Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “partial correlation”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Effect of 17 days of bed rest on peak isometric force and unloaded shortening velocity of human soleus fibers

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of prolonged bed rest (BR) on the peak isometric force (P0) and unloaded shortening velocity (V0) of single Ca(2+)-activated muscle fibers. Soleus muscle biopsies were obtained from eight adult males before and after 17 days of 6 degrees head-down BR. Chemically permeabilized single fiber segments were mounted between a force transducer and position motor, activated with saturating levels of Ca2+, and subjected to slack length steps. V0 was determined by plotting the time for force redevelopment vs. the slack step distance. Gel electrophoresis revealed that 96% of the pre- and 87% of the post-BR fibers studied expressed only the slow type I myosin heavy chain isoform. Fibers with diameter > 100 microns made up only 14% of this post-BR type I population compared with 33% of the pre-BR type I population. Consequently, the post-BR type I fibers (n = 147) were, on average, 5% smaller in diameter than the pre-BR type I fibers (n = 218) and produced 13% less absolute P0. BR had no overall effect on P0 per fiber cross-sectional area (P0/CSA), even though half of the subjects displayed a decline of 9-12% in P0/CSA after BR. Type I fiber V0 increased by an average of 34% with BR. Although the ratio of myosin light chain 3 to myosin light chain 2 also rose with BR, there was no correlation between this ratio and V0 for either the pre- or post-BR fibers. In separate fibers obtained from the original biopsies, quantitative electron microscopy revealed a 20-24% decrease in thin filament density, with no change in thick filament density. These results raise the possibility that alterations in the geometric relationships between thin and thick filaments may be at least partially responsible for the elevated V0 of the post-BR type I fibers.

STS-78 Shuttle Project↗
NASA NTRS2019

Overexpression of Catalase in Mitochondria Mitigates the Effects of Simulated Microgravity and Social Isolation on Cytokine Expression in Mouse Hippocampus

Space flight missions are becoming longer and more common and evidence points to the physiological toll the missions have on the human body. Aging, sedentary lifestyle, and spaceflight have similar degenerative effects on almost every part of our body; both exposure to the space environment and aging result in cardiovascular deconditioning, bone loss, muscle atrophy, brain changes, and immune response impairment. We hypothesize that exposure to the space environment generates excessive Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which results in neuroinflammation and aging-like degenerative symptoms in the brain. We used the hindlimb unloading (HU) model to mimic microgravity with either paired or single housed animals (social isolation). Responses to 30d (30 days) of HU were compared in wildtype or transgenic MCAT (Mitochondrial-targeted CATalase) mice, in which mitochondrial ROS is quenched by over-expression of human catalase. Expression of 4-Hydroxynonenal (4HNE) and Park7 (redox-sensitive chaperone and sensor of oxidative stress) were measured by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), a protein array quantified from the hippocampal cytokines and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in serum was measured by ELISA to assess oxidative DNA damage. Preliminary analysis of cage behavior patterns from video collected at the end of the study showed that MCAT HU mice (socially housed) were more active and conducted more exploratory activities compared to NL (Normally Loaded). Our biochemical results showed simulated microgravity and/or social isolation caused changes in levels of cytokines related to immune responses. Two-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) revealed significant interaction effects of HU and genotype in expression levels of five cytokines (out of 35) in socially-housed animals. Elevation of these generally pro-inflammatory cytokines by HU in WT (Wild Type) mice was mitigated in MCAT mice, suggesting a role for mitochondrial ROS signaling in inflammatory CNS (Central Nervous System) responses to microgravity. Interestingly, some of these cytokines in the hippocampus displayed strong correlations to the 4HNE levels. We also found substantive cytokine responses to social isolation in the hippocampus; housing and genotype interaction effects were significant (by 2-Factor ANOVA) for 15 cytokines, most of which were mitigated in MCAT mice.Taken together, our results showed that both simulated microgravity and social isolation influenced cytokine levels in the hippocampus and MCAT mice were at least partially protected from these changes. These findings implicate a potentially important role for mitochondrial ROS in CNS responses to the challenges posed by long duration spaceflight.

MCAT↗
NASA NTRS2012

Methods for Detection and Correction of Sudden Pixel Sensitivity Drops

PDC 8.0 includes implementation of a new algorithm to detect and correct step discontinuities appearing in roughly one of every twenty stellar light curves during a given quarter. An example of such a discontinuity in an actual light curve is shown in fig. 1. The majority of such discontinuities are believed to result from high-energy particles (either cosmic or solar in origin) striking the photometer and causing permanent local changes (typically -0.5% in summed apertures) in quantum efficiency, though a partial exponential recovery is often observed. Since these features, dubbed sudden pixel sensitivity dropouts (SPSDs), are uncorrelated across targets they cannot be properly accounted for by the current detrending algorithm. PDC de-trending is based on the assumption that features in flux time series are due either to intrinsic stellar phenomena or to systematic errors and that systematics will exhibit measurable correlations across targets. SPSD events violate these assumptions and their successful removal not only rectifies the flux values of affected targets, but demonstrably improves the overall performance of PDC de-trending.

Kolodziejczak, Jeffery↗
NASA NTRS1990

Proceedings of a workshop on Lunar Volcanic Glasses: Scientific and Resource Potential

This workshop on lunar mare volcanism was the first since 1975 to deal with the major scientific advances that have occurred in this general subject, and the first ever to deal specifically with volcanic glasses. Lunar volcanic glasses are increasingly being recognized as the best geochemical and petrologic probes into the lunar mantle. Lunar volcanic glasses, of which 25 compositional varieties are presently known, appear to represent primary magmas that were produced by partial melting of differentiated mantle source regions at depths of perhaps 400 to 500 km. These high-magnesian picritic magmas were erupted onto the lunar surface in fire fountains associated with the release of indigenous lunar volatiles. The cosmic significance of this volatile component, in an otherwise depleted Moon, remains a lingering puzzle. The resource potential, if any, of the surface-correlated volatile sublimates on the volcanic glass spherules had not been systematically addressed prior to this workshop.

Delano, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Correlation of Puma airloads: Evaluation of CFD prediction methods

A cooperative program was undertaken by research organizations in England, France, Australia and the U.S. to study the capabilities of computational fluid dynamics codes (CFD) to predict the aerodynamic loading on helicopter rotor blades. The program goal is to compare predictions with experimental data for flight tests of a research Puma helicopter with rectangular and swept tip blades. Two topics are studied. First, computed results from three CFD codes are compared for flight test cases where all three codes use the same partial inflow-angle boundary conditions. Second, one of the CFD codes (FPR) is iteratively coupled with the CAMRAD/JA helicopter performance code. These results are compared with experimental data and with an uncoupled CAMRAD/JA solution. The influence of flow field unsteadiness is found to play an important role in the blade aerodynamics. Alternate boundary conditions are suggested in order to properly model this unsteadiness in the CFD codes.

Strawn, Roger C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Correlation of Puma airfoils - Evaluation of CFD prediction methods

A cooperative program was undertaken by research organizations in England, France, Australia and the U.S. to study the capabilities of computational fluid dynamics codes (CFD) to predict the aerodynamic loading on helicopter rotor blades. The program goal is to compare predictions with experimental data for flight tests of a research Puma helicopter with rectangular and swept tip blades. Two topics are studied. First, computed results from three CFD codes are compared for flight test cases where all three codes use the same partial inflow-angle boundary conditions. Second, one of the CFD codes (FPR) is iteratively coupled with the CAMRAD/JA heilcopter performance code. These results are compared with experimental data and with an uncoupled CAMRAD/JA solution. The influence of flow field unsteadiness is found to play an important role in the blade aerodynamics. Alternate boundary conditions are suggested in order to properly model this unsteadiness in the CFD codes.

Strawn, Roger C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Influences of Local Sea-Surface Temperatures and Large-scale Dynamics on Monthly Precipitation Inferred from Two 10-year GCM-Simulations

Two parallel sets of 10-year long: January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991, simulations were made with the finite volume General Circulation Model (fvGCM) in which the model integrations were forced with prescribed sea-surface temperature fields (SSTs) available as two separate SST-datasets. One dataset contained naturally varying monthly SSTs for the chosen period, and the oth& had the 12-monthly mean SSTs for the same period. Plots of evaporation, precipitation, and atmosphere-column moisture convergence, binned by l C SST intervals show that except for the tropics, the precipitation is more strongly constrained by large-scale dynamics as opposed to local SST. Binning data by SST naturally provided an ensemble average of data contributed from disparate locations with same SST; such averages could be expected to mitigate all location related influences. However, the plots revealed: i) evaporation, vertical velocity, and precipitation are very robust and remarkably similar for each of the two simulations and even for the data from 1987-ENSO-year simulation; ii) while the evaporation increased monotonically with SST up to about 27 C, the precipitation did not; iii) precipitation correlated much better with the column vertical velocity as opposed to SST suggesting that the influence of dynamical circulation including non-local SSTs is stronger than local-SSTs. The precipitation fields were doubly binned with respect to SST and boundary-layer mass and/or moisture convergence. The analysis discerned the rate of change of precipitation with local SST as a sum of partial derivative of precipitation with local SST plus partial derivative of precipitation with boundary layer moisture convergence multiplied by the rate of change of boundary-layer moisture convergence with SST (see Eqn. 3 of Section 4.5). This analysis is mathematically rigorous as well as provides a quantitative measure of the influence of local SST on the local precipitation. The results were recast to examine the dependence of local rainfall on local SSTs; it was discernible only in the tropics. Our methodology can be used for computing relationship between any forcing function and its effect(s) on a chosen field.

Sud, Y. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Effects of random path fluctuations on the accuracy of laser ranging systems

Effects of turbulence-induced pathlength fluctuations on the accuracy of single-color laser ranging systems are examined. Correlation and structure functions for the path deviations are derived using several proposed models for the variation of the turbulence structure parameter with altitude. For single-color systems, random pathlength fluctuations can limit the accuracy of a range measurement to a few centimeters when the turbulence is strong and the effective propagation path is long (greater than 10 km). Two-color systems can partially correct for the random path fluctuations so that in most cases their accuracy is limited to a few millimeters. However, at low elevation angles for satellite ranging (less than 20 deg) and over long horizontal paths, two-color systems can also have errors approaching a few centimeters.

Gardner, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Apollo 15 green glass - Compositional distribution and petrogenesis

We have characterized a comprehensive suite of individual green-glass beads from Apollo 15 soil to determine interelement behavior and to constrain petrogenetic relationships. We analyzed 365 particles for trace elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis and analyzed 52 of them, selected to cover the compositional ranges observed for trace elements, for major elements by electron microprobe analysis. We confirm the observation of Delano (1979) that the beads comprise discrete compositional groups, although two of the groups he defined are further split on the basis of trace-element compositions. Each of the resulting seven groups has distinct average rare-earth abundances. The coherence between major- and trace-element data was masked in previous studies by imprecision, correlated error, and nonrepresentative sampling of the different groups. Most of the compositional characteristics of the green glasses can be explained by a model for batch equilibrium melting of a nearly homogeneous, ultramafic source region, when the complicating effects of high pressure and low oxygen fugacity are taken into account. The previously puzzling behavior of Ni and Co as apparently incompatible elements may arise from partial reduction of those elements to the zero oxidation state, resulting in low mineral/melt partition coefficients. The model also offers explanations for why the green glasses form boomerang-shaped trends on many two-element variation diagrams and why certain compositions (Groups A and D) are more abundant than glasses with other compositions.

Steele, Alison M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Assessing the Hydrologic Performance of the EPA's Nonpoint Source Water Quality Assessment Decision Support Tool Using North American Land Data Assimilation System (Products)

The accuracy of streamflow predictions in the EPA's BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources) decision support tool is affected by the sparse meteorological data contained in BASINS. The North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) data with high spatial and temporal resolutions provide an alternative to the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)'s station data. This study assessed the improvement of streamflow prediction of the Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) model contained within BASINS using the NLDAS 118 degree hourly precipitation and evapotranspiration estimates in seven watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay region. Our results demonstrated consistent improvements of daily streamflow predictions in five of the seven watersheds when NLDAS precipitation and evapotranspiration data was incorporated into BASINS. The improvement of using the NLDAS data is significant when watershed's meteorological station is either far away or not in a similar climatic region. When the station is nearby, using the NLDAS data produces similar results. The correlation coefficients of the analyses using the NLDAS data were greater than 0.8, the Nash-Sutcliffe (NS) model fit efficiency greater than 0.6, and the error in the water balance was less than 5%. Our analyses also showed that the streamflow improvements were mainly contributed by the NLDAS's precipitation data and that the improvement from using NLDAS's evapotranspiration data was not significant; partially due to the constraints of current BASINS-HSPF settings. However, NLDAS's evapotranspiration data did improve the baseflow prediction. This study demonstrates the NLDAS data has the potential to improve stream flow predictions, thus aid the water quality assessment in the EPA nonpoint water quality assessment decision tool.

Lee, S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Vascular Patterning Analysis by VESGEN 2D/3D with Bioinformatics: Updates for Rodent Tissues

Fractally branching vascular systems are a complex physiological requirement shared by humans with all higher terrestrial life forms, including other vertebrates, insects, and higher land plants. Vascular trees, networks, and tree-network composites are therefore mapped and quantified by the VESsel GENeration Analysis (VESGEN) software according to weighted physiological vascular rules that include vessel connectivity, tapering and bifurcational branching. According to fluid dynamics, successful vascular transport depends upon a complex distributed system of highly regulated laminar flow. VESGEN has elucidated changes in vascular patterning resulting from inflammatory, developmental and other signaling pathways within numerous tissues of major model organisms important for Space Biology, especially for rodents. Important early stage regenerative opportunities have been identified by VESGEN vascular analysis for visual impairments in the human retina, and is currently being used for research into astronaut visual and ocular disorders associated with long duration missions. The VESGEN 2D software is a mature, automated, widely published capability for which beta testing and public release by NASA is planned for the upcoming year. Early-stage capabilities for VESGEN 3D analysis are under development for the rodent retina and intestine as prototype tissues. A prototype VESGEN 2D Bioinformatics software capability has also been developed to associate phenotypic changes in molecular expression with vascular structure and function. By new VESGEN bioinformatic innovations, expression patterns of the genetic, transcriptional, protein and other markers for regulatory molecules such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptors, often indicators of tissue oxygenation status, are co-localized with alterations in vascular pattern. Biomarkers are therefore mapped and quantified as information dimensions directly correlated with the spatial dimensions of a vascular pattern. Further important technology innovations by NASA include substantial image segmentation advances for more automated binary extraction of the grayscale vascular patterns, together with informative associated image quality assessments. Vascular mapping and quantification capabilities for the rodent retina and intestine are illustrated for VESGEN 2D, along with technology status reports on VESGEN 3D and Bioinformatic capabilities. Research partially supported by Ames Center Innovation Awards.

Parsons-Wingerter, P.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Terra MODIS Sees Solar Eclipses: Analysis of Reflective Solar Band Response at Multiple Radiance Levels

The MODIS imaging spectroradiometer instruments on-board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites have 20 reflective solar bands (RSB) covering a wavelength range from 400 to 2200 nm. Radiance is calculated from processing raw signals with background, temperature, and electronic contamination corrected. Measured gain is calibrated with a fully Sunlit solar diffuser (SD) at a stable radiance level, considering a slowly changing SD reflectance degradation. These measurements provide time-dependent gain adjustment factors, and the calibration assumes a linear response for each band and detector. Hence, an analysis of the dependence on different radiance levels is warranted. The MODIS design has no mechanism for varying radiance levels, except for an attenuator screen. However, it has been in static configuration for Terra since mid-2003. An external source of radiance attenuation can be utilized during solar eclipse events, while maintaining high stability and accuracy of solar calibration standards. Due to its long mission lifetime, Terra has seen several Sun-Moon near-conjunction events when it coincides with the orbit path where the SD is directly illuminated. As of August 2020, we have identified 7 viable partial solar eclipses in the Terra mission data. We will discuss several results of our study, including comparison of measured SD signal to predicted radiance reduction based on a solar disk radiance model; nominal and outlier behavior as a function of bands, detectors, and mirror-sides; and comparison with other data sets. Our main conclusion from this study is that there is no notable correlation of detector-dependent trend with radiance level for most RSB bands.

Terra↗
NASA NTRS1992

Effect of vaporization on cryogenic spray dropsize measurement

The fluid mechanics of multi-phase flow breakup of liquid nitrogen, LN2, jets injected into sonic velocity nitrogen gasflow, was experimentally investigated. A scattered-light scanning instrument was used to measure the characteristic dropsize, D(sub v.5), of LN2 sprays and to determine the effect of droplet vaporization on experimental dropsize measurements. Under sonic gas-velocity conditions, liquid-jet breakup occurred in the regime of aerodynamic stripping. As a result, the following correlation of volume-median drop diameter, D(sub v.5), with atomizing gas flowrate, W(sub g), was derived for two-fluid atomizers; with atomizing gas flowrate, W(sub g), was derived for two-fluid atomizers; (D(sub v.5))(exp -1) = k(sub c)(W(sub g))(sup n), where proportionally constant k(sub c) and exponent n are functions of droplet vaporization rate. Partially vaporized sprays were investigated and it was found that n = 1.11, which is considerably less than the value of 1.33 that is predicted by atomization theory. This was attributed to the evaporative loss of very small droplets. As a result, the following expression was obtained experimentally: (D(sub v.5e))(exp -1) = 301(W(sub g))(sup 1.11). Values of D(sub v.5), that existed prior to partial vaporization of the LN2 sprays, were calculated and the following expression was derived for originally unvaporized LN2 sprays: (D(sub v.5))(exp -1) = 285(W(sub g))(sup 1.33). This expression agrees well with atomization theory that predicts n = 1.33, for liquid jet breakup in high-velocity gasflow.

Ingebo, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessing the Relationships Between Sensorimotor Biomarkers and Post-Landing Functional Task Performance

Spaceflight drives adaptive changes in healthy individuals appropriate for sensorimotor function in a microgravity environment. These changes are maladaptive for return to earth's gravity. The inter-individual variability of sensorimotor decrements is striking, although poorly understood. The goal of this study is to identify a set of behavioral, neuroimaging and genetic measures that can be used to predict early post-flight performance on a set of sensorimotor tasks. Astronauts are recruited who previously participated in sensorimotor field tests and/or posturography soon after long-duration spaceflight. Behavioral tests include assessments of sensory dependency and adaptability. Visual dependency involves treadmill walking while viewing a moving virtual visual scene. Vestibular thresholds are measured while seated during lateral translations. Proprioception dependency is measured during one-legged stance on a horizontal air-bearing surface. Ground assessment of adaptability is performed (1) during treadmill walking with a virtual linear hallway and a moving walking surface, and (2) during multiple trials of navigating an obstacle course while wearing reversing prisms. The neuroimaging tests will characterize individual differences in regional brain volumes (using Structural MRI) and white matter microstructure (using Diffusion Tensor Imaging) to serve as potential predictors of adaptive capacity. The genetic tests will utilize saliva samples to examine variations in four genes chosen because of their ability to differentiate sensorimotor adaptation ability in a normative population, including Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), Dopamine Receptor D2 (DRD2), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the α2-adrenergic receptor. Twenty-one ISS crewmembers have been tested to date, including 6 from this past year after testing resumed post-COVID. This cohort includes 9 first-time fliers, 4F, and mission durations lasting 182 ± 32 days, mean ± std. We are utilizing a combination of three post-flight functional task outcomes: tandem walk, recovery from fall and dynamic posturography. There is considerable variability among the post-flight performance outcomes for the 21 participants to date. Based on a partial sample using an ordinal scale survey, 80% indicated their ability to perform functional tasks were more impacted postflight relative to inflight with 50% indicating they needed to restrict movements for a longer period postflight relative to inflight. While there is a strong association within tests obtained at different R+0 timepoints, by R+24 hr performance on one post-flight test does not necessarily correlate with performance on other post-flight tests. There are apparent relationships between individual measures and specific post-flight outcome measures; however, additional data is needed to draw conclusions. Preliminary statistical analysis indicates combining biomarkers will increase predictive power and this will be explored with future analyses. Our preliminary findings underscore the importance of a comprehensive post-flight test battery including different types of tasks with varying sensory feedback. We expect that understanding the relationships between these sensorimotor biomarkers and post-flight functional task performance will improve both our understanding of the individual variability and our strategy to optimize sensorimotor countermeasures.

S J Wood↗
NASA NTRS2024

Assessing the Relationships Between Sensorimotor Biomarkers and Post-Landing Functional Task Performance

Spaceflight drives adaptive changes in healthy individuals appropriate for sensorimotor function in a microgravity environment. These changes are maladaptive for return to earth's gravity. The inter-individual variability of sensorimotor decrements is striking, although poorly understood. The goal of this study is to identify a set of behavioral, neuroimaging and genetic measures that can be used to predict early post-flight performance on a set of sensorimotor tasks. Astronauts are recruited who previously participated in sensorimotor field tests and/or posturography soon after long-duration spaceflight. Behavioral tests include assessments of sensory dependency and adaptability. Visual dependency involves treadmill walking while viewing a moving virtual visual scene. Vestibular perceptual thresholds are measured while seated during lateral translations. Proprioception dependency is measured during one-legged stance on a horizontal air-bearing surface. Ground assessment of adaptability is performed(1) during treadmill walking with a virtual linear hallway and a moving walking surface, and (2) during multiple trials of navigating an obstacle course while wearing reversing prisms(adaptive Functional Mobility Test, aFMT). The neuroimaging tests will characterize individual differences in regional brain volumes (using Structural MRI) and white matter microstructure(using Diffusion Tensor Imaging) to serve as potential predictors of adaptive capacity. The genetic tests will utilize saliva samples to examine variations in four genes chosen because of their ability to differentiate sensorimotor adaptation ability in a normative population, including Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), Dopamine Receptor D2 (DRD2), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the α2-adrenergic receptor. Twenty-seven ISS crewmembers have been tested to date, including 6 from this past year. This cohort includes 10first-time fliers, 6F, and mission durations lasting 178.6 ± 30.5 days, mean ± std. We are utilizing a combination of three post-flight functional task outcomes: tandem walk, recovery from fall and dynamic posturography. There is considerable variability among the post-flight performance outcomes for the 27participants to date. Based on a partial sample using an ordinal scale survey, 70% indicated their ability to perform functional tasks were more impacted postflight relative to inflight with 50% indicating they needed to restrict movements for a longer period postflight relative to inflight. While there is a strong association within tests obtained at different R+0 timepoints, by R+24 hr performance on one post-flight test does not necessarily correlate with performance on other post-flight tests. There are apparent relationships between individual measures and specific post-flight outcome measures, e.g., the cumulative time to complete the aFMT is significantly correlated to pre-to-post-flight changes in tandem walk (rho= 0.64, p = 0.001). Preliminary statistical analysis indicates combining biomarkers will increase predictive power and this will be explored with future analyses. Our preliminary findings underscore the importance of a comprehensive post-flight test battery including different types of tasks with varying sensory feedback. We expect that understanding the relationships between these sensorimotor biomarkers and post-flight functional task performance will improve both our understanding of the individual variability and our strategy to optimize sensorimotor countermeasures

S J Wood↗
NASA NTRS1986

Application of a linearized unsteady aerodynamic analysis to standard cascade configurations

A linearized potential flow analysis, which accounts for the effects of nonuniform steady flow phenomena on the linearized unsteady aerodynamic response to prescribed blade motions, has been applied to five cascade configurations. These include the first, fifth, eighth and ninth standard configurations proposed as a result of the Second International Symposium on Aeroelasticity in Turbomachines and a NASA Lewis flutter cascade. Selected results from this study, including comparisons between analytical predictions and the experimental measurements submitted for three of the foregoing configurations, are described. The correlation between theory and experiment for the first standard configuration (a compressor cascade operating at low Mach number and frequency) is quite good. Moreover, the predictions and measurements for the NASA Lewis cascade of symmetric biconvex airfoils show good qualitative agreement. However, wide discrepancies exist between the theoretical predictions and the experimental measurements for the fifth standard configuration (a subsonic transonic fan tip cascade). These can be partially attributed to conditions being imposed in the experiment which differ from those commonly used in unsteady aerodynamic analyses.

Verdon, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Optimization of the deposition conditions and structural characterization of Y1Ba2Cu3O(7-x) thin superconducting films

Two series of Y1Ba2Cu3O(z) thin films deposited on (001) LaAl03 single crystals by excimer laser ablation under two different protocols have been investigated. The research has yielded well defined deposition conditions in terms of oxygen partial pressure p(O2) and substrate temperature of the deposition process Th, for the growth of high quality epitaxial films of YBCO. The films grown under conditions close to optimal for both j(sub c) and T(sub c) exhibited T(sub c) greater than or equal to 91 K and j(sub c) greater than or equal to 4 x 106 A/sq cm, at 77 K. Close correlations between the structural quality of the film, the growth parameters (p(O2), T(sub h)) and j(sub c) and T(sub c) have been found.

Chrzanowski, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Analysis of internal flow characteristics of a smooth-disk water-brake dynamometer

The principal of absorbing power with an enclosed partially submerged rotating disk through the turbulent viscous shearing of water is discussed. Reference information is used to develop a flow model of the water brake. A method is then presented that uses vector diagrams to relate the effects of rotational flow, through flow, and secondary flow to power absorption. The method is used to describe the operating characteristics of an example 111-cm (43.7-in.) diameter water brake. Correlating performance parameters are developed in a dimensional analysis.

Evans, D. G.↗