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At least 343 records · Page 19

Users Guide for the Anvil Threat Corridor Forecast Tool V1.7.0 for AWIPS

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) originally developed the Anvil Threat Sector Tool for the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS) and delivered the capability in three phases beginning with a feasibility study in 2000 and delivering the operational final product in December 2003. This tool is currently used operationally by the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWO) and Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) forecasters. Phase I of the task established the technical feasibility of developing an objective, observations-based tool for short-range anvil forecasting. The AMU was subsequently tasked to develop short-term anvil forecasting tools to improve predictions of the threat of triggered lightning to space launch and landing vehicles. Under the Phase II effort, the AMU developed a nowcasting anvil threat sector tool, which provided the user with a threat sector based on the most current radiosonde upper wind data from a co-located or upstream station. The Phase II Anvil Threat Sector Tool computes the average wind speed and direction in the layer between 300 and 150 mb from the latest radiosonde for a user-designated station. The following threat sector properties are consistent with the propagation and lifetime characteristics of thunderstorm anvil clouds observed over Florida and its coastal waters (Short et al. 2002): a) 20 n mi standoff circle, b) 30 degree sector width, c) Orientation given by 300 to 150 mb average wind direction, d) 1-, 2-, and 3- hour arcs in upwind direction, and e) Arc distances given by 300 to 150 mb average wind speed. Figure 1 is an example of the MIDDS Anvil Threat Sector tool overlaid on a visible satellite image at 2132 UTC 13 May 2001. Space Launch Complex 39A was selected as the center point and the Anvil Threat Sector was determined from upper-level wind data at 1500 UTC in the preconvective environment. Narrow thunderstorm anvil clouds extend from central Florida to the space launch and landing facilities at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and beyond. The anvil clouds were generated around 1930 UTC (1430 EDT) by thunderstorm activity over central Florida and transported 90 n mi east-northeastward within 2 hours, as diagnosed by the anvil forecast tool. Phase III, delivered in February 2003, built upon the results of Phase II by enhancing the Anvil Threat Sector Tool with the capability to use national model forecast winds for depiction of potential anvil lengths and orientations over the KSC/CCAFS area with lead times from 3 through 168 hours (7 days). In September 2003, AMU customers requested the capability to use data from the KSC 50 MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profiler (DRWP) in the Anvil Threat Sector Tool and this capability was delivered by the AMU in December 2003. In March 2005, the AMU was tasked to migrate the MIDDS Anvil Threat Sector Tool capabilities onto the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) as the Anvil Threat Corridor Forecast Tool.

Bauman, William H., III↗

Determination of solid/porous wall boundary conditions from wind tunnel data for computational fluid dynamics codes

A computational and experimental study has been undertaken to investigate methods of modeling solid and porous wall boundary conditions in CFD codes. The procedure utilizes experimental measurements at the walls to develop a flow field solution based on the method of singularities. This flow field solution is then imposed as a boundary condition in a CFD simulation of the internal flow field. The effectiveness of this method in describing the boundary conditions at the wind tunnel walls using only sparse experimental measurements has been investigated. Verification of the approach using computational studies has been carried out using an incompressible flow solver. The current work demonstrates this technique for low speed flows and compares the result with experimental data obtained from a heavily instrumented variable porosity test section. Position and refinement of experimental measurements required to describe porous wall boundary conditions has also been considered for application to other porous wall wind tunnels.

Beutner, Thomas J.↗

Determination of solid/porous wall boundary conditions from wind tunnel data for computational fluid dynamics codes

A computational and experimental study has been undertaken to investigate methods of modelling solid and porous wall boundary conditions in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The procedure utilizes experimental measurements at the walls to develop a flow field solution based on the method of singularities. This flow field solution is then imposed as a pressure boundary condition in a CFD simulation of the internal flow field. The effectiveness of this method in describing the boundary conditions at the wind tunnel walls using only sparse experimental measurements has been investigated. Verification of the approach using computational studies has been carried out using an incompressible flow solver. The current work demonstrates this technique for low speed flows and compares the result with experimental data obtained from a heavily instrumented variable porosity test section. Position and refinement of experimental measurements required to describe porous wall boundary conditions have also been considered for application to other porous wall wind tunnels. The approach developed is simple, computationally inexpensive, and does not require extensive or intrusive measurements. It may be applied to both solid and porous wall wind tunnel tests. Some consideration is given to the extension of this method to three dimensions.

Beutner, Thomas J.↗

Method for Determination of the Wind Velocity and Direction

Accurate determination of the position of an artillery piece, for example, using sound measurement systems through measurement of the muzzle noise requires access to wind data that is representative of the portion of the air from where the sound wave is propagated up the microphone base of the system. The invention provides a system for determining such representative wind data.

Dahlin, Goesta Johan↗

Comparison of forward fuselage to Space Shuttle Orbiter flight pressure data to wind tunnel and analytical results in the hypersonic Mach number range

The Space Transportation System (STS) test program is unique in that it combines flight testing with operational flights using the first operational orbital vehicle (OV-102). The Space Shuttle Orbiter was instrumented to obtain various types of flight data. The instrumentation, designated Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) includes pressure transducers, thermocouples, calorimeters, and accelerometers. A comparison is conducted between orbiter DFI forward fuselage flight pressure data obtained from OV-102 during the STS-1 reentry, and ground facility data obtained utilizing a 0.04 scale Orbiter forebody model. The comparisons are used to validate the existing experimental data base, optimize the pressure modeling technique, and make possible the refinement of error analysis relative to both. The obtained results indicate, in general, good agreement between flight and ground-based data.

Bradley, P. F.↗

The effect of lateral controls in producing motion of an airplane as computed from wind-tunnel data

An analytical study of the lateral controllability of an airplane has been made in which both the static rolling and yawing moments supplied by the controls and the reactions due to the inherent stability of the airplane have been taken into account. A hypothetical average airplane, embodying the essential characteristics of both the wind tunnel models and the full size test airplanes, was assumed for the study. Computations made of forced rolling and yawing motions of an F-22 airplane caused by a sudden deflection of the ailerons were found to agree well with actual measurements of these motions. The conditions following instantaneous full deflections of the lateral control have been studied, and some attention has been devoted to the controlling of complete turn maneuvers.

Weick, F. E.↗

Nature and Variability of Coronal Streamers and their Relationship to the Slow Speed Wind

NASA Grant NAG5-12781 is a study on the "Nature and Variability of Coronal Streamers and their Relationship to the Slow Speed Wind." The two main goals of this study are to identify: 1) Where in the streamer structure does the solar wind originate, and 2) What coronal conditions are responsible for the variability of the slow speed wind. To answer the first question, we examined the mostly closed magnetic field regions in streamer cores to search for evidence of outflow. Preliminary results from the OVI Doppler dimming ratios indicates that most of the flow originates from the edges of coronal streamers but this idea should be confirmed by a comparison of the coronal plasma properties with in situ solar wind data. To answer the second question, the work performed thus far suggests that solar minimum streamers have larger perpendicular velocity distributions than do solar maximum streamers. If it can be shown that solar minimum streamers also produce higher solar wind speeds then this would suggest that streamers and coronal holes have similar solar wind acceleration mechanisms. The key to both questions lie in the analysis of the in situ solar wind data sets. This work was not able to be completed during the period of performance and therefore the grant was formally extended for an additional year at no cost to NASA. We hope to have final results and a publication by the end of the calendar year 2004. The SAO personnel involved in the research are Leonard Strachan (PI), Mari Paz Miralles, Alexander Panasyuk, and a Southern University student Michael Baham.

Strachan, Leonard↗

The effect of lateral controls in producing motion of an airplane as computed from wind-tunnel data

This report presents the results of an analytical study of the lateral controllability of an airplane in which both the static rolling and yawing moments supplied by the controls and the reactions due to the inherent stability of the airplane have been taken into account. The investigation was undertaken partly for the purpose of coordinating the results of a long series of wind-tunnel investigations with phenomena observed in flight tests; for this reason a hypothetical average airplane, embodying the essential characteristics of both wind-tunnel models and the full-size test airplanes, was assumed for the study.

Weick, Fred E↗

Impact of Quikscat Data on Numerical Weather Prediction

One of the important applications of satellite surface wind observations is to increase the accuracy of weather analyses and forecasts. Satellite surface wind data can improve numerical weather prediction (NWP) model forecasts by contributing to improved analyses of the surface wind field and air sea fluxes. Through the data assimilation process,these data can also improve atmospheric mass and motion fields in the free atmosphere above the surface. The SeaWinds scatterometer on the QuikScat satellite was launched in July 1999 and represented a dramatic departure in design from the other scatterometer instruments launched during the past decade (ERS-1,2 and NSCAT). The NASA Data Assimilation Office (DAO) was the first data assimilation center to assimilate QuikScat Seawinds data and evaluate their impact on numerical weather prediction. Following the launch of QuikScat, a detailed evaluation of the initial surface wind data sets was performed as part of a collaborative project between the Environmental Modeling Center of NCEP, NESDIS and the DAO. More recently, the impact of Quikscat data was evaluated in detailed experiments using the NCEP operational data assimilation system. As a result of the beneficial impact obtained, NCEP began operational utilization of Quikscat data. Results from these experiments as well as recent DAO assimilation experiments showing the impact of Quikscat data on stratospheric analyses and forecasts will be presented at the meeting.

Atlas, Robert↗

Assimilation of Wind Profiles from Multiple Doppler Radar Wind Profilers for Space Launch Vehicle Applications

Atmospheric wind data are required by space launch vehicles in order to assess flight vehicle loads and performance on day-of-launch. Space launch ranges at NASA's Kennedy Space Center co-located with the United States Air Force's (USAF) Eastern Range (ER) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and USAF's Western Range (WR) at Vandenberg Air Force Base have extensive networks of in-situ and remote sensing instrumentation to measure atmospheric winds. Each instrument's technique to measure winds has advantages and disadvantages in regards to use within vehicle trajectory analyses. Balloons measure wind at all altitudes necessary for vehicle assessments, but two primary disadvantages exist when applying balloon output. First, balloons require approximately one hour to reach required altitudes. Second, balloons are steered by atmospheric winds down range of the launch site that could significantly differ from those winds along the vehicle ascent trajectory. These issues are mitigated by use of vertically pointing Doppler Radar Wind Profilers (DRWPs). However, multiple DRWP instruments are required to provide wind data over altitude ranges necessary for vehicle trajectory assessments. The various DRWP systems have different operating configurations resulting in different temporal and spatial sampling intervals. Therefore, software was developed to combine data from both DRWP-generated profiles into a single profile for use in vehicle trajectory analyses. This paper will present details of the splicing software algorithms and will provide sample output.

Decker, Ryan K.↗

Diverse Super-Resolution (diversity_SR) [SWR-21-60]

Deep learning tools for enhancing the spatial resolution of wind data. The software is developed in Python using the TensorFlow deep learning package. Models for diversity super-resolution is provided. Included in the package are pretrained models with example code/data to perform the super-resolution as well as tools of training models for different enhancement- or data-types. The super-resolution is an inherently ill-conditioned problem, with multiple high-resolution fields plausibly mapping to the same coarse field. Considitional GANs provide a framework for generating a distribution of high-resolution realizations from a given low-resolution input. Stochastic estimation is used to inform the network of the expected degree and location of sub-grid diversity. The package includes a pretrained network to generate distributions of 10x-enhanced fields of wind data.

Glaws, Andrew↗

A comparison between an existing propeller noise theory and wind tunnel data

The noise of three supersonic helical tip speed propellers was compared with the noise predicted by an existing noise theory. Comparisons of the peak blade passage tones showed fairly good agreement beween theory and experiment at the lowest helical tip Mach numbers tested, 0.86 and 1.00, while at higher numbers, the theory predicted higher noise levels than measured. When the differences among the propellers were considered the theory and measurement showed fairly good agreement. Directivity measurements in general showed that the measured blade passage tone data peaked further downstream than the theory predicted. At the cruise design condition the harmonics appeared to fall off faster in the data than the theory indicated.

Dittmar, J. H.↗

Analytic development of improved supersonic cruise aircraft based on wind tunnel data

Data obtained from the MDC/NASA cooperative wing tunnel program were used to develop empirical corrections to theory. These methods were then used to develop a 2.2M supersonic cruise aircraft configuration with a cruise trimmed maximum L/D of 10.2. The empirical corrections to the theory are reviewed, and the configuration alternatives examined in the development of the configuration are presented. The benefits of designing for optimum trimmed performance, including the effects of the nacelles, are discussed.

Roensch, R. L.↗