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At least 307 records · Page 17

Determining The Nanoflare Heating Frequency of an X-Ray Bright Point Observed by MaGIXS

Nanoflares are thought to be one of the prime candidates that can heat the solar corona to its multi-million kelvin temperature. Individual nanoflares are difficult to detect with the present generation instruments, however their presence can be inferred by comparing simulated nanoflare-heated plasma emissions with the observed emission. Using HYDRAD coronal loop simulations, we model the emission from an X-ray bright point (XBP) observed by the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS), along with nearest-available observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and X-Ray Telescope (XRT) onboard Hinode observatory. The length and magnetic field strength of the coronal loops are derived from the linear-force-free extrapolation of the observed photospheric magnetogram by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard SDO. Each loop is assumed to be heated by random nanoflares, whose magnitude and frequency are determined by the loop length and magnetic field strength. The simulation results are then compared and matched against the measured intensity from AIA, XRT, and MaGIXS. Our model results indicate the observed emissions from the XBP under study could be well matched by a distribution of nanoflares with average delay times 1500 s to 3000 s, which suggest that the heating is dominated by high-frequency events. Further, we demonstrate the high sensitivity of MaGIXS and XRT to diagnose the heating frequency using this method, while AIA passbands are found to be the least sensitive.

coronal heating↗

Structural Design Considerations for a 50 kW-Class Solar Array for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA is planning an Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to take place in the 2020s. To enable this multi-year mission, a 40 kW class solar electric propulsion (SEP) system powered by an advanced 50 kW class solar array will be required. Powered by the SEP module (SEPM), the ARM vehicle will travel to a large near-Earth asteroid, descend to its surface, capture a multi-metric ton (t) asteroid boulder, ascend from the surface and return to the Earth-moon system to ultimately place the ARM vehicle and its captured asteroid boulder into a stable distant orbit. During the years that follow, astronauts flying in the Orion multipurpose crew vehicle (MPCV) will dock with the ARM vehicle and conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA) operations to explore and sample the asteroid boulder. This paper will review the top structural design considerations to successfully implement this 50 kW class solar array that must meet unprecedented performance levels. These considerations include beyond state-of-the-art metrics for specific mass, specific volume, deployed area, deployed solar array wing (SAW) keep in zone (KIZ), deployed strength and deployed frequency. Analytical and design results are presented that support definition of stowed KIZ and launch restraint interface definition. An offset boom is defined to meet the deployed SAW KIZ. The resulting parametric impact of the offset boom length on spacecraft moment of inertias and deployed SAW quasistatic and dynamic load cases are also presented. Load cases include ARM spacecraft thruster plume impingement, asteroid surface operations and Orion docking operations which drive the required SAW deployed strength and damping. The authors conclude that to support NASA's ARM power needs, an advanced SAW is required with mass performance better than 125 W/kg, stowed volume better than 40 kW/cu m, a deployed area of 200 sq m (100 sq m for each of two SAWs), a deployed SAW offset distance of nominally 3-4 m, a deployed SAW quasistatic strength of nominally 0.1 g in any direction, a deployed loading displacement under 2 m, a deployed fundamental frequency above 0.1 Hz and deployed damping of at least 1%. These parameters must be met on top of challenging mission environments and ground testing requirements unique to the ARM project.

solar arrays↗

Downward Migration of the Zonal‐Mean Circulation in the Tropical Atmosphere

The annular modes of the extratropical atmosphere have received much attention for quantifying variability of the jet streams and storm tracks, despite the fact that the midlatitude circulation itself does not vary uniformly with longitude. While tropical fluctuations in geopotential height have lower amplitude than in the extratropics, they exhibit stronger zonal coherence, or dynamical annularity. A simple index is developed to characterize zonal‐mean anomalies of the tropical circulation. It reveals that anomalies in geopotential height and zonal wind migrate downward from the upper troposphere to the surface on a time scale of about 10 days. These features are distinguishable from known modes of tropical variability, the Madden‐‐Julian Oscillation in particular. Evidence from reanalysis and idealized model experiments confirms that this downward migration is quite generic and driven by mechanically forced variations in the strength of the Hadley circulation on subseasonal time scales.

Atmospheric dynamics↗

Progressive Damage and Failure Analysis of Bonded Composite Joints at High Energy Dynamic Impacts

Both wing and fuselage structures utilize bonded composite joints for structural efficiency in modern commercial and military aircraft. To ensure compliance with certification requirements mechanical fasteners are typically used as a failsafe mechanism for appropriate strength in the event of complete stiffener disbond. However, the use of fasteners decreases the structural efficiency of the structure by adding weight. This establishes the requirement to better exploit the efficiency of bonded structures and fully understand the failure behavior of adhesively bonded composite structures, particularly when subjected to elevated loading rates due to high energy dynamic impacts (HEDI). For this reason, the NASA Advanced Composite Consortium (ACC) HEDI team developed an experimentation and numerical modeling program for high rate loading of composite joints. In the present work, the response of adhesively bonded composite joints subjected to elevated loading rates is studied numerically and validated against experimental results. Due to dynamic considerations of experiments, the idea of wedge insert was extended to use with Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) testing techniques. Mode-I and Mode-II test configurations were simulated to evaluate the capability of two continuum damage material (CDM) models in LS-DYNA, namely MAT162 and MAT261. Three different levels of fidelity were considered to investigate the level of detail required to numerically predict the failure behavior and the results from high fidelity analysis are presented.

MAT261↗

Reciprocity-based experimental determination of dynamic forces and moments: A feasibility study

BBN Systems and Technologies has been tasked by the Georgia Tech Research Center to carry Task Assignment No. 7 for the NASA Langley Research Center to explore the feasibility of 'In-Situ Experimental Evaluation of the Source Strength of Complex Vibration Sources Utilizing Reciprocity.' The task was carried out under NASA Contract No. NAS1-19061. In flight it is not feasible to connect the vibration sources to their mounting points on the fuselage through force gauges to measure dynamic forces and moments directly. However, it is possible to measure the interior sound field or vibration response caused by these structureborne sound sources at many locations and invoke principle of reciprocity to predict the dynamic forces and moments. The work carried out in the framework of Task 7 was directed to explore the feasibility of reciprocity-based measurements of vibration forces and moments.

Ver, Istvan L.↗

Hypervelocity Impact of Unstressed and Stressed Titanium in a Whipple Configuration in Support of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module Propellant Tanks

Hypervelocity impacts were performed on six unstressed and six stressed titanium coupons with aluminium shielding in order to assess the effects of the partial penetration damage on the post impact micromechanical properties of titanium and on the residual strength after impact. This work is performed in support of the definition of the penetration criteria of the propellant tanks surfaces for the service module of the crew exploration vehicle where such a criterion is based on testing and analyses rather than on historical precedence. The objective of this work is to assess the effects of applied biaxial stress on the damage dynamics and morphology. The crater statistics revealed minute differences between stressed and unstressed coupon damage. The post impact residual stress analyses showed that the titanium strength properties were generally unchanged for the unstressed coupons when compared with undamaged titanium. However, high localized strains were shown near the craters during the tensile tests.

Nahra, Henry K.↗

Dynamic compensation in the central Pacific Ocean

The intermediate-wavelength geoid (lambda similar to 2000 km) and sea-floor topography fields in the central Pacific Ocean were studied in terms of static and dynamic compensation models. Topographic features on the sea-floor with lambda less than 1000 km were found to be compensated both regionally, by the elastic strength of the lithosphere, and locally, by displacing mantle material to reach isostatic adjustment. The larger-scale sea-floor topography and the corresponding geoid anomalies with lambda similar to 2000 km cannot be explained by either local or regional compensation. The topography and the resulting geoid anomaly at this wavelength were modeled by considering the dynamic effects arising from viscous stresses in a layer of fluid with a highly temperature-dependent viscosity for the cases of: (1) surface cooling, and (2) basal heating. In this model, the mechanical properties of the elastic part of the lithosphere were taken into account by considering an activation energy of about 520 kJ/mol in the Arrhenius law for the viscosity. Numerical predictions of the topography, total geoid anomaly, and admittance were obtained, and the results show that the thermal perturbation in the layer, which accounts for the mass deficit, must be located close to the surface to compensate the gravitational effect of the surface deformation. For the case of basal heating, the temperature dependence of viscosity results in a separation of the upper, quasi-rigid lid from the lower mobile fluid, hence inhibiting the development of a compensating thermal perturbation at shallow depths. The results clearly rule out small-scale, upper-mantle convection as the source of these anomalies. Instead, the geophysical observables can be well explained by a shallow, transient thermal perturbation.

Hinojosa, Juan Homero↗

Crack propagation and arrest in pressurized containers

The problem of crack propagation and arrest in a finite volume cylindrical container filled with pressurized gas is considered. It is assumed that the cylinder contains a symmetrically located longitudinal part-through crack with a relatively small net ligament. The net ligament suddenly ruptures initiating the process of fracture propagation and depressurization in the cylinder. Thus the problem is a coupled gas dynamics and solid mechanics problem the exact formulation of which does not seem to be possible. The problem is reduced to a proper initial value problem by introducing a dynamic fracture criterion which relates the crack acceleration to the difference between a load factor and the corresponding strength parameter. The results indicate that generally in gas filled cylinders fracture arrest is not possible unless the material behaves in a ductile manner and the container is relatively long.

Erdogan, F.↗

Crack propagation and arrest in pressurized containers

The problem of crack propagation and arrest in a finite volume cylindrical container filled with pressurized gas is considered. It is assumed that the cylinder contains a symmetrically located longitudinal part-through crack with a relatively small net ligament. The net ligament suddenly ruptures initiating the process of fracture propagation and depressurization in the cylinder. The problem is formulated by making two major assumptions, namely, that the shell problem is quasi-static and the gas dynamics problem is one-dimensional. The problem is reduced to a proper initial value problem by introducing a dynamic fracture criterion which relates the crack acceleration to the difference between a load factor and the corresponding strength parameter. The main results are demonstrated by considering two examples, an aluminum cylinder which may behave in a quasi-brittle manner, and a steel cylinder which undergoes ductile fracture. The results indicate that generally in gas-filled cylinders fracture arrest is not possible unless the material behaves in a ductile manner and the container is relatively long.

Erdogan, F.↗

Investigation of flexible nozzle wall-flutter incidents in the NASA-Ames Research Center 11- by 11-foot transonic wind tunnel

Twice during the spring of 1978, the two steel-plate 'flex-walls' that form the variable-geometry nozzle of the 11- by 11-foot tunnel at Ames Research Center experienced a severe dynamic instability. Both walls fluttered in the fundamental beam-bending mode and experienced stresses approaching the yield strength of the material. Both flutter incidents occurred at Mach numbers of about 1.15. The tunnel, operational for 24 years, had no history of such an instability. The cause of these flutter incidents, the steps taken to prevent a recurrence, and the requalification of the facility are described.

Erickson, L. L.↗

The cooling time scales of growing sunspots

The evolution of brightness and magnetic fields of growing sunspots is studied. Growing sunspots are found to be brighter (or less dark) than stable sunspots with the same magnetic field strength. From comparison of brightness and magnetic fields of a growing sunspot with those of stable sunspots, a dynamical parameter, the cooling time, of the growing sunspot is obtained. Ten growing sunspots are studied, and cooling times of 0.5 to 9 hr are found. Two models, the inhibition model and the Alfven wave model, give cooling times of about 0.05 hr, based on linear theory. The discrepancy between theory and observation may be due to the fact that the observed sunspots are in the nonlinear regime.

Chou, Dean-Yi↗

Joints in fiber-reinforced aluminum alloys

Problems of joining involving structural components made of aluminum alloys with boron-fiber reinforcements are discussed, giving attention to a diffusion-welding process. The tension characteristics and weight factors in the case of various types of welded joints are considered. Diffusion-welding equipment used in the experimental investigation is described. The strength characteristics obtained in various cases of weld and component design are examined, taking into account static and dynamic stresses.

Gerber, K.↗

Ejecting basaltic achondrites from Vesta: Hydrodynamical impact models

Vesta is a large asteroid whose crust is mostly basaltic. Spectral heterogeneity suggests a sizable olivine feature which may be explained as impact excavation. The spectral data probably show a localized feature approximately 200 km in diameter or a diffuse feature approximately 400 km in diameter. Lightcurve irregularities suggest heterogeneity on a similar scale. This heterogeneity may represent the crater bowl, the extent of its ejecta deposit, or indeed something unrelated to cratering. In any case, drawing direct inferences about the state of Vesta's surface on the basis of these observations involves substantial speculation. We are still far from understanding the boundary between cratering and catastrophic disruption, particularly on targets for which strength and self-gravity both matter. But we are now able to model the underlying physical process -- dynamic fragmentation -- accurately with fragmentation hydrocodes such as SALE 2D and SPH3D. We present several impact scenarios for Vesta; our study is similar to a previous impact model for the formation of Stickney crater on Phobos. We illustrate the effects of impactors of different sizes and velocities, and the effect of gravity and structural inhomogeneity.

Asphaug, E.↗

Damage tolerance in filament-wound graphite/epoxy pressure vessels

Graphite/epoxy composites are extensively used in the aerospace and sporting goods industries due to their superior engineering properties compared to those of metals. However, graphite/epoxy is extremely susceptible to impact damage which can cause considerable and sometimes undetected reduction in strength. An inelastic impact model was developed to predict damage due to low-velocity impact. A transient dynamic finite element formulation was used in conjunction with the 3D Tsai-Wu failure criterion to determine and incorporate failure in the materials during impact. Material degradation can be adjusted from no degradation to partial degradation to full degradation. The developed software is based on an object-oriented implementation framework called Extensible Implementation Framework for Finite Elements (EIFFE).

Simon, William E.↗

Shock Wave Dynamics in Weakly Ionized Gases

We have begun a comprehensive series of analyses and experiments to study the basic problem of shock wave dynamics in ionized media. Our objective is to isolate the mechanisms that are responsible for the decrease in the shock amplitude and also to determine the relevant plasma parameters that will be required for a drag reduction scheme in an actual high altitude hypersonic flight. Specifically, we have initiated a program of analyses and measurements with the objective of (i) fully characterizing the propagation dynamics in plasmas formed in gases of aerodynamic interest, (ii) isolating the mechanisms responsible for the decreased shock strength and increased shock velocity, (iii) extrapolating the laboratory observations to the technology of supersonic flight.

Johnson, Joseph A., III↗

Single-Mode Panel Flutter of a Wind Tunnel Flex-Wall

Twice during the spring of 1978, the two steel-plate "flex-walls" that form the variable-geometry nozzle of the 11- by 11-ft transonic wind tunnel at Ames Research Center experienced a severe dynamic instability. Both walls fluttered in the fundamental beam-bending mode and experienced stresses approaching the yield strength of the material. Both flutter incidents occurred at Mach numbers of about 1.15. The tunnel, operational for 24 years, had no history of such an instability. The cause of these flutter incidents, the steps taken to prevent a recurrence, and the requalification of the facility are described.

Erickson, Larry L.↗

Proof Test Diagrams for a Lithia-Alumina-Silica Glass-Ceramic

The glass-ceramic (Zerodur, Schott Glaswerke, Mainz, Germany) contains 70% to 78% by weight crystalline phase of high-quartz structure with a mean crystal size of 50-55 nm. The vitreous phase has a positive thermal expansion coefficient which is practically balanced by the negative coefficient of the crystalline phase. This results in a material which can maintain longitudinal stability during thermal cycling. This was one of the reasons for its choice as the material for the grazing incidence mirrors for the Chandra X-Ray Facility. Brittle materials such as glass and glass-ceramics which exhibit slow crack growth and subsequent fast fracture to failure exhibit a time dependence in strength. The decrease in strength for a constant applied load is known as static fatigue. In many cases, environment plays a major role in the material lifetime. It has been shown for silicate glasses that crack velocity will increase as the amount of water vapor in the environment surface finish and rate of loading. A rough surface finish leads to a lower tensile strength than for an optically polished surface. The strength of glass is observed in general to increase with increasing load rate. This phenomena is known as dynamic fatigue. This was observed for Zerodur by Tucker and Gent and Tucker in previous dynamic fatigue studies, in which lifetimes were obtained. All of the above named factors need to be considered when glass is to be used in load bearing applications.

Tucker, Dennis S.↗