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At least 325 records · Page 18

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NASA NTRS1982

The CMC/3DPNS computer program for prediction of three-dimension, subsonic, turbulent aerodynamic juncture region flow. Volume 2: Users' manual

The CMC fluid mechanics program system was developed to transmit the theoretical solution of finite element numerical solution methodology, applied to nonlinear field problems into a versatile computer code for comprehensive flow field analysis. Data procedures for the CMC 3 dimensional Parabolic Navier-Stokes (PNS) algorithm are presented. General data procedures a juncture corner flow standard test case data deck is described. A listing of the data deck and an explanation of grid generation methodology are presented. Tabulations of all commands and variables available to the user are described. These are in alphabetical order with cross reference numbers which refer to storage addresses.

Manhardt, P. D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Dynamic analysis for robot arm control

Explicit state equations provide detailed analytic insight into the dynamic behavior of a robot arm and facilitate the understanding of the control problem. The analytic strength of explicit state equations is exemplified for a given robot arm. In fact, for the quoted example, the explicit and exact state equations involve considerably less computation than the use of the known most efficient general-purpose computational algorithm for robot arm dynamics.

Bejczy, A. K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Adaptive triangular mesh generation

A general adaptive grid algorithm is developed on triangular grids. The adaptivity is provided by a combination of node addition, dynamic node connectivity and a simple node movement strategy. While the local restructuring process and the node addition mechanism take place in the physical plane, the nodes are displaced on a monitor surface, constructed from the salient features of the physical problem. An approximation to mean curvature detects changes in the direction of the monitor surface, and provides the pulling force on the nodes. Solutions to the axisymmetric Grad-Shafranov equation demonstrate the capturing, by triangles, of the plasma-vacuum interface in a free-boundary equilibrium configuration.

Erlebacher, G.↗

NASA NTRS1985

GMRES acceleration of computational fluid dynamics codes

The generalized minimal residual algorithm (GMRES) is a conjugate-gradient like method that applies directly to nonsymmetric linear systems of equations. In this paper, GMRES is modified to handle nonlinear equations characteristic of computational fluid dynamics. Attention is devoted to the concept of preconditioning and the role it plays in assuring rapid convergence. A formulation is developed that allows GMRES to be preconditioned by the solution procedures already built into existing computer codes. Examples are provided that demonstrate the ability of GMRES to greatly improve the robustness and rate of convergence of current state-of-the-art fluid dynamics codes. Theoretical aspects of GMRES are presented that explain why it works. Finally, the advantage GMRES enjoys over related methods such as conjugate gradients are discussed.

Wigton, L. B.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Shape Determination for Large Static Structures

Parameter and shape estimates updated from new measurements. Involves statistical structural analysis, statistical electromagneticfield analysis, filtering, measurement modeling, and iterative prediction/correction procedures. Estimating algorithms result from generalizations of Kalman statistical-filter theory.

Rodriguez, G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Scattered light in the IUE spectra of Epsilon Aurigae

Recent infrared photometry indicates that the alleged disk of particulate matter surrounding the mysterious secondary object in the Epsilon Aur system is cold, around 500 K. IUE spectra, on the other hand, contain significant flux in excess of that expected from an F0 Ia star in the far UV, which if interpreted as a hot secondary star leads to a possible contradiction with the IR data. Other models of the UV excess have been proposed, including the idea that the bulk of the short-wavelength flux is light scattered into the SWP camera from longer wavelengths. With the recent availability of a detailed generalized IUE descattering algorithm it is possible to thoroughly investigate the scattered-light contribution to the short-wavelength continuum. It is found that the IUE spectra are indeed partially contaminated by scattered light, but that even after correction for this instrumental effect a significant time-dependent UV excess is still present.

Altner, B.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Electronic controls and displays for a Space Station workstation

A workstation to serve as a man/machine interface for one of the test beds used in the NASA-Space Station development effort is described which will also serve as a demonstrator of the advanced technologies anticipated for the Space Station workstation. Thin-film electroluminescent flat-panels may replace the presently used CRTs for image generation, and the development of multifunctional controls, advanced graphic generators, and videodisc technology are considered. A generalized window management algorithm will control the large volume of information required, and conventional office automation tools such as spread sheets and database managers will be applied to workstation image management.

Busquets, A. M.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A nonlinear programming method for system design with results that have been implemented

A general nonlinear programming algorithm (NICO) is discussed. An academic optimization example is given. The NICO multi-input, multi-output control system design is discussed. NICO applications relative to launch vehicle autopilot design, space shuttle static balance, transient response criteria in the design of a reentry vehicle control system, and waterjet propulsion and lift system components sized to a large surface effect ship are noted.

Hauser, F.↗

NASA NTRS1988

An integrated approach to the synthesis of geometrically non-linear structures

An integrated approach to the minimum weight design of geometrically nonlinear three-dimensional truss structures with geometric imperfections, subject to inequality constraints on static displacements, stresses, local buckling and cross sectional areas, is investigated. The integrated structural synthesis problem involves design and response quantities as independent variables and equilibrium equations, describing the finite element model, as equality constraints. The nonlinear structural analysis and the optimization are thus merged together into a single process. A computer program developed to compute the constraint values and analytical gradients is coupled with a generalized reduced gradient algorithm to solve the integrated problem. Numerical results for a geometrically nonlinear shallow dome example problem are presented for various types of imperfections. Furthermore, it is found that the algorithm is capable of detecting and guarding against system as well as element elastic instability using equilibrium information only, that is, without imposing system and local buckling inequality constraints.

Smaoui, H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Robust control with structured perturbations

Two important problems in the area of control systems design and analysis are discussed. The first is the robust stability using characteristic polynomial, which is treated first in characteristic polynomial coefficient space with respect to perturbations in the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial, and then for a control system containing perturbed parameters in the transfer function description of the plant. In coefficient space, a simple expression is first given for the l(sup 2) stability margin for both monic and non-monic cases. Following this, a method is extended to reveal much larger stability region. This result has been extended to the parameter space so that one can determine the stability margin, in terms of ranges of parameter variations, of the closed loop system when the nominal stabilizing controller is given. The stability margin can be enlarged by a choice of better stabilizing controller. The second problem describes the lower order stabilization problem, the motivation of the problem is as follows. Even though the wide range of stabilizing controller design methodologies is available in both the state space and transfer function domains, all of these methods produce unnecessarily high order controllers. In practice, the stabilization is only one of many requirements to be satisfied. Therefore, if the order of a stabilizing controller is excessively high, one can normally expect to have a even higher order controller on the completion of design such as inclusion of dynamic response requirements, etc. Therefore, it is reasonable to have a lowest possible order stabilizing controller first and then adjust the controller to meet additional requirements. The algorithm for designing a lower order stabilizing controller is given. The algorithm does not necessarily produce the minimum order controller; however, the algorithm is theoretically logical and some simulation results show that the algorithm works in general.

Keel, Leehyun↗

NASA NTRS1990

Basic data requirements for microwave radiometer systems

Microwave radiometry has emerged over the last two decades to become an integral part of the field of environmental remote sensing. Numerous investigations were conducted to evaluate the use of microwave radiometry for atmospheric, oceanographic, hydrological, and geological applications. Remote sensing of the earth using microwave radiometry began in 1968 by the Soviet satellite Cosmos 243, which included four microwave radiometers (Ulably, 1981). Since then, microwave radiometers were included onboard many spacecraft, and were used to infer many physical parameters. Some of the basic concepts of radiometric emission and measurement will be discussed. Several radiometer systems are presented and an overview of their operation is discussed. From the description of the radiometer operation the data stream required from the radiometer and the general type of algorithm required for the measurement is discussed.

Lawrence, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Development of iterative techniques for the solution of unsteady compressible viscous flows

Efficient iterative solution methods are being developed for the numerical solution of two- and three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Iterative time marching methods have several advantages over classical multi-step explicit time marching schemes, and non-iterative implicit time marching schemes. Iterative schemes have better stability characteristics than non-iterative explicit and implicit schemes. Thus, the extra work required by iterative schemes can also be designed to perform efficiently on current and future generation scalable, missively parallel machines. An obvious candidate for iteratively solving the system of coupled nonlinear algebraic equations arising in CFD applications is the Newton method. Newton's method was implemented in existing finite difference and finite volume methods. Depending on the complexity of the problem, the number of Newton iterations needed per step to solve the discretized system of equations can, however, vary dramatically from a few to several hundred. Another popular approach based on the classical conjugate gradient method, known as the GMRES (Generalized Minimum Residual) algorithm is investigated. The GMRES algorithm was used in the past by a number of researchers for solving steady viscous and inviscid flow problems with considerable success. Here, the suitability of this algorithm is investigated for solving the system of nonlinear equations that arise in unsteady Navier-Stokes solvers at each time step. Unlike the Newton method which attempts to drive the error in the solution at each and every node down to zero, the GMRES algorithm only seeks to minimize the L2 norm of the error. In the GMRES algorithm the changes in the flow properties from one time step to the next are assumed to be the sum of a set of orthogonal vectors. By choosing the number of vectors to a reasonably small value N (between 5 and 20) the work required for advancing the solution from one time step to the next may be kept to (N+1) times that of a noniterative scheme. Many of the operations required by the GMRES algorithm such as matrix-vector multiplies, matrix additions and subtractions can all be vectorized and parallelized efficiently.

Sankar, Lakshmi N.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Experimental code verification results for reflector antenna distortion compensation by array feeds

Electronic compensation of reflector surface distortion using array feed with individual amplitude and phase control of the array elements is becoming increasingly attractive because of the recent advances in monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. An algorithm has been developed previously using the concept of focal plane conjugate field matching in the receive mode and a computer code has been generated that predicts the proper excitation coefficients for the elements of the reflector feed array to compensate the effects of reflector surface distortion. This paper presents the results of an experimental study to verify the above compensation algorithm and in general to demonstrate the effectiveness of the array feed compensation technique.

Zaman, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Computational aerodynamics - The next generation

Continued advances in the various elements that comprise the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are promoting a radically different approach to the aerodynamic design and analysis of aerospace vehicles and systems. The elements of CFD generally include numerical algorithm development, transition and turbulence modeling, surface modeling, and grid generation, scientific visualization and validation methodologies. This paper discusses the research progress and prospects for the future in each of these elements within NASA's CFD and Experimental Validation Program. The applicability of computational methods for the purposes of understanding complex flow phenomena, exploring aerodynamic concepts, and providing vehicle-design input is also addressed.

Hessenius, Kristin A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Radio jets in colliding galaxies: Testing the interaction-activity connection

The idea that galaxy interactions and merging are related to the generation of starburst and AGN activity in galactic nuclei has been the subject of intensive investigations over the past several years and is still a matter of lively debate. Peculiar morphologies, indicative of tidal interactions, have been detected in high-luminosity radio galaxies, in quasars, and in ultraluminous IRAS galaxies. In addition, low-luminosity radio and active galaxies show similar evidence for a recent merger or for nearby companions. In a recent CCD optical study of galaxies selected on the basis that they all contain well defined radio jets, it was found that almost half of the sample consists of pairs of elliptical galaxies. Many of these low-luminosity radio galaxies with companions show a well defined distorted radio jet structure at the VLA scale with an S- or C-shaped morphology. We have developed a general numerical simulation algorithm for ballistic radio jets with the intention of applying this model to the study of the bent jets seen in colliding pairs of galaxies and with the hope of testing the well documented interaction-activity connection. In our model the morphological evolution of the jets is determined by their response to the simple mechanical forces (i.e., gravity and ram pressure) imposed on them from both the host and the companion galaxies. Radiative losses, jet precession, magnetic effects, relativistic terms, and hydrodynamic instabilities have all been ignored. Starting with a previously derived collision model for the interacting pair of elliptical galaxies NGC 4782/4783, we have used our algorithm to simulate the specific two-sided jet morphology seen in the radio source 3C 278, associated with NGC 4782. This is the first time that such jet simulations have been produced for a galaxy pair whose relative orbit was determined independently from the jet modeling.

Borne, Kirk D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Redundancy reduction in image coding

We assess redundancy reduction in image coding in terms of the information acquired by the image-gathering process and the amount of data required to convey this information. A clear distinction is made between the theoretically minimum rate of data transmission, as measured by the entropy of the completely decorrelated data, and the actual rate of data transmission, as measured by the entropy of the encoded (incompletely decorrelated) data. It is shown that the information efficiency of the visual communication channel depends not only on the characteristics of the radiance field and the decorrelation algorithm, as is generally perceived, but also on the design of the image-gathering device, as is commonly ignored.

Rahman, Zia-Ur↗

NASA NTRS1988

Maximum likelihood identification for large space structures

This paper examines the use of on-orbit identification based on Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) to provide these high-order, high-accuracy control design models for large space structures (LSS's). First, it outlines a general MLE identification algorithm, together with a covariance-analysis procedure to assess algorithm performance in terms of systematic and stochastic errors. Next, it examines various simplifications appropriate for the LSS identification application. Simplified analytical performance results are presented, as are numerical results to support these analyses. Finally, a graphical interpretation of these results is given.

Barrett, Michael F.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Meshing of a Spiral Bevel Gearset with 3D Finite Element Analysis

Recent advances in spiral bevel gear geometry and finite element technology make it practical to conduct a structural analysis and analytically roll the gearset through mesh. With the advent of user specific programming linked to 3D solid modelers and mesh generators, model generation has become greatly automated. Contact algorithms available in general purpose finite element codes eliminate the need for the use and alignment of gap elements. Once the gearset is placed in mesh, user subroutines attached to the FE code easily roll the gearset through mesh. The method is described in detail. Preliminary results for a gearset segment showing the progression of the contact lineload is given as the gears roll through mesh.

Bibel, George D.↗