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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

SAO and Kelvin Waves in the EuroGRIPS GCMS and the UK Meteorological Offices Analyses

This work is an intercomparison of four tropospheric-stratospheric climate models, the Unified Model (UM) of the U.K. Meteorological Office (UKMO), the model of the Free University in Berlin (FUB). the ARPEGE-climat model of the National Center for Meteorological Research (CNRM), and the Extended UGAMP GCM (EUGCM) of the Center for Global Atmospheric Modelling (CGAM), against the UKMO analyses. This comparison has been made in the framework of the "GSM-Reality Intercomparison Project for SPARC" (GRIPS). SPARC (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate) aims are to investigate the effects of the middle atmosphere on climate and the GRIPS purpose is to organized a comprehensive assessment of current Middle Atmosphere-Climate Models (MACMs). The models integrations were made without identical contraints e.g. boundary conditions, incoming solar radiation). All models are able to represent the dominant features of the extratropical circulation. In this paper, the structure of the tropical winds and the strengths of the Kelvin waves are examined. Explanations for the differences exhibited. between the models. as well as between models and analyses, are also proposed. In the analyses a rich spectrum of waves (eastward and westward) is present and contributes to drive the SAO (SemiAnnual Oscillation) and the QBO (Quasi-Biennal Oscillation). The amplitude of the Kelvin waves is close to the one observed in UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) data. In agreement with observations, the Kelvin waves generated in the models propagate into the middle atmosphere as wave packets which underlines convective forcing origin. In most models, slow Kelvin waves propagate too high and are hence overestimated in the upper stratosphere and in the mesosphere, except for the UM which is more diffusive. These waves are not sufficient to force realistic westerlies of the QBO or SAO westerly phases. If the SAO is represented by all models only two of them are able to generate westerlies between 10 hPa and 50 hPa. The importance of the role played by subgrided gravity waves is more and more recognized. Actually, the EUGCM which includes a parametrization of gravity waves with a non-zero phase speed is able to simulate. with however some unrealistic features, clear easterly to westerly transitions as well as westerlies downward propagations. Thermal damping is also important in the westerlies forcing in the stratosphere. The model ARPEGE-climat shows more westerlies in the stratosphere than tile other three models probably due to the use of a simplified scheme to predict the ozone distribution in the middle atmosphere.

Amodei, M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Plasma Waves Observed at Low Altitudes in the Tenuous Venus Nightside Ionosphere

The Pioneer Venus Orbiter Electric Field Detector (OEFD) measured many plasma wave bursts throughout the low altitude ionosphere during the final entry phase of the spacecraft. Apart from 100 Hz bursts observed at very low altitudes (approx. 130 km), the bursts fall into two classes. The first of these is a wideband signal that is observed in regions of low magnetic field, but average densities, in comparison to the prevailing ionospheric condition. This wideband signal is not observed in the 30 kHz channel of the OEFD, but is restricted to the 5.4 kHz channel and lower. Since these bursts are observed with roughly constant burst rate above 160 km altitude, we attribute them to ion acoustic mode waves generated by precipitating solar wind electrons. The second type of signal is restricted to 100 Hz only, and is observed in regions of low electron beta, consistent with whistler-mode waves. These waves could be generated by lightning in the Venus atmosphere if the vertical component of the magnetic field greater than 3.6 nT. Unfortunately, the spacecraft spin axis is mainly horizontal, and only that component of magnetic field can be measured. Alternatively, the 100 Hz bursts could be generated locally through gradient drift instabilities, provided the ambient magnetic field is horizontal. Because the ionosphere is very different during the entry phase, compared to the ionosphere as observed early in the Pioneer Venus mission, any conclusions regarding the source of the plasma waves detected during entry phase cannot be applied directly to the earlier observations.

Strangeway, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Generation of ULF waves by electric or magnetic dipoles

The generation of ULF waves by ground-based magnetic and electric dipoles is studied with a simplified model consisting of three adjoining homogeneous regions representing the groud, the vacuum (free space) region, and the ionosphere. The system is assumed to be immersed in a homogeneous magnetic field with an arbitrary tilt angle. By the use of Fourier techniques and the method of stationary phase, analytic expressions are obtained for the field strength of the compressional Alfven waves in the ionosphere. Expressions are also obtained for the strength of the torsional Alfven wave in the ionosphere and the ULF magnetic field at ground level. Numerical results are obtained for the compressional Alfven-wave field strength in the ionosphere with a nonvertical geomagnetic field and for the ULF magnetic field at ground level for a vertical geomagnetic field.

Harker, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Exhaust Nozzle Plume Effects on Sonic Boom Test Results for Vectored Nozzles

Reducing or eliminating the operational restrictions of supersonic aircraft over populated areas has led to extensive research at NASA. Restrictions were due to the disturbance of the sonic boom, caused by the coalescence of shock waves formed off the aircraft. Recent work has been performed to reduce the magnitude of the sonic boom N-wave generated by airplane components with a focus on shock waves caused by the exhaust nozzle plume. Previous Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis showed how the shock wave formed at the nozzle lip interacts with the nozzle boat-tail expansion wave. An experiment was conducted in the 1- by 1-foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Results show how the shock generated at the nozzle lip affects the near field pressure signature, and thereby the potential sonic boom contribution for a nozzle at vector angles from 3 to 8 . The experiment was based on the NASA F-15 nozzle used in the Lift and Nozzle Change Effects on Tail Shock experiment, which possessed a large external boat-tail angle. In this case, the large boat-tail angle caused a dramatic expansion, which dominated the near field pressure signature. The impact of nozzle vector angle and nozzle pressure ratio are summarized.

Castner, Raymond↗
NASA NTRS1993

Plasma waves observed at low altitudes in the tenuous Venus nightside ionosphere

The Pioneer Venus (PV) Orbiter Electric Field Detector (OEFD) measured many plasma wave bursts throughout the low altitude ionosphere during the final entry phase of the spacecraft. Apart from 100 Hz bursts observed at very low altitudes (approx. 130 km), the bursts fall into two classes. The first of these is a wideband signal that is observed in regions of low magnetic field, but average densities, in comparison to the prevailing ionospheric condition. This wideband signal is not observed in the 30 kHz channel of the OEFD, but is resricted to the 5.4 kHz channel and lower. Since these bursts are observed with roughly constant burst rate above 160 km altitude, we attribute them to ion acoustic mode waves generated by precipitating solar wind electrons. The second type of signal is restricted to 100 Hz only, and is observed in the regions of low electron beta, consistent with whistler-mode waves. These waves could be generated by lightning in the Venus atmosphere if the vertical component of the magnetic field greater than 3.6 nT. Because the ionosphere is very different during the entry phase, compared to the ionosphere as observed early in the Pioneer Venus mission, any conclusions regarding the source of the plasma waves detected during entry phase cannot be applied directly to the earlier observations.

Strangeway, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Generation of instability waves at a leading edge

This paper describes the generation of instability waves downstream of a leading edge by an imposed upstream disturbance. Two cases are considered. The first is concerned with mean flows of the Blasius type wherein the instabilities are represented by Tollmien-Schlichting waves. It is shown that the latter are generated fairly far downstream of the edge and are the result of a wave length reduction process that tunes the free stream disturbances to the Tollmien-Schlichting wave length. The other case is concerned with inflectional, uni-directional, transversely sheared mean flows. Such idealized flows provide a fairly good local representation to the nearly parallel flows in jets. They can support inviscid instabilities of the Kelvin-Helmholtz type. The various mathematically permissible mechanisms that can couple these instabilities to the upstream disturbances are discussed. The results are compared to some acoustic measurements and conclusions are drawn about the generation of the instabilities in these flows.

Goldstein, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Interaction between heavier ions and ring current protons

The interaction of thermal oxygen or helium ions and ring current protons may produce a wide variety of phenomena in the magnetosphere. These include the production of energetic oxygen ions or energetic helium ions, modification of the bulge region in the afternoon plasmasphere, heating of electrons in the upper ionosphere and production of stable auroral red arcs, precipitation of energetic protons, and precipitation of energetic alpha particles. Large-amplitude waves generated in the interaction may also lead to wave-wave coupling. The theory developed also suggests that heavier ions such as lithium artificially injected into the ring current to remove ring current protons may be heated substantially in the process. Computations of wave growth have been made for the first time by using measured ring current flux and anisotropies.

Brice, N.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A case study of the energy dissipation of the gravity wave field based on satellite altimeter measurements

Wave breaking is proposed as the primary energy dissipation mechanism for the gravity wave field. The energy dissipation rate is calculated based on the statistical model proposed by Longuet-Higgins (1969) with a modification of the breaking criterion incorporating the surface stress according to Phillips and Banner (1974). From this modified model, an analytic expression is found for the wave attenuation rate and the half-life time of the wave field which depend only on the significant slope of the wave field and the ratio of friction velocity to initial wave phase velocity. These expressions explain why the freshly generated wave field does not last long, but why swells are capable of propagating long distances without substantial change in energy density. It is shown that breaking is many orders of magnitude more effective in dissipating wave energy than the molecular viscosity, if the significant slope is higher than 0.01. Limited observational data from satellite and laboratory are used to compare with the analytic results, and show good agreement.

Huang, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations of thunder with the Arecibo VHF radar

An experiment was carried out at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico in August 1985 to study Doppler velocities in a thunderstorm environment with a beam pointed 2.5 degrees off-vertical. Researchers detected two types of echoes associated with lightning. The first was associated with scattering from the lightning channel itself and had characteristics similar to those observed previously with meteorological radars. The second appeared to be due to scattering from the turbulence organized by phase fronts of an acoustic wave generated by lightning. The observations were consistent with a wave traveling at a velocity near the speed of sound and having a vertical phase velocity component of 40 m/s.

Holden, D. N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Statistical analysis of diffuse ion events upstream of the Earth's bow shock

A statistical study of diffuse energetic ion events and their related waves upstream of the Earth's bow shock was performed using data from the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers/Ion Release Module (AMPTE/IRM) satellite over two 5-month periods in 1984 and 1985. The data set was used to test the assumption in the self-consistent model of the upstream wave and particle populations by Lee (1982) that the particle acceleration through hydromagnetic waves and the wave generation are directly coupled. The comparison between the observed wave power and the wave power predicted on the observed energetic particle energy density and solar wind parameters results in a high correlation coefficient of about 0.89. The intensity of diffuse ions falls off approximately exponentially with the distance upstream from the bow shock parallel to the magnetic field with e-folding distances which vary from approximately 3.3 R(sub E) to approximately 11.7 R(sub E) over the energy range from 10 keV/e to 67.3 keV/e for both protons and alpha particles. After normalizing the upstream particle densities to zero bow shock distance by using these exponential variations, a good correlation (0.7) of the density of the diffuse ions with the solar wind density was found. This supports the suggestion that the solar wind is the source of the diffuse ions. Furthermore, the spectral slope of the diffuse ions correlates well with the solar wind velocity component in the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (0.68 and 0.66 for protons and alpha particles) which concurs with the notion that the solar wind plays an important role in the acceleration of the upstream particles.

Trattner, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Implementation of the University of Miami Wave Model (UMWM) into the NASA/GMAO Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS)

Wind generated waves are integral element in air-sea interactions and affect exchange of momentum, heat, water, gases and production of marine aerosol. Motivated by the need to resolve the air-sea interface we have implemented the University of Miami Wave model (UMWM) into the NASA/GMAO Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS). The implementation of the wave model in GEOS aimed to facilitate coupling with the atmosphere and ocean model components with minimal changes to the existing system, while at the same time ensure correctness of the predicted wave energy spectrum and wave diagnostics. Here we describe the implementation of the GEOS/UMWM system and show results from model experiments and verifications. This work is a step toward development of a coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean GEOS system.

Darmenov, Anton↗
NASA NTRS1983

An experimental study of three-dimensional shock wave/boundary layer interactions generated by sharp fins

The interaction between a turbulent boundary layer and a shock wave generated by a sharp fin with leading edge sweepback was investigated. The incoming flow was at Mach 2.96 and at a unit Reynolds number of 63 x 10 to the 6th power 0.1 m. The approximate incoming boundary layer thickness was either 4 mm or 17 mm. The fins used were at 5 deg, 9 deg and 15 deg incidence and had leading edge sweepback from 0 deg to 65 deg. The tests consisted of surface kerosene lampblack streak visualization, surface pressure measurements, shock wave shape determination by shadowgraphs, and localized vapor screen visualization. The upstream influence lengths of the fin interactions were correlated using viscous and inviscid flow parameters. The parameters affecting the surface features close to the fin and way from the fin were also identified. Essentially, the surface features in the farfield were found to be conical.

Lu, F. K.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The emission-line spectrum of a sunspot in the far-ultraviolet

The emission-line spectrum between 1200 and 1817 A from a sunspot in McMath region 12510 near the solar center is discussed. The spectrum was obtained by the normal-incidence spectrograph on Skylab. The principal results are: (1) the widths of emission lines originating in the chromosphere and lower transition region over the sunspot are much narrower than those previously reported for a polar coronal hole observed above the limb and a quiet chromospheric network observed near the solar center, indicating that the mass motions in the sunspot are less than in these other regions; (2) the sunspot spectrum, aside from the narrow widths of emission lines, is similar to spectra from the chromospheric network boundary. The intensities of lines in the sunspot are much enhanced relative to the network interior. From the full-width at half-maximum of the 1207-A Si III line, an optical depth at line center of 3.6 is deduced. Comparison with Parker's (1974) theory of sunspots shows that, if the enhancement of emission lines is due to enhanced transport of hydromagnetic waves generated in the sunspot convective zone, the mode of the waves is predominately Alfvenic.

Cheng, C.-C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Detonation wave augmentation of gas turbines

The results of a feasibility study that examined the effects of using detonation waves to augment the performance of gas turbines are reported. The central ideas were to reduce compressor requirements and to maintain high performance in jet engines. Gasdynamic equations were used to model the flows associated with shock waves generated by the detonation of fuel in detonator tubes. Shock wave attenuation to the level of Mach waves was found possible, thus eliminating interference with the compressor and the necessity of valves and seals. A preliminary parametric study of the performance of a compressor working at a 4:1 ratio in a conceptual design of a detonation wave augmented jet engine in subsonic flight indicated a clear superiority over conventional designs in terms of fuel efficiency and thrust.

Wortman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Material characterization of composite laminates using low-frequency plate wave dispersion data

A recently developed ultrasonic techique which has been successful in monitoring the integrity of advanced structures is described. The technique is based on a two-transducer contact type arrangement that can be used to determine the dispersion curves of guided waves generated within the specimen. The phase velocity of antisymmetric plate waves is determined through spectral analysis of signals recorded from a lead break source on the surface of graphite epoxy laminates. The influence of all five stiffness constants on the dispersion curves of both symmetric and antisymmetric plate waves is theoretically investigated for propagation at 0, 45, and 90 deg to the fibers. All but c12 were found to have a strong influence on the dispersion curves in this frequency range. The fit with the theoretically predicted dispersion curves was excellent for propagation parallel and perpendicular to the fibers in the unidirectional specimen and good for the other cases considered.

Mal, Ajit K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Acceleration of electrons and ions by strong lower-hybrid turbulence in solar flares

One of the outstanding problems in solar flare theory is how to explain the 10-20 keV and greater hard x-ray emissions by a thick target bremsstrahlung model. The model requires the acceleration mechanism to accelerate approximately 10(exp 35) electrons sec(exp -l) with comparable energies, without producing a large return current which persists for long time scales after the beam ceases to exist due to Lenz's law, thereby, producing a self-magnetic field of order a few mega-Gauss. In this paper, we investigate particle acceleration resulting from the relaxation of unstable ion ring distributions, producing strong wave activity at the lower hybrid frequency. It is shown that strong lower hybrid wave turbulence collapses in configuration space producing density cavities containing intense electrostatic lower hybrid wave activity. The collapse of these intense nonlinear wave packets saturate by particle acceleration producing energetic electron and ion tails. There are several mechanisms whereby unstable ion distributions could be formed in the solar atmosphere, including reflection at perpendicular shocks, tearing modes, and loss cone depletion. Numerical simulations of ion ring relaxation processes, obtained using a 2 1/2-D fully electromagnetic, relativistic particle in cell code are discussed. We apply the results to the problem of explaining energetic particle production in solar flares. The results show the simultaneous acceleration of both electrons and ions to very high energies: electrons are accelerated to energies in the range 10-500 keV, while ions are accelerated to energies of the order of MeVs, giving rise to x-ray emission and gamma-ray emission respectively. Our simulations also show wave generation at the electron cyclotron frequency. We suggest that these waves are the solar millisecond radio spikes. The strong turbulence collapse process leads to a highly filamented plasma producing many localized regions for particle acceleration and resulting in approximately 10(exp 17) electron 'beamlets' of width approximately equal to 10 lambda sub De which eliminates the production of large magnetic fields. In this paper, we demonstrate that the model produces an energetic electron spectrum with the right flux to account for the hard x-ray observations.

Spicer, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Proton beam generation of whistler waves in the earth's foreshock

It is shown that proton beams, often observed upstream of the earth's bow shock and associated with the generation of low-frequency hydromagnetic fluctuations, are also capable of generating whistler waves. The waves can be excited by an instability driven by two-temperature streaming Maxwellian proton distributions which have T (perpendicular)/T(parallel) much greater than 1. It can also be excited by gyrating proton beam distributions. These distributions generate whistler waves with frequencies ranging from 10 to 100 times the proton cyclotron frequency (in the solar wind reference frame) and provide another mechanism for generating the '1-Hz' waves often seen in the earth's foreshock.

Wong, H. K.↗