical values of parameters, a family of stable limit cycles with growning and then diminishing amplitudes is generated, then giving rise to an unstable family of limit cycles. This unstable family in turn bifurcates into other unstable families. To further illustrate the utility of the methodology, some partial computation of domains is carried out, and parameter sensitivity analysis is performed.

Razavi, H.↗

Synthetically non-Hermitian nonlinear wave-like behavior in a topological mechanical metamaterial

Topological mechanical metamaterials have enabled new ways to control stress and deformation propagation. Exemplified by Maxwell lattices, they have been studied extensively using a linearized formalism. Herein, we study a two-dimensional topological Maxwell lattice by exploring its large deformation quasi-static response using geometric numerical simulations and experiments. We observe spatial nonlinear wave-like phenomena such as harmonic generation, localized domain switching, amplification-enhanced frequency conversion, and solitary waves. We further map our linearized, homogenized system to a non-Hermitian, nonreciprocal, one-dimensional wave equation, revealing an equivalence between the deformation fields of two-dimensional topological Maxwell lattices and nonlinear dynamical phenomena in one-dimensional active systems. Our study opens a regime for topological mechanical metamaterials and expands their application potential in areas including adaptive and smart materials and mechanical logic, wherein concepts from nonlinear dynamics may be used to create intricate, tailored spatial deformation and stress fields greatly transcending conventional elasticity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗