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NASA NTRS1983

The effect of a non-Maxwellian electron distribution on oxygen and iron ionization balances in the solar corona

Analytic expressions are derived for ionization and recombination rates in a parameterized non-Maxwellian electron velocity distribution with an enhanced high-energy tail. These expressions are then used in investigating the effect of such an enhancement in the high-energy tail of the coronal electron velocity distribution on the oxygen and iron ionization balances, O(+6) - O(+7) and Fe(+11) - Fe(+12). Relative to a Maxwellian of the same mean electron energy, the degree of ionization allowed by such a distribution is found to be either unchanged or slightly decreased for iron but often substantially increased for oxygen. The greater sensitivity of oxygen ionization balance to the high-energy distribution tail derives from the higher oxygen ionization threshold energy. It is noted that the electron temperature inferred from a measurement of the oxygen ionization ratio, O(+6)/O(+7), could indeed overestimate the actual coronal electron temperature by nearly 10 to the 6th K if the coronal electron distribution is incorrectly assumed to be Maxwellian.

Owocki, S. P.↗

NASA NTRS2019

An Integrated Data Analytics Platform

An Integrated Science Data Analytics Platform is an environment that enables the confluence of resources for scientific investigation. It harmonizes data, tools and computational resources which subsequently enable the research community to focus on the investigation rather than spending time on security, data preparation, management, etc. OceanWorks is a NASA technology integration project to establish a cloud-based Integrated Ocean Science Data Analytics Platform at NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) for big ocean science. It focuses on advancement and maturity by bringing together several NASA open-source, big data projects for parallel analytics, anomaly detection, in-situ to satellite data matchup, quality-screened data subsetting, search relevancy, and data discovery. Our communities are relying on data distributed through data centers such as the PO.DAAC, COAPS, NCAR, and many others to conduct their research. In typical investigations, scientists would engage in: search for data, evaluate the relevance of that data, download it, and then apply algorithms to identify trends. Such workflow cannot scale if the research involves a massive amount of data or multi-variate measurements. NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission is expected to produce massive amount of observational data during its 3-year nominal mission. Collections like SWOT challenges all existing Earth Science data archival, distribution and analysis paradigms. In this paper, we will discuss how OceanWorks enhances the analysis of physical ocean data where the computation is done on an elastic cloud platform next to the archive to deliver fast, web-accessible services for working with oceanographic measurements.

Yang, Chaowei↗

NASA NTRS1995

Microelectromechanical Systems

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) is an enabling technology that merges computation and communication with sensing and actuation to change the way people and machines interact with the physical world. MEMS is a manufacturing technology that will impact widespread applications including: miniature inertial measurement measurement units for competent munitions and personal navigation; distributed unattended sensors; mass data storage devices; miniature analytical instruments; embedded pressure sensors; non-invasive biomedical sensors; fiber-optics components and networks; distributed aerodynamic control; and on-demand structural strength. The long term goal of ARPA's MEMS program is to merge information processing with sensing and actuation to realize new systems and strategies for both perceiving and controlling systems, processes, and the environment. The MEMS program has three major thrusts: advanced devices and processes, system design, and infrastructure.

Gabriel, Kaigham J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The SIMRAND methodology: Theory and application for the simulation of research and development projects

A research and development (R&D) project often involves a number of decisions that must be made concerning which subset of systems or tasks are to be undertaken to achieve the goal of the R&D project. To help in this decision making, SIMRAND (SIMulation of Research ANd Development Projects) is a methodology for the selection of the optimal subset of systems or tasks to be undertaken on an R&D project. Using alternative networks, the SIMRAND methodology models the alternative subsets of systems or tasks under consideration. Each path through an alternative network represents one way of satisfying the project goals. Equations are developed that relate the system or task variables to the measure of reference. Uncertainty is incorporated by treating the variables of the equations probabilistically as random variables, with cumulative distribution functions assessed by technical experts. Analytical techniques of probability theory are used to reduce the complexity of the alternative networks. Cardinal utility functions over the measure of preference are assessed for the decision makers. A run of the SIMRAND Computer I Program combines, in a Monte Carlo simulation model, the network structure, the equations, the cumulative distribution functions, and the utility functions.

Miles, R. F., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1977

The spiral configuration of sunspot magnetic fields

Distributions of circularly and linearly polarized intensities are computed using an analytical magnetic field model for an isolated sunspot, and these intensity distributions are compared with observed intensities in all Stokes parameters in the 5250-A line measured with the Marshall Space Flight Center's vector magnetograph. The qualitative agreement between measured and calculated linearly polarized intensity distributions is discussed with regard to implications as to the configuration of the transverse magnetic field of the isolated sunspot.

Hagyard, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Density and flux distributions in the lunar atmosphere due to point and line sources

Apart from the globally distributed ambient gases in the lunar atmosphere, localized gas sources, such as volcanos, may have a measurable effect on the process of shaping the lunar atmosphere. Analytic solutions were obtained for the spatial distributions of neutral gas densities and fluxes due to point and line sources at the lunar surface. Both density and flux profiles are strong functions of the distance from the source to the point of observation. The study also reveals that: (1) The location of the source may be identified from the density and flux profiles. (2) If the gas species is known, the temperature of the gas may be determined from the density gradient at a distance of several scale heights from the source. (3) The strength of the gas source may be determined by the magnitudes of density and flux.

Yeh, T. T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Analytical and experimental studies of the surface flaw

This paper uses the Newman-Raju model, the Paris crack growth rate law, and a fixed R ratio to demonstrate the analytical considerations associated with predicting stress intensity distributions and fatigue crack growth of surface flaws under conditions of small-scale yielding. Problems which lie outside the realm of the model used in the analytical description are presented. It is concluded that, while the model employed provides remarkable predictive capability in a variety of surface flaw problems, many exceptional cases remain to be modeled.

Smith, C. W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Measurement of Mean or Effective Radius of Cloud Drop Size Distributions with a 10.6-micron Wavelength Lidar

Platt and Takashima (1987) proposed and analytically evaluated a technique to observe the mode radius R sub p of drop size distributions in clouds using the backscatter detected by a CO2 lidar. The scheme depends on fortuitous relationships between the backscatter and extinction properties of common drop size distributions when probed with wavelengths between about 9 and 11 microns, which is the range of CO2 laser transitions. This study extends their work to measurement of mean and effective radius and presents experimental results that demonstrate that the technique is practical.

Eberhard, Wynn L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Oscillator response to nonstationary excitation

Analytical solutions are presented regarding probability density distributions of various response parameters of a lightly damped oscillator. The oscillator is subjected to a broad-band stochastic excitation which possesses a time-variant power spectrum. The analytical solutions are derived by utilizing appropriate Fokker-Planck equations which govern Markovian approximations of the response parameters considered. The reliability of the approximate analytical solution is tested by using pertinent data generated by a digital Monte Carlo study.

Spanos, P.-T. D.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Radiative Properties of Cirrus Clouds in the Infrared (8-13 microns) Spectral Region

Atmospheric radiation in the infrared (IR) 8-13 microns spectral region contains a wealth of information that is very useful for the retrieval of ice cloud properties from aircraft or space-borne measurements. To provide the scattering and absorption properties of nonspherical ice crystals that are fundamental to the IR retrieval implementation, we use the finite-difference time domain (FDTD) method to solve for the extinction efficiency, single-scattering albedo, and the asymmetry parameter of the phase function for ice crystals smaller than 40 microns. For particles larger than this size, the improved geometric optics method (IGOM) can be employed to calculate the asymmetry parameter with an acceptable accuracy, provided that we properly account for the inhomogeneity of the refracted wave due to strong absorption inside the ice particle. A combination of the results computed from the two methods provides the asymmetry parameter for the entire practical range of particle sizes between 1 micron and 10000 microns over wavelengths ranging from 8 microns to 13 microns. For the extinction and absorption efficiency calculations, several methods including the IGOM, Mie solution for equivalent spheres (MSFES), and the anomalous diffraction theory (ADT) can lead to a substantial discontinuity in comparison with the FDTD solutions for particle sizes on the order of 40 microns. To overcome this difficulty, we have developed a novel approach called the stretched scattering potential method (SSPM). For the IR 8-13 microns spectral region, we show that SSPM is a more accurate approximation than ADT, MSFES, and IGOM. The SSPM solution can be further refined numerically. Through a combination of the FDTD and SSPM, we have computed the extinction and absorption efficiency for hexagonal ice crystals with sizes ranging from 1 to 10000 microns at 12 wavelengths between 8 and 13 microns Calculations of the cirrus bulk scattering and absorption properties are performed for 30 size distributions obtained from various field campaigns for midlatitude and tropical cirrus cloud systems. Parameterization of these bulk scattering properties is carried out by using second-order polynomial functions for the extinction efficiency and the single-scattering albedo and the power law expression for the asymmetry parameter. We note that the volume-normalized extinction coefficient can be separated into two parts: one is inversely proportional to effective size and is independent of wavelength, and the other is the wavelength-dependent effective extinction efficiency. Unlike conventional parameterization efforts, the present parameterization scheme is more accurate because only the latter part of the volume-normalized extinction coefficient is approximated in terms of an analytical expression. After averaging over size distribution, the single-scattering albedo is shown to decrease with an increase in effective size for wavelengths shorter than 10.0 microns whereas the opposite behavior is observed for longer wavelengths. The variation of the asymmetry parameter as a function of effective size is substantial when the effective size is smaller than 50 microns. For effective sizes larger than 100 microns, the asymmetry parameter approaches its asymptotic value. The results derived in this study can be useful to remote sensing applications involving IR window bands under cirrus cloud conditions.

Yang, Ping↗

NASA NTRS1985

Proton dosimeter design for distributed body organs

A simple dosimeter design has been developed by NASA to monitor the space proton dose (in rads) to a distributed body organ as a linear combination of ion chambers with varying wall thickness. Estimated doses are given for ion chambers of thickness 2, 3, 4, and 5 g/sq cm. The analytical equation used to calculate the dose distribution factor is also given.

Wilson, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Effect of structure on current and potential distributions in porous electrode

Porous electrodes generally contain constricted macropores and localized micropores. The effects of the macropore constrictions on the resistance of a capillary were studied and an analytical model was developed for predicting the current distribution in a constricted macropore which directly includes constriction effects and does not require an empirical tortuosity parameter. The current and concentration distributions in localized micropores were also investigated and it was shown that the microporous area is fully accessible to charge and mass transfer processes. From these analyses it was concluded that the micropores primarily affect the kinetics of the interfacial processes by contributing to the interfacial area, while the macropores impose ohmic and mass transport limitations through the volume of the porous electrode.

Lanzi, Oscar↗

NASA NTRS1971

Steady-state temperature distribution in living tissue modeled as cylindrical shells.

Closed form, analytical solutions to the problem of steady-state heat transfer in living tissue modeled as cylindrical shells are presented and discussed. These solutions are particularly useful for the study of temperature distributions in the extremities. Metabolic heat generation, conduction, and heat transported by the blood perfusing the tissue are considered in the model. The results demonstrate the important role that the blood stream plays in the transfer of heat inside living tissue. Solutions are also presented for the limiting cases of diminishing blood flow that would occur during vasoconstriction or occlusion of blood by external means.

Shitzer, A.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Particles Growing in Solutions: Depletion Forces and Instability of Homogeneous Particle Distribution

Crystallites, droplets and amorphous precipitates growing from supersaturated solution are surrounded by zones, which are depleted with respect to the molecules they are built of. If two such particles of colloidal size are separated by a distance comparable to their diameters, then the depletion within the gap between particles is deeper than that at the outer portion of the particles. This will cause depletion attraction between the particles should appear. It may cause particle coagulation and decay of the originally homogeneous particle distribution into a system of clouds within which the particle number density is higher, separated by the region of the lower number density. Stability criterion, Q = 4 pi R(exp 3)c/3 >> 1, was analytically found along with typical particle density distribution wavevector q = (Q/I)(exp 1/2)(a/R)(exp 1/4). Here, R and a are the particle and molecular radii, respectively, c is the average molecular number density in solution and I is the squared diffusion length covered by a molecule during a typical time characterizing decay of molecular concentration in solution due to consumption of the molecules by the growing particles.

Chernov, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1953

Pressure Distributions About Finite Wedges in Bounded and Unbounded Subsonic Streams

An analytical investigation of incompressible flow about wedges was made to determine effects of tunnel-wedge ratio and wedge angle on the wedge pressure distributions. The region of applicability of infinite wedge-type velocity distribution was examined for finite wedges. Theoretical and experimental pressure coefficients for various tunnel-wedge ratios, wedge angles, and subsonic Mach numbers were compared.

FLOW, LAMINAR↗

NASA NTRS1988

Measured and calculated acoustic attenuation rates of tuned resonator arrays for two surface impedance distribution models with flow

An experiment was performed to validate two analytical models for predicting low frequency attenuation of duct liner configurations built from an array of seven resonators that could be individually tuned via adjustable cavity depths. These analytical models had previously been developed for high frequency aero-engine inlet duct liner design. In the low frequency application, the liner surface impedance distribution is unavoidably spatially varying by virtue of available fabrication techniques. The characteristic length of this spatial variation may be a significant fraction of the acoustic wavelength. Comparison of measured and predicted attenuation rates and transmission losses for both modal decomposition and finite element propagation models were in good to excellent agreement for a test frequency range that included the first and second cavity resonance frequencies. This was true for either of two surface impedance distribution modeling procedures used to simplify the impedance boundary conditions. In the presence of mean flow, measurements revealed a fine scale structure of acoustic hot spots in the attenuation and phase profiles. These details were accurately predicted by the finite element model. Since no impedance changes due to mean flow were assumed, it is concluded that this fine scale structure was due to convective effects of the mean flow interacting with the surface impedance nonuniformities.

Parrott, Tony L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Thermal analysis of antenna backup structure. Part 1. Methodology development

An analytic method was devised to predict the temperature distribution in typical antenna structural back-up members. The results are in agreement with those obtained by a numerical shooting method. The analytic method shows potential in simplifying the thermal analysis process for complex back-up antenna structures.

Schonfeld, D.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Theoretical evaluation of engine auxiliary inlet design for supersonic V/STOL aircraft

A higher order panel method is used to evaluate the potential flow of a two dimensional supersonic V/STOL inlet. A non-symmetric analytical inlet model is developed to closely match a wind tunnel model. The analytical inlet is analyzed for flow characteristics around the lower cowl lip and auxiliary inlets. The results are obtained from the output of a computer program that is based on the Hess Panel Method which determines source strengths of panels distributed over a three dimensional body. The analytical model was designed for the implementation of drooped/translated cowl lip and auxiliary inlets as flow improvement concepts. A 40 or 70 degree droop lip can be incorporated on the inlet to determine if these geometry modifications result in flow improvements which may reduce the propensity for flow separation on the interior portion of the lip. Auxiliary inlets are employed to decrease the mass flow over the inlet lip. Thus, the peak flow velocity is reduced at the lip which also lessens the likelihood of flow separation on the interior portion of the lip. A 2, 4, and 6 inch translated lip can be employed to also decrease mass flow over the inlet lower lip in the same manner as the auxiliary inlet. The performance results of the flow improvement concepts show that three possible inlet configurations provide a situation where separation is less likely to occur. A 70 degree droop lip maintains flow conditions such that attached flow over the lower cowl lip may exist for the entire angle of attack range studied. A 0 degree droop and translated lip combination provides similar results for the angle of attack range. The third configuration consists of a 0 degree droop and auxiliary inlet combination. This configuration provides slightly less favorable results than the other two, but still allows for conditions favorable to attached flow within the inlet.

Boles, Michael A.↗