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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.

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At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Unsteady turbulent shear flow in shock tube discontinuities

A pressure-ruptured shock tube and an arc driven shock tube, have been used to study the evolution of turbulent fluctuations at contact surfaces with N2O4-2NO2 mixtures and at ionizing shock fronts in argon. The study has focused on point density diagnostics derived from crossed light beam correlations and electric probes. Turbulent bursts are found for which dynamical and spectral analyses suggest a particle-like evolution of fluctuation segments with a unique and characteristic frequency, independent of flow history and overall flow conditions.

Johnson, J. A., III↗
NASA NTRS1986

Drop testing and analysis of six-foot diameter graphite-epoxy frames

Graphite-epoxy frames were drop tested onto a concrete floor to simulate crash loadings. The frames have Z-shaped cross-sections typical of designs often proposed for fuselage structure of advanced composite transports. The 6-foot diameter of the frames was chosen to reduce specimen fabrication costs and to facilitate testing. Response of the frames from accelerometer, strain gage, and photographic measurements are presented which characterize the behavior under 25-30 fps vertical impact velocity onto concrete. Failure of the graphite-epoxy frames involved a complete separation through the cross section near the impact point. All damage to the composite frame was confined to an area close to the impact point. Failure of aluminum frames tested for comparison were different from the composite specimens. The aluminum frames yielded (plastic hinges formed) at several locations around the lower portion of the frame without failing completely across the section.

Boitnott, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Molecular processes in a high temperature shock layer

Research was completed on several aspects of dissociative recombination (DR) for the molecules NO(+), N2(+), and O2(+). For O2(+), DR with an electron is described by, O2(+) + e(-) yields O + O. Model studies were completed of the windows arising in DR cross section from excited ion vibrational levels and of the variation of the DR cross section with the intersection point of the ion and neutral dissociative state potential curves.

Guberman, Steven L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Theoretical models for microwave remote sensing of snow-covered sea ice

The volume scattering effects of snow-covered sea ice are studied with a three-layer random medium model for microwave remote sensing. Theoretical results are illustrated by matching experimental data for dry snow-covered thick first-year sea ice at Point Barrow. The radar backscattering cross sections are seen to increase with snow cover for snow-covered sea ice, due to the increased scattering effects in the snow layer. The results derived can also be applied to passive remote sensing.

Lin, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Sampling inhomogeneous turbulent fields

The reconstruction of an inhomogeneous random process from a finite number of discrete samples can be performed in terms of the Karhunen-Loeve (KL) expansion for that process. The n(th) eigenfunction has n - 1 zero crossings which are the sampling points for the inhomogeneous process. The rapid variation of the KL eigenfunctions makes it unnecessary to have a high density of sampling (or grid points) near the wall. However, this result should not be construed to indicate that with spectral simulations significantly fewer grid points are required with the KL expansion as compared to other orthogonal expansions. Moin and Moser (1989) have shown that the advantage of the KL expansion over Chebychev expansion rapidly diminishes when high percentage (say 90 percent) energy recovery is demanded.

Adrian, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Injection of an overdense electron beam in space

A three-dimensional particle simulation model is used to study the injection and propagation of an overdense electron beam in the vicinity of a conductor in space. Beam electrons with a density of more than 100 times the ambient electron density are modeled using large-scale plasma simulations; in these simulations the surface area of the conductor is several thousands times that of the beam cross section at the injection point. The parameters of the simulations are chosen to allow the realistic simulation of active space experiments such as the Space Shuttle's Spacelab 2 electron beam mission. These simulations confirm space observations that an overdense electron beam can at least partially escape the near vicinity of the spacecraft, even in a fully ionized plasma. Once they have escaped from the vicinity of the spacecraft, these beam electrons should be able to propagate away freely until their energy is dissipated. It is suggested that such large-scale simulations could be useful in interpreting data from space experiments.

Okuda, Hideo↗
NASA NTRS2000

Protein Crystals Grow Purer in Space: Physics of Phenomena

This presentation will summarize the quantitative experimental and theoretical results obtained by B.R. Thomas, P.G. Vekilov, D.C. Carter, A.M. Holmes, W.K. Widierow and the Author, the team with expertise in physics, biochemistry, crystallography and engineering. Impurities inhomogeneously trapped by a growing crystal - e.g., producing sectorial structure and/or striations - may induce macroscopic internal stress in it if an impurity molecule has slightly (less than 10%) different shape or volume than the regular one(s) they replace. We tested for the first time plasticity and measured Young modulus E of the triclinic, not cross-linked lysozyme by triple point bending technique. Triclinic lysozyme crystals are purely elastic with E similar or equal to 1/5 (raised dot) 10 (exp 9) partial derivative yn/sq cm. The strength limit, sigma (sub c) similar or equal to 10 (exp -3)E similar or equal to Epsilon (sub c), where sigma (sub c) and epsilon (sub c) are critical stress and strain, respectively. Scaling E and sigma (sub c) with the lattice spacing suggests similar binding stiffness in inorganic and biomolecular crystals. The inhomogeneous internal stress may be resolved in these brittle crystals either by cracking or by creation of misoriented mosaic blocks during, not after growth. If each impurity molecule induces in the lattice elementary strain epsilon (sub 0) similar or equal to 3 (raised dot) 10 (exp -2) (this is maximal elementary strain that can arise at the supersaturation DELTA mu/kT similar or equal to 2 and macroscopic molecular concentration difference between subsequent macrolayers or growth sectors is partial derivativeC similar or equal to 5 (raised dot) 10 (exp -3), the internal strain epsilon similar or equal to epsilon (sub 0) partial derivative C similar or equal to 10 (exp -4). Mosaic misorientation resolving such strain is approximately 30 arcsec. Tenfold increase of impurity concentration may cause cracking. Estimates of stress in an isometric sectorial crystal show that lysozyme crystals can tolerate the stress till the size of 0.5mm. Dissolving mosaic lysozyme crystal shows that the mosaicity, indeed, is absent below that size.

Chernov, Alex A.↗
NASA NTRS1958

Stability of Cylindrical and Conical Shells of Circular Cross Section, with Simultaneous Action of Axial Compression and External Normal Pressure

We consider in this report the determination of the upper limit of critical loads in the case of simultaneous action of a compressive force, uniformly distributed over plane cross sections, and of isotropic external normal pressure on cylindrical or conical shells of circular cross section. As a starting point we use the differential equations for neutral equilibrium of conical shells which have been used for the solution of the problem of stability of conical shells under torsion and under axial compression; upon solution of the problem it is possible to satisfy all boundary conditions, in contrast to the report where no attention is paid to the fulfillment of the boundary conditions, and to the report where only part of the boundary conditions are satisfied by solution of the problem according to Galerkin's method. Approximate formulas are used for the determination of the critical external normal pressure with simultaneous action of longituninal compression. Let us note that the formulas suggested in reference 5 are not well founded and may lead, in a number of cases, to a substantial mistake in the magnitude of the critical load.

Mushtari, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Filovirus Research: The Need for an Integrated Approach in Time and Space

The episodic appearance of Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) across central Africa over the last 15 years not only underscores the importance of filoviruses as uniquely virulent agents to both human and wildlife communities but also implies a very complex transmission scenario that must be understood if we are to prevent or mitigate filovirus outbreaks in the future. Efforts of a global network of scientists and healthcare workers have expanded our knowledge of filoviruses to meet the growing threat of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers in Africa. In recent decades, several newly emerging diseases have resulted in major threats to both affected communities and global public health. Viruses from wildlife hosts in particular, have exhibited a capability for cross-species transmission (CST), and have caused high-impact diseases in humans Such as Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers, Nipah and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SAILS). It has been estimated that about 60.3% (Jones et al. 2008) of human infectious diseases are of animal origin (zoonoses) and even some important viral diseases that are traditionally considered of human origin, for example measles and smallpox, may very well have their prehistoric origins in wildlife (Wolfe et al 2007). It maybe logical and prudent therefore, to anticipate that there are other, new filoviruses out there that will cross into humans at some point in time. If we anticipate that these will happen and wish to be prepared for and mitigate this potential, then an understanding of filoviruses as a biologic system in the environment will be essential to that process. We will need to know how the ecological dynamic of CST interacts with a 'new' viruse's evolutionary factors to overcome environmental, demographic and host-specific barriers to transmission and infectivity to humans.

Pinzon, Jorge E.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Prediction of Broadband Shock-Associated Noise Including Propagation Effects

An acoustic analogy is developed based on the Euler equations for broadband shock- associated noise (BBSAN) that directly incorporates the vector Green's function of the linearized Euler equations and a steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes solution (SRANS) as the mean flow. The vector Green's function allows the BBSAN propagation through the jet shear layer to be determined. The large-scale coherent turbulence is modeled by two-point second order velocity cross-correlations. Turbulent length and time scales are related to the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation. An adjoint vector Green's function solver is implemented to determine the vector Green's function based on a locally parallel mean flow at streamwise locations of the SRANS solution. However, the developed acoustic analogy could easily be based on any adjoint vector Green's function solver, such as one that makes no assumptions about the mean flow. The newly developed acoustic analogy can be simplified to one that uses the Green's function associated with the Helmholtz equation, which is consistent with the formulation of Morris and Miller (AIAAJ 2010). A large number of predictions are generated using three different nozzles over a wide range of fully expanded Mach numbers and jet stagnation temperatures. These predictions are compared with experimental data from multiple jet noise labs. In addition, two models for the so-called 'fine-scale' mixing noise are included in the comparisons. Improved BBSAN predictions are obtained relative to other models that do not include the propagation effects, especially in the upstream direction of the jet.

Miller, Steven↗
NASA NTRS2012

Prediction of Broadband Shock-Associated Noise Including Propagation Effects Originating NASA

An acoustic analogy is developed based on the Euler equations for broadband shock-associated noise (BBSAN) that directly incorporates the vector Green s function of the linearized Euler equations and a steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes solution (SRANS) to describe the mean flow. The vector Green s function allows the BBSAN propagation through the jet shear layer to be determined. The large-scale coherent turbulence is modeled by two-point second order velocity cross-correlations. Turbulent length and time scales are related to the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate. An adjoint vector Green s function solver is implemented to determine the vector Green s function based on a locally parallel mean flow at different streamwise locations. The newly developed acoustic analogy can be simplified to one that uses the Green s function associated with the Helmholtz equation, which is consistent with a previous formulation by the authors. A large number of predictions are generated using three different nozzles over a wide range of fully-expanded jet Mach numbers and jet stagnation temperatures. These predictions are compared with experimental data from multiple jet noise experimental facilities. In addition, two models for the so-called fine-scale mixing noise are included in the comparisons. Improved BBSAN predictions are obtained relative to other models that do not include propagation effects.

Miller, Steven↗
NASA NTRS2017

Ice Nucleation in the Tropical Tropopause Layer: Implications for Cirrus Occurrence, Cirrus Microphysical Properties, and Dehydration of Air Entering the Stratosphere

Recent laboratory experiments have advanced our understanding of the physical properties and ice nucleating abilities of aerosol particles atlow temperatures. In particular, aerosols containing organics will transition to a glassy state at low temperatures, and these glassy aerosols are moderately effective as ice nuclei. These results have implications for ice nucleation in the cold Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL; 13-19 km). We have developed a detailed cloud microphysical model that includes heterogeneous nucleation on a variety of aerosol types and homogeneous freezing of aqueous aerosols. This model has been incorporated into one-dimensional simulations of cirrus and water vapor driven by meteorological analysis temperature and wind fields. The model includes scavenging of ice nuclei by sedimenting ice crystals. The model is evaluated by comparing the simulated cloud properties and water vapor concentrations with aircraft and satellite measurements. In this presentation, I will discuss the relative importance of homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation, the impact of ice nuclei scavenging as air slowly ascends through the TTL, and the implications for the final dehydration of air parcels crossing the tropical cold-point tropopause and entering the tropical stratosphere.

tropopause↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Motion Fidelity on Pilot Performance Using Mixed-Reality Visuals

This paper investigates the effects of simulator motion fidelity on pilot performance using mixed-reality visuals. In NASA’s Vertical Motion Simulator, eleven pilots flew a lift-plus-cruise electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle in a vertiport approach and landing task with four different motion conditions: no motion, small hexapod motion, large hexapod motion, and full motion. The simulator motion condition statistically significantly affected: 1) the severity of cybersickness, 2) motion ratings, 3) final approach and take-off boundary crossing groundspeed, 4) longitudinal touchdown point, and 5) battery time remaining after landing. The findings suggest that motion systems are essential in simulators with virtual- or mixed-reality visuals when it is required to have pilot flying performance similar to that in real flight.

mixed reality↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Motion Fidelity on Pilot Performance Using Mixed-Reality Visuals

This paper investigates the effects of simulator motion fidelity on pilot performance using mixed-reality visuals. In NASA’s Vertical Motion Simulator, eleven pilots flew a lift-plus-cruise electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle in a vertiport approach and landing task under four different motion conditions: no motion, small hexapod motion, large hexapod motion, and full motion. The simulator motion condition statistically significantly affected: 1) the severity of cybersickness, 2) motion ratings, 3) final approach and take-off boundary crossing groundspeeds, 4) longitudinal touchdown point, and 5) battery time remaining after landing. These results suggest that the use of motion systems in simulators with virtual- or mixed-reality visuals is warranted.

simulation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Analytic Sensitivity Coefficients for Bethe's Solution of the Neutron Slowing Down Equation

Neutron slowing down theory is used to derive expressions for the sensitivity coefficients of the neutron collision density in a hydrogenous infinite medium with respect to the fixed source, scattering probability, and macroscopic nuclear cross sections. Analytic expressions for Bethe’s solution of the neutron slowing down equation are derived for the constant cross section approximation with a point, uniform, and gamma lethargy spectrum. Analytic expressions for the corresponding sensitivity coefficients are derived and used to verify Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations.

Analytic Benchmark↗
DOE OSTI2020

How analytic choices can affect the extraction of electromagnetic form factors from elastic electron scattering cross section data

Scientists often try to incorporate prior knowledge into their regression algorithms, such as a particular analytic behavior or a known value at a kinematic endpoint. Unfortunately, there is often no unique way to make use of this prior knowledge, and thus, different analytic choices can lead to very different regression results from the same set of data. In this paper, to illustrate this point in the context of the proton electromagnetic form factors, we use the Mainz elastic data with its 1422 cross section points and 31 normalization parameters. Starting with a complex unbound non-linear regression, we will show how the addition of a single theory-motivated constraint removes an oscillation from the magnetic form factor and shifts the extracted proton charge radius. We then repeat both regressions using the same algorithm, but with a rebinned version of the Mainz dataset. These examples illustrate how analytic choices, such as the function that is being used or even the binning of the data, can dramatically affect the results of a complex regression. These results also demonstrate why it is critical when using regression algorithms to have either a physical model in mind or a firm mathematical basis

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1991

The nature of the cold filaments in the California Current system

The velocity fields and water properties associated with cold filaments in the California Current are described on the basis of data from the Coastal Transition Zone experiment. Combined with previous field surveys and satellite imagery, these show seasonal variability with maximum dynamic height ranges and velocities in summer and minimum values in late winter and early spring. North of Point Arena in spring-summer, the flow field on the outer edge of the cold water exhibits the character of a meandering jet, carrying fresh, nutrient-poor water from the farther north on its offshore side and cold, salty, nutrient-rich water on its inshore side. At Point Arena in midsummer, the jet often flows offshore and continues south without meandering back onshore as strongly as it does farther north. At the surface, the jet often separates biological communities and may appear as a barrier to cross-jet transport, especially north of Point Arena in March-May.

Strub, P. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Topographic slope from the SAR interferometric phase gradient

A new algorithm for the direct calculation of topographic slope maps from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferograms is presented. The algorithm derives slope maps without first requiring the creation of a digital elevational model (DEM) from the interferogram, thus obviating the need for high SNR in the interferogram and altitude calibration points for the scene. SAR data useful for interferometry has been collected by the Active Microwave Imager on board the ERS-1 satellite, when it was in a short period repeat orbit. Two passes of the radar sensor form a cross-track interferometric baseline. For a point target at some position (x,y,h), the interferometric phase difference phi is proportional to the difference in path lengths for the two sensor positions to the scatterer. Given the phase difference as measured in the complex interferogram and an accurate baseline geometry, the position of the scatterer, most significantly the height h, can be determined through triangulation. The interferometric phase measurement however is known only modulo 2-pi, and hence it is necessary to determine the correct multiple of 2-pi to add to the phase at each point to obtain an estimate of the actual phase with respect to an absolute datum. This phase unwrapping process is required for creating DEM's, and is difficult or impossible for regions of low SNR or SAR image layover. The new algorithm described here derives slope maps without requiring phase unwrapping.

Werner, Charles L.↗