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At least 343 records · Page 19

Characteristics of 3D turbulent jets in crossflow

Three dimensional turbulent jets in crossflow at low to medium jet-to-crossflow velocity ratios are computed with a finite volume numerical procedure which utilizes a second-moment closure model to approximate the Reynolds stresses. A multigrid method is used to accelerate the convergence rate of the procedure. Comparison of the computations to measured data show good qualitative agreement. All trends are correctly predicted, though there is some uncertainty on the height of penetration of the jet. The evolution of the vorticity field is used to explore the jet-crossflow interaction.

Demuren, A. O.↗

Characteristics of three-dimensional turbulent jets in crossflow

Three-dimensional turbulent jets in crossflow at low to medium jet-to-crossflow velocity ratios are computed with a finite volume numerical procedure which utilizes a second-moment closure model to approximate the Reynolds stresses. A multigrid method is used to accelerate the convergence rate of the procedure. Comparison of the computations to measured data show good qualitative agreement. All trends are correctly predicted, though there is some uncertainty on the height of penetration of the jet. The evolution of the vorticity field is used to explore the jet-crossflow interaction.

Demuren, A. O.↗

Self-organizing map (SOM) of space acceleration measurement system (SAMS) data

In this paper, space acceleration measurement system (SAMS) data have been classified using self-organizing map (SOM) networks without any supervision; i.e., no a priori knowledge is assumed regarding input patterns belonging to a certain class. Input patterns are created on the basis of power spectral densities of SAMS data. Results for SAMS data from STS-50 and STS-57 missions are presented. Following issues are discussed in details: impact of number of neurons, global ordering of SOM weight vectors, effectiveness of a SOM in data classification, and effects of shifting time windows in the generation of input patterns. The concept of 'cascade of SOM networks' is also developed and tested. It has been found that a SOM network can successfully classify SAMS data obtained during STS-50 and STS-57 missions.

STS-57 Shuttle Project↗

Software for Use with Optoelectronic Measuring Tool

A computer program has been written to facilitate and accelerate the process of measurement by use of the apparatus described in "Optoelectronic Tool Adds Scale Marks to Photographic Images" (KSC-12201). The tool contains four laser diodes that generate parallel beams of light spaced apart at a known distance. The beams of light are used to project bright spots that serve as scale marks that become incorporated into photographic images (including film and electronic images). The sizes of objects depicted in the images can readily be measured by reference to the scale marks. The computer program is applicable to a scene that contains the laser spots and that has been imaged in a square pixel format that can be imported into a graphical user interface (GUI) generated by the program. It is assumed that the laser spots and the distance(s) to be measured all lie in the same plane and that the plane is perpendicular to the line of sight of the camera used to record the image

Ballard, Kim C.↗

Evaluation of a trajectory command concept for manual control of carrier approaches and landings

A novel trajectory control system concept was implemented to provide manual control of a conventional jet aircraft. This concept, called Total Aircraft Flight Control System (TAFCOS), utilizes an inverse model of the aerodynamic and propulsion characteristics and employs feedforward control to provide the required acceleration command. The concept requires on-board digital computations which can easily be handled by a modern airborne computer. The system was studied in a piloted simulation of the carrier approach and landing task with primarily visual flight and guidance cues. The principal modes of vertical flight-path control investigated were vertical velocity command and vertical acceleration command. The study included manual carrier approaches with and without moderate ship motion and associated air disturbances, and tests of the effects of discrete gusts. Manual control of flight path through this new concept was shown to be feasible as an addition to an automatic control system and to have potential as an improved mode of control over conventional control for the carrier approach task.

Mcneill, W. E.↗

Efficient GPU-Accelerated MultiSource Global Fit Pipeline for LISA Data Analysis

The large-scale analysis task of deciphering gravitational-wave signals in the LISA data stream will be difficult, requiring a large amount of computational resources and extensive development of computational methods. Its high dimensionality, multiple model types, and complicated noise profile require a global fit to all parameters and input models simultaneously. In this work, we detail our global fit algorithm, called “Erebor,” designed to accomplish this challenging task. It is capable of analyzing current state-of-the-art datasets and then growing into the future as more pieces of the pipeline are completed and added. We describe our pipeline strategy, the algorithmic setup, and the results from our analysis of the LDC2A Sangria dataset, which contains massive black hole binaries, compact galactic binaries, and a parametrized noise spectrum whose parameters are unknown to the user. The Erebor algorithm includes three unique and very useful contributions: GPU acceleration for enhanced computational efficiency; ensemble Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling with multiple MCMC walkers per temperature for better mixing and parallelized sample creation; and special online updates to reversible-jump (or transdimensional) sampling distributions to ensure sampler mixing and accurate initial estimates for detectable sources in the data.We recover posterior distributions for all 15 (6) of the injected massive black hole binaries (MBHB) in the LDC2A training (hidden) dataset. We catalog ∼12000 galactic binaries (∼8000 as high confidence detections) for both the training and hidden datasets. All of the sources and their posterior distributions are provided in publicly available catalogs.

LISA↗

The cortex transform - Rapid computation of simulated neural images

With a goal of providing means for accelerating the image processing, machine vision, and testing of human vision models, an image transform was designed, which makes it possible to map an image into a set of images that vary in resolution and orientation. Each pixel in the output may be regarded as the simulated response of a neuron in human visual cortex. The transform is amenable to a number of shortcuts that greatly reduce the amount of computation.

Watson, Andrew B.↗

Rotorcraft Transmission Noise Path Model, Including Distributed Fluid Film Bearing Impedance Modeling

A computational approach for simulating the effects of rolling element and journal bearings on the vibration and sound transmission through gearboxes has been demonstrated. The approach, using ARL/Penn State s CHAMP methodology, uses Component Mode Synthesis of housing and shafting modes computed using Finite Element (FE) models to allow for rapid adjustment of bearing impedances in gearbox models. The approach has been demonstrated on NASA GRC s test gearbox with three different bearing configurations: in the first condition, traditional rolling element (ball and roller) bearings were installed, and in the second and third conditions, the traditional bearings were replaced with journal and wave bearings (wave bearings are journal bearings with a multi-lobed wave pattern on the bearing surface). A methodology for computing the stiffnesses and damping in journal and wave bearings has been presented, and demonstrated for the journal and wave bearings used in the NASA GRC test gearbox. The FE model of the gearbox, along with the rolling element bearing coupling impedances, was analyzed to compute dynamic transfer functions between forces applied to the meshing gears and accelerations on the gearbox housing, including several locations near the bearings. A Boundary Element (BE) acoustic model was used to compute the sound radiated by the gearbox. Measurements of the Gear Mesh Frequency (GMF) tones were made by NASA GRC at several operational speeds for the rolling element and journal bearing gearbox configurations. Both the measurements and the CHAMP numerical model indicate that the journal bearings reduce vibration and noise for the second harmonic of the gear meshing tones, but show no clear benefit to using journal bearings to reduce the amplitudes of the fundamental gear meshing tones. Also, the numerical model shows that the gearbox vibrations and radiated sound are similar for journal and wave bearing configurations.

Hambric, Stephen A.↗

An Efficient GPU-Accelerated Multi-Source Global Fit Pipeline for LISA Data Analysis

The large-scale analysis task of deciphering gravitational wave signals in the LISA data stream will be difficult, requiring a large amount of computational resources and extensive development of computational methods. Its high dimensionality, multiple model types, and complicated noise profile require a global fit to all parameters and input models simultaneously. In this work, we detail our global fit algorithm, called “Erebor,” designed to accomplish this challenging task. It is capable of analysing current state-of-the-art datasets and then growing into the future as more pieces of the pipeline are completed and added. We describe our pipeline strategy, the algorithmic setup, and the results from our analysis of the LDC2A Sangria dataset, which contains Massive Black Hole Binaries, compact Galactic Binaries, and a parameterized noise spectrum whose parameters are unknown to the user. The Erebor algorithm includes three unique and very useful contributions: GPU acceleration for enhanced computational efficiency; ensemble MCMC sampling with multiple MCMC walkers per temperature for better mixing and parallelized sample creation; and special online updates to reversible-jump (or trans-dimensional) sampling distributions to ensure sampler mixing and accurate initial estimates for detectable sources in the data. We recover posterior distributions for all 15 (6) of the injected MBHBs in the LDC2A training (hidden) dataset. We catalog ∼12000 Galactic Binaries (∼8000 as high confidence detections) for both the training and hidden datasets. All of the sources and their posterior distributions are provided in publicly available catalogs.

LISA global fit↗

Nonlinear interfaces for acceleration-commanded control of spacecraft and manipulators

Nominal command generation in real time for the control of manipulators or of maneuvering spacecraft is hampered by the nonlinearity of the equations of motion. Likewise the real time tracking of a computed nominal trajectory in the presence of disturbances requires the computation of time-varying Jacobians of the motion. An alternative approach is the formulation of acceleration-commanded control laws in appropriately chosen generalized advantageous to design dedicated circuit interfaces to perform the required transformation. It is also possible to guarantee that actuator and sensor saturation limits are not exceeded, by means of feedback-biased circuits that implement automatic overload limitation of acceleration commands. Recent developments following this 'hardware computation' point of view will be discussed.

Dwyer, T. A. W., III↗

Derivation of improved load transformation matrices for launchers-spacecraft coupled analysis, and direct computation of margins of safety

Load and stress recovery from transient dynamic studies are improved upon using an extended acceleration vector in the modal acceleration technique applied to structural analysis. Extension of the normal LTM (load transformation matrices) stress recovery to automatically compute margins of safety is presented with an application to the Hubble space telescope.

Klein, M.↗

A numerical algorithm for optimal feedback gains in high dimensional LQR problems

A hybrid method for computing the feedback gains in linear quadratic regulator problems is proposed. The method, which combines the use of a Chandrasekhar type system with an iteration of the Newton-Kleinman form with variable acceleration parameter Smith schemes, is formulated so as to efficiently compute directly the feedback gains rather than solutions of an associated Riccati equation. The hybrid method is particularly appropriate when used with large dimensional systems such as those arising in approximating infinite dimensional (distributed parameter) control systems (e.g., those governed by delay-differential and partial differential equations). Computational advantage of the proposed algorithm over the standard eigenvector (Potter, Laub-Schur) based techniques are discussed and numerical evidence of the efficacy of our ideas presented.

Banks, H. T.↗

Loci-STREAM Version 0.9

Loci-STREAM is an evolving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool for simulating possibly chemically reacting, possibly unsteady flows in diverse settings, including rocket engines, turbomachines, oil refineries, etc. Loci-STREAM implements a pressure- based flow-solving algorithm that utilizes unstructured grids. (The benefit of low memory usage by pressure-based algorithms is well recognized by experts in the field.) The algorithm is robust for flows at all speeds from zero to hypersonic. The flexibility of arbitrary polyhedral grids enables accurate, efficient simulation of flows in complex geometries, including those of plume-impingement problems. The present version - Loci-STREAM version 0.9 - includes an interface with the Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation (PETSc) library for access to enhanced linear-equation-solving programs therein that accelerate convergence toward a solution. The name "Loci" reflects the creation of this software within the Loci computational framework, which was developed at Mississippi State University for the primary purpose of simplifying the writing of complex multidisciplinary application programs to run in distributed-memory computing environments including clusters of personal computers. Loci has been designed to relieve application programmers of the details of programming for distributed-memory computers.

Wright, Jeffrey↗

Europa Clipper Preliminary Design Review Propellant Slosh Analysis

Propellant slosh was analyzed for both the oxidizer and the fuel for the Europa Clipper propulsion system. Slosh was examined for various fill fractions for cases where acceleration was on the order of magnitude of 10(exp -2) m/sq. s using the computational fluid dynamics software package STAR-CCM+ and at various fill fractions for cases where acceleration was on the order of magnitude of 10(exp -5) m/sq. s using Surface Evolver. Equivalent mechanical model parameters were derived from the CFD data using MATLAB for both the higher and the lower acceleration slosh cases. These parameters were plotted and can be used to interpolate mechanical model parameters at fill fractions not analyzed by CFD or Surface Evolver.

CFD↗

Accelerated complete-linearization method for calculating NLTE model stellar atmospheres

Two approaches to accelerating the method of complete linearization for calculating NLTE model stellar atmospheres are suggested. The first one, the so-called Kantorovich variant of the Newton-Raphson method, consists of keeping the Jacobi matrix of the system fixed, which allows us to calculate the costly matrix inversions only a few times and then keep them fixed during the subsequent computations. The second method is an application of the Ng acceleration. Both methods are extremely easy to implement with any model atmosphere code based on complete linearization. It is demonstrated that both methods, and especially their combination, yield a rapidly and globally convergent algorithm, which takes 2 to 5 times less computer time, depending on the model at hand and the required accuracy, than the ordinary complete linearization. Generally, the time gain is more significant for more complicated models. The methods were tested for a broad range of atmospheric parameters, and in all cases they exhibited similar behavior. Ng acceleration applied on the Kantorovich variant thus offers a significant improvement of the standard complete-linearization method, and may now be used for calculating relatively involved NLTE model stellar atmospheres.

Hubeny, I.↗

A quasi-linear theory to explain ion acceleration in the distant cometary environment

Spacecraft observations at comet Halley as well as computer simulations have shown that pitch angle scattering of newborn cometary ions proceeds at a relatively fast rate, leading to relatively isotropic shell-like velocity distribution functions. Energization processes whereby shell distributions become more Maxwellian and a few ions are accelerated to high energies appear to proceed more slowly. The research on the latter, slower process is described, in which the scattering is assumed to be due to the resonant, growing magnetic fluctuations driven by the non-Maxwellian nature of the ion distribution. An ion shell distribution which is isotropic in the wave frame begins the process and a Fokker-Plank derived from quasilinear plasma theory is used to describe the broadening and energization of the cometary ion distribution.

Sinha, Raji↗

Time-split finite-volume method for three-dimensional blunt-body flow

An efficient numerical method for calculating plane, axisymmetric, and fully three-dimensional blunt-body flow is presented. It is a second-order-accurate, time-dependent finite-volume procedure that solves the Euler equations in integral conservation-law form. These equations are written with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system in which an embedded mesh adjusts in time to the motion of the bow shock that is automatically captured as part of the weak solution. With such an adjusting mesh, oscillations in flow properties near the shock are shown to be virtually eliminated. The scheme uses a time-splitting concept that accelerates the convergence appreciably. Comparisons are made between computed and experimental results.

Rizzi, A. W.↗

Modal analysis and dynamic stresses for acoustically excited shuttle insulation tiles

Improvements and extensions to the RESIST computer program developed for determining the normalized modal stress response of shuttle insulation tiles are described. The new version of RESIST can accommodate primary structure panels with closed-cell stringers, in addition to the capability for treating open-cell stringers. In addition, the present version of RESIST numerically solves vibration problems several times faster than its predecessor. A new digital computer program, titled ARREST (Acoustic Response of Reusable Shuttle Tiles) is also described. Starting with modal information contained on output tapes from RESIST computer runs, ARREST determines RMS stresses, deflections and accelerations of shuttle panels with reusable surface insulation tiles. Both programs are applicable to stringer stiffened structural panels with or without reusable surface insulation titles.

Ojalvo, I. U.↗